Contents

1. Art and Culture.......................................................................................................................1

2. Books and Authors.................................................................................................................7
3. Defence and Military Exercises...........................................................................................9
4. Economy.................................................................................................................................15
5. Environment and Geography.............................................................................................17
6. Index and Reports................................................................................................................20
7. India and The world.............................................................................................................23
8. MOU and Agreements.........................................................................................................26
9. Polity.......................................................................................................................................28
10. Schemes in News..................................................................................................................29
11. Science and Technology......................................................................................................34
12. Summit and Conferences....................................................................................................42
13. Sports......................................................................................................................................46
14. Important Days.....................................................................................................................50
15. Person in News......................................................................................................................52
16 Practice Set............................................................................................................................58
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 1
HELIOPOLIS WAR MEMORIAL
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects at the
Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial in the Heliopolis War
Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt. Nearly 4,000 Indian soldiers
who fought in World War I in Egypt and Palestine are
remembered there. The Heliopolis Commonwealth War
Graves Cemetery also remembers the deaths of 1,700 men
from the Commonwealth who died in World War 2.
HELIOPOLIS:
• The Heliopolis (Port Tewfik) Memorial is a part of
the bigger Heliopolis Commonwealth War Graves
Cemetery. This memorial is a way to remember the
3,727 Indian troops who died in the First World War
while fighting in Egypt and Palestine.
• The first memorial to Port Tewfik was revealed in 1926.
It was at the entrance to the Suez Canal. Now, Port
Tewfik is called Port Suez. During the Israeli-Egyptian
War of 1967, Egyptian troops on the run destroyed
the memorial. In 1980, a new memorial was built in
Heliopolis Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery with
the names of the Indian soldiers who died in the First
World War campaign in Egypt and Palestine.
THE REVIVAL OF NAMDA ART IN KASHMIR
Through the efforts of the Skill India project, which is part
of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), a
fading craft known as the Namda Art of Kashmir has been
effectively brought back to life.
Art and Culture
Namda Art:
• These carpets are then felted. It was a Sufi saint by
the name of Shah-e-Hamdan who is credited with
introducing it to the world in the 16th century. Warmth
is provided by Namda rugs, which are also utilized as
floor coverings and elements of interior design.
• This age-old form of artistic expression has been taught
to about 2,200 potential performers hailing from six
different regions in Jammu & Kashmir.
• Creating felted carpets out of sheep wool and
embellishing them by hand is a traditional craft from
Kashmir.
SUSHRUTA JAYANTI
• On the joyous occasion of Sushruta Jayanti-2023,
the All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) hosted a
symposium that lasted for three days, beginning on July
13 and ending on July 15, 2023
• On July 15 of each year, a holiday known as Sushruta
Jayanti is held in celebration of the famous Sushruta,
widely regarded as the father of surgery.
• The Department of Shalyatantra of the AIIA is putting
on a distinguished event named “Shalyacon” in order
to pay homage to a great figure and the incalculable
contributions he made to the field of surgery throughout
the course of his career.
CHACHIN GRAZING FESTIVAL CELEBRATED
IN ARUNACHAL PRADESH
The Chachin grazing festival was held on July 14 and 15,
and it was attended by the indigenous graziers of the
Tawang district near Bumla Pass in Arunachal Pradesh.
Chachin Grazing Festival
• During the Chachin grazing festival, medical and
veterinary camps were set up to offer important
healthcare support to the local graziers and their
yaks.
• These camps were set up in order to provide essential
healthcare support.
• The medical camp catered to the needs of the graziers
in terms of their health, while the veterinary camp
focused on providing medical assistance to the yaks
and ensuring that they were in good health.
BICENTENARY YEAR OF NAWAB WAJID ALI
SHAH
• It has been 200 years since Nawab Wajid Ali Shah
became the last king of Awadh.
• Mirza Wajid Ali Shah, who was born in 1887 and was
also known as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was the last king
of Awadh.
• He brought the traditional Indian dance style of
Kathak to the court.He liked a light classical style of
music called thumri.
• He also backed and encouraged ragas like Tilak, pilu,
sendura, khammach, bhairvi, and jhanjhauti.
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FUSION OF ROCK ART AT RUDRAGIRI
HILLOCK
• The Rudragiri hillock is a great example of the rich
history and art of Andhra Pradesh.
• It has Kakatiya paintings from 1300 AD on top of
artwork from the Mesolithic period, which is thought
to be thousands of years old.
• The Mesolithic people who lived there around 5000
B.C. used five rock caves that were made by nature as
homes.
• The paintings from the Kakatiya era show scenes from
the epic Ramayana. They have many different colours
made from white kaolin and other paints.
TANKAI METHOD
• The traditional method of sewn shipbuilding, also
known as the Tankai method, is going to be brought
back into use thanks to the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of
Culture and the Indian Navy.
• Instead of using nails to affix the wooden planks
together in order to create ships, an ancient
shipbuilding method known as the Tankai method
included stitching the planks together.
• The ships benefit from this strategy in terms of their
flexibility and endurance; as a result, they are less likely
to sustain damage from shoals and sandbars.
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• The importance of bringing back the stitched • Over 50,000 Indian Army personnel from the 4th, 8th,
shipbuilding technology lies in the fact that it is and 10th Divisions participated in the Second World
essential for the maintenance of India’s abundant War Italian Campaign. Six Indian troops got Italy’s 20
maritime heritage and cultural history. Victoria Crosses. 23,722 Indian soldiers were killed,
5,782 of whom are buried in 40 Commonwealth War
Graves around Italy.
• An Indian Army plaque remembering the courageous
sacrifice of all ranks of the Indian Army in the Italian
Campaign has been installed at the memorial to make
it participatory.
• A living sundial memorialises him. “Omines Sub
Eodem Sole”—”We all live under the same sun”—is the
memorial’s slogan.

INDIA’S BIGGEST NATURAL ARCH WAS

DISCOVERED IN ODISHA BY GSI
• The largest natural arch in India was discovered by
the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in the state of
Odisha.
• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) just finished a
survey that resulted to the discovery of India’s largest
natural arch.
• This arch can be found in the Kenduadihi block of the
Sundargarh district in Odisha. MACHAIL MATA YATRA BEGINS IN KISHTWA,
• The age of formation is somewhere between 184 and JAMMU
160 million years ago, during the lower to middle The annual Machail Mata Yatra started off with a large
Jurassic period. number of devotees making their way to the mountaintop
• The natural arch can span a maximum distance of temple in the Kishtwar area of Jammu and Kashmir so
30 metres from its base to its peak, and it can reach that they may pay their respects to the deity. A religious
a maximum height of 12 metres. It has the shape of ceremony called “Pratham Pooja” was performed at the
an oval and the alcove has dimensions of 7 metres in temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Durga and is
height and 15 metres in width. also referred to as “Kaali” or “Chandi.” This marked the
• Situated amid the thick Chhengapahar Reserve beginning of the pilgrimage.
Forest, close to the Brahmani settlement, and flanked
by cliffs and steeply inclined slopes.

NATIONAL MARITIME HERITAGE COMPLEX

(NMHC)
• The National Maritime Heritage Complex is being built
ITALY HONOURS INDIAN ARMY at Lothal, Gujarat, as part of the Sagarmala programme
CONTRIBUTION IN SECOND WORLD WAR by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
• Italy honours the Indian Soldiers’ extraordinary efforts • NMHC would be created as an international tourist
and contributions during the Second World War by destination, where the nautical heritage of India from
inaugurating this Memorial. ancient to modern times would be presented.
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• The maritime complex is planned to be one of the most DALAI LAMA’S 88TH BIRTHDAY
popular tourist sites in the world, and it will have the
• On July 6, 2023, 88th birthday was celebrated of
world’s highest lighthouse museum, the world’s
His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Thekchen Choling,
largest open aquatic gallery, and India’s grandest
naval museum. Dharamsala, India.
• In addition, the complex will be the site of the world’s • Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is a revered
largest open-air aquarium. spiritual leader who has devoted his life to promoting
• The development of the facility, on which work was peace, compassion, and the well-being of all sentient
initiated in March 2022, is proceeding at a cost of beings.
approximately Rs 4500 crores. • He was elected to his position in the year 1983.
• It will have a number of innovative and one-of-a-kind • The Dalai Lama was born on July 6, 1935 in Taktser,
features such as Lothal mini recreation to recreate which is located in Amdo, which is located in the
Harappan architecture and lifestyle; northeastern region of Tibet.
• Four theme parks -
Š Memorial theme park,
Š Maritime and Navy theme park,
Š Climate theme park and Adventure and
Š Amusement theme park;
• Fourteen galleries
Š Highlight India’s maritime heritage beginning in the
Harappan times and continuing up to the present
day;
• Coastal states
Š Pavilion displaying diverse maritime heritage of
states and UT

WORLD FAMOUS SHRAVANI MELA

INAUGURATED IN DEOGHAR
• State Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh offered
prayers at Baba Baidyanathdham shrine in Deoghar to
open the two-month-long Shravani Mela.
• Mr. Badal said the two-month Shravani Mela has
eight Mondays this year. The state government has
prepared Kanwariyas to perform Baba Baidyanath’s
Jal Abhishek puja.
DHARMA CHAKRA DAY • Shravani Mela runs July 3–September 7. Kanwariya
• According to the Indian sun calendar, the joyous holding positions have health camps and increased
occasion of Asadha Poornima takes place on the first security.
day of the month of Asadha that features a full moon. • The 12 Jyotirlingas in India include Baba
• In Sri Lanka, it is also referred to as Esala Poya, while in Baidyanathdham Temple.
Thailand, it is called Asanha Bucha.
• After the Buddha Poornima or Vesak, this day is
considered by Buddhists to be the second holiest of all
days.
• This day commemorates the first teaching that the
Buddha gave after he attained enlightenment.
• He gave it to the first five ascetic followers (pacavargika)
on the full-moon day of Asadha at ‘Deer Park’, now
known as Sarnath and located close to Varanasi in India

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BASTILLE DAY.
• Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, arrived in
Paris on Thursday (July 13) for a two-day visit, during
which he would participate in in-depth discussions
with Emmanuel Macron, the President of France,
and serve as the Guest of Honour at the events
commemorating the French National Day.
• Indian Army participated in the Bastille day.
Bastille
• The 14th of July, also known as Bastille Day or the Fête
nationale francaise, is the day on which the nation of
France celebrates its national day. STUD AND BEAD FROM THE SANGAM
• This occasion is marked by a lengthy military parade, PERIOD FOUND IN TAMIL NADU
dancing, and other forms of mirth.
One of the eight trenches that were dug at the site yielded
• In French, this holiday is known as La Fete Nationale
a floral-shaped stud with six petals after it was excavated
or Le 14 Juillet, and it is celebrated with fireworks and
to a depth of 133 centimeters.
a parade every year.
• It was one of the most significant days in French history According to T. Thangadurai, Excavation Director at
since it marked the collapse of the Bastille, which was Porpanaikottai,”The ornament, which weighs 0.26 grams,
both a military stronghold and a political prison. At the was probably used as a nose stud and is an indication of
time, the Bastille was seen as a symbol of the monarchy the culture of the Sangam Age.”
and the armoury.

LAMBANI ITEMS
The third meeting of the G20 Culture Working Group
established a new record for the “Largest Display of
Lambani Items” in the Guinness Book of World Records.
During the one-of-a-kind exhibition that was opened by
Shri Prahlad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal
and Mines, there were a total of 1,755 different Lambini
products that were on display.
Lambani Art:
The Lambani or Banjara community, which is a
nomadic population that lives in numerous parts of India,
particularly Karnataka, is responsible for the practice of
Lambani art, which is a sort of textile ornamentation.
On fabric that is loosely woven, it features a variety of
multicolored threads, mirror work, and intricate stitch
patterns.
VITASTA PROGRAM
Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister, said that “Vitasta-
The Festival of Kashmir” was a great way to show off the
rich culture, arts, and crafts of Kashmir.
The goal of the Vitasta program was to share Kashmir’s
rich art, culture, literature, craft, and food with the rest of
the country.
The series of these programs began in Chennai and
finished in Srinagar.
The young people were excited to learn about the culture
of Kashmir.
To make people more familiar with Kashmiri culture,
many workshops, art installation camps, seminars, and
craft shows were set up.
People took part in these events and learned more about
Kashmiri culture.

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KER PUJA EVENTS 2023
• Ker Puja, takes place two weeks after Kharchi Puja
and is mostly observed in the compact state of Tripura,
located in the northeastern part of India.
• It is a festival that lasts for two and a half days, and
this year it is held from July 11 to July 13. Ker is the
guardian deity of Vastu Devata, and this celebration
honours him.
• The three-day commemoration typically results in the
closure of all financial institutions and government
offices in Agartala, the state’s capital.
• During the Puja, residents of the capital are not only
compelled to remain inside their homes, but they must
also refrain from engaging in any kind of celebratory
activity.
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ODISHA’S GOVERNMENT AGREES TO ADD
THE KUI LANGUAGE TO THE 8TH LIST.
A proposal that advocated for the Kui language to be
included in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India
was granted permission by the cabinet of the state of
Odisha. The government is of the opinion that there will
not be any budgetary repercussions as a result of adding
wording to the eighth schedule.
KUI LANGUAGE:
• Kui language, is also known as Kandh, Khondi, Kanda,
Kodu, or Kuinga. The Kandhas and Kondhs, who live
in Odisha’s mountainous and wooded regions, are
the most common speakers of the South Eastern
Dravidian language known as Kui.
• The Kui language is predominantly spoken in regions
such as Phulbani (Kondhamal), Boudh, Koraput,
Kalahandi, Rayagada, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati,
Nabarangpur, Sonepur, Angul, and Dhenkanal
districts of South and central Odisha. There is a
strong connection between it and the Gondi and Kuvi
languages, written using the Odia script.
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Books and Authors

COLOUR OF DEVOTION BY ANITA BHARAT Moon mission Chandrayaan-3, a special launch of a

SHAH
A publication by Anita Bharat Shah with the title “Colours
of Devotion” Understanding the underlying connection
of Indian philosophical notions of Pushti Marg, as given
forth by the saint and founder Shri Vallabhacharya, which
inspired the art that was made for use in the religious
practises of the Vallabha Sampradaya is the goal of the
exhibition titled “Colours of Devotion,” which can be seen
at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
compilation of scientific articles titled “Prism: The
Ancestral Abode of Rainbow” was hosted there.
• While the historic launch countdown was underway at
the space facility, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath released
the book by handing it over to Vikram Sarabhai Space
facility (VSSC) Director S. Unnikrishnan Nair.

A BOOK BY R. CHIDAMBARAM AND SURESH

MAYA, MODI, AZAD: DALIT POLITICS IN THE
TIME OF HINDUTVA
• The book has significantly contributed to our
comprehension of the shifting political landscape in
India.
• Sudha Pai and Sajjan Kumar wrote it.
• Maya Modi Azad is essential for understanding not
just Dalit politics but democratic politics in India as it
moves into what is sure to be a profoundly controversial
general election in 2024.
• In this study of Dalit politics in Uttar Pradesh after
the BSP’s fall, Sudha Pai and Sajjan Kumar have
significantly filled this vacuum by focusing on the
state’s political landscape.
GANGOTRA CALLED “INDIA RISING: MEMOIR
OF A SCIENTIST”
• Recently, the book “India Rising: Memoir of a
Scientist” was made available for purchase.
• R. Chidambaram and Suresh Gangotra are
responsible for the creation of this piece.
• The book recounts the biography of Dr. R. Chidambaram,
who is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished
scientists in India.

PRISM: THE ANCESTRAL ABODE OF

RAINBOW BOOK
• At the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in
Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, the filmmaker and
writer Vinod Mankara celebrated the launching of his
newest book from the rocket launchpad.
• When preparations were going into full swing at
the SDSC-SHAR for the nation’s much-anticipated
“THROUGH THE BROKEN GLASS: AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY” AUTHORED BY T.N.
SESHAN
• Through the Broken Glass is an autobiography written
by T.N. Seshan, who served as India’s Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) for many years and is credited
with making important improvements to the country’s
electoral process.
• Rupa Publications India was the company that put out
the book.
• This autobiography has a total of 368 pages and
covers not just his life but also his time spent serving
as Chief Executive Officer from 1990 to 1995.
MEMORIES NEVER DIE
The original Ninaivugalukku Maranamillai novel was
written in Tamil, and this book is an English translation
of that book. This book was written by two people closest
to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: his niece, Dr. Nazema Maraikayar,
and the prominent ISRO scientist, Dr. Y.S. Rajan, who
was a close confidante of Kalam. This book presents a
comprehensive and honest revelation of the life of Dr.
Kalam, beginning with his early upbringing and continuing
till the moment he breathed his last.
In Rameshwaram, the Union Home Minister and Minister
of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, presented the book ‘Dr. APJ
Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die’ to the public. Dr. APJ
Abdul Kalam’s home, the Mission of Life Gallery Museum,
and the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam National Memorial were all on
the itinerary for the Union Home Minister’s trip.

GOVERNOR ARIF MOHAMMED KHAN

RELEASED THE MALAYALAM TRANSLATION
OF KRISHNA – THE 7TH SENSE
• Debashis Chatterjee, Director IIM-Kozhikode,
translated Krishna – the 7th Sense into Malayalam,
which Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
released. Karma Sutras, Leadership and Wisdom in
Uncertain Times, the lead book of the IIM-Penguin
Series for New Managers, was also unveiled.
• Krishna – the 7th Sense is this management guru’s
award-winning debut novel.

