CROSSWORD APRIL 2024 English - 35242076 - 2024 - 05 - 10 - 19 - 49

PREFACE
Welcome to the April 2024 Month Edition of our Crossword Current Affairs Magazine
designed specifically for Bank Exams. Current Affairs play a significant role in bank
exams. Bank exams, such as the IBPS, SBI and RBI exams have a section dedicated to
Current Affairs which covers Current Events and Developments that have occurred
recently.
The current affairs section carries a significant weightage in bank exams, and scoring
well in this section can significantly increase your overall score. Current affairs help
you stay updated on the latest trends, policies, and regulations in the banking
industry.
Staying updated with current affairs is crucial for success in bank exams, as it can
help you score well, make informed decisions and improve your general knowledge.
In this edition, we bring you a detailed analysis of the current affairs of the April 2024,
covering a wide range of topics, including national and international news, banking &
economic developments, sports, science and technology, and much more. We have
carefully curated the content to ensure that you get the most relevant and up-to-date
information.
We have also included exam relevant practice questions and quizzes to test your
knowledge and help you assess your preparation.
We are confident that this edition of our Current Affairs Magazine will prove to be a
valuable asset for your exam preparation and help you achieve your career goals. We
wish you all the best for your upcoming bank exams and hope that this magazine will
prove to be an essential tool in your success.
Happy reading!
CROSSWORD CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE
A Message
for Students from the Desk
of Kapil Kathpal
Dear Students,
As you stand on the brink of a new year filled with possibilities, I want to
remind you of the incredible potential that lies within each of you. The year
2024 is not just another chapter; it's an opportunity for you to write a
success story that will shape your future. I believe in your ability to not only
face challenges but to conquer them.
Banking Exams you're preparing for is not just a test of knowledge; it's a
journey that will reveal your grit, determination, and resilience. Remember,
success is not just about reaching the destination; it's about the lessons
learned and the growth achieved along the way.
Please keep in mind always:

1. Believe in Yourself: You've come this far, and that's a testament to your
capabilities. Trust in your hard work and dedication. Believe that you
have the strength to overcome any obstacle.
2. Consistency is Key: Success is the result of small, consistent efforts over
time. Stay disciplined in your studies, and don't underestimate the
power of daily progress. Every step forward counts.
3. Learn from Setbacks: Challenges and setbacks are inevitable, but they
are not roadblocks; they are opportunities to learn and grow. Use them
as stepping stones towards your goals.
4. Visualize Your Success: Envision yourself succeeding in the exam.
Imagine the sense of accomplishment and the doors that will open for
you. Positive visualization can be a powerful motivator.
5. Take Care of Yourself: Remember that a healthy body and mind are
essential for peak performance. Prioritize self-care, get enough rest, and
indulge in activities that rejuvenate your spirit.
6. Support System Matters: Surround yourself with positive influences.
Seek support from friends, family, and mentors who believe in your
potential. A strong support system can make a significant difference.
Remember, success is not a destination; it's a continuous journey. Embrace

the challenges, stay focused, and give it your best shot. The year 2024 holds
the promise of greatness for you, and I am confident that you have what it
takes to crack the Banking exam.
Wishing you all the best in your preparations. Go out there and make 2024
your year of triumph!
Believe. Achieve. Succeed.

Stay Up-To-Date
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CROSSWORD
Table of
Contents Pg.
Appointments & Resignations 1
Awards & Recognition 11
Banking & Insurance 20
Books & Authors 46
Brand Ambassadors 49
Defence News 51
Festivals 57
GDP Forecast 59
Important Days 61
International News 75
MOU's & Partnership 93
National News 107
Obituaries 132
Reports & Indices 137
Science & Technology 145
Sports 147
State / UT News 159
Visits, Meetings & Summits 160
Current Affairs Cracker SHOTS 164
Static Awareness 179
Current Affairs MCQs 189
Appointments &
Resignations
World Economic Forum names Nykaa’s
Adwaita Nayar as a 2024 Young Global Pavan Davuluri Appointed to Lead
Leader Microsoft’s Windows and Surface Teams
Microsoft has named Pavan Davuluri as the new head

The World Economic Forum has named Adwaita of its combined Windows and Surface teams. This
Nayar, the co-founder of Nykaa and CEO of Nykaa move comes after the previous leader, Panos Panay,
Fashion, as a ‘2024 Young Global Leader’. left for Amazon last year.
The World Economic Forum’s Forum of Young Global Davuluri is a 23-year veteran at Microsoft and has held
Leaders celebrates individuals under the age of 40 various leadership roles spanning PC, Xbox, Surface,
who are making a significant impact in their and Windows. Most recently, he oversaw efforts to
respective fields. optimize Windows for Arm-based processors as the
She has worked alongside her mother, Falguni Nayar, Corporate Vice President of Windows and Silicon &
the founder of Nykaa, and has played a pivotal role in Systems Integration.
the company’s growth and success.
Nidhu Saxena Appointed as MD & CEO of

Indian Expert Kamal Kishore to Lead UN’s
Bank of Maharashtra
Disaster Risk Reduction Efforts
The central government has approved the

appointment of Nidhu Saxena as the Managing
The United Nations Secretary-General António
Director & Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of the
Guterres has appointed Kamal Kishore of India as the
Bank of Maharashtra. This appointment will be
new Assistant Secretary-General and Special
effective for a period of three years starting from 27
Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster
March 2024.
Risk Reduction. He will lead the United Nations Office
Nidhu Saxena will take over the top leadership role at
for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
the Bank of Maharashtra from A.S. Rajeev, who has
Mr. Kishore will succeed Mami Mizutori of Japan
been selected as the Vigilance Commissioner in the
Currently, Mr. Kishore is the Head of the National
Central Vigilance Commission.
Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in India, a
position he has held since 2015. During India’s
presidency of the Group of 20 (G20), he led the G20
Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction. He also Joyshree Das Verma Becomes New
contributed to the development of the Coalition for
President of FICCI Ladies Organisation
Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, launched by the
Indian Prime Minister in 2019.
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Lieutenant General JS Sidana has taken over as the
33rd Director General of the Department of Electronics
and Mechanical Engineers (DGEME) and Senior
Colonel Commandant of the EME Corps
Rajeev Singhal Appointed as MD of Tata

Joyshree Das Verma has taken over as the 41st National International Limited
President of the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) for the
year 2024-25. FLO is the oldest women-led and
women-centric business chamber of South East Asia..
Atul Mehra Joins Axis Capital as MD &

CEO
The Tata International Limited (TIL), the global trading
and distribution arm of Tata Group, appointed Rajeev
Singhal as its Managing Director (MD).
Rajeev Singhal succeeded Anand Sen
Sandeep Jain Steps Into FISME

Axis Capital has appointed Atul Mehra as the new
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer Presidency
(CEO).
Parag Gude as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of
Institutional Equities
Dhaval Desai as Head – Cash Equities
Sanjay Nayar Appointed as New

ASSOCHAM President Sandeep Jain, an auto-component manufacturer and
alumnus of IIT-Kanpur, has been unanimously elected
as the President of the Federation of Indian Micro and
Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) for the year 2024-
25.
Jain takes over the presidency from Prashant Patel
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry

of India (ASSOCHAM), has appointed Sanjay Nayar as
its new President.
Santosh Kumar Jha Appointed as New
Nayar has replaced Ajay Singh, the Co-Founder of CMD of Konkan Railway Corporation
SpiceJet airline
Lt Gen JS Sidana is New Director

General of EME
Santosh Kumar Jha will assume the role of Chairman

and Managing Director (CMD) of the Konkan Railway
Corporation Ltd. (KRCL)

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Dr. Manmohan Singh Retired from Rajya
Sabha
Former Indian track and field athlete Shiny Kurisingal

Abraham Wilson was nominated as a member of the
Athletic Commission of the Asian Athletics Association
(AAA) for four years (2024–2028).
Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India, She was nominated as a member in a virtual meeting
retired from the Rajya Sabha led by the Chairman of the Athletic Commission,
A two-term Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014. Mohammad Suleiman (Qatar).
An economist, academician, bureaucrat, and politician. Shiny Wilson won a silver medal in the women’s 400m
Served as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India race event at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South
from 1982 to 1985. Korea.
Minister of Finance in P.V. Narasimha Rao’s In the same tournament, she won the gold medal in the
government. women’s 4x400m relay event, along with P.T. Usha, M. D.
Credited for introducing significant economic reforms Valsamma, and Vandana Rao.
in India in 1991. In the same tournament, Shiny also won a bronze medal
Article 80 of the Constitution sets the maximum in the women’s 800m race event.
number of Rajya Sabha members at 250. She became the first Indian woman to be the flagbearer
238 members represent states and Union Territories. for the Indian contingent at the 1992 Barcelona
12 members are nominated by the President for their Olympics.
expertise in areas like literature, science, art, and social
service.
Rajya Sabha is a permanent House, and one-third of its Meenesh Shah Elected as Chairman of
members retire every two years.
Members serve for a full term of six years.
NCDFI
Rakesh Mohan Appointed to World Bank

Economic Advisory Panel
The National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd.

(NCDFI), the national-level apex dairy cooperative, has
elected its new Board of Directors. Meenesh Shah
Elected as Chairman of NCDFI.
The World Bank Group has appointed former Reserve Former Judge Najmi Waziri to Head
Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Rakesh Mohan as a Committee for Delhi Forest Protection
member of its Economic Advisory Panel. This panel will
be chaired by Lord Nicholas Stern, the IG Patel
Professor of Economics and Government at the London
School of Economics. World Bank Group Chief
Economist Indermit Gill will co-chair the panel.
The Delhi High Court has appointed former judge Najmi

Shiny Wilson Nominated as a Member of Waziri to lead a committee focused on safeguarding the
Athletic Commission of Asian Athletics forests in the national capital. This decision follows
concerns about various government departments not
Association fully cooperating with efforts to protect these vital
natural resources.

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MCA Appoints Two Part-Time Members to
IBBI Governing Board
The Ministry of Finance has appointed Justice

Pratinidhi Srinivasacharya (PS) Dinesh Kumar, former
Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court as the Presiding
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has appointed
Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) for 4
M.P. Ram Mohan, a Professor at the Indian Institute of
years, or until he attains the age of 70 years.
Management (IIM) Ahmedabad(Gujarat), and
PS Dinesh Kumar succeeds Justice Tarun Agarwala,
Dinabandhu Mohapatra, a Non-Executive Independent
Who served as the Presiding Officer of SAT from
Director at Indiabulls Housing Limited, as part-time
December 2018 to December 2023.
members of the Governing Board of the Insolvency and
Dheeraj Bhatnagar, former Principal Chief
Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI).
Commissioner of Income Tax (Delhi), was appointed as
They will hold the post for a period of 5 years or until
a Technical Member of SAT for 4 years, or until he
they attain the age of 65 or until further orders.
attains the age of 60 years.
At present, IBBI Governing Board has 3 whole-time
Dheeraj Bhatnagar succeeds Justice MT Joshi
members, one Reserve Bank of India (RBI) nominee,
Since December 2023, SAT has been functioning with
and three other ex-officio members from the
just one technical member, Meera Swarup, who joined
Department of Economic Affairs in the Finance
SAT in 2022.
Ministry, the Corporate Affairs Ministry, and the
SAT is a statutory body established under the
Legislative Department, the Department of Legal
provisions of Section 15K of the SEBI Act, 1992.
Affairs in the Ministry of Law and Justice.
SAT hears and disposes of appeals against orders
IBBI is a statutory body established on 1st October,
passed by regulatory bodies like SEBI, the Insurance
2016 in accordance with the provisions of the
Regulatory and Development Authority of India
Insolvency.
(IRDAI), and the Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority (PFRDA).
As per section 15 (L) of the Securities and Exchange
IPS Officer Love Kumar Appointed as IG in Board of India (SEBI) Act, a SAT Bench is supposed to
consist of 3 members:
Special Protection Group
A presiding officer, who will be a retired/sitting judge
of the Supreme Court or High Court; and 2 members –
one judicial and one technical.
The Presiding Officer of SAT shall be appointed by the
Central Government in consultation with the Chief
Justice of India or his nominee.
Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Love Kumar has been Wipro Appoints New CEO Srinivas Pallia
appointed as the Inspector General (IG) in the Special
Protection Group (SPG) for a period of two years
Umesh Chander Datta (IPS) has been appointed as IG
in the SPG for a period of two years
The Special Protection Group (SPG) is a special force in
India responsible for providing security to the Prime
Minister, former Prime Ministers, and their immediate
families.
Wipro has announced the resignation of its CEO,

Thierry Delaporte.
Ministry of Finance appoints Justice PS In his place, the company’s Board of Directors has
Dinesh Kumar as Presiding Officer of SAT appointed Srinivas Pallia as the new Chief Executive
Officer and Managing Director.

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Centre Appoints Manoj Panda as New Air India has appointed Jayaraj Shanmugam, as the
Finance Commission Member Head of Global Airport Operations.
India’s Jagjit Pavadia Re-elected for a

third term to the International Narcotics
Control Board
Manoj Panda, renowned economist and former

director of the Institute of Economic Growth, has been
appointed as a full-time member of the Sixteenth
Finance Commission by the Centre.
Prior to Panda’s appointment, the finance panel
operated with only three full-time members and
Chairperson Arvind Panagariya India’s Jagjit Pavadia was re-elected as a member of
The Sixteenth Finance Commission is expected to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) for
submit its report by October 31, 2025, outlining the third term from 2025 to 2030.
financial recommendations for the upcoming five-year She previously served as a member of INCB for two
period starting from April 1, 2026. terms: 2015–2020 and 2020–2025. She also served as
President of the INCB for 2021–2022.
INCB is the independent and quasi-judicial
monitoring body for the implementation of the
Sushil Sharma Selected as CMD of SJVN United Nations(UN) international drug control
conventions.
Limited
She served as the Narcotics Commissioner of India at
the Central Bureau of Narcotics (2006–2012),
Commissioner of Legal Affairs (2001–2005), and Chief
Vigilance Officer at the Power Finance Corporation
(1996–2001).
The INCB comprises 13 members elected by the UN
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), serving in
their capacity rather than as government
representatives.
Sushil Sharma, Director (Projects), SJVN Limited has Among the 13 members, three with medical,
been selected for the post of Chairman and Managing pharmacological, or pharmaceutical backgrounds are
Director (CMD) of SJVN Limited at a Public Enterprise elected from a list of nominees by the World Health
Selection Board (PESB) selection panel meeting Organization (WHO).
He replaces Mrs. Geeta Kapur, Director (Personnel) of Additionally, 10 members are elected from a list of
SJVN Ltd, who assumed the additional charge of CMD nominees by the respective governments.
on 1st February 2024 after the relieving of Nand Lal
Sharma, the previous CMD of SJVN Ltd.
USISPF appoints Former Revenue

Air India Appoints Jayaraj Shanmugam as Secretary Tarun Bajaj as Chair of US-India
Head of Global Airport Operations Tax Forum

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Tarun Bajaj, Former Revenue and Economic Affairs
Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Government of India,
was appointed as the Chair of the United States (US)-
India Tax Forum of the United States-India Strategic
Partnership Forum (USISPF).
He is also serving as Independent Director on the
board of Hindustan Unilever Limited(HUL) since
December 2023.
He joined as an adviser to the Board of Directors of The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has
USISPF in January 2024. recommended Manoj Mittal for the post of Chairman
USISPF is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to and Managing Director (CMD) of the Small Industries
strengthening partnerships between the United States Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
of America (USA) and India. He is currently serving as MD and Chief Executive
The US-India Tax Forum acts as a platform for firms Officer (CEO) of IFCI Limited (formerly Industrial
doing business in the US-India corridor to engage with Finance Corporation of India).
relevant government officials on tax issues and others. He will replace Sivasubramanian Ramann, who has
been serving as CMD of SIDBI since April 2021.
Manoj Mittal has served as the Deputy MD of SIDBI
from 2016 to 2021.
Harendra Singh Appointed as Coach of FSIB has appointed Sanjay Shukla as the MD of the
Indian Women’s Hockey Team National Housing Bank (NHB)
He is currently serving as the MD&CEO of Centrum
Housing Finance Limited (CHFL).
He will succeed Sarada Kumar Hota, who has been
serving as MD of NHB since 2019.
SC Judge Anirudhha Bose Retired

Former Indian hockey player and Dronacharya
awardee Harendra Singh has been selected by
Hockey India as the coach of the senior national
women’s hockey team. He will replace Janneke
Schopman, a former Dutch hockey player.
Harendra Singh started his coaching career with the
French club HC Lyon’s junior team in 1995.
He was appointed head coach of the Indian men’s
junior team in 2014 and successfully coached them to
win the 2016 men’s Junior World Cup in Lucknow. Justice Anirudhha Bose retired from the Supreme
Hockey India appointed Harendra Singh as the coach Court (SC) of India. He has been serving as the SC
of the senior national women’s team in 2017, and Judge since 2019.
under his guidance, the team won the gold medal at He was appointed as Director of the National Judicial
the 2017 Asia Cup. Academy (NJA) which offers training programmes to
Harendra Singh was later appointed as the coach of aid the judges in their judging role and in
the senior men’s national team in 2018, but a series of
performance of court administration work.
poor performances led to his removal by Hockey India
The CJI is the Chairman of the General Body,
in January 2019.
Governing Council, the Executive Committee, and the
After being removed by Hockey India, Harendra Singh
Academic Council of NJA.
became the head coach of the United States men’s
NJA is an independent society, established in 1993
national hockey team in 2021.
under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
Chairperson– D Y Chandrachud
FSIB selected Manoj Mittal as CMD of SIDBI

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Mary Kom steps down as Chef-de-Mission Senior IPS officer Anurag Kumar has been appointed as
for Paris Olympics the Joint Director in Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI).
Kumar is currently working in the Bureau of Police
Research and Development (BPR&D).
His appointment as the Joint Director (JD) in the CBI
for a tenure upto February 24, 2027.
Senior Bureaucrat Vandita Kaul

Olympic bronze medalist and six times World Appointed as Secretary, Department of
champion boxer C. Mary Kom stepped down as the
Posts
Chef-de-Mission for the Indian contingent at the Paris
Olympics citing “personal reasons”.
Mary, who is also the chairperson of the IOA’s Athletes
Commission, was named as the Chef-de-Mission in
March 2024.
In March 2024, Mary was chosen as the chef de
mission, winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan was named
her deputy.
Senior Bureaucrat Vandita Kaul has been appointed

Sachidananda Mohanty Appointed as as the Secretary of the Department of Posts.
Member University Grants Commission Kaul currently serves as Member (Banking & Direct
Benefit Transfer) of the Postal Services Board.
(UGC)
Central Government Appoints Members of

UGC for 3 year
Sachidananda Mohanty has been appointed as a

Member of the University Grants Commission (UGC)
for a period of three years with immediate effect.
He is a former Professor and Head of the Department
of English, University of Hyderabad.
Ministry of Education has notified the appointment of
He has also served as the Vice-Chancellor of the
Ashish Kumar Chauhan, Managing Director and Chief
Central University of Odisha.
Executive Officer National Stock Exchange (NSE) and
Sridhar Vembu, CEO, Zoho Corporation as members
of the University Grants Commission (UGC) for a
period of 3 years.
Anurag Kumar appointed as Joint Director Professor Shashikala Gulabrao Wanjari, VC of National
in CBI Institute of Educational Planning and
Administration(NIEPA), New Delhi as members of
UGC for tenure of 3 years or till further orders
BharatPe Appoints Nalin Negi as Chief

Executive Officer

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JK Tyre & Industries
MRF
TVS Tyres
Nalin Prabhat Appointed as Director-

General of NSG
BharatPe Appoints Nalin Negi as Chief Executive
Officer
Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

Appointed as Next Chief of the Naval Staff
The appointments committee of the Cabinet has

approved two key appointments in India’s premier
security agencies.
Nalin Prabhat has been appointed as the Director-
General of the National Security Guard (NSG), while
Sapna Tewari has been appointed as the Special
Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The Government of India has appointed Vice Admiral
Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, currently
serving as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, as the next RBI Approves Ajith Kumar KK as Dhanlaxmi
Chief of the Naval Staff with effect from the afternoon
Bank’s MD & CEO Amid Capital Raise
of April 30, 2024.
He will succeed the present Chief of the Naval Staff,
Admiral R Hari Kumar
Arnab Banerjee Elected as New ATMA

Chairman
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) greenlights Ajith
Kumar KK’s appointment as Managing Director & CEO
of Dhanlaxmi Bank
Ajith Kumar KK succeeds J.K. Shivan
Arnab Banerjee, the Managing Director & CEO of CEAT

Keki M Mistry Took Charge as New
Ltd., has been elected as the new Chairman of the Chairman of HDFC Life Insurance
Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA).
ATMA is the national industry body representing the
automotive tyre sector in India.
ATMA has eight large tyre companies as its members,
including a mix of Indian and international tyre majors.
These members account for over 90 percent of the
total tyre production in India.
The member companies of ATMA are:
Apollo Tyres
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of
Bridgestone India
India approves the appointment of Keki M Mistry as
CEAT
the new Chairman of the board of HDFC Life
Continental India
Insurance Company Limited
Goodyear India

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India’s Gita Sabharwal Appointed as UN
The appointment follows the resignation of Deepak
Parekh as the Chairman and Non- Executive Director of
Resident Coordinator in Indonesia
HDFC Life.
Venkatraman Srinivasan took charge as an Additional –
Independent Director of HDFC Life for a term of 5 years.
Santosh Viswanathan appointed India

Region Head of Intel
The United Nations Secretary-General, António
Guterres, has appointed Gita Sabharwal of India as the
new UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia.
Axis Bank Re-appoints Amitabh Chaudhry as

Intel has appointed Santhosh Viswanathan to head the MD & CEO for Three More Years
India region business as its Managing Director (MD).
The company also announced the appointment of a
new SMG leader for the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ)
region. It appointed Hans Chuang as General Manager
(GM) of SMG Asia Pacific and Japan.
Naima Khatoon Becomes First Woman

Vice-Chancellor of AMU Axis Bank’s board has approved the re-appointment of
Amitabh Chaudhry as Managing Director & CEO for
another three years, effective January 2025, subject to
RBI approval.
Alongside Chaudhry, Independent Directors Meena
Ganesh and Gopalaraman Padmanabhan have also
been re-appointed for four years each.
Naima Khatoon Becomes First Woman Vice-Chancellor Arun Alagappan appointed as executive
of AMU
chairman of Coromandel International
Narpat Singh Appointed as Railway

Adviser of India’s High Commission in
Bangladesh
Agricultural solutions major Coromandel International,

has appointed Arun Alagappan as executive chairman
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) of the company.
has approved the appointment of Narpat Singh as the Alagappan has been the executive vice chairman of
Railway Adviser in the High Commission of India in the company since February 2021.
Dhaka, Bangladesh. His appointment comes as A. Vellayan retires from the
He was appointed with diplomatic status as a position of chairman and non-executive director.
Counsellor for a period of three years from the date of
assumption of charge of the post.

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Rabi Sankar Re-appointed RBI Deputy Sunil Kumar Yadav appointed as Director
Governor of MoHUA
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)

Sunil Kumar Yadav has been appointed as Director of
has approved the re-appointment of T. Rabi Sankar as
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for
Yadav is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of
a one-year term, effective from May 3, 2024.
2010-batch.

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Awards &
Recognition
At a glittering event recently held in Noida, organized by
Times Power The Times Group, Vijay Jain, the Managing Director of Star
Icon Award Estate, was awarded the prestigious Times Power Icon 2024
(2024) Award.
International Professor Meena Charanda, Principal of Kalindi College, Delhi

University, has been awarded the prestigious ‘International
Culture Award Culture Award’ for the year 2024. Prof. Charanda received this
(2024) honour in recognition of her remarkable work in the field of
education and social service.
Hockey India Hardik Singh and Salima Tete were named the Players of the
Year for 2023 in the men’s and women’s categories,
Awards respectively, at the sixth annual Hockey India Awards.
(2023) During the event, Hockey India announced the revival of the
Hockey India League (HIL), which will return in January 2025.
The revived league will feature eight men’s teams and six
women’s teams, with auctions likely to be held after the Paris
Olympics.
Hardik Singh, who was also the FIH Player of the Year, received
the Balbir Singh Sr. Trophy and a cash prize of ₹25 lakhs.
Award Winners:
P.R. Sreejesh (Goalkeeper of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
Harmanpreet Singh (Defender of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
Hardik Singh (Midfielder of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
Abhishek (Forward of the Year) – ₹5 lakhs
Deepika Soreng (Women’s U-21 Player of the Year) – ₹10 lakhs

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Araijeet Singh Hundal (Men’s U-21 Player of the Year) – ₹10
lakhs
Salima Tete (Player of the Year, Women) – ₹25 lakhs
Ashok Kumar (Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement
Award) – ₹30 lakhs
SKOCH ESG REC Limited has been bestowed with the SKOCH ESG Award
2024 in the ‘Renewable Energy Financing’ category. The
Award award underscores REC’s dedication to sustainable financing,
(2024) paving the way for a greener future and accelerating the
transition to renewable energy.
National Fame Dr. Karthik Kommuri was felicitated with the Distinguished
Overseas Dental Specialist (Orthodontics and Orofacial Pain)
Awards title at the National Fame Awards 2024
(2024) The National Fame Awards, an initiative by Brands Impact,
aim to recognize exceptional individuals and organizations
that have achieved fame and nationwide popularity. The
awards celebrate inspiring achievements and positive impact
in various fields.
Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital’s research team has been honoured

Best Scientific
with the prestigious ‘Best Scientific Poster Award’ at the 2024
Poster Award Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cataract and
(2024) Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
The research was led by ophthalmologists Prof. Lional Raj and
Prof. David Heber from Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital in
Tirunelveli.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s

John L. “Jack”
Chandrayaan-3 mission team has been awarded the 2024
Swigert, Jr. John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr. Award for Space Exploration by the
Award US-based Space Foundation.
The Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched by ISRO on July 14,
(2024)
2023, was a groundbreaking achievement for India.
The mission consisted of a lander named Vikram and a rover
named Pragyan, and it successfully landed at the unexplored
south pole of the moon on August 23, 2023.
This made India the first country in the world to land a lunar
module at the south pole of the moon.

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The John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr. Award for Space Exploration
was instituted by the Space Foundation in 2004, in memory
of John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr., who was part of NASA’s Apollo 13
mission to the moon.
The mission was aborted due to a leakage in the spacecraft’s
oxygen tank, but Swigert’s quick thinking and problem-
solving skills helped the crew safely return to Earth
A renowned Kannada poet, writer, and an activist Mamta G.

WOW World
Sagar won the WOW World Literary Prize from the World
Literature Prize Organization of Writers (WOW) for her contributions to the
(2024) world of literature. She is a facilitator at the Srishti Manipal
Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, Bengaluru
(Karnataka).
The award ceremony was held as part of the VII World Literary
Festival “WOW-LIFFT- 2024” held in Nigeria, Abuja
“WOW World Literary Prize” was established by the WOW as
the successor to the literary prize “Golden LIffT” (presented
from 2016 to 2023).
The award aims to encourage authors who can make a
significant contribution to world literature.
The WOW Prize accepts works written in Russian, English,
Spanish, and Arabic, and their translations.
On The Spot Unit Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), awarded
‘On the Spot Unit Citation 23-24’ to Indian Naval Ships (INS)
Citation 23-24 Sharda for successful conduct of antipiracy operations.
The ship was involved in the safe release of all 19 crew
members (11 Iranian and 08 Pakistani) of Iranian fishing vessel
Omari which was held hostage by pirates off the East coast of
Somalia
INS Sharda (P55) is a Sukanya class patrol vessel of the Indian
Navy which was commissioned on 27 October 1991.
South Asian The Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu was

honored the ‘South Asian Person of the Year’ by the South
Person of the Asian Association (SAA) at Harvard University, Cambridge,
Year Massachusetts, USA (United States of America).
She was recognised for her achievements and significant
(2024)
impact in both the international and Indian entertainment
industries.
She made her debut as child artist and starred in Telugu films
like Brahmotsavam and Manamantha.
She has first lead role Disney original movie ‘Spin’ (2021) and
later starred in Netflix’s ‘Senior Year’ (2022).
She also made her debut in Indian OTT(Over-the-top) series
‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ (2024).

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American Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni has become the first Indian monk
to be honoured with the American President’s Gold Volunteer
President’s Service award in recognition of his contribution to the public
Volunteer good and humanity.
Acharya Lokesh Muni is the founder of a non-governmental
Award organisation, Ahimsa Vishwa Bharat and the World Peace
(2024) Center in India.
Jain Acharya Lokesh received the Presidential award, a
Certificate of Honour, a Golden Shield, and a citation bearing
the signature of American President Joe Biden.
The American President’s Volunteer Service Award was
established in 2003 during George Bush’s Presidency.
The award is given to individuals who have provided at least
500 hours of voluntary service in the United States and whose
voluntary work has positively impacted communities and
inspired those around them.
John Dirks Dr. Gagandeep Kang, an Indian researcher, has been awarded
the 2024 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for
Gairdner Global her achievements in global health research.
Health Award The Gairdner Foundation announced its 2024 Canada
Gairdner Award winners, recognizing some of the world’s
(2024)
most significant biomedical and global health research and
discoveries.
The Foundation awarded Dr. Kang “for extensive cohort-based
epidemiological, environmental and clinical trial research on
enteric diseases in children and their effects on life course,
with significant impact on vaccine development and health
policy in India and internationally.”
2023 ACM A.M. The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has named
Israeli mathematician and computer scientist Avi Wigderson
Turing Award as the recipient of the 2023 ACM A.M. Turing Award, which is
often called the “Nobel Prize of Computing”.
He was recognised for foundational contributions to the
theory of computation, including reshaping the
understanding of randomness in computation and
mathematics, and for his intellectual leadership in theoretical
computer science.
In 2021, he received the Abel Prize, an important honor for
lifetime achievements in the field of mathematics. He shared
the award with László Lovász of Hungary.
The award was named after Alan M. Turing, a British
mathematician who is considered the father of modern
computer science.
The award carries a cash prize of USD 1 million.
The award recognises significant contributions to the
computing field since its establishment in 1966.

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Gallantry, Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff
(CNS), presided over a Naval Investiture Ceremony at INS
Distinguished Hansa (Indian navy’s air station), Goa, presenting Gallantry and
Service Awards Distinguished Service awards to Naval personnel on behalf of
President of India Droupadi Murmu.
(2024)
35 personnel received awards recognizing bravery, leadership,
professional achievements, and distinguished service.
The CNS Trophy for Best Green Practices 2023 was awarded to
Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, Maharashtra and INS (Indian Naval
Ship) Valsura.
The CNS also presented the Lt VK Jain Memorial Gold Medal
2024 to Shubham Hira for pioneering research in weapon
improvement and electrical engineering and the Capt Ravi
Dhir Memorial Gold Medal 2024 awarded to Tabsheer Ahmed
Wani for promoting flight safety.
Honorary Vels University in Chennai conferred an honorary doctorate in

literature upon renowned Indian actor Ram Charan.
Doctorate in From his debut in the 2007 film “Chirutha” to his more recent
Literature acclaimed performances in movies like “Rangasthalam” and
“RRR,” Charan has consistently showcased his exceptional
(2024)
acting prowess and versatility.
Lata Deenanath The prestigious Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award will be

presented to the esteemed Hindi cinema actor, Amitabh
Mangeshkar Bachchan, this year. This honour, bestowed by the Master
Award Deenanath Mangeshkar Smriti Pratisthan Public Charitable
Trust and the Mangeshkar family, serves as a testament to
(2024)
Bachchan’s exceptional contributions to the world of Indian
cinema over the span of his illustrious five-and-a-half-decade
career.
Alongside Amitabh Bachchan, the Lata Deenanath
Mangeshkar Award will also be presented to a roster of
esteemed artists and professionals who have left an indelible
mark on their respective fields.
Composer A.R. Rahman, renowned for his groundbreaking
music, will be recognized for his outstanding contributions to
Indian music. Actress Padmini Kolhapure, celebrated for her
remarkable performances in cinema, will be honored for her
services to the industry. Roop Kumar Rathore, the acclaimed
singer, will be awarded for his invaluable contributions to the
world of music.

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Furthermore, actor Randeep Hooda will receive a special
award for his exemplary work as both a film producer and a
leading actor. Marathi actor Ashok Saraf and Atul Parchure
will also be recognized for their outstanding achievements in
the realm of entertainment.
13th European The 13th edition of the prestigious European Girls’

Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) took place in Tskaltubo,
Girls’ Georgia
Mathematical The 4-member Indian team clinched a total of four medals,
including two silver and two bronze, in the 13th EGMO 2024.
Olympiad The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) – Homi
(2024) Bhabha Center for Science Education (HBCSE) serves as India’s
nodal center for Olympiad programs in various disciplines,
including Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology,
Astronomy, and Junior Science. With structured training
through the EGMO Training Camp (EGMOTC) and continuous
support from the National Board of Higher Mathematics
(Department of Atomic Energy)
Skytrax Award GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has been
honored with the ‘Best Airport Staff in India & South Asia 2024’
(2024)
award by Skytrax.
The announcement took place during the Passenger Terminal
EXPO 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany
ASI’s Aryabhata Pavuluri Subba Rao, former ISRO scientist and Founder and
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Ananth Technologies
Award Limited(ATL) has been conferred the prestigious Aryabhata
(2024) Award by the Astronautical Society of India (ASI). He was also
presented with the “Distinguished Fellow” title by ASI.
The recipient of the award receives a citation and cash prize of
Rs 1,00,000.
Asunta Lakra Deepika Soreng, player of the India Women’s Hockey Team,
has been honoured with the prestigious Hockey India Asunta
Award Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year during the
(2024) Hockey India 6th Annual Awards 2023.
The Asunta Lakra Award is a testament to Hockey India’s
commitment to nurturing and recognizing emerging talents
within the sport.

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International Kaushik Rajashekara, a distinguished professor at the
University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering, has
Fellowship been elected as an International Fellow of the prestigious
(2024) Engineering Academy of Japan.
This honour recognizes his outstanding contributions to the
field of power conversion and the electrification of
transportation.
In 2022, Rajashekara received the prestigious Global Energy
Prize, considered the most coveted prize in the field of
international energy.
Skytrax World 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, held at Passenger

Terminal EXPO in Frankfurt, Germany
Airport Awards Skytrax is the London, United Kingdom (UK)- based
(2024) international aviation research organisation.
The World Airport Awards began in 1999, when Skytrax
launched its first global, Airport customer satisfaction survey.
They are regarded as a quality benchmark for the world
airport industry, assessing customer service and facilities
across over 570 airports.
It is often referred to as “the Oscars of the aviation industry”.
KIA in Bengaluru, Karnataka has been recognised as the Best
Regional Airport in India and South Asia and moved up to 59
from 69 in 2023.
KIA’s Terminal 2 secured the 2nd position globally as the
World’s Best New Airport Terminal. Terminal 2, operational
since 2023, has garnered numerous awards, including: The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) Prix Versailles World’s Most Beautiful
Airport award and The Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification.
The Delhi International Airport secured 36th place on the list
and emerged as the Best Airport in India and South Asia.
Mumbai International Airport in Maharashtra dropped to 95
Hyderabad International Airport in Telangana moved up to 61
and was named Best Airport Staff Service in India & South
Asia.
JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity in Delhi was the Best Airport
Hotel in India & South Asia.
KISS Renowned industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata,

Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, was honored with the
Humanitarian esteemed KISS Humanitarian Award 2021 at a ceremony held
Award 2021 at his Mumbai residence. The award, initiated in 2008 by
Achyuta Samanta, recognizes individuals and organizations
(2024)
epitomizing humanitarian efforts globally.

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15th CIDC Puravankara Limited, a renowned real estate developer in
India, has been honoured with the Achievement Award for
Vishwakarma Creating Social Development and Impact at the 15th edition of
Awards 2024 CIDC Vishwakarma Awards (VKA) (2024), organised by the
Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC).
The Award recognises Puravankara’s efforts in driving positive
change through its impactful campaigns, notably the “Million
Wells for Bengaluru” in collaboration with Biome
Environmental Trust
Biome Environmental Trust (Biome) is dedicated to promoting
sustainable practices in architecture, water management, and
land use.
World Press Mohammed Salem is a Palestinian photographer who works

for the news agency Reuters.
Photo 2024 He won a very important award called the World Press Photo
of the Year award.
The World Press Photo award is a prestigious international
competition for photojournalists (photographers who capture
news events).
Salem won for his extremely powerful photograph taken in
Gaza on October 17, 2023.
The photo shows a Palestinian woman named Inas Abu
Maamar
25th Laureus The 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards winners were
honoured in a ceremony held at the Palacio de Cibeles, in the
World Sports centre of Madrid, Spain
Awards 2024 Shortlists for the 7 categories are selected through the votes of
over 1,000 sports media representatives from over 70
countries.
Laureus World Sports Awards Limited is a company registered
in England and Wales, United Kingdom (UK).
2024 marks the 25th edition of the annual Laureus World
Sports Awards.
The 2024 award honours the greatest sportsmen,
sportswomen and teams from 2023.
The 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards winners were
honoured in a ceremony held at the Palacio de Cibeles, in the
centre of Madrid, Spain
Shortlists for the 7 categories are selected through the votes of
over 1,000 sports media representatives from over 70
countries.
Laureus World Sports Awards Limited is a company registered
in England and Wales, United Kingdom (UK).
2024 marks the 25th edition of the annual Laureus World
Sports Awards.
The 2024 award honours the greatest sportsmen,
sportswomen and teams from 2023.

