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Contents
Important Days ............................................................ 3 State News ............................................................... 101
January ..................................................................... 3 Ladakh .................................................................. 101
February ................................................................... 3 Jammu & Kashmir ................................................ 103
March ....................................................................... 4 Himachal Pradesh ................................................ 106
April .......................................................................... 5 Delhi ..................................................................... 108
May .......................................................................... 6 Punjab .................................................................. 109
June .......................................................................... 7 Haryana ................................................................ 110
July ........................................................................... 8 Uttarakhand ......................................................... 112
August ...................................................................... 9 Uttar Pradesh ....................................................... 114
September.............................................................. 10 Bihar ..................................................................... 116
October .................................................................. 12 Madhya Pradesh .................................................. 118
November .............................................................. 13 Jharkhand............................................................. 122
December ............................................................... 15 Chhatisgarh .......................................................... 123
Appointments ............................................................ 17 Odisha .................................................................. 125
Banking And Insurance........................................... 17 West Bengal ......................................................... 128
Indian Ambassadors ............................................... 18 Sikkim ................................................................... 130
Brand Ambassadors ............................................... 19 Assam ................................................................... 131
Govt Appointments ............................................... 22 Arunachal Pradesh ............................................... 133
Private And Others ................................................. 38 Manipur ............................................................... 135
PSUs ....................................................................... 47 Meghalaya ........................................................... 137
Awards ....................................................................... 48 Nagaland .............................................................. 138
Film And Music ....................................................... 48 Tripura.................................................................. 139
Art And Literature .................................................. 54 Rajasthan ............................................................. 140
Nobel Prize ............................................................. 58 Gujarat ................................................................. 144
Science ................................................................... 60 Maharashtra ........................................................ 150
Sports ..................................................................... 61 Goa ....................................................................... 154
Padma award 2022 ................................................ 62 Telangana............................................................. 155
Gallantry ................................................................. 63 Andhra Pradesh ................................................... 158
Banking and Business ............................................. 63 Karnataka ............................................................. 160
International .......................................................... 67 Kerala ................................................................... 163
Miscellaneous ........................................................ 69 Tamil Nadu ........................................................... 167
Books And Authors..................................................... 77 Lakshadweep ....................................................... 169
Biography ............................................................... 77 Andaman & Nicobar Islands ................................ 169
Autobiography ....................................................... 78 National News.......................................................... 170
Sports Books........................................................... 79 Ramsar Sites 2022 ................................................ 170
Books on famous personalities .............................. 79 GI tags .................................................................. 174
Miscelleaneous ...................................................... 81 Government scheme ........................................... 176
Obituaries................................................................... 87 National Park and wildlife sanctuaries ................ 188

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Summit and conference ....................................... 189 Boxing .................................................................. 391


World Heritage Site .............................................. 198 Hockey ................................................................. 392
Tiger Reserve........................................................ 200 Olympic: ............................................................... 395
Wildlife Sanctuary ................................................ 201 Commonwealth Games ....................................... 399
Elephant reserve .................................................. 202 National Games ................................................... 401
Miscellaneous ...................................................... 202 Chess .................................................................... 407
International Index News ......................................... 253 F1 Race ................................................................. 409
National Index News ................................................ 277 Golf....................................................................... 410
International Appointment ...................................... 288 Shooting ............................................................... 411
International News................................................... 297 Wrestling.............................................................. 412
Banking..................................................................... 325 Weightlifting ........................................................ 413
Defence .................................................................... 345 Badminton ........................................................... 414
Sports ....................................................................... 377 Tennis ................................................................... 417
Football ................................................................ 377 Athletics ............................................................... 421
Cricket .................................................................. 381 Miscellaneous ...................................................... 422

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Important Days
January
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 Jan DRDO Day Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
4 Jan World Braille Day marks the birthday of Louis Braille, creator of braille language
9 Jan NRI (Non-Resident Indian) The day commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to Mumbai on
Day\ Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas 9 January 1915.
10-Jan World Hindi Day to commemorate first anniversary of World Hindi Conference
11 Jan Lal Bahadur Shastri's Death second Prime Minister of India. He died in Tashkent, Uzbekistan after signing a peace
Anniversary treaty to end the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War.
11- 17 National Road safety week Theme 2022 - “Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha” .
Jan
12-Jan National Youth Day Theme 2022 – “It's all in the mind”.
(Vivekananda Jayanti)
14-Jan Armed forces veteran day initially called Armistice Day. celebrated to honour the sacrifice of our veterans in serving
the nation.
Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed
Forces retired on 14 January 1953.
15-Jan Indian Army Day In recognition of Field Marshal K. M. Cariappa's (then a Lieutenant General) taking over
as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949.
16 Jan National Startup Day Started in 2022
19-Jan National Disaster Response National Disaster Management Authority is the parent body of the NDRF. Located at 12
Force (NDRF) Raising Day different locations in the country, there are 12 NDRF battalions.
23-Jan "Parakram Divas" Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Jayanti
24-Jan National Girl Child Day Started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Government of
India in 2008
24-Jan International Day of Theme 2022 - Changing Course, Transforming Education
Education (National Education Day – 11 November)
25-Jan National Tourism Day Theme 2022 - Rural and Community Centric Tourism
25-Jan National Voters Day Theme 2022 - ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative’
to mark the Foundation day of Election Commission of India (1950)
26-Jan International Customs Day Theme - 'Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and
Building a Data Ecosystem’.
The day was instituted by the World Customs Organization (WCO)
30-Jan World Leprosy Eradication Theme 2022 - “United for Dignity.”
Day (Last Sunday of January) Leprosy or Hansen's Disease. World Leprosy Day is celebrated on Mahatma Gandhi's
death anniversary.
30-Jan Martyr’s day or Shaheed In 1948, Gandhiji was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. It is also observed to pay homage
Divas to the freedom fighters who laid their lives for the country's independence.

February
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 Feb Indian Coast Guard The interim Indian Coast guard was established on 1 February 1977 to prevent sea-borne smuggling
Day of goods which were hampering India's domestic economy.
2 Feb World Wetlands Theme - Wetlands Action for People and Nature
Day Marks the anniversary of the Convention on Wetlands, which was adopted as an international
treaty in 1971.
4 Feb World Cancer Day Theme - 'Close the care gap'
10 Feb World Pulses Day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN to recognize the importance
of pulses as a global food.
12 Feb National Celebrated by the National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Productivity Day to promote productivity culture in India.
12-18 National Theme: “Self Reliance Through Productivity”
Feb Productivity Week
13 Feb World Radio Day Theme 2022 is "Radio and Trust".
13 Feb National Women's Sarojini Naidu’s Birth Anniversary
Day nickname 'Nightingale of India' or 'Bharat Kokila'
18 Feb Taj Mahotsav Theme 2022 "Jashn-e-Virasat”

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annual 10-day (from 18 to 27 February) event at Shilpgram in Agra.


20 Feb Mizoram & -
Arunachal Pradesh
Statehood Day
20 Feb World Day of Theme 2022- “Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment”
Social Justice
21 Feb International Theme 2022- “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”
Mother Language
Day
27 Feb National Protein Theme – Food Futurism.
Day to create awareness about protein deficiency and encourage people to include this macronutrient
in their diet
28 Feb National Science Theme - 'Integrated Approach in S&T for Sustainable Future’.
Day to mark the discovery of the Raman effect by Indian physicist Sir C. V. Raman, for which he was
awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.

March
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 Mar Zero Discrimination Theme 2022 “'Remove Laws That Harm, Create Laws That Empower.”
Day to promote equality before the law and in practice throughout all of the member countries of
the UN
1 Mar World Civil Defence Theme 2022, is “Civil defence and management of displaced populations in face of disasters and
Day crises; role of volunteers and the fight against pandemics.”
3 Mar World Wildlife Day Theme 2022- "Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration."
4 Mar National Safety Day Theme 2022 - “Nurture young minds - Develop safety culture”
observed to celebrate the base and foundation of the National Safety Council in 1972.and to
enhance the safety awareness among people.
8 Mar International Theme 2022- “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
Women's Day
10 Mar CISF Raising Day On this day, in 1969, the CISF was set up. It is directly under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Central Industrial The objective of the CISF is - Better protection and security of industrial undertakings in both
Security Force government and private sectors in the country.
14 Mar Pi Day OR Theme 2022: “Mathematics Unites”
International Day of Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first
Mathematics three significant digits of π.
15 Mar World Consumer Theme 2022: “Fair Digital Finance.”
Rights Day
16 Mar National Vaccination The first dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine was administered in 1995 on this date, under WHO’s
Day Global Polio Eradication Initiative which had begun in 1988.
18 Mar Ordnance Factories The production of India’s oldest Ordnance Factory, which is at Cossipore of Kolkata, was started
Day (India) on the 18th of March, 1802.The day is celebrated by displaying the rifles, guns, artillery,
ammunition etc in exhibitions all over India.
20 Mar World Sparrow Day -The first World Sparrow Day was organised in 2010.
Theme for 2022:
I love sparrows.
21 Mar World Down Theme 2022 -“Inclusion Means”
Syndrome Day
21 Mar International Day of Theme for 2022 is "Forests and sustainable production and consumption.”
Forests
22 Mar World Water Day Theme 2022: “Groundwater: making the invisible visible”
23 Mar World Meteorological Theme 2022: “Early Warning and Early Action. Hydrometeorological and Climate Information for
Day Disaster Risk Reduction.” Commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), on March 23, 1950.
23 Mar Shaheed Diwas to honour the martyrdom of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev & Rajguru in 1931.
24 Mar World Tuberculosis Theme 2022: ‘Invest to End TB. Save Lives.’
Day Dr Robert Koch had discovered the Tuberculosis Bacillus.

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April
Date Day Theme/Remark
01- Prevention of Blindness It is observed to alert and awaken the society towards various factors which causes blindness.
7Apr week
01-Apr Orissa Day (Utkala In memory of the formation of the state as a separate state out of Bihar and Orissa Province
Dibasa) with addition
of Koraput and Ganjam from the Madras Presidency on 1 April 1936.
The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Act, 2011 is an Act of Parliament of India to alter the name of
State of Orissa by substituting Orissa with Odisha.
02-Apr World Autism For 2022, the UN decided on “Inclusive Quality Education for All”
Awareness Day The very first World Autism Day was observed in the year 2008 on April 2.
President: Dr Samira Al Saad
Founded at: Luxembourg
05-Apr National Maritime Day National Maritime Day was first celebrated on April 5, 1964. 59th Edition
The theme of the National Maritime Day is “Sustainable Shipping beyond Covid-19’’.

07-Apr World Health Day The World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7 since 1950 to commemorate the
establishment of World Health Organisation (WHO) on 7 April 1948.
Theme of 2022 World Health Day is ‘Our Planet, Our Health.’

10-Apr World Homeopathy Day The theme for 2022 World Homoeopathy Day is “People’s Choice for Wellness“
Decided by the Ministry of AYUSH
Birth anniversary of German physician Dr Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, who is
considered as the founder of system of alternative medicine called Homeopathy
11-Apr National Safe Theme of 2022 is Remain at home amid coronavirus, protect
Motherhood Day mother and infant safe from coronavirus.
India is the first country in the world to officially declare National Safe Motherhood Day The
day commemorates the birth anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi
2022 marks the 19th anniversary of the day. The first observation was held in 2003.
12-Apr International Day of First human space flight by Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961. The day was proclaimed at the 65th
Human Space Flight session of the United Nations General Assembly on April 7, 2011

13-Apr Jallianwala Bagh Also, International Turban Day is celebrated every year on April
Massacre Day (1919) 13 since 2004 to bring awareness of the strict requirement on Sikhs to put the turban as a
mandatory part of their religion.
The 2022 Turban Day marks the 553rd birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the festival of
Baisakhi.
14-Apr Ambedkar Jayanti Bhim Jayanti
The Day has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India since 2015. In 2021,
we are marking the 130th birth anniversary of Babasaheb, who was born on 14 April 1891Dr.
Ambedkar is known as the Father (chief architect) of the Indian Constitution.He was the first
Law and Justice Minister of the country after the independence. Dr. Bhim has been bestowed
with the country’s highest civilian honor, Bharat Ratna in 1990 posthumously.
Tamil Nadu: Ambedkar Jayanti to be celebrated as ‘Day of Equality
16-Apr World Voice Day Theme:‘Lift your voice’
17-Apr World Haemophilia Day Theme:“Access for All: Partnership. Policy. Progress. Engaging your government, integrating
inherited bleeding disorders into national policy“.
The day is being held since 1989, which marks the birthday of Frank Schnabel, founder of the
World Federation of Hemophilia.
18-Apr World Heritage Day or Theme 2022 – ‘Heritage and Climate‘ Since 1983
International Day for India is home to a total of 3691 monuments and sites. Of these 40 are designated as UNESCO
Monuments and Sites World Heritage Sites
21-Apr National Civil Service The day April 21 has been chosen to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of
Day Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative
Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi.In his address, he called Civil Servants, the
‘Steel Frame of India’
24 Apr. World Immunization The world’s first “World Immunization Week” was observed in 2012
– Week Theme:“Long Life for All”
30 Apr.

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24-Apr National Panchayati Raj The 73rd Constitutional Amendment came into effect in 1993 and it was in 2010 when the
Day first Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated during the Manmohan Singh regime.

25-Apr World Malaria Day World Malaria Day was developed from Africa Malaria Day which was first held in 2008.
Theme:“Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives”

26-Apr World Intellectual To learn about the role that intellectual property (IP) rights play in encouraging innovation
Property Day and creativity.
Theme:IP and Youth innovating for a Better Future Since 2000(WIPO)
30-Apr Ayushman Bharat Diwas As a part of gram Swaraj Abhiyan
Ayushman Bharat Yojana has been launched on 23 September 2018 by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. It is also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).The main goal
of the Policy is to help the weaker section of the society, who are not able to get health care
facilities. he scheme is also known as the National health protection scheme.

May
Date Day Theme/Remark
1-May International Labour Since 1886In India, the first Labour Day or May Day was celebrated in Madras (now known as
Day Chennai) by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923.
1-May Maharashtra Day, In the year 1960, Maharashtra and Gujarat were carved out of the state of Bombay under the
Gujarat Day States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
2-May World Tuna Day Theme: “Our Tuna, Our Heritage” In December 2016, this day was established by the United
Nations General Assembly.
3-May World Press Theme: "Journalism under Digital Siege”.
Freedom Day
3-May World Asthma Day Theme: ‘Closing Gaps in Asthma Care’.
(first Tuesday of
May)
4-May Coal Miners Day First-ever coal mine was opened in 1575 in Scotland. In India, the coal mining business began
in 1774 from Raniganj coalfield in Asansol and Durgapur
5-May World Hand Theme – Unite for safety: clean your hands
Hygiene Day
7-May World Athletics Day World Athletics Headquarters: Monaco World Athletics Founded: 17 July 1912, Stockholm,
Sweden.
7-May BRO 62nd Raising Founded: 7 May 1960
Day Headquarters: New Delhi
Director-General: Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary
BRO set a Guinness World Record in November 2021 for the "highest altitude road" at Umling La.
8-May World Thalassaemia Theme 2022: “Be Aware. Share. Care: Working with the global community as one to improve
Day Thalassemia knowledge.”
8-May World Red Cross Theme 2022: #BeHUMANKIND (Believe in the power of Kindness).
Day
11- National Technology Declared by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
May Day Theme 2022: “Integrated Approach in Science and technology for sustainable future”.11th May
1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran. Also, first indigenous aircraft “Hansa-3” tested on this day, and India
performed a successful test firing of the Trishul missile.
12- International Nurses Theme 2022: “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global
May Day health”.birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale - founder of Modern Nursing
14- World Migratory • Theme 2022: “Impact of Light Pollution on Migratory Birds”.
May Bird Day • Slogan 2022: “Dim the Lights for Birds at Night!”.
(Second Saturday in May and the second Saturday in October)
16- National Dengue Dengue viruses spread through Aedes species mosquitoes (Ae. aegypti or Ae. Albopictus)
May Day
16- Sikkim’s 47th On 15 May 1975, then-President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed a 36th constitutional
May Statehood Day amendment and a day later, Sikkim became a complete Indian state The rule of the Chogyal (last
dynasty) was abolished.
17- World Anniversary of the founding of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on May 17, 1865
May Telecommunication Theme 2022: “Digital technologies for Older Persons and Healthy Ageing”.

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and Information
Society Day
17- World Hypertension Theme 2022: Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.
May Day
18- International Theme 2022: ‘The Power of Museums’.
May Museum Day
20- World Bee Day Commemorates birth of Anton Jansa in 1734. She is considered the pioneer of beekeeping. Theme
May 2022: ‘Bee Engaged: Celebrating the diversity of bees and beekeeping systems’
20- National 16th Edition, Since 2006
May Endangered Species Endangered Species Act of 1973 came into existence on 28 December.
Day Theme 2022: “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”.
(third Friday of May)
20- World Metrology Theme: Metrology in the Digital Era.
May Day Metrology is the study of measurement. celebrated to highlight the need for accurate
measurement units and contribution of metrologists, organisations and institutes.
21- Anti-Terrorism Day Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by the LTTE terrorists at Sriperumbudur in Tamil
May Nadu. Rajiv Gandhi became India’s youngest PM when he was sworn in at 40. He took over as the
sixth PM of the country after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984.
21- International Tea The day was first observed in New Delhi in 2005. In 2015, Indian government proposed to the UN
May Day Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to expand the celebrations across the world. First-ever
International Tea Day was on 21st May 2020
22- International Day Theme in 2022 is “Building a shared future for all life”.
May for Biological
Diversity
23- World Turtle Day Theme is “Shellebrate”. The theme asks “everyone to Love and Save Turtles”.
May
24- Commonwealth Day Commonwealth Day (formerly Empire Day) is commemorated on second Monday of March.
May in India India and a few other countries celebrate it on 24th May.
Theme - ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.
25- World Thyroid Theme: ‘It’s not you. It’s your thyroid.’
May Awareness Day
30- Goa Statehood Day On this day in 1987 Goa ceased to be a UT and became the 25th state of India. Goa, Daman and
May Diu Liberation Day is observed on December 19.
31- Anti-Tobacco Day The theme for 2022 is Tobacco: Threat to our environment.
May

June
Date Day Theme
1st World Milk Day Theme 2022: ‘Dairy Net Zero’
June The day is adopted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
2nd Telangana Formation Telangana is the India’s 28th state.
June Day The state was founded on 2nd June 2014.
5th World Environment 50th World Environment Day
June Day Sweden was the host for this year.Theme 2022: ‘Only One Earth’
6th Russian Language This is the 7th most spoken language (over 150 million native speakers) in the world.
June Day founded in 2010 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
7th World food safety Theme 2022: “Safer food, better health”
June day
8th World Ocean Day Declared by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
June Theme 2022: ‘Revitalisation: Collective Action for the Ocean’
8th World Brain tumour Theme 2022: ‘Together We Are Stronger’.
June Day
12th World Day Against International Labour Organization (ILO) launched this day in 2002 to tackle this global issue against
June Child Labour child labour.Theme 2022: “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour.”
14 World Blood Donor first organized by WHO in 2005.
June Day The host nation for 2022 is Mexico. Theme 2022: “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the
effort and save lives”.
15th Global Wind Day Announced by European Wind Energy Association (EWEA)
June Theme 2022: ‘We are #InWithWind, are you?’

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19th World Sickle Cell Day Theme 2022 – Screen and Care for Sickle Cell Disease
June
20th World Refugee Day Theme 2022- Whoever, Whatever, Whenever. Everyone has a right to seek safety
June
21st International Yoga The idea was conceived by PM Modi, and was proposed on September 27, 2014, during his speech
June Day at the UN General Assembly. UN proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga on
(8th Edition) December 11, 2014. first International Yoga Day was observed in 2015. Theme 2022 – Yoga for
Humanity
21st World Music Day Theme 2022 – Music on the intersections
June
22nd World Rainforest Day Theme 2022 – The Time is Now
June
23rd International Theme 2022 – Together, For a Peaceful World
June Olympic Day The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded on 23 June 1894.
26th International Day Theme: “Addressing drug challenges in health and humanitarian crises”
June against Drug Abuse
and Illicit Trafficking
2022
27th Micro-Small and marked by UNGA in 2017.
June Medium-sized Theme: 'Resilience and Rebuilding: MSMEs for Sustainable Development'
Enterprises
Day(MSME Day)
29th National Statistics Birth anniversary of Prof. P C Mahalanobis.
June Day Theme 2022 - Data for Sustainable Development
29th International Day of -
june the Tropics
30th World Asteroid Day Marks the anniversary of Tunguska impact over Siberia, on 30 June 1908, and to raise public
June awareness about the asteroid impact hazard

July
Date Day Theme
1st July National Chartered To commemorate the establishment of ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India)- the
Accountants’ Day second largest professional body of Chartered Accountants in the world.
1st July National Doctors Theme 2022 – Family Doctors on the Front Line
Day Birth and death anniversary of great physician and 2nd CM of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.
1st July SBI Foundation Day Founded – 1 July 1955, 43rd largest bank in the world.
1st July GST Day (Goods & From 1 July 2017 GST applicable across India.
Services Tax) • France 1st country to implement GST in 1954.
• Assam was the 1st state to ratify the GST Bill.
• The 1st state to pass State GST Bill is Telangana.
• Indian GST Follows Canadian Dual Model.
• GST Amendment Act – 101st,Constitutional Bill – 122nd
• GST Council (Article 279A)
3rd International Plastic Theme 2022 – Global initiative that aims to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags
July Bag Free Day
5th World Badminton 1st ever World Badminton Day in 2022.
July Day International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation – BWF), was established
on 05 July 1934 India’s 1st para-badminton academy launched in Lucknow. Himanta Biswa Sarma
re-elected as President of Badminton Association of India India to host 2026 World Badminton
Championships
10th National Fish To commemorate Professor Dr. Hiralal Chaudhury and his colleague Alikunhi
July Farmers Day Observed first time in 1957 at Angul in Odisha
Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Blue Revolution” -Integrated Development and Management of
Fisheries which was launched in 2016
In 2020, “Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for 5 years
11th World Population Theme 2022 – A world of 8 billion- Towards a resilient future for all – Harnessing opportunities and
July Day ensuring rights and choices for all.
12th International Malala To support world education.
July Day In December 2014, Malala became the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize

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15th World Youth Skills Theme 2022 – Transforming youth skills for the future
July Day To celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment and
entrepreneurship.
17th World Day for Theme 2022 – Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment
July International Justice Also referred to as Day of International Criminal Justice or International Justice Day
18th Nelson Mandela Theme 2022 – Do what you can, with what you have, where you are
July International Day Nelson Mandela was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1993.
18th Tamil Nadu Day On the 1st of November 1956 Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala were separated from the
July Madras Presidency.
On 18th July, 1967 the remaining Madras Presidency was called Tamil Nadu.
20th International Chess Date of the establishment of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Paris in 1924.
July Day
22nd World Brain Day Theme 2022 – Brain Health for all
July The World Federation of Neurology was established on July 22 1957.
22nd National Flag July 22, in 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the National Flag
July Adoption Day Pingali Venkayya designed the national flag
23rd National On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay
July Broadcasting Day Station under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.
On the 8 June 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio.
24th Income Tax Day Income tax was introduced for the first time in India on July 24, 1860, by James Wilson to
July compensate for the losses incurred during the First War of Independence in 1857.
26th Kargil Vijay Diwas To commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War in 1999.
July Indian Army evicted Pakistani intruders and recaptured Tiger Hill and other posts as a part of
‘Operation Vijay.’
27th 83rd Raising Day of The force was established on July 27, 1939, as the Crown Representative Police.
July CRPF After Independence, this force was named Central Reserve Police Force by an Act of Parliament on
December 28, 1949.
26th Kargil Vijay Diwas To commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War in 1999.
July Indian Army evicted Pakistani intruders and recaptured Tiger Hill and other posts as a part of
‘Operation Vijay.’
27th 83rd Raising Day of The force was established on July 27, 1939, as the Crown Representative Police.
July CRPF After Independence, this force was named Central Reserve Police Force by an Act of Parliament on
December 28, 1949.
28th World Hepatitis Day Theme 2022 – Bringing hepatitis care closer to you
July birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus
(HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for it.
28th World Nature Theme “Cut Down on Plastic.”
July Conservation Day
29th International Tiger The decision to recognise this day was taken in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia
July Day Total :2,967 (2018 tiger census)
Top Performers: Madhya Pradesh saw the highest number of tigers (526) followed by Karnataka
(524) and Uttarakhand (442).

August
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1-Aug World Wide Web Day The WWW was created by English computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 in Switzerland.
1-7 World Breastfeeding The inaugural World Breastfeeding Week was observed in 1992
Aug week Theme: Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support".
6 Aug Hiroshima Day On 6th August 1945, a US bomber dropped the uranium fission bomb, codenamed Little Boy, on
Hiroshima, a city in Japan.
7 Aug National Handloom 8th edition. Declared in 2015. It was on this day in 1905, that the Swadeshi Movement was
Day launched in the Calcutta Town hall to protest partition of Bengal by the British Government.
7 Aug Javelin Throw Day 1st edition. In honour of Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, India’s first Olympic gold medal in
athletics at Tokyo.
8 Aug August Kranti Diwas On 8 August 1942 at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay, Gandhiji had launched
(Quit India Day) the 'Quit India' movement.
9 Aug International day of Theme 2022: “The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of
World’s Indigenous Traditional Knowledge.”
people
(World Tribal Day)

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9 Aug Nagasaki Day US dropped the second nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, codenamed “Fat Man”
10 Aug World Biofuel Day / In honour of Sir Rudolf Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine.
International
Biodiesel Day
10 Aug World Lion Day This day was launched in 2013.
The big cat is listed as an endangered species in the IUCN Red List.
12 Aug World Sanskrit Day Sanskrit: वि्ቫसंस्कृ तदिनम ्
It is celebrated on Shraavana poornima, in the Hindu calendar.
12 Aug National Librarian In remembrance of Dr S.R Ranganathan, who was awarded Padma Shri for his valuable
Day contributions to Library Science
12 Aug International Youth Theme - Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages
day
13 Aug World Organ Indian Organ Donation Day is on 27th November
Donation Day
15 Aug 76th Independence Number of time flag Hoisted:
Day 2022 Jawaharlal Nehru-17 times (Maximum)
Indira Gandhi- 16 times
Narendra Modi-9 times
19 Aug World Humanitarian 13th Edition; Since 2009
Day Theme 2022 – It Takes a Village
19 Aug World Photography Theme: “Pandemic Lockdown through the lens.”
Day The first official World Photo Day was observed on August 19, 2010.
20 Aug Sadbhavana Diwas To commemorate the birth anniversary of India’s youngest Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi
20 Aug Akshay Urja Day To create awareness about the importance of renewable resources of energy
20 Aug World Mosquito Day Commemorates Sir Ronald Ross' discovery in 1897 that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit
malaria between humans. Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1902
29 Aug International Day
against Nuclear Tests
29 Aug National Sports Day To commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, who won gold
(Rashtriya Khel Divas medals in Olympics for India in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
)
29th Telugu Language Day Also called as Telugu bhasha dinotsavam.
Aug Celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Telugu poet, Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy.

September
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 to 7 National Nutrition Week Theme - feeding smart right from start
Sept The Indian government first introduced this week-long campaign in 1982.
2 Sept World Coconut Day Theme 2022: Growing coconut for a better future and life
Top exporters of coconuts: Indonesia, India, Philippines, Brazil and Sri Lanka
5 Sept National Teachers’ Day Started in 1962 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice-
President & second President of India.
Radhakrishnan was a renowned scholar, philosopher & recipient of the Bharat Ratna (1954)
& he started his career as a teacher.
World Teachers’ Day is observed on 5 October
5 Sept International Day of Declared by the UN General Assembly in 2012, to commemorate the anniversary of the
Charity passing away of Mother Teresa
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her efforts in the fight against
poverty and suffering.
7 Sept International Day of designated by the UN General Assembly in 2019 & was first observed on 7 September 2020.
Clean Air for Blue Skies Theme 2022- Air We Share
8 Sept International Literacy • UNESCO declared September 8 as International Literacy Day.
Day • It was first celebrated on 8 September 1967.
• Theme 2022 – Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces
9 Sept Himalaya Diwas Celebrated in Uttarakhand since 2015.
Theme - ‘Himalayas will be safe only when the interests of its residents are protected’.
10 Sept World Suicide Theme 2022: Creating hope through action; it is the triennial theme for this day from 2021 to
Prevention Day (WSPD) 2023.

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10 Sept World First Aid Day First observed in 2000 by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRC).( second Saturday in September)
11 Sept National Forest Martyrs Observed to commemorate the Khejarli massacre in 1730 involving Maharaja Abhay Singh
Day and Bishnoi community in Khejarli village in Rajasthan.
14 Sept Hindi Day On 14 September 1949, Hindi was adapted as official language in India.
World Hindi Day is observed on 10 January every year.
15 Sept Engineer’s day in India To commemorate the birth anniversary of the greatest Indian Engineer, Bharat Ratna
Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya
In 1955, he was awarded the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna.
he was popularly referred to as the “Father of Modern Mysore.
15 Sept International Day of First observed in 2008.
Democracy Theme 2022 – Importance of media freedom to democracy, peace, and delivering on the
Sustainable Development Goals
16 Sept World Ozone Day Theme - Global Cooperation Protecting Life on Earth
(International Day for Commemorates the date in 1987 when Montreal Protocol was signed on Substances that
Preservation of Ozone Deplete the Ozone Layer
Layer)
17 Sept World Patient Safety This day was established in 2019 by the 72nd World Health Assembly.
Day Theme 2022 – Medication Safety
17 Sept International Red Panda Red pandas are native to the rainy mountain forests of India, Nepal, Bhutan, northern
Day Myanmar, and central China.
(third Saturday of September 18, 2010, was the first time that International Red Panda Day was celebrated.
September)
18 Sept World Bamboo Day After China, India is the second largest cultivator of bamboo in the entire world.
World Bamboo Day was first celebrated in 2009.
18- 25 International Week of • Theme 2022 – Building Inclusive Communities for All
Sept Deaf People 2022 • It is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in
1958 in Rome, Italy
21 Sept International Day of • It was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly.
Peace • Theme 2022 – End racism, Build peace
21 Sept World Alzheimer’s Day Purple is the official color of Alzheimer's movement
Theme 2022 – Know dementia, Know Alzheimer’s
21 Sept World Rhino Day 2022 Theme 2022 – Five Rhino Species Forever
The announcement of this day was done in 2010 by WWF-South Africa. This day was first
observed in 2011
23 Sept International Day of Sign Started in 2018
Languages Theme 2022 – Sign Language Unite Us
25 Sept Antyodaya Diwas To mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
Antyodaya means uplifting the poorest of the poor.
This day was first observed in 2014.
25 Sept World Pharmacists Day Theme 2022 – Pharmacy united in action for a healthier world
25 Sept World rivers day Theme 2022 – The importance of Rivers to Biodiversity
(fourth Sunday of
September)
26 Sept International Day for the was observed for the first time in September 2014
Total Elimination of
Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept World Tourism Day This year’s official celebrations took place in Bali, Indonesia.
Theme 2022 – Rethinking Tourism
Every year since 1980
28 Sept International Day For Theme 2022 – Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance and Access to Information
Universal Access To
Information (IDUAI)
29 Sept World Heart Day Theme - Use Heart for Every Heart
Created by the World Heart Federation (WHF)
29 Sept International Day of • Theme - Stop Food Loss and waste, for the people, for the planet
Awareness of Food Loss • First international day of awareness of food loss and waste was declared in 2020.
and Waste
29 Sept World Maritime Day Theme - New technologies for greener shipping.
(last Thursday of Sept)

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To appreciate the importance of maritime industry, environment, safety, and shipping. Marks
the day of adaptation of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) convention in 1958.
IMO was founded in 1948 to oversee the shipping sector.
30 Sept International Translation
Day

October
Date Day theme
1 Oct National Pension System Observed by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
(NPS) Diwas
1 Oct National Voluntary Blood To recognise and commemorate the immense contribution made by Dr Jai Gopal Jolly
Donation Day (known as Father of Transfusion Medicine in India)
2nd International Day of Non- This year marks the 153rd anniversary of Gandhi’s birth.
oct Violence On June 15, 2007, United Nations General Assembly declared October 2 as International
Day of Non-violence in his honour.
2–8 National Wildlife Week 68th edition of National Wildlife Week celebrated in 2022.
Oct The idea was proposed by the Indian Board of Wildlife in 1952 while the first ‘Wildlife Week’
was commemorated in 1957.
3 Oct World Habitat Day 2022 theme: “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”.
(first Monday of October)
4 Oct World Animal Day Theme 2022 – Shared planet
4-10 World Space week 2022 2022 theme is “Space and Sustainability”
Oct To recognize two important dates in space history:
• launch of first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on Oct. 4, 1957;
• Signing of Outer Space Treaty on Oct.10, 1967.
5 Oct World Teachers’ Day 2022 2022 Theme: The Transformation of Education Begins with Teachers
observed since 1994 after UNESCO recommendation.
7th World Cotton Day Launched by World Trade Organisation in 2019.
Oct Theme 2022 – Weaving a better future for cotton
8th Indian Air Force Day 90th anniversary celebration
Oct This is the first time the parade and fly past have been shifted from Delhi to Chandigarh.
Indian Air Force was officially established on 8 October 1932 by the British Empire as the
Royal Indian Air Force. The name was changed to Indian Air Force in 1950.
8th World Migratory Bird Day Theme 2022 - Light Pollution
Oct (second Saturday) Bi-annual global campaign organised to raise awareness about migratory birds, the need for
their conservation, and the importance of the preservation of their habitat
10 Oct National Post Day Postal service was introduced in India in 1854 by Lord Dalhousie.
6-digit PIN Code system was introduced in India in 1972
10th World Mental Health Day Theme 2022- Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority
Oct First celebration on October 10, 1992.
11th International Day of Girl This day was first celebrated on October 11, 2012.
Oct Child Theme 2022: 'Our time is now - our rights, our future.'
12th World Arthritis Day Theme 2022 – It’s in your hands, take action
Oct
14th World Standards Day Theme 2022 – Shared Vision for a Better World
Oct The first World Standards Day was formally inaugurated in 1970 by Faruk Sunter, then-
President of the ISO.
14th International E-Waste Day This day was first observed in 2018 by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Oct recycling (WEEE) Forum.
2022 Slogan: Recycle it all, no matter how small!
15th World Students' Day Birth anniversary of the former president of India Dr APJ Adbul Kalam.
Oct Declared by United Nations in 2010
Dr. Kalam became the 11th president of the Republic of India on July 18, 2002.
15th Global Handwashing Day Started in 2008
Oct 2022 Theme is “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene.”
15th International Day of Rural The United Nations General Assembly established this day on December 18, 2007.
Oct Women 2022 / ‘Mahila Theme 2022 is “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”.
Kisan Diwas’
16th World Food Day Theme 2022 – Leave No One behind
Oct To commemorate the formation of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945.

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17th International Day for the Theme 2022 – Dignity For All in Practice
Oct Eradication of Poverty
20th World Osteoporosis Day Theme 2022 – Step Up For Bone Health
Oct Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and brittle.
21st Police Commemoration Commemorates the sacrifices of 10 policemen who sacrificed their life while defending our
Oct Day borders with China in 1959.
23rd National Ayurveda Day observed on Dhanwantari Jayanti (Dhanteras) every year since 2016.
Oct Celebrated by Ministry of AYUSH
Theme 2022 – Har Din Har Ghar Ayurveda
24th United Nations Day Theme 2022 – Building Back Together for Peace and Prosperity
Oct United Nations was founded in 1945. At present, there are 193 Member States.
24th World Polio Day Theme 2022 – A healthier future for mothers & children To commemorate the birth of
Oct Jonas Salk, who led the developed of polio vaccine.
24 – Disarmament Week first observed in 1978 by United Nations General Assembly
30 Oct
Oct 24 Global Media and Theme 2022 - “Nurturing trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative.”
-31 Information Literacy Week
27 Oct Infantry Day 76th celebration. It is the day when the Indian Army’s infantry troops landed in Kashmir for
the first time in 1947. to protect the people of Kashmir from the Pakistani invaders after
Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir had signed the Instrument of Accession of Kashmir to India.
31st World Thrift Day/ In India it is celebrated on 30th October due to death of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Oct World Savings Day on the same day in 1984 Theme 2022: Saving prepares you for the future
31st World Cities Day First celebrated in 2014 Theme 2022 - “Act Local to Go Global.”
Oct
31st National Unity Day or Celebrated since 2014, to commemorate birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister,
Oct Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (the Iron Man of India).
Women of Bardoli bestowed the title ‘Sardar’ on Vallabhbhai Patel, which means ‘a Chief or
a Leader’.
The Statue of Unity at Kevadiya in the Narmada district of Gujarat (2018) was built in his
honour.
31st Vigilance Awareness Week Theme 2022: “Corruption free India for a developed Nation”
Oct-
6th
Nov

November
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 Nov World Vegan Day The theme for this year is based on the campaign ‘Future Normal.’
2022 its origins to England in 1994. At the time, animal rights activist Louise Wallis was serving as the
President of the Vegan Society.
1-5 India Water Week Ministry of Jal Shakti organized the 7th India Water Week – 2022 (IWW-2022) at India Expo Center,
Nov Greater Noida.
Theme 2022 – Water Security for Sustainable Development with Equity
The first event was organized in New Delhi in 2012
1 Nov 7 Indian states & 2 Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep came into being in 1956.
UTs celebrated their While Punjab and Haryana were formed in 1966 while Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya
formation day Pradesh in 2000.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu also used to celebrate its foundation day on November 1 but the state
government in 2021 announced that ‘Tamil Nadu Formation Day’ will be celebrated on July 18.
1 Nov Zojila Day It was commemorated to celebrate the gallant action by Indian troops in ‘Operation Bison’ in 1948
which was launched on the icy heights of Zojila pass, the gateway to Ladakh.
3 Nov International Day For 1st edition
Biosphere Reserves In India, the first biosphere reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2000, the blue mountains of the
Nilgiris stretching over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
5 Nov World Tsunami first officially observed in 2016
Awareness Day Theme 2022 – Early Warning and Early Action Before Every Tsunami
7 Nov National Cancer The National Cancer Control Programme was initiated in 1975 to provide cancer treatment
Awareness Day facilities in the country.
This day coincides with the birth anniversary of the Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie.

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8 Nov World Radiography Theme 2022 – Radiographers at the Forefront of Patient Safety
Day Marks the anniversary of the discovery of x-rays by Professor Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, Germany,
in 1895.
9 Nov National Legal To commemorate the enactment of the Legal Services Authorities Act 1987 (came into force in
Services Day 1995)& formation of National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA).
9 Nov Uttarakhand Uttarakhand is the 27th state of India and was known as Uttaranchal till 2007.
Foundation Day It was created under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2000.
10 World Science Day Theme: Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development
Nov for Peace and It was established by UNESCO in 2001 and was first celebrated in 2002.
Development
11 National Education Theme 2022 – Changing Course, Transforming Education.
Nov Day Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the first Minister of Education of independent India from 1947
to 1958 in Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet.
12 World Pneumonia Theme slogan - Pneumonia affects everyone/ Championing the fight to stop pneumonia Common
Nov Day causes of bacterial pneumonia are Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and, especially in
kids, Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
12 Public Service To commemorate the only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to All India Radio in Delhi in 1947. He has
Nov Broadcasting Day addressed the partition refugees, who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana.
14 Nehru’s Birthday- also known as Bal Diwas. Jawaharlal Nehru was born on this day in 1889
Nov Children’s Day He also established Children’s Film Society India in 1955
20 November – World Children’s Day
14 World Diabetes Day Theme 2022 – Access to diabetes care.
Nov It was first adopted in 1991 by the International Diabetes Foundation and WHO. At present, 10 out
of 100 adults are suffering from diabetes.
14-20 National Cooperative conducted and organized by the National Cooperative Union of India.
Nov Week
15 Jharkhand The state was part of Bihar till the year 2000.
Nov Foundation Day Jharkhand Foundation Day is a mark of the establishment of the 28th state of India.
15 Janjatiya Gaurav The birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda
Nov Divas He was born on 15th November 1875
or Tribal Pride Day
15 to Newborn Care Week Theme is 'Safety, Quality and Nurturing Care - Every Newborn's Birth Right’.
21 In India, the Neonatal Mortality Rate is 20 per 1000 live births.
Nov
16 National Press Day Theme “The Media’s Role in Nation Building” July 4, 1966, the Press Council was established. This
Nov council started its formal work from 16 November 1966. Keeping this date in mind, National Press
Day started.
18 5th Naturopathy Day Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. Benedict
Nov Lust is known as the father of modern-day Naturopathy.
Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Nature Cure Foundation trust on November 18, 1945. The
first Naturopathy day was observed in India on 18 November 2018, Theme 2022 - Naturopathy: An
Integrative Medicine.
18 National Sapper's The Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army are also called the Sappers. Four pillars of the Corps are
Nov Day Combat Engineers, the Military Engineering Services, the Border Roads Organisation and the
Military Survey of India.
18-24 World Antibiotic Theme 2022 – Preventing antimicrobial resistance together
Nov Awareness Week
/World Antimicrobial
Awareness Week
(WAAW)
19 World Toilet Day The 2022 theme is ‘Making the Invisible Visible’. The theme focuses on groundwater sanitation.
Nov
19 National Integration National Integration Day 2022 marks the 105th birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi
Nov Day/ was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1971.
Quami Ekta Divas
19- International Men's theme is "Helping Men and Boys." International Men's Day was formally celebrated for the first
Nov Day time on 19 November 2007.
19-25 World Heritage Week By UNESCO. In India, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) celebrates it.
Nov & Quami Ekta Week

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20 World Children's Day The theme of the World Children’s Day 2022: Inclusion, For Every Child
Nov
20 World Day of Theme 2022 – Justice
Nov Remembrance for Recognized by United Nations General Assembly
Road Traffic Victims (3rd Sunday of November)
21 World Fisheries Day Started in 2015 Department of Fisheries celebrate the day in Daman to create awareness on the
Nov importance of healthy ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries.
21 World Television Day In 1927, American inventor Philo Taylor Farnsworth invented the world’s first electronic television.
Nov commemorating the date on which the first World Television Forum was held in 1996. Recognized
by United Nations
24 Guru Teg Bahadur’s It was on this day in1675, that Guru Tegh Bahadur was publicly executed in Delhi by the then
Nov Martyrdom Day Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb.
25 International Day for Theme 2022 is ‘UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls.
Nov the Elimination of
Violence against
Women
26 National Milk Day To honor Dr. Verghese Kurien (father of White Revolution) and educate people about the
Nov importance of milk first National Milk Day in 2014
26 Constitution Day of Also known as National Law Day.
Nov India 'Samvidhan On 26 November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted to the Constitution of India, and
Divas it came into effect on 26 January 1950.

December
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1 World AIDS Day Theme - ‘Equalize’
Dec The first World AIDS Day was observed in 1988.
1 Nagaland statehood Nagaland became 16th State of the Union of India on 1st December 1963 (60th Satetehood day)
Dec day Nagaland has also hosted the 23rd Hornbill Festival 2022 at Naga Heritage Village Kisama from 1st
-10th December 2022.
2 National Pollution To raise awareness about the importance of pollution control and educate people on how to
Dec Control Day prevent pollution.
Observed in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas tragedy (methyl
isocyanate leaked out of the Union Carbide plant on night of December 2-3 in 1984).
2 International Day for “Stories of Courage: Resistance to Slavery and Unity against Racism”
Dec the Abolition of main objective - to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual
Slavery exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of
children for use in armed conflict
2 World Computer The day, which has been observed on December 2 each year since 2001
Dec Literacy Day Theme 2022 – Literacy for human-centered recovery: Narrowing the digital divide.
3 International Day of Theme - “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an
Dec Persons with accessible and equitable world.”
Disabilities
4 International Day of Designated by UNGA since 2019
Dec Banks
4 Indian Navy Day To respect the Indian Navy's counter-attack in Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistan war in
Dec 1971. Indian Navy sent three missile boats — Nirghat, Veer and Nipat — towards Pakistan’s Naval
headquarters in Karachi
5 International Theme 2022 – solidarity through volunteering
Dec Volunteer Day (IVD) recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.
5 World Soil Day 2022 theme: Soils: Where food begins
Dec This day was officially adopted by UNGA and December 5, 2014 celebrated as the first World Soil
Day.
7 Armed Forces Flag Also the Flag Day of India - dedicated towards collection of funds from people of India for the
Dec Day welfare of the Indian Armed Forces personnel.
It has been observed annually in India on December 7 since 1949
7 National Pearl Theme 2022 - Everlasting Legacy
Dec Harbor
Remembrance Day

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7 International Civil In 1944, 54 nations came together to sign the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also
Dec Aviation Day known as the ‘Chicago Convention’. The convention approves the rules of airspace, aircraft
registration, and safety.
The Council has decided that from 2019 until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for
Global Aviation Development”.
8-14 All India Handicrafts -
Dec Week
9 International Anti- Theme 2022 – Uniting the World Against Corruption
Dec Corruption Day The UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption on October
31, 2003, and designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day.
10 Human Rights Day The theme of the Human Rights Day is “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.”
Dec Next Year on December 10, 2023, the world will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
11 UNICEF Day The United Nations General Assembly created UNICEF on December 11, 1946
Dec UNICEF is an acronym for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, an
organization established in 1946. Theme 2022 – All girls deserve better-the world deserves better
UNICEF Headquarters – New York
11 International Theme 2022 – Women Move Mountains
Dec Mountain Day Since 2003 Nearly 15 percent of the world’s population lives in mountains, which also house
roughly half of the planet’s biodiversity hotspots.
12- International Day of To raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
Dec Neutrality
12- International Theme 2022 – Build the world we want: A healthy future for all
Dec Universal Health Aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health
Coverage Day coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
14 National Energy The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), established under the Union Ministry of Power, has been
Dec Conservation Day organizing the National Energy Conservation Day since 1991.
16 Vijay Diwas Bijoy Dibos or Vijay Diwas or विजय दििस or Victory Day is commemorated
Dec in Bangladesh and India, to observe India’s victory over Pakistan in War of 1971 for the liberation
of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
18 Minorities Rights aim is to safeguard the individual rights of the religious, ethnic, racial, or linguistic minorities in the
Dec Day in India country.
celebrated by National Commission for Minorities in India, which was established under the
National Commission for Minorities act, 1992. The act notifies 5 religious communities - Christians,
Muslims, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and Buddhists. In 2014, Jains were added.
Dec International To recognize the efforts, contributions, and rights of migrants worldwide.
18 Migrants Day
19 Goa's Liberation Day Goa got its freedom from Portuguese on 19th December, 1961 after 450 years.
Dec On December 18, 1961, India launched a 36-hour military operation called Operation Vijay.
22 National to mark the birth anniversary of legendary Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan. Started in
Dec Mathematics Day 2012.
On this day, Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in 1887 to a Tamil Brahmin Iyengar family at Erode,
Tamil Nadu.
23 Kisan Diwas/ Commemorates birthday of the 5th Prime Minister of India, Choudhary Charan Singh, also a
Dec National Farmer's farmer's leader
Day
24 National Consumer On this day, the Consumer Protection Act, of 1986 received the assent of the president
Dec Day/ or Bharatiya In India, this day was celebrated for the first time in the year 2000.
Grahak Diwas World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on the 15th of March
25 Good Governance The day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Since
Dec Day (India) 2014 Good Governance Week from December 19 to 25 - a five-day “Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore”
campaign.
26 Veer Baal Diwas This day is observed to pay honor and tribute to the sacrifices made by Sahibzada Zorawar Singh
Dec (6) and Sahibzada Fateh Singh (9), who were laid down their lives while defending their faith in
Sirhind, Punjab.
27 International Day of In its 75th session and 36th plenary meeting on December 7, 2020, the United Nations General
Dec Epidemic Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution which declared December 27 as the International Day of
Preparedness Epidemic Preparedness. The decision is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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Appointments
Banking And Insurance
First Woman Director Dr G Hemaprabha Takes Charge at ICAR-SBI

• ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (ICAR-SBI) got its first-ever woman


director in over a century.
• Dr. G Hemaprabha was appointed as the Director of the ICAR-
Sugarcane Breeding Institute up to 2024
• The ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore is the premier and one the oldest agriculture research
institutes under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research.
• It was established in 1912

NABARD named KV Shaji as new chairman


• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• NABARD
• It is a development bank focussing primarily on the rural sector of the country.
• It is a statutory body established in 1982 under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development Act, 1981.
• Established on the recommendations of Shivaraman Committee.
• Headquarters - Mumbai

Sushmita Shukla becomes first VP, COO of Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has appointed Indian-origin, Sushmita Shukla (54)
as First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of bank, effective March 2023.

Que: Name the MD & CEO of the IDBI Bank whose re-appointment to the post has been approved
by RBI?
Ans: Rakesh Sharma
• Sharma has been appointed for a period of three years with effect from March 19, 2022.

Que: Who has been appointed as new chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI)?
Ans: Madhabi Puri Buch Shri B. Rajendran takes charge as Executive Director.
• Founded: 12 April 1988
• Headquarters: Mumbai

ICICI Bank reappoints Sandeep Bakhshi as MD, CEO for 3 years


• He is banks's MD and CEO since October 15, 2018.

Indian Banks’ Association re-elects PNB's AK Goel as chairman


• He will serve the association for FY 2022-23.
• Generally, the senior most MD of a public sector bank is elected as chairman for a period of
one year.

Que: Name the MD & CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank who has been reappointed recently.
Ans: Vasudevan PN

Former Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia nominated again as Chairman of state-owned Bank of
Baroda (BoB) for two-year term starting March 1

• The decision was in line with P J Nayak Committee recommendations.


• BoB is the third biggest public sector lender after State Bank of India and Punjab National
Bank.

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Que: Who has been roped in as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)?
Ans: Sunil Agrawal
• Chairperson: M R Kumar
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founder: Government of India
• Founded: 1 September 1956

Que: Name the MD & CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance who has got 5-year extension recently.
Ans: Tapan Singhel

Que: RBI has approved the re-appointment of Murli M Natarajan as the MD & CEO of which bank?
Ans: DCB Bank
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved an extension in the tenure of Murli M
Natarajan as the managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) of DCB Bank
for a period of two years.
• His extended term will be applicable from April 29, 2022 to April 28, 2024.
• Natrajan is serving as MD & CEO of the bank since April 2009.

Que: Who has/have been appointed as part-time non-official Directors on the central board of RBI?
(a) Anand Mahindra (d) Ravindra Dholakia
(b) Venu Srinivasan (e) All of the above
(c) Pankaj Patel
Ans: e) All of the above
• RBI Founded: April 1, 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Governor: Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy Governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar

Que: Name the newly appointed MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank Limited.
Ans: Swarup Kumar Saha

SBI appoints Alok Kumar Choudhary as Managing Director


• He has replaced Ashwani Bhatia, who appointed as the whole-time member of the
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• State Bank of India Founded: 1 July 1955
• State Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai
• State Bank of India Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara

Prashant Kumar appointed Yes Bank MD & CEO for 3 years


• RBI approved the reappointment of Prashant Kumar as the MD and CEO of YES Bank for
another three years, with effect from 6th October 2022.
• Yes Bank Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: 2004

Indian Ambassadors
Que: Who has been appointed as India’s new Ambassador to China?
Ans: Pradeep Kumar Rawat

Indian-American Dr. Ashish Jha to take over as US President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Response
Coordinator

President of the United States Joe Biden appoints India-American Puneet Talwar as the
Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco.

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Que: Nagesh Singh has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to which country?
Ans: Thailand
Recent Appointment
• India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh – Pranay Verma
• India’s High Commissioner to UK – Vikram Doraiswami
• High commissioner of India to Canada – Sanjay Verma
• India’s ambassador to the Republic of Korea – Amit Kumar
• India’s next ambassador to Japan – Sibi George
• High commissioner of India to Eritrea - Prakash Chand
• Indian Ambassador to Madagascar - Bandaru Wilsonbabu
• Sandeep Arya is appointed as the Ambassador of India to Vietnam.
• Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

Suhel Ajaz Khan named India’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia


• He is presently the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Lebanon
• He will replace Dr. Ausaf Sayeed shortly.
• Saudi Arabia - largest exporter of crude oil in the world
• Two of holiest mosques of Islam, Al Haram in Mecca and Al-Haram or forbidden mosques in Medina.
• Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth largest trading partner after the USA, China and UAE
• Indians constitute the largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia.

Que: Sudhakar Dalela has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to which country?
Ans: Bhutan
• Bhutan Capital: Thimphu
• Prime minister: Lotay Tshering

India’s Ambassador to US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu’s tenure extends for a year
• till January 31, 2024
• In 2020, Taranjit Singh Sandhu took charge as the new Indian Ambassador to the United
States from his predecessor Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who is now G20 chief coordinator.
• Sandhu was earlier India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

Smriti Mandhana appointed as Gulf Oil India ambassador


• Gulf Oil became the first company in the lubricant space to appoint a woman cricketer as
ambassador.
• She will join the ranks of current brand ambassadors Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya.

Que: Who has been named PETA India’s 2022 Person of the Year?
Ans. Sonakshi Sinha
• PETA stands for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals.
• PETA is the largest animal rights organization in the world, and PETA entities have more than 9 million
members and supporters globally.
• PETA Founded: 22 March 1980;
• PETA Headquarters: Norfolk, Virginia, United States;
• PETA President: Ingrid Newkirk.

Brand Ambassadors
Que: Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace, India’s leading drone-as-a-service (DaaS) provider has
appointed whom as its brand ambassador?
Ans: MS Dhoni
• Garuda Aerospace was started in 2015.
• Founder & CEO: Agnishwar Jayaprakash
• Garuda Aerospace HQ: Chennai

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Que: Rishabh Pant has been appointed brand ambassador of which state?
Ans: Uttarakhand
• Uttarakhand government has appointed wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as the ‘State Brand
Ambassador’.
• Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami

Que: Who has been appointed as brand ambassador of Adidas?


Ans: Manika Batra
• Manika Batra is the first Indian woman to win gold in table tennis at the Commonwealth Games
2018.
• and the first Indian woman to reach the top 50 of the ITTF Rankings.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador for Pintola?
Ans: Sunil Chhetri
• Pintola, the homegrown food brand
• With this collaboration, Chhetri has marked his first collaboration
with an FMCG brand in the country.
• Pintola was launched in 2012

Que: Which player has been roped in as the brand ambassador of DTH brand D2H by Dish TV?
Ans: Rishabh Pant

Que: Who has become BYJU’s first global brand ambassador for its social impact arm- Education for
All?
Ans: Lionel Messi
• Messi plays for Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentinian football team
• Earlier this year, BYJU’S became the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Athlete Neeraj Chopra becomes 'Friendship Ambassador' of Switzerland


• Olympic medalist, Neeraj Chopra has been appointed as the ‘Friendship Ambassador’ by
Switzerland Tourism.
• Role: To showcase and promote the adventurous, sporty, and stunning outdoors of
Switzerland to Indian travellers.
• He was also visited the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, where he donated his gold-winning javelin.
• Since 2017, he has been travelling in Switzerland to participate in competitions.

Union Health Ministry appoints Deepa Malik as Nikshay Mitra ambassador


• Padma Shri, Khel Ratna Arjuna Awardee and the President of the Paralympic Committee of
India Deepa Malik
• Nikshay Mitra is an initiative under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• TB Mukt Bharat campaign, launched by PM Modi in March 2018.
• India has the world's highest burden of tuberculosis (TB), with an estimated 2.6 million people suffering from
the disease and nearly 4 million dying from it every year.

Uttarakhand Government appoints Prasoon Joshi as its Brand Ambassador


• Padma Shri awardee Prasoon Joshi is a native of Uttarakhand and is currently the Chairman
of the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board).
Awards to Prasoon Joshi
• Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman honour
• Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum in 2006.
• He was also the first Asian to become the jury president at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity in
2014 for the prestigious Titanium category.
Uttarakhand
• Uttarakhand was formed on 9th November 2000 as 27th State of India.

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• Governor: Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh


• Chief Minister: Pushkar singh Dhami
• Capital: Dehradun

Wearables technology company ‘Noise’ signs Virat Kohli as brand ambassador for its
smartwatch range.

Puma India appointed Anushka Sharma as its brand ambassador


• Puma India has a total of 30-35 brand ambassadors in India which include cricketer
Virat Kohli.
• Deepika Padukone – American furniture retailer Pottery Barn
• Virat Kohli – Wearables martwatch leader Noise
• Prasoon Joshi – Uttarakhand State
• Deepa Malik – Ambassador of Nikshay Mitra (TB Campaign)
• Neeraj Chopra – Friendship Ambassador of Switzerland
• Lionel Messi – Byju’s
• Yuvraj Singh -T20 World Cup for the Blind
• Sourav Ganguly – Bandhan Bank
• Smriti Mandhana – Gulf Oil Lubricants.

Que: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has appointed which Indian woman cricketer as the Brand Endorser
of the bank?
Ans: Shafali Verma

Que: Which cricketer is to continue as UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador for a record 20th year?
Ans: Sachin Tendulkar
• He was chosen to take lead in the initiative to create awareness and promote polio
prevention in India in 2003.
• In 2013, he was appointed UNICEF Ambassador for South Asia to advocate for good
hygiene and sanitation across the region.
• UNICEF Headquarters: New York, United States; Founded: 11 December 1946.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of Bharti AXA Life Insurance?
Ans: Vidya Balan

Max Life ropes Rohit Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh as brand ambassadors
• Max Life Insurance has appointed Indian men’s cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma and
his wife, Ritika Sajdeh as their new brand ambassadors for two years.
• Aim: To promote the Max Life brand ethos of valuing the 'self' to determine the right
financial value to protect themselves and their family.

Deepika Padukone becomes first Indian brand ambassador of Louis Vuitton


• Recently, she has been a part of an eight-member jury at 75th Cannes Film Festival.
• She has also received the first Time 100 Impact Awards for creating awareness about
mental health.

Sanjiv Bajaj, CMD of Bajaj Finserv, takes over as CII President for 2022-23
• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a non-governmental trade association and
advocacy group headquartered in New Delhi, India, founded in 1895.

Que: Who among the following has been appointed as the brand ambassador of PharmEasy?
Ans: Aamir Khan

Sourav Ganguly appointed as brand ambassador of Bandhan Bank

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Que: Who has been appointed as brand ambassador of UpGrad?


Ans: Amitabh Bachchan
• Founded: 2015
• Headquarters location: Mumbai
• Founders: Ronnie Screwvala, Mayank Kumar, Phalgun Kompalli, Ravijot Chugh
• MediBuddy: Amitabh Bachchan
• Brand Ambassador and investor of Krishi Network: Pankaj Tripathi
• Gaming app A23: Shah Rukh Khan
• Khadi & handicrafts of Bihar: Manoj Tiwari
• Adidas: Manika Batra
• ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ Brand Ambassadors of Gurugram: Tanishka Kotia & Riddhika Kotia
• Dish TV India Limited’s DTH brand D2H: Rishabh Pant

Que: Who has been appointed as Brand Ambassador of Bata India?


Ans: Disha Patani
• BATA Founded: 1931
• Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana
• CEO: Gunjan Shah

Que: Who has been roped in as the fresh brand ambassador of Thums Up?
Ans: Shah Rukh Khan
• Thums Up is owned by Coca-Cola.
• Earlier Shahrukh Khan was associated with the cold drink brand Pepsi Co.
• Thums Up was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 1993.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new brand ambassador of Hero MotoCorp?
Ans: Ram Charan (Actor)
• Hero MotoCorp Limited, formerly Hero Honda, is an Indian multinational motorcycle and
scooter manufacturer headquartered in New Delhi.
• It is the country’s largest two-wheeler maker

Govt Appointments
Que: Who has been appointed as Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
under the Ministry of Jal Shakti?
Ans: G Asok Kumar
• He succeeded Director-General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra.
• He is popularly known as ‘the Rain Man of India’ for his excellent work in rainwater harvesting under the “Jal
Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain” campaign.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was registered as a society in 2011 under the Ministry of Jal
Shakti, towards the purification of River Ganga.

Que: Central government has reappointed whom as Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs
and Prices (CACP)?
Ans: Vijay Paul Sharma
• The CACP was established in 1965. It is an apex advisory body that works under the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Former Indian captain Dilip Tirkey elected unopposed as new Hockey India President
• Dilip Tirkey was a member of the Indian teams that won gold and silver in the 1998 Bangkok
and 2012 Busan Asian Games respectively.
• Besides, he won two gold medals in 2003 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur and 2007 in Chennai and
also a bronze in 1999.

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Que: Who has been reappointed as Chief of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for another 3
months?
Ans: Dr. VG Somani
• India’s apex drug regulatory agency Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
• Somani played a key role in the approval of Covid-19 vaccines.

Que: Who has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) of NaBFID?


Ans: Rajkiran Rai G
• National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) have appointed
Rajkiran Rai G as its Managing Director (MD) for five years.
• Last year in October 2021, the Centre had appointed K V Kamath as chairperson of NaBFID.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Secretary to President Droupadi Murmu?
Ans: Rajesh Verma
• Verma was serving as Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs & has also served
as principal secretary to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
• Private Secretary to PM – Vivek Kumar
• Foreign Secretary – Vinay Mohan Kwatra
• Advisor to PM Modi -Tarun Kapoor
• Finance Secretary – V. Somnathan
• Cabinet Secretary – Rajiv Gauba
• Home Secretary – Ajay Kumar Bhalla
• Health Secretary – Rajesh Bhushan
• Chief Economic Adviser – V. Anantha Nageswaran

VVS Laxman appointed as the interim head coach of India for Asia Cup 2022
• The chief of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), VVS Laxman has been named
interim head coach of Team India in Dubai only for the 2022 Asia Cup.
• Rahul Dravid, India's head coach, did not travel with the team after testing positive for COVID-19.
• Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul - captain and vice-captain respectively for the Asia Cup 2022.

Distinguished scientist, Samir V Kamat appointed as Chairman of DRDO


• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• He will replace G Satheesh Reddy, who has been named as scientific adviser to
Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh.
• DRDO HQ: New Delhi; Founded: 1958

Que: Who has been made the National Icon of Election Commission of India?
Ans: Pankaj Tripathi
• In the 2017 film Newton, for which he won the National Award, he played a CRPF officer
tasked with conducting elections in a conflict-ridden zone in the jungles of Chhattisgarh.

Govt appoints former CEA, K Subramanian as Executive Director (India), IMF


• Former Chief Economic Adviser, KV Subramanian has been appointed as the Executive
Director for India at the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• His term will begin from November 2022 and will continue for a period of three years or
until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• He will replace the eminent economist, Surjit S Bhalla

Spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi appointed as Chair of C20


• Spiritual leader Mata, Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) has been appointed the Chair of the
country’s Civil 20 (C20), an official engagement group of the Group of 20 (G20), by the
union government.

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• The G20 is the premier inter-governmental forum for the world’s developed and emerging economies to
address financial stability on a global basis. The C20 is its platform for civil society organisations (CSOs) to
bring forth non-government and non-business voices to the G20 leaders.
• India will assume the Presidency of the G20 for one year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
• The G20 consists of 19 countries plus the European Union, and India has been a member since its inception
in 1999. Overall, the G20 accounts for about 80 per cent of gross world product (GWP), 59-77 per cent of
international trade, two-thirds of the world's population, and roughly half of its land area.

Former CEO of NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant appointed as new G20 Sherpa
• He replaced Piyush Goyal (Minister for Commerce & Industry and Consumer Affairs), who was
appointed as the G-20 Sherpa in September 2021.
• India will hold the presidency of G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
• He served as the NITI Aayog CEO from June 2016 to 2022.
• G-20 Leaders’ Summit 2023: India
• G-20 Summit 2024: Brazil
• G-20 Summit 2025: South Africa

World Bank appoints Indian national Indermit Gill as Chief Economist


• World Bank has appointed Indian national Indermit Gill as its Chief Economist and Senior Vice
President for Development Economics, effective September 1, 2022.
• He will succeed American economist, Carmen Reinhart.
• He will be the second Indian to serve as Chief Economist after Kaushik Basu who was Chief Economist of the
World Bank from 2012 to 2016.

Nallathamby Kalaiselvi becomes first woman DG of CSIR


• Senior scientist Nallathamby Kalaiselvi has been appointed as the Director General of Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), for a period of two years.
• CSIR is a consortium of 38 research institutes across the country.
• Kalaiselvi succeeds Shekhar Mande, who superannuated in April 2022.

Que: Who has been named as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar?
Ans: Tejashwi Yadav
Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the chief minister

Que: TS Ramakrishnan has been appointed as the MD & CEO of which mutual fund company?
Ans: LIC Mutual Fund
Ramakrishnan replaces Dinesh Pangtey.

Government appoints Justice DN Patel TDSAT Chairperson for 4 years.


• Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)
• Prior to this Patel was serving as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court

Que: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-southern region has appointed whom as the
chairperson for the year 2022-23?
Ans: Suchitra K Ella
• Suchitra K Ella is a co-founder and joint Managing Director of Bharat Biotech International Ltd.

BJP’s N. Biren Singh to be Manipur CM again

• Earlier in 2017, Biren Singh was appointed chief minister of the northeastern state, a first
from the BJP party.
• Heingang constituency

Pushkar Singh Dhami to continue as Uttarakhand chief minister, sworn in on March 23

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• Dhami will be the 13th Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.


• Khatima constituency

Pramod Sawant to get second term as Goa chief minister.

• The BJP, in power in Goa since 2012


• Pramod Sawant sworn in as the chief minister for the first time in March 2019 after the
death of Parrikar.
• Constituency - Sankhalim in North Goa.

Que: Mr Yogi Adityanath took oath as the Chief Minister of UP for second term on March 25,
2022. What is the constituency of CM Yogi?
Ans: Gorakhpur

• CM Adityanath is the first CM of UP to return to power for second term after completing full tenure of 5
years.
• Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak have been sworn in as the deputy chief
ministers of Uttar Pradesh.

ISRO Scientist, Dr A K Anil Kumar elected as Vice President of IAF

• International Astronautical Federation (IAF).


• The IAF is the world's leading space advocacy body with 433 members in 72 countries.
• It was founded in 1951.

Que: Who is the head of the commission recently set up to examine the Scheduled Caste (SC) status
for converted Dalits?
Ans: Justice K G Balakrishnan (Former CJI)
• The Union Government has appointed a three-member commission to consider the possibility of granting SC
status to the persons who have historically belonged to the Scheduled Castes but have
converted to religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
• The Commission has to submit report in two years.

Secretary General Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh gets additional charge of Sansad TV
• As CEO of Sansad TV.
• He replaced Ravi Capoor.
• Sansad TV was launched in September 2021 after merging the Lok Sabha TV and Rajya
Sabha TV channels.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Director of The Institute of Economic Growth?
Ans: Chetan Ghate
• Chetan Ghate is a former member of the Reserve Bank of India’s first monetary policy committee between
2016-2020.
• He is the winner of the 2014 Mahalanobis Memorial gold medal for the best research economist.

Que: The Centre has announced the constitution of a national-level committee for drafting of the
national cooperation policy. Who will be the chairman of the committee?
Ans: Suresh Prabhu
• The committee consists of 47 members from all parts of the country.
• The new policy is being formulated to realize the vision of Sahakar Se Samriddhi under the leadership of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• It also includes promoting cooperative-based economic development models and creating an appropriate
policy, legal and institutional framework to help cooperatives realize their potential.

Chairpersons of Recent Committees

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• SC appointed a high-level committee to investigate PM’s security breach in Punjab: Indu Malhotra
• Centre constituted Ken-Betwa link Project Authority, and 20-member National Steering Committee: Pankaj
Kumar
• SC reconstituted expert committee for Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway project:
Chandra Prakash Goyal
• Centre formed a committee to strengthen MSP (minimum support price)system: Sanjay Agarwal

Mumbai Indians announce Mark Boucher as new head coach


• starting with IPL 2023.
• Boucher will replace Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene as MI coach.

Govt appoints Ratan Tata and two others as trustees of PM CARES Fund
• The government has appointed Ratan Tata (Tata Sons chairman), KT Thomas (former SC
judge) and Kariya Munda (former Deputy Speaker) as the trustees of the PM CARES Fund.
• The Trust further decided to nominate other eminent persons for the constitution of
Advisory Board to the PM CARES Fund.
• Advisory Board: Rajiv Mehrishi, Sudha Murthy, and Anand Shah (Former CEO of Piramal Foundation).
• Aim: To provide wider perspectives on the functioning of the PM CARES Fund.

Atul Chaturvedi elected as first chairman of Asian Palm Oil Alliance


• The five major palm oil importing countries in Asia have come together for the first time to
form an alliance, Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA).
• The alliance aims to work worldwide to ensure that palm oil is recognised as a high-quality,
economical, and healthy vegetable oil and to change the negative image of palm oil
• India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal
• The next meeting of APOA is expected to be held in Indonesia early next year.
• Asia accounts for around 40% of the global palm oil consumption while Europe accounts for 12% of palm oil
trade.
• Indonesia and Malaysia are the biggest palm oil exporters in the world.
• India is the largest importer of palm oil in Asia, accounting for 15% of global imports, followed by China (9%),
Pakistan (4%) and Bangladesh (2%).

Rajiv Bahl appointed new Director General of ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)
• ICMR, New Delhi, the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of
biomedical research, is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world.
• ICMR has 27 institutes located in different parts of India.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 1911

Que: Who has been appointed as chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)?
Ans: Raghuvendra Tanwar
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 27 March 1972

Anupam Ray appointed as India’s new permanent representative at UN Conference on


Disarmament

Dileep Sanghani elected as Chairman of IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative)


• Founded: 3 November 1967, New Delhi

S Somanath appointed as new Chairman of ISRO, succeeds K Sivan


• Headquarters: Bengaluru • Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
• Founded: 15 August 1969

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Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of IRDAI in 2022?
Ans: Debasish Panda
• Insurance Regulatory and Development • Sector: Insurance
Authority of India (IRDAI). • Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Founded: 1999

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI)?
Ans: Ravi Mittal
• He will serve as the Chairman of IBBI for a term of five years or till he attains 65 years of age,
whichever is earlier.

Que: Who took over as the 24th Director General of Indian Coast Guard?
Ans: Virender Singh Pathania

Government appoints Meenesh C Shah as the Managing Director of NDDB


• National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)
• It was set up in 1966 as a society under the Societies Act 1860. The first chairman of NDDB
was Verghese Kurien (father of White Revolution in India).
• NDDB was merged with Indian Dairy Corporation by the NDDB Act 1987 with effect from 12 October 1987.
• It comes under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• Headquarters: Anand, Gujarat

Que: Kala Ramachandran has been appointed as which city's first woman Police Commissioner?
Ans: Gurugram

Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar appointed as the first National Maritime Security Coordinator
• Kumar retired as Navy Vice Chief in July 2021.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Director-General of the Defence Intelligence Agency recently
to replace Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon?
Ans: Lt. Gen GAV Reddy
• The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) is an intelligence agency responsible for providing
and coordinating defence and military intelligence to the Indian Armed Forces. It was
formed in 2002.

Que: Who has been appointed as the next Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army?
Ans: Lt. General Arvind Walia
• He would be succeeding Lt Gen Harpal Singh who is superannuating on December 31

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in
2022?
Ans: M Jagadesh Kumar
• Founded: 1956
• Objectives: Coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education. It
provides recognition to universities in India, and disburses funds to such recognized universities and college
• First executive: Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Que: For the first time, a female Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been
appointed by the Government of India. Name the new VC of JNU.
Ans: Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit
• Pandit replaces M Jagadesh Kumar, who has been appointed as Chairman of the University Grants
Commission (UGC)

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Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)?
Ans: Senior IAS officer, Nidhi Chibber has been appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE)

Que: Who has been appointed as the new full-time Director of the National Council of Educational
Research and Training (NCERT) in 2022?
Ans: Dinesh Prasad Saklani
• He is currently a professor of history at the HNB Garhwal University, in Uttarakhand.
• Saklani succeeds Hrushikesh Senapaty, whose five-year term ended in November 2020.
• Sridhar Srivastava has been holding the position on interim charge since then.

Que: Senior bureaucrat _____ has been appointed as Chairman, Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
Ans: S. Kishore

Que: Who has been appointed as the President of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of
India (ICAI) for the year 2022-23?
Ans: Debashis Mitra
• Formation:1 July 1949; 72 years ago
• Legal status: Established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 enacted by the

Que: Who has been appointed as the new director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)?
Ans: Dr S Unnikrishnan Nair
• He will replace S Somanath, who recently took over as the chairman of ISRO.
• VSSC is a keyspace research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and
specialises in rocket and space vehicles for satellite programs.
• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Founded: 21 November 1963;
• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Que: Name the Chairman of the LIC whose term has been extended by the government till March 2023.
Ans: M R Kumar
• M.R.Kumar took charge as Chairman of LIC on March 14, 2019.

Que: Who will head the National Steering Committee made for the implementation of the Ken-
Betwa interlinking of rivers (ILRs) project?
Ans: Pankaj Kumar
• The river Betwa or Betravati which is also called river Vetrawati in Sanskrit one of the major
river basins of Madhya Pradesh (MP).
• It is a tributary of the Yamuna.
• It rises in the Vindhya Range just north of Hoshangabad in MP and flows north-east through MP and Orchha
to UP.

Que: Who is the chairman of the Energy Transition Advisory Committee set up by Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas to Prepare Energy Transition Roadmap for India?
Ans: Tarun Kapoor
• The Government of India has been planning to come up with an energy transition roadmap
for the oil and gas sector to enhance India’s efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

Que: Who among the following has been re-elected as the Chairman of Payments Council of India (PCI) for the
second time?
Ans: Vishwas Patel
• Vishwas Patel has been re-elected as the Chairman of Payments Council of India (PCI) for the
second time in 2022, previously he was elected as a Chairman of PCI in the year 2018.

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• In 2013, he served as Co-Chairman of PCI. PCI is a payment ecosystem industry body, and is a part of the
Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). PCI aims to promote cashless transaction society and
visions to grow digital payment in India.

Que: Who has been elected to the Board of Directors of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of
India (NCDFI) based at Anand, Gujarat?
Ans: KS Mani
K S Mani, Chairman of Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), known by its brand
name ‘Milma’ NCDFI is the apex body of dairy and edible oil cooperatives in India.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner of Mumbai by Maharashtra
government?
Ans: Senior IPS officer Vivek Phansalkar on Thursday took charge as the new police commissioner of Mumbai.

Que: Who has been appointed as the chairman of the executive committee of the National Assessment and
Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bengaluru by the University Grants Commission (UGC)?
Ans: Bhushan Patwardhan
• NAAC is an autonomous body established by the UGC on September 5, 1994, with Prof Ram Reddy as
founding chairman and Prof Arun Nigavekar as its first director.
• NAAC undertakes assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions (HEI) such as colleges,
universities, or other recognized institutions to assess the quality status of these institutions.

Former India cricketer Abey Kuruvilla to be appointed as BCCI's General Manager Operations
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the national governing body for cricket in India.
The board was formed in December 1928 as a society, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies
Registration Act.
• The BCCI is India's richest sporting body and the richest cricket board in the world. BCCI does not depend on
the Government of India for its finances. Hence BCCI is not a government body.

Natarajan Sundar appointed as MD & CEO of NARCL


• Natarajan Sundar - Former SBI executive • NARCL Incorporated under the Companies
• National Assets Reconstruction Company Ltd Act in 2021
(NARCL). • Public Sector Banks will maintain 51%
ownership in NARCL.

Que: Name the Indian economist who has been roped in by the United Nations as a member of its
newly established Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism?
Ans: Jayati Ghosh
• The United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment

Indian origin, Dr Vivek Murthy is US representative on WHO Executive Board


• US President, Joe Biden has nominated Dr Vivek Murthy to serve as America's representative
on the executive board of the World Health Organisation.

Que: Who is the first Chairperson of the ‘Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH)’?
Ans: Senapathy Kris Gopalakrishnan

Que: Who has been appointed as Advisor in the Ministry of Defence?


Ans: Vinod G Khandare

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairman of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India?
Ans: Shashi Sinha
• He will take over from Punit Goenka
Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India:

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• Founded: 2010, Headquarters: Mumbai, CEO: Nakul Chopra

Que: Who has been roped in as the new President of Badminton Association of India (BAI) for four years from 2022-
2026?
Ans: Himanta Biswa
• Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma was re-elected unopposed as the president of Badminton
Association of India (BAI) for another four years term from 2022 to 2026.
• Sarma, who took over the reins of BAI in 2017, is also the Badminton Asia vice president and a
member of the Badminton World Federation Executive Council member.
Badminton Association of India (BAI):
• President: Himanta Biswa Sarma
• Founded: 1934
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Director General of Geological Survey of India (GSI)?
Ans: Ans: Dr. S Raju
• He succeeds R. S. Garkhal who superannuated on March 31, 2022. Prior to this, Dr Raju was
holding the post of Additional Director General and National Head, Mission-III & IV at GSI HQ.
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• Founder: Thomas Oldham
• Founded: 4 March 1851

Que: Name the Indian official who has recently been appointed as the vice- chairperson of Council
Standing Committee on Administration and Management of International Telecommunication Union
(ITU) for 2023 and 2024?
Ans: Aprajita Sharma
• Aprajita Sharrma, an Indian Post & Telecom Account and Finance (IP&TAF) Service officer from 1995 batch,
has been appointed as the vice-chairperson of Council Standing Committee on Administration and
Management of International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• Aprajita Sharrma will remain as vice chair for the years 2023 and 2024. After that she will assume the role of
Chairperson for the years 2025 and 2026.
• The decision was taken at the ITU Council meetings held at Geneva from March 21 to 31, 2022.

India’s new Chief Defence of Staff: Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan


• He is the retired Commanding officer at the Eastern Army in May last year.
• He is currently serving as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council.
• Earlier, Lt. General Anil Chauhan had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola.
• He was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981.
• Lt General Anil Chauhan has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati
Vishisht Seva Medal etc

Government appoints R. Venkataramani as the new Attorney General of India


• 16th Attorney General of India for a period of three years w.e.f. 1st October 2022.
• He replaced current Attorney General, KK Venugopal whose term ends on September 30, 2022.
• He was registered as a lawyer with the Bar Council of TN in 1977.
• The Attorney General (AG) is the highest law officer in the country.
• Article 76 of the Constitution provides for the office of AG of India.
• AG is appointed by the President on the advice of the government.
• S/he must be a person who is qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court, i.e. s/he must be a
citizen of India and must have been a judge of some high court for five years or an advocate of some high
court for ten years or an eminent jurist, in the opinion of the President.
• Term of the Office: Not fixed by the Constitution.

Sujoy Lal Thaosen appointed as the new Director General of CRPF


• He has replaced Kuldiep Singh, who retired on 30th September 2022.

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• He was working as DG of SSB and holding the additional charge of ITBP


• Anish Dayal Singh is now the Director Generals of ITBP and holds the additional charge of ITBP

Arunachal Pradesh Governor receives an additional charge of Meghalaya


• Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.) to discharge the functions of the Governor of Meghalaya, in
addition to Arunachal Pradesh
• Reason: Satya Pal Malik has completed his term on October 3, 2022.
• Satya Pal Malik had been a governor of Bihar (2017), Jammu and Kashmir (2018) and Goa
before becoming the Governor of Meghalaya in August 2020.
• Meghalaya Capital: Shillong;
• Chief minister: Conrad Sangma

Environment Ministry sets up Cheetah Task Force, headed by Alok Kumar


• to review progress and monitor the health of cheetah, upkeep of the quarantine, and
protection status of entire area in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh
• It will be in force for a period of two years.

Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud appointed as 50th CJI


• He will succeed current CJI UU Lalit on 9 November 2022.
• term of over two years - till 10 November 2024.
• He is a former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and a former judge of Bombay
High Court.
• His father Justice YV Chandrachud was the 16th and the longest-serving Chief Justice of
India serving from 2 February 1978 to 11 July 1985.
• Justice Chandrachud is known for his liberal and progressive judgments, the most recent one being the
verdict upholding the rights of unmarried women to seek abortion of pregnancy up to 24 weeks.

Bharati Das takes charge as 27th Controller General of Accounts


• She has replaced Sonali Singh
• CGA is ‘the Principal Advisor’ on Accounting matters to the Union Government.

Que: Who has been elected as the new President of Congress?


Ans: Mallikarjun Kharge
• It will be for the first time in 24 years that the party will get a party chief who does not
belong to the Nehru-Gandhi family.
• Kharge will take place of Sonia Gandhi who had been serving as interim president after
Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party's debacle in the 2019 Lok
Sabha elections.

Eknath Shinde sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra


• Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of 20th Chief Minister of
Maharashtra.
• BJP leader, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
• Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha - 288 seats; Lok Sabha - 48 seats; Rajya Sabha - 19 seats

T Raja Kumar becomes new President of Financial Action Task Force


• Indian- origin T Raja Kumar has been appointed as President of world's anti-terrorism
financing agency, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for two years (July 2022 -June 2024).
• FATF is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to
develop policies to combat money laundering, including terrorism financing.
• FATF HQ: Paris, France

India’s Lt Gen Mohan Subramanian appointed as Force Commander of UNMISS


• United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
• Appointed by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.

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• Indian Army continues to play a lead role in UN Peacekeeping with presence in 8 out of 14 UN missions
worldwide and currently has over 5,400 military personnel deployed in challenging circumstances under the
UN flag
• International Day of UN Peacekeepers: 29 May

Que: Recently, _______ has assumed the charge as Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries
Commission.
Ans: Manoj Kumar
• KVIC’s former Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena has moved on to take charge as the Lieutenant Governor of
Delhi.
• The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of
India, under the Act of Parliament, ‘Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
• KVIC Headquarters: Mumbai.

Former SC Judge Vineet Saran appointed as BCCI Ethics Officer & Ombudsman
• He has succeeded Justice (Retd) D K Jain, whose term ended in June 2021.
• BCCI President: Sourav Ganguly; Secretary: Jay Shah

Droupadi Murmu elected as the 15th President of India


• after securing 64% of the votes, her opposition Candidate Yashwant Sinha has got 36%.
• She is the first tribal woman and the second woman (First: Pratibha Patil) to hold the
position of President of India.
• CJI, N V Ramana administered the oath of office to Droupadi Murmu.
• About:
• She was born in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
• Tribe: Santhal
• She served as Governor of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.

Dr Manoj Soni was appointed as the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
• He succeeds Pradip Kumar Joshi. Prior to this, Dr Manoj served as the vice-chancellor of two
universities and has earned several national and international awards and recognitions.
• The chairman and the members of the UPSC hold office for a term of six years or till the age of 65. Sir Ross
Barker was the first chairman of UPSC in October 1926
• He has even authored a book, ‘Understanding the Global Political Earthquake.’
• Dr Manoj’s tenure will end on 27 June 2023.
• He is the 31st chairman of the UPSC.

Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and JB Pardiwala take oath as SC judges


• President Ram Nath Kovind has confirmed the appointment.
• Total Strength of SC: 34
• Justice Dhulia earlier served as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court.
• Justice Pardiwala earlier served as judge of the Gujarat High Court.

Que: Manik Saha has been appointed as the new Chief Minister of which state?
Ans: Tripura
• Tripura Bharatiya Janata Party president Manik Saha has been appointed as the new chief minister of Tripura
after Biplab Deb’s resignation.
• Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya

Que: Who has been named as Chairman and Managing Director of REC Ltd, Ministry of Power?
Ans: Vivek Kumar Dewangen
• REC is a Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Power.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 25 July 1969

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Vinai Kumar Saxena Appointed as Delhi's new Lieutenant Governor.


• He has replaced former LG Anil Baijal, who headed Delhi’s government for five years.
• Article 239 of the Indian Constitution deals with the Administration of Union territories
• The status of Delhi being a Union Territory under Schedule 1 of the Constitution but
christened the 'National Capital Territory' under Article 239AA, engrafted by the
Constitution (69th Amendment) Act.

Parameswaran Iyer becomes new CEO of Niti Aayog


• for two years.
• to succeed Amitabh Kant, whose term ends on June 30

Government appoints Tapan Kumar Deka as Director of Intelligence Bureau


• The Intelligence Bureau is India's domestic internal security and counter-intelligence agency under Ministry
of Home Affairs. It was founded in 1887
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Tenure of R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) Chief extended by one year
• Samant Kumar Goel's contract as secretary (Head) of the intelligence agency's Research and
Analysis Wing (RAW)
• Founders: R. N. Kao, Indira Gandhi
• Formed: 21 September 1968
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Que: Who has been appointed as the new chief of Press Council of India?
Ans: Ranjana Prakash Desai (Former Supreme Court judge)
• She became the first women chairperson of Press Council of India
• She succeeded former Supreme Court judge Justice CK Prasad
• She also headed the Delimitation Commission on J&K
• PCI: statutory regulatory watchdog of the press, founded in 1966

Que: Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Tax (CBDT)?
Ans: Nitin Gupta
The Central Board of Direct Taxes is a statutory authority functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.

Que: An animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) promotion task group has been
established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Who will lead the AVGC Promotion
Task Force?
Ans: Apoorva Chandra
• An animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) promotion task group have
been established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• The organisation will develop a national AVGC policy, recommend a national curriculum framework for
graduation, post-graduate, and PhD courses in AVGC-related fields, and collaborate with academic
institutions, vocational training centres, and industry to assist skilling programmes.
• The AVGC sector in India has the potential to become the torch bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand
India”.India has the potential to reach 5% (approx. USD 40 billion) of the global market share by the year
2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah appointed as Member Board Representative of ICC Cricket Committee.
• BCCI secretary Jay Shah has been appointed to the ICC Cricket Committee as the Member Board
Representative while Mahela Jayawardene was reappointed as Past Player
representative on Sunday.
• The key decisions were taken at the ICC Board Meeting held in Dubai.
• From the 2022-23 season, one neutral and one home umpire in Tests will be
allowed, while home umpires are permitted for ODIs and T20s.

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Que: Who among the following will take over as India’s G20 chief coordinator?
Ans: Harsh Vardhan Shringla
• The appointment is significant as India will assume the G20 presidency on December 1,
2022 from Indonesia, and will convene the G20 Leaders Summit for the first time in India
in 2023.
• Shringla will retire on 30th April 2022, handing over charge to foreign secretary-designate V M Kwatra, who
is currently India’s ambassador to Nepal. The G20 sherpa will remain to be Piyush Goyal, the Indian
Commerce Minister.

General Manoj Pande takes charge as 29th Chief of Army Staff, following the superannuation of
General M.M. Naravane.

Lt Gen BS Raju appointed as Vice Chief of Army Staff

Joydeep Karmakar appointed as National Chief Rifle Coach by NRAI


• National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was founded in 1951.
• He will oversee Indian continent till 2025, including the Paris Olympics 2024.

Que: Nand Mulchandani has been appointed as the first-ever Chief Technology Officer of which
agency?
Ans: CIA
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), principal foreign intelligence and counterintelligence
agency of the U.S. government.

Sanjay Arora named new Delhi Police Commissioner


• Sanjay Arora was serving as DG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), S L Thaosen, will hold additional charge of
DG, ITBP till further order.

Satyendra Prakash assumes charge as Principal DG of PIB


• Satyendra Prakash assumed charge as Principal Director General of the Press Information
Bureau.

Que: Who has been appointed as Director General of the Indian Ordnance Factory Service (IOFS)?
Ans: Sanjeev Kishore
• He has replaced M K Garg.

Que: Who has been appointed as Director of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)?
Ans: Shweta Singh
• for a period of three years from the date of her joining.

Que: Name the Cabinet Secretary of India whose service has been extended for another one-year
period by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet?
Ans: Rajiv Gauba
• This is his second extension as Cabinet Secretary.
• He was appointed to the country’s top bureaucratic post in 2019 for two years.

Jagdeep Dhankhar elected as 14th Vice-President of India to replace M Venkaiah Naidu


• Vice President is also the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
• Dhankhar is the former Governor of West Bengal, who served from July 2019 to July
2022.

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Que: Who has assumed charge as Director General (Inspection and Safety) of Indian Air Force?
Ans: Sanjeev Kapoor

Former finance secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey appointed as Chairman of National Financial
Reporting Authority (NFRA) for three years
• NFRA is an independent regulator that has been set up to oversee the auditing profession and
accounting standards in India under the Companies Act, 2013.

Justice Pankaj Mithal Appointed 40th Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court
• Justice Pankaj Mithal took oath in Hindi language. Earlier, Justice Pankaj Mithal was the Chief
Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Courts.
• Justice Pankaj Mithal's tenure will be around 8 months. He will be the Chief Justice of the
Rajasthan High Court till June 16, 2023.

Que: Who has taken over as Commandant of Air Force Academy, Indian Air Force?
Ans: B Chandra Sekhar

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on the Char dham
project by the Supreme Court?
Ans: Justice AK Sikri
• The previous Chairperson Professor Ravi Chopra had resigned from his post in February
2022.
• The HPC would look after the environmental concerns and other issues related to the
Chardham project as well as the cumulative and independent impact of the Chardham
project on the entire Himalayan valley.

Retired Jharkhand High Court judge Harish Chandra Mishra appointed as Delhi's new Lokayukta.
• will hold office for a term of five years from the date of joining.
• Lokayukta is empowered to hear and decide upon cases on corruption against elected
legislators.

Senior IPS officer Dinkar Gupta is appointed Director General, NIA


• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed former Punjab Director
General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta as the Director General of the National Investigation
Agency (NIA).
• According to the order, Gupta will hold the post of NIA chief till March 31, 2024, that is the
date of his retirement or till further orders, whichever comes earlier.
• NIA Headquarters: New Delhi
• NIA Founder: Radha Vinod Raju
• NIA Founded: 31 December 2008.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Director-General, National Informatics Centre (NIC)?
Ans: Rajesh Gera
• The National Informatics Centre is an Indian government department under the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology.
• Date founded: 1976
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Que: Who has assumed charge as the Defence Secretary?


Ans: Giridhar Aramane
The Defence Secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of Defence.

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Recent appointments
• Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) – G. C. Murmu
• Controller General of Accounts (CGA) – Bharati Das
• National Security Advisor of India – Ajit Doval
• Central Vigilance Commission of India (CVC) – Suresh N. Patel

Sanjay Kumar takes charge as Secretary of Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry
of Education GoI
He succeeds Anita Karwal

Que: Two women officers have been promoted to IG rank for the first time in which
paramilitary forces?
Ans: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
• For the first time in India, two women officers Annie Abraham and Seema Dhundiya,
have been promoted to the rank of Inspector General
• Both were amongst the first batch of lady officers ever inducted into the force in 1987.

Que: Who has been appointed as the chairman of National Monuments Authority?
Answer: Kishor K Basa
• He will have a tenure of three years.

Former Justice Rituraj Awasthi appointed as Chairperson of Law Commission


• The Centre has appointed former Karnataka HC Chief Justice, Rituraj Awasthi as the
chairperson of 22nd Law Commission of India.
• 22nd Law Commission was formed in February, 2020.
• The Law Commission is constituted for three years.
• Law Commission of India is an executive body established by an order of the Government of India. The
Commission's function is to research and advise the Government of India on legal reform, and is composed
of legal experts, and headed by a retired judge.

Hansraj Gangaram Ahir appointed Chairman of National Commission for Backward Classes
• President of India Droupadi Murmu has appointed
• The Commission consists of five members including a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and
three other Members appointed by the President

National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC)


• 102nd Constitution Amendment Act, 2018 provides constitutional status to the National Commission for
Backward Classes (NCBC).
• It inserted two new articles – Article 338 B and 342 A.
• Article 338 B – empowers NCBC to examine complaints and welfare measures regarding socially and
educationally backward classes.
• Article 342 A – empowers the President to specify/assign socially and educationally backward classes in
different states and union territories. She can do this with the advice of the Governor of the respective state

C V Ananda Bose appointed as Governor of West Bengal


• The President of India Droupadi Murmu has appointed Dr CV Ananda Bose as the 22nd
Governor of West Bengal
• He has replaced Manipur Governor, La Ganesan, who had taken the additional charge of
West Bengal since after the incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated as the vice
president candidate.

President appoints Arun Goel as the Election Commissioner


• The Election commission members hold office for six years or up to 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.

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• The Election Commission of India was constituted by the Government


of India on 25 January 1950 under article 324 of the constitution.
• 25 January is also observed as National Voters Day in India

IIT-Guwahati director, T G Sitharam appointed as new chairman of AICTE


• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
• for three years or till he attain the age of 65, whichever is earlier.
• He will replace UGC chairman, Jagadesh Kumar
• AICTE HQ: New Delhi
• Founded: November 1945

Vinit Kumar assumes charge of CEO of KVIC


• Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVlC).
• The Khadii and Village Industries Commission is a statutory body formed by the Government of
India, under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956’.
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar named as chairperson of the National Statistical Commission


• Government of India had appointed Rajeeva Laxman Karandikar, Professor Emeritus at
Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), as the part-time chairperson of NSC of India for a
period of three years.
• NSC is an autonomous body formed in June 2005 under the recommendation of the Dr. C Rangarajan
commission.
• to reduce the problems faced by statistical agencies in the country with respect to the collection of data, and
strengthen public trust in the numbers released by the Government of India.
• The chairperson of the Commission enjoys the status of a Minister of State, Government of India.
• National Statistical Commission Headquarters: New Delhi.

Justice Tashi Rabstan appointed as acting chief justice of High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and
Ladakh
• He has replaced incumbent Chief Justice Ali Mohd Magrey, who retired on 7th December
2022.
• Retirement age of:
• SC Judges: 65
• HC Judges: 62

Justice Dipankar Datta takes oath as Supreme Court judge


• Bombay High Court Chief Justice Dipankar Datta take oath of office as a Supreme
Court judge by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud.
• The number of judges in the apex court has now increased to 28. The sanctioned
strength of the Supreme Court is 34, including the Chief Justice of India.
• Justice Datta, will have a tenure till February 8, 2030, in the Supreme Court where the retirement age is 65.

Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu to be the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh


• will take the oath on 11th December 2022, succeeding Jai Ram Thakur
• Mukesh Agnihotri has been appointed as the deputy chief minister of Himachal Pradesh.
• Governor of Himachal Pradesh: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
• Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu is a four-time MLA from Nadaun constituency in Himachal Pradesh.

Bhupendra Patel sworn in as Gujarat Chief Minister


• for the second consecutive term
• He took oath as the 18th chief minister of Gujarat

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Praveen Kumar Srivastava appointed as acting Central Vigilance Commissioner


• Government of India has appointed Vigilance Commissioner, Praveen Kumar Srivastava as the acting Central
Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).
• He has replaced Suresh N Patel, who completed his term as the chief of CVC.
• Tenure of a CVC is of four years or attainemnt of the age of 65.
• The commission is headed by a CVC and can have a maximum of two Vigilance
Commissioners.
• Former Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Arvind Kumar is the other Vigilance Commissioner.

Ques. Who has been appointed as the Additional Solicitor General of Madras High Court?
Ans. AR. L. Sundaresan
• Centre appoints incumbent R. Sankaranarayanan as the Additional Solicitor General for the
southern zone
• both the appointments would be for a period of three years
• Attorney General for India - R. Venkataramani
• Solicitor General of India - Tushar Mehta

P.T. Usha joins Vice-Chairman Panel in Rajya Sabha


• Ms. Usha is the first nominated member in the history of the Rajya Sabha to be included
in the panel.
• The panel members run the House, in the absence both Chairman and Deputy Chairman.
• Rajya Sabha Chairman - Jagdeep Dhankhar

Centre appoints former SC Judge Hemant Gupta as Chairperson of New Delhi International
Arbitration Centre (NDIAC)
• He has earlier served as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court
• NDIAC is an autonomous institution based in New Delhi, to conduct arbitration, mediation,
and conciliation proceedings. It was established in 2019
• Recently Parliament had passed a bill to rename the New Delhi International Arbitration
Centre as the India International Arbitration Centre.
• The International Arbitration Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was piloted by Union Law
Minister Kiren Rijiju

Nakul Jain appointed as CEO of Paytm Payment Service


• Parent company of Paytm, One97 Communications
• MD and CEO of Paytm: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
• Paytm Founded: August 2010
• Paytm Headquarters: Noida

Private And Others


Que: Who has been named the new CEO of FedEx?
Ans: Raj Subramaniam (Indian American)
• He will be succeeding FedEx founder and current Chairman and CEO Frederick W Smith,
who will be stepping down from the position on June 1.
• FedEx is one of the world’s largest transportation companies with annual revenue of $92
billion.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Air India?
Ans: Campbell Wilson
• Wilson’s appointment comes after Turkey’s Ilker Ayci decided not to take on the role of
chief executive of Air India

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Sudarshan Venu appointed Managing Director of TVS Motor


• TVS Motor Company: Indian motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
• It is the 3rd largest motorcycle company in India

Que: Who has been appointed as the new chairman and managing director of Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (HPCL)?
Ans: Pushp Kumar Joshi
• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) - India’s third-largest oil refining and fuel
marketing company
• Replaced Mukesh Kumar Surana.

Que: Who has reappointed as Managing Director & CEO of Bharti Airtel?
Ans: Gopal Vittal
• for a further period of five years ending on January 31, 2028.
• Bharti Airtel Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal
• Bharti Airtel Founded: 7 July 1995

Paytm reappoints Vijay Shekhar Sharma as MD and CEO for 5 yrs


• Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
• Founded: August 2010
• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
• Parent organization: One97 Communications

Que: Who has taken over additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of RailTel
Corporation of India Limited (RCIL)?
Ans: Sanjai Kumar has taken charge as the Chairman & Managing Director of RailTel.

Power Grid Corporation appoints G Ravisankar as chief financial officer.


• Power Grid HQ: Gurgaon
• Chairman & MD: K.Sreekant

Que: Who has been appointed as the new chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and
Healthcare Providers (NABH)?
Ans: Mahesh Verma
• Vice-Chancellor of Indraprastha University Mahesh Verma has been appointed as a new
chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers
(NABH).
• NABH is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI). This is responsible for
setting benchmarks for quality and certifying hospitals and other health facilities.

Ashish kumar Chauhan appointed as NSE MD, CEO for 5 years


• NSE Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Founded: 1992

Que: Who has been appointed as CMD of Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)?
Ans: Sandeep Kumar Gupta
• GAIL is the nation’s largest gas company.
• Founded – 1984
• Headquarters – New Delhi

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Que: Who has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yash Raj Films?
Ans: Akshaye Widhani
• Yash Raj Films is one of India’s biggest film production houses.
• Aditya Chopra is the Chairman and MD of Yash Raj Films.
• Yash Raj Films was founded by Yash Raj Chopra, in the year 1970.

Adani Airports appoints Arun Bansal as CEO


• Adani’s airports account for 25% of airport footfalls and 40% of air cargo in India.
• Adani Airport Headquarters: Ahmedabad
• Adani Group Chairman - Gautam Adani

Akash Ambani named as chairman of Reliance Jio


• The board of Reliance Jio Infocomm has approved the appointment of Akash Ambani
(non-executive director of the company) as its chairman.
• He has joined the Reliance Jio in 2014.
• The board has also accepted the resignation of Mukesh Ambani as Reliance Jio director.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of Meta?
Ans: Javier Olivan
• CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
• Founded: February 2004
• Headquarters: California, United States

Que: Who has been appointed as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ envoy on technology to
coordinate programmes for international digital cooperation?
Ans: Amandeep Singh Gill

Que: Tata Projects Ltd has appointed whom as its Managing Director?
Ans: Vinayak Pai
• TATA Projects is one of the fastest growing and most admired infrastructure companies in
India.
• It is currently executing some of the most marquee projects across India such as the New Parliament
Building, Jewar Airport, and Refinery Units at Barmer, Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link, Multiple Stretches of
Dedicated Freight Corridors, and Metro Rail Lines across multiple cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Delhi,
Lucknow, Ahmedabad and Chennai.

Vodafone Idea appoints Akshaya Moondra as new CEO


• Vodafone Idea has appointed Akshaya Moondra as new chief executive officer with
effect from August 19, 2022 for a period of three years. He will succeed Ravinder
Takkar.
• Vodafone Founder: Gerry Whent and Ernest Harrison

Indian-origin Nihar Malaviya named interim CEO of Penguin Random House


• He will assume the role from January 1, 2023.
• He has succeeded current CEO, Markus Dohle, who has stepped down from the role.
• Penguin Random House headquarters: New York

Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi assumes additional charge as CMD of NHPC


• with effect from December 13, 2022.
• He is also the CMD of Rishikesh-based THDC India Limited.
• NHPC Ltd is a Mini-Ratna Category-I Enterprise of the Government of India.
• NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation)
• HQ: Faridabad, Haryana;
• Founded: 1975

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Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw elected Fellow of Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) in
Scotland
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon and Biocon Biologics, has been
elected as the Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), Scotland’s National Academy
established in 1783, for the advancement of learning and useful knowledge.
• She has been recognized with two of India’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Shri (1989) and the Padma
Bhushan (2005). She has been conferred with the Order of Australia, Australia’s highest civilian honour, in
2020 and appointed Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of Honour in 2016. She was named EY
World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020.

PT Usha :the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association


• PT Usha has won the Asian Games gold medal. At the same time, in the 1984 Olympics,
she finished fourth in the final of the 400 meters hurdles.
• PT Usha, the first woman President of the Indian Olympic Association, is 58 years old.
• PT Usha has won 4 gold medals in Asian Games and 14 gold medals in Asian Championships.
• She is currently the committee head of the Pratibha Sangh of India. This committee conducts national level
Indian Talent Olympiad exams in schools all over India.
• PT Usha, who hails from Kerala, has studied at Providence Women's College, Kozhikode.

K.V. Suresh Kumar appointed as Chairman & MD of BHAVINI


• Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) at Kalpakkam for three years.
• (BHAVINI) is a Government Company under the administrative control of the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE).

Que: Which country’s Tan Kim Her has been appointed as India’s doubles coach in badminton till the
Asian Games in 2026?
Ans: Malaysia
• Nagoya will be the third Japanese city to host the Games, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima
in 1994.

Que: Who has been named the new captain of Chennai Super Kings?
Ans: Under the IPL 2023 auction players list, the CSK team will play under the leadership
of Mahendra Singh Dhoni under the guidance of Ravindra Jadeja

A Balasubramanian re-elected as chairman of AMFI


• Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI)

Que: Who has been appointed as the new BCCI President?


Ans: Roger Binny
• Sourav Ganguly held the position for three years (2019 to 2022)
• Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, continues as BCCI Secretary for his
second consecutive term
• Sports minister Anurag Thakur's younger brother Arun Singh Dhumal becomes IPL
chairman, replacing Brijesh Patel.

Former Indian cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad appointed the president of Indian Cricketers’
Association (ICA)
• He was conferred the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award by the BCCI in 2018.

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N S Rajan elected as chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India


• He has replaced Subhash Kamath.
• ASCI headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1985

Ques: Who has been appointed as India’s Chef de Mission for Asian Games 2022?
Ans: Bhupender Singh Bajwa
• Asian Games 2022 will be organized in Hangzhou, China from September 10 to 25, 2022.

India's IT Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma appointed to UN internet panel


• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Electronics and Information
Technology Secretary of India, Alkesh Kumar Sharma to a panel of 10 eminent experts on
internet governance.
• Agenda: To deal with strategic and urgent issues of the Internet and provide solution

Sankarasubramanian named Principal Scientist of ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission


• Aditya-L1: It is the first observatory-class space-based solar mission from India and it is
scheduled for launch in 2023.

Former goalkeeper, Kalyan Chaubey becomes new President of AIFF


• All India Football Federation (AIFF).
• In the 85-year history of federation, this was the first time a former player was elected
president.
• The elections has been conducted after the Supreme Court disbanded the court-
appointed Committee of Administrators in order to revoke a FIFA ban on the country’s
football body.

Que: Who has been appointed as UP’s first woman Police Commissioner ?
Ans: Lakshmi Singh
• IPS Officer Laxmi Singh is the new Noida Police Chief

Suranjan Das appointed as President of Association of Indian Universities (AIU)


• Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University
• AIU HQ: New Delhi
• Formation: 1925 as Inter-University Board (IUB)

Mallika Sarabhai became the Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University


• Born as the daughter of renowned dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai and space scientist Vikram
Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai is a world renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi performer.

Meghna Ahlawat becomes TTFI first female president


• Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI),
• Also, former veteran Kamlesh Mehta elected as the general secretary.
• TTFI was established in 1926.

Q. Who has been appointed as first Chancellor of Gati Shakti University?


Ans. Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railway Minister)
• by President Smt. Draupadi Murmu for 5 years
• Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is in Vadodara.
• In August 2022, the Central Government introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to convert the
National Rail and Transportation Institute, into Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, an
autonomous central university,
• to expand the scope of the university from beyond the railways to cover the entire transport sector
• Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Yojana was announced by PM Modi on 15th August 2021 on the 75th
Independence Day.

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Anil Kumar Lahoti appointed as Chairman & CEO of Railway Board


• He will take over the chairmanship from Vinay Kumar Tripathi on January
1, 2023.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar appointed batting coach of Indian women cricket team by BCCI
The Indian national women cricket team has been without a head coach for the past two months
since the completion of the tenure of Romesh Powar.
Hrishikesh Kanitkar was the head coach of the under -19 men’s cricket team which won the world cup
held in West Indies in 2022.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
• It was set up in 1928. Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Grant Govan was the first President of the BCCI.
• President: Roger Binny

Bureaucrat Vikram Dev Dutt appointed new CMD of Air India


• last year Centre had accepted Tata Sons bid of Rs 18,000 crore to acquire 100 per cent of
the debt-laden state-run airline.

WHO appoints Jeremy Farrar as chief scientist, to replace Soumya Swaminathan


• Jeremy Farrar will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023.
• WHO DG: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Founded: 7 April 1948

SEBI gives nod to Sundararaman Ramamurthy as MD and CEO of BSE


• The Securities Exchange Board of India(SEBI) has approved the appointment of
Sundararaman Ramamurthy as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of BSE.

Indian-origin Laxman Narasimhan appointed as CEO of Starbucks


• Chief executive officer and a member of the Starbucks Board of Directors.
• Current CEO, Howard Schultz, will continue as interim CEO until April 1, 2023.

Que: Who has been appointed as Chairman of Board of Directors of IndiGo?


Ans: Venkataramani Sumantran

Que: Which Indian umpire has been retained in the ICC Elite Panel?
Ans: Nitin Menon
• India’s Nitin Menon has retained his place in the ICC Elite Panel. He is the only Indian in
the 11- member Elite Panel.
• Menon first made it to the Elite Panel in 2020, becoming only the third Indian umpire
after S Venkataraghavan and S Ravi to be on the list.

Vikas Kumar appointed as the Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) Ltd for a period of 5
years.
• The appointment of Kumar as managing director of the DMRC was approved by the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. was created on 3 May 1995 with E. Sreedharan
serving as the first managing director.[4] Sreedharan handed over charge as MD of
DMRC to Mangu Singh on 31 December 2011.
• The DMRC network’s current span is nearly 392 km with 286 stations (including the
Noida-Greater Noida Metro Corridor and Rapid Metro, Gurgaon).

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Que: Rahul Bhatia has recently been appointed as the Managing Director of which airline carrier?
Ans: IndiGo
• Bhatia is the first ever MD of Indigo, because before this the company never had a
managing director
• Ronojoy Dutta is the CEO of the Indigo.
• IndiGo is India’s biggest airline by market share. It is headquartered at Gurgaon, Haryana.

Que: N Chandrasekaran has recently been re-elected as the Executive Chairman of which company?
Ans: Tata Sons
• Chandrasekaran’s current tenure as the chairman was to expire at the end of February
2022.

Que: Automaker Honda has appointed whom as the President and CEO of Honda Cars India Ltd
(HCIL) in 2022?
Ans: Takuya Tsumura

Captain B K Tyagi (Binesh Kumar Tyagi) appointed as new CMD of Shipping Corporation of
India
• SCI is a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW).
• Founded: 2 October 1961, Mumbai

Que: Who has been appointed as the new CMD of Bharat Electronics Limited?
Ans: Bhanu Prakash Srivastava has assumed charge as the new CMD, BEL
• Bharat Electronics Limited Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Bharat Electronics Limited Founded: 1954.

Prasanna Kumar Motupalli appointed as CMD of NLC India Limited


• NLC India Limited (Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited) is a government-owned-fossil
fuel miner and thermal power generator under the ownership of Ministry of Coal,
Government of India.
• NLC Founded: 1956; Headquarters: Chennai

Britannia Industries appoints Rajneet Kohli as CEO


• India’s largest bakery foods company, Britannia Industries has appointed Rajneet
Kohli as executive director and chief executive officer effective September 26,
2022.
• The board has also elevated Varun Berry to executive vice-chairman and managing
director with immediate effect.
• Britannia Industries Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Britannia Industries Founded: 1892;
• Britannia Industries Parent organization: Wadia Group.

Que: Who has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Vistara airline?
Ans: Vinod Kannan
• Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and
Singapore Airlines (SIA). Its headquarter is based at Gurugram.
• Deepak Rajawat has been elevated to the role of Vistara’s Chief Commercial
Officer.

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Alvaro Lario appointed as President of IFAD


• International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with effect from 1st October 2022
for a four-year term.
• IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency that
focuses on rural economies, food security and climate change
• Founded: 1977.
• Headquarters: Rome, Italy

Que: Who is the first Indian Representative to Chair a WTO Committee in 10 years?
Ans: Anwar Hussain Shaik
• Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade: Anwar Hussain Shaik (India)
• WTO is a 164-member multilateral body which formulate rules for global exports and
imports and adjudicates disputes between countries on trade-related issues. India is a
member since 1995.

Que: Who has been appointed as CEO of India Debt Resolution Company Limited (IRDCL)?
Ans: Avinash Kulkarni
• for a period of 3 year.
• He succeeds Manish Makharia.
• IDRCL is a private sector company controlled by private sector banks that own a 51% share.
Its seven-member board is chaired by former SBI executive Diwakar Gupta.
• Recent Appointment
• Chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) – Samant Kumar Goel
• CEO of NITI Aayog – Parameswaren Iyer
• President of India International Centre – Shyam Sharan

Salil Parekh reappointed as CEO and MD of Infosys for next five years
• He will be the only non-founder CEO to have managed to be at the helm of the company
for a second term.

IFS Vivek Kumar appointed as PS to PM Modi


• He will take over as PM Modi’s private secretary from Sanjeev Kumar Singla.

Viswanathan Anand elected as Deputy President of FIDE


• Indian chess legend and five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand has been elected
as the Deputy President of FIDE (International Chess Federation)
• Arkady Dvorkovich has been re-elected as President for a second term.
• FIDE Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

Former Indian bowler Manoj Prabhakar takes over as Nepal cricket team coach

Jay Shah’s term as President of Asian Cricket Council extended by one year
• Shah was first appointed as the President of ACC in January 2021, replacing Nazmul
Hassan, the President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
• Jay Shah is the Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) since 2019.

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Que: Rajesh Gopinathan is the MD and CEO of which company?


Ans: TCS
• The board of IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the re-
appointment of Rajesh Gopinathan as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the company for five years.

Que: Pieter Elbers has been appointed as the CEO of which airline company?
Ans: IndiGo

Brian Lara replaces Tom Moody as SRH head coach


• This will be the former West Indian captain’s maiden assignment as head coach of
a T20 team
• SRH - Sunrisers Hyderabad's head coach for the 2023 IPL (Indian Premier League)
season.
• The tournament is scheduled to be held in the UAE in January next year.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new CEO of Jet Airways?
Ans: Sanjiv Kapoor
• The Jalan Kalrock Consortium is the new promoter of Jet Airways.

N Chandrasekaran appointed the chair of B20 India


• Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran as the chairman of the B20 to lead the business agenda during India’s
G20 presidency.
• India took over the presidency of G-20 from Indonesia on 1 December 2022 and will
hold the G-20 Summit meeting on 9-10 September 2023.
• The government has also appointed the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the
B20 India Secretariat. B20 is the voice of the G20 business community and helps in
shaping economic policy statements by the G20 grouping over the years.
• B20 India theme “R.A.I.S.E – Responsible, Accelerated, Innovative, Sustainable, and
Equitable Businesses.
• G20 is a group of 19 countries and the European Union.

Asian Hockey Federation CEO, Tayyab Ikram elected as FIH president


• Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) CEO, Mohammad Tayyab Ikram (Macau) has been elected
as the new president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for two years.
• He has succeeded Narinder Batra (India) as its full-time chief.
• After the resignation of Batra in July, Seif Ahmed had served as the acting president of the
FIH.

Gaurav Dwivedi appointed as Prasar Bharati CEO


• Prior to this, Dwivedi was the Chief Executive Officer of MyGovIndia, the government's
citizen platform.
• Shashi Shekhar Vempati was the CEO of Prasar Bharati from 2017 to 2022.
• Doordarshan Director General Mayank Agarwal was given the additional charge of CEO
Prasar Bharati in June this year, after Vempati completed his five-year term.
• Founded: 23 November 1997, New Delhi

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Greg Barclay re-elected as Chairman of ICC for 2 year


• Barclay was originally appointed as the ICC Chair in November 2020.

Que: Who has become the first woman president of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA)?
Ans: Lisa Sthalekar
• Legendary Australian Cricketer Lisa Sthalekar
• She was the first woman to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODI Cricket.

Sanjay Malhotra appointed as new Revenue Secretary


• He replaced Tarun Bajaj, who superannuated on November 30.
• Other Appointments:
• Cabinet Secretary- Rajiv Gauba
• Home Secretary- Ajay Kumar Bhalaa

Vijender Sharma elected president of ICAI


• Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) for the year 2022-23.
• The institute, which is a statutory body set up under an Act of Parliament, comes
under the administrative control of Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• About Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI)
• Founded- 28 May 1959
• Headquarters- Kolkata

India wins vice presidency of International Electrotechnical Commission


• for the term 2023-25.
• Meeting of IEC was recently held in San Francisco, USA. India got more than 90
percent votes.

Santosh Kumar Yadav appointed as Chairman of NHAI


• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
• Government has also appointed Ganji Kamala V Rao as the CEO, Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was constituted by the National
Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. It is responsible for the development,
maintenance and management of National Highways.
• It comes under the Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Que: Who has been appointed as the ‘Chairman of the Board’ of Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL)?
Ans: Nitin Paranjpe
• FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has announced the separation of the
position of Chairman of the Board and the CEO & Managing Director of the company.
• Sanjiv Mehta is the MD & CEO of HUL

PSUs
Ranjit Rath selected as new CMD of PSU Oil India Ltd
• Oil India's current chairman and managing director Sushil Chandra Mishra will
superannuate on June 30 this year.

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Prabha Narasimhan named as CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India


• She succeeded Ram Raghavan, who has been promoted to the role of President,
Enterprise Oral Care, at Colgate Palmolive Company.

VR Krishna Gupta assumes additional charge of Chairman of BPCL


• Vetsa Rama Krishna Gupta has assumed the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat
Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
• He has replaced Arun Kumar Singh, who superannuated on 31st October 2022.
• Presently, he is serving as a Board member in BPRL
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: 1952

Vishal Kapoor appointed as CEO of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd


• He replaced Arun Kumar Mishra, who hold this position last year.
• Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL):
• Ministry: Ministry of Power
• Headquarters location: New Delhi
• Founded: 2009

Prasanth Kumar elected president of AAAI


• Prasanth Kumar (CEO, South Asia of GroupM Media (India) Pvt Ltd) has been elected as
the President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for 2022-23.
• AAAI is a national advertising agencies, which was formed in 1945.

Arun Kumar Singh appointed as the new CMD of ONGC


• chairman and managing director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for a
three-year tenure.
• ONGC was set up as the Oil & Natural Gas Commission on 14th August 1956. It was
later converted to Oil & Natural Gas Corporation in 1994.
• It has three subsidiary companies. They are:
• ONGC Videsh,
• Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL)
• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)

Subhrakant Panda appointed as President of FICCI


• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
• He will succeed Sanjiv Mehta (CEO & Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever
Limited (HUL)) as President at the 95th Annual General Meeting, scheduled to be
held on December 16 and December 17, 2022.
• Founded: 1927
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founder: Ghanshyam Das Birla

Awards
Film And Music
94th Oscars Awards 2022
• Best Picture: CODA
• Best Director: Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
• Best Actor in a Leading Role: Will Smith (King Richard)
• Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
• Best International Feature Film: Drive My Car (Japan)

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• Tamil film, Pebbles, directed by P S Vinothraj, was sent as India’s Official Entry at the 94th Academy Awards.

Indian Oscar winners till date-


• Bhanu Athaiya in 1982 received the Oscars for the “Best Costume Design” for the movie “Gandhi”
• Satyajit Ray received an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1992
• A R Rahman won two Oscars in 2009 for the movie “Slumdog Millionaire” in the category of “Best Original
Score” and “Best Original Song for Jai Ho”
• Resul Pookutty in 2009 won the Oscars for “Best Sound Mixing” for the film “Slumdog Millionaire”
• Gulzar in 2009 won the Oscars for “Best Original Song for Jai Ho” for the film “Slumdog Millionaire”

Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' becomes India’s official entry for Oscars 2023
• Gujarati Film, Chhello Show (Last Film Show) has been selected as the India’s
submission to the Best International Feature Film category at the 95th
Academy Awards.
• This movie was directed by Pan Nalin.
• This movie was honoured the Golden Spike at the 66th Valladolid
International Film Festival in 2021.
• Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical
merit for the American and international film industry.

Tamil film Koozhangal (Pebbles) gets Best Film award at Dhaka International Film Festival
• It’s a Tamil-language drama directed by director PS Vinothraj

Que: Which Indian actor has recently won the International Association of Working Women
Award at the DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) 2021?
Ans: Sushmita Sen
• For her show ‘Aarya 2’, created by Ram Madhvani

Golden Globe Awards 2022


• The 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards are announced by the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association (HFPA) for excellence in Film and Television.

• Best Motion Picture – Drama: The Power of the Dog


• Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama: Nicole Kidman for Being the Ricardos
• Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama: Will Smith for King Richard
• Best Director – Motion Picture: Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog

Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2022


Film of the Year – Pushpa: The Rise
Best Film – Shershaah
Critics Best Film – Sardar Udham

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Critics Best Actor – Sidharth Malhotra


Critics Best Actress – Kiara Advani

Best Actor – Ranveer Singh for 83


Best Actress – Kriti Sanon for Mimi

Outstanding Contribution To Film Industry – Asha Parekh


Best Director – Ken Ghosh

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2022


• Best actor - Ranveer Singh (movie 83).
• Best actress - Shefali Shah (Jalsa)
• Best Film: 83
• Best Director: Shoojit Sircar (Sardar Udham) and Aparna Sen (The Rapist)
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Kapil Dev

IIFA Award 2022

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Que: Which film has bagged the Best Film award at the 2022 BAFTA Awards?
Ans: The Power of the Dog
• 13 March 2022 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
• The awards, presented by the British Academy of Film and Television
Arts (BAFTA), honours the best national
and foreign films of 2021.
• Best Director – Jane Campion, The Power
of the Dog

Dutch film ‘Turn Your Body to the Sun’ bags Golden Conch award at MIFF 2022
• at the 17th edition of the 2022 Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for
documentary, short fiction and animation films.
• Best Short-fiction : ‘Saakshatkaaram’ (Malayalam) & ‘Brother Troll’
• Best Animation Film: ‘Prince in a Pastry Shop’ (Poland)

Former U.S. President Barack Obama wins Emmy for narrating documentary series
‘Our Great National Parks’
• Barack Obama has previously received Grammy Awards for the audiobook
readings of his memoirs “The Audacity of Hope” and “A Promised Land.”
• Michelle Obama received her own Grammy in 2020 for reading her audiobook.
• Obama already has two Grammys and is now halfway to an EGOT- the
achievement of having won all four of the major American entertainment
awards i.e. an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

74th edition of Emmy Awards. First awarded: January 25, 1949


Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry.

Shershaah wins 67th Filmfare award 2022 for best movie


• Best Director - Vishnuvardhan (for Shershaah).
• Best Film (Critics): Sardar Udham
• Best Actor: Ranveer Singh (83)
• Best Actor (Critics): Vicky Kaushal (Sardar Udham)
• Best Actress: Kriti Sanon, Mimi
• Best Actress (Critics): Vidya Balan (Sherni)
• Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award: Subhash Ghai
• Filmfare Awards are the annual awards that honour the artistic and technical assistance in the Hindi-
language film industry of India. The awards were first introduced by the Filmfare magazine of The Times
Group in 1954, the same year as the National Awards.

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68th National Film Awards


• Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur announced the award winners.
• Actor Suriya (Soorarai Pottru) and Ajay Devgn ( Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)
won for the best actor.
• Aparna Balamurali (Soorarai Pottru) won the best actor female category
• Other awards:
• Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru
• Best Director: Sachidanandan KR, Ayyappanum Koshiyum

RRR wins Best International Film award at 50th Saturn Awards


• Director - SS Rajamouli.
• Prior to this, SS Rajamouli had received Saturn Awards for Baahubali: The Conclusion.
• Saturn Awards:
• It is awarded for Best in genre fiction film, television and home media releases
• Country: United States
• Presented by: Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
• The award was created in 1973.

52nd Dadasaheb Phalke award


• Veteran actress Asha Parekh received the 2020 Dadasaheb Phalke award,
making her the 52nd awardee of the honour. The award was presented at the
68th National Film Award ceremony in New Delhi
• She worked in more than 95 films and was the chairperson of the Central
Board of Film Certification from 1998-2001. She is also a recipient of the
Padma Shri (in 1992) for services to cinema.
• The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour in Indian cinema. The award was instituted in 1969. It is
given in the memory of Dadasaheb Phalke, who is regarded as the ‘father of Indian cinema’, having made the
first Hindi movie, Raja Harishchandra.
• 2019 Dadasaheb Phalke award (51st edition) was given to Rajinikanth in 2021.

