BLACK SEA INCIDENT
BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE
UK
 Recently, Russia had fired warning shots against a British
Destroyer, HMS Defender, sailing in the Black Sea off the
coast of Crimea. Russia condemned Britain's HMS
Defender’s move as a provocation and warned that the next
time it can fire to hit the intruding warships if they try to test
Russian military resolve. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and
claims it as Russian territory; however, the peninsula is
internationally recognised as being part of Ukraine.
HMS Defender
[Image Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-
57583363]
 According to Russia, the incident occurred shortly after
midday local time (09:00 GMT) in the Black Sea near Cape
Fiolent in Crimea's south. According to the Russian
military, the HMS Defender was ordered to change course,
and when it did not, a Russian border patrol ship fired
several warning shots. A military jet dropped warning bombs
in the destroyer's path about ten minutes later.
 The United Kingdom, on the other hand, rejected Russia's
version of events, insisting that the ship was on a routine
journey through an internationally recognized travel lane and
that it remained in Ukrainian waters near Crimea.
 According to the British embassy in Ukraine, the warship was
in the southern Ukrainian port of Odessa earlier this week. It
stated that the United Kingdom and Ukraine had signed an
agreement to jointly build warships and two naval bases.
Location of the incident
[Image Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-
57583363]
 I mportant Fact: HMS Defender is a Type 45 destroyer
that forms a part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group.
Launch of Black Sea Drills
[Image Source:
https://www.reuters.com/w
orld/europe/ russian-
warplanes-practice-
bombing-enemy-ships-
black-sea-drills-2021-07-
03/]
 On June 28, 2021, Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO) launched Black Sea Drills which
includes dozens of warships and was staunchly opposed by
Russia. The Drills followed the incident with the HMS
Defender of UK off the coast of Crimea. The drills, which
have taken place 21 times since 1997, will involve 5,000
military personnel from over 30 countries.
 The exercises will last two weeks and will include
approximately 30 ships, including the missile destroyer USS
Ross. The Drills are also known as the Sea Breeze
Exercise.
Who said what?
 During an opening ceremony in Odessa, Ukrainian Navy
Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa said the exercises would
send a “powerful message to maintain stability and peace in
our region.”
 Russia said it fired warning shots at the HMS Defender after
what it called a violation of its territorial waters.
 Britain said it was making “an innocent passage through
Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international
law.”
The Crimean Crisis: Background
[Image Source:
https://www.aljazeera
.com/opinions/2019/3
/ 16/annexation-of-
crimea-a-masterclass-
in-political-
manipulation]
 Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991, and
since then it has been a less-than-perfect democracy with a
very weak economy and a foreign policy that oscillates
between pro-Russian and pro-European. Ukraine became
independent on August 24, 1991 following the dissolution of
the Soviet Union.
Timeline for Annexation of Crimea
November 2013
 Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovych meets with Russian
President Vladimir Putin in Moscow ahead of the European
Union's Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Ukraine is one of the former Soviet bloc countries set to sign
association treaties with the EU, which would strengthen
political and economic ties with the EU.
 Days before the Vilnius summit, Yanukovych declares that
Ukraine will suspend talks with the EU in order to focus on
strengthening ties with Russia. Over the next few days, mass
protests erupt in major cities across Ukraine, with an
estimated 100,000 people gathering in central Kiev. These
protests were termed as the Euromaidan protests.
January 2014
 On January 17, instead of using its usual electronic voting Strategic Importance of the Black Sea for
system, the Ukrainian parliament passes a harsh anti-protest Russia
bill by informal show of hands. Yanukovych signs the bill into
law, eliciting a vehement reaction from the opposition.
 Parliament repeals the anti-protest law on January 28 in a
nearly unanimous vote. Prime Minister Azarov resigns as a
concession to opposition leaders.
February 2014
 Kiev experiences its bloodiest day since World War II on
February 20, 2014, with government snipers opening fire on [Image Source: https://theprint.in/opinion/why-black-sea-is-
protesters. Scores of people are killed, and the Maidan is the-next-battleground-for-the-us-russia-and-ukraine/653652/]
turned into a charred battlefield as protesters light massive
bonfires to thwart security forces’ attempts to retake the  Russia's goals in the Black Sea include deterring any NATO
square. EU leaders have agreed to impose sanctions on those threat to the Russian heartland or its strategic bastion in
in Ukraine suspected of being responsible for the violence. Crimea. It also wishes to undermine NATO’s cohesion by
attempting to foment divisions among alliance members
 Yanukovych disappears as parliament votes to deprive him of along the Black Sea, as well as to prevent Ukraine and
presidential powers. Tymoshenko, currently the leader of the Georgia from joining the alliance.
All-Ukrainian Union “Fatherland” political party, is released
from prison and returns to Kiev, where she delivers an  More broadly, Moscow sees the Black Sea region as critical to
impassioned speech to the crowd on the Maidan. its geo-economic strategy, which includes projecting Russian
Yanukovych, speaking on television, calls his removal from power and influence in the Mediterranean, protecting its
office a coup. economic and trade links with key European markets, and
increasing southern Europe’s reliance on Russian oil and
 On February 27, 2014, Yanukovych, resurfacing at a press gas.1
conference in Russia, asserts that he is still the president of
Ukraine. Pro-Russian gunmen in uniforms with no clear  Russia, acutely aware of the potential for instability to flow
insignia occupy key buildings in the Ukrainian autonomous from the Middle East into Russia—particularly the North and
republic of Crimea. The Russian flag is raised at Simferopol’s South Caucasus—sees this body of water as an important
regional parliament building, and unidentified troops take security buffer zone, shielding it from the volatility that may
control of the peninsula over the next few days. Despite emanate from further south. Moscow is reliant on the Black
Russian insistence that the unidentified gunmen are Sea for access to the Mediterranean and beyond, both for
members of a local militia, Putin later confirms that they are, military operations outside its immediate vicinity and for
in fact, Russian troops. Arseniy Yatsenyuk, leader of the exports of Russia's main commodity (hydrocarbons).2
Fatherland party, is appointed Prime Minister by Kiev's  Moscow sees the Mediterranean as largely dominated by
interim government. NATO, but it hopes to identify opportunities to make
March 2014 political, economic, and military inroads with key regional
states, as it did in Syria.3 Russia, for example, sees
 On March 1, 2014, the Russian Parliament approved the use opportunities to increase its influence in Mediterranean
of military force to protect Russian interests in Ukraine. countries such as Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Libya, and Turkey.
Crimea’s self-appointed parliament votes to secede from
Ukraine and seek annexation by Russia, with Russian troops
and affiliated paramilitary units in de facto control of the
peninsula. A regional referendum on the subject is planned
for March 16.
 Despite the fact that observers have noted irregularities in
the electoral process, such as the presence of armed men at
polling places, officials in Crimea claim that turnout has
surpassed 80 percent, with more than 95 percent of voters
expressing a desire to join Russia on March 16.
 On March 18, Putin signs a treaty incorporating Crimea into
the Russian Federation with Crimean officials. Ukraine is
preparing to evacuate 25,000 Ukrainian military personnel
and their dependents from the peninsula.
 On March 21, Putin signs legislation formally annexing Location of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea
Crimea, with the approval of the Russian parliament. The [Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
move is not recognised by Western governments, and the US Mediterranean_Sea]
and the EU impose a slew of sanctions on Russian and
Crimean officials. Yatsenyuk signs a portion of the EU 1 https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/05/20/what-is-russia-
association treaty that Yanukovych rejected in November doing-in-black-sea-pub-84549
2013. 2 https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/05/20/what-is-russia-

 On March 24, the Group of Eight indefinitely suspends doing-in-black-sea-pub-84549

3 https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/05/20/what-is-russia-
Russia’s membership in that intra-governmental
organization as a result of the annexation of Crimea. doing-in-black-sea-pub-84549
  Kevadia region of Gujrat is all set to become the India’s first
NATIONAL NEWS electric-vehicle-only-city. Tata Power has also installed
the first-ever fast DC electric vehicle (EV) charger at the
Statue of Unity situated in Kevadia.
 Indian Railways’ Research Design & Standards
Organization (RDSO) has become the first institution to be
declared as the Standard Developing Organisation
(SDO) under the ‘One Nation One Standard’ mission.
 Kerala with a score of 75 points has secured the first spot in
NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Index (SDG India
Index and Dashboard 2020–21: Partnerships in the
Decade of Action). Bihar was at the bottom of the list.
Chandigarh was first among the Union territories. The
SDG India Index 2020–21, developed in collaboration with
the United Nations in India, tracks progress of all States and
UTs on 115 indicators that are aligned to Ministry of Statistics
and Programme Implementation’s (MoSPI) National
Indicator Framework (NIF).4
 HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation
Limited) has declared to become carbon neutral by the year
2031-32. Sashidhar Jagdishan is the MD and CEO of HDFC.
HDFC headquartered is situated in Mumbai.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the target of 20%
ethanol blending in petrol by 2025, advancing it from the [Image Source: https://twitter.com/TataPower/status/
previous target of year 2030. To achieve blending targets, 1412763350514028552/photo/1]
Government is encouraging sugar mills and distilleries to
enhance their distillation capacities for which Government is  Nobel Prize economist Amartya Sen has written a new
facilitating them to avail loans from banks for which interest book titled, Home in the World: A Memoir.
up to 6% is being borne by Government.5
 Raimona reserve forest and Dehing Patkai wildlife
sanctuary have been declared Assam’s national park. Now
Assam has total 7 national parks. Kaziranga, Nameri, Orang,
Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa are other five. Madhya Pradesh
and Andaman and Nicobar Islands have highest number of
national parks at 9.
 The Kempegowda International Airport of Bengaluru
has achieved ‘net energy neutral status’ for the year
2020-21.
 India has been elected as a member of the United Nations
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the three
year term (2022-24). Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Oman [Image Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-
were also elected along with India. TS Tirumurti is the style/books/features/home-in-the-world-amartya-sens-
Indian Ambassador to the UN. ECOSOC has two memoir-to-release-in-july/articleshow/83376973.cms]
headquarters, one in Geneva and the other in New York. The  Weyan has become the first village in the country to
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the 6 vaccinate the entire population of 18 years and above. Weyan
principal organs of the United Nations System established by is located in Bandipora disctrict in Jammu and
the UN Charter in 1945.6 Kashmir.
 QS world university rankings 2021 has ranked 12  The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration has decided
Indian universities in their top 100 global univeristy list. The to set up the India’s biggest mythological theme park near
universities that featured in the QS ranking include Indian the famous ‘Vaishno Devi’ shrine in Reasi district. Manoj
Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, Sinha is the Lieutenant Governor of J&K.
IIT Guwahati, IIT Kharagpur, Indian Institute of Science  National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has
Bengaluru, Anna University, Jawaharlal Nehru University beocme a signatory to the United Nations Global
(JNU) New Delhi, OP Jindal Global University, Delhi Compact’s CEO Water and Mandate. It is an initiative to
University, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore demonstrate commitment and efforts of companies to better
and IIM Ahmedabad. Massachusettes Institute of their water and sanitation agenda as part of long term
Technology has topped the overall list. Sustainable Development Goals. 7 Gurdeep Singh Puri is
the CMD of NTPC.

4 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1723952
5 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1727206 7 http://newsonair.com/2021/06/05/ntpc-joins-uns-ceo-water-
6 https://csonet.org/?menu=123
mandate-to-step-up-work-on-water-conservation/
  Odisha has become the only state in India to have all three
species of crocodiles. It has freshwater Gharials (Gavialis
gangeticus) at Satkosia in Mahanadi, Mugger crocodiles
(Crocodylus palustris) in Similipal and Saltwater crocodiles
(Crocodylus porosus) in Bhitarkanika National Park.
 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) organised the first-
ever solo woman motorcylce expedtion. It was completed by
biker Kanchan Ugursandi.
