IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Non-Violence observed on 2nd October

 The United Nations‟ International Day of Nonviolence is marked every year on October 2, the birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution on June
15, 2007 to observe 2 October as this day.
 The principle of non-violence, also known as non-violent resistance, rejects the use of physical violence
in order to achieve social or political change.

World Animal Day observed on 4th October

 World Animal Welfare Day observed all over the world every year on October 4. Animal Day is a global
initiative for the welfare of animals and aims at raising awareness about their significant role in nature
and for maintaining the ecological balance.
 World Animal Day 2021 is a day to introspect role of animals on the planet and to realize that the
extinction of various species can impact not only the ecological balance but also the livelihoods of
humans. The theme of this year is “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Plant”.

World Space Week: 04-10 October

 The World Space Week (WSW) is observed every year from October 4 to 10, to celebrate science and
technology, and their contribution towards the betterment of the human condition.
 WSW was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 6, 1999. WSW was
declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 6, 1999. The 2021 theme is “Women
in Space”!

World Cotton Day observed on 7th October

 Cotton Day is observed every year on October 7. The day is celebrated to highlight the significance of
which ranges from its attributes as a natural fiber to the benefits that people gain from its
transformation, production, consumption and commerce.
 World Cotton Day 2021 emphasizes the issues that the cotton industry faces as cotton is significant for
the world‟s least developed economies.
 The theme of World Cotton Day for the year 2021 is “Cotton for good”.

Air Force Day observed on 8th October

 Air Force Day is observed annually in India on October 8 and honors the brave heroes of the country‟s
air force. Air Force Day 2021 brings to attention the sacrifices and hard work that contributes
significantly to strengthening India‟s air defence.
 Air Force Day is observed every year on October 8 as it was on this day in 1932 that the Indian Air
Force was officially founded as a supporting force for the Royal Air Force of Britain.

1 OCT, 2021
 World Post Day observed on 9th October
 World Post Day is celebrated each year on October 9 globally. October 9 was chosen as it marks the
anniversary of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which was created in 1874 in Switzerland.
 The first World Post Day was celebrated in 1969. The purpose of the day is to create awareness of the
role of the postal sector.
 The theme of 2021 World Post Day is “Innovate to recover.”

World Mental Health Day observed on 10th October

 World Mental Health Day was observed across the world on 10th October with the objective of raising
awareness on mental health issues. The day is observed to gain support on initiatives related to mental
health and well-being.
 This year, world mental health is more significant because Covid-19 has majorly impacted the mental
health of people.
 This year‟s theme is „mental health care for all: let‟s make it a reality‟.

International Day of the Girl Child observed on 11th October

 The International Day of the Girl Child is observed every year on October 11. On December 18, 2011,
the UN General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognise
the unique challenges that girls face around the world.
 In 2021, the day will be celebrated with the theme "Digital generation. Our generation" and address the
issues faced by girls in society.

International e-Waste Day observed on 14th October

 The International e-Waste Day (IEWD) is celebrated on 14 October every year since 2018, to promote
the correct disposal of e-waste throughout the world with the aim to increase re-use, recovery and
recycling rates.
 This year‟s International E-Waste Day will focus on the crucial part each of us has in making circularity a
reality for e-products. The theme for 2021 IEWD is “Consumer is the key to Circular Economy!”

Global Handwashing Day observed on 15th October

 The Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is observed on 15 October every year. It is an international
handwashing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their
handwashing habits.
 The day was established by the Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP) (formerly called “Public Private
Partnership for Handwashing” (PPPHW)) in 2008.
 The theme of GHD 2021 is “Our Future Is at Hand – Let‟s Move Forward Together”.

World Food Day observed on 16th October

 World Food Day (WFD) is celebrated every year on 16 October across the globe to eradicate
worldwide hunger from our lifetime. This day signifies the anniversary of the founding of the FAO of the
United Nations. It also aims to tackle global hunger and eradicate hunger across the globe.
 WFD also commemorates the date of founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) in 1945.
 The theme of this year is “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow”.

2 OCT, 2021
 World Statistics Day observed on 20th October
 World Statistics Day is observed all over the world on October 20 every five years. World Statistics Day
highlights the achievements of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics.
 World Statistics Day was created by the United Nations Statistics Commission and was marked in the
year 2010. World Statistics Day provides an opportunity to know about all sets of interesting numbers
and data that come from organisations and industries.

International Snow Leopard Day observed on 23rd October

 Every year, October 23 is observed as International Snow Leopard Day since 2014. The day
commemorates the anniversary of the Bishkek Declaration and to celebrate this endangered cat and
raise awareness for its conservation and protection.
 Snow Leopard is found in 12 countries. They are India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

United Nations Day observed on 24th October

 Every year 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. The UN Charter is the
founding document of this great non-partisan institution that has been working towards global peace
and equality.
 The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been
ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States and by a
majority of other signatories.

World Polio Day observed on 24th October

 World Polio Day is celebrated every year on 24 October. It was initiated by Rotary International to
commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
 Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects young children. World Polio Day
2021 theme is “One Day. One Focus: Ending Polio – delivering on our promise of a polio-free world!”

3 OCT, 2021
 INDIAN AFFAIRS
Union Minister Giriraj Singh launched People’s Plan Campaign-2021
 Panchayati Raj Minister Giriraj Singh launched People's Plan Campaign 2021- Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas
along with the Vibrant Gram Sabha Dashboard. The Minister also released a booklet on the People Plan
Campaign-2021 for the preparation of plans for FY 2022-23.
 The People's Plan Campaign will be rolled out in all the States. During the campaign, structured Gram
Sabha meetings will be held for preparing Panchayat Development Plans for the next financial year
2022–2023.

Chacha Chaudhary declared mascot for Namami Gange programme

 Indian comic book character Chacha Chaudhary has been declared as the mascot of the government's
Namami Gange Programme with an aim of bringing behavioral change among children towards the
Ganga and other rivers.
 The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), which has been focusing on the youth as part of its
outreach and public communications efforts as they are the impellers of change, has tied-up with
Diamond Toons to develop and distribute comics, e-comics and animated videos.

Government increased income limit of disabled dependents for family pension

 The Ministry of Defence has enhanced the income criteria for grant of family pension to deceased
pensioners‟ children or siblings with a permanent mental or physical disability.
 Such dependents will be eligible for life-long family pension if “their overall income from sources other
than family pension remains less than the entitled family pension at ordinary rate.

World's largest Khadi national flag inaugurated in Leh

 The world's largest Khadi national flag was installed in Leh town on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's
152nd birth anniversary. The flag was inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur.
 The Monumental Khadi National Flag was prepared by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission
(KVIC). It is about 225 feet long and 150 feet wide and weighs over 1,400 kg. The Ashok Chakra in the
national flag measures a diameter of 30 feet.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated India’s pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020
 Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated India‟s Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020. At the expo, India has
deployed the largest number of participants.
 It has a state-of-the-art 8,750 square metre pavilion with the message that “India is out to grab once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity in order to explore solutions to challenges that hampers its growth.

Environment Minister kicked off virtual tiger rallies across 51 reserves for Wildlife Week

4 OCT, 2021
  Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav started off tiger rallies in 18 tiger range States in India.
Tiger Rallies were started across 51 reserves as a part of “Wildlife Week Celebration” and “Azadi ka
Amrit Mahotsav”.
 In seven days, these rallies would cover a distance of about 7,500 km. Rallies would be traversing the
diverse and picturesque landscapes across the country.

Governor of Andhra Pradesh launched ‘one million tree plantation’ programme

 Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan has launched the one million tree plantation
programme of the Indian Red Cross Society, Andhra Pradesh State Branch, by planting a sapodilla plant
in the Raj Bhavan.
 The Andhra Pradesh State Branch of the Indian Red Cross Society has taken up the programme to plant
10 lakh trees across the 13 districts in the State with the help of 13 lakh Junior Red Cross volunteers
and Youth Red Cross volunteers in 3000 schools and colleges.

Chief Minister of West Bengal won Bhabanipur assembly seat

 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee won the high voltage Bhabanipur seat with a margin of
58, 832 votes. This victory makes Ms. Banerjee a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and
will allow her to continue as Chief Minister of West Bengal.
 She had contested the Assembly poll from Nandigram and lost to BJP‟s Suvendu Adhikari. She was
unanimously elected Chief Minister by the Trinamool Congress legislature party in May 2021.

In a first for South Asia, drone delivered Covid-19 vaccine in Manipur Lake Island
 For the first time, a „Make in India‟ drone has been used in South Asia to transport Covid-19 vaccine
over an aerial distance of 15 kilometers in 12-15 minutes from the Bishnupur district hospital to Loktak
lake, Karang island in Manipur.
 Health Minister Mandaviya launched the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)‟s Drone Response
and Outreach in North East (i-Drone) via video conferencing.

Supreme Court approved ex-gratia policy of Rs 50,000 to people who died of COVID-19
 The Supreme Court approved the ex-gratia policy of Rs 50,000 to families of people who died due to
COVID-19 or committed suicide due to COVID-19. The approved amount will be disbursed through
the disaster response funds in each state within 30 days of application, ruled the Supreme Court.
 The Apex court also applauded the schemes by the Centre for helping and offering compensation to
the families of those who lost their members due to COVID-19.

Himachal Pradesh became first Indian state to begin organised cultivation of Cinnamon
 Cinnamon cultivation in Himachal Pradesh has been introduced by CSIR‟s Institute of Himalayan
Bioresource Technology (IHBT) on a pilot basis. With the cultivation of Cinnamomum Verum, has
become the first state in India to have organized cultivation of Cinnamon.
 Organised Cinnamon cultivation in Himachal Pradesh was launched with State Agriculture Minister
Virendra Kanwar planting the first sapling in the Una district.

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu launched software to aid police investigations

5 OCT, 2021
  Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, MK Stalin, launched face recognition software for assisting
police officials in their investigation. This software will compare suspects, accused persons, missing
persons, and unidentified corpses with the data uploaded on CCTNS website.
 “Face recognition software” will help the police personnel in comparing the photos of suspects with
“data resource” that have been uploaded in Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems.

Goa’s first Digital Forensic Lab began operations in Cyber Crime Cell in Ribandar
 Goa‟s first Digital Forensic Lab began its operations at Cyber Crime Cell in Ribandar. The Digital
Forensic Lab (DFL) is a state-of-the-art facility where trained police personnel can safely work on digital
and forensics analysis of any crime.
 The key objective of the DFL is to provide state-of-the-art technological solutions for crime detection
and investigation. The DFL has a 16-seater digital forensics lab that is fully equipped to facilitate all kinds
of training.

India’s first e-fish market App Fishwaale launched in Assam

 Assam Minister for Fisheries, Environment and Forest and Excise, Parimal Suklabaidya launched an App
Fishwaale, India‟s first e-fish market.
 Table size fish such as bhangon, mrigal and rohu and freshwater and seawater frozen fish (icebox) will
be available coupled with dry fish packets, dry fish raw, fish pickles and processed fish products.

Chief Minister of Sikkim announced ban on packaged mineral water from 2022
 Sikkim Chief Minister PS Tamang announced that packaged mineral water will be banned from January
1, 2022 in the Himalayan state, which is "blessed with natural resources that provide fresh and good
quality drinking water".
 After the ban is implemented, will opt for water from natural resources, which is far healthier than that
available in plastic bottles. Notably, tourist hotspots like Lachen in North Sikkim have already banned
packaged water bottles.

India joined Seychelles’ Tax Inspectors without Borders programme

 The Tax Inspectors without Borders (TIWB) has launched its programme in Seychelles. India has been
chosen as the Partner Administration for this programme. The country will be providing its Tax Expert
in support of the initiative.
 TIWB is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation
for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), since its launch in 2015.

Delhi Metro announced to build first integrated structure combining flyover & metro viaduct
 For the first time in Delhi Metro‟s history, an integrated „flyover cum Metro viaduct structure‟ and a
vehicle underpass is being constructed near Soorghat on the Majlis Park-Maujpur corridor of DMRC‟s
Phase 4 project. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
 The work will be carried out in north-east Delhi in association with the Public Works Department.
Under this first-of-a-kind project, integrated portals will be erected on which a road flyover and a
Metro viaduct will be established.

ICMR launched MUDRA Toolbox for dementia patients in 5 Indian languages

6 OCT, 2021
  The Indian Council of Medical Research launched the Multilingual Dementia Research and Assessment
(MUDRA) Toolbox in five Indian languages - Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.
 The toolbox has been launched for undertaking uniform, standardized dementia research in the
country. The MUDRA Toolbox is a comprehensive tool that has been specifically designed to diagnose
dementia in the Indian population.

Centre Government allowed 100% FDI in telecom via automatic route

 The government allowed 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the telecom sector through
automatic route. It has also reduced performance and financial bank guarantee requirements of telecom
operators by 80%.
 The amendment has been made in both old telecom licenses in the UASL (Unified Access Services
licenses) category and Unified License (UL) category.

ITBP scaled 6,000-metre Height Mountain in Eastern as 'Norbu Wangdu Peak'

 The personnel of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Ladakh Police have scaled two unnamed
6,000-metre height mountains in Eastern Ladakh. The height of the peak is 6,250 meters.
 They have named one of them as 'Norbu Wangdu peak' - dedicating it to ITBP's mountaineer late
Nurbu Wangdus, who died during an avalanche in October 2019.

India’s first mobile-based e-voting system developed in Telangana

 Telangana announced that it has developed India‟s first smartphone-based-e-voting solution, in the face
of the Coronavirus pandemic that has rushed the entire world into all-digital operations.
 The solution has been successfully developed and tested while a dry run, in the form of a dummy
election, is being conducted in the Khammam district in the state. TSEC eVote Android app, which is to
be used for the dry run, is a security-hardened mobile app to prevent tampering.

Indian Railways launched two long haul freight trains 'Trishul', 'Garuda'
 The Indian Railways has launched two long haul freight trains "Trishul" and "Garuda” which are twice or
multiple times longer than the normal composition of freight trains.
 These long haul trains provide a very effective solution to the problem of capacity constraints in critical
sections. Trishul is South Central Railway (SCR)'s first long haul train comprising three freight trains, i.e.
177 wagons.