National Film Award


The National Film Award was established in 1954
The awards are categorized into three sections: Feature Films, Non-Feature Films,
and Best Writing on Cinema.
68th National Film Award winners:
• Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru
• Best Director: Sachidanandan KR, Ayyappanum Koshiyum
• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Tanhaji
• Best Actor: Suriya for Soorarai Pottru and Ajay Devgn for Tanhaji
• Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali, Soorarai Pottru
• Special Jury Award:
• Best Feature Film in Hindi: Toolsidas Junior

Kumar Sanu, Shailendra Singh, Anand-Milind get Lata Mangeshkar Award


Kumar Sanu and Shailendra Singh (Playback singers) and Anand-Milind (music-
composer duo) will be conferred with the National Lata Mangeshkar Award for
different years.

The prestigious award was presented on September 28 (birth anniversary of the late
legendary singer) at her birthplace Indore.
• Shailendra Singh was given the Award for 2019.
• Anand-Milind for 2020.

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• Kumar Sanu for 2021.


• The state Government of Madhya Pradesh started this award in 1984.

Lata Mangeshkar was bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1989. In 2001, she was awarded the Bharat
Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
The government of France conferred on her its highest civilian award (Officer of the Legion of Honour) in 2007.
Along with these, Lata Mangeshkar held the distinction of being the most recorded artist in the history of Indian
music in the Guinness Record in 1974.
The Indian government honored her with the Daughter of the Nation award on her 90th birthday in September
2019.

Que: Which album has received “Album of the Year” award at 64th Grammy Awards
2022?
Ans: We Are

✔ Record of the Year : Leave The Door Open (Silk Sonic)


✔ Album of the Year : We Are (Jon Batiste)
✔ Song of the Year : Leave The Door Open
✔ Best New Artist : Olivia Rodrigo
✔ Best music film: “Summer of Soul”
✔ Best Global Music Performance: Mohabbat by Arooj Aftab (First
Pakistani)
✔ It must be noted that Indian music composer, Ricky Kej also won the
Grammy Award for his album Divine Tides, for the Best New Age Album.
He won the award jointly with rock legend Stewart Copeland.
✔ This is the second Grammy Award win for Kej.
✔ American singer Falguni Shah for winning Grammy for 'A Colorful World' in the Best Children's Album
category.
✔ Falguni Shah is also the only Indian-origin woman to be nominated in the Best Children’s Music Album
Category at the Grammy twice.
✔ The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959

Que: Name the Lavni artist who has won gold medal at the International Folk Art
Festival in Dubai.
Ans: Sumit Bhale
• Lavani is a genre of music popular in Maharashtra and is a combination of
traditional song and dance, which is particularly performed to the beats of
Dholki.

International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Awards


• The coveted Golden Peacock Award for Best Film was bagged by the Spanish language film 'I have Electric
Dreams' directed by Valentina Maurel.
• The Best Director award was given to Nader Saeivar for Turkish film ‘No End’.
• 'Vahid Mobasheri' has won the ‘Silver Peacock’ award for 'Best Actor (Male)' for the film ‘No End’.
• Daniela Marin Navarro was given ‘Silver Peacock’ award for the 'Best Actor (Female)’ for the film 'I Have
Electric Dreams’.
• Iranian film “Nargesi” directed by Payam Eskandar bagged the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal (given for a film
that best reflects Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of peace, tolerance and non-violence.)

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Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award given to Spanish film director Carlos Saura at
53rd IFFI
• Carlos Saura (Spanish Film Director) conferred the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement
Award 2022 at the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) at
Goa from November 20 to 28, 2022
• Venue: Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium near Panaji
• Spotlight country: France

IFFI Indian Film Personality of the Year Award for 2022 awarded to actor-producer
Chiranjeevi Konidela
• In 2006, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan
• He served as the Minister of Tourism for the Government of India from 2012 and
2014.
• He was the first actor from South India to be invited to the Oscars ceremony in 1987

Que: Which Bangladesh film won Prasad DI Award in the 16th film Bazaar at IIFI in Goa?
Ans: Agantuk
• Biplob Sarkar-directed movie

First science documentary made in Sanskrit ‘Yanam’ screened at the 53rd IFFI
• revolves around India's successful Mangalyaan mission
• It is based on the autobiographical book “My Odyssey: Memoirs of the Man behind
the Mangalyaan Mission” by former ISRO chairman Padma Bhushan Dr K.
Radhakrishnan.
• India's historic Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) alias 'Mangalyaan', was successfully
launched by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2013.

‘Naatu Naatu’ & ‘Chhello Show’ shortlisted for Oscars


• ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ shortlisted for Oscars in ‘Best Original Song’
category
• Gujarati film 'Chhello Show' shortlisted in the 'Best International Feature
Film' category. Director - Nalin Kumar Pandya or Pan Nalin

Art And Literature


Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021 in 20 languages
Sahitya Akademi Awards 2021 conferred to 24 eminent writers, playwrights, and
novelists.
• Sahitya Akademi president DR. Chandrashekhar Kambar gave away the
awards to them and handed a cheque of one lakh rupees, a shawl and
memento to each of them.
• It was established in 1954.

Namita Gokhale English Novel titled 'Things to Leave Behind'

Daya Prakash Sinha Hindi Play titled ‘Samraat Ashok’

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Ramdarash Mishra selected for Saraswati Samman 2021


• He has been selected for this prestigious literary award for his Hindi poetry
collection ‘Mein to Yahan Hun’, which was published in 2015.
• Saraswati Samman is a prestigious and highest literary award in India instituted by
K K Birla Foundation in 1991.
• The award carries Rs 15 lakh, a citation and a plaque.

Sangita Kalanidhi Award 2020, 2021 and 2022:


• Sangeetha Kalanidhi: Awarded to the person who has contributed to the field of
Carnatic music
• The Sangita Kalanidhi award will be given to:
• Renowned vocalist Neyveli R Santanagopalan (2020)
• Eminent Mridangam artiste Tiruvarur Bhakthavathsalam (2021)
• Violin duo Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi (2022).

Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu confers Sangeet Natak Akademi and Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowships and
Awards
• The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Fellowship and Sangeet Natak Awards for the year 2018 to 44 eminent artists ((4
Fellows and 40 awardees)).
• Shri Naidu also presented Fellowships and National Awards of Lalit Kala Akademi for
the year 2021 to 23 people (3 Fellows and 20 National Awards ).

• The four fellows, who have been awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, are Tabla maestro Zakir
Hussain, Jatin Goswami, Dr. Sonal Mansingh and Thiruvidaimarudur Kuppiah Kalyanasundaram. They have
been honoured for their eminent contribution in the field of the Performing Arts.
• The Lalit Kala Akademi has awarded the prestigious Fellowships to three outstanding artists Himmat Shah,
Jyoti Bhatt and Shyam Sharma.

PM Modi to be honoured with first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award


• Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award has been instituted by the family and
Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan charitable trust in the
memory of Legendary Singer Lata Mangeshkar.
• The Prime Minister will be the first-ever recipient of the award.

Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards


• The Master Deenanath Puraskar (special honour) will be conferred this year to Asha Parekh and Jackie
Shroff for their "dedicated services in the field of Indian cinema".
• The Master Deenanath Puraskar for Indian music will be conferred to Rahul Deshpande, an Indian classical
singer.
• The Master Deenanath Puraskar for Best Drama will go to the play, "Sanjay Chaya", a Marathi play produced
by Jigisha Ashtvinayak.
• The Master Deenanath Puraskar (Anandmayee Puraskar) will be given to the famous Mumbai Dabbawalas
for their "dedicated services in the field of social service".

Que: Name the renowned Assamese poet who has won the 56th Jnanpith Award.
Ans: Nilmani Phookan
• Renowned Assamese poet Nilamani Phookan will be Conferred with the country’s
highest literary award, 56th Jnanpith award at Guwahati.
• Nilmani Phookan is the third person to win theJnanpith Award from Assam after
Mamoni Roisom Goswami and Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya.

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• Novelist Damodar Mauzo was chosen for 57th Jnanpith Award 2022 for his contribution to Indian literature.
• Established: 1961
• First awarded: 1965

Que: Who has received the Bangla Academy Award for their “relentless literary
pursuit”?
Ans: Mamata Banerjee
• Mamata Banerjee’s ‘Kabita Bitan’ was launched at the 2020 Kolkata Book
Fair.
• The book contains 946 poems written by the TMC supremo.

Que: Tomb of Sand is the first Hindi novel to win International Booker Prize. Who is
the author of this book?
Ans: Geetanjali Shree
• The novel has been translated into English by Daisy Rockwell.
• The literary prize comes with cash award of 50,000 pounds, which is split
equally between the author and translator.

International Booker Prize Booker Prize

The International Booker Prize is awarded annually The Booker Prize is the world’s leading literary award
for a single book, translated into English and for a single work of fiction.
published in the UK or Ireland.

The International Booker Prize began life in 2005 as Founded in the UK in 1969, it was initially awarded to
the Man Booker International Prize. Commonwealth writers and now spans the globe, and
it is open to anyone regardless of origin.

“Tomb of Sand’, has become the first book written in Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker
an Indian language to be awarded the International Prize 2022 for his novel “The Seven Moons of Maali
Booker Prize. Almeida”

Sri Lankan writer, Shehan Karunatilaka wins 2022 Booker Prize


• Sri Lankan author, Shehan Karunatilaka has won the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction,
for his second book "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida“
• The book is about a war photographer murdered in the country’s civil war.
• He is the second Sri Lankan to win the award, after Michael Ondaatje’s victory in 1992
for The English Patient.

Que: Who has received the Shiromani Award at NRI World Summit 2022 in the United Kingdom
for her contribution to the field of art?
Ans: Michelle Poonawalla
• The Shiromani Award was instituted in 1977

Fahmida Azim wins 2022 Pulitzer prize


• Fahmida Azim (Bangladesh born) has been selected for the 2022 Pulitzer prize under the category of
Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.
• She is among the four journalists of The Insider online Magazine of US, selected for their work on the
Chinese oppression of the Uyghurs.

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• 2022 Pulitzer Prizes have been announced for all the categories including
Journalism, Books, Drama and Music.
• Indians Adnan Abidi, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Amit Dave, and late Danish
Siddiqui of Reuters were among the winners of Pulitzer Prize 2022
• Edition: 106th
• Established: 1917; Administered by: Columbia University.

Navtej Sarna’s latest book Crimson Spring longlisted for the 2022 JCB Prize for Literature
• The book starts with the Jalianwalla Bagh massacre that took place on April 13,
1919, and goes back and forth in time to bring that era and the aftermath of the
event alive.
• JCB Prize for Literature is an Indian literary award established in 2018.
• Prize money of Rs 25 lakh, is presented to a notable work of fiction by an Indian
author

Sahitya Akademi Awards 2022 announced


• The Sahitya Akademi Award prizes to the most outstanding books of literary merit
• For English - All The Lives We Never Lived (Novel) – Anuradha Roy
• For Hindi - Tumadi Ke Shabd (Poetry) – Badri Narayan
• The awardee is presented with a cash prize of one lakh rupees and a copper Shield

Sahitya Akademi Award


• Founded on : 12 March, 1954
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• It is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of literature in the languages of India.
• The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India.
• The Sahitya Akademi annually confers the award on writers of the most outstanding
books of literary merit published in any of the 24 Indian languages (22 languages included in the Eighth
Schedule to the Constitution of India and English and Rajasthani).
• The first Awards were given in 1955.
• Sahitya Akademi President - Chandrashekhar Kambar.

Khalid Jawed’s 'The Paradise of Food' wins 2022 JCB Prize for Literature 2022
• It was translated into English from Urdu by Baran Farooqi
• The book, originally published as “Ne’mat Khana” in 2014, is the fourth translation to win
the award and the first work in Urdu.
• The JCB Prize for Literature is a Rs 25-lakh award presented each year to a distinguished
work of fiction by an Indian author.

The Chipko Movement wins 2022 Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize
• A book titled, 'The Chipko Movement: A People’s History', authored by Shekhar Pathak
• This book was translated from Hindi by Manisha Chaudhry and published by Permanent
Black & Ashoka University.
• Prize: Rs 15 lakh, a trophy and citation
• The fifth edition of this award was instituted by the New India Foundation in 2018 to
recognise powerful works of non-fiction about contemporary India.

Vice President confers Shilp Guru and National Awards to master craftspersons
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on 28 November gave away Shilp Guru and National Awards to master
craftspersons for 2017, 2018, and 2019 at a function in New Delhi.
• Shilp Guru Awards were instituted in 2002.
• Its main objective is to give new identity to the excellent craftsmen in the field of handicrafts.

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The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22 jointly won by Sudeep Sen
and Shobhana Kumar
• The winners were presented with $10,000 and a statue of
Rabindranath Tagore at the India International Center.
• Sudip Sen won the award for his remarkable work in 'Anthropocene:
Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation', a collection of poetry, prose, creative non-fiction
and photography.

Shobhana Kumar won the Tagore Prize for her outstanding work in ‘A Sky Full of Bucket Lists’, a
collection of poems in the Japanese haibun style.
• Haibun is a story or narration based on experience.
• The Tagore Award for Social Achievement was given to Sanjay K. Roy, the producer of
the Jaipur Literature Festival.
• The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Award was instituted in 2018 to annually recognize
literary and social achievements.

Nobel Prize
• The Nobel Prize, which is considered to be the most prestigious prize in the world, was created in the will of
Swedish dynamite inventor and wealthy businessman Alfred Nobel.
• Nobel Prize is accorded each year in six different categories-- Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine,
Literature, Economic Sciences and Peace.
• Since 1901, the economics prize was first given in 1969.
• The prizes carry a cash award of 10 million Swedish kronor (nearly $900,000)
TRIVIA

• Malala Yousafzai (age 17 years then) is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate among all categories who received
the peace prize in 2014 with Kailash Satyarthi.
• Between 1901 and 2022 the Nobel Prize have been awarded 61 times to women.
• The oldest Nobel laureate is John B. Goodenough who was awarded the Prize in Chemistry in 2019 when he
was 97 years old.

Laureates who have received Multiple Nobel Prizes:


• Marie Curie received the prize twice. Nobel Prize in Physics (1903) and Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1911).
• The International Committee of the Red Cross received the prize three times. Nobel Peace Prize (1917, 1944,
1963).
• Linus Pauling received the prize twice. Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1954) and Nobel Peace Prize (1962).
• John Bardeen received the prize twice. Nobel Prize in Physics (1956, 1972).
• Frederick Sanger received the prize twice. Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1958, 1980).
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; received the prize twice. Nobel Peace Prize (1954, 1981).

List of Nobel Prize winners from India -


• Rabindranath Tagore (1913) - Literature
• CV Raman (1930) - Physics
• Har Gobind Khurana (1968) - Medicine
• Mother Teresa (1979) - Peace
• Subhramanyan Chandrashekhar (1983) - Physics
• Amartya Sen (1998) - Economics
• Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (2009) - Chemistry.
• Kailash Satyarthi (2014) - Peace
• Abhijit Banerjee (2019) - Economics

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Nobel Prize in Physics 2022

Nobel Prize in Physiology/ Nobel Prize in Literature 2022 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 was awarded
Medicine 2022 jointly to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K.
Barry Sharpless "for the development of click
chemistry and biorthogonal chemistry"

The Nobel Peace Prize 2022


Belarusian human rights advocate Ales
Bialiatski,
Russian human rights organization
‘Memorial’,
Ukrainian human rights organization
'Centre for Civil Liberties’
Announced by the Norwegian Nobel
Committee for promoting the right to
criticize power and protecting the
fundamental rights of citizens.

Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2022

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Science
Que: Who has received Dr Subhas Mukherjee Award from ICMR in recognition for his outstanding
contribution to the field of in-vitro fertilization (IVF)?
Ans: Satish Adiga
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 1911
• director general:Dr Rajiv Bahl

Que: Name the renowned Indian physicist who will be conferred the prestigious Boltzmann Medal 2022 for
contribution in the field of statistical physics.
Ans: Deepak Dhar
• Indian physicist and Professor at the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and
Research (IISER), Pune
• The Boltzmann Medal (or Boltzmann Award) is named after the physicist Ludwig Boltzmann and awarded to
physicists for contributing new results in statistical mechanics and it was instituted in 1975.
• First award- Kenneth G. Wilson (Cornell University) in 1975.

Que: Who has been selected for the 31st GD Birla Award for Scientific Research for 2022?
Ans: Prof. Narayan Pradhan
• Instituted in 1991, the award recognises eminent Indian scientists below the age of 50 for their original and
outstanding contributions to any branch of science. It carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.

Hyderabadi Haleem wins ‘Most Popular GI’ (Geographical Indication) food award
• Awarded by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the winner was chosen based
on public opinion.
• Haleem is a traditional dish made during the month of Ramadan. It got GI tag in
2010.
• GI tag is given to products to ensure that authorised users can only use the
popular product name.

Que: Which Indian Scientist has been conferred with Knight of the Legion of Honour’?
Ans: Dr. Swati Piramal
• Prominent Indian scientist & Vice Chairperson of Piramal Group Swati Piramal has
been conferred with France’s top civilian honour ‘Knight of the Legion of Honour’
• In 2006, she was also awarded the Knight of the Order of Merit, France’s 2nd
highest civilian honour.
• Piramal is also the recipient of the Padma Shri in 2012.

Que: Name the theoretical physicist and author who has been awarded the Templeton Prize
2022.
Ans: Frank Wilczek
• He received the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics along with David J. Gross, and H. David
Politzer
• Templeton Prize was established in 1972 by the late philanthropist Sir John Templeton.
• The $1.4 million Templeton Prize honors people who harness the power of the sciences to explore the
deepest questions of the universe and human existence.

Dr Subhash Babu becomes first Indian scientist to be awarded Bailey K. Ashford Medal in US
• He was also honoured with the 2022 Fellow of the American Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH) award.
• He is also the first Indian to receive such prestigious award.
• He is the Scientific Director of International Centre for Excellence in Research-India
Programme.

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• The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) is the world's largest scientific
organization in tropical medicine, and the medal is awarded annually to one or more mid-career-
investigators for distinguished work in tropical medicine.

Que: Name the first Indian who was recently awarded the Prestigious Hallett Medal
Ans. Dr. Fazal Rehman
• On November 8, 2022, the President of the Royal College of Surgeons England presented the
award to Dr. Fazal Rehman at the Prestigious Diplomate’s Ceremony in London. Dr. Fazal is also
the first Indian to receive this prestigious award. This young doctor won this Global Award of Excellence after
competing with medical professionals worldwide.
• The Hallett Medal is named after Sir Frederick Greville Hallett, and was established by the Royal College of
Surgeons in England

Sports
FIFA Best Men’s & Women’s Player Award
• Poland's Robert Lewandowski won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award on January 17, 2022.
• This is the second consecutive time that Lewandowski has won the award.
• Spain's Alexia Putellas won the Best FIFA Women's Player award.

Que: Name the Indian cricket player who has been felicitated with the ‘Sports Icon’ award at the
Maldives Sports Awards 2022?
Ans: Suresh Raina
• The Maldives government felicitated Raina for his various achievements throughout his
career.

2022 Sportstar Aces Awards


• The awards were presented by Byju’s, with IDFC First Bank as the Associate Partner.
• ‘Road to 1000’, a book with special collection with 1000 pictures to commemorate Indian
cricket’s journey, was released by former India cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, Syed Kirmani, Dilip Vengsarkar,
Mohammad Azharuddin, Chandrakant Pandit and Nilesh Kulkarni.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins ‘Sportstar of the Year (Male)’
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu wins ‘Sportstar of the Year (Female)’

• Lovlina Borgohain (Sportswoman of the Year, Individual Sports)


• Savita (Sportswoman of the Year, Team Sports)
• Rupinder Pal Singh (Sportsman of the Year, Team Sports)
• Avani Lekhara (Parathlete of the Year, Female)
• Nihal Sarin (Young Athlete of the year award).
• Former Indian hockey team captain Ajit Pal Singh was conferred the ‘Lifetime Achievement’
award.
• Ajit was part of two Olympic bronze-winning teams, including one at the 1972 Munich
Games
• The jury panel was headed by legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.

The Reliance Foundation headed by Nita Ambani received Chairperson’s award for Social Good
in the field of Sports
Haryana won the Best State for Promotion of Sports award

Que: Who has been awarded the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI) medal for 2019?
Ans: Prakash Padukone
at the Karnataka State Cricket Association
The medal was instituted in 2018, with Vijay Amritraj the first winner.

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KIIT conferred Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2022


• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT)
• The award was presented by President Draupadi Murmu to Dr Achyuta Samanta (Founder of KIIT and KISS).
• The award presented to KIIT in recognition of KIIT's sustained focus towards the development of sports since
its inception.
• The University has sponsored the education and training of hundreds of sportspersons (including: Dutee
Chand, Olympian CA Bhavani Devi).

Football player, Beth Mead wins BBC Sports Personality of Year 2022 award
• English football player, Beth Mead (27) was the player of the tournament and top scorer
at Euro 2022.

Padma award 2022


• In 2022, the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo case (in a duo case,
the Award is counted as one) as per list below.
• 4 Padma Vibhushan
• 17 Padma Bhushan
• 107 Padma Shri Awards
• 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of
Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.

Padma Vibhushan (4)

Name Field State/Country


Ms. Prabha Atre Art Maharashtra
Shri Radheyshyam Khemka (Posthumous) Literature and Education U.P.
General Bipin Rawat (Posthumous) Civil Service Uttarakhand
Shri Kalyan Singh (Posthumous) Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh

Padma Bhushan 2022 Award List

1. Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad 1. Public Affairs


2. Shri Victor Banerjee 2. Art
3. Ms. Gurmeet Bawa (Posthumous) 3. Art
4. Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee 4. Public Affairs
5. Shri Natarajan Chandrasekaran 5. Trade and Industry
6. Shri Krishna Ella and Smt. Suchitra Ella* (Duo) 6. Trade and Industry
7. Ms. Madhur Jaffery 7. Others-Culinary
8. Shri Devendra Jhajharia 8. Sports
9. Shri Rashid Khan 9. Art
10. Shri Rajiv Mehrishi 10. Civil Service
11. Shri Satya Narayana Nadella 11. Trade and Industry
12. Shri Sundararajan Pichai 12. Trade and Industry
13. Shri Cyrus Poonawalla 13. Trade and Industry
14. Shri Sanjaya Rajaram (Posthumous) 14. Science and Engineering
15. Ms. Pratibha Ray 15. Literature and Education
16. Swami Sachidanand 16. Literature and Education
17. Shri Vashishth Tripathi 17. Literature and Education

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Gallantry
President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed
Forces personnel on Republic Day
• Ashok Chakra to Assistant Sub Inspector Babu Ram of the Jammu and Kashmir
Police (posthumous)
• Ashok Chakra is the country’s highest peace-time gallantry award.

President Murmu approves 107 gallantry awards


• President Droupadi Murmu has approved 107 gallantry awards to the Armed Forces
and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day
• In India, the President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
• The awards include 3 Kirti Chakra, 13 Shaurya Chakras, two Bar to Sena Medals
(Gallantry), 81 Sena Medals (Gallantry), one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and seven
Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

• Naik Devendra Pratap Singh was awarded the Kirti Chakra, which is the second
highest peacetime gallantry award.
• BSF constable Sudip Sarkar and Sub-Inspector Paotinsat Guite have also been
conferred with the Kirti Chakra posthumously
• Indian Army sniffer dog Axel, who sacrificed himself during an anti-terror operation in
Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, will be honoured
with ‘Mention-in-Despatches’ in this year's gallantry awards.

Banking and Business

Que: Professor Vinod Sharma has been honoured with Subhash


Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar for the year 2022 in the
Individual category. Name the winner of the award in the Institutional
category for 2022?
Ans: Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management

Que: Which bank has been adjudged as the ‘Best Private Bank in India’ at the Global Private Banking Awards 2021,
by Professional Wealth Management (PWM)?
Ans: HDFC Bank
• The PWM is a magazine published by the Financial Times, the world’s
leading global business publication.

Sandeep Bakhshi, MD & CEO of ICICI Bank, named Business Standard Banker of the Year
2020-21

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Que: Which bank has won the Best Technology Bank of the Year award among Large Banks segment in IBA’s 17th
Annual Banking Technology Awards 2021?
Ans: Bank of Baroda
• Best Technology Bank of the Year
• In Small Banks segment- The South Indian Bank
• In Foreign Banks segment- Citibank N.A.
Best Payments Initiatives
Public Banks- State Bank of India
Private Banks- ICICI Bank
About IBA
It was formed in 1946.
IBA currently has 247 banking companies as members.
Chairman- Rajkiran Rai (MD & CEO of Union Bank of India)

Que: Which bank has won “National Award for Outstanding Performance for FY 2020-21” in recognition of its best
performance in Self-Help Group Bank Linkage?
Ans: Jammu & Kashmir Bank
• Founded: 1 October 1938
• Headquarters: Srinagar
• Chairman & MD: Baldev Prakash
• Tagline: Serving to Empower

Malcolm Adiseshiah Award


• Indian economist and political commentator Prabhat Patnaik has been
selected for the 2022 Malcom Adiseshiah Award.
• Dr. Patnaik has taught at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in the
School of Social Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, and was the Vice Chairman of
the Kerala State Planning Board.
• The award comprises a citation and prize money of ₹2 lakh
• Malcolm Sathiyanathan Adiseshiah (1910 – 1994), was an Indian development economist and educator. In
1976 he was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Young women entrepreneur, Rashmi Sahoo wins Times Business Award 2022
• Director of Ruchi Foodline, Rashmi Sahoo has been awarded the Times Business
Award 2022 in the category of Eastern India’s Leading READY -TO-EAT brand.
• She has established Frozit, which is Odisha’s first frozen food company.

Que: Which institute has won the National Intellectual Property Award for 2021 and
2022?
Ans: IIT Madras
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, had instituted the award.

Que: Which Indian PSU has bagged the honour of ‘India’s Most Trusted Public Sector
Company’ award at the Energy Meet 2022 & Excellence Awards of ASSOCHAM?
Ans: Coal India Limited
• The award was received by Coal India Chairman Mr. Pramod Agarwal during a
ceremony held in Kolkata.
• Headquarters: Kolkata

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Gita Gopinath becomes 1st woman to feature on wall of former chief economists of IMF
• Raghuram Rajan, was the first Indian who was featured on the IMF's wall of
former chief economists.
• Gopinath was appointed as IMF Chief Economist in October 2018 and was later
promoted as the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director in December 2021.
• New IMF chief economist: Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas

Vice Chairman of Sanmar Group received 'Order of the Rising Sun' award
• The government of Japan has conferred the 'Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and
Silver Star' award to Narayanan Kumar, Sanmar Group Vice Chairman.
• He received this honour for his contribution towards strengthening economic
relations between Japan and India.

Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar wins EY Entrepreneur of the Year award 2022
• Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw had won the EY World
Entrepreneur of the Year Award last year.

Que: Which leader has been conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by the Netaji
Research Bureau, Kolkata?
Ans: Shinzo Abe (former Japanese Prime Minister )
• Shinzo Abe was the longest-serving PM of Japan
• He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan (2021) for "exceptional and
distinguished service" in the field of public affairs.
• Shinzo Abe awarded posthumously highest order of Japan

Ajay Piramal receives Order of the British Empire award


• Chairman of Piramal Group, Ajay Piramal has received the prestigious
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) award from Queen
Elizabeth II.
• He has been honoured with this award for his services to the UK-India trade
relationship
• The award was Instituted in 1917 by King George V.

Que: Who has recently become India’s first UN Development Programme (UNDP) Youth
Climate Champion?
Ans: Prajakta Koli
• She is a content creator on various online platforms like youtube, Instagram, etc.
• She has been conferred the title for her contribution towards mental health,
women’s rights and girl child education through various global social campaigns.
• She is also the global ambassador for YouTube’s ‘Creators For Change’ initiative.

Que: Which state has won a coveted UN Award- World Summit on the Information
Society Forum (WSIS) prize at Geneva in Switzerland?
Ans: Meghalaya
• In the category - The role of government in the promotion of ICTs for development
• The Meghalaya government won the award for its e-proposal system
• Meghalaya Chief minister: Conrad Sangma
• Meghalaya Capital: Shillong
• Meghalaya Governor: Satya Pal Malik.

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Use of ICT in school education in India wins 2021 UNESCO Award


• Initiative of Ministry of Education, to use the ICT under a PM eVIDYA during the COVID-19 has received the
UNESCO’s recognition.
• "The Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), a constituent unit of the
NCERT has been awarded with the UNESCO's King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize
for the use of ICT (Information And Communication Technology) in Education for
the year 2021
• Established in 2005 with the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Odisha, 'Mo Bus' service received the prestigious UN Public Service Award
• Award in the category “promoting gender-responsive public services to
achieve the SDGs”
• Mo Bus is a public transport service incorporated with “real-time
technologies like live tracking, travel planner and e-ticketing”. Each Mo
Bus is equipped with CCTV surveillance
• According to the UN, “40% of Mo Bus conductors are women and 100%
of Mo E-Ride drivers are women, transgender people, and people from
disadvantaged communities.” Mo E-Ride is an e-rickshaw system
• Mo Bus service launched: November 6, 2018
• The objective of the award is to recognize institutions that contribute to public service more effectively and
responsively. It was first launched in 2003.

Que: Who has been named the 2021 recipient of the Golden Achievement Award?
Ans: Vijay Amritraj
• The Golden Achievement Award is presented annually by the International
Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation.

Prof Ramadhar becomes first Indian psychologist on US Heritage Wall of Fame


• An Indian professor, Ramadhar Singh has been marked on the 'Heritage Wall of Fame' of
the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) in the United States.

Canara Bank wins Banker’s Bank of the Year Award 2022 at Global Banking Summit
• for the Indian segment of the Global Banking Summit.
• The public sector lender has been adjudged as the Best Bank in India for 2022.
• The event was held in London where the bank’s MD and CEO L V Prabhakar received the
award
• The Bankers’ Bank of the year awards are considered to be like Oscar awards for the
banking sector.

NTPC Gurdeep Singh wins the 24th S&P Platts Global CEO of the Year Award
• Gurdeep Singh, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of India’s largest power
company NTPC
• The annual Platts Global Energy Awards which is also considered as the “Oscars of the
energy industry” was held in New York, United States of America.

NMDC wins IEI Industry Excellence Award 2022


• National Miner, NMDC - largest producer of the iron ore in the country
• It won the coveted IEI (Institution of Engineers, India) Industry Excellence Award 2022 in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
• for its outstanding performance and high level of business excellence.
• NMDC
• It was incorporated in 1958 as a Government of India public enterprise.
• under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel
• Headquarters: Hyderabad

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International
Barbara D Metcalf awarded 2022 Sir Syed Excellence International Award
• Noted American historian, Prof. Barbara Metcalf has been awarded by the Aligarh Muslim
University (AMU).
• She has written extensively on the history of the Muslim population of India and Pakistan.
• Sir Syed Ahmad Khan established the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental (MAO) College in
1875, later known as Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or 2022
• at the 66th Ballon d'Or ceremony, held at Theatre du Chatelet Paris,
France.
• Women's Ballon d’Or - Barcelona's Alexia Putellas
• Other awards:
• Kopa Award: Barcelona's Gavi (best-performing player under the age of
21).
• Club of the Year Award: Manchester City
The Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by French news magazine France Football since 1956.

European Union’s Parliament awards Sakharov Prize to people of Ukraine for their
resistance to Russia’s invasion
• The EU award, named for Andrei Sakharov, was created in 1988 to honour
individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in 1989.

Marina Tabassum becomes first South Asian to win Lisbon Triennale Lifetime Achievement
Award
• Renowned Bangladeshi architect
• Marina Tabassum is known for her architectural designs that break away from
commercialism and deeply embed environmental concerns.

Former German chancellor, Angela Merkel awarded 2022 UNESCO Peace Prize
• for her efforts to welcome refugees.
• In 2015, Merkel has opened German borders for refugees (Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and
Eritrea) who were streaming into Europe.
• This honour is officially known as Felix Houphouet-Boigny- UNESCO Peace Prize.
• It was named after the former president of Ivory Coast.
• It has been awarded each year since 1989.
• Prize: USD 150,000

Miss India 2022: Sini Shetty


• A 21-year-old Sini Shetty is from Karnataka
• The finale event was organized at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai on
Sunday evening.
• She will be the official entry from India at the 71st Miss World pageant.

Que: Who has won the title of Miss Diva Universe 2022?
Ans: Divita Rai (Karnataka)
• Divita will now represent India at the 71st edition of the Miss Universe pageant

Poland's Karolina Bielawaska is Miss World 2021 Winner


• the 70th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held at the Coca-Cola Music
Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Edward M Kennedy posthumously honoured with 'Friends of Liberation War’


• Bangladesh PM, Sheikh Hasina has conferred the prestigious ‘Friends of Liberation
War’ honour on former US Senator Edward M Kennedy posthumously.
• Reason: For his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh.
• The honour was handed over to his son Edward M Ted Kennedy Junior.
• Edward Kennedy Senior took stand against the genocide committed by Pakistan on Bengali people despite
the US government’s role during the 1971 liberation war.
Rane Group chairman, L. Ganesh conferred with Deming award
• for outstanding contribution in dissemination and promotion (overseas) of total quality
management (TQM).
• He is the third Indian and fifth globally to be bestowed with this prestigious award.
• This award was established in 1951, to pay tribute to W. Edwards Deming, who made a
significant contribution to the spread of statistical quality control in Japan, following
World War II.
• Sponsored by: Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE)

India wins Excellence in Family Planning Leadership (EXCELL) Award-2022


• India is the only country to have received the Leadership in Family Planning (EXCELL)
Awards-2022 in the 'country category' at the International Conference on Family
Planning held in Pattaya city, Thailand.
• As per NFHS-5 data, the total contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in the country has
increased from 54 per cent to 67 per cent as compared to NFHS-4.

It is the world’s largest


International The last conference After 2009, this The first conference
scientific conference on
Conference on Family was held in 2018 at conference organised was held in Kampala,
family planning and
Planning (ICFP) Kigali, Rwanda. every two years. Uganda, in 2009.
reproductive health.

India’s Purnima Devi Barman honoured with U.N.’s highest environmental award
• Assam's wildlife biologist Purnima Devi Barman has been awarded the United
Nation's highest environmental honour, 'Champions of the Earth', for 2022.
• for his transformative action to prevent degradation of ecosystems.
• She leads the Hargila Army, a movement dedicated to saving the stork from
extinction, consisting only of women.

India’s Greenhouse-in-a-Box startup ‘Kheyti’ won Earthshot Prize 2022


• Earthshot Prize is founded by Britain’s Prince William and dubbed the Eco Oscars.
• Telangana startup Kheyti has won the 1 million pounds Earthshot Prize in the Protect and
Restore Nature category.
• Plants in the greenhouse require 98 per cent less water than those outdoors and yields
are seven-times higher.
• Ninety per cent cheaper than a standard greenhouse, they are more than doubling
farmers' incomes

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Miscellaneous

President approves conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards-2021


Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards - 2021 has been conferred to 51 persons
• Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (6)
• Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak (16)
• Jeevan Raksha Padak (29)

The award (Established in 1961) is given to a person for saving someone’s life, in cases like drowning in water,
accidents, fire incidents, electrocution, natural calamities, rescue operation in mines etc.

Vice-President presents the ‘President’s Colours’ to Tamil Nadu Police


• Tamil Nadu has the highest number of women police stations and the second
highest strength of women police personnel in the country.
• Tamil Nadu Police has an exclusive Idol Wing, first of its kind in the country,
to investigate cases of theft or loss of cultural artefacts.
• Tamil Nadu with a coastline of 1076 km boasts of one of the best Coastal
Security units called the “Coastal Security Group,” which was formed with an
aim to prevent transborder activities and ensure safety of the fishermen

Que: Who has achieved the first-ever Guinness World Record in Numerology and the first world record of 2022?
Ans: JC Chaudhry
• for educating around 6000 participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, Middle East, and India.
• The Guinness World Record London office has opened a new category,
“Numerology” for this achievement.
• The initiative was organised by CNPL (Chaudhry Nummero Pvt Ltd) and the Indian
Institute of Numerology to create awareness regarding numerology, which is
prevalent across ancient cultures like Greece, Egypt, China and India.

Que: Who have been awarded with 12th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022?
Ans: Dr. Vijay Kedia (MD of Kedia Securities) and Harshali Malhotra (Bajrangi Bhaijan fame actress

Que: Which state bagged the best state award in the 3rd National Water Awards 2020 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
• It is followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu respectively.
• The National Water Award was launched in 2018 to recognise and
motivate individuals and organizations doing exemplary work in the field
of water resources management.
• Cabinet Minister: Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

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Que: Who has won Ramnath Goenka Award in Photo journalism category?
Ans: Zishaan A Latif
• He documented the plight of people who were dropped from the National Register
of Citizens (NRC) and put a face to an untold human story.
First awarded: 2006; 16 years ago
Awarded for: To recognise courage and commitment and showcase the outstanding
contributions of journalists from across the country
Presented by: Indian Express Group

Que: Name the person who has been awarded ‘Journalist


of the Year’ award for 2020 (RedInk Award 2020) by the
Mumbai Press Club?
Ans: Danish Siddiqui (posthumously)
• Senior journalist Prem Shankar Jha bestowed
with the lifetime achievement award.

Que: The tableau of which state had been selected as the best among the 12 States/UTs during Republic Day parade
on January 26, 2022?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
• The theme of tableau was ‘One District One Product and Kashi Vishwanath
Dham’.
• The popular choice category award was introduced for the first time in
2022, wherein the general public was invited to vote through the MyGov
platform:
• Best state/UTs Tableau – Maharashtra (Theme ‘Biodiversity and State Bio-
symbols of Maharashtra’.)
• Best marching contingent among three Services: The Indian Air Force
• Best marching contingent among three Services (Panel choice): The Indian Navy
• Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been named the best marching contingent among CAPF/other
auxiliary forces.
• Joint winners in the category of central ministries and departments –
• The tableaux of Ministry of Education (Theme -‘National Education Policy) and
• Ministry of Civil Aviation (theme - ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’.)

Que: Who has received 18th Late Madhavrao Limaye Award under efficient MP (Karyakram Khaasdar) category for
the year 2020-21?
Ans: Nitin Gadkari (Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways)
Announced by Nashik Public Library, Sarvajanik Vachanalay
• The Sarvajanik Vachanalay annually selects one of the members of Vidhan
Parishad (Lok Sabha), Vidhan Sabha (Rajya Sabha) for the Efficient MLA or
Member of Parliament (MP) Award.

Que: Who has been conferred with Hilal-e-Pakistan – the 2nd highest civilian award of Pakistan, in 2022?
Ans: Bill Gates
• He received this award as the co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation.
• for the foundation’s continuous efforts to eradicate polio and to reduce
poverty in Pakistan.
• The Nishan-e-Pakistan Highest Civilian Award in Pakistan

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Que: Name the winner of Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians in 2021?
Ans: Neena Gupta
• a mathematician of the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata.
• Prof Gupta is the fourth Indian and second female winner of the award from the
country.
• The prize is named after the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. It was
founded in 2004, and was first awarded in 2005.
• 2018 Ritabrata Munshi (India)
• 2015 Amalendu Krishna (India)
• 2006 Ramdorai Sujatha (India)
• December 22 is celebrated as National Mathematics Day in India

Que: Which mission has been awarded the ‘Special Jury Award’ at the 9th edition
of FICCI Water Awards?
Ans: National Mission for Clean Ganga
• It was inaugurated in June 2014, with a budget of US$ 2.7 billion to
achieve two objectives, i.e., conservation and rejuvenation of Ganga.

Que: How many women were awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar 2021?
Ans:14
• The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, presented Nari Shakti Puraskar 2020 and
2021 at a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 8, 2022, on the
occasion of International Women’s Day.
• Overall, 28 awards were conferred, 14 awards each for the year 2020 and 2021.

Que: Name the journalist from Mumbai, who has been awarded with the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an
Outstanding Woman Mediaperson 2021.
Ans: Aarefa Johari
• Aarefa Johari works for ‘Scroll. in’ in Mumbai, Maharashtra. In 2020, Neetu Singh got
this award. She is associated with ‘Goan Connection’ media house.
• The award was instituted in 1980 by Verghese and the family of Chameli Devi.
• Chameli Devi Jain Award is the annual prestigious recognition in the field of
Journalism for women media persons.

Que: Name the photographer who has won the 2022 World Press Photo of the Year award?
Ans: Amber Bracken
• A photograph by Canadian photographer Amber Bracken titled “Kamloops Residential
School” has won the 2022 World Press Photo of the Year award.
• organized by the Dutch foundation World Press Photo.

Que:Name the Indian writer who has been conferred with the prestigious 2022 O. Henry Prize for short stories?
Ans:Amar Mitra
• Mitra has won for his work titled “The Old Man of Kusumpur”, originally written in Bengali with the title
Gaonburo, 45 years back in 1977.
• The story has been translated into English by Anish Gupta, a senior journalist, and was published in the
American web magazine, The Common, in 2021.
• Mitra was awarded the Sahitya Academy award in 2006.
• A total of 20 authors have been awarded the coveted prize in 2022.
• The award is named after the American short-story writer O. Henry.
• First awarded: 1919

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Que: Which Indian PSU has won the Gold medal at 80th SKOCH Award in Social Responsibility category?
Ans: National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)
• National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), under the Ministry of Steel has
been awarded with one gold and one silver award in the 80th SKOCH Summit in
New Delhi.
• The Theme 80th SKOCH Summit 2022 is ‘State of BFSI & PSUs’.
• NMDC is the largest iron ore producer of India.
• NMDC Headquarters: Hyderabad, Chairman & MD: Sumit Deb

International Gandhi Award for Leprosy 2021 presented to Dr. Bhushan Kumar of
Chandigarh and Sahyog Kushtha Yagna
• Trust, Gujarat; award given by Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation
• Shri Dhirubhai Mehta, Chairman, Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation

Que:Who is the first Indian layman to be declared Saint by The Vatican?


Ans: Devasahayam Pillai
• Devasahayam Pillai was declared Saint by Pope Francis at The Vatican on May 15,
2022.
• He had converted to Christianity in the 18th century in the then Kingdom of
Travancore.
• Also known as Lazarus, Devasahayam had become the first Indian layman to get sainthood for what The
Vatican calls ‘enduring increasing hardships’.

Bengaluru Airport recognized as the ‘Best Regional Airport in India & South Asia
• The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has been awarded the 'best
regional airport in India and South Asia' title in the 2022 Skytrax World Airport
awards.
• The award is based on the customer experience.
• Qatar's Hamad International Airport - World’s Best Airport for the second year
running.
• Tokyo Haneda Airport - World’s Cleanest Airport, the World’s Best Domestic Airport, the Best Airport in Asia,
and the Best Airport PRM & Accessible Facilities.
• Skytrax, is a UK-based, global consultancy firm that runs an airline and airport review and ranking site.
• Airports Authority of India HQ: Delhi

Ashok Soota awarded CII Quality Ratna Award 2021


• He is founder and Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds Technologies.
• The Annual CII Quality Ratna Award was constituted in the year 2019 for outstanding
leadership, contribution, and distinguished service to the Quality Movement in India.
• CII President: Sanjiv Bajaj
• CII - Confederation of Indian Industry - headquartered in New Delhi, founded in 1895.

AIIA Director, Tanuja Nesari honoured with Ayurveda Ratna award by UK


• All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA).
• She received the award for her contribution to furthering the growth of Ayurveda in
India and abroad.
• The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences (ITSappg)
conferred the Ayurveda Ratna award
• The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences was formed in 2014
with an aim to spread the knowledge of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Vastu and Sangeetam in the United
Kingdom and abroad.

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Shashi Tharoor honoured with the Highest French Civilian Honour


• France's Highest Civilian Award: Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur will be awarded to
Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.
• The Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the National Order of the French Legion
of Honour) was constituted by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognise outstanding
contributions to the recipient’s field of expertise, regardless of their nationality.
• In 2010, Shashi Tharoor received an honour from the Spanish Government, the ‘Royal and Distinguished
Spanish Order of Charles III’

64th Ramon Magsaysay Award 2022 Announced


• Sotheara Chhim (Cambodia),
• Bernadette Madrid (Philippines),
• Tadashi Hattori (Japan)
• Gary Bencheghib (Indonesia).
• Ramon Magsaysay Award, established in 1957, is Asia’s greatest honour and distinction.
• It is named after Ramon Magsaysay, the third president of the Philippines. The award is
regarded around the world as ‘’Asia’s Nobel Prize’’.
• The prize is annually presented in a ceremonial ceremony in Manila, Philippines on August 31. The first
Ramon Magsaysay Awards ceremony was held in 1958.

K K Shailaja from India rejects Ramon Magsaysay award


• Former Kerala Health Minister K. K. Shailaja rejects Ramon Magsaysay award offered to
her for her contributions to preventing COVID-19 and Nipah virus, says it was a
collective effort

President of India Presents Swachh Survekshan Awards 2022


• India's cleanest city - Indore, followed by Surat and Navi Mumbai
• Best performing state - Madhya Pradesh, followed by Chhattisgarh and
Maharashtra
• Tripura topped among the states having fewer than 100 urban local bodies.
• On Oct 2021 'Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0' was launched with the aim to
make all cities garbage-free by 2026.

Que: Which city has won the ‘World Green City award 2022’ at South Korea?
Ans: Hyderabad

Yunqing Tang wins 2022 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize


• Yunqing Tang, Assistant Professor with the University of California
• The award was instituted by the Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research
Academy (SASTRA), Tamil Nadu, in 2005.
• This award is presented annually to individuals aged 32 and below, who made
outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics
• Cash prize: $ 10,000

Ques: Who have been awarded the 2022 Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards by Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation?
Ans: Dr. Radhika Batra – India, Zahra Joya – Afghanistan, Vanessa Nakate – Uganda,
Ursula von der Leyen – Germany
• for their extraordinary work towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

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Daniel A. Spielman awarded 2023 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics


• for multiple discoveries in theoretical computer science and mathematics.
• The Breakthrough Prizes, created in 2010 by a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs
• Dubbed as "Oscars of Science,“
• Three prizes were awarded this year in the life sciences category, one for
mathematics and one for physics.
• Each prize carries $3 million — more than the $1 million for a Nobel winner.

National Tourism Award 2018-2019 presented by the Vice President


• Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presented National Tourism Awards for the year 2018-19 at
VigyanBhawan in New Delhi
• Vice President also released ‘India Tourism Statistics 2022’ and launched an e-book GoBeyond:75
Experiences of North India.
• Best State/UT Comprehensive development of Tourism – Uttarakhand
• Best heritage city – Ahmedabad
• Best tourist friendly railway station – Secundarabad
• Best maintained and differently abled friendly monument – Shiv Temple, Bhojpur, MP

Uttarakhand wins the Best Adventure Tourism Destination Award


• Uttarakhand has received the first prize for the best adventure tourism destination and all-around
development of tourism from the Ministry of Tourism.
• National skiing championship at Auli in February 2023 and International Yoga Festival in
Rishikesh to be held in March 2023
• Uttarakhand Governor: Gurmit Singh; Chief minister: Pushkar Singh
Dhami

Que: Which state has been awarded ‘Ayushmann Utkrishta award 2022’?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
• It is also the second best State in creating Ayushmann Bharat health account
(ABHA) with almost 2 crores ABH Accounts.

Maharashtra Governor presents Mother Teresa Memorial Award to Dia Mirza & Afroz
Shah
• Both were awarded for their commendable and notable achievements in Environmental Sustainability.
• Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social Justice 2021 was given by Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan,
Mumbai.
• Harmony Foundation hosts the Mother Teresa Memorial Awards for Social
Justice.

West Bengal govt’s ‘Lakshmir Bhandar scheme’ bags SKOCH Award in women and child development category
Lakshmir Bhandar:
• This scheme was launched in August 2021.
• Aim: To provide financial support to a woman head of a family.
• Age group: 25-60 years
• Rs 500 per month is being given to general category and around Rs 1,000 per
month to SC and ST categories.
Instituted in 2003, SKOCH Award salutes people, projects and institutions that go the extra mile to make India a
better nation.

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M T Vasudevan Nair chosen for Kerala’s first highest state-level award


• M T Vasudevan Nair (Malayalam writer) has been selected for the Kerala government’s
first ‘Kerala Jyothi’ award.
• It was instituted by the Kerala govt on the lines of the Padma awards.
• It was decided to institute awards in three categories — ‘Kerala Jyothi’, ‘Kerala Prabha’ and ‘Kerala Sree’.
• Aim: To honour individuals who have made priceless contributions to the society.

President presents National Florence Nightingale Awards 2021 to nursing professionals


• The National Florence Nightingale Awards were instituted in 1973 by the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare
• For 2021, 51 Awardees
• Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing

2021 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development presented to Pratham, an NGO functioning in
the field of education
• Former Vice-President Hamid Ansari presented the award
• The award is in recognition of Pratham’s work in ensuring quality education for
children of the country, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It consists of a monetary award of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation.

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan confers National Gopal Ratna Award on the occasion of the
National Milk Day
• The minister said, India is the highest milk producer with a 32 percent
contribution to global production.
• National Gopal Ratna Award is one of the highest National Awards in the field of
livestock and dairy sector.
• National Milk Day 26th November

Aleida Guevara to be honoured with first KR Gouri Amma national award


• Dr Aleida Guevara - Cuban social worker and human rights activist
• She works to improve the health profile of children in Latin America.
• The award will be presented by Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan at Olympia Hall at
Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium on January 5.
• The award consists of $3,000, a statute and a citation
• It has been instituted by the K R Gouri Amma Foundation

Chhattisgarh police ‘Nijaat’ campaign received IACP 2022 Award


• The anti-drug & illicit liquor campaign of Chhattisgarh police named ‘Nijaat’ has
been selected for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 2022
award under the 'Leadership in Crime Prevention' in the institutional category.
• Under this campaign, strict action taken against illegal drug dealers, intensive public
awareness and rehabilitation of the addicts.

India's Sargam Koushal won Mrs World 2022 title


• Sargam Koushal (Mumbai) has won the title of Mrs World 2022, after defeating
contestants from 63 countries.
• India has won this title after 21 years.
• Dr Aditi Govitrikar had won the Mrs World title in 2001.

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar becomes only University in India to get A++ grade
by NAAC
• by scoring 3.85 points out of 4 in National Assessment and Accreditation Council
(NAAC) grading – valid for 7 years
• TISS (TATA Institute of Social Sciences) is the only other institution with a higher
grade of 3.89 in the country.

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Ques. ‘Duare Sarkar’ scheme of which state wins Centre’s Digital India Award 2022?
Ans. West Bengal
• West Bengal’s flagship ‘Duare Sarkar’ or government at doorstep scheme won the
Platinum Award in the ‘Public Digital Platforms — Central Ministries, Departments and
States’ category
• Awarded by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
• Started in December 2020, ‘Duare Sarkar’ has been held in five phases and over 6.6
crore services have been successfully delivered to the citizens through 3.61 lakh
outreach camps

Sethrichem Sangtam wins inaugural Rohini Nayyar prize


• Sethrichem Sangtam, who works with farmers in eastern Nagaland, has won the
Prize for Outstanding Contribution to Rural Development.
• His organisation ‘Better Life Foundation’ focusses on rural livelihood security,
environment sustainability and education for change
• The prize awarded to an individual 40 years or under in age, was presented by the Niti Ayog Vice-Chairman
Suman Bery.
• The prize has been instituted in memory of Rohini Nayyar, renowned economist who worked with the
Planning Commission. She died last year.

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Books And Authors


Biography
Que: Who is the author of the new book titled “Mamata: Beyond 2021”?
Ans: Jayanta Ghosal
• Translated by Arunava Sinha.
• Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal and the leader of the
Trinamool Congress (TMC) party.

Que: Who is the author of Ratan Tata’s authorized biography titled ‘Ratan N. Tata: The
Authorized Biography’?
Ans: Thomas Matthew

Que: Who is the author of the biography “Soli Sorabjee: Life and Times”?
Ans: Abhinav Chandrachud
• Soli Sorabjee - former Attorney General of India,

Que: Who is the author of the biography on Neeraj Chopra titled ‘Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra’?
Ans: Navdeep Singh Gill
• Navdeep is a sports author. Neeraj Chopra won a gold medal in Javelin
Throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Que: Who is the author of the new biography titled “Bose: The Untold Story of An Inconvenient
Nationalist”?
Ans: Chandrachur Ghose
The book contains thoughts and opinions of Subhas Chandra Bose about development
of independent India, communalism, geopolitics and political ideology.

Que: Who is the author of the biography ‘The Queen of Indian Pop: The Authorised Biography of Usha Uthup’?
Ans: Srishti Jha
• The book was originally written in Hindi titled “Ullas Ki Naav” by author Vikas Kumar Jha.
• “The Queen of Indian Pop: The Authorised Biography of Usha Uthup” is the
English translation of the book, translated by the writer’s daughter Srishti Jha.

Que: Who has written the Biography of Gautam Adani, titled “Gautam Adani- The Man Who Changed India”?
Ans: R N Bhaskar
• will be released in October 2022.
• The book will be published by the Penguin Random House (PRHI).
• Other book of Bhaskar: Game India: Seven strategies that could steer India
to wealth (2019)

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Que: Who is the author of the authorized biography of Rahul Bajaj titled “Rahul Bajaj: An Extraordinary Life”?
Ans: Gita Piramal
• Rahul Bajaj was the chairman of the Bajaj Group and a former member of Parliament.
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Autobiography

Que: Who is the co-author of the autobiography of former cricketer G.R. Viswanath titled
“Wrist Assured: An Autobiography”?
Ans: R Kaushik

Que: “One Among You” is an autobiography of which politician?


Ans: MK Stalin
• Autobiography of MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was launched
by Rahul Gandhi.
• The title of the book is “Ungalil Oruvan” which means “One Among You”.

Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav authored autobiography titled "The Hero of Tiger Hill"
Yogendra Singh Yadav is the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee (India’s highest gallantry award) at
the age of 19 for his actions in the 1999 Kargil conflict.
It is the true story of a brave soldier who left no stone unturned and fought
valiantly for the honour of India

Que: Who has released his autobiography titled “On Board: Test. Trial. Triumph. My years in BCCI “?
Ans: Ratnakar Shetty
• narrating his experience as an administrator in Board of Control for Cricket in India.
• The book was released by Sharad Pawar, former President of BCCI

Que: “Indomitable: A Working Woman’s Notes on Life, Work and Leadership” is the autobiography
of ____________________.
Ans: Arundhati Bhattacharya
• Retired Indian banker and former first-ever woman Chairperson of the State Bank of India.

Michelle Obama's book 'The Light We Carry' released


• This book is a collection of practices and perspectives to deal with challenging times.
• Her memoir, “Becoming” was one of the best-selling books of all time, released in 2018.
• She served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.

Que: Who is the author of the book titled “Winning the Inner Battle: Bringing the best version of you, to
cricket”?
Ans: Shane Watson

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Que: Name the author of the book titled “Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI and Beyond”.
Ans: C Rangarajan
• The book is the memoir of Dr C. Rangarajan, an Indian economist, a former Member of
Parliament, and the 19th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• It discusses India’s transition from its post-independence planning era to the present times.
• published by the Penguin Business (Penguin Group).

Sports Books

Que: Who is the author of the graphic novel ‘Atharva – The Origin’, in which Cricketer
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been portrayed as the superhero Atharva?
Ans: Ramesh Thamilmani

Que: Who is the author of India’s 1st sports marketing book “Business of Sports: The Winning
Formula for Success” launched by International Institute of Sports & Management (IISM)?
Ans: Vinit Karnik
• released by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, the Governor of Maharashtra in the
presence of Nilesh Kulkarni Founder & Director of IISM.
Former India women’s hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne pens down 'Will Power'
He is sharing the inside story of the team's incredible turnaround at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Marijne was appointed as the chief coach of the women's team in 2017.

Books on famous personalities

Que: Who are the authors of the book ‘Legend of Birsa Munda’?
Ans: Tuhin A. Sinha & Ankit Verma
• The book is written by BJP leader and author Tuhin A. Sinha and co-authored by Ankita
Verma.
• The new book is about the lesser-known contribution of Birsa Munda to India’s freedom
struggle.

Book titled “Atal Bihari Vajpayee” authored by Sagarika Ghose launched


• Sagarika Ghose is a jounalist. She has also authored a book titled
“Indira: India’s Most Powerful Prime Minister”.

Que: Who has authored a new book ‘’A History of Sriniketan: Rabindranath Tagore’s Pioneering
Work in Rural Construction”?
Ans: Uma Das Gupta
• The book contains Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s work in ‘village reconstruction’
by setting up ‘Sriniketan’, a wing of his Visva Bharati International University,
at Santiniketan in 1922, which is also popularly known as a university town.
It is situated in West Bengal.

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Que: Who has authored a new novel titled “Queen of Fire”, which focuses on the story of Rani
Lakshmibai of Jhansi?
Ans: Devika Rangachari
• The book focus on the journey of Rani Lakshmibai as a queen, soldier, and statesman.

Que: Who has authored the new book titled “Tiger of Drass: Capt. Anuj Nayyar, 23, Kargil Hero”?
Ans: Meena Nayyar and Himmat Singh Shekhawat
• The book features the story of Capt. Anuj Nayyar (23 years old), who martyred
during the 1999 Kargil War while fighting to secure the Drass sector which was
critical to the success of Operation Vijay and India’s victory in Kargil.
• Captain Anuj Nayyar was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra (posthumously), the
second- highest gallantry award in 2000.

Que: Who is the author of the book ‘Amit Shah and The March of BJP”?
Ans: Dr Anirban Ganguly and Shiwanand Dwivedi

Que: Who is the author of the book ‘Birsa Munda – Janjatiya Nayak’?
Ans: Prof. Alok Chakrawal (Vice Chancellor, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya,
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh)

Que: Who is the author of the book ‘Fearless Governance’?


Ans: Dr. Kiran Bedi
• Dr. Kiran Bedi is the former Lt Governor of Puducherry and IPS (retd).

Que: Who is the author of the book titled ‘Operation Khatma’?


Ans: R C Ganjoo and Ashwini Bhatnagar
The book is based upon the operation by the Special Operations Group of
Jammu & Kashmir Police which led to the killing of 22 terrorists of the
Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

A book titled E. K. Janaki Ammal: Life and Scientific Contributions by Nirmala James
• It was released during the event organised on the 125 the birth anniversary of
E. K. Janaki Ammal.
• E. K. Janaki Ammal is the India's first woman botanist.
• She was born on 4th November 1897 in Thalassery, Kerala.

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Miscelleaneous

Que: Who has authored the book titled ‘The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the
Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley’?
Ans: Jimmy Soni

Que: Who is the author of the book ‘How to Prevent the Next Pandemic’?
Ans: Bill Gates
• Bill Gates’ last book ‘How to Avoid a Climate Disaster’ was published in 2021.

Que: Who is the author of the new book titled “Liberty After Freedom: A History of Article 21, Due
Process and the Constitution of India”?
Ans: Rohan J. Alva
The book features the origin of Article 21: Protection of Life and Personal Liberty, one of the
important fundamental rights in the Indian Constitution.

Que: Who is the author of the new book titled “India-Africa Relations: Changing Horizons”?
Ans: Rajiv Bhatia
• The book describes the historical backdrop and shared colonial past to focus on
and contextualise the evolution of the India – Africa engagement.

Que: The book titled ‘A Nation to Protect’ has been authored by __________:
Ans: Priyam Gandhi Mody
The book highlights the role of PM Narendra Modi during the Covid crisis
in the past two years.

Que: Who has authored a children’s book ‘The Little Book of Joy’?
Ans: Desmond Tutu and Tenzin Gyatso
• A picture book edition co-authored by Nobel Peace Prize winners
14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) & Desmond Tutu

Que: Which Author’s translated Hindi novel “Tomb of Sand” has become the first Hindi language work of fiction to
make it to the long list of the International Booker Prize?
Ans: Geetanjali Shree
• The book was originally published as ‘Ret Samadhi’ and translated into
English by Daisy Rockwell.
• Tomb of Sand’ becomes 1st Hindi novel to win 2022 Booker Prize

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Que: Name the Manjeet Mann’s children’s book which has been shortlisted for UK’s Yoto Carnegie Medal 2022.
Ans: The Crossing
• The book also won the 2022 Costa Children’s Book Award.
• The book was published by Penguin UK in 2021.
• a story of a little girl’s friendship with an Eritrean refugee.

Que: Who is the author of the new book titled “More than Just Surgery: Life Lessons
Beyond the OT”?
Ans: Tehemton Erach Udwadia
• He is widely known as the ‘Father of laparoscopy in India’.
(First surgeon in India to introduce laparoscopy in surgery in 1972)
• The government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2006 for
Medicine and Padma Bhushan in 2017 for Medicine.

Que: Who is the author of the coffee table book titled “The Shield: Covishield” unveiled by Union
Home Minister Amit Shah?
Ans: Prakash Kumar Singh
• Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum
Institute of India (SII).
• The book encapsulates the journey of SII, the world’s largest vaccine
manufacturer, in producing the COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’.

Que: Who is the author of the book “Unfilled Barrels: India’s oil story”?
Ans: Richa Mishra

Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav unveiled the book titled “Role of Labour in India’s Development”

• The publishing of the book is part of the ‘Iconic Week’


celebrations of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

A poem ‘Monsoon’ published by Sahitya Akademi


• Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters has published a
book-length poem ‘Monsoon’ by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K
About Sahitya Akademi
• established on 12th March in 1954.
• Its logo was designed by Satyajit Ray himself and Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was its first
President.
• The first book published by the Academy was Bhagwan Buddha by D.D. Koshambi
in 1956. It was a translation from Marathi into Hindi.

Que: ‘Indian Agriculture towards 2030’ book was launched by NITI Aayog along with which institution?
Ans: FAO
• Book titled ‘Indian Agriculture towards 2030: Pathways for
Enhancing Farmers’ Income, Nutritional Security and Sustainable
Food and Farm Systems’.
• Released by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra
Singh Tomar
• NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant

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Que: Who is the author of the new book “Crunch Time: Narendra Modi’s National Security Crises”?
Ans: Sreeram Chaulia
• The book was released by Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs at
the India International Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The book analyses PM Modi’s series of decision- making moves during the crises with
China and Pakistan.

Que: Who has authored the new book titled “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram
Godse and His Idea of India”?
Ans: Dhirendra Jha
• The book explores Godse’s relationship with the organizations that influenced his view
that led to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.

Que: Who is the author of the book ‘The Maverick Effect’?


Ans: Harish Mehta
• Harish S. Mehta, the founding member and the first Chairman of NASSCOM.
• Book on IT revolution in India.

Book titled “Not Just a Nightwatchman: My Innings in the BCCI” by former CAG Vinod Rai
• Vinod Rai was appointed as the 11th Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG)
in 2008. He was also appointed the first chairman of the newly created
Banks Board Bureau (BBB) during 2016-2018.
• Other books written by him includes Not Just an Accountant: The Diary of the
Nation’s Conscience Keeper and Rethinking Good Governance: Holding to Account
India’s Public Institutions.

Que: Who is the author of the new book titled “Leaders, Politicians, Citizens: Fifty Figures
Who Influenced India’s Politics”?
Ans: Rasheed Kidwai

Rajnath Singh released a book titled ‘INDO-PAK WAR 1971- Reminiscences of Air Warriors’
• The book was edited by Air Marshal Jagjeet Singh and Group Captain Shailendra Mohan.

Que: Who has authored a book titled “The Struggle for Police Reforms in India: Ruler’s
Police to People’s Police”, released by Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu?
Ans: Prakash Singh

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Que: Who is the author of the new novel titled ‘A Place Called Home’?
Ans: Preeti Shenoy
• published by HarperCollins Publishers India is set to be released in June 2022.
• Preeti Shenoy has authored around 15 novels which include Why We Love the Way
We Do, The Secret Wish List, etc.

Ruskin Bond’s book titled 'Listen to Your Heart: The London Adventure' released
• His first novel: The Room on the Roof
• Awards: Padma Shri (1999) and Padma Bhushan (2014).

Que: Name the author of the book “Ashtang Yoga”.


Ans: Dr. Sonu Phogat
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal khattar on the eve of 8th International
Yoga Day released the book

A book titled, 'The Life and Times of George Fernandes' by Rahul Ramagundam
• The biography of India’s former Union Defence Minister will be
released in July 2022.

Himachal Governor unveils book ‘The McMahon line: A century of discord’


• Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
• The book has been authored by General JJ Singh (Retd), the former
Governor of Arunachal Pradesh and former Chief of Army Staff (CoAS).

Que: Name the author of the book “BEYOND THE MISTY VEIL” Temple Tales of Uttarakhand.
Ans: Aradhana Johri (former IAS officer and District Magistrate of Nainital)
• Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami has released the book
• The book is based on the mythological temples of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand and
informs people regarding our culture and mythology.

Que: Name the author of the book ‘Lockdown Lyrics’ released by Odisha
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Ans: Sanjukta Dash (Odia literature)
She has reflected all the trauma & tribulations and hope and
aspirations of humanity during this most critical journey
of society in a long time.

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A book titled “Lion of The Skies: Hardit Singh Malik” by Stephen Barker
The book is all about Hardit Singh Malik - “India’s first fighter pilot” who participated
in the World War, long before the Indian Air Force was born.
He was also the first Indian Ambassador to France.

Que: Name the author of the book ‘India’s Economy from Nehru to Modi: A Brief History’.
Ans: Pulapre Balakrishnan
About the economic progression of India from the time of Pt. Jawaharlal
Nehru to the current time of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Que: “In Free Fall: My Experiments with Living” is an upcoming self-help


memoir of________.
Ans: Mallika Sarabhai
Mallika is an accomplished Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer who has
specialized in using the arts for social change and transformation.

Former VP, M Venkaiah Naidu launches a book titled, ‘A New India- Selected Writings 2014-19 '
of former Union Minister Arun Jaitley on his death anniversary (24 August) in New Delhi.
Arun Jaitley has served as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs
of the Government of India from 2014 to 2019.
He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan (second highest civilian award of
India), posthumously in 2020 in the field of Public Affairs.

Que: Name the author of the book “Indian Banking in Retrospect – 75 years of Independence”.
Ans: Ashutosh Raravikar
Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India
has written the foreword of the book.

Que: Who has unveiled a book titled “Science behind Suryanamaskar”?


Ans: Munjpara Kalubhai
• He is the Minister of State for AYUSH
• This book has been compiled by the All-India Institute of Ayurveda’s (AllA)
Department of Swasthavritta and Yoga.

A book titled “Forging Mettle: Nrupender Rao and the Pennar Story” by Pavan C. Lall
A senior journalist Pavan C Lall has authored the book
The book is focused on how a business is built into a large organisation on the foundations
of values and sustainability.

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Former President Ram Nath Kovind releases book titled “Ambedkar and Modi: Reformer’s Ideas Performer’s
Implementation”
The book not only presents Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of India, but also takes into account the
many achievements of the Narendra Modi’s government.
It has been compiled in 12 chapters by Bluekraft Digital Foundation and has a foreword by
music composer and Rajya Sabha member Ilaiyaraaja (इलैयाराजा).

English translation of ‘Lata: Sur-Gatha’ to release in January 2023


The book has been translated by noted writer and translator Ira Pande.
This book was originally written in Hindi by writer-poet, Yatindra Mishra.
The book has also won the 64th National Film Award and the MAMI Award for Best Writing on
Cinema (2016–17).

Naveen Patnaik released a book titled ‘Pandemic Disruptions and Odisha’s Lessons in Governance’
Author - Rajya Sabha MP, Amar Patnaik.
The book is a collection of the various essays on pertinent contemporary issues
that emerged in India during the pandemic years of 2020-21 and 2021-2022.

A book titled 'The Philosophy of Modern Song' by Bob Dylan


Bob Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016 for having created
new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.

Que: Name the author of the book “A confused Mind story”.


Ans: Sahil Seth
Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Joint Commissioner GST, Custom & Narcotics and
youth influencer, Sahil Seth

Que: Who has released the book ‘Nuclearization of Asia’?


Ans: Rene Naba
• Naba is the vice president of the International Center for the Fight against Terrorism.
• The book discusses the nuclear emergency and threat posed by the nexus of Pakistan
and China to South Asia.

Subodh: 1st edition of NMDC’s Vigilance Magazine released


• Released by National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) vigilance department
• Aim: To reinforce the NMDC’s commitment to fostering honesty and transparency among all
stakeholders
• The magazine was released by NMDC CMD, Sumit Deb.
• NMDC Founded: 15 November 1958

A book ‘Nalanda – Until we meet again’ launched by Ruskin Bond


• The book is written by Gautaam Borah
• Ruskin Bond 1st book: The Room on the Roof

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The book ‘India: The Mother of Democracy’ launched by Dharmendra Pradhan


• Dharmendra Pradhan (Union Education & Skill Development Minister)
• The book was published by Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR).

Que: Who authored the book ‘Brave Hearts of Bharat, Vignettes from Indian History’ ?
Ans: Vikram Sampath
• an anthology of 15 stories of men and women and their indomitable spirit of freedom and
courage, was launched in Delhi.

Author Mansi Gulati released her Book ‘Miracles of Face Yoga

A book ‘Fit At Any Age’ launched by Retd. Air Marshal PV lyer

A book titled ‘The Indian Navy@75 Reminiscing the Voyage’ released/'ि


• by Commodore Ranjit B Rai (Retd) and defence journalist Aritra Banerjee.
• The book tells you how the exploits and sacrifices of the British-era Royal Indian Navy
(RIN) during World War 2 were omitted by British historians who could not digest the
RIN’s mutiny in 1946.

Obituaries
Legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj passes away at 83 Awards
• He was an exponent of the Lucknow Kalka- Bindadin Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Gharana of Kathak dance in India. Padma Vibhushan
• Birju Maharaj's father and guru Kalidas Samman
Achhan Maharaj
Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar
Sangam Kala Award
Andhra Ratna
National Nritya Shiromani Award

Que: Padma Bhushan awardee HPS Ahluwalia passed away recently. He was a/an ______________.
Ans: Mountaineer
Major Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia - one of six Indian men to climb Mount Everest (1965).
Awards - Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.

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Que : Padma Shri awardee Shanti Devi who has passed away at the age of 88 was a social activist from which state?
Ans: Odisha
• Also called as Lugdi Devi.
• She was known for restoring peace in the Maoist-affected areas in Odisha.
• Shanti Devi received the prestigious Padma Shri award from President
Ram Nath Kovind on November 9, 2021.

Que: What was the profession of Padma Shri awardee Narayan Debnath who has passed away
recently?
Ans: Comic artist
➢ He holds the record of longest running comics by an individual artiste for
‘Handa Bhonda’ comics series which completed its continuous 60 years of running.
➢ In 2021, Debnath was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.

Que:The famous Indian tigress popularly known as ‘Collarwali’ recently passed away at which Tiger Reserve?
Ans: Pench Tiger Reserve, MP
• India’s “Supermom” tigress, ‘Collarwali’ was known for giving birth to 29 cubs
during her lifetime, which is believed to be a world record.
• The official name given by the forest department was T-15
• 53rd Tiger Reserve of India - UP’s Ranipur Tiger Reserve
• 52nd Tiger Reserve in India - Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan)

Saoli Mitra: Padma Shri awardee theatre personality passed away


• Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2003
• Padma Shri in 2009 in arts.
• West Bengal also conferred the Banga Bibhushan award on her in 2012.

Kathakali dancer Milena Salvini dies; awarded Padma Shri in 2019

Journalist Kamal Khan passed away


He worked with NDTV
Kamal Khan was a recipient of The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award

Que:Ramachandran Nagaswamy, who has passed away recently was one of the renowned __________ of Tamil
Nadu
Ans: Archaeologist
• He first director of Tamil Nadu government’s Department of Archaeology.
• Nagaswamy was known for his work on temple inscriptions and art history of
Tamil Nadu.
• In 2018, Nagaswamy was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third
highest civilian award.

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Que: Padma Shri awardee Sindhutai Sapkal who has passed away recently was a ____________
Ans: Social Worker
• She was referred to ‘Mother of Orphans’.
• She was from Maharashtra. A biopic on her life titled “Mee Sindhutai Sapkal“
was released in the year 2010.

Que: Legendary Indian sportsperson Subhas Bhowmick has passed away recently at the age
of 72. He was associated with which sports?
Ans: Football
• He was part of the Indian Football team that won a bronze medal at the
1970 Asian Games (held in Bangkok).
• He had also served as the coach for football teams like Mohun Bagan and East
Bengal.

Que:Name the first Black actor to win the best actor Oscars award, who has passed away
recently?
Ans: Sidney Poitier
• Poitier won the Academy Award for best lead performance in 1964 for
his film Lilies of the Field.

Que: Recently, the oldest sloth bear of India passed away aged 40 at Van Vihar National Park and Zoo
of Bhopal. What was the name of the bear?
Ans: Gulabo
• She was rescued from a street performer (Madaari) in May 2006, when she was 25 years.

Australian athlete John Landy, former men’s 1500m world record holder, dies at 91
• The 1956 Olympic bronze medallist, former world 1500m and mile record-holder
• best known for becoming the second man in history to break four minutes for the mile.

Que:Cricket legend Shane Warne has passed away. He played for which country?
Ans: Australia
• He was a leg spinner.
• In 2013, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Que:What was the profession of Jaiprakash Chouksey, who has passed away recently?
Ans: Film critic

Que: Rafiq Tarar passed away recently. He was a/an___________.


Ans: President and Supreme Court judge of Pakistan

Que:Former Chief of the Indian Army, General S F Rodrigues has passed away. He had also served
as the Governor of which state?
Ans: Punjab
• He was also the Governor of Punjab from 2004 to 2010.
• He had served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board.

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Que:Former Union Minister Kumudben Joshi passed away on March 14, 2022. She had served as the
Governor of which state?
Ans: Andhra Pradesh

Que: Which country’s former president Shahabuddin Ahmed passed away recently?
Ans: Bangladesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences on the passing away of former Chief Justice of
India Ramesh Chandra Lahoti.
Justice Lahoti was appointed as the 35th chief justice of India on June 1, 2004.
He retired on November 1, 2005.

Que: Name the computer scientist, and the creator of GIF, who has passed away recently?
Ans: Stephen Wilhite
• Wilhite devised the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF, in 1987

Que: Formula 1 racing driver Tony Brooks who won 6 Formula One Grand Prix in the 1950s,
passed away recently. He was from which country?
Ans: England

World oldest chess Grandmaster Yuri Averbakh dies


• Yuri Averbakh (Russian chess grandmaster)

Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma dies


• He was born in Jammu in 1938 and is believed to be the first musician to
have played Indian classical music on the santoor.
• Awards: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1986), Padma Shri (1991), and
Padma Vibhushan (2001)

Que: Rajat Kumar Kar passed away recently. He was a/an __________.
Ans: Writer
• The eminent Odia litterateur
• He received Padma Shri in 2021 for literature and education.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan passed away


• He took over as the UAE's second president in November 2004 after his
father as the 16th ruler of Abu Dhabi.
• Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been elected as president of the UAE
Que:Name the Padma Shri awardee Sanskrit Scholar also known as Vagish Shastri, who passed away
recently in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Ans: Bhagirath Prasad Tripathi (Padma Shri in 2018)
• He had invented a unique technique of teaching Sanskrit grammar called
‘Vagyoga’, a mnemonic method to understand the soul of words.

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Que: Name the eminent Sanskrit and Hindi Scholar, and Padma Shri awardee who has passed
away recently.
Ans: Rama Kant Shukla
Padma Shri 2013

Former Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds passed away


• Symonds played 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia and was a two-time
World Cup winner.
• Symonds made his Australia debut in 1998, during an ODI against Pakistan.

Que: In which state has the longest tusks elephant in Asia passed away recently ?
Ans: Karnataka
• Bhogeshwara, reportedly the elephant with the longest tusks in Asia.
• The wild elephant, also known as Mr Kabini, was found dead in the Gundre range of
Karnataka’s Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
• According to forest department officials, Bhogeshwar’s tusks were 2.54 meters and 2.34 meters long.
• Kabini River is one of the major tributaries of the river Cauvery in southern India. It originates in Kozhikode
district of Kerala

Que: Name the renowned Urdu scholar, linguist, theorist, literary critic, and former Chairperson of
Sahitya Akademi, who has passed away recently.
Ans:Gopi Chand Narang
• He has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan (2004) and Sahitya
Akademi Awards (1995).

Renowned photojournalist, R. Raveendran passes away


• He was known for his iconic photo of Rajiv Goswami setting himself on fire during
the Mandal agitation in the Capital.
• In 1979, it was the Morarji Desai government which set up the Mandal
Commission to identify socially or educationally backward classes to address caste discrimination.
• The recommendation for OBC reservations in central government institutions was finally implemented in
1992 while the education quota came into force in 2006.

Former SAIL Chairman, V Krishnamurthy passes away at 97


• He worked as the chairman of SAIL from 1985 to 1990.
• He had also been the chairman of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL),
Maruti Udyog and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL).
• Awards: Padma Shri (1973), Padma Bhushan (1986), Padma Vibhushan (2007)
• He also been conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Management given by
AIMA for the Year 2005.

Olympic medallist and Hockey World Cup winner Varinder Singh passes away
• He was an integral part of the gold-medal winning Indian team at the 1975 men's Hockey
World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
• He has been conferred with the prestigious Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
• He used to play for the Railways.

Veteran Bengali singer Nirmala Mishra passes away


The West Bengal government has also awarded her ‘Sangeet Samman’,
‘Sangeet Mahasamman’ and ‘Bangabhibhushan’ awards.

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Asian Championship medalist PV Kamaraj passes away


• Former Athlete, P V Kamaraj, was a part of the Indian men's relay team
that won bronze at the 1979 Asian Championships, Tokyo.
• He had trained the Tamil Nadu state team for several years.

Que:International umpire Rudi Koertzen has passed away. He was from which country?
Ans: South Africa
• Rudi Koertzen was one of the most respected and famous umpires in world
cricket from the late 1990s till 2010.
• He had officiated in nearly 400 international games.
• Koertzen was inducted into the ICC’s Elite Panel in 2002 and was a part
of it for 8 years.

Veteran stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala dies at 62; launched airline Akasa Air recently
• India's newest budget carrier, Akasa Air was one of the business ventures of
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.
• The airline began commercial operations this month with a maiden flight from
Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
• India's 36th richest Indian, with a net worth crossing $4 billion.
• Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was referred to by many names like 'Dalal Street's big bull' or 'market bull' or 'big bull'
or 'market mogul' and even often called 'Warren Buffett of India'.

Eminent economist, Abhijit Sen passes away


• Renowned economist and former Planning Commission member, Abhijit Sen has been
passed away at 72 due to heart attack.
• He was a member of Planning Commission from 2004 to 2014, during the tenure of PM
Manmohan Singh.
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan for public service in 2010.

Author of Kocharethi, Narayan passed away


• Kerala’s first tribal novelist and short story writer
• His debut novel, 'Kocharethi' published in 1998, was selected for the
Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 1999.

Former Jharkhand & Assam Governor, Syed Sibtey Razi passes away
He served as the Governor of Jharkhand from the year 2004- 2009.
He was a member of the Rajya Sabha thrice.

Former India football team captain Samar ‘Badru’ Banerjee passes away
The West Bengal Government honoured Badru Banerjee with the Lifetime Achievement
Award in sports in 2017.
He was bestowed with the Mohun Bagan Ratna in 2009.

First chairperson of National Commission for Women Jayanti Patnaik dies at 90 in Bhubaneswar
• She served as the First Chairman of the National Commission for Women,
in its first chair from 3 February 1992 to 30 January 1995.

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Founder of Samajwadi Party Mulayam Singh Yadav passes away


He served for three non-consecutive terms as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
(1989-91, 1993-95, and 2003-2007)
He was also served as the Minister of Defence (1996 – 1998) and elected an MLA 10 times
and an MP seven times.

Villupattu exponent, Subbu Arumugam passes away in Chennai


• He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2021.
• Villupaattu: It is an ancient form of musical story-telling and the narration
is interspersed with music.
• It is performed mostly during temple festivals.

Naga writer Temsula Ao died at 80 in Dimapur


Former chairperson of Nagaland State Commission for Women, academician,
renowned writer and Padma Shri (2007)
She was a recipient of Nagaland Governor’s Award for Distinction in Literature,
Meghalaya governor’s Gold Medal and the Sahitya Akademi Award, among other
recognitions.

ORS inventor Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis dies in Kolkata at 88


Dilip Mahalanabis’s Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) saved numerous lives during the
1971 Liberation war of Bangladesh,
He used ORS for the first time while treating millions of Bangladeshi refugees in camps
near Bangaon in West Bengal in the 1970s.

Harry Potter actor Robbie Coltrane passes away


played Hagrid in "Harry Potter" movies
He was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006.

Noted Assamese artist Neel Pawan Baruah passes away


He was a prominent painter and illustrator,
founded the Assam Fine Arts & Craft Society at Guwahati in 1971 to revive the art of
Brindabani vastra, famous textile painting associated with Mahapurush Srimanta
Sankardev.
He was awarded the 'Assam Sourabh' award by the Government of Assam in 2021.

Lata Mangeshkar Ji passed away


• Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Bharat Ratna (2001), Padma Vibhushan and Padma
Bhushan
• She was an MP (Member of Parliament) from 1999 to 2005 - nominated to the Rajya
Sabha.
• the first-ever Indian to perform in the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, London.
• The government of France conferred her with the ‘Officer of the Legion of Honour’ in 2009 - country’s highest
civilian award
Que:Hemananda Biswal, who has passed away recently, was the former Chief Minister of
which state?
Ans: Odisha
served as the Chief Minister of Odisha twice. He was the first tribal CM of Odisha.

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Que: What was the profession of Rahul Bajaj who has passed away recently?
Ans: Industrialist
• former chairman of Bajaj Auto
• Bajaj was awarded the third-highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2001.

Que:What was the profession of Shri Iqbal Singh Kingra who has passed away recently?
Ans: Educationalist
• He was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2022 for his contributions in the field of social work.

Que: Noted freedom fighter and Gandhian social worker, Shakuntala Choudhary has passed away. She hailed from
which state?
Ans: Assam
• She was popularly known as ‘Shakuntala Baideo’.
• She was felicitated with Padma Shri award in 2022

Que: What was the profession of Ravish Tiwari, who has passed away recently?
Ans: Journalist
• He was the national bureau chief of Indian Express. He was popular for
his Political news reporting.

Bengali singer Sandhya Mukherjee passes away at 90


Mukherjee received the Banga Bibhusan, highest civilian honour
given by the Bengal government, in 2011

Que:Sahitya Akademi Award winning poet Channaveera Kanavi has passed away. He was a prominent
writer and poet in which language?
Ans: Kannada
• He was often referred to as ‘Samanvaya Kavi’ (Poet of Reconciliation).
• Kanavi received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1981 for his work Jeeva Dhwani (Poetry).

French virologist who co-discovered HIV virus has died


French virologist Luc Montagnier, won a Nobel Prize for his part in discovering
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS

Praveen Kumar Sobti, Bheem in BR Chopra’s ‘Mahabharat’ TV series, dies at 74


He had been an ace player in the hammer and disc throw, was a gold
medalist at Asian games held in Hong Kong and represented India twice
in the Olympics.

Que: Padma Shri Ibrahim Nabisaheb Sutar passed away recently. He was a/an
____________________.
Ans: Social Worker & poet
• known for folk-music performances
• Famous as ‘Kabir of Karnataka’
• Padma Shri in 2018 for art.

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Que:Tamil Nadu’s Vishwa Deenadayalan passed away recently. He was associated with which
sport?
Ans:Table Tennis
• while travelling from Guwahati to Shillong for the 83rd Senior National and
Inter-State Table Tennis Championships.

Que:Prafulla Kar passed away recently. He was a/an .


Ans:Musician
• An eminent musician, singer, lyricist, writer and columnist was born on February 16, 1939 in
Puri. He was awarded with Padma Shri award (2015), and Jayadeva award (2004).
• He had also received the state film award eight times, six times in a row.

Veteran Filmmaker T Rama Rao passes away at 84


• Filmmaker T Rama Rao, who is credited for making successful films in Telugu and
Hindi.
• T Rama Rao made Navaratri in Telugu with Savitri and Akkineni Nageswara Rao in the
lead roles way back in 1966. His fantasy comedy film in 1977 ‘Yamagola’ with
legendary NTR was a blockbuster.

Eminent writer Padma Shri Binapani Mohanty dies


• Her collection of short stories 'Pata Dei' has won Sahitya Akademi award.
• She also received Sarala Samman from the Government of Odisha.
• She was born in Berhampur, started her teaching career as a lecturer in Economy in 1960.

Structural biologist M. Vijayan dies in Bengaluru at 80; recipient of Padma Shri and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
• Prof. Vijayan, who was instrumental in the development of macromolecular
crystallography in India
• His main research areas covered protein structures, lectins, and interactions of
mycobacterial proteins.
• he was a co-researcher with Prof. Dorothy Hodgkin, the 1964 Nobel laureate in Chemistry.
• Prof. Vijayan was the president of the Indian National Science Academy from 2007 to 2010.

Former Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki dies


• He led the country from 2002 to 2013.
• His rule was ruined by uncontrolled corruption and lavish spending on flagship
projects which increased country's debt.

Que:Name the Senior leader of Congress who served as governor of Maharashtra, Nagaland, and
Jharkhand, and has passed away recently.
Ans:K. Sankaranarayanan
• He had also held additional charges of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Goa as Governor.
• He was elected to the state assembly from Trithala, Sreekandapuram, Ottapalam and
Palakkad constituencies.

Que:Who was the world's oldest person till her death on April 19th, 2022?
Ans:Kane Tanaka
Kane Tanaka was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person till her
death on April 19, 2022 at the age of 119 years. She was born on January 2, 1903, the same year
when the Wright Brothers' first controlled flight of their motor-driven airplane.
Lucile Randon, a 118-year-old French nun is now the world's oldest living person. Lucile Randon, better known as
Sister Andre was born on February 11, 1904 in southern France, a decade before World War I.

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Que:Elvera Britto has passed away recently. She was the captain of which sport’s Indian women’s team?
Ans:Hockey
Elvera led Karnataka's domestic team to win seven national titles. She ruled the domestic circuit
from 1960 to 1967.
She also represented India against Japan, Sri Lanka, and Australia.
She is the second women hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna Award(1965)
after Anne Lumsden.

Que:James Dringwell Rymbai passed away recently. He was the former Chief Minister of which state?
Ans:Meghalaya
• He was elected the speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly in 1993 and
became the CM in 2006 till March 2007.
• Capital: Shillong
• Brig. (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd)
• Hon'ble Governor
• Chief minister: Conrad Sangma

Santoor maestro Pandit Bhajan Sopori passes away

popularly known as the 'saint of santoor' and 'king of strings'

He has received Padma Shri in 2004, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1992 and the
Jammu and Kashmir State Lifetime Achievement Award.

He belonged to north Kashmir's Sopore district and came from the 'Sufiana Gharana'.

He was specialised in both the sitar and the santoor.

Que:Hari Chand passed away recently. He was associated with which sports?
Ans: Long-distance running
• Long-distance running legend Hari Chand, a two-time Olympian, and a double
Asian Games gold medallist, passed away in Jalandhar.
• His national record was only beaten 32 years later by Surendra Singh.

Former president of Albania Bujar Nishani dies at 55


• Nishani was elected as president in June 2012 at the age of 45,
becomes the country’s youngest ever president.
• Capital: Tirana
• Currency: Albanian lek

Former diplomat Satinder Lambah, who led backchannel talks between India and
Pakistan, dies at 81
• As former prime minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy to Pakistan,
he was credited for his role as a negotiator when the relations between
India-Pakistan improved in the 2004-08 period.

Renowned archaeologist Enamul Haque passes away


• Eminent archaeologist and historian of Bangladesh
• He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2020 for his work on Bengal’s Iconography and
terracotta art.
• He was awarded the highest civilian award of Bangladesh Swadhinta Padak
in 2020.

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Que: Veteran Bengali film director Tarun Majumdar passed away. In which year did he
receive the Padma Shri Award?
Ans: 1990
He has also won National Award four-times

Freedom fighter, P Gopinathan Nair from Kerala passes away


• He had participated in the Quit India Movement in 1942
• He had also been associated with the Bhoodan and Gramdan movements,
which led by Vinoba Bhave.
• He received the Padma Shri in 2016.

Shinzo Abe, former Japan Prime Minister assassinated


• Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, held office in 2006 for one year
and again from 2012 to 2020
• He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award,
in 2021 for his "exceptional" contribution in public affairs .
• Japan Prime minister: Fumio Kishida
• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: Japanese yen

Padma Shri awardee social worker Avdhash Kaushal passes away


• He was honoured with a Padma Shri award in 1986.
• Kaushal founded an NGO, Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) in the
late 1970s for development work amongst tribal hill communities in Jaunsar-Bawar,
a tribal belt of Dehradun district.

Renowned Marathi writer Anant Yashwant Khare passes away


• He was offered the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel 'Udya' in 2020
but he politely refused as by then he had decided not to accept any awards.

Padma Shri awardee, Sushovan Bandyopadhyay passes away


fondly known as Bengal's 'one rupee doctor'
His name was recorded in the Guinness World Records for treating the maximum number
of patients.
In 2020, he was awarded the Padma Shri by President, Ram Nath Kovind.
Nobel Peace prize winner, David Trimble passes away
former first minister of Northern Ireland
In October 1998, John Hume and David Trimble were awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to ended the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Eminent Assamese Writer, Atulananda Goswami passes away


He had also received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2006 for his short story collection
'Seneh Jarir Ganthi'.

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Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev passes away


• Gorbachev was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 until its collapse in 1991
• He had been honoured with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for negotiating a historic
nuclear arms pact with US leader Ronald Reagan.

Former Tata Sons chairman, Cyrus Mistry passes away


• He had taken over as the chairman in December 2012 after Ratan Tata
announced his retirement.
• He was the sixth chairman of the Tata group and second chairman who
did not have the Tata surname.
• He joined the Tata Sons board as a director in 2006.

Carnatic vocalist T.V. Sankaranarayanan passes away


• He was the tourch bearer for Madurai Mani lyer style of Carnatic music.
• He won the Madras Music Academy's Sangeeta Kalanidhi Award in 2003 and
was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2003.

Que:Birju Sah has passed away recently. He was associated with which sport?
Ans: Boxing
• He was the first Indian boxer to win medals at both the Asian and
Commonwealth Games.
• He won bronze medals at both the Commonwealth & Asian Games in 1994.

Legendary artist Ram Chandra Manjhi passes away


• He was an Indian Bhojpuri folk dancer and theatre artist of Launda Naach.
• He has been felicitated with Sangeet Natak Academy Award (2017),
Padma Shri (2021) awardee in the field of Arts.
• Launda Naach:
• It is a prominent Bhojpuri folk art of Bihar.
• In this art, men impersonate women wearing sari, blouse, long hair wig
during the performance.

Britain's Longest-Reigning Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II passes away


• The longest-reigning royal of United Kingdom and among the world’s
longest-ruling monarchs in history
• She ascended the throne in 1952.
• She became the UK's longest-serving monarch in 2015, when she surpassed the record of Queen Victoria
(reign - 1837 to 1901).
• Charles III has become king of the UK and the head of state of 14 other realms including Australia, Canada
and New Zealand.

Archaeologist B B Lal passes away


Noted archeologist Braj Basi Lal, who led an excavation at the Ramjanmabhoomi site in the
mid-1970s, passed away.
He was honoured with Padma Vibhushan in 2021.
Considered India’s senior-most archaeologist, Lal was actively involved in archaeological
research and writing till the age of 100.
He was trained by Sir Mortimer Wheeler at Taxila in 1944, after which he joined the
Archaeological Survey of India and served as its Director-General from 1968 to 1972.

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Dwarka Sharda Peeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati passes away


He was born as Pothiram Upadhyay in Dighori village in the Seoni district of
Madhya Pradesh in 1924.
He was the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham in Gujarat and the
Jyotir Math in Badrinath.
He became a Shankracharya in 1981
Adi Shankaracharya 4 peethas:
• Govardhan Peetham (East), Puri, Odisha – Rig veda
• Sharada Peetham (West), Dwarka, Gujarat - Samveda
• Jyotirmath Peetham (North), Badrikashram, Uttarakhand – Atharva veda
• Sringeri Sharada Peetham (South), Sringeri, Karnataka – Yajur veda

Former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf passes away


Back in 2006, Rauf was included in the ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires

Que:Former Davis Cup captain Naresh Kumar passed away recently. Davis Cup is related to which sport?
Ans: Tennis
• He made his debut for India in the Davis Cup in 1952 & played a record
number of 101 Wimbledon matches.
• He became the first tennis coach to receive Dronacharya Lifetime Achievement
Award in 2020.

Comedian, Raju Srivastava passes away


• He was the chairman of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.
• He got fame after participating in the first season of the reality stand-up
comedy show "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge" in 2005.

Russian cosmonaut, Valery Polyakov passes away


• Valery Polyakov holds the record for the longest single stay in space
• He had lived and worked in space for a record 437 days in one stint,
orbiting Earth aboard the Mir space station more than 7,000 times between
January 8, 1994 and March 22, 1995.

Booker-winning author Hilary Mantel, dies at 70 in UK


Mantel won the Booker Prize twice, for “Wolf Hall” in 2009 and its sequel
“Bring Up the Bodies” in 2012. Both were adapted for the stage and television.
Dame Hilary was the first woman to receive the Booker Prize twice.
Arundhati Roy - first Indian woman to win the Booker Prize in 1997 for her first novel
‘The God of Small Things’.
Booker Prize First awarded: 1969
literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.

The steel man of India: Jamshed J Irani


• Indian industrialist Jamshed J Irani, died in Jamshedpur at the age of 85
• He was associated with Tata Steel for over four decades
• Irani, conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2007 for his contribution to industry, retired
from the board of Tata Steel in June 2011
• He served as the National President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 1992-93.

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Independent India's first voter dies


• Independent India’s first voter Shyam Saran Negi passed away at the age of 106 in Himachal
Pradesh.
• After the end of British rule in 1947, when the first general elections were held in India in
1951, Negi was the first to vote on 25 October.
• He was also made the brand ambassador by the Election Commission.

SEWA founder, Elaben Bhatt passes away


• A noted Gandhian, and founder of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA),
Elaben Bhatt has been passed away at the age of 89.
• She was the Chairperson of Sabarmati Ashram.
• Awards: Padma Bhushan (1985),
• Ramon Magsaysay Award (1977)

Art critic Vijayakumar Menon passes away


• He has authored many books & has translated many plays from foreign languages to
Malayalam.
• He was awarded with Kerala Lalithakala Akademi Award for best book on art; Kerala
Sahitya Akademi’s endowment for Scholarly Literature; Kesari Puraskaram.

Renowned mathematician RL Kashyap passed away


• RL Kashyap translated around twenty-five thousand Sanskrit mantras into English
language.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 by the central government for his considerable
service in the field of studying the Vedas.

Zorba, the first dog of anti-poaching dogs squad K9 is no more


• India’s first dog squad named K9, raised to combat poaching of wildlife, was set up in
Assam under the initiative of biodiversity organisation ‘Aaranyak’ in 2011.
• The Zorba of Belgian Malinois breed was mainly deployed in Kaziranga National Parks
and retired from service in 2019.

Former Indian football captain Babu Mani dies aged 59


• He was an integral part of the Indian football team in the 1980s
• Babu Mani made his India debut against Argentina in Kolkata during the 1984 Nehru Cup
and went on to play 55 matches for the country.

India’s basketball legend Gulam Abbas Moontasir passed away


• Former India basketball captain and Arjuna awardee
• His basketball debut came in 1960 in an exhibition game against Australia.
• He captained the national team in the 1969 and 1975 Asian Basketball
Championships in Bangkok.
• In 1970, Muntasir received the Arjuna Award, the first basketball player to receive
this honour.
• Moontasir wrote a book, titled ‘Principles of Basketball’.

Yakshagana artist Kumble Sundar Rao passes away


• Well-known Yakshagana artist and former MLA, Kumble Sundar Rao has been
passed away at the age of 88.
• He was an exponent of Thenkuthittu style of Yakshagana.
• Sundar Rao had served as president of Karnataka State Yakshagana Academy.

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City of Joy author, Dominique Lapierre passes away


• Dominique Lapierre (French writer)
• His notable work: Is Paris Burning? O Jerusalem!, Five Past Midnight in Bhopal, Freedom
at Midnight.
• In 2008, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan (India's third highest civilian award).

Veteran Lavani Singer Sulochana Chavan passes away


• She was known as 'Lavani Samradnyi' (Queen of Lavani) for her singing contribution to
the art genre.
• She was awarded the Padma Shri in March 2022.
• In 2012, she was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
• She was honoured with the Lata Mangeshkar Award for the year 2010 instituted by
Government of Maharashtra.

Gamaka exponent and Padma Shri awardee, H.R Keshava Murthy passes away
• He was an Indian gamaka exponent and guru from Karnataka
• He was honoured with:
• Shantala Natya Sri Award by the Government of Karnataka in 1998 and
• Padma Shri in 2022 by the Government of India in the field of arts
• Gamaka – connector between 2 notes – bring curves and ornamentation

Brazil's legendary footballer Pele dies at the age of 82


• Brazilian football legend Pele, who won a record three World Cups passed away at
the age of 82.
• He is credited with scoring a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances during a
career spanning 21 years, including 77 goals in 92 appearances for his country.
• He was the only player to win the World Cup three times, lifting the trophy in 1958,
1962 and 1970, Pele was named Fifa's Player of the Century in 2000.
• Edson Arantes do Nascimento better known as Pelé

State News

Ladakh
• Largest Union Territory by area
• Lt. Governors & Administrator: Shri Radha Krishna Mathur
• Ladakh is also known as ‘the Land of Passes’
• The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 was introduced to bifurcate the State into two separate
union territories of Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature), and Ladakh (without legislature).
• The primary Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Ladakh are Balti Beda, Bot (or Boto), Brokpa (or Drokpa, Dard, Shin),
Changpa, Garra, Mon and Purigpa.

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National Park - Hemis High Altitude National Park


First GI Tag - Raktsey Karpo Apricot (2022)
Ramsar Wetland – Tsomoriri Lake
Power Projects - Chutak Hydroelectric Project (Suru)
In Ladakh, the disputed areas include:
• Pangong Tso lake
• Galwan Valley, where Shyok and Galwan rivers meet
• Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), a key northern region close to the Karakoram Pass.
• The Hot Springs-Gogra area of the LAC
• Demchok which is close to the southernmost part of the LAC in Ladakh.
• Chushul , located on the southern bank of Pangong Tso Lake, has an airstrip and is near Rezang La pass on
the LAC.

Spituk Gustor Festival is celebrated in Ladakh


• It is a celebration of peace and prosperity that is celebrated at the Spituk Monastery in Leh
and Ladakh UT.
• The two-day festival is observed during the 28th and 29th days of the 11th month of the
Tibetan Calendar.

Ladakh has launched Kunsnyoms scheme for differently-abled persons


• Launched by Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC)
• Kunsnyoms = Equal for All, Fair for All and aims inclusive and accessible Ladakh.
• Under this, Leh Hill council is providing assistive devices, technologies to needy people at 90 percent subsidy.

India’s first Community Museum has been inaugurated in Leh, Ladakh


• In the Gya - Sasoma villages of the Leh district to preserve and promote the region's
rich cultural history
• The Community Museum is a joint collaboration between National Museum Institute
(NMI), New Delhi, Delhi, and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC),
Leh, Ladakh.

Ladakh Festival Kargil launched by CEC LAHDC Kargil


• Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of LAHDC (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development
Council)- Kargil Feroz Ahmad Khan
• 2 days festival at Khree Sultan Chow Stadium in Bemathang Kargil.

Que: Which wildlife sanctuary is location of India’s first-ever Dark Sky Reserve?
Ans: Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
• A part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary at Hanle, in Ladakh is going to become a Dark Sky
Reserve, which will help promote astronomy-tourism.
• Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR)
• In 1993, Michigan became the first state in the United States to designate a tract of land as a "Dark Sky
Reserve" at the Lake Hudson State Recreation Area.

CEC of LAHDC Kargil inaugurated first ever Mega Kissan Mela in Ladakh
• This event was organised by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)
Kashmir
• Aim: Experts educated the farmers about latest techniques and use of high yielding
varieties for satiable agriculture.

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Jammu & Kashmir


• Lt. Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha
• The first formal document of Kashmir came out through Kalhana’s Rajatarangini.
• In 1951, the state constituent assembly was elected. It met for the first time in
Srinagar on 31st October 1951
• In 1952, The Delhi Agreement was signed between Prime Ministers of India and
Jammu & Kashmir giving special position to the state under Indian Constitutional framework.
• On 6th february 1954, the J&K constituent assembly ratified the accession of the state to the Union of India.
• State Animal: Hangul
• State Bird: Black-necked crane
• State Tree: Chinar
• State Flower: Lotus

National Parks:
• Dachigam National Park (Srinagar)
• Kishtwar National Park (Kishtwar)
• Salim Ali National Park (Srinagar)
• Kazinag National Park (Baramula)

Ramsar Wetlands:
• Surinsar- Mansar Lakes, Hokersar, Wular Lake

Power Projects:
• Uri-I Hydroelectric Project (Jhelum)
• Baglihar Stage- I Hydroelectric Project (Chenab)
• Ranjit Sagar Dam Hydroelectric Project (Ravi)

Jammu and Kashmir Police bagged the highest number Police Medals for Gallantry (PMG) this year
• 115 out of a total of 189 awarded this year
• followed by CRPF with 30, Chhattisgarh Police with 10, Odisha Police with 9, and
Maharashtra Police with 7.

Jammu and Kashmir (Reasi district) has declared Jerri hamlet as its first ‘Milk Village’

Kanchoth festival’ celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir


• a religious and colourful events for the followers of Nag Culture. It was celebrated in district
Doda of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The people celebrate marriage of Lord Shiva with Goddess Parvati and pray for their spouses’
long life. It is also called as Gauri-Tritya.
• The 3-day festival is celebrated by married women who pray for the long life of their husbands.

Herath or ‘Night of Hara’ festival celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir


• Herath or the ‘Night of Hara (Shiva)’, generally known as Maha Shivratri, is the main festival celebrated by the
Kashmiri Pandits across Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• The festival marks the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Uma (Parvathi)

First-ever Tribal Winter Festival held in Bandipora, J&K


• Aim: To attract tourists and boost employment opportunities.
• People from Gujjars and Bakerwals (Kashmiri community) danced together
• The 'gatka' was performed by two tribal communities

'Pheran Day’ celebrated in Kashmir Valley


• In a first, the beginning of the 40-day harshest spell of winter, locally called ‘ Chillai Kalan’,
was celebrated as ‘Pheran Day’ in the Kashmir Valley

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• to popularise Pheran - the loose-and-long woollen gown worn to fight the biting cold
• Worn for centuries in the Kashmir Valley, the garment easily accommodates a kangri, a fire
pot used to keep the body warm.

J&K signs pact with New Zealand to transform sheep farming sector
• The partnership is aimed at doubling produce in the next three years with substantial
increment in quality of livestock products, wool production and introducing processing
facilities and value addition to boost income and benefits to Jammu Kashmir.
• livestock sector is providing livelihood support to around 1.2 million families and contributing
5% to the Union Territory’s GDP.
• New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
• Mt Cook is the highest peak of New Zealand.
• Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand.
• Lake Taupo is a crater lake and one of the beautiful lakes in New Zealand which was
formed by the violent volcanic eruption

Jammu & Kashmir is the first Union Territory to be integrated with the National Single Window System (NSWS)
• NSWS was launched in September 2021 by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• It is a digital platform that serves as a guide for investors to identify and to apply for
approvals as per their business requirements.
• NSWS will eliminate the need for investors to visit multiple platforms/offices to gather
information and obtain clearances from different stakeholders.

OYO Group launched project ‘Crown of Incredible India’ in J&K


• J&K government and the world’s leading travel tech platform, OYO Group, have decided to launch rural home
stay under project ‘Crown of Incredible India’.
• L-G Sinha has announced ₹50,000 special financial assistance to youth willing to establish a home stay unit.
• to encourage micro-entrepreneurs in the villages and revitalising local art and crafts and redevelopment of rural
areas
• The venture will help in building a tourist infrastructure of world standards in rural J&K.
• Ritesh Agarwal, founder and group CEO, OYO

Jammu & Kashmir has launched first-of-its-kind Quick Response (QR) Code-based mechanism to certify and label
handmade carpets
• With the QR-based application, customers can check and verify the authenticity and other requisite details of
carpets produced in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Jammu and Kashmir government has introduced Export Incentive Scheme. Under this scheme, the incentive
of 10 per cent of the total volume of GI certified Handicrafts and Handloom products exported to any country,
with maximum reimbursement of up to ₹5crores, shall be provided to eligible exporters registered with the
Department of Handicrafts and Handloom.

Home Minister Amit Shah released country’s 1st District Good Governance Index in Jammu
• J&K is first Union Territory to have such an index
• Pulwama has been ranked number one in Kashmir valley in Good Governance Index.
• In the composite ranking of District Good Governance Index (DGGI), Jammu district is on top
followed by Doda, Samba, Pulwama and Srinagar.
• Parameters include public infrastructure, healthcare, social infrastructure, the impact of
centrally sponsored schemes in the region, engagement of youth towards activities, way of
addressing public grievances etc.
• Pulwama is number one in almond production.

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Que: Government has launched Purple Revolution in Jammu & Kashmir. It is associated with the
cultivation of which crop?
Ans: Lavender
• Lavender is designated as Doda district brand product, to promote lavender under ‘One
District, One Product’ initiative.
• Doda district in J&K is the birthplace of India’s Purple Revolution, or the cultivation of Lavender

The Purple or Lavender Revolution was launched in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology through the
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Aroma Mission.
The aim - to support domestic aromatic crop-based agro-economy by moving from imported aromatic oils to
homegrown varieties.
Under the mission, first-time farmers were given free lavender saplings, while those who had cultivated lavender
before were charged Rs. 5-6 per sapling.

National Panchayat Awards 2022


• Venue - Palli Gram Panchayat under Samba District in Jammu and Kashmir
• Prime Minister addressed all Gram Sabhas and Panchayati Raj representatives across
the country, from J&K
• Prime Minister directly transferred total amount of Rs.44.70 crore as prize money to
the bank account of 322 awardee Panchayats
The e-Panchayat Puraskar is conferred to those States which have ensured maximum use of
information technology for monitoring the works of the Panchayats.

Winning States under Category I:


• 1st Place – Karnataka
• 2nd Place – Chhattisgarh
• 3rd Place – Odisha and Uttar Pradesh

Winning States under Category II:


• 1st Place – Tripura
• 2nd Place – Assam
• 3rd Place – Sikkim

PM’s first J&K visit since abrogation of Article 370


• PM Narendra Modi lays the foundation stones for the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project &
540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Project to be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar District
• He inaugurated the Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel, built at a cost of over Rs 3,100 crore. This
8.45 Km long tunnel would reduce the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 km,
and reduce journey time by around one and a half hours.
• Modi also inaugurated a 500 KW solar power plant at Palli, which will make it the country's
first Panchayat to become carbon neutral.
• Seeking to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in every district of the country, the Prime
Minister launched a new initiative named `Amrit Sarovar`.

Que: J&K Delimitation Commission has proposed how many seats in the Jammu region?
Ans: 43
• The commission had earlier proposed increasing the number of assembly seats in J&K from 83 to 90 and also
proposed 6 additional seats for the Jammu division and 1 for Kashmir.
• This means, out of the total 90 assembly constituencies, 43 seats have been proposed in
Jammu and 47 in Kashmir.
• Besides, there are 24 seats in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) that continue to remain
vacant. Further, for the first time, 9 seats have been proposed for scheduled tribes (STs).
• Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every census for redrawing
the boundaries of the various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies

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• Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every
Census.
• The commission, formed by the Centre in March 2020, is headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana
Prakash Desai, former chief election commissioner Sushil Chandra and State Election Commissioner, J&K, K.K.
Sharma
• The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election
Commission of India.

PARVAZ Market Linkage Scheme is launched by Jammu & Kashmir


• The PARVAZ scheme was launched with the aim of creating market linkage support for shipment of
Agriculture & Horticulture perishables from Jammu and Kashmir.
• Under the scheme, government will provide a subsidy of 25% on freight charges, in a bid to carry
perishable fruits through Air Cargo.
• Scheme is being implemented by Jammu & Kashmir Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation
(JKHPMC).

Village Defence Guard scheme comes into force in Jammu & Kashmir
• The Ministry of Home Affairs has sanctioned the approval for the creation.
• This scheme has come into effect from August 15, 2022.
• Earlier, this scheme was known as Village Defence Committee in which volunteers from
villages were trained by Indian Army and Police.
• Under this scheme, rifles were provided to VDCs to protect their villages from terrorist
attacks in mountainous areas of Jammu region.

Que: When did Kashmir’s 1st electric train start?


Answer: 2nd October 2022
• on Banihal-Baramulla corridor rail link
• will reduce air pollution and is expected to bring down the operational cost by 60 percent.
• Rs 324 crore.
• Distance:137km

Srinagar hosted 6th Senior Asian Pencak Silat ChampionshipThe event brought together over 150 athletes from
different countries.
• Pencak Silat was introduced in India in 2014.
• Pencak silat ('the art of self defence'): an umbrella term for a class of related Indonesian
martial arts.
• Pencak silat was recognized as UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity from Indonesia in
2019.

Que: Which Union Territory in India has the country’s biggest International Yoga Centre?
Ans: Jammu and Kashmir
• India’s biggest Yoga Centre is being constructed in village Mantalai in the Chenani Tehsil
of Udhampur, at the banks of the Tawi river.
• Tawi river, also known as Suryaputri, originates from the Kailash Kund glacier.
• The Tourism Ministry in the Government of India has sanctioned Rs 9,782 crore for this centre

Himachal Pradesh
• Chief minister: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
• Governor: Rajendra Arlekar
• Deputy Chief Minister: Mukesh Agnihotri
• Capitals: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter)
• On 18th December, 1970 the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament and the new state came
into being on 25th January, 1971. Thus H.P. emerged as the eighteenth state of the Indian Union.

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State Brief
UNESCO Sites State Animal Snow Leopard
• Kalka-Shimla Railways (Toy Train) State Bird Western Tragopan
• Great Himalayan National Park State Flower Pink Rhododendron
State Tree Deodar
Ramsar Wetland Site Passes
• Chandertal • Rohtang Pass
• Pong dam • Bara-Lacha La
• Renuka • Shipki La
• Pin-Parvati Pass
• Kunzum Pass
National Park
• Great Himalayan National Park
• Pin Valley National Park
• Inderkilla National Park
• Khirganga National Park

World’s upcoming highest tunnel at Shinku La Pass will connect Ladakh with Himachal Pradesh
• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is constructing the world’s highest tunnel
connecting Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh.
• The tunnel will be constructed at Shinku La Pass at 16,580 feet.
• BRO will execute this ambitious project under ‘Project Yojak’ . This tunnel is proposed to
be completed by 2025.

Himachal Pradesh Kangra Tea will soon get a European Commission Geographical Indication Tag
(GI Tag)
• this tag helps Kangra tea to get an opportunity to enter the European market.
• Kangra tea received the Indian GI tag in 2005.

Himachal Pradesh has become the first LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) enabled and smoke free Indian state
• This success is backed by the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) scheme and HP
Government’s Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojana (GSY).
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana was launched by PM Narendra Modi on 1 May 2016 to distribute 50 million
LPG connections to women of Below Poverty Line families.

Que: Haryana state government has partnered with Himachal Pradesh to revive
the Saraswati river

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar
and Himachal CM in Panchkula
• Under the MoU, the Haryana Government will construct a dam and a
reservoir in Adi Badri area near Yamunanagar district, which is situated on
the border of Himachal Pradesh.
• The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 215.33 crore
• 224 hectare metre water from Som river that (which starts from Himachal
Pradesh & is a tributary of the Yamuna) — will be diverted to dam.
• Out of the 224 hectare metre water, 62 hectare metre water will be given
to Himachal Pradesh and the remaining 162 hectare metre water will be
used for the Saraswati river in Haryana throughout the year.
• The Sarasvati River is a deified river mentioned in the Rig Veda and later
Vedic and post-Vedic texts. It played an important role in the Vedic
religion.

Himachal Pradesh has recently got its first biodiversity park at Bhulah in Janjehli Valley of Mandi
district
• For the conservation of endangered Himalayan herbs

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• has been set up there at a cost of ₹1 crore, which would prove to be a boon for
researchers as well as tourists.

The three-day international literary festival ‘Unmesh’ held in Himachal Pradesh


• The festival is organised by the Union Ministry of Culture and the Sahitya Akademi with
the support of the Himachal Pradesh Department of Art and Culture as part of the ‘Azadi
Ka Amrit Mahotsav’

Himachal CM launches ‘Naari Ko Naman’ scheme


• Launched by former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur
• Aim: 50 % concession on fares in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses to
women for their travel within the state.

Himachal Pradesh is the first Indian state to connect all commercial vehicles equipped with
Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD)
• Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) is equipped with Emergency Response Support
System (ERSS).
• Now these vehicles can be tracked anywhere in the country through VLTD by both the
police and the transport department.
• When the panic button is pressed, a signal will be received through satellite to 112 and the
person in distress would be connected and alert the police.

Himachal Pradesh government launches ‘Sayta Nishtha’ app to aid police


• The app will help police to prepare a database of criminals.
• It also study the various offences that take place under different police stations in the district.

Delhi
• Chief minister: Arvind Kejriwal
• Lt Governor: VK Saxena
• The capital of British India used to be Kolkata, but it was shifted to New Delhi in 1911-12.
• Delhi’s Mehrauli area is home to the world’s tallest brick minaret, the Qutub Minar. Its
construction first began in 1199 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak

Delhi has recognised Takht Damdama Sahib, as the fifth Takht of Sikhs
• Delhi Assembly passed an amendment Bill to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1971, to recognise Takht
Damdama Sahib as the fifth Takht of Sikhs.
• A Takht, or a throne, is a seat of temporal authority for Sikhs. There are five Sikh Takhts, three in Punjab and
one each in Maharashtra and Bihar.

The Ishan Manthan festival, to showcase culture, crafts and cuisines of North East India, was organised in New
Delhi
• inaugurated by Union Minister for Culture, Tourism & DONER Shri G Kishan Reddy at the Indira Gandhi
National Centre for the Arts in New Delhi.
• Budget for the North East region has increased by over 110% in the last 7.5 years, which reflects our
commitment to promote the region at a global level: Shri G Kishan Reddy
• DONER - Development of North Eastern Region

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Delhi airport becomes India’s first to run entirely on hydro and solar energy
• Delhi Airport or Indira Gandhi International Airport
• a major step toward achieving the ambitious goal of becoming a Net Zero Carbon Emission
Airport by 2030.
• Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has signed a long-term power purchase
agreement (PPA) with a Himachal Pradesh-based hydropower producing company for the supply of
hydroelectricity for the airport until 2036.

Delhi govt launches 'Mission Kushal Karmi' to upskill construction workers


• a skill development training course to labourers, who are registered with the Delhi
Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board.
• The government will also compensate the loss of work by providing ₹4,200 to those
workers who take the course (15-day programme).
• The programme conducted by the Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University,
Simplex, NAREDCO and India Vision Foundation.

Geo-Portal ‘PARIMAN’ for NCR made public


• National Informatics Centre (NIC) has developed web geo-portal for NCR, known as
‘PARIMAN’ for the purpose of effective utilization of Remote Sensing and GIS
technology
• It will help to improve decentralized planning and management in NCR region
• National Capital Region (NCR) is presently spread over 55,083 Sq. Kms and has four
participating states (24 Districts and entire NCT of Delhi) as its constituent area.
• Geo-Portal for NCR known as ‘PARIMAN’ was launched on 31.08.2021 in the 40th meeting of the Board by
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Chairman, NCRPB and Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs.

India’s first e-waste eco park will be setup in Delhi


• in Holambi Kalan in Delhi in an area of about 21 acres.
• Delhi is the fifth-largest producer of e-waste in India, after Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Que: Where did Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the World Dairy Summit on September 12, 2022?
Ans: Noida
• International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit (IDF WDS) 2022, at India Expo Centre and Mart in
Greater Noida.
• organised after 48 years in India.
• India contributes 21 per cent to global milk production.

Delhi LG announces SAMRIDDHI scheme for property disputes and tax dues
• Delhi LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena has announced a one-time property tax amnesty scheme named Strengthening
& Augmentation of Municipal Revenue for Infrastructure Development in Delhi (SAMRIDDHI) 2022-23
scheme.
• With this scheme, the NCR people will be able to pay only the principal amount of the
current and pending tax of past five years for residential properties.
• The people can also get a waiver on all pending dues, including penalty and interest
through this scheme.

Punjab
• Capital: Chandigarh
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
• Chief Minister: Bhagwant Mann
• State Animal: Blackbuck
• State Bird: Northern goshawk (Baaz)
• State Tree: Shisham

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• Number of Districts: 22
• Ramsar Wetlands: Kanjli, Harike, Ropar
• Dances: Bhangra, Giddha
• Art & Crafts Phulkari or flower embroidery; wood inlay of Hoshiarpur on black shisham wood.

A heritage centre to showcase the role of the Indian Air Force in various wars and its overall
functioning will come up at Chandigarh
• The 'IAF Heritage Centre' will be set up jointly by the force and the Chandigarh
administration.
• The ceremony was attended by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Air Chief
Marshal VR Chaudhari.

Haryana
• Capital: Chandigarh
• Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
• Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
• Haryana was carved out of Punjab on 1st November 1966, as the 17th Indian state.

State Brief
Lok Sabha seats: 10
Rajya Sabha seats: 05
High Court : Punjab and Haryana High court (Chandigarh)
State Animal: Black Buck
State Bird: Black Francolin
State Tree: Peepal
State Flower: Lotus
First Governor : Sh. Dharma Vira
First Chief Minister: Sh. Pt. Bhagwat Dayal Sharma

National Parks
• Sultanpur National Park
• Kalesar National Park

Haryana launched the ‘Cheerag’ scheme for EWS students


• Cheerag Scheme stands for, “Chief Minister Equal Education Relief, Assistance and
Grant”.
• Under Cheerag scheme, students of government school can enrol in private school in
class 2nd to 12th. However, for this, annual verified income of parents shall be less than
Rs 1.8 lakh.

35th edition of the Surajkund International Crafts Mela has been organised in 2022
• The Governor of Haryana, Bandaru Dattatraya and Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal
formally inaugurated the 35th edition of the world famous Surajkund International Crafts
Mela at Surajkund in Faridabad district of Haryana.
• from March 19 to April 04, 2022
• In 2022, the ‘Theme State’ is Jammu & Kashmir and Uzbekistan is the partner nation.

Haryana government has announced Matrushakti Udaymita Scheme to provide support to women entrepreneurs,
on International Women’s Day
• Under the scheme, the women whose family annual income is less than 5 lakh rupees based on Parivar
Pehchan Patra (PPP) verified data, will be provided access to soft loans by financial institutions to the extent
of 3 lakh rupees.
• Subsequently, the interest subvention of 7% will also be provided for three years through the Haryana
Women Development Corporation.

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• An interest subvention scheme is a scheme introduced by the Reserve Bank of India wherein relief is
provided upto 2 per cent of interest to all the legal MSMEs on their outstanding fresh/incremental term
loan/working capital during the period of its validity.

Haryana Chief Minister has announced a ‘Sushma Swaraj Award’ for women for their significant achievements or
contribution in different walks of life in the international and national spheres
• The Award will carry an award money of Rs 5 lakh along with a commendation.
• Sushma Swaraj was a lawyer of the Supreme Court as well as an Indian politician.
• She was a senior member of BJP, served as India’s Minister of External Affairs during the first Narendra Modi
government (2014–2019). After Indira Gandhi, she was the second woman to occupy this position.
• Also, a new award will be started in the name of late Darshan Lal Jain, environmentalist of
Haryana. The ‘Darshan Lal Jain Environment Award’.

Haryana has announced to develop the world’s largest jungle safari park outside of Africa
• in the Aravalli range. The 10,000-acre safari park will cover Gurugram and Nuh districts.
• The largest artfully curated safari park outside of Africa is currently located in Sharjah. The Sharjah Safari,
which was opened in February 2022. It spans roughly 2,000 acres.
• "The Jungle safari project of Haryana would be a joint project of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change and the Haryana government.

Haryana has recently launched the portal of ‘Mukhya Mantri Bagwani Bima Yojana’ with an
initial corpus of Rs 10 crore for the scheme
• The Haryana Agriculture Minister J P Dalal launched the portal of Mukha Mantri
Bagwani Bima Yojana’ with an initial corpus of Rs 10 crore for the scheme. Under this
the farmers will be compensated for the damage caused to their crops due to
adverse weather and natural calamities.

Que: Rakhigarhi, one of the oldest Harappan sites is located in which Indian state?
Ans: Haryana
• The recent excavation of Harappan site of Rakhigarhi by Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI) has revealed the structure of some houses, lanes and drainage system.
• The ASI excavations also revealed pieces of copper and gold jewellery, terracotta toys,
besides thousands of earthen pots and seals.
• Two female skeletons, who were buried with a plethora of pottery and adorned jewellery like jasper, agate
beads and shell bangles, have been excavated.

What is Rakhigarhi?
• Rakhigarhi is the largest Harappan site in the Indian subcontinent.
• Other large sites of Indus valley Civilization (Harappan civilization) in Indian sub-continent
are Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Ganveriwala in Pakistan and Dholavira (Gujarat) in India.
• At Rakhigarhi, the excavations are being done to trace its beginnings and to study its gradual
evolution from 6000 BCE (Pre-Harappan phase) to 2500 BCE.
• The site was excavated by Amarendra Nath of ASI.
• Rakhigarhi is among the five iconic sites announced by Union Finance Minister during
Budget Speech in 2020.
• The other such sites are Hastinapur in Uttar Pradesh, Sivasagar in Assam, Dholavira in Gujarat and Adichanallur
in Tamil Nadu.