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Cambridge Gina Justus, an English High School teacher at the Sharjah
Girls Branch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been
Dedicated named the regional winner for the Middle East and North
Teacher Award Africa (MENA) region at the prestigious 2024 Cambridge
Dedicated Teacher Awards.
(2022)

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Banking & Insurance
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK BANK OF BARODA WINS CO-
SOLD A 7.18% STAKE IN CDSL FOR BRANDING RIGHTS FOR THREE
RS 1,266.48 CRORE DELHI METRO STATIONS
The Standard Chartered Bank sold its Bank of Baroda has acquired the co-
entire 7.18% stake in Central Depository branding rights for three Delhi Metro
Services (India) Ltd (CDSL) in a block deal stations namely, Rajouri Garden, South
worth over Rs 1,266.48 crore. Extension, and Inderlok.
CDSL facilitates the holding of securities in Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has
electronic form. CDSL and National Stock awarded the naming rights to the BoB for
Exchange (NSE)- promoted National a period of 10 years, starting from 2024.
Securities Depository Ltd(NSDL) are the As a part of this partnership, BoB will also
only two depositories in India. get a dedicated space for branding, display
of products and installation of an
INDIA’S FOREIGN EXCHANGE ATM(Automated Teller Machine)/Digital
Banking Unit (DBU)/ kiosk to serve
RESERVES REACH RECORD HIGH
customers.
INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT

IMPOSES ₹564.44 CRORE PENALTY
ON BANK OF INDIA
India’s foreign exchange reserves have

soared to a new peak, reaching $642.631
billion in the week ending March 22,
marking the fifth consecutive week of
increase, according to the latest data from
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

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Bank of India (BoI) has disclosed the -and Commercial Bank of China
receipt of an order from the Income Limited; ICICI Bank Limited; IndusInd
Tax Department, Assessment Unit, Bank Limited; Kotak Mahindra Bank
concerning the Assessment Year (AY) Limited; Karur Vysya Bank
2018-19. The order imposes a penalty of Limited(KVB); RBL Bank Limited; State
₹564.44 crore on various disallowances Bank of India(SBI); and Yes Bank
made by the bank. Limited.
The Income Tax department has levied List of Banks authorised to import only
a penalty of ₹564.44 crore on Bank of Gold:
India. Indian Overseas Bank(IOB); Punjab
Bank of India is initiating an appeal National Bank(PNB); and Union Bank of
process before the Commissioner of India(UBI).
Income Tax, National Faceless Appeal India’s Top 3 Destinations: The United
Centre (NFAC) against the order. Arab Emirates(UAE), Hong Kong and
Türkiye.
GOI UPDATES LIST OF BANKS India’s Top 3 Source: Switzerland, South
AUTHORIZED TO IMPORT GOLD & Africa and UAE.
SILVER DURING FY25 India’s Top 3 Destinations: The United
Kingdom (UK), The United States of
America(USA), and Germany.
India’s Top 3 Source: Russia, China, and
Kazakhstan
IRDAI RETAINS THE ‘D-SIIS’ STATUS

FOR LIC, GIC RE AND NEW INDIA
ASSURANCE COMPANY
The Government of India(GoI) updated
the list of banks authorized by the
Reserve Bank of India(RBI) to import
gold and silver during the Financial
year 2024-2025 (FY25).
As per the list, RBI has authorised 11
banks to import Gold and Silver and 3
banks to import only gold with effect
The Insurance Regulatory and
from 1st April 2024.
Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
The authorisation will be valid up to
retained the Domestic Systemically
31st March 2025.
Important Insurers (D-SIIs) status for
List of Banks Authorised to import
Life Insurance Corporation of India
Gold/Silver:
(LIC), General Insurance Corporation of
Axis Bank Limited; Federal Bank
India Limited (GIC Re) and the New
Limited; HDFC Bank Limited; Industrial-
India Assurance Company Limited.

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This means, these public sector insurance -merchant banker due to a breach of
companies will continue to be identified eligibility criteria.
as D-SIIs, as in the 2022-23 list of D-SIIs. During the on-site inspection, SEBI found
D-SIIs are insurers considered ‘too big or that KISL was not functioning or
too important to fail’ (TBTF) due to their operational at both its registered and
size, market significance, and correspondence addresses.
interconnectedness. Further inspection revealed that the
merchant banker lacked the required
BANK OF INDIA TO RAISE RS 10,000 infrastructure.
CR VIA INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS Citing the findings, SEBI has cancelled the
certificate of registration of Karvy Investor
Services Ltd as a merchant banker.
Karvy Investor Services was registered as a
merchant banker with SEBI in December
2013.
Merchant bankers play a crucial role in the
capital market, assisting companies with
various services like initial public offerings
Bank of India (BoI)’s board has given (IPOs), mergers and acquisitions, and
approval to raise Rs 10,000 crore through other corporate advisory services.
long-term infra bonds to fund
infrastructure projects.
These bonds help in building roads, RELIANCE BUYS STAKE IN ADANI’S
bridges, airports, power plants, and POWER PROJECT
telecommunications networks etc and
addressing the infrastructure deficit of the
country.
KARVY INVESTOR SERVICES LOSES

MERCHANT BANKER
REGISTRATION
Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, have

joined forces for the first time. Reliance
Industries, owned by Ambani, has
acquired a 26% stake in a power project
owned by Adani’s company in Madhya
Pradesh.
Reliance Industries will purchase 5 crore
equity shares (worth ₹50 crore) in Mahan
Securities and Exchange Board of India
Energen Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of
(SEBI) has cancelled the registration of
Adani Power Ltd.
Karvy Investor Services Ltd (KISL) as a -

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Mahan Energen Ltd operates a thermal SBI MUTUAL FUND ACQUIRES 3%
power plant in Madhya Pradesh with a STAKE IN SAVITA OIL
total capacity of 2800 MW. TECHNOLOGIES
KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK ACQUIRES

SONATA FINANCE
Savita Oil Technologies announced a

significant equity transaction via a block
deal, wherein the company’s promoter,
Kotak Mahindra Bank has successfully Mr. Gautam N. Mehra, sold a 3% stake to
acquired Sonata Finance Private Limited SBI Mutual Fund. This resulted in a
(Sonata) for a total consideration of reduction of the promoter group’s stake
approximately Rs. 537 crore. This to 59.78%.
acquisition grants Kotak Mahindra Bank Promoter group previously held 62.78%
full ownership of Sonata, bolstering its stake reduced to 59.78% post-sale
presence in the microfinance sector.
L&T FINANCE HOLDINGS RENAMED
Sonata Finance is a Non-Banking
AS “ L&T FINANCE LIMITED”
Finance Company – Micro Finance
Institution (NBFC-MFI) registered with
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
HDFC BANK TO DIVEST 100% STAKE

IN HDFC EDUCATION AND
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
L&T Finance Holdings Ltd (LTFH), a

subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
Limited, has received approval from
Registrar of Companies (RoC) to change
its name to “L&T Finance Limited(LTF)”
In December 2023, LTFH(now LTF)
completed the merger of its subsidiaries,
namely L&T Finance Ltd., L&T Infra Credit
HDFC Bank to Divest 100% Stake in
Ltd., and L&T Mutual Fund Trustee Ltd.,
HDFC Education and Development
with itself to creates a “Single Lending
Services
Entity”.

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IRDAI ANNOUNCES FINAL RULES ON Apps lacking the ‘verified’ mark from
SURRENDER VALUE FROM APRIL 1 DIGITA would be deemed unauthorized
2024 for law enforcement purposes.
The agency aims to vet digital lending
apps for compliance and maintain a
public register of verified apps.
The RBI has provided a list of 442 digital
lending apps to Google for whitelisting,
over 2,200 apps were removed from the
PlayStore.
Google now enforces a policy allowing
only RBI-regulated entities (REs) or their
The Insurance Regulatory and
partners to publish apps on the PlayStore.
Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
announced final rules on surrender value UPI ENDS FY24 WITH RECORD
for traditional endowment policies TRANSACTIONS WORTH ₹199 LAKH
effective from April 1, 2024. CRORE
The proposed slabs for the surrender value
percentages are:
30% of total premiums paid if
surrendered during the second year.
35% of total premiums paid if surrendered
during the third year
50% of total premiums paid if
surrendered between the fourth and
seventh years Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
90% of total premiums paid if concluded FY24 on a remarkable note,
surrendered during the last two years achieving new milestones in transaction
volume and value during March 2024.
RBI TO SET UP DIGITAL INDIA TRUST Transactions worth ₹19.78 lakh crore were
AGENCY TO CHECK ILLEGAL LENDING processed in March 2024, marking a
APPS significant increase from the previous
record of ₹18.41 lakh crore set in January
2024.
Transaction volume reached 1,344 crore,
showing a notable increase from the
January peak of 1,220 crore transactions.
In FY24, UPI processed 13,115 crore
transactions, amounting to ₹199.29 lakh
crore.
RBI to set up Digital India Trust Agency to Transaction volume increased by 56.6 per
Check Illegal Lending Apps cent, while the value of transactions grew
by 43.4 per cent compared to FY23.

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UPI transactions are expected to surpass The investment will be made in
100 crore transactions per day by FY27, developing Greenfield residential
according to a report by PwC India. projects across cities like Bengaluru,
Mumbai, Goa and Delhi NCR(National
MARCH 2024 GST COLLECTION Capital Region)
SURGES
BRICKWORK RATINGS GETS SEBI NOD
TO RESUME BUSINESS WITHOUT
RESTRICTIONS
In March 2024, the Goods and Service

Tax (GST) collection in India witnessed a
notable surge, marking the second-
highest since its inception in July 2017.
GST collection for March 2024 reached Brickwork Ratings (BWR) has resumed
Rs 1.78 lakh crore, marking an 11.5% its business and client onboarding.
increase year-on-year. Previously, SEBI had restricted BWR
The highest-ever GST collection was from onboarding new clients or
recorded at Rs 1.87 lakh crore in April accepting fresh mandates from existing
2023. clients until certain conditions were
met, such as strengthening the Board
PRESTIGE GROUP SIGNS STRATEGIC
and enhancing systems and processes.
DEAL WITH ADIA & KOTAK AIF
1. ACUITE RATINGS & RESEARCH LIMITED
2. BRICKWORK RATINGS INDIA PRIVATE
LIMITED
3. CARE RATINGS LIMITED
4. CRISIL RATINGS LIMITED
5. ICRA LIMITED
6. INDIA RATINGS AND RESEARCH PVT.
LTD. (FORMERLY FITCH RATINGS INDIA
Prestige Group through its subsidiaries PVT. LTD.)
has entered into a strategic deal worth 7. INFOMERICS VALUATION AND RATING
Rs 2,001 crore with Abu Dhabi PVT. LTD.
Investment Authority(ADIA) and Kotak
AIF(Alternative Investment Fund) to SEBI LAUNCHES SCORES 2.0 TO
develop residential projects in
STRENGTHEN COMPLAINT REDRESSAL
prominent locations across 4 cities in
SYSTEM
India.

@iamkapilkathpal
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CANARA BANK LAUNCHES
HEALTHCARE LOANS AND SAVINGS
ACCOUNTS FOR WOMEN
Securities and Exchange Board of India

(SEBI) launched the new version of
SCORES (SEBI Complaint Redressal
System), i.e., SCORES 2.0. This will Canara Bank introduces Canara Heal,
enhance investor complaint resolution in addressing healthcare expenses, and
the securities market by auto routing and Canara Angel, a tailored savings account
auto escalation, monitoring by designated for women with unique benefits.
bodies, and reducing timelines. Additional launches include Canara UPI
It establishes uniform timelines for 123PAY ASI.
complaint resolution across the securities Canara Heal: Healthcare Loans
market: 21 calendar days from complaint Aimed at covering hospitalization
receipt. expenses and addressing shortfalls in
GOI RAISES RS 16,500 CR BY SELLING healthcare insurance claims.
Designed to cater to the medical needs of
STAKES IN COMPANIES IN FY23-24
individuals and their dependents.
Exchanged MoUs with MediAssist
Healthcare Services Ltd and Bajaj Allianz
General Insurance Company Ltd. to
enhance healthcare affordability.
Canara Angel: Savings Account for
Women
Tailored specifically for women with
unique features such as Cancer Care
In the fiscal year 2023-24, the Indian
policy.
government has raised Rs. 16,500 crores
Offers pre-approved personal loans and
through stake sales in about 10 state-run
online loan against term deposit product.
companies. This amount however fell
Canara UPI 123PAY ASI: A user-friendly
short by about 9% compared to the
payment interface introduced to
internal target of Rs 18,000 crore.
streamline transactions.
Despite lower stake sale receipts, the
Canara HRMS Mobile App for Staff: An HR
government received higher dividends
management solution for the bank’s
from state-run companies, totaling about
employees to enhance operational
Rs 63,000 crore in 2023-24, surpassing the
efficiency.
target of Rs. 50,000 crore.

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Digital SHG Initiative – Canara SHG e- RBI MONETARY POLICY
MONEY: Launched in collaboration with
RBIH to offer seamless doorstep digital
services to Self-Help Groups (SHGs),
marking a significant milestone in
financial inclusivity.
STAR HEALTH INSURANCE AND

PHONEPE PARTNERSHIP:
REVOLUTIONIZING HEALTH INSURANCE
RBI Monetary Policy Committee has
ACCESS
decided keep policy rates unchanged.
It is the first bi-monthly monetary policy of
2024-25.
Policy Repo Rate: 6.50% (Unchanged)
Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 6.25%
(Unchanged)
Marginal Standing Facility Rate: 6.75%
(Unchanged)
Bank Rate: 6.75% (Unchanged)
Star Health Insurance has collaborated Fixed Reverse Repo Rate: 3.35%
with PhonePe, a prominent digital (Unchanged)
payments platform. This partnership aims CRR: 4.50% (Unchanged)
to make quality health insurance SLR: 18.00% (Unchanged)
accessible through PhonePe’s app
AXIS BANK’S STAKE ACQUISITION IN RBI IMPOSES PENALTIES ON IDFC

MAX LIFE INSURANCE FIRST BANK AND LIC HOUSING
FINANCE
The Competition Commission of India

(CCI) has granted approval to Axis Bank for The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
its proposed acquisition of a stake in Max imposed monetary penalties on two
Life Insurance Company Ltd. financial institutions – IDFC First Bank and
CCI has greenlit Axis Bank’s subscription to LIC Housing Finance – for non-compliance
14,25,79,161 equity shares of Max Life with various regulations.
Insurance Company Ltd.

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The RBI has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore J&K Bank has teamed up with Paymart
on IDFC First Bank for non-compliance with India Pvt Ltd to launch a Virtual ATM
certain directions on ‘Loans and Advances – (VATM) facility. This innovative service
Statutory and Other Restrictions’. The enables cardless cash withdrawals for
Statutory Inspection for Supervisory customers through local retailers,
Evaluation for the financial year 2022 particularly benefiting areas like Jammu &
revealed that the bank had sanctioned Kashmir and Ladakh where accessibility to
term loans to a public sector undertaking traditional ATMs may be limited.
for financing infrastructure projects This facility allows withdrawals of up to Rs
without proper due diligence on the 2000 per transaction, with a monthly limit
viability and bankability of the projects. It of Rs 10,000.
was also found that the repayment and
servicing of these term loans were being SEBI GETS ISO/IEC 27001:2022
made out of budgetary resources, instead CERTIFICATION FOR INFORMATION
of the expected revenue streams from the SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
projects.
The central bank has also imposed a
penalty of ₹49.7 lakh on LIC Housing
Finance for breach of norms. The housing
finance company was found to have not
complied with certain provisions of the Fair
Practices Code. Specifically, it did not
disclose the rate of interest and the
approach for gradation of risk and rationale The Securities and Exchange Board of
for charging different rates of interest to India (SEBI) has received the International
different categories of borrowers in loan Organization for
application forms and sanction letters. Standardization/International
Electrotechnical Commission(ISO/IEC)
J&K BANK INTRODUCES VIRTUAL ATM 27001:2022 certification for its
FACILITY IN COLLABORATION WITH Information Security Management
PAYMART INDIA System(ISMS) at the Primary Data Centre
ISMS at the Disaster Recovery site
Security Operations Control (SOC) and
Network Operations Control (NOC)
Operations.
Sebi received this certification following an
audit by the certification body under the
accreditation of the National Accreditation
Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), a
member of the International Accreditation
Forum(IAF).

@iamkapilkathpal
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ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard SINE, established in 2004 as an umbrella
for ISMS which defines the specification organization at IIT Bombay, acts as a tech
for an effective ISMS. incubator and offers end-to-end support
for startups, ensuring their success.
UBI RAISES RS 4,200 CRORE FROM
DIFC TO FUND OVERSEAS BUSINESS MUDRA LOANS SURGE PAST ₹5 LAKH
CRORE MARK IN FY24
The Union Bank of India has raised USD

500 million from foreign markets to fund In FY24, small business loans under the
overseas business growth. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)
The fund was arranged by Dubai witnessed a record surge, crossing the ₹5
International Financial Centre (DIFC), lakh crore milestone, as per recent
Dubai Branch, United Arab Emirates government data.
(UAE). Disbursements totaled ₹5.20 lakh crore, a
There would be two tranches of a USD significant increase from ₹4.40 lakh crore
500 million syndicated term loan with in the previous fiscal year.
terms of three and five years each (USD Notably, nearly 70% of the beneficiaries
400 million and USD 100 million for of these loans are women.
Green Shoe). The gross non-performing assets (NPAs)
in PMMY declined from 3.17% in March
CANARA BANK AND SINE OF IIT 2022 to 2.68% in June 2023,
BOMBAY PARTNERS TO EMPOWER demonstrating effective risk
START-UPS ACROSS INDIA management strategies.
SBI & STANDARD CHARTERED BANK

CARRIED OUT THE FIRST CREDIT
DEFAULT SWAP TRADE UNDER NEW
RBI GUIDELINES
Canara Bank and the Society for

Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Bombay have partnered to empower
startups across India.

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The State Bank of India (SBI) and -2,89,731 crore from Rs 2,56,894 crore in
Standard Chartered Bank India carried FY23.
out the Credit Default Swap (CDS) trade The General Insurance Players include 25
worth Rs 25 crore. This marks the 1st CDS Non-Life Companies, 5 Standalone health
transaction since the Reserve Bank of firms, and 2 specialized players.
India (RBI) issued revised CDS guidelines Public sector general insurers held 31.18%
in 2022. of the overall market share in FY24, down
The trade involved a 1-year rupee CDS. from 32.27% in FY23, while private
insurers’ market share increased to
HDFC BANK BECOMES FIRST PRIVATE
53.52%.
BANK TO OPEN BRANCH IN
LAKSHADWEEP ICICI LOMBARD PARTNERS WITH
POLICYBAZAAR TO EXPAND
INSURANCE DISTRIBUTION
HDFC Bank has opened a branch at

Kavaratti Island in Lakshadweep, making
it the only private sector bank to have a ICICI Lombard General Insurance
presence in the Union Territory. Company has forged a partnership with
Earlier Yes bank was there in Kavaratti Policybazaar.
island, which stopped operation Through this partnership, these products
will be made accessible to retail
GENERAL INSURANCE INDUSTRY customers, corporates, and channel
GROWS 12.78% IN FY24 partners through Policybazaar’s
platforms such as ‘Policybazaar.com’, ‘PB
for Business’, and ‘PB Partners’.
STB & PHONEPE INKS MOU TO

PROMOTE UPI FOR INDIANS IN
SINGAPORE
According to data released by the

General Insurance Council (GIC), the
General Insurance industry experienced
a growth of 12.78% in the Fiscal Year
2023-24 (FY24) reaching their Gross
direct premium underwritten to Rs -

@iamkapilkathpal
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The Singapore Tourism Board (STB), a
lead development agency for tourism,
Singapore, signed a two-year
Memorandum of Understanding with
PhonePe to promote Unified Payments
Interface for Indians travelling in
Singapore.
The MoU allows customers to instantly
make cross border transactions between PhonePe, in collaboration with eSewa and
India and Singapore directly from their the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN)
existing Indian bank accounts. Pokhara, is set to promote UPI during the
Fewa New Year Festival in Nepal.
IPPB INTRODUCES AADHAAR ATM The festival is a celebrated event
SERVICE FOR CONVENIENT CASH attracting both locals and Indian tourists,
WITHDRAWALS offering cultural experiences and culinary
delights.
NIIF INVESTS USD 200 MN IN IBUS
The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has

introduced the Aadhaar ATM service
facility for its users. It works on the
National Investment and Infrastructure
principle of the Aadhaar Enabled
Fund Limited (NIIF) has invested USD 200
Payment System (AePS), which was
million in iBus Network And Infrastructure
introduced by the National Payments
Pvt Ltd(iBUS), a Bengaluru based Digital
Corporation of India (NPCI).
Infrastructure Solutions Company, to
This IPPB Online Aadhaar ATM facility will
support the growth of the digital
enable customers to avail cash without
infrastructure in India.
visiting a bank or an Automated teller
machine (ATM) and simply avail cash at RETAIL INFLATION DIPS TO 10-
their doorsteps with the help of a MONTH LOW
postman/gramin dak sevak.
NPCI has set a maximum transaction
amount of Rs. 10,000 on a single AePS
financial transaction.
PHONEPE PARTNERS WITH ESEWA,

HAN POKHARA TO PROMOTE UPI IN
NEPAL

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India’s retail inflation dropped to a 10-
month low of 4.85% in March. Meanwhile,
industrial production (IIP) saw a significant
rise, hitting a four-month high at 5.7% in
February.
Headline inflation for January-February
2024 decreased to 5.1% from December’s
5.7%
Revolut India, backed by Tiger Global and
HINDUJA GROUP FIRM GETS SEBI
Softbank, has secured in-principle
APPROVAL FOR OWNERSHIP CHANGE approval from the Reserve Bank of India
OF RELIANCE WEALTH (RBI) to issue Prepaid Payment
Instruments (PPI).
The PPI license allows Revolut India to
operate as a Category-II Authorized
Money Exchange Dealer, facilitating the
issuance of multi-currency forex cards
and cross-border remittance services.
The Securities and Exchange Board of

ASHNEER GROVER VENTURES INTO
India (SEBI) has given its approval to FINTECH WITH ZEROPE MEDICAL LOAN
Hinduja Group- owned Asia Enterprises APP
for a change of control in Reliance
Wealth Management Limited under
SEBI’s regulations governing investment
advisers and portfolio managers.
SEBI also approved an application for a
proposed change in control at Reliance
Securities under regulations governing
research analysts and investment Ashneer Grover is the co-founder and
advisors. former managing director of the fintech
IndusInd International Holdings Limited company BharatPe. Grover has now
(IIHL), investment holding company of ventured into the fintech space again
the Hinduja Group, made a successful with a new app called ZeroPe.
bid to get Reliance Capital under the ZeroPe is a new fintech app that is
Corporate Insolvency Resolution currently in the testing phase.
Proceedings (CIRP) process of the The app has been developed by Grover’s
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). new company, Third Unicorn, which he
launched in January 2023 along with his
NEOBANK REVOLUT INDIA RECEIVES
wife Madhuri Jain Grover and Aseem
IN-PRINCIPLE APPROVAL FOR PPI
Ghavri.
LICENSE FROM RBI

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The primary focus of ZeroPe is to provide As of March 31, 2024 the total number of
instant pre-approved medical loans of up NPS and Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
to Rs 5,00,000 to users. subscribers increased by 16.28% to 7.36
These loans are offered in collaboration crore.
with Non-Banking Financial Company Non-government sector (corporate and
(NBFC) called Mukut Finvest. retail) witnessed a 41.67% growth in NSP
The ZeroPe app service is exclusively assets to Rs 2.27 lakh Crore, while
available at partner hospitals, as government employees’ assets grew by 28%
mentioned on the app’s website. to Rs 9.05 lakh crore.
ZeroPe is entering a growing market for
instant financing solutions for medical MUFG TO ACQUIRE 20% STAKE IN HDB
bills and elective treatments. FINANCIAL SERVICES
Third Unicorn started with a fantasy
sports app called CrickPe, which
competes with established players like
Dream11, MPL, and My11 Circle.
NPS ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT

RECORD 30.5% YOY GROWTH IN FY24
Japan’s MUFG is set to purchase a 20% stake

in HDB Financial Services, a subsidiary of
India’s HDFC Bank.
The deal is poised at a valuation of $9-10
billion before the initial public offering (IPO),
making it one of the largest transactions in
India’s shadow banking sector.
As per the latest data from the Pension
Fund Regulatory and Development KARNATAKA BANK PARTNERS WITH
Authority (PFRDA), the National Pension FISDOM
System (NPS) Assets Under Management
(AUM) experienced 30.5% year-on-year (Y-
o- Y) growth during the Fiscal Year 2023-
24 (FY24), reaching Rs 11.73 lakh Crore in
FY24 from Rs 8.98 lakh crore in FY23.
This is higher than the 27% y-o-y increase
seen in NPS assets in FY23.
This growth is amid addition of 9.47 lakh
new subscribers from non-government Karnataka Bank Ltd partnered with FISDOM
sector. to offer stock broking services and 3 in 1
The number of new government Accounts (Savings, Demat, and Trading
employees onboarded NPS in FY24 stood accounts) through the “KBL Mobile Plus”, the
at 7.10 lakh. mobile banking app of Karnataka Bank.

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@kkathpal
Karnataka Bank Ltd partnered with The partnership aims to mitigate default
FISDOM to offer stock broking services risks for the bank, potentially allowing for
and 3 in 1 Accounts (Savings, Demat, and more favorable loan terms to borrowers.
Trading accounts) through the “KBL
Mobile Plus”, the mobile banking app of LIC INCREASES EQUITY STAKE IN
Karnataka Bank.
HINDUSTAN UNILEVER BY OVER 5%
CAMS RECEIVES RBI’S NOD TO
OPERATE AS AN ONLINE PAYMENT
AGGREGATOR
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)

announced that its stake in FMCG major
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has
surpassed 5%. The Corporation
Computer Age Management Services Ltd augmented its shareholding in HUL from
(CAMS), India’s largest mutual fund 4.99% to 5.01% of the company’s paid-up
transfer agency, has received a Certificate capital by acquiring additional shares
of Authorisation from the Reserve Bank of from the open market.
India (RBI) to operate as an online
payment aggregator. LARSEN & TOUBRO CONCLUDES
DIVESTMENT OF ITS ENTIRE STAKE 51%
IMGC AND BANK OF INDIA
IN L&T IDPL
PARTNER TO OFFER MORTGAGE
GUARANTEE-BACKED HOME LOANS
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced the

completion of divestment of L&T
India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation
Infrastructure Development Projects
(IMGC) has entered into a strategic
Limited (L&T IDPL), a joint venture
partnership with Bank of India (BOI) to
between Larsen & Toubro Limited and the
introduce mortgage guarantee-backed
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
home loan products.
(CPP Investments) holding 51% and 49%
shares respectively.

@iamkapilkathpal
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@kkathpal
The stakes from L&T and CPP investment RBI DIRECTS ALL RES TO PROVIDE
were acquired by Epic Concesiones KFS TO BORROWERS
Private Limited, an investee company of
Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus
Strategy, managed by Edelweiss
Alternative Asset Advisors Limited
(EAAA).
PAYU PARTNERS WITH PAYPAL TO

ENHANCE CROSS BORDER The Reserve Bank Of India(RBI) has
PAYMENTS FOR INDIAN mandated all Regulated entities (REs)
MERCHANTS (banks and financial institutions) to
provide comprehensive key facts
statements (KFS) to all new retail and
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
(MSME) borrowers with effect from 1st
October 2024.
The statement should offer details about
recovery agent policy, contact details for
grievances and the likelihood of the loan
PayU has announced its partnership with being sold to others in simple and easy-to-
PayPal, an American multinational fintech understand language.
company. The strategic partnership aims KFS will include a computation sheet of
to improve the cross border payment the annual percentage rate (APR) and the
experience for Indian merchants. loan’s amortisation schedule over the loan
tenor.
INDIA WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX APR will include all charges levied by the
(WPI) REPORT: MARCH 2024 RE. APR will also include charges levied
on borrowers by the REs on behalf of
third-party service providers on an actual
basis, such as insurance charges and legal
charges.
RBI stated that the REs shall not charge
the borrowers any fees that are not
mentioned in the KFS with explicit
consent from the borrower.
March 2024 witnessed a positive inflation KFS will be provided to borrowers with a
rate of 0.53% in India’s Wholesale Price unique proposal number with a validity
Index (WPI) compared to March 2023. period of at least 3 working days for loans
In January 2024, the final WPI stood at an with a tenor of 7 days or more and 1
inflation rate of 0.33%. working day for loans with a tenor of less
than 7 days.

@iamkapilkathpal
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@kkathpal
The validity period is the time frame that -solutions that would cater to the
the borrower has after the RE gives the emerging insurance needs of the people.
KFS to accept the loan terms. After the screening test, around 320
students got selected, and the final round
FITCH AFFIRMS SBI AND CANARA had eight finalist teams, out of which
XIME-Bengaluru emerged victorious,
BANK RATINGS AT ‘BBB-‘
clinching the title of SBI Life Ideation X
winner.
BAIN CAPITAL SELLS 1.08% STAKE IN

AXIS BANK
Fitch Ratings has upheld the long-term

issuer default rating (IDR) of “BBB-” for
both the State Bank of India and Canara
Bank.
The agency also maintains a “stable”
The private equity firm Bain Capital sold
outlook for these state-run lenders.
the remaining 1.08% stake in Axis Bank for
Despite variations in risk appetite and
Rs 3,575 crores via an open market
loan growth patterns, both banks exhibit
transaction. The transaction involved the
adequate capacity for fulfilling their
sale of 33.37 million shares at Rs. 1,071 per
financial commitments.
share on the BSE
Bain Capital acquired a stake in Axis Bank
SBI LIFE INTRODUCES IDEATIONX in November 2017. In December 2023, it
sold 1.1% of its Axis Bank shares for
approximately Rs 3,700 Crore in an open
market sale.
JANA SFB & KOTAK MAHINDRA LIFE

PARTNERS TO OFFER INSURANCE
PRODUCTS
State Bank of India Life Insurance

Company Limited (SBILIFE) has launched
its 1st edition of IdeationX
SBI Life’s IdeationX is an innovative
platform that aims to encourage and
engage the young aspiring minds from
the B-Schools across the country to come
up with new ideas and innovative -

@iamkapilkathpal
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Axis Bank Limited collaborated with
Jana Small Finance Bank(SFB) Limited
Shoppers Stop Ltd to launch “Axis Bank
has partnered with Kotak Mahindra Life
Shoppers Stop Credit Card“, a co-branded
Insurance Company Limited to offer life
Credit Card, to enhance the shopping
insurance products to the customers of
experience for cardholders, both online
Jana SFB.
and offline at an event at the Shoppers
Stop Malad store, in Mumbai
JIO FINANCIAL AND BLACKROCK
FORM JV TO SET UP WEALTH ASHOK LEYLAND SIGNED MOU WITH
MANAGEMENT & BROKING BUSINESS SOUTH INDIAN BANK FOR DEALER
FINANCING
Jio Financial Services and BlackRock, Inc. Ashok Leyland Limited, a commercial
and BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte vehicle maker, signed a Memorandum of
signed an agreement to form 50:50 Joint Understanding with South Indian Bank for
Venture to set up a wealth management financing dealers under the bank’s dealer
and broking business in India. finance program.
In June 2023, a 50:50 JV was established As part of the partnership, the South
by the companies to introduce asset Indian Bank will provide competitive
management services in India, with each dealer finance options to the dealers of
committing an initial investment of USD Ashok Leyland Limited.
150 million.
ADANI INFUSES 8,339 CRORE IN
AMBUJA CEMENTS
AXIS BANK & SHOPPERS STOP
LAUNCHED “AXIS BANK SHOPPERS
STOP CREDIT CARD”
Billionaire Gautam Adani’s family infused

an additional Rs 8,339 crore in Ambuja
Cements, raising its stake in the company
to 70.3 per cent, to help the cement
maker’s manufacturing capacity.

@iamkapilkathpal
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The Adani family previously invested Rs RUPAY LAUNCHES ‘LINK IT, FORGET
5,000 crore in the company on October IT’ CAMPAIGN AT IPL 2024 TO
18, 2022, and Rs 6,661 crore on March 28,
PROMOTE CREDIT CARD ON UPI
2024.
AMAZON PAY TIES UP WITH NPCI TO

INTRODUCE CREDIT SERVICES ON UPI
RuPay, in collaboration with the National

Payments Corporation of India (NPCI),
introduces the ‘Link it, Forget it’ campaign
during the Indian Premier League (IPL)
Amazon Pay in partnership with National 2024.
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is This initiative aims to showcase the
set to introduce its credit services on the seamless integration of RuPay credit cards
Unified Payments Interface (UPI). with UPI, emphasizing the convenience of
leaving physical wallets behind.
ADITYA BIRLA CAPITAL LAUNCHES IFSCA CONSTITUTES COMMITTEE TO

‘ABCD’ FINTECH APP TRANSFORM GIFT CITY INTO
CLIMATE FINANCE HUB
Aditya Birla Capital Limited has launched

the omnichannel Direct-to-Consumer The International Financial Services
(D2C) Fintech App ‘Aditya Birla Capital Centres Authority (IFSCA) constituted a
Digital (ABCD)’, offering various financial standing committee to prepare a
products on a single digital platform framework for launching climate finance
The D2C platform has 22 products and products. The committee aims to
services that includes Unified Payments transform GIFT City (Gujarat International
Interface (UPI) payments, multi-account Finance Tec-City) into a climate finance
payments, loans, insurance, and spend hub.
analysis tools. The committee is expected to submit its
report to the government by the end of
May 2024.

@iamkapilkathpal
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@kkathpal
BANDHAN LIFE INSURANCE UNVEILS
NEW IDENTITY AND GROWTH
STRATEGY
Airtel Payments Bank has introduced

NCMC (National Common Mobility Card)
aligned debit and prepaid cards in
Bandhan Life Insurance, formerly known collaboration with NPCI, powered by
as Aegon Life Insurance, has rebranded RuPay.
itself with the tagline ‘Bharat Ki Udaan, These cards are designed to support
Bandhan Se’, reflecting its commitment to India’s One Nation, One Card initiative.
empowering the aspirations of India. State Bank of India has integrated NCMC
cards on its Bharat BillPay platform in
CRED SECURES IN-PRINCIPLE collaboration with NPCI Bharat BillPay
APPROVAL FOR PAYMENT Ltd.
AGGREGATOR LICENSE Commuters can now recharge their NCMC
cards online, with amounts up to Rs
10,000, using prepaid, debit, or credit
cards.
IRDAI REMOVES AGE LIMIT ON

HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES
CRED has recently obtained in-principle

approval for a payment aggregator
license.
Previously, CRED operated CRED Pay in
collaboration with other payment
companies, but with this license, it gains
the capability to manage fund transfers
and settlements independently. IRDAI has removed the age limit of 65
years for individuals buying health
AIRTEL PAYMENTS BANK LAUNCHES insurance policies.
NCMC-ENABLED DEBIT AND PREPAID As per the earlier guidelines, individuals
CARDS were allowed to purchase a new
insurance policy only till the age of 65.

@iamkapilkathpal
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IREDA SETUP NEW OFFICE IN GIFT (i)onboarding of new customers through its
CITY online and mobile banking channels and
(ii)issuing fresh credit cards.
The bank shall, however, continue to
provide services to its existing customers,
including its credit card customers.
These actions are necessitated based on
significant concerns arising out of Reserve
Bank’s IT Examination of the bank for the
years 2022 and 2023 and the continued
The Indian Renewable Energy
failure on part of the bank to address
Development Agency has established a
these concerns in a comprehensive and
new office in GIFT City (Gujarat
timely manner.
International Finance Tec-City) in
Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
BHARATPE INTRODUCES BHARATPE
This will facilitate the financing of
renewable and green hydrogen projects in
ONE
foreign currencies and thereby, reducing
financial cost for renewable and green
hydrogen projects.
This new initiative will play pivotal role in
the implementation of National Green
Hydrogen Mission of India which aims to
produce hydrogen of more than 5 million
Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) by
2030. BharatPe has unveiled BharatPe One, an
innovative all-in-one payment device set
SUPERVISORY ACTION AGAINST
to redefine digital transactions. This
KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LIMITED cutting-edge product integrates POS, QR,
and speaker functionalities into a single
device
RAZORPAY AND AIRTEL PAYMENTS

BANK INTRODUCE UPI SWITCH
The Reserve Bank of India has in exercise

of its powers under Section 35A of the
Banking Regulation Act, 1949, directed
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (hereinafter
referred to as ‘the bank’) to cease and
desist, with immediate effect, from .

