SS Classes Current Affairs P-1
SS Classes Current Affairs P-1
SS Classes Current Affairs P-1
SS Classes
APPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS
(Group 1 & Group 2)
2 Environment 24 – 35
4 Economy 51 – 64
5 Sports 65 – 71
12 International 111
The 6th edition of the joint training exercise between India and Kazakhstan, named "KAZIND-22,"
was recently conducted at Umroi in Meghalaya. Originally initiated in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk,
the annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was subsequently elevated to a company-level
exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.
The purpose of this joint exercise is to foster cooperation and enhance interoperability between the
armed forces of India and Kazakhstan. The latest edition, KAZIND-22, signifies the continued
commitment of both nations to strengthen their defense ties and exchange valuable insights and
experiences in the field of military training.
INS Mormugao
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao, the second warship of the P15B class destroyer ship was
recently commissioned.
❖ INS Mormugao is named after the historic port city of Goa on the west coast.
❖ designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization Warship Design Bureau and constructed by
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai
INS Vagir
The fifth submarine of the Project – 75, Kalvari Class submarines, Yard 11879 was delivered to the
Indian Navy on December 20, 2022.
The Project 75 (India)-class submarines, or P-75I, for short, are a planned class of diesel-electric
submarines, which are to be built for the Indian Navy.
About:
It is named after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
It is a part of the six Kalvari-class submarines being built in India.
ARNALA Ship
Arnala class of ships will replace the Abhay class ASW Ships of the Indian Navy and are designed to
undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters and Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO)
including subsurface surveillance in littoral waters.
Pralay Missile
The Ministry of Defense has procured indigenous Short-Range Ballistic Surface-to-Surface (SRBM)
Missile Pralay, giving Indian military the heft to its war-fighting capabilities.
❖ Pralay’ is India’s first conventional quasi-ballistic missile and is an answer to any conventional
missile attack from northern or western borders.
❖ A quasi-ballistic missile has a low trajectory, and while it is largely ballistic, it can maneuver in
flight.
Union Home Minister launched ‘Prahari’ app for Border Security Force (BSF) Jawans.
BSF ‘Prahari’ app is a great example of Proactive Governance, now Jawans can get personal and
service related information, housing, Ayushman-CAPF and leave related information on their mobile.
K9-Vajra : Procurement
The Defence Ministry has started the process for the procurement of 100 more K9-Vajra tracked self-
propelled howitzers.
The K9 Vajra is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer (a short gun for firing shells on
high trajectories at low velocities) built in India by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) with technology transferred
from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense based on its K9 Thunder.
Veer Guardian-2023:
India and Japan hold the joint Air Exercise, ‘Veer Guardian-2023’ involving the Indian Air Force and
Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) at Hyakuri Air Base, Japan 12th of January.
❖ The Joint Exercise will be promoting Air Defence cooperation between the countries.
SPRINT Scheme:
The Indian Navy has recently inked an agreement with Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd for
acquiring armed autonomous boat swarms under the ‘SPRINT’ initiative.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister accorded Acceptance of Necessity
(AoN) to critical procurements for the defence forces, including that of the Very Short Range Air
Defence System or VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system.
The 21st edition of the bilateral naval exercise between India and France, Exercise Varuna.
This edition of the exercise has the participation of the Indian Navy’s indigenous guided missile
stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and
Dornier, integral helicopters, and MiG29K fighter aircraft.
The Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), has started producing AK-203 Kalashnikov assault
rifles at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.
❖ The AK-203 rifles are manufactured in a joint venture between India and Russia.
❖ These are high-quality, convenient, and modern small arms.
❖ This model combines excellent ergonomics, adaptability to different shooters and high-
performance characteristics, it is one of the best assault rifles in the world.
❖ The joint venture plans to ensure 100% localisation of the production of AK-203 rifles in India.
AH-64E Apache
The first fuselage for the Indian Army’s contract for six AH-64E Apache attack helicopters has recently
been rolled out of the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) facility in Hyderabad.
❖ The first Apache is scheduled to be delivered to the Army in February 2024 and training of Army
Aviation pilots and technicians commenced in the U.S. recently.
❖ AH-64E Apache is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter.
❖ Country of Origin: United States
❖ Manufacturer by Boeing
❖ It is also known as Apache Guardian.
# The Indian and the Egyptian Armies are to conduct the first-ever joint exercise Cyclone-I. Held at
Rajasthan
# 14 days Exercise
❖ It will focus on skills necessary to fight in desert terrain undertaking reconnaissance, counter-
terrorism, and other special operations.
❖ The BSF organises reconciliation programs with the Indian residents in the border
❖ Sir Creek is a disputed maritime boundary.
❖ The creek is a narrow waterway,marshland along the shore.
An agreement was signed recently between DRDO’s Naval Materials Research Laboratory and Naval
Group France to extend cooperation to enter into the detailed design phase for the integration of the
indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in the Kalvari class submarines.
AIP is mostly implemented as an auxiliary source, with the traditional diesel engine handling surface
propulsion. Most of these systems generate electricity, which in turn drives an electric motor for
propulsion or recharges the boat's batteries. AIP allows longer submergence than a conventionally
propelled submarine
D4 Drone System
❖ The Drone Detect, Deter and Destroy system (D4S) is the first indigenously developed anti-drone
system to be inducted into the Indian Armed Forces.
❖ It is developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
The Indian military concluded exercise Trishakti Prahar — a joint training exercise in North Bengal
(close to the strategic ‘Siliguri’ corridor).
❖ The aim of the exercise was to practise battle preparedness of the security forces, using latest
weapons and equipment in a networked, integrated environment, involving the Army, the IAF and
CAPFs.
❖ The exercise concluded with an Integrated Fire Power Exercise at the Teesta Field Firing Ranges,
aimed at synergising the firepower assets of the Indian Armed Forces and CAPFs to orchestrate
an integrated battle.
❖ The Siliguri corridor or Chicken’s neck (West Bengal) is a stretch of land bordering Bangladesh,
Bhutan and Nepal, measuring approximately 170×60 km; at the narrowest it is about 20-22 km.
Operation SADBHAVANA:
Operation Sadbhavana (Goodwill) is an unique humane initiative undertaken by Indian Army in the
State of Jammu & Kashmir to address aspirations of people affected by scrooge of terrorism,
sponsored and abetted by Pakistan.
Indo-US joint exercise (TARKASH) by the National Security Guard (NSG) and US Special Operations
Forces (SOF) has for the first time included “Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN)
terror response” in its drill
The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the 14th edition of Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru.
❖ Aero India is a premier global aviation trade fair, which provides an opportunity for the Indian
aviation-defence industry, to showcase its products, technologies and solutions to the national
decision-makers.
❖ The Aero India show is held every 2 years.
❖ This year it is being organised by the Bengaluru-based defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL)
❖ The theme of 2023: ‘‘The runway to a billion opportunities”.
A joint military exercise Dharma Guardian between India and Japan at Camp Imazu in Japan.
❖ Exercise Dharma Guardian-2023: is the 4th joint military exercise between India and Japan which
is being conducted since 2018.
❖ Troops of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and an Infantry Regiment from the
Middle Army of the Japan Ground Self Defence Force are participating in the exercise.
India and Uzbekistan conducted the fourth edition of the DUSTLIK 2023 military exercise in
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
Russia has recently proposed to manufacture its Sukhoi Superjet civil aircraft in India.
❖ Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) is a twin-engined regional aircraft with a capacity of maximum 98
passengers.
❖ It is developed by the Russian manufacturer Sukhoi JSC.
Indian Air Force participated in Exercise Desert Flag VIII 110 which is hosted by the United Arab
Emirates.
❖ Exercise Desert Flag VIII is an annual multinational large-force employment warfare exercise
hosted by the UAE Air Force.
❖ The IAF would be participating with five Light Combat Aircraft, LCA Tejas and two C-17
Globemaster III aircraft.
Indian Air Force (IAF) Participated in the multilateral air exercise ‘Exercise Cobra Warrior’ at the Royal
Air Force’s (RAF) in the United Kingdom from March 6 to 24, 2023.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participated in Exercise Shinyuu Maitri with the Japan Air Self Defence
Force (JASDF).
The India-France joint exercise FRINJEX-23 is held at the Pangod military center in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 7 -8 march 2023.
❖ FRINJEX-23 is the first joint military exercise between the Indian Army and French Army.
INS Trikand is participated in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23)
being held in the Gulf region from 26 Feb to 16 Mar 23.
INS Trikand:
TROPEX 2023:
Indian Navy’s major Operational level exercise TROPEX for the year 2023, conducted across the
expanse of IOR for four months from Nov 22 – Mar 23, culminated this week in the Arabian Sea
Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 2023):Nov 2022 to March 2023.
Russia recently fired hypersonic Kinzhal missiles as part of a massive wave of strikes on Ukraine.
o It was one of six “next generation” weapons unveiled by Russian President Putin during a
speech in March 2018.
