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 Contents
1. National News................................................................................................................................... 5
2. International News........................................................................................................................ 12
3. Economy............................................................................................................................................ 15
4. Science and Technology...............................................................................................................18
5. Sports.................................................................................................................................................. 21
6. Defence.............................................................................................................................................. 26
7. Awards and Honours..................................................................................................................... 30
8. Appointment and Resignations................................................................................................. 34
9. Index and Report............................................................................................................................ 39
10. Obituary............................................................................................................................................ 42
11. Summit and Conferences............................................................................................................. 44
12. Books and Authors........................................................................................................................ 46
13. Important days................................................................................................................................ 48
14. MoU and Agreements.................................................................................................................. 52
15. Question Bank................................................................................................................................. 54
16. Static Takeaways............................................................................................................................ 66
1 National News

Union Minister of Mines, Pralhad Joshi unveils
India’s first-ever report on Critical Minerals
for India
• Union Minister of Mines, Pralhad Joshi, has unveiled
India’s first-ever report on Critical Minerals for India.
• The report identifies 30 critical minerals essential
for sectors including defence, agriculture, energy,
pharmaceuticals, and telecom.
• This comprehensive list marks a milestone in India’s
pursuit of self-reliance and security in mineral
Passport Seva 2.0: External Affairs Minister
Jaishankar announces new, upgraded e-passports
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on
the occasion of Passport Seva Divas that India will
soon commence the second phase of the Passport Seva
Programme (PSP-Version 2.0).
• 24th of June every year is celebrated as Passport Seva
Divas. It was on this day in 1967 that the Passports Act,
of 1967 had come into effect.
• This is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of

•
Zero’ targets. AL C
resources, aligning with the vision of achieving ‘Net

India Has Become Second Largest Road Network by

enhancing the ‘Ease of Living’ for citizens, these
initiatives will usher in a new paradigm of ‘EASE”: E:
Enhanced passport services to citizens, using a digital
eco-system A: Artificial Intelligence-powered service

H
Beating China.
S
delivery S: Smoother overseas travel using chip-
LA enabled e-passports E: Enhanced data security.

Union Environment Ministry grants final approval

S

for Kalaignar pen monument in the Bay of Bengal

• The Union Ministry of Environment has approved the
Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to construct the
Muthamizh Arignar Dr. Kalaignar pen monument in
the Bay of Bengal, off the Marina shoreline in Chennai,
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subject to fifteen conditions.

• Based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal
• India becomes the second-largest country with the Committee (CRZ) and Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone
Management Authority, the CRZ clearance was granted.
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biggest road network after beating China. While the

United States remains in the number one position. • It has also been noted that the Ministry may revoke or
• India successfully reserved the position by spreading suspend the certification if the conditions are not met
1.45-lakh km of road connectivity over the last 8 years. satisfactorily.

Bhopal: PM Modi Flags Off 5 Vande Bharat Government launches Gemovac-OM, India’s
Trains From Rani Kamlapati Station first Omicron-specific mRNA booster vaccine
• PM Narendra Modi flagged off 5 Vande Bharat trains
from Bhopal’s Rani Kamlapati station.
• These semi-high-speed trains are Rani Kamalapati
(Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat Express, Khajuraho-
Bhopal-Indore Vande Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)-
Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru
Vande Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat
Express.
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, earlier in June
2023, flagged off Goa’s first Vande Bharat Express from
Margao Railway Station, via video conferencing. •
• Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced Gemovac-OM,
an mRNA-based booster vaccination developed
specifically for Omicron by Genova using its own
platform technology.
• Recent Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval
for the vaccine was granted by the Drug Control General
of India (DCGI).
• Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., headquartered in
Pune, India, is a biotechnology company dedicated
to the research and development, production, and
commercialization of biotherapeutics (biologics and
vaccines) to address life-threatening diseases across
various indications.
Shri Parshottam Rupala launched NANDI
(NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation
System) Portal
• Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry &
Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala launched Nandi -
•
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NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System
portal at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
The development of the NANDI portal was carried out in
H
collaboration with the Central Drugs Standard Control
S
Organization (CDSCO) and the Center for Development
•
of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying
LA
(DAHD) will facilitate the regulatory approval process
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of veterinary product proposals. Thai process will be
more streamlined through seamless integration with
the SUGAM portal of Central Drugs Standard Control
Organization.
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Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation
stone of ‘Balidan Stambh’ in Srinagar
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• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation,
Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of the ‘Balidan
Stambh’ in Srinagar, an enduring symbol of courage.
• He met with the families of the martyrs from the Jammu
and Kashmir Police.
• Mr. Sah presented them with appointment letters as a
token of respect and support.
6 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
Union Minister Anurag Thakur flagged off
“Bharat in Paris” campaign at JL Nehru Stadium
in New Delhi
• The campaign has been launched by Indian Olympic
Association (IOA) to create awareness and promote
sports across India ahead of the Paris Olympics games.
• Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur today
flagged off “Bharat in Paris” campaign with a short
marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
The campaign has been launched by Indian Olympic
Association (IOA).
• The 2024 Olympics will take place from 26 July to 11
August in France, at Paris.
Justice Clocks Installed Across the Court
Complexes of High Courts
• Electronic signage systems known as Justice Clocks
have been across the court complexes of High Courts.
• The initiative is expected to inform stakeholders about
court-related key parameters and bring awareness
•
among the public by providing a bird eye view of court-
related data.
The interface has been designed and developed
in-house and will display data from the National
Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) in real time.
‘Dudh Sankalp Sathi Mobile App’ launched by
Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey
• Mahendra Nath Pandey, the Union Minister of Heavy
Industries, recently launched the groundbreaking
“Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App.”
• Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL)
has developed the app.
• This mobile app aims to improve the quality of
milk, foster transparency among stakeholders, and
streamline operations at the grassroots village level,
including milk cooperative societies.
• The launch event took place in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.
Centre renames Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library
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• The Central Government has decided to designate the
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library as the Prime
Ministers’ Museum and Society.
• Vice-President of the Society and Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh presided over the special meeting.
CBIC releases National Time Release Study
(NTRS) 2023 report
• Shri Vivek Johri, Chairman, of the Central Board of
Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) along with other
Members of the Board released the National Time
Release Study (NTRS) 2023 report.
• Time Release Study (TRS) as a performance
measurement tool aims to present a quantitative
measure of the cargo release time.
• The Cargo release time: It is defined as the time taken
from arrival of the cargo at the Customs station to its
out of charge for domestic clearance in case of imports
and arrival of the cargo at the Customs station to the
eventual departure of the carrier in case of exports.
CNG-run toy train inaugurated for the first time
in the country
•
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The Maharana Pratap Express train was relaunched in
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Udaipur’s Gulab Bagh, rechristened as the Maharana
Pratap Express train. LA
• According to the train’s engineer, Anirudh Singh
Nathawat, this is the first CNG-powered toy train in India.
S
Amit Shah announces disaster management
schemes worth Rs 8,000 crore
• Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, announced three
significant disaster management programmes totaling
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over Rs 8,000 crore.
• 5,000 crore rupees will be provided to states to expand
and modernise fire services, and 2,500 crore rupees
will be allocated to reduce the risk of urban flooding in
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the seven most populous metropolitan areas, including
Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad,
Ahmedabad, and Pune.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates
first-ever National Training Conclave
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated
the first-ever National Training Conclave at the
International Exhibition and Convention Centre,
Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
• Prime Minister emphasised that training should
inculcate the importance of Jan Bhagidari in every
government servant.
• The conclave is an effort to bring together all Civil Service
Training Institutions (CSTIs) in a common setting.
• The conclave is in accordance with the National
Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building
(NPCSCB) - ‘Mission Karmayogi’.
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Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala starts
Phase VII of Sagar Parikarma Yatra in Kerala
and Lakshadweep
• On June 8th, Parshottam Rupala, the Union Minister for
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, launched
the seventh phase of the “Sagar Parikrama” initiative.
• The journey of the first segment of “Sagar Parikrama”
began on March 5, 2022 in Mandvi, Gujarat. So far, the
coastal regions of Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Maharashtra,
Goa, Karnataka, and Andaman & Nicobar have been
visited.
• Sagar Parikrama Phase-VII shall cover the coastal areas
of Kerala and the UT Administration of Lakshadweep,
including visits to Mangalore, Kasargode, Madakkara,
Pallikkara, Chalium, Kanhangadu, Kozhikode, Mahe
(Puducherry), Beypore, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kochi,
and the Islands of Lakshadweep, namely Kavaratti,
Banga
• Sagar Parikrama is an initiative that strives to settle
the difficulties of fishers and other stakeholders and
promote their economic upliftment through different
fisheries initiatives and programmes being undertaken
by the Government of India, such as ‘Pradhan Mantri
Matsya Sampada Yojana’ (PMMSY).
Government of India Launches Nyaya Vikas
Portal to Monitor Implementation of Centrally
Sponsored Schemes
• Nyaya Vikas Portal allows four efficient ways of logging
into the portal, thereby empowering stakeholders with
seamless access to information pertaining to funding,
documentation, project monitoring and approval.
• The Nyaya Vikas Portal has been established to monitor
the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes,
Nyay Vikas.
• The portal offers stakeholders seamless access to
information related to funding, documentation, project
monitoring, and approval.
PM Modi Launches Two Schemes for Wetland
and Mangrove Conservation on World
Environment Day
• On World Environment Day, June 5, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi introduced two initiatives to revitalise
the country’s wetlands and mangroves: Amrit Dharohar
and MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats
and Tangible Incomes).
• India has 75 Ramsar sites at present.
• Through public participation, the Amrit Dharohar
Yojana will assure the preservation of existing Ramsar
sites.
• The MISHTI programme will aid in revitalising and
protecting the mangrove ecosystem in the nation.
7
Sarbananda Sonowal flags off India’s first
international cruise vessel
• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and
Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal flags off India’s First
International Cruise Vessel from Chennai to Sri Lanka.
• The cruise service is the result of an MoU signed
during the first Incredible India International Cruise
Conference in 2022 between Chennai Port and M/S
Waterways Leisure Tourism Pvt Ltd to start domestic
and international cruise service.
Muthamizh Selvi becomes first Tamil Nadu
woman to scale Mt Everest
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H
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LA
• Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for
Sports Development and Youth Welfare, honoured N
Muthamizh Selvi, the first woman from Tamil Nadu to
S
summit Mount Everest.
• After 56 days of arduous travel, the 34-year-old woman
from Johilpatti, Virudhunagar, reached the summit of
Mount Everest on May 23.
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Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri launches
PM SVANidhi mobile app to ease loan process
• Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
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launched a PM SVANidhi mobile app for street vendors,
to ease the loan application process and provide various
information to them regarding the scheme.
• He commended the Prime Minster Street Vendor’s
AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme on its three
years completion.
• The scheme aims to restore self-employment, Self-
Sustenance, and Self-Confidence among street vendors.
‘’Kari Ishad mango’’ of Ankola in Uttar
Karnataka gets GI tag
• Kari Ishad is accepted as one of the finest quality
mangoes due to its unique aroma, luscious taste, high
amount of pulp, shape, and size.
• The mango is grown in Karwar and to a certain extent
in Kumta of Uttara Kannada.
8 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
Union Cabinet Approves Establishment of
Regional Office of Universal Postal Union in
New Delhi
• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved to establish
a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU)
in New Delhi.
• India to undertake UPU’s development cooperation
and technical assistance activities in the region by
entering into an agreement with UPU.
• The initiative would help expanding India’s diplomatic
footprint and strengthen relations with other countries,
specially in Asia-Pacific region.
Seven products from Uttar Pradesh gets a
Geographical Indication tag
• The seven products of Uttar Pradesh have been
given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the
Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai.
• 7 Handicrafts products from Uttar Pradesh with
Geographical Indication (GI) Tag are
Š Amroha Dholak.
Š Kalpi Handmade Paper.
Š Baghpat Home Furnishings.
Š Barabanki Handloom Product.
Š Mahoba Gaura Patthar Hastashlip.
Š Mainpuri Tarkashi.
Š Sambhal Horn Craft.
Historical Kharchi Puja took place in Tripura
• Kharchi puja is the worship of the dynasty deity of
Tripuri people, the fourteen gods. It is performed in
the month of July August on the eight day of new moon.
• The word Kharchi is derived from two Tripuri words
‘Khar’ or Kharta meaning or Sin, ‘chi’ or si meaning
cleaning.
• The festival took place this year on 25th of June.
Yogi Adityanath launched “Operation
Conviction” in Uttar Pradesh
• In order to make Uttar Pradesh free from crime,
Uttar Pradesh Police have a new action plan called
‘Operation Conviction’ to ensure speedy punishment
to the criminals involved in heinous crimes.
• Under this new action plan of Yogi government, in
addition to all the charges under the POCSO Act, crimes
of rape, murder, robbery, dacoity, religious conversion,
cow slaughter have been included.
QCI and Odisha Government launch Odisha
Gunvatta Sankalp in Bhubaneswar
• The Government of Odisha & the Quality Council of
India, in collaboration with industry associations has
launched this program.
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• Odisha Goverment launched the Odisha Gunvatta
Sankalp (Odisha Quality Mission) at Bhubaneswar.
• The Sankalp was inaugurated by the Chief Secretary of
Odisha Shri Pradeep Kumar Jena.
• The goal of the mission is to make Odisha more
progressive and self-reliant by stressing the value of
quality in many areas.
Assam set to build the first underwater tunnel
under Brahmaputra
• Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam,
has declared that the state’s first underwater tunnel
will be built between Numaligarh and Gohpur at an
anticipated cost of Rs 6,000 crores.
• This historic endeavour will construct the first railway
tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River in northeast
India.
• The project’s bids are scheduled to open next month.
• Assam Governor: Gulab Chand Kataria
• Under the Karnataka Gruha Jyothi Scheme, those who
consume less than 200 units of electricity per month
will receive free electricity from the state of Karnataka.
• Karnataka Cheif Minister: Siddaramaiah
• Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
Jammu tops table of District Good Governance
Index 3.0 in J&K
• Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar
Mehta released the third edition of District Good
Governance Index 3.0.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu district topped the table
of Good Governance Index 3.0 with an overall score of
6.37 out of 10.
UP Prisons To Be Known As Reform Homes

Telangana Chief Minister KCR inaugurates rail

coach factory in Sangareddy
•
AL C
K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), the chief minister of

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Telangana, inaugurated the Medha Rail Coach Factory
in the Sangareddy district. LA
• In 2017, Medha inked an MOU with the Telangana
government.
S

• The purpose of the MOU is to establish a coach

manufacturing facility in the state.
• The Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure
Corporation (TSIIC) allotted the property.
• TSIIC allocated 100 acres of land for the production of
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• Uttar Pradesh Cheif Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed
the need to establish prisons as ‘Sudhaar Grah’
(Reform Homes) and issued instructions regarding the
preparation of the new Prison Act of the state.

rail and metro coaches. • In the present time, the Jail Act of 1894 and the Prisoners
Act of 1900 are in effect concerning prisoners detained
Tamil Nadu police introduces new scheme in jail. Both of these acts have been in practice since
called ‘Pengal Pathukaaptu Thittam’ before independence.
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• Tamil Nadu Police initiates a safety initiative for women

travelling alone at night.
• The Tamil Nadu Police have launched a new initiative
titled ‘Pengal Pathukappu Thittam’ that gives women’s
safety in the state top priority.
• If they feel insecure, women travelling alone in remote
areas can seek police assistance at any time.
• The police have also established a helpline for women
who travel alone between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The
numbers to call for assistance are 1091, 112, 044-
23452365, and 044-28447701.
MSRTC employs first woman ST driver in
Maharashtra
• Archana Atram has become the first woman to drive
for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation
(MSRTC) after driving the bus from Saswad to Nira in
Pune.
• Archana is one of the 100 women ST drivers chosen for
the position by MSRTC.
• In 2019, they were chosen, but their training could not
be completed due to a pandemic.

Karnataka launches a free power scheme, Raja festival celebrated in Odisha

‘Griha Jyoti Yojana’ • Raja Parba or Mithuna Sankranti is a 3-day festival to
• Recently, the Government of Karnataka introduced honour womanhood which is celebrated across Odisha.
the Karnataka Gruha Jyothi Scheme for the region’s • Raja occurs on the first day of the month ‘Asadha’ of
residents. Hindu Calender.

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• According to tradition, when the monsoon arrives,
Mother Earth menstruates and prepares herself for
future agricultural activities.
• These three days are devoid of agricultural activities.
Arunachal Pradesh CM launches app called
‘Arunpol App’ of Arunachal Pradesh Police
• Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu
launched an app called ‘Arunpol App’ of Arunachal
Pradesh Police and flagged-off an APP awareness
generation vehicle from the Civil Secretariat, Itanagar.
• People can also apply for other clearances from the
police through this app.
• Arunachal Pradesh Governor: Kaiwalya Trivikram
Parnaik
Haryana CM Manohar Lal announces monthly
pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma
Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of
State
• AL C
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today announced
a monthly pension of 10,000 rupees for the Padma Shri,
Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of
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the State besides, free travel facility in Volvo Buses of
the State Government. LA
• The Chief Minister made this announcement during
his visit to Karnal while interacting with the media
S
persons.
Maharashtra Govt Announces Insurance
Scheme For Warkari Pilgrims
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said
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warkaris, the devotees of Lord Vithhal, will get insurance
cover during the ‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’ procession which
culminates in the temple town of Pandharpur.
• Vitthal Rukmini Warkari Bima Chhatra Yojana” was
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announced by the Cheif Minister.
• The insurance cover will be valid for 30 days.
West Bengal Government Launches Buses with
Air Purifiers in Kolkata to Fight Pollution
• The government of West Bengal has equipped buses in
Kolkata with air purifiers to minimise pollution in the
state capital.
• The ‘Suddha Vayu’ Bus Roof Mounted Air Purification
System (BRMAPS) is the first of its kind in India.
• It is part of a pilot experiment involving scientists from
IIT Delhi.
Uttar Pradesh government launches Nand
Baba Milk Mission scheme
• In an effort to make Uttar Pradesh a leader in
milk development and milk production, the state
10 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
government has introduced the Rs 1 trillion Nand Baba
Milk Mission programme.
• Under this objective, it is proposed to establish a Dairy
farmer producer organisation (Dairy FPO) to facilitate
the sale of milk in the villages of milk producers.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde launches Asia’s
largest cluster development scheme in Thane
• In Thane, the chief minister of Maharashtra, Eknath
Shinde, has launched the largest, most ambitious, and
most historic cluster development scheme in Asia.
• After the collapse of the Sairaj Building in Thane, which
claimed 18 lives, a plan for the mass redevelopment of
illegal and official hazardous buildings was conceived.
Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar to be renamed as
Ahilya Nagar
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced
that the Ahmednagar district in the state will be
renamed as ‘Ahilya Nagar’.
• The announcement comes on the birth anniversary
of Ahilya Bai Holkar (31st May), the hereditary noble
queen of the Maratha Empire.
Odisha government announces ‘Mo Ghara’
housing scheme
• Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government announced a
new initiative, Mo Ghara (My Home) – a credit-linked
housing scheme for rural poor in the state with an aim
to convert all kutcha houses into pucca ones.
• The announcement, which followed a meeting of the
state cabinet, marked the end of the fourth year of the
BJD government’s fifth tenure.
• Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Delhi Metro launches ‘DMRC TRAVEL’ app to
buy mobile QR tickets
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) launched a
dedicated mobile app for its passengers with the name
‘ DMRC TRAVEL ‘ for generating convenient and hassle-
free mobile QR tickets for travelling across its network.
• The app was formally launched today by Dr. Vikas
Kumar, Managing Director, DMRC from the Head
Quarters at Metro Bhawan in the presence of senior
officials.
• With this new mobile App, passengers can now
purchase tickets directly from their smartphones,
without going to ticket counters/vending machines or
stand in queues.
Union Minister Parshottam Rupala launched
Report Fish Disease App in New Delhi
• Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister
Parshottam Rupala and Minister of State for Fisheries,
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 Animal Husbandry and Dairying Dr. L Murugun Karnataka govt launches ‘Shakti’ scheme, free
launched Report Fish Disease App in New Delhi.
bus services for women
• The app designed for the aquaculture sector enables
quick reporting of disease cases and also provides • Karnataka Government rolled out its first of the five poll
timely advice to farmers associated with aquaculture. guarantees, the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which offers free travel
NHAI launches ‘Knowledge Sharing Platform’ to women and transgender people in government-run
for development of Highways buses in the state.
• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has • Chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister DK
proclaimed the National Highway Authority of India’s
Shivakumar and transport minister Ramalinga Reddy
launch of a knowledge-sharing platform.
• This framework seeks to promote the development of launched the scheme and issued smart cards to five
inclusive national highways. beneficiaries at an event on the steps of the Vidhana
• It will serve as a collaborative space for experts and Soudha in Bengaluru.
citizens to share ideas and information in disciplines
such as road design, safety, construction, and
Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’
environmental sustainability.
• In the Arabian Sea, a cyclonic cyclone named Biparjoy
Gujarat, First State In India To Launch Digital has developed.
Health Cards For School Children
•
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Gujarat has launched a new initiative under the Shala
Arogya-National Child Health Program (SHRBSK), to
issue digital health cards for school children.
•

•
Bangladesh suggested the name ‘Biparjoy,’ which
means ‘disaster’ or ‘calamity’ in Bengali.
Maximum sustained winds for Cyclone Biparjoy were

