INTERNATIONAL
World’s first Hydrogen Tram begins operation in China
The world’s first hybrid electric tram powered by hydrogen fuel cells has started running in China, marking a big step in the application of green energy in public transport. The tram was put into commercial operation for the first time in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. With water being its only emission, the tram emits no pollutants. No nitrogen oxides will be produced as the temperature of the reaction inside hydrogen fuel cells is controlled under 100 degrees Celsius. The tram, having three carriages with 66 seats, can run for 40 kilometers at a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour after being refilled with 12 kilograms of hydrogen.
Burundi becomes first country to leave International Criminal Court
African country Burundi has withdrawn from International Criminal Court (ICC) with effect has thus become the first nation. International Criminal Court is an international tribunal (located in Hague, Netherlands) having authority to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. In recent years, governments of three African countries, South Africa, Gambia and Burundi expressed their intent to leave ICC citing the reason that it focuses too much on African nations.
Chile named best country to visit in 2018
Lonely Planet, the travel guide company, ranked Chile as the number one country to visit in 2018, in its Best in Travel 2018 list. In the top 10 countries category, Chile was ranked the number one country. It was followed by South Korea and Portugal in the 2nd and 3rd positions. In the top 10 cities category, Seville of Spain was ranked as number one. In the top 10 regions category, Belfast & the Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland was ranked number one. In the top 10 best value, Tallinn of Estonia was given the number one rank.
Saudi Arabia, first country to grant Citizenship to a Robot
Saudi Arabia has become the first country to give a robot citizenship. The move is an attempt to promote Saudi Arabia as a place to develop artificial intelligence and, presumably, allow it to become a full citizen. The Robot is named as ‘Sophia’. Sophia was confirmed as a Saudi citizen during a business event named Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. It is historic to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with citizenship.
Kilogram will get new measure set by value of Planck constant from 2019
The International Conference of heads of Metrology Institutes held in Sevres, France has decided that the measure of kilogram will no longer be pegged to cylinder. From 2019 onwards, it will be set by value of Planck constant in combination with definitions of meter and second. Till now, the kilogram is the only one among units of measures pegged to real object. It was pegged to a cylinder (shown in fig) made up of 90% platinum and 10% iridium (In India, salt-shaker-sized cylinder weighing exactly a kilogram in National Physical Laboratory was used as ideal measure of kilogram since 1957). It was serving as reference for variety of industries to keep their weights accurate. But this cylinder’s weight in kilogram is known to fluctuate due to surface contamination with time, making it tricky to define its exact mass.
World’s first track-less train
China began test runs of its world’s first track-less train in Zhuzhou city, China. The train runs on virtual track and is being considered as the ‘World’s First smart train’. This train could travel at the speed of 70 kmph and is called Autonomous Rail Transit (ART). This train was created to reduce urban traffic problems. This train is a hybrid between a bus and tram.
Singapore Passport named ‘Most Powerful’, India ranks 75
Singapore’s passport has become the most powerful in the world with a Visa-Free Score of 159, according to the Passport Index developed by advisory firm Arton Capital. This is the first time an Asian country has been announced as having the most powerful passport. India secured the 75th rank in the index with a Visa-Free Score of 51. Historically, the top 10 most powerful passports in the world were mostly European, with Germany having the lead for the past two years. Afghanistan was on bottom most position (94th) with the score of 22. Pakistan was on 93rd Position with Iraq with the score of 26.
Russia vetoes UN resolution to extend inspection of chemical attacks in Syria
Russia used its veto power on the United Nations Security Council to block a UN resolution that would extend the work of International inspectors to determine who was behind the chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The chemical attack, which took place on 4 April 2017 on a town in violence-hit Syria- Khan Sheikhoun, has lead to the killing of many civilians. The attack was an instance of the deadliest use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war since the Ghouta chemical attack in 2013. Russia vetoed the US-backed resolution accusing the United States of calling the vote to dishonour Russia.
Nepal tops Asia Pacific list of nations elected to UNHRC
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected 15 States to serve on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) of which Nepal topped the countries representing the Asian Group in the 47-member council. UNHRC, Geneva-based highest intergovernmental body looking into matters relating to protection and promotion of human rights globally, elects its members through a secret ballot. Nepal topped the Asia-Pacific group with 165 votes followed by Qatar with 155, Pakistan with 151, and Afghanistan by 130. All got elected. Malaysia lost with 129. The newly elected countries are Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine.
WHO removes Robert Mugabe as Goodwill Ambassador
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s appointment as its Goodwill Ambassador has been cancelled. He was just recently appointed as the WHO’s Goodwill Ambassador. After days of scathing criticism from around the globe for naming Robert Mugabe a Goodwill Ambassador for health, WHO decided to cancel the opportunity given to him.
Suu Kyi’s name removed from Oxford
Students at the St Hugh’s College voted to remove Aung San Suu Kyi’s name from the title of their Junior Common Room, in North Oxford, England. Her name was dropped owing to her inability to stop severe human rights abuses against Rohingyas in Myanmar. She had graduated from St. Hugh’s College in 1967 and was granted an honorary doctorate from the university in 2012.
Lebanon’s parliament approves country’s first budget since 2005
Lebanon’s parliament approved country’s first budget in 12 years. It is aimed towards reforming the fragile economy and preventing rising debt from becoming a crisis-like situation.Political crisis gripped Lebanon since the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri in 2005, thereby preventing the successive government from passing the budget. This year’s budget was considered a necessity to bring the Lebanese economy on track which has been negatively affected by the inaction of previous Governments and also by six years of war in neighboring Syria.
State of World Population 2017: report
According to ‘State of World Population 2017’ released by United Nations Fund for Population Activities 27% of India’s children get married by age 18 as compared to 28% the world over. Among its neighbours, Bangladesh is worst off, with 59% of the married couples being under-age, followed by Nepal (37%). The report, notes India’s total fertility rate lower than the world average of 2.5.
Robert Mugabe named goodwill ambassador by WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador to help tackle non-communicable diseases.
Peru approves medicinal use of marijuana
The Peruvian Congress has approved a bill to authorises the medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis (marijuana) in the country. It makes production, import and commercial sale of marijuana and its derivatives legal. With this Peru became sixth country in Latin America to legalise cannabis. Uruguay was first in 2013, allowing sales of cannabis any purpose. It was followed by Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile.
World’s deepest lake under threat: Scientists
Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake is undergoing its gravest crisis in recent history, according to experts. Holding one-fifth of the world’s unfrozen fresh water, the lake situated in Russia’s Siberia region is a natural wonder of exceptional value to evolutionary science. It is even listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The lake’s rich biodiversity includes over 3,600 plant and animal species, most of which are endemic to the lake. Since the past few years, the lake, which is a major international tourist attraction, has been crippled by a series of damaging phenomena such as disappearance of the omul fish, rapid growth of putrid algae and the death of endemic species of sponges across its vast 3.2 million-hectare area.
Jacinda Ardern to be next New Zealand PM
New Zealand will get its youngest Prime Minister in more than 150 years after the small, nationalist New Zealand First Party agreed to form a new government with Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern, ending the National Party’s decade in power. The 37-year-old will be the youngest Prime Minister of the country which had been ruled by the National Party for a decade.
Pakistan, 14 other nations elected to UN rights body
Fifteen countries, including Pakistan, have been elected to the UN Human Rights Council by the UN General Assembly. In a vote, Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine were elected. They will serve a three-year term from January 1, 2018.
Fairy Queen, “World’s Oldest Functional Steam Engine” commences journey
Indian railways will be running of steam hauled tourist train “Fairy Queen” between Delhi Cantonment and Rewari on second and fourth Saturday of month beginning from 14 October 2017. The operation will continue till April, 2018. The train has a capacity of 60 passengers and the tickets can be booked at IRCTC website as well as at various tourist facilitation centres of IRCTC, National Rail Museum (NRM) and through travel operators. The Fairy Queen also known as the East Indian Railway 22 class, was built in the year 1855 and is the World’s oldest steam locomotive as certified by Guinness Book of Records in 1998.
US and Israel withdraw from UNESCO
The US withdrew from the UNESCO, accusing UNESCO of “anti-Israel bias”. Following US, Israel has also quit from UNESCO. The withdrawal of the US, which is supposed to provide one fifth of UNESCO’s funding, is a great blow for UNESCO. UNESCO which stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization is headquartered in Paris, France.
Mongolian Parliament confirms new Prime Minister
The Mongolian Parliament has confirmed Ukhnaa Khurelsukh as the country’s new Prime Minister. His confirmation comes after Jargaltulga Erdenebat was voted out of office last month over allegations of corruption and incompetence.
Suu Kyi stripped of Oxford honour over Rohingya criticism
An honour bestowed on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi by the city of Oxford has been withdrawn as a reaction to her perceived inadequate response to the plight of Rohingya muslims in the country. The “Freedom of Oxford” has been granted to the de facto leader of Myanmar in 1997 for her “long struggle for democracy” by the Oxford City Council. While the exact reasons for the portraits removal were attributed to a new replacement, there is a wider view that the allegations of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims fleeing their homes to Bangladesh is likely to be behind the move.
UAE begins collecting ‘sin’ taxes on tobacco, energy drinks
The United Arab Emirates has begun collecting new “sin” taxes on tobacco products, energy drinks and soft drinks. Beginning October 1, tobacco and energy drinks will be taxed at 100 per cent and soft drinks at 50 per cent. All six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council have agreed to begin collecting so-called VAT taxes, though others may begin later than January. The GCC includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Iran slaps fuel embargo on Iraqi Kurdistan
Iran has embargoed exports and imports of fuel products to Iraqi Kurdistan in response to its controversial independence referendum. Iran strongly opposes independence for the Iraqi Kurds, fearing it will provoke separatists among its own Kurdish population. Gas oil is one of Iran’s main exports to the autonomous Kurdistan region, which imported 110 million litres of it from Iran last year. Iran is one of the main exporters of fuel products to Kurdistan.
Burqa Ban comes into effect in Austria
Austria’s law banning face veils such as burqas or niqabs has come into effect from now. According to the government, acceptance and respect of Austrian values are basic conditions for successful cohabitation between the majority Austrian population and people from third countries living in Austria. Exemptions under certain conditions include items like clown disguises at cultural events, work wear such as medical masks, and scarves in cold weather. There are around 7 lakh Muslims in Austria.
INDIA & WORLD
India sends 1st Wheat Shipment to Afghanistan via Chabahar port
Iran’s key strategic port of Chabahar became operational with the maiden shipment of wheat from India to Afghanistan. It was flagged off from Kandla port in Gujarat. This is a major push for India’s Afghan outreach bypassing Pakistan for the first time under the 2016 Indo-Afghan-Iran trilateral pact. Chabahar port is strategically located in Sistan-Balochistan province on energy-rich Iran’s southern coast in Gulf of Oman near its border with Pakistan and can be easily accessed from India’s western coast.
Indian Air force contingent leaves for Israel to Participate in ‘Ex Blue Flag-17’
A 45 member contingent of the Indian Air Force left for Israel to participate in exercise ‘Blue Flag-17’. Blue Flag is a bi-annual multilateral exercise which aims to strengthen military cooperation amongst participating nations. Indian Air Force is participating with the C-130J special operations aircraft along with Garud commandos.
India jumps 30 ranks to 100th in World Bank’s ease of doing business list
In accordance with the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business index’, India has risen as much as 30 positions to rank 100th amongst 190 countries. The World Bank Group’s latest report ‘Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs’ recognises India as one of the top 10 improvers in this year’s assessment, though the report does not take into account the big bang reform of Goods and Services Tax (GST) which rolled out on July 1. The index is topped by New Zealand followed by Singapore and Denmark.
India tops list of new TB cases in 2016: Global TB Report
India tops the list of seven nations, accounting for 64 per cent of the 10.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide in 2016, said a Global TB Report 2017, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa. The report states that an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB in 2016, including nearly 400,000 people who were co-infected with HIV, recording a drop of 4 per cent in comparison to 2015.
India, Japan begin anti-submarine warfare exercise
The naval forces of India and Japan initiated an intensive air anti-submarine warfare exercise in the Indian Ocean. The exercise will conclude on 31 October 2017. The exercise would witness participation from a P-8 I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti Submarine Warfare of Indian Navy and two P-3 Orion Anti Submarine Warfare aircraft of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMDSF).
India and US to implement HOSTAC to strengthen maritime security
India and the United States have agreed to implement the programme for Helicopter Operations from Ships other Than Aircraft Carriers (HOSTAC). This decision was taken during a meeting between Indian Defense Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman and US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis. The meeting between Ms. Sitharaman and Mr. Mattis was held on October 25, 2017, in the Philippines on sidelines of ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting – Plus.
India overtakes US to become Second Largest Smartphone Market: Report
India overtake the US to become the world’s second-largest smartphone market, trailing only China, according to a new report by analyst firm Canalys. In the second quarter of 2017, India’s smartphone market recovered quickly with shipments growing 23% year-on-year in the third quarter to reach just over 40 million units. Low smartphone penetration and the explosion of LTE (long term evolution, or 4G) are the main drivers behind this.
SAP launches Asia Pacific Japan Region’s first Leonardo Centre in Bengaluru
Tech major SAP announced the launch of Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region’s first SAP Leonardo Center in Bengaluru. The fourth SAP Leonardo Center globally, the facility is a go-to place for SAP’s ecosystem for digital inspiration and co-innovation. Other SAP Leonardo Centers locations include New York-US, Paris-France, and Sao Leopoldo-Brazil. It combines a high concentration of customers and partners with one of SAP’s largest market units.
US Senate confirms Ken Juster’s nomination as US envoy to India
A crucial Senate Committee, confirmed the nomination of Kenneth Juster as the next American envoy to India, paving the way for a full Senate confirmation of the old India hand, who played a key role in the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal. The nomination of Juster, 62, now moves to the full Senate before he can be sworn in as America’s new Ambassador to India. Most recently, Juster had served as the Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. He would replace Richard Verma as the top American diplomat to India if confirmed, The position has been lying vacant since January 20 after Verma resigned from the post with the swearing in of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.
70 Indian words added to Oxford English Dictionary
Indian words like ‘Dadagiri’, ‘Jugaad’, Surya Namaskar’, ‘Anna’, ‘Achcha’, ‘Bapu’ and few others were added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in the month of September 2017. These words are among 70 Indian words from various regional languages like Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Bengali and Gujarati that were added to the dictionary. The dictionary added over 1000 new words in its September edition.
India imposes anti-dumping duty on stainless steel from US, ES and China
India has imposed anti-dumping duty on certain stainless steel products from the European Union and other nations including China and Korea, in order to protect the domestic industry from cheap imports. The duty was imposed by the Revenue department following the recommendation by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD).
World’s oldest maritime astrolabe that guided ships to India found
Britain-based shipwreck hunter has found maritime astrolabe, a navigation tool that guided Portuguese explorers on perilous voyage to India in 16th century. It dates between 1495 and 1500 and has been confirmed as world’s oldest astrolabe. The maritime astrolabe was discovered during from a shipwreck off coast of Oman in 2014 and recently was confirmed world’s maritime oldest by Warwick University based on laser scans.
30th Edition of CORPAT begins between Indian-Indonesian Navy
Indian Navy Ship Sukanya under the command of Commander SA Deodhar has arrived at Belawan Indonesia to participate in the 30th edition of CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) and 3rd Bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy. The exercise is aimed to foster closer maritime ties with countries located on the rim of the Indian Ocean. The two navies have been carrying out CORPAT on respective sides of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) twice a year since 2002.
Bangladesh signs Gas Oil deal with India
Bangladesh has signed a long-term sales and purchase agreement with an Indian refiner to import gas oil to meet the country’s energy demand. The deal between Bangladesh Petroleum Corp. (BPC) and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) was signed in presence of India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, who arrived in Dhaka recently on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral issues. Under the deal, BPC will take up to 250,000 tonnes of gas oil each year from NRL for the first three years of the deal to the BPC’s northern fuel depot via a 131-km (79 mile) pipeline, which will be built by India.
Sri Lankan Coast Guard commissions OPV SURAKSHA gifted by India
Sri Lankan Coast Guard has commissioned Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) SURAKSHA gifted by India at Colombo port. It is first OPV of Sri Lankan Coast Guard. Sri Lankan Coast Guard Ship (SLCGS) Suraksha earlier belonged to Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and was known as Varuna. It was officially handed over to Sri Lanka Navy at ceremony held at Kochi Port in India in September 2017.