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Defence and Military Exercises
IAF TO HOLD BIGGEST AIR EXERCISE,
‘TARANG SHAKTI.’
• During the months of October and November of this
year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to host its very
first international air exercise under the name “Tarang
Shakti.”
• This exercise intends to increase military cooperation
and establish strategic alliances among a number
of nations, including the United States, the United
Kingdom, France, and Australia, among others.
• 12 nations will be participating in this exercise
INS SANKUSH
• A contract for the Medium Refit with Life Certification
(MRLC) Submarine “INS Shankush” was recently signed
by the Ministry of Defence with M/S Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai at an overall cost
of Rs. 2725 Cr.
• It travels at a speed of 22 knots and is of the Shishumar
class of submarines.
• Between 1986 and 1994, the ships were put into
service after being commissioned.
• It is a diesel-electric submarine of the SSK Class, which
stands for Sub-Surface Killer.
• The HDW shipyard in Kiel was responsible for the
construction of the first two of these vessels, INS
Shishumar and Shankush.
• Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai was
responsible for constructing the other two vessels,
Shalki and Shankul.
• When they are at the surface, these submarines have a
displacement capacity of 1,660 tonnes.
JAPAN-INDIA MARITIME EXERCISE 2023
(JIMEX 23)
• From July 5-10, 2023, the Indian Navy is hosting the
seventh Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX 23)
off Visakhapatnam.
• JIMEX celebrates its 11th anniversary in 2012.
• The drill includes JMSDF units under RAdm Nishiyama
Takahiro, Commander Escort Flotilla One, and Indian
Naval ships under RAdm Gurcharan Singh, Flag
Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.
• INS Delhi, India’s first indigenous Guided Missile
Destroyer, INS Kamorta, an indigenous Anti-
Submarine Warfare Corvette, fleet tanker INS Shakti,
a submarine, maritime patrol aircraft P8I and Dornier,
ship-borne helicopters, and fighter aircraft will
participate in JIMEX 23.
• The guided missile destroyer JS Samidare and its
helicopters will represent JMSDF.
INDIAN NAVY AND US NAVY CONDUCT
SEVENTH EDITION OF SALVEX EXERCISE IN
KOCHI
• From 26 Jun to 6 Jul 23, Kochi hosted the Seventh Indian
Navy–US Navy (IN–USN) Salvage and Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise, SALVEX.
• Salvage and EOD exercises between IN and USN began
in 2005.
• INS Nireekshak, USNS Salvor, and Specialist Diving
and EOD teams from both fleets participated in the
drill.
• Over 10 days, the diving teams of both countries shared
maritime salvage expertise and trained in land and sea
EOD Operations.
• Joint training exercises at SALVEX improved
interoperability, cohesiveness, and best practises in
maritime salvage and EOD operations.
• Operational engagements improved diving teams’
mine identification, neutralisation, wreck location,
and salvage skills.
LSAM 7 DELIVERED TO INDIAN NAVY
• The first barge in the series LSAM 7 (Yard 75) was given
to the Indian Navy on July 18, 2023, in front of Cmde
Iftekhar Alam, Commanding Officer of INS Tunir.
• The barge was made according to the rules of the
Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and has a 30 year
service life.
INS SAHYADRI AND INS KOLKATA IN
JAKARTA FOR BILATERAL MARITIME
EXERCISE
• On July 17, 2023, two frontline Indian Naval ships, INS
Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, arrived in Jakarta from
South Eastern IOR.
• Indonesian Navy ships welcomed them.
• During the port call, Indian and Indonesian navy
personnel will participate in professional contacts,
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
10
yoga sessions, sports games, and cross-deck visits to
improve collaboration and understanding.
• After the operational turnaround, the two ships joined
the Indonesian Navy in a Maritime Partnership
Exercise (MPX) to further their already strong
interoperability.
INS Sahyadri
INS Sahyadri is the third indigenously designed and built
Project-17 class stealth frigate
INS Kolkata
INS Kolkata is the first Project-15A class stealth destroyer.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., Mumbai, built both ships.
HAL IS GOING TO SELL LIGHT AND MEDIUM
UTILITY HELICOPTERS TO ARGENTINA:
On Thursday, the Ministry of Defence of Argentina and
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a Letter
of Intent (LoI) on productive cooperation and the
acquisition of Light and Medium Utility Helicopters
for Argentina’s armed services.The letter of intent was
signed here in Bengaluru by Argentinian Defence Minister
Jorge Taiana and HAL Chairman and Managing Director
C B Ananthakrishnan, according to a statement released
by the state-owned enterprise with its headquarters in
Bengaluru.
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INDIA HANDS OVER INS KIRPAN TO VIETNAM
IN LANDMARK MOVE
A ceremony was performed in Cam Ranh, Vietnam, to mark
the decommissioning of the Indian Naval Ship Kirpan
and its subsequent transfer to the Vietnam People’s Navy
(VPN).
The ship was a corvette that had been in service with the
Indian Navy for 32 years.
The historic event marked the first time India has given a
fully functional corvette to a country that is not a member
of the Indian subcontinent.
OPERATION BORDER SWORD
Operation Broader Sword is a multi-agency operation that
was recently joined by India and the United States.
Its goal is to prevent the unlawful shipment of
pharmaceuticals, devices, and precursor chemicals
through the International Mail System (IMS).
Operation Broader Sword will target and put a stop to
the smuggling of illegal pharmaceuticals, combination
medical devices, and synthetic drugs.
THE DAC AGREES TO BUY 26 RAFALE
NAVAL PLANES AND MORE SCORPENE
SUBMARINES.
• The acquisition of 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets and
three Scorpene diesel-electric submarines from
France was approved by the defense ministry on
Thursday.
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• This cleared the way for the formal announcement of
the two proposed big deals at the summit between
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President
Emmanuel Macron on Friday.
NATIONAL MARTYR’S MEMORIAL UNVEILED
AT JAGJIVAN RPF ACADEMY LUCKNOW,
UTTAR PRADESH
Shri Sanjay Chander, Director General of Railway
Protection Force (RPF), inaugurated Lucknow’s Jagjivan
RPF Academy’s National Martyr’s Memorial and National
Museum for Railway Security.
The names of 1014 RPF martyrs from 1957 to the present
are written on this 4800-square-meter memorial. The RPF
has paid tribute to them.
FIRST COOPERATIVE-RUN SAINIK SCHOOL IN
INDIA:
• A big step forward was taken in the field of education
when the foundation stone was laid for the Shri
Motibhai R. Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School in the
village of Boriyavi in the city of Mehsana in the state
of Gujarat.
• This ground-breaking project is planned to become the
first Sainik School in India to be run by a cooperative
organisation.
• The Dudh Sagar Research and Development Association
(DURDA), which is an organisation of the Dudh Sagar
Dair, is in charge of managing the school, which has an
estimated cost of Rs 75 crore and is spread out across
11 acres of land.
NCC INTEGRATED SOFTWARE FOR CADETS
On July 7, 2023, in New Delhi, the Prime Minister of India,
Shri Rajnath Singh launched an NCC Integrated Software.
The NCC Integrated Software is a single-window,
interactive programme for Cadets. It was based on the
‘Entry to Exit Model’ and was constructed with this model
in mind.

The NCC Integrated Software will digitalize the entire
process, beginning with the stage of enrolment as a
cadet in the NCC and continuing through the level of exit
registration as alumni. It is based on the idea of “Once a
Cadet always a cadet” proposed by the Prime Minister,
Shri Narendra Modi. This will make it possible to award
certificates in a streamlined manner and create a database
of NCC cadets working across India at the time of their
employment.
OPERATION KAVACH
In a huge effort to stop the illegal drug trade in the
nation’s capital, the crime section of the Delhi Police
conducted raids at over one hundred different locations
beginning on Monday night. Since about two months ago,
the Delhi Police have been employing stringent measures
in an effort to bring the drug problem in the capital under
control. The operation was carried out in accordance with
the government’s ‘Zero tolerance’ policy regarding drug
use.
OPERATION SOUTHERN READINESS
• From July 10–12, the INS Sunayna was in Seychelles to
take part in Operation Southern Readiness 2023, which
was run by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
• The goal of the visit was to strengthen multilateral ties
and improve cooperation through the CMF exercise,
which is a multilateral effort to improve maritime
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security, fight piracy, and make sure that ships can
travel safely and freely in the area.
• During the visit, people from the US, Italy, the UK, the
Seychelles Defence Forces and Marine Police, all of
which are members of EUNAVFOR, took part in a wide
range of professional meetings, exchanges of subject
matter experts, and visits.
THE CAMPAIGN IS PART OF THE “NOMADIC
ELEPHANT – 2023” JOINT MILITARY DRILL
BETWEEN INDIA AND MONGOLIA.
• The training session is set to take place in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia, from the 17th to the 31st of July in 2023.
• The most recent iteration of Exercise NOMADIC
ELEPHANT took place in the Special Forces Training
School in Bakloh, in the Indian state of Bakloh, in the
month of October 2019.
• This event is held annually with Mongolia and rotates
between that country and India.
CLUSTER BOMB
The United States has made public its decision to accede to
a request from the Ukrainian government for the provision
of controversial cluster munitions.
Human rights organisations have voiced their disapproval
of this action due to the widespread prohibition of the
weapon worldwide.
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Meaning of Cluster bombs:
• Cluster bombs are a type of weapon that release a
large number of smaller bombs at once from a larger
projectile, such as a rocket, missile, or artillery shell.
These bomblets are then dispersed across a huge
region while still in flight.
• They are designed to detonate upon impact;
nevertheless, a sizeable fraction of them are “duds,”
meaning they do not initially explode.
• This is especially likely to occur if they land on either
damp or soft ground.
• They can then detonate at a later time when they are
picked up or trampled on, causing the victim to be
killed or severely injured.
U.S. DESTROYS THE LAST OF ITS DECLARED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS
• The Blue Grass Army Depot in eastern Kentucky
housed 500 tonnes of nerve and mustard toxin, which
was destroyed after decades.
• The US destroyed its disclosed chemical weapons
stockpile (rockets laden with GB nerve agent), marking
a major milestone in warfare dating back to World War
I.
Chemical Weapons Convention:
• The Chemical Weapons Convention bans and destroys
chemical weapons. It requires destroying abandoned
chemical weapons.
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• India signed the treaty in January 1993.
• India implemented CWC through Chemical Weapons
Convention Act 2000.
CHINA AND RUSSIA WILL DO NAVAL
TRAINING TOGETHER.
• China, Russia, and Iran started “Security Bond-2023”
in the Gulf of Oman.
• Five-day exercise protects vital marine corridors.
• The drill will include aircraft search, sea rescue, fleet
formation, and other missions. China sent five warships,
including the guided-missile destroyer “Nanning,” to
the drills, which focus on non-combat activities like sea
rescue and search.
NORTH KOREA SUCCESSFUL TEST OF SOLID
FUELED ICBM
• The Hwasong-18 clocked in at 74 minutes in the
air, making it the North Korean missile test with the
greatest flight time.
• State media photographs showed that North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un clapped his hands in joy
after his country successfully launched its newest
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) — the solid-
fuel Hwasong-18.
AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST BILATERAL MILITARY
EXERCISE TALISMAN SABRE 2023 BEGINS
RAAF Base, Australia’s Royal Air Force. The city of Darwin
in Australia– Talisman Sabre 2023 was officially launched
on July 23, 2023, with the first integrated flying operations
conducted by the United States Air Force and the Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF) between the Northern
Territory and Western Australia.
85TH CRPF RAISING DAY
On July 27, 2023, CRPF celebrated its 85th Raising Day.
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The day honours the force’s unmatched contribution to
national unity, integrity, and sovereignty.
The MHA oversees India’s largest Central Armed Police
Force, the CRPF.
The CRPF is honouring its martyrs and recommitting to
nation-building on its 85th Raising Day.
The force is also holding a parade, wreath-laying
ceremony, and blood donation camp.
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Economy

INDIA AND MALAYSIA CAN NOW TRADE IN

INDIAN RUPEE
• The Ministry of External Affairs said that India and
Malaysia can now trade in the Indian Rupee (INR) and
other currencies.
• The Ministry of Commerce’s Foreign Trade Policy
(FTP) 2023, launched the day before, underlined the
government’s commitment to making the rupee a
global currency.
• This should increase bilateral trade and lower business
transaction expenses.
• Currency exchange agreements are driving the move to BANGLADESH AND INDIA START TRADING IN
local currencies.
RUPEES
• These accords reduce the US dollar’s dominance in
international trade and finance. Tuesday marked the beginning of Bangladesh and India’s
long-awaited commercial transaction denominated in
• Local currencies lower currency risk for businesses
rupees. With this move, the two countries hope to lessen
and promote economic integration across nations.
their reliance on the United States dollar while also
bolstering regional currency and commerce.

BIHAR SURPASSES TAMIL NADU AS

RBI, CENTRAL BANK OF UAE SIGN TWO
MOUS FOR TRADE IN LOCAL CURRENCIES
On July 15th, the Reserve Bank of India and the Central
Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) signed two
memorandums of understanding (MOUs) regarding the
promotion of local currencies for cross-border transactions
and the interlinking of respective payment systems UPI
with the Instant Payment Platform (IPP) of the United Arab
Emirates.
STATE WITH HIGHEST MICROLENDING
BORROWINGS
• According to a research that was just made public,
as of March 2023, Bihar had surpassed Tamil Nadu
to become the state in India with the greatest total
amount of microlending borrowings.
• The study that was highlighted Bihar’s excellent
development with a 13.5 percent increase in the gross
lending portfolio during the March quarter compared
to the previous quarter was published by the credit
information business Crif High Mark.
• As of March 2023, the total amount of money that Bihar’s
microfinance institutions (MFIs) had borrowed was
Rs 48,900 crore, which represented 14.5 percent of the
total portfolio.
• In the meantime, the entire amount of money that
Tamil Nadu had borrowed from MFIs was Rs 46,300
crore, which represented 13.7 percent of the total
amount owed.
VARIABLE RATE REVERSE REPO AUCTIONS
(VRRRS)
• The objective of Variable Rate Reverse Repo Auctions
is to rid the banking sector of any excess liquidity.
• This is done in an effort to combat inflation.
• The interest rate that banks lend to the RBI, known as a
reverse repo, might be either set or variable.
• Because of this, the Reserve Bank of India is better
able to keep its monetary policy stance focused on the
withdrawal of accommodation.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been carrying
out VRRR in order to guarantee that the overnight call
money rate will stay relatively close to the target
rate.
• The interest rates known as overnight call money rates
are those that are used when financial institutions
lend money to one another typically for just one day
(overnight) and do not need any collateral.
• The Core Banking Solutions CBS (e-Kuber) platform is
being utilised for the auction’s running.
THE NEW BSE LOGO WAS UNVEILED.
• BSE recently celebrated its 149th foundation day and
introduced a new logo embodying trust, responsibility,
prosperity, vitality, and progress.
• The colour blue in the BSE logo is meant to represent the
company’s knowledge, honesty, and trustworthiness,
which have been developed over the course of 149
years.
• Meanwhile, the colour of the flame can fluctuate from
deep red to deep orange and then turn into bright
yellow.
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16
50TH GST COUNCIL MEETING:
At its 50th meeting, the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Council settled the tax treatment for online gaming,
casinos, and horse racing, as well as making revisions to
the tax rates that apply to a variety of other commodities.
• The Council concluded that all wagers placed for
internet gambling, casinos, and horse racing should
be subject to a tax of 28% of the total face value of the
wager.
• The GST Council has decided to exempt from taxation
certain drugs that treat cancer, medicines that treat
uncommon disorders, and food products that are used
for special medicinal purposes.
GST Council:
• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council in
India is a constitutional body responsible for
providing recommendations on topics linked to the
implementation of the GST in the country.
• The President is responsible for establishing the GST
Council in accordance with the provisions of Article
279A (1) of the amended Constitution.
RBI WILL USE UPI QR CODES FOR
TRANSACTIONS WITH CBDC.
Any day now, India might make the next significant
advance in the eRupee central bank digital currency
(CBDC) endeavour that it has been working on. It’s
possible that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would soon
make it possible to pay with CBDC using existing UPI
QR codes. Since quite some time ago, implementing this
interoperability component to the eRupee CBDC has been
one of the projects actively being worked on.
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Environment and Geography

INDIA LAUNCHED INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT • This substantial decision is in line with the ongoing
ALLIANCE FOR CONSERVING 7 BIG CATS fight against single-use plastics that the government
has been waging against single-use plastics since 2019,
In Mysuru, Karnataka, during a ceremony held to honor the
when it began banning thicker plastic shopping bags.
half-century anniversary of Project Tiger; Prime Minister
Modi introduced the International Big Cat Alliance INDIA ADDS 664 ANIMAL SPECIES TO ITS
(IBCA). The seven large cats are the primary focus of this
conservation initiative: the tiger, the lion, the leopard, the FAUNA DATABASE AND 339 TAXA TO ITS
snow leopard, the cheetah, the jaguar, and the puma. FLORA.
• In the year 2022, India included an additional 664
animal species in the inventory of its fauna.
• These include 467 newly discovered species as well
as 197 fresh reports of previously unknown species
discovered in India.
• In addition, the country added 339 new plant taxa,
including 153 taxa with new distributional records
from the country in 2022 and 186 taxa that were
discovered for the first time in 2022.
• On July 1, the information regarding recent discoveries
and new records was disclosed by Bhupender Yadav,
who is the Union Minister for Environment, Forest,
and Climate Change. He was speaking in Kolkata.
DIVERSITY FOR RESTORATION (D4R) TOOL
• A tool has been developed that will assist in restoring
ecosystems and agroforestry.
• Bioversity International initially developed the
instrument and was adapted for use in the Indian
context by a group representing the Ashoka Trust for
Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).
• The technology is named Diversity for Restoration
(D4R).
• The online tool assists stakeholders in identifying tree
species that are ideal for restoration aims based on
the ecological advantages

NEW ZEALAND BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO KAAS PLATEAU (MAHARASTRA)

