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Uttar Pradesh
MHA grants NoC to Rename 8 Railway Stations in UP
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has granted No Objection Certificate (NoC) to change the
names of eight railway stations in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh (UP). The renaming of railway
stations were proposed by the government of UP
Uttarakhand
IAF Conducted 'Bambi Bucket' Operation To Combat Forest Fires in Uttarakhand
The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted Bambi Bucket operations in collaboration with the
Uttarakhand government by utilising the Mi-17 V5 helicopter to combat forest fires in
Nainital, Uttarakhand. The Uttarakhand government has launched the "Pirul Lao-Paisa
Pao'' campaign to combat the forest fires and forest devastation.
DoP Secretary, Dr. Arunish Chawla launches the Meditech Stackathon 2024 in
collaboration with CII at New Delhi
On May 7, 2024, Dr. Arunish Chawla, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry
of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC&F), launched the Meditech Stackathon 2024 in New Delhi, Delhi, in
collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
✓ India's MedTech industry is projected to grow at 28% annually, reaching USD 50 billion by 2030.
India ranks 4th in Asia and top 20 globally in the medical devices market.
Indian Army & Punit Balan Group Partnered to develop India’s 1st Constitution Park in
Pune
India’s first Constitution Park, jointly developed by Indian Army and Punit Balan Group,
was inaugurated by Lieutenant General Ajai Kumar Singh, General Officer-Commanding-in-
Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army's Southern Command, in Pune, Maharashtra.
FIEO Projected India’s Merchandise to Grow USD 500 to 510 Billion in FY25
According to the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the apex body for exporters in
India, merchandise exports from India is expected to increase around 14% i.e. to USD 500-510 billion
in FY25(2024-25).
✓ India’s merchandise export saw a contraction of 3% with USD 437 billion in FY24 (2023-24).
India’s total exports stood at USD 788 billion in FY24.
✓ Further, it also estimated that services exports will reach to USD 390-400 billion in FY25. Thereby,
net worth of total exports from India will be around USD 890-910 billion.
IFFCO Receives FCO Approval for Nano Zinc Liquid, Nano Copper Liquid Fertilisers
Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited(IFFCO) has received FCO (Fertiliser Control
Order) approval to launch its IFFCO Nano Zinc (Liquid) and IFFCO Nano Copper (Liquid)
fertilisers which will mitigate zinc and copper deficiencies in agriculture crops and boost
productivity.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Highlights of 19th United Nations Forum on Forests held in New York
The 19th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) was held at the United Nations
(UN) headquarters in New York, United States (US) from May 6 to May 10, 2024. The forum was
organized by UNFF Secretariat. It was chaired by Zéphyrin Maniratanga of Burundi.
✓ The Indian delegation was led by Jitendra Kumar, Director General of Forests and Special
Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
✓ Globally, India ranks third in the net gain, in average annual forest area, between 2010 and 2020.
✓ International Forest Governance: A Critical Review Of Trends, Drawbacks, And New
Approaches published by International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) showed
deforestation rates dropped from 13 million to 10 million hectares per year between 2010 and
2023.
Belize, Jamaica, St. Vincent and Grenadines Received WHO Certification for Eliminating
Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis
The World Health Organisation (WHO) granted certification to 3 countries in the Americas i.e. Belize,
Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines for eliminating the mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Syphilis.
✓ The official ceremony took place in Kingston, Jamaica. It was organised by Pan American Health
Organisation (PAHO), in partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Joint
United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS).
WIPO Concludes New Treaty on IP, GRs & ATK; Benefits Global South & India
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Members have approved a new WIPO
treaty on Intellectual Property (IP) Genetic Resources (GRs) and Associated Traditional
Knowledge (ATK). For the 1st time the system of knowledge and wisdom, which supports
economies, societies and cultures for centuries, are now inscribed into the global IP system.
RBI launches IESH & CCS to Get Inputs for June’s 2024 Monetary Policy
On April 29, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched two surveys, the 'Inflation Expectations
Survey of Households (IESH)' and the 'Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS),' aimed at providing essential
inputs for the upcoming bi-monthly monetary policy scheduled for June 5-7, 2024.
✓ Inflation Expectations Survey of Households:
It targets subjective assessments on price movements and inflation based on individual
consumption baskets across 19 cities
✓ Consumer Confidence Survey:
The 'Consumer Confidence Survey' gathers qualitative responses from households regarding
sentiments on the general economic situation, employment scenario, price level, household
income, and spending.
RBI Revises banks' Capital Market Exposure norms for T+1 settlement
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the guidelines for custodian banks to issue Irrevocable
Payment Commitments (IPCs) in light of the T+1 settlement regime for stocks.
RBI Lifts Restrictions on Bank of Baroda’s mobile app “BoB World”; Allows Onboarding
Customers
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has lifted restrictions on Bank of Baroda(BoB)’s mobile
application “BoB World” with immediate effect. This allows BoB to onboard customers through
BoB World application in accordance with the applicable guidelines and extant laws
/regulations.
RBI Board Approves Dividend of Rs 2,10,874 Crore to Central Government for FY24
Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the transfer of Rs 2,10,874
crore (~Rs 2.11 Lakh crore) as surplus to the Central government for the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24).
This is around 141% higher than surplus transferred in FY23 (Rs 87,416 crore.).
✓ The surplus transfer for FY24 is determined by the Economic Capital Framework (ECF) adopted
by RBI, based on recommendations from the Expert Committee chaired by Dr. Bimal Jalan.
RBI Imposes Monetary Penalty on ICICI Bank, Yes Bank For Rule Violations
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on ICICI Bank Limited
for sanctioning term loans to certain entities to replace budgetary resources for specific projects
without proper due diligence.
✓ The RBI has also imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 91 lakh on Yes Bank Limited for multiple
violations of banking norms.
SEBI
SEBI Amends Mutual Fund Regulations to Curb Fraudulent Practices
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approved amendments to SEBI (Mutual Funds)
Regulations, 1996 to enhance the existing regulatory framework by mandating Asset Management
Companies (AMCs) to execute a strong "institutional mechanism" to curb fraudulent practices like
front-running and insider trading.
