Banking & Financial News

The State Bank of India (SBI) and Samsung India in August announced the availability of payment platform Samsung Pay
for higher variants of SBI debit Card.

Airtel Payments Bank, in August, said it has partnership with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), to give
further boost to digital payments in the country and to add to customer convenience.

With an aim to eliminate all subsidies by March 2018, the Union Government has ordered state-run oil companies to
raise subsidised cooking gas, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), prices by four rupees per cylinder every month.

The new bilateral Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit between India and Bhutan came into force on 29 July
2017. It aims to strengthen the bilateral relations between India and Bhutan.

The Union Government on 1 August 2017 launched a portal, e-RaKAM, to provide a platform to sell agricultural produce.
The portal is a joint initiative by state-run-auctioneer MSTC and Central Warehousing Corporation arm CRWC.

The RBI has cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 6%. This was on expected lines as market consensus predicted a 25 bps cut.
Reverse repo rate has also been cut by 0.25 per cent to 5.75 per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1 August 2017 announced a Rs 100 crore corpus to study and find a permanent
solution to the flood problem in the North-Eastern states of India. In addition to this corpus of Rs 100 crore, the Prime
Minister also announced Rs 2350 crore as an immediate aid for the North East after holding a review meeting on the flood
situation with several North Eastern states in Guwahati.

Kotak Mahindra Bank in August announced the launch of Kotak Remit – an Aadhaar-based integrated outward forex
remittance solution for both customers and non-customers. The 24×7 forex remittance service offers a completely
paperless process that enables users to register online using Aadhaar and PAN numbers, and initiate remittances instantly,
the bank said in a release.

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu informed the Lok Sabha during Question Hour session on 2 August 2017 that the
Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project (MAHSR), has been sanctioned for implementation with the technical and
financial assistance of the Japan government.

The Lok Sabha on 3 August 2017 passed the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017
by voice vote. The Bill enables exit of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) and increase authorised capital of the development institution six times to Rs 30000 crore.

Maharashtra Government on 3 August 2017 launched MahaDBT and MahaVASTU, two online portals to streamline the
process of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Engineering conglomerate Larsen & Toubro in August 2017 announced Rs 3375 crore (18.8 Bn MUR) worth metro order
from the Mauritius government. The projects will be fully funded through a grant by Union Government and line of credit.

Amazon India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Telangana Department of Handloom and
Textiles, to educate, train and enable weavers and artisans to directly sell their products to Amazon customers across the
country.

The state government of Jammu and Kashmir has announced that it would be spending around Rs 1 lakh Cr on
development works with special emphasis on education and road connectivity over the next five years.

The state government of Maharashtra is planning to raise $270 million from the Green Climate Fund with the help of
the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030WRG).

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NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog on 8 August 2017 announced its partnership with six states to
bring transformative change in Health & Education sectors under its 'Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital
(SATH) ' initiative.

Markets regulator SEBI on 9 August 2017 launched online registration mechanism for custodians of securities to make it
convenient for them to do business.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Google India on 8 August 2017 launched Android Skill
Development programme to improve Mobile Developer Ecosystem.

India in the first week of August 2017 was ranked at the last position of 43rd in the 2017 Global Retirement Index (GRI).

Rajya Sabha on 10 August 2017 passed the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2017. The Lok Sabha has already
passed the Bill. Now, the bill will be sent to President Ramnath Kovind for his nod.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 10 August 2017 said that India and US will co-host the Global Entrepreneurship Summit
at Hyderabad from 28 to 30 November 2017.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga on 10 August 2017 approved 10 projects worth more than Rs 2000 Cr. The projects
would be carried out in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

The Lok Sabha on 10 August 2017 passed the State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 11 August 2017 presented the second volume of Economic Survey 2016-17 in both
houses of the Parliament. Volume II of the survey was presented on the last day of the monsoon session of the Parliament.

Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik launched Facebook's programme called 'She Means Business' for women
entrepreneurs in the state on 10 August 2017.

The Government eMarketplace (GeM) SPV and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on 14 August 2017 signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish GeMSamvad, a GeM -Industry forum.