North Korea, Pakistan not invited for consumer protection conference in India
India has not invited Pakistan and North Korea to attend the first global conference on consumer protection to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The two-day Regional Conference on Consumer Protection will be held on October 26-27 and will see the participation of 23 countries, besides India, which is organising the event at the request of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Indo-Russia joint exercise INDRA 2017 begins
Exercise INDRA 2017, the first ever tri services joint military joint exercise between India and Russian Armed Forces, began in the Eastern Military District of Russia. The exercise will be held till 29 October 2017. Previously, Exercise INDRA has been conducted as a single service exercise alternately between the two countries. This year, the exercise has been upgraded to involve all the three services of the Armed Forces-Army, Navy & Air Force.
India among five countries responsible for 50% newborn deaths
India is among the five countries – Pakistan, Nigeria, Congo and Ethiopia being the others – responsible for half of all new-born deaths in the world, according to a UN report. The report, “Levels and Trends in Child Mortality 2017”, revealed that 5.6 million children died before reaching the age of five in 2016. However, this is a marked decrease compared to 2000 when nearly 9.9 million children had died before turning five. While India was accountable for 24 per cent of these new-born deaths, Pakistan accounted for 10 per cent, Nigeria 9 per cent, the Democratic Republic of Congo 4 per cent and 3 per cent of the deaths occurred in Ethiopia. Also, according to report, India has witnessed 66 per cent decline in the under-five mortality rate from 1990 to 2015 but most of the new-born deaths – 24 per cent of all – still occur in the country.
USA to provide EMALS technology to India for aircraft carriers
Donald Trump Government has promised to provide the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System(EMALS) technology to India for aircraft carriers. S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be visiting India soon and before his visit, Trump administration has informed of its decision to give EMALS to India. EMALS also weighs less, is expected to cost less and require less maintenance, and can launch aircraft that are heavier or lighter. This EMAL will help to launch heavy combat planes from the short runway of an aircraft carrier using electromagnetic force, instead of the old steam-powered catapults.
India signs pact to send Interns to Japan for Training
India signed a Memorandum of Co-operation (MoC) with Japan to send youngsters there as technical interns for on-the-job training for a period of three to five years. The MoC on Technical Intern Training Programme was signed by Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Japanese Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare with Katsunobu Kato in Tokyo. India is the third country with which Japan has signed the MoC.
HPCL, First Indian OMC to launch Lubricants in Myanmar
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has become the first Oil Marketing Company (OMC) from India to mark its presence in the lubricant market in Myanmar and to lend more visibility and awareness to the brand. Having achieved the number one position in the domestic market, HP Lubricants sought to prove itself in foreign shore by venturing into Myanmar.
INS Satpura, Kadmatt participates in Passage Exercise in Japan
Indian Naval Ships Satpura and Kadmatt participated in Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with Japanese Marine Self Defence Force (JMSDF) held at Sasebo, Japan. These ships are participating in the exercise in pursuance of India’s Act East Policy and demonstration of India’s commitment to peace and stability in formal calls and also professional, social and sporting interactions.
Safe Cities Index 2017 denotes Tokyo Safest and Delhi ranked 43rd Position
Japanese capital city Tokyo has topped The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cities Index 2017 which ranked 60 cities on parameters including personal and health security. Singapore and Japanese city Osaka have ranked second and third, while Indian cities Delhi and Mumbai have ranked 43rd and 45th respectively.
India-Sri Lanka training exercise on counter-terrorism begins
The fifth India-Sri Lanka joint training exercise “Mitra Shakti 2017” focusing on counter-terrorism operations kicked off at Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharashtra. The exercise will be conducted for next 14 days till October 26 and will involve sharing and learning from each others’ experiences.
Make in India: Sweden 2017
Make in India: Sweden 2017, organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion in Stockholm, from October 12-13 aims to enhance Indo-Swedish cooperation. Delegation is led by the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Suresh Prabhu. The meeting was held to further strengthen Indo-Swedish economic relationship and explore new avenues of collaboration.
Global Hunger Index 2017: India ranks 100th among 119 nations
India ranked 100th position among 119 countries on Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2017 report released by Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). This year slipped by three positions as compared to 97th rank in 2016 GHI. In 2017 GHI, India scored 31.4 and was placed in high end of “serious” category. India’s low ranking also influences South Asia’s regional score as three quarters of South Asia’s population reside in India. India’s neighbours ranking are Nepal (72), Myanmar (77), Bangladesh (88), Sri Lanka (84) and China (29) – except Pakistan (106) and Afghanistan (107). Even North Korea (93) and Iraq (78) fared better in hunger parameters and GHI rankings.
India is second largest market for pharma: LinkedIn Report
The 13.7 percent contribution to the global pharmaceuticals and biotechnology workforce India has emerged as the second largest market for the industry, a report by professional networking giant LinkedIn has revealed. The report, detailed in the newly released e-book “The Indian Pharma and Biotech Industry”, showed that while New Delhi, Kolkata, and Chandigarh are thriving grounds for talent in this sector in India, talent migration is highest to the US. Talent migrating to other countries mainly comprises of researchers, scientists, quality assurance professionals, statistics programmers and data analysts.
Germany to help Indian Railways to increase speed of trains on existing corridors
German Railways will assist Indian Railways to make country’s existing rail corridors semi high speed. The semi high speed trains will run at 200 km per hour. A joint declaration of Intent was signed between Ministry of Railways and Germany regarding carrying out of feasibility study on existing 643 km Chennai-Kazipet corridor of Indian Railways by German Railways for increasing the speed of passenger trains to 200 kmph on 50.50 percent cost sharing basis.
India and South Africa Celebrating 20 years of Cooperation
The “Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM) – 2017” was started in India’s 1st World Heritage City i.e Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is a 3 day long diversified cultural carnival. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015. Its intent is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, all in one place.
BRICS-themed subway train debuts in China
A BRICS-themed subway train with carriages representing the five member nations including India has started test operations in China’s southeastern Xiamen city. The subway train, which started its test run, has six carriages, five of which represents different cultures of the BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The Indian carriage depicts elephants and yoga.
The Chinese carriage is red and displays icons such as the Great Wall and Tian’anmen Square.
The Brazilian carriage is green and decorated with images of footballs and football stars.
The Russian carriage shows off the country’s ballet and matryoshka dolls.
The South African carriage displays pictures of diamonds.
The sixth carriage combines cultural elements from all the five BRICS countries.
India to help Myanmar in police training
The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to a MoU between India and Myanmar on upgradation of the Women’s Police Training Centre at Yamethin, Myanmar. It covers upgradation of the Police Centre to further augment the capabilities of the Myanmar government to build capacities of its police force with technical and financial assistance from the Indian government.
First US Crude Oil shipment arrives in Paradip
The first United States crude oil cargo of 1.6 million barrels bought by Indian Oil Corporation from the US reached Paradip Port, Odisha. Indian Oil became the first Indian public sector refiner to source US crude has placed a cumulative order 3.9 million barrel from the US. They will process the crude at its East-Coast base refineries, located at Paradip, Haldia, Barauni and Bongaigaon.
India to be guest country at World Government Summit
India will be the guest of honour during the sixth edition of the World Government Summit scheduled from February 11th – 13th, 2018 in Dubai. The summit is the largest movement to review and share the best experiences, and the first global forum for governments, countries, organizations and private sector leaders interested in the industry of the future.
Nepal, India to conduct joint tiger census in November
Nepal and India will be conducting in November a joint head count of tigers in the national parks, forests and sanctuaries along the international border between the two neighbours using a similar camera tapping method. The tiger is regarded as an endangered animal and is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
India opens two border crossing points
India has opened 2 immigration check posts along the borders with Myanmar & Bangladesh. Zorinpui check post of Mizoram has been authorised as immigration check post for entry into or exit from India for all passengers to or from Myanmar. Kawrpuichhuah post of Mizoram has been authorised as immigration check post for entry into or exit from India for all passengers to or from Bangladesh.
NATIONAL
Union Minister launches Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana in Mumbai
Union Minister for state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale has launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana during the fourth workshop of “Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana” in Mumbai. The workshop was organised by Pratishtha and Sanjivani trust.
Indian Army finalises mega procurement plan to replace ageing weapons
Indian Army finalized one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernization at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its aging and obsolete weapons. Under this plan, around 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines will be procured. Indian Army has been insisting to fast-track the procurement in backdrop of evolving security threats along India’s borders with Pakistan and China. Besides, Union Government has directed Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to expedite its work on various small arms, particularly on Light Machine Guns.
India to host UN wildlife summit CMS COP13 in 2020
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that India will host the next CMS Conference of the Parties 13 (CMS COP13) in the year 2020. CMS COP is a global wildlife conference. The announcement was made during the 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties 12 (COP) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in Manila, the Philippines. CMS COP12 was held from 23-28 October 2017 and was attended by over 500 delegates from more than 120 countries. The theme of the Conference was ‘Their Future is Our Future – Sustainable Development for Wildlife and People’.
External Affairs Ministry launches AsktheSpokesperson on Twitter
The Ministry of External Affairs launched the “#AsktheSpokesperson” initiative on Twitter, to create better awareness and understanding of foreign policy issues to general public. #AsktheSpokesperson initiative will be a regular feature to engage and educate the public about foreign policy matters in simplified terms. It will be held every 2 months. The Ministry invites questions from the public on India’s foreign policy and selected questions would be responded by the Official Spokesperson. It also launched its LinkedIn profile.
L&T handovers first defence vessel built in private shipyard to Coast Guard
Larsen and Toubro (L&T) handed over offshore patrol vessel (OPV) named “Vikram” to the Indian Coast Guard. It is country’s first-ever such defence vessel to be built in a private shipyard The vessel was indigenously developed in-house at L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard. Its entire design and construction processes have undergone dual certification from American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Registrar of Shipping.
Indian Railway’s first set of solar plant of 5 MW capacity launched
Indian Railway’s first set of solar plants with total capacity of 5 megawatt peak (MWp) was launched on roof tops of Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi, Anand Vihar and Delhi railway stations by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal. This project was launched as part of Union Government’s ambitious National Solar Mission in which Indian Railways plans to commission 1000 MWp solar plants across its network.
SC asks UP, Haryana, Rajasthan to ban use of Pet coke to curb air pollution
The Supreme Court (SC) directed the governments of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Haryana and Rajasthan to ban the use of petroleum (pet) coke and furnace oil in the industries with an aim to fight air pollution. The ruling was made by a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta. The bench also clarified that it will ban the use of pet coke and furnace oil in these three states from 1 November 2017, if the respective governments did not prohibit their use in the industries by then.
Paika rebellion to be named as 1st War of Independence: Government
The Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced that Paika rebellion (Paika Bidroha) of 1817 will be named as First War of Independence against British Rule in history books from next academic session. Earlier, 1857 Sepoy Mutiny was regarded as the First War of Indian Independence, but Paika Bidroha predates it.
No need to stand up in movie halls to prove patriotism: SC
People not required to stand up in the movie halls to prove their patriotism, the Supreme Court of India ruled and asked the Central Government to consider amending the decree for regulating playing of the national anthem in the cinema halls. The Apex court also noted that “We don’t have to wear patriotism on our sleeves”, and that it cannot be believed that if a person does not stand up for the national anthem, then he is “less patriotic”. While observing the decree, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that the society doesn’t require “moral policing” and this can’t be done on the whims and fancies of government.
Ministries of power and textiles jointly announce new scheme ‘SAATHI’
Ministries of power and textiles have jointly announced a new scheme SAATHI under which Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will provide energy efficient power loom equipment to small and medium units at no upfront cost. The use of the efficient equipment would result in energy and cost savings to the unit owner and he will repay in installments to EESL over a 4 to 5 year period. The SAATHI initiative of the government will be jointly implemented by EESL and the office of the Textile Commissioner on a pan-India basis. Sustainable And Accelerated Adoption Of Efficient Textile Technologies To Help Small Industries.
India’s first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra launched
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh along with Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated India’s first Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) for skilling in Smart Cities on 23 October 2017 at New Delhi. The inauguration was done in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). The main aim behind the development is to bring momentum in skilling through collaborative efforts.
Govt de-affiliates 400 Industrial Training Institutes for failing quality norms
The Union Government has de-affiliated around 400 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) following quality inspections that revealed that the institutes lacked requisite infrastructure and trainers for imparting vocational training to students. If an institute has to be an ITI at the National Council for Vocational Training level, there are certain minimum conditions that need to be followed.
Maruti becomes top exporter of passenger cars from India
According to latest data by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has become largest passenger cars exporter from India in first half (April-September) of ongoing fiscal. It exported 57,300 units of passenger cars and dethroned Hyundai Motor India Ltd (exported 44,585 units) which has now been pushed to fourth spot behind Volkswagen (50,410 units) and General Motors (45,222 units).
PM Modi inaugurates first phase of Ghogha-Dahej RORO ferry service
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first phase of ambitious Ghogha-Dahej Roll-on Roll-off ferry service at Ghogha in Bhavnagar district in Gujarat. With the opening of this 615-crores rupees ferry service, the distance between Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions could be covered in less than an hour via-sea route. This passenger movement service reduced the distance between the Ghogha and Dahej from 310 kilometres by road to just 30 kilometres, which can be covered in one hour.
GSTN Launches excel-based offline tool to file initial GSTR-3B Returns
Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) has launched an excel-based offline tool for businesses to file initial GSTR- 3B returns. GSTN, in a statement in New Delhi, stated that taxpayers can download the offline utility from the GSTN portal and after fill in the data the file can be uploaded on GST portal. After uploading of the return to the GST Portal, the taxpayer has to preview the form, complete formalities like submit, offset the liability and file their GSTR-3B Return using digital signature or electronic verification code.
Most pollution-linked deaths occur in India
With 2.51 million deaths in 2015, India has been ranked No. 1 in pollution related deaths, according to a report by The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. China recorded the second highest number of such deaths (1.8 million). India accounted for about 28 per cent of an estimated nine million pollution linked deaths worldwide in 2015. This figure is three times more than the deaths from AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined and 15 times more than from all wars and other forms of violence.
Income Tax dept launches ‘Online Chat’ to answer taxpayers queries
The Income Tax Department has launched an ‘online chat’ service for taxpayers so that they can seek answers to their basic queries and doubts relating to direct tax issues. A window has been hosted on the main page of the department’s website www.incometaxindia.gov.in/ – with a prominent icon stating ‘Live Chat Online – ask your query’. A team of experts from the department and independent tax practitioners has been deputed to answer the general queries of a taxpayer. The first-time initiative is aimed to enhance taxpayer services in the country.
Ministry of WCD launches campaign on ‘women for women’
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is undertaking an online campaign #IamThatWoman. The main aim seeks to highlight the various aspects of women standing ‘by’ and ‘for’ women. Ministry of WCD has urged people to shun stereotypes associated with women harming other women. Twitter and Facebook users have been encouraged to tag and share stories of women helping women with a photograph and post online with the hashtag #IamThatWoman. A woman manager can easily empathize with her female juniors and help her climb the ladder of success.
Google viewed as Most Authentic Brand in India: Survey
Indian consumers regard Google as the most authentic brand, even though Amazon.com tops the list globally, reveal results of the 2017 “Authentic Brands Study” by the new survey of global communications agency Cohn & Wolfe. In India, Google is followed by Microsoft, Amazon.com, Maruti Suzuki and Apple. Globally, Apple takes the second spot after Amazon in the authenticity race.
Mahindra launches ‘Prerna’ project for women farmers
Auto manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra celebrated ‘Mahila Kisan Diwas’ and launched a programme, ‘Prerna’ to empower women working in the agriculture sector. Prerna’ project is aimed at promoting the use of efficient and ergonomic farm tools and equipment by women who work long hours in the fields. It is first launched in Odisha, with an aim to positively impact the lives of over 1,500 families across 30-plus villages.
Defence Minister to commission INS Kiltan into Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has commissioned an indigenously-built anti-submarine warfare stealth corvette INS Kiltan into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. According to Defence Minister, INS Kiltan strengthens India’s defence system and will be a shining armour in ‘Make in India’ programme as it is totally built indigenously.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Radha Mohan Singh said the government started PMKSY to provide a permanent solution from drought. Three ministries are implementing this scheme in mission mode. PMKSY aims not only to create irrigation sources but also to create protected irrigation by harnessing rainwater through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal Sinchan’.