Civil Aviation Minister flagged off Doon Drone Mela

 Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has flagged off the Doon Drone Mela 2021 in
Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Minister flagged off the event with a paragliding demonstration and also
interacted with the drone companies exhibiting their prototypes at the Doon Drone Mela.
 The day marked the demonstration of the Drone & Aerosports Demonstrations that included a
paragliding demonstration by the Border Security Force, a Paramotor demonstration by Harsh Sachan,
and an agriculture spraying drone demonstration by IoTechWorld Aviation & Dhaksha.

Prime Minister launched Indian Space Association

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Indian Space Association (ISpA) through video
conferencing. The Indian Space Association is a premier industry association of space and satellite
companies, which aspires to be the collective voice of the Indian space industry.
 The space association will target to undertake policy advocacy and engage with all stakeholders in the
Indian space domain. It will engage with the government and all its agencies.

7 OCT, 2021
 Central Government released guidelines for cybersecurity in power sector for first time
 The government of India has released 1st guidelines for cybersecurity in the power sector. These
guidelines were released under the direction of Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister
Raj Kumar Singh and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
 Objective is to create a cyber-secure ecosystem and strengthen the regulatory framework. This is the
first time the comprehensive guidelines for cybersecurity in the power sector were framed by the CEA.

Covaxin recommended for emergency use in children aged 2-18 years

 The Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19 has recommended emergency use of Bharat Biotech's
Covaxin for children aged between 2 to18 year-olds. Bharat Biotech, the Hyderabad-based company,
had submitted data from Covaxin's clinical trials on children aged between 2 to 18 years to the DCGI.
 The Subject Expert Committee has asserted that Covaxin is safe and effective for children. It will
become the second vaccine after Zydus Cadila's DNA-based vaccine ZyCoV-D, to be approved for
vaccination of children in the country.

Andhra Pradesh first ‘PM-WANI’ scheme launched in Kurnool

 Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy launched the first Prime Minister‟s Wi-Fi
Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) project at Uyyalawada village in Kurnool district.
 As per the National Digital Communication Plan, the central government has set a target of setting up
millions of Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022 and the PM-WANI scheme will facilitate this.

MNRE informed India to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030
 The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has informed that India is set to achieve 450 GW of
renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. 39% of the installed capacity is from nonfossil based
sources.
 India is already ahead of what it had planned in Nationally Determined Contributions. India is also
targeting approximately 1 million tonnes of annual green hydrogen production by 2030.

First tourist village launched in J&K’s Udhampur with homestays

 The Jammu and Kashmir government launched its first ''tourist village'' project in Panchari in the
Udhampur district. The J&K government has the target to develop 75 villages in the union territory as
model tourist villages.
 During visits to these villages, tourists would be able to learn about the Dogra culture and enjoy its
simple living styles and cuisines.

Environment Minister announced India to restore 26 million hectares degraded land by 2030
 Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced that the
main mantra of governance strategy is mainstreaming biodiversity consideration in all key sectors of
development and promoting human well-being and inclusive growth.
 Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav was virtually addressing the delegates of the High-level
ministerial segment of UN Biodiversity Conference, Round Table on „Putting Biodiversity on a Path of
Recovery‟.

Centre notified new rules extending abortion limit to 24 weeks for certain women
 The central government has notified new rules under which the upper limit for termination of a
pregnancy has been increased from 20 to 24 weeks for certain categories of women.

8 OCT, 2021
  According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Rules, 2021, these categories include
survivors of sexual assault or rape or incest, minors and women whose marital status changes during an
ongoing pregnancy (widowhood and divorce) and women with physical disabilities.

Chief Minister of Tripura inaugurated Oxygen Park in Agartala

 Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated an „Oxygen Park‟ at Salbagan area in the outskirts
of Agartala city. It is the first oxygen park of Agartala.
 It contains a “Forest Memorial” built in the memory of all the employees of the forest department who
sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to protect the forest.

Government of Haryana banned government employees from participation in politics, elections

 The Haryana government has banned the participation of its employees in politics and elections. A
notification has also been issued from the office of the chief secretary in this regard while implementing
Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees Conduct) Rules, 2016.
 As per the notification, no government employee should be a member of any political party or any
organisation, which takes part in politics. They should also not aid or assist any political movement or
activity.

India launched biggest health programme post-COVID-19

 Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology virtually launched India‟s first „One Health‟
Consortium. The „One Health‟ Consortium consisting of the 27 organizations led by the DBT- National
Institute of Biotechnology, Hyderabad is one of the biggest health programmes.
 The newly launched consortium envisages carrying out the surveillance of important viral, bacterial and
parasitic infections of the zoonotic as well as the transboundary pathogens.

India hosted first ever SCO Seminar on Role of Women in Armed Forces
 India hosted the first ever SCO Seminar on Role of Women in Armed Forces. Secretary Reenat Sandhu,
the role of India‟s women military officers at the global level in UN peacekeeping missions.
 In the past decades have opened up new vistas for women in the Armed Forces of India and India has
been an active participant in the deliberations on issues focusing on women empowerment and gender
mainstreaming at various UN bodies.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur launched MyParkings App

 The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the
„MyParkings‟ app. The main objective of the app is to help reduce pollution by minimizing the time
spent searching for parking spots.
 The IOT technology-enabled app has been developed by Broadcast Engineering Consultants India
Limited (BECIL) with South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to digitize all authorized parking
under SDMC municipal limits.

AIIMS launched ‘Healthy Smile’ Mobile App

 A bilingual mobile application „Healthy Smile‟ was launched by AIIMS in a bid to raise awareness on
maintaining oral hygiene among children. App will provide information on how they can keep dental
decay under control through simple home care measures.

9 OCT, 2021
  This app is an initiative of the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, with the help of
AIIMS intramural research grant. This initiative was launched with the aim of spreading awareness on
maintaining oral hygiene among children right from infancy.

Health Minister of Tamil Nadu informed state to become 1st to give kids Covid vaccine
 Tamil Nadu is set to become the first in the country to administer Covid-19 vaccines to those aged 2-
18 years. Tamil Nadu was also the first in inoculating pregnant women.
 An expert panel of the Central drug authority has recommended granting emergency use authorisation
to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for children and adolescents in the 2 to 18 years age group.

Anthem on India's Covid-19 vaccination drive launched

 Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the anthem
on India‟s Covid 19 vaccination. The song has been sung by eminent singer Padma Shri Kailash Kher.
 The vaccines administered suggest about 70% of the population getting at least one dose and about
30% of the population has got two doses.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Prerna Sthal was inaugurated at NSTL, Visakhapatnam

 „Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Prerana Sthal‟ was inaugurated at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory
(NSTL), Visakhapatnam.
 It was inaugurated on the occasion of 90th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam,
former President of India. A statue of Dr. Kalam was also unveiled by Dr. Samir V Kamat, Director
General (Naval Systems & Materials), DRDO.

Kolkata Port carried first-ever ship-to-ship transfer operation of LPG in Indian Coast
 The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways informed that, the first-ever ship-to-ship transfer
operation of LPG in the Indian Coast in Kolkata was undertaken by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Limited (BPCL).
 The ship-to-ship transfer operation at HDC will aid BPCL in saving valuable foreign exchange. The
operation helps BPCL to reduce the time consumed by a daughter vessel by 7 to 9 days from other
locations of BPCL and saving around USD 3, 50,000 per voyage.

Mount Harriet in Andaman and Nicobar to be named Mount Manipur

 As a tribute to the freedom fighters of Manipur, the Union government has decided to rename Mount
Harriet, an island peak in Andaman and Nicobar islands. It will now be known as Mount Manipur.
 Mount Harriet is the third-highest island peak in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where Manipur‟s
Maharaja Kulchandra Singh and 22 other freedom fighters were imprisoned during the Anglo-Manipuri
war.

Delhi set up first kid-friendly vaccination center

 In a first of its kind, a kid-friendly COVID-19 vaccination center has been set up in Delhi under the
review of the waiting time post-vaccination.
 The vaccination center has been equipped with toys, electronic and musical items which will help
children stay engaged during the waiting time. This is also expected to ease the tension and nervousness
of children before being vaccinated.

NITI Aayog launched Geospatial Energy Map of India

10 OCT, 2021
  A Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Energy Map of India was launched by NITI Aayog. The
GIS-based Energy Map of India will provide a holistic picture of all energy resources of the country.
 The Geospatial Energy Map has been developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) and with the support of central government's energy ministries.

Prime Minister inaugurated Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh.
The airport has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 260 crore by the Airport Authority of India.
 It will facilitate domestic & international pilgrims to visit the Mahaparinirvanasthal of Lord Buddha in
Kushinagar. Kushinagar is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha, where he attained Mahaparinirvana
after his death.

Union Earth Sciences Minister launched Air Quality Early Warning System
 Earth Sciences Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched Air Quality Early Warning System during the Azadi
ka Amrit Mahotsav week. The Air Quality system is expected to become a user-friendly tool for air-
quality management in and around Delhi.
 The Air Quality Early Warning System has been integrated with the Decision Support System that has
been developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

For first time-ever Indian Army established Airspace Control Centre in Arunachal Pradesh
 The Indian Army has established Airspace Control Centre for the first time in the forward area in West
Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh. This is the first time such a centre has been established in the forward
area.
 The aim of the centre is to track movement and allow operations to go seamlessly. It's a new brigade
for the Eastern sector.

39women Army officers received Permanent Commission after winning legal battle
 Women Short Service Commission Officers (WSSCO) in the Army, the Supreme Court on Friday
directed the Centre to issue orders granting Permanent Commission (PC) to 39 such officers in seven
working days and furnish the details of 25 officers with reasons, who were not considered.
 Among these women officers, 39 were capable of claiming their permanent commission while the
others were either found to be unfit or had disciplinary issues.

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh launched generic medical store scheme

 Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched Shree Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store Yojna
through video conference. Under this scheme, he launched 84 shops in the state.
 Under this scheme 15-15 in Durg district and Janjgir-Champa district, 6-6 in Dhamtari, Korba and
Raigarh, 5 in Rajnandgaon, 3-3 in Bilaspur, Kondagaon, Sukma and Bijapur, Raipur, Gaurela-Pendra-
Marwahi, Two medical stores have been opened in Surajpur and Jashpur.

India's first ‘test tube’ Banni buffalo calf born in Gujarat

 India's first IVF calf of a buffalo breed namely Banni was born in October 2021. This first IVF Banni calf is
born out of 6 Banni IVF pregnancies established at the doorsteps of a farmer, Vinay. L. Wala of Sushila
Agro farms, located at Dhanej in Somnath district of Gujarat.
 The scientists aspirated 3 Banni Buffaloes of Sushila agro farms of Vinay. L. Wala of Dhanej in Somnath
district of Gujarat.

11 OCT, 2021
 Election Commission of India launched Garuda App
 The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Garuda app for digital mapping of all polling
stations, to ensure faster, smarter, transparent and timely completion of election work.
 Through the Garuda app, Booth Level Officers (BLO) will upload photos and location information of
the polling stations, along with data like latitude and longitude of the centre, from their registered
mobile numbers. The app will also help in reducing the paperwork.

Goa achieved ODF and Electricity for every household

 Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur complimented Goa as it achieved ODF and
Electricity for every household. Goa has also become the first state to provide tap water to every
household under the “Har Ghar Jal Mission”.
 The original ODF protocol was issued in the year 2016. Apart from that, Goa achieved 100% target to
provide free ration to the poor and needy. It has also completed 100% first dose of covid-19
vaccination.

India's first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant began second phase of sea trials
 India's first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant set sail for the second sea trials, ahead of its planned
induction into the Indian Navy by August 2022. The 40,000-tonne aircraft carrier, the largest and most
complex warship to be built in India, successfully completed a five-day maiden sea voyage in August.
 The warship has been built at a cost of around Rs 23,000 crore and its construction propelled India into
a select group of countries having capabilities to build state-of-the-art aircraft carriers.

India’s 1st State-Wildlife DNA testing analysis lab inaugurated in Nagpur

 Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated India‟s 1st State government-owned
Wildlife DNA testing analysis laboratory at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Nagpur.
 At present, there are 2 Wildlife DNA testing laboratories at Dehradun and Hyderabad, which are fully
owned by the Central Government, whereas the newly launched is the 1st in India to be owned by a
state government.

Prime Minister launched Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched 'PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission & Release
of Operational Guidelines'. PMASBY will be to fill critical gaps in public health infrastructure, especially
in primary care and critical care facilities in both urban and rural areas.
 Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana will be one of the largest pan-India schemes that will
focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country.

Chief Minister of Haryana announced Free Education Scheme

 Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, announced a free education scheme in state, to boost
the level of education in the state. Scheme has been announced to those whose verified family income
is lower than Rs. 1.80 lakh per annum.
 Through this scheme, the state government seeks to ensure that no talented student, belonging to a
poor family, loses a chance to go with his or her dreams. Announcement was made under Haryana‟s
„Super 100 Programme‟.

12 OCT, 2021
 India, UK and Australia to jointly launched IRIS initiative at COP26
 India, Australia, and the UK in collaboration with small island developing states (SIDS), have planned to
launch a new initiative “Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS)”, on the sidelines of the
Conference of Parties (COP26).
 The IRIS platform aims at creating an infrastructure that can withstand disasters and lessen economic
losses in island nations. The IRIS initiative will be launched with initial funding of $10 million from
Australia, India and the UK.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia flagged off first direct flight between Shillong and Dibrugarh
 Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M. Scindia virtually flagged off the first direct flight between
Shillong in Meghalaya and Dibrugarh in Assam. The direct flight between the two towns will reduce the
journey from its present 12 hours by road to a mere 75 minutes.
 Part of the Union government‟s Regional Connectivity Scheme-Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (RCS-
UDAN), the Shillong-Dibrugarh route was awarded to Indigo airlines after the conclusion of the UDAN
4 bidding process.