The Indian army has recently tested the prototype version of the PALM-400 drones successfully.
o The PALM 400 – acronym for ‘Precision Attack Loitering Munition’ is a long-range, high-
precision loitering munition system.
o It is the result of a joint venture between AVision Systems (Israel), UVision Air Ltd, and Aditya
Precitech Private Ltd (APPL).
o It is built to fly over areas where armored vehicles are concentrated or are anticipated.
Captain Shaliza Dhami : First Woman Officer In The Indian Air Force
Group Captain Shaliza Dhami has made history as the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF)
to be appointed as the leader of a frontline combat unit in the Western sector.
INS Sahyadri:
Indian Navy’s INS Sahyadri joined two frontline warships of France in carrying out a two-day maritime
partnership exercise in the Arabian Sea.
Hyderabad-based Svaya Robotics has developed India’s first indigenous quadruped (four-legged)
robot and exoskeleton for the defense sector as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative
LCA Tejas
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a maiden
flight test of the Power Take off (PTO) Shaft on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) Limited Series
Production (LSP) -3 aircraft in Bengaluru.
❖ LCA Tejas is the lightest, smallest and tailless multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft in its class.
❖ This aircraft is designed to carry a range of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided, weapons.
❖ It has the air-to-air refuelling capability.
❖ The maximum payload capacity of Tejas is 4000 kg.
❖ Speed: Mach 1.8.
SRIJAN Portal
Minister of State for Defence said in the Rajya Sabha that 26 thousand defence items have been
uploaded on SRIJAN Portal.
❖ SRIJAN Portal : The Department of Defence Production has developed an indigenization portal
The INS Androth, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW
SWC), was launched recently.
Konkan 2023, the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK’s Royal Navy, was
recently held off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea.
Amogha-III Missile:
The Bharat Dynamics (BDL) has successfully conducted a field firing test of its latest 3rd generation
man-portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), Amogha-III.
❖ Amogha-III is an indigenous missile which has been developed under Integrated Guided Missile
Development Programme (IGMDP).
Exercise SLINEX – 2023
The 10th edition of the maritime Exercise SLINEX – 2023 recently began in Colombo.
❖ Exercise SLINEX – 2023 is an annual bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Sri
Lanka Navy.
❖ SLINEX – 2023 is the 10th edition of the annual exercise.
The indigenous Anti Tank Guided Missile, Amogha-III tests were announced as successful.
PSLV-C55 Mission:
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is scheduled to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
C55 (PSLV-C55) mission with Singapore’s TeLEOS-2 as primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-
passenger satellite.
❖ The PSLV-C55 mission has the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM), where the spent PS4 of
the launch vehicle would be utilised as an orbital platform to carry out scientific experiments
through non-separating payloads.
❖ This is the third time that PS4 will be used after satellite separation as a platform for experiments.
TeLEOS-2 satellite
❖ Primary Satellite Support the satellite imagery requirements of various agencies within the
government of Singapore.
Carries a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload.
❖ Provide all-weather day and night coverage, and be capable of imaging at 1m full-polarimetric
resolution.
❖ Lumelite-4 satellite :A co-passenger satellite
The DRDO and Indian Navy successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-
atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha.
❖ India entered an elite club of nations with the capability to fire a Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)
interceptor from a naval platform.
❖ Prior to this, DRDO has successfully demonstrated land-based ballistic missile defence system
with capability to neutralize ballistic missile threats, emerging from adversaries.
India is going to buy 250 more Pralay ballistic missiles for the services to strengthen them on the
northern borders, further boosting the firepower of the defence forces.
INS Tarkash from the Indian Navy recently reached Port Sudan to help in the evacuation of stranded
Indians as part of “Operation Kaveri”.
Indian Army recently conducted the ‘Buland Bharat’ exercise in the longest high-altitude Artillery
Ranges of the eastern theatre.
❖ Buland Bharat Exercise is an integrated surveillance and firepower training exercise conducted by
the Indian Army.
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed recently in Rajasthan.
o The MiG-21 is India’s longest-serving fighter plane. It was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich
Design Bureau (OKB) of the erstwhile Soviet Union.
o India got its first single-engine MiG-21 in 1963, and progressively inducted 874 variants of
the Soviet-origin supersonic fighters.
INS Kavaratti, indigenously designed & built ASW Corvette, arrived at Batam, Indonesia to participate
in the 4th edition of India-Indonesia Bilateral exercise Samudra Shakti-23 from 14-19 May 23
Indian Naval ships INS Delhi and INS Satpura recently departed Sihanoukville, Cambodia, after making
a port call in the country as part of the Indian Navy’s deployment to ASEAN countries.
The Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps, in collaboration with various disaster management groups, recently
conducted a joint flood relief drill called ‘Exercise Jal Rahat.’
INS Vaghsheer:
The sixth Scorpene Submarine of Project-75, Indian Navy’s Kalvari class, ‘Vaghsheer’ recently
commenced her sea trials.
❖ INS Vagsheer (S26) is the sixth submarine of the first batch of six Kalvari-class submarines for the
Indian Navy.
❖ It is named after the sand fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
❖ It is designed by French naval defence and energy group Naval Group and manufactured by
Mazagon Dock Limited.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) recently rescued 76 tourists including seven children stranded at
Baralacha La Pass.
❖ Baralacha La Pass is a high mountain pass located along the Leh-Manali highway that connects
Leh district in Ladakh and Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh.
The Indian Navy recently achieved a unique feat after an MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopter
landed on the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
❖ MH-60 Romeo Helicopter is the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter and is the most
capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers
and aircraft carriers.
❖ It is manufactured by US defence major Lockheed Martin.
New Generation Ballistic Missile ‘Agni Prime’ was successfully flight-tested by Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island.
o Agni Prime Missile is a short-range ballistic missile that will have a range of 1000 km to 1500
km.
o It is a surface to a surface missile that can carry a payload of around 1,000 Kg or a nuclear
warhead.
o It incorporates new propulsion systems and composite rocket motor casings as well as
advanced navigation and guidance systems.
o Ballistic Missiles are launched directly into the upper layers of the earth’s atmosphere.
Lieutenant
Director Vice admiral Air marshal
Director general of general Director
general (Apex (Commander's (Commander's
State Police Force (Commander's general
Scale) Scale) Scale)
Scale)
Additional Additional
Additional director Lieutenant Vice Air
director director
general (ADG) general (HAG) admiral (HAG) marshal (HAG)
general (ADG) general
Deputy
Deputy
Deputy inspector inspector
inspector Brigadier Commodore Air commodore
general (DIG) general
general (DIG)
(3-year seniority)
Senior Superintendent
Commandant Colonel Captain Group captain Commandant
of Police (SSP)
Superintendent of
Second-in- Police (SP) / Deputy Lieutenant Wing Commandant
Commander
Command Commissioner of colonel commander (Junior Grade)
Police (DCP)
Additional
Deputy Lieutenant Squadron Deputy
Superintendent of Major
commandant commander leader commandant
Police
Deputy Superintendent
of Police
Assistant Flight Assistant
(DSP) / Assistant Captain Lieutenant
commandant lieutenant commandant
Commissioner of
Police (ACP)
May 2023
INIOCHOS-23 (Air exercise) Multi-national Exercise hosted Andravida Air Base in the western
by the Greece Peloponnese
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian India and ASEAN Countries Changi Naval Base in Singapore
Nations)-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-
23)
‘Buland Bharat’, an integrated Conducted by Indian Armed Mandala High Altitude Firing
surveillance and firepower training Forces Ranges in Arunachal Pradesh
Exercise
A mutual firefighting Exercise named Conducted by civil and military Pune (Maharashtra)
‘Agni Daman-23’ agencies of firefighting
“Al Mohed Al Hindi 23“ (Naval Exercise) India and Saudi Arabia Arabian Sea and Gulf region
35th Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) India and Thailand International Maritime Boundary
Exercise Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea
April 2023
Exercise KAVACH Indian Armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Indian Andaman and
Coast Guard (ICG) Nicobar Islands
Naval Exercise SLINEX 2023 India and Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka
(10th Edition)
Multilateral Air Exercise – India, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Mont-de-Marsan
‘Exercise Orion’ United Kingdom, Spain and the United States of America Airbase, France
(USA)
“Locked Shields” Exercise NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence Estonia
Coastal Security Exercise Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Coast of West Bengal
“Sagar Kavach”
Bilateral Exercise Ajeya India and United Kingdom (Britain) Salisbury Plains, UK
Warrior 2023
March 2023
Joint Air Exercise Shinyuu Maitri India and Japan Komatsu, Japan
8th Deterrence Strategy Committee USA and South Korea Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Table-Top Exercise (DSC TTX)
Freedom Shield exercise and Warrior USA and South Korea The Korean Peninsula
Shield FTX
Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-23 India and France Pangode Military Station, Kerala
Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) India and France Eastern Indian Ocean
Multilateral exercise La Perouse India, France, Japan and Indian Ocean Region
Australia
Exercise Bold Kurukshetra 2023 India and Singapore Jodhpur Military Station, India
Table top exercise 2023 Indian Coast Guard and Colombo Kolkata,West Bengal
Security Conclave
Naval Exercise “Al-Mohed-Al Hindi-23” India and Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia’s Jubail
Bilateral maritime exercise “Konkan India and United kingdom Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea
2023”
Vayu Prahar Indian Army and the Indian Air Line of Actual Control (LAC) in
force eastern command
February 2023
Trishakti Prahar All Arms and services of the Indian Army North Bengal
Desert Flag VIII Multilateral air exercise of UAE, India, France, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Kuwait, Australia, UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, the
Republic of Korea, and the USA
Joint military Indian and Japan Camp Imazu in the Shiga province
exercise ‘Dharma of Japan
Guardian
January 2023
Air Exercise Veer Guardian- India and Japan Hyakuri Air Base in Japan
2023
Air Exercise “Pralay” Indian Air Force (IAF) Air bases in the northeast
Tri service exercise “AMPHEX Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
2023” Air Force
“Ops Alert” exercise Border Security Force (BSF) Kutch district of Gujarat and Barmer in
Rajasthan.