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•
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This campaign will be carried out to monitor the between 125 and 135 kilometres per hour.
nutrition level of those children and their cognitive
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development. • On June 6, 2023, Cyclone Biparjoy formed over the
• The launch took place on the 12th of June. southeast Arabian Sea.
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2 International News
Prime Minister Modi’s US Visit
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• PM Modi was in the US from June 21 to June 23 upon the
LA
invitation of US President Joe Biden notably including
International Yoga Day celebrations. This was his ‘first
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state visit.’
• He met several entrepreneurs and thought leaders like
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nobel Prize winner Paul Romer
and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
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• The major highlights of bilateral talks were
Š mega deal on the purchase of General Atomics MQ-9
“Reaper” armed drones by India,
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Š a joint mission by NASA and ISRO to the International
Space Station in 2024 and New Delhi joining the
Artemis Accords
Kyriakos Mitsotakis won Greece’s national
elections
• Conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis won Greece’s
national elections with a clear majority.
• Mitsotakis’s New Democracy party obtained over 40.5
per cent votes.
• The new Democracy party got 158 seats in the 300-seat
parliament in the repeat election while the opponent
leftist Syriza got 48.
• Capital of Greece: Athens
• Currency of Greece: Euro
Finnish parliament elects conservative Petteri
Orpo as Prime Minister
• Petteri Orpo, the leader of the conservative party
in Finland, has been elected as the country’s prime
minister by the parliament.
• Petteri Orpo will be the leader of the coalition
government comprising four parties, including the far-
right Finns Party.
•
•
This move comes after Orpo’s victory in the April
elections.
Finland Capital: Helsinki
• Finland Currency: Euro
Estonia becomes first Baltic nation to legalise
same-sex marriage
• The Riigikogu or Estonian parliament recently
approved a new law that legalises same-sex marriage.
• Estonia becomes the first Baltic nation to do so.
• Baltic states, the northeastern region of Europe
containing the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and
Lithuania, on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea.
• President of Estonia: Alar Karis
• Capital of Estonia: Tallinn
• Currency of Estonia: Euro
Japan raises the age of consent from 13 to 16 in
the reform of sex crimes law
• Japan has changed its sex crime laws to make the age of
consent 16 instead of 13. Before this, Japan was in the
league of countries having the lowest age of consent.
• Under the law, sexual activity with someone younger
than 16 is called statutory rape. This age is 16 in Britain,
15 in France, 14 in Germany, and 12 in China.
• Since 1907, the age of consent was 13 in Japan.
• Capital of Japan: Tokyo
• Currency of Japan: Japanese yen
• Prime Minister of Japan: Fumio Kishida
World Bank launches its first road safety project
in South Asia
• The World Bank recently launched its first dedicated
road safety project in South Asia.
• The USD 358 million financing agreement was signed
in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh.
• Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-Elenga
(N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6) will be taken up
for the implementation of this project. The project
will pilot comprehensive road safety measures,
including improved engineering designs, signage and
marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and
emergency care.
• World Bank President: Ajay Banga
• World Bank Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United
States
• Bangladesh President: Mohammed Shahabuddin
• Bangladesh Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
• Bangladesh Currency: Bangladeshi Taka
Israel will be releasing first ever digital
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government bond
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• The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Israel’sLA
Finance Ministry have successfully completed the
‘proof of concept phase’ for a digital Israeli Bond traded
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on a dedicated blockchain platform.
• The development positions Israel to release the world’s
first digital government bond.
• The collaboration between the TASE and the Finance
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Ministry’s Office of the Accountant General- is called
Project Eden.
• Israel capital: Jerusalem
• Israel currency: Israeli Shekel
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BIMSTEC Centre for energy cooperation will be
inaugurated in India
• The BIMSTEC Energy Centre which will act as the
Secretariat for BIMSTEC energy cooperation will be
formally inaugurated in India.
• The centre will be the hub for energy partnership for
BIMSTEC.
• BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation) was inaugurated
when the Bangkok Declaration was signed on June 6,
1997.
• Myanmar joined a few months later in December of that
year. The original members were Bangladesh, India, Sri
Lanka, and Thailand. In February 2004, Bhutan and
Nepal joined.
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UN Security Council to welcome five new non-
permanent Members
• Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and
Slovenia were elected to the United Nations Security
Council as non-permanent members in 2024-2025.
• The Security Council is composed of 15 countries, five of
which - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and
the United States – are permanent members, granting
them the right to veto any resolution or decision.
• The 10 non-permanent members are elected by the
General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member
States.
Israel tests first autonomous flying Taxi
• Israel has begun conducting initial tests of autonomous
drones that could one day serve as public transportation.
• A series of tests and experimental flights were
conducted throughout Israel over the past week by 11
companies.
Latvian Parliament elects foreign minister
Edgars Rinkevics as the new president
• Latvian lawmakers picked the country’s long-serving
and popular foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics as its
new head of state.
• Rinkevics announced in 2014 that he is “proudly”
homosexual.
• Latvia is a country located in the Baltic region in
Northern Europe.
• Latvia Capital: Riga
• Currency: Euro
Bola Tinubu Sworn in as President of Nigeria
• Bola Tinubu was sworn in as the new president of
Nigeria on May 29.
• The new president has to face challenges to resolve
sustained economic and security issues plaguing the
country.
• The inauguration took place in the capital Abuja at
Eagles Square, with local and foreign dignitaries in
attendance.
World’s oldest-known burial site found in
South Africa
• Palaeontologists in South Africa said they’ve found the
world’s oldest known burial site.
• They discovered several specimens of Homo naledi
buried about 100 feet underground in a cave system
within the Cradle of Humankind.
• Renowned palaeoanthropologist Lee Berger had led
the research.
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Environment Agency Abu Dhabi launches
climate-themed Escape Room tour
• As part of World Environment Day celebrations,
Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for
Defence Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Environment
Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Chairman of Emirates
Nature-WWF, inaugurated the launch of COP28 Youth
Climate and Nature Series.
• A Escape room was launched at the event.
• The Escape Room highlights the imperative action of
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and showcases how
the UAE is undertaking essential projects to build
climate resilience and engaging youth and the wider
community to take aprt in and lead initiatives on the
ground.
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MoS External Affairs Muraleedharan
inaugurates first-ever PIO Malaysia Event
• Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, V
Muraleedharan, during his Malaysia visit, jointly
inaugurated the first-ever PIO (People of Indian
Origin) Malaysia Event organised by GOPIO (Global
Organization of People of Indian Origin) Malaysia
together with the Minister of Human Resources of
Malaysia.
• He also delivered a key-note address at the inaugural
session of an International Conference titled ‘India-
ASEAN Dynamics in the Emerging Indo-Pacific Order:
Pathways to Cooperation beyond the Third Decade’,
organised by the High Commission of India in Kuala
Lumpur in collaboration with the Centre for ASEAN
Regionalism University Malaya (CARUM) and Asia
Europe Institute (AEI).
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3 Economy
Banking on World Heritage: Depicting Cultural
Treasures through Banknotes
• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is organising
an exhibition to showcase a first-of-its-kind exhibition,
“Banking on World Heritage.”
• The exhibition will display banknotes depicting world
heritage sites listed by UNESCO at IGNCA in a unique
manner and will be at display from Friday, June 30th –
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Sunday, July 9th 2023.
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independent scholar and founder of ‘Money Talks’
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Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Smt.
Meenakshi Lekhi. Will inaugurate this exhibition.
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Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabon’s
first Agri-SEZ Project
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• Union Minister of Education and Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
today flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project from
New Delhi.
• The project will be implemented by AOM group with
Centurion University as the technical and knowledge
partner.
• In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and
20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering
students from Gajapati Odisha, will be travelling
together as agri-technical and technical consultants for
the agriculture SEZ.
• Gabon, a country along the Atlantic coast of Central
Africa.
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launches New CSR
guidelines ‘Sagar Samajik Sahayog’
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
and Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched ‘Sagar
Samajik Sahayyog’ - the new guidelines of Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) by the Ministry of Ports,
Shipping & Waterways.
• The new guidelines empower ports to undertake CSR
activities directly.
• Ports with annual turnover of less than ₹100 crores to
spend 3-5%, less than ₹500 crores to spend 2-3% and
more than ₹500 crores to spend 0.5-2% of their net
annual profit.
ADB provides 400 million USD for SE
Bangladesh rail project
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
government of Bangladesh have inked a loan agreement
in the amount of $400 million for the construction of
a dual gauge railway between Chattogram and Cox’s
Bazar.
• The new rail link between Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar
is anticipated to open this year and will transport
approximately 2.9 million passengers annually by
2024.
Fitch raises India’s GDP forecast to 6.3% for the
current fiscal year
• Fitch Rating Raised its forecast for India’s economic
growth to 6.3% for the current fiscal year 2023-24
from the 6% it had predicted previously.
• This is primarily because of a stronger outturn in the
first quarter and near-term momentum.
• Fitch Ratings is an international credit rating agency
based out of New York City and London.
IOC to set up an aviation fuel plant with
LanzaJet in Haryana
• Indian Oil Corp will set up an 80,000 tonnes sustainable
aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana.
• The company is looking at an investment of about 23
billion rupees ($280.1 million), S M Vaidya said on the
sidelines of an industry event in New Delhi.
RBI opens a sub-office at Kohima, to increase
its presence in the Northeast
• In an effort to strengthen its presence in North East
India, the Reserve Bank has opened a sub-office in
Kohima and announced its intention to shortly open a
branch in Itanagar.
• Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra inaugurated
the office in Nagaland’s capital, which will expand the
central bank’s presence in the region’s northeast.
• RBI office is present in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Tripura, and Nagaland in the northeastern
region.
UAE Emerges As Fourth Largest Investor in
India In FY23
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fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23.
• Last year India implemented a comprehensive free
trade agreement with UAE.
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• According to the report, the UAE was India’s fourth
largest investor in 2022-23, up from seventh place in
2021-22.
• In FY23, Singapore was the largest investor in India,
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investing $17.2 billion, followed by Mauritius ($6.1
billion) and the United States ($6 billion).
RBI allows banks to issue prepaid forex RuPay
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• The RBI has allowed banks to issue RuPay Prepaid
Forex cards for use at ATMs, PoS (point-of-sale)
machines and online merchants overseas, and enabled
the issuance of RuPay Debit, Credit, and Prepaid Cards
in foreign jurisdictions for international use, including
India.
• These measures will expand the reach and acceptance
of RuPay cards globally and expand payment options
for Indians travelling abroad.
RBI keeps the repo rate unchanged at 6.5%
• The Reserve Bank of India maintained the policy repo
rate at 6.5 per cent.
• RBI has also lowered retial inflation projection to
5.1 percent during FY’24 from earlier estimate of 5.2
percent.
16 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
• The decisions regarding Repo rate is taken by MPC
meetings.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that
its rate-setting panel, the Monetary Policy Committee
(MPC), will meet six times in the next financial year
(FY24).
• RBI’s monetary policy main objective is to maintain
price stability and growth simultaneously.
India has emerged as World’s second-largest
producer of Crude Steel
• India currently ranks as the World’s 2nd Largest
Producer of Crude Steel, surpassing Japan in 2018.
• Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya
M. Scindia said this in a press conference.
• Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia also stressed
on the importance of Steel Scrap Recycling Policyfor
the promotion of scientific processing and recycling of
ferrous scrap.
RBI launches financial inclusion dashboard
Antardrishti
• The dashboard ‘Antardrishti’ would provide the
necessary knowledge to evaluate and track the
development of financial inclusion by recording
relevant data.
• The dashboard, presently intended for internal use in
the RBI, will further facilitate greater financial inclusion
through a multi-stakeholder approach.
SBI Bengaluru launches Project Kuber
• State Bank of India, Bengaluru Circle launched ‘Project
Kuber’, which will have four Transaction Banking Hubs
and One Corporate Salary Package Hub. These hubs will
help to increase the market share in liability products
of SBI.
• Transaction Banking Hubs will offer services to
corporate/non-corporate clients, from account
opening to onboarding them on SBI’s digital platforms.
• Nand Kishore, chief general manager, SBI, Bengaluru
Circle, inaugurated these hubs.
Lloyds Banking Group to Establishe Tech
Centre in Hyderabad, India
• Lloyds Banking Group, one of the largest providers
of financial services in the United Kingdom, has
announced its intention to establish a technology
centre in Hyderabad, India.
• The centre, which will be operational by the end of
2023, seeks to enhance the group’s digital capabilities.
• Lloyds Banking Group, whose brands include Lloyds
Bank, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland, plans to employ
600 individuals for this new venture.
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RBI Annual Report for 2022-23 Published RBI Launches ‘100 Days, 100 pays’
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched ‘100 Days
100 Pays’ campaign to trace and settle the top 100
unclaimed deposits of every bank.
• According to this campaign, banks will trace and settle
their top 100 deposits in every district of the country.
• The balances in savings/current accounts which are
not been operated for 10 years, or term deposits not
claimed within 10 years from the date of maturity are
classified as “unclaimed deposits”

SIDBI Launches EVOLVE Mission with NITI

• The Annual Report 2022-23 of the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has been released, detailing the institution’s
activities during the fiscal year ending on March 31,
2023.
• In 2022-23, RBI’s total income increased by 47% to
2.35 lakh crore, compared to 1.6 lakh crore in 2021-22.
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The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the
policy rate by a total of 2.5 percentage points between
May 2022 and February 2023.
Aayog
• SIDBI, the principal financial institution for MSMEs in
India said it has launched mission EVOLVE (Electric
Vehicle Operations and Lending for Vibrant Ecosystem)
in association with NITI Aayog, World Bank, Korean-
World Bank and Korean Economic Development
Cooperation Fund (EDCF) to finance MSMEs in the EV
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space.
SIDBI will give MSMEs access to affordable commercial
financing for EV loans including hosting of telematics
that could help reduce financing costs and provide data

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4 Science and Technology
ISRO to use telescope designed by Pune
scientists to monitor Sun
• The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune has given a space
telescope to ISRO.
• Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) is the name
of the telescope. It will be part of ISRO’s Aditya-L1
mission, which will be India’s first journey in space to
study the Sun.
• SUIT will give daily updates and pictures of what’s
space.
India’s largest natural arch of India found in
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Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
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• During a study of coal in the Kenduadihi block of Odisha’s
Sundargarh district, a team from the Geological Study
of India found India’s largest natural arch.
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• The state unit of the Geological Survey of India (GSI)
wants to make a Geo Heritage Site out of the “Natural
Arch” in the Kanika range of the Sundargarh forest
division.
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• If it’s done, it will be the country’s largest natural bridge
with the Geo Heritage label.
World Economic Forum releases guidelines for
tackling growing space debris problem
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• The increasing number of satellites in Earth’s orbit
means that we also have to contend with the growing
problems of orbital debris and collisions.
• Many of these pieces of debris are flying through space
at speeds many times that of a bullet. If one of the larger
pieces of debris collides with an active satellite, it could
sabotage what could very well be a crucial mission.
• The guidelines by the World Economic Forum say that
spacecraft operators try to get satellites removed from
low-Earth orbit within five years after the end of the
mission.
NASA discovers ‘phosphorous’, a key element
for life, on Saturn’s moon Enceladus
• Phosphorus, a key element for various biological
processes has been discovered in icy grains spewed
from the interior ocean of Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
• Cassini a space probe launched to scrutinize Saturn
and its extensive system of moons and rings.
• The scientists earlier found minerals and organic
compounds in Enceladus’ ice grains excluding
phosphorus- the least abundant of six chemical
elements considered necessary to all living things, and
is found in the bones and teeth of humans and animals.
The first satellite built by India’s private
company launched by SpaceX
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The Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX carried the first
satellite made in India by the aerospace company Ajista
BST.
During this launch from the space station in Florida,
USA, 72 satellites were sent into space. The field of
remote sensing will use these satellites.
• As part of its Transporter-8 mission, SpaceX has sent
72 satellites into space. One of these is the AFR satellite
from the ABA company.
IIT Madras Scientists found methods to obtain
Hydrogen from Sea water
• Scientists at IIT Madras have found a new way to turn
sea water into hydrogen.
• Researchers in the physics department at IIT-Madras
have made key parts of a highly efficient, economically
viable way to make hydrogen by electrolyzing salt
water. The results were written up in the journal ACS
Applied Energy Materials.
• The usual way to make alkaline water with an
electrolyzer uses fresh water, a lot of energy, and an
expensive oxide-polymer separator.
India’s First Twin-Track Undersea Rail Tunnel To
Be Built in Thane Creek
• India’s first 7-km-long twin-track undersea rail tunnel
to be built in Thane Creek.
• The nearly 7 km undersea tunnel at Thane Creek,
situated in the inter-tidal zone, will be the first undersea
rail tunnel in India.
• It is part of a 21-km-long tunnel on the Mumbai-
Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor (Bullet train
corridor) that will connect the underground station
at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Shilphata in
Maharashtra.
Dr Jitendra Singh chairs the review meeting of
India’s first cannabis research project
• Dr Jitendra Singh led a meeting to review India’s first
cannabis study project in Jammu.
• The goal of the project was to find a drug to treat
neuropathy and cancer.
• “CSIR-IIIM Jammu’s Cannabis Research Project is the
first of its kind in India and has a lot of potential to make
export-quality medicine for neuropathies, cancer, and
epilepsy,” said Union Minister Jitendra Singh on June 8
at a review meeting with the top CSIR officials.
• With a crew comprising two Italian air force officers, an
aerospace engineer, a Virgin Galactic instructor, and two
pilots, the VSS Unity spaceplane soared approximately
80 kilometers (50 miles) above the New Mexico desert.
• After a 75-minute journey, the spaceplane safely glided
back to Earth, landing at Spaceport America.
ISRO’s GSLV-F12 Successfully Places Navigation
Satellite NVS-01

Tata Elxsi to build crew recovery models for

ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the
design and technology business Tata Elxsi have joined
forces for the Gaganyaan Mission.
• Tata Elxsi will design and build the Crew Module
Recovery Models (CMRM) for the mission as part of

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designing machines for space.

Two Recovery-Models (CMRM and GSF) were sent to
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• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
achieved yet another milestone as its geosynchronous

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that the recovery teams could be trained on them.LA • It successfully placed the navigation satellite NVS-01
SpaceX launches SATRIA-1 communications into orbit.
satellite for Indonesia • This launch aims to enhance the continuity of
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• On June 18, SpaceX launched a new Indonesian
communications satellite from Florida.
• A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the SATRIA-1 communications
satellite launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space
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Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) services,
providing accurate and real-time navigation in India
and its surrounding region.

Force Station. NASA shares picture of fascinating zinnia

• The Indonesian corporation will operate SATRIA-1 flower grown in space
(short for “Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia”) for
the Indonesian government.
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Scientists discover the Ripple Effect of

Gravitational Waves across the Universe
• Scientists say supermassive black holes up to billions
of times the mass of the sun have formed these waves
across the Universe as they circled one another before
merging.
• Finding the gravitational wave background is like
hearing the murmur of a group of people when
everyone is talking, but we are unable to pick out any • A beautiful image of a zinnia flower produced on the
of the individual’s voices. International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Veggie
facility was posted by NASA on June 13 via its official
Virgin Galactic completes first manned mission
Instagram account.
to space
• Virgin Galactic achieved a significant milestone as it • The Earth was out of focus in the upper part of the
successfully conducted its first commercial suborbital photograph, while the vastness of space filled the lower
flight, named Galactic 01. half, creating a striking contrast.

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Hubble snaps galaxy 50 mn light-yrs away that
holds ‘surprises’
• NASA said its Hubble telescope has snapped a galaxy
named Messier 85 which is about 50 million light-years
away and holds some “surprises”.
• The general understanding says every galaxy has a
supermassive black hole at its center, however, it’s
unclear whether Messier 85 contains such a black hole.
It contains some 400 billion stars, most of which are
very old.
Universe’s most distant complex organic
molecules detected
• Scientists have observed the most distant organic
molecules known to exist in the universe. Astronomers
made the discovery using the James Webb Space
Telescope, operated by the American space agency
NASA.
• The kind of organic molecules observed are called
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.

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5 Sports

India ends Special Olympics 2023 campaign
with 202 medals
• India won 202 medals at the Special Olympics World
Games 2023, including 76 gold, 75 silver, and 51 bronze
in athletics.
• India won six track medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze).
• IOC-recognized Special Olympics organises the
Special Olympics World Games, also known as Special
Olympiad.
• Berlin hosted the 16th Special Olympics World Games
from June 17 to June 25, 2023.
• India’s junior men’s hockey team maintained its
continental supremacy.
• In the final of the tournament India beat Pakistan 2-1.
• This was India’s fourth title, having earlier won the
tournament in 2004, 2008 and 2015.
• Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2023 took place in Salalah, Oman.
Manchester City won FA Cup
• Manchester City got a 2-1 win over cross-city rivals
Manchester United to win the FA Cup at Wembley.
•

Germany unveils a teddy bear as the mascot

for Euro 2024
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commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout
football competition in men’s domestic English football.

Manchester United: Alessia Russo voted

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Women’s Player of the Year
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(2022/23) awards for the men’s and women’s teams.
• Alessia Russo was voted the Manchester United
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Women’s Player of the Year.

• She scored three goals in the 5-1 win over Leicester
City at Leigh Sports Village all of her efforts came in
close proximity to the goal.

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Hockey
• The Indian Junior Women’s Hockey Team achieved a
remarkable triumph in the Women’s Junior Asia Cup
2023.
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• The mascot for the 2024 European Championship in

Germany will be a teddy bear.
• The large-headed mascot with big eyes has shorts.
• Germany will host the tournament from June 14-July
14, 2024.
India won Men Juniors Asian Hockey
Championship
• The hockey world cup took place in Kakamigahara, Gifu
Prefecture, Japan.
• They secured the championship title by defeating
Korea in a captivating final match.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty Win
First-Ever BWF Super 1000 Title
• Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty achieved
this Feat With Victory in Indonesia Open 2023 Men’s
Doubles Final.
• The duo have been in incredibly good form as they
beat the Malaysian pair of Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi
Yik 21-17, 21-18.
• They also have become the first Indians to win a BWF
1000 tournament.
India Win Intercontinental Cup 2023 With
Dominating 2-0 Victory Over Lebanon in Final
• After Hero Tri-Nation Series, India added another
accolade to their collection as they win the Hero
Intercontinental Cup beating Lebanon in the final.
• The 2023 Intercontinental Cup (known as the 2023
Hero Intercontinental Cup for sponsorship reasons)
was the third edition of the Intercontinental Cup, a
four-nation football tournament held at the Kalinga
Stadium, Bhubaneswar between the 9 to 18 June 2023.
• Captain Sunil Chhetri and Lallianzuala Chhangte scored
a goal each in the final.
• Despite struggling at times in the first set, Alcaraz
beat Alex De Minaur 6-4, 6-4 in the Queen’s Club
Championships final in London.
Lionel Messi wins ‘Best Foreign Player’ award
in France
• Lionel Messi, who played for Paris Saint-Germain, was
named the “Best Foreign Player” in France’s Ligue 1 for
the 2022-23 season.
• He played for Paris Saint-Germain for two years and
helped them win the Ligue 1 title both times.
• Inter Miami is a professional football team in the
United States. It is based in Fort Lauderdale. The club
was founded in 2018, and it started playing in Major
League Soccer in 2020.
Indonesia to Host the 2023 U-17 World Cup
• Indonesia will host the 2023 U-17 World Cup instead
of Peru.
• FIFA stated this after its Zurich Council meeting.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor Creates New Asian

Record in Shotput
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World Cup host and Dominica as the U-17 host.

