Daily Current Affairs - June 2023
Generated by AllJobAlerts on 19 June 2026
Historical Kharchi Puja commences in Tripura
- In a vibrant display of cultural heritage and religious fervour, the Historical âKharchi Pujaâ commenced at the revered fourteen gods temple in Khayerpur, Tripura on 25 June 2023.
- The auspicious event marked the revival of ancient customs and traditions, drawing enthusiastic devotees from far and wide.
- The Historical Kharchi Puja is a significant religious festival celebrated by the people of Tripura to honour the fourteen deities, believed to be the guardians of the state.
- The Historical Kharchi Puja not only serves as a platform for spiritual rejuvenation but also as an occasion to foster community bonds and unity. People from various backgrounds and faiths participated in the festivities, reinforcing the message of communal harmony and inclusiveness.
Yogi Adityanath launched "Operation Conviction" in Uttar Pradesh
- Yogi Adityanath launches 'Operation Conviction' for cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh.
- The program aims to convict 20 cases in each district within 30 days of framing of charges.
- It focuses on crimes such as rape, murder, cow slaughter, religious conversion and offenses under the POCSO Act.
- In the charges related to the identified crimes, the chargesheet will be sent to the court after conducting a time-bound investigation. Within three days, the charge will be framed and the trial proceedings will be completed within 30 days.
- The initiative is aimed at expediting the conviction process and ensuring speedy punishment for criminals.
- The emphasis is on immediate arrest to prevent suspects from evading legal process.
India's First Hydrogen Train to Run from Jind
- India's first hydrogen-powered train will start its journey from Jind district of Haryana.
- Hydrogen trains use fuel cells to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity.
- The first prototype of the train will have eight bogies.
- The first hydrogen fuel-powered train will run between Jind and Sonipat.
- They offer a clean and eco-friendly alternative to diesel trains.
- The initiative aims to reduce carbon emissions and tackle pollution.
- Hydrogen-powered trains produce zero direct emissions, with water vapour being the only byproduct.
- Hydrogen trains are running only in Germany.
National Statistics Day 2023: 29 June
- National Statistics Day is observed annually on 29 June to honour the contribution of Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in statistics and economic planning.
- Professor Mahalanobis, known as the 'Father of Indian Statistics', developed the Mahalanobis distance, a statistical measure to assess the difference between a point and a distribution.
- Theme of National Statistics Day 2023 is "Aligning the State Indicator Framework with the National Indicator Framework for Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals".
- The Government of India designated 29 June as National Statistics Day on 5 June 2007.
- The designation was given to acknowledge the significant contributions of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the field of statistics and economic planning.
- The first celebration of National Statistics Day took place on 29 June 2007.
- Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a prominent figure who played a key role in the first Planning Commission of India.
DRDO organises âAnusandhaan Chintan Shivirâ to encourage defence R&D in industry, academia
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) organised an âAnusandhaan Chintan Shivirâ in New Delhi with the aim of encouraging Defence R&D within the industry and academia.
- A list of 75 technology priority areas were released during the âAnusandhaan Chintan Shivirâ.Â
- The list identified by the DRDO is further divided into 403 technological categories, which further spread out to 1,295 current and future technology development tasks.
- The DRDO Technology Foresight 2023, listing current and future technology development tasks, was also unveiled.
- Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan also attended the event as the Chief Guest with other dignitaries.
Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks to receive honorary Oscars
- Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks are set to receive honorary Oscars at the 2023 Governors Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced.
- Black Panther star Angela Bassett will receive an honorary Oscar, 30 years after she was first nominated.
- The actress was nominated for best actress for playing Tina Turner in 1993's What's Love Got to Do with It.
- Then this year, she was up for best supporting actress for her role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - but looked unimpressed when she lost.
- Bassett played Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther films, and is also known for her appearances in films like Boyz N the Hood, Malcolm X, Music of the Heart and Mission: Impossible - Fallout.
- Mel Brooks has directed, produced and acted in beloved Hollywood comedies including "Blazing Saddles," "History of the World, Part 1," "Young Frankenstein" and "The Producers."
- The Hollywood legend won an Oscar in 1969 for Best Original Screenplay for "The Producers" and received two Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay ("Young Frankenstein") and Best Original Song ("Blazing Saddles").
- The Academy will also be awarding Sundance founding director Michelle Satter with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors Awards ceremony, which will take place in November.
Pt P. D. Baul awarded 1st Kala Kranti Lifetime Achievement Award
- At the Kolkata edition of the International Performing Arts Festival (IPAF), Padma Shri Pandit Purna Das Baul was presented with the IPAF Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the traditional Baul music on the world stage.
- The award was presented to him by Governor Dr. Bose at the prestigious Indian Museumâs Ashutosh Birth Centenary Hall.
- This is IPAFâs 5th year in Kolkata with 2 days of cultural programs to support the dying Indian art forms and different artists from Kolkata participated in it along with artists from other states as well.
- Pt. P. D. Baul is known for traveling the globe with Bengalâs folk music, performing in 156 countries, in front of citizens of the world.Â
- He is the biggest name to be associated with Indian traditional music, especially when it comes to the Baul Gharana.Â
- Purna Das was first acknowledged as the âBaul Samratâ (King of Baul music) in 1967 by none other than Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of independent India.
Federal Bank Limited appoints Mr. A P Hota as the Part Time Chairman
- The Federal Bank Limited announced the appointment of Mr. A P Hota (DIN- 02593219), Independent Director, as Part Time Chairman of the Bank with effect from June 29, 2023, till January 14, 2026.Â
- Mr. A.P. Hota has banking experience of over 27 years in Reserve Bank (mostly in technology and payment systems) from 1982 ĂÂ 2009.Â
- While at Reserve Bank of India, he served as Nominee Director to the Board of Vijaya Bank and subsequently Andhra Bank.
- He was the architect of NPCI and served as its Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) between 2009- 2017.
Rohit Jawa takes charge as MD and CEO of Hindustan Unilever
- Rohit Jawa took charge as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL).Â
- Jawa has replaced Sanjiv Mehta who retired on Monday after the company's annual general meeting.
- Mehta handed over the baton to Jawa, who was appointed as an Additional Director and CEO-Designate from April 1, from the close of business hours on June 26.Â
- Mehta was at the helm for almost a decade and was with the company for more than 30 years.
- Mehta had taken over as the MD & CEO of HUL in October 2013.
- According to the company's annual report, Jawa would draw an annual remuneration of Rs 21.43 crore and would also receive a sum of Rs 4.83 crore as mobility-linked allowances in FY24.
- Prior to this role, Jawa was the Chief of Transformation for Unilever in London.
- He had started his career with HUL as a management trainee in 1988 and has a proven track record of sustained business results across India, South East Asia, and North Asia.
Kolkata Team Emerges Victorious in Historic Dubai Womenâs Kabaddi Final
- Uma Kolkata Emerges Champions in Historic Womenâs Kabaddi Tournament on 28 June 2023 in Dubai.Â
- The worldâs first international Womenâs Kabaddi final featured the Punjab Panthers vs Uma Kolkata teams.
- The Punjab team secured the second position and received a prize of âš5,000,000.
- The tournament lasted for 12 days and involved eight teams from India representing different states.
- The event was organized by the Womenâs Kabaddi League.
- The tournament provided a global platform for Indian women Kabaddi players to showcase their skills.
- The participating teams represented various Indian states, including Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Karnataka.
- The event promoted cultural exchange and strengthened ties between India and the United Arab Emirates.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to organise International Conference on Green Hydrogen
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will organise an International Conference on Green Hydrogen, ICGH-2023 from 5th to the 7th of next month in New Delhi.Â
- The objective of the conference is to bring together the global scientific and industrial community to discuss recent advances and emerging technologies in the entire green hydrogen value chain.
- The conference seeks to establish a green hydrogen ecosystem and catalyse the attainment of global goals for decarbonization through green hydrogen.
- The conference will also discuss green financing, human resource upskilling, and startup initiatives in this area.
- This conference will be the first major event on green hydrogen.
- Under this mission, the government aims to raise annual green hydrogen production to 5 million tonnes, renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 gigawatts, attract over Rs 8 lakh crore in investments, lakhs of jobs, and most importantly over Rs 1 lakh crore cumulative reduction of fossil fuel imports.
- In the Budget Speech 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to launch a National Hydrogen Mission for generating hydrogen from green power sources.
- On August 15, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission.
PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate 17th Indian Cooperative Congress in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 17th Indian Cooperative Congress (ICC) on the 1st July at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
- National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) is organizing the two days Indian Cooperative Congress with the theme of Amrit Kaal: Prosperity through Cooperation for a Vibrant India. It will be chaired by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
- The Indian Cooperative Congress aims to discuss various trends in the cooperative movement, showcase best practices adopted by successful cooperatives, and deliberate on the challenges faced by the cooperative world.
- The event is expected to connect approximately five crore members live during the congress.
- It is the apex organization representing the entire cooperative movement in India.
- It was established in 1929 as the All India Cooperative Institutes Association.
- Through the merger of the Indian Provincial Cooperative Banks' Association with the All India Cooperative Institutes Association, it was reorganized as the Indian Cooperative Union.
- In 1961, it took on its current name as the National Cooperative Union of India.
IIT Bombay ranked 1st in India and 149th in world in QS World University Rankings
- IIT Bombay has been ranked 1st in India and 149th in world in QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings.Â
- It has moved significantly up from 172nd rank last year to 149th rank this year. For the first time ever, IITB has been ranked within top 150 and top 10% in QS rankings.
- IITB has a score of 81.9 in employer reputation, 73.1 in citation per faculty, 55.5 in academic reputation, 47.4 in employment outcome, 54.9 in sustainability.
- The public technological institute moved up 23 positions from its position of 172 last year. Before this, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore had secured the 147th rank in 2016.
World Hepatitis Day 2023: 28 July
- World Hepatitis Day 2023 is observed globally on 28 July.
- Its main objective is to raise awareness and drive meaningful change about the global burden of viral hepatitis, which causes liver inflammation, chronic disease and liver cancer.
- The theme for World Hepatitis Day 2023 is 'We are not waiting'.
- On July 28, World Hepatitis Day urges people around the world to take immediate action because hepatitis cannot wait.
- The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
- The World Hepatitis Alliance was established in 2007.
- The first community-organised World Hepatitis Day was observed in 2008.
MOHFW wins Kreta Vikreta Gaurav Sammaan Samaaroh 2023
- The Department of Health and Family Welfare of the Union Health Ministry has been awarded the winner of Kreta Vikreta Gaurav Samman Samaroh 2023 in "Highest Single Bid Procurements in FY22-23" category.
- The awards event was organised by Government e-Marketplace of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The awards were organised to celebrate those who share the vision of a transparent, inclusive and efficient public procurement landscape in India.
Priya A.S. received Sahitya Akademi Award 2023 for childrenâs literature
- Priya A S has won the prestigious (Kendra) Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2023 for childrenâs literature in the Malayalam language for her 2018 novel Perumazhayathe Kunjithalukal.
- The (Kendra) Sahitya Akademi Bal Sahitya Puraskar consists of Rs 50,000 and an engraved copper plaque.
- She won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Childrenâs Literature for the same novel in 2020.
- Priya drew inspiration for âPerumazhayathe Kunjithalukalâ from the devastating Kerala floods that occurred in 2018.Â
- Working at the relief camps set up by the instrumentation department of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) in Kochi, Priya witnessed the resilience and unity displayed by children from diverse backgrounds in the face of the calamity.
- Priya A Sâs literary prowess has earned her previous accolades as well. In 2014, she was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for her Malayalam translation of Arundhati Royâs Booker Prize-winning novel, âThe God of Small Things.âÂ
- This recognition further highlighted her talent and contribution to the literary world.
Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John Goodenough dies at 100
- Nobel laureate, John B. Goodenough, the pioneer of the development of lithium-ion batteries that are used in millions of electric vehicles all around the world, has died at the age of 100.
- The lithium-ion battery is one of the most important inventions in the world of science and technology.
- Goodenough received the 2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry- along with Britainâs Stanley Whittingham and Japan's Akira Yoshino, for their respective research into lithium-ion batteries - making him the oldest recipient of a Nobel Prize.
- He also played a significant role in the development of Random Access Memory (RAM) for computers.
- He also was an early developer of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes as an alternative to nickel- and cobalt-based cathodes. LFP is rapidly overtaking more-expensive nickel cobalt manganese in electric vehicle batteries as it uses materials that are sustainable at much lower cost.
- He also served the US Army during the Second World War as a meteorologist.
- In 2008, he wrote his autobiography, Witness to Grace, which he called âmy personal history".
Cyclone Biparjoy sets record as longest-duration storm in northern Indian Ocean since 1977
- Cyclone Biparjoy, which recently wreaked havoc in Gujarat and Pakistan, has been declared the longest-duration cyclonic storm in the northern Indian Ocean since 1977.
- According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone was the first of the season in the Arabian Sea and formed on June 6 over the southeast Arabian Sea.Â
- It made landfall over Saurashtra and Kutch on June 15 before weakening into a depression on June 18.
- IMD stated that the cyclonic storm lasted for a total of 13 days and three hours, which is more than double the average duration of severe cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea.
- The previous record for the longest-lasting cyclone in the northern Indian Ocean was set between November 8 and 23, 1977, with a duration of 14 days and six hours.
- Recent cyclones in the region, such as extremely severe cyclonic storm Kyarr in October 2019 and very severe cyclonic storm Gaja in November 2018, had durations of nine days and 15 hours. However, Biparjoy surpassed these records with its extended lifespan.
Indian author Rupa Pai wrote a new book called "The Yoga Sutras for Children"
- A new book titled "The Yoga Sutras for Children" by Indian author Roopa Pai was published by Hachette India on 27 June.
- Roopa Pai's book,"The Gita for Children" was an award-winning bestseller.
- "Yoga Sutras for Children" focuses on uncovering the secrets of Patanjali's 2,000-year-old treatise on yoga.
- It aims to bring out the best in children by connecting yoga to their everyday experiences.
- This book explores Maharishi Patanjali's techniques for nurturing energy and attitude.
- The book includes black-and-white artwork by painter Sayan Mukherjee.
Anurag Verma appointed new Chief Secretary of Punjab
- The Punjab government appointed 1993-batch IAS officer Anurag Verma as Chief Secretary.Â
- Verma, who has been serving as the stateâs home secretary, succeeds the 1989 batch IAS officer V K Janjua, who retires on June 30.
- He is the 42nd Chief Secretary of Punjab.
- Verma has superseded 10 IAS officers, of whom four are on central deputation, and two have already been chief secretaries.
- The new chief secretary would also hold the additional charge of principal secretary personnel as well as vigilance and would retire on July 31, 2029.
- He has served as the deputy commissioner of Bathinda, Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts.
Indian-origin satellite expert Aarti Holla-Maini appointed as UN Outer Space Affairs director
- Indian-origin satellite industry expert Aarti Holla-Maini appointed as the Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.Â
- Aarti Holla-Maini will succeed Simonetta Di Pippo of Italy.
- The primary objective of UNOOSA is to foster global collaboration in the peaceful utilization and exploration of outer space, as well as the effective application of space science and technology to achieve sustainable economic and social progress.
- Aarti Holla-Maini has over 25 years of professional experience in the space sector including managerial and advocacy functions.
- Before she was appointed as the Director of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, she was Executive Vice-President Sustainability, Policy & Impact at NorthStar Earth & Space.
Adani launches 'Jeetenge Hum' campaign for 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup
- Adani Group has collaborated with heroes of the 1983 World Cup Cricket victory to launch the 'Jeetenge Hum' campaign, displaying unwavering support for Team India for the highly anticipated ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, on the occasion of the 'Gautam Adani Birthday'.
- The launch of the campaign commemorates the 40th anniversary of Indiaâs historic victory in 1983. While launching the campaign, Gautam Adani emphasised the importance of cricket as a unifying force in the country.
- The campaign aims to boost morale ahead of the upcoming ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023.
- This campaign draws inspiration from the Adani Groupâs ethos, âKar ke dikhaya hai, Kar ke dikhayenge,â symbolizing an indomitable spirit of achievement in both cricket and business.
India ends Special Olympics 2023 campaign with 202 medals
- India ended its Special Olympics World Games 2023 campaign by winning 202 medals (76 gold, 75 silver and 51 bronze), with the last of the medals coming from the athletics track.
- Indian athletes notched six medals from the track events (2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze).
- Saket Kundu, who had earlier grabbed a silver medal in the mini javelin Level B, also won a bronze in the Level B 400m, a rare double act in the track and field.
- Aanchal Goyal (400m, Level B Female) and Ravimathi Arumugam (400m, Level C Female) blew away the competition to clinch gold.
- The 16th Special Olympics World Games, the worldâs largest inclusive sports event, took place in Berlin, Germany, from 17th June to 25th June 2023.
- For the first time, Germany had been chosen as the host country for the Special Olympics World Games.
Jeddah named host city for 2023 Club World Cup
- Football's world governing body FIFA announced that the 2023 Club World Cup will be held in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
- The tournament, to be played from December 12-22, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, as announced earlier in February.
- The 2023 edition of the Club World Cup will be the last in the current format â an annual competition with seven teams â to be discontinued before an expansion to a 32-team event, first held in the United States in 2025.
- FIFA has designated the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium as the venues for the 2023 tournament, capable of accommodating approximately 62,000 and 27,000 spectators, respectively.
- In February, FIFA selected Saudi Arabia as the host country for the 2023 Club World Cup, as part of the kingdomâs ambitious efforts to leave a lasting impact on the global sports stage.Â
India has become second largest Road Network by beating China
- India becomes the second-largest country with the biggest road network after beating China. While the United States remains in the number one position.
- India successfully reserved the position by spreading 1.45-lakh km of road connectivity over the last 8 years.
- Since April 2019, the NHAI has constructed more than 30,000 kms of highways across the country, including major expressways like the one that connects Delhi with Meerut, or Lucknow with Ghazipur in UP.
- In August last year, NHAI set the Guinness World Record by successfully constructing the 75 km continuous single bituminous concrete road between Amravati and Akola on NH-53 in a record time of 105 hours and 33 minutes.
Sarbananda Sonowal launches New CSR guidelines âSagar Samajik Sahayogâ
- The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, has introduced a set of new corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines called 'Sagar Samajik Sahayog' by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
- Under the new CSR guidelines, ports in India will allocate a specific percentage of their net annual profit towards CSR activities.Â
- The allocation will be based on the turnover of each port for the year.
- Ports with an annual turnover of less than Rs 100 crores will allocate 3-5% of their net annual profit towards CSR initiatives.
- Under CSR, companies integrate social and environmental concerns with their business partners with their stakeholders.
- It is regulated under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
- India is the first country in the world to make CSR mandatory.
New York Declares Diwali as School Holiday
- Diwali will now be enshrined as a school holiday in New York City.
- Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Indian-American woman ever elected to a New York State office, said for over two decades, the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community has fought for this moment.
- Last month, Meng introduced a bill in Congress to make Diwali a federal holiday. Under the Diwali Day Act, Diwali would become the 12th federally recognised holiday in the United States.
Assam to construct first underwater tunnel in Brahmaputra between Gohpur and Numaligarh
- Assam government will build the stateâs first underwater tunnel between Gohpur and Numaligarh at a cost of Rs 6,000 crore.
- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the tender for the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) will open in the next month.
- It will be built under the Brahmaputra River and will be around 35 kilometres long.
- The idea of an underwater tunnel arose from the many bridges built over the Brahmaputra River to facilitate the movement of both vehicles and railways.
- Discussions were held to determine the location and it was decided that the tunnel would be built between Numaligarh and Gohpur.
- The tender for the DPR will open on July 4 and Sarma expressed hope that work on the tunnel could begin during his tenure as chief minister.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the project, and once the tunnel is completed, it will bring the two banks, north and south, of the Brahmaputra river closer together.
QCI and Odisha Government launch Odisha Gunvatta Sankalp in Bhubaneswar
- The Government of Odisha, in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI) and industry associations such as ASSOCHAM, FICCI, EEPC, OASME, PHDCCI, CIPET, and FHRAI, launched the Odisha Gunvatta Sankalp (Odisha Quality Mission) in Bhubaneswar.
- The inauguration of the Sankalp took place in the presence of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena and Development Commissioner Smt Anu Garg.
- The objective of the mission is to promote and prioritize quality across various sectors in the state of Odisha, creating an ecosystem of quality that contributes to the progress and empowerment of Odisha.
- The launch of Odisha Gunvatta Sankalp aims to foster collaboration between policymakers, industry leaders, practitioners, and academia to drive the culture of quality in Odisha.
- The mission aspires to create a progressive and empowered Odisha by emphasizing the importance of quality in various sectors.
- The Quality Council of India (QCI), established in 1997 by the Government of India and the Indian industry, is the apex organization responsible for establishing and operating the third-party national accreditation system and improving quality across sectors.
World MSME Day 2023: 27 June
- International Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day or World MSME Day is observed across the world on 27 June every year.
- The day highlights the importance of MSMEs and their role as the backbone of the country's economy.
- The theme of MSME Day 2023 in India is "Future-Ready MSMEs for India@100".
- The Global Council for the Promotion of International Trade celebrates the day with the theme "Building a Stronger Future Together".
- The United Nations (UN) designated June 27 as Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Day and this was done through a resolution passed in the United Nations General Assembly in April 2017.
- In May 2017, a program titled 'Enhancing National Capabilities to Unleash the Full Potential of MSMEs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Developing Countries'was launched.
Dr. K.Venugopal in Pazhaveedu, Alappuzha bags IMA award
- Dr. K Venugopal, a doctor at Alappuzha's General Hospital, has been honored by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for his contribution to the medical field.
- The award was instituted by the IMA on the occasion of National Doctor's Day.