Naval Exercise ‘Varuna 2023′ India and France West Coast of United States
December 2022
Army exercise “Surya Kiran-XVI” India and Nepal Nepal Army Battle School,
Saljhandi
Air combat exercise “Veer Guardian India and Japan Hyakuri air base Iruma in Japan
23”
November 2022
Joint military exercise ‘AUSTRA HIND 22 India and Australia Mahajan Field Firing Ranges,
Rajasthan
Joint military Exercise Harimau Shakti 2022 India and Malaysia Pulai Klang in Malaysia
Trilateral Naval exercise IMT TRILAT India, Mozambique and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Tanzania (IMT)
India
Offshore Security Exercise ‘Prasthan’ Indian Navy Mumbai Coast, Arabian Sea
18th Joint Military exercise “Yudh Abhyas 22” India and USA Uttrakhand
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Indian Air Force Air Force Station Agra, Uttar
(HARD) exercise “Samanvay 2022” Pradesh
Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE) exercise 2022 India and Australia Visakhapatnam coast, Andhra
Pradesh
Integrated Fire Power Exercise “SHATRUNASH” India Army’s South Thar desert, Rajasthan
Western Command
Coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil’ Indian Navy Along the entire 7516 km
coastline of India
Joint military exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ India and Indonesia Karawang, Indonesia
October 2022
Joint Air exercise “Garuda VII” India and France Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Naval Exercise SIMBEX (29th edition) India and Singapore Visakhapatnam coast
Joint Multinational Naval exercise India, Brazil, South Port Gqeberha (also known as Port
“IBSAMAR VII” Africa Elizabeth), South Africa
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told the Legislative Assembly that the government had
received clearance from the Centre for two Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) on the Kalasa-Banduri
Nala on the Mahadayi
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated that the Prime Minister of India flag off the
world’s longest river cruise ‘MV Ganga Vilas’ from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on the 13th of January
2023.
India recently issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
❖ Indus Water Treaty was signed in September 1960 between India and Pakistan.
❖ The treaty was brokered by the World Bank, which too is a signatory to the treaty.
❖ The treaty fixed and delimited the rights and obligations of both countries concerning the use of
the waters of the Indus River system.
❖ It gives control over the waters of the three “eastern rivers’ the Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej to India,
while control over the waters of the three “western rivers’ ‘ the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum to
Pakistan.
Yaya Tso Lake was declared Ladakh’s first biodiversity heritage site under the Biological Diversity Act.
Finance Minister recently announced a grant of ₹5300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project.
❖ It is a major lift irrigation Scheme under implementation in the central region of Karnataka State.
The Prime Minister of India appreciated the efforts of Lahari Bai, of the Baiga tribe who has been
engaged in the conservation of more than 150 varieties of millet.
Merapi (Mountain of Fire) is the most active of more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia and has
repeatedly erupted with lava and gas clouds recently.
National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) have
jointly developed India’s first Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM) named BARC B1201.
India recently agreed to an upward revision of tariff of the Chhukha hydroelectric project.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a stay on the Great Nicobar Island project worth
₹72,000 crore and created a committee to review the environmental clearance granted by the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The people of Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj were graced by an inspiring phenomenon called Sun Halo.
❖ It is an optical phenomenon that occurs due to sunlight refracting millions of hexagonal ice
crystals suspended in the atmosphere.
The Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island erupted recently, according to an advisory from the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS).
NHPC Limited and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal signed an MoU for development
of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal.
A recent report from the (CPCB) said that the number of polluted stretches in India’s rivers has fallen
from 351 in 2018 to 311 in 2022 though the number of most polluted stretches is practically
unchanged.
❖ The CPCB network monitors water quality at 4,484 locations in 28 States and seven Union
Territories including rivers, lakes, creeks, drains and canals.
❖ The number of polluted river stretches categorised in ‘Priority 1 to 5.
✓ Priority 1:River stretches with a BOD exceeding 30 mg/L are considered the most
polluted and thus need the most urgent remediation.
✓ Priority 2: Indicating a BOD of 20-30 mg/L.
✓ Priority 3: BOD between 10-20 mg/l
APPSC GROUP 2 CLASSES – SS Classes
SS CLASSES - APPSC
Project Lion document titled “Lion @ 47: Vision for Amrutkal” has been prepared by Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister of India, has approved National Green Hydrogen
Mission.
❖ The initial outlay for the Mission will be Rs.19,744 crore, including an outlay of Rs.17,490 crore
for the SIGHT programme,
❖ Rs.1,466 crore for pilot projects, Rs.400 crore for R&D, and Rs. 388 crores towards other Mission
components.
❖ Aim: To make India a Global Hub for the production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen and
its derivatives.
❖ Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will formulate the scheme guidelines for implementation of
the respective components.
Due to land subsidence, Joshimath – a key transit point for tourists travelling to Badrinath and
Hemkund Sahib – developed cracks, causing panic and protests among the local population.
❖ Joshimath has been declared a landslide-subsidence zone and over 60 families living in
uninhabitable houses in the sinking town have been evacuated to temporary relief centres.
❖ Cracks on walls and buildings were first reported in 2021, as Chamoli district of Uttarakhand
experienced frequent landslides and flooding.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary : Human Animal Conflict
A Human-Animal Conflict occurred where a local man was attacked by an Elephant and a herd of
elephants raided a field of 500 plantains.near Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala.
Nature enthusiasts have voiced their concern over the recent decline in the number of migratory birds
visiting the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary. It is home to three large lakes which hosts a large number of
migratory birds every year.
The State Governments and Union Territory administrations in India celebrated World Wetlands Day
(WWD) at all 75 Ramsar.
❖ World Wetlands Day is observed on 2nd February every year all over the world to commemorate
the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971.
❖ India is a party to the Convention since 1982 and has so far declared 75 wetlands as Ramsar
sites covering 23 states and Union Territories.
❖ At present, the state of Tamil Nadu has a maximum number of Ramsar sites (14), followed by UP
which has 10 numbers of Ramsar sites.
Ashok Leyland unveil India’s first hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck at India Energy Week
145 different bird species were sighted during the first Sundarban Bird Festival.
❖ The first-ever festival was organised by the Sundarban Tiger Reserve (STR) division of the West
Bengal Forest Department, where several teams visited different areas inside the Sundarban
Biosphere Reserve.
❖ The Bird Festival provides baseline data on Sundarbans’ bird species diversity.
The Supreme Court recently banned all construction activities in the core areas of tiger reserves
national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways laid the Foundation Stone of the world’s largest and
unique Divyang Park – Anubhuti Inclusive Park in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
According to the latest data from the forest department, the count of the Sarus Cranes has increased
by 98 per cent from around 500 in 2015 to nearly 992 in 2022 in the wetlands of Matar Taluka in
Kheda.
The Government is going to set up north India’s first nuclear plant in Haryana.
❖ Gorakhpur Nuclear Power Plants is located at Gorakhpur village of Fatehabad district in Haryana,
which is about 150 km north of the national capital.
❖ It will have two units of 700 MWe capacity each of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)
indigenous design.
World Wildlife Day 2023 : 3rd March
World Wildlife Day is celebrated every year on March 3 to raise awareness about the importance of
protecting the world’s flora and fauna.
❖ World Wildlife Day is a United Nations International day to celebrate all the world’s wild animals
and plants and the contribution that they make to our lives and the health of the planet.
❖ It is celebrated every year on March 3.
The G20 delegates recently visited the Sultanpur National Park, which is one of the 75 Ramsar sites
in the country.
According to the CO2 Emissions in 2022 Report by the International Energy Agency
According to a report from Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and Ember,
Karnataka and Gujarat have emerged as India’s frontrunners in the transition to clean electricity.
During Bird Census 2023 conducted by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at Point Calimere Wildlife
Sanctuary as many as 69 species of terrestrial birds were observed.
❖ Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary was established in the year of 1967 and is situated in the state
of Tamil Nadu.
❖ It houses the famous bird sanctuary of Vedaranyam and the Talaignayar forests.