SEBI allows FPIs in GIFT City to take more investments from NRIs & OCIs
SEBI has allowed Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) established in Gujarat International Finance Tec-
City(GIFT City), Gujarat to accept unlimited investments from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
✓ A 100% contribution limit will be made available subject to the FPI submitting copies of
Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards of all their NRI/OCI individual constituents, and their
economic interest in the FPI.
SEBI introduces Framework for Stock Exchanges to supervise RAs & IAs
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduces framework for administration and
supervision of Research Analysts and Investment Advisers, as stock exchange will be recognized as
RAASB (Research Analyst Administration and Supervisory Body) and IAASB (Investment Adviser
SEBI mandates NISM Certification Requirement for One Personnel of AIF Investment
Manager Team
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated that the investment team of the manager of an
Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) must include at least one key personnel with National Institute of
Securities Market (NISM) Series-XIX-C certification. This requirement, effective from May 10, 2024,
is a criterion for AIF registration.
✓ SEBI has also relaxed the provisions of Risk Management Framework at KRAs (KYC Registration
Agencies) norms, where KYC stands for Know Your Customer (KYC).
SEBI amends rule to Facilitate Ease of Doing for Companies Planning IPOs
To ease the process for companies planning Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), the Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) has issued SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements)
(Amendment) Regulations, 2024 to amend the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2018.
✓ These changes are part of amendments to the Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements
(ICDR) rules.
✓ Promoter group entities and non-individual shareholders holding more than 5% of post-offer
equity can contribute to the shortfall in MPC without being labeled as promoters.
✓ Equity shares from the conversion of compulsorily convertible securities held for a year before
filing the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) will count towards MPC.
SEBI Amends Framework for Dynamic Price Bands for Scrips in Derivatives Segment
The market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has amended its guidelines on
dynamic price bands for scrips in the derivatives segment in order to improve uncertainty in
management and reduce information disproportion
✓ In the present scenario, cash market and futures contracts begin with a price band at 10 per cent
of the previous day's closing price, which can be altered by 5 per cent during the day if there are at
least 25 trades involving 5 unique client codes (UCCs) on each side at or above 9.90 per cent. Each
adjustment follows a 15-minute cooling-off during which trading continues within the current
band.
SEBI Notified Framework for Issue of Subordinate Units in Privately Placed InvITs
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has notified a framework which allowed the
privately placed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to issue subordinate units.
✓ Subordinate units will be issued to sponsors or its associates upon acquisition of an infrastructure
project.
✓ Suboridnate units will have no voting rights and distribution rights compared to the ordinary
units issued.
✓ The amount of subordinate units at the time of acquisition shall not exceed 10% of the acquisition
price of infrastructure project by the InvIT.
✓ The total number of outstanding subordinate units issued by an InvIT shall not exceed 10% of the
total number of outstanding ordinary units issued by InvIT.
✓ Subordinate units will be reclassified into ordinary units, when they achieve the performance
benchmarks after 3 years of issuance.
HDFC Bank Secures USD 500Mn from IFC for Women-Focused Lending
HDFC Bank secured USD 500 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to
support underserved women borrowers. This funding aims to empower women by
promoting financial inclusion, income generation, and socio-economic growth.
Bank of Maharashtra tops among PSU banks in Business Growth in FY24; SBI FY24 net
profit rises 21.59%
Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) emerged as the top performer among Public Sector Banks (PSBs) in terms
of business growth during the Fiscal Year 2023-24 (FY24), according to published financial numbers of
the public sector banks (PSBs). BoM recorded a remarkable 15.94% rise in total business (domestic) in
FY24.
✓ State Bank of India (SBI) followed closely with a growth rate of 13.12%. SBI's total business
(deposit and advances) stood significantly higher at Rs 79,52,784 crore (about 16.7 times)
compared to BoM’s Rs 4,74,411 crore.
✓ SBI, Bank of India, and Canara Bank also achieved double-digit growth in deposits, at 11.07%,
11.05%, and 10.98%, respectively.
Yes Bank launches YES Grandeur for India's Emerging Affluent Segment
Yes (Youth Enterprise Scheme) Bank has launched YES Grandeur, a banking program in the form of
Savings Account and Debit card, for India's emerging affluent segment. This program targets those
with an Average Monthly Balance (AMB) of Rs 5 lakh or a Net Relationship Value (NRV) of Rs 20 lakh.
Yes Grandeur Debit Card offers travel benefits, including zero cross-currency markup
charges and airport lounge access.
FINANCE NEWS
India contributes USD 500,000 to U.N. Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj presented a
voluntary financial contribution of USD 500,000 to the UN Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism, and
handed over to Under Secretary General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Vladimir
Voronkov.
✓ With this latest contribution, India's cumulative financial support to the trust fund reaches USD
2.55 million. Qatar tops the UN Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism with USD 139,530,303.
GoI Announces USD 1 Million Immediate Relief Aid for Landslide-Hit Papua New Guinea
The Government of India (GoI) through the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation
(FIPIC), announced a relief assistance of USD 1 million for Papua New Guinea (PNG)
following a massive landslide that occurred on 24 May 2024 in Enga Province, PNG that
buried over 2,000 people.
BRISKPE Raises USD 5 Million in Seed Funding from PayU to Enhance Cross-border
Payments
GoBrisk Technologies Private Limited (BRISKPE), a Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based cross-border
payments platform, secured an investment of USD 5 million in a seed round from PayU, the
payments and fintech business of Prosus.
REC Limited Receives NOC from RBI to Establish Wholly-owned Subsidiary in IFSC, GIFT
City
On 3rd May 2024, REC Limited(formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited), has received a No
Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for establishing a wholly-owned
subsidiary in the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat International Finance Tec-
City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Mirae AMF Launched Nifty Mid Small-Cap 400 Momentum Quality 100 ETF
On 6th May 2024, Mirae Asset Mutual Fund(AMF) launched Mirae Asset Nifty MidSmallCap400
Momentum Quality 100 Exchange Traded Fund(ETF), India’s 1st mutual fund scheme with 50 Mid-Cap
and 50 Small-Cap stocks.