Mastercard Launched its First Innovation Centre in India
US-based fintech company Mastercard has announced the launch of its global research and development arm Mastercard Labs in Pune, India. After Singapore, this will be the second Mastercard Labs in Asia-Pacific, and ninth in the world. The initiative aims to bring and harness new commerce, payment and technology ideas at a fast pace in the country.
IAF launches Mobile Health app “MedWatch”
On the occasion of its 85th anniversary, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched an innovative mobile health app named ‘MedWatch’. The concept and content of the app is by the Directorate General of Medical Services (Air) and its has been developed in house with zero financial outlay by the Directorate of information Technology (DIT). ‘MedWatch, available on the IAF’s AFCEL network, comprises a host of features that will provide authentic health information to all IAF personnel. ‘MedWatch’, the first mobile health app in the three armed services was launched by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.
Union Govt launches Sampoorna Bima Gram Yojana
Union Government launched Sampoorna Bima Gram Yojana and expansion of Postal Life Insurance, in New Delhi. Under the Sampoorna Bima Gram Yojana, at least one village having a minimum of 100 households will be identified in each of the revenue districts of the country. The base of Postal Life Insurance been decided that its benefits will no longer be confined to government and semi-government employees. It will be available to the professionals such as doctors, engineers, management consultants, chartered accountants, lawyers, and bankers.
44th Indian Handicrafts and Gifts-Delhi Fair inaugurated in New Delhi
The 44th edition of Indian Handicrafts and Gifts (IHGF)-Delhi Fair was held at India Expo Centre and Mart on outskirts of Delhi in Greater Noida. It was organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and was inaugurated by Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani. The five-day B2B IHGF Fair was biggest platform in National Capital Region (NCR) for promotion of handicrafts business. It will showcase nearly three thousand exhibitors under 14 product categories. More than 100 countries including US, UK, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan and Korea are participating in the fair.
Govt to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
Government of India will commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi during the period from 2nd October, 2019 to 2nd October, 2020. The event will be celebrated at both national and international levels to propagate the message of the Mahatma. A National Committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constituted for the purpose. This Committee includes the Chief Ministers of all the states of the country, representatives from across the political spectrum, Gandhians, thinkers and eminent persons from all walks of life. The Committee will guide and approve policies, programmes, activities for the commemoration and will also supervise implementation of the decisions taken from time to time.
Govt imposes anti-dumping duty on certain Chinese steel products
The Union Finance Ministry has imposed anti-dumping duty on imports of certain steel wire rods from China for five years to guard interest of domestic players from cheap in-bound shipments. The duty will be difference between landed value of steel products and US $535 per tonne while for others, it should be gap between landed value and US $546 per tonne. Steel wire rod products are used in many sectors such as automotive components, railway, engineering and construction.
Rajnath Singh inaugurated First BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise
The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the four-day First ‘BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise- 2017’ (BIMSTEC DMEx-2017) in New Delhi. The Exercise will be conducted by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as the lead agency in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). The BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 is being conducted in two phases in Delhi and NCR. The main exercise will comprise of Table Top Exercise (TTX), Field Training Exercise (FTX) and After Action Review (AAR). The main focus of the BIMSTEC DMEx-2017 will be on testing the region’s preparedness and resilience towards effective activation of inter-Governmental interaction for immediate deployment of regional resources for disaster response.
India slips to 8th among most valuable brands
India is ranked the eighth most valuable nation brand while the United States retained its top position and China took the second spot in the league of nations according to Brand Finance’s Nation Brands 2017. India went down one spot over the previous year, the report said, because the economy grew at its slowest pace.
India’s Coffee Output Pegged at Record 3.5 lakh Tons in 2017-18
Coffee output in India is pegged to be a record 3.50 lakh tonnes in the 2017-18 marketing year started this month on higher acreage. According to the Coffee Board, the final output stood lower by 10.34 percent at 3.12 lakh tonnes in 2016-17 marketing year from 3.48 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Coffee Board stated that the crop’s forecast for 2017-18 is placed at 3.50 lakh tonnes, comprising 1.03 lakh tonnes of Arabica and 2.47 lakh tonnes of Robusta varieties. Higher output is mainly attributed to the additional bearing area of about 13,500 hectares in traditional growing areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
President launches Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project Jeevamritham
President Ram Nath Kovind has launched 100 crore rupees Mata Amritanandamayi Math Project “Jeevamritham” to provide filtration system for cleaning drinking water to 5000 villages across India, in kollam district in kerala. The President also distributed the certificates to three village out of 12 villages in the States of Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chatisgarh, Uttarakand, Maharashtra and kerala, which were adopted by the Math, verified as Open Defecation Free by Swatch Bharat Abhiyan.
India’s first Marine Police Training Institute to be set up at Dev Bhoomi Dwarka
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the setting up of India’s first marine police training institute at Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district. This announcement was given at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of a bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka, during PM Narendra Modi’s two day visit to Gujarat.
Prasar Bharati launches Online Application System for AIR Auditions
Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash has launched an online application system for music auditions across all genres for the All India Radio. The initiative was launched on the occasion of 64th Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan in New Delhi. It is believed that with the introduction of this facility, the aspirants who want to apply and get themselves graded will have a better experience in terms of accessibility and availability.
Prime Minister launches Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI). At the launch he said, “Let no child suffer from any vaccine-preventable disease”. Through this programme, Government of India aims to reach each and every child under two years of age and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation programme. The special drive will focus on improving immunization coverage in select districts and cities to ensure full immunization to more than 90% by December 2018. The achievement of full immunisation under Mission Indradhanush to at least 90% coverage was to be achieved by 2020 earlier. With the launch of IMI, achievement of the target has now been advanced.
Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav-2017 started in Ahmedabad
The “Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav (RSM) – 2017” was started in India’s 1st World Heritage City i.e Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is a 3 day long diversified cultural carnival. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav was conceived by the Ministry of Culture in the year 2015. Its intent is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, all in one place.
First ASEAN India Music Festival to be held at Purana Qila, New Delhi
The first-ever The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) India Music Festival will be held at Purana Quila in New Delhi. The 3 day festival is being organized by External Affairs Ministry in collaboration with Culture Ministry to celebrate the 25th year anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations. The main aim is to boost cultural influences among the peoples of the ASEAN member states and India. Famous Indian bands like the Raghu Dixit Project, Avial, Papon LIVE, Bipul Chettri and the Travelling Band, and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy will also participate in the festival.
India ranks highest in online harassment in APAC region: Norton
India reported the highest levels of online harassment through cyberstalking and threats of physical violence in the Asia Pacific region, higher than countries like Australia and Japan, a report by Norton by Symantec. The report, which surveyed 1,035 adults in India, found 8 among 10 surveyed saying they had encountered some form of online harassment. The most common forms of online harassment were abuse and insults (63 percent) and malicious gossip and rumours (59 percent).
Modi temple with 100-foot tall statue of PM to be built in Meerut
A grand temple worth Rs. 30 crore is going to be built in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. The temple would be built in the Sardhana area of Meerut where a 100-foot statue of Prime Minister Modi would be installed. Follower and supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a retired engineer from the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, J. P. Singh, announced the decision to erect Prime Minister Modi’s statue. Singh said he was inspired by the PM’s love for the country.
Centre organising Paryatan Parv across the country to promote tourism
The Union Ministry of tourism is organising Paryatan Parv, a festival of tourism, from 5 October 2017 in collaboration with other central ministries, state governments and stakeholders. The main objective behind organising the festival is to draw focus on the benefits of tourism and showcase the cultural diversity of the country and to reinforce the principle of ‘Toursim for All’. The 20-day festival begins at Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. It will end on 25 October 2017.
Indian Railways announced No service charge on train e-tickets till March 2018
The Union Government waived service charges in November last year after demonetization to encourage digital modes of booking. The facility had been extended from June 30 and then to September 30. The Railway Board directed Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) that the benefits be extended till March next year. The Service charges on booking train tickets online through IRCTC ranges from Rs 20 to 40 per ticket.
Union Government launches SECURE Himalaya Project
The Union Government launched SECURE Himalaya, a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity and land. The Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states namely Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim. The system was launched by Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
NHAI launches new website and PMIS Mobile App
The Chairman of National Highways Authority of India Shri Deepak Kumar launched a world-class, new multilingual website of the organization. He also launched a Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) Mobile App that will facilitate close, in-house monitoring of NHAI projects on a mobile phone. The system is now digitally monitoring them through a state-of-the-art Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) which has been developed in-house along with The Boston Consulting Group.
Govt unveils third National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-2031
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has unveiled third National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-2031 to chalk out future road map for wildlife conservation. The plan was unveiled by Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on inaugural day of Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) conference. It is third action plan after first released in 1983 to 2001 and second from 2002 to 2016, that had protected area-centric approach to wildlife conservation.
NHAI launches countrywide Free Eye Check-up Campaign
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched countrywide Free Eye Check-up Campaign and distribution of spectacles for truck drivers, cleaners and helpers. It was launched by Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari at Panjari Toll Plaza, Nagpur Bypass, Nagpur in Maharashtra. Eyesight is basic requirement for safe driving. Poor vision increases risk of collisions due to the driver’s inability to recognise and react in time to hazard or behaviour of other road users.
Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates Pratham-Shyok bridge in Leh
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated ‘Pratham-Shyok’ bridge in Leh that will connect Leh to Karakoram in north eastern Ladakh. The Defence Minister on her two-day-visit to Jammu and Kashmir, also visited forward locations of Leh, Ladakh and Siachen, reviewed the security situation in the regions, and interacted with the soldiers.
WCD Minister inaugurates the 3rd edition of ‘Women of India Organic Festival’
The Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurated the 3rd annual ‘Women of India Organic Festival’ at Dilli Haat (INA). For most women, this is the first time that they are travelling to Delhi from remotest parts of the country to showcase their unique merchandise to the people of Delhi and surrounding areas. With the theme ‘Good for Women; Good for India; Good for you’, the Ministry intends to highlight the health and environmental advantages of organic goods, provide a platform for women engaged in it and boost the development of sustainable and easily accessible sales outlets for women producers from the remotest corners of India.
STATES
Karnataka cabinet approves transgender policy
Karnataka state cabinet approved a policy which seeks to provide legal protection to the transgender community and thereby safeguard them from social and sexual exploitation. The objective of this policy is to remove the stigma attached to the transgender community and integrate them into the mainstream of the society. Under the policy, an awareness drive will be conducted to sensitize general public about the rights of transgenders.
Vrindavan, Barsana declared as Sacred Sites, no meat and liquor shops allowed
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued an order notifying Vrindavan and Barsana towns in Mathura district as ‘Sacred pilgrimage sites’ (‘pavitra teerth sthals’). With this, Vrindavan and Barsana became the first two places to be notified as teerth sthal in government records. No meat and liquor shops will be allowed in these towns anymore. As per the state government, the main objective behind declaring Vrindavan and Barsana as pilgrimage sites is to honour the sentiments of devotees, who are hurt by the operations of liquor and meat shops. The move will help in restoring the age-old traditions of these people.
Rajasthan Assembly passes bill increasing OBC quota to 26 per cent
The state government of Rajasthan has passed a bill that increased reservation quota for Other Backward Classes (OBC) from 21 per cent to 26 per cent. The Backward Classes (reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Bill will provide reservation to the five most backward OBC communities:
– Gujjars
– Banjara Baldiya, Labana
– Gadiya Lohar, Gadoliya
– Raika, Rebari, Debasi
– Gadariya, Gadri, Gayari.
Chhattisgarh: 51 Hindu families migrated from Pak get Indian citizenship
As many as 51 Hindu families who had migrated from Pakistan several years ago and have been living on the outskirts of Raipur were granted Indian citizenship. With this, Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the country to award citizenship after Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the power to states to do so.
MP govt shelves plan to shift to Jan-Dec fiscal format
Madhya Pradesh, which was the first state to announce that it would switch to January-December financial year from the existing April-March cycle starting 2018, has put the plan on the back burner. The state government will follow suit once the Centre shifts to the January-December fiscal cycle.
Punjab decides to close 800 govt schools which have fewer than 20 students
The Punjab government will shut down 800 primary schools with less than 20 students, and merge them with schools nearby. The students and staff will be accommodated in adjoining schools situated within a one kilometre-radius. The decision is aimed at improving the utilisation of the teaching staff in the state.
Karnataka to ban Pillion Riding on Two-Wheelers With Engine Capacity up to 100 cc
Karnataka government has decided to ban pillion riding on two-wheelers with less than 100 cc engine. It will not affect the existing two-wheelers but will be applicable for new vehicles. The ban comes in the backdrop of safety of the pillion riders, who are often victims of the road accidents.
Assam Govt launches new Tourism policy
The state government of Assam has launched a new Tourism policy- ‘Tourism Policy of Assam 2017’ with the aim of increasing tourist inflow in the state two to three folds within the next five years. The Tourism shall be accorded industry status in the state and all facilities and incentives applicable to industries shall be made available to Tourism industry also. The new policy will be effective starting January 2018 till December 2022.
Punjab govt approves hike in income limit of OBCs
Punjab Chief Minister has approved an increase in the gross annual income limit for the creamy layer of the Other Backward Classes and Backward Classes from Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh. This was the fourth revision of the creamy layer, which was fixed at Rs 1 lakh in 1993 and subsequently hiked to Rs 2.5 lakh in 2004, Rs 4.5 lakh in 2008 and Rs 6 lakh in 2013.
Chhattisgarh govt reduces interest on loan under Saksham Yojna
Chhattisgarh State Government has reduced the rate of interest on loan given to women and their self-help groups (SHGs) under ‘Saksham Yojna’ from 6.5 percent to 5 percent. Saksham Yojana too is operated by Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh, under which loans to the tune of Rs 72 lakh had been distributed to about 111 SHGs during the current fiscal year 2017-18.
Assam to host Global Investors Summit in February 2018
Assam would be hosting its first Global Investors Summit in Guwahati from 3-4 February 2018. It would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The state government plans to utilise the event to showcase Assam’s business potential with attractive policies in order to attract more investments. The decision was taken during the state’s cabinet meeting, which was held recently.
Arunachal Assembly approves Kamle as 23rd district
The Arunachal Assembly has passed a bill paving way for creation of a new district to be named Kamle. With the official creation of the new district, the total number of districts in the state shot up to 23.
Madhya Pradesh CM launches ‘Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana’
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the ambitious ‘Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojna’ for the farmers of the state. Madhya Pradesh is the first state to lend money to farmers at zero percent interest. The government has approved a web of irrigation projects across the Sagar District which will cover 96-hectare fields.
Kerala HC restores life ban imposed on Sreesanth by BCCI
A division bench of the Kerala High Court has restored the life ban imposed on cricketer S Sreesanth by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal. The bench gave the verdict on a petition filed by the BCCI against the ruling by a single judge bench that lifted the life ban imposed on the 34-year-old pacer in August 2017.
Punjab police launches foot patrolling in all districts
Punjab police has launched a foot patrolling an initiative whereby police personnel will patrol designated areas on foot to keep a watch on anti-social elements. The main Objective of foot patrolling is to reduce incidence of crime by increasing the presence of police in vulnerable locations. All foot patrol officers will be wearing jungle boots, specially designed arm-band and will carry weapons, baton, handcuffs, and wireless sets.
Telangana’s “tGST” app to detect fake GST
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Hyderabad) has come out with a technology solution to the problem of GST calculation. The institute has developed an app, tGST, for the Commercial Taxes Department of Telangana. Take a photo of the bill and uploaded it to the app. It will let you know whether the GST paid by you is going to the government or not.
Rajasthan assembly first in India to call motions online
Going digital, the Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government. The system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues.
West Bengal to set up Scheduled Caste advisory council
The West Bengal cabinet has decided to set up a Scheduled Caste advisory council to look into the development of the Scheduled Caste population in the state. The scheduled caste advisory council, according to the state government, will be the first in an Indian state.
Gujarat Govt announces Garments & Apparel Policy 2017
Gujarat Government has announced the Garments and Apparel Policy-2017, with the aim of creating more opportunities in the garment sector of Gujarat and to create huge employment opportunities for women through the apparel industry. This Policy is prepared with an aim to make Gujarat number 1 in textile which produces more of cotton. The State government will also provide incentives for garment unit owners for generating employment by providing subsidy in wages. The women workers will get Rs 4,000 subsidy, while their male counterparts will get Rs 3,500.