❖ It is flanked by the Bay of Bengal in the east, and Palk Strait in the south.
❖ It primarily focuses on the protection and conservation of the black antelopes, an endangered and
endemic species that are found in this region.
❖ It is designated as a Ramsar site.
According to the World Air Quality Report prepared by IQAir, Delhi ranked 4th out of 50 of the
world’s most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels in 2022.
❖ Out of 131 countries, India ranked 8th with a population weighted average PM2.5 level of 53.3
μg/m3 in 2022.
Earth Hour:
❖ Earth Hour is a global grassroots movement uniting people to take action on environmental issues
and protect the planet.
❖ It is organized by World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
❖ It was started by WWF and partners as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007.
❖ It takes place on the last Saturday of March every year.
❖ “Earth Hour” encourages people to switch off all lights for an hour, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm
local time to promote awareness of climate change challenges and energy conservation.
Mission Arikompan
The forest department has initiated ‘Mission Arikomban’, an operation to capture the rogue tusker.
❖ The plan is to capture it with tranquilizer shots and later shift it to an elephant training center.
❖ The operation was originally slated to begin on March 25.
❖ For this mission, the forest department has built a rapid response team of 71 members.
❖ Chief forest veterinary surgeon Arun Zackariah is heading the 11 groups of the rapid response
team for the mission.
Announcing the 30-year celebration of ‘Project Elephant’ recently officials from the Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change said that the DNA profiling of 270 of the 2,675 captive
elephants in the country has been completed.
Gandhamardan hills were named the third biodiversity heritage site in Odisha recently.
❖ The Gandhamardan hill (Gandhamardan Reserve Forest) spreads in Bargarh and Balangir districts
in Odisha.
❖ Bandipur Tiger Reserve was established in the 1930s as a wildlife sanctuary, which became a
tiger reserve in 1973 under Project tiger.
❖ It is situated in two contiguous districts (Mysore and Chamarajanagar) of Karnataka and located at
the tri-junction area of the States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
❖ Bandipur Tiger Reserve is surrounded by:
✓ Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) in the North West (Kabini Reservoir separates
the two).
✓ Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) in the South.
✓ Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) in the South West.
❖ This area has the River Kabini in its north and River Moyar in its south.
Kangra Tea from Himachal Pradesh was recently granted the European Geographical Indication (GI)
tag.
o Kangra Tea is a type of tea produced in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
o It is a high-quality tea that is known for its unique flavour, aroma, and colour.
Kerala became the first state to adopt a water budget, as a solution to water scarcity during summer
months to ensure equitable water distribution.
Mission 50K-EV4ECO:
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) recently announced a new scheme Mission 50K-
EV4ECO to boost the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem in the country.
❖ Under this mission, SIDBI will directly provide loans to eligible small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) for the purchase of EVs and developing charging infrastructure, including battery
swapping.
Sanchi, a world heritage site located in Madhya Pradesh, is all set to become India’s first solar city.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways recently launched ‘Harit Sagar’, the Green Port
Guidelines.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Assam
government in response to a plea seeking the declaration of the area around Pobitora Wildlife
Sanctuary in Assam as an eco-sensitive zone.
The Bhojpur’s Millet Festival was organized from February 28 to March 1 in Bihar. Union Minister of
Food Processing Industries Pashupati Kumar Paras inaugurated this event. It is part of the many
Millet-related events conducted in 2023
The “One Nation, One Fertilizer” scheme was launched recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key facts
❖ The “One Nation, One Fertiliser” scheme or Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana was
launched by the Central Government.
❖ This is the largest fertilizer initiative implemented by the Indian Government till date.
❖ Under the scheme, all types of fertilizers, whether urea, DAP or NPK, will be sold under the single
brand name “Bharat”.
Conservation
Reserve
Total area of 11 76316
sites
GI - TAGS
According to data shared by the GI Registry, Kerala received the highest number of Geographical
Indication (GI) tags for products among all states in India in the fiscal year 23 (FY23).
Several products from Kerala have been recognized with the GI tag, includingAttappadi Attucombu
avara (beans), Attappadi thuvara (red gram), Onattukara elu (sesame), Kanthalloor vattavada veluthulli
(garlic), and Kodungallur pottuvellari (snap melon).
Apart from six products from Kerala, the Geographical Indications (GI) Registry selected Mithila
Makhana (aquatic fox nut) from Bihar and Alibaug white onion from Maharashtra for GI recognition
tag.
Tandoor Redgram, a local variety of pea, from Telangana, Ladakh Raktse Carpo Apricot from Ladakh,
and Gamosa handicraft from Assam were also selected for GI recognition.
For the period between April 2022 and March 2023, a total of 12 products were selected for GI
recognition, including two foreign ones - Brandy de Jerez from Spain and Provolone Valpadana from
Italy.
In the last financial year (FY22), 50 products were selected for GI recognition, with Uttar Pradesh
having the highest number of GI tags (seven), followed by Uttarakhand with six.
The products from Uttar Pradesh selected for GI recognition in FY22 include Chunar Glaze Pottery,
Banaras Zardozi, Mirzapur Pital Barton, Banaras Wood Carving, Banaras Hand Block Print, Rataul Aam
and Mau Saree.
Aipan, Munsiyari Rajma, Uttarakhand handicraft Ringal Shilp, Tamta, Thulma (handicraft) and Kumaon
chiura oil from Uttarakhand were selected for GI recognition in FY22 in Uttarakhand.
Kanyakumari cloves, Kallakurichi wood carvings, Karuppur Kalamkari paintings, and Narasimhapettai
Nagaswaram were some of the products that were selected for GI recognition from Tamil Nadu in the
last financial year.
Government (Department of Personnel and Training) launched revamped probity portal and e-HRMS
2.0 portal for central government employees.
The Genetically Modified (GM) mustard Dhara Mustard Hybrid (DMH-11) was tested in the field and
shown to be more productive.
The Health Ministry of Uzbekistan has reported the death of 18 children with acute respiratory
disease from taking excessive doses of a cough syrup – Doc-1 Max manufactured by an Indian firm.
50 Electric Buses launched in Delhi with support under FAME India Phase II scheme of the Ministry of
Heavy Industries.
Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India Phase II (FAME India Phase II):
Union Government’s free telemedicine service, e-Sanjeevani, has recently crossed another milestone
by touching nine crore teleconsultations mark.
An advisor to the space science programme recently said that the Indian Space Research Organisation
is yet to receive approval from the Indian government for the Venus mission and that the mission
could as a result be postponed to 2031.
SHUKRAYAAN-1:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has chosen Hyderabad, Telangana for establishing its Center for
the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR).
❖ The C4IR Telangana will be an autonomous, non-profit organisation with a thematic focus on
healthcare and life sciences.
The Indian Space Research Organization is working on a space project Aditya L1 that will study the
sun.
❖ Recently, the ISRO chairman announced that the spacecraft is to be launched in June or July this
year.
❖ The Aditya spacecraft will study solar magnetic storms and the impact of the solar atmosphere on
the earth.
India had set a target to eliminate Measles and Rubella (MR) by 2023, having missed the earlier
deadline of 2020, due to a variety of reasons, exacerbated by disruptions due to the pandemic.
❖ In 2019, India adopted the goal of measles and rubella elimination by 2023, anticipating that the
2020 goal could not be reached.
❖ Mission Indradhanush was launched in 2014 to ramp up vaccinating the unvaccinated population.
Union Finance Minister recently announced the Central Government’s plan to launch a mission to
eliminate sickle cell anemia by 2047.
iCET Initiative
India’s National Security Advisor hold talks with the US counterpart on the first dialogue on Initiative
for Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) in the US.
❖ Completing the work on the long-awaited NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) earth
observation satellite is an excellent example of how the US-India partnership in space can benefit
the world.
❖ The iCET initiative was launched by India and the US in May 2022, and is being run by the
National Security Councils of both countries.
Project ELLORA
Microsoft Research is helping preserve ‘rare’ Indian languages with its Project ELLORA (Enabling Low
Resource Languages) in India.
❖ Microsoft researchers under this project have been working toward creating digital ecosystems for
Indian languages that do not have enough presence online,
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) has published a ‘Zero-Draft’ of the Pandemic Treaty, aiming
to bring in Global and National-Level Pandemic Preparedness.
❖ The treaty aims to address the challenges posed by pandemics and other global health
emergencies.
ISRO’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle SSLV-D2 carrying EOS-07, Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 satellites
was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Station, in Sriharikota.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully tested the throttling of Vikas, its
workhorse launch-vehicle engine.
o VIKAS (an acronym for Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai) engine is a family of liquid-fuelled rocket
engines conceptualized and designed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre of ISRO in the
1970s.
Asphyxiation : 7 Workers Died
7 workers died due to asphyxiation during the removal of oil sludge in an edible oil tank in Andhra
Pradesh.
APAS UAV:
The Prime Minister of India has shared aerial coverage of Ground and Air displays captured from an
indigenously developed Medium Altitude Long Endurance TAPAS UAV during rehearsal from a height
of 12000 feet.