TATA AIG General Insurance unveils India’s 1st Satellite In-Orbit Third-Party Liability
Insurance policy
TATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited has introduced India’s first ‘Satellite In-Orbit
Third-Party Liability Insurance’ policy which provides critical financial protection to meet the needs
of satellite manufacturers and operators in the Indian space sector.
With this, TATA AIG General Insurance becomes the first private insurer in India to offer a
Satellite Insurance cover
LIC Received Approval from SEBI for Additional 3 years to meet MPS norms
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has received the approval from Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI) for additional 3 years to comply with the Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS)
norms.
✓ SEBI granted this additional 3 years to LIC to achieve 10% Public shareholding under Rule 19(2)
(b) (iv) of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules, 1957 i.e. within a time period of 5 years
from the date of listing.
✓ Now, the revised timeline for LIC to achieve is on or before 16th May, 2027.
IFSCA Sets up Committee Chaired by Rajeev Kher to Position GIFT City as “Global
Trading Hub”
The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has constituted an expert committee
to position Gujarat International Finance Tec-City- International Financial Services Centre (GIFT-
IFSC) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat as “Global Commodity Trading Hub”.
The 21-member expert committee will be chaired by Rajeev Kher, Former Secretary,
Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoCI).
NSE Lowered Tick Size to 1 Paisa for Stock Price Below Rs 250
National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) announced that it has lowered the tick size for all
stocks from 5paisa (at present) to 1 paisa for securities priced below Rs 250 in the cash segment. The
main objective for this new tick size is to enhance liquidity and improve price discovery by allowing
more granular price adjustments.
The tick size for T+1 settlement securities will also be applicable to T+0 (T0) settlement
securities.
ECONOMY NEWS
Retail inflation eases to 4.83% in April 2024, surge in Food Prices Continues
As per the data from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), The annual Retail
inflation rate based on all India Consumer Price Index (CPI) number is 4.83% (Provisional) in April
2024, slightly down from 4.85% in March 2024, despite a continued surge in food prices. This decrease
is attributed mainly to lower fuel prices.
BUSINESS NEWS
MSCI Announced Changes in MSCI Global Standard Index: 13 Indian Firms Added & 3
Removed
MSCI Inc.(formerly known as Morgan Stanley Capital International Inc.) has announced changes in
constituents for the MSCI Global Standard Indexes, which will take place as of close of 31st May 2024.
As per the May 2024 review, 13 Securities will be added to and 3 Securities will be deleted from the
India Index.
The 3 companies removed from MSCI India Index are Berger Paints India Limited;
Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and Paytm (One97 Communications Limited)
BEML Secured Order Worth Rs 250 Cr from NCL to Supply BH100 Rear Dump Trucks
BEML Limited (formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited) has secured an order worth Rs 250
crore from Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) for supplying 28 units of BH100 rear dump
trucks.
IOCL Exports 1st consignment of India’s 1st Premium Fuel "XP100" to Sri Lanka
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a leading energy company in India, exported its first-ever parcel
of XP100, India’s 1st superior 100-octane premium fuel, from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT),
Nava Sheva, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra to Lanka IOC, a subsidiary of IOCL in Sri Lanka.
Bank Credit Growth to Slip 200 bps to 14% in FY25: CRISIL Ratings
According to the domestic rating agency, CRISIL Ratings Limited, a subsidiary of CRISIL Limited, Bank
credit growth is expected to moderate by ~200 basis points (bps) (2%) to ~14% in the financial year
2024-2025, following robust growth of ~16% in the last financial year 2023-2024.
Bharat Heavy Bhabha Atomic Signed a Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) for a 50
Electricals Limited Research Centre Kilowatt (KW) alkaline electrolyser system for
(BHEL) (BARC) hydrogen production.
Under this partnership, BHEL aims to scale up Indigenous
Alkaline Electrolyser Technology and commercialise it for
application in sectors such as refineries, fertiliser, steel,
transportation, etc.
INTERNATIONAL
PERSON NAME APPOINTED ENTITY / KEY NOTES
AS PLACE
Jeremiah Manele Prime Solomon Jeremiah Manele, former Foreign Minister of the
Minister Islands Solomon Islands was sworn in as the new Prime
Minister (PM) of the Solomon Islands by
winning the PM vote in the secret ballot after the
results of the 2024 national election failed to
deliver a majority to any political party.
Jeremiah Manele replaced Manasseh
Sogavare, who served as PM of Solomon
Islands for 4 terms.
AWARDS
AWARDS IN THE FIELD OF ARTS & CULTURE FILMS
AWARD NAME AWARD FIELD KEY NOTES
WINNER
Palme d’Or Sean Baker Film The 77th annual Cannes International Film
Festival was held from May 14 to May 25,
2024, in Cannes, France. American comedy-
drama film ‘Anora’ directed by Sean Baker
won the Palme d’Or, the highest honour of the
Cannes festival. Click here for the complete list
of winners
✓ Indian film ‘All We Imagine as Light’
directed by Payal Kapadia won the
Grand Prix, the 2nd highest award of
the festival. She became the first
Indian to win this award.
✓ Santosh Sivan, an Indian
cinematographer and film director,
was honoured with the Pierre
Angénieux Tribute Award in
recognition of his career and
exceptional quality of work. He
became the first Asian to win this
award.
✓ Indian actress Anasuya Sengupta won
the Best Actress award for her
performance in ‘The Shameless’ in the
‘Un Certain Regard’ category.
Winners 2024 – Feature Films:
Award
Catego Winner Director
ry
Palme Sean
Anora
d’Or Baker
Grand All We Imagine Payal
Prix As Light Kapadia
Special Mohammad
Award Rasoulof
Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024 features 86 Indians; includes Akshit Bansal, Raghav
Arora & Bhagya Shree Jain
The 9th edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list (2024) featured 86 entries from India which
includes Akshit Bansal (29) and Raghav Arora (28), co-founders of Statiq-India and Bhagya Shree
Jain (29), founder of The Disposal Company.
✓ The 2024 list features 300 entries from 21 countries and territories. India had the most entries
followed by China and Japan (32 each), Singapore (27), Australia (26) and Indonesia (18).