Kolkata port became 1st Indian port to introduce ROIP system

 The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in West Bengal‟s Kolkata has become the first major Indian port to
have Radio over Internet Protocol (ROIP) system for long range marine communication.
 The ROIP system will cover the entire Hugli river estuary from Kolkata to Sandheads, a stretch of open
sea nearly 130 km from Haldia and will have base stations at four locations.

India's first 'Skill Impact Bond' launched

 The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) launched the first-of-its-kind and the largest
'Impact Bond' for skilling in India in collaboration with global partners, involving a USD 14.4 million fund,
which will benefit 50,000 young people through employment.
 The target group includes 60% women and girls and the objective is to equip them with skills and
vocational training and provide access to wage-employment in Covid-19 recovery sectors including
retail, apparel, healthcare and logistics.

Rajinikanth launched India’s 1st voicebased social media app 'Hoote'

 Rajinikanth launched his daughter Soundarya‟s voice-based social media platform - Hoote. The app is
India‟s first voice-based social media platform for the world, from Chennai.
 It offers a 60-second live voice recording option or to upload a recorded voice in 15 Indian and 10
foreign languages, of choice.

MSME Ministry launched ‚SAMBHAV‛ National Level Awareness Programme

 The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises has launched an e-National Level Awareness
Programme „SAMBHAV”, to promote engagement of the youth in promoting entrepreneurship.
 The mass outreach program will be a one-month long initiative under the Ministry of MSME in which
students from different colleges/ITIs from all parts of the country will be encouraged by 130 field offices
of the Ministry to take up entrepreneurship.

Union Health Ministry announced ‘Knock every door’ campaign for Second-dose Vaccination

13 OCT, 2021
  Union Health Ministry has asked states and Union Territories to come up with district-level plan and
launch a “Har Ghar Dastak” (Knock every door) campaign across poor performing districts.
 Central government has also asked states & union territories to set up the ante, in those areas where
first & second dose vaccination coverage is below the national average. Under the campaign, vaccine
vans will be introduced, and exercise will be reviewed on daily basis.

Chennai-Mysore-Chennai Shatabdi Express became 1st IMS certified train

 Chennai-Mysore-Chennai Shatabdi Express became the 1st Integrated Management Systems (IMS)
certified train of Southern Railway. The IMS certificate was given in recognition for the train‟s
maintenance, better use of environment-friendly resources, and offering travel comfort.
 Chennai-Mysore-Chennai Shatabdi Express train is the first Shatabdi of Indian Railways and the second
express train of Indian Railways to win this certification.

India's first manned ocean mission 'Samudrayan' launched

 India's first manned ocean mission "Samudrayan" was launched in Chennai by Union Minister Jitendra
Singh and with this, the nation joined an elite club of nations having such underwater vehicles for
carrying out subsea activities.
 India joins an elite club of select nations USA, Russia, Japan, France & China having such underwater
vehicles. The nation has made huge progress in science and technology and when an Indian goes up into
space as part of the Gaganyaan programme, another would dive deep into the ocean.

Indian Railways started running India's first full Economy AC-3 tier train
 Indian Railways started running India's first full Economy AC-3 tier train - Gati Shakti Express. The base
fare of Economy AC-3 tier coach is 8% less than the normal AC3 class of coaches.
 The train will run between Delhi and Patna. It will stop at Kanpur Central, Prayagraj Junction, Varanasi,
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, and Danapur in both directions.

First Ladakh Birds Festival inaugurated in Leh

 The first-ever 3-day Ladakh Bird Festival, organized by the Department of Wildlife Protection, Ladakh
in collaboration with the SECURE Himalaya Project, commenced in Leh.
 "Black-necked Crane" was declared as the Ladakh State Bird officially during the event. MP Jamyang
Tsering Namgyal also released “The Changpa” and “Explorer Tashi meets the Changpa” workbook for
the students.

India’s first unique manned ocean mission Samudrayaan launched at Chennai

 Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh launched India‟s first manned ocean mission Samudrayaan at
the National Institute of Ocean Technology in Chennai. This will open up more growth avenues to
explore ocean resources for clean energy, drinking water, and blue economy.
 With this launch of the Unique Ocean Mission, India joined the elite club of nations such as the US,
Russia, France, Japan, and China to have niche technology and vehicles to carry out subsea activities.

India's biggest aromatic garden opened in Nainital, Uttarakhand

 Uttarakhand gets India‟s largest aromatic garden in the Nainital district. The research wing of the
Uttarakhand forest department inaugurated the biggest aromatic garden of India in Lalkuan of Nainital.
 Established in an area of over 3 acres, the garden has 140 different species of aromatic species from
across India. The project was initiated in the year 2018-19 after approval of the Research Advisory
Committee in June 2018.

14 OCT, 2021
 Independent India's first voter Shyam Negi casts vote in Mandi bypoll in Himachal Pradesh
 Shyam Saran Negi, a retired school teacher who cast the first vote in independent India in the 1951
general election, voted in the Mandi parliamentary bypoll in Himachal Pradesh. He is 104 years old.
 Shyam Saran Negi cast his vote at the model polling station of Kalpa in Kinnaur district of Himachal
Pradesh. He was greeted outside the polling station by the Deputy Commissioner of Kinnaur and a red
carpet was laid out by the district administration to welcome him.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs flagged off 30th edition of ‚Hunar Haat in Dehradun
 30th edition of “Hunar Haat” was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas
Naqvi and Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami at Dehradun.
 Hunar Haat is a unique platform that brings the artisans of the entire nation under one roof. After
Dehradun, it will be organized at Braj Raj Mahotsav, Vrindavan from 10th November and Lucknow (12
to 21 Nov).

15 OCT, 2021
 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Venezuela introduced new currency with six less zeros
 Venezuela introduced a new currency with six fewer zeros. The highest denomination of the new
currency will be 100 bolivars, as compared to the earlier higher denomination of 1 million bolivar.
 Venezuela's old currency had almost become worthless as a result of years of the world‟s worst
inflation. The new currency is expected to help ease both cash transactions and bookkeeping
calculations.

Gandhi Museum inaugurated at Noakhali in Bangladesh

 The renovated Gandhi Museum was inaugurated at the historic Gandhi Ashram Trust at Noakhali in
Bangladesh, on the occasion of the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
 The inauguration was done by the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dr A K Abdul Momen, Law Minister
Advocate Anisul Huq and High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami.

Russia launched submarine-launched hypersonic Tsirkon missile for first time

 Russia announced that it had successfully test launched a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile
from a submarine for the first time, a weapon President Vladimir Putin has lauded as part of a new
generation of unrivalled arms systems.
 The Tsirkon missile from a warship in July, said that the Severodvinsk submarine had fired the missile
while deployed in the Barents Sea and had hit its chosen target.

WHO approved world's first malaria vaccine RTS, S/AS01

 The World Health Organization recommended the widespread use of the world's first malaria vaccine-
RTS, S/AS01 (RTS,S) among children, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with
moderate and high malaria transmission.
 The RTS,S vaccine has been approved as it significantly reduces malaria and life-threatening severe
cases. Over 800,000 children have received the vaccine so far and have been benefiting from the
additional protection against the disease.

UAE launched plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050

 The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a plan for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
UAE would also oversee 600 billion dirhams ($163 billion) in investment in renewable energy.
 This makes UAE the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to launch a concrete
initiative to achieve that climate commitment.

16 OCT, 2021
 136 countries agreed to establish 15% minimum Corporate Tax Rate
 A group of 136 countries has signed a landmark global treaty to enforce a corporate tax rate of at least
15% for large multinationals. It was announced by Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
 The deal marks a shift in tax policy because it not only imposes a minimum corporate tax rate, but it
also forces companies to pay taxes where they operate.

Germany launched World’s First Self-Driving Train

 German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated &
driverless train of the world. The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg. This project is
being developed by „Siemens and Deutsche Bahn‟. It is being dubbed as “world-first”.
 The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of the rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. These
automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometer of new track.

U. S. became largest bitcoin mining centre after China crackdown

 The United States has overtaken China to account for the largest share of the world's bitcoin mining.
The data was published by the UK's Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance.
 The United States now accounts for the largest share of mining, some 35.4% of the global hash rate as
of end-August 2021, followed by Kazakhstan and Russia, the data showed.

Russian crew returned to Earth after filming first movie in space titled ‚The Challenge‛
 A Russian actress and a director along with a cosmonaut returned to Earth in Kazakhstan on Sunday
after spending 12 days in the International Space Station shooting scenes for the first movie in orbit.
 Actress Yulia Peresild, 37, and film director Klim Shipenko, 38, blasted off from the Russia-leased
Baikonur Commodore in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan earlier this month, travelling to the ISS with another
veteran cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov to film scenes for "The Challenge".

Russia suspended its mission at NATO, shuts alliance’s office

 Russia suspended its mission at NATO and ordered the closure of the alliance‟s office in Moscow in
retaliation for NATO‟s expulsion of Russian diplomats.
 Earlier this month, NATO withdrew the accreditation of eight Russian officials to its Brussels
headquarters, saying it believes they have been secretly working as Russian intelligence officers. NATO
also halved the size of Moscow‟s team at its headquarters from 20 to 10.

India, US, UAE and Israel formed a new QUAD

 India, Israel, United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are ready to build on momentum created
by “Abraham Accords” by holding the first meeting of their Foreign Ministers. Abraham Accords are a
joint statement between Israel, the US and the UAE. It was signed in August 2020.
 Meeting will also be linked with India‟s efforts of building new plurilateral and multilateral partnerships
which focuses on cooperation in areas including security, connectivity and energy.

Turkey placed on FATF grey list, Pakistan retained

 In a major blow to the two nations, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed Turkey on its grey
list for failing to check terror financing and retained Pakistan as well.
 Overall, three countries were added to the grey list this time- Jordan, Mali and Turkey. Pakistan has
been in the FATF grey list since June 2018 for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money
laundering regimes.

17 OCT, 2021
 Russia, China held first joint patrol in western Pacific Ocean
 Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrols in the Western part of the Pacific Ocean. The
group of ships passed through the Tsugaru Strait for the first time as part of the patrol.
 The Tsugaru Strait is regarded as international water. Moscow and Beijing, which staged naval
cooperation drills in the Sea of Japan earlier in October.

Invest India elected as President of the world association of investment promotion agencies
 Invest India has been unanimously elected as the President of the World Association of Investment
Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) for 2021-2023.
 Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency that helps investors looking
for investment opportunities and options in India.

United States issued first gender-neutral 'X' passport

 The US government on 27 October 2021 issued the first passport with the “X” gender designation for
people who do not identify themselves as either male or female.
 This has been done in order to make the documents more inclusive for people who identify as no
binary, intersex or gender-nonconforming. The department will be able to offer the option to all
passport applicants by early 2022.

World’s largest hydrogen fuel cell power plant builds in Korea

 The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it held the completion ceremony of
„Shinincheon Bitdream Fuel Cell Power Plant‟ at the Shinincheon Bitdream headquarters of Korea
Southern Power in Seo-gu, Incheon.
 The Shinincheon Bitdream Fuel Cell Power Plant is a power plant with a total capacity of 78 MW
constructed in four stages since 2017 by using fuel cells supplied by POSCO Energy and Doosan Fuel
Cell. It is the world‟s largest fuel cell power plant currently in operation.

UNSC adopted ‘first of its kind’ resolution to protect education in armed conflict
 The United Nations Security Council adopted a unique first-of-its-kind resolution to urge armed conflict
parties to immediately safeguard the right to education and ensure the protection of schools.
 The 15-member UNSC unanimously adopted Resolution 2601 (2021) while strongly condemning
attacks against schools, children, and teachers. India also voted in favour of Resolution 2601.

18 OCT, 2021
 BANKING & FINANCE
Tata AIA Life Insurance partnered with Practo for online medical consultation
 Tata AIA Life Insurance said it has tied up with integrated healthcare company Practo for online medical
consultation for its customers. As part of the alliance, Tata AIA consumers can avail themselves of
online medical consultations from verified doctors anywhere, anytime.
 This includes assistance for common ailments like cold, fever and injury, thereby enabling them to seek
immediate medical guidance from the safe and comfortable environment of their home.

TCS signed 5-year IT transformation deal with German bank NORD/LB

 Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been selected by NORD/LB, a leading German commercial bank,
as its strategic partner for its IT transformation. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
 NORD/LB has embarked on a transformation journey that targets a new business model by 2024, and a
leaner, more agile operating model. It has partnered with TCS in this journey

SBI launched NAV-eCash card in collaboration with Indian navy

 State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the launch of SBI‟s NAV-eCash card on INS Vikramaditya, the
largest naval aircraft carrier of India. The new NAV-eCash card will facilitate both online and offline
transactions.
 The new journey envisioned for the card is set to change the payment ecosystem, while the ship is
sailing with no dependency on utilisation of any form of cash to avail any of the services on board.

Acuite Ratings joined hands with United Nations for ESG in a first
 Acuité Ratings & Research became the first local credit rating company to be associated with the
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a United Nations-backed initiative that deals with ESG
(Environment Social Governance) credit risk.
 It will act as a signatory to PRI‟s “ESG in Credit Risk and Ratings Statement”. Fitch, Moody‟s, S&P
Global, Kroll Bond is among others, which are existing signatories in the gauge.

Axis Bank became first Indian private bank to do a term SOFR trade finance deal
 Axis Bank has become 1st Indian private sector bank to arrange a term Secured Overnight Financing
Rate (SOFR) linked trade financing deal. The bank's GIFT City branch has built a loan book of over $1
billion as on date.
 The transaction was executed for Hindalco Industries Limited, the world‟s largest aluminium company
by revenue, and linked to 90-day SOFR financed by Axis Bank‟s GIFT City IBU branch.

19 OCT, 2021
 Kotak Mahindra Bank became 1st scheduled private sector bank to collect direct, indirect taxes
 Kotak Mahindra Bank has become the first scheduled private sector bank to receive approval from the
government for collection of direct and indirect taxes. The taxes include income tax, Goods and
Services Tax (GST) etc.
 Bank customers will be able to pay their direct and indirect taxes straight from Kotak mobile banking or
net banking platforms as well as through branch banking network.