 Rajasthan became the 1st state to develop Genome
Sequencing facility. The lab has been started in the Sawai
Man Singh Government Medical College in Jaipur. Genome
sequencing involves revealing the order of bases present in
the entire genome of an organism.9
 Bengaluru has been ranked 1st as the most liveable city of
[Image Source: http://newsonair.com/2021/06/05/ntpc-
India, as per Ease of Living Index 2020, released by the
joins-uns-ceo-water-mandate-to-step-up-work-on-water-
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The top 5
conservation/]
cities are as follows:
 India has been ranked at 55th in Knight Frank’s Global
1. Bengaluru 2. Chennai
House Price Index for Q1-2021. Turkey topped the list
which is followed by New Zealand and Luxembourg. 3. Shimla 4. Bhubaneshwar
 Geographical Indication (GI) tag certified, Jardalu mangoes 5. Mumbai
of Bhagalpur, Bihar have been exported to United  Amitav Ghosh has released a new book by
Kingdom (UK). Agriculture and processed food production the name, ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse:
export Development Authority (APEDA), in collaboration Parables for a Planet in Crisis’, which
with Bihar government, Indian High Commission & Invest has been published by John Murray.
India, exported juicy & aromatic mangoes which were packed [Image Source: https://www.amitavghosh.
and treated at APEDA packhouse in Lucknow. 8 Jardalu was com/pictures. html]
certified in the year 2018.
 Upasana Kamineni,
 India has attained 135th position in 15th edition of Global director of Apollo Hospitals
Peace Index (GPI) as announced by ‘Institute for Economics has been named as
and Peace (IEP) Sydney’. Iceland is the most peaceful Ambassador of Forest
nation since 2008 on this index. Afghanistan is the least Frontline Heroes’ by World
peaceful country for the fourth time in a row. Wide Fund (WWF) India.
 ‘Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Established as a Charitable
Competitiveness Center’ has ranked India at 43rd position Trust on 27 November, 1969,
among 64 countries in its annual World Competitiveness WWF India set out with the
Index. Switzerland has topped the list and is followed by aim of reducing the
Sweden (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Netherlands (4th) and degradation of Earth’s natural
Singapore (5th). environment and building a
 National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) has future in which humans live in harmony with nature.10
approved of Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary to [Image Source:
become Rajasthan’s fourth and India’s 52nd ‘Tiger Reserve’. https://www.wwfindia.org/?20222/Recognizing-the-efforts-
NCTA is a statutory body under the ‘Ministry of of-forest-frontline-workers-as-caretakers-of-conservation]
Environment, Forests and Climate Change’ constituted under  World’s first
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Project Tiger was genetically modified
launched in the year 1973. (GM) rubber plant has
 World Investment Report 2021, a report by UN been planted in
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has Sarutari near
placed India at 5th position for being 5th largest recipient of Guwahati,
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) across the globe. FDI inflow Assam.The GM has
of India stands at USD 64 Billion. been developed by
 Tamil Nadu governemt has constituted “Economic advisory ‘Rubber Research
council to the Chief Minister” which has its members as Institute of India
Nobel laureate Esther Duflo of Massachusetts Institute of (RRII)’ located in
Technology (MIT) in USA, Former Reserve Bank of India Puthuppally,
governor, Raghuram Rajan, Former chief economic Kottayam, Kerala.
advisor to central government, Dr Arvind Subramanian, [Image Source: https://newsonair.com/2021/06/24/assam-
Development economist, Jean Dreze and Former Union gets-the-worlds-first-genetically-modified-rubber-sapling/]
finance secretary Dr S Narayan.
9 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-

dentistry/genome-sequencing
10 https://www.wwfindia.org/who_we_are/#
8 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1726999
 ‘Pay Your Contact’ service has been laucnhed by Kotak
Mahindra Bank which let users to transfer money to any of
their contact via Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
platform. Uday Kotak is the managing director and CEO of
the bank which was established in the year 2003. It is
situated in Mumbai.
 Philanthropists of the Century list released by Hurun
Research and EdelGive Foundation has named
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata and Ajim Premji in the top
50 global philanthropists. Nusserwanji Tata has been
ranked 1st while Ajim
Premji 12th on the list. Bill
Gates & Melinda French
Gates were ranked second,
and are followed by Henry
Wellcome, Howard Hughes
and Warren Buffett
respectively. Jamsetji Tata
was born in the year 1839 Jamsetji Nusserwanji
and founded the city of
Tata
Jamshedpur.
[Image Source: https://www.tata.com/about-us/tata-group-
our-heritage/tata-titans/jamsetji-tata]
 Maharatna enterprise National Thermal Power Corporation
(NTPC) has been ranked 38th in the Great Places to Work
Institute. It also won its first-ever recognition of India’s
Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021.
 ICICI Bank became the 1st bank in Asia-Pacific region and
2nd overall in the world to offer the SWIFT (Society for
Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications Global
Payments Innovation) gpi facility to its customers. It will
allow the customers to do an instant transfer up to 2 lakhs
through SWIFT gpi . It provides a network that enables
financial institutions worldwide to send and receive
information about financial transactions in a secure,
standardized and reliable environment.11
 Ruskin Bond has launched his new book titled - ‘It’s a
Wonderful Life’ which has been published by Aleph Book
Company.
 Zydus Cadilla has applied to Central Drugs Regulator
(DGCI) for the emergency use authorisation of world’s first
DNA-based corona vaccine. It is named as ZyCoV-D. Zydus
Cadilla is India’s fourth largest pharmaceutical industry.
 India has been ranked at 31st position in the Reuters
Digital News Report 2021, conducted by Reuters Institute
for Study of Journalism (RISJ). Finland has topped the
index with a 65% trust score.
 India and Bhutan have jointly enetered into the Tax
Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB), an initiavtive of
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). India was chosen as the Partner
Jurisdiction and has provided the Tax Expert for this
programme.12 It helps to strengthen developing countries
auditing capacity and multinationals compliance
worldwide.
11
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_Worldwide_Interbank_
Financial_Telecommunication
12 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1729822
 Smart City awards were announced by the Union
Government for the year 2020. Uttar Pradesh was ranked
best performing state whereas Madhya Pradesh stood
second and Tamil Nadu came third. Indore and Surat
won the award for the first place jointly for their overall
development. Chandigarh won in the Union Territory
category.
 Kaushik Basu, former Chief Economic
Adviser to the Government of India and
Chief Economist of the World Bank from
2012 to 2016 has authored a new book
by the title - “Policymaker’s Journal:
From New Delhi to Washington,
DC”.
[Image Source: http://kaushikbasu.org/]
 Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana has released
former Supreme Court judge RV Raveendran’s book
“Anomalies in Law and Justice: Writings Related to
Law & Justice”.
 Denmark has signed the ‘International Solar Alliance
Framework Agreement (ISA FA)’ and Instrument of
Ratification with India. Denmark is the first country to ratify
the ISAFA after the amendments of January 2021 which
opened the membership to all Member States of the United
Nations. ISA was launched at 2015 COP 21 held at France
by Indian Prime Minister Narednra Modi and ex French
President Francois Hollande. Current Director-general of
ISA is Ajay Mathur.
 Indian Hotels Company’s (IHCL), Taj brand, has been
rated as the strongest hotel brand in the world as per a report
‘Hotels 50 2021’ by Brand Finance. IHCL is a subsidiary of
the Tata Group.
 India has been ranked 10th in the ‘Global Cyberseccurity
Index’, as per a report released by International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). The US topped the
chart, followed by the UK and Saudi Arabia which were tied
on the second position, while Estonia was ranked third. ITU
is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency which was
founded in 1865.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
 Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has opened its first
innovation and advanced research centre in Amsterdam,
Netherland. ‘TCS Pace Port’ Amsterdam is the third co-
innovation centre by the company after New York and
Tokyo in a global network of physical-digital innovation
hubs.
 The International Criminal Police Organisation
(INTERPOL) has launched a new global database named ‘I-
Familia’ to identify the missing individuals through family
DNA. INTERPOL is situated in Lyon, France. India will host
Interpol General Assembly in 2022.
 El Salvador has become the first nation in the world to
grant legal tender status to Bitcoin, which is a
cryptocurrency. El Salvador uses US dollar as its currency.
 Auckland has topped the Global Liveability Index 2021,
published by the ‘Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’. Osaka,
Adelaide and Tokyo have been ranked second, third and
fourth respectively. Damascus of Syria is at the bottom.
 31st North Atlantic Treaty Organistaion (NATO)
summit was held in Brussels ,Belgium. NATO was
established in 1949 in Washington D.C. NATO currently has
30 member countries with latest member being North
Macedonia. Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach is the
chairman of NATO.
 Finland has topped the Sustainable Development Report
prepared by UN Sustainable Development Solution
Network (SDSN). Top 10 countries in Sustainable
Development Index 2021 are: Finland, Sweden, Denmark,
Germany, Belgium, Austria, Norway, France, Slovenia and
Estonia respectively. India was ranked at 120 out of 165
countries.
 Debswana Diamond Company has mined third largest
gem quality stone in Jwaneng mine of Botswana,South
Africa which weighs around 1098 carats. Cullinan diamond is
the world’s largest diamond weighing at 3106 carats followed
by Lesedi la Rona diamond weighing 1109 carats.
 Chile has announced to draft a new constituion which will
replace the he inherited from dictatorship of Augusto
Pinochet of 1980. Sebestian Pinera is the President of
Chile.
 Apple Daily, last pro-democracy newspaper of Hong
Kong has decided to shut its operations. The editors of the
publication were arrested under the Chinese national
security law.
[Image Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-
china-57578926]
 Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan has been named as
the world’s most expensive city for foreign workers. Hong
Kong came second followed by Beirut (Lebanon) and
Tokyo (Japan). The surevy was conducted by consulantcy
firm Mercer. Mumbai is the most expensive city of India at
78th rank. Other Indian cities on the list are New Delhi (117),
Chennai (158), Bengaluru (170), and Kolkata (181).
 Microsoft became the third company in the world to reach
the market capitalization of 2 Trillion USD. Only two other
companies to achieve this targert are Saudi Armaco
(Saudi Arabia) and Apple (USA).
 Phillipines, Malta, South Sudan and Haiti have been
included in Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) ‘grey list’
for money laundering and financing of terrorism. Malta is the
first European Union country on the list. The Financial
Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) was
established by the G-7 Summit that was held in Paris in
1989.13 It has cuurently 39 member countries and is situated
at Paris. Dr. Marcus Pleyer is the president of FATF.
13 https://www.fatf-gafi.org/about/historyofthefatf/
 United Kingdom’s financial conduct authority has banned
the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, from
operating. Binance is currently the largest exchange in the
world in terms of daily trading volume.
 World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified China as
malaria free. China launched malaria treatment project in
1967 by the name ‘523 Project’. China is the first country in
the WHO Western Pacific Region to be awarded a malaria-
free certification in more than 3 decades. Other countries in
the region that have achieved this status include Australia
(1981), Singapore (1982) and Brunei Darussalam
(1987).14
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES &
INITIATIVES
 Kerala has launched ‘Knowledge Economy Mission’
project to provide employment to educated people and
support ‘knowledge workers’.
 Former Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Thaawarchand Gehlot launched SAGE (Seniorcare
Aging Growth Engine) portal. The SAGE portal will be a
“one-stop access” of elderly care products and services by
credible start-ups.15
 Madhya Pradesh has topped the
Anemia Mukt Bharat Index
2020-21. It has scored 64.1 points
and is followed by Odhisha with a
score 59.3 and Himachal Pradesh
with a score of 57.1.
[Image Source:
https://anemiamuktbharat.info/]
 Assam government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma has
decided to present Assamese versions of ‘Bharat Ratna’
and ‘Padma’ awards to its civilians. Three new sets of
awards on the lines of Padma Awards namely- Asom
Bibhushan (3), Asom Bhushan (2), and Asom Shree
(10) will be conferred.