Diksha Dagar wins the Czech LET golf title

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Shotput With 21.77m at Inter-State Senior Athletics
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Championships,
• He Broke His Own National Record.
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Bhavani Devi creates history and becomes

the first Indian fencer to win a medal at Asian
C’ships
• Olympian Bhavani Devi created history by becoming
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the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the Asian

Fencing Championships.
• Bhavani bagged a bronze medal after losing to
Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova 14-15 in the semi-
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final.
• She had defeated reigning world champion Misaki
Emura of Japan 15-10 in the quarter-final.
Abhishek Verma clinches individual gold in
Archery World Cup Stage 3
• Abhishek Verma stuns former world champion James
Lutz to win the gold medal.
• Abhishek Verma won his third individual World Cup
gold medal.
• In the quarter-finals, the Indian compound archer
stunned world No. 1 Mike Schloesser of the Netherlands.
• The event took place in Medellin, Colombia.
Carlos Alcaraz wins Queen’s Club title
• Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first grass-court title after
defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur at The Queen’s
Club.
•
• Indian Golfer Diksha Dagar took home her second
Ladies European Tour (LET) trophy on 25 June 2023 at
the Czech Ladies Open.
• In her first season on the LET, 2019, she won the
championship.
• Diksha also participated in the 2021 Aramco Team
Series championship team that triumphed in London..
• Along with Aditi, Diksha is the only Indian golfer to
have won on the LET.
India’s Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika
Mukherjee clinch WTT Contender title in Tunis
• Indian table tennis players Sutirtha Mukherjee and
Ayhika Mukherjee won the WTT Contender Tunis
2023 women’s doubles title at the Sports Hall of Rades
in Tunisia.

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• The duo of Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee
defeated the Japanese pair of Miyuu Kihara and Miwa
Harimoto 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11) in the final.
• India’s men’s doubles pair of Manav Vikash Thakkar
and Manush Utpalbhai Shah made it into the final four
before being ousted by the Korean pair of Cho Daeseong
and Cho Seungmin.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh wins Hockey India
Junior Men National Championship
• Hockey Madhya Pradesh won the 13th Hockey
India Junior Men National Championship 2023 after
defeating Hockey Chandigarh in the Final at the iconic
Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.
• Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Chandigarh
by 4-2 in the Final.
India beat Bangladesh to win the Women’s
Emerging Asia Cup 2023
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in Hong Kong.
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Bangladesh lost to India U-23 in the 2023 Women’s
Emerging Asia Cup T20 final at Mission Round Ground
Kanika Ahuja, who scored 30 off 23 with four fours,
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was named Player of the Match.
• Shreyanka Patil, India’s top wicket-taker, was voted
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Player of the Series.
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UP Chief Minister Yogi releases the first MotoGP
India 2023 ticket.
• Chief Minister Yogi releases the first MotoGP India
2023 ticket.
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• The event will take place between September 22–24 at
the Buddha International Circuit in Greater Noida.
• Yogi unveils the first ticket of ‘Moto GP India’ 2023.
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Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the first man to
play 200 international matches
• Cristiano Ronaldo became the first men’s footballer to
play 200 international matches
• The Portugal captain, made his international debut in
2003.
• He achieved the milestone at Reykjavik’s
Laugardalsvollur stadium and scored the winning goal
in a 1-0 victory against Iceland.
Pramod Bhagat wins silver, two bronze medals
in Canada Para-Badminton International
• India’s ace shuttler Pramod Bhagat won a silver medal
in Men’s Singles, a bronze medal in Mixed Doubles and
a bronze medal in Men’s Doubles with Sukant Kadam
at the recently-concluded Canada Para-Badminton
International 2023.
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• The Padma Shri Awardee Pramod Bhagat loses in the
final to England’s Daniel Bethell.
• In the mixed doubles, Bhagat combined with Manisha
Ramadass to claim bronze.
• In doubles, he won the bronze medal with Sukant
Kadam.
Wyndham Clark wins the U.S. Open (Golf) for
his first major title
• Wyndham Clark won the 2023 US Open to claim his
first major title, defeating Rory McIlroy in a thrilling
finale at Los Angeles Country Club.
• He is an American professional golfer who plays on the
PGA Tour.
• In May 2023, he won the Wells Fargo Championship for
his first PGA Tour win.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant launches mascot for
upcoming 37th National Games
• Dr Pramod Sawant, who is the Chief Minister of Goa,
•
unveiled the mascot for the upcoming 37th National
Games.
Goa has a unique culture, and the unveiling of the
official mascot “MOGA,” a bison, shows the strong link
between the Games and the state’s history.
• The launch event took place at the Dr Shyama Prasad
Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.
Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix
• Max Verstappen has won the Canadian Grand Prix and
gives Red Bull the 100th victory.
• Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished second in
Round 9 9.57 seconds behind Verstappen.
• Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton finished
third, 14.168 seconds behind the winner.
Egypt wins the Squash World Cup title
• Egypt has retained its position as World Squash
Champion.
• Egypt defeated Malaysia 2-1 in the Chennai final.
• The third-place finish was shared by the hosts India
and Japan.
• The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, presented
the winning squad with a golden cup, while the Sports
Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, awarded the winning
players with medals.
First Women’s Kabaddi League Inaugurated in
Dubai
• The inaugural edition of India’s first-ever Women’s
Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced with great fanfare
in Dubai on June 16.
• This historic event marks the first time that women
kabaddi players from across India have been given the
opportunity to exhibit their skills and prowess on a
global stage.
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India finishes Under 17 Asian Wrestling C’ships
with 7 medals
• Ankush wins gold and India concludes with seven
medals at the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships.
• Ankush won India’s only gold medal of the day in the
freestyle 55kg weight category.
• India secured one gold, three silver, and three bronze
medals.
• The championship was held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Aditi Gopichand breaks U-18 compound world
record in Medellin
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• Aditi Gopichand Swamy has registered a world record
in the women’s compound archery event during the
qualification stage at the U-18 Archery World Cup.
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• The tournament took place in Medellin.
• Aditi’s outstanding achievement of scoring, 711/720
during the 72-arrow compound qualification not only
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broke the U-18 record but also came within two points
of the senior record of 713.
Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to win maiden Under-20
World Cup title
• Uruguay won its first Under-20 World Cup title by
defeating Italy 1-0.
• Luciano Rodrguez scored the game-winning goal
with a close-range strike in the 86th minute, giving
Uruguay a well-deserved victory after dominating Italy
throughout the entire match.
• France finished third after defeating South Korea 3-2 in
the runoff for third place.
• With 10 goals, Nigeria won the Golden Boot award.
• The FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 was hosted by Argentina.
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Manchester City won UEFA Champions League:
Rodri named Player of the Season
• Manchester City was crowned champions of Europe
for the first time in the club’s 136-year history after
beating Inter Milan in Saturday’s UEFA Champions
League final.
• UEFA’s Technical Observer panel has named Man City
•
midfielder Rodri as the 2022/23 UEFA Champions
League Player of the Season.
The 26-year-old appeared in all but one of Man City’s
matches in their Champions League-winning campaign,
scoring twice. In a Player of the Match performance in
the final, his precisely-executed winning strike clinched
the trophy.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar Finishes Third
in Diamond League
•
• Top Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured
a creditable third place in the Paris Diamond League
with a jump of 8.09m, his maiden top-three finish in the
prestigious one-day meeting series.
• Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sreeshankar
achieved his best jump of the day in his third attempt.
• Sreeshankar also became the only third Indian to finish
in the top three of a Diamond League after Olympic
champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and former
discus thrower Vikas Gowda.
French Open 2023
• In French Open Tennis, World No. 1 and top seed Iga
Swiatek of Poland won the Women’s Singles crown.
• In the Men’s singles final Novak Djokovic defeated
Casper Ruud for his record-setting 23rd Grand Slam
victory.
• Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek won the men’s doubles
title.
• Hsieh Su-Wei and Wang Xinyu won female double title.
• Miyu Kato and Tim Pütz won the mixed doubles title.
• The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is
among four grand slams.
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Australia become the first team to win All ICC
tournaments
• Australia became the first men’s team in world cricket
to win an International Cricket Council (ICC) world title
in all three formats.
• Australia achieved the feat when they defeated India
in the final of the World Test Championship 2021-23
at The Oval.
• India was runner-up in consecutive ICC World Test
Championships.
• Travis Head became the first player to score a century
in a World Test Championship final.
India finished on top of the International
Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)
• India finished on top of the International Shooting Sport
Federation (ISSF) World Cup Junior in Suhl, Germany,
with an overhaul haul of 15 medals, including six gold,
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six silver and three bronze medals.
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Sainyam won the gold medal in the women’s 10m air
pistol event to open India’s account at the Suhl meets
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• Dhanush Srikanth, in men’s 10m air rifle and Amanpreet
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Singh in men’s 25m pistol event were the other two
individual gold medallists for India in the competition.
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Panjab University topped the Khelo India
University Games 2023 medals tally with 26
gold
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• The third edition of the Khelo India University Games
(KIUG 2023), conducted in Uttar Pradesh (UP) from
25th May to 3rd June 2023, was won by Panjab
University (Chandigarh).
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• Panjab University won a total of 69 medals at KIUG
2023, including 26 gold, 17 silver, and 26 bronze.
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab – 68
medals (24 gold, 27 silver, and 17 bronze medals) and
Jain University, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 32 medals (16
gold, 10 silver, and 6 bronze medals) placed second and
third, respectively.
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Max Verstappen wins F1 2023 Spanish Grand
Prix
• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won F1 2023 Spanish Grand
Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, secured
the second spot for Mercedes.
• Max Verstappen has also Won Monaco Grand Prix 2023.
Jyothi Yarraji finishes fourth in 100m hurdles
at Janusz Kusocinski Memorial 2023 athletics
• At the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial 2023 sports meet
in Chorzow, Poland, Jyothi Yarraji came in fourth in the
100m hurdles for women.
• At the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event,
Jyothi Yarraji ran the 100-meter dash in 13.03 seconds,
which put her in fourth place out of eight strong women.
Pakistan’s Nahida Khan announces retirement
from international cricket
• Nahida Khan has retired from international cricket
•
after a decade-long career.
The 36-year-old opener debuted for Pakistan in
February 2009 against Sri Lanka and played over 100
matches across forms.
• Pakistani women’s cricket will remember Nahida’s
many records and accomplishments.
India clinches the title of CAVA Women’s
Challenge Cup 2023
• The NSC-CAVA Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup was
won by India.
• The event took place in Kathmandu.
• India beat Kazakhstan in the final.
• India won the first set, 25-15, and the second and third
sets, 25-22 and 25-18. India finished the race without
losing a game, so they didn’t lose any points.
Serbia and USA win FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2023
• Serbia’s men and the United States women won the
FIBA (Basket Ball) 3x3 World Cup 2023, which took
place in Vienna, Austria May 30 - June 4.
• In the men’s category, Serbia won their sixth title in just
8 editions after defeating USA (21-19) in the final.
• In the women’s category, the USA took home gold
for the third time with a 16-12 win against last year’s
champions France.
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6 Defence
India to get 30 US armed drones
• India will buy 30 MQ9B Guardian armed drones from
the US.
• The two nations’ largest military contract in dollars
is this. The Rs 32,000 crore (almost $4 billion) deal is
likely.
• General Atomics produces numerous drones. In
addition to 24x7 surveillance, it can target enemy
ground positions, warships, airbases, and even flights.
DRDO Conducts Successful Flight Test Of
Nuclear Capable Agni Prime Ballistic Missile
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• New Generation Ballistic Missile ‘Agni Prime’ was
successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul
Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on June 07, 2023.
• During the flight test, all objectives were successfully
demonstrated.
• This was the first pre-induction night launch conducted
after three successful developmental trials of the
missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the
system.
• DRDO Cheif: Dr Samir V Kamat
• DRDO Establishment: DRDO was formed in 1958 from
the amalgamation of the then-already functioning
Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the
Indian Army.
Exercise Ranvijay’ carried out by IAF focuses on
integrated operations
• Exercise Ranvijay, which focused on integration,
involved day and night combat operations by combat
aircraft like the Su-30s.
• From June 16 to 23, the IAF’s Central Air Command
conducted “Exercise Ranvijay in UB Hills and Central Air
Command Area of Responsibility where full spectrum
operations by all combat assets by day and night were
carried out.”
•
•
The exercise was carried out in Prayagraj.
The IAF conducted day and night operations with its
various combat fleet including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI
aircraft, a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft
developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built under license
by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
US Company GE Aerospace signs MoU with
HAL to produce fighter jet engines for Indian
Air Force
• GE Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) to produce fighter jet engines for the
Indian Air Force.
• It is a major milestone amidst Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the United States
and a key element in strengthening defence cooperation
between the two countries.
• According to GE Aerospace, eight F414 engines have
been delivered as part of an ongoing development
programme for LCA Mk2.
India Conducts Massive Military Exercise-
Agneyastra 1
• The Indian Army has concluded a massive military
exercise — Agneyastra 1 — in eastern Ladakh.
• The exercise witnessed the deployment of IdeaForge’s
indigenous ‘Switch’ unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
• Artillery platforms of the Indian army such as the newly-
inducted Korean K-9 Vajra-T 155mm/52 calibre self-
propelled howitzer (SPH), FH-77 Bofors 155mm/39
calibre towed howitzer and mortars were a part of the
Exercise Agneyastra-1.
• Anti-tank missiles and Carl Gustav rocket launchers
(RLs) also participated in the exercise Agneyastra 1.
India gifts missile corvette INS Kirpan to service in Ladakh and to engage with youth and civil
Vietnam society there.
• Vietnam received the INS Kirpan, an in-service Missile • A five thousand kilometre Motorcycle Expedition was
Corvette constructed by India. flagged off by Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Sanjay Jasjit
Singh, from the National War Memorial.
• After a session of bilateral discussions, Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh presented a gift from India to • The main objective of the current initiative in the
his Vietnamese counterpart, General Phan Van Gang, in Northern Territory includes celebrating Azadi ka Amrit
Delhi. Mahotsav and conducting awareness drives at Schools
• INS Kirpan is a Khukri-class missile corvette that was and Colleges in the Ladakh region.
commissioned in 1991.
Indian Navy launched ‘Sanshodhak’: fourth of
DRDO organises ‘Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir’ four ships of Survey Vessels (Large)
to encourage Defence R&D
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) released 75 technology priority areas to boost
India’s indigenous military manufacturing sector.
• This strategic approach is projected to boost innovation,
indigenization, and self-reliance, advancing military
technology design and development.
• These priority areas and the DRDO Technology

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Foresight 2023 publication highlight a milestone in the
industry, academia, and defence research engagement.

Indian Army took part in Multinational Joint

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Exercise ‘Ex Khaan Quest 2023’ in Mongolia LA •
• Multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex Khaan • ‘Sanshodhak’, the fourth of four ships of the Survey
Quest 2023” featuring participation from military Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project, being built by L&T/
contingents and observers from over 20 countries has GRSE for the Indian Navy was launched on 13 Jun 23 at
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commenced in Mongolia. Kattupalli, Chennai.

• Mr Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, the Hon’ble President • The chief guest of the Launch Ceremony was Vice
of Mongolia inaugurated the Exercise in a ceremony Admiral Adhir Arora, Chief Hydrographer to the
organised at the exercise location in Mongolia. Government of India.
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• The exercise is co-sponsored by Mongolian Armed • The contract for building four SVL ships was signed
Forces (MAF) and the United States Army Pacific
between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders &
Command (USARPAC).
Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 30 Oct 18.
The third ASW SWC class ship ‘Anjadeep’ • As per the build strategy, the first ship would be built at
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launched at Chenna GRSE, Kolkata and construction of the remaining three

• ‘Anjadip’, the 3rd of eight ships of ASW Shallow Water
Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/s GRSE for Indian
Navy, was launched on 13 Jun 23 at M/s L&T, Kattupalli.
• The Launch Ceremony was presided over by Vice
Admiral Ravindra Bhartruhari Pandit.
• In keeping with the naval maritime tradition, Smt Priya
Pandit launched the ship to the chanting of invocation
from Atharva Veda.
• Four ships are being built at GRSE, Kolkata, while
the remaining four ships are being built by M/s L&T
Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
Indian Navy Launches“Julley Ladakh” Outreach
Program
• Indian Navy is conducting “Julley Ladakh”, an outreach
programme to Ladakh to increase awareness about the
ships up to the outfitting stage, has been subcontracted
to M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli. The first three
ships of the project, Sandhayak, Nirdeshak and Ikshak
were launched on 05 Dec 21, 26 May 22 and 26 Nov 22
respectively.
• SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class
survey ships, with new-generation hydrographic
equipment.
India-Maldives Joint Military Exercise ‘Ex
Ekuverin’ begins at Chaubatia
• The 12th edition of joint military exercise “Ex
Ekuverin” between the Indian Army & the Maldives
National Defence Force has commenced at Chaubatia,
Uttarakhand from 11 to 24 June 2023. Ekuverin means
‘Friends’.

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• The previous edition of the exercise, the 11th edition,
was held in the Maldives in December 2021.
• The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability
in Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorism Operations
under the UN mandate.
First maritime partnership exercise between
India, France and UAE took place
• The first edition of the India, France and UAE maritime
partnership exercise began on 7th June in the Gulf of
Oman.
• During the maiden edition of the exercise, a wide
spectrum of operations at sea such as surface
Warfare involving tactical firing and drills for Missile
engagements, close quarter manoeuvres, Advanced Air
Defence Exercise with French Rafale and UAE Dash 8
MPA, Helicopter Cross Landing Operations, Drills for
Replenishment at sea were undertaken.
• The exercise also saw cross embarkation of personnel
Communication Zone Mechanical Transport
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that facilitated exchange of best practices.
Indian Army gets first woman command of
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• The Communication Zone Mechanical Transport
Battalion is responsible for or the maintenance of
the Supply Chain of the fully operational Northern
Command.
• Colonel Shuchita Shekhar has become the first woman
officer of the Army Service Corps to assume command
of a Communication Zone Mechanical Transport
Battalion.
Indigenous heavy-weight torpedo Varunastra
hits bull’s eye in live test by Indian Navy
• The Indian Navy successfully test-fire the indigenously
built and developed heavy-weight torpedo (HWT)
Varunastra on June 6 with a live warhead against an
underwater target.
28 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
• Induction of the Varunastra anti-submarine torpedo
has begun after extensive testing, and it will become
the mainstay of anti-submarine torpedo for all naval
warships.
• The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory
(NSTL) of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) at Vizag is responsible for the
design and development of the Varunastra, while Bharat
Dynamics Ltd (BDL) is responsible for its production.
MH60R makes maiden landing on INS Vikrant
• The MH-60 ‘Romeo’ (MH60R) multi-role helicopter
made its first flight on the indigenously-built aircraft
carrier INS Vikrant.
• The MH60R helicopter is a versatile platform with
exceptional anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, anti-
shipping, and search and rescue capabilities.
• The MH-60R is an all-weather helicopter manufactured
by Lockheed Martin Corporation in the United States.
DRDO and L&T tie-up for AIP System in Indian
Navy
• Larsen and Toubro and DRDO has signed a contract
to build two Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)
system modules for the Indian Navy’s ‘Kalvari’ class
submarines.
• Contract documents were exchanged between Arun
T Ramchandani, Executive Vice President and Head-
L&T Defence, and PT Rojatkar, Director of the Naval
Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL).
The First Barge of the series LSAM 15 was
delivered to the Indian Navy.
• Contract for construction of 11 x Ammunition Cum
Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barge was concluded
with M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane, a MSME,
in consonance with “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives
of the Government of India.
• First Barge of the series LSAM 15 (Yard 125) has been
delivered to Indian Navy on 09 Jun 23.
• The Barge has been built under the classification rules
of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) with a service life
of 30 years.
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NATO launches Arctic exercises, pledges
protection of Finland
• NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) countries
conducted military exercises with a pledge to defend
their newest member, Finland, which is hosting its first
joint training in the Arctic region since becoming part
of the Western alliance in April.
• Nearly 1,000 allied forces from Norway, the United
Kingdom and the United States – as well as NATO
applicant Sweden – joined approximately 6,500 Finnish
troops and some 1,000 vehicles for exercises this week,
which mark Finland’s biggest modern-time land-force
drill above the Arctic Circle.
• Finland became NATO’s 31st member in April 2023.
• NATO was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in
Brussels, Belgium.
India Navy Conducts Mega Operation Involving
Two Aircraft Carriers, Over 35 Combat Planes
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In one of the biggest demonstrations of its combat
prowess in recent years, the Indian Navy has carried
out a mega operation in the Arabian sea that involved
two aircraft carriers, multiple warships, submarines
and over 35 frontline planes
• This is happening as China’s presence in the Indian
Ocean region has increased.
Indian Navy commemorates the 130th
anniversary of Gandhiji’s Satyagraha
• The Indian Navy will participate in a commemorative
event to mark 130 years of the start of the struggle
against apartheid at the Pietermaritzburg, Railway
Station near Durban.
• INS Trishul, a frontline warship of the Indian Navy
visited Durban from 06 to 09 Jun 23 to commemorate
the 130th anniversary of the 7th Jun 1893 incident at
Pietermaritzburg, Railway Station as also 30 years of
re-establishment of diplomatic relations between India
and South Africa.
• Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Durban, South Africa, in
1893 to serve as legal counsel to the merchant Dada
Abdulla. On 07 June 1893.