20 heritage sites identified for the ‘National importance’ tag.


• 20 heritage sites, including ancient mounds at Haryana’s Rakhigarhi have been identified
for the ‘National importance’ tag.
• The other sites include Anangtal in Delhi, rock painting at Chintakunta (Andhra Pradesh);
rock art site Murgi at Rdanag, Leh; Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Himachal Pradesh among
others.

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India’s biggest private hospital 2,400-bed Amrita Hospital will be opened in Faridabad, Haryana
• The first 500 beds of the total 2,400 beds planned will be operational beginning August 24
• With a total built-up area of one crore square feet, the mammoth facility has been undergoing construction
since 2016.
• This is the second large-scale Amrita Hospital in India after the 1,200-bed centre in Kochi, Kerala.
• As of now, Government medical college in Kozhikode with over 3,025 beds is the largest government
hospital in India while
• Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore with 2,305 beds is the largest private hospital.

Haryana government has made the registration of pet dogs mandatory in the state?
• Amid an increase in the recent incidents of dog bites and attacks,
• the pet owners will have to get themselves registered on the Saral Portal.
• a fine of Rs 5,000 for violation

Uttarakhand
• Founded: 9 November 2000
• Governor: Gurmit Singh
• Chief minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
• Capitals: Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)

State Brief
• State flower – Brahma Kamal (local name – Kaulpadya) (Scientific name – Sosuria ableveta)
• State Tree – Buransh (Rhododendron)
• State animal – Musk deer (Muscus chisoganster)
• State Bird – Monal (Lopoporus impeginus)
• State sport – Football
• State Butterfly – Common Peacock (Announced in 2016)
• Largest National Park – Gangotri
• Smallest National Park – Valley of Flowers
• Largest Wildlife Sanctuary – Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (Chamoli + Rudraprayag)
• Smallest Wildlife Sanctuary – Mussoorie Wildlife Sanctuary (Dehradun)
• Wildlife Sanctuary with maximum musk deer – Ascot Wildlife Sanctuary (Pithoragarh)
• The first agricultural university of the country and the state – G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and
Technology, Pant Nagar (1960)

Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) in Uttarakhand turned 100


• RIMC is India’s oldest military school
• The military training institution was inaugurated in March 1922 by the then Prince of Wales.
• The RIMC has decided to open admission for girls students in its 100-year-old history after the
Centre allowed the National Defence Academy (NDA) to open doors for girls.

Uttarakhand government is planning to implement Him Prahari Scheme in border areas


• retired soldiers, paramilitary and youth in the border area will be trained and posted in border district of
state
• aimed at stopping the migration of people from the state.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister has launched an anti-corruption mobile app named 1064 Anti-
Corruption Mobile App
• It helps the citizens to lodge corruption-related complaints directly with the
authorities.
• Registered complaints, data and the identity of the complainant will be protected.

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Uttarakhand becomes the first Indian state to roll out drone in healthcare
• Redcliffe Labs has come up with its first commercial drone flight in the country's healthcare
sector.
• The company has recently opened its commercial drone corridor between Uttarkashi and
Dehradun.
• The distance from Uttarkashi to Dehradun by road is 144 km and takes 6-8 hours by road and during
landslides 12 hours, but this distance was covered in 88 minutes with drone technology.
• Radcliffe Labs founder: Dheeraj Jain

Uttarakhand (Nainital) has commissioned the country’s first and the largest liquid mirror telescope
• The Indian Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) is built by astronomers from India, Belgium and
Canada.
• It is located at an altitude of 2,450 metres at the Devasthal Observatory campus of Aryabhatta
Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of
Science and Technology (DST), in Nainital district, Uttarakhand.

India’s first commercial space situational awareness (SSA) observatory will be set up in
Uttarakhand
• in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand by Digantara, a space sector start-up.
• It will track objects as small as 10 cm in size orbiting the earth.
• The space situational awareness (SSA) observatory will help India track any activity in
space including that of space debris and military satellites hovering over the region.

Haridwar (Uttarakhand) declared as the best aspirational district in India by NITI Aayog
• The district will receive Rs 3 Crores.
• Launched in 2018, NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme aims to identify potential districts that can
develop into model blocks through socio-economic development.
• The Aspirational District Programme launched by NITI Aayog evaluates the performance of districts on the
basis of five key parameters.
• Health & Nutrition (30%)
• Education (30%)
• Agriculture & Water Resources (20%)
• Financial Inclusion & Skill Development (10%)
• Infrastructure (10%)

Uttarakhand government has launched ‘CM Udyman Khiladi Unnayan Yojana’


• On the occasion of National Sports Day
• Under this scheme, a sports scholarship of Rs1500 per month will be given to the emerging
players of the state between the age group of 8 to 14 years.
• A total of 3900 players will be given scholarships every year, which will include 1950 boys & 1950 girls.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister launches Lakhpati Didi Yojana in Dehradun


• to empower the women of the state.
• launched by the Rural Development department under the National Rural Livelihood Mission
(NRLM).
• The government is aiming to enable at least 1.25 lakh women associated with various self-
help groups (SHG) in the state to earn over one lakh rupees per year (Lakhpati) by 2025.

Que: Recently, the Uttarakhand Government decided to shift the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to which
place?
Ans: Haldwani

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Que: Which cow breed has been selected by the Uttarakhand Government for genetic enhancement?
Ans: Badri
• To increase the productivity & to make the farmers of Uttarakhand breed Badri and not to
shift to other high milk-producing alternative breeds like Jersey cows, as part of the ten-year
State plan.
• Badri’s milk production capacity is quite less – 1-3 litres per day.
• Its milk has rich medicinal content and high organic value as it grazes on the medicinal herbs
of the Himalayas.
• Badri cow is the first registered cattle breed of Uttarakhand which has been certified by the National Bureau
of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).

Some Indigenous cattle breeds of India


• Gir (Gujarat),Binjharpuri (Odisha), Bachaur (Bihar), Amritmahal & Hallikar (Karnataka), Alambadi & Bargur
(Tamil Nadu)

World-class Kayaking-Canoeing Academy to be set up at Tehri in Uttarakhand


• Announced by Union Minister of Power, RK Singh while inaugurating the National
Championship "Tehri Water Sports Cup" at Tehri Lake, Uttarakhand.
• Tehri is situated at the confluence of Bhagirathi and Bhilangana rivers in Uttarakhand.

Uttar Pradesh
• Formed: 1 April 1937-as United province
• Statehood: 26 January 1950-rechristened as Uttar Pradesh
• Capital: Lucknow
• Districts: 75
• Members of Lok Sabha from U.P.: 80
• Members of Rajya Sabha from U.P.: 31

State Brief
• Governor: Anandiben Patel
• Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
• First Chief Ministers of the state – Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant
• First woman chief minister of state and country – Sucheta Kripalani
• First woman governor of state and country – Sarojini Naidu
• State Animal Swamp deer
• State Bird Sarus Crane
• State Tree Ashoka
• State Flower Palash
• State Dance Kathak
• State Sport Field hockey

UP: Jhansi Railway Station renamed as Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station


• Rani Laxmibai was the Maharani consort of the Maratha Princely State of Jhansi from 1843 to 1853 as the
wife of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao.
Old Name New Name
Faizabad Junction Railway Station Ayodhya Cantt
Allahabad Station Prayagraj Junction Railway Station
Mughalsarai Railway Station Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction

PM laid Foundation stone of Major Dhyan Chand Sports University at Meerut (U.P.)
• This will be the first sports university in Uttar Pradesh.
• The estimated cost of setting up the University is about Rs.700 crore.

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‘Magh Mela-2022’ is an annual religious fair held in Uttar Pradesh


• The 47-day annual religious fair on the banks of the Sangam in Prayagraj.

India's first 'Amrit Sarovar' has been completed in Rampur (UP) gram panchayat
• PM Modi had made the mention of Rampur in his radio show, ‘Mann ki Baat’ and said as
part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ (75 years of India’s independence), each district would
have 75 ‘Amrit Sarovars’ or ponds.

Agra to get India's first vacuum-based sewer system


• These vacuums will be used in public places.
• The estimated cost for the work of sewer connection is Rs 100 crore.
• The Maintenance and complete care will be done by the Netherlands company for up to five
years.

Uttar Pradesh has become the top producer of vegetables in India in 2021–22 Crop Year (CY) (July–June)
• Uttar Pradesh (29.58 million tonnes (mt) has become the top producer of vegetables, getting back its first
position by demoting West Bengal (28.23 mt) to the second position, with a difference of
a million tonnes in production in 2021–22 Crop Year (CY) (July–June), after two years since
2020.
• Other top producers of vegetables as per the data in the current year 2021-22 include
Madhya Pradesh at 20.59 mt, Bihar at 17.77 mt and Maharashtra at 16.78 mt.
• Andhra Pradesh remains the top fruit producer.
• India’s horticulture output is likely to drop marginally by 0.4% to 333.25 mt in 2021–22 from the previous
year (2020–21) as production of vegetables, spices, and plantation crops is set to decline.

Former President Kovind Inaugurated Sant Kabir Academy And Research Centre in UP
• at Maghar in Sant Kabir Nagar district
• Sant Kabir Das was born in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He was a 15th century mystic
poet, saint and social reformer and a proponent of the Bhakti Movement.
• Teacher: His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti
leader Ramananda.
• Literature: Kabir Das' writings had a great influence on the Bhakti movement and includes titles like Kabir
Granthawali, Anurag Sagar, Bijak, and Sakhi Granth.
• His verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib.
• The major part of his work was collected by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev.
• He was best known for his two-line couplets, known as 'Kabir Ke Dohe’.

Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to have 13 Expressways
• Of the total 13, six are operational while the rest are under construction.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 296-km-long Bundelkhand Expressway
on July 16 (Bundelkhand will be directly connected to Delhi).
• Also, the foundation stone of the 594 km long Ganga Expressway has been laid by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
• Apart from this, Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway, Gorakhpur Link Expressway, Ghazipur-
Ballia-Manjhighat Expressway and Delhi-Dehradun Expressway are being constructed.

Uttar Pradesh CM launches Deen Dayal Upadhyaya State Employees Cashless Medical Scheme.
• Aim: To provide cashless medical facility to state government employees, pensioners and
their dependents.
• at government-run institutions, medical colleges and hospitals without any financial limit.
• Also, the facilities up to Rs 5 lakh will be available under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.

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UP Govt plans to double farmers income under ‘Panchamrut Yojana’


• Panchamrut scheme seeks to reduce the production cost of sugarcane, as well as increase
productivity and the fertility of the land
• through five techniques, including an integrated trench method for sowing of
sugarcane, ratoon management and trash mulching, drip irrigation and co-cropping.
• The Government will also honour farmers who implement the Panchamrut scheme and are able to enhance
the productivity and income with ‘Uttam Sugarcane Farmer’ awards.

Uttar Pradesh cabinet approves India’s first night safari Park Lucknow
• in Kukrail forest area of Lucknow district.
• It would be developed on the tunes of Singapore.
• As part of the project, the government will establish a zoological park on around 150 acres
and night safari on 350 acres without disturbing the dense 2,027-hectare forest.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to develop Kannauj district as a perfume tourism
destination
• The state government will organize an international perfume fair and will set up perfume park
in the district
• The aim is to take the ₹250 crore perfume business to Rs 25,000 crores.
• The perfume of Kannauj comes under the govt’s ‘One District, One Product’ initiative.

Lata Mangeshkar chowk inaugurated at Ayodhya


• Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated
• on the occasion of the 93rd birth anniversary of the late singer and Bharat Ratna
awardee.
• at an estimated cost of ₹7.9 crore
• Architect Ranjan Mohanti has designed the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. A 40-ft-long and
12-metre-high Veena, weighing 14 tonnes, has been installed at the intersection of Saryu
river banks.
• The Veena has been designed by master sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, who designed the
Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, in Gujarat.

India’s biggest hyperscale data centre inaugurated in Greater Noida


• Uttar Pradesh CM, Yogi Adityanath has inaugurated North India's first & India’s biggest
data centre ‘Yotta Yotta D1’ in Greater Noida.
• It was built at the cost of Rs 5,000 crore and spread over an area of 3,00,000 square feet.

UP government launched ‘One District One Sport’ scheme


• on the lines of One District One Product (ODOP) scheme of the government.
• Objectives: (1) Promoting sports culture and keeping the younger generation healthy,
and (2) Providing a platform for sportspersons to nurture talents and skills
• Under this scheme, one sport will be identified in each of the 75 districts of UP.

Uttar Pradesh government has inaugurated the ‘E-Sushrut’ hospital management


information system in the state medical colleges
• With this software patient registration, admission, discharg e, ambulance, food,
medicines, and details of doctors will be done online.

Bihar
• Statehood Day (Bihar Diwas) – March 22, 1912
• State capital – Patna (In ancient times Pataliputra, Pushppur, Kusumpur and Azimabad
have been other names.)
• States bordering the state – 3 [West Bengal (East), Uttar Pradesh (West) and Jharkhand
(South)]

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• The country bordering the state – Nepal (in the north)


• State Symbol – Bodhi tree (located between two swastikas)
• State fish – Mangur
• Folk dances – Kathghodwa, Chhau, Launda, Dhobia, Jhijhiya, Jharni, Karma and Domkach.
• Major Forest Type – Deciduous
• Governor: Phagu Chauhan
• Chief minister: Nitish Kumar

Que: What is the theme of ‘Bihar Diwas’ 2022?


Ans: Jal Jivan Haryali
• Bihar celebrated its 110th foundation day on March 22. The state of Bihar was carved out
from Bengal’s presidency on the this day in 1912.
• In India, Bihar is the third largest state by population and the 12th largest state by
territory.
Bihar became the first state to implement dynamic map for villages to track land ownership
• dynamic map will get updated every time land ownership changes hands. The move is mainly
aimed to curb the legal disputes regarding land.

Bihar gets India’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol production plant


• CM Nitish Kumar inaugurated in Purnia, Bihar .
• Ethanol production will help to reduce the cost of petrol and generate fresh employment
opportunities in the state.

According to the Geological Survey of India, Bihar has the largest gold reserves in the country
• a gold reserve of around 222.88 million tonnes including 27.6 tonnes of mineral-rich ore are present in the
Jamui district of Bihar.
• It is being called as India’s largest gold reserve.
• Geological Survey of India Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• Founder: Thomas Oldham
• Founded: 4 March 1851
• Dr. S Raju has taken over as the Director General of Geological Survey of India

Bihar has decided to conduct a caste-based census named ‘Jaati Aadharit Ganana’
• The aim of this exercise is to carry out developmental work for people who are deprived.

The 15th Census of India was conducted in 2011.

State with the highest population density Bihar


State with the lowest population density Arunachal Pradesh
State with the highest population Uttar Pradesh
State with the lowest population Sikkim
State with the highest sex ratio Kerala
State with the lowest sex ratio Haryana
State with the highest literacy rate Kerala
State with the lowest literacy rate Bihar

Que: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has inaugurated India’s longest rubber dam ‘Gayaji
Dam’ on which river?
Ans: Falgu River (Gaya)
• It is 411 meters long & 3 meters high.
• The dam has been built at an estimated cost of ₹324crore.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launches Har Ghar Gangajal project (First phase) in Rajgir
• to make Ganga water available through taps in the dry areas of the state.
• The scheme will help to harvest the excess water of the Ganga during the monsoon season.
• This is the first time in India that flood water harvesting has been done for the purpose of drinking water.
• Har Ghar Gangajal is part of the Bihar government’s Jal, Jeevan, Hariyali scheme.
• Under the scheme about 7.5-lakh households of Rajgir (Nalanda), Gaya and Bodhgaya will start getting piped
Ganga water.
• The second phase will start in 2023 and will cover Nawada district as well.
• A Rs 4,000-crore scheme has harnessed flood water from the Ganges to take it to reservoirs in Gaya and Rajgir.

Ques. Which two destinations in Bihar have been selected for development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0?
Ans. Gaya and Nalanda
• to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations
• Punaura Dham site in the Sitamarhi district of Bihar has been identified for development under
the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme
of the ministry.
• The Tourism ministry under its Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD scheme provides support to
state governments, Union Territory administrations and central agencies for the development
of tourism infrastructure in the country
• Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy

Madhya Pradesh
• Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Governor: Mangubhai Patel
• Madhya Pradesh Becomes Cleanest State in India, Indore Cleanest City for Sixth Time
• Constitution – 01 November, 1956 (Present Form – 1 November 2000)
• Capital – Bhopal
• Total District – 52
• State Symbol – A circle inside the 24 stupa shape, in which there are earrings of wheat and paddy.
• State River – Narmada
• State Theater – Mach
• Official Anthem – Mera Madhya Pradesh Hai (Composer – Mahesh Srivastava)
• State fish – Mahasheer (announced in 2013)
• State Crop – Soybean
• First Governor – Dr. NS. Pattabhi Sitaramayya
• First Woman Governor – Ms. Sarla Grewal
• First Chief Minister – Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla
• First Woman Chief Minister – Ms. Uma Bharti
• Asia's first laser research center – Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
• The first marble building in India – Hoshang Shah's Tomb, Dhar (Madhya
Pradesh)
• Asia's first physical education university – Gwalior (Lakshmibai National Institute/University of Physical
Education)
• First National Park to get ISO 9001:2008 Award – Van Vihar (Bhopal)
• The first state in the country to submit agro–economic survey – Madhya Pradesh
• First establishment of optical fiber in the country – Mandideep (Bhopal)
• The first state to establish village swaraj system – Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho Dance Festival’ organised in Madhya Pradesh


• The 48th Khajuraho Dance Festival
• organized in Khajuraho, in Chhatarpur district of MP
• theme of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• These temples were built by the Chandella rulers between AD 900 and 1130. It was the golden period of
Chandella rulers.

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• Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples, about 175 kilometres southeast of
Jhansi.
• These Temples got the status of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 1986.
• The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite foundation
• The temples are famous for their Nagara-style architectural symbolism and erotic
• The Khajuraho temples were reported for the first time by Abu Rihan al Biruni in AD 1022 and the Arab
traveller Ibn Battuta in AD 1335.
• According to local estimates there are 85 temples in Khajuraho out of which only 25 temples are standing
after various stages of preservation and care.
• The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev covers an area of about 6,500 square feet
• From about 13th century to 18th century, Khajuraho temples remained under forest cover, away from the
public till they were re-discovered by British engineer T. S. Burt.

MP’s Hoshangabad district renamed as Narmadapuram


• Hoshangabad had derived its name from Hoshang Shah Ghori, the second king to Malwa of the Ghori line
who conquered it.
• Narmadapur was its erstwhile name.

Ujjain created a Guinness record by lighting 11.71 lakh clay lamps as s part of the ‘Shiv Jyoti
Arpanam Mahotsava’ on the occasion of Mahashivratri.
• it was a part of the zero waste programme.
• The clay from the lamps will be used to prepare idols, while the oil left in the lamps will be
offered to gaushalas. The plastic used for the I-cards will be used to make chairs and other
items for public gardens.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister has launched Udyam Kranti Yojana on April 5, 2022.
The scheme aims to facilitate self- employment among the youth.
Under the scheme, the state government will provide a loan guarantee of Rs 1 lakh - Rs 50 lakh
for self- employment with subsidies on the interest rates.

Madhya Pradesh has launched the second phase of the Ladli Laxmi scheme (Ladli Laxmi
scheme-2.0) to encourage girl children to pursue higher education and make them self-
dependent
• Ladli Laxmi Scheme is being implemented by the government of Madhya Pradesh since
2007
• Ladli Laxmi scheme is a comprehensive scheme that offers financial assistance for a girl from birth until her
marriage in instalments.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 59th Mahaadhiveshan of Akhil Bhartiya Ayurved
Mahasammelan in Madhya Pradesh (Ujjain)
• He also inaugurated the new building of the Government Ayurved Medical College, Ujjain.
• The purpose was to increase awareness among the general public about Ayurveda
Additional Facts:
• three UNESCO world heritage sites in Madhya Pradesh- Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi(1989), Rock Shelters
of Bhimbetka(2003)and Khajuraho Group of Monuments.(1986)

An Abnormal Titanosaurid Dinosaur Egg fossil has been discovered in Madhya Pradesh
• A team of researchers from the University of Delhi has discovered a unique set of fossilised dinosaur eggs,
with one egg nesting within the other at the Dinosaur Fossil National Park, in Dhar District of Madhya
Pradesh.
• While eggs-within-eggs are rare phenomena, they are so far known to occur only in birds and have never
known in reptiles.
• Fossils of these animals have been found in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh as well as Meghalaya.

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• Latest findings documented 52 titanosaurid sauropod nests near Padlya village close to Bagh town in
Madhya Pradesh. One of these nests consisted of 10 eggs, one of which was the “abnormal” egg.

Burhanpur, MP becomes first certified Har Ghar Jal district of the countryall people have access to safe drinking
water through taps.
• Jal Jeevan Mission: Launched: 15th August 2019
• Aim: Supply 55 liters of water per person per day to every rural household through Tap
by 2024.

World's Largest Floating Solar Power Plant


Will be constructed in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.

Important Facts to know about the plant:


• It will generate 600-Megawatt power by 2022-23, This project is estimated to be worth Rs.
3000 crores.
• Khandwa district will become the only district in state to house thermal power station,
hydel power plant as well as solar power plant.
• Solar power plant will be built on Narmada River, near Omkareshwar Dam.
India’s current largest floating Solar Power Project - Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at
Ramagundam, Telangana - is now fully operational.

Que: How many cheetahs have been released in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh?
Ans: 8
• from Namibia to India on 17th September (72nd birth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi).
• The national park is situated in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district.
• The last cheetah in India died in 1947 in the Korea district in present-day Chhattisgarh
(earlier part of Madhya Pradesh), and the species was declared extinct from India in 1952.
• under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and vulnerable, fewer than 7,000 cheetahs
left around the world - most of them in the African savannas.
• The ‘African Cheetah Introduction Project in India‘ was conceived in 2009.

Indore becomes India's first ‘Smart City’ with ‘Smart Addresses’


• Indore (MP) has implemented a fully digital addressing system
• an MoU was signed with the firm Pataa Navigations.
• Pataa: This organisation has developed patented technology and is working with ISRO to
develop a digital addressing system for the nation.
• Pataa is a brief and distinctive code, that will help the user find the specific geotagged
location.
• Users of the Pataa App can upload images of their homes, landmarks, etc, along with their
addresses in the full text.

Home Minister Amit Shah launched the first Hindi version of 1st-year MBBS books Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal) on
October 16
• Thus initiating learning medical science in Hindi
• Recently, a committee of Parliamentarians had recommended Hindi as language for higher
education in Hindi speaking states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan
and Gujarat, and mother language for non-Hindi speaking states.

5th Khelo India Youth Games to be held in Madhya Pradesh


• from Jan 31 to Feb 11 - Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur
has announced
• The sports event would be participated by more than 8,500 athletes and sportspersons.
• This event was started in 2016, to provide a platform to the youth of the country to
showcase their performance and talents in sports.

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Archaeological Survey of India has recently found the remains of 20 Buddhist caves, temples in
Madhya Pradesh
• ASI has reported 20 Buddhist caves, ranging from the 2nd Century BC to 5th Century BC,
at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
• The Buddhist religious artefacts found in the region of Baghelkhand are of the
Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
• This is also the first time Bandhavgarh has been explored since archaeologist NP Chakravarti last
explored it in 1938.

Some of the key findings are:


• Board games
• Monolith depicting ten avatars of Vishnu, including possibly the world’s largest Varaha
sculpture.
• A votive stupa
• 2 Saiva Math & 26 ancient temples and remains belonging to the Kalachuri period.
• The caves with ‘Chaitya’ (rounded) doors and stone beds typical of Mahayana
Buddhism sites.
• Coins, stampage and as many as 46 new sculptures
• Over 24 Brahmi inscriptions mentioning sites such as Mathura and Kaushambi, and
Pavata, Vejabharada and Sapatanaairikaa.
• The kings they mention include Bhimsena, Pothasiri and Bhattadeva.
• Remains of the Gupta period, such as door jambs and carvings from 4th to 5th
century BC were documented during the exploration.

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve:


• Located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh.
• Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993.
• Historical Significance: Its mention can be found in the ancient books of the ‘Narad Pancharatra’and the
‘Shiv Purana’ that this place is being associated with Ramayana.
• The park derives its name from the most prominent hillock of the area, which was said to be given by Hindu
Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on Lanka. Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit:
Brother's Fort).

Archaeological Survey of India:


• Comes under the Ministry of Culture
• It regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient
Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
• It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.
• Director General: V. Vidyavathi
• Founder: Alexander Cunningham
• Founded: 1861

Bhopal Railway Station awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ certification with a 4-star rating by FSSAI
The 4-star rating indicates full compliance by the station to ensure safe and hygienic food is
available to passengers
Other railway stations with this certification
• Anand Vihar Terminal Railway Station (Delhi),
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai),
• Mumbai Central Railway Station (Mumbai),
• Vadodara Railway Station,
• Chandigarh Railway Station.

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PESA Act implemented in Madhya Pradesh to protect the rights of tribals


• The Madhya Pradesh government implemented the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled
Areas (PESA) Act in the state on 15 November.
• on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Divas - the birth anniversary of tribal freedom
fighter Birsa Munda.
• It aims to protect the tribal population from exploitation with the active participation of Gram Sabhas.

Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996


The Parliament enacted a special law called the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act
(PESA) in 1996 and came into force on 24 December 1996.
The Act is currently in force in areas included in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which
deals with the administration of districts dominated by tribal communities, and is applicable to 10
states in the country.
These 10 states are Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana.
The Objective of the Act is to ensure self-governance through Gram Sabhas for people living in the Scheduled Areas.

Jharkhand
• Founded: 15 November 2000
• Capital: Ranchi
• Chief Minister: Hemant Soren
• Governor: Ramesh Bais

State Symbol

State Animal Elephant (Scientific Name: Elephas Maximus Indicus)

State Bird Koel (Scientific Name: Eudynamys Scolopaceus)

State Tree Sal (Scientific Name: Shorea robusta)

State Flower Plash (Scientific Name: Butea monosperma)

• Number of Districts - 24
• State Boundaries - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal

Institutions
• Central Fuel Research Institute – Dhanbad.
• Central Institute of Mining & Fuel Research (CMRI), Dhanbad.
• National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur.
• Institute of Forest Productivity, Ranchi.
• Uranium Corporation of India, Jaduguda Mines, Jamshedpur

Jharkhand: Jamtara becomes country’s first district with library in every village
• This district with a population of about eight lakh has a total of 118 gram panchayats, each with a library
• Career counselling sessions and motivational classes are also held free of cost here. Sometimes, IAS and IPS
officers also visit these libraries to guide students.

Sarhul is a tribal festival, observed by Jharkhand


• to mark the beginning of New Year.
• The festival is celebrated every year in the first month of the Hindu calendar, i.e. in the
month of Chaitra, on three days after the appearance of the new moon. It is celebrated
till the month of June or “Jeth”.

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• The Oraon, the Munda and the Ho tribes, of the Jharkhand region celebrate this
festival.
• Sarhul means worship of trees and signifies the advent of the spring season or
“Phaagun”

Prime Minister inaugurated Deoghar airport in Jharkhand


• foundation stone of Deogarh airport was laid in 2018.
• It is second international airport in Jharkhand after Ranchi.

Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to distribute Seed to Farmers via Blockchain
Tech
• Jharkhand government, in collaboration with the tech company SettleMint, has launched
seed distribution to farmers based on blockchain technology.
• blockchain is being used to track seed distribution.
• Objective –bringing transparency and authenticity of seeds which the farmers receive under the seed
exchange scheme and other schemes

Jharkhand records nation's highest percentage of child marriage (5.8%)


• As per the latest demographic sample survey conducted in 2020, by the Union Home Ministry
• The percentage is1.9 at the national level and varies from 0.0 in Kerala to 5.8 in Jharkhand.
• Jharkhand and West Bengal are the only two states in the country where more than half of the women are
married before attaining the age of 21 years.

Chhatisgarh
• Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
• State Capital - Raipur
• Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
• Ancient name of the state - Dakshin Kosal
• Establishment of the state - 1 November, 2000 (26th state of the country)
• Time of State Formation - 9th Five Year Plan (1997-2002)
• Official language of the state - Chhattisgarhi (accepted on November 28, 2007)
• Total number of districts in the state - 28 (28th district declared in August 2019- Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi)
• State's first national park - Indravati National Park
• The largest national park in the state - Guru Ghasidas National Park (1441 sq. km.)
• The state's smallest national park - Kanger Ghati National Park
• Number of Tiger Reserves in the State - 03 (Indravati Tiger Reserve, Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve,
Achanakmar Tiger Reserve)
• State's Fourth Tiger Reserve - Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla (Proposed)
• State's only Biosphere Reserve - Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (2005)

Chhattisgarh has announced to launch an employment mission called the ‘Rojgar Mission’ to create 15 lakh job
opportunities in the state in the next five years
• The mission will leverage experts from IITs, IIITs, IIMs.
• The chief minister Bhupesh Baghel is the chairman of the implementing committee.

Financial assistance scheme “Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana”
for Landless Labourers has been launched in Chhattisgarh
• Launched by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi
• Chhattisgarh became the first state in the country to provide direct financial assistance to rural landless
agriculture labourers.
• Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs 6000 per year in 3 installments will be provided to the
registered labourers in rural areas who do not possess agricultural land. Around 55 lakh beneficiaries of the
scheme received Rs 2,000 each in their bank accounts as the first instalment under the plan.
• state government made a provision of Rs 200 crore in the budget for 2021-22.

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• He also launched the “Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club scheme” - aims to connect young people of Chhattisgarh with
creative works, developing leadership skills and making them aware of their social responsibilities.

Chhattisgarh government has signed two Memorandums of Understanding for establishing dung-based power
plants & food irradiation facility
• to boost agricultural & rural economy.
• The first MoU between Chhattisgarh Biofuel Development Authority (CBDA) and Bhabha Atomic Research
Center (BARC), Trombay, Mumbai to set up dung-based power plants
• The second MoU between Chhattisgarh Seed Corporation and the Board of Radiation and Isotope
Technology (BRIT), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to set up the Food Irradiation Center in
Chhattisgarh.
• Food irradiation (the application of ionizing radiation to food)

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has launched the ‘Kaushalya Matritva Yojana’ by handing cheques of Rs 5,000 each to
five women beneficiaries for the safe motherhood practices
• It aims to help women financially for the nutrition of themselves and their children after pregnancy. It will
also prevent female foeticide.

Chhattisgarh has launched ‘Mukhyamantri Mitaan Yojana’ for doorstep delivery of 100 public services
• Mitaan stands for a friend.
• The scheme will be implemented as a pilot project in 14 civic bodies.
• Citizens of Chhattisgarh can avail around 100 public services, including delivery of birth,
caste, income and marriage certificates, at their doorstep under a new scheme launched
by the state government.

Total districts in Chhattisgarh rise to 33


Chhattisgarh CM, Bhupesh Baghel has inaugurated the following districts:

29 - Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki
30 - Sarangarh-Bilaigarh
31 - Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan- Gandai
32- Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur
33 - Sakti
• Chhattisgarh was carved out from Madhya Pradesh in 2000 with 16 districts.

Chhattisgarh state Tourism Board has signed an MoU with IRCTC to promote tourist places in the state
• Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
• The IRCTC will attract travelers from all over the country by promoting Chattisgarh’s tourism on their social
media websites like Twitter, and Facebook.

National Tribal Dance Festival (NTDC) 2022 took place Raipur, Chhattisgarh
• The 6-day festival commenced on 1st November 2022, state foundation day of
Chhattisgarh
• 3rd edition - organised by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board.
• Tribal dance groups from all the states and union territories of India and some
countries including Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia and Maldives
took part
• The first National Tribal Dance Festival was organised in 2019 and second in 2021.

Chhattisgarh has passed bill to raise Reservation in the state to 76


• The Chhattisgarh Assembly unanimously passed two amendment bills to raise
Reservations in government jobs and admission in educational institutions to 76%.

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• According to the bills, Scheduled Tribes will now get a quota of 32%, Other Backward Classes 27%, and
Scheduled Caste 13%, while the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will get 4% reservation in public
employment and admissions in educational institutions.

Chhattisgarh’s first-ever inter-state bird survey at Kanger Valley National Park


• Around 200 bird species were documented
• The name is derived from the Kangar river (tributary of Godavari), which flows in its
length.
• Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in Kanger Valley National Park.
• The most popular species is Bastar Maina (The state bird of Chattisgarh).
• It became a national park in the year 1982.
• Kanger Valley National Park is a typical mixed humid deciduous type of forest, in which
the Sal, Saugaun, teak and bamboo trees are available in abundance.

Odisha
• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
• Odisha Day: 1st April
• Odisha’s highest mountain range – Deomali hills
• Folk dances of Odisha: Chhau Dance

The list of Important Lakes of Odisha


S.No Lakes Located In /Near By Remark
1 Chillika Lake It extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Asia’s largest brackish water
Rambha-Malud in Ganjan district lagoon
2 Anshupa Lake Opposite Banki in Cuttack district Odisha’s largest freshwater lake
3 Kanjia Lake Northern outskirts of Bhubaneswar Natural lake

Important Rivers and Dams of Odisha


S.No Rivers Important Dams
1 Mahanadi River Hirakud Dam
2 Machkund River Jalaput Dam
3 Jonk River Patora Dam
4 Brahmani River Rengali Dam
5 Sankha River Mandira Dam

State’s struggle for independence


• The new province of Odisha was formed on April 1, 1936.
• Sir John Hubbak was the first governor of the state.
• The state was originally called Orissa but the Lok Sabha passed the Orissa Bill, and constitution Bill (113rd
amendment), in March 2011 to rename it Odisha.

Odisha (with 51 medals) has finished first out of 26 states and union territories in the ‘IndiaSkills 2021’ national
competition
• the country’s biggest skill competition
• organised by National Skill Development Corporation under the guidance of Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship
• Maharashtra stood second (With 30 medals), while Kerala took third place (with 25 medals).

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• The winners of the India Skills 2021 competition will get the opportunity to compete in the World Skills
International Competition in Shanghai, China, in October 2022.

Rushikulya beach Odisha is known for mass nesting of endangered Olive Ridley turtles
• Recently, a record 1,14,305 Olive Ridley turtles arrived at the Rushikulya river mouth for
their annual mass nesting.
• The Rushikulya beach is located in Odisha’s Ganjam district.

Odisha has secured the first position in Mission Indradhanush 4.0


• Odisha has become the only state in the country to achieve 90.5% of immunization apart from the successful
vaccination against Covid-19 infection under Mission Indradhanush 4.0.
• In a step towards preventive health care for mothers and children, the intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)
4.0 has been rolled out in the state from March 7 for boosting full immunization coverage of the targeted
women and children.

Odisha government has set up India’s first Tribal Health Observatory (TriHOb), which acts as a repository on the
health of the tribal population in the state
• This will be India's only tribal health observatory.
• MoU was signed between the ST and SC Development Department and the RMRC
(Regional centre of ICMR).
• It will perform systematic and ongoing observation on disease burden, health-seeking
behaviour and healthcare delivery system pertaining to tribal health in the state.

‘Kai Chutney’ made of Weaver ants is a popular food made in Odisha


• Weaver ants, scientific name is Oecophylla smaragdina, are present
in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.
• The people of the district especially the tribals, make a food item
with the ants called the Kai Chutney. Scientists from Odisha are in
the process of presentation for the geographical indications (GI) registry of Kai Chutney.
• This savoury food item is known to boost the immune system.
• In 2019, Odisha received the GI Tag for Odisha Rasagola.

Odisha government has signed an MoU with the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) for the protection
of its coasts
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences is a
premier institute in the country specializing in ocean engineering and coastline
protection.
• According to the MoU, the NIOT will provide technical guidance, design, and drawing
of climate resilient coastal protection measures to the state government.
• Odisha has a vast coastline of about 480 km and the coastal areas are exposed to
natural disasters. Cyclones cause high tidal surges with very high wind speed, resulting
in loss of lives and properties.

Odisha government has launched a rainwater harvesting scheme named CHHATA


• ‘Community Harnessing and Harvesting Rainwater Artificially from Terrace to Aquifer
(CHHATA).
• It will be implemented for a period of five years.
• an outlay of Rs 270 crore.

Odisha has published India’s first tribal community-based encyclopedia


• to document their age-old and unique traditions.
• Unveiled by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the five edited volumes of ‘Encyclopedia of
Tribes in Odisha’, published by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and
Training Institute

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• Tribes constitute 22.85% of the population in Odisha. A total number of 62 tribal communities live in the
state.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched India’s first FIFA initiated ‘Football for All’ initiative
• to take the culture of football to the grassroots.
• The Programme has been initiated by FIFA in Odisha in partnership with the Kalinga
Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) & Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS).
• In Oct. 2021, India's first FIFA Football for School Programme was launched at the Kalinga
Institute of Social Science (KISS), Bhubaneswar

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted an aerodrome licence to Odisha’s Jeypore airport.
• The airport will now be able to handle scheduled commercial flights under UDAN Scheme, or Ude Desh ka
Aam Naagrik.
• As of August 2022, Odisha has just one airport under UDAN – the Jharsuguda airport.

Odisha celebrated 'Mandia Day'


• The first Thursday of the Margasira month of the Hindu calendar on November 10 as
'Mandia Day' or 'Millet Day'
• to popularise and promote the use and cultivation of superfood- millet among the
people.
• Odisha has become the first state in the country to declare a day dedicated to
millets.
• The state government started the Odisha Millet Mission in the year 2017-18.
• On the first Thursday of Margasira month people across the state worship Mahalaxmi and offer millet to the
goddess of wealth and prosperity.
• UNGA has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets after India proposed it to the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO), which was supported by 72 countries.
• India is the 5th largest exporter of Millets globally.
• India is one of the major producers of millets in the world with an estimated share of about 41% in the
global production.
• Major producers of millets are Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.
• They are a rich source of protein, fiber, minerals, iron, and calcium and have a low glycemic index.

Odisha launches Anemia eradication programme ‘AMLAN’


• AMLAN- ‘Anemia Mukta Lakhya Abhiyan’ programme.
• Aim: To ensure complete eradication of anemia problem among women and children

'Dhanu Yatra' begins in Bargarh, Odisha


• The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, 11-day long, largest open-air theatre festival, began in Bargarh at the Odisha.
• The Festival is being held from December 27 to Jan 6, 2023.
• It was came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the celebration of the
country’s Independence.
• The festival starts with the play of dethroning of Emperor Ugrasen of Mathura by angry
Kansa over the marriage of his sister Devaki with Vasudev.
• It will be concluded with the death of demon king Kansa and restoration of the throne
to Ugrasen.

CJI inaugurated 10 District Court Digitization Hubs (DCDH) in Odisha


• In April 2021, four District Court Digitization Centres (DCDC) were set up on a pilot
basis which were then upgraded to DCDH
• The hubs will take care of digitization work of all 30 districts of the state.
• Benefits of digitization - such as easier access to records by authorized persons,
organized information keeping, reduction of time to search documents
• Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud

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• Chief Justice Odisha High Court – S Muralidhar

3 days Dolphin census at Odisha coast


• The annual census of dolphins took place in Odisha's Bhitarkanika national park and
Gahirmatha marine sanctuary
• Odisha coast has emerged as an ideal habitat for dolphins with an impressive rise of 33%
in their population
• 726 dolphins were sighted during the census conducted in the last December-January
season
• Six species of dolphins -- Irrawaddy, Bottlenose, Humpback, Striped, Finless and Spinner -- were recorded
during the last census

Coal Minister inaugurates Rs 300 crore Angul-Balram rail line in Odisha


• Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurated the Rs 300 crore Angul-Balram rail line
connecting Odisha's Talcher Coalfield.
• The rail link is the first phase of the total 68 km long Inner Corridor in Odisha's Angul
district.
• The project is likely to enable Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) to increase its daily
dispatch of coal by around 40,000 tonnes.
• The project was constructed by Mahanadi Coal Railway Ltd, a joint venture entity of MCL, IRCON
International Ltd and IDCO, an industrial infrastructure development agency of the Odisha government.

West Bengal
• Capital: Kolkata
• Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
• Governor: Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose
• Date of Formation: 26, January 1950
• No. of districts: 23
• State boundaries: Sikkim, Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand
• International boundaries: Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan
• State Animal: Fishing Cat
• State Bird: White-throated Kingfisher
• State Flower: Night-flowering Jasmine
• State Tree: Alstonia scholaris – Chatim tree
• State Fruit: Jackfruit
• Official Language: Bengali, English
• National Park: Sundarbans National Park, Singalila National Park, Gorumara National Park,
Neora Valley National Park
• Tiger Reserves: Sunderbans, Buxa Tiger reserve
• Tribes: Kora, Ho, Meu, Tamang, Lohara, Chero, Mahli, Malpahariya

West Bengal celebrated the ‘Dol Utsav’ or ‘Dol Jatra’, the festival of colors, marking the onset of spring season
• The festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha and celebrated on full moon day.
• It also marks the last festival of the year as per the Bengali calendar.
• In the Eastern region of India, the festival of spring is celebrated as Dol Jatra, Dol
Purnima, Dol Utsav, and Basanta Utsav.

PM Modi addressed 'Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022


• Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022 in West Bengal to mark 211th birth anniversary of
Shree Shree Harichand Thakur
• Shree Shree Harichand Thakur ji devoted his life for the cause of betterment of the
oppressed, downtrodden and deprived persons in undivided Bengal during the pre-
independence era.
• The social and religious movement started by him originated from Orakandi which is
now in Bangladesh in 1860 and led to the formation of the Matua Dharma.

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• Matua Dharma Maha Mela 2022 was organised by All India Matua Mahasangha from 29th March to 5th
April 2022.

West Bengal has recently decided to adopt a bill to appoint the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of the universities
in the state in place of the Governor
• Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar will be made the Vice-Chancellor.
• By law, the Governor is the Chancellor of 17 universities in the state, according to the Bengal Raj Bhavan's
official website.

Singalila National Park, which was seen in the news recently, is situated in West Bengal
• The Singalila National Park, the highest protected area in West Bengal has launched a programme to release
about 20 red pandas in a period of five years.
• West Bengal’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has started this programme to release 20 of red
pandas into the forests.
• Singalila National Park was notified as a National Park in 1992 and was also officially opened
up for tourism.
• The number of red pandas has been declining in the wild, even in the Singalila and Neora
Valley National Parks, the two protected areas where the mammal is found in the wild in
West Bengal.
• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• The red panda (Ailurus fulgens), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern
Himalayas and southwestern China.
• It was first formally described in 1825.
• The red panda inhabits coniferous forests as well as temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, favouring steep
slopes with dense bamboo cover close to water sources.
• It feeds mainly on bamboo shoots and leaves, but also on fruits and blossoms.

West Bengal to carve out 7 new districts, number rises to 30


• West Bengal CM, Mamata Banerjee has announced that the state will soon carve out seven new districts.
• Earlier there were 23 districts in Bengal, after this, West Bengal will have 30 district.
• 6 new districts: Sunderban, Ichhemati, Ranaghat, Bishnupur, Jangipur, and Behrampur.
• One more district will be named from the Basirhat region.
• Aim: Smaller units would make governance easier and benefit the people by bringing the
administration closer to them.

The largest religious monument in the world, the Temple of Vedic Planetarium will be in West
Bengal (Mayapur in the Nadia district )
• Under construction - will serve as the headquarters of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON).
• It is ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada’s vision and is apparently inspired by the design of the Capitol building
in the United States.
• Once completed, it will be larger than the Taj Mahal and St. Paul’s Cathedral in the
Vatican. The temple will open in 2024
• Cambodia’s 400-acre-large Angkor Wat temple complex is the current largest
religious monument.

Bengal Dokra Metalcraft


• Dhokra or Dokra, is a form of ancient bell metal craft.
• a metal casted art, said to be the first of its kind to use a non-ferrous metal like copper and its
alloys – brass (a mix of zinc and copper) or bronze (tin and copper)
• Dokra is an ancient tradition; its documented history is about 5,000 years old.
• The dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro (Harrapan Civilization) is one of the earliest dhokra
artefacts that is now known
• Bengal Dokra got GI Tag in 2018
• Adilabad Dokra – Telangana GI Tag in 2018

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Tramjatra Event : Moving Tram Carnival in Kolkata


• in February, 2023 Kolkata will celebrate 150 years of its iconic tram and renew hope that
this non-polluting mode of transport does not become entirely extinct.
• Tramjatra (tram’s journey) is a moving tram carnival that was started back in 1996 jointly by
enthusiasts from Melbourne and Kolkata.
• Kolkata is the only Indian city where the tram still runs
• Theme for 2022: Heritage, Clean Air and Green Mobility

PM Modi Flags off West Bengal’s first Vande Bharat Express on Howrah-New Jalpaiguri route
• Covering a distance of 564 km in 7.45 hours, this train will save three hours in travel
time as compared to other trains on the route.
• This is the first Vande Bharata Express to operate in West Bengal and eastern parts of
the country.
• Also, it is the seventh Vande Bharat train in the country operated by the Indian
Railways.

About Vande Bharat Express Train


• The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.
• These trains have a self-propelled engine that can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.
• The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
• It was manufactured under the 'Make in India' program at a cost of around Rs 100 crore.
• These trains can attain a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
• In the Union Budget for 2022-2023, the government has proposed to develop and manufacture 400 new
Vande Bharat trains over the next three years.

Sikkim
• It derives its name from the Limbu (a tribe) words su him, meaning ‘new house’.
• Capital: Gangtok
• Governor: Ganga Prasad
• Chief Minister: Prem Singh Tamang
• Sikkim became the 22nd state of India on 16th May 1975, following
a statehood demand from the political leaders.
• The Namgyal dynasty ruled Sikkim until 1975.
• Mount Kanchenjunga, India’s highest peak and the world’s third
highest mountain lies in Sikkim.
• The Kanchenjunga National Park (KNP) (established in 1977), near the peak is among
the largest of India’s high-elevation conservation areas.
• KNP was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category (sites containing elements of
both natural and cultural significance).
• Teesta river water conflict is one of the most contentious issues between India and Bangladesh.
• Teesta river is a tributary of Brahmaputra river.
• Language(s) Nepali, Bhutia, English, Hindi, Lepchu
• State Animal Red Panda
• State Bird Blood Pheasant
• State Tree Rhododendron
• State Flower Nobile orchid
• Lakes Tsomgo, Menmecho, Lampokari, Khecheopalri, Gurudongmar
• Passes Nathu La, Jelep La, Dingkia
• Tribes Limboo, Bhutia, Tamang, Lepcha

Sikkim celebrated Losoong (Namsoong) Festival


• Sikkimese New Year festival and carnival which celebrates the end of the annual
harvest season
• primarily celebrated by Bhutia and Lepcha tribes in India, Bhutan and Nepal.

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• Losoong is also known as Sonam Losoong by the Bhutias and Namsoong among the Lepchas
• Sikkim is called the first organic state.
• Sikkim has the largest area for Cardamom production and also it is the highest producer of large cardamom
in India.

Sikkim government will implement ‘Aama Yojna’, & ‘Bahini Scheme’


• Aama Yojna scheme aims to inculcate the habit of saving among non-working mothers in the state and
hence the Government will provide them Rs. 20,000 each in their bank accounts annually.
• The scheme covers only those whose names are enrolled in the electoral roll of the state and a sum of Rs.
100 crores have been allocated for it in the budget.
• “Bahini”, aims at providing “100 per cent access to free and safe sanitary pads to secondary and senior
secondary schoolgoing girls”
• It aims to curb dropout of girls from schools and raise awareness about menstrual hygiene.

Sikkim has declared Blue Duke as the State Butterfly on the occasion of World Environment Day
• The scientific name of Blue Duke is Bassarona durga.
• It was discovered in the state in 1858.
• Blue Duke listed in Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and is a protected
species in the Himalayas.

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates & lays foundation stone for various govt projects in
Sikkim
• Atal Setu viaduct: Connect West Bengal and Sikkim at Rangpo on National Highway 10.
• Two-lane Chisopani traffic tunnel, which include approach roads in East Sikkim
• Ganju Lama Girls Hostel, Ravangla in South Sikkim under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas
Karyakram.
• National Institute of Technology, Khamdong, East Sikkim

Assam
• Capital: Dispur
• Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma
• Prof Jagdish Mukhi is the 30th Governor of Assam
• Number of Districts - 33
• High Court - Gauhati High Court
• Language - Assamese, Bengali, Bodo
• Temple - Kamakhya Temple at Guwahati
• Lake - Chandubi Lake, Chapanala Lake, Haflong Lake, Son
Beel Lake
• River - Subansiri, Lohit/ Tellu R, Dihang/Siang, Kopili,
Dhaleswari, Barak, Dhaleswari, Kameng, Brahmaputra,
Kameng
• Folk Dance - Bihu dance, Bagurumba, Bhortal Dance, Jhumur dance
• National Park - Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Manas
National Park, Nameri National Park, The Orang National Park, Raimona National Park, Dehing Patkai
National Park

Assam launched ‘Project Sadbhawana’ to improve Governance


• Launched by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
• It aims to dispose over 4-5 lakh pending files lying in the State secretariat within a
year.
• A portal will be created where people can inform of their pending files.
• Swachhata Abhiyan in Janata Bhawan will also be launched to promote
cleanliness in all the departments in the Secretariat.

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Assam launched India’s first Night Navigation mobile application for ferry services
• Launched by Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma
• for ferry services on the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati, Assam.
• It was developed by the State Transport Department in association with IIT Madras.

Ambubachi Mela in Assam And ‘Sao Jao’ Festival in Goa


• The Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati,
Assam. This yearly Mela is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall
during the Assamese month Ahaar
• The temple (on the Nilachal Hills) houses the yoni (female genital) symbolised by a rock.
• Kamakhya is one of 51 shakti peethasor holy sites for the followers of the Shakti cult

Sao Joao festival, the feast of St John the Baptist


The festival is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, who baptised Lord Jesus on the river of Jordan and is celebrated
at the onset of monsoon

‘Baikho festival’ celebrated in Assam


• It is a harvest festival and is celebrated by Rabha tribes of India.
• Rabhas are a Tibeto-Burman community. They reside in Lower Assam in Garo hills and
Dooar region of West Bengal.
• Assam is also known as land of Red River and Blue Hills.

Assam cabinet has approved the identification of five indigenous Muslim communities
• Gorias, Moriyas, Jolhas, Deshis and Syeds approved as indigenous Assamese Muslim
communities

Assam government has launched a scheme named ‘Swanirbhar Naari’, to empower indigenous weavers
• Launched by Assam Chief Minister in Guwahati.
• Under the scheme, the state government will procure handloom items directly from the
indigenous weavers via a web portal.
• Government has also urged the Handloom & Textiles department to promote Assamese
gamosa (traditional scarf or towel), which is a unique handloom product, across the
country.

Assam CM launches digitalized caste certificates for students


• Assam CM, has launched 'Mission Bhumiputra', a digital way to issue digitalised caste
certificates to students.
• This initiative was implemented by the Departments of Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Social
Justice Empowerment.
• The certificates issued will be available in the digi locker under the IT Act with digital signature of the
respective DC.

Que: Kaziranga National Park is located along which Indian River?


Ans: Brahmaputra
• Kaziranga National Park lies partly in Golaghat District and partly in Nagaon District of
Assam.
• It has an area of 430 Sq kms along the river Brahmaputra on the North and the Karbi
Anglong hills on the South.
• The National Park has successfully completed 14th Rhino Census in 2022.
• There was increase of 200 one-horned rhinoceros from the 2018 figures
• With 903 females, 750 males, juvenile category and calves, the total population of one-horned rhinos is 2,613.

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Assam has created a memorial for rhinos named as ‘Abode of the Unicorns’ using ashes
• Statues of three rhinos, an adult male, an adult female and a calf were launched at
Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
• Created using ashes collected from rhino horns burnt by the Assam Government
• On World Rhino Day 2021, 2,479 horns were burnt by Assam Government, that were
collected from poachers and illegal traders.

Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) programme launched in Assam


• Launched by Assam government and the US Agency for International Development (USAID)
• It aims to bring farmers, companies, and private institutions together to expand the tree coverage outside of
traditional forests in the State.
• Assam is one of seven States where the US will allocate up to $25 million under the TOFI programme.
• The other States are Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh target of
creating an additional “carbon sink” of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030.

First Sylhet-Silchar Festival


• held from December 2-4 in Assam's Barak Valley.
• To celebrate close cultural ties between India and Bangladesh
• 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Bangladesh from
Pakistan.
• Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister AK Abdul Momen led a
delegation of around 75 members to participate in the two-day
event.
The festival was organised by the 'India Foundation' in association with the 'Bangladesh
Foundation for Regional Studies' under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Culture.

Sylhet is located in north-east Bangladesh.


The Barak Valley is located in the southern region of Assam. The main city of the valley is
Silchar.
The region is named after the Barak river. The Barak valley mainly consists of three administrative districts of Assam -
Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi.

Assam government launched Orunodoi 2.0 scheme


• One of the biggest DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) programs in the nation
• Aims to provide a minimum monthly income flow to women from economically
disadvantaged households, elderly men, people with disabilities, and people who
identify as the third gender.
• The scheme was first launched on December 1, 2020
• 10.54 lakh beneficiaries will be given Rs 1,250 every month
• With fresh inclusion, total number of beneficiaries will be around 27 lakh.
• One of the 18 flagship schemes of Assam govt. currently in operation.
• financial outlay for Orunodoi is Rs 4,142 crore per annum

Arunachal Pradesh
• 55th amendment to the Indian Constitution in 1986, Arunachal Pradesh became the 24th state of the Indian
Union on 20th February, 1987.
• The state was formed out of Assam in the year 1987
• State Animal: Mithun (also known as Gayal)
• State Bird: Hornbill
• It is also home to the Dihang Dibang Biosphere Reserve.
• Chief minister: Pema Khandu
• Governor: B. D. Mishra.
• Capital Itanagar
• State Boundaries Assam, Nagaland

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• International boundaries
• Myanmar (440Km) , Bhutan (160Km) and China (1030Km)
• Separated from China by McMohan line, which is disputed.
• Tribes Abor, Apatanis, Khamti, Momba, Singphos, Khambas, Mishmis, Nyishi, Wancho
• Mountain Pass
• Bombdila Pass (India-Tibet)
• Bum La Pass (India-Tibet)
• Tunga Pass (India-Tibet)
• Dihang Pass (India-Tibet)

Protected Areas:
o Namdapha National Park
o Mouling National Park
o Sessa Orchid Sanctuary
o Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary
o Pakke Tiger Reserve

White Cheeked Macaque, a new mammal species in the country, has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh
• Discovered by scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• The Macaque was first discovered in China in 2015 and its existence was not known in
India before this.
• The White Cheeked Macaque has white cheeks, long and thick hair on the neck and a
longer tail than other Macaques.

Torgya Festival of the Monpa tribal community is celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh


• Dalai Lama offers blessings (also known as Tse-Boom) to other lamas by sending Feb
Jum which is a holy item to be used in rituals.
• The main attraction of the festival is the ‘Sha-na Cham’, the ritual dance performed by
monks

Arunachal Pradesh signed an agreement also known as ‘Namsai Declaration’ with Assam to
Resolve Border Dispute
• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
have inked a pact to end the 7 decades-old border dispute between the two states
• they agreed in principle on restricting the number of disputed villages to 86 instead of
123.
• The CMs met at Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh and signed the agreement.
• According to the ‘Namsai Declaration’, out of the 37 disputed villages, 28 which are
within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal Pradesh shall remain with the state
while, 3 villages will be with Assam.
• The two states share an 804.1 km-long border.
• The grievance of Arunachal Pradesh which was made a union territory in 1972 is that
several forested tracts in the plains that had traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs
and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam.
• After Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was
appointed which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to
Arunachal. Assam contested this and the matter is in the Supreme Court.
• Earlier, Assam and Meghalaya signed an agreement in March this year to end their five-
decade-old border dispute in six of the 12 contested locations.

Arunachal Pradesh's Hollongi Airport renamed as Donyi Polo Airport


• The Union Cabinet committee, chaired by PM Modi has approved the naming of
greenfield airport at Hollongi, Itanagar, as Donyi Polo Airport.
• The 'Doni Polo' reflects the people's respect for the Sun (Doni) and the Moon (Polo)

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• The project is being developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in collaboration with the Central
Government and the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh at a cost of Rs 646 crore.
• Hollongi Airport is the third airport in the state after Pasighat and Tezu airports, and the only airport in the
capital city.
• Doni Polo Airport in Itanagar is the 16th airport in Northeast India.

AIFF launches Grassroots Football Development (GFD) Scheme in Arunachal Pradesh


• AIFF - All India Football Federation
• Aim: Tap, select and nurture football talents in the age group of 6 to 12 years.
• AIFF will short-list 100 schools in the region and physical training teachers of selected schools
would be trained by AIFF experts
• AIFF President, Kalyan Chaubey

Arunachal Pradesh to get Northeast’s first fish museum


• The museum would be a part of the Integrated Aqua Park (IAP), sanctioned by the Union
Ministry of Fisheries.
• The existing Tarin Fish Farm, located at high-altitude Bulla village, would be upgraded as
the IAP.
• PM Modi had announced one IAP for each state and UT under the Pradhan Mantri
Matsya Sampad Yojana for bringing blue revolution.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMSSY)


• It is a sustainable development scheme focused on the fisheries sector, to be implemented in all States/UTs
from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 (during a period of 5 years) under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Under this scheme, an investment of Rs 20,050 crore will be made in the fisheries sector.
• Insurance cover, financial assistance and Kisan Credit Card facility are also provided to the fishermen under
the scheme.
• A growth of 14.3 percent has been registered in the fisheries sector till the year 2021-22 as compared to the
year 2019-20.

Sela Pass tunnel is being built in Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang) to provide all-weather
connectivity to China border
• The tunnel is being built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Balipara-Charduar-
Tawang (BCT) road under Project Vartak.
• The Sela Pass tunnel will bypass the existing road and will reduced the distance by
about 8-9 km
• It is expected to be completed by July 2023
• The project with 2 tunnels (980m and 1555m) and 8.780 km approach roads is under construction by Patel
Engineering Ltd. for BRO
• As per BRO, once constructed, it will be the longest bi-lane tunnel in the world at an altitude above 13,000
feet

Manipur
• Chief minister: N. Biren Singh
• 17th governor of Manipur is La. Ganesan
• Capital:- Imphal
• Date of Creation: 21st January 1972
• State Bird - Nongyeen
• State Animal - Sangai
• State Game - Manipuri Polo
• State Flower - Siroi Lily
• Festivals: - Lai-Haraoba, Yaoshang (Dol Jatra), Ratha Jatra, KUT (Kuki-chin-Mizo), Gang-Ngai, Chumpha,
Christmas, Cheiraoba, Hekru Hidongba, Ningol Chakouba, Lui Ngai Ni, Kwak Jatra
• Lake: - Loktak (The only Floating lake in the world and Largest freshwater lake in North -East India)

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The 18th edition of the Kachai Lemon Festival was held in Manipur
• an annual festival organised in Manipur to promote its unique lemon fruit and encourage
the lemon farmers.
• The theme of the two-day long festival was ‘Organic Kachai Lemon for Safe Environment and
Rural Transformation’.
• Kachai Lemon of Manipur is accorded Geographical Indication (GI) registration tag as it is a
rich source of ascorbic acid and famous for its juice content.
• It is widely grown in the Kachai Village of Ukhrul district.

‘Sajibu Nongma Panba’ is a traditional festival of Manipur


• ‘Sajibu Nongma Panba’ is a traditional festival for the followers of the Sanamahism religion in
Manipur, as a Lunar New Year.
• The day is mostly observed on the first day of the lunar month of Sajibu. Also known as
Meetei Cheiraoba or Sajibu Cheiraoba, the festival is celebrated by the Meitei people, one of
the largest ethnic communities in Manipur.

4th edition of state-level Shirui Lily Festival 2022 begins in Manipur


• State Flower of Manipur.
• The four-day-long festival
• inaugurated by the Governor of Manipur La. Ganesan and the Chief Minister N. Biren

50th All Manipur Shumang Leela Festival 2021-2022 organized in Imphal


• Shumang Leela:
• It is a traditional form of theatre in Manipur.

Manipur celebrated 7th Amur Falcon festival on 14 November


• in the Tamenglong district.
• organised since 2015 to spread awareness about protection and conservation of
Amur falcon.
• The Amur falcon is the world’s longest travelling small raptors of the falcon family. Raptor means birds of
prey.
• Amur Falcon breeds in the central Siberia region of Russia, eastern China. They migrate to
the North Eastern states of Manipur, Nagaland, and part of Assam, then cross the Arabian
Sea to South Africa and Kenya (distance of around 22,00 Km).
• Nagaland falcon capital of world
• Around a million Amur Falcon raptor stop at the Pangti village of the Wokha district in
Nagaland during October -November month.

Biggest Manipur festival –Sangai Festival


• Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy inaugurated
• on 21 November 2022 in Bishnupur district of Manipur.
• The 11th Sangai festival was held from 21 -30 November 2022. The festival
which started in 2010
• The festival is called Sangai festival to highlight the uniqueness of Sangai deer - a rare species of deer
which is also the state animal of Manipur.
• The theme of the Sangai festival 2022 is :‘ Festival of Oneness’.

The indigenous sagol kangjei, a sport that has now evolved into the modern game of polo, was
also was featured during the festival in its very own birthplace.

Poumai Naga area declared to be Drug-Free Zone


• Manipur's Poumai tribe has declared that Poumai inhabited areas to be a Drug-Free
Zone supporting the State government’s War on Drug campaign.
• The Poumai Naga are one of the major Naga tribes in Manipur.
• International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: 26 June

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Meghalaya
• Capital: Shillong
• Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
• Founded: 21 January 1972
• Brig. (Dr.) B.D. Mishra (Retd.), Governor of Arunachal Pradesh has been given the additional charge of
Meghalaya
• State Boundaries - Assam
• International Boundary - Bangladesh
• Number of Districts - 11
• State Animal - Clouded Leopard
• State Bird - Hill Myna
• State Flower - Lady Slipper Orchid
• State Tree - Gamhar
• Language - Khasi, Pnar, Garo & English
• Tribes - Khasis (largest group) followed by the Garos then the
Jaintias.
• Other: Hajongs, the Biates, the Koches and related Rajbongshis, the Boros, Dimasa, Kuki, Lakhar, Tiwa
(Lalung), Karbi, Rabha and Nepali.

Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridges, which were seen in the news recently, are situated in Meghalaya
• Jingkieng Jri: Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes of Meghalaya” has been included in the UNESCO World
Heritage Site tentative list.
• The Living Root bridges are home to several critically endangered species of flora and
fauna.
• They were built by the indigenous people of Meghalaya, using the living roots of Ficus
trees planted on both sides of a river.
• Locally known as “Jingkieng Jri”, there are found in 72 villages in the East Khasi Hills district and West Jaintia
Hills district
• The Geoglyphs of Konkan region of Maharashra, Sri Veerabhadra Temple and Monolithic Bull (Nandi) at
Lepakshi of Andhra Pradesh have made it to the Tentative list of UNESCO world heritage
sites in 2022.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization):
• Founded: 16 November 1945
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Members: 193 countries
• Head: Audrey Azoulay

Meghalaya hosted 83rd National Table Tennis Championship 2022


• at the SAI Indoor Training Centre, NEHU in Shillong from April 18 to 25.

Que: Glischropus meghalayanus, which was recently discovered in Meghalaya, belongs to which
species?
Ans: Bat
• A team of scientists has discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat from a bamboo
forest in Meghalaya.
• It was named as ‘Glischropus meghalayanus’ after the state of Meghalaya, which is celebrating its 50 years of
statehood.
• With this discovery, the total number of bat species from India stands at 131 species with Meghalaya
registering the highest bat diversity with 67 species.

‘Megha Kayak Festival 2022’ organized in Meghalaya


• four-day long mega global adventure sports spectacle,
• at Umtrew River at Umtham Village.

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Meghalaya Government launches ‘Asia's first Drone delivery hub for easy access to healthcare’
• The Meghalaya government in partnership with Startup TechEagle has unveiled Asia's first drone delivery
hub and network Meghalaya Drone Delivery Network (MDDN),
• MDDN and hub in Phase 1 is a combination of one central hub and 25 spokes (supply chain
nodes) in a radius of 50 kilometres
• The first official drone flight took off from Jengjal Sub Divisional Hospital on 5 December 2022,
which acts as the hub

Rising Sun Water Fest-2022 on ‘Umiam Lake’, Meghalaya


• The first of its kind water sports and cultural extravaganza held from November 3-5, aimed at promoting
tourism in the North East.
• The Rising Sun Water Fest was organised by the Eastern Command of the Indian Army in cooperation with
the governments of Assam and Meghalaya.
• The Umiam Lake also known as Barapani Lake is an artificial lake which was created after a dam was built on
the river Umiam in early 1960s.
• Umiam hydroelectric project supplies electricity to Meghalaya and Assam.
• The lake lies in the capital city of Meghalaya, Shillong.

Wangala Dance : Meghalaya


• Members of the Garo tribal community performed Wangala dance on the ‘The Rising
Sun Water Fest-2022’ on the banks of Umiam Lake in Meghalaya.
• The Wangala Festival, also known as the 100 drum festival
• Celebrated since 1976, it’s the most important festival of the Garo tribe
• During the Wangala, tribals offer sacrifices to please their deity Saljong, the Sun God.
• It marks the end of the long harvest season.
• The first day of the festival is celebrated with a ceremony called Ragula which is performed in the house of
the village’s chief.

Nagaland
• Nagaland was formally recognised as a separate state on 1st December, 1963,
with Kohima being declared as its capital.
• Capital: Kohima
• Chief minister: Neiphiu Rio
• Nagaland and Assam Governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi
• Mithun (Gayal) is the state animal of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Blyth's tragopan is the state bird of Nagaland.
• The Konyaks are the largest tribe, followed by the Aos, Tangkhuls, Semas,
and Angamis.
• Other tribes include the Lothas, Sangtams, Phoms, Changs, Khiem Hungama,
Yimchunger, Zeliangs, Chakhesangs (Chokri), and Rengmas.
• Protected Areas in Nagaland:
• Intanki National Park
• Singphan Wildlife Sanctuary
• Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary
• Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary
• Major Festival:
• The Hornbill Festival is a celebration held every year from 1 to 10 December, in Nagaland.

Nagaland became the first state in the country to implement the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)
programme to become completely paperless
• The Nagaland Assembly Secretariat has attached a tablet or e-book on each table for the 60 members. Now
members can use electronic devices to participate in House proceedings.
• expenses for implementing NeVA is funded by the Centre and the state government on a 90:10 sharing basis.

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Nagaland gets its 2nd railway station in 119 years


• On Dhansari-Shokhuvi railway line
• Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio flagged off the Donyi Polo Express from Shokhuvi Railway Station
• The Donyi Polo Express ran daily between Guwahati in Assam and Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh. The train
service has now been extended till Shokhuvi, a few kilometres from Dimapur.
• In line with PM’s vision of Act East Policy, adding that the region will not only connect with the mainland India
but also South East Asia which will bring economic benefits and improve connectivity.
• Dimapur Railway Station was inaugurated in 1903.

Naga Mircha (Naga King Chilli) Festival has been organized in Nagaland
• In a first of its kind in Nagaland, Naga Mircha (Naga King Chilli) Festival has been
organized at Seiyhama Village under Kohima district.
• The festival was sponsored by the Department of Horticulture.
• Naga Mircha was the first product to receive a GI tag from Nagaland.
• Other GI tags form Nagaland - Naga Tree Tomato, Chakhesang shawls and Nagaland
“sweet cucumber”

Hornbill Festival celebrated in Nagaland from Dec 1-10


• 23rd edition of the Hornbill Festival celebrated at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama (about 12
km from Kohima.).
• Jio is the official media partner of the festival.
• India assumed the G20 chairmanship from 1 December, which coincides with Nagaland
Statehood Day and the start of the Hornbill festival.

Nagaland organised Tokhü Emong Bird Count


• Nagaland undertook the first avian documentation exercise.
• The first edition of the Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC) was organised from November 4 to 7,
2022.
• Aim: To spread awareness about Nagaland’s bird diversity.
• It was held during the Tokhü Emong post-harvest festival of the Lotha Nagas

Tripura
• Capital: Agartala
• Chief Minister: Manik Saha
• Governor of Tripura Shri Satyadeo Narain Arya
• Date of Formation: October 15, 1949 (merged with Indian Union)
• January 26, 1950 (accorded the ‘C’ category state)
• November 01, 1956 (recognized as Union Territory)
• January 21, 1972 (Gained full statehood)
• State Animal: Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei)
• State Bird: Green Imperial Pigeon (Ducula aenea)
• State Tree: Agar (Aquilaria malaccensis)
• State Flower: Nageswar (Mesua Ferrea)
• Rivers:Gomti, Khowai, Howrah, Longai, Dhalai, Muhuri, Feni, Manu, Burima
• Forests and Wildlife sanctuaries Shepahijala WS, Trishna WS, Rowa WS, Clouded Leopard NP
• Tribes: Bhil, Bhutia, Riang, Santal, Uchai, Orang, Noatia, Kuki, Khasia, Jamatia, Garoo, Chakma
• Lake Rudrsagar is the only lake in eastern India with a palace in it; Neermahal was built by Maharaja Bir
Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur as a summer resort.

Highlights of PM Modi visit to Tripura


• 'HIRA' (H-highways, I- internet way, R-railways, A-airport) model of development in
Tripura.
• PM inaugurated the new Terminal Building of Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport.
• Mukhyamantri Tripura Gram Sammridhi Yojana inaugurated, to promote tap water
for every household, housing, Ayushman coverage, insurance cover, etc.

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• Tripura will also receive the Project Mission 100 of Vidyajyoti Schools.

Tripura Govt announced “Mukhyamantri Chaa Srami Kalyan Prakalpa” scheme for tea workers
• A special scheme, allotting Rs. 85 crores for its implementation, as a step towards bringing the 7000 tea
garden workers of Tripura under the social security net.
• The Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Amit Shah had inaugurated the Chief Minister
Shramik Kalyan Prakalp scheme for the women of Tripura on the occasion of International
Women’s Day
• He has also laid the foundation stone for National Forensic Sciences University in
Agartala, capital of Tripura.

Kharchi Festival:
• Kharchi Puja is a Hindu festival from Tripura, the festival involves the worship of the
fourteen gods forming the dynasty deity of the Tripuri people.
• ‘khar’ means sin and ‘çhi’ means cleaning – cleaning of sins.
• The temple of the 14 gods was built during the reign of Maharaja Krishna Manikya.

Tripura government launches "Earn with Learn" scheme


• to bring back those who had dropped out of schools following the outbreak of Covid-19.
• This scheme is a part of the Vidyalaya Chalo Abhiyan (Let's go to school).
• About 9,000 students between the age group of 6 to14 had dropped out of school during
the pandemic.
• Third-year college students will be tasked with conducting surveys to identify dropouts
across classes and rewarded ₹500 for re-enrolling them in schools.

Tripura To Get India’s First Buddhist Varsity; Foundation Stone Laid On November 29
• Dhamma Dipa International Buddhist University (DDIBU) will be the first Buddhist
University in India.
• Shakya Gasan (Chief monk of World Buddhist Pope Association of Korea) laid the
foundation stone of it in Manu Bankul of South Tripura.
• This university will be headed by Buddhist Monastics and run and monitored by
Buddhists.
• Aim: For promotion and revitalization of Buddhist culture

• The oldest mountain –


Rajasthan Aravalli
• Governor: Kalraj Mishra • Pink City – Jaipur
• Capital: Jaipur • Paris of India – Jaipur
• Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot • City of stepwells – Bundi
• Total District 33 • Golden City – Jaisalmer
• Ancient name of State: Marukantar, Rajputana • Sports Dance of
• State tree: Khejri Rajasthan – Neja Dance
• State domestic animal: Camel • City of Lakes – Udaipur
• State animal: Chinkara • Forest of Hope – Banas
• State bird: Godavan River
• State Sports of Rajasthan – Basketball
• Folk dance of Rajasthan – Ghoomar
• First Chief Minister of Rajasthan – Heera Lal Shastri
• Eye of Mewar – Kumbhalgarh Fort (Katargarh)
• Tribal Kumbh – Beneshwar
• Andaman of Rajasthan – Jaisalmer
• Sun City of Rajasthan – Jodhpur

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Main Waterfalls in Rajasthan Tiger Reserve


Waterfalls River Place Ranthabur Tiger Reserve
Chulia Falls Chambal River Bhainsrodgarh (Kota)
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Bhimtal Falls Mangli River Bhimtal, Bundi
Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve
Menal Falls Menal River Begu (Chittorgarh)
Dir falls Kankur River Torgarh-Rawali Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve
Bhil Berry Falls Bhil Berry Waterfall Sanctuary (Pali)

Azure Power Global has commissioned a 600 MWs Interstate Transmission System (ISTS) connected solar project
allocated by Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in Rajasthan (Bikaner)
• This is the largest solar power project in India, owned and operated at a single location by any developer.
• Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI):
• Established: 20th September 2011
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• Chairman: Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi
• Managing Director: Suman Sharma

Maru Mahotsav is celebrated in Rajasthan


• The renowned Jaisalmer Desert Festival, also known as Maru Mahotsav of the
Golden City held from 13 to 16 February 2022 at Pokaran village in Jaisalmer,
Rajasthan.
• The festival is celebrated amidst the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert in the Sam
dunes (42 kilometers from Jaisalmer).
• It is a four-day-long annual event. Regional folk dances such as Kalbelia, Kachhi
Ghodi, Gair were performed.

Under the Saubhagya scheme, Rajasthan has the maximum number of households electrified through the solar-
based standalone system
• 1,23,682 households were electrified through the solar-based standalone system in Rajasthan, followed by
Chhattisgarh (65,373), Uttar Pradesh (53,234)
• Under the Saubhagya Scheme, 2.8 crore households were electrified up to March 31 last year
• Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana – Saubhagya scheme was launched on 25th September 2017 focusing on last mile
connectivity and electricity connections to all the unelectrified households in the country.
• The total outlay of the project is Rs. 16, 320 crore
• Power Minister - R K Singh

Rajasthan Public Examination (measures for prevention of unfair means in recruitment) Bill, 2022
• Rajasthan Assembly passed the Bill providing up to 10-yr jail, up to Rs 10-cr fine for
cheating in exams
• Under the Act, if an examinee takes unauthorised help in public examination, or uses any
unauthorised electronic or mechanical instrument or gadget, then it may invite
imprisonment up to three years and a fine not less than Rs 1 lakh.
• All offences specified under this Act, shall be cognizable, non-bailable and non–compoundable.

Rajasthan announced ‘Camel Protection and Development Policy’ with Rs 10 crores budget
• According to the government figures, less than two lakh camels are left in Rajasthan,
• and in the entire country, the number of camels has reduced by 1.5 lakh since 2012.
• Camel is the state animal of Rajasthan and their number is continuously decreasing.
The Rajasthan government had declared the camel as the state animal in 2014.
• About 85 percent of the country’s camels are found in Rajasthan followed by Gujarat,
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

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Rajasthan becomes first state in the country to get an L-root server


• This server with uninterrupted internet connectivity will help the state government to provide its flagship
digital services and implement e- governance. This will strengthen the Internet infrastructure in Rajasthan
• The state will no longer rely on a root server for the domain name system. If there is any problem in internet
connectivity due to natural calamity or technical disturbance in India or the entire continent of Asia, even
the internet can be accessed in Rajasthan without any interruption.
• This new server has been installed in collaboration with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN) at Bhamashah State Data Center, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• There are currently three J-Route servers in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Gorakhpur in
India, and two L-Route servers in Kolkata and Mumbai.
• But the L-Route server installed in Rajasthan is the first, which has been deployed at
the state level.
• Server - network computer, computer program, or device that processes requests
from a client (see client-server architecture). On the World Wide Web, for example, a Web server is a
computer that uses the HTTP protocol to send Web pages to a client's computer when the client requests
them.

Rajasthan’s ‘Miyan Ka Bada’ railway station has been renamed as “Mahesh Nagar Halt”?
• Situated in the Balotra area of Rajasthan’s Barmer district

According to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker, Rajasthan has become the first state in India
to reach 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations
• The state has a total installed power capacity of 32.5 GW, with renewables accounting for
55 percent, thermal energy for 43 percent, and nuclear energy accounting for the remaining
2%.
• Rajasthan has about 16 GW of solar projects under development, according to Mercom’s India Solar Project
Tracker.

Special Health Care Abhiyan ‘Anchal’ for pregnant women launched Rajasthan (Karauli district)
• to ensure all necessary medical aid to pregnant women at the pre and post-natal stage so
that maternal and infant mortality rates could be reduced.

Rajasthan’s New Wetland:


• Recognised as the “bird village” following community-driven conservation efforts,
Menar in Udaipur district is set to be notified as Rajasthan’s new wetland.
• Menar Wetland:
• The two lakes in the Menar village – the Brahma and Dhandh play host to a large
number of migratory birds every year.
• More than 150 species of local and migratory birds inhabit the two lakes in the winter season.
• At present, Rajasthan has two wetlands recognised as Ramsar sites –
• Keoladeo Ghana in Bharatpur district
• Sambhar Salt Lake in Jaipur district.

Rajasthan govt introduced India's first right-to-health Bill


• Aim: To provide quality and affordable health care services through government and
private health care providers.
• The state has also ensured health security of every family by providing free treatment
up to Rs 10 lakh to the people through Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima
Yojana.

Rajasthan has signed MoU with Telangana to set up all women-run cooperative bank
• Rajasthan Grameen Aajivika Vikas Parishad (RGAV) has signed an agreement with
Stree Nidhi-Telangana to set up a financial institution for women in Rajasthan.
• Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi is being set up in Rajasthan on the lines of Telangana's Stree
Nidhi model.

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• Rajasthan's CM, Ashok Gehlot had announced the setting up a bank run by women in the state budget 2022-
23.
• Women's economic empowerment would get a boost and th ey would be able to get loans for their
enterprises.

Rajasthan gets AI-Powered chatbot for fast disposal of cases in Lok Adalat
• Country’s first AI-powered digital Lok Adalat launched by National Legal Services
Authority (NALSA) Chairman, Uday Umesh Lalit
• during the 18th All India Legal Services Authorities’ meet held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• NALSA:
• Founded: 9 November 1995
• Headquarters location: New Delhi
• Motto: Access to Justice for All

Rajasthan government has inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi Centre of Advance Technology (R-CAT)
• With an aim to make tech graduates more employable.
• On the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's birth anniversary
• R-CAT will conduct training programs on advanced and emerging information technologies with a duration
ranging from 1 week to 6 months for graduates.
• The school will issue industry standard certificates for the courses to the successful candidates.

Que: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has commenced its first Cow dung to Compressed Biogas Project in
which state?
Ans: Rajasthan (Sanchore)
• The plant, the first such under HPCL’s Waste-to-Energy portfolio, is proposed to utilize
100 tons of dung per day to produce biogas, which can be utilized as automotive fuel.
• The project is being developed under GOBAR-Dhan scheme launched by Government
of India in April 2018 as a part of the Biodegradable Waste Management component under the Swachh
Bharat Mission (Grameen)
• to positively impact cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste

Rajasthan govt launches ‘Mahila Nidhi’ to support women entrepreneurs


• loan scheme ‘Mahila Nidhi’ with an aim to ensure easy loans for women in business.
• The scheme also aims the social and economic development of women through credit.
• The scheme will disburse loans of up to Rs 40,000 within 48 hours, and above Rs 40,000
within 15 days.

Que: Which state government has launched Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Scheme for 100
days of employment in a year to families residing in urban areas?
Ans: Rajasthan
• On the lines of rural employment guarantee scheme MGNREGA
• The scheme to be launched would cover works like environment protection, water and
heritage conservation, garden maintenance, and removing encroachments, illegal sign
boards, hoardings, banners, etc.
• People from the age group of 18 to 60 are eligible for the scheme.
• The state government has allocated Rs 800 crore for the scheme.

Que: Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has commissioned the world’s largest wind-solar power plant of 600 MW
capacity in which state?
Ans: Rajasthan (Jaisalmer)
• This project consists of 600 MW solar and 150 MW wind plants.
• In May 2022, AGEL operationalized India’s first hybrid power plant with a capacity of 390 MW in Jaisalmer.
• AGEL now has total operational generation capacity of 6.7 GW - the largest in the world. Its vision of 45 GW
capacity by 2030.

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• Adani Green:
• Founder: Gautam Adani
• Founded: 23 January 2015
• Headquarters: Ahmedabad

Parakram Diwas celebrated in Rajasthan on the occasion of 51st anniversary of Longewala


battle
• at Jaisalmer Military Station and Longewala War Memorial in Rajasthan on December 5.
• The Battle of Longewala was one of the biggest and most decisive battles fought between
India and Pakistan in 1971.

Gujarat
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel
• Date of Formation: 1st May 1960
• Largest city : Ahmedabad
• State Animal: Asiatic Lion
• State Bird: Greater Flamingo
• State Tree: Mango
• State Flower: Golgotha
• Cities Located at the banks of river:
• Surat – Tapi
• Ahmedabad – Sabarmati
• Gandhinagar – Sabarmati
• Baruch – Narmad

Multi-purpose projects:
• Sardar Sarovar Project – Narmada river
• Kakrapa Project – Tapi river
• Mahi Project – Mahi Project
• Ukai Project – Tapi river

World Heritage Site:


• Rani-Ki-Vav, Patan
• Champaner-Pavagarh Archeological Park
• Historic city of Ahmedabad

Indian Railways has renamed Kevadiya railway station as Ekta Nagar railway station
• The Statue of Unity’s Kevadiya railway station falls under the Vadodara division.

Que: The foundation stone for International Cricket Stadium in Jaipur was laid recently. It is said to be the third
largest stadium in the world. What is the proposed seating capacity of the stadium?
Ans: 75,000
• Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly laid the foundation
stone of world’s third-largest cricket stadium in Jaipur
• second-largest cricket stadium in India
• The stadium will have a seating capacity of 75,000 spectators.
• 1st - Motera Stadium, Ahmendabad
• 2nd - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia

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Que: The Ministry for Fisheries will organise ‘Sagar Parikrama’ initiative in phased manner to understand the
challenges, experiences and aspirations of fishermen community. The programme has been rolled out in which state
in first phase?
Ans: Gujarat
• To begin with, Gujarat will mark the first state under this initiative.
• The Union Minister for Fisheries, Parshottam Rupala inaugurated the ‘Sagar Parikrama’
• Sagar Parikrama program is proposed to be celebrated in all coastal states/UTs through
a pre-decided sea route down right from Gujarat, Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands
• Bardoli Satyagraha - on 12 June 1928.

Que: The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) will come up in which Indian city?
Ans: Jamnagar, Gujarat
• This global knowledge centre for traditional medicine, supported by an investment of USD 250 million from
the Government of India, aims to harness the potential of traditional medicine from
across the world through modern science and technology
• This would be the first and only global Centre for traditional medicine across the globe,
set up by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The WHO GCTM will be established under the Ministry of AYUSH.

‘Halari’ is a breed of Donkey, native to the Saurashtra region of Gujarat


• ‘Halari’ is a breed of Donkeys native to Gujarat. The population of the breed is
fast declining in the country.
• Union Minister Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
Parsottam Rupala presided over a meeting of Maldharis (or traditional
herdsmen) for the conservation of Halari donkeys.
• An animal fair with the best of Halari donkeys, goats of Kahmi and Bhagri breeds,
will also be organised.

Gujarat government has completed 100 years of Pal-Dadhvav massacre


• The Pal-Dadhvav massacre took place on March 7, 1922, where tribal revolutionaries fell to British bullets.
• ‘Eki movement’, led by one Motilal Tejawat was to protest against the land revenue tax (lagaan) imposed on
the peasants by the British and feudal lords.
• Gujarat government called it a massacre “bigger than the Jallianwala Bagh”.
• Before this, the incident had been featured on the state’s Republic Day tableau.

Que: Under the ‘Hanumanji Char Dham’ project, PM Modi has unveiled the 108ft tall statute of Lord Hanuman in
West Direction of the country, in which city?
Ans: Morbi, Gujarat
• at the Ashram of Bapu Keshvanand ji, via video conferencing on April 16, 2022, on
the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
• This statue is the second among the four statues being built in the four directions
across the country, as part of the ‘Hanumanji Char Dham’ project.
• The first such grand statue of Hanuman Ji was inaugurated in the North in Shimla,
Himachal Pradesh in 2010.
• The third statue will be set up in the South at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
• Similarly the final statue will be established
• in East in West Bengal.

Madhavpur Ghed Fair has been organised in Porbandar in Gujarat


• Since 2018, the Government of Gujarat in association with the Ministry of
Culture is organizing this fair every year to celebrate the sacred union of Lord
Krishna and Rukmini.
• The former President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated five-day long
Madhavpur Ghed Fair on April 10, 2022,

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• The Madhavpur Fair connects Gujarat with north-east region in an integral bond.
• Born in today's Uttar Pradesh, Shri Krishna makes Gujarat his workplace and
marries Rukmini, a princess from today's north- eastern region of our country.

Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the Seema Darshan Project at Nadabet on the
Indo-Pak border in Gujarat
• in Banaskantha District of Gujarat.
• The project was launched with the aim to provide an opportunity for the citizen to
observe the life and work of the BSF personnel on our border.
• The tourist can see missiles, tanks, aircraft etc which are used by the Indian Army and
BSF at Nadabet.
• Under the Seema Darshan Project, Nadabet is being developed as a tourist attraction destination at a cost of
Rs 125 crore by the state tourism department.
• BSF Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founder: Khusro Faramurz Rustamji
• Founded: 1 December 1965

Que: Which city is set to become the first station to be ready for India’s upcoming Bullet Train Project?
Ans: Surat
• Surat will become the 1st station to be ready b/w Ahmedabad – Mumbai Bullet Train route for India’s 1st
futuristic High-Speed Rail project, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor.
• The MAHSR corridor will cover 12 stations: Surat, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati, Bilimora,
Bharuch, Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi stations.
• The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train will run on Japanese Shinkansen Technology. National High-Speed Rail
Corporation Ltd. (NHSRCL) is the implementing agency for the project.

The longest bridge on Narmada river in Gujarat to be completed by June 2024.


• The bridge in Bharuch city of Gujarat is set to be the longest bridge on the 508 km Bullet
Train corridor
• According to Pramod Sharma, Managing Director, National High-Speed Rail Corporation
(NHSRCL), the construction of 1,260 metre long bridge is underway and the goal is to
complete the project by June 2024.
• The trial run for the entire Gujarat section of the Mumbai- Ahmedabad high-speed train corridor will begin
in the year 2026 and services for people will be rolled out by 2027

Que: Which city is hosted Global Patidar Business Summit 2022?


Ans: Surat
• Was organized by Sardardham in Surat
• Inaugurate by PM Modi
• Was organised under the ‘Mission 2026’ to provide momentum for the socio-economic
development of the Patidar community.
• The theme of GPBS 2022 is “Aatmanirbhar Community to Aatmanirbhar Gujarat and India”
• The Summit is organized every two years.
• The first two Summits were held in Gandhinagar in 2018 and 2020.

Que: The World Bank sanctioned USD 350 billion to which state for implementing the ‘SRESTHA’ Project?
Ans: Gujarat
• Systems Reform Endeavours for Transformed Health Achievement in Gujarat (SRESTHA-G).
• Under the project, the government will undertake the initiative to expand the health
services to the rural and urban people and strengthening the epidemic prevention system of
the state.
• The 5-year total cost of the project will be around USD 500 billion, of which USD 350 billion
will be provided by the World Bank while the rest is borne by the state.

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BRICS countries’ multilateral bank ‘New Development Bank (NDB)’ will open its first regional office in India in
Gujarat
• Headquartered in Shanghai, the NDB was established by BRICS nations, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and
South Africa.
• The New Development Bank formally opened in July 2015.

Que: Which state government has signed an agreement with Isha Outreach to conserve soil?
Ans: Gujarat
• Climate Change Department of Gujarat has signed an MoU with Isha Outreach to join
the worldwide ‘Save Soil’ initiative.
• Sadhguru and Gujarat Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel in Ahmedabad.
• Sadguru has set out on a 100-day motorcycle tour (30,000 Km) to raise awareness
about the soil regeneration campaign throughout the world.
• Gujarat has become the first state in the country to join worldwide soil protection
campaign.
• World Soil Day: 5 December

Gujarat hosted the National Education Ministers’ Conference 2022


• This meeting was attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan with
other UT and State ministers.
• This meeting focussed on the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020
with digital projects like National Digital Education Architecture and the National
Educational Technology Forum, among others.

Que: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated the headquarters of the Indian National Space
Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) in which city?
Ans: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• The establishment of IN-SPACe was announced in June 2020.
• It is an autonomous and single window nodal agency in the Department of Space
for the promotion, encouragement and regulation of space activities of both
government and private entities.
• It also facilitates the usage of ISRO facilities by private entities.
• Chairperson of IN-SPACe - Pawan Kumar Goenka

Cabinet approves Development of New Greenfield Airport Dholera, Ahmedabad


• Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Modi has approved
the proposal for the development of Phase I of New Greenfield Airport at Dholera,
Gujarat.
• The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 1305 crore and to be completed within 48
months.
• Dholera Greenfield Airport is situated at an aerial distance of 80 Km from
Ahmedabad, Airport.
• The Airport is planned for operationalization from the year 2025-26
India's first-ever girl "Balika Panchayat" was started in several villages of Gujarat's Kutch district
• "Balika Panchayat" is managed by people in the 11-21 age group and its main objective is to promote the
social and political development of the girl child and to remove the evil practices from the society such as
child marriage, and the dowry system.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development is also planning to begin the girl panchayat across the
country.

Ajitnath Jain Temple, one of the holy Jain Tirthankaras, at Taranga Hill, is located in Gujarat
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Taranga Hill-Ambaji-
Abu Road new rail line in Gujarat and Rajasthan to provide connectivity and improve
mobility.

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• The estimated cost of this project is Rs 2798.16 crores and will be completed by 2026-27.
• The total length of the new rail line will be 116.65 km and will be constructed by the Ministry of Railways.

Union cabinet has approved the setting up of the Gati Shakti University in
Vadodara, Gujarat
• Union Cabinet has approved the up-gradation of the National Rail and
Transportation Institute (NRTI) to Gati Shakti University in Gujarat.
• Ashwini Vaishnav (Railway Minister) appointed the first Chancellor of this
university.
• This university would serve as a hub for education, training, skilling, and
research in the transportation sector.
• In December 2017, Union Cabinet had approved a proposal of the railway
ministry to set up the first-ever NRTU in Vadodara.
• The University is named after the government’s flagship Rs 100 trillion PM
Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity. It received its
first-ever outlay of ₹20,000 crore in the budget of FY22-23.

PM Modi launches India’s first global gold exchange in Gujarat


• India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) - in the GIFT city (Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City)
• India is the world’s second biggest consumer of gold. Setting up of bullion
exchange could lead to standard gold pricing in the country and make it
easier for small bullion dealers and jewellers to trade in the precious metal
• The PM laid the foundation stone of the headquarters building of the
International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), the country’s first and only
IFSC in line with those in UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong.
• A bullion market is a market through which buyers and sellers trade gold and silver.

Que: The 300-metre long ‘Atal Bridge’ for pedestrians and cyclists has been
inaugurated in which city?
Ans: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Bridge across the Sabarmati
River in Ahmedabad from the Khadi Utsav
• design inspired by the famous kite festival.

Reliance Industries will set up India’s first and one of the world’s largest carbon
fibre plants in Gujarat
• The plant will have a capacity of 20,000 million metric tonnes per annum.
• The first phase of the plant will be completed in 2025.
• Carbon fibre is a lightweight material with high conductivity that has the
potential to replace steel.
• Founded – 8 May 1973
• Founder – Dhirubhai Ambani
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

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Gujarati celebrates new year 'Bestu Varsh'


• Bestu Varas, Gujarati New Year is celebrated a day after Diwali on the Pratipada Tithi in
the month of Kartik.
• The day is also called Varsha Pratipada or Padwa.
• Significance: Gujarati businessmen and traders start new books of account and close the old ones.
• These account books are called chopda or bahi-khata.

Gujarat achieved 100 percent household tap connections under JJM


• Gujarat is now the third big state, after Haryana and Telangana that has now declared
completion of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Gujarat has been declared as a Har Ghar Jal state.
• It means all households in rural areas have access to safe drinking water through taps in
the state.
• Smaller states/UTs of Goa, Puducherry, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman &
Diu - declared completion of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Launched in 2019, this mission targets to provide potable tap water to all the villages in the country by 2024.

PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for a new air base at Deesa in the Banaskantha district of north
Gujarat near the India-Pakistan border
• The air base, after its completion, will reduce gap of 355 Kms between the Air Force station in Bhuj and
Uttarlai.
• The approval to construct a full-fledged air base was given by Centre in 2020.
• The development of the airbase will be done in two phases at an approximate cost of Rs 980 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated ‘OYO Ekta Houseboat’ in Gujarat
PM Modi has dedicated three attractions in Gujarat:
1. Largest Maze (labyrinth) Garden in India, in the shape of a ‘yantra’ that emanates positive
energy
2. a ‘Miyawaki’ forest near this Maze Garden, which originally used as a dumping site.
3. ‘OYO Ekta Houseboat’, Gujarat’s first houseboat service in the vicinity of the Statue of
Unity.

Que: Where will ‘Museum of Royal Kingdoms’ be set up?


Ans: Kevadia in Gujarat
• A museum will be built in Ekta Nagar dedicated to the sacrifice of the royal families who sacrificed their
rights for the unity of the country”
• “This is the first such museum depicting the contributions of the royal kingdoms of our country.

Morbi Bridge in Gujarat is located on Machchu river


• The 754-feet bridge on the Machchu river was built during British rule in the 19th
Century.
• 135-year-old suspension bridge collapsed four days after it was reopened, after being
closed for over seven months for repair and renovation work, killing over 140 people
• It is a popular tourist attraction known as Julto Pul (swinging bridge).

Adani New Industries Limited has installed of country’s largest Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) in Gujarat
• Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL): it has installed a wind turbine taller than the
world's tallest 'Statue of Unity’ (182 metres)at Mundra, Gujarat.
• This turbine has been installed by Mundra Windtech Limited (MWL), a subsidiary of
Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL).
• The 200 m long wind turbine has a power generation capacity of 5.2 MW and can
provide electricity to about 4,000 homes.

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Gujarat becomes first Indian state to get Reliance Jio 5G in all districts
• Reliance Jio 5G was first launched in October this year.

Maharashtra
• Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
• Capital: Mumbai
• Chief Minister: Eknath Shinde
• On May 1st, 1960, the bilingual state of Bombay was divided
into two separate states by the Bombay Reorganisation Act,
1960: Maharashtra for Marathi speaking people and Gujarat for
Gujarati speaking people.
• State Animal: Indian Giant Squirrel
• State Dance: Lavani
• Tribes: Bhil, Gond-Madia, Katkari, Koli, Oraon, Warli
• Kalsubai Peak (in Sahyadri Range) near Igatpuri is the highest Peak with an altitude
of 1646 m.
• India's first Gold Refinery is located at Shirpur.
• Tadoba National Park is the oldest and largest National Park of the State.
• 6 Tiger Reserves in the State: Pench Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Bor Tiger Reserve, Sahyadri Tiger
Reserve, Navegaon Tiger Reserve and Tadoba Tiger Reserve.
• There are two major Lakes in the state: Lonar Lake and Salim Ali Lake. Lonar Lake was created by a meteor
impact in the past.
• State has total of 5 World Heritage Site: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Western Ghats and
Chattrapati Shivaji Terminal.

Maharashtra government’s assembly passed ‘Shakti Criminal Laws’ to include death penalty as punishment in
cases of rape and gangrape
• Maharashtra became the second state in India after Andhra Pradesh (Andhra Pradesh’s Disha Act) to
approve death penalty for heinous offences of rape and gangrape.

As per the Economic Survey 2021-22, Maharashtra has topped the list of newly recognized startups and unicorns
• Maharashtra recognized 11,308 of the total 14,000 startups that began operations in the current financial
year.
• Out of 44 Unicorn companies, 11 are based in the state.
• Initiatives like Startup Week, Incubation Cells, Hackathon are regularly carried out, helping the state to reach
this height.
• Maharashtra also ranks 2nd on Niti Aayog’s Innovation Index 2020.

Maharashtra has announced to launch “Hope Express”, India’s first such Mosaic-3D radiation machine, to prevent
cancer
• Launched by Maharashtra’s Health Minister, Rajesh Tope
• Launched at a private hospital in Kolhapur.

Que: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has approved project worth _____________for cleaning up
rivers Mula, Mutha and Mula-Mutha (confluence of both rivers) of Pune Municipal Corporation area.
Ans: Rs 1000 crores
• Mula and Mutha rivers are heavily polluted with the city’s sewage being dumped into the rivers.
• Mula and Mutha later meet Krishna River in Western Ghats and finally empties into the Bay of Bengal.
• Aim: To improve the water quality by augmenting sewage collection systems, sewage treatment facilities
and improving sanitation in Pune Municipal Corporation area.
• JICA Founded– 1974
• Headquarters-Tokyo, Japan
• President- Shinichi Kitaoka

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Que: Which city has announced its detailed framework to ‘zero out carbon emissions by 2050’ and became the first
city in South Asia to set such a target?
Ans: Mumbai
• Mumbai’s target is 20 years ahead of India’s target to reach net zero emissions by 2070.
Targets also include a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and
44% reduction by 2040.
• Mumbai set several short-term goals for decarbonisation measures such as electrifying
public transport, it plans to adopt 2,100 electric buses by 2023 at a cost of 130 billion
rupees (USD $1.7 billion).

Que: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a 9.5-feet tall statue of great Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj in ____________________.
Ans: Pune, Maharashtra
• He also launched a 12-km stretch of 32.2-km-long metro rail project at a total cost of more than ₹ 11,400
crores in Pune.
• Pune Metro is the first project in India to have aluminium body coaches, indigenously
manufactured under the ‘Make in India’.
• PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the rejuvenation and pollution abatement
of the Mula-Mutha River projects in Pune.

40th edition of Hunar Haat recently began in Mumbai.


• Union minister Anurag Thakur inaugurated 40th edition of “Hunar Haat,” a forum to
preserve, protect, and promote local artists and craftsmen.
• ”Hunar Haat” is bolstering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for “voice for local”
and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.

India’s first-ever internet radio channel for the visually impaired, named ‘Radio Aksh’
launched in Nagpur, Maharashtra
• Nagpur’s 96-year-old institution, The Blind Relief Association Nagpur (TBRAN) and
Samdrushti Kshamata Vikas Avam Anusandhan Mandal (Saksham) are the organisations
behind this idea.
• The channel will be available on various internet radio platforms for free.

Maharashtra cabinet approved the ‘Gene Bank’, a first-of-its-kind project in India for
biodiversity conservation
• to conserve native and endangered animals and biological species.
• The Gene Bank will work on freshwater, grassland biodiversity, protection, marine, crop, veterinary, and
management of forest right areas, and regeneration of forests.
• An amount of ₹172.39 crores will be spent on these.
• The project will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB).

A commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of Jawaharlal Darda was announced recently. He was a
businessman and Minister in Maharashtra
• commemorative coin of Rs 100 denomination is likely to be issued on July 2, 2023, to
coincide with the 100th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Darda.
• He was a former Congress leader and founder of the Lokmat group of newspapers.

‘Jivhala’ is a special loan scheme launched by which Maharashtra


• The Maharashtra Department of Prisons has launched first kind of credit scheme for
prisoners in jails across the state.
• The loan scheme is for inmates who are undergoing a prison sentence of more
than 3 years.
• The pilot was introduced at Yerawada Central Jail in Pune, and will be extended to
nearly 60 prisons.

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• Inmates can use the loans for education of their children, medical treatment of family members, legal fees,
or other expenses.

Maharashtra is the top sugar producer of India in 2021-22


• Maharashtra has overtaken Uttar Pradesh (UP) to regain its position as India’s top sugar producer, in the
year 2021-22, after five-year gap.
• The state’s output for the 2021-22 stood at 138 lakh tonnes (lt).
• That is highest ever beating the previous 107.21 lakh tonnes of 2018-19.
• Maharashtra is followed by Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.

Que: Which Indian city is sinking at an average rate of 2mm every year?
Ans: Mumbai
• because of a geographical phenomenon known as land subsidence, as per a recent
research done by the researchers of IIT Bombay.
• Land subsidence means downward, vertical movement of the earth’s surface which is
caused by groundwater extraction, mining, and other ecological disturbances.
• The Arabian Sea is rising by 0.5 to 3mm per year as the sea levels are rising
• Tianjin in China is the fastest sinking coastal city in the world at a rate of 5.2cm per
year.

Que: Which state government has signed an MoU with Adani Green Energy Group Limited (AGEL) to generate 11,000
MW of green power?
Ans: Maharashtra
• in the next five years.
• It would entail an investment of Rs 60,000 crore and provide employment to 30,000 persons.
• Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL)
• Founded – 2015
• Founder – Gautam Adani
• Headquarters- Ahmedabad
• MD & CEO – Vneet S. Jaain

Que: DB Patil International Airport is located in which state?


Ans: Maharashtra
• Navi Mumbai Airport will now be known as DB Patil International Airport.
• The renaming of the cities Aurangabad and Osmanabad was agreed by the Maharashtra state cabinet.
• Recently Name Changed
• Aurangabad – Sambhaji Nagar
• Osmanabad – Dharashiv
• Navi Mumbai Airport – DB Patil International Airport
• Miyan Ka Bada – Mahesh Nagar Halt
• Kevadia Railway Station – Ekta Nagar Railway Station
• Jhansi Railway Station – Veerangana Laxmibai Railway Station
• Jawaharlal Nehru Road – Narendra Modi Marg 2022

Que: ‘Banthia Commission’ report, which was seen in the news, is associated with which field?
Ans: Reservation in Local bodies
• Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission is a six-member commission, set up by Maharashtra government in
March 2022, to look into matter of reservation of Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
in local bodies.
• The Commission, in its report, recommended that OBCs should be given up to 27
percent reservation in local bodies.
• On July 20, 2022, The Supreme Court of India accepted the report of the
Commission.

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Que: After whose name will the Chipi greenfield airport be renamed?
Answer: Barrister Nath Pai
• The Maharashtra government has decided to name the Chipi
greenfield airport in Sindhudurg district (Sindhudurg Airport)
• after the late barrister Nath Pai, a freedom fighter and socialist.
• 2022 is the birth centenary year of Nath Pai.

Maharashtra’s Daulatabad Fort to be renamed as ‘Devgiri’ Fort


• located in Devagiri Village near Aurangabad It is a national heritage monument, which is
maintained by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Earlier, Maharashtra’s former CM Uddhav Thackeray had renamed Aurangabad as
Sambhajinagar.
• The Yadava kings were the first to erect a huge fort at Devgiri, their capital. Devgiri fell to
Delhi emperor Allauddin Khilaji.

• Mohammad Tughlaq was given the monicker of ‘the mad king’ for trying to shift his
capital from Delhi to Daulatabad only to return two years later as Mongol invasions from the north
continued to threaten his empire.

Que: India’s first ‘Migration Monitoring System’ has been inaugurated in Mumbai. It is developed by which
department?
Ans: Ministry of Women and Child Development
• The system is aimed at providing updated information on migrant pregnant women, lactating mothers, and
children instantly on a single system.
• About Migration Monitoring System
• The website-based Migration Tracking System (MTS) will track the movements of vulnerable seasonal
migrant beneficiaries through individual unique identification numbers.

Maharashtra government has launched the “Vande Mataram” initiative in the state
• Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has launched the initiative, on 153rd birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• The initiative will be binding on the government employees to say ‘Vande Mataram’
instead of ‘hello’, the first word spoken when a phone call is made.

Que: Ministry of Electronics and IT has approved the setting up of a greenfield electronics manufacturing cluster
(EMC) in Ranjangaon of which state?
Ans: Maharashtra (near Pune)
• project cost of ₹492.85 crores.
• As part of its objective to strengthen the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in
India
• EMC at Ranjangaon, Pune will catalyze investments to the tune of over Rs. 2000
crore in the near future and generate employment for over 5,000 people.
• The Ministry of Electronics and IT plans to give a boost to the 1000 Crore Semicon
India Future Design programme to support Semiconductor Design Startups in the state.

Maharashtra to be the first state to establish a separate Divyang department


• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s government has allocated Rs 1,143 crore
rupees.
• Every year 3rd December is celebrated as the International Day of Persons with
Disabilities.
• It will take all the steps for the welfare of Divyang people in the state & will formulate
policies for the welfare of the disabled

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Technotex 2023 to be held in Mumbai from 22 to 24 Feb 2023


• ‘Technotex 2023’- India’s premier show on Technical Textiles
• The event is being organized by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in
collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Industry, under
National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).

Maharashtra Assembly passes resolution to 'legally pursue' inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking Karnataka villages
into Maharashtra
• The resolution was moved by Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde.
• Border Dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra
• Mysore which was later renamed as Karnataka was formed under the State
Reorganisation act 1956 on 1 November 1956.
• Maharashtra which was known as Bombay state in 1956 claimed the north-western
district of Karnataka, Belagavi as it was dominated by Marathi speaking people.
• An organization Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti was formed in Belagavi which led a violent agitation to merge
Belagavi with Maharashtra.

Centre set up Mahajan Commission


In October 1966 the central government set up a commission chaired by the retired Supreme Court Judge Justice
Meharchand Mahajan on the border dispute between the two states.
The commission submitted its report in August 1967, where it recommended merging 264 towns and villages of
Karnataka (including Nippani, Nandgad and Khanapur) with Maharashtra, and 247 villages of Maharashtra (including
South Solapur and Akkalkot) with Karnataka.
However there was no agreement between the two states on the Mahajan commission recommendation.

Goa
• Founded: 30 May 1987
• Capital: Panaji
• Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant
• P.S. Sreedharan Pillai - 22nd Governor of Goa.
• On 19 December 1961, the Indian army with Operation Vijay resulted in the
annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu into the Indian union.
• On 30 May 1987, the Union Territory was split, and Goa was made India’s
twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining Union Territories.
• It can be noted that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to India
(1498) and were also the last to leave this land (1961).
Official Language:
• Konkani which is one of the 22 languages from the Eight Schedule.
Most of Goa's soil cover is made up of laterites
• Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks:
• Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
• Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary
• Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
• Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
• Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary
• Mollem National Park

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated ‘Dharohar’, the National Museum of
Customs and GST in Goa
• ‘Dharohar’ is housed in Panaji’s famous Blue Building on the banks of the Mandovi River.
• Dharohar is one of its kind museums in the country that showcases not only the artefacts
seized by Indian Customs across the country but also depicts basic Customs procedures
for the knowledge of the general public.

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Goa will become the first police state in India to go completely paperless.
• Blockchain network 5ire signed an MoU with Goa state police to implement a smart
policing solution
• The MoU will help in the digitization and digitalization of offline systems, and to to
improve transparency and efficiency in policing.
• 5ire had become India’s 105th unicorn • About 5ire
• Founded – 2021
• Founder – Pratik Gauri
Goa CM Pramod Sawant launched Purple Fest logo
• Purple Fest - Celebrating Diversity, a first-of-its-kind inclusive festival that embraces,
expresses and celebrates persons with disabilities.
• The event will be organized from January 6 to 8 2023 in Panaji.

International Lusophone Festival held in Goa


• from 3 to 6 December 2022
• The Ministry of External Affairs organized the festival in partnership with Indian Council
of Cultural Relations and the Goa government.
• The festival seeks to further India’s connection with the Lusophone world.
• The Lusophone world is comprised of ten countries/regions that speak
Portuguese as their official language and were colonized by the Portuguese.
• Goa has had historical linkages with the Lusophone world. This has been nurtured
through the presence of Portuguese cultural institutions which promote the
Portuguese language and culture in India.

Mopa International Airport Goa renamed after Manohar Parrikar


• On 11 December 2022, the airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and renamed to Manohar International Airport after former Defence Minister and
the 10th Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar.
• Manohar Parrikar was awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously in January 2020.
• The Manohar International Airport, situated near Mopa village in North Goa, has been
built at a cost of 2,870 crore rupees.
• It is the second airport in the state, the first airport in Goa is at Dabolim.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates new Zuari bridge in Goa


• Zuari bridge connects North and South Goa.
• It is located on the Zuari river at Cortalim village on Margao-Panaji National Highway
• This new bridge approaches from Bambolim to Verna and has a total project length of
13.20 KM.

Telangana
• Founded: 2 June 2014
• Capital: Hyderabad
• Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
• Chief Minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao

On 2nd June, 2014 the north-western part of Andhra Pradesh was separated and 29th state Telangana was created.
• Four Icons of Telangana:
• State Bird - Palapitta (Indian Roller or Blue Jay).
• State Animal - Jinka (Deer).
• State Tree - Jammi Chettu (Prosopis Cineraria).
• State Flower - Tangedu (Tanner’s Cassia).

Ramappa Temple, at Mulugu district presents the distinct style of


Kakatiyas. The foundation of this temple is “sandbox technique”. It is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.

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• Forests & National Park: Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park,
Shivaram Wildlife sanctuary, Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary
• LAKES: Hussain Sagar, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, Durgam Cheruvu, Pakhal Lake, Mir Alam Tank

Que: Which state has the highest number of villages as ODF plus under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) phase II
programme?
Ans: Telangana (96.74%)
• The phase -2 of SBM was announced by Prime Minister Modi in February, 2020.
• The phase -1 concluded in October 2019 with grand declaration of the Nation as Open
Defecation Free.
• The Phase -2 emphasizes upon the sustainability of achievements under phase -1 and to
provide adequate facilities for Solid/Liquid & plastic waste management in rural India.

Centre has allocated Rs 2.26 crore for Medaram Jatara 2022 Festival. The biennial festival is organised in
Telangana
• Asia’s largest tribal festival
• Medaram Jatara is the second-largest fair in India, after the Kumbh Mela.
• The four day tribal festival is celebrated once in two years in the month of “Magha”
(February) on the full moon day, in Medaram Village of Mulugu district in Telangana.
• Conducted in honour of the Goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma.
• The festival is organised by the second-largest Tribal Community of Telangana, the Koya
tribe, in collaboration with the Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Telangana.
• Lambada largest tribal community in Telangana

Telangana is the first state in the country to use ‘Crop Diversification Index’?
• Telangana has begun recording crop diversification patterns in the form of an
index.
• According to the crop diversification index, the state grows 77 varieties, with about
10 crops, mostly grains, preferred for diversification. The index will serve as a base
for future crop diversification in the state.

Telangana topped the country in terms of Per Capita Net State Domestic Product at Current Prices
• In ‘population over one crore’ category, as per the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
(MoSPI).
• It succeeded other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• The state's GDP has grown by 31.12 per cent in the past decade - one of the highest jumps for any state in
the country.
• The secret sauce of this success has been targeted policies to transform the agricultural sector and
simultaneously boost the growth for the IT and the pharma sectors:
• Rythu Bandhu scheme for farmers, the world’s largest lift irrigation Kaleshwaram project to provide water to
the fields, and Arogya Laxmi scheme for pregnant and lactating women.

India’s first electronic-display plant to come up in Telangana


• The Telangana government signed an MoU with Bengaluru-based Elest for setting up India’s first display
fabrication unit in Hyderabad with an investment of ₹24,000 crore
• Elest was promoted by Rajesh Exports, a Global Fortune 500 company that manufactured ultra modern
displays for smart TVs and mobile phones.
• India and many governments around the world have raced to subsidize the construction of semiconductor
and display factories
• as a shortage has happened in the auto and electronics industries and highlighted the
world’s dependence on a few sources, such as Taiwan, for vital supplies.

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Telangana: New Mesolithic site discovered


A prehistoric rock paintings site, dating back at least 10,000 to 30,000 years was recently
discovered on private land at Kasipeta in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district (Telangana).
Characteristics of the Mesolithic age
1. Small tools like spearheads, arrowheads, etc. were invented during this age.
2. Taming the dogs for hunting purposes was started in this period.
3. Mesolithic age people were still food collectors and not food producers.

NTPC commissions India's largest floating solar project in Telangana


• India’s largest floating solar plant is now fully operational at Ramagundam, Peddapalli
district of Telangana.
• Capacity : 100MW

Telangana celebrates traditional Hindu festival, Bonalu


• Bonalu is a popular festival celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad, dedicated to
Goddess Mahakali.
• During this festival, the different forms of Mahakali are worshipped, including
Mysamma, Dokkalamma, Pedamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Poleramma and Ankalamma.
• The devotees offer cooked rice with milk and jaggery in an earthen or brass pot, decorated
with neem leaves, turmeric and vermilion.
• Bonalu is celebrated in the month of Ashada (July-August).

Telangana launches ‘Nethanna Ku Bima’ Scheme for weavers


• an insurance scheme, which covers handloom and powerloom weavers in the State.
• This scheme was launched on the occasion of National Handloom Day.
• insurance coverage of 5 lakh rupees for weavers
• Rythu Bandhu Farmer Group Life Insurance Scheme is for Farmers

Que: India’s first 3D-printed Cornea has been developed in which city?
Ans: Hyderabad
• Researchers in Hyderabad have successfully 3D-printed an artificial cornea (3D-printed
Human Cornea) and placed it in a rabbit eye for the first time ever in India.
• A 3D-printed Human cornea made from human donor corneal tissue has been created by
researchers from the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Indian Institute of Technology-
Hyderabad (IIT-H), and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

India's first forest university to come up in Telangana


• The Telangana legislative assembly has approved the University of Forestry (UOF) Act 2022.
• The ‘University of Forestry (UOF) will be the first of its kind in the country.
• With only Russia and China having forest universities in the world, globally, this will be the
third university of forestry.
• The Government of Telangana has decided to expand Forest College and Research Institute
(FCRI) in Hyderabad into a full-fledged university.

Bathukamma: Telangana festival begins across state


• The state floral festival known as Bathukamma has started in Telangana, and ladies are
taking part in it in great numbers.
• nine-day official celebration

Telangana govt introduces 'Aasara' pension for poor


• Aim: To ensure secured life for all the poor
• “ Aasara ” – a new Pension scheme – enhancing the monthly pension from Rs. 200 to
Rs. 1000 for the old aged, widows, weavers, toddy tappers and AIDS patients and Rs.
500 to Rs. 1500 for disabled persons.

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Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) renamed as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) by CM K.


Chandrasekhar Rao
• TRS founded on 27 April 2001 as by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a single-point agenda of
creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital.

Que: The central government has approved the construction of cable stayed-cum-suspension
bridge across the which River connecting Telangana & Andhra Pradesh?
Ans: Krishna River
• The bridge is expected to cut the distance between Hyderabad and Tirupati by 80 km.
• a total cost of Rs 1082.56 crore , construction period of 30 months.

Telangana will have first integrated rocket facility in nation


• Telangana will have the first Integrated Rocket Design, Manufacturing, and Testing
Facility of the country in Hyderabad by Skyroot Aerospace.

India’s first gold ATM launched in Hyderabad


• India’s first Gold ATM and world's first real-time Gold ATM has been launched at the
Begumpet, Hyderabad.
• The ATM was set up by the Goldsikka in collaboration with Opencube Technologies
(Technology support).
• The ATM has a capacity of storing 5kgs of gold.

Andhra Pradesh
• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
• Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
• Founded: 1 November 1956
• Capital: Hyderabad (current); Amarawati (After 2024).
• Date of Formation:
• October 1, 1953 (Carved out of Madras State).
• June 2, 2014 (Reorganized – excluded Telangana).
• Known as
• Egg bowl of Asia
• Kohinoor of India
• State with second longest coastline
• State Aminal Blackbuck (Indian antelope)
• State Bird Indian Roller
• State Flower Lotus
• State Sport Kabaddi
• State Tree Vepa (Neem).
• State Dance Kuchipudi

Hydroelectric power plants


• Srisailam Dam on Krishna River.
• Nagarjuna Sagar Dam on Krishna River.

Andhra Pradesh has announced the formation of 13 new districts, bringing the total number of districts in the
state to 26
• 13 new districts: Manyam, Anakapalli, Alluri Sitarama Raju , Kakinada, Konaseema,
Eluru, Palnadu, Bapatla, Nandyal, Sri Satya Sai district, Sri Balaji, Annamaya and N T
Rama Rao district
• Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of districts at 75 and Goa the least at two

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Andhra Pradesh initiated ‘Operation Parivartan’ to eliminate the cultivation of cannabis?


• This operation was led by the Andhra Pradesh Police with the Special Enforcement
Bureau (SEB) in Visakhapatnam.
• Recently, around 2 lakh kilograms of processed cannabis was seized and burnt while it
was being shipped out.

Que: Which railway station became the first station in East Coast to implement ‘One Station, One Product’?
Ans: Visakhapatnam Railway Station
• ‘One station One product’ concept, based on the successful ‘One District, One
Product’ scheme, was announced by the government of India while presenting the
budget for 2022-23.
• The Railway Board of the Indian Railways has identified one station in every zone for
implementing the pilot project for 15 days.
• The Etikoppaka toys and handicraft products (Lacquer ware Toys) traditionally known
as Etikoppaka Bommalu, will be sold at the Visakhapatnam Railway Station.
• GI tag for Etikoppaka toys is given to Andhra Pradesh in 2017 by the Geographical
Indication Registry.
• Tirupati Railway Station will be the first station under South Central Railway to
implement the ‘One Station, One Product’ concept.

Que: The Dredging Museum named Nikarshan Sadan has recently been inaugurated in which city of India?
Ans: Vishakhapatnam
• The Union Minister for Ports ,Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
inaugurated ‘Nikarshan Sadan’
• The museum will display different types of models of dredgers, vintage photos &
historical milestones of DCI.
• The device used for excavation and scraping of the sea bed is called the Dredge

Andhra Pradesh has developed a mobile application named “ACB 14400” for lodging
complaints against corruption
• The ‘ACB 14400’ application features two categories – Live Report and Lodge
Complaint. Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled the statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in
Andhra Pradesh
• 30-ft bronze statue at a cost of Rs 3 crore
• Alluri Sitarama Raju (1897 – 1924) was known for the ‘Rampa Rebellion’ or ‘Manyam
Uprising’
• He was an Indian revolutionary who started an armed campaign against British colonial rule
in response to the 1882 Madras Forest Act
• The act restricted the free movement of Adivasis (tribal communities) in their forest habitats
and prevented them from practising a traditional form of agriculture known as podu (shifting
cultivation).

India’s first Lithium ion Cell Manufacturing plant is launched in Andhra Pradesh
• The Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Rajeev Chandrasekhar,
inaugurated the facility at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
• The unit has been set up by Chennai-based Munoth Industries Limited with an outlay of Rs 165 crore.

Andhra Pradesh government has launched ‘Kalyanamasthu’, and ‘Shadi Tofa’ schemes
• CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched website for these schemes, which are a part of the educational
reforms.
• Objective – Providing financial assistance for daughter’s wedding in poor families (SC, ST, BC, Minorities, and
construction workers).
• SSC pass a mandatory clause for both bride and groom to get assistance

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• The scheme would also prevent child marriages and promote girl education.

PRASAD Project : Srisailam In Andhra Pradesh


• President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘PRASAD’ project at the tourism facilitation centre in
the pilgrim town of Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh
• PRASAD Scheme
• The PRASAD scheme was launched by the Government of India in 2014-2015
under the Ministry of Tourism.
• The PRASAD scheme stands for 'Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual
Augmentation Drive' in its entirety.
• The name of the scheme was changed from PRASAD to “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and
Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)” in October 2017.

About Srisailam temple:


Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva and goddess Parvathi.
The presiding deity of the place is Brahmaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy in natural stone formations in the shape of
Lingam
It is referred to as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas of the
Goddess Parvati
Here Parvati is worshipped as “Mallika” and Shiva is worshipped as “Arjuna“, represented by the lingam
There is inscriptional evidence from the Satavahana dynasty which places the temple to be existent
from the 2nd century
Most modern additions were done during the time of king Harihara I of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Karnataka
• Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Capital: Bengaluru
• Chief Minister: Basavaraj Bommai
• The name Karnataka is derived from Karunadu means ‘Lofty Land’.
• Bengaluru is also known as Silicon Valley of India
• Date of Formation: November 01, 1956 as Mysore
• Renamed as ‘Karnataka’ on November 01, 1973
• State Animal: Asian Elephant
• State Bird: Indian Roller
• State Flower: Lotus
• State Tree: Sandalwood
National Park:
Waterfalls:
• Bandipur National Park
• Anshi National Park • Jog Fall
• Kudermukh National Park • Gokak Fall
• Nagarahole National Park • Shivanasamudra Fall
• Bannerghatta National Park
• Mudumalai National Park
Festivals
• Kambla – Buffalo race
• Ugadi – New Year day
• Hampi festival
• Vairamudi Brahmotsava
• Kolar Gold Fields (in Kolar District) and Hatti Gold Mines ( in Raichur District) are
probably one of the oldest gold mines in the world.
• Kaiga Nuclear power plant (Uttara Kannada) it is a PHWR (Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor) situated near
river Kali.

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Karnataka government has launched India’s first Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics
(AVGC) Center of Excellence (CoE)
• in Bengaluru
• it is also the biggest center in Asia.
• It is funded by Department of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and
Science & Technology.

Karnataka High Court has upheld the Hijab ban


• The Karnataka High Court on March 15, 2022, dismissed various petitions challenging a
ban on hijab in educational institutions.
• The High Court in its judgment stated that wearing the hijab is not an essential religious
practice of Islam.
• three-judge bench - Justice Krishna S Dixit, Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, and Justice JM
Khazi

Karnataka government has launched ‘Women@Work’ program to provide five lakh jobs within
2026 to women with necessary employable skills?
• to get them technically trained in various disciplines.
• at present women constituted 35 per cent of the workforce and the programme aims to
raise their workforce strength to 50 per cent.