Gujarat govt to set up 16 new GIDC townships to encourage SMEs
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced the setting up of 16 new Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) townships, in Gujarat. The 16 new GIDC townships would be set up in 2400 hectare area to encourage the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).This township would attract 15,000 industrial units. They will create job opportunities for 1 lakh people.
MP CM announced Rs. 2 lakh aid for widow remarriage
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a slew of measures for women in the State, including a financial assistance of Rs. 2 lakh for remarriage of widows. Speaking at his monthly radio broadcast ‘Dil Se’ Mr. Chouhan appealed to people to come forward to encourage remarriage of widows. It will help in eradicating social evils like dowry and child marriages.
Bihar Cabinet approves reservation for ‘Divyangs’ in Govt Jobs
The Bihar Cabinet approved reservations for persons with disabilities in government jobs and educational institutions. The cabinet gave its approval during a meeting presided by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The provision has been brought in accordance with the Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016. The cabinet also approved the establishment of a state advisory board for the empowerment of ‘Divyangjan’ as envisaged in the Act.
Himachal Pradesh implements Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme
Himachal Pradesh government implemented the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS) to provide easy access to curative geriatric health care services by way of additional cover. The scheme would provide top-up coverage of Rs 30,000 per senior citizen to all existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY) smart card holders. This would be in addition to the basic coverage of Rs 30,000 in Trust and Society mode.
UP govt launches Sankalp Seva bus service
Uttar Pradesh government launched Sankalp Seva bus service of 50 buses to connect as many as 6,000 villages. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the buses in function at Lucknow. On this occasion he announced to construct ‘Gaurav Marg Path’ to honour the sacrifices of the martyrs.
Maharashtra launched Web Portal with Information on New Govt Schemes
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis launched ‘MahaLabharthi‘ web portal that will help people get information about all the government schemes that they are eligible for. The web portal, https://www.mahalabharthi.in, works on the basis of personal, educational and professional information provided by a person while registering on it.
U’khand Govt launched ‘Solar Briefcase’ to provide Electricity in Remote Areas
Uttarakhand State Government and a charitable funding agency named Swan Cultural Center and Foundation launched ‘Solar Briefcase’ in Kedarnath Dham. The initiative was taken to provide electricity to far-flung areas in the hill state.
Manipur celebrates ‘Mera Houchongba’ festival
Manipur’s traditional Mera Houchongba festival which endeavors to promote brotherhood and unity among indigenous communities, was celebrated at the Manipur Royal palace (Sana Konung) in Imphal in the presence of titular monarch Leishemba Sanajaoba recently. The royal palace, which usually is deserted, was filled with a riot of colours as hundreds of people, both from the hills and the valley, took part in the festivities attired in their traditional colourful dresses.
Chhattisgarh bans use of chlorinated plastic and Polyvinyl Chloride
In Chhattisgarh, the state government has banned the use of chlorinated plastic and Polyvinyl Chloride -PVC. The advertising and promotion materials like PVC banners, flex, and hoardings have also been banned with immediate effect. Chhattisgarh government decision is with an objective to conserve and improve the environment.
Mizoram has highest number of clouded leopards in Southeast Asia
Mizoram’s Dampa Tiger Reserve now holds the distinction of housing the highest number of clouded leopards in Southeast Asia, the state government has claimed. The density of population of clouded leopards, locally known as ‘Kelral’, is 5.14 per 100 sq km in the reserve, situated along the Mizoram-Bangladesh-Tripura.
PM Modi lays Foundation Stone for Bridge in Dwarka, Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a four-lane cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka. The bridge is a link between old and new Dwarka. The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion, will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 962.43 crore. The four-lane 27.20-metre wide bridge will have 2.50 metre wide footpaths on each side. Solar panels installed on the roof of footpath will produce 1 MW power for street lights on the bridge.
UP govt launches ‘Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivaah Yojana’
Uttar Pradesh State Government launched a mass marriage scheme called ‘Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivaah Yojana’. Under the scheme, Uttar Pradesh social welfare department will conduct mass marriages. The District magistrates of respective districts will authorize Urban local bodies like Nagar panchayat, Nagar Palika and Nagar Nigam, kshetra panchayats, Zila panchayats, government/ semi-government organizations and NGOs to organize programmes in this regard.
Chhattisgarh CM flags-off Cancer detection ambulance to cure patients free-of-cost
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh has flagged-off ‘Cancer diagnosis Ambulance’ at his official residence. The vehicle is fitted with ultra-advanced equipment to detect cancer. The patients will be treated free-of-cost. The Akhil Bharatiya Marwari Yuva Manch is organizing the cancer detection camps. About Rs Two crore had been invested in the ambulance. The patients who are suffering from oral, throat, breast, prostate, intestinal, liver and other forms of cancer will be medically examined.
Turtle Sanctuary to be set up in Allahabad
The Union Ministry of Water Resources has approved project to set up Turtle sanctuary in Allahabad along with River Biodiversity Park at Sangam in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh under Namami Gange programme. The purpose of the Turtle sanctuary is to protect the rich aquatic biodiversity of river Ganga from escalating anthropogenic pressures.
Foundation stone for National waterway on Krishna River laid
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu laid foundation stone to develop Muktyal to Vijayawada waterway stretch on River Krishna as part of National Waterway 4 at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh. The 82-km inland waterway stretch is Phase-1 of National Waterway-4 developed under Sagar Mala project. It will be used mainly for transportation of cement and construction material for new capital city Amaravati.
Country’s First ITI for Divyangans in Assam
Foundation stone for the first ever Industrial Training Institute for the Divyangans exclusively was laid at Dibrugarh ITI Complex at Borboruah, Dibrugarh by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. As per the guidelines of National Council for Vocational Training, the ITI will have sixty seats for three different trades with 20 seats per trade. The three different trades included in the curriculum are Computer Operator and Programming Assistant, Cutting and Sewing Technology and Hair & Skin Care.
Meenakshi Temple named Best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India
The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple has been adjudged best ‘Swachh Iconic Place’ in India. Madurai District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao and Corporation Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar will receive the award from Uma Bharati, the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation. A total of 63 compact bins have been placed and four compactor trucks do the rounds around the temple premises. There are 25 e-toilets and 15 water ATMs for tourists to use. There are two road sweepers and battery operated vehicles specifically purchased to clean this stretch.
GIFT City’s IFSC bags 10th place in Global Financial Centres Index
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City)’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) has bagged the 10th spot in the latest edition of Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), London. GIFT IFSC is ranked tenth, ahead of Luxembourg, Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Toronto and Beijing in the list of the GFCI report, which has 15 centres that are likely to become more significant in the next few years. Including GIFT City’s IFSC, six of the top ten emerging centres are in Asia.
Chandrababu Naidu launches ‘Swachh Andhra Mission’
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu launched Swachh Andhra Mission on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. Shuttle Player PV Sindhu chosen as the brand ambassador of Swachh Andhra. The government is working hard to achieve the seven-star scheme that includes current, gas, drinking water toilet, CC roads, schools, playground, Anganwadi center and internet facility, pond, and planting, at least Rs. 10,000 income for every family in the village.
UP Govt removes Taj Mahal from Tourism list
Taj Mahal has been dropped from the list of tourist destinations published by the government of Uttar Pradesh. The new booklet issued by UP government has removed Taj Mahal and instead carries the name of temples from Mathura, Ayodhya and Gorakhpur in the list. UP Govt also neglected the World Heritage site by not including it in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural Heritage) of the annual budget for 2017-2018. The exclusion faced criticism from all sectors of the nation, especially from academicians and historians who slammed the government for not promoting the multi-cultural faith of the country.
Odisha Government creating land bank for industrial allocation
The Odisha Government is creating 1.2 lakh acre land bank across state for allocation to industrial sector in order to avoid repeat of Posco fiasco. The purpose of the land bank is to cut red tape and avoid local issues in the land acquisition process. Under it, state government is acquiring government land for industrial use. The land bank is based on plug-and-play kind of model wherein facilities related to water, power, roads and all clearances are in place. The companies need to only make payment of base premium upfront for land and annual rent for rest of the 90 years lease period.
‘No helmet, no petrol’ rule comes into force in Andhra Pradesh
No helmet, no petrol’ rule for two-wheeler riders to reduce road accident deaths has come into force in Andhra Pradesh, with chief minister Chandrababu Naidu urging all the petrol bunk dealers to cooperate. Chandrababu has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for equipment to implement this rule.
Karnataka unveils scheme to feed 12 lakh pregnant women
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the “Mathru Purna” scheme, which aims to provide nutritious meals to about 12 lakh pregnant women and lactating mothers in the state. Besides nutritional supplements, counselling and other maternity benefits will also be provided at the Anganwadi centres under the scheme.
MP CM launches ‘Single Click Pension Delivery’ scheme
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched ‘Single Click Pension Delivery’ scheme, wherein the money will go directly into the account of the beneficiaries. More than 35 lakh people of the state will be benefited from this move. Chauhan also honoured the elderly who completed the age of 100 years with the “Shataayu” award.
CONFERENCES
UN conference on nuclear energy begins in UAE
The United Nations conference on nuclear energy started at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The objective of the conference is to engage in dialogue on the role of nuclear power in meeting future energy demand, contributing to sustainable development and mitigating climate change. The meeting is also discussing key issues related to the development and deployment of nuclear power. Also, Iran has boycotted the conference, as Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, avoided speaking about the nuclear deal at all in his address at the venue.
14th SAARCLAW Conference held in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law (SAARCLAW) Conference was held in Colombo, capital city of Sri Lanka along with 11th SAARC Chief Justices Conference. The three-day conference was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and saw participation from South Asia’s top Judges, legal practitioners and academics.
PM Modi inaugurates Global Conference on Consumer Protection
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a global conference on consumer protection in New Delhi. This is the first time that an international conference on consumer protection is being organized by India for countries of the region. The conference is deliberated upon steps taken by Asian countries to implement the UN guidelines on consumer protection as well as challenges faced by consumers of financial services and e-commerce. Twenty-two countries from East, South and South-East Asia are participating in the international conference. These include China, South Korea, Singapore, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Arun Jaitley Attends G-20 Finance Ministers Meeting
The Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley participated in the G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) Meeting in Washington D.C. The discussion focused on the agenda items pertaining to Global Economy and Framework for Growth, Compact with Africa and International Financial Architecture. As co-chairs of G20 Framework Working Group (FWG), India made the lead intervention during the Second Round of the Session on ‘Global Economy and Framework for Growth’, which discussed the IMF’s G-20 Report on ‘Strong, Sustainable, and Balanced Growth(SSBG)’.
PM Modi’s Economic Advisory Council holds its first meeting
The recently constituted Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) held its first meeting in New Delhi to deliberate upon and lay out a roadmap to give a leg up to the Indian economy in the short term after GDP growth for the first quarter fell to a three-year low of 5.7%. The EAC-PM is chaired by Dr. Bibey Debroy. Key issues for the discussion include ways to boost consumer demand, attract private investments and measures to incentivize job creation in the country, people familiar with the agenda said.
Vice President inaugurated 3rd International Conference on Yoga
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the third International Conference on Yoga in New Delhi. The theme of this year’s conference will be ‘Yoga for Wellness’. The two-day conference has six technical sessions and experts will deliberate on the scope of yoga in integrated medicine, and control of cancer, depression and gynaecological disorders and pain management. Around 500 delegates, including those from 44 countries, will attend the conference.
Andhra CM Naidu inaugurates Blockchain Business Conference
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated a two-day International Blockchain Business Conference, which will also have sessions on Blockchain in banking, insurance and capital markets. Blockchain is the latest technology in the field of cyber space that is generating huge interest globally.
First meeting of India-Australia joint steering committee held
The First Meeting of India-Australia Joint Steering Committee was held in New Delhi. Shri TVSN Prasad, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and Mr. Stephen Bouwhuis, First Assistant Secretary, International and Auscheck Division, Criminal Justice Group, Attorney-General’s Department led the respective delegations. This meeting was a follow-up to the MoU on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime exchanged between the two sides during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Mr. Malcolm Turnbull to New Delhi in April 2016.
Global Wildlife Programme Conference held in New Delhi
The Global Wildlife Programme (GWP) Conference was recently held in New Delhi. It was jointly hosted by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. The Theme of the conference was – “People participation in wildlife conservation”.
LS Speaker to lead Indian delegation at 8th Conference in Sri Lanka
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will attend a special parliamentary session in Sri Lanka that is being convened to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Parliament. The association of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Speakers and Parliamentarians is a platform for the parliamentarians of South Asia to work together to reach the 2030 agenda for “Sustainable Development”. It promotes parliamentary diplomacy and open Parliament in the digital age, encourage parliamentarians’ role in preserving cultural and archaeological heritage in South Asia, support women to uplift themselves from poverty and build a better future for their communities, and attempts to counter violent extremism among the youth to prevent terrorism among other things.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Girish Karnad to be honoured with Tata Literature Lifetime Achievement Award 2017
Versatile actor and playwright Girish Karnad will be honoured with Tata Literature Live Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 on 19 November 2017. The award will be presented to the veteran actor at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point in Mumbai. The actor will receive the award as a playwright.
Cleartrip named ‘Best Mobile App for Travel’ at Mobexx Awards
Online travel solutions provider Cleartrip was named the ‘Best Mobile App for Travel and Leisure’ at the Mobexx Awards 2017. The award was conferred for the success that it has had on the mobile platform, seen by many as the future of advertising and brand marketing. IIT-Roorkee won Schneider’s ‘Go Green in the City’ contest held in Paris.
Anupam Kher receives Parmod Mahajan Smriti Award
Anupam Kher has received Parmod Mahajan Smriti Award in Pune. He is the current Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India. Saira Banu, who moved Supreme Court seeking a ban on instantaneous ‘Triple Talaq’ among Muslims is the second recipient of Pramod Mahjan Smriti Award. The awards were presented by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar. The award was instituted by Pune-based organization ‘Muktachhand’ in memory of Late Pramod Mahajan who was the leader from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a former Union Cabinet Minister.
Sharmila Tagore honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award
Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore has received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 72-year-old actor was bestowed with the recognition by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi for her contribution in the field of cinema. Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari presented the award to Tagore. The celebrated actor debuted in movies with legendary director Satyajit Ray’s Bengali film Apur Sansar in 1959. Her breakout role in Hindi cinema was Shakti Samanta’s 1964 film Kashmir Ki Kali.
L&T Technology Services Conferred with CII Industrial Innovation Award
L&T Technology Services Ltd (LTTS), a leading global pure-play Engineering Services Company was conferred with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Industrial Innovation Award, 2017. This award recognized it as one of the most innovative Indian companies in the services category at the CII Industrial Innovation Awards ceremony in New Delhi.
Choti Kumari Singh won ‘Women’s Creativity in Rural Life Award’
A 20-year-old girl Choti Kumari from Bihar won International acclaim for her efforts to uplift the Musahar community, considered one of the lowest and most downtrodden in the state’s caste-ridden society. Choti Kumari Singh, hailing from an impoverished upper caste Rajput family, has won ‘Women’s Creativity in Rural Life’ Award’ from the Switzerland-based Women’s World Summit Foundation. Choti started helping with social and educational work among Musahars in her own village of Ratanpur in 2014, after joining a programme run by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math of the spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma). Choti initiated self-help groups wherein every woman saves Rs 20 a month, which is deposited in a common bank account for starting home-based activities.
Andhra CM Naidu receives Golden Peacock Award
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been honoured with the prestigious Golden Peacock Award in the 17th London Global Convention held in London. The Chief Minister was awarded in the category of “Global Leadership in Public Service and Economic Transformation”.
South African Indian-origin couple wins top US award for AIDS research
A globally-acclaimed South African Indian-origin researcher couple was honoured with a prestigious US award for their exceptional contributions in the field of HIV/AIDS. Professors Salim Abdool Karim and Quarraisha Abdool Karim received the award from the Institute for Human Virology (IHV) in Baltimore in the US.
Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan to get Lata Mangeshkar Award
Noted music composers Usha Khanna, Bappi Lahiri, Anu Malik and playback singers Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan have been selected for the Madhya Pradesh government’s prestigious National Lata Mangeshkar Award. The artistes will be honoured for their contribution in the field of music composition and singing. The award is given every year alternatively to music directors and playback singers.