Notable Indian Entries on the 2024 List:
Category Name Age Title/Company
Industry,
Akshit Bansal,
Manufacturing 29 ; 28 Cofounders, Statiq – India
Raghav Arora
& Energy
Founder, The Disposal
Social Impact Bhagya Shree Jain 29
Company
Pratyush Rai,
Consumer Siddhartha Saxena 26;
Cofounders, Merlin
Technology and Sirsendu 27;26
Sarkar
Ankit Bansal, Ishan
Rakshit and Priy 29;29;27 Cofounders, Shopflo
Enterprise
Ranjan
Technology
Aryan Sharma and
18,19 Co-founders, Induced.ai
Ayush Pathak
Entertainment
Pavithra Chari 29 Songwriter
and Sports
Finance and
Venture Aniket Damle 29 Principal, Blackstone
Capital
Healthcare
Shobhita Narain 29 Founder, Veera Health
and Science
Media,
Marketing and Kavan Antani 27 Cofounder, Indiefolio
Advertising
Retail and E-
Parul Aggarwal 27 Founder, Kabbish
Commerce
35th Goldman Environmental Prize: Chhattisgarh Alok Shukla received it for Asia
Continent
Goldman Environmental Foundation announced the winners of the 35th Goldman Environmental
Prize(2024), which is also known as “Green Nobel Prize”. Alok Shukla, convenor of the Chhattisgarh
Bachao Andolan and founding member of the Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti,won the 2024
Goldman Prize from Asia for his efforts to save the forests of Hasdeo Aranya in Chhattisgarh.
Winners of 35th Goldman Environmental Prize (2024):
Region Winner Country Category
Asia Alok Shukla India Forest
Nonhle
Mbuthuma South Oceans &
Africa
and Sinegugu Africa Coasts
Zukulu
Teresa Oceans &
Europe Spain
Vicente Coasts
Islands Murrawah
Climate &
& Island Maroochy Australia
Energy
Nations Johnson
North Andrea Climate &
USA
America Vidaurre Energy
South &
Marcel Food &
Central Brazil
Gomes Agriculture
America
POWERGRID Receives ATD BEST Awards 2024 for the 3rd time in L&D Field; NTPC
Secures 3rd Rank Globally
Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise
(CPSE) under the Ministry of Power has been awarded the ATD BEST Awards 2024, by the Association
for Talent Development (ATD), the United States of America (USA) for leveraging talent development
as a strategic business tool.
NTPC Limited (formerly National Thermal Power Corporation), a Maharatna company and India’s
largest power utility secured the 3rd rank globally at the ATD BEST Awards 2024, making it the
highest-ranking among all Indian companies.
EVENTS
EVENTS VENUE KEY POINTS
ONDC Startup Delhi Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Mahotsav Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, organised the “ONDC Startup Mahotsav”, a
CONFERENCE
CONFERENCE VENUE KEY POINTS
Citizen Stack: Digital New York, United The first United Nations (UN) Conference on 'Citizen Stack:
Public Infrastructure, States (US) Digital Public Infrastructure, Transformative Technology
Transformative for Citizens' was held at UN headquarters in New York,
Technology for United States (US) under India’s leadership to harness the
technology to propel Sustainable Development Goals
Citizens
(SDGs) and foster inclusivity.
✓ The conference introduced India's Digital Public
Infrastructure (DPI) framework as a global
standard. India shared its 'Citizen Stack' initiative,
encouraging other nations to understand and
develop their own DPI.
It was hosted by the Permanent Mission of India
and the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with iSPIRT
(Indian Software Product Industry Roundtable).
Tsinghua
1 China 92.8
University
Peking
2 China 92.6
University
National
3 University of Singapore 91.2
Singapore
Nanyang
4 Technological Singapore 85.7
University
REPORTS
REPORT NAME SUBMITTED BY KEY NOTES
Recipe for a Livable World Bank The annual investments has to increase by an estimated 18
Planet: Achieving Net times, to USD 260 billion a year to halve current agrifood
Zero Emissions in the emissions by 2030 and achieve the target of net zero
Agrifood System emission by 2050.
✓ This is the 1st comprehensive global strategic
framework for mitigating the agrifood system's
contribution to climate change.
Aging Well in Asia: Asian India has the lowest health insurance coverage among older
Asian Development Development people standing at only 21%. While, South Korea and
Policy Report Bank (ADB) Thailand, have already achieved universal health coverage.
✓ The aging population in Asia and the Pacific is set to
nearly double by 2050 to 1.2 billion or 25.2% of
the regional population from 13.5% in 2022,
Water for Shared World Bank and The global flagship report titled “Water for Shared
Prosperity the Government Prosperity”, co-published by the World Bank and the
of Indonesia Government of Indonesia, was released during the 10th
World Water Forum held in Bali, Indonesia. The 10th World
Water Forum is being held from 18th to 25th May 2024 with
the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity”.
➢ As per the report, 2.2 billion people lacked
access to safe drinking water services and 3.5
billion are deprived of safely managed
sanitation in 2022.
Global Land Outlook United Nations Up to 50% of world’s vast rangelands are degraded and is
Thematic Report on Convention to nearly double the previous estimates that ranged from 20%
Rangelands and Combat to 35%.
Pastoralists Desertification’s ✓ The report was released by UNCCD in
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
(UNCCD)
✓ These lands cover 80 million square kilometer of
land i.e. 54% of all land on earth, account
for 1/6th of global food production and represent
nearly 33% of carbon reservoir on earth.
Rangelands occupy about 121 million hectares in
India and a large part (around 100 million hectares) of
these is considered underutilized.
State and Trends of World Bank 11th annual report titled “State and Trends of Carbon Pricing
Carbon Pricing 2024 2024”, total revenues from carbon taxes and Emissions
Trading Systems (ETSs) in 2023 have reached a record high
of USD 104 billion.
✓ For the first time, the carbon pricing revenues have
crossed the threshold of USD 100 billion. As per the
report, Large Middle-Income countries including
India, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Türkiye have made
Delhi
350 108 51 838 973 380
(Delhi)
Bengaluru
411 171 179 847 727 380
(Karnataka)
Mumbai
427 169 126 915 812 380
(Maharashtra)
Kochi
521 259 560 765 790 380
(Kerala)
China emerged as Largest Trading Partner of India in FY24 with USD 118.4 Billion: GTRI
Report
As per the data published by think tank Global Trade Research Initiative(GTRI), China emerged as
the largest trading partner of India with USD 118.4 billion two way commerce in FY24 (2023-24).