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7 Awards and Honours

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar presents • He is the sole Indian honoured on the Carnegie
National Water Awards in New Delhi Corporation of New York’s list of ‘Great Immigrants’
this year.
• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar conferred the fourth
National Water Awards in New Delhi. Madhya Pradesh PM Modi Conferred With the ‘Order Of The Nile’
tops in the Best State category.
Award, Egypt’s Highest State Honour
• The awards focus on encouraging good work and
efforts made by various individuals and organisations
to conserve water.
• In the best district category, the award was given

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to the Ganjam District of Odisha. The best Village
Panchayat award was presented to Jagannadhapuram
Village Panchayat, Bhadradri Kothagudem district
of Telangana. Akashvani, Guwahati also received the

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second-best award in the Media category. The Jal Shakti
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Ministry had announced a total of 41 winners, covering
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11 categories, including joint winners, for the National
Water Awards, 2022. • Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi conferred
• NTPC Barauni secures First Rank at 4th National Water Egypt’s highest state honour, ‘Order of the Nile’ to
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Awards, in Best Industry Category.
World Bank president Ajay Banga was named
in the ‘Great Immigrants’ 2023 list
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Cairo on his maiden
visit.
• PM Modi arrived in Cairo of Egypt for a two-day State
visit – the first bilateral visit by any Indian prime

minister in the past 26 years during which the two

countries seek to enhance their strategic partnership.
• PM Modi was received by Egypt’s Prime Minister
Mostafa Madbouly.
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RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Presented The

• Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, has been
nominated to a famous charitable organization’s
annual “Great Immigrants” list of honorees.
• Banga, who will take over as World Bank President in
June 2023, is the first Indian American to manage the
organisation.
‘Governor Of The Year Award In London
• Shaktikanta Das was conferred the award by ‘Central
Banking’ which definitively covers and analyses
issues around the world’s central banks and financial
regulators following the summer meetings of the
organisation in London.
• Reserve Bank of India Governor is being honoured
because he has cemented critical reforms, overseen
world-leading payments innovation and steered India
through difficult times with a steady hand and well-
crafted turn of phrase.
President Murmu conferred the highest civilian
award of Suriname
• President Droupadi Murmu has been conferred
Suriname’s highest civilian award.
• The ‘The Grand Order of the Chain of Yellow Star’
award was honoured to her by the country’s President
Chandrikapersad Santokhi in Paramaribo. She is the
first Indian to receive this award.
Pt P. D. Baul awarded 1st Kala Kranti Lifetime
Achievement Award
• Padma Shri Pandit Purna Das Baul received the IPAF
Lifetime Achievement Award at the International
Performing Arts Festival (IPAF) in Kolkata for his
remarkable contribution to traditional Baul music on
the global arena.
• Governor Dr Bose honoured him with the prize at the
famed Indian Museum’s Ashutosh Birth Centenary Hall.
Priya A.S. received Sahitya Akademi Award
2023 for children’s literature
• The prestigious (Kendra) Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya
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Puraskar 2023 for children’s literature in the Malayalam
language has been awarded to Priya A. S. for her 2018
novel Perumazhayathe Kunjithalukal.
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• The (Kendra) Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar is
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comprised of Rs 50,000 and a copper plaque with an
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inscription.
• The same novel earned her the Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Award for Children’s Literature in 2020.
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• Priya was inspired to write “Perumazhayathe
Kunjithalukal” by the 2018 flooding that devastated
Kerala.
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare wins
Kreta Vikreta Gaurav Sammaan Samaaroh
2023
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• MOHFW wins Kreta Vikreta Gaurav Sammaan
Samaaroh 2023.
• The award event was organised by the Government
e-Marketplace of the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry.
• Mansukh L. Mandaviya is the Union Minister of Health
while Piyush Goyal is the union minister of Commerce.
Renowned Singer and Music Composer Shankar
Mahadevan receives honorary doctorate in the
UK
• Shankar Mahadevan was awarded an honorary
doctorate at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire by
Birmingham City University (BCU).
• On June 23, a ceremony was conducted to honour his
outstanding contributions to music and the arts.
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• Notably, tabla master Ustad Zakir Hussain and
legendary guitarist John McLaughlin attended the
event, adding to the prestige of the occasion.
Dr K.Venugopal in Pazhaveedu, Alappuzha
won the IMA award
• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) honoured
Alappuzha General Hospital doctor K Venugopal for his
medical work.
• IMA presented the prize on National Doctor’s Day.
• Dr. K Venugopal won for community service.
• Respiratory Medicine Chief Consultant at General
Hospital, Alappuzha.
Star Alliance Named World’s Best Airlines
Alliance at Skytrax
• Star Alliance was once again named the World’s Best
Airline Alliance at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline
Alliance Awards in 2023.
•
•
Theo Panagiotoulias, CEO of Star Alliance, received the
accolade for World’s Best Airlines Alliance.
Star Alliance has the most extensive network in the sky.
Acharya Gopi honored with the First Prof.
Jayashankar Award
• The recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, the
renowned poet Acharya N. Gopi, has been chosen to
receive the prestigious Prof. Kothapalli Jayashankar
Award.
• This prestigious award, established by Bharat Jagruthi
earlier this year, seeks to honour literary figures
annually.
• On June 21, the honour ceremony took place at the
Telangana Saraswathi Parishath.
Vistara was awarded the best airline in India
and South Asia for a third consecutive year
• Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and
Singapore Airlines, has been ranked 16th worldwide,
moving four places up from last year, at the 2023 World
Airline Awards by Skytrax.
• This makes Vistara the only Indian carrier to feature
in the list of the World’s Top 20 Airlines for the second
time in a row.
• Additionally, the airline also won several awards
including ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the
third consecutive year.
IOC Awards Olympic Order to WHO Chief Tedros
• Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World
Health Organisation (WHO), was awarded the Olympic
Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
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 for his role in ensuring that the Olympic Games Tokyo
2020 were held despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, hosted the
award ceremony.
• Concurrently, the IOC awarded the 2021 Olympic Cup
to the WHO as an organisation.
Renowned Author Salman Rushdie was
awarded the prestigious German peace prize
• Salman Rushdie was awarded the prestigious German
Peace Prize for his literary work and his courage in the
face of “constant threats to his life.”
• The honour would be presented to him in Frankfurt on
October 22, 2023.
• The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, endowed
with €25,000 ($27,300), will be awarded at the
Frankfurt Book Fair in October.
Arundhati Roy receives the European Essay
Prize
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The Charles Whelan Foundation presented Arundhati
Roy with the 45th European Essay Prize for Lifetime
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Achievement. The recipient was Arundhati Roy.
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• The French translation of ‘Azadi’ by Arundhati Roy
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(2021), a collection of essays, has received acclaim.
• “Azaadi” examines the concept of freedom in a world
that is becoming increasingly totalitarian, with a focus
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on fiction and alternative imagination.
Paddler Mudit Dani becomes first Indian to bag
NCTTA Male Athlete of Year award
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• Indian paddler Mudit Dani becomes the first Indian to
win the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association
(NCTTA) Male Athlete of the Year award for his
exceptional performances in 2022-23.
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• The NCTTA is a national organisation member of USA
Table Tennis and the prestigious award is given to the
best performing male athlete across USA and Canadian
universities at the end of every season.
Gita Press, Gorakhpur, awarded Gandhi Peace
Prize for 2021
• The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on
Gita Press, Gorakhpur, one of the largest publishers of
religious texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana
and the Upanishads.
• The decision to confer the award on Gita Press was
taken by a jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi
• Publishing house’s “outstanding contribution towards
social, economic and political transformation through
non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
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Grammys announce 3 new categories will be
added to 2024’s awards show
• The Grammys added five albums last year, including
soundtracks for video games and spoken-word poetry
collections.
• The new categories for this year are best contemporary
dance recording, best African music performance, and
best alternative jazz album.
• These new categories will debut at the 66th GRAMMY
Awards in 2024, also known as the GRAMMYs 2024.
Ramachandra Guha’s book wins Elizabeth
Longford Prize
• Rebels Against the Raj: Western Fighters for India’s
Freedom (William Collins) by Ramachandra Guha has
won the £5,000 Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical
Biography.
• Ramachandra Guha has previously taught at Yale,
Stanford, and the London School of Economics.
Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America’s
Iqbal Masih Award
• Lalitha Natarajan, an attorney and activist from
Chennai, has been awarded the 2023 Iqbal Masih
Award for the Elimination of Child Labour.
• On May 30, US Consul General Judith Ravin presented
Natarajan with an award at a ceremony held at the US
Consulate General in Chennai.
• Lalitha Natarajan’s leadership against exploitative
child labour in southern India is well-known.
WHO Award for ‘When Climate Change Turns
Violent’
• The documentary When Climate Change Turns Violent
was awarded a special prize in the ‘Health for All’
category at the 4th Annual Health for All Film Festival,
presented at the headquarters of the World Health
Organisation in Geneva.
• The documentary was directed by Rajasthani native
Vandita Saharia. She was the only Native American
victor.
Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta honoured
with NWO Spinoza Prize 2023
• Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta has been awarded
the Spinoza Prize, the highest distinction in Dutch
science which is also sometimes referred to as the
‘Dutch Nobel Prize’.
• She was awarded for her outstanding, pioneering and
inspiring scientific work in which she focuses on a just
and sustainable world.
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Jagdish S Bakan bagged the Michel Batisse
award 2023
• Jagdish S. Bakan, an IFS officer, has won the prestigious
UNESCO Michel Batisse Award for biosphere reserve
management in 2023.
• The Indian Forest Service officer from the 2017 batch is
presently the director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere
Reserve.
Former PM Jacinda Ardern receives New
Zealand’s second-highest honour
• Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
was awarded one of the country’s highest honours for
her leadership during a mass murder and coronavirus
pandemic.
• As part of the King Charles Birthday Honours, Ardern
was awarded the ‘Dame Grand Companionship’, New
Zealand’s second-highest honour.
• Royal honorees in New Zealand are typically selected
2022-23.
• The prestigious GreenTech Safety Award 2023 award
was received by Shri A K Bagchi - Director (Projects)
and Additional Charge Director (Operations), RINL on
behalf of RINL from Sri Jagdish Mukhi, Former Governor
of Assam at the 21st Annual Greentech awards function
held at New Delhi.
President of India presents National Florence
Nightingale Awards for 2022 and 2023
• President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu bestowed
the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the
years 2022 and 2023 to nursing professionals during
a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• These prestigious awards were established by the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of
India, in 1973 to honour the exceptional contributions
made by nurses and nursing professionals to society.
Guwahati Railway Station awarded ‘Eat Right

New Zealand’s king.

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twice a year by the Prime Minister and approved by
Charles, the British monarch who is also recognised as
Station’ certification by FSSAI
• Guwahati railway station has been awarded ‘Eat
Right Station’ certification by FSSAI (Food Safety and

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Standards Authority of India) for providing high-
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RINL presented with prestigious “ Greentech quality and nutritious food to passengers.
Safety Award 2023”
•
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Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) has bagged
• The station is the first under the Northeast Frontier
Railway (NFR) to get the status for a period of two
the prestigious “GreenTech Safety Award 2023” years from June 2, 2023.
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under Safety Excellence Category for its outstanding • The certification is granted by FSSAI to stations adhering
contribution to improving workplace safety in the year to standard food storage and hygiene practices.
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8 Appointments and Resignation
Appointments and Resignations
• IPS officer Ajay Bhatnagar appointed CBI Special Director
• Senior IPS officer Ajay.
• Shri Bhatnagar, is a 1989 batch Indian Police Service
(IPS) officer of Jharkhand cadre, is currently an
Additional Director in the federal probe agency.
• He has been appointed to the post till the date of his
superannuation on November 20, 2024.
Deloitte appoints former SoftBank India head
Manoj Kohli as senior advisor
• Deloitte announced the appointment of industry
veteran Manoj Kohli as a senior advisor.
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• In his role as senior advisor to Deloitte, Kohli will leverage
his extensive business and industry knowledge, to help
LA
strengthen the company’s presence in South Asia.
• Deloitte, is a British multinational professional services
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network headquartered in London, England.
• Deloitte is the largest professional services network
by revenue and number of professionals in the world
and is considered one of the Big Four accounting firms
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along with EY, KPMG and PwC.
Dennis Francis Elected 78th UNGA President
• Dennis Francis, created history by becoming the
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first Trinidad and Tobago citizen to be elected as the
President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
• Francis earlier had served in the diplomatic service for
over 40 years, was nominated on April 1 and faced no
opposition in the election.
• He will serve as the 78th President of the UNGA.
Nusrat Chowdhury confirmed as the first
Muslim female federal judge in US history
• Nusrat Chowdhury is the legal director of the ACLU
(American Civil Liberties Union) of Illinois(state in the
Midwestern United States.).
• Also she served from 2008 to 2020 at the national
ACLU office, including seven years as deputy director
of the ACLU Racial Justice Programme.
• She’ll serve as a federal judge for the US District Court
for the Eastern District of New York. US President Joe
Biden nominated her to the federal bench in 2022.
IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed the new RAW
chief
• Ravi Sinha, a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer
of the Chhattisgarh cadre, has been appointed as the
new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
• Sinha succeeded Samant Kumar Goel who completed
his four-year tenure on June 30.
• RAW was founded under the guidance of Rameshwar
Nath Kao in September 1968. RAW is headquartered
in Delhi.
Indian Army gets new DGs of Intelligence,
Information Warfare and Strategic Planning
• Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) RS Raman took charge as
the DG MI, while Lt Gen Raju Baijal and Lt Gen Rajeev
Puri assumed the positions of DG Strategic Planning
and DG Information Warfare, respectively.
• Lt Gen SP Singh has replaced Lt Gen PP Singh as the new
Corps Commander of the Yol, Himachal Pradesh-based
IX Corps. Lt Gen PP Singh is the new DG of Operations
and Logistics.
Rohit Jawa takes charge as MD and CEO of
Hindustan Unilever
• Rohit Jawa has taken over as Hindustan Unilever’s new
Managing Director and CEO.
• He will be replacing Sanjiv Mehta.
• Hindustan Unilever Limited is a British-owned Indian
consumer goods company headquartered in Mumbai.
It is a subsidiary of the British company Unilever.
Mr. A P Hota appointed as Part-Time Chairman
of Federal Bank Limited
• The Reserve Bank of India gave approval to the
appointment of Mr A P as the chairman of the Federal
Bank Limited.
• Mr. A.P. Hota has banking experience of over 27 years
in the Reserve Bank.
• Federal Bank Limited is an Indian private sector
bank headquartered in Aluva, Kochi, Kerala. It was
established on 23 April 1931.
Aarti Holla-Maini appointed as UN Outer Space
Affairs director
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Indian-origin satellite expert Aarti Holla-Maini was
appointed as UN Outer Space Affairs director.
She has been appointed to the post by UN Secretary-
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General Antonio Guterres.
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• Holla-Maini will replace Simonetta Di Pippo of Italy.
Anurag Verma appointed new Chief Secretary
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of Punjab
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• Anurag Verma will replace Vijay Kumar Janjua, who is
retiring on June 30, 2023..
• 1993-batch IAS officer Anurag Verma will be the new
chief secretary of Punjab. The appointment will come
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into effect from July 1
DBS Bank India appoints Rajat Verma as head
of institutional banking
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• DBS Bank India has appointed Rajat Verma as managing
director and head of institutional banking in India.
• The current head of institutional banking Niraj Mittal
has recently moved to a new role as country head of
DBS Bank in Australia. DBS Bank is headquartered in
Singapore. DBS India is headquartered in Mumbai.
Ruby Sinha was appointed as the President of
BRICS CCI WE
• Ruby Sinha has been appointed as the president of the
BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women’s
Vertical (BRICS CCI WE) for a three-year term.
• Ruby Sinha has replaced Shabana Nasim, who has
become the Executive Director of BRICS CCI and Chief
Patron of BRICS CCI WE.
• BRICS CCI is a registered body under the Societies
Registration ‘Act 1860, Government of India and
empanelled with Niti Aayog.
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• BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South
Africa. The organisation was founded in 2001. BRICS’s
headquarter is located in Shanghai, China.
Epson India signs Rashmika Mandanna as
brand ambassador
• Rashmika Mandanna, an Indian actor, has signed on as
a brand ambassador for printer manufacturer Epson
India.
• This month, the company will launch a multi-media
campaign featuring the actress to promote their
‘EcoTank’ printers.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa appointed next Chief
Justice of Pakistan
• Justice Qazi Faez Isa, was appointed as the next chief
justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court by President Arif
Alvi.
• He will assume office on September 17 after the
retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Umar Ata
Bandial.
Mahendra Lodha appointed interim MD & CEO
of PFS
• PTC India Financial Services (PFS), a PTC India
subsidiary, has appointed Mahendra Lodha as Director
(Finance) and Chief Financial Officer, according to a
regulatory filing.
• PTC India Financial Services is a significant finance
corporation and non-deposit-taking NBFC.
President appoints retired Allahabad High
Court judge Umesh Kumar as DERC chairman
• President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice
(Retd) Umesh Kumar of Allahabad High Court as
the Chairperson of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory
Commission (DERC).
• The development came after the Supreme Court on
May 19 ordered directing Lt Governor of Delhi to act
on the aid and advice of the council of ministers and to
appoint a DERC chairperson within two weeks.
Hasmukh Adhia was appointed as the Chairman
of GIFT City
• Besides GIFT City, Adhia has also been appointed
Director and Chairman of the boards of State public
sector undertakings Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd
(GACL) and Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation
(GMDC).
• Hasmukh Adhia replaced Sudhir Mankad.
• Hasmukh Adhia is a 1981 batch bureaucrat.
• At present Adhia is a non-executive Chairman of Bank
of Baroda, and also the Chancellor of Central University
of Gujarat.
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Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group appoints Parul
Sharma as group president
• Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has announced the
appointment of a new group president.
• Parul Sharma, a communications strategist, has been
named as the new group president of the Reliance
Group led by Anil Ambani.
• Her appointment to the post is effective from June 20
and she will be based in New Delhi.
Sumit Sen was appointed as Ambassador to
Panama
• Sumit Seth was appointed as the next Ambassador of
India to the Republic of Panama.
• 2005 Batch IFS Sumit Sen is presently Joint Secretary
in the Ministry.
• Panama is located in Central America, bordering both
the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
• Its capital is Panama City.
•
High Commissioner to Uganda. AL C
Shri Upender Singh Rawat appointed as the next Indian
Alibaba appoints new chairman and CEO
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• Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has named
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Eddie Wu, chairman of its Taobao and Tmall Group,
its new chief executive in the tech firm’s first major
executive reshuffle since restructuring.
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• Joseph Tsai, who is currently the executive vice
chairman, will take over from Zhang as group chairman.
• Changes are effective from September.
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Swaminathan Janakiraman appointed as New
RBI deputy governor
• Swaminathan Janakiraman took over as Deputy
Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
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• He was appointed by the Government of India for a
period of three years or until further orders. Prior to
his appointment as Deputy Governor, Swaminathan
was the State Bank of India’s (SBI) Managing Director
(Corporate Banking and Subsidiaries).
Kamal Kishore Chatiwal takes over as Managing
Director of Indraprastha Gas Ltd
• Kamal Kishore Chatiwal has assumed the role of
Managing Director at Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL), the
country’s largest CNG distribution corporation that
operates City Gas Distribution (CGD).
• In India, Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL) is one of the most
prominent natural gas distribution companies.
• IGL was founded in 1998 as a partnership between
GAIL India, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
(BPCL), and the Delhi government.
36 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
N. S. Vishwanathan named as part-time Non-
Executive Chairman of Axis Bank
• Axis Bank has appointed former Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) Deputy Governor NS Vishwanathan as a part-
time Non-Executive Chairman.
• Vishwanathan has been appointed for a period of three
years.
• His appointment will be effective from October 27,
2023.
• Axis Bank is heaquatred in Mumbai.
Gopichand Hinduja takes over as Group
chairman
• Gopichand Hinduja has taken over as chairman of
Hinduja Group following the death of his brother,
Srichand Hinduja last month.
• He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global
Agenda Council on Trade and Competitiveness.
• The group is present in eleven sectors including
automotive, oil and specialty chemicals, banking
•
and finance, IT and ITeS, cyber security, healthcare,
trading, infrastructure project development, media
and entertainment, power, and real estate.
It was founded in 1914 by Parmanand Deepchand
Hinduja.
UK Names First Female Envoy to Pakistan
• The United Kingdom has appointed senior diplomat
Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to
Pakistan, making her the first British female envoy to
Islamabad.
• Prior to this appointment, Marriott, aged 47, served
as the high commissioner to Kenya since September
of 2019.
Sudhansh Pant will be the new Union Health
Secretary
• Sudhansh Pant, a 1991–batch Rajasthan cadre IAS
officer, will take over as the new Health Secretary.
• Present Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, a 1987-
batch Bihar cadre IAS officer, retires on 31 July.
Shri Uttam Lal will be Director (Personnel),
NHPC
• Shri Uttam Lal has taken over as Director (Personnel)
at NHPC (National Hydro Electric Power Corporation
Private Limited.) Limited, India’s premier hydropower
company.
• Prior to his appointment at NHPC, Shri Lal was serving
as Chief General Manager at NTPC Limited.
• He has over 35 years of vast and rich experience in the
area of Personnel Management, Industrial Relations
and Corporate Social Responsibility.
• NHPC Limited is an Indian public-sector hydropower
company that was incorporated in 1975.
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Gurbachan Singh Randhawa resigned as Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra takes over as Commander
chairman of athletics Federation of India’s- of Strike 1 Corps
selection committee • Lieutenant General Sanjay Mitra took over as the
• Two-time Olympian and 1962 Asian Games gold Commander of the prestigious Strike 1 Corps.
medalist Gurbachan Singh Randhawa resigned as • He succeeds Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi. Lt Gen Mitra.
chairman of the Athletics Federation of India Selection • I Corps is a military field formation of the Indian
Committee. Army. The Corps is headquartered at Mathura in Uttar
• He won the decathlon gold at the 1962 Asian Games Pradesh.
and placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1964
Olympic Games. Ritu Kalra named Harvard’s vice president for
finance and chief financial officer
Amit Agrawal appointed UIDAI CEO
• Amit Agrawal, a 1993 batch IAS officer, took charge
as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which
administers Aadhaar.
• grawal is a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh
cadre.
• UIDAI was created with the objective to issue Unique

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Identification numbers (UID), named as “Aadhaar”
The UIDAI is a statutory authority established under
the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 on 12 July
2016 by the Government of India. • Ritu Kalra, a seasoned leader in financial management

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and investment banking, has been named the
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Subodh Kumar Singh has been appointed as LA University’s vice president for finance and chief
the director general of the National Testing financial officer.
• Kalra currently serves as Harvard’s assistant vice
Agency president of finance and treasury and special projects
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• Senior IAS officer Subodh Kumar Singh has been adviser.

appointed as the director general of the National
Testing Agency as part of a bureaucratic reshuffle
effected by the Centre.
• Singh (1997 batch) is Indian Administrative Service
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• Harvard University is a private Ivy League research
university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
Rajiv Sinha appointed as Election Commissioner

(IAS) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre. of Bengal

• National Testing Agency is an Indian government • Previously serving as West Bengal’s Chief
agency that has been approved by the Union Council of SecretaryRajiva Sinha will serve as the State Election
Ministers and established in November 2017.
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• The Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India
(GoI) has established the National Testing Agency
to conduct entrance examinations for admission/
fellowship in higher educational institutions.
Commissioner (SEC).
• West Bengal government suggested Rajiv Sinha for the
position, and Governor CV Anand Bose gave his approval.
• From the autumn of 2019 till the autumn of 2020, Sinha
was the chief secretary of the state.