Javed Akhtar to be honoured with Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award
Veteran writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar is to be honored with the Hridaynath Mangeshkar Award will receive Rs.1,00,000 along with a memento. The programme is being presented to celebrate the 75-year-old music career of singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Environmental scientist Schellnhuber receives Blue Planet Prize
The world’s most prestigious award for pioneers in environmental science was given to Hans Joachim Schellnhuber in Tokyo. The Blue Planet Prize, coming along with 50 million yen, honors outstanding thinkers who help to meet challenges of planetary dimensions.
US author George Saunders wins 2017 Man Booker Prize
American author George Saunders won the 2017 Man Booker Prize, a high-profile literary award for his first full-length novel “Lincoln in the Bardo”. With this, he became second consecutive American writer to win prize after Paul Beatty (for his novel The Sellout), after rules were changed in 2014 to allow authors of any book written in English and published in UK to compete.
Indian peacekeepers in Sudan awarded with UN medal
Fifty Indian peacekeepers stationed in South Sudan were awarded with the UN Medal for their professionalism and service in protecting civilians and building durable peace in the conflict-ridden country. The peacekeepers were presented with the award by UNMISS Force Commander General Frank Mushyo Kamanzi. These Indian peacekeepers are part of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Indian peacekeepers were deployed with the Indian battalion stationed at Bor in the Jonglei region of South Sudan.
Indian-American Attorney awarded 3rd American Bazaar Philanthropy award
Noted Indian-American attorney Ajay Raju has been honoured with the third American Bazaar Philanthropy award in recognition of his philanthropic activities in the United States. Raju was honoured for his commitment to revive Philadelphia through the Germination Project. The Germination project is a signature initiative of the Pamela and Ajay Raju Foundation that recruits talented teenagers and prepares them to be tomorrow’s leaders.
Eminent Poet Prabha Varma chosen for Padma Prabha Puraskaram
Eminent poet, lyricist and journalist Prabha Varma has been selected for the Padma Prabha Puraskaram for 2017. The announcement was made by the chairman-cum-managing director of ‘Mathrubhumi’ daily, M P Veerendra Kumar. A jury headed by ace novelist M Mukundan chose Varma for the prestigious award, considering his contribution to Malayalam literature. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a plaque and a citation, was instituted by the Padma Prabha Memorial Trust.
Poorvi bags ‘best performer’ award at ‘Little Miss World’
12-year old Indian girl Poorvi G B has been awarded the ‘best performer’ subtitle at the ‘Little Miss World 2017’ pageant held in Greece. Poorvi G B has become the first Indian kid to win the title in the international beauty pageant and talent competition. At the event, Poorvi G B gave a Kathak dance performance and also showcased the rich culture of Karnataka.
Singer T M Krishna wins Indira Gandhi National Integration
The 30th Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration for the year 2015 and 2016 has been awarded to Carnatic vocalist T M Krishna, for his services in promoting and preserving National Integration in the country. Krishna is not only one of the pre-eminent vocalists in the rigorous Carnatic tradition of Indian classical music, but also an activist who has worked on creating egalitarian spaces for music and breaking down caste-barriers in the form. Others winners include the Kasthurba Gandhi National Memorial trust (Indore, Madhya Pradesh), musician A R Rehman and Ramakrishan Mission Ashram, Narainpur, Chattisgarh (jointly), poet Gulzar, scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and activist P V Rajagopal.
Namita bags Centenary National Award
Eminent writer Namita Gokhale has been nominated for the first Centenary National Award for Literature, for her outstanding literary contributions. The award has been conferred by the Asam Sahitya Sabha, which is regarded as one of the most prestigious literary bodies in India. This award has been instituted as part Asam Sahitya Sabha’s centenary celebrations.
M K Sanu chosen for Mathrubhumi Literary award
Eminent critic, biographer and orator M K Sanu has been chosen for the Mathrubhumi Literary Award for 2016 in recognition of his rich contribution to the Malayalam literature.
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak gets Lal Bahadur Shastri award
President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence in Public Administration, Academics and Management for the year 2017 to Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. Dr. Bindeshwar also received the Padma Bhushan in 1991. The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award is an annual prestigious award instituted from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management, Delhi.
GCMMF Awarded Best FMCG in Food Sector by IAA
The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which manages brand AMUL, has been awarded as the best FMCG in the food sector at the 5th International Advertising Associations (IAA) Leadership Awards in Mumbai. Amul is India’s largest food brand with the annual brand turnover of Rs 38,000 crore. It is a cooperative milk federation of 3.6 million milk producers of Gujarat.
Radhakrishnan selected for Vayalar award
Noted Novelist T D Radhakrishnan’s has been selected for this year’s prestigious Vayalar award. The award will be presented to him on October 27, 2017, the death anniversary of poet and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma. Vayalar Award was instituted in 1977 by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in memory of Malayalam poet and lyricist Vayalar.
Rajesh Nath gets Germany’s Highest Civilian Honour
Rajesh Nath, Managing Director of VDMA India, has been conferred the ‘Cross of the Order of Merit’, the highest civilian honour awarded to individuals for their services to Germany. The award, also known as Bundesverdienstkreuz or Federal Cross of Merit was instituted in 1951 and is Germany’s only honour that is awarded to both Germans and foreigners for achievements in the economic, social, political or intellectual realms.
Nobel Prize 2017 in Economic Sciences announced
The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2017 was awarded to Richard H. Thaler for his contributions to behavioral economics. In 1968, Sveriges Riksbank (Sweden’s central bank) established the Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize.
ICAN awarded Nobel Peace Prize 2017
The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons”. The Prize calls upon nuclear-armed states to initiate negotiations to the gradual elimination of the world’s 15,000 nuclear weapons adding that ICAN has in the past year given the efforts to achieve a world without nuclear weapons a new direction and new vigor.
Gauri Lankesh, First Indian Journalist to win Anna Politkovskaya Award
Journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead by unknown assailants recently, has been posthumously accorded with the prestigious Anna Politkovskaya Award, instituted by Reach All Women (RAW) in War. It was honoured to award the annual Anna Politkovskaya Award for women human rights defenders from war and conflict zones jointly to Gauri Lankesh posthumously and to a brave Pakistani activist Gulalai Ismail, who similarly is fighting against Islamic extremism.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded for method to visualise biomolecules
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to confer the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 to three scientists for developing a technique to produce detailed images of life’s complex molecular machinery. Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and Richard Henderson have thereby received a £825,000 prize for developing an effective method for generating 3D images of life-building structures. The technique they developed, called cryo-electron microscopy, has allowed the structure of biomolecules to be studied in high-resolution for the first time, an advance that revolutionised the field of biochemistry.
2017 Nobel Physics Prize awarded to Gravitational Wave Detectors
The 2017 Nobel Physics Prize has been awarded “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves” to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory. The Prize announced by Sweden’s Royal Academy of Sciences comes with 9 million kronor ($1.1 million). For the past 25 years, the prize has been shared among multiple winners.
Jeffrey, Michael Rosbash & Michael win 2017 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to the American trio of Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm. All three winners are from the US. It is the 108th time the prize has been awarded and was announced at the Nobel Forum at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. The winners will share a prize of 9m Swedish kronor (£825,000), and each receives a medal engraved with their name.
Indian entrepreneur wins UK business award for innovative IT solutions
A Ghana-based Indian entrepreneur has won a prestigious business award in the UK for his efforts to bring innovative IT solutions to Africa. Birendra Sasmal, CEO of Subah, bagged the International Business Person of the Year at the Asian Achievers Awards in London for turning the company into a thriving IT, telecoms and manufacturing success story with operations across West Africa.
SPORTS & GAMES
Jasprit Bumrah secures top spot in ICC T20 Rankings
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah climbed to the number one spot in the latest ICC T20 rankings while his fifth-ranked team could go as high as second if it beats New Zealand in the three-match series beginning. Bumrah, who attained a career-best third position in the ODI rankings, has regained the T20 top spot after Pakistan spinner Imad Wasim slipped one place.
Heena Sidhu wins Air Pistol Gold at Commonwealth Shooting Championships
Ace Indian shooter Heena Sindhu has bagged gold in women’s 10m Air Pistol event at Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane, Australia. Heena shot a score of 240.8 in the finals to beat Australia’s Elena Galiabovitch, who has to settle for silver after posting 238.2. Kristy Gillman of Australia picked up the bronze medal with a score of 213.7. India also picked up their second medal through Deepak Kumar as he won bronze in men’s 10m Air Rifle event.
Indian Junior team win Bronze Medal in Johor Cup Hockey
Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team beat hosts Malaysia 4-0 in the Bronze medal match of the 7th Sultan of Johor Cup 2017 at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, in Malaysia. Goals from Vishal Antil (15’, 25’), Vivek Prasad (11’) and Shilanand Lakra (21’) were enough for India to finish their tournament with the Bronze medal.
Mithali Raj and Virat Kohli tops ICC ranking
India captain Mithali Raj moved up one place to occupy the number one spot in the latest ICC ODI rankings for batswomen. Ellyse Perry of Australia and Amy Satterthwaite of New Zealand also jumped one place each to be at second and third spots. Mithali has 753 points. Also, Indian captain, Virat Kohli returned to the top of the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen after logging career-high rating points, going past the iconic Sachin Tendulkar in the process. The 28-year-old Delhi batsman has reached 889 points, which is the best ever by an India batsman.
Federer wins 8th Basel Title, 95th Overall
The Swiss superstar won his eighth Basel title, after defeating Juan Martin del Potro, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 to clinch his ATP World Tour-leading seventh title of the year. It was Federer’s first success against the Argentine in a Basel final, after the South American beat him in both 2012 and 2013. Federer moved ahead of Ivan Lendl into standalone second place on the Open Era titles list, only trailing Jimmy Connors, who owns 109 trophies. He now owns eight or more trophies at three different events: Halle (9), Wimbledon (8) and Basel (8).
Lewis Hamilton secures 2017 F1 title, Max Verstappen wins Mexico Grand Prix
Britain’s Lewis Hamilton has been crowned Formula One world champion after he finished ninth in a dramatic Mexican Grand Prix. The race was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but Mercedes’ Hamilton clinched his fourth drivers’ championship after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was unable to win the race following collisions between the trio on the first lap.
Virat Kohli becomes fastest to reach 9000 ODI runs, a century
India skipper Virat Kohli became the fastest to reach 9000 ODI runs, taking just 194 innings to achieve the feat. He achieved the feat even as he scored his 32nd century in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) against New Zealand in Kanpur at the Green Park stadium. Kohli also became the first batsman to amass 2000 runs in international cricket in 2017.
Shuttler Srikanth wins French Open title
Star Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth has defeated Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in straight games to win the men’s singles title at the French Open Superseries, becoming the first-ever Indian shuttler to win 4 Superseries in a year. With this he also became the first Indian to win the Indonesia Super Series. He has also won Indonesia Open, Australian Open and Denmark Open this year.
Sangram wins Silver in Double Trap in ISSF World Cup final
Sangram Dahiya won a silver in the ISSF World Cup Final, in New Delhi. Double trap exponent Sangram clinched his first-ever senior medal in International Shooting Sports Federation tournament. He was taking part in the prestigious event for the first time.
Amanpreet wins Bronze at ISSF World Cup final
India’s Amanpreet Singh clinched a bronze medal in his maiden appearance in an ISSF World Cup Final, in New Delhi. Jitu Rai fizzled out to finish seventh on the fourth day of competition. World Cup silver medallist Amanpreet shot 202.2 to win the bronze in the final of men’s 50m pistol. Rai could manage only 123.2 to finish last in the seven- man final. This was India’s first individual medal in the ongoing edition of the prestigious tournament.
Patna Pirates clinched Third Pro Kabaddi successive title
Pardeep Narwal scored incredible 24 points to steer Patna Pirates to third consecutive Pro Kabaddi title. Pardeep, who had scored 76 points in three playoffs, helped Patna come from behind and thump Gujarat Fortunegiants 55-38 in the summit clash of Pro Kabaddi season 5. Gujarat’s Sachin Tawar was the only player who had managed to break through Patna defence and scored 11 points. The 20-year old raider finishes the 2017 edition as the highest raider with 369 raid points and 19 Super 10s.
England beat Spain 5-2 to Win First-ever U-17 Title
England scripted a dramatic turnaround in Kolkata to win the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup for the very first time after a 5-2 win over European U17 champions Spain. Spain appeared to throw in the towel after letting slip a commanding lead, and their woe was compounded by further strikes from Marc Guehi and Foden to round off a comprehensive 5-2 victory.
Jitu Rai and Heena Sindhu win gold in air pistol mixed team event
Jitu Rai and Heena Sindhu won gold medal at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final in New Delhi. The duo struck gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event on the opening day of ISSF World Cup in the capital. They will make their Olympic debut in the Tokyo 2020 Games. Both Rai and Sindhu picked their gold together in the mixed team event.
Scott Fleming joins NBA India as Head of Basketball Operations
The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that former India men’s national team head coach Scott Fleming has joined NBA India as Head of Basketball Operations. Scott Fleming will oversee the league’s youth and elite basketball development in India, including the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, NBA Academy India, and NBA Basketball School.
Thakkar first Indian to top ITTF
Manav Thakkar has become the first Indian to occupy the top spot (3,455 points) on the ITTF World Junior Circuit standings. Manav Thakkar hails from Surat. He was previously placed at No. 5 position. He has reached the top position of top ITTF Junior Circuit standings after finishing runner-up at the 2017 Serbian Junior and Cadet Open, Belgrade.
Divij & Scott crowned EO champions
India’s Divij Sharan and America’s Scott Lipsky won the European Open trophy in Antwerp, Belgium. Divij Sharan and Scott Lipsky defeated Santiago Gonzalez and Julio Peralta by 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 in the finals. They won the 2017 European Open title. Divij Sharan has won his first title of the 2017 season on the ATP World Tour, and third overall, by winning the European Open trophy.
Cristiano Ronaldo Named Best FIFA Men’s Player
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi and Neymar to win the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the second year running. Ronaldo was presented the award at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in London, UK. The award, which covers the period of November 2016 to July 2017, is voted by national team coaches, captains, selected media and fans.
Kidambi Srikanth lifts Denmark Open Superseries Trophy 2017
Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth lifted the Denmark Open Superseries trophy at Odense, Denmark. He defeated South Korea’s Lee Hyun-il in straight games, 21-10, 21-5 to bag his third Super Series title of the year and fifth overall. He recently (June 2017) won Australia Open Super Series title.
Indian Women’s compound team bags silver at World Archery Championships
The Indian women’s compound team has bagged a silver medal after losing to Colombian rivals in the World Archery Championships. This was India’s fifth medal at the World Championships and all of them have been silver. It was also the first time India won any medal in the compound team archery section at the World Championships.
Lewis Hamilton wins USA Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton won the U.S. Grand Prix. The victory was the 62nd of Hamilton’s career and his ninth of the season. Lewis Hamilton needs to finish in top five in Mexico to become Britain’s first four times world champion.
India defeats Malaysia to win their 3rd Hockey Asia Cup title
India defeated Malaysia 2-1 in final of the Hockey Asia Cup in Dhaka, to win the tournament for the third time. India, who have finished as the tournament’s runners-up five times previously, have now won the joint second-most number of Asia Cup titles, alongside Pakistan. India had last won the Asia Cup back in 2007.
Kohli becomes top run scorer at 200 ODIs and 14th Indian player to play 200 ODIs
Indian skipper Virat Kohli has become the top run-scorer at the 200 ODI-mark, after taking the field against New Zealand in the first ODI at Mumbai. In his 200th ODI, Virat has 8,767 runs, 146 more than second-placed AB de Villiers. Virat is the 14th Indian cricketer to play 200 ODIs.
Cristiano Ronaldo retains top spot in Forbes’ wealthiest athletes list
Forbes released the top 20 richest sportsmen in the world for 2017 with Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo leading the chart. Ronaldo earned £70m in the last year, making him the highest paid European sports personality. Meanwhile, Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is the only cricketer to feature in the Top 100 list.
South Africa clinches top spot in ODI, India slips to second
India lost its number one spot in International Cricket Council (ICC) One Day International (ODI) rankings to South Africa. South Africa’s 104-run win over Bangladesh in the second ODI in Paarl pushed it to the top spot. India had claimed the top rank in the ICC rankings as a result of its 4-1 win over Australia. While India and South Africa have equal 120 points against their name, India is placed second on the basis of decimal points. However, India has a chance to regain its top spot as it plays against New Zealand in a three-match ODI series scheduled to begin from 22 October 2017 in Mumbai.