❖ TAPAS UAV is known as Tapas-BH (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond
Horizon 201), formerly referred to as Rustom-II.
❖ The UAV is named after Rustom Damania, a former professor at the Indian Institute of Science
(IISc), Bengaluru.
❖ It is designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru
with production partners being Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Bharat Electronics Limited.
SURAJ Drones : Solar Powered
Garuda Aerospace displayed the solar-powered drone SURAJ at Aero India 2023.
The Vedanta group and the Foxconn of Taiwan have come together to build the first semiconductor
manufacturing unit in Dholera of Gujarat. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Gujarat Government
❖ The semiconductor plant will be built in the Dholera Special Investment Region in Ahmedabad.
❖ It is a greenfield industrial city.
ISRO recently conducted a flight test of cryogenic engine for the Chandrayan-3 mission.
❖ CE-20 cryogenic engine has been designed and developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems
Centre (LPSC) , a subsidiary of ISRO.
❖ It will power the Cryogenic Upper Stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle for the Chandrayaan-3
mission.
Chip 4 Alliance
The “Chip 4” semiconductor alliance recently held its first meeting of senior officials.
❖ “Chip 4” alliance includes four of the world’s top producers of semiconductors: the U.S., Japan,
Taiwan, and Korea.
❖ It represents more than 70 percent of the value of the global semiconductor industry.
❖ It was first proposed by the US in March 2022 as part of wider plans aimed at enhancing the
“security” and “resilience” of semiconductor supply chains, including by reducing the world’s
reliance on chips made in China.
Sagittarius A*:
Astronomers have recently discovered a young star in the violent and tortured environment around
the supermassive black hole at the core of the Milky Way galaxy, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).
❖ Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) is a supermassive black hole located at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
❖ It is located in the constellation Sagittarius.
❖ It has a mass equivalent to four million Suns.
❖ It has a diameter of around 5 million kilometers .
The Indian Railways is collaborating with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) under the Real
Time Train Information System (RTIS) project.
❖ RTIS devices that use satellite imagery are being installed on the trains to automatically acquire its
“movement timing at the stations, including that of arrival and departure or run-through”.
NISAR Satellite
The US Air Force handed over NISAR, an earth observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and
ISRO, to the Indian space agency.
❖ NISAR will be used by ISRO for a variety of purposes like volcanic eruptions, agricultural mapping,
landslide-prone areas etc.
❖ The 2,800 kilograms satellite consists of both L-band and S-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR)
instruments, which makes it a dual-frequency imaging radar satellite.
❖ While NASA has provided the L-band radar, GPS, a high-capacity solid-state recorder to store
data, and a payload data subsystem, ISRO has provided the S-band radar, the GSLV launch system
and spacecraft.
❖ Another important component of the satellite is its large 39-foot stationary antenna reflector.
❖ Made of a gold-plated wire mesh, the reflector will be used to focus “the radar signals emitted
and received by the upward-facing feed on the instrument structure”.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully carried out the controlled re-entry
experiment for the decommissioned Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT-1) satellite.
o Due to the increasing number of objects in space (Space Debris), the international aerospace
community has adopted guidelines and assessment procedures to reduce the number of non-
operational spacecraft and spent rocket upper stages orbiting the Earth.
LVM3 : ISRO
The Indian space agency, ISRO, has announced that it will launch its largest rocket,
LVM3, on March 26th for its second commercial mission.
❖ The upcoming mission will be carried out through ISRO’s commercial arm NSIL
(NewSpace India Limited).
❖ It will carry 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites with a total mass of 5,805 kg, into a
450 km circular Low Earth Orbit with an inclination of 87.4°.
❖ LVM3 Rocket Design is a three-stage vehicle.
Bharat 6G Project:
The Prime Minister has unveiled a Vision Document to roll out high-speed 6G Communication
Services by 2030 and also launched Bharat 6G Project to identify and fund research and deployment
of the next-generation technology in India.
❖ The Government has also launched the ‘Call Before You Dig (CBuD)’ app to facilitate coordination
between excavation agencies and underground utility owners to prevent damage to utilities due
to digging.
❖ Bharat 6G Project will be implemented in two phases, the first one from 2023 to 2025 and the
second one from 2025 to 2030.
YUVIKA Program : ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the Yuva Vignani Karyakram (YUVIKA)
program to encourage students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) and develop a passion for space science.
❖ The YUVIKA program is open to students in the 9th standard (or equivalent) from all over India.
ISRO’s heaviest payload rocket, GSLV-Mk3/LVM3 carrying 36 OneWeb satellites onboard took off
from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota, under the OneWeb India-1 mission.
❖ It is a Network Access Associates Limited, UK (Bharti-backed OneWeb Group Company) and the
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) joint mission to launch 72 satellites to Low-Earth Orbits (LEO).
❖ In its second mission, LVM3 placed 36 OneWeb Gen-1 satellites totalling about 5,805 kg
recently.
❖ It will open the door for India to advance toward gaining access to LEO connectivity and the
spread of space-based internet.
OSIRIS-Rex Mission:
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is on the final leg of its two-year journey back to Earth after collecting
samples from the rocky surface of the asteroid Bennu which will touch down in a desert in Utah on
September 24, 2023.
OSIRIS-Rex Mission:
❖ The Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security – Regolith Explorer was
launched by NASA in 2016 for the journey to Bennu.
The App Version of the National Logistics Portal (Marine), named ‘Sagar-Setu’, has been launched by
Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
❖ The app will provide real-time information on vessel-related information, gate, container freight
stations, and transactions, enabling digital transactions for payments.
Cassiopeia A:
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured never-before-seen detail of Cassiopeia A (Cas A).
❖ Cassiopeia A is a remnant of a massive star that exploded some 340 years ago.
In pursuit of a ‘magic number’, Physicists in Japan have recently discovered a new isotope of uranium
with atomic number 92 and mass number 241.
❖ It was identified as uranium-241 and measured the mass of its nucleus. Theoretical calculations
suggest that this new isotope could have a half-life of 40 minutes.
The scientific community voiced against NCERT’s decision to remove Darwin’s theory of biological
evolution from Class 10 CBSE textbooks.
❖ Charles Darwin is known as the father of evolution due to his contribution to the establishment of
the theory of evolution.
Darwin published his concept of evolution in his book entitled “The Origin of Species”.
❖ Ideas by Darwin on the theory of natural selection:-
o The species keep on changing or evolving with time.
o As the environment changes, the requirements of the organisms also change and they need
to adapt to their new environment.
o According to the natural requirements, the phenomenon of change over a period of time is
known as adaptation.
PRET Initiative:
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the PRET initiative to be better prepared for
future outbreaks of a similar scale and devastation as the COVID-19 pandemic.
❖ The Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) Initiative is aimed at providing
“guidance on integrated planning for responding to any respiratory pathogen such as influenza or
coronaviruses”.
❖ It was announced at the Global Meeting for Future Respiratory Pathogen Pandemics held on 24-
26 April 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ludhiana Gas Leak Tragedy : 11 People Died
11 people died due to a gas leak in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana, Punjab.
❖ According to the air quality sensors used by NDRF, high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gas, a kind
of neurotoxin, have been detected.
❖ Neurotoxins are poisonous substances which can directly affect the nervous system.
❖ They directly attack the respiratory tract of the body, thereby overpowering the oxygen
concentration of the body and then the nervous system as well.
❖ Methane, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are common neurotoxic gases.
❖ While methane and carbon monoxide are odourless gases, hydrogen sulphide has a pungent
odour and in higher concentrations, it can be fatal for humans.
iDrone Initiative:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has successfully conducted a trial run of delivery of
blood bags by drones under its iDrone initiative.
❖ The trial run has been undertaken for the first time in the country by the ICMR; Lady Hardinge
Medical College (LHMC); Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida; and the
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida.
Space Science And Technology Awareness Training (START):
ISRO announced a new introductory-level online training programme called Space Science and
Technology Awareness Training (START).
❖ Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START), is launched by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).
❖ It is an introductory-level training program for students.
Scientists have suggested using Calcium-41 for Radiometric Dating as an alternative to Carbon-14 for
determining the age of fossilized bones and rocks.
❖ They have suggested a technique called Atom-Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) as a solution, because
ATTA is sensitive enough to spot Calcium-41, which is a rare isotope.
75/25 Initiative : Union Health Ministry
In a significant move to combat the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the Union
Health Ministry of India on unveiled the ambitious “75/25” initiative.
o The program aims to ensure that 75 million individuals suffering from hypertension and diabetes
receive standardised care by 2025, primarily through Primary Health Centers (PHCs)
AIRAWAT : Supercomputer
India’s AI Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ has been ranked at No. 75 in the world at the International
Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023) in Germany.
❖ Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ has been named in the 61st edition of the Top 500 Global
Supercomputing List released recently.
❖ The AI supercomputer AIRAWAT’ is installed at C-DAC, Pune.
❖ The system is installed under National Program on AI by the Government of India.
The railways recently confirmed that there was no ‘Kavach’ system installed on the trains involved in
the accident in Odisha’s Balasore district.