 Haryana state governemnt has decided to create 80 acres
‘Oxi-Van’ (forest) in the Karnal district. Also three
important schemes were launched on the ocassion of World
Environment Day for protection and planting of tress, which
are Prana Vayu Devta Pension Scheme; Oxi-Van in
Panchkula and Panchavati Plantation in Haryana.
 Odisha government has approved the recruitment of people
from transgender community into the state police services
for the posts of constables and sub-inspectors.
 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has opened two
Centre of excellence (CoE) at Seema Sadak Bhawan in New
Delhi. It was inaugrated by Rajnath Singh. The two CoEs
are-:
1. Centre of Excellence for Roads, Bridges, Air Fields and
Tunnels (CoERBAT) and
2. Centre of Excellence for Road Safety & Awareness
(CoERSA).
14 https://www.who.int/news/item/30-06-2021-from-30-million-
cases-to-zero-china-is-certified-malaria-free-by-who
15 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1724425
 Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhary is the Director-General of BRO.
 Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy,
Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) and World Health
Organisation (WHO) have launched mYoga app. WHO
mYoga is an app for the general public to use regularly,
providing Yoga learning and practice sessions of varying
durations.19
 Goa has become the first Rabies-free state of India.
Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) of United
Kingdom had launched a project, ‘Mission Rabies’ in 2014 to
free the state from the disease. Pramod Sawant is the chief
minister of Goa.

[Image Source: http://www.bro.gov.in/]

 Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of
India (GoI) has initiated ‘Project O2’ to ensure adequate
5TH NUCLEAR POWER
supply of medical oxygen. Under Project O2 for India, a UNIT AT KUDANKULAM
National Consortium of Oxygen is enabling the national
level supplyof critical raw materials such as zeolites, setting
up of small oxygen plants, manufacturing compressors, final
products, i.e.,oxygen plants, concentrators, and ventilators.
The manufacturing and supply consortium also includes:
‘Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)’; ‘TataConsulting
Engineers (TCE)’; ‘C-CAMP, Bengaluru’; ‘IIT Kanpur (IIT-
K)’; ‘IIT Delhi (IIT-D)’; ’IIT Bombay (IIT-B)’, ‘ IIT Hyderabad
(IIT-H); IISER, Bhopal’; ‘Venture Center, Pune’; and more
than 40 MSMEs.16
 Union government has decided to set up five ’Divyangta
Khel Kendras’ in different parts of India. It was announced
by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment
Thaawarchand Gehlot. First such kendra would be set up
at Ahemdabad.
 Rajasthan govermnent headed by chief minister Ashok
Gehlot has decided to set up Vedic Education and
Sanskar Board. The aim of the governmeent is to revive
the knowledge of Sanskrit scriptures and vedas. [Image Source:
 ‘Aashirbad’ a scheme for covid orphans has been launched https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-
by Odisha’s Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik. It will provide nadu/2019/sep/25/global-report-on-nuclear-energy-flays-
Rs 2500 monthly to the guardian of the orpahn for the kudankulam-units-performance-2038664.html]
education, health and maintenance of the child.  The construction of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant
 Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and (“NPP”) Unit 5 has officially started. Due to the global
Electronics & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched an e- pandemic of COVID 19, an official virtual ceremony was held
filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT)- on June 29, 2021 and the first concrete was poured into the
“ITAT e-dwar”. The newly developed e-Filing Portal would foundation plate of the reactor building for Kudankulam NPP
enable the parties to file their Appeals, Miscellaneous Unit 5.
Applications, documents, paper books, etc., electronically.17  The Kudankulam NPP project is as a symbol of India-Russia
 Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, cooperation. And Rosatom, the Russian company with the
Prakash Javadekar inaugurated India’s longest most advanced nuclear power technologies, is playing the
NATRAX- the High-Speed Track (HST) in Indore most important role in the NPP.20
under the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’. It is ‘11.3 kms’ in length  The first concrete pouring, according to an official statement
which is the longest in Asia and world’s fifth longest. The provided by the Russian Embassy in New Delhi, was
NATRAX centre has multiple test capabilities like preceded by constant preliminary work. This contains the
measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant auxiliary reactor building, which houses the Main Control
speed fuel consumption, emission tests through real road Room, the turbine building, the concrete bedding for the
driving simulation, high speed handling and stability reactor building's foundations, and, most crucially, the power
evaluation during manoeuvred such as lane change, high supply building for regular operation, emergency power
speed durability testing, etc. and is a Centre of excellence for supply, and the safety control systems.
Vehicle Dynamics.18

19 https://www.who.int/initiatives/behealthy/who-myoga-app
16 https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1726727
17 20 https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/india-russia-nuclear-
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1730394
18 https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1731122 energy-cooperation-rosatom-starts-construction-of-kudankulam-
npp-unit-5/2280522/
(7)

Location of Kudankulam Plant
[Image Source: https://www.world-
nuclear.org/gallery/maps/planned-reactors-in-indi.aspx]
 I mportant fact: This plant comprises six units each having
1,000 MWe generation capacity. It is set to be India’s first
light water reactor.
Who said what?
 During the virtual concrete pouring ceremony for the 5th
nuclear reactor of Kudankulam NPP, Russian Ambassador to
India, Mr. Nikolay Kudashev stated: “This is significant
moments in the Russian-Indian nuclear energy cooperation.
And, it demonstrates our firm devotion to achieve success in
all bilateral undertakings.”21
 Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachev noted during the
ceremony: “As is stipulated by the existing agreements,
together with our Indian colleagues we are ready to launch
the serial construction of the state-of-the-art Generation
III+ Russian-designed nuclear power units at a new site in
India”.22
What led to the construction of the 5th and 6th
units of Kudankulam NPP?
 The General Framework Agreement (GFA) for the building of
Units 3, 4 was signed on April 10, 2014. The negotiations
with India for the building of Kudankulam NPP Units 5 and 6
21 https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/india-russia-nuclear-
energy-cooperation-rosatom-starts-construction-of-kudankulam-
npp-unit-5/2280522/
22 https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/india-russia-nuclear-
energy-cooperation-rosatom-starts-construction-of-kudankulam-
npp-unit-5/2280522/
had begun. Based on the outcome of the negotiations, it was
decided that these Units will be built. The agreement was
that the construction would follow the same design as was
specified for Units 3 and 4.
 The Credit Protocol to the Intergovernmental Agreement of
December 5, 2008, and the GFA for Kudankulam NPP Units
5 and 6 were signed in June 2017.
History of the Kundankulam Nuclear Power
Plant Project
 On November 20, 1988, the Prime Minister of India, Rajiv
Gandhi, and the Soviet head of state, Mikhail Gorbachev,
signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the
building of two reactors. Due to the fall of the Soviet Union,
the project was put on hold for a decade.
 The United States also objected, claiming that the accord did
not meet the Nuclear Suppliers Group's 1992 provisions
(NSG). M R Srinivasan, Chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission (AEC) from 1987 to 1990, branded the project a
“non-starter.”
 Construction began on March 31, 2002, with Nuclear
Power Corporation of India Limited (“NPCIL”)
projecting that the first unit would be operational in March
2007. On January 14, 2004, a tiny port in Kudankulam was
operationalised. This port was built to handle barges carrying
over-sized light water reactor equipment from ships
anchored 1.5 kilometres away.
 Until 2004, materials had to be transported on road from the
port of Thoothukudi, risking damage during
transportation. In 2008, negotiations on constructing four
additional reactors at the site began. It was expected that the
capacity of each reactor will be 1,200 MW (1.2 GW). The new
reactors would make the total capacity of the power plant to
6,800 MW (6.8 GW).
 The ground-breaking ceremony for building the third and
fourth units took place on February 17, 2016, and the
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board authorised the first
pour of concrete on June 19, 2017. The third and fourth units'
construction began on June 29, 2017.
Opposition to the Project
 In the aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
catastrophe, thousands of people in the plant's area protested
in 2011, fearing a nuclear disaster. According to the
demonstrators, evacuation would be difficult in the event of a
nuclear disaster.
 I mportant fact: The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
occurred in Japan in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear
Power Plant in Kuma, Fukushima Prefecture. The main
cause of the event was the 2011 Thoku earthquake and
tsunami. It was the most serious nuclear catastrophe since
the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
 In 2011, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) 23 was filed with the
Supreme Court, requesting that nuclear power development
be postponed until safety issues could be independently
examined. The Supreme Court decided in favour of the plant
in May 2013, declaring that the nuclear power plant was in
the broader public interest.
23 G.
Sundarrajan v. Union of India, Civil Appeal No. 4440 of 2013
(Supreme Court)
India’s Nuclear Programme
 India’s three-stage Nuclear Programme was devised by
Homi J Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme,
in 1954. The programme entailed:
Stage 1: Use natural Uranium to fuel a Pressurized Heavy
Water Reactor (PHWR). The byproduct, Plutonium (Pu) –
239 is utilized in Stage 2.
Stage 2: Develop Fast
Breeder Reactor (FBR)
to produce excess, Pu-
239, which will then aid
the conversion of
Thorium (Th – 232) to
fissile Uranium U-233.
Stage 3: Develop
Breeder Reactors which
are Thorium-based
Nuclear reactors.
Homi J Bhabha
[Image Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-
today/gk-current-affairs/story/homi-jehangir-bhabha-
270527-2015-10-30]
Nuclear Tests conducted in India
 The first nuclear explosion/test was undertaken by India in
May 1974 and the test was named Operation Smiling
Buddha. The Ministry of External Affairs identified it as
Pokhran – I. Pokhran-I was also the first confirmed nuclear
weapons test conducted by a country other than one of the
United Nations Security Council's five permanent members.
(UNSC). India said that it was committed to harnessing
nuclear power only for peaceful purposes. In 1995, India
opposed the Non Proliferation Treaty's indefinite extension
and refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT).
 India conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998,
demonstrating its capacity to use nuclear energy for military
purposes at Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range and was
named Pokhran II. Following the Pokhran II test, India
declared a policy of "No First Use" (NFU) of nuclear
weapons. The doctrine, which was formally adopted in
January 2003, states that nuclear weapons will only be
deployed in retaliation for a nuclear strike on Indian territory
or on Indian soldiers anywhere.
India’s present Nuclear Power plants
 India currently has 22 active nuclear reactors in 7 nuclear
power plants with a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW.
After coal, gas, wind power, and hydroelectricity, nuclear
power is India's fifth-largest source of electricity
generation.
 The Apsara Research Reactor in Mumbai is Asia's first
nuclear reactor. Tarapur Atomic Power Plant-1 (TAPS-1)
is the first Nuclear Power Plant in India and is operational
since October 1969 and is situated in Boisar, Maharastra.
India has a modest indigenous uranium stockpile and is
reliant on uranium imports from other countries to feed its
nuclear power industry. Russia has been a key supplier of
nuclear fuel to India since the 1990s.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
 Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar has
developed a first of its kind Internet of Things (IOT) device,
AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature
during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines
and even body organs and blood. Shaped as USB device,
AmbiTag continuously records the temperature of its
immediate surroundings “from -40 to +80 degrees in any
time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge.24
 World Health Organisation (WHO) has named four variant
of concerns- B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P2 and B.1.617.2 as ‘Alpha,
Beta, Gamma and Delta’ respectively.
 NASA has announced two new Venus research missions,
Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble
gases, Chemistry, and Imaging (DAVINCI+) and
Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR,
Topography, and Spectroscopy (VERITAS). They will
be launched between 2028 and 2030.
 European Space Agnecy (ESA) will launch a Venus
Mission named as EnVision which will study the planet’s
core and atmosphere. The mission will be launched in the
early 2030. ESA was founded in the year 1975 and is loacated
in Paris.
 Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Hyderabad have developed nano-fibre based oral tablets of
Amphotericin B, called as AmB. They have decied to keep
this techonolgy free of intellectual property rights.