While, The United States of America (U.S.A.) with USD 118.3 billion was the 2nd largest trading
partner of India in 2023-24.
✓ For FY24, China replaced the U.S.A. to become India’s largest trading partner after a gap of 2 years.
The U.S.A. was India’s top trading partner during FY22 and FY23.
✓ For FY24, India’s imports to China increased by 3.24% to USD101.7 billion. Data showed
some critical products for India’s dependence on China are: telecom and Smartphone
parts, advanced technology components, among others.
Kerala Topped Unemployment Rate; Delhi Recorded Lowest for Q4 FY24: PLFS Survey
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the latest Periodic Labour
Force Survey (PLFS) for 15-29 year age group for January-March, 2024 Quarter for FY24(2023-24).
As per PLFS, Kerala topped youth unemployment rate among 15-29 age group at 31.8% for Q4 (Jan-
March) FY24.
✓ Other than Kerala, states which topped in youth unemployment among 15-29 age group for
Q4FY24: Jammu & Kashmir (28.2%), Telangana(26.1%), Rajasthan (24%) and Odisha (23.3%).
✓ While, Delhi registered the lowest unemployment rate among 15-29 age group at 3.1% for Q4
FY24, followed by Gujarat(9%), Haryana (9.5%), among others.
✓ Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) registered the highest unemployment rate for women at 48.6% for
Q4 FY24.
SEBI Mandates Social Enterprises on SSE to Submit Annual Impact Report for FY24
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has instructed the social enterprises who have
registered or raised funds through Social Stock Exchange (SSE) to submit an ‘Annual Impact Report’
for the fiscal year 2023-24 to the exchange by the end of October 2024.
✓ SEBI has appointed two additional agencies - ICMAI Social Auditors Organisation under the
Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) and ICSI Institute of Social Auditors under the
Institute of Company Secretaries of India as Self-Regulatory Organisations (SROs) to assess the
societal impacts of social activities carried out by social enterprises.
WSJ Report: Indian-Origin Nikesh Arora Became the 2nd Highest-Paid CEO in the US for
2023
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)’s list of the highest-paid Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in
the United States of America (USA) for 2023. Indian-origin Nikesh Arora, chairman and CEO of Palo
Alto Networks became the world's 2nd highest-paid CEO in 2023 with a substantial remuneration of
USD 151.43 million (approximately Rs 1,260 crore).
Piramal Enterprises Approves To Merge with Unlisted Housing Finance Arm for Listing
Norms
The board of directors of Piramal Enterprises Limited, a Non-banking finance company (NBFC), has
approved its merger with its wholly owned subsidiary, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance (PCHFL).
Following the merger, PCHFL will be renamed as Piramal Finance Limited (PFL).
Hinduja Group Firm IIHL Receives Approval From IRDAI For Reliance Capital
Acquisition
The Hinduja Group firm IndusInd International Holdings Limited (IIHL) has received the approval
from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for the acquisition of
Reliance Capital. The acquisition will include the takeover Reliance General Insurance and Reliance
Nippon Life Insurance by IIHL.
On February 27 2024, NCLT approved Hinduja Group firm IndusInd International Holdings
Limited's Rs 9,650 crore resolution plan for Reliance Capital.
Quant Money Managers Receives RBI Nod to Acquire Stake Up to 9.98% in RBL Bank
Quant Money Managers Limited has received Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approval to acquire its
stake up to 9.98% of the paid-up share capital or voting rights in RBL Bank Limited by May 12, 2025,
subject to certain conditions and provisions under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
✓ As of May 10 2024, Quant Mutual Fund (MF), an arm of Quant Money Managers, holds around
4.68% stake in RBL Bank.
IDFC First Bank Gets Shareholders Approval To Merge With IDFC Limited
Shareholders and Non-Convertible Debenture (NCD) holders of IDFC First Bank Limited have
approved the scheme of merger of IDFC Limited with IDFC First Bank. On May 17 2024,
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) convened a meeting to consider and approve the
composite scheme of amalgamation for IDFC FIRST Bank.
Disney Sells 30% Stake in Tata Play, Valuing Company at USD1 billion
The Walt Disney Company has entered an agreement to sell its 30% minority stake in a
satellite TV service provider Tata Play Limited to Tata Group, valuing the company at
approximately USD1 billion. The Tata Group takes full control of Tata Play after buying the
29.8% stake from Disney.
DEFENCE
EXERCISE
EXERCISE NAME VENUE / KEY NOTES
PARTICIPATING
COUNTRIES
Gagan Strike-II Multiple locations in The Ambala, Haryana-based Kharga Corps,
Punjab under the Indian Army (IA)'s Western
Command, and the Indian Air Force (IAF)
concluded Gagan Strike-II, a three-day Joint
Exercise across multiple locations in Punjab.
Gagan Strike-II involved Apache and Advanced
Light Helicopter-Weapon System
Integrated (ALH-WSI), unarmed aerial vehicles,
and Army Special Forces.
Exercise SHAKTI 2024 Umroi, Meghalaya & The 7th India-France joint military “Exercise
India-France SHAKTI 2024” commenced on 13th May, 2024 at
Umroi, in a fully developed and modern Foreign
TESTING
MISSILES NAME TESTING LOCATION FEATURES
Supersonic Missile- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Defence Research and Development Organisation
Assisted Release of Island off the coast of (DRDO) successfully flight-tested a long range
Torpedo (SMART) Chandipur in Balasore, Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo
Odisha (SMART) system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off
the coast of Chandipur in Balasore, Odisha using a
ground mobile launcher.
The system includes a long-range supersonic
missile carrier with a range of up to 643 km and a
lightweight torpedo with a 20 km range and a 50
kg high explosive warhead.