Kerala-cadre IPS Officer Nitin Agarwal Wrangler signs Smriti Mandhana as brand
appointed BSF DG ambassador
• Nitin Agarwal, an IPS officer of the 1989 Kerala cadre,
has been appointed as the new director general of the
Border Security Force (BSF)
• He was currently serving as the Additional DG of
operations at the headquarters of the Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi.
• The BSF is responsible for safeguarding the
4,096-kilometer-long international borders with
Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• BSF was founded on 1 December 1965.

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• Ace Turtle Omni Pvt Ltd., a retail company, has Ashwani Kumar appointed as CMD of UCO Bank
appointed Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana as the
• Ashwani Kumar has been appointed as the new MD and
brand ambassador of its Wrangler brand.
CEO of city-based public sector UCO Bank with effect
• The company is the exclusive licensee of the denim
from June 1st.
brand Wrangler in India.
• Kumar is currently an executive director of Indian Bank
• Wrangler is an American manufacturer of jeans and
other clothing items, particularly workwear. and prior to this, he served as Chief General Manager of
Punjab National Bank.
UAE wins Presidency of World Meteorological • UCO Bank, a public sector bank is headquartered in
Organization Kolkata and it was established in 1943.
• Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, a meteorologist from the
United Arab Emirates (UAE), was elected as the new Shri Amarendu Prakash takes charge as
President of the World Meteorological Organisation Chairman SAIL
(WMO) for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027. • Shri Amarendu Prakash has assumed the charge of
• The WMO is an authoritative UN body that focuses on Chairman, Steel Authority of India Limited.
weather, climate, hydrology, and other environmental
• Shri Prakash joined SAIL in 1991 as a Management
fields.
Trainee.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra • SAIL, a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) is
elected as vice-president of World India’s largest steel producer.
Meteorological Organisation
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The Director General of the India Meteorological
Department (IMD), Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was
• SAIL is headquartered in New Delhi. It was established
on January 24, 1973

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TS Singh Deo appointed Chhattisgarh Deputy
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elected as one of the three vice-presidents of the World
Meteorological Organisation. LA Chief Minister
• Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of United Arab Emirates • TS Singh Deo became Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief
National Center of Meteorology, was elected President Minister.
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of WMO for a four-year term.

• Earlier TS Singh Deo resigned from panchayati raj and
• World Meteorological Organisation is headquartered
in Geneva. rural development in July 2022, blaming chief minister
Bhupesh Baghel of sidelining him.
• Argentina’s Celeste Soulo was appointed as WMO’s
first female secretary general. • Governor of Chhattisgarh: Biswabhusan Harichandan
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9 Index and Reports
Global Competitiveness Index 2023: India
ranked 40
• The International Institute for Management
Development’s (IMD) 2023 Global Competitiveness
Index stated Denmark, Ireland, and Switzerland have
the three most competitive economies out of the 64
countries.
• The study shows how these countries have taken
different steps to become more competitive and
emphasise how important it is to create long-term
•
value.
this index. AL C
Denmark has topped the list while India has 40th in
India had ranked 43rd in the previous year’s index.
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Reliance tops Hurun’s list of most valuable
private sector companies LA
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• Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd. came out on
top of the 2022 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 list,
released recently.
• This means that it is the most valuable private company
in India.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) came in second and
HDFC Bank came in third.
• The list is curated by Burgundy Private, Axis Bank’s
Private Banking Business and Hurun India.
• Hurun India Rich List is a ranking of individuals with
a net worth of INR 1,000 Crore+ and has grown to
become the most comprehensive rich list in India.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries climbs 8
spots to 45th rank on Forbes’ Global 2000 list
• Reliance has ranked ahead of well-known names like
Germany’s BMW Group, Switzerland’s Nestle, China’s
Alibaba Group, US-based Procter & Gamble and Japan’s
Sony.
• The Global 2000 ranks the largest companies in the
world using four metrics: sales, profits, assets, and
market value.
• Forbes is a global media company, focusing on business,
investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership,
and lifestyle.
India climbs eight places to 127 in the global
gender index
• The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Gender Gap Report
•
ranks India 127th out of 146 nations for gender parity,
up eight places from last year.
India rose 1.4 percentage points and eight ranks from
the prior season.
• Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
Bhutan all rated behind India on the index.
• Iceland is the most gender-equal nation for the last 14
years.
• The report was first published in 2006 by the World
Economic Forum.
QS World University Rankings 2024: MIT Tops
for 12th Year, Indian Universities Make Gains
• According to the newly published QS World University
Rankings 2024, IIT-B is the top university in India.
• With a position of 149 in the list, IIT-B has been
recognised as the best Indian university.
• For the twelfth year in a row, the University of
Cambridge comes in second to the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT).
• QS Ranking has been analysing top-performing
universities across the globe for the past 20 years.
Bengaluru Startup Ecosystem Ranked 20th in
Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2023
• Startup Genome’s GSER 2023 analyses startup
ecosystems worldwide.
• The study provides global startup insights from
millions of entrepreneurs across ecosystems.
• Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley, placed 20th, up two
spots from last year.
• Silicon Valley, New York City, and London—have
maintained their top positions since 2020.
• US Based Startup Genome is the world-leading
innovation policy advisory and research firm.
Asia Rankings 2023: 18 Indian Universities in
Top 200 Times Higher Education List
• Times Higher Education’s (THE) Asia university
rankings for 2023 is out.
• 18 Indian universities are in the top 200 list.
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is the
highest-ranked institute among Indian Universities on
the list.
• The Institute’s overall ranking in Asia is at 48th position
fallen by six positions compared to last year.
• Tsinghua University in China has topped the ranking
and has retained its top spot for the fourth year in a
row.
14 Indian cities in WHO’s 20 most-polluted
• Delhi, Varanasi Kanpur, Faridabad, Gaya, Patna, Agra,
Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala and
Jodhpur are among the most polluted in the country.
(Taking into account PM2.5 levels, the data from 2016)
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The air pollution database measured the levels of fine
particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) from more than
4,300 cities in 108 countries.
The WHO data also said that nine out of 10 people in the
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• Austrian city Vienna is again the world’s most liveable
city, according to the EIU’s Global Liveability Index
2023.
• The parameters considered for the index are culture,
entertainment, infrastructure, education, and
healthcare.
• The Economist Intelligence Unit (founded 1946; HQ:
London) is the research and analysis division of the
Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory
service.
Akashvani and Doordarshan top trusted
electronic media in India
• The 2023 Reuters Institute Digital News Report named
DD India and All India Radio the most reliable electronic
media outlets in the country.
40 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
• The report shows that public broadcasters and print
brands have maintained popular confidence.
• The Reuters Institute Digital News Report is a highly
regarded journal that investigates the constantly
shifting landscape of digital news all around the world.
Global Slavery Index 2023 released
• The Walk Free Foundation’s new report, titled ‘The
Global Slavery Index 2023,’ reveals that the number of
people living in modern slavery has reached 50 million,
an alarming increase of 25 per cent over the past five
years.
• The Global Slavery Index 2023 estimates that there
were 50 million people living in modern slavery on any
given day in 2021, which is an increase of 10 million
people from 2016.
• The index assigns a ranking to each of the 160 countries
based on an estimated percentage of the population
that is subject to modern slavery.
• The countries with the highest frequency of modern
slavery are North Korea (104.6), Eritrea (90.3), and
Mauritania (32.0). In these nations, modern slavery is
pervasive and is frequently supported by the state.
• India has a prevalence of 8. (Estimated proportion of
the population living in modern slavery per thousand
people).
Community Spirit Index: Indian City Is Ranked
Second Most Unfriendly City In the World
• The Community Spirit Index recently ranked 53
international cities based on resident friendliness. 6
metrics were used.
• Toronto and Sydney are the friendliest countries in the
survey,
• New Delhi and Mumbai are in the list of least friendly
cities.
• Accra in Ghana was ranked as the least friendly city.
Dr Mandaviya unveils 5th State Food Safety
Index on World Food Safety Day
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) reaffirmed its dedication to food safety and
innovation by organizing an interactive session on June
7th, 2023 at Vigyan Bhavan, the honour of World Food
Safety Day.
• Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled the 5th State Food
Safety Index (SFSI), which evaluates the performance
of states and union territories across six different
aspects of food safety.
• Kerala topped among larger states.
• Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Chandigarh is top in
the union territories, while Goa led the index of smaller
states.
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Dubai is India’s Top Choice for Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI)
• According to the most recent fDi Markets Report and
the Dubai FDI Monitor, Dubai has been India’s top
choice for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the year
2022.
• India was one of the top five countries from which
stated FDI projects and estimated FDI capital came into
Dubai.
• This shows that the emirate is still a good place for
Indian investors to put their money.
Telangana Ranks Top On Environmental
Performance In CSE’s Annual Ranking
• On the occasion of World Environment Day, the non-
profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
released its annual compendium of data in which
Telangana was ranked at the top in terms of overall
environmental performance.
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• Delhi-based CSE, a prominent public interest research
and advocacy organisation, released its annual
compendium of data ‘State of India’s Environment 2023.
• The report offers a wealth of statistics on the state
of climate and extreme weather, health, food and
nutrition, migration and displacement, agriculture,
energy, waste, water and biodiversity.
NIRF Ranking 2023: IIT Madras retains gets top
spot
• For the fifth year in a row, the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Madras has maintained its position
as the best institute according to the National Institute
Ranking Framework (NIRF), 2023.
• Among the top Universities, the Indian Institute of
Technology, IISC Bengaluru has topped the list, followed
by Jawaharlal Nehru University, JNU New Delhi.
• The India Rankings 2023 (NIRF) which lists the top 10
colleges in India has been released by the government.
Delhi University’s Miranda House has been ranked first
followed by Hindu College (Delhi).
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10
Gufi Paintal known for Shakuni Mama of BR
Chopra’s Mahabharat, passes away
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• Actor Gufi Paintal, best known for playing the role of
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Shakuni Mama in BR Chopra’s TV show Mahabharat
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(1980), passed away in Mumbai due to age-related
health issues.
• He was 79 years old.
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• Some of Gufi’s acting credits include films Dillagi
(1978), Des Pardes (1978), Daava (1997), and Samrat
& Co (2014). He essayed the role of Akshay Kumar’s
maternal uncle in the 1994 movie Suhaag. Besides
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Mahabharat.
• Paintel also starred in TV shows like Bharat Ka Veer
Putra - Maharana Pratap, Mrs Kaushik Ki Paanch
Bahuein, Karmaphal Daata Shani and Karn Sangini.
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‘Bling Empire’ actress Anna Shay dies of a
stroke at 62
• Anna Shay, who was known for her part in the TV show
“Bling Empire,” died at age 62 from a stroke.
• “Bling Empire” co-stars paid respect to her on social
media when they heard the news.
• Anna Shay was one of the most celebrated stars of Bling
Empire, the Netflix reality TV show.
Renowned Doordarshan news presenter
Gitanjali Aiyar passes away
• Gitanjali Aiyar, a renowned news presenter who began
her journey with Doordarshan in 1971, passed away.
• She also used to present the popular English song
request programme ‘A Date With You’ on All India
Radio.
Obituary
Breaking Bad’ actor Mike Batayeh dies
• Famous TV series Breaking Bad actor Mike Batayeh
died after suffering a heart attack in sleep aged 52.
• He portrayed Dennis Markowski in Breaking Bad.
• He has also appeared in the films American Dreamz
(2006), and This Narrow Place (2011).
Actor, director and producer Mangal Dhillon
passed away
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Noted actor, director and producer Mangal Dhillon
passed away at the age of 64 after a battle with cancer,
in Neelon Kalan village near Samrala of Ludhiana.
Mangal Dhillon has been a part of numerous TV shows
and films. Some of his noteworthy works include
Buniyaad, Junoon, Khoon Bhari Maang, and Vishwatma,
among others. He was last seen in the Doordarshan
series Noorjahan.
Veteran Singer Sharda Rajan Iyengar Dies At
86 In Mumbai
• Veteran singer Sharda Rajan Iyengar sadly passed away
after losing her battle with cancer.
• She hailed from a Brahmin family in Tamil Nadu.
• Sharda also worked with esteemed singers like
Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar and
Mukesh among others.
• She has been the voice for leading actresses in the
1960s and 1970s like Vyjayanthimala, Saira Banu,
Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rekha, and
Helen.
American Co-Inventor of Lithium-Ion Batteries,
John Bannister Goodenough, Passes Away
• Lithium-ion battery co-inventor and 2019 Nobel Prize
in Chemistry laureate John Bannister Goodenough
died. Goodenough was a month from turning 101.
• Goodenough and British-American Stan Whittingham
received the Nobel Prize for their innovative work.
• Whittingham discovered that lithium could be held in
titanium sulphide sheets, and Goodenough improved
the idea by adding a cobalt-based cathode, creating a
product that is now essential to people’s lives.
Rajya Sabha MP Hardwar Dubey passes away
• Hardwar Dubey, a prominent leader and Rajya Sabha
member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Uttar
Pradesh, passed away.
• He was an incumbent Rajya Sabha member elected in
November 2020.
• In the 1990s, 74-year-old Dubey was elected to the
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from the Agra
Cantonment assembly segment and served as a
minister in the Kalyan Singh ministry in 1991.
Famous Choreographer Rakesh Master passes
away
• Rakesh Master has worked in about 1,500 movies and
delivered several hit songs.
• He began his career with dance reality shows.
• He died at the age of 53.
• A tall figure in the Telugu film industry, Rakesh fell
ill a week ago while returning to Hyderabad after an
outdoor shoot in Visakhapatnam
Kerala’s first ‘Ashoka Chakra’ winner Havildar
Alby D’Cruz passes away
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• Alby D’Cruz was one of Kerala’s proud Defence
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personnel.
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He always maintained a low profile despite being the
first Keralaite to be conferred the Ashoka Chakra.
• In 1962, he received the Asoka Chakra.
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• Since 1967, this award has been called ‘Shaurya Chakra’.
Veteran actress Sulochana Latkar passes away
at 94
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• Sulochana Latkar, a veteran actress, died at the age of 94.
• She has appeared in almost 300 films, including Hindi
and Marathi.
• Her popular films include Ab Dilli Dur Nahin, Sujata,
Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Dil Deke Dekho, Aasha and Majboor,
Nai Roshni, Aayi Milan Ki Bela, Gora Aur Kala, Devar,
and Bandini.
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Kollam Sudhi: Malayalam actor passes away in
a car accident
• Cine artiste and television personality Kollam Sudhi
died in Car accident.
• The late Malayalam actor was 39.
• He was known for his roles in various television
programmes and had also acted in a couple of movies.
Noted Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai passes
away
• Ved Kumari Ghai, a Sanskrit scholar, died at the age of
91. She was born in 1931 in Jammu City, Jammu and
Kashmir.
• She earned her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy
in Sanskrit from the University of Jammu.
Renowned theater actor and director Aamir
Raza Hussain passes away
• The government had awarded Aamir Raza Hussain the
•
Padma Shri for his contributions to the theatre.
Aamir Raza Husain, a renowned theatre actor and
director renowned for his spectacular open-air stage
productions such as “The Fifty Day War,” inspired by
the Kargil War, and “The Legend of Ram,” has died at
age 66.
Two-time Oscar winning actress Glenda
Jackson passes away at 87
• Glenda Jackson died at the age of 87. She was a
performer who won two Academy Awards and had a
second job as a British lawmaker before a successful
late-life return to the stage and screen.
• She was one of the biggest British stars of the 1960s
and 1970s. She won two Academy Awards, for Women
in Love in 1971 and A Touch of Class in 1973.
Sir Ivan Menezes, CEO of Diageo, passes away
at the age of 64
• Diageo CEO Sir Ivan Menezes passed away due to health
complications. he was 64.
• Menezes joined the company in 1997 after its
formation through the merger of Guinness and Grand
Metropolitan. He was appointed as the Diageo CEO in
July 2013.
• Prior to this, he served across various capacities at
Diageo-- Chief Operating Officer; Chairman, Latin
America and the Caribbean; Chairman, Asia Pacific;
President and CEO, Diageo North America; and Chief
Operating Officer, Diageo North America.
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11 Summit and Conferences
The second summit of Supreme Audit
Institutions of G20 countries concludes in Goa
• In the summit, the Comptroller and Auditor General
(CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu highlighted that
the SAIs (Supreme Audit Institutions) have collectively
chartered a path to heighten efficiency, accountability
and transparency in Blue Economy and Artificial
Intelligence.
• 85 national and International delegates from G20 SAIs,
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Guest SAIs, Invited SAIs, International Organizations
and other Engagement Groups attended the event.
The SAI is an independent body that audits parliament
authorizations of expenditure to the government,
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and performance audits, and reports its findings to a
parliamentary body
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G20 agriculture ministers’ meet held in
Hyderabad from June 15-17
• The G20 agriculture ministers’ meeting was held in
Hyderabad from June 15-17.
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• Three meetings of the agriculture working group were
held earlier in Indore, Chandigarh and Varanasi. The
final meeting was in Hyderabad.
• The agreed outcome document titled “Outcome
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Document and Chair’s Summary” wad adopted in the
meeting.
India to host IIAS Annual Conference 2025 at
Kochi
• India expressed its willingness to host the 2025 IIAS
(International Institute of Administrative Sciences)
Annual Conference at Kochi, Kerala, in February 2025.
• The IIAS established in 1930, is a federation of member
States, national sections and academic research centres
jointly elaborating public administration solutions to
the policy challenges of the day with headquarters in
Brussels, Belgium.
• The decision of the Government of India was conveyed
in the meeting of the Council of Administration by
V.Srinivas, Secretary Department of Administrative
Reforms and Public Grievances in a virtual meeting.
Women’s 20 (W20) Summit took place in
Mahabalipuram near Chennai
• The Official G20 Women Engagement Group, known as
the Women 20 Summit took place in Mahabalipuram
in Tamil Nadu.
• Mamallapuram is a UNESCO World Heritage town.
• The Women 20 came into force in 2015 under Turkey’s
Presidency of G20 in 2015, with the objective of focusing
on gender equity, women empowerment, advocating
for the rights of women and raising women’s voices in
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society.
The summit was held with a theme of women-led
development to transform, thrive and transcend.
First-ever Hindu-American Summit Held At
Capitol Hill
• The goal of the summit is to bring the problems and
concerns of the Hindu community to the attention of
politicians and get their help.
• About 130 Indian American leaders from Florida, New
York, Boston, Texas, Chicago, and California have come
to the US Capital for the event. They represent 20 Hindu
and Indian groups.
• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is one of the well-
known people who has spoken at the meeting.
Bhupender Yadav addresses the 111th
International Labour Conference
• Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender
Yadav addressed the Plenary Session at the 111th
International Labour Conference in Geneva.
• India wants tools to map global skill gaps and harmonise
and recognise skills and certificates.
• On the fringes of the International Labour Conference,
he met ILO DG Gilbert Houngbo.
The 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations
between India and Austria was held in Delhi
• The 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations between
India and Austria was held in New Delhi.
• It was co-chaired by Secretary (West) in the Ministry
of External Affairs Sanjay Verma and Political Director
in the Federal Ministry for European and International
Affairs of Austria Gregor Koessler.
• The topics developments in the respective
neighbourhoods, the European Union, the Ukraine
conflict, India’s Presidency of G20, cooperation in
multilateral fora and UNSC reforms were discussed.
8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit
2023 Concludes in Mumbai
• The 8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit 2023
in Mumbai was addressed by Dr Mansukh Mandaviya,
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Health
& Family Welfare.
• His speech emphasised quality, research and
development, and innovation in the pharmaceutical
sector and India’s role as a global pharmacy during the
COVID-19 epidemic.
• The theme of the 8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality
Summit 2023 was “Patient Centricity: New Paradigm
of Manufacturing and Quality.”
SEACEN-FSI 25th Conference of Asia-Pacific
Supervision Directors in Mumbai
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• Mumbai hosted the SEACEN-FSI 25th Asia-Pacific
Supervision Directors Conference. LA
• The South East Asian Central Banks (SEACEN) Research
and Training Centre and the Financial Stability
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Institute (FSI) of the Bank of International Settlements
(BIS) organised the conference to promote dialogue
and cooperation among Asia-Pacific supervision
directors.
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India, EU Connectivity Conference in Meghalaya
• India and EU Connectivity Conference held in Meghalaya
to explore investments in northeastern states.
• The conference seeks to improve connectivity
investments in India’s North Eastern States and Nepal,
Bhutan, and Bangladesh.
• The May 2021 India-EU Leaders’ Meeting announced
the India-EU Connectivity collaboration.
BRICS foreign ministers meeting held in Cape
Town
• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Cape Town,
South Africa attended a meeting of the foreign ministers
of BRICS — a grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India,
China and South Africa, which is seen as the closest that
the ‘Global South’ has come to organising itself as a
collective to challenge a western global narrative.
• The foreign ministers’ meeting was to finalise the
agenda for the 15th BRICS summit scheduled to be held
in South Africa in August.
G-20 3rd Employment Working Group meeting
concluded in Geneva
• The 3rd Employment Working Group meeting of
G20 under India’s Presidency began under the
Chairpersonship of Ms. Arti Ahuja, Secretary Labour
and Employment in Geneva on 31 May 2023.
• The meeting was attended by 78 delegates from 20
G-20 member countries, nine guest countries and four
international organizations.
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12 Books and Authors
Books and Authors
• ‘The Yoga Sutra for Children’ is a new book by Roopa
Pai
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• The author of ‘The Gita for Children’ and ‘The Vedas
and Upanishads for Children,’ Roopa Pai, is returning
with a new book for young readers.
• The YogaSutras for Children deciphers Patanjali’s
2,000-year-old Yoga text for juvenile readers.
• It also seeks to integrate Yogic practises into children’s
everyday existence, enabling them to utilise the power
of their minds to achieve their full potential.
A new book titled “India’s Finance Ministers”
written by Journalist A.K. Bhattacharya
• A.K. Bhattacharya wrote a new book titled “Finance
Ministers of India: From Independence to the
Emergency (1947-1977)”.
• The book throws light on the role of India’s finance
ministers who shaped the country’s economy in the
first 30 years after independence.
• It covers the period from 1947 to 1977.
• The book is published by Penguin Business.
A book ‘A Life Well Spent -Four Decades in
the Indian Foreign Service’ authored by
Ambassador Satish Chandra released
• Ambassador Satish Chandra, an Indian diplomat, has
written a book titled ‘A Life Well Spent – Four Decades
in the Indian Foreign Service,’ which chronicles his
lengthy career in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) from
1965 to 2005.
• The book is published by Rupa Publications in May 2023,
and provides readers with a deeper understanding
of Ambassador Satish Chandra’s experiences and the
development of Indian foreign policy.
A new graphic novel ‘Ajay to Yogi Adityanath’
has Author Shantanu Gupta
• Shantanu Gupta, who has written two best-selling
books about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath, has published a graphic novel titled “Ajay
to Yogi Adityanath” for juvenile readers.
• On June 5th, the 51st birthday of Yogi Adityanath, the
graphic novel was released in over fifty-one institutions
in Uttar Pradesh. Notably, author Shantanu Gupta has
previously authored two best-selling books about Yogi
Adityanath, namely The Monk Who Transformed Uttar
Pradesh and The Monk Who Became Chief Minister.
A book titled “Master Residential Real Estate”
by Ashwinder Singh
• Ashwinder Singh, an expert in real estate, has published
a book titled “Master Residential Real Estate.”
• The book, “Master Residential Real Estate,” is a detailed
introduction to the real estate industry.
• Ashvinder Singh offers insightful commentary on the
present condition of the real estate market.
Renowned author Abhay K’s New Book on
Nalanda to be Published by Penguin
• Renowned writer Abhay K is known for his insightful
and thought-provoking works.
• His upcoming book on Nalanda is to be published by
Penguin.
• The book explores the greatness of the ancient Indian
university of Nalanda.
BK Shivani ‘s The Power of One Thought to be
published by HarperCollins India
• Sister Shivani writes beautifully about the effects of
every thought in The Power of One Thought: Master
Your Mind, Master Your Life.
• She shows how each “one” thought affects our feelings,
attitudes, actions, habits, personalities, and destinies.
In the process, she wakes us up to the truth: what we
think about is what we bring about.
• Brahma Kumari (BK) Sister Shivani, who has been
practising Rajyog Meditation for more than 25 years,
has become well-known for her new and practical view
of life.