Kavita Devi, India’s first woman wrestler to sign for WWE
Kavita Devi, a former competitive powerlifter, has become the first ever Indian woman to be signed by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Jinder Mahal, the current WWE champion, confirmed the news in a special visit to New Delhi. Hailing from Haryana, Kavita underwent training to be a professional wrestler under the guidance of The Great Khali (Dalip Singh Rana) at his Punjab based wrestling promotion and training academy. She also won a gold medal at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Mohun Bagan lifts Governor’s Gold Cup
Football club Mohun Bagan has won the 37th All India Governor’s Gold Cup football tournament. Mohun Bagan defeated Partha Chakra by a narrow 1-0 margin to win the 37th All India Governor’s Gold Cup. With this victory, Mohun Bagan won the Governor’s Golden Cup for the 10th time. The final match was played at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim.
Shakib first from Bangladesh in MCC World Cricket Committee
Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan became the first cricketer from Bangladesh to be inducted in the MCC World Cricket Committee under the chairmanship of Mike Gatting. Also added to the committee are Suzie Bates, Ian Bishop and Kumar Dharmasena. Shakib Al Hasan is regarded as one of Bangladesh’s finest players since they were awarded the Test status in 2000, with the all-rounder having played 51 Test matches and 177 one-day internationals.
Maria Sharapova wins Tianjin Open, her first title since doping ban
Former world number one tennis player Maria Sharapova won her first title since returning from a 15-month doping ban, clinching the Tianjin Open. Sharapova defeated Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 7-5, 7-6(8) to win her career’s 36th title and her first since Italian Open in 2015.
Roger Federer Cruises to Shanghai Masters Title
Roger Federer has brushed aside world number one Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters and register his fourth victory of the year over his Spanish rival. The Swiss world number two beat Nadal in the finals of the Australian Open and Miami Masters and in the last 16 at Indian Wells earlier this year, and never looked like losing to his long-time rival in Shanghai, firing 10 aces as he cruised to victory. Federer, the only man who can still stop Nadal ending the year as number one, took an hour and 12 minutes to claim his sixth title of the year and his second Shanghai crown with a clinical performance.
India bows out from FIFA U-17 World Cup after 0-4 defeat against Ghana
India’s run at the FIFA under-17 World cup came to an end s they went down 0-4 against two time champions Ghana in their final group A match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. In the earlier matches India lost to US and Colombia. However, looking back at young team India’s performance in the tournament, they did show much resilience and tact in their second group match against Colombia, giving the team a tough competition.
Gurusaidutt wins Bulgarian International Tournament
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist RMV Gurusaidutt clinched the men’s singles title at the Bulgarian International Future Series tournament. Gurusaidutt has defeated Muhammed Ali Kurt (Turkey) in a 35- minute match. Gurusaidutt will also participate in Senior Nationals Championship in November 2017.
Staubli first female referee to officiate in U-17 World Cup
Switzerland’s Esther Staubli will become the first female referee to officiate a match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup when Japan clash with New Caledonia in the final round group E match in Kolkata on 14th October 2017. This is in line with FIFA’s objective to further develop women’s football. Staubli is one of seven women referees invited to the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017.
Compulsory Yo-Yo test for cricketers
According to BCCI, every cricketer will now need to have a yo-yo test, prescribed by the Indian team management. In a yo-yo test, players have to pace themselves to and fro between two rows of cones kept 20 metres apart. For every round the player has to sync his sprint with the beeps that are played. This test is widely used by selection bodies in various sports including hockey, football.
Indian Pair Win Gold at World Archery Youth Championship 2017
Mixed pair of Jemson Ningthoujam and Ankita Bhakat clinched the gold medal as India returned with three medals from the World Archery Youth Championship in Rosario, Argentina. This is India’s first world title at the youth championships since Deepika Kumari’s victories in 2009 and 2011. India also bagged one silver and one bronze in a promising show by the youngsters.
FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation
FIFA has decided to suspend the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) with immediate effect in accordance with the decision of the Bureau of the FIFA Council on account of undue third-party interference. The national and club teams will not be allowed to take part in international competitions till the suspension is lifted. FIFA suspended PFF since its accounts were in control of a court-appointed administrator, which is against FIFA rules. The suspension will be lifted when the body becomes independent.
Iceland becomes smallest nation ever to enter FIFA World Cup
Iceland becomes the smallest country ever to qualify for the final stage of the FIFA World Cup, after topping its qualifying group. The island nation has a population of over 3,34,000 with over 20,000 registered football players. Last year, Iceland played its first major tournament, the UEFA European Championship, where the team defeated England and reached the quarter-final stage.
Dhayal Sisters win bronze in Youth World Championship
Pune girls Divya Dhayal and Khushbu Dhayal won bronze medal in the Youth World Championship in Rosario, Argentina. The three-member Indian team of Khushbu Dhayal, Divya Dhayal and Delhi’s Sanchita Tiwari defeated Russia in the quarterfinals but lost the semifinals to US. The Youth World Archery Championship, held from October 2 to 8, in Rosario, Argentina, is held after two years.
Tyrrell Hatton retains Dunhill Links Championship title
Tyrrell Hatton became the first man to retain the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title. He won by three shots after a six-under-par final round. It is the second year in a row that Fisher had finished second at the Dunhill Links.
Rafael Nadal wins China Open title
World number one Rafael Nadal (Spain) won his China Open Title that is sixth title of this year. He defeated Nick Kyrgios (Australia) at the China Open 2017. He won a 16-time Grand Slam winner and came to the Chinese capital Beijing on the back of winning his third US Open.
Anupama clinches World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship title
India’s Anupama Ramachandran has clinched the World Open Under-16 Snooker Championship title at St. Petersburg in Russia. In the girls category, second seed Anupama Ramachandran of India knocked out her compatriot and top seed Keerthana Pandian 3-1 to become World Open Under-16 champion.
FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 started in India
The much-awaited FIFA U-17 World Cup started with four opening day matches to be played in Delhi and Mumbai. The opening matches would be played by teams in Group A and B. In Delhi, the inaugural match would be played between Group A teams Colombia and Ghana at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, followed by hosts India who would take on Team USA in the second match. In Mumbai, Group B team New Zealand would be taking on Turkey in the first game at DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai.
India’s first portal dedicated to para-sports launched
In a bid to create awareness about para-sports and provide a platform to para sportspersons to narrate their stories of triumph and adversity,thenationspride.com, the country’s first portal dedicated to para-sports has been launched in Mumbai, Maharashtra. thenationspride.com is a non-profit initiative, helmed by 17-year-old Mumbai student and sports enthusiast, Saachi Munot. The portal brings readers inspiring stories of Indian para-sportspersons, who have consistently delivered stellar performances on domestic and global arenas alike, but whose stories have largely gone untold or unheard.
Rangana Herath, 1st left-arm spinner to pick 400 wickets
Rangana Herath has became the 14th bowler overall to take 400 wickets in Test cricket. Herath also became the first left-arm spinner to bag 400 wickets in Tests. Daniel Vettori of New Zealand, with 362 wickets, is second in the list of left-arm spinners with most wickets. He also became the second Sri Lankan after the great Muttiah Muralitharan to pick 400 wickets.
2018 Commonwealth Games Baton arrives in New Delhi
The Queen’s Baton for the 2018 Commonwealth Games arrived in New Delhi, India. The 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held in Australia. The Baton was received by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) joint secretary Rakesh Gupta and it will travel to Agra. It will then be taken to Nainital in Uttarakhand on October 5. The main CWG Baton Relay event will be held on October 8 at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Pooja Kadian hands India its first gold in Wushu World C’ships
Pooja Kadian created history as she bagged India’s first ever gold medal at Wushu World Championships in Russia. Pooja, an ace Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Wushu champion, finished on top of the podium in the 75 kg women’s Sanda Category after defeating Evgeniya Stepanova of Russia in the final.
Jagan Wins sixth title in a row at National Motorcycle Racing
TVS Racing’s mascot Jagan Kumar notched his sixth straight title in the premier Super Sports Indian class on a rain-affected day to bring down the curtain on the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The event was organized by Madras Motorsports Club. It was sponsored by MRF Tyres.
Viswanathan Anand finishes second at Isle of Man Championship
Five time World Champion Viswanathan Anand finished second at the Isle of Man Chess Championship at Douglas. He defeated the Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan in the 9th and final round. Anand shares second position with America’s Nakamura Hikaru. World Champion Magnus Carlsen won the title with 7.5 points after a short draw against Nakamura.
Max Verstappen wins Malaysian Grand Prix
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen gave himself a perfect 20th birthday present by winning the last Malaysian Grand Prix. The victory was the second of Verstappen’s Grand Prix career, after a first in Spain last year. Verstappen’s Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo, last year’s winner at Sepang, finished third.
Russia, China & other 9 Countries hit with doping ban
Russia & China were among 9 countries suspended from weightlifting for a year in an attempt to combat an epidemic of doping. The decision by International Weightlifting Federation followed re-testing of anti-doping samples from 2008 & 2012 Olympics. Countries with at least 3 doping offenses from those Olympics were suspended. Russia was also banned from weightlifting event at 2016 Olympics in Rio.
ECONOMY
RIL, first Indian company to cross Rs 6 Trillion Market Capital
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross Rs 6 trillion market capitalization after its shares surged over 75% so far this year and hit a fresh lifetime high. Currently, its market cap is at Rs 6.02 trillion. The recent rally in the stock was due to tariff hike by its telecom arm Reliance Jio which, analysts expect, will improve the company’s profitability. Jio increased its tariff by 15% for its popular 84-day plan at Rs 459, under which subscribers get 1GB 4G data at high speed per day.
Zimbabwe bans Fruit, Vegetable imports as Forex Crunch Deepens
The east African landlocked country Zimbabwe, with immediate effect, banned the import of fruits and vegetables to preserve the scarce foreign currencies. Last year Zimbabwe spent more than $80 million on fruit and vegetables which included tomatoes, onions, carrots, grapes, apples and oranges. Many of the Zimbabweans are keeping U.S. dollars at home or they are spending in buying Hard Currency on the black market. This same situation was prevailing during the period of hyperinflation a decade ago.
SBI to set up country’s largest Innovation Centre at Mumbai
The nation’s largest lender State Bank of India is creating a 15,000-sqft innovation center in Navi Mumbai investing around Rs 100 crore. The center, to be built at its Global IT Centre in Belapur in Navi Mumbai, will be the largest innovation center by any financial services company in the country. The innovation center is part of a Rs 200-crore allocation that the bank has earmarked for innovation 2016.
IMF Trims India growth Forecast for Current Financial Year to 6.7 %
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has trimmed India’s growth forecast for Financial Year 2017-18. In its latest World Economic Outlook released, the IMF lowered India’s growth forecast for 2017 to 6.7% from its earlier estimate of 7.2 percent. As per IMF, India is expected to regain the fastest growing major economy tag next year when it is forecast to grow 7.4 per cent, slower than earlier estimate of 7.7 per cent but higher than China’s 6.5 per cent.
RBI to soon launch Financial Literacy Drive in 9 States
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is to launch a financial literacy drive in 80 blocks in nine states on the pilot basis to educate people on e-transactions, formal sector borrowings, and insurance purchases. According to RBI, it commissions 9 states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh by the 6 NGOs in collaboration with the sponsor Banks. The main aim is to inculcate the habit of making a household budget and recording financial transactions, encourage transactions in savings accounts, and active saving by depositing in banks through fixed deposits and recurring deposits.
U.S. approves sale of Rs. 98,000 crore THAAD missiles to Saudi Arabia
U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of a THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-missile defence system to Saudi Arabia at an estimated cost of $15 billion (Rs. 98,000 crore). The deal includes 44 THAAD launchers and 360 missiles along with fire control stations and radars.
Fourth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement released by RBI
On the basis of an assessment of the current and evolving macroeconomic situation at its meeting, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 6.0 per cent. Consequently, the Reverse Repo Rate (RRR) under the LAF remains at 5.75 per cent, and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.25 per cent. The projection of real Gross Value Added (GVA) growth for 2017-18 has been revised down to 6.7 per cent from the August 2017 projection of 7.3 per cent, with risks evenly balanced.
India’s holdings of American securities
India has sharply increased its exposure to US government securities with holdings worth $135.7 billion at the end of July. Neighbouring China continued to top the charts withholding to the tune of $1.166 trillion, followed by Japan with exposure worth $1.113 trillion. India is the 12th largest holder of US government securities just behind Saudi Arabia.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
World’s fastest, shortest laser pulse created
Scientists from ETH Zurich in Switzerland have successfully created the world’s shortest X-ray laser pulse with duration of just 43 attoseconds (1×10−18 of a second). This laser pulse is the shortest controlled event that has ever been created by humans.
Scientists develop futuristic military watch that can survive nuclear blast
Scientists have developed a new military watch for the Russian army kit, which is capable of resisting high impact and can even survive a nuclear explosion. The watch has been developed by research experts of the Central Scientific – Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering (TsNIITochMash) – a part of the Rostec State Corporation in Russia.
Japan launches fourth Michibiki satellite for hi-tech GPS
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully launched Michibiki-4 satellite (QZSS-4) onboard of H-IIA rocket from Tanegashima Space Centre. It was fourth satellite in Michibiki series i.e. Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), which is a satellite-based high-precision global positioning system similar to US operated GPS. Moreover, it was 36th H-IIA vehicle to be launched so far and fifth launch of an H-IIA rocket in 2017.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A). APPOINTMENTS
YC Modi took charge as Director General of National Investigation Agency
Senior IPS officer Yogesh Chander (YC) Modi took charge as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Modi succeeds Sharad Kumar, who retired on 30 October 2017. Modi is an IPS officer of the 1979 batch of the Haryana cadre.
Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar assumes charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff
Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P, AVSM, VSM has assumed charge as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) from Vice Admiral Karambir Singh AVSM at a formal ceremony held in New Delhi. Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P, AVSM, VSM is an alumni of the National Defence Academy. The Flag Officer was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 81 and is a specialist in Missiles & Gunnery.
Gangte appointed as the next High Commissioner to the Republic of Zambia
N.J.Gangte has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Zambia. He is presently the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.
Raina made ambassador of Ghaziabad
Cricketer Suresh Raina has been appointed as the brand ambassador of the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) and also the brand ambassador of Swachh Bharat Mission.
Alok Kumar Pateria appointed as ADG, CISF
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Alok Kumar Pateria, IPS as Additional Director General, CISF. He has been appointed on deputation basis for a period up to May 2020.
AMFI Appoints NS Venkatesh as New CEO
NS Venkatesh has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). The post was lying vacant after CVR Rajendran stepped down from the position in December 2016. Prior to joining AMFI Mr. Venkatesh was executive director at Lakshmi Vilas Bank.
Shri Ngangom Sarat Singh appointed as member of the JERC for Manipur and Mizoram
Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri Ngangom Sarat Singh, here today, on his appointment as a member of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) for Manipur and Mizoram. It is a two-member Commission, each member representing the respective participating State.
HSBC appoints Jayant Rikhye as CEO India
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) announced the appointment of Jayant Rikhye as the Chief Executive Officer for India. He succeeds Stuart Milne. Mr. Rikhye is currently Head of International, Asia-Pacific, responsible for 11 markets in the region.
Rakesh Asthana appointed CBI Special Director
Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana was appointed the special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer, had been serving in the Central Bureau of Investigation as additional director. He is among eight senior police officers promoted by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
Suresh Sethi is India Post Payments Bank’s MD and CEO
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has appointed Suresh Sethi as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. He was the former MD of Vodafone M-Pesa Ltd. Sethi had been selected by the Banks Board Bureau from amongst the top contenders for the post, from both public and private sector banking and fintech professionals. The IPPB has been incorporated as a Public Limited Company under the Department of Posts with 100 per cent Government of India equity.
Govt. appoints ex-IB director as interlocutor
The Centre has decided to start a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir and added that former Intelligence Bureau (IB) director Dineshwar Sharma will be the representative from the Government of India. Rank of Dineshwar Sharma will be equivalent to that of a Cabinet Secretary. Sharma will initiate the dialogue with the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and public.
Sibi George appointed as the Ambassador of India to Switzerland
Sibi George is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1993 batch. He has also served as deputy chief of mission of Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia. Sibi George will replace Smita Purushottam as the ambassador of India to Switzerland. He is presently serving as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He would to take up this assignment shortly.