Karnataka State Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, gave nod to name the under-construction
Shivamogga airport after BS Yediyurappa
• the proposal will now be sent to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry for further clearance.
• The estimated cost of airport construction is Rs 384 crore.
• The construction of Shivamogga Airport was begun in 2020 under UDAN (Ude Desh Ka
Aam Naagrik) Scheme by the efforts of the Former CM B S Yediyurappa.
• The Airport consists of the second longest runway in the state measuring 3299 metres,
the First being the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, Karnataka with 4000 metres.

Karnataka government has announced Vinaya Samarasya Yojana, an awareness programme meant to eradicate
untouchability in Gram Panchayats across the state
• This scheme will be launched on April 14, the birth anniversary of the father’s the Indian
Constitution, B R Ambedkar.
• The scheme has been named after a three-year-old Dalit Vinay, whose family, residents of
Miyapur village in Koppal district, was slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 by the village leaders in
September last year for the boy’s “offense” of straying into a local temple.
• Article 15 of the Constitution notes that no citizen of India shall be discriminated against on the basis of
religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
• The Constitution abolished untouchability (Article 17) which means that no one can prevent Dalits from
educating themselves, entering temples, using public facilities etc. It also means that it is wrong to practise
untouchability and that this practice will not be tolerated by a democratic government. In fact,
untouchability is a punishable crime now.
• The 1989 Prevention of Atrocities Act revised and strengthened the legal provisions punishing acts of
violence or humiliation against Dalits and Adivasis.
• Art. 46 says that educational and economic interests of SCs and STs shall be protected and promoted.
• Article 330 and Article 332 of the Constitution respectively provide for reservation of seats in favour of the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and in the legislative assemblies of
the States.

Karnataka will host the second edition of the Khelo India University Games 2021
• The KIUG-2021 will be hosted by JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, in partnership with the
Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
• In 2021, Yogasana and Mallakhamb have been added to the University Games, in an effort to preserve and
promote the century- old sporting disciplines of the country.

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Official mascot of the games – Veera


The first edition of KIUG was held in Bhubaneswar in February 2020

Karnataka is the only state in the country to set up an exclusive bank for milk producers.
• Karnataka has established the ‘Nandini Ksheera Samridhi Cooperative Bank’
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the logo of the bank.
• The state government has provided Rs 100 crore as its share capital

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Semicon India Conference 2022 at Bengaluru


• From April 29-May 1, 2022
• The conference focused on policy, talent, and the government’s role and efforts in
becoming the global semiconductor hub and nurturing the chip design and
manufacturing ecosystem.

Karnataka government has launched ‘The Farmer Registration & Unified Beneficiary Information System’ or
FRUITS software for Aadhar-based, single-window registration for the farmer schemes
• Through FRUITS, farmers can access benefits of schemes such as Direct Benefit Transfer under PM Kisan,
payment for Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for crops, special financial assistance, caste certificate
authentication, and ration cards.
• The state departments of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, revenue, food, civil supplies and
fisheries departments of the state government are covered under the initiative.
• The software allows various departments to access information about the farmers under a single platform,
which ensures better targeting and effectiveness in the implementation of the schemes

Karnataka CM launches health app AAYU


• Aim: Help to heal chronic diseases and lifestyle
disorders through yoga and meditation.
• Developed by: Swami Vivekananda Yoga
Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) in partnership
with RESET TECH (an Al-driven integrated health-
tech platform).
• The app is available in multiple languages.

Karnataka government launches ‘Kashi Yatra’ scheme


• It offers cash assistance of ₹5,000 to each pilgrims to up to 30,000 pilgrims, take
up a pilgrimage to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Kanaganahalli, which was seen in the news, is an ancient Buddhist site located in Karnataka
• on the bank of Bhima River in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka.
• It forms a part of the Sannati site
• Archaeological Survey of India has now taken up conservation work at this
Buddhist site.
• The stupa was built with locally available limestone.
• While the Stupa is believed to be one of the largest of its time, the stone-portrait
is considered to be the only surviving image of the Mauryan Emperor which had
the inscription ‘Raya Asoko’ in Brahmi on it.
• around 60 dome slabs with the sculptural rendering of Jataka stories, Portrait of Ashoka, Shatavahana
monarchs and certain unique depictions of Buddhist missionaries sent by Ashoka to different parts
• 72 drum-slabs decorated with a variety of Dharma-Chakras, Stupas, the first sermon, Bodhi-tree, Naga
Muchulinda, Viihara complexes

India’s 1st 3D Printed Post Office to soon come up in Karnataka


• in Bengaluru, and will cost around one-fourth of the amount spent on a traditional
building.

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• The Post Office building is being constructed by Larsen & Toubro, which is the only company currently in
India utilising 3D printing technology for construction.
• Construction 3D printing is a method for manufacturing construction elements or entire buildings by means
of a 3D printer printing concrete, polymer, metal, or other materials, layer-by-layer.

New Crab Species named Ghatiana Dwivarna has been discovered in Karnataka
• Sanskrit word ‘dwivarna’ which means two-colored.
• The ‘Kunabi’ tribe that is native to this region knew of this crab already.
• It is a venomous crab and is definitely non-edible species of crab.

Parliament passes Bill to include Betta-Kuruba community in ST category in Karnataka


• The Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth
Amendment) Bill, 2022.
• The Bill will include Betta-Kuruba community along with Kadu-Kuruba in the list
of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka.
• The community has only 5000 members living in Karnataka
• The people of the ‘Betta-Kuruba’ community have been living in
Chamarajnagar, Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka

Kerala
• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• Located on the South-West of the Malabar Coast, Kerala is known as ‘Gods own
country’.
• Kerala word derived from ‘Keralam’ which means the land
of ‘Kera’ → Coconut Tree.
• State Animal Elephant
• State Bird Great Indian Hornbill
• State Flower Kanikonna or Indian laburnum or amaltus
• State Tree Coconut
• Official Language Malayalam
Lakes
• Sasthamkotta Lake
• Vembanad Lake
• Lakes of Alappuzha
• Pookode Lake
• Ashtamudi Lake
• Punnamada Lake
• Akkulam Lake
Biosphere Reserve

• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve


• Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve

Kerala Facts:
• Kerala - first state to be declared as “Complete Digital State
• Kocchi is World’s first airport completely powered by solar energy
• Black pepper – 95% of country’s production
• Cardamom – Kerala’s share in the national production is 75% on upland mainly form Idukki, Wayanad
• The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was the first biosphere reserve in India established in the year 1986.

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Hydrophis gracilis, a rare sea snake, has been spotted in Kerala


• Hydrophis gracilis, the small-headed sea snake, was spotted at the Perumathura coast in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Kerala has conducted first-of-its-kind State-level bird atlas in India


• Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA) - about the distribution and abundance of bird species across all
major habitats.
• Conducted as a citizen science-driven exercise with over 1000 volunteers of the bird
watching community
• KBA accounted for nearly three lakh records of 361 species.
• It is arguably Asia’s largest bird atlas in terms of geographical extent, sampling effort and species coverage

CM of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK),
in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap - Chief Guest.
• ‘Rehana Mariyam Noor’ directed by Bangladeshi director Abdullah Mohammad Saad -
opening film at this year’s festival.
• In all, 173 films will be screened at 15 theatres during the eight-day film festival.

Kerala is set to become the first in the country to introduce Carbon-neutral farming for better soil health
• For this, the State government has set aside Rs. 6 crores in the 2022-23 Budget.
• New farming methods which would reduce carbon emissions and help the carbon to be stored in the soil.
• Improving soil health through integrated farming methods, rotation of crops, adoption of fertigation,
precision farming methods, changing the ways in which the soil is irrigated and limiting the indiscriminate
use of fertilizers were important for preventing soil degradation and thus reducing carbon footprint in
agriculture.

Que:Which state’s tourism department has launched ‘Maya’, a 24×7 working WhatsApp chatbot to
provide information and updates related to the tourism ecosystem in the state?
Ans: Kerala
• Billed as the first such service in the country, Maya shares all information on destinations,
experiences, stay, travel, and a whole lot of details that will keep them updated about the places
they travel through or stay in the State.

Kerala signed MoU with the Netherlands for “Cosmos Malabaricus” Project to illustrate Kerala’s history
• The agreement was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Dutch Ambassador to
India Marten van den Berg.
• The state will also be collaborating with the Netherlands to establish paint academies in Malappuram and
Kollam.
• This project will be completed in six years’ time.
• What will the project be dealing with?
• This project will be dealing with the 18th-century Dutch documents on Malabar that
are considered to be the most extensive information source about the period in
Kerala between the years 1643 to 1852. The documents have been written in the
classical Dutch language and are available in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Netherlands.

• As part of this project, the students from Kerala will receive opportunities to pursue Master of Arts
programmes at Leiden University, while students from the Netherlands will be allowed to pursue an
internship at the KCHR(Kerala Council for Historical Research). Also, the Leiden University and KCHR will be
organizing a two-week summer school each year on the topic related to the history of Kerala.

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Kerala launched India's first state-owned OTT Platform


• Launch of over-the-top (OTT) platform named 'CSpace' on November 1.
• Offers: An array of movies, short films and documentaries

‘Tomato Flu’, which was seen in the news recently, is endemic to Kerala
• The tomato flu is a rare viral disease, which causes fever, skin irritation, rashes and
dehydration.
• It affects children below 5 years of age and gets its name from the large red-coloured
blisters it causes.
• There is no specific drug and the infected children are to be isolated, as it is contagious
like other flu types.

Kerala has become the first and only state in the country to have its own internet
service: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan
• Kerala Fiber Optic Network Ltd
• The KFON scheme is envisaged to provide free internet to BPL families and
30,000 government offices.

Kerala launches Lucky Bill app to curb GST evasion


• to curb Goods and Service Tax (GST) evasion.
• The app was launched by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
• Aim: To encourage the citizen to ask for a bill every-time they make a purchase.
• The users need to upload original bills of their purchases to win prizes, including a cash
prize of ₹25 lakh.

Kerala’s Pullampara becomes India’s first fully digitally literate panchayat


• Pullampara in Thiruvananthapuram became the first panchayat in the country to attain full
digital literacy among its residents.
• The ‘Digi Pullampara’ project was launched on August 15, 2021 to impart digital education
to the most underprivileged sections of society in the panchayat.

Finland partnered with Kerala government to replicate Little KITEs model


• Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) will provide technical
assistance to Finland’s Education Department.
• KITE programme is equipped to provide consultancy support in free and open-source
software (FOSS)-based digital education activities to other states and countries.
• Little KITE members will be trained in electronics, animation, hardware, cyber-safety,
3D modelling, artificial intelligence (AI) among others.

Further, 9,000 robotic kits would be deployed to schools this year through the Little KITEs units.
The Little KITEs programme was launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2018
• Finland Capital- Helsinki
• Currency- Euro
• Prime Minister- Sanna Marin

Kerala becomes first state to introduce Uniform Gold Price


• based on the bank rate.
• The decision to introduce a uniform price on 916 purity 22-carat gold has been taken at
meeting between Malabar Gold and Diamonds and All Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants
Association.
• It offers an opportunity for consumers to purchase gold at a reasonable and transparent
price.
• Bank rate on gold, GST and other taxes including import duty are the same across India.
• In most states, gold is priced at Rs 150-300 per gram extra over the bank rate.

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India’s first carbon neutral farm inaugurated in Kerala


• Kerala Chief Minister Pinnari Vijayan on 10 December 2022 inaugurated Kerala's State
Seed Farm located in Aluva, Ernakulam district. It is the first farm in India which is
carbon neutral.
• The farm practices carbon-neutral farming which involves absorption of all the carbon
that gets released during various agriculture practices in the soil itself.
• The farm avoids using fossil fuels, energy-consuming equipment, and chemicals during
cultivation by practicing mixed farming and producing vermicompost.

India’s largest and fourth business jet terminal commissioned at Cochin International Airport
Cochin airport has become the 4th airport in India after Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad with dedicated private Jet
terminals.
Cochin International Airport was the first airport in the world to run on solar power. It is the
largest airport in Kerala and the seventh largest in India.
Kerala has the highest number of operational international airports in India. It has 4
international airports. They are:
• Trivandrum International Airport ,
• Cochin International airport ,
• Calicut International Airport and
• Kannur International Airport.

Project ‘Vanikaran’ launched in Kerala


• The Kerala Forest department in association with Noolpuzha grama panchayat has
launched the ‘Vanikaran’ (afforestation) Project to restore natural vegetation
• It is being executed in Sulthan Bathery forest range of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary
(WWS). Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is an integral part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Its pillars include planting saplings of Bamboo, fruit plants etc. and rainwater harvesting.

Kerala hosted first Bekal International Beach Festival


• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the 10-day first international beach festival at
'Spice Coast' in the far north of Kerala, better known as North Malabar.
• From 24th Dec, 2022 to 2nd Jan, 2023
• To display the rich cultural diversity and grandeur of the country

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated a palm-leaf manuscript museum in Thiruvananthapuram


• The palm-leaf manuscript museum with modern audio-visual technology is at the
renovated Central Archives, Fort, Thiruvananthapuram.
• Set up by the Archives Department, the ₹3-crore museum has eight theme-based
galleries where select manuscripts from one of the biggest palm-leaf collections in the
country will be displayed.
• As many as 187 old and rare manuscripts will be housed in the 6,000-sq ft museum
• The manuscripts in ancient scripts such as Vattezhuthu, Kolezhuthu, Malayanma, and ancient Tamil and
Malayalam take visitors through the social, political, cultural, and economic history of Kerala that is rarely
accessible to the common man.

Dharmadam, Kerala becomes first complete library constituency in India


• The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s constituency Dharmadam has become the
first complete library constituency in India.
• Library and Kerala
• Kerala which was the first state to achieve 100% literacy status in India is also perhaps
the only state in India that has a library in every village.
• Puthuvayil Narayana Panicker of Kerala is also known as the Father of the Library
Movement in India.

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To honour and acknowledge P.N.Panicker ,Kerala Government declared June 19, his death
anniversary, as Vayanadinam (Reading Day) in 1996
In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared June 19 his death anniversary as National
Reading Day in India. The following month is also observed as National Reading Month in
India.

Kerala recently passed a bill to remove Governor as Chancellor of state’s universities


• Kerala Assembly recently passed a Bill to remove the Governor as the ex-officio Chancellor of 14 universities
in the state.
• The CPI(M) government introduced the University Laws (Amendments) Bill in the
Assembly after repeated issues with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on administration
and appointments at these universities.
• The Bill will now be sent for the governor’s consent before it becomes a law.

Wayanad rice festival (Ikki Jathre) promotes climate-resilient crops


• Recently, a Kerala-based organisation, Thanal launched the Ikki Jathre or the Festival of
Rice in tribal parlance whereby 300 climate-resilient varieties of traditional rice were
planted at Panavally, Wayanad.
• Rice is a kharif crop which requires high temperature, (above 25°C) and high humidity with
annual rainfall above 100 cm.
• About one-fourth of the total cropped area in India is under rice cultivation
• India is the second-largest producer of rice after China.

Tamil Nadu
• Governor: R. N. Ravi
• Capital: Chennai
• Chief minister: M. K. Stalin
• State Animal:Nilgiri tahr
• State Bird:Emerald dove
• State Tree:Palmera Palm
• State Flower:Gloriosa Lily
• Ports: Chennai, Tuticorin, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam
• Dances: Bharatha Natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Odissi
• Temples: Brihadeeshwara, Ramanathaswamy, Kapaleesawarar, Meenakshi Amman,
Nataraja
• National Parks: Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National
Park, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Mudumali National
Park & Tiger reserve, Guindy National Park, Mukurthi National
Park
• Tiger Reserve: Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve,
Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve
• UNESCO world heritage Sites: Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur, Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram,
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Nilgiri Mountain Railways
• Biosphere Reserve: Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – 1st BR of India
• Tribes: Irulas, Kotas, Kaniyan, Kotas, Kanikkaran, Badagas, Koraga, Todas

Que: Crimson Rose, which was seen in the news recently, belongs to which species?
Ans: Butterfly
• Crimson Rose is a large butterfly with a mix of black, white and crimson colours on its wings and body.
• Recently, thousands of Crimson Rose butterflies were seen flying from Dhanushkodi, at
the southern-most tip of Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) Island towards Sri Lanka, which is
around 25 km from the tip of Dhanushkodi.

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Tamil Nadu government has constituted a 10-member state-level committee for the conservation of vultures, an
endangered species
• The “Vulture Conservation Committee” will monitor, conserve, and recover vulture sites; map vulture
populations; and create safe zones for them.
• The tenure of the committee is two years.
• The vulture population in India has been declining for years now.

Tamil Nadu introduces India’s first elephant death audit framework


• Forest Department of Tamil Nadu has introduced, first of its kind initiative in India, an elephant death audit
framework.
• Reason: Detailed and transparent process for recording and monitoring elephant deaths.
• The document also help to study the conditions of avoidable and unnatural deaths for
developing preventative strategies.
• It also specifies a methodical standard process for carrying out an autopsy to ascertain the
causes of an elephant's demise.

Tamil Nadu government sets up Nilgiri Tahr conservation project


• The Tamil Nadu government has launched an initiative for the conservation of the
Nilgiri Tahr (State animal) at a cost of ₹25.14 crore.
• Aim: To develop a better understanding of the Nilgiri Tahr population through surveys
and radio telemetry studies; reintroduce the Tahrs to their historical habitat
• The project is to be implemented from 2022 to 2027.
• Nilgiris Tahr, endemic to the Western ghats and locally known as ‘Varaiaadu’.

Tamil Nadu announced its first biodiversity heritage site


• Tamil Nadu govt has declared the Arittapatti village near Melur in Madurai district as a
biodiversity heritage site under Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• The Arittapatti village is surrounded by a chain of seven barren granite hillocks.
• The site also features various megalithic structures like Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions, Jain
Beds, and Rock-cut temples which are 2,200 years old.
• Biodiversity heritage sites are well-defined areas that are unique, ecologically fragile
ecosystems with high diversity of wild and domesticated species, presence of
rare and threatened species, and keystone species.
• The significance and aims of BHS are outlined in Section 37 of the Biological
Diversity Act of 2002.
• The purpose is to enhance the quality of life of the local communities through
conservation measures.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin flagged off the luxury cruise liner ‘Empress’ from
Chennai port
• It is considered the first luxury cruise liner being operated by the state.
• luxury cruise liner “Empress” is an eleven-storey tourist vessel that can accommodate
up to 2,000 passengers and about 800 crew members.

Mayiladumparai (TN): India’s earliest Iron Age site


• Mayiladumparai site is located in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.
• The Mayiladumparai site was first excavated in 2003 by K Rajan of the Thanjavur-
based Tamil University.
• In 2021, excavations were resumed by Tamil Nadu’s Department of Archaeology.
• The population of 29,964 elephants as recorded in the last elephant census conducted in 2017
• In the last 3 years, Dandeli Elephant Reserve has been notified by the state of Karnataka, Singphan Elephant
Reserve by Nagaland and Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh.
• This has brought the total area under Elephant Reserves in India to about 76,508 sqkm across 14 states of
the country.

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• For the first time in an initiative, Gaj Gaurav award was conferred for the commendable efforts of local
communities, frontline staff and mahouts working at grass root level to conserve elephants in wild and
captivity.
• This year the Malasar Community belonging to the Anamalai of Tamil Nadu and mahouts of Kerala and
Assam were awarded the Gaj Gaurav award by the Union Minister, EF&CC.

Tamil Nadu Government launched Pudhumai Penn for girl students


• Tamil Nadu CM, M K Stalin has launched the ‘Pudhumai Penn’ (modern woman)
scheme for state's girl students.
• all girl students, who studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools, will get Rs
1,000 per month to pursue higher education.
• Aim: Reduce child marriages and make women independent

Tamil Nadu becomes the first state to create the role of Director General of Audit
• to strengthen and streamline the functioning of internal audit departments in the state.

Madras High Court has banned use of mobile phones inside temples
• The Madras High Court has banned mobile phones in temples across Tamil Nadu.
• to maintain purity and sanctity of the places of worship.

Karthigai Deepam Chariot festival held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu


• It is a very old festival & is very important among the Tamils
• This festival of lights is mentioned in the literature of Tamils known as
Ahananuru a collection of poems.
• It is one of the great books of Sangam literature that talks about the
happenings between 200 BC and 300 AD.

Tamil Nadu becomes first state to launch its own Climate Change Mission
• Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin said that the state will achieve carbon
neutrality much ahead of the national target of 2070.
• The Tamil Nadu Climate Summit was held in Chennai from 8 and 9 December
2022.
• Carbon neutral refers to the removal of the same amount of carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere by various means as the amount of carbon dioxide which is
released in the atmosphere leaving a Zero balance or zero carbon.

Lakshadweep
• Administrator: Praful Khoda Patel
• Official animal: Blackwedged butterflyfish
• Official bird: Brown noddy
• Official tree: Breadfruit
• 8 Degree Channel ( 8 degrees north latitude) separates the islands of Minicoy and
Maldives.
• 9 Degree Channel ( 9 degrees north latitude) separates the island of Minicoy from the
main Lakshadweep archipelago.
• Largest island: Minicoy Island (south of the nine-degree channel)

Lakshadweep became the first State /UT to achieve 100% COVID vaccination for children in the
age group of 15 to 18 years

Andaman & Nicobar Islands


• Official animal: Dugong
• Official bird: Andaman wood pigeon
• Andaman and Nicobar Island (UT):Admiral D K Joshi (Lieutenant Governor)

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• Particularly vulnerable Tribal Groups(PTGs) who have been identified in the Andaman
& Nicobar Islands. They are:-
• Great Andamanese of Strait Island
• Onges of Little Andaman
• Jarawas of South and Middle Andaman
• Sentinelese of Sentinel Islands
• Shompens of Great Nicobar
It comprises two island groups, the Andaman Islands (partly) and the Nicobar Islands,
separated by the 150 km wide Ten Degree Channel (on the 10°N parallel).
Duncan passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.
The Coco Strait is between the North Andaman islands and the Coco Islands of Myanmar.
The Barren and Narcondam Islands north of Port Blair – are the only active volcanoes in India.
Saddle peak (737 m) in North Andaman is the highest peak.
Ross Island in South Andaman has been renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island as Shaheed
Dweep, and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep.

Cyclone Asani hit Andaman & Nicobar Islands


• March 21st
• First cyclone in 2022
• A low-pressure area was formed on March 15 in South East Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Andaman Sea
• After hitting Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Cyclone Asani moved towards Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• Asani, a name suggested by Sri Lanka.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands become India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh
• Andaman and Nicobar Island (UT) Lieutenant Governor Admiral D K Joshi awarded
by Union Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
• All villages on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have received the Har Ghar Jal
certification and have been verified as ODF plus open defecation free.

National News
Ramsar Sites 2022

India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar Sites


• India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites to make total 75 Ramsar sites covering an area of
13,26,677 ha in the country in the 75th year of Independence.
• The 11 new sites include: Four (4) sites in Tamil Nadu, Three (3) in Odisha, Two (2) in Jammu & Kashmir and
One (1) each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Designation of these sites would help in conservation
and management of wetlands and wise use of their resources.

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• India is one of the Contracting Parties to Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it
on 1st Feb 1982. During 1982 to 2013, a total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however,
during 2014 to 2022, the country has added 49 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites.
• During this year itself (2022) a total of 28 sites have been declared as Ramsar sites.
• Tamil Nadu has maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14 nos), followed by UP which has 10 nos. of Ramsar sites.

S.No Name of wetland Area in Ha State


1. Tampara Lake 300 Odisha
2. Hirakud Reservoir 65400
3. Ansupa Lake 231
4. Yashwant Sagar 822.90 Madhya Pradesh
5. Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary 260.47 Tamil Nadu
6. Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex 94.23
7. Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary 112.64
8. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary 96.89
9. Thane Creek 6521.08
10. Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve 801.82
11. Shallbugh Wetland Conservation Reserve 1675
Total area of 11 sites 76316

Year wise designation of 75 Ramsar sites

S. No. Year of Designation No of site designated Sites designated upto 2013 Area covered in Ha
(As per date of designation) and after 2014 to till date
1 1981 2 26 633871
2 1990 4 (1981 to 2013)
3 2002 13
4 2005 6
5 2012 1
6 2019 11 49 692807
7 2020 5 (2014 to 2022)
8 2021 14
9 2022 19
Total 75 75 1326678
India is one of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on
1st Feb 1982.
First Ramsar site was Chilika Lake in Orissa and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan. The Renuka wetland in
Himachal Pradesh is the smallest Ramsar Wetland site in India. The maximum number of Ramsar sites are found in
Uttar Pradesh in India.
February 2 is celebrated as the International Wetlands Day

On 26 July 2022, India added 5 more Ramsar sites to its existing list.
• Five new wetlands of International importance have been designated in India.
• With this, the total Ramsar sites in the country have been increased from 49 to 54 Ramsar sites.
• Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
• Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu
• Pichavaram Mangrove, Tamil Nadu
• Pala wetland, Mizoram
• Sakhya Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.

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Important info about the newly added wetlands


Nanda Lake is the first wetland of Goa.
• Also, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is the first Ramsar wetland site in Karnataka.
• Sakhya Sagar Lake is an integral part of the Madhav National Park in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.
• The Pala wetland is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram.
• Pala wetland is Mizoram’s first wetland under the Ramsar convention.
• Asan Barrage is the first wetland from Uttarakhand.
• Sur Sarovar is also known as Khetam Lake
• Sur Sarovar is a Huaman-made reservoir.

Lonar Lake was formed by a meteorite impact onto the basalt bedrock.
• The name Tso Kar refers to the white salt.
• Tso Kar is one of the most important breeding areas in India for the black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis).
• The Haiderpur wetland is located near the Bijnor Ganga Barrage within the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar
Pradesh, India.
● The Bakhira Bird Sanctuary (48th Ramsar site) is the largest natural flood plain wetland of India in the Sant Kabir
Nagar district of Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
● About 300 species of migratory birds have been recorded in the Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary. (49th Ramsar sites)

Ramsar sites around the world, Important Info


The world’s first Site under the Ramsar convention was the Cobourg Peninsula in Australia, designated in 1974.
♦ The largest Sites under the Ramsar convention are_
• Rio Negro in Brazil (120,000 square km)
• Ngiri-Tumba-Maindombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo (60,000 square km)
• Queen Maud Gulf in Canada (60,000 square km)
♦ The countries with the most Sites are the…
• the United Kingdom with 175 sites and
• Mexico with 142 sites.
♦ Largest area under the Convention…
• Bolivia (total 148,000 square km)
♦ At present there are over 2,455 Ramsar Sites across the world, covering more than 255,792,244 hectares of
surface area.

List of Ramsar sites in India

S.No. Ramsar Sites in India State – Location


1 Ashtamudi Wetland Kerala

2 Beas Conservation Reserve Punjab


3 Bhitarkanika Mangroves Odisha
4 Bhoj Wetlands Madhya Pradesh
5 Chandra Taal Himachal Pradesh
6 Chilika Lake Odisha
7 Deepor Beel Assam
8 East Kolkata Wetlands West Bengal
9 Harike Wetlands Punjab
10 Hokera Wetland Jammu & Kashmir
11 Kanjli Wetland Punjab

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12 Keoladeo National Park Rajasthan


13 Keshopur-Miani Community Reserve Punjab
14 Kolleru lake Andhra Pradesh
15 Loktak lake Manipur
16 Nalsarovar Bird sanctuary Gujarat
17 Nandur Madhameshwar Maharashtra
18 Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary Punjab
19 Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
20 Parvati Arga Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
21 Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
22 Pong Dam lake Himachal Pradesh
23 Renuka lake Himachal Pradesh
24 Ropar Wetland Punjab
25 Rudrasagar Lake Tripura
26 Saman Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
27 Samaspur Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
28 Sambhar lake Rajasthan
29 Sandi Bird Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
30 Sarsai Nawar Jheel Uttar Pradesh
31 Sasthamkotta lake Kerala
32 Surinsar-Mansar lakes Jammu & Kashmir
33 Tsomoriri Ladakh
34 Upper Ganga river Uttar Pradesh
35 Vembanad Kol Wetland Kerala
36 Wular lake Jammu & Kashmir
37 Sunderban Wetland West Bengal
38 Asan Barrage (Asan Conservation Reserve) Uttarakhand
39 Kanwar Taal or Kabartaal Lake (Kabartal Wetland) Bihar, Begusarai
40 Sur Sarovar Lake Uttar Pradesh, Agra district
41 Lonar Lake Maharashtra, Buldhana district
42 Tso Kar Wetland Complex Ladakh, Leh district
43 Sultanpur National Park Gurugram, Haryana
44 Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary Jhajjar, Haryana
45 Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary Mehsana, Gujarat
46 Wadhwana Wetland Vadodara, Gujarat
47 Haiderpur Wetland Uttar Pradesh
48 Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary Gujarat
49 Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary Uttar Pradesh
50 Karikili Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
51 Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest Tamil Nadu
52 Pichavaram Mangrove Tamil Nadu
53 Sakhya Sagar Madhya Pradesh

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54 Pala Wetland in Mizoram Mizoram


55 Koothankulam Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
56 Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu
57 Vembannur Wetland Complex Tamil Nadu
58 Vellode Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
59 Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
60 Udhayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary Tamil Nadu
61 Satkosia Gorge Odisha
62 Nanda Lake Goa
63 Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Karnataka
64 Sirpur Wetland Madhya Pradesh
GI tags
News
• The Union government has granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to 9 products
from across the country
• Of the 9 GI tags given, five were for products from Kerala
• Now the total number of registered GI products in India stands at 432.
• The top 5 states holding maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and
Maharashtra

Introduction to GI Tags
• The Geographical Indication is governed and directed by the WIPO and WTO Agreement on Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• It is used to denote the geographical territory from where a product (agricultural, natural or manufactured)
originates,
• and carries an assurance of quality and attributes unique to that specific geographic region
• In India, Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 governs the Geographical
Indications registration. It came into force with effect from September 2003.
• This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.
• This tag is issued by the Geographical Indication Registry Chennai, under the Department of Industry Promotion
and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

9 New GI Tags
• Gamosa from Assam • Attappady Thuvara (red gram) from Kerala
• Ladakh Raktsey Karpo Apricot • Onattukara Ellu (sesame) from Kerala
• Alibag White Onion from Maharashtra • Kanthalloor-Vattavada Veluthulli (garlic) from Kerala
• Tandur Red Gram of Telangana • Kodungalloor Pottuvellari (snap melon) from Kerala
• Attappady Attukombu Avara (beans) from Kerala

‘Gamosa’ from Assam


• Also called Gamucha, it is a traditional textile having great significance in Assam
• This traditionally woven handloom product is known for its distinctive red border
and floral motifs.
• Men use Gamosa as headgear while working in the field. And during Bihu, the
young offer Gamosa to elders as a mark of respect.
• Gamocha is also known as ‘Bihuwaan, as it is an essential part of Bihu festival

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Recent GI Tags from Assam


• Judima
• Chokuwa Rice of Assam
• Kaji Nemu
• Boka Chaul

Ladakh Raktsey Karpo Apricot


• First GI Tag from Ladakh
• Rakstey Karpo apricots have a white seed coat which is not reported from anywhere
else in the world.
Rakstey Karpo contains significantly higher sorbitol than fruits with a brown coat.
Ladakh is the biggest apricot producer in India. It accounts for 62% of the apricot production in the country. After it
became UT, the apricot production was exported outside the region for the first time in 2021

Alibag White Onion from Maharashtra


• a traditional variety of white onion in Alibag tehsil of Raigad district in Maharashtra
• This onion does not have a strong odour and is known for its unique sweet taste, no-
tear factor, and medicinal properties.
• The soil of Alibaug taluka has low sulphur content & its geo-climatic conditions make it
unique compared to other white onion-producing areas.
• White onions are an excellent source of antioxidants that contain more than 25 different types of flavonoids
which lowers the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Recent GI Tags from Maharashtra


• Kolhapuri Chappal
• Sangli Turmeric
• Alphonso

Tandur Red Gram of Telangana


• With this, Telangana now has its 16th GI product registered.
• a local variety of pigeon pea (Arhar/ Toor daal), mainly grown in the rain-fed tract of the
Telangana.
• It contains about 22-24% protein, which is almost three times that of cereals.

Recent GI Tags from Telangana


• Telia Rumal
• Warangal Durries
• Adilabad Dokra
• Pochampally Ikat
• Banaganapalle Mangoes

Attappady Attu kombu Avara (beans) – Kerala


• Cultivated in the Attappady region of Palakkad, is curved like a goat’s horn as its name
indicates.
• Its higher anthocyanin content compared to other dolichos beans imparts violet colour in
the stem and fruits.

Attappady Thuvara (red gram) – Kerala


• Attappady Thuvara is having seeds with white coat.
• Compared to other red grams, Attappady Thuvara seeds are bigger and have higher seed
weight.

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Onattukara Ellu (sesame) – Kerala


• Onattukara Ellu and its oil are famous for its unique health benefits.
• Relatively higher antioxidant content in Onattukara Ellu helps in fighting the free radicals,
which destroy the body cells.
• Also, the high content of unsaturated fat makes it beneficial for heart patients.

Kanthalloor-Vattavada Veluthulli (garlic) – Kerala


• Compared to the garlic produced in other areas, the garlic from the Kanthalloor-Vattavada
area of Devikulam block panchayat in Idukki district contains higher amount of sulphides,
flavonoids, and proteins.
• It is rich in allicin, which is effective against microbial infections, blood sugar, cancer,
cholesterol, heart diseases, and damages to blood vessels.

Kodungalloor Pottuvellari (snap melon) – Kerala


• cultivated in Kodungalloor (Thrissur district) and parts of Ernakulam district, is consumed as
juice and in other forms.
• It contains high amount of Vitamin C compared to other cucurbits, nutrients such as calcium,
magnesium, fibre and fat content.

Recent GI Tags from Kerala


• Edayur Chilli
• Kuttiattoor Mango
• Tirur Betel Leaf (Tirur Vettila)
• Marayoor Jaggery (Marayoor Sharkara)
• Wayanaad Robusta Coffee
• Nilambur Teak

GI Tag sought for Kerala’s legendary Beypore Uru (Boat)


The District Tourism Promotion Council, Kozhikode has applied for a Geographical
Indication (GI) tag for the famous Beypore Uru (boat).
GI tag
Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT),
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
The tag stands valid for 10 years.
About Beypore Uru :
It is a wooden dhow (ship / sailing boat / sailing vessel) handcrafted by Khalasis (traditional artisans responsible for
the manufacture of the Uru)
It is mainly made of Malabar teak, without using any modern techniques.
Uru making in Beypore was established since India began its maritime trade with Mesopotamia.
Beypore is a town located on the banks of the Chaliyar River.

Government scheme
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches 100 days reading campaign ‘Padhe Bharat’
• will focus on children studying in Balvatika to Grade 8. The reading campaign will be organized for 100 days
(14 weeks) starting from January 1, 2022, to April 10, 2022.
• aims to have the participation of all stakeholders at the national and state level
including children, teachers, parents, community, educational administrators etc.
• One activity per week per group has been designed with the focus on making
reading enjoyable and build a lifelong association with the joy of reading.
• February 21 (International Mother Tongue Day), has also been integrated with this
campaign.

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• This day will be celebrated with the activity of Kahani Padho Apni Bhasa Main (Reading
story in own language) across the country by encouraging children to read in their
mother tongue/local language.
• This will help in promoting the local language and culture of our society.

Narayan Rane launches MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme


• MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification is an extensive drive to create awareness
amongst MSMEs about Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) practices and motivate and
incentivise them for ZED Certification
MSMEs will get subsidies as per the following structure, on the cost of ZED certification -
Micro Enterprises: 80%; Small Enterprises: 60%; Medium Enterprises: 50%
An additional subsidy of 10% for the MSMEs owned by Women/SC/ST Entrepreneurs OR
MSMEs in NER/Himalayan/LWE/Island territories/aspirational districts.

Que: SMILE’ scheme is to be implemented by which Union Ministry?


Ans: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
• The Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, Dr Virendra Kumar has launched the Central Sector
scheme titled “SMILE
• SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) is an umbrella scheme being
formulated by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The Ministry has allocated Rs. 365 crore for the scheme for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26
• It includes two sub-schemes for the welfare of transgender persons and persons engaged in begging.
• The scheme will include rehabilitation, medical facilities, counselling, education, skill development and
economic linkages.

Que: Ministry of Education has recently announced a new initiative to provide the best-developed ed-tech solutions
and courses to students on a single platform. What is the name of this solution?
Ans: NEAT 3.0 (National Educational Alliance for Technology)
• Shri Dharmendra Pradhan also launched regional language textbooks prescribed by
AICTE
• NEAT 3.0 aims to provide the best-developed ed-tech solutions and courses to students
on a single platform
It is a PPP model between the Government (through its implementing agency AICTE) and the
Education Technology companies.
58 global and Indian ed-tech startup companies are offering 100 courses and e-resources to enhance learning
outcomes, developing employable skills as well as overcome learning loss.

Que: On 5th January 2022, the Power Ministry successfully completed 7 years of distributing and selling LED lights
under its flagship _________ programme ?
Ans: UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LED for All)
• Launched on 5th January 2015
• Under UJALA scheme, LED bulbs, LED Tube lights and Energy efficient fans are being provide to domestic
consumers for replacement of conventional and inefficient variant
• As on 5th January 2022, 47,778 million kilowatt-hour (kWh) per annum energy has been saved.
• 386 crore tonnes of reduction in CO2 emissions.

Que:The Government of India has extended the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports
Federations (NSFs) for five years till 2025-26. How much amount has been allocated to the
scheme over the extended period?
Ans: Rs. 1575 crore

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• This scheme is managed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and it is the main source of funding for
the preparation of national teams for all major national and international competitions including the
Olympic Games.
• India’s Medal Tally
• In Tokyo Olympics 2020, India won 7 medals, in 6 separate disciplines. It was the highest Olympic medal tally
for India. In Tokyo Paralympics 2020, India won 19 medals.

Que: The health ministry has launched which edition of the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in February 2022?
Ans: 4.0
• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, launched the
Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0 on February 07, 2022, virtually.
• The IMI 4.0 will be conducted in 416 districts across 33 states/UTs.
• The programme will be implemented in three rounds, of 7 days each.
• The first round will begin from 7th February 2022, second round from 7th March
2022, and the third round from 4th April 2022.
• In the first round 11 states will be covered. These are Assam, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura and Chhattisgarh.
• Till date, ten phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed covering 701 districts across the country.

Mission Indradhanush
• To reach the unreached population with all the available vaccines under Universal Immunisation Programme
(UIP) and thereby accelerate the full immunization and complete immunization coverage of children and
pregnant women.
• Targets children under 2 years of age and pregnant women for immunization.
• Mission Indradhanush, that was launched in December 2014

Universal Immunization Programme


The Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) by
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In 1985, the Programme was modified as ‘Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)’.
WHO on 24th February 2012 removed India from the list of countries with active endemic wild poliovirus
transmission and in 2014, India was declared Polio free.

Que: USAID has partnered with which organization under the SAMRIDH scheme to Accelerate Health Innovation and
Entrepreneurship to Accelerate Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship in India?
Ans: NITI Aayog
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) have announced a new partnership under the Sustainable
Access to Markets and Resources for Innovative Delivery of Healthcare
(SAMRIDH) initiative.
• Purpose: It aims to improve access to affordable and quality healthcare for
vulnerable populations in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and rural and tribal regions.

NITI Aayog Planning Commission


It serves as an advisory Think Tank. It served as extra-constitutional body.
It draws membership from a wider expertise. It had limited expertise.
It serves in spirit of Cooperative Federalism as states are
States participated as spectators in annual plan meetings.
equal partners.
Secretaries to be known as CEO appointed by Prime-
Minister. Recently, Parmeswaran Iyer became the CEO of Secretaries were appointed through usual process.
NITI Aayog

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It focuses upon ‘Bottom-Up’ approach of Planning. It followed a ‘Top-Down’ approach.


Imposed policies on states and tied allocation of funds
It does not possess mandate to impose policies.
with projects it approved.
It does not have powers to allocate funds, which are It had powers to allocate funds to ministries and state
vested in Finance Minister. governments.

Major Initiatives have been taken by NITI Aayog

• SDG India Index


• Composite Water Management Index
• Atal Innovation Mission
• SATH Project.
• Aspirational District Programme
• School Education Quality Index
• District Hospital Index
• Health Index
• India Innovation Index
• Women Transforming India Awards
• Good Governance Index
• Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)
• Strategy for New India at 75

Que: What amount has been allocated to ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)’ till 2026?
Ans: Rs 4,600 crore
The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• The scheme aims for overall growth and development of food processing sector.
• In the year 2016, MoFPI had introduced an umbrella Scheme Called “Agro-Marine Processing and
Development of Agro-Processing Clusters” or SAMPADA, which was proposed to be implemented with an
allocation of Rs 6,000 crore for the period of 2016-20.
• In the year 2017, the government renamed the SAMPADA scheme as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana
(PMKSY).
• It is a Central Sector Umbrella Scheme.

Que:The Central Government has decided to continue the Scheme of “Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram
(RYSK) for another 5 years from 2021 -22 to 2025-26 with an outlay of ______________ rupee
Ans:2710 crores
• Aim To develop the personality and leadership qualities of the youth and to engage them in nation building
activities.
• Beneficiaries of this scheme are the youth in the age-group of 15 to 29 years (according to the definition of
‘youth’ in the National Youth Policy, 2014).

Que: Centre has approved to continue the Scheme of Modernization of State Police Forces (MPF
Scheme) till 2025-26. How much amount has been allocated to the scheme for five years?
Ans: Rs. 26,275 cr

The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) since 1969-70.

Que: What is the name of the scheme launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
for the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic tribal Communities?
Ans: SEED

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• Scheme for Economic Empowerment for DNTs, (SEED) on February 16, 2022 at Dr. Ambedkar International
Centre, New Delhi.
• The objective of SEED is the welfare of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic tribal Communities, which
are the most neglected, marginalized and economically and socially deprived communities.
• Total financial outlay for SEED Scheme is approximately Rs 200 crore to be spent over a period of 5 years
starting Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Que: What is the total outlay for the newly launched scheme of Ministry of Education, New India Literacy
Programme, for five years from FYs 2022-2027?
Ans: Rs 1037.90 crore
• Ministry of Education has approved a new scheme named “New India Literacy Programme for the period FYs
2022-2027 to cover all the aspects of Adult Education.
• The scheme aims to align Adult Education will all aspects of National Education Policy 2020 and Budget
Announcements 2021-22.
• Who will be covered: The scheme will cover non-literates of the age of 15 years and above in all state/UTs in
the country.
• Government has now replaced the term “Adult Education” as ‘Education for All’ in the country.
• Census data: As per Census 2011, the absolute number of non-literates of the country in 15 years and above
age group is 25.76 crore (Male 9.08 crore, Female 16.68 crore).

Que: Central Government of India gave approval to the project proposals for the construction of more than 60,000
houses in 5 states under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U). PMAY-U was launched in which year?
Ans: 2015
• 5 states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan under the
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U), during the 58th meeting of Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee (CSMC).
• The virtual meeting was chaired by Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• At Present, the total number of sanctioned houses under PMAY(U) stand at 114.04 Lakhs, of which around
25 Lakh have been grounded for construction and around 54.78 Lakh are completed and delivered to the
beneficiaries.

Ques: Centre has notified a new campaign titled Meri Policy Mere Hath. This campaign has been launched under
which scheme?
Ans: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
• Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare will launch ‘Meri Policy Mere Hath’ which is a
doorstep distribution drive to deliver crop insurance policies to farmers under the Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• The campaign aims to ensure all farmers are aware with all information on their policies,
land records, the process of claim and grievance redressal under PMFBY.
• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has completed 6 years of its
implementation. It was launched by PM Modi on 18th February 2016 at Sehore, Madhya Pradesh.

Ques: The Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
scheme till ________________– with an expenditure of 12,929.16 crore rupees.
Ans: 31 March 2026
• The Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
scheme till 31st March 2026 .The new phase of the scheme would support around 1,600 projects.
• The new phase of the scheme has been designed to implement some of the recommendations of the New
Education Policy (NEP).
• It is the centrally sponsored scheme launched in October 2013 that aims at providing strategic funding to
higher education institutions throughout the country.

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Ques: The enrolment under the PM Cares for Children Scheme has been extended till February 28, 2022 instead of
December 31, 2021. Under this scheme, how much amount would be spent by the Government on each child?
Ans: Rs 10 lakh
• PM Cares for Children Scheme was launched by Prime Minister Modi on May 29, 2021 to
support children who have lost both their parents due to COVID 19 pandemic.

Ques: Centre has approved continuation of National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme


(NMMSS) for a period of five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, with a financial outlay of Rs 1,827 crores. When was
NMMSS scheme launched?
Ans: 2008-09
• The income ceiling for the scheme has been increased from Rs 1.5 lakh per annum to Rs 3.5 lakh per annum.
It was launched in 2008-09.
• Aim: to award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker sections.

Centre approved continuation of umbrella scheme of BIM from 2021-22 to 2025-26 at a cost of Rs 13,020 crores
• Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM)’
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is responsible for the improvement of BIM. This continuation will
strengthen the border infrastructure for improving border management, policing, and guarding the borders.
• The BIM scheme will help in the creation of infrastructures such as the construction of border fences, border
floodlights, technological solutions, border roads and Border Outposts (BOPs)/Company Operating Bases
(COBs) to secure the Indo-Pakistan, Indo-Bangladesh, Indo-China, Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-
Myanmar borders.

Ques: What is the total outlay for the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) over five years for pan-India
implementation?
Ans: Rs.1,600 crore
• Union Cabinet has approved the pan-India implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital
Mission (ABDM) with a budget of Rs.1,600 crore for five years.
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) was launched by PM Modi in September
2021.
• Under this scheme citizen will have 14 digit ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to which
their digital health records can be linked.

Ques: The Phase-II of FAME India Scheme will be implemented for a period of five years till which fiscal year?
Ans: March 2024
• Ministry of Heavy Industries had notified Phase-II of FAME India Scheme for three years from April 2019 to
March 2022.
• the government has extended the scheme for 2 years till March 2024.
• Total budgetary support to Phase-II of FAME India Scheme is Rs. 10,000 crore, from financial year 2019-20 to
2023-24.

Focus area of Phase II will be mainly on supporting electrification of public & shared transportation through demand
incentive and creation of a network of charging infrastructure.
FAME - Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles in India

Ques: ‘National Level Awareness Programme – Sambhav’ is an initiative of which Union Ministry?
Ans: Ministry of MSME
• MSME celebrated its ‘Iconic week’ under ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahosav’ from 28.02.2022
to 06.03.2022.
• Ministry of MSME launched Phase II of its ‘National Level Awareness Programme –
Sambhav’, through which more than one lakh students from 1300 colleges all across
the country will be motivated to take up entrepreneurship.

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• Phase I of the scheme was launched in 2021.

Ques: ‘Donate-a-Pension’ campaign has been launched under which central scheme by
the government recently?
Ans: Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) Scheme
• Union Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav
• Under the new initiative citizens can contribute to the pension fund of their
immediate support staff (unorganized worker) such as domestic workers,
drivers, helpers etc, by donating the premium amount.
• The ‘Donate-a-Pension’ program is part of various initiatives to be launched in the ‘Iconic Week’ celebrations
by the Labour Ministry from March 7 to 13, 2022.
• announced in the Interim Budget-2019 will be implemented from February 15, 2019 by the Ministry of
Labour and Employment.

Ques: SAMARTH is a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women launched by


which ministry?
Ans: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
• launched by Union Minister for MSME, Shri Narayan Rane along with Minister of
State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma in New Delhi.
• Objective of SAMARTH: to provide Skill Development and Market Development Assistance to women and to
train more than 7500 women candidates from rural and sub-urban areas in the FY 2022-23.
• on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2022, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs), launched a Special Entrepreneurship Promotion Drive for Women -"SAMARTH" .

Ques: The ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Challenge’ has been launched under which scheme?
Ans: AMRUT 2.0
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)
• Lunched by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in June 2015
• MoHUA Ministry will select 100 start-ups which will be provided funding support of
Rs.20 lakhs as well as mentorship.
• Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri.
• Purpose of AMRUT: To ensure that every household has access to a tap with the assured
supply of water and a sewerage connection.

Ques: The ‘National AIDS and STD control programme’ comes under which category of scheme?
Ans: Central Sector Scheme
• The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the National AIDS and STD control
programme from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.
• The phase-V of the programme has been extended with an outlay of Rs 15471.94 crore.
• The National AIDS response was initiated by the Government of India in 1992.
• The Phase-IV (Extension) of National AIDS and STD Control Programme concluded on March 31, 2021.

Ques: Sujalam 2.0 campaign has been launched by which ministry?


Ans: Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Sujalam 2.0 campaign launched for greywater management on the occasion of World Water Day, 2022 (22
March 2022).
• It was launched by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
• Theme: The theme for this year for Sujalam 2.0 campaign is ‘Groundwater: making the
invisible visible’.
• Objective of Sujalam 2.0: to manage greywater through people’s participation.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan was launched in 2019 to cover water stressed districts, in 2021 it was
taken to all rural and urban districts by the Prime Minister.

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• Another programme under the department is Atal Bhujal Yojana, which is being implemented in select areas
of 7 States wherein the people prepare their water security plan detailing out how are they getting water,
amount of water being consumed, type of water conservation method applied and how one can moderate
its usage.

Ques: What is the extended validity for the implementation of the free ration scheme Pradhan
Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)?
Ans: September 2022
• Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Narendra Modi, has extended the scheme for another
six months i.e., till September 2022 (Phase VI).
• The Phase-V of PM-GKAY scheme was to end in March 2022.
• PM-GKAY has been under implementation since April 2020, as the largest food security
program in the world.
• The Government has spent approximately Rs. 2.60 Lakh Crore so far and another Rs. 80,000 Crore will be
spent over the next 6 months, taking the total expenditure under PM-GKAY to nearly Rs. 3.40 Lakh Crore.

Ques: Central Government has approved the continuation of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) for financial
year 2021-22 to 2025-26, with a total outlay is Rs ___________________.
Ans: Rs 3274 crores
• Under the yojana, freedom fighters and their eligible dependents are given a pension and other financial
benefits, till 2025-26.
• Background:
• The Government of India introduced the 'Ex-Andaman Political Prisoners Pension Scheme' in 1969 to honor
the freedom fighters who had been incarcerated in the Cellular Jail at Port Blair.
• In 1972, to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Independence, a regular scheme for grant of freedom
fighters' pension was introduced.
• Since 1980, a liberalized scheme, namely the 'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Pension Scheme, 1980' has been
implemented.
• From the financial year 2017-18 onwards, the nomenclature of the Scheme has been changed as
'Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana’.
• The amount of pension has been revised from time to time and Dearness Relief is also given since 2016.

Scheme Launched Year


Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana 26 March 2020
Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package March 30, 2020
Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centre Scheme 14th April 2018 in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh.
Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM June 01, 2020
SVANidhi)
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2006
or MGNREGA in 2009
Jal Jeevan Mission 15th August 2019
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) 2016

Ques: What is the theme of the first quiz under government's Sabka Vikas Mahaquiz?
Ans: Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
• Sabka Vikas Mahaquiz aims to build awareness amongst citizens about Government's various Schemes &
Good Governance
• Sabka Vikas Mahaquiz launched on 14th April as a tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar; First quiz is on Pradhan
Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana
• Quiz available in 12 languages, offering cash prizes of Rs 2,000 each to 1,000 winners per quiz

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• available in 12 languages – English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia,
Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.PMGKAY is a part of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) to help the
poor fight the battle against Covid-19.
• Its nodal Ministry is the Ministry of Finance.
• Phase-I and Phase-II of this scheme was operational from April to
June, 2020 and July to November, 2020 respectively.
• Phase-III of the scheme was operational from May to June, 2021.
• Phase-IV of the scheme is currently operational for July-November,
2021 months.
• The scheme aimed at providing each person who is covered under the NFSA (National Food Security Act
2013) with an additional 5 kg grains (wheat or rice) for free, in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised foodgrain
already provided through the Public Distribution System (PDS).
• The new version of the PMGKAY lacks one of its important components which was there in 2020 PMGKAY
i:e free-of-cost 1 kg pulses per month to each household covered under the NFSA.
• PMGKAY-V will entail an estimated additional food subsidy of Rs. 53344.52 Crore.

Ques: The Insurance Scheme for Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19 has been extended for 180 days from April
19, 2022. The scheme was launched under which central sector scheme?
Ans: Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package

• The ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP), insurance scheme for
Health Care Workers Fighting COVID-19’ has been extended for a further period
of 180 days.
• The PMGKP was launched on March, 30, 2020 to provide comprehensive
personal accident cover of Rs. 50 Lakh to 22.
• 12 lakh healthcare providers, including community health workers and private health workers dealing with
COVID-19 patients and may be at risk of being impacted by the same.

Prime Minister Street Vendor’s Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVA Nidhi) scheme to continue till December 2024
• The approval was given by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with a focus on enhanced collateral-free
affordable loan corpus, increased adoption of digital transactions and holistic
socio-economic development of the Street Vendors and their families.
• According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the scheme had
envisaged to facilitate loans for an amount of Rs 5,000 crore.
• launch of the Scheme in June 2020 i.e. the pandemic and related stress on the
small businesses

Revised MGNREGA Wages


• Fresh wage rates have been notified by the central government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the financial year 2022-23.
• Out of 34 Union Territories and states, 21 of them have received hikes of
less than 5 percent.
• A 5 percent hike has been given to 10 states.
• Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura have not been given any hikes.
• This change in wage rates has been notified by the Ministry of Rural
Development.
• These revised rates have been notified under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act, 2005, sub-section (1) of Section 6.
• From 1st April the changes will come into effect.
• Goa has recorded the highest increase with a 7.14 percent increase to Rs 315 per day in 2022-23 from Rs
294 per day in 2021-22.

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• Meghalaya has seen the lowest hike with a 1.77 percent increase to Rs 230 per day from Rs 226 per day.
• Highest MGNREGA wages
• Five UTs and states with the highest wages are Haryana with wages of Rs 331 per day, Goa with Rs 315,
Kerala with Rs 311, Karnataka with Rs 309, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands with Rs 308.
• Lowest MGNREGA wages
• The five lowest UTs and states are Tripura with Rs 212, Bihar with Rs 210, Jharkhand
with Rs 210, Chhattisgarh with Rs 204, and Madhya Pradesh with Rs 204.

Ques: Union Cabinet has extended the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) for a time period of
?
Ans: March 2023
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved continuation of Atal
Innovation Mission (AIM) for a further period till March 2023.
• A total budget expenditure of more than Rs 2000 crore has been allocated for 2022-23.
• The objectives of the AIM is to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across
the country through interventions at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.
• The Mission was set up under the NITI Aayog, in accordance with the Finance Minister’s declaration in the
2015 Budget Speech(since 2016)

Ques: Which scheme has been launched by the Airport authority to support the women SHGs,
artisans and craftsmen by giving them space at airport to sell their produce?
Ans: AVSAR
• The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has launched an initiative “AVSAR” to encourage the
talent of women, artisans and craftsmen and provide them with the right opportunities.
• AVSAR stands for ‘Airport as Venue for Skilled Artisans Of The Region’.
• An area of 100-200 square feet has been earmarked at each AAI operated airport for this.
• The space will be allotted to the self- help groups, turn on turn basis, for a duration of 15 days.

Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA):


• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a proposal to
continue the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a scheme for improving the
governance capabilities of Panchayati Raj institutions, till 2025-26.
• RGSA was approved by the Union Cabinet on 21.04.2018 for implementation from
Financial Year 2018-19 to 2021-22 (01.04.2018 to 31.03.2022).
• The scheme would work towards “poverty-free and enhanced livelihood in villages;
healthy villages, child-friendly villages; water-sufficient villages; clean and green
villages; self-sufficient infrastructure in villages; socially-secure villages; villages with good governance and
engendered development in villages.”
• Will help 2.78 lakh Rural Local Bodies to achieve SDG goals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi on April 14.
• The Sangrahalaya, located at the iconic Teen Murti complex, was inaugurated as
part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav — a 75-week celebration launched to mark 75
years of Independence.
• The project to build the new museum faced stiff opposition when the government
announced its plan in 2018.
• The logo of the Sangrahalaya, meanwhile, shows hands holding the dharma
chakra, symbolising the nation and democracy.
• The Museum will showcase the life, times and contribution of all 14 Prime
Ministers of India so far, except for the collections and works on Jawaharlal Nehru,
who has a separate Nehru Memorial Museum, which was also his residence.

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Centre launches Swachh Survekshan 2023 under SBM Urban 2.0


• 8th Edition of Swachh Survekshan - 2023 under Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0.
• Theme 2023: ‘Waste to Wealth’
• The survey would give priority to the principle of 3 Rs- Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.
• Swachh Survekshan was introduced by MoHUA in 2016 as a competitive framework to
encourage cities to improve the status of urban sanitation.
• Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri

India's first Olympic Values Education Programme in Odisha


• India’s first ‘Olympic Values Education Programme’ (OVEP) by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) was launched in Odisha.
• The OVEP was officially launched by Naveen Patnaik (Odisha CM), Nita Ambani (IOC
Member) along with other members.
• The OVEP is a practical set of resources aimed at introducing young people to the Olympic values of
excellence, respect and friendship.
• Mumbai, India will host the International Olympic Committee session in 2023.

Central Government sets up Panel on MGNREGA Restructuring

• MGNREGA - Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act


• The panel will be headed by Amarjeet Sinha – the former Rural Development Secretary and advisor in the
PMO.
• Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran is one of the members of this panel.
• It will provide recommendations on changes in focus areas and governance structures to make MGNREGA
more effective.
• It is expected to submit its report by February 2023.
• The MGNREGA was enacted in 2005 to implement a demand-driven scheme that guarantees 100 days of
unskilled work per year for any rural household.

Govt extends rooftop solar scheme till March 2026

• Consumers wishing to install solar panels on the roof of their houses can apply through the National Portal.
• Under this program, the central government gives a subsidy of Rs 14,588 per kilowatt to a person who
installs solar panels on the roof of his house.
• Phase II aims to achieve a cumulative capacity of 40,000 MW from Rooftop Solar Projects by the year 2022.
• To ease the implementation of the scheme, a National Portal was developed, which was launched by PM
Modi on 30 July 2022.
• The central government has set a target of 450 GW of renewable energy generation by 2030.

Government extended the PM SVANidhi Scheme

• The extension of the lending period will be till December 2024.


• Introduction of 3rd loan of upto ₹50,000 in addition to 1st & 2nd loans of ₹10,000
and ₹20,000 respectively.
• PM Svanidhi Yojana was launched on June 1, 2020.
• This scheme was started with the aim of providing financial support to small shopkeepers and hawkers.
• Under the PM Svanidhi Yojana, people who sell goods on the street tracks or do other small jobs can take a
loan of up to ₹ 10,000 from the bank.
• After repaying the loan taken in the first instance, the beneficiary can get a loan of up to ₹ 20,000 in the
second time and up to ₹ 50,000 in the third time.

Tourism minister dedicates four projects in Puducherry under Swadesh Darshan scheme
Union minister for tourism, culture, and development of the northeastern region, G Kishan Reddy
Puducherry and Karaikal have been selected for further development under Swadesh Darshan 2.0
and Karaikal under the PRASHAD scheme to develop iconic spiritual spaces.

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Government of India launched the PRASAD scheme in the year 2014-2015 under the Ministry of Tourism. The full
form of the PRASAD scheme is ‘Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive’.
This scheme focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism
experience.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme is 100% centrally funded

• It was launched in 2014-15 for integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits — Buddhist Circuit,
Coastal Circuit, Desert Circuit, Eco Circuit, Heritage Circuit, Northeast Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Sufi Circuit,
Krishna Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Tirthankar Circuit, Wildlife Circuit and Tribal
Circuit.
• With the mantra of ‘vocal for local’, the revamped scheme namely Swadesh Darshan 2.0 seeks to attain
“Aatmanirbhar Bharat” by realizing India’s full potential as a tourism destination.
• This policy moves away from theme-based tourist circuits and focuses on reviving up destination tourism.
• first phase of the ‘Swadesh Darshan 2’ beginning from January 2023

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) renamed as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM
VIKAS) Scheme

• This integrated scheme amalgamates the five earlier schemes of the Ministry – Seekho aur Kamao, Ustad,
Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.
• The scheme has been approved by the cabinet for the period of 15th Finance Commission.
• PM VIKAS aims to improve the livelihood of minorities, especially artisan communities, by using components
of skill development, education, women leadership and entrepreneurship.

Parliament passes Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

• The Bill seeks to amend the Energy Conservation Act, of 2001.


• It promotes energy efficiency and conservation.
• The Bill empowers the Centre to specify a carbon credit trading scheme.
• Bill does not provide clarity on the mechanism to be used for the trading of carbon credit
certificates and who will regulate such trading.
• The Bill was tabled by the Power ministry

Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs

•In News: The Parliamentary panel on Social Justice and Empowerment has pulled up the
Union government over the “very slow” process to categorise over 260 denotified, nomadic and semi-
nomadic tribes under either the SC/ST/OBC lists for SEED Scheme
• SEED aims to provide free competitive exam coaching, health insurance, housing assistance, and livelihood
initiatives.
• It ensures expenditure of Rs. 200 crores to be spent over five years beginning 2021-22.
• The DWBDNCs (Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities)
has been tasked with the implementation of this scheme.
DWBDNC:

• DWBDNC was established under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the aegis of the Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment for the purpose of implementing welfare programmes.
• The DWBDNC was constituted on 21st February 2019, under the chairmanship of Bhiku Ramji Idate.

Who are Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes?


• These are communities that are the most vulnerable and deprived.
• DNTs (Denotified) are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminals’ during the British regime
under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
• These Acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in l952, and these communities were "De-
Notified".
• Historically, Nomadic Tribes and De-notified Tribes never had access to private land or home ownership.

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Maritime Anti-Piracy Bill 2019 passed in Rajya Sabha

• Bill will provide an effective legal instrument to combat maritime piracy, not only in India’s
territorial waters in the Exclusive Economic Zone but also on the high seas (which is
beyond 200 nautical miles from India’s coastline).
• The Bill defines piracy as any illegal act of violence, detention, or
destruction against a ship, aircraft, person, for private purposes, by the
crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft.

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

• EEZ is a water territory prescribed by the United Nations Convention on


the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
• An EEZ is a water territory where nations are given the right to practice certain activities
like exploration and use of marine resources - extraction of oil, natural gas, finishing,
production of energy from water and wind, etc.
• India has a greater benefit as it has a coastline stretch of 7,500 km and an Exclusive
Economic Zone of more than 2 million sq km.

Railways plans to modernize 1,000 small stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme

• Key features of these proposed stations include provisions for roof top plazas,
longer platforms, 5G connectivity, etc.
• These stations will be redeveloped under what is being internally called the
“Khurda model of redevelopment”.
• Khurda station in Odisha has been modernised for Rs 4 crore with all contemporary
amenities for passengers.

Aibawk cluster becomes the first cluster to be completed under SPMRM

• Aibawk cluster in the Aizwal district of Mizoram has become the first cluster to be
completed under the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM).
• What is SPMRM?
• It was launched by the Prime Minister in February 2016 with a vision to provide amenities to rural areas
which are perceived to be urban and have the potential to stimulate local economic development.
• The Mission aim: Development of 300 Rurban clusters, in the next five years.

National Park and wildlife sanctuaries


Que: Which Indian tiger reserve has been given the TX2 Award for 2022.
Ans: Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu)
• The Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Erode district of Tamil Nadu and Bardia National Park in Nepal have
jointly won the prestigious TX2 Award for 2022, for doubling their tiger populations since 2010.
• Sathyamangalam was designated a Tiger Reserve in 2013. The population of tigers increased from only 25
tigers in 2011 to an estimated 80 individuals currently.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Chairs 20th NTCA Meeting at Pakke Tiger Reserve in
Arunachal Pradesh
• The 20th Meeting of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was held on
April 09, 2022 at Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate
Change Shri Bhupender Yadav.
• It is for the first time in history the NTCA meeting, that it took place outside the national capital.
• The Union Minister had directed that in order to get first hand information about reserve, local issues
etc. these meetings will be held outside Delhi in forest areas or in tiger reserves, henceforth.

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Ques: Geological Survey of India (GSI) has approved to set up India’s first Geo-Park in which state?
Ans: Madhya Pradesh
• India’s first Geo-Park at Lamheta village on the banks of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh.
• A Geo-Park is a unified area which aims to protect the geological heritage in a sustainable way. The site is
already in the UNESCO Geo-heritage tentative list.
• Several dinosaur fossils had been found in the Narmada valley, in the Bhedaghat-Lameta Ghat area of
Jabalpur.
• Founder: Thomas Oldham
• Founded: 4 March 1851
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• Parent organization: Ministry of Mines
• Director-General:Dr S Raju

Ques: The Aravalli Biodiversity Park has been declared as India’s first “other effective area-based conservation
measures” (OECM) site. In which city is the site located?
Ans: Gurugram
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) gives OECM tag to those areas that are not
protected but support rich biodiversity.
• The tag designates the area as a biodiversity hotspot on the international map.
• IUCN
• Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• Founded: 5 October 1948
• Founder: Julian Huxley
• Motto: United for Life and Livelihoods
• CEO: Bruno Oberle

Ques: Which state will get India’s first e-waste eco park?
Ans: Delhi
• India’s first e-waste eco-park will come up in Delhi, as per the announced by
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on February 24, 2022.
• The park will handle increasing e-waste dismantling, re-cycling, re-furbishing and
re-manufacturing of the waste.

Summit and conference


Ques: The 24th National Conference on e-Governance was organised in which city?
Ans: Hyderabad
• The Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the
24th National Conference on e-Governance in Hyderabad, Telangana on January
07, 2022.
• The theme of the two-day Conference is ‘India’s Techade-Digital Governance in a
Post Pandemic World’.

PM Modi hosted first India-Central Asia Summit virtually


• The summit was held with the participation of the Presidents:
• Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
• Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev
• Tajikistan’s Emomali Rahmon
• Turkmenistan’s Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
• Kyrgyz Republic’s Sadyr Japarov.
• The summit was the first engagement at the leadership level between India
and the Central Asian Republics.

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• This elevation of ties came shortly after the third India-Central Asia Dialogue at the foreign ministers’ level,
which was organised in December 2021.

India chairs UNSCs Counter-Terrorism Committee for one year from January 2022
• India has assumed the chairmanship of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-
Terrorism Committee for one year, beginning from January 01, 2022.
• India is chairing this committee after a gap of 10 years.
• Prior to this, India held the chairmanship of the committee in 2011-12.

ASEAN-India High Level Conference on Renewable Energy held on Feb 7-8


• theme: “Experience and Innovations for Integrated Renewables Market”
• Shri R.K. Singh, Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, Government of India delivered the
keynote address.

Ques: When will the first Global Summit on Museums be held?


Ans: February 15th
• The summit will be inaugurated by Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
• The global summit aims to bring together experts and practitioners in the field of
museum development and management from India and around the world on a
common platform to discuss best practices and strategies.
• The virtual summit will be conducted with four broad themes: Architecture and Functional Needs,
Management, Collections Curation & Conservation practices) and Education and Audience Engagement.

Ques: Which country is hosting the World Sustainable Development Summit 2022?
Ans: India
• The World Sustainable Development Summit 2022 Theme is ‘Towards a Resilient
Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable and Equitable Future’.
• The three-day summit will begin on February 16th and conclude on February 18th
and will see participation from several heads of state.
• The World Sustainable Development Summit is the annual event of the Energy and Resources Institute
(TERI).
• The World Sustainable Development Summit will include discussion over a wide range of issues including
sustainable development, sustainable production, climate change, global commons, energy transitions and
resource security.

Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) organising Darkathon–2022


• to find solutions to counter drug trafficking through darknet across the globe.
• from February 15 to April 22 to find solutions to unravel the anonymity of darknet
markets
• Director-General NCB SN Pradhan
• The winner of Darkathon will be awarded with cash of worth 2.5 Lakh rupees. First
Runner-up will receive 2 lakh rupees while third runner-up will be given 1.5 lakh ruppes.

Ques: Who will be the head of the Apex Committee on G20 Secretariat, formed to oversee the preparations for G20
India Summit 2023?
Ans: Prime Minister
• India will hold the Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023 and the G20 Summit
will be held in India in 2023 (18th edition)
• The G20 Secretariat will be guided by an Apex Committee headed by Prime
Minister and it will have the following members:
• Finance Minister- Nirmala Sitharaman,
• Home Minister- Amit Shah,

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• External Affairs Minister- S. Jaishankar, and


• G20 Sherpa- Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Minister - Piyush Goyal)
• Now G20 sherpa:Shri Amitabh Kant
• The G20 secretariat will be responsible for implementation of overall policy decisions and arrangements
needed for steering India’s forthcoming G20 Presidency.
• In 2021, the G20 summits was held in Rome, Italy. In 2022 the G20 summit will be held in Bali, Indonesia

Ques: Which is the venue of ‘DefExpo 2022’ Defence Exhibition?


Ans: Gandhi Nagar
• Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, is all decked up to host India’s biggest-ever
defence exhibition till date - DefExpo 2022 – between October 18-22, 2022. This
12th edition of the event has been organised on the theme ‘Path to Pride’.
• It is also claimed to be Asia’s largest defence exhibition. Out of the 900 exhibitors
at the event, more than 100 are foreign players. The 2020 edition of the Expo
was held at Lucknow

Ques: The 19th edition of the India-US Military Cooperation Group (MCG) meeting has been held in
______________________.
Ans: Agra
• The discussion was co-chaired by Air Marshal BR Krishna from Indian side and his
US counterpart Stephen D Sklenka.
• The discussions centred on improving the two countries’ ongoing defence
engagements and considering new initiatives within the framework of the
existing cooperation mechanism.

Ques: India Global Forum’s (IGF) annual summit has been organized in _________.
Ans: Bengaluru
• The summit brings together those who have joined the unicorn club along with Union ministers,
policymakers, and global business leaders.
• The theme of the summit is ‘The New India Inc.’
IGF is the agenda-setting forum for international business and global
leaders. It offers a selection of platforms that international corporates
and policymakers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their
sectors and geographies of strategic importance.

Ayush Minister Sarbanand Sonowal inaugurates Yoga Mahotsav 2022


• Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga under the Ministry of Ayush
is organizing Yoga Mahotsav-2022.
• 8th International Day of Yoga 2022 in New Delhi.
• This year the International Day of Yoga 2022 campaign will focus on the theme 100 days, 100 cities and 100
organizations till 21st June this year across the globe. For the first time to celebrate Azadi ka Amrut
Mahotsav, it will demonstrate Yoga at 75 Heritage and iconic cultural sites on 21st June.

Ques: The 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) was held virtually from 20th to 22nd March 2022 in
______________________.
Ans: New Delhi
• It is also known as the Olympics of Geosciences.
• It is a joint endeavor of the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian National Science Academy,
and Science Academies of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
• They are held quadrennial under the International Union of Geological Congress (IUGS).
• Theme: Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future

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International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS):


✓ Formation: 1961
✓ Headquarters: Founded in Paris, France
✓ Secretariat: Beijing, China
✓ Secretary-General: Stanley Finney (US)

Ques: In which city, was the “Step-Up to End TB- World TB Day Summit 2022” organised?
Ans: New Delhi
• Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the “Step-Up to End TB- World TB Day Summit”
on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day at New Delhi.
• World TB Day (24th March 2022)
• Union Health Minister will award well-performing states and districts for achieving TB elimination.
• In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the Delhi End TB summit and proposed to End TB in India by
2025, five years ahead of the TB-related SDG targets of 2030.

Ques: First Conference of Incredible India International Cruise Conference 2022 will be held in .
Ans: Mumbai
• Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and
AYUSH, has announced the First Conference of Incredible India International
Cruise Conference 2022 will be held on May 14-15, 2022 organised by the
Mumbai Port Authority.
• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mumbai Port Authority and
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) are organizing
the two-day event in Mumbai.
• He also launched the event website www. iiicc2022. in, logo and mascot named ‘Captain Cruzo’. The iconic
sea-cruise terminal coming up at BPX Indira Dock Mumbai International Cruise Terminal is expected to be
commissioned by 2024.
• Chairman of Mumbai Port Authority Rajiv Jalota

India to host 21st World Congress of Accountants (WCOA) 2022


• Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will host 21st World Congress
of Accountants (WCOA) for the first time in 118 years. About 6000 top
accountants from 130 countries will participate in the programme physically.
• The event will be held from November 18 to 21 after outbidding France.
• The event will be held at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
• The theme for 2022 would be `Building Trust Enabling Sustainability'.
• ICAI president: Debashis Mitra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually attends 5th BIMSTEC Summit Chaired by Sri Lanka
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the 5th Bay of Bengal Initiative
for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit on
March 30, 2022 through virtual mode.
• The Summit was hosted by the Government of Sri Lanka, which was the chair
nation of BIMSTEC.
• The theme of the Summit was “Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous
Economies, Healthy People”
• At the conclusion of the Summit, Thailand took over as chair nation of BIMSTEC.
• 2022 marks the 25th year of the establishment of BIMSTEC.

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Ques: The Conference Amrit Samagam was organised by which ministry as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
celebrations?
Ans: Ministry of Culture
• The purpose of this conference is to deliberate on the progress of Azadi ka
Amrit Mahotsav so far, and gather best practices and idea on the strategies to
be adopted for the remaining period of the celebration, especially for
upcoming crucial initiatives.
• During the conference, Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and DONER Shri G.
Kishan Reddy launched the Utsav Portal website, a digital initiative launched by the Ministry of Tourism, to
showcase all the events, festivals and live darshans across India to promote different regions of the country
as popular tourist destinations worldwide.

India to host key SCO anti-terror meet


• India will be hosting the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's (SCO's)-Regional Anti-Terrorist
Structure (RATS) in New Delhi from May 16th to 19th.
• The Security Advisers of the National Security Councils of India, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan
participated in the meeting.
• India has taken the chairmanship of the Council of Regional Anti-Terrorist
Structure of SCO last year for a period of one year.
• The participants had discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan, especially
the security situation and its regional and global ramifications.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Secretary-General: Zhang Ming
• Founded: 15 June 2001

Vice President Dhankhar inaugurates the 15th CII Agro Tech -2022

• at Chandigarh on 4 November 2022.


• organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in partnership with Haryana and
Punjab government
• exclusively focused on strengthening the Indian Agriculture and Food Processing sector through technology
interventions, discussions, and nurturing partnerships.
• Theme of the 15th CII Agro Tech -2022: ‘Digital Transformation for Sustainable Agriculture and Food
Security’.
(CII)

• It was set up in 1895.


• Headquarters: New Delhi
• President: Sanjiv Bajaj

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21st World Congress of Accountants held in Mumbai

• Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has hosted the 21st World
Congress of Accountants 2022 from November 18-21, 2022 at Jio World Centre,
Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• ICAI has hosted WCOA for the first time in 118 years of its existence
• WCOA 2022 is platform for exchange of ideas through interactive discussions for accounting, finance and
business professionals
• inaugurated by Om Birla (Speaker of Lok Sabha)
• Theme 2022: “Building Trust Enabling Sustainability”
• WOCA has been organised in every four years since 1904, by the International Federation of Accountants.

Government holds 25th National e-Governance Conference in Jammu

• at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University in Katra town of Reasi district in Jammu
region on 25 and 26 November 2022.
• The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge).
• The theme - “Bringing Citizens, Industry and Government Closer”.
• 26th November is celebrated as the Constitution Day

Fourth edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue held in New Delhi

• from 23rd-25th November 2022.


• IPRD is an apex level international annual conference of the Indian Navy.
• The theme - 'Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative’.
• The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is the Navy’s knowledge partner and chief organiser of each
edition of the event.
• The initial conception of an IPRD was created in 2018.

Que: Which city was the host of the ‘India Chem 2022’ Conference?
Ans: New Delhi

• Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated


• theme ‘Vision 2030: Chemicals and Petrochemicals Build India’.
• The 12th edition of INDIA CHEM was organised in association with the Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
• India’s export of chemicals for 2021-22 has hit a record at USD 29,296 Million.

Goa hosts CANSO Asia Pacific Conference

• The three day Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Conference from 1st to
3rd November 2022.
• Theme: Think Global, Collaborate Regional, Accomplish Local
• Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, Airports Authority of India

Fourth Edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) 2022:

• The fourth edition was conducted by the Naval War College (NWC) at Goa from 31 October to 01 November
2022.
• The theme of GMS-2022: “Maritime Security Challenges in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common
Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigation Frameworks”.
• The participants comprised friendly foreign countries - Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand
• Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS):
• It was conceptualised and instituted by the Indian Navy in 2016.
• The symposium is conducted biennially by the Naval War College (NWC), Goa

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Aero India 2023 to be held from 13-17 Feb 2023 in Bengaluru

• The 14th edition of Aero India, Asia’s largest aero show, will be held at the Yelahanka Air
force Station in Karnataka’s Bengaluru.
• Aero India has been held in February month at Bengaluru since 1996.
• Hindustani Aeronautic Limited (HAL), the nodal agency that organizes defence events in
the country, will organize the aero show this year.
• The Defence expo 2022 was held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat in October 2022.

9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022 inaugurated in Goa

• Aim: To showcase the efficacy and strength of the AYUSH systems of medicine at the
Global level.
• The third edition of the ‘Ayushman’ comic book series was also released at the event.
• The market size of AYUSH in the country has grown from $3 billion in 2014 to over $18
billion now.

PM Gati Shakti Multimodal Waterways Summit held in Varanasi

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Summit in Varanasi on November 11.
• The summit was held at the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul (Trade Centre and Museum)
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Organized by Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), under the aegis of the Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways
• Sonowal will also unveil the inauguration and foundation stones of community jetties on
National Waterways-1 (River Ganga) at Ravidas Ghat.
About PM Gati Shakti Master Plan

• In October 2021, the government announced the PM Gati Shakti programme.


• It will bring 16 Ministries together for integrated planning and implementation of infrastructure connectivity
projects.
• It is multi-modal connectivity and will help in improving global competitiveness, boost manufacturing and
modernise infrastructure in the country.
• Its targets are to cut logistic costs, increase cargo handling capacity and reduce the turnaround time.

India hosted 3rd ‘no Money for Terror ‘Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing

• on 18 and 19 November 2022 in New Delhi.


• hosted by India’s premier anti-terrorism agency, National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Ministers, diplomats, and counterterrorism experts from the Egmont Group member states attended this
third conference
• Previous two conferences - Paris in April 2018 and in Melbourne in November 2019
• Recently, for the first time the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting was
held in India on 28 and 29 October 2022.

India hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministers meeting

• at New Delhi on 10 November, under the chairmanship of the Union Minister for
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar.
• Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC)
• Referring to the International Year of Millets - 2023, he urged for adopting a healthy diet for all.
• About BIMSTEC
• BIMSTEC was established in 1997.
• It includes five countries of South Asia – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and two countries of
South-East Asia – Myanmar and Thailand.

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Vice President participated in ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit

• in Cambodia on 11 November 2022.


• Dhankhar also represented India at the 17th East Asia Summit during held in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
• Cambodia is hosting these summits in its capacity as the current chair of the ASEAN.
• 2022 year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and is being celebrated as the ASEAN-India
Friendship year.
Evolution of India -ASEAN relationship

• India was initially made a sectoral partner by ASEAN in 1992.


• Dialogue Partner in 1996.
• In 2012 it was elevated to Strategic partnership.

Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)

• It was set up in 1967 as a group of South-East Asian nations.


• At present there are 10 members in the group.
• They are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam.
• The headquarters of ASEAN: Jakarta, Indonesia.

India International Science Festival 2022:

• 8th edition of India International Science Festival will be held in Bhopal


• It was first held in Delhi in 2015.
• It is an initiative of Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Science of Government of India
in association with Vijnana Bharati
• Aim: To show the ways how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) provide us with the
solutions to improve our lives.

IISc, Bengaluru to be G20 science working group’s secretariat

• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru has been named the Secretariat for
Science 20 (S20), the G20 summit’s science working group.
• S20 2023 theme is ‘Disruptive Science for Innovative and Sustainable Development.’
• S20 has been set up as part of efforts by G20 to address global challenges including climate change
mitigation and sustainable development.
• G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.

Que: India hosted the ‘LeadIT Summit’ on the side-lines of COP27, along with which country?
Ans: Sweden
• The LeadIT (Leadership for Industry Transition) initiative was launched by the
governments of Sweden and India at the UN Climate Action Summit in September
2019 and is supported by the World Economic Forum.
• It focuses on low carbon transition of the industrial sector.
• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav co-hosted the summit with
the Swedish Minister for Climate and the Environment Ms. Romina Pourmokhtari.
• The LeadIT members are committed to achieving a net zero carbon emission.

First Global Media Congress held in Abu Dhabi; Apurva Chandra represents India

• The three day (15-17 November) first World media Congress opened on 15 November
2022 at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Theme of the World Media Congress: Shaping the Future of the Media Industry
• Over 10,000 delegates and media-related companies participated in the launch edition
of the Global Media Congress.

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• Capital of UAE: Abu Dhabi


• Currency: Emirati Dirham

Seventh edition of Global Technology Summit held in New Delhi

• from 29 November - 1 December 2022.


• The Summit is India’s annual flagship event on Geotechnology and is co-hosted by the
Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India
• The theme -‘Geopolitics of Technology.
• Geotechnology is the use of scientific study and methods in activities related to the earth,
rocks, and soil, especially to the earth's mineral resources such as oil and metals.

India assumes the Presidency of the UNSC for December month 2022

• India has assumed the Presidency of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) for the
month of December 2022.
• 2 year term of India as a non-permanent member of the UNSC ends on 31 December
2022.
• India became the non -permanent member of the UNSC on 1 January 2021. During its 2
year terms India has become the President of the UNSC for the second time after August 2021.
• India has been elected 8 times as a non-permanent member of the UNSC - 1950, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1984,
1991, 2011 and 2021.
• The UNSC consists of 15 members. China, US, Russia, France and the United Kingdom are permanent
members. Rest 10 non-permanent members are elected for a period of 2 years.
• At present the UN has 193 member countries.

India to assume chairmanship of Wassenaar arrangement on 1 Jan 2023

• for a period of one year.


• At the 26th annual Plenary of the WA held in Vienna, Austria on 30 November-01
December 2022, Ambassador of Ireland handed over the Chairmanship to
Ambassador Jagdeep Majumdar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to
UN and International Organizations in Vienna.
• India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) on 08 December 2017 as its 42nd Participating State.

What is Wassenaar Arrangement

• It was established in July 1996 at Wassenaar, Netherlands.


• It is a voluntary export control regime of 42 member countries. The member countries exchange
information on transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods and technologies.

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• Main aim - to discourage its member countries from exporting conventional weapons and dual-use goods
and technologies to countries which are a threat to global peace.
• External Affairs' Minister : S.Jaishankar

Jal Shakti Minister inaugurates 7th India IWIS 2022

• Jal Shakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the 7th India Water
Impact Summit (IWIS 2022) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi
on 15th December 2022.
• 2022 Theme: Restoration and Conservation of Small Rivers in a Large Basin.
• Focus: On the select aspects of ‘Mapping and Convergence of 5Ps’ - People,
Policy, Plan, Programme and Project.

World Heritage Site


India finalises nomination of Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in Karnataka for World
Heritage List 2022-23.
• All three Hoysala temples are protected monuments of the Archaeological Survey
of India.
• Earlier, the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre (WHC) had agreed to publish Hindi
descriptions of India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the WHC website.
• If the Hoysala temples attain this status, these monuments will be fourth on the
state’s list of World Heritage Sites.
• The other three include the Hampi Monuments of Vijayanagara, Pattadakallu Temples complex of the
Chalukyan era and the Western Ghats.

Chennakeshava Temple, Belur:


• Construction of the temple commenced in 1117 AD and took 103 years to complete.
• The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Chennakesava, which means
beautiful (chenna) Vishnu (Keshava).
• The richly sculptured exterior of the temple narrates scenes from the life of Vishnu
and his reincarnations and the epics, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.

Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu:


• The Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu is the most exemplary architectural ensemble of the Hoysalas extant
today.
• Built in 1121CE during the reign of the Hoysala King, Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara.
• The temple, dedicated to Shiva, was sponsored and built by wealthy citizens and
merchants of Dorasamudra.
• The temple is most well-known for the more than 240 wall sculptures that run all
along the outer wall.
• Halebid has a walled complex containing three Jaina basadi (temples) of the Hoysala
period as well as a stepped well.

Keshava Temple, Somanathapura:


• The Keshava temple at Somanathapura is another magnificent Hoysala monument,
perhaps the last.
• This is a breathtakingly beautiful Trikuta Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in three
forms – Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala.
• Unfortunately, the main Keshava idol is missing, and the Janardhana and
Venugopala idols are damaged.
• No. of World Heritage Sites in India: India has 40 world heritage sites, including 32 cultural properties, 7
natural properties and 1 mixed site. Dholavira: a Harappan City is the recent addition.

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UNESCO: Mawmluh Cave in Meghalaya first Indian Geoheritage Site

• The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), one of the largest scientific organisations of UNESCO,
has recognised the Mawmluh Cave, located in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, as one of the first
100 IUGS geological heritage sites
• The full list will be presented at the IUGS’s 60th-anniversary event, which will take place in Zumaia, Spain.

Measurements and Dimensions of Mawmluh Cave:


• With a length of 7.2kms, Mawmluh Cave is the fourth longest cave in the Indian
subcontinent.
• The cave is a long maze with many openings and is decorated with stalactites,
stalagmites, columns, drapes and moon milk.
• Set at an altitude of 4503 m, the cave is known for its stalagmite formations.
• Another prime feature of the cave is the pool inside the cave that is formed from five
different rivers that pass through the cave
International Union of Geological Sciences Founded: 1961;
International Union of Geological Sciences Motto: Earth Science for the Global Community
Headquarters: Founded in Paris, France, secretariat in Beijing, China

UNESCO heritage sites tentative list: Sun Temple & Vadnagar town Rock cut sculpture added

• Three new cultural sites in India, including the iconic Sun Temple at Modhera, historic
Vadnagar town in Gujarat, and rock-cut relief sculptures of Unakoti in Tripura, have
been added to the tentative list of UNESCO world heritage sites

Sun Temple, Modhera, Gujarat


• The Sun Temple in Modhera, Gujarat, is dedicated to Surya Dev and is situated on the left bank of the Pushpavati
River, a tributary of the River Rupan. It is the earliest of such temples, setting trends in architectural and
decorative features and perfectly illustrating the Solanki style.
• Vadnagar – A multilayered Historic town, Gujarat
• Vadnagar is a municipality in Mehsana district of Gujarat. It is a multilayered historic town that has been
inhabited continuously for more than 2,700 years, dating back nearly to the 8th century BCE (Before Common
Era). The town still has a significant number of historic buildings, mostly residential and religious in nature
• Rockcut Sculptures and Reliefs of the Unakoti, Tripura
• Unakoti, the chiselled “Angkor Wat of the NorthEast,” is a series of Shaivite rock sculptures found in the
northern region of Tripura. It is renowned as an ancient holy site associated with Shaiva worship

Mangarh Dham

• PM Modi attended the ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ programme in Banswara district of Rajasthan.
• The event was organised by the Ministry of Culture.
• PM paid tributes to the tribals who were massacred by the British army in 1913 in Mangarh in
Rajasthan.
About Mangarh Dham

• It is a memorial for around 1,500 tribals massacred by the British army on November 17 in 1913, is
located on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, a region with a large tribal population.
• In 1913 the assembly of tribals and forest dwellers against the British Raj in Mangarh was led by the
social reformer Govind Guru.
• This massacre of tribals, which took place six years before Jallianwala Bagh, is sometimes referred to as
"Adivasi Jallianwala".
• The Bhil tribe is called the "Dhanush Man of India" because they are highly skilled in learning the bow.

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Tiger Reserve
Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan notified as 52nd tiger reserve of India
• Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has announced
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had given in-principle approval to make Ramgarh
Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas as tiger reserves on July 5 last year.
• Other Three Tiger Reserves in Rajasthan
• Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Sawai Madhopur
• Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar
• Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Kota.

Ranipur in UP gets notified as 53rd Tiger Reserve


• Uttar Pradesh gets 4th Tiger Reserve as Ranipur TR (53rd in India)
• The Uttar Pradesh cabinet notified state’s fourth tiger reserve in the Ranipur
Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) in the Chitrakoot district.
• Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary founded in 1977, has no resident tiger. However, it is an
important corridor for the movement of tigers
• It will also be the first in the Bundelkhand region of the state.
• 27 tigers will be relocated from Pilibhit Tiger Reserve to Ranipur Tiger Reserve (RTR)
Other Tiger Reserves in UP:
• Dudhwa National Park
• Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
• Amangarh Tiger Reserve

How are tiger reserves notified?


TR are notified by State Governments as per provisions of Section 38V of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 on advise of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
The following steps are involved in the notification:
(a) Proposal is obtained from the State.
(b) In-principle approval is communicated from NTCA, soliciting detailed proposals under
section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
(c) NTCA recommends the proposal to the State after due diligence.
(d) The State Government notifies the area as a Tiger Reserve.

State Wildlife board approves new tiger reserve Durgavati TR in Madhya Pradesh
• The Board, chaired by CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has approved a proposal to notify
2,339 Sq km in Narisinghpur, Damoh and Sagar districts as Tiger Reserve.
• The proposal will be sent to NTCA for final approval
• NTCA - (National Tiger Conservation Authority)
• Durgavati TR is being developed so that tigers from Panna TR can shift there
naturally.

Kaziranga Project
India and France are collaborating on Kaziranga Project.
• France has committed funding of €80.2 million (Euro) for a 10-year period, between
2014-2024.
• The Kaziranga project is a part of a larger Assam Project on Forest and Biodiversity
Conservation (APFBC).
• The project conceptualised the reforestation of 33,500 hectares of land and the
training of 10,000 community members in alternate livelihoods by 2024.

Kaziranga National Park:


• It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
• It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

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Wildlife Sanctuary
Karmajhiri adjacent to Pench Tiger Reserve in MP declared as sanctuary
• Karmajhiri, a popular safari zone adjacent to the Pench Tiger Reserve in Seoni
district, declared as a new sanctuary
• “Seoni district’s 1410.420-hectare forest area is included in the new Karmajhiri
sanctuary.
• Pench Tiger Reserve is the first Tiger Reserve to straddle across two states – Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra.
• Madhya Pradesh has 24 sanctuaries.
• Recently, Centre denotified the Karera sanctuary as demanded by local people.
• Karera wildlife sanctuary was constituted in 1981 for the conservation of Son Chiraiya, which was a rare
species of bird.
• Since it was a notified area, there was a ban on the sale-purchase of the land in this area. People had been
demanding to denotify it as Son Chiraiya was never spotted in the area since 1992

Assam Govt approves creation of second Wildlife Sanctuary in Barak valley


• Barak Bhuban Wildife Sanctuary (second wildlife sanctuary) in Barak Valley.
• The Barak Bhuban Wildlife Sanctuary will be spread over an area of 320 sq Km
between the Barak river and Sonai river.
• It comprises three districts — Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj
• Eight recorded species: Slow loris, Rhesus macaque, Pig-tailed macaque, Stump-
tailed macaque, Assamese macaque, capped langur, phayre's leaf monkey and hoolock gibbon.
• It is also an important habitat for king cobra.
• Barak Valley also houses the Borail Wildlife Sanctuary.

Tal Chhapar sanctuary in News


• The famous Tal Chhapar blackbuck sanctuary in Churu district of Rajasthan has received a
protective cover against a proposed move of the State government to reduce the size of
its eco-sensitive zone.
• Tal Chhapar’s area was going to be reduced to three sq. km. under pressure from mine
owners and stone crusher operators.
• To protect the sanctuary, the Rajasthan High Court ordered a “complete prohibition” on any action to
reduce the wildlife sanctuary’s area.
• Tal Chhapar Sanctuary:
• The Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is known as the home of blackbuck and a variety of birds
in Rajasthan.
• It is located in the Churu district of Northwestern Rajasthan, in the Shekhawati
region of India.

Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary notified as 17th wildlife sanctuary of Tamil Nadu
• The sanctuary was notified under Section 26-A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act,
1972.
• It covers reserve forest areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts
• This sanctuary will connect Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary (TN) with the Cauvery Wildlife
Sanctuary (Karnataka).

Tamil Nadu government notified Nanjarayan Tank as 17th bird sanctuary


• The Nanjarayan Tank also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located in Tirupur city, Tamil Nadu.

Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary – India’s first


• Tamil Nadu notifies India's first slender loris sanctuary
• Covering 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts.
• under Section 26 A(1)(b) of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Over the past 15 months, Tamil Nadu has notified India’s first Dugong Conservation
Reserve in Palk Bay,

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• Nanjarayan Tank birds sanctuary in Tiruppur and Kazhuveli bird sanctuary in Villupuram
• Fifth elephant reserve of the state at Agasthyamalai in Tirunelveli.
• The slender loris are native to Sri Lanka and southern India.
• These nocturnal animals are found in scrub forests, semi-deciduous forests, swamps and tropical rain
forests.
• They are categorized as endangered animal by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Red List.
• Listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.

Elephant reserve
32nd Elephant Reserve of India notified
5th Elephant Reserve in Agasthyamalai landscape announced by Tamil Nadu
• The proposal to designate 1,197.48 sq.km in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli as the
Agasthiyarmalai Elephant Reserve was approved by the Union Environment Ministry.
Tamil Nadu will oversee this Agasthiyarmalai Elephant Reserve, which is the fifth elephant reserve.
• World Elephant day 2022 was celebrated on 12th August at Periyar, Kerala in the presence of Shri Bhupender
Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
• Elephant – National Heritage animal of India
• Elephant census is conducted once in 5 years
• Project Elephant was launched in February 1992
• India’s 1st Elephant reserve or elephant sanctuary was the Singhbhum Elephant Reserve of Jharkhand.
• The population of 29,964 elephants as recorded in the last elephant census conducted in 2017
• In the last 3 years, Dandeli Elephant Reserve has been notified by the state of Karnataka, Singphan Elephant
Reserve by Nagaland and Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh.
• This has brought the total area under Elephant Reserves in India to about 76,508
sqkm across 14 states of the country.
• For the first time in an initiative, Gaj Gaurav award was conferred for the
commendable efforts of local communities, frontline staff and mahouts working at
grass root level to conserve elephants in wild and captivity.
• This year the Malasar Community belonging to the Anamalai of Tamil Nadu and
mahouts of Kerala and Assam were awarded the Gaj Gaurav award by the Union
Minister, EF&CC.

Terai gets notified as 33rd Elephant Reserve in India


• Terai Elephant Reserve (TER), covers 3,049 sq km including Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
located in Lakhimpur and Pilibhit districts
• Launched in February 1992, Project Elephant is an initiative supported by the Central Government.
• The Singhbhum Elephant Reserve in Jharkhand was the first elephant reserve.

Anamalai Tiger Reserve initiated elephant adoption scheme


• The 'Elephant Adoption Scheme' has been unveiled by Tamil Nadu-based Anamalai
Tiger Reserve (ATR) in November 2022.
• NGOs, institutions, trusts or individuals can sponsor the expenses of elephants in
the forest department's camp.
• ATR is one of the five tiger reserves of Tamil Nadu. It is a part of the Southern Western Ghats. It is part of the
Anamalai Parambikulam Elephant Reserve declared in the year 2003.

Miscellaneous
Que: Kalpana Chawla Centre for Research in Space Science & Technology has been
inaugurated in which university?
Ans: Chandigarh University
• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated
• The research centre has been established with the objective of training students in space science, satellite
development and to meet future challenges in space research

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Que: The Indian Army has established the Quantum Lab at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering
(MCTE), in which city?
Ans: Indore (M.P.)

Extra Facts (National Parks in MP):


Panna national park
Satpura national park
Bandhavgarh national park
Sanjay national park
Madhav national park
Pench national park
Van vihar national park
Fossils national park

PM Modi launches blockchain-based digital degrees at IIT Kanpur


These digital degrees can be verified globally and are unforgeable
The technology is already being used in the financial sector and has been powering
currencies like bitcoin.

Ques. Which has become India’s first city to have a water metro project?
Ans. Kochi (Kerala)
• 1st electric boat built. The battery-powered water metro boat can carry 100 passengers.
• boats being built by the Cochin Shipyard for the 747-crore rupee project.
• the project being implemented with the support of the German Development Bank, KfW
• It is the first time in the world a centrally-controlled integrated water transport system
with a large fleet is powered by battery.
First boat named Muziris

Que: Who has become the first Indian-origin woman to trek solo to South Pole?
Ans: Captain Harpreet Chandi
• A 32-year-old Indian-origin British Sikh Army officer, Captain Harpreet Chandi has created
history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a solo unsupported trek to
the South Pole.

Que: Name the world’s first company which has recently hit $3 trillion market cap?
Ans: Apple
• The market cap of Apple hit $182.86 per share
• The iPhone maker passed $2 trillion in 2020 and over $1 trillion in 2018.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that specializes in consumer
electronics, software and online services.
CEO of Apple: Tim Cook

Que: AYUSH Minster Sarbananda Sonowal has recently laid the foundation stone for the Heartfulness International
Yoga Academy at which place?
Ans: Hyderabad
• Apart from this the academy has therapeutic Yoga rooms for consultation, one to one training spaces or
small group classes; pre-natal Yoga rooms; a lecture hall with 200 sitting capacity
• Yoga hall fully equipped for Live online Yoga Classes; a Yoga library with books from
every Yoga Institutions and access to Yoga research articles.
• AYUSH - Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy

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Que: Crypto Wire has launched India’s first cryptocurrencies index. How many
cryptocurrencies will be monitored on this platform?
Ans: 15
• The global cryptocurrency app CryptoWire has launched India’s first index of
cryptocurrencies named IC15.
• IC15 is a rule-based broad market index that will track and measure the performance
of the top 15 widely traded liquid cryptocurrencies globally, in terms of market capitalization, listed on
leading crypto exchanges of the world

Que: ‘PM’s Excellence Award’ is being awarded for which sector?


Ans: Public Administration
• The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) awards the “Prime Minister’s
Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” since 2006.
• Union Minister Jitendra Singh has recently launched the Web Portal for PM’s Excellence Award.
• The prize money was doubled this year from 10 lakh rupees to 20 lakh rupees.

Dr Jitendra Singh - Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State
(Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space

Que: Which place is to host the 25th National Youth Festival?


Ans: Puducherry
• from 12th to 16th January 2022.
• The festival has been organised as part of the Azadi ki Amrit Mahotsav
marking the 75th year of Independence
• National Youth Festival started in 1995

Que: Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) is located at which state?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
• IGRUA was established by the Government of India in 1986 at Fursatganj Airfield (UP).
• IGRUA is an Autonomous Body and it is administered by a Governing Council under Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• During 2021, IGRUA recorded 19000 hours of flying as against an average yearly flying output of 15000 per
year during the previous five years. It also targets 25000 flying hours in 2022.

244 Meri Saheli Teams deployed at major Railway Stations


• The Railway Protection Force has deployed 244 Meri Saheli teams at major railway
stations in the country in order to provide security to the lady passengers in long-
distance trains, particularly those who are travelling alone.
• The ministry also informed that other preventive measures to ensure the security of the lady passengers
such as CCTV system, train escorting and regular drives against unauthorized passengers in ladies coaches
are also being implemented.
• The Railway Protection Force, in 2021, had arrested more than 3000 criminals that were involved in the
offences against the passengers.

Que: PM Modi has recently inaugurated a new campus of Chittaranjan National


Cancer Institute (CNCI) in which city?
Ans: Kolkata
• The new campus has been built at an estimated cost of over Rs 530 crore.
• Out of this, Rs 400 crores have been provided by the Union government and remaining by West Bengal
government, in the ratio of 75:25.
• The existing CNCI unit is located at Hazra More in Kolkata. It was inaugurated on January 02, 1950.

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Que: Election Commission has hiked the Parliamentary constituencies poll expenditure limit in January 2022. What is
the new expenditure limit for candidates in bigger states?
Ans: Rs 95 lakhs
• The new limits will be applicable in all upcoming elections in the country.
• The previous major revision in the election expenditure limit was done in 2014. It was further increased by
10% in 2020

Parliamentary constituencies poll expenditure ceiling:


• Bigger states (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka)- Increased to Rs
95 lakh from previous limit of Rs 70 lakh.
• Smaller states (Goa, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and UTs) – Increased to 75 lakh from previous Rs 54 lakh.
• UT of Jammu and Kashmir has been raised to 95 lakhs.

Assembly constituencies poll expenditure limits:


Bigger states: Increased to Rs 40 lakh from Rs 28 lakhs
Smaller states: Increased to Rs 28 lakhs from Rs 20 lakhs
• The Election Commission of India is the election conducting body.
• Article 324 of the Indian constitution envisages the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• The appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall be made by the
president.
• The Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners hold office for 6 years or till they attain
the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Que: Which Union Ministry launched the ‘Climate Hazards and Vulnerability Atlas of India’?
Ans: Ministry of Earth Sciences
• Developed by Climate Research and Services (CRS) office of the India Meteorological
Department (IMD), Pune
• based on 14 extreme weather events (extreme rainfall, drought, coldwave, heatwave,
dust storms, hail storm, thunderstorm, cyclones, snowfall, lightning, winds and fog).
IMD Foundation Day – 14 January
Indian Meteorological Department was established in 1875 with its headquarters at Calcutta. But Later it was
shifted to Shimla in 1905, to Pune in 1928 and then to Delhi in 1944

Que: India’s first Mobile Honey Processing Van has been launched by KVIC in which place?
Ans: Ghaziabad (Village Sirora), U.P
• The Van was inaugurated by Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman of Khadi and Village
Industries Commission (KVIC).
• The cost of developing the unit is around Rs 15 lakh.
• It can process about 300 kg of honey in 8 hours.
• The van also has a testing laboratory to instantly examine the quality of honey.
The Khadi and Village Industries Act of 1956 founded it. It was revised twice, once in 1965 and again in 2006.It
functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. In 2017-18, it launched the Honey Mission
programme. Recently, it launched a project named Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought (BOLD) from the village
NichlaMandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Que: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has appointed which company as the service provider for the
second phase of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP-V2.0)?
Ans: Tata Consultancy Services
PSP-V2.0 envisages rolling out chip-enabled e-passports, increasing data security and ensuring the next level of
customer experience.
CEO: Rajesh Gopinathan
Headquarters: Mumbai

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Founders: Faquir Chand Kohli, J. R. D. Tata


Founded: 1 April 1968

Que: Centre has approved an MoU with which country for the construction of a bridge over
Mahakali River at Dharchula in Uttarakhand?
Ans: Nepal
• The bridge will connect the twin town of Dharchula in Uttarakhand with Dharchula in Nepal.
• will be completed within three years.
• It will strengthen the relationship and further improve the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
• Mahakali River also known as Sharda river or Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand.
• It joins Ghagra river in Uttar Pradesh, which is a tributary of Ganga.

Que: Name the mission launched by the Western zone of the Indian Railways to track lost belongings of passengers
Ans: Mission Amanat
• Railway Protection Force (RPF)
• This will help the passengers in tracking and getting back their lost belongings as well as ensure the safety
and security of passengers and their luggage and belongings.
• Earlier in February 2022, the RPF had launched a nationwide operation to curb human
trafficking named Operation AAHT.

What is the Railway Protection Force?


• The contingent of RPF is an Armed Force of the Union of India. It is a security force
under the ownership of Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways.
• The history of the RPF dates back to 1882 when various railway companies appointed their own guards for
protection of railway property.
• The force was declared as statutory force in the year 1957 by an enactment of Parliament subsequently
declared as an Armed Force of the Union of India in the year 1985.

Que: Which place is to get India’s first heli-hub with all aviation facilities?
Ans: Gurugram
• will have all facilities at one place for helicopters, such as heliport, hangars,
maintenance of air taxis and charted helicopters.
• The main purpose - to put in place the landing and take-off points for various helicopter services for the
national capital.

Que: World’s largest Khadi National Flag was put to display to celebrate the “Army Day” on January 15, 2022 at
Longewala in _____________________.
Ans: Jaisalmer
• Longewala was the centre stage of historic battle of 1971 between India and Pakistan.
It will be the fifth public display of the Khadi flag.
• The Monumental National Flag is 225 feet long and 150 feet wide. It is approximately
1400 kgs in weight.

POWERGRID & Africa50 to jointly develop Africa's First Transmission PPP Project in Kenya.
• The project involves the development, financing, construction, and operation of the 400kV Lessos – Loosuk
and 220kV Kisumu – Musaga transmission lines under a PPP framework.
• Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID):
• Founded:23 October 1989
• Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana
• CMD: Kandikuppa Sreekant
Kenya Currency: Kenyan shilling
President: William Ruto

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Maasai Mara Reserve

Govt inaugurates India’s first coal to methanol (CTM) plant built by BHEL in Hyderabad
• The 0.25 TPD (tonnes per day) capacity CTM pilot plant that has been indigenously designed, developed and
installed by BHEL is currently producing methanol with purity of more than 99 per
cent from high-ash Indian coal.
• conversion of high-ash Indian coal to methanol through the gasification route is
the first-of-its-kind technology demonstration in India
• Union Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey

Republic Day celebrations to begin from January 23 every year


• instead of the 24th
• to include the birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose (Parakram Divas ).
• Earlier, the Government had also announced to observe August 14 as the Partition
Horrors Remembrance Day and 31st October as Ekta Divas National Unity Day.

Amar Jawan Jyoti merged with flame at National War Memorial in New Delhi on Jan 21
• The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal Balabadhra Radha
Krishna merged the two flames.
• According to the government, the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti in the India Gate
memorial paid tributes to the martyrs of 1971 and other wars, however, none of the
names who made that supreme sacrifice for the country were present there.
• The National War Memorial, which was built in the India Gate complex by the
Narendra Modi government and was inaugurated in 2019, has the names of all the
Indian defence personnel who have lost their lives in different operations from the 1947-48 war with
Pakistan to the Galwan valley clash with Chinese troops
The Integrated Defence Staff is an organisation responsible for fostering coordination and enabling prioritisation
across the different branches of the Indian Armed Forces.

PM unveiled 216-foot statue of Ramanujacharya in Hyderabad


• The statue described as the 'Statue of Equality’, made of 'panchaloha', a mix of five
metals - gold, silver, copper, brass and zinc.
• located in Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad
• It is mounted on a 54-foot high base building named 'Bhadra Vedi’. • 1,000th birth
anniversary of the saint
• Sri Ramanujacharya was an 11th century Bhakti saint, and a revolutionary
social reformer

Extra Facts on Telangana:
13th century Kakatiya Rudreshwara Ramappa temple in Telangana recently declared as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site
Pochampalli in Telangana recognised as the best tourism village by the World Tourism Organisation.

Que: India’s first para-badminton academy has been set up in which city?
Ans: Lucknow
• The set up will improve India’s medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics to be held in Paris,
France
• launched by the head national coach of Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna (Dronacharya
awardee), in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance.

Que: The Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ki Ore’ programme is a year long initiatives dedicated to
celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by which organisation?
Ans: Brahma Kumaris

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• The national level program includes seven year long initiatives dedicated to celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav by the Brahma Kumaris.
• More than 30 campaigns and over 15000 programs and events will be conducted under these initiative by
the Brahma Kumaris.

Que: Which state’s panchayat has become the country’s first sanitary napkin-free panchayat?
Ans: Kerala (Kumbalanghi)
• Under this initiative, menstrual cups are distributed to women aged 18 and above.
• Kumbalanghi is also India’s first model tourism village
• The model village project is implemented as a part of ‘Pradhan Mantri Sansad Adarsh
Gram Yojana (PM-SAGY)’. A new tourist information centre will also be set up in the
village.

Que: India’s First “District Good Governance Index” has been unveiled recently for districts of which states/UTs?
Ans: Jammu and Kashmir
• The Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Shri Amit Shah has virtually released the
index
• Jammu district has topped the Index.
• The District Good Governance Index (DGGI) is a framework document comprising of
performance under ten governance sectors having 58 indicators with 116 data points.

Que: The Spices Board of India has launched India’s first portal for spice exports. What is the name
of the portal?
Ans: Spice Xchange India
• The portal is a 3D virtual platform, that makes use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based
technology to connect India’s spice exporters with buyers from around the world.

Que: India has recently launched a commemorative logo jointly with which country, to mark 30 years of the
establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries?
Ans: Israel
• The logo features the respective symbols of the national flags of both countries, that is Ashoka Chakra and
the Star of David.
• The symbols forms the numeral 30 depicting the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations.
• The diplomatic relations between Israel and India was established on 29 January 1992.
Capital: Jerusalem
President: Isaac Herzog
Prime Minister: Naftali Bennett
Currency: Israeli Shekel

Que: India’s first Graphene Innovation Centre will be established in which state?
Ans: Kerala (Thrissur)
a joint venture of: Digital University of Kerala, Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-
MET) and Tata Steel Limited.
➢ The project would give a major fillip for scientific research as well as the state’s industrial
sector.
➢ Graphene is a one-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. It is the building-block
of Graphite.
➢ It is the thinnest, most electrically and thermally conductive material in the world, while also being flexible,
transparent and incredibly strong.
➢ Graphene is also known as a wonder material due to its vast potential in the energy and medical world.

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Que: Which Ministry has has released a pictorial book titled ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes’?
Ans: Ministry of Culture
• The book has been prepared by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha,
an Indian publisher of Indian comics and graphic novels.
• to highlight the contribution of unsung women heroes who contributed to the freedom
struggle.

India emerged as world’s largest exporters of cucumber and gherkins


➢ India crossed the USD 200 million mark of export of agricultural processed product - pickling cucumber -
which is globally referred as gherkins or cornichons.
➢ Currently, India grows around 15% of world’s total gherkins – mainly Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
and Telangana.
➢ Farmers can take two crops of gherkins annually since it is a 90-day crop.

Que: India’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station has been inaugurated at which place?
Ans: Gurugram
at Delhi-Jaipur National Highway
➢ has been installed and operated by tech-piloting company Alektrify.
➢ Before this, the largest EV charging station in India was located in Navi Mumbai

India (100.3 MT) is world’s 2nd largest steel producing nation in 2021 behind China (1064.7 MT)
• India's crude steel production rose by nearly 18 per cent to 118 million tonne (MT) in
2021, while world leader China recorded a 3 per cent decline to 1 032.8 MT, according to
worldsteel.

Que: Tata Sky has recently rebranded itself. What is the new brand name of the entity?
Ans: Tata Play
• The new brand identity Tata Play aims to grow beyond offering just DTH service and offer
television-cum-OTT (over-the-top) offerings in combined packages with Netflix.
• Tata Play was founded in 2006. It is a joint venture between the Tata Sons (60%) and The
Walt Disney Company (30%), with Temasek Holdings, Singapore (10%).

‘35th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2022’ held from 4th to 20th February, 2022
✓ The Mela is organized by the Surajkund Mela Authority & Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union
Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs.
✓ The Surajkund Mela is the largest crafts fair in the world.
✓ The Mela was initiated in 1987 to promote the pool of skilled artisans, who used indigenous technology, but
were suffering due to the cheaper machine-made imitations.
✓ The fair was upgraded to an international level in 2013
✓ The UK will be the partner country whereas Jammu and Kashmir will participate as the theme state.

Que: Which country was the largest trading partner of India in 2021?
Ans: United States
• The US was India’s top trading partner in the calendar year 2021 with a trade of $112.3 billion. The US is
followed by China on second. The value of trade between India and China was $110.4 billion.
• In 2020, China was India’s top trading partner and the US was in the second rank.
• India’s list of top ten trading partners also includes the UAE, Saudi Arab, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore,
Iraq, Indonesia and South Korea.

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Que: Government has approved continuation of the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP)
for 2021 – 2026. How much amount of outlay has been approved for this programme?
Ans: Rs 1700 cr
• The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Indian Footwear and
Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) for five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• The purpose of IFLDP Programme is to develop infrastructure for the leather sector,
which can address environmental concerns specific to the leather sector, facilitate
additional investments, employment generation and increase in production.

Bangladesh signs agreement to purchase 420 broad-gauge railway wagons from India
• The agreement was signed in Dhaka between the project director of Bangladesh
railways Mizanur Rahman and the Hindustan Engineering and Industries Limited.
• The agreement worth Tk. 231 crore will be implemented within 27 months of the
signing of the contract.
This project is being implemented with the joint funding of the Government of Bangladesh and Asian Development
Bank (ADB) under the Rolling Stock Operation Improvement Project.

Que: Which IIT has established an Inter-disciplinary Water Management & Policy Centre called
‘AquaMAP,’ to solve water problems in India?
Ans: IIT Madras
This Centre will provide smart solutions for challenging water problems by designing scalable
models by leveraging innovative technologies.

Atal Tunnel is 'longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet', says World Book of Records
• The 9.02 km long, strategically significant, Atal Tunnel, that runs under the `Rohtang Pass` was constructed on
the Manali - Leh Highway under the challenging conditions of freezing temperatures in extremely difficult
terrain. Atal Tunnel was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on
October 3, 2020.
• The Union Cabinet decided in 2019 to name the Rohtang Tunnel as Atal
Tunnel to honour the contribution made by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Rohtang in Persian means a pile of dead bodies.
• Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General of Border Roads Organisation
(DGBR) received the award for the stupendous achievement of the
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in constructing this engineering marvel
connecting Manali to the Lahaul - Spiti Valley.

Que: India’s first commercial-scale biomass-based hydrogen plant will come up in which state?
Ans: Madhya Pradesh
• Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
• Every day this plant will produce one tonne of hydrogen, from 30 tonnes of biomass
feedstock.
• The plant is being put up by a joint venture of Watomo Energies Ltd and Biezel
Green Energy.

Que: The National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCOE-CCU) has been established at which
institution?
Ans: IIT- Bombay
• The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has established the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon
Capture and Utilisation (NCOE-CCU) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
• This is India’s first such centre centrally funded by the DST. This Centre of Excellence explores the potential
of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies, which will help India achieve its climate change goals.

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Que: Name the programme launched by NABARD to promote natural farming?


Ans: JIVA
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has launched an
agroecology-based programme called ‘JIVA’ (meaning life) to promote natural farming, ensure
sustainability and rejuvenate ‘life’ around agricultural field.
• NABARD will invest Rs 50,000 per hectare under this programme.
• Formation: July 12, 1982
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Chairman: Shri Shaji K V

Chairman of Supreme Court panel on Char Dham project Ravi Chopra resigns
• In his letter dated January 27, chairman of the high powered committee (HPC) for the
Char Dham Pariyojana, Ravi Chopra, has said the union ministry of road transport
(MoRTH) had ignored the panel’s recommendations regarding the road width.
• Seventy-five-year-old Chopra, a renowned environmentalist, had been appointed by
the Supreme Court in September 2019 to head the HPC, which was tasked with
looking into how wide the mountain roads in the Char Dham region could be made under the new project,
while being environmentally sustainable.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had issued a circular in 2018 for widening of roads around the
Badrinath-Kedarnath-Gangotri-Yamunotri region (that is, the Char Dham circuit).
• This had been challenged in the Supreme Court by an NGO, which then set up the HPC to examine the
environmental concerns and give its recommendations for how it could be implemented.

Que: The Government of India has set the target to replace diesel with renewable energy by which year to achieve
zero diesel use in the agricultural sector?
Ans: 2024
The initiative is a part of government’s commitment to increase the share of non-fossil fuels
by 2030 and become a net zero emitter by 2070.

Que: India has signed an MoU with which country on Tourism cooperation recently?
Ans: Australia
• It will be instrumental in increasing tourists’ arrival from this important source market.
• Australia is the most important tourism generating markets for India (ranked 4th in terms of Foreign Tourist
Arrivals to the country in 2019).
• Under the MoU, three meeting of Joint Working Group Meeting on tourism between India and Australia
were conducted.
• Ministry of Tourism has MoUs with 45 countries.

Que: Indian Railways is setting up country’s biggest and world class wrestling academy to support wrestling as a
sports. In which city will the academy be built?
Ans: Delhi
• The Ministry of Railways has approved to set up a state-of-art wrestling academy in
Indian Railways, at Kishanganj, Delhi.
• The project will be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 30.76 crores.
• The academy will offer the best sports facilities to sportspersons, and provide an
opportunity for many budding wrestlers to become champions in the coming time.

Important Facts About Indian Railways


• Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia and the world’s second largest
• The world’s longest railway platform is in India at Gorakhpur
• The train that has the longest run in terms of distance and time on the Indian Railways network is: Vivek
Express travels a distance of 4273 km

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• The train that runs between India and Pakistan is: Samjhauta Express
• Train running between India and Bangladesh is: Maitree Express
• In 2000, Mamata Banerjee was the first woman to become Railway Minister.
• She holds the record of being the only woman who introduced the railway budget for two different
governments in the Parliament (UPA and NDA).
• March 8th 2021 – The first woman driver of Indian Railways, Surekha Yadav drove all women-staffed
Mumbai-Lucknow Special train on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
• The Fairy Queen is the oldest functioning steam engine in the world. It is plying between New Delhi and
Alwar in Rajasthan.
• Four sites of Indian Railways have been declared as “World Heritage sites” by the UNESCO. They are
Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain, Mumbai CST, and Kalka-Shimla Railways.
• Indian Railways was nationalized in 1951
• Toilets were introduced on Indian Railways in 1909.
• Indian Railways started computerized reservation in New Delhi in 1986.

Que: Reliance Jio has inked agreement with which company to offer satellite-based broadband communication
services in India?
Ans: SES, Luxembourg
• Reliance Jio has tied-up with Luxembourg-based satellite and telecom services provider SES to provide
satellite-based broadband communication services in India.
• Under the agreement, Jio Platforms has formed a joint venture with SES, named as Jio Space Technology Ltd.
• The joint venture will deliver the next generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India,
leveraging satellite technology..
• Jio Platforms Ltd will hold 51 percent and and SES will own 49 percent equity stake in the joint venture.
• The total value of the contract is around $100 million.

Que: India has signed an agreement with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) for the distribution of
50,000 MT of wheat to ___________________________ as part of a humanitarian assistance.
Ans: Afghanistan
• According to the MoU, the wheat will be taken through Pakistan to the Afghan border crossing and handed
over to WFP officials in Kandahar beginning February 22.
• The wheat will eventually be divided into five batches of 10,000 tonnes, to be distributed across the country
on approximately 200 trucks that are run by the WFP.

Que: Which Indian FMCG company has become the first plastic waste neutral company in the country?
Ans: Dabur
• Dabur India has become the first Indian consumer goods company to become completely plastic waste
neutral. It has done this by collecting, processing and recycling around 27,000 metric tonnes of post-
consumer plastic waste during FY21-22.
• Dabur has achieved the landmark of surpassing its plastic packaging usage with recycling
• About Dabur India Limited:
• Founded: 1884
• Founder: S. K. Burman
• Headquarters: Ghaziabad
• CEO: Mohit Malhotra

Que: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has sanctioned Rs ________________ for cleaning Gomati, a
transboundary river between India and Bangladesh, and setting up 10 jetties for a waterway project to boost Indo-
Bangla Waterway Project.
Ans: Rs 24 crores

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• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has sanctioned Rs 24.53 crore for cleaning
Gomati, a transboundary river between India and Bangladesh, and setting up 10 jetties for a
waterway project to boost Indo-Bangla Waterway Project.
• Gumti River originates from Dumur in the northeastern hilly region of Tripura state of India.
• Source: Dumur, Tripura
• Mouth: Meghna River
• Bangladesh: Comilla
• Countries: India, Bangladesh

Railways connects India's longest tunnel T-49 in Katra-Banihal section


• Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL)
• The longest tunnel of Indian Railways, between Sumber and Arpinchala station of
Katra-Banihal section of Udhampur-Srinagar rail link connected successfully.
• At a length of 12.758 km, tunnel T-49 of the Indian Railways surpasses the 11.2-km
long Pir Panjal Tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund section.
• T-49 tunnel has two tubes: the main tunnel and an escape tunnel. It has been
constructed by new Austrian tunneling method (NATM), which uses a modern drilling and blast technique.
The cross-section profile of the tunnel is a modified horseshoe-shaped.
• The Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) project is set to be 272-km long, of which 161km
has already been commissioned and operationalised.
• An 111-km stretch between the intervening Katra-Banihal section is under progress at rapid pace. The
section is particularly challenging due to its terrain in the lower Himalayas, the railways said.

Que: What is the theme of the Fintech Open Month, organised by NITI Aayog from February 07 to 28, 2022?
Ans: Open
• NITI Aayog has started the Fintech Open Month from February 07, 2022 in coordination
with PhonePe.
• It is a first-of-its-kind initiative where fintech professionals can collaborate, exchange
ideas, and innovate. It will continue till Feb 28, 2022.
• The overarching theme of Fintech Month of NITI Aayog is ‘OPEN’.

Maharashtra: India’s first water taxi service inaugurated connecting Navi Mumbai to mainland Mumbai
• A speedboat trip from South Mumbai to Navi Mumbai will cost Rs 1,200 per passenger, while a monthly pass
will cost Rs 12,000.
• road takes 90-100 minutes, the water taxi service —will cut this travel time to 45-50 minutes.
• flagged off by Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
• The services will commence the Domestic Cruise Terminal (DCT) and will
connect the nearby locations at Nerul, Belapur, Elephanta island and Jawaharlal
Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).
• The services are also expected to give a major boost to the tourism sector,
especially the travel to the historic Elephanta Caves from Navi Mumbai.

Que: The National Dam Safety Authority has come into force on February 18, 2022. The Authority has been set up
under which Act?
Ans: Dam Safety Act 2021
• The Parliament of India had passed the Dam Safety Act 2021 on December 8, 2021, which seeks to provide
an institutional architecture for dam safety in the country.
• Following this, the Central Government has established an Authority, which shall
known as the National Dam Safety Authority, to discharge the powers and
functions of the National Authority under the Dam Safety Act.
• The headquarter of the Authority will be located in the national capital region, and
have four regional offices.