Semi Cryogenic Semi Cryo Integrated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Pre-Burner Engine Test Facility successfully conducted the first ignition test on the
Ignition Test (SIET) at ISRO Propulsion Semi Cryogenic Pre-Burner Ignition Test Article
Article (PITA) Complex (IPRC) in (PITA) at Semi Cryo Integrated Engine Test Facility
(SIET) at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in
Mahendragiri, Tamil
Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu (TN).
Nadu
ISRO is developing a 2,000 kN (kilonewton) thrust
semi-cryogenic engine utilizing a LOX (Liquid Oxygen)
Kerosene propellant combination to enhance the
payload capability of Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3)
rocket and future launch vehicles including the Next
Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
IAF Received 2nd C-295 Transport Aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space
The Indian Air Force (IAF) received its second C-295 transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space
S.A., Spain. C-295 aircraft will replace Avro Hawker Siddeley HS-748 aircraft in IAF service since 1960.
1st C-295transport aircraft was formally inducted into IAF in September, 2023.
Indian Army & IAF to Jointly Deploy MQ-9B Predator Drones at Gorakhpur & Sarsawa
Air Bases in UP
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army plan to jointly deploy MQ-9B Predator
drones made by the United States of America (USA) at air bases in Gorakhpur and Sarsawa, Uttar
Pradesh (UP), for upgrading surveillance capabilities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China
from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.
MQ-9B, manufactured by the USA-based General Atomics Aeronautical, has 2 variants – Sky
Guardian and Sea Guardian.
Kadet Defence Systems Introduced India’s 1st Loitering Aerial Munitions for Armed
Forces
Kadet Defence Systems(P) Limited (KDS) has introduced India’s 1st pioneering Loitering Aerial
Munitions (LAM) for the Indian Armed Forces. It was developed under a unique Development cum
Production Partner(DCPP) model with the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO).
LAM system encompasses cutting-edge technologies such as: Canister Aerial Loitering
Munition (CALM), Combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) with stand-off capabilities and
Tactical Vertical Takeoff & Landing (VTOL) UAVs.
IAF Conducts Maiden Airdrop Test of BHISHM, World’s 1st Air-Lifted Portable Hospital
in Agra
The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted maiden air drop test of BHISHM portable cubes, World’s 1st air-
lifted portable hospital in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. BHISHM portable cubes are part of broader initiative
named “Project BHISHM- Bharat health initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri”.
✓ Indian Army introduced its latest innovation named “Hexacopter Drone” mounted by Machine
Gun. Sirin Hexadrones were developed by Ikran Aerospace and Technologies Private Limited
(IAATPL).
IAF Conducted Night Vision Goggles-aided Landing of C-130J Aircraft in Eastern Sector
Indian Air Force (IAF)’s C-130J Super Hercules tactical transport aircraft successfully carried out a
Night Vision Goggles(NVG)-aided landing at the Kargil airstrip, Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in
the Eastern sector(close to the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan).
✓ The IAF has for the first time landed an aircraft using NVG. C-130J was manufactured by Lockheed
Martin.
Azad Engineering Bagged Contract to Provide Advanced Turbo Gas Generator Engine
for GTRE-DRDO Defence Programmes
Hyderabad (Telangana)-based, Precision Engineering and Manufacturing Company, Azad Engineering
Limited has bagged contract from the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), an Research and
Development (R&D) organisation of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and
Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India (GoI), to provide end-to-end manufacturing, assembly
and integration of completely-assembled advanced turbo gas generator engine for Defence
programmes of India.
PREFIRE (Polar NASA, USA National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Radiant Energy in successfully launched the first pair of small climate
NATIONAL
ISRO successfully tests AM PS4 Engine, a 3D Printed Rocket Engine at Mahendragiri, TN
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested a liquid rocket engine, ‘AM PS4
Engine’, produced using Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology, commonly known as 3D printing at
ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu (TN).
✓ Notably, AM PS4 Engine is the redesigned version of the PS4 engine of PSLV (Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle) upper stage. The engine underwent hot testing for 665 seconds, and
demonstrating expected performance parameters.
ISRO’s Mangalyaan-2 Mission to Include Helicopter, Sky Crane, Rover for Navigation on
Mars
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has unveiled comprehensive strategy for its next Mars
mission “Mangalyaan-2”. It was unveiled during special presentation held at the Space Application
Centre (SAC) on the eve of National Technology Day (May 11th , 2024).
✓ ISRO plans to use a Rover and helicopter for Mars exploration which is similar to the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Perseverance Rover.
✓ The Mangalyaan-2 mission will be launched aboard the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
Mk III (LVM3).
Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission Lifted off with 6 Crew Members Including One Indian
New Shepard rocket system built by Blue Origin, the company owned by Jeff Bezos, Founder of
Amazon, under the space tourism mission named New Shepard-25 (NS-25) lifted off with 6 crew
members including one Indian from Launch site one in West Texas, United States of America (U.S.A).
✓ Among the 6 crew members, Gopi Thotakura, commercial jet pilot and entrepreneur from
Andhra Pradesh(India), is the only Indian on this human space flight.
✓ He is the 1st Indian space tourist and the 2nd Indian to venture into space after Wing Commander
Rakesh Sharma of Indian Army (1984).
✓ Captain Ed Dwight is the 1st Black astronaut on the space flight. He was selected by former
President of United States of America (U.S.A.), John F Kennedy in 1961.
SPORTS
CRICKET
Indian Premier League 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders won the championship defeating
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) captained by Shreyas Iyer(Indian cricketer) has won the champions title of
the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH)
captained by Pat Cummins(Australian cricketer) by eight wickets in the finals held at the MA
Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).
✓ This marks KKR’s 3rd IPL title. The team has previously won the title in 2012 and 2014 under the
captaincy of Gautam Gambhir.
✓ TATA Group has secured the title sponsorship rights of IPL for 5 years (2024 to 2028) for Rs 2500
crore.
✓ Virat Kohli (RCB) has become the first batsman to reach 8000 runs in IPL. Virat Kohli became
the first Indian to score 12000 runs in T20 cricket.
✓ PBKS broke South Africa’s record to record the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket after
scoring 262 runs during IPL 2024 match against KKR. In 2023, South Africa chased down West
Indies’ 258-run score.