India will host the next steering committee meeting of the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI)
gas pipeline.

The Union Cabinet in August cleared MoU signed between India and Sweden on intellectual property right (IPR)
cooperation, aimed at benefiting entrepreneurs, investors and businesses.

Aiming to ramp up its mortgage book volumes and expecting better credit behaviour, Axis Bank in August launched a
home loan product that entails waiving off a few EMIs during the course of a loan.

ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank by consolidated assets, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
the Department of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of Odisha to provide e-governance services to the
people of the state.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 16 August 2017 made Aadhar linkage mandatory for farmers who wish to avail short-
term crop loans in 2017-18.

The Union Cabinet on 16 August 2017 approved new Metro Rail Policy focussed on compact urban development, cost
reduction and multi-modal integration.

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, on 16 August 2017 released the 4th advance estimates
of production of major crops for 2016-17.

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The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 August 2017 approved the proposal to complete the
North Koel Reservoir Project in Jharkhand and Bihar at an estimated expenditure of Rs 1622.27 crore to be incurred
during three financial years.

The Union Government on 16 August 2017 signed a Grant Agreement worth USD 24.64 million from the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) of the World Bank for Ecosystem Service Improvement Project.

State-run power transmission utility Power Grid Corp in August said it will get a loan of USD 500 million from the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) for its various projects.

The Union Cabinet on 16 August 2017 gave its approval for raising Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) of up to Rs 9020 Cr
for Long Term Irrigation Fund as per the requirement during 2017-18.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on 17 August 2017 launched two mobile apps MyFASTag and FASTag
Partner to facilitate the availability of FASTags for Electronic Toll Collection.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 18 August 2017 introduced Rs 50 banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series,
bearing signature of Urjit R. Patel, Governor of Reserve Bank of India.

The state government of Assam announced on 20 August 2017 that it would be launching a new scheme called Scheme
for Compassionate Family Pension (CFP) in place of Compassionate Appointment, as the former approach didn’t serve
the objective due to practical difficulties.

The government in August notified currency notes in the denomination of Rs. 200.

NITI Aayog on 22 August 2017 announced to launch the Mentor India Campaign, a strategic nation building initiative to
engage leaders who can guide and mentor students at more than 900 Atal Tinkering Labs.

To reduce the digital divide, the Chhattisgarh government has decided to distribute around 5.5 million smartphones for
free under the Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY).

HDFC Bank has become the first bank in India to launch DigiPOS, a Point of Sale (POS) machine that offers a complete
suite of digital payment options. DigiPOS will offer customers various digital payment options such as UPI, Bharat QR,
SMS Pay and PayZapp, in addition to the facility to pay through debit / credit cards.

The Union Finance Ministry on 23 August 2017 confirmed the launch of the new Rs 200 note.

The Union Cabinet on 23 August 2017 approved amalgamation of Public Sector Banks through an Alternative Mechanism
(AM) with an aim to facilitate consolidation among the Nationalised Banks to create strong and competitive banks.

India and Nepal on 24 August 2017 signed eight agreements in different areas of mutual benefit including demand
reduction and prevention of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and cooperation in the field of standardization and
conformity assessment among others. The agreements were signed in New Delhi during Nepal Prime Minister Sher
Bahadur Deuba visit to India.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 23 August 2017 approved the proposal of Union Ministry of
Railways to close the Bharat Wagon and Engineering Company Limited (BWEL).

The Union Government on 25 August 2017 constituted a task force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the country's
Economic Transformation. The 18-member panel, headed by Dr V. Kamakoti of IIT Madras, will comprise of experts,
academics, researchers and industry leaders.

The Union government on 25 August 2017 restricted gold and silver imports from South Korea.

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The Agriculture Department of Karnataka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with software giant
Microsoft India to develop a unique ‘farm price forecasting model’.

Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo will lead a major mission named to India - the second
Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) – to India. The mission scheduled to be held from 28 August to 1 September 2017
will aim at deepening the collaboration between the two nations in different fields.

The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) on 28 August 2017 released the Consolidated Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) Policy containing all the changes in rules and procedures notified by the Union Government over the
past year.