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Que: PM Modi virtually unveiled Asia’s biggest “Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant”in India, with a
capacity to process 550 tonnes of municipal waste per day. The plant has been launched in
which city?
Ans: Indore
• This is the biggest Bio-CNG plant in Asia. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore.
• The gobardhan plant is based on the concept of waste-to-wealth innovation.

Govt estimated record food grains production of over 316.06 MT for 2021-22
• Released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
• The production during 2021-22 is also higher by 25.35 million tonnes than the
previous five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of foodgrains.
• Rice –127.93 million tonnes. (record)
• Wheat –111.32 million tonnes. (record)
• Maize –32.42 million tonnes. (record)
• Pulses –26.96 million tonnes.(record)
• Sugarcane – 414.04 million tonnes.(record)
• Oilseeds –37.15 million tonnes.
• Groundnut – 9.86 million tonnes.
• Soyabean –13.12 million tonnes.

India-UAE inks free trade agreement (FTA) to raise bilateral trade to $100 billion in 5 years
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi HH Sheikh Mohammed
bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a Virtual Summit on February 18, 2022, with the aim to further
strengthen the bilateral relations in all sectors.

Que: Government of India has reduced agri-cess for crude palm oil (CPO) from 7.5% to ____________ with effect
from 12th February 2022.
Ans: 5.0%
• Cess is a kind of special-purpose tax which is levied over and above basic tax rates.
• The Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) is a tax that the government imposes on the
commercial production of agricultural produce.

Que: India imported a record 100,000 tonnes of Soy Oil from which country?
Ans: USA
• Indian traders have imported a record 100,000 tonnes of Soy Oil from the United States, because of limited
supplies from drought-hit South America.
• This import has been undertaken amidst the high prices of its rival Palm Oil.
• The higher purchases are expected to support U.S. soy oil prices, which have already climbed nearly 20% this
year.

Que: Which Indian telecom company has joined the global SEA-ME-WE-6 undersea cable consortium?
Ans: Airtel
• SEA-ME-WE-6 stands for South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6.
• Airtel will be the major investor in the SEA-ME-WE-6. It shall be anchoring 20 percent of the overall
investment in the cable system.
• Through SEA-ME-WE-6, Airtel will be able to add 100 TBps capacity to its global
network.
• The 19,200 Rkm SEA-ME-WE-6 will connect Singapore and France and will be
amongst the largest undersea cable systems globally. Through SEA-ME-WE-6,
Airtel will add 100 TBps capacity to its global network.
• Airtel will land the SEA-ME-WE-6 cable system in India at new landing stations in
Mumbai and Chennai.

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• About Bharti Airtel:


• Founded: 1995
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Founder : Sunil Bharti
• MD & CEO: Mittal Gopal Vittal
• Airtel said it already operates the largest undersea cable network out of India in addition to the biggest
network of data centres.

Que: India’s first Biosafety level-3 containment mobile laboratory has been inaugurated in which city?
Ans: Nashik
• Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar
inaugurated India’s first Biosafety level-3 containment mobile laboratory in Nashik,
Maharashtra.
• The mobile laboratory will help to investigate newly emerging and re-emerging viral
infections, by specially trained scientists from ICMR.
• The newly launched lab will be able to access remote and forested areas of the
country, to investigate outbreaks using samples from humans and animal sources.

Que: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the ‘Kisan Drone Yatra’, an initiative by
______________________ and flagged off 100 ‘Kisan Drones’ in various cities and towns across India to spray
pesticides in farms across the states of India.
Ans: Garuda Aerospace
• This is a special initiative aimed to support the farmers across India. The 100 Kisan Drones were set off in 100
villages in 16 states across India which includes Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa.
• The farmers can use the high capacity Kisan drones to transport their produce such as fruits, vegetables and
flowers to markets in a minimal time and boost their income.

J&K delimitation panel gets 2-month extension; headed by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (retired)
• The term of the panel, headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice (retired) Ranjana Prakash Desai, was
coming to end on March 6. While Chief Election Commissioner Shushil Chandra and the
Election Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir are ex-officio members of the Commission,
all the five Lok Sabha members from the Union Territory are its associate members.
• The commission came into being by virtue of an Act of the Parliament, under the
provisions of Part V of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. It is redrawing
boundaries of seven additional seats for the 83-member Assembly.
• Originally set up in March 2020, the commission was given a one-year extension as its
work got delayed after the National Conference (NC) had refused to participate in the
deliberations.
• The NC decided to take part in the commission proceedings only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held an
all-party meeting in June 2021.
• First draft proposal
• In its first draft proposal, the commission suggested an increase of six Assembly segments in the Jammu
province and one in the Kashmir province. It has also suggested reservation of seven seats for Scheduled
Castes and nine seats for Scheduled Tribes.

Que: Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited will introduce its next generation multi-terabit India-
Asia-Xpress (IAX) undersea cable system in which country?
Ans: Maldives
• The new subsea cable system will connect the Maldives, directly with world’s
major internet hubs in India and Singapore. Another subsea cable system India-
Europe-Xpress (IEX) is also built by RJIL that connects Mumbai and Milan.

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• Undersea cable systems along with data centres supports 5G and the digital economy that builds large
integrated capacities to enable India’s digital ecosystem.
• Capital: Male
• Currency: Rufiyaa
• President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Que: SBI has partnered with which company for financing solar power projects through its
dedicated centralized processing cell named ‘Surya Shakti Cell’?
Ans: Tata Power Solar
• The cell has been set-up in the Ballard Estate in Mumbai.
• The Surya Shakti Cell will process all the loan applications for Solar Projects from
across India by Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd., with maximum capacity up to 1 MW.
• Loan applicants will include both business entities as well as households.

Que: IBM has recently launched a new cybersecurity hub to address cyberattacks in Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
Where is the hub located?
Ans: Bengaluru
• The new cyber security hub is one of the only two such centres of IBM globally. The
other one is located in the US.
• The IBM global analysis report for 2022 states that Asia emerged as the top-most
targeted region for cyberattacks, representing 26% of attacks analyzed in 2021.

Que: Minister of State for Culture & External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi has released signature tune
for ‘Vande Bharatam’. The tune is composed by _____________________.
Ans: Ricky Kej and Bickram Ghosh
• The tune is composed by Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej and Oscar contender Bickram
Ghosh. It was produced for Vande Bharatam, Nritya Utsav of Ministry of Culture
presented at Rajpath, New Delhi for Republic Day event 2022.

Que: The Indian Institute of Technology will establish its first branch outside India in ________________.
Ans: UAE
• The two countries and realising the need to establish world-class institutions that encourage and support
innovation and technological progress, the leaders agreed to establish an Indian Institute of Technology in
the United Arab Emirates.
• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
• President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Que: The Ministry of Culture had organised the Odyssey of temple architecture of India,
titled, Devayatanam, in which city to highlight the architectures of Indian temples?
Ans: Hampi
• The Devayatanam is a two-day international conference organized by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) of the Ministry of Culture, on February 25-26,
2022.
• The main aim of the conference is to highlight the architectures of Indian temples.
• Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. The old city
of Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and grand city near the Tungabhadra River,
with numerous temples, farms and trading markets.
• By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world’s second-largest medieval-era city
after Beijing, and probably India’s richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia
and Portugal.
• destroyed by sultanate armies in 1565 (Battle of Talikota), after which Hampi remained in ruins.

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Que: Indian Railways and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have successfully commissioned India’s first Solar
Photovoltaic Plant of 1.7-MegaWatt in which state?
Ans: Madhya Pradesh
Aim: The installation of the solar plants is to achieve conversion of Indian Railways to ‘Net Zero’ Carbon Emission and
‘Go Green’ by 2030.
will produce approximately 25 lakh units of energy annually.
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL):
• Founded: 1964
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CEO: Nalin Singhal

Que: India’s first Digital Water Bank ‘AQVERIUM’ has been launched in ___________________?
Ans: Bengaluru
• to aggregate water resources under a platform
• an innovative initiative aimed at better water management.
• It is formed by AquaKraft Group Ventures.
• the company offers a unique social franchising model to create 'water
entrepreneurs' with an objective to make India ‘Water Positive’ by 2030.

Que: The first Drone school of Madhya Pradesh has been inaugurated in which city recently by the Minister of Civil
Aviation?
Ans: Gwalior
• Inaugurated by the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
• This is one of the five Drone Schools planned to be opened in Madhya Pradesh.
• The other four cities are Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Satna.
• The first drone fair in the country was organised last year in December in Gwalior.
• The aim of the school will be to provide a head start in the use of drones to provide employment
opportunities to the youngsters.

Gujarat: India’s first road made from steel waste


• built by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India with CSIR India (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and
the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and government think tank Niti Aayog.
• This experimented project of sustainable development is a 1 KM long and has six lanes.
• The thickness of the road has also been reduced by 30%
• So far the road has proven to be a strong one. More than 1,000 trucks, 18 to 30 every day are passing with
tons of weight on the steel road.

Que: Union Minister of Power, Raj Kumar Singh, has launched India’s first Virtual Smart Grid Knowledge Center
(Virtual SGKC) and Innovation Park in which state?
Ans: Haryana
• The center is located within the Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited (PGCIL)/POWERGRID center in Manesar, Haryana.
• The technical assistance is provided by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID).
• has been developed to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and
research in smart grid technologies of the power distribution sector.

Power Grid:
Founded: 23 October 1989
Headquarters: Gurgaon, India
Owner: Government of India

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Que: Prime Minister Modi recently dedication a new campus building complex of the Rashtriya Raksha University
(RRU) to the nation in which city?
Ans: Gandhinagar
• PM also addressed the first convocation of RRU Gandhinagar as a Chief Guest.
• Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Gandhinagar is an Institution of National Importance, which commenced
its operations from October 01, 2020.
• RRU provides different academic courses to meet the need for high quality trained manpower in various
wings of policing, criminal justice and correctional administration.

Que: Indrayani Medicity is planned to be set up as country’s first medical city, in which city?
Ans: Pune
• will come up in 300-acre in Khed taluka of Pune.
• The project is estimated to attract investment worth over Rs. 10,000 crore.
• Indrayani Medicity will have hospitals, centres for medical research, pharmaceutical
manufacturing, wellness and physiotherapy, and will be first-of-its-kind city in the
country to have all the treatments available at one place.

Que: The Bhasha Sangam mobile app has been released by the Ministry of Education in how many scheduled Indian
languages?
Ans:22
• The Ministry of Education has launched a campaign titled ‘Bhasha Certificate Selfie’.
• The aim of this campaign is to promote Bhasha Sangam mobile app, launched by the
Ministry under the aegis of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat to encourage cultural
diversity and promote mulitlinguism.

Que: With which country, India has agreed to set up a joint task force on “proposal to construct a hydropower
project” from investments of both the countries?
Ans: Nepal
• The task force will have a maximum of three members from both countries.
• An agreement was signed at the 9th meeting of the Nepal-India Energy Secretary-Level Joint Steering
Committee in Kathmandu.

Que: India has renewed the Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) of up to $75 billion with which country recently?
Ans: Japan
• The Bank of Japan, acting as agent for the Minister of Finance of Japan, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
signed the Amendment and Restatement Agreement of the BSA.
• BSA is a two-way arrangement where both authorities can swap their local currencies in exchange for the US
Dollar.
• The actual Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) was signed between the Bank of Japan and the Reserve Bank of
India in 2018.
Capital: Tokyo
Currency: Japanese Yen
Prime minister: Fumio Kishida

Que: What is the revised compensation to the kin of hit-and-run victims in case of death?
Ans: Rs 2 lakh (earlier 25000)
• Notified by Road Transport and Highways Ministry
• shall come into force from April 1, 2022.
• The compensation to a person sustaining grievous injuries will increase to Rs 50,000 from Rs 12,500.

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Que: Recently, Dr Jitendra Singh launched the International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO) at the Indian Institute
of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). Where is this IMPO/IITM located?
Ans: Pune
• The IITM, Pune is an institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt of
India.
• The IMPO has been launched for an initial period of five years.
• Basic objective of IMPO is promoting knowledge sharing and capacity building
in areas of monsoon research.

Que: Ministry of Women And Child Development In Partnership With The Ministry Of Education Launches Campaign
‘Kanya Shikhsa Pravesh Utsav’ in partnership with which organization?
Ans: UNICEF
• Back to School campaign under the umbrella of ‘BetiBachaoBetiPadhao’ to Bring Back Out of School
Adolescent Girls to the Formal Education

United Nations Children's Fund


• Headquarters: New York
• Head: Catherine M. Russell
• Founded: 11 December 1946

Que: Which company has announced the launch of ‘Play Pass’ subscription service in India?
Ans: Google
• It will provide Android device users access to over 1,000 applications and games without ads, in-app
purchases, and upfront payments.
Google:
• Founded: 4 September 1998
• Headquarters: California, United States
• CEO: Sundar Pichai
• Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin

Que: The e-Bill system was launched by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for Central Government Ministries. The
system has been developed by ________
Ans: Public Financial Management System (PFMS) Division of Ministry of Finance
• The e-Bill system was launched on the 46th Civil Accounts Day on March 02, 2022.
• Objective: The system will allow all vendors/suppliers of the central government to submit their bills/claims
at anytime, from anywhere.
• 46th Civil Accounts Day was celebrated at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi.
• Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman was the Chief Guest
• The Civil Accounts Day has been organised every year by the Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS), since its
inception in 1976.
• ICAS is one of the Civil Services of India. It comes under the Department of Expenditure, Union Ministry of
Finance.

Que: Which IIT has developed a Novel nanoparticle-based bio-degradable-carbonoid-metabolite (BioDCM) that can
protect agricultural crops from fungal and bacterial infections?
Ans: IIT Kanpur
• Since 2021, the innovation of nanoparticles is the 2nd such innovation in the field of agriculture by
researchers of IIT Kanpur.
• In 2021, out of the 107 patents filed by IIT Kanpur, ‘Bhu-Parikshak’, a soil-testing device was a path-breaking
innovation that has proven to significantly reduce the time and hassle required for testing soil in the lab.

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Que: First-ever Ice Wall Climbing Competition-2022 has been organized by Northwest Frontier of
Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in ______________________________.
Ans: Leh
• Ladakh Lt Governor RK Mathur has inaugurated the competition
• ITBP Formed: 24 October, 1962
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Director General of ITBP : Anish Dayal Singh

Area Office & Innovation Centre of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to be set up at New Delhi
• Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary-General
Houlin Zhao signed a pact virtually.
• The setting up of the area office will provide greater access and engagement to India
and South Asian countries in global policy and standard formation in the field of
telecommunication.
• This area office will provide opportunities for our start-ups and talents to develop
and contribute more to telecom technology.
• ITU was established on 17 May 1865
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

Que: “Vida” is a new brand name launched by which company for its upcoming electric vehicles?
Ans: Hero MotoCorp
• The first electric vehicle under the Vida brand will be officially unveiled on July 1,
2022, to coincide with the birth anniversary of Dr. Brijmohan Lall, Chairman
Emeritus of Hero MotoCorp.
• Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO of Hero MotoCorp

Que: Airport Authority of India (AAI) is constructing a Greenfield Airport in Hollongi in


________________________.
Ans: Arunachal Pradesh
Airport Authority of India (AAI) has undertaken the work of constructing a Greenfield Airport
in Hollongi, 15 kms from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

What is greenfield airport and Brownfield airport?


• Greenfield airport project is a terminology defining construction of new airports on a greenfield land,
whereas brownfield airport involves the modification or upgrade of airports as per the global standards.
• Pakyong is the first greenfield airport in the northeastern region of India. It is located about 31 kilometres
south of Gangtok, capital of Sikkim.
• Kazi Nazrul Islam airport is in West Bengal. It is India’s first private Greenfield airport located in Durgapur-
Andal region. The airport has been developed in collaboration with Changi International Airport, Singapore.
• The Centre had given 'in-principle' nod to set up the 21 greenfield airports across the country.
• So far, 8 such airports have been operationalised:
• Sindhudurg and Shirdi in Maharashtra, Durgapur in West Bengal, Pakyong in Sikkim, Kannur in Kerala,
Orvakal in Andhra Pradesh, Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh

Que: What is the name of India’s automatic train collision protection system?
Ans: Kavach

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Que: The OCEANS 2022 Conference and Exposition was held in which city?
Ans: Chennai
• IIT Madras and the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai,
jointly organised the OCEANS 2022 Conference.
• The bi-annual conference was held for the first time in India. The theme of the
event was “inspire-innovate-sustain”.
• The conference provided a platform for global maritime professionals to learn, innovate, and lead in the
protection and utilisation of the world’s largest natural resource, which is ‘oceans’.

Que: Microsoft has recently opened its largest data centre in India in Hyderabad. Apart from this, the company
already has how many data centre in the country?
Ans: 3 (Pune, Mumbai, and Chennai)
• will be operational by 2025.
• To set up the data centre, Microsoft has signed a definitive agreement with
Telangana state government with a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore.

Que: Reliance Industries (RIL) has announced opening of India’s largest business, commerce and
cultural destination, ‘The Jio World Centre’ in ________________.
Ans: Mumbai
• It is spread across 5 acres at Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

Que: ‘Jharokha’, which was in the news recently, is a celebration related to which field?
Ans: Art and Culture
• Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Textiles jointly organized “Jharokha-Compendium of
Indian handicraft/ handloom, art and culture”.
• It was held across the country at 16 locations in 13 states and UTs.
• The first event under this celebration was organized in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, at Rani
Kamlapati Railway Station

Que: In the year 2022, which edition of National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) was organised by the Lok Sabha
Secretariat and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports?
Ans: Third
• was conducted in the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi.
• Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur addressed the inaugural session of NYPF on
March 10, while the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addressed the valedictory function
on March 11.
• National Youth Parliament is an innovative programme to equip youth with the
understanding of parliamentary procedures and democratic processes.
• The objective of NYPF is to hear the voice of the youth, between 18 and less than
25 years of age.
• 1st edition of NYPF was organised in 2019

Que: With which country, India has signed an MoU on cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation?
Ans: Singapore
• The MoU was signed during the inaugural event of India – Singapore Technology Summit 2022.
• This Memorandum will remain in effect for a period of 5 years and will be automatically extended for a
successive period of 5 years.
• This MoU will also encourage, develop and facilitate cooperation between India and Singapore in other fields
like Agriculture, Food Science & Technology, Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering, Green Economy,
Energy, Water, Climate & Natural Resources, Data Science, Emerging Technologies, Advanced Materials, And
Health & Biotechnology.

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Que: The first consignment of QR code based GI tagged hand-knitted Kashmiri Carpet has been exported to which
country recently?
Ans: Germany
• The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has launched a quick response (QR) code for
its GI-tagged Kashmiri carpet, to preserve the authenticity and genuineness of the
hand-knotted carpets.
• The main objective of this QR Code attached to GI tag is to help in reviving the sheen
and glory of the Kashmiri carpet industry.
• The QR code will contain relevant information of the artisans, manufacturer, weaver,
district, raw material used etc.

Que: The first ‘Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal’ of Indian Railways


has been inaugurated in the Asansol division of
______________________.
Ans: Eastern Railway
In 2021 the government launched the ambitious Gati Shakti
scheme or National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity
plan, with the aim of coordinated planning and execution of
infrastructure projects to bring down logistics costs.

Que: Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which
country’s Army Research Centre to create academic cooperation and engagement?
Ans: Australia
• Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), the Indian Army think tank, New Delhi
• Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Manoj Pande, Chairman, Board of Governors, CLAWS
and Lt Gen (Dr) Ranbir Singh (Retd), Director CLAWS.
• Lt Gen Richard Burr, the Chief of the Australian Army

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India & Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to
jointly set up solar power plant in Trincomalee Sri Lanka
• India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement for developing a 100 megawatt solar
power plant in Sri Lanka’s eastern port district of Trincomalee,
• as part of the efforts to strengthen bilateral economic partnership, including
cooperation in the renewable energy sector.

Que: The centre has reduced GST rate for domestic MRO services to how much?
Ans: 5 percent
• The centre has reduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate for domestic Maintenance,
Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services from 18 percent to 5 percent.
• The move has been taken to meet the increasing demand of the aviation sector.

Que: How much amount has been approved by India for Sri Lanka as Line of Credit to
help the island country in importing food, essential items and medicine?
Ans: USD 1 billion
• Sri Lanka is currently facing severe economic crisis. The LoC is being extended by
India in line with its efforts to assist its neighbouring country in fight against the
COVID-19 pandemic, and to mitigate its adverse impact and its developmental
priorities.

Que: Which unit of Coal India Limited has become the leading coal-producing company in the country?
Ans: Mahanadi Coalfields (Sambalpur, Odisha)
• It has crossed 157 million tonnes (MT) in coal production in the financial year of 2021-22.

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• Coal India Limited


• Founded: 1975
• Headquarters: Kolkata
• Chairman & MD: Pramod Agrawal

Which state is the largest producer of coal in India?


In FY 2020-21, Chhattisgarh registered highest coal production of 158.409 MT, followed by
Odisha 154.150 MT, Madhya Pradesh 132.531 MT, and Jharkhand 119.296 MT.

Que: India’s First Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) has been
launched at ______________________.
Ans: IISc- Bengaluru

Que: India’s first Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) has been launched by which auto company under a pilot project?
Ans: Toyota
• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the
world’s most advanced technology-developed Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle
(FCEV) Toyota Mirai at New Delhi

Que: Recently the National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd. (NMDC) has become the first to conduct Drone-
based Geophysical Surveys and Hyperspectral Studies for Mineral Exploration in the country. For this NMDC has
signed MoU with which institute?
Ans: IIT Kharagpur
• The NMDC Limited is a government owned mineral producer, under Ministry of Steel,
and the largest Iron Ore producer in India.
• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Founded: 15 November 1958
• NMDC CMD Sumit Deb

Que: The coaches for the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail Corridor were launched by the National Capital Regional Transport
Corporation (NCRTC). In which year NCRTC was founded?
Ans:2013
The RRTS is a first-of-its-kind system in which trains running at 180 kmph will run every
5–10 minutes and cover the distance between Delhi and Meerut in 55 minutes with 14
stops.
National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC):
• Founded: 2013
• Headquarters: Delhi, India
• Managing Director: Vinay Kumar Singh

Que: The ‘Golden Langur’ is an endangered species, native to which country?


Ans: India and Bhutan
• Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei) is an endangered primate species that is
distributed along the boundary of Bhutan and India.
• As per a recent study, there is a significant decline in the habitat of Golden Langur and the intensity of
human-langur conflict is increasing due to enhanced human footprints in the habitat of the species.

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India achieves $400 billion goods exports target in a financial year for first time

Que: Government has organised the 10-days long Bharat Bhagya Vidhata festival at which place to showcase the
heritage, culture and diversity of India?
Ans: Red Fort
• Inaugurated by Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti on
March 25, 2022.
• The festival has been organised by the Union Ministry of Culture, as part of
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The ministry has collaborated with the Dalmia Bharat Group (DBG) to organise
the event.
• The festival Bharat Bhagya Vidhata will help everyone to appreciate the diversity of India. More than 70
master craftsmen have displayed their craftsmanship at the venue.

About Red Fort


• Built by: The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan laid the foundation stone of the Red Fort in 1618 and held its
inauguration in 1647.
• Architecture: Red fort is the fusion of the Timurids and the Persians architectural styles. Ustad Ahmad
Lahauri was the architect of the Red Fort.
• It is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is situated on the Banks of River Yamuna.
• With a circumference of almost one and a half miles, the fort is an irregular octagon and has two entrances,
the Lahore and Delhi Gates.
• Diwan-e-Aam: is the Red Fort’s Hall of public audience. The Mughal emperors would hold court here and
meet dignitaries and foreign emissaries.
• Diwan-e-Khas: was the hall of private audience. It is a pavilion of white marble supported by intricately
carved pillars. Diwan-e-Khas once housed the famous Peacock Throne.
• Peacock Throne was plundered by Nadir Shah in 1739.
• Called Stream of Paradise: due to its gardens and a water channel.

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Que: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved an increase in the
Minimum Support Price (MSP) of raw jute by Rs 250 to Rs ___________________ per quintal for the 2022-23 season.
Ans: Rs. 4750
Jute Corporation of India (JCI):
• Founded: 1971
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal
• Parent Ministry: Ministry of Textiles
• Managing Director: Ajay Kumar Jolly

Que: The 73rd Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society (ANCIPS) has been organized in which city?
Ans: Visakhapatnam
• three-day conference held at Vizag Conventions at Madhurawada.
• The last national conference was held 37 years ago in Visakhapatnam.
• The focus areas: drug and alcohol abuse in society, stress among students and growing incidence of suicides,
depression and anxiety, old-age problems and dementia.
• The theme for ANCIPS 2022: ‘Bridging minds … Connecting generations’

Que: Indian Union Minister Piyush Goyal has recently inaugurated an Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre (IJEX)
building in which city?
Ans: Dubai
• The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the
Indian Jewellery Exposition Centre (IJEX) building in Dubai, UAE
• During the launch of IJEX, the minister called upon the export members of the
Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) to go for USD 100 billion
export target annually from the current USD 35 billion.
• IJEX will be a one-stop destination for the world to source Indian jewellery in Dubai and the platform will
enable GJEPC members to display goods and book orders throughout the year.

Que: Government of India is setting up museum of all former Prime Ministers to showcase their life, times and
contribution. How many Prime Ministers have been there in India till date?
Ans: 14
• The Museum of Prime Ministers or the Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya is being built at Teen Murti Estate in
Delhi.
• Inauguration shall be on the 14th of April - birth anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar.
• The total cost of this project is Rs 270-crore.
• The Museum will showcase the life, times and contribution of all 14 Prime Ministers of India so far, except
for Jawaharlal Nehru, who has a separate Nehru Memorial Museum, which was also his residence

India’s first women-owned ‘FLO Industrial Park’, 100 percent women-owned and driven, begins operations in
Hyderabad.
• The industrial park has begun its operations with 25 women-owned and operated Green Projects
• It is called the FLO Industrial Park, as it is promoted by FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO)
in partnership with the Telangana government.
• The FLO Industrial park has been built with an investment of Rs 250 crore. It is a
flagship project that is the first-of-its-kind in India
• FLO is the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI), which is the top body of industry and commerce in India.

Que: India signed MoU with which countries to implement the ‘BBIN’ Motor Vehicles Agreement?
Ans: Bangladesh-Nepal

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• India, Bangladesh and Nepal finalised an enabling Memorandum of understanding (MoU) for implementing
the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA).
• Bhutan participated in the meeting as an observer. The MoU was finalised “pending ratification of the MVA
by Bhutan”.
• BBIN aims to boost the regional trade and connectivity.
• signed on June 15, 2015 for the regulation of Passenger, Personal and Cargo Vehicular Traffic between
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal,

Cabinet approves setting up of National Land Monetization Corporation


• NLMC will be a wholly owned Government of India company with an initial
authorized share capital of Rs 5000 crore and paid-up share capital of Rs 150
crore.
• NLMC will undertake monetization of surplus land and building assets of Central
Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other Government agencies.
• With monetization of non-core assets, Government would be able to generate
substantial revenues by monetizing unused and under-used assets.

15th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival


• held at Clarks Amer hotel
• It was held virtually from March 5-9, and will be held on ground from
March 10-14.
• Ranjit Hoskote is this year’s winner of the 7th Mahakavi Kanhaiyalal
Sethia Poetry Award 2022

President Kovind inaugurates ‘Arogya Vanam’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan


• Arogya Vanam at Rashtrapati Bhavan has been developed in a 6.6-acre area and it has
2015 types of medicinal plants like Tulsi, Neem, Arand, Bel, Ashwagandha, Arjun, and
Harsingar.

Final Estimates of 2020-21 of Area and Production of Horticultural Crops


• The information regarding the Final Estimates of 2020-21 and First Advance Estimates of 2021-22 of Area
and Production of various Horticultural Crops have been released by the Department of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare.
• Total Horticulture production in 2020-21: 334.60 Million Tonne (estimated), an increase of about 14.13
Million Tonne (4.4 percent) from 2019-20.
• Production of Fruits: 102.48 Million Tonne (estimated). In 2019-20 it was 102.08 Million Tonne.
• Production of Vegetables: 200.45 Million Tonne (estimated) which is a
6.5 percent increase compared to 2019-20 production of 188.28
Million Tonne.
• Production of Onion: 26.64 Million Tonne. In 2019-20 it was 26.09
Million Tonne.
• Production of Potato: 56.17 Million Tonne (estimated) in 2020-21,
which is an increase of 7.61 Million Tonne from 2019-20.
• Production of Tomato: 21.18 Million Tonne, in 2019-20 it was 20.55
Million Tonne.
• Aromatic & Medicinal crops: 12.4 percent increase to 0.83 Million
Tonne in 2020-21 from 0.73 Million Tonne in 2019-20.
• Production of Plantation Crops: 16.63 Million Tonne in 2020-21, in 2019-20 it was 16.12 Million Tonne.
• Production of Spices: 9.7 percent increase to 11.12 Million Tonne in 2020-21 from 10.14 Million Tonne in
2019-20.

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Que: The Indian Air Force has inked an MoU with which institution to develop solutions for maintaining weapon
systems?
Ans: IIT Madras
• The joint partnership between IAF and IIT Madras aims to accelerate IAF’s indigenisation efforts for
achieving ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. IIT Madras will provide consultancy duly supported by research for
feasibility studies and prototype development.
• Establishment: 8 October 1932
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Helicopter: CH-47 Chinook, Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi- 8, Mi-17, Mi-26
• Chief of the Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari
• Motto: Touch the Sky with Glory

India Becomes World's 28th Country To Be Included In Sakura Map


• Scientists from Manipur have discovered a new "Cherry Blossom" species, which
they called "Prunus dinabandhuana" as a token of respect for scientist Dr.
Dinabandhu Sahoo's outstanding contributions.
• The Cherry Blossom, commonly known as "Sakura," is the national flower of Japan
and a great inspiration for the Japanese people, and India had become the world's 28th country to be
included in the Sakura Map.
• The plants can grow up to 25-30 metres tall in deep mixed evergreen forest, and unlike Japanese Cherry
Blossom, which blooms between March and April, this new species blooms in November
• The "Cherry Blossom" is currently accessible in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Assam and
Tripura, due to Sahoo's eight-year-long effort. Dr. Sahoo, a professor in the Department of Botany at the
University of Delhi (DU), planned and organized India's first "Cherry Blossom Festival" in Shillong in
November 2016, which drew lakhs of people and evolved into an international event that has been running
for the last six years.
• In 2014, Dr Sahoo while visiting Shillong saw a Cherry Blossom tree in full bloom in the city. He then thought
of launching a Cherry Blossom Festival in India.
• Dr Sahoo, who was the first Indian student to visit Antarctica in 1987, said he found that Cherry Blossom is
native to the Himalayas.

Que: Centre has reconstituted the expert committee to monitor the compensatory afforestation for the Delhi-
Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway project. Who is the head of the renewed committee?
Ans: Director-General of Forests , MoEFCC
• The Supreme Court has reconstituted the expert committee to monitor
the compensatory afforestation and other mitigation measures for the
Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway project.
• The independent 12-member expert committee was formed by the
National Green Tribunal (NGT) to be headed by Chief Secretary,
Uttarakhand.(Sukhbir Singh Sandhu )
• The Director-General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change will be the
Chairperson of the reconstituted Committee.

Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor


✓ On December 4, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the Delhi-Dehradun
Economic Corridor
✓ The total length of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will be 175 km. The highway will be built at a cost of
about Rs 8,600 crore. The highway is being built to encourage economic activities and encourage
investment.
✓ The travel time between Delhi-Dehradun by road will be reduced from eight hours to about two-and-a-half
hours.
✓ It will be Asia's largest 12 km wildlife elevated corridor for uninterrupted movement of wildlife.

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✓ This expressway will have more than 750 rain water harvesting and water recharge points at an interval of
500 meters. It will have six interchanges, four flyovers, six major bridges
✓ Chandra Prakash Goyal is currently appointed as the Director General of Forests and Special Secretary to
Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Que: What is the food-grain production target announced for crop year 2022-23?
Ans: 328 million tonnes
• The ‘National Conference on Agriculture: Kharif Campaign 2022’ was inaugurated by
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
• During the event, the government announced a food-grain production target of 328
million
• tonnes for 2022-23.
• Kharif food-grain production target has been
• fixed at 163.15 million tonnes, while Rabi food- grain production target has been kept at 164.85 million
tonnes.
• Total food grain production has increased by 25% in the last 6 years from 251.54 to 316.01 million tonnes.

Que: Which country has been designated as Guest of Honour Country at the Paris Book Festival 2022 which was
organized from 21st to 24th April 2022?
Ans: India
• As announced in the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi –
President Emmanuel Macron Joint Statement released in 2018
during the French President’s visit to New Delhi, India has been
designated as the Guest of Honour Country at the Paris Book
Festival 2022, which will take place from April 21 to April 24,
2022.
• The India Pavilion which has been designed by National Institute of Design (NID), houses more than 15
digital and physical exhibitions displaying over 400 books published in various Indian languages representing
the works of 65 Indian publishers.
• Among the highlights of Indian presentation are launch and sale/exhibition of 10 illustrated children’s books
in French translation published by National Book Trust, India (NBT). Out of these books, one includes a story
by Rabindranath Tagore, and another a book on Mahatma Gandhi for kids. A special edition book on
Chandernagore situated in West Bengal in India highlighting French legacy in India would also be launched.

Chairman: Govind Prasad Sharma Headquarters: Delhi, India


Founded: 1 August
1957
Official language: English, Hindi

Que: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) in alliance with the India
Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) has organized Asia’s biggest international food and hospitality fair AAHAR
2022 in .
Ans: New Delhi
• This fair began on 26th April 2022.
• This fair will be held till 30th April 2022.
• This is the 36th edition of this fair.
• APEDA’s Pavilion Theme to be 'To Promote GI
Products for export’
• Founded: 13 February 1986
• APEDA has created dedicated stalls for exporters from North East Region and
Himalayan states like Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Himachal
Pradesh, women entrepreneurs, Farmer Producers Organizations, Start Ups and exporters of millets.

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Que: Which country has created a new Guinness world record by simultaneously waving 78,220 national flags?
Ans: India
• India set a new Guinness World record of most people waving flags simultaneously with 78,220 people
simultaneously waving the Indian national flag in Bihar's Bhojpur district at Dalaur ground at the Veer
Kunwar Singh Vijayotsav programme on April 23rd.
• India broke the earlier world record set by Pakistan about 18 years ago, when 56,000 Pakistanis had
simultaneously waved their national flag at an event in Lahore in 2004.
• The event was held to pay a tribute to the victory of the then King of Jagdishpur, Veer Kunwar Singh, one of
the heroes of the freedom struggle of 1857

Que: Which airline has proposed to acquire AirAsia India?


Ans: Air India
• Tata-owned Air India has proposed to acquire AirAsia India, a low-cost Indian airline
which is partly owned by the Tata Group. Tata Sons currently hold an 83.67 percent stake in AirAsia India,
while the remaining 16.33 percent stake is owned by AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL), which is part of
Malaysia's AirAsia Group.
• In October 2021, Tatas emerged as the winning bidder for loss-making Air India. It offered a bid of ₹18,000
crore, comprising cash payment of ₹2,700 crore and taking over the carrier's debt worth ₹15,300 crore.
• Besides, the Tatas also operate full-service carrier Vistara in a joint venture with Singapore Airlines.

IndiGo becomes 1st airline to land aircraft using navigation system GAGAN (GPS-aided geo-augmented
navigation)
• The flight was conducted using an ATR-72 aircraft and landed at the Kishangarh airport in Rajasthan, using
GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation (GAGAN), which has been jointly developed by the Centre-run
Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a mandate for all aircraft registered in India
after July 1, 2021 to be fitted with GAGAN equipment
• Union Civil Aviation Ministry launched GAGAN System
• GAGAN stands for GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation
• It is an inter-operable Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) India is the
fourth nation after the US, Europe and Japan to have SBAS
• GAGAN is the first SBAS system in the world to serve the equatorial region.
• It has been developed at an estimated cost of 774 crore rupees.
• It will enable transition of the air traffic management system to satellite- based
seamless navigation across continents covering the airspace from Australia to
Africa as well as west Asia to China and Russia.

Que: ‘Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V) Program’ aims to create


Microprocessors and achieve Silicon and Design wins by which year?
Ans: 2023
• RISC stands for 'Reduced Instruction Set Computer Whereas, CISC stands for
Complex Instruction Set Computer. The RISC processors have a smaller set of
instructions with few addressing nodes. The CISC processors have a larger set of
instructions with many addressing nodes.
• The Ministry of Electronics and IT launched the ‘Digital India RISC-V Microprocessor (DIR-V)’ program. It
aims to enable creation of Microprocessors and achieve industry-grade Silicon and Design wins by
December 2023.
• It also set milestones for commercial silicon of SHAKTI & VEGA and their design wins by December 2023.
• DIR-V will see partnerships with Startups, Academia and Multinationals
• to make India, a RISC-V Talent Hub for the World as well as supplier of RISC-V SoC (System on Chips) for
Servers, Mobile devices, Automotive, IoT & Microcontrollers.
• Professor V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras will be the Chief Architect and

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• S. Krishnakumar Rao as Program Manager of DIR-V Program. Minister Chandrasen also unveiled the
Blueprint of the roadmap of design & implementation of the DIR-V Program with – SHAKTI Processor by IIT
Madras and VEGA Processor by C-DAC along with the strategic Roadmap for India's Semiconductor Design &
Innovation to catalyze the semiconductor ecosystem in the country.

Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Rates For Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers:
• The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for Nutrient Based Subsidy
(NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers for Kharif Season – 2022 (from 01.04.2022 to
30.09.2022).
• Government is making available fertilizers, namely Urea and 25 grades of P&K fertilizers to farmers at
subsidized prices through fertilizer manufacturers/ importers.
• The subsidy on P&K fertilizers is being governed by NBS Scheme w.e.f 01.04.2010.
• In view of steep increase in the international prices of fertilizers & inputs
• i.e. Urea, DAP, MOP and Sulphur, Government has decided to absorb the increased prices by increasing
subsidy on P&K fertilizers including DAP.
• Di-ammonium Phosphate popularly known as DAP is a preferred fertilizer in
India because it contains both Nitrogen and Phosphorus which are primary
macro-nutrients and part of 18 essential plant nutrients.
• The subsidy would be released to fertilizer companies as per approved rates
so that they can make available fertilizers to farmers at an affordable price
than it would have been otherwise.
• The Union Government has decided to provide subsidy of Rs. 2501 per bag
on DAP instead of existing subsidy of Rs.1650 per bag which is a 50%
increase over the last year’s subsidy rates.
• The increase in the prices of DAP & its raw material is in the range of approx.
80%.

100% Electrification of Konkan Railways


• The Konkan Railway Corporation has finished electrification of its entire 741-kilometer
route that stretches from Roha, Maharashtra to Thokur, Karnataka.
• This electrification of the 741-kilometer stretch will bring about savings of fuel
amounting to Rs 150 crore.
• It will also reduce the dependence on diesel along with ensuring pollution-free,
seamless operations.
• By December 2023, the Indian Railways have plans for 100 percent electrification of its broad-gauge
network.
• Mumbai is connected with Mangalore via the Konkan Railway.
• The Konan Railways line passes through Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka along the country’s western coast.
• The electrification project’s foundation stone was laid in 2015 with a cost that stands at Rs 1,287 crore.

7th pay commission: DA for central govt employees hiked by 3% to 34%


• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has
approved a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees
and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners by 3 percent to 34%, over the existing rate
of 31% of the Basic Pay/Pension.
• The hike announced will be effective from January 1, 2022, to compensate for price rise.
• The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief would
be Rs.9,544.50 crore per annum.
• This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, based on the recommendations of the 7th Central
Pay Commission.
• The hike will benefit about 47.68 lakh Central Government employees and 68.62 lakh pensioners.

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Que: With which country, India has signed an MoU to invest USD 6 million jointly to explore Lithium and Cobalt
mineral resources?
Ans: Australia
• The Government of India and Australia have committed to invest USD 6 million jointly to explore Lithium
and Cobalt mines in Australia in the next six months.
• Lithium is a key component in the battery used in Electric Vehicles (EV). India, through the Production
Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, is offering Rs 18,100 crore incentives for companies to build battery cells
locally for Electric Vehicles (EV).
• Ministry of Mines has created a Joint Venture company namely Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) with
participating interest of NALCO, HCL and MECL. KABIL is mandated to identify and acquire overseas mineral
assets of critical and strategic nature such as Lithium, Cobalt etc. This initiative aimed at giving further fillip
to AtmaNirbhar Bharat will cater to the requirements of crucial sectors such as e-mobility, renewable
energy, medicine, aerospace, aviation etc.
• Lithium has become the new 'white gold' as the demand for high performing rechargeable batteries is rising.
• Lithium in India:
• Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate (under India’s Atomic Energy Commission) have estimated
lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in a small patch of land surveyed in Southern Karnataka’s Mandya district
recently.
• Also to be India’s first ever Lithium deposit site found.
• Other Potential Sites in India:
• The major mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Pegmatite (igneous rocks) belts in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Brines of Sambhar and Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat.
• Countries with Largest Reserves:
• Chile> Australia> Argentina

Que: What is the name of the software launched by the Supreme Court of India and inaugurated by Chief Justice of
India (CJI) NV Ramana to transmit court orders through secured electronic mode, for quicker communication of
judicial orders?
Ans: FASTER
• “Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records” (FASTER)
• The objective of this FASTER software is to transmit court orders securely and swiftly through electronic
mode, for quicker communication of judicial orders.
• Through FASTER platform court officials would be able to instantly send e-copies of the orders through a
secured electronic communication channel to intended parties.
• A digital platform FASTER was initiated led by CJI Ramana bench. FASTER system is developed on war
footing by the Registry in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre.

Rajya Sabha passes Bill to omit 'Bhogta' community from list of Scheduled Castes.
• The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a Bill that seeks to remove the
Bhogta caste from the list of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Jharkhand and include
certain other communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) for the state.
• The Bill seeks amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order,
1950 to omit the Bhogta community from the list of Scheduled Castes in
relation to the State of Jharkhand
• The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed by a
voice vote.
• Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said, “We will bring such amendments related to more states in the
House. We have done (such amendments for) Arunachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Now it is being done in
the case of Uttar Pradesh, Tripura and Jharkhand. We are doing research on Odisha. We have completed
the work in Chhattisgarh, but we are working on some observations given on that by the Law Ministry.”

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• The Bill amends the Schedule to the ST Order to include communities such as Deshwari, Ganjhu,
Dautalbandi (Dwalbandi), Patbandi, Raut, Maajhia, Khairi (Kheri), Tamaria (Tamadia), and Puran in the list of
STs in Jharkhand.

Que: Name the web portal launched by the Ministry of Culture for the general public to enable digital darshan of 12
Jyotirlinga and Char Dham from any location?
Ans: Temple 360
• Temple 360 is a digital platform where anyone can visit or do darshan of 12 Jyotirlinga
and Char Dham from any location, making everyone’s life convenient while also
keeping people connected..
• The website also allows a devotee to perform e- Darshan, e-Prashad, e-Aarti and
several other services.
• The Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs, Meenakshi Lekhi launched a website ‘Temple 360’,
Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts, New Delhi under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Que: The cross-border railway link between India and Nepal is the first ever broad- gauge passenger rail link
between the two sides. The link will connect the country with Nepal through which state?
Ans: Bihar
• 35-km cross-border railway line linking Jaynagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal. This is the first broad-gauge
passenger rail link between the two sides. The inaugural run of a train was flagged off on this line with a
capacity of 1,000 passengers.
• The Government of India handed over the Solu Corridor to Nepal, which will help to bring electricity to
several remote districts in northeastern Nepal by connecting them to the national grid of the country. The
90-km and 132 kV power transmission line has been built at Indian line of credit for Rs. 200 crore.

Que: The 4th edition of India Boat & Marine Show (IBMS) was held at which of these places recently?
Ans: Kochi
• The 4th edition of India Boat & Marine Show (IBMS) was held at Bolgatty Palace in
Kochi in Kerala
• IBMS is India’s only and most influential Boat and Marine industry related exhibition.
• The event is organised by Kochi-based Cruz Expo.

Que: What is the name of the website launched for services related to broadcast in India?
Ans: Broadcast Seva Portal
• The government has launched a new broadcast services website to ensure faster filing
and processing of applications for broadcast licenses, permissions and registrations.
• The ‘Broadcast Seva Portal’ will help satellite TV channels, teleport operators, MSOs,
community radio stations (CRS) and private FM channels. It is also used for tracking
applications, calculating fees and making payments

Que: Ministry of Environment has released a mascot and various initiatives for Plastic Waste Management (PWM).
What is the name of the mascot?
Ans: Prakriti
• The Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC), Shri Bhupender Yadav launched a
mascot and various green initiatives taken by MoEFCC and Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB).
• The mascot named ‘Prakriti’, will spread awareness among people about small
changes that can be sustainably adopt in our lifestyle for a better environment
• The green initiatives launched will ensure Plastic Waste Management (PWM) in
the country.
• The initiative is in line with the vision of Prime Minister,Shri Narendra Modi to
phase out Single Use Plastics (SUPs) by 2022.

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Que: The University Grants Commission will establish Bhima Bhoi chairs at the University of Delhi. Which of the
following philosophy related with Bhima Bhoi?
Ans: Mahima philosophy
• The Bhima Bhoi Chair at Delhi University and Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya in
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, have been authorised by the University Grants Commission.
• Bhima Bhoi, a saint, poet, and philosopher from Odisha, India, was born in 1850 and
died in 1895. Bhima Bhoi was a Mahima Swamy bhakta (whose birth name is said
to have been Mukunda Das).
• Bhima Bhoi would be initiated into Mahima Dharma, an Indian religious tradition
that challenged caste Hinduism on its own terms, from Mahima Swamy.

The construction of India's first underwater river tunnel metro-rail station underway in Kolkata
• The construction of India's first underwater tunnel in Kolkata under the Hooghly River for establishing metro
connectivity between Howrah and Kolkata is underway and will be made fully functional
by 2023.
• Of the 16.6-km-long east-west stretch, 520 metres will be under the river bed. The
tunnel corridor is built 33 meters below the riverbed and will connect Kolkata to
Howrah.
• The Kolkata East-West Metro line is being constructed by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation
(KMRCL)

Bengaluru-based Neobank ‘Open’ becomes 100th Unicorn of India


• Raised $50 Mn from IIFL.
• ‘Open’ offers small and medium-sized businesses as well as enterprises nearly all the
features of the bank with additional tools to better serve the customer’s needs.
• Co-founder and chief executive of Open: Anish Achuthan
• Economic Survey, 2021-22: India overtook the UK to reach 3rd spot after the US and China,
which added 487 and 301 unicorns respectively.
• A neobank is a digital bank that does not have any branches.

Que: Which Company launched M15 Petrol, with 15 per cent blend of methanol with petrol?
Ans: Indian Oil Corporation
• on a pilot basis in Assam’s Tinsukia district.
• Methanol is being manufactured by Assam Petrochemical Ltd near the Digboi refinery.

India’s first EV charging station powered by food waste in Mumbai


• Aaditya Thackeray (Maharashtra Environment Minister) has inaugurated the nation's
first organic waste-powered EV charging station in Mumbai.
• The station will generate 220 units of electricity from food waste collected from its
nearby areas.
• This station powers street lights and charge electric vehicles too.
• The project was done by the civic body in association AeroCare Clean Energy.

President attends the 61st annual Bodo Sahitya Sabha at Tamulpur, Assam
• Bodo is said to have branched off from the Tibeto-Burman family of languages and is
spoken by Bodo people of Nepal and Bangladesh, apart from North-eastern India.
• Bodo language is one of the 22 languages recognized by the eighth schedule of the
Indian constitution.
• Bodo is closely related to the Dimasa language of Assam and the Garo language of
Meghalaya. It is also a very strongly related to the Kokborok language spoken in Tripura.
• First time a President of India has ever attended literary event of any language in the northeastern region.

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Google adds 24 new languages including Bhojpuri & Konkani to its Google Translate platform
• Of the new 24 additions, 8 languages are from India:
• Assamese - Assam
• Bhojpuri - Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh
• Dogri - Jammu, western Himachal Pradesh,Northern Punjab
• Konkani – Goa, southwestern Karnataka, west of Maharashtra
• Maithili – Bihar, Jharkhand
• Manipuri – Manipur, Assam, Tripura
• Mizo - Mizoram
• Sanskrit - In 2010, Uttarakhand became the first state in India to have Sanskrit as its second official language.
In 2019, Himachal Pradesh became the second state to have Sanskrit as the second official language.

Que: Which organization has approved a USD 47 million financial support to the Government of India for the?
Ans: World bank
• Mission Karmayogi - a national program to build civil service capacity.
• Mission Karmayogi was launched by Union Cabinet on 2nd September 2020.
• The loan of $47 million provided from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
has a final maturity of 11 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s


largest sources of funding and knowledge for
developing countries.

Que: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has included India’s Statue of Unity in its ‘8 Wonders of SCO’ list. The
182-metre-tall statue is the world’s tallest statue located in ________________, Gujarat.
Ans: Kevadia, Gujarat
The statue was inaugurated in October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel’s 143rd birth anniversary.
SCO Founded: 15 June 2001
Headquarters: Beijing, China
Secretary-General: Zhang Ming
8 Members: India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan
Presidency for 2022-2023: India

Que: Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has inaugurated a three-day
Swasthya Chintan Shivir (Health Summit) at ________.
Ans: Kevadiya, Gujarat
• This summit is being organized as a part of the 14th Convention of the Central
Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW).

IRCTC will run its first Bharat Gaurav Tourist train on June 21
• This train will run on the Ramayana Circuit identified
under Swadesh Darshan scheme covering prominent
places associated with life of Lord Shri Rama, including
the Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur located in Nepal.
• distance of around 8000 Kms in this entire Ramayana tour
• The proposed 18-day Bharat Gaurav Tourist train tour
• Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation is under the ownership of Indian
Railways, that provides ticketing, catering, and tourism services for the Indian Railways.
• Founded: 27 September 1999

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates 3 floating border outposts on India-Bangladesh border
• three floating BOPs (border outposts) in the riverine border areas of West Bengal.
• BOPs named – Sutlej, Narmada and Kaveri
• Union Home Minister also flagged off the floating Boat Ambulance and laid the
foundation stone of ‘Maitri Sangrahalaya’ (Friendship Museum) .

RailTel launches PM-WANI based access to its Wi-Fi at 100 railway stations
• RailTel (Mini Ratna PSU) has launched Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network
Interface (PM-WANI) scheme based on access to its Public WiFi services across 100
railway stations across the country.
• This service was virtually launched by RailTel CMD Puneet Chawla.
• Android users can access this WiFi network by downloading the mobile app ‘Wi-
DOT’ from Google Play Store.
• This app has been developed in association with C-DOT.

Que: Name the operation under which focused effort had been launched by Railway Protection Force (RPF) from 5th
to 30th April 2022, for taking action against illicit liquor, fake currency circulation, etc.
Ans: Operation Satark
• RPF is an armed force under the ownership of the Indian Railways, Ministry of
Railways.
• Sanjay Chandar, IPS, Director General, RPF
• Founded: 1959

PM Modi addresses the inaugural session of JITO Connect 2022


• Jain International Trade Organisation’s - JITO Connect 2022
• The three-day event was organized at Gangadham Annex, Pune from 6th May 2022.
• JITO is a global organisation which connects Jains all over the world.
• JITO Connect is an attempt to help businesses and industries by providing a direction
for mutual networking and personal interactions.

L&T Infotech announced to merge with Mindtree to become 5th-largest IT firm


• L&T Infotech and Mindtree, two independently listed IT services companies
under Larsen & Toubro Group have announced merger that would create India's
fifth-largest IT services provider.
• after TCS, Infosys, HCL and Wipro in terms of market capitalisation
• This combined entity will be known as LTIMindtree

India’s 1st Regional Rapid Transit System to be handed over to NCRTC in Gujarat
• The first trainset of India's first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) was
handed over to National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) at the
manufacturing factory located in Gujarat's Savli
• these trains are 100% indigenous, in line with the government’s Make in India
programme and Aatmanirbhar Bharat’s ambition.
• capable of running at speed of 180 km per hour.
• NCRTC is the implementing agency of India’s first RRTS corridor between Delhi-
Ghaziabad-Meerut. The 82-kilometer-long route is now under construction.

PMJJBY, PMSBY and APY complete 7 years of providing social security


• Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti
Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY) have completed seven years
of providing social security net.
• The schemes were launched by PM Narendra Modi on 9th May 2015 in Kolkata, West Bengal.

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India elected as Chair of the ‘Association of Asian Election Authorities’


• India has been unanimously elected as the new Chair of the Association of Asian
Election Authorities (AAEA) for 2022-2024 at the meeting of the Executive Board
and General Assembly in Manila, Philippines.
• The mission of the AAEA is to provide a forum in the Asian region for sharing
experiences and best practices among election authorities to discuss and act
upon ways to promote open and transparent elections with the objective of supporting good governance
and democracy.

Que: ‘Experience Studio on Drones’, has been launched at which institution?


Ans: NITI Aayog
• Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia launched, to promote
innovation and adoption of drones for public services.

Que: Which Union Minister will be leading the Indian delegation at Cannes 2022 Festival?
Ans: Anurag Thakur
• Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur will be leading an Indian
delegation comprising major artists from across India at the opening day of Cannes
2022 Film Festival on May 17.

India contributes USD 800,000 to expand use of Hindi at UN


• To enhance public outreach of the organization in Hindi.
• India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, R Ravindra
handed over a cheque for the UN project (Hindi @ UN project) launched by India
in 2018 to disseminate information about the UN to the Hindi-speaking
population across the world.
• World Hindi Day: 10 January
• National Hindi Day: 14 September

Ques: “GatiShakti Sanchar” Portal has been launched by which Department?


Ans. Department of Telecommunication
• Ashwini Vaishnaw (Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT and Railways) has launched
• The portal will enable applicants from various telecom service providers (TSPs) as well as infrastructure
providers (IPs) to apply at a common single portal for right of way permissions to lay down optical fibre cable
and for erecting mobile towers to states and local bodies.
• NBM was set up by the Department of Telecommunication in 2019.

Que: National Skill Development Corporation International (NSDCI) and Hindustan Ports Private Limited have signed
an MoU to set up Skill India International Centre at ___________________.
Ans: Varanasi
• The centres would host training facilities as per the demand of international
employers like UAE, Canada, Australia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
regions.
• NSDC Founded: 2008
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chairman: A M Naik

Amit Shah inaugurates NCFL in Hyderabad


• Amit Shah (Union Home and Co-operation Minister) has formally inaugurated the
National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (NCFL) in Hyderabad.
• The Cyber and Information Security Division of the Home Ministry has set up the NCFL
under Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Child scheme.

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Government announces formation of Cotton Council of India


• under the Chairmanship of veteran cotton man Suresh Bhai Kotak.
• The first meeting of the proposed council has been scheduled for the 28th of May 2022.
• The council will discuss, deliberate, and prepare a robust action plan for bringing out a tangible
improvement in this field.
• The import of cotton will be permitted duty-free till the bill of lading is dated September 30, 2022.
• Cotton yarn and fabrics export account for about 23% of India’s total textiles and apparel export.

ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control) put on alert as WHO
confirms 80 monkeypox cases in 11 countries
• caused by the Monkeypox virus, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family and is
associated with diseases such as smallpox, cowpox,
horsepox, and camelpox.
• According to a scientific report, the Monkeypox virus was
initially discovered in the State Serum Institute in
Copenhagen in 1958.
• It was first discovered in humans in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in 1970, two years after smallpox
had been eradicated from the area.
• In 2017, Nigeria saw the largest documented outbreak in 40 years.

Que: National Geographic Society has installed the “world’s highest weather station” on which mountain?
Ans: Mount Everest
• at an altitude of 8,830 metres to automatically measure various meteorological phenomena.
• National Geographic team will fully operate the stations till 2025 before transferring the technology to the
Nepal government in 2026.
• According to Chinese media reports, Beijing has eight stations set up from 5,200 metres to 8,800 metres on
Mount Everest, with four stations exceeding 7,000 metres.

Que: India’s estimated food grains production is _________ million tonnes for the year 2021-22
Ans: 314.51 million tonnes
• The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the third advance estimate of the
production of major agricultural crops for 2021-22.
• Rice: 129.66 million tonnes (record production)
• Food grains: 314.51 million tonnes
• Wheat: 106.41 million tonnes
• Maize: 33.18 million tonnes. (record production)
• Pulses: 27.75 million tonnes. (record production)
• Oilseeds: 38.50 million tonnes. (record production)
• Gram: 13.98 million tonnes. (record production)

Que: Ministry of Railways has entered into an Rs 8.34 crore collaborative project with which IIT on Hyperloop
Technology, proposing a high-speed transportation system?
Ans: IIT-Madras
• Hyperloop is the 5th mode of transportation that travels in a near vacuum tube.
• Hyperloop is a concept of high-speed transportation where pressurised vehicles (or pods) travel through a
low-pressure tunnel allowing for movement through the atmosphere at almost no resistance, similar to air
travel.
• The reduced air resistance allows the capsule inside the tube to reach speeds of more than 1,000 km/h.
• The model proposed by Team Avishkar can achieve a top speed of over 1,200 Km/hr.

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ONGC becomes the first gas producer to trade on Indian Gas Exchange
• Indian Gas Exchange Ltd. (IGX) is India's first automated national level Gas Exchange
• The gas traded is from ONGC Krishna Godavari 98/2 block.
• ONGC Headquarters: New Delhi
• ONGC Chairman & Managing Director - Arun Kumar Singh

Que: 8th International Day of Yoga will be celebrated by Union Ministry of Ayush in __________ on 21 June 2022.
Ans: Mysuru, Karnataka
• Mysuru city is known as the cultural capital and major historic destination of Karnataka
state.
• As the upcoming 8th IDY is falling in the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ year, the Ministry plans
to observe IDY at 75 iconic sites across the country.
• The United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by UN resolution in
2014
• In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first International Day of Yoga on
June 21, 2015.

Inter-State Council reconstituted under the chairmanship of PM Modi


• The Inter-State Council works to promote and support cooperative federalism in the country.
• The council comprises chief ministers of all states and six Union ministers as members.
• It will also have 10 Union ministers as permanent invitees.
• The government has also reconstituted the standing committee of the Inter-State Council with Union HM
Amit Shah as head.
• The centre had constituted a Commission in 1988 under the Chairmanship of Justice RS Sarkaria to review
the existing power-sharing arrangements between the centre and the states.
• The Inter-State Council was set up through a Presidential Order on May 28, 1990 under Article 263 of the
Constitution of India.

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates 'India Water Week'

• 7th edition of India's Water Week in Greater Noida on November 1, 2022.


• 2022 theme: “Water Security for Sustainable Development and Equity”
• organised by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga
Rejuvenation till the 5th of November.
• Aim: To raise awareness, conserve and use water resources in an integrated manner.
• Partner countries: Denmark, Singapore, and Finland

UGC declares to observe ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav’ on Dec 11 every year

• UGC - University Grants Commission


• Aim: To create language harmony and develop a conducive environment for
learning Indian languages.
• 11th dec - to mark the birth anniversary of poet Subramania Bharati, who was a pioneer of modern Tamil
poetry.
• UGC Founded: 1956; Headquarters: New Delhi
• First Chairman: Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar

Guinness World Record registered for Indian Metro Train

• The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Maharashtra Metro Rail
Corporation Limited (Maha-Metro) have achieved a Guinness world record.
• Reason: The authorities have constructed the longest double-decker viaduct (3.14
km) spanning with a highway flyover (on the Wardha Road in Nagpur, Maharashtra)
and metro rail supported on a single column.

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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launches ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign

• Minister of Meity, Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched the "Stay Safe Online" campaign
and "G20 Digital Innovation Alliance" (G20-DIA)
• Aim of 'Stay Safe Online': To raise awareness about the online world
• Aim of G20-DIA: To identify, recognize, and enable the adoption of innovative and
impactful digital technologies developed by startups
• MeitYis the Nodal Ministry for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG)
• During India's G20 presidency, MeitY will focus on three priority areas - Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI),
Cyber Security, and Digital Skill Development

Cyclone Mandous over Bay of Bengal

• India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that Cyclone Mandous, a severe


cyclonic storm, made landfall along the coasts of Tamil Nadu.
• It impacted Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh around 10-11th
December 2022.
• The cyclonic storm has been named 'Cyclone Mandous' which means a treasure box in the Arabic language.
The name given by the United Arab Emirates.
• The cyclone was formed by a low pressure area that has formed over the south Andaman Sea
• 'Cyclone Mandous' will be the third tropical storm to rise in Bay of Bengal this year after 'Cyclone Sitrang'
which hit the Bangladesh coast in October. The name Sitrang was given by Thailand.
• The first cyclonic storm of the season was Asani which formed in the Bay of Bengal in May month. The Asani
name was given by Sri Lanka to the cyclonic storm.

Three Himalayan medicinal plants enter IUCN Red List/

• Three medicinal plant species (Meizotropis pellita, Fritilloria cirrhosa, Dactylorhiza hatagirea)
have been listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, after a recent assessment.
• Reason: The biodiversity hotspot shows deforestation, habitat loss, forest fires, illegal trade
and climate change
• These species are found in the Himalayan region spread across Nepal, India, China, Sikkim,
Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
• Meizotropis pellita has been assessed as ‘critically endangered’,
• Fritilloria cirrhosa as ‘vulnerable’,
• Dactylorhiza hatagirea as ‘endangered’.

President approves new design of ‘President’s Standard and Colour’ and Indian Navy Crest

• which were unveiled at Visakhapatnam on Navy Day on 04 Dec 2022.

New Naval Ensign

• The Indian Navy adopted a new Naval Ensign on 02 Sep 2022, and the new design of the
President’s Standard and President’s Colour awarded to the Indian Navy incorporates
this change.
• The Red Horizontal and Vertical Lines on the White Ensign were replaced with a Blue
Octagon with Twin Golden Borders encompassing the National Emblem atop a clear
anchor and ‘National Emblem ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed on the stock of the Anchor.
• Further, the National Flag was retained on the upper left canton.
• President's Colour - is given to the ‘operational formation of the force’
• President's Standard - is meant for the ‘static formation.’
• They are given to the best-performing units of the force.
• The new design of the President's Standard and Colour comprises three main
constituents:
• The national flag in the upper-left canton adjacent to the staff,

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• The state emblem underscribed with 'Satyamev Jayate' in golden colour on the upper
right canton on the fly side and,
• A Navy Blue-Gold Octagon below the golden state emblem.
• The Octagon has twin golden octagonal borders, encompassing the golden National
Emblem underscribed with ‘Satyamev Jayate’ in blue Devnagri script) resting atop an
anchor; and superimposed on a shield.
• Below the shield, within the octagon, in a golden bordered ribbon, on a Navy Blue background, is inscribed
the motto of the Indian Navy ‘Sam No Varunah’ in golden Devnagri script.

KVIC Chairman inaugurates ‘Re-Hab Project’ in Nainital

• Re-Hab Project inaugurated (Reducing Human Attacks using Honey Bees) by Khadi and
Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at village Chausla, Haldwani, District Nainital.
• KVIC is running this project in states where attacks of the elephants is more common, and
under this project fencing of bee boxes is installed in such areas from where elephants move
towards the human settlements and farmers' agriculture.
• Re-Hab Project for a period of one year.
• KVIC Chairman, Manoj Kumar
• Founded: 1956

Project Great Indian Bustard

• The Supreme Court of India recently requested the Union ministry of environment, forest
and climate change to consider launching ‘Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB)’ like one for
tigers.
• The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), also known as Godawan locally, found mainly
in the Indian subcontinent, is the flagship grassland species of India.
• It is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and India’s heaviest flying bird - male bird
weighs upto 12-15 kg and female bird up to 5-8 kg.
• Its population of about 150 in Rajasthan accounts for 95% of its
total world population.
• They are mainly in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, including the
Desert National Park which is the natural habitat of the species.
• Also found in Grasslands of Kutch in Gujarat,arid regions of
Maharashtra (Solapur), Karnataka (Bellary and Haveri) and Andhra
Pradesh (Kurnool)

DigiYatra facility starts at Delhi, Varanasi and Bangalore airport

• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the Digi Yatra facility at the IGI Airport in New
Delhi on 1 December 2022.
• This facility has also been simultaneously launched at the Kempegowda International Airport Bangalore, and
the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi.
• Initially 7 airports are selected under the Digi Yatra facility only for domestic flights.
• In the first phase it has been rolled out in Delhi, Varanasi and Bangalore. In the second phase it will be rolled
out in 4 more airports by March 2023 -
• GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Hyderabad,
• Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Kolkata,
• Pune International airport Pune,
• Vijayawada International Airport, Vijaywada
What is DigiYatra?

• DigiYatra is based on facial recognition technology


• Passengers will have to register on the DigiYatra app through their respective Aadhaar cards to avail the
service.
• This will result in shorter wait times in lines, quicker processing times, and simpler procedures for the
passengers.

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Who developed the DigiYatra?

• Digi Yatra has been promoted by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• To develop a facial recognition system at the airports, Digi Yatra Foundation was set up in 2019.
• The Digi Yatra Foundation is a joint venture of the Airport Authority of India (AAI), Cochin International
Airport (CIAL), Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd. (DIAL), Hyderabad
International Airport Ltd (HIAL) & Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).

Zonal Cultural Centres

• Establishment of Zonal Cultural Centre was announced by Rajiv Gandhi for the
northern region during his visit to Hussainiwala, Punjab on 23rd March 1985.
• The concept was enlarged with the setting up of seven Zonal Cultural Centers in the
7th Five Year Plan:
• (i) North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala; (ii) Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Kolkata; (iii) South Zone Cultural
Centre, Thanjavur; (iv) West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur; (v) North Centre Zone Cultural Centre,
Prayagraj; (vi) North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur and (vii) South Central Zone Cultural Centre,
Nagpur.
• These centres aim to conserve and develop art, culture and crafts across the country.
• ZCCs organize a minimum 42 Regional Festivals for promotion of art and culture every year as per their
programme calendar.
• These centers also implement a number of schemes for preservation and promotion of various folk arts and
culture of the country.
• Union Minister of Culture - G. Kishan Reddy

Que: Who has won Mumbai’s Dharavi Redevelopment Project with Rs. 5,069 crore bid?
Answer: Adani Group
• Asia's second largest slum colony.
• What is the Dharavi redevelopment project?
• Dharavi is near India's richest business district, the Bandra-Kurla Complex, which
has the largest concentration of commercial offices in the country.
• The slum, spread over 2.8 sq km, is home to an informal leather and pottery
industry that employs over a lakh people.
• The state government had envisaged to convert this slum area into a cluster of skyscrapers with better urban
infrastructure.

Jeypore Ground Gecko included in Appendix II of the CITES

• The Jeypore ground gecko (Geckoella jeyporensis), an endemic reptile of India, has
been included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES).
• It is a wild reptile species endemic to India, found in Eastern Ghats.
• It is an endangered species and was first described in 1878 by Colonel Richard Henry Beddom, a British
officer and naturalist.
• It was rediscovered by a team of researchers in 2011 after a gap of over 130 years.
• The inclusion of this species in Appendix II was proposed by India at the recently concluded 19th Conference
of the Parties (COP19) to CITES in Panama City.
• IUCN Status: Endangered

29 Threatened Species assessed in India

• As per the IUCN Red List unveiled during the COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal
(Canada)
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species,
also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world’s
most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological
species.

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• White-Cheeked Dancing Frog


• Status: Endangered
• It is Found only in the Western Ghats of Karnataka (endemic)
• Andaman Smoothhound Shark
• Status: Vulnerable
• Only found in the Andaman Sea (Endemic to India)
• Threat: Fishing pressure
• Yellow Himalayan Fritillary plant
• Status – Vulnerable
• It is a large group of mostly-spring flowering plants in the lily family and occurs mostly
in the Himalayas. It occurs in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
• Threats – It is harvested and traded in disguise with a new trade name ‘Jangli lehsun’

India & Cyprus signs three agreement during S. Jaishankar visits to Nicosia

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on a three day visit (29-31 December 2022) to
Cyprus signed a number of agreements in the capital Nicosia on 29 December 2022.
• Three agreement signed:
• Increase defence and military cooperation between the two countries,
• Letter of Intent on Immigration and Mobility Partnership- to facilitate the mobility of students, academics,
business people and professionals and also help in combating irregular migration.
• The agreement on Cyprus joining the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• S. Jaishankar also released the commemorative stamp on the 75 years of Indian Independence and 60 years
of establishing diplomatic ties with Cyprus.

Republic of Cyprus

• It is an island European country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.


• It gained its Independence from Britain in 1960. The country has a majority population
of Greece descent while the minority population of Turkish origin.
• Currency: Euro

Que:What is the name of the digital project funded by Google to map the language diversity of India?

Ans: Project Vaani

• The Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), ARTPARK (AI and Robotics Technology
Park) and Google have partnered together for ‘Project Vaani’ Initiative.
• The digital project aims to map the language diversity of India by collecting
speech sets of about a million people across 773 districts.
• The goal is to boost development of automatic speech recognition, speech to
speech translation and natural language understanding.

Meity becomes nodal ministry for India's online gaming sector/Meity

• The govt of India has designated the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY) as the nodal ministry to oversee the online gaming industry in India.
• The ministry will soon release rules for online gaming intermediaries and start public consultation on these
rules
• In May 2022, the govt set up a seven-member inter-ministerial task force, chaired by Rajeev Chandrasekhar,
MoS, IT.
• Aim: To work on online gaming regulations and identify a nodal ministry.
• India’s gaming market is currently estimated at $2.6 billion and expected to be worth $8.6 billion by 2027

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India-assisted Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project handed over to Bhutan's Druk Green Power Corp

• This 720 MW Project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering in 2019.
• Established on Mangdechhu River in Trongsa district of central Bhutan.
• The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan's Electrical Power
Generation Capacity by 44 per cent and it is now at 2,326 Mega Watts.
• It is a benchmark hydroelectric project completed in an efficient manner at optimum cost, while maintaining
high quality and performance standards.
• Since commissioning, the project has generated over 9000 million units of energy, reducing emissions by 2.4
million tonnes annually. The project received the Brunel Medal 2020 from the Institute of Civil Engineers,
London.

Piyush Goyal launched right to repair portal for consumers

• Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal has launched a host
of new initiatives including the Right to Repair portal in New Delhi.
• On the ‘right to repair’ portal, manufacturers will share the manual of
product details with customers so that they can either repair by self, by third
parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers.
• Initially, mobile phones, electronic, consumer durables, automobile, and farming equipment will be covered.
• In July 2022, the Department of Consumer Affairs had set up a committee headed by the Additional
Secretary Nidhi Khare to develop a comprehensive framework on the ‘Right to Repair’.

Garuda Aerospace becomes first drone company ever to get double certification by DGCA for ‘Kisan Drones’

• Drone maker Garuda Aerospace has become the first drone startup in India to
receive 'Type Certification' and 'Remote Pilot Training Organisation' (RPTO)
approval by the DGCA for its indigenously designed Kisan drone.
• DGCA gives this certificate on the basis of quality check. It is issued only after
strict investigation of the drone (unmanned aircraft).
• Remote Pilot Training Organization is a DGCA recognized organization which gives Remote Pilot Certificate
under Rule-34 of Drone Rules-2021.

What are ‘Kisan’ drones?

• Made in India 'Kisan' drones are specially developed for agricultural purposes such as reducing crop losses,
crop health monitoring, yield measurement etc. with latest manufacturing capabilities.
• These drones are used for uniform spraying of pesticides, monitoring of crops, gathering of data related to
land and collection of data etc.
• Former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is an investor and brand ambassador of the
company.
• MS Dhoni has recently launched a drone named Droni.
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
• It is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation, primarily dealing with safety issues.
• It is responsible for the regulation of air transport services for India and enforcement of civil air regulations,
air safety and airworthiness standards.

India’s first Green Steel Brand “KALYANI FeRRESTA

• Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has
launched India’s first Green Steel Brand “KALYANI FeRRESTA” in New Delhi.
• This first-of-its-kind steel has been manufactured by a Pune-based Steel company
of Kalyani group
• Green steel is the manufacturing of steel without the use of fossil fuels, leaving zero carbon footprints in the
environment.
• Green steel is produced by using low-carbon energy sources such as hydrogen, coal gasification, or electricity

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• Sweden – 1st country to produce green steel


• India is second largest producer of steel after China
• The steel industry produces 7 per cent of CO2 emissions internationally, while the Indian steel industry
accounts for 12 per cent of such emissions.
• National Steel Policy 2017 envisaged doubling production capacity by 2030 from the current level of 154 MT
to 300 MT
• Kalyani Steels Ltd, is a part of the over $3.0 billion Kalyani Group. Established in 1973

10th Edition of North East Festival begins at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi

• Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Narayan Rane
inaugurated the four-day Festival at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in Delhi.
• The objective of the festival is to promote the diverse life, culture, traditions and
tourism of the North East region.
• 1st edition - 2013
• A booklet titled ‘Know Your North East’ released by the Union Minister for Ports,
Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal.

What is the new tagline of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)?
Ans. ‘The Innovation Engine of India’

• Launched by Union Minister for Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh,


who is also the Vice President of CSIR
• CSIR was established on 26 September 1942. The first meeting of the Governing Body was held on 09 March
1942

Q. Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has partnered with which online platform has for doorstep
delivery of lubricant?
Ans. FuelBuddy

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), the country’s largest public sector undertaking (PSU) has
partnered with Delhi-headquartered doorstep fuel delivery platform FuelBuddy,
• for the marketing of automotive and industrial lubricant, SERVO, across the country.
• SERVO, India's No. 1 lubricant brand, was launched by IndianOil, in 1972.

India, Sri Lanka to start passenger ferry service

• The ferry service will connect the Kankesanthurai port in Jaffna district and
Puducherry.
• likely to boost the tourism sector & strengthen cultural ties
• Services will also be started from Southern India to Trincomalee and Colombo in Sri
Lanka.
• The vessels under the new service will carry 300 to 400 passengers on a trip that
would take about three and half hours.

PM Modi to inaugurate National Youth Festival in Hubballi-Dharwad on Jan 12

• Hubballi and Dharwad - twin cities of Karnataka


• The youth festival will mark the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda
• Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai
• Governor - Thawar Chand Gehlot

5th edition of Youth Co:Lab for Young Entrepreneurs

• The 5th edition of Youth Co:Lab, Asia Pacific’s largest youth innovation initiative was
jointly launched by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM),NITI Aayog and UNDP India

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• Entrepreneurs are an important factor in leading social change and accelerating the effort to meet the SDG
targets.
• Youth Co: Lab
• It is an initiative launched in 2019 by UNDP India in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog.
• Chintan Vaishnav - Mission Director AIM, NITI Aayog

India launches ‘Group of Friends’ to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers

• EAM, S Jaishankar has announced that New Delhi will maintain a database that will record all
crimes against the Blue Helmets.
• India, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and Nepal are co-chairs of the ‘Group of Friends to
Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers’
• It represents the “political will” of member states, (particularly of the troop and police
contributing countries) to take all appropriate measures to protect United Nations mission
personnel, and to establish a comprehensive online database of attacks against them.

India will be the first country to Auction SatCom Spectrum

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) Chairman, PD Vaghela has announced that
India will be the first country to auction spectrum for satellite communication (SatCom),
and it should be designed to attract investments in the sector.
• Satellite communication:
• It refers to any communication link that involves the use of an artificial satellite in its propagation path.
• They can be found in geostationary, elliptical, and low Earth orbits.

Ques. PM Modi will inaugurate Energy Week in which city in February 2023?
Ans. Bengaluru (Karnataka)
• around 10,000 delegates from India and abroad will attend the event.
• The central government has decided to hold the event in Bengaluru as it has the highest
R&D centres
• CM - Basavaraj Bommai
• Governor – Thawar Chand Gehlot
• Karnataka state formed on 1 Nov. 1956

India International Trade Fair (IITF) begins at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi

• The 41st IITF was from November 14-27, 2022


• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the fair
• The theme was 'Vocal for Local, Local to Global'.
• Twenty nine states and union territories participated in this program.
• Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra - partner states
• Uttar Pradesh and Kerala - focus states.
• Twelve countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Iran, Nepal, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and
UK participated in the fair.
About India International Trade Fair

• It is an annual fair organised by India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) at Pragati Maidan, Delhi.
• This fair was first organised in Delhi in the year 1980
• The fair provides a platform to the manufacturers, traders, exporters and importers of the country to
showcase their products.

Country's longest river cruise will run from Varanasi in January 2023

• The world's longest river cruise (by a single river ship) between Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh
and Dibrugarh in Assam by January 2023.
• The 50-day cruise will set sail from Varanasi on 10 January and cover 4,000 km, passing through Kolkata and
Dhaka before reaching Bogibeel in Dibrugarh district of Assam on 1 March.

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• The name of the cruise is Ganga Vilas, which will sail for 50 days covering 27 river systems and visit over 50
tourist sites including World Heritage Sites.
• The cruise is run on a PPP model with an MoU signed between the Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI) and Antara Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises.

CSL to build India's first hydrogen fuel cell catamaran vessel

• Cochin Shipyard Ltd and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) have signed an
agreement to build India's first hydrogen fuel cell catamaran vessel for Varanasi (UP).
• It has also signed MoU for the construction of six electric catamaran vessels for Uttar
Pradesh and two for Guwahati.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India is the statutory authority in charge of the waterways
in India. It was constituted under IWAI Act-1985 by the Parliament of India. Its
headquarters is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• Founded: 27 October 1986

Marwari horses exported for first time, to serve in Bangladesh President entourage

• Six Marwari horses have been exported from Jodhpur to Bangladesh where they will be
used for carrying the cart of Bangladesh’s President.
• All six horses are registered as 'Marwari Horses' of Bal Samand Lake Palace, governed by Umaid Bhawan
Palace, Jodhpur.

Que:International Gita Mahotsav was organized from 19 November to 6 December 2022 in which district of
Haryana?
Ans: Kurukshetra
• President Draupadi Murmu attended this grand festival
• Capital – Chandigarh
• Chief Minister – Manohar Lal Khattar
• Governor – Bandaru Dattatreya

Centre restricts use of common weedicide glyphosate

• Notified by Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare


• Reason: Health hazards for humans and animals.
• Only authorised Pest Control Operators are allowed to use it.
• Failure to do so will result in appropriate action being taken under the Insecticides Act of 1968.
• Its scientific name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine under the International Union of Pure and Applied
Chemistry (IUPAC) system of nomenclature.

Two-finger test

• The Supreme Court on 31 October, reiterated the ban on the “two-finger test” in rape cases,
warning that persons using such tests will be deemed guilty of misconduct.
• In May 2013, the apex court had held that the two-finger test violates a woman’s right to
privacy and asked the government to provide better medical procedures to confirm sexual
assault.
• In 2018, United Nations (UN) Human Rights, UN Women, and the World Health Organization
(WHO) had called for a ban on two-finger test in order to eliminate violence against women.

IPPB conducts India’s First Floating Financial Literacy Camp

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has conducted First Floating Financial Literacy Camp of
India in Srinagar, J&K.
• Aim: To promote Financial Literacy ‘By the women, for the women’
• It was launched with an initiative called ‘Niveshak Didi’.
• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB):

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• established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the
Government of India.
• Founded: 1 September 2018

Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali to be chief guest at 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention at Indore

• It will be held from 8th to 10th January 2023


• Theme of the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is - Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress
in Amrit Kaal.
• celebrated once in every two years
• organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with a state government and an
Industry body, either Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) or Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) .
• On this day in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned from South Africa to India
• First Pravasi Bharatiya Divas was organized in 2003

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav led Indian delegation at COP 27

• Bhupender Yadav (Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister)


• 27th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) was held at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
from 6th to 18th November.
• Aim: To take action toward achieving the world's collective climate goals as agreed under
the Paris agreement
• The theme of the COP 27 is Delivering for People and Planet.
• India Pavilion had the theme of LiFE- Lifestyle for Environment.
What is COP?

• The word ‘COP’ is an acronym for ‘Conference of the Parties’. The 'parties' are the governments around the
world that have signed the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) - a treaty agreed in
1994.
The first COP was held in 1995 in Berlin, Germany .

• Paris Agreement
• COP21 took place in Paris in 2015.
• For the first time ever, something momentous happened: every country agreed to work together to limit
global warming to well below 2 degrees and aim for 1.5 degrees

CBDT launched HARIT Aaykar initiative

• on the occasion of National Unity Day (31st October).


• HARIT refers to Hariyali Achievement Resolution by Income Tax.
• Aim: To increase greenery and create micro forests.
• Under this initiative, the Department resolves to increase the green cover by planting trees and creating
micro-forests in and around IT Department's buildings and other public areas.
• Chairman, CBDT: Nitin Gupta

Pahari Ethnic Group In the J&K Scheduled Tribes:

• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has now cleared the way for
the inclusion of the ‘Pahari ethnic group’ in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of the
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The commission also called for the inclusion of the “Paddari tribe”, “Koli” and
“Gadda Brahman” communities to be included in the ST list of J&K.
• Currently, Jammu and Kashmir has 12 communities that have been notified as STs.
• The process to include tribes in the ST list begins with the recommendation from the respective State
governments, which are then sent to the Tribal Affairs Ministry, which reviews and sends them to the
Registrar General of India for approval.

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• This is followed by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) approval before the list is sent to
the Cabinet for a final decision.
• The final decision rests with the President’s office issuing a notification specifying the changes under powers
vested in it from Articles 342.
• The inclusion of any community in the Scheduled Tribes come into effect only after the President assents to
a Bill that amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, as is appropriate, after it is passed by
both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

World's first Vedic clock to be installed in Ujjain

• Madhya Pradesh education minister Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stone of
the world’s first Vedic Clock at the 300-year-old Jiwaji Observatory in Ujjain,
Madhya Pradesh. The Jiwaji observatory was constructed by Maharaja Sawai
Raja Jaisingh of Jaipur in 1719.
• The clock to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 1.62 crore aims to make people familiar with the Vedic time
calculation.
• In which the 24 hours of the day are divided into Muhurats, synced with the position of the Sun.
• A dedicated mobile application for the readings of the Vedic Clock, information on Vedic Hindu Panchang,
planetary positions, Muhurats, astrological calculation, and predictions, etc. will also be made

Government notifies the use of drought resistant PB2 variety of Basmati rice for cultivation

• developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) for large-scale release.
• The new variety of Pusa Basmati (PB) 1882 can withstand deficient rainfall during the
flowering stage of the grain. In the traditional variety inadequate rain during flowering of
plant leads to a drop in the rice productivity
• Also there will be no need for transplanting of the rice as is done in traditional methods. This variety of rice
can be sown directly in the field resulting in huge saving of water.
• new variety during two years of field trials had given an average yield of 4.6 tonne/hectare compared to 4.2
tonne/hectare reported for its parent variety PB 1.

Basmati growing region of India

• Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand and western Uttar Pradesh.
• India is one of the leading exporters of basmati rice in the world. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, United Arab
Emirates, U.S and Yemen Republic are the major buyers of basmati rice from India.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)

• It was set up as Agricultural Research Institute in 1905 at Pusa, Bihar. It was shifted to New Delhi in 1936.
• After Independence its name was changed to Indian Agricultural Research Institute.
• It developed the hybrid seeds of wheat and rice which led to Green revolution in India.

Ministry of Tourism participates in World Travel Market 2022 in London

• from 7th to 9th November 2022 to boost international tourism in India.


• The World Travel Market is one of the largest international travel exhibitions.
• The Indian delegation is being led by Arvind Singh, Secretary (Tourism), Government
of India
• Theme of the World Travel Market 2022: The Future of Travel Starts Now’
• According to the government of India, before the Covid pandemic, the contribution of the tourism sector to
the Indian economy was 5.19%.
• According to the government of India in 2021, foreign exchange earnings from tourism were US $ 8.797
billion.

PM Modi unveils the logo and motto of the G20 Presidency to be hosted by India

• India will take over the Presidency of the G20 from Indonesia on 1st December 2022.
• Logo

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• The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag –
saffron, white and green, and blue.
• It just a poses planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth
amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect
harmony with nature.
• Below the G20 logo is “Bharat”, written in the Devanagari script.
• Theme
• “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth One Family One Future” - is drawn from the
ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad.
• Message of the Logo and Theme
• striving for just and equitable growth for all in the world, in these turbulent times, in a sustainable, holistic,
responsible, and inclusive manner.
• Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation of 19 countries and the
European Union was set up in 1999.India has been a member of the G20 since
its inception in 1999.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted various artifacts of Himachal Pradesh to


the world leaders at the 17th G20 summit to be held at Bali, Indonesia on 15-
16 November 2022.
• India will formally take over the G20 Presidency from Indonesia from 1 December 2022 and it will host the
18th G20 summit in 2023.
• According to the newspaper reports the Prime Minister Modi presented Chamba Rumal, Kangra miniature
paintings, Kinnauri Shawl, Himachali Mukhate, Kullu Shawl, and Kanal Brass Set to boost the Himachal’s art
and culture across the globe.

Udaipur (Raj.) to host first G20 Sherpa Meeting in India from 4 to 7 December

• G-20 Sherpa meeting will be presided by the Indian Sherpa Amitabh Kant.
• India will formally assume the presidency of the G-20 on 1 December 2022. India as
a host nation will set the agenda of the G-20 summit meeting to be held in
September 2023 in New Delhi.
• The Sherpa’s oversee negotiations over the course of the year, discussing agenda
items for the Summit and coordinating the substantive work of the G20.

Udaipur

• It was founded in 1559 by Udai Singh II of the Sisodia clan of Rajput’s.


• It is popularly known as the "City of Lakes". It has seven lakes surrounding the city.
• The 7 lakes of Udaipur are; Fateh Sagar Lake, Lake Pichola. Udaisagar Lake. Jaisamand
Lake (Dhebar Lake), Rajsamand Lake, Doodh Talai (Milk Pond), Swaroop Sagar Lake
(Khumaria Talab).

Bengaluru to host G20 Finance Ministers meeting in February 2023

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that Bengaluru will host a
meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in February 2023.
• Different cities in India have been selected to host G-20-related meetings in 2023.

PM Modi inaugurates first phase of Nagpur-Mumbai 'Samruddhi Expressway'

• The first phase connects Nagpur to the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar
district covering a distance of 520 km.
• Officially name of the project - ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray
Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’
• Built at a cost of ₹55,000 crore, it is one of the longest expressways in the
country that passes through 10 Maharashtra districts, including Amravati,
Aurangabad and Nashik.

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• The length of the total project,, will be 701 km.


• Once completed, the expressway will reduce the travel time from Nagpur to Mumbai to seven hours.

PM Modi inaugurates Terminal 2 of Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport

• He also unveiled the 108 feet high bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda,
the 'Statue of Prosperity’ - the founder of the city of Bengaluru.
• The Prime Minister attended the 36th Convocation of Gandhigram Rural Institute
in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

Terminal 2 of Kempegowda International Airport

• built at a cost of around Rs 5000 crores.


• The passenger capacity of the airport, which is currently 2.5 million, will now increase
to 5-6 crore.
• Terminal 2 is designed as the Garden City of Bengaluru where travellers will
experience a "walk in the garden".
• The airport has already set a benchmark in sustainability with 100% utilization of renewable energy on
campus.
• Terminal 2 will be the largest terminal in the world to receive a pre-certified platinum rating by the US GBC
(Green Building Council) before commencing operations.

Chennai-Mysore Vande Bharat Express

• PM also flagged off the Chennai-Mysore Vande Bharat Express and Bharat Gaurav
Kashi Darshan trains at KSR Railway Station.
• The train has been developed by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai
• This is the fifth Vande Bharat Express train in the country and the first such train in South India.
• The first Vande Bharat Express train was flagged off on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Kanpur-
Allahabad-Varanasi route.

India’s first national repository for life science data, the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC), launched at
Faridabad, Haryana

• Union Minister of state for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh recently dedicated Indian Biological Data
Center (IBDC) to the nation.
• The Indian Biological Data Center is India’s first national repository for life science data.
• It will store all life science data generated from publicly funded research in the country.
• It operates with the assistance from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• It has a data storage capacity of around 4 petabytes.
• It hosts the ‘Brahm’ High Performance Computing (HPC) facility.

Que: Power System Operation Corporation Ltd (POSOCO) has changed its name to ‘Grid Controller of India Limited.
Where is the headquarters of POSOCO?
Ans: New Delhi
• The Grid Controller of India Limited (Grid-India) operates the national load despatch centre (NLDC) and five
regional load dispatch centres (RLDCs).
• The Grid-India is also designated as the nodal agency for major reforms in the power sector.
• About POSOCO:
• Founded- March 2009
• Headquarters- New Delhi
• CMD – S. R. Narasimhan

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India becomes the world's second largest producer of steel

• Union Minister of Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia


• India has made remarkable progress in the steel sector in the last 8 years. India, which was earlier a net
importer of the steel has now become a net exporter.
• The per capita steel consumption grew from 57.8 kilogram to 78 kilogram, with a registered growth of 50%
in the last 8 years.
• In case of installed capacity of steel, the country has moved from 100 million tonnes a year to almost 150
million tonnes.
• China is the biggest steel producing country, which accounted for 57% of world steel
production

National Commission for Women launched Digital Shakti 4.0

• Digital Shakti 4.0 focuses on making women digitally proficient and aware to stand
against any illegal/inappropriate activity online.
• The National Commission for Women launched it in association with Cyberspace
Foundation and META.
• Digital Shakti started in June 2018 to help women across the nation to raise the
awareness level on the digital front.

India launches official website of SCO 2023 with a theme of ‘For a SECURE SCO’

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched the official website of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
• During the 22nd Head of State summit meeting 2022 of the SCO at Samarkand,
Uzbekistan in September, India formally received the SCO rotating presidency.
• India will hold the presidency of the grouping for a year until September 2023.
• PM Modi had floated the concept of SECURE at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in
China in 2018.
• Explaining the SECURE concept, the Prime Minister said ‘S’ for security for citizens, ‘E’ for economic
development, ‘C’ for connectivity in the region, ‘U’ for unity, ‘R’ for respect of sovereignty and integrity, and
‘E' for environment protection.
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional group of 8 countries of Russia, China, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan
• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Founded: 15 June 2001

Govt. increased maximum tenure of PSU banks' CEO to 10 years

• maximum tenure of CEO and MD of public sector banks raised from 5 s to 10 years.
• the superannuation age retained at 60.
• Aim: This move will help the government to retain the best talent in the banking
sector.
• The amendment would be called Nationalised Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions)
Amendment Scheme, 2022.

Que: Who launched Fit India School Week Mascots ‘Toofan and Toofani’?
Answer: PV Sindhu
• The 4th edition of Fit India School Week will commence on 15th November 2022,
where in various schools across India will organise fitness and sports events in
various forms for 4 to 6 days during a month.
• The Fit India Movement, which was launched by PM Modi in 2019.
• It is dedicated to encourage schools to develop fitness habits in students and to increase awareness about
fitness and sports.

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India Took Over Chairmanship of the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) from France

• during the third edition of the annual Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence
(GPAI) held in Tokyo, Japan on 21 November 2022.
• India will be chairman for the 2022-23 period.
• Artificial Intelligence is expected to contribute 450 to 500 billion US dollars to India’s GDP by 2025
accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s 5 trillion dollar GDP target.
• It is expected to contribute 967 billion US dollars to the Indian economy by 2035.
• GPAI was launched on June 15, 2020, with 15 founding members. India is one of the founding member
country.
• At present, GPAI has 25 member Countries

Que: Which country’s Parliament has recently passed the Free Trade Agreement with India?
Answer: Australia
• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 22 November 2022 announced that the country's Free
Trade Agreement with India has been passed by the Australian Parliament.
• The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (“IndAus ECTA”) was signed virtually on 2
April 2022 in the presence of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Australian Prime
Minister Scott Morison
• Highlights of the trade deal
• More than 95% of roughly 12,000 Indian goods will get duty-free access to the Australian market.
• In the next 5 years the agreement will be expanded to cover 100% Indian goods.
• About 70% of Australian products will get duty-free and concessional access to the Indian market. This will
be increased to cover 85% of goods in 10 years.
• India has allowed import of premium Australian wine at a concessional rate.
• India has kept the dairy sector out of the trade deal.
• Major exports by India to Australia include petroleum products, gems and jewellery, textiles and apparels,
engineering goods, leather, chemicals.
• Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and India is Australia’s 9th largest partner.
• Bilateral trade in goods and services stood at USD 27.5 billion in 2021.

Que: Operation Turtshield was launched by which country?


Ans: India
• Operation Turtshield, to eliminate poaching and illegal trade of fresh water turtles
• The 19th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 19) to the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was held at
Panama City.
• India’s proposal for induction of fresh water turtle ‘Batagur kachuga’ earned support of the parties in CoP 19
of CITES.
• “Operation Turtshield- I” from 1st December 2019 to 31st January 2020 and Operation Turtshield-II” (1st
December 2020 to 28th February 2021) was taken up.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to be the Chief Guest of the Republic day 2023

• He will be the first Egyptian leader to be hosted by India for the Republic
Day celebrations.
• He is a former Army officer who was elected as the president of Egypt in 2014
and was re-elected in 2018.
• Duration of the Republic day celebration
• Earlier, the Republic day celebration started on 24 January and ended on 29
January. From 2022, the Republic day celebration will be from 23 January and
end on 30 January.
• 23 January is celebrated as Parakram Diwas to mark the birth anniversary of Subhash Chandra Bose and 30
January is the Martyr's day to mark the assassination of Gandhiji.

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FSSAI approves Yak as a ‘food animal’

• Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has approved the Himalayan
Yak as a ‘food animal’.
• Reason: To help check decline in the population of the high-altitude bovine animal
by making it a part of the conventional milk and meat industry.
• Food Animals are those that are raised and used for food production or consumption by humans.
• The decision comes after the latest census (2019), showed that India has 58,000 yaks.
• This was around 25% drop from the last livestock census carried out in 2012.

Que: Which cricket governing body has entered into the Guinness Book of World
Records for the biggest crowd attendance during a T20 Match?
Ans: Board of Control for Cricket in India
• The milestone was achieved during the final match of the Indian Premier
League 2022 held between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans at
Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
• Gujarat Titans defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets to clinch the IPL
2022 title.
• The Motera stadium was built in 1982 and was refurbished in 2021.

International Index News


India ranked 85 in Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2021

Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks 180 countries and territories by their
perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100
(very clean)
• Index by Transparency International (Germany-based non-governmental
organisation)
• India's score stands at 40 and is ranked 85
• Top-performing countries are Denmark, Finland and New Zealand - all having corruption perceptions score
of 88.
• The worst-performing country - South Sudan with corruption perceptions score of 11

Que: The World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) Trends 2022 report has been released by which
organisation?
Ans: International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Key figures in WESO Trends 2022
➢ The global unemployment level in 2022 is estimated at 207 million, compared to 186 million in 2019.
➢ Total working hours globally in 2022 is projected to be 2% below the pre-pandemic level, and that is
equivalent to the loss of 52 million full-time jobs.
➢ The global labour force participation rate in 2022 is projected to remain 1.2 percentage points below that of
2019, before the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic began.
➢ In 2022 around 40 million people will no longer be participating in the global labour force.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Headquarters: Geneva,
• Head: Director-General; Gilbert Houngbo from Togo Switzerland
• Founder: Paris Peace Conference Head: Director-General;
• Founded: 1919 Gilbert Houngbo from
• Award(s): 1969 Nobel Peace Prize Togo
• Parent organization: United Nations Founder: Paris Peace
Conference

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Que:As per the UNCTAD data, the FDI in India in 2021 was recorded what percent lower than in 2020?
Ans:26% (For 2021, the FDI in India is $47.36 billion)
• The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to India fell by 26 percent in 2021, compared to 2020, as per the
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor
• UNCTAD said that low FDI in India was mainly because large cross-border mergers & acquisitions (M&A)
deals recorded in 2020 were not repeated.
• Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Founded: 30 December 1964
• Founder: United Nations General Assembly
• Head: Secretary-General; Rebeca Grynspan

Que: Which brand has emerged as the world’s most valuable brand according to the
Brand Finance 2022 Global 500 report?
Ans: Apple
Top Indian brand
Tata Group emerged as the most valuable brand from India and in South Asia.
It is only brand from India in the top 100.
Global Rank – 78
Brand value – US$23.9 billion.
Founders: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne
Headquarters: California, United States

Que:The World Gold Council (WGC) data shows that the total gold demand in India rose to ________ tonnes in 2021
Ans:797.3 tonnes (surged by 78.6 percent)
➢ The World Gold Council (WGC) in its ‘Gold Demand Trends 2021’ Report has informed that the global gold
demand rose 10 percent in 2021 to 4,021.3 tonnes.
➢ Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
➢ Founded: 1987
➢ CEO: David Tait

Que:Who has become Asia's richest person, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index?
Ans:Gautam Adani
• Adani Group founder and billionaire Gautam Adani has become Asia's richest
person, ranks 10th among the wealthiest people of the world
• He is ranked 10th with a net worth of $88.5B, while Mukesh Ambani is ranked 11th with $87.9B, as per the
Bloomberg index.
• Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg slipped down to 13th place after losing nearly $30bn of his personal
fortune.

Top 5 richest people in India International Index News Top 5 richest people in India

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Que:What is the global rank of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in the Brand Finance most valuable insurance
brand in 2022?
Ans:10th
• LIC has a valuation of USD 8.656 billion (around Rs 64,722 crore).
• It must be noted that LIC was ranked as 206th most valuable brand in 2021 by
Brand Finance.
• Ping An Insurance of China is at the top.
• LIC Founded: 1 September 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Que:Which country has led the digital skills readiness and has the highest readiness index among the 19 countries in
the 2022 Global Digital Skills Index published by Salesforce?
Ans:India
• India has scored 63 out of 100, leads the digital skills readiness, and has the highest readiness index among
the 19 countries. The average global readiness score was 33 out of 100.
• The 2022 Global Digital Skills Index, is based on a survey on around 23000 workers across 19 countries about
digital skills, including their impact on the future of work, concerns about job readiness, and the significance
of continuous learning.

Que:What was the rank of the Reserve Bank of India in terms of buying Gold among the world’s
Central Banks in 2021?
Ans:2nd
• RBI bought 77.5 metric tonnes in 2021 taking its total gold reserve to
754.1 tonnes at the end of December 2021.
• Central Bank of Thailand (Bank of Thailand) was the highest buyer of Gold in
2021 and bought 90 metric tonnes of gold.
• As per Goldhub, India’s official gold reserves is ninth-largest in the world. Goldhub is the official website of
World Gold Council that maintains all the data regarding precious metal.

Mumbai is the 5th most congested city in the world in 2021


• Among 404 cities across 58 countries, according to TomTom Traffic Index's global
top 25 list.

Que:What is the rank of India in the EIU’s 2021 Democracy Index?


Ans:46
• The Democracy Index is released by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) to provide a snapshot of the
current state of democracy worldwide.
• India is placed at 46th position, among 167 nations, in the EIU’s 2021 Democracy Index, with an overall score
of 6.91 on a scale of 0-10.
• India was ranked at 53rd spot in 2021.
• Norway has topped the index with the score of 9.75.
• New Zealand, Finland, Sweden and Iceland are the top five countries in the list.
• Afghanistan is at the bottom of the list at 167th spot with a score of 0.32
• Since 2006

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Que:According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2021/2022 report, unveiled at the Dubai Expo, what is
the rank of India among the easiest places to start a new business?
Ans:4th
• According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2021/2022 report, unveiled at the Dubai Expo,
India is among the top five easiest places to start a new business.
• In ease to start a business, they had placed India 4th It was topped by Saudi Arabia and followed by
Netherlands & Sweden.

Que:What is the rank of India in the 9th annual ranking of top 10 countries outside of the United States (US) for
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) released by the 2021 US Green Building Council (USGBC)?
Ans:3rd
• India ranked 3rd with 146 projects.
• It has been topped by China with 1,077 LEED projects certified in 2021, which is followed by Canada at 2nd
position with 205 projects.
• The ranking highlights countries and regions outside the US that are doing good in healthy, sustainable, and
resilient building design, construction, and operations.

Que:The global trade (goods & services) recorded what percent increase in 2021, over the previous year 2020, as per
the annual Global Trade Update 2022 released by UNCTAD?
Ans:25%
• The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its
annual Global Trade Update 2022, which shows that the value of global trade,
both in goods and services, reached a record level of $28.5 trillion in 2021.
• This is an increase of 25% compared to 2020 and 13% higher compared
to 2019.

Que:What is the rank of India in the 2022 International Intellectual property (IP) Index released by the Global
Innovation Policy Centre of U.S. Chamber of Commerce?
Ans:43
• Index released by the Global Innovation Policy Centre of U.S. Chamber of
Commerce. US has topped the ranking in which 55 countries have been ranked.
• The top five countries in the ranking are:
• Rank 1- United States
• Rank 2- United Kingdom
• Rank 3- Germany
• Rank 4- Sweden
• Rank 5- France

Que:How many airports have been awarded as among the ‘Best Airport by Size and Region’, by the Airports Council
International (ACI), in its Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey for the year 2021?
Ans:6
• The airports have been adjudged among the Asia Pacific region in different categories
based on annual passenger traffic.
• The ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards takes into account 33 parameters related to
passenger amenities to recognize airport excellence in customer experience.
• Launched in 2006, ASQ is the world’s leading airport passenger satisfaction program with
close to 400 participating airports in 95 countries.
Category – Over 40 million passengers per year
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai (5th consecutive year)
Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi (4th consecutive year)

Category – 15 to 25 million passengers per year


Rajiv Gandhi International airport, Hyderabad

Category – 5 to 15 million passengers per year


Cochin International Airport, Cochin

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Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad

Category – 2 to 5 million passengers per year


Chandigarh Airport, Chandigarh

Que:As of March 2022, what is India’s place in the Global List in terms of market capitalisation?
Ans: Fifth
• India’s equity market has entered into the world’s top-five list, in terms of
market capitalisation, for the first time.
• The country’s total market cap stands at USD 3.21 trillion. The first four places are
occupied by the US (USD 47.32 trillion), China (USD 11.52 trillion), Japan (USD 6 trillion) and Hong Kong.
• India is followed by UK, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France and Germany.

Que:What is the rank of India in the ‘Wealth Report 2022’ by Knight Frank, which ranks countries in terms of most
number of billionaires’ population?
Ans:3rd
• India is ranked 3rd in terms of most number of
billionaires’ population globally in 2021
• The list has been topped by the United States and China
respectively.
• The number of ultra-high-net-worth-individuals
(UHNWIs) in India increased by 11% YoY in 2021 to 145
billionaires, the highest percentage growth in Asia
Pacific (APAC) region.

Que: What is the rank of India in the Sustainable Development Report 2021 list?
Ans:120
• The Index measures the country’s total progress towards achieving the 17
Sustainable Development Goals which were adopted by the UN General Assembly in
September 2015 as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The top 5 countries in this ranking are:


• 1- Finland; 2- Sweden; 3- Denmark; 4- Germany; 5- Belgium
• India has a score of 60.07 out of 100.
• Last year India’s rank was 117.

Que: India has scored 66 out of 100 in the ‘Freedom in the World 2022’ report released by Freedom House to assess
the political rights and civil liberties of a country. India has been placed under which category of freedom?
Ans: Partly free
• The report is published every year since 1973 to assess political rights and civil liberties of a
country through a series of surveys and analyses.
• India scored 66 out of 100 in 2022. The country had scored 67 in 2021. India was a free
country till 2020 when its score was 71.
• In 2022, 85 countries were termed as free, 56 as partly free and 69 as not free.

V-Dem’s Democracy Report 2022: India ranked 93rd


• The latest edition of Democracy Report was released recently by the V-Dem Institute at Sweden’s University
of Gothenburg.
• The V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) report classifies India as an autocracy (‘electoral autocracy’) rather than
a democracy, ranking it 93rd on the Liberal Democracy Index, out of 179 countries.
• India is ranked below Sri Lanka (88), Nepal (71), and Bhutan (65) and above
Pakistan (117) in the LDI.
• Most autocratic countries: Afghanistan, Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia
• Top 5 LDI (Liberal Democracy Index )Countries:
• Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Costa Rica, New Zealand

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Que: What was the rank of India in terms of largest importer of arms during 2017-21, as per the new report of SIPRI?
Ans: First
• The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released its latest
report on ‘Trends in International Arms Transfer, 2021’.
• Largest Arms Importers: India and Saudi Arabia between Both the two countries
accounted for 11% of all global arms sales. Most of India’s defence imports come
from Russia
• Largest Arms Exporters USA: with 39% share, retained its standing as the world’s
largest arms exporters.
• five largest arms importers - India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Australia, and China,
• five biggest exporters of arms - United States, Russia, France, China, and Germany.

SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)


• World military spending continued to grow in 2021, reaching an all-time high of $2.1
trillion despite the economic fallout of the pandemic, according to new data on global
military spending published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI).
• The five largest spenders in 2021 were the U.S, China, India, the U.K and Russia,
together accounting for 62% of expenditure and the U.S. and China alone accounted for
52%.
• “India’s military spending of $76.6 billion ranked third highest in the world. This was up by
0.9% from 2020 and by 33% from 2012.
• Russia increased its military expenditure by 2.9% in 2021, to $65.9 billion, at a time when
“it was building up its forces along the Ukrainian border,” the report pointed out. This
was the third consecutive year of growth and Russia’s military spending reached 4.1% of
GDP in 2021.
• SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control
and disarmament. Established in 1966

Que:Who has been ranked as the world’s top most billionaire in 2022 M3M Hurun Global Rich List?
Ans: Elon Musk
• SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk has total net worth of $205 billion.
• M3M Hurun Global Rich List is published by research and luxury publishing
group Hurun India in association with realty firm M3M.
• From India, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani was the only
Indian to feature in the top 10 list as India’s as well as Asia’s richest man.
• Ambani occupied the ninth rank globally with a net worth of $103 billion.

Que: What is the rank of India in the M3M Hurun Global 40 and Under Self-Made Billionaires 2022
list?
Ans:4th
• United States leads the world with 37 self-made billionaires aged 40 and under.
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the world’s richest self-made billionaire aged 40 and under
with total wealth of $76 billion.

Que:What is India’s rank in the United Nations’ World Happiness Report for the year 2022?
Ans:136 (out of 146 countries)
• In 2021, India’s rank was 139.
• Finland has topped for fifth continuous year.
• Afghanistan has been ranked as the unhappiest country
• The World Happiness Report is being published by United Nations Sustainable
Development Solutions Network, since 2012.
• It is the 10th edition of the report.

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Que: Moradabad city in Uttar Pradesh state of India has been ranked as the world’s second-most noise polluted city,
as per ‘Annual Frontiers Report, 2022’ of UNEP. Which city has topped this list?
Ans: Dhaka (out of 61 cities)
• As per the report, the city recorded a noise pollution of 119 decibels at its highest (dB) in 2021.
• Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad came second in the list with a noise pollution of 114 decibels.

Top 3 Quietest cities


1.Irbid (Jordan) - 60dB
2. Lyon (France) -69dB
3. Madrid (Spain) 69dB

Noisiest Cities in India


• Moradabad - 114 dB
• Kolkata- 89 dB
• Asansol- 89 dB
• Jaipur - 84 dB
• Delhi-83 dB.

Que: What is the rank of India in Global House Price Index Q4 2021 as per Knight Frank?
Ans:51
• India has improved its rank by five spots, was placed at 56th position in Q4 of 2020.
• India witnessed 2.1 percent annual appreciation in housing price rates during the October-
December quarter of the 2021 against Q4 of 2020.
• Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index tracks the movement in mainstream residential
prices across 56 countries and territories using official statistics.
• India has improved its rank by five spots, was placed at 56th position in Q4 of 2020.
• India witnessed 2.1 percent annual appreciation in housing price rates during the October-December quarter
of the 2021 against Q4 of 2020.
• Knight Frank’s Global House Price Index tracks the movement in mainstream residential prices across 56
countries and territories using official statistics.

Que: Which city has been adjudged as the world’s most polluted capital city in IQAir’s 2021 World Air Quality
Report?
Ans: New Delhi
• for second consecutive year
• New Delhi is followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh),
• Bangladesh was the most polluted country.
• India was the fifth most polluted country.

Que:Who has topped the Hurun Global Healthcare Rich List 2022 and became the richest billionaire in the
healthcare sector 2022?
Ans: Cyrus S Poonawalla
• Chairman and Managing Director of Serum Institute of India
(SII), Dr Cyrus S. Poonawalla has topped the Hurun Global
Healthcare Rich List 2022 and became the richest billionaire in
the healthcare sector 2022.
• He has topped the list with a new value ofUSD 26 billion (up
41%). Cyrus Poonawalla is followed by Thomas Frist Jr & Family
of HCA Healthcare, Li Xiting and Xu Hang of Mindray at the 2nd position with a net value
of USD 19 billion.
• Dilip Shanghvi & Family,of the Sun Pharmaceuticals, is at the 5th position with a net worth of USD 18 billion.
• China (34)has the most healthcare industry billionaires, followed by the United States of America (16),
Switzerland (15), Germany (11), and India (9).

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Que: Which Indian billionaire topped the ‘Hurun Richest Self-Made Women in the World
2022’ in the country?
Ans: Falguni Nayar
• As per the ‘Hurun Richest Self-Made Women in the World 2022’, there are 124
self-made women billionaires in the world now, down 6 from last year.
• Three Indian women – Falguni Nayar of Nykaa,
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon and Radha Vembu of Zoho feature in the
latest Hurun list of women self-made billionaires.
• Falguni Nayar overtook long-time India’s number one woman billionaire Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw to become the richest self-made woman in India.
• Two-thirds of women on this list are from China followed by the USA and the UK.
The list has been released by Hurun Research Institute. This is the 12th edition
of this list. According to this list, currently, in the world, there are 124 self-made
women billionaires.
• Wu Yajun, a Beijing-based property developer has topped this list. Her estimated
worth is USD 17 billion.

Forbes Billionaires 2022


• Elon Musk is leading the Forbes billionaires list with a net worth of $219 billion,
followed by Amazon chief Jeff Bezos at $171 billion.
• America has most number of billionaires at 735 worth a collective net worth of
$4.7 trillion, including Elon Musk, who tops the World’s Billionaires list for the first
time. China (including Macau and Hong Kong) remains number two, with 607
billionaires worth a collective $2.3 trillion.

Forbes Billionaires 2022: Men billionaires of India

Rank Name Net Worth Company


10th rank Mukesh Ambani ($90.7 billion) Reliance Industries Ltd
11th rank Gautam Adani ($90 billion) Adani Group
47th rank Shiv Nadar ($28.7 billion) HCL Technologies
56th rank Cyrus Poonawalla $24.3 billion) Serum Institute of India
81st rank Radhakishan Damani ($20 billion) DMart
89th rank Lakshmi Mittal ($17.9 billion) ArcelorMittal
91st rank Savitri Jindal and family ($17.7 billion) O.P.Jindal Group

Forbes Billionaires List 2022: Women billionaires of India


• Savitri Jindal, the chairperson of the Jindal Group, is the richest woman in India, according to the Forbes’
Billionaires List 2022, with a net worth of $17.7 billion. A total of 11 Indian women, with 4 newcomers,
joined the global rich list this year.
• Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, cosmetics giant L’Oréal’s founder’s granddaughter, was listed as the richest
woman in the world this year – with a net worth of $74.8 billion, according to the report.

Que: Who among the following has ranked the Most Valued Celebrity in the 7th Duff & Phelps’
2021 Celebrity Brand Valuation Report titled “Digital Acceleration 2.0.”?
Ans: Virat Kohli
• Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli was ranked as the most valued celebrity for the 5th
consecutive time in 2021.
• The brand value of Virat Kohli has dropped from USD 237.7 million in 2020 to USD 185.7
million in 2021.

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Alia Bhatt has ranked 4th with a brand value of USD 68.1 million and has become the most valued female celebrity.
She is the youngest celebrity among the top 10 and she is the most valued brand amongst female Bollywood actors.

Que:What was the rank of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject
2022?
Ans:65
• The QS World University Rankings by Subject are compiled annually to help
prospective students identify the leading universities in a particular subject.
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay ranked 65th and Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT)- Delhi ranked 72nd, the only Indian institutes to be featured among the top 100 ranks
under the Engineering and Technology category.

Top 3 QS World University Rankings 2022:


• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),
• The University of Oxford,
• Stanford University & the
University of Cambridge. Category Top Institute (Rank 1)
• The QS World University
Arts and Humanities University of Oxford (UK)
Rankings by Subject 2022 cover a
total of 51 disciplines, grouped Engineering and Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)
into five broad subject areas: Life Sciences & Medicine Harvard University (USA)
• Arts & Humanities
• Engineering and Natural Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)(USA)
Technology
• Life Sciences & Medicine Social Sciences & Harvard University (USA)
Management
• Natural Sciences
• Social Sciences & Management

Que: Name the Indian cities which have been recognised as the ‘2021 Tree City of the World’ by FAO?
Ans: Mumbai and Hyderabad
• The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Arbor Day Foundation have jointly
recognised Mumbai and Hyderabad as ‘2021 Tree City of the World’.
• The two Indian cities have won the recognition for their “commitment to growing and maintaining urban
trees and greenery in building healthy, resilient and happy cities”.
• It must be noted that Hyderabad has been recognised for a second consecutive year. In 2021, Hyderabad
was the only city in India to berecognised as a ‘ 2020 Tree City of the World’.
• Apart from Hyderabad and Mumbai 136 other cities from 21 countries have been recognised in the third
edition of the Tree City of the World list.

Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarters: Rome, Italy Food and Agriculture Organisation Founded:
16 October 1945

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Que: Which airport has emerged as the world’s busiest airport for 2021 as per the survey of Airports Council
International (ACI) World?
Ans: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
• The Airports Council International (ACI) World [Headquarter- Montreal, Canada] released the list of the top
10 busiest airports worldwide for 2021
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has topped the list with 75.7 million passengers.
• Among the top 10 airports for passenger traffic, 8 are in the United States with the two remaining in China.

India ranks last in Environment Performance Index 2022


• Published recently by Yale Center for Environmental Law and Columbia University
Denmark topped EPI
• Out of 180 countries that have been ranked, India is in the bottom five with a score
of 18.9.
• The country has also scored poorly on various measures such as control of
corruption, rule of law, and government effectiveness.

• The deterioration is huge as in the EPI-2020, India was ranked 168th out of 180 countries.
• The EPI was first established in 2002 as an index that measures the environmental sustainability of various
countries.
• As per EPI estimates, only a handful of countries, including Denmark and the United Kingdom, are on track to
meet net zero emission goals by 2050.
• The EPI projections indicate that four countries — China, India, the United States, and Russia — will account
for over 50% of residual global greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 if the current trends hold.

QS World University Rankings 2023 of top 200 varsities released


• A total of 41 universities from India have been ranked this year.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc) ranked 155th.
• IIT Bombay placed at the 172nd rank and IIT Delhi has been ranked 174.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at top position followed by the
University of Cambridge, Stanford University

Ahmedabad & Kerala features in TIME Magazine’s The World’s Greatest Places of
2022
• Two locations from India have been named among “50 extraordinary
destinations to explore” this year by TIME Magazine.

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QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023 released


• London has emerged as the best city for students
• Focus area of study: Affordable, student facilities, and university standard
among other factors.
• India’s highest-ranked student city is Mumbai at 103 spot, followed by Bengaluru
at 114 ranks.
• Chennai and Delhi have made their entries to the list this year at 125 and 129, respectively.

Que:According to the Knight Frank’s Asia Pacific Sustainability Index 2021, which Indian city ranked 14th in the APAC
region in the Gold standard category?
Ans: Bengaluru
• The APAC Sustainably-led cities Index features 36 cities based on urbanisation pressure, climate risk, carbon
emissions, and government initiatives
• Four Indian cities made it to the top 20
• Delhi is at 17th, Hyderabad at 18th and Mumbai 20th positions in Silver standard category.
• The top five green-rated cities in the APAC region are Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Wellington (New
Zealand), Perth (Australia), and Melbourne (Australia). These five cities earned the Platinum category, the
highest category of the index.

Que:Which institution released the ‘Global Findex database 2021’?


Ans: World Bank
• Global Findex Database 2021: Financial Inclusion, Digital Payments, and
Resilience in the Age of COVID-19
• It surveyed how people in 123 economies use financial services throughout
2021.
• As per the report, large share of the global population without formal banking
lives in India and China because of their size. The report also found that women are more likely to be
unbanked than men.
• The Global Findex Database has been published every three years since 2011

Que:Which country is projected to surpass China as the world's most populous nation next year?
Ans: India
• As per the 27th edition of the UN World Population Prospects 2022, India is projected to surpass China as
the world’s most populous country in 2023.
• With the 1,426 million population, China remains the most populous country in the world in 2022.
• India has been recorded 1,412 million population.
• The global population will reach 8 billion on November, 2022 that is three times of the population of 2.5
billion in 1950.
• By 2050, India’s population will reach 1,668 million.

Global Gender Gap Index 2022: Topped by Iceland


• released by the World Economic Forum (WEF)
• It ranks India at 135 out of 146 countries. In 2021, India was ranked 140 out of
156 countries
• India ranks poorly among its neighbours and is behind Bangladesh (71), Nepal
(96), Sri Lanka (110), Maldives (117) and Bhutan (126).
• Only 11 countries are ranked below India, with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Congo,
Iran and Chad being the worst-five.

Savitri Jindal becomes the richest woman in Asia


• According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Savitri Jindal (72, Indian) has become the richest women in
Asia with $11.3 billion fortune.
• She replaced China's Yang Huiya, with the net worth of $11.0bn.
• Huiyan, who controls largest real estate developer Country Garden Holdings of China
has lost half of his wealth drop from nearly $24 billion last year to $11 billion.
• Savitri Jindal became the chairperson of the Jindal Group, after the death of her husband OP Jindal.

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Que:Which Indian firm is the top ranked company in the 2022 Fortune Global 500 list among other
Indian corporates?
Ans: LIC
• by revenue for fiscal 2021.
• Walmart has acquired the top spot for ninth consecutive year, and overall 17th time since 1995.
• LIC ranked at overall 98th position, Reliance Industries Limited 104 and Indian Oil Corporation 142nd
• Overall 9 Indian companies featured on the list –
5 state owned, and 4 from private sector.

India ranks fourth in 2022 Forbes Asia ‘best under a billion’


• The best 200 mid-sized companies in the Asia-Pacific region.
• India 4th with 24 Indian firms in the list, down from 26 in 2021.
• Taiwan has the greatest number of companies listed at 30, followed by Japan with
29 and South Korea has 27.
• China placed 5th in the list with 22 firms.
• The list was compiled from 20,000 publicly traded companies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Human Development Index Report 2021-22


• By United Nations Development Programme
• India ranked 132 among 191 countries.
• Top: Switzerland
• Last : South Sudan (191)
Four indicators to measure the rank:
• Life expectancy at birth
• Mean years of schooling
• Expected years of schooling
• Gross national income per capita
• Among India’s neighbours, Sri Lanka (73), China (79), Bhutan (127) and Bangladesh
(129) are ranked above India, while Pakistan (161st), Nepal (143rd), and Myanmar
(149th) are worse off.

India Stands 4th in Global Crypto Adoption Index 2022


By Chainalysis (Blockchain analysis platform)
India two spots down from last year.

India ranks 40th in Global Innovation Index 2022 of WIPO


• WIPO - World Intellectual Property Organization
• IT published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property
Organization, in partnership with other organizations and institutions.
• India was at 46th position in 2021
• Switzerland with the score of 64.6, has emerged as the world's most innovative
economy for the 12th consecutive year.
• Guinea (132nd, last)

WWF report: Wildlife population decline by 69% worldwide between 1970- 2018
• As per the WWF's Living Planet Report 2022
• Study featured almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species
• dipped by 66% in Africa and 5% in Asia Pacific. Latin America and Caribbean regions have seen the largest
decline 94%
• IUCN Red List shows cycads are the most threatened species, while corals are declining the fastest, followed
by amphibians
• Main drivers of decline - habitat degradation and loss, exploitation, introduction of invasive
species, pollution, climate change and disease.

Que: ‘Education 4.0 India Report’ has been launched by which institution?
Ans: World Economic Forum

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• In collaboration with UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited India).


• Highlights Solutions to Strengthen Digital Infrastructure for Learning in India

India climbs six places in CRI Index 2022


• CRI Index - Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index
• India has ranked 123 out of 161 countries, improved its ranking by 6 places.
• Top three: Norway, Germany and Australia
• Prepared by: Oxfam International and Development Finance International (DFI) in
England.
• It measures the governments policies and actions in three areas (health, education, and social protection).

Logistics performance index 2022


Report released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry The index is an indicator of the efficiency of logistical
services necessary for promoting exports and economic growth. The first logistics report was released in 2018.
Gujarat was at the first position in both 2018 and 2019 ranking lists.
It provides three performance categories for states and UTs –
• Achievers (achieving 90 per cent or more) - 15 states & UTs
• Fast Movers (scoring between 80 and 90 per cent) – 6 states & UTs
• Aspirers (scoring below 80 per cent) - 15 states & UTs

Que: As per CSIR-NITI Aayog Report, which country bears the highest health and economic burden due to lead
poisoning?
Ans: India
• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra
Pradesh had the highest average blood lead levels (BLL) – roughly 40 per cent of
India’s population affected.
• microgram per decilitre (μg / dl) — the standard used to gauge poisoning
• A 2020 report by UNICEF and non-profit Pure Earth had found half of India’s
children were poisoned by lead.
The government report includes battery recycling, occupational sources such as lead
mining, smelting, welding, soldering and automobile repatriating. Other inconspicuous
sources include adulterated spices, cosmetics and traditional medicines.