Visa launched India's first card-on-file tokenization service

 Visa, has launched card-on-file (CoF) tokenization services in India, in line with the recently issued
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. It has been launched in partnership with mobile-based payments
firm, Juspay.
 Card tokenization is a process of substituting sensitive customer data with an algorithmically generated
token by a token service provider.

RBI increased IMPS limit to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh earlier

 The Reserve Bank of India has increased the limit of IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) transaction to
Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh earlier for the convenience of the consumers.
 Immediate Payment Service is an instant payment inter-bank electronic funds transfer system in India.
The RBI had also made the National Automated Clearing House (NACH) available on all days effective
August, 2021.

PNB launched '6S Campaign' under customer outreach programme

 Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched '6S Campaign' under customer outreach programme to extend
financial services at concessional rate during the festival season. The '6S Campaign' encapsulates
different schemes such as – Swabhiman, Samruddhi, Sampark and Shikhar, Sankalp and Swagat.
 The objective is to drive special awareness campaign for development of financial services in the
country and to accelerate credit growth, improve penetration of social security schemes and drive
digital banking push.

RBI authorized Karur Vysya Bank to collect direct taxes for CBDT
 Karur Vysya Bank has commenced the integration process with the Central Board of Direct Taxes to
collect direct taxes on its behalf. It has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to do so.
 Once the integration process gets completed, the bank customers can remit the direct taxes through
any branch or through net banking or mobile banking services (DLite Mobile application).

IIFL Finance launched instant business loan on WhatsApp

 IIFL Finance has launched an instant business loan on WhatsApp. WhatsApp users will be able to avail
loans up to ₹10 lakh with minimum documentation and get approval in five minutes.
 IIFL, the retail-focussed non-banking finance company (NBFC) claimed that it has become the first
NBFC in the country to launch instant business loan on WhatsApp.

Kotak Mahindra Bank launched Micro ATMs across India

 Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KMBL) has announced the launch of Micro ATMs across the country.
Customers of all banks who possess a debit card can use a Kotak Micro ATM for key banking services
such as cash withdrawals and checking account balances.
 A mini version of an ATM, micro ATMs is a small handheld device. KMBL is using its extensive Business
Correspondents network to launch micro ATMs.

20 OCT, 2021
 HDFC Bank, USAID, others launched $100-mn Covid-19 credit facility for MSMEs
 HDFC Bank in partnership with MasterCard, US International Development Finance Corporation
(USIDFC) and US Agency for International Development launched a USD-100 million credit facility.
 New credit facility will help small businesses that require financing for maintaining and growing their
operations. The credit facility will also enable recovery by means of digitisation.

Razorpay launched tokenisation in partnership with Mastercard, RuPay and Visa

 Fintech firm Razorpay has announced a new tokenization solution for businesses. The 'Razorpay
TokenHQ' will work across all major card networks including Mastercard, RuPay, and Visa.
 It will allow their end-customers to have the convenience of saved card transactions with added
security and in compliance with the RBI guidelines.

ICICI Bank surpassed HUL to occupy 5th spot in market capitalization

 Private sector lender ICICI Bank has crossed the market capitalisation of Hindustan Unilever to become
the 5th largest company by market value. ICICI Bank becomes the second lender after HDFC Bank to
break into the top five companies on the BSE in terms of m-cap.
 According to BSE data, ICICI Bank‟s market capitalisation (m-cap) stood at ₹5.83 lakh crore, just above
HUL‟s ₹5.76 lakh crore. This follows the bank posting its highest ever quarterly net profit in the July to
September 2021 quarter.

India Post Payments Bank partnered with HDFC for offering home loans
 India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) and HDFC has entered into a strategic alliance to offer home loans to
nearly 4.7 crore customers of the payments bank. A MoU on the strategic alliance was signed between
IPPB and HDFC Limited.
 Leveraging its country-wide network of 650 branches and over 1, 36,000 banking access points (Post
offices), IPPB aims to make HDFC's home loan products and its expertise available to its customers
across India.

IndiGo partnered Kotak Mahindra Bank for Ka-ching co-branded credit card
 Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) and IndiGo announced a strategic partnership for the launch of a co-
branded credit card Ka-ching, under the 6E Rewards program.
 This collaboration will create value for customers in the form of a powerful product proposition
offering a premium rewards experience to customers.

Max Life became first insurance company to join account aggregator system
 Max Life Insurance Co. Limited has joined the account aggregator (AA) framework introduced by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in September 2021. Max Life is the first insurer to do so.
 Max Life has collaborated with nonbanking finance company (NBFC) FinVu, which is also an AA, and
Finarkein, a data analytics company, to join the network as a Financial Information User (FIU).

21 OCT, 2021
 BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Uber joined hands with Startup India, iCreate to drive EV adoption
 Uber has partnered with Startup India and Gujarat-based start-up incubation centre iCreate. All three
partnered for an innovation fund to support new ideas to drive adoption of electric vehicles (EVs)
across the country.
 The 'Green Mobility Innovation Challenge' will be hosted on the Start-up India portal. Uber will disburse
a grant of Rs 75, 00,000 ($101,000) among the top five start-ups.

Britannia collaborated with Accenture to accelerate its digital transformation

 Britannia Industries has collaborated with the global IT and professional services company Accenture to
accelerate its digital transformation across multiple retail channels.
 Accenture, through a digital transformation program, has helped Britannia Industries to accelerate
innovation, capture value and improve the customer and supplier experience.

Amazon launched its global computer science education initiative in India

 Amazon India announced the launch of Amazon Future Engineer, its global computer science education
programme, in India. The programme will enable access to quality computer science education and
career opportunities for students from underrepresented and underserved communities.
 In the first year of its launch, Amazon aims to enable and deliver learning opportunities to more than 1
lakh students from 900 government and aided schools across seven states in India.

India’s exports for first time exceeded USD 100 billion mark in September 2021 quarter
 For the first time, India‟s exports has exceeded the USD 100 billion mark in the quarter ending
September, informed the Commerce and Industry Ministry. The quarter ending September reported
USD 101.89 billion in exports in India.
 In 2021, India‟s exports in September were reported at USD 33.44 billion compared to USD 33.28
billion in August and USD 35.17 billion in July. In the first half of FY2021-22, India reported USD 197
billion in exports. The country is aiming to reach USD 400 million of FY2021-22.

TVS Motor, Tata Power partnered to create EV charging infrastructure in India

 TVS Motor Company has entered into a strategic partnership with Tata Power. The partnership aims to
create a large dedicated electric two-wheeler charging infrastructure.
 As part of the MoU, the two companies have agreed to drive the comprehensive implementation of
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) across India and deploy solar power technologies at TVS
Motor locations.

Airtel conducted India's first rural 5G trial along with Ericsson

22 OCT, 2021
  Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and equipment maker Ericsson on 5 October 2021 has conducted
India's first 5G network trial in a rural location.
 The demonstration took place in Bhaipur Bramanan village on the outskirts of Delhi-NCR (National
Capital Region). 5G is the next-generation network technology that enables connecting virtually
everyone and everything together with low latency.

Rail Vikas Nigam Limited signed MoU with Tata Steel

 Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has entered into an agreement with Tata Steel Ltd for the
implementation of various infrastructure projects. RVNL mainly deals in providing infrastructure for
Indian Railways.
 The latest agreement is in connection with the implementation of infrastructure projects either on a
nomination basis as deposit work or through the special purpose vehicle (SPV) route.

World Bank retained GDP growth projection for FY22 at 8.3%

 World Bank has retained India‟s real GDP growth projection for 2021-22 at 8.3%, citing increase in
public investment and incentives to boost manufacturing. Growth is forecast to moderate to 7.5% next
year.
 Over the next two years, as the base effect fades, growth is expected to stabilise around 7%, aided by
structural reforms to ease supply-side constraints.

Reserve Bank of India retained FY22 GDP growth target at 9.5%

 The Reserve Bank of India has maintained its GDP growth target for the financial year 2021- 22 at
9.5%. This consists of 7.9% in Q2, 6.8% in Q3 and 6.1% in Q4 of 2021-22.
 India's gross domestic product (GDP) had surged 20.1% in the April-June quarter of FY22, according to
the data released by the government's statistics office.

Government accorded Maharatna status to Power Finance Corp

 The government accorded „Maharatna‟ status to state-owned Power Finance Corp Limited giving the
company greater operational and financial autonomy. An order to this effect was issued by the
Department of Public Enterprises, under the Ministry of Finance.
 The grant of „Maharatna‟ status to PFC will impart enhanced powers to the PFC Board while taking
financial decisions. Incorporated in 1986, PFC is the largest infrastructure finance company exclusively
dedicated to the power sector under the administrative control of the power ministry.

IBM announced to skill 30 million people globally by 2030

 IBM Corp. has shared its commitment and global plan to provide 30 million people of all ages with new
skills needed for „jobs of tomorrow‟ by 2030. It has announced a clear roadmap with more than 170
new academic and industry partnerships.
 In India, IBM will continue the partnerships with the Ministry of Skills Development and
Entrepreneurship, CBSE, etc. Partnerships extend to NGOs as well, particularly those that focus on
groups such as underserved youth, women, and military veterans

All India Chess Federation joined hands with MPL Foundation in a historic deal
 The All-India Chess Federation (AICF) has signed an agreement with the MPL Foundation towards
sponsorship of national championships for the next five years.

23 OCT, 2021
  The MPL Foundation will be the title sponsors of various national championships across all formats,
starting from the Under-7 age groups. MPL is the first corporate sponsor to be associated with the
AICF on a long-term basis.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air received Aviation Ministry nod to fly

 The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given a no objection certificate (NOC) for the operation of a new
airline 'Akasa Air' in India. The new airline aims to start operations by the summer of 2022.
 Akasa Air is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and ex-Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dube. Akasa
Air also has former IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh on its board.

India’s first social crypto token, Chingari’s ‘$GARI’ launched by Salman Khan
 Social Token App, Chingari unveiled its‟ first-ever crypto token, „$GARI‟ in Mumbai. It was launched by
the brand ambassador of the tech start-up, Salman Khan.
 Chingari claims to be the first social network in India to have issued crypto tokens. $GARI aims to
transform the creator ecosystem by enabling creators to set up their e-commerce space.

IRCTC became 9th PSU firm to cross market capitalization of ₹1 trillion

 Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has become the ninth public sector
entity to join the elite club of ₹1 trillion market capitalization (m-cap) with its shares surging over 300%
so far in 2021.
 Earlier, SBI, Coal India, NMDC Ltd, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Power Grid Corp. Ltd, SBI Life Insurance,
Bharat Petroleum Corp., and SBI Cards have achieved this milestone.

Alibaba unveiled one of China's most advanced chips

 Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. unveiled a new server chip that‟s based on advanced 5-nanometer
technology, marking a milestone in China‟s pursuit of semiconductor self-sufficiency.
 The Chinese tech giant‟s newest chip is based on micro-architecture provided by the SoftBank Group
Corp.-owned Arm Ltd. Alibaba, in the backdrop of its Annual Cloud Summit, highlighted that silicon will
be put for using its own data centres in near future.

Facebook fined over £50 million by UK watchdog for information breach

 Facebook has been fined over £50 million by UK's Competition & Markets Authority and told that it is
not “above the law”. The fine is at least 150 times bigger than the previous fine for a similar offence.
 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had launched a probe into Facebook's acquisition of
Giphy in June 2020, shortly after the deal was announced, over concerns regarding “substantial
lessening of competition”.

Intas launched World's first SB-100mg Itraconazole

 One of the world‟s leading pharmaceutical companies, Intas Pharmaceuticals, has launched the world‟s
first Super Bioavailable Itraconazole-SB 100mg by the brand name of Itaspor-SB Forte/Subawin.
 It has been recently approved by Indian Regulatory Authorities. Itaspor is expected to improve patient
compliance and reduce the doctor‟s counseling time.

24 OCT, 2021
 GAIL India announced to build India's largest green hydrogen plant
 GAIL (India) Limited will build India's largest green hydrogen-making plant as it looks to supplement its
natural gas business with carbon-free fuel. The firm has already floated a global tender to buy the
electrolyzer and is hoping to get delivery in 12-14 months.
 Green hydrogen is the cleanest of all with zero carbon emission. The plant planned is for 10 MW
capacities, the largest announced so far in the country. It will be double the size of the one announced
by state electricity producer NTPC.

Glenmark launched unique fixed dose combination drug for diabetes

 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has become the first company in the world to launch a unique fixed-dose
combination (FDC) drug for diabetes in India.
 It has introduced FDC of its novel, patent protected Sodium Glucose CoTransporter Inhibitor (SGLT2i)
- Remogliflozin Etabonate and another widely used DPP4 inhibitor (Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 inhibitor) -
Vildagliptin, with Metformin.

Amazon signed a deal with Verizon for launching satellites

 Amazon.com Inc. has struck a deal to use Verizon Communications Inc.‟s network to link up its
thousands-strong planned fleet of satellites.
 Jeff Bezos has committed $10 billion to satellite subsidiary Kuiper Systems LLC, which plans to launch
3,236 satellites into low-earth orbit to provide broadband internet access.

Google & MeitY Startup Hub collaborated to help Indian startups build high-quality apps
 Google and MeitY Startup Hub, an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
have partnered to launch Appscale Academy. It will help Indian startups build highquality apps.
 Under the Appscale Academy program, 100 startups will get trained through a customized curriculum,
including virtual instructorled webinars, self-learning material.

Facebook changed name to Meta in major rebrand effort

 Facebook has announced that it is changing the company name to "Meta". The Facebook name change
was announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company's Connect virtual reality conference.
 Metaverse means a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated
environment and other users. It is a digital space that combines aspects of social media, online gaming
and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Truecaller partnered with Indian Railways to build trust in communication for passengers
 The Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is working with caller identification
platform Truecaller to provide passengers with greater trust in communication.
 Truecaller verified identity will aim to reduce fraud by assuring people that critical communication such
as booking details and PNR status are being delivered by IRCTC.