@iamkapilkathpal
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Razorpay and Airtel Payments Bank have -Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to function as
unveiled the UPI Switch, a cutting-edge a Payments Aggregator (PA) under the
cloud-based infrastructure designed to Payment Settlements Act, 2007.
revolutionize the landscape of digital
payments. This innovative product INDIAN BANK PARTNERS WITH TATA
promises to enhance success rates by 4- POWER SOLAR TO BOOST SOLAR
5% and handle an impressive 10,000 ENERGY ADOPTION
transactions per second (TPS), offering
businesses unprecedented efficiency and
scalability.
SUPERVISORY ACTION AGAINST

KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LIMITED
Indian Bank has announced its

partnership with Tata Power Solar
Systems Limited to promote solar energy
adoption by providing financial support to
residential consumers for installations.
This strategic partnership aims to provide
The Reserve Bank of India has in exercise financial support under Pradhan Mantri
of its powers under Section 35A of the (PM) Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for
Banking Regulation Act, 1949, directed installations of solar rooftop up to 3
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (hereinafter KiloWatt (KW) and extend support for
referred to as ‘the bank’) to cease and installations ranging from 3 to 10 KW
desist, with immediate effect, from . under the regular scheme.
Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana,
PAYU RECEIVES RBI’S IN-PRINCIPLE residential consumers can avail loans up
APPROVAL AS PAYMENT to Rs. 2 lakh at an annual interest rate of
AGGREGATOR 7%.
Beneficiaries can avail benefits with a
nominal margin cash requirement of 10%
and collateral-free financing.
The repayment tenure is 10 years which
offers flexibility and convenience to
beneficiaries.
Eligible applicants can avail loans up to
Rs. 6 lakh with margin money
PayU, the digital financial services requirement of 20%.
provider, has obtained the coveted in- Interest rates ranges from 8.4% to 10.8%
principle authorization from the - per annum.

@iamkapilkathpal
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Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi -(EBRD), European Investment Bank(EIB),
launched the PM- Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Inter-American Development Bank(IDB),
Yojana in February 2024. The scheme was Islamic Development Bank(IsDB), and
approved with a total outlay of Rs.75,021 New Development Bank(NDB).
crore. Heads of MDB estimate to generate
The scheme aims to provide free additionally lending of USD300-400
electricity to 1 crore households in India billion over the next 10 years.
through rooftop solar setups
TOP 50 LENDERS IN ASIA-PACIFIC BY
ASSETS
“GLOBAL COLLABORATIVE CO-
FINANCING” PLATFORM
Three Indian Banks namely, the State

Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank and ICICI
On the sidelines of the 2024 International Bank are featured in the list of top 50
Monetary Fund(IMF) and World Bank largest banks in Asia-Pacific Region by
Spring meetings which took place in Assets – 2024 released by The S&P Global
Washington D.C.(U.S.A.), 10 Multilateral Market Intelligence.
Development Banks jointly launched the SBI’s assets valuation stands at USD
Global Collaborative Co-financing 780.05 billion in 2023.
platform. HDFC Bank’s valuation increased to USD
Co-Financing Portal: It will be a secure 464.34 billion in 2023
platform for registered co-financiers to The cumulative asset of these 3 Indian
share their project pipelines. The portal Banks surged exponentially by 50.5%
will be hosted at the World Bank. year-on-year basis to USD 1.51 trillion in
Co-Financing Forum: It will provide a 2023.
platform for various participants to CELERITYX AND MAFCOCS DEPLOYS
discuss co-financing opportunities and ‘ONEX’ TO IMPROVE BANK
share their best practices and common
CONNECTIVITY
issues.
The 10 MDBs are: Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank(AIIB), World Bank
Group(WBG), African Development
Bank(AfDB), Asian Development
Bank(ADB), Council of Europe
Development Bank(CEB), European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development -

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CELERITYX, the enterprise networking MACQUARIE LAUNCHES EV FLEET
solutions business of OneOTT FINANCING PLATFORM ‘VERTELO‘ IN
Intertainment Limited(OIL) announced its INDIA
collaboration with Maharashtra State
Cooperative Credit Societies Federation
(MAFCOCS) for the deployment of OneX
platform
OneX has the potential to serve over 1 lakh
branches across the country.
The primary objective of this strategic
partnership is to address connectivity
challenges faced by credit societies in Macquarie Asset Management, part of
Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where outdated Australia’s diversified financial giant
systems lack protection against modern Macquarie Group has launched an electric
threats. vehicle (EV) financing and end-to-end
solution platform ‘Vertelo’.
NABARD-RBI INNOVATION HUB Vertelo pledges a substantial USD 1.5
PARTNERSHIP ACCELERATES DIGITAL billion investment aimed at electrifying
AGRI LENDING fleets of buses and cars in India.
Vertelo offers a range of solutions
including financing, fleet management,
and charging infrastructure.
Vertelo has secured partnerships with
major players in the Indian EV market:
Will buy up to 2,000 electric cars from
Tata Motors over the next 3 years.
Plans to buy up to 2,000 buses from
NABARD has joined forces with the RBI electric bus manufacturers JBM Auto and
Innovation Hub to revolutionize Eka Mobility over the next 3 to 5 years.
agricultural lending through
digitalization. HITACHI PAYMENT SERVICES
The partnership aims to streamline loan INTRODUCES UPGRADABLE ATMS IN
processing and enhance accessibility for INDIA
farmers across India.
Initially piloting in select RRBs and
cooperative banks, including Karnataka
Gramin Bank and Maharashtra Gramin
Bank, the initiative targets scaling the
digital lending platform to cover
approximately 5 crore KCC loans
nationwide.

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Hitachi Payment Services has unveiled -Climate Change(UNFCCC)(COP28) held in
new upgradable ATMs in India, allowing Dubai, The United Arab Emirates(UAE).
banks to adapt their machines into Cash It aims to attract USD 2 billion into
Recycling Machines (CRMs) as per investment programs that include Nature
evolving needs. –based solutions.
In response to recent Reserve Bank of Through this hub, ADB aims to provide
India (RBI) announcements enabling UPI USD100 billion in climate financing from
for cash deposit, these ATMs are designed its own resources from 2019 to2030.
to support UPI-based cash withdrawal
RBI DIRECTS TALKCHARGE TO CEASE
and deposit services.
PPI OPERATIONS AND REFUND
BALANCES
ADB PLEDGED USD23.6 BILLION IN
2023 TO HELP ASIA AND PACIFIC
PROGRESS ON SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has

instructed Talkcharge Technologies to
halt the issuance and operation of its
Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) or
Asian Development Bank pledged USD wallets.
23.6 billion from its own resources in 2023 This directive follows the RBI’s observation
which also include USD 9.8 billion for of the firm issuing wallets without proper
climate action, to help Asia and Pacific authorization.
progress on sustainable development. As a result, Talkcharge must refund the
The amount is raised through loans, balances held in these wallets to
grants, equity investments, guarantees customers by May 17, 2024..
and technical support provided to
governments and private sector. GOVERNMENT, SBI CARDS, AND
ADB also raised an additional USD 16.4 TELCOS COLLABORATE TO COMBAT
billion in co-financing through its strong OTP FRAUDS
partnerships.
These figures are among the financial and
operational results published by ADB in its
Annual Report 2023 on 25th April, 2024.
ADB launched a Nature Solutions Finance
Hub for Asia and Pacific in December
2023 at 28th Conference of Parties United
Nations Framework Convention on-

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The Ministry of Home Affairs has joined ATC TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE
forces with SBI Cards and select telecom SELLS ENTIRE 2.87% STAKE IN
operators to address the rising issue of VODAFONE IDEA
one-time password (OTP) frauds.
In light of increasing phishing attacks
targeting bank customers, a solution is
being developed to alert individuals about
potential OTP thefts.
Under this initiative, the government is
currently testing a geolocation tracking
solution in partnership with banks.
This technology aims to track both the ATC Telecom Infrastructure Pvt Ltd sold its
registered address and the delivery entire 2.87% stake in telecom operator
location of OTPs. If a significant difference Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi) for Rs. 1,840
is detected between the two locations, crore through an open market
customers will receive alerts warning transaction.
them of possible phishing attempts. The shares were disposed at an average
price of Rs 12.78 per share, totaling 144
crore shares.
HDFC LIFE ENTERS INTO TIE-UP WITH Vi raised Rs 18,000 crore through an FPO,
PEERLESS FINANCIAL PRODUCTS subscribed 6.36 times
DISTRIBUTION LTD. Vi priced the issue at Rs 10-11 a share, a
26% discount
HDFC Life and Peerless Financial Products

Distribution Ltd. (PFPDL) join hands in a
corporate agency tie-up.
This partnership would enable PFPDL to
distribute HDFC Life’s life insurance
products to its customers.
PFPDL, a subsidiary of the Peerless
General Finance & Investment Co. Ltd
(PGFI) is one of India’s oldest and biggest
Non-Banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) in East India.

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Books & Authors
The inaugural Women’s Prize for Non-
Fiction has announced its shortlist of six
books, including “Code Dependent: Living
in the Shadow of AI” by Indian-British
journalist and commentator Madhumita
Murgia. The book explores the impact of
artificial intelligence on human society.
The other shortlisted books cover a wide
range of subjects:
“Thunderclap: A Memoir of Art and Life
and Sudden Death” by Laura Cumming
“Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror
World” by Naomi Klein
“A Flat Place” by Noreen Masud
“All That She Carried: The Journey of
Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake”
by Tiya Miles
“How to Say Babylon: A Jamaican
Memoir” by Safiya Sinclair.
Renowned author Sam Pitroda has

written a new book titled ‘The Idea of
Democracy’, which explores the current
state of democracy and its potential
challenges in countries like India and the
United States.
British-American author Salman Rushdie

is set to release his memoir “Knife”,
recounting the chilling experience of
being stabbed at a public event in 2022
and his journey to overcome the near-
fatal ordeal.

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In the ever-evolving landscape of legal
discourse, the book “Law and Spirituality:
Reconnecting the Bond,” edited by
Professor Raman Mittal and Professor
Seema Singh, stands as a remarkable
exploration of the intricate relationship
between two seemingly disparate realms
– the domain of law and the realm of
spirituality.
A book titled “Maker of Goa: The Untold

Story of Pratap Singh Rane” is the
biography of Pratap Singh Rane, the
former Chief Minister (CM) of the state of
Goa (then UT-Goa, Daman, and Diu),
authored by Vijayadevi Rane (Pratap’s
wife) and published by Rupa
publications.
Pratap’s political career spanned over 50
years, and he holds the maximum record
of winning 11 consecutive elections as a
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA).
He also holds the record of longest-
serving CM of Goa for 6 times.
In his recently published memoir, “Just a

Mercenary?: Notes from My Life and
Career,” former Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) Governor Duvvuri Subbarao takes
readers on a captivating journey through
his distinguished career, spanning diverse
roles from sub-collector to finance
secretary and ultimately, the helm of the
central bank.
The launch of Bhimeswara Challa’s book,

“India — the Road to Renaissance: A Vision
and an Agenda,” at the Administrative
Staff College of India (ASCI) campus in
Hyderabad marks a significant moment
in the intellectual discourse surrounding
the future of the nation.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi was
presented with a book titled “Sabke Ram”
by Panchjanya editor Hitesh Shankar and
Managing Director of Bharat Prakashan
Arun Goyal.
The book was published by Prabhat
Prakashan, which publishes “Panchjanya,”
a Hindi weekly magazine.
The main features of the book is that it
can be read and listened to in Hindi and
English.
Goa Governor Sreedharan Pillai’s new

(221st) book titled “Heavenly Islands of
Goa” was released
The book provides an overview of Goa’s
biodiversity and heritage.
“The Winner’s Mindset,” Watson shares

the insights and strategies that enabled
him to conquer his fears and reach new
heights in his cricketing career.
While the book is not an autobiography in
the traditional sense, it serves as a
powerful self-help guide, offering readers
a glimpse into the mindset that propels
individuals to success.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar

received a copy of the book ‘India’s
Nuclear Titans,’ edited by Soumya
Awasthi and Shrabana Barua.
The book traces the evolution of India
into a nuclear state while highlighting the
pivotal roles played by renowned figures
like Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai,
Abdul Kalam, and K. Subrahmanyam,
among others.

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Brand Ambassador
EC Ropes in Ayushmann Khurrana to Urge Youth to
Vote
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has roped in
popular actor Ayushmann Khurrana to encourage the
youth to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Lok
Sabha elections.
The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in seven
phases from April 19. The counting of votes will be
taken up on June 4.
SPACE India named Sanjana Sanghi as its Brand

Ambassador
SPACE India has been on a mission to integrate
Astronomy and Space Science into school
curricula nationwide, inspiring over 1.5 million
students across 1,000 schools.
Now, SPACE India has welcomed rising Bollywood
star and UNDP Youth Champion, Sanjana Sanghi,
as its Brand Ambassador.
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

Ambassador
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has
announced Yuvraj Singh as an ICC Men’s T20
World Cup 2024 Ambassador.
Yuvraj, who hit 36 runs in an over during the first-
ever T20 World Cup in 2007
He joins Chris Gayle and Usain Bolt as the first
ambassadors to be announced
A total of 55 matches will be played by 20 teams
across 9 venues, culminating in the final on 29
June in Barbados.

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Citroen India Ropes in MS Dhoni as Brand
Ambassador
French carmaker Citroen has engaged cricketing
legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its brand
ambassador.
Citroen, part of the Stellantis Group, entered the
Indian market in 2019 and started selling cars in
2021.
Sana Mir Named Ambassador of ICC Women’s T20

World Cup Qualifier
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has
announced the appointment of Pakistan cricket
legend Sana Mir as the ambassador for the
upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
Mir, who represented Pakistan in 226 international
games, with 137 of them as captain
The Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier will witness
10 teams battling it out for two coveted spots at
the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in
Bangladesh.

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Defence News
Tejas Mark-1A fighter aircraft completes first flight in
Bengaluru
Tejas Mark (Mk)-1A fighter aircraft made its successful
maiden flight from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL) facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Tejas Mark-1A fighter features advanced radar,
electronic warfare, and improved combat capabilities.
The Tejas Mark-1A is designed by the Aeronautical
Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence
Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) and
manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL).
Indian Army Kicks Off Annual Army Commanders’

Conference in Hybrid Format
The Indian Army is organizing the first Army
Commanders’ Conference for the year 2024 in a hybrid
mode.
The conference serves as a crucial platform for the
Indian Army’s apex leadership to review and assess the
overall security situation.
Defence exports touch record Rs.21,083 crore in FY24

As per the data released by Ministry of Defence Indian
defence sector has recorded the highest ever defence
exports of Rs. 21,083 crore i.e. approximately USD2.63
billion in FY (2023-2024).
The data shows the growth of 32.5% compared to last
fiscal (FY2022-2023), when defence export was
recorded Rs15,920 crore.
The latest figures indicate that the defence exports
have grown by 31 times in the last decade over the
FY2013-2014.

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Private sector has contributed significantly of about
60% of total defence exports while remaining 40%
was contributed by DPSU.
There has been a rise in the number of export
authorisations issued to the defence exporters
during FY24. It saw an increase in export
authorisations from 1414(FY23) to 1507(FY24).
IAF’s 10-day mega exercise ‘Gagan Shakti’ begins

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is showcasing its might and
capability to carry out high-octane operations during the
upcoming ‘Gagan Shakti-2024‘ exercise “in a realistic
environment” from April 1-10. The exercise involves all air
force bases and assets scattered across the country.
‘Gagan Shakti’ was last held in 2018
India, Maldives & Sri Lanka’s ‘Dosti-16’ Held in Maldives

Indian Coast Guard ships Samarth and Abhinav, along
with Sri Lanka Naval Ship Samudura, are participating in
the exercise ‘DOSTI-16‘, while Bangladesh is participating
as an observer.
Sri Lanka has described ‘Dosti’ as a trilateral exercise that
aims to enhance cooperation, strengthen friendship,
improve mutual operational capability, and develop
interoperability among the Coast Guard personnel of
India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
Indian Army Inducts Akashteer System

Indian Coast Guard ships Samarth and Abhinav, along
with Sri Lanka Naval Ship Samudura, are participating in
the exercise ‘DOSTI-16‘, while Bangladesh is participating
as an observer.
Sri Lanka has described ‘Dosti’ as a trilateral exercise that
aims to enhance cooperation, strengthen friendship,
improve mutual operational capability, and develop
interoperability among the Coast Guard personnel of
India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

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Sagar Kavach 01/24
Sagar Kavach 01/24, a two-day coastal security exercise
involving all maritime security agencies was conducted
in the Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep
The assets of the Indian Navy(IN), Indian Coast
Guard(ICG), Marine Police, Fisheries, Customs and other
security agencies were involved in the exercise.
The first edition of 2024’s State Level Biannual Coastal
Security Exercise Sagar Kavach (01/24) for Kerala and
Mahe (a part of the UT of Pondicherry) was held from 20
to 21 March 2024.
IAF Receives First Indigenous Crash Fire Tender

The Indian Air Force (IAF) received the delivery of the
first indigenously designed and developed Crash Fire
Tender (CFT).
Indian Army Enhances Air Defence with Igla-S MANPADS

Indian Army Enhances Air Defence with Igla-S
MANPADS
Defence Ministry issues 65,000 cr tender to HAL

The Defence Ministry has issued a tender to the public
sector firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for
purchasing made-in-India 97 LCA Mark 1A fighter jets
expected to be worth over Rs 65,000 crore.
The programme will help the IAF to replace its fleet of
MiG- 21s, MiG-23s and MiG-27s which have been either
phased out or are set to be phased out or are set to be
phased out in near future.
The last order for LCA Mark1A was for 83 aircraft and the
first plane is poised to be delivered in a few weeks from
now. LCA Mark 1A is the advanced version of Tejas
aircraft.

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Indian Army Conducts Anti-Tank Guided Missile
Training Exercise in Sikkim
Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army executed a rigorous
Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) exercise in Sikkim
The exercise involved Missile Firing Detachments from
Mechanized and Infantry Units of the Eastern
Command, emphasizing live firing scenarios against
both moving and static targets, simulating battlefield
conditions.
India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK

2024
The fifth edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military
Exercise DUSTLIK in Termez District, Uzbekistan.
The fourth edition of the joint military exercise took
place last year at the Foreign Training Node,
Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.
The Indian Army contingent comprises troops from an
infantry battalion from the Garhwal Rifles Regiment
DRDO Successfully Test Fires Indigenous Technology

Cruise Missile
DRDO conducted a successful test flight of the
Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the
Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.
The Indian Air Force’s Su-30-Mk-I aircraft actively
monitored the flight, enhancing the surveillance
capabilities.
Cruise missile?
It is a guided missile used against terrestrial or naval
targets, that remains in the atmosphere (unlike ballistic
missiles) and flies the major portion of its flight path at
an approximately constant speed, before hitting the
target.
Subsonic Cruise missiles: These cruise missiles travel at
less than Mach 1.
Supersonic Cruise missiles: Cruise missiles travelling at
supersonic speeds are called supersonic cruise missiles.

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Hypersonic Cruise missiles: Cruise missiles
powered using scramjet engines to realise speeds
greater than Mach 5 are designated as hypersonic
cruise missiles.
RPF Holds the Largest Share of Women Personnel

among CPF
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), established in 1957
under the Ministry of Railways has the largest share of
women personnel (9%) among Central Paramilitary
Forces in India.
These women personnel are specially trained to ensure
safety and provide assistance to female passengers in
distress.
The different operations of RPF includes – Meri Saheli
initiative, Operation Matrishakti, Operation AAHT
(Against Human Trafficking), Operation Nanhe Farishtey
and Operation Dignity
Indian Navy Conducts ‘Poorvi Leher’ Mega Exercise

The Indian Navy conducted a mega exercise, ‘Poorvi
Leher,’ along the East Coast to validate its procedures
and assess its preparedness to meet maritime security
challenges in the region.
In addition to Eastern Naval Command, the exercise
witnessed participation from the Indian Air Force,
Andaman and Nicobar Command, and the Coast Guard.
HAL and CSIR-NAL Signs Transfer of Technology (ToT)

Agreement for LCA Tejas Mk1A Engine Bay Door
production
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed a Transfer of
Technology agreement with the Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research – National Aerospace
Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) to manufacture the
Bismaleimide (BMI) Engine Bay Door (EBD) for the Light
Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A aircraft.

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Under the agreement, HAL can directly produce
these high-temperature resistant composite parts
for the production of LCA Mk1A.
LCA Tejas Mk1A is an indigenous 4.5-generation, all-
weather, and multi-role fighter aircraft for the
Indian Air Force (IAF)..
DRDO Develops Lightest Bulletproof Jacket in India

The Defence Research and Development Organisation
has developed India’s lightest Bulletproof Jacket for
protection against 7.62 x 54 R API(Armour Piercing
Incendiary) ammunition, highest threat Level 6 of
Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) 17051.
The bulletproof jacket was developed by Defence
Materials and Stores Research and Development
Establishment(DMSRDE), DRDO lab based in Kanpur
It was successfully tested at Terminal Ballistics Research
Laboratory(TBRL), Chandigarh as per BIS 17051:2018.
BIS 17051:2018 prescribes the minimum performance
requirements of bullet resistant jackets for protection
against small arms and ammunition.

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Festivals
Gangaur Festival 2024
Gangaur is an important festival celebrated throughout Rajasthan,

commemorating the union of Lord Shiva (Gan) and Goddess Parvati
(Gauri).
The term “Gan” refers to Lord Shiva, while “Gauri” or “Gaur” represents
Goddess Parvati, Shiva’s heavenly consort.
Gangaur symbolizes the happiness and auspiciousness of marriage,
making it a significant celebration for the people of Rajasthan.
Longte Festival Celebrated

by Arunachal Pradesh’s
Nyishi Tribe
The Longte festival is a significant cultural event for the Nyishi tribe in
Arunachal Pradesh. It is marked by its unique tradition of abstaining
from animal sacrifice, opting instead for symbolic decorations using
feathers and bamboo

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The 34th Seng Khihlang
Festival
The 34th Seng Khihlang festival, a revered event for adherents of the
Khasi Indigenous Faith, recently concluded in Wahiajer, Meghalaya.

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GDP Forecast
International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its
bi-annual report titled World Economic
Outlook(WEO) – Steady But Slow: Resilience
Amid Divergence (April 2024). According to
the report IMF has raised India’s GDP(Gross
Domestic Product) growth forecast by 30 basis
points(bps) to 6.8% for fiscal year 2025(FY25)
and retained the forecast for FY26 at 6.5%.
India’s GDP grew by an impressive 7.8% in FY
2024(2023-2024), higher than the 6.7%
IMF raises India’s GDP growth
predicted in IMF’s January 2024 report.
forecast to 6.8%
The National Institute of Public Finance and

Policy (NIPFP) predicts India’s GDP growth for
the fiscal year 2024-25 to be 7.1%.
While NIPFP’s forecast stands at 7.1%, other
entities such as the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) and Fitch Ratings estimate a growth
rate of 7%.
NIPFP Forecasts India’s FY25 GDP

Growth at 7.1%
Moody’s Analytics projects a modest uptick in

India’s economic growth for 2024, estimating
a 6.1% expansion, slightly higher than the 6%
projected earlier in March.
Despite the growth, it remains lower than the
7.7% recorded in 2023.
Moody’s Analytics Forecasts India’s

Economy to Grow by 6.1% in 2024

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The World Bank has revised India’s GDP
growth projection for FY25 to 6.6%
FY24 GDP estimated at 7.5%, showcasing a
resilient economic performance.
World Bank Raises India’s Growth

Projection
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has

raised India’s GDP growth forecast for the
current fiscal year (FY25) to 7% from the
previous estimate of 6.7%. For the 2025-26
fiscal, ADB has projected India’s growth at
7.2%.
Asian Development Bank Raises

India’s GDP Growth Forecast

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Important Days
CTRL + F
OBSERVED DAY INFO.
30
On December 14, 2022, the United Nations
INTERNATIONAL DAY General Assembly passed a resolution to
OF ZERO WASTE have an International Day of Zero Waste
MARCH
celebrated every year on March 30th. This
day aims to raise awareness about
reducing waste and promoting zero-
waste initiatives to achieve sustainable
development.
Reducing waste is crucial for achieving
the UN Sustainable Development
Goals, especially:
Goal 11: Making cities and
communities sustainable
Goal 12: Ensuring sustainable
consumption and production patterns
Utkal Diwas, also known as Odisha Day or
01 UTKAL DIWAS
Utkala Dibasa, is a significant annual
celebration held in the Indian state of
Odisha. It is observed on 1st April every
APRIL
year to commemorate the formation of
the state of Odisha on April 1, 1936.
This day holds immense cultural and
historical importance for the people of
Odisha, as it represents the
culmination of a long-standing
struggle for a separate state, distinct
from the combined Bihar and Orissa
provinces during the British colonial
era.

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OBSERVED DAY INFO.
World Autism Awareness Day is on April
02 WORLD AUTISM
AWARENESS DAY
2nd every year. It aims to raise awareness
and support for people with autism. The
theme for 2024 is “Empowering Autistic
APRIL
Voices.” A report says around 18 million
people in India have autism. Between 1-
1.5% of children aged 2-9 years old are
diagnosed with autism. Boys are more
commonly affected than girls.
International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is

INTERNATIONAL annually observed across the globe on 2
CHILDREN’S BOOK April, the birth anniversary of Danish
DAY author Hans Christian Andersen, known
for his fairy tales, to foster a love for
reading among children and highlight the
importance of children’s books.
Hans Christian Andersen is often
referred to as the “father of modern
fantasy.”
International Board on Books for
Young People (IBBY) Japan (JBBY) is
the official sponsor of ICBD 2024,
under the theme “Cross the Seas on
the Wing of your Imagination“.
“Imagination” is the keyword for ICBD
2024.
260TH RAISING DAY On 3 April 2024, the Indian Army
03 OF THE ARMY
MEDICAL CORPS
celebrated the 260th Raising Day of the
Army Medical Corps (AMC), a specialist
corps in the Indian Army that provides
APRIL
medical services to all serving and veteran
army personnel, as well as their families.

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OBSERVED DAY INFO.
04
UNITED NATIONS The United Nations Observes International
OBSERVES Mine Awareness Day on 4th April.
INTERNATIONAL International Mine Awareness Day is a day
APRIL MINE AWARENESS dedicated to raising awareness about the
DAY serious impact of landmines and other
explosive remnants of war on civilians.
THEME 2024 - ‘Protecting Lives,
Building Peace’.
National Maritime Day is observed
05 NATIONAL MARITIME
DAY
annually on April 5 in India. It is a day
dedicated to recognizing the importance
of the maritime sector in the country’s
APRIL
international trade and economic growth.
THEME 2024 – “Navigating the future:
safety first!”
‘International Conscience Day’ is

celebrated every year on 5 April. This day
INTERNATIONAL DAY
is celebrated to remind people to
OF CONSCIENCE
introspect, follow their conscience and do
the right thing.
THEME 2024 – ‘Promoting a Culture of
Peace with Love and Conscience’.
National Library Day is celebrated every
06 NATIONAL LIBRARY
DAY
year on April 6th. On this day, people
come together to celebrate the important
role that libraries and librarians play in our
APRIL
society. It’s a day to reflect on the
importance of reading and making books
accessible and affordable for everyone.

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OBSERVED DAY INFO.
National Handmade Day is an annual

celebration held on the first Saturday of
NATIONAL April, which this year falls on April 6, 2024.
HANDMADE DAY This day is dedicated to honoring,
appreciating, and recognizing the skilled
individuals who create handmade goods.
THEME 2024 - Buy a Handmade
Product’
Every year on April 6th, the world

INTERNATIONAL DAY
celebrates the International Day of Sport
OF SPORT FOR
for Development and Peace (IDSDP). This
DEVELOPMENT AND
day is dedicated to recognizing the
PEACE
positive impact that sports and physical
activity can have on people’s lives and
communities around the globe.
THEME 2024 - “Sport for the
Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive
Societies”.
World Health Day is celebrated every year
07 WORLD HEALTH DAY

on April 7th, the founding date of the
World Health Organization (WHO).
THEME 2024 - “My Health, My Right”
APRIL
Ugadi, the traditional New Year festival
09 UGADI
celebrated across several states in India,
including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and
Telangana, falls on April 9, 2024
APRIL
It celebrates the creation of the world
by Lord Brahma.
While Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and
Karnataka celebrate it as Ugadi,
Maharashtra and Goa observe the day
as Gudi Padwa. In West Bengal, it is
celebrated as Poila Boishak.”

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Every year on April 9th, the Central

Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrates
CRPF’S 59TH
its Bravery Day, or Valour Day, to pay
BRAVERY DAY
tribute to the brave soldiers who have
selflessly served the nation. This year,
2024, marks the 59th anniversary of
this significant day.
World Homeopathy Day is observed on
10 WORLD
HOMEOPATHY DAY
April 10th every year.
THEME 2024 - “Homeoparivar: One
Health, One Family.”
APRIL
National Safe Motherhood Day, observed
11 NATIONAL SAFE
MOTHERHOOD DAY
annually on April 11th, is a crucial occasion
to highlight the importance of maternal
health and well-being.
APRIL
World Parkinson’s Day is observed

annually on April 11 to raise awareness
WORLD PARKINSON’S
about Parkinson’s disease, a
DAY
neurodegenerative disorder that affects
millions of people worldwide.
The date is chosen to mark the
birthday of Dr James Parkinson, the
British physician who first described
the symptoms of the disease in his
groundbreaking essay, ‘An Essay on
the Shaking Palsy,’ published in 1817.
The International Day of Human Space
12 INTERNATIONAL DAY
OF HUMAN SPACE
FLIGHT
Flight is commemorated every year on
April 12 to mark the beginning of the
space era for mankind.
APRIL

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The primary reason behind choosing

April 12 as the date is rooted in the
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s
achievement to orbit Earth aboard the
Vostok 1 spacecraft on this day.
The first human-made satellite
Sputnik I was launched into outer
space by the Soviet Union in 1957,
paving the way for space exploration.
It took four years for another
momentous occasion to occur. Yuri
Gagarin, the Russian cosmonaut, made
the first human space journey on April
12, 1961, in Vostok 1, his space
spacecraft. Gagarin took 108 minutes
to complete his journey in space,
which was a watershed moment in the
Space Race
Siachen Day is annually observed by the
13 40TH SIACHEN DAY

Indian Army on 13 April to commemorate
Operation Meghdoot launched by the
Indian Army on 13 April 1984.
APRIL
Operation Meghdoot was an Indian
military operation launched to secure
control of the entire Siachen Glacier
It marked the first assault on the
world’s highest battlefield, resulting in
Indian troops gaining control of the
entire Siachen Glacier.
National Fire Service Day is annually
14 NATIONAL FIRE
SERVICE DAY
observed across India on 14th April and
the National Fire Service Week is annually
observed from 14th to 20th April to
APRIL
honour the firefighters who lost their lives-

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-in the line of duty and to educate the

public and students about fire safety
practices.
THEME 2024 - “Ensure Fire Safety,
Contribute towards Nation Building”.
The World Health Organization (WHO)

WORLD CHAGAS observes World Chagas Disease Day every
DISEASE DAY April 14th to raise awareness about the
neglected tropical disease that affects
millions of people, especially in Latin
America.
THEME 2024 - “Tackling Chagas
disease: detect early and care for life”.
Every year on April 15th, people around
15 WORLD ART DAY

the globe celebrate World Art Day, a
tribute to the enduring impact of art
across various cultures and societies. This
APRIL
date was specifically chosen to honor the
birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, who is
emblematic of artistic freedom and peace.
THEME 2024 - “A Garden of Expression:
Cultivating Community Through Art,”
World Voice Day (WVD) is a global
16 WORLD VOICE DAY

campaign annually observed across the
globe on 16th April to celebrate the
phenomenon of voice. WVD also aims to
APRIL
spread awareness of the importance of
the human voice and the preventive care
it requires.
THEME 2024 - “Resonate. Educate.
Celebrate!”

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World Hemophilia Day (WHD) is annually
17 WORLD HEMOPHILIA
DAY
observed across the globe on 17 April to
raise awareness about Hemophilia, an
inherited bleeding disorder, and other
APRIL
bleeding disorders that prevent blood
from clotting properly.
.THEME 2024 - “Equitable access for all:
recognizing all bleeding disorders”.
World Hemophilia Day (WHD) is annually

observed across the globe on 17 April to
WORLD HEMOPHILIA
raise awareness about Hemophilia, an
DAY
inherited bleeding disorder, and other
bleeding disorders that prevent blood
from clotting properly.
THEME 2024 - “Equitable access for all:
recognizing all bleeding disorders”.
World Heritage Day, also known as the
17 WORLD HERITAGE
DAY
International Day for Monuments and
Sites, is observed annually on April 18
THEME 2024 - “Disasters & Conflicts
APRIL
Through the Lens of the Venice
Charter”
On April 19th, the global community
19 WORLD LIVER DAY

comes together to observe World Liver
Day, an initiative dedicated to shedding
light on the importance of liver health and
APRIL
promoting preventive measures against
liver diseases. This annual event serves as a
crucial platform for raising awareness,
encouraging lifestyle changes, and
supporting those affected by liver-related
conditions.
THEME 2024 - “Keep your liver healthy
and disease-free”

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OBSERVED DAY INFO.
The United Nations (UN) Chinese
20 UN CHINESE
LANGUAGE DAY
Language Day is annually observed across
the globe on 20 April to promote and
celebrate the Chinese language, one of
APRIL
the 6 official languages of the UN.
In 2010, the UN Department of Public
Information (now the Department of
Global Communications) announced
the launch of the UN Language Day to
commemorate multilingualism and
cultural diversity while advocating for
the equal usage of all 6 official
languages within the Organisation.
Other UN Language Days:
Arabic Language Day: December 18
English Language Day: April 23
Russian Language Day: June 6
Spanish Language Day: April 23
French Language Day: March 20
National Civil Service Day is celebrated
21 NATIONAL CIVIL
SERVICE DAY
annually on April 21st in India. This year,
the theme for National Civil Service Day
2024 is yet to be announced, but it is likely
APRIL
to focus on a current challenge or
opportunity facing the Indian civil service.
THEME 2024 - Public service in a
changing world
The United Nations (UN) World Creativity

WORLD CREATIVITY and Innovation Day (WCID) is annually
AND INNOVATION observed across the globe on 21 April to
DAY raise awareness about the role of
creativity and innovation in all aspects of
human development.

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On 21st March every year, we observe the
22 INTERNATIONAL
MOTHER EARTH
International Day for the Elimination of
Racial Discrimination.
THEME 2024 - “Planet vs. Plastics,”
APRIL
World Book and Copyright Day is a special
23 WORLD BOOK AND

COPYRIGHT DAY
day celebrated every year on April 23rd.
The main purpose of this day is to
promote reading, books, and
APRIL
copyright.
Every year on April 24th, the world
24 INTERNATIONAL DAY
OF
MULTILATERALISM
observes the International Day of
Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.
This significant occasion seeks to reaffirm
APRIL
AND DIPLOMACY FOR the principles enshrined in the United
PEACE Nations Charter, particularly the
commitment to resolving disputes among
nations through peaceful means.
National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated

NATIONAL annually on April 24th to commemorate
PANCHAYATI RAJ the establishment of the Panchayati Raj
DAY system in India. This decentralized form of
governance, introduced by the 73rd
Constitutional Amendment Act in 1993,
aimed to empower local self-governing
bodies, known as Gram Panchayats, at the
village level.
In 1957, the Balwantrai Mehta
Committee was formed to study the
process of democratic decentralization
and recommend measures to revive
the Panchayati Raj system. The
committee’s recommendations led to-

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-the establishment of a three-tier

system of Panchayats at the village,
block, and district levels.
World Day for Laboratory Animals is

WORLD DAY FOR annually observed across the globe on
LABORATORY 24th April as a movement to end the
ANIMALS suffering of the animals used for testing in
laboratories.
Every year on April 25, World Malaria Day
25 WORLD MALARIA DAY

is observed to raise awareness about the
prevention, treatment, and control of
malaria, a life-threatening disease caused
APRIL
by mosquito bites.
THEME 2024 - “Accelerating the fight
against malaria for a more equitable
world,” aligns with the World Health
Day theme, “My Health, My Right.”
Every year on the fourth Thursday of April,

INTERNATIONAL the world celebrates International Girls in
GIRLS IN ICT DAY ICT Day.
Every year on April 25, the world

INTERNATIONAL celebrates International Delegate’s Day,
DELEGATE’S DAY recognizing the crucial role of delegates
who represent their countries at the
United Nations (UN).
INTERNATIONAL Every year, on April 26th, we observe the
26 CHERNOBYL
DISASTER
REMEMBRANCE DAY
International Chernobyl Disaster
Remembrance Day. This day is dedicated
to remembering the victims of the
APRIL
Chernobyl nuclear disaster and raising
awareness about this catastrophic event.