BAN PLASTIC PRODUCE BAGS
• By being the first country in the world to adopt a total
ban on thin plastic bags, which are routinely used in
supermarkets for the purchase of fruit and vegetables, ‘
• New Zealand has made a significant step towards
lowering the amount of waste produced by plastic.
• In addition, this action will encompass more than
just the outlawing of bags; it will also involve the
prohibition of plastic straws and cutlery.
• A new study that was recently carried out by the
Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) and the National
Centre for Earth Sciences has thrown light on
substantial climate shifts that took place in the Kaas
Plateau between the Early-Mid-Holocene and late
Holocene Periods.
• The Kas Plateau Reserved Forest is a plateau that can
be found 25 kilometres to the west of Satara city in the
Indian state of Maharashtra.
• It is also referred to as the Kaas Pathar. It is included
in the Western Ghats’ Sahyadri Sub Cluster, which was
inducted as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in
the year 2012.
THE GI CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN AWARDED TO
AUTHOOR BETEL LEAVES FROM TAMIL NADU
• Geographical Indication (GI) tag was given to Authoor
betel leaves by the Geographical Indications Registry
four months ago.
• The registry recently sent the GI certificate to the
Thoothukudi district government.
• The tag was made possible by the Tamil Nadu State
Agriculture Marketing Board and the NABAD Madurai
Agribusiness Incubation Forum.
• The water from the Thamirabrani river sustains the
betel leaves, which are called Vettrilai in Tamil.
• The book “The Travels of Marco Polo (The Venetian),”
which was written in the 1300s, also talks about the
leaves.
• Also, several ancient stone inscriptions show how
important and rich the Authoor vettrilai was in Tamil
society in the past.
ASSAM SEES THE BEGINNING OF PROJECT
GAJAH KOTHA.
• The “Gajah Kotha” campaign, involving over 1,200
people, promotes coexistence and reduces human-
elephant conflict (HEC) in Assam.
• This campaign educates HEC-affected villagers
in eastern Assam about elephant behaviour,
environment, and culture, emphasising conservation.
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18
• This initiative, led by Guwahati-based wildlife NGO
Aaranyak, the British Asian Trust, the Assam Forest
Department, and the Darwin Initiative, promotes
elephant-human coexistence.
OMAN’S DUQM PORT
• The National Security Agency (NSA) went to the port
of Duqm in Oman, which the Indian Navy uses as a
critical entry point to facilitate its presence in the
Indian Ocean Region.
• The port of Duqm holds significant significance for
India’s marine policy pertaining to the Indian Ocean.
• India now has access to the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea,
the Gulf of Oman, and the Indian Ocean because to
this landmass.
• It is essential that India can resist China’s growing
footprint in the region thanks to this location’s
favourable circumstances.
KAKRAPAR PHWR COMMENCED
COMMERCIAL WORK
• At the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project (KAPP) in
Gujarat, India’s first nuclear power reactor that was
created entirely within the nation, with a capacity
of 700 megawatts (MW), has successfully begun
commercial operations, marking a key milestone in
the development of the nuclear energy sector in the
country.
• A senior official from KAPP stated that the reactor,
also known as KAPP-3, started operating at 90 percent
of its complete power capacity on June 30, 2023.
• The Kakrapar Atomic Power Station is a nuclear
power station in India that can be found in the state
of Gujarat.
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TYPHOON TALIM
• The devastation caused by Typhoon Talim in south-
eastern China and the displacement of 230,000 people
comes at a time when significant portions of Asia are
reeling from excessive rainfall and temperatures.
• It caused aircraft delays and forced the closure of
fishing communities and tourism hotspots along the
coast, although it weakened before reaching Vietnam.
• The number of people who lost their lives due to days
of heavy rain and landslides grew to 41 in South Korea.
Name of Cyclone in different regions
Tropical Cyclones In the Indian Ocean Region.
Typhoons In the China Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Hurricanes In the West Indian islands in the
Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
Tornados In the Guinea lands of West Africa
and southern USA.
Willy-willies In north-western Australia
2,200 EARTHQUAKES IN ICELAND IN 24
HOURS
According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO),
the earthquakes started around four in the afternoon
underneath Mount Fagradalsfjall. In the last day and a half,
there have been about 2,200 earthquakes registered in the
region surrounding Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.
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Earthquakes
• When two blocks of the Earth suddenly move past
each other, this causes the Earth to shake.
The hypocenter is the spot below the surface of the earth
where the earthquake starts, and the epicentre is the spot
directly above it on the surface of the earth.
ZOMBIE FIRES IN ARCTIC
The wildfire smoke that covered large parts of the U.S. and
Canada in 2023 was a wake-up call. It showed how climate
change could affect millions of people in the near future.
As temperatures rise around the world, fires are also
moving farther north and into the Arctic. These fires aren’t
just in trees and grass. According to new study on the
unusual Arctic fire seasons of 2019 and 2020, fires may
also be moving underground.
Reasons of Zombie Fires
• These basement fires are called “zombie fires,”.
Reasons are mentioned below:
• First, when climate change dries organic-rich Arctic
soils, they can burn slowly and generate massive
amounts of smoke.
• Second, subsurface soil fires take longer to extinguish
and require more resources.
• In 2023, Alberta firefighters battled flames dozens of
feet below in carbon-rich peatlands.
• Heavy machinery to excavate peat fire zones is unsafe
due to unstable ground.
• Finally, these soil fires are persistent. “Zombie fires”
are Arctic soil fires that smoulder through winter
and rekindle in early spring.
 6
THE EXPORT PREPAREDNESS INDEX (EPI)
REPORT, 2022
Today, the National Institution for Transforming India
(NITI) Aayog published the third edition of the report
for the states and union territories of India titled “Export
Preparedness Index (EPI) 2022.” Shri. Suman Bery, the
Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, was the one who made the
report public.
According to the EPI 2022 Report, the majority of the
‘Coastal States’ have fared very well, with the states of Tamil
Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat being the
top-performing states in the Export Preparedness Index
across the country, in all categories of states.
SINGAPORE PASSPORT TOPS HENLEY
PASSPORT INDEX 2023 AS WORLD’S MOST
POWERFUL
• According to the Henley Passport Index, Singapore
now possesses the most powerful passport globally.
• This passport enables its holders to travel to 192
countries and territories worldwide without needing
a visa.
• The Henley Passport Index shows that India has
achieved great progress, as evidenced by the
country’s rise in ranking by five places in comparison
to the previous year.
• At the moment, India is tied for the 80th spot on the
ranking with the countries of Togo and Senegal. The
fact that Indian passport holders can now travel to 57
countries without needing a visa is a reflection of the
country’s improved worldwide travel rights.
Index and Reports
REPORT ON PANCHAYAT DEVELOPMENT
INDEX (PDI)
• The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj
released the Report on Panchayat Development Index
(PDI) recently.
• Over 250 stakeholders, including senior government
officials, ministry representatives, and critical
stakeholders in the field, attended the workshop.
• The main objective of the National Workshop was
to develop a strategic plan and road map for the
integration of the Ministry’s portal/dashboard to build
a data ecosystem, assess the schematic progress
in alignment with LSDGs at Panchayat, and develop
institutional mechanisms for implementing the
Panchayat Development Index with the active support
of various Ministries/Departments, Panchayats, and
Knowledge Partners.
• According to the Union Minister Gram Panchayats
should also offer assistance to one another so that
each Gram Panchayat advances together on the path to
progress and prosperity.
• It aims to promote outcome-focused development,
foster healthy competition, and facilitate evidence-
based planning for the Gramme Panchayats Ranking.
• It is based on scores (0-100); classes A (75-90%),
B (60-75%), C (40-60%), and D (less than 40) are
established.
SDGS NATIONAL INDICATOR FRAMEWORK
(NIF) PROGRESS REPORT 2023
The Sustainable Development Goals National Indicator
Framework Progress Report, 2023, is an annual report
published by MoSPI based on the most up-to-date data
supplied by Ministries/Departments to aid in tracking the
progress of each SDG.
• The Global Peace Index (GPI) of 2023 assigned
a ranking to each of the world’s 163 sovereign
governments and territories based on how peaceful
they are.
• The overall degree of peacefulness in the world is now
0.42 percentage points lower than it was before.
• The current place that India holds in the rankings is
126.
• Iceland has got rank one in this list.
• On the other hand, Afghanistan has maintained its
position as the nation with the lowest overall level of
peace for the eighth year in a row.

Highlights
• The progress report reveals substantial improvement
in maternal and infant health, education, poverty, and
climate change.
• “The percentage of underweight children (under the
age of 5) decreased from 35.1% in 2015-16 to 32.1%
in 2019-21.
• During the same time period, the percentage of children
who are stunted decreased from 38.4% to 35.5%.
• The prevalence of anemia among women aged 15 to
49 has increased from 53.1% in 2015-16 to 57.0% in
2019-21.
• The prevalence increased in both expectant and non-
pregnant females. Even among young children (aged
6 to 59 months), the proportion of anaemic children
increased from 58.5% in 2015-16 to 67.1% in
2019-21. WORLD INVESTMENT REPORT 2023: FDI IN
• The Maternal Mortality Rate (per one hundred
thousand live deliveries) decreased from 130 in 2014-
DEVELOPING ASIA REMAINS FLAT AT $662
2015 to 97 in 2018-2020. BILLION IN 2022
• The infant mortality rate decreased from 43 per • According to the UNCTAD’s World Investment Report
1,000 live births in 2015 to 32 per 1,000 in 2020. 2023, developing Asia received $662 billion in foreign
• The Gross Enrollment Ratio for postsecondary direct investment (FDI) in 2022.
education increased from 48.3% in 2015-16 to 76.0%
in 2021-22. • Five economies received roughly 80% of FDI in
emerging Asia. India, China, Singapore, Hong Kong,
GLOBAL PEACE INDEX and UAE are these economies.
• The 2023 Global Peace Index (GPI) just recently • Indian companies are investing more abroad, notably
published by Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). in renewable energy, according to the UNCTAD report.

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PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX 2.0 FOR
STATES/UTS FOR 2021-22
• The Department of School Education and Literacy,
which is part of the Ministry of Education, came up with
the idea for the Performance Grading Index (PGI) for
States and UTs.
• The new framework of the PGI considers 73 different
variables and places more emphasis on qualitative
evaluation in addition to digital initiatives and educator
training.
• The PGI 2.0 structure comprises a thousand points
distributed across seventy-three different indicators
and is broken down into two categories: outcomes
and governance management (GM).
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These categories are then broken down even further into
six different domains, which are referred to as
• Learning Outcomes (LO),
• Access (A),
• Infrastructure and Facilities (IF),
• Equity (E), and
• Governance Process (GP)
• Teachers Education and Training (TE&T).
MULTIDIMENSIONAL POVERTY INDEX
• The United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human
Development Initiative (OPHI) have both contributed
to the creation of the Global Multidimensional Poverty
Index (MPI) 2023. This index was just recently made
public.
• “interlinked deprivations in health, education, and
standard of living that directly affect a person’s life and
wellbeing” are what the Multidimensional Poverty
Index (MPI) measures.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
provides the following definition of vulnerability:
“Vulnerability is the share of people who are not poor
but have deprivations in 20 to 33.3% of all weighted
indicators. This share can be significantly higher.”
• In India, approximately 18.7% of the population falls
within this category.
• India’s Achievements in the Fight Against Poverty India
is one of 25 nations, including Cambodia, China, Congo,
Honduras, Indonesia, Morocco, Serbia, and Vietnam,
that were able to successfully halve their worldwide
MPI values within 15 years. This was accomplished by
India.
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GLOBAL CRISIS RESPONSE GROUP
• UNSG António Guterres invited Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to join the Global Crisis Response
Group (GCRG) Champions Group.
• In March 2022, the UNSG established the Global
Crisis Response Group (GCRG) to coordinate a global
response to interlinked food security, energy, and
finance crises. The Champions Group oversees the
GCRG.
• India’s joining the Group shows its growing global
leadership and commitment to global issues.
India’s participation will help the UN solve global
development concerns, especially in poor nations.
• GCRG Sherpa Shri Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West),
Ministry of External Affairs. Champions will assemble
on July 21, 2023.
INDIA–INDONESIA ECONOMIC AND
FINANCIAL DIALOGUE
• Nirmala Sitharaman made the announcement today
that the “India – Indonesia Economic and Financial
Dialogue” is officially getting underway.
• The objective of the platform, presented at the G20
Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors
(FMCBG), is to enhance the level of collaboration
between the two countries and create a common
understanding of global challenges.
India and The world
TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN
MUMBAI
• Taiwan will open its third Indian representative office
in Mumbai. Taiwan last grew in the country over a
decade ago.
• The Taiwan Economic and Cultural Centre (TECC) in
Mumbai facilitates trade, investment, and services for
Taiwanese and Indian entrepreneurs and tourists.
• This is a major step towards improving India-Taiwa
commercial ties and relations.
INDIA-MYANMAR-THAILAND TRILATERAL
HIGHWAY PROJECT
S. Jaishankar, the external minister of India, recently met
with his colleague in Myanmar, Tha Swe, to discuss the
expeditions projects, in particular the India-Myanmar-
Thailand trilateral highway, as well as the problems that
have been encountered in the process of carrying out the
project in a peaceful manner.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway
Project
• The India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway is a key regional
connectivity project that intends to provide a road link
between India, Myanmar, and Thailand. The project’s
name comes from the three countries involved in its
construction.
• This route has a total length of around 1,400 kilometers
(845 miles), beginning in Moreh in the Indian state of
Manipur, continuing through Myanmar, and terminating
in Mae Sot in the Thai province of Mae Sot.

Mekong-Ganga Cooperation
• The First MGC Ministerial Meeting in 2000 in Vientiane,
Laos, established the Mekong–Ganga Cooperation.
• It includes India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Laos, and Vietnam. Tourism, culture, education,
transportation, and communication are areas of
collaboration.
• The Ganga and Mekong are civilizational rivers, and the
MGC program strives to bring people from these two
river basins together.
INDIA AND SINGAPORE EXTEND MOU ON
COOPERATION FOR 5 YEARS
• India and Singapore have extended their present
memorandum of understanding (MoU) on
cooperation in personnel management and public
administration until 2028 by signing a Protocol
Document today.
• The Memorandum of Understanding intends to
deepen the collaboration between the two countries
through various kinds of cooperation between the
public service officers of both countries.
• Cooperation in areas such as Administrative Reforms
and Public Sector Transformation, Public Service
Delivery, Leadership and Talent Development,
E-Governance, Capacity Building, and Training are
some of the topics that will be covered by the activities
of the Mo.
• Other areas that will be addressed include
E-Governance, Capacity Building, and Training.
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24
INDIA SUPPORTS U.N. ON THE BLACK SEA
INITIATIVE
• India has expressed their support for the United
Nations’ efforts to continue the Black Sea Grain
program and their hope for an early resolution to the
current standstill in negotiations.
• The reaction came a day after Russia declared that
it was halting the execution of the UN-brokered
arrangement that permitted the export of grain
and associated foodstuffs as well as fertilizers from
Ukrainian ports.
• The deal enabled the export of grain and related
foodstuffs from Ukrainian ports.
• “India has supported the efforts of the U.N. Secretary-
General in continuing the Black Sea Grain Initiative
and hopes for an early resolution to the present
impasse,” Ms. Kamboj stated.
• The situation in Ukraine continues to be a source of
concern for India.
THE UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, SWEDEN
AND UKRAINE LAUNCHED A CASE AGAINST
IRAN AT THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF
JUSTICE.
• The UK, Canada, Sweden, and Ukraine have filed an
action against Iran at the International Court of Justice
over the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane,
which killed all 176 passengers and crew.
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• Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, and the UK filed a joint
application Tuesday with the International Court of
Justice (ICJ) alleging that Iran violated the Montreal
Convention by shooting down a civilian aircraft over
Ukraine.
Montreal Convention:
• The Montreal Convention or Sabotage Convention
outlaws and punishes civil aviation-endangering
behavior.
• The treaty mandates states to punish a variety of crimes
with harsh penalties, jurisdiction, custody, prosecution,
and extradition.
• The Beijing Convention revised the pact, which 26
states ratified.
International Court of Justice
Foundation 26 June 1945
Headquarter San Francisco, California,
United States
Judge term length 9
Number of positions 15
EUROPEAN SKY SHIELD INITIATIVE
• Austria and Switzerland, which are known for their
strong traditions of neutrality in foreign policy, have
joined a regional grouping that aspires to construct a
shared air defense umbrella in the wake of Russia’s
attack on Ukraine.
• The ESSI now has 19 member states, and its primary
objective is to maximize the effectiveness of existing
NATO cooperation mechanisms for the purposes of
defense. In the year 2022.
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• The European Space and Missile Defence Initiative
(ESSI) is a project to create an integrated ground-
based air defense system in Europe with anti-ballistic
missile capabilities.
• The proposal could affect matters relating to
disarmament, arms control, and regional stability.
IRAN MEMBER OF SCO
On Tuesday (July 4), during the virtual summit of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Prime Minister
Narendra Modi congratulated Iran on its admission as
the organization’s newest member.
Before Iran joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO), eight nations were already members of the
organization. These countries were China, Russia, India,
Pakistan, and the four Central Asian republics of
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization:
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an
international organisation that was established on
June 15, 2001 in Shanghai.
• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is
currently made up of:
Š twelve countries: nine Member States (China, India,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan,
and Uzbekistan and Iran
Š four Observer States (Afghanistan, Belarus, and
Mongolia), and six
Š “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey).
• The Observer States are interested in becoming full
members of the SCO.
SAUDI ARABIA SIGNS ASEAN’S TAC
• By signing the TAC, Saudi Arabia exhibits a strong
commitment to adhere to the ideals and principles of
ASEAN as expressed in the treaty.
• This reflects Saudi Arabia’s strong commitment to
ASEAN.
• In order to foster an environment that is conducive to
peace and stability in Southeast Asia and beyond, the
TAC emphasizes the importance of working together,
cooperating, and respecting international law.
• These core beliefs and concepts are taking on increasing
significance in light of the current geopolitical climate.
 8
SOLAR STAR-C INITIATIVE
• The solar STAR- C initiative boosts solar power
ecosystems in disadvantaged countries.
• International Solar Alliance and UNIDO operate the
initiative.
• It seeks to strengthen institutional capacities in ISA
member states to improve solar energy products
and service infrastructure.
• France funds the project.
• India hopes to improve the institutional capacities
of International Solar Alliance member states and
build excellent solar energy infrastructure through this
project.
HEADQUARTERS AGREEMENT (HQA)
BETWEEN INDIA AND CDRI
The Union Cabinet recently approved ratification of
the Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between the
Government of India and the Coalition for Disaster-
Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The CDRI is a global
partnership of national governments, United Nations
agencies, multilateral development banks, the private
sector, and academic and knowledge institutions working
to improve infrastructure systems’ climate and
MOU and Agreements
disaster resilience..
INDIA LAUNCHES BHARAT 6G ALLIANCE
• The telecommunications industry is always changing
and has a high rate of technological staleness.
• It has transitioned from wired to mobile services,
which have evolved into the people’s primary means
of communication.
• Mobile service standards have also evolved, progressing
from 2G to 3 G to 4G to 5G, and now 6G is on the horizon.
• The formation of the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA),
which is a collaborative platform composed of public
and private corporations, academic institutions,
research institutions, and organisations responsible
for the development of standards.
• B6GA will establish coalitions and synergies with
existing 6G Global Alliances to promote international
collaboration and the exchange of information.
INDIA HANDED OVER THE TORCH OF
STARTUP 20 TO BRAZIL
• The Startup20 Shikhar Summit, which was organised
by the Startup20 Engagement Group under the
auspices of the India G20 Presidency and took place
in Gurugram today, came to an extremely successful
conclusion.
• Within the context of the global startup ecosystem,
this two-day summit functioned as a forum for
promoting innovative ideas, collaborative projects,
exchanging relevant knowledge, and strategic alliances.
• Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Chair of Startup20, formally
passed the torch on to Brazil during the closing
ceremony. Brazil will hold the chair of the G20 for the
 coming year, and the country has pledged to keep the
Startup20 initiative going in 2024.
• HRH made this declaration during his speech at the
Gurugram Shikhar Summit. During his speech, he
acknowledged the potential of startups to become a
true force for the greater benefit of the world.
UNESCAP’S GLOBAL SURVEY ON DIGITAL
AND SUSTAINABLE TRADE FACILITATION
• India excelled in the UNESCAP Global Survey on Digital
and Sustainable Trade Facilitation. India scored 93% in
2023, up from 90% in 2021.
• India scored 100% in Transparency, Formalities,
Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation, and
Paperless Trade.
• The “Women in Trade Facilitation” component increased
from 66% in 2021 to 78% in 2023, demonstrating its
commitment to gender inclusiveness and trade sector
empowerment.
EIB KEEN TO EXTEND 1 BN EURO FOR GREEN
HYDROGEN, RE PROJECTS IN INDIA
• The European Investment Bank (EIB) has said that
it will support India’s National Green Hydrogen
Mission by giving a loan facility of up to €1 billion.
• The European Investment Bank (EIB), which is based
in Luxembourg, said on Thursday that it wants to give
India 1 billion euros to help build green hydrogen and
renewable energy projects.
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• In this regard, EIB Vice-President Kris Peeters will
make a four-day business trip to India this week to
improve cooperation with the Indian public and
private sectors and talk about EIB support for clean
energy investment and its transport in the country, the
bank said in a statement.
THE MOU BETWEEN THE DEFENCE MINISTER
AND FSSAI TO PROMOTE MILLETS.
• On July 13, 2023, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh
and Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya signed an MoU in New
Delhi to promote millets and healthy eating among
the Armed Forces and ensure safe and nutritious
food. Both Ministers launched “Healthy Recipes for
Defence” to promote Shree Anna (millets) and its
health advantages.
• It educates staff on the nutritional benefits of diet
diversity and millet-based foods. The MoU will enable
millet-based meals at MoD mess, canteens, and other
food outlets.
 9
Polity

SOLICITOR GENERAL TUSHAR MEHTA • Any protection provided for a plant variety is contingent
• The current Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, has upon the applicant providing an exhaustive description
been reappointed to his position by the Appointments of the innovation or development that he claims to have
Committee of Cabinet (ACC) for another term that made.
would last for three years.
• The decision made by the ACC demonstrates that the
government has faith in its capacity to address the vast
legal issues currently facing the country.
Solicitor General of India:
• The position of Solicitor General is considered the
second highest law officer in the nation.
• He works under the direction of the Attorney General
of India, India’s highest law officer, but the Solicitor
general is subordinate to him.
• In addition to this, he provides the government with
advice on legal issues.