- Dr. K Venugopal has been selected for the award in the category of community service.
- He is Chief Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at General Hospital, Alappuzha (city in Kerala).
- The award ceremony will be held on July 1, 2023 at the IMA Headquarters in New Delhi.
- National Doctor's Day has been celebrated on 1st July in India for the last 32 years.
- It is celebrated in the honour of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, a renowned physician, politician, freedom fighter and education advocate.
- The theme for National Doctor's Day 2022 was "Family Doctors on the Front Line".
Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan receives honorary doctorate in UK
- Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan received an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University (BCU) in England.
- Shankar Mahadevan's honorary doctorate is in recognition of his significant contribution to the field of music and the arts.
- Shankar Mahadevan is 56 years old and a prominent member of the music composition trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
- He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Professor Philip Plowden, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University.
- The ceremony took place in Birmingham.
DBS Bank India appoints Rajat Verma as head of institutional banking
- DBS Bank India has appointed Rajat Verma as managing director and head of institutional banking in India.Â
- The current head of institutional banking Niraj Mittal has recently moved to a new role as country head of DBS Bank in Australia.
- Verma was, till recently, with HSBC India where he was managing director and country head of commercial banking in India.
- DBS Bank Limited, often known as DBS, is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered at the Marina Bay Financial Centre in the Marina Bay district of Singapore.Â
- The bank was previously known as The Development Bank of Singapore Limited, which âDBSâ was derived from, before the present abbreviated name was adopted on 21 July 2003 to reflect its role as a global bank.
Carlos Alcaraz wins Queenâs Club title
- Carlos Alcaraz clinched his first grass-court title after defeating Australia's Alex de Minaur at The Queen's Club.
- Despite struggling at times in the first set, Alcaraz beat Alex De Minaur 6-4, 6-4 in the Queen's Club Championships final in London.
- It was only the third tournament of Alcaraz's young career on grass after two disappointing performances at Wimbledon.
- He has fifth title of the year and 11th overall.
Indiaâs Diksha Dagar wins Czech Ladies Open 2023 Golf Title
- Diksha Dagar, a talented golfer, won her second Ladies European Tour (LET) title at the Czech Ladies Open on 25 June 2023.
- She won her first LET title in 2019 during her rookie year.
- Diksha was also part of the winning team at the Aramco Team Series in London in 2021.
- She becomes the second Indian to win on the LET in 2023, with Aditi winning the Magical Kenya Ladies earlier in the season.
- Diksha is the only Indian golfer along with Aditi to have tasted success on the LET.
- Her second individual success comes after a gap of four years, three months, and 11 days since her first LET title in 2019.
- On the final day of the Czech Ladies Open, Diksha started with six pars, then birdied the seventh and ninth holes to turn in 2-under and reach a total score of 12-under.
- Diksha was born with a hearing impairment and has been wearing hearing aids since the age of six.
- Her father, Col Narinder Dagar, serves as her mentor, coach, and caddie.
Indonesia Appointed by FIFA to Host the 2023 U-17 World Cup
- The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced Indonesia as the host of the 2023 U-17 World Cup, replacing Peru. Indonesia is capable of hosting a world-class event.
- The appointment of Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup was announced by FIFA after the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland.
- In addition to appointing Indonesia as the host of the U-17 World Cup, FIFA also announced Colombia as the host of the 2024 U-20 Women's World Cup and Dominica as the host of the U-17 Women's World Cup.
- Initially, the host of the youngest World Cup event was Peru. However, Peru then submitted its resignation on April 3, 2023 because their budget was prioritized for domestic needs such as economic recovery and natural disasters.
- The schedule for the 2023 Under-17 World Cup is from November 10th to December 2nd.Â
- The event will be attended by 24 teams from six confederations, such as Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Spain, and Morocco. Israel, a country that was previously denied entry to Indonesia, did not qualify for this event.
Lionel Messi wins 'Best Foreign Player' award in France
- Lionel Messi was awarded the 'Best Foreign Player' in France's Ligue 1 for the 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain.
- Â The 36-year-old Argentine has already left the French club for a new stint in the USA with Inter Miami.
- At Paris Saint Germain, he played for two seasons and managed to win the Ligue 1 title twice.
- Inter Miami is an American professional soccer club based in Fort Lauderdale. Established in 2018, the club began to play in Major League Soccer in the 2020 season.
- He won four UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona in 2005-06, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2014-15 seasons.
- Messi has won a total of seven Ballon d'Or titles in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021.Â
- He also won the European Golden Shoe, which is given to the top goalscorer at the end of each season in Europe.Â
- He won it in 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.
- He won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (best player in the final) in 2014 and 2022 and FIFA World Cup Silver Boot in 2022.
Shri Parshottam Rupala launched NANDI (NOC Approval for New Drug and Inoculation System) Portal
- Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala on 26th June at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi launched NANDI (NOC Approvals for New Drugs & Inoculation System).
- The NANDI portal has been developed to digitize and streamline the regulatory approval process in India's Animal Health Sector.
- The development of the NANDI portal was carried out in collaboration with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).
- The portal aligns with the vision of Digital India and embodies the principles of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance by leveraging IT systems.
- The primary objective of the portal is to expedite the assessment and examination of veterinary product proposals, ensuring their safety, efficacy, and essentiality.
- The Minister emphasized the transformative impact of the portal and the government's decision to launch Mobile Veterinary Units, which will contribute to vaccinating all livestock in the country.
- The NANDI portal is expected to support the development of India as a global manufacturing hub for veterinary products and encourage research and development efforts to enhance animal health.
Union Environment Ministry grants final approval for Kalaignar pen monument in Bay of Bengal
- The Union Ministry of Environment has granted the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance, with 15 conditons, for the Tamil Nadu governmentâs proposal to construct the Muthamizh Arignar Dr. Kalaignar pen monument in the Bay of Bengal, off the Marina beach in Chennai.
- The CRZ clearance was provided based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee (CRZ) and Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Authority.
- It has also noted that the Ministry may revoke or suspend the clearance if the implementation of the conditions were not found satisfactory.
- The environment statement would have to be submitted to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board every year and the compliance of conditions need to be uploaded on PWD website.
- The Pen Memorial pays tribute to M. Karunanidhi.
- The idea of a monument on water derives from the metaphorical catamaran to which Karunanidhi compared himself.
- The pen monument will be 30 meters high and it would be spread over 8,551 sq.m.
- This would include a pen pedestal, a lattice bridge above the beach and a land and pedestrian pathway above the sea.
- The 7-metre wide bridge would be 290-metre long over the land and 360-metre long over the sea.
Israel Defense Forces receive first new Namer 1500 APC
- The Israel Defense Forces has taken delivery of the first of the new Namer 1500 armoured personnel carriers, the vehicles being upgraded variants of the existing Namer APC which was first utilised by the IDF in 2008.
- Developed by Israelâs Ministry of Defenseâs (MoD) Merkava and Armoured Vehicle Directorate, the Namer 1500 bears its name due to a new 1500hp engine, offering an increased power-to-weight ratio and speed compared to earlier models.Â
- In addition, the vehicle incorporates touchscreen technologies to improve user efficiency.
- The original Namer was derived from the combination of Nagmash, the Israeli variant of M113 APC and Merkava.Â
- In 2005, the first prototype of the heavy IFV, called Nemera (Tigress) was revealed. It was developed based on the chassis of the Merkava Mk1 main battle tank (MBT).
- Namer was revealed to public in early 2008 and went into production in April 2008 with the approval from the IDF chief of staff and IDF funding for the pilot production of 15 tracked vehicles.
Odisha cabinet approves Rs 1,000 cr for transforming Puri
- The Odisha cabinet approved an additional outlay of over Rs 1,000 crore for the ABADHA Yojana.
- In 2019, the Odisha government allocated Rs 3208 crore under the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme in three years to transform Puri into a world heritage city.
- Now, the State government decided to raise the amount to Rs 4224.22 crore.
- Similarly, the Odisha cabinet also approved the implementation of the MMSY-Connecting Unconnected Villages in Difficult areas for a period of 2 years i.e. from 2023-24 to 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 976 crore.
- The Cabinet has approved the execution of projects with a length of 361.34 km approximately targeted to be taken up in 2023-24 & 2024-25.
- The Odisha State Cabinet has also approved a projected outlay of Rs 3354.40 crore for the âMukhyamantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana (MSPY)â.
- The yojana is aimed at transforming nutrition outcomes of adolescent girls (15-19 years), pregnant women & lactating mothers, SAM, MAM, and severely underweight children of under 6 years of age across the state over a period of five years commencing from FY 2023-24.
Telangana CM inaugurates Medha Rail Coach Factory at Sangareddy
- Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) inaugurated the Medha Rail Coach Factory in Sangareddy district.
- Medha signed an MoU with the Government of Telangana in 2017.
- The objective of the MoU is to set up a coach factory in the state.
- The land was allotted by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC).
- TSIIC allotted 100 acres of land for Rail & Metro coach manufacturing.
- Medha Rail Coach Factory is located in Kondakal village.
- Medha and Swiss railway rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail signed a joint venture (JV) agreement.
Indian Air Force carries out âExercise Ranvijayâ with focus on integrated operations
- The Indian Air Force carried out Exercise Ranvijay, which featured day and night combat operations by combat aircraft including the Su-30s were conducted with a focus on integration.
- The IAFâs Central Air Command reported that from June 16 to June 23 âExercise Ranvijay was conducted in UB Hills and Central Air Command Area of Responsibility where full spectrum operations by all combat assets by day and night were carried out.
- The exercise was carried out from various air bases under the Central Air Command, which is headquartered in Prayagraj.
- Different commands within the Indian Air Force, along with the Army and Navy, have been conducting wargames to enhance coordination and strengthen integration among the forces.
PM Modi conferred Egyptâs highest state honour
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the 'Order of the Nile,' Egypt's highest honor, by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisiduring a ceremony at the Presidential palace in Cairo on 25th June.
- The 'Order of the Nile' was established in 1915 and is bestowed upon heads of states, crown princes, and vice presidents who have rendered invaluable services to Egypt or humanity.Â
- This is the 13th highest state honor conferred upon Prime Minister Modi.
- During the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Egypt in 26 years, India and Egypt elevated their relationship to a 'Strategic Partnership' following extensive discussions between Modi and El-Sisi.
- Egypt's historic Al-Hakim Mosque has been restored with the assistance of India's Dawoodi Bohra community.
- Al-Hakim Mosque is the fourth oldest mosque in Cairo and the second Fatimid mosque built in the city.
Sahitya Akademi announces winners of Bal Sahitya Puraskar, Yuva Puraskar
- The Sahitya Akademi has announced a list of 22 recipients of its Bal Sahitya Puraskar and 20 winners of its Yuva Puraskar for this year.
- The announcement was made at a meeting of the Sahitya Akademi's Executive Board, chaired by President Madhav Kaushik.
- The winners of both awards will receive an engraved copper plaque and a cheque of Rs 50,000 each at a ceremony to be held later.
- Sudha Murty, a renowned children's author, has been selected for the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for her collection of stories titled 'Grandparents' Bag of Stories'.
- Suryanath Singh has been chosen for the Hindi language category of the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for his collection of short stories called 'Kotuk App'.
- Anirudh Kanisetti will receive the Yuva Puraskar for his work 'Lords Of The Deccan: Southern India From Chalukyas To Cholas', while Atul Kumar Rai will be awarded in the Hindi language category for his novel 'Chandpur ki Chanda'.
- The recipients for Manipuri, Maithili, and Sanskrit categories of Yuva Puraskar, as well as the Bal Sahitya Puraskar for Manipuri, will be announced later.
- No Yuva Puraskar winner was announced for Odia, and no Bal Sahitya Puraskar winner was announced for Kashmiri.
A.K. Bhattacharya wrote a new book titled "Finance Minister of India"
- A.K. Bhattacharya wrote a new book titled "Finance Ministers of India: From Independence to the Emergency (1947-1977)".
- The book throws light on the role of India's finance ministers who shaped the country's economy in the first 30 years after independence.
- It covers the period from 1947 to 1977.
- The book is published by Penguin Business, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
- Bhattacharya is the Editorial Director of Business Standard and has wide experience in analyzing economic affairs.
- He has previously served as the editor of Pioneer and Business Standard.
- The author's background adds credibility to the book's insight and perspective.
Ruby Sinha appointed as the President of BRICS CCI WE
- Ruby Sinha has been appointed as the president of BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Womenâs Vertical (BRICS CCI WE) for a three-year term.
- Sinha takes over from Shabana Nasim, who has become the Executive Director of BRICS CCI and Chief Patron of BRICS CCI WE.
- An entrepreneur herself, Ruby Sinha is the founder of SheAtWork, a knowledge hub for women entrepreneurs, and Kommune Brand Communications.
- BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry works towards promoting active trade, commerce and entrepreneurship between the BRICS and other friendly nations.
- BRICS CCI is a parent organisation that promotes commerce and industry in the BRICS and other friendly nations. The chamber, founded in 2012, is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organisation.Â
- BRICS CCI is a registered body under the Societies Registration âAct 1860, Government of India and empanelled with Niti Aayog.
- The Women Vertical of BRICS CCI has been created with a prime focus on women empowerment initiatives and policies across geographies.
Hockey Madhya Pradesh wins Hockey India Junior Men National Championship
- Hockey Madhya Pradesh won the 13th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2023 after defeating Hockey Chandigarh in the Final at the iconic Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.
- Hockey Madhya Pradesh defeated Hockey Chandigarh by 4-2 in the Final.
- Meanwhile, Hockey Haryana defeated Hockey Association of Odisha to finish third in the competition.
- The goalscorers for Hockey Madhya Pradesh were Shreyas Dhupe (17â, 46â), Mohd Konain Dad (25â), and Ali Ahmad (52â). Meanwhile, Sumit (9â˛) and Surinder Singh (31â˛) scored for Hockey Chandigarh.
Indias Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee clinch WTT Contender title in Tunis
- The Indian womenâs doubles pair of Sutirtha Mukherjee and Ayhika Mukherjee won the World Table Tennis, (WTT) Contender tournament in Tunis, after beating the Japanese pair of Miyuu Kihara and Miwa Harimoto.Â
- The Indian duo won 3-1 (11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11) in a challenging final.Â
- The pair also became the first Indians to win a Contender title this year.
- The Indian pair had advanced to the final after beating Korean duo of Shin Yubin and Jeon Jihi 3-2 (7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9) in a hard-fought last-four clash.
- Meanwhile, the Indian mixed doubles pair of Manika Batra and G Sathiyan as well as the menâs doubles duo of Manav Vikash Thakkar and Manush Utpalbhai Shah had lost their respective semifinal matches.
Amit Shah lays foundation stone of 'Balidan Stambh' in Srinagar
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the construction of 'Balidan Stambh' in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on 24 June.
- The opening ceremony took place at a park near Lal Chowk, the commercial centre of Srinagar.
- The 'Sacrifice Pillar' is a monument that is being built as part of the Srinagar Smart City project.
- The aim of the memorial is to honour the courageous martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice for the country.
- Jammu and Kashmir was a state of India until August 2019, which was bifurcated as two union territories namely Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on 31 August 2019.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur flagged off "Bharat in Paris" campaign at JL Nehru Stadium in New Delhi
- Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur flagged off the campaign with a short marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on 23 June.
- The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has launched the "Bharat in Paris" campaign to create awareness and promote sports across India ahead of the Paris Olympics games.
- The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11.
- The name of the Paris Olympic 2024 mascot is Olympic Phryge. It is based on Phrygian cap.
- âGames Wide Openâ is the official slogan of the 2024 Olympics.
ADB provides 400 million USD for SE Bangladesh rail project
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a loan agreement with the government of Bangladesh to provide $400 million for the construction of a dual gauge railway between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.
- The new rail link is expected to open this year and aims to transport approximately 2.9 million passengers annually between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar by 2024.
- The ADB is supporting the government's shift from road to rail transport, as rail is considered a climate-friendly, safe, affordable, and efficient mode of transportation.
- The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Railway is part of the Trans-Asia Railway (TAR) network, which is an initiative led by the United Nations.
- The TAR network covers a total of 128,000 kilometers and passes through 28 countries.Â
- It was formalized through an Inter-governmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway network in 2009.
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional multilateral financial institution which focuses on the countries of Asia and Pacific region.
Global Competitiveness Index 2023
- The 2023 Global Competitiveness Index, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), has named Denmark, Ireland, and Switzerland as the top three most competitive economies among 64 nations surveyed.Â
- The report highlights the unique approaches taken by these countries to achieve competitiveness and emphasizes the importance of long-term value creation.
- Retaining its first-place position from last year, Denmark continues to demonstrate exceptional competitiveness. The countryâs efficient utilization of markets and trading partners contributes to its success.
- India, despite experiencing a slight drop of three ranks, finishes in 40th place in the 2023 Global Competitiveness Index, indicating an improvement compared to its consistent 43rd position between 2019 and 2021.Â
- The IMD report highlights several areas of advancement and challenges faced by India in its pursuit of competitiveness.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis Re-elected as Prime Minister of Greece
- Greeceâs conservative New Democracy party, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has won the parliamentary election on 25 June 2023.
- Syriza, a radical leftist party that previously ran the country, suffered a significant defeat, securing less than New Democracy with a difference of over 20 points.
- Mitsotakis, a former banker, has pledged to boost revenue from tourism, generate employment, and increase wages to reach the European Union average.
- The election saw fringe parties from the political left and right, including an anti-immigrant party called the Spartans, gaining seats in Parliament.
- This election was the second in five weeks, following a previous poll on May 21 that did not result in any party securing an absolute majority in Parliament.
Maharashtra Govt Announces Insurance Scheme For Warkari Pilgrims
- The Maharashtra government announced that they would now be provided insurance coverage, which will be benefit millions of Warkari pilgrims.
- For this, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde introduced the "Vitthal Rukmini Warkari Bima Chhatra Yojana".
- The scheme aims to provide insurance cover to the Warkaris participating in Pandharpur's Ashadhi Wari.
- Every year, thousands of pilgrims travel long distances of hundreds of kilometers from their respective villages to Pandharpur in Solapur district to take part in the Ashadhi Ekadashi celebrations at the Vitthal temple.
- Accidents and mishaps occur during the Wari, leading to injuries or unfortunate fatalities among the Warkaris.
- Under this scheme, Warkaris' family will receive an ex-gratia grant of INR 5 lakh. In case of permanent disability or disability due to an accident, INR 1 lakh will be provided.
- For partial disability, INR 50,000 will be given, and up to INR 35,000 will be available for medical treatment in case of illness during the Wari.Â
Tamil Nadu police introduces new scheme called 'Pengal Pathukaaptu Thittam'
- Tamil Nadu Police launches initiative for safety of women travelling alone at night.
- The Tamil Nadu Police launched a new initiative âPengal Pathukappu Thittamâ, giving top priority to the matter of women safety in the state.
- Under this, women travelling alone in remote locations can seek police assistance anytime if they feel unsafe.Â
- The police have also launched a helpline for women travelling alone at night between 10 pm and 6 am. The helpline numbers are 1091, 112, 044-23452365 and 044-28447701.
- In October last year, Coimbatore Police launched a project called âPolice Akkaâ (Police sister) to prevent young girls, especially college students from falling prey to cybercrime.
Indian Navy Creates 'Ocean Ring of Yoga' on 9th International Yoga Day
- The Indian Navy, in collaboration with the AYUSH and other ministries, has deployed its ships in the Indian Ocean Region to form a ring to commemorate the International Day of Yoga (IDY) today.Â
- The formation has been christened as 'Ocean Ring of Yoga' that symbolises unity and solidarity.
- Onboard Indian naval ships such as Kiltan, Chennai, Shivalik, Sunayna, Trishul, Tarkash, Vagir, Sumitra, and Brahmaputra, various yoga day events and activities are being organized. These ships are currently stationed in the Indian Ocean Region.
- The Indian Navy has been a prominent advocate of yoga on an international level for several years.
- Yoga sessions are regularly organized at foreign ports visited by Indian Naval ships, spreading awareness about the numerous benefits of yoga and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
International Olympic Day 2023: 23 June
- Every year on June 23, the world commemorates International Olympic Day.Â
- This day is celebrated by people all across the world.Â
- The International Olympic Committee was founded on June 23, 1894, in Sorbonne, Paris, and the International Olympic Committee granted permission to mark International Olympic Day annually.
- The theme of this year's Olympic Day is 'Let's Move' which aims to inspire people around the world to make time for daily physical activity.
- The first ever Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 1948.
- In the 1978 edition of the Olympic Charter, the IOC recommended for the first time that all NOCs organise an Olympic Day to promote the Olympic Movement
Yoga Day Event in Surat Sets Guinness World Record
- A new Guinness world record was set on the occasion of the Yoga Day event organised in Surat city of Gujarat, for the largest gathering for a yoga session at one place with 1.53 lakh people joining the programme.
- Representatives of the Guinness World Records have confirmed that 1.53 lakh people participated in the Yoga session in Surat.
- The participants were given wristbands with QR codes for accurate counting.
- The QR code data confirmed the participation of 1.53 lakh people surpassing the previous record.
- The last world record was set in 2018 in Kota city of Rajasthan, when 1,00,984 people participated in a Yoga Day session in one place.
US Company GE Aerospace signs MoU with HAL to produce fighter jet engines for Indian Air Force
- US aerospace major, GE Aerospace, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to produce fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force.
- According to the agreement, GE Aerospaceâs F414 engines will be co-produced in the country to power the Indian Air Forceâs Light Combat Aircraft Mk2.
- According to GE Aerospace, eight F414 engines have been delivered as part of an ongoing development programme for LCA Mk2.Â
- In addition, GE will continue to collaborate with the Indian Government on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft Mk2 engine programme.
