CSB IAS ACADEMY

PERSONS IN NEW’S
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the chief guest for India's
Republic Day celebrations
• 180-Strong Egypt Contingent joined Republic Day Parade, President Chief
Guest
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will be the first chief guest from his
country at India's Republic Day celebrations, the government announced. This
makes him only the fifth leader from the West Asian and Arab world to be the
chief guest.
Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as the Deputy National Security
Adviser
• Renowned IPS Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as the Deputy National
Security Adviser Retired director general of the Border Security Force (BSF),
Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, was recently appointed as the Deputy National
Security Adviser in National Security Council Secretariat for a period of two
years.
• Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed on a
re-employment contract.
The oldest woman in the world is no more
• The oldest woman in the world is no more. Sister Andrey passed away at the
age of 118
• World's oldest, French nun Sister Lucille Randon (118) has passed
away. Known as Sister Andre, she breathed her last on Tuesday night at her
nursing home in Toulon, France. To this extent, Andre's representative David
Tavella revealed. It is noteworthy that she passed away when she would have
celebrated her 119th birthday in another month.
• Lucile Randon | World's oldest, French nun Sister Lucille Randon (118) has
passed away. She, identified as Sister Andre, died Tuesday night in Toulon,
France
UAE Names Oil Chief Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber as COP28 Climate
President
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has named Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of
Industry and Advanced Technology of UAE and Group Managing Director &
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
(ADNOC), as President of the COP28 climate summit.
• The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in
Dubai, UAE, from 30th November to 12th December 2023.
• Shamma Al Mazrui appointed COP28 UAE Youth Climate Champion.
 • Razan Al Mubarak appointed COP28 UAE UN Climate Change High-Level
Champion.
About the United Arab Emirates (UAE):
• Prime Minister- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
• President- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Capital- Abu Dhabi
• Currency- United Arab Emirates Dirham
Renowned Scientist Dr AD Damodaran Passed Away
• On 13th January 2023, Dr A D Damodaran, a renowned scientist and former
Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) National
Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), passed away in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Dr A D Damodaran worked briefly at the Nuclear Fuels Complex in Hyderabad,
Telangana, and served as a visiting scientist at the Indian Institute of Metals
and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• He started working at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and later took over
as Director of CSIR-NIIST in 1985, where he held the position for 12 years.
Nilakshi Saha
• Nilakshi Saha Sinha appointed as next Ambassador of India to Armenia
Most beautiful woman in the world passes away
• Gina Lollobrigida, Italian screen star dies at 95
• Often described as "the most beautiful woman in the world", her films
included Beat the Devil, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Crossed Swords.
• She co-starred alongside the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Rock
Hudson and Errol Flynn.
• Her career faded in the 1960s and she moved into photography and politics.
Aruna Miller as Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
• Democratic Party leader Aruna Miller (58) has created history by becoming
the first Indian-American to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of
Maryland in the US.
• A former Maryland House delegate, she was sworn in as Maryland's 10th
lieutenant governor on Wednesday. The lieutenant governor is the highest
post in the US states after the governor. Their family migrated from Andhra
Pradesh to America when Aruna was one year old.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Resignation
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has taken a sensational decision to resign
from her post. She announced her resignation in a meeting held with the leaders of the
ruling Labor Party. Jesinda, who was emotional on this occasion, said that she feels that
this is the right time for her resignation.
Chris Hipkins sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand
Chris Hipkins was sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand today. Former Prime
Minister JacindaArdern suddenly resigned from her position, and 44-year-old Hipkins took
over the duties in her place. It is known that Jesinda said that she no longer has the ability to
lead the country. Her resignation was accepted by Governor General Cindy Kiro. Hipkins was
made minister during the Covid crisis. Then he got good recognition.
Makki as an international terrorist
Pakistan-based hardened Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul RehmanMakki has
been declared an international terrorist by the United Nations. India has been in a long
diplomatic struggle to declare Makki, who is number 2 in LeT, as an international
terrorist. Finally, the UN Security Council's '1267 ISIL (Daesh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions
Committee' declared Makki as an international terrorist and issued a statement on
Monday. On June 16 last year, China vetoed a joint motion by the United States and India
to declare Makki as an international terrorist. This time China did not put any obstacles
and the decision was won against Makki. With the decision of the United Nations,
restrictions on mackerel have come into force worldwide. Countries should freeze his
assets wherever they are. Makki is restricted from traveling abroad. He is prohibited
from raising funds for terrorist activities. Makki is the brother-in-law of LeT chief Hafiz
Saeed
UNSC 1267 Committee
• The ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UNSC (1267 Committee) has
placed Abdul RehmanMakki - the key planner of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-
Taiba (LeT), on its sanctions list.
• The move was made possible after China withdrew the "technical hold" that it
had imposed in June 2022, when the US and India tried to get Makki on the
global terror blacklist.
UNGA confirms Inger Andersen for Second Term as Executive
Director of UNEP.
• UNGA confirms Inger Andersen for Second Term as Executive Director of
UNEP.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected Inger Andersen of
Denmark as Executive Director (ED) of the United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP) for a second,4-year term beginning from 15th June 2023 to
14th June 2027.
• She is currently serving her initial 4-year term from 2019 to 2023.
Gambian Vice-President BadaraAlieuJo of Passes Away in India
• BadaraAlieuJo of, the Vice-President (VP) of the Republic of the Gambia (West
African country), passed away in India at the age of 65.
• His demise was announced by the President of Gambia, Adama Barrow.
BadaraAlieuJoof was born on 1958 in Gambia.
Padma Shri Awardee Prabhaben Shah Passed Away
• Padma Shri Awardee Prabhaben Sobhagh chand Shah, Social Worker from
Union Territory (UT) of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman, and Diu passed away
in Daman at the age of 92.
Indian-American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first
LGBTQ woman of colour city council.
• Indian-American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first LGBTQ woman
of colour city council.
• A 30-year-old Indian-American attorney, Janani Ramachandran has emerged
as the youngest and the first queer woman of colour to take oath as the
Oakland City Council member in the U.S. state of California.
• LGBT is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.
Praveen Sharma appointed as Director of National Health Authority
• Praveen Sharma has been selected for appointment as Director in the National
Health Authority (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) under the Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare.
Renowned Assamese poet Nilamani Phukan passes away
• Renowned Assamese poet and recipient of Jnapith Award, NilamaniPhookan
has passed away. He was 89.
• Phookan was one of the most celebrated poets of Assam and has been
awarded the country's highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year
2021.
• The notable works of Phukan are 'XurjyaHenuNaamiAaheEiNodiyedi', 'Kabita',
and 'GulapiJamurLagna'.
High Powered Committee (HPC) to address issues related to the
protection of Ladakh's
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in India has established a High Powered
Committee (HPC) to address issues related to the protection of Ladakh's
culture, language, land, and employment opportunities.
• A 17-member committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home
Affairs.
Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav passed
• Former Union Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Sharad Yadav
(75) passed away.
• He was 7 Times Loksabha member, 3 Times Rajyasabha Member
• Belongs to State Madhya Pradesh
Former Governor of Bengal KesarinathTripathi passed away
• Former West Bengal Governor KesarinathTripathi (88) passed away.
• He served three times as Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.
• He was born on 10 November 1934 in Allahabad. He also served as the
Governor of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram. Tripathi was a member of the
Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for six terms.
• He served as UP Sales Tax Cabinet Minister from 1977 to 1979. Tripathi
practiced as a senior advocate in the Allahabad High Court.
 • As a writer and poet, he has written many books.
Father of laparoscopic surgery passes away in Mumbai
• Padma Awardee Dr.Tehemton E Udwadia "Father of laparoscopic surgery"
passes away Indian Surgeon and Gastroenterologist,
• He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest civilian award in
2006 and Padma Bhushan, India's 3rd-highest civilian award, in 2017, for
Medicine.
• 15 July 1934 (born in Bombay Presidency)
Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh sworn in as 1st female Sikh
judge of USA
• Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh sworn in as 1st female Sikh judge of USA
• Indian-origin Sikh woman, Manpreet Monica Singh became the first ever
female Sikh judge in the US after she was sworn in as a Harris County judge.
Kevin McCarthy elected as America House of Speaker
• Kevin McCarthy elected as America House of Speaker
• Republican party
Music legend Dan Williams has passed away
• Famous music legend Don Willis (100) is no more.
• Dan Williams died at his home in Branson after an illness related to old age.
• Don Williams formed a musical quartet with his brothers Andy Williams, Dick
Williams and Bob Williams. He has sung many songs on radio and in movies.
Anil Kumar Lahoti Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the
Railway Board
• Anil Kumar Lahoti has been appointed as the next Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of the Railway Board.
• The Cabinet's appointments committee confirmed Anil Kumar Lahoti's
nomination.
• Mr. Lahoti formerly served as a Member (Infrastructure) of, the Railway
Board.
• The Indian Railway Board Act was passed in March 1905
First Indo-American woman Judge Juli A Mathew took oath for her
second term as a Texas court
• Indian-American Democrat Juli A. Mathew took oath as a judge in Fort Bend
County, Texas, for a second consecutive term.
• Mathew, a native of Thiruvalla in Kerala, was sworn-in via videoconferencing
from Bheemanady in Kasaragod, and will continue to serve as presiding judge
for Number 3 of the Fort Bend County Court for a period of four years.
Lula Da Silva Becomes Brazil's President For 3rd Time
• The 77-year-old veteran leftist, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010,
took the oath of office, less than five years after he was jailed on controversial,
since-quashed corruption charges.
Tripura Revenue Minister N C Debbarma dies
• Narendra Chandra Debbarma, veteran politician, minister and president of
IPFT, the BJP’s ally in the Tripura government, and senior-most member of
Manik Saha’s cabinet, passed away on Sunday at Agartala Government Medical
College & GBP Hospital.
• He held the forest and revenue portfolio in the Saha cabinet. The Tripura
government has declared a holiday in the state on Monday and three days of
state mourning for the departed leader.
A Madhavarao appointed as Director (Technical) of BDL
• The government has cleared the appointment of A Madhavarao for the post of
Director (Technical) of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a PSU under the
Ministry of Defence. According to an order issued by the Department of
Personnel & Training (DoPT), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
(ACC) has approved the appointment of Madhavarao
• He has been appointed to the post with effect from the date of assumption of
charge of the post till the date of his superannuation, ie April 30, 2026, or until
further orders, whichever is earlier.
Former Pope Benedict XVI passes away
• He led the Catholic Church for fewer than eight years until, in 2013, he became
the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.
• Benedict spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the
walls of the Vatican where he passed away
• His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on 5 January.
• The Vatican said the body of the Pope Emeritus will be placed in St Peter's
Basilica from 2 January for "the greeting of the faithful".
Year Ender: Bill Gates made 2022's biggest charitable donation
• Topping the list is Bill Gates, who gave USD 5 billion to the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation to back the grant maker's work in global health,
development, education, policy and advocacy.
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the 10 largest charitable gifts
announced by individuals or their foundations total led nearly USD 9.3 billion
in 2022.
• The contributions went to large, well-established institutions, three of them
private foundations and three universities to support environmental
sustainability, children's mental health, and stem-cell research. The other gifts
backed cancer research and treatment, housing efforts, youth programs, and
reproductive health.
Famous architect BV Doshi passed away
Eminent architect Balakrishna Vithal das Doshi (95) passed away in Ahmedabad
on Tuesday. He worked with famous architects like Li Corbusier. Served as an
architect for projects like IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM-Bangalore. He was awarded
 Padma Bhushan, Aga Khan, Pritzker Architect and Royal Gold Medal in recognition
of his services.
Vikram Dev Dutt as Director General of DGCA.
ACC approves appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as Director General of DGCA. The
Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister (PM)
Narendra Modi, has approved the appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as Director
General (DG) of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with effect from
28th February 2023.Vikram Dev Dutt will succeed Arun Kumar, DG of the DGCA,
who retires on 28th February 2023.
Harjeet Singh Aror
Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) &Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) awardee
Harjeet Singh Arora, former Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal, passed away in
Delhi at the age of 61.

Famous Indian painter Lalita Lajmi passes away

Lalita Lajmi, sister of noted Indian painter and late filmmaker Guru Dutt, passed away at the
age of 90. She was born in Kolkata in 1932 to the poet's father and multilingual writer's
mother.

Neel Mohan, appointed as YouTube's new Indian American CEO

An Indian-American, Neil Mohan will become the next chief executive officer (CEO) of
Alphabet-owned YouTube after Susan Wojcicki announced that she is stepping down from
her role as head of the video-sharing platform.

Yakshagana Bhagwat Balipa Narayana Bhagwat passed away

Famous Yakshagana singer and screenwriter Balipa Narayan Bhagwat passed away at the
age of 85. He has mastered a unique style of singing, which is why fans have named it
'Balipa Style'. A vocally gifted Bhagwat, he wrote more than 30 Yakshagana 'prasanga'
(scripts). He has mastered over 100 Yakshaganaghattas composed by heart. Served in the
field of Yakshagana for about 60 years. He is the principal member of the Katil Durga
parameshwari PrasaditaYakshaganaMandali (Kateel Mela).

First female astronaut from Saudi Arabia to go on a space mission

Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut will go into space this year, while Saudi female
astronaut Rayana Barnawi will join fellow Saudi Ali al-Karni on a 10-day mission to the
International Space Station (ISS) this year. Barnawi and Al-Karni fly to the ISS on a SpaceX
dragon spacecraft as part of the private space agency Axiom space mission

Moldovan PM Natalia Gavrilita resigns; DorinRecean appointed new PM of

Moldova
On 10th February 2023, Natalia Gavrilita (41 years old), Prime Minister (PM) of the Republic
of Moldova announced her resignation from the post, claiming a lack of support in the
former Soviet Union. The pro-Western government had been in power for just 18 months
(August 2021 to February 2023).

Former Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela -UNESCO Peace Prize 2022

On 8th February 2023, Angela Merkel, former Federal Chancellor of Germany, received the
Félix Houphouët-Boigny-UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization) Peace Prize 2022 during the ceremony held in Yamoussoukro, the capital of
the Ivory Coast. She received the prize in recognition of her efforts to welcome refugees
during her term in the office.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
• Director-General- Audrey Azoulay
• Headquarters- Paris, France
• Establishment- 1945

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon resigns

Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister of Scotland and
leader of the Scottish National Party (SP) at a press conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.
About Scotland:
Scotland is a member nation of the United Kingdom. Following devolution in 1999, powers
held by the UK Government transferred to the Scottish Parliament and to Scottish Ministers.
First Minister- Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon Capital- Edinburgh Currency- Pound sterling

Nikos Christodoulides as the new President of Cyprus

Nikos Christodoulides is a Greek Cyprus politician and president-elect of Cyprus. He had
previously served as foreign minister from 2018 to 2022 and as a government
representative from 2014 to 2018.

Mohammad Shahabuddin was elected as the 22nd President of Bangladesh

Former judge and freedom fighter Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu was unanimously
elected as the 22nd President of Bangladesh.

Indian-American Ami Bera has been appointed to the House Intelligence

Committee
An Indian-American Congressman in the powerful US House Committee that handles
intelligence-related matters, Dr.Ami Bera has been appointed as a member. The House
Permanent Selection Committee has charged intelligence with the responsibility of
overseeing the country's intelligence activities, including the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA), the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the National Security Agency (NSA), as well
as military intelligence.

Google Doodle honoured PK Rosie on the occasion of her 120th birthday

Google honoured PK Rossi, who became the first female lead in Malayalam cinema, with a
doodle. P.K. Rossi was born on February 1903, 10 in Thiruvananthapuram, formerly known
as Trivandrum. Google remembers PK Rossi, the first woman leader in Malayalam, on the
occasion of her 120th birth anniversary. She was the first actress to work with JC Daniel's
Vigatakumaran in Malayalam films.

World Cup skiing medalist Elena Funchini died at the age of 37

Italian skier Elena Funchini passed out on 9 February 2023 at the age of 37 after battling
cancer. Elena Funcini competed for Italy in three Winter Olympics and six World
Championships and she won a silver medal in download at the 2005 World Championships.
Her last race was in December 2017, after which she was ruled out of the game due to her
diagnosis.

Famous artist B.K.S. Varma passed away

Famous artist B.K.S. Varma passed away in the city. The theme of his films mainly presented
environmental and social issues in a surreal form. Born in 1949, Varma's father
Krishnamacharya was a musician while his mother Jayalakshmi was an artist. He was trained
in art by the legendary art teacher Subbarao A.N. in the art and cultural institution that
founded Kalamandir in the 1960s.

Oscar & Grammy-Winning American Composer Burt Bacharach Passed Away

On 8th February 2023, American Composer, Burt Bacharach, who won 3 Oscars in 1982 and
1970 (twice) and eight Grammys, passed away in Los Angeles, California, United States of
America (USA) at the age of 94. He was born on 12th May 1928 in Kansas City, Missouri,
USA.

UPSC recommends Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as New Drugs Controller

General of India
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended Dr Rajeev Singh
Raghuvanshi, Secretary-Cum-Scientific Director of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission
(IPC) as the new Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) head of Central Drugs Standard
Control Organization (CDSCO). The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) is yet
to approve the appointment of DCGI.

Shamika Ravi appointed as member of EAC-PM

Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM): Economics professor and
researcher Shamika Ravi has been appointed as a member of the Economic Advisory Council
to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). She is currently a Non-Resident Senior Fellow in the
Governance Studies Program at the Brookings Institution Washington D.C.
The EAC-PM, chaired by economist Bibek Debroy, currently has one member and six part-
time members. Member Sanjeev Sanyal welcomed Ravi in a social media post. Part-time
members of the advisory body include economist Rakesh Mohan and Sajid Z. Chinoy,
managing director and chief India economist at JP Morgan

WORLD'S MOST POPULAR LEADER

Morning Consult is a US-based tracker. According to the recent reports of the tracker on the
popular leaders of the world, our prime minister Shri Narendra Modi topped the list of
popular leaders in the world. He received 78% of the approval. In the second position was
the Mexican President with 69% of approval and the Swiss president was in the third
position. This is the second consecutive time PM Modi has been at the top of the list.
• 22 leaders were surveyed in total
• 18% of Indians disagree with the fact that Modi is the most popular leader in the
world
• US President Joe Biden received 40% in the rating and was in the seventh position
• Canadian PM Justin Trudeau received 40% Though his rating was the same as that of
the American president, he was in the ninth position
• UK Prime Minister: 30%: 13th position.

Lifetime Achievement: Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gets rare

honor in UK!
The former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh has been announced with the Lifetime
Achievement Honor in Britain. The award was announced by the India-Britain Winners
Association in recognition of services rendered in economic and political fields. Manmohan
Singh was selected for Lifetime Achievement Honorary Award at the India UK Achievers
Honors in London. The award was announced at the awards ceremony last week. The Union
of Indian Students and Alumni in Britain (NISAU) will soon present the award to Manmohan
in Delhi.
It is becoming customary to give lifetime achievement awards to Indians who have achieved
great achievements in British universities. Meanwhile, NISAU is giving India UK Achievers
Honors in partnership with British Council in India and Department for International Trade
(DIT). Responding to this rare honor that he got, Manmohan said in his written message that
he was deeply moved by receiving this honor from the youth who studied in British
universities and are the leaders of India's future.