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY GOVERNMENT TO FACE A NO-CONFIDENCE

FOR A POTATO VARIETY OWNED BY PEPSICO
INDIA WAS TAKEN AWAY
• Recently, the Protection of Plant Varieties and
Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) had its judgment
about the revocation of PepsiCo India’s intellectual
property protection for a potato variety (FL 2027)
maintained by the Delhi High Court.
• This ruling concerned the revocation of PepsiCo India’s
protection for the potato variety.
• PepsiCo has only been reprimanded by the HC for
improperly filing for registration of FL 2027 under the
category of “new variety” and providing an incorrect
date for the first commercialization of the product in
its application.
MOTION IN PARLIAMENT
On July 26, the Congress moved a second no-confidence
resolution against the Narendra Modi government.
Congress Lok Sabha deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi tabled
the no-confidence resolution on Tuesday.
No Confidence Motion:
• This is a measure put forward in the Lok Sabha (not the
Rajya Sabha) to see if the government has the support
of the people.
• For the move to be accepted, it needs to be backed by
50 members.
• If a vote of “no confidence” passes, the government has
to step down.
 10
PM MITRA PARK IN NAVSARI,
• The nation’s seventh PM Mitra park. On Thursday,
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush
Goyal and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel signed a
memorandum of understanding to establish PM MITRA
(Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel), an
integrated textile park, at Vansi Village in Navsari
district.
PM Mitra:
• A public-private partnership (PPP) vehicle controlled
by state governments and the Centre will build PM
MITRA parks under the program.
• Viability gap funding attracts private sector
investment.
• The State and Central Governments will select an
objective master developer to develop and maintain
the industrial park during the concession period.
AMRIT BHARAT STATION SCHEME.
Southern Railway is developing 90 Amrit Bharat Station
Scheme (ABSS) stations. Indian Railways created the Amrit
Bharat Station Scheme to develop stations. Amrit Bharat
Station scheme plans long-term station development.
It involves preparing Master Plans and implementing them
in phases to improve station amenities like
• station access,
Schemes in News
• circulating areas,
• waiting halls,
• toilets,
• lift/escalators
• cleanliness,
• free Wi-Fi,
• kiosks for local products through schemes like “One
Station One Product,”
• better passenger information systems,
• Executive Lounges,
• nominated spaces for business meetings,
• landscaping,
MANOJ AHUJA STARTED A NEW CAMPAIGN
CALLED “BHARAT FOR BANKS” UNDER THE
AGRI INFRA FUND.
• Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched a new
campaign for banks called BHARAT (Banks Heralding
Accelerated Rural & Agriculture Transformation).
• This campaign is part of the Agri Infra Fund.
• The campaign will run for a total of one month,
beginning on the 15th of July 2023 and ending on the
15th of August 2023, and its goal is to raise 7200 crore.
Agri Infra Fund:
• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund was given the
green light by the Union Cabinet in the year 2020.
• The plan aims to establish a facility for medium- to
long-term debt financing so that viable projects
relating to post-harvest management infrastructure
and community agricultural assets can get investment
capital.
• This program offers a reduction in interest rates in
addition to financial aid.
• The program will run for ten years, beginning in the
fiscal year 2020 and ending in the fiscal year 2032.
CREDIT GUARANTEE SCHEME FOR
LIVESTOCK SECTOR
Scheme is launched to make it easier for micro, small,
and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the livestock
industry to obtain loans without putting up collateral, the
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying
has introduced the very first “Credit Guarantee
Scheme” as part of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure
Development Fund (AHIDF).
NATIONAL SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA
ELIMINATION MISSION
“Sickle cell disease is a disease that has a substantial
influence on the tribal communities that comprise society.
The government has made it a priority to eradicate the
disease by 2047, which is the year that India will celebrate
its Amrit Kaal.
• NSCEM stands for the National Sickle Cell Anaemia
Elimination Mission.
• The chronic ailment known as sickle cell disease (SCD)
is caused by a mutation in a single gene.
• This mutation results in a devastating systemic
syndrome that is characterized by a considerable loss
in life expectancy, as well as chronic anemia, acute
painful episodes, organ infarction, and chronic
organ damage.
• The program, which is carried out in the manner of a
mission as a component of the National Health Mission
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
30
(NHM), has the objective of eradicating sickle cell
genetic transmission by the year 2047.
• This objective demonstrates a long-term commitment
to the elimination of the disease.
• The program aims to screen about 7.0 crore people
over the course of its three-year duration, which begins
in the fiscal year 2023-24 and continues through the
fiscal year 2025-26.
Steps to be taken in the mission
CARBON CREDIT TRADING SCHEMES FOR
1ST DOMESTIC CARBON MARKET
• Under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, the Union
Government of India has approved for India to open
its first domestic regulated carbon market on July 1,
2023.
• In addition to this, the proposal calls for the
establishment of a National Steering Committee,
which will be in charge of directing how the Indian
carbon market operates.
• Through increased demand for emission credits from
both private and public institutions, the ICM will
facilitate the creation of new options for mitigating
emissions.
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Carbon Market System
• A carbon market system that is well-designed and
competitive would enable the reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions at the lowest possible cost, both at the
level of the business and the broader sector.
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS LAUNCHES
SCHEME FOR EXPANSION AND
MODERNIZATION OF FIRE SERVICES IN
STATES
On 04.07.2023, the Government launched a “Scheme for
Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the
States” from the Preparedness and Capacity Building
Funding Window under the National Disaster Response
Fund (NDRF) to strengthen fire services in the States until
2025-26, with a total outlay of Rs. 5,000 Crore.
The identified activities fall under fire service expansion
and modernization.
• The scheme establishes new fire stations,
• strengthens State Training Centres and capacity
building,
• provides modern fire-fighting equipment,
• strengthens State Headquarters and Urban Fire
Stations,
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• This would also stimulate the faster adoption of
clean technology, which is important for a developing
economy like India.
• upgrade technology and installs and expands online
systems.
Rs. 500 crore of the total budget is available to motivate
States to implement legislative and infrastructure reforms.
Article 243 (W) of the Indian Constitution’s XII Schedule
lists fire service as a municipal role. The Central
Government does not track State fire incidences.
National Disaster Response Force
The Disaster Management Act 2005 establishes the
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to respond to
natural and man-made disasters.
MO JANGAL JAMEEN YOJANA
The stipulations of the Scheduled Tribes and other
Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Act 2006 were given practical implementation by
the Odisha government on July 2, 2023, when they began a
programme with the name Mo Jungle Jami Yojana.
This programme, which will be carried out in 32 thousand
villages throughout 32 districts, will be of assistance to
about 7.4 lakh families who are members of Odisha’s tribal
population.
This plan, which will cost the state a total of Rs 38.76
crore, was revealed in the state budget for 2023-24.
It will continue to function normally for the following two
years.
• It literally translates to “My Forestland Scheme.”
• It is a program for the welfare of tribal families in Odisha
and is wholly supported by the state government.
The program’s objective is to create chances for a
sustainable livelihood as well as food security for the
Scheduled Tribe population and people who live in
forest dwellings.
PENGAL PATHUKAPTU THITTAM
• Tamil Nadu Police protects nighttime female travellers.
• Tamil Nadu Police’s “Pengal Pathukappu Thittam”
campaign prioritises women’s safety.
• If they feel dangerous, ladies travelling alone in isolated
areas can call police.
• The police also have a helpline for ladies travelling
alone between 10 pm and 6 am. Helplines are 1091,
112, 044-23452365, and 044-28447701.
• Coimbatore Police introduced “Police Akka” (Police
sister) last October to protect young girls, mainly
college students, from cybercrime.
SAGAR SAMPARK
• The Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and
Waterways is dedicated to fostering innovation,
constructing the most advanced infrastructure, and
consolidating India’s presence in the global maritime
industry.
• Today, to further the digital initiative in the maritime
sector the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and
Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the
indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite
System (DGNSS) ‘SAGAR SAMPARK’.
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
32
• DGNSS is an augmentation system that is based on land
and works to repair mistakes and inaccuracies in the
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). This makes
it possible to obtain positioning information that is
more precise.
43 NEW IMPLEMENTATION PARTNERS
EMPANELLED UNDER SAMARTH SCHEME
At the meeting of the Empowered Committee for Scheme
for Capacity Building in the Textiles Sector (SAMARTH)
that took place today, the panel of implementing
partners was expanded with the empanelment of 43
new implementing partners. Additionally, an additional
target of training approximately 75,000 beneficiaries was
allocated to the training partners to enable the imparting
of skill to the workforce.
Samarth:
• SAMARTH is an umbrella skilling programme that
is demand driven and placement-oriented. It was
developed by the Ministry of Textiles in accordance
with the comprehensive skilling policy framework that
was accepted by the Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship.
• The purpose of the Scheme is to incentivize and
supplement the efforts that the industry is making
to create jobs in the organized textile sector and
associated areas.
• A unique provision for upskilling or re-skilling
programs has also been operationalized under the
scheme, with the goal of boosting the productivity of
the workers who are already employed in the apparel
and garment sectors.
• This is in addition to the provision of training for entry-
level positions. In addition to this, SAMARTH meets the
needs of traditional textile industries like handloom,
handicraft, silk, and jute by providing upskilling and
reskilling programs.
TELE MANAS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
MENTAL DISTRESS
Tele-MANAS provides 24/7 free tele-mental health
services nationwide. Callers can choose their language on
a nationwide toll-free helpline (14416).
The Union Budget 2022 introduced the National Tele
Mental Health Programme of India, Tele Mental Health
Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele MANAS),
and tasked the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
(MoHFW) to oversee its implementation.
To fulfil Tele MANAS aims, the MoHFW created a National
Technical Advisory Group (NTAG) and three technical
advisory sub-committees (Mental Health Service
Delivery, Information Technology Architecture, and
Health Systems).
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 between OPPO India and the Atal innovation mission of
NITI Aayog.
OPPO India collaborated with NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation
Mission to establish the first PPP (Public- Private
Partnership) model Atal Tinkering Lab in the state of
Kerala. NITI Aayog served as the lab’s knowledge partner.

FIRST PPP MODEL BASED ATAL TINKERING

LAB
The first ever Atal Tinkering Lab, which is based on the
PPP model, was developed as a result of a collaboration

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 11
Science and Technology
CHANDRAYAAN 3 STARTS ITS TRIP TO THE
MOON.
The lunar injection of a 100-kilometer circular polar orbit
was successfully completed as a part of phase one of the
Chandrayaan-3 mission, which was safely launched on
July 14, 2023 at 2:35 pm IST. On August 23, 2023, both the
lander and the rover are scheduled to touch down at a zone
close to the lunar south pole.
CHANDRAYAN 3:
• Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2
to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing
and roving on the lunar surface.
• It consists of Lander and Rover configurations.
• It was launched by LVM3 from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota.
• The propulsion module carries the lander and rover
configuration till a 100 km lunar orbit.
• The propulsion module has a Spectro-polarimetry
of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study
Earth’s spectral and Polari metric measurements from
the lunar orbit.
The mission objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are
1. To demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing on Lunar
Surface
2. To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon and
3. To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
NSIL AND VOYAGER SIGNED MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING
• Voyager Space, a global leader in space exploration, is
pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) with NewSpace India Limited
(NSIL), the commercial arm of the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO), to collaborate on
spacecraft launch and deployment opportunities on
NSIL’s SSLV and PSLV.
• Voyager Space and NSIL will investigate SSLV and PSLV
small satellite launch and deployment prospects
under this MOU.
• The two organizations will also explore NSIL space
certified components for spacecraft manufacture,
deployment, operations, and other purposes.
• Voyager’s global client base has access to space through
ISRO’s advanced launch infrastructure and NSIL’s
payload delivery experience.
• Two PSLV missions carried Voyager Space customer
satellites.
PSLV(Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle):
• PSLV can be set up in four different ways, such as with
6,4,2, or core-alone solid rocket strap-on motors.
• PSLV is a flexible launch vehicle that has been used to
send all three types of payloads:
Š Earth observation,
Š geostationary,
Š navigation
• It has the best success rate and is known as ISRO’s
work horse.
SSLV(Small Satellite Launch Vehicle)
The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) is being
developed with complete indigenous technologies to meet
the small satellite lunch market on demand driven basis
GSLV(Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)
GSLV with indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has enabled
the launching up to 2 tonne class of communication
satellites
LMV3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Mk-III)
• The LVM3 is the next version of launch vehicle.
• It can send to LEOs communication satellites that
weigh up to 4 tonnes and payloads that weigh up to
10 tonnes.
• The C25 cryo stage and all the other technologies used
to make the car were all made in India. Since the first
test flight, all flights with the launch vehicle have been
successful.
HRLV, which stands for Human rated LVM3, is the rocket
that will launch the Gaganyaan mission.

GAGANYAAN: ISRO WAS ABLE TO TEST THE

PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR THE SERVICE
MODULE.
At the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) at Mahendragiri,
Tamil Nadu, on July 26, 2023, the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out the second
and third hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module
Propulsion System (SMPS).

Gaganyan Project
• The Gaganyaan project intends to demonstrate the
potential of humans to travel into space by sending a
crew of three people into an orbit 400 kilometers high
for a mission lasting three days and then bringing
them back to earth safely by landing in the seas of
the Indian ocean.
LVM3 rocket -
• The well proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO,
is identified as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan
mission. It consists of solid stage, liquid stage and
cryogenic stage.

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NISAR SATELLITE DEVELOPED BY NASA AND
ISRO
• NASA and ISRO are developing NISAR, a LEO
observatory.
• NISAR will map the world in 12 days and give
geographically and temporally consistent data on
Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass, sea
level rise, ground water, and natural hazards like
earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides.
• NISAR. It uses Sweep SAR to gather high-resolution
data from its L and S dual-band SAR.
• Due to differential signal penetration, L- and S-band
frequencies can characterise objects beneath tree
canopy and sub-surface characteristics.
• NISAR is researching concepts for a Synthetic Aperture
Radar mission to study Earth change in ecosystems
(vegetation and the carbon cycle), deformation
(solid Earth studies), and cryosphere sciences
(mainly linked to climatic factors and sea level).
NISAR will collect data over the Indian Coasts and track
deltaic bathymetry changes annually.
SATELLITE NETWORK PORTAL SITE
• On Wednesday, July 19, the Gujarat government’s
Department of Science and Technology (DST) signed
an agreement of understanding with OneWeb India
Communications Pvt Ltd to set up a “satellite network
portal site” in Mehsana, Gujarat.
• Satellite broadband technology, also known as satellite
telephony in low Earth orbit (LEO), like StarLink,
Kuiper, and OneWeb, is becoming more popular, and
the world is moving towards using LEO satellite
communications.
LEO Satellite
• LEO satellites work at an altitude of 500 to 1,200 km,
which is perfect for high-speed and low latency. This
means that there is less time between a user looking
for data and a computer sending that data than with
geostationary satellites.
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
36
• OneWeb has 648 satellites in orbit around the Earth at
a distance of 1,000 to 1,200 km, making 13 rounds
every day to cover the whole world.
• The satellite network portal (SNP) site will act as a
signal and data downlink and uplink terminal or base
station on the ground.
• It will also act as a middleman for data transfer through
satellite tracking antenna systems.
ELENA INTRODUCES INDIA’S FIRST NAVIC
• In the government’s indigenization project, the
armed forces and railways may purchase satellite
communications-driven portable gadgets made by
two Indian companies financed by the Department of
Defence.
• The first batch of PNT (Positioning, Navigation,
Timing) devices made by Bengaluru-based Elena Geo
Systems Space Technology.
• The PNT gadget will have a 5G phone, NavIC chip,
adaptor, and receiver to communicate with NavIC
satellites.
GRAVITATIONAL VIBRATIONS
In Pune on Thursday, the NCRA-TIFR team made the
announcement that they had discovered gravitational
waves, which opens a fresh insight on how the cosmos
works. Eight years after the first-ever detection of
gravitational waves, which was honoured by the Nobel
Prize for Physics, scientists have now picked up evidence
to suggest that many gravitational waves are always present
in any area of the universe. The combined effects of these
waves are constantly deforming and reshaping spacetime,
altering the motion and behaviour of every celestial body
A significant number of gravitational waves, which are
generated by a variety of phenomena, are continually
distorting spacetime. And all celestial bodies, including
the earth, move around under the impact of this combined
action,” said Yashwant Gupta, director of the National
Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), which is located in
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Pune and is a part of the international scientific partnership FIRST ROCKET IN SPACE THAT RAN ON
that led to the most recent conclusion. METHANE
• It was China’s Zhuque-2 rocket that made history by
ISRO TO PRIVATIZE SSLV being the first methane-powered rocket in the world to
• The Indian space agency has made the decision to safely reach space.
transfer the technology to more than one private • After an unsuccessful attempt in December, Landscape
player so that they can manufacture the Small Satellite made this attempt for a second time.
Launch Vehicle (SSLV) for interested parties, and the • This monumental breakthrough represents a
Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation paradigm shift in the ongoing competition to develop
Centre has released an Expression of Interest for the environmentally friendly, safe, and reusable technology
same. for space travel.
• The private industry in the Indian space sector is
regulated by IN-SPACe, which is an industry body.
• In accordance with the terms and conditions, the
interested private players or the leader of the
consortium must have a profit-making business with a
minimum annual sales of Rs 400 crore.
• It is required of the replies that they have been in
business for a period of at least seven years and have
a minimum of five years of manufacturing expertise;
therefore, new age rocket startup companies are not
eligible to bid alone.

MILKY WAY GALAXY THROUGH THE EYES OF

NEUTRINO PARTICLES.

WORLD’S LARGEST PRIVATE

• IceCube has been the place of employment for Naoko
Kurahashi Neilson, a particle physicist who is based at
Drexel University in Philadelphia.
• IceCube is a scientific collaboration that involves
hundreds of researchers from 50 universities across
14 nations working together in Antarctica.
• Photons and neutrinos both fall within the category of
basic particles. When you see the night sky with your
own eyes, photons are coming from every star, all the
way across space, after traveling millions of miles, to hit
your eyeballs, and that’s where they terminate.
COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE ‘JUPITER 3’
LAUNCHED
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and launched the world’s largest
commercial communications satellite from LC-39A,
Kennedy Space Centre, Florida.
Jupiter 3, Maxar Technologies’ largest satellite, was
launched by Falcon Heavy.
Hughes’ EchoStar satellite Jupiter 3 is also known as
EchoStar XXIV.
The next-generation Ultra High-Density Satellite (UHDS)
provides terabytes of connection to North and South
American consumers.