✓ Sunrisers Hyderabad broke the record for the highest score in the Indian Premier League after
scoring 277/3 against Mumbai Indians. Click here to read full News
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the doubles title in BWF Thailand Open
2024
Indian shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have won the men’s doubles title in the
Badminton World Federation (BWF) Thailand Open Super 500 badminton tournament 2024 which
was held from 14th to 19th May 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand.
✓ The world No. 3 Indian pair clinched the title by defeating the 29th-ranked Chen Bo Yang and Liu
Yi of China.
✓ This was their second tournament win of 2024 and second Thailand Open title after winning it in
2019.
Results:
Category Winner Runner-Up
Men’s Lee Zii Jia Ng Ka Long Angus
Singles (Malaysia) (Hong Kong,China)
Malaysia Masters 2024 - PV Sindhu finishes runner-up in the Women’s Singles; Viktor
Axelsen wins the Men’s Singles title
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and World number 15, Pusarla Venkata (P.V) Sindhu settles as
runner-up in the Women’s Singles category after losing the match to World number 7, Wang Zhi Yi of
China in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Malaysia Masters 2024 held from 21st to 26th May
2024 in Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
✓ Meanwhile, World number 1 Viktor Axelsen won his first World Tour title of 2024 in the Men’s
Singles category after defeating Malaysian badminton player Lee Zii Jia.
Category Winner Runner-up
Men’s Viktor Axelsen
Lee Zii Jia (Malaysia)
Singles (Denmark)
Women’s Wang Zhi Yi
P. V. Sindhu (India)
Singles (China)
Kim Astrup and
Men’s Anders Skaarup Jin Yong and Na Sung-
Doubles Rasmussen seung (South Korea)
(Denmark)
Rin Iwanaga and Lee Yu-lim and Shin
Women’s
Kie Nakanishi Seung-chan (South
Doubles
(Japan) Korea)
Goh Soon
Rinov Rivaldy and
Mixed Huat and
Pitha Haningtyas Mentari
Doubles Shevon Jemie
(Indonesia)
Lai (Malaysia)
India Finishes Third, Kazakhstan Tops the Medal Tally of the Elorda Cup Astana 2024
India finishes third in the medal tally with a total of 12 medals (2 Gold , 2 Silver & 8 Bronze) in the 3rd
edition Elorda Cup Astana 2024 (International Boxing Tournament) held in Astana, Kazakhstan from
12th to 19th May 2024. The two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi bagged gold medal.
✓ Kazakhstan Topped the medal tally with a total of 52 medals (14 Gold, 13 silver & 25 Bronze) and
China at the second position with 7 medals (5 Gold, 1 silver & 1 Bronze).
Indian Medal Winners:
Category Winner
Gold Minakshi (48kg); Nikhat Zareen (52kg)
Silver Anamika (50kg) and Manisha (60kg)
Men- Yaiphaba Singh Soibam (48kg),
Abhishek Yadav (67kg), Vishal (86kg)
and Gaurav Chauhan (92+kg)
Bronze
Women – Sonu (63kg), Manju
Bamboriya (66kg), Shalakha Singh
Sansanwal (70kg) and Monika (81+kg)
Indian Arm Wrestlers won 7 medals at the Asian Arm-wrestling Championship 2024
The Indian Arm-Wrestling team won a total of 7 medals (1 gold and 6 bronze) at the 22nd Asian Arm-
Wrestling Championship and 21st Asian Para Arm-Wrestling Championship 2024 held from 20th May
to 27th May 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Chattisgarh’s para-arm wrestler Shrimant Jha won a gold medal in the left-hand +85 kg para category
and a bronze medal in the right-hand para-senior category.
PUMA India signed with AFI to Become Official Kit Sponsor of Indian Athletes
PUMA India has signed a multi-year deal with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to
become its official kit sponsor, aiming to enhance athlete performance and create excellence
within India's sporting community.
Asian Relay Championships 2024 - Indian mixed 4x400m team wins gold and men's and
women's 4x400m teams win silver medals
The India’s mixed 4x400 relay team has set a national record by winning a gold medal at the inaugural
edition of Asian Relay Championships 2024 while the men’s and women’s 4x400 teams secured silver
medals. The first Asian Relay Championship was held from 20th May to 21st May 2024 in Bangkok,
Thailand.
The Indian team of Muhammed Ajmal, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan
won the gold medal and finished the race in 3 minutes(m):14.12Seconds(s). Sri Lanka clocked
3m:17.00s to clinch the silver medal while Vietnam with 3m:18.45s. bagged the bronze
medal.
Indian Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Doha Diamond League
2024
The Olympic and World Champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra claimed the second spot
with 88.36 meters in the Doha Diamond League 2024 that was held on 10th May 2024 at the
Qatar Sports Club, Doha, Qatar. The three-time Olympian for Czech Republic Jakub Vadlejch
claimed the top spot with 88.38 meters. The former world champion Anderson Peters of
Grenada claimed the third spot with an 86.62m throw.
Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medal in 27th National Federation Senior Athletics
Competition 2024
2020 Tokyo Olympics Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra won the Gold medal in the men’s Javelin with
82.27 meter(m) throw in 27th National Federation Senior Athletics Competition 2024. The
tournament held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
✓ DP Manu from Karnataka won the Silver medal with 82.06m throw and Uttam Balasaheb Patil
from Maharashtra won the Bronze medal with 78.39m.
Magnus Carlsen Wins the 2024 Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz; Praggnanandhaa
Finishes Fourth
The Five-time World Champion & World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen emerged as the winner of the 2024
Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz, a part of World Chess Tour that was held from 7th to 12th May 2024
in Warsaw, Poland. Wei Yi of China clinched the second spot with 25.5 points.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland finished third with 19.5 points and Praggnanandhaa claimed the
fourth position in the tournament with 19 points.
Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris to win the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2024
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2024 defeating McLaren’s Lando Norris
who finished on the second spot. The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was held on 19th May 2024 in Imola,
Italy. This was the 59th Formula 1 win of his career and third consecutive win in Imola, Italy.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc clinched the third position while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished
fourth in the race.