Amphotericin B tablets are used to treat fungal infections.
 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-
Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR) Kozhikode,
Kerala received patent for black pepper micronutrient foliar
formulation. The technology has been developed by the team
including Dr. V. Srinivasan, Dr. R. Dinesh and Dr. S.
Hamza. The Black Pepper Micronutrient Mixture’s
application enhances the quality of the produce, while
contributing to the health of the vines through balanced
nutrition.25
 European Space Agency (ESA) will launch world’s first
woodden nano sattelite
called WISA Woodsat. It will
be launched from Mahia
Peninsula launch complex in
New Zealand. Satellite has been
designed by UPM Plywood
and Artic Astronautics of
Finland. Josef Aschbacher is
the Director General of ESA.
[Image Source: https://earthsky.org/space/first-wooden-
satellite-wisa-woodsat/]
 The European Space Agency (ESA) will be launching
world’s first ‘physically disabled astronaut’. ESA will give a
message to the world under ‘Space is for everyone’
slogan. ESA is located in Paris and consists of 22 member
states.
24 http://ddnews.gov.in/sci-tech/iit-ropar-develops-ambitag-
indias-first-indigenous-temperature-data-logger-cold-chain
25 https://www.icar.org.in/content/icar-iisr-gets-patent-black-
pepper-micronutrient-formulation
  Mawya Sudan has became the first
DEFENCE woman fighter pilot from Jammu
and Kashmir. She is from Rajouri
 Vice-Admiral Ravneet Singh has been appointed as the district. She is overall the 12th woman
officer, the first being Flight
Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.
Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi. Air
[Image Source: Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar
https://www.indiannavy.nic.i Singh Bhadauria is the Indian Air
n/content/vice-admiral- Force chief.
ravneet-singh-avsm-nm-
assumed-charge-deputy-chief- [Image Source:
naval-staff] https://www.indiandefencetimes.com/mawya-sudan-
becomes-the-first-woman-fighter-pilot-in-iaf-from-jammu-
 INS Sandhayak, the Indian Navy’s indigenously designed kashmir/]
and built ‘Hydrographic Survey Ship’ was decommissioned
 Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
after serving the nation for 40 years. The ship also took part
successfully test fired extended range version of indigenously
in important operations like Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka,
developed Pinaka rocket from a
1987, Operation Rainbow
‘Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher
for Humanitarian
(MBRL).’ It also tested a new
Assistance in the
generation ‘Nuclear Capable
aftermath of the Tsunami
Ballistic Missile’ Agni-P
in 2004 and the maiden
(Prime) which was launched
Indo-US HADR Exercise
from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
Tiger-Triumph in 2019.26’
island off the coast of Odisha,
[Image Source: http://newsonair.com/2021/06/04/ins- Balasore.
sandhayak-to-be-decommissioned-after-40-years-of-
[Image Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?
service/]
PRID=1730828]
 Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari has been apointed as
the new Vice-Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Air Marshal
Ballabha Radha Krishna would be succeeding Chaudhari SPORTS
at the ‘Western Command’ in Delhi while Air Marshal RJ
Duckworth would be taking charge of the ‘Central Air  Ravi Shastri has authored his first
Command’ in Prayagraj. book titled ‘Stargazing: The
 Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar has Players in My Life’. It has been co-
been appointed as Deputy General Naval authored by Ajay Memon. It will be
Operations. He was commissioned into published by HarperCollins India.
the Indian Navy in January 1987. [Image Source:
[Image Source: https://www.amazon.com/Stargazing-
https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/ Players-Life-Ravi-Shastri-
vice-admiral-rajesh-pendharkar-avsm- ebook/dp/B092RR41NM]
vsm-assumed-charge-director-general-  Sergio Perez of Red Bull
naval-operations] was the winner of the
 31st edition of India and Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo- Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Thai CORPAT) naval exercise was held in the Andaman Sebastian Vettel stood at
Sea. Indian Naval Ship, INS Saryu, an indigenously built the second position.
Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel and His Majesty’s Thailand [Image Source:
Ship, HTMS Krabi, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, along with https://www.redbull.com/
Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies int-
participated in the CORPAT.27 en/redbullracing/sergio-
 Indian Navy and European Union Naval Force perez-takes-win-in-
(EUNAFVOR) participated in their first ever Joint Naval azerbajian-grand-prix]
Exercise in the Gulf of Aden. Indian Naval Ship Trikand  Oman has been named as the host of the inaugural
and Italian Navy Ship ITS Carabinere, Spanish Navy Ship International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey5s World
ESPS Navarra, and two French Navy Ship FS Tonnerre and Cup which take place in 2024. First played in preparation
FS Surcouf participated in the exercise. for the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, Hockey5s
 Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is a super-fast, highly skilful, short format of hockey which
(JMSDF) participated in a joint naval exercise held in the is designed to be adaptable to multiple surfaces,
Indian Ocean. JS KASHIMA and JS SETOYUKI ships of environments and space. Hockey5s is an invasion game
Japan and INS KULISH participated in the exercise. played between two teams with 4 field players and a
goalkeeper.28
26 https://indiannavy.nic.in/content/indian-navys-oldest-

hydrographic-survey-ship-ins-sandhayak-decommissioned 28
27 https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1725559s https://www.fih.ch/growhockey/hockey5s/
 International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced
BharatPe as its official promotion partner until 2023. The
agreement will ensure BharatPe’s involvement and
integration at all ICC events throughout the term. These
include the upcoming ICC World Test Championship
(Southampton, UK 2021), ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (India,
2021), ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Australia, 2022), ICC
Women’s World Cup (New Zealand, 2022), ICC U19 Cricket
World Cup (West Indies, 2022), ICC Women’s T20 World
Cup (South Africa, 2022), ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup
(India, 2023) and ICC World Test Championship (2023). 29
Ashneer Grover is the CEO and founder of BharatPe.
 Sports car manafacturer Ferrari has appointed Benedetto
Vigna as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Enzo
Ferrari laid the foundation of Ferrari in the year 1947. It is
situated in Maranello, Italy.
 Football Association (FA) of England has appointed Debbie
Hewitt as its first ever female chairperson. FA was founded
in 1863. This year’s FA Cup was won by Leicester City
beating Chelsea.
 Nagraj Adiga has been elected as the Asia-Oceania
Representative by the Interational Association of
Ultrarunners (IAU). As international governing body for
ultradistance running, one of the main objectives of IAU is to
promote and develop long distance running worldwide by
encouraging specific activities in each of the World Athletics
Continental Areas.30
 Novak Djokovic won the Frenh Open beating Stefanos
Tsitsipas of Czech Republic. This was Djokovic’s 19th
Grand Slam title. Djokovic has
become the third player to win
Grand Slam titles twice. Pierre-
Hugues Herber and Nicolas
Mahut of France won in Men’s
Doubles. Barbora Krejčíková
and Kateřina Siniaková of Czech
Republic won in Women’s
Doubles whereas Desirae
Krawczyk (United States) and
Joe Salisbury (United Kingdom)
won in Mixed Doubles.
[Image Source:
http://www.espn.com/tennis/player/_/id/296/novak-
djokovic]
 International Cricekt Council (ICC) has inducted former
Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad into the ICC Hall of Fame.
Other nine players are as follows –
 Aubrey Faulkner of South Africa
 Monty Noble of Australia
 Sir Learie Constantine of West Indies
 Stan McCabe of Australia
 Ted Dexter of England
 Desmond Haynes of the West Indies
 Bob Willis of England
 Andy Flower of Zimbabwe
 Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka.
29 https://www.icc-cricket.com/champions-trophy/media-
releases/2166705
30 https://iau-ultramarathon.org/about-us/
 Kathryn Bryce of Scotland and
Mushfiqur Rahim of
Bangladesh has been named as
ICC Players of the month for May.
[Image Source: https://www.thesportsnews.in/kathryn-
bryce-and-mushfiqur-rahim-voted-icc-players-of-the-
month-for-may-2021/]
 Dr Tadang Minu from Arunachal Pradesh has become the
second Indian woman to be appointed as as a member of the
Coaches Committee of the International Boxing
Association (AIBA). AIBA was founded in 1946. AIBA
Headquarters is in Lausanne, Switzerland. The current
AIBA President is Dr Mohamed Moustahsane.
 Laurel Hubbard will be the first transgender athelete to
compete at an Olympic games. She hails
from New Zealand. She would be
contending in super heavyweight 87kg-
plus category. United by Emotion is
the motto of 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
[Image Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/22/trans-
weightlifter-laurel-hubbard-backed-by-australian-rival-and-
new-zealand-pm ]
 The official theme song of Indian contingent for Tokyo
Games 2020 has been released which has been composed
and sung by Mohit Chauhan and the title is- “Lakshya
Tera Samne Hai”. The slogan for Indian contingent is -
#Cheer4India. Narinder Batra is the current president
of Indian Olympic Association.
 New Zealand defeated India to claim first ever ICC World
Test Championship (WTC). The final was played at
Ageas/Rose Bowl Stadium in Southampton, England.
Kyle Jamieson was awarded as
“Player of the match”, while Kane
Williamson as the “Player of the
series” Australia stood at third
place in the WTC.
[Image Source:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E4lk
O4AXIAYdC7J?format=jpg&name=4096x4096 ]
 Kaylee McKeowna, swimmer from Australia has broken
the world record of Regan Smith in 100-meter
backstroke with a time of 57.45 seconds.
 Indian archer, Deepika Kumari has regained the top spot
in women’s individual recurve world rankings
after 2012. She won 3 gold medals in Archery
world cup held in Paris.
[Image Source:
https://extranet.worldarchery.sport/Profile
Pictures/?Id=8734 ]
 Shafali Verma has become the youngest Indian cricketer
and 5th youngest in the world to make a debut in all formats.
Shafali was 15 years 239 days old
when she made her debut in T20Is in
September 2019. Overall list is
topped by Mujeeb Ur Rahman (17
years 78 days) of Afghanitsan.
[Image Source:
https://twitter.com/BCCIWomen/sta
tus/ 1409085157257134081]
 Rahi Sarnobat of India won the
gold medal at ISSF shooting World
Cup in 25m pistol category held at
Osijek, Croatia.
[Image Source:
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/a
sian-games-2018-rahi-sarnobat-becomes-first-ever-indian-
female-shooter-to-clinch-gold-at-asiads-5020271.html]
APPOINTMENTS
 Former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra has
been appointed as 8th Chairperson of National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC). He also served as the Chief Justice of
Rajasthan High Court. He is the first non-CJI (Chief
Justice of India) to hold this post. The appointment
committee comprised of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Home Minister Amit Shah, Deputy Chairman
of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan
Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and the
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha,
Mallikarjun Kharge. Rangnath Mishra
was the first chairperson of NHRC.
[Image Source: https://twitter.com/India_NHRC/status/
1399986509432819717]
 Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has appointed
its new president, T.V. Narendran who is the
C.E.O & M.D. of Tata Steel. Natarajan
Chandrasekaran is the executive chairman
of Tata Steel. CII was established in 1985
which is based in New Delhi.
[Image Source: https://www.cii.in/CII_Leadership.aspx?enc
=SoUmMnGjw2AX6bX2IYlcag== ]
 Jagannath Bidyadhar Mohapatra has been given
additional charge of Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT) when its President Pramod Chandra Mody’s tenure
ended. Mohapatra will hold the office for mere three months.
CBDT is located at New Delhi which was established in 1924.
 WhatsApp has appointed Paresh B Lal whereas Facebook
has named Spoorthi Priya as its Grievance Officers for
India. The grievance officer will have to acknowledge the
complaint within 24 hours and dispose of such complaint
within a period of 15 days from the date of its receipt, and
receive and acknowledge any order, notice or direction issued
by the authorities.31
 Twitter has appointed Jeremy Kessel as its new Grievance
Officer for India.