Kalathapaswi K. Vishwanath passed away

K. Vishwanath, who was ill for some time, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at
Apollo Hospital. he started his film career as a sound artist at Vahini Studios. K. Vishwanath,
who entered the industry with the movie AtmaGauravam in 1965, directed many wonderful
films. He presented many classical films to the Telugu audience like Sirisirimuvva,
Shankarabharanam, Saptapadi, Sagarasangam, Swathimuthyam, Sirivennela, Sruthilayalu,
Swayamkrishi, Swarnakamalam, Sutradharulu, Swathikiranam. Received Raghupathi
Venkaiah Award in 1992. He received the Padma Shri award from the Central
Govt. Dadasaheb Phalke Award also came in 2016.

Popular Singer Vaneejayaram Passed Away.

Veteran playback singer Vani Jairam who sang over 10,000 songs in several languages
including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Bhojpuri, and Marathi, died today at her apartment in
Chennai.The 78-year-old veteran singer was found dead at her Haddows Road apartment in
Chennai. She was recently awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.

Manuela Roka Botey

Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as prime minister. She became the
first woman in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo, who has ruled the country since 1979, made the announcement on state
television.MsRotey was previously the education minister and joined the government in
2020. She replaces former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue, who has been in the
position since 2016.

Former NATO general Petr-Pavel becomes new President of Czech Republic

Petr Pavel, a former chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military
committee, has become the new president of the Czech Republic on Saturday, Al Jazeera
reported. Pavel, 61, defeated billionaire Andrej Babis in a run-off vote to replace
controversial President Milos Zeman as he emerged as the new Czech President.
A former military general, Pavel got more than 58 per cent of the vote, according to the
Czech Statistics Office.

India's Ambassador to Peru, M Subbarayudu

M Subbarayudu (IFS: 1994), presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Peru, has been
appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia.
Prashant Agrawal (IFS: 1998), presently High Commissioner of India to the Republic of
Namibia, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Lao People's Democratic
Republic.

Pervez Musharraf passed away

Pakistan's former president General Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999,
has died aged 79.The former leader - who was president between 2001 and 2008 - died in
Dubai after a long illness, a statement from the country's army.He had survived numerous
assassination attempts, and found himself on the front line of the struggle between militant
Islamists and the West.He supported the US "war on terror" after 9/11 despite domestic
opposition.In 2008 he suffered defeat in the polls and left the country six months
later.When he returned in 2013 to try to contest the election, he was arrested and barred
from standing. He was charged with high treason and was sentenced to death in absentia
only for the decision to be overturned less than a month later.He left Pakistan for Dubai in
2016 to seek medical treatment and had been living in exile in the country ever since.

Shiv Nandan kumar appointed as chairman of Krishna Board

The Union Ministry of Hydropower has issued an order appointing Shiv Nandankumar as the
new Chairman of the Krishna Board. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Polavaram Project
Authority and was appointed Chairman of the Board by promotion. Naveen Kumar, S.K. as
members of Central Water Society in Delhi. Sibal was newly appointed. Union Ministry
Director Chandan Mukherjee has issued orders to this effect.

Madhvendra Singh appointed first CEO of Gujarat Maritime Cluster

Gujarat Ports Infrastructure Company Limited has appointed Madhvendra Singh as the first
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gujarat Maritime Cluster. The Gujarat
Maritime Cluster (GMC) is the first of its kind Commercial Maritime Cluster in the country
aimed at creating a hub for maritime services of international standards. Gujarat Maritime
Board established GMC through its subsidiary, Gujarat Ports Infrastructure Company
Limited, to provide impetus to the overhauling of the state's and nation's maritime sector by
developing an integrated ecosystem of soft services related to the global maritime and
shipping industry in line with the concept of 'the sum of the whole is greater than the sum
of the individual companies’. Gujarat Maritime Cluster intends to host a wide array of
maritime, shipping and logistics services providers in GIFT City at Gandhinagar.

Musician Lalitha passed away

Musician Lalitha (84), popularly known as the Bombay Sisters, passed away. Lalitha and her
sister Saroja, who are known as Carnatic musicians, entertained the art lovers in India and
abroad for several decades with their singing. Lalitha is the wife of former Advocate General
NR Chandran. Born on August 6, 1938 to Muktambal and Chidambaram Iyer in Thrissur,
Kerala. Learned Carnatic music and participated in many competitions and won many
prizes. Padma Shri from Central Government, Sangeet Kalanidhi from Music Academy,
Kalaimamani from State Government, He received awards like Sangeetha Chudamani from
Sri Krishnagana Sabha and Sangeetha Kalashikhamani from Indian Fine Arts Society
Noted Writer K.V. Tirumalesh Passed Away at 82 in Hyderabad
Noted Kannada writer K.V. Tirumalesh, 82, passed away in Hyderabad. K.V. Tirumalesh was
suffering from age-related illnesses. He was regarded as one of the most versatile writers
across genres and a man with eclectic interests. He is primarily recognized as a poet and
honored with the Sahitya Akademi award for his innovative work Akshaya Kavya "a long
narrative sans story or aim" as he described it, he wrote extensively across genres, including
plays, short stories, novels, translations, and criticism.

Former IAS BVR Subrahmanyam has been appointed as the new CEO of NITI
Aayog
Former IAS officer BVR Subrahmanyam has been appointed as the new Chief Executive
Officer of NITI Aayog. Parameswaran, known as the Executive Director of the World Bank,
took over as the former commerce secretary from Lyer. Subrahmanyam will take over from
current CEO Parameswaran Iyer, who will join as executive director of the World Bank in
Washington DC. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet announced the appointment
of Subrahmanyam as the CEO of NITI Aayog.

THE UN Social Development Commission has elected Ruchira Kamboj to

preside over the 62nd session
Ruchira Kamboj, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was selected to
serve as the
Chair of the Commission in the 62nd session. In the opening session of the 62nd session of
the UN Commission for Social Development held in New York this week; Kamboj was elected
president by applause. It also selected Thomas Lamar of Luxembourg, Joan Ivanovsky of
North Macedonia and Carla Mara Karlsson of the Dominican Republic to serve as vice chairs
of the 62nd session.

UNICEF India: Ayushmann Khurrana - National Ambassador for Child Rights

In India, Ayushmann Khurrana represents UNICEF (United Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund). UNICEF has announced the actor's status as the national ambassador. As
part of his duties, Ayushmann works with UNICEF to guarantee the life, health and
protection rights of every child, while also promoting their voice and agency in matters that
affect them.

Rajiv Raghuvanshi -New Drug Controller General of India

The Centre has appointed Rajeev Raghuvanshi as the new Drug Controller General of India
(DCGI) at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). He will be taking on the
role from Dr PBN Prasad.
Classical Dance Legend Kanak Rayle Passes away
Classical dance legend Kanak Rayle has passed away at the age of 85. Mohiniyattam scholar,
received the first Guru Gopinath National Award from the Government of Kerala. Kanak
Rayle is the founding director of Nalanda Dance Research Institute in Mumbai and the
founding principal of Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya. She played a major role in
popularising Mohiniyattam and making it popular all over the world.

Govt forms cabinet secretary-led panel to monitor Mission Karmayogi

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba will head a top panel comprising a senior official from the
Prime Minister's Office, seven secretaries, among others, to monitor the implementation of
the government's ambitious Mission Karmayogi programme for training of government
employees.

First visit to India from the Danish Royal family in two decades
Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik Andre Henrik Christian and Crown Princess, Mary
Elizabeth arrived for a four-day visit to India. He addresses ED the opening session of
the India-Denmark: Partners for Green & Sustainable Progress organized by CII.

Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla wins PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in
International Literature
Indian Short story writer, novelist, poet, and essayist, Vinod Kumar Shukla, one of the
greatest contemporary writers in the Hindi language won the 2023 PEN/Nabokov
Award for Achievement in International Literature, awarded biennially by PEN
America.The award was presented during the 59th Annual PEN Literary Awards on 2nd
March 2023 at The Town Hall, New York, United States of America (USA).

IPS officer Rashmi Shukla appointed as Director General of SSB

A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Rashmi Shukla has been appointed as
Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). The SSB is a border-guard force
deployed along the border between Nepal and Bhutan. Rashmi Shukla, a 1988 batch IPS
officer of Maharashtra cadre, is posted in Central Reserve Police (CRPF).

Former CJI Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi Passes Away

On 2nd March 2023, Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi (A M Ahmadi), a former Chief Justice of
India (CJI), passed away in New Delhi, Delhi, at the age of 90. He was born on 25th
March 1932 in Surat, Bombay Presidency, British India (now in Maharashtra).A M
Ahmadi was appointed the 26th CJI (1994-1997). He was also the 3rd Muslim CJI after
Mohammad Hidayatullah (1968-1970) and Mirza Hameedullah Beg (1977-1978).

Ales Bialiatski, Nobel laureate

Ales Bialiatski, Nobel laureate sentenced prison for 10 years in Belarus Ales Bialiatski, a
leading defender of human rights in Belarus and a candidate for the 2022 Nobel Peace
Prize, was given a 10-year prison term in Minsk, the Capital of Belarus.AlesBialiatski
and three other key members of the Visna human rights organisation he created were
found guilty of funding rallies against the government.

Jishnu Barua appointed as new Chairperson of Central Electricity Regulatory

Commission
Jishnu Barua has been appointed as the new Chairperson of power regulator Central
Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). Barua was appointed as CERC Chairperson.

Bola Tinubu
Bola Tinubu was elected as the new president of Nigeria.Nigeria's electoral authorities
have announced that Bola Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling party in the presidential
election on 1 March 2023, has been elected as the country's new president. Bola Tinubu
is associated with the 'All Progressive Congress Party' which he won the election. He
will become Nigeria's fifth president since the country's return to democracy in 1999,
winning the nation's top job in his first attempt.

Chandrasekhar Dasgupta
Chandrasekhar Dasgupta, former Indian diplomat and the recipient of Padma Bhushan,
passed away on Thursday at 82.During his almost four-decade-long career, he served as
the ambassador to the European Union, Belgium, Luxembourg and China.

Vietnam's parliament elected Vo Van Tuong as the new President

As the anti-corruption campaign continues, the country is changing its top leadership.
The National Assembly (NA) of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam has elected Võ Văn
Thường (52 years old), a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam,
as the new President of Vietnam.

WHO India: Using Rizwana's story to promote early newborn screening and
consistent interventions
The cochlear implant is a prosthetic device, A part of which is surgically implanted
inside the cochlea.Cochlear Implant Scheme (children up to the age of 5 years are
operated free of cost) is being run under Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase /
Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) scheme (Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment).WHO estimates that 63 million people in India have hearing
impairment, and at least 60% of children with congenital hearing disorders can be
saved through universal hearing screening and early interventions.

Rajesh Malhotra appointed as PIB Principal Director General

Rajesh Malhotra According to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, senior Indian
Information
Service (IIS) officer, Rajesh Malhotra has been appointed as Principal Director General
of Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al Sabah reappointed PM

Kuwait's Crown Prince re-appointed Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as prime minister
and asked him to nominate a cabinet, state news agency KUNA reported on Sunday,
more than a month after the government resigned due to renewed friction with
parliament.

S.S. Dubey takes charge as new Controller General of Accounts

S.S. Dubey took charge as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA). He is the 28th
officer to hold the position of CGA.

Xi Jinping starts third term as China's president

Xi Jinping began an unprecedented third term as China's president after he was
endorsed by a unanimous vote from the 2.977-member National People's Congress
(NPC).

Ram Chandra Poudel

On 9th March 2023, Ram Chandra Poudel (79 years old), a senior leader of the Nepali
Congress, was elected as the 3rd president of Nepal. He will succeed incumbent
President Bidya Devi Bhandari whose tenure will end on 12th March 2023

Arun Subramanian appointed as a district judge in America

Arun Subramanian of Indian descent has been appointed as a district judge in
America.He will assume
the responsibilities as a judge of the Southern District of New York. He will be the first
South Asian judge to serve as a judge on the New York bench

Indo-American as a judge in America

Tejal Mehta, an Indo-American woman, has been appointed as a district judge in
America. She took over as Ayer District Court Judge in Massachusetts.

Sivasankari, the Renowned Tamil Writer, Honored with Saraswati Samman 2022
The KK Birla Foundation has announced that Tamil writer Sivasankari will be the
recipient of the prestigious Saraswati Samman award for the year 2022, for her 2019
memoir, Surya Vamsam.
This award is one of the most esteemed recognitions in Indian literature, and comes
with a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, a plaque, and a citation.

Eric Garcetti confirmed as US ambassador to India after 20-month fight

President Joe Biden's close aide Eric Garcetti won confirmation Wednesday from a
divided Senate as the nation's next ambassador to India, more than a year and a half
after he was first nominated by the President and after weathering doubts about his
truthfulness in a sexual harassment scandal involving a City Hall.

Renowned Bengali Litterateur Sasthipada Chattopadhyay Passed Away

Sasthipada Chattopadhyay, a renowned Bengali novelist and short story writer, passed
away in
Howrah, West Bengal, at the age of 82. He was born on 9th March 1941 at Khurut in
Howrah, West Bengal.The 1st published literary work of Sasthipada Chattopadhyay is
"KamakhyaBhraman" (visit to Kamakhya) in DainikBasumati, a Bengali daily published
from Kolkata by the Basumati Corporation Limited, in 1961.He was the creator of the
famous "PandavGoenda" (Five Detectives), one of the most popular adventure detective
series for children.He also created 2 more detective series namely Detective Ambar
Chatterjee and GoendaTatar.In 2017, the Sahitya Akademi awarded Sasthipada
Chattopadhyay the Bal Sahitya Puraskar, and the Government of West Bengal honoured
him with the Bangla Akademi Award for his contribution to Children's literature.

Indian Industrialist Shri Ratan Tata appointed in 'Order of Australia' for

distinguished service
Ratan Tata, an Indian industrialist and philanthropist, has been named an Honorary
Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for his outstanding
contributions to the Australia-India bilateral relationship, specifically in the areas of
trade, investment, and philanthropy.The announcement was made by Australia's
Governor-General, following a recommendation by Australia's High Commissioner to
India, Barry O'Farrell.Ratan Tata, who is the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons and a
former Chairman of the Tata Group, is recognized as one of the wealthiest
entrepreneurs worldwide, with a net worth exceeding $1 billion as of 2022.

EC chooses transgender folk artiste ManjammaJogati as poll icon for the

community
The Election Commission (EC) in the Indian state of Karnataka has selected
ManjammaJogati, a transgender folk dancer, as a poll icon to encourage more members
of the transgender community to register and vote.
Alongside Jogati, several other individuals, including cricketer Rahul Dravid and
Jnanapeeth awardee Chandrashekar Kambar, have also been chosen as poll
ambassadors.
The number of registered transgender voters in Karnataka has increased significantly
from 4,552 in 2018 to 42,756 in 2023.

Gordon Moore, Intel Co-founder & Creator of Moore's Law, Passed Away
On 24th March 2023, Gordon Earle Moore, the cofounder of Intel Corporation & author
of Moore's law, passed away in Hawaii, United States of America(USA) at the age of 94.
He was born on 3rd January 1929 in San Francisco, California, USA.
About Gordon Earle Moore:
Gordon Earle Moore started his research career at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics
Laboratory in Maryland, US.He was known for "Moore's Law" which formed the basis
for processors being developed to be more efficient and less expensive. In 1957, Moore
co-founded Fairchild Semiconductor, a division of Fairchild Camera and Instrument,
along with Robert Noyce and 6 other colleagues from Shockley Semiconductor
Laboratory.
Moore's law is the observation that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit
(IC) doubles about every two years.

Former Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff Elected as President of NDB

On 24th March 2023, the Board of Governors of the New Development Bank (NBD),
formerly referred to as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
Development Bank, unanimously elected former President of Brazil Dilma Vana
Rousseff as the President of the NDB with an immediate effect.
Dilma Rousseff will be president of the BRICS’s New Development Bank until 2025.
Dilma Rousseff (75 years old), succeeds Marcos Troyjo, who stepped down as the
President of NDB on 24th March 2023.

IAEA Board Re-appointment Rafael Mariano Grossi as Director General for 4 years
In March 2023, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) reappointed Rafael Mariano Grossi as Director General(DG) of IAEA for a second
four-year term.
His second term starts on 3 December 2023 and runs until 2 December 2027.
Rafael Mariano Grossi who is an Argentine diplomat started his first term of office on 3 rd
December 2019, following the General Conference's approval of his appointment by the
Board.
He is the sixth Director General since the IAEA was established in 1957.

Humza Yousaf sworn in as Scotland’s First Minister; Scotland's 1st Muslim Leader
Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf (37), the new leader of the Scotland National Party (SP),
was legally
sworn in as the new First Minister of Scotland at the Court of Session, Edinburgh.
Humza Yousaf is the 1st Muslim to lead a democratic western European
nation(Scotland).
Humza Yousa succeeded Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister of Scotland, who
resigned from her post in February 2023.

First Asian Assistant Police Chief Lt. Manmeet Colon

Indian-origin Sikh woman becomes Connecticut's first Asian assistant police chief Lt.
Manmeet Colon, who is of Indian origin and a Sikh woman officer, has recently taken up
the position of assistant police chief in the state of Connecticut, becoming the first-ever
person of Asian descent to hold the position.
She has been a member of the New Haven Police Department (NHPD) for 15 years and
was appointed as the city's third assistant police chief in an official ceremony.

51-year old Elon Musk becomes most followed Twitter user

Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, has achieved the highest number of followers on the
platform, exceeding former US President Barack Obama, who held the record since
2020.
According to Guinness World Records, Twitter has around 450 million monthly active
users, and Elon Musk has accumulated more than 133 million followers, which accounts
for about 30% of the platform's total users.
Musk assumed the role of CEO of Twitter on October 27, 2022, with 110 million
followers, and within five months, his followers increased to 133 million.
Previously, he ranked third after Barack Obama and Justin Bieber in terms of the most
followed Twitter users.

Lalit Kumar Gupta named as CMD of Cotton Corporation of India

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister (PM)
Narendra Modi, has approved the appointment of Lalit Kumar Gupta as Chairman and
Managing Director (CMD) of Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Cotton Corporation of India
(CCI) with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post for a period of 5
years, or till the date of his superannuation, or until further orders, whichever is the
earlier.CCI is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Textile.

Former union minister Satyabrata Mookherjee dies at 90

FORMER UNION Minister and senior BJP leader Satyabrata Mookherjee died due to age-
related ailments. He was 90. Mookherjee is former Additional Solicitor General of India
(ASG) and the father of current West Bengal Advocate General SN (Gopal) Mookherjee.
He was Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilisers and Commerce & Industries in the
Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government from 1999 to 2004. A high-profile lawyer both in
the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court, Mookherjee had also served as Bengal
BJP president from 2008 to 2009.

Senior journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik no more

Veteran journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik has passed away.He was a political analyst and
freelance columnist. Vaidik was associated with the Press Trust of India as the founder-
editor of its Hindi news agency "Bhasha". He was earlier Editor (views) at Navbharat
Times of the Times Group. Vaidik was currently Chairman of Bhartiya Bhasha
Sammelan and the Council for Indian Foreign Policy.
His columns were published in over 200 newspapers.While doing research on Afghan
Foreign Policy, Vaidik enrolled into Columbia University. He has also studied at School
of Oriental and African Studies, London and Institute of the Peoples of Asia, Moscow.