Shashi Tharoor Releases Book Titled “Ringside”

Written by Dr. Vijay Darda
• Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a well-known author and Congress
MP, gave the book “Ringside” its first public reading.
• The book was written by Dr. Vijay Darda, a former MP
and chairman of the editorial board for Lokmat Media

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Darda that were published between 2011 and 2016 in

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A new book titled ‘NTR: A Political Biography’ by

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Ramachandra Murthy Kondubhatla released

• Ramachandra Murthy Kondubhatla, a journalist, editor,
and writer, has written a new book called “NTR-A
Political Biography.” It gives a realistic picture of
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Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR).

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• The book was released by HarperCollins India to
honour NTR’s 100th birthday. The book tells about
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International Day of Parliamentarism: 30th
June
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• The International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated
every year on 30 June, the date in 1889 on which the
IPU was founded.
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• The Day was established in 2018 through a United
Nations General Assembly Resolution.
• The theme for 2023 is: “Parliaments for the Planet”
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International Asteroid Day: 30th June
• In December 2016 the United Nations General
Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90, declaring
30 June International Asteroid Day.
• 30th June is the anniversary of the Tunguska impact
over Siberia, Russian Federation which took place on
30 June 1908.
• The aim is to raise public awareness about the asteroid
impact hazard.
• Near-Earth objects (NEOs) represent potentially
catastrophic threats to our planet. NEO is an asteroid
or comet, which passes close to the Earth’s orbit.
• Asteroid Foundation celebrates this year’s Asteroid
Day on 30 June and 1 July 2023 in Luxembourg. The
programme will focus on education on asteroids and
space highlighting the importance and impact of space
‘down to Earth’
Important Days
National Statistics Day 2023: 29 June
• In recognition of the notable contributions made by
Professor (late) Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the
fields of statistics and economic planning, Government
of India has designated 29th June every year, coinciding
with his birth anniversary, as ‘National Statistics Day.’
• The theme of Statistics Day, 2023 is “Alignment of
State Indicator Framework with National Indicator
Framework for Monitoring Sustainable Development
Goals”.
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The 2nd five-year plan is usually named after PC
Mahalanobis.
The Government of India designated 29 June as
National Statistics Day on 5 June 2007.
International Day of the Tropics: 29th June
• The International Day of the Tropics was designated
to raise awareness to the specific challenges faced by
tropical areas.
• The inaugural State of the Tropics Report was launched
on 29 June 2014.
• The International Day of the Tropics celebrates the
extraordinary diversity of the tropics while highlighting
the unique challenges and opportunities nations of the
Tropics face.
Micro-Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Day: 27th June
• MSMEs account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70% of
employment and 50% of GDP worldwide.
• The United Nations General Assembly designated 27
June as “Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises
Day”to raise awareness of the tremendous contributions
of MSMEs to the achievement of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• This year’s theme for the day is “Building a Stronger
Future Together,”
• The first MSME Day was celebrated on June 27th, 2017.
International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture: 26th June
• The UN International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture on 26 June marks the moment in 1987 when
 the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, one
of the key instruments in fighting torture, came into
effect.
• In 2002, the Optional Protocol to the Convention against
Torture was adopted, a treaty aimed at preventing
torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
by allowing for an international inspection system for
places of detention.
International Day Against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking: 26th June
• By resolution of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly
decided to observe 26 June as the International Day
against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
• The world drug problem is a complex issue that affects
millions of people worldwide.
• The theme for this year is “People First: stop stigma
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and Discrimination, strengthen Prevention,”
Day of the Seafarer 2023: 25th June AL C
For 2023, the campaign will look at seafarers’
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contribution to protecting the marine environment, in
Our commitment goes on”.
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line with the World Maritime theme “MARPOL at 50 –
• The Day of the Seafarer (25 June) was established in a
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resolution adopted by the 2010 Diplomatic Conference
in Manila to adopt the revised STCW Convention.
• Its stated purpose is to recognize the unique
contribution made by seafarers from all over the world
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to international seaborne trade, the world economy
and civil society as a whole.
• STCW Convention: The International Convention on
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping
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for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, was adopted by the
International Conference on Training and Certification
of Seafarers on 7 July 1978
International Day for Women in Diplomacy: 24
th June
• Historically, diplomacy has been the preserve of men.
Women have played a critical role in diplomacy for
centuries, yet their contributions have often been
overlooked.
• Between 1992 and 2019, women represented 13 per
cent of negotiators, 6 per cent of mediators and 6 per
cent of signatories in peace processes worldwide.
• Theme for 2023 is “Breaking Barriers, Shaping
the Future: Women in Diplomacy for Sustainable
Development.’
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International Olympics Day: 23rd June
• Olympic Day commemorates the founding of the
International Olympic Committee on 23 June 1894 by
Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
• Doctor Gruss, a Czech IOC member, presented the
idea of a world Olympic day at the 41st Session of
the International Olympic Committee in Stockholm,
Sweden.
• The theme of this year’s Olympic Day is ‘Let’s Move’
United Nations Public Service Day: 23rd June
• On 20 December 2002, the General Assembly
designated 23 June as Public Service Day.
• The day revolves around the value and virtue of public
service to the community.
• The UN Public Service Day intends to celebrate the
value and virtue of public service to the community;
highlight the contribution of public service in the
development process.
International Day of Yoga: 21st June
• Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual
practice that originated in India.
• Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December
2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the
International Day of Yoga .
• For the year 2023, the 9th year of International Yoga
day, the theme “Yoga For Vasudaiva Kutumbakam.
• A new Guinness world record was set on the occasion
of the Yoga Day event organised in Surat city of Gujarat,
for the largest gathering for a yoga session at one place
with 1.53 lakh people joining the programme.
• The Indian Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman has
introduced an innovative video called ‘Soulful Yoga,
Serene Oman’ on the eve of the International Day of
Yoga 2023. Oman Creates History as First Foreign
Government to Promote Country through Yoga.
World Refugee Day: 20 th June
• Every minute 20 people leave everything behind to
escape war, persecution or terror. There are several
types of forcibly displaced persons.
• The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol
help protect Refugees.
• The day was first celebrated on June 20, 2001, to
commemorate the 1951 convention.
• 2023 Theme: Hope Away from Home
Sustainable Gastronomy Day: 18th June
• Gastronomy is sometimes called the art of food. It can
also refer to a style of cooking from a particular region.
In other words, gastronomy often refers to local food
and cuisine.
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• The UN General Assembly adopted on 21 December
2016 its resolution A/RES/71/246 and designated
18 June as an international observance, Sustainable
Gastronomy Day.
• The theme of 2023 Sustainable Gastronomy Day is
‘Local Flavours, Preserving Global Heritage’.
World Day to Combat Desertification and
Drought: 17th June
• Droughts are among the greatest threats to sustainable
development, especially in developing countries, but
increasingly so in developed nations too.
• This year, the theme of the International Day Against
Desertification, and Drought “Her land. Her rights”,
emphasizes investing in women’s equal access to land.
• The United Nations General Assembly declared 17
June to be “World Day to Combat Desertification and
Drought” by its resolution A/RES/49/115 adopted in
December 1994.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: 15th June
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Between 2019 and 2030, the number of persons aged
60 years or over is projected to grow by 38%, from 1
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billion to 1.4 billion.
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• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was
launched by the International Network for the
Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health
LA
Organization at the United Nations.
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World Wind Day: 15th June
• World Wind Day or Global Wind Day is a worldwide
event which falls on June 15 every year.
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• It is a day for discovering wind energy, its power and
the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems
• This year will mark the 16th celebration of Global Wind
Day.
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World Blood Donor Day: 14th June
• Every year countries around the world celebrate World
Blood Donor Day (WBDD).
• A blood service that gives patients access to safe blood
and blood products in sufficient quantity is a key
component of an effective health system.
• The slogan for 2023 World Blood Donor Day campaign,
celebrated on 14 June 2023, is “Give blood, give plasma,
share life, share often.
• World Blood Donar Day is observed every year on June
14 since 2004.
International Albinism Awareness Day: 13th
June
• This year’s theme, “Inclusion is Strength,” builds on last
year’s theme of “United in making our voice heard.”
50 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
• Its aim is to ensure the inclusion of the voices of persons
with albinism in all sectors of life.
• Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited
difference present at birth.
• June 13 was chosen as International Albinism
Awareness Day (IAAD) since it was on that day in
2013 that the UN adopted its first-ever resolution on
albinism.
World Day Against Child Labour: 12th June
• 2023 Theme: “Week of Action against Child Labour” is
the theme for the 2023 World Day Against Child Labour.
• Africa ranks highest among regions both in the
percentage of children in child labour.
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) launched
the first World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 as a
way to highlight the plight of these children.
World Oceans Day: 8th June
• The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It is our life
source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of
every other organism on earth.
• The 2023 theme for the world ocean day is ‘“The Planet
•
Ocean’s Changing Tide.”
“World Oceans Day” was officially recognised by the
United Nations in 2008.
World Food Safety Day: 7th June
• The fifth World Food Safety Day (WFSD) will be
celebrated on 7 June 2023.
• World Food Safety Day is marked annually to raise
awareness about the importance of safe food practices
and to highlight the global need for safe food.
• World Food Safety Day 2023 theme is “Food standards
save lives”.
International Day for the Fight against Illegal,
Unreported and Unregulated Fishing: 5th June
• Fisheries provide a vital source of food, employment,
recreation, trade and economic well-being for people
throughout the world.
• According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
activities are responsible for the loss of 11–26 million
tonnes of fish each year.
• In 2015, the General Fisheries Commission for the
Mediterranean of the FAO proposed that an initiative be
launched to declare an International Day for the Fight
against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.
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World Environment Day: 5th June International Day of Innocent Children Victims
of Aggression: 4th June
• Every day, children living in wars across the globe are
facing unspeakable horrors.
• International Day of Innocent Children Victims of
Aggression is a United Nations observance held on June
4 every year.
• It was established on 19 August 1982.

World Bicycle Day: 3rd June

• Acknowledging the uniqueness, longevity and
versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two
centuries, and it is an environmentally fit sustainable
means of transportation, the General Assembly decided
to declare 3 June World Bicycle Day in April 2018.

Global Day of Parents: 1st June

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•
2023 Theme: The power of parenting: raising happy,
healthy and hopeful children.
Since the 1980s, the important role of the family has

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increasingly come to the attention of the international
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LA community.
• In 2012, the General Assembly proclaimed 1 June as
the Global Day of Parents, to be observed annually in
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honour of parents throughout the world.

• World Environment Day is Led by the United Nations

World Milk: 1st June
Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on • The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the
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5 June since 1973. United Nations established World Milk Day to recognise
• 2023 marks 50 years of the celebration of World the significance of milk as a global sustenance source.
Environment Day. • Since 2001, it has been observed on June 1 annually.
• Time is running out, and nature is in emergency mode.
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• The purpose of this day is to highlight activities

To keep global warming below 1.5°C this century, we
must halve annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. associated with the dairy industry.

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14 MoU and Agreements

State-owned hydropower company
NHPC Limited signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra
government.
• This is to establish energy storage systems along with
other renewable energy sources (Solar/ Wind/ Hybrid)
of a total of 7,350 MW capacity.
• NHPC is the largest hydropower development
organisation in India that has also diversified in the
• The Bharat Lap will gather data on consumption
patterns and aspirations of consumers in India.
• The Bharat Lab aims will be to bring together corporate
giants, like Google and Meta, to gather valuable data
and statistics and monitor the consumption patterns
of consumers.
India joins Artemis Accords
• India has decided to join the Artemis Accords, which

•
field of solar and wind energy.
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NHPC presently has an installed capacity of 7097.2
MW from 25 power stations and is currently engaged
in the construction of 16 projects aggregating to a total
•
brings like-minded countries together on civil space
exploration.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)

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installed capacity of 10489 MW. have agreed to a joint mission to the International
LA Space Station in 2024.
Maha govt signs MoU with Bajaj Finserv to • The Artemis Accords is a non-binding set of principles
invest Rs 5,000 crore in Pune designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the
S

• Under this MoU, the non-banking finance company will
invest 5,000 crore rupees in Pune which is expected to
create 40,000 jobs.
• Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra
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21st century.
• Artemis Accords is an American-led effort with the aim
of sending men to the moon by 2025.
Ministry of Ayush and ICMR sign an MoU to

Fadnavis signed the MoU on behalf of the Maharashtra

government. promote and collaborate on integrative health
research
Maharashtra Govt signs MoU with Torrent
• This MoU will focus on identified areas of national
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Power, expects investment of Rs 71k cr

• Maharashtra Govt signs MoU with Torrent Power,
expects investment of Rs 71k cr
• According to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis,
“The Centre has laid a lot of emphasis on renewable
energy.
• In accordance with our national renewable policy, we
have taken the initiative The Maharashtra government
and Torrent Power company signed an MoU for 13,050
MW.
• “The Centre has laid a lot of emphasis on renewable
energy.
Lucknow University inks pact with Google,
Meta to establish Bharat Lab
• Lucknow University Recently signed a pact with Google
and Meta to establish The Bharat Lab.
importance in healthcare for promoting high-impact
research to generate evidence utilizing modern
scientific methods.
• This MoU will also strengthen research capacity
through the training of Ayush researchers.
• MoU was signed by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary,
Ministry of Ayush and Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General,
ICMR & secretary, Department of Health Research,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of
India.
Microsoft and AirJaldi Partner to Expand
Internet Connectivity in Rural India
• Microsoft and AirJaldi Networks strengthen
collaboration to provide internet access for underserved
communities in 12 states.
• Microsoft and AirJaldi, a leading innovator and
implementer of technically and economically viable
internet connectivity solutions for rural areas, signed a
three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
• The MoU is Titled ‘Contentful Connectivity’.
• The program aims to advance access to high-speed
internet and connectivity as a fundamental right in
collaboration with private, public, and non-profit
sectors.
NITI Aayog and United Nations Join Hands to
Accelerate Sustainable Development in India
• NITI Aayog and the United Nations in India signed
the Government of India - United Nations Sustainable
Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027.
(GoI-UNSDCF)
• The GoI-UNSDCF was signed by Mr. B V R Subrahmanyam,
CEO, NITI Aayog, and Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident
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Coordinator, India in the presence of the Vice Chairman
of NITI Aayog, Mr. Suman Bery, senior representatives
from NITI Aayog, central ministries and heads of UN
agencies in India.
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• The GoI-UNSDCF 2023-2027 is built on four strategic
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pillars derived from the 2030 Agenda – People, LA
Prosperity, Planet and Participation.
Ministry of Defence and Kotak Mahindra
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Life Insurance Collaborate to Provide Job
Opportunities to Veterans
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed
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between Directorate General Resettlement (DGR), an
arm of Ministry of Defence, and Kotak Mahindra Life
Insurance Company Ltd.
• This partnership will bring in more visibility of the
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Ex-servicemen to the industry and corporates and
help in achieving the objectives of providing skilled
manpower and giving a dignified second career to the
Ex-servicemen.
ADB, India sign $130 million loan to promote
horticulture in Himachal Pradesh
• The Government of India and the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) signed a $130 million loan to increase
agricultural productivity, improve access to irrigation
and promote horticulture agribusinesses to raise
farmers’ income in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
• The project interventions will help increase the income
and resilience to the effects of climate change of at least
15,000 farm households across 7 districts of the state
namely Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Mandi, Sirmour,
Solan, and Una.
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IICA and RRU sign MoU for academic and
research collaboration
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed
between Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA)
and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU).
• The aim is to synergise the professional capabilities
of IICA and RRU towards capacity building, education,
research and consulting in the domain of Internal
Security, Financial Crimes, Law Enforcement, Corporate
Frauds and other subject matters.
• IICA is an institution established by the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India as an
autonomous body to act as a think-tank and a centre
of excellence to support the growth of the corporate
sector in India.
Intel and Germany sign agreement for $32.8
bn chip plant investment
• Intel and the German government signed a deal
that would see the United States company investing
more than 30 billion euros ($32.8 billion) in a chip
•
•
manufacturing site in the German city of Magdeburg.
It will have financial support from Berlin.
Intel acquired the land for two semiconductor facilities
in Magdeburg in eastern Germany in November, and
the company says the first of them is expected to start
production in four or five years.
UN adopts first ‘historic’ treaty to protect high
seas
• The U.N. has adopted the world’s first treaty to protect
the high seas and preserve marine biodiversity in
international waters.
• All 193 member states supported the pact.
• The goal of the treaty is to protect biodiversity in the
high seas, which cover about half of the Earth’s surface
and are outside of state borders.
• Millions of people depend on the water for their food
and their way of life.
• U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced
the pact.
• The official name of the treaty is ‘Treaty on Biodiversity
Beyond National Jurisdiction’ and it falls under the UN
Convention on the Law of the Sea, which came into
force in 1994.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research signs a
MOU with Amazon Kisan to Empower Farmers
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New
Delhi signed a MoU with Amazon Kisan to combine
strengths and create synergy between the two
organizations for guiding the farmers on scientific
cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and
income.
• ICAR will provide technological backstopping to the
farmers through Amazon’s network. It will improve
farmers’ livelihood and boost crop yield.
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15 Question Bank

1. During Yoga day of 2023, the Prime Minister of India 9. Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) has been
was on a visit of which nation? recently given to which of the following organisation
(a) Russia (b) Japan by Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
(c) South Korea (d) U.S.A Astrophysics (IUCAA)?
2. Which leader has been recently elected as the Prime (a) ISRO (b) JAXA
Minister of Finland? (c) NASA (d) None of the above
(a) Antonio Guttero 10. Recently in June 2023, World Economic Forum
(b) Petteri Orpo releases guidelines to tackle _________.
(c) Kyriakos Mitsotakis (a) Space Debris (b) Plastic Waste
(d) None of the above
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3. Which Baltic nation has recently legalised same-sex
marriage ?
(c) River Pollution (d) Air Pollution
11. What is the rank of India in the Global
Competitiveness Index, 2023?