 Lieutenant General Pradeep Chandran Nair has been
appointed as the 21st Director General of the
Assam Rifles (Sentinels of the North-East).
The highest headquarters of the force known as
the Directorate General of Headquarters of
Assam Rifles is located in Shillong.32 It was
established in 1835.
[Image Source:
http://www.assamrifles.gov.in/newwindow. html?2030 ]
31 http://www.businessworld.in/article/WhatsApp-Names-Paresh-B-
Lal-As-Grievance-Officer-For-India-On-Website/01-06-2021-391509/
32 http://www.assamrifles.gov.in/newwindow.html?2030
 Dr. Patrick Amoth of Kenya has been
appointed as the Chairman of World
Health Organisation (WHO) Executive
Board, for a period of one year.
[Image Source: https://
www.ukonews.com/dr-patric-amoth-
appointed-as-the-who-chairperson-of-the-executive-board/]
 Ranjistsinh Disale has been elected as an
Advisor to the Board of Education at World
Bank. He is also the first Indian to have been
awarded the Global Teacher Award in
2020. World Bank is based in Washington
D.C.
[Image Source: https://newsonair.com/2021/06/03/
ranjitsinh-disale-appointed-as-advisor-to-world-bank/]
 Abdullah Shahid of Maldives
has been elected as the president
of 76th session of United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA).
Volkan Bozkir is the current
President of the UNGA.
[Image Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/06/
1093532]
 Hitendra Dave was appointed as the Chief Executive
Officer of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd.
(HSBC) India. HSBC was founded inMarch 1865 in Hong
Kong. HSBC has its headquarertrs at London.
 Union Cabinet has selected Anup Chandra Pandey for the
post of Election Commissioner,
and he will retire in February 2024.
Chief Election Commissioner Sushil
Chandra and Election Commissioner
Rajiv Kumar are the other two
members of the panel. Article 324 to
329 of the constitution deals with
powers, function, tenure, eligibility,
etc of the commission and the
member.
[Image Source: https://eci.gov.in/honble-commission/shri-
anup-chandra-pandey-r15/]
 Kakanur Nagraj Naidu (India’s UN
Ambassador) has been selected as chef de
cabinet by the UN General Assembly
President Abdulla Shahid.
[Image Source:
https://pminewyork.gov.in/IndiaDPR
]
 Ukhnaa Khurelsukh became
the 6th democratically elected
President of Mongolia. He
belongs to Mongolian People's
Party. Mongolia capital is
Ulaanbaatar.
[Image Source:
https://ilkha.com/english/world/
ukhnaa-khurelsukh-becomes-sixth-democratically-elected-
president-of-mongolia-13336]
 Rebeca Grynspan has been appointed as Secretary-
General of United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD). UNCTAD headquarters are
located in Geneva, Switzerland.
 Naftali Bennett has become the new
Prime Minister of Israel. He is the leader
of the Yamina Party which will lead a
coalition government with head of Yesh
Atid party, Yair Lapid.
[Image Source: https://twitter.com/naftalibennett/photo ]
 Retd. Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri has
become the head of Grievance Redressal
Board (GRB) at The Internet and Mobile
Association of India (IAMAI). IAMAI is
not-for-profit industry body registered
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. 33
IMAI was founded in 2004.
[Image Source: https://nalsa.gov.in/uploads/2019/01/07/
07_01_2019_107757568.jpg]
 Rebeca Grynspan will be the first woman to head
(Secretary-General) United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She hails from Costa
Rica. Established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental
body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the
United Nations General Assembly dealing
with trade, investment and development
issues.34 UNCTAD is situated in Geneva,
Switzerland.
[Image Source:
https://unctad.org/news/rebeca-grynspan-appointed-
unctads-secretary-general]
 Microsoft’s current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Satya
Nadella has been promoted as company’s new chairman. He
has been heading the CEO post since 2014.
John Thompson has been named as new
lead independent director. Microsoft is
located at Redmond, Washington, United
States.
[Image Source:
https://twitter.com/satyanadella/photo]
 Aashish Chandorkar, a private person, for the first time,
has been appointed as a counsellor in India’s Permanent
Mission in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for three
years. WTO was established in the year 1995 and its director
general is Nagozi Okonjo-Iweala.
 Montek Singh, former member of planning commission
has been named as a member of high-level
Advisory Group formed by the World Bank
and International Monetary Fund
(IMF). The group will be jointly led by Mari
Pangestu, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu,Gita Gopinath
and Lord Nicholas Stern. Kristalina
Georgieva is the president of IMF.
[Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montek_
Singh_Ahluwalia]
 Karim Khan, a British lawyer has been appointed as the
new Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal
Court (ICC). International Criminal Court was founded on 1
July 2002. It has its headquarters at The Hague,
Netherlands. It has 123 member states. Judge Piotr
Hofmański of Poland is the president of ICC.
33 https://www.iamai.in/AboutUs
34 https://unctad.org/system/files/official-
document/edmmisc17rev1_en.pdf
 Nikol Pashinyan has been elected as the new president of
Armenia with a majority of 53.92%. He belongs to Civil
Contract party. Yerevan is the capial of Armenia.
 Karnam Malleswari has been appoinnted as the first Vice-
Chancellor of ‘Delhi Sports
University’ by the Delhi
government. Karnam was the
first Indian woman weightlifter
to win a prestigious Olympic
bronze medal at Sydney 2000
Olympics.
[Image Source: https://olympics.com/en/featured-
news/karnam-malleswari-india-weightlifting ]
 Suresh N Patel has been appointed as the acting Central
Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). The Central Vigilance
Commission was set up by the Government in February, 1964
on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of
Corruption, headed by K. Santhanam, to advise and guide
Central Government agencies in the field of vigilance.35
 Praveen Sinha has been appointed as the new ‘special
director’ of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). Prime
Minister (who is the Chairman) and the Minister of Home
Affairs are the members of ACC.
 Shambhu Nath Srivastava has been appointed as the
chairman of the Indian Federation of United Nations
Associations (IFUNA). Shambu Nath is the former judge of
Allahabad high court and former chief Lokayukta of
Chhattisgarh. It is a Non-governmental, Voluntary, Nonprofit
Organization working for International Peace and
Understanding based at New Delhi.36
INTRODUCTION OF NEW
LAWS IN LAKSHADWEEP AND
THE SUBSEQUENT PROTESTS
[Image Source:
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/environment/lakshadwe
ep-new-laws-calculated-effort-to-alter-habits-of-people-
evolved-over-generations--77180]
About Lakshadweep
 Lakshadweep is an Indian union territory. It is a 36-island
archipelago in the Arabian Sea, located 200 to 440
kilometres (120 to 270 miles) off the southwestern coast of
the mainland of India. There are three main groups of
islands: Amindivi Islands, Laccadive Islands and
Minicoy Island. Amindivi Islands are the northernmost
while Minicoy island is the southernmost.
35 https://cvc.gov.in/?q=about/background
36 https://www.ifuna.org/about_us.php
 I mportant Fact: Kavaratti is the capital of the Union
Territory and the region comes under the jurisdiction of
Kerala High Court. It is a uni-district Union Territory.
Location of Lakshadweep
[Image Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/
Location-map-of-Lakshadweep-islands-in-
India_fig1_235767087]
 Because the islands have no indigenous population,
historians have proposed many theories for their arrival.
Archaeological evidence suggests that human settlement
existed in the region around 1500 BCE. The islands have long
been known to seafarers, as evidenced by an anonymous
mention to the region in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea from
the first century CE. The islands were also featured in the
sixth century BCE Buddhist Jataka stories. Muslims arrived
in the region around the seventh century and established
Islam. The Chera dynasty, the Chola dynasty, and, lastly,
the Kingdom of Kannur governed the region during the
medieval era. The Catholic Portuguese landed in 1498, but
were driven out by 1545. The territory was then ruled by the
Muslim house of Arakkal, who were vassals of the Kolathiri
Rajas of Kannur, who were later succeeded by Tipu Sultan.
The area was acquired by the British after Tipu Sultan and
after they left India, a separate Union Territory was formed
in 1956.
 More than 93 percent of the indigenous population is
Muslim, with the majority belonging to the Shafi School of
the Sunni Sect. Except for Minicoy, where inhabitants speak
Mahl, which is written in Divehi script and is also spoken in
the Maldives, Malayalam is spoken on all of the islands.
Because of their economic and social backwardness, the
whole indigenous population has been categorised as
Scheduled Tribes. This Union Territory has no Scheduled
Castes. The people’s major sources of income include fishing,
coconut planting, and coir twisting. Tourism is a new
industry.
New Laws and the Protests
 The ‘Save Lakshadweep’ campaign has gained traction on
numerous social media platforms in recent days, with
netizens denouncing a raft of new policies proposed by the
islands' administrator, Praful Khoda Patel. The policies
have been faced with hostility not only from residents, but
also from politicians, activists, and actors in Kerala.
 The draft regulations introduced by the administrator
include the Lakshadweep Animal Preservation
Regulation, 2021; the Prevention of Anti-Social
Activities Regulation; the
Lakshadweep Panchayat
Regulation, 2021; and the
Lakshadweep Development
Authority Regulation 2021. They
have drawn criticism from the civil
society for prioritising economic
development over environmental
sustainability. Furthermore, they
endanger the indigenous resident’s Praful Khoda
pristine culture. Patel
[Image Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praful_ Khoda_Patel]
About the Regulations
The Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation,
2021
 It authorises the government, designated as the
administrator, to establish Planning and Development
Authorities to plan the development of any region defined as
having “bad layout or obsolete development.”
 The authority would be a legal entity with a government-
appointed chairman, a town planning officer, and three
government-nominated “experts” in addition to two local
authority delegates.
 The Regulation gives the administrator the authority to
“declare any area on the islands to be a planning area” for
the purpose of development, as well as acquire any land
required for a public purpose under the Right to Fair
Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition,
Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act of 2013.
 People assume that this was granted at the behest of “real
estate interests” aiming to seize the limited tracts of land
owned by the islanders, the vast majority of whom are
Scheduled Tribes (ST).
 Proposals to introduce real estate development concepts such
as “transferable development rights” to the island have
heightened people's concern of mass migration.
The Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation
(PASA)
 Section 3 of PASA stipulates that “the administrator may, if
satisfied with respect to any individual that it is essential to
do so in order to prevent him from acting in any manner
harmful to the maintenance of public order, make an order
directing that the person be detained.”
 It provides for incarceration without legal representation
for six months to a year for anti-social behaviour. While AWARDS
the island remains tranquil, there have been reports of
drugs, weapons, and live ammo being discovered,
 World Health Organisation (WHO) has conferred Dr.
according to the Collector. He stated that the regulation is
Harsh Vardhan with WHO Director-General Special
necessary to avoid “children from being misled by
Recognition
illegitimate businesses.”
Award for his
 Residents question the need for such strict legislation in a accomplishments
state with one of the lowest crime rates in the country. They in the area of
claim it was brought in to apprehend those who oppose the tobacco control. E-
administration. According to National Crime Records cigarettes and
Bureau, only 121 cases of crime were registered on the islands heated tobacco
in 2017, 86 in 2018, 186 in 2019 and 89 in 2020. products were
The Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation, banned nationwide
2021 in 2019.
 This regulation, which prohibits the killing of cows, has [Image Source: https://www.drharshvardhan.com/photo-
also sparked controversy, with opposition parties claiming gallery ]
that the administrator's decision was motivated by  David Diop has won ‘International
communal politics. Lakshadweep's population of about Booker Prize’ for his World War I novel
70,000 people is 96.5 percent Muslim. The new legislation ‘At Night All Blood is Black’. He is
not only bars cow slaughter, but also the purchase, sale, also the first French novelist to win the
transit, and storage of beef or beef products in any form. prize. French title of the book is ‘Frere
Violations could result in a potential 10-year prison d’ ame’. It has been translated to
sentence and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh. According to the English by Anna Moschovakis.
rule, it allows for the preservation of animals suited for [Image Source:
milch, breeding, or agricultural reasons. https://frenchculture.org/books-and-
 No certificate will be issued to slaughter cows, calves, bulls, ideas/authors-on-tour/11075-david-diop]
or bullocks on the island for this purpose. The slaughter of
 Nitin Rakesh and Jerry Wind have won the International
animals other than cows or bulls for religious purposes,
Business Book of the Year Award 2021.They have won the
according to the regulation, will necessitate a certificate from award for their book-“ Transformation in Times of
the authorities. Crisis”.