SpiceJet’s Ajay Singh takes over as ASSOCHAM President

SpiceJet chief Ajay Singh has taken over as President of the Associated Chambers of
Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Singh replaces Sumant Sinha, the
Managing Director of Renew Power who has completed his tenure at the
chamber.Sanjay Nayar, the Founder and Chairman of Sorin Investment Fund is the new
Senior Vice-President of ASSOCHAM.

Kashmir's Aliya Mir gets Wildlife Conservation Award

Aliya Mir has been honoured with the wildlife conservation award by Jammu and
Kashmir, becoming the first woman in the Union Territory for her conservation efforts
in the region.Aliya Mir is also Kashmir's first woman who works for the charity Wildlife
SOS organisation which is part of the Wildlife Rescue Team.Lt. Manoj Sinha facilitated
her with the wildlife honour. The eminent sociologist Aliya Mir was awarded at the
World Forestry Day celebrations organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Collective
Forests.

Indian-origin Laxman Narasimhan takes over as Starbucks CEO

Indian-origin executive Laxman Narasimhan officially assumed the role of Chief
Executive Officer of global coffee giant Starbucks, joining the growing cohort of business
leaders originally hailing from India at the helm of global corporations.

Rohit Jawa, HUL’s new MD & CEO

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) announced the appointment of Rohit Jawa – a 35-year
veteran at HUL – as its new managing director and chief executive officer. He will
succeed incumbent MD & CEO Sanjiv Mehta, and will take over the position effective
27th June, 2023. Mehta will retire from the company. In an exchange filing, HUL said,
“The Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held on, 10th March, 2023, has
approved the appointment of Rohit Jawa, presently the Chief of Transformation for
Unilever, as a Whole-time Director of the Company with effect from 1st April, 2023 upto
26th June, 2023 and as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (‘MD & CEO’) of
the Company for a term of five consecutive years with effect from 27th June, 2023.”

World Richest Women 2023

India is home to the fifth-highest number of female billionaires in the world. India has
nine female
billionaires, with Savitri Jindal being the richest woman in India with a net worth of
$17.3 billion.
According to a new International Women’s Day study from City Index, which went
through Forbes’ real-time billionaire tracker to find the country that is home to the most
female billionaires, the US is at the top of the list.

Ramchandra Poudel is the new president of Nepal

Ramchandra Paudel of Nepali Congress Party has been appointed as the new President
of Nepal. The President of Nepal is elected by the country's Electoral College. It includes
the country's parliament (332) and seven provincial assemblies (550). Eight candidates
from different parties contested the presidential election held on
Thursday. Ramchandra Paudel got 33,712 (64.13%) electoral votes while his main rival
Subhash Chandra Nemwang of CPN-UML party got 18,518 (35.23%) votes. Nepali
Congress leader Sher Bahadur Devba expressed his happiness over the election of
Paudel as the president. He congratulated the new president. The tenure of Bidya Devi
Bhandari, who is currently the President of Nepal, will end on the 12th of this
month. Paudel will continue in this position for five years from then.

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir
Putin over alleged Ukraine war crimes
The warrant is issued for the alleged war crime of unlawfully deporting and transferring
children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.ICC’s warrant:The
court says Putin bears individual criminal responsibility for the abduction and
deportation of Ukrainian children since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February
2022. The court has also issued a warrant for Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s
commissioner for children’s rights, who has been the public face of a Kremlin-
sponsored program in which Ukrainian children and teenagers have been taken to
Russia.

G Krishnakumar takes over as Bharat Petroleum Corporation's chairman

G Krishnakumar has taken over as the new chairman and managing director of Bharat
Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), the company .Krishnakumar, an electrical and
electronics engineer from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli and a
postgraduate in finance management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management
Studies, Mumbai, was executive director in the company before his elevation.
Government headhunter, the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) had, in
December last year, picked up Krishnakumar over company's Director (Finance) Vetsa
Ramakrishna Gupta, Director (Refineries) S Khanna, and Director (Marketing) Sukhmal
Kumar Jain.
A company statement said Krishnakumar has taken over as the chairman and managing
director of the company.

Climate Entrepreneur Shreya Ghodawat appointed as the India Ambassador of

She Changes Climate
Climate entrepreneur Shreya Ghodawat has been appointed as India's ambassador for
She Changes
Climate campaign, aimed at driving awareness of the crucial role of women in
accelerating just climate action. Shreya Ghodawat hosted an event at One8 Commune in
Pune. The event featured impactful discussions and a special film screening on the
occasion of International Women's Day. The main objective of the event was to inspire
and encourage women to take up more space in climate change conversations and lead
innovative climate action solutions.

Li Qiang elected as China's new prime minister

The man nominated as China's next prime minister by President Xi Jinping has been
formally elected by parliament.Li Qiang, 63, the former Communist Party chief of
Shanghai, took up the country's second-highest post on Saturday, putting the close ally
of Mr Xi in charge of reviving an economy battered by three years of Covid-19 curbs.He
received 2,936 votes, with three votes against and eight abstentions, according to totals
projected on a screen inside the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

Supreme Court forms experts committee to look into Hindenburg report on Adani
Group
The Supreme Court ordered an experts committee to be set up, headed by a retired
Supreme Court
judge, AM Sapre, after a batch of PILs was filed on the recent Adani Group shares crash
triggered by the US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research’s allegations of fraud.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also told the Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) to finish the probe into the Adani Group-Hindenburg saga within a period of two
months.

Deepak Mohanty appointed as PFRDA chairman

The Indian government has appointed Deepak Mohanty as the new chairman of Pension
Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), replacing Supratim
Bandyopadhyay whose term ended in January. Mohanty, a former executive director of
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), previously served as a member of PFRDA.
Additionally, Mamta Shankar has been appointed as the new whole-time member
(Economics) for a period of three years or until she attains the age of 62 years, or until
further orders. The total assets under management under National Pension System and
Atal Pension Yojana stood at Rs 8.81 lakh crore as on March 4, 2023.

Former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff named new President of BRICS New
Development Bank
The New Development Bank (NDB), which is also known as the BRICS bank and is a
multilateral financial institution created by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa,
has announced that former Brazilian President Dilma Vana Rousseff has been elected as
its new President. She replaces Marcus Troyjo in the position. Dilma Rousseff is an
economist who served as the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for two
consecutive terms, from January 2011 to August 2016.

Bhutan King arrives in New Delhi for three-day visit

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck began his trip to India
Govt approves Kirit Parikh panel recommendations on natural gas pricing
• The government implemented changes to the pricing model of domestic natural
gas in accordance with the Kirit Parikh committee's recommendations on gas
pricing.
• The new pricing system will announce prices monthly and link them to 10% of
the international price of the Indian crude basket.
• As a result, prices for piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG)
used by households, auto fuel, and various industries are expected to decrease by
10%.
Kalikesh takes charge as NRAI President
• Kalikesh Narayan Singh De, who held the position of Senior Vice-President, took
over as the President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). This
change occurred as the previous president, Raninder Singh, went on a long leave
after the Sports Ministry issued a directive stating that the heads of national
sports federations (NSFs) cannot hold office for more than 12 years, as per the
National Sports Code.
Indian-origin robotics engineer to head NASA's newly-established Moon to Mars
Programme
• Amit Kshatriya, an Indian-American engineer with expertise in software and
robotics, has been appointed as the inaugural head of NASA's newly-established
Moon to Mars Programme.
• This programme has been created to establish a long-term presence on the
Moon, which is crucial for preparing for future missions to Mars. Kshatriya will
serve as NASA's first head of the office, with immediate effect.