Justice Qazi Faez Isa appointed next Chief Justice of Pakistan
- Justice Qazi Faez Isa, considered an independent-minded judge, was appointed as the next chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court by President Arif Alvi.
- He will assume office on September 17 after the retirement of incumbent Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
- He has been a judge for the apex court since September 5, 2014. Previously he served as the chief justice of the Balochistan High Court from 2009 to 2014.
- He was the first person from Balochistan to acquire a Bar-at-Law degree and helped establish the All India Muslim League in Balochistan after his return from London.
- He enrolled as an Advocate of the Balochistan High Court on January 30, 1985, and as an Advocate Supreme Court in March 1998.Â
- He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on September 5, 2014.
Mahendra Lodha appointed interim MD & CEO of PFS
- PTC India Financial Services Ltd (PFS) has appointed Mahendra Lodha as Director (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company.
- In the new role, Lodha will oversee the financial functions of PFS, including strategic financial planning, resource mobilization, and fund management.
- He has held significant roles in renowned organizations, including Chief Executive Officer of SIDBI Venture Capital Limited, Rajasthan Asset Management Co. (RAMC), and Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Limited (RIICO).
President Murmu appoints retd Allahabad HC judge Umesh Kumar as DERC chairman
- President Droupadi Murmu appointed Justice (Retd) Umesh Kumar of Allahabad High Court as the Chairperson of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).
- This appointment comes subsequent to Justice (Retd) Rajeev Kumar Shrivastava (Madhya Pradesh High Court), who had been proposed for appointment as DERC Chairperson, by the GNCTD expressed his inability to be appointed as Chairperson.
Chief Minister Yogi unveils the first ticket for the first race of âMotoGP Indiaâ 2023
- Chief Minister Yogi unveils the first ticket for the first race of âMotoGP Indiaâ 2023.
- It is going to be hosted by India for the first time and the race will be organised in Uttar Pradesh.
- The event is scheduled to be held at the Buddha International Circuit in Greater Noida from September 22 to 24.
- The run will provide employment to around 5000 people in the state and is expected to generate revenue of around Rs 1000 crore.
India beat Bangladesh to win Womenâs Emerging Asia Cup 2023
- The India U-23 womenâs team won the 2023 Womenâs Emerging Asia Cup T20 title after defeating Bangladesh in the final held at the Mission Round Ground in Hong Kong.
- Indiaâs Kanika Ahuja was named the Player of the Match, who stayed not out on 30 off 23 with four fours in the final.
- While Indiaâs Shreyanka Patil was named the Player of the Series, as she was the highest-wicket taker.
- India has scored 127 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.
Reliance tops Hurun's list of most valuable private sector companies
- Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd is the most valuable private company in the country, as per Hurun India's 2022 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 list.
- The list, which was released on 20 June, stated that with a value of Rs 16.4 lakh crore, Reliance is India's most valuable company, followed by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) with Rs 11.8 lakh crore and HDFC Bank with Rs 9.4 lakh crore.
- Reliance is also the highest taxpayer with a payout of Rs 16,297 crore and the most profitable company with a bottomline of Rs 67,845 crore in 2022-23.
- According to the report, the value of Reliance decreased by 5.1 per cent, or Rs 87,731 crore in the last six months. While the total value of TCS increased marginally by 0.7 per cent and HDFC Bank increased by 12.9 per cent.
- Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute of India was ranked as the most valuable unlisted company in the country with Rs 1.92 lakh crore in value.
Weekly Current Affairs
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath renames U.P prison as Reform House
Weekly Current Affairs
- Indiaâs biggest natural arch formed 184 million years ago discovered in Odisha by GSI
- SpaceX launches SATRIA-1 communications satellite for Indonesia
- ISRO to use telescope designed by Pune scientists to monitor Sun
Weekly Current Affairs
- World Refugee Day 2023: 20 June
- International Yoga Day 2023 celebrated on June 21
- World Music Day 2023 celebrated on 21st June
- National Yoga Olympiad organized in Madhya Pradesh for the first time outside the national capital Delhi
Weekly Current Affairs
- Indian Navy conducts âJulley Ladakh", an outreach programme to engage with youth and civil society
- 3rd of eight ships of the ASW Shallow Water Craft 'Anjadeep' launched at Chennai
- Indian Army contingent participates in Multinational Joint Exercise âEx Khaan Quest 2023' in Mongolia
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gifted an indigenously built in-service Missile Corvette, INS Kirpan, to Vietnam
Weekly Current Affairs
- Ramachandra Guhaâs book âRebels Against the Rajâ wins Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography
- Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar presents National Water Awards in New Delhi; Madhya Pradesh tops in Best State category
- Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced to start Rajasthan Sahitya Protsahan Puraskar to honour the state's litterateurs
- Gandhi Peace Prize for year 2021 to be conferred on Gita Press Gorakhpur, Jury headed by PM Modi selected Gita Press
- Grammy Awards added 3 new categories to the 2024 awards show to recognize African music, pop dance and alternative jazz
- NTPC Barauni secures First Rank at 4th National Water Awards, in Best Industry Category
- Paddler Mudit Dani scripts history, becomes first Indian to bag NCTTA Male Athlete of Year award
- Arundhati Roy wins the 2023 European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement
- Author Salman Rushdie awarded prestigious German prize for literary work and resolve
- IOC awards Olympic Order to WHO chief Tedros
Weekly Current Affairs
- Two-time Oscar-winning actress and politician Glenda Jackson passes away at 87
Weekly Current Affairs
- Renowned Real Estate Expert, Ashwinder R Singh Launches "Master Residential Real Estate" - A Game-Changing Book for Homebuyers and Real Estate Professionals
- PM Modi Co-Wrote A Song With Grammy Winner Falu On The Benefits Of Millets,named 'Abandons in Millets'
- Worldâs largest Ramayan temple construction starts in Bihar
Weekly Current Affairs
- Gopichand Hinduja takes over as Group Chairman after Srichand Hinduja's death
- Axis Bank appoints former RBI Deputy Governor, N.S. Vishwanathan as Non-Executive (Part-time) Chairman
- RBI approves re-appointment of Vasudevan P N as MD and CEO of Equitas Small Finance Bank
- Senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed new RAW chief
- Kamal Kishore Chatiwal takes over as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Ltd
- Indian Economic Trade Organization (IETO) appoints Nutan Roongta as Director of USA East Coast
- Govt appoints SBI MD Janakiraman as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor with 3-year tenure
- Sumit Seth appointed India's next ambassador to Panama
Weekly Current Affairs
- Asia Cup 2023 to be played in the hybrid model in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Pakistan to host 4 matches, Sri Lanka gets 9 matches in hybrid model
- Pakistan Batter Nahida Khan Retires From International Cricket
- Egypt retains World Squash Championship by beating Malaysia 2-1 in the final
- India's first-ever Women's Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced in Dubai on June 16
- Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix and gives Red Bull 100th victory
- India crowned Intercontinental Cup champions
- Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian to win bronze medal at Asian Fencing Championships in China
- Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty script history by winning Men's doubles title of Indonesia Open
- Goa CM Pramod Sawant launches mascot for upcoming 37th National Games
- Tajinderpal Singh Toor sets new Asian shot put record at Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar
- Wyndham Clark beats Rory McIlroy to win US Open for first major title
- Germany unveils a teddy bear as the mascot for Euro 2024
- Pramod Bhagat wins silver, two bronze medals in Canada Para-Badminton International 2023
- Ronaldo becomes first man to play 200 international matches
Weekly Current Affairs
- Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabonâs first Agri-SEZ Project
- Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society renamed as Prime Ministers' Museum and Library Society
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) releases National Time Release Study 2023 report
- Electronic signage system installed in the court premises of high courts of the country, i.e. Justice Clock
- Union Heavy Industries Minister Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey launched "Dudh Sankalp Sathi Mobile App"
- Jammu tops table of District Good Governance Index 3.0 in J&K
- PM Modi talks of Miyawaki forests in Mann ki Baat
- Bihar to host two days G-20 Labour Engagement summit on June 22
- India climbs eight places to 127 in global gender index
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Integrated Simulator Complex at Southern Naval Command
- North Indiaâs first skin bank opens in Safdarjung Hospital
Weekly Current Affairs
- PM Narendra Modi to lead International Yoga Day celebrations at U.N. headquarters on June 21
- Japan Raises Consent Age from 13 to 16 in Reforms to Sex Crime Legislation
- Nusrat Choudhury becomes first Muslim woman federal judge in US history
- Oman becomes first foreign country to promote itself through Yoga
- United Nations (UN) adopts first âhistoricâ treaty to protect high seas
- Alibaba names new chairman and CEO
- US-India Business Council organises INDUS X Summit
- Estonia becomes first Baltic nation to legalise same-sex marriage
- Finnish parliament elects conservative Petteri Orpo as PM
Karnataka launches free power scheme, 'Griha Jyoti Yojana'
- Karnataka government has launched a free power scheme named âGruha Jyothi schemeâ for providing free electricity up to 200 units a month.
- The scheme also extends to tenants living on rent if their electricity consumption matches the schemeâs criteria.
- Registration to the scheme is done on the Seva Sindhu portal under a special custom-made page.
- The E-governance department has made the registration process very simple. The consumer must enter the electricity billâs customer ID, their Aadhar number, and mobile number.
- The registration simultaneously started at Karnataka One, Grama One and Bengaluru One centre across the state.
- The beneficiaries will get a âzero billâ starting August 1 if usage is within their entitlement.
India Conducts Massive Military Exercise- Agneyastra 1
- The Indian Army has concluded a massive military exercise Agneyastra 1 in eastern Ladakh.
- The exercise witnessed the deployment of IdeaForge's indigenous 'Switch' unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
- Agneyastra means firearms in Hindi.
- Artillery platforms of the Indian army such as the newly-inducted Korean K-9 Vajra-T 155mm/52 calibre self-propelled howitzer (SPH), FH-77 Bofors 155mm/39 calibre towed howitzer and mortars were a part of the Exercise Agneyastra-1.
- Anti-tank missiles and Carl Gustav rocket launchers (RLs) also participated in the exercise Agneyastra 1.
- Ideaforgeâs Switch UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), a fixed wing and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Hybrid UAV, was used to provide the real time imagery of the exercise area.
Acharya Gopi to be conferred with Prof. Jayashankar Award
- Eminent poet, literary critic, and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient, Acharya N. Gopi has been selected for Kothapalli Jayashankar Award instituted by Bharat Jagruthi, a cultural organization and extended arm of Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
- The award would be presented to Acharya Gopi at an event to be organized at Telangana Saraswatha Parishath in Abids.
- The award has been instituted earlier this year for honouring the littĂŠrateurs every year.
- Acharya Gopi has so far penned 56 books including 26 compilations of poems, 7 compilations of essays, 5 translations and 3 research books.
- His books were translated to several Indian languages as also into foreign languages such as German, Persian, Russian and others.
- He worked as the Vice-Chancellor of Telugu University and acted as the in-charge V-C of Kakatiya and Dravida Universities in the past.
President Droupadi Murmu presents National Florence Nightingale Awards 2022-23
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the years 2022 and 2023 to nursing professionals at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The President presented the prestigious award to a total of 30 health associates.
- Out of the total awardees, there were 10 Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives (ANM), 4 lady health visitors and 16 nurses.
- The National Florence Nightingale Award was instituted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in the year 1973 as a mark of recognition for the meritorious services rendered by the nurses and nursing professionals to the society.
Star Alliance Named World's Best Airlines Alliance at Skytrax
- Star Alliance has once again been awarded the prestigious the title of Worldâs Best Airlines Alliance at famous Skytrax World Airline Alliance Awards 2023.
- Star Alliance CEO Theo Panagiotoulias received the awards for Worldâs Best Airlines Alliance.
- Star Alliance, the winner of Skytrax Worldâs Best Airlines Alliance 2023, offers the widest network in the sky.
- Star Alliance has also launched industry-first innovations.
- The Skytrax World Airline Awards are known as âthe Oscars of the aviation industryâ, as they are decided through impartial international customer voting.Â
- This year, 20.23 million eligible entries were counted in a survey that ran from September 2022 to March 2023. It was represented by passengers with over 100 nationalities.Â
- The survey was also provided in six major international languages. Since its introduction in the award categories in 2005, Star Alliance has won the Worldâs Best Airline Alliance multiple times.
Vistara awarded best airline in India and South Asia for third consecutive year
- Vistara moved four places up and ranked 16th worldwide from last year at the 2023 World Airline Awards by Skytrax.
- The joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines is the only Indian carrier to feature in Worldâs Top 20 Airlines list for the second time in a row.Â
- The airline won the 'Best Airline in India and South Asia' award for the third consecutive year and âBest Airline Staff in India and South Asiaâ for the fifth straight time, âBest Cabin Crew in India and South Asiaâ for the third consecutive year and âBest Business Class Airline in India and South Asiaâ.
- The award ceremony took place at the Paris Air Show 2023. The airline also secured the eighth position, moving up by one rank from last year, for the âBest Airlines in Asia 2023â.Â
- It ranked 19th in the rankings for âWorld's Best Airline Cabin Crew 2023â and 20th in the category of âWorldâs Best Inflight Entertainment 2023â.
Anil Ambani's Reliance Group appoints Parul Sharma as group president effective 20 June
- Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has appointed Parul Sharma as the group president, effective 20 June.Â
- Sharma comes with a wealth of experience as a communications strategist.
- Prior to Parul, the post was held by her husband Anthony Jesudasan alias Tony Jesudasan, who served the Reliance Group for nearly 40 years.Â
- He passed away in February this year, after which his wife Parul Sharma has now been entrusted with this responsibility by the company.
Hasmukh Adhia appointed Chairman, GIFT City
- Senior retired bureaucrat and former Union Finance Secretary & Revenue Secretary, Hasmukh Adhia, has been appointed Chairman of GIFT City Ltd, the entity responsible for developing Indiaâs first smart city Gujarat International Finance-Tec City in Gandhinagar.Â
- As GIFT City Chairman, Adhia replaces Sudhir Mankad, former chief secretary of Gujarat.
- Besides GIFT City, Adhia has also been appointed Director and Chairman of the boards of State public sector undertakings Gujarat Alkalies & Chemicals Ltd (GACL) and Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (GMDC) with immediate effect.
- Adhia, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer of the 1981 batch, currently serves as an advisor to the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.Â
- He was part of the panel appointed by the Gujarat government to recommend measures for the post-Covid economic revival of the State.
- At present Adhia is a non-executive Chairman of Bank of Baroda, and also the Chancellor of Central University of Gujarat.Â
- He serves as a member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.Â
- He also serves as Vice-President in Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI) and Pandit Deendayal Energy University, Gandhinagar.
Indiaâs first mRNA-based Omicron-specific booster vaccine approved
- Indiaâs first indigenous mRNA vaccine for the Omicron variant, GEMCOVAC-OM, developed by Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, was approved under emergency use guidelines by the Drug Controller General of India .
- This comes a year after the company got approval for GEMCOVAC-19, the countryâs first m-RNA vaccine against COVID-19.
- The vaccine is the first booster Covid-19 vaccine developed in India against the highly transmissible Omicron variant and has demonstrated robust immune responses in phase 3 clinical trials.Â
- It is stable at two to eight degrees Centigrade and has been developed using Gennova's indigenous platform technology, supported under 'Mission Covid Suraksha'.
- The Indian âCovid-19 Vaccine Development Missionâ by DBTâs dedicated mission implementation unit at BIRAC, for further clinical development and scale-up of the prototype vaccine, which received EUA on June 29, 2022.â
Fitch raises India's GDP forecast to 6.3% for current fiscal year
- Fitch Ratings revised upwards its FY24 economic growth forecast for India to 6.3 per cent from 6 per cent it had predicted earlier.
- The growth forecast compares with 7.2 per cent GDP expansion in FY23. In the previous fiscal year (FY22), the economy had grown 9.1 per cent.
- Fitch had in March lowered its forecast for 2023-24 to 6 per cent from 6.2 per cent citing headwinds from elevated inflation and interest rates along with subdued global demand.
- For 2024-25 and 2025-26 fiscal years, it estimated a growth of 6.5 per cent each.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept policy rates at 6.5 per cent since the start of the year, while headline inflation eased from a peak of 7.8 per cent to 4.3 per cent in May, a figure that is already within the RBIâs tolerance band of 2-6 per cent.
- Wholesale price index based inflation (WPI) has also fallen to its lowest in more than seven years to (-) 3.48 per cent in May.
The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) marked its 20th Foundation Day
- National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day on 19th June.
- The day reaffirms NIXI's unwavering dedication towards building India's Internet infrastructure.
- NIXI's primary objective is to increase Internet penetration and adoption in India.Â
- It achieves this by focusing on facilitating infrastructure aspects related to the Internet.
- NIXI is a not-for-profit organization registered on 19th June 2003 underSection 8 of the Companies Act 2013.
- It operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India.
UNDP partners with DAY-NULM towards empowering women entrepreneurs
- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) entered into a collaborative partnership aimed at empowering women to make well-informed career choices in the field of entrepreneurship.
- The objective of this partnership is to empower women to make career choices in the field of entrepreneurship.
- The partnership aims to provide support to women who are interested in starting or expanding their own enterprises.
- UNDP and DAY-NULM will jointly engage in on-ground mobilization activities that involve identifying pockets of urban poverty and potential entrepreneurs, as well as facilitating access to Business Development Services.
- The DAY-NULM has an aim to uplift the urban poor by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill development.
Vienna becomes world's most livable city
- Austriaâs Vienna has come up top again as the best city to live in globally, according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
- The list contains the names of 173 cities around the world that have been ranked based on a number of significant factors, including health care, education, stability, infrastructure and the environment.Â
- Five cities from India - Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai - are also in the list based on their performance in various metrics.
- After Vienna, Denmark's Copenhagen is placed second, retaining its position. Australia's Melbourne and Sydney are also on the list, ranked third and fourth.
- Osaka in Japan has secured the 10th position.
- From India, New Delhi and Mumbai are at 141st position and Chennai at 144th. Ahmedabad and Bengaluru are ranked 147 and 148, respectively, in the EIU list.
- Damascus is the least liveable city in the index for more than a decade, according to EIU. Kyiv, which is trying to protect itself from the war, also features in the bottom 10.
IOC awards Olympic Order to WHO chief Tedros
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has presented the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, with the Olympic Order for his inspirational role in ensuring the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 took place despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
- The award ceremony was held at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.Â
- At the same time, the IOC honoured the WHO, as an organisation, with the Olympic Cup for 2021.
- Leading the WHO, Dr Tedros played an inspirational role in ensuring the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 took place, and supported the cooperation agreement between the IOC and the WHO signed in 2020.
- In addition, President Bach extended an invitation to Dr. Tedros to be a distinguished guest of honor at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
North Indiaâs first skin bank opens in Safdarjung Hospital
- North Indiaâs first Skin Bank has been inaugurated at New Delhiâs Safdarjung Hospital.Â
- It is a bank where deceased donors can donate their skin which will be helpful in treating burns.Â
- The skin can be donated within six hours of death and utilized for burns and trauma patients after processing.
- There are a total of 16 skin banks in the country where the skin of dead persons can be donated.
- Out of the 16 skin banks, seven are located in Maharashtra, four in Chennai, three in Karnataka, and one each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.Â
- These skin banks are spread across different regions of the country.
- Maharashtra has the highest number of skin banks, with a total of seven. Â
Worldâs largest Ramayan temple construction has started in Bihar
- Construction work began on June 20 for the âworldâs largest Ramayan templeâ in Biharâs East Champaran district.Â
- Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and secretary of the Patna-based Mahavir Temple Trust, Acharya Kishor Kunal, along with former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court, Justice S. N. Jha, and others, laid the foundation stone.
- The construction of the three-storeyed Viraat Ramayan temple will be completed by the end of 2025 at an estimated cost of âš500 crore.Â
- The temple will be taller than the 12th century Angkor Wat temple complex at Cambodia.Â
- The temple will be constructed in 3.76 lakh sq. ft. land in the Kaithwalia-Bahuara villages under the Kalyanur block on Kesaria-Chakia road in East Champaran district, about 120 km from the State capital, Patna.
- The temple will have 12 domes, the highest of which will be 270 ft tall, and 22 sanctum sanctorum for different deities.
- The Ramayan temple's architecture is inspired by three temples which include âthe Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, the Ramanathaswami temple in Rameshwaram, and the Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai.
Alibaba names new chairman and CEO
- Alibaba Group has announced that co-founder Joe Tsai is taking over as chairman, while Eddie Wu, currently chairman of ecommerce businesses Taobao and Tmall Group, has been appointed CEO.
- Current Alibaba Group chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang will focus on the tech giantâs cloud business as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, which is gearing up for an initial public offering.Â
- All changes will take effect on September 10.
- Zhang took over as CEO in 2015 and chairman in 2019, steering Alibaba through a transition period after founder Jack Ma stepped down in 2019.Â
- Tsai, who is also owner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball franchise, is currently Alibabaâs executive vice chairman.
Sumit Seth appointed India's next ambassador to Panama
- Sumit Seth, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 2005 batch, has been appointed as India's next ambassador to Panama.
- Sumit Seth is presently posted as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Earlier, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Yangon, Myanmar. He was also posted at Indiaâs Missions in Madrid, Bogota, and UN Geneva.Â
- Before joining the diplomatic career, he worked as a medical doctor and specialised in Forensic Medicine and Medical Jurisprudence.
Pramod Bhagat wins silver, two bronze medals in Canada Para-Badminton International 2023
- India's ace shuttler Pramod Bhagat won a silver medal in Men's Singles, a bronze medal in Mixed Doubles and a bronze medal in Men's Doubles with Sukant Kadam at the recently-concluded Canada Para-Badminton International 2023.