Sunny Verghese appointed as WBCSD from 2018
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has appointed NRI businessman Sunny Verghese, co-founder, and CEO of Singapore-based Olam International, as its new chairman from 2018. He succeeds Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever as the Chairman. It is a global network of more than 200 CEOs who are responsible for a combined revenue of more than $ 8.5 trillion and 19 million employees.
Govt appoints MK Gupta, DK Gayen as New Railway Board Members
The government of India has appointed Mahesh Kumar Gupta and D K Gayen as the two new members in the Railway Board. D.K. Gayen, presently posted as General Manager East Central Railway, has been appointed as new Member (Staff) Railway Board and ex officio Secretary to the Government of India. Meanwhile, M K Gupta, presently General Manager, Modern Coach Factory Raibareli has been appointed as new Member(Engineering) Railway Board and ex officio Secretary to the Government of India.
1st Woman to head Saudi sport federation
For the first time, a princess has been named to head a Saudi multi-sports federation. Princess Rima Bandar bin Sultan has become “the first woman to lead a federation” covering sporting activities for men and women. In August 2016, the princess scored another first for women in Saudi Arabia, when she was named by the cabinet to a senior post in the kingdom’s equivalent of a Sports Ministry.
Audrey Azoulay elected as Director General of UNESCO
Former French Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay (45) was elected as new Director General of UNESCO – the UN’s education, science and culture agency. With this, she becomes first Jewish Director of UNESCO. Azoulay defeated Qatar’s Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari in the final 30-28 vote after she won a runoff with a third finalist from Egypt. She will succeed outgoing Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria.
Mobikwik appoints Rukaiya Rangwala as the business head of its payments gateway
Digital wallet major MobiKwik has appointed former Jabong vice-president Rukaiya Rangwala as the business head of its payments gateway business. Recently, MobiKwik had re-launched Zaakpay as MobiKwik Payment Gateway. Rangwala, a technology and e-commerce industry veteran with over 15 years of experience, has worked across the US, Singapore, Japan and India.
Gautam Bambawale appointed as India’s Ambassador to China
Gautam Bambawale was appointed as India’s new Ambassador to China. Bambawale in an Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 1984 batch. He will succeed Vijay Gokhale. Bambawale is familiar with Mandarin Chinese and has earlier served in Hong Kong and Beijing.
Yuvraj Singh named Laureus’ first Indian ambassador
Flamboyant Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has been appointed as Laureus’ first Indian ambassador, joining the host of cricket legends in the Laureus family, including Indian Academy members Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Kapil Dev. The Laureus World Sports Awards is an annual award ceremony honoring remarkable individuals from the world of sports along with the greatest sporting achievements throughout the year.
Anupam Kher appointed as Chairman of FTII
Veteran actor Anupam Kher (62) was appointed as new Chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. He will succeed Gajendra Chauhan whose tenure ended in March 2017. Earlier he had held post of chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification and the National School of Drama in India. He is currently the chairman at Actor Prepares.
Nisha Desai Biswal appointed as President of US-India Business Council
Nisha Desai Biswal was appointed as the President of the US-India Business Council (USIBC). The US-India Business Council is the premier business advocacy organization that was formed in 1975 at the request of the US and Indian governments. It is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States and has presence in New york, Silicon Valley and New Delhi.
V M Kwatra appointed ambassador to Principality of Monaco
Shri Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Principality of Monaco, with residence in Paris. Mr Kwatra is presently Ambassador of India to France.
PNB MetLife appoints Ashish Srivastava as MD & CEO
PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Ltd (PNB MetLife), a life insurer, has appointed Ashish Srivastava as a new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the company. Prior to this elevation, Srivastava was an interim CEO at PNB MetLife. Srivastava joined PNB MetLife in 2013 as the Head of HR for the India business.
Axis Bank acquires Freecharge, appoints Sangram Singh as CEO
The country’s third largest private sector lender Axis Bank has acquired payments wallet Freecharge for Rs. 373 crore in an all-cash deal and appointed Sangram Singh as its CEO. Sangram Singh has been appointed as the CEO of Freecharge Payment Technologies Private Ltd.
Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Pakistan’s New Navy Chief
Pakistan appointed Vice-Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi as new Chief of Naval Staff. He will replace Admiral Muhammad Zakaullah who will retire on 6 October. President Mamnoon Hussain approved the appointment of Abbasi on the advice of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. In Pakistan, all services chiefs are appointed by the president at the recommendation of the prime minister who has final say in such appointments.
Soumya Swaminathan appointed as New Deputy Director General at WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) appointed Soumya Swaminathan one of two Deputy Directors General. This is the first time such a post has been ever created within the organization. The position is also the highest post held by an Indian in the WHO. She is currently the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Government Names Rajnish Kumar as SBI’s Next Chairman
The Government named Rajnish Kumar as the new chairman of State Bank of India, for a three-year term. Kumar will succeed Arundhati Bhattacharya. At present, Rajnish Kumar is one of the managing directors of SBI. The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) had interviewed four managing directors for the post at the end of June and had recommended a name to the government. The government had extended Bhattacharya’s tenure for a year, with effect from October 7, 2016.
Param Shah appointed as FICCI UK Director
The apex industry body, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) announced the appointment of Param Shah as the new Director for the United Kingdom (UK) operations. Shah will succeed Pratik Dattani whose tenure with FICCI ended recently.
Baishya elected as Chairmen of two sub-committees of IWF
Indian Weightlifting Federation President, Birendra Prasad Baishya has been elected as the chairman of two sub-committees of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). Baishya was elected as the chairman of International Weightlifting Federation’s Ethics Commission as well as of Anti-Disciplinary Commission at the world body’s Executive Committee Meeting, which was held at Bucharest, Romania.
B). RESIGNS
Nepal’s ambassador to India resigns
Deep Kumar Upadhyay, Nepal’s ambassador to India has resigned from his position to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections. He handed over his resignation to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara on 6th October 2017. Upadhyay has filed his nomination for the upcoming parliamentary election from Kapilastu district in western Nepal.
Solicitor-General Ranjit Kumar resigns
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, the country’s second-most senior legal officer, has resigned citing personal reasons. The senior advocate was appointed Solicitor General in 2014, soon after the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre.
Anup Vikal resigns as CFO of Snapdeal
Anup Vikal has resigned as Snapdeal’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and General Counsel. Vikas is likely to join Essar Oil as its Chief Financial Officer. His resignation came two months after e-commerce dealer Snapdeal cancelled its merger talks with online retailer Flipkart.
Arjen Robben announced his retirement from International Football
Netherland’s Football Player Arjen Robben has announced his retirement from international football following the Netherland’s failure to make the 2018 World Cup. Robben scored 37 times and provided 29 assists in 96 appearances, averaging a goal or assist every 112 minutes for his country.
Samsung Electronics CEO Kwon Oh-hyun Resigns
Samsung Electronics chief executive Kwon Oh-hyun has resigned citing an “unprecedented crisis” Mr Kwon is one of three co-chief executives of Samsung Electronics. His resignation comes on the same day the firm forecast record quarterly profits, citing higher memory chip prices.
Nehra confirms his retirement from all forms of cricket on Nov. 1
Veteran Indian pacer Ashish Nehra confirmed that he would be retiring from all forms of cricket after the opening Twenty20 International of the three-match series against New Zealand, which is to be held at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on November 1.
Facebook India MD Umang Bedi Resigns
In just over a year of joining Facebook as India MD, Umang Bedi has resigned from his position at the social networking giant. Sandeep Bhushan has been appointed as the interim Managing Director. Facebook had roped in Umang Bedi as its Managing Director, India from Adobe. Prior to joining Facebook, Umang served as Managing Director of the South Asia region at Adobe.
PepsiCo India Chairman and CEO D Shivakumar resigns
PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd’s Chairman and Chief Executive officer D. Shivakumar has resigned. He will be joining Aditya Birla Group as president (corporate strategy and business development). Ahmed El Sheikh, currently senior vice-president and general manager for PepsiCo Egypt and Jordan, will succeed Shivakumar as PepsiCo India CEO.
John Hastings retires from Test and ODI Cricket
Australian fast bowler John Hastings has called it quits from Test Match and ODIs, citing recurring injuries as the reason. The 31-year-old wants to solely focus on T20 cricket. He has represented Australia in one test, 29 ODIs and 9 T20Is. In 2016 Hastings was the world’s leading ODI fast bowler after picking up 29 wickets in 15 matches, the equal second-most dismissals alongside South Africa’s Imran Tahir and behind teammate Adam Zampa.
C). DEATHS
Malayalam writer Punathil Kunjabdulla passes away
Renowned Malayalam writer Punathil Kunjabdulla passed away in Kozhikode following a prolonged illness. He was 77. Kunjabdulla is regarded as one of the major figures of modernism in Malayalam literature. He won the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel Smarakasilakal in 1980 and the Kerala Sahithya Akademi award twice for the same novel in 1978 and for Malamukalile Abdulla in 1980.
Queen of Thumri’ Girija Devi passes away at 88
Indian Classical singer Girija Devi, who was the recipient of India’s second highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan, passed away in Kolkata after suffering from a cardiac arrest. She was 88. She was from the “Benaras Gharana”. Popularly considered as the Queen of Thumri, Devi is survived by a daughter.
Legendary Filmmaker I V Sasi Passes Away
Veteran Malayalam director I V Sasi, best known for his films “Avalude Ravukal” and “Devasuram” died. He was 69. His debut directorial venture was “Ulsavam”, which released in 1975. I V Sasi won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in the year 1982 for his movie “Aaroodam”.
Filmmaker and Rani Mukerji’s father Ram Mukherjee passes away
Indian film director and screenwriter in Hindi and Bengali cinema Ram Mukherjee, father of Bollywood star Rani Mukerji has passed away. He was 84. Ram, one of the founders of Filmalaya Studios, had directed films like Hum Hindustani and Leader.
Grandmaster William Lombardy passed away
William James Joseph Lombardy was an American chess grandmaster, writer, teacher, and Catholic priest who passed away at the age of 79. He gave up the game at the height of his career and become a priest. Lombardy led the U.S. Student Team to Gold in the 1960 in World Student Team Championship in Leningrad. He was the only World Junior Champion to win with a perfect score.
Veteran British actor Roy Dotrice passes away
Roy Dotrice, a veteran British actor, died in London. He was 94. Dotrice was known for his role as Leopold Mozart in the Oscar-winning film Amadeus and his many theater and TV roles. He won many accolades throughout his lengthy career including a Tony Award in 2000 for his role in the Broadway revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten.
Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta passes away
Poet Punyaslok Dasgupta, died of kidney ailment at a hospital in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. He was 66 years old. Dasgupta did not follow any particular poetry style. Some of his important works are ‘Kuashar Bagan’ and ‘Chander Sangeet’. He was widely known for his hospitality. Poets and eminent persons used to often visit his house at Dhupguri area, in West Bengal.
India’s first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan passes away
India’s first Olympic swimmer Shamsher Khan has passed away. A forgotten sports hero, he was the first swimmer to represent India in Olympics. He narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in 200 meter butterfly and breaststroke events in Melbourne Games.
Richard Wilbur dies at age 96
Richard Wilbur, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and translator died. He was 96. He intrigued and delighted generations of readers and theatregoers through his rhyming editions of Moliere. He received numerous literary honors, including the National Book Award and two Pulitzer Prizes, for “Things of This World,” released in 1956, and for “New and Collected Poems,” which came out in 1989.
Historian Satish Chandra Passes Away
Veteran and one of India’s eminent historian Satish Chandra passed away the age of 95. Satish’s important works include Mughal Empire and its downfall. He was also the author of NCERT’s leading history book ‘History of Medieval India’. Chandra has founded JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies. He was also the chairman and vice chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India during the 1970s.
Noted Journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty dies
Noted journalist Bismoy Kumar Mohanty has died following a heart attack at Puri. he was 62. Owner and Editor of Odia daily “Ajikali” published from Balasore, Mohanty was the president of Odisha Small and Medium Newspaper Organisation. He was also associated with a number of social and cultural organisations. His wife Bijay Laxmi Mohanty is also publisher and editor of language daily “Sambad Bahika”.
Purushottam Lal Kaushik passes away
Former Union minister and socialist leader Purushottam Lal Kaushik died due to age-related ailments. He was 87. He had served as tourism and civil aviation minister in the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s cabinet during 1977- 1979. He headed the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in the then Prime Minister Charan Singh’s cabinet during July 1979-January 1980.
Filmmaker Kundan Shah passes away
Veteran director Kundan Shah, best known for the dark comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, passed away at his home, family sources said. He was 69. Shah passed away after suffering a heart attack. He made his directorial debut on television in 1986 with the popular series Nukkad.
D). VISITORS
Bhutan King arrives in New Delhi for four-day visit
King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, arrived in New Delhi on a four-day visit to India. He is accompanied by his wife, Queen Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.
Italy PM Paolo Gentiloni on two-day visit to India
Prime Minister of Italy Paolo Gentiloni arrived in New Delhi on a two day visit to India. The visit is aimed at strengthening the bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries. The last visit of the Italian Prime Minister to India was in February 2007.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani arrives in India
Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani arrived in New Delhi this morning on one day visit to India. He will meet with President Ram Nath Kovind and have delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both sides will review the entire gamut of multifaceted bilateral strategic partnership. The two countries will discuss the efforts to combat the menace of terrorism. They will also hold consultations and coordinate on furthering the shared objective of promoting peace, security, stability, and prosperity in Afghanistan.
Nirmala Sitharaman left for Philippines to attend ADMM
In her first foreign visit as Defence Minister, Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman left for the Philippines to attend the Southeast Asian Defence Ministers’ Meeting. The two-day ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting)-Plus meeting will discuss ways to enhance defense and security cooperation among the member nations. During her three-day stay, Ms. Sitharaman is also likely to hold bilateral talks with her counterparts from a number of countries.
President of India reaches Djibouti
Indian President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind reached Djibouti in the first leg of his state visit to two African countries – Djibouti and Ethiopia. This is President Kovind’s first overseas visit after assuming office. The two leaders engaged in a short round of talks on bilateral relations and themes of common interest to both countries.
E). MISCELLANEOUS
Jeff Bezos replaces Gates as World’s Richest Person with $90.6-bn Fortune
According to Forbes magazine, Jeff Bezos surpassed Bill Gates as the richest person in the world. The fortune of Amazon’s founder reached some $90.6 billion, compared with the $90.1 billion that the online edition of the magazine attributes to Gates. This is not the first time that Bezos has outpaced Gates – it previously happened in July 2017 when Amazon shares hit a historic high, though Gates took back the lead hours later.
Indian origin activist named UK’s most influential black person of the year
Indian origin campaigner Gina Miller was named Uk’s most influential black person of the year. Gina won a legal challenge seeking Parliamentary approval for triggering Brexit. The Supreme Court ruling came in her favour in January 2017.
Virat Kohli overtakes Lionel Messi in Forbes list by $1 Million
According to the list released by Forbes, Virat Kohli ranks ahead of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi when it comes to brand value. The captain of the Indian cricket has a brand value of $14.5 million which puts him ahead of Messi on the 7th spot in the top 10 list revealed by Forbes. The brand value is an athlete’s earnings (excluding salary and bonus from their sport and all investment income), minus the average income of the top 10 athletes in the same sport. Tennis legend Roger Federer leads the list with a brand value of $37.2m.
Meghalaya Election Department enters Limca Book of Records
The Meghalaya Election Department has entered Limca Book of Records for the formation of the biggest human logo comprising young voters in the state. The logo formation was part of Mission Unite (U and I towards Enrolment) as part of the Special drive to enroll young and left out voters in the age categories of 18 to 21 years held in July at the Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex.
Jaipur and Srinagar Airports rated Best Airports in the world
The Jaipur and Srinagar Airport bagged the first and second rank respectively in the category of 2-5 million passengers. 2017 in Airport Service Quality (ASQ)-Airport Council International (ACI) survey. Jaipur won the Best Airport in the World in the traffic volume of 2 to 5 million passengers for the second consecutive year. It had received the award in the same category in 2016 as well.
Gitanjali Rao wins 2017 Young Scientist Challenge for water contamination detection device
Indian-American Gitanjali Rao, 11, was announced the winner of Discovery Education’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge. The sensor-based device detects the quality of water and shares the results to a mobile application via Bluetooth. There are over 5,000 water systems in the US alone with lead contamination issues. Detection and preventive action can help mitigate the problem.