Novelist and short story writer Sarah Thomas passes away

• Sarah Thomas, a renowned short story writer and novelist, passed away at the
age of 89. She authored 17 novels and over 100 short stories, receiving several
accolades such as the Kerala Sahitya Academy award. Her debut novel,
"Jeevitham Enna Nathi," marked the beginning of her writing career. One of her
notable works, "Muripadukal," was adapted into a film titled "Manimuzhakkam"
by director PA Bakker. Additionally, her novels Asthamayam, Pavizhamuthu, and
Archana were also adapted into movies.
Oscar-winning Japanese Composer & Pop Pioneer Ryuichi Sakamoto Passed Away
Ryuichi Sakamoto, Oscar-winning Japanese pop pioneer, who was best known for his
soundtrack work passed away in Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 71. He was born on 17th
January 1953 in Tokyo, Japan.
About Ryuichi Sakamoto:
• Ryuichi Sakamoto made his career debut in the 1983 film "Merry Christmas, Mr
Lawrence" as both an actor and a film-score composer.
 • He 1st came to prominence as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), a
Japanese electronic music band, in 1978.
'Subby' Subramaniam appointed Warrant Officer of UK's RAF
• British-Hindu Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam has been appointed as
Warrant Officer of the UK's Royal Air Force, the aerial warfare and space force
announced.
• The role involves advising the Chief of the Air Staff on matters related to RAF
personnel. Subramaniam takes over from Warrant Officer Jake Alpert.
Legendary theatre actor Jalabala Vaidya passes away
• Jalabala Vaidya, a renowned theatre artist and cofounder of Delhi's Akshara
Theatre, passed away at the age of 86.
• Born in London to Indian author and freedom fighter Suresh Vaidya and English
classical singer Madge Franckeiss, Jalabala Vaidya began her career as a
journalist and contributed to various national newspapers and magazines in
Delhi.
SRK, Rajamouli in Time Magazine's ‘100 Most Influential People’ list
• Shah Rukh Khan and 'RRR' director SS Rajamouli are included in Time
Magazine's annual 100 Most Influential People of 2023, becoming the only two
Indians on the list.
• Both SRK and Rajamouli's last big screen ventures, Pathan and RRR, earned over
Rs 1000 crore worldwide.
• The esteemed list by Time magazine includes the likes of US President Joe Biden,
King Charles, billionaire CEO Elon Musk, Bella Hadid, and Beyonce, among
others.
National Award-Winning Actress Uttara Baokar Passed Away
• National Award-winning actress and noted theatre artist Uttara Baokar passed
away in Pune, Maharashtra, at the age of 79. She was born on 5th August 1944.
• Uttara Baokar, whose acting career spanned more than 5 decades, was trained at
the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, Delhi.
• She has performed in more than 50 plays and is well known for her roles in
Padmavati in Mukyhamantri, Mena in Mena Gurjari, and Desdemona in
Shakespeare's Othello.
• She was prominently known for "Tamas" (1988), "Ek Din Achanak" (1989),
Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), "Two Women" (Doghi) (1996), Sardari Begum
(1996), "Thakshak" (1999), and Uttarayan (2004).
Muslim Personal Law Board Chief Maulana Rabe Hasni Nadvi dies
All India Muslim Personal Law Board President Maulana Rabe Hasni Nadvi breathed his
last. Nadvi (94) has been suffering from health problems for some time due to age. Due
to pneumonia and respiratory problems, he was discharged from Rae Bareli for
treatment.
Cuba re-elected Miguel Diaz-Canel as president for a second term
On April 19 2023, The National Congress of Cuba re-elected Miguel Diaz-Canel as
president for a second term as the country faces one of the biggest social and economic
crisis since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.
Nandini Gupta as Miss India 2023
Nandini Gupta, a 19-year-old beauty from Kota, Rajasthan, was crowned Femina Miss
India-2023. Delhi beauty Shreya Poonja became the first runner-up and Manipur's
Andala Bhama Taunojam Strela Luong became the second runner-up in the grand finals
held in Imphal, capital of Manipur on 15th of this month.
Arun Sinha
Former Special Protection Group chief Arun Sinha appointed as National Technical
Research Organisation Chairman
Former Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal passed away
Former Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Prakash Singh Badal (95)
passed away. Prakash Singh Badal, who is suffering from serious illness, was admitted
to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali by his family members after he complained of difficulty
in breathing. He passed away while undergoing treatment at the hospital. Prakash Singh
Badal was born in a Jat Sikh family on 8th December 1927 at Abul Khurana near
Malout. He received his degree from Farman Christian College, Lahore.
Md Sahabuddin sworn in as 22nd president of Bangladesh
• On 24th April 2023, a former judge, freedom fighter Mohammed (Md)
Sahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd president of Bangladesh in Durbar Hall of
Bangabhaban, Dhaka in Bangladesh.
• Md Shahabuddin, the 73-year-old politician, an Awami League candidate, was
elected uncontested on February 13 2023.
• The 21st President of Bangladesh Md Abdul Hamid, the longest-serving
president of Bangladesh will go on retirement after spending 10 years and 41
days as President for two consecutive terms, and according to the Constitution of
Bangladesh, he cannot hold a third term.
Scientist and orator Dr N Gopalakrishnan passes away
• Dr N Gopalakrishnan, retired scientist and noted orator, passed away at the age
of 68 in Thrippunithura, Kerala. He was born on 20th November 1955, in
Tripunithura, Kerala.
• He joined the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) - Structural
Engineering Research Centre (SERC) as Scientist-B in 1987.
• In 2003, He moved to the Advanced Seismic Testing and Research Laboratory
(ASTaR), Earthquake Engineering division of CSIR-SERC, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• He also served as the Director of the Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-
CBRI).
• He has co-authored 61 international and national journal publications.
• Justice S.K.Singh is acting Chairperson of NGT
• Justice Sheo Kumar Singh has been appointed as the acting Chairperson of the
National Green Tribunal (NGT). To this extent, the Central Environment and
Forest Department has issued orders. The central government made this
temporary arrangement after the former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice
Adarsh Kumar Goyal, retired on Thursday. Justice S.K.Singh, who has served as a
judge of the Allahabad High Court, has been serving as a judicial member of the
NGT since March 3, 2020.
•
• Brajendra Navnit to be India's ambassador to WTO for 9 Months
• Indian government announced the extension of Brajendra Navnit's tenure as
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) by nine months.
• This decision comes ahead of the crucial 13th ministerial conference of the WTO
in 2024.
• Navnit's extended term demonstrates India's commitment to promoting its key
priorities on the global trade stage.
•
• PM Prasad takes over as Coal India chairman
• On 1st July 2023, PM Prasad took charge as newly-appointed chairman and
managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL) by succeeding Pramod
Agrawal, who superannuated on June 30, 2023.
• He was previously holding the charge of CMD of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)
since October 1, 2020.
•
• NATO extended the tenure of Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of
NATO up to October 2024
• On 4th July 2023, the 31 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO), an intergovernmental military alliance decided to extend the tenure of
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO for another year until 1st October
2024. Jens Stoltenberg's term was supposed to end in September 2023.
• Jens Stolenberg, a former Prime Minister of Norway (from 2000 to 2001; 2005-
2013) became NATO Secretary General in 2014. His term has already been
extended 3 times.
• This is the fourth time he got his term extended by NATO.
•
•
•
• B. Neeraja Prabhakar Appointed Chairperson of Research Advisory
Committee of ICAR
• B. Neeraja Prabhakar, Vice-Chancellor of the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State
Horticultural University appointed as the chairperson of the Research Advisory
Committee (RAC) of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) -Indian
Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR) at Pedavegi in Andhra Pradesh. She
assumed office on June 13, 2023 and will head a 10-member committee for a
period of three years.
• The ICAR-IIOPR is the country's only top institute undertaking oil palm research
and creating oil palm technology that may be used in all oil palm-growing states.
•
• Alan Arkin, Oscar-winning 'Little Miss Sunshine' actor, dies at 89
• On June 29 2023, Veteran United States(US) actor Alan Arkin, who received four
Academy Award nominations and won an Oscar passed away in Carlsbad,
California, United States of America (USA)at the age of 89. He demonstrated his
versatility from farcical comedy to chilling drama.
•
• Another woman of Indian origin in America
• On July 10, Vice President Kamala Harris administered the oath of office to
Indian-origin Geeta Rao Gupta as the supervisor of international women's issues
at the US State Department. Senate approved Geeta Rao's appointment last May.
She has previously held key positions at the United Nations, UNICEF and the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gita Rao Gupta said on the occasion that he will
work to remove the problems that prevent women from getting equal
participation in the economy.
•
• Famous Czech writer Kundera passes away
• Prominent Czech-French writer Milan Kundera has passed away. His novel 'The
Unbearable Lightness of Being' was well received. Kundera was born on 1 April
1929 in the town of Brno in what was then Czechoslovakia. Studied in Prague. He
joined the Communist Party there. Translated the works of French poet
Apollinaire. He also wrote his own poetry. He taught at a film school for a few
years. One of his students was Oscar-winning director Milos Forman. Kundera's
first novel 'The Joke' was published in 1967. It is a satire on a one-party nation.
He was banned from writing. He went to France with his wife in 1975. Worked
there as a professor for four years. His Czech citizenship was revoked in 1979.
Received French citizenship in 1981. His other works include 'Life is Elsewhere'
(1973), 'The Book of Latter and Forgetting' (1979).
•
• Miss Netherlands is a transgender woman
• Rikki Valerie Kolle, a transgender woman, won the Miss Netherlands crown. This
is the first time in the Netherlands that a transgender woman has achieved this
feat in a beauty pageant. In this way she created a new history. 22-year-old Ricci
Valerie Colle emerged as the winner by beating the competition from famous
models. She expressed her happiness saying that she is proud to win the title of
Miss Netherlands. She stated that her goal is to be a role model for women. Rikki
will represent
• the Netherlands in the Miss Universe pageant to be held in El Salvador.
•
• Kerala artist Namboodri passes away
• Namboodri artworks come to mind for Malayalis just like the Telugu drama
Bapubomma for its delicate drawings. Painter K.M. who has fans not only in
Kerala but all over the country. Vasudevan Namboodri passed away at the age of
 98 due to old age complications. Along with line drawings, he is also good at
creating entertaining portraits and sculptures. He also did art direction for
Malayalam films. Namboodri Jnanpeeth winners M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Tagali Siva
Shankara Pillai, SK Pottakada have provided pictures for the works. Vaikom
Mohammed Bashir's works were also influenced by his films. He received many
important awards including the Raja Ravi Varma Award.
•
• Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman Appointed as New IFSCA Chairman by
Centre
• Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman has been selected by the government as the new
chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority
(IFSCA).Rajaraman will take over from Injeti Srinivas, who served as the
inaugural chairperson since 2020. According to a gazette notification,
Rajaraman's appointment is valid for three years starting from the date he
assumes charge, or until he reaches the age of 65, or until further orders are
issued, whichever occurs earlier.
•
• Dutch Prime Minister resigns because of deadlock on thorny issue of
migration, paving way for new elections
• The resignation of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the longest-serving premier
of the nation, means the country will face a general election later this year.
•
• Shavkat Mirziyoyev Re-Elected as President of Uzbekistan for 7 years term
• On 9th July 2023, the incumbent Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been
re-elected with 87.1 % of the vote for 7 years term according to preliminary
results released by the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Republic of
Uzbekistan. He is a member of the UzLiDeP (Uzbekistan Liberal
• Democratic Party).
• • On 30th April 2023, the Uzbek President called for snap election on which
Uzbek citizens voted on constitutional amendments through a referendum which
reset his term count and extended the presidential term to seven years from five.
• • More than 15 million voters participated in the election, which comprises 79%
of the voters.
•
• Centre appoints IPS officer Manoj Yadava as DG Railway Protection Force
• • Manoj Yadava, a senior IPS officer from the Haryana cadre, has been designated
as the new Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), according to
an order from the Personnel Ministry.
• • Yadava, who belongs to the 1988 batch of the Indian Police Service, will take
over from Sanjay Chander, who is set to retire on July 31.
• • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Yadava's
appointment as DG, RPF, until his retirement on July 31, 2025.
•
• Rakesh Pal appointed as 25th Director General of Indian Coast Guard
• On 19th July 2023, Rakesh Pal has been appointed as the 25th Director General
of Indian Coast Guard (DICG). He holds the recognition of being the First Gunner
of ICG.
• He was given the additional charge of DGICG in February 2023. He was elevated
to the rank of Additional Director General in February 2022.
• Note: Virender Singh Pathania was the 24th DGICG, appointed on December 31
2021.
•
• Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy passes away at 79
• • Oommen Chandy, the former Chief Minister of Kerala, passed away at the age of
79.
• • Oommen Chandy held the office of Chief Minister twice during his political
career.
• • Oommen Chandy led the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)
governments in Kerala on two occasions: from August 31, 2004, to May 12, 2006,
and from May 18, 2011, to May 20, 2016.
•
• Sat Pal Bhanoo appointed as MD of LIC; succeeds Siddhartha Mohanty
• Sat Pal Bhanoo has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of Life
Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) with effect from the date of assumption of
charge of office and up to the date of his superannuation on 31st December 2025
or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
•
• Eminent mathematician Dr Mangala Narlikar passes away at 80
• Dr Mangala Narlikar, an eminent mathematician and the wife of Dr Jayant
Narlikar who is the founder director of Pune-based Inter-University Centre for
Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), passed away.
• Dr Mangala Narlikar carried out research in pure mathematics. She initially
worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai before
joining as a lecturer at Bombay and Pune universities. Her core fields of interest
were real and complex analysis, analytic geometry, number theory, algebra and
topology.
•
• Honorary doctorate to be conferred on Communist leader N. Sankaraiah
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced that veteran communist
leader N.Sankaraiah will receive an Honorary Doctorate from Madurai Kamaraj
University.
• Sanakaraiah, born on 15 July 1921, is an Indian Communist Party politician and
independence activist. On 15th July 2023 Sankaraiah has celebrated his 102nd
birthday.
• He is the last living freedom fighter of India. In 1931 when Sankaraiah was just
nine years old
• attended a rally condemning the execution of Bhagat Singh- his first political
activity.
•
• Famed computer hacker Kevin Mitnick passes away at age 59
• • Kevin Mitnick, who was once one of the most wanted computer hackers in the
world, has passed away at the age of 59.
• • He spent five years in prison for computer and wire fraud following a two-year
federal manhunt in the 1990s, but after his release in 2000 reinvented himself as
a "white hat" hacker, renowned cybersecurity consultant and author.
• • Mitnick grew up in Los Angeles and broke into a North American Air Defense
Command computer as a teenager.
•
• Indian-origin doctor is new chairman of International Myeloma Foundation
• • Renowned scientist, clinician and researcher, S. Vincent Rajkumar, has been
appointed as chairman-elect of the Board of Directors of the International
Myeloma Foundation (IMF).
• • Dr. Rakumar takes over from the current Chairman, Brian G.M. Durie, who is
not seeking re-election to the post. Dr. Durie, the co-founder and chairman of the
Board of Directors for 33 years, has said that he will not seek re-election as
chairman when his current term ends in spring 2024.
•
• Odisha's Naveen Patnaik has become the 2nd Longest-Serving CM in India
• On 22nd July 2023, Odisha Chief Minister (CM) & Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president,
Naveen Patnaik has become the 2nd longest-serving Chief Minister in India, with
a tenure of 23 years and 139 days.
• • Patnaik, the five-time Chief Minister of Odisha, took charge on March 5, 2000.
• Key points:
• Patnaik surpassed the record set by former West Bengal CM Jyoti Basu who
holds office for 23 years 137 days from June 21, 1977, to November 5, 2000.
• Pawan Kumar Chamling, the former CM of Sikkim, holds the 1st position as the
longest-serving CM after independence in India. Chamling held the office of CM
for 24 years and 166 days from December 12, 1994 to May 27, 2019.
• Naveen Patnaik is also the 3rd CM after Pawan Chamling and Jyoti Basu to win
five consecutive terms as CM.
•
• World record in mountain climbing
• Ten Jan (Llama) Sherpa from Nepal and Kristin Harila from Norway set a new
world record on July 28. They climbed 14 mountains above 8,000 meters in the
world in just three months. Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks,
which organized the expedition, told a news agency that they reached the
summit of Mount K2 at 11.30 am on July 28, completing the goal within 92 days.
Previously, Nirmal Purja climbed these 14 mountains in a period of six months
and six days, but this record has now been erased.
•
•
• The peak of Lalitha Sangeet.. Chittaranjan is no more
• Musician and writer Mahabhashyam Chittaranjan (85), who served classical
music for more than six decades, passed away in Hyderabad. The funeral will be
held on Saturday morning. Chittaranjan was born on August 25, 1938 in
Hyderabad to Rangachari and Perindevi. Father is chief engineer at Allindia
Radio and mother is a musician.
•
• India's UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Assumes the Chairmanship of of
62nd Session of CSocD
• India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador
Ruchira Kamboj, has assumed the chairmanship of the 62nd Session of the
Commission for Social Development (CSocD62).
• Note: CSocD meets annually in New York, The United States of America(USA),
usually in February.
• Background:
• On 15th February 2023, India has been elected as the chair of the 62nd session of
the UNCSOCD, during the 13th plenary meeting-61st session of the commission
for social development. India will hold its term until 2027.
• The commission elected Ruchira Kambo as the chair of CSocD62 and Carla María
Carlson, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic; H.E.
Jon Ivanovski, Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of
North Macedonia; and Thomas Lammar, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of
Luxembourg were also elected as the Vice Chairpersons of the CSocD62.
• For the first time since 1975, India has been elected as the chair of CSocD.
• CSocD62 theme:
• The central theme for the CSocD62 is "Fostering Social Development and Social
Justice through Social Policies to accelerate Progress on the Implementation of
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching
goal of poverty eradication".
• About United Nation's Commission for Social Development (UN CSocD):
• CSocD, originally known as the Social Commission (renamed in 1966), was
established by ECOSOC res.10 (11) (1946).
• CSocD is one of the key commissions tasked with monitoring and carrying out
the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action.
• It was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
•
• Jim Skea of UK elected as the Chair of IPCC
• On 26th July 2023, James Ferguson 'Jim' Skea of the United Kingdom (UK) was
elected as the new chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) an intergovernmental body of the United Nations (UN) that works to
advance scientific
• knowledge about climate change caused by human activities.
• • The election was held at the United Nations Environment Programme
headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
• • He was elected by 90 votes to 69 in a run -off with Thelma Krug of Brazil.
• • As the new chair of IPCC, Jim Skea will lead the Panel through its 7th
assessment cycle.
•
• Cambodia's Hun Sen to resign after four decades and appoint son as PM
• • Cambodia's Prime Minister, Hun Sen recently announced his decision to step
down and appoint his eldest son, Hun Manet, as the new prime minister.
• • Despite leaving the prime ministerial position, Hun Sen will continue to hold
leadership roles as the head of the ruling Cambodian People's Party and as a
member of the National Assembly.
• • Hun Manet, currently the deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces, will
assume the role of the new prime minister on August 22,2023.
•
• Pedro Sánchez named caretaker PM of Spain After Inconclusive Election
• On 25th July 2023, Pedro Sánchez, General Secretary of Spanish Socialist
Workers' party (Spanish acronym: PSOE) was formally named as caretaker
Prime Minister (PM) of Spain. The interim government will remain in power
until a resolution is reached for the political uncertainty that emerged from the
inconclusive elections held on 23rd July 2023.
• • Pedro Sanchez has been the 7th PM of Spain (officially president of the
Government of Spain) since 2018.
• • In 2018, he became the first politician from Spain to unseat a PM (Mariano
Rajoy) through a motion of no-confidence.
•
• UAE Minister for Foreign Trade Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi elected as chair of
WTO's 13th Ministerial Conference
• • In a significant development, two prominent officials from the United Arab
Emirates (UAE have been elected to key positions in international organizations.
• • Dr. Thani A Zeyoudi, the UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, has been chosen as
the chair of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization
(WTO), to be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.
• • Additionally, Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, the Director of International Financial
Relations and Organizations Department at the UAE Ministry of Finance, has
been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and a Constituency
Director at the New Development Bank (NDB)
•
• Admiral Lisa Franchetti becomes first woman to lead US Navy
• • US President Joe Biden has nominated Admiral Lisa Franchetti to lead the US
Navy
• • If confirmed by the Senate, Franchetti would become the first female member
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which consists of chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force
and others.
• • Lisa Marie Franchetti is a United States Navy admiral who serves as the 42nd
Vice Chief of Naval Operations since September 2022 and currently nominated as
the first woman to lead US Navy.
• First-ever transgender birth certificate issued to Noor Shekhawat in
Raiasthan
• • Noor Shekhawat became the first transgender person in Rajasthan to be issued
a birth certificate with the gender recorded as transgender.
• • In her old birth certificate, her gender was marked as male.
• • Shekhawat was handed her new birth certificate by municipal and state
government officials. She runs an NGO for the transgender community and also
wants to complete her graduation.
•
• MoS gives 3 month extension to Amitava Mukheriee's tenure as CMD of
NMDC & NSL
• The Ministry of Steel(MoS) has extended tenure of the Amitava Mukheriee as the
Chairman-cum-Managing Director(CMD) Additional charge of NMDC Limited
erly known as National Mineral Development Corporation) and NMDC Steel Ltd
(NSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NMDC Ltd for 3 months.
• • The extended tenure comes into effect from 1st September 2023 to 19th
November 2023 or till a regular CMD is appointed or until further orders,
whichever is the earliest.
• • Mukheriee is a Director (Finance) at NMDC Ltd who holds the additional charge
of the CMD of NMDC since 13th March 2023 and additional charge of CMD of
NSL, since 21st March 2023.
• • 19th November 2023 marks the date of completion of his tenure as Director
(Finance) of NMDC Ltd.
•
• American Singer & Grammy Award winner Tony Bennett Passes Away
• On 21st July 2023, legendary pop & jazz singer and recipient of 19 Grammy
awards, Tony Bennett (Anthony Dominick Benedetto or Joe Bari) passed away at
the age of 96. He was born on 3rd August 1926 in Queens, New York, United
States of America (USA).
• About Tony Bennett:
• He received a Recording Academy (Grammy)’s Lifetime Achievement Award in
2001. He sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.
• In 1999, Bennett and his wife, Susan, founded exploring the Arts, a nonprofit
dedicated to strengthening the role of the arts in public high school education.
•
• SC to Appoint All-Woman Panel to Oversee Relief in Manipur
• • Chief Justice of India, D. Y. Chandrachud has announced the formation of an all-
women panel to help bring healing and relief to the violence-stricken region in
Manipur.
• • The panel will consist of three former High Court judges, with Justice Gita
Mittal as its head. The panel aims to provide healing touch to the situation in
Manipur.
• • The committee's main task is to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts, restore
homes and places of worship and improve the overall relief work in the violent-
affected areas.
•
• G. Kannabiran takes over as new NAAC Director
• • The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) recently
announced the appointment of Prof Ganesan Kannabiran as its new director.
• • The appointment took place on July 28, as per the official statement from NAAC.
Prof Kannabiran brings with him a rich experience of over 30 years in the
education sector, having served as a senior professor of Information Systems at
the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli.
• • Throughout his career, he has held various leadership positions, including the
Dean of Research and Consultancy, and Director-in-Charge at NIT Trichy and NIT
Puducherry.
•
• Marathi Poet & Lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor Passed Away
• On 3rd August 2023, Marathi poet and lyricist Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor,
popularly known as Na Dho Mahanor, passed away at the age of 81 in Pune,
Maharashtra.
• • He was born on 16th September 1942, in Palaskheda village, Aurangabad (now
called Sambahajinagar), Maharashtra. Apart from writing, he had a passion in
agriculture.
• • Mahanor was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) in 1978.
•
•
• Telangana folk singer Gaddar passes away
• • Renowned folk singer and activist Gaddar, who had been battling severe heart
disease, passed away at the age of 74.
• • Gaddar, also known as Gummadi Vittal Rao, gained popularity primarily
through his stage name. He earned the title of the people's singer due to his
songs that brought attention to various issues faced by the common people.
•
• Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak passes away
• Renowned social activist and founder of Sulabh International Bindeshwar Pathak
has passed away. He passed while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi
due to a heart attack. He is now 80 years old. He was the founder of Sulabh
Sanitation and Social Reform Movement. He fought against open defecation and
worked for the construction of community public toilets.
• Bindeshwar Pathak was born in 1943 in Hajipur, Bihar. After staying with the
families of Safai Karmachari (scavengers) and knowing their hardships, he
established Sulabh International in 1970. Its purpose is to work in harmony with
technological innovation and humanitarian principles. This organization
promotes human rights, environmental cleanliness and waste management.
Under this Sulabh International, 13 lakh toilets in houses and 5.4 crore
government toilets have been constructed. For this very cheap Tupit technology
is used.
• The organization opposes the manual cleaning of human waste. It led a
movement to abolish it. In this order, the government has brought many laws to
shape this system which has been ingrained in the society for years. Manual
scavenger.. they remove the waste with their own hands without any protective
gloves. Pathak vehemently condemned this approach. It was condemned as a
derogatory act.
• Safai has received many awards for the change he has brought in the lives of
workers, environmental cleanliness and the use of non-conventional energy
sources. In 1991, he was honored with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian
award by the Union Government. He has served as the brand ambassador of
Clean Rail Mission of Indian Railways. Represented Congress Party from
Bhagalpur in Parliament. Also wrote many books.
•
•
• NCERT forms 19-member panel for textbooks revision
• Noted children’s author and Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy,
celebrated singer Shankar Mahadevan and Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory
Council (EAC-PM) Chairman Bibek Debroy are among the newly formed 19-
 member committee of National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT) that will formulate new textbooks for Grade 3 to 12, as per National
Education Policy (NEP).
•
• PFC CMD Parminder Chopra
• Parminder Chopra has taken charge as the first full-time woman Chairman and
Managing Director
• (CMD) of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a public sector company. Her
appointment came into effect from August 14. From 1st June 2023, she held
additional responsibilities as CMD. She is acting as the Director (Finance) of the
company from July 1, 2020. Chopra will be the first woman to head PFC, the
company said. Chopra was also instrumental in getting PFC the highest
'Maharatna' status. She has more than 35 years of experience in the fields of
electricity and finance.
•
• Doraiswamy as LIC MD
• R Dorai Swamy has been appointed as the Managing Director of the domestic
insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC). Doraiswamy, who is
currently working as an executive director at the head office in Mumbai, has
been demoted by the central government. Doraiswamy has been appointed to
replace IP Mini, who is retiring at the end of this month. He will assume office on
1st of next month.
•
• Former DRDO chief Arunachalam passes away
• Former director of DRDO VS Arunachalam (87) passed away in America on 17th
August 2023. He passed away at his home in California. He worked in Baba
Atomic Research, National Aeronautical and Defense Metallurgical Laboratories.
• Between 1982-92 he served as DRDO Chief and Defense Department Adviser.
Arunachalam has been awarded Padma Bhushan (1985) and Padma Vibhushan
(1990) by the Center in recognition of services in engineering, science and
technology. He also received the Shantiswaroop Bhatnagar Award.
•
• Padma Shri Recipient and Former President of JNCASR MRS Rao Passed
Away
• Former President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
(JNCASR) (Bengaluru, Karnataka) and Padma Shri award recipient Professor
Manchanahalli Rangaswamy Satyanarayana Rao, popularly known as MRS Rao
passed away. He was born in 1948 in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• • He served as JNCASR president from 2003 to 2013. Before 2003, he was the
Chairman in Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISC),
Bengaluru.
•
• Kakar as interim prime minister of Pakistan
• Anwarul Haq Kakar has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister of
Pakistan. He is the senator of Balochistan province and will hold the new
responsibilities till the elections are held.
• The PMO office said that a resolution signed by the current Prime Minister
Shahbaz Sharif and the Leader of the Opposition has been sent to the President
seeking the appointment of Kakar.
•
• Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha passes away
• • Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha has passed away at the age of 78, was
suffering from old age-related ailments. A recipient of Padma Shri in 2001 and
Padma Bhusan in 2010, he was the former
• director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron
Centre.
• • Sinha specialized in nuclear physics, high energy physics, Quark Gluon Plasma
and early universe cosmology. He led the Indian team for the first time to
participate in the experiments at the European Organization for Nuclear
Research in Geneva.
•
• Niger Military Junta Appoints Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine as Transitional
PM of Niger
• On 7th August 2023, the Military Junta of the Republic of Niger appointed Ali
Mahaman Lamine Zeine, an economist and former Minister of finance of Niger
Republic, as a transitional Prime Minister (PM) of Niger, according to a decree by
General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who is the self-declared Head of State of the
Transitional Government of Niger.
•
• Oscar Winning American Director William Friedkin Passed Away
• On 7th August 2023, William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning American director of
films like The Exorcist and The French Connection passed away in Los
Angeles(LA), California, United States of America (USA) at the age of 87.
• • Friedkin was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA on 29 August 1935.
• About William Friedkin:
• i.William Friedkin began his career in documentaries in the early 1960s and
made his feature directorial debut with the film "Good Times" in 1967.
• ii. His 1971 film "The French Connection", a crime thriller, won 5 Oscars
including Best Picture, and Best Director for Friedki at the 44th Oscars 1972).
• iii.His 1973 film "The Exorcist", a horror film based on William Peter Blatty's
novel had won the award for Writing (Screenplay-Based On Material From
Another Medium) and for Sound at the 46th Oscars (1974).
•
• Cambodia: A Woman Parliament President For 1st Time In History
• • In a move towards gender inclusivity and leadership diversity, Khuon Sudary is
set to assume the esteemed role of President of the National Assembly of
Cambodia.
• • Currently serving as the second Vice-President of the National Assembly and a
prominent member
• of the Standing Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), Khuon
Sudary's ascent to the presidency reflects her years of dedication and service to
her nation.
• • The announcement was made by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
emphasizing the commitment to empowering women in pivotal roles within the
government.
•
• Neelkanth Mishra Appointed as Part-time Chairman of UIDAI
• Neelkanth Mishra has been appointed the Part-time Chairman of the Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He has been serving as the Chief
Economist at Axis Bank Limited and Head of Global Research at Axis Capital
Limited since May 2023.
• • The Chairman post was vacant for almost 4 years. Previously, J. Satyanarayana
served as the part-time Chairman of UIDAI from July 12, 2016, to April 15, 2019.
• • He will be the second non-bureaucrat after Nandan Nilekani (2009 to 2014) to
chair UIDAI.
•
• Justice Prakash Shrivastava appointed as NGT chairperson
• • Justice Prakash Shrivastava has been appointed as Chairperson of National
Green Tribunal (NGT). After the former Chairperson Justice A.K Goel retired.
After the former Chairperson Justice A.K Goel retired in July, Justice She Kumar
Singh was appointed as the Acting Chairperson. Justice Srivastav Enrolled as
Advocate on February 2, 1987.
• • He Practised on Tax, Civil and Constitutional sides in the Supreme Court of
India at New Delhi. He was later appointed as a Judge of the High Court of
Madhya Pradesh on January 18, 2008 and became a permanent Judge on January
15, 2010.
•
• Legendary statistical scientist CR Rao passes away at the age of 103
• • C Radhakrishna Rao, one of India's greatest mathematicians and statisticians of
India, passes away at the age of 103. He had recently received the prestigious
"International Prize in Statistics-2023", often referred to as the "statistics'
equivalent of the Nobel Prize".
• • C R Rao was born into a Telugu family in Ballari, which was part of the Madras
Presidency and is now in Karnataka. In 1941, he completed his MSc in
Mathematics from Andra University and joined Indian Statistical Institute in
Calcutta in 1943 as research scholar.
• • In 2020, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Indian
government conferred a felicitation to C R Rao, when he turned 100 in an online
symposium for his "path-breaking contributions in the field of statistics, for
recognising and facilitating the critical role of data and computing. Recognisng
his contributions, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan award in 1968 and
the Padma Vibhushan award in 2001. In 2023 he was awarded with
International Prize in Statistics.
•
• DGCA forms a 4-Member Committee to Ensure Gender Equality in Civil
Aviation Sector
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a Civil aviation regulator has
set up a 4-member
• committee namely, R P Kashyap, Director (Training); Survita Saxena, Director
(Operations);Pavan Malviya, Deputy Director (Administration); and Kavita Singh,
Deputy Director (Aircraft Engineering Directorate), to provide suggestions for
achieving gender equality in the aviation sector in India.
• • The committee is expected to formulate norms and submit them to DGCA,
which the civil aviation regulator will further circulate among aviation
stakeholders to adopt and bring into practice for gender equality.
• • The deadline for the committee to submit its report/recommendation is six
months from the date of its constitution.
• Objective:
• The initiative aligns with the commitment of International Civil Aviation
Organisations (ICAO), to promote the participation of women and achieve an
aspirational goal, for a balanced ratio of 50-50 (women to men) by 2030 at all
professional and higher levels of employment in the global aviation sector.
•
• Kamlesh Varshney, Amarjeet Singh appointed SEBI whole-time Members
• • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the
appointment of Kamlesh Varshney and Amarjeet Singh as SEB| Whole-Time
Members.
• • While Varshney, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service, is a joint
secretary at the revenue department in the Finance Ministry, Singh is an
executive director at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• • Both Varshney and Singh have been appointed for three years from the date of
assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier, according to
an order issued by the Secretariat of the ACC.
• At SEBI, Varshney and Singh will fill in the vacancies created by the retirement of
S K Mohanty and Ananta Barua.
•
• Bernardo Arevalo Wins Guatemala's Presidential Election
• César Bernardo Arévalo de León, an anti-corruption candidate, won Guatemala's
presidential election.
• He secured 58% of votes against his opponent, the former first lady (2008 to
2011) Sandra Torres, of the National Unity of Hope who secured 37%.
• • Arevalo will succeed the current President Alejandro Giammattei, a leader of
the right-wing party Vamos.
• • He will be sworn in on 14th January 2024.
• About Bernardo Arevalo:
• i. Bernardo Arevalo is the son of Juan José Arevalo, the country's first
democratically elected President (1945-51).
• ii. He is the leader of the social democratic Movimiento Semilla Party.
• • Movimiento Semilla - a political party that emerged in response to
demonstrations against widespread corruption uncovered by the International
Commission against Impunity in Guatemala
• (CICIG).
•
• Adobe Co-Founder Dr. John Warnock Passes Away at 82
• • Adobe co-founder Dr. John Warnock passed away at the age of 82.
• • He founded the revolutionary software company Adobe with his partner, the
now-late Dr. Charles Geschke, in 1982. Marva Warnock designed the company's
original
• logo, and Adobe released its first program, the desktop publishing software
Adobe PostScript, two years later.
• • Warnock served mostly as the company's CEO until 2000 and was co-chairman
of the board along
• with Geschke until 2017. Warnock remained on the company board of directors
afterward. During Warnock's tenure as its CEO, Adobe created industry-standard
software for business, graphic design, photography, video editing, audio
recording, and more.
•
• British 'chat show king' Michael Parkinson passes away at 88
• Michael Parkinson, the seasoned British chat show host renowned for his
conversations with notable personalities, has passed away at the age of 88. His
family said that he peacefully departed at his residence after a brief period of
illness.
•
• A Telugu man as ambassador to Kazakhstan
• A Telugu man has been appointed as the ambassador of Kazakhstan. T.V.
Nagendra Prasad, who is currently the Consulate General of San Francisco in the
US, has been appointed as the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
President Draupadi Murmu handed over the appointment letter to him in New
Delhi on Monday. Nagendra Prasad, a native of Kodakandla mandal in warangal
district, completed his primary education at Devaruppu. He did his BSc from the
Agricultural University, Hyderabad and msc at the Indian Agricultural Research
Centre and joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1993. He also served as
deputy ambassador and ambassador at the embassies of Tehran, London,
Bhutan, Switzerland and Turkmenistan. Nagendra Prasad has served as joint
secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs since 2018. In 2020, he was
appointed consulate general of San Francisco. He will take over as the
ambassador to Kazakhstan in September.
•
• Geetika Srivastava appointed Indian diplomat in Islamabad
• Geetika Srivastava, joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs
headquarters, has been appointed as the Consulate (Charge Defers) of the Indian
High Commission in Islamabad. She will take charge soon. Suresh Kumar, who
has been in that position so far, will come to Delhi. Srivastava is a 2005 batch
Indian Foreign Service officer. After india's decision to abrogate the special
status of Jammu and Kashmir, India and Pakistan have decided to reduce the
status of those in charge of each other's embassies. Since then, these offices have
been headed by Charge DeAfirs.
•
• 5 of National best teachers are from Telugu states
• The central government has announced 50 teachers as the national best
teachers. There are five teachers from Telugu states. Two from Telangana and
three from Andhra Pradesh have been selected. All of them will be conferred
with the President's awards on september 5 on the occasion of Guru puja.
• From AP: Mekala Bhaskar Rao of Kondayapalem in Nellore district, Murahara
Rao Uma Gandhi of Visakhapatnam and Settem Anjaneyulu of Masapetta of
Rayachoti mandal of Annamayya district are among the national best teachers.
• From Telangana: Archana Noguri of Rebbanapalli in Dandepalli mandal of
Mancherial district. Santosh
• Kumar Bedodkar, a resident of Nipani village in Bhimpur mandal of Adilabad
district, has been selected.
•
• SBI Chairman Dinesh Khara's term extended
• State Bank of India (SBI) chairman Dinesh Khara is likely to get an extension in
his tenure. This is because the government is considering raising the retirement
age of heads of public sector banks (PSBs) and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)
 to 65 years. There is also a proposal to increase the retirement age of managing
directors (MDs) working in PSBs from the existing 60 years to 62 years, a senior
government official said.
•
• Emmerson Mnangagwa Re-Elected As President As The Second Term
• Emmerson Mangagwa, President of Zimbabwe, re-elected to the post for the
second term of 5 years (ie., 2023-28) and final term. He belongs to the Zimbabwe
African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) political party.
• • He secured 52.6 percent of the vote against his opponent Nelson Chamisa of
political party Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) who secured 44 percent votes.
• • He is known as 'The Crocodile' for his ruthlessness.
• About the election:
• i. This election occurs after six years (last in 2017) after the overthrow of
longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in a military coup.
• ii.In the election ZANU-PF obtained 136 out of the available 210 seats through a
first-past-the-post mechanism; CCC secure 73 seats.
•
• Eminent Indian English Poet Jayanta Mahapatra Passed Away
• Jayanta Mahapatra, an Eminent Indian English poet and Litterateur, who was the
first recipient of Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry (1981), passed away
in Cuttack, Odisha. He was born on 22nd October 1928 in Cuttack, Odisha.
• About Jayanta Mahapatra:
• iJayanta Mahapatra has served as the professor of Physics at various government
colleges in Odisha from 1949 to 1986(retired).
• ii.He published his 1st book of poems "Svayamvara and Other Poems" in 1971.
• iii. He has authored around 27 books which also includes 7 written in Odia and
the remainder in English.
• iv.He is will known for his poems like "Indian Summer" and "Hunger" which are
considered classic in modern Indian English literature.