- Pramod's silver medal came in men's singles event while the two bronze medals were in mixed doubles and men's doubles events.
- In the mixed doubles, Bhagat combined with Manisha Ramadass to claim a bronze. The Indian duo lost to the Indonesian pair of Fredy Setiawan and Khalimatus Sadiyah.
Ronaldo becomes first man to play 200 international matches
- Portugal captain, Cristiano Ronaldo, has become the first menâs footballer to play 200 international matches, by featuring in their European Championship qualifier away to Iceland.
- Ronaldo made his international debut in 2003.
- The 38-year-old is also the leading scorer in menâs international football with 122 goals.
- The Al Nassr forward Ronaldo is also the only man in history to have played in five different European Championship tournaments.
- At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Ronaldo became the first male football player to score in five different World Cups.
- A five-time Ballon dâOr winner, Ronaldo has two major honours with Portugal â he led his country to success at Euro 2016 and the inaugural UEFA Nations League three years later.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates Integrated Simulator Complex at Southern Naval Command
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on June 21 inaugurated the Integrated Simulator Complex (ISC) 'Dhruv' at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.
- The Integrated Simulator Complex hosts state-of-the-art indigenously-built simulators which will significantly enhance practical training in the Indian Navy.Â
- These simulators are envisaged to give real-time experience on navigation, fleet operations and Naval tactics and will also be utilised for training personnel from friendly nations.
- The Ship Handling Simulators produced by ARI Pvt Ltd have been exported to 18 countries while the Astronavigation Dome developed by Infovision Technologies Pvt Ltd is the first of its kind in the Indian Navy.
- Some of the other indigenously developed simulators in the Complex include Combat Management System and Maritime Domain Awareness Lab.
Finnish parliament elects conservative Petteri Orpo as PM
- Petteri Orpo, the leader of the conservative party in Finland, has been elected as the countryâs prime minister by the parliament.Â
- Orpo will lead a coalition government comprising four parties, including the far-right Finns Party, which intends to implement strict measures on immigration.
- President Sauli Niinisto is set to officially appoint Petteri Orpo as the new prime minister, replacing Sanna Marin, whose Social Democrats came in third place in the elections, behind Orpoâs National Coalition Party (NCP) and the Finns Party.
- Finland is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, Russia to the east, and the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland to the south.Â
- Finland covers an area of 338,455 square kilometers (130,678 square miles) and has a population of 5.5 million.Â
Germany unveils a teddy bear as the mascot for Euro 2024
- The mascot for next year's European Championship in Germany will be a teddy bear.
- The large-headed mascot with big eyes has shorts - in contrast to the 2006 World Cup mascot, a lion named "Goleo" that was widely ridiculed for not having pants.
- The mascot is due to appear in host cities over the next year. Germany will host the tournament from June 14-July 14, 2024.
- It will be the third time that European Championship matches are played on German territory and the second time in reunified Germany as the former West Germany hosted the tournament of 1988, and four matches of the multi-national Euro 2020 were played in Munich.
- The 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2024 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2024) or simply Euro 2024, will be the 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship.
- Italy are the defending champions, having won the 2020 tournament after beating England on penalties in the final.
India climbs eight places to 127 in global gender index
- India has ranked at 127 out of 146 countries in terms of gender parity, an improvement of eight places from last year according to the World Economic Forum's annual Gender Gap Report, 2023.Â
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) ranked India at 135 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index in the report's 2022 edition.
- India has improved by 1.4 percentage points and eight positions since the last edition, marking a partial recovery towards its 2020 parity level.
- The index ranked India's neighbours Pakistan at 142, Bangladesh at 59, China at 107, Nepal at 116, Sri Lanka at 115 and Bhutan at 103.
- Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world for the 14th consecutive year and the only one to have closed more than 90 per cent of its gender gap.
- Out of the 117 countries with available data since 2017, 18 countries including Bolivia (50.4 per cent), India (44.4 per cent) and France (42.3 per cent) have achieved women's representation of over 40 per cent in local governance.
US-India Business Council organises INDUS X Summit
- Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House, the US-India Business Council organised the 'Indus X Summit' in Washington.
- INDUS-X is expected to accelerate and scale up commercial technology with military applications by bringing together stakeholders from the US and India, including research and academic institutions, industry, startups, and investors.
- INDUS-X was launched in collaboration with the Department of Defence and Indiaâs Department of Defence Production.Â
- It refers to an initiative enhancing strategic and defence cooperation between India and the US.Â
- It aims to strengthen collaboration between the US and Indian defence innovation sectors. Â
Estonia becomes first Baltic nation to legalise same-sex marriage
- Estonia's parliament passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage, making it the first Central European nation (Baltic nation) to do so.
- The bill received 55 votes in the 101-seat parliament, from the coalition of liberal and social democratic parties which Kallas has assembled following her strong win in the 2023 election. The law will come into effect from 2024.
- Latvia and Lithuania, the other two Baltic countries which were previously annexed by the Soviet Union, have same-sex partnership bills stuck in their parliaments.
- Same-sex marriage is legal in much of Western Europe but not in central European countries which were once under communist rule and members of the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact alliance but now members of NATO and, largely, the EU.
International Yoga Day 2023: 21 June
- The International Day of Yoga is marked annually on June 21 on a global scale since 2015.Â
- An invaluable gift of ancient Indian tradition, yoga has emerged as one of the most trusted means to boost physical and mental well-being.Â
- This year, the theme for International Yoga Day is "Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," which beautifully encapsulates our collective aspiration for "One Earth, One Family, One Future."
- In the year 2023, it is the 9th year of International Yoga Day and the day is being celebrated across the world.
- This year, PM Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session from UN headquarters today, on June 21, 2023.
- June 21 was declared as the International Yoga Day by the United Nations General Assembly.
- It was first observed on June 21, 2015. From then, International Yoga Day has become a global phenomenon, and it is now celebrated in over 190 countries.
- Maharishi Patanjali, a great sage was the father of Yoga. He explained about the yoga sutras.
National Yoga Olympiad organized in Madhya Pradesh
- The National Yoga Olympiad is being organized in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the main event on the 9th International Yoga Day on June 21 at Jabalpur.Â
- The three-day National Yoga Olympiad was inaugurated by Governor Mangu Bhai Patel in Bhopal.
- National Yoga Olympiad is being organized for the first time outside the national capital Delhi.
- The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, yoga enthusiasts, and yoga schools from different states, creating an atmosphere of healthy competition and camaraderie.
Oman Creates History as First Foreign Government to Promote Country through Yoga
- The Indian Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman has introduced an innovative video called 'Soulful Yoga, Serene Oman' on the eve of the International Day of Yoga 2023.
- The Indian Embassy partnered with 'Visit Oman,' a subsidiary of Oman's Ministry of Tourism, to produce the video. This marks the first instance of a foreign government using yoga to promote its own country.
- The Indian Embassy has been actively involved in promoting yoga in Oman through various initiatives.
- In 2022, 'Muscat Yog Mahotsav,' a 75-day celebration featuring over 75 yoga events across major cities in Oman timed with the 75 years of Indiaâs independence under âAzadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.â
India gifts missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam
- India gifted an indigenously built in-service Missile Corvette, INS Kirpan, to Vietnam.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented India's gift to his Vietnamese counterpart General Phan Van Gang in Delhi after a session of bilateral dialogues.
- Missile Corvette INS Kirpan is a Khukri class warship which was commissioned in 1991.
- India also aims to crank up arms supplies to Asean countries after the $375 million deal with the Philippines for the 290-km range BrahMos missiles in January 2022.
- Vietnam is an important ally of India in the latter's Act East Policy, which was conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi focussing on the extended neighbourhood in the Asia-Pacific region.
World Music Day 2023: 21 June
- Every year, On June 21 the special occasion of World Music Day, also known as âFĂŞte de la Musiqueâ is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm.
- It is an annual celebration that promotes music and its universal language. It is celebrated globally to honour the singers and musicians who make the world a better place to live.
- The history of World Music Day dates back to 1982 with its origin in France.
- The first World Music Day was celebrated in France, Paris on June 21, 1982.
- The theme for World Music Day 2023 is âMusic on the intersectionsâ, which highlights the power of music to bring communities and people together and urges for social change.
Arundhati Roy receives European Essay Prize
- Arundhati Roy received the 45th European Essay Prize for Lifetime Achievement and the award is presented by the Charles Whelan Foundation.
- Arundhati Roy's book of essays, 'Azadi' (2021), especially the French translation, received acclaim.
- 'Azaadi' explores the concept of freedom in an increasingly totalitarian world, with an emphasis on fiction and alternative imaginations.
- Roy is known for his notable works, including the Booker Prize-winning novel The God of Small Things.
- The award ceremony will be held on September 12 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Past recipients of the European Essay Prize include Alexander Zinoviev, Amin Malouf and Siri Hustvedt.
- European Essay Prize is the first literary award dedicated solely to the genre of the essay.
Author Salman Rushdie awarded prestigious German peace prize
- Author Salman Rushdie has been awarded a prestigious German Peace Prize for his literary work and for his resolve in the face of a âconstant threat to his lifeâ.
- He would receive the award in Frankfurt on October 22, 2023.
- The Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, endowed with âŹ25,000 ($27,300), will be handed out in a ceremony in October during the Frankfurt Book Fair.
- This prize was established in 1950 to recognize a personality committed to serving international understanding between nations and cultures through their work.
- Rushdie served as the president of the PEN American Center from 2004 to 2006, and then as chairman of the PEN World Voices International Literary Festival for 10 years.
- The prize, created in 1950, recognizes a personality committed to serving international understanding between nations and cultures through their work.
- Last year, the award went to Ukrainian author Serhiy Zhadan. Previous recipients include, among others, Margaret Atwood, Orhan Pamuk, Susan Sontag, Amos Oz, Vaclav Havel .
Indian Economic Trade Organization appoints Nutan Roongta as Director of USA East Coast
- The Indian Economic Trade Organization (IETO) has recently announced the appointment of Nutan Roongta as the Director of the USA East Coast.
- As the Director of the USA East Coast Chapter, Nutan Roongta will play a pivotal role in leading and coordinating the organization's activities across this vital region.
- Nutan Roongta's receipt of the NRI Achievers Award is a prestigious recognition of her exceptional achievements and her dedication to making a positive impact.
- IETO is a renowned organization dedicated to fostering economic growth, facilitating business partnerships, and promoting investment opportunities between India and its global counterparts.
Swaminathan Janakiraman appointed as New RBI deputy governor
- Swaminathan Janakiraman has been appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a period of three years.
- As per a notification issued on Tuesday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved Janakiraman's name.
- Janakiraman is currently the managing director of the State Bank of India.
- Notably, the central bank has a total of four deputy governors. The other three are - Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, and T Rabi Sankar.
- He has also served as a nominee director of the SBI on the boards of Yes Bank, Jio Payments Bank, and NPCI as well as Bank of Bhutan, an SBI JV.
Tejinder Pal Singh Toor sets a new record in Asian shot put
- India's top shot putter, Tajinderpal Singh Toor has set a new Asian shot put record at the Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar. Â
- The 28-year-old athlete, representing Punjab, shattered his own previous Asian record with a massive throw of 21.77 metres.Â
- Toor surpassed his own record of 21.49 metres, which he had set in 2021 in Patiala.
- His outstanding performance also placed him in the ninth position on the list of the longest shot put distances recorded worldwide this season.
- The Inter-State meet is the qualifier for the Asian Games.Â
- By surpassing the qualifying mark of 21.40 metres, Toor has secured his spot in the upcoming World Championships.
- Additionally, he also qualified for the Asian Games by meeting the required distance of 19 metres.
Wyndham Clark wins the U.S. Open for his first major title
- Wyndham Clark won the 2023 US Open to claim his first major title, edging Rory McIlroy in a nail-biting finale at Los Angeles Country Club.
- Clark, 29, carded a closing round even-par 70 to finish 10-under overall and earn a $3.6 million winnerâs cut of a record $20 million prize purse, the largest ever awarded in major history.
- Clark's victory denied Rory McIlroy, a four-time major winner, his first triumph in nearly a decade.
- Wyndham Clark, a talented American professional golfer, has made his mark on the PGA Tour with exceptional skills and notable achievements.
Bihar to host two days G-20 Labour Engagement summit on June 22
- In Bihar, the capital city Patna is all set to host two days G-20 Labour Engagement summit on 22nd and 23rd June.Â
- The Arts and Culture Department of the State is the nodal agency for this mega event, which will witness participation of around 180 delegates of G20 member countries.
- The host-state Bihar will also represent it's initiatives and reforms in different sectors during the summit.
- The G20 Summit is held annually under the leadership of a rotating presidency. India assumed the presidency of G20 from Indonesia for one year â December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.Â
- The G20 presidency steers the G20 agenda for one year and hosts the summit.Â
- Altogether, 200 G20 meetings will be held in over 50 locations across the length and breadth of the country during the year.
UN adopts first âhistoricâ treaty to protect high seas
- The United Nations has adopted the first-ever international treaty to govern the high seas and protect remote ecosystems vital to humanity, after more than 15 years of discussions.
- Delegates representing all 193 member states expressed their happiness in accepting the treaty.
- The treaty aims to protect biodiversity in the high seas, which cover about half of the Earth's surface and lie beyond national boundaries.
- The ocean is a fundamental source of food and economic security for millions of people.Â
- Its ecosystems, including fisheries and aquaculture, provide sustenance and income for communities globally.
- It has absorbed approximately 93% of the heat generated by greenhouse gases, helping to mitigate the impacts of global warming.
- It serves as a source of resources such as energy, minerals, and materials that are crucial for various industries and economic sectors.
ISRO to use telescope designed by Pune scientists to monitor Sun
- ISRO has received a space telescope developed by Pune's Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).Â
- The telescope, called Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), will be integrated with ISRO's Aditya-L1 mission, which will be the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun.Â
- SUIT will provide regular updates and images of the Sun's surface phenomena and space weather.
- The SUIT telescope will address fundamental questions such as the existence of a higher temperature atmosphere above the cooler surface of the Sun and the origin and variation of near-ultraviolet radiation and high-energy solar flares.
- The telescope is set to be integrated with the ADITYA-L1 mission, expected to be launched in mid-August this year.
- ADITYA-L1 will be ISROâs first space observatory dedicated to studying the Sun. It will fly approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth to the L1, or Lagrange point 1, which is one of the five favorable spots for observing the Sun.
- The mission aims to provide regular images and updates on the Sunâs surface phenomena and space weather.
Indian Army contingent participates in Multinational Joint Exercise âEx Khaan Quest 2023' in Mongolia
- The multinational peacekeeping joint exercise âEx Khaan Quest 2023â with the participation of military contingents and observers from more than 20 countries began in Mongolia on 19th June 2023.
- The exercise is co-sponsored by the Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) and the United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC).
- The Indian Army is represented by a contingent of the Garhwal Rifles.Â
- The objective of the 14-day exercise is to enhance interoperability of the participating countries, share experiences and train uniformed personnel for United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO).
- The exercise includes Command Post Exercise (CPX), Field Training Exercise (FTX), combat discussions, lectures and demonstrations.
World Refugee Day 2023: 20 June
- World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe.Â
- It falls each year on 20 June and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution.
- The day serves as a platform to acknowledge the bravery and determination of individuals who have been forced to flee their homeland due to conflict or persecution.
- The theme for World Refugee Day 2023 is "Hope away from home".
- The theme emphasizes the importance of mental well-being for refugees in rebuilding their lives and striving for a brighter future.
- World Refugee Day was held globally for the first time on 20 June 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.Â
- It was originally known as Africa Refugee Day.
SpaceX launches SATRIA-1 communications satellite for Indonesia
- SpaceX launched a new Indonesian communications satellite into orbit from Florida on June 18.
- A Falcon 9 rocket topped with the SATRIA-1 telecommunications satellite lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
- SATRIA-1 (short for "Satellite of the Republic of Indonesia") will be operated for the Indonesian government by the Indonesian company.
- The PSN SATRIA mission marked the 12th launch and landing for the Falcon 9 first stage booster, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, mPOWER-a, and four Starlink missions.
Paddler Mudit Dani scripts history, becomes first Indian to bag NCTTA Male Athlete of Year award
- Indian paddler Mudit Dani has entered the history books by becoming the first Indian to win the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) Male Athlete of the Year award for his exceptional performances in 2022-23.
- The NCTTA is a national organisation member of USA Table Tennis and the prestigious award is given to the best performing male athlete across USA and Canadian universities at the end of every season.
- He had previously clinched two gold medals to guide his side to their second successive NCTTA National Championships title.
- His exceptional performance also includes an unbeaten 11-0 record in the 2022-23 season.
- The 24-year-old clinched his maiden ITTF senior medal in 2019 at the US Open Championships and also reached the doubles quarter-finals at the WTT event in the USA last year.
Kamal Kishore Chatiwal takes over as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Ltd
- Kamal Kishore Chatiwal has today taken over as Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL), the largest CNG distribution company of the country, operating City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks across 30 districts in four states including NCT of Delhi. Â
- Before joining IGL, he was working as executive director and head of zonal marketing of GAIL in Jaipur.
- Chatiwal also has experience in Corporate planning and strategy, Project Development and Corporate training.
- Indraprastha Gas Ltd. (IGL) is one of the leading natural gas distribution companies in India.
- Established in 1998, IGL is a joint venture between GAIL India, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and the Government of Delhi.Â
- The companyâs main objective is to provide safe, efficient and reliable natural gas to customers in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR).
Nusrat Choudhury becomes first Muslim woman federal judge in US history
- Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, a civil rights attorney, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Muslim woman to serve as a federal judge in the United States.
- President Joe Biden nominated Choudhury, a civil rights attorney, to the U.S. District Court for Eastern New York in January, and she was confirmed to the life-tenured position with a narrow margin of 50-49 votes.
- Choudhury currently serves as the legal director of the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).Â
- She has been a vocal advocate for racial justice and protecting civil liberties throughout her career.
Senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed new RAW chief
- Senior IPS officer Ravi Sinha appointed as the new chief of India's external intelligence agency RAW.
- Sinha will succeed Samant Kumar Goel who will complete his four-year tenure on June 30.
- Goel was appointed RAW chief for two years in June 2019. He was later given two extensions of one year each in 2021 and June 2022.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Sinha's appointment as Secretary, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for a tenure of two years.
- Sinha, a 1988 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, is currently Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.
- Sinha has been with the intelligence agency for over two decades.
- He was heading the operational wing of RAW before his promotion. Sinha has worked extensively in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeast, and other countries.
Bhavani Devi becomes first Indian to win bronze medal at Asian Fencing Championships in China
- Olympian C. A. Bhavani Devi has created history by defeating reigning World Champion Misaki Emura in the Asian Fencing Championship quarterfinal and securing India its first-ever medal at the event.
- The Indian fencer stunned the world number one 15-10 to enter the womenâs sabre semifinal.
- Bhavani, however, lost to Uzbekistanâs Zaynab Dayibekova in the semifinals, 15-14, securing a bronze medal. Â
- Bhavani had earlier stunned reigning world champion Misaki Emura of Japan 15-10 in the quarterfinals to script history.
- Misaki had won the women's sabre gold medal at the 2022 World Fencing Championships held in Cairo.
- It was Bhavani's first win over Misaki as she had lost all her matches against the Japanese in the past.
- Bhavani Devi, who became the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics, exited in the round of 32 at the Tokyo Games.
Goa CM Pramod Sawant launches mascot for upcoming 37th National Games
- Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant launched the mascot for the upcoming 37th National Games.
- Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday launched the mascot and unveiled the official Jersey of the 37th National Games to be held in the coastal state.Â
- The unveiling of official mascot 'MOGA,' a bison representing the distinct identity of Goa, reinforces the strong connection between the Games and the state's heritage.
- The launch ceremony was held at Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Taleigao.Â
- It was organized by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Sports Authority of Goa and held on the occasion of the Goa Revolution Day.
- The organization of the National Games was led by Dorabji Tata, a prominent Indian businessman, Harry Crowe Buck, founder of the YMCA College of Physical Education in Chennai (then Madras), and Dr. A. G. Nohren, the director of the college.
- After the 1920 Olympics, Dorabji Tata suggested a national level body to promote Olympic sports.
- After the meeting of the selection committee for the Olympics, the All India Olympic Committee was established.
India crowned Intercontinental Cup champions
- The Indian menâs senior football team won the Intercontinental Cup with a 2-0 win over Lebanon in the final at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 18th June.
- The first half remained goalless before the hosts made it 1-0 in the 46th minute through Indian captain Sunil Chhetriâs goal in the second half.Â
- Lallianzuala Chhangte scored the second goal in the 65th minute and made the score 2-0.
- This is Indiaâs second title in the tournament, after their victory in the inaugural edition in 2018. Korea won in 2019.
- The 2023 Intercontinental Cup was the third edition of the Intercontinental Cup, a four-nation football tournament, held at the Kalinga Stadium in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar from 9th to 18th June 2023.Â
- The tournament was organized by the All India Football Federation.
Max Verstappen wins Canadian Grand Prix and gives Red Bull 100th victory
- Dutch Formula One driver Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix to secure his Red Bull team's 100th victory.
- Aston Martin's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso was 9.57 seconds behind Verstappen to finish second in Round 9.
- Mercedes' British racer Lewis Hamilton, who is a seven-time F1 champion, was third, ending the race 14.168 seconds behind the winner.
- Verstappen is dominating the 2023 season, winning six races out of eight.
- In addition, Verstappen has bagged the 41st win in his career to level with F1 great Ayrton Senna, who died in 1994 at the age of 34 after a crash during the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty script history by winning Men's doubles title of Indonesia Open
- Indiaâs shuttler pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the Indonesia Open menâs doubles title after defeating defending world champion Aaron Chia and Malaysiaâs Soh Wooi Yik in Jakarta on 18th June.