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OBSERVED DAY INFO.
World Intellectual Property Day is

WORLD celebrated annually on April 26th by the
INTELLECTUAL World Intellectual Property Organization
PROPERTY DAY (WIPO).
The official theme for World
Intellectual Property Day 2024 is ‘IP
and the SDGs: Building Our Common
Future with Innovation and Creativity‘.
World Healing Day (WHD) is celebrated
27 WORLD HEALING DAY

every year on the last Saturday of April.
This year, it celebrated on 27 April.
World Healing Day is dedicated to
APRIL
promoting the benefits of mind-body
practices and the emerging medical
research on the subject.
The day grew out of the founding
event of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day.
The World Veterinary Day (WVD) is an

annual global celebration that honours
WORLD VETERINARY
the invaluable contributions of
DAY
veterinarians to society.
This year, World Veterinary Day will be
celebrated on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
THEME 2024 - “Veterinarians are
Essential Health Workers”
The World Day for Safety and Health at
28 WORLD DAY FOR

SAFETY AND HEALTH
AT WORK
Work is an annual international campaign
observed on April 28th to promote safe
and healthy working conditions for all
APRIL
workers.
This day aims to raise awareness of the
importance of occupational safety and
health and to honour those who have -

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-suffered injuries, illnesses, or lost their

lives due to work-related accidents or
diseases.
International Dance Day, celebrated
29 INTERNATIONAL
DANCE DAY
annually on April 29th, stands as a global
tribute to the art of dance. Conceived by
the Dance Committee of the International
APRIL
Theatre Institute (ITI), an essential partner
of UNESCO in the realm of performing
arts, this day commemorates the birth of
Jean-Georges Noverre revered as the
progenitor of modern ballet.
International Jazz Day, celebrated
30 INTERNATIONAL
JAZZ DAY
annually on April 30th, is a global event
that celebrates the power of jazz to bring
people together and promote peace,
APRIL
unity, and intercultural dialogue.
This year marks a significant milestone
as the city of Tangier, Morocco
becomes the first African host city for
the global celebration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was
29-5 INDIA CELEBRATES

NATIONAL MARITIME
WEEK
honoured with the ‘Merchant Navy Flag’,
pinned on his lapel by Secretary T.K.
Ramachandran of the Ministry of Ports,
MARCH-APRIL
Shipping and Waterways. This marked the
beginning of the National Maritime Week
celebrations, which span from March 29
to April 5.
National Maritime Week is celebrated
to honour the services of seafarers and
commemorate a proud moment in
India’s maritime history. It pays tribute
to the invaluable contributions of
seafarers.

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The week also marks the historic

voyage of the first Indian Steamship,
“S.S. LOYALTY,” of M/s. Scindia Steam
Navigation Co. Ltd., Mumbai, which
ventured into international waters on
her maiden voyage from Mumbai to
London (UK) on this day in 1919, now
marked as “National Maritime Day.”
Indian government has declared April 1 to
1-7 PREVENTION OF
BLINDNESS WEEK
April 7 as Prevention of Blindness Week.
This week aims to create awareness
about the importance of taking care of
APRIL
our eyes and getting regular eye
examinations to prevent eye diseases
like age-related macular degeneration.
In 1960, Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj
Kumari Amrit Kaur started the
National Society for the Prevention of
Blindness. It is a voluntary organization
that accepts donations and works with
other groups to fight blindness. India
was the first country to take a loan
from the World Bank to help eliminate
blindness.
Every year, from April 24 to 30, the world
24-30 WORLD
IMMUNIZATION
WEEK
celebrates World Immunization Week.
This global campaign aims to raise
awareness about the importance of
APRIL vaccination and its role in protecting
individuals, communities, and populations
against preventable diseases.
THEME 2024 - “Humanly Possible:
Immunization for All.”

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International News
UNESCO Adds 18 New Geoparks to UNESCO Global
Geoparks Network
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s (UNESCO)’s Executive Board has
1 approved the addition of 18 new sites situated in Brazil,
China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece,
Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Spain to the UNESCO
Global Geoparks network.
With this, the total number of geoparks in the network
becomes 213 geoparks in 48 countries.
Among the 18 new sites, 6 sites including Mount
Changbaishan Geopark are situated in China.
UN Appoints Saudi Arabia to Lead Women’s
Rights Forum Despite Criticism
Saudi Arabia has been chosen to chair the UN
Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), despite
2 widespread criticism due to its poor record on women’s
rights. The appointment of Saudi Ambassador
Abdulaziz Alwasil has sparked outrage from human
rights groups, given the stark disparity between the
kingdom’s actions and the commission’s mandate to
promote gender equality.
AmpIn Energy Gets 25 million euro Funding from
OeEB
AmpIn Energy Transition Private Limited received 25
million Euro investment from OeEB – Oesterreichische
3 Entwicklungsbank AG (Development Bank of Austria)
in a long term financing to support the energy
expansion plans of AmpIn Energy. This will also support
the AmpIn to establish a local 1-Gigawatt(GW) solar cell
and module production facility in Odisha.
AmpIn Energy aims to build a renewable energy
portfolio of 10 GW by 2030

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RVNL-Salasar JV Bags Rs 60 crore Transmission
Project in Rwanda
A Joint Venture between the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited
(RVNL) and Salasar Techno Engineering Limited (STEL),
4 the private steel manufacturer, has bagged “Rwanda
Transmission System Reinforcement and Last Mile
Connectivity project (TSRLMC)”, a transmission project
of Rwanda in Central Africa.
Rwanda TSRLMC aims to design, supply, and install 45.8
km of 110 KV double circuit Rukarara-Huye-Gisagara
transmission lines.
RVNL owns 51% stake in the joint venture, while STEL
owns the remaining 49%.
Microsoft and OpenAI Unveil ‘Stargate’ AI

Supercomputer
A Joint Venture between the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited
(RVNL) and Salasar Techno Engineering Limited (STEL),
5 the private steel manufacturer, has bagged “Rwanda
Transmission System Reinforcement and Last Mile
Connectivity project (TSRLMC)”, a transmission project
of Rwanda in Central Africa.
Rwanda TSRLMC aims to design, supply, and install 45.8
km of 110 KV double circuit Rukarara-Huye-Gisagara
transmission lines.
RVNL owns 51% stake in the joint venture, while STEL
owns the remaining 49%.
Congo Appoints First Female Prime Minister

The Democratic Republic of Congo has appointed
Judith Suminwa Tuluka as the country’s first female
Prime Minister.
6 The long-running conflict in the east has displaced
more than 7 million people, according to the United
Nations, making it one of the world’s worst
humanitarian crises. The region is overrun by more than
120 armed groups seeking control over the area’s gold
and other resources, leading to mass killings.

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WHO Launches CoViNet, a Network of Laboratory
to Monitor Emerging Coronaviruses
The World Health Organisation has launched the
Coronavirus Network (CoViNet), a global network which
7 will ensure timely detection, monitoring, and
assessment of coronaviruses of public health
importance.
CoViNet includes 36 laboratories from 21 countries
across all 6 WHO regions. This includes 3 Indian
laboratories.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-
NEERI), Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
2. Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute
of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune, Maharashtra.
3. Translational Health Science and Technology
Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana.
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi Sworn in for Third Term as

Egyptian President
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has commenced
his third term as the leader of the nation, extending his
8 tenure until 2030.
Germany Legalizes Recreational Cannabis

Germany became the largest European Union (EU)
nation to legalize recreational cannabis use, despite
facing opposition from politicians and medical
9 associations.
Under the new law, adults over 18 are now permitted to
carry up to 25 grams of dried cannabis and cultivate up
to three marijuana plants at home.
Germany joins Malta and Luxembourg as countries with
the most liberal cannabis laws in Europe.

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From July 1, 2024, “cannabis clubs” will be
allowed to distribute up to 50 grams of
cannabis per person per month to their
members, with a maximum of 500 members
per club.
Korean Fusion Reactor ‘Artificial Sun’ Sets New

Record
Scientists in South Korea have set a new world record
using the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced
10 Research (KSTAR) device, an “artificial sun” nuclear
fusion reactor.
During tests conducted between December 2023 and
February 2024, they generated plasma temperatures of
100 million degrees Celsius for a duration of 48 seconds.
The achieved temperature of 100 million degrees
Celsius is a remarkable seven times hotter than the
Sun’s core, which has a temperature of approximately
15 million degrees Celsius.
WHO’s unveils S.A.R.A.H, its 1st AI-Powered Digital

Health Promoter
The World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled
S.A.R.A.H. (Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health), its
11 first digital health promoter prototype with enhanced
empathetic response powered by generative artificial
intelligence (AI).
The digital health promoter was launched ahead of
World Health Day 2024 (7th April 2024) observance
focused on ‘My Health, My Right’.
S.A.R.A.H., also known as Sarah, is supported by
Biological AI technology of Soul Machines Limited.
Previously, WHO used a digital health worker named
Florence during the COVID-19 pandemic to disseminate
critical public health messages on the virus, vaccines,
tobacco use, healthy eating and physical activity..

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Zimbabwe Declares State of Disaster Over
Devastating Drought
Zimbabwe, along with Zambia and Malawi, has
declared a state of disaster due to a severe drought
12 sweeping across southern Africa. President Emmerson
Mnangagwa cited an “El Nino-induced drought”
causing below-normal rainfall, affecting over 80% of
the country.
Ousmane Sonko Appointed as the Prime Minister

of Senegal
The Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye
appointed Ousmane Sonko as the Prime Minister of
13 Senegal in his first act as President.
Ousmane Sonko replaced Sidiki Kaba as the new prime
minister.
Astrid Schomaker of Germany Appointed as

Executive Secretary of CBD
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United
Nations appointed Astrid Schomaker of Germany as the
14 8th Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
With this appointment, She becomes the CBD’s first
Executive Secretary from Germany.
Astrid Schomaker is expected to assume her role ahead
of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (COP 16)
summit, which will take place from 21st October- 1st
November 2024 in Cali, Colombia.

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Peter Pellegrini Wins Slovakia Presidential
Elections
In Slovakia’s recent presidential election, Peter
Pellegrini emerged victorious
15 Peter Pellegrini secured 53.26% of the vote
China Surpasses India as Largest Importer of

Russian Crude
China has surpassed India as the primary importer of
Russian crude oil via sea routes, with China importing
16 1.82 million barrels per day (bpd) in March compared to
India’s 1.36 million bpd.
India’s increased reliance on Russian crude stems from
geopolitical tensions, particularly since Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Prior to this conflict, Russia
accounted for only a small fraction of India’s total crude
oil imports.
Briton, nicknamed ‘Hardest Geezer’, becomes first

person to run length of Africa
British national Russ Cook, known as the “Hardest
Geezer,” has successfully completed a challenging trek
17 that took him over 352 days to finish.
During his journey, he covered more than 10,000 miles,
passed through 16 countries, and took over 19 million
steps, all while raising money for charity.
Mr. Cook departed from South Africa’s southernmost
point on April 22, 2023, and faced various obstacles,
including visa issues, health scares, and an armed
robbery, but he persevered and reached Ras Angela,
Tunisia’s most northerly point.

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The claim made by Mr. Russ Cook has been challenged
by the World Runners Association (WRA), a group of
seven athletes who have successfully circumnavigated
the world on foot.
According to the WRA, one of their members, Jesper
Kenn Olsen from Denmark, was the first person to run
across Africa during his “world run” challenge.
Olsen began his challenge on December 28, 2008, in
Taba, Egypt, and ran 7,948 miles (12,787 kilometers) to
the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, completing his
journey in 2010.
He ran through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania,
Mozambique, Swaziland, and South Africa, fulfilling the
criteria for a full-length run across Africa, according to
WRA president Phil Essam.
Based on the evidence presented, the WRA recognizes
Mr. Jesper Kenn Olsen of Denmark as the first person to
have run the full length of Africa, and therefore contests
the claim made by Mr. Russ Cook.
Zimbabwe Launches New Gold-Backed Currency

“ZiG”
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has launched the
new currency “Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)” backed by gold
18 and foreign currencies to replace its local currency
Zimbabwe dollars(ZW$)– Real Time Gross Settlement
(RTGS) dollar.
RBZ has notified that the banks should convert the
current Zimbabwe dollar balances into the ZiG with
effect from 5th April 2024.
The ZiG notes and coins will start circulating in the
economy on 30th April 2024.
The banks will continue to accept ZW$ deposits for a
period of 21 days after 5 April 2024.
The initial exchange rate of ZiG is set at 13.56 ZiG per US
dollar(USD).

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The new ZiG notes and coins will be issued in the
denomination of 1ZiG, 2ZiG, 5ZiG, 10ZiG, 20Zig, 50ZiG,
100ZiG, and 200ZiG.
Zimbabwe adopted the USD in 2009 to counter
hyperinflation.
New Zimbabwe dollar (Real Time Gross Settlement
(RTGS) dollar) was introduced in Zimbabwe in 2019.
John Alfred Tinniswood Becomes World’s New
Oldest Man
Guinness World Records (GWR) has shared a video of
the world’s oldest living man, 111-year-old John Alfred
19 Tinniswood, from England.
Tinniswood was born in 1912 in Merseyside, northern
England
Guinness World Records and the Gerontology Research
Group have thoroughly assessed and confirmed
Tinniswood’s claim to the title of the world’s oldest
man.
Simon Harris Becomes Ireland’s Youngest Prime

Minister
Simon Harris has been elected as Ireland’s youngest-
ever prime minister, succeeding Leo Varadkar who
20 resigned last month.
Lindy Cameron - UK’s First Woman High

Commissioner to India
Lindy Cameron, former CEO of the UK’s National Cyber
Security Centre, has been appointed as the first woman
21 high commissioner to India.

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Indian-origin expert Ashwini joins Britain’s
research team on dementia
Dr. Ashwini Keshavan, an Indian-origin neurologist, has
been selected to be a part of a world-class research
22 team in the UK. This prestigious team has been
entrusted with the crucial task of conducting research
to detect dementia through blood tests and gathering
more evidence to support this approach.
Dementia is a syndrome that leads to a decline in
cognitive function, which includes memory, reasoning,
comprehension, spatial awareness, mathematical
abilities, learning capacity, language skills, and
decision-making processes. It is a chronic and
progressive condition, and the symptoms are distinct
from the typical effects of biological aging.
Former Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gillani Elected

as Senate Chairman
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Syedal
23 Khan Nasir have been elected as Pakistan’s Senate
chairman and deputy chairman, respectively.
A total of 41 newly elected Senators were sworn in as
members of the House in a session of Pakistan’s Senate.
Belgium’s Ingmar De Vos Elected as New

President of ASOIF
Ingmar De Vos from Belgium, the President of the
International Equestrian Federation (FEI), was
24 unanimously elected as the President of the
Association of Summer Olympic International
Federations (ASOIF) during the 48th ASOIF General
Assembly.
He was elected for a 4 year term, starting on 1st January
2025.

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He will replace Francesco Ricci Bitti of Italy, whose 3rd
term as President of ASOIF is set to end on 31st
December 2024.
48th ASOIF General Assembly was held during
SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit 2024 held
in Birmingham, The United Kingdom (UK).
NASA and Japan Sign Agreement to Advance

Sustainable Human Exploration of moon
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
and Japan signed an agreement to advance sustainable
25 human exploration of the Moon
Under the agreement, the USA will send two Japanese
astronauts to the moon surface on its lunar mission.
Out of two Japanese astronauts, one will become the
first non-American ever to land on the moon.
NASA will provide the launch and delivery of the rover
to the Moon.
In addition to lunar surface exploration, the USA will
also collaborate with Japan for its future participation
in NASA’s Dragonfly mission and the Nancy Grace
Roman Space Telescope.
USA and Japan also plan to collaborate on JAXA(Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency)’s next-generation Solar-
observing Satellite, SOLAR-C (official name “High-
sensitivity Solar Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Satellite”).
The Artemis 1 successfully flew an uncrewed vessel
around the Moon in 2022.
Artemis 2 is planned for 2025 and will send four
astronauts around the Moon without landing. The crew
members are Christina Koch, a person of colour (African
American) astronaut, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hanse.
Artemis 3, scheduled for 2026, will be the first crewed
mission to land on the Moon.

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Russia’s Successful Angara-A5 Rocket Test
Launch
Russia successfully tested its Angara-A5 space rocket
for the first time
26 The Angara-A5 rocket reached an altitude of more than
25,000 kilometers (15,500 miles) per hour within
minutes of launch.
Russia launched the Angara project in 1991, shortly after
the dissolution of the Soviet Union, to develop a
domestically produced launch vehicle.
The first Angara-A5 test flight took place in 2014, and a
second test was conducted in 2020
Gopi Thotakura: First Indian Pilot to Embark on

Space Tourism with Blue Origin
Gopi Thotakura is set to become the first Indian to
venture into space as a tourist on Amazon founder Jeff
27 Bezos’s Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission.
Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members
for the mission, making him the first Indian space
tourist and the second Indian to venture into space
after the Indian Army’s Wing Commander Rakesh
Sharma in 1984.
Other crew members of the flight include Mason Angel,
Sylvain Chiron, Kenneth L. Hess, Carol Schaller, and
former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight, who was selected
by President John F Kennedy in 1961 as the nation’s first
Black astronaut candidate but was never granted the
opportunity to fly to space.
This mission will be the seventh human flight for the
New Shepard programme and the 25th in its history.
To date, the programme has flown 31 humans above
the Karman line, the proposed conventional boundary
between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
New Shepard is a fully reusable sub-orbital launch
vehicle developed for space tourism by Blue Origin.

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Kármán line, boundary separating Earth’s atmosphere
and outer space. The line is neither sharp nor well
defined but is often taken to encircle Earth at an
altitude between 80 to 100 km (50 to 62 miles) above
mean sea level.
The line originated with Hungarian American engineer
and physicist Theodore von Kármán, whose rocket
science laboratory later became the U.S. National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Jet
Propulsion Laboratory.
ommon estimates of the line’s atmospheric location
range from the lower thermosphere to the transition
between the thermosphere and the upper mesosphere
underneath it.
After attaining an altitude of 80 km, a craft is likely to
continue orbiting Earth, whereas below 80 km,
gravitational pull within the atmosphere drags the
vehicle back down to the planet’s surface.
Bjarni Benediktsson Took Office as PM of Iceland

Bjarni Benediktsson took office as Prime Minister (PM)
of Iceland. He succeeds Katrín Jakobsdóttir
He has previously served as PM of Iceland from January
28 to November 2017.
Israel Deploys C-Dome Defence System for First

time
Israel has deployed its ship-mounted defence system
‘C-Dome’ for the first time in Eilat, the southernmost
29 city of Israel.
The C-Dome is a naval version of the Iron Dome air
defence system used to shield against rocket and
missile attacks.

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The C-Dome Defence System was developed by the
state-owned defence company Rafael Advanced
Defence Systems.
Vo Thi Anh Xuan Appointed as Interim President

of Vietnam
Vietnam’s Vice-President Vo Thi Anh Xuan was
appointed Interim President of Vietnam
30 Vo Thi Anh Xuan succeeds Vo Van Thuong
Kristalina Georgieva Re-appointed as IMF

Managing Director
Kristalina Georgieva has been re-appointed as the
Managing Director (MD) of the International Monetary
31 Fund (IMF) for a new 5-year term starting on 1 October
2024.
Kristalina Georgieva, from Bulgaria, has served as the
MD of the IMF since 2019. Prior to this role, she held
positions such as Chief Executive Officer of the World
Bank and Interim President of the World Bank Group.
Nigeria Becomes First Country to Roll Out New

Meningitis Vaccine
Nigeria has become the inaugural nation to introduce
the innovative Men5CV vaccine, recommended by the
32 WHO, targeting five strains of meningococcal bacteria.
This historic milestone holds immense promise in
combating meningitis, a severe threat in Africa,
particularly in Nigeria. The vaccine rollout, funded by
Gavi, is a crucial step towards achieving the WHO’s goal
of eliminating meningitis by 2030.
Meningitis is an infection and inflammation of the fluid
and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

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Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to Step
Down
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, after two
decades in office, will step down on May 15, passing the
33 baton to his deputy, Lawrence Wong.
Lee has led Singapore and the People’s Action Party
since August 2004
Kuwait’s New Prime Minister: Sheikh Ahmad

Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
Kuwait’s Emir has appointed Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah
Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah as the new Prime Minister
34 following the resignation of Sheikh Mohammed Sabah
Al-Salem Al-Sabah.
The World’s First Beauty Pageant for Artificial

Intelligence Influencers
The world is set to witness the first-ever beauty pageant
exclusively for AI-generated models and influencers.
35 Dubbed “Miss AI,” this unique contest will pit these
virtual creations against each other, judging them on
their online presence, aesthetics, and the technical
prowess behind their creation.
The victor of this pioneering event will be crowned with
a staggering $20,000 prize money, solidifying Miss AI’s
status as the world’s first AI beauty pageant.
The Miss AI pageant will be judged by a panel of four
esteemed individuals, including two AI influencers
themselves – Aitana Lopez and Emily Pellegrini, Andrew
Bloch and Sally-Ann Fawcett will provide their
expertise
The first prize of $5,000 cash, along with Fanvue
promotion and PR support

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General Manoj Pande Inaugurates High-Tech IT
Lab at Academy of Armed Forces in Uzbekistan
During his visit to Uzbekistan Chief of the Army Staff,
General Manoj Pande, marked a significant milestone in
36 bilateral defense cooperation between India and
Uzbekistan by inaugurating a state-of-the-art IT
Laboratory at the Uzbek Academy of Armed Forces.
India Delivers First Batch of BrahMos Missiles to

Philippines
India has successfully delivered the first batch of
BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines.
37 This delivery marks the fruition of a $375 million deal
signed in January 2022, making the Philippines the first
export customer for this joint venture missile between
India and Russia.
Produced by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, a joint
venture between India and Russia, the BrahMos missile
is capable of supersonic speeds, flying at 2.8 Mach, and
can be launched from various platforms including
submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
Russia-India Signs Agreement to Operate Large

Research Hub in New Delhi
HSE University a public research univerisity in St
Petersburg, Russia and the University of Delhi have
38 signed an agreement on strategic cooperation and
joint actions.
Under this agreement, a large research hub will begin
operating at DU in India.
The agreement was formalized during the Indo-Russian
Education Summit, held in New Delhi
HSE University has been appointed as the coordinator
of cooperation between the entire HSE University and
DU in India.

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The hub will become a modern platform for the
development of academic and cultural ties.
The summit was organized by Rossotrudnichestvo, a
Russian State Agency under the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, along with the Russian House in New Delhi and
the Russian Embassy in India. This was the biggest
event of its kind in the history of India-Russia bilateral
ties.
Meta Unveils Upgraded AI Assistant Powered by

Llama 3
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the launch
of the company’s advanced AI assistant, Meta AI,
39 powered by the state-of-the-art language model Llama
3.
The AI assistant has been seamlessly integrated with
major Meta apps, allowing users to access its features
without switching between different platforms.
Sweden Becomes 38th Signatory to the Artemis

Accords
Sweden officially became the 38th nation to sign the
National Aeronautics and Space
40 Administration(NASA)’s “Artemis Accords” which
establish a practical set of guidelines for peaceful space
exploration and use of outer space.
Switzerland became the 37th country to sign the
Artemis Accords.
The Artemis Accords was jointly launched by National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and US
Department of State in 2020 with an aim of advancing
bilateral and multilateral space cooperation between
the signatories.
Artemis Accords was formally signed on 13th October
2020 by 8 founder countries: Australia, Canada, Italy,
Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates(UAE),
the United Kingdom(UK) and USA.

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It laid down the framework for the implementation of
key obligations from Outer Space Treaty(1967)
North Korea Tests New Missiles

North Korea revealed the testing of a new anti-aircraft
Pyoljji-1-2 missile and a super large strategic cruise
missile Hwasal-1 Ra-3 warhead in the West Sea of
Korea.
41
India-Kuwait Relations Strengthened with

Inaugural Hindi Radio Broadcast
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait announced the launch
of the first-ever Hindi radio broadcast in Kuwait, a
42 significant step to deepen ties between the two
nations. Initiated by Kuwait’s Ministry of Information,
the program will air every Sunday on FM 93.3 and AM
96.3, highlighting the bond between India and Kuwait.
Microsoft’s VASA-1: Bringing Images to Life with

AI
Microsoft Research Asia’s AI team has introduced
VASA-1, an innovative AI application showcased in a
43 recent paper on arXiv. VASA-1 converts still images into
animated representations with synchronized speech or
song, exhibiting realistic facial expressions.

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Brighton’s Tribute to Indian Soldiers
In a move to honour the courageous Indian soldiers
who fought valiantly in the First and Second World
Wars, the Brighton and Hove City Council in England
44 has taken a commendable step. They have decided to
hold an annual multi-faith event at the town’s India
Gate memorial this October, recognizing the pivotal
role played by these warriors from the undivided Indian
subcontinent.
The India Gate in Brighton, designed by Thomas
Tyrwhitt and influenced by Gujarati architecture, stands
as a testament to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers.
Unveiled on 26 October 1921 by the Maharaja of Patiala,
Bhupender Singh
Phi-3-mini: Microsoft’s Breakthrough in AI
Phi-3-mini marks a significant milestone in AI
innovation, offering unparalleled performance and
efficiency.
45 Microsoft’s latest small language model (SLM) has
surpassed benchmarks, demonstrating superiority over
models of similar and larger sizes.
China Launched 3 Member Shenzhou-18 Crew to

its Space Station
China launched its Shenzhou-18 spacecraft, also known
as the “Divine vessel”, aboard the Long March 2-F rocket
46 with 3 astronauts to its space station “Tiangong space
station”.
The 3 member crew of Shenzhou-18 are Mission
Commander Ye Guangfu(43), and former fighter pilots
Li Cong (34) and Li Guangsu (36).
This marks Ye Guangfu’s 2nd space flight mission. He
was a crew member of Shenzhou-13 mission (October
2021 to April 2022).
China built the T-shaped Tiangong space station after
being excluded from the (ISS) in 2011

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MoUs &
Partnerships
SIA-India and ABRASAT Sign MoU to Boost Space
Sector Advancements
The SatCom Industry Association of India (SIA-
India) and ABRASAT, the Brazilian Satellite
Communications Association, have joined
forces to propel advancements in the space
sector.
The MoU facilitates collaboration in satellite
communication, rocket and satellite launches,
payload development, satellite platforms, and
ground instrumentation.
IIM Mumbai and Starburst Collaborate to Boost

ASD Startups
Indian Institute of Management Mumbai (IIM
Mumbai) partners with Starburst, a prominent
European Aerospace, New Space, and Defence
(ASD) accelerator. This collaboration aims to
bolster the ASD startup ecosystem in India,
leveraging the resources and expertise of both
entities.
CII and ETS India Signs MoU to train Indian

workforce for Global Employability
Educational Testing Service (ETS) India and the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding to
enhance the global employability of the Indian
workforce.

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The partnership aims to improve the employability
of India’s young professionals by focusing on
English language proficiency and key 21st-century
skills.
It seeks to streamline the hiring process for Indian
talent, ensuring that they secure jobs that match
their skill sets on an international level.
ETS India is a subsidiary of ETS, The United States
of America (USA).
ETS India offers assessments such as the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) tests, as well
as other learning tools, to help individuals improve
their skills.
HPCL and Tata Join Forces to Build Nationwide

EV Charging Network
Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM), a unit of
Tata Motors, has announced a strategic partnership
with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)
to establish a nationwide network of 5,000 public
charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) by the
end of 2024.
‘Digital Health Enterprise Planning Course’ to

Bridge Tech-knowledge Gaps
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India,
International Institute of Health Management
Research (IIHMR) Delhi, and the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Bombay have jointly launched,
‘Digital Health Enterprise Planning Course’, a
comprehensive 10-week health course.
The course aims to promote digital innovation in
the health system.

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JAM & MAE Partners to Invest Rs 2700 crore to set
Carbon Fibre Plant
Jindal Advanced Materials Private Limited(JAM)
has collaborated with MAE S.p.A., an Italy-based
chemical fibre manufacturer, to set up a carbon
fibre plant of 35000 Metric Tonnes (MT) annual
capacity with an investment of Rs 2,700 crore.
IIT Kanpur’s SIIC Signed CSR Pact with Defence

PSU Gliders India Ltd
The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre
(SIIC) at the IIT-Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh-UP), inked a
Corporate Social Responsibility agreement with
Gliders India Limited to spearhead innovation in
the healthcare sector.
India-Nepal Joint Initiative to Promote Sanskrit

Research and Education
The Indian and Nepalese governments, along with
scholars from both countries, have collaborated to
advance Sanskrit research and education. This
partnership aims to strengthen bilateral relations
and preserve the cultural heritage shared by India
and Nepal.
Proposal for an annual conference to foster
collaboration and knowledge exchange among
Sanskrit scholars from India and Nepal.
Plan to establish a study center to research and
publish Sanskrit scriptures, particularly focusing on
Nepal’s vast collection of unpublished manuscripts.
Collaboration between Maharshi Sandipani Veda
Vidya Pratisthan, Ujjain, and Niti Anusandhan
Pratisthan of Nepal to aid in the development of
traditional educational institutions (gurukuls) in
Nepal.
Niti Anusandhan Pratisthan Nepal identified as the
headquarters for the proposed center to conduct
joint research, study Sanskrit manuscripts, and
facilitate publication endeavors.

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India to conduct specialized training programs for
Sanskrit students in Nepal to enhance their
proficiency and understanding of the language.
Central Sanskrit University, Delhi, committed to
providing necessary books to Gurukul libraries in
Nepal and supporting Sanskrit educational
institutions across the country.
Agreement to promote the preservation of
Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit languages, along with the
associated religious, cultural, philosophical,
historical, and archaeological heritage of both
nations.
NPTI & PTC India Ltd Signed MoU to Set up CoE for
R&D
National Power Training Institute (NPTI), under the
Ministry of Power and PTC India Ltd. Signed a
Memorandum of Understanding to establish a
Centre of Excellence for Research & Development
in the Energy Domain.
The collaboration aims to address pressing
challenges in the energy domain while aligning
with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
IOCL and Panasonic Partner for Lithium-ion Cell

Manufacturing in India
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) has collaborated
with Panasonic Energy to establish a joint venture
aimed at producing lithium-ion cells in India.
The joint venture aims to capitalize on India’s
ambitious target of achieving net-zero greenhouse
gas emissions by 2070 and support the transition
to sustainable mobility and energy solutions.
India targets selling over 10 million EVs annually by
2030, as per the Indian government’s Economic
Survey

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The GSI recently identified significant lithium
reserves of 5.9 million tonnes in the Salal-Haimana
region of the Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir
(J&K), as well as in Revant Hill of Degana, Nagaur of
Rajasthan.
India currently heavily relies on imports for all
major components required for lithium-ion cell
manufacturing, spending approximately US$ 20.64
million on lithium-based imports in the first eight
months of FY 2022-23.
HAL & CSL Signed Contract for Indian Navy’s

NGMV Project
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has signed a
contract worth Rs 1,173.42 crore with Cochin
Shipyard Limited (CSL) to supply 6 sets of LM2500
gas turbines and GT Auxiliaries (GTAE), spares, tools
for Indian Navy’s Next Generation Missile Vessel
(NGMV) project.
The domestic contract will be slated for execution
between FY26 to FY29.
Tata Tech-BMW Joint Venture for Auto Software

and Business IT Solutions
Tata Technologies and BMW Group have inked a
partnership to establish an automotive software
and IT development center in Chennai, Pune, and
Bengaluru.
Mahindra Aerostructures signs deal with Airbus

Atlantic
Mahindra Aerostructures Private Limited (MASPL)
has signed multi-year deal worth USD 100 million
with an Airbus Atlantic group entity.
As per the deal, Mahindra Aerostructures will
supply nearly 2300 varieties of metallic
components to Airbus Atlantic in France from its
manufacturing unit in India.

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SJVN Partners with IIT Patna
SJVN has forged a strategic partnership with the
Indian Institute of Technology Patna (IIT Patna)
aimed at revolutionizing tunneling project
performance through the integration of advanced
geological models.
QCI and LUB Signed MoU to Boost MSME

Competitiveness
The Quality Council of India has signed
Memorandum of Understanding with Laghu Udyog
Bharati to enhance the awareness and
participation in the Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSME) Competitive Lean Scheme
(MCLS) among the members of LUB.
The MoU lays out a roadmap for joint activities,
encompassing awareness campaigns, training
sessions, state and district level consultations, with
the aim of promoting the implementation of lean
concepts and sustainable practices among LUB
members.
Meta Partners with PTI to Expand its Fact-

Checking Program in India
Meta Platforms has partnered with Press Trust of
India under its third-party fact-checking program
in India, to establish a dedicated fact- checking
unit.
Under this partnership PTI will identify, review, and
rate content for misinformation across Meta
platforms.
With this collaboration, Meta now has 12 fact-
checking partners in India, the highest in any
country, covering 16 Indian languages (besides
English) through existing fact-checking partners.

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SIDBI Partners with KarmaLife to Offer Micro
Loans for Gig Workers
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
has entered into an agreement with a fintech
Onion Life Private Limited to use the latter’s
technology platform KarmaLife for a pilot to
provide micro loans to gig workers. This is expected
to support the gig workers’ financial inclusion to
formal institutional credit
BEML & BEL partners to Develop Indigenous Train

Control Management System (i-TCMS)
BEML Limited signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with Bharat Electronics Limited to
jointly develop an indigenous Train Control
Management System (i-TCMS).
At present, TCMSs are supplied by propulsion
suppliers which leads to dependence on imported
technology.
TCMS, known as the “Brain of the train”, plays a
major role in coordinating control and monitoring
across various systems.
This includes distributed control system
comprising computer devices, software,
humanmachine interfaces, digital and analogue
input/output capabilities, and secure data
networks
IFFCO & ACME Signed MoU To Boost

Sustainability in Agriculture and Renewable
Energy Usage
The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited
(IFFCO) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with ACME Cleantech Solutions
Private Limited for the purchase and supply of
about 200,000 Metric Ton of ammonia produced
using renewable energy.

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As per the MoU, the ammonia will be produced
using a renewable energy source at ACME’s facility
in Gopalpur, Odisha.
The commercial-grade ammonia delivered under
this arrangement will be utilized to manufacture
complex fertilizers at IFFCO’s Paradeep Unit in
Odisha and Kandla Unit in Gujarat.
EU-India Collaboration: Driving Innovation in EV

Battery Recycling
The European Union and India have embarked on a
collaborative effort to nurture startups in the field
of Electric Vehicle battery recycling.
This initiative is a direct outcome of the India-EU
Trade and Technology Council announced in April
2022, aimed at enhancing cooperation in clean and
green technologies.
Twelve startups, six from each region, will be
selected to pitch their innovations during the
matchmaking event in June 2024.
KABIL and CSIR-IMMT Forge Alliance for Critical

Minerals Advancement
India’s mineral security, Khanij Bidesh India Limited
(KABIL) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research – Institute of Minerals and Materials
Technology (CSIR-IMMT) have entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for
Technical & Knowledge cooperation.
KABIL, a joint venture of NALCO, HCL, and MECL
under the Ministry of Mines, aims to secure the
nation’s critical and strategic minerals. Its mandate
spans the identification, exploration, development,
and procurement of essential minerals to bolster
domestic supply chains and support national
initiatives.

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Air India & BIAL Signed an Agreement to Develop
Bengaluru as a Aviation Hub
Tata-Group-owned Air India and Bangalore
International Airport Ltd (BIAL) have entered into
an agreement to develop Bengaluru (Karnataka) as
a premier aviation hub for southern India.
As part of this initiative, Air India has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the
Government of Karnataka to establish a
Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility at
BLR airport with an investment of around Rs 1,300
crore.
QCI & MoHFW Partnered to Improve CGHS

Healthcare Experience
The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has
initiated a five-year collaboration to transform the
Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
ecosystem and to enhance healthcare services for
all beneficiaries.
India, Mauritius amends Double Tax Avoidance

Agreement
The Government of the Republic of India and the
Government of Mauritius have amended the India-
Mauritius Double Tax Avoidance Agreement
(DTAA) to focus on preventing tax evasion instead
of promoting bilateral investment flows.
In February 2024, the Mauritius Cabinet of Ministers
approved an amendment to the DTAA with India to
align with the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD)’s proposal on
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).
India and Mauritius signed the protocol to amend
the India-Mauritius DTAA in March 2023.
India has signed the DTAA with 85 countries to
safeguard non-resident Indians (NRI) from double
taxation.