 The rule is viewed as a clear violation of the residents’ culture  Arunachal Pradesh Film ‘Water Burial’ has won the Best
and eating habits. They claim that the rule was made without Film on Environment
consulting with local bodies. Conservation at the 67th
The Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulations, 2021 National Awards. It has
 The proposed panchayat regulation lays out the procedures been directed by
for being elected to gram panchayats. Those having more Shantanu Sen and is
than two children are barred from being elected to the gram filmed in Monpa
panchayat under the law. The statute, however, does not dialect, and the film is
disqualify anyone who has more than two children if they inspired by the
were elected before the regulation notified. Assamese novel ‘Saba
 Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kota Manuh’, written
Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Karnataka have previously by Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi.
passed legislation prohibiting people with more than two [Image Source:
children from running for panchayat elections. The law also https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/arunac
requires for women to be given 50% of the seats in gram hal-pradesh-s-water-burial-bags-best-film-national-award-
panchayats. on-environment-conservation-1811579-2021-06-06]
Decision to allow serving of liquor to tourists  Tsitsi Dangarembga of Zimbabwe has
been awarded the PEN Pinter prize 2021.
 Lakshadweep is a Muslim-majority territory where
The PEN Pinter Prize was established in
Malayalam is the primary language. The islands are non-
2009 in memory of Nobel-Laureate
alcoholic zones. Patel, on the other hand, has given his
playwright Harold Pinter. The prize is
approval for businesses to open liquor bars on the island,
awarded annually to a writer of
arguing that such a move will boost tourism. The
outstanding literary merit resident in the
Administration has decided to permit liquor to be served at
United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland,
resorts on inhabited islands. At present, serving liquor is
the Commonwealth or former Commonwealth.37
prohibited on all inhabited islands, with liquor served only at
resorts on the uninhabited Bangaram Island. [Image Source: https://www.englishpen.org/posts/news/
tsitsi-dangarembga-awarded-pen-pinter-prize-2021/]
 Residents have opposed the move and claim that it will lead
to a proliferation of liquor sales on the island, which had
been observing near-prohibition until now. 37 https://www.englishpen.org/posts/news/tsitsi-dangarembga-

awarded-pen-pinter-prize-2021/
 Tillotama Shome has won the best  KK Shailaja has been awarded the Central European
actress award for her role in the movie University’s (CEU), Open
Raahgir: The Wayfarers at the ‘2021
Society Prize for 2021. She
UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF)’. The
has been selected for the award
movie has been directed by Goutam
in recognition of her
Ghose for which he won best director
commitment to public health
award at the event.
services.CEU is located in
[Image Source: Austria (Vienna) and Hungary
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0794818/] (Budapest).
 R.S. Sodhi , the Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative [Image Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/
Milk Marketing Federation (Amul), has been conferred with kerala/watch-un-honours-kerala-health-minister-kk-
Asia Pacific Productivity Champion Award from Asian shailaja/article31937535.ece]
Productivity Organization (APO).
 Cochin International Airport (CIAL) is among the six
 The New York Times has won winners of the global ‘Director General’s Roll of Excellence
Pultizer Prize in the cateegory of Honour’ in Airport Service Quality given by Canada’s
Public Service whereas Indian-origin ‘Airport Council International(ACI). S Suhas is the
journalist Megha Rajagopalan of Managing Director of CIAL.
BuzzFeedNews along with Alison
Killing and Christo Bushchek won  R K Sabharwal has been awarded with the highest civilian
in the category of International award of Mongolia – ‘The Order
Reporting. Pulitzer prize was of Polar Star’. He has got
established in 1917 by Joseph Pulitzer. recongnition for the
establishment of the first ever oil
[Image Source: https://twitter.com/meghara?ref_src= refinery in Mongolia. He is
twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor] currently the chairman and
 Shailesh Govind Ganpule has won NSG Counter-IED Managing Director (CMD) of
and Counter-Terrorism Innovator Award 2021 for ‘Engineers India Limited (EIL).’
developing a “blast-resistant” helmet. He is an assistant He receieved the prize from
professor at the mechanical and industrial engineering Mongolian president, Ukhnaa
department (MIED) at IIT Roorkee. M A Ganapathy is the Khurelsukh.
curent Director-General of NSG. [Image Source: https://twitter.com/EngineersIND/status/
 Land for Life Award presented by ‘United Nations 1408096614779023366/photo/1 ]
Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)’ has been  Journalist Palagummi Sainath has been awarded with the
conferred to Familial Forestry, a unique concept of Fukuoka Grand Prize 2021 of Japan in the Grand Prize
activist Shyam Sunder Jyani that relates a tree with a category. Other categories include
family, making it a green “family member.” Academic Prize and Culture
Prize. Previous Indian winners of
the prize include Professor Romila
Thapar (Academic Prize), Ustad
Amjad Ali Khan (Culture Prize) and
A.R. Rahman (Grand Prize).
[Image Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palagu
mmi _Sainath]

[Image Source: https://www.unccd.int/news-events/2021-
land-life-award-winner-familial-forestry ]
 Sumitra Mitra, an Indian-American chemist has been
honoured with the European Inventor Award 2021 in
the ‘Non-European Patent Office countries’ category. The
other laureates of the European Inventor Award 2021 are as
follows:
 Per Gisle Djupesland (Norway) in the 'industry' category
 Robert N Grass and Wendelin Stark (Austria/
Switzerland) in research category
 Henrik Lindström and Giovanni Fili (Sweden) in small
and medium-sized enterprises category
 Karl Leo (Germany) in the 'lifetime achievement' category.
OBITUARIES
 T.M. Kalliannan Gounder (10 January 1921 – 28 May
2021), former freedom fighter and also the last member of
the Constituent Assembly passed away.
 Dingko Singh, former boxing player
passed away due to cancer. Dingko
was from Manipur. He was 42 years of
age. He won the gold medal for India
in the 1998 Asian Games held at
Bangkok, Thailand. He receieved
Arjuna Award in 1998 and the
Padma Shri in 2013.
[Image Source:
https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/conte
nt/ padma-shri-awarded-naval-boxer-
ngangom-dingko-singh-mcpo-std-i]
 Gottfried Bohm, the first German architect to be awarded  Global Day of Parents was observed by United Nations on
the Pritzker Prize, has passed away at 101. His work June 1. Designated by the UN General Assembly in 2012,
includes few notable projects in Germany such as Neviges Global Day of Parents provides an opportunity to appreciate
Pilgrimage Church (1968), Bensberger City Hall (1969), and all parents for their "selfless commitment to children and
the Museum of the Diocese (1975).The international prize, their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship."40
which is awarded each year to a living architect/s for
significant achievement, was established by the Pritzker  World Enviornment Day was celebrated on June 5. The
family of Chicago through their Hyatt Foundation in theme of this year is ‘Ecosystem Restoration:
1979. It is granted annually and is often referred to as Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.’ Pakistan is the global
“architecture’s Nobel” and “the profession’s highest honor.”38 host for the day to highlight the importance of ecosystem
restoration this year. World Environment Day was launched
 Former Indian athelete Milkha Singh (Flying Sikh) by United Nations General Assembly in 1972.
passed away due to covid-19 on 18 June. He won gold medals
in 1958 Asian Games 200m and 400m category,in 1958  World Food Safety
Commonwealth Games 400 yards category,in in 1962 Asian Day was observed on
Games 400m and 4*400m relay categories. He also won 7th June. This year’s
silver medal in 1964 Calcutta National theme is “Safe food
Games. He also represented India in today for a healthy
1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, tomorrow”. World
1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and Health Organisation
1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He (WHO) in
was awarded Padma Shri in 1959. His collaboration with the
autobiography, The Race of My Life Food and Agriculture
(co-written with his daughter Sonia Organization (FAO)
Sanwalka), was published in 2013. observed this day first
time in 2019.
[Image Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkha _Singh] [Image Source:
https://www.un.org/e
 First president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda passed away .
n/observances/food-
He served from 1964 to 1991 after Zambia attained
safety-day ]
independence from Great Britain in 1964. Lusaka is
Zambia’s capital.  World Oceans Day was observed on June 8 to raise
awareness about protecting oceans. The theme for 2025 is
“The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods”. The purpose of the
IMPORTANT DAYS Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on
the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the
 World Milk Day was observed on June 1. It was ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a
established by Food and Agriculture Organisation project for the sustainable management of the world's
(FAO). The theme for 2021 was “sustainability in the dairy oceans.41
sector with messages on nutrition”. India stands at top in  World Day Against Child Labour was observed on 12th
production of milk and dairy products. FAO is situated at June by Internation Labour Organisation (ILO). The
Lazio, Rome, Italy. theme of this
 World Bicycle Day was observed on June 3. It is year is Act
supported by 56 nations across the world. World Bicycle Day now: End
draws attention to the benefits of using the bicycle — a child labour!.
simple, affordable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable ILO is situated
means of transportation.39 at Geneva,
Switzerland.ILO
was founded in
the year 1919
and Guy
Ryder is the
current Director-General of ILO.
[Image Source: https://www.ilo.org/ipec/
Campaignandadvocacy/wdacl/lang--en/index.htm ]
 International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) was
observed on 13 June with the theme Strength Beyond All
Odds. Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically
inherited difference present at birth. In almost all types of
[Image Source: https://www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle- albinism, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed
day ] on, even if they do not have albinism themselves.42

38 40 https://www.un.org/en/observances/parents-day
https://www.pritzkerprize.com/about
41 https://www.un.org/en/observances/oceans-day
39 https://www.un.org/en/observances/bicycle-day
42 https://www.un.org/en/observances/albinism-day
 World Blood Donor Day was observed on June 14 by
World health Oragnisation (WHO) . The slogan of 2021 will
be “Give blood and keep the world beating”. The host
country for 2021 is Italy. World Blood Donor Day is
celebrated on 14th June to mark birthday anniversary of
Karl Landsteiner who was born on June 14, 1868 and was
awarded with Nobel Prize for his discovery of ABO blood
group system.
 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
was observed on June 17 by United Nations (UN). Restoring
degraded land brings economic resilience, creates jobs, raises
incomes and increases food security. It helps biodiversity to
recover.43 The theme of 2021 is “Restoration, Land,
Recovery”.
[Image Source: https://www.un.org/en/observances/
desertification-day ]
 International Day of Yoga was
observed on 21 June. The theme of
2021 was “Yoga for wellness”.
Yoga day was first recognised by UN
in the year 2015.
[Image Source:
https://www.un.org/en/observances
/yoga-day ]
 National Reading Day was obsreved by Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE) on June 19. This day is the
death anniversary of lat P.N. Panicker, who started Library
Movemnent in Kerala. This day was first observed in the year
1996.
 World Refugee Day was observed on June 20 by United
Nations. This year the theme for World Refugee Day is
‘Together we heal, learn and shine’.A refugee is
someone who fled his or her home and country owing to “a
well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race,
religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group,
or political opinion”, according to the United Nations 1951
Refugee Convention.44
 World Humanist Day was observed on 21 June by the
‘International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU)’. This is
being observed since 1980. This day is an opportunity for
humanists all around the world to publicise the positive
values of humanism and to share the global concerns of the
humanist movement.45
43 https://www.un.org/en/observances/desertification-day
44 https://www.un.org/en/observances/refugee-day
45 https://humanists.international/what-is-humanism/world-
humanist-day/
 Interntional Olympic Day was observed on June 23 by
International Olympic Committee (IOC). The theme for 2021
is “Stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the
#OlympicDay workout on 23 June.” IOC is situated at
Lausanne, Switzerland. Thomas Bach is the current
president of IOC.