- Satwik, ranked sixth in the world, and Chirag won their maiden Super 1000 title with a straight sets win 21-17, 21-18.
- With this feat, they became the first doubles pair from India to win the prestigious tournament.
- It was also their first win over the Malaysian pair in their ninth meeting.
PM Modi talks of Miyawaki forests in Mann ki Baat
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his latest âMann ki baatâ episode spoke about Miyawaki plantation, the Japanese method of creating dense urban forests in a small area.
- The PM also cited the example of a Kerala-based teacher, Raafi Ramnath, who used the Miyawaki technique to transform a barren land into a mini forest called Vidyavanam by planting 115 varieties of trees.
- Miyawaki plantation named after Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, this method involves planting two to four different types of indigenous trees within every square metre. In this method, the trees become self-sustaining and they grow to their full length within three years.
- The process involves improving the soil by covering it with mulch, which also helps prevent dryness, erosion, and weed growth.Â
- Native trees are then identified and planted in the area. This method involves planting many different types of trees close together, which creates a balanced and cooperative environment among the species.Â
- The result is that plants grow 10 times faster and the forest becomes 30 times denser than usual.
- The methodology was developed in the 1970s, with the basic objective to densify green cover within a small parcel of land.
- According to the civic bodyâs data, 64 Miyawaki forests have been planted in Mumbai so far. The Miyawaki drive was launched under BMCâs urban forest project on January 2, 2020 and the first such forest was created in Bhakti Park at Chembur in the eastern suburbs.
Jammu tops table of District Good Governance Index 3.0 in J&K
- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today released the third edition of District Good Governance Index 3.0.
- In Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu district topped the table of Good Governance Index 3.0 with an overall score of 6.37 out of 10.
- The District Good Governance Index parameters to measure the performance of districts included 58 indicators under 10 sectors including agriculture and allied sector, commerce and industry, human resource development, public health sector, public infrastructure and utilities, social welfare and development, financial inclusion and law.
Rajasthan Sahitya Protsahan Puraskar will be started
- On June 14, 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved a proposal related to the procedure, guide and selection committee to honour the state's litterateurs with the Rajasthan Sahitya Protsahan Puraskar.
- In the encouragement, awards will be given in the name of Shri Kanhaiya Lal Sethia, Shri Komal Kothari, Dr. Sitaram Lalas and Shri Vijaydan Detha.
- Shri Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Literary Award in verse category, Shri Komal Kothari Lok Sahitya Puraskar in folk literature/art category, Dr. Sitaram Lalas Language & Research Award in language/research category and Shri Vijaydan Detha Sahitya Puraskar in prose category will be given.
- Rajasthan Sahitya Akademi, Udaipur has been made the nodal agency for these awards.Â
- The Department of Art, Literature, Culture & Archaeology will be the administrative department.
- The award carries a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a citation and a shawl. These awards can also be given posthumously.
India's largest natural arch found in Odisha
- A team of the Geological Survey of India recently discovered Indiaâs biggest natural arch during their survey of coal in Kenduadihi block in Odishaâs Sundargarh district.
- The state unit of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has proposed to declare the âNatural Archâ in the Kanika range of Sundargarh forest division, a Geo Heritage Site.
- If it is done, it will be the biggest natural arch of the country to have the Geo Heritage tag.
- Apart from the arch at Sundargarh, India has two others- one at Tirumala hills in Tirupati and another at Andaman and Nicobar.Â
- However, both of them are smaller compared to the one in Sundargarh.
- The Sundargarh natural arch, present in the ferruginous sandstone of the Upper Kamthi formation, dates back to about 184 to 160 million years in the lower to middle Jurassic age.
- Geoheritage sites are sites of rare and unique geological, geo-morphological, mineralogical, petrological, and paleontological significance, including caves and natural rock sculptures of national and international interest.
Gita Press, Gorakhpur, awarded Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021
- The Gandhi Peace Prize for 2021 will be conferred on Gita Press, Gorakhpur, in recognition of its âoutstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods.
- The jury headed by Prime Minister Modi unanimously decided to select Gita Press as the recipient of the award.
- Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the worldâs largest publishers, having published 417 million books in 14 languages, including 162 million Shrimad Bhagvad Gita.
- Instituted by the government in 1995, the Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award as a tribute to the ideals espoused by Mahatma Gandhi.Â
- The award is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, language, caste, creed or gender.
- The award carries a cash prize of âš1 crore, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite traditional handicraft/handloom item.Â
- The past awardees include organisations such as ISRO and Ramakrishna Mission.
- The prestigious award has also been awarded to luminaries like Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and Julius Nyerere, former president of Tanzania among many other personalities.Â
- Some recent awardees include Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said, Oman (2019) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (2020), Bangladesh.
Grammys announce 3 new categories will be added to 2024's awards show
- The Grammys have been experimenting with adding categories and changing the rules.Â
- Last year, it added five - including video game soundtracks and spoken word poetry albums.
- This year's newly added categories are: best pop dance recording, best African music performance and best alternative jazz album.
- These new categories will be introduced at the 2024 GRAMMYs, officially known as the 66th GRAMMY Awards.
- These Category additions and amendments were voted on and passed at the Recording Academy's most recent semiannual Board of Trustees meeting held in May 2023.
- The eligibility period for the 66th Grammys, which now has 94 categories, will be from October 1, 2022, to September 15, 2023. The nominations will be announced in November, and the award ceremony will take place in early 2024.
NTPC Barauni secures First Rank at 4th National Water Awards, in Best Industry Category
- NTPC Barauni has achieved a significant milestone by securing the first rank in the Best Industry Category at the 4th National Water Awards.
- NTPCâs pursuit of sustainable practices and dedication to environmental stewardship have played a crucial role in the achievement of this remarkable feat.Â
- The company has implemented a series of innovative initiatives to conserve and manage water resources effectively.
- The award was presented to CMD, NTPC Gurdeep Singh, and Head of Project, NTPC Barauni,Rajeev Khanna by the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
- The award ceremony took place at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on June 17, 2023.
Axis Bank names N. S. Vishwanathan as part-time Non-Executive Chairman
- Private sector lender Axis Bank on Friday appointed former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor NS Vishwanathan as a part-time Non-Executive Chairman.
- Vishwanathan has been appointed for a period of three years.
- His appointment will be effective from October 27, 2023 or the date of approval of his appointment by Reserve Bank of India (âApprovalâ) in case the Approval is not received prior to October 27, 2023.
- Mr. Vishwanathan joined the Reserve Bank of India in 1981 and retired in March 2020 as the Deputy Governor, spanning an illustrious career of nearly four decades at the central bank.
RBI approves re-appointment of Vasudevan P N as MD and CEO of Equitas SFB
- The Reserve Bank of India gave its nod for the re-appointment of P N Vasudevan as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of private sector Equitas Small Finance Bank.
- The tenure of his appointment would be for a period of three years with effect from July 23, 2023.
- Equitas Small Finance Bank reported a net profit of Rs 190.03 crore for the quarter ending March 31, 2023.Â
- The bank had registered a net profit at Rs 119.50 crore during the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
- For the year ending March 31, 2023, the bank had registered a net at Rs 573.59 crore from Rs 280.73 crore registered in the same period of the previous fiscal.
Egypt wins Squash World Cup title
- Egypt has retained the World Squash Championship.Â
- Egypt beat Malaysia 2-1 in the final in Chennai.
- The third place was shared jointly by hosts India and Japan.
- The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K.Stalin, awarded the winning team with the golden cup, while the Sports Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, presented medals to the victorious players.
- The state of Tamil Nadu has gained recognition in international sports by successfully organizing the Chess Olympiad within a remarkable four-month timeframe.
First Womenâs Kabaddi League Inaugurated in Dubai
- The inaugural edition of India's first-ever Women's Kabaddi League (WKL) commenced with great fanfare in Dubai on June 16.Â
- The Women's Kabaddi League is set to span over a period of 12 days, from June 16 to June 27, at the Shabab Al Ahli Sports Club in Dubai.Â
- The league's overarching objective is to enhance the prominence of kabaddi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and empower female athletes from India.
- The league consists of eight teams, featuring a total of 96 players, each representing Indian states.Â
- These teams bear the names of various states, including the Delhi Dynamites, Gujarat Angels, Great Marathas, Haryana Hustlers, Punjab Panthers, Rajasthan Riders, Uma Kolkata, and Bengaluru Hawks.
- The victorious team will be awarded a prize of approximately half a million dirhams (equivalent to 1 crore INR).
Nahida Khan retires from international cricket
- Pakistan batter Nahida Khan has announced her retirement from international cricket, following a 14-year career for her country.
- Debuting in February 2009 against Sri Lanka, Nahida went on to represent Pakistan in three Cricket World Cups (2013, 2017 and 2022) and in four T20 World Cups (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018).
- She holds the record for most catches in an ODI innings. She took four catches in Pakistan's 94-run win over Sri Lanka in Dambulla in 2018.
- In a career spanning 66 ODIs, Nahida accumulated 1410 runs, showcasing her ability as a reliable and consistent opening batter. In addition, she showcased her skills in the T20I format, accumulating 604 runs in 54 matches.
- Recently, she served as the assistant coach for the Blasters, a team participating in the Pakistan Cup Womenâs Cricket Tournament in Karachi.
Justice Clocks Installed Across the Court Complexes of High Courts
- Electronic signage systems known as Justice Clocks have been across the court complexes of High Courts.
- The initiative will inform stakeholders about court-related key parameters and bring awareness among public by providing bird eye view of court-related data.
- It will enable the stakeholders by informing them about court-related key parameters.
- This âJustice Clockâ will exhibit vital statistics of the justice delivery system to âmaximise outreach and visibilityâ of the work done by the state judiciary.
- The interface has been designed and developed in-house and will display data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) in real-time.
Union Minister launches âDudh Sankalp Sathi Mobile Appâ
- Union Heavy Industries Minister launches "Dudh Sankalp Sathi Mobile App" to transform Indian dairy industries.
- It is developed by Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), Jaipur, a âMini Ratnaâ Central Public Sector Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
- Its aim to improve the quality of milk, foster transparency among stakeholders, and streamline operations at the grassroots village level, including Milk Cooperative Societies.
- This will inform all services to milk producers in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu and other languages.
Japan raises age of consent from 13 to 16 in reform of sex crimes law
- Japan has raised the age of consent from 13, among the worldâs lowest, to 16 years old as lawmakers passed key reforms to sex crime legislation.
- A new bill, which also clarifies rape prosecution requirements and criminalises voyeurism, cleared parliamentâs upper house in a unanimous vote.
- The age of consent â below which sexual activity is considered statutory rape â is 16 in Britain, 15 in France, and 14 in Germany and China.
- In India the age of consent is 18.
- Japanâs had been unchanged since 1907, with children aged 13 and above deemed capable of consent.
- Under the new law, teen couples no more than five years apart in age will be exempt from prosecution if both partners are over 13.
- Japan last revised its criminal code on sexual offences in 2017, for the first time in more than a century.
- Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations which does not have LGTBQ legal protections.
UP prisons to be known as "Reform Homes"
- Uttar Pradesh CM renames UP prisons as 'Reform Homes' in June 2023.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while reviewing the condition of prisons in a high-level meeting, gave important guidelines towards prison reform.
- The guidelines stated that the prisons will be known as 'Sudhaar Grah' (Reform Homes).
- In the present time, the Jail Act of 1894 and the Prisoners Act of 1900 are in effect concerning prisoners detained in jail.
- Both of these acts have been in practice since before independence, and many of their provisions do not align with changing circumstances and a rehabilitative ideology for prisoners.
- The objective of the Prison Act of 1894 is to maintain discipline and control over offenders in custody, but we need to focus on reform and rehabilitation.
PM Modi to celebrate International Day of Yoga at the UNHQ
- Prime Minister Modi will lead the yoga session at the UN Headquarters on the 9th International Day of Yoga to be commemorated on June 21.
- The Yoga session will run from 8 am-9 am on June 21 at the expansive North Lawn in the UN Headquarters, where a bust of Mahatma Gandhi, a gift from India to the UN, was installed in December last year during the countryâs Presidency of the UN Security Council.
- The proposal to observe International Day of Yoga was moved by Modi and accepted by a record 175 countries. The proposal was placed by Modi during his speech at the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014.
- In view of the increasing popularity and acceptance of Yoga across the world, the UNGA announced on December 11, 2014, that June 21, will be observed as International Day of Yoga.
Indian Navy Launches "Julley Ladakh" Outreach Program
- The Indian Navy launched an outreach programme called "Julley Ladakh" (Hello Ladakh) with the aim of raising awareness about the naval service in the Himalayan region and engaging with youngsters and civil society members.
- Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, Vice Chief of Navy Staff, launched the programme by flagging off a 5,000-km motorcycle expedition from the National War Memorial.
- A total of 35 naval personnel, including officers and sailors, are participating in the expedition that will reach Leh on June 28, passing through Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
- Along the way, the participants will interact with students from schools and colleges, and pay homage to soldiers at the Kargil War Memorial and the memorial of the 1962 Battle of Rezang La.
Third ASW SWC class ship 'Anjadeep' launched at Chennai
- Â âAnjadipâ, the 3rd of eight ships of ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/s GRSE for Indian Navy, was launched on 13 Jun 23 at M/s L&T, Kattupalli.
- The ship has been named Anjadip to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Anjadip, located off Karwar.
- The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 29 Apr 19.
- Four ships are being built at GRSE, Kolkata, while the remaining four ships are being built by M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
- The ASW SWC ships have a length of 77 metres, a displacement of 900 tonnes, a maximum speed of 25 knots and an endurance of 1800 nautical miles.
Ramachandra Guha's book wins Elizabeth Longford Prize
- Historian and writer Ramchandra Guhaâs book Rebels Against the Raj: Western Fighters for Indiaâs Freedom has won the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography 2023.Â
- Guha has been awarded ÂŁ5,000 (âš5 lakhs approximately) and a bound copy of Elizabeth Longfordâs memoir, The Pebbled Shore.
- Guha also received a bound copy of Longfordâs autobiography, The Pebbled Shore (1986).
- The annual prize âwas established in 2003 in affectionate memory of Elizabeth Longford (1906-2002), an acclaimed historical biographer and family matriarch best known for Victoria RI (1964), her scholarly and readable life of Queen Victoria, for her magisterial Wellington: Years of the Sword (1969), and Wellington: Pillar of State (1972)â.
- The award was founded in 2003 by Flora Fraser and Peter Soros to commemorate British historian Elizabeth Longford.
VP Jagdeep Dhankhar confers fourth National Water Awards in New Delhi
- Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar conferred upon the fourth National Water Awards in New Delhi on June 17.Â
- The Jal Shakti Ministry had announced a total of 41 winners, covering 11 categories, including joint winners, for the fourth National Water Awards, 2022.Â
- Each award winner was conferred with a citation, a trophy, as well as cash prizes.
- Madhya Pradesh was awarded the first prize in the best state category.
- In the best district category, the award was given to Ganjam District of Odisha.
- The best Village Panchayat award was presented to Jagannadhapuram Village Panchayat, Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana.
Two-time Oscar winning actress Glenda Jackson passes away at 87
- Glenda Jackson, a two-time Academy Award-winning performer who had a second career in politics as a British lawmaker before an acclaimed late-life return to stage and screen, died at 87.
- She became one of the biggest British stars of the 1960s and 70s, and won two Academy Awards, for Women in Love in 1971 and A Touch of Class in 1974.
- She then went into politics, winning election to Parliament in 1992. She spent 23 years as a Labour Party lawmaker, serving as a minister for transport in Prime Minister Tony Blair's first government in 1997.
- Jackson won a BAFTA award, Britain's equivalent of an Oscar, for her performance as a woman with Alzheimer's trying to solve a mystery.
Ashwinder R Singh launched the book "Master Residential Real Estate"
- Real estate expert, Ashwinder Singh launched a book titled "Master Residential Real Estate".
- The book, "Master Residential Real Estate," serves as a comprehensive guide to the real estate industry.
- The book covers a wide range of topics related to residential real estate.
- Ashvinder Singh provides valuable insight into the current state of the real estate market.
- "Master Residential Real Estate" aims to empower readers with practical knowledge and advice.
Gopichand Hinduja takes over as Group chairman
- Gopichand Hinduja has taken over as chairman of the $34.5 billion-worth Hinduja Group following the death of his brother, Srichand Hinduja last month.
- Srichand Hinduja was the eldest son of Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, the founder of the Hinduja group who started his journey in Sindh, in undivided India.Â
- In 1914, the founder moved his base to Mumbai and set up an international base in Iran, where the group did exceedingly well for six decades.
- Gopichand Hinduja is a well-respected businessman and philanthropist.Â
- He is a member of the World Economic Forumâs Global Agenda Council on Trade and Competitiveness.
- Gopichand Hinduja has been associated with the Hinduja Group since its inception in 1914.Â
- He has held a number of senior positions within the group, including Co-Chairman and Chairman of the Hinduja Automotive Limited.
Asia Cup 2023 to be played in the hybrid model in Pakistan and Sri Lanka
- The Asia Cup 2023 will be held in a hybrid model in Pakistan and Sri Lanka between August 31 and September 17, the Asian Cricket Council announced on 15 June.Â
- Four matches will be held in Pakistan, and the rest will be in Sri Lanka.
- The 2023 edition of the Asia Cup will feature two groups, with two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two teams from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final.
- The tournament will feature India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal with the teams competing in a total of 13 ODI matches.Â
- There was uncertainty over Pakistan hosting any matches but the new model will allow them to host Asia Cup games after 15 years.
CBIC releases National Time Release Study 2023 report
- Vivek Johri, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently released the National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2023 report.
- According to the report the average import release time by customs authorities has decreased in 2023 compared to 2022.Â
- The report states that the import release time has declined by 20% for inland container depots (ICDs), 11% for air cargo complexes (ACCs), and 9% for seaports.
- The CBIC has been actively working towards reducing release time by customs for both imports and exports in order to promote ease of doing business and enhance tax collections.
Centre renames Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
- The Centre has decided to rename Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) as Prime Ministers' Museum and Society.
- The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) Society is an autonomous body under the Government of India.
- The idea of setting up a museum dedicated to all the prime ministers of India at the Teen Murti complex in New Delhi was initially proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016
- The decision to rename the institution, removing late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehruâs name, was taken at a special meeting of the NMML Society.
- The Executive Council, NMML had in its 162nd meeting held on 25-11-2016 approved the construction of the Museum of all Prime Ministers in the Teen Murti Estate.Â
- The Prime Minister's Museum was opened to the public on 21 April 2022.
PM Modi co-wrote a song with Grammy winner Falu on the benefits of coarse grains
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has co-written a song with Grammy award-winning Indian-American singer Falu to highlight the benefits of coarse grains and their potential to reduce hunger in the world.
- The title of the song is 'Abandons in Millets'.
- Mumbai-born singer-songwriter Falguni Shah, better known by her stage name Falu, and her husband and singer Gaurav Shah have sung the song "Invasion of Millets".
- The year 2023 has been designated as the 'International Year of Millets' as a resolution for this was brought by India and endorsed by members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) governing bodies of the United Nations as well as the 75th session of the UN General Assembly.
- Falu has received a Grammy Award for Best Children's Album in 2022 for his album A Colorful World.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flags off Gabonâs first Agri-SEZ Project
- Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabonâs first Agri- SEZ project from New Delhi.
- The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as the technical and knowledge partner.Â
- In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering students from Gajapati district, which is an Aspirational district of Odisha, will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ which is being developed under this project.
- Pradhan also emphasised the positive trajectory of India-Africa relations under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with numerous high-level visits between India and Africa.