25 OCT, 2021
 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
SBI, Union Bank, PNB picked up stake in NARCL
 The State Bank of India (SBI), Union Bank of India, and Punjab National Bank (PNB) picked up stake in
the proposed bad bank National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL).
 While SBI and Union Bank of India picked up 13.27% stake each, PNB subscribed to 12.06% stake in
NARCL. All three lenders have subscribed to the equity in NARCL at Rs 10 per share.

Paytm acquired 100% ownership of lending startup CreditMate

 Online payment services provider, Paytm has acquired a 100% stake in Mumbai-based digital lending
startup CreditMate. The transaction details of the deal have not been disclosed.
 The Paytm Group will now be the 100% beneficial owners of the business, while the co-founders of
CreditMate will exit the business. CreditMate was founded in 2019 by Jonathan Bill, Ashish Doshi, Swati
Lad and Aditya Singh.

Ola acquired GeoSpoc to build next-generation location technology

 Ola, India's largest mobility platform announced that it has acquired GeoSpoc, a leading geospatial
services provider in India.
 Geospatial scientists and engineers will be joining Ola to develop technologies which will make mobility
universally accessible, sustainable, personalized, and convenient, across shared and personal vehicles.

Tata Sons won bid for acquiring national carrier Air India
 Tata Group, the progenitor of the Air India airline, reclaimed it, nearly 60 years after it was nationalised.
Tata Sons bid ₹180 billion for the government‟s 100% stake in Air India.
 The government is seeking to sell 100%of its stake in the state-owned national airline, including Air
India‟s 100% shareholding in AI Express Limited and 50% in Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt. Ltd.

MetLife acquired stake in PNB Metlife to 47.32% in Rs 1,906 crore

 US-based insurer Metlife Inc. acquired the combined 15.27% stakes of I.G.E. (India) Private Limited
(IGE) and Elpro International Limited (Elpro) in the PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd (PNB
MetLife) for about ₹1,906 crore cash.
 On concluding this deal, the cumulative shareholding of MetLife International Holdings would amount to
a totality of 47.32% making it the largest shareholder in the private life insurer.

RIL agreed to acquire up to 40% stake in SP Group's Sterling & Wilson Solar
 Reliance New Energy Solar Ltd (RNESL) has agreed to acquire up to 40% stake in Sterling & Wilson
Solar (SWSL) for approximately a total payout of ₹2,845 crore. RNESL is Reliance Industries Limited's
wholly-owned subsidiary.

26 OCT, 2021
  As the first step of the deal, RNESL will get a preferential allotment of 2.93 crore equity shares at a
price of ₹375 per share for approximately ₹1,100 crore.

Reliance Retail acquired 52% stake in designer Ritu Kumar's company

 Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) has acquired a 52% stake in veteran couturier Ritu Kumar's
firm Ritika Pvt Limited for an undisclosed amount.
 Ritu Kumar's business includes four fashion brand portfolios Label Ritu Kumar, The third RI Ritu Kumar,
aark, and Ritu Kumar Home & Living. Reliance announced that it will buy a 40% stake in renowned
fashion designer Manish Malhotra's MM Styles Pvt Limited.

Reliance Brands signed a definitive agreement to acquire 40% stake in MM Styles

 Reliance Industries Ltd‟s Reliance Brands Ltd (RBL) and famous designer Manish Malhotra have
announced a strategic partnership to acquire a 40% stake in Malhotra‟s MM Styles Private Limited.
 According to a Reliance Brands statement, this “strategic partnership” is the first “external investment”
for MM Styles Private Limited.

CCI approved HDFC Bank's acquisition of 4.99% stake in HDFC ERGO

 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved HDFC Bank's acquisition of shareholding in
HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited. Ergo is a joint venture between HDFC and ERGO
International AG.
 The proposed combination involves acquisition of 4.99% of the outstanding equity share capital of the
ERGO from Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC).

Swiss Re announced to acquire 23% stake in Paytm’s insurance initiative

 Digital payments and financial services firm Paytm announced that Switzerland-based reinsurance
platform Swiss Re will purchase a 23% stake of Paytm Insuretech for about 920 crore rupee.
 Swiss Re will make a bit more than one-third of its investment upfront through equity shares and
compulsorily convertible preference shares and invest the remainder in stages based on Paytm
Insuretech reaching certain agreed-upon milestones.

27 OCT, 2021
 APPOINTMENTS &
RESIGNATIONS
Siddharth Roy Kapur re-elected President of Producers Guild of India
 Filmmaker Siddharth Roy Kapur has been re-elected as President of the Producers Guild of India. He is
the founder of Roy Kapur Films and former Managing Director of Disney India.
 Shibasish Sarkar, group Chief Executive Officer of Reliance Entertainment, was elected Vice President.
Producers Guild of India is a film, television and digital content producers‟ body representing the
producers of audio-visual content in India.

Meghalaya’s Rebecca Suchiang became first indigenous woman Chief Secretary

 Meghalaya government has appointed its first-ever native female Chief Secretary. Ms. Rebecca Vanessa
Suchiang, a 1989 batch officer of Indian Administrative Service has taken over as State Chief Secretary.
 The outgoing Chief Secretary M.S. Rao retired in the September. PP Trivedi was the first woman chief
secretary of Meghalaya in the late 80s.

Government extended tenure of Mangu Singh as Managing Director of DMRC

 The Delhi government on Wednesday extended the tenure of Mangu Singh as the Managing Director of
the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) till March 31, 2022. Mr. Singh has been the MD of DMRC
since January 1 2013, taking over from E. Sreedharan.
 The extension comes amid the ongoing work on Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro network, as new
construction and operations were severely hit earlier due to the coronavirus pandemic and the
lockdowns it had induced.

Sunil Kataria elected Chairman of ISA for sixth consecutive term

 The newly elected Executive Council of the Indian Society of Advertisers has elected Sunil Kataria,
Chief Executive Officer, India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited as the Chairman of ISA.
 Sunil has led the Society over the past five years to greater heights garnering support from the fellow
Executive Council members, the ISA members and other industry bodies.

Kangana Ranaut named brand ambassador of UP’s ‘one district-one product’ scheme
 The Uttar Pradesh government named actor Kangana Ranaut as the brand ambassador of its ambitious
'one district-one product' program.
 The UP government has launched the one district-one product (ODOP) program with the aim to
create product-specific traditional industrial hubs across 75 districts of the state.

28 OCT, 2021
 Amish Mehta appointed as Managing Director & CEO of CRISIL
 Amish Mehta has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD &
CEO) of rating agency Crisil with effect from October 01, 2021. He has replaced Ashu Suyash.
 Mehta has more than two decades of leadership experience across industries and joined Crisil in
October 2014 as President and Chief Financial Officer. In July 2017, he was elevated as the President
and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the global analytical center, India research and SME, the
global innovation and excellence hub and corporate strategy.

Toshiba India appointed Shuichi Ito as Managing Director

 Toshiba India has announced the appointment of Shuichi Ito as the company‟s new Managing Director.
He succeeds Tomohiko Okada who was heading Toshiba India Private Limited's (TIPL) operations for
more than five years.
 TIPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan. It provides solutions across energy,
railway systems, rechargeable batteries, elevators, etc.

CoinDCX appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its first Brand Ambassador

 Crypto exchange, CoinDCX, has on boarded Amitabh Bachchan as it‟s first-ever brand ambassador.
Bachchan will be the face of a new campaign, which will focus on popularizing crypto as an asset class.
 The exchange recently became India‟s first crypto unicorn after raising $90 million in its Series C funding
round, which was led by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin‟s B Capital Group.

International Finance Corporation appointed Wendy Werner as India Country Head

 The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced the appointment of Wendy Werner as the new
country head for India. Werner will be filling in the vacancy of her predecessor Jun Zhang, who retired
recently after a long career with the corporation.
 The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United
States. India is the largest client country globally for the World Bank Group's developmental lender with
a commitment of USD 1.7 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2021.

Pradeep Multani taken over as President of PHDCCI

 Multani Pharmaceuticals Chairman Pradeep Multani has taken over as the new president of industry
body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI).
 He has replaced Paramount Cables Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Aggarwal.
Saket Dalmia and Sanjeev Agrawal have respectively taken over as Senior Vice President and Vice
President of the PHDCCI.

Fire-Boltt announced Virat Kohli as its Brand Ambassador

 Fire-Boltt has announced the appointment of Virat Kohli as its new brand ambassador. Kohli will
participate in different marketing, ad, and endorsement campaigns of the homegrown brand.
 Fire-Boltt is a wearable, gaming, and audio brand offering premium quality audio, fitness, and fashion
products. It was founded by Arnav Kishore and Aayushi Kishore.

KV Subramanian announced to step down as Chief Economic Adviser

 The Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) KV Subramanian announced that he has decided to return to
academia after the completion of his three-year term in the Finance Ministry of India.
 KV Subramanian had taken over the charge of Chief Economic Adviser in December, 2018. The
appointment was made nearly 5 months after his predecessor Arvind Subramanian had stepped down.

29 OCT, 2021
 E. R. Sheikh became first Director-General of the Ordnance Directorate
 E.R. Sheikh has assumed charge as first Director-General of the Ordnance Directorate (Co-ordination
and Services). It is the successor organization of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).
 He has contributed to the establishment of the modern production line system for the manufacture of
small arms ammunition at the Ordnance Factory Varangaon. He led the successful development of the
Bi-Modular Charge System for artillery ammunition.

CoinSwitch Kuber appointed Ranveer Singh as Brand Ambassador

 Crypto platform CoinSwitch Kuber announced Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as it‟s first-ever brand
ambassador. The move follows the start-up recent fundraises that catapulted the company into the
unicorn club earlier.
 Ranveer Singh will feature in three ad films for CoinSwitch Kuber‟s ongoing „Kuch Toh Badlega‟
campaign. The move also marks the growing celebrity endorsements in the fairly new crypto currency
market that has attracted investor interest globally.

Amit Khare appointed as Prime Minister’s advisor for two years

 Amit Khare, the Former Secretary (HRD), Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has been appointed as the
advisor of Prime Minister Modi. Khare is an IAS officer of the 1985 batch.
 The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Amit Khare. Amit
Khare will join the Prime Minister‟s Office after ex-Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and ex-Secretary
Amarjeet Sinha left the PMO as advisers in 2021.

Former State Bank of India Chief Rajnish Kumar joined BharatPe as Chairman
 Former Chief of State Bank of India, Rajnish Kumar, has joined the Board of BharatPe as Chairman.
Rajnish Kumar will get involved in defining the short-term and long-term strategies of companies.
 BharatPe-Centrum Capital received an in-principal approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set
up a small finance bank which will take over the Punjab Maharashtra Bank.

Morgan Stanley appointed Anahita Tiwari as Head of India Global Centres

 Morgan Stanley has appointed Anahita Tiwari as the new Head of its global centres in India. She joins
Morgan Stanley from JP Morgan Chase India where she was the head of Global Finance and Business
Management.
 She takes over from John McGrory who will head the firm‟s global centre in Baltimore and will also
functionally lead the Institutional Securities Group (ISG) Product Operations team.

Arun Kumar Mishra appointed as Chief Executive Officer of EESL

 Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of Public Sector Undertakings under the
Ministry of Power has announced the appointment of Arun Kumar Mishra as chief executive officer
(CEO) on deputation.
 EESL, an energy service company (ESCO), is among the earliest entrants in India‟s energy efficiency
market estimated at around ₹74,000 crores and is presently running the world‟s largest domestic
lighting programme.

Sajjan Jindal elected as Chairman of World Steel Association

 World Steel Association announced it has elected Mr. Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director of
JSW Steel Limited as Chairman of Worldsteel for the 2021-22 periods.

30 OCT, 2021
  Mr. Jindal is the first representative from India to serve as Chairman of the WSA. JSW Steel is engaged in
the manufacturing of iron and steel products in India and across the globe.

Indian Banks' Association (IBA) appointed A K Goel as Chairman

 A K Goel, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of UCO Bank has been elected
as the Chairman of Indian Bank‟s Association (IBA) for 2021-22.
 He has replaced Rajkiran Rai G, MD & CEO, Union Bank of India. IBA is a representative body of
management of banking in India operating in India and is headquartered in Mumbai.

RBI cleared re-appointment of Amitabh Chaudhry as MD of Axis Bank

 The Reserve Bank approved re-appointment of Amitabh Chaudhry as Managing Director of private
sector Axis Bank for a period of three years. The extended three-year term would be effective from
January, 2022.
 His reappointment was, on April, 2021, approved by the Board of Directors of Axis Bank. Notably,
Chaudhry's current tenure as the MD and CEO of the bank begun on January, 2019 and was scheduled
to expire on December, 2021.

Priyank Kanoongo appointed as Chairperson of NCPCR for a three-year term

 The central government has reappointed Priyank Kanoongo as Chairperson of the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) for a period of three years.
 This will be Kanoongo's second term as Chairperson of the apex child rights body. NCPCR works
under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.

CoinDCX roped in Ayushmann Khurrana for ‘Future Yahi Hai’ Campaign

 India‟s safest crypto exchange, CoinDCX has now launched a Mega drive to address key concerns
surrounding crypto investments amongst the Indian audience.
 Coined as „Future Yahi Hai‟, this campaign will see leading Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana
educate young Indians about crypto being „Simple and safe‟ to invest.

OnePlus appointed Navnit Nakra as India CEO and Head of India region
 OnePlus has elevated Navnit Nakra as its India Chief Executive Officer and Head of OnePlus India
region operations. As part of this new senior leadership role, Nakra will spearhead the company's
business operations and overall strategy for the India region.
 Nakra, who was previously serving as the Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Sales in
India, joined the company in February 2020.

Adidas roped in Deepika Padukone as global brand ambassador

 Sportswear retailer Adidas has announced its partnership with Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone who
will endorse Adidas women globally.
 Deepika joins other female brand ambassadors associated with Adidas in India including Mirabai Chanu;
Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen and Simranjeet Kaur; sprinter Hima Das, and squash player Dipika
Pallikal.

Sandra Mason elected as the first-ever President of Barbados

 Sandra Mason was elected as the first-ever President of Barbados with a two-thirds vote during a joint
session of the country's House of Assembly and Senate.