India and Germany signed an agreement on technical cooperation under the Indo-German Energy Programme – Green
Energy Corridors (IGEN-GEC) on 28 August 2017.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 August 2017 dedicated to the nation 11 completed highway projects in Rajasthan,
covering a total length of about 873 kilometres.

The Ministry of Textiles on 28 August 2017 proposed to organise Pan India camps in handlooms and handicrafts clusters,
under the ‘Hastkala Sahyog Shivir’ initiative.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 30 August 2017 released the Status of the Return of SBNs- Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Annual Report 2016-17. The report states that around 99 per cent of the demonetised notes that is Rs 15.28 lakh crore
have been returned to the bank.

The Union Cabinet on 30 August 2017 approved the norms for establishing equivalence of posts in Government, Public
Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Banks, Insurance Institutions for claiming benefit of OBC reservations.

India and China have jointly submitted a proposal to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) calling for the elimination of
the most trade-distorting form of farm subsidies, known as Aggregate Measurement of Support (AMS) as a prerequisite
for consideration of other reforms in domestic support negotiations.

The Union Cabinet, presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 30 August 2017 approved a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between India and Israel.

Amazon on 30 August 2017 announced a partnership with the Akshaya Patra Foundation to implement the Karnataka
Government’s Ksheera Bhagya Scheme in the city.

The state government of Bihar has released Rs 1935 Cr to undertake relief operations in flood affected areas of the state.

India
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on 31 July 2017 released the Swachh Survekshan 2018’s anthem
‘Swachhata Ki Jyot Jagi Hai’ that states that the flame of sanitation has been lit. The anthem was launched to inspire the
people to participate in the Swachhata Jan Andolan and connect themselves with the ‘Swachhata Survekshan-2018’.

The Supreme Court of India on 31 July 2017 announced a ban on the use of five metals including lithium, mercury,
arsenic, antimony and lead in firecrackers, deeming them as harmful for the environment. The decision was taken by a
bench of justices headed by Justice Madan B Lokur who cited air pollution as one of the main reasons behind the move.

Maharashtra Government is planning to relocate tigers from Vidarbha region of the state to the sanctuaries elsewhere
where their population is smaller, including Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR).

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The Rajya Sabha on 1 August 2017 passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill,
2017 that amends Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Jharkhand Cabinet on 1 August 2017 approved Religious Freedom Bill 2017. The bill named as Jharkhand Freedom of
Religion Bill, 2017 seeks to bring the stringent anti-conversion law in place under which forceful or allurement induced
religious conversion will be a non-bailable criminal offence.

India and Somalia on 1 August 2017 signed a bilateral agreement for the transfer of sentenced persons. The move is step
forward in deepening humanitarian cooperation between the two nations.

The Indian Army has developed a mobile application named Humraaz. The app will allow serving soldiers to track details
like postings and promotions.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development on 2 August 2017 launched a contest for designing a logo for the 'Women
of India Festival', which is scheduled to be held at Dilli Haat in New Delhi in October 2017.

The Election Commission on 3 August 2017 rejected the demands of the political parties to remove the None of the Above
(NOTA) option in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat.

The Archaeological Survey of India has declared all ASI protected Monuments and Archaeological Sites as ‘Polythene Free
Zone’.

The Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to extend proxy voting to overseas Indians by amending electoral laws. This
was informed by a senior government functionary.

Seeking to make desi GPS - indigenous regional positioning system named as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)
- independent from the US clock system, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will in August sign an MoU with
CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL) for time and frequency traceability services.

The government has made Aadhaar number mandatory for the registration of death from October 1, to prevent identity
fraud.

The Bihar Government on 3 August 2017 informed that it has decided to compulsory retirement to the non-performing
head masters, teachers and education department officials above the age of 50 years.

Indian Railways on 2 August 2017 announced that people can now pay later for tickets booked under the tatkal quota
on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp (IRCTC) website.

As a part of Government of India’s initiative to develop green airports, two airports in Andhra Pradesh- Tirupati and
Vijayawada are going to go completely green!