[Image Source: https://olympics.com/ioc/overview]
 United Nations Public Service Day was observed on 23
June. It was first observed on 20 December, 2002 by the
UN General Assembly. The theme of 2021 is “Innovating
the Future Public Service: New Government Models
for a New Era to Reach the SDGs”. UN Public Service
Day celebrates the value and virtue of public service to the
community; highlights the contribution of public service in
the development process; recognizes the work of public
servants, and encourages young people to pursue careers in
the public sector.46
 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit
Trafficking was observed globally on 26th June. It was first
observed in the year 1987 to strengthen action and
cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society
free of drug abuse.47 The theme of 2021 is -
#ShareFactsonDrugs #SaveLives.
 National Statictics Day was celebrated on 29 June. It
was first celebrated on 29 June, 2007, which is the birth
anniversary of Late Professor Prasanta Chandra
Mahalanobis. He founded the Indian Statistical
Institute (ISI) in Kolkata in 1932. Second five-year plan
(1956-1961) was based on his Mahalanobis model.
 International Day of the Tropics was observed on 29
June by United Nations. The Tropics are a region of the
Earth, roughly defined as the area between the Tropic of
Cancer (23.5 degrees N) and the Tropic of Capricorn
(23.5 degrees S).
LEGAL UPDATES
Supreme Court dismisses sedition allegations
against journalist Vinod Dua [Vinod Dua v.
Union of India]
 The allegations of sedition were filed against journalist Vinod
Dua in light of his statements on his youtube show where he
claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using deaths
and terror attacks to gain votes and accused the government
of making false statements about the availiability of PPE kits
and testing facilities in a video streamed on 30th March,
2020.
46 https://www.un.org/en/observances/public-service-day
47 https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-drug-abuse-day
 It was alleged that “…by making such false statements, Mr.
Vinod Dua spread fear amongst the people. This video will
only create a situation of unrest amongst the public which
will result in panic and people not obeying the lockdown to
come out and hoard essentials which is absolutely
unnecessary.…. The rumours were spread with intent to
cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public
or to any section of the public, whereby any person may be
induced to commit an offence against the State or against
the public tranquillity.”
 The Supreme Court while dismissing the allegations notes
that the statements “can at best be termed as expression of
disapprobation of actions of the Government and its
functionaries so that prevailing situation could be addressed
quickly and efficiently”. The statements were not made with
any intention to incite people to cause public disorder by
resorting to violence.
 The Court place reliance on the case of Kedar Nath Singh v.
State of Bihar (1962) where the court had read down Section
124A of the Indian Penal Code (“IPC”) by declaring that only
acts involving intention to create disorder, or disturbance of
law and order or incitement to violence are covered under the
ambit of this provision. The Court further observed that “every
Journalist will be entitled to protection in terms of Kedar
Nath Singh, as every prosecution under Sections 124A and
505 of the IPC must be in strict conformity with the scope and
ambit of said Sections as explained in, and completely in tune
with the law laid down in Kedar Nath Singh”.
 The Court, however, refused the prayer made by Vinod Dua
where he sought the formation of a committee to verify
similar allegations against journalists with the experience of
over 10 years before lodging an FIR against them. The Court
noted that the prayer cannot be granted since that would
amount to the Court encroaching into the legislative domain.
Public Advertisements for Adoption of children
orphaned by Covid declared unlawful [In Re
Contagion of COVID Virus in Children
Protection Homes]
 The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices L
Nageshwar Rao and Aniruddha Bose directed State
government and Union Territories to take action against
NGOs engaged in illegal adoption of children.
 The bench, in the suo motu case, noted that adoption of
affected children should not be allowed in violation of the
terms of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. Inviting people to
adopt orphans is illegal since no child can be adopted without
the involvement of Central Adoption Resource Authority
(“CARA”). The State Governments/Union Territories would
take stern action against any agency or people found to be
involved in this illicit conduct. State governments and union
territories have been directed to ban any NGO from
collecting funds in the names of the affected children by
publicising their identities and encouraging interested
parties to adopt them.
 It was further ordered that the State Governments and Union
Territories ensure that there is no break in education of
children who have been orphaned or lost one parent due to
the Covid pandemic. According to data collected by NCPCR
till June 6, 30,071 children became orphans, lost a parent, or
were abandoned as a result of COVID19 (3,621 orphans, 26,176
have lost one parent and 274 children have been abandoned).
Supreme Court directs framing of guidelines
for granting Ex Gratia compensation to Covid
victims [Reepak Kansal v. Union of India]
 In their writ petitions to the Supreme Court, the petitioners
requested that the Centre and States offer ex-gratia
compensation of Rs. 4 lakh to the family members of
individuals who died as a result of the COVID-19 disease and
its consequences. The petitioners also prayed that the process
for obtaining death certificates for people who died as a
result of COVID be simplified.
 The bench, comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and MR
Shah, noted that the National Disaster Management
Authority (“NDMA”) has a statutory obligation to frame
guidelines for recommending minimum ex gratia assistance
for Covid victims.
 The Court stated that a duty was cast upon NDMA under
Section 12 of the Disaster Management Act which states:
“Guidelines for minimum standards of relief. —The National
Authority shall recommend guidelines for the minimum
standards of relief to be provided to persons affected by
disaster, which shall include,—
(i) the minimum requirements to be provided in the relief
camps in relation to shelter, food, drinking water,
medical cover and sanitation;
(ii) the special provisions to be made for widows and orphans;
(iii) ex gratia assistance on account of loss of life as also
assistance on account of damage to houses and for
restoration of means of livelihood;
(iv) such other relief as may be necessary.”
 The Court rejected the contention of the Union Government
that Section 12 was not a mandatory provision. The Court
laid down that Section 12 uses the word ‘shall’ and hence
concluded that the provision was mandatory. The Union had
argued for reading ‘shall’ in Section 12 as ‘may’.
Supreme Court allows for reservation in
promotion to persons with disabilities [State of
Kerala v. Leesamma Joseph]
 Supreme Court in an appeal from a decision of the Kerala
High Court has held that people with disabilities are entitled
for reservation in promotion also. The judgment was given by
a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R
Subhash Reddy.
 The appeal was filed in the Supreme Court by the state of
Kerala against the decision of the High Court. The Supreme
Court while refusing to reverse the decision of the High Court
said that the decision of the High Court was ‘salutary’.
Karnataka High Court dismissed pleas filed by
Amazon and Flipkart against CCI investigation
[Amazon Seller Services Private Limited v.
Competition Commission of India]
 The writ petition was dismissed by a single bench of Justice
PS Dinesh Kumar, noting the limitations of judicial review
under Article 226 of the Constitution to interfere with a
probe ordered by an expert specialised authority.
 The impugned order was passed by the Competition
Commission of India (“CCI”) in January 2020 under Section
26(1) of the Competition Act directing the Director General
 to examine the allegations against Amazon and Flipkart. The
order was issued in response to a complaint filed by the Delhi
Vyapar Mahasangh (a retailer organisation) alleging that
Amazon and Flipkart were giving preferential treatment to a
select group of vendors by exerting indirect control over their
operations, particularly the launch of smartphones.
 The Court observed that that the said order evinced that the
Commission has looked into the information in detail and
applied its mind.
 Article 226 stipulates that the Court cannot substitute the
views of the adjudicatory body with its views. Judicial review
is not over the decision but over the decision making process.
In this regard it was noted:
"..in a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the
Constitution of India, seeking judicial review, the High
Court can examine only the decision making process with
the exception namely the cases involving violation of
fundamental human rights. The law on the point is fairly
well settled".
Madras High Court issues guidelines against
police harassment of members of the
LGBTQIA+ community [S. Sushma & Anr v.
Commissioner of Police & Ors.]
 A single bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh issued a slew of
guidelines to ensure that members of the LGBTQIA+
community are not harassed by police in missing complaints
lodged by their parents in an important decision upholding
the rights of members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
 After hearing the writ petition filed by two lesbian women
against police harassment following interim
guidelines/directions were passed by the High Court:
“A. The police, on receipt of any complaint regarding
girl/woman/man missing cases which upon
enquiry/investigation is found to involve consenting
adults belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community, shall
upon receipt of their statements, close the complaint
without subjecting them to any harassment.
B. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MSJE),
has to enlist Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
including community-based groups which have sufficient
expertise in handling the issues faced by the LGBTQIA+
community. The list of such NGOs along with the
address, contact details, and services provided shall be
published and revised periodically on the official website.
Such details shall be published within 8 weeks from the
date of receipt of copy of this order.
C. Any person who faces an issue for the reason of their
belongingness to the LGBTQIA+ community may
approach any of the enlisted NGOs for safeguarding and
protecting their rights
D. The concerned NGO in consultation with the MSJE, shall
maintain confidential records of such persons who
approach the enlisted NGOs and the aggregate data shall
be provided to the concerned Ministry bi-annually.
E. Such problems shall be addressed with the best-suited
method depending on the facts and circumstances of
each case be it counselling, monetary support, legal
assistance with the support of District Legal Services
Authority, or to co-ordinate with law enforcement
agencies about offenses committed against any persons
belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
F. With specificity of issue of accommodation, suitable
changes are to be made in existing short stay homes,
Anganwadi shelters, and “garima greh” (a shelter home
for transgender persons, the purpose of which is to
provide shelter to transgender persons, with basic
amenities like shelter, food, medical care and
recreational facilities. Besides, it will provide support for
capacity-building/skill development of persons in the
community, which will enable them to lead a life of
dignity and respect) to accommodate any and every
member of the LGBTQIA+ community, who require
shelters and/or homes. The MSJE shall make adequate
infrastructural arrangements in this regard, within a
period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this
order.
G. Such other measures that are needed for eliminating
prejudices against the LGBTQIA+ community, and
channelizing them back into the mainstream shall also be
taken up. The Union and State Governments
respectively, in consultation with such other Ministries
and/or Departments shall endeavour to device such
measures and policies.
H. For the sake of creating awareness, this Court suggests
following sensitization programs to be conducted by the
concerned Ministry of the Union/State Government(s).”
(The judgment lists out an indicative list of such
sensitization programs).
 The Court also ordered the state to take steps to prohibit
physical and health professionals from attempting to
medically “cure” or change the sexual orientation of members
of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Court ordered that any
professional involved in any form or method of conversion
“therapy” must face disciplinary action, including the loss of
their license to practice.
Accused Ex-police officer in George Floyd
Murder sentenced to 22.5 years in prison
 Judge Peter A. Cahill of Hennepin County District Court
sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin
to 22 and a half years (270 months) in prison for the murder
of African American George Floyd.
 Last year, on May 25th, George Floyd was murdered while
being arrested by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for
allegedly using counterfeit money at a grocery store. Floyd
died as a result of asphyxiation, which was caused by Derek
Chauvin, a white police officer, pressing his knee to Floyd's
neck for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd repeatedly saying,
“I can't breathe”.
 While the prosecutors argued that Chauvin be given a 30-
year sentence, the Judge imposed on him a sentence of 22
and a half years (270 months) in prison. He is eligible for
parole only after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about
15 years (with good behavior).
 Importantly, Minnesota sentencing guidelines mandate a 12
1/2 years of sentence in prison, however, concurring with
prosecutors, Judge Peter Cahill said that there were
aggravating circumstances which could justify a heavier
punishment — among them, that Chauvin treated Floyd with
particular cruelty, abused his position of authority as a police
officer and did it in front of children.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Passage 1: Moscow's defence ministry said a patrol ship fired
warning shots and a jet dropped bombs in the path of HMS
Defender as it sailed some 12 miles (19km) off Crimea's coast.