31 OCT, 2021
  The 72-year-old Mason will replace Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as head of state of Barbados, in a
decisive step towards abolishing the monarchy and bringing the nation out of its colonial past.

K Madhavan re-elected as President of Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation

 K Madhavan, Country Manager & President, the Walt Disney Company India and Star India, has been
re-elected as President of the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation. This is the second
consecutive term for Madhavan, who was re-elected in the 22nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the
body.
 India TV Chairman Rajat Sharma, Rahul Joshi and Shashi Vempati have been also elected as Vice
Presidents of IDBF, which was formerly known as the Indian Broadcasting Foundation.

ICRA appointed Ramnath Krishnan as Managing Director and Group CEO

 ICRA has announced the appointment of Ramnath Krishnan as the Managing Director and Group Chief
Executive Officer. He joined ICRA in 2020 and is currently President – Ratings and Chief Rating Officer.
 ICRA Limited is an Indian independent and professional investment information and credit rating
agency. It was established in 1991, and was originally named Investment Information and Credit Rating
Agency of India Limited.

Siddhartha Lal reappointed as Managing Director of Eicher Motors for 5 years

 Eicher Motors Limited passed the resolution to reappoint Siddhartha Lal as the Managing Director of
the company for five years.
 The board also approved a revised remuneration structure for the Managing Director, with a maximum
cap of 1.5% of profits as per Section 198 of the Companies Act.

Shaktikanta Das reappointed as RBI governor for another 3 years

 Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das been reappointed to the post for a term of three
years. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his reappointment for a period of
three years beyond December 10, 2021 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
 Shaktikanta Das's current term was scheduled to end on December 2021. The reappointment will keep
him at the bank's helm to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Shaktikanta Das was appointed
as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in December 2018 for a term of three years.

WHO Director-General Ghebreyesus runs unopposed for 2nd five-year term

 The World Health Organization announced its director-general is running unopposed for a second five-
year term. The U.N. health agency made the announcement Friday after the deadline for candidacies
for the next five-year term expired in September 2021.
 The formal selection of the next Director-General takes place at the WHO‟s next assembly in May.
Tedros, an Ethiopian national who is the first African to head WHO, has overseen the agency‟s complex
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has overshadowed his tenure.

32 OCT, 2021
 RANKINGS
Global warming destroyed 14% of the world’s corals in more than a decade
 According to the largest ever coral health survey, global warming has wiped out 14% of the world's
coral reefs from 2009 to 2018. As per the report, coral reefs generate 2.7 trillion dollars in goods and
services each year.
 The report titled "Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020" was released by the Global Coral Reef
Monitoring Network (GCRMN).

Mukesh Ambani topped 2021 Forbes list of India's richest

 Mukesh Ambani, India's richest person since 2008 topped the Forbes' 2021 list of the wealthiest Indians,
with a net worth of $92.7 billion. The total worth of India's 100 Richest was evaluated and put together
to amount to a record US$775 billion, including $257 billion, a 50% gain, from the previous year.
 In 2021, Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani added $4 billion to his net worth. Gautam
Adani continues to be the second richest Indian for the third year in a row with a $74.8 billion fortune.
With $31 billion, HCL Tech's Shiv Nadar stood at the third rank.

World's most powerful passports as per Henley's Index 2021 released

 India‟s rank has slipped by six places to 90 on the Henley Passport Index, which lists the world‟s most
travel-friendly passports. India was at 84th rank in 2020.
 The rankings are based on the analysis of data provided by the International Air Transport Association
(IATA). Japan and Singapore stood at the top. South Korea and Germany share the second position.

UNESCO launched 2021 State of the Education Report for India

 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched its 2021
State of the Education Report (SOER) for India: “No Teacher, No Class”. This publication is the annual
flagship report of UNESCO New Delhi and it is based on extensive research.
 This third edition of the State of Education Report focused on the theme of teachers, teaching and
teacher education. Access to the internet in schools is 19% all over India.

Global Hunger Index 2021, released

 India‟s rank has dropped to the 101st position among 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI)
2021. In 2020, India was placed at 94th spot, out of 107 countries. A total of 18 countries, including
China, Kuwait and Brazil, share the top rank.
 Neighboring countries like Nepal Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan are also in the „alarming‟ hunger
category but have fared better at feeding its citizens than India, according to the report.

World's Best Employer rankings 2021 published by Forbes

 World's Best Employer rankings 2021 published by Forbes. Reliance Industries Limited has topped
Indian corporates in the World's Best Employers rankings 2021. Reliance was placed at 52 in the overall
ranking of 750 global corporates.

33 OCT, 2021
  The global ranking was topped by Samsung Electronics, followed by IBM, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Infosys was ranked at 588 and Tata Group at 746. Life Insurance Corp. was placed at 504. The rankings
are based on a large-scale survey where employees rated their employers on numerous points.

'Retail Rankings 2021' report, released

 Marketplace Amazon‟s Pantry has topped YouGov‟s Retail Rankings 2021. Amazon Pantry topped the
ranking. Future Retail‟s Big Bazaar is placed second in the rankings, followed by supermarket chain D-
Mart in third place. YouGov Retail Rankings give scores for each grocery brand, both online and offline.
 Flipkart‟s e-grocery brand Flipkart Supermart ranked fourth; Tata Digital backed online grocer Big
Basket stood fifth in the rankings. Reliance Smart, Grofers and More are the other notable brands to
feature in India‟s list of top ten brands over the past year.

Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2021, released

 The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2021 ranked India at 71st position out of 113 countries with a
score of 57.2 points. The GFS Index 2021 is a global report that was released on October 19, 2021, by
The Economist Impact and Corteva Agriscience.
 Ireland (1st), Australia (2nd), the UK (3rd), Finland (4th), Switzerland (5th), the Netherlands (6th), Canada
(7th), Japan (8th), France (9th), and the US (9th) took the top ranks.

India at topped in Emissions related to Crop Burning

 Climate tech start-up, Blue Sky Analytics, published its report on emissions related to crop burning. In
the report, India has been ranked at the top position. As per report, India accounted for 13% of total
global emissions in the period of 2015-2020.
 Report notes a 12.2% contribution by India towards the cropland fire emissions in 2020 alone. The data
highlights the new insights into recent trends in biomass fires, including emissions from crop residue and
forest residue fires in India.

Rashmika Mandanna topped Forbes list of most influential south social media stars
 Actor Rashmika Mandanna topped the list of most influential actors in the South, by Forbes India. Yash
stood at third while Vijay Devarakonda came second on the list.
 Put together by Forbes India, the list comprises many popular celebrities from South India, including
Vijay Devarakonda, Yash, Allu Arjun, and many others.

World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2021, released

 India has ranked 79 out of 139 countries and jurisdictions in the World Justice Project‟s (WJP) Rule of
Law Index 2021. The WJP Rule of Law Index 2021 ranks the countries based on scores ranging from 0
to 1, with 1 indicating the strongest adherence to the rule of law.
 Denmark, Norway and Finland topped the World Justice Project‟s (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2021.
Venezuela, RB is the least ranked country at 139th spot with an overall score of 27.

Elon Musk became world's richest person

 Tesla Co-founder and CEO Elon Musk have emerged as the richest person in the world and the first
person headed towards a net worth of $300 billion. He added $36 billion to his fortune, following an
announcement that said Hertz Global Holdings Inc is ordering 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla.
 The Bloomberg Billionaires Index reported it as the largest single-day gain in its Index history so far. At
$287 billion net worth, Elon Musk is now almost $100 billion richer than Jeff Bezos who as of now is
$196 billion worth.

34 OCT, 2021
 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Emissions Gap Report 2021
 The 12th edition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2021
titled „The Heat is On‟ was released. After an unprecedented 5.4% drop in global carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions in 2020, there is a strong rebound in the level of CO2 emissions is expected by 4.8%
in 2021.
 The report states that new climate pledges for 2030 have only limited impact on global emissions
resulting in a reduction of projected 2030 emissions by only 7.5%.

EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021, released

 Software exporter Wipro's Azim Premji donated ₹ 9,713 crores or ₹ 27 crores a day to retain his top
rank in EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2021.
 Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, India's richest man by a distance, came third on the list with a
₹577 crore contribution. Amitabh Bachchan is the top new entrant on EdelGive Hurun India
Philanthropy List 2021 by donating ₹ 15 crores.

‚Global Climate Tech Investment trend‛ report, released

 In accordance with the report „Five years on: Global climate tech investment trends since the Paris
Agreement‟ by London & Partners, and Co, India ranked 9th in the list of top 10 countries for climate
technology investment from 2016 to 2021. Indian climate tech firms received USD 1 billion in venture
capital (VC) funding in this period.
 The list has been topped by the United States (US) with USD 48 billion which is followed by China USD
18.6 billion. The report analyzed the trends in the climate sector since the 2016 United Nations
Conference of Parties (COP) in Paris, France.

Karnataka topped State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2020

 Karnataka has topped the State Energy Efficiency Index 2020 (SEEI), scoring 70 points out of 100 on the
back of several initiatives to improve energy efficiency in the state. Rajasthan is on second rank followed
by Haryana on third.
 Last year i.e in SEEI 2019 ranking, Rajasthan was on top. The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2020
was released under the Ministry of Power. State Energy Efficiency Index is released by the Bureau of
Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE).

Times Higher Education Reputation Rankings 2021, released

 Four Indian institutes have made it to the Times Higher Education‟s annual Reputation Rankings, which
lists the world‟s top 200 universities based on votes from leading academics around the world.
 Indian Institute of Science Bangalore climbs into the top 100 (91-100 band), leading among the Indian
institutes. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay climbs two ranking bands to 126-150th. IIT Madras
retains its place in the 176-200 bands while IIT Delhi (176-200) appears in the table for the first time.

35 OCT, 2021
 AWARDS & HONOURS
LIFE won Right Livelihood Award 2021
 Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) has received the 2021 Right Livelihood Award for its
“grassroots approach of empowering vulnerable communities to protect their livelihoods and claim
their right to a clean environment.”
 The award is known as Sweden‟s alternative Nobel Prize. Other awardees include Cameroonian
women rights activist Marthe Wandou, Russian environmental activist Vladimir Slivyak, and Canadian
Indigenous rights defender Freda Huson.

USIBC picked Shiv Nadar for 2021 Global Leadership Award

 The US India Business Council (USIBC) has chosen Shiv Nadar and Mallika Srinivasan as the recipient of
its 2021 Global Leadership Award. Shiv Nadar is the Founder and Chairman emeritus of HCL
Technologies Limited.
 Mallika Srinivasan is the chair and managing director, Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE).
The Global Leadership Awards which are given annually since 2007 T to honour top corporate
executives from the United States and India.

Nobel Prize in Medicine 2021 jointly awarded to David Julius, Ardem Patapoutian
 The Nobel Prize in Medicine 2021 has been awarded to David Julius, Ardem Patapoutian for the
discoveries on receptors for temperature and touch. Both the scientists are from the United States.
 The Nobel Prize panel noted that the intensive ongoing research originating from this year‟s Nobel
Prize awarded discoveries focuses on elucidating their functions in a variety of physiological processes.

Nobel Prize in Physics for year 2021 announced

 Japenese-American Syukuro Manabe, Italian Giorgio Parisi, and German Klaus Hasselmann won the
Nobel Prize in Physics 2021 for their work that helps in understanding complex physical systems such
as the changing climate of Earth.
 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on October 5 announced the winners. In 2020, the Prize was
shared by Reinhard Genzel of Germany, Roger Penrose of Britain, and Andrea Ghez of America for
their work into black holes.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to Benjamin List, David WC MacMillan

 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Benjamin List and David WC MacMillan for the
development of asymmetric organocatalysis. They developed a precise new tool for molecular
construction, which had a great impact on pharmaceutical research.
 The 2020 Nobel in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna
for development of a method for genome editing.

36 OCT, 2021
 Gurjit Kaur won FIH Hockey Player of the Year
 Gurjit Kaur won the FIH Women‟s Hockey Player of the Year at the International Hockey Federation's
(FIH) Hockey Stars Awards 2020-21.
 A total of 5 Indian Hockey players and two head coaches of both the Indian men‟s and women‟s
Hockey teams each claimed the hockey awards across different categories.

Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah awarded 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature

 Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah has been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature for his
uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee
in the gulf between cultures and continents.
 Literature Prize laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah was born in 1948 and grew up on the island of Zanzibar.
He came to in England as a refugee in 1960‟s and served as Professor of English and Postcolonial
Literatures at the University of Kent, Canterbury.

Educationalist Ssarita Singh awarded Champions of Change Award

 Ssarita Singh has been awarded the Champions of Change Award by the Interactive Forum of Indian
Economy (IFIE). The award has been presented for her outstanding contributions in the education
sector.
 She is the Managing Trustee of Priyadarshani Group of Schools. The award was conferred to her by
Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Governor of Maharashtra.

Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2021
 Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have been awarded 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their courageous fight
for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia, which is a precondition for democracy and
lasting peace.
 The 2021 Nobel peace laureates are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a
world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.

6-year-old Indian origin girl won UK PM's award for her climate change activism
 A six-year-old Indian-origin girl was named a winner of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson‟s Points of
Light award. She campaigns to raise awareness of deforestation and climate change issues
 Aleesha Gadhia is a climate activist and mini ambassador for UK-based non-profit Cool Earth and has
risen over GBP 3,000 for the organisation.

Telugu Filmmaker B Gopal Chosen for Satyajit Ray Award

 Well-known Telugu filmmaker B Gopal, alias Bejawada Gopal, has been chosen for the fourth Satyajit
Ray Award for his overall contribution to Indian cinema. Gopal has directed 30 films Telugu films and
two Hindi movies.
 He was selected by a panel comprising Malayalam filmmaker Balu Kiriyath, music director Perumbavoor
G Raveendranath and others. The award is instituted by the Satyajit Ray Film Society Kerala, a state-
based organisation; the award comprises Rs 10,000 cash prize, a memento, and a plaque.