Magnus Carlsen Won the Casablanca Chess Tournament 2024; Anand Secured 3rd
Position
Five-time World Champion & World No. 1 Chess player Magnus Carlsen won the inaugural Casablanca
Chess Variant Tournament 2024 that was held on 18th-19th May, 2024 at Mahkama du Pacha in
Casablanca, Morocco.
✓ The tournament featured 4 distinguished players who represented 4 different continents i.e.
Vishwanathan Anand (Asia), Bassem Amin (Africa), Hikaru Nakamura (America) and Magnus
Carlsen (Europe).
✓ Hikaru Nakamura from United States of America (U.S.A.) secured 2nd position with 3.5 points. 5-
time World Champion and Indian Chess Player, Vishwanathan Anand secured the 3rd position
with 3 points.
IOC Launched “Let’s Move India” Campaign to inspire people to celebrate Athletes at
Paris Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in partnership with Reliance Foundation and
Abhinav Bindra Foundation has launched “Let’s Move India” campaign, inviting everyone to
embrace the joy of movement and to celebrate athletes participating at the 2024 Olympic
Games scheduled to be held in Paris, France.
Iran’s Bardiya Daneshwar won Sharjah Masters 2024; India's Divya Deshmukh won
Challengers 2024 Title
Bardiya Daneshwar, a 17-year-old Iranian chess grandmaster(GM), won the Masters title at the
Sharjah Masters 2024, the 7th edition of the International Chess tournament, held in Sharjah, the
United Arab Emirates(UAE) from 14th to 22nd May 2024.
Dipa Karmakar Becomes 1st Indian Gymnast to Win Gold Medal at Asian Gymnastics
Championships 2024
Dipa Karmakar (from Tripura) has become the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal in the
women’s vault apparatus at the Asian Gymnastics Championships 2024 (11th Senior Women Artistic
Gymnastics Asian Championships) held from 24th to 26th May 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
✓ Kim Son-hyang and Jo Kyong-byol of North Korea finished with the silver and bronze medals
respectively.
INTERNATIONAL
PERSON NAME FIELD BORN PLACE KEY NOTES
Ebrahim Raisi Iran's 8th Iran Died in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran
President (Iran-Azerbaijan border), Following his death
Iran's 1st Vice President Mohammad Mokhber
was appointed as Interim President of Iran for
50 days (before mandatory presidential
elections).
✓ Iran’s government cabinet also appoints
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali
Bagheri Kani as acting foreign minister
after the death of Hossein Amir-
Abdollahian in the crash.
Mohammad Mokhber's elevation to
presidential office will be subject to the
IMPORTANT DAYS
OBSERVED DATE / DAYS KEY NOTES
WEEK
April 19, 2024 Satellite Technology Annually observed across India on 19 April to
Day highlight the achievements made in satellite
technology. The Day commemorates the successful
launch of India's first satellite 'Aryabhata' into space
on 19 April 1975. STD-2024 marks the beginning of
the 50th year of the Aryabhata Launch.
On April 19, 1975, India’s first indigenously
developed satellite, Aryabhata, was launched by a
Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket from Kapustin Yar,
Russia.
April 24 to 30, 2024 World Immunization Annually observed across the globe in the last week
Week (WIW) of April to highlight the crucial efforts required to
protect individuals from vaccine-preventable diseases.
World Immunization Week 2024 was observed from
24 to 30 April 2024.
WIW 2024 commemorates the 50th anniversary of
the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Essential
Programme on Immunization (EPI). The theme of
World Immunization Week 2024 is “Humanly
Possible: Immunization for All”.
April 30, 2024 Ayushman Bharat Annually observed across India on 30th April to raise
Diwas awareness about the objectives of the Ayushman
Bharat, a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare(MoHFW), Government of India.
May 10, 2024 United Nations (UN) Annually observed across the globe on 10 May to
International Day of create awareness and promote the major role of the
Argania Argan tree (Argania spinosa), a native species of the
sub-Saharan region of Morocco, which grows in arid
and semiarid areas.
✓ The 2024 theme of International Day of
Argania is, "The Argan Tree facing the
challenges of climate change."
10 May 2024 marks the observance of the 4th
International Day of Argania. The 1st ever
International Day of Argania was observed on
10th May 2021.
May 11, 2024 National Technology Annually observed across India on 11 May to honour
Day the remarkable achievements of the nation’s scientists,
engineers, innovators, and others involved in the field
of Science and Technology, and celebrate and
recognise the major technological advancements of
India.
✓ This Day also commemorates the anniversary
of the successful nuclear test (Pokhran II) in
Pokhran, Rajasthan under the assigned code
name Operation Shakti in 1998. 11 May 2024
marks the 26th year of National Technology
Day.
✓ Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024: The
Government of India (GoI) has introduced the
prestigious “Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar” (RVP)
to honour remarkable contributions to Science,
Technology, and Innovation.
May 18, 2024 World AIDS Vaccine Annually observed across the globe on 18th May to
Day (WAVD), also raise awareness about the significance of Human
known as HIV Vaccine immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) infections in
Awareness Day (HVAD) preventing Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS).
✓ 18th May 2024 marks the observance of the
27th annual HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
(HVAD).
The red ribbon is the universal symbol of
awareness and support for people living with HIV.
May 20, 2024 United Nations (UN) Annually observed across the globe on 20 May to raise
World Bee Day awareness about the importance of bees and
beekeeping globally and the significance of pollinators,
the threats they face, and their contribution to
sustainable development.
May 30, 2024 United Nations (UN)’s Observed across the globe on 30th May 2024 to raise
first-ever International awareness of the various nutritional, economic,
Day of Potato environmental, and cultural values of the Potato
(Solanum tuberosum), the 3rd most consumed food
crop globally.
ENVIRONMENT
Batillipes Chandrayaani: New Tardigrade Species Discovered from Coast of TN; Named
After Chandrayaan-3 Mission
Researchers from the Department of Marine Biology, Cochin University of Science and Technology
(CUSAT) in Kochi, Kerala, have discovered a new species of marine tardigrade
“Batillipes Chandrayaani”, named after the Chandrayaan-3, in the intertidal beach sediments at
Mandapam Coast, Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu(TN).
✓ Batillipes Chandrayaani marks the 39th species, described under the Batillipes genus and
belongs to the phylum tardigrade.
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