Indian Railway Board Chairman: Jaya Verma Sinha

Jaya Verma Sinha has become the first woman to lead the Railway Board (in the Railway
Board's 118-year history), the top decision-making body for India's Ministry of
Railways.
About Indian Railways:
The Ministry of Railways (founded 1905; HQ:Rail Bhawan. New Delhi) functions as the
statutory authority for the Indian Railways, a monopoly in rail transport. The Chairman
and CEO of the Railway Board leads this organization.
About Indian Railway Board:
In 1901, on the recommendations of the Sir Thomas Robertson Committee regarding
the administration and working of the railways, an early version of the railway board
was constituted. It initially had three members.
In 1921, the Railway Board was reorganized, and a Chief Commissioner of Railways was
appointed to make technical decisions and advise the Government on policy matters.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam Singapore Presidential Election
In a significant political development, Indian-origin economist Tharman
Shanmugaratnam has emerged victorious in Singapore's presidential election. This
victory is especially noteworthy as it comes after a gap of ten years, marking the
country's first contested presidential polls since 2011.
R Madhavan Nominated as President of FTII Pune
• Renowned actor R Madhavan has been nominated as the new President of the Film
and Television Institute of India (FTIl), Pune.
• Additionally, he will serve as the Chairman of the governing council of FTll.
Madhavan's nomination follows the recent success of his film, 'Rocketry: The Nambi
Effect,' which earned national recognition.
The film secured the prestigious Best Feature Film award during the 69th National Film
Awards.
P.V. Raja Ram takes charge as director (production) BDL
PV Raja Ram has assumed charge as director (production) of Bharat Dynamics Limited
(BDL), a public sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
A mechanical Engineer from Osmania University, Raja Ram has rich experience
spanning 34 years in various capacities for the production of Missiles like Prithvi,
Akash, and M R SAM (Medium Range surface to Air Missile) Prior to his new assignment,
he served as Executive Director and Unit head of Kanchan bagh Unit, Hyderabad of BDL.
During his tenure, as General Manager and head of Surface of Air Missiles, he played a
key role in establishing facilities and streamlining production of M R SAM Missiles and
was instrumental in establishing flexible manufacturing lines for Akash Missile and its
variants as head of Akash Weapon system.
Renowned cartoonist Ajit Ninan passes away in Mysuru
Well-known cartoonist Ajit Ninan passed away in Mysuru on September 8, 2023.
Mr Ninan, whose works have appeared in several well-known publications in the
country, was 68. He is best known for the ‘Centrestage’ series in India Today magazine
and ‘Ninan’s World’ in Times of India. One of his popular cartoon characters was
‘Detective Moochhwala’ in the children’s magazine Target.
Hindustani vocalist Malini Rajurkar passes away at 82
• Noted Hindustani classical vocalist Malini Rajurkar, who epitomised simplicity and
depth, passed away in a Hyderabad hospital. She was 82 and had been suffering from
age-related ailments.
• She has performed in major music festivals in India, including Gunidas Sammelan
(Mumbai), Tansen Samaroh (Gwalior), Sawai Gandharva Festival (Pune), and Shankar
Lal Festival (Delhi). She is noted especially for her command over the appa and the
Tarana genre. She has also sung lighter music. Her renditions of Marathi natyageete,
pandu-nrupati janak jaya, naravar krishnasamaan, ya bhavanatil geet purane have been
particularly popular.
Sato Kilman Elected as PM of Vanuatu for the 5th Time
On 4th September 2023, the Parliament of the Republic of Vanuatu elected Sato Kilman,
a former Prime Minister (PM) and leader of the People's Progressive Party, as the new
PM of Vanuatu. This marks Sato Kilman's 5th term as the PM of Vanuatu.
• Previously, he served as the PM from December 2010 to April 2011; May to June2011;
June 2011 to March 2013; and 2015 to 2016.
Bad Bank's Chairman Karnam Sekar Resigns After Proposal to Merge With IDRCL
• Karnam Sekar, Chairman of the National Asset Reconstruction Company of India
(NARCL) tendered his resignation due to disagreements concerning the institution's
structure and operations. This resignation follows a proposal for merging NARCL with
India Debt Resolution Company Ltd (IDRCL).
• Under the current structure, NARCL serves as the 'principal entity,' responsible for
acquiring and aggregating bad loan accounts from banks. In contrast, IDRCL operates as
a resolution agent, focusing on the loan resolution process. The merger would
potentially reshape this division of responsibilities, leading to concerns and debates
about the optimal structure of these entities.
Vasudha Gupta Assumes Charge as Principal DG Of Akashvani
• Dr. Vasudha Gupta, a seasoned Senior Indian Information Service officer, has taken
charge as the Principal Director General of Akashvani and News Services Division. This
appointment comes after her commendable tenure as Director General at Akashvani,
where she played a pivotal role in revitalizing the iconic broadcasting institution.
• With over 33 years of dedicated service in the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, including her tenure as Director General of the Press Information Bureau
(PIB), Dr. Vasudha Gupta brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role.
British Scientist Sir Ian Wilmut, Creator of Dolly, the Cloned Sheep, Passed away
On September 10, 2023, British Scientist Sir Ian Wilmut, the man who led the team at
the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh that created Dolly the Sheep in 1996
has passed away at the age of 79. He was born on 7th July 1944 in Hampton Lucy,
United Kingdom (UK).
About lan Wilmut:
British embryologist Ian Wilmut was a Chair of the Scottish Centre for Regenerative
Medicine at the University of Edinburgh.
He laid the foundations for stem cell research/ regenerative medicine which aims to
cure many of the
diseases of ageing by enabling the body to regenerate damaged tissue.
American Software Developer & Co-Creator of PowerPoint Dennis Austin Passed
Away
Dennis Austin, one of the co-creators of PowerPoint software, passed away. He was
born on May 28, 1947, in Pittsburgh city of Pennsylvania, United States of America
(USA). He was PowerPoint's primary developer from 1985 until his retirement in 1996.
• Austin along with Robert Gaskins created the power point for the software company
Forethought and released it in 1987.
• Microsoft then acquired the firm and integrated PowerPoint into its suite of Office
programs.
Moldova's 1st President Mircea Snegur Passed Away
Mircea Snegur who served as the first President of the independent Moldova has passed
away. He was born on 17th January 1940 in the village of Trifanesti, in Floresti District,
Moldova.
• He became the President of the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic in 1990 following
the approval from the Moldovan Supreme Council.
• He led the Republic of Moldova to its proclamation of independence on 27 August
1991.
• Following the independence, in 1992, Snegur and then Russian President Boris Yeltsin
signed an agreement to stop a conflict over Moldova's breakaway Transdniester
(Transnistria) region.
Noted Rudra Veena Exponent, Ustad Ali Zaki Hader Passes Away
• Noted Rudra veena exponent, Ustad Ali Zaki Hader, passed away in New Delhi. He was
50. Disciple of Ustad Asad Ali Khan, Ali Zaki Hader was the last exponent of the
Khandarbani (Khandaharbani) stvle of the Jaipur Beenkar gharana of Dhrupad.
• A sizable plucked string instrument called the Rudra veena is employed in Hindustani
music, particularly in the style of music known as dhrupad. It is one of the main veena
kinds used in Indian classical music and is renowned for its deep bass resonance.
Rahul as interim head of ED
IRS officer Rahul Naveen has been appointed as the new acting head of the Enforcement
Directorate (ED). The appointment was made by the Center after the tenure of ED
Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra ended on September 15. Naveen ED will continue to be
the in-charge director till a full-time director is selected or further orders are issued.
Rahul Naveen, a 1993 batch IRS officer, has been the Special Director of the ED till now.
The Supreme Court refused to allow Sanjay Kumar Mishra to continue as ED Director till
October 15. It is known that the deadline was given till September 15. Sanjay Kumar
Mishra was first appointed as the head of ED for a period of two years in November
2018. In 2020, several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court challenging this as his
tenure was extended beyond that. The Supreme Court has made it clear that the tenure
of Sanjay Mishra cannot be extended. Sanjay Mishra's continuation as ED Director is
also politically controversial.
Biden as the 'Chief Guest' of Republic Celebrations
Prime Minister Modi has invited US President Joe Biden to be the chief guest at India's
Republic Day on January 26 next year. US Ambassador to our country Eric Garcetti
revealed on September 20 that Prime Minister Modi spoke to Biden about this during
the bilateral talks held during the recent G20 summit in Delhi.

Bharatanatyam legend Saroja Vaidyanathan passes away.