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This highlights the shift in the focus towards
preventing tax evasion over promoting bilateral
investment flows.
The Agreement was signed on 24th August
1982 and came into force on 1st April 1983.
It stated that the capital gains tax had to be
paid in the country where the foreign investor
was based.
Therefore the rate of capital gains tax in
Mauritius was “Zero”.
On 10th May 2016, the DTAA was amended and
it was decided that in case of shares purchased
after 1st April 2017, the capital gains arising
from an investment in an Indian company will
be taxed in India.
Apple and CleanMax Collaborate to Advance

Renewable Energy in India
Apple has partnered with CleanMax to deploy 14.4
megawatts of rooftop solar installations across six
industrial sites in India, aimed at reducing
emissions associated with its operations in the
country.
AFMS partnered with IIT Kanpur to Address

Healthcare Challenges for Soldiers
The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for
collaborative research and training with Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur.
Under this MoU, AFMS and IIT Kanpur will team up
to undertake research and develop new
technologies to address health problems faced by
soldiers in difficult terrains.

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BEL signs MoU with IIT Mandi for Co-operation in
Various Fields
Bharat Electronics Limited signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, for
cooperation in research and technology, product
development in domains such as semiconductors,
quantum technologies, and drones.
IIT Kanpur & BFI Partners to Accelerate

Healthcare Innovation in India
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur,
Uttar Pradesh and Blockchain For Impact (BFI),
foundation in Bengaluru announced a strategic
partnership, under the BFI- Biome Virtual Network
Program to nurture innovations and drive
advancements in healthcare in India.
ReNew & JERA Partners to Jointly Evaluate Green

Ammonia Projects in Odisha
ReNew Energy Global PLC (ReNew) and JERA Co.
Inc., Japan’s largest power generation company,
have signed an initial agreement to assess a green
ammonia production project in Odisha.
India aims to produce 5 million tonnes of green
hydrogen per year by 2030.
CAG of India & Bulgarian National Audit Office

signed MoU to Enhance Audit Expertise
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
Bulgarian National Audit Office in Sofia, Bulgaria to
foster international cooperation.
To enhance collaboration and exchange of
expertise in the field of auditing between India and
Bulgaria.

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RVNL Signed MoU with TUMAS India Private
Limited
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with M/s Turkish
Engineering Consulting & Contracting – TUMAS
India Private Limited for partnership and
collaboration in public transportation projects and
infrastructure projects across India.
Rashtriya Raksha University’s Strategic

Partnership with Starburst Aerospace
Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) in Gandhinagar,
India, and Starburst Aerospace of France have
signed a significant memorandum of
understanding aimed at advancing innovation in
aerospace, defence, and homeland security.
The MoU establishes a venture capital fund of 100
million euros dedicated to aerospace, defence, and
security technology, fostering innovation and
growth in these sectors.
ISKCON and NSDC Collaborate for Tribal Skill

Development
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON) and the National Skill Development
Corporation (NSDC) have joined forces. The
partnership aims to provide vocational training to
marginalized communities, initially focusing on
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and
Madhya Pradesh.
NGEL & ITL signed MoU to develop Renewable

Energy Projects
NTPC Green Energy Limited(NGEL) and Indus
Towers Limited (ITL) have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding to address the need for pacing
green energy objectives and the Indian
government’s efforts towards a carbon-neutral
economy.

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CSIR-IICT & BHEL Partnered to Advance Clean
Fuel Technology
The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-
Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT)
and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
Corporate Research and Development have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding for developing
technology on capturing and converting carbon
dioxide (CO2) to Dimethyl Ether (DME) through
direct catalytic conversion.
AFMS Signed MoU with IIT-Delhi & IIT Kanpur to

Develop Tech for Soldiers’ Health Issues
Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) under the
Ministry of Defence signed a Memorandum of
Understandings with the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIT Kanpur for
collaborative research and training.
Under these MoUs, AFMS will collaborate with IIT
Delhi and IIT Kanpur to undertake research and
develop innovative medical devices and focus on
addressing the health issues of the soldiers in
diverse terrains.
Air India Expands Partnership with Japan’s ANA

Air India has entered into a codeshare partnership
with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest
airline.
This agreement will allow passengers of both
airlines to combine flights between India and
Japan using a single ticket.
C-DOT and IIT – Jodhpur Sign Agreement

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)
and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) –
Jodhpur (Rajasthan) have signed an agreement for
“Automated Service Management in 5G and
Beyond Networks Using AI”.

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The agreement is signed under the Telecom
Technology Development Fund (TTDF) of the
Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
The primary objective is to develop artificial
intelligence frameworks for automated
network management, fault detection, and
detection techniques by utilizing continuous
information generated within the network like
5G.
DARPG Signs MoU with Cambodia Ministry of Civil

Service
The Department of Administrative Reforms and
Public Grievances (DARPG) under the Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry
of Civil Service, Cambodia to strengthen bilateral
exchange and cooperation in the field of Human
Resource Development in Civil Service over the
next 5 years.
It will be achieved through Exchange visits focused
on administrative reforms, webinars, research
publications, institutional exchanges, and capacity-
building programs.
In 2023-24, 156 Cambodian Civil Servants attended
capacity-building programs at India’s National
Centre of Good Governance.
For 2024-25, 6 capacity-building programs have
been scheduled for 240 Cambodian Civil servants.
ADIF and IIT Guwahati incubation center sign

MoU
The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) has
signed MoU with IIT Guwahati Technology
Incubation Centre (IIT Guwahati TIC) to promote
entrepreneurship and provide support to
technology startups.

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Under the agreement, ADIF will provide
alliance membership to IITG TIC’s portfolio
startup companies, giving them access to
ADIF’s startup toolkit of discounted services,
resources and mentorship opportunities.
NTPC Signs MoU with RINL for Supply of

Limestone
NTPC Limited and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)
have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the
supply of 9 lakh metric tonnes of limestone (lime chips –
a by-product of the RINL) for the NTPC units across
India for five years.
Limestone is used as a raw material for the flue-gas
desulphurisation system that is being installed at the
coal-based thermal plants of the NTPC for the reduction
of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions.

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National News
Government e Marketplace (GeM) Achieves ₹4 Lakh
Crore GMV
The Government e Marketplace (GeM) has witnessed a
1 remarkable growth, doubling its Gross Merchandise Value
(GMV) to ₹4-lakh crore in fiscal year 2023-24.
GeM’s GMV reaches ₹4-lakh crore, doubling from the
previous fiscal year.
Procurement of services surges by 205% in FY24,
contributing significantly to the total GMV.
Nearly 50% of the total GMV is attributed to service
procurement.
GeM caters to over 1.5 lakh government buyers and 21 lakh
sellers and service providers.
GeM offers a wide array of products and services, from office
stationery to defense equipment.
Services span transportation, logistics, waste management,
and more.
World’s First Om-Shaped Temple Inaugurated in

Rajasthan
The world’s first-ever temple designed in the iconic Om
2 shape has been inaugurated in the village of Jadan, Pali
district of Rajasthan.
The ‘Om Aakar’ temple, following the Nagara style
commonly seen in North India, pays tribute to the region’s
rich cultural and architectural heritage.
The central feature is the tomb of Guru Madhavanand ji.
The topmost section houses a shivling made of rhinestone
sourced from Dholpur.

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India’s first Artificial Intelligence based Film ‘IRAH’
trailer launched
The trailer and song launch of the first Hindi film on this
3 subject, “IRAH,” took place in Mumbai.
The movie features Rohit Bose Roy, Rajesh Sharma,
Karishma Kotak, and Rakshith Bhandarry in prominent roles.
The movie is Produced by Big Films Media and directed by
Sam Bhattacharjee.
The trailer of the film “IRAH” showcases the misuse of AI
technology, shedding light on its negative aspects.
World’s largest copper manufacturing plant owned

by Adani Group
Gautam Adani-led group has started of the first phase of the
4 world’s largest single-location copper manufacturing plant
at Mundra in Gujarat, which will help cut India’s
dependence on imports and aid energy transition.
The 1st phase of the facility will produce 0.5 million tonnes a
year of refined copper.
India’s per capita copper consumption is around 0.6 kg and
the global average is 3.2 kg.
Vedanta’s BALCO: First Indian Company Certified with

ASI Performance Standard
Chhattisgarh-based Bharat Aluminium Company Limited
5 (BALCO), a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, has achieved the
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance
Standard V3 Certification. This accolade positions BALCO as
the inaugural Indian company to attain this certification,
reflecting its commitment to sustainable practices in the
aluminium value chain.
BALCO secured the ASI Performance Standard V3
Certification for its facility in Korba, encompassing a range of
primary aluminium production processes.
The certification recognizes BALCO’s adherence to 11
principles and 62 criteria across three sustainability pillars:
Environment, Social, and Governance.

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NHAI’s One Vehicle, One FASTag‘ Rules Come into
Force on 1 April 2024
The National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI)‘One
6 Vehicle, One FASTag‘ norm to discourage the practice of
using a single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking
multiple FASTags to one vehicle has come into force from 1
April 2024.
NHAI has introduced One Vehicle, One FASTag to streamline
the electronic toll-collection process, enhance the efficiency
of the electronic toll-collection system, and alleviate
congestion at toll plazas.
NMDC Launches “Samman” Portal for Former

Employees
NMDC Limited launched “Samman” a portal for its former
7 employees to manage medical claims, view personal
profiles, dependent details and application status online.
The portal is designed to ensure on-time reimbursements
and easy access to all services, bringing comfort and
convenience to the former employees,
GoI Introduced new EMPS 2024 scheme from 1st April

The new Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024(EMPS
2024) under Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of
8 India came into effect on 1st April, 2024 and will continue till
the end of July 2024.
Meanwhile, the 2nd phase of FAME-II (Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme ends on
31st March, 2024.
Under the FAME scheme, subsidies will be eligible for e-
vehicles sold till 31st March or till the time funds are
available.
Ministry of Heavy Industries introduced EMPS 2024 scheme
on 13th March, 2024.
The scheme has set the budget outlay of Rs500 crore and
will replace FAME-II scheme.

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It offers subsidies for e-2w and e-3w including registered e-
rickshaws and carts, and L5 (e-3w).
L5 category includes electric-3 wheelers with a maximum
speed of over 25 Km/h.
Government of India(GoI) will provide financial support up
to Rs10,000 to per 2- wheeler. It aims to provide support for
about 3.33 lakh 2- wheelers.
Under the EMPS 2024 scheme, financial support of up to
Rs25,000 will be given for the purchase of small 3-wheelers
including e- rickshaws and e- carts. The scheme will cover
more than 41,000 such vehicles.
The financial support will be given up to Rs50,000 in case of
large3-wheelers.
Faster Adoption and Manufacturing in India (FAME India)
was introduced in 2015 under the National Electric Mobility
Mission Plan.
FAME-I, started in 2015 and was completed in 2019.
FAME-II was implemented from 1st April,2019 to 31st March,
2024, with total budget outlay of Rs10,000 crore.
Under the FAME-II, GoI offers the incentives for e-buses, 3-
wheelers and 4-wheelers to be used for public
transportation or any other commercial purposes.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory Celebrating 125 Years

The iconic Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO) recently
commemorated a remarkable milestone – its 125th
9 anniversary of studying the celestial body that sustains life
on Earth, the Sun.
Established on April 1, 1899, by the British, the Kodaikanal
Solar Observatory
One of the most remarkable achievements of KSO is its
possession of one of the longest continuous daily records of
the Sun in the world. This unique database, comprising
more than 1.2 lakh digitized solar images and thousands of
new images captured every day

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Paradip Port Emerges as India’s Top Cargo-Handling
Port in 2023-24
Paradip Port Authority, Odisha, surpasses Deendayal Port
10 Authority, Kandla, to become India’s leading cargo-handling
major port in the fiscal year 2023-24, handling 145.38 Million
Metric Tons (MMT) of cargo, marking a 7.4% growth from the
previous year.
Established by the Odisha government in 1962; taken over
by the Indian government in 1965.
Declared a major port by the Indian government on April 18,
1966, becoming the 8th major port of India.
Operates as an autonomous body under the Major Port
Trusts Act 1963, under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways, administered by a Board of Trustees appointed
by the Government of India.
PepsiCo’s Investment in Ujjain

PepsiCo India announces a massive investment of ₹1,266
crore to establish a cutting-edge flavour manufacturing
11 facility in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
Scheduled to commence operations in the first quarter of
2026, this plant marks a pivotal moment for both PepsiCo
and the local economy.
Linking of CGHS Beneficiary ID with Ayushman Bharat

Health Account ID
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (mandates the
12 linking of the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS)
beneficiary ID with the Ayushman Bharat Health
Account(ABHA) ID, with effect from 1st April 2024.
This is aimed at creating digital health identification for
CGHS beneficiaries and storing their digital health records.
The MoHFW stated that all existing beneficiaries must
complete the linking process within 30 days.

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CGHS was started in 1954 with the objective of providing
comprehensive health care to Central Government
employees, pensioners, and their dependent family
members.
According to the MoHFW, approximately 42 lakh
beneficiaries are covered under CGHS in 80 cities.
It offers healthcare based on allopathic and homoeopathic
medicine, as well as ayurveda, unani, siddha, and yoga.
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) was launched
under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in 2021.
It provides a digital health ID, i.e., the Ayushman Bharat
Health Account (ABHA), to people, which will contain their
health records.
ABHA is a unique health identifier as a random 14-digit
number and may be issued digitally or in the form of a hard
copy.
Governor R.N. Ravi Inaugurates Param Vir Chakra

Garden
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi inaugurated the Param Vir
13 Chakra garden and Aikyam exhibition at the Kanchi
Mahaswami Vidya Mandir in Tambaram.
The garden showcases the history and statues of the 21
Param Vir Chakra awardees, India’s highest military
decoration for valor.
Union Health Ministry Launches myCGHS iOS App

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare introduces the
myCGHS app for iOS, delivering enhanced healthcare
14 accessibility and digital experiences to Central Government
Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries.
Schedule and cancel appointments online for convenient
healthcare access.
Download digital copies of CGHS card and index card for
easy access without physical documents.
View lab reports from CGHS labs directly on the app, saving
time and simplifying processes.

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Monitor medication history to stay on track with treatment
plans.
Check status of medical reimbursement claims for timely
updates.
Find nearby CGHS-approved wellness centres to promote
preventive healthcare and well-being.
18 MCD Extends Deadline for Geo-tagging of Properties

Till 30 June 2024
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has extended the last
15 date for geo-tagging of properties until 30th June 2024 to
provide taxpayers another opportunity to register their
properties with MCD.
This marks the 3rd extension granted by the MCD for the
geo-tagging initiative.
Initially, MCD aimed at geo-tagging 15 lakh homes in Delhi
by 31 January 2024.
However, the deadline was subsequently postponed to 29
February 2024 and then to 31 March 2024.
IICA & HP India launch ESG Professional Programme

The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) has partnered
with HP India to launch the “HP Future Impact Leaders – IICA
16 Certified Environmental – Social – Governance (ESG)
Professional Programme” to promote sustainability and
empower corporate social responsibility professionals to
emerge as leaders in navigating the intricacies of ESG
frameworks.
Under this programme, 100% scholarships will be offered to
75 candidates to pursue advanced education in ESG.
Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in any
discipline and a minimum of five years of experience in
relevant fields to be eligible for the programme.
IICA is an autonomous Institute under the Ministry of
Corporate Affairs(MCA), that serves as a think tank, capacity-
building, and service delivery organization in the field of
corporate affairs and corporate governance.

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India’s First Gene Therapy for Cancer Launched
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, launched
India’s first home-grown gene therapy for cancer at IIT
17 Bombay.
This treatment, called ‘CAR-T cell therapy’ (Chimeric Antigen
Receptor T-cell therapy)
The newly launched therapy is the world’s most affordable
CAR-T cell therapy.
DRDO Initiates Project for Test Centre in West Bengal

The Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) has commenced a project in Junput village, West
18 Bengal, to establish a test centre for the country’s weapon
systems. This initiative aims to address the saturation of
testing activities at Odisha’s Chandipur Integrated Test
Range (ITR) by providing an additional operational area.
India to Build First Strategic Petroleum Reserve with

Private Company by 2029-30
India, the world’s third biggest oil importer and consumer,
19 plans to build its first privately managed Strategic
Petroleum Reserve (SPR) by 2029-30.
Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPRL), a Special
Purpose Vehicle (SPV), was created by the government of
India under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in
2004 to maintain strategic petroleum reserves in the
country.
It has invited bids for constructing 2.5 million tonnes of
underground storage at Padur in Karnataka.
It was set up in two phases : The first phase, ISPRL
constructed a strategic petroleum reserve in three locations:
Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes)Andhra Pradesh,
Mangalore (1.5 million tonnes)Karnataka, and Padur (2.5
million tonnes) Karnataka. They have fuel storage of a total
5.33 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes).
The Phase-I storage were built at government expense.

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In the second phase of the programme, the
government develops strategic reserves through
public-private partnerships so as to reduce
government spending and exploit the commercial
potential of the reserves.
India’s Nuclear Energy Achieving 1 Lakh MW by 2047

India aims to ramp up its nuclear power production
significantly, targeting a capacity of 1 lakh MW by 2047. This
20 objective, outlined in a report titled ‘Synchronising Energy
Transitions Towards Possible Net Zero for India: Affordable
and Clean Energy for All,’ highlights the nation’s
commitment to expanding its nuclear energy sector.
The Department of Atomic Energy is charting a vision
document for ‘Amrit Kaal,’ outlining plans to achieve a
nuclear capacity of approximately 100 GW by 2047.
Government Approval of Onion Export to Friendly

Countries
In response to requests from friendly nations including
21 Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Mauritius,
and Bhutan, the Indian government has granted approval
for the export of onions. India, a significant global exporter
of onions, had enforced a ban on onion exports in December
2023, leading to soaring prices in these nations.
To ensure stable onion supplies, the Indian government
aims to procure 5 lakh tonnes of onions for the 2024-25
buffer stock.
India ranks as the second-largest onion-growing country
globally, with Maharashtra leading production followed by
states like Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat. In the
2022-23 fiscal year, India emerged as the largest onion-
exporting nation, exporting significant volumes to countries
such as Bangladesh, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Sri
Lanka, Nepal, and Indonesia.

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Excavation Unearths 5,200-Year-Old Harappan
Settlement in Kachchh
In a collaborative project involving researchers from Kerala
22 University and various other institutions, a significant
archaeological excavation has revealed a 5,200-year-old
Harappan settlement at Padta Bet, near Khatiya village in
Kachchh district, Gujarat. Led by assistant professors
Abhayan G.S. and Rajesh S.V. from Kerala University’s
Department of Archaeology, the expedition uncovered
crucial evidence shedding light on the cultural formation of
Early Harappan settlements in the region.
About the Harappan Civilization
It is one of the oldest in the world and has thrived along the
banks of river Indus from around 5,000 BC to 1,000 BC.
While the 2,500-year-long period from 5,000 BC to 2,600 BC
is known as the ‘pre-urban’ Harappan phase, between 2,600
BC and 1,900 BC is the ‘urban’ Harappan phase. From there
on, the civilisation declines and 1,900 BC to 1,000 BC is
considered the ‘post-urban’ Harappan period.
Few Important Harappan Civilization Sites in Kutch,
Gujarat
Dholavira
It is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest
metropolises of the Harappan civilisation, is also in Kutch.
It is 150 kilometres away from Khatiya that’s among the
western-most of the Harappan sites in India.
Given the distance, researchers believe that it is unlikely that
people in the urban settlements of Dholavira were buried at
the Khatiya site.
Desalpar and Khirsara, Kotda Bhadli and Nadapa:
These are the other well-known Harappan sites in western
Kutch.
But each of them is a site of urban and post-urban periods
of the Harappan civilisation and more than 50 km away
from Khatiya.

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Being a pre-urban Harappan cemetery, there is a possibility
that either there was a big settlement in Khatiya or there
were smaller settlements around Khatiya and the cemetery
was a common burial ground for them.
India Lifts Export Restrictions on Essential Goods for

Maldives
India has removed export restrictions on essential
23 commodities for the Maldives, including items like eggs,
potatoes, onions, rice, wheat flour, sugar, and dal, for the
fiscal year 2024-25.
Under the bilateral trade agreement, specified quantities of
essential goods have been permitted for export to the
Maldives, exempting them from any existing or future
export restrictions.
The quotas for various commodities, including eggs,
potatoes, onions, sugar, rice, wheat flour, and dal, have been
raised by 5%.
Additionally, the quotas for river sand and stone aggregates,
crucial for the Maldives’ construction industry, have been
increased by 25% to 1 million metric tonnes each.
India has emerged as the Maldives’ significant trade partner,
with bilateral trade reaching $973.37 million in 2022-23, up
from approximately $740 million in the previous fiscal year.
India Secures Second Overseas Port

India has gained operational control over the Sittwe Port in
Myanmar, following approval from the Ministry of External
24 Affairs (MEA).
The agreement allows India Ports Global (IPGL), a company
fully owned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and
Waterways, to manage the entire port on the Kaladan River,
marking India’s second overseas port acquisition after
Chabahar in Iran.

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The port development is integral to the Kaladan project,
aimed at enhancing connectivity between Sittwe in
Myanmar and Mizoram in India, facilitated by waterways
and road networks.
The Sittwe Port is part of the Kaladan multi-modal transit
transport project.
The project aims to connect the eastern Indian seaport of
Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Myanmar by sea.
It further link Sittwe Port to Paletwa in Myanmar via
Kaladan river waterway, and connect Paletwa to Zorinpui in
Mizoram through a road component.
This link will not only offer an alternative route for shipping
goods to the northeastern states, but will significantly
reduce the cost and distance from Kolkata to Mizoram and
beyond.
It will also reduce dependency on the Siliguri Corridor,
known as the chicken’s neck, which is squeezed between
Bhutan and Bangladesh.
It is a joint venture between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust
(JNPT) and Deendayal Port Trust (Erstwhile Kandla Port
Trust).
Miraj Tanpura,Miraj Sitar & Kathiya Gehu got GI Tag

Geographical Indications Registry under the Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the
25 Ministry of Commerce and Industry awarded geographical
indication tags to Miraj Tanpura and Miraj Sitar of
Maharashtra and Bundelkhand Kathiya Gehu (Wheat) of
Uttar Pradesh
Indian Coast Guard Inaugurates Aquatic Centre at

Mandapam, Tamil Nadu
Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal inaugurated
26 the Indian Coast Guard Aquatic Centre at ICGS Mandapam
near Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu

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Pune Celebrates Yoga Mahotsav Ahead of
International Yoga Day
Pune Celebrates Yoga Mahotsav Ahead of International
27 Yoga Day
GoI to develop Plant for recycling LIBs & E-waste in

Uttarakhand
The Technology Development Board under the Department
28 of Science and Technology entered into an agreement with
Remine India Private Limited to establish a commercial
plant for recycling lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries (LIBs) and e-
waste using indigenous technology in Sitarganj,
Uttarakhand, with a total project cost of Rs 15 crore.
The new recycling plant will be set up at Eldeco in State
Infrastructure & Industrial Development Corporation
Uttarakhand Ltd. (SIIDCUL) Industrial Area in Sitarganj,
Udham Singh Nagar district.
GUJCOST Designated as Nodal Centre for ISRO’s

START Programme
GUJCOST has been appointed as the Nodal Centre for ISRO’s
29 START programme, aimed at nurturing aspiring scientists
and engineers in the field of space science and technology.
The programme, conceptualized by ISRO, provides an
introductory online platform covering various areas of space
science research.
Under the START programme, GUJCOST will conduct live
classes, acting as the central hub for knowledge
dissemination. Four Regional Science Centres in Rajkot,
Patan, Bhavnagar, and Bhuj will also contribute to
facilitating the programme, expanding its reach across the
region.

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The inaugural online programme, titled “Exploration of Solar
System,” invites registrations until April 19. Scheduled to
commence on April 24 and run until May 10, 2024, the
programme aims to provide participants with a deep
understanding of the complexities of the solar system.
Central Coalfields Limited Unveils New Logo

The Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) unveiled its official
brand-new logo with the tagline “Fuelling Sustainable
30 Growth.”
CCL is one of the eleven fully owned subsidiary companies of
Coal India Limited (CIL).
President of India Inaugurates Homoeopathy

Symposium on World Homoeopathy Day
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated a
31 two-day Homoeopathy Symposium organized by the
Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy in New Delhi
on World Homoeopathy Day (April 10, 2024).
The theme of the symposium, “Empowering Research,
Enhancing Proficiency,” is highly relevant in the 21st century.
Experimental Licence Module for 100 5G Labs virtually

launched
“Experimental Licence Module for 100 5G Labs” was virtually
32 launched by Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Department of
Telecommunication(DoT), Ministry of Communications
during a 5G workshop at the Indian Institute of
Technology(IIT)-Madras
The initiative aims to simplify the process for experimental
licence requirements for academic institutions in India.
DoT has awarded ‘100 5G Use Case Labs‘ to educational
institutions across India. The labs will utilise 5G frequency
bands to carry out various experiments and testing use
cases.

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The DoT has introduced a simplified mechanism for the
issuance of licenses through a specific Approval Type
“Experimental Licence for 100 5G Labs” on NSWS portal.
The application has been simplified. This requires only basic
information like institute address, authorised personnel and
a nominal fee of Rs. 5000.
NTPC Limited to Launch New Edition of Girl Child
Empowerment Mission (GEM)
NTPC Limited is set to unveil a new version of its flagship
33 corporate social responsibility initiative, the Girl Child
Empowerment Mission (GEM). This program aligns with the
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the
Girl Child) campaign launched by the Government of India.
The mission provides a platform for young girls to undergo a
month-long workshop during summer vacations for their
all-round development.
GEM was started as a pilot project in 2018 with only three
locations and 392 participants, and has since grown into a
nationwide movement.
Sangeet Natak Akademi Organizes ‘Shakti – A Festival
of Music and Dance’ in Shaktipeeths
The Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) is organizing the festival
34 ‘Shakti – A Festival of Music and Dance’ from April 9 to 17,
2024. The festival is celebrated in seven different
Shaktipeeths across the country.
The Shakti Utsav was inaugurated on April 9, 2024, from the
Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
The festival will be organized in the following seven
Shaktipeeths:
Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati (Assam)
Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur (Maharashtra)
Jwalamukhi Temple, Kangada (Himachal Pradesh)
Tripura Sundari Temple, Udaipur (Tripura)
Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha (Gujarat)
Jai Durga Shaktipeeth, Deoghar (Jharkhand)
Shaktipeeth Maa Harsiddhi Temple, Ujjain (Madhya
Pradesh)

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MoRTH Constructed 12,349 km of National Highways
in FY24
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
35 (MoRTH), a total of 12,349 km of National Highways(NHs)
were constructed in the Financial Year 2023–24 (FY24). This
is the 2nd highest figure in the history of the construction of
national highways.
The Ministry also revealed that it has awarded 8,851 NH
projects in FY24.
FY21 stands in first place with a length of 13,327km of
national highways.
IIT Jodhpur Unveils Nano-Sensor for Disease Tracking

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur
(IIT Jodhpur) have unveiled a groundbreaking nano-sensor
36 designed to swiftly detect Cytokines, vital proteins
regulating various cellular functions.
This innovation aims to combat the high mortality rates
resulting from delayed diagnoses and the absence of early
warnings in disease progression.
Led by Prof. Ajay Agarwal and his team, the development
employs Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy, offering
rapid and precise detection of cytokines even at minimal
concentrations.
Adani Green Energy Builds World’s Largest

Renewable Energy Park in Khavda, Gujarat
Adani Green Energy Limited is building the world’s largest
37 renewable energy park in Khavda, Kutch district of Gujarat.
The total capacity of the Khavda plant will be 30 GW.
Currently, 2 GW of renewable energy is being produced from
this park, and 4 GW capacity will be added by March 2025.
Thereafter, 5 GW capacity will be increased every year.
Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited (GIPCL) has been
appointed as the nodal agency for the Hybrid Renewable
Energy Park.

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Citroen becomes First MNC to Export EVs from India
French automaker Citroën has become the first
multinational car manufacturer to export electric vehicles
38 (EVs) produced in India to the international market.
The company announced the commencement of exports of
its locally manufactured ë-C3, sending an initial shipment of
500 units to Indonesia from the Kamarajar Port.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Historic Feature on

Newsweek Cover
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to make history as
39 the first Indian Prime Minister since Indira Gandhi to grace
the cover of Newsweek.
PM Modi highlighted India’s commitment to economic
transformation, citing landmark policies such as the Goods
and Services Tax (GST), corporate tax reductions, and
reforms in labor laws.
Sany India Launches India’s 1st Locally-Made Electric

Mining Truck
Sany Heavy Industry India Private Limited (SANY India)
40 launched the SKT105E, India’s first locally manufactured
fully electric opencast mining truck.
The SKT105E is intended to withstand the harsh conditions
of open-cast mining operations.
Chitrakoot’s Glass Skywalk Bridge in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh has unveiled its first-ever glass skywalk
bridge, located at the enchanting Tulsi (Shabari) Waterfall in
41 Chitrakoot. This innovative and visually stunning structure,
shaped like Lord Ram’s bow and arrow, is poised to become
a premier eco-tourism destination for visitors to the region.
The glass skywalk bridge, constructed at a cost of Rs 3.70
crore

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The bridge, engineered to withstand a load capacity of 500
kg per square meter, features an arrow-shaped extension
that extends 25 meters towards the abyss, with a width of 35
meters between the two supporting pillars.
MoA&FW Introduced ‘CDP-SURAKSHA’

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW)
introduced a digital platform called CDP- SURAKSHA
42 (Cluster Development Programme – System for Unified
Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure Horticulture
Assistance) to disburse subsidies to horticulture farmers
under the CDP.
The CDP-SURAKSHA will allow an instant disbursal of
subsidies to farmers in their bank account by utilising the e-
RUPI (electronic rupee/e-Rupee) voucher from the National
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Govt extends Deadline for Linking ABHA ID with

CGHS ID
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has
43 extended the dealine for linking the Ayushman Bharat
Health Account (ABHA) ID with the Central Government
Health Scheme (CGHS) Beneficiary ID to 120 days with effect
from 30th June 2024.
Madhya Pradesh Leads Implementation of Centre’s

Green Credit Programme (GCP)
Madhya Pradesh emerges as a frontrunner in the effective
44 execution of the Green Credit Programme (GCP) initiated by
the central government. Over the past two months, the GCP
has greenlit tree plantation initiatives spanning across 500
land parcels, encompassing 4,980 hectares spread over 10
states.
Madhya Pradesh takes the lead in securing approvals for
rehabilitating degraded forest lands, followed closely by
Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Assam.

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MoL&J Forms 6-Member Committee to Examine
Issues of Queer Community
The Ministry of Law and Justice (MoL&J) has constituted a 6-
45 member committee to examine various issues relating to
the queer (LGBTQIA+ – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Intersex, Queer/Questioning, and Asexual) community. The
Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba.
In October 2023, the Supreme Court of India directed the
formation of a six-member committee to examine issues
related to the queer community in the case of Supriyo v
Union of India.
IIT Madras Launches India’s 1st Mobile Facility for

Medical Devices Calibration
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras launched India’s
46 1st medical devices calibration facility on wheels, developed
by IIT Madras under its ‘Anaivarukkum IITM‘ (IITM for all)
Initiatives.
The mobile facility aims to provide affordable, quality
calibration services nationwide; bridging the healthcare gap
between urban and rural areas;
It will also help to test and maintain medical devices that
are used in a wide range of hospitals including those in
villages at their doorsteps.
Takshvi Vaghani Sets New World Record for the

Lowest Limbo Skating Over 25 Metres
India’s young skating sensation, Takshvi Vaghani, has etched
47 her name in the record books by setting a new world record
for the lowest limbo skating over 25 metres.
The 6-year-old prodigy from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, defied
the boundaries of human agility, gliding across the 25-meter
distance at a mere 16 cm (6.29 in) above the ground.
She surpassed the previous world record held by Manasvi
Vishal from Pune, who had skated the same distance at a
height of 16.5 centimeters.

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Vande Bharat Sets to Redefine High-Speed Rail Travel
The country is gearing up to launch an indigenous bullet
train capable of reaching speeds exceeding 250 kilometres
48 per hour (km/h).
The Vande Bharat trains, manufactured by the Indian
Railways’ Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, are at the
forefront of this ambitious project.
Permanent Education Number (PEN) Required for

Students Starting Academic Year 2024-25
School Education Department in the state has made the use
49 of Permanent Education Number (PEN) mandatory from the
academic year 2024-25. PEN is a unique identification
number assigned to every student by the Union Ministry of
Education, through the UDISE+ (Unified District Information
System for Education Plus) portal, which covers more than
14.89 lakh schools, 95 lakh teachers, and 26.5 crore children.
Finance Ministry notifies a new FDI limits for satellite

related activities under FEMA
The Ministry of Finance notified the amendment to Foreign
50 Exchange Management (Non-Debt Instruments) Rules 2019
to operationalise the new foreign direct investment (FDI)
limits for satellite- related activities.
The new rules will be known as Foreign Exchange
Management (Non-Debt Instruments) (3rd Amendment)
Rules, 2024.
The new rules came into effect from 16th April, 2024.
In February 2024, The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime
Minister(PM) Narendra Modi approved an amendment in
FDI policy for the space sector.
Under the amended FDI Policy, 100% FDI is allowed in the
space sector.
For manufacturing of components and systems or sub-
systems for satellites, ground segment and user segment, up
to 100% FDI is allowed under the automatic route.

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For Satellites-Manufacturing and Operations; Satellite Data
Products; and Ground Segment and User Segment up to
74% FDI is allowed under automatic route and FDI over 74%
will require government approval.
For Launch Vehicles and associated systems or sub-systems
and Creation of Spaceports for launching and receiving
spacecraft up to 49% FDI is allowed under automatic route
and FDI over 49% will require government approval.
This reform policy was developed by the Department of
Space in consultation with stakeholders like: IN- SPACe
(Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation
Centre), ISRO, NSIL (New Space India Limited).
NGEs (Non-Government Entities) developed capabilities and
expertise in the areas of satellites and launch vehicles.
India’s Commitment to Debris-Free Space Missions by

2030
At the 42nd Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination
51 Committee (IADC) annual meet, ISRO Chairman S.
Somanath announced India’s pledge to achieve debris-free
space missions by 2030.
With 54 spacecraft in orbit and numerous non-functional
objects, ISRO has been actively taking measures to dispose
of or remove space debris.
Additionally, plans for India’s own space station, ‘Bharatiya
Antriksh Station,’ by 2035 are underway.
MoA&FW Notifies Specifications of IFFCO’s Nano Urea

Plus
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW),
52 Government of India notified specifications of a new
product Nano Urea (liquid) 16 (Nano Urea Plus) fertiliser to
be manufactured by Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative
Limited (IFFCO) in India for a period of 3 years
Nano Urea Plus is a new version of nano urea meant for
meeting crop nitrogen requirements at critical growth
phases.

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Nano Urea Plus in liquid form has 16% nitrogen content,
pH(Potential of Hydrogen) value of 4-8.5 and viscosity of 5-
30.
Nano Urea Plus’ commercial production will start at IFFCO’s
Kalol plant in Gujarat, Aonla and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh
(UP).
Government Forms Panel to Promote Laws for

Efficient Mining of Critical Minerals
The government has set up a seven-member panel headed
53 by Vijay Kumar Saraswat to propose legislative measures
and promote the commercially viable extraction of critical
minerals found in limited quantities.
Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for
economic development and national security.
Government has provided a list of 30 critical minerals for
India. These minerals are Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth,
Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium,
Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, platinum
group elements (PGE), Phosphorous, Potash, Rare Earth
Elements (REE), Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum,
Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium,
Selenium and Cadmium.
Lakshmana Tirtha River Dries Up Amidst Drought and

HeatThe Lakshmana Tirtha River in the Kodagu District of
Karnataka has succumbed to severe drought and intense
heat.
54
It originates in the Brahmagiri hills, Kodagu or Coorg
District, Karnataka, and flows eastward & extends about 180
km before merging into the Cauvery River in the Krishna
Raja Sagara lake.
However, this year, the river has dried up entirely,
exacerbating the water crisis in the region.