Bengaluru has launched a helicopter taxi service from its International airport (Kempegowda International Airport, KIA)
to Electronics city, becoming the first in the country to do so.

India’s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing facility, a joint venture between the $2.5 billion Kalyani
Group and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd., was inaugurated near Hyderabad in August.

The Union Government on 7 August 2017 declared entire Assam state as a disturbed area under the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for one month. AFSPA was declared in the state after violent activities by insurgent groups
ULFA, NDFB, and others.

Goa Legislative Assembly on 7 August 2017 passed Goa, Daman and Diu, Preservation of Trees Act, 1984. The bill seeks
to reclassify coconut as a tree and ensure legal protection to it.

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The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry in August launched an Indian National Anthem video in sign language,
featuring disabled and partially disabled children. Directed by veteran filmmaker Govind Nihalani, the video features film
star Amitabh Bachchan apart from the children who sing the National Anthem in sign language against the backdrop of
the Red Fort, a Ministry statement said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 August 2017 launched a third party verification survey report to take stock of the
progress made by the Swachh Bharat Mission in rural India. The Swachh Survekshan Gramin 2017 report was launched
at a press conference held in New Delhi by Narendra Singh Tomar, the Union Minister, Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation, and Parameswaran Iyer, the Secretary.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) on 9 August 2017 launched a web portal that will
enable schools and individuals to place orders for their books online. The NCERT’s portal was launched by Minister of
State for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha in New Delhi.

The second round of National Deworming Day (NDD) was held across the nation on 10 August 2017 to tackle worm
infections targeting more than 11 Cr children.

The Union government has formed a new committee in its effort to make drugs more affordable in the country.

The 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement, also known as August Kranti Andolan, will be celebrated across India on 9
August 2017.

The Infusion Nurses Society (INS), a global authority in infusion therapy, on 13 August 2017 launched India's first online
course on Infusion Therapy for nurses.

The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Shaurya on 12 August 2017 was commissioned in Vasco, Goa by Union Minister for
Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Energy Efficiency Services Limited on 16 August 2017 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with three state-
owned oil marketing companies for the distribution of energy-efficient appliances through petrol pumps across India.

The Union Cabinet on 16 August 2017 approved the creation of a single non-lapsable corpus fund Madhyamik and
Uchchtar Shiksha Kosh (MUSK) for secondary and higher education.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on 12 August 2017 released preliminary results from the
first-ever synchronised All-India Elephant Population Estimation. As per the estimation, the population of Asian elephant
in India stands at 27312.

A new museum on the Partition of the Indian subcontinent was inaugurated in the third week of August 2017 after 70
years of bloodstained tragedy that had split British India into India and Pakistan in 1947.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Harsh Vardhan on 17 August 2017 launched the “Harit
Diwali, Swasth Diwali” campaign.

Defence Ministry on 17 August 2017 cleared a proposal to procure 6 Apache attack helicopters for Army. The acquisition
of the helicopters, equipment and training will cost around four thousand 168 crore rupees.

The Law and Judiciary Department on 19 August 2017 issued an order for setting up of the first three of 24 fast track
courts for Maharashtra in two of its most populous cities.

The Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in August 2017 announced that the Union Government has decided to proffer
40 per cent reservation for girls at 100 Navodaya-type schools and five higher education institutes it plans to set up for
minority community students.

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With its trial to give an end to the issue of the Triple Talaq in Muslim community, the five judges of five faith of the
Supreme Court of India in its judgement on 22 August 2017 struck down the validity of triple talaq by a majority of 3:2.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with the Union Health Ministry signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in South Korea on 21 August 2017 to collaborate on
vaccine research and development.

Jagdish Mukhi, Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 21 August 2017 inducted IN LCU L52 ship (GRSE
Yard 2093) into the Indian Navy at Port Blair.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on 21 August 2017 constituted a 40-member 'preview committee’ for the
International Film Festival of India 2017, which is going to be held in Goa.

Rajnath Singh, the Union Home Minister, on 21 August 2017 launched the Digital Police Portal under the Crime and
Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS).

A nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court on 24 August 2017 ruled that the Right to Privacy is the Fundamental Right
under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. The bench observed that privacy is intrinsic to freedom of life and personal
liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

I Do What I Do: On Reform, Rhetoric & Resolve authored by Raghuram Rajan

Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on 26 August 2017 launched the production of 5.8-tonne category Light Combat
Helicopter (LCH), designed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Kerala government has begun e-waste disposal in its state schools with about 12500 kg being disposed state wide on a
single day under a programme aimed at clearing the accumulated junk.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched a grid-connected rooftop solar programme through a net-metering
system at the State Secretariat in the capital city of Bhubaneswar on 23 August 2017.

M. Rajeevan, secretary, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), on 28 August 2017 announced that the Union
Government will soon launch a Deep Ocean Mission to encourage research activities in ocean science and develop
technology to harness ocean resources.

The Union Cabinet was on 30 August 2017 apprised of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Brazil
for cooperation in the fields of Zebu Cattle Genomics and Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

To combat the threat of terrorism and check terror financing, India and the European Union on 30 August 2017 agreed to
strengthen cooperation between their security and intelligence agencies.

Indian Space Research Organsiation's (Isro) attempt to launch India's eighth navigation satellite IRNSS-1H failed in
August. While the rocket took off successfully, the heat shield did not separate as planned. This is the first failure in 35
launches for Isro's workhorse PSLV.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on 29 August 2017 inaugurated "YUVA - Skill Development Programme".

World
Switzerland is now home to the world's longest suspension footbridge that was inaugurated on 29 July 2017. The
Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge has broken all the record with its length of 1621 feet and height of 279 feet that makes
it the longest in the world. The bridge is named after Charles Kuonen, a psychologist and winery co-owner.

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working along with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) to co-develop and launch a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar satellite in the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture
Radar (NISAR) mission 2021.

Venus, the first Israeli satellite for environmental research was launched on 2 August 2017 from the European spaceport
in Kourou, French Guiana.

Facebook on 9 August 2017 launched a new video programming platform 'Watch' for creators and publishers. Watch is
expected to compete with Google-owned YouTube.

The 15th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) ministerial meeting
was held at Soaltee Crowne Plaza in Kathmandu, Nepal on 10 August 2017.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on 13 August 2017 declared Somalia free of polio. The UN health agency
announced that it had not recorded any case of polio disease in Somalia in the last three years.

NASA on 18 August 2017 launched Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS-M) to help astronauts at the International
Space Station in communicating with the Earth.

Google on 21 August 2017 officially introduced final version of Android 8.0 named as Oreo, previously it was known as
Android O. Oreo is smarter, faster and more powerful than ever.

British scientists have developed the world’s smallest surgical robot named Versius, which could transform everyday
operations for tens of thousands of patients.

Indian superstars Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are among the top 10 highest paid actors in the world
in a list compiled by Forbes that has been topped by Transformers actor Mark Wahlberg. Shahrukh is at the eighth spot
on the list with earnings of $38 million, followed by Salman in the ninth position with $37 million. Akshay completes the
top 10 with $35.5 million earnings.

Nepal on 23 August 2017 launched its climate-smart snow leopard landscape management plan.

A NASA rocket mission named 'WINDY' will form night-time white artificial clouds visible by residents of the Republic of
the Marshall Islands during two rocket flights between 29 August 2017 and 9 September 2017.

Software giant Microsoft in August 2017 launched its Project Brainwave, which is deep learning acceleration platform for
real-time artificial intelligence (AI).

The Canadian government announced on 24 August 2017 that citizens, who do not identify with a particular gender,
whether male or female, would soon be able to obtain gender neutral passports.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences on 25 August
2017 inaugurated the Ocean Forecasting System for Comoros, Madagascar and Mozambique.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in August 2017 decided to open the Low Enriched Uranium Bank in
Kazakhstan.

TCL Corporation, the Chinese electronics company is going to launch a full touchscreen, waterproof Smartphone under
the BlackBerry name in October 2017.

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Appointments
Lt General Abhay Krishna, who owns extensive service experience of the Northeast India, was on 31 July 2017 appointed
as the Chief of the Indian Army's Eastern Command.