Neutrino:
A neutrino is a type of fermion that can only interact
with other matter through the weak force and gravity.
The neutrino is given its name because particle does not
interact with electricity and because its rest mass is so low
that for a long time scientists believed it to be zero.

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THE FIRST-EVER COMMERCIAL SPACE FLIGHT
LAUNCHED BY VIRGIN GALACTIC.
• Mission ‘Galactic 01’ was a huge success.
• The space travel company Virgin Galactic is now
operational. ,
• It successfully completed its very first commercial trip,
which involved transporting four passengers to and
from suborbital space.
• It was a landmark moment for Virgin Galactic, which
has big ambitions in the final frontier.
ARIANE 5 ROCKET LAUNCHES 2 SATELLITES
ON FINAL MISSION
• Wednesday was the final launch of Europe’s Ariane 5
rocket from French Guiana.
• The launch, which was carrying two military
communications satellites, created a vacuum in
Europe’s nations’ access to space for the first time in
more than four decades.
• It is also known as the Workhorse of Europe.
EUCLID MISSION OF SPACE X
• The European Space Agency launched its Euclid
spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a SpaceX
Falcon 9 rocket.
• The purpose of Euclid is to investigate the development
of the invisible universe.
• Monitoring billions of galaxies spread across more
than a third of the sky at a distance of up to 10 billion
light-years will create a three-dimensional picture of
the universe, with time serving as the third dimension.
• While dark energy is thought to be responsible for the
accelerated expansion of the universe and dark matter
is thought to be responsible for the formation of cosmic
structures, the nature of dark energy and dark matter
is still a mystery to scientists.
• Euclid will explain how the universe has grown and how
the structure has emerged over the course of cosmic
history by watching the evolution of the Universe
over the past 10 billion years.
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38
• From this, astronomers can infer the properties of
dark energy, dark matter, and gravity, which will
reveal more about the precise nature of these three
fundamental forces.
• This addresses two basic themes that are central to the
ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme:
Š What are the underlying physical rules that govern
the universe?
Š where did everything in the universe come from,
and what exactly is it comprised of?
JWST UNVEILS 6 NEW UNIVERSE
• According to nature.com, the James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST) was used in June to assist researchers
in discovering and identifying some of the earliest
galaxies ever seen.
• These galaxies existed within the first 650 million
years after the Big Bang, which is when the Universe
was created.
• The research has shown that stars and galaxies were
already growing and developing more earlier in the
universe than anyone had previously thought.
• According to the information, which is collectively
referred to as the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic
Survey (JADES), the study examined many regions of
the sky. In spite of the fact that it primarily observes
infrared wavelengths of light, the JWST is ideally suited
for the discovery of extremely distant galaxies.
Redshift
Redshift is the method that astronomers use to determine
the distance between two points in space; the higher the
redshift, the more apart the two points are. Prior to the
introduction of the JSWT in 2021, astronomers have only
identified a few dozen galaxies with redshifts of 8 or higher.
However, JADES discovered an astounding 717 galaxies
that are most likely located inside this range.
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“X-CLASS” SOLAR FLARE
On Sunday, July 2, a massive sunspot went supernova,
triggering a tremendous solar flare that ripped
through the atmosphere of Earth and knocked off radio
communications in certain regions of the United States
and the Pacific Ocean.
The sunspot AR3354, which is seven times the width of
the Earth, was the source of the solar flare that erupted in
the sky. The Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) at NASA
captured an image of the solar flare as a brilliant flash
of ultraviolet light after it erupted from the sun. It was
determined to be an X-flare, the most powerful category of
solar flare that is currently known.
“X class” solar flare
• Sun flares occur when enormous magnetic fields rejoin.
• Active locations, like sun spots, have the strongest
magnetic fields.
• Strength classifies flares. B, C, M, and X are the smallest
to largest.
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• A large X-class flare can cause long-lasting radiation
storms that can damage satellites and give aeroplane
passengers flying near the poles minor radiation doses.
• X flares can cause global gearbox issues and blackouts.
GUILLIAN BARRE SYNDROME
• Guillain-Barré syndrome, sometimes known as GBS,
is an extremely uncommon disorder in which a
person’s immune system assaults the nerves in the
body’s extremities.
• It can affect anyone of any age, but adults and men are
more likely to be impacted than other age groups.
• Extreme manifestations of Guillain-Barré syndrome
are extremely uncommon but can cause near-total
paralysis and respiratory difficulties.
• The Guillain-Barré syndrome poses a significant risk to
the patient’s life. Patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré
syndrome should receive treatment and monitoring as
soon as feasible; some may require urgent care.
• The treatment consists of palliative care and
immunological treatments in some cases.
CRIMEAN-CONGO HEMORRHAGIC FEVER
(CCHF) VIRUS
The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, also known as
CCHF, is a viral hemorrhagic illness that is typically
passed on via ticks. Additionally, it is possible to catch it by
coming into touch with viraemic animal tissues (tissues
from animals in which the virus has already made its way
into the circulation) during and immediately after the
killing of animals.
BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA
• Naegleria fowleri, colloquially known as the “brain-
eating amoeba”, is a species of the genus Naegleria.
• It belongs to the phylum Percolozoa and is technically
classified as a shape-shifting amoeboflagellate excavate
rather than a true amoeba.
• This free-living microorganism primarily feeds on
bacteria but can become pathogenic, causing an
 extremely rare, sudden, severe, and usually fatal
brain infection known as naegleriasis or primary
amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)
• Typically found in warm freshwater bodies such as
ponds, lakes, rivers, hot springs, warm water discharge
from industrial or power plants, geothermal well water,
poorly maintained or minimally chlorinated swimming
pools (with residual chlorine levels under 0.5 mg/m3),
water heaters, soil, and pipes connected to tap water.
• It can exist in either an amoeboid or temporary
flagellate stage.
PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANTS (PPR)
• PPR is a viral disease that affects sheep and goats and
is very contagious.
• The fatality rate is significant.
• A virus belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae and
the genus Morbillivirus is the culprit in this case.
• It shares tight genetic ties with other viruses that
belong to the same genus, such as the rinderpest virus,
the measles virus, and the canine distemper virus.
META LAUNCHES THREAD
• Meta’s Threads app, aimed for conversations and
community interaction, is not being introduced in the
EU.
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
40
• The company’s move derives from regulatory worries
about DMA compliance, a system designed to reduce
the dominance of giant digital platforms and enable
fair competition in the digital market.
• Instagram created Threads for text updates and public
interactions.
• You connect up with Instagram and can post up to 500
characters, links, images, and 5-minute videos.
FIRST HYDROGEN TRAIN
It is anticipated that the first prototype of the hydrogen
train will begin service on the Northern Railway between
the Jind and Sonipat sections during the fiscal year 2023-
2024. They stated that at the present time, diesel and
electricity are being used to power the trains and that this
endeavour will be novel for the nation.
AKSHAR RIVER CRUISE
• The bustling city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat
in India has only lately introduced its newest source of
pride, the Akshar River Cruise.
• This outstanding endeavour is a monument to India’s
Make in India policy, which was developed together by
the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and
the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation
Limited
INDIA IS HAPPY TO WELCOME ‘LISA,’ ITS
FIRST REGIONAL AI NEWS REPORTER.
A video of Lisa proudly introducing herself and expressing
her delight for this momentous occasion was uploaded to
Twitter by OTV and shared by users. Odisha TV, a news
network rooted in Odia, has introduced “Lisa,” India’s first
regional AI news anchor. “Lisa” is named after an Odia
goddess.Lisa, India’s first regional news anchor powered
by artificial intelligence (AI), was debuted on Odisha TV
earlier this week.
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ZERO-MODE MAJORANA
• Researchers from Microsoft have just recently made
an important announcement on a breakthrough in the
creation of Majorana Zero Modes.
• These modes are a sort of particle that may have major
implications for the revolutionization of quantum
computing.
• Fermions are a general term that refers to all of the
subatomic particles that make up matter.
• Paul Dirac, a British scientist, came up with the
Dirac equation in 1928 in an effort to comprehend
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how quantum mechanics and the special theory of
relativity could coexist.
• The Dirac equation was developed to describe the
behaviour of subatomic particles that traveled at
speeds very close to those of light.
• One of the quantum numbers that fermions have is
called quantum spin, and it can only take on values
that are half-integers. Fermions have a total of four
quantum numbers.
• Majorana zero modes are a term that refers to the bound
states of fermions that are also their own antiparticles.
AT THE 34TH INTERNATIONAL BIOLOGY
OLYMPIAD, INDIA WON THE MOST MEDALS.
UAE CAME IN SECOND.
“For the first time, ALL 4 students representing Team
India won GOLD medals at the 34th International
Biology Olympiad 2023, at Al Ain, UAE from 2-11 July,” the
statement reads. This is the first time India has topped the
medals count in IBO and turned in an all-gold performance.
There were 293 students from 76 different nations who
took part in the event.
 12
Summit and Conferences

UNION WCD MINISTER INAUGURATES Industrial Research, Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to
REGIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CHILD Government of India, and Confederation of Indian Industry
are organising the conference.
PROTECTION, SAFETY AND CHILD WELFARE.
• At the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, a one-day Regional
Symposium on Child Protection, Safety, and Child
Welfare was held.
• The event was organised by the Ministry of Women
and Child Development (MWCD), which is part of the
Government of India.
• There were nine states and three union territories
that took part in the event.
• These included Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,
Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, as well as the UTs of
Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
More than 2,000 members from Child Welfare The Conference aims to develop a Green Hydrogen
Committees (CWCs), Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), ecosystem and foster a comprehensive approach to
Members of Village Child Protection Committees fulfilling global decarbonization targets using Green
(VCPCs), and Anganwadi Workers were present at the Hydrogen. The conference will explore green funding,
Symposium. human resource upskilling, and startup activities in
• The programme marks the beginning of a series of hydrogen production, storage, delivery, and downstream
regional symposiums that are going to be hosted all uses. International sector best practises will be shared and
across the country in order to increase awareness learned at the conference.
and outreach about child protection, safety, and
welfare issues.

67TH TAAI CONFERENCE IN COLOMBO

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GREEN
HYDROGEN (ICGH-2023)
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry
of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Council of Scientific and
• On July 6th, the much-anticipated 67th Travel Agents
Association of India (TAAI) convention got underway
in Colombo. The convention will last for three days.
• The President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, as
well as the High Commissioner of India, Gopal Baglay,
will be attending as special guests.
• Opportunities for Indian and Sri Lankan stakeholders
in the tourism industry to develop their businesses:
• Participants in the Indian and Sri Lankan tourism
 industry can capitalise on the numerous lucrative
business prospects presented at the conference.
• It acts as a forum for the promotion of economic
partnerships and other forms of collaboration between
the two nations.
THE U20 MAYORAL SUMMIT COMES TO AN
END.
The Urban 20 Mayoral Summit, which took place in
Gandhinagar from July 7-8 and was hosted by Ahmedabad
in its capacity as chair city, came to a close with the mayors
of the participating cities delivering a communiqué to the
G20 leaders. The Communique was officially endorsed
by 105 cities across the world, the highest ever number of
endorsements received to date for any U20 Communiqué,
and more than twice the number of endorsements for any
previous communiqués.
A plan of action for the six priorities that were determined
collaboratively by the U20 cities has been created as part
of the Communiqué.
He reaffirmed that the six priorities that were outlined in
the Communiqué would be critical to our group’s ability
to endure into the foreseeable future. He discussed nine
key areas that cities should concentrate their efforts on in
order to move towards a more sustainable future:
1. Improve governance at the local level.
2. Make your plans go beyond the typical confines
3. Make every effort to have cities become economically
independent
4. Encourage an innovative mindset and atmosphere
5. Put the power of data and technology to work for you.
6. Shift from regulation to facilitation
7. Pay attention to the impacts, not the results.
8. Citizens should be the primary focus of urban policy.
9. Take advantage of the local economy and culture
• During her inauguration address, the President
emphasized the importance of education for not just
personal growth but also the growth of society and the
nation.
• Higher education is, for the most majority of today’s
young people, the most efficient and effective means of
escaping difficult circumstances.
• She noted that one of the aims of the National Education
Policy- 2020 is to ensure that young people who come
from socially and economically disadvantaged groups
have access to a higher education that is both equal and
inclusive.
• The President of the United States stated that nations
would have the ability to become global superpowers
if they had access to more knowledge.
• She mentioned that the objective of the NEP is to
establish India as a preeminent knowledge-based
nation worldwide.
11TH MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION
OF WORLD ELECTION BODIES (A-WEB)
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
• To participate in the 11th meeting of the Executive
Board of the Association of World Election Bodies
(A-WEB), the Chief Election Commissioner of India,
Shri Rajiv Kumar, led a delegation consisting of three
other members of the Election Commission of India
(ECI) to Cartagena, Colombia.

THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA KICKS OFF

THE VISITOR’S CONFERENCE 2023 AT
RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN.
Today, July 10, 2023, the Rashtrapati Bhavan was the site of
the opening ceremony for the Visitor’s Conference 2023.
• With 119 EMBs as Members and 20 Regional
The event was opened by the President of India, Smt.
Associations/Organisations as Associate Members,
Droupadi Murmu.

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 the Association of World Election Bodies is the largest
association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) in
the world.
MOHFW WINS KRETA VIKRETA GAURAV
SAMMAAN SAMAAROH
• In the category of “Highest Single Bid Procurements
in FY22-23,” the Kreta Vikreta Gaurav Samman
Samaroh 2023 competition awarded the “Highest
Single Bid Procurements in FY22-23” winner to the
Department of Health and Family Welfare within the
Union Health Ministry.
• The Government e-Marketplace division of the Ministry
of Commerce and Industry coordinated the ceremony
for handing out awards.
ASIAN COUNTRIES CONFERENCE FOR
TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
• On July 20, 2023, the Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of
External Affairs, Indian Mission to ASEAN, and ASEAN
Secretariat organized the ASEAN Conference on
Traditional Medicines.
• The Conference on Traditional Medicines intends
to improve India-ASEAN cooperation in traditional
medicine by sharing best practices and creating a
roadmap.
• At the Curtain Raiser event today, Union Minister
for Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal told the media,
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
44
“The multi-dimensional relationship between India
and ASEAN stands on a strong foundation of shared
geographical, historical, and civilizational links that
goes back to more than two millennia.”
THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD SHERPAS
G20 CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE IN HAMPI,
KARNATAKA.
• Today in Hampi, Karnataka, the Third G20 Sherpas
meeting under the Indian Presidency began.
• India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kanth remarked in his
opening remarks that numerous G20 Working Groups
are delivering their result documents and shared
summaries, accelerating the draught Delhi Declaration.
• Education, Tourism, Agriculture, and ministerial
working groups have reported.
• He stressed that G20 Sherpas must make bold decisions
and provide stronger action-oriented results for future
generations.
• He stressed working as a family to ensure that the G20’s
final declaration will assist solve the world’s problems.
• The Sherpas will debate the preamble and conclusion
of the updated draftt Leaders declaration today..
THE “INDIA MOBILE CONGRESS 2023” WILL
BE HELD IN PRAGATI MAIDAN.
• Pragati Maidan in New Delhi will be the location of
the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC) this
year.
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• The event will take place from the 27th to the 30th of
October.
• The Department of Telecommunications and the
Cellular Operators Association of India are both
participating as co-hosts in this event.
• The India Mobile Congress 2023 will focus on the topic
of ‘Global Digital Innovation.’
SARBANANDA SONOWAL LAUNCHED
CURTAIN RAISER OF GLOBAL MARITIME
INDIA SUMMIT
• In Mumbai, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal,
inaugurated the curtain raiser for the Global Maritime
India Summit (GIMS), 2023.
• The purpose of the event is to improve trade cooperation
and to promote Ease of Doing Business (EODB), with
the goal of unlocking the potential for new investment
opportunities. In addition, the event will focus on
fostering collaborations for knowledge and technology.
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• The Minister stated that “the enormous potential
of India’s marine sector can play a significant and
pivotal role in elevating the economic cycle towards
an Atmanirbhar Bharat by 2047.”
PM INAUGURATES INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITION-CUM-CONVENTION CENTRE –
‘BHARAT MANDAPAM’
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently opened the
rebuilt Pragati Maidan complex in Delhi, unveiling the
spectacular International Exhibition-cum-Convention
Centre (IECC) or “Bharat Mandapam.”
• The IECC will host the September G-20 Summit and
become India’s largest conference and exposition
centre.
• The project was developed by Aedas, famed for their
work on the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and Arcop,
which designed IGI Airport Terminal 3. It cost roughly
Rs 2,700 crore.
 13
Sports

DURAND CUP 132 hosted in Bengaluru, Karnataka. They were able to secure
From the 3rd of August through the 3rd of September their ninth title by winning a tense football match against
in the year 2023, the city of Kolkata will play host to the Kuwait.
132nd iteration of the Durand Cup, which is the oldest SAFF:
football tournament in India.
In 1997, founding Member Associations hailing from
The beginning of the Trophy Tour for the competition, the countries of Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal,
which took place on June 30, 2023, is an important Pakistan, and SriLanka came together to establish SAFF.
milestone in the long and illustrious history of the Durand
Its headquarter is in Dhaka
Cup.
Football fans are in for a treat as the next tournament will
have international teams competing for the first time in 27
years. This promises to be an unforgettable show for those
who follow the sport.

AJEET SINGH CLINCHES GOLD MEDAL IN

PARA ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PARIS
In Para Athletics, Ajeet Singh has clinched the gold medal
in the finals of the Men’s javelin throw F46 in the ongoing
AADHAV ARJUNA WAS ELECTED AS Championships in Paris. He finished with a score of 65.41
after his throw, which put him on top of the tree. He broke
PRESIDENT OF THE BASKETBALL the championship record, which was earlier held by
FEDERATION OF INDIA (BFI) Chunliang Guo of China with a throw of 61.89.
• Aadhav Arjuna, who had previously served as
president of the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association
(TNBA), was chosen to take on the role of president of
the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
• Kulvinder Singh Gill, a former player who currently
serves as the president of the Madhya Pradesh
Basketball Association, was chosen to the position of
secretary general.
Foundation (Year) 1950
First National Basketball Championship 1934
India Membership in FBA 1936 Rinku earned the silver medal by having the best throw
of 65.38. Dinesh Priyantha Herath, who was competing for
SAFF CHAMPIONSHIP Sri Lanka, tied for second place with Rinku. India’s Sundar
India just celebrated a spectacular triumph at the South Singh Gujjar bagged the fourth position with a throw of
Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship 2023 61.81.

PRITHVIRAJ TONDAIMAN WINS BRONZE
On the final day of the ISSF World Cup Shotgun
competition, which took place in Lonato, Italy, Prithviraj
Tondaiman won the bronze medal in the Men’s Trap event.
TRIPURA’S ASMITA DEY WINS GOLD AT
JUNIOR ASIAN JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023
Asmita Dey of Tripura won the Junior Asia Cup Judo
Championship in Macau, China. She also won a silver at
the Asian Open 2023 in Kuwait City in April and a bronze
at the Asian Junior Championships in 2022.