India’s pilot studies on rice fortification showed that nutritional anaemia could be reduced, with a
significant drop in the prevalence of anaemia among schoolchildren, according to a United Nations
report.
❖ Rice fortification is the process of adding Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing FSSAI prescribed
micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12) to normal Rice in the ratio of 1:100 (Mixing 1 Kg of
NVS-01
The NVS-01 satellite was successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
using the GSLV-F12, and after a 19-minute flight, it was accurately placed into a Geosynchronous
Transfer Orbit.
GSLV-F12 is the 15th flight of India’s GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) and the 9th
flight with indigenous cyro stage. This is the 6th operational flight of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic
stage.
Pokhran-II
India recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of Pokhran-II on 11th May 2023 marking the
successful nuclear bomb test explosions which became a significant milestone in its journey to
become a nuclear power.
May 11 is also celebrated as the National Technology Day to honour Indian scientists, engineers and
technologists, who worked for the country's scientific and technological advancement and ensured
the successful conduct of Pokhran tests.
Tea fortification
A recent study conducted in Maharashtra on 43 women to assess the impact of fortifying tea with
folate and vitamin B12 has found a significant increase in Folate and Vitamin B12 levels. It also
highlighted a significant increase in haemoglobin levels.
LIGO-India Project
Recently, the government approved the construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
Observatory (LIGO) project after seven years of in-principal approval.
It will be built by the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology
with the U.S. National Science Foundation and several national and international research institutions.
What is LIGO-India Project?
About:
What is a Chatbot?
Chatbots are computer programs designed to simulate conversation with human users, usually
through text-based interfaces like messaging apps or websites.
NISAR
NISAR will be the first radar of its kind in space to systematically map Earth, using two different radar
frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet's surface less than a centimeter
across.
ECONOMY
Ethereum, the world’s second most valuable cryptocurrency, has completed a significant software
overhaul which promises to ramp up security of the cryptocurrency while claiming to cut down on its
carbon footprint, nearly entirely.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) launched operation ‘Gear Box’ to stop heroin smuggling,
seizes 39.5 kg of contraband from Kolkata port.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh — the
Donyi Polo Airport at Itanagar.
Saharsa became the first district in Bihar to be declared paperless (e-office) with an aim to end the
Great Indian Red Tape.
Red Tape:
o It is a derisive term for excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is
considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making.
The International Monetary Forum recently released the World Economic Outlook.
o According to the report, the Inflation in India is to reduce to 6.8% in March 2023.
o Further by the end of 2023, the inflation will reduce to 5%.
The Reserve Bank of India Governor launched a financial inclusion dashboard named ‘Antardrishti’.
o Antardrishti dashboard provides the necessary knowledge to evaluate and track the
development of financial inclusion by recording relevant data.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has recently launched the “e appeal” scheme, aimed at
addressing the issue of pending appeals related to Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) default and tax
collection at source (TCS).
The Union Health Ministry has introduced the SAKSHAM (Stimulating Advanced Knowledge for
Sustainable Health Management), a Learning Management Information System (LMIS) of the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced the launch of the ‘100 Days 100 Pays’ campaign
on June 1. This campaign aims to trace and settle the top 100 unclaimed deposits in every bank
across all districts within a span of 100 days.
What Is MiCA?
The European Union, approved the world’s first set of comprehensive rules ‘the Markets in Crypto-
Assets (MiCA) law’ for cryptocurrency markets.
Delhi is all set to implement the Safe City Project, which aims to provide better security for citizens,
particularly women.
o The Safe City Project is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the
Ministry of Women and Child Development under the Nirbhaya Fund, aimed at creating a safe,
secure, and empowering environment for women and girls in public spaces.
o The project is being implemented in eight metro cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai,
Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Bengaluru.
Findings:
Operation Trishul:
Under Operation Trishul,’ the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has extradited 33 fugitives
involved in various criminal activities in the past year.
At the launch of the ‘Har Payment Digital’ mission during the Digital Payments Awareness Week
(DPAW) 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a programme to adopt 75 villages and
convert them into digital payment enabled villages in observance of 75 years of independence.
The 49th meeting of the council was recently chaired by Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitaraman.
Outstanding GST cess dues to the states were cleared.
Highlights:
o GST on liquid jaggery, pencil sharpeners, and tracking devices was reduced
o A report of the GST Appellate Tribunal was adopted; certain modifications were introduced
o Capacity-based taxation introduced in certain sectors
o To Plug the leakages in GST collections
o There are leakages in the revenue collection from certain products like tobacco, Gutkha, Pan
Masala, etc. The following recommendations were made for these products
o GST on rab reduced from 18% to 5%
o GST on pencil sharpener reduced from 18% to 12%
herSTART
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh recently highlighted the newly created ‘herSTART’ platform, which
aims to support women-led startups and encourage women entrepreneurs. The platform was
launched in October 2022 by the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC)
• The Union Budget 2023-24 aims to build on the foundation laid in the previous Budget, and
formulates a blueprint for India@100.
• The government through the Budget 2022-23 has envisioned laying a strong foundation to
steer the Indian economy towards Amrit Kaal.
o Amrit Kaal is the term coined by the government to mark the 25-year period till 2047
when India will celebrate 100 years of Independence.
• Vision for Amrit Kaal: The government’s vision for Amrit Kaal is to create a technology-driven
and knowledge-based economy with strong public finances, and a robust financial sector.
• The Union Finance Minister has listed seven key priorities which would complement each other
and act as the “Saptarishi” guiding the government through the Amrit Kaal. They include:
o Inclusive Development
o Reaching the Last Mile
o Infrastructure and Investment
o Unleashing the Potential
o Green Growth
o Youth Power
o Financial Sector
1. Inclusive • Agriculture
Development o Open source, open standard and interoperable operable Digital
Public Infrastructure for Agriculture
o Setting up of Agriculture Accelerator Fund
o Enhancing the productivity of cotton crops through the adoption
of a cluster-based and value chain approach via the PPP model.
o Launch of an Atma Nirbhar Horticulture Clean Plant Program.
o The agriculture credit target will be increased to ₹20 lakh crores
with a focus on animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries sectors.
• Fisheries
o Introduction of a new sub-scheme of PM Matsya Sampada
Yojana with a targeted investment of ₹6,000 crores.
• Health
o 157 new nursing colleges will be set up in co-location with the
existing 157 medical colleges set up since 2014.
o Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission to eliminate Sickle Cell
Anaemia by 2047.
• Education
o The mode of teachers’ training will be revolutionised through the
adoption of innovative pedagogy and ICT technologies.
o Establishment of a National Digital Library for children and
adolescents.
2. Reaching the • Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme in line with the Aspirational
Last Mile Districts Programme.
• The launch of Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission and about
₹15,000 crores will be made available to implement the mission in the
next 3 years.
o The aim is to extend the basic facilities to PVTG communities.
• The government will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff in the next
3 years for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools which are serving
3.5 lakh tribal students across the country.
• ₹5,300 crore assistance to the Upper Bhadra Project to address the
challenges of the drought-prone central region of Karnataka.
• The outlay for PM Awas Yojana has been increased by 66% to over
₹79,000 crores.
• Setting up Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions (BharatSHRI), a digital
epigraphy museum at Hyderabad by the Archaeological Survey of India
(ASI).
3. Infrastructure • Capital investment outlay has been increased for the third successive year
& Investment by 33% to ₹10 lakh crores.
• Support to State Governments for Capital Investment with an increased
outlay of ₹1.3 lakh crores.
• A newly set up Infrastructure Finance Secretariat will aid in attracting
more private investment in infrastructure.
• 100 important transport infrastructure projects, for last and first mile
connectivity for ports, coal, fertiliser, food grains, etc. have been
identified and will be supported.
• 50 more airports, heliports, aerodromes and advanced landing grounds
will be revived for improving regional air connectivity.
• States will be encouraged to build “sustainable cities of tomorrow”.
• Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (UIDF) will be set up through the
use of a priority sector lending shortfall which will be managed by the
National Housing Bank.
4. Unleashing • Mission Karmayogi has helped implement capacity-building plans for civil
the Potential servants.
o With the launch of an integrated online training platform called
“iGOT Karmayogi” government employees are provided learning
opportunities.
• The introduction of the Jan Vishwas Bill to amend 42 Acts in order to
enhance ease of doing business
• Centres of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence
• Plans to formulate a National Data Governance Policy to support
innovation and research by start-ups and academia.
• Simplification of the Know Your Customer (KYC) process
• A one-stop solution for reconciliation and updating of identity and
address will be set up using DigiLocker service.
• 100 labs for developing applications using 5G services will be
established in engineering institutions to unlock new opportunities and
potential.
• R&D grants to one of the IITs for five years to promote e indigenous
production of Lab Grown Diamonds (LGD) seeds and machines.
5. Green Growth • Launch of National Green Hydrogen Mission, with an outlay of ₹19,700
crores.
• Allocation of ₹35,000 crores for priority investments towards energy
transition and net zero objectives by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural
Gas.