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(a) Estonia (b) Latvia
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(a) 39 (b) 40
(c) Lithuania (d) Greece LA (c) 41 (d) 42
4. Which international organisation recently launched 12. What is the rank of India in the Global Gender Gap
road safety programme in South Asia? Report 2023?
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(a) Word Health Organisation

(a) 126 (b) 127
(b) World Bank
(c) 128 (d) 129
(c) International Labour Organisation
13. The most liveable city according to the Global
(d) International Monetary Fund Liveability Index 2023 is
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5. World’s first digital government bond will be (a) Switzerland (b) Vienna
released by ?
(c) New Delhi (d) Bangkok
(a) India (b) U.S.A
14. How many medals did India win in the special
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(c) China (d) Israel

Olympics Games 2023?
6. Which among the following nations have not been
(a) 200 (b) 201
elected as a non-permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council? (c) 202 (d) 203
(a) South Africa (b) Algeria 15. The mascot for the 2024 European Championship in
(c) Reupblic of Korea (d) Slovenia Germany is a__________
7. Who has been recently elected as the new President (a) Cricketer (b) Teddy Bear
of Latvia? (c) Cartoon Character (d) None of the above
(a) Edgars Rinkevics (b) Angella Markell 16. India won Men Juniors Asian Hockey Championship
(c) Petteri Orpo (d) None of the above 2023 by defeating
8. Who has been recently sworn in as the new President (a) Nepal (b) Pakistan
of Nigeria? (c) Srilanka (d) Bangladesh
(a) Petteri Orpo
17. Which Indian player has created new record in
(b) Edgars Rinkevics Shotput game?
(c) Bolo Tinubu (a) Jitendra Singh (b) Tajinderpal Singh
(d) Charles Mitchel (c) Vinod Khere (d) None of the above
18. Who is the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the 31. A book titled “Master Residential Real Estate” is
Asian Fencing Championships? written by?
(a) Giriraj Singh (b) Binod Karja (a) Anand Mahindra (b) Vikas Swarup
(c) Bhavani Devi (d) Sumit Singh (c) Ashwinder Singh (d) Shardul S. Shroff
19. Which Country will host the FIFA 2023 U 32. The Power of one thought is written by______.
17 World Cup? (a) Romila Thapar (b) Chetan Bhagat
(a) India (b) Japan
(c) BK Shivani (d) Sandeep Maheshwari
(c) Indonesia (d) Srilanka
33. Lucknow University inks pact with which
20. The mascot for the upcoming 37th National Games is organisation to establish Bharat Lab?
(a) Buna (b) Meta (a) Google (b) Meta
(c) Moga (d) Bala (c) Both a and b (d) None of the above
21. Which country recently won the squash World Cup
34. Asian Development Bank and India sign $130
title?
million loan to promote horticulture in which of the
(a) UAE (b) Kuwait following states?
(c) Egypt (d) Oman (a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Bihar
22. In the Men’s singles final of the French open 2023, (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Assam
Novak Djokovic defeated who among the following ?
35. The world’s first treaty to protect the high seas and
(a) Casper Ruud (b) Iga Swiatek
(c) Ivan Dodig
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(d) Austin Krajicek
23. Actor Gufi Paintal,who recently died, was best
known for playing the role of _______ in BR Chopra
preserve marine biodiversity in international waters
is adopted by
(a) WHO (b) World Bank

H
(c) IUCN (d) UN
Mahabharat?
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(a) Krishna (b) Sakuni Mama 36. Recently, Japan has raised the age of Consent from
(c) Nakul
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(d) None of the above
13 to ?
(a) 14 (b) 15
24. Gitanjali Aiyar was a renowned______
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(c) 16 (d) 17
(a) News Anchor (b) Actress
(c) Producer (d) Director 37. BIMSTEC Centre for energy cooperation will be
inaugurated in_______.
25. Kerala’s first ‘Ashoka Chakra’ awardee was
(a) Bangladesh (b) India
(a) Alby D’Cruz (b) Albert D’Cruz
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(c) Thailand (d) Srilanka

(c) Michael D’Cruz (d) None of the above
38. Recently, India’s largest natural arch was found in
26. G20 agriculture ministers’ meet was recently held in
which of the following states?
(a) Goa (b) Hyderabad
(a) Odisha (b) Bihar
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(c) Patna (d) Ranchi

(c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Jharkhand
27. The 111th International Labour Conference was
held in 39. Recently, India has signed a deal to get how many
drones from U.S.A?
(a) Tokyo (b) Beijing
(a) 29 (b) 30
(c) New Delhi (d) Geneva
(c) 31 (d) 32
28. The Yoga Sutra for Children’ is a new book written by
(a) Chetan Bhagat (b) A.K. Bhattacharya 40. Exercise Ranvijay was recently carried out by?
(c) Roopa Rai (d) None of the above (a) Indian Air Force (b) Indian Army
29. A new book titled “India’s Finance Ministers” is (c) Indian Navy (d) Indian Coast Gaurd
written by 41. GE Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of
(a) Nirmala Sitharaman (b) A.K. Bhattacharya Understanding (MOU) with which organisation to
(c) Pranab Mukherjee (d) Ashish Singh produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force?
30. A new graphic novel ‘Ajay to Yogi Adityanath’ has (a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
been Authored by_____ (b) IOCL
(a) Piyush Babele (b) Bijoy Kumar (c) DRDO
(c) Shantanu Gupta (d) Virkram Sampat (d) ISRO
42. Agneyastra 1 was a military exercise which was 53. Fitch has raises India’s GDP forecast from 6% to
recently conducted by ? (a) 6.1% (b) 6.2%
(a) India (b) Srilanka (c) 6.3% (d) 6.4%
(c) Nepal (d) Bhutan 54. In an effort to strengthen its presence in North East
43. India recently gifted missile corvette INS Kirpan to India, the Reserve Bank has opened a sub-office in
which of the following countries? which of the following places?
(a) Thailand (b) Vietnam (a) Aizawl (b) Itanagar
(c) Pakistan (d) Bhutan (c) Kohima (d) Agartala
44. Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir’ to encourage Defence 55. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced
R&D was recently organised by which of the that its rate-setting panel, the Monetary Policy
following organisations? Committee (MPC), will meet how many times in the
(a) ISRO (b) NASA next financial year (FY24)?
(c) DRDO (d) HAL (a) Four (b) Five
45. Exercise Khaan Quest 2023 was recently concluded (c) Six (d) Seven
in? 56. What is the current rank of India in Crude Steel
(a) Japan (b) Mongolia Production?
(c) Uzbekistan (d) Pakistan (a) First (b) Second
46. “Julley Ladakh” Outreach Program is being conducted (c) Third (d) Fourth
by?
(a) Indian Army
(c) CRPF
(b) CISF AL C
(d) Indian Navy
57. What is the name of the financial inclusion dashboard
which is recently launcehed by RBI?
(a) Antardrishti (b) Drishti

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47. Ex Ekuverin’ is a joint military exersize between (c) Vijay (d) None of the above
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India and ? 58. State Bank of India, Bengaluru Circle has launched a
(a) Singapore
(c) Malaysia
(b) Maldives
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(d) None of the above
project named __________.
(a) Project Gyan (b) Project Vikas
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48. The Indian Navy successfully test-fire the (c) Project Kuber (d) Project Amar
indigenously built and developed heavy-weight
59. Lloyds Banking Group has decided to establishe
torpedo (HWT) named ________.
Tech Centre in which of the following city?
(a) Arunastra (b) Varunastra
(a) Patna (b) Ranchi
(c) Vishal (d) Suddhi
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(c) Bengaluru (d) Hyderabad

49. The newest member nation who has joined the
60. Recently SIDBI has launched EVOLVE mission with
NATO Alliance is______.
(a) RBI (b) LIC
(a) Germany (b) Italy
(c) Niti Aayog (d) PFRDA
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(c) Finland (d) England

61. Recently NHPC has signed MoU with which state
50. The MH-60 ‘Romeo’ (MH60R) multi-role helicopter
government for renewable energy projects?
is manufactured in which nation?
(a) U.S.A (b) Japan (a) Gujarat (b) Tamil Nadu
(c) India (d) China (c) Maharashtra (d) Karnartaka
51. ‘Sagar Samajik Sahayyog’ launched by Union Minister 62. Artemis Accord is related to_______.
of Ports, Shipping & Waterways are new guidelines (a) Space exploration (b) Sports
related to _________. (c) Medicine (d) Sea Exploration
(a) Banking 63. NITI Aayog has Join Hands with which organisation
(b) Sports to Accelerate Sustainable Development in India?
(c) Culture (a) World bank (b) IMF
(d) Corporate Social Responsibility (c) United Nations (d) None of the above
52. Indian Oil Corporation has decided to set up an 64. The International Day of Parliamentarism is
aviation fuel plant in which of the following states? celebrated every year on?
(a) Bihar (b) Uttar Pradesh (a) 29th June (b) 30th June
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Haryana (c) 1st July (d) 2nd July
65. National Statistics Day is celebrated on______ 78. On which of the following dates is the international
(a) 28th June (b) 29th June Asteroid Day celebrated?
(c) 30th June (d) 1st July (a) 27th June (b) 28th June
66. Micro-Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day is (c) 29th June (d) 30th June
celebrated on which date? 79. World Refugee Day is celebrated on ________.
(a) 27th June (b) 28th June (a) 20th June (b) 22nd June
(c) 29th June (d) 30th June (c) 24th June (d) 26th June
67. The UN International Day in Support of Victims of 80. Global Day of Parents is celebrated on?
Torture is celebrated on (a) 1st June (b) 2nd June
(a) 24th June (b) 25th June (c) 3rd June (d) 4th June
(c) 26th June (d) 27th June 81. How many Vande Bharat trains were flagged off by
68. International Olympics Day is celebrated on_______. the Prime Minister of India from Rani Kamlapati
station?
(a) 21st June (b) 22nd June
(a) 2 (b) 3
(c) 23rd June (d) 24th June
(c) 4 (d) 5
69. International Yoga Day is celebrated on
82. Passport Seva Divas was celebrated on which date in
(a) 21st June (b) 22nd June
June?
(c) 23rd June (d) 24th June

event which is celebrated on

(a) 13th June (b) 14th June
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70. World Wind Day or Global Wind Day is a worldwide
(a) 22nd June
(c) 24th June
(b) 23rd June
(d) 25th June
83. The name of India’s first Omicron-specific mRNA
booster vaccine is ________.

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(c) 15th june (d) 16th June (a) Gemovac-OM (b) lndomovac-OM
71. World Oceans Day is celebrated on ___________.
LA (c) Gemovac-OS (d) Indomovac-OS
(a) 7th June (b) 8th June 84. NANDI is a portal for the approval of ________
(c) 9th June (d) 10th June (a) New Drugs
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72. World Environment day is celebrated on_______. (b) Books

(a) 4th June (b) 5th June (c) Government Buildings
(c) 6th June (d) 7th June (d) None of the above
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73. On which of the following dates is the World Milk 85. Balidan Stambh was recently inaugurated in which
Day celebrated? of the following places?
(a) 1st June (b) 2nd June (a) Leh (b) Ladakh
(c) 3rd June (d) 4th June (c) Srinagar (d) New Delhi
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74. World Food Safety Day is celebrated on _______. 86. “Bharat in Paris” campaign has been launched by
(a) 7th June (b) 8th June (a) Indian Olympic Association
(c) 9th June (d) 10th June (b) BCCI
75. World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is (c) ICC
celebrated on ________. (d) Table Tennis Federation of India
(a) 13th June (b) 14th June 87. The launch of the “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile
(c) 17th june (d) 18th June App” took place in which of the following cities?
76. On which of the following dates is the World Day (a) Mussoorie (b) Nanital
Against Child Labour is celebrated? (c) Bhimtal (d) Shimla
(a) 11th June (b) 12th June 88. What is the new name of the Nehru Memorial
(c) 13th June (d) 14th June Museum and Library?
77. United Nations Public Service Day is celebrated on (a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum and Society.
__________. (b) Atal Bihar Vajpayee Museum and Society.
(a) 21st June (b) 22nd June (c) Dr. Rajendra Prasad Museum and Society.
(c) 23rd June (d) 24th June (d) Prime Ministers’ Museum and Society.
89. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 95. Kharchi Puja took place in which of the following
first-ever National Training Conclave at which place? state?
(a) Gujarat (b) New Delhi (a) Assam (b) Bihar
(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Uttar Pradesh (c) Tripura (d) Meghalaya
90. Nyaya Vikas Portal was launched for which of the 96. Operation Conviction” was recently launched in
following purpose? which of the following states?
(a) To monitor Implementation of Centrally (a) Bihar
Sponsored Schemes
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(b) To monitor Implementation of entrepreneurship
rules of India (c) Jharkhand
(c) To monitor Implementation of Sports Schemes (d) Uttarakhand
of India 97. Which state police has introduces a new scheme
(d) To monitor Implementation of tax rules in India called ‘Pengal Pathukaaptu Thittam’?
91. MISHTI initiative is related with ________ (a) Bihar
(a) Mangrove (b) Tamil Nadu
(b) Air pollution (c) Jharkhand
(c) Water pollution (d) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Agriculture development

Mount Everest?
(a) Muthamizh Selvi
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92. Who is the first woman from Tamil Nadu to summit

(b) Ananthaswami Jaya

98. Which state government has launches a free power
scheme, ‘Griha Jyoti Yojana’ ?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Assam

H
(c) Karnataka (d) Kerala
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(c) Mridula Swamy (d) Vijaya Srida
LA 99. Which state government has announced monthly
93. Union Cabinet Approves Establishment of Regional
pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma
Office of Universal Postal Union in
Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of State?
(a) New Delhi (b) Mumbai
S

(a) Haryana (b) Bihar

(c) Chennai (d) Kolkata
(c) Kerala (d) Gujarat
94. Recently, how many products from Uttar Pradesh
gets a Geographical Indication tag? 100. Which state govt has launched ‘Shakti’ scheme?
(a) Five (b) Six (a) Tamil Nadu (b) Assam
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(c) Seven (d) Eight (c) Karnataka (d) Kerala