THE INDIAN CONTINGENT WON 27 MEDALS

AT 25TH ASIAN ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP
2023
India came in third place overall, after China and Japan,
with an amazing total of 27 medals, including six gold, 12
silver, and nine bronze medals. OLYMPIAN NEERAJ CHOPRA WINS
China and Japan were first and second, respectively. This
LAUSANNE DIAMOND LEAGUE 2023
astounding accomplishment surpasses India’s previous • Neeraj Chopra of India was victorious in the men’s
record, which they set in 2017 at Bhubaneswar. javelin throw competition that took place on
Saturday at the Lausanne Diamond League 2023 in
At that competition, they won nine gold medals, six silver
Switzerland.
medals, and 12 bronze medals.
• Neeraj Chopra, the javelin throw event winner at the
season-opening Doha leg with an attempt of 88.67
metres back in May, picked up his second consecutive
victory with an effort of 87.66 metres, which came in
his fifth attempt of the night.
• Chopra is the defending champion for the Tokyo 2020
Olympic Games.
• Neeraj Chopra competed in the Lausanne event for the
first time since the Doha Diamond League, which was
his previous outing earlier this season.
• These competitions were the FBK Games in the
Netherlands, the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland,
and the Ostrava Golden Spike in the Czech Republic.
INDIA’S NIDHI BULEY AND RITIKA AMONG
FOUR FEMALES TO ENTER BCCI UMPIRING
PANEL
Nidhi and Ritika Buley are two of the four former female
cricket players who have been invited to serve as umpires
for the BCCI after retiring with a high level of distinction. In
2006, Nidhi participated in both an ODI and a Test match
for India, while her younger sister Ritika competed for
Madhya Pradesh in a total of 31 first-class matches. The
examination for retired cricketers was held from the 10th
to the 13th of June, and the results have been announced.

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ASIAN KABADDI CHAMPIONSHIP 2023: • The Indian Bhambri, who is currently placed 75 in the
INDIA BEAT IRAN IN FINAL TO WIN TITLE ATP doubles tennis rankings, will soon move up to a
position that will be a personal best for him, which will
India came out on top against Iran in the championship
be 58th. Bhambri is 30 years old.
match of the Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023, which
took place at the Dong-Eui Institute of Technology
Seokdang Cultural Centre in Busan, Republic of Korea.
The final score was 42-32 in favour of India. India won this
championship, making it their eighth victory in the last
nine total attempts.
Pawan Sehrawat, the captain of the Indian team, played
a significant part and delivered an excellent performance
with 10 successful raids.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS AUSTRIAN GP 2023

Kabaddi:
• In the team version of kabaddi that is played
internationally, two teams of seven players each occupy
opposite halves of a court that is 10 by 13 metres (33
ft 43 ft) in case of men and 8 by 12 metres (26 ft 39 ft)
in case of women.
• The two halves of the game each last 20 minutes,
and there is a 5-minute break in the middle of each half
during which the teams switch sides.
• During each play, which is referred to as a “raid,”
a player from the attacking side, who is known as
the “raider,” sprints into the side of the court that is
occupied by the other team and seeks to tag as many of
the seven defensive players as they can.
YUKI BHAMBRI WINS MAIDEN ATP DOUBLES
TITLE IN MALLORCA, SPAIN
• Yuki Bhambri of India won his first championship on
the ATP World Tour Sunday, taking home the doubles
trophy at the Mallorca Championships in Spain with
his South African partner Lloyd Harris.
• This victory marked Bhambri’s debut on the ATP
World Tour.
• In the final of the grass-court event, which was the last
competition before the Wimbledon Championships,
the Indo-South African pair prevailed over the Dutch-
Austrian combination of Robin Hasse and Philipp
Oswald by a score of 6-3 and 6-4.
• Max Verstappen Wins the Australia GP 2023;
• Lewis Hamilton Finishes 8th.
• At the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, Max Verstappen
won the race for the fifth time in a row. At Red Bull Ring,
• the current holder of the Formula One championship
won for the fifth time in a row and for the seventh time
overall in the 2023 season.
RAJA PRAMUKHAN TROPHY
In the Champakulam Moolam boat race, which took
place on the Pampa river at Champakulam in Kuttanad
on Monday, the ALAPPUZHA Nadubhagom Chundan
(snakeboat) of the Nadubhagom Boat Club won the Raja
Pramukhan Trophy.
LALLIANZUALA CHHANGTE WINS AIFF
MEN’S FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR AWARD
FOR 2022-23
• The award was bestowed upon Lallianzuala Chhangte
as a result of the outstanding play he has displayed for
both the Indian national team and Mumbai City FC, the
club he plays for.
• During the 2022–2023 season, the winger made a total
of 12 appearances for the national team, during which
time he scored two goals and provided one assist.

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 AT THE 2023 WORLD ARCHERY YOUTH
CHAMPIONSHIPS, INDIA WON 11 TITLES.
At the World Archery Youth Championships in 2023, India
came away with 11 medals. India has achieved the second
position with an excellent haul of 11 medals, including
six gold, one silver, and four bronze, at the recently ended
LAXYA SEN WON CANADA OPEN 2023 World Archery Youth Championships in Limerick,
• During the 58th Canada Open 2023, Lakshya Sen Ireland. These championships are held every two years.
was victorious in the men’s singles competition. Sen
prevailed in the championship match against Li Shi
Feng, the defending All England champion, by winning
all three games in a thrilling contest.
• Sen has added yet another significant award to his
increasing list of accomplishments with this stunning
victory, which represents his second title on the BWF
World Tour.
• Sen bested his opponent, Li Shi Feng, with a score
of 21-18 and 22-20. Sen demonstrated an enormous
amount of talent and the ability to perform exceptionally
well under pressure.

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 14
KARGIL VIJAY DIWAS
Every year on July 26 in India, is known as Kargil Vijay
Diwas is held to commemorate India’s victory over
Pakistan in the Kargil War. This victory was achieved by
driving Pakistani forces from their occupied positions on
the mountain tops of Northern Kargil District in Ladakh in
the year 1999.
INTERNATIONAL TIGER DAY
Global Tiger Day, also known as International Tiger Day, is
a celebration that takes place every year on July 29 with
the goal of bringing attention to the importance of tiger
conservation. In the year 2010, at the Saint Petersburg
Tiger Summit held in Russia, it was established.
WORLD YOUTH SKILLS DAY
The UN General Assembly declared July 15 World Youth
Skills Day in 2014 to recognise the strategic importance
Important Days
of training youth for employment, decent work, and
entrepreneurship.
Skilling teachers, trainers, and youth for a transformative
future is the World Youth Skills Day 2023 theme. It
emphasises the importance of teachers, trainers, and
other educators in preparing youth for the workforce and
community engagement.
BASTILLE DAY OR FRENCH NATIONAL DAY
Bastille Day commemorates the fall of the Paris Bastille
on July 14, 1789, in France and its overseas départements
and territories.The French Revolution began with the
Bastille’s fall, symbolising the end of the ancien régime.
WORLD NATURE CONSERVATION DAY
On July 28, people celebrate World Nature Conservation
Day to bring attention to how important it is to protect
the environment. It’s a good time to teach people about
the problems caused by climate change and the need to
protect natural resources.
 is a day celebrated around the world on July 17 to bring
attention to the growing system of international criminal
justice.

WORLD DAY FOR INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE

World Day for International Justice, also called Day of
International Criminal Justice or International Justice Day,

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 15
Person in News
embodying the spirit of the India-France partnership” in
AWARD AND RECOGNITION its official statement.
THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA GAVE THE “
BHOOMI SAMMAN “ 2023.
At a ceremony held in New Delhi on July 18, 2023, and
hosted by the Union Ministry of Rural Development, the
President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, handed out the
“Bhoomi Samman” 2023 award.
The State Secretaries and District Collectors, along with
their teams, who have succeeded in achieving saturation
of the essential components of the Digital India Land
Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), received
the honors.
DILRMP stands for the Digital India Land Records
Modernization Programme.
IAU NAMED PLANET AFTER ASWIN
SHEKHARA
According to the President, increased transparency can be
achieved through digitisation. The IAU named a minor planet after Indian astronomer
Aswin Sekhar.
He was honoured at the 2023 Asteroids Comets Meteors
Conference in Arizona on June 21.

PM MODI WAS GIVEN THE GRAND CROSS OF

THE LEGION OF HONOUR
French President Emmanuel Macron presented Prime
Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Cross of the GLOBAL INDIAN ICON OF 2023
Legion of Honour on Thursday evening (July 13), which
was early on Friday morning in India. This is the greatest Mary Kom, a sporting icon and India’s first-ever Olympic
distinction that can be bestowed upon a citizen of France. medallist in women’s boxing, was presented with the
The Government of India referred to it as a “friendly gesture Global Indian Icon of the Year award at the annual U.K.-
India Awards in Windsor, south-eastern England. The
awards ceremony takes place every year in the spring.

CHEVALIER AWARD TO INDIAN MUSICIAN PROF THALAPPIL PRADEEP WINS THE

During a ceremony on Saturday evening in Chennai, the
government of France presented the renowned Chevalier
Award to Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam and flutist
Shashank Subramanyam.
This award was presented to them in acknowledgment of
their significant contributions to the realm of music and
the growth of connections between India and France.
PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL ENI AWARD
The coveted ‘Eni Award,’ which is considered to be one of
the most prestigious accolades in the world for scientific
research in the fields of energy and environment, was
bestowed upon Professor T. Pradeep of the Department
of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology
Madras. The Award is going to be given out very shortly,
and the President of Italy is going to do it.

FIRST-EVER TRANSGENDER BIRTH

CERTIFICATE ISSUED TO NOOR SHEKHAWAT
IN RAJASTHAN
It was Noor Shekhawat who made history in the state SHANKARI CHANDRAN WINS MILES
of Rajasthan by being the first transgender person to FRANKLIN LITERARY AWARD 2023
be granted a birth certificate with the gender recorded
The novel “Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens” written by
as transgender. Her previous birth certificate had her
Chandran was selected as the winner of the 2023 Literary
gender listed as male, despite the fact that she is a
Award, and the announcement was made today. The novel
female. Shekhawat was presented with her updated birth
“Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens,” which won an award, is
certificate by authorities from both the municipal and
written by Chandran and tells a story of family, memories,
state governments.
community, and race.

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GOOGLE DOODLE HONOURS ASMA HAMZA
IS A SONGWRITER AND OUD PLAYER FROM
SUDAN.
Asma Hamza, a Sudanese Oud musician, was the
first-place winner of the Laylat AlQadr AlKubra music
competition on July 17, 1997.
To honour this momentous occasion, Google created a
doodle about Asma Hamza on July 17, 2023.
Asma Hamza was one of the earliest women music
composers in Sudan and the Arab world. She was born in
1932 and is considered a pioneer in the field.
BRITISH CHILDREN’S WRITER MICHAEL
ROSEN AWARDED THE PEN PINTER PRIZE
2023
• Michael Rosen, who has written more than 200 books
for children, was awarded the 2023 PEN Pinter prize for
his “fearless” body of work that the judges described as
providing a “lesson in humanity.”
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• Rosen has written more than 200 novels.
• In October, a ceremony will take place at the British
Library during which Rosen will be awarded the prize.
RAJINDAR SINGH DHATT RECEIVES POINTS
OF LIGHT AWARD
• Rajindar Singh Dhatt, the man behind the “Undivided
Indian Ex-Servicemen’s Association,” was given the
coveted Points of Light award in recognition of his
great service and unrelenting efforts to bring together
British Indian war veterans.
• This award was given in recognition of his exceptional
service and persistent efforts to bring together British
Indian war veterans.
APPOINTMENTS
RAKESH PAL HAS BEEN NAMED THE 25TH
DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE INDIAN COAST
GUARD.
In the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Rakesh Pal has recently
been given the position of the 25th Director General (DG).
Following graduation from the Indian Naval Academy in
1988, he became a member of the Indian Coast Guard the
following year in January 1989.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has announced that Rakesh
Pal will take over as the organization’s 25th Director
General (DG).
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TELANGANA HIGH COURT CHIEF JUSTICE
ALOK ARADHE SWORE IN IN HYDERABAD.
• Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan swore in Telangana
High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe at Raj Bhavan in
Hyderabad on July 23.
• Justice Alok Aradhe replaced Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, who
became a Supreme Court justice.
KERALA HIGH COURT CHIEF JUSTICE ASHISH
JITENDRA DESAI TAKES OATH.
• Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai became the 38th Chief
Justice of the Kerala High Court during a solemn
ceremony held at Raj Bhavan.
• He swore in as the new Chief Justice.
• The newly appointed Chief Justice took the oath of
office, which was administered by Kerala Governor Arif
Mohammed Khan.
SHAH RUKH KHAN WAS APPOINTED AS THE
BRAND AMBASSADOR OF ICC WORLD CUP
2023
• Shah Rukh Khan has been appointed as the brand
ambassador for the 2023 ICC World Cup. With his
iconic voiceover,
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• Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan initiated the ‘It
takes one day’ World Cup 2023 campaign.
• India will host the 2023 World Cup from October 5 to
November 19, 2023.
LT GEN M U NAIR APPOINTED AS NEW
NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY COORDINATOR
• The position of national cybersecurity coordinator
(NCSC) has been given to Lieutenant General M. U. Nair
by the government.
• Nair, who took over as the 28th Signal Officer-in-Chief
in July 2022, has also served as the commandant of the
Military College of Telecommunication Engineering.
CHINA’S QU-DONGYU RE-ELECTED
UNOPPOSED AS HEAD OF FAO
• The first day of the 43rd session of the conference of the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) was Saturday, July 1, 2023.
• The meeting was held at the headquarters of the FAO
in Rome.
• During this session of the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Qu-Dongyu
was re-elected as Director General of the FAO.
• Qu-Dongyu became the first person of Chinese descent
to hold the position of head of the United Nations
organisation after he was elected to that role in 2019.

CENTRE APPOINTS IPS OFFICER MANOJ
YADAVA AS DG RAILWAY PROTECTION
FORCE
• In accordance with an order issued by the Ministry of
Personnel, Manoj Yadava, a senior officer in the Indian
Police Service (IPS) from the Haryana cadre, has been
appointed to the position of Director General of the
Railway Protection Force (RPF).
• Sanjay Chander, who will retire on July 31 after
serving in the Indian Police Service since 1988, will
be succeeded by Yadava, who also served in the Indian
Police Service in that year.
MS. NIVRUTI RAI WAS APPOINTED AS MD &
CEO OF INVEST INDIA
• On July 12, 2023, Ms. Nivruti Rai began her role as
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of
Invest India.
• She has taken over the charge from Ms. Manmeet K
Nanda, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), who assumed this
additional charge of MD & CEO ad-interim in March
2023.
• Ms. Rai was recognized for her significant impact on the
world of technology, and she was awarded the coveted
Nari Shakti Puraskar as a result.
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• Ms. Nivruti Rai brings an impressive resume to Invest
India, having spent 29 years as a worldwide business
and technology leader at Intel.
OBITUARIES
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE- OSCAR-WINNING
DIED
Alan Arkin, an Academy Award–winning actor, passed
away on June 30 at the age of 89.
Alan Arkin, the wry character actor who demonstrated his
versatility in everything from farcical comedy to chilling
drama as he received four Academy Award nominations
and won an Oscar in 2007 for “Little Miss Sunshine,” has
died. He was 89.
PAINTER AND SCULPTOR NAMBOOTHIRI
PASSES AWAY
KM is regarded as Kerala’s preeminent artist for literary
illustrations, sculptures, and line sketches. According to
members of his family, Vasudevan Namboothiri, more
generally known as Artist Namboothiri, passed away in
the early morning hours of Friday in a private hospital in
Kottakkal. He was 97.
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 Miramontes, commonly known as the “Golden Galician,”
has regretfully gone away at the age of 88. He was noted
for his golden-voiced singing. He was the only male player
from Spain to ever win the Ballon d’Or, which is considered
to be the sport’s highest individual honour.

BASKETBALL STAR AND OLYMPIC GOLD

MEDALIST NIKKI MCCRAY-PENSON DIES.
A spokeswoman for Rutgers University shared the news
that Nikki McCray-Penson, a former basketball great
who won gold medals in the Olympics on two separate
occasions, passed away at the age of 51.
EMINENT SCIENTIST DR MANGALA
The reason for their passing was not disclosed. Breast NARLIKAR PASSES AWAY AT 80
cancer was discovered to be McCray-Penson’s condition in
the year 2013. After a protracted illness, the distinguished mathematician
and scientist Dr. Mangala Narlikar, who was the wife of the
well-known astrophysicist Dr. Jayant Narlikar, passed away
on Monday at her residence in the city of Pune in the state
of Maharashtra, her family members reported.