Astronautical Society of India conferred Aryabhata Award to G Satheesh Reddy

 Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy have been conferred the prestigious
Aryabhata Award by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) for his outstanding lifetime contribution to
the promotion of astronautics in India.

37 OCT, 2021
  Dr Reddy is a pioneer in the area of R&D of advanced avionics, navigation, and missile technologies. Dr
Reddy has contributed immensely to strategic and tactical missile systems and helped the country
become self-reliant in critical defence technologies.

Dr Randeep Guleria bagged 22nd Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award

 The Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented the 22nd Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for
Excellence to the eminent pulmonologist and Director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), Dr Randeep Guleria at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas.
 He lauded Dr Guleria‟s devotion to duty and in nurturing the Department of Pulmonary Medicine and
Sleep Disorders in AIIMS. He was honored by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Shri, the
fourth highest Indian civilian award.

Meghalaya Environment Minister chosen for PETA Award for 'Vegan Leather' Initiative
 PETA India has decided to confer the Progressive Business Concept Award on Meghalaya Environment
Minister James P K Sangma. He will be awarded for his plans to produce 'vegan leather' in the north-
eastern state.
 A person for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an American animal rights organization based
in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international President.

Microsoft's Satya Nadella received CK Prahalad Award

 Indian American Satya Nadella, the Microsoft Chairman and CEO, is among the corporate leaders to
receive this year‟s prestigious C K Prahlad award for Global Business Sustainability Leadership.
 Four of Microsoft‟s top leaders received the prestigious honour for their collaborative leadership aimed
at transforming Microsoft into a carbon negative company by 2030 and to remove all its historical
emissions by 2050.

Rashmi Madhuri crowned Miss Earth India 2021

 Rashmi Madhuri from Bengaluru has been crowned Miss India Earth 2021. Vanshika Parmar from
Himachal Pradesh was crowned Beauty with a Responsibility. Miss Divine Beauty 2021 competition was
held in New Delhi.
 The winner will represent India at Miss Earth 2021. The winner of Miss Earth serves as the Ambassador
to environmental protection campaigns worldwide.

7-year-old Bengaluru girl won Global Peace Photo Award

 A 7-year-old girl from Bengaluru Aadhyaa Aravind has won Global Peace Photo Award. She will also
visit the Austrian Parliament apart from getting a medal and RS 1,000 euros.
 She is the only Indian to have won this award. The photograph that won her the award is the one she
captured her mother resting in the lap of her mother at her home.

Indian Army won gold medal in the Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2021
 A team from 5th Battalion-4 (5/4) Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) representing the Indian Army won the
gold medal at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol Exercise which was held in the United Kingdom.
 The Indian Army team took part in the event and competed with a total of 96 teams including 17
international teams representing Special Forces and prestigious Regiments from different parts of the
world.

Indian agricultural waste recycling project won Prince William’s inaugural Earthshot Prize

38 OCT, 2021
  An Indian Project, Takachar‟s Innovation, that recycles agricultural waste into fuel has won the “Prince
William‟s inaugural Earthshot Prize”, which is also called as “Eco Oscars.
 Eco Oscars honour people who are trying to save the planet Earth. This award is presented with the
aim of providing assistance to and inspires innovative local solutions as the climate crisis is growing
globally.

TVS Motor Company won India Green Energy Award

 TVS Motor Company has been recognized in the category „Outstanding Renewable Energy User‟ at the
3rd edition of the India Green Energy Award 2020 by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE).
 It has been awarded as an acknowledgement of its sustainable efforts to increase the usage of
alternative power sources in renewable energy to ensure long-term energy security and stability.

Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation won Earth Guardian Award

 Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation has won the Earth Guardian Award for its efforts in
supporting the conservation of tigers and biodiversity. The award was instituted by NatWest Group
India (formerly RBS India) at the 11th edition of the NatWest Group Earth Heroes Awards.
 Eight winners of the award were felicitated by secretary general of “UN Convention on International
Trade in the Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora”, Ivonne Higuero in a virtual ceremony.

Martin Scorsese & Szabo bagged Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award
 Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur has announced that film directors
Istvan Szabo and Martin Scorsese will be conferred the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the
52nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
 While Szabo is known for his masterpieces like 1966‟s “Father” and 1981 movie “Mephisto”, Scorsese is
one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most
influential directors in film history.

Tamil film ‘Koozhangal’ selected for India’s official entry to Oscars 2022
 Tamil movie Koozhangal (Pebbles) has been selected as India's official entry to the 94th Academy awards
or Oscars which will be held in March, 2022 in Los Angeles. Koozhangal, which will compete for the
best international feature film, is produced by actor Nayanthara and director Vignesh Shivan's Rowdy
Pictures.
 Starring newcomers Chellapandi and Karuththadaiyaan, the feature titled Pebbles in English has
previously won the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in February 2021.

Rajinikanth honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award

 Actor Rajinikanth was honoured with the prestigious 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 67th National
Film Awards ceremony, for his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter. He received the
prestigious award from Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
 The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019 was to be announced last year but was postponed because of
the Covid-19 pandemic, as were the National Film Awards for 2019.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented 67th National Film Awards

 Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented the 67th National Film Awards in a special ceremony at
Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The National Film Award for Best Director was conferred to Sanjay
Puran Singh Chauhan for his Hindi film 'Bahattar Hoorain'.

39 OCT, 2021
  Kangana Ranaut was awarded the Best Actress award for her movies Manikarnika -The Queen of Jhansi
and Panga while Manoj Bajpayee and Dhanush were conferred the Best Actor award jointly for their
films 'Bhonsle' and 'Asuran' respectively.

Sikkim bagged India's 'Most Film Friendly State' award

 Sikkim was awarded the 'Most Film Friendly State' of the country at the 67th National Film Awards.
Sikkim was recognized for standing out as a new destination for shooting films in the country.
 The award was received by the state's Information and Public Relations Minister Lok Nath Sharma at
Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi from Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Kerala won award for city with most sustainable transport system
 Kochi has bagged the „City with most sustainable transport system award' instituted by the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs.
 It has been awarded in recognition of the projects implemented like Kochi Metro, Water Metro and e-
mobility -- to enhance the transport facilities in the city of Kochi.

Syed Sultan Ahmed received National film award for 7th time
 Noted filmmaker and LXL Ideas MD and Chief Learner, Syed Sultan Ahmed's short film 'Apples and
Oranges' has won the National Film Award for the Best Educational Film.
 This is the seventh film produced by Syed Sultan Ahmed to be awarded the National Film Award. Prior
to this, he received national awards for 'Best Friends Forever' (2015), 'Little Magicians' (2016), and 'The
Waterfall' (2016).

Surat bagged award for best public transport

 Surat won the award for the city with the best public transport system, while Kochi was judged the city
with most sustainable transport system by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
 Delhi received the award for the city with the best non-motorised transport system for the Chandni
Chowk redevelopment project. Delhi also won the best Metro passenger services and satisfaction
award, while Nagpur‟s multi-modal integration with Metro rail was found to be the best in the country.

Delhi Metro won 'Metro Rail with Best Passenger Services' award
 The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has bagged the award for 'Metro Rail with the Best
Passenger Services and Satisfaction' by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
 It was awarded at the 14th Urban Mobility India (UMI) Conference 2021 by the Union Minister of
Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director Dr.
Mangu Singh received the award.

40 OCT, 2021
 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA decided to launch first Spacecraft to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids
 NASA is set to launch Lucy, the first spacecraft to study Jupiter‟s Trojan asteroids in October, 2021.
The Lucy spacecraft is scheduled to be launched on an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space
Force Station in Florida.
 NASA‟s Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016 but the Lucy spacecraft will be the first
expedition by NASA to study the Trojan asteroids that orbit the Sun in two swarms, one leading ahead
of Jupiter and other trailing behind the planet.
.
ISRO’s Commercial Arm announces first ‚Demand Driven‛ Satellite Mission
 NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) announced its first ''demand-driven'' communication satellite mission.
The satellite mission has been named "GSAT-24", a four-tonne class Kuband satellite.
 This satellite built by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). The entire satellite capacity on-board
GSAT24 would be leased to its committed customer Tata Sky.

European-Japanese BepiColombo Spacecraft sent its first images of Mercury

 The European-Japanese BepiColombo spacecraft has sent back its first images of Mercury. The
captured image shows the northern hemisphere and Mercury‟s characteristic pock-marked features.
 The mission is named after Italian scientist Giuseppe “Bepi” Colombo, who is credited with helping
develop the gravity assist manoeuvre that NASA‟s Mariner 10 first used when it flew to Mercury in
1974.

Google launched GNI Advertising Lab to support small, medium sized news publishers in India
 Google has announced the launch of its Google News Initiative Advertising Lab. It will to support small
and medium-sized news publishers producing original news for local and regional communities in India.
 The programme will select up to 800 small to medium news publishers and work closely with a select
subset to guide them through the optimisation/setup of their content management systems.

NASA announced to launch Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission

 American Space Agency, NASA has announced to launch “asteroid-killing Double Asteroid Redirection
Test spacecraft” in next month. The spacecraft will be launched, aboard SpaceX‟s Falcon 9 rocket.
 It will be launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Under this mission, NASA will build
advanced technologies which would protect the Earth from hazardous asteroid collision.

NASA Perseverance rover sent first image from Mars rover show ancient river delta on Mars
 The NASA Perseverance rover has sent its first images of a 3.7-billion-year-old ancient river delta. The
discovery will help in guiding scientists in their search for evidence of ancient life.

41 OCT, 2021
  NASA's Perseverance rover landed in the Jezero crater in February, 2021. The images also reveal the
watery life cycle of the now dried-out lake at Jezero Crater. New species distantly related to
Tyrannosauru

For first time, liver reused and transplanted in new recipient in India
 For the first time, a liver has been successfully reused and transplanted in a new recipient by doctors of
a Delhi hospital in India. The liver is functioning well in the new recipient.
 The liver was transplanted first in a patient who had been declared brain dead a few days after the
operation. Following this, it was decided to reuse the liver on a new recipient to save another life.

Earth received first radio signals from planet outside of Solar System
 The Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), the world‟s most powerful radio antenna located in the
Netherlands picked up signals from planet outside of Solar System. This phenomenon hints towards the
presence of hidden planets around these stars.
 Astronomer Dr Benjamin Pope from the University of Queensland and his colleagues at the Dutch
national observatory ASTRON for the first time detected stars that are emitting radio signals. This
technique could also answer the question if there is life in or beyond Solar System other than Earth.

China launched its first solar observation satellite

 China launched its first solar observation satellite by a Long March 2D rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite
Launch Centre in northern Shanxi province into a 571-km altitude orbit.
 The Xihe satellite has been developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
(CASC). The model of the satellite was put up for a showcase at the Zhuhai Air Show in September
2021. The Xihe satellite, the first solar observation satellite by China will aid the country to fill that gap.

Canadian Actor William Shatner became oldest person in history to fly to space
 Legendary Canadian actor William Shatner has become the oldest person to go to space. The Shatner
blasted into the space on Jeff Bezos‟ Blue Origin rocket. The four of them reached an altitude of 66.5
miles (107 kilometers) over the West Texas desert in the fully automated capsule „New Shepard „
 The Canadian was joined by three other fellow passengers, Chris Boshuizen, William Shatner, Audrey
Powers and Glen de Vries on the 11-minute journey beyond Earth‟s atmosphere and back again.

South Korea test launched its first domestically made space rocket
 South Korea has test-launched its first domestically produced space rocket. The event was described by
the officials as a significant step in the country‟s pursuit of a satellite launch programme.
 However, it wasn‟t immediately clear whether the three-stage Nuri rocket succeeded in delivering the
dummy payload into orbit 600 to 800 kilometers above the Earth. The payload was a 1.5 ton block of
stainless steel and aluminium.

Intel launched Intel Unnati Program to set up 100 data centric labs by 2022
 Intel has announced the launch of “Intel Unnati Program” in order to help equip engineering students in
India with data-centric skills that are relevant for industry. Intel has also planned to setup 100 Intel
Unnati Data Centric Labs by the year 2022.
 This program was launched in order to bring academia and industry together for addressing the skills
gap in new age technologies.

Donald Trump announced to launch social media platform called TRUTH Social

42 OCT, 2021
  Donald Trump has announced plans to launch a social media platform called TRUTH Social that will be
rolled is out early next year. The former US president was banned from Facebook and Twitter earlier
this year.
 Truth social will be a product of a new venture called the Trump Media & Technology Group. He wants
to create a platform that rivals Twitter or Facebook.

Blue Origin and Sierra Space decided to develop commercial space station
 Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin will develop a commercial space station called "Orbital Reef" with Boeing.
It aims to launch the spacecraft in the second half of this decade.
 The venture will be built in partnership with Sierra Space, the spaceflight wing of defense contractor
Sierra Nevada Corp, and will be backed by Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions and Arizona
State University.

India successfully test-fired surface to surface ballistic missile

 In a major boost to its military target, India successfully test-fired surface to surface ballistic missile Agni-
5. The missile can strike a target at a range up to 5,000 km with a very high degree of accuracy.
 The test-firing of Agni-5 was carried from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, in Odisha. As per the Defence
Ministry, the successful test of Agni-5 is in line with India‟s stated policy to have credible minimum
deterrence that underpins the commitment to „No First Use‟.

Astronomers spotted first possible exoplanet outside our galaxy

 Astronomers have found hints of what could be the first planet ever to be discovered outside the
galaxy. The possible Saturn-sized planet discovered by NASA's Chandra X-Ray Telescope is in the
Messier 51 galaxy.
 This is located some 28 million light-years away from the Milky Way. Nearly 5,000 "exoplanets" -
worlds orbiting stars beyond our Sun - have been found so far.

FSSAI launched Food Safety Connect app to bring consumers, vendors, startups on one platform
 India‟s apex food regulator Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced the launch
of a mobile application to improve connect with consumers and food business operators (FBOs).
 The app, Food Safety Connect, will help food businesses, particularly hawkers, vendors and start-ups,
to apply for FSSAI registration through a faster and convenient mode, the regulator.