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Q Solution
1. (d) PM Modi was in the U.S.A from June 21 to June
23 upon the invitation of US President Joe
Biden notably including International Yoga Day
celebrations. This was his ‘first state visit.’He
met several entrepreneurs and thought leaders
like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nobel Prize winner
Paul Romer and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse
Tyson.
2. (b) Petteri Orpo, the leader of the conservative party
in Finland, has been elected as the country’s
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prime minister by the parliament. Petteri Orpo
will be the leader of the coalition government
comprising four parties, including the far-right
Finns Party.
H
S
3. (a) The Riigikogu or Estonian parliament recently
LA
approved a new law that legalises same-sex
marriage. Estonia becomes the first Baltic
nation to do so. Baltic states, the northeastern
S
region of Europe containing the countries of
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, on the eastern
shores of the Baltic Sea.
4. (b) The World Bank recently launched its first
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dedicated road safety project in South Asia.The
USD 358 million financing agreement was signed
in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh.
Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-
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Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6) will be
taken up for the implementation of this project.
5. (d) The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Israel’s
Finance Ministry have successfully completed
the ‘proof of concept phase’ for a digital
Israeli Bond traded on a dedicated blockchain
platform.The development positions Israel to
release the world’s first digital government
bond. The collaboration between the TASE and
the Finance Ministry’s Office of the Accountant
General- is called Project Eden.
6. (a) Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra
Leone and Slovenia were elected to the United
Nations Security Council as non-permanent
members in 2024-2025.The Security Council
is composed of 15 countries, five of which -
China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and
the United States – are permanent members,
granting them the right to veto any resolution
or decision.
7. (a) Latvian lawmakers picked the country’s long-
serving and popular foreign minister, Edgars
Rinkevics as its new head of state. Rinkevics
announced in 2014 that he is “proudly”
homosexual.Latvia is a country located in the
Baltic region in Northern Europe.
8. (c) Bola Tinubu was sworn in as the new president
of Nigeria on May 29.The new president has to
face challenges to resolve sustained economic
and security issues plaguing the country. The
inauguration took place in the capital Abuja at
Eagles Square, with local and foreign dignitaries
in attendance.
9. (a) The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune has given a space
telescope to ISRO.Solar Ultraviolet Imaging
Telescope (SUIT) is the name of the telescope.
It will be part of ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission,
which will be India’s first journey in space to
study the Sun.
10. (a) The increasing number of satellites in Earth’s
orbit means that we also have to contend with
the growing problems of orbital debris and
collisions. Many of these pieces of debris are
flying through space at speeds many times that
of a bullet. If one of the larger pieces of debris
collides with an active satellite, it could sabotage
what could very well be a crucial mission.
11. (b) The International Institute for Management
Development’s (IMD) 2023 Global
Competitiveness Index stated Denmark,
Ireland, and Switzerland have the three most
competitive economies out of the 64 countries.
Denmark has topped the list while India has
40th in this index. India had ranked 43rd in the
previous year’s index.
12. (b) The World Economic Forum’s 2023 Gender Gap
Report ranks India 127th out of 146 nations for
gender parity, up eight places from last year.
India rose 1.4 percentage points and eight ranks
from the prior season. Pakistan, Bangladesh,
China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan all rated
behind India on the index.
13. (b) Austrian city Vienna is again the world’s most
liveable city, according to the Global Liveability
Index 2023. The parameters considered for the
index are culture, entertainment, infrastructure,
education, and healthcare. Global Liveability
Index is presented by the Economics Intelligence
Unit.
14. (c) India won 202 medals at the Special Olympics
World Games 2023, including 76 gold, 75
silver, and 51 bronze in athletics.India won six
track medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze).IOC-
recognized Special Olympics organises the
Special Olympics World Games, also known as
Special Olympiad.
15. (b) The mascot for the 2024 European
Championship in Germany will be a teddy bear.
The large-headed mascot with big eyes has
shorts.Germany will host the tournament from
June 14-July 14, 2024.
16. (b) India’s junior men’s hockey team maintained
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its continental supremacy. In the final of the
tournament India beat Pakistan 2-1. This was
India’s fourth title, having earlier won the
tournament in 2004, 2008 and 2015. Men’s
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Junior Asia Cup 2023 took place in Salalah,
Oman. LA
17. (b) Tajinderpal Singh Toor Creates New Asian
Record in Shotput With 21.77m at Inter-State
S
Senior Athletics Championships, He Broke His
Own National Record. Toor was born on 13
November 1994 in Khosa Pando village in Moga
district, Punjab.
18. (c) Olympian Bhavani Devi created history by
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becoming the first Indian fencer to win a
medal at the Asian Fencing Championships.
Bhavani bagged a bronze medal after losing to
Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova 14-15 in the
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semi-final. She had defeated reigning world
champion Misaki Emura of Japan 15-10 in the
quarter-final.
19. (c) Indonesia will host the 2023 U-17 World Cup
instead of Peru. FIFA stated this after its Zurich
Council meeting.FIFA also named Colombia as
the 2024 U-20 Women’s World Cup host and
Dominica as the U-17 host.
20. (c) Dr Pramod Sawant, who is the Chief Minister
of Goa, unveiled the mascot for the upcoming
37th National Games.Goa has a unique culture,
and the unveiling of the official mascot “MOGA,”
a bison, shows the strong link between the
Games and the state’s history. The launch event
took place at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
Stadium in Taleigao.
21. (c) Egypt has retained its position as World Squash
Champion. Egypt defeated Malaysia 2-1 in the
60 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
final held in Chennai. The third-place finish was
shared by the hosts India and Japan.
22. (a) In French Open Tennis, World No. 1 and top
seed Iga Swiatek of Poland won the Women’s
Singles crown.In the Men’s singles final Novak
Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud for his record-
setting 23rd Grand Slam victory. Ivan Dodig
and Austin Krajicek won the men’s doubles
title. Hsieh Su-Wei and Wang Xinyu won female
double title. Miyu Kato and Tim Pütz won the
mixed doubles title.
23. (b) Actor Gufi Paintal, best known for playing the
role of Shakuni Mama in BR Chopra’s TV show
Mahabharat (1980), passed away in Mumbai
due to age-related health issues.He was 79
years old. Some of Gufi’s acting credits include
films Dillagi (1978), Des Pardes (1978), Daava
(1997), and Samrat & Co (2014).
24. (a) Gitanjali Aiyar, a renowned news presenter
who began her journey with Doordarshan in
1971, passed away. She also used to present
the popular English song request programme ‘A
Date With You’ on All India Radio.
25. (a) Alby D’Cruz was one of Kerala’s proud Defence
personnel.He always maintained a low profile
despite being the first Keralaite to be conferred
the Ashoka Chakra.In 1962, he received the
Asoka Chakra. Since 1967, this award has been
called ‘Shaurya Chakra’.
26. (b) The G20 agriculture ministers’ meeting was
held in Hyderabad from June 15-17.Three
meetings of the agriculture working group were
held earlier in Indore, Chandigarh and Varanasi.
The final meeting was in Hyderabad.
27. (d) Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender
Yadav addressed the Plenary Session at the
111th International Labour Conference in
Geneva. India wants tools to map global skill
gaps and harmonise and recognise skills and
certificates.
28. (c) The author of ‘The Gita for Children’ and ‘The
Vedas and Upanishads for Children,’ Roopa
Pai, is returning with a new book for young
readers. The YogaSutras for Children deciphers
Patanjali’s 2,000-year-old Yoga text for juvenile
readers.
29. (b) A.K. Bhattacharya wrote a new book titled
“Finance Ministers of India: From Independence
to the Emergency (1947-1977)”. The book
throws light on the role of India’s finance
ministers who shaped the country’s economy in
the first 30 years after independence. It covers
the period from 1947 to 1977.
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 30. (c) Shantanu Gupta, who has written two best-
selling books about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath, has published a graphic novel
titled “Ajay to Yogi Adityanath” for juvenile
readers. On June 5th, the 51st birthday of Yogi
Adityanath, the graphic novel was released in
over fifty-one institutions in Uttar Pradesh.
31. (c) Ashwinder Singh, an expert in real estate, has
published a book titled “Master Residential
Real Estate. “The book, “Master Residential
Real Estate,” is a detailed introduction to the
real estate industry. Ashvinder Singh offers
insightful commentary on the present condition
of the real estate market.
32. (c) BK Shivani writes beautifully about the effects
of every thought in The Power of One Thought:
Master Your Mind, Master Your Life. She shows
how each “one” thought affects our feelings,
attitudes, actions, habits, personalities, and
destinies. In the process, she wakes us up to
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the truth: what we think about is what we bring
about.
33. (c) Lucknow University Recently signed a pact with
Google and Meta to establish The Bharat Lab.
H
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The Bharat Lap will gather data on consumption
patterns and aspirations of consumers in India.
LA
The Bharat Lab aims to bring together corporate
giants, like Google and Meta, to gather valuable
S
data and statistics and monitor the consumption
patterns of consumers.
34. (c) The Government of India and the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) signed a $130 million
loan to increase agricultural productivity,
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improve access to irrigation and promote
horticulture agribusinesses to raise farmers’
income in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
35. (d) The U.N. has adopted the world’s first treaty
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to protect the high seas and preserve marine
biodiversity in international waters.All 193
member states supported the pact.
The goal of the treaty is to protect biodiversity
in the high seas, which cover about half of the
Earth’s surface and are outside of state borders.
36. (c) Japan has changed its sex crime laws to make
the age of consent 16 instead of 13. Before this,
Japan was in the league of countries having the
lowest age of consent. Under the law, sexual
activity with someone younger than 16 is called
statutory rape.
37. (b) The BIMSTEC Energy Centre which will act as
the Secretariat for BIMSTEC energy cooperation
will be formally inaugurated in India.The centre
will be the hub for energy partnership for
BIMSTEC. BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative
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for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation) was inaugurated when the
Bangkok Declaration was signed on June 6,
1997.
38. (a) During a study of coal in the Kenduadihi block
of Odisha’s Sundargarh district, a team from the
Geological Study of India found India’s largest
natural arch. The state unit of the Geological
Survey of India (GSI) wants to make a Geo
Heritage Site out of the “Natural Arch” in the
Kanika range of the Sundargarh forest division.
39. (b) India will buy 30 MQ9B Guardian armed drones
from the US. In addition to 24x7 surveillance, it
can target enemy ground positions, warships,
airbases, and even flights.
40. (a) Exercise Ranvijay, which focused on integration,
involved day and night combat operations by
combat aircraft like the Su-30s.The exercise was
carried out in Prayagraj.
41. (a) GE Aerospace has signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) with Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce fighter
jet engines for the Indian Air Force, It is a
major milestone amidst Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s official state visit to the United
States and a key element in strengthening
defence cooperation between the two countries.
42. (a) The Indian Army has concluded a massive
military exercise — Agneyastra 1 — in eastern
Ladakh.The exercise witnessed the deployment
of IdeaForge’s indigenous ‘Switch’ unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV).Anti-tank missiles and Carl
Gustav rocket launchers (RLs) also participated
in the exercise Agneyastra 1.
43. (b) Vietnam received the INS Kirpan, an in-service
Missile Corvette constructed by India.
After a session of bilateral discussions, Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh presented a gift from
India to his Vietnamese counterpart, General
Phan Van Gang, in Delhi.
44. (c) DRDO organises ‘Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir’ to
encourage Defence R&D. The Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO)
released 75 technology priority areas to boost
India’s indigenous military manufacturing
sector. This strategic approach is projected
to boost innovation, indigenization, and self-
reliance, advancing military technology design
and development.
45. (b) Multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex
Khaan Quest 2023” featuring participation from
military contingents and observers from over
20 countries has commenced in Mongolia.
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 Mr Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, the Hon’ble
President of Mongolia inaugurated the Exercise
in a ceremony organised at the exercise location
in Mongolia.
46. (d) Indian Navy is conducting “Julley Ladakh”, an
outreach programme to Ladakh to increase
awareness about the service in Ladakh and to
engage with youth and civil society there.
A five thousand kilometre Motorcycle
Expedition was flagged off by Vice Chief of Naval
Staff, Sanjay Jasjit Singh, from the National War
Memorial.
47. (b) The 12th edition of joint military exercise
“Ex Ekuverin” between the Indian Army &
the Maldives National Defence Force has
commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand from
11 to 24 June 2023. Ekuverin means ‘Friends’.
The previous edition of the exercise, the 11th
edition, was held in the Maldives in December
48. (b)
2021.
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The Indian Navy successfully test-fire the
indigenously built and developed heavy-weight
torpedo (HWT) Varunastra on June 6 with a live
H
warhead against an underwater target.
S
Induction of the Varunastra anti-submarine
LA
torpedo has begun after extensive testing, and
it will become the mainstay of anti-submarine
S
torpedo for all naval warships.
49. (c) NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
countries conducted military exercises with
a pledge to defend their newest member,
Finland, which is hosting its first joint training
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in the Arctic region since becoming part of the
Western alliance in April.
50. (a) The MH60R helicopter is a versatile platform
with exceptional anti-submarine warfare,
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surveillance, anti-shipping, and search and
rescue capabilities.The MH-60R is an all-
weather helicopter manufactured by Lockheed
Martin Corporation in the United States.
51. (d) The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways and Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
launched ‘Sagar Samajik Sahayyog’ - the new
guidelines of Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways. The new guidelines empower ports
to undertake CSR activities directly.
52. (d) Indian Oil Corp will set up an 80,000 tonnes
sustainable aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in
Haryana. The company is looking at an investment
of about 23 billion rupees ($280.1 million),
S M Vaidya said on the sidelines of an industry
event in New Delhi.
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53. (c) Fitch Rating Raised its forecast for India’s
economic growth to 6.3% for the current fiscal
year 2023-24 from the 6% it had predicted
previously. This is primarily because of a
stronger outturn in the first quarter and near-
term momentum.
54. (c) In an effort to strengthen its presence in North
East India, the Reserve Bank has opened a sub-
office in Kohima and announced its intention
to shortly open a branch in Itanagar.Deputy
Governor Michael Debabrata Patra inaugurated
the office in Nagaland’s capital, which will
expand the central bank’s presence in the
region’s northeast.
55. (c) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced
that its rate-setting panel, the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC), will meet six times in the next
financial year (FY24).RBI’s monetary policy
main objective is to maintain price stability anf
growth simultaneously.
56. (b) India currently ranks as the World’s 2nd Largest
Producer of Crude Steel, surpassing Japan in
2018.Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation
Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said this in a press
conference.
57. (a) The dashboard ‘Antardrishti’ would provide the
necessary knowledge to evaluate and track the
development of financial inclusion by recording
relevant data.The dashboard, presently
intended for internal use in the RBI, will further
facilitate greater financial inclusion through a
multi-stakeholder approach.
58. (c) State Bank of India, Bengaluru Circle launched
‘Project Kuber’, which will have four Transaction
Banking Hubs and One Corporate Salary
Package Hub. These hubs will help to increase
the market share in liability products of SBI.
59. (d) Lloyds Banking Group, one of the largest
providers of financial services in the United
Kingdom, has announced its intention to
establish a technology centre in Hyderabad,
India. The centre, which will be operational by
the end of 2023, seeks to enhance the group’s
digital capabilities.
60. (c) SIDBI, the principal financial institution for
MSMEs in India said it has launched mission
EVOLVE (Electric Vehicle Operations and
Lending for Vibrant Ecosystem) in association
with NITI Aayog, World Bank, Korean-World
Bank and Korean Economic Development
Cooperation Fund (EDCF) to finance MSMEs in
the EV space.
61. (c) State-owned hydropower company NHPC
Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Maharashtra government. This
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 is to establish energy storage systems along
with other renewable energy sources (Solar/
Wind/ Hybrid) of a total of 7,350 MW capacity.
62. (a) India has decided to join the Artemis Accords,
which brings like-minded countries together on
civil space exploration.The National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) and Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have
agreed to a joint mission to the International
Space Station in 2024.
63. (c) NITI Aayog and the United Nations in India
signed the Government of India - United
Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation
Framework (GoI-UNSDCF) 2023-2027.The GoI-
UNSDCF was signed by Mr. B V R Subrahmanyam,
CEO, NITI Aayog, and Mr. Shombi Sharp, UN
Resident Coordinator, India in the presence of
the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Mr. Suman
Bery, senior representatives from NITI Aayog,
central ministries and heads of UN agencies in
64. (b)
India.
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The International Day of Parliamentarism is
celebrated every year on 30 June, the date in
1889 on which the IPU was founded. The Day
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was established in 2018 through a United
Nations General Assembly Resolution. LA
65. (b) In recognition of the notable contributions
made by Professor (late) Prasanta Chandra
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Mahalanobis in the fields of statistics and
economic planning, Government of India has
designated 29th June every year, coinciding
with his birth anniversary, as “Statistics Day.
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66. (a) MSMEs account for 90% of businesses, 60 to 70%
of employment and 50% of GDP worldwide.The
United Nations General Assembly designated
27 June as “Micro-, Small, and Medium-sized
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Enterprises Day” to raise awareness of the
tremendous contributions of MSMEs to the
achievement of the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
67. (c) The UN International Day in Support of Victims
of Torture on 26 June marks the moment in 1987
when the UN Convention Against Torture and
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment, one of the key instruments in
fighting torture, came into effect.
68. (c) Olympic Day commemorates the founding of
the International Olympic Committee on 23
June 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.Doctor
Gruss, a Czech IOC member, presented the idea
of a world Olympic day at the 41st Session of the
International Olympic Committee in Stockholm,
Sweden.The theme of this year’s Olympic Day is
‘Let’s Move’.
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69. (a) Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual
practice that originated in India.Recognising
its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014,
the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the
International Day of Yoga.
70. (c) World Wind Day or Global Wind Day is a
worldwide event which falls on June 15 every
year. It is a day for discovering wind energy, its
power and the possibilities it holds to reshape
our energy systems.
71. (b) The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It is our
life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance
and that of every other organism on earth. The
2023 theme for the world ocean day is ‘“The
Planet Ocean’s Changing Tide.”
72. (b) World Environment Day is Led by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and held annually on 5 June since 1973.2023
marks 50 years of the celebration of World
Environment Day.
73. (a) The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of
the United Nations established World Milk Day
to recognise the significance of milk as a global
sustenance source. Since 2001, it has been
observed on June 1 annually.
74. (a) The fifth World Food Safety Day (WFSD) will be
celebrated on 7 June 2023.World Food Safety
Day is marked annually to raise awareness
about the importance of safe food practices and
to highlight the global need for safe food.
75. (c) The United Nations General Assembly
declared 17 June to be “World Day to Combat
Desertification and Drought” by its resolution
A/RES/49/115 adopted in December 1994.
This year, the theme of the International Day
Against Desertification, and Drought “Her land.
Her rights”, emphasizes investing in women’s
equal access to land.
76. (b) World Day Against Child Labour is celebrated
on 12th June. “Week of Action against Child
Labour” is the theme for the 2023 World Day
Against Child Labour.
77. (c) On 20 December 2002, the General Assembly
designated 23 June as Public Service Day. The
day revolves around the value and virtue of
public service to the community.
78. (d) In December 2016 the United Nations General
Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90,
declaring 30 June International Asteroid Day.
30th June is the anniversary of the Tunguska
impact over Siberia, Russian Federation which
took place on 30 June 1908.
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 79. (a) The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967
Protocol help protect Refugees.The day was first
celebrated on June 20, 2001, to commemorate
the 1951 convention.The 2023 Theme of the
Refugee Day is- Hope Away from Home.
80. (a) In 2012, the General Assembly proclaimed 1
June as the Global Day of Parents, to be observed
annually in honour of parents throughout the
world. Since the 1980s, the important role of the
family has increasingly come to the attention of
the international community.
81. (d) PM Narendra Modi flagged off 5 Vande Bharat
trains from Bhopal’s Rani Kamlapati station.
These semi-high-speed trains are Rani
Kamalapati (Bhopal)-Jabalpur Vande Bharat
Express, Khajuraho-Bhopal-Indore Vande
Bharat Express, Madgaon (Goa)-Mumbai Vande
Bharat Express, Dharwad-Bengaluru Vande
Bharat Express, and Hatia-Patna Vande Bharat
Express.
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82. (c) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced
on the occasion of Passport Seva Divas that
India will soon commence the second phase
of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP-Version
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2.0). 24th of June every year is celebrated as
Passport Seva Divas. It was on this day in 1967
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that the Passports Act, of 1967 had come into
effect.
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83. (d) Union Minister Jitendra Singh introduced
Gemovac-OM, an mRNA-based booster
vaccination developed specifically for Omicron
by Genova using its own platform technology.
Recent Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)
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approval for the vaccine was granted by the
Drug Control General of India (DCGI).
84. (a) Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry
& Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala launched
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Nandi - NOC Approval for New Drug and
Inoculation System portal at Krishi Bhawan,
New Delhi.The development of the NANDI
portal was carried out in collaboration with the
Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
(CDSCO) and the Center for Development of
Advanced Computing (CDAC).
85. (c) Union Home Minister and Minister of
Cooperation, Amit Shah laid the foundation
stone of the ‘Balidan Stambh’ in Srinagar, an
enduring symbol of courage. He met with the
families of the martyrs from the Jammu and
Kashmir Police.
86. (a) Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur
today flagged off “Bharat in Paris” campaign
with a short marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru
Stadium in New Delhi. The campaign has been
launched by Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
64 CURRENT AFFAIRS | July 2023
87. (a) Mahendra Nath Pandey, the Union Minister
of Heavy Industries, recently launched the
groundbreaking “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile
App.”Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments
Limited (REIL) has developed the app. This
mobile app aims to improve the quality of milk.
The launch event took place in Mussoorie,
Uttarakhand.
88. (d) The Central Government has decided to
designate the Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library as the Prime Ministers’ Museum and
Society. Vice-President of the Society and
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over
the special meeting.
89. (b) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated
the first-ever National Training Conclave at
the International Exhibition and Convention
Centre, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.Prime
Minister emphasised that training should
inculcate the importance of Jan Bhagidari in
every government servant.
90. (a) Nyaya Vikas Portal allows four
ways of logging into the portal, thereby
empowering stakeholders with seamless
efficient
access to information pertaining to funding,
documentation, project monitoring and
approval.The Nyaya Vikas Portal has been
established to monitor the implementation of
Centrally Sponsored Schemes.
91. (a) On World Environment Day, June 5, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi introduced two
initiatives to revitalise the country’s wetlands
and mangroves: Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI
(Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and
Tangible Incomes). India has 75 Ramsar sites at
present.
92. (a) Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu’s Minister
for Sports Development and Youth Welfare,
honoured N Muthamizh Selvi, the first woman
from Tamil Nadu to summit Mount Everest.
After 56 days of arduous travel, the 34-year-old
woman from Johilpatti, Virudhunagar, reached
the summit of Mount Everest on May 23.
93. (a) The Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved
to establish a Regional Office of the Universal
Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi.India to
undertake UPU’s development cooperation and
technical assistance activities in the region by
entering into an agreement with UPU.
94. (c) The seven products of Uttar Pradesh have been
given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
from the Geographical Indications Registry in
Chennai.
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 7 Handicrafts products from Uttar Pradesh with
Geographical Indication (GI) Tag are
� Amroha Dholak.
� Kalpi Handmade Paper.
� Baghpat Home Furnishings.
� Barabanki Handloom Product.
� Mahoba Gaura Patthar Hastashlip.
� Mainpuri Tarkashi.
� Sambhal Horn Craft.
95. (c) Kharchi puja is the worship of the dynasty
deity of Tripuri people, the fourteen gods. It is
performed in the month of July August on the
eight day of new moon. The word Kharchi is
derived from two Tripuri words ‘Khar’ or Kharta
meaning or Sin, ‘chi’ or si meaning cleaning.
96. (b) In order to make Uttar Pradesh free from crime,
100. (c) Karnataka Government rolled out its first of the
Uttar Pradesh Police have a new action plan
called ‘Operation Conviction’ to ensure speedy
punishment to the criminals involved in heinous
crimes.
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97. (b) Tamil Nadu Police initiates a safety initiative
for women travelling alone at night. The Tamil
Nadu Police have launched a new initiative
titled ‘Pengal Pathukappu Thittam’ that gives
women’s safety in the state top priority.
98. (c) Recently, the Government of Karnataka
introduced the Karnataka Gruha Jyothi Scheme
for the region’s residents.Under the Karnataka
Gruha Jyothi Scheme, those who consume
less than 200 units of electricity per month
will receive free electricity from the state of
Karnataka.
99. (a) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today
announced a monthly pension of 10,000 rupees
for the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma
Vibhushan awardees of the State besides,
free travel facility in Volvo Buses of the State
Government.
five poll guarantees, the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which
offers free travel to women and transgender
people in government-run buses in the state.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief
minister DK Shivakumar and transport minister
Ramalinga Reddy launched the scheme.

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16 Static Takeaways

Important Festivals of North East India

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Festival State Features

Losar Arunachal Pradesh Celebrated on first day of lunar calender, usually celebrated by Monpa tribe
Saga Dawa Sikkim Celebrated in May June, Buddhist festival
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Bihu Assam Celebrated thrice a year

Rongli Bihu: April
Kati or Kongli Bihu: October
Maagh or Bhogali Bihu: January
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Hornbill Festival Nagaland 10 Day festival starting from 1st December

Kharchi Pooja Tripura Celebrated in July, Earth is honoured
Moatsu Mong Nagaland Celebrated in first week of May after sowing
Cheira boa Manipur Celebrated in April, First Day of Month Sajibu, Usually celebrated by Meitei
tribe
Wangala Festival Meghalaya Celebrated by Garo tribe, beginning of winter, also known as 100 Drum
Festival
Kang Chingba Manipur Kind of Rath Yatra

Ambuchi Mela Assam Held at Kamakya Temple in month of June

Losoong Festival Sikkim New Yer of Sikkim

Majuli Festival Assam Organised in November

Anthurium Mizoram Anthurium Festival is a successful tourism promotion venture of the Tourism
Department. It is a day festival
Chapchar Kut Mizoram agriculture festival in Mizoram. Celebrated in the month of March every
year, bamboo dance Chrew is performed
Dress Festival Arunachal Pradesh Mainly celebrated by Apatani tribe, takes place mainly in ziro valley

Important Congress Sessions before Independence

Year Place President Significance
1885 Bombay W C Bonnerjee Formation of Congress
1886 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji National Congress and National Conference
1887 Madras Syed Badruddin Tyabji First Muslim President
1888 Allahabad George Yule First English president
1896 Calcutta Rahimtullah M. Sayani ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung first time
1905 Benares Gopal Krishna Gokhale Begal Partition was opposed
1906 Calcutta Dadabhai Naoroji ‘Swaraj’ was reffered first time in Congress Session
Party splits into extremists and moderates (Popularly known
1907 Surat Rash Behari Ghosh
as Surat Split)
1909
1911
Lahore
Calcutta AL C
Madan Mohan Malaviya
Bishan Narayan Dhar
Indian Councils Act 1909 Crticized
National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first sung
Lucknow Pact – joint session with the Muslim League, Also

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1916 Lucknow Ambica Charan Mazumdar
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Extremists and Moderates Joined hand
Annie Besant (1847 –LA
1917 Calcutta First woman president of the INC
1933)
Syed Hasan Imam
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Bombay And Two sessions were held. First in Bombay in August/

1918 (Bombay) And Madan
Delhi September Second in Delhi in December
Mohan Malaviya (Delhi)
Non-Cooperation movement was approved, Special session
was held in 1920 September in Calcutta. presided by Lala
1920 Nagpur C. Vijayaraghavachariar.
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Lajpat Rai, the session was regarding the non-cooperation

movement
Sarojini Naidu (1879 –
1925 Kanpur First Indian woman president
1949)
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1928 Calcutta Motilal Nehru All India Youth Congress formation took place

Resolution for ‘Poorna Swaraj.’ Civil Disobedience movement

1929 Lahore Jawaharlal Nehru for complete independence to be launched, 26 January was
announced as the ‘Independence Day’.

Resolution on fundamental rights and nation was al economic

progress. The Gandhi-Irwin pact was endorsed. Gandhi jee
1931 Karachi Vallabhbhai Patel
was nominated to represent INC in the second round table
conference
1936 Faizpur Jawaharlal Nehru First rural session

1938 Haripura Subhas Chandra Bose National planning committee set up under Nehru

1946 Meerut Acharya Kripalani Last session before independence

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 DESCRIPTION
• Validity Period: 1 year
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators

• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW.

• This will cater all the upcoming Exams of SSC including SSC CGL, SSC CPO, SSC
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• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW

If you are preparing for SSC & State Exams then this is the most useful pack for you.
This is a one stop solution for all of your exam preparation.
This will add value and direction to your preparation at an affordable price.
 DESCRIPTION
• Validity Period: 2 year
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators

• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW.

• This will cater all the upcoming Exams of SSC including SSC CGL, SSC CPO, SSC
CHSL,MTS, STENO, SSC GD, & State wise various Exams like UP, Delhi Bihar and
many More.

• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned

Educators

• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW

If you are preparing for SSC & State Exams then this is the most useful pack for you.
This is a one stop solution for all of your exam preparation.
This will add value and direction to your preparation at an affordable price.