Shastri is World’s Highest Earning Cricket Coach
Ravi Shastri has emerged as the world’s highest earning cricket coach with salary close to 1.17 million dollars per year, according to ESPNCricinfo. Shastri’s remuneration is higher than Lehman ($0.55 million) and Bayliss ($0.52 million) by a huge margin. In fact, the current Indian coach earns less only than what the top players from Australia, England and India take home in a year.
Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia is UK’s Youngest Millionaire
Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia has became one of UK’s youngest millionaires at the age of 19. Ruparelia made a fortune by selling houses through his online estate agency business during his school lunch breaks. Ruparelia’s school friends nicknamed him “Alan Sugar” after Baron Sugar, the business tycoon.
Varun Dhawan Youngest Indian Actor to get Statue at Tussauds
Actor Varun Dhawan will get a wax statue at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, making him the youngest Indian actor to have his statue at the museum. Varun Dhawan had made his acting debut with 2012 romantic comedy Student of the Year and since then, his success rate is 100 percent with all the movies like Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya, Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya and the recent Judwaa 2 entering Rs 100 crore or Rs 200 crore clubs.
New Guinness Record at IISF Chennai 2017
At the second day of the India International Science Festival in Chennai, a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Biology Lesson was created. One thousand forty-nine students participated in the record-breaking session. The World record had students from Class 9 and Class 10. The biology lesson was delivered by Ms Lakhsmi Prabhu from Shri Shankar senior Secondary School.
Donald Trump is Most Followed World Leader on Twitter, PM Modi Third
Donald Trump is the world’s most followed leader on Twitter, while Narendra Modi is the third, according to the latest report by Twiplomacy, a Burson Marsteller research project that tracks the use of Twitter by governments and international organizations. He overtook Pope Francis by a few thousand followers to occupy the first place in Diplomacy’s October report. India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has kept his third place consistently since 2016. Modi’s own account.
Forbes India Rich List 2017: Mukesh Ambani Richest With $38 Billion
Forbes Magazine has released its India Rich List for 2017, with Reliance Industries Limited chairman Mukesh Ambani topping the charts for the 10th consecutive year with a net worth of $38 billion. Mr Ambani is followed by tech czar Azim Premji who jumped two places with the net worth of $19 billion. Ranked third are the Hinduja brothers who added $3.2 billion to their net worth. According to Forbes, the combined net worth of the 100 richest Indians stood at $479 billion, a jump of 26% from $374 billion in 2016. Acharya Balkrishna, CEO of Patanjali Ayurved, figures at No. 19 with net worth of $6.55 billion.
The Top 10 Indian in the List are as follows-
1. Mukesh Ambani-38 ($ Billion) – Reliance Industries
2. Azim Premji-19 ($ Billion) – Wipro
3. Hinduja brothers-18.4 ($ Billion) – Ashok Leyland
4. Lakshmi Mittal-16.5 ($ Billion) – Arcelormittal
5. Pallonji Mistry-16 ($ Billion) – Shapoorji Pallonji Group
6. Godrej family-14.2 ($ Billion) – Godrej Group
7. Shiv Nadar-13.6 ($ Billion) – HCL Technologies
8. Kumar Birla-12.6 ($ Billion) – Aditya Birla Group
9. Dilip Shanghvi-12.1 ($ Billion) – Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
10. Gautam Adani-11 ($ Billion) – Adani Ports & SEZ
Sikh man becomes first minority politician to lead major party in Canada
A 38-year-old Sikh lawyer was elected the leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, becoming the first non-white politician to head a major political party in the country. Jagmeet Singh, the Ontario provincial lawmaker, was elected on the first ballot to lead the party into the 2019 election against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.
PLACES IN NEWS
World’s first 3D-printed bridge opens in Netherlands
A town called Gemert in the Netherlands has became home to the first 3D-printed cycling bridge ever. With this, Dutch cyclists can now pedal over the world’s first 3D-printed concrete bridge. 3D printing is a method of manufacturing an object using a computer by placing layers of material one over the other.
BOOKS IN NEWS
Rajasthan CM launches Rajiv Mehrishi’s ‘India 2017 Yearbook‘
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje launched an e-book titled ‘India 2017 Yearbook‘, compiled by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) and former Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. Mehrishi said that the e-book includes a plethora of information on important dignitaries, state policy, public schemes and important data about demographics, trade, economy and many other topics.
Hema Malini’s Biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’ launched
Actress Deepika Padukone launched Hema Malini’s biography ‘Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl’ on the occasion of Hema’s 69th birthday. The biography has been penned by journalist turned writer Ram Kamal Mukherjee and also contains a short foreword written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Coalition Years 1996-2012: Pranab Mukherjee’s Political Autobiography
Former President Pranab Mukherjee has released the third part of his memoir ‘The Coalition Years: 1996-2012’, speaking candidly about believing he could have been the Congress choice for the Prime Minister’s post. Mukherjee’s memoir is the third in the series. The other two are — The Dramatic Decade: The Indira Gandhi Years and The Turbulent Years: 1980-1996.
Book on Kalam’s inspirational words released
An illustrative book titled “Dreamnation: Uniting a Country with Handwritten Dreams” containing inspiring words of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has been released. The book includes a collection of 200-plus handcrafted and handwritten postcards from across India and takes readers through the dreams, hopes, and aspirations of a nation as envisioned by Dr Kalam. The book is co-authored by Saji Mathew and Jubie John and published by Bloomsbury in collaboration with NGO LetterFarms.
Nepali version of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography released
On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti the Nepali version of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography ‘The Story of My Experiments’ with Truth was released at Kathmandu. Renowned Gandhian Pradeep Giri, Former Prime Minister of Nepal Lokendra Bahadur Chand and Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri jointly released the book. The autobiography of Gandhiji is translated by Shri Shekhar Giri. The event was organised by the Embassy of India and BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation.
COMMITTEES
RBI Sets up Task Force on ‘Public Credit Registry’
The Reserve Bank of India has constituted a 10-member ‘High Level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) for India’, which will suggest a roadmap for developing a transparent, comprehensive and near-real-time PCR for India. The committee will be Headed by YM Deosthalee, ex-CMD, L&T Finance Holdings. The terms of reference of the task force include reviewing the current availability of information on credit in India and assessing the gaps in India.
5-member Committee to select Editor-in-Chief of RSTV
A five-member committee, headed by Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash, has been formed to select the candidate for the post of editor-in-chief of Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV). Rajya Sabha Secretariat stated in an order that other members of the Search-cum-Selection Committee are Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati, Additional Secretary (Personnel) in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat PPK Ramacharyulu and journalist Rahul Srivastava.
Govt sets up expert group for suggestions on artificial intelligence policy
The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) has set up an internal expert committee to advise the government on a policy on artificial intelligence (AI). The expert committee will advise the IT ministry on the most apt technologies for India as government’s main focus is to reduce cyber-attacks with AI. Its recommendations will be used to frame the policy.
Haj Committee recommends abolishing of subsidy
The government was appointed Committee on Haj Policy has recommended phasing out of subsidy for Haj pilgrims and allowing women devotees above 45 years of age to travel in a group of at least four without a male. In view of the Supreme Court direction, the Ministry had set up the Panel under the Chairmanship of former Secretary Afzal Amanullah to review the existing Haj Policy and to suggest a framework for new Haj policy 2018-22.
T K Viswanathan Committee report on Sec 66A of IT Act
An expert committee, headed by T K Viswanathan on Section 66A of the IT Act submitted its report. It was constituted by the Centre after the Supreme Court struck down the controversial Section 66A of the IT Act in 2015. According to its recommendations IPC, CrPC and the IT Act be amended to introduce stringent provisions, specifying punishment, to deal with cases of hate speech.
Govt constitutes high-level committee for water management in northeast
The Government has constituted a high-level committee for proper management of water resources in North Eastern Region (NER) under Chairmanship of Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog. The Committee is tasked to facilitate optimising benefits of appropriate water management in form of agriculture, bio-diversity conservation, hydro-electric power, reduced flood damage erosion, inland water transport, forestry, fishery and eco-tourism.
President appoints Commission to examine sub-categorisation of OBCs
President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed a Commission to examine the sub-categorization of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The sub-categorization of the OBCs will ensure that the more backward among the OBC communities can also access the benefits of reservation for educational institutions and government jobs. The Commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCs with reference to such classes included in the Central List.
IMPORTANT DAYS & DATES
World Cities Day 2017 observed globally
The World Cities Day was observed across the world on 31 October 2017 with the theme ‘Innovative Governance, Open Cities’. While the general theme of World Cities Day is ‘Better City, Better Life’. Every year, a different sub-theme is selected to celebrate the day to promote successes of urbanization and to address specific challenges resulting from urbanization. This year’s sub-theme Innovative Governance, Open Cities highlights the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion.
31 October: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is observed every year across India on 31 October to commemorate birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel who had played important role in unifying the country. Observance of day provides an opportunity to re-affirm inherent strength and resilience of our nation to withstand actual and potential threats to unity, integrity and security of our country. To mark this occasion various activities and events are being organised across ministries and departments all over the country. Besides, Run for Unity was organised in New Delhi from the National Stadium. The idea of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was mooted by PM Narendra Modi in October 2014 to mark the birth anniversary of Independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
27 October: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed globally on 27 October. “Discover, remember and share” is the theme of this year’s celebration of the WDAH. The General Conference of UNESCO approved the commemoration of a World Day for Audiovisual Heritage in 2005 as a mechanism to raise general awareness of the need to preserve and safeguard important audiovisual material for future generations.
Infantry Day observed on 27 October
Infantry Day was observed across India on 27 October 2017 to commemorate the sacrifices made by the infantry who fought against Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. This was the first infantry action by the Indian Army after independence.
Disarmament Week 24-30 October
Disarmament Week is celebrated every year from October 24-30. It was founded by the United Nations in 1978 with the purpose to control, reduce, limit and abolish weapons of mass destruction. The purpose of celebrating this week is to create awareness about the dangers of arms race, need of reducing weapons and how it affects the environment.
24 October: United Nations Day
United Nations Day is observed globally on 24 October. It marks the 72nd anniversary of the UN Charter’s entry into force and celebrates everything that the UN represents and has achieved since its establishment in 1945. All the member states of the United Nations contribute finances to its operation to help further its goals.
October 24: World Development Information Day
The World Development Information Day (WDID) is observed every year on October 24 to draw attention of world to development problems and necessity of strengthening international cooperation to solve them. To celebrate this day, many events are organized to focus attention on work that UN does, particularly with regard to problems of trade and development. Many of these are aimed at journalists working for range of media, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines and internet sites.
56th Raising Day of ITBP observed
The 56th raising day of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was celebrated 24 October. It was raised on 24th October in 1962. ITBP is deployed on guarding 3488 kilometer long India-China Border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh. Its protects and manages outposts located on altitudes ranging from 9000 feet to 18700 feet in the Western, Middle and Eastern Sector of the India-China Border.
24 October: World Polio Day
Every year 24th October is observed as the World Polio day across the nations. World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis (polio virus). This development had led to widespread use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequently use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin. It also had led to establishment of Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988 which has helped to reduce polio worldwide by 99%.
21st October 2017: The National Police Commemoration Day
The National Police Commemoration Day is observed every year on 21st October remembering the brave policemen who sacrificed their lives while discharging their duties. Rich tributes are paid to the martyrs on this day. On October 21st 1959, twenty Indian soldiers were attacked by the Chinese troops in Ladakh. This altercation between the troops led to the death of ten policemen. Seven of the others who were also imprisoned, managed to escape from the Chinese troops.
20th October: World Statistics Day
At its 41st Session in February 2010, the United Nations Statistical Commission proposed celebrating 20th October 2010 as World Statistics Day. The theme for the year 2017 is Better Data, Better Lives. It emphasizes the critical role of high-quality official statistical information in analysis and informed policy decision-making in support of sustainable development.
17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) is observed globally on 17 October. The theme of this year’s IDEP is ‘Answering the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies’. This year’s celebration also marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the day by the UN General Assembly, which had adopted the resolution on 22 December 1992.
Ayurveda 2nd Day is celebrated on 17 October
This year’s 2nd Ayurveda Day is celebrated on 17 October in New Delhi by the Ministry of AYUSH. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the Chief Guest and will also inaugurate the country’s first All India Institute of Ayurveda, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi. The All India Institute of Ayurveda, set up on a total area of 10.015 acres on a budget of Rs 157 crore, is the first medical institute under the AYUSH ministry to hold the coveted National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation.
16th October: World Food Day
FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the Organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. The Theme for World Food Day 2017 is “Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development”. World Food Day is a chance to show our commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 – to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. It’s also a day for us to celebrate the progress we have already made towards reaching #ZeroHunger.
15th October: International Day of Rural Women
The first International Day of Rural Women was observed on 15th October 2008. This new international day, established by the UN General Assembly in its resolution 62/136 of 18th December 2007, recognizes “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty”. In agriculture, climate change exacerbates the existing barriers to gender equality faced by women farmers. Globally, women comprise 43 percent of the agricultural workforce and play a critical role in supporting the household and community food security.
October 14: World Standards Day
The World Standards Day is observed every year on 14 October across the globe to mark the development of voluntary engineering and scientific standard. The theme for year 2017 is “Standards make cities smarter”.
International Day for Disaster Reduction observed globally
The International Day for Disaster Reduction was observed across the world on 13 October 2017 with the theme ‘Home Safe Home: Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement’. The 2017 campaign aims to raise global awareness about effective actions, policies and practices taken to reduce exposure to disaster risk at the community level, thereby contributing to saving homes and livelihoods. The same can be accomplished only through coordination, cooperation and collaboration among many stakeholders.
11 October: International Day of the Girl Child
Since 2012, 11 October has been marked as the International Day of the Girl Child. The day aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights. This year’s theme is “The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030”.
10 October: World Mental Health Day
The World Mental Health Day was observed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 10 October 2017 with the theme ‘Mental health in the workplace’. the Day is observed with an aim of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work. Globally, more than 300 million people suffer from depression and more than 260 million are living with anxiety disorders. a recent WHO-led study estimates that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy USD 1 trillion each year in lost productivity.
India Water Week inaugurated by President
President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated India Water Week 2017 on October 10, 2017 in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari and Union Ministers of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Shri Dr. Satya Pal Singh. About 1500 delegates from India and 13 other countries will attend the five-day international event. The theme of India Water Week – 2017 is “Water and Energy for Inclusive Growth”.
Ministry of WCD is celebrating the BBBP Week
The Ministry of Women and Child Development will be celebrating the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Week from 09th to 14th October, 2017. The week is being celebrated in view of the International Girl Child Day on 11th October, 2017. The theme of the program will be “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Week- The Daughters of New India”. The BBBP districts have been requested to organize activities in a campaign mode to observe the Week starting from 9th October – 14th October 2017 to create awareness and sensitize community in their respective districts.
08 October: Indian Air Force Celebrates 85th Anniversary
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is celebrating its 85th anniversary on 08th October 2017. The celebrations would be marked by a stellar show in the skies by various aircraft at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad. President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the Indian Air Force on its 85th Anniversary. Defence Ministry stated that the air display has commenced with flag bearing skydivers of famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies.
05 October: World Teachers’ Day
World Teachers’ Day is observed annually on 5 October since 1994 to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. The theme of 2017 World Teachers’ Day is “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers”. The 1966 Recommendation constitutes the main reference framework for addressing teachers’ rights and responsibilities on a global scale. The Day is organised by the United Nation’s body UNESCO.
World Space Week is observed from October 4th to October 10th
The World Space Week is observed from 4th to 10th October. The theme of 2017 is ‘Exploring New Worlds In Space’. On October 4th1957 Sputnik 1 was launched. It was the first human-made, Earth-orbiting satellite. Second, the signing of The Outer Space Treaty on October 10th 1967.
02 October: World Habitat Day
Every year 2nd October is observed as the World Habitat day. The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every years as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our own towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.
02nd October: International Day of Non-Violence
The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. According to General Assembly of United Nations resolution of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”. The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.
01 October: World Vegetarian Day
World Vegetarian Day is observed annually on the planet on October 1. The day brings global attention to the health and environmental benefits of vegetarianism and focuses on the ethics of following a vegetarian lifestyle. World Vegetarian Day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends with November 1, World Vegan Day, as the end of that month of celebration.
01 October: International Day of Older Persons
On 14th December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing – which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing – and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly. In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons. The theme of the International Day of Older Persons 2017 is “Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society”.
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