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The Cauvery River, originating from Talakaveri in the Coorg
District, flows through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and
the Union Territory of Puducherry. Its tributaries include the
Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, and others, with the
Lakshmana Tirtha among those joining from the right. The
river ultimately drains into the Bay of Bengal.
Shompen Tribe Casts Historic Votes in Andaman and

Nicobar Elections
Members of the Shompen tribe, one of India’s Particularly
55 Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), exercised their
democratic right for the first time by casting votes in the
Andaman and Nicobar Lok Sabha constituency elections.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer of the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, B.S. Jaglan, seven members of the Shompen
tribe participated in the election process by casting their
votes. The Shompen population, as per the 2011 Census data,
stands at an estimated 229 individuals.
JSW Neo Energy Limited Secures 700-MW Solar

Project from NTPC
JSW Neo Energy Limited (JSW Neo), a wholly-owned
56 subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited, one of India’s leading
private sector power-producing companies received a Letter
of Award for setting up 700 megawatts Inter-State
Transmission System (ISTS)-connected solar power project
from NTPC Limited.
Adani’s Vizhinjam Port Approved as India’s First

Transshipment Hub
Adani Group’s Vizhinjam Port in Kerala has received
57 approval from the government to operate as India’s
inaugural transshipment port.
This designation is significant as it allows cargo to be
transferred from large vessels to smaller ones, contributing
to India’s goal of becoming a manufacturing hub.

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India’s Largest Climate Clock Unveiled at CSIR HQ for
Earth Day Celebration
In celebration of Earth Day, the Council of Scientific &
58 Industrial Research (CSIR) recently unveiled India’s largest
Climate Clock at its headquarters in New Delhi. This
initiative underscores CSIR’s commitment to raising
awareness about climate change and its adverse impacts.
Gem and Jewellery Sector Granted AEO Status by

Indian Government
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)
59 announces a significant milestone for India’s Gem and
Jewellery (GJ) industry as it receives Authorized Economic
Operator (AEO) status from the Ministry of Finance.
This status, previously denied, now facilitates smoother
export-import processes, reduces cargo release times, and
lowers bank guarantees by 50%, aiming to enhance ease of
doing business.

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Obituaries
PROFESSION ABOUT
Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist who

never studied economics but
pioneered the field of behavioural
PSYCHOLOGIST economics, has passed away at the age
of 90. Despite not having formal
training in economics, Kahneman’s
groundbreaking work exploring the
psychology of decision-making earned
him the Nobel Prize in Economic
Sciences in 2002.
One of the most significant concepts
introduced by Kahneman was loss
aversion – the idea that the pain of
losing something is roughly twice as
intense as the pleasure of gaining the
same thing. This theory has far-
reaching implications, from investing
to sports psychology.
Former Irish footballer and manager,
Joseph Patrick Kinnear (Joe Kinnear)
who served as head coach of the
FOOTBALLER Indian National Men’s Football Team in
1983, passed away.
Joe Kinner started his professional
career with Tottenham Hotspur
Football Club (FC) in 1965 and made
around 250 appearances for Spurs.
As a part of Spurs, he won the 1966–67
Football Association (FA) Challenge
Cup, 1971–72 UEFA Cup (now known as
the UEFA-

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PROFESSION ABOUT
-(Union of European Football

Associations) Europa League) League
Cup 1971 and 1973.
He began his coaching career after his
retirement in 1977. He has coached the
United Arab Emirates(UAE) clubs
Sharjah and Al-Shabab.
Apart from India, he also managed the
football team of Nepal.
Veteran Tamil actor Visheshwara Rao

passed away.
Rao was also known for his brief but
ACTOR memorable role as an annoying shop
owner in Madhavan’s Evano Oruvan.
Over the course of his long career, he
has acted in around 300 films,
including several Telugu movies where
he played comedian roles.
Gangu Ramsay, the second-eldest son

of FU Ramsay, passed away in Mumbai.
Gangu Ramsay was a renowned
CINEMATOGRAPHER cinematographer and filmmaker who
was part of the iconic Ramsay Brothers
banner. He contributed to over 50
iconic films under their production
house.
Gangu Ramsay’s filmography includes
several horror classics like Veerana,
Samri, Bandh Darwaza, Do Gaz
Zameen Ke Niche, and Purana Mandir.

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PROFESSION ABOUT
Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia,

the oldest living pilot of the Indian Air
Force, passed away at the age of 103.
IAF VETERAN Majithia joined the Indian Air Force
(IAF) volunteer reserve in 1940 during
World War II.
K.G. Jayan, a figure in Carnatic music

and Malayalam cinema, passed away
Along with his twin brother, K.G.
MUSICIAN Vijayan, they were known as the
illustrious “Jaya-Vijaya” duo.
J F C Durai, National Award winning

veteran Tamil director, passed away
Durai has directed around 46 films in
DIRECTOR Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
and Hindi Language.
He has worked as scriptwriter, editor
and producer in the Tamil industry
and he has also worked as a sound
engineer for the film “Pennin Perumai”.
His film “Pasi” won two National Film
Awards in 1979 in the category of Best
Feature Film and Best Actor(Female).
The film also won the Tamil Nadu
State Award under Best Film category.
He also won the Tamil Nadu State Film
Award under Best Director for the film
“Oru Veedu Oru Ulagam”.
He was awarded with Kalaimamani
Award by the Tamil Nadu State
government in 1982 for his
contribution to art.

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PROFESSION ABOUT
Kenya’s military chief, General Francis

Ogolla, was among 10 people killed
when their military helicopter crashed
MILITARY CHIEF shortly after take-off.
Ogolla, a trained fighter pilot, had only
been in the post for a year
Under Kenyan military regulations, the
defence chief normally retires at 62 or
after four years in the post, whichever
comes first.
Ogolla joined the KDF in April 1984,
rising through the ranks to command
the Kenyan Air Force in 2018, a post he
held for three years before becoming
vice chief of the defence forces in 2021.
The world lost Sudhir Kakar, a

renowned writer, cultural critic, and
PSYCHOANALYST the “Father of Indian Psychology,” who
passed away
AND NOVELIST
Kakar dedicated his career to
exploring the intersection of
psychoanalysis with Indian culture,
mythology, and religion.
His groundbreaking work, “The Inner
World: A Psychoanalytic Study of
Childhood and Society in India,”
His fictional works, such as “The
Seeker” and “A Book of Memory,”
delved into the complexities of Indian
society and the human experience.
He received a doctorate in economics
from the University of Vienna and later
trained in psychoanalysis at the
Sigmund Freud Institute in Frankfurt.

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PROFESSION ABOUT
Kakar received numerous awards and

accolades, including the Cardiner
Award (Columbia University), the
Boyer Award (for psychological
anthropology) of the American
Anthropological Association, the
Goethe Medal (Germany), and the
Order of Merit (Germany’s highest
federal award).
The world of Yakshagana, a traditional

theatre form of Karnataka, has lost
Subrahmanya Dhareshwar, a senior
YAKSHAGANA and well-known Yakshagana
‘bhagavatha’ (background singer)
Dhareshwar was a disciple of the
legendary Yakshagana ‘bhagavatha’
late Narnappa Uppura.
A recipient of the prestigious
Karnataka Rajyotsava award,
Dhareshwar was a professional
‘bhagavatha’ for nearly four decades.

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Reports & Indices
Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2024
Forbes released its 38th annual World’s Billionaires list – ‘Forbes
World’s Billionaires List
Forbes used stock prices and exchange rates from 8th March
2024, to calculate net worth.
The USA tops the list of countries with the most number of
billionaires with 813, with a total net worth of USD 5.7 trillion.
The USA is followed by China with 473 billionaires worth USD 1.7
trillion; and India with 200 billionaires worth USD 954 billion 14
individuals are part of the USD 100 Billion Club, holding USD 2
trillion collectively, representing 0.5% of all billionaires but
holding 14% of total billionaire wealth.
List of World’s Top 10 Billionaires:
NET WORTH
RANK NAME COUNTRY COMPANY
(USD BILLION)
1 BERNARD ARNAULT 233 FRANCE CHAIRMAN AND CEO, LVMH
2 ELON MUSK 195 USA CEO, TESLA
3 JEFF BEZOS 194 USA CHAIRMAN AND FOUNDER, AMAZON
4 MARK ZUCKERBERG 177 USA COFOUNDER, META PLATFORMS
5 LARRY ELLISON 141 USA CTO AND FOUNDER, ORACLE
6 WARREN BUFFET 133 USA CEO, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
COCHAIR, BILL & MELINDA GATES

7 BILL GATES 128 USA
FOUNDATION
8 STEVE BALLMER 121 USA FORMER CEO OF MICROSOFT,
9 MUKESH AMBANI 116 INDIA CMD RIL
COFOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER,

10 LARRY PAGE 114 USA
ALPHABET

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List of India’s Top 5 Billionaires:
RANK (GLOBAL) NAME NET WORTH (USD BILLION) COMPANY
9 MUKESH AMBANI 116 CMD RIL
17 GAUTAM ADANI 84 CHAIRMAN OF ADANI GROUP
39 SHIV NADAR 36.9 CO-FOUNDER OF HCL
CHAIRPERSON EMERITUS OF THE O P

46 SAVITRI JINDAL 33.5
JINDAL GROUP
Business Environment Rankings (BER) 2024

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its Business
Environment Rankings (BER) 2024, assessing 82 countries across
91 crucial indicators across 11 categories to determine the best
places for conducting business.
The report ranked the improvement in the business environment
for the period from 2019-2023 to 2024- 28.
RANK COUNTRY
1 SINGAPORE
2 DENMARK
3 US
4 GERMANY
5 SWITZERLAND
51 INDIA
India Tops WADA’s Doping Offenders List in 2022

India has been identified as the country with the highest
percentage of doping offenders, according to the 2022 World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report.
Out of 4,064 samples collected from Indian athletes, 127
individuals tested positive for banned substances, constituting
3.26% of the sample size.
The report also reveals a 6.4% increase in the total number of
samples analyzed compared to the previous year.

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Following India, South Africa ranked second with 80 doping
failures (2.04 per cent from 4,169 samples tested), followed by
Bangkok's testing laboratory in third place, reporting 1.93 per
cent of its testing pool (3,402 samples). The United States and
Qatar secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
China conducted the highest number of samples testing but had
a lower percentage of adverse findings compared to India.
Hurun’s Global Unicorn Index 2024

According to the 6th edition of “Global Unicorn Index
2024”report published by Hurun Institute, India is ranked at 3rd
position in the index with 67 unicorns (down to 1 compared to
2023).
The index listed total 1453 unicorns(up by 37% compared to
2023) in the world based in 53 countries.
Fin tech, Software as a service (SaaS) and AI(Artificial
Intelligence) accounted for 33% of all unicorns on the list. AI
replaced E-Commerce to 3rd place in the list.
As per the Index, for the 1st time ever, Tiger Global(U.S.) named as
the “World’s Most Successful Unicorn Investor ” investing into 205
unicorns.
San Francisco(U.S.) retained the title of “World Unicorn Capital”
with 190 unicorns followed by New York(U.S.) with 133 unicorns
and Beijing(China) with 78 unicorns
While, Indian cities: Bengaluru (Karnataka) and Mumbai
(Maharashtra) were ranked at 7th and 19th position in the list
respectively.
India was ranked 3rd with 67 unicorns led by on-demand food
delivery start-up Swiggy (USD 8 billion) followed by Dream11(USD
8 billion) and Razorpay (USD 7.5 billion).
Out of total 176 unicorns, 109 were established by Indian co-
founders based outside India and remaining 67 are based in
India.
Unicorns based outside India in other countries: US(95), U.K.(4),
Singapore(3) and Germany(2)
The data is for January2023 to January2024, compared with
January 2022 to January 2023.

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Top 5 Countries with most number of unicorns:
RANK COUNTRY NUMBER OF UNICORNS
1. U.S.A. 703
2. CHINA 340
3. INDIA 67
4. UNITED KINGDOM 53
5. GERMANY 36
Top5 Global Unicorns 2024:

RANK UNICORN VALUATION (USD BILLION) COUNTRY
1. BYTE DANCE 220 CHINA
2. SPACEX 180 U.S.A.
3. OPENAI 100 U.S.A.
4. ANT GROUP 80 CHINA
5. SHEIN 65 CHINA
57 Companies Responsible for 80% of World’s Carbon

Emissions
According to a report released by the think tank ‘InfluenceMap’,
just 57 companies are responsible for 80% of the world’s carbon
emissions from fossil fuels and cement over the past seven years.
These 57 companies are involved in the production of oil, gas,
coal, and cement in the world. The report concludes that the net
zero target set under the Paris Climate Change Agreement in
2015 has not been achieved, and fossil fuels have not been able
to have a significant impact on production.
The report used the Carbon Majors database for fossil fuel data
from the top 122 oil, gas, coal, and cement producers.

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QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the 14th edition of the QS
World University Rankings by Subject 2024
The edition featured 55 individual subjects across five broad
subject areas viz. Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology,
Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences &
Management.
1,559 institutions have been ranked across these subjects with 64
universities debuting in 2024. Music is the one new subject to be
added to 2024 rankings.
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (deemed to
be university) in Chennai, TN secured the 24th spot globally in
Dentistry and is the only Indian university to achieve a perfect
score (100/100) in one of the QS indicators, namely the H Index,
ranking number one in this metric, within the Dentistry table.
69 Indian universities featured in the 2024 QS World University
Rankings by Subject, with 424 entries, marking a 19.4% increase
from 2023.
In the broader Asian context, India became the second most
represented country in Asia after China whose 101 institutions
were on the list.
UNIVERSITIES
ARTS & HUMANITIES
1 HARVARD UNIVERSITY, USA
2 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, UK
3 UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
1 MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY USA
2 STANFORD UNIVERSITY, US
3 UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

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NATURAL SCIENCES
1 HARVARD UNIVERSITY
2 MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (MIT)
SOCIAL SCIENCES & MANAGEMENT
3 STANFORD UNIVERSITY
LIFE SCIENCES & MEDICINE
3 JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, US
SUBJECT UNIVERSITY INDIAN RANK GLOBAL RANK
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES JNU 1 20
BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT

IIM AHMEDABAD 1 22
STUDIES
ENGINEERING- MINERAL &

IIT BOMBAY 1 25
MINING
ENGINEERING-PETROLEUM IIT-MADRAS 1 29

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World’s Top 10 Busiest Airports in 2023
The Airports Council International (ACI) World released its report
on the ‘Top 10 Busiest Airports Worldwide for 2023‘ with Delhi
Airport (Indira Gandhi International Airport – IGIA) securing the
10th spot in 2023 (in Passengers category).
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is set to host the
2024 ACI World Customer Experience Summit and Exhibition,
from September 23-26, 2024 in Atlanta, US.
In Air Cargo Volumes (Metric Tonnes), Hong Kong International
Airport (HKG), Hong Kong remained in top rank followed by
Memphis International Airport (MEM), US at 2nd and Shanghai
Pudong International Airport (PVG), China at 3rd place.
2023 global passenger traffic reached close to 8.5 billion,
representing an increase of 27.2% from 2022 or a recovery of
93.8% from pre-pandemic results (2019).
The top 10 airports, which account for nearly 10% of global traffic
(806 million passengers), saw a 19.8% increase from 2022 or a
0.7% increase compared to their 2019 performance (801 million
passengers in 2019).
Air cargo volumes are estimated to have decreased by 3.1% Year-
over-Year (-4.6% versus 2019), too close to 113 million metric
tonnes in 2023.
In 2023, it reached nearly 95 million, marking an 11.8% increase
from 2022 and a recovery of 92.7% from pre-pandemic levels.
Global Military Expenditure recorded All-Time High:
SIPRI Report
(SIPRI) released its report titled Trends in World Military
Expenditure, 2023. The total global military expenditure
increased for the 9th consecutive year to an all-time high of USD
2443 billion in 2023, an increase of 6.8% in real terms from 2022.
India’s spending increased by 4.2% from 2022 & 44% from 2014.
World military burden/Total Military Expenditure rose to 2.3% of
global gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023.
Global military spending per person reached its highest level
since 1990, at USD 306.
On the regional front, countries in the Americas accounted for
41% of the world’s military spending in 2023. It is followed by
Asia and Oceania (24%), Europe (24%), the Middle East (8.2%)
and Africa (2.1%).

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RANK (2023) COUNTRY SPENDING (USD/BILLION) SHARE OF WORLD SPENDING (%)
1 USA 916 37
2 CHINA 296 12
3 RUSSIA 109 4.5
4 INDIA 83.6 3.4

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Science &
Technology
TATA ADVANCED SYSTEMS LTD -promises high-resolution optical
LAUNCHES INDIA’S FIRST satellite imagery with multispectral
PRIVATELY-BUILT SUB-METRE and hyperspectral capabilities.
RESOLUTION SURVEILLANCE
SATELLITE PROMISES HIGH-RESOLUTION
OPTICAL SATELLITE IMAGERY
WITH MULTISPECTRAL AND
HYPERSPECTRAL CAPABILITIES.
Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL),

in collaboration with Satellogic, has
successfully launched India’s
inaugural private sector-built sub- The National Aeronautics and
metre resolution earth observation Space Administration (NASA) has
satellite, TSAT-1A. confirmed its Dragonfly rotorcraft
The collaboration between TASL mission to Titan, the largest moon
and Satellogic resulted in the of Saturn, with a total lifecycle cost
successful launch of TSAT-1A from of USD 3.35 billion. The mission is
the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, set to be launched in July 2028.
aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon Titan is the second largest in the
9 rocket solar system after Ganymede, the
Assembled at TASL’s Vemagal moon of Jupiter. As of June 8, 2023,
facility in Karnataka, TSAT-1A - Saturn has 146 moons in its orbit.

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The dragonfly rotorcraft is targeted
to arrive at Titan in 2034.
Dragonfly is being designed and
built under the direction of the
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics
Laboratory (APL) in Laurel,
Maryland, United States of America
(USA) which manages the mission
for NASA.
Dragonfly will be the first robot
explorer to land on a planetary
body other than the Moon or Mars,
and the second drone to explore
another planet after NASA’s
Ingenuity helicopter on Mars in
2021.

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Sports
Sharfuddoula Becomes Bangladesh’s

First ICC Elite Umpire
Sharfuddoula has created history by becoming the
first Bangladeshi umpire to be appointed to the ICC
Elite Panel of Umpires.
The 47-year-old Sharfuddoula has been a part of the
International Panel since 2006, with his first
international appointment coming in 2010 when he
officiated an ODI between Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka in Mirpur.
Sri Lankan Star Kamindu Mendis and

England’s Maia Bouchier Crowned
ICC Players of the Month
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named
Sri Lankan cricketer Kamindu Mendis as the ICC
Men’s Player of the Month for March 2024.
On the women’s side, England’s Maia Bouchier has
been awarded the ICC Women’s Player of the Month
for March 2024.
Dharamsala to get India’s first

‘hybrid pitch’
The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA)
stadium in Dharamshala has become the first BCCI-
accredited venue to install a state-of-the-art ‘hybrid
pitch’.
The Netherlands-based ‘SISGrass’, a part of the SIS
Pitches group of companies, has been brought in to
install the first-ever hybrid pitch in India. This
cutting-edge technology combines natural turf with
a small percentage of polymer fibre, creating a more
durable and consistent playing surface.

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Nandini’s Sponsorship of Ireland and
Scotland Cricket Teams
‘Nandini’, the dairy brand of the Karnataka Milk
Federation (KMF), has announced its decision to
sponsor the cricket teams of Scotland and Ireland
for the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
Pat Cummins and Sciver-Brunt

Named Wisden’s Top Cricketers
In the 2024 edition of the prestigious Wisden
Cricketers’ Almanack, two exceptional talents have
been crowned as the Wisden Leading Cricketers in
the World, Australian captain Pat Cummins and
England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt.
The 2024 edition of the Almanack has also honored
five exceptional performers with the prestigious
Wisden Cricketers of the Year award.
Three Australian players have been recognized for
their standout performances, particularly in the
men’s and women’s Ashes series. Mitchell Starc,
Usman Khawaja, and Ashleigh Gardner have all
been named as Wisden Cricketers of the Yea
Nepali Cricketer Dipendra Singh
Airee Joins Club with Six Sixes in an
Over
Nepal’s 24-year-old all-rounder Dipendra Singh
Airee etched his name in the history books by
smashing six sixes in a single over during the ACC
Men’s T20I Premier Cup clash against Qatar in Al
Amerat.
Airee’s joined the elite company of Yuvraj Singh and
Kieron Pollard, who had previously achieved the
same feat in Men’s T20Is.
Yuvraj Singh was the first to achieve this feat, doing
so during the 2007 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against
England, where he smashed Stuart Broad for six
consecutive maximums. Years later, in 2021, Kieron
Pollard joined Yuvraj in the elite club when he
unleashed his power against Sri Lanka’s Akila
Dananjaya in a T20I match in Coolidge.
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Last year, the Nepali all-rounder had hit six
consecutive sixes in the Asian Games against
Mongolia, though the feat was spread across two
overs. In that match, Airee also went on to score the
fastest fifty in T20I history, reaching the milestone in
just nine deliveries, breaking Yuvraj Singh’s previous
record of 12 ball
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year list also includes
two English stars – Harry Brook and Mark Wood –
who have showcased their exceptional talent on the
international stage.
The Wisden Trophy, awarded for the best Test
performance of the year, has been presented to
Australia’s Travis Head
Furthermore, West Indies all-rounder Hayley
Matthews has been named the Wisden Leading T20
Cricketer, recognizing her exceptional performances
that included eight successive Player of the Match
awards.
Narsingh Pancham Yadav Chairman

of WFI’s 7- member Athletes’
Commission
Former Indian Wrestler Narsingh Pancham Yadav
was elected Chairman of the 7 member Athletes’
Commission of the Wrestling Federation of India
(WFI), the governing body of wrestling in India.
Other Elected Members of Athletes Commission:
1. Sahil (Delhi)
2. Smitha AS (Kerala)
3. Bharti Bhaghei (Uttar Pradesh)
4. Khushboo S Pawar (Gujarat)
5. Sweta Dubey (West Bengal).
Nikki (Haryana) will be the convener of the Athletes
commission.
The commission members were elected for a term
of 2 years.
He secured the gold medal in the men’s freestyle 74
kg category at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
hosted in New Delhi(India).
He won the silver medal in the 74 kg category at the
2011 Commonwealth Championship held in
Melbourne, Australia.
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He also won the Bronze (74kg category ) in the 2014
Asian Games held in Incheon, South Korea; 2015
UWW Asian Championship held in Doha, Qatar; and
2015 World Wrestling Championship 74kg category
in Las Vegas, the United States of America (USA).
In 2016, he was banned for 4 years for failing dope
tests by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
In 2012, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award in
Wrestling.
Asian Wrestling Championships

2024
India was ranked 11th in Greco-Roman; 7th in men’s
freestyle and 4th in Women’s wrestling.
The 2024 Asian Wrestling Championships is the
20th edition of Asian Wrestling Championships of
combined events, and took place from 11 to 16 April
in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Indian Medal Winners:
Wrestler Category Medal
Udit men’s freestyle 57kg
Radhika women’s 68kg

Silver
Anju women’s 53kg
Harshita women’s 72kg
Abhimanyou men’s freestyle 70kg
Vicky men’s freestyle 97kg

Bronze
Shivanee Pawar women’s 50kg
Antim women’s 65kg
The teams were ranked based on the points in each of three categories
Rank Greco-Roman Men’s Freestyle Women’s wrestling
1 Iran Iran Japan
2 Kyrgyzstan Japan China
3 Japan Kyrgyzstan Mongolia

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Rohan Bopanna and Matt Ebden
Triumph at Miami Open
The top-seeded duo of Rohan Bopanna from India
and Matthew Ebden from Australia won the Men’s
Doubles Title at the Miami Open, a prestigious ATP
Masters tennis tournament. In an exciting final, they
defeated the second seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin
Krajicek
This is the second ATP Masters title for Bopanna and
Ebden as a pair. Last year, they won the prestigious
Indian Wells tournament, further solidifying their
partnership.
Sumit Nagal Makes History at Monte

Carlo Masters
Sumit Nagal becomes the first Indian player to win
an ATP Masters 1000 match on clay courts
Sumit Nagal’s journey at the Monte Carlo Masters
marks a watershed moment in Indian tennis history.
Defying the odds, the unseeded Nagal secured a
place in the tournament’s main draw, joining the
ranks of only two other Indians to have achieved this
feat before him—Vijay Amritraj in 1977 and Ramesh
Krishnan in 1982.
Saurav Ghosal Bids Farewell to
Professional Squash
Indian squash Player, Saurav Ghosal, the nation’s
premier player, has announced his retirement from
professional squash.
He won 12 Professional Squash Association (PSA)
titles and multiple medals at the Commonwealth
Games (CWG) and Asian Games. Ghosal etched his
name in the history books as the only Indian man to
break into the top 10 in the World rankings, a feat he
achieved in April 2019 and maintained for six
months.
Ghosal’s final PSA title win came at the Malaysian
Open Squash Championships in November 2021,
where he defeated Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez.
His final appearance on the PSA World Tour was at
the 2024 Windy City Open, where he lost to USA’s
Timothy Brownell in the round of 64.

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He won 13 national titles and three CWG medals,
becoming the first Indian male player to secure a
CWG squash medal in a singles competition. He also
won the World Doubles Championships gold medal
in the mixed event, partnering compatriot Dipika
Pallikal Karthik at the 2022 Glasgow competition.
Novak Djokovic Becomes the Oldest
World No. 1 in ATP Rankings History
Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion,
continues to break records on the ATP Tour. As of
this week, he begins his 419th week as the World No.
1, extending his huge record. On April 9, 2024,
Djokovic will surpass Roger Federer’s record and
become the oldest World No. 1 in ATP Rankings
history at the age of 36 years and 321 days..
PR Sreejesh and Camila Caram
Appointed Co-Chairs of FIH Athletes
Committee
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has
appointed former Indian men’s hockey team
captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and Chile’s
Camila Caram as co-chairs of the FIH Athletes
Committee.
Camila Caram has been assigned as the co-chair
and athlete committee representative on the
executive board.
PR Sreejesh, as the co-chair, will lead the planning
and meetings along with Caram.
The FIH Athletes Committee comprises former and
current hockey players.
It acts as a link between the players and the
international governing body for hockey.
Kazakhstan International Challenge

2024
India’s Anupama Upadhyaya and Tharun Mannepalli
won the women’s and men’s singles titles,
respectively, at the Kazakhstan International
Challenge 2024 Badminton tournament in Uralsk,
Kazakhstan

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Championship Winner Runner
Men’s Singles Tharun Mannepalli (India) Soong Joo Ven (Malaysia)
Women’s Singles Anupama Upadhyaya (India) Isharani Baruah (India)
Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar Kakeru Kumagai and Hiroki

Men’s Doubles
(France) Nishi(Japan)
Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe Polina Buhrova and Yevheniia
Women’s Doubles
(Japan) Kantemyr (Ukraine)
Wong Tien Ci and Lim Chiew Sanjai Srivatsa Dhanraj and
Mixed Doubles
Sien (Malaysia) Maneesha K(India)
2024 Badminton Asia Championships

Championship Winner Runner
Men’s Singles Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) Li Shi Feng (China)
Women’s Singles Wang Zhi Yi (China) Chen Yu Fei (China)
Liang Wei Keng and Wang Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin
Men’s Doubles
Chang (China) (Malaysia)
Baek Ha-na and Lee So hee Zhang Shu Xian and Zheng
Women’s Doubles
(South Korea) Yu(China)
Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Seo Seung-jae and Chae Yu-jung
Mixed Doubles
Ping (China) (South Korea)
Bilquis Mir becomes The First Indian

Woman on the Paris Olympics Jury
Bilquis Mir, a canoeist from Jammu and Kashmir, is
set to make history as the first woman from India to
represent the country as a jury member at the
upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris.
She started her journey as a canoeist from the iconic
Dal Lake in 1998 and went on to represent India.
In addition to her role as a jury member at the Paris
Olympics, Bilquis Mir has also served as the coach of
the women’s canoeing team that will represent
India at the upcoming Games. She also had the
opportunity to be a jury member at the 2023 Asian
Games held in Hangzhou, China.

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Youth Boxing World Cup 2024
The Indian boxing contingent won 26 medals (5
gold, 9 silver, and 12 bronze) in the Youth World
Boxing Cup 2024 (33rd Adriatic Pearl tournament)
held at the Hotel Splendid Conference & Spa Resort
in Budva, Montenegro
Russia topped the medal tally with eight gold
medals. India finished second with five gold medals,
while Poland was in the third position with three
gold medals.
Maharashtra Men’s and Women
Kho Kho
National Kho Kho Champion
The Maharashtra team emerged as the undisputed
champion at the 56th National Kho Kho
Championship 2023-24, clinching both the men’s
and women’s titles.
The championship was held at Delhi’s Karnail Singh
Stadium and the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Men’s Title: Maharashtra team defeated the Indian
Railway team
Women’s Title: Maharashtra defeated Airport
Authority of India
Aramco and FIFA Forge Global
Partnership
Saudi Arabia’s oil behemoth, Aramco, and the
international football governing body, FIFA, have
joined forces in a strategic global partnership.
The deal, spanning until 2027, designates Aramco as
FIFA’s Major Worldwide Partner exclusively in the
energy sector, encompassing sponsorship rights for
marquee events including the FIFA World Cup 2026
and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
F1 owner Liberty Media acquires
MotoGP owner Dorna Sports
The Liberty Media Corporation (Liberty Media) has
signed an agreement to acquire approximately 86%
of Dorna Sports, S.L. (Dorna), the exclusive
commercial and tv rights holder of MotoGP(Grand
Prix motorcycle racing), from Bridgepoint and
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
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Latest FIDE rankings
In the latest FIDE rankings released by the world
governing body of chess, India has a new number 1
chess player – Arjun Erigaisi. With a standard rating
of 2756, Erigaisi is ranked ninth in the world.
Following Erigaisi is the five-time world champion
Viswanathan Anand, who is the second-ranked
Indian on the FIDE list.
Anand is on the 11th spot in the ratings with a rating
of 2751.
Anand is followed by the Praggnanandhaa R,
Gukesh D, and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
Pragg is 14th in the FIDE charts with a rating of 2747.
Gukesh is 16th with a rating of 2743. Vidit is 25th
with a rating of 2727 points.
The former world champion Magnus Carlsen tops
the charts with a rating of 2830.
Gukesh Etches Name in Chess
History as Youngest Challenger
Indian chess prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh, aged just
17, has made history by winning the FIDE
Candidates tournament, becoming the youngest-
ever challenger in the history of the World Chess
Championship.
Not only that, but Gukesh is also the first teenager to
win the prestigious tournament.
With this victory, he becomes only the second
Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to
win the coveted tournament, securing his place as
the challenger for the World Chess Championship
later this year.
Gukesh will now face the formidable Ding Liren in
an epic clash to determine the next world chess
champion.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull
Dominated the Japanese Grand Prix
Max Verstappen of Red Bull dominated the
Japanese Grand Prix, leading a one-two finish for his
team alongside teammate Sergio Perez.
Carlos Sainz of Ferrari took third place.

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Claims
Maiden Chinese Grand Prix Victory
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing claimed a
resounding victory at the long-awaited Chinese
Grand Prix, extending his lead in the 2024 World
Championship.
Lando Norris of McLaren secured second place.
Sergio Perez finishing behind Norris.
CARROM Rashmi Kumari Wins National

Women’s Carrom Title For The 12th
time
Rashmi Kumari has claimed her 12th National
Carrom Championship title.
As the Chief Manager at the Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC), Rashmi has seamlessly
balanced her professional responsibilities with her
passion for the sport, cementing her status as one of
the most decorated carrom players in the country.
K Srinivas, the reigning champion, faced off against
S Aditya in a one-sided encounter that showcased
the former’s mastery of the game.
Olympic Champion Valerie Adams
Named Ambassador for TCS World
10K Bengaluru 2024
Iconic shot putter and two-time Olympic medalist,
Valerie Adams, has been named the International
Event Ambassador for the 16th edition of the Tata
Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru
Across her five Olympic appearances, she has won
two gold medals (in 2008 and 2012), a silver (in
2016), and a bronze medal (in 2020).
Adams is also a four-time World Champion, four-
time World Indoor Champion, and three-time
Commonwealth Games winner.
She is the only woman to have won world
championships at the youth, junior, and senior
levels, and the first woman to win four consecutive
individual titles at the World Championships.
In 2014, Adams was honored with the IAAF World
Athlete of the Year title.

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Mirabai Chanu Becomes the Only
Indian Weightlifter to Qualify for
Paris Olympics
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu became the only Indian
weightlifter to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024
after finishing third in Group B of the women’s 49kg
division and 12th overall at the International
Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup 2024.
The 2024 IWF World Cup is being held from 31st
March to 11th April 2024 in Phuket, Thailand.
The 2024 IWF World Cup is one of the two
compulsory competitions to qualify for the Paris
Olympics, another is the IWF World Weightlifting
Championships 2023 that was held in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia from 4th to 17th September 2023.
Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal in the 2020
Tokyo(Japan) Olympics in the women’s 49kg
category.
She was the second Indian weightlifter after
Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal.
She was awarded the Padma Sri in 2018 in the field
of sports.
She was also honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand
Khel Ratna Award in 2018.
The 2024 Paris Olympics is set to be the third
Olympic games for Mirabai Chanu after she
participated in Rio 2016(Brazil) and Tokyo
2020(Japan).
Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi Sorokhaibam
won a bronze medal in the non-Olympic women’s
55kg category at the IWF World Cup 2024.
Indian Athlete Aishwarya Mishra’s

400m Bronze at 2023 Asian
Championships to be Upgraded to
Silver
The Indian athlete Aishwarya Mishra’s bronze medal
won during the women’s 400 m sprint event of the
Asian Athletics Championships 2023 held in
Bangkok, Thailand, is set to be upgraded to silver

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--medal after the original silver medalist Farida Soliyeva
of Uzbekistan failed a dope test.
Haruna Kuboyama of Japan will hold the bronze
medal.

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State/UT News
Bihar Postal Circle Set to Release a Special Cover
The Department of Posts in Bihar has decided to
release a ‘Special Cover’ to commemorate 250 years of
the release of ‘Copper Ticket’, the world’s first postal
ticket from Patna, Bihar.
1
The Copper ticket was first issued from Azimabad,
Patna (Bihar) in March 1774.
India’s First Multi-Purpose Green Hydrogen Pilot

Project Inaugurated in Himachal Pradesh
India takes a significant step in renewable energy with
the inauguration of its first multi-purpose green
hydrogen pilot project at the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri
2
Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Himachal Pradesh’s
Jhakri.
Spearheaded by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), the
project aims to produce green hydrogen through
renewable energy sources.
Punjab Launches ‘Booth Raabta’ Website

Punjab’s Malerkotla district has introduced the ‘Booth
Raabta’ website.
This platform, accessible via boothraabta.com, serves as
3 a comprehensive resource hub for voters and polling
personnel alike.
The website facilitates easy access to crucial election-
related information, empowering voters with the tools
they need to make informed decisions.
Notably, it offers young voters the ability to download
certificates and provides a platform for voters to rate
polling stations, enhancing transparency and
accountability in the electoral process.

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Visits, Meetings &
Summits
METOC SEMINAR ‘MEGHAYAN 2024’
SOUTHERN The METOC seminar ‘Meghayan-24’ was
NAVAL conducted by the School of Naval Oceanology
COMMAND & Meteorology (SNOM) and the Indian Naval
Meteorological Analysis Centre (INMAC) at the
Southern Naval Command
It was organized in commemoration of World
Meteorological Day, with the theme ‘At the
Frontline of Climate Action’ set by the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) for 2024.
An indigenous mobile application named
INDRA (Indian Naval Dynamic Resource for
Weather Analysis) was launched to
disseminate weather-related information and
forecasts, facilitating quick decision-making in
naval operations.
Ajit Doval Leads Indian Delegation at SCO

KAZAKHSTAN Security Council Meeting
he 19th annual meeting of the secretaries of
the security councils of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member
states was held in Astana, Kazakhstan
The Indian delegation was led by the National
Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. He also met
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,
the current Chairman of SCO.
President Tokayev advocated adopting a
Cooperation Programme to counter terrorism,
separatism, and extremism for 2025-2027 and
the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024-2029.

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World Economic Forum Announces 2024
SWITZERLAND Young Global Leaders Community
The World Economic Forum has announced
the 20th edition of its Young Global Leaders
Community The Class of 2024. The list includes
nearly 90 individuals under the age of 40 from
diverse fields, including politics, business, civil
society, the arts, and academia.
This year, five Indians have been selected for
the Young Global Leaders program.
Bhumi Pednekar (Art and Culture) – Bollywood
actress
Adwaita Nayar (Business) – Chief Executive
Officer, Nyka Fashion
Arjun Bhartia (Business) – Director, Jubilant
Group
Priya Aggarwal Hebbar (Business) – Non-
Executive Director, Vedanta Limited
Sharad Vivek Sagar (Social Entrepreneurs) –
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dexterity
Global
The WEF’s Young Global Leaders program was
launched in 2005 and aims to identify the
future generation of leaders who can
contribute to addressing the world’s most
pressing challenges. The program includes a
three-year leadership development curriculum,
executive education courses, learning journeys,
and opportunities to collaborate with peers.
Tri-Service Planning Conference:

NEW DELHI Parivartan Chintan
The inaugural Tri-Service Planning Conference,
dubbed ‘Parivartan Chintan,’ convened in New
Delhi, orchestrated by the Ministry of Defence.
General Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence
Staff, presided over the conference.