The UK government rejected Russia's account of the incident
and denied that any warning shots had been fired.
A BBC correspondent on the warship said it was harassed by
Russia's military.
Aircraft could be heard overhead as BBC defence correspondent
Jonathan Beale filed a report from the deck of HMS Defender in
the Black Sea as it sailed to Georgia. He described hostile
warnings over the radio as the warship's crew prepared for a
possible confrontation.
Our correspondent, who had been invited on board the ship
before the incident happened, saw more than 20 aircraft
overhead and two Russian coastguard boats which at times were
just 100m (328ft) away.
This is at odds with statements from both the British prime
minister's office and defence ministry, which denied any
confrontation.
[Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57583363]
1. Who was elected as the first President of Ukraine post its
independence in 1991?
a. Arseniy Yatsenyuk
b. Victor Yanukovych
c. Leonid Kravchuk
d. Vladimir Vasilyevich Shcherbitsky
2. On June 28, 2021, Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation (NATO) launched which
includes dozens of warships and was staunchly opposed by
Russia.
a. Black Sea Drills b. Mediterranean Sea Drills
c. Caspian Sea Drills d. Cape Dezhnev Drills
3. Recently the Russians fired warning shots against the
encroachment of a British Destrooyer off the coast of
Crimea. The British Destroyer was called?
a. HMS Defender b. USS Aaron Ward
c. HMS Acasta d. USS Abbot
4. Russia was ousted from the Group of Eight turning it into
the Group of Seven in the year?
a. 1991 b. 2008
c. 2011 d. 2014
5. Who was the chairperson of the 47th G7 summit held on
June 9, 2021?
a. Boris Johnson b. Joe Biden
c. Mario Draghi d. Emmanuel Macron
Passage 2: The construction work for unit 5 of the Kudankulam
Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) began Tuesday with the first
pouring of concrete into the foundation plate of the reactor
building.
The flagship Indo-Russian project altogether envisages six units,
each with a capacity of 1,000 MW, of which two are already
active.
Weighing in on the first pour, Russian Ambassador to India
Nikolay Kudashev said it was “one of the significant moments in
the Russia-India energy cooperation”.
India and Russia’s agreement on nuclear power envisions
building as many as 12 nuclear plants by 2035.
Nuclear energy is clean in nature — with none of the adverse
impacts linked to fossil fuels — but associated with potential
health hazards because of the radioactive waste generated.
However, advocates of the technology note that the chance of an
accident — and thus a leak — is low, and that the impact on
people can be avoided.
[Source: https://theprint.in/theprint-essential/work-starts-on-
5th-unit-of-kudankulam-nuclear-plant-a-major-milestone-for-
power-sector/686886/]
6. Which of the following Nuclear Power companies is helping
in the development of the 5th unit of the Kudankulam
Nuclear power Plant?
a. Rosatom b. Enel
c. Framatome d. Nukem Energy
7. Which of the following is Asia’s first nuclear reactor?
a. Apsara Research Reactor
b. Kundankulam I Reactor
c. Tarapur Atomic Power Reactor
d. Kakrapur Reactor
8. In 2011, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed with the
Supreme Court, requesting that nuclear power development
be postponed until safety issues could be independently
examined. What of the following was the petitioner in this
PIL?
a. MC Mehta b. G. Sundarrajan
c. Sunita Narain d. Sunderlal Bahuguna
9. On November 20, 1988, the Prime Minister of India, Rajiv
Gandhi, and the Soviet head of state, , signed
an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for the building of
two reactors.
a. Mikhael Gorbachev b. Alexei Navalny
c. Recep Tayyip Erdogan d. Georgy Malenkov
10. The first nuclear explosion/test was undertaken by India in
May 1974 and the test was named
a. Operation Vijay
b. Operation Smiling Buddha
c. Operation Polo
d. Operation Parmanu
Passage 3: Famous for its sandy beaches, crystal-blue waters
and stunning coral reefs, Lakshadweep is described as "paradise
islands" or "emerald islands" in tourist brochures and is rarely
ever in the news.
But in recent weeks, angry islanders have made headlines with
their protests against what they say is "an attack on our identity,
culture, religion and land".
At the centre of the row is the region's newly-appointed
government administrator Praful Khoda Patel, a number of
controversial proposals he plans to implement, a surge in Covid-
19 cases - and a sedition case against a popular model, actress
and filmmaker.
On Monday residents held a "black day" - they flew black flags
from rooftops and poles and wore black clothes and face masks.
And last week, reports said "the entire population" had
participated in a day-long fast.
Photographs show protesters in their homes, on rooftops and
even underwater, holding placards, demanding "justice".
[Source: https://bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57497446]
11. Which of the following laws was not recently introduced in 24. Deepika Kumari won 3 gold medals in Paris this year. She is
the Lakshadweep islands? related to which sport?
a. Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 a) Badminton b) Long Jump
b. Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation 2021
c) Archery d) Cricket
c. Lakshadweep Panchayat Regulation 2021
d. Lakshadweep Cooperative Societies Regulation 2021 25. Who has recently been awarded with the Fukuoka Grand
Prize 2021 of Japan in the Grand Prize category?
12. Which of the following Union Territories are not under the
administration of Praful Patel? a) Romila Thapar
b) Palagummi Sainath
a. Lakshadweep c) A.R. Rahman
b. Daman and Diu
d) Praveen Sinha
c. Dadra and Nagar Haveli
d. Andaman and Nicobar Islands 26. Which country has the world’s most expensive city for
foreign workers?
13. When was Lakshadweep recognized as a Union Territory?
a) Afghanistan b) Uzbekistan
a. 1950 b. 1956 c) Turkmenistan d) Mongolia
c. 1972 d. 1984
27. Which is the costliest city to live in India, according to a
14. Which of the following languages is primarily spoken in recent survey by Mercer?
Lakshadweep?
a) Delhi b) Pune
a. Kannada b. Tamil
c) Lucknow d) Mumbai
c. Malayalam d. Telugu
28. Agni P Prime is a -
15. Lakshadweep is a -island archipelago in the Arabian Sea.
a) Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile
a. 32 b. 36 b) Nuclear Capable Cruise Missile
c. 38 d. 40 c) Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL)
16. Which of the following Indian player won the gold medal at d) Nuclear Capable war tank
ISSF shooting World Cup, in 25m pistol category, held at 29. Who has been awarded with the highest civilian award of
Osijek, Croatia? Mongolia – ‘The Order of Polar Star’?
a) Manu Bhaker b) Hima Das a) Palagummi Sainath b) RK Sabharwal
c) Viswanathan Anand d) Rahi Sarnobat c) Praveen Sinha d) Ukhnaa Khurelsukh
17. International Solar Alliance is headquartered at 30. Who is currently acting as the Central Vigilance Commissioner
a) Gurugram b) Noida (CVC)?
c) Delhi d) Lucknow a) Ukhnaa Khurelsukh
18. The best judge is one who is less known and seen in the b) Nittoor Srinivasa Rau
media c) Suresh N Patel
a) Lord Alfred Denning d) Shri K. Santhanam
b) Lord Wellesley 31. Which state was ranked best performing state in the Smart
c) Thomas Babington Macaulay Cities Award announced by the Union Government?
d) Lord William Bentinck a) Madhya Pradesh b) Uttar Pradesh
19. Which of the following space agency is sending the first ever c) Bihar d) Tamil Nadu
disabled astronaut? 32. International Day of the Tropics was observed on?
a) ESA b) ISRO a) July 10 b) July 1
c) JAXA d) NASA c) June 29 d) June 30
20. NATRAX- the High-Speed Track(HST) was recently 33. Which of the following books is being published by Ruskin
launched by Minster of Heavy Industries, in which of the Bond recently?
following cities?
a) ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ b) ‘It’s a great Life’
a) Indore b) Bhopal c) Life is wonderful d) ‘It’s a beautiful Life’
c) Gwalior d) Gurugram
34. Nikol Pashinyan has been elected as the new president of
21. “ITAT e-dwar” is related to which of the following - which of the following countries?
a) Income tax e-filing b) Environment portal a) Haiti b) Ethiopia
c) ICT related queries portal d) None of the above c) Armenia d) Argentina
22. “Policymaker’s Journal: From New Delhi to Washington, 35. Which of the following schemes for covid orphans has been
DC” has been authored by launched by Odisha?
a) Prakash Javdekar b) Narendra Singh Tomar a) Ashirbad b) PENCIL
c) Kaushik Basu d) Raghuram Rajan c) CM cares for Children d) PRASAD
23. National Statistics Day, celebrated on June 29, is celebrated 36. World’s first GM rubber plant has been planted in which
on the Birth aniversary of state?
a) Nehru b) Gandhi a) Maharashtra b) Assam
c) Ambedkar d) Mahalnobis c) Kerala d) Tamil Nadu
 37. What is the theme for UN Public Service Day 2021, observed 48. Amphotericin B, called as AmB, used to treat fungal
on June 23rd? infections, has been developed by which of the following?
a) “Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government a) Bharat Biotech b) IIT Hyderabad
Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs” c) IIT Madras d) AIIMS, Delhi
b) “Innovating the Future Service: New Government
Models for better SDG relocation” 49. ‘Stargazing: The Players in My Life’ is a book authored by
c) “New Era to Reach the SDGs” a) Kapil Dev b) Ravi Shastri
d) How to reach SDG goals by 2030 c) Saurav Ganguly d) Kathryn Bryce
38. Laurel Hubbard, who will be the first transgender athlete to 50. World Oceans Day is observed on
compete at an Olympic games, hails from which of the a) June 8 b) June 10
following countries? c) June 20 d) July 1
a) India b) UK
c) USA d) New Zealand ANSWER KEY
39. Karim Khan has been recently appointed as the chief
prosecutor of
1. C 2. A 3. A 4. D 5. A
a) UN Court
b) International Criminal Court 6. A 7. A 8. B 9. A 10. B
c) International Court of Justice 11. D 12. D 13. B 14. C 15. B
d) None of the above 16. D 17. A 18. A 19. A 20. A
40. ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis’ is a 21. A 22. C 23. D 24. C 25. B
book written by? 26. C 27. D 28. A 29. B 30. C
a) Amitav Ghosh b) Laurel Hubbard 31. B 32. C 33. A 34. C 35. A
c) John Murray d) Montek Singh
36. B 37. A 38. D 39. B 40. A
41. Arrange the following in ascending order of TOP 3 livable
cities of India, in the recently published Ease of Living Index 41. B 42. C 43. C 44. A 45. C
2020, released by the Centre for Science and Environment 46. C 47. A 48. B 49. B 50. A
(CSE).
a) Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru
b) Shimla, Chennai, Bengaluru
c) Shimla, Bhubaneshwar, Bengaluru
d) Chennai, Shimla, Bengaluru
42. PN Paniker is known for
a) Starting the Quit India Movement
b) For opposing Simon Commission
c) Starting library movement in Kerala
d) Individual satyagraha in Kerala
43. Which of the following states have decided to set up a Vedic
Education and Sanskar Board?
a) MP b) Gujarat
c) Rajasthan d) Bihar
44. The Race of My Life is a book by
a) Late Milkha Singh b) Javed Akhtar
c) Dilip Kumar d) Vijay Gokhale
45. 15th edition of Global Peace Index (GPI) as announced by
‘Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Sydney was
announced recently. India ranked 135th position. Which
country is the least peaceful country according to the survey?
a) Mongolia b) China
c) Afghanistan d) Turkmenistan
46. Finland has topped the Sustainable Development Report
prepared by UN Sustainable Development Solution Network
(SDSN). India was ranked out of 165 countries?
a) 10th b) 100th
c) 120 d) 150
47. Jardalu mangoes have been awarded the GI tag recently.
Which state do they belong to?
a) Bihar b) Gujarat
c) MP d) Rajasthan