Saroja Vaidyanathan (86), a renowned Bharatanatyam artist, dance teacher and
recipient of the prestigious Padma Bhushan, has passed away. She breathed her last at
her residence in Delhi in the early hours of September 21 after battling cancer for some
time. She has rendered immeasurable services to Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music.
Saroja Vaidyanathan has performed around 2 thousand dance forms based on Indian
mythology and social issues as well as the poems of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee and gained international recognition. Ganesha Theater was established in
Delhi and many people were trained as dancers. For her services, the Government of
India honored her with Padma Shri in 2002 and Padma Bhushan in 2013.
Father of Green Revolution 'Swaminathan' passed away.
Renowned agronomist MS Swaminathan, hailed as the father of India's Green
Revolution, passed away on September 28. He created many revolutionary changes in
the Indian agriculture sector. He developed many high yielding varieties of rice. He
taught many methods of increasing yield to farmers with low income. He was awarded
Padma Shri in 1967, Padma Bhushan in 1972, Padma Vibhushan in 1989, World Food
Prize Award in 1987, Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 1999. After that he established MS
Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai. Swaminathan has won many
international awards. In 1971, he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award. He was awarded
the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986. UNEP named Swaminathan as 'Father
of Economic Ecology'.
Extension of tenure of CBDT Chairman
The government has decided to extend the tenure of Nitin Gupta as the chairperson of
the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) for another nine months on a ‘contractual
basis'. He took charge as the chairman of CBDT in June last year. His tenure ended on
September 30.
KN Shanthakumar is the new chairman of PTI.
➢ Vice Chairman Praveen Someshwar
Senior journalist KN Sant Kumar has been elected as the new chairman of Press Trust of
India (PTI). The election was held at the board of directors meeting after the annual
general meeting held at the PTI headquarters in Delhi. Currently, Sant Kumar, who is
the director of The Printers (Mysore Private Limited), which publishes the Deccan
Herald (English newspaper), has served as PTI Chairman in the past (2013-2014). He
has served in the press sector for 30 years in various capacities. On the other hand, PTI
Vice Chairman Hindustan Times CEO Pravin Someshwar He has previously headed
several business entities, Sant Kumar and Praveen Someshwar will continue in these
positions for a year.
Vivek Bhasin Appointed as 14th Director of BARC
On 15th September 2023, Vivek Bhasin took charge as the 14th Director of Bhabha
Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India's premier nuclear research facility,
headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Prior to this appointment, Vivek was serving as
the director of the Nuclear Fuels Group (NFG) of the BARC.
• He succeds Ajit Kumar Mohanty who was appointed as the Secretary to Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE) under the Prime Minister's Office(PMO) and Chairman of Atomic
Energy Commission in May 2023.
• Vivek Bhasin joined the Reactor Engineering Division of BARC in 1988. He is known
for his contribution towards APSARA-U Reactor (operational in BARC) and Fast Breeder
Test Reactor (FBTR) (Operational in Kalpakkam Nuclear Power Plant, Tamil Nadu)
Nepali Sherpa World Record
The 53-year-old Sherpa Kami Rita from Nepal set a record by climbing the world's
highest Himalayan peaks 42 times. Kami Rita from Solu Khumbu district in eastern
Nepal works as a guide. He climbed Mount Manaslu as part of a 14-peak expedition
undertaken by the Seven Summit Trek organization. With this, he has achieved the feat
of climbing mountains with a height of more than 8 thousand meters 42 times. Earlier
this record was held by famous mountaineer Nims Purja (41 times).
Former Italian President Giorgio Napolitano Passed Away
Giorgio Napolitano, Former President of Italy (2006 to 2015) and leader of Italian
Communist Party, passed away at the age of 98 in Rome, Italy. He was born in 1925 in
Naples, Italy. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived president in the history of
the modern Italian Republic(post-second world war democratic era).
National Award Winning Malayalam Filmmaker K G George Passed Away At 78
• The world of Malayalam cinema mourned the loss of veteran filmmaker KG George,
who passed away at the age of 78 in an old age home near Kakkanad. The filmmaker had
been battling health issues for the last five years, following a stroke that significantly
impacted his life.
• Throughout his career, he explored a wide range of themes in his films, leaving an
indelible mark on the industry. Some of his most acclaimed works include "Ulkaddal“
(1979), "Onappudava" (1978), "Yavanika“ (1982), and "Adaminte Variyellu" (1984).
These films not only won him critical acclaim but also secured numerous state film
awards.
Hindustani Classical Vocalist Malini Rajurkar Passed Away
Malini Rajurkar, a noted Hindustani classical vocalist and one of the foremost exponents
of Gwalior Gharana passed away at the age of 82 in Hyderabad, Telangana. She was born
in 1941 in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
• She has received several awards, including the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi
award in 2001 for her contribution to Hindustani vocal music.

Pro-China Leader Mohamed Muizzu Wins Maldives Presidential Election

• Mohamed Muizzu, the candidate from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM),
emerged victorious in the presidential polls after a runoff vote. This victory came after a
first round of polling failed to produce a Clear winner.
• Muizzu secured more than 53 percent of the vote in the runoff, defeating the
incumbent president, Ibrahim Soli. President Ibrahim Solih gracefully conceded defeat
and congratulated Muizzu on his victory.
• Muizzu, currently serving as the mayor of the capital city, Male, is a well-educated
leader with a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Leeds in the United
Kingdom. He previously held the position of Minister of Housing in former President
Abdulla Yameen's cabinet.

Ramaswamy N Appointed as Chairman And Managing Director Of GIC Re

• On October 4, 2023, the General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) made a
significant announcement regarding the appointment of its new Chairman and
Managing Director (CMD), Ramaswamy N. This appointment is effective from October 1,
2023.
• The appointment of Ramaswamy N follows the standard succession planning
procedures as Devesh Srivastava, the outgoing CMD, concluded his four-year term at the
end of September 2023 upon reaching the age of 60.

Marico's Saugata Gupta named as ASCI Chairman

• Saugata Gupta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Marico Ltd, has been
appointed new Chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), at the
board meeting of the self-regulatory body. Gupta's association with ASCI spans several
years, including two years on the Board of Governors and four years as a special invitee
on the Board of Governors.
• Partha Sinha, president of response, Bennett Coleman & Company Limited, was
elected vice chairman, and Sudhanshu Vats, deputy managing director, Pidilite
Industries Ltd, was appointed honorary treasurer.

Mukesh Ambani Surpasses Gautam Adani as India's Richest On Hurun List

• According to the 360 ONE Wealth Hurun India Rich List for 2023 released recently,
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has surged ahead of Adani Group's
Gautam Adani to claim the title of the richest Indian.
• Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, saw his wealth grow by a
modest 2 percent, reaching a staggering Rs 8.08 lakh crore. This significant wealth
increment has solidified his position as the wealthiest individual in India.

Sanskrit Scholar & Padma Shri Awardee Dahyabhai Karunashankar Shastri

Passed Away
Padma Shri Awardee Dr. Dahyabhai Karunashankar Shastri, a renowned Indian Sanskrit
scholar and founder of Brahmarshi Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Nadiad (Gujarat), has
passed away at the age of 98 in Nadiad, Gujarat. He was born on 26 February 1926 in
Mehsana, Gujarat.
About Dr. Dahyabhai Karunashankar Shastri: i.Dr. Shri Dahyabhai Karunashankar
Shastri was a distinguished Sanskrit scholar in India, holding titles like
Vyakaranacharya, Sahitacharya, and Hindi Visharad.
ii. From January 19, 1950, he was engaged in teaching at Petlad Political Sanskrit
Mahavidyalaya school in Guiarat.

Nobel Prize-Winning Poet Louise Gluck Passes Away at 80

Celebrated poet Louise Gluck, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2020,
has passed away at the age of 80. The Swedish Academy, responsible for Nobel Prize
selection, praised her poetry for its unreserved examination of family and childhood
with distinct and austere beauty. Louise Gluck's work, often concise and poignant, was
noted for its similarity to 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson in its severity
and unwillingness to accept simple tenets of faith.

British Filmmaker Terence Davies Dies At 77

British filmmaker Terence Davies, known for his thought-provoking and introspective
films, has sadly passed away at the age of 77 at home after a short illness. He is
recognized for his internationally acclaimed films, including 'Distant Voices, Still Lives'
and 'The Long Day Closes'.
MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi Appointed Permanent Representative of
India to UN in Geneva
Arindam Bagchi, Additional Secretary [External Publicity (XP)] and Spokesperson of the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been appointed the next Ambassador/Permanent
Representative of India to the United Nations (UN) and other international
organisations in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Arindam Bagchi is set to take over the post from Indra Mani Pandey, the incumbent
Indian envoy to
the UN in Geneva. Pandey has been holding the position since September 2020. and is
now set to return to New Delhi, Delhi after a three-year term.
About Arindam Bagchi:
i.He is a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) official, who took over as spokesperson
of MEA in March 2021.
ii.As MEA spokesperson, He has handled key issues and developments like eastern
Ladakh border row (2020-2021), India's COVID-19 response (2019), and New Delhi's
G20 Presidency (2023).

Padma Vibhushan Awardee & 11th CEC of India MS Gill Passed Away
Padma Vibhushan Awardee and the 11th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India,
Dr.Manohar Singh Gill (MS Gill), passed away in New Delhi, Delhi at the age of 87. He
was born on June 14, 1936, in undivided Punjab. He had a distinguished career as an
Indian bureaucrat, politician, and writer.
About MS Gill:
i.MS Gill was a 1958 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Punjab
cadre.
• He served as Agriculture Secretary of Punjab from 1985 to 1987 and later as a Union
Agriculture Secretary in the 1990s.

Daniel Noboa as Ecuador's president

Daniel, a 35-year-old businessman, has been chosen to lead Ecuador as its new
president. He defeated "Gonzalez," his left-leaning opponent, in the by-elections. Noboa
received 52% of the vote while Gonzalez received 42% of the vote in the most recent
results. Alvaro Noboa, Noboa's father, is the wealthiest person in Ecuador. He ran five
times for the presidency and lost each time.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Lukeson

The 53-year-old Christopher Lukeson will lead New Zealand as prime minister. In the
election held on October 14 under the proportional voting method, Luxon, the National
Party candidate, received 40% of the total votes cast. Only 25% of the votes were cast
for the Liberal Party's prime competitor, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. It is possible that
Lucan and the libertarian ACT Party may join forces to create the government.

B K Mohanty Assumes Charge as Director Of Finance At IREDA

• Dr. Bijay Kumar Mohanty officially assumed the role of Director (Finance) at the
Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA). The appointment of Dr.
Mohanty as Director (Finance) of IREDA was approved by the Appointments Committee
of the Cabinet (ACC).
• In an order issued by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, Dr. Bijay Kumar
Mohanty was appointed to the post for a period of five years from the date he assumed
charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• Dr. Mohanty, a highly respected senior finance professional with an impressive career
spanning over 25 years in the Indian power sector, brings with him a wealth of
knowledge and experience that promises to enrich IREDA's leadership.

Martti Ahtisaari, Former Finnish President & Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Passed
Away
Nobel Peace Laureate, Martti Ahtisaari, who served as the 10th President of Finland
(1994 to 2000), passed away at the age of 86 in Helsinki, Finland. He was born on 23
June 1937, Vipuri (now Vyborg, Russia), Finland.
About Martti Ahtisaari:
i.MarttiAhtisaari joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland in 1965, holding
various posts in the Ministry's Bureau for Technical Co-operation from 1965 to 1972,
and served as Assistant Director from 1971 to 1972.
ii. He was also a member of the Government Advisory Committee on Trade and
Industrialisation Affairs of Developing Countries from 1971 to 1973.
iii. He assumed the role of the Ambassador of Finland to the United Republic of Tanzania
from 1973 to 1976, with additional accreditation to Zambia, Somalia, and Mozambique
from 1975 to 1976.
iv. He first served as a member of the Senate of the United Nations (UN) Institute for
Namibia between 1975 and 1976.

Oscar & Emmy-Nominated American Actress Piper Laurie Passed Away

American actress Piper Laurie passed away in Los Angeles (LA), the United States of
America (USA). She was born "Rosetta Jacobs" in 1932 in Michigan, USA. She was
nominated 9 times for an Emmy and 3 times for an Academy Award (Oscar).
• She got her first Oscar nomination in 1961 for the movie "The Hustler". Later she was
nominated for two more movies namely "Carrie," (1976) and "Children of a Lesser God"
(1986)
• She won the Emmy Award in 1987 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries
or a Special for "Promise Hallmark Hall of Fame".
• She also won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 1991 for her role in 'Twin
Peaks'.

Dr Meenesh Shah Elected to Board Of International Dairy Federation

• Dr. Meenesh Shah, the Chairman and Managing Director of the National Dairy
Development Board (NDDB), has been elected to the Board of the International Dairy
Federation (IDF) during the General Assembly of IDF on October 15.
• Dr Shah has been associated with International Dairy Federation for a long.He is the
Member Secretary of the Indian National Committee and also a member of the Standing
Committee on Dairy Policy and Economics. He had also spearheaded the successful
organisation of the World's largest Dairy Conference - IDF WDS 2022 in India in
September 2022, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The International Dairy Federation is the leading source of scientific and technical
expertise for all stakeholders of the dairy value chain. ID's network of dairy experts has
provided a mechanism for the dairy sector to reach a global consensus on how to help
feed the world with safe and sustainable dairy products.
Padma Shri Awardee and Spiritual Leader Bangaru Adigalar Passed Away
Padma Shri Awardee Arul Thiru Bangaru Adigalar, a Spiritual Leader and the founder of
Melmaruvathur Adhiparasakthi Siddhar P eedam in Kancheepuram district (Tamil Nadu
(TN)) passed away at the age of 82 in Melmaruvathur, TN. He was born on 3 March
1941 in Melmaruvathur village.
Awards:
He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2019 for his spiritual services to society.

EC To Appoint Actor Rajkummar Rao as Its 'National Icon’

• Actor Rajkummar Rao, celebrated for his portrayal of a principled government clerk in
the Hindi film "Newton." tasked with conducting elections in the Naxal-affected areas of
Chhattisgarh, is set to be inducted as a National Icon by the Election Commission (EC).
• Rajkummar Rao's portrayal in "Newton" resonated with audiences and critics alike.
He essayed the character of an upright government official, undeterred by the
adversities he faced while striving to conduct a free and impartial election in the Naxal-
affected regions of Chhattisgarh.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guter-res Launches Advisory Body on Artificial

Intelligence
• The United Nations, under the leadership of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, has
taken a significant step toward managing the opportunities and challenges posed by
artificial intelligence (Al).
• To facilitate international cooperation and consensus on Al governance, a 39-member
advisory body has been established, comprising tech industry leaders, government
officials, and academics from diverse backgrounds.

Robert Fico formally appointed as PM of Slovakia

On 25th October 2023, the Zuzana Caputová, President of Slovakia, formally appointed
Robert Fico as the Prime Minister (PM) of Slovakia. He will succeed Ludovit Odor who
has been serving as the Interim PM of Slovakia since 15 May 2023 after the resignation
of Eduard Heger as PM.
• This is the 3rd time Robert Fico will serve as the PM of Slovakia, after having served
from 2006 to 2010 and from 2012 to 2018.
• He is the head of the current ruling pro-Russian party Slovak Social Democracy
(SMER-SD).

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, Ruler of Johor, Elected as 17th King of Malaysia
His Royal Highness (HRH) Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, the Ruler of
the southern Malaysian state of Johor, was elected as the 17th King of Malaysia, also
known as Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) XVII, for a term of 5 years, which will begin on
31st January 2024.
• He was elected by the Conference of Rulers during its 263rd (Special) meeting held at
the National Palace (Istana Negara) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• He will replace incumbent Sovereign Al-Sultan Abdullah ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah,
Ruler of Pahang state, who has been serving as the 16th King since 2019.
His tenure is set to end on 30th January 2024.

ISB Prof Sarang Deo Appointed by WHO On Its TB Advisory Group

Professor Sarang De, a distinguished figure in the field of Operations Management and
healthcare, has been appointed as a member of the Strategic and Technical Advisory
Group (STAG) for Tuberculosis by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Eminent Assamese Scholar & Padma Shri Awardee Birendra Nath Data Passed
Away
Padma Shri Awardee Birendra Nath Data, an eminent Assamese scholar, Linguist, and
Singer, passed away at the age of 88 in Guwahati, Assam. He was born on March 1, 1935,
in Nagaon, Assam.
About Birendra Nath Data:
i. He started his academic career as a lecturer at the B Borooah College in 1957 in Assam
and later served in various colleges of Assam. il.He retired as the esteemed Head of the
Department (HOD) of Folklore Research at Gauhati University (Guwahati, Assam) in
1995.

Renowned Bangladeshi Scientist Saleemul Hug Passed Away At 71

• Saleemul Huq, a Bangladeshi-British scientist who gained renown as a "climate
revolutionary" for his efforts to make high-polluting countries help the world's poorest
and most vulnerable states deal with the devastating impacts of climate change has
passed away in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. He was 71.
• Saleemul Huq was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on Oct. 2, 1952. He grew up in Europe,
Asia, and Africa due to his parents' diplomatic postings and moved to Britain in the
1970s to study at Imperial College London, where he received a doctorate in botany in
1978.

Sanjay Kumar Jain appointed as CMD of IRCTC

Sanjay Kumar Jain has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of
the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC.
• His appointment has been approved after the recommendation of Serach-Cum-
Selection Committee (SCSC).
• The post was vacant since January 2021 after the retirement of Mahendra Pratap Maal.
• From June 2023, Seema Kumar who is the Additional Member (Tourism & Catering) is
acting as CMD (Additional Charge).

First Black Action Hero, Richard Roundtree Passed Away At 81

Richard Roundtree, the iconic actor who redefined African American masculinity in the
movies with his groundbreaking portrayal of the title role in "Shaft," passed away on
Tuesday at his Los Angeles home at the age of 81 due to pancreatic cancer.
He was also recognized as the "first black action hero."

Matthew Perry, Renowned for His Role as Chandler In 'Friends,' Died At 54

• "Friends" star Matthew Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
He was 54. The iconic actor was known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the
legendary TV series "Friends."
• "Friends"revolved around the lives of six single New Yorkers as they navigated the
challenges of adulthood, creating a connection with viewers worldwide. Perry's
portrayal of Chandler stood out in the ensemble cast.

Matthew Perry, Renowned for His Role as Chandler In 'Friends,' Died At 54

• "Friends" star Matthew Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
He was 54. The iconic actor was known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in the
legendary TV series "Friends."
• "Friends “revolved around the lives of six single New Yorkers as they navigated the
challenges of adulthood, creating a connection with viewers worldwide. Perry's
portrayal of Chandler stood out in the ensemble cast.

Saima Wazed, Daughter of Bangladesh PM, nominated as Regional Director of

WHO Southeast Asia
On 1st November 2023, Saima Wazed, the candidate of Bangladesh, was nominated as
the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region
(SEAR), one of the 6 WHO Regions.
• Saima Wazed, the daughter of Bangladesh Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina, won
the election with 8 votes (including Bangladesh and India).
• Following the appointmnet, She will succed the incumbent regional director Dr.
Poonam Khetrapal Singh (since 2014) from India on 1st February 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Elected Chairman of Shree Somnath Trust for
Five-Year Term
• In a historic development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been elected as the
chairman of the Shree Somnath Trust (SST) for a five-year term, marking a significant
departure from the traditional one-year tenure for the trust's chairman.
• The decision, approved by the charity commissioner of Gujarat, underscores the
importance of continuity and leadership in managing the iconic Somnath temple near
Veraval.

Argentina Elects 'Shock Therapy' Libertarian Javier Milei as President

• Argentinians have elected Javier Milei as their next president. Mieli, known for his wild
appearance and sensational rhetoric, pledged economic shock therapy, and vowed to
slash the size of the state during his campaign.
• With 55.8% of the votes, Mile's victory marks the widest margin since Argentina's
return to democracy in 1983, defying all poll predictions.

Luc Frieden named as 23rd Prime Minister of Luxembourg

On November 17, 2023, Luc Frieden (60), a member of the Christian Social People's
Party (CSV), sworn in as the 23rd Prime Minister (PM) of Luxembourg.
He succeeds Xavier Betel of Liberal Democratic Party (DP), who served as PM of
Luxembourg from 2013 to 2023.
• The PM and the new ministers of the coalition government (CSV-Liberal DP) took
oaths of office during a ceremony officiated by Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Head
of State).

Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez Re-elected as Prime Minister of Spain

On 16th November 2023, Pedro Sánchez of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party Spanish
acronvm:
PSOE) was re-elected as the Prime Minister (PM) of Spain, officially President of the
Government of Spain. He was elected for the 2nd term with a majority in the Spanish
parliament. He got 179 votes in
the 350-seat lower house of the Parliament.
• He has been serving as the Acting PM of Spain since 25th July 2023.
• He served as the PM of Spain/President of the Government of Spain from 2018 to
2023.

India's CAG Girish Chandra Murmu Elected Vice-Chair of UN External Auditors'

Panel
• Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, has been
elected as the vice-chair of the UN
Panel of External Auditors.
• This recognition not only highlights India's commitment to maintaining the highest
standards of external audit but also showcases its active role in shaping the global audit
landscape.
• The independent body is composed of representatives from 12 countries.Together,
they conduct financial, performance, and compliance audits of UN entities, ensuring
transparency and accountability in the organization's financial activities.