Weekly Current Affairs
- Karnataka Govt Announces Free Bus Rides For Women Under 'Shakti' Scheme
- Haryana CM Manohar Lal announces monthly pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of State
- Raja festival begins in Odisha
- Arunachal Pradesh CM launches app called 'Arunpol App' of Arunachal Pradesh Police
- Guwahati Railway Station awarded âEat Right Stationâ certification by FSSAI
- Archana Atram from Pune division becomes first lady driver of MSRTC, marks history
Weekly Current Affairs
- Researchers from the IIT-Madras generates hydrogen from seawater using solar energy
- India's first 7-km-long twin-track undersea rail tunnel to be built in Thane Creek
- First satellite built by India's private company launched from SpaceX
- Phosphorus, essential element needed for life, detected in ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus
Weekly Current Affairs
- World Day Against Child Labour 2023 observed on June 12
- World Blood Donor Day 2023: 14 June
- Global Wind Day 2023 observed on 15th June
Weekly Current Affairs
- India-Maldives Joint Military Exercise 'Ex Ekuverin' begins at Chaubatia
- Fourth warship of Indian Navy 'Sanshodhak' launched
Weekly Current Affairs
- Manchester Cityâs Rodri wins UEFA Champions League player of the season award
- Ireland's Harry Tector beats Babar Azam to win ICC's Men's Player of The Month award
- India to host Miss World 2023 after 27 years, Femina Miss India 2022 winner Sini Shetty will represent India at Miss World 2023
- WHO Award for 'When Climate Change Turns Violent'
- Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI), Hyderabad gets Accredited as âAthi Uttamâ
- RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year' at Central Banking Awards 2023
- Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America's Iqbal Masih Award
Weekly Current Affairs
- Keralaâs first âAshoka Chakraâ winner Havildar Alby DâCruz passes away at the age of 87
- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86
- Cormac McCarthy, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist of âThe Roadâ no more, dies at 89
Weekly Current Affairs
- Massive eruption at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii's second largest volcano on Hawaii's Big Island
- Cyclone Biparjoy moves north in Arabian Sea, Gujarat coast on high alert
Weekly Current Affairs
- Kerala-cadre IPS officer Nitin Agarwal appointed BSF Director General, currently posted as the Additional DG of operations at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- Elon Musk-led SpaceX inducts 14-year-old Karen Kazee to its Starlink engineering team, becomes youngest engineer to join Elon Musk's SpaceX
- Amit Agarwal takes over as UIDAI CEO, Subodh Kumar Singh as Director General of National Testing Agency
- IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers appointed as the Chair-elect of of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors
- Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra takes over as Commander of Strike 1 Corps, replaces Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi
- Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) appoints Shri Sanjay Swarup to the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR)
- Gurbachan Singh Randhawa steps down as chairman of AFI selection committee
- Shri Uttam Lal takes over as Director (Personnel), NHPC
- Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai assumes Command of Chinar Corps
- Jane Marriott appointed as first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan
- Sudhansh Pant to be new Health Secretary, Chanchal Kumar to take over as Aviation Secretary
Weekly Current Affairs
- Indiaâs long jumper Murali Sreeshankar finishes third at prestigious Diamond League Meet in Paris, becomes third Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League
- B.C. golfer Nick Taylor becomes first Canadian to win RBC Canadian Open since 1954
- India beat South Korea 2-1 to clinch maiden Women's Junior Asia Cup title
- Australia win the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final, become first team to win ICC world titles in all three formats
- Iga Swiatek of Poland wins Women's Singles crown by defeating Czech Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in French Open Tennis 2023
- French Open 2023: Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud to win record 23rd Grand Slam titleÂ
- Real Madrid star Karim Benzema joins Saudi Arabia club, joins Al Ittihad as a free agent
- First Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicks off at KIIT
- World Squash Championship begins in Chennai
- Indian Aditi Gopichand breaks U-18 compound world record in Medellin
- Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to win maiden Under-20 World Cup title
- Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) approves Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu and CWG medalist Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in St. Louis, USA
Weekly Current Affairs
- Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs review meeting of Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM at Jammu
- PM Narendra Modi inaugurates first-ever National Training Conclave in Delhi
- Amit Shah announces disaster management schemes worth Rs 8,000 crore
- RBI opens sub-office at Kohima, to increase presence in north east
- India to participate at Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for first time in France
- Country's first CNG run toy train launched at Gulab Bagh, Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Weekly Current Affairs
- UAE emerges as fourth largest investor in India during FY23 as FDI jumps three-folds to $3.35 billion
- Amazon Signs Pact with ICAR to Empower Farmers Enrolled Under Kisan Store
- Mukesh Ambaniâs Reliance Industries climbs 8 spots to 45th rank on Forbesâ Global 2000 list
- Indian Overseas Bank introduces âMy Account My Nameâ
- IOC To Collaborate With LanzaJet to Establish Aviation Fuel Factory in Haryana
Weekly Current Affairs
- Israel poised to release world's first digital government bond
- Bhupender Yadav addresses 111th International Labour Conference
- G20: Third and Final working group on Women 20 Summit commences at Mahabalipuram near Chennai on 14 June 2023
- US Capitol Hosts First-Ever Hindu-American Summit to Highlight Community Issues
- India to host IIAS Annual Conference 2025 at Kochi with the theme Next Generation Administrative Reforms â Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mileâ
- World Bank launches its first road safety project in South Asia, Bangladesh and the World Bank join hands to improve Road Safety
- U.S. wants to rejoin UNESCO after exiting during the Trump administration
MSRTC employs first woman ST driver in Maharashtra
- Archana Atram has become the first woman driver of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) as she drove the bus from Saswad to Nira in Pune.
- Archana is one of the 100 women ST drivers who were selected for the post by MSRTC.Â
- Their selection was done in 2019 but due to a pandemic their training could not be completed.Â
- A total of 18 of them were undergoing training in the Pune division and 6 have joined the service after competition of training
- Archana who hails from Sarkani village of Kinvat, Nanded district registered her name in the history of MSRTC by becoming the first woman ST driver.Â
- The MSRTC had started recruiting women as conductors on the ST buses but the driver post was only reserved for men till now.
NASA discovers âphosphorousâ, key element for life, on Saturn's moon Enceladus
- Phosphorus, a key element for various biological processes has been discovered in icy grains spewed from the interior ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus.
- Cassini a space probe launched to scrutinize Saturn and its extensive system of moons and rings.
- The scientists earlier found minerals and organic compounds in Enceladus' ice grains excluding phosphorus- the least abundant of six chemical elements considered necessary to all living things, and is found in the bones and teeth of humans and animals.
- Phosphorus is fundamental unit of the structure of DNA and RNA and, a vital part of cell membranes and energy-carrying molecules existing in all forms of life on Earth.
Global Wind Day 2023:15 June
- Global Wind Day is an important event celebrated annually on June 15 worldwide.Â
- It provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of wind energy and promote its further development and usage worldwide.
- It is a collaborative initiative organised by WindEurope and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) to reinforce the idea of sustainable alternative energy.
- Global Wind Day, also known as National Wind Day, is an annual global occasion that plays a significant role in exploring the potential of wind, its immense power, and the transformative possibilities it offers in reshaping our energy systems.
- In 2009, the European Wind Energy Association and Global Wind Energy Council joined forces to establish Global Wind Day as a worldwide event.
- This year will mark the 16th celebration of Global Wind Day, kickstarted in 2007
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Cormac McCarthy passes away
- Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Cormac McCarthy has died at the age of 89.
- McCarthyâs first novel âThe Orchard Keeperâ was published in 1965, his first commercially successful work was âAll The Pretty Horsesâ.Â
- It got the National Book Award in 1992 and a movie based on the novel was released in 2000.Â
- McCarthy got the Pulitzer Prize for his novel âThe Roadâ in 2006.
- His novel âNo Country for Old Menâ was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 2007.
- McCarthyâs other crime thriller âThe Counsellorâ was a successful film in which stars like Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz acted.
- He went on to publish more than 20 novels, including âBlood Meridian,â âAll the Pretty Horses,â and âSuttree.â
Sudhansh Pant named as new Union Health Secretary
- Senior IAS officer Sudhansh Pant has been named as the new Union Health Secretary as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre.
- Pant, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Rajasthan cadre, is currently the Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
- He has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
- The officer will take over as Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare upon retirement of Rajesh Bhushan on July 31 this year.
- Apart from this, Chanchal Kumar, Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, has been named as the new Civil Aviation Secretary.
UK Names First Female Envoy to Pakistan
- In a groundbreaking announcement, the United Kingdom has named Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
- This historic appointment signifies a significant step forward, as Jane becomes the first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan.Â
- Previously, British Ambassador Christian Turner was designated in Pakistan; he has transferred to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
- Previously, Jane Marriott served as the High Commissioner to Kenya, undertaking her responsibilities from September 2019 to June 2023.
- Jane has served as Deputy and Acting Ambassador to Tehran and provided invaluable advice to Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mission Olympic Cell approves Mirabai Chanu, Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in USA
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Mission Olympic Cell has approved the foreign training camp for Target Olympic Podium Scheme athletes Mirabai Chanu and Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in St. Louis, USA.
- The Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalists will be training at St. Louis's SQUAT University under Dr. Aron Horschig and working on their rehabilitation and strength training process ahead of the upcoming Asian Games.Â
- During their 65 days foreign training camp, the duo will be accompanied by Indian Chief Coach Vijay Sharma and their physiotherapist Tesneem Zayyad.Â
- The government will cover their Air travel expenses, boarding and lodging cost, medical insurance, local transportation cost, gym expenses and doctor's consultation cost among other expenses.
CNG-run toy train inaugurated for the first time in the country
- Toy train was started once again in Gulab Bagh of Udaipur (Rajasthan), which has been named Maharana Pratap Express train.
- According to the engineer of the toy train, Anirudh Singh Nathawat, this is the country's first CNG-powered toy train.
- The ticket for this toy train operating in Gulab Bagh has been kept at Rs.25 for children and Rs.50 for adults.Â
- There will be a run of about 2.5 kilometers, and about 150 passengers will be able to enjoy it at a time. Meanwhile, passengers will be able to see the Bird Park, Kamal Talai and hundreds of years old trees.
IOC to set up aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana
- Indian Oil Corp IOC will set up an 80,000 tonnes sustainable aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana.
- The aim of the collaboration is to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
- The investment for the aviation fuel plant is around 23 billion rupees ($280.1 million).
- Sustainable aviation fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions and mitigates climate change.
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited is owned by the Government of India and operates as a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
- Its headquarter is in New Delhi.
- Its Present Chairman is Shrikant Madhav Vaidya.
India to host IIAS Annual Conference 2025 at Kochi
- India to host the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) Annual Conference 2025 in Kochi in Feb 2025.
- The conference will be attended by 30 countries, and over 50 IIAS universities/institutes of public administration.
- The theme for the 2025 IIAS Annual Conference at Kochi will be "Next Generation Administrative Reforms - Empowering the Citizens and Reaching the Last Mileâ.
- The IIAS established in 1930, is a federation of member States, national sections and academic research centres jointly elaborating public administration solutions to the policy challenges of the day with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
India to participate at AIAF for first time in France
- India is participating at the Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for the first time this year in France.
- India has lately emerged as a preferred destination of VFX and animation content for global production houses.
- An Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Apurva Chandra with eminent personalities of the animation industry have been showcasing India's prowess in creating animation and VFX content for global audiences at the AIAF.
- Animation & VFX in India The market was pegged at Rs 109 billion in 2021, with the VFX business alone accounting for Rs 50 billion. This figure is expected to increase to Rs 180 billion by 2024.
U.S. Will Rejoin UNESCO in July
- The United States will rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July.
- The move ends Washington's more than ten-year dispute with the UN cultural agency after the US left UNESCO in 2018.
- The U.S. cut funding off under former President Obama in 2011 following a vote by UNESCO member states to admit Palestine.
- US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma submitted a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay last week to formalize plans to rejoin.
- This isn't the first time the U.S. has pulled out of UNESCO only to rejoin later.
- The country exited UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, citing "poor management and values opposed to our own," including advocating for limits on freedom of the press, according to the State Department. The U.S. wouldn't rejoin the body for nearly two decades.
- In 2002 President George W. Bush announced a return to UNESCO, praising reforms to the management structure and the group's renewed dedication to the values of press freedom and universal education.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN).
- It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UN SDG), a coalition of United Nations agencies and organisations that aims to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
US Capitol Hosts First-Ever Hindu-American Summit to Highlight Community Issues
- First ever Hindu-American Summit organised at US Capitol Hill, Washington on June 14. This was the first-ever Summit held for political engagement of Hindu-Americans.
- The summit aims to highlight the concerns and issues faced by the Hindu community, seeking the attention and support of lawmakers.
- About 130 Indian American leaders from all over the country -- Florida, New York, Boston, Texas, Chicago and California â representing 20 Hindu and Indian organisations have attended the US Capital for the event.
- Along with other prominent personalities, the summit has been addressed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Women's 20 (W20) Summit began in Mahabalipuram near Chennai
- G20's official engagement group, Women20, held its Jan Bhagidari (Citizen Connect) programme in Mahabalipuram on 14 June 2023.
- The summit is being held till June 16 (Friday) on the theme 'Women-led development - Transform, Thrive and Transcend'.Â
- The Summit also emphasised the importance of women's health and gender empowerment and the role of families in supporting children's rights.
- The first session focused on the convergence of women's health, gender equality, and social and economic development in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The 2nd Women's 20 (W20) International Meeting was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan on April 13 and the meeting was attended by 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries.
- The Citizen Connect programme, on the theme of The Journey of Empowerment, is supported by the National Rural Livelihood Mission, the Tamil Nadu Rural Development Department and the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
- Â The inaugural address of the third and final Women's 20 (W20) Summit has been delivered by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, President, W20 India.
World Bank launches its first road safety project in South Asia
- The World Bank (WB) launched its first dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a USD 358 million financing agreement signed in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh.
- The Road Safety Project, which receives $358 million financing from the World Bank, is the first dedicated road safety project in South Asia supported by the World Bank.
- The project seeks to improve road safety and reduce fatalities and injuries from road crashes in selected cities, high-risk highways, and district roads.
- Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6), will be taken up for the implementation of this project.
- The project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care. These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30 percent on these two highways.
- Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA program totaling $16.3 billion. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed about $40 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country since its independence.
Arunachal Pradesh CM launches app called 'Arunpol App' of Arunachal Pradesh Police
- Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu on June 14 launched ArunPol mobile app and e-Vigilance portal with an aim to reduce the unproductive manhours spent by both citizens and police.
- The 'Arunpol' mobile app will greatly help in reducing the hassle faced by citizens in reaching police stations to avail services.
- The app is designed to provide online services like lodging of lost reports, police clearance certificates, missing reports, servant verification, tenant verification, complaints of women and children, complaints against police, rules and laws, vital contact numbers, helpline numbers, vehicle towing details, etc.
Guwahati Railway Station awarded âEat Right Stationâ certification by FSSAI
- Guwahati railway station has been awarded 'Eat Right Station' certification by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for providing high-quality and nutritious food to passengers.Â
- The station is the first under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to get the status for a period of two years from June 2, 2023.
- The certification is granted by FSSAI to stations adhering to standard food storage and hygiene practices.
- The certification is part of the 'Eat Right India' movement, a large-scale effort by FSSAI to transform the country's food system to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.
Raja festival begins in Odisha
- The three-day Raja festival began in Odisha with fervor and gaiety on 14 June.
- Raja falls on the first day of the month of âAsadhaâ. As per the tradition, it is believed that Mother Earth menstruates and prepares herself for future agricultural activities with the arrival of monsoon.Â
- No agricultural activities are carried out these three days.
- âRajaâ is derived from the word âRajaswalaâ which means menstruating women. Each and every woman is compared with the Bhudevi and given a special place in this festival. She would not have to work for 4 days and be allowed to take rest.
- The first day of the popular festival is known as âPahili Rajaâ.
- The second day is called Mithun Sankranti; the third day is called âBhu Dahaâ, or Basi Raja. The fourth day i.e. the last day of the festival is called Basumati Snan
First satellite built by India's private company launched from SpaceX
- The first indigenous satellite built by India-based aerospace company Ajista BST was sent into space on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.Â
- A total of 72 satellites were successfully launched during this launch on Tuesday from the space station in Florida, USA. These satellites will work in the field of remote sensing.
- SpaceX has sent 72 satellites into space as part of its Transporter-8 mission, one of which is ABA company's satellite AFR.
- These include satellites like CubeSats, Microsatellites. Falcon-9 has returned to Earth by sending 72 satellites into orbit. With this campaign, SpaceX's 200th mission to send a satellite into space has also been completed.
Fourth warship of Indian Navy 'Sanshodhak' launched
- The fourth Survey Vessel Large (SVL) of the Indian Navy, named 'Sanshodhak', was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai on 13th June.
- The launch ceremony, held on June 13, was attended by Adhir Arora, Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India, as the chief guest.Â
- Tanvi Arora launched the ship while an invocation from the Atharva Veda was chanted, following naval maritime traditions.
- The ship's name, meaning 'Researcher', reflects its primary role as a Survey Vessel.
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) highlighted the launch of the fourth SVL as a testament to India's commitment to indigenous shipbuilding, aligning with the government's 'Make in India' and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision.
Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America's Iqbal Masih Award
- Chennai-based lawyer-activist Lalitha Natarajan has been awarded the 2023 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labour.
- US Consul General Judith Ravin presented the award to Natarajan at a ceremony at the US Consulate General in Chennai on May 30.
- Lalitha Natarajan is known for her leadership in combating exploitative child labor in southern India.
- As a member of the Child Welfare Committee (North Zone) under the Department of Social Defence, Tamil Nadu, Natarajan ensures that child labor victims receive compensation as per the Child Labor Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
- Iqbal Masih Award is an annual non-monetary award established by the US Congress in 2008.
- It is administered by the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking within the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) of the US Department of Labor.
- It is named after Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child who was sold into slavery and forced to work in a carpet factory.
- He was murdered in 1995 at the age of twelve.
- The award aims to raise awareness about child labor and honour those fighting against it.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year' at Central Banking Awards 2023
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das received the 'Governor of the Year' award at the Central Banking Awards 2023 in London.
- The Central Banking Awards 2023 awards winners were announced in late March this year. Two top prizes went to the National Bank of Ukraine -- the 2023 Central Bank of the Year, and the Reserve Bank of India's Shaktikanta Das -- Governor of the Year.
- Shaktikanta Das (a retired IAS officer), former Secretary, of the Department of Revenue and Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance, assumed charge as the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on December 12, 2018.Â
- Prior to becoming RBI head, he was acting as a Member, of the 15th Finance Commission and G20 Sherpa of India.
- During his long tenure in the Ministry of Finance, he was directly associated with the preparation of as many as eight Union Budgets.Â
- He has represented India in international fora like the IMF, G20, BRICS, SAARC, among others.
Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai assumes Command of Chinar Corps
- Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai assumes command of Indian army's strategic Kashmir based Chinar Corps.
- An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment in December 1989. Â
- He has had an illustrious military career spanning 33 years, during which he has handled various prestigious command, staff and instructional appointments.
- As Colonel General Staff, he has served in the Division deployed for Counter Insurgency Operations in J&K and Brigadier at Military Operations Directorate in Army Headquarters.
Shri Uttam Lal takes over as Director (Personnel), NHPC
- Shri Uttam Lal has taken over as Director (Personnel) at NHPC Limited, Indiaâs premier hydropower company.
- Prior to his appointment at NHPC, Shri Lal was serving as Chief General Manager (HR-CSR/R&R/LA) at NTPC Limited. He has over 35 years of vast and rich experience in the area of Personnel Management, Industrial Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility.Â
- Known for his expertise and long experience in the power sector, he is a core HR professional seeking to amalgamate human resource potential in the service of the organizationâs goal and vision.
- NHPC Limited is a Government of India Hydropower Board and operated under the ownership of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
- It was incorporated in 1975 with an authorised capital of âš2,000 million.
Ankush wins gold as India finishes U-17 Asian Wrestling C'ships with 7 medals
- India wrapped up their campaign in the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships with one gold, three silver and three bronze medals on the final day.
- Ankush won India's only gold medal of the day in the freestyle 55kg weight category, defeating Iran's Amirreza Ali Teymorizad by VPO1 (Winner with no technical superiority but the loser scores at least 1 point in the bout) 6-5.
- Dhanraj Bharat Shirke lost to Iran's Ahora Farhad Khateri of Iran, losing by VSU (victory by technical superiority) 11-0. Rupesh bagged the other silver after losing to Iran's Sam Reza Sayar in the freestyle 48kg final. Rohit went down to Leo Akagi of Japan by VPO1, 7 - 6 and earned the silver medal.
- Tushar (60kg freestyle), Vinay (92 kg freestyle) and Jaspooran Singh (110kg freestyle) claimed the three bronze medals for India.
- With this, all 10 freestyle wrestlers won medals in the competition as India finished second in the freestyle team rankings behind Iran.
Indian Aditi Gopichand breaks U-18 compound world record in Medellin
- Indian Aditi Gopichand made history by breaking the under-18 world record in the women's compound qualification round during the ongoing Archery World Cup stage three in Medellin, Colombia.
- The 16-year-old Aditi scored a total of 711 out of 720 points and topped the 72-arrow qualification.
- Another India, Jyothi Surekha Vennam finished second in the qualifiers with a total of 708 points.
- In the men's compound qualifiers, former World Cup champion Abhishek Verma emerged as the highest-placed Indian. He finished in eighth place with 707 points in his first archery World Cup event of the year.
Indian Overseas Bank introduces âMy Account My Nameâ
- Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has introduced a scheme that lets customers choose any name as their savings account number with the Chennai-based lender.
- The bankâs managing director and chief executive officer Ajay Kumar Srivastava launched the scheme called âMy Account My Nameâ virtually from its Central Office in Chennai. The scheme will be available at all 49 regional offices of the IOB in India.
- As per the scheme, the account name can be a combination of seven letters, or seven numbers, or seven alphanumeric only like AJIT007, PRADHAN, or 2424707 etc.Â
- Customers will not be required to remember their 15 digits account numbers.
- To begin with, the scheme is available for IOB SB HNI and IOB SB SALARY account customers.
Bhupender Yadav addresses 111th International Labour Conference
- Bhupender Yadav addressed the Plenary Session at the 111th International Labour Conference in Geneva.
- India aims to push for tools to map skill gaps among countries and move towards harmonization and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications.Â
- He also met the DG of the International Labour Organization Gilbert Houngbo on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference.
First Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicks off at KIIT
- The first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicked off at KIIT DU with great enthusiasm.
- This grand sporting extravaganza, set to conclude on June 12, has attracted the participation of approximately 5,000 tribal athletes and 1,000 officials hailing from 26 states.
- Promoting traditional sports and tribal culture, this unique event is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and the Odisha Government.
- For KIIT, this event holds immense significance as its sister organization, KISS, provides free education to tribal children and has empowered countless tribal communities.
- The event mascot, âBheemaâ, was unveiled during this momentous occasion.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal announces monthly pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of State
- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today announced a monthly pension of 10,000 rupees for the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of the State besides, free travel facility in Volvo Buses of the State Government.
- Earlier this year, two persons from Haryana including Gurugram-based agro scientist Dr Bakshi Ram, and a gurukul teacher devoted to girls' education Dr Sukama were awarded Padma Shri Awards for their contribution.
- Haryana government is already giving the benefit of health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh to families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh.
- Earlier this month, the Haryana government invited nominations for the Padma Awards, which include the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. These accolades, which rank among the highest given to civilians, will be presented on January 26, 2024, Republic Day.