Sanjaya Baru was on 1 August 2017 appointed as the Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FICCI) with effect from 1 September 2017.

The US senate on 1 August 2017 confirmed the appointment of Christopher Wray as the Director of Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI).

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the loyal supporter of Ex-Prime Minister of pakistan Nawaz Sharif, replaced Nawaz as the Prime
Minister of Pakistan.

Hassan Rouhani was on 3 August 2017 officially sworn in as the President of Iran for a second term.

Air Marshal Hemant Narayan Bhagwat appointed Air Officer-in-charge Administration of Indian Air Force

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in August announced the appointment of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as
the brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat Mission in the state and also made his upcoming film "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha"
tax free.

Economist Rajiv Kumar was in August announced as the new Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog, five days after Arvind
Panagariya quit from the post and said he would return to academics.

S. Aparna, an IAS officer from Gujarat cadre has been appointed as Executive Director, World Bank to represent the
constituency of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka for three years.

Mr. Prabhat Kumar, (IFS: 1991), presently Ambassador of India to Colombia has been appointed as the country's next
Ambassador to Kazakhstan.

Dipak Misra is 45th Chief Justice of India, replaces J S Khehar on Aug 27

Indian-American Dilip Chauhan appointed as Deputy Comptroller for Minority Affairs in New York

Former Union Minister Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu has sworn in as the 13th Vice President of India on 11 August 2017.

The government has replaced Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Pehlaj Nihalani with famous lyricist Prasoon
Joshi as the chief of the film certification body.

David Rasquinha, who is currently Deputy Managing Director of Exim Bank of India, has been appointed as Managing
Director of the bank.

Sprint legend Milkha Singh has been appointed as the World Health Organisation’s goodwill ambassador for physical
activity in South-East Asia Region (SEAR), the global health body said in August.

Santosh Sharma was in August appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Coper Limited (HCL).

Mamta Suri on 16 August 2017 took charge as the Executive Director of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI).

Career diplomat Nikolay Kudashev was on 18 August 2017 appointed as the Russia's Ambassador to India.

Sanjiv Gupta was on 17 August 2017 appointed as the President and Managing Director (MD) of General Motors India.

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The Union Government on 23 August 2017 named Rajiv Bansal, additional secretary and financial advisor in the Petroleum
Ministry, as interim CMD of Air India Ltd.

Ashwani Lohani was on 23 August 2017 appointed as the Chairman of Railway Board of India.

Dara Khosrowshahi was on 27 August 2017 appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Uber Technologies Inc.

Nandan Nilekani was on 24 August 2017 appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of Infosys Board,

Senior IAS officer Rajiv Gauba took charge as the new Union Home Secretary on 31 August 2017.

Awards
US President Donald Trump on 1 August 2017 awarded the Medal of Honour, first such award under his administration,
to US army medic James McCloughan, who risked his own life to save wounded Americans during the Vietnam War.

Veteran actress and national award winner Sharada has been selected for this year's Prem Nazir Award.

Slumdog Millionaire actor Dev Patel was honoured with the Asian Game Changer Award 2017 by the Asia Society for
making a transformative and positive difference for the future of Asia and the world.

President Ram Nath Kovind on 17 August 2017 presented the National Safety Awards (Mines) for the years 2013 and
2014. The awards were given away at a function held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

A 12-year-old Indian-origin boy, Rahul Doshi, on 20 August 2017 was crowned as the UK’s ‘Child Genius’ in a popular
television quiz competition.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was on 21 August 2017 selected for the prestigious Global Agriculture
Leadership Award 2017 by the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA).

Nitasha Biswas, a transwoman from Kolkata, on 27 August 2017 was crowned the first Miss TransQueen India.

Sports
Los Angeles formally announced its bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics after agreeing on a deal with the Olympic
organizers. This deal with Olympic organizers paves the way for Paris to host the Summer Olympics in 2024.

Real Madrid on 8 August 2017 defeated Manchester United, the winners of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League, to grab
the 2017 UEFA Super Cup.

Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter of modern times, retired from the Athletics world on 13 August 2017. But the farewell
ended in pain as he injured himself while running the last lap of the men’s 4x100m relay race at the World Athletics
Championships in London.

Germany's Alexander Zverev on 13 August 2017 defeated Roger Federer 6-3 6-4 to claim his second Masters 1000 title in
Montreal, Canada.

The eight-member Olympic Task Force (OTF) that submitted its report in the second week of August 2017 has emphasised
the need to be "athlete-centric, coach-led and system-driven".

Real Madrid on 16 August 2017 defeated Barcelona 2-0 in the second leg of the 2017 Spanish Super Cup to seal the win.

10 | P a g e
The organisers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup announced on 20 August 2017 that Qatar, the host nation, would be building
a stadium shaped like an Arabian skull cap for the event.

The Union Government on 22 August 2017 announced the National Sports Awards. Para athlete Devendra and hockey
player Sardar Singh will be honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on 23 August 2017 announced that it will establish National Sports
Museum at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney on 23 August 2017 announced his retirement from international football, ending
a 14-year career.

Australia on 20 August 2017 was crowned the FIBA Asia Cup 2017 basketball champions.

Nozomi Okuhara of Japan on 27 August 2017 defeated PV Sindhu 19-21, 22-20, 20-22 to claim the 2017 BWF World
Championships.

The India football team on 27 August 2017 defeated Nepal 2-1 to win the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-
15 Championship at the ANFA Complex, Satdobato in Nepal.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in August 2017 was named the 2016-17 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award.

The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on 24 August 2017 awarded hosting rights for the 2018 Team World Cup
to England.

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu officially launched the Sports Ministry’s much-awaited ‘National Sports Talent Search
Portal’ on 28 August 2017 at a function in the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 28 August 2017 launched the host city logo for Kochi, one of the venues of FIFA
U-17 World Cup India 2017.

Days
The 3rd National Handloom Day was observed across India on 7 August 2017, in order to promote indigenous creations
and honour the handloom weavers of the country.

The International Youth Day was observed across the world on 12 August 2017 with the theme 'Youth Building Peace'.

On the occasion of the World Elephant Day, i.e. on 12 August 2017, the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched ‘Gaj Yatra’.

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) was observed across the globe on 19 August 2017 with the theme #NotATarget.

The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition was observed across the world on 23
August 2017.

India celebrated its National Sports Day on 29 August 2017. The day is annually celebrated on this day to mark the birth
anniversary of legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand.

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests was observed across the world on 29 August 2017 with an aim to promote
peace and security world-wide.

The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed across the world on 30 August 2017.

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Obituaries

Ustad Hussain Sayeeduddin Dagar, a classical vocalist and one of the leading exponents of Dhrupad tradition, passed
away on 31 July 2017 following a brief illness in Pune.

Pushpa Mitra (PM) Bhargava, a veteran molecular biologist and a ardent critic of Genetically Modified crops, passed away
on 1 August 2017 following a prolonged illness.

Marian Diamond, one of the founders of modern neuroscience, passed away in July 2017. She was 90.

Former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev in August passed away at his home town in Silchar, Assam. He was 83.

Acclaimed Bollywood actor Sitaram Panchal passed away early morning on 10 August 2017 after battling kidney and lung
cancer.

Gyan Singh Sohanpal, former West Bengal Minister and freedom fighter, passed away on 8 August 2017 following old-
age problems.

Sanwar Lal Jat, former Union minister and BJP MP from Ajmer, passed away in New Delhi on 9 August 2017. He was 62.

Noted poet and writer Vijay Nambisan on 10 August 2017 passed away following a prolonged illness.

S Paul, the veteran photographer who was described as 'The Henry Cartier-Bresson of India' by B&W Magazine of US, died
in New Delhi on 16 August 2017.

Renowned Polish-US playwright and screenwriter Janusz Glowacki passed away on 19 August 2017.

Former Manipur Chief Minister Rishang Keishing passed away on 22 August 2017 following a brief illness.

Veteran footballer Ahmed Khan, India's oldest football Olympian, passed away on 27 August 2017.

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