Renowned Art historian and Padma Awardee B. N. Goswamy Passed Away

The renowned art historian and Padma Awardee Brijinder Nath Goswamy passed away
in Chandigarh at the age of 90. He was born on 15th August 1933 in Sargodha (now in
Punjab province of Pakistan).
About B. N. Goswamy:
He joined the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in 1956 but resigned from his post in
1958 to pursue a Ph.D. in art and art history at Punjab University, Chandigarh.
ii. He was the Professor Emeritus of Art History at Punjab University, Chandigarh.
iii. He served as a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research's Governing
Committee and interim chairman of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi.

Renowned Novelist A.S. Byatt Passes Away At 87

• Acclaimed British novelist Antonia Susan Byatt, widely known as A.S. Byatt, passed
away at the age of 87.
• Byatt was born on August 24, 1936, in Sheffield, England. Her literary career spans
almost six decades. Byatt left an indelible mark on the literary world.
• Her notable work, "Possession: A Romance," earned her the prestigious Booker Prize
in 1990.

Padma Vibhushan Awardee PRS Oberoi, the Doyen of Indian hospitality, Passed
Away
Padma Vibhushan Awardee Prithvi Raj Singh (PRS) Oberoi, Chairman Emeritus of The
Oberoi Group, passed away at the age of 94. He was born in New Delhi, Delhi on 3rd
February 1929.
• He was widely known as the 'doyen of Indian hospitality'.
Note: The Oberoi group was founded in 1934 by Rai Bahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi,
father of PRS Oberoi.
About PRS Oberoi:
I.PRS Oberoi, popularly known as "Biki", served as the Executive Chairman of EIH
Limited, which is the flagship company of the Oberoi Group, one of India's largest luxury
hotel chains.
ii.He also served as the the Chairman of Oberoi Hotels, the major shareholder of EIH
Limited.
Mahindra Group's Anish Shah named as President-Elect of FICCI for 2023-24
Dr. Anish Shah, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the
Mahindra Group, named as the President-elect of Federation of Indian Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for 2023-2024.
• He will succed Subhrakant Panda, the incumbent President of FICCI after the 96th
Annual General Meeting, which is set to be held in December 8-9, 2023, in New Delhi,
Delhi.
• He is currently serving as the Senior Vice President of FICCI.
Note: Subhrakant Panda is the MD of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Limited.

Andry Rajoelina reelected as Madagascar's president for the 3rd Term.

Incumber President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina, leader of Young Malagasies
Determined (Tanora Malagasy Vonona, TV) party, was reelected as the President of
Madagascar for 3rd term.
• He won 59% of the vote defeating former President Marc Ravalomanana (14.4%) and
former judo champion, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko (12%).
• Previoulsy, he has served as the President of Madagascar from 2009 to 2014 and from
2019 to 2023.

Robert Shetkintong Appointed as The Next High Commissioner Of India To The

Republic Of Mozambique
• Robert Shetkintong, the current Ambassador of India to the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia, has been designated as the next High Commissioner of India to the
Republic of Mozambique.
• This strategic appointment marks a key transition for Shetkintong, a seasoned
diplomat and a 2001 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer. Having served as
Ambassador to Ethiopia, he has played a curial role in strengthening bilateral ties
between India and Ethiopia during his tenure.
Hiralal Samaria, Central Information Commissioner
Hiralal Samaria, a former IAS officer of the 1985 batch of Telangana cadre, has assumed
the post of chief commissioner of the Central Information Commission. The Center
promotes the current information commissioner. President Draupadi Murmu swore
him in on November 6.

Yashwant Kumar as Chairman of the Tobacco Board

CH as Chairman of Indian Tobacco Council. Yashwant Kumar was appointed. Belonging
to Samman Prakasam district, he previously worked in various organizations. Since
2012, he has been in charge of the Tobacco Production Office.

MJ Dinesh appointed as Coffee Board Chairman

The government has appointed M J Dinesh as the chairman of the Coffee Board for three
year.
The board is under the administrative control of the commerce ministry. It comprises
33 members including the Chairman and the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer.

Fatima Biwi, the first female Supreme Court judge, passes away.
Justice Fatima Bivi (96 years old), the first female judge of the Supreme Court and
former Governor of Tamil Nadu, has passed away. Justice Fatima B. was born on April
30, 1927, in Pathanamthitta, Kerala. She is recognized as the first Muslim woman to
hold the highest position in the judiciary. From 1983 to 1989, he served as a judge of the
Kerala High Court. In 1989, she set a record when she was chosen as the country's first
female Supreme Court judge. After retiring in 1992, he was appointed Governor of
Tamil Nadu in 1997.

Former RBI Governor Venkataramanan passed away.

Former RBI Governor S.Venkataramanan passed away.An IAS officer, Venkataramanan
was the 18th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from December 1990 to December
1992. He served as Financial Secretary and Advisor to the government of Karnataka.

Sam Altman
Sam Altman, creator of the interactive chatbot ChatGPT, was shocked by OpenAI.
Altman was removed as CEO of the company. The reason is said to be lack of confidence.
It was revealed that it will take effect immediately. Taking Sam's place, Mira Murati, the
company's chief technology officer, was appointed CEO. The OpenAI board of directors
meeting on Friday took a decision in this direction.

Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua has won the 72nd Miss Universe 2023 title.
Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua has won the 72nd Miss Universe 2023 title. Sheynnis
Palacios is the first woman from Nicaragua to be crowned Miss Universe. The 72nd Miss
Universe pageant was held at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena, San Salvador, El
Salvador.Sheynnis Palacios was born in 2000 and has a degree in Mass
Communications. She is also a sports lover and has played varsity volleyball for her
university.

Don Walsh, Record-Breaking Deep Sea Explorer, Dies at 92

Retired US Navy Captain Don Walsh, who in the early 1960s was among the first to dive
to the deepest part of the ocean, has died on November 12th at home in Oregon at the
age of 92.
Walsh, alongside Swiss engineer Jacques Piccard, in January 1960 dove 11,000
meters/36,000 feet in the bathyscaphe Trieste to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in
the South Pacific Ocean.
Walsh’s son Kelly in June 2020 dove to approximately 10,925 meters (35,843 feet) in
the Western Pool, the same area that was visited by Kelly’s father, who was the pilot of
the Trieste during the first dive to the Challenger Deep in 1960.

UP cadre IPS officer Alok Sharma appointed new SPG chief.

Senior IPS officer Alok Sharma was on Friday appointed the director of the Special
Protection Group (SPG), which is entrusted with the task of providing security to the
prime minister. Sharma, a 1991-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, is currently an
additional director general in the SPG.

Christopher Luxon sworn in as New Zealand prime minister.

Christopher Luxon has been sworn in as New Zealand’s prime minister. Luxon has
promised to deliver tax cuts and less government bureaucracy, including a 6.5% cut to
the public service.
After the swearing-in ceremony, he said his top priority is to improve the economy. He
said he would
hold his first Cabinet meeting tomorrow and look to quickly finalize a 100-day plan.

Bohra head conferred with Pakistan's highest civilian award.

Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the head of the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Islam, will receive
Pakistan’s highest civilian award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan. This makes him the fourth
Indian to receive the award. The Nishan-e-Pakistan is equivalent to the highest military
gallantry award. Other Indians who have received the award include Former Prime
Minister Morarji Desai, Actor Dilip Kumar and Kashmiri separatist leader Ali Gilani.

CAG Girish Chandra Murmu elected as Vice-Chair of UN Panel of Auditors

Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Girish Chandra Murmu has been
elected as the Vice-Chair of the UN Panel of Auditors for the next year.
This recognition underscores India's commitment to the highest standards of external
audit and its active participation in shaping the global audit landscape, the CAG said in a
statement.
Murmu participated in the sixty-third session of the Panel of External Auditors, held at
the United Nations Headquarters in New York on November 20-21, 2023.
The Panel of external auditors comprising heads of 12 Supreme Audit Institutions
(SAIs) globally, oversees the external audit of the UN Secretariat, funds and
programmes, and specialised agencies.

Ajay Yadav takes charge as MD of SECI

Ajay Yadav has assumed charge of Managing Director of Solar Energy Corporation of
India Limited
(SECI). SECI is a nodal agency of the central government for auctioning renewable
energy projects. SECI, a Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE)
established in 2011, serves as the primary implementing agency for renewable energy
schemes and projects under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of
India.

Amarendu Prakash takes charge as SAIL Chairman

Amarendu Prakash has taken charge as the new Chairman and Managing Director of
Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) from May 31. He was previously the Director (In-
charge) of SAIL's Bokaro steel plan. Prakash was previously involved in driving business
transformation and financial turnaround of SAIL, which resulted in bringing back the
company from a three year streak of losses, from FY16 toFY18, to being back in the
black in FYI9.

UAE's Abdulla Al Mandous wins Presidency of World Meteorological

Organization
A meteorologist of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dr Abdulla Al Mandous has been elected
as the new President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a four-year
term from 2023 to 2027. The WMO is an authoritative body within the UN system that
focuses on weather, climate, hydrological, and related environmental fields. He will
succeed Prof Gerhard Adrian from the German Meteorological Service, who served as
WMO President since June 2019.

Dennis Francis elected 78th UNGA President

The 193 UN Member States, elected a veteran diplomat from Trinidad and Tobago,
Dennis Francis as the President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. Francis,
who has had a nearly 40-year-career, will take the helm of the UN's main policy-making
body, starting in September. He was elected by acclamation during a ceremony in the
iconic General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York. The General Assembly
consists of all 193 UN Member States, all of which have an equal vote.

The prince who is going to be in court. For the first time in 130 years!
Prince Harry, the second son of King Charles III, and his wife Meghan Markle have been
in the news for quite some time now. They have been accused of illegal activities against
them. A case filed by Harry and other celebrities against a news agency will come up for
hearing. He will appear before the court in the case and stand in a cage and testify.
Prince Harry will be the first British royal family to testify in the courtroom for 130
years. There has been a lot of interest in it all over the world. Britain's Mirror Group.
There have been allegations that she was involved in illegal activities to collect personal
information of several celebrities. More than 100 celebrities, including Prince Harry,
have filed lawsuits in court over allegations of phone hacking. The trial in the case began
in May. As part of this, Harry will testify in the London High Court. Earlier in 1870,
Edward VII appeared in court and testified in connection with a divorce case. Another
20 years later, he testified during the trial of a defamation case. Both of these happened
before he became king.
Manoj Misra, an Environmental Activist and former IFS Officer passed
away due to COVID-19 complications
On 4th June 2023, Manoj Misra, a renowned environmental activist and former Indian
Forest Service IFS officer passed away at the age of 68 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (MP)
due to COVID-19 related complications.He was born on October 7, 1954, in Mathura,
Uttar Pradesh (UP). The movement Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan headed by Manoj Misra, led to
the National Green Tribunal (NGT) suggesting the phased rejuvenation of the river
Yamuna in 2015.

Padma Shri awardee & Eminent Scholar Writer Vellayani Arjunan

Passed Away
On 31st May 2023, Vellayani Arjunan, an eminent scholar, writer, academician and
Padma Shri awardee passed away in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala at the age of 90. He
was born on 10 February 1933. Vellayani Ariunan holds 3 Doctor of Literature (D. Litt.)
degrees from three universities (Aligarh and Agra (Uttar Pradesh), and Jabalpur
(Madhya Pradesh). Vellayani Arjunan had the credit of having Post Graduations (PGs) in
Malayalam, English and Hindi and PG diplomas in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil.

Veteran actress Sulochana Latkar passes away at 94

Veteran actress Sulochana Latkar has passed away at the age of 94. She has been a part
of 300 films, including Hindi and Marathi. Some of her popular films include Ab Dilli Dur
Nahin, Sujata, Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Dil Deke Dekho, Aasha, and Majboor, Nai Roshni, Aayi
Milan Ki Bela, Gora Aur Kala, Devar, Bandini amongst others.

Noted Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai passes away

Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai passed away at the age of 91. She was born in Jammu
City, Jammu and Kashmir, in 1931. She did her MA and PhD in Sanskrit from the
University of Jammu. She also studied at the Banaras Hindu University and the
University of Oxford. Ghai was a prolific scholar and author of several books on Sanskrit
literature. She started her career as a professor of Sanskrit at Government College for
Women, Parade, Jammu.

Ghanaian writer and feminist Ama Ata Aidoo dies at 81

Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian author, poet and playwright famous for her feminist ideals,
passed away at the age of 81 in Ghana, a country of western Africa. She was born in
1942 in Abeadzi Kyiakor, Gold Coast (now Ghana). She published her first play "The
Dilemma of a Ghost" in 1965 and became the first African woman to publish a play. She
served as the education minister of Ghana from 1982 to 1983. She won the
Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best African Book in 1992 for her novel "Changes: A
Love Story"

Latvian Parliament elects foreign minister Edgars Rinkevics as New

president
Latvian lawmakers picked the country's long-serving and popular foreign minister, a
strong backer of Ukraine, as its new head of state in a tight vote. The 100-seat Saeima
legislature elected Edgars Rinkevics, the country's top diplomat since 2011, as president
to serve for a four-year term. He received 52 votes, one vote more than required to win.
Incumbent Egils Levits, Latvia's head of state since 2019, didn't seek reelection.

Nitin Agarwal takes over as BSF Director General

Nitin Agarwal, a 1989-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the
Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF). The central government issued an
order appointing him to the post, which has been lying vacant for more than five
months. Currently, Nitin Agarwal is serving as additional director general (operations)
of the CRPF in Delhi. He will continue as DG from the date of taking charge till July 5,
2026. Nithiin is likely to take charge after June 31.

Renowned Doordarshan anchor, Gitanjali Aiyar passes away

Gitanjali Aiyar, one of India's first English news presenters on national broadcaster
Doordarshan(DD) passed away. She was born on 29th January 1947. She worked with
DD for over 3 decades since 1971 and was awarded the best anchor 4 times. She was
honoured with Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for Outstanding Women in 1989. In
2002, she switched to corporate communications, government liaison and marketing.
She has also worked with the Tai and Oberoi group of hotels, and worked as consultant
at Confederation of Indian Industry (CIl). She also worked as the Head of Major Donors
department World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India.

Tribal 'green warrior': Damodar Kashyap

Damodar Kashyap, a 74-year-old tribal farmer in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, has
transformed 400 acres of land in his village into a flourishing forest through a
community-based approach to conservation. As the village sarpanch, he implemented
strict rules and fines for forest destruction and deployed villagers to patrol and guard
the forest. Kashyap also utilized local beliefs and practices to emphasize the sacredness
of the forest.
Kerala's first 'Ashoka Chakra' winner Havildar Alby D'Cruz Passes
away
Alby D'Cruz, one of Kerala's proud Defence personnel who always maintained a low
profile despite being the first Keralaite to be conferred the Ashoka Chakra, passed away.
It was way back in 1962, he received the Asoka Chakra (Class III) from the country's
first president Rajendra Prasad. Since 1967, this award has been called 'Shaurya
Chakra'.

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's ex-Prime Minister and Media Magnet Passed

Away at 86
On 12th June 2023, Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian Prime Minister and the billionaire
media magnet passed away at the age of 86 in Milan, Italy.He was born on 29th
September, 1936 in Milan, Italy. He was the three-time Prime Minister (PM) of Italy
serving during the period of 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and 2008-2011. He was the
longest-serving post-war PM of Italy, and the third longest-serving since the Unification
of Italy, after Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Giolitti.

Amitava Mukherjee gets 3 months extension as CMD (additional

charge) of NMDC and NMDC Steel
The Ministry of Steel has given 3 months extension to Amitava Mukherjee, Director
(Finance) of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) Ltd to hold the
additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of NMDC and NMDC Steel
Ltd from June 01 to August 31, 2023, or till a regular office-holder joins the post, or until
further orders, whichever is the earlier. He has been holding the additional charge as
CMD of NMDC since March 31, 2023, and was given the additional charge until May 31
2023. The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) had recommended N. Sridhar,
CMD of Singareni Collieries Company as NMDC CMD in March 2023.

Ravi Sinha takes over as RAW chief

IPS officer Ravi Sinha has been appointed as the new chief of the Research and Analysis
Wing (RAW). A 19-batch IPS officer from Chhattisgarh has been appointed as the RAW
chief by the Union Cabinet Committee. He is currently the second-in-command of 'RAW'.
Ravi Sinha will continue as raw chief for two years. Goel's term ends on June 30.

Daniel Ellsberg, Renowned Whistleblower of the Pentagon Papers, Passes Away at

92
Daniel Ellsberg, a U.S. military analyst, passed away at the age of 92. He became known
for leaking the "Pentagon Papers," which exposed how the U.S. government deceived
the public about the Vietnam War. This revelation sparked a significant fight for
freedom of the press.Ellsberg's actions, predating figures like Edward Snowden and
Wikileaks, revealed that the government could mislead and lie to its citizens. Later in
life, he became an advocate for whistleblowers and his story was depicted in the movie
"The Post" released in 2017.

First Female Muslim federal judge in the United States

On 15 June, history was made as Nusrat Choudhury became the first female Muslim
federal judge in the United States. This milestone appointment marks a significant step
towards inclusivity and diversity within the judiciary.

KAMALA SOHONIE
Kamala Sohonie was the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in a scientific discipline. She
faced gender bias within the scientific community, including opposition from CV Raman,
a Nobel laureate. Despite Raman's initial rejection, Soho-nie confronted him and
eventually gained admission to the Indian Institute of Science. She completed her course
with distinction and went on to study at Cambridge University, where she made
significant contributions to biochemistry. Sohonie's research focused on neera, a palm
extract with the potential for combating malnutrition in tribal communities. She also
worked on improving the quality of milk produced by the Aarey Milk project.
Usage: The story can be used in essay/ethics, highlighting how her persistence and
achievements challenged gender biases and influenced Raman to change his stance on
women in scientific institutions.

Kuwait re-elects Ahmad Nawaf al-Sabah as Prime Minister

Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has been re-elected as Kuwait's Prime
Minister(PM) following a decree (official order) issued by Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh
Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on 13th June 2023. On 6th June 2023, the election
for the 17th National Assembly took place.

Glenda Jackson: Oscar-Winning Actress and Former Politician dies at

87
On 15th June 2023, Two-time Oscar-winning actress and UK's former politician Glenda
Jackson passed away in London at the age of 87. She was born in Birkenhead, England
on 9th may 1936.
i.She won 2 academy awards for Women in Love in 1971, A Touch of Class in 1974
performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
ii. she won 2 Emmy Awards in 1972 for her performance as Queen Elizabeth I in
Elizabeth R under Television category.
Petteri Orpo, NCP Party leader elected as New Prime Minister of
Finland
On 20th June 2023, the Parliament of Finland elected Petter Orpo, conservative National
Coalition Party (NCP) leader as Prime Minister (PM) of Finland. Petteri Orpo will lead a
coalition of the conservative NCP, the nationalist Finns, the minority-language Swedish
People's Party (RKP) and the Christian Democrats. Petter Orpo succeeded Sanna Marin
of Social Democrats party, who served as the PM of Finland from 2019-2023. Rikka
Purra, Head of the Finns Party is the new Finance Minister and Elina Valtonen, Deputy
Leader of NCP becomes the Foreign Minister of Finland.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy dies at 89

Cormac McCarthy, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer, passed away at the age
of 89 at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the United States of America (USA). He was
born on July 20, 1933 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
About Cormac McCarthy:
i. In 1957, he started his literary career with short stories such as "A Drowning Incident"
and "Wake for Susan" Both of them got published in the students' literary magazine
known as "THE PHEONIX" at the University of Tennessee, USA.
üi, His first novel, "The Orchard Keeper", was published by Random House in 1965.
Adaptations:
Some of his noted works like "All The Pretty Horses" "The Road", and "No Country For
Old Men" was adapted into films.