• Viability Gap Funding for Battery Energy Storage Systems with a capacity
of 4,000 MWH.
• An Inter-state transmission system for evacuation and grid integration of
13 GW renewable energy from Ladakh will be developed with an
investment of ₹20,700 crores (central support of ₹8,300 crores).
• A Green Credit Programme will be introduced under the Environment
(Protection) Act to incentivize environmentally sustainable actions by
individuals, local bodies and companies.
• The PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and
Amelioration of Mother Earth (PM-PRANAM) will be introduced to
encourage States and UTs to promote alternative fertilizers and balanced
use of chemical fertilizers.
• 500 new Waste-to-Wealth plants will be set up under Galvanizing
Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme.
• To promote natural farming, 10,000 Bhartiya Prakritik Kheti Bio-Input
Resource Centres will be established to develop a national-level
distributed micro-fertilizer and pesticide manufacturing network.
• Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes
(MISHTI) will facilitate mangrove plantations along the coastline.
• Amrit Dharohar scheme will be taken up over the next three years to
encourage optimal use of wetlands, and improve bio-diversity.
• Allocation of adequate funds to phase out old vehicles.
6. Youth Power • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 will be introduced in order to
up-skill the youth within 3 years.
• Expansion of Skill India Digital Platform
• Through the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, stipend support
will be provided to 47 lakh youth in 3 years through the DBT mode.
• Tourism
o States will be encouraged to establish a Unity Mall in their capitals
or other key tourism centres for the promotion of ODOPs (one
district, one product) and GI products.
7. Financial • Credit Guarantee for MSMEs
Sector • Announcement of the Central Processing Centre for faster response to
companies through centralized handling of various forms.
• Setting up of a National Financial Information Registry which will serve as
the central repository of financial and ancillary information.
• Enhancing governance and investor protection in the banking sector.
• Continuation of fiscal support to digital public infrastructure and digital
payments.
• Introduction of Mahila Samman Bachat Patra which is a one-time new
small savings scheme for women.
Union Budget 2023-24: Allocation and significant Announcements under Different Sectors
Sector Highlights
Ministry of Defence • The Union Budget 2023 has allocated ₹5.94 lakh crores for
Defence.
• This marks a 13% increase year-on-year from previous
Budget Estimates.
• This huge allocation has assumed a huge significance
considering the situation along the Line of Actual Control
(LAC).
• The increased allocation will facilitate the Ministry to advance
weapon systems, ships and aircraft, emergency procurement
of critical ammunition and spares, etc.
Ministry of Road Transport • Budget 2023 has allocated ₹2.7 lakh crores to the Ministry
and Highways of Road Transport and Highways as compared to ₹1.99 lakh
crores in 2022-23.
• This allocation will provide a significant boost to PM Gati
Shakti master plan.
Ministry of Railways • The Ministry of Railways got an outlay of ₹2.4 lakh crores for
the FY 2023-24 compared to ₹1.4 lakh crores in 2022-23.
• The increased outlay will be used to ramp up production of
Vande Bharat trains, which will now be manufactured from
four sites in Chennai, Sonipat, Rae Bareli and Latur.
• Further, a train that runs fully on hydrogen would be ready
by December 2023, and will first run on the Kalka-Shimla
heritage circuit.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, • The Ministry of Consumer Affairs was allocated ₹2,05,764
Food and Public crores.
Distribution
Ministry of Home Affairs • The Ministry was allocated ₹1,96,034 crores.
Ministry of Chemical & • Allocation of ₹1,78,481 crores
Fertilisers
Ministry of Rural • Allocation of ₹1,59,964 crores
Development
Ministry of Agriculture & • Allocation of ₹1,25,035 crores.
Farmer’s Welfare
Ministry of Communications • Allocation of ₹1,23,393 crores.
Ministry of Education • The Ministry has received ₹1,12,899 crores which is a slight
increase from the 2022 Budget allocation of ₹1.04-lakh
crores.
Ministry of Health • The Union Budget 2023-24 has allocated ₹89,155 crores for
the Ministry which is 3.43% higher than its previous outlay
of ₹86,200.65 crores.
• Out of the total allocation, ₹86,175 crores has been
earmarked for the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
• While ₹2,980 crores for the Department of Health Research.
Ministry of Science & • The Ministry has been granted an allocation of ₹16,361.42
Technology crores which marks a nominal increase of 15% from the
previous Budget estimate.
• Out of this, the Department of Science and Technology
(DST) has received ₹7,931.05 crores (32.1% increase
compared to the previous year).
Factors Analysis
Growth estimates • The economy is expected to grow at 7% in real terms for 2022-
23.
GDP estimates • India’s GDP is expected to be in the range of 6-6.8% in 2023-
24.
• The survey projects a baseline GDP growth of 6.5% in real terms
in FY24.
Inflation • RBI estimated 6.8% of retail inflation for 2022-23.
Fiscal Deficit • The fiscal deficit of the Union government has moderated at 6.7%
of GDP in FY22.
• It is expected to reach 6.4% of GDP in FY23.
Gross Tax Revenue • It registered a YoY growth of 15.5% from April to November
2022.
GST collections • GST collections increased at 24.8% on a YoY basis during April –
December 2022.
Capital Expenditure • It increased by 63.4% from April to November 2022.
(Capex) of central • It was a major growth driver of the Indian Economy in FY22.
government
• It has steadily increased from a long-term average of 1.7% of
GDP (FY09 to FY20) to 2.5% of GDP in FY22 PA.
Monetary Management • Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) are at a five-year low of
5%.
• RBI raised the policy rate by cumulative 225 basis points (bps)
since April 2022.
• Yield on a 10-year government bond is stable.
• Capital-to-Risk Weighted Asset Ratio (CRAR) stands at 16.0.
Credit Growth to MSME • The credit growth to Micro, Small, and Medium enterprises was
high at 30.6% on average from January to November 2022.
Service Sector Growth • The growth rate of GVA at basic prices in 2021-22 was 8.4%
(Provisional estimate).
• It is 9.1% in 2021-22 as per the first advanced estimate.
Urban Unemployment • According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the urban
Rate unemployment rate decreased from 9.8% in the quarter ending
September 2021 to 7.2% in the quarter ending September
2022.
Exports • Merchandise exports stood at US$ 332.8 bn for April-December
2022. This was a growth of 16% from 2021.
• India is the 7th largest service exporter in the world.
• The share of exports of goods and services as a percent of GDP
in the first half of 2022-23 has been the highest since 2016.
Remittances • According to World Bank, India was the largest recipient of
remittances in the world in 2022.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
State of Economy: Recovery Complete
• The government of India adopted a holistic policy towards fiscal stability in the past few years
by transforming the tax ecosystem, rationalizing GST, simplifying tax compliance, etc.
Inflation
• Though India’s retail inflation rate peaked at 7.8% in April 2022, it was one of the lowest in
the world.
• The rise in prices was capped by various interventions like:
o Phase-wise reduction in the export duty of petrol and diesel.
o Import duty on major inputs was brought to zero.
o Exports were regulated. For instance, exports of wheat products were prohibited.
• The budgeted expenditure of the Central and State Governments on the health sector
increased to 2.1% of GDP in FY23 (BE) from 1.6% in FY21.
• Social sector expenditure reached approximately Rs. 21.3 lakh crore in FY23 (Budget
Estimates, BE).
• Unemployment rates reduced from 5.8% in 2018-19 to 4.2% in 2020-21.
• The out-of-pocket expenditure as a percentage of total health expenditure decreased from
64.2% in FY14 to 48.2% in FY19.
• Around 220 crore COVID vaccines were administered (as on 6 January 2023).
• There are more than 22 crore beneficiaries that have been verified under the Ayushman Bharat
Scheme (04 January 2023). And about 1.54 lakh Health and Wellness Centres have been
operationalized across India under the Ayushman Bharat initiative.
Climate Change and Environment
• India has achieved its target of 40% installed electric capacity from non-fossil fuels ahead of
2030.
• LIFE– Lifestyle for Environment initiative was launched by the government of India.
• Initiatives like Sovereign Green Gold Bond and National Green Hydrogen Mission were also
launched.
• It is highlighted that the installed solar power capacity reached 61.6 GW on October 2022.
• India is becoming a favoured destination for renewables. For instance, investments in 7 years
stand at US$ 78.1 billion.
Agriculture and Food Management
• India was one of the top ten services exporting countries in 2021. Its overall share in world
commercial services exports increased from 3% in 2015 to 4% in 2021.
• FDI equity inflows in the services sector in FY22 were approximately US$ 7.1 billion.
• There was sustained growth in the real estate sector.
• Hotel occupancy and the tourism sector significantly revived after the pandemic.
• India’s e-commerce market is projected to grow at 18% annually till 2025.
External Sector
• India diversified its markets and increased its exports to countries like Brazil, South Africa, and
Saudi Arabia.
• CEPA with UAE and ECTA with Australia came into force in 2022. This would further
strengthen India’s position in the global market.
• As of December 2022, India’s forex reserves stood at US$ 563 bn covering 9.3 months of
imports. It should be noted that India is the sixth largest foreign reserves holder in the world.