Global Hunger Index 2022

• As per the 2022 GHI, India has been ranked 107th out of 121 countries.
• India has a score of 29.1 which places it under ‘serious’ category.
• Published by the Concern Worldwide (Ireland) and Welt Hunger Hilfe (Germany).
• Four indicators of GHI: Undernourishment, Child stunting, Child wasting, and Child mortality
• Top 5: Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, China and Croatia
• Bottom 5: Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Central African Republic and Yemen
• India and Neighboring Countries: Among the South Asian countries, India (107) is ranked below Sri Lanka
(64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99).

India ranks 41 out of 44 countries 2022 Global Pension Index: Mercer


• Mercer CFS Global Pension Index pointed out that the country needs to strengthen its regulatory framework
and boost the coverage under private pension arrangements
• In the previous edition, it held the 40th position out of 43 countries.
• As per 2022 Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index survey (MCGPI)
• Iceland, the Netherlands and Denmark topped the list
• Thailand is the worst performer

Que: What is the rank of India in Freedom House Internet Freedom Index?
Ans: 51
• As per the US government-funded NGO Freedom House,

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• India’s score was 49 in Internet Freedom in 2021. The improvement in the score is also based on reduced
frequency and intensity of internet shutdowns in the country.

Que: As per the UN Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), which country has the largest number of poor people
worldwide?
Ans: India
• Released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human
Development Initiative (OPHI).
• India has by far the largest number of poor people worldwide at 22.8 crore, followed by Nigeria at 9.6 crore.
• Two-thirds of these people live in a household in which at least one person is deprived of nutrition.

India ranks 3rd in centi-millionaires list


• As per the report by Henley & Partners
• world's first-ever global study on the rise of centi-millionaires with assets of more than Rs
830 cr ($100 million).
• topped by USA, followed by China.
• India will overtake China as the fastest growing market for centi-millionaires by 2032.
• Top Cities for Centi-Millionaires: New York, followed by San Francisco Bay Area, London,
and Mumbai (15)

WHO released the Global TB Report 2022


• Report notes the impact of the COVID-19 on the diagnosis, treatment, and burden of
disease for TB all over the world
• As per the report, India’s TB incidence for 2021 is 210 per 1 lakh population, compared to
the baseline year of 2015 (incidence was 256 per lakh); there has been an 18% decline
while global average decline is of 11%
• India is placed at 36th position in terms of incidence rates

About TB
• TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, belonging to the Mycobacteriaceae family
• In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other organs (extra-
pulmonary TB). It can spread from person to person through the air.
• The World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed on 24th March
• The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is presently the sole vaccine available for the prevention of TB.
• India aims to eliminate TB from the country by 2025
• Ni-kshay Mitra is a component of this initiative that ensures additional diagnostic, nutritional, and vocational
support to those on TB treatment.

Times Higher Education Impact Ranking 2022


A record 1,524 institutions from 110 countries/regions have participated across
the rankings this year, a 23 per cent increase since last year, reflecting the growing
importance of the SDGs within higher education institutions globally.
• The THE Impact Rankings assess the impact of the university on
society through its contributions towards United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.
• Approximately 64 Indian Universities have been featured on the THE
Impact Rankings 2022 making India the fourth best represented
country in the ranking.
• As per the list 8 universities
from India made it to the
top 300.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham was


ranked at 41 while Lovely
Professional University was placed
at 74.

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IISc Bangalore retains its spot in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) ranking
• IISc topped 2023 rankings among Indian institute.
• IISc Bengaluru is the only Indian university in the top 300 list.
• India has become the 6th most represented country in the list, with featuring 75
institutes
• Other Indian Institute: IIT Ropar (501-600), IIT Indore (601-800), IIT Gandhinagar
((801-1000)
• University of Oxford topped the World ranking (7th consecutive year).

Asia University Rankings 2022 by Times Higher Education (THE): 4 Indian institutions in top 100
• The 2022 edition comprises 616 universities from 31 countries and territories
• India was the third most-represented country, 71 institutions participated in the
rankings.
• The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, is the only institute to make the top-50 list with 42 rank.
• Japan is the most-represented nation again this year, with 118 institutions.
• China got top two universities for the third consecutive year, with Tsinghua and Peking universities holding
on to first and second place, respectively.

2022 rank 2021 rank Institution


42 37 Indian Institute of Science
65 NR JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
68 55 Indian Institute of Technology Ropar
87 78 Indian Institute of Technology Indore

RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index released


• Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has
released the 20th World Press Freedom
Index 2022, which assesses the state of
journalism in 180 countries and territories.
• India's neighbouring countries: India
(150th, falls 8 positions), Pakistan (157th),
Sri Lanka (146th), Bangladesh (162nd), and
Maynmar(176th)
• North Korea is placed at the bottom of the list of the180 countries.
• Bhutan is ranked at 33rd position, the best among India's neighbouring countries.
• World Press Freedom Day: 3 May

State of the World’s Forests 2022


• “The State of the World’s Forests” (SOFO) is the flagship publication of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published every two years.
• As per the 2022 edition of the report, released during the World Forestry Congress,
the world has lost 420 million hectares (mha), approximately 10.34 per cent of its
total forest area in the last 30 years
• It stated that annual global consumption of natural resources is likely to increase to 190 billion tonnes in
2060 from 92 billion tonnes in 2017
• forests cover 4.06 billion ha (31 per cent) of the earth’s geographical area, the report said.
• It added that although the rate of deforestation was declining, 10 mha of forests were lost every year
between 2015 and 2020.
SOFO 2022, stated that 15 per cent of 250 emerging infectious diseases have been linked to forests. It further stated
that 30 per cent of new diseases, reported since 1960, can be attributed to deforestation and land-use-change.
India and China could emerge as the biggest hotspots for new zoonotic viral diseases over the next few decades if
human pressure on forests continues to increase. Due to increasing human-wildlife interactions, infectious diseases
can easily spread to humans.
• A zoonosis is an infectious disease that can be transmitted naturally from a non-human animal to humans.
• Zoonotic diseases are caused by harmful germs like viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.

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• Examples of Zoonotic diseases include anthrax (from sheep) rabies


• It states that according to estimates, restoration of degraded land through afforestation and reforestation
could cost-effectively take 0.9 to 1.5 GtCO2e per year out of the atmosphere between 2020 and 2050.
• “More than 140 countries have pledged, through the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use,
to eliminate forest loss by 2030 and to support restoration and sustainable forestry. To this end, an
additional $19 billion has been allocated to help developing countries achieve these objectives,

WEF's Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021 released

SIPRI’s “Trends in Stockholm India’s military 1. US


World Military International Peace spends 3rd 2. China
Expenditure, 2021” Research Institute highest in the 4. UK
report (SIPRI) world 5. Russia
NITI Aayog’s State NITI Aayog 1. Gujarat The top three performers
Energy and Climate 2. Kerala among smaller states are:1.
Index SECI- Round 3. Punjab Goa
One 2. Tripura
3. Manipur
Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh and Jharkhand were
placed at the bottom.

Que:What was the rank of Indian Air Force (IAF) in the World Air Powers Ranking of 2022 released by World
Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA)?
Ans:3rd
• World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) has released the World Air Powers Ranking of 2022.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF)has been placed at the third position on the World Air Power
Index in terms of the total fighting strength of the various air services of different
nations of the world.
• The Global Air Powers Ranking (2022) report has given the highest TvR score to the
United States Air Force (USAF).
• The highest attainable TvR score is 9 held by the United States Air Force (USAF).
• Indian Air Force was established on 8th October 1932.

This report has placed the Indian Air Force (IAF) above the Chinese Aviation based armed
forces (PLAAF), Japan Air Self-Preservation Power (JASDF), Israeli Aviation based armed forces, and French Air
and Space Power. The report says that the Indian Air Force (IAF) currently counts 1,645 total units in its active
aircraft inventory.

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Que: Who has been ranked in the Titans category in the Time's 100 Most Influential 2022?
Ans: Gautam Adani
• Gautam Adani, Karuna Nundy (SC lawyer) and Khurram Parvez (Kashmiri human
rights activist) have been named among the world’s 100 most influential people of
2022 by TIME magazine.
• The six categories of list: Icons, Pioneers, Titans, Artists, Leaders and Innovators.
• Adani has been named under the Titans category, Nundy and Parvez named under the Leaders category.
• Recently, Gautam Adani with $123.7 billion net worth has become the 5th richest person in the world
(2022).
• Times 100 Most Influential People 2022 List has also given a place to Russian President Vladimir Putin,
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, among others.
• assembled by the American news magazine Time
• It was first published in 1999

India becomes 4th largest vehicle market


• According to the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA),
India has sold 3,759,398 vehicles in 2021 as compared to 2,973,319 vehicles in
Germany. This shows a difference of almost 26%.
• The most number of vehicles were sold in China (sales remained almost stagnant),
followed by the US (reported growth of 4%) and Japan (market shrunk compared to
both 2020 and 2019.
• OICA Headquarters: Paris, France

Que: Which Indian company has become top-ranked Indian company in the Forbes’ Global 2000 list of public
companies worldwide 2022?
Ans: Reliance Industries
• Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd climbed two spots to No. 53
on Forbes’ Global 2000 list of public companies worldwide 2022.
• Forbes Global 2000 ranks the largest companies in the world using four metrics:
sales, profits, assets and market value. Reliance is the top-ranked Indian firm on
the list, followed by State Bank of India at No. 105, HDFC Bank at No. 153 and
ICICI Bank at No. 204.
• Other top 10 Indian firms on the list include state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) at 228
rank, Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd (HDFC) at No. 268, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at No.
357, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) at No. 384, Tata Steel at No. 407 and Axis Bank at No. 431.
• Berkshire Hathaway took the No. 1 spot for the first time since Forbes started publishing the Global 2000 in
2003, dethroning the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, which dropped to No. 2 after nine
consecutive years at the top of the list. Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) took the 3 Spot.

PM Modi most popular world leader, tops global rating


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the world’s most popular
leader with an approval rating of 77 percent
• By Morning Consult Political Intelligence
• The Indian PM is followed by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López
Obrador at 69 per cent and Australian PM Anthony Albanese at 56 per
cent, on the second and third spots, respectively.
• US President Joe Biden and UK’s new PM Rishi Sunak come lower
down the list with approval ratings of 41 per cent and 36 per cent,
respectively

Que: What is the rank of India in the latest Henley Passport Index 2022?
Ans:87th
• Three Asian nations Japan, Singapore and South Korea bagged the top three positions
on the list.
• The Japanese passport provides hassle-free entry to 193 countries, while Singapore
and South Korea both provide entry to 192 countries.

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• Among other countries from Asia, India, along with Mauritius and Tajikistan, has been ranked 87th, with its
passport providing access to 67 countries.
• Pakistan has the fourth worst passport in the world after Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
• Afghanistan is ranked at the bottom with visa-free access to just 27 countries.
• Henley Passport Index has ranked all the world’s 199 passports according to the number of destinations their
holders can access without a prior visa.

IIT Delhi in top 50 of Times Higher Education Employability Rankings


• The Global Employability University Rankings and Survey (GEURS) ranks the top 250 universities in the world
for producing employable graduates according to employers.
• This ranking has been released by Times Higher Education (THE).
• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi is the only Indian educational institution
in the top 50
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru is at the second spot (58), followed by IIT-
Bombay at 72.
• five Indian institutions in top 200.

IIT Bombay best educational institution in India: ‘QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2023’
• IIT Bombay was featured in the 281-300 rank range, followed by IIT Delhi (321-340 rank)
and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) at the third rank (361-380).
• Globally, the University of California was declared the top university, followed by the
University of Toronto and then University of British Columbia
• The US dominates the rankings with 135 ranked universities (19.2 per cent of the total).
Of these, 30 universities are included in the top 100.
• UK was ranked second, followed by Australia and Germany

QS Asia University Rankings 2023 released


• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay is the best educational education in Southern Asia while IIT Delhi
ranks second in the region
• IIT-Bombay has ranked 40th (Last year: 42nd) in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia
University Rankings 2023, followed by IIT Delhi (46).
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is placed at the 52nd spot followed by IIT
Madras (53), IIT Kharagpur (61), IIT Kanpur (66), and University of Delhi (85).

15th edition
• In a big achievement, around 19 Indian universities featured in the top 200 list of QS Asia Universities
Ranking 2023
• Chandigarh University Gharuan stood at 185th position in Asia - known to be Asia's youngest university to be
featured in the top 200 universities in the QS Asia Universities of Asia.
• Top 4: China’s Peking University; National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, Beijing, and The
University of Hong Kong

Que: Which country is the highest contributor of per capita greenhouse gas emissions?
Ans: USA
• The “Emissions Gap Report 2022: The Closing Window” was released by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP).
• India’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions were at 2.4 tCO2e (tonne carbon dioxide equivalent), which is
far below the world average of 6.3 tCO2e in 2020.
• The US contributed the highest per capita emissions of 14 tCO2e, followed by 13 tCO2e in
Russia and 9.7 tCO2e in China.
• Collectively, G20 members are responsible for 75 per cent of global GHG

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2022 Forest Declaration Assessment:


• The 2022 Forest Declaration Assessment was published, showing that the Deforestation
rates worldwide declined only modestly in 2021 by 6.3 % compared to the 2018-20
baseline.
• Forest Declaration Assessment publishes annual updates on progress toward global
forest goals.
Findings:
• Brazil was the world’s largest contributor to deforestation in 2021.
Global tree cover increased by 130.9 million hectares over the past two decades.
• The most significant improvements were observed in Russia (28.4 %), Canada, the United States, Brazil, and
China.
• China showed the largest net gain in tree cover — 2.1 million hectares (Mha). India also marked a gain of
0.87 Mha in tree cover.
Indian Initiatives:
Indian Forest Policy, 1952
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• National Forest Policy, 1988
• National Afforestation Programme.
• Wildlife Protection Act of 1972
• Environment Protection Act of 1986
• Biodiversity Diversity Act of 2002.
• Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

8 years likely to be warmest from 2015 to 2022: WMO Report


• The annual report titled 'WMO Provisional State of the Global Climate 2022' released at the 27th Conference
of Parties to the UNFCCC on 6 November.
• Key features of the report
• The global mean temperature in 2022 is projected to be 1.15 °C above the pre-industrial (1850–1900)
average, with 2015 to 2022 (eight years) likely to be the warmest on record.
• Report stated that the rate of sea level rise has doubled since 1993 and has risen by nearly 10 mm since
January 2020 to a new record high this year.
• Concentrations of the main greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide – hit record
levels once again in 2021.
• The annual increase in methane concentrations was the highest on record.
South Asia’s Condition:
• The pre-monsoon period was exceptionally hot in India and Pakistan.
• The heat caused a decline in crop yields.
• This combined with the banning of wheat exports and restrictions on rice exports in
India are threatening the international food markets and posing risks to countries
already affected by shortages of staple foods.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• It is an intergovernmental organisation with a membership of 193 member states and territories.
• It was established by ratification of the WMO Convention on 23 March 1950.
• The first State of Climate Report was released in 1993.
• Headquartered -Geneva

World Heritage glaciers to disappear by 2050 : UNESCO


• The study, conducted by UNESCO in partnership with the IUCN
• By 2050, one-third of the World's Heritage Sites of Glaciers will disappear.
• Key points of the UNESCO report
• Accelerated melting of glaciers since 2000 regardless of efforts to limit temperature rise.
• It is still possible to save the other two thirds of glaciers, if the rise in global temperatures
does not exceed 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial period.
• Each year, glaciers are currently losing 58 billion tons of ice, and is responsible for about 5% of the global
sea-level rise.

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Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emission


• The report calls for a rapid reduction in CO2 emissions to save the glaciers and the biodiversity it supports.
• UNESCO also advocated the creation of an international fund for glacier monitoring and conservation.
Some of the endangered glaciers
• Kilimanjaro National Park and Mount Kenya (Africa)
• Glaciers in Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) that have shrunk by 27% since 2000
• The Dolomites (Italy, Europe)
• Yellowstone National Park (North America).
Importance of Glaciers
• Glaciers are important for survival. Half of humanity is directly or indirectly dependent on glaciers as a water
source for domestic use, agriculture and electricity.
• Glaciers are also supporters of biodiversity, which keeps many ecosystems alive.

India ranks 8th in 2023 Climate Change Performance Index


• out of 63 countries.
• The Climate Protection Performance is assessed in four categories: Greenhouse Gas
emissions, Renewable Energy, Energy use, and Climate Policy.
• The report placed Denmark in fourth place, followed by Sweden and Chile.
• In the overall standings, none of the countries made it to the first three ranks.
• CCPI jointly by Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network.
• The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is released every year at the UN Climate Change Conference
since 2005
• India, moved two spots when compared with the previous edition of the index.
• In 2022 and 2021, India stood at at 10th position.

UN ranks 'Namami Gange' project among world's top 10 initiatives


• India's 'Namami Gange'- river Ganga rejuvenation project- has been recognised as one
among world's 10 most "ground-breaking" initiatives for restoration of natural
ecosystems, according to a report released during the UN Biodiversity Conference
(COP15).
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has won the "Public Water Agency of the
Year" award at the Global Water Awards, 2019 by Global Water Intelligence.
• The award was received by G Ashok Kumar, Director General, Namami Gange, at the
15th Conference of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) in Montreal, Canada.
• Recognized initiatives, including Namami Gange, will now be eligible to receive UN
support, funding or technical expertise.
About Namami Gange
• Initiated by Central Government in June 2014.
• It was launched to serve the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution and
conservation and rejuvenation of the national river Ganga.
• It is being operated under the Ministry of Water Resources, and Ministry of Jal Shakti.

World population crosses 8-billion mark: UN


• According to the ‘World Population Prospects 2022’ report, which was released on World Population Day (11
July), the global population reach the mark of eight billion on 15th November 2022.
• It was also projected that India will surpass China as the world’s most populous country in 2023.
• The latest projections by UN has also suggested that the global population could grow to around 8.5 billion
in 2030 and 9.7 billion in 2050.
• According to the UN, it took 12 years for the global population to go from 7 billion to 8 billion.
• It will take around 15 years for it to reach 9 billion.

Future Projections of Human population growth


More than half of the projected increase in global population till 2050 will be concentrated in Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia,
India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, and Tanzania.

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According to the World Bank population projection:


• In 2022 China and India account for over a third of the world’s population, with China‘s share at 18.2 per
cent and India’s at 17.7 per cent.
• World’s third most populous country, the United States of America and the fourth most populous Indonesia
at present in 2022, have a share of 4.2 per cent and 3.5 percent of the global population respectively.

Mumbai becomes first city in South Asia to top CDP’s climate action list
• CDP is a non-profit organisation that recognises the important role that cities play
in taking bold actions to mitigate and adopt to climate change.
• Mumbai’s short-term priorities include the purchase 2,100 electric buses by 2023 at
a cost of 130 billion rupees ($1.7 billion).
• Mumbai is the most populous city in India, and, globally, the 7th largest in terms of
population. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Mumbai is separated from the
mainland by Thane Creek and Harbour Bay.

Indian defence ministry is world's biggest employer: Report


• According to report Statista infographic on employers with the largest workforces
worldwide 2022, Ministry of Defence of India is the world’s biggest employer with 2.92
million people (includes combined active service personnel and reservists).
• While, the US Department of Defense has placed second in the list, with the
employment of 2.91 million people.
• Statista is a Germany-based private organisation that provides data and statistics about
various issues worldwide.

India has cheapest manufacturing cost globally: Report


• According to recent data, published by US News and World Report, India has bagged the 31st position, out of
85 nations in the overall Best Countries ranking.
• In the overall Best Countries ranking, Switzerland has topped the chart, followed by
Germany, Canada, US and Sweden.
• India has been ranked as the nation with the cheapest manufacturing cost ahead of China
and Vietnam.
• India is also featured at the 37th spot in the 'Open for Business' category.

WTW Global Gender Wealth Equity report released


• Global Gender Wealth Equity Report was jointly developed by WTW and the World Economic Forum (WEF).
It explores gender-based wealth differences across five regions in the world.
• According to the report, on average women are expected to reach retirement with
just 74% of the wealth that are accumulated by men.
• This is mainly because of the pay gaps and delays in promotion.
• In Asia Pacific, the gender wealth gap is the largest in India at 64%.

Three Indian women on Forbes Asian women businesswomen list


• The Forbes Asia magazine released its annual ‘Asia’s Power Businesswomen’ list
which includes three Indian women amongst the 20 women from the Asia-Pacific region.
• Among the three Indian businesswomen who feature on the unranked list is Ghazal
Alagh, Soma Mondal and Namita Thapar.
Indian Business woman on the list
• Ghazal Alagh is the co founder of Honasa Consumer, which is the owner of Mamaearth,
The Derma Company
• Soma Mandal is the first woman chairman of the Public sector company, Steel Authority
of India Ltd (SAIL).
• Namita Thapar is the executive director of the Emcure Pharma (India).

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Nirmala Sitharaman, 5 other Indians among World's 100 Most Powerful Women
• Six Indian women have been listed in the 2022 Forbes’ annual list of The World’s 100 Most
Powerful Women.
• FM Nirmala Sitharaman has ranked at 36 for fourth time in a row.
• Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Biocon Executive Chairperson) ranked 77, Falguni Nayar (Nykaa
founder) ranked 89.
• Roshni Nadar Malhotra (HCL Chairperson) ranked 53, Madhabi Puri Buch (SEBI Chief) ranked 54, and Soma
Mondal (SAIL Chief) ranked 67.
• Top: Ursula von der Leyen (Belgium), European Commission President

Gautam Adani tops Forbes India rich list 2022


• As per the Forbes India Rich List 2022, the combined wealth of India’s 100 richest has
been increased by $25 billion to $800 billion.
• The top 10 richest Indians are worth a cumulative $385 billion.
• Adani Group chairman, Gautam Adani has bagged the top spot on the list with a net
worth of $150 billion.
• He is also the third richest billionaire globally.
• After Adani, Mukesh Ambani ($88 billion) placed second, followed by Radhakishan
Damani, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Shiv Nadar

India ranked 5th in 2022 Hurun Global 500 list of valuable companies
• India, with 20 most valuable companies in the world, has moved into the fifth position
among countries. Last year India was ranked 9th with 8 companies.

Top ranked Indian companies


• Reliance Industries Limited was the top ranked Indian company. It was ranked 34th in the world.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was ranked second, and
• HDFC bank was ranked third.
• For the first time, 4 Adani group companies also made to the list. These companies are; Adani Transmission,
Adani Green Energy, Adani Enterprises and Adani Total Gas.

Top ranked company in the world - US based Apple, followed by Microsoft, Alphabet (owner of Google),
Amazon and Tesla.
• Country wise ranking
• United States of America with 260 companies came at the top. It was followed by
• China with 35 companies,
• Japan with 28 companies,
• India and Canada were at the 5th position with 20 companies each.
• Of the 20 Indian companies featured on the list this year.
• Hurun was set up in the United Kingdom by Rupert Hoogewerf in 1999. Hurun is a research, media and
investments group, which publishes a series of research reports.
• The Company is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

Priyanka Chopra among 4 Indians on BBC's 100 influential women list


• British Broadcasting Corporation has released the list of 100 most influential women in
the world 2022.
• Four Indian women included - Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Geetanjali Shree
(Author), Sirisha Bandla (engineer and astronaut), and Sneha Jawale (social worker).
• Geetanjali Shree is the first Indian to win the International Booker Prize award 2022
for her Hindi novel “Ret Samadhi," or ‘Tomb of the Sand’.
• Sirisha Bandla is the second Indian born woman after Kalpana Chawla to go into space.
Till date three Indian origin women have gone to space but astronaut Sunita Williams, who is an American of
Indian descent was born in the United States of America.

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Rule of Law Index 2022:


• The report is a compilation of the ‘rule of law’ status across 140 countries worldwide.
• It was released by an international civil society organisation, World Justice Project (WJP).
• According to the report, the rule of law has declined globally for the fifth consecutive year.
• The top-ranked country in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 is Denmark, followed by
Norway (2), Finland (3), Sweden (4), and the Netherlands (5).
• The bottom ranked countries are Venezuela (140), Cambodia (139), Afghanistan (138),
the Democratic Republic of Congo (137), and Haiti (136).
• India has been ranked 77 with a score of 50 on the ‘rule of law index’.

India ranked 61st in Network Readiness Index 2022


• India has improved its rank by six slots in the Network Readiness Index 2022 (NRI 2022) report and is now
placed at 61st rank with a score of 51.19.
• Out of 131 economies based on their performances in 4 pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact
covering a total of 58 variables.
• The report is prepared by Portulans Institute.
• Top performers: United States, followed by Singapore and Sweden.

India, China leads as Global intellectual property filings reached new records in 2021: WIPO
• report published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) on
21 November 2022
• Asia leads while US declines
• local filings of patents in India grew by 5.5%, in China it grew by 5.5%, and in
South Korea by 2.5%. More than two-thirds of the patents filed were from
Asia.
• the local patenting activity declined by -1.2 percent in the US, -1.7 percent in
Japan and Germany-3.9% in Germany.

World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation (WIPO)


• World Intellectual Property Rights Organisation (WIPO) is a United Nations agency.
• It was set up in 1967 and 193 countries are its members.
• Geneva Switzerland is the Headquarters of WIPO.
• Director General of WIPO: Daren Tang
• World Intellectual Property Rights Day is observed on 26 April every year.

Most Expensive Cities in world List was Revealed 1. New York, USA
• The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Cost of Living Survey has 2. Singapore, Singapore
released a list of the most expensive cities to live in based on daily cost of 3. Tel Aviv, Israel
living.
• New York and Singapore in top 2 position. 4. Hong Kong, China
• Around 172 cities have been taken up for this study which was carried out 5. Los Angeles, USA
in the months of August and September. 6. Zurich, Switzerland
• least expensive 7. Geneva, Switzerland
• 170 = Tehran
8. San Francisco, USA
• 171 = Tripoli
• 172 = Damascus 9. France
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
Global Aviation Safety Ranking: India ranked 48th; topped by Singapore
• The global aviation safety ranking given by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• Four years ago, India was ranked 102nd.
• Singapore is at the top, followed by the UAE and South
Korea at the second and third positions
• India has performed better than China which stands in
49th rank in the audit. Israel has been ranked 50th.

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HAL and BEL in the top 100 defence companies list of SIPRI
• Two Indian government owned defence companies Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have been included by the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its list of 100 top defence companies in the world
2021.
• Report titled ‘Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies, 2021’.
• HAL was ranked 42nd with $3.3 billion in arms sales
• BEL was ranked at 63rd Rank with $1.8 billion sales.
• HAL is the manufacturer of fighter aircrafts like LCA Tejas, Su-30MKI, helicopters like LCH Prachand etc, and
trainer aircrafts for the Indian Air Force.
• BEL manufactures advanced electronics equipment for the armed forces.
• The United States has 40 companies in the top 100 defence companies in the world.
• The top 5 companies are all American.
• China has 8 companies in the top 100 companies.
• India is the world’s second-biggest importer of weapons after Saudi Arabia and is also the world’s third-
biggest spender on defence after the US and China.

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)


SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and
disarmament. It is funded mainly by the Swedish Government.
It was set up in 1966
Headquarters: Solana, Sweden

Que: What is the rank of India in the ‘Arton Capital Passport Index 2022’?
Ans: 71
• UAE ranked first, followed by Germany, Sweden, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain France.
• While Afghanistan stood last, Pakistan stood at 92.
• Japan ranked 4th as it had easy access to 172 countries. Japan's passport was ranked as the world’s best in a
list published by Henley & Partners
• World's Strongest Passports 2022: With a UAE passport travelers can enter to 181 countries hassle-free.

Q. What is India’s rank in 2022 Global Food Security Index (GFSI)?


Ans. India is ranked at 68th position out of 113 countries
• 11th edition released by the British weekly The Economist.
• It measures food security based on the following 4 factors: Affordability, Availability, Quality and Safety,
Natural Resources and Resilience.
• It shows a deterioration in the global food environment for the third year, threatening food security.
• Top 3: Finland, Ireland and Norway
• 8 of the top 10 performing countries are in Europe.
• China’s position is at 25th South Africa overtook Tunisia to become the most food-secure country in Africa.
• India was ranked at 71st position in GFSI 2021 of 113 countries

India ranks 3rd in global ranking in scientific publications


• as per the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2022 report of the United
States
• India’s position globally in scientific publications, has improved from 7th position in 2010 to 3rd position in
2020
• India ranks 3rd in terms of number of PhDs in science and engineering
• India's scholarly output increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020.
• As per the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 brought out by World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO), India’s GII ranking has also improved significantly from 81st in 2014 to 40th in 2022.

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ADB ranks WAPCOS amongst Top Consulting Services Firm

•According to the report on Annual Procurement, released by the Asian


Development Bank, WAPCOS (under the Ministry of Jal Shakti) has been ranked as
top amongst Consulting Services Firm in Water and other Infrastructure Sectors.
• WAPCOS is the only Indian Public Sector featuring in the above categories.
WAPCOS
• It was established by the government of India in 1969 under the aegis of the Ministry of Water Resources to
utilize India’s knowledge and expertise in the field of water resources by sharing and exporting technology to
friendly developing nations.
• In 1979 the name of the Company was changed from “Water and Power Development Consultancy Services
(India) Limited” to “Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited.”
• Chairman cum Managing Director: Rajni Kant Aggrawal
• Headquarters: New Delhi

India's Cuisine Ranked Fifth in the list of best Cuisines of the World
• According to Taste Atlas, India ranks fifth in the global list of best cuisines for 2022.
• Italy's cuisine topped, followed by Greece, Spain and japan.
• India received 4.54 points and the best rated foods of the country include "garam
masala, malai, ghee, butter garlic naan, keema".
• There are a total of 460 items in this list.
• Chinese cuisine, which is the world's most popular, however, ranked 11th on the list.

“Permacrisis” Is Collins Dictionary’s Word Of The Year


• Permacrisis has been chosen as the Collins Dictionary’s word of the year.
• The word means an extended period of instability and insecurity.

Merriam-Webster announces 'Gaslighting' as its Word of the Year for 2022


• Meaning of Gaslighting
• The dictionary defines the term as: "The act or practice of grossly misleading someone
especially for one’s own advantage."
• Gaslighting refers to playing with someone on a psychological level for a long period of
time, so that the victim begins to doubt the validity of their own thoughts and true sense of
self.
• Gaslighting, in simple language, is cheating psychologically with someone.

National Index News


Which of the following organization has recently released “Inequality Kills” report?
Ans: Oxfam India
• According to the report, wealth of India’s richest families reached to a
• record high in 2021.
• In the report, India was described as ‘very unequal,’ country, as top 10 people in India
holds 57 per cent of the wealth. On the other hand, share of bottom half is 13 per cent.

OXFAM
• Oxfam is a confederation of 20 independent charitable organisations focusing on the alleviation of global
poverty
• It was founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International.
• Oxfam has been in India since 1951. It first came to India to respond to the Bihar famine.
• In 2008, Oxfam India became an independent affiliate and an Indian NGO.
• It is a major nonprofit group with an extensive collection of operations.
• HQ: Nairobi, Kenya.

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Que: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has released ‘Climate of India during 2021’ report. As per the report,
the year 2021 was the _______________ warmest year in India since country-wide records started in India in 1901.
Ans:5th
• The highest warming was observed during 2016.
• India reported a loss of 1,750 lives because of extreme weather events in 2021. Maharashtra was the most
adversely affected state, with 350 deaths.
IMD Founded: 1875
Headquarters: New Delhi
Director-General of Meteorology:
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra

Que: Which institution released the ‘Death Penalty in India’ Report?


Ans: National Law University
• As per the report, the number of prisoners on death row at the end of 2021 stood at 488, the highest in 17
years. This is an increase of nearly 21% from 2020. This is also the highest the death row population has
been since 2004 (563).

India Press Freedom Report, 2021


• The India Press Freedom Report, 2021 was recently released by the Rights and Risks Analysis Group.
According to the report, 13 media houses and newspapers were targeted in the country, 108 journalists
were attacked, and 6 journalists were killed.
• The highest number of journalist attack was in Jammu and Kashmir. J&K faced more than 25 attacks. The
second highest was in Uttar Pradesh with 23. UP was followed by Madhya Pradesh (16), Tripura (15), Delhi
(8), Bihar (6)
• Eight women journalists faced summons, FIR and arrest.
• 44 FIRs were registered against journalists in 2021. Of this 21 were registered under Section 153 of IPC.
• Section 153 of IPC
• Any person who does things that are illegal or provocative to others shall be punished with imprisonment.

Que:What is the percentage of Women representation of board seats in India in 2021, as per ‘Women in the
Boardroom report’?
Ans:17.1
• In India, women representation of board seats increased by 9.4 per cent from 2014 to 17.1
per cent in 2021 as per Deloitte’s Women in the Boardroom report.
• The report finds that globally, women hold 19.7 per cent of the board seats, which rose by
2.8 per cent since 2018. At the current pace, the world could expect to reach near-parity
only in 2045.

Tiger deaths increased to 127 in 2021, as per state report


• The number of deaths of Tigers in the country has risen to 127 in 2021, in
comparison to 106 in 2020, as per reports from the states.
• Madhya Pradesh reported the maximum number of deaths with 42 deaths,
followed by Maharashtra with 27 deaths, Karnataka with 15 and Uttar Pradesh
with 9.
• the tiger population has doubled.
• the tiger numbers increased as per the latest estimation done in 2018, with an
estimated number of 2,967 (range 2603-3346) as compared to 2014 estimation of
2,226 (range 1945-2491). India is the largest tiger range country in the world

Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav

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Que: As per a recent report, what is the contribution of YouTube creator system to Indian GDP in 2020?
Ans: Rs 6800 Crores
• As per a new report by independent consulting firm Oxford Economics, YouTube’s creator
ecosystem contributed Rs 6,800 crore to the Indian GDP.
• YouTube supported 683,900 full-time equivalent jobs in India in 2020.
• It also said that the number of channels on YouTube in India with over 100,000 subscribers at
40,000.

Que: Which state has retained its number one spot in the SKOCH State of Governance rankings in 2021?
Ans: Andhra Pradesh (2nd - West Bengal and 3rd - Odisha)
• Andhra is also the only State from southern India to have been given ‘Star’ ratings in 2021, West Bengal,
Odisha, Gujarat and Maharashtra are the other States.
• Star States have focussed on agriculture, ease of doing business, power and energy, social justice and
security and water.
• Andhra Pradesh also bagged top position in police and safety, agriculture, district administration, and rural
development.
• The SKOCH Group has released the SKOCH Governance Report Card for 2021 in New Delhi, ranking the states
according to their performance in various projects at state, district, and Email Article Print Article municipal
levels.
• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
• Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy

Que: The latest data on maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by the Registrar General of India shows that
during the period between 2017-2019, the MMR in India stood at __________
Ans: 103
• MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births during a given
period.
• This rate was 122 in 2015-17 and 113 in 2016-18.
• Kerala emerged on top in maternal and child health (recording the MMR of 30) in the country,
followed by Telangana, and Maharashtra
• Italy, Norway, Poland, and Belarus have the lowest MMR in the world.

Que: Which city has been adjudged as the world’s most polluted capital city in IQAir’s 2021 World Air Quality
Report?
Ans: New Delhi
• for second consecutive year
• New Delhi is followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh),
• Bangladesh was the most polluted country.
• India was the fifth most polluted country.

Que: Which state has topped the NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index 2021?
Ans: Gujarat
• Gujarat has retained the top position in the second edition. The first edition was
released in 2020.
• Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana are the other top 5 states in the
2021 index respectively.
• Across the Union Territories, Delhi has performed the best, followed by Jammu
and Kashmir, Chandigarh and Puducherry
• The Export Preparedness Index (EPI) is prepared by the NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of
Competitiveness.
• The Index assesses the readiness of the states and union territories, in terms of their export potential and
performance.

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Que: What is the per centage rise in Tuberculosis (TB) cases in India in 2021, as per India
TB Report 2022?
Ans: 19%
• The ‘India TB Report 2022’ was recently released by the Union Health Minister.
• The total number of incident TB patients notified during 2021 were around 19
lakhs as opposed to that of 16 lakhs in 2020.
• There has been an increase in the mortality rate due to TB between 2019 and 2020 by 11 per cent in India.
• Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among 15 years and above in India was 316/lakh population - highest PTB
prevalence of 534/lakh in Delhi and the lowest PTB Prevalence of 115/lakh in Kerala.

India crosses milestone of 50,000 ODF (open defecation-free) Plus villages


• Among the top performing States are Telangana followed by Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.
• Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase-II was launched in February 2020 with the aim to ensure that all
villages in the country can declare themselves as ODF Plus by the end of 2024.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has said, the mission towards becoming ODF Plus has several components
including biodegradable waste management including the GOBARdhan Scheme, Grey water management,
Plastic waste management and Faecal sludge management.

Que: Which state has topped the NITI Aayog’s State Energy & Climate Index (SECI) Round I, among larger states
category?
Ans: Gujarat
• NITI Aayog has launched the State Energy & Climate Index (SECI) Round I.
• The SECI Round I ranks the states’ performance on 6 parameters, namely
• DISCOM’s Performance
• Access, Affordability and Reliability of Energy
• Clean Energy Initiatives
• Energy Efficiency
• Environmental Sustainability
• New Initiatives
Top Three States among Larger States Category
1. Gujarat
2. Kerala
3. Punjab
Top Three States among Smaller States Category
1. Goa
2. Tripura
3. Manipur Top Three UTs
4. Chandigarh
5. Delhi
6. Daman & Diu/Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Punjab was the best performer in discom performance, while Kerala topped in access, affordability and reliability
category. Haryana was the best performer in clean energy initiative among larger States and Tamil Nadu in the
energy efficiency category.

Que: As per the data of Ministry of Commerce and Industry, what was the number of patents filed in 2021-22?
Ans:66,440
• As per the data by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the number of domestic patent filings at the
Indian patent office exceeded that of international filings for the first time in the last 11
years.
• During the January-March quarter of 2022, a total of 19796 patent applications were filed,
which included 10,706 patents filed by Indian applicants and 9,090 by non-Indian
applicants.

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• The number of patent filings increased from 42,763 in 2014-15 to 66,440 in 2021-22, more than a 50%
increase in a span of 7 years.
• India granted 30,074 patents in 2021-22 as compared to 5,978 in 2014-15, an increase of nearly five times.
• Reduction in the time of patent examination from 72 months in Dec 2016 to 5-23 months at present for
different technological areas.

India made 40% of global Real-time payments in 2021


• As per the ACI Worldwide Report on Real-time transactions, India has extended the real-
time transactions to 48.6 billion in 2021.
• India's transaction volume is seven times greater than the combined volumes of Germany,
USA, UK, Canada, and France.
• Top Five countries: India(48.6 billion); China (18.5 billion); Thailand (9.7 billion); Brazil (8.7
billion); South Korea (7.4 billion)
• Published by: ACI Worldwide, the Centre for Economics and Business Research, and GlobalData.

Que : As per the ‘Road accidents in India – 2020’ report released recently, which state/UT recorded the highest
accident severity in 2020?
Ans: Mizoram
• lowest number of road accidents since 2000 and least deaths since 2010, were
reported in the year 2020.
• However, road accident severity, measured by the number of persons killed per
100 accidents, increased in 2020 to 36 – highest since 2000.
• In 2020, every third accident was fatal — accident involving at least one death.

Que: Which state has topped the 4th Food Safety Index awards announced by Union Health Minister Mansukh
Mandaviya on the occasion of World Food Safety Day?
Ans: Tamil Nadu
This was started in 2018-19. The aim of the award is to create a competitive and positive change in
India’s food safety ecosystem.
Top ranked Large State Category: Tamil Nadu
Top Ranking Small State Category: Goa
Top Ranking Union Territory: Jammu and Kashmir

Que: Which state has scored overall highest in national e-governance service delivery assessment (NeSDA) report
2021?
Ans: Kerala
• 2nd edition of NeSDA 2021 report (biennial) released by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh
• Focused on Central Ministries on their effectiveness in delivering online services to citizens.
• NeSDA 2021 covers services across seven sectors – Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local
Governance & Utility Services, Social Welfare, Environment and Tourism sectors.
Ranking of State / UT Portals is as follows:
• Among UTs: Jammu and Kashmir, assessed first time in NeSDA 2021, scored highest among all UTs for six
sectors.
• Among North-east and Hill States: Nagaland
• Among Remaining State Category A: Kerala
• Among Remaining State Category B: Odisha
• Ministry Portal of Home Affairs had the highest overall compliance score.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman releases the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) 2020 in New Delhi
• Top Achievers: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
• BRAP exercise is to infuse a culture of learning from each other state’s best practices and improve upon the
business climate in each State and Union Territories.

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Que: Which Union Ministry released the ‘States’ Start-ups Ranking 2021’?
Ans: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
• third edition was released - Indian States were ranked on the basis of their support and contribution to
making the Startup Ecosystem in the country.
• First launched in February 2018, States and Union Territories are classified into 5
categories - Best Performers, Top Performers, Leaders, Aspiring Leaders and
Emerging Start-up Ecosystems.
• Gujarat and Karnataka emerged as the Best Performers in a category of States.
Meghalaya won the top honour among UTs and North-eastern (NE) States.
• Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana got the Top Performers award among states. Jammu & Kashmir
emerged as the Top Performer among UTs and NE states.
• Andhra Pradesh and Bihar from the States category and Mizoram and Ladakh from the UTs/NE States were
clubbed under the Emerging Start-up Ecosystem.

Que: As per recently released Animal Discoveries, 2021, a document published recently
by the Zoological Survey of India, India added _____species to faunal database in 2021.
Ans:540
• With 1.03 lakh species of fauna, India contributes to 6.1% of faunal diversity in
the world.
• New mammal species discovered is Crocidura narcondamica, a white-toothed
shrew, from Narcondam Island of the Andaman & Nicobar.
• Boiga whitakeri, or Whitaker’s cat snake, discovered in 2021 from the Western
Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
• Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), which observed its 107th
foundation day on July 1

NIRF Rankings 2022 Engineering:


• According to the Ministry of Education's National Institutional Ranking
Framework, IIT Madras bagged the top spot among educational institutions in the
country for the 4th consecutive year.
• It is closely followed by IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay in 2nd and 3rd Spots.
• Inception of the NIRF ranking list in 2016
• IIM, Ahmedabad is the best management institute in the country.
• AIIMS, New Delhi is the best medical college.
• Savitha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences in Chennai is the best dental college

Niti Aayog released third innovation index


• This index examines the innovation capacities and ecosystems at the sub-
national level.
• Karnataka, Telangana and Haryana have been ranked as the top three
states among major states.
• Karnataka topped the index for the third year in a row.
• Manipur is leading the North East and Hill States category and Chandigarh
is the top performer in the Union Territories and City States category.

Que: Which Indian state was the highest receiver of FDI Equity Inflow during FY 2021-22?
Ans: Karnataka
• with 37.55 percent inflow, followed by Maharashtra (26.26 percent), Delhi (13.93
percent), Tamil Nadu (5.10 percent) and Haryana (4.76 percent).

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• Singapore and USA emerged as the top 2 sourcing nations in FDI equity flows into India in FY2021-22,
following by Mauritius, Netherlands and Switzerland.
• Top 5 sectors: Computer Software & Hardware (24.60%), Services Sector, Automobile Industry, Trading and
Construction (Infrastructure) Activities.

Que: Which state held the most number of sittings of the State Assembly in 2021?
Ans: Kerala
• A report titled ''The Annual Review of State Laws, 2021'' was released by PRS
Legislative Research.
• As per the report, Kerala got first place in 2021, with its House sitting for 61 days,
the highest for any State.
• Kerala had also promulgated 144 ordinances, the highest in the country last year.

The Nature Index 2022:


• The rankings are based on the Nature Index data from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.
• The Nature Index is an indicator of high quality research in natural and physical
sciences (includes chemistry, life sciences, earth & environmental sciences, and
physical sciences).
• In the index, University of Hyderabad has secured first position among Indian
Universities while has been placed at 16th position among all institutions in academic sector.
• Hyderabad was ranked first with 72 research papers and a share of 19.46 in academic sector.

Air Quality And Health In Cities Report


• Published by the U. S.-based research organisation Health Effects Institute (HEI)
• Analysed pollution and global health effects for more than 7,000 cities around
the world between 2010 and 2019.
• on the basis of two major air pollutants — fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).
• As per the report, India is home to 18 of the 20 cities with the most severe
increase in fine particle pollutants (PM2.5) from 2010 to 2019.
• Delhi has the highest average level of fine PM 2.5 among the world’s most populated cities.

PM 2.5 Levels:
• Delhi and Kolkata are ranked first and second respectively
• PM 2.5 is an atmospheric particulate matter of diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, which is around 3%
the diameter of a human hair.
• It causes respiratory problems and reduces visibility.

NO2 Levels:
• No Indian city appeared in the list of top 10 or even top 20 polluted cities
• Average NO2 levels for Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai ranged from 20-30 µg/m3.
• Shanghai at the top with an average annual exposure of 41 µg/m3.
• NO2 comes mainly from the burning of fuels in older vehicles, power plants, industrial facilities and
residential cooking and heating.

Sex Ratio At Birth


• The latest study by Pew Research Center has reported that “son bias” is on a decline in
India as Sex Ratio at Birth normalised from 111 boys per 100 girls in 2011 to 108 boys per
100 girls in 2019-21.
• The average annual number of baby girls “missing” in India fell from about 4.8 lakh in
2010 to 4.1 lakh in 2019.

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• The “missing” here refers to how many more female births would have occurred during this time if there
were no female-selective abortions.

Highest inflation rate in Telangana by CPI


• Inflation rate in the country is primarily measured by Consumer Price Index.
• The lower limit is set to 2 % while the upper limit is fixed to 6 %.
• In the first seven months of 2022, the average inflation rate - is 6.8 %
• Telangana (8.32%), West Bengal (8.06%) and Sikkim (8.01%)
• Among the Union Territories, Dadra and Nagar Haveli has recorded the
highest inflation at 7.74%, followed by Andaman & Nicobar Islands at 7.16%.

NCRB releases Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India Report 2021


• National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
• Deaths by suicide has increased in India by 7.2% from 2020
• Report says every year more than 1,00,000 people die by suicide in the country
• Majority of suicides: Maharashtra, TN, MP
• Delhi has reported the highest number of suicides among UTs
• Highest rate of crime against women in 2021: Assam
• Nagaland stood out with the lowest number of crimes against women registered in the past three years.

Que: How many new medicines have been added to the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2022?
Answer: 34 Medicines
• The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM 2022) has 384 drugs, up from 376 in 2015.
• PM’s vision of Sabko Dawai, Sasti Dawai
• NLEM plays an important role in ensuring accessibility of affordable quality medicines at all levels of
healthcare
• The first NLEM in 1996 had 279 drugs. The list is usually revised every three years, but this time the task was
done after seven years.

Que: Which states have topped NITI Aayog’s report on implementation of POSHAN Abhiyan?
Answer: Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat (among larger states)
• Sikkim was the best performer among the small states.
• Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu topped among Union Territories (UTs)
• The report titled:
• ‘Preserving Progress on Nutrition in India: Poshan Abhiyan in Pandemic Times’
• In 2018, the Centre launched its flagship programme, the Poshan (Prime Minister’s
Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment) Abhiyaan to draw national attention to and take action
against malnutrition in a mission mode.

Que: Which state has topped the list of states in attracting industrial investment in the first 7 months of 2022?
Ans: Andhra Pradesh
• Rs 40,361 crore, according to a report by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT).
• Andhra Pradesh & Odisha combined have bagged 45% of the total investment.
• Maharashtra stood at third position.
• Andhra Pradesh Capital – Amaravati
• Chief Minister – YS Jagan Mohan Reddy
• Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan

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Que: As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2020, what is the Under five mortality rate , in India?
Ans: 32
• Released by Registrar General of India (RGI)
• India has been witnessing progressive reduction in IMR, U5MR and NMR since 2014 towards achieving SDG
targets by 2030.
• Under-five mortality rate - 32 per 1000 live births in 2020 against 35 per 1000 live births in 2019.
• Infant Mortality rate (IMR) - 28 per 1000 live births in 2020 from 30 per 1000 live births in 2019.
• Six (6) States/ UT have already attained SDG target of NMR (<=12 by 2030): Kerala (4), Delhi (9), Tamil Nadu
(9), Maharashtra (11), Jammu & Kashmir (12) and Punjab (12).
• Eleven (11) States/UT have already attained SDGs target of U5MR (<=25 by 2030): Kerala (8), Tamil Nadu
(13), Delhi (14), Maharashtra (18), J&K (17), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), West Bengal (22), Telangana (23),
Gujarat (24), and Himachal Pradesh (24).
• Kerala (6) had the lowest IMR while Madhya Pradesh (43) had the highest.
• Sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males):
• Uttarakhand (814) worst, Kerala (974) best
• The overall sex ratio at birth in the country increased to 907 in 2018-20 (907 in the rural and 910 in the
urban areas) from 904 in 2017-19.

Sample Registration System Statistical Report 2020


• SRS in India is one of the largest demographic surveys in the world covering about 8.2 million sample
population.
• It is carried out by the Office of Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India.
• Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India is a permanent department under the Ministry of Home
Affairs
• The office was founded in 1961 for arranging, conducting and analysing the results of the demographic
surveys of India including Census of India and Linguistic Survey of India.
• SRS (a joint effort of the Central and State Governments) has been serving as the main source of information
on fertility and mortality both at the State and National levels, from 1971 onwards.

Que: Ministry for Environment, Forest and climate Change is going to launch Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan for the
ranking of how many cities?
Ans: 131
Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan as part of National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) for reducing air pollution upto 40% by
2025-26.

Que: In the big states category, the first award for Swachh Survekshan Grameen was given to which state?
Ans: Telangana
• Followed by Haryana and Tamil Nadu.
• President Droupadi Murmu has conferred the awards for Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2022 in New Delhi.

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• In the small states and UTs category, Andaman and Nicobar won the first award, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and
Daman and Diu second and Sikkim - third award.

Que: Which state has been ranked the best-governed state in the Public Affairs Index Report 2022?
Ans: Haryana (among large states)
• Prepared by Bengaluru-based think tank Public Affairs Center (PAC).
• Haryana has been leading in social, economic and political justice.
• Sikkim has bagged the top spot among 10 small states.
• Capital – Chandigarh
• Chief Minister – Manohar Lal Khattar
• Governor – Bandaru Dattatreya

Que: Which state ranked first in the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban (PMAY-U) Awards 2021?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
• followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
• Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the ‘Best Performing UT’ alongside Dadra and
Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
• PMAY-U is implemented by Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• Mission: To achieve the goal of Housing for All in Urban areas by 2022, when the
Nation completes 75 years of its Independence.

Sex Ratio At Birth In India:


• Ladakh recorded the highest sex ratio at birth in the country in 2020, followed by Arunachal Pradesh,
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura and Kerala, according to the annual report on Vital Statistics based on
2020 Civil Registration System report.
• Highest Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) based on registered events has been reported by Ladakh (1,104) followed by
Arunachal Pradesh (1,011), A&N Islands (984 the report released by the Registrar-General of India
• The lowest sex ratio was reported by Manipur (880), followed by Dadra and Nagar
Haveli and Daman and Diu (898), Gujarat (909), Haryana (916) and Madhya Pradesh
(921).
• None of the States or UTs have recorded sex ratio at birth below 880.
• Sex ratio at birth is the number of females per thousand males.
• The sex ratio at birth of registered events is an important indicator to map the sex
differential of the population at the beginning of their life.

Que: What is the new Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5)?
Ans:2.0
• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released the National Report of the 5th round of National Family
Health Survey (NFHS-5) at the ‘Swasthya Chintan Shivir’ held at Vadodara.
• The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) which is measured as the average number of children per woman has come
down from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national level between NFHS-4 and 5.
• There are only five states in India, which are above the replacement level of fertility of 2.1.
including Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya (2.91), Uttar Pradesh (2.35), Jharkhand (2.26) Manipur
(2.17).
• However, obesity has increased from 21% to 24% among women and 19% to 23% among
men.
• The NHFS-5 also mentioned that institutional births have increased substantially from 79% to 89% in India.
Even in rural areas around 87% of births are delivered in institutions and the same is 94% in urban areas.
• The prevalence of women having bank or savings accounts that they use has increased from 53 to 79% in the
last 4 years.

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Education ministry released Performance Grading Index for 2020-21


• The Ministry of Education has released the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States and UT for 2020-21.
• Aim: To promote evidence-based policy-making and highlight course correction for quality education
• Findings:
• Total of seven States/UTs have attained Level -2 grading in 2020-21: Kerala, Punjab,
Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh
• Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh are the new entrants with the highest achieved
level.

Improvement in the ground water conditions in 909 assessment units as compared to 2017:Jal Shakti ministry
report
• According to the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report 2022
• released by the Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on 9 November 2022 at
New Delhi.
• India is the largest user of groundwater in the world. Ground water is a major source of
drinking water and for irrigation in India.

Highlights of the 2022 report


The total annual ground water recharge for the entire country is 437.60 billion cubic meters (BCM)
The annual ground water extraction for the entire country is 239.16 BCM.
Assessment indicates an overall increase in ground water recharge

Karnataka tops the Grid Interactive Renewable Power Capacity list


• According to the seventh edition of RBI statistical publication titled ‘Handbook of
Statistics on Indian States 2021-22’, Karnataka has topped the total installed capacity of
grid-interactive renewable power of all the states of the country.
• The state had a total installed capacity of 15,463 megawatts (mw).
• TN (15,225 mw) placed second, followed by Gujarat (13,153 mw), Maharashtra (10,267 mw).

5G may contribute up to 2% to India GDP by 2030: NASSCOM Report


• A report by National Association of Software and Services companies (NASSCOM) and Arthur D Little,
• 2% to India’s GDP amounting to $180 billion by 2030.
• The report titled 5G – Unfolding India's Era of Digital Convergence says that an increasing market
penetration, sectoral reforms, improvement in user experience, speedy rollout of services, among others,
will contribute to the growth.
• Currently, India has 1.1 billion telecom users - second highest in the world after China. Of this, 740 million
are 4G users, and they are expected to shift to 5G.
• The government’s National Optical Fibre Network plan which aims to connect all the 2.5 lakh gram
panchayats in the country will help enhance India’s potential to 5G adoption.

5G Launch In India
The 5th Generation mobile technology was officially launched by the Prime Minister on 1 October 2022.
Airtel was the first company to launch the service in India.
• The National Association of Software and Services Companies(NASSCOM) was set up in 1988
• It is a non-profit organisation of IT sector companies in India
• Chairman of NASSCOM: Krishnan Ramanujam

India witnesses significant decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)


• As per a report released by the Registrar General of India on 30 November India has
witnessed a significant decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) from 130 in 2014-16
to 97 in 2018-20 on per lakh live births.
• The MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per one
lakh live births.

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• India has thus met the National Health Policy target of an MMR of less than 100 per lakh live births and is on
course to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of an MMR of less than 70 per lakh live births by 2030.
• Three highest MMR State
• Assam has the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR) at 195, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 173 and Uttar
Pradesh at 167 (per lakh live births).
• States with lowest MMR
• Kerala has the lowest MMR of 19 per lakh live births, followed by Maharashtra 33 and Telangana 43.
• States which have achieved Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target
• Kerala (MMR 19), followed by Maharashtra (33), Telangana (43), Andhra Pradesh (45), Tamil Nadu (54),
Jharkhand (56), Gujarat (57) and Karnataka (69).

Road accidents decreased by 8.1% in 2021


• According to the report, released by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, the road
accidents in India have been decreased by 8.1% in 2021 as compared to 2019.
• Report title: Road accidents in India – 2021
• The injuries due to road accidents have also decreased by 14.8%.
• But the fatalities on account of road accidents have increased by 1.9% in 2021

Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Goa adjudged best performers in Social Progress Index
• Social Progress Index (SPI) released by Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM)
along with Institute for Competitiveness and Social Progress Imperative
• Top 3 states/UTs – Puducherry (score of 65.99), Lakshadweep (65.89), and Goa (65.53)
• Jharkhand and Bihar scored the lowest.
• The top three performing districts are Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, Solan in Himachal Pradesh,
and Aizawl in Mizoram.
• SPI assesses States and districts based on 12 components across three critical dimensions of social progress -
Basic Human Needs, Foundations of well-being, and Opportunity.

International Appointment
Que: Armen Sarkissian has recently resigned from the post of president of which country?
Ans: Armenia
• Armenia’s political crisis followed the war between Armenia and its rival Azerbaijan for
control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
• served as the 4th president of Armenia from 9 April 2018 to 1 February 2022.
• Capital: Yerevan
Currency: Armenian Dram

Poet Maya Angelou becomes first Black Woman to feature on US Coin


• on the American Quarter, a 25 cent piece.
• Maya Angelou was born in Missouri in 1928. She was an essayist and poet who had
worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X during the Civil Rights Movement.

Que: Who has been been elected as the new President of South Korea?
Ans: Yoon Suk-yeol
• to assume office on May 10, 2022 for a fixed term of five-years.
• Yoon Suk-yeol will succeed incumbent President Moon Jae-in.
• Capital: Seoul
• Currency: South Korean won

Katalin Novak becomes first-ever female president of Hungary.


• Capital: Budapest
• Prime minister: Viktor Orbán
• Currency:Hungarian forint

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Gabriel Boric Font appointed as the youngest President of Chile


• 36th President of Chile .
• Capital: Santiago
• Currency: Chilean peso

Que: Serdar Berdimuhamedow has been appointed as the President of which country?
Ans: Turkmenistan
• Presidential elections in Turkmenistan are held every seven years.
• Capital: Ashgabat
• Currency: Turkmenistani Manat

Que: Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has resigned as the President of which country?
Ans: Yemen
• The President of Yemen, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has stepped down from his position
under pressure from Saudi Arabia.
• Hadi has also handed over his power to the newly created
presidential council, which consists of eight political leaders led by
Rashad al-Alimi.
• He had served as the president of Yemen from 2012 until 2022.
• Capital: Sana’a
• Currency: Yemeni Rial
• Official language: Arabic

Patrick Achi reappointed as Prime Minister of Ivory Coast


• President :Alassane Ouattara.
• He was the third prime minister in the West African state (Ivory Coast) in the last three
years after Amadou Gon Coulibaly (who died in 2020) and Hamed
Bakayoko (who died in 2021).
• Currency: West African CFA franc
• Continent: Africa
• Official language: French
• Capital: Yamoussoukro

José Ramos-Horta, 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winner, elected new President of
Timor-Leste
• Independence from Portugal in 1975 and then Indonesia in 2002.
• He served as president of south-east
• Asia’s youngest country from 2007 to 2012.
• Capital: Dili
• Currency: United States Dollar
• Continent: Asia
• Official languages: Portuguese, Tetun

Emmanuel Macron wins French election, becomes first French president to win a second
term in two decades.
• Macron won his first term as President of France in 2017 at age 39. He became the
youngest president in French history and the youngest French head of state since
Napoleon.
• Macron is the first French president to win re-election in two decades since Jacques
Chirac in 2002.
• Capital: Paris
• Prime minister: Élisabeth Borne

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Robert Golob becomes Prime Minister of Slovenia


• Robert Golob has defeated three-time prime minister Janez Janša in the
Slovenia PM election
• Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana; President: Borut Pahor; Currency: Euro

Que: Robert Abela has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of which country recently?
Ans: Malta
• Capital: Valletta
• Continent: Europe
• Official languages: Maltese, Maltese Sign Language, English

Que: Samia Suluhu Hassan, is the first female President of which country?
Ans: Tanzania
• Samia Suluhu Hassan is the first female President of Tanzania. It is
the largest country in East-African region and known for the
Kilimanjaro National Park. She is currently the only female head of
government in Africa.
• Capital: Dodoma
• Currency: Tanzanian Shilling
• Official languages: Swahili, English, Arabic

Kentanji Brown Jackson becomes the first Black woman to be elevated to the Supreme Court
in the United States.
• U.S. Senate confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson as first black woman Supreme Court justice
• Presiding was Vice-President Kamala Harris, also the first Black woman to reach that
high office.

Que: Who has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, following the removal of
Imran Khan by no-trust vote?
Ans:Shehbaz Sharif
• Party:Pakistan Muslim League (PML- N) succeed :Imran Khan
• Shehbaz Sharif is the brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
• Capital: Islamabad
• President: Arif Alvi
• Official languages: Urdu, English

Que: Rodrigo Chaves has sworn-in as the President of which country?


Ans: Costa Rica
• Costa Rica Capital: San Jose; Currency: Colon

Que: Who has been elected as President of Philippines?


Ans: Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• Capital: Manila
• Currency: Philippine peso
• Official languages: Filipino, English

Que: What is the name of the new elected president of Albania?


Ans: Bajram Begaj
• Albania Capital: Tirana;
• Currency: Albanian lek

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Dinesh Gunawardena Sworn-in as new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka


• Recently, Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the country's new President.
• Sri Lanka Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee
• Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
• Official languages: Sinhala, Tamil

Kuwait reappoints Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Sabah as PM


• Kuwait Capital: Kuwait City
• Kuwait Currency: Kuwaiti dinar

James Marape sworn in as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea for second term
• James Marape, who become the prime minister of Papua New Guinea in 2019, has
been re-elected as PM of the country for second term.
• Capital: Port Moresby; Currency: Kina
• It is a South Pacific nation.
• It got independence from Australia on 16 September 1975.
• It is rich reserves of copper, gold, and oil

Argentina’s Rear Admiral Guillermo Pablo Rios named UNMOGIP’s head


• An experienced Argentinean navy officer, Rear Admiral Guillermo Pablo Rios has been
named Head of Mission and Chief Military Observer for the United Nations Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) by UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres .
• Capital: Buenos Aires
• Currency: Argentine Peso
• President: Alberto Fernández
• Continent: South America
• Official language: Spanish

Que: Who has been elected as the President of Kenya?


Ans: William Ruto
• Deputy President of Kenya, William Ruto has been elected as the
President of country.
• With this win, he become the fifth President of Kenya since
independence.
• Kenya Capital: Nairobi; Currency: Shilling

Simon Stiell appointed as the new Executive Secretary of UNFCCC


• Secretary of United Nations, General António Guterres has appointed Simon Stiell, the former
Environment Minister of Grenada, as the new executive secretary of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• He will replace Patricia Espinosa of Mexico.
• Responsibilities: Keeping countries on track to meet international climate goals.
• UNFCCC Parties: 197
• It was entered into force on March 21, 1994.

Que: Who has been appointed as the next UN Human Rights Chief?
Ans: Volker Turk (of Austria)
• Appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
• Human Rights Day is celebrated annually around the world on 10 December every year.

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Que: Who has been appointed as the new PM of Burundi?


Ans: Gervais Ndirakobuca
Africa:
• Africa is the only continent which is traversed by the equator, the
Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.
• It has fully recognized 54 sovereign states.
• Mt. Kiimanjaro and Mt. Kenya is the highest mountain peak of Africa. These two peaks
are volcanic mountains.
• Major Rivers: Nile, Limpopo, Niger, Senegal, Congo, Orange and Zambezi
• The Nile River is the longest river in the world is situated in Africa. It originates from the Lake Victoria and
drains into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. The Equator passes through it.
• Sahara Desert– Largest hot desert – subtropical HP zone, Tuareg tribes
• Namib desert -sandy desert, Hottentots tribes
• Kalahari Desert -stony-rocky desert. Bushmen tribe (the oldest surviving tribal group of Africa)
• Nubian desert -Separated by Libyan desert by Nile river rocky desert

Que: Suella Braverman of Indian Origin has been appointed as the Home
Secretary of which country?
Ans: United Kingdom
• Capital: London
• Prime minister: Rishi Sunak
• King: Charles III

Que: Aleksandar Vučić has been re-elected as the President of which country?
Ans: Serbia
• Aleksandar Vučić is serving as Serbia’s president since 2017, and since
2012 he has been serving as the president of the Serbian Progressive
Party (SNS).
• Capital: Belgrade
• Currency: Serbian Dinar

Que: Ana Brnabic has been re-elected as Prime Minister of which country?
Ans: Serbia
• She has been heading the Serbian government since 2017.

Giorgia Meloni becomes first woman PM of Italy


• Capital: Rome
• President: Sergio Mattarella
• Official language: Italian

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman named Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Arabia's Capital: Riyadh;
• Currency: Saudi riyal

Que: Joao Lourenco was sworn in for a second term as President of which country?
Ans: Angola
• Capital- Luanda
• Currency- Angolan kwanza

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Que: Who has become the first European woman to command International Space Station?
Ans: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)
• She holds the record for the longest stay in space by a woman after spending 199 days in
orbit in 2014 and 2015.
• She is the first non-US woman — to become commander since the role was created in
2000.

Que: Alexander Van der Bellen has been re-elected as the President of which country?
Ans: Austria
• For a second term.
• Capital- Vienna
• Currency- Euro

Que: Abdalla Hamdok resigned as Prime Minister of which nation on January 2, 2022?
Ans: Sudan
• Osman Hussein:Acting Prime Minister
• Capital: Khartoum
• Currency: Sudanese pound
• Continent: Africa
• Official languages: Arabic, English

Que: Which country’s Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has been suspended over allegations of corruption?
Ans: Somalia
• Hamza Abdi Barre succeeded the 20th Mohamed Hussein Roble as the 21st Prime
Minister.
• Capital: Mogadishu
• Currency: Somali shilling
• President: Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed

Que: Which country has recently elected Abdul Latif Rashid as its President?
Ans: Iraq
• Capital- Baghdad
• Currency– Dinar
• Prime Minister – Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani

Chinese President Xi Jinping wins record third term in power


• becoming the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to
get re-elected for third term
• Xi was first elected in 2012 and will be completing his 10-year term this year.
• China Capital: Beijing
• China Currency: Renminbi
• China Official language: Mandarin

Que: Who has been appointed as the new US Ambassador to India?


Ans: Elizabeth Jones
• US appoints another new interim envoy for India, but no full-time ambassador for past 22
months

Ulf Kristersson elected as new PM of Sweden


• Capital: Stockholm
• Currency: Swedish krona

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Dina Boluarte assumes office as first female President of Peru


• Peru Capital: Lima, Peru Currency: Sol

Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' appointed as the Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time
• President Bidya Devi Bhandari of Nepal has appointed Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' as the
new prime minister of Nepal
• Pushpa Kamal Dahal will replace Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress party as the Prime
Minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu sworn-in as new Prime Minister of Israel

• Benjamin Netanyahu (73) has been sworn-in as the new prime minister of Israel for a sixth time
• Israel's parliament (Knesset)
• He is the longest-serving Prime Minister of Israel.
• He served as premier of country from 1996 to 1999 and a record 12-year tenure from
2009 to 2021.
• Israel was created by dividing the Palestine region into two. The Arab part was called
Palestine and the Jewish part was called Israel.
• It came into being on 14 May 1948.
• Currency: Israeli shekel

Sitiveni Rabuka becomes the new Prime Minister of Fiji


Republic of Fiji
• It is an archipelago of 300 islands in the South Pacific Ocean near
New Zealand.
• It gained Independence from Great Britain in 1970.
• Capital of Fiji: Suva
• Currency: Fijian Dollar

Harvard University appoints Claudine Gay as first black president


• Dr Gay, who is a dean at Harvard, has been appointed as 30th president the university.
• She will replace Lawrence Bacow, who will retire on July 2023.

Mette Frederiksen becomes the youngest Prime Minister of Denmark


• The Danish Parliament is called Folketing, and has a term of 4 years.
• Capital of Denmark: Copenhagen
• Currency of Denmark: Danish Krone

Indian-origin Leo Varadkar re-elected as Prime Minister of Ireland

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Cindy Hook appointed as CEO of 2032 Olympic organising committee


• 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Brisbane.

In Slovenia, Natasa Pirc Musar elected the country’s first female President
• Currency - Euro
• Continent: Europe
• Official languages: Slovenian, English

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva elected new president of Brazil

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan re-elected as President


• Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union which gained Independence on 16 December
1991, after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
• It lies in Central Asia. It is the largest country in central Asia and 9th
largest country in the world.
• Capital: Astana
• Currency : Tenge

Anwar Ibrahim sworn in as the country's new prime minister in Malaysia


• Capital :Kuala Lumpur
• Currency : Malaysian ringgit

Que: Antonio Costo is re-elected as the Prime Minister of which country?


Ans: Portugal
• Antonio Costo is serving as the 119th Prime Minister of Portugal since 26 November 2015.
• Portugal President: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
• Portugal Capital: Lisbon
• Portugal Currency: Euro

Que: Name the secretary general of NATO whose tenure has been extended for one year till 2023?
Ans: Jens Stoltenberg
• until September 30, 2023.
• Stoltenberg was named NATO Secretary-General in October 2014.
• Stoltenberg is the former Prime Minister of Norway.
• NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Que: Which country’s Gilbert Houngbo has been selected the next Director-General of the International Labour
Organization (ILO)?
Ans: Togo
• Houngbo, former Prime Minister of Togo, will be the 11th head of the agency and the
first African to hold the post.
• His five-year term will begin on October 1, 2022.
• The current Director-General, Guy Ryder, from the United Kingdom, has held the office
since 2012.
• International Labour Organisation (ILO):

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• Founded: 1919
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General: Gilbert Houngbo (Togo)
• Member Nations: 187

Que: Who has been appointed as the inaugural Special Rapporteur for human rights and
climate change by UNHRC?
Ans: Dr Ian Fry
• The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has appointed Dr Ian Fry as the
world’s first independent expert for human rights and climate change.
• Dr Fry has been appointed for a period of three years. He holds dual citizenship of Tuvalu and Australia.

Que: Who has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, USA?
Ans: Arvind Krishna
• Arvind Krishna (IBM Chairman and CEO) has been elected to the Board of Directors as a Class
B director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Que: Xiomara Castro has been appointed as the first female president of which country recently?
Ans: Honduras
• Honduras Capital: Tegucigalpa
• Currency: Honduran lempira
• Continent: North America

Dr Kamal Bawa Elected to US’ National Academy of Sciences


• The chief of Bengaluru-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment
(ATREE), Dr Kamal Bawa has been elected to the US National Academy of Sciences.
• He is also an elected fellow of the Royal Society (London) and the American Philosophical
Society.

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus re-elected as WHO Director-General for second term


• WHO Headquarters: Geneva
• World Health Day: 7 April

Ruchira Kamboj appointed as next Permanent Representative to UN


• Indian ambassador to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj has been appointed as the Permanent
Representative of India to UN.
• She will replace T S Tirumurti.
• She was also posted as ambassador to UNESCO Paris in 2014.

Gates Foundation appoints Indian Ashish Dhawan to its board of trustees.


• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has appointed Indian philanthropist, Ashish Dhawan
(founder and CEO of Convergence Foundation), to its board of trustees.
• The Gates Foundation has been working with the Indian government and other partners
since 2003 on various issues like health.

Que: Name the President of Germany, who has been re-elected to the post in 2022 election?
Ans: Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• Capital: Berlin
• Currency: Euro
• President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier

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Que: Name the Prime Minister of Barbados who has been sworn in for a second straight term in
office in January 2022?
Ans: Mia Mottley
• Mottley is serving as the Prime Minister of Barbados since 2018.
• Mottley is the first woman prime minister of the country as well as first
PM under a republic system.
• Capital: Bridgetown
• Currency: Barbados dollar

Chinese diplomat Zhang Ming takes over as new Secretary-General of SCO (Shanghai
Cooperation Organization)
• Zhang has taken charge from Vladimir Norov, former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan from
January 1 for a three-year term.

Que: Alikhan Smailov has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of which
of the following country?
Ans: Kazakhstan
• capital: Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Astana
• Currency: Kazakhstani Tenge

Que: Who has been named as the new Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
to replace Gita Gopinath?
Ans: Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas
• Gita Gopinath is now the First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD) of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF).

Que: Who has been elected as the new Secretary General of OPEC, to replace incumbent head
Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo in August 2022?
Ans: Haitham Al-Ghais
• for a period of three years.
• OPEC - Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is an intergovernmental
organization or cartel of 13 countries.

International News
Cyclone name Country affected

Cyclone Batsirai and Cyclone Emnati Madagascar


Storm Clusters including three Storms- Europe(Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands,
Eunice, Franklin and Dudley Belgium, Germany and Poland)
Asani hit Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal
Name given by:Sri Lanka

Place/Country in News
• ‘Lake Albert
Lake Albert, a 160-kilometre natural border between Uganda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Two Oil Giants- France’s Total Energies and the China National Offshore Oil
Corporation (CNOOC) signed a USD 10 million deal to develop Uganda’s energy
resources and build a Regional oil pipeline.

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• Malawi
The landlocked African nation – Malawi has recently declared a polio outbreak
As per the World Health Organisation, this outbreak is the first in the African continent in
more than 5 years. This strain is of the type WPV1 (Type 1 Wild Polio Virus)

• Philippines
Philippines bans child marriage
Philippines has the world’s 12th highest rate of child marriage.
The law stipulates that marrying or cohabiting with anybody under the age of 18 years can
result in a 12 years prison sentence.
Capital: Manila
Currency: Philippine peso

• Cyprus
Scientists have detected a new strain of Covid-19 that combines both Delta and Omicron
discovery was named “Deltacron”
Capital: Nicosia
Currency: Euro

Place in news Reason

Dubai ‘Infinity Bridge’ opened for public traffic

Netherlands world’s largest canal lock

Kuwait became the hottest place on earth, that its temperature reaches 53.2 degrees on the
last summer

New York Diwali will be a public school holiday from 2023

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Que: Rare instance of snowfall was witnessed in which desert recently?


Ans: Sahara
In a rare phenomenon, snowfall was captured on the dunes of the Sahara
Desert after the temperatures dropped below zero.
This is the 5th time in 42 years that it has snowed in the Sahara desert.
The earlier times were in 1979, 2016,2018 and 2021.
The maximum temperature in the desert reaches to about 58 degrees in the summer.

➢ Barents Sea
• Located along the coasts of two countries:Russia-Norway
• It is also called as the Murman Sea in Russia.
• Russian nuclear submarines sailed off for drills in the Barents Sea and mobile missile
launchers were seen in Siberia

➢ Kuril Islands
• Kuril Islands separates Pacific Ocean and Sea of Okhotsk
• Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook for 2022 described the Kuril Islands as being under Russia’s
“illegal occupation”.
• These are a set of four islands situated between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific
Ocean near the north of Japan.
• Both Moscow and Tokyo claim sovereignty over them though the islands have been
under Russian control since the end of World War II.
• The Soviet Union had seized the islands at the end of World War II and by 1949 had expelled its Japanese
residents.

Que:Which nation has signed a security pact with Solomon Islands?


Ans:China
• Under the agreement, the two sides “will conduct cooperation in such areas as maintenance
of social order, protection of the safety of people’s lives and property, humanitarian
assistance and natural disaster response, in an effort to help Solomon Islands strengthen
capacity building in safeguarding its own security.”
• Amid concern from Australia, New Zealand and the U.S., the Solomon Islands said
there was no agreement for a Chinese military base.
• Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands and over 900
smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of
Vanuatu.
• Its capital, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal.

Que:World’s Largest Glass Bottom Bridge “Bach Long pedestrian bridge” has been opened in
which country?
Ans:Vietnam
• 632m (2,073 ft) long and located 150m (492 ft) above a huge jungle.
• The Bach Long pedestrian bridge which means ‘white dragon’ in Vietnamese
• Capital: Hanoi
• Currency: Vietnamese dong

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Que:World’s longest suspension footbridge named “Sky Bridge 721”, has been recently
opened in which country for tourists?
Ans: Czech Republic
• It is 721 metres, or 2,365 feet, long.
• The Czech Republic Sky Bridge is 154 metres longer than Nepal's Baglung Parbat
Footbridge, which currently holds the Guinness World Record for the longest suspension footbridge.

➢ Sawa Lake
• Located in:Iraq
• The Sawa Lake has disappeared mainly due to human activity and climate change.
• Over 1000 wells illegally dug for agriculture in the region and cement and salt
factories constructed near-by the lake have drained significant amounts of water.

Que:Two suspected cases of Marburg virus have been reported by which West African country?
Ans: Ghana
• The reservoir host of Marburg virus is the African fruit bat, Rousettus
aegyptiacus.
• Marburg is a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever, which belongs to the same
family as the Ebola virus disease.

Que: The United Nations has changed the Republic of Turkey’s country name at the organisation from
“Turkey” to “_________”?
Ans: Türkiye
• Turkiye Capital: Ankara
• President of Turkiye: Recep Tayyip Erdogan
• Turkiye Currency: Turkish lira
• Further back in history, Iran used to be called Persia, Thailand was called Siam and Zimbabwe
was called Rhodesia.

Egypt signs $8 billion agreement with India for Suez Canal Economic Zone
• Egypt and an Indian company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to
construct a green hydrogen factory in the Suez Canal Economic Zone
• Indian ReNew Power Private Limited (RENE.BO) will invest $8 billion to construct a facility that
will create 20,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)


• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was established on 8 August 1967 in
Bangkok, Thailand
• Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
• Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, VietNam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23
July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.
• The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.
• 8th August is observed as ASEAN Day.
• ASEAN Secretariat is situated in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• The 24th ASEAN-India Senior Official's Meeting (SOM) was hosted in Delhi.
• India and ASEAN celebrated the 30th anniversary of their Dialogue Relations.
• ASEAN Agreed to Admit East Timor as 11th member

Que:India has recently approved a Digital Work Plan 2022 with which intergovernmental
organisation?
Ans: ASEAN
• Under the plan, India and ASEAN will jointly work to develop a system to combat
use of stolen and counterfeit mobile handsets, and WiFi Access network interface
for nationwide public internet.

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• The plan also includes :capacity building and knowledge sharing in emerging areas in Information and
Communication Technologies

International Monetary Fund (IMF)


• IMF is an international financial organization established to foster global monetary cooperation, secure
financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic
growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
• 1944: The IMF was planned as a part of the Bretton woods exchange system along with the World Bank.
• IMF and World Bank are together known as the Bretton wood twins.
• Founded: July 1944
• Founding member :44
• Present member :190
• It has headquarters in Washington D.C.
• Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva
• International Monetary Fund's chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas
• India joined on 27th December 1945.
• Reports by IMF:
1. Global Financial Stability Report
2. World Economic Outlook

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)


• Pakistan recently signed a new agreement with China to begin the second phase of
the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• CPEC is a 3,000-km long route of infrastructure projects connecting China’s
northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Gwadar Port in the western
province of Balochistan in Pakistan.
• It will pave the way for China to access the Middle East and Africa from Gwadar Port, enabling China to
access the Indian Ocean and in return China will support development projects in Pakistan to overcome the
latter’s energy crises and stabilising its faltering economy.
• CPEC is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
• The BRI, launched in 2013, aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a
network of land and sea routes.

Que:Scientists from which country achieved a milestone in nuclear fusion energy, by generating 59 MJ of sustained
energy?
Ans:UK
• Scientists in the United Kingdom have achieved a new milestone in producing nuclear fusion energy, or
imitating the way energy is produced in the Sun.
• A team generated 59 mega joules of sustained energy during an experiment.
• A kg of fusion fuel contains about 10 million times energy of that of a kg of coal, oil or gas.

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Que:India will help which country to launch a ‘Unitary Digital Identity framework’ modelled on the Aadhaar card?
Ans:Sri Lanka
• It will be categorized as a national-level programme. This will provide personal identity verification device
based on biometric data, digital tool that can represent identities of individuals in cyberspace.
• Capital: Jayawardenepura Kotte
• Currency:Sri Lankan Rupee

Que:Australia has recently designated which species as ‘Endangered’?


Ans:Koala
• Australia has recently designated the koala an endangered species, which was classified as
vulnerable only 10 years ago.
• The impact of prolonged drought, summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation
and habitat loss over the last twenty years have led to the decision.

4th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Melbourne

What is QUAD?
• It is the grouping of four democracies –India, Australia, the US, and Japan.
• All four nations find a common ground of being democratic nations and also support the common interest of
unhindered maritime trade and security.
• It aims to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
• The idea of Quad was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, the idea
couldn’t move ahead with Australia pulling out of it, apparently due to Chinese pressure.
• Finally in 2017, India, Australia, the US and Japan, came together and formed this “quadrilateral” coalition.

Que:Which country has relocated its embassy from Kyiv to Lviv?


Ans:US
• Russia's border with Ukraine and in neighbouring Belarus, and could at any time launch a
devastating attack, including on Kyiv.
• Lviv - roughly 50 miles (80 km) from Ukraine's western border with Poland

Que:The ‘Quit Tobacco App’ has been launched by which organisation to support people in quitting the use of
tobacco in all forms?
Ans: World Health Organization
• The App was launched by Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO-SEAR, during
WHO’s year-long ‘Commit to quit’ campaign.

List Of Countries That Have Been Adopting India's UPI For Payments
• The National Payments Corporation of India International Payments Ltd (NIPL) entered into a partnership
with European payments facilitator, Worldline to enable payments through the United Payments Interface
(UPI).
• Indians will also be able to use RuPay debit and credit cards for making payments in Europe.
• NIPL is the international arm of NPCI.

Nepal Nepal became the first foreign country to deploy UPI. With the collaboration between Nepal's
Manam Infotech and Gateway Payments Service, person-to-person (P2P), person-to-merchant
(P2M) and cross-border payments were made operational.

Singapore July 2022, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed an agreement with the Monetary Authority of
Singapore to implement interoperability between UPI and PayNow.

Bhutan Bhutan was the first country to accept UPI transactions through BHIM App.

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Malaysia allowed sending remittances through UPI

UAE UPI was launched in the country through Mashreq's NeoPay.

France Lyra Network signed an agreement with the NIPL, allowing students and tourists to make
payments through UPI.

United In collaboration with payment solution provider PayXpert, NIPL announced UPI payments based
Kingdom on QR codes in the UK
Oman NPCI signed an agreement with the Central Bank of Oman in October to make QR-based UPI
payments available in the country.

Que:Which country has recently announced the close of its Tier 1 investor visa, also known as the golden visa?
Ans:United Kingdom
• over security concerns.
• The announcement was made by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel. The UK Investment Visa
is a Tier 1 visa offered to wealthy individuals willing to invest a minimum of £2 million in
the UK.
• In another event, Bahrain has launched the creation of long-term visas for foreigners in
an effort to “boost the economy”. It will be known as the “golden residence” Visa.

Que:What was the theme of the digital WEF’s Davos Agenda 2022 Summit?
Ans: The State of the World
• The “Davos Agenda 2022” summit was held digitally from January 17 to January 21, 2022.
• WEF annual meeting in Davos (Switzerland) engaged the world's top leaders to shape
global, regional and industry agendas.
• World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss nonprofit foundation
• Founded: January 1971
• Founder & Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab
• Headquarters: Cologny (Geneva), Switzerland

Que: Which country has been added as the fourth new member of BRICS New Development Bank?
Ans: Egypt
• Bangladesh, UAE, and Uruguay joined BRICS New Development Bank in September 2021.
• Membership expansion enables New Development Bank to position itself as a premier development
institution for emerging economies.
• New Development Bank:
• Founded: 15 July 2014, Fortaleza, Brazil
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• President: Marcos Prado Troyjo

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Que:Which city has become the city with the largest Metro network in the world?
Ans:Shanghai, China
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi
• President: Xi Jinping
• China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases - 9.3 metric gigatonnes of carbon dioxide which is around
28% of total CO2 emission in the world.
• It is followed by the USA and India.

Que:Which country has joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as the 102nd member by signing the
International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement?
Ans:Antigua and Barbuda

• ISA was jointly launched by India and France in 2015 during the 21st session of the
United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in Paris, France to promote solar energy.
• Capital – Saint John’s
• Currency – East Caribbean Dollar
• Prime Minister – Gaston Browne
At present, 110 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 90 countries have submitted
the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA.
• Vision : Let us together make the sun brighter.
• Mission: Every home no matter how far away, will have a light at home
• The Headquarters is in India with its Interim Secretariat being set up in Gurugram.
The Director General has a term of four years and is eligible for re-election. E. Dr. Ajay Mathur holds the office of
the Director General presently.

Que:Which tech-giant has acquired Israeli cybersecurity startup Siemplify?


Ans: Google
• in a deal worth $500 million
• As a part of Google Cloud’s security team, Siemplify will help companies better
manage their threat response.
• Siemplify was founded in 2015 by Amos Stern (CEO), Alon Cohen (CTO) and Garry
Fatakhov (COO).
• It has offices in Tel Aviv and headquarters in New York.

Que:Japan has signed a landmark defence treaty named the ‘Reciprocal Access Agreement’ (RAA) with which
country to counter China’s expansionary military and economic policies?
Ans: Australia
• It is the second deal signed between Japan & Australia after Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD).
• The treaty was signed between Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida in
a virtual conference organized in Tokyo, Japan.

Sri Lanka launches Jaffna-Colombo luxury train service with India’s


assistance
The intercity rail service with all facilities-India provided AC Diesel Multiple
Units (AC DMUs) under the loan facility.

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Que:Which country has built an artificial moon on Earth that can make gravity disappear?
Ans: China
China has built an artificial low-gravity research facility where gravity can be controlled with the use of
powerful magnets by scientists to such low levels that it can successfully simulate the moon’s gravity.

Que:The first BRICS Sherpas meeting of 2022 was held virtually on January 18-19 2022 under the chairship of which
country?
Ans: China
• China has taken on the rotating chairmanship of BRICS in 2022. BRICS is a grouping of five major emerging
economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• India’s BRICS Sherpa: Sanjay Bhattacharyya
• The 14th BRICS summit was held in China and the 15th will be in South Africa next year 2023.
• Two new countries - Iran and Argentina - have applied to join the increasingly influential BRICS

Que:US scientists have recently discovered an underground ocean buried beneath the surface of a moon named
Mimas. This moon Mimas belong to which planet?
Ans: Saturn
• Saturn is a gas giant made up mostly of hydrogen and helium. Saturn's volume is greater than 760
Earths
• Saturn is the least dense among all the planets. Its density is less than that of water.
• Galileo Galilei was the first to see Saturn's rings in 1610
• Titan, is slightly larger than Mercury, and is the second-largest moon in the solar system behind Jupiter's moon
Ganymede. (Earth's moon is the fifth largest.)

Que:Researchers have recently name which species of animal after Swedish environmental
activist Greta Thunberg?
Ans: Rainfrog
• The species has been named as Pristimantis gretathunbergae, or popularly known as
the Greta Thunberg Rainfrog

Bangladesh: Rural hospital wins prestigious RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) prize for most
transformative building of the world
• Friendship Hospital, in the town of Satkhira in Bangladesh has been adjudged the most
transformative building of the world for the year 2021 by the Royal Institute of British
Architects (RIBA).
• The 80 bed community hospital designed by the Bangladeshi architect Kasef Chowdhury is
designed to ‘work with and withstand the climate change effects of rising sea water in the
adjoining area’.

Swiss: First Airline to Use Solar Fuel


• Technology has been developed for producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy
sources in Switzerland.
• Syngas (synthesis gas) is produced by concentrated solar heat, which can then be converted into kerosene.
According to the airline, when the solar fuel is combusted, it will only produce as much carbon dioxide as it
went into making it, helping to reduce aviation emissions.

Que: GOES-T is a next-generation weather satellite launched by which space agency to forecast hazardous
environmental conditions.
Ans: NASA
• GOES-T: The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite.
• Once the satellite gets positioned in its geostationary orbit it will be renamed from GOES-T to GOES-18.

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• GOES-T will be used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


(NOAA) to forecast weather and hazardous environmental conditions in the
Western Hemisphere.
• Satellite that appears to be located at a fixed point in space when viewed from the
earth's surface. Satellites located in geosynchronous orbit move in time with the
rotation of the earth. Geostationary satellites are located 22,237 miles above the
earth's surface.

Que:‘The Museum of the Future’, which was seen in the news, is situated in which country?
Ans: UAE
• The museum claims to transport the visitors to the year 2071, to coincide with the
centenary of the founding of the UAE.
• Shaun Killa designed the museum, the creation of the museum has been undertaken
by the Dubai Future Foundation.
• An agreement was reached between the rulers of six of the Emirates (Abu
Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah and Ajman), and the
federation to be known as the United Arab Emirates was formally
established on December 2, 1971.
• A green triangle named after Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated in Madagascar’s
capital Antananarivoto mark ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.

Que:Which organisation has issued the Wildlife Conservation Bond (WCB) to support of South Africa’s efforts to
conserve endangered species of Black Rhino?
Ans: World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD)
• Wildlife Conservation Bond (WCB) is also known as “Rhino Bond”.
• It is a five-year $150 million Sustainable Development Bond.
• The bond will contribute to protecting and increasing black rhino populations in two protected
areas in South Africa namely the Addo Elephant National Park (AENP) and the Great Fish River
Nature Reserve (GFRNR).

Que:Which country is the host of the ‘BIMSTEC Summit’ in 2022?


Ans: Sri Lanka
• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional
multilateral organisation.
• Out of the 7 members,
• Five are from South Asia –
• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Nepal
• Sri Lanka
• Two are from Southeast Asia –
• Myanmar
• Thailand
• Initially, it was formed with four Member States with the acronym ‘BIST-EC’ (Bangladesh, India, Sri-Lanka and
Thailand Economic Cooperation).
• It became renamed ‘BIMST-EC’ in 1997, following the inclusion of Myanmar.
• With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan in 2004, the name of the grouping was changed to ‘Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation’ (BIMSTEC).

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Que:Which country became the first country in the world that has authorized the use of world’s 1st plant-based
COVID-19 vaccine named Covifenz?
Ans: Canada
• The two-dose vaccine of Medicago Inc. (a biopharma company owned by Mitsubishi Chemical and Philip
Morris), can be given to adults who are aged between 18 to 64

Que:The ‘Yilan’ Crater, the largest impact crater on Earth, has been discovered in which
country?
Ans: China
• The Yilan crater measures about 1.85 kilometers across and likely formed about
46,000 to 53,000 years ago, based on radiocarbon dating.

Que:Which nation besides Russia has breached the Olympic Truce?


Ans: Belarus
• The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) :breach of the Olympic Truce by the
Russian government as well as Belarus government for supporting and helping Russian attacks in Ukraine.
• The Olympic Truce had begun seven days before the start of the Winter Olympic Games, on 4 February 2022,
and is scheduled to end seven days after the closing of the Paralympic Games, which will take place between
March 4-13.
• A "truce" (meaning "laying down of arms") was announced before and during the Olympic Games to ensure
the host city state (Elis) was not attacked and athletes and spectators could travel safely to the Games and
peacefully return to their respective countries.

Que:Which country is the largest Crude-Oil producer in the world, as of 2022?


Ans: USA
• Russia is the second-largest crude oil producer in the world, only behind the United States.
• About half of Russia’s exported oil –is shipped to European countries.
• Nearly one-third of it arrives in Europe via the Druzhba Pipeline through Belarus.

Que:Which country hosted a virtual meeting of agriculture ministers from the G7


countries to discuss the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on world food
security?
Ans: Germany
• Capital: Berlin
• Currency: Euro
• President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Que:Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’, which was seen in the news recently, is located
in which country?
Ans: Ukraine
• The plant generates 40-42 billion kWh which accounts for one fifth of the
average annual electricity production in Ukraine.
• It is also the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Moldova, Georgia file applications to join EU amid Russia-Ukraine conflict


• Moldova shares a roughly 1,200-kilometer border with Ukraine.
• Georgia has a nearly 900-km-long border with southern Russia.
• Both these countries have signed Association Agreements with the EU "on
economic integration and political approximation" and free trade.

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UNEA (United Nations Environment Assembly) session held in Nairobi - calls for legally binding treaty to tackle
plastic pollution
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav reached
Nairobi to represent India
• UNEA endorsed a resolution to beat plastic pollution
and forge an international legally binding agreement by
2024.
• The United Nations Environment Assembly was created in June 2012

WTO’s 12th ministerial conference to take place on June 12-15 in Geneva


• The Ministerial Conference (MC) is the highest decision making body of
the 164-member Geneva-based multilateral body.
• Usually, MC happens every two years bringing all members of the WTO
together, all of which are countries or customs unions.
• The last meet was held at Buenos Aires during December 10-13, 2017.
• India is its member since 1995.
• Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
• Official languages: English, French, Spanish

Que:Russia has withdrawn from which UN body?


Ans:UNWTO
• The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced that Russia
has decided to withdraw from the UNWTO.
• The UNWTO had earlier announced in the month of March that it wants to
suspend Russia due to the conflict.
• This is the first time the UNWTO has met to discuss the suspension of one of
its member nations.
• Headquarters: Madrid, Spain
• Founded: 1946
• Secretary-General; Zurab Pololikashvili

Que:The largest electric cruise ship in the world “Yangtze River Three Gorges 1” has returned back after traveling up
and down the Yangtze River for its maiden voyage. This cruise ship has been developed and built in .
Ans:China
• This cruise ship has been powered by a 7,500-kilowatt- hour massive-sized marine
battery.
• The name of the ship is Yangtze River Three Gorges 1 and it is a 100 percent
electric cruise ship that has been developed and built in China.
• This ship is 16 meters wide and 100 meters long and has the capacity to carry
around 1,300 passengers.

Que:Which country has started a pilot project to produce ‘Green’ Steel by burning hydrogen?
Ans:Sweden
• Sweden has launched a pilot project to reduce the carbon emissions involved in steel
production by switching some of that process from burning coking coal to burning
hydrogen.
• As per World Steel Association, every metric ton of steel produced emitted twice
that much carbon dioxide.
• Capital: Stockholm
• Currency: Swedish krona

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Que:Which country has become the 30th country to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)?
Ans:Madagascar
• Madagascar has become the 30th country to join the Coalition for
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
• which was launched by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the
United Nations Climate Action Summit in September 2019.
• CDRI now has 30 members, including 23 national governments and 7
organizations, as of April 2022. The Headquarters of CDRI secretariat is
in New Delhi, India.
• The fourth edition of ICDRI organized in a hybrid format in New Delhi
from 4- 6 May 2022.

Que:Which country has become the first country in the world to give
legal rights to wild animals?
Ans:Ecuador
• Ecuador, a South American Country, became the first country in
the world to give legal rights to wild animals.

Bitcoin becomes official currency in Central African Republic


• CAR is one of the world's poorest countries, but is rich in diamonds, gold and
uranium.
• El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency in
September 2021
• Capital: Bangui
• Currencies: Bitcoin, Central African CFA franc
• Official languages: Sango, French

Que: A new gas field with the capacity to produce 20 million cubic feet of gas per day
(MMCFD) has been discovered recently at the Koilastila Gas field in which country?
Ans: Bangladesh
• Koilastila Gas Field is one of the five gas fields which was purchased from the Shell
Oil company by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

Que:Which is the first Asian country to join NATO’s cyber defence group?
Ans: South Korea
• National Intelligence Service South Korea (spy agency) has become the first in Asia to join
NATO’s Cyber Defence Group (CDG).
• It focuses on cyber security research, training, and exercises.
• NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) now includes 27 NATO
member countries and five non-NATO partners.
• NATO HQ: Brussels, Belgium

Que:The 15th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD) held in which country?
Ans: Cote d’Ivoire
• Bhupender Yadav (Environment Forest and Climate Change Minister) led an
Indian delegation
• The theme of COP 15: Life. Legacy: From scarcity to
prosperity.
• The United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification (UNCCD), was established in 1994.

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Que:The United Nations General Assembly has voted for which country to replace Russia on it’s Human Rights
Council?
Ans: Czech Republic
• 47-member Human Rights Council.
• UNHRC HQ: Geneva
• Founded: 15 March 2006
Human Rights Day: 10 December

Que:Which country hosted the 2nd India-Nordic Summit 2022?


Ans: Denmark
• was held in Copenhagen, Denmark
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
attended the summit along the prime
ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland,
Norway and Sweden.
• The summit primarily focused on post-
pandemic economic recovery, climate change,
renewable energy and the evolving global security scenario.
The first such summit was held in 2018.

Finland and Sweden submitted their applications for NATO membership


• Article 5 which stands at the heart if NATO’s founding treaty – says: “The Parties
agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North
America shall be considered an attack against them all.”
• Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg

Que:World’s 1st Urban Airport Pop-up ‘Air One’ for flying cars & drones has been opened in
which country?
Ans: United Kingdom (England)
• It’s designed for zero-emission electric drones and air taxis and the airport itself is
powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
• Capital: London
• Currency: British Pound Sterling (GBP)
• Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak

Que: Which is the venue of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual meeting 2022?
Ans: Davos (Switzerland)
• Theme of the WEF Annual Meeting 2022 - “Working Together, Restoring Trust.
• founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab
• Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland

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Que:How many nations participated in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)?
Ans:13
• IPEF is a US-led economic initiative launched by US President Joe Biden in
Tokyo
• Four pillars of connectivity and digital trade; resilient supply chains; clean
energy; and corruption-free fair trade.
• 13 countries that joined the IPEF: The US, Australia, Brunei Darussalam,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• The 13 countries together account for 40 per cent of world GDP.

Free trade deal signed between Israel and UAE


• Israel has signed a free trade deal with the United Arab
Emirates on May 31.
• The agreement helps to increase bilateral trade in goods
and services, increase Israeli exports to UAE.
• The UAE was the first Gulf country to normalise ties with
Israel and only the third Arab nation to do so after Egypt and Jordan.

Bangladesh top recipient of Covid vaccines under UNICEF's COVAX


• delivery over 190 million doses
• COVAX is a global initiative which is led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness
Innovation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization with
UNICEF.
• UNICEF Headquarters: New York
• Head: Catherine M. Russell
• Founded: 11 December 1946

Que:Which country has recently voted to join the European Union Common Security and Defence
Policy?
Ans: Denmark
• Denmark is the only EU member that is not part of the EU’s Common Security and Defence
Policy (CSDP).
• Denmark, a founding NATO member, can now take part in joint EU military operations, and will allow Danish
officials to stay in the room when EU colleagues discuss defence issues.
• Sweden and Finland also placed historic bids to join NATO, which will be taken up at the upcoming summit.

European Union
• The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are
located primarily in Europe.
• Founded: 1 November 1993, Maastricht, Netherlands
• Founders: Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg
• Nobel Peace Prize:2012

Que: Which of the following country has been elected as non-permanent members of the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC)?
(a) Ecuador
(b) Switzerland
(c) Malta
(d) Mozambique
(e) All of the above

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Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland will join the UNSC (body responsible for the maintenance of
global peace and security), beginning in January 2023.
They will replace India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway, which will vacate their seats at the end of this year.

The Security Council consists of 15 countries.


• Five of them – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members
with the right to veto.
• The General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States, elects the 10 non-permanent members
who serve for two-year terms.
• To secure a place on the Council, countries must receive a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even if they run
uncontested.
• United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
o Founded: 24 October 1945
o Headquarters: New York, United States

UN adopts resolution on multilingualism, mentioning Hindi for the First Time


• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted an India-sponsored resolution
on multilingualism that mentions the Hindi language for the first time, besides Bangla
and Urdu.
• The resolution urges the United Nations to continue spreading vital communications and messages in both
official and non-official languages, including Hindi.
• The six official languages of the UN are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
• UN Headquarters: New York, United States

12th WTO Ministerial conference 2022 held at Geneva


• after a gap of almost 5 years.
• Co-hosted by Kazakhstan,
• Conference was chaired by Timur Suleimenov
• Indian delegation will be led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal
• Key areas: WTO’s response to the pandemic, Fisheries subsidies negotiations and Agriculture issues including
Public Stockholding for Food security.
• India is a founding member of the WTO since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT (General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade) since 8 July 1948.

Uganda announces discovery of 31 million metric tonnes of gold deposits


• with extractable pure gold estimated to gross 320,000 tonnes.
• To boost the country’s economy, the Ugandan Government has licensed Wagagai Gold
Mining Company, a Chinese firm to start producing gold products in the Busia district.

Que:Which city hosted of ‘2022 Global biodiversity conclave’?


Ans: Bonn, Germany
This conclave is mainly focusing on sustainable use of wild species.

Que:Which country has announced to invest USD 2 billion to develop a series of integrated food parks across in
India?
Ans: UAE
• This decision has announced during the first virtual summit of the ‘12U2′ (India, Israel,
US and UAE) group, held on virtually.

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Que: Nasscom Foundation has partnered with which company to set up DigiVaani Call Center for helping women
farmers scale up their business?
Ans: Google
• The project is being run on a pilot basis to initially reach out to 20,000 rural women
entrepreneurs across six states – Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar, Haryana and Rajasthan.
• Google CEO: Sundar Pichai
• Google Headquarters: California, United States

NDB approves USD 875 million for development in Brazil, China and India
• The New Development Bank has approved USD 875 million for water, sanitation, ecotourism and transport.
• Investments will support the Brazil, China and India towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
• India: $ 79 million for the Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development Project.
• Headquarters location: Shanghai, China
• President: Marcos Prado Troyjo
• Founded: 15 July 2014
• Founder: BRICS

Que:Which nation hosted the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting?


Ans: Uzbekistan
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended
• Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting was
concluded at Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
• India welcomed the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to include Iran.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China
• Founded: 15 June 2001
• Members:
• Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan.
• India and Pakistan both were initially observer states.
• Both were given full membership in 2017.
• The SCO's official languages are Russian and Chinese.

China to host BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting through video conference


• India has handed over the BRICS Chairmanship to China from January 2022.
• Theme 2022: Foster High-Quality BRICS Partnership Usher in a New Era for Global
Development
• BRICS is a significant alliance that brings together the world’s largest growing economies,
accounting for 41% of the global population, 24% of global GDP, and over 16 % of global
trade.

Que:In which country, the largest pink diamond in 300 years named ‘Lulo Rose’, has been found?
Ans: Angola, Africa

• A 170-carat rare pure pink diamond, believed to be the largest


found in 300 years
• It weighs 34 grams.
• Miners in Angola discovered it at the Lulo mine in Angola’s
diamond-rich northeast.
• Capital – Luanda
• Currency – Kwanza

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Singapore declared Padang as 75th national monument of the country


• Singapore has declared its 200-year-old iconic green open space Padang as its 75th
national monument as the country celebrates its 57th National Day (9th August).
• From this site, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had given his ‘Delhi Chalo’ slogan in 1943.
• The victory parade of Japanese surrender on September 12, 1945 was held on Padang.

Scotland museum signs deal to return 7 ancient artefacts to India


• Seven artefacts, including a stone door jamb stolen from a Hindu temple in
Uttar Pradesh, have been transferred back to India by Glasgow’s museums.
• This is the part of Scotland’s “largest-ever” repatriation of objects from a single
collection.
• The 7 antiquities include a ceremonial Indo-Persian talwar or sword.

65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference held in Halifax, Canada


• from August 20-26.
• Indian Parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha
Speaker Om Birla attended the conference

Greece exits 'enhanced surveillance' framework of EU after 12 years


• Greece Prime Minister - Kyriakos Mitsotakis
• Capital: Athens
• Economic performance and policies of Greece have been monitored under the
framework since 2018 to ensure it implemented reforms promised under three
international bailouts (totalling $261 billion) – from the European Union and the IMF
between 2010 and 2015.)

Mack Rutherford becomes youngest pilot to fly solo around the world
• Mack Rutherford (17), Belgian-British dual national
• He claimed two Guinness World Records.
• Rutherford is also the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe in a microlight
plane.
• he travelled through 52 countries over five continents.

Que:Which country has once again shattered its own record for the world’s lowest fertility rate?
Ans: South Korea
• As per United Nations’ global population projections and World Bank’s data 2021,
South Korean women were estimated, to have an average of just 0.81 children over
their lifetimes, down from 0.84 a year earlier.
• The number of new-borns declined in 2021 to 2,60,600, which is about 0.5% of the
population.
• Capital – Seoul
• Currency – South Korean Won
• President – Yoon Seok-youl

Germany inaugurates world's first hydrogen-powered train fleet


• Germany has launched world's first fleet of 14 hydrogen-powered passenger trains
• They have a range of up to 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) and a maximum speed of 140
kmph (87 mph).
• It is manufactured by French company Alstom and are operated by regional rail
company LNVG.

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Que: Eastern Economic Form is hosted by which country every year?


Ans: Russia
• 7th edition in 2022
• Eastern Economic Forum is an international forum held each year since 2015, in
Vladivostok, Russia
• for the purpose of encouraging foreign investment in the Russian Far East.

Que: Which city hosted the ‘Global Clean Energy Action Forum’?
Ans: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
• Union minister Jitendra Singh led an Indian delegation
• Ministers from over 30 countries participated in the event to discuss ways
of accelerating clean energy innovation and deployment.

Que:Which country has granted citizenship to former US security contractor Edward Snowden?
Ans: Russia
• Snowden, a former employee of the U.S. National Security Agency, has been living in
Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the US after leaking classified documents
detailing government surveillance programs.
• Capital – Moscow
• Currency – Rubel
• President – Vladimir Putin

EU approves adoption of world’s first single charger rule


• The European Parliament has passed the new rule to introduce single charging port for
electronic gadgets by 2024 in EU.
• As per the law, it mandates that every manufacturing companies of smartphone,
laptop and camera, have to adopt a standard charger rule in Europe.
• Reason: To minimise e-waste and empower customers to make more sustainable
choices.

Que:Which actor will become the first actor to shoot in space?


Ans: Tom Cruise
• He has partnered with director Doug Liman on a project that calls for him to perform a
spacewalk.

Que:Israel and which country have agreed to resolve a decades-old dispute over the
control of an eastern stretch of Mediterranean Sea?
Ans: Lebanon
The two countries declared overlapping boundaries in 2011 in the eastern
Mediterranean Sea (an area where Lebanon aims to explore for natural gas).
Since both countries have been technically at war, the United Nations was
asked to mediate.
• About Israel
Capital – Jerusalem
Currency – Sheqel
President – Isaac Herzog
• About Lebanon
Capital- Beirut
Currency– Lebanese pound
President- Michel Aoun
Prime Minister– Najib Mikati

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Anna May Wong becomes first Asian American featured on US currency


She was a Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood
This is the fifth coin in the American Women Quarters (AWQ) Program
AWQ program: It is four-year program that honors the achievements of women in the United
States from 2022 to 2025.
Till date, Maya Angelou, Dr. Sally Ride, Wilma Mankiller, and Nina Otero-Warren have been
featured under the program

Pakistan Removed from FATF Grey List on Terror Financing


• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has excluded Pakistan from the grey list of the
global watchdog on terror financing and money laundering after four years.
• Pakistan was put in 2018
• Inclusion to the grey list leads to the inability of Islamabad to get financial aid from
IMF, World Bank, ADB & the EU.
• The FATF was established in 1989 and currently has 39 members including EU and Gulf Cooperation Council.

FATF adds Myanmar to list of high-risk countries


Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has added Myanmar to the list of high-risk countries, which is known as ‘Black list’
Due to actions by the military leadership after the 2021 coup.
Myanmar is the third country to be added in this list along with North Korea and Iran, which have been on the high-
risk list since 2020.
President of FATF: T. Raja Kumar
FATF HQ: Paris, France

Que:Which country has been recently placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s grey list?
Ans: United Arab Emirates
• FATF is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog,

Vienna to host INTERPOL General Assembly in 2023


91st General Assembly of INTERPOL will take place in Vienna, Austria in 2023, where the
international criminal police organisation was officially created in 1923.
The 90th INTERPOL General Assembly was held in New Delhi from October 18-21, 2022.

Pakistan, China jointly agree to launch 3 new corridors


besides the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
China-Pakistan Green Corridor (CPGC): It will focus on agricultural environment, food security
and green development
China-Pakistan Health Corridor (CPHC): It will help get efficiency in the medical field
China-Pakistan Digital Corridor (CPDC): It will boost Pakistan's IT industry.
The new corridors would become sources of strengthening Pakistan-China ties

Que: Which country has filed an application seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Nihonshu?
Ans: Japan
The Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, has filed the application
This is the first time a product from Japan has filed for a tag at the Geographical Indication Registry
in Chennai.
In Japan, nihonshu is regarded as valuable beverage made from fermenting rice.

Que: What name has been given to the ‘Festival of India in the Republic of Korea’?
Answer: SARANG
• 8th edition
• to promote understanding and friendship among the peoples of the two countries.

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• SARANG in Korean means ‘love’ and for Indians it refers to ‘diversity representing different colours of India’.
• Since 2015

Que: Tesla Chief Elon Musk has taken over which social medial platform?
Ans: Twitter
The world's richest man, Elon Musk, has completed his $44bn takeover of Twitter
Twitter Founded: 21 March 2006, San Francisco, California, United States

Tonga volcano
➢ Recently, a volcano erupted in the southern Pacific Island of
Tonga, which triggered Tsunami waves around the Pacific.

Que:Which platform has launched the campaign named ‘Take a Break’?


Ans:Instagram
• That will alert users scrolling on Instagram to periodically take breaks from the
platform and focus on other things.
• This campaign has been launched by Instagram in India and various other countries.

Twitter partners with Paytm to boost its ‘Tips’ feature in India


• What is Tips feature of Twitter?: using the Tips feature, users can send payments to
their favourite content creators on twitter.
• Tips is available since November to all Twitter users above 18 years of age in India. It is
available in Indian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and
Tamil.
• With this partnership, Twitter users will be able to use the payments facility of Paytm, including its Paytm
digital wallet, Paytm Postpaid (buy-now-pay-later service), debit and credit cards, and net banking.

Que:Which country has become the first-ever country to allow drone flights in civilian airspace?
Ans:Israel
• The UAVs will be used for the benefit of agriculture, environment, public welfare, economic activity and
against crime.

Que:Which bank has become the first to enter in the metaverse?


Ans: JPMorgan
• JPMorgan (largest bank in the U.S.) announced that it has become the first bank to enter
in the metaverse.
• It has opened a lounge in Decentraland i.e. a virtual world based on blockchain technology.
• The lounge has been named as Onyx lounge

Que:C-Dome is a naval air defence system, successfully tested by which country recently?
Ans:Israel
• Israel successfully tested a new naval air defense system “C-Dome,” to be used on the
Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvettes.
• C-Dome is the naval version of the Iron Dome, an all-weather air defence system of
Israel to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and missiles, from the Gaza Strip..

Que: KSLV-II Nuri rocket, is the first domestically produced space launch vehicle of which country?
Ans: South Korea
• South Korea’s first domestically produced space launch vehicle KSLV-II Nuri rocket failed
due to a loose helium tank.

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International Exercise

Neptune Strike ’22 NATO Countries in the Mediterranean Sea

Balikatan 2022 US army and Philippines army

Operation Noble Defender US, Canada


air defence exercise

Bersama Shield 2022 Host:Malaysia


training exercise Bersama means together in Malay.
Participating countries:Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom

Cold Response 2022 The exercise is held in Norway every second year, for NATO Allies and partners.

Que:Noor-2 is a military satellite launched by which country recently?


Ans: Iran
• This is the second military satellite launched by Islamic Republic.
• The first military satellite, Noor, was launched in April 2020

Que:‘Iron Beam‘ laser missile-defence system is world’s first energy-based weapons system that uses a laser beam
to destroy any airborne object. Which country has developed this system?
Ans:Israel
• Israel has successfully tested a new laser missile- defence system named ‘Iron
Beam’. It can intercept many kinds of aerial objects ranging from missiles, rockets,
anti-tank missiles and even drones.
• The Iron Beam is developed by the Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.
• It is the world’s first energy-based weapons system that uses laser to shoot down
incoming UAVs, rockets & mortars at $3.50 per shot.

Que:Which country recently test-fired the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) named
Hwasong-17?
Ans: North Korea
• North Korea has confirmed that it has test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile
(ICBM) since 2017 named ‘Hwasong-17’.

Que:Taliban has signed a deal with which nation to run the airports in Afghanistan?
Ans: UAE
• The Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021

Que:Which platform has launched its new featured app ‘AMBER alert’ to find the missing children?
Ans: Instagram
• The photo-sharing app has partnered with various organisations globally.
• The alerts on the Meta-owned platform will include details such as a child’s photo, description,
and location of the abduction.
• Amber Alerts are available on Facebook since 2015. This feature will be available in 25 countries.

Que:Gaofen-3 03 is an Earth Observation satellite, launched by which country recently?


Ans:China
• The new satellite will become part of its land-sea radar satellite constellation by forming a
network with the orbiting Gaofen-3 and Gaofen-3 02 satellites.
• They will then capture reliable, stable synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, to help Beijing
safeguard its maritime rights and interests.

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China launches Wentian lab module to its permanent space station


• This has been launched on the Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch
Center on the southern island of Hainan.
• First space module was Tianhe, was launched in April 2021
• the third module, Mengtian, will be launched soon.

Que: What is the name of NASA's Venus Mission?


Ans: DAVINCI
• The DAVINCI Mission is tentatively scheduled to launch in June 2029 and enter the Venusian
atmosphere in June 2031.
• The spacecraft will have a dedicated instrument to find the amount of oxygen present near
the surface of the planet.

Que:Which nation has decided to quit the International Space Station after 2024?
Ans: Russia
• Moscow's space agency Roscosmos' chief, Yury Borisov has announced that Russia
will withdraw from the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024.
• The space station which has been in orbit since 1998.
• ISS is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit.
• Five participating space agencies: NASA (US), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA
(Europe), and CSA (Canada).

Russia successfully launches Iran's satellite into orbit


A Russian rocket has successfully launched an Iranian satellite named Khayyam, into orbit
by the Soyuz rocket from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.
The name of satellite was named after Omar Khayyam, a Persian scientist who lived in the
11th and 12th centuries.

South Korea launches first Moon mission


• South Korea has successfully launched its first lunar mission, Korea Pathfinder Lunar
Orbiter, also known as Danuri, from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
• This mission is jointly developed by Nasa and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.
• The satellite launched by SpaceX, will arrive in December 2022.
• The Scientists are expecting to collect geologic and other data from this low polar orbit.
• South Korea has also planned to land its own spacecraft on the moon by 2030.

France takes over EU Presidency for six months from January 2022
• This is the 13th time that France has taken over the rotating presidency.
• The motto of France as EU President is “recovery, strength, belonging.”
• The presidency of EU rotates every six months among the member states of the 27-nation bloc.
• Upon the completion of six months presidency, France will be replaced by the Czech Republic.

Ukraine President, Volodymyr Zelensky named 2022 Time ‘Person of the Year
• Reason: He has put up a feisty resistance against the Russian invasion since February 24, 2022
• Zelenskyy has shared the 2022 title with "the spirit of Ukraine".
• Time magazine has presented its first Person of the Year award in 1927.

Bakery item French baguette given “intangible cultural heritage status” by UNESCO
• The bread sticks, with their crusty exterior and soft middle
• It is said that French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte ordered that bread must be moulded into
long and thin sticks so they are fit for soldiers to carry around in their pockets.

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Que: Which country is the host of the 19th Conference of the Parties to CITES?
Ans: Panama
• Panama, a Central American country.
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
• Effective: 1 July 1975
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Signed: 3 March 1973
• Language: English; French; Spanish
• World Wildlife Day has been celebrated every year on the 3rd of March since 2013.

Downgrades Status of Southern White Rhinos:


• In a major hurdle to Africa’s rhino conservation efforts, COP19, organised by
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Panama City,
has accepted the proposal by Botswana and Namibia to downgrade the status of
southern white rhinos from Appendix I to Appendix II.
• Wild animal species listed in Appendix I include those threatened with extinction.
• The animals named under Appendix II may not necessarily be threatened with
extinction, but trade of such species should be controlled to ensure it does not
threaten their existence.

Opening Ceremony of International Year of Millets 2023 held in Rome


• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organized an opening ceremony for the
International Year of Millets 2023 in Rome, Italy.
• An Indian delegation led by Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
• India sponsored the proposal for the International Year of Millets 2023 which was accepted by the UN’s
General Assembly.
• In India, millets are primarily a Kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs.

Indonesia’s Volcano Semeru erupts


• It is one of the East Java Island’s tallest volcano.
• Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has erupted numerous times in the past 200 years.
• Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth.
• Pacific “Ring of Fire”: It is a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines, and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic
activity.

Russia’s Shivulech volcano might erupt


• The Shiveluch volcano in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka peninsula may be gearing up
for its first powerful eruption in 15 years
• Shiveluch is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Kamchatka,
having erupted at least 60 times in the past 10,000 years.

Zombie Virus:
• European researchers have raised concerns of yet another pandemic
after resurrecting a 48,500-year-old ‘Zombie Virus’ from a frozen lake
in Russia.
• The researchers warned that Climate change-induced thawing of the
permanently frozen land (permafrost) in the Arctic could pose a new
public health threat.
• Zombie Virus: 13 new pathogens have been characterized, what are termed ‘Zombie Viruses’, which
remained infectious despite spending many millennia trapped in the frozen ground.

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‘Goblin Mode’ is Oxford’s Word of the Year for 2022


• It refers to a type of behavior which is an unapologetically self-
indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social
norms or expectations.

US prints first banknotes with women's signatures


• The U.S .(United States of America's Finance Ministry) has printed the first US banknotes
(currency notes) with two women's signatures.
• The new currency notes of $1 and $5 value carry the signature of Janet Yellen and Lynn
Malerba.
• The United States currency notes are popularly called as Greenback.
• Lynn Malerba : Secretary of Treasury (American Finance Minister), United States government.
• Janet Yellen is a former chairman of the United States Central Bank, Federal Reserve of New York. She was
the first female head of the Federal Reserve.

Hindi film Ayena showcased at 20th Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival
• in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• The key focus of the film fest is on the mountain communities and cultures to Nepali
audiences.
• The Hindi film Ayena, directed and produced by Siddhant Sirin
• This year, the theme of the Film Fest is ‘Sustainable Summits’.

New Zealand passes world's first law to ban smoking for future generation
• This law has banned the selling tobacco to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009 and
punishable by fines up to NZ$150,000 ($95,910).
• The ban will remain in place for a person’s whole life.
• Retailers licensed to sell tobacco will be cut to 600 by the end of 2023 from 6,000.

Japan’s ispace launches world's first commercial moon lander


• Japanese space startup, ispace has launched the world's first commercial moon
lander, HAKUTO-R.
• from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
• The craft, assembled in Germany, is expected to land on the moon in late April.
• HAKUTO refers to the white rabbit that lives on the moon in Japanese folklore.

UAE successfully launches first ever Arab-Built lunar spacecraft


• A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried into space the first ever Arab-built lunar spacecraft Rashid Rover. It was
launched from Florida.
• Rashid Rover was built by Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), and is being delivered by the HAKUTO-R lander, engineered by Japanese lunar exploration
company ispace.
• Its rover weighs just 22 pounds (10 kg) and will work on the surface for about 10 days.

Indian TV actor Dev Joshi in 'dearMoon CREW' for SpaceX Moon Trip
• Baal Veer actor Dev Joshi is the only Indian selected for the dearMoon project.
• The week-long trip around the moon is led by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa on
the spacecraft Starship developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket in 2023.
• The 'dearMoon' project was first announced in 2017 and it is the first civilian mission to
the Moon.

UAE to host the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in February 2024


• The last time the conference was held in the Gulf was in 2001 in Doha.
• The Ministerial Conference is usually convened every two years. The WTO’s 12th
Ministerial Conference was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 12-17 June.
• The inaugural Ministerial Conference was held in Singapore in 1996

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• World Trade Organization is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international
trade.
• The WTO has over 160 members representing 98 per cent of world trade.
• Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
• PM of UAE: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Iran removed from UN Commission on the Status of Women


• United Nations member states have removed Iran from UN women’s rights group.
• The resolution was proposed by the US to “remove with immediate effect the Islamic
Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women for the remainder of
its 2022-2026 term.
• The Commission is made up of 45 countries which are elected by the Council to four-
year terms.
• Capital – Tehran
• Currency – Rial
• President – Ebrahim Raisi

European Union (EU) agrees to give candidate status to Bosnia


• Bosnia will join seven other nations with candidate status: Turkey, North Macedonia,
Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine.
• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are
located mostly in Europe formed in 1993.

Ques. The members of the EU have agreed to implement what % tax rate on large multinational corporations?
Ans. 15%
• Members of the European Union agreed in principle to implement a minimum tax of 15% on
big businesses.
• This is in accordance with Pillar 2 of the global tax agreement framed by the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) last year.
• Under the OECD’s plan, governments will be equipped to impose additional taxes in case
companies are found to be paying taxes that are considered too low.
• Global corporate tax rates have fallen from over 40% in the 1980s to under 25% in 2020
• global tax competition that was kick-started by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and
former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.
• The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 countries. It operates
an internal (or single) market which allows free movement of goods, capital, services and
people between member states.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD):


• It is an intergovernmental economic organisation, founded to stimulate economic progress and world
trade.
• Founded: 1961.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Total Members: 36.
• India is not a member, but a key economic partner.

COP15 ends with landmark biodiversity agreement


• United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) ended in Montreal, Canada, on 19 December 2022
• Chaired by China and hosted by Canada, COP 15 resulted in the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
• The GBF aims to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect indigenous
rights.
• Target - to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by
2030, known as 30 by 30
• Currently, 17% of terrestrial and 10% of marine areas are protected.

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• It also contains proposals to increase finance to developing countries

Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) consists of four overarching global goals to protect nature, including:
• halting human-induced extinction of threatened species and reducing the rate of extinction of all species
tenfold by 2050;
• sustainable use and management of biodiversity
• fair sharing of the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources, and digital sequence
information on genetic resources;
• adequate means of implementing the GBF be accessible to all Parties, particularly Least
Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

UNSC adopts first-ever resolution on Myanmar in 74 years


• to demand an end to violence and urge the military junta to release all political
prisoners, including ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
• It also demands to respect human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
• A military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders.
• Myanmar has been in crisis since the army took power from Suu Kyi's
elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, detaining her and other officials
• The 15-member council has long been split on how to deal with the Myanmar crisis with China and Russia
arguing against strong action.
• They both abstained from the vote, along with India. The remaining 12 members voted in favor.
• Permanent Representatives of India to the United Nations – Ruchira Kamboj
• Recently Money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
has put Myanmar on the “black list”
• Myanmar capital: Naypyidaw
• PM - Min Aung Hlaing
since 1 August 2021

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates first Metro rail in Dhaka

• first journey between Diabari and Agargaon station.