World Blood Donor Day 2023: 14 June
- June 14 has been celebrated as World Blood Donor Day since 2004.Â
- It is a day which is to raise awareness for the necessity of blood donation, while also a day which celebrates blood donors who have helped save countless lives.
- For World Blood Donor Day 2023, the World Health Organization has assigned the theme, "Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often."Â
- The theme highlights the crucial role that every individual can play by giving the valuable gift of blood and plasma.
- In 2004 World Blood Donor Day was first distinguished by the WHO. In the 58th World Health Assembly, 2005 it was declared as an annual global event to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation.
- English physician Richard Lower was the first one to examine the science of blood donation with animals and he managed to successfully transfuse blood between two dogs with no appreciable ill effects.
- Who celebrates Karl Landsteiner's birthday as World Blood Donor Day.
- Landsteiner was Austrian American immunologist, pathologist. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1930 for his works on blood group and development of modern blood transfusion system.
India-Maldives Joint Military Exercise 'Ex Ekuverin' begins at Chaubatia
- The 12th edition of the joint military exercise "Ex Ekuverin" between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force has commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand.Â
- The exercise, which started on 11 June, will continue until 24 June, 2023.
- Ekuverin meaning âFriendsâ is a bilateral annual exercise conducted alternatively in India and Maldives.
- The primary objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability in counter insurgency/counter terrorism operations under the UN mandate. Additionally, it aims to facilitate joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
- The previous edition of the exercise, the 11th edition, was held in the Maldives in December 2021.
WHO Award for 'When Climate Change Turns Violent'
- A documentary titled âWhen Climate Change Turns Violent has won a special prize in the âHealth for Allâ category at the 4th Annual Health for All Film Festival held at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva.Â
- The documentary has been directed by Vandita Saharia of Rajasthan. She was the only Indian among the winners.
- The 4.32-minute documentary âWhen Climate Change Turns Violentâ focuses on the relationship between domestic violence, climate change and human trafficking.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86
- Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian former PM who overcame various scandals to hold office four times, has died at 86.
- Berlusconiâs extensive political career included appointments as Italian prime minister from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011.Â
- He worked as a member of the European Parliament since 2019, where he also served from 1999 to 2001.Â
- His Forza Italia party is currently a junior partner in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloniâs ruling right-wing coalition.
- He gained international recognition as owner of legendary football club AC Milan - which he saved from bankruptcy in 1986 - before going into politics in the 1990s.
Gurbachan Singh Randhawa steps down as chairman of AFI selection committee
- Two-time Olympian and 1962 Asian Games gold medallist Gurbachan Singh Randhawa resigned as the chairman of Athletics Federation of India Selection Committee.
- He has won a gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games in the decathlon and finished a creditable fifth in the 110-meter hurdles event at the 1964 Olympics.
- Randhawa, who was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, achieved four national records within two days. He was bestowed the Arjuna Award in 1961 and Padma Shri in 2005.
- The 84-year-old has been associated with AFI (earlier Amateur Athletics Federation of India) for 63 years as a sportsperson, coach, government observer and chairman of the selection committee.
Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to win maiden Under-20 World Cup title
- Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 on Sunday to win its first Under-20 World Cup title.
- Luciano RodrĂguez scored the winning goal in the 86th minute in a header from close range, giving Uruguay a much deserved victory after an entire match of dominance against Italy.
- France finished third, defeating South Korea 3-2 in the third-place playoff.
- Nigeria won the Golden Boot award, with 10 goals.
- Argentinaâs Thiago Almada won the Golden Ball award, as the tournamentâs best player.
- The tournament was first held in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship.
- The name was changed to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005.
- The tournament is held every two years, in odd-numbered years.
- Twelve different nations have won the title, with Argentina being the most successful team with six titles.
- Brazil has won five titles, while Portugal, Nigeria, Spain, and Uruguay have each won two titles.
World Squash Championship begins in Chennai
- The Squash World Cup 2023 is currently underway at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai.Â
- The fourth edition of the team championship is making a comeback to the international squash calendar after 12 years and will go on till 17th June.
- The games were formally inaugurated by Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Udhayanidhi Stalin at Express Avenue Mall.
- Notable players who have participated in the tournament include Joshna Chinappa, Saurabh Ghosal, Abhay Singh, Khanna and Jessica Turnbull.
- On 13th June 2023, Japan defeated South Africa, world champion Egypt defeated Australia and Malaysia defeated Colombia in a World Squash Federation Championship match.
- On the first day of the championship, India will play against Hong Kong and China in Pool B matches.
- In Pool A, Egypt will face Australia and Malaysia will face Colombo.
Amit Shah announces disaster management schemes worth Rs 8,000 crore
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced three major schemes for disaster management worth over Rs 8,000 crore.
- Shah chaired a meeting with the disaster management departments of States and Union Territories at Vigyan Bhawan.
- The Home Minister said, 5,000 crore rupees will be provided to states to expand and modernize fire services and 2,500 crore rupees to reduce the risk of urban flooding in the seven most populous metros including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune.
- He added that 825 crore rupees will be provided to 17 states and union territories for landslide mitigation.
RBI opens sub-office at Kohima, to increase presence in north east
- The Reserve Bank has opened a sub-office at Kohima, and announced its aim to soon have an office in Itanagar to strengthen its presence in North East India.
- Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra inaugurated the office in the capital of Nagaland, which will help expand the central bank's presence in the north-eastern region.
- In the north-eastern region, RBI is present in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland.
- The newly inaugurated sub-office is headed by general manager Paresh Chauhan.
Mukesh Ambaniâs Reliance Industries climbs 8 spots to 45th rank on Forbesâ Global 2000 list
- Billionaire Mukesh Ambaniâs Reliance Industries Ltd climbed eight spots to the 45th rank, the highest for an Indian company on Forbesâ latest Global 2000 list of public companies worldwide.
- JPMorgan, Americaâs biggest bank with USD 3.7 trillion in assets, is at the top of the list for the first time since 2011.
- Warren Buffettâs Berkshire Hathaway that topped the list last year, fell to the 338th position in the latest list due to unrealised losses in its investment portfolio.
- Saudi oil behemoth Aramco is at 2nd position followed by three giant-sized state-owned Chinese banks. Technology giants Alphabet and Apple are at 7th and 10th place, respectively.
- Reliance was ranked ahead of well-known names like Germanyâs BMW Group, Switzerlandâs Nestle, Chinaâs Alibaba Group, US-based Procter & Gamble and Japanâs Sony.
- State Bank of India climbed to 77th spot from 105th in the 2022 ranking. HDFC Bank is at 128th position (153 in 2022) and ICICI Bank is at 163 (204 in 2022).
- In all, 55 Indian firms figured on the list.
- The three Adani Group firms in the list include Adani Enterprises at 1062, Adani Power at 1488, and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones at 1598.
IIT Madras develops a new method to make hydrogen from seawater
- Researchers at IIT Madras have discovered a new way to make hydrogen from sea water.
- IIT-Madras physics department researchers have created key elements for a highly efficient, economically viable method of electrolyzing saltwater to produce hydrogen. The findings were released in the ACS Applied Energy Materials journal.
- The traditional alkaline water electrolyzer method uses fresh water for electrolysis, consumes a lot of energy, and necessitates an expensive oxide-polymer separator.
- The IIT-Madras team created an electrolyzer that is more environmentally friendly and utilises less freshwater by using alkaline salt water as the electrolyte rather than pure or fresh water.
- To prevent corrosion, which is a frequent problem when using seawater, they employed a carbon-based support material for the electrodes instead of metals.
- To increase the production of both hydrogen and oxygen even in the presence of impurities and chemical deposition on the electrodes, the researchers designed and created transition metal-based catalysts that can catalyse both the oxygen and hydrogen evolution events.
- Traditional alkaline water electrolysis technology is known to be energy-intensive, requiring an expensive oxide-polymer separator and fresh water for the process.Â
- However, the IIT-Madras researchers have managed to address these challenges by introducing simple, scalable, and cost-effective alternatives that exhibit high efficiency in splitting seawater and producing hydrogen.
India's First Twin-Track Undersea Rail Tunnel To Be Built in Thane Creek
- India's first 7-km-long twin-track undersea rail tunnel to be built in Thane Creek.
- The nearly 7-km undersea tunnel at Thane Creek, situated in the inter-tidal zone, will be the first undersea rail tunnel in India.
- It is a part of a 21-km-long tunnel on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor (Bullet train corrdor) that will connect the underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Shilphata in Maharashtra.
- It will consist of a single tube accommodating twin tracks for both up and down trains.
- The depth of the tunnel will between 25 to 65 metres below the ground level.
Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island
- The US Geological Survey (USGS) has downgraded the safety alert for Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, following a new eruption.Â
- The alert level has been reduced from âWARNINGâ to âWATCHâ as effusion rates have declined and no infrastructure is threatened.
- Kilauea, one of the worldâs most active volcanoes, is located in a closed national park on the Big Island of Hawaii.
- KÄŤlauea is a volcano on the southeastern shore of Hawaiiâs Big Island.
- It formed about 100,000 years ago and is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old.
- The ongoing eruption is expected to persist, however, lava flows will continue to be limited to the crater and summit of the volcano.
Amit Agrawal appointed UIDAI CEO, Subodh Kumar Singh named DG NTA
- Senior IAS officers Amit Agrawal and Subodh Kumar Singh have been appointed as CEO Unique Identification Authority of India and director general of the National Testing Agency, respectively.
- Both Agrawal (1993 batch) and Singh (1997 batch) are Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the Chhattisgarh cadre.
- Agrawal, additional secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority in the rank and pay of additional secretary to the Government of India.
- Singh, who is currently additional secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has been named as the NTA's director general.
- Rashmi Chowdhary, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, has been appointed as secretary in the Central Information Commission.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been appointed as the Chair-elect of IATAâs Board of Governors
- Indigo has announced that its CEO, Pieter Elbers has been elected as the Chair-elect of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors.
- He will succeed present Chair, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the CEO of Rwandair.
- Pieter Elbers' appointment comes at a significant time for the Indian aviation industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth and development.Â
- As the chair-elect of the IATA BoG, Elbers will play a pivotal role in further shaping the global aviation landscape, advocating for the industry's interests, and driving innovation and sustainability initiatives.
Kairan Quazi becomes spaceX youngest software engineer
- The newest employee at Elon Muskâs SpaceX is the youngest person ever to be hired by the spacecraft company.Â
- Kairan Quazi is a 14-year-old software engineer, who cleared SpaceX's âtechnically challenging, funâ interview process.
- He is all set to join Elon Muskâs SpaceX as a software engineer after becoming Santa Clara Universityâs youngest graduate in its 172-year history.
- Based in San Francisco, Quazi is a Santa Clara University (SCU) School of Engineering alumni.
Kerala-cadre IPS Officer Nitin Agarwal appointed BSF DG
- Nitin Agarwal, an IPS officer of the 1989 Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new director general of the Border Security Force (BSF).
- This appointment comes after a vacancy of over five months in the position.
- The position of BSF chief had remained vacant for over five months since the retirement of Pankaj Kumar Singh on December 31, 2022.
- For the past five months, the additional charge of the BSF has been held by Sujoy Lal Thaosen, the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- Presently serving as the Additional DG of operations at the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi, Agarwal will now assume the role of leading the BSF.
- The BSF is India's leading security agency responsible for safeguarding the 4,096-kilometer-long international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- The BSF comprises a workforce of over 2.65 lakh personnel serving in diverse roles.
ICC Men's Player of the Month for May 2023 revealed
- Harry Tector has been voted the ICC Men's Player of the Month after a stunning month in May, Ireland's first Men's POTM award.
- He beat out tough competition from Pakistan superstar Babar Azam, and Bangladesh's young rising batter Najmul Hossain Shanto.
- Thailandâs national womenâs cricket team has clinched the prestigious ICC Womenâs Player of the Month award for the second consecutive time.Â
- This month, the honor goes to the immensely talented 19-year-old Thipatcha Putthawong, who follows in the footsteps of her compatriot Naruemol Chaiwai, the winner of the previous monthâs award.
- Both players were selected as the standout performers following a vote conducted among a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives, and global cricket fans registered at icc-cricket.com, who had been voting since the nominees were announced last week.
India beats Korea 2-1 to lift maiden Womenâs Junior Asia Cup
- Indian womenâs team defeated South Korea by 2-1 in the final to lift its maiden Womenâs Junior Asia Cup title in Kakamigahara, Japan.
- For India, Annu and Neelam scored a goal each while Park Seoyeon breached the net once for Korea.
- This is India's first Women's Junior Asia Cup victory. India has previously qualified for the FIH Women's Junior World Cup in Chile in 2023.
- Japan defeated China 2-1 to become the third side to qualify for this year's World Cup.
- India also won the Men's Junior Asia Cup hockey competition earlier this month, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar Finishes Third In Diamond League
- Top Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured a creditable third place in the Paris Diamond League with a jump of 8.09m, his maiden top-three finish in the prestigious one-day meeting series.
- Sreeshankar also became the only third Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League after Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda.
- Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sreeshankar achieved his best jump of the day in his third attempt.
- His 8.09m effort was below his season's best of 8.18m, which he recorded while winning gold in an event in Greece last month. The 24-year-old has a personal best of 8.36m that came last year.
- Olympic champion and world number one Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece took the top spot with his fifth round jump of 8.13m, just 4cm better than Sreeshankar.
- Switzerland's World Championships bronze medallist Simon Ehammer finished second with his fourth round jump of 8.11m.
- Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is the reigning Diamond League champion in javelin throw after winning the Finals in Zurich last September.
Rodri named 2022/23 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season
- UEFA's Technical Observer panel has named Man City midfielder Rodri as the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season.
- The 26-year-old Rodri appeared in all but one of Man City's matches in their Champions League-winning campaign, scoring twice.Â
- The Spanish professional footballer Rodri scored the winning goal as City lifted the trophy for the first time when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Saturday's UEFA Champions League Final 2023.
- In a Player of the Match performance in the final, his precisely-executed winning strike clinched the trophy.
- Napoliâs Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named the Champions Leagueâs Young Player of the Season, capping a remarkable campaign for the 22-year-old Georgian.
- Kvaratskhelia won the league title with Napoli and also claimed Serie Aâs Player of the Season award earlier this month.
Taylor becomes first Canadian since 1954 to win RBC Canadian Open
- Nick Taylor became the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open, holing a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood in the RBC Canadian Open.
- The last player from Canada to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver.Â
- Fletcher was born in England; Carl Keffer had been the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.
- The 35-year-old Taylor, who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, won for the third time on the PGA Tour.
- Taylor is the fourth Canadian to win on tour this season, joining Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Svensson.
UAE Emerges As Fourth Largest Investor in India In FY23
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which India implemented a comprehensive free trade agreement in May last year, has emerged as the fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23.
- As per the report, the UAE was the fourth largest investor in India in 2022-23 compared to the seventh in 2021-22.Â
- Singapore was the largest investor in India with $17.2 billion investment in FY23, followed by Mauritius ($6.1 billion) and the US ($6 billion).
- India and the UAE have operationalised a comprehensive free trade agreement since May 1 last year. Under the pact, a number of goods from both countries are getting zero-duty access to each other's markets, besides eased norms for promoting investments.
- UAE's investments in India are mainly in sectors like services, sea transport, power and construction activities. One of the crucial factors for the increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) from UAE is the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and UAE on February 18, 2022 (effective from May 1, 2022).
Karnataka commences free bus ride service for women
- The Congress-led Karnataka government has launched one of their five poll guarantees, the âShakti' scheme, which offers free travel to women in government buses in the state.
- The first beneficiaries of the new scheme were handed replicas of the smart cards that would be issued in the next three months to women passengers.
- Until then, beneficiaries can use any government IDs as proof of being a resident and travel for free.
- The total outgo for the Shakti scheme is expected to exceed Rs 4,000 crore annually and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will have to add 4,028 buses to its fleet for the successful implementation of the scheme.
- The scheme does not apply to air-conditioned and luxury buses and is limited to travel within the state. It also reserves 50 per cent of seats for men in three transport corporations, except BMTC.
Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs review meeting of India's first cannabis research project
- Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired a review meeting of India's first cannabis research project to develop a drug for neuropathy, cancer under csir-IIIM's cannabis research project in Jammu.Â
- 'The Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM Jammu is a first of its kind in India and has a great potential to produce export quality medicine for neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy," said Union Minister Jitendra Singh while chairing a review meeting with the top officials of CSIR-IIIM on June 8.
- CSIR-IIIM is the oldest scientific research institute in India with the history of discovering mint way back in the 1960s, the centre of the purple revolution, and now the Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM is going to make it more prestigious in terms of scientific research in India.
Kerala's first 'Ashoka Chakra' winner Havildar Alby D'Cruz passes away
- Havildar Alby DâCruz, the first Keralite to receive the Ashoka Chakra award, died at his residence due to age related ailments.
- He was 87.
- While serving as Lance Naik with 14 Assam Rifles, he received the Ashoka Chakra (class 3) from President Rajendra Prasad in 1962.Â
- The Ashoka Chakra class-3 which was instituted in 1952 was renamed as the Shaurya Chakra in 1967.Â
- The Shaurya Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy and is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra.
World Day Against Child Labour 2023: 12 June
- World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12.
- It aims to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour.
- This year, the theme for World Day Against Child Labour is 'Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!'. It emphasized the link between social justice and child labour.
- This significant day was established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and all United Nations member countries have since been commemorating it.
- To bring attention to this issue, the International Labour Organization (ILO) designated June 12 as the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002.
Cyclone 'Biparjoyâ raised in the Arabian Sea
- A cyclonic storm, named Biparjoy, has developed in the Arabian Sea.
- According toan Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) advisory on Thursday (June 8), the cyclone would result in squally weather with wind speeds reaching 35-45 kmph along the coastline of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.
- The IMD has not yet predicted any major impact on countries adjoining the Arabian Sea, including India, Oman, Iran, and Pakistan.
- âBiparjoyâ was suggested by Bangladesh and the word means âdisasterâ or âcalamityâ in Bengali. The naming of cyclones is done by countries on a rotational basis, following certain existing guidelines.
- Worldwide, there are six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and five regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.
Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra takes over as Commander of Strike 1 Corps
- Lieutenant General Sanjay Mitra took over as the Commander of the prestigious Strike 1 Corps.
- He succeeds Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi.
- Lt Gen Mitra is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
- In his career spanning 34 years, Lt Gen Mitra has commanded an Infantry Battalion, an Infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division, all of them along the Line of Control (LoC) in northern Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
- Lt Gen Mitra has been awarded Chief of Army Staff and General Officer Commanding in Chief Commendation Cards twice.
- He was also awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his contribution as a general officer commanding in eastern Ladakh.
Sanjay Swaroop to be next CMD of CONCOR
- The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has picked Sanjay Swarup for the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR).
- Swarup is currently Director (International Marketing and Operations) at Indiaâs biggest rail hauler of containers.
- Swarup is an Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS) officer from the 1990 batch. In a career spanning three decades, Swarup has held assignments in the public sector and government.
- He had a four-year stint with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) before moving to Indian Railways and worked in areas such as operations, commercial, safety and information technology.
- In CONCOR, he has looked after operation and management of dry ports, international marketing, commercial and operations. He has been involved in the designing of dry ports and multi modal logistics parks, as well as strategic planning functions in the company.
Australia become first team to win ICC world titles in all 3 formats
- Australia scripted history on Sunday, June 11 as they became the first men's team in world cricket to win an International Cricket Council (ICC) world title in all three formats.Â
- Australia achieved the feat when they decimated India in the final of the World Test Championship 2021-23 at The Oval on Sunday to become the new world champions of the longest format of the game.
- Australia won the first-ever 50-over World Cup in 1987 and went on to win 4 more titles, becoming the most successful side in 50-over World Cups.
- Australia also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006, beating the West Indies in the final.
- Australia were not able to find success in the T20 format of the game, but the elusive title came in 2021 when they rallied against odds and won the T20 World Cup in 2021.
French Open 2023: Iga Swiatek of Poland wins Women's Singles title
- In French Open Tennis, World No. 1 and top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland won the Women's Singles crown.Â
- She defended her title against unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.Â
- This is her third French title in just 5 years.
- Polandâs Iga Swiatek became the first woman since 2007 to win back-to-back French Open titles.
- The 22-year-old Swiatek is just the third woman in the Open era to win each of her first four Grand Slam finals.
- Swiatek, the world number 1, is also the youngest woman to claim back-to-back French Open titles since Monica Seles in the early 1990s.
- Swiatek has now been at the top of the WTA rankings for more than a year and has accumulated two French Open (2020, 2022) and one US Open (2022) titles in her fledgling career.
Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud to win French Open 2023 menâs singles final
- Novak Djokovic created history by winning a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open.Â
- In the summit clash, Djokovic defeated Norway's Casper Ruud in straight sets 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 to win his third Roland Garros title.
- The 36-year-old Djokovic surpassed his long-time rival on the court, Rafael Nadal to become the most successful male tennis player in history.
- The third title in Paris also made Djokovic the only male player to win all the four Grand Slams titles at least three times.
- He now has three French Open titles to add to his 10 Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three at the US Open.
Saudi champions Al Ittihad sign 'global football icon' Karim Benzema
- Jeddah-based club Al-Ittihad officially confirmed that the Ballon d'Or winner from Real Madrid Karim Benzema has signed a three-year deal and will be joining Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
- Benzema will join his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo in the Gulf kingdom after the five-time world player of the year moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United following last year's World Cup.
- Benzema joined Madrid in 2009 from Ligue 1 side Lyon.
- He has lifted five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey with Madrid.