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The primary objective of the conference, as
outlined by the Ministry of Defence, was to
stimulate fresh ideas and initiatives, furthering
the agenda of jointness and integration within
the armed forces.
With recommendations from the Lt. Gen (Retd)
DB Shekatkar committee, India is moving
towards establishing integrated theatre
commands to consolidate resources and
streamline operations. Currently, only two
commands—Andaman and Nicobar Command
and Strategic Forces Command—are tri-service,
but the aim is to create more unified structures
across the military.
UAE’s Masdar to Host World Future Energy

ABU DHABI Summit
Masdar, the UAE’s prominent clean energy
company, is set to host the World Future
Energy Summit (WFES) from April 16 to 18 at
the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
(ADNEC). This summit serves as a pivotal global
event focusing on future energy, clean
technology, and sustainability, featuring
various discussions, forums, and activations.
First Trilateral Summit Meeting of US,

WASHINGTON D.C Japan, and Philippines
American President Joe Biden hosted the
inaugural trilateral summit among the United
States, Japan, and the Philippines at the White
House in Washington D.C.
Prior to the summit, the maritime forces of the
Philippines, Japan, the United States, and
Australia conducted a joint maritime exercise
named Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in
the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on in
response to Chinese harassment allegations by
the Philippines.

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Ocean Decade Conference 2024
India, led by Earth Sciences Secretary M.
BARCELONA
Ravichandran, advocated for the establishment
of a region-specific ocean observation center
during the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference
held in Barcelona, Spain.
Theme: “Delivering the science we need for the
ocean we want.”
Nepal Hosts Inaugural Rainbow Tourism

NEPAL Conference
Mayako Pahichan Nepal, in collaboration with
the Nepal Tourism Board, orchestrated the
groundbreaking first International Rainbow
Tourism Conference.
The conference drew around 120 attendees,
including members of the LGBTI community,
NGOs, activists, writers, and media
representatives from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka,
Germany, Spain, and the US. Its primary
objective was to position Nepal as a leading
LGBT-friendly tourism destination
Sustainable Finance for Tiger Landscapes

BHUTAN Conference
Bhutan is spearheading the Sustainable
Finance for Tiger Landscapes Conference. With
a goal of mobilizing $1 billion over a decade,
the conference aims to preserve tiger habitats
critical for biodiversity and supporting millions
of people.
Under the patronage of Bhutan’s Queen Jetsun
Pema Wangchuck, the conference, co-
organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan
and the Tiger Conservation Coalition, will
spotlight sustainable finance, UN’s Global
Biodiversity Framework, and public-private
partnerships vital for tiger conservation.

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Current Affairs cracker SHOTS
Recently launched apps & Portals
PORTAL LAUNCHED BY
Samman NMDC Limited
myCGHS iOS Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
ZeroPe Ashneer Grover
CDP- SURAKSHA (Cluster Development
Programme – System for Unified
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and
Secure Horticulture Assistance)
Recent Appointment
APPOINTMENT PERSON REPLACE
Chairman of NCDFI Meenesh Shah
Executive Secretary of the
Secretariat of the Convention on Astrid Schomaker David Cooper
Biological Diversity
Chief Executive Officer and
Srinivas Pallia Thierry Delaporte
Managing Director of Wipro
Presiding Officer of the Securities Justice Pratinidhi
Justice Tarun Agarwala
Appellate Tribunal (SAT) Srinivasacharya
Chairman of NCDFI Meenesh Shah
Full-time member of the Sixteenth
Manoj Panda
Finance Commission by the Centre
Head of Global Airport Operations
Jayaraj Shanmugam
of Air India
CMD of SJVN Limited Sushil Sharma Mrs. Geeta Kapur
Coach of the senior national
Harendra Singh Janneke Schopman
women’s hockey team
Pakistan’s Senate chairman and
Syedal Khan Nasir
deputy chairman, respectively
UK’s First Woman High
Lindy Cameron
Commissioner to India

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President of the Association of
Summer Olympic International Ingmar De Vos Francesco Ricci Bitti
Federations
Sachidananda
Member, University Grants
Mohanty,Ashish Kumar
Commission (UGC)
Chauhan, Sridhar Vembu
Secretary of the Department of
Vandita Kaul
Posts
India Region Head of Intel Santosh Viswanathan
UN Resident Coordinator in
António Guterres
Indonesia
First woman Vice Chancellor of the
Naima Khatoon
Aligarh Muslim University
Railway Adviser of India’s High
Narpat Singh
Commission in Bangladesh
Director of Ministry of Housing &
Sunil Kumar Yadav
Urban Affairs
Executive chairman of Coromandel
Arun Alagappan A. Vellayan
International
Chairman of the 7 member
Narsingh Pancham
Athletes’ Commission of the
Yadav
Wrestling Federation of India
Appointment in Banking Sector

MD & CEO of Bank of Maharashtra Nidhu Saxena A.S. Rajeev
Axis Capital as MD & CEO Atul Mehra

Member of World Bank Economic
Rakesh Mohan
Advisory Panel
Part-time members of the
Governing Board of the Insolvency Ram Mohan
and Bankruptcy Board of India
Chair of US-India Tax Forum Tarun Bajaj

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@kkathpal
Chairman and Managing Director of
Sivasubramanian
the Small Industries Development Manoj Mittal
Ramann
Bank of India
MD of the National Housing Bank Sanjay Shukla Sarada Kumar Hota
Managing Director (MD) of the
Kristalina Georgieva
International Monetary Fund
CEO of BharatPe Nalin Negi
Dhanlaxmi Bank’s MD & CEO Ajith Kumar KK J.K. Shivan
Chairman of HDFC Life Insurance Keki M Mistry Deepak Parekh
Managing Director & CEO for Axis
Amitabh Chaudhry
Bank
Deputy Governor of the Reserve
T. Rabi Sankar
Bank of India
Appointment in Defence Sector

Inspector General in SPG (Special
Love Kumar
Protection Group)
Joint Director in CBI Anurag Kumar
Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh Kumar Tripathi Admiral R Hari Kumar
Director-General of the National
Nalin Prabhat Daljit Singh Chaudhary
Security Guard (NSG)
Special Director in the Intelligence
Sapna Tewari
Bureau (IB)
Newly Appointed Prime Minister & President

APPOINTED PERSON REPLACED DESIGNATION
Congo First Female
Judith Suminwa Tuluka Sama Lukonde
Prime Minister
Third Term as Egyptian
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
President
Prime Minister of
Ousmane Sonko Sidiki Kaba
Senegal
Peter Pellegrini Zuzana Čaputová President of Slovakia

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APPOINTED PERSON REPLACED DESIGNATION
Ireland’s Youngest Prime
Simon Harris Leo Varadkar
Minister
Interim President of
Vo Thi Anh Xuan Vo Van Thuong
Vietnam
Bjarni Benediktsson Katrín Jakobsdóttir PM of Iceland
Singapore Prime
Lawrence Wong Lee Hsien Loong
Minister
Sheikh Mohammed
Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad
Sabah Al-Salem Al- Kuwait’s Prime Minister
Al-Sabah
Sabah
Recent Brand ambassador

FOR AMBASSADOR
SPACE India Sanjana Sanghi
Citroen India MS Dhoni
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
Yuvraj Singh
Ambassador
Ambassador of ICC Women’s T20
Sana Mir
World Cup Qualifier
Recent MoU in Banking Sector

SIGNED BETWEEN OBJECTIVE
Paymart India & J&K Bank To launch a Virtual ATM (VATM) facility
To use the latter’s technology platform
Onion Life Private Limited & SIDBI KarmaLife for a pilot to provide micro loans to
gig workers
Canara Bank and Society for Innovation
and Entrepreneurship at the Indian To empower startups across India
Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
International Finance Corporation (IFC) &
To raise funds of Rs 330 crores in the form of
Artemis Medicare Services Limited
Compulsorily Convertible Debentures
(AMSL)
To offer a wide range of insurance products to
Policybazaar & ICICI Lombard
approximately 10 million customers

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SIGNED BETWEEN OBJECTIVE
PhonePe & Singapore Tourism Board To promote Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
(STB) for Indians travelling in Singapore
To offer stock broking services and 3 in 1
Accounts (Savings, Demat, and Trading
FISDOM & Karnataka Bank
accounts) through the “KBL Mobile Plus”, the
mobile banking app of Karnataka Bank
Bank of India & India Mortgage To introduce mortgage guarantee-backed
Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) home loan products
To enhance cross border payments for Indian
PayPal & PayU
merchants
To form 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) to set up a
Jio Financial and Blackrock wealth management and broking business in
India
to offer life insurance products to the
Jana SFB & Kotak Mahindra Life
customers of Jana SFB
Jeevika Bihar & UMED Maharashtra and
To extend Prayaas to Rural Livelihood Missions
SIDBI
For financing dealers under the bank’s dealer
South Indian Bank & Ashok Leyland
finance program
To introduce its credit services on the Unified
NPCI & Amazon Pay
Payments Interface (UPI)
Hinduja Group’s CELERITYX and
For the deployment of OneX platform across
Maharashtra State Cooperative Credit
40,000 bank branches in Maharashtra
Societies Federation(MAFCOCS)
To promote solar energy adoption by
Tata Power Solar & Indian Bank providing financial support to residential
consumers for installations
SBI Cards and select telecom operators To address the rising issue of one-time
and Ministry of Home Affairs password (OTP) frauds
HDFC Life and Peerless Financial to distribute HDFC Life’s life insurance
Products Distribution Ltd. (PFPDL) products to its customers
GST Collection month wise in 2023-24

MONTH COLLECTION
October 2023 ₹ 1,72,003 crore
November 2023 ₹ 1,67,929 crore

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MONTH COLLECTION
December 2023 ₹ 1,64,882 crore
January 2024 ₹ 1,72,129 crore
February 2024 ₹1,68,337 crore
March 2024 ₹1,78,484 crore
Updated GDP Forecast list:

ORGANISATION FY23 (2022-23) FY24 (2023-24)
Fitch 7.2% 6.5%-FY247%-FY25
HSBC Bank 5.8%
6.8% -20246.4%- FY256.1%-
Moody 6.8%
CY24
Asian Development Bank
7.6% 6.7% (7% FY25)
(ADB)
World Bank 6.9% 7.5% (FY24)6.6%(FY25)
International Monetary Fund
7.2% 7.8%(6.8% FY 25)
(IMF)
Morgan Stanley 7.9 (FY 24)6.8% (FY 25)
FICCI 6.9% 6%
Organisation for Economic Co-
6.3% (FY24)6.2%(FY25)6.5%
operation and Development 7.2%
(FY26)
(OECD)
UNCTAD 6.6% (2022) 6% (2023)
Goldman Sachs 6.3% (2023)
CRISIL 7% 7.6%6.8% (FY25)
UN (United Nation) 6.6% (2022) 5.8%-20236.7%-2024
Confederation of Indian
7.2% 6..8%(FY24)7% (FY 25)
Industry (CII)
India Ratings & Research (Ind-
6.9% 6.7%
Ra)
Economy Survey 7% 6.5%
National Council of Applied
7.4% 6.5%
Economic Research (NCAER)
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 7.2% 6.4% (6.9% in FY25 and FY26.)

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Organisation FY23 (2022-23) FY24 (2023-24)
ICRA 6.9% 6.5%
State Bank of India (SBI) 7.1% between 6.2% and 6.3%.
Morgan Stanley 7% 6.4%
CARE Ratings 7% 6.5%
Nomura 5.9%
UBS 6.9% 6.3% (FY25-6.2%)
National Statistical Office
7%
(NSO)
National Institute of Public
7.1% (FY 25)
Finance and Policy
Recent funding by Asian Development Bank

AMOUNT GIVEN PURPOSE
USD 23.6 billion To Help Asia and Pacific Progress on Sustainable Development
Recent WPI - based Wholesale inflation in India

MONTH INFLATION PERCENT
September 2023 -0.26%
October 2023 -0.52%
November 2023 0.26%
December 2023 0.73%
January 2024 0.27%
February 2024 0.20%
March 2024 0.53%
Recent CPI-based Retail inflation in India

August 2023 6.83%
September 2023 5.02%
October 2023 4.87%
November 2023 5.55%

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December 2023 5.69%
January 2024 5.1%
February 2024 5.09%
March 2024 4.85%
Penalties by RBI:
AMOUNT IMPOSED ON
₹1 crore IDFC First Bank
₹49.7 lakh LIC Housing Finance
Recent Facilities Launched in Banks & Insurance Sector

BANK/ FINANCIAL INSTITUTION FACILITY
Canara SHG e-MONEY, Canara HRMS Mobile App for
Canara Bank Staff, Canara UPI 123PAY ASI, Canara Angel, Canara
Heal
SBI Life IdeationX
Aditya Birla Capital ‘ABCD’ Fintech App
RuPay Link it, Forget it
Razorpay and Airtel Payments

UPI Switch
Bank
BharatPe BharatPe One
Macquarie Asset Management Vertelo
April Sports winner

AWARD WINNER
Won prestigious Miami Open Masters 1000
Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden
crown
Won Men’s Single Title of Miami Open
Jannik Sinner (Italy)
Tennis in US
Won 3rd straight LPGA Tour start at Ford
Nelly Korda
Championship
All India CCI billiards crown Pankaj Advani

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AWARD WINNER
Won men and women's titles in National
Maharashtra
Kho Kho Championships
1st ever Indian to win main draw match in
Sumit Nagal
Monte Carlo Masters
wins the Valero Texas Open golfer Akshay Bhatia
Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 silver
Radhika (India)
medal won
Won men's singles title in Badminton Asia
Jonatan Christie (Indonesia)
Championships 2024
Won 5th "Deaf Indian Premier League" title Bengaluru Badshahs team
Becomes Youngest To Win Candidates
D Gukesh
Chess Tournament
won Gold at World Shooting Para Sport
Mona Aggarwal (India)
Tournament
April Awards winner

AWARDS WINNNERS
International Culture Award Prof. Meena Charanda
ENBA Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 Vineet Jain
Won SKOCH ESG Award 2024 in Renewable
REC Ltd
Energy Financing Category
National Fame Awards 2024 Dr. Karthik Kommuri
CIDC Vishwakarma Award Engineers India Limited (EIL)
German democracy prize Yulia Navalnaya
"Medal of Honour" Neeraj A Sharma
US Space Exploration award Chandrayaan-3 mission (ISRO)
Receive honorary Palme d'Or George Lucas
‘Best Scientific Poster Award’ 2024 Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital
'South Asian Person of the Year' at Harvard
Avantika Vandanapu
University
2024 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health
Gagandeep Kang
Award
Volunteer Award 2024 (American President’s) Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni

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AWARDS WINNNERS
GMR Hyderabad International
Skytrax Award for ‘Best Airport Staff’
Airport
Honored with International Fellowship by the
Kaushik Rajashekara
Engineering Academy of Japan
Won 2024 World Press Photo of the Year Mohammed Salem
Aryabhatta Award Pavuluri Subba Rao
KISS Humanitarian Award 2021 Ratan Tata
Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 2024 Novak Djokovic
Bangladeshi Singer received the Padma Shri
Rezwana Choudhury
Award
PSU of the Year award by AIMA Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Received honorary doctorate by US varsity for
Gaurav Sharma
sporting excellence
wins global media award India Today's AI anchor Sana
wins 2024 Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards Gina Justus
Alejandra Marisa Rodriguez

Won Miss Universe Buenos Aires
(Argentinian)
Recent Grand Prix Winner

GRAND PRIX WINNER SPONSOR
2024 Bahrain Grand Prix Max Verstappen Red Bull
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Max Verstappen Red Bull
2024 Australian Grand Prix Carlos Sainz Ferrari
2024 Japanese Grand Prix Max Verstappen Red Bull
2024 Chinese Grand Prix Max Verstappen Red Bull
ICC Women’s Player of the Month

MONTH ICC Men’s Player of the Month
October 2023 Hayley Matthews (West Indies)
November 2023 Nahida Akter (Bangladesh)
December 2023 Deepti Sharma (India)
January 2024 Amy Hunter (Ireland)

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MONTH ICC Men’s Player of the Month
February 2024 Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
March 2024 Maia Bouchier (England)
Recent Exercise
EXERCISE HELD BETWEEN HELD AT
Pokhran air-to-ground
Gagan Shakti Indian Air Force (IAF)
range near Jaisalmer
Dosti-16 India, Maldives & Sri Lanka Maldives
Indian Navy(IN), Indian

Coast Guard(ICG), Marine
Sagar Kavach 01/24 Police, Fisheries, Customs Lakshadweep
and other security
agencies
Termez District,
5th DUSTLIK 2024 India-Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Eastern Naval Command,
Indian Air Force, Andaman
Poorvi Leher Along the East Coast
and Nicobar Command,
and the Coast Guard
Recently India signed agreement with others countries

SIGNED WITH ABOUT
India-Nepal To advance Sanskrit research and education
Government of the Republic of Amended the India- Mauritius Double Tax Avoidance
India and the Government of Agreement (DTAA) to focus on preventing tax evasion
Mauritius instead of promoting bilateral investment flows
Ministry of Civil Service,

To strengthen bilateral exchange and cooperation in
Cambodia and Department of
the field of Human Resource Development in Civil
Administrative Reforms and
Service over the next 5 years
Public Grievances (DARPG)

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Recent Rankings:
REPORT INDEX INDIA RANK TOPPED BY
Forbes World’s Billionaires List
Mukesh Ambani (9th) Bernard Arnault
2024
Business Environment Rankings
51 Singapore
(BER) 2024
2022 World Anti-Doping Agency
India
(WADA) report
Hurun’s Global Unicorn Index
3rd U.S.A.
2024
2024 Global Hepatitis Report 2nd China
QS World University Rankings by JNU (20th)Development
Subject 2024 Studies
Delhi Airport (Indira
Top 10 Busiest Airports Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
Gandhi International
Worldwide for 2023 International Airport, US
Airport – IGIA) (10th)
Trends in World Military
4th USA
Expenditure, 2023
List of top 50 largest banks in
Industrial and Commercial
Asia-Pacific Region by Assets – SBI(20th)
Bank of China
2024
Recent books & Authors

Book AUTHOR
Indian-British journalist and
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI
commentator Madhumita Murgia
The Idea of Democracy Sam Pitroda
Knife Salman Rushdie
The Law and Spirituality: Reconnecting the Professor Raman Mittal and Professor
Bond Seema Singh
Maker of Modern Goa: The Untold Story of
Vijayadevi Rane
Pratap Singh Rane
India — the Road to Renaissance: A Vision and
Bhimeswara Chall
an Agenda
Panchjanya editor Hitesh Shankar and
Sabke Ram Managing Director of Bharat Prakashan
Arun Goyal

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Book AUTHOR
Heavenly Islands of Goa Goa Governor Sreedharan Pillai
The Winner’s Mindset Shane Watson
India’s Nuclear Titans Soumya Awasthi and Shrabana Barua
List of Important Days

DATE DAY NAME THEME 2023
1-7 April Blindness Prevention Week 2024
International Children's Book
2 April
Day 2024
260th Foundation Day of Army
3 April
Medical Corps
International Mine Awareness
4 April Protecting Lives, Building Peace
Day
International Day of Conscience Promoting a Culture of Peace with
5 April
2024 Love and Conscience
5 April National Maritime Day 2024 Navigating the Future: Safety First
International Day of Sport for Sport for the Promotion of

6th April
Development and Peace Peaceful and Inclusive Societies
6th April National Library Day
7th April World Health Day My Health, My Right
Empowering Research and

10th April World Homeopathy Day 2024
Enhancing Proficiency
National Safe Motherhood Day
11th April
2024
International Day of Human
12th April
Spaceflight 2024
11 April World Parkinson’s Day
Tackling Chagas disease: detect
14th April World Chagas Disease Day
early and care for life
A Garden of Expression:
15 April World Art Day Cultivating Community Through
Art

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DATE DAY NAME THEME 2023
Ensure Fire Safety to contribute
14th April National Fire Service Day 2024
towards nation building'
Equitable access for all:
17 April World Haemophilia Day 2024
recognizing all bleeding disorders
17 April world voice day 2024 Resonate, Educate, Celebrate
Disasters & Conflicts Through the
18 April World heritage day 2024
Lens of the Venice Charter
Equitable access for all:
17th April World Hemophilia Day
recognizing all bleeding disorders
Keep your liver healthy and
19th April World Liver Day
disease-free
United nations chinese language
20th April
day 2024
21st April National Civil Service Day
54th International Mother Earth
22nd April Planet vs. Plastics
Day 2024
23rd April World Book and Copyright Day Read Your Way
World Creativity and Innovation
21 April
Day 2024
24th April 31st National Panchayati Raj Day
World Day For Laboratory
24th April
Animals
27 April World Healing Day
27th April (Last Veterinarians are Essential Health
World Veterinary Day
Saturday of April) Workers
World Day for Safety and Health
28 April
at Work
29th April International Dance Day
30th April International Jazz Day
Recent Obituaries:
PROFESSION PERSON AWARDS
Psychologist who never studied
Nobel Prize in Economic
economics but pioneered the field Daniel Kahneman
Sciences (2002)
of behavioural economics

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PROFESSION PERSON AWARDS
Tamil Actor Visheshwara Rao
Cinematographer Gangu Ramsay
Former Irish footballer and manager Joseph Patrick Kinnear
Tamil Nadu political landscape R.M. Veerappan
Renowned Carnatic Musician K.G. Jayan

oldest living pilot of the Indian Air
Dalip Singh Majithia
Force (103 year old)
National Award-winning Tamil Kalaimamani Award
J F C Durai
Director (1982)
Father of Indian Psychology Sudhir Kakar
Subrahmanya Karnataka Rajyotsava
Yakshagana Exponent
Dhareshwar award

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Static Awareness Monthly
HQ - Manila, Philippines
INTERNATIONAL Members - 68
ORGANISATION President - Masatsugu Asakawa
FIDE: International Monetary Fund (IMF)

ESTD: July 20, 1924 ESTD - 1945
HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland HQ - Washington, D.C., U.S.
President: Arkady Dvorkovich Managing Director - Kristalina Georgieva
Members - 33
World Health Organization
UNESCO ESTD - 7 April 1948
ESTD - 16 November 1945 HQ - Geneva, Switzerland
HQ - Paris, France Director-General - Dr Tedros Adhanom
Director-General - Audrey Azoulay Ghebreyesus
World Bank Association of Summer Olympic

ESTD - 1944 International Federations
HQ - Washington DC ESTD - 1983
Members - 189 HQ - Lausanne
President - Ajay Banga
NASA
Asian Athletics Association ESTD - July 29, 1958
ESTD - 1973 HQ - Washington D.C., United States of
HQ - Pathum Thani, Thailand America
President - Dahlan Jumaan al-Hamad Administrator - Bill Nelson
International Narcotics Control Board UNICEF

ESTD - 1968 ESTD - 1946
HQ - Geneva, Switzerland HQ - New York, U.S
President - Jallal Toufiq Head - Catherine M. Russell
World Economic Forum Shanghai Cooperation Organisation:

ESTD - 24 January 1971 ESTD: 15 June 2001
HQ - Cologny, Switzerland HQ: Beijing, China
President - Børge Brende Members: 9 (China, India, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan,
Asian Development Bank Uzbekistan, and Iran)
ESTD - 19 December 1966 Secretary-General: Zhang Ming

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World Economic Forum: National Housing Bank
ESTD: 24 January 1971 ESTD - 9 July 1988
HQ: Cologny, Switzerland HQ - New Delhi
Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab
President: Børge Brende University Grants Commission (UGC)
ESTD - 1956
HQ - New Delhi
Chairman - Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar
INDIAN GOVERNMENT
ENTITIES CBI
ESTD - 1963
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: HQ - New Delhi
Union Minister: Nitin Jairam Gadkari Director General - Praveen Sood
Minister of State: Retd. General Vijay Kumar Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Singh Union Minister - Hardeep Singh Puri
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: Minister of State - Kaushal Kishore

Union Minister: Arjun Munda
Indian Army
Minister of State: Kailash Choudhary, ESTD - 1 April 1895
Shobha Karandlaje HQ - New Delhi
Chief of the Army Staff - General Manoj
Ministry of Law and Justice: Pande
Union Minister (Independent Charge):
Arjun Ram Meghwal DRDO
ESTD - 1958
Ministry of Finance: HQ - New Delhi
Union Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman Chairman - Sameer V. Kamat
Minister of State: Bhagwat Karad, Pankaj CRPF

Choudhary ESTD - 1939
HQ - New Delhi
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India DG - Anish Dayal Singh
ESTD - 2016
HQ - New Delhi Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council
Chairperson - Ravi Mittal (GJEPC):
ESTD: 1966
Special Protection Group HQ: Mumbai
ESTD - 1985 Chairman: Colin Shah
HQ - New Delhi
Director General - Alok Sharma International Hockey Federation:

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ESTD: 1924 HQ - Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland Chairman & MD - Sivasubramanian Ramann
President: Tayyab Ikram
CEO: Thierry Weil Government-e-Marketplace (GeM) Platform:
Launched in - 2016
Aligarh Muslim University Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Commerce and
ESTD - 1875 Industry
Founded - Sir Syed Ahmed Khan Objective - To bring transparency and
Chancellor - Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin efficiency in the government procurement
process
Satcom industry association of india
ESTD - 2022 National Highways Authority of India (NHAI):
HQ - New Delhi ESTD - 1995
Director General - Anil Prakash HQ - New Delhi
Chairman - Santosh Kumar Yadav
Confederation of Indian Industry
ESTD - 1895 Hockey India
HQ - New Delhi ESTD - 2009
President - R Dinesh HQ - New Delhi
President - Dilip Tirkey
HPCL
ESTD - 1952
HQ - Mumbai, Maharashtra
CMD - Pushp Kumar Joshi COMPANIES
FICCI Ladies Organisation
PTC India
ESTD - 1983
ESTD - 16 April 1999
HQ - New Delhi
HQ - New Delhi
Chairman & MD - Rajib K Mishra
ASSOCHAM
ESTD - 1920
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL):
HQ - New Delhi
ESTD - 1972
Secretary General - Deepak Sood
HQ - Cochin, Kerala
CMD - Madhu S Nair
FISME
ESTD - 1995
Quality Council of India (QCI):
HQ - New Delhi
ESTD - 1997
HQ - New Delhi
SJVN Ltd
Chairman - Jaxay Shah
ESTD - 1988
HQ - Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
SIDBI:
ESTD - 1990

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Air India ESTD - 2015
ESTD - 1953 HQ - Bengaluru, Karnataka
HQ - New Delhi CEO & MD - Arvind Mehra
CEO - Campbell Wilson
SJVN Limited:
Dhanlaxmi Bank ESTD - 1988
ESTD - 1927 HQ - Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
HQ - Thrissur, Kerala CMD - Nand Lal Sharma
Tagline - Tann Mann Dhan
BEML:
HDFC Life Insurance ESTD - 1964
ESTD - 2000 HQ - Bangalore, Karnataka
HQ - Mumbai CMD - Amit Banerjee
CEO & MD - Vibha Padalkar
BEL:
Axis Bank ESTD - 1954
HQ - Mumbai, Maharashtra CMD - Bhanu Prakash Srivastava
MD & CEO - Amitabh Chaudhary
Tagline - Badhti Ka naam Zindagi IFFCO:
ESTD - 1967
AmpIn Energy Transition Pvt. Ltd HQ - New Delhi
ESTD - 2016 MD - Dr Udai Shanker Awasthi
HQ - New Delhi
MD & CEO - Pinaki Bhattacharyya Khanij Bidesh India Limited:
ESTD - 2019
Tata Advanced Systems Ltd: HQ - New Delhi
ESTD: 2007 Chairman - Sridhar Patra
HQ: Hyderabad, Telangana CEO - Sadashiv Samantaray
Chairman: Banmali Agarwal
MD & CEO: Sukaran Singh Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL):
ESTD - 1956
Jindal Advanced Materials HQ - New Delhi
ESTD - 2017 CMD - K S Murthy
HQ - Gurugram, Haryana
RVNL:
Indian Oil: ESTD - 2003
ESTD - 30 June 1959 HQ - New Delhi
HQ - New Delhi CMD - Pradeep Gaur
CMD - Shrikant Madhav Vaidya
BALCO:
Mahindra Aerostructures Private Limited: ESTD - 1965

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HQ - New Delhi HQ - London, England
CMD - Mr. S K Roongta MD & CEO - Bill Winters
Central Coalfields Limited: Bank of Baroda

ESTD: 1975 ESTD - 1908
HQ: Ranchi, Jharkhand HQ - Vadodara, Gujarat
CMD: PM Prasad Tagline - India’s International Bank
MD & CEO - Debadatta Chand
Indian Coast Guard:
ESTD: 1978 Bank of India
HQ: New Delhi ESTD - 7 September 1906
DG: Rakesh Pal HQ - Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO - Rajneesh Karnatak
ISRO: Tagline - Relationship Beyond Banking
ESTD: 15 August 1969
HQ: Bangalore, Karnataka SEBI
Chairman: Sreedhara Somanath Estd - April 12, 1988
HQ - Mumbai
NTPC Ltd: Chairman - Madhabi Puri Buch
ESTD: 1975
HQ: New Delhi Kotak Mahindra Bank
Chairman & MD: Gurdeep Singh ESTD - 2003
HQ - Mumbai
CSIR: MD & CEO - Ashok Vaswani
ESTD: 1942 Tagline - Let's make money simple
HQ: New Delhi
Director General: N. Kalaiselvi HDFC Bank
ESTD - August 1994
Sany India: HQ - Mumbai
ESTD: 2002 MD & CEO - Sashidhar Jagdishan
HQ: Pune Tagline - We Understand Your World
MD & CEO: Deepak Garg
SBI Mutual Fund
FINANCE ESTD - 1987
HQ - Mumbai
IRDAI
MD & CEO - Shamsher Singh
ESTD - 1999
HQ - Hyderabad
L&T Finance
Chairman - Debasish Panda
ESTD - May 1, 2008
HQ - Mumbai
Standard Chartered Bank
MD & CEO - Dinanath Dubhashi
ESTD - 12 April 1858

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Abu Dhabi Investment Authority State Bank of India (SBI)
ESTD - 1976 Established in - 01 July 1955
HQ - Abu Dhabi HQ - Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman - Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Chairman - Dinesh Kumar Khara
Nahyan
Canara Bank:
Canara Bank ESTD - 1906
HQ - Bangalore, Karnataka MD & CEO - K. Satyanarayana Raju
MD & CEO - K. Satyanarayana Raju Tagline - Together we can
Tagline - Together we can
SBI Life
PhonePe ESTD - 2001
ESTD - 2015 HQ - Mumbai
HQ - Bengaluru, Karnataka MD & CEO - Amit Jhigran
CEO - Sameer Nigam
Jana Small Finance Bank
Max Life Insurance ESTD - 2008
HQ - New Delhi MD & CEO - Ajay Kanwal
MD & CEO - Prashant Tripathy Tagline - Paise Ki Kadar
Jammu and Kashmir Bank Jio Financial Services

ESTD - 1938 ESTD - July 22, 1999
HQ - Srinagar HQ - Mumbai
MD & CEO - Baldev Prakash MD & CEO - Hitesh Kumar Sethia
Union Bank of India Bandhan Life Insurance

ESTD - 1919 ESTD - 2008
HQ - Mumbai HQ - Mumbai
MD & CEO - A. Manimekhalai MD & CEO - Satishwar Balakrishnan
Tagline - Good People to Bank with
IFSCA
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana ESTD - 2020
Launched in - 8 April 2015 HQ - GIFT City, Gujarat
Categories of loans under PMMY Chairman - K. Rajaraman
Shishu Loan - Up to Rs.50,000
Kishor Loan - Above Rs.50,000 and less CRED
than Rs.5 lakh ESTD - 2018
Tarun Loan - Rs. 5 lakhs and upto Rs. 10 HQ - Bangalore, Karnataka
lakhs MD & CEO - Kunal Shah

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Indian Bank SIDBI
ESTD - 15 August 1907 ESTD - 1990
HQ - Chennai HQ - Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
CEO & MD - Shanti Lal Jain
Tagline - Your Own Bank REC Limited
ESTD - 1969
Reserve Bank Innovation Hub HQ - Gurugram, Haryana
ESTD - 2022 CMD - Vivek Kumar Dewangan
HQ - Bengaluru, Karnataka
CEO - Rajesh Bansal NATIONS
Saudi Arabia
NABARD Capital - Riyadh
ESTD - 12 July 1982 Currency - Saudi Riyal
Recommendation Committee - B. PM - Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
Sivaraman Committee
HQ - Mumbai Congo
Chairman - K V Shaji Capital - Kinshasa
Currency - Congolese Franc
SBI Card President - Felix Tshisekedi
ESTD - 1998
HQ - Gurugram Germany
MD & CEO - Abhijit Chakravorty Capital - Berlin
Currency - Euro
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) President - Frank-Walter Steinmeier
ESTD - 1 April 1935
HQ - Mumbai Zimbabwe
Governor - Shaktikanta Das Capital - Harare
Currency - United States Dollar
HDFC Life President - Emmerson Mnangagwa
ESTD - 2000
HQ - Mumbai Senegal
MD & CEO - Vibha Padalkar Capital - Dakar
Currency - West African CFA franc
Asian Development Bank
ESTD - 19 December 1966 Slovakia
HQ - Manila, Philippines Capital - Bratislava
Members - 68 Currency - Euro
President - Masatsugu Asakawa
China
HDFC Bank Capital - Beijing
Founded - August 1994 Currency - Chinese Yuan
HQ - Mumbai President - Xi Jinping

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Ireland Uzbekistan
Capital - Dublin Capital - Tashkent
Currency - Euro Currency - Uzbekistani Som
President - Shavkat Mirziyoyev
UK Prime Minister - Abdulla Nigmatovich
Capital - London Aripov
Currency - Pound sterling
PM - Rishi Sunak Philippines
Capital - Manila
Pakistan Currency - Philippine peso
Capital - Islamabad President - Bongbong Marcos
Currency - Pakistani Rupee
President - Asif Ali Zardari Sweden
PM - Shehbaz Sharif Capital - Stockholm
Currency - Swedish Krona
Israel PM - Ulf Kristersson
Capital - Jerusalem
Currency - Shekel North Korea
President - Isaac Herzog Capital - Pyongyang
PM - Benjamin Netanyahu Currency - North Korean Won
Supreme Leader - Kim Jong Un
Iceland
Capital - Reykjavík Nepal
Currency - Icelandic Króna Capital - Kathmandu
Currency - Nepalese rupee
Vietnam President - Ram Chandra Paudel
Capital - Hanoi Prime minister - Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Currency - Vietnamese dong
Mauritius:
Singapore Capital - Port Louis
Capital - Singapore City Currency - Mauritian Rupee
Currency - Singapore Dollar PM - Pravind Jugnauth
Kuwait Bulgaria:
Capital - Kuwait City Capital - Sofia
Currency - Kuwaiti Dinar Currency - Bulgarian Lev
President - Rumen Radev
Nigeria
Capital - Abuja Cambodia:
Currency - Nigerian Naira Capital - Phnom Penh
President - Bola Ahmed Tinubu Currency - Cambodian riel
PM - Hun Manet

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Myanmar:
West Bengal:
Capital: Naypyidaw
Capital: Kolkata
Currency: Myanmar Kyat
CM: Mamata Banerjee
PM: Min Aung Hlaing
Governor: Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose
UAE:
Gujarat:
Capital: Abu Dhabi
Capital: Gandhinagar
Currency: Dirham
CM: Bhupendra Patel
President: Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Governor: Acharya Devvrat
Nahyan
Uttarakhand:
Nepal:
Capital: Gairsain (summer), Dehradun
Capital: Kathmandu
(winter)
Currency: Nepalese rupee
CM: Pushkar Singh Dhami
President: Ram Chandra Paudel
Governor: Gurmit Singh
Prime minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Madhya Pradesh:
Kenya:
Capital: Bhopal
Capital: Nairobi
CM: Mohan Yadav
Currency: Kenyan Shilling
Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
President: William Ruto
Uttar Pradesh:
Bangladesh
Capital: Lucknow
Capital - Dhaka
CM: Yogi Adityanath
Currency - Taka
Governor: Anandiben Patel
PM - Sheikh Hasina
President - Mohammad Shahabuddin
Rajasthan:
Capital: Jaipur
Indonesia
CM: Bhajan Lal Sharma
Capital - Jakarta
Governor: Kalraj Mishra
Currency - Indonesian rupiah
President - Joko Widodo
Himachal Pradesh:
Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala
STATES (Winter)
Andaman & Nicobar: CM: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
Capital: Port Blair Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
Lt Governor: Devendra Kumar Joshi
Bihar:
Tamil Nadu: Capital: Patna
Capital - Chennai CM: Nitish Kumar
CM - Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin Governor: Rajendra Arlekar
Governor - R. N. Ravi
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Punjab:
Capital: Chandigarh
CM: Bhagwant Mann
Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
Arunachal Pradesh
Capital - Itanagar
CM - Pema Khandu
Governor - Lt Gen Kaiwalya Trivikram
Parnaik
Meghalaya
Capital - Shillong
CM - Conrad Sangma
Governor - Phagu Chauhan
Madhya Pradesh:
Capital - Bhopal
CM - Mohan Yadav
Governor - Mangubhai C. Patel
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES /
PROGRAMMES
NCentral Government Health Scheme
(CGHS):
Launched in: 1954
Objective: To provide comprehensive
health care to Central Government
employees, pensioners, and their
dependent family members
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM):

Launched in: September 27, 2021
Objective: To create an efficient digital
health ecosystem with active
participation from both public and
private sectors.