• This is part of the ambitious Bangladesh project of Mass Rapid Transit to be completed by
2030
• The rail service was built with financial and technical support from Japan.

Que: Which country has created a world record by operating the longest passenger train recently?
Ans: Switzerland
• The world’s longest electric passenger train is designed to commemorate the 175th
anniversary of the country’s first train system.
• The 1910 metres (1.9 Km) long train has 100 coaches with a total of 4,550 seats.
• Capital – Bern
• Currency -Swiss franc
• Official languages – French, German, Italian, Romansh

Que: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed ‘in principle’ to admit which
country as the group’s 11th member?
Ans: East Timor
• East Timor is the youngest country in Southeast Asia, having gained independence from
Indonesia in 2002 after 24 years of occupation.
• ASEAN began as a five-member bloc in 1967 and has gradually expanded, with
Cambodia being the most recent addition in 1999.
• Capital- Dili
• Currency- United States Dollar
• Continent- Asia

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G7 launches climate ‘Shield’ fund


• It was launched by the G 7 countries (United States of America, Canada, France, Italy,
United Kingdom and Japan) at the COP27 summit in Egypt on 14 November 2022.
• It is a climate fund, and provide funds to disaster-hit countries.
• Pakistan, Ghana, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Fiji, Philippines and Senegal will be among the
first recipients of funding
• Aim of the fund - to help low-income and vulnerable countries to deal with climate induced calamities.

Que: Chief Election Commissioner of India has been invited as International observer for which country’s
forthcoming election?
Ans: Nepal
Chief Election Commissioner of India Shri Rajiv Kumar
elections to Nepal’s House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly held on
20th November, 2022

UN climate summit adopts 'loss and damage' fund


• The UN's COP27 climate summit has approved the creation of a special fund, "loss and
damage fund".
• Reason: To cover the damages suffered by vulnerable nations battered by the impacts of
global warming.
• COP28, is set to be held in UAE in 2023.

Europe announces name of world's first disabled astronauts


• first "parastronaut" - in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work
and live in space.
• The 22-nation European Space Agency said it selected former British Paralympic runner John
McFall for astronaut training.
• McFall, who lost his right leg due to a motorcycle accident at the age of 19, won a bronze medal in the 100
metres at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

Que: Which country has partnered with China for a 27-year natural gas supply deal?
Ans: Qatar
• It is the longest such gas agreement signed till date.
• Qatar energy company will send four million tonnes of liquefied natural gas
annually from its new North Field East project to China Petroleum and
Chemical Corporation (Sinopec).

Que: ‘Chin-Kuki-Mizo Ethnic Communities’ are associated with which country?


Ans: Bangladesh
• Following the fights between Bangladeshi security forces and the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA),
an armed insurgent group that is active in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), tribals of Chin-Kuki
ethnic community are fleeing Bangladesh.
• Mizoram government announced to provide temporary shelter, food and relief to as many as 274
Bangladeshi tribal nationals who entered Lawngtlai district in Mizoram

World's largest active volcano Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii


• Hawaii's Mauna Loa, has erupted after 40 years.
• Mauna Loa is located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park which
covers half of the US state's Big Island.
• According to the US Geological Service (USGS), Mauna Loa has
erupted 33 times since its first documented eruption in 1843.
• The previous eruption in 1984

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Banking
Que:India has collaborated with which country to create 150 ‘Villages of Excellence’ in 12 States of India?
Ans: Israel
• to help farmers to adopt latest technology in the farm sector.
• 75 villages out of 150 would be taken up in 2022. The remaining villages
would be taken up subsequently.
• Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
• Capital: Jerusalem
• President: Isaac Herzog

Que:The government is set to become the single largest shareholder of which telecom company?
Ans: Vodafone Idea
• The Indian government will own a 36 percent stake in Vodafone Idea,
the country's third-largest wireless phone operator in a new rescue plan.
• Vodafone Group will own around 28.5 percent stake and Aditya
Birla Group will own about 17.8 percent stake.
• Vi is a joint venture between the Aditya Birla group and UK-headquartered Vodafone.

Que: Name the Indian company which has recently acquired controlling stake in Mandarin Oriental New York five
star hotel?
Ans: Reliance Industries
• The $98.5 million deal was done through Reliance Industrial Investments and
Holdings Ltd.
• the indirect owner of a 73.37 per cent stake in Mandarin Oriental New York
• Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra
• Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani

Que: Which Mutual Fund company has recently been renamed as WhiteOak Capital Mutual Fund?
Ans: YES Mutual Fund

Que:Which insurance company has launched the awareness campaign #BahaneChhodoTaxBachao?


Ans: SBI General Insurance
• The campaign aims to increase awareness on how people can save tax by
buying health insurance .
• Headquarters location: Mumbai
• Founded: 24 February 2009

SBI makes online IMPS transactions upto Rs 5 lakh free


• The State Bank of India decided on January 4, 2022 to enhance the free
IMPS online transactions limit to Rs 5 lakh from earlier Rs 2 lakh to
encourage customers to adopt digital banking.

Que:The Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank Ltd. (PMC Bank) has been amalgamated with which bank with
effect from January 25, 2022?
Ans: Unity Small Finance Bank
Unity SFB is a joint venture between Centrum Group and BharatPe.
All the branches of the PMC Bank will function as branches of Unity Small Finance Bank Ltd.
Unity SFB is the 12th small finance bank and opened its first branch in Mumbai
on 1 November 2021 with over Rs 1,100 crore of equity capital

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Que: Name the app launched by SEBI on investor education to create awareness about the basic concepts of
securities market?
Ans: SaaRthi/ Saa₹thi
• In the app SaaRthi, R is denoted using the Indian Rupee (INR) symbol.
• Founded: 12 April 1988
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Agency executive: Madhabi Puri Buch (Chairperson)

Que:Pops is India’s first intelligent messenger. Which entity has launched this facility?
ans:Paytm Money
• Messenger ‘Pops’ will allow its user to receive specific information related to
their stocks, analysis about their portfolio, market news, and important market
movements, all in one place.
• One97 Communications Limited owns the Paytm Money platform.
• Paytm money Headquarters location: Bengaluru
• Founded: 20 September 2017

Reserve Bank of India


The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of
India Act, 1934.
The Central Office of the Reserve Bank was initially established in Calcutta but was permanently moved to Mumbai
in 1937.
originally privately owned, since nationalization in 1949, the Reserve Bank is fully owned by the Government of
India.
Full-time: Governor and not more than four Deputy Governors
Shri Shaktikanta Das is the present Governor of RBI
1st Governor of RBI: Sir Osborne Smith.
2nd Governor of RBI: Sir James Braid Taylor.
3rd Governor of RBI: C. D. Deshmukh.
RBI has four zonal offices: New Delhi for North, Chennai for South, Kolkata for East, and Mumbai for West.

Monetary Policy Committee


• It was created in 2016.
• It was created to bring transparency and accountability in deciding monetary policy.
• MPC determines the policy interest rate required to achieve the inflation target.

RBI Monetary Policy Rate


The Reserve Bank of India monetary policy committee (MPC) has raised the policy repo rate by 35 basis points (bps)
to 6.25 percent with immediate effect.
This is the fifth consecutive hike by the central bank. The Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to all
commercial banks.
While RBI has lowered the GDP growth projection of India for the current fiscal at 6.8% from 7%.
CPI inflation forecast for FY23 retained at 6.7%.
The size of forex reserves has increased to 561.2 billion as on December 2.

Current Policy Rate: Last Updated on 7 December 2022

Policy Rates
Repo Rate 6.25%
Reverse Repo Rate 3.35%
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate 6.50%
Bank Rate 6.50%
Cash Reserve Ratio 4.50%

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Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 18%


Standing Deposit Facility Rate 6.00%

Que: RBI has released the Annual Report of the Ombudsman Schemes for 2020-21. The volume of complaints
received under all the 3 Ombudsman Schemes increased by ___________ percent.
Ans:22.27%
(i) the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006;
(ii) the Ombudsman Scheme for Non-Banking Financial Companies, 2018; and
(iii) the Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019.
• Now RBI has increased this investment limit in VRR from Rs. 1,50,000 crore to Rs. 2,50,000 crore. The
increased investment limits shall be open for allotment from April 01, 2022.
• Minimum retention period: 3 years
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the Voluntary Retention Route (VRR) to assist foreign portfolio
investors (FPIs) in investing in India's debt markets.

What is the aim of VRR?


• The main aim of the Voluntary Retention Route (VRR) is to attract long-term
and stable FPI investments in India's debt markets while providing FPIs with
operational flexibility to manage their investments.
• The minimum time period under this investment is currently three years or as
decided by the Reserve Bank of India for each auction.

Does it have any impact on Indian currency?


Yes, VRR has an impact on Indian currency as mentioned below:
1- More the FPI inflow, more will be the dollars in the Indian economy which will appreciate the Indian currency
against the US dollars.
2- More the FPI outflow, less will be the dollars in the Indian economy which will depreciate the Indian currency
against the US dollars.
Thus, to sum up, VRR is a separate channel which attracts long-term and stable FPI investments in India's debt
markets.

Que: Which company has recently invested USD 200 million in delivery plaform Dunzo to
acquire its 25.8% stake?
Ans: Reliance Retail
This funding will help the Bengaluru-based startup, Dunzo to become the largest quick
commerce business in the country.

IRDAI selects LIC, GIC Re and New India Assurance as Domestic Systemically Important
Insurers
✓ Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has chosen
the following insurers as Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) for
2021-22:

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✓ Life Insurance Corporation of India;


✓ General Insurance Corporation of India; and
✓ The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.
✓ Domestic Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) are the insurance companies that are considered “Too Big
to Fail”. i.e its failure will impact the economy and insurance sector to a great extend.
✓ Founded: 1999
✓ Headquarters: Hyderabad
✓ Chairperson: Debasish Panda

Que:How many banks are classified as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) by RBI?
Ans:3
• Reserve Bank of India has retained State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank as Domestic Systemically
Important Banks (D-SIBs).
• These three banks have continued to be on the D-SIBs list published by RBI, since Sep 04, 2017.

SBI
In 1921, the Imperial Bank of India was formed by the merger of the three Presidency Banks of
Madras, Bombay, and Bengal.
The government accepted the recommendation and nationalised the Imperial Bank of India on
July 1, 1955, to establish the State Bank of India.
It is statutory and is headquartered in Mumbai.
Shri Dinesh Kumar Khara:Chairman
This logo is open to several interpretations one of them is that The small circle and the vertical line
with the blue background suggest a keyhole — the symbol of safety, security, and strength. It is also said the
inspiration for this design came from Ahmedabad city's Kankaria Lake.

Que: Which bank will acquire up to 9.95 per cent stake in India International Clearing Corporation (IFSC) Ltd?
Ans: State Bank of India

Que:Bharti Airtel Ltd has recently signed agreement with Vodafone Idea to purchase what
percent of stake in Indus Tower?
Ans:4.7%
• Indus Towers Ltd., India’s largest mobile tower installation company.
• The partnership is in line with Vodafone’s plan to sell its entire 28.1% stake in Indus Towers.

Que:Which company will invest $1 billion in Bharti Airtel as part of its India Digitization Fund of USD 10 billion?
Ans: Google
• Google and Bharti Airtel will partner on a long-term, multi-year agreement to accelerate the growth of
India’s digital ecosystem.
• Google will make an equity investment of $700 million for a 1.28% stake in Bharti Airtel at a price of Rs 734
per share. Meanwhile, $300 million will go towards implementing commercial agreements.’
• Founded: 4 September 1998
• Headquarters: California, United States
• CEO: Sundar Pichai
• Founders: Larry Page, Sergey Brin

Que:What percent of stake has been acquired by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd. (NVVN) in Power Exchange of India
Ltd (PXIL)?
Ans:5%
• NVVN is a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd, formed in 2002. It is the leading power traders in India.
• PXIL is India’s first institutionally promoted power exchange. It is promoted by NSE Investment Ltd. &
NCDEX.

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Que:What is the central theme of the Economic Survey 2021-22?


Ans:Agile approach
• Real term GDP in 2022-23 (FY23) projected to grow by 8- 8.5 percent.
• Industry sector to grow by 11.8 percent and services sector by 8.2 percent in
2021-22.
▪ India was the fourth largest forex reserves holder in the world after China, Japan
and Switzerland, as of end-November 2021.
▪ To achieve $5 trillion GDP by FY25, India needs to spend about $1.4 trillion.
▪ The economic survey is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser of the Finance Ministry.
The present Chief Economic Adviser is Dr. V Anantha Nageswaran.
▪ India has third largest startup ecosystem in the world after US and China. Number of new recognized start-
ups increased to over 14000 in 2021-22 from 733 in 2016-17.
▪ 44 Indian start-ups achieved unicorn status in 2021 taking overall tally of unicorns to 83.
▪ Delhi has replaced Bengaluru as the startup capital of India.
▪ India climbed 35 notches in the Global Innovation Index, from 81st in 2015-16 to 46th in 2021.
▪ India has the tenth largest forest area in the world.
▪ Note:India was ranked 40th position out of 132 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2022 rankings released
by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

Que:NPCI has announced to observe which month as the ‘UPI Safety and Awareness Month’?
Ans:February
• Under this initiative, NPCI and the UPI ecosystem will observe February 1-7
as ‘UPI Safety and Awareness Week’ and the whole of February as ‘UPI
Safety and Awareness Month’.
• It is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement
systems in India. It is an initiative of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian
Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and
Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• Founded: 2008
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Mr. Dilip Asbe is the MD & CEO of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Unified Payment Interface (UPI) was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in
2016

Que: Patanjali Ayurved Ltd has recently announced the launch of co-branded Rupay
contactless credit card in partnership with which bank?
Ans:Punjab National Bank
The co-branded Rupay contactless credit cards are available in two variants which
includes PNB RuPay Platinum and PNB RuPay Select.

Punjab National Bank


• The idea was first mooted by Rai Mool Raj, who had for long desired that Indians should have their own
National Bank.
• Founded: 19 May 1894
• Punjab National Bank (PNB), India's first Swadeshi Bank, commenced its operations on April 12, 1895 from
Lahore
• Sardar Dayal Singh Majithia was its first Chairman and Lala Harkishan Lal its first secretary. Lala Lajpat Rai
was the first to open an account in the bank.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• As per the latest merger- Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India (UBI) merged with
Punjab National Bank (PNB). The merged entity will become the second-largest state-run bank.
• Atul Kumar Goel is an Indian businessman. He is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Punjab
National Bank.

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Que:Which bank has partnered with the Ministry of Culture to set up Atmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (ABCD)
at Red Fort to promote GI products of the country?
Ans:State Bank of India
• The State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and
National Culture Fund (NCF) of the Ministry of Culture, for Development of
Atmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design (ABCD) at L1 Barrack, Red Fort, in Delhi.
• The main objective of Project ABCD is to highlight, promote and celebrate the
products that have the Geographical Indication sign to give a boost to Economic
Value Addition to GI products from India.

Que:IIT Hyderabad has launched AI-based job portal “Swarajability” for people with
disabilities, with funding support from which bank?
Ans:Kotak Mahindra Bank
AI-based job portal named “Swarajability” that helps people with disabilities acquire
relevant skills and find jobs

Que:Which insurance company has recently partnered with Airtel Payments Bank to offer cyber security insurance?
Ans:ICICI Lombard General Insurance
• This Cyber Insurance policy provides financial protection to customers against
potential financial fraud relating to banking, credit or debit card; identity theft;
phishing or email spoofing etc.
• The policy will provide a 90-day discovery period followed by a seven-day
reporting period.

Que:What is the theme of Financial Literacy week 2022 being observed by RBI in 2022?
Ans:Go Digital, Go Secure
• The Reserve Bank of India will observe February 14-18, 2022 as Financial Literacy
week 2022.
• The theme is aligned with one of the strategic objectives of the National Strategy for
Financial Education: 2020-2025.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been conducting Financial Literacy Week (FLW) every year since 2016 to
propagate financial education messages on a particular theme across the country.

Que:According to the report of CRISIL, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) offers the highest Return on Equity
(RoE) at __________ amongst all its global peers.
Ans:82%
• Founded: 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairperson: M R Kumar
• According to a brand valuation report by London-based Brand Finance, LIC is India’s strongest and the largest
brand in the country with a valuation of $8.656 billion (around Rs 64,722 crore).

Que:Which bank has announced the launch of an annual startup enabler program, Agri Infinity?
Ans:Yes Bank
• It seeks to co-develop digital financial solutions for the food and agriculture.
• Founded: 2004
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• CEO: Prashant Kumar
• Tagline: Experience Our Expertise

Que: State Bank of India has issued _________________ Formosa bonds and listed the
issuance on India INX GIFT IFSC.
Ans:$ 300 million
• The lender is the first Indian entity to raise money through Formosa Bond, which is a
bond issued in Taiwan.

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• SBI was the first issuer whose Green bonds were dually listed in November 2021 on Luxembourg Stock
Exchange through an MOU that has been entered into by both Exchanges.

Que:What is the objective of World Bank’s REWARD Program?


Ans:Watershed management
• Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and Odisha and the World Bank have signed a
USD 115 million Programme.
• The name of the project is REWARD (Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative
Development Programme). It will help national and state institutions adopt improved watershed
management practices.
• Terms of Loan: The loan has been provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD) arm of World Bank and has a maturity of 15 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.
• The bifurcation of the loan amount of $115 million is given below:
• Government of Karnataka- $60 million (INR 453.5 crore)
• Government of Odisha- $49 million (INR 370 crore)
• Central Government- $6 million (INR 45.5 crore)

Que:Home Ministry has declared Delhi headquarters of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd
(SPMCIL) as a ‘prohibited place’ under Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. SPMCIL was incorporated in
__________________.
Ans:2006
• The Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd. (SPMCIL) is a government printing and minting
agency.
• It is under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance.
• It was incorporated in 2006 with its registered office at New Delhi.
• Role: It is engaged in the manufacture and production of:
• currency and bank notes
• security paper
• non-judicial stamp papers, postal stamps
• stationery
• passport and visa stickers, security inks, circulation, commemorative coins and others.
• The nine production units are four India Government Mints, two Currency Note Presses, two Security
Printing Presses and one Security Paper Mill located in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Noida, Nashik, Dewas
and Narmadapuram.

Que:SEBI has introduced T+1 settlement period of stocks from February 25, 2022, which makes India only the second
country to implement this mechanism. Which is the first country to do so?
Ans: China
• Instruction regarding this was issued by SEBI on January 01, 2022. Before this,
the settlement period of stocks in India was T+2, i.e. two days after the actual
buy/selling of stock.
• T means the trade/transaction day i.e. the day on which stock is brought/sold.
and here T+1 means that the actual stock settlement will happen on next day
i.e +1 day. Ex: You buy a stock on Monday, you will get it in your Demat account
Tuesday.

SEBI
SEBI is a Statutory Body (a Non-Constitutional body which is set up by a Parliament) established on 12th April, 1992
The headquarters of SEBI is situated in Mumbai. The regional offices of SEBI are located in Ahmedabad, Kolkata,
Chennai and Delhi.
Madhabi Puri Buch:Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), has been appointed as its new chairperson — the
first woman to head the market regulator. She will hold the position for three years.

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Que: Which is the first Indian sports establishment to gain unicorn status?
Ans: Chennai Super Kings
• Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have become the first-ever sports Unicorn in the country to
have a market share of Rs 7,600 crores and its share in the grey market trading in the
Rs 210-225 price band.
• Unicorns are privately held start-up companies having a valuation of more than USD 1 billion.

Que: Which company surpassed U.S chipmaker Intel to become the world’s leading chipmaker by revenue in 2021?
Ans: Samsung Electronics
• South Korean electronics manufacturing giant, Samsung Electronics surpassed U.S chipmaker Intel to become
the world’s leading chipmaker by revenue in 2021, according to a report released by research firm Counterpoint
Technology Market Research.
• Samsung Electronics Headquarters: South Korea
• Samsung Electronics Founder: Lee Byung-chul;
• Samsung Electronics Founded: 13 January 1969.

Que: Ideal Finance Ltd has announced to rebrand its company as ____________.
Ans: Mahindra Ideal Finance
a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra Financial Services Ltd

Que: What is the name of the new payments service launched by RBI?
Ans: 123Pay
• UPI payments gateway will benefit an estimated 40 crore feature phone users and
enable them to undertake digital payments in a secure manner.
• The RBI Governor has launched a 24x7 helpline for digital payments called 'Digisaathi’.
• The helpline has been set up by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to
assist the callers with all their queries on digital payments through the website and chatbot.

HDFC Mutual Fund launched women-led financial empowerment initiative ‘LaxmiForLaxmi’


• The female financial expert will guide and address the queries of the woman investor.
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Founded: August 1994
• CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Chairman: Atanu Chakraborty
• Tagline: We understand your world

Que:Which bank has rolled out the ‘HouseWorkIsWork’ initiative to bring educated women to workforce?
Ans: Axis Bank
• Aim: offering opportunities to those who want to rejoin the professional space, and also to those who have not
participated in the workforce.
• To give confidence to women about their employment and also about the skills they possess that could fit in
various job roles in a bank.
• Founded: 3 December 1993
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary
• Chairperson: Shri Rakesh Makhija
• Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

Que:RBI has recently stopped Paytm Payments Bank Ltd from onboarding new customers under which section of
which RBI Act?
Ans: section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• RBI has advised Paytm Payments Bank to appoint an IT audit firm to conduct a comprehensive System Audit
of its IT system.

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• Once the audit is over, RBI will review the reports of IT auditors and based on the reports grant or review its
permission for onboarding of new customers.

Que:The Union Cabinet has approved Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of up to ___________ under the ‘automatic
route’ in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India.
Ans:20%
• Prior to this, no limit was prescribed for foreign investment in LIC.
• The FDI ceiling for LIC has now been made at par with that of public sector banks.
• It must be noted that the FDI limit in the insurance sector is 74 percent. Last year it
was raised from 49% to 74%.

RBI cancels licence of Sarjeraodada Naik Shirala Sahakari Bank, Sangli, Maharashtra
• it did not have adequate capital and earning prospects
• On liquidation, every depositor with the bank would be entitled to receive deposit
insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5 lakh
from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC), subject to
the provisions of the DICGC Act, 1961.

Que: Which company has launched ‘OneUp’, India’s first primary markets investment platform?
Ans: IIFL Securities Limited
• IIFL Securities Limited (Formerly India Infoline Limited) launched ‘OneUp’, India’s first primary markets
investment platform.
• Through this platform, investment can be made in initial public offerings (IPOs), non-convertible debentures
(NCDs) and sovereign gold bonds (SGBs), among others. On the OneUp platform, the IPO applications are
accepted 24×7 and up to three days before the IPO bidding opens.

Que: Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has lowered the interest rate on provident fund deposits to
__________ for 2021-22.
Ans:8.1%
• The interest rate on PF deposits was 8.5% in 2020-21 and 2019-20.
• The EPF interest rate stood at 8 % in 1977-78, and this 8.1% is the lowest it has been in
more than four decades.
• Bhupendra Yadav (Union Minister for Labour & Employment).
• EPFO is a Statutory body responsible for the regulation and management of provident
funds in India.
• Founded:4th march 1952
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CEO: Neelam Shami Rao

Que: As defined by the Reserve Bank of India a microfinance loan is a collateral-free loan given to a household
having an annual household income up to ___________ .
Ans: Rs. 3 Lakh

Que:Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) has been inaugurated in which city by RBI
Governor recently and what is the initial capital contribution for RBIH?
Ans: Bengaluru; Rs 100 crore
• Inaugurated by Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor of RBI

Que:The SBI bank has announced its plan to set up its Innovation, Incubation and
Acceleration Centre (IIAC) in which city of the country?
Ans: Hyderabad
The objective : to build in-house capability to improves its current performance
and drive higher top-line growth through innovation.

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Que:The ‘AutoFirst’ application has been launched by which bank to offer fully automated auto loans?
Ans: HDFC Bank
• HDFC Bank has announced to launch the following two initiatives/applications to give a digital push to
small business loans.
• ‘AutoFirst’ application: that will offer fully automated auto loans.
• SmartHub Vyapar programme– It is an app that bundles all payment platforms – cards, UPI, QR code,
tap pay and SMS-based payments. The programme for merchants will be launched soon and is in the
pilot phase.

ICICI Bank partners with IPL team Chennai Super Kings for co-branded credit card
• Called ‘Chennai Super Kings ICICI Bank Credit Card’, the card has been specially
designed with a range of exclusive privileges for millions of cricket fans of the iconic team.
• Four years ago, ICICI Bank launched a co-branded credit card with Manchester United, a professional
football club of England.

Que:RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has recently dedicated an Ink Manufacturing Unit “Varnika” an which place?
Ans: Mysuru
• Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL) has set up an Ink
Manufacturing Unit named “Varnika” in Mysuru, with an annual ink
manufacturing capacity of 1,500 MT to enhance the security of banknotes.
• BRBNMPL is a wholly owned subsidiary of RBI.

Que:Which bank has signed an MoU with the CBDT and CBIC for collection of Direct Taxes and Indirect Taxes?
Ans:Dhanlaxmi Bank
• Dhanlaxmi Bank has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
• Dhanlaxmi Bank, based in Kerala, was placed under the
• RBI’s Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework in November 2015 due to its poor
financial condition, and it was only last year that it was released. It has been
profitable since then.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has authorised the bank to
• collect different taxes based on a recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts.(Bharati
Das)
• Headquarters: Thrissur Founded: 14 November 1927

Que:Which company has become an official digital payments partner for the prime ministers’ museum?
Ans:Paytm
• It is offering its payment gateway, EDC (Electronic Data Capture) machines and QR code payment
options to make way for superfast, convenient and secure transactions.
• The museum, which is a tribute to former Prime Ministers of India,
• will be opened to the public on April 21, 2022. PM Modi also purchased the first
ticket of the museum before its inauguration
• It is constructed on the site of Teen Murti Estate.
• Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma Founded: August 2010

Que:According to the World Bank report, extreme poverty in India is declined by


in 2019 as compared to 2011.
Ans:12.3%
• The extreme poverty rate in India fell from 22.5% in
2011 to 10.2% in 2019 as per World Bank Policy
Research Working Paper.
• This represents a decline of 12.3 percentage points
in extreme poverty count between 2011 to 2019 in
the country.

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• The decline in rural areas was much higher than in urban areas.
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States President: David Malpass
• Founded: July 1944

Marginal Cost Of Funds-Based Lending Rates Raised:


• State Bank of India (SBI) raised the marginal cost of funds-based lending rates (MCLR)
for the first time in three years
• SBI raised the MCLR by 10 basis points (bps) across tenures to 7.1% (from 7% earlier); it is now slightly lower
than the 7.25% at HDFC Bank, Punjab
• National Bank, and ICICI Bank.
• MCLR, which RBI instituted with effect from April 1, 2016, is the lowest interest rate that a bank or lender
can offer.
• The MCLR system has replaced the base rate system that was introduced in the year 2010.

Que:Which regulator body launched the ideathon named ‘Manthan’?


Ans:SEBI
• SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch launched the ‘Manthan’, a six-week long ideathon, in
association with various institutions including BSE, NSE, NSDL, CDSL, KFintech, CAMS,
LinkInTime and MCX.
• It will facilitate the creation of a set of ideas and innovative solutions related to the securities market in India.
• The top ten winners of the ideathon stand would get cash prizes worth Rs 5,00,000
• Founded: 12 April 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Que:What is the name of the super app mobile application that will be launched by Tata Group in close competition
with Whatsapp, Google Pay, AmazonPay?
Ans:Tata Neu
• Tata Group has announced to launch its one-stop mobile app called Tata Neu.
• Tata Neu is being launched as a supper app where users can find everything, from groceries to
gadgets, and getaways.
• App will enable users to access all digital services and apps
• offered by Tata Group such as booking AirAsia flights, booking hotels at Taj Group, ordering groceries from
Bigbasket and many other services.

Que:Which bank has signed MoU with the Border Security Force (BSF) under the Central Armed Police Salary
Package (CAPSP) Scheme to offer financial security to the serving and retired personnel?
Ans:State Bank of India
• These may include complimentary Personal and Air Accidental Insurance (Death) cover, additional cover
in case of on-duty death, and Permanent Total Disability / Partial Disability cover, support in child
education and the marriage of girl children of deceased BSF personnel among other benefits.

Que:Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected India’s GDP to grow at for FY22.
Ans:7%
When was it established? 1966

Where is its head office located? Manilla, Philippines


How many members does it 68 shareholding members including 49 from the Asia and Pacific
have? region
Who was its first President? Takeshi Watanabe
Who is ADB’s current President? Masatsugu Asakawa ,He was the Special Advisor to Japan’s
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.
What is the purpose of ADB? To provide prosperity, inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability to
Asia and Pacific along with eradication of poverty

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FDI inflow at all-time high of $83.57 bn in 2021-22


• As per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India has recorded the "highest ever"
annual FDI inflow of USD 83.57 billion in 2021-22.
• In 2020-21, the inflow stood at USD 81.97 billion.
• FDI equity inflow in manufacturing sectors has increased by 76% in 2021-22 (USD 21.34 bn) compared to
2020-21.
• Top investors: Singapore (27%); USA (18%) and Mauritius (16%)
• Computer software and hardware attracted maximum inflows followed by the services sector and
automobile industry

Que: Which bank has launched ‘World Gold’, a new feature on its mobile banking platform for seniors and the
elderly?
Ans: Bank of Baroda
• It is a unique digital banking platform that has been designed to provide its senior customers with a simple,
smooth and secure mobile banking experience.
• This platform has easy navigation, large fonts, sufficient spacing and clear menus.
• Bank of Baroda (BoB):
• Founded: 20 July 1908
• Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat
• BoB Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia
• Tagline: India’s International Bank
• Amalgamated Banks: Dena Bank & Vijaya Bank in 2019

Bharti AXA launches financial literacy campaign for mothers


• ‘InspiHER- enabling an empowered future’.
• Bharti AXA Life Insurance is a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and AXA.
• The joint venture company has a 51% stake in Bharti and a 49% stake in AXA.
• Bharti AXA Life Insurance MD & CEO: Parag Raja
• Founded: 2007

NABARD plans Farmers Distress Index for allotment of support package


• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is planning to prepare a
farmer distress index to identify, track, and support distressed farmers.
• Under this, the government and the financial institutions can decide on an appropriate
package of support instead of a distress package for all the farmers across the board.

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)


• NABARD is a development bank focussing primarily on the rural sector of the country. It is the apex banking
institution to provide finance for Agriculture and rural development.
• Its headquarter is located in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital.
• It is a statutory body established in 1982 under Parliamentary act-National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development Act, 1981.
• Chairman: Shaji K V

Que: Which bank has become the first public sector bank to go live on the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem?
Ans: Union Bank of India
• The framework facilitates sharing of financial information on a real-time basis between regulated
entities.
• AAs are licensed by the RBI to enable the flow of data between Financial Information Providers (FIPs)
and Financial Information Users (FIUs).
• UBI Founded: 1919
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• MD & CEO: A. Manimekhalai

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Que: Which company has acquired table reservation platform Dineout for an undisclosed amount?
Ans: Swiggy
• Reports have noted that it is a $200-million deal. Dineout will continue to operate as an independent
app post the acquisition.
• Founded in 2012, Dineout enables users to discover restaurants in the city, make table reservations, and
enjoy discounts and privileges.

PNB MetLife launches India's first dental health insurance plan


PNB MetLife has tied up with more than 340 dental clinics to help customers to manage
their dental health.
MD& CEO: Ashish Kumar Srivastava

Que: Which bank has launched an online platform, ‘Trade nxt’, which enable corporate and MSMEs to transact all
export-import transactions from the comfort of their place?
Ans: Union Bank of India
• eliminates the need for companies to visit a bank branch for the same.
• It is a 24/7 safe and secure

Que: Indian government has made quoting of a Permanent Account Number (PAN) or Aadhaar number mandatory
for deposits or withdrawals of Rs. _______________ or more in a fiscal year, or for opening of current account or
cash credit account with a bank.
Ans: Rs 20 lakh
• A notification was issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• There is also a requirement for quoting PAN on bank deposits of over ₹50,000 made
in one day.

Zomato to acquire Blinkit for ₹4,447 crore in all-stock deal


• Zomato (Online food delivery platform) has announced to acquire Blinkit, which was
earlier known as Grofers, in an all-stock deal of Rs 4,447 crore.
• Last year, Zomato had bought a 10% stake in Blinkit for about $100 million.
• Founder & CEO Zomato: Deepinder Goyal
• Founded: July 2008
• Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana, India

Tamil Nadu becomes the largest State in outstanding microfinance loan


• Tamil Nadu, replaced West Bengal to become the largest state in terms of
outstanding portfolio of microfinance loans.
• It was followed by Bihar (₹35,941 crore) and West Bengal (₹34,016 crore).
• The gross loan portfolio of India’s microfinance industry grew 10% in 2021-22 to ₹2.85 trillion, according
to data released by industry association Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN)

Que:Which bank launched a digital platform ‘Campus Power’, first-of-its-kind to address the needs of the students
aspiring to pursue higher education in India and abroad?
Ans: ICICI Bank
• The platform assists users to explore financial products matching their needs ranging from bank accounts
including overseas accounts, education loans and its tax benefit, foreign exchange solutions, payment
solutions, cards, other loans, and investments.
• The first branch has been set up at IIT Kanpur and seven more will be added to the campuses of top
institutes across India.
• About Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank
• Founded – 1994
• MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi

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Que: What is the GST rate that will be levied on fees charged by banks for the issue of cheques?
Ans: 18 percent
• The 47th GST council meeting under the Chairmanship of Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt.
Nirmala Sitharaman in Chandigarh.
• In the meeting, the GST on LED Lamps, lights and fixtures, and their metal printed circuits board is raised
from 12 per cent to 18 per cent.
• In the case of the Solar Water Heater system GST was raised from 5 to 12 per cent
• Works contract for roads, bridges, railways, metro, effluent treatment plant,
crematoriums, etc. GST raised from 12 to 18 percent.
• GST rate on Tetra Packaging has been raised from 12 to 18 percent.
• Cut and Polished diamonds are up from 0.25 per cent to 1.5 percent.
• Pre –packed & labelled food item like meat, fish, curd, paneer and honey will now
attract 5% GST.
• All rate changes recommended by the 47th GST Council will be made effective from 18th July, 2022.
• The Indian national flag, irrespective of whether machine made or of polyester, is exempt from the Goods
and Services Tax (GST). Hand-woven, hand-spun national flags made of cotton, silk, wool or Khadi are
already exempt from GST.
• The Flag Code of India, 2002 was amended in December 2021, and tricolour made of polyester or machine-
made flags have been allowed.

Axis Bank signed an MoU with Indian Air Force to manage salary accounts
• best-in-class benefits and features under its ‘Power Salute’ initiative for defence
personnel.
• benefits such as personal accidental cover of up to Rs 56 lakh, total permanent
disability cover benefit of Rs 46 lakh, air accident cover of Rs 1 crore among others.

Que: Uni-verse is the Metaverse Virtual Lounge of which bank?


Ans: Union Bank of India
• State-led Union Bank of India launched a Metaverse-based virtual lounge where it will showcase its
products to customers virtually
• UBI is the first Indian bank to open a virtual shop for publicity.

Que:RBI has hiked the minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) with deposits
above Rs 100 crore to _____ percent from 9.0 percent.
Ans:12
Capital Adequacy Ratio is also known as Capital to Risk Assets Ratio, is the ratio of a
bank's capital to its risk.
This is based on recommendations of a panel headed by N S Vishwanathan, former
Deputy Governor set up in February 2021
In India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates the CAR for scheduled commercial banks to be 9%, and for
public sector banks, the CAR to be maintained is 12%.

About Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Four currencies note printing presses
Founded – 1 April 1935 Nashik in Maharashtra owned by Govt of India
RBI Nationalized – 1 January 1949 Dewas in Madhya Pradesh owned by Govt of India
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra Mysuru in Karnataka owned by RBI
RBI set up – Hilton Young Commission Salboni in West Bengal owned by RBI
1st Governor – Sir Osborne Smith (Australia)
1st Indian Governor – CD Deshmukh Four mints owned by the Government of India
25th Governor – Shaktikanta Das Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta and Noida

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Que:Which bank will be among the world’s top 10 most valuable banks after its merger with its
parent?
Ans: HDFC Bank
combined market cap of HDFC Bank and HDFC would be around USD 160 billion.
The country’s largest lender SBI ($57 billion) is at number 32.
Recently in April, RBI approved HDFC Bank’s proposed merger with parent and mortgage
lender Housing Development Finance Corp Ltd (HDFC).

UPI expands to UK, provides hassle-free digital transactions


The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is ready to foray into the UK market starting with QR code-
based transactions.
The NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) has partnered with payments solutions provider,
PayXpert to internationalise the acceptance of its payment solutions in the UK.
UAE, Japan, the US, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal and France are already accepting UPI payment services.
NIPL is the wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Que: Which company has signed MoUs with Assam, Manipur, and Tripura governments for the development and
promotion of oil palm cultivation under a central scheme?
Ans: Godrej Agrovet
Godrej Agrovet is the largest oil palm processor in India and works directly with farmers for the
entire crop cycle.
It will be allotted land across the three states for the promotion and development of sustainable
palm oil plantations in the region.
Godrej Agrovet’s palm oil is currently present in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Orissa,
Goa, Maharashtra, and Mizoram.
In August 2021, the government launched the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm scheme with a planned outlay
of Rs 11,040 crore.
Under this mission, the government has envisaged to raise the area under cultivation of oil palm to 10 lakh hectares
by 2025-26 and 16.7 lakh hectares by 2029-30 with special focus on the North East region and the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.

PMJDY completes eight years of successful implementation


Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the National Mission for Financial Inclusion has
completed eight years of successful implementation on August 28.
The PMJDY was announced by PM Modi in 2014
Data under PMJDY:
More than 46.25 crore bank accounts opened under PMJDY since inception.
Over 1,73,0000 crore rupees deposited
Women: 56% are Jan-Dhan account holders
67% of Jan Dhan accounts are in Rural and semi-urban areas.

New Changes In Atal Pension Yojana (APY)


Atal Pension Yojana was started with the aim of providing pension facilities to those working in
the unorganised sector in 2015.
And as a result, the Ministry of Finance has now decided not to allow income taxpayers to apply for the APY scheme.
The new order issued by Finance Ministry will come into effect from October 1, 2022.
According to the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on August 10, any citizen who is or has been
an income tax payer according to the Income Tax Act will not be eligible to join the Atal Pension Yojana from
October 1, 2022.

Atal Pension Yojana Entry Rules:


According to the current Atal Pension Yojana rules, any Indian citizen aged between 18-40 and having a savings
account with any bank or post office can apply for the scheme.

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Benefits:
1)It provides a minimum guaranteed pension ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 on attaining 60 years of age.
2)The amount of pension is guaranteed for lifetime to the spouse on death of the subscriber.
3)In the event of death of both the subscriber and the spouse, the entire pension corpus is paid to the nominee.

SBI topped the debit card market and HDFC leads credit card
As per the latest data collated by PGA Labs shows that, the State Bank Of India has topped
debit cards market with a 30% market share, as of June 2022.
Followed by Bank of Baroda (8% market share)
HDFC Bank also topped the charts in the credit cards segment with a market share of 22%, followed by SBI (18%)

Que State Bank of India has launched its first dedicated branch for Startups in which city?
Ans: Bengaluru
in Koramangala, Bengaluru
Apart from providing funding and regular banking service to start-ups, SBI will also support such
players through associated services such as investment banking, treasury operations, advisory and other
ancillary financial services through its subsidiaries.
The branch will provide services ranging from the stage of formation of start-ups to Initial Public Offerings and
Follow-on Public Offerings

Que: In a first, which bank has opened its all-women branch in Kozhikode, north Kerala?
Ans: HDFC Bank
HDFC has opened its first all-women branch with four women bankers in the north Kerala region in Kozhikode.
As on March 31, 2022, women constituted 21.7 percent of the HDFC workforce and the target is to increase it to
25 percent by 2025.
Founded – August 1994
Founder – Hasmukhbhai Parekh
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Tagline – We understand your world

Rajasthan with highest share in cost of projects approved by banks: RBI


An RBI article has revealed Rajasthan has accounted for the highest share in the total cost of
projects sanctioned by banks and financial institutions in FY22.
The state has retained the top position for two consecutive years.
Uttar Pradesh at the second position followed by Gujarat.
State-wise data reveals that during 2021-22, more than half (56.4 percent) of the projects
were taken up in five states, viz., Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and
Tamil Nadu.

India surpasses United Kingdom to become World’s 5th biggest economy


India has surpassed the United Kingdom to become the world’s 5th biggest economy.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecasted that India is overtaking the UK in
terms on an annual basis this year.
Top four: The US, China, Japan and Germany.
The calculation is based in US dollars and India has extended its lead in the first quarter.

RBI launches pilot project to digitise Kisan Credit Card


The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a pilot project for end-to-end digitization of Kisan
Credit Card (KCC) lending.
Objective: To make it more efficient and reduce costs for borrowers.
States for pilot project: Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with Union Bank of India and Federal Bank, respectively
KCC scheme was introduced in 1998.
Subsequently, in December 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Revised Scheme to Kisan Credit Card
(KCC)

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Que: Which Small Finance Bank has launched a ‘Rainbow Savings Account’ exclusively for the transgender
community?
Ans: ESAF Small Finance Bank Limited
RBI in 2015 directed banks to include a separate column ‘third gender’ in all their forms and
applications.
Founded- 10 March 2017
Headquarters– Thrissur, Kerala

HDFC Bank launched ‘Bank on Wheels’ in Gujarat


as a part of Rural Banking service – Pilot project.
Aim: To increase the accessibility of Bank in rural area
Bank on Wheels:
Bank vans will visit remote villages located 10 - 25 km from the nearest branch.
The vehicle will also make two weekly trips to each community.

Que: Which is the first Indian bank to get RBI approval for rupee trade?
Ans: UCO Bank
It will open a special vostro account with Gazprom bank of Russia for trade settlement in Indian rupees.
In July, RBI allowed Indian banks to settle trade in Indian currency.
UCO Bank was formerly known as United Commercial Bank which was established in 1943 in Kolkata.

Union Bank of India opens ethical hacking lab


Union Bank of India has inaugurated ‘Ethical Hacking Lab’ at the Cyber security Centre of
Excellence (CCoE) in Hyderabad.
Aim: To build cyber defence mechanism to safeguard the Bank’s Information Systems, Digital
Assets, Channels etc against potential cyber threats.
The Ethical Hacking Lab was inaugurated by Ms. A. Manimekhalai (MD & CEO, Union Bank of India).
Union Bank of India HQ: Mumbai

SBI surpassed Rs 5 trillion market cap


SBI hit the Rs 5-trillion-mark in market capitalization (market cap) for the first time.
SBI stood at the 7th position in the overall market cap ranking, according to the data
from BSE.
SBI has become the third lender in the country to cross the market cap of Rs 5 trillion.
HDFC Bank, India’s largest private lender holds first rank in this list, with a market cap of
Rs 8.38 trillion, followed by ICICI Bank, which has a market cap of Rs 6.33 trillion.
SBI Founded – 1 July 1955
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara

SBI Foundation, WWF India join hands for Red Panda transboundary conservation
In Sikkim and Darjeeling, Kalimpong District of West Bengal
to generate fine-scale information on Red Panda species at a transboundary level and engage
with communities in safeguarding them in the Khangchendzonga landscape of Sikkim and West Bengal.
International Red Panda Day is celebrated every year on the third Saturday of September to support Red Panda
conservation.
SBI Foundation is the CSR arm of the State Bank of India.

Defence Ministry signs MoU with BoB, HDFC under SPARSH


The Defence Ministry has signed an MoU with Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank under the
SPARSH (System for Pension Administration).
Aim: To cover pension of seventeen lakh defence pensioners across the country
Till now, the SPARSH initiative has crossed one million pensioners onboard mark and disbursed
11,600 crore rupees in the 2021-22

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Que: Which institution has unveiled a detailed framework for Social Stock Exchange (SSE)?
Ans: SEBI
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
It specifies minimum requirements for a Not-for-Profit Organisation (NPO) for registration and disclosure
requirements.
SEBI earlier notified rules for Social Stock Exchange (SSE) to provide social enterprises with an additional avenue to
raise funds.
SSE was first floated by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech for the financial year 2019-20.
social enterprises will have to engage in a social activity out of 16 broad activities listed by the regulator.

GDP FORECAST FOR THE WORLD

Organization 2022-23 2023-24

World Bank Global EconomicProspect 2022 4.1% 3.2%

IMF World Economic Outlook 2022 3.6% 3.6%

OECD 4.4% 3.2%


Morgan Stanley 2.9% 3.5%
S&P Ratings 2.7% 2.6%

Fitch Ratings ‘Global EconomicOutlook – March 2022’ 3.5% 2.8%

GDP FORECAST OF INDIA

Organization FY22 (2021-22) FY23 (2022-23)


Fitch 8.4% 7% (7%, 2023-24)
HSBC Bank 11.2%
RBI forecasted 9.5% 6.8% (6.3%, 2023-24)

Moody 8.8% for calendar year 2022 7%

Asian Development Bank (ADB) 7% (8%, 2023-24)

World Bank 8.3% 6.9% (6.8%,2023-24)

World Economic Outlook released by


9% 6.8%(6.9%. 2023-24)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
FICCI 9.1% 7.4%
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
9.4% 6.6% for FY235.7% For FY24
Development (OECD)
Goldman Sachs 9.1% 6.9% (2022),5.9% (2023)
CRISIL 9.5% 7% (6% FY24)
UN (United Nation) 4.6% 6.4% (6%, 2023-24)
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) 9.5%

India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) 8.6% 7-7.2%

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Economy Survey 11% 8-8.5%


National Council of Applied Economic Research
(NCAER)
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 9.5% 7% (6.5%,2023-24)
ICRA 8.5% 7.2%
State Bank of India (SBI) 6.8%
Morgan Stanley 10.5% 7.2% (6.7%,2023-24)

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das inaugurates the FIBAC 2022


• one of the largest annual banking conferences of Asia
• organized by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Indian
Banks’ Association (IBA) on 2nd and 3rd of November 2022 at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Theme of the Conference: 'Helping India step change its growth: How tech enabled banking can contribute
to realization of $5 trillion economy goal’.

RBI launched Digital Rupee pilot for wholesale segment


• launched on November 1, 2022
• Participated Banks: SBI, BoB, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank,
Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank and HSBC
• Digital Rupee/ Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)
• a digital/ electronic form of currency notes issued by a central bank, that can be used in
contactless transactions.
• Classified into two types: Retail (CBDC-R) and Wholesale (CBDC-W)
• CBDC-R: It would be potentially available for use by all.
• CBDC-W: It is designed for restricted access to select financial institutions.

KVG Bank received award for Atal Pension Yojana enrolment


• Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) has bagged the national award from
Pension Fund regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) for significant
enrolment under Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
• This achievement is highest among all other banks in South India.
• APY scheme was launched on 9th May, 2015, with the objective of creating a
universal social security system for all Indians, especially the poor, the under-
privileged and the workers in the unorganised sector.
• Administered By: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority through National Pension System
(NPS).
• Eligibility: Any citizen of India can join the APY scheme. The age of the subscriber should be between 18-40
years.
• Provided that from 1st October,2022, any citizen who is or has been an income-tax payer, shall not be
eligible to join APY

Vistara to merge with Air India by 2024


• The Tata Sons Company has announced that Vistara Airlines will be merged with Air
India by March 2024. Tata sons is the owner of Air India.
• Vistara Airlines is a joint venture of the Tata Sons and the Singapore Airlines which
started its operation in 2015. Tata group owns a 51 percent stake in Vistara, and the remaining 49 percent
shareholding is with Singapore Airlines (SIA).
• After the merger of both the Airlines, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1% stake in Air India
• The Tata group also plans to merge its Air India Express and AirAsia India with Air India by 2024.
• Air India was founded by JRD Tata in 1932 which was nationalized by the Government in 1953.
• However, the government sold back the company back to Tata Group for Rs 18,000 cores in January 2022.

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• After this merger, Air India will become the largest international carrier of India and second largest domestic
airline.
• InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. with the brand name IndiGo is the largest domestic airline in the country.
• Air India MD and CEO: Campbell Wilson
• Headquarters of Air India: New Delhi

Bank of Baroda board to divest majority stake in Nainital Bank


• The board of directors of the Bank of Baroda has approved the divestment of its majority
shareholding in Nainital Bank Limited (NBL).
• Presently, the bank holds 98.57% of the total equity share capital Nainital Bank Limited.
• The Bank of Baroda had taken over Nainital Bank in 1973 on the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Nainital Bank has about 150 branches across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Jindal Shadeed Group to set up a $3 billion green steel plant in Oman


• The hydrogen-ready steel project will have a capacity to produce 5 million tonnes of steel
a year. The proposed new green steel plant will use natural gas for the production of
steel.
• Jindal Shadeed Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Naveen Jindal’s Jindal Steel and
Power Limited (JSPL) Company.
• What is Green Steel?
• Green steel is the manufacturing of steel without the use carbon intensive fossil fuels. The steel is produced
by using low-carbon energy sources such as hydrogen, natural gas, coal gasification, or electricity instead of
the traditional carbon-intensive manufacturing route of coal-fired plants.

Que: Which country is the largest trading partner of India after China and US, as of 2022?
Ans: UAE
• The India-UAE trade is valued at USD 72.8 billion in 2021-22, making the UAE India’s third
largest trading partner after China and US.
• Abu Dhabi has identified priority sectors including agri-tech, tourism, healthcare, pharma
and financial services, where Indian enterprises can invest.

IRDAI to Introduce ‘Bima Vahaks’ to Expand Insurance Force

• To enhance the insurance force in India the Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI) will soon introduce “Bima Vahaks” in each gram panchayat.
• ‘Bima Vahak’ would be tasked to sell and service simple parametric bundled insurance products, Bima Vistar,
covering health, property, life, and personal accident.
• The insurance companies have adopted a state each and with the help of state governments are looking to
develop state-level insurance plans.
• Founded: 1999
• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Chairperson: Debasish Panda

India will become third largest economy by 2037 : CEBR

• The United Kingdom based economics consultancy firm Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR)
has predicted that India will become the third-largest economy by 2037, after the United States of America
and China
• Its annual report titled ‘World Economic League Table’ - 14th edition

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• It says that in the next five years India's annual economic growth is expected to average 6.4%. After that, the
growth is expected to average 6.5% in the subsequent nine years.
• It expects the Indian economy to grow by 6.8% in 2022-23.

According to the SBI EcoWrap report India is likely to become the 3rd largest economy in 2029.
According to the IMF India is likely to overtake Great Britain and become the 5th largest economy in 2022-23
after the United States, China, Japan and Germany.

India’s first-ever ‘Surety Bond Insurance’ for infrastructure projects launched


• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari launched one of
India’s first-ever Surety Bond Insurance product from Bajaj Allianz.
• Surety Bond Insurance will act as a security arrangement for infrastructure projects
• The Surety Bond Insurance is a risk transfer tool and shields the Govt. from the losses that may arise in case
the contractor fails to perform their contractual obligation.
• Unlike a bank guarantee, the Surety Bond Insurance does not require large collateral from the contractor
• The product will facilitate the growth of upcoming infrastructure projects in the country.

PNB Housing Finance opens 'Roshni' branches to push its affordable housing financing
scheme
Under the Roshini initiative, PNB Housing Finance will offer retail home loans to individuals
in the range of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
PNB Housing Finance Limited
• PNB Housing Finance Limited is a subsidiary company of Punjab National Bank.
• It is a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) which provides housing loans to individuals and corporations.
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer: Girish Kousgi
• Tagline: Ghar Ki Baat

Defence
ISRO
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Founded: 15 August 1969
Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
Chairman :Shri S. Somanath
In 1975 India launched its first satellite Aryabhatta
MARS ORBITER MISSION: On 5 November 2013 India made history by becoming the first country to successfully
launch its orbiter craft in the very first attempt and that too in a budget of a Hollywood movie .
Chandrayaan-1 :22 Oct 2008 – 28 Aug 2009
Rocket: PSLV-XL C11
Chandrayaan-2:22 July 2019
Rocket: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III

Que:What is the name of India's first Venus Mission?


Ans: Shukrayaan-I
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch India's first Venus Mission 'Shukrayaan-I' in December
2024 window.
If ISRO misses this window, the next time similar window would be available only in 2031.
Venus is the second planet from the sun and the hottest planet in the solar system with a surface temperature of
500C – high enough to melt lead.

Shukrayaan is scheduled to launch aboard India's GSLV Mk II rocket.


• Venus is one of just two planets that rotate from east to west. Only Venus and Uranus have this “backwards”
rotation.

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• Missions to Venus:
• Magellan – a Nasa mission that ended in 1994.
• Venus Express– A European mission- focused on atmospheric science.
• Akatsuki– Japanese spacecraft- focused on atmospheric science.

AstroSat: Witnessed The Birth Of a Black Hole In Space For The 500th Time
• A black hole is a place in space where gravity is so strong that
even light cannot escape its pull.
• AstroSat is India’s first multi-wavelength space telescope, which
has five telescopes seeing through different wavelengths
simultaneously visible, near UV, far UV, soft X-ray and hard X-
ray.
• AstroSat was launched on 28 September 2015 by ISRO into a near-Earth equatorial orbit.
• It has been studying Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB).
• GRBs shine about a million trillion times as bright as the Sun.

ISRO successfully tests human-rated HS200 solid rocket for Gaganyaan


• at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• HS200 is part of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle MkIII (GSLV Mk III)
rocket that will carry Indian astronauts to space.

GSAT-24: Indian Communication Satellite successfully launched by ISRO


NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) launched GSAT-24, following the space reforms leasing the
entire satellite’s capacity to Direct-to-Home (DTH) service provider Tata Play. This was the
company’s first “demand-driven” communication satellite mission.
The satellite, was successfully launched into geostationary orbit from Kourou in French Guiana
by the Ariane 5 rocket (South America).
The commercial arm of ISRO, NSIL was established in March 2019
Note:PSLV-C53, is the second dedicated commercial mission of the New Space India Limited,
Department of Space: carrying three Singapore satellites
Gaganyaan Mission
• Gaganyaan is a mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Under the Gaganyaan schedule (to be launched in 2023):
• Three flights will be sent into orbit.
• There will be two unmanned flights and one human spaceflight.
• The Gaganyaan system module, called the Orbital Module will have three Indian astronauts, including a
woman.
• It will circle Earth at a low-earth-orbit at an altitude of 300-400 km from earth for 5-7 days.

GSLV Mk III, also called the LVM-3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-3,) the three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle
In June 2019, the Human Space Flight Centre of the ISRO and the Russian government-owned Glavkosmos signed a
contract for the training, which includes Russian support in the selection of candidates, their medical examination,
and space training.
Vikas Engine: used to power India’s first human-carry rocket under Gaganyaan human space mission
Note:ISRO has renamed the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark -III as Launch Vehicle Mark-III.
This rocket can go anywhere - GEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit), MEO (Medium Earth Orbit), LEO (Low Earth Orbit).

Chandrayaan-2 spectrometer maps abundance of sodium on moon


According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the X-ray spectrometer CLASS
(Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer)
Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter has detected solar proton events, via its Large Area Soft X-ray
Spectrometer (CLASS). ISRO has detected ‘Solar proton events’ for the first time
CLASS was built at the U R Rao Satellite Centre of ISRO in Bengaluru.
Chandrayan 2 (2019) has orbiter, lander & rover, while The launch of Chandrayaan-3 (C-3) will be
onboard from the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3).
ISRO also plans to fly Indian astronauts into orbit by the end of 2024

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Que: What does N stands for in the proposed NGLV launch vehicle system of ISRO which may replace present
operational launch system of PSLV?
Ans: Next
NGLV (Next-Gen Launch Vehicle) is going to replace the current PSLV (Polar Satellite launch
Vehicle) in near future. NGLV is a three – staged heavy lift reusable vehicle with the payload
capability of 10,000 kg to Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and 20,000kg to
low earth orbit (LEO). It will have a semi-cryogenic propulsion for booster stages to make it
cost efficient.

ISRO launched 36 satellites on its heaviest rocket LVM3-M2


at Sriharikota spaceport in AP.
The LVM3-M2 mission was created specifically for a UK based communication firm,
OneWeb, by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
It is the first multi-satellite mission, carrying 36 OneWeb satellites to LEO as the largest
payload ever for LVM3 (5,796 kg).

ISRO launched earth observation satellite EOS-04


launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C52) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
The radar-imaging satellite, weighing 1710 kg, will be deployed into a sun-synchronous polar orbit of 529 km.
The EOS-04 satellite, also known as RISAT1, is a Radar Imaging Satellite.
It has been designed to provide high-quality images under all weather conditions. The images will be used for
applications such as agriculture, soil moisture and hydrology, forestry & plantations and flood mapping.

ISRO successfully test Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator


• It was designed and developed by ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
• The IAD was successfully test flown in Rohini-300 (RH300 Mk II) sounding rocket from Thumba
Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (Thiruvananthpuram, Kerala).
• IAD is a game-changer with multiple applications for future missions including to Mars and Venus.
• The IAD has systematically reduced the velocity of the payload through aerodynamic drag and followed the
predicted trajectory.
• The force on an object that resists its motion through a fluid is called drag. When the fluid is a gas like air, it is
called aerodynamic drag or air resistance.

Que:Which institution launched ‘SPARK’, virtual space tech park?


Ans: ISRO
As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
It was launched by ISRO Chairman S Somanath and the virtual space museum hosts several documents, images and
videos related to launch vehicles, satellites, scientific missions as well as pioneers of India’s space sector.

Que:What is the name of the satellite developed by 750 girls across 75 rural schools to be launched by ISRO?
Ans: AzaadiSAT
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched a Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
(SSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.It is the smallest and lightest
commercial rocket built by ISRO
• The rocket also carried the Indian tricolour, which was unfurled in space to mark the
75th year of independence.
• The SSLV carried EOS-02, an indigenously developed earth observation satellite, and Cubesat AzaadiSAT,
which was developed by 750 school girls across 75 schools in rural India.

Que:Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has decommissioned which communications satellite after 14-year
service?
Ans: INSAT-4B
• The INSAT-4B mission was launched on March 12, 2007 to render DTH and other communication services.
• The spacecraft had outlived its operational life of 12 years in the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
• The 3025-kilogram communication satellite was launched into space from French Guiana on an Ariane5
launch vehicle.

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DRDO
Date founded: 1958
HQ: New Delhi
Chairman: Samir V Kamat appointed DRDO chief, G Satheesh Reddy named as scientific adviser to
Rajnath Singh
Subsidiary: Gas Turbine Research Establishment

DRDO successfully tested India’s 1st Quantum Key Distribution Technology in Uttar Pradesh
• QKD is a secure communication method between defence and strategic agencies using cryptography that
can be achieved over a commercial-grade optical fibre.
• It enables two parties to produce a shared random secret key known only to them, which can then be used
to encrypt and decrypt messages.
• Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link between Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh and Vindhyachal, UP, a distance of
more than100 kilometers.

Indian Army to buy 12 more Made-in-India 'Swathi' weapon-locating radars for China border.
• The weapon-locating radars developed by the DRDO and built by Bharat Electronics
Limited had achieved major success and were supplied to Armenia as well.
• Swathi weapon-locating radars provide fast, automatic, and accurate location
of enemy weapons like mortars, shells and rockets within 50-kilometre range
• The Indian Army has been using the radars for its operations along the Line of
Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The system was given for trial in the Army in 2018.

Project P17A
Project 17 Alpha frigates (P-17A) were launched by the Indian Navy in 2019 to construct
a series of stealth guided-missile frigates.
These are currently being constructed by two companies - Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
(MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
The first stealth ship launched under Project 17A was the Nilgiri, which was launched
in 2019.
Udaygiri(named after the mountain ranges in Andhra Pradesh. ), the second ship, was launched
in May 2022, and will likely be commissioned in 2024.
‘Taragiri’, the third stealth frigate of project 17A was launched by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL) in Mumbai.
The ship is expected to be delivered by August 2025.
Taragiri is named after a hill range in the Himalayas located at Garhwal.
It will be fitted with a supersonic surface-to-surface missile system.
Present Status: Further, seven P17A Frigates are under various stages of construction at MDL and GRSE.
Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh Ji has launched the 4th P17A stealth frigate ‘Dunagiri’ (mountain range
in the state of Uttarakhand )into the Hooghly River in Kolkata. The Project 17A frigate has been built by Garden
Reach Shipbuilders Limited.

Project-15B
Four Guided missile Destroyers of Project 15B (P 15B) are under
construction at M/s Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. The
contract for construction of these four ships was signed in 2011.
These ships are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and
long-range Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM).
Presently, under the P-15B (Visakhapatnam Class), a total of four warships
are planned (Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal, Surat).
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the two frontline warships of the Indian Navy at Mazgaon Docks
Limited, Mumbai
• The first ship is Surat, which is the fourth and last of the stealth destroyers under the 'Project 15B'
programme.
• The second ship is Udaygiri, part of the 'Project 17A' frigate programme.

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India successfully test-fired VL-SRSAM missile system


• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed shipborne
weapon system, Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM), was
successfully test fired from Chandipur in Odisha.
• This missile system has been designed to strike at the high-speed airborne targets.
• Range: 40km to 50km
• This missile's design is based on Astra missile.
• Two key features: cruciform wings and thrust vectoring
Note:Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test-fired indigenously developed
Laser-Guided Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) from Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun Tank in Maharashtra's
Ahmednagar

India successfully tests Short-Range Ballistic Missile Prithvi-II


• from an integrated test range in Chandipur, Odisha.
• It is an indigenously developed, surface-to-surface missile.
• Range: 250 km and can carry one-ton payload.

India successfully test-fired Nuclear-capable Agni-4 Ballistic Missile


• Infrom APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
• Agni-IV can strike targets 4,000 km away.
• This missile is the fourth in the Agni series of missiles which is earlier known as Agni II prime.
• This missile was designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and
manufactured by the Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• Length of Agni IV: 20 metres

INS Vikrant
India’s First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)
• The IAC has been constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
• The IAC will use ski-jump technology for launching the aircraft from the carrier.
• The warship will operate MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31 helicopters, and MH-60R multi-role helicopters.
• It was named after INS Vikrant which played a vital role in the 1971 war (Decommissioned in 1997).
• It is powered by four Gas Turbines totalling 88 MW power.
• It has a maximum speed of 28 Knots.

India’s first mission to send Humans in deep Ocean


‘Samudrayaan’ mission, India’s first manned ocean mission to explore the deep sea waters will be
started soon.
With the launch of the unique ocean mission ‘Samudrayaan’ Mission in October 2021 India had joined
the elite club of nations like the USA, Russia, Japan, France, and China to owned niche technology and
vehicles to carry out subsea activities.
Samudrayaan Mission is intended to develop a self-propelled manned submersible to carry three human beings to a
water in the depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean.
It has a capability of 12 hours of operational period and 96 hours in case of emergency.
The estimated timeline of the mission is five years for the period 2020-2021 to 2025-2026.

DRDO conducts successful test flight of VSHORADS (Very Short-Range Air Defence System) missile
at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha
It is a Man Portable Air Defence System that is designed and developed by DRDO’s
Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO facilities
Use: To neutralize low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges

Que:Name the cargo vessel which has become the longest vessel ever to sail on the river Brahmaputra?
Ans: MV Ram Prasad Bismil
• The 90 meters long and 26 meters wide
• successfully completed the pilot run of heavy cargo movement from Syama Prasad
Mookerjee Port in Haldia, to Pandu port in Guwahati.

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• The cargo vessel was flagged off from the Haldia Dock in Kolkata by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways (PSW), Sarbananda Sonowal and docked at Pandu port in Guwahati.

Que:Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated a seven-storeyed Flight Control System
(FCS) Integration facility of DRDO in which city, which is built using in-house hybrid technology?
Ans: Bengaluru
• The facility is housed at Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE),
a laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Que:The Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) has signed an agreement with which company to build
India’s first indigenously developed dredger?
Ans: Cochin Shipyard Limited
• The agreement was signed on March 17, 2022, and the project is estimated to be
completed within 34 months, at a cost of around Rs 920 crore.

Que:The Indian Army version of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) has been developed by DRDO in
partnership with which country?
Ans: Israel
• DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of the MRSAM at Integrated Test Range,
Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

Que:Name the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile, which was
flight tested by DRDO recently?
Ans:HELINA
India has successfully flight-tested Helina, an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), in Pokhran.
According to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it is one of the most
advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world.
Helina has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad under the
Missiles and Strategic Systems (MSS) cluster of the DRDO.
Successful user trials of the missile have been conducted since 2018.

Other Anti-tank Missiles:


The DRDO has designed and developed a range of anti-tank missile technologies that include:
The Nag: It is a third-generation fire-and-forget missile developed for mechanized formations to engage heavily
fortified enemy tanks.
MPATGM: It stands for Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile which has a range of 2.5 kilometers, with fire-and-
forget and top attack capabilities for infantry use.
SANT: It is a Smart Stand-off Anti-Tank Missile being developed for launch from the Mi-35 Helicopter for the Air
Force’s anti-tank operations.
ATGM for MBT Arjun: ATGM for MBT Arjun is a laser-guided, precision-guided munition that is launched from the
120mm rifled gun of the Arjun tank to engage and defeat Explosive Reactive Armour-protected armoured targets.

India’s first FSRU “Hoegh Giant” arrived at Jaigarh Terminal, Maharashtra


• Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU)
• Sailed from Keppel Shipyard, Singapore
• The Jaigarh port is the 1st deepwater, 24×7 operational private port in Maharashtra

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gives “F-INSAS” system to Indian Army


• Future Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS)
• The full gear of the F-INSAS includes an AK-203 assault rifle, A helmet-mounted night vision
facility, hands-free headset for communication
• For the survivability of the infantry soldier, a ballistic helmet, ballistic goggles, bulletproof vest, elbow pads
and knee pads have been provided in the system.
• The helmet and vest can protect from 9 mm ammunition and AK-47 assault rifles.

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India unveils first Saline Water Lantern using sea water for LED lamps
Union Minister, Jitendra Singh has unveiled India’s first Saline Water Lantern named ‘Roshni’
which uses the sea water to power the specially designed LED lamps. It will bring Ease of Living
to the fishing community living along the 7500 km long coastal line of India.Saline water-
powered Roshini LED lamps will boost and supplement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s UJALA
scheme.It has been developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.

INS Nishank, INS Akshay decommissioned after 32 years in service


• These two ships also participated in Operation Talwar and Operation Parakram.
• (Operation Talwar was the naval operation carried out by the Indian Navy during the Kargil War of 1999.)
• The decommissioning event was conducted at Mumbai's Naval Dockyard
• Earlier, the Navy decommissioned INS Gomti after 34 years in service.
• 1. Gomati River, also called Gumti, tributary of the Ganga River.
• 2. It was commissioned in 1988 at Mazagon Dock Ltd, Bombay.
• 2001: Operation Parakram launched in the wake of terrorist attack on Parliament, was the first full-scale
mobilisation since the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
• 2004: The Rainbow initiative was launched to assist those affected by the Tsunami, in partnership with the
Sri Lankan government.

Que:DRDO successfully tested the Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR). The range of this technology is
Ans:350 km
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) began developing SFDR first in 2017 and had
conducted successful tests in 2018 and 2019 as well.
• Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats
at very long range at supersonic speeds. It has an extremely high projected range of 350 km.
• The SFDR has been developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad in
collaboration with other DRDO laboratories

Que:In April 2022, the Indian Air Force used which of its aircraft to successfully undertake live test-
firing of a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile?
Ans:Su30 MkI
• The missile hit the target with accuracy and precision.
• The BrahMos missile, an Indo-Russian joint venture, has a range of 290 km and is the fastest cruise missile in
the world with a top speed of Mach 2.8 (nearly three times the speed of sound).
• BrahMos is named for the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva.
• The range of the advanced version of the missile is learnt to have
been extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.
• It is a multiplatform missile i.e., it can be launched from land, air, and sea and multi capability missile
• It operates on the "Fire and Forgets" principle i.e it does not require further guidance after launch.

Que: Which country has inked deal with India to purchase BrahMos Shore-Based cruise Missile System for its
navy?
Ans: Philippines
• The estimated deal cost is worth $374 million.
• This is the first time India has a deal for exporting a missile which has been made in India under an Indo-
Russian Joint Venture.
• This agreement will give a big boost to India’s defence manufacturing system.

Project 75
The main objective of Project – 75 was to acquire 24 submarines. The project was approved by the
Ministry of Defence in 1997. In 1998, India started negotiating with DCN. DCN is Direction des
Constructions, a French defence contractor. India negotiated four Scorpene class submarines with
DCN. Of these two were to be built in Mazagon Dock Limited.
Construction of Six Submarines

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In 2005, under Project – 75, India signed a transfer of technology contract with the French. Under this contract six
submarines were to be constructed at the Mazagon Dock Limited.
Delivery of the submarines
INS Kalvari was the first submarine delivered under Project – 75. It was delivered in 2015.
INS Khanderi was the second submarine. It was commissioned in 2019.
INS Karanj was the third submarine. It was commissioned in March 2021.
INS Vela was the fourth submarine. It was commissioned in November 2021.
INS Vagir is the fifth submarine.
INS Vasgheer is the sixth submarine.

Indian Army
The Indian Army is the largest standing army in the world.
The motto of the Indian Army is “Service before Self”.
The army day is celebrated on January 15th every year commemorating the taking over
of the position of Commander in chief of the Indian army by field Marshal Kodandera
M. Cariappa from General Francis Roy Bucher in 1949.
The theme of the year 2022 is “In stride with the Future”
General Manoj Pande is the current 29th Chief of Army Staff and he took over the office on April 30, 2022.
General Pande is the first engineer to become the chief of army staff (COAS).
Note:The Desert Corps of the Indian Army organised the “Suraksha Manthan 2022” at Jodhpur (Rajasthan).

Que:Name the girl who becomes India’s first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as Combat Aviator.
Ans. Abhilasha Barak (from Haryana)
The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Army that was formed in November 1986.
In 2018, flying officer Avani Chaturvedi of the Indian Air Force scripted history by becoming
the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo.
In 2020, the Navy announced deploying its first batch of women pilots on the Dornier maritime aircraft.

India launching Project WARDEC AI-powered wargame centre


• The Army Training Command has signed an MoU with Rashtriya Raksha University
(RRU) to develop first-of-its-kind simulation-based training centre ‘Wargame
Research and Development Centre’ in New Delhi.
• A prototype name ‘WARDEC’ has been given to this project and use artificial intelligence
(AI) to design virtual reality wargames.
• The centre will be used by the Army to train its soldiers and test their strategies through “metaverse-enabled
gameplay”.
• The BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB, in addition to the armed forces, might benefit from metaverse-enabled
simulation exercises for enhanced training.

India’s eastern-most military garrison of Kibithu named after Bipin Rawat


The strategically important Kibithu Military Garrison on the banks of Lohit
Valley along the Line of Actual Control were named after India’s first Chief of
Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.
Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Rima post is just opposite the Indian garrison.
The small hamlet in the area is inhabited by Meyor and Jarkin tribes.

Kargil War: Point 5140 at Dras in Kargil sector named as Gun Hill
Indian Armed Forces and pay tribute to the supreme sacrifice of the Gunners
in “Operation Vijay”, Point 5140 at Dras in the Kargil sector has been
christened as Gun Hill

HAL
Founded: 23 December 1940, Bengaluru
Defence Ministry appoints C B Ananthakrishnan as HAL's Chairman & MD
• Founder: Walchand Hirachand

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HAL signs contract for export of Advanced Light Helicopter to Mauritius police force
The move is also in line with Government’s vision to boost defence exports to
friendly nations.

Rajnath Singh inducted indigenously-developed LCH "Prachanda" into IAF


Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) in the Indian Air Force at Air Force Station,
Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
It was developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
LCH has a range of 550 km and an operational ceiling of 6500 m.
LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take-off at an altitude of 5,000 m with a
considerable load of weapons and fuel.
It is armed with air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, 70 mm rockets and a 20 mm gun.

Rustom-2:
The indigenous Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) is expected to complete all user trials by August 2023
Rustom-2 is also known as Tapas-BH (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial
Surveillance-Beyond Horizon 201).
designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, with Hindustan Aeronautics
Ltd. (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd.
High endurance UAVs are a priority requirement for the Indian armed forces especially in view of the stand-off with
China in eastern Ladakh.

Tejas Mark-2 Project approved by Cabinet Committee on Security


PM Modi-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved Tejas Mark-2 Project.
The Committee sanctioned Rs 6500 crore for designing and development of Tejas Mark-2 fighter jet.
The LCA Mk-2, equipped with a more powerful engine, is expected to succeed fighters like the Mirage-2000s, Jaguars
and MiG-29s in the IAF's fleet
The first high-speed trial of the jet will start in 2023 and we expect the production to start somewhere around 2025
The IAF currently has 30 fighter squadrons as against the sanctioned strength of 42, which is insufficient at a time
when the country faces threats from both China and Pakistan.

Specification / Feature Tejas Mark-2 (Sanctioned) Tejas Mark-1 (Existing)


Engine GE-414 GE-404
Peak Power 98 Kilonewton 83 Kilonewton
Payload Capacity 4 Tonnes 3 Tonnes
Radar Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar ELTA EL/M-2032 multi-mode radar.
To Replace Mirage-2000s, Jaguars and MiG-29s MiG-21s

President Murmu inaugurates HAL's Cryogenic Engines Manufacturing Facility


Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru.
The Cryogenic engines are used by ISRO for its satellite launch operations.
Cryogenic engine makes use of Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) as propellants which
liquefy at -183 deg C and -253 deg C respectively.

Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV)


Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

Que:Which Indian Naval Ship’s marine engineering centre has been recognized as
the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Marine Engineering by Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)?
Ans: INS Shivaji
• The Centre of Excellence in Marine Engineering was set up at the
INS Shivaji in 2014

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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to set up office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to promote its products and
services in Southeast Asia
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed an MoU for establishing
an office in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
• The office in Malaysia will help HAL in tapping the new business opportunities

Que:The Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has signed an agreement with which country to convert civil passenger
aircraft to “Multi Mission Tanker Transport” (MMTT) aircraft in India?
Ans:Israel
• This initiative will help India to become self- dependant in refuelling the
jets mid-air.
• At present, the Indian Air Force and Navy jets depend on Russian-made IL-78 to refuel mid-air.
• Once, HAL converts the pre-owned civil aircraft into air refueling aircraft with cargo and transport capabilities,
these planes will replace the the IL- 78 mid-air refueller..

Que:Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with which country’s army for the second phase of
flying training on Chetak Helicopter for six officers?
Ans:Nigeria
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with the Nigerian
Army for the second phase of flying training on Chetak Helicopter for six officers.

Dornier 228 aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) takes first commercial flight from
Dibrugarh (Assam) to Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh)
• Made-in-India Dornier 228 takes off on maiden commercial flight from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh
• “Alliance Air is the first airline to embark upon the journey of operating the
made-in-India aircraft and contributing towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative,” he said.
• For better connectivity for Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns with their closest city hubs with the vision
of “connecting new India”.

Que:Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is set to build India’s first indigenous hydrogen-fuelled electric
vessels at __________.
Ans: Cochin Shipyard

Indian Navy
Indian Navy is the naval wing of the Indian Armed Forces. It is a blue-water navy
that operates in the Persian Gulf region, the Horn of Africa to the Strait of Malacca.
President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy.
Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval the Staff (CNS)
Indian Navy’s motto is “Sham no Varunah”, which means “may the god of water, Varuna is
protecting us”.
The Indian Navy Day is celebrated on December 4 every year to remember Operation
Trident.(during the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971)
The Prime Minister unveil the new Ensign (flag) of the Indian Navy in Kochi to mark the launch
of India's first aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
The previous ensign carried the Saint George’s Cross with the Tricolour in the canton (top left corner of the flag).
The famous Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was the inspiration for the new naval ensign.

Que:The Indian Navy recently inducted two MH-60 R multirole helicopters from which country?
Ans: United States
The MH-60R (Romeo) is the most advanced marine multi-mission helicopter
which is in use currently.
The delivery of all 24 MH 60R helicopters will be completed by 2025.
In 2019, the United States had approved the sale of 24 MH-60R multi-mission helicopters to
India under its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

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Que:India has gifted Dornier 228 Maritime surveillance aircraft to which neighbouring country?
Ans: Sri Lanka
• to Sri Lanka Navy, in Colombo
• another aircraft would be donated within 2 years.
• Sri Lankan government in 2018 had requested for two Dornier Reconnaissance
Aircraft to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of the island nation
• The Dornier aircrafts are manufactured by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL).

Que:Airport Authority of India (AAI) has signed an MoU with which of the naval command to boost connectivity
under Udaan Scheme?
Ans: Andaman Nicobar Command
• As per the MoU, naval airfields at Shibpur (in Diglipur) in North Andaman and
in Campbell Bay will be utilized for civil operations.
• Passenger flights will be connecting Port Blair directly to Diglipur and Campbell Bay,
the two extreme corners of the archipelago.
• A low-cost 20-passenger flight to be operated between these islands
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands were formed due to collision between Indian Plate
and Burma Minor Plate [part of Eurasian Plate][Similar to formation of Himalayas].
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands are southward extension of Arakan Yoma range
[Myanmar], which are an extension of Purvanchal Hills.
• This archipelago is composed of 265 big and small islands
• The Andaman islands are divided into three main islands i.e. North, Middle and South.
• Duncan passage separates Little Andaman from South Andaman.

Indian Navy commissions first ALH Squadron INAS 324


• at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.
• This is the first Naval Squadron on the Eastern Seaboard operating indigenously
designed and built Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III (MR) helicopters.
• This has been named as ‘Kestrels’, after a prey bird species, that has good sensory
capabilities

Que:Which armed force has commissioned ALH MKIII Squadron INAS 325?
Ans: Indian Navy
• Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 325, the indigenously-built Advanced
Light Helicopter MK III, has been commissioned into the Indian Navy,
in a boost to its combat capability.
• at INS Utkrosh naval air station in Port Blair.
• It has been developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL), Bengaluru.

Eastern Naval Command conducts offshore security exercise ‘Prasthan’


• in the Krishna Godavari Basin Offshore Development Area (ODA)
• The exercise is conducted every six months.
• It aims to integrate the efforts of all maritime stakeholders involved
in offshore defence.

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India’s first naval shooting range opened in Visakhapatnam


Vice Admiral, Biswajit Dasgupta has inaugurated Composite Indoor Shooting
Range (CISR), a first of its kind firing range for all primary and secondary weapons
in the Navy, on the premises of INS Karna near Bheemili, Andhra Pradesh.

Que: Name the decommissioned Indian Naval Ship which has been handed over to Diu administration to be
developed as a full-scale museum in memory of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War Heroes.
Ans: INS Khukri
The ship commissioned on 23rd August 1989 in Mumbai was built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.

National Supercomputing Mission


National Supercomputing Mission was launched in the year 2015 at an estimated cost
of Rs. 4500 crores over seven years.
PARAM 8000, considered to be India’s first supercomputer was indigenously built in 1991
by C-DAC(Centre for Development in Advanced Computing).
PARAM PORUL: Supercomputer that was inaugurated at NIT Tiruchirappalli
Param Ananta Supercomputer commissioned at IIT, Gandhinagar
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates Supercomputer facility ‘PARAM KAMRUPA’ at IIT Guwahati
Supercomputers Installed & Commissioned in India as a part of NSM
Name Speed Location
PARAM Shivay 833 TF IIT BHU Varanasi
PARAM Shakti 1.66 PF IIT Kharagpur
PARAM Brahma 797 TF IISER Pune
PARAM Sanganak 1.66 PF IIT Kanpur
PARAM Seva 833 TF IIT-H
PARAM Yukti 833 TF JNCASR
PARAM Smriti 833 TF NABI Mohali
PARAM Utkarsh 833 TF C-DAC B
PARAM Sidhi 5.26 PF National AI Facility CDAC-Pune
PARAM Pravega 3.3 PF IISC
PARAM Ganga 1.66 PF IIT Roorkee

Frontier becomes the world’s fastest supercomputer


• US built supercomputer, Frontier becomes the world’s fastest supercomputer.
• Frontier was built by using Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) architecture
and equipped with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors.

• Speed:1.1 exaflops
• According to the 59th edition of the Top500 list of the world’s most powerful
supercomputers unveiled by Germany, US Frontier Overtakes Japan’s Fugaku
As World’s Most Powerful Supercomputer

Que:What is ‘Hermit’, which was seen in the news recently?


Ans: Spyware
• Hermit is the name of the latest sophisticated spyware seen in the news.
• It is believed to have targeted iPhones and Android devices in Italy and Kazakhstan.
• The spyware has been developed by an Italian vendor called RCS Lab.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)


There are 30 NATO countries at present.
• Founded: 4 April 1949, Washington, D.C., United States
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
• Secretary General:Mr. Jens Stoltenberg

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Exercises ‘Defender Europe 2022’


• The United States Armed Forces has organised the DEFENDER-Europe 22 exercise to build preparedness and
interoperability between Allies and partners of the USA and NATO.
• Held in Poland and 8 other countries
• Exercise Swift Response is an annual U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercise
• cyber Defence exercise Locked Shields:Held in Tallinn, Estonia
• NATO organised “Winter Camp” exercise in Estonia

Que:West Central Railway has developed a battery-operated dual-mode


locomotive named ____.
Ans: Navdoot
• This engine runs on both modes i.e. battery and electricity.
• This Dual Mode Locomotive has also received the Best Innovation
Award from the Railway Board.
• Currently, it is being used during the shunting of trains at Jabalpur,
Mudwara, and other stations on a trial basis.
• Railways will save 1000 litres of diesel every day with this new locomotive.
• 3 divisions in the West Central Railway zone, -Jabalpur, Bhopal, and Kota railway division.

Que: Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has launched a special type of solar stove. What is the name of this solar stove?
Ans: Surya Nutan
• This stove will run entirely on solar energy.
• Surya Nutan Chulha is rechargeable and used indoor cooking stove.
• This stove was launched at the residence of Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Delhi.
• IOC Founded – 30 June 1959
• Headquarters – New Delhi
• Chairman – Shrikant Madhav Vaidya
• Owner – Government of India (52.1%)

Bharat Electronics signs MoU with Belarus firm for Airborne Defence Suite
• Bharat Electronics Limited has signed an MoU with Defence Initiatives (DI),
Belarus, and Defense Initiatives Aero Pvt Ltd, India (a subsidiary of DI Belarus).
• Reason: To supply of Airborne Defence Suite (ADS) for helicopters of the
Indian Air Force (IAF).
• BEL
• Founded: 1954, Bengaluru
• CMD:Dinesh Kumar Batra

Que: Which country’s defence company ‘Saab’ has been selected by the Indian Armed Force
for the supply of single-shot anti-armour weapon AT4?
Ans: Sweden
• AT4 will be used by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

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• AT4 will be operated by a single soldier and its single-shot system


has proven efficacy against structures landing craft helicopters
armoured vehicles and personnel.
• Capital: Stockholm
• Currency: Swedish krona

Que: ‘Seema Bhawani’ is the name of which team of the Border Security Force (BSF)?
Ans: All-women Biker Team
• Seema Bhawani team was formed in the year 2016 and they participated
in the Republic Day parade in 2018, for the first time.

Que:India’s first indigenously developed Flying Trainer Aircraft ‘HANSA-NG’ has successfully
completed engine relight test. It has been designed and developed by _______.
Ans: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
• Established: September 1942
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CSIR is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it operates as an autonomous
body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• President: Prime Minister of India (Ex-officio)
• Vice President: Union Minister of Science and Technology (Ex-officio)
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) Prize for Science and Technology is named after the founder Director of the
CSIR, the late Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar.
• CSIR gets its first woman director general in Nallathamby Kalaiselvi(present)

Que:Who has developed India's first body suit for Yoga in Space?
Ans: AIIMS Delhi
• This is India's first body suit for astronauts and will help astronauts strengthen muscles
and prevent loss of bone density minerals. It will also increase the weight of the
astronauts by more than 70 percent in space to prevent them from floating.

Que: India has signed the contract to procure AK-203 assault rifles from which country and how many rifles have
been received by the Indian Armed Forces recently?
Ans: Russia; 70,000
• Indian Armed Forces had placed an order for 670,000 rifles, for which the
contract was signed on December 06, 2021 between India and Kalashnikov
(Russian defense manufacturing unit).
• The remaining 600,000 rifles will be manufactured by an Indo-Russian joint
venture company, Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), based at Amethi,
Uttar Pradesh under transfer of technology (ToT) [at Korwa Rifle Factory, Amethi]

Exercise Remark

Indian Navy-Bangladesh 4th edition


Navy Coordinated Patrol held in the Northern Bay of Bengal
(CORPAT) Indigenously built Indian Naval ships, Kora and Sumedha, participated in the exercise

Exercise Bongosagar 3rd edition


Held in Port Mongla, Bangladesh
2nd edition: Oct 2020

Operation Sankalp Indian Navy


Held in:Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman

PASSEX - Passage Exercise Indian and Russian navy


Held in:Arabian Sea
The Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and built guided-missile destroyer, INS Kochi, took
part in the exercise.

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Que:What is the theme of Naval Exercise Milan 2022?


Ans: Camaraderie, Cohesion and Collaboration
• The Indian Navy will host its largest ever biennial multinational naval exercise
Milan in Visakhapatnam in February 2022.
• India has invited total 46 friendly foreign countries to participate Exercise Milan.
• Indian Navy is organizing Ex- Milan biennially since 1995
• So far the exercise has been held at Port Blair but has been shifted to Visakhapatnam in 2022 to offer more
space and infrastructure.

Que:The joint maritime exercise Paschim Lehar (XPL-2022) was recently conducted by which naval command?
Ans: Western Naval Command
• to enhance Inter-Service synergy among the Indian Navy, IAF, Indian Army and Coast Guard.
• The Western Naval Command (HQ- Mumbai) is one of the three command–level formations of
the Indian Navy.
• Other two are Eastern Naval Command (HQ- Visakhapatnam) and Southern Naval Command (HQ- Kochi)

Exercise Remark

‘Operation Sard The BSF conducts "Operation Garam Hawa" in summer and "Operation Sard Hawa" in winter every
Hawa year.Held in:Rajasthan

Sea Dragon at Guam in the Western Pacific The six nations that participated in the exercise are the United States,
Australia, Canada, India, Japan and South Korea.

exercise ‘Gagan Army, Air Force conduct joint exercise


strike Held in:several areas of Punjab, bordering Ambala in Haryana.

Exercise Parvat By Indian Army


Prahar Held in:Ladakh sector

Exercise SAREX- • Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has concluded the 10th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise SAREX
22 -22 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.Theme of 10th edition of the biennial exercise is “Capacity Building
Towards Marine Passenger Safety”.

Sixth edition of JIMEX begins in Bay of Bengal


• The navies of India and Japan are carrying out the sixth edition of Japan-India
Maritime Exercise (JIMEX 22) hosted by the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal.
• Aim: To enhance operational understanding
• The Indian Navy has represented by multi-purpose stealth frigate Sahyadri and anti-
submarine warfare corvettes Kadmatt.

Que: INS Satpura & P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft participated in Multinational Naval Ex Kakadu. Ex Kakadu was hosted
by ________________.
Ans: Australia (Royal Australian Navy)
The two-week-long exercise, both in harbour and sea, involves ships and maritime
aircraft from 14 navies.
India also participated in Exercise Pitch Black 22 was hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force at its
Darwin Air Base.

Que:Exercise Vayu Shakti 2022 will be organised in which place by the Indian Air Force (IAF)?
Ans: Jaisalmer
• 7th march: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Chief Guest of this event.
• A total of 148 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) participate in this exercise.
• Rafale aircraft will participate for the first time in this exercise.
• Exercise Vayu Shakti is organised by Indian Air Force once in every three years. The last Vayu
Shakti Exercise took place in 2019.

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Exercise Remark

Abhiyas-01/22 Indo-US coast guard Held in:off the coast of Chennai

Operational Indian Navy Held in:Visakhapatnam


Demonstration

SLINEX 2022 9th edition of SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise)


Held in:Visakhapatnam Indian Navy represented by INS Kirch

‘LAMITIYE-2022 9th edition of the Joint Military Exercise ‘LAMITIYE-2022’ between the Indian Army and Seychelles
Defence Forces Held in:Seychelles since 2001

Que:What is the name of the joint military training exercise between the Indian army and
Uzbekistan which kicked off in March 2022 at Yangiarik?
Ans: Ex-Dustlik
• The 3rd edition of the joint training exercise named EX-DUSTLIK between the
Indian army and Uzbekistan army was conducted at Yangiarik, Uzbekistan
• The last edition of DUSTLIK was conducted in Ranikhet (Uttarakhand) in March 2021.

Indian Navy participated in ‘Operation Southern Readiness’ maritime exercise in Seychelles


INS Sunayna participated in the annual training exercise of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
The joint training exercise was attended by representative delegations from USA, Italy, Australia,
Canada, New Zealand and ship participation from UK, Spain & India.
This marks the first participation of an Indian Navy ship in the Combined Maritime Forces exercise.

3rd India-Vietnam Bilateral Army Exercise “Ex VINBAX 2022” conducted in Haryana
• at Chandimandir, Haryana from August 1 to 20, 2022.
• The theme of Ex VINBAX 2022 is the “Employment and deployment of an
Engineer Company and a Medical Team as part of United Nations Contingent
for Peace Keeping Operations”.

Indo-Oman joint military exercise held in Rajasthan


• The 4th Edition of India-Oman Joint Military Exercise ‘AL NAJAH-IV’ begins at the
Foreign Training Node of Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Bikaner
• Focus: Counter Terrorism Operations, Regional Security Operations and Peace Keeping Operations.

Que: With which country, India has conducted 38th Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) exercise in the Andaman Sea and
Straits of Malacca?
Ans: Indonesia
• India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT)
• between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) and Indonesian Navy
• Held in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca.
• The two Navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL)
since 2002.

13th Edition of Indo-US exercise “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022” held at Bakloh
The 13th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercise, “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022”
was held at Bakloh of Himachal Pradesh for 21 days.
The 12th edition was held at Joint Base Lewis Mcchord, Washington (USA) in October 2021.

IAF Participated in Military Drills ‘Udarashakti’ with Malaysia


Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent participated in a four-day bilateral exercise ‘Udarashakti’ with
the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
From the Indian Air Force Su-30, MKI and C-17 aircraft participated
while the RMAF will be flying Su-30 MKM aircraft.
Indian Airforce founded: 08th October 1932

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Indian Airforce Headquarters: New Delhi


Indian Airforce Chief of Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari.

Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2022:


• RIMPAC-22 exercise will be held in and close to the Hawaiian Islands and Southern
California, 27 countries participated
• RIMPAC-22 is one of the largest biennial multilateral Naval Exercises, which is led by US.
• The RIMPAC started in 1971 as an annual exercise by the US, Australia, and Canada.
• Theme for 2022: The theme of RIMPAC 2022 is ‘capable, adaptive, partners.
• India first participated in RIMPAC in 2014
• In the current edition, Indian Navy’s INS Satpura and one P8I maritime patrol aircraft are participating in the
exercise.
Exercise Remark

Suraksha Kavach – 2 between Indian Army and Maharashtra Police


at Lullanagar, Pune

Vostok-2022 held in Russia


participants: Belarus, Mongolia and Tajikstan,china,india

'Sampriti-X' India-Bangladesh joint military exercise


Held in:Jessore military station in Bangladesh.
Indian contingent represented: Dogra regiment

'Ex Khaan Quest 2022 16 countries are taking part in this exercise including India.
Held in:Mongolia

VARUNA 2022 20th edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between Indian Navy and French Navy
Held in:Arabian Sea
The Bilateral Naval Exercises between the two Navies is being held since 1993 and the
exercise was christened as ‘VARUNA’ in 2001.

Que:The first edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise 2022
(IMEX-22) was held in which state?
Ans:Goa
• The objective of the exercise was to enhance interoperability of the navies of
member nations in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
operations.
• held at Marmugao port and Sea Phase took place in the Arabian Sea

Que: The 9th India – Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise was held in which state?
• The 9th Edition of the India – Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise was held
at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh.

Multilateral Exercise – MILAN 2022 conducted in Visakhapatnam for first time,


• 46 countries were invited to take part in 11th edition of MILAN 2022.
• MILAN hosted by India made a modest beginning in the Andaman hand Nicobar
Islands in 1995.
• MILAN 2022 held under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command.

Que: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in exercise Eastern Bridge-VI in 2022 with which country at Air Force
Station Jodhpur?
Ans: Oman
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) have
organised bilateral air exercise named Eastern Bridge-VI at Air Force Station
Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
• Eastern Bridge-VI is the sixth edition of the exercise.

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Que: The Indian Army and the Defence Geoinformatics and Research Establishment (DGRE) have jointly installed the
Avalanche Monitoring Radar in which state?
Ans: Sikkim
• In a first in India, Avalanche monitoring radar installed in North Sikkim
• Besides being used for detection of avalanches, this radar can also be employed
to detect landslides.
• This radar has the capability to detect avalanches within three seconds of their triggering

Que: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) had organised the 8th National Level Pollution Response Exercise, ‘NATPOLREX-
VIII’, in which place?
Ans: Goa
• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) kicked-off 8th edition of two-day National
Level Pollution Response Exercise, ‘NATPOLREX-VIII’, at Mormugao harbour, Goa.
• The exercise is being attended by more than 85 participants from 50 agencies
Exercise Remark

EX KRIPAN SHAKTI at Teesta Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) near Siliguri in West Bengal
By:Trishakti Corps

Cope South 22’ Air forces of Bangladesh, US to conduct

Garuda VII air exercise jointly conducted by France and India


At Air Force Station Jodhpur
The IAF is taking part with fighter aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, Rafale, LCA Tejas, and Jaguar as
well as helicopters like the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Mi-17.

Operation GARUDA The CBI is doing this in close coordination with INTERPOL and Narcotics Control Bureau with special
focus on Indian Ocean Region.

12th Defence Expo to be held in Gandhinagar in October 2022


• India’s flagship defence exhibition ‘DefExpo-2022’, is scheduled to be held
in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• 12th edition of prestigious biennial defence exhibition.
• The theme 2022 DefExpo is ‘Path to Pride’.
• The event will include live demonstrations at Sabarmati River Front to showcase the equipment and skill set of
the armed forces, DPSUs (defence public sector units) and industry.
• vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve self-reliance in defence and export of USD 5 billion by 2025.
• PM unveiled the HTT-40 trainer aircraft(Hindustan Aeronautics Limited)
• This is the first defence expo that only featured Made in India equipment and has only Indian companies
participating.

Que: The Indian Air Force recently commemorated how many years of glorious service of its oldest operational
flying machine Chetak Helicopter?
Ans: 60
• The Indian Air Force organised a conclave at Air Force Station, Hakimpet,
to commemorate 60 years of glorious service by Chetak Helicopter in IAF.
• The Chetak helicopter is the oldest operational flying machine with the Indian Air Force.
• It has been made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• The Chetak Helicopter was inducted into the Indian Air force in 1962.

The Centralized Pay System, PADMA for Indian Coast Guard launched
• Pay Roll Automation for Disbursement of Monthly Allowances (PADMA).
• PADMA is an automated Pay & Allowances module for the Indian Coast Guard.
• It is developed under the aegis of Defense Accounts Department.
• ICG Director General: Virender Singh Pathania
• Founded: 1 February 1977

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MoD approves three private sector banks for overseas procurement


• The defence ministry has allowed three private sector banks - HDFC Bank Ltd,
ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank, to provide financial services to it for overseas
procurement of military hardware.

Que: Defence Secretary of India has commissioned which Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) at Goa, which is the fifth in
the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class?
Ans: ICGS Saksham
• Ship will be used extensively for surveillance in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and other missions
mandated by the Coast Guard charter.
• The Indigenous Offshore Patrol Vessel Project was launched by the Prime Minister of India in 2016 under
which five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) were planned to be launched.
• The first four of the five ICGS commissioned are ICGS Sachet (1st); ICGS Sujeet (2nd); ICGS Sarthak (3rd); and
ICGS Sajag (4th).

Patrol vessel Samarth commissioned with Indian Coast Guard

Indian Navy conducts ENC Yachting Championship at Visakhapatnam

Que: What is the name of two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) launched by Indian Navy recently?
Ans: Nistar and Nipun
• were launched by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam.
• The vessels, built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd.

Que: The sea-level trials of India’s first indigenously developed Flying Trainer was successfully
completed recently at Puducherry. What is the name of this trainer aircraft?
Ans: HANSA-NG
• The aircraft has been designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace
Laboratories (NAL), under the aegis of Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR).

Hardeep Singh Puri launched special aviation fuel, AVGAS 100 LL


• In an event, hosted by Indian Oil at Hindon Airforce Station, Minister of
Petroleum and Natural Gas & Housing and Urban, Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri
has launched AVGAS 100 LL.
• AVGAS 100 LL: It is a special aviation fuel meant for piston engine aircrafts and
unmanned aerial vehicles.
• Currently India is importing AVGAS 100 LL from European countries.
• With this launch, Indian Oil has become the first oil marketing company (OMC) to produce and market,
AVGAS 100 LL.

Que: Which organization has created its first mountain-warfare training centre in northeast India?
Ans: ITBP
• The Dombang centre in Sikkim is located at a height of 10,040 ft that shares a 220 km front of the India-
China LAC.
• The facility has come almost after five decades of the establishment of its first such school called
mountaineering and skiing institute (M&SI) during 1973-74 at Auli
• The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is India's primary border patrol organization for its border with China's Tibet
Autonomous Region.
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Founded: 1962
• ITBP director general Anish Dayal Singh

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Que: Which Indian Space-tech startup has launched its first commercial satellite` Shakuntala’ from SpaceX’s Falcon-9
rocket?
Ans: Pixxel
• The Indian Spacetech startup Pixxel [Headquarter- Bengaluru] launched its
first commercial satellite called `Shakuntala’ in April 2022.
• This will help to track the invisible changes of Earth like deforestation, natural gas
leakages, pollution, declining crop health, melting ice caps, and other data critical for
climate change assessments.

Que: Which space startup will launch the first-ever all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station?
Ans: Axiom Space
• Axiom Mission 1: The first all-private astronaut mission to the International
Space Station is scheduled for launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in
Florida on April 6, 2022.
• The historic mission is a joint collaboration between Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA.
• The four-member Ax-1 crew will become the first all-private astronaut team ever flown to the space
station.

Que: Which organization has commissioned the latest Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) MK-III
squadron in Bhubaneswar in Odisha?
Ans: Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
• It was manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) under the
‘Make in India’ initiative.

PM Modi unveiled India’s first passenger drone, Varuna


• This drone is capable of carrying one person, equipment, or supplies from one moving warship to another
with the help of autonomous take-off and landing features.
• It can also be used for medical evacuation.
• About Varuna:
• It has a range of 25 km.
• The drone can carry 130 kg payload
• It has 25-33 minutes of flight time.
• It has been designed and developed by a startup Sagar Defence Engineering

India’s first Autonomous Navigation facility, TiHAN


• Minister of State for Science, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated first-of-its-kind,
“Autonomous Navigation” facility to develop unmanned ground and aerial
vehicles in the IIT Hyderabad campus.
• Aim: to promote collaborative research between academia, industry and R&D labs.
• TiHAN refers to Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation.

Que: Ministry of Defence has signed a Rs 473 crore deal with ………… to construct eight Fast Patrol Vessels for the
Indian Coast Guard?
Ans: Goa Shipyard Limited
• Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL):
• Founded: 1957
• Headquarters: Vasco da Gama, Goa
• Chairman & MD: Bharat Bhushan Nagpal

CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) hosts Cyber Security Exercise “Synergy” for 13
countries
• Under Ministry of Electronics & IT, Exercise “Synergy” aims to exchange
best practices among Member-States to build network resiliency against
ransomware & cyber extortion attacks
• The theme of the exercise was “Building Network Resiliency to counter
Ransomware Attacks”

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ICMR approves India-made kit to detect Omicron


• manufactured by Tata Medical and Diagnostics and is named OmiSure
• The test run time of this kit is 85 minutes.
• Dr Rajiv Bahl is the new Director-General of ICMR
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Founded: 1911

Two new Covid-19 vaccines:


• India has got two new COVID-19 vaccines-Covovax & Corbevax
• after they received emergency use authorisation from Central Drugs
Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

CORBEVAX Covid vaccine


• India's first indigenously developed RBD protein (receptor-binding domain) sub-unit vaccine against COVID-
19.
• It will be manufactured by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E.
• CORBEVAX is the third vaccine developed in India after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and SII's Covishield.

COVOVAX Covid vaccine


• developed by US drug manufacturer Novavax.
• It will be manufacured in India by Pune-based Serum Institute of India.
• The vaccine has already received emergency use approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Que: The first indigenously-developed RT-PCR kit for testing monkeypox was launched at the
Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone (AMTZ). It is developed by which company?
Ans: Transasia Bio-Medicals

Que: Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the country’s first indigenously developed Human
Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) against cervical cancer. This vaccine has been developed by ______?
Ans: Serum Institute of India
• Cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women
between 15 and 44 years of age with a high death ratio in India.
• Serum Institute of India is based in Pune. It is the world's largest manufacturer
of vaccines. It was founded by Cyrus Poonawalla in 1966

Ola Electric unveils India’s first indigenous lithium ion-cell


• The company will begin mass production of the cell (NMC 2170) from its Chennai-based Gigafactory by 2023.
• Ola Cell uses NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) on the cathode side, and
Graphite and Silicon on the anode side.
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme 'National Programme on Advanced
Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage
• The Ola Electric had launched its first electric vehicle in August 2021 and has
also set up the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturing facility in India.
• Founded: 3 December 2010, Mumbai
• Headquarters: Bangalore
• Subsidiary: Ola Electric
• Founders: Bhavish Aggarwal, Ankit Bhati

Which technology platform launched the ‘JagrukVoter’ campaign?


Ans: Twitter
• ‘JagrukVoter’ campaign, which aims to empower citizens with right
knowledge before they vote.

Que: The Food-ordering startup Swiggy has gained the status of decacorn, as it has exceeded
the valuation of __________
Ans: $10 billion

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• A decacorn is a startup with a valuation of more than $10 billion (1000 crores).

BDL signed a contract for supply of Konkurs anti-tank missiles for Indian Army
• Bharat Dynamics Ltd signed a contract worth ₹3,131.82 crores for the
manufacture and supply of Konkurs-M anti-tank missiles for the Indian Army.
• Konkurs – M is a second-generation, mechanized infantry anti-tank guided missile, to destroy armored
vehicle equipped with explosive reactive armour. It has a range between 75 to 4000 metres.
• BDL signed a license agreement with a Russian Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
• Founded: 1970
• Headquarters: Hyderabad, India
• Chairman & MD: Commodore Siddharth Mishra

IFFCO Paradeep Plant achieves the highest global production by a single phosphoric acid plant.
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) Paradeep plant has produced
805,000 Tonnes of Phosphoric Acid (P2O5), the highest ever production in
the world by any single Phosphoric Acid plant in the financial year 2021-22.
• A world largest single reactor plant with daily production capacity of 2650
Tonnes per day production of P2O5 is operated by IFFCO at its Paradeep Unit.
• Founded: 3 November 1967, New Delhi
• Chairman:Dileep Sanghani

Que: Halodule uninervis, a species of sea grass, is found to have strong activity against which disease?
Ans: Cancer
• It is a species of sea-grass found in the coastal region near Rameswaram in
southern Tamil Nadu.

Moxie instrument of NASA successfully makes oxygen on Mars


• The Mars oxygen in-situ resource utilisation experiment (MOXIE) has been
successfully producing oxygen from Mars carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere
• MOXIE, is a lunchbox-sized gadget that generated breathable oxygen on
Mars which is equivalent to the effort of a tiny tree.
• MOXIE was landed on the Mars surface as part of Nasa's Perseverance rover mission.
• The MOXIE has met its objective of producing 6g of oxygen per hour in each run.

China discovers rare lunar crystal and nuclear power source on moon
• Changesite-(Y):
• It is a small, transparent crystal (Diamond shape).
• It is as wide as a human hair.
• It was named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e.
• Chang’e-5 Mission:
• It is China’s first lunar sample-return mission and fifth lunar exploration mission.
• It was launched in November 2020 and returned the sample back to Earth in December 2020.

Que: Which company has created world’s 1st flying bike?


Answer: AERWINS Technologies
• The world's first flying bike, created by a Japanese startup, debuted at the Detroit Auto Show
• Weighing 300 kilograms, the flying bike can attain a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour.
• Its power source is internal combustion plus Battery

NASA plans to retire the International Space Station by 2031 by crashing it into the Pacific Ocean

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• ISS is the world’s largest habitable artificial satellite in space and was launched in 2000, being managed by five
space agencies- NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada).
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced its plan that the International Space
Station will be kept operated until the end of 2030, after which the ISS would be crashed into a remote part of
the Pacific Ocean known as Point Nemo.
• In 1998, the first piece of the space station, a control module, was launched into space onboard a Russian rocket.
• International Space Station (ISS) has been orbiting Earth at a speed of about eight kilometres per second.

Que: MUSE and HelioSwarm, which were seen in the news recently, are associated with which space agency?
Ans: NASA
• NASA has announced two new science missions namely Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) and HelioSwarm.
• These two missions aim to study the sun’s corona and also measuring the magnetic field of the solar wind.
• NASA earlier announced the latest observations done by the Parker Solar probe on its way to the sun.

Que: Super Hornet is a fighter aircraft manufactured at which country?


Ans: USA
• The marine version of the French-made Rafale fighter jet has been successfully
flight-tested at a shore-based facility in Goa.
• The Rafale-M competes against the US-made Super Hornet, as both of which are being
evaluated for a purchase by the Indian Navy for deployment on INS Vikrant.

Que: Which country has successfully test fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile from the
Barents Sea and target the hit of about 1,000 km?
Ans: Russia
• Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Tsirkon missile is capable of flying at
Mach 9 or nine times the speed of sound and striking a target over 1,000 kms away.

Que: Which country launched its manned mission to its Tiangong Space station?
Ans: China
• Tiangong, which means “heavenly palace
• China has launched a rocket carrying three astronauts on a mission
• They will live and work on the space station for about 180 days before returning to Earth in December.
• low Earth orbit

Neptune Cruise Missile


• This missile system has been developed to destroy transport vessels
and surface warships.
• This missile system entered the service of the Ukrainian Navy in March 2021.
• On 13th April 2022, the Russian cruiser Moskva was hit by two Neptune missiles during the Russian invasion
of Ukraine.
• The 510-crew missile cruiser ‘Moskva’, which was a symbol of Russia’s military power

Que: Which of the following country test-fired world’s ‘most powerful’ nuclear-
capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile “RS-28 SARMAT”?
Ans: Russia
• Russia had test-launched a new nuclear-capable Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile (ICBM) namely ‘RS-28 Sarmat’ for the 1st time from Plesetsk in
northwest Russia and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula, nearly 6,000 km
(3,700 miles) away. It is also called ‘Satan 2’.

Que:‘ Optimus’, the prototype humanoid robot, is launched by which company?


Ans: Tesla
• The Optimus robot is designed for mass production in millions of units,
will be available for purchase by 2027.
• The human-like hands with ‘Biologically Inspired Design’ will make them suitable for picking up objects of
various shapes and sizes, holding a bag, and containing a precision grip on small parts.

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Que: Which country has launched the Kuafu-I satellite to unravel the secrets of the sun?
Ans: China
• Kuafu-1:
• It is the fourth big mission exploring the Sun after the Nasa Parker Solar Probe.
• Parker Solar Probe has been getting closer to the Sun alongside European Space
Agency’s Solar Orbiter and China’s Xihe peobe, launched in 2021.

Russia launches GLONASS-K satellite navigation system


This system seen as a potential rival to the U.S. global positioning
system (GPS).

Que: Which country has successfully cloned the wild Arctic wolf for the first time in the world?
Ans: China
• A Beijing-based gene firm had succeeded in cloning the Arctic Wolf to
prevent the endangered species from going extinct.
• The newly cloned wolf was named Maya, which means good health.
• Cloning is the process of producing living organisms, including cells, tissues etc., with
identical genetic materials either through natural or artificial means

Que: The Government of India has made it mandatory for the telecom companies to store the international calls,
satellite phone calls, conference calls and messages for a minimum period of how many years?
Ans: 2 years
• This comes after the Department of Telecom (DoT) made an amendment in
the unified licence (UL) in December 2021 which extended storage of call
data records as well as internet logs to two years from earlier provision of
one year.

Que: Which Union Ministry has launched the ‘Services e-Health Assistance and Teleconsultation (SeHAT)’ initiative?
Ans: Defence Ministry
• It aims to provide home delivery of medicines for veterans and serving military personnel.
• The scheme was first rolled out in Delhi and would be extended to more stations
in the future.

Rajnath Singh launched 'Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot' website


• Aim: To enable citizens to contribute for the Armed Forces Battle
Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF).
• It is a Tri service fund that will be utilised for grant of immediate financial
assistance of ex-gratia, to the Next of Kin and dependents of Battle Casualties.
• The government appoints Amitabh Bachchan as the Goodwill Ambassador.

Indian Military Exercises


Domestic exercise
• Gandiv Vijay
• Paschim Lehar
• Vayu Shakti
• Vijay Prahar

Bilateral exercise
Exercise Name Participant Nations
Sampriti India & Bangladesh
Mitra Shakti India & Sri Lanka
Maitree Exercise India & Thailand
Vajra Prahar India & US
Yudh Abhyas India & US

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Nomadic Elephant India & Mongolia


Garuda Shakti India & Indonesia
Shakti Exercise India & France
Dharma Guardian India & Japan
Surya Kiran India & Nepal
Hand in Hand Exercise India & China
SIMBEX India & Singapore
CORPAT India & Thailand

ISRO
RISAT-2 :
ISRO RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite)-2 satellite, weighing about 300 kg, was launched on April
20, 2009, by the PSLV-C12 launch vehicle.
RISAT-2 was India’s first “eye in the sky” which kept surveillance on the country’s borders as
part of anti-infiltration and anti-terrorist operations.
The satellite has made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere at the predicted impact point in the
Indian Ocean near Jakarta.

Que: ISRO plans on exploring the moon’s shadow region in collaboration with which country?
Ans: Japan
ISRO was in talks with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for sending a lunar rover to explore the
permanent shadow region to the moon.
According to the initial plans, a lunar lander and a rover built by the ISRO will be put into orbit by a Japanese rocket
with a planned landing near the moon's South pole.

ISRO launches PSLV-C54 rocket carrying earth observation satellite Oceansat & 8
nanosatellites
ISRO successfully launched PSLV C 54 carrying Oceansat-3 also known as Earth Observation
Satellite-6, and 8 nanosatellites, into space from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra
Pradesh's Sriharikota.
The eight nanosatellites include ISRO Nano Satellite-2 for Bhutan (INS-2B), Anand, Astrocast
(four satellites), and two Thybolt satellites.

India's first private sector rocket Vikram-S launched in November


India's first privately developed launch vehicle Vikram-S made its maiden flight from Sriharikota on
November 18.
Developed by Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace Pvt Ltd, in collaboration with ISRO and
IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre).
Vikram-S carried three customer satellites in a sub-orbital flight mission, named 'Prarambh'.
With this mission, Skyroute Aerospace will become the first private space company in India to launch a rocket into
space.

ISRO conducts 200th consecutive launch Of 'RH-200' sounding rocket


from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Thiruvananthapuram.
ISRO termed it a "historic moment". It was witnessed by former President Ram Nath Kovind and
ISRO Chairman S Somnath, among others.
Sounding Rockets: It is used for the scientific community for carrying out experiments on meteorology, astronomy
and similar branches of space physics.
RH-200: It is a two-stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km bearing scientific payloads.
The ‘200’ in the name denotes the diameter of the rocket in mm.

ISRO signed MoU with Vyom Space to build private space capsules
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Gurugram-based private space firm Vyom
Space Exploration and Services Private Limited for its human and cargo transportation capsule program.

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A ‘capsule’ in a space mission is the module inside which any cargo is placed for being carried to space. In manned
missions, the capsule is what hosts the astronauts.

ISRO earns ₹1,100 crore in five years from foreign launches


According to the Ministry for Space, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had earned approximately
₹1,100 crore in the last five years from the launch of foreign satellites.
In the last five years (January 2018 - November 2022) ISRO, via its commercial arms has successfully launched 177
foreign satellites from 19 countries.

Other
Delivery of fifth Scorpene submarine 'Vagir' to Indian Navy
Six Scorpene submarines are being built under Project-75 by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited
(MDL) Mumbai, under technology transfer from Naval Group of France under a $3.75 billion deal
signed in October 2005.
The project is about four years behind schedule.
The first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned in December 2017, second submarine INS Khanderi in September
2019, third one INS Karanj in March 2021 and the fourth one INS Vela joined service in November 2021.
The sixth and last of the Scorpène-class submarines, Vagsheer, is expected to be delivered to the Navy by end 2023.

India’s first private launchpad set up by AgniKul Cosmos at Sriharikota


Chennai-based space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos launched India’s first private launchpad and
mission control centre at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota
The launchpad is designed and operated by AgniKul.
The facility was inaugurated by ISRO chairman S Somanath.
In its first launch, a two-stage launch vehicle, ‘Agnibaan’ is intended to carry a payload of up to 100
kg to around 700 km altitude.
The Agnibaan rocket is a “semi-cryogenic” engine that uses a mixture of liquid kerosene and supercold liquid oxygen
to propel itself.

IIT Madras researchers develop Ocean Wave Energy converter


To generate electricity using energy from seawaves.
The system named Sindhuja-I, which was deployed by the researchers about six kilometres from
the coast of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, where the sea has a depth of about 20 metres.
Currently, Sindhuja-I can produce 100 watts of energy.

iNCOVACC : World’s First Intranasal Vaccine Gets Approval


iNCOVACC has received approval for Covid booster doses from Drugs Controller General of India
(DCGI).
It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited.
It was developed in partnership with Washington University, St Louis.
It is the world’s first intranasal vaccine to receive both primary series and heterologous booster approval.

DCGI allows the export of SII made Ebola vaccine for export to Uganda
The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) approved the export of India’s first Ebola vaccine
manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) to Uganda.
The vaccine has been developed by SII in collaboration with Oxford University, United Kingdom.

Ebola Virus
It was first reported in 1972 in South Sudan and in a village near Ebola River in Democratic Republic of Congo. Hence
it is called the Ebola virus.
The virus can spread through direct contact with an infected animal (bat or primate) or a sick or dead person
infected with Ebola virus.

Que: Which animals are being trained by Indian Army to identify and destroy the drones?
Ans: Dogs and Kites (Cheel)

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The dogs alert the Army after hearing the noise of the drones and the kite is used to identify the location of the
drones.
The kite named “Arjun”

Japan, Britain and Italy to jointly build sixth generation fighter jets
Japan, Britain and Italy are merging their next-generation jet fighter projects to build an advanced
front-line 6th generation fighter into operation by 2035.
It is for the first time that Japan is collaborating in a defence project without the participation of
the United States of America since World War Two.
Britain's BAE Systems, Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Italy's Leonardo will lead design of
the aircraft, which will have advanced digital capabilities in AI and cyber warfare.
The newly developed fighter plane will replace Britain’s Typhoon fighters and Japan’s F -22
fighter plane.
China and Russia also are developing the 6th generation fighter plane.
India which has the Rafale fighter plane is considered to be a 4.5 generation plane.

INS Kochi, Kavaratti and Sumedha participate in IFR-22


The maiden International Fleet Review (IFR) was organised at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
from 06 to 09 December 2022.
In 2022, the IFR-22 was organised by Bangladesh Navy, to commemorate the Birth Centenary of
Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and to celebrate Golden Jubilee of Independence of
Bangladesh.

7th edition of Sangam exercise begins in Goa


a joint Naval Special Forces exercise between Indian Navy MARCOs and US Navy SEALs.
The exercise will be for a duration of three weeks
Exercise Sangam was first conducted in 1994
Indian Navy MARCOs?
MARCOS (Marine Commandos) was raised in the year of 1985 as the Indian Maritime Special Force (IMSF).
deadliest motto “The Few The Fearless”.
Other:Indian Army Sudarshan Chakra Corps conducts 'EX Sudarshan Prahar’in deserts of Rajasthan

India and Singapore conclude bilateral exercise 'Agni Warrior'


The 12th Edition of a bilateral exercise between the Singapore & Indian Army, from 13
November to 30 November 2022
Location: Field Firing Ranges, Devlali, Maharashtra

Indian and Indonesia Navy conducts the 39th Edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT)
from 08 – 19 December 2022.
The CORPAT was executed along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and got concluded at Port Blair,
Andaman and Nicobar.
Along with INS Karmuk, L-58 (indigenously built Landing Craft Utility vessel) and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft
participated in the CORPAT.

Que: Indian scientists developed an indigenous Overhauser Magnetometer, which is installed at?
Ans: Alibag
India’s first indigenous Overhauser Magnetometer, one of the most accurate Magnetometers
extensively used in all magnetic observatories around the world.
The sensor installed at Alibag Magnetic Observatory (MO) will make way for reducing the cost of
sampling, can reduce dependence of India on commercial OVH Magnetometers for performing
geomagnetic field measurements.
The Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), an autonomous research institution under Department of Science &
Technology, Government of India, has developed the magnetometer
Magnetometer - instrument for measuring the strength and sometimes the direction of magnetic fields, including
those on or near the Earth and in space.

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Defence Ministry approved setting up of ‘BRO Cafes’ on 75 border roads


across 12 states and Union territories.
These are intended to provide basic amenities and comfort to tourists and lead to boosting of
economic activities in border areas.
BRO Founded – 7 May 1960,Headquarters – New Delhi
Director General – Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary

Indian Navy hosted Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise Simbex 2022


29th edition
from 26th to 30th October 2022 at Visakhapatnam
Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam from 26 to 27 October 2022 followed by Sea Phase in Bay of Bengal from 28 to 30
October 2022
SIMBEX exercise began in 1994 and were initially known as Exercise Lion King

Exercise Remark

IMT TRILAT- Trilateral first edition of the joint maritime exercise of Indian, Mozambican and
Exercise Tanzanian navies
Held in:Salaam, Tanzania

‘Tiger Triumph’ Exercise 2nd edition


The first exercise took place in November 2019
Between Indian, US Militaries At Vishakhapatnam

IBSAMAR exercise Venue: Port Elizabeth in South Africa


(India, Brazil and South Africa) 7th edition
INS Tarkash has participated

Government approves creation of Weapon Systems branch in Indian Air Force


first time a new operational branch has been created in the Indian Air Force, since
Independence.
The creation of WS branch would entail unification of all weapon system operators under one
entity
This is the fourth branch of the Indian Air Force. The three existing branches Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary
are a technical branch, a ground duties branch and a flying branch.

India gets Rafale's 36th and last aircraft from France


India and France had signed the inter-government agreement in 2016, under which Paris agreed
to provide 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around 60,000 crore rupees to India. The first batch
of five Rafale jets had arrived on 29th July, 2020.
35 Rafale are stationed at Ambala, Haryana and Hashimara in West Bengal.
Rafale is a 4.5-generation aircraft and has helped India regain its supremacy over Indian sub-constituent skies with
long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles along with advanced radar and electronic warfare capabilities.

Navy launches indigenously-built ship ‘Arnala’ in Chennai


The Indian Navy launched ‘Arnala’, the first of the eight indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare
shallow water craft (ASW-SWC), at the shipbuilding facility of L&T in Chennai’s Kattupalli.
The ship was built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
The ship has been named ‘Arnala’ to signify the strategic maritime importance given to the island
of Arnala
The ‘Arnala’ class ships are being built to replace the Indian Navy’s ‘Abhay’ class ASW ships.

INSV Tarini to participate in 50th edition of Cape Town to Rio Race 2023
This ocean sailing race will be flagged off from Cape Town (South Africa) on
2nd January, 2023 and will culminate at Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
The race is one of the most prestigious Trans-Atlantic ocean races.

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India, Japan to conduct first-ever air combat exercise ‘Veer Guardian 23’
The exercise ‘Veer Guardian 23’ will be conducted in Japan from Jan 16 to Jan 26
The Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) will conduct bilateral fighter training with the Indian Air
Force (IAF).

India-Kazakhstan joint training exercise 'KAZIND-22'


The 6th edition of India-Kazakhstan joint training exercise 'KAZIND-22’ was conducted at
Umroi, Meghalaya from 15 to 28 December 2022.
The Joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise
Prabal Dostyk.
In 2018, this exercise was upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind.

Indo-Nepal Joint Training Exercise “SURYA KIRAN-XVI”


The 16th Edition of joint training Exercise “SURYA KIRAN-XVI” between India and Nepal was
conducted at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi (Nepal), from 16 - 29 December 2022.
It is a biennial exercise, which is held alternately in both the countries.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches the “Prahari app” of the Border Security Force
Now jawans can get information on various welfare schemes through the app and this app will
also connect them with the portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Border Security Force was raised on 1 December 1965 after the India-Pakistan war of 1965.
BSF is also known as the nation’s ’first line of defence'. It comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

IIT Kanpur develops Artificial Heart to deal with Acute Cardiac Problems
IIT Kanpur director Abhay Karandikar announced that animal trials would begin next year.
He said heart transplants will now be simple. In critical patients, artificial hearts can be placed.
After the study is successful, the transplant on humans could be done in the next two years.

Army organises Walong Fair on the occasion of Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of Battle of Walong
The Dao Division of Spear Corps has organised this fair at Walong circle of Arunachal Pradesh.
It aims to remember the unsurpassed bravery and sacrifice of the Indian Army while defending Indian territory
against the Chinese invasion of 1962 (Sino - India war).

India emerges as leading defence exporter to African nations


As per the report by the India EXIM bank, India has emerged as a leading defence exporter
Africa's maritime, aerospace and defence requirements with Mauritius, Mozambique and
Seychelles.
These countries has become the major buyers of Indian arms during 2017-2021.