LA LIGA ICON LUIS SUÁREZ PASSES AWAY

Luis Suárez Miramontes, commonly known as the
“Golden Galician,” has regretfully gone away at the age of
88. He was noted for his golden-voiced singing. Luis Suárez

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16
Practice Set
1. Jupiter 3 satellite is launched for: 10. Which of the following rocket will be used for the
(a) Navigation satellite of India Gaganyan Project?
(b) Communication satellites for North and South (a) SSLV (b) LVM3
America (c) PSLV (d) GSLV
(c) Observation of atmospheric condition 11. Which of the following Indian Navy Vehicle is being
(d) Naval Operations of China transferred to Vietnam?
2. India’s largest conference and exposition centre is (a) INS Kirpan (b) INS Sankosh
situated in____________. (c) INS Arihant (d) INS Viraat
(a) Delhi (b) Bhopal
12. HAL is going to sell light and medium utility helicopters
(c) Lucknow (d) Pune to ____________.
3. National Martyr’s Memorial is situated at ___________. (a) United Kingdom (b) Philipines
(a) Bhopal (b) Lucknow (c) Argentina (d) Cambodia
(c) Dehradun (d) Pune
13. Tankai method is famous for
4. Who won the Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023? (a) Sewing (b) Ship Building
(a) Shudha Chandran (b) Shankari Chandran (c) Carpet building (d) Rocket Building
(c) Prakash Chandran (d) Shashi Tharur
14. Which of the following state is related to Namda Art?
5. Machail Mata Yatra is related to _________. (a) Jammu and Kashmir (b) Ladakh
(a) Rajasthan (b) Himachal Pradesh
(c) Tripura (d) Uttarakhand
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Jammu and Kashmir
15. Malayalam translation of Krishna – the 7th Sense is
6. Memories never die is written by written by
(a) Dr. Nazema Maraikayar (a) Dr. Nazema Maraikayar
(b) Dr Shashi Tharur (b) Dr Shashi Tharur
(c) Salman Rushdie
(c) Salman Rushdie
(d) Noor Shekhavat
(d) Debashis Chatterjee
7. Who received the First-ever transgender birth certificate
16. Talisman Sabre 2023 is conducted between Australia
(a) Noor Shekhavat (b) Nazeema Marikayar and _________.
(c) Shakari shekhavat (d) Sanjay Chandar (a) India (b) United Kingdom
8. Jupiter 3 satellite is launched by (c) USA (d) Bangladesh
(a) NASA (b) ISRO
17. No confidence Motion should be backed by _____
(c) Space X (d) ESA Members.
9. Solar Star Initiative is controlled by which of the (a) 40 (b) 50
following Institution (c) 60 (d) 10
1. International Solar Alliance
18. CRPF Raising Day is celebrated on
2. UNIDO
(a) 28 July (b) 27 July
3. UNEP
(c) 26 July (d) 25 July
Choose the correct answer from the following
options: 19. NISAR Satellite will map the world in ______ days.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (a) 11 (b) 12
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) All of the above (c) 13 (d) 14

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20. Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism was 32. “Bhoomi Samman” was hosted by which of the
developed in the year _________. following ministry?
(a) 2004 (b) 2003 (a) Ministry of Defence
(c) 2002 (d) 2000 (b) Ministry of Rural Development
21. The word Talim was recently is news is related to (c) Ministry of Urban Development
________. (d) Ministry of jal Shakti
(a) Chemical Weapon 33. Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme
(b) Government App (DILRMP) is related to which of the following ministry
(c) Typhoon (a) Ministry of Rural Development
(d) Education Campaign (b) Ministry of Urban Development
22. Operation Trinetra is related to __________. (c) Ministry of jal Shakti
(a) Evacuation from Sudan (d) Ministry of agriculture and farmer welfare
(b) Relief to Maldives 34. Ker Puja is related to:
(c) Naval Exercise (a) Odisha (b) Karnataka
(d) Operation against Terrorist (c) Tripura (d) Bihar
23. RBI sign two MoUs for trade in local currencies with: 35. Indian Navy ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata
(a) UAE (b) Qatar conducted a bilateral maritime exercise in which
(c) United Kingdom (d) Sudan city?
(a) Semarang (b) Solo
24. Who clinched clinches gold medal in Para Athletics
Championships in Paris? (c) Jakarta (d) Bandung
(a) Murlikant Petkar (b) Ajeet Singh 36. “Security Bond 2023” is a joint naval exercise involving
(c) Rinku (d) Neetu Singh China and which country?
(a) South Korea (b) Philippines
25. Which state/UT is associated with ‘Swarnim Himalaya’
campaign? (c) Japan (d) Russia
(a) Assam (b) Tripura 37. Nomadic Elephant is a military exercise of India with
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand which country?
(a) Indonesia (b) Japan
26. Who was awarded ‘BET Lifetime Achievement Award
for 2023’? (c) Mongolia (d) Germany
(a) A R Rahman (b) Busta Rhymes 38. The joint exercise JIMEX 23 hosted by the Indian Navy
(c) Mary Com (d) Jennifer Lopez in the Bay of Bengal involved which country?
(a) Germany (b) South Korea
27. Who won Junior Asian Judo Championships 2023?
(c) USA (d) Japan
(a) Murlikant Petkar (b) Ajeet Singh
(c) Rinku (d) Asmita Dey 39. According to Global Firepower, which country has the
world’s most powerful military?
28. Chachin Grazing Festival is related to __________.
(a) India (b) Germany
(a) Goa (b) Arunachal Pradesh
(c) USA (d) Russia
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Uttar Pradesh
40. SDGs National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress
29. Global Maritime India Summit held in _________. Report 2023 how many child are stunted in India?
(a) Chennai (b) Cochin (a) 31.5 (b) 32.5
(c) Ahemdabad (d) Mumbai
(c) 33.5 (d) 35.5
30. “India Mobile Congress 2023” will be held in
41. Who has released the SDGs National Indicator
(a) Mumbai (b) Delhi Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023?
(c) Hyderabad (d) Cochin (a) Ministry of Rural Development
31. Asma Hamza is a songwriter and Oud player, belongs to (b) Ministry of Statistics and Programme
which of the following state? Implementation
(a) Syria (b) Sudan (c) Ministry of Home Affairs
(c) Ethiopia (d) Nigeria (d) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

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42. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is 54. According to Union Minister for Environment, Forest,
programme of: and Climate Change, India adds ________ animal
(a) Ministry of Rural Development species to its fauna database in the recent year.
(b) Ministry of Statistics and Programme (a) 662 (b) 663
Implementation (c) 664 (d) 665
(c) Ministry of Home Affairs 55. Who won maiden ATP doubles title in Mallorca, Spain?
(d) Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
(a) Yuki Bhambari (b) Neeraj Chopra
43. National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is built (c) Deepika Kumari (d) Pankay Yadav
at
56. Euclid Mission is related to
(a) Lothal (b) Dholavira
(a) European Space Agency
(c) Kalibangan (d) Harappa
(b) Virgin Galactic
44. Duqm port is situated at
(c) ISRO
(a) Persian Gulf
(d) NASA
(b) Southeastern board of Oman
(c) Gulf of Biscay 57. Who is appointed as new National Cybersecurity
(d) Malaca Strait Coordinator?
(a) Lieutenant general anil Chauhan
45. ‘Tarang Shakti’ is related to which of the following
institutions: (b) Lieutenant General M. U. Nair
(a) Indian Navy (b) Indian Air Force (c) Lieutenant general gurmeet singh
(c) Indian Army (d) Indian Coast Guard (d) Lieutenant general madhuri kanitkar

46. Lausanne Diamond League 2023 is related to which of 58. Who is re-elected unopposed as Director General of
the following sport? FAO?
(a) Basket Ball (b) Javelline Throw (a) Zheng He (b) Sun Tzu
(c) Tennis (d) Archery (c) Qu-Dongyu (d) Yang Zhi
47. Asian Kabaddi Championship was won by 59. WHo won Receives Points of Light Award?
(a) India (b) Pakistan (a) Michael Rosen (b) Rajindar Singh Dhatt
(c) Iran (d) Bangladesh (c) Anuj Nair (d) Tushar mehta
48. India’s biggest natural arch was discovered in _______. 60. Kaas Plateau is situated at:
(a) Odisha (b) Manipur (a) Bengal (b) Maharastra
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Kashmir (c) Karnataka (d) None of the above
49. Global Icon Award 2023 was won by: 61. India handed over the torch of Startup 20 to _______.
(a) Mary Kom (b) Virat Kohli (a) United States of America
(c) Neeraj Chopra (d) Sachin Tendulakar (b) United Kingdom
50. INS Sankush was recently is related to: (c) South Korea
(a) Corvette (b) Destroyer (d) Brazil
(c) Submarine (d) Friggate 62. National Disaster Response Force was created in the
51. Ranking of India in the Global Peace Index is _______. year_______.
(a) 123 (b) 124 (a) 2003 (b) 2004
(c) 126 (d) 127 (c) 2006 (d) 2005
52. Who is appointed as the Solicitor General of India? 63. The United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine
(a) R. Venkataramani launched a case against ______ at International Court
(b) Kottayan Katankot Venugopal of Justice.
(c) Tushar mehta (a) North Korea (b) Sudan
(d) Narendra Mehta (c) Iran (d) Russia
53. First Commercial Space flight was conducted by: 64. India is hosting the JIMEX 2023 at
(a) Space X (b) NASA (a) Visakhapatnam (b) Chennai
(c) Virgin Galactic (d) ISRO (c) Gujarat (d) Cochin

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 65. Which of the following vessels are involved in the 74. Who is the current Director General (DG) of the Indian
JIMEX 2023? Coast Guard as of 2023?
1. INS Shakti 2. INS Sankush (a) Rakesh Pal
3. INS Kamrota (b) Krishnaswamy Natarajan
Choose the correct answer from the following options: (c) K. N. Vyas
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 1 and 2 only (d) Bipin Rawat
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) All of the above 75. What is the primary objective of the Nai Manzil
66. World Investment Report 2023 is published by Scheme?
(a) WEF (b) IMF (a) To provide Education facilities to marginalized
communities.
(c) World Bank (d) UNCTAD
(b) To promote religious tolerance and communal
67. India’s L & T has collaborated with which country’s harmony.
company Navantia for the development of 6 Submarines?
(c) To offer vocational training and education to
(a) Sudan (b) Switzerland minority youth for better employment opportunities.
(c) Sri Lanka (d) Spain (d) To improve infrastructure in minority-dominated
68. SALVEX is an exercise of India conducted with which areas.
country? 76. When was the first FIFA Women’s World Cup held?
(a) United Kingdom (a) 1991 (b) 1995
(b) United States of America (c) 1999 (d) 2003
(c) Germany
77. Which Indian ministry or department is involved in the
(d) Laos semiconductor pact negotiations?
69. With which country does India conduct the maritime (a) Ministry of Finance
exercise “JIMEX 23”? (b) Ministry of External Affairs
(a) Jakarta (b) Jordan (c) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(c) Japan (d) Jamaica (d) Ministry of Science and Technology
70. Which class of submarines does INS Shankush, which 78. Who is the second partner to sign a semiconductor pact
has been making news recently, belong to? with India?
(a) Shishumar Class (a) United States (b) China
(b) Vanguard Class (c) Japan (d) South Korea
(c) Ballistic Class
79. What is the Bhoomi Sanman Award?
(d) Guided-missile submarines
(a) An award for outstanding agricultural practices.
71. Which force will conduct the ‘Tarang’ exercise taking (b) An award recognizing excellence in environmental
place in India? conservation.
(a) Garud Commando Force (c) A prestigious award given to farmers for their
(b) Indian Air Force contributions to agriculture and rural development.
(c) Indian Navy (d) An award presented to architects and builders for
(d) Indian Coast Guard sustainable construction practices.

72. What are the Talisman Sabre Exercises? 80. Who was the new Director General (DG) of the Railway
Protection Force (RPF)?
(a) Joint military exercises between the United States
and Canada. (a) R. C. Tayal
(b) Biennial joint military exercises between Australia (b) Mahesh Chandra Mathur
and the United States. (c) Satish Kumar Mathur
(c) Counter-terrorism exercises conducted by NATO. (d) Manoj Yadav
(d) Maritime security exercises in the Pacific region. 81. Where is 2023 Para Athletics Championship held?
73. In the Henley Passport Index 2023, how many countries (a) London, United Kingdom
and territories are ranked? (b) Tokyo, Japan
(a) 120 (b) 198 (c) Paris, France
(c) 227 (d) 310 (d) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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82. Operation Broader Sword is related to? 91. What is the mission cost of Chandrayaan 3 mission?
(a) Human Trafficking (a) 650 cr (b) 350 cr
(b) Anti-terror operation (c) 850 cr (d) 900 cr
(c) Illegal Drug campaign 92. Kakra par Atomic Power Project SITUATED in which
(d) Flood Relief State?
83. Bastille Parade is related to which country? (a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Gujarat
(a) France (b) USA (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Odisha
(c) Russia (d) Ukraine 93. Recently India becomes part of which group?
84. SAMARTH Scheme related to which ministry? (a) G20 (b) G7
(a) Ministry of Agriculture (c) Champions Group (d) NATO
(b) Ministry of Textiles 94. First Cooperative Sanik school is to be open in which
(c) Shipping ministry state?
(d) Law ministry (a) UP (b) Kerala
85. What is Sagar Sampark? (c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Gujrat
(a) Offshore vessel 95. Which City police get India’s first police drone unit?
(b) Navigation System (a) Chennai (b) Mumbai
(c) Satellite for maritime security (c) Indore (d) Kolkata
(d) New aircraft 96. Who elected as President of the Basketball Federation
86. Bard is new chatbot launched by? of India (BFI)?
(a) Microsoft (b) Dell (a) Alok Kumar (b) Aadhav Arjuna
(c) Google (d) BSNL (c) Rajiv Singh (d) Amit Yadav

87. What is the rank of India in Asian athletics championship? 97. Meta Launched a new App to fight twitter is known as
(a) 1st (b) 2nd _______?
(a) Shades (b) Mades
(c) 3rd (d) 4th
(c) Threads (d) Grades
88. Carlos Alcaraz Wimbledon champion is related to
which country? 98. Indian football team wins SAFF championship by
(a) USA (b) Russia defeating which country?
(a) Kuwait (b) Iran
(c) Canada (d) Spain
(c) Bhutan (d) Malaysia
89. Which Indian army regiment participated in Nomadic
Elephant-2023 of India-Mongolia joint military 99. Which country became the first to ban Thin plastic
exercise? Bags?
(a) Assam rifles (b) J & K light infantry (a) Germany (b) New Zealand
(c) 9 Para (d) 2 Para (c) Ukraine (d) India

90. In which India city International Temple Convention 100. World Hindu conference is going to Heald in which
and Expo (ITCX) going to organize? country?
(a) Delhi (b) Mumbai (a) India (b) USA
(c) Varanasi (d) Indore (c) Bangkok (d) UK

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 Answer Key

1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (a) 8. (c) 9. (a) 10. (b)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (b) 14. (a) 15. (d) 16. (c) 17. (b) 18. (b) 19. (b) 20. (d)
21. (c) 22. (d) 23. (a) 24. (b) 25. (c) 26. (b) 27. (d) 28. (b) 29. (d) 30. (b)
31. (b) 32. (b) 33. (a) 34. (c) 35. (c) 36. (d) 37. (c) 38. (d) 39. (c) 40. (d)
41. (b) 42. (d) 43. (a) 44. (b) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (a) 48. (a) 49. (a) 50. (c)
51. (c) 52. (c) 53. (c) 54. (c) 55. (a) 56. (a) 57. (b) 58. (c) 59. (b) 60. (b)
61. (d) 62. (d) 63. (c) 64. (a) 65. (a) 66. (d) 67. (d) 68. (b) 69. (c) 70. (a)
71. (b) 72. (b) 73. (c) 74. (a) 75. (a) 76. (a) 77. (c) 78. (c) 79. (c) 80. (d)
81. (c) 82. (c) 83. (c) 84. (b) 85. (b) 86. (c) 87. (c) 88. (d) 89. (b) 90. (c)
91. (a) 92. (b) 93. (c) 94. (d) 95. (a) 96. (b) 97. (c) 98. (a) 99. (b) 100. (c)

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1. (b) Elon Musk’s SpaceX and launched the world’s largest
commercial communications satellite from LC-39A,
Kennedy Space Centre, Florida.
● Jupiter 3, Maxar Technologies’ largest satellite, was
launched by Falcon Heavy.
● Hughes’ EchoStar satellite Jupiter 3 is also known
as EchoStar XXIV.
● The next-generation Ultra High-Density Satellite
(UHDS) provides terabytes of connection to North
and South American consumers.
2. (a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently opened the
rebuilt Pragati Maidan complex in Delhi, unveiling
the spectacular International Exhibition-cum-
Convention Centre (IECC) or “Bharat Mandapam.”
The IECC will host the September G-20 Summit and
become India’s largest conference and exposition
centre.
The project was developed by Aedas, famed for
their work on the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore,
and Arcop, which designed IGI Airport Terminal 3.
It cost roughly Rs 2,700 crore.
3. (b) Shri Sanjay Chander, Director General of Railway
Protection Force (RPF), inaugurated Lucknow’s
Jagjivan RPF Academy’s National Martyr ’s
Memorial and National Museum for Railway
Security.
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Solution
● The names of 1014 RPF martyrs from 1957 to
the present are written on this 4800-square-meter
memorial. The RPF has paid tribute to them.
4. (b) The novel “Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens”
written by Chandran was selected as the winner of
the 2023 Literary Award, and the announcement was
made today. The novel “Chai Time at Cinnamon
Gardens,” which won an award, is written by
Chandran and tells a story of family, memories,
community, and race.
5. (d) The annual Machail Mata Yatra started off with a
large number of devotees making their way to the
mountaintop temple in the Kishtwar area of Jammu
and Kashmir so that they may pay their respects to
the deity. A religious ceremony called “Pratham
Pooja” was performed at the temple, which is
dedicated to the goddess Durga and is also referred
to as “Kaali” or “Chandi.” This marked the beginning
of the pilgrimage.
6. (a) The original Ninaivugalukku Maranamillai novel
was written in Tamil, and this book is an English
translation of that book. This book was written by
two people closest to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: his niece,
Dr. Nazema Maraikayar, and the prominent ISRO
scientist, Dr. Y.S. Rajan, who was a close confidante
of Kalam.
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 7. (a) It was Noor Shekhawat who made history in the state
of Rajasthan by being the first transgender person to
be granted a birth certificate with the gender recorded
as transgender.
8. (c) Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the world’s largest
commercial communications satellite from LC-39A,
Kennedy Space Centre, Florida.
● Jupiter 3, Maxar Technologies’ largest satellite, was
launched by Falcon Heavy.
9. (a) The solar STAR- C initiative boosts solar power
ecosystems in disadvantaged countries.
● International Solar Alliance and UNIDO operate
the initiative.
10. (b) The Gaganyaan project intends to demonstrate the
potential of humans to travel into space by sending
a crew of three people into an orbit 400 kilometers
high for a mission lasting three days and then
bringing them back to earth safely by landing in
the seas of the Indian ocean. LVM3 rocket , well
proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO, is
identified as the launch vehicle for the Gaganyaan
mission. It consists of solid stage, liquid stage and
cryogenic stage.
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11. (a) A ceremony was performed in Cam Ranh, Vietnam,
to mark the decommissioning of the Indian Naval
Ship Kirpan and its subsequent transfer to the
Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN).
● The ship was a corvette that had been in service with
the Indian Navy for 32 years.
● The historic event marked the first time India has
given a fully functional corvette to a country that is
not a member of the Indian subcontinent.
12. (c) On Thursday, the Ministry of Defence of Argentina
and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed
a Letter of Intent (LoI) on productive cooperation
and the acquisition of Light and Medium Utility
Helicopters for Argentina’s armed services.The
letter of intent was signed here in Bengaluru by
Argentinian Defence Minister Jorge Taiana and
HAL Chairman and Managing Director C B
Ananthakrishnan, according to a statement released
by the state-owned enterprise with its headquarters
in Bengaluru.
13. (b) The traditional method of sewn shipbuilding, also
known as the Tankai method, is going to be brought
back into use thanks to the signing of a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of
Culture and the Indian Navy.
● Instead of using nails to affix the wooden planks
together in order to create ships, an ancient
shipbuilding method known as the Tankai method
included stitching the planks together.