Marcel Ciolacu Appointed as New Prime Minister of Romania

Nicolae Ciuca Resigned On 15th June 2023, lon-Marcel Ciolacu(55 years old), leader of
Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD-Partidul Social Democrat) sworn in as the new
Prime Minister(PM) of Romania at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest, Romania.
Romania PM Nicolae Ciucã Resigned:
Nicolae Ciucä, leader of the National Liberal Party (PL), who has been serving as the PM
of Romania since 2021 resigned from the post on 12th June 2023. On 13th June 2023,
Klaus lohannis, President of Romania, appointed incumbent Justice Minister Catalin
Predoiu as interim PM of Romania.

Sylvester daCunha
Sylvester daCunha, the creator of the iconic 'Amul Girl' and 'Utterly Butterly' campaigns,
passed away. Amul paid tribute to him through a creative caricature featuring him and
the Amul girl.
Lessons from Sylvester daCunha's life:
• Creating a memorable and iconic campaign can leave a lasting impact.
• Building trust and respect with clients is crucial for long-term success.
• Creativity and humour can be powerful tools in advertising.
• Embracing topical and relevant content can help connect with consumers.

Tushar Mehta's tenure as Solicitor General extended

Senior advocate Tushar Mehta will continue as the Solicitor General (SG) for another
three years. On Friday, the Centre issued an order reinstating him. Mehta was appointed
as SG on October 2018, 10. Since then, his tenure has been extended twice by the Centre.
Along with Mehta. Justices Vikramjeet Banerjee, K M Nataraj, Balbir Singh, SV Raju, N
Venkatraman and Aishwarya Bathi, who are currently serving as Additional Solicitor
Generals (ASGs), have also been re-appointed by the Centre. They will also continue as
ASGs for three years.

American Co-Inventor of Lithium-lon Batteries, John Bannister

Goodenough, Passes Away
Renowned American scientist John Bannister Goodenough, the co-inventor of Lithium-
ion batteries and a co-winner of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, has sadly passed
away. Goodenough was just a month shy of his 101st birthday. His British-American
counterpart,Stan Whittingham, shared the Nobel prize with Goodenough for their
groundbreaking work. Whittingham initially discovered that lithium could be stored in
titanium sulphide sheets, and Goodenough perfected the concept by incorporating a
cobalt-based cathode, resulting in a product that has become an integral part of people's
lives today.

Indian-Origin Satellite Industry Expert Aarti Holla-Maini Appointed as

Director of UNOOSA
Aarti Holla-Maini, a highly accomplished expert in the satellite industry of Indian origin,
has been selected by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the Director
of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna. Her
appointment follows the tenure of Simonetta Di Pippo from Italy. The primary objective
of UNOOSA is to promote global collaboration in the peaceful exploration and utilization
of outer space, as well as the effective application of space science and technology to
foster sustainable economic and social progress.

Bhatnagar appointed CBI special director

Senior IPS officer Ajay Bhatnagar has been appointed as the special director of the
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). An order to this effect has been issued by the
Union Ministry of Personnel. Bhatnagar is a 1989 batch IPS officer of Jharkhand cadre.
He is currently additional director in the CBI and will serve as a special director till
November 2024, 20.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis wins second term as Greek PM
On 25th June 2023, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of Greece's centre-right New Democracy
(ND-Nea Demokratia) party, won the national election and secured a 2nd four-year
term as the Prime Minister (PM) of Greece. He was sworn in as the PM of Greece on 26th
June 2023 by the Archbishop of Athens, head of the Church of Greece.

Dr Vanessa Kerry appointed as WHO Director-General Special Envoy

for Climate Change and Health

June 22 is 'Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Day of Honour'

As many as 27 cities in the US and Canada are celebrating the Annual Day of Honour in
the name of Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Allegheny County is the 28th
city to join them. The decision was taken in recognition of the measures taken to reduce
violence and crime in the city area and to integrate people from different walks of life
towards voluntary and social activities. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced
that the country will celebrate 'Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Day of Honour' on June 22 every
year.

Santiago Peña elected as the next President of Paraguay

Former International Monetary Fund (IMF) economist, Santiago Peña, candidate of the
ruling conservative Colorado Party won the Paraguay presidential election 2023.

Shantanu Roy to be the Next CMD of BEML Limited

Shantanu Roy has been chosen to become the new Chairman & Managing Director
(CMD) of BEML
Limited (fomerly known as Bharat Earth Movers Limited), a Miniratna Public Sector
Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

BARC director A K Mohanty appointed as new Atomic Energy Commission

chairman
Ajit Kumar Mohanty, who is a well-known physicist and also serves as the director of
the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), has been selected as the new chairman of
the Atomic Energy Commission and secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.
This appointment means he will be responsible for overseeing India's nuclear program
and exploring the use of atomic power for non-military purposes. Mohanty will take
over from K N Vyas.
Polavarapu Mallikharjuna Prasad to be next Coal India chief
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PSEB) recommended Central Coalfields CMD
Polavarapu Mallikharjuna Prasad as the next Chairman and Managing Director of Coal
India (CIL).Prasad is expected to take the charge of India's largest coal miner accounting
for almost 80 per cent of the mined commodity from July 1.

Union Govt Constitutes 11-member Committee to Restructure 94-years-old ICAR

The Union Government has formed an 11-member high-level committee under the
chairmanship of Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary of the Department of Agricultural
Research and Education (DPRE) & Secretary, Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR), to restructure the 94-year-old ICAR, which was established in 1929, to meet the
objective of Amrit Kaal.
The committee was formed on April 24, 2023, and it would submit the report within 30
days.
Backdrop: Earlier, the union government constituted the committees under Dr MS
Swaminathan and Dr RA Mashlekar. However, their recommendation was never
implemented.
Recently, Dr K Ramasamy, a former Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University and member of ICAR-Academic Infrastructure, also recommended
restructuring of ICAR. Thus the new 11-member committee was formed to restructure
the ICAR.

Mridangam artiste, Karaikudi Mani, no more

Mani, 77, who had trained scores of students and played for yesteryear doyens as well
as present-day stars of Carnatic music, including M.S. Subbulakshmi, D.K. Pattamal,
Sanjay Subramanian and T.M. Krishna, died in Chennai.

Sahitya Akademi Awardee & Bengali author Samaresh Majumdar Passed away
On 8th May 2023, the Sahitya Akademi Award winner and popular Bengali writer
Samaresh Majumdar passed away at the age of 79 in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was born
on March 10, 1944 in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
About Samaresh Majumdar's writing:
Samaresh Majumdar made his writing debut with the novel titled "Dour" (Run), which
was Published in "Desh" (a Bengali literary magazine) in 1976.
The Dour novel was later made into a film in 1979.
His famous Animesh quartet (a series of four novels) of Uttoradhikar, Kalbela,
Kalpurush, and Mousalkal is now considered a modern classic.

Former AIFF vice-president Khaleel passes away at 91

Former All India Football Federation (AIFF) Vice-President A.R. Khaleel passed away.
He was 91. Khaleel, who had served as the president of the Karnataka State Football
Association (KSFA) for 28 years, had also served as the AIFF treasurer and executive
committee member.On occasion, Khaleel was a member of Asian Football Confederation
Standing Committees.

NIIFL appoints Rajiv Dhar as interim CEO&MD

The board of directors of National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Limited (NIIFL),
a collaborative investment platform for international and Indian investors, anchored by
the Government of India, has appointed Rajiv Dhar as the interim Chief Executive officer
(CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of NIIFL, effective from May 11, 2023.

AK Jain appoints as new PNGRB Chairman by Government

The chairman position of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has
finally been filled. A K Jain, the former Coal Secretary, has been appointed by the
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet to take on this role for a period of five years.
The position has been vacant since December 2020. The government order announcing
the appointment stipulated that he would hold the position until either the age of 65,
until further notice, or until the date he assumed charge of the post.

DSCI appoints Pramod Bhasin as its New Chairman

The Data Security Council of India (DSCI) has appointed Pramod Bhasin as its new
Chairman with effect from 1st April 2023. He succeeds Rajendra S Pawar, the chairman
and co-founder of NIIT Group, who had served as the Chairman of DSCI for a period of 3
years.
Pramod Bhasin is currently serving as the Chairman of the Indian Council for Research
on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).

Eminent Singer Kalyani Kazi Passed Away

On 12th May 2023, Kalyani Kazi, the eminent singer and the youngest daughter-in-law
of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal, at the age of 87.Kalyani
Kazi was a member of the advisory council of Poschimbongo Kazi Nazrul Islam
Akademi.She was honoured with the Sangeet Mahasamman Award from West Bengal in
2015.
Amy Pope of USA Elected as the 1st Woman Director General of UN's IOM
On 15th May 2023, Amy E. Pope (49 years old) of the United States of America (USA)
was elected as the 1st woman Director General (DG) of the International Organization
for Migration (IOM), the United Nations (UN) Migration Agency. She will take over as
the 11th DG of IOM for a 5-year term beginning on 1 October 2023.

American Economist & Nobel laureate Robert E Lucas Jr Passed Away

On 15th May 2023, Noted American economist and Nobel laureate, Robert Emerson
Lucas Jr. (Robert Lucas), professor of Economics at the University of Chicago(since
1975), passed away in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (USA), at the age of 85.
He was born on 5th September 1937 in Yakima, Washington, USA.
He won the Nobel Prize in Economic Science officially known as "The Sveriges Riksbank
Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel" in 1995 for his work on rational
expectations and the efficacy of government intervention in the economy.

Slovakia President appoints Central banker Ludovit Odor as interim PM

On May 15 2023, Zuzana Caputova, President of Slovakia, appointed Ludovit Odor, a
Slovak economist and former Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Slovakia, as
interim Prime Minister (PM) of Slovakia. He will head the 15-member cabinet of
Slovakia till the elections, which will be held in September 2023.
Prior to this appointment, Ludovit Odor served as Deputy Governor of the National
Bank of Slovakia from 2018 to 14th May 2023.
Ludovit Odor takes over as the PM from Eduard Heger, who resigned from the post on
7th May 2023.

Libyan Parliament has expelled PM Fathi Bashagha

Libya's political scene has been thrown into turmoil as the nation's eastern-based
parliament voted to remove Prime Minister Fathi Bashagha, referring him for
investigation and appointing Finance Minister Osama Hamad as his replacement. The
reasons for Bashagha's ousting are unclear.
As a former interior minister, he was chosen over a year ago to rival Tripoli-based
premier Abdul Hamid Dbeibah under a United Nations-brokered deal to create a power-
sharing government and establish democracy in Libya.

Australian Tennis Player Owen Davidson, winner of 13 Grand Slam doubles titles,
passed away
On May 12 2023, Australian tennis player Owen Davidson, who won 13 Grand Slam
doubles titles, passed away at the age of 79 in Conroe, Texas, the United States of
America (USA). He was born on October 4, 1943 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Indian-Origin Cop Is Highest-Ranking

South Asian Woman In New York Indian-origin Captain Pratima Bhullar Maldonado has
become the highest-ranking South Asian woman in the New York Police Department
(NYPD).
She was promoted to the rank of Captain last month. Maldonado, 45, was born in
Punjab, India, and moved to the United States with her family when she was 9 years old.
She joined the NYPD in 1999 and has served in a variety of roles, including patrol
officer, detective, and sergeant.

Senior judge Ioannis Sarmas appointed as Caretaker PM of Greece

Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of Greece, has appointed Senior Judge Ioannis
Sarmas (66 years old) as the caretaker Prime Minister(PM of Greece to lead the
caretaker government until the repeat election on 25th June 2023.
On 25th May 2023, He was sworn in as the PM to replace outgoing PM Kyriakos
Mitsotakis after the inconclusive ballot.Ioannis Sarmas is the President of the Hellenic
Court of Audit, (the supreme financial court of Greece), one of Greece's 3 senior courts.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu sworn in as the New President of Nigeria; Kashim Shettima as
VP
On May 29 2023, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 71, the former governor of Lagos (Nigeria), was
sworn in as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Parminder Chopra to Become 1st Woman MD of Power Finance Corporation

Parminder Chopra is set to become the first woman Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of the Power Finance Corporation (PFC), India's largest non-banking financial
company (NBFC) and a Central Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of
Power.
The Public Sector Enterprise Board (PESB) has recommended Parminder Chopra for the
role of CMD of PFC.She will succeed Ravinder Singh Dhillon, who is set to retire on 31st
May 2023.

R Dinesh Appointed as CII President for 2023-24

TVS Supply Chain Solutions Executive Vice Chairman R. Dinesh has assumed office as
the Confederation of Indian Industry (CIl) President for 2023-24 while ITC Managing
Director Saniiv Puri has been named as President-designate.
The CII National Council, which met in New Delhi to elect new office-bearers for 2023-
24, also named EY Chairman India Region Rajiv Memani as Vice-President.

Kami Rita Sherpa of Nepal climbs Everest for the 28th time, beats his own world
record

Triumph of Resilience: Hari Buddha Magar Climbs Mt Everest with Artificial Legs
Hari Budha Magar, a former Gurkha soldier from Nepal who lost both his legs, made
history by successfully climbing Mount Everest using prosthetic legs.
Kannada Writer & Sahitya Akademi Awardee, GH Nayak Passed Away
On May 26 2023, noted Kannada writer, critic and Sahitya Akademi award winner
Govindaray H Nayak, popularly known as GH Nayak passed away at his residence in
Mysuru, Karnataka at the age of 88. He was born in Surve village near Ankola taluk of
Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in 1935.

Maria Mies
Maria Mies, a Marxist Feminist scholar, recently passed away She was known for her
extensive work on how patriarchy, capitalism, and colonialism exploit women and
nature.

Legendary Singer Tina Turner 'Queen of Rock' Dies Aged 83

Tina Turner, the 'Queen of Rock'n'Roll' has passed away at the age of 83 after a long
illness in her home in Kusnacht near Zurich, Switzerland.
The singer, Tina Turner, rose to prominence after performing with her husband Ike
Turner in the 1960s before overcoming his violent, abusive behavior to go on to become
a chart-topping solo artist.
Turner earned fans all over the world for her riveting live performances, and was best
known for songs such as "Private Dancer", "The Best", "What's Love Got to Do With It"
and "Proud Mary". Turner was diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and received a
kidney transplant in 2017.

Renowned British Novelist Martin Louis Amis Passed Away

On 19th May 2023, a renowned British Novelist Martin Louis Amis, a Fellow of the Royal
Society of Literature, passed away in Lake Worth, Florida, United States of America
(USA), at the age of 73.
Note: He was the son of British writer Kingsley Amis, who won the 1986 Booker prize
for his novel "The Old Devils".

Industrialist and philanthropist Karumuttu T Kannan passes away at 70

Karumuttu T Kannan, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist, who served as the
Chairman & Managing Director of Thiagarajar Mills Ltd, located in Madurai, has sadly
passed away at the age of 70. He was the son of Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar, the
renowned industrialist and philanthropist who established Thiagarajar Mills in 1936.

Manoj Soni sworn in as UPSC chairman

Manoj Soni has taken charge as the new chairman of the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC). He joined the commission as a member on 28 June 2017 and is
serving as the chairman of UPSC from 5 April 2022. Now he has taken over as full
chairman.

Praveen Sood as CBI Director

The Center has selected Praveen Sood as the new Director of the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI). He is currently the DGP of Karnataka. The High Power Committee
chaired by Prime Minister Modi has approved his appointment. Central Department of
Public Grievances and Training (DOPT) revealed that Sood will continue in this post for
two years . A graduate from IIT Delhi, Sood started his career as ACP of Mysore in 1989.

Competition Commission of India Chairperson Rao Neeth Kaur

Government has appointed Rao Neeth Kaur as the Chairperson of Competition
Commission of India (CCI). This is the first time that a woman has taken charge as a full-
fledged chairperson of CCI. The Union Cabinet Committee on Appointments approved
the appointment of Rao Neeth Kaur, a 1988-batch Punjab IAS officer. The official orders
say that Ravneet Kaur will continue as CCI Chairman for a period of five years from the
day she takes charge , till she attains the age of 65 years , whichever comes first, until
further orders are issued.

The first Arab astronaut to conduct a space walk

Sultan Al Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made history as the first Arab to
walk in space. After coming out of the International Space Station (ISS) in Earth orbit, he
performed his duties for 7.01 hours in the vacuum state of Rhodasi. The American space
agency-NASA along with flight engineer Stephen Bowen installed the power lines
outside the ISS.

Indian-origin woman Neera Tanden is Joe Biden's adviser

Indian-origin woman Neera Tanden has been appointed as Joe Biden's adviser. United
States President Joe Biden has appointed Indian-American Neera Tanden as his
domestic policy adviser to help formulate and implement his domestic policy agenda.

Ambani in Cop 28 Advisory Committee

Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries, has a rare opportunity. He was selected as
a member of the International Advisory Committee. The COP28 UAE Advisory
Committee draws on the experience of environmental leaders from countries across 6
continents to provide guidance and advice to the Presidency of the 28th Session of the
Conference of Parties (COP28) . It is known that Reliance is taking steps towards
renewable energy from conventional crude oil refinery and petrochemicals. The
committee consists of 31 members from all over the world from government , industry ,
energy , finance , civil society and youth. It is known that the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat announced in January that UAE
Industries Minister Sultan Ahmed Al Jabeer will be the President's designate for this
committee. Now the names of 31 members of the advisory board have been announced.
Black CEO Larry Fink , Siemens Board Chairman Joe Kayser , BP's former head Bob
Dudley and others are among them. Along with Mukesh Ambani, the only other member
from India on the panel is environmental campaigner Sunita Narayan.
Cambodian King Norodam Sihamoni arrived in Delhi
Cambodian King Norodam Sihamoni arrived in Delhi on May 29 for his visit to our
country. Sihamoni visited India on the occasion of 70 years of India-Cambodia
diplomatic relations which began in 1952. This is the first time that the King of
Cambodia has returned to India since Sihamoni's father Norodam Sihanouk visited India
in 1963. On May 30, Sihamoni was welcomed at the President of India's residence with
official ceremonies.

Erdogan's victory in Turkish elections

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdoğan has won again. Erdogan has been the ruler of
Turkey for two decades. He served as Prime Minister and President. If he comes to
power again now, he will enter the third decade.

Neera Tandon as White House Counselor

Neera Tandon (52), an Indian-American woman, has taken up the position of domestic
policy adviser in the US presidential palace. It is one of the three key advisory positions
in the White House. The other two posts are National Security Council and National
Economic Council. This is the first time in American history that a person of Indian
descent has taken up one of these three positions. In this post, she will be responsible
for immigration affairs, police reforms and crime prevention. Neera served as Associate
Director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House under Bill Clinton.