Indian Army launches single window facility 'Veerangana Sewa Kendra (vsk)'
for welfare and grievances redressal of Veer Naris.
The Indian Army has launched this facility with a motto of "Taking Care of Our Own, No
Matter What”.
The project was inaugurated by President Army Wives Welfare Association at the Directorate
of Indian Army Veterans premises located at Delhi Cantt.

IAF Air Fest 2022 organised at Vayusena Nagar in Nagpur


to showcase various facets of the Indian Air Force and motivate the youth of Nagpur to choose the
Indian Air Force for an exciting career.IAF was set up on 8 October 1932. It comes under the
Union Defence Ministry. President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Air Force.
Every year October 8 is observed as Air Force Day.
Chief of Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari

Second stealth-guided missile destroyer delivered to Indian Navy


The second ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer being built at Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), was delivered to the Indian Navy.

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The contract for four ships of Project 15B was signed on January 28, 2011.
the four ships of the project are christened after cities from four corners of the country — Visakhapatnam,
Mormugao, Imphal and Surat.
INS Visakhapatnam has already been commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 21, 2021.
About Second stealth-guided missile destroyer
The ship is163 metres long and 17 metres wide, displaces 7400 tonnes when fully loaded and has a maximum speed
of 30 knots.
The overall indigenous content of the project is around 75 per cent.
The class of destroyers armed with indigenous weapons includes-
Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (BEL, Bangalore)
BrahMos Surface-to-Surface Missiles (BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi)
Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers (Larsen & Toubro, Mumbai)

Indian Navy launches new survey vessel ‘Ikshak’


The Indian Navy launched 'Ikshak', the third of the four Survey Ships (Large) being built by
GRSE/L&T at Kattupalli, Chennai on 26 November.
The ship has been named ‘Ikshak’ which means ‘Guide’.
Contract for building four SVL ships was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders &
Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 30 Oct 18 for a total cost of Rs 2435 Cr.
The first of class ship ‘Sandhayak’ was launched on 5 Dec 21 at GRSE, Kolkata.

11th Joint Military Training (JMT)2022 organised at Kalaikunda, WB


The 11th edition of the annual Joint Military Training (JMT) between the Indian Air Force (lAF) and
the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was held at Air Force Station, Kalaikunda, West Bengal.
The RSAF will participate the JMT-2022 with F-16 aircraft.
While, the Indian Air Force would showcase Su-30 MKI, Jaguar, MiG-29 and LCA Tejas aircraft.

Indian Navy participated in Malabar Naval Exercise in Japan


India is participating in 26th International Malabar Naval Exercise in Yokosuka of Japan. Australia,
Japan and the USA are also participating in the Malabar Naval Exercise.
Indian Naval Ships Shivalik and Kamorta are demonstrated at the event.
Malabar began as a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S. in 1992 and became multilateral with the addition
of Australia and Japan

US and South Korea conducted ‘Vigilant Storm’ military exercises


North Korea demands U.S., South Korea halt joint military drills, threatens 'powerful follow-up
measures'

13th bilateral naval exercise Naseem Al Bahr-2022, between Indian and Omani navy start off the
coast of Oman
Naseem Al Bahr (or Sea Breeze) naval exercise was started in 1993. The last edition was conducted
off Goa in 2019.
The Indian Navy’s guided missile frigate Trikand and Offshore Patrol Vessel Sumitra, with their
integral helicopters, and the maritime patrol aircraft, Dornier, are participating in the exercise.

Shtrunash exercise conducted by the South Western command of the Indian Army in Rajasthan
In Thar desert of Rajasthan on 21 November 2022.
South Western Command of Indian Army: Jaipur

INDO - US Joint training Exercise“YUDH ABHYAS 2022” commenced in Uttarakhand


The 18th edition commenced in Auli, Uttarakhand in November 2022.
Indian Army soldier from the Assam Regiment will participate in the exercise.
The exercise was started in 2004 under the US Army Pacific Partnership Program.

The third edition of Coastal Defence Exercise 'Sea Vigil-22' began on 15 November
as part of an all-India coastal defence exercise.

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The exercise was conceptualised in the year 2018 among various measures initiated to
enhance maritime security since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The exercise will be conducted along the country's 7,516 km long coastline covering India's
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The exercise is being conducted by the Indian Navy in coordination with the Indian Coast
Guard (ICG) and the ministries tasked with maritime activities.

8th joint military EX GARUDA SHAKTI organised in Karawang, Indonesia

IAF conducted Joint HADR Exercise 'Samanvay 2022'


Indian Air Force has conducted the annual Joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
(HADR) Exercise 'Samanvay 2022' from 28th-30th November 2022 at Air Force Station Agra.
The exercise also saw participation by representatives from the ASEAN countries.

India - Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang,
Malaysia
on 28th November and will culminate on 12 December 22.
Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of the Indian Army are
participating in the exercise.
It is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which has been
conducted since 2012.

India Australia military exercise ‘AUSTRA HIND 22’ to commence from 28 November in
Rajasthan
at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges (Rajasthan).
The exercise will take place from 28 November -11 December 2022.
This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with participation of all arms and services contingent from
both armies.

NASA
NASA launches its Artemis 1 mission from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida
With NASA's next-generation moon rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the
Orion spacecraft
About Artemis 1 mission
Artemis 1 is an ambitious US mission to return
astronauts to the surface of the Moon for the first time
in 50 years, since the end of the Apollo program
The launch aims to further aid in the study of the Moon,
its origin and history.

NASA’s DART Mission successfully changed the course of an asteroid


NASA has announced that Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft has
successfully managed to change the motion of the asteroid 'Dimorphos’.
This is the first demonstration of the “kinetic impactor” method of asteroid mitigation
It was launched in November 2021 and crashed into the space rock on September 26, 2022

Que: ‘Dragonfly’, the upcoming project of NASA, will be launched to explore which planet?
Ans: Saturn
NASA’s next destination for research would be the moon of Saturn, Titan. It is a richly organic
world. Dragonfly would be going to Titan in search of origins of life on Earth.
It will be launched in 2026
NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft is scheduled to reach the Selk Crater region on Saturn’s moon
Titan in the year 2034.

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NASA launches international mission ‘SWOT’ to survey Earth’s water


The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the French space agency Centre
(CNES) have jointly launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to track
nearly all the water on Earth’s surface.
The SWOT mission was launched through a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Force Base in California, United States
.The mission has a lifespan of three years.
It will provide data on more than 95 per cent of the world’s lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 square meters) and
rivers wider than 330 feet (100 meters) across.

DRDO successfully conducts flight-test of Phase-II AD-1 missile


DRDO has conducted a successful maiden flight-test of Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence interceptor
AD-1 missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
AD-1 is a long-range interceptor missile.
It is designed for both low exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric interception of long-range ballistic
missiles as well as aircraft.
It is propelled by a two-stage solid motor.

India successfully carries out night trials of nuclear capable Agni-five missile
from Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha.
The test was conducted to check the new technologies and equipment on the missile which is
now lighter than before.
The missile has a capacity to hit targets beyond 5,000 kilometres.
The Agni series I to IV missiles have ranges from 700 km to 3,500 km.

What is IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Program)?


It was conceived by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to enable India attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
It was approved by the Government of India in 1983 and completed in March 2012.
The 5 missiles (P-A-T-N-A) developed under this program are:
Prithvi: Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
Agni: Ballistic missiles with different ranges, i.e., Agni (1,2,3,4,5)
Trishul: Short-range low-level surface to air missile.
Nag: 3rd generation anti-tank missile.
Akash: Medium-range surface-to-air missile.

Air version of BrahMos Missile with 400 km Range test fired from IAF Sukhoi plane
The Indian Air Force successfully tested the extended range version of the Brahmos Air Launched
missile against a ship target in Bay of Bengal from Su-30 MKI fighter jet.
Brahmos missile is believed to have the ability to take out targets in sea 400 km away.
The successful test firing was a joint effort by the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, the Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the BrahMos Aerospace (BAPL).

Brahmos missile
Brahmos supersonic missile has been developed by the Brahmos Aerospace ltd. The company is a joint venture of
the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and Russia’s NPOM.
The missile takes its name from the river Brahmaputra and Moskva Rivers. Russian capital Moscow is situated along
the Moskva River.
The missile can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile has a two-stage propellant booster engine. The first stage is a solid booster
engine and the second stage is the liquid ramjet engine. The missile has a low radar signature.
The missile has range of 290-400 km and speed of 2.8 Mach or 2.8 times the speed of sound.
The Philippines is the first country in the world to buy the Brahmos missile from India.
Managing Director and CEO of Brahmos Aerospace: Atul Dinkar Rane

Govt clears 120 Pralay ballistic missiles for armed forces, to be deployed along China, Pakistan border
The Union Defence ministry has approved a proposal to buy around 120 Pralay ballistic missiles to be deployed along
the China Pakistan borders. The missile will be inducted first in the Indian Air Force and then in the Indian Army.

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Pralay is a, surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) for battlefield use.
Pralay missile will replace the liquid fuelled Prithvi-1 missile which is in use by the Indian Army. Prithvi-1 has a range
of 150 Km with a payload of 1 tonnes of warhead.
The Pralay ballistic missile have a range of 150 to 500 kms. It is a solid fuelled rocket that follows a quasi- ballistic
trajectory and can perform mid-air maneuver to defeat anti-ballistic interceptors.

Sports
Football
Cristiano Ronaldo signs 200-million euro contract with Saudi club Al-Nassr
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portuguese) has signed two-and-a-half year agreement for 200 million
euros each season with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr Football Club.
• Manchester United has terminated his contract after a controversial interview
• Al Nassr Football Club was formed in 1955.
• Al-Nassr FC Chairman: Musalli Al Muammar

Eden Hazard announces retirement from International Football


• He was the captain of Belgium in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
• He made his debut against Luxembourg in 2008

Morocco to host the next football club world cup next year, FIFA
• World football governing body FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced
that Morocco will host the next football Club World Cup.
• The tournament will take place from 1-11 February 2023.
• The most recent edition of the tournament was held in the United Arab
Emirates in February 2022 which was won by the English football club
Chelsea.
• from 2025 onwards the tournament will feature 32 teams.
• FIFA Club World Cup is an international club football championship where the continental club champions
participate every year.

Lionel Messi becomes the professional soccer player with the most
appearances in a FIFA World Cup.
• The Argentine player took to the pitch for his 26th time in a World
Cup 2022
• He has overtaken the ranks of Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose.
• Earlier, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo had become first male player to score in 5 World Cups

Kerala Governor inaugurates the IBSA Blind Football Women’s Asian/Oceania Championship 2022
• Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan on 12 November 2022 inaugurated the IBSA Blind Football Women’s
Asian/Oceania Championship 2022 at Kochi, Kerala.
• The women’s Japanese Blind Football national team is the first Asian champion!
• Japan was victorious against India
• International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA)
• set up in 1981 in Paris, France.
• It is the governing body for the Paralympic sports of goalball, judo and blind football.
• Headquarters: Bonn, Germany
• Sandro Di Girolamo of Italy is the current IBSA President.

This is the first time in India that a parafootball event will have 10 men's teams and 2 women's
teams. This parafootball event is a qualifier for the World Championships Birmingham 2023 and
the Paris Paralympics 2024.
CHINA WINS THE 2022 IBSA BLIND FOOTBALL ASIA OCEANIA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Runner up: Thailand

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Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates 'Baji Rout National Football Tournament'


• in Dhenkanal in Odisha.
• which was won by Rajasthan United.
• Aim: To attract the younger generation towards football.
• Recently, the govt of India has signed an MoU with FIFA and All India Football Federation for
'Football For School' initiative.

FIFA Club World Cup Championship 2021:


• The final was held at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. English club Chelsea
defeated Brazilian club Palmeiras. Chelsea has won the FIFA Club World Cup for the
first time

UPCOMING FIFA WORLD CUP & VENUES


• FIFA World Cup 2022 – Qatar
• FIFA World Cup 2026 – Canada, Mexico, US
• FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 – Australia and New Zealand

Deepika Padukone unveiled FIFA World Cup Trophy during final in Qatar
• She is the first actor to receive such an honour at the world's most-watched sporting
event.
• The FIFA World Cup final was held on December 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium in
Qatar.
• Nora Fatehi, an actor and dancer, performed at the FIFA World Cup 2022 Fan Festival at Al Bidda Park in
Doha.
• Ranveer Singh invited to represent India at FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar
• Vice President Dhankhar attended FIFA men's world cup 2022 opening ceremony in
Qatar

FIFA men’s World Cup 2022


• held in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022.
• It is the first time that an Arab country will host the tournament.
• It is the second world cup to be held in Asia after the 2002 World cup which was jointly hosted by Japan and
South Korea.
• A total of 32 teams will participate in the world cup.
• La'eeb is the official mascot of the Cup. It is inspired by the keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by Arab men.
• The name of the football to be used during the world cup is Al Rihla.
• Al Rihla means “Journey” in Arabic.
• It has been made by the German multinational company Adidas.
• FIFA WORLD CUP
• It is an international men’s senior football championship organised by FIFA and it is held every four years. No
world cup was held in 1942 and 1946 due to the Second World War.
• First world cup was held in 1930 and 21st world cup was held in Russia.
• 2026 Men’s world cup will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
• Brazil is the most successful team in the world having won it 5 times. Italy and Germany have won it 4 times
each.
• Headquarter of FIFA: Zurich, Switzerland

Argentina beat France 4-2 on penalties, win 3rd FIFA World Cup 2022 title
• The final match was played at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar.
• Argentina won the World Cup after 36 years. Is for the third time after 1978 and
1986.
2022 FIFA World Cup Awards
Golden Boot Award: Kylian Mbappe (France)(top goalscorer)
Golden Ball Award: Lionel Messi (Argentina)(best player in the FIFA World Cup 2022)
Golden Glove Award: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)(best goalkeeper)

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Stephanie Frappart of France becomes 1st woman to officiate in men’s FIFA World Cup
• Frappart was also the first woman to officiate a men’s Champions League game in 2020.

Que: Which team has won the AFC Women`s Asian Cup India 2022?
Ans: China PR
• China PR defeated South Korea (Korea Republic), 3-2, to win the AFC Women`s
Asian Cup India 2022 final title at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on
February 06, 2022.
• This is the record-extending 9th AFC Women`s Asian Cup title won by China.
• Fair play award: South Korea

First Indian sports documentary to feature among FIFA+ Originals


Maitanam is the 40-minute documentary shows six stories
from Kerala where football is a way of life. Maitanam, the
Malayalam word that means ‘ground’ .

FIFA has released a three-episode series on the life and career


of Indian footballer Sunil Chettri
Chhetri is third in the list for active footballers with most international goals with 84 strikes to his name, behind
Cristiano Ronaldo (117) and Lionel Messi (90). Chhetri made his India debut in 2005 and since then has played in 131
matches

India created history by qualifying for FIFAe Nations Cup 2022:


A total of 24 teams will compete in the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 from 26th to 30th July in
Copenhagen, Denmark. It is organized and conducted by EA Sports. France won the
inaugural FIFAe Nations Cup in 2020 by beating Argentina in the final in London.
The 2021 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

FIFA: Penguin Tazuni unveiled as mascot for 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
• 9th edition of FIFA Women's World Cup is to be held from July 20 to August 20, 2023.
• in Australia and New Zealand.
• The design is based on the Eudyptula minor species that found in both host countries.
• "Tazuni" is the combination of Tasman Sea and the word unity.
• FIFA President: Gianni Infantino
• Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland

3rd edition of SAFF U-18 Women’s Football Championship:


• Held in Jharkhand at JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur. Although India lost to Bangladesh, 0-1 in final
league match, but still emerged champions of the tournament on account of better goal difference.

SAFF U-17 Championship Title in Colombo:


• India has secured the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-17 Championship title after defeating Nepal
by 4-0 in the final in Colombo, Sri Lanka.India has played well to lift the title for the fourth time (2013, 2017,
2019, 2022).
About :
• SAFF members: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
• SAFF HQ: Dhaka

Manisha Kalyan, Sunil Chhetri named AIFF Footballers of the Year 2021-22:
• National captain Sunil Chhetri has been named the AIFF Men's Footballer of
the Year for the seventh time, He is the third highest goal scorer among active
international players.

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Manisha Kalyan becomes first Indian footballer to play in UEFA Women’s Champions League :
• Young striker Manisha Kalyan, from Kerala, has become the 1st Indian footballer to play at the UEFA
Women's Champions League. She made her debut for Apollon Ladies FC in the European Club competition in
Engomi, Cyprus. She was recently awarded the AIFF Women's Footballer of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

Football: Hyderabad FC win Indian Super League tournament by beating Kerala Blasters in the
final played in Goa

England beat Germany to win Women’s European Championship 2022


• Held at Wembley Stadium, England.
• 13th edition
• Team:16
• Host: England

Santosh Trophy : Kerala wins for the 7th time. Kerala has defeated the 32-time champion West
Bengal to win its 75th Santhosh Trophy National Tournament at the Payyanad Stadium
in Malappuram, Kerala. This is the first time that Kerala has won on home soil since
1993.officially known as Hero Senior Men's National Football Championship
Founded :1941

UEFA Europa League: Eintracht Frankfurt beat Rangers


Eintracht Frankfurt (German club) has won their first European trophy in 42 years.
The UEFA Europa League, formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club
competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations

Other important cups:


Durand Cup:
The oldest football tournament in Asia, Durand Cup started on August 16, 2022. For the first time in its history, the
tournament is being held in multiple cities - West Bengal, Assam and Manipur
Durand Cup is one of the three major football tournaments in India, the other two being Indian
Super League and Super Cup. This year the tournament is 131st edition.
Bengaluru FC lifts maiden Durand Cup by defeating Mumbai City FC131st
edition of the Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in
Kolkata. The first edition of the competition was played in 1888.
61st Subroto Cup under-17 girls football tournament
St. Patrick’s School, Jharkhand won the tournament
It was held at the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi.This year a team from
Bangladesh took part in the Subroto cup.

About Subroto cup


prestigious international inter-school football tournament held annually in New Delhi. It is named after the former
Indian Air force Chief Subroto Mukherjee, began in 1960

UEFA Super Cup 2022:


• Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt, for a record-equalling fifth time,
• in Helsinki, Finland. Prior to this, Team Barcelona,and Team Milan have
• won the trophy five times each.
• About: UEFA Super Cup is an annual football match organised by UEFA for the
• winners of the two main European club competitions, i.e. the UEFA Champions
League and UEFA Europa League.

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35th Spanish league title :


Real Madrid football team has won a record-extending after defeating Espanyol by 4-0.
About: Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded on 6 March 1902

Bangladesh beat Nepal to clinch maiden 2022 SAFF Women's Championship title
• SAFF (South Asian Football Federation)
• In Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Founded: 1997

Manchester City crowned 2021-22 Premier League champions


Manchester City have been crowned 2021/22 Premier League champions – our fourth title
success in the last five seasons.
Other football cups & trophies:
• Rovers Cup
• Sanjay Gold Cup
• Santosh Trophy
• Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee
• Todd Memorial Trophy
• Vittal Trophy

Que: Who has topped the list of Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes 2022 with a reported income of
$130 million?
Ans: Lionel Messi (Argentine footballer)
• Forbes calculates the estimates based on prize money, salaries and bonuses, and
sponsorship deals.
Cricket
Third T20 World Cup cricket tournament for Blind held in India
• from December 5 to 17, 2022
• The participating countries - Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri
Lanka and India.
• India beat Bangladesh to claim third successive title
• Earlier, the Indian team has won the title in 2012 and 2017.
• at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru
• Former India batter Yuvraj Singh is the brand ambassador of the tournament.
• Cricket World Cup for the Disabled is an initiative of the Cricket Association for the Blind
in India (CABI) in association with Samarthanam Trust.
• This championship has been organised since 2012.

England’s Rehan Ahmed becomes youngest to claim five-wicket on Test debut


• during the third Test against Pakistan in Karachi.
• Rehan (18 years, 128 days) broke the record of Australia’s current Test captain Pat
Cummins (18y and 196d v South Africa, 2011) to achieve the record.

England's Sam Curran became the Most Expensive Player in 2023 IPL Auction
• England all-rounder Sam Curran emerged as the most expensive player in the IPL’s history
as Punjab Kings bought him for Rs 18.50 crore.
• He broke the record of South African all-rounder Chris Morris, who received Rs 16.25 crore at the 2021
auction.

Australia renames Cricket Test Player of the Year award


• Australia's men's Test Player of the Year award has been renamed to honour legendary
spinner Shane Warne.

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• The Shane Warne Men's Test Player of the Year award will be presented annually at the Australian Cricket
Awards.
• Warne himself won the award once, in 2006
• This Australian Cricket Awards will be announced on January 30, 2023.

Virat Kohli becomes first batter to score 4000 runs in T20Is


• He reached the landmark in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022
against England in Adelaide, Australia.
• Earlier, he became the all-time leading run-scorer in the men's T20 World
Cups against Bangladesh.

England beats Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2022


• at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Australia, from 16 October to 13 November
2022. Originally it was to be held in 2020 but was postponed to 2022 due to covid.
• Player of the World Cup : Sam Curran of England for his 13 wickets in the tournament.

8th ICC Men’s T20I World Cup 2022 highlights


• Virat Kohli was the highest run scorer in the tournament with 296 runs in six innings .
• Maximum wickets in the T20I world cup :
• Wanindu Hasaranga of Sri Lanka, 15 wickets

History of the ICC T20I Men’s World Cup


S. No Year Host Winner Runners-Up
1 2007 South Africa India Pakistan
2 2009 England Pakistan Sri Lanka
3 2010 West Indies England Australia
4 2012 Sri Lanka West Indies Sri Lanka
5 2014 Bangladesh Sri Lanka India
6 2016 India West Indies England
7 2021 UAE,Oman Australia New Zealand
8 2022 Australia England Pakistan
9 2024 West Indies, United States

ICC’s Upcoming Event


• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 (9th edition) – USA & West Indies
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (10th edition) – India & Sri Lanka
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028 (11th edition) – Australia & New Zealand
• ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2030 (12th edition) – England, Ireland & Scotland
• ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 – Pakistan
• ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2029 – India
• ICC Men’s 50 over World Cup 2023 (13th edition) – India
• ICC Men’s 50 over World Cup 2027 (14th edition) – South Africa, Zimbabwe & Namibia
• ICC Men’s 50 over World Cup 2031 (15th edition) – India & Bangladesh

Suryakumar Yadav becomes world’s No.1 T20I batter


• Indian batter, Suryakumar Yadav (32) has become the world’s number one batter in T20 Internationals and
also become the second Indian player to hold the top T20I batter ranking, after Virat Kohli
• Suryakumar Yadav has overtaken Pakistan opener, Mohammad Rizwan.
• In Women's T20I format, Beth Mooney (Australia) topped the list, while Indian Smriti Mandhana
ranked second

Suryakumar Yadav first Indian to score 1,000 T20 International runs in a calendar year
• He is only the second player in T20 International history to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year.
• In 2021, Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan scored 1,326 runs at an average of 73.66.

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Mumbai’s first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy


• The Mumbai team beat Himachal Pradesh by 3 wickets in the final
• played at the Eden Garden Stadium, Kolkata on 5 November 2022.
• Tanush Kotia was declared as the player of the match.
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
• organized by the BCCI (Board for Control of Cricket in India). It is a premier domestic T20
cricket tournament which was launched in 2006-07 season.
• Initially it was named as T20 Inter- State Championship but it was renamed later as Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy.
• Tamil Nadu has won it maximum 3 times.

Ruturaj Gaikwad smashes 7 sixes in an over to make world record


• Rituraj Gaikwad, playing for Maharashtra, became the first batsman in List-A cricket to hit 7
sixes in an over in the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
• Gaikwad made this record against Uttar Pradesh in Ahmedabad.
• Batsmen who have hit six sixes in an over include Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle
Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Ross Whiteley, Hazratullah Zazai, Leo Carter, Kieron Pollard and Thisara
Perera.

Vijay Hazare Trophy Final: Saurashtra beat Maharashtra by 5 wickets


Saurashtra beat Maharashtra by 5 wickets in the final to win the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the Narendra
Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Player of the match in the final: Sheldon Jackson (133 runs in 135 Balls)
• Player of the tournament: Ruturaj Gaikwad (Games: 5; Runs: 660; Avg: 220)
• Most Runs: N Jagadeesan (Tamil Nadu)
• Most Fours: N Jagadeesan
• Most Sixes: Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ishan Kishan makes world record of fastest double century in ODI


• He scored his double century in just 126 balls against Bangladesh in the match played at
Chattogram, Bangladesh.
• The record was earlier held by Chris Gayle of West Indies who scored a 138 balls double
century against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup .
• Youngest player to score a double century in men’s ODI
• Ishan Kishan also became the youngest player to score a double hundred in men’s ODI. He
was 24 years 145 days old when he scored his double century.
• The previous youngest was of Rohit Sharma, who was 26 years and 186 days old at the time
of his first double in 2013 against Australia.

Shafali Verma to lead India’s in the inaugural ICC women’s U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup
• to be played in South Africa from January 14-29 in 2023.

Joe Root becomes the 3rd player to score 10000 Test runs
• Former England captain, Joe Root has become the third cricketer in history to score 10,000 runs
and pick up 50 wickets in Test cricket.
• He has joined the Jacques Kallis (South African) and Steve Waugh (former Australian skipper) in
scoring 10000 runs and claiming 50 wickets in the longest format.

ICC Cricket Team Rankings 2022


• ICC Test Team Rankings 2022 – Australia
Rank Team Matches/ Points Rating

1 Australia 23/ 2,736 119

2 New Zealand 28/ 3,264 117

3 India 32/ 3,717 116

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4 England 41/ 4,151 101


5 South Africa 23/ 2,271 99

• ICC ODI Team Rankings 2022


Rank Team Matches/ Points Rating
1 New Zealand 17/ 2,054 121
2 England 32/ 3,793 119
3 Australia 28/ 3,244 116
4 India 32/ 3,624 113
5 South Africa 25/ 2,459 98

• ICC T20I Team Rankings 2022


Rank Team Matches/ Points Rating

1 England 9,354 275


2 India 9,627 267
3 Pakistan 12,207 265
4 New Zealand 9,707 255
5 South Africa 8,858 253

Que: Which player has won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s
Cricketer of the Year 2021?
Ans: Smriti Mandhana

Que: Name the player who has been conferred with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC
Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2021?
Ans: Shaheen Afridi

Australia claim Ashes series 4-0


• Australia beats England • Ghulam Ahmed Trophy
• Ashes Series • Irani Trophy
• Asia Cup • MRF World Cup
• Benson and Hedges • Nehru Cup (Jawaharlal Nehru Cup)
• C. K. Naidu Trophy • Rani Jhansi Trophy
• Deodhar Trophy • Ranji Trophy
• Duleep Trophy • Reliance Cup
• G. D. Birla Trophy • Sahara Cup

Que: India will host first ever World Deaf T20 Cricket Championship in 2023 in which state?
Ans: Kerala

2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China to include cricket in T20 format


• E-sports and breakdancing will debut in the 2022 Asian Games .
• Sony Pictures Networks India, (SPN), has acquired the exclusive rights for the 2022 Asian
Games from November 2021 to September 2023.

India beat Sri Lanka to win U-19 Asia Cup title in Dubai
• Player of the match in U-19 Asia Cup Final: Angkrish Raghuvanshi (IND)
• 9th Asia Cup

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Year Winner Runners-up Host Nation


2018 India Sri Lanka Bangladesh
2019 India Bangladesh Sri Lanka
United Arab
2021 India Sri Lanka
Emirates

Rishabh Pant becomes fastest Indian wicket keeper to reach 100 dismissals in Test

Wicketkeepers with 100 dismissals Test Matches

Rishabh Pant 26
MS Dhoni 36

Que: All-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has announced retirement from international cricket. He played
for which nation's cricket team?
Ans: Pakistan
He is nicknamed “The Professor”.

Sri Lanka batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa retires from international cricket

South Africa's Quinton de Kock retires from Test cricket


• Test Debut- February 20,2014
• Last Test- December 26,2021

Que: In January 2022, who received Knighthood from Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge at
Windsor Castle, for his services towards the game of cricket?
Ans: Clive Lloyd (Former West Indies Captain)
• A knighthood is a title that is given to a man by a British king or queen for his achievements or
his service to his country. A man who has been given a knighthood can put ‘Sir’ in front of his
name instead of ‘ Mr’.

Que: Who has become the third Indian to score a century in the ICC U19 World Cup?
Ans: Yash Dhull
• India U19 skipper Yash Dhull has become the third Indian to score a century in the ICC U19
Cricket World Cup after Virat Kohli and Unmukht Chand.

Que: Which team has become the first to qualify for four consecutive U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup finals?
Ans: India
• India has become the first team in the history of the U19 World Cup to qualify for four
consecutive U-19 World Cup finals.
• In the finals, India beat England by four wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium
• Earlier, India had won the U19 World Cup in 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2018

Justin Langer resigns as Australian men's team head coach


• Andrew McDonald has been appointed as the interim head coach.

Que: Suranga Lakmal has announced his retirement from international cricket from March 2022. He
plays international matches for which country?
Ans: Sri Lanka

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Que: Bihar’s Sakibul Gani has become the first player in the history of the game to score a triple century
on his first-class debut. He made the history in the Ranji Trophy fixture against which state’s team?
Ans: Mizoram
• Bihar’s Sakibul Gani become the first player in the history of the game to score a triple century
on his first-class debut.
• at the Jadavpur University Campus ground

Benaud-Qadir Trophy
• A Test cricket series played between the men's cricket teams of Australia and Pakistan.
• It was launched in March 2022 during Australia's tour of Pakistan.
• Current trophy holder: Australia (1st title)
• First edition: 2021–22 (Pakistan)
• Next edition: 2023–24 (Australia)

Que: The 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup was held in which country?
Ans: New Zealand
• T12 edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup
• Total 8 teams participated - New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and
West Indies.

Que: Who has created history by claiming 250 wickets in Women's ODIs?
Ans: Jhulan Goswami
• India's Jhulan Goswami has created history by claiming 250 wickets in Women's ODIs.
• She has become the first-ever woman bowler to breach the 250 mark.

Que: Who has become the fastest cricketer to score 8000 Test Runs?
Ans: Steve Smith
• surpassing Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara.
• Australian Smith achieved the milestone in his 151st innings, while Sangakkara had achieved it in
his 152nd innings.
• India’s Sachin Tendulkar is now the third-fastest who reached 8000 Test Runs in his 154th innings

Que: Cricket player Mithali Raj has recently achieved the feat of becoming the first women to appear in
________ World Cups
Ans: 6
• She is the only third cricketer overall to play six world cup after Sachin Tendulkar and Javed Miandad.
• She has played in the ICC women’s cricket world cup events in 2000, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and now in
2022.

Rishabh Pant surpasses Kapil Dev to score the fastest 50 by an Indian in Test cricket.
• Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant smashed a half-century off just 28 balls
• The previous record was held by former Indian captain Kapil Dev, who had struck a 30-ball 50
against Pakistan back in 1982.

New Zealand Cricket Awards 2022

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Wisden’s “Five Cricketers of the Year”2022


Name Country
Rohit Sharma India
Jasprit Bumrah India
Ollie Robinson England
Dane van Niekerk South Africa
It is 159th edition of the most
Devon Conway New Zealand
famous sports book in the
Leading T20 Cricketer: Mohammad Rizwan Pakistan world and published every year
since 1864.
Leading Cricketer in the World:Joe Root England

Leading Woman Cricketer in the World: Lizelle Lee South Africa

Que: Which team has won the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup?
Ans: Australia
• Australia beat England by 71 runs in the finals to claim their seventh Women’s World
Cup on April 03, 2022, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Alyssa Healy of Australia scored 170 runs in the match, the highest individual score made by any cricketer,
male or female, in the World Cup Final. Player of the Tournament went to Alyssa Healy.
• 12th edition of the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

Rohit Sharma becomes the second Indian cricketer after Virat Kohli to record 10,000 runs in T20
cricket.
• Rohit Sharma (10003) became the seventh batter overall to reach the 10,000 runs in T20s.
• West Indian legend Chris Gayle is leading the list of run-getters with 14562 runs to his
name followed by Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik (11698), WI’s Kieron Pollard (11474), Australia’s
Aaron Finch (10499), Virat Kohli (10379) and Australia’s David Warner (10373)

Que: Who has been appointed as the new captain of the West Indies ODI and T20I Team?
Ans: Nicholas Pooran

Mithali Raj announces her retirement from international cricket


• at the age of 39 years.
• She has represented India in 232 matches and scored 7,805 runs at an average of
50.68.
• She made her international debut in an ODI against Ireland, in June 1999.
• In March 2021, Mithali Raj became the first Indian woman cricketer and second internationally to complete
10,000 runs across all formats.
• First International woman cricketer to complete 10,000 runs - England's Charlotte Edwards
• honoured her with Arjuna Award in 2003 for her outstanding achievement in cricket and the Major Dhyan
Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.

Que: Women’s T20 Challenge 2022 title won by Supernovas. In which year first edition of the tournament took
place?
Ans: 2018
• Supernovas won over Velocity in the title clash.
• In Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
• The Women’s T20 Challenge is an Indian women’s cricket 20-20 tournament organised by BCCI.
• Most successful :IPL Supernovas (3 titles)
• Most runs: Harmanpreet Kaur (362)
• Most wickets :Radha Yadav (12)

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Que: Who becomes the 1st Indian to Reach 200 Million Followers On Instagram?
Ans: Virat Kohli
• Portugal football star Cristiano Ronaldo tops the chart with 451 million followers

Rohit Sharma sets a world record and becomes first captain to win 13 straight T20I matches

India to host 2025 Women's ODI World Cup.


• 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup host – Bangladesh
• 2026 edition - England
• 2027 Women’s T20 World Cup host - Sri Lanka
• ICC HQ: Dubai

Que: The Asia Cup 2022 will be shifted to which nation from Sri Lanka?
Ans: UAE
• because of the economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka.

Que: Who became the fastest Indian bowler to take 150 ODI wickets?
Ans: Mohammed Shami
• He surpassed the record of former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar, who took 97 matches.

Mastercard will replace Paytm as title sponsor for all BCCI matches in India
• Since 2015, Paytm has been the title sponsor of BCCI and renewed the contract in
August 2019.
• The current agreement between Paytm and the BCCI runs from September 2019 to
March 31, 2023.
• Mastercard Founded: 16 December 1966
• Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States
• Mastercard CEO: Michael Miebach

Que: Which two Asian nations were awarded ICC Associate membership recently?
Ans: Uzbekistan, Cambodia
• The ICC awarded membership status to three new countries during its ongoing annual
conference in Birmingham on July 26, 2022.
• The three ICC members include Cote D'Ivoire from Africa and Cambodia and Uzbekistan from Asia.
• Revised total of ICC members 108 countries including 96 associates.

Que: Which nation was stripped of its ICC membership?


Ans: Russia

Que: Rahul Sharma has announced his retirement recently. He was associated with which sport?
Ans: Cricket
• India spinner Rahul Sharma has announced his retirement from international and first class
cricket.

Que: India cricketer Suresh Raina has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket including
IPL. For which team Raina has played in IPL?
Ans: Chennai Super Kings
• He is the first Indian batsman to hit a century in all three formats of international cricket

Robin Uthappa announced retirement from all forms of Indian cricket


• In last season’s IPL, Uthappa played for Chennai Super Kings
• He was part of the country’s 2004 Under-19 World Cup team.

Recently retired cricketers

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• Ben Stokes – One Day International Cricket – England


• Eoin Morgan – International Cricket – England
• Bresnam – All Form of Cricket – England
• Dinesh Ramdin – International Cricket – West Indies
• Kieron Pollard – International Cricket – West Indies
• Colin de Grandhomme - international cricket - – New Zealand
• Ross Taylor – International Cricket – New Zealand
• Hamish Bennett – All Form of Cricket – New Zealand
• TimChris Morris – All Form of Cricket – South Africa
• Suranga Lakmal – International Cricket – Sri Lanka
• Tamim Iqbal – T20 International – Bangladesh
• Mohammad Hafeez – International Cricket – Pakistan

Que: Who won Asia Cup 2022?


Ans: Sri Lanka
• Finals - Sri Lanka vs Pakistan
• Hosted by Sri Lanka in UAE
• India: most successful team in Asia Cup history with seven titles (1984, 1988, 1990-91,
1995, 2010, 2016, 2018).
• Asia Cup 1984: 1st Edition, UAE
• Man of the tournament: Wanindu Hasaranga

Ques: Which country will host Women Asia Cup 2022?


Ans: Bangladesh
• 7 teams playing for the coveted cup.
• at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

Que: Which rule is expected to be introduced in IPL 2023?


Ans: Impact Player Rule
• BCCI: 'Impact Player' rule set to be implemented in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and IPL
2023
• Under the new rule, teams can replace one member of their playing XI during the match. It is similar to the
player substitution rule in football.
• 'Impact Player' can be introduced into the game any time before the end of the 14th over of the innings.
Notably, the use of Impact Player is not mandatory.
• The player who is replaced by the Impact Player would not be able to take part in the remainder of the
match.
Duleep Trophy 2022
• West zone has defeated the South zone to win their 19th title
• at the SNR College Cricket Ground, Coimbatore.
• The 2022 Duleep trophy was the 59th season of the Duleep Trophy.
• Venue: Chennai, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, and Salem.

Ques: Which Indian woman cricketer became the fastest to score 3000 runs in ODIs?
Ans: Smriti Mandhana
• Mandhana is the third Indian to reach 3000 ODI runs behind Mithali and current India skipper Harmanpreet
Kaur.

Jhulan Goswami Retirement: India's legendary pacer receives 'Guard of Honour' from
English players
• A former India captain, she is the highest wicket-taker in women's international
cricket with 353 wickets in 283 matches.
• Making her debut in 2002, Goswami contributed over 20 years of her life to
Indian women’s cricket team, which reached three World Cup finals (two ODIs)
• She hails from Chakdah (in West Bengal's Nadia district)

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Que: Rest of India has defeated which team to win Irani Cup 2022 at the Saurashtra Cricket
Stadium, Rajkot?
Ans: Saurashtra
• It was the Rest of India’s 29th Irani Trophy title.
• Irani Cup is a test match format cricket tournament in India.

India defeats Sri Lanka to win Women's Asia Cup 2022


• Final held at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh.
• India has defeated Sri Lanka for the fifth time in an Asia Cup final.
• This is India's record seventh Women's Asia Cup title.

BCCI announces equal match fee for men and women cricketers
• BCCI has announced the implementation of a pay equity policy for contracted Indian women cricketers
• Test cricket match: ₹15 lakh
• One Day International (ODI) match: ₹6 lakh
• T20 match: ₹3 lakh
• Aim: To promote gender equality in sports
• President of BCCI: Roger Binny

Que: Which state/ UT is likely to host the IPL 2022?


Ans: Maharashtra
• BCCI president Sourav Ganguly confirmed recently that IPL 2022 will be held in Mumbai and Pune in
Maharashtra.
• The venues shall be Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, D.Y. Patil Stadium in
Navi Mumbai and M.C.A Stadium in Pune.
• IPL 2022: The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League is expected to kick off in the last week of March
• The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 ended with Gujarat Titans (GT) lifting the trophy by defeating inaugural
champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on May 29.
• The final match of IPL 2022 was played at the Narendra Modi stadium. Newly built Narendra Modi stadium is
the largest cricket stadium in the world currently.
• Game changer of IPL 2022: Jos Buttler achieved this award with his extraordinary performance by
hammering runs for his team.
• Fair Play Award: Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans jointly awarded ‘Fair Play Award’.
• Most Valuable Player: Jos Buttler is considered as the most valuable player.
• Purple cap – Yuzvendra Chahal (27 wickets, which is the most by a spinner) has been awarded with the
purple cap.
• Orange cap – Jos Buttler (863 runs) has been awarded orange cap.

Que: Who has been named captain of the Ahmedabad IPL team?
Ans: Hardik Pandya
• This year’s Indian Premier League will be a 10-team affair with the introduction of two new franchises-
Lucknow (Lucknow Super Giants ) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat Titans).
• Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni
• Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma
• Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant
• Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson
• Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson
• Administrator :IPL Governing Council, BCCI
• Format :Twenty20
• First edition:2008
• Current champion:Chennai Super Kings (4 titles)
• Most successful :Mumbai Indians (five titles)
• Most runs :India Virat Kohli (6076)
• Most wickets :Sri Lanka Lasith Malinga (170)

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Que: Which is the first IPL team to unveil their team logo in the metaverse?
Ans: Gujarat Titans

Que: The BCCI plans to launch women's IPL by which year?


Ans: 2023
• BYJU is the current the official Indian cricket team sponsor for a period of almost 3
years. The deal period will begin from 5 September, 2019 until 31 March, 2022.

Que: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council has announced
_______ as an official partner for the Tata IPL 2022.
Ans: RuPay
• Tata IPL 2022 is co-presented by Dream11 and co-powered by Tata and CRED.
• The 15th edition of Tata IPL 2022 started on 26th March 2022.
• A total of 70 league matches will be played across four international venues in Mumbai and Pune.
• Secretary: Jay Shah
• Men’s coach: Rahul Dravid
• Women’s coach: Ramesh Powar

Punjab Kings, Shikhar Dhawan becomes first player to hit 700 fours in IPL
• Dhawan also become the second player to score 6000 runs in IPL history after Virat Kohli.
• Indian Premier League began in 2008

Boxing
Que: Nikhat Zareen and Nitu were in news for wining gold medal for India in which event?
Ans: Boxing
• Indian boxers Nikhat Zareen (52kg) and Nitu (48kg) has won gold medals at the 73rd
Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament, held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
• The Indian contingent overall won three medals including two golds and one bronze
• The bronze medal was won by Nandini (+81kg)

Delhi to host IBA women’s worlds from March 15


• The 2023 women’s World boxing championships will take place from March 15 to 31
• The competition will take place in 12 weight categories
• India will host the biennial event for the third time.
• Since the inception in 2001, the event has been held twice in India previously in 2006
and 2018, both in the capital.
• India has also hosted the women’s youth Worlds in 2017 in Guwahati.
• President: Umar Kremlev
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• Founded: 1946

Nikhat Zareen won gold at 2022 Women’s Boxing National Championship

• World Champion Nikhat Zarin of Telangana and the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina
Borgohain of Assam won gold medals in their respective weight categories
• At the 6th Elite National Women’s Boxing Championship, held at the Tatya Tope Stadium, Bhopal. 302
women boxers from all over the country participated in the event.
• The Railways team topped the medals tally with 10 medals - five golds, three silvers and two bronze.
• Madhya Pradesh team came second and Haryana claimed the third spot.

Asian Boxing Championships 2022: Lovlina, Parveen, Saweety and Alfiya won gold
• Asian Boxing Championships 2022 in Amman, Jordan.
• Saweety Boora bagged a gold in the 81kg weight category
• Alfiya Khan bagged a gold in the 81 plus weight category

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• Lovlina Borgohain won the gold medal in the 75kg category.


• Parveen Hooda clinched the gold medal in the 63 kg category
• India return with 12 medals: 4 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze

India to host 2023 women’s World Boxing Championship


• The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has confirmed that the 2023 IBA Women’s World
Boxing Championships will be hosted by India, in New Delhi.
• Earlier, the event was organised in 2006 and 2018 in New Delhi.
• The tournament is likely to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
• The 2023 men’s world championship will be held in Tashkent in May.
• International Boxing Association President: Umar Kremlev

Alfiya Pathan and Gitika win Gold at Elorda Cup in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
• Alfiya Pathan (81 kg) and Gitika (48 kg)
• Overall, 33 Indian boxers competed in the tournament
• India finish with 14 medals - 2 gold, 2 silver, and 10 bronze.
• The tournament hosted boxers from India, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cuba, China and
Mongolia.

India Bags 10 medal with 3 gold at 2022 Thailand Open Boxing Tournament
• The 15-member Indian boxing contingents ended their campaign at the Thailand Open
International Boxing Tournament 2022 in Phuket with 10 medals, including three golds,
four silvers, and three bronze.
Gold
• Govind Sahani (48kg),
• Ananta Pralhad Chopde (54kg)
• Sumit (75kg)

Que: The ____ edition of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships was kick-started in
Istanbul, Turkey.
Ans: 12th
• Marks the 20th anniversary of the prestigious event.

India’s Nikhat Zareen wins gold at Women's World Boxing Championship at Istanbul
• in 52kg (Category)
• Nikhat became the fifth Indian woman to secure a gold medal at the World Boxing
Championships after Mary Kom, Sarita Devi, Jenny RL, and Lekha KC.
• It was also India’s first gold medal since boxing great Mary Kom won it in 2018.

Que: Which country has topped medal tally of 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships held at Istanbul,
Turkey?
Ans: Turkey
• India for the first time in the past four years, had won a total medal tally of 3, which includes one Gold and
two Bronze.

Hockey
Que: Indian team beat which country to win bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup?
Ans: China
• Japan defeated South Korea in the final to win their third title at Women’s Hockey Asia
Cup tournament.
• 10th edition
• The tournament was held from January 21 to 28, 2022 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports
Complex in Muscat, Oman.

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India wins Sultan of Johor Cup 2022 in Malaysia


• Indian Under 21 men’s hockey team has won the 10th edition of Sultan of Johor Cup
title, after defeating Australia in 2022 final,
• held in Johor Bahru, Malaysia from 22 to 29 October 2022.
• Earlier, India has won two titles in 2013 and 2014.
• The top-scorer of tournament was Sharda Nand Tiwari from India, with seven goals to
his name.
• The Player of the Match: Sudeep Chirmako
• Sultan of Johor Cup was started in 2011.

Indian men's hockey team win bronze at Hockey Asia Cup 2022
• defeated Japan
• at Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Indian hockey team captain, Birendra Lakra wins the player of the match award .
• South Korea wins Asia Cup men’s hockey 2022 for the 5th time (1994, 1999, 2009, 2013
2022) and Malaysia placed at second.
• Top scorer of the tournament: Razie Rahim of Malaysia (scored 13 goals)

Que: In which of the following state of India has unveiled the logo of the 2023 FIH Men’s
Hockey World Cup?
Ans: Odisha
• Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has unveiled the logo of the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup at the
Kalinga stadium in the capital
• To be held in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, tournament is scheduled from January 13 to 29.
• Hockey India and its official partner Odisha will host the marquee event for the second consecutive time in
the country after 2018.
• 15th edition

Tata Steel becomes official partner of Men's Hockey World Cup 2023
• It will be the fourth time that India will be hosting the prestigious tournament after 1982
in Bombay, 2010 in New Delhi, and 2018 in Odisha.
• A total of 16 nations will take part in the tournament.

Harmanpreet Singh to captain Indian team at the FIH men’s world cup 2023
• Amit Rohidas has been named as the vice-captain of the squad. The team coach is Graham
Reid.
• The last 14th FIH Men’s World Cup Hockey was also played in Odisha in 2018.
• Champions: Belgium (1st title)

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur unveils FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 trophy
• at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in the national capital.
• The trophy will travel across 13 states and one union territory before returning to
Odisha on December 25.
• The trophy will go to West Bengal, Manipur, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
• The Hockey World Cup is organised every four years.

Que: Which state is the champion of the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship
2022?
Ans: Odisha
• The 12th Hockey India Senior Women’s National Championship was held in Bhopal, Madhya
Pradesh
• Odisha women’s team has won its first-ever gold in Senior Nationals as they defeat Karnataka 2-0 in the final

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Que: Which team has won the 9th National Women’s Ice Hockey Championship in 2022 held in
Himachal Pradesh?
Ans: Ladakh
• A total of six teams participated in the championship from Delhi, Ladakh, Himachal
Pradesh, Chandigarh, Telangana and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
• UT Ladakh Women Ice Hockey team has won the 9th IHAI National Women Ice Hockey Championship, held
at Kaza, Himachal Pradesh, from 15.01. 2022 to 20.01. 2022.

Que: Which team has won the FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022 at Potchefstroom, South
Africa?
Ans: Netherlands
• Netherlands has lifted their fourth title of FIH Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup 2022 after beating
Germany. Netherlands is the most successful team.
• England claimed the bronze medal in the third-place match after defeating India by 3-0 in the shoot-out.
• The FIH has banned Russia from the 2022 Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup due to 2022 Russian
invasion of Ukraine.
• The 2023 Women’s FIH Hockey Junior World Cup will be the tenth edition and will be held in Santiago, Chile.

Que: What is the current rank of the Indian women's hockey team in the FIH World Rank Team Points
Hockey Rankings 2022?
1. Netherlands 3049.495
Ans: 6th
2. Argentina 2674.837
• International Hockey Federation
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland 3. Australia 2440.750
• Founded: 7 January 1924, Paris, France 4. England 2204.590
• Founder: Paul Léautey 5. Germany 2201.085
• President:Tayyab Ikram
6. India 2029.396
• Indian Women’s Hockey Chief Coach: Janneke Schopman
Rank Team Points
FIH World Rankings men’s 1. Australia 2842.258
The Hockey World Rankings were introduced back in 2003.
2. Belgium 2764.735
3. Netherlands 2465.707
4. India 2366.990

Que: India beat which country to win the inaugural FIH Hockey 5s championship at Lausanne, Switzerland?
Ans: Poland

1st Khelo India Women’s Hockey League (U-16) to be held at Major Dhyanchand Stadium
• in New Delhi from August 16 to 23, 2022.
• The Sports Authority of India has allocated a total of 53.72 lakh rupees for 3 phases of the
competition, which includes Prize money of 15.5 lakh rupees.

Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia from November 16-25, 2022


• World No 1 Australia, India, Germany, New Zealand, and Canada have been invited to the
tournament.
• Last time the Azlan Shah tournament was held in 2019 which was won by South
Korea beating India in the final.
• Australia is the most successful team at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup with 10 titles
followed by India with 5; Pakistan and South Korea with 3 each.
• All matches will be played at the Azlan Shah Stadium in the city of Ipoh in Malaysia,
which is the permanent venue of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Champions Malaysia (1st title)
Runner-up South Korea

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India's hockey star Harmanpreet Singh voted FIH Player of the Year
• India men’s hockey team vice-captain, Harmanpreet Singh has been voted the 2021/22
FIH Player of the Year for the second year running.
• He becomes the fourth player to win the Player of the Year award in men's category in
consecutive years.
• Felice Albers of Netherlands has been named 2021/22 FIH Player of the Year in
women's category.

Indian Women's Hockey Team beat Spain to win 2022 FIH Nations Cup
• held in Valencia, Spain, from 11 to 17 December 2022.

Olympic:
Que:International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission has re-elected who as its Chair?
Ans:Emma Terho
• Emma Terho is a five-time Olympian and former captain of the Finland women’s ice hockey team. She will be
the head of the Commission until the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
• International Olympic Committee (IOC):
• Founded: 1894
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• President: Thomas Bach

Que: India has won how many medals at the Opening Date: 01 May 2022

Deaflympics 2021 in Brazil? Closing Date: 15 May 2022


Ans: 17 (Gold- 8, Silver- 1, Bronze- 8)
Nations: 73
• 24th edition of 2021 Summer Deaflympics i.e.
Caxias 2021
• International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is the main governing body responsible for the
organisation of the Deaflympics
• Motto of the event is “Sports comes from the our hearts”
• Mascot of the Deaflympics is the Ring-tailed Coati – Nino, meaning priceless, worthy of
appreciation, cheerful, happy, very lucky, and auspicious.

Deaflympics is also known as world games for deaf and international games for the deaf. It was
started in the year 1924 by ICSD, The international committee of sports for the deaf.
The first-ever Deaflympics was held in Paris in 1924.
Exceptions: The only exceptions in the history of Deaflympics were the cancellation of the 1943
and 1947 Games because of World War II

Summer Olympic Games/ Summer Paralympic Games


Sl.No Year Venue
1. 2020 Postponed to the following year (2021) Tokyo, Japan
2. 2024 Paris, France
3. 2028 Los Angeles, United States
4. 2032 Brisbane, Australia

Winter Olympic Games


Sl.No Year Venue

1. 2022 Beijing, China

2. 2026 Milan & Cortina, Italy

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Tokyo Olympics 2021


The Japanese words Mirai, which means “Future,” and Towa, which means “Eternity,” are combined to form
Miraitowa, the mascot for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
The mascot for the Tokyo Olympics 2021 was created by Ryo Taniguchi.
A number of new sports made their Olympic debut, including 33 basketballs, Madison cycling, freestyle BMX, karate,
and surfing, sports climbing, and skateboarding. Additionally, since 2008, baseball and softball have returned to the
Olympics.

Tokyo Olympics 2021 India Medals List


Athlete Achievements
Neeraj Chopra Gold medal in Men’s Javelin throw
Mirabai Chanu Silver medal in women’s 49kg weightlifting
Ravi Kumar Dahiya Silver medal in men’s 57kg freestyle wrestling
PV Sindhu Bronze medal in women’s singles badminton
Lovlina Borgohain Bronze medal in women’s welterweight boxing
Bajrang Punia Bronze medal in men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling
Men’s Hockey team Bronze medal

How many medals did India win in Olympics 2021 now?


India broke their previous best of six medals in a single Olympics edition by finishing the Tokyo Games with a record
total of seven medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze) (London 2012). With this, India earned 48th place in the total
medal standings.
Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra of Haryana won the gold medal in the javelin throw event at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
• Neeraj has been serving in the Indian Army since 2016 and is currently serving as a Subedar in the Rajputana
Rifles Unit.
• Neeraj Chopra was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2018.
• Neeraj has won India's 10th Olympic gold medal, it is worth mentioning that 8 gold medals were won by
the men's hockey team and 1 gold medal was won by shooter Abhinav Bindra (1st individual gold medal).
• Gold medals in other events of Neeraj so far:
• 2018 Jakarta, Asian Games
• 2018 Gold Coast, Commonwealth Games
• 2017 Bhubaneswar, Asian Championships
• 2016 Guwahati/Shillong, South Asian Games

India won 19 medals at the Tokyo Paralympics -- five gold, eight silver, six bronze.
Shooter Avani Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win two Paralympics medals.
Javelin thrower Tek Chand was the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics.
Shooter Avani Lekhara was India’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony.
India is placed at 24th position in the overall medal tally out of a total of 162 nations.
Badminton and Taekwondo were inducted for the first time in Tokyo Paralympics.

Gold
Athletics: Sumit Antil (Men’s Javelin Throw)
Badminton: Pramod Bhagat (Men’s Singles), Krishna Nagar (Men’s Singles)
Shooting: Manish Narwal (Mixed 50m Pistol), Avani Lekhara (Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing)
Tokyo Paralympics was the 16th Summer Paralympic Games, held in Tokyo, Japan from August 24, to September 05, 2021.
Team China topped the final medal tally at Tokyo Paralympic Games. The country won a total of 207 medals (96 golds, 60 silvers
and 51 bronzes). United Kingdom (124) gets the second position followed by the USA(104).

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Winter Olympics
• Winter Olympics is the premier competition for sports that are played on ice or snow.
• It is held every four years and features participants from across the world.
• Ice skating, ice hockey, skiing and figure skating are some of the popular sports that
are played at the Winter Games.
• The first Winter Olympics were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France.
• Winter sports were initially played at the Summer Olympics, with the 1908 London
Olympics hosting four figure skating events and Antwerp 1920 having figure skating as well as ice hockey.
• However, in 1924, a separate event was created for winter sports, called the International Winter Sports
Week.
• This years’ edition of the Winter Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China from 4th February to
20th February 2022.
• India has been participating in the Winter Olympics since 1964.
• The 23rd Winter Olympic Games were held in PyeongChang, South Korea in 2018.
• Jammu and Kashmir-based alpine skier Arif Mohammed Khan has become the first Indian athlete to qualify
for two different events of the Winter Olympics
• For the first time in history, an Indian will be competing in two different events at the Winter Olympics.

Para-athlete Vinod Kumar banned for intentional misrepresentation at Tokyo Paralympics 2020
• Board of Appeal of Classification (BAC) has banned Para-athlete, Discus throw player,
Vinod Kumar for two years (Until 2023) for ‘intentional misrepresentation’.
• He won the bronze medal in the discus throw event (F52 category) at the 2020 Tokyo
Paralympics.
• However, he was not awarded the bronze medal with the results reviewed immediately after the event and
later amended, with Kumar deemed ineligible.

Que: Identify the new slogan for the Olympic and paralympic Games Paris 2024 that was revealed
recently.
Ans: Games Wide Open
• Organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics unveiled “Games Wide Open” as their official slogan.
• Having previously hosted in 1900 and 1924, Paris will be hosting the Summer Olympics third time in 2024.
• The 2024 Summer Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11,
2024.
• Athletes will compete in a total of 329 events in 32 sports.

Meghalaya to host 2nd edition of North East Olympics in October


30th October to 6th November in Shillong.
The first edition of Games was held in Manipur in 2018 with 12 disciplines.
Meghalaya is celebrating the 50th year of its Statehood.
In this edition, about 4,000 participants from 8 North Eastern States will be competing in 18
disciplines at 13 venues spread across Shillong.

Manipur tops the medal table as the 2nd edition of North East Olympic Games concludes in
Shillong

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The 2nd Edition of the North East Olympics games concluded on 16 November 2022 at the Meghalaya’s capital
Shillong.
The Games was organised by the government of Meghalaya and the state Olympic Association under the aegis of
Northeast Olympic Association.
The first North East Olympics games was held in Manipur in 2018 and the third edition will be held in Nagaland.

Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Mirabai elected as IOA Athletes Commission member


MC Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Gagan Narang were among 10 eminent
sportspersons elected as members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Athletes
Commission.
Other six members: Shiva Keshavan, Sharath Kamal, Rani Rampal, Bhavani Devi, Bajrang
Lal and Om Prakash Singh Karhana.
All the 10 elected members are Olympians.
As per the new constitution of IOA, the athletes commission is to have equal representation of male and female
members.
• Tokyo Olympics silver medallist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu,
• 2012 Olympics bronze winner shooter Gagan Narang,
• veteran table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal,
• hockey player Rani Rampal,
• Fencer Bhavani Devi,
• rower Bajrang Lal
• former shot putter OP Karhana
• six-time Olympian and the first Indian representative to compete in luge at the Winter Olympic Games Shiva
Keshavan .
India's first Olympic individual gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra and former hockey captain Sardar Singh will join
the commission as members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Asian Olympic Council (OCA),
both with voting rights.
President of the Indian Olympic Association - PT Usha
President of the International Olympic Committee - Thomas Bach
Headquarters of IOC - Lussanne , Switzerland

Que: Who has been elected as the Chairperson of ‘Athletes Commission’ of the Indian Olympic
Association?
Ans: Mary Kom
Six-time World women’s boxing champion and Olympic medallist
The vice Chairperson position went to Sharath Kamal, the table tennis ace who will be received
the Khel Ratna award recently.
IOA Founded: 1927
Headquarters: New Delhi

Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games mascot unveiled


The mascot for Paris 2024 is "The Phryges".
It is a red Phrygian caps, type of hat that has become an enduring symbol of freedom
throughout French history.
Motto: Alone we go faster, but together we go further
The mascot of Paris 2024 is a non-gender-specific mascot.

Singapore to host the first International Olympic Committee Esports Week in 2023
between 22 and 25 June 2023.
Esports (Electronic sports) is a competitive sport where Esports athletes use their physical and mental abilities to
compete in certain genres of video games in a virtual, electronic environment.

Viacom18 bagged Paris Olympics 2024 broadcasting rights

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Commonwealth Games
Que: Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has been qualified directly for 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG)
in which weight category, after winning gold in Singapore Weightlifting International 2022 qualifier?
Ans:55kg
• Indian weightlifter and 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver-medallist Mirabai Chanu has won the gold medal in the
55kg weight category at the Singapore Weightlifting International 2022 on February 25, 2022.
• She has also qualified for the CWG in the 49kg weight category on the basis of her Commonwealth rankings.

IOA announces 322-strong Indian contingent for Commonwealth Games


• 322-strong contingent including 215 athletes and 107 officials and support staff
• The Games scheduled from July 28 to August 8.
• Chef de Mission of the squad - Rajesh Bhandari, vice president of Boxing Federation of India
(BFI)
• Team India will compete in 15 sporting disciplines as well as four disciplines in the
para sports category.

PV Sindhu named India's flag bearer at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony


• Olympic medallist, PV Sindhu (badminton player) and Manpreet Singh (Indian men's
hockey team captain) were named as the India's flag bearer for the opening ceremony of
the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
• India's table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal and CWG boxing gold medallist Nikhat
Zareen - India's flagbearers for the CWG closing ceremony.

22nd edition of the Commonwealth Games


• Hosted by Birmingham, United Kingdom.
• Women’s Twenty20 cricket, beach volleyball and Para-table tennis have been included in the
2022 Commonwealth Game
• However, this time shooting and archery events will not take place in the 2022
Commonwealth Game.

India’s best CWG campaigns: India’s best gold medal haul in CWG
history:
• 2010, New Delhi: 101 medals • 2010, New Delhi: 38 gold medals
• 2002, Manchester: 69 medals • 2002, Manchester: 30 gold medals
• 2018, Gold Coast: 66 medals • 2018, Gold Coast: 26 gold medals
• 2014, Glasgow: 64 medals • 2006, Melbourne: 22 gold medals
• 2022, Birmingham: 61 medals • 2022, Birmingham: 22 gold medals
Commonwealth Games 2026?
To be held in Melbourne and the Victoria region of Australia.
Australia hosted the event last in 2018.

First and last medal in Indian Tally 2022:


• Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won India’s first gold medal in Commonwealth Games
2022 after she topped the 49kg category.
• Paddler Sharath Kamal won India’s last gold medal in Commonwealth Games 2022
with a gold medal in the Table Tennis men’s singles competition.

Emma McKeon, Australia


Australian swimmer McKeon, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, become the all-time most successful
Commonwealth Games athlete with 8 medals, 6 of which were gold.

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WRESTLING
Athlete Category Medal
Bajrang Punia Men's 65kg Gold
Sakshi Malik Women's 62k Gold
Deepak Punia Men's 86kg Gold
Ravi Kumar Dahiya Men's 57kg Gold
Vinesh Phogat Women's 53kg Gold
Naveen Men's 74kg Gold

WEIGHTLIFTING
Athlete Category Medal
Mirabai Chanu Women's 49kg Gold

Jeremy Lalrinnunga Men's 67kg Gold


Achinta Sheuli Men's 73kg Gold

ATHLETICS
Athlete Category Medal
Eldhose Paul Men's Triple Jump Gold

BADMINTON
Athlete Category Medal
PV Sindhu Women's Singles Gold
Lakshya Sen Men's Singles Gold

POWERLIFTING
Athlete Category Medal

Sudhir Men's Heavyweight Gold

BOXING
Athlete Category Medal
Nitu Ghangas Women's 48kg Gold
Nikhat Zareen Women's 50kg Gold
Amit Panghal Men's 51kg Gold

LAWN BOWLS

Women's Fours team: Lovely Choubey, Rupa Rani Tirkey, Nayanmoni, Pinki

TABLE TENNIS
Athlete Category Medal
Achanta Sharath Kamal Men's Singles Gold

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India Men's Team Gold

Achanta Sharath Kamal/Sreeja Akula Mixed Team Gold

India men's team: Achanta Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Sanil Shetty and Harmeet Desai

PARA TABLE TENNIS

Athlete Category Medal

Bhavinaben Patel Women's Singles Classes 3-5 Gold

National Games
20th National Para Athletics Championship began at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
• Odisha is known as the ‘Sports Capital of India’.
• First Woman President of Paralympic Committee of India, Deepa Malik;
• The organisation was founded in 1992 as the Physically Handicapped Sports Federation of
India.
• Headquarters of Paralympic Committee of India: Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race in 2022


• 68th edition of the Nehru Trophy for a boat race held on the Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha
district of Kerala.
• This edition of the Boat Race, held after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
was flagged off by DK Joshi, the Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar.
• In this competition ‘Mahadevikadu Kattil Thekethil’ of Pallathuruthi Boat Club won the
trophy while ‘Nadubhagam’ of Kumarakam of NCDC Boat Club won the runner-up title.
• This is Pallathuruthi’s hat-trick title win in the Nehru Trophy with Santhosh Chacko as the captain of this
boat.
• It was established in 1952 to commemorate the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to the
region and his boat ride in Alappuzha Lake.

Events in India

Host Nation/City Tournament


India Bhubaneswar, Goa and Navi Mumbai U-17 Women's World Cup
Spain, won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World
Cup against the first-time finalists Colombia.
India Street Child Cricket World Cup 2023
• Tournament will be organised by (SCCWC 2023)
Save the Children India (Bal Raksha 2nd Edition
• Bharat) and Street Child United in 1st Edition held in
September 2023. 2019:London/Cambridge
• The 10-day event will see
participation of 22 teams from 16
countries

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Que: What is the name of official mascot for the 4th Khelo India Youth Games?
Ans: Dhakad
• Haryana will host the Khelo India Youth Games from June 4 to 13 in Panchkula
• 2018- Delhi
• 2019- Pune, Maharashtra
• 2020- Guwahati, Assam
• 5 traditional games Gatka, Thang-ta, Yogasana, Kalaripayattu, and Mallakhamb will be included in the 4th
edition to be held in Haryana.

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Tournament Winner

National basketball championships in 71st edition


Chennai Tamil Nadu takes men’s crown, Railways win women’s title
Danish Open Swimming in Copenhagen Sajan Prakash wins gold in 200m butterfly Vedaant Madhavan bags
silver in 1500m freestyle and gold medal in the men’s 800m freestyle

• Last year, Sajan Prakash clocked the national record timing of 1:56:38 in the 200m butterfly to become the
first Indian swimmer to qualify for the Olympics directly by breaching 'A' standard time. He also became the
first and only Indian swimmer to make it to two Olympic Games.
• At the last Asian Games in 2018, Sajan Prakash finished fifth in the 200m butterfly event after becoming the
first Indian swimmer since 1986 to qualify for the finals.

Name Sports Reason

Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh Chess Menorca Open chess tournament 2022 which was held in
Spain, followed by Aryan Chopra who finished as runner-up
This is D Gukesh's second title win after the La Roda Open.
P. Sethuraman (fifth), Raunak Sadhwani (seventh) and Nihal
Sarin (eighth) have finished.

Que: Which country will host the National Delphic Games for Arts and Cultures in 2023?
Ans: India
• The International Delphic Council has announced that India will host the National Delphic
Games in 2023.

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• It includes 6 categories of the arts: Musical Arts and Sounds, Performing Arts and acrobatics, Language Arts
and Rhetoric, Visual Arts and Crafts, Social Arts and communications, Ecological Arts & Architecture
• International Delphic Council: Berlin, Germany

Jain University won 2nd edition of Khelo India University Games 2021
• Lovely Professional University (LPU) placed second and Punjab University placed third
• The closing ceremony was held at Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium, Bengaluru.
• The mascot of KIUG 2021- Veera

Anurag Thakur inaugurates 2nd Khelo Masters Games Delhi-2022


• Anurag Singh Thakur (Youth Affairs and Sports Minister)
• Under this game, 3000 master players of the age group between 30 to 95 years
from all over the country are participating in eight games.
• Khelo India Youth Games 2021: Haryana
• Khelo India University Games 2021: Bengaluru

69th Senior National Kabaddi Championship


• Indian Railways won the 69th Senior National Kabaddi Championship in Charkhi Dadri,
Haryana
• It was their fourth consecutive title
• Kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh
• Four forms of kabaddi played in India are Amar, Suranjeevi, huttuttoo, and Gaminee.
• Kabaddi received international exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The game was
introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta in 1938.
• 1st World Cup of Kabaddi was organised in 2004 at Mumbai (India), India won the First
World Cup by beating Iran in the finals.

Que: Which animal features in the 36th National Games 2022, to be held in Gujarat?
Ans: Lion
• Gir Lion and Statue of Unity with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel are seen in the logo
of the Games.

36th edition, Gujarat hosted the National Games for the first time in 2022.
• The last edition of the National Games was held in Kerala in 2015.
• The 36th National Games has been concluded on October 12, 2022 at Surat, Gujarat.
• The National Games will be held across six cities of Gujarat- Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar,
Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
• While Cycling-Track Events will be held in Indira Gandhi Cycling Velodrome, Delhi.
• The official mascot for the National Games 2022 is Savaj, the Asiatic lion.
• anthem of the Games: ‘Judega India, Jitega India’. It has been voiced by Bollywood playback singer,
Sukhwinder Singh
• The official motto of the games is "Celebrating unity through sports"

The medal tally of 36th National Games


has been topped by Services with a
total of 128 medals (61 Gold, 35 silver,
and 32 bronze), followed by
Maharashtra and Haryana.

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• Best female player: Harshika Ramchandran (Karnataka)


• (Swimming events at the Sardar Patel Aquatic complex)(6 gold and 1 bronze)
• Best Male player: Sajan Prakash (Kerala) (5 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
• Goa will host the 37th National Games in October 2023.

A team representing the Indian Armed Forces also participate in


Gujarat 2022.
The two new UTs – Ladakh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu – will make their
debut at the National Games this year.
10 year-old Shauryajit Khaire from Gujarat created history by becoming the youngest medallist of
the 2022 Games with a bronze in pole mallakhamb.

Raja Bhalindra Singh Trophy to the hybrid contingent of Services for the fourth time in
succession.
Maharashtra bagged the Indian Olympic Association’s Best State trophy for finishing second in
the medals tally with the most medals amongst States and UTs.

At the 36th National Games, Pooja Patel of Gujarat has become the first athlete to win gold in Yogasana.
• Yogasana is one of the five sports to be played at the National Games this year for the first time. This Indian
indigenous sport made its debut at the Khelo India University Games earlier this year.
• Antim Panghal wins gold in wrestling(53kg) in 2022 National Games

What are the National Games?


• 1st Indian Olympic Games in Lahore, in undivided Punjab, in 1924 marked the pinnacle of this effort.
• The Indian Olympic Games were named as National Games beginning in 1940.
• The National Games were held in Lucknow during its initial post-independence phase.(13th edition ,1948)
• The Indian Olympic Association is personally responsible for determining the National Games' duration and
rules.
• Indian Olympic Association Founded: 1927
• Indian Olympic Association Headquarters: New Delhi
• Indian Olympic Association President: P. T. Usha

Goa to host 37th National Games in October 2023


• Capital – Panaji
• Chief Minister – Pramod Sawant
• Governor – S. Sreedharan Pillai

FIBA U-18 women Asian Basketball championship held in Bengaluru


• Bengaluru hosted the International Basketball Federation’s FIBA U-18 women Asian
Basketball championship from September 5th to 11th.
• in the Sree Kanteerava Indoor stadium and Koramangala Indoor stadiums.
• The winning team to qualify for the FIBA World Championship to be held in July 2023 in Spain.
• Australia beats China to clinch FIBA Asian Women’s U-18 Championship title

National senior volleyball championships in Bhubaneswar: Kerala (women’s), Haryana (men’s)


win titles
• National Volleyball Championship held at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
University in Bhubaneswar

“Dahi-Handi” Recognised as an Official Sport of Maharashtra


• Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced that the Govinda will get a job under the sports
category

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• if any Govinda loses his life, insurance of Rs 10 lakh will be given, if they end up being partially handicapped,
insurance of Rs 5 lakh will be given by the Government of Maharashtra.
• 'Dahi-Handi' – also known as 'Gopalakala' – is a ritual in which devotees of Lord Krishna recreate the famous
act of 'Maakhan Chori' or butter stealing

Que: Where will India be hosting the maiden MotoGP in 2023?


Ans: Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida
• MotoGP World Championships race, labelled as ‘Grand Prix of Bharat’
• Riders from as many as 19 countries will participate in the event

Karnataka wins 75th Senior National Aquatic Championships held in Guwahati

Jaipur Pink Panthers won 9th Pro Kabaddi League title


• Jaipur Pink Panthers beat Puneri Paltan in final match to become Pro Kabaddi League Season
9 champions, the second time after 2014
• Jaipur Pink Panthers team is currently led by Sunil Kumar Malik. The team is owned
by Abhishek Bachchan.
• Pro Kabaddi League or abbreviated to PKL is an Indian men's professional Kabaddi league. It
was launched in 2014
• Kabaddi is basically a combative sport, with seven players on each side

11th edition of Admiral's Cup Regatta in Kerala from 6-9 December 2022
• at the Ettikulam Bay in the Kannur district of Kerala
• Teams from 27 nations, including Australia, Germany, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UK, the
USA, Japan, and Myanmar participated in the annual sailing event.
• It is hosted by the Indian Naval Academy situated in Ezhimala, Kannur district of Kerala.
• Team Singapore won the Admiral's Cup 2022.
• The Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta was instituted in 2010 under Yachting Association of
India .

Uttar Pradesh to host 2023 Khelo India National University games


• The third edition of Khelo India National University Games (2023-24) will be held in four cities of Uttar
Pradesh.
• These cities are Lucknow (main host city), Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Noida.
• The inaugural edition of the Khelo India National University Games was held in Odisha
(2020) while Karnataka was the host for the second edition.

Kerala hosted Track Asia Cup 2022


• Kerala hosted the Track Asia Cup-2022 cycling tournament, one of the biggest cycling events from November
25 to 28.
• Around 200 cyclists from over 25 countries in Asia took part in the event, which is being
conducted outside Delhi for the first time.

Madras Boating club women team wins the Adyar Trophy at the 81st Annual Madras-Colombo
Rowing Regatta
• held at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 26 November 2022. They were conferred the Adyar
Trophy.
• However the men’s section of the race was won by the Colombo Rowing Club and they
were conferred with the Deepam trophy
• The first-ever Madras-Colombo Rowing Regatta was held way back in 1898 and is
considered the oldest sporting encounter held between India and Sri Lanka.
• The main event of the Regatta is the Men’s boat race which is considered to be the
second oldest boat race in the world, second only to the famous Oxford-Cambridge boat
race.

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Chess
Que: Which Indian grandmaster recently achieved the feat of becoming the youngest player to beat Magnus Carlsen,
of Norway in chess tournament?
Ans: R. Praggnanandhaa
• Pragg is also only the third Indian grandmaster to win against Magnus Carlsen apart from
Viswanathan Anand and Pentala Harikrishna.

Que: India is the host country for the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022. The tournament will be held in
which city of the country?
Ans: Chennai
• The 44th edition of the Olympiad from 26th July 2022 to 8th August 2022.
• This is the first time that India will host the FIDE Chess Olympiad since its inception in 1927.
• The event was originally scheduled to be held in Russia, but FIDE pulled out from there
following the Ukraine invasion.

Tamil Nadu CM launches logo and mascot of 44th Chess Olympiad


• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin
• The mascot is names as 'Thambi' and is a knight.
• Chess Believe is written on its shirt.
• It is the 2nd major international chess event to be hosted by Chennai, after World
Championship match in 2013.

44th Chess Olympiad: India's men & women team win bronze medal
• The 44th edition of the Chess Olympiad has been concluded in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Uzbekistan team won gold medal in the men's section
• Ukraine team won gold medal in the women's section
• Uzbekistan will host the Chess Olympiad 2026

Que: Who has composed the ‘Vanakkam Chennai’ (Welcome Anthem) for the upcoming
International Chess Olympiad, 2022?
Ans: A R Rahman

Priyanka Nutakki becomes the 23rd Woman


Grandmaster of India
• The 19-year-old girl hails from Vijayawada, in
Andhra Pradesh.
• Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram wins Dubai
Open chess tournament

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Que: S L Narayanan is an Indian player from which sports event?


Ans: Chess
• In Chess, Indian Grandmaster S L Narayanan was declared the winner in the
Grandiscacchi Cattolica International Open, held in Italy on March 08, 2022.
• The 24-year old S L Narayanan from Thiruvananthapuram, earned the title of
Grandmaster in 2015 and is the 41st Grandmaster from India.

Que: Name the Indian Grandmaster who has won the Norway Chess Group A open chess
tournament.
Ans: R Praggnanandhaa
He has won over the World Champion Magnus Carlsen twice
Recent Indian Chess Grandmasters:
• 69th: Harshit Raja (Maharashtra)
• 70th: Raja Rithvik (Telangana)
• 71st: Sankalp Gupta (Maharashtra)
• 72nd: Mitrabha Guha (West Bengal)
• 73rd: Bharath Subramaniyam (Tamil Nadu)

Que: Who has won the 41st Villa De Benasque International Chess Open tournament in Spain?
Ans: Aravindh Chithambaram

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa wins 2022 Paracin Open Chess title in Serbia


• Serbia Capital: Belgrade; Currency: dinar
• International Chess Day: 20 July

V Pranav becomes India’s 75th Chess Grandmaster


• V Pranav (15) has become the 75th Grandmaster of India
• He is the 27th Grandmaster from Tamil Nadu (list include Viswanathan Anand,
D.Gukesh and R.Praggnanandhaa among others).

16-year-old Aditya Mittal has become India’s 77th chess Grandmaster


From Maharashtra
Mittal is also the fifth Indian to achieve the GM title in 2022 after Bharath Subramaniyam, Rahul
Srivatshav, V Pranav and Pranav Anand.

Koneru Humpy wins Silver at the World Chess Blitz championship


Former Indian World Rapid Chess champion Koneru Humpy won the silver medal in the women's section of the FIDE
World Blitz Chess Championship that concluded in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
winner Bibisara Balabayeva of Kazakhstan.
Koneru Humpy has won the World Rapid Chess Championship 2019.
The men’s section was won by Magnus Carlsen. He became the first player in chess history to hold the Classical chess
world championship, Rapid world championship and the Blitz world Championship at the same time

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World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2022


• The International Chess governing body FIDE organises World Rapid and Blitz chess championship at the end
of the year. This year it was held in Kazakhstan's capital Almaty from 26-30 December 2022.
World Rapid Chess Championship
• In the Rapid section the Men’s title was won by No.1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway. It was the 4th time that
Carlsen has won the Rapid title.
• The women's title was won by the Chinese Grand Master Tan Zhongyi.
• Savitha Shri of India won the Bronze medal in the world Rapid section.

Only three Indian’s Viswanathan Anand, Koneru Humpy and Savitha Shri have won medals at the FIDE World Rapid
and Blitz chess championship.
Viswanathan Anand won the Gold medal in World Rapid and Bronze medal in World Blitz Championship 2017.

FIDE
The International Chess Federation or French acronym FIDE is an international organization that was set up on 20
July 1924 in Paris, France.
It is the international body which governs world chess championships.
President of FIDE: Arkady Dvorkovich,
Headquarters of FIDE: Lausanne, Switzerland

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi wins 28th Abu Dhabi Masters


In 2018, Arjun Erigaisi became the first grandmaster from Telangana.

Que: The Women’s chess section has been added to the 4th edition of Tata Steel Chess India tournament which is
scheduled to take place in December 2022. Which city will host the sports event?
Ans: Kolkata
• from November 29 to December 4, 2022.
• For the first time, a separate women’s section has been added in the tournament, which had only the Open
section so far.
• Tata Steel Chess India (rapid and blitz) is one of the most important chess tournament in
India.
• Top Indian female players like Koneru Humpy, D Harika, and R Vaishali will compete in the
maiden women’s edition.
• Arjun Erigaisi wins Tata Steel Chess India 2022 Blitz

F1 Race

F1 Race 2022

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari- Monaco)


• Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix 2022(This was the first Formula One race of 2022)
• Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne
Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands)
• Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins F1 Mexican GP 2022
• Formula One 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
• Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.
• Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2022
• Canadian Grand Prix 2022
• French Grand Prix
• Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix 2022
• Miami Grand Prix 2022
• Hungarian Grand Prix 2022

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• Belgian Grand Prix 2022


• Spanish Grand Prix 2022
• Dutch Grand Prix 2022
• Italian Grand Prix 2022
• 2022 F1 Japan GP
• 2022 United States F1 Grand Prix

Sergio Perez (Red Bull -Mexico)

• Singapore Grand Prix


• Monaco Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari (Spain)

• British Grand Prix

Formula One champion, Max Verstappen wins F1 Abu Dhabi GP 2022


• He has also set new records for the most race wins (15) and most points in a single
season (454) in 2022.

Mercedes driver George Russell wins Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil
• George William Russell is a British racing driver

Hyderabad host Street Circuit Car Racing, India’s first Formula E grand Prix to be held in
February 2023
• India will be hosting one round of the next Formula E race in Hyderabad on 10 and 11
February 2023
• The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the Indian Racing
League (IRL) are jointly organising trial.
• 11 teams from across the world will participate.

Golf
Que: Name the Indian-American golfer who has won The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic on the Korn
Ferry Tour.
Ans:Akshay Bhatia
The win made him the third-youngest player to win a Korn Ferry Tour event since the Tour’s establishment in 1990.

Que:Famous Golfer, _______ was formally inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Ans: Tiger Woods(America)

Que:Who has won 11th DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship?
Ans:Riya Jadon
Thirteen-year-old Riya Jadon won the DGC Ladies Open Amateur Golf Championship, following a close fight with
older sister Lavanya Jadon.

Ryder Cup Golf (Men) 1927

Solheim Cup Golf (Women) 1990

Walker Cup Golf 1922

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Shooting
Que: India won how many gold medals at the 2022 ISSF World Cup 2022 in Cairo, Egypt?
Ans: 4
• India top medal tally (with 4 gold, 2 silver, one bronze) followed by Norway and France
• Saurabh Chaudhary won gold in Men’s 10m Air Pistol event.
• Shri Nivetha, Esha Singh and Ruchita Vinerkar won gold in women’s 10m air pistol team
event.
• Rhythm Sangwan and Anish Bhanwala won the 25m rapid fire pistol mixed team gold medal
• Rahi Sarnobat, Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan won the gold medal in women’s 25m pistol team event
• International Shooting Sport Federation
• Headquarters: Munich, Germany
• President: Vladimir Lisin
• Founded: 1907

Que: Indian pistol pairs Esha Singh and Saurabh Chaudhary clinched the mixed team pistol gold at
the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in ____________________.
Ans: Germany
• India won 33 medals in total, including 13 gold, 15 silver, and 5 bronze.

Indian shooter Avani Lekhara wins gold at 2022 Para Shooting World Cup in France
• She also created a world record score of 250.6 in women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1.
• SH1 category: Athletes with lower limb impairment for competition in rifle events.
• She also won the gold medal at the Chateauroux 2022 World Cup in June 2022

Que: Which country has topped the medal tally at the ISSF Shooting World Cup at Changwon in
South Korea?
Ans: India
• India finished the tournament with 15 medals including 5 gold, 6 silver & 4 bronze.

India’s Arjun Babuta wins gold medal at ISSF World Cup

Mairaj Ahmad Khan becomes first Indian to win gold in men's Skeet at ISSF

Indian Shooter Rudrankksh Patil won ISSF President’s Cup in Egypt


• The current world champion Rudrankksh Patil of India defeated world No. 1 Danilo
Sollazzo of Italy in the men’s 10m air rifle final to win the gold medal at the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President’s Cup 2022 in Cairo, Egypt.
• The ISSF Presidents Cup is the season finale of the International Shooting Sport
Federation yearlong competition where top ranked shooters of the year are invited.
• Rudrankksh Patil was awarded the Golden Target award, given to the best athlete of
the year in the category by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
• India finished the ISSF President’s Cup 2022 with two medals - one gold and one
silver.
• Tokyo Olympian and world No. 4 Anjum Moudgil, had to settle for silver in the women’s 50m rifle.

Divya wins gold in women's air pistol national champion 2022


• Karnataka shooter, Divya T.S has secured her first women’s 10m air pistol national title at the
65th National Shooting Championship Competitions in Pistol events, held in Bhopal from 20th
Nov to 12 Dec 2022

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• Manu Bhaker wins gold medal in 10 metre pistol junior women’s event at National Shooting Championship
• Team of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the 10m air pistol mixed team title at the 65th National
Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC), held at the MP Shooting Academy range, Bhopal.

Que: Who has won the gold medal in the WSPS Shooting World Cup 2022 in Changwon, South Korea?
Ans: Rahul Jakhar
• in the 25-metre competition.
• Avani Lekhara & Pooja Agarwal won the silver and bronze medals respectively.
• World Shooting Para Sports (WSPS) World Cup 2022 took place in Changwon, South
Korea from August 18 to 24

India bags 25 out of 28 golds at 15th Asian Airgun Championships in South Korea
• Arjun Babuta and Mehuli Ghosh clinched the gold medal in10 m air rifle in the mixed
team category at Asian Airgun Championship 2022,

• Rhythm Sangwan and Vijayveer Sidhu won the gold in10m air
pistol mixed team senior event.
• held in Daegu, South Korea.

Wrestling
Que: Who has won India's solitary gold medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships 2022?
Ans: Ravi Kumar Dahiya
• India finished with a total tally of 17 medals, one gold, five silvers and 11 bronze, at the
Mongolian capital.
• Tokyo Olympic medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya won the solitary gold in the men’s 57kg
weight class.
• Ravi Kumar became the first Indian to win 3 Gold medals in Asian Wrestling
Championships which includes 2020 in New Delhi, India, 2021 in Almaty, Kazakhstan and
2022 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia respectively.

Asian Wrestling Championships is organized by the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee. The
men's tournament began in 1979 and The women's tournament was first staged in 1996, and it
has been held every year.
2022 Asian Wrestling Championships Medals Table:

Rank Country Table

1 Japan 21

2 Iran 15

3 Kazakhstan 21

5 India 17

Antim becomes first Indian woman wrestler to win Gold at U-20 World Championships
• Wrestler Antim Panghal (17) has become the first Indian woman wrestler to win Gold
medal at Under-20 World Wrestling Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria.
• She has defeated Kazakhstan in 53kg category.
• Indian wrestling team won 16 medals – 1 gold, 4 silver, and 11 bronze.

Vinesh Phogat wins bronze in World Wrestling Championships in Serbia


• in 53 kilogram category at the World Championships, in Belgrade, Serbia.
• She becomes the first Indian woman wrestler to win two medals at the World Championships.
• She had previously won the bronze in the 2019 edition of the tournament at Nur-Sultan,
Kazakhstan.

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Bajrang Punia bags Bronze medal at World Wrestling Championships


• In the men's 65 kg category at World Wrestling Championships at Belgrade, Serbia
• This is Punia's fourth medal at the Championships:
• bronze in 2013.
• silver in 2018
• bronze in 2019.

India ended on second position at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup


• United World Wrestling at Almaty in Khazakstan
• India won total 12 medals - six golds, one silver, and five bronze medals
• Out of six gold medals, five were clinched by women.
• Iran topped with 14 medals.
• Sarita Mor won gold medal in 59 kg,
• Manisha won gold in 65 kg.
• Mansi Ahlawat won gold in 57 kg
• Sakshi Malik won gold in 62 kg.
• Divya Kakran also won gold medal in 68 kg.

Suraj Vashisht becomes India's first Greco-Roman U17 world champion in 32 years
• This is India's first gold in Greco-Roman wrestling since 1990.
• Pappu Yadav (gold in U17 Worlds in 1990) and Vinod Kumar (gold in U17 Worlds in 1980)
are the only other Greco-Roman wrestlers U17 to have won the ultimate prize at this
event.
• The 16-year-old hails from Rohtak in Haryana

Que: Who has won India’s first Greco-Roman medal in U-23 Wrestling World Championship?
Ans: Sajan Bhanwala
• Sajan Bhanwal won bronze in the 77kg category
• The Indian squad scripted history after winning three bronze medals for the first time in
the Greco-Roman style at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championship.
• Greco-Roman Wrestling is a combat sport performed on a circular mat.

Aman Sehrawat (16) wins first ever gold for India in U23 World Championships
• U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
• India has finished with six medals - one gold, one silver, and four bronze at the U-23
World Wrestling Championships 2022.

New Delhi to host 36th Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 from 28 March to 2nd April
• The Asian Championships will be held in New Delhi for the 7th time.
• Indian wrestlers earned 17 medals at Asian Championships 2022, which were held in
Mongolia, with one gold (Ravi Kumar Dahiya), five silver, and eleven bronze.
• Japan led the medal count with 21 medals, including 10 gold medals.

Weightlifting
Que: How many gold medals have been won by India at the Singapore Weightlifting International
2022?
Ans: 6
• Total eight medals, including six golds and one silver and one bronze.
• India now have total 12 weightlifters qualified for the Commonwealth Games 2022 in
Birmingham.

Mirabai clinches silver at Weightlifting World Championships 2022


• Tokyo Oylmpic medallist, Mirabai Chanu has secured the silver medal in 49kg category

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• at the 2022 World Weightlifting Championships (5-16 December), held in Bogotá, Colombia.
• She lost to China

Saanapathi Gurunaidu clinches gold medal at IWF Youth World Championship


• in men's 55 kilogram event in Mexico.
• International Weightlifting Federation
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland,1905

Badminton
BWF World Rankings: Satwiksairaj-Chirag enter top five in men’s doubles category
• Badminton World Federation (BWF)
• India’s highest-ever ranked men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty
(Brothers of destruction)
• Recently the pair won:
• Gold in the Commonwealth Games 2022
• Bronze in BWF World Championships.
• French Open Super 750 and India Open Super 500
• were part of the historic maiden Thomas Cup of the Indian men’s team this year.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty win men's doubles Badminton French Open 2022 title
• French Open 2022 in Paris.
• The Indian duo has defeated China
• Other winners of French Open (Badminton) 2022:
• Men's singles: Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)
• Women's singles: He Bingjiao (China)

Pramod Bhagat’ and Manisha wins gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships 2022
• Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat and teenager Manisha Ramadass won gold for
India at the BWF Para Badminton World Championship 2022.
• BWF Para Badminton World Championship was held in Tokyo, Japan from 1-6
November 2022.
• India ended the championship with 16 medals.

Unnati Hooda becomes first Indian to enter U-17 women’s singles final in Asia Junior
Badminton Championships
• Top Seeded Unnati Hooda settle for a silver medal after she lost to Thailand in the final
held in Thailand.
• India finished the Badminton Asia Junior Championships 2022 with 5 medals -3 silver and
2 bronze medals.

Manisha Ramadass claims the BWF Female Para-Badminton ‘Player of the Year’ award

BWF Male Player of the Year was won by Denmark’s Viktor Axelson

BWF Female Player of the Year was won by Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi

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Viktor Axelsen wins men's singles 2022 BWF World Tour Finals
• Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) has won his eighth title for men's single BWF World Tour
Finals 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Akane Yamaguchi of Japan has defeated Taiwanese, Tai Tzu Ying to win her women's
singles title.

Sukant Kadam won gold medal at Peru Para Badminton International


• World No 3 Sukant Kadam won a gold medal at the Peru Para-Badminton International
Championship in Lima.
• India won 14 medals (6 Gold, 1 Silver, and 7 Bronze)

Badminton Tournaments 2022

Tournament Winner RUNNER UP Venue Date


Syed Modi P V Sindhu (India) Malvika Babu Banarasi Das 18 to 23
International Bansod Indoor Stadium in January 2022
badminton (India) Lucknow, Uttar
Tournament 2022 Pradesh
Women’s single Indian Busanan Ongbamrungphan
Open (Badminton) (Thailand)
2022 Lakshya Sen (India)

• Men’s Single Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj


• Men’s Double Rankireddy (India)

Rankings:
• Indian player Tasnim Mir :16-year-old Tasnim has become the first
Indian to top the under-19 girls’ singles world rankings. She hails from
Mehsana, Gujarat

• Lakshya Sen breaks into top 10 of BWF World Rankings


The All England Badminton Championship runner-up Lakshya Sen has broken into the top 10 of the
men's singles badminton world rankings for the first time. He is now the highest-ranked Indian in
the men's singles badminton

Que: Who has won double gold medal (Men’s singles & doubles category) at the 4th Para-Badminton
National Championship, conducted in Bhubaneswar, Odisha?
Ans: Nitesh Kumar

Que: Which country is hosting Badminton Asia Team Championships 2022?


Ans: Malaysia
• From February 15 to 20, 2022, the Badminton Asia Team Championships will be hosted at the Setia City
Convention Centre in Shah Alam, Malaysia.

India's Lakshya Sen loses to World No.1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the men's singles final of All England Open
Badminton Championships 2022.
• Lakshya Sen is only the fifth Indian to reach the final of the prestigious badminton tournament
• Sen had become only the fifth Indian after Prakash Nath (1947), Prakash Padukone
(1980, 1981), Pullela Gopichand (2001) and Saina Nehwal (2015) to reach the final of
the prestigious tournament
• Axelsen claimed the men’s singles title for the second time
• Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi won the women’s singles crown, beating South Korea

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Que: PV Sindhu beat which player of which country to lift women’s singles title at the 2022 Swiss
Open Super 300 Badminton Tournament?
Ans: Thailand
• P.V. Sindhu has defeated Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand
• This is the 2nd title for PV Sindhu in Basel, where she won her maiden World
Championships title in 2019.

In the men’s singles title of Swiss Open Super 300 badminton tournament, Indian badminton
player HS Prannoy lost to Jonatan Christie (Indonesia)

PV Sindhu is the most successful Indian badminton player at the BWF World Championships, with
five medals - one gold, two silver and two bronze medals.
Saina Nehwal has two medals - a silver and a bronze.

PV Sindhu wins bronze at Badminton Asia Championships


• she was defeated by Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in the semi-final in Manila.
• She had won her first bronze in the Asia Badminton Championships 2014.
• She has won silver in 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and Bronze in 2020 Tokyo.

Que: Who has won the men’s singles title at 2022 Indonesia Masters badminton tournament?
Ans: Viktor Axelsen
• The 2022 Indonesia Masters badminton tournament (officially known as the Daihatsu
Indonesia Masters) took place at the Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and Chen Yufei clinched the respective men’s and women’s singles titles.

MALAYSIA OPEN • Men’s singles: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen Kuala Lumpur June 28 to July 3
BADMINTON 2022 • Women’s singles: Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon

PV Sindhu wins maiden 2022 Singapore Open Title


• defeating reigning Asian champion, Wang Zhi Yi of China
• Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia) won the men’s singles title

Mastercard signs badminton players to promote digital payments in India


• Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have been
signed as the brand ambassadors of Mastercard to promote digital payment in India.

Que: India has bagged how many medals at the Thailand Para-Badminton International 2022?
Ans: 17
• Indian para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat & Sukant Kadam, Mandeep Kaur, Manisha
Ramadass have won the gold medal
• The Indians finished with a total of 4 gold, 5 silver and 8 bronze medals in the
tournament.

Thomas Cup 2022


• India won their first-ever Thomas Cup trophy by beating Indonesia
• Denmark and Japan finished with the bronze
• India is the 6th nation to win the Thomas Cup crown (after China, Indonesia, Japan,
Denmark, and Malaysia)
• India's previous best at the tournament was a bronze in 1979, 1955 and 1952.
• Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty and Kidambi Srikanth made it 3-0
for the historic victory.

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BWF Thomas and Uber Cup 2022


32nd edition of Thomas and 29th edition of Uber Cup
Indonesia are the most successful team in the Thomas Cup with 14 titles, while China are the most successful team
in the Uber Cup with 15 titles.
• The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships first held in 1949.
• The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women
• Founded: 1957
• since the 1982, the championships have been conducted every two years
• 2022 Thomas Cup will take place in Bangkok, Thailand
• 2024 Thomas Cup will take place in China

Que: Which country’s team has won badminton’s prestigious Uber Cup in Bangkok, Thailand?
Ans: South Korea
• South Korea’s first Uber Cup crown in 12 years.
• Capital: Seoul
• Currency: South Korean won

Que: Who won men’s single in Japan Open 2022?


Answer: Kenta Nishimoto
• Akane Yamaguchi won the women's singles titles for the host country.
• 2022 Japan Open (officially known as the Daihatsu Yonex Japan Open Badminton Championships 2022)

2022 BWF World Championship in Tokyo


• Viktor Axelsen from Denmark defeated Kunlavut Vitidsarn from Thailand in Tokyo.
• The women's singles title has been retained by Akane Yamaguchi from Japan,
defeating China's Olympic champion, Chen Yufei

Tennis
GRAND SLAMS-2022 –The Grand slam titles are the championships of Australia, France, USA, Wimbledon. Players
who hold all four of these titles in one calendar year achieve the Grand Slam.

1.Australian Open-2022
hard courts (Mid January)
Founded: 1905

2022 Event Winners Runner-Up


Men’s Singles st
Rafael Nadal (21 major title of RAFAEL NADAL) Daniil Medvedev
Women’s Singles Ashleigh Barty (15th career title and third Grand Slam title) Danielle Collins

2. French Open -2022


(also known as Roland Garros)– clay Court (late May to early June)
Founded: 1891

2022 Event Winners Runner-Up


Men’s Singles Rafael Nadal (14th title of the Men's French Casper Ruud (Norway)
Open championship at Roland Garros and 22nd
Grand Slam title overall)
Women’s Singles Iga Swiatek (from Poland) Coco Gauff of the United States

3. Wimbledon -2022
(also known as UK Open)- grass Courts (June–July)
oldest tennis tournament
Founded: 1877

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2022 Event Winners Runner-Up


Men’s Singles Novak Djokovic (wins 7th Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam Nick Kyrgios
title)
Women’s Singles Elena Rybakina, Kazakhstan tennis player Ons Jabeur

4. US Open -2022
hard courts (September)
Founded: 1881

2022 Event Winners Runner-Up


Men’s Singles Carlos Alcaraz (Youngest winner after Rafael Nadal 2005) Casper Ruud
Women’s Singles Iga Świątek (Poland) Ons Jabeur

Canada beat Australia to win first 2022 Davis Cup title


• Canada has clinched their first 2022 Davis Cup title in Spain.
• The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis and run by the
International Tennis Federation (ITF).
• Most titles: United States (32 titles)
• ITF Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
• It is sponsored by Rakuten.
• The Davis Cup was founded in 1900 as the International Lawn Tennis Challenge.

Que: Who has become the first player in history to win 80 matches in all four Grand Slams?
Ans: Novak Djokovic
• Novak Djokovic – Serbia
• Serbia Capital – Belgrade
• Currency – Serbian Dinar
• Most Wimbledon singles titles:
• Men: Roger Federer (8)
• Women: Martina Navratilova (9)
• Founded: 1877

Miami Open :The 2022 Miami Open tennis tournament was the 37th edition of the men’s and women’s event,
held from March 22 to April 3, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Award Winner Runner-Up

Men’s Single Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) Casper Ruud (Norway)

Women’s Single Iga Świątek (Poland) Naomi Osaka (Japan)

Extra Facts
• Italian Open 2022: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)& Iga Swiatek(Poland) won men’s and women’s singles title
• Carlos Alcaraz Garfia (spain)has won the Men’s Singles title at Madrid Open 2022
• Rafael Nadal (spain)has won the Mexican Open title, after winning the previous ones in 2005, 2013 and 2020
• Rohan Bopanna & Matwe Middelkoop clinch Men's Doubles title at Tel Aviv

Que: Which city will host 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals?
Ans: Glasgow, Scotland
• Founded: 1963; 59 years ago
• Most titles: United States (18 titles)
• Most recent champion(s): Russia (5th title)
• The Billie Jean King Cup is the premier international team competition in women's tennis

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• Switzerland defeated Australia in the final 2–0 to win its first Billie Jean King Cup tennis event.

Que: Which country’s Carlos Alcaraz Garfia has won the Men’s Singles title at the 2022 Rio Open,
and became the youngest to clinch an ATP 500 title?
Ans: Spain
• Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) – the world governing body for men's tennis - in
1972

Retirements

1. Ashleigh Barty announces retirement from tennis at the age of 25 years. Ashleigh Barty is a three-
time Grand Slam singles champion. She won the French Open in2019, Australian Open in 2022 and
Wimbledon in 2021.

2. Sarena Williams: American legendary tennis player, Serena Williams has announced her
retirement from professional tennis.The US Open 2022 was her farewell tournament. She has
been ranked singles world No.1 by the Women's Tennis Association for 319 weeks.She has won
23 Grand Slam singles titles, the second most of all time by any player in the open history after
an Australian player, Margaret Court (24). She won her first Grand Slam, the U.S. Open in 1999

3. Sania Mirza: She is a former doubles No. 1 and has won 6 Grand Slams titles in her career.
From 2003 until her retirement from Singles in 2013, Mirza was ranked by the Women’s
Tennis Association as India’s No.1 player. Sania Mirza has also won a total of 14 medals
(including 6 gold) at the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and the Afro-Asian Games.

Tennis legend Roger Federer announced retirement


• Born: 8 August 1981 in Basel, Switzerland
• Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player and he got ranked as world No. 1 by
the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 310 weeks.
• Tennis legend, Roger Federer has announced his retirement from the professional tennis
after the conclusion of the Laver Cup 2022.
• He won his first grand slam championship at Wimbledon in 2003 at 21.

Awards:
• ATP Player of the Year and ITF World Champion five times.
• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award a record five times.
• BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award four times.

Records in four grand slams:


• Australian Open: 6 times.
• The French Open: 1 time.
• The US Open: 5 times
• Wimbledon: 8 times.
• He won 103 ATP singles titles, 20 Grand Slam singles titles

Tennis player, Rafael Nadal won ATP Fans' Favourite Award 2022
• Spanish tennis player, Rafael Nadal has won the Fan’ Favourite singles title at the
Association of Tennis Professionals, ATP Awards 2022.
• Most Improved Player of the Year - Carlos Alcaraz (Spain)
• Newcomer of the Year: Holger Rune
• Coach of the Year: Juan Carlos Ferrero
• Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award: Andy Murray

Novak Djokovic clinches Men’s Single 2022 ATP Finals


• Novak Djokovic (Serbia) defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud.

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• He has now equalled the record of Swiss legend Roger Federer, who has six ATP title wins.

Hyderabad Strikers crowned as champions of 4th Tennis Premier League 2022


• for the 2nd year in a row.
• Beat Mumbai Leon Army in the final held in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Conny Perrin was declared the “player of the match” in the final

Rafael Nadal was crowned the ITF world champion for the fifth time in his career
• Nadal earlier bagged the award in 2008, 2010, 2017 and 2019, said in a statement.
• Top-ranked Iga Swiatek won the women’s award.
• ITF Founded: 1 March 1913
• Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
• President: David Haggerty

Goa to Host First Ever World Table Tennis (WTT) Series Event in India
• from February 27 to March 5.
• at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor stadium, located at the Goa University Campus.
• World Table Tennis (WTT) was created by the International Table Tennis Federation in
2019 to create and manage professional men’s and women’s Table Tennis events around
the world.

Tennis player, Iga Swiatek named 2022 WTA Player of the Year
• Polish tennis player, Iga Swiatek (World No.1) has been selected for the 2022 WTA
Player of the Year by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA).
• Barbora Krejcikova (Czech Republic) and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) have
been named the WTA 2022 Doubles Team of the Year.

Sharath Kamal becomes first Indian to elected in ITTF Athletes' Commission


• International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
• 8 athletes have been elected from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe & Oceania & will
serve in the Commission for 4 years from 2022 to 2026.
• Sharath has already been selected for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the
country’s highest sports recognition this year.
• He also received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in 2019.

It is the governing body of Table Tennis in the


International Table Tennis

world which was set up in 1926.


Federation (ITTF)

Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

It is responsible for the organization of


International Table Tennis tournaments including
World Cups.

President of ITTF: Petra Sorling

Women’s tennis:
Switzerland defeat Australia to win Billie Jean King Cup title in Glasgow, UK

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to end 2022 as the youngest ever world No. 1 ATP Player
• Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has become the youngest person to be ranked No.1 on the ATP (Association of
Tennis Professional ) ranking since the ATP started the ranking system in 1973

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• He will be 19 years, 214 days on December 5, the 2022 year-end ranking date. He has
broken the record held by Lleyton Hewitt of Australia who was 20 years, 275 days of age in
2001.
• Carlos Alcaraz started the 2022 year as the 32nd ranked player on ATP ranking. This year he
became the second youngest male player to win the US open Grand Slam title after Pete
Sampras.

Association of Tennis Professional (ATP)


It was set up in 1972 as a body of the Men’s professional Tennis players.
It conducts various tournaments for professional men’s tennis players worldwide.
It Introduced the ranking system for players in 1973 and the first no.1 ranked player was Ilie Nastase of Romania.
In 2021 the no.1 ranked player was Serbian Novak Djokovic.
The Headquarters of ATP is in London, United Kingdom.

Manika Batra became the first Indian women to win a medal at the Asian Cup Table Tennis
• She defeated world No. 6 Hina Hayata of Japan in the women’s singles bronze medal match
in Bangkok, Thailand.
• She became the 2nd Indian player to win a medal at the Asia Cup Table Tennis, after
Chetan Baboor won silver in 1997 and bronze in 2000.
• The three-day competition (17-19 November) was organised by the International Table
Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) at the Huamark Indoor
Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
• The Asia Cup Table tennis is an annual tournament which has been organized since 1983.

Athletics
Neeraj Chopra wins silver at 2022 World Athletics Championships, Oregon
• He also becomes only the second Indian and first male track and field athlete to win a
medal.
• Anderson Peters (Grenada) has bagged gold.
• Legendary long jumper, Anju Bobby George was the first Indian to win bronze in the 2003 at Paris.

Neeraj Chopra clinches Silver medal at prestigious Diamond League meet


• organised by World Athletics in Stockholm.
• Anderson Peters (Grenadian athlete) won gold medal
• Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian to win a gold medal in athletics at the Olympics (Tokyo).
• Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian to win 2022 Zurich Diamond League

Que: What is the name of the 94-year-old woman who won gold in 100m at the World Masters
Athletics Championships 2022?
Ans: Bhagwani Devi Dagar
• World Masters Athletics championships 2022 in Tampere, Finland on July 10, 2022.

Shot putter Manpreet Kaur breaks National record


• setting a new National Record of 18.06m in the Inter-State Athletics Meet in Chennai.
• She became the first Indian woman to cross 18m in shot put.

Que: Which player has been awarded with the World Games Athlete of the Year award for 2021?
Ans: PR Sreejesh
• He is the second Indian after Rani Rampal to win this award. She won the award in 2020.
• Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh is an Indian professional field hockey player who plays as a
goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian national team. He plays in the Hockey India
League for Uttar Pradesh Wizards.

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Jyothi Yarraji clinched gold medal in 100m hurdles in Cyprus


• India's Jyothi Yarraji (Andhra Pradesh) clinched a gold medal in Cyprus International Athletics
Meeting 2022 with a timing of 13.23 seconds.
• She break the 20-year-old national record (13.38 seconds) in the name of Anuradha Biswal in
2002.
• Another Indian athlete Lili Das has also won gold in the women's 1500 meter race

Que: Who has broke a 30-year-old record of Bahadur Prasad in 5000m, setting a new national record
with a timing of 13:25.65?
Ans: Avinash Sable
• The 27-year-old from Maharashtra broke the old record of 13:29.70 set by Bahadur Prasad in
1992.

Que: Olympian Kamalpreet Kaur has been suspended by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for testing
positive for a banned substance “stanozolol”. Kamalpreet Kaur is associated with which sport?
Ans: Discus Throw
• The AIU has found the presence/use of the prohibited substance anabolic steroid called
stanozolol in her sample.
• Kaur had finished sixth with a throw of 63.7m in the Tokyo Olympics final.

Que: Which state is all set to host the South Asian Athletic Federation (SAAF) championship?
Ans: Nagaland
• 56th National Cross-Country athletics championships from
• The name of the Mascot is Akimji – a connotation of the word AMBITION derived from Sumi
dialect of Naga tribe which exemplifies the ambition of the new generation of Naga youth.

Tokyo to host 2025 World Athletics Championships


• 2023 World Athletics Championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary

PV Sindhu 12th highest-paid female athlete in world


• As per Forbes' annual list of the World's highest-paid female athletes.
• India's badminton star PV Sindhu, the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medallist, is the only Indian
player in the top 25 in the annual list.
• For the 3rd straight year, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka tops

Neeraj Chopra becomes the most written-about athlete in 2022


• According to the World Athletics, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj
Chopra of India was the most written about track and field athlete in 2022, displacing the
Jamaican legend Usain Bolt from the top lists.
• Neeraj Chopra had a very successful 2022. He won the silver medal at the World Athletic
Championships 2022 in Eugene, Oregon, becoming only the second Indian to win a worlds
medal after Anju Bobby George’s bronze in the women’s long jump in 2003.
• Neeraj Chopra also became the first athlete from India to win the Diamond League final this year.

Que: Athlete Shivpal Singh has been suspended from competing till October 2025 due to a doping
violation. He is related to which sport?
Ans: Javelin throw
• The Uttar Pradesh-based athlete was a silver-medalist at the 2019 Asian Championships

Miscellaneous
Que: Which player has won the 19th Asian 100 UP Billiards Championship 2022?
Ans: Pankaj Advani
• defeated Dhruv Sitwala to win his eighth title at the 19th Asian 100 UP Billiards
Championship 2022.

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• It was held in Doha, Qatar.


• Overall this is Advani’s 24th international title and 8th Asian crown.

Chahat Arora sets national record in 100m breaststroke


• In Swimming, Indian swimmer Chahat Arora set a national record in the women's 100-
metre breaststroke at the FINA World Swimming Championships 2022 in Melbourne,
Australia.
• Chahat Arora completed the 100-metre breaststroke race in 1 minute, 13.13 seconds.
• She also set a new national record in the women’s 50m breaststroke with 32.91s

Brijesh Damani won National Billiards Championship

• Brijesh has six international medals, including a silver at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.
• He won the 2008 Indian National Snooker Championship.
• From: Kolkata

Indian Men’s’ team wins maiden Asian Squash Team Championship Title
• The Indian men’s squash team led by Saurav Ghosal
• The 21st Asian Squash Team Championships was organized by the Asian Squash Federation
at Cheongju, South Korea from 31st October to 4 November 2022.
• Indian men’s team defeated Kuwait
Women’s Team Championship
• The women's title was won by Hong Kong which defeated Malaysia in the final. The Indian and South Korean
team shared the third spot.

Asian Squash Federation


• It is the governing body of Squash in Asia. It was founded in 1980 at a meeting in Karachi,
Pakistan.
• Member countries: 24
• Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• The founder members were Bahrain, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore,
and Thailand.
• President: David Y Y Mui (Hong Kong)

Avani Lekhara receives 2022 Para Sports Person of Year award


• at the Turf 2022 and India Sports Awards of FICCI.
• Former Ranji cricketer, Sarkar Talwar has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement of
the Year award.
• Odisha was recognized as the best state for promoting sports.
• The All India Chess Federation won the National Sports Federation of the Year Award.

Que: Which country will host the 31st Southeast Asian Games?
Ans: Vietnam
• from May 12 to 23, 2022.
• It is the biggest sporting event of Southeast Asia
• Capital of Vietnam i.e Hanoi will be the main venue of the event.
• Moto of 31st Southeast Asian Games- “For a Stronger South East Asia
• In 2023, the Southeast Asian Games will be held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
• The host country Vietnam emerged in the medal tally as the overall champions for the first time in 19 years,
recording 205 gold medals along with 125 silvers and 106 bronzes, accumulating 446 medals in total.
• They were followed by Thailand and Indonesia, with the Philippines and Singapore rounding out the top five.

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Players in News

Name Sports Place

Mithun Manjunath Badminton Orléans Masters badminton tournament 2022 held in


Orleans, France
Women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Bhat and Shikha
Gautam has won the bronze in Women’s doubles at the
tournament.

Name Sports Reason

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard Cricket Retirement from the International Cricket MI IPL
TEAM

Andrey Rublev (Russian) Tennis Andrey Rublev (Russian) has defeated world No. 1
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) to win his third title in
the Serbia Open.

Invictus Games 2022:


• The 2022 edition of the Invictus Games opened on April 16 night in The Hague,
Netherlands, where Prince Harry paid tribute to the Ukrainian team.
• Prince Harry opened the Invictus Games ceremony that he created for disabled military
veterans. He praised the courage and presence of the Ukraine team in The
Netherlands, while the Ukrainian competitors receive a standing ovation.

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• The first edition of the Games was held in London in 2014, and subsequent competitions
were organised in Orlando, US (2016), Toronto, Canada (2017), and Sydney, Australia
(2018).
• The 2023 edition will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany.
• The Games are an international sporting competition similar to the Paralympics, but meant for wounded,
injured, and sick military service personnel and war veterans.
• The word ‘invictus’ means ‘unconquered’.
• The Games draw inspiration from the British poet William Ernest Henley’s 1875 poem ‘Invictus’.

Que: Who won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 2022 Award?
Ans: Max Verstappen

• Sportswoman of the Year Award: Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaican Athletics).


• World Team of the Year Award: Italy Men’s Football Team.
• Breakthrough of the Year Award: Emma Raducanu (Tennis).
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Brady (American football).
• World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award: Marcel
Hug(Wheelchair Athletics).
• Sport for Good Society Award: Real Madrid Foundation.
• Badminton star PV Sindhu, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, golfer Aditi
Ashok, Paralympic shooter Avani Lekhara and women’s boxer
Lovlina Borgohain were named as the five nominees for the BBC
Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2021 award

Que: Who among the following has won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of The Year award 2021?
Ans: Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
• When Chanu placed second in the 49kg division in Tokyo, she became the first Indian
weightlifter to earn a silver medal at the Olympics.
• Mirabai Chanu, born in Manipur, got her first major breakthrough at the Glasgow edition
of the Commonwealth Games where she bagged a silver medal in the 48 kg weight
category.
• The BBC Emerging Player award was presented to cricketer Shafali Verma who is just 18-years-old.
• BBC also presented retired Indian weightlifter Karnam Malleswari with the BBC Lifetime Achievement
award.
• Last year, chess player Koneru Humpy won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award for her
achievements in 2020. Ace Indian shooter Manu Bhaker and former long jump star Anju Bobby George
bagged the Emerging Player of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards, respectively.

India wins first-ever gold medal at WSF World Doubles Squash championships
• The second seeded Indian duo Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Saurav Ghosal won the mixed
double title at 2022 WSF World Doubles Squash championship at Glasglow on April 09,
2022.
• This is the first gold medal for India at WSF World Doubles Squash championship,
which the country had never won before this.

Apart from this, Dipika and Joshna Chinappa paired to win women’s doubles final,
defeating England’s Sarah Jane Perry and Waters.

Que: Who has won the 2022 World Snooker Championship held at the Crucible Theatre in
England?
Ans: Ronnie O’Sullivan
• O’Sullivan (Aged 46) becomes the oldest world champion in Crucible history
• It was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s seventh World Snooker Championship title

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Ministry of Civil Aviation launched an aero-sports policy


• To promote sports like aerobatics, hot-air ballooning, and paragliding, with the aim of
making India one of the top aerosports nations by 2030.
• In a first, the policy sets up an oversight body for regulation, certification, accidents and
penalties with the Air Sports Federation of India (ASFI) as the apex body.
• The ASFI will be an autonomous body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).

FIFA World Cup ICC Cricket World Cup

S.No Year Venue S.No Year Venue


1. 2023 India
1. 2022 Qatar
2. 2027 South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia
2. 2026 Canada, Mexico, United States.
3. 2031 India and Bangladesh

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Commonwealth Games

Sl.No Year Venue


UAE, Oman Sl.No Year Venue
1. 2021
Originally it was planned to hosted by India
2. 2022 Australia 1. 2022 Birmingham, England
3. 2024 United States, West Indies
2. 2026 Victoria, Australia
4. 2026 India, Sri Lanka
5. 2028 Australia, New Zealand
6. 2030 England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland

FIFA Women’s World Cup Asian Games

S.No Year Venue


S.No Year Venue
Hangzhou, China
Australia However, due to the latest COVID-19 outbreak, the 2022 Asian
1. 2023 1. 2022
New Zealand Games have been postponed. No alternative date has been
announced so far.
2. 2026 Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
3. 2030 Doha, Qatar
4. 2034 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Que: Which country has recently won the first ever medal at IBSA Judo Grand Prix?
Ans: India
• International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA)
• In Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan
• The Indian Blind and Para Judo Association’s Judoka Kapil Parmar won Bronze medal for
the country.

Indian men's volleyball team wins bronze in 14th Asian U-18 Championship
• after defeating South Korea in the 14th Asian U-18 Championship in Tehran.
• Japan has secured the gold after beating Iran (Silver) in the final match.

Que: 8th World Junior Swimming Championships was held in which city?
Ans: Lima (Peru)
Apeksha Fernandes became the first Indian woman to reach the final of the World Junior
Swimming Championships.

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Elvis Ali Hazarika becomes first from North East to cross North Channel
• Veteran Assamese swimmer has also become the oldest Indian swimmer
to cross the North Channel.
• The North Channel is the strait between north-eastern Northern Ireland
and south-western Scotland.

USA beat China to win FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022 in Australia
• 11th Women's World Cup title in Sydney
• FIBA (Fédération Internationale de Basketball) – International Basketball federation
• President: Hamane Niang
• Founded: 18 June 1932
• Headquarters: Mies, Switzerland
• Extra info:Saudi Arabia to host 2029 Asian Winter Games

Pankaj Advani wins gold at IBSF World Billiards Championship, Kuala Lumpur
International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF)
• Pankaj Advani has been awarded Arjuna Award (2004), Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
(2006), Padma Shri (2009) and Padma Bhushan (2018).

Pooja Jatyan wins silver in Para World Archery Championships in Dubai


• she became the first Indian to win a silver in an individual section of the Para World
Championships.
• India ended with two silver medals, a first for the country.

Que: Sadia Tariq was in news recently for winning a gold medal for India in which event?
Ans: Wushu
• The 15-year-old Sadia Tariq hails from Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir.
• The Wushu Stars Championship was held in Moscow, Russia from February 22 to 28.
• From India, 38 players, including 23 junior and 15 senior participated in the championship.

Nepal’s Lakpa Sherpa (48) reaches summit of Mount Everest for


record 10th time; highest by any woman
• Another Nepalese Sherpa guide, Kami Rita, reached the
summit for the 26th time, breaking his own record for the
most climbs of Everest.

Que: Who has become the first Indian woman to scale five peaks above 8,000 metres?
Ans: Priyanka Mohite (from Satara in western Maharashtra)
• Mount Everest (8,849 m) world’s highest peak
• Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) third highest mountain in the world
• Mount Lhotse (8,516 m)the fourth highest mountain in the world
• Mount Makalu (8,485 m) the fifth highest mountain in the world
• Mount Annapurna (8,091 m), the 10th highest mountain peak in the world
• In 2021, The Government of India awarded her with the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2020.

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Indian men's compound team win gold at Archery World Cup


• defeated France in finals in South Korea
• 16th Edition
• The Archery World Cup is a competition, started in 2006, organized by the World Archery Federation
• Archery, the national sport of Bhutan
• Indian men’s team, comprising Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini, and Rajat Chauhan

Para - Canoeist Prachi Yadav wins bronze at 2022 ICF Paracanoe World Cup
• held in Poznan, Poland and become the first Indian to win a World Cup
medal.
• canoe - a small, light, narrow boat, pointed at both ends

Que: Who has become the first Indian officer from Railways to complete the gruelling “Ironman
Triathlon” in Hamburg?
Ans: Shreyas G. Hosur
• Hosur is a 2012-batch Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS) officer.
• The event included 3.8 km Swim, 180 km Cycling and 42.2 km Running.
• Ironman Hamburg in Germany was originally added to the Ironman event schedule in 2017.
• 2022 was the race’s fifth edition in Hamburg.

Judo World Championships: Linthoi Chanambam Wins India’s First-ever Gold Medal
• Indian judoka Linthoi Chanambam scripted history by winning India’s first-
ever medal in Judo World Championships with a gold in the Women’s 57kg
category at the World Judo Cadet (U18) Championships.
• The teenager from Manipur is the first Indian to win gold in the world judo
championships in any category.
• Venue: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 24 to 28 August 2022

Q. ‘Mithila Makhana’, which was awarded geographical indication (GI) tag, is cultivated in which state?
A) Jharkhand
B) Uttar Pradesh
Ans: C) Bihar
D) Chhattisgarh
• The government has recently awarded geographical indication (GI) tag to ‘Mithila
Makhana’, to help farmers get the maximum price for their produce. Its botanical name is ‘Euryale Ferox
Salisb’ and it is a special variety of aquatic fox nut.
• Mithila Makhana is cultivated in the Mithila region of Bihar and some parts of Nepal.
• It is the fifth product from Bihar after Bhagalpur’s Jardalu Mango, Katarni Dhaan (rice), Nawada’s Maghai
Paan and Muzaffarpur’s Shahi Litchi.
• Makhana contains protein and fiber, along with micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, and
phosphorus.

Ques: Classical wind music instrument narasinghapettai nagaswaram of which state has recently received the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag?
A) Kerala
B) Maharashtra
C) Odisha
Ans: D) Tamil Nadu
• under the category of musical instruments of class 15.
• Narasinghapettai nagaswaram is a classical wind music instrument that is traditionally made in in
Narasingapettai village in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu
• The instrument’s length is two and a half feet.
• A major portion of the instrument is made from aacha maram (Hardwickia binata) tree

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Which was the first Indian product to get the geographical indication tag?
(a) Aranmula Kannadi
Ans: (b) Darjeeling Tea
(c) Katarina Rice
(d) Madhubani Paintings
Explanation:- Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to get the geographical indication tag in 2004.

What is the time limit of the GI tag?


Ans: (a) 10 years
(b) 20 years
(c) 50 years
(d) For an unlimited time

Which of the following is matched correctly?


(a) Tezpur Litchi: Nagaland
Ans: (b) Nicobari hodi craft: Andaman & Nicobar
(c) Bhalia Wheat: West Bengal
(d) Bomkai Saree & Fabrics: Andhra Pradesh

Assam: Tezpur Litchi


Gujarat: Bhalia Wheat
Odisha: Bomkai Saree & Fabrics

Nicobar Hodi Craft

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands recently filed an application for the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the Nicobari Hodi craft.
• This is the Union Territory's first application for a tag for one of its products.
• The hodi is the Nicobari tribe’s traditional craft. It is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in
the Nicobar group of islands.
• The technical skills for building a hodi are based on indigenous knowledge inherited by the
Nicobarese from their forefathers.

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