14. (a) These carpets are then felted. It was a Sufi saint
by the name of Shah-e-Hamdan who is credited
with introducing it to the world in the 16th century.
Warmth is provided by Namda rugs, which are also
utilized as floor coverings and elements of interior
design.
● This age-old form of artistic expression has been
taught to about 2,200 potential performers hailing
from six different regions in Jammu & Kashmir.
● Creating felted carpets out of sheep wool and
embellishing them by hand is a traditional craft from
Kashmir.
15. (d) Debashis Chatterjee, Director IIM-Kozhikode,
translated Krishna – the 7th Sense into Malayalam,
which Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
released. Karma Sutras, Leadership and Wisdom in
Uncertain Times, the lead book of the IIM-Penguin
Series for New Managers, was also unveiled.
16. (c) RAAF Base, Australia’s Royal Air Force. The city
of Darwin in Australia– Talisman Sabre 2023 was
officially launched on July 23, 2023, with the first
integrated flying operations conducted by the United
States Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) between the Northern Territory and Western
Australia.
17. (b) No confidence Motion is a measure put forward in
the Lok Sabha (not the Rajya Sabha) to see if the
government has the support of the people. For the
move to be accepted, it needs to be backed by 50
members. If a vote of “no confidence” passes, the
government has to step down.
18. (b) On July 27, 2023, CRPF celebrated its 85th Raising
Day.
● The day honours the force’s unmatched contribution
to national unity, integrity, and sovereignty.
● The MHA oversees India’s largest Central Armed
Police Force, the CRPF.
19. (b) NASA and ISRO are developing NISAR, a LEO
observatory.
● NISAR will map the world in 12 days and give
geographically and temporally consistent data on
Earth’s ecosystems, ice mass, vegetation biomass,
sea level rise, ground water, and natural hazards
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like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and
landslides.
20. (d) The First MGC Ministerial Meeting in 2000 in
Vientiane, Laos established the Mekong–Ganga
Cooperation. It includes India, Thailand, Myanmar,
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Tourism, culture,
education, transportation, and communication are
areas of collaboration.
21. (c) The devastation caused by Typhoon Talim in south-
eastern China and the displacement of 230,000
people comes at a time when significant portions
of Asia are reeling from excessive rainfall and
temperatures.
22. (d) On July 17th, Jammu-Kashmir will continue its
Operation Trinetra-II in Sindarah and Maidana
of the Surankote tehsil in order to flush out terrorists
who have taken shelter there.
● Operation Trinetra II is a search and cordon operation
that is being carried out jointly by the army and the
police in Jammu and Kashmir’s district Poonch in
an effort to locate terrorists who have taken refuge
there.
● In this operation four terrorists were eliminated by
the security forces.
23. (a) On July 15th, the Reserve Bank of India and the
Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE)
signed two memorandums of understanding
(MOUs) regarding the promotion of local currencies
for cross-border transactions and the interlinking of
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 respective payment systems UPI with the Instant
Payment Platform (IPP) of the United Arab Emirates.
24. (b) In Para Athletics, Ajeet Singh has clinched the gold
medal in the finals of the Men’s javelin throw F46
in the ongoing Championships in Paris. He finished
with a score of 65.41 after his throw, which put him
on top of the tree. He broke the championship record,
which was earlier held by Chunliang Guo of China
with a throw of 61.89.
25. (c) Swarnim Himalaya is launched by Himachal
Pradesh. It removes Himalayan plastic garbage.
Healing Himalaya started the campaign.
The Himachal Pradesh Environment, Science and
Technology Department, Forest Department, Police,
and Shimla civic authority collaborated on it.
26. (b) Busta Rhymes, an American rapper, is the recipient
of the BET Lifetime Achievement Award for the
year 2023. Busta Rhymes has released a total of
nine studio albums over the course of his career, and
every one of them has been met with acclaim from
music reviewers.
27. (d) Asmita Dey of Tripura won the Junior Asia Cup
Judo Championship in Macau, China. She also
won a silver at the Asian Open 2023 in Kuwait
City in April and a bronze at the Asian Junior
Championships in 2022.
28. (b) The Chachin grazing festival was held on July 14 and
15, and it was attended by the indigenous graziers of
the Tawang district near Bumla Pass in Arunachal
Pradesh.
● During the Chachin grazing festival, medical and
veterinary camps were set up to offer important
healthcare support to the local graziers and their
yaks.
● These camps were set up in order to provide essential
healthcare support.
29. (d) In Mumbai, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal,
inaugurated the curtain raiser for the Global Maritime
India Summit (GIMS), 2023.
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30. (b) Pragati Maidan in New Delhi will be the location of
the 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC)
this year.
● The event will take place from the 27th to the 30th
of October.
31. (b) Asma Hamza, a Sudanese Oud musician, was the
first-place winner of the Laylat AlQadr AlKubra
music competition on July 17, 1997.
● To honour this momentous occasion, Google created
a doodle about Asma Hamza on July 17, 2023.
32. (b) At a ceremony held in New Delhi on July 18,
2023, and hosted by the Union Ministry of Rural
Development, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi
Murmu, handed out the “Bhoomi Samman” 2023
award.
● The State Secretaries and District Collectors, along
with their teams, who have succeeded in achieving
saturation of the essential components of the Digital
India Land Records Modernization Programme
(DILRMP), received the honors.
33. (a) Digital India Land Records Modernization
Programme (DILRMP) is related to the Ministry of
Rural development.
● The DILRMP was approved by the Cabinet on 21st
August, 2008 for modernization of land records
system in the country,
34. (c) Ker Puja, takes place two weeks after Kharchi
Puja and is mostly observed in the compact state of
Tripura, located in the northeastern part of India.
● It is a festival that lasts for two and a half days, and
this year it is held from July 11 to July 13. Ker is the
guardian deity of Vastu Devata, and this celebration
honours him.
35. (c) Indian Navy’s INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata
participated in a bilateral maritime exercise with the
Indonesian Naval Forces in Jakarta, Indonesia.
36. (d) A joint naval exercise called “Security Bond2023”
has been initiated by China, Russia, and Iran in the
Gulf of Oman. This exercise, spanning five days,
aims to safeguard critical maritime routes.

37. (c) The 15th edition of the joint military exercise
between India and Mongolia. As per the Ministry of
Defence (MoD) release, an Indian Army contingent,
comprising 43 personnel, left for Mongolia to take
part in a joint military exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant
2023’.
38. (d) The 7th edition of Japan India Maritime Exercise
2023 (JIMEX 23), hosted by the Indian Navy,
concluded in the Bay of Bengal, with the two sides
bidding farewell to each other with a customary
steam past
39. (c) The United States has the strongest military force
in the world, with Russia and China in second and
third place, and India in fourth place, according to
Global Firepower, a data website that tracks global
defense-related information
40. (d) The Sustainable Development Goals National
Indicator Framework Progress Report, 2023, is
an annual report published by MoSPI based on
the most up-to-date data supplied by Ministries/
Departments to aid in tracking the progress of
each SDG. The progress report reveals substantial
improvement in maternal and infant health, education,
poverty, and climate change. During the same time
period, the percentage of children who are stunted
decreased from 38.4% to 35.5%.
41. (b) The Sustainable Development Goals National
Indicator Framework Progress Report, 2023,
is an annual report published by Ministry of
Statistics and Programme Implementation based
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on the most up-to-date data supplied by Ministries/
Departments to aid in tracking the progress of each
SDG.
42. (d) The National Maritime Heritage Complex is being
built at Lothal, Gujarat, as part of the Sagarmala
programme by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and
Waterways.
43. (a) The National Maritime Heritage Complex is being
built at Lothal, Gujarat, as part of the Sagarmala
programme by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and
Waterways.
44. (b) The Port of Duqm is situated on the southeastern
seaboard of Oman, overlooking the Arabian Sea and
the Indian Ocean. It is strategically located, in close
proximity to the Chabahar port in Iran
45. (b) During the months of October and November of
this year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to host
its very first international air exercise under the name
“Tarang Shakti.”
● This exercise intends to increase military cooperation
and establish strategic alliances among a number of
nations, including the United States, the United
Kingdom, France, and Australia, among others.
● 12 nations will be participating in this exercise.
46. (b) Neeraj Chopra of India was victorious in the men’s
javelin throw competition that took place on
Saturday at the Lausanne Diamond League 2023
in Switzerland.
● Neeraj Chopra, the javelin throw event winner at
the season-opening Doha leg with an attempt of
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 88.67 metres back in May, picked up his second
consecutive victory with an effort of 87.66 metres,
which came in his fifth attempt of the night.
49. (a) Mary Kom, a sporting icon and India’s first-
ever Olympic medallist in women’s boxing, was
presented with the Global Indian Icon of the Year
award at the annual U.K.-India Awards in Windsor,
south-eastern England. The awards ceremony takes
place every year in the spring.

47. (a) India came out on top against Iran in the championship
match of the Asian Kabaddi Championship 2023,
which took place at the Dong-Eui Institute of
Technology Seokdang Cultural Centre in Busan,
50. (c) A contract for the Medium Refit with Life
Republic of Korea.
Certification (MRLC) Submarine “INS Shankush”
● The final score was 42-32 in favour of India. India was recently signed by the Ministry of Defence with
won this championship, making it their eighth victory M/S Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL),
in the last nine total attempts. Mumbai at an overall cost of Rs. 2725 Cr.
● It travels at a speed of 22 knots and is of the
Shishumar class of submarines.
● Between 1986 and 1994, the ships were put into
service after being commissioned.

48. (a) The largest natural arch in India was discovered by

the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in the state
of Odisha.
● The Geological Survey of India (GSI) just finished a
survey that resulted to the discovery of India’s largest
natural arch.
● This arch can be found in the Kenduadihi block of 51. (c) The current place that India holds in the rankings is
the Sundargarh district in Odisha. 126.
● The age of formation is somewhere between 184 and
160 million years ago, during the lower to middle
Jurassic period.

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52. (c) The current Solicitor General of India, Tushar
Mehta, has been reappointed to his position by the
Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) for
another term that would last for three years.
● The decision made by the ACC demonstrates that the
government has faith in their capacity to address the
vast legal issues that are currently facing the country.
53. (c) Mission ‘Galactic 01’ was a huge success.
● The space travel company Virgin Galactic is now
operational.
● It successfully completed its very first commercial
trip, which involved transporting four passengers to
and from suborbital space.
● It was a landmark moment for Virgin Galactic, which
has big ambitions in the final frontier.
54. (c) In the year 2022, India included an additional 664
animal species in the inventory of its fauna.
● These include 467 newly discovered species as well
as 197 fresh reports of previously unknown species
discovered in India.
● In addition, the country added 339 new plant taxa,
including 153 taxa with new distributional records
from the country in 2022 and 186 taxa that were
discovered for the first time in 2022.
55. (a) Yuki Bhambri of India won his first championship
on the ATP World Tour Sunday, taking home the
doubles trophy at the Mallorca Championships in
Spain with his South African partner Lloyd Harris.
● This victory marked Bhambri’s debut on the ATP
World Tour.
● In the final of the grass-court event, which
was the last competition before the Wimbledon
Championships, the Indo-South African pair
prevailed over the Dutch-Austrian combination of
Robin Hasse and Philipp Oswald by a score of 6-3
and 6-4.
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56. (a) The European Space Agency launched its Euclid
spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a SpaceX
Falcon 9 rocket.
● The purpose of Euclid is to investigate the
development of the invisible universe.
● Monitoring billions of galaxies spread across more
than a third of the sky at a distance of up to 10
billion light-years will create a three-dimensional
picture of the universe, with time serving as the third
dimension.
57. (b) The position of national cybersecurity coordinator
(NCSC) has been given to Lieutenant General M. U.
Nair by the government.
● Nair, who had taken over as the 28th Signal
Officer-in-Chief in July 2022, has also served
as the commandant of the Military College of
Telecommunication Engineering.
● He has been in both of these roles throughout his
career.
58. (c) The first day of the 43rd session of the conference
of the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) was Saturday, July 1, 2023.
● The meeting was held at the headquarters of the FAO
in Rome.
● During this session of the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Qu-
Dongyu was re-elected as Director General of the
FAO.
● Qu-Dongyu became the first person of Chinese
descent to hold the position of head of the United
Nations organisation after he was elected to that role
in 2019.
59. (b) Rajindar Singh Dhatt, the man behind the
“Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen’s Association,”
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 was given the coveted Points of Light award in
recognition of his great service and unrelenting
efforts to bring together British Indian war veterans.
60. (b) A new study that was recently carried out by the
Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) and the National
Centre for Earth Sciences has thrown light on
substantial climate shifts that took place in the Kaas
Plateau between the Early-Mid-Holocene and late
Holocene Periods.
● The Kas Plateau Reserved Forest is a plateau that
can be found 25 kilometres to the west of Satara city
in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
61. (d) The Startup20 Shikhar Summit, which was organised
by the Startup20 Engagement Group under the
auspices of the India G20 Presidency and took place
in Gurugram today, came to an extremely successful
conclusion.
● Within the context of the global startup ecosystem,
this two-day summit functioned as a forum for
the promotion of innovative ideas, collaborative
projects, the exchange of relevant knowledge, and
strategic alliances
62. (d) The Disaster Management Act 2005 establishes
the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to
respond to natural and man-made disasters.
63. (c) The UK, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine have taken
Iran to the International Court of Justice over the
2020 downing of a Ukrainian passenger.
64. (a) From July 5-10, 2023, the Indian Navy is hosting the
seventh Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX
23) off Visakhapatnam.
● JIMEX celebrates its 11th anniversary in 2012.
● The drill includes JMSDF units under RAdm
Nishiyama Takahiro, Commander Escort Flotilla
One, and Indian Naval ships under RAdm
Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding
Eastern Fleet.
65. (a) From July 5-10, 2023, the Indian Navy is hosting the
seventh Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX
23) off Visakhapatnam.
● INS Delhi, India’s first indigenous Guided Missile
Destroyer, INS Kamorta, an indigenous Anti-
Submarine Warfare Corvette, fleet tanker INS
Shakti, a submarine, maritime patrol aircraft P8I and
Dornier, ship-borne helicopters, and fighter aircraft
will participate in JIMEX 23.
66. (d) According to the UNCTAD’s World Investment
Report 2023, developing Asia received $662 billion
in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2022.
● Five economies received roughly 80% of FDI in
emerging Asi(a) India, China, Singapore, Hong
Kong, and UAE are these economies.
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● Indian companies are investing more abroad, notably in
renewable energy, according to the UNCTAD report.
67. (d) LARSEN & TOUBRO (L&T) has said that it
has signed a Teaming Agreement with Spain-
based Navantia to participate in the Navy’s P75
(India) submarine project and will submit a
technocommercial bid for it.
68. (b) The Indian Navy and the US Navy successfully
concluded the seventh edition of the Indian Navy
– US Navy (IN – USN) Salvage and Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) exercise, SALVEX. The
exercise took place from June 26 to July 6, 2023, in
Kochi.
69. (c) The seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-India
Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) is currently
being conducted at/off Visakhapatnam from 05-10
July 2023. This exercise is hosted by the Indian Navy
and marks the 11th anniversary of JIMEX since its
inception in 2012.
70. (a) The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract for
Medium Refit with Life Certification (MRLC)
Submarine “INS Shankush” with Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, at an overall
cost of Rs. 2725 Cr. INS Shankush belongs to the
Shishumar class of submarines and has a speed of
22 knots.
71. (b) The Indian Air Force is planning to conduct the
largest air exercise in India named ‘Tarang’. This
air exercise is expected to involve the participation
of 12 countries.
72. (b) Talisman Sabre is a biennial exercise designed
to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific by
strengthening partnerships and interoperability
among key allies.
73. (c) In Henley Passport Index 2023, 227 countries are
ranked
● According to the Henley Passport Index, Singapore
now possesses the most powerful passport in the
world.
● This passport enables its holders to travel to 192
countries and territories throughout the world
without the need for a visa.
74. (a) Rakesh Pal is the current Director General of Indian
Coast Guard 2023.
75. (a) The Nai Manzil Scheme was launched by the
Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2015. Nai Manzil
is launched to provide Education facilities to
marginalized communities.
76. (a) The 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup was the first
FIFA Women’s World Cup, the world championship
for women’s national football teams. It took place in
Guangdong, China from 16 to 30 November 1991.
77. (c) Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology is involved in the semiconductor pact
negotiations.
78. (c) Japan is the second partner to sign a semiconductor
pact with India.
79. (c) Bhoomi samman award is prestigious award given
to farmers for their contributions to agriculture and
rural development.
80. (d) Manoj Yadav is the new Director General of the
Railway Protection Force.
81. (c) The International Paralympic Committee’s World
Para Athletics subcommittee put on the 2023 World
Para Athletics Championships, which was a track
and field competition for people with disabilities. It
was the 10th time this event was held, and it took
place at the Charlety Stadium in Paris, France, from
July 8 to July 17, 2023.
82. (c) Operation Broader Sword is related to Illegal Drug
campaign.
● Operation Broader Sword is a multi-agency operation
that was recently joined by India and the United
States.
● Its goal is to prevent the unlawful shipment of
pharmaceuticals, devices, and precursor chemicals
through the International Mail System (IMS).
83. (c) Bastille Parade is the related to France. The 14th
of July is France’s national day. It is also known
as Bastille Day. This year, PM Modi is a Guest of
Honour. Outlook talks about what Bastille Day
means to the French republic and the French people.
84. (b) SAMARTH Scheme is related to Ministry of
Textiles. The Samarth Scheme intends to provide
skill development and placement oriented training
across the entire textiles value chain, excluding
spinning and weaving .
85. (b) Sagar Sampark is Navigation System. It is a
Differential Global Navigation Satellite System
(DGNSS) that was made in the country. DGNSS is a
land-based system that makes the Global Navigation
Satellite System (GNSS) more accurate by fixing its
mistakes and inaccuracies. This makes positioning
information more accurate.
86. (c) Bard is the new Chat bot of Google. Bard is a
conversational chatbot that was made by Google. It
was based on the LaMDA family of large language
models (LLMs) at first, and then on the PaLM LLM.
87. (c) India in Asian Atheletics Championship is rank 3rd.
At the 25th Asian Athletics Championship in 2023,
the Indian team accomplished a remarkable feat by
winning 27 medals, which is the highest number of
medals ever won by the country on territory that is
not Indian.
CURRENT AFFAIRS | August 2023
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88. (d) Carlos Alcaraz Wimbledon champion is related to
Spain.
89. (b) J & K light infantry, Indian army regiment
participated in Nomadic Elephant-2023 of India-
Mongolia joint military exercise
90. (c) India city International Temple Convention and
Expo (ITCX) going to organize in Varanasi
91. (a) The cost of Chandrayan 3 mission in 650 cr.
92. (b) India’s first indigenously developed 700 MW nuclear
power reactor at the Kakra par Atomic Power Project
(KAPP) in Gujarat has successfully commenced
commercial operations, marking a significant
milestone in the country’s nuclear energy sector.
● The reactor, known as KAPP-3, began operating at
90 percent of its total power capacity on June 30,
2023, as confirmed by a senior official from KAPP.
93. (c) India has joined the Champions Group of the Global
Crisis Response Group (GCRG) at the invitation
of the UN Secretary-General. The GCRG was
established in March 2022 to address urgent global
issues in food security, energy, and finance, and to
coordinate a global response.
94. (d) The foundation stone-laying ceremony of Shri
Motibhai R. Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School in
Boriyavi village of Mehsana, Gujarat marked a
significant milestone in the education sector. This
groundbreaking project, inaugurated virtually by
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is set to become
the first Sainik School in India to be operated by a
cooperative organization.
95. (a) The Greater Chennai City Police (GCP) on Thursday,
June 29, 2023, launched ‘Police Drone Unit’
for aerial surveillance over vast areas and quick
detection of criminal activities.
Director General of Police (DGP) and Head of Police
Force C. Sylendra Babu inaugurated the newly
created special unit at Besant Avenue, Adyar.
96. (b) Aadhav is the president of the Basket Federation of
India.
97. (c) Thread app is now available in over 100 countries
and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store
and Google Play Store. create posts with up to 500
characters and can also share links, photos and videos
of up to five minutes.
98. (a) India vs Kuwait SAFF Championship hosts India
clinched the SAFF Championships title for the ninth
time after beating Kuwait 5-4 in a tense penalty
shootout after both sides were deadlocked 1-1 in 120
minutes in the summit clash here on Tuesday.
99. (b) Newzealand is the first to ban the Thin Plastic Bags.
100. (c) World Hindu Conference is going to be held in
Bangkok.
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