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Current Affairs practice MCQs
Q1. According to the latest data from the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s foreign Q5. Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM),
exchange reserves have soared to a new a unit of Tata Motors, has announced a
peak, reaching how much dollar in the strategic partnership with which oil and
week ending March 22, marking the fifth gas company to establish a nationwide
consecutive week of increase? network of 5,000 public charging stations
[A] $642.631 billion for electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of
[B] $542.631 billion 2024?
[C] $652.631 billion [A] Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)
[D] $602.631 billion [B] Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
[E] $654.631 billion (BPCL)
[C] Hindustan Petroleum Corporation
Q2. Who has been elected as the new
Limited (HPCL)
Chairman of the Automotive Tyre
[D] Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)
Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA)?
[E] Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
[A] Naveen Desai
(ONGC)
[B] Vijay Jain
[C] Arnab Banerjee Q6. Who is the writer of the book “Code
[D] Abhay Thakur Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI”?
[A] Anubha Bhonsle
[E] Pavan Davuluri
[B] Radhika Iyer
Q3. Recently, who was awarded the [C] Madhumita Murgia
prestigious Times Power Icon 2024 Award? [D] Anjana Om Kashyap
[A] Vijay Jain [E] None of these
[B] Michel Talagrand
Q7. HDFC Bank to divest how much percent
[C] Bina Agarwal
stake in HDFC Education and Development
[D] James Boyce
Services?
[E] ISRO [A] 95%
Q4. Which of the following is one of the [B] 100%
three public sector insurance companies [C] 90%
that recently retained its Domestic [D] 70%
Systemically Important Insurers (D-SIIs) [E] 80%
status by the Insurance Regulatory and Q8. Recently, whohas been awarded the
Development Authority of India (IRDAI)? prestigious ‘International Culture Award’
[A] United India Insurance Company for the year 2024?
[B] Limited [A] Dr. Uma Rele
[C] The Oriental Insurance Company [B] Jyothirmaye Sharma
[D] National Insurance Company Limited [C] Kavita Krishnamurthy
[E] General Insurance Corporation of India [D] Meena Charanda
None of these [E] None of these

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Q9. Which Indian aluminum producing [D] Sanjay Nayar
company has recently achieved the [E] Sandeep Jain
Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Q14. The Competition Commission of India
Performance Standard V3 Certification? (CCI) has granted approval to Axis Bank for its
[A] National Aluminium Company Limited
proposed acquisition of a stake in which
[B] Hindalco Industries Limited
Insurance Company?
[C] Jindal Aluminium Limited [A] Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
[D] Bharat Aluminium Company Limited [B] HDFC Life Insurance
[E] Aditya Birla Group [C] LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India)
Q10. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is showcasing [D] Max Life Insurance
its might and capability to carry out high- [E] SBI Life Insurance
octane operations during the upcoming Q15. Who was felicitated with the
‘Gagan Shakti-2024‘ exercise “in a realistic Distinguished Overseas Dental Specialist
environment” from April 1-10. ‘Gagan Shakti’
(Orthodontics and Orofacial Pain) title at
was last held in which year?
the National Fame Awards 2024?
[A] 2016
[A] Dr. Ramesh Patel
[B] 2017
[B] Dr. Priya Sharma
[C] 2019
[C] Dr. Sanjay Gupta
[D] 2020
[D] Dr. Rohan Singh
[E] 2018
[E] Dr. Karthik Kommuri
Q11. Recently, which credit rating agency Q16. The World Economic Forum has
has got SEBI Nod to Resume Business announced which edition of its Young
without Restrictions? Global Leaders Community The Class of
[A] Moody's Investors Service
2024?
[B] Dun & Bradstreet [A] 19th
[C] Brickwork Ratings [B] 20th
[D] Brickwork Equities [C] 18th
[E] CARE Ratings Limited [D] 21st
Q12. What type of facility will PepsiCo India [E] 22nd
establish in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh?
[A] A flavour manufacturing facility Q17. Recently, actor Visheshwara Rao
[B] A research and development facility passed away. Which language movies did
[C] A distribution center he belong to?
[A] Hindi
[D] A sales office
[B] Telugu
[E] A sustainable packaging solutions
[C] Kannada
Q13. The Associated Chambers of
[D] Malayalam
Commerce and Industry of India
[E] Tamil
(ASSOCHAM) has appointed which person
as its new President? Q18. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India
[A] JS Sidana (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty on
[B] Ajay Singh how much rupees on LIC Housing Finance
[C] Rajeev Singhal for breach of norms?

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[A] Rs. 47.9 lakh [B] Ravi Mital and Sudhaker Shukla
[B] Rs. 49.7 lakh [C] M.P. Ram Mohan and Sudhaker Shukla
[C] Rs. 45.2 lakh [D] Reetu Jain and Anita Shah Akella
[D]Rs. 52.9 lakh [E] None of the above
[E] Rs. 59.7 lakh
Q23. Who is the author of the book ‘The
Q19. Who has been elected as the new
Idea of Democracy’ which explores the
Chairman of National Cooperative Dairy
current state of democracy and its
Federation of India Ltd?
potential challenges in countries like India
[A] Verghese Kurien
and the United States?
[B] Meenesh Shah
[A] Sam Pitroda
[C] Amul Thapar
[B] Arundhati Roy
[D]Dilip Rath
[C] Pratap Bhanu Mehta
[E] None of these
[D] Shashi Tharoor
Q20. The Securities and Exchange Board of [E] None of these
India (SEBI) has received the International
Q24. Who dominated the 2024 Japanese
Organization for Standardization/
Grand Prix, leading a one-two finish for Red
International Electrotechnical
Bull alongside teammate Sergio Perez?
Commission(ISO/IEC) 27001:2022
[A] Lewis Hamilton
certification for its which framework?
[B] Max Verstappen
[A] Information Security Management
[C] Charles Leclerc
Systems (ISMS)
[D] Valtteri Bottas
[B] Risk Management Systems
[E] Carlos Sainz Jr.
[C] Quality Management Systems
[D]Financial Management Systems Q25. Gangaur is an important festival
[E] None of the above celebrated in which state, commemorating
Q21. Small Industries Development Bank of the union of Lord Shiva (Gan) and Goddess
India (SIDBI) has entered into an agreement Parvati (Gauri)?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
with which fintech to use the latter’s
[B] Haryana
technology platform KarmaLife for a pilot
[C] Rajasthan
to provide micro loans to gig workers?
[A] Onion Life Private Limited [D] Gujarat
[B] FinTech Gig Solutions [E] West Bengal
[C] GigLoans India Q26. Ugadi, the traditional New Year
[D]MicroCredit Tech festival celebrated across several states in
[E] GigFinance Hub India, including Karnataka, Andhra
Q22. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs Pradesh, and Telangana, falls on which
(MCA) has appointed which two persons as day?
part-time members of the Governing Board [A] April 9
of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of [B] April 7
India (IBBI)? [C] April 8
[A]M.P. Ram Mohan and Dinabandhu [D] April 6
Mohapatra [E] April 5

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Q27. According to data released by the [A] HDFC Bank
General Insurance Council (GIC), the [B] ICICI Bank
General Insurance industry experienced a [C] Axis Bank
growth of how much percent in the Fiscal [D] Yes Bank
Year 2023-24 (FY24)? [E] Kotak Mahindra Bank
[A] 13.78%
[B] 14.38% Q32. The President of India, Smt Droupadi
[C] 17.28% Murmu, inaugurated a two-day
[D] 12.78% Homoeopathy Symposium organized by
[E] 10.78% the Central Council for Research in
Homoeopathy in which place on World
Q28. Which of the following Indian startups
Homoeopathy Day?
is the most valuable unicorn according to [A] Mumbai
the Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2024? [B] New Delhi
[A] Byju's
[C] Chennai
[B] Zomato
[D] Hyderabad
[C] Swiggy
[E] Bengaluru
[D] Razorpay
[E] PolicyBazaar Q33. India’s mineral security, Khanij Bidesh
India Limited (KABIL) has entered into a
Q29. The Indian Space Research
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Organisation (ISRO)’s which mission team
with which organization for Technical &
has been awarded the 2024 John L. “Jack”
Knowledge cooperation?
Swigert, Jr. Award for Space Exploration by [A] Geological Survey of India (GSI)
the US-based Space Foundation? [B] National Aluminium Company Limited
[A] Chandrayaan-2 mission team
(NALCO)
[B] Chandrayaan-3 mission team
[C] Council of Scientific and Industrial
[C] Gaganyaan mission team
Research – Institute of Minerals and
[D] Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (Mangalyaan-2)
Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT)
team
[D] Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)
[E] None of these
[E] None of these
Q30. Who has been awarded the ICC
Q34. Which Hospital’s research team has been
Women’s Player of the Month for March
honoured with the prestigious ‘Best Scientific
2024?
Poster Award’ at the 2024 Annual Meeting of
[A] Sophie Devine
the American Society for Cataract and
[B] Ashleigh Gardner
Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)?
[C] Amelia Kerr [A] Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital
[D] Maia Bouchier [B] Apollo Hospitals
[E] Heather Knight [C] Aravind Eye Care System
[D] LV Prasad Eye Institute
Q31. Which bank becomes the 1st private
[E] Narayana Nethralaya
bank to open a branch at Kavaratti Island in
Lakshadweep?

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Q35. Who was re-elected as a member of the [A] Birmingham, The United Kingdom
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) [B] Barcelona, Spain
for the third term from 2025 to 2030? [C] Geneva, Switzerland
[A] Nidhu Saxena
[D] Los Angeles, USA
[B] Jagjit Pavadia
[E] Tokyo, Japan
[C] Jallal Toufiq
[D] Lional Raj Q40. Recently, whichcompany has secured
[E] Tarun Bajaj in-principle approval from the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) to issue Prepaid
Q36. Recently, India Post Payments Bank
Payment Instruments (PPI)?
(IPPB) introduced Aadhaar ATM Service for
[A] Monzo
Convenient Cash Withdrawals. What is the
[B] Starling Bank
maximum transaction amount set by NPCI for
[C] Revolut India
a single AePS financial transaction?
[A] Rs. 10,000 [D] Nubank
[B] Rs. 5,000 [E] None of these
[C] Rs. 2,000 Q41. The fifth edition of the India-Uzbekistan
[D] Rs. 20,000 Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK was held in
[E] None of these which place?
Q37. The Securities and Exchange Board of [A] Pithoragarh, India
India (SEBI) has given its approval to which [B] Tashkent, Uzbekistan
multinational conglomerate for a change of [C] Termez, Uzbekistan
control in Reliance Wealth Management [D] Nacala, Mozambique
Limited under SEBI’s regulations governing [E] Samarkand, Uzbekistan
investment advisers and portfolio managers? Q42. Who is set to become the first Indian to
[A] Tata Group
venture into space as a tourist on Amazon
[B] Adani Group founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin’s NS-25
[C] Hinduja Group mission?
[D] Birla Group [A] Sanjay Bhattacharya
[E] Ambani Group [B] Lokesh Muni
Q38. Who was honored the‘South Asian [C] Nandan Nilekani
Person of the Year’ by the South Asian [D] Rakesh Gangwal
Association (SAA) at Harvard University, [E] Gopi Thotakura
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (United Q43. What was the theme for World Chagas
States of America)? Disease Day 2024?
[A] Avantika Vandanapu [A] "Tackling Chagas disease: detect early and
[B] Pravind Jugnauth care for life"
[C] Mindy Kaling [B] "Advancing Sustainable Solutions for
[D] Hasan Minhaj Chagas"
[E] None of these [C] "Uniting to Combat Chagas"
Q39. The 48th Association of Summer [D] "Raising Awareness, Taking Action"
Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) [E] "Breaking the Cycle: Combating Chagas
General Assembly was held during Disease Together"
SportAccord World Sport & Business
Summit 2024 held in which place?

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Q44. Karnataka Bank Ltd partnered with
Q49. India Mortgage Guarantee
which Indian investment platform to offer
Corporation (IMGC) has entered into a
stock broking services and 3 in 1 Accounts
strategic partnership with which bank to
(Savings, Demat, and Trading accounts)
introduce mortgage guarantee-backed
through the “KBL Mobile Plus”, the mobile
home loan products?
banking app of Karnataka Bank? [A] Bank of India
[A] FISDOM
[B] Bank of Baroda
[B] Upstox
[C] Indian Bank
[C] Zerodha
[D] Indian Overseas Bank
[D] Angel Broking
[E] Canara Bank
[E] Orowealth
Q45. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to Q50. Who are the authors of the book “Law
make history as the first Indian Prime Minister and Spirituality: Reconnecting the Bond”?
since Indira Gandhi to grace the cover of which [A] Prof. Raman Mittal and Dr. Seema Singh
magazine? [B] Prof. Raman Mittal and Dr. Deepanshi
[A] Newsdaily Gupta
[B] Newsweek [C] Dr. Seema Singh and Dr. Deepanshi Gupta
[C] BusinessWeek [D] Prof. Raman Mittal and Prof. Sumit Arora
[D] The New Yorker [E] Dr. Seema Singh and Prof. Sumit Arora
[E] Vogue Q51. BharatPe has officially elevated which
Q46. Recently, Mathematician Avi person as its chief executive officer?
Wigderson Wins the 2023 ACM A.M. Turing [A] Suhail Sameer
Award. He belongs to which country? [B] Nalin Negi
[A] Israel
[C] Shashvat Nakrani
[B] United States
[D] Akshay Mehrotra
[C] South Korea
[E] Nupur Gupta
[D] Russia
[E] Canada Q52. Which University conferred an
Q47. Israel Deploys C-Dome Defence honorary doctorate in literature upon
System for First time. The C-Dome Defence renowned Indian actor Ram Charan?
[A] Anna University
System was developed by which company?
[A] RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems [B] Sathyabama University
[B] Israel Military Industries [C] Stella Maris College Chennai
[C] Israel Defense Store [D] SRI Ramachandra Medical College
[D] Lockheed Martin Israel Chennai
[E] Nr Defense Ltd [E] Vels University
Q48. Who is the author of the Memoir
Q53. World Voice Day 2024 campaign was
“Knife”: A Harrowing Tale of Resilience and
observed under which theme?
the Fight for Free Speech? [A] "Resonate. Educate. Celebrate"
[A] Kamala Das
[B] "Educate Your Voice"
[B] Arundhati Roy
[C] "Healthy Voice, Healthy Life"
[C] Jhumpa Lahiri
[D] "Empower & Celebrate Your Voice"
[D] Vikram Seth
[E] "Speak Up, Speak Out"
[E] Salman Rushdie

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Q54. Axis Bank Limited has collaborated [A] 200 kilometres per hour (km/h)
with which company to launch a co- [B] 230 kilometres per hour (km/h)
branded Credit Card to enhance the [C] 270 kilometres per hour (km/h)
shopping experience for cardholders, both [D] 300 kilometres per hour (km/h)
online and offline at an event at the store, [E] 250 kilometres per hour (km/h)
in Mumbai?
Q59. DRDO conducted a successful test
[A] Pantaloons
flight of the Indigenous Technology Cruise
[B] Adidas
Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test
[C] Jack & Jones
Range (ITR) in which place?
[D] Shoppers Stop [A] Chennai, Tamil Nadu
[E] Skechers [B] Chandipur, Odisha
Q55. Which state in India emerges as a [C] Ahmedabad, Gujarat
frontrunner in the effective execution of [D] Chandipur, Odisha
the Green Credit Programme (GCP) [E] Kolkata, West Bengal
initiated by the central government? Q60. Recently, General Manoj Pande has
[A] Madhya Pradesh
inaugurated a High-Tech IT Lab at Academy
[B] Maharashtra
of Armed Forces in which country?
[C] Karnataka [A] Kazakhstan
[D] Tamil Nadu [B] Kyrgyzstan
[E] Rajasthan [C] Uzbekistan
Q56. Who is the author of the book “Just a [D] Tajikistan
Mercenary?: Notes from My Life and [E] Afghanistan
Career”? Q61. The book titled “Sabke Ram” was
[A] Raghuram Rajan published by which publisher?
[B] Duvvuri Subbarao [A] Prabhat Prakashan
[C] Urjit Patel [B] Bharat Prakashan
[D] Shaktikanta Das [C] Paridrishya Prakashan
[E] None of these [D] Vani Prakashan
Q57. Ashok Leyland Limited, a commercial [E] Rajmangal Publishers
vehicle maker, signed a Memorandum of Q62. Under which Section of the Banking
Understanding with which bank for Regulation Act, 1949 the Reserve Bank of
financing dealers under the bank’s dealer India has directed Kotak Mahindra Bank
finance program? Limited to cease and desist, with
[A] South Indian Bank immediate effect, from onboarding of new
[B] Bank of India customers through its online and mobile
[C] Indian Bank banking channels and issuing fresh credit
[D] Indian Overseas Bank cards?
[E] Induslnd Bank [A] Section 33A
[B] Section 32A
Q58. The country is gearing up to launch an
[C] Section 37A
indigenous bullet train capable of reaching
[D] Section 30A
speeds exceeding how much speed?
[E] Section 35A

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Q63. Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) [D] Indian Financial Technology and Allied
under the Ministry of Defence signed a Services
Memorandum of Understanding with [E] Reserve Bank Innovation Hub
which two IIT for collaborative research Q67. The Department of Administrative
and training? Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG)
[A] IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur under the Ministry of Personnel, Public
[B] IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur Grievances and Pensions signed a
[C] IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay Memorandum of Understanding with the
[D] IIT Delhi and IIT Hyderabad Ministry of Civil Service of which country to
[E] IIT Indore and IIT Gandhinagar strengthen bilateral exchange and
Q64. Recently, which country is cooperation in the field of Human Resource
spearheading the Sustainable Finance for Development in Civil Service over the next
Tiger Landscapes Conference, with a goal 5 years?
of mobilizing $1 billion over a decade to [A] Cambodia
preserve tiger habitats critical for [B] Myanmar
biodiversity and supporting millions of [C] Vietnam
people? [D] Malaysia
[A] Bhutan [E] Singapore
[B] Nepal Q68. Name Microsoft’s latest small
[C] Indonesia language model that has surpassed
[D] Malaysia benchmarks, demonstrating superiority
[E] None of these over models of similar and larger sizes.
Q65. In celebration of Earth Day, the [A] Bard
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research [B] Phi-2
(CSIR) recently unveiled India’s largest [C] GPT-Neo
Climate Clock at its headquarters in which [D] Phi-3-mini
place? [E] None of these
[A] Mumbai
Q69. The International Cricket Council (ICC)
[B] New Delhi
has announced which Indian cricketer as
[C] Chennai
an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
[D] Hyderabad
Ambassador?
[E] Bengaluru [A] Virat Kohli
Q66. NABARD has joined forces with [B] Rohit Sharma
whichsubsidiary of the Reserve Bank of [C] MS Dhoni
India (RBI) to revolutionize agricultural [D] Ravindra Jadeja
lending through digitalization? [E] Yuvraj Singh
[A] Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee
Corporation Q70. World Healing Day (WHD), 2024 was
[B] Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran celebrated on which day to promote the
Private Limited benefits of mind-body practices and the
[C] Reserve Bank Information Technology emerging medical research on the subject?
[A] April 25
Private Limited
[B] April 27

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[C] April 28 Q75. Japan’s MUFG is set to purchase what
[D] April 26 percent stake in HDB Financial Services, a
[E] April 29 subsidiary of India’s HDFC Bank?
[A] 15%
Q71. Which Payment Services company has
[B] 20%
unveiled new upgradable ATMs in India,
[C] 25%
allowing banks to adapt their machines
[D] 18%
into Cash Recycling Machines (CRMs) as per
[E] 22%
evolving needs?
[A] Vortiv Ltd Q76. Government e Marketplace (GeM)
[B] CMS Info Systems Achieves growth, doubling its Gross
[C] Hitachi Payment Services Merchandise Value (GMV)
[D] AGS Transact Technologies Consider the following statements:
[E] Paymin
1. The Government e Marketplace (GeM)
Q72. NTPC Limited has signed a
has witnessed a remarkable growth,
Memorandum of Understanding with
doubling its Gross Merchandise Value
which company for the supply of 9 lakh
(GMV) to ₹4-lakh crore in fiscal year
metric tonnes of limestone (lime chips – a
2023-24.
by-product of the RINL) for the NTPC units
2. Procurement of services surges by 210%
across India for five years?
in FY24, contributing significantly to the
[A] Tata Steel
total GMV.
[B] JSW Steel
3. GeM caters to over 1.8 lakh government
[C] Vedanta Limited
buyers and 21 lakh sellers and service
[D] Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)
providers.
[E] Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
Q73. Who has been named the regional How many of the above statements are
winner for the Middle East and North Africa correct?
(MENA) region at the prestigious 2024 [A] Only one
Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards? [B] Only two
[A] Almas Hussain [C] All the three
[B] Sabiha Khan [D] None
[C] Jumana Daud Q77. Reliance Buys Stake in Adani’sPower
[D] Mariam Khalifa Project.
[E] Gina Justus Consider the following statements:
Q74. Who is the author of the book “The
Winner’s Mindset”? 1. Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani,
[A] Carol Dweck have joined forces for the first time.
[B] Tim Ferriss Reliance Industries, owned by Ambani,
[C] Shane Watson has acquired a 20% stake in a power
[D] Eckhart Tolle project owned by Adani’s company in
[E] Malcolm Gladwell Madhya Pradesh.

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1. 1.
2. Reliance Industries will purchase 5 2. Additionally, the quotas for river sand
crore equity shares (worth ₹50 crore) in and stone aggregates, crucial for the
Mahan Energen Ltd, a wholly-owned Maldives’ construction industry, have
subsidiary of Adani Power Ltd. been increased by 30% to 1 million
3. Mahan Energen Ltd operates a thermal metric tonnes each.
power plant in Madhya Pradesh with a 3. India has emerged as the Maldives’
total capacity of 2200 MW. significant trade partner, with bilateral
trade reaching $793.37 million in 2022-
How many of the above statements are 23, up from approximately $740 million
correct? in the previous fiscal year.
[A] Only one [A] Both 1 and 2
[B] Only two [B] Only 2
[C] All the three [C] Only 3
[D] None [D] Both 1 and 3
[E] All 1,2,3
Q78. IRDAIAnnounces Final Rules on
Surrender Value from April 1 2024. Q80. Zimbabwe Launches New Gold-
Which of the following statements is/are Backed Currency “ZiG”.
correct according to the proposed slabs for Which of the following statements is/are
the surrender value percentages? correct?
1. 30% of total premiums paid if 1. The banks will continue to accept ZW$
surrendered during the second year. deposits for a period of 21 days after 5
2. 40% of total premiums paid if April 2024.
surrendered during the third year. 2. The initial exchange rate of ZiG is set at
3. 50% of total premiums paid if 17.56 ZiG per US dollar(USD).
surrendered between the fourth and 3. New Zimbabwe dollar (Real Time Gross
seventh years. Settlement (RTGS) dollar) was
4. 90% of total premiums paid if introduced in Zimbabwe in 2009.
surrendered during the last three years [A] Both 1 and 2
[A] Both 1 and 3 [B] Only 2
[B] Both 2 and 3 [C] Only 3
[C] Both 2 and 4 [D] Both 1 and 3
[D] All 1,2,3 [E] All 1,2,3
[E] None
Q81. Glass Skywalk Bridge in Uttar Pradesh.
Q79. India Lifts Export Restrictions on Consider the following statements:
Essential Goods for Maldives. 1. Uttar Pradesh has unveiled its first-ever
Which of the following statements is/are glass skywalk bridge, located at the
correct? enchanting Tulsi (Shabari) Waterfall in
1. The quotas for various commodities, varanasi.
including eggs, potatoes, onions, sugar, 2. The glass skywalk bridge, constructed
rice, wheat flour, and dal, have been at a cost of Rs 5.30 crore.
raised by 5%.

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198
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1.
2.
3. The bridge, engineered to withstand a 1. The Reserve Bank Of India(RBI) has
load capacity of 500 kg per square mandated all Regulated entities (REs)
meter, features an arrow-shaped (banks and financial institutions) to
extension that extends 25 meters provide comprehensive key facts
towards the abyss, with a width of 35 statements (KFS) to all new retail and
meters between the two supporting Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
pillars. (MSME) borrowers with effect from 1st
How many of the above statements are August 2024.
correct? 2. RBI stated that the REs shall not charge
[A] Only one the borrowers any fees that are not
[B] Only two mentioned in the KFS with explicit
[C] All the three consent from the borrower.
[D] None 3. KFS will be provided to borrowers with
a unique proposal number with a
Q82. Gallantry, Distinguished Service
validity period of at least 5 working
Awards to Naval personnel.
days for loans with a tenor of 7 days or
Which of the following statements is/are
more and 3 working days for loans with
correct?
a tenor of less than 7 days.
1. 35 personnel received awards
How many of the above statements are
recognizing bravery, leadership,
correct?
professional achievements, and
[A] Only one
distinguished service.
[B] Only two
2. The CNS Trophy for Best Green Practices
[C] All the three
2023 was awarded to Naval Dockyard,
[D] None
Mumbai, Maharashtra and INS (Indian
Q84. Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
Naval Ship) Kumbhir.
Which of the following statements is/are
3. The CNS also presented the Lt VK Jain
correct?
Memorial Gold Medal 2024 to Tabsheer
1. The prestigious Lata Deenanath
Ahmed Wani for pioneering research in
Mangeshkar Award will be presented to
weapon improvement and electrical
the esteemed actor, Rajinikanth, this
engineering and the Capt Ravi Dhir
year.
Memorial Gold Medal 2024 awarded to
2. Composer A.R. Rahman, renowned for
Shubham Hira for promoting flight
his groundbreaking music, will be
safety.
[A] Both 1 and 2 recognized for his outstanding
[B] Only 2 contributions to Indian music.
[C] Only 3 3. Actor Raj Kapoor will receive a special
[D] Both 1 and 3 award for his exemplary work as both a
[E] All 1,2,3 film producer and a leading actor.
[A] Both 1 and 2
Q83. RBI Directs all REs to Provide KFS to [B] Only 2
Borrowers. [C] Only 3
Consider the following statements: [D] Both 1 and 3
[E] All 1,2,3

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1.
Q85. Indian Bank partners with Tata Power 2. It aims to attract USD 2 billion into
Solar to boost solar energy adoption. investment programs that include
Consider the following statements: Nature –based solutions.
1. Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, 3. Through this hub, ADB aims to provide
residential consumers can avail loans USD100 billion in climate financing
up to Rs. 2 lakh at an annual interest from its own resources from 2019
rate of 10%. to2034.
2. The repayment tenure is 15 years which How many of the above statements are
offers flexibility and convenience to correct?
[A] Only one
beneficiaries.
[B] Only two
3. Eligible applicants can avail loans up to
[C] All the three
Rs. 6 lakh with margin money
[D] None
requirement of 20%.
How many of the above statements are Q88. RVNL-Salasar JV has bagged “Rwanda
correct? Transmission System Reinforcement and
[A] Only one Last Mile Connectivity project (TSRLMC).”
[B] Only two Consider the following statements:
[C] All the three 1. A Joint Venture between the Rail Vikas
[D] None Nigam Limited (RVNL) and Salasar
Q86. Laureus World Sports Awards 2024. Techno Engineering Limited (STEL), the
Which of the following statements is/are private steel manufacturer has bagged
correct? Rs 50 crore transmission project in
1. The 2024 Laureus World Sports Awards Rwanda. CentralAfrica.
winners were honouredin a ceremony 2. Rwanda TSRLMC aims to design, supply,
held at the San Sebastian City Hall, Paris and install 45.8 km of 110 KV double
2. Laureus World Sports Awards Limited is circuit Rukarara-Huye-Gisagara
a company registered in England and transmission lines.
Wales, United Kingdom (UK). 3. RVNL owns 51% stake in the joint
3. 2024 marks the 27th edition of the venture, while STEL owns the remaining
annual Laureus World Sports Awards. 49%.
[A] Both 1 and 2 How many of the above statements are
[B] Only 2 correct?
[C] Only 3 [A] Only one
[D] Both 1 and 3 [B] Only two
[E] All 1,2,3 [C] All the three
Q87. ADB Pledged USD23.6 billion in 2023 [D] None
to Help Asia and Pacific Progress on
Q89. Youth Boxing World Cup 2024.
Sustainable Development.
Which of the following pair is/are matched
Consider the following statements:
correctly according to the above
1. ADB also raised an additional USD 19.4
statement?
billion in co-financing through its
strong partnerships.

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Budva, B US 1
A Held at
Montenegro
C India 551
B Topped by South Africa
[A] Only A
[B] Both B and C
C India won 8 gold medals
[C] Both A and B
[A] Only A [D] Only B
[B] Both B and C [E] All A,B,C
[C] Both A and B Q92. Recently, India has gained operational
[D] Only B control over the Sittwe Port in Myanmar
[E] All A,B,C from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Q90. RBI,s first bi-monthly monetary policy Which of the following pair is/are matched
of 2024-25. correctly according to the above
Which of the following pair is/are matched statement?
correctly according to the above STRETCH DISTANCE
statement?
STANDING DEPOSIT Haldia to Sittwe

A 6.75% A 539 km
FACILITY (SDF port in Myanmar
B BANK RATE 6.25% Sittwe to Paletwa

B 128 km
(RIver Kaladan)
FIXED REVERSE
C 3.35% Paletwa to Indo-
REPO RATE
C Myanmar Border (in 110 km
[A] Only A Myanmar)
[B] Both B and C
[C] Both A and B Indo-Myanmar
[D] Only B D Border to NH.54 (in 115 km
[E] All A,B,C India)
Q91. Business Environment Rankings (BER) [A] Both A and B

2024. [B] Both B and D
Which of the following pair is/are matched [C] Both A and C
correctly according to the above [D] All the above
statement? [E] None of the above
COUNTRY RANK Q93. Hurun’s Global Unicorn Index 2024.

correctly according to the 5 Countries with
A Singapore 3
the most number of unicorns?

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@kkathpal
COUNTRY RANK Runner of Men’s Soong Joo
A
Singles Ven (Japan)
A U.S.A. 1
Anupama
Runner Women’s
B United Kingdom 2 B Upadhyaya
Singles
(India)
C India 3
Wong Tien
[A] Only A Winner of Mixed Ci and Lim
C
Doubles Chiew Sien
[B] Both B and C
(Malaysia)
[C] Both A and B
[D] Only B
[A] Only A
[E] All A,B,C
[B] Both B and C
Q94. Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released [C] Both A and B
the 14th edition of the QS World University [D] Only B
Rankings by Subject 2024. [E] All A,B,C
Q96. 2024 Badminton Asia Championships.
statement?
GLOBAL statement?
UNIVERSITY
RANK
Jonatan
Winner of Men’s
A Christie
A JNU 20 Singles
(Indonesia)
B IIM Ahmedabad 25
Winner of Women’s Chen Yu Fei
B
Singles (China)
C IIT Bombay 22
Feng Yan
[A] Only A
Zhe and
[B] Both B and C Winners of Mixed
C Huang
[C] Both A and B Doubles
Dong Ping
[D] Only B (China)
[E] All A,B,C
Q95. Kazakhstan International Challenge [A] Only A

2024. [B] Both B and C
Which of the following pair is/are matched [C] Both A and B
correctly according to the above [D] Only B
statement? [E] All A,B,C

@iamkapilkathpal
202
@kkathpal
Q97. The Airports Council International Q99. Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024.
(ACI) World released its report on the ‘Top Which of the following pair is/are matched
10 Busiest Airports Worldwide for 2023‘. correctly according to the above
Which of the following pair is/are matched statement?
statement? Best Regional KIA in
A Airport in India and Bengaluru,
TOTAL South Asia Karnataka
AIRPORT PASSENGER
S IN 2023
Delhi
Best Airport in India
B Internationa
A Atlanta, USA (ATL) 104 653 451 and South Asia
l Airport
B Dubai, UAE (DXB) 81 755 538 Hyderabad

Best Airport Staff
Internationa
C Service in India &
New Delhi, India l Airport in
C 72 214 841 South Asia
(DEL) Telangana
[A] Only A [A] Only A

[B] Both B and C [B] Both B and C
[C] Both A and B [C] Both A and B
[D] Only B [D] Only B
[E] All A,B,C [E] All A,B,C
Q98. 13th European Girls’ Mathematical
Q100. Three Indian Banks namely, the State
Olympiad 2024.
Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank and ICICI
Bank are featured in the list of top 50
largest banks in Asia-Pacific Region by
statement?
Assets – 2024.
Sanjana Which of the following pair is/are matched
Silver Medal winner correctly according to the above
A Philo
from Gurgaon
Chacko statement?
USD 970.05
Bronze Medal from Saee Vitthal SBI’s assets
B A billion in
Pune Patil valuation stands at
2023
C Larissa belongs to Hisar

HDFC Bank’s USD 464.34
[A] Only A B valuation increased billion in
[B] Both B and C to 2023
[C] Both A and B
[D] Only B C Rank of ICICI Bank 43
[E] All A,B,C

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203
@kkathpal
[A] Only A
[B] Both B and C
[C] Both A and B
[D] Only B
[E] All A,B,C

@iamkapilkathpal
204
@kkathpal
Answers
1 A 19 B 37 C 55 A 73 E 91 D
2 C 20 A 38 A 56 B 74 C 92 C
3 A 21 A 39 A 57 A 75 B 93 B
4 D 22 A 40 C 58 E 76 A 94 D
5 C 23 A 41 C 59 B 77 A 95 D
6 C 24 B 42 E 60 C 78 A 96 B
7 B 25 C 43 A 61 A 79 B 97 B
8 D 26 A 44 A 62 E 80 C 98 D
9 D 27 D 45 B 63 A 81 A 99 E
10 E 28 C 46 A 64 A 82 B
100 D
11 C 29 B 47 A 65 B 83 A
12 A 30 D 48 E 66 E 84 B
13 D 31 D 49 A 67 A 85 A
14 D 32 B 50 A 68 D 86 B
15 E 33 C 51 B 69 E 87 A
16 B 34 A 52 E 70 B 88 B
17 E 35 B 53 A 71 C 89 A
18 B 36 A 54 D 72 D 90 D

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@kkathpal
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PREFACE

Please keep in mind always:

Remember, success is not a destination; it's a continuous journey. Embrace

Believe. Achieve. Succeed.

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Daily Weekly Monthly

Microsoft has named Pavan Davuluri as the new head

Nidhu Saxena Appointed as MD & CEO of

The central government has approved the

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Rajeev Singhal Appointed as MD of Tata

Atul Mehra Joins Axis Capital as MD &

Sandeep Jain Steps Into FISME

Sanjay Nayar Appointed as New

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Lt Gen JS Sidana is New Director

Santosh Kumar Jha will assume the role of Chairman

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Former Indian track and field athlete Shiny Kurisingal

Rakesh Mohan Appointed to World Bank

The National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India Ltd.

The Delhi High Court has appointed former judge Najmi

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The Ministry of Finance has appointed Justice

Wipro has announced the resignation of its CEO,

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India’s Jagjit Pavadia Re-elected for a

Manoj Panda, renowned economist and former

USISPF appoints Former Revenue

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SC Judge Anirudhha Bose Retired

FSIB selected Manoj Mittal as CMD of SIDBI

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Senior Bureaucrat Vandita Kaul

Senior Bureaucrat Vandita Kaul has been appointed

Central Government Appoints Members of

Sachidananda Mohanty has been appointed as a

BharatPe Appoints Nalin Negi as Chief

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Nalin Prabhat Appointed as Director-

Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

The appointments committee of the Cabinet has

Arnab Banerjee Elected as New ATMA

Arnab Banerjee, the Managing Director & CEO of CEAT

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Santosh Viswanathan appointed India

Axis Bank Re-appoints Amitabh Chaudhry as

Naima Khatoon Becomes First Woman

Narpat Singh Appointed as Railway

Agricultural solutions major Coromandel International,

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The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)

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International Professor Meena Charanda, Principal of Kalindi College, Delhi

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Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital’s research team has been honoured

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s

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A renowned Kannada poet, writer, and an activist Mamta G.

South Asian The Indian-American actress Avantika Vandanapu was

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Honorary Vels University in Chennai conferred an honorary doctorate in