43 OCT, 2021
 SPORTS
Smriti Mandhana became first Indian woman to score 100 in pink-ball Test ton
 Smriti Mandhana reached a new milestone as she became the first Indian woman to score a Test
hundred in pink-ball cricket. She scored 127 runs with 22 fours and a six.
 The historic century was also the first in the career of Mandhana. Earlier, Virat had become the first
Indian cricketer in the men's game to have scored a hundred in pink-ball Test.

AFI informed Nagaland to host 56th National Cross Country Championship in 2022
 Athletic Federation of India (AFI) informed that Nagaland will host the 56th cross country championship
on January 15 in 2022. The state was allotted the event following a bid during the AFI national executive
meeting held in Rajasthan.
 An elaborate plan has been worked out to train the athletes ahead of the national championship. As per
the plan, cross country events will be conducted across various districts by October-end or the first
week of November.

FC Goa clinched maiden Durand Cup trophy

 FC Goa claimed their maiden Durand Cup football tournament title after a 1-0 win over Mohammedan
Sporting in the final in Kolkata.
 The Durand Cup crown also marked FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando Fenoll's first-ever trophy on Indian
soil. FC Goa got 40 lakh rupees for winning the title, while Mohammedan Sporting received 20 lakh
rupees.

Hockey India pulled out from 2022 Commonwealth Games in England

 India pulled out of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games‟ hockey competition stating the risk of
contracting COVID-19 and the discriminatory quarantine rules by the United Kingdom (UK) for
travellers coming from India.
 The UK has refused to consider India‟s COVID-19 vaccination certificates and imposed 10-day
quarantine on travellers coming from India even if fully vaccinated.

Anshu Malik became 1st Indian women wrestler to win Silver at World Wrestling Championships
 Anshu Malik became the first Indian woman wrestler who won a Silver medal in the women's 57-kg
category finals at the World Wrestling Championships in Oslo, Norway.
 The 19-year-old Asian Champion Anshu Malik came second to the Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist and Rio
2016 Champion Helen Maroulis of the US. Another Indian woman wrestler Sarita Mor won the Bronze
medal in the 59-kg category.

NPC-Ghana announced Ghana to host first-ever African Paralympic Games in 2023

 The President of National Paralympic Committee of Ghana (NPC-Ghana) Samson Deen announced
that, Ghana will host the first-ever African Paralympic Games in 2023.

44 OCT, 2021
  About 50 African countries would participate in the continental showpiece. Ghana will host the 13th
edition of the All Africa Games in 2023, for the first time since the creation of the continental event.

Sunil Chhetri equaled legendary Pele with his 77th international goal
 Sunil Chhetri has equaled the legendary Pele by making the 77th international goal as his 83rd minute
strike. 77th goal by Chhetri during the strike helped India to beat Nepal by 1-0. This achievement was
made by Chhetri while playing in his 123rd match for India.
 He is now placed on joint third with Ali Mabkhout from UAE, in the list of highest scorers among active
footballers. He is behind Cristiano Ronaldo with 112 goals and Lionel Messi with 79 goals.

Ireland's Amy Hunter became world's youngest ODI centurion

 Ireland's Amy Hunter became the youngest player to score an ODI century. She scored an unbeaten
121 to take her side to a win against Zimbabwe, bettering the record previously held by India's Mithali
Raj.
 She is just the fourth woman to hit an ODI century for Ireland and the first since 2000. Amy Hunter
made her international debut against Scotland at the age of 15.

FIFA unveiled ‘Ibha’ - official mascot of U-17 2022 Women's World Cup
 FIFA unveiled the official mascot of the U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022. The mascot is Ibha, an
Asiatic lioness that represents women power.
 The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2022 will take place from October 11 to 30, 2022. Ibha aims
to inspire girls and women around the world to work up to their full potential.

ICC joined hands with UNICEF to raise awareness on children's mental health
 The International Cricket Council (ICC) has partnered with UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund).
It will amplify awareness around mental health and well-being of children and adolescents throughout
the men's T20 World Cup, beginning.
 The partnership will amplify UNICEF's global campaign #OnYourMind which calls for action to
promote the good mental health of children.

Divya Deshmukh became India's latest Woman Grand Master

 Child prodigy Divya Deshmukh has become India's latest Woman Grand Master (WGM) at the First
Saturday Grandmaster chess tournament in Budapest, Hungary.
 She scored five points from nine rounds and came up with a rating performance 2452 to secure her
third and final WGM-norm. She also secured her second IM-norm and is now a norm away from
becoming an International Master.

MS Dhoni became first in world cricket to captain in 300 T-20 matches

 Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first player in world cricket to captain a team in 300 T20 games.
Second on the list is Darren Sammy, who has led a team in 208 games for West Indies and various
franchises.
 He achieved the feat during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 final between Chennai Super Kings
(CSK) and Kolkata Kight Riders (KKR) in Dubai, UAE.

India defeated Nepal 3-0 to lift title for the eighth time
 India crushed Nepal 3-0 to win its eighth SAFF Championship title after second-half goals from Sunil
Chhetri, Suresh Singh and Sahal Abdul Samad in the final.

45 OCT, 2021
  Chhetri scored in the 49th minute of the match, which put him level with Lionel Messi on 80
international goals, while Suresh Singh doubled the lead in the 50th to pave the way for India's title
triumph, a much-needed after a series of mediocre outings.

Bhavani Devi became India's 1st Olympic fencer to win Charlellville National Competition
 Fencer Bhavani Devi, who made history at the Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Indian to
compete in the sport at the Games, has won the Charlellville National Competition in France in the
individual women‟s sabre event.
 She is currently ranked 50th in the world and is the top-ranked fencer from India. She is eyeing a good
show at the 2022 Asian Games and has started preparing for the multi-discipline sporting extravaganza.

Ireland's Curtis Campher became 3rd bowler to take 4 wickets in 4 balls in T20Is
 Ireland pacer Curtis Campher became the 3rd bowler who took 4 wickets in 4 balls in the history of
T20Is. Earlier, Rashid Khan and Lasith Malinga have achieved the feat.
 Campher took the 4 wickets in 4 balls during Ireland‟s ongoing Group A match of the ongoing ICC
Men‟s T20 World Cup against the Netherlands. Rashid Khan had taken 4 wickets in 4 balls against
Ireland while Lasith Malinga did so against New Zealand.

Harbhajan Singh & Javagal Srinath awarded MCC life membership

 India‟s Harbhajan Singh and Javagal Srinath have been awarded life membership of the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC), joining 16 other cricketers who were given the honor this year.
 The MCC, based at Lord‟s, is the custodian of cricket laws. Harbhajan is India‟s third-highest wicket-
taker in Tests with 417 dismissals. Srinath is an ICC Elite Panel Match Referee and former Indian
cricketer.

FIFA World Rankings for October 2021, Belgium retained top rank, Brazil ranked 2nd
 FIFA men's rankings October 2021: Belgium has retained top rank in FIFA Men's rankings October 2021
with a total of 1832.33 points, followed by Brazil at second rank with 1820.36 points.
 Defending World Champions France has moved up the FIFA men's rankings list to the third position,
followed by Italy. England has dropped two positions to fifth rank followed by Argentina at the sixth
position.

Lucknow, Ahmedabad two new IPL teams inducted

 Sanjiv Goenka's RPSG Group claimed the Lucknow franchise for whopping Rs 7090 crore while
international equity investment firm CVC Capital won the bid for Ahmedabad with Rs 5625 crore offer
as the two new IPL teams were unveiled. The two new teams that will take part in the 2022 IPL.
 The BCCI was expecting a windfall in the range of Rs 10,000 crore but to their surprise, earned Rs
12,690 crore. Goenka group was one of the favorites to win a team after having been in the IPL for two
years in 2016 and 2017 when he owned the Rising Pune Supergiants.

Hyderabad Cricket Association unveiled World’s biggest cricket bat

 President of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and former India captain, Mohd Azharuddin has
unveiled what is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the biggest cricket bat designed
by Pernod Ricard India Ltd. on Tank Bund.
 The bat measures 56.10 feet, weighs 9-tonnes and is made of poplar wood. Unveiled on the eve of the
ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Pernod Ricard dedicated the bat to the Indian team.

46 OCT, 2021
 Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo became first Frenchman to win the MotoGP world championship
 Yamaha‟s Fabio Quartararo became the first Frenchman to win the MotoGP world championship
following a fourth-place finish in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix as his closest title contender Francesco
Bagnaia of Ducati crashed.
 Pole sitter Bagnaia was leading Ducati‟s home race when he crashed with five laps to go, handing
Honda‟s Marc Marquez the race victory and the world title to Quartararo who has an unassailable lead
in the standings with two races left.

JSW & Judo Federation signed MoU to develop sport in India

 The Judo Federation of India (JFI) and privately held firm Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) by JSW Group
have signed a MoU. It would help the institute become a partner of JFI for a period of three years.
 Under the agreement, IIS will provide access to its campus in Bellary, Karnataka, and sports science
expertise for the identified cadet, junior, and elite Indian judokas to the JFI.

Chief Minister of Odisha launched India's first FIFA Football for School Programme
 Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar has launched the world's first-ever FIFA
Football for School Programme. Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik virtually launched the
Programme.
 Football for Schools (F4S) is an ambitious worldwide programme run by FIFA, which aims to contribute
to the education, development and empowerment of around 700 million children.

Athletics Federation of India signed 3-year partnership with IOS Sports

 In a first of its kind move, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has signed a 3-year exclusive
partnership with sports management firm IOS Sports and Entertainment.
 As commercial partners to AFI, IOS Sports will work towards building the federation‟s brand in the
country and unlock commercial assets and partner with top brands

47 OCT, 2021
 BOOKS & AUTHORS
‚Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties‛ book authored by Ranjit Rae
 The book titled “Kathmandu Dilemma: Resetting India-Nepal Ties” book by Former ambassador to
Nepal, Ranjit Rae has been released.
 The book examines India‟s perspective on developments in the context of the civilizational and
economic underpinnings of the relationship, as well as the issues that continue to prevent it from
exploiting its full potential.

A book title ‚Economist Gandhi‛ authored by Jaithirth Rao

 Indian Entrepreneur and writer Jaithirth Rao, popularly known as Jerry Rao, has come out with a book
on Mahatma Gandhi titled “Economist Gandhi: The Roots and the Relevance of the Political Economy of
the Mahatma”. Jaithirth Rao is the founder and former CEO of the software company Mphasis.
 The book examines Mahatma Gandhi‟s economic philosophy and his hidden facet personality- thoughts
on economics and capitalism. The book has been published by the Penguin Random House India.

Former SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar authored Book Titled ‘The Custodian of Trust’
 A New Debut Book Titled „The Custodian of Trust‟ authored by former Chairman of State Bank of
India (SBI) Rajnish Kumar. The Book is published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI) under
Penguin‟s „Viking‟ imprint.
 Book deals with Rajnish Kumar‟s journey in 40 years with SBI & it talks about how banks have played a
critical role in the fight against poverty.

Gulzar penned book titled ‚Actually… I Met Them: A Memoir‛

 Poet-lyricist Gulzar has come up with his new book titled "Actually... I Met Them: A Memoir". It has
been published by Penguin Random House India.
 It gives readers a peek into the minds of legends including the likes of Kishore Kumar, Rajesh Khanna
Bimal Roy, Ritwik Ghatak, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Mahasweta Devi, through the trusted lens of
Gulzar.

A new book titled ‘Stars in My Sky’ announced by Divya Dutta

 Actress Divya Dutta has come up with her second book titled, “The Stars in My Sky: Those Who
Brightened My Film Journey”. The book, published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI), will be
released on October 25, 2021.
 In her new book, Divya Dutta shares her experiences with some of the stalwarts of Bollywood who
played a significant role in her film career.

48 OCT, 2021
 NITI Aayog launched Digi-Book Innovation for You Sector in Focus
 NITI Aayog‟s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) launched a new digi-book-called “Innovations for You” in a
bid to showcase the success stories of start-ups set up under the Atal Innovation Mission in different
domains.
 First edition of the book is focused on innovations in Health Care. It showcases 45 start-ups which have
worked to create new, innovative & disruptive products, services & solutions.

A book titled ‚The Origin Story of India’s States‛ written by VS Srinivasan

 The book titled „The Origin Story of India‟s States‟ is written by Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan and
published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI). It is a story about the birth of India‟s 28 states and 8
union territories.
 Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan is a writer, actor and strategy consultant from Bengaluru, Karnataka.
This is his first non-fiction book.

Vice President released 100th book of Vanguri Foundation of America

 The Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually released the 100th book of the Vanguri Foundation of
America.
 The book titled „7va Prapancha Sahiti Sadassu Sabha Vishesha Sanchika‟ is based on the 7th World
Telugu Literary Summit organized by the Vanguri Foundation of America in collaboration with other
Telugu cultural organizations in October 2020.

‚Writing for My Life‛ anthology of Ruskin Bond released

 “Writing for My Life”, an anthology of author Ruskin Bond has been released. It contains some of the
most exemplary stories, essays, poems and memories of Ruskin Bond.
 This anthology has been released 25 years after the first anthology of Bond titled, “The Best of Ruskin
Bond”. The selections for this anthology have been made by Bond himself and his editor Premanka
Goswami.

A book titled ‚Kamala Harris: Phenomenal Woman‛ authored by Chidanand Rajghatta

 Renowned journalist and writer Chidanand Rajghatta have authored a new book “Kamala Harris:
Phenomenal Woman”, a biography of Kamala Harris, the first women Vice President of the United
States of America (USA).
 The book features the life incidents of Kamala Harris, a woman of mixed race (India and Jamaica) who
has become the first Indian descent, the first woman to become the vice president of the USA.

Former Education Minister gifted his book ‘AIIMS Mein Ek Jang Ladte Hue’ to PM Modi
 The former Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal „Nishank‟ has gifted a copy of his book titled
„AIIMS Mein Ek Jang Ladte Hue‟ to Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in Delhi.
 The book was written by Pokhriyal while he was battling COVID-19 at AIIMS in Delhi. The book was
published by Prabhat Prakashan Pvt. Ltd.

49 OCT, 2021