- Al-Ittihad, from the port city of Jeddah, won its first Saudi league title since 2009 last month after overhauling Ronaldoâs Al-Nassr from the capital city of Riyadh, which had led for much of the season.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research signs a MOU with Amazon Kisan to Empower Farmers
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi signed a MoU with Amazon Kisan to combine strengths and create synergy between the two organizations for guiding the farmers on scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income.Â
- ICAR will provide technological backstopping to the farmers through Amazonâs network.Â
- It will improve farmersâ livelihood and boost crop yield.Â
- This MoU in farmerâs partnership with Amazon Kisan program will help ensuring access to high quality fresh produce for consumers across India, including through Amazon Fresh.
- A successful pilot project between ICAR-KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) in Pune and Amazon has decided to expand the collaboration.
- The precision farming practices developed through extensive research will be disseminated for the benefit of a wider group of farmers.
PM Modi inaugurated first-ever National Training Conclave in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first-ever National Training Conclave at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre in New Delhi on 11 June.
- The Conclave is aimed to enhance capacity building in the civil services and is organised under the auspices of the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) - 'Mission Karmayogi.'
- The Conclave is being hosted by the Capacity Building Commission.
- Mission Karmayogi Yojana was launched on 2nd September 2020.
- This scheme is operated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The main objective of the Mission Karmayogi scheme is to develop the capabilities of government employees.
Israel to issue world first digital government bond
- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Israelâs Ministry of Finance have completed the proof of concept phase for a digital Israeli bond traded on a dedicated blockchain platform.
- The development positions Israel to release the worldâs first digital government bond.
- The collaboration between the TASE and the Finance Ministryâs Office of the Accountant General âmarks a significant milestone in revolutionizing the settlement and issuance processes in traditional capital markets.
Sini Shetty to Represent India at Miss World 2023
- Sini Shetty, the winner of the Femina Miss India 2022 contest, will represent India at the Miss World 2023 pageant.Â
- Sini Shetty, a 21-year-old contestant from Karnataka and born in Mumbai, won the Miss Talent award in the Miss India 2922 sub-competitions
- Sini Shettyâs win at Miss India has added another glory gem to the state of Karnataka, as prior to Sini many beauties from Karnataka including Lara Dutta, Sarah Jane Dias, and Sandhya Chib, Nafisa Joseph, Rekha Hande, and Lymaraina D` Souza have marked milestones for the state.
- Poland's Karolina Bielawska was crowned Miss World this year in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She will pass her title to the winner of this year's competition.
- India is preparing to host the Miss World pageant in 2023. After 27 years, the famous international beauty pageant is returning to the country.
First maritime partnership exercise between India, France and UAE begins
- The first edition of the India, France and UAE maritime partnership exercise began on 7th June in the Gulf of Oman.
- INS Tarkash and French ship Surcouf, both with integral helicopters, French Rafale aircraft and UAE Navy maritime patrol aircraft are participating in the exercise.
- The exercise will see a wide spectrum of naval operations such as surface warfare, exercises for tactical firing and missile engagement on surface targets, helicopter cross deck landing operations, advanced air defense exercises and boarding operations.
- The objective of the first exercise is to enhance trilateral cooperation between the three navies and pave the way for adoption of measures to address conventional and non-conventional threats in the maritime environment.
- The exercise will also enhance cooperation in ensuring the security of merchant trade and freedom of navigation on the high seas in the region.
British Writer Paterson Joseph wins 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize
- On 8th June 2023, British actor and writer Paterson Joseph won the 2023 Royal Society of Literature (RSL) Christopher Bland Prize (5th edition of the award) for his debut novel titled âThe Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sanchoâ.Â
- The book is a historical fiction about Charles Ignatius Sancho, who was the first Black man to vote in England.
- RSL Christopher Bland Prize is an annual award which honours a debut writer for their work of fiction or non-fiction, who is first published at the age of 50 or over. Â
- The award carries a cash prize of 10,000 Pound sterling.
- The Prize was launched in 2018 in memory of British Politician Sir Christopher Bland who died in 2017.
Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta honoured with NWO Spinoza Prize 2023
- On 7th June 2023, Dutch Research Council (NWO) has named Indian-origin Scientist Joyeeta Gupta, Professor of Environment and Development in the global South at the University of Amsterdam, as the recipient of the 2023 NWO Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific awards in the Netherlands, for her scientific work promoting a fair and sustainable world.
- She was honoured for her remarkably broad and interdisciplinary research approach. Her research work primarily focuses on addressing the challenges posed by climate change through good governance.
- She is the 12th researcher from the University of Amsterdam to receive the Spinoza Prize.
- She served as the co-chair of the Earth Commission (2019-2021), set up by Future Earth and supported by the Global Challenges Foundation. She was co-chair of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)âs Global Environment Outlook-6 (2016-2019).
- Spinoza Prize, named after Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), renowned Dutch scientist and philosopher, was established in 1995.
- The award is annually presented by the NWO to two best researchers to increase the visibility of excellent scientists and to encourage world-class research in the Netherland.
Miss World 2023 pageant to be held in India after 27 years
- Four months after announcing the UAE would host Miss World 2023, organisers of the long-running beauty competition have finalised India as the host country for the pageant.
- The 71st edition of Miss World is expected to take place in November this year in India.
- India has hosted the Miss World pageant before, in 1996, in Bangalore, where Greece's Irene Skliva won the title.
- India has won the prestigious title six times -Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).
- Miss World 2022 was held in March last year in Puerto Rico, where Bielawska was crowned, beating runners-up Miss USA Shree Saini, and Ivory Coast's Olivia Yace, who was favourite to win.
- Bielawska made history by becoming only the second Polish beauty queen to win the title.
Jagdish S Bakan bagged Michel Batisse award 2023
- An IFS officer, Jagdish S Bakan has won the prestigious UNESCO Michel Batisse Award 2023 for biosphere reserve management.
- The 2017 batch officer of the Indian Forest Service is currently the director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
- He will receive the award from UNESCO in Paris on June 14, 2023.
- The USD 12,000 award is given in memory of Dr. Michel Batisse for outstanding achievement in the management of biosphere reserves in line with the recommendations of the Seville Strategy.
Ritu Kalra named Harvard's vice president for finance and CFO
- Ritu Kalra, a seasoned leader in financial management and investment banking, has been named the Universityâs vice president for finance and chief financial officer.Â
- Kalra currently serves as Harvardâs assistant vice president of finance and treasury and special projects adviser.
- As VP and CFO, Kalra will oversee all aspects of financial management, including long-range planning, annual budgeting, endowment fund spending policy, treasury, and financial accounting and reporting.
- Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.Â
- Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
Sunil Kumar wins decathlon gold at Asian U20 Athletics Championship
- Indiaâs Sunil Kumar scored 7003 points and clinched gold in menâs decathlon at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea.
- Uzbekistan's Nodir Norbaev (6956 points) and Makhmudov Samandar (6840) won the silver and bronze respectively.
- His previous best of 6855 points was achieved during the Federation Cup Junior National Championships in April.
- Sunil won 100m hurdles, discus throw and javelin throw to make up for the below par show in the other events and secure the gold medal in the gruelling discipline competed over two days.
- Decathlon comprises 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1500m.
- Apart from Sunilâs heroics, Pooja clinched womenâs high jump silver after finishing with a 1.82m jump while Bushra Khan, secured silver in womenâs 3000m race.Â
- In the womenâs 4x100m relay, India secured bronze with a time of 45.36s.
Federal Bank Launches âI am Adyar, Adyar is Meâ Campaign in Chennai
- The Federal Bank has launched a campaign to celebrate people and their culture by transforming an entire bank branch into a museum of local stories.
- The âI am Adyar, Adyar is me' campaign has handpicked 40 compelling stories of individuals, which are showcased in an exclusive exhibition at the Adyar branch of Federal Bank.
- The campaign is a first-of-its-kind micro-marketing initiative in the banking industry, which is aimed to showcase the soul of Adyar, including its people's struggles and triumphs which make it special.
RBI allows banks to issue prepaid forex RuPay cards
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to allow Indian banks to issue RuPay prepaid forex cards.Â
- These cards can be used at ATMs, point of sale (PoS) machines, and online merchants overseas.
- The move, announced during the RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting aims to increase the scope of accessibility and acceptance of RuPay cards worldwide.Â
- This decision also aligns with the RBI's Payments Vision Document 2025, which emphasises expanding the global outreach of RuPay cards and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- RuPay, as the first domestic card payment network in India, has achieved wide acceptance across various channels such as ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) devices, and e-commerce websites throughout the country.
Weekly Current Affairs
- Muthmiz Selvi of Johilpatti becomes first woman from Tamil Nadu to climb Mount Everest
- Odisha becomes 1st state in country to release traditional Millet Landraces Conserved by Tribal Custodian Farmers
- UP govt launches âElder Lineâ service to help elderly find shelter in old age home
- Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde launches Asia's largest cluster development scheme in Thane
- Kerala tops FSSAI's national food safety index 2022-23
- KFON internet connectivity launched by Kerala government
Weekly Current Affairs
- Tata Elxsi to build crew recovery models for ISRO's Gaganyaan Mission
Weekly Current Affairs
- World Environment Day 2023 celebrated on 05 June
- 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation day celebrated
- UN Russian Language Day 2023: 06 June
- World Food Safety Day 2023 observed on June 07
- World Oceans Day 2023: 08 June
Weekly Current Affairs
- President Droupadi Murmu conferred with Surinameâs highest civilian award -Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star
Weekly Current Affairs
- Renowned theater actor and director Aamir Raza Hussain passes away at 66
- Award-winning Doordarshan anchor Gitanjali Aiyar passes away
Weekly Current Affairs
- Mumbai-Pune Deccan Queen, Indiaâs first deluxe train, completes 93 years of service on June 1
- A book titled âKathakali Dance Theatre: A Visual Narrative of Sacred Indian Mimeâ by KK Gopalakrishnan released
- Author Shantanu Gupta launches his new graphic novel âAjay to Yogi Adityanathâ on UP CMâs 51st birthday, creates Asia Book of Records
Weekly Current Affairs
- Indian-origin Ajay Banga takes over as the 14th President of the World Bank, replacing David Malpass
- IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra elected as Vice President of World Meteorological Organization
- Dennis Francis Elected 78th UNGA President
- Clothing Brand Wrangler onboards cricketer Smriti Mandhana as its brand ambassador
- Nirmala Lakshman replaces Malini Parthasarathy as Chairperson of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited
- Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank appoints K. Prathapa Reddy as new chairman of APGVB
Weekly Current Affairs
- South Korea's An Se Young bags her 4th Women's Single's Super Series title at Thailand Open
- Indian men's team beat Olympic champions Belgium 5-1 in FIH Pro Hockey League in London
- Gautami Bhanot and Abhinav Shaw secure gold in 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team Event at ISSF Junior World Cup
- Jyothi Yarraji finishes fourth in 100m hurdles at Janusz Kusocinski Memorial 2023 athletics
- Max Verstappen wins F1 2023 Spanish Grand Prix
- Top Indian sprinter Amlan Borgohain bags two gold medals in Flanders Cup 2023 Athletics
- Khelo India University Games 2023 concludes, Panjab University tops with 69 medals
- Siddharth Choudhary clinches gold in menâs shot put event of U-20 Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea
- Swedish legend footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic announces his retirement from football
- Dhanush Srikanth wins gold medal in Menâs 10m air rifle event in ISSF Junior World Cup in Germany
Weekly Current Affairs
- Center constitutes three-member committee headed by former Chief Justice Ajay Lamba to probe Manipur violence
- NIRF Rankings 2023: IIT Madras tops overall rankings
- Bhaderwah emerges as India's lavender capital and agri startup hub
- Sarbananda Sonowal flags off India's first international cruise vessel
- PM Modi launches Amrit Dharohar and MISHTI schemes to revive the country's wetlands and mangroves
- Union Minister Shri Parshottam Rupala starts VII Phase of Sagar Parikarma Yatra in Kerala and Lakshadweep
- Govt Launches Nyaya Vikas Portal to Monitor Implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes
- Meta and Ministry Of Women and Child Development Launch The Amrit Generation Campaign: Naye Bharat Ke Sapne
- AIIMS Nagpur Becomes Country's First AIIMS to Receive NABH Accreditation
Weekly Current Affairs
- RBI Imposes Rs 2.20 Crore Penalty on Indian Overseas Bank for Rule Violations
- RBI launches financial inclusion dashboard Antardrishti
- SBI Bengaluru Circle launches âProject Kuberâ
- Tata retains title of India's most valuable brand, Tata Group tops $25 bn in brand value in 2023
Weekly Current Affairs
- UAE wins bid to host World Conservation Congress of International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2025
- Walk Free Foundation released Global Slavery Index 2023
- UAE wins Presidency of World Meteorological Organization
- Sri Lanka to achieve regional energy integration with grid connectivity with India by 2030
- Israel Conducts First Test Of Autonomous Flying Taxi To Ease Traffic Congestion
- Five new countries elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council
Meghalaya extends 100% subsidy in crop insurance premium for farmers
- The Meghalaya government has extended 100 pecent subsidy for premium support to farmers under the crop insurance scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' for both kharif and rabi seasons this fiscal year.
- The Government of Meghalaya has decided to provide free premium support amounting to Rs. 4.4 crores, covering both Kharif and Rabi seasons during 2023-24, whereby the premium for the farmers shall be paid by the State Government to an extent of 100% of the premium amount.
- The move comes as the state says its vision is to have a farmer-centric approach in devising a strategy to protect them from crop failure risks.
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), the crop insurance scheme was implemented in Meghalaya in 2016. Its main objective is to provide financial assistance to farmers suffering from crop damage or loss because of natural calamities or events.
Uttar Pradesh govt. launches Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme
- In a bid to make Uttar Pradesh a leading state in the field of milk development and milk production, the state government has launched the Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.Â
- The Nand Baba Milk Mission scheme, which was launched on Tuesday has been implemented to provide milk producers the facility of selling their milk at a reasonable price in villages through dairy co-operative societies.
- Under this mission, it is proposed to form Dairy farmer producer organisation (Dairy FPO) in order to facilitate sale of milk in producers' villages itself.
- Besides the opening of the office of the Nand Baba Milk Mission at Gomtinagar, a âDairy Development Portalâ and logo of Nand Baba Mission has also been unveiled.
- Nand Baba Milk Mission is a charitable initiative that focuses on providing quality milk to underprivileged children and communities.Â
- Named after Nand Baba, the foster father of Lord Krishna in Hindu mythology, this mission aims to address the issue of malnutrition and improve the overall health and well-being of children in need.
West Bengal Govt Launches Buses with Air Purifiers in Kolkata to Fight Pollution
- The West Bengal government has launched buses with air purifiers in Kolkata to reduce pollution in the state capital.
- The Bus Roof Mounted Air Purification System (BRMAPS), named âSuddha Vayu,â is the first of its kind in the country.
- It is part of a pilot project in collaboration with IIT Delhi scientists.
- The buses have also been fitted with a Bus Inside Air Purification System (BIAPS) to clean up the air circulating inside the buses.
Travis Head scripts history, becomes first player to hit century in WTC final
- Australian southpaw Travis Head became the first player to score a century in a World Test Championship final.
- Travis Head scored his sixth Test century against India during Day 1 of the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London.
- The previous final between New Zealand and India did not see any players crossing the three figure mark.
- Head has been one of Australia's most consistent batters in the ongoing cycle of the World Test Championship cycle. Playing an aggressor's role in the middle-order order for Australia to perfection, Head hit 2 hundreds in 2022 and 3 fifties as he scored 655 runs last year in 10 Tests.
- Notably, only two batters had gone past the fifty-run mark in the final of the inaugural edition of the WTC in 2021 where India lost to New Zealand.Â
- Devon Conway hit a fifty in the first innings while Kane Williamson hit a fifty in the second innings.Â
- In the WTC final so far, Ajinkya Rahane has scored 49 runs for India in the first innings.
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club crowned as Canadian champions
- The Vancouver Whitecaps football team defeated CF Montreal 2-1 at B C Place Stadium. The Vancouver Whitecaps secured their second Voyageurs Cup.
- For the first time in club history, the Whitecaps have captured back-to-back Voyageurs Cups.
- Sunusi Ibrahim scored Montrealâs only goal of the match in the 83rd minute.
- Gressel was named most valuable player, while Ali Ahmed won the best young Canadian player award.
- The Voyageurs Cup is the domestic trophy for professional soccer in Canada, awarded to the best men's and women's clubs in the country.
DRDO successfully flight-tests New Generation Ballistic Missile âAgni Primeâ off Odisha
- The first pre-induction night launch of new generation ballistic missile, âAgni Primeâ, has been successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
- This was the first pre-induction night launch conducted by the users after three successful developmental trials of the missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the system.
- It is a canisterised missile that can be launched at short notice and has a range between 1,000 km and 2,000 km.
- The new missile comes with significant advancements in technology including composites, propulsion system, and guidance and control mechanisms.
- The other variants of the Agni missiles developed by DRDO include the 700-km Pakistan-specific Agni-I, 2,000-km range Agni-II, 3,000-km range Agni-III, 4,000-km range Agni-IV and the 5,000-km range Agni-V missile. The Agni missiles form the backbone of Indiaâs nuclear deterrence.
Indian Army gets first woman command of Communication Zone Mechanical Transport Battalion
- Colonel Shuchita Shekhar became the first woman officer of the Army Service Corps to assume command of a Communication Zone Mechanical Transport Battalion responsible for the maintenance of the Supply Chain of the fully operational Northern Command.
- Col Priyanka Singh is the first woman Commanding Officer of a frontline Divisional Army Service Corps Battalion for providing intimate supplies and transport cover.
- On May 25, Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh hit headlines after flying the fighter aircraft over the Ladakh sector area amid the standoff with China. Singh shot fame after becoming Indian Air Forceâs first woman pilot to fly the Rafale fighter aircraft in the multinational Exercise Orion in France.
- She was only the second woman fighter jet pilot to be part of the IAF tableau. Last year, Flight Lieutenant Bhawna Kanth became the first female fighter jet pilot to be part of the IAF tableau.
Indian Navy Undertakes First Combat Firing of Indigenous heavy weight torpedo âVarunastraâ
- The Indian Navy and the country's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) undertook the first âcombat' test-firing of the Varunastra heavyweight torpedo on 5 June.
- This indigenous HWT will enhance the Navyâs anti-submarine warfare capabilities and make it a formidable force.
- The torpedo was fired from a submarine and successfully hit a target at a range of 40 kilometers.Â
- The test was conducted in the Arabian Sea in the presence of senior officials from the Indian Navy and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Vizag-based Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed the Varunastra missile system and Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) is responsible for its production.
- The Varunastra HWT is an electrically-powered torpedo capable of anti-submarine and anti-ship operations. It has a maximum strike range of 40 kilometers and can travel at speeds of more than 70 kilometers per hour at a maximum depth of 600 mts.
Former PM Jacinda Ardern receives New Zealandâs second-highest honour
- Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern received one of New Zealandâs highest honours for her service leading the country through a mass shooting and coronavirus pandemic.Â
- Ardern received the âDame Grand Companionshipâ, New Zealand's second-highest honour, as part of the King Charles Birthday Honours.
- In New Zealand, royal honorees are typically chosen twice a year by the Prime Minister and signed off by Charles, the British king who is also recognised as New Zealandâs king.
- Ardern was just 37 when she became prime minister in 2017.
Rajiv Sinha appointed as Election Commissioner of Bengal
- Former Chief Secretary of West Bengal Rajiva Sinha has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner (SEC).
- West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose approved Rajiv Sinha's appointment after the state government proposed his name.
- Sinha served as the state's chief secretary from September 2019 to September 2020.
- The upcoming panchayat election in Bengal that are due this year will be held under Rajiv Sinha's supervision.
Shri Upender Singh Rawat appointed as the next Indian High Commissioner to Uganda
- The Ministry of External Affairs appointed Upender Singh Rawat as India's next High Commissioner to Uganda.
- Upender Singh Rawat is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1998 batch.
- He is currently serving as the ambassador of India to Panama.
- He started as the third secretary at the Embassy of India, Buenos Aires where he also learned Spanish.
- Upender Singh Rawat has served in Indian diplomatic missions in Slovakia, UK and Mexico. He has also worked as deputy chief of mission in the Indian embassy in South Korea.
- Before his arrival in Panama as the ambassador of India, he was posted as joint secretary in charge of eGovernance.
India has emerged as Worldâs second-largest producer of Crude Steel
- India's steel industry has achieved remarkable growth in the last nine years and has now become the second-largest producer of crude steel in the world surpassing Japan.
- India has moved from 4th largest producer of crude steel to the second largest producer of crude steel from 2014-15 to 2022-23 standing just behind China which is the largest exporter of crude steel in the world.Â
- India has reported a hike of 42% in Crude steel production from 88.98 MT(Metric ton) in 2014-15 to 126.26 MT in 2022-23.
RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5%; FY24 GDP growth estimate maintained at 6.5%
- In line with expectations, the monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent, in its second bi-monthly monetary policy of fiscal 2023â24, which was held between June 6 and 8.
- The repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.
- Further, the MSF rate remains unchanged at 6.75 per cent, while the bank rate also stands steady at 6.75 per cent.
- RBI has also lowered retial inflation projection to 5.1 percent during FY'24 from earlier estimate of 5.2 percent. RBI Governor said that GDP growth in Q1 this fiscal year expected at 8 percent.
BIMSTEC Centre for energy cooperation will be inaugurated in India
- The BIMSTEC Energy Centre which will act as the Secretariat for BIMSTEC energy cooperation will be formally inaugurated in India.
- The centre will serve as the secretariat for Bimstec energy cooperation.
- Bimstec, or the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, was established on June 6, 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.
- Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are the founding members while Myanmar joined a few months later in December of that year. Bhutan and Nepal became members in February 2004.
- June 6 is celebrated as Bimstec Day.