Physical and Digital Infrastructure
• UPI-based transactions grew 121% by value and 115% by volume between 2019-22.
• There was a 200% increase in rural internet subscriptions between 2015 and 2021.
SPORTS RELATED
Savitribai Phule Pune University won gold medal in women’s tennis event.
Savitribai Phule Pune University won the gold medal in the women’s tennis event at the Khelo India
University Games.
India won the Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2023 title in Hockey.
The Indian hockey team successfully defended their title with a close 2-1 win over arch-rivals Pakistan
in the final of the Men’s Junior Asia Cup 2023 in Salalah, Oman
Top Indian sprinter Amlaan Borgohain won a gold medal each in the men’s 100 and 200-meter races
at the Flanders Cup 2023 athletics meet, also known as the International Antwerp Athletics Gala, in
Merksem, Belgium.
India topped at the International Shooting Sport Federation Junior World Cup.
India topped the International Shooting Sport Federation Junior World Cup with 15 medals including
six gold, six silver and three bronze medals in Suhl, Germany.
Novak Djokovic Claims 23rd Grand Slam Title with Victory at French Open 2023
Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis player, created history at the French Open 2023 in Paris on 11th
June 2023. He became the first man to win an impressive 23 grand slam titles. In the final of the
men’s singles, Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud in straight sets, securing his third title on the clay
courts of Paris. This accomplishment surpasses his rival Rafael Nadal and establishes Djokovic as the
player with the most major honors in the history of tennis.
India Clinches First Women’s Junior Hockey Asia Cup with Victory over South Korea
India clinched their maiden victory in the Women’s Junior Hockey Asia Cup by defeating four-time
champions South Korea 2-1 in Kakamigahara, Japan on 11 June 2023. The match remained goalless
during the first quarter, but India took the lead in the 22nd minute through Annu’s penalty corner
goal. South Korea swiftly responded, with Park Seo Yeon equalizing three minutes later.
Murali Sreeshankar Claims Third Place in Paris Diamond League Long Jump
Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar achieved a notable third place in the Paris Diamond League.
He jumped 8.09m, securing his first podium finish in the prestigious event held on 11 June 2023.
Sreeshankar’s best jump came on his third attempt.
Indian men’s senior football team beat Lebanon 2-0 to lift the Intercontinental Cup in Bhubaneswar.
The Indian men’s senior football team won the Intercontinental Cup with a 2-0 win over Lebanon in
the final at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. This is India’s second title in the tournament, after
their victory in the inaugural edition in 2018. Korea won in 2019.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty created history by winning the men’s doubles title of Indonesia
Open.
India’s shuttler pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the Indonesia Open men’s
doubles title after defeating defending world champion Aaron Chia and Malaysia’s Soh Wooi Yik in
Jakarta on 18th June.
Bhavani Devi became the first Indian to win a bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in
China.
Olympian CA Bhavani Devi created history by defeating reigning world champion Misaki Emura in the
quarterfinals of the Asian Fencing Championships, giving India its first medal at the event.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on 30 April created history by becoming the first Indian
men’s doubles pair to win a gold medal at the Badminton Asia Championships.
Mairaj Ahmed Khan and Ganemat Sekhon won gold for India at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup
Experienced Mairaj Ahmed Khan and youngster Ganemat Sekhon combined effectively to give India
their maiden medal at the ongoing ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Cairo, Egypt.Italy won the bronze
through their crack pairing of two-time World Championship silver medalist Simona Scoschetti and
Rio Olympic champion Gabriele Rossetti.
India’s Neeraj Chopra Dominates Doha Diamond League with Comfortable Win and New World Lead.
Neeraj Chopra, Olympic champion javelin thrower, won the season-opening leg of Diamond League in
Doha with a throw of 88.67m.He beat a star-studded field and maintained the lead till the end to win
the event.
Indian Archery Teams Win 5 Gold Medals at Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage II in Tashkent
Indian archery teams won 5 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals at the Asia Cup-World
Ranking Tournament, Stage II in Tashkent.
In the Asian Weightlifting Championships, India’s weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga won the silver medal
in Jinju, Korea.
India’s Rhythm Sangwan won bronze medal in women’s 10m air pistol event in Baku.
India’s Rhythm Sangwan has won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the ISSF
World Cup 2023 for rifle and pistol shooters in Baku, Azerbaijan.
India’s Sarabjot Singh & Divya TS win gold in 10m air pistol mixed team.
Indian shooters Sarabjot Singh and Divya TS jointly won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed
team event at the ISSF World Cup 2023 for rifle and pistol shooters in Baku, Azerbaijan
Hriday Hazarika and Nancy Mandotra won the silver medal in the 10m air rifle event at the ISSF
World Cup 2023.
Indian shooters Hriday Hazarika and Nancy Mandhotra have won silver medals in the men’s and
women’s 10m air rifle events at the ongoing ISSF World Cup 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Shaili Singh won bronze at the Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics Meet.
Indian athlete Shaili Singh won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump event at the Golden Grand
Prix 2023 Athletics Meet in Yokohama, Japan.
Neeraj Chopra becomes world No. 1 athlete in World Athletics men’s javelin throw rankings.
Neeraj Chopra topped the table with 1455 points, 22 points ahead of Anderson Peters of Granada.
The Indian javelin legend had achieved world no. 2 ranking on August 30, 2022 but has been trailing
world champion Peters since then.
In the Italian Open final, world number three tennis star Daniil Medvedev defeated Holger Roon on 21
May to win his first claycourt title.
The third Khelo India University Games began with the Kabaddi event on the evening of 23 May
2023 in Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
Murali Sreeshankar win gold medal at International Jumping Meeting athletics 2023.
Indian long jumper Murali Sreesankar won gold while compatriot Jessvin Aldrin won silver at the
International Jumping Meet in Kallithea, Greece
Chennai Super Kings won their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title by defeating Gujarat Titans
Chennai Super Kings, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, won their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title
by defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in an exciting final match in Ahmedabad. Dhoni, who has
been a prominent figure throughout the IPL season, ended on a high note by winning his fifth trophy.
Shaheen Afridi becomes youngest fast bowler to reach 200 T20 wickets
Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi achieved a special milestone in T20 cricket as he completed 200 wickets in
the format during the fifth T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Pindi Cricket Stadium
Sharjah cricket stadium stand has been renamed after Sachin Tendulkar
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium is a popular cricket stadium located in the emirate of Sharjah in the
United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is one of the oldest cricket stadiums in the region, having been built in
1982. The stadium has a seating capacity of around 27,000 spectators and has hosted a large
number of international cricket matches, including One Day Internationals (ODIs), Test matches, and
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
Delhi Capitals captain David Warner has become the fastest batsman to reach the 6000-run mark in
the Indian Premier League (IPL) during a match against Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Stadium in
Guwahati.
Sanjita Chanu was handed a four-year ban by (NADA) after she tested positive for banned drugs.
Sanjita Chanu, a two-time Commonwealth Games champion weightlifter, has been banned for four
years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after she tested positive for drostanolone, an
anabolic steroid prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Shaili Singh records second-best leap after Anju Bobby George to win women’s long jump gold
Long jumper Shaili Singh logged a 6.76m effort, the second-best by an Indian after the legendary
Anju Bobby George, to win the women’s long jump gold medal at the Indian Grand Prix 4 2023
athletics meet in Bangalore, Karnataka
Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the gold medal in the men’s 57 kg freestyle category at the
Asian Wrestling Championships 2023 held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
India wrestler, Nisha Dahiya has secured the silver medal in the women’s 68kg category at the Asian
wrestling championships 2023, held in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Sprinter Hima Das won the Indian Grand Prix-1 athletics event.
Star sprinter Hima Das won the 200m race quite comfortably in 23.79 seconds while long jumper
Ancy Sojan shared the limelight with a best effort of 6.49m in the Indian Grand Prix-1 athletics event.
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2023.
At the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix of the 2023 Formula One season, Sergio Perez displayed a dominant
performance and earned his first win. His teammate at Red Bull, Max Verstappen, secured the second
position after starting from the 15th spot.
Karnataka defeated Meghalaya 3-2 in the final of the 76th National football championship also
known as “the Hero Santosh Trophy” at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
Jeswin Aldrin from Tamil Nadu broke the men’s long jump national record with an 8.42-meter leap,
surpassing the previous record set by M Sreeshankar at 8.36 meters.
Real Madrid has won the Club World Cup 2023 for the fifth time. The final was held in Rabat,
Morocco, where they defeated Al-Hilal from Saudi Arabia.
Rohit Sharma become the first Indian captain to score a century in all three formats
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has become the first Indian captain to score a century in all three formats
(Tests, ODIs & T20Is) of cricket.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur has inaugurated the three-day All-India
Taekwondo Championship in New Delhi.
India’s Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar claimed the gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo.
In Shooting, India’s Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar has claimed the gold medal in the men’s individual
50m rifle 3 positions competition at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo.
Manchester United defeated Newcastle to win the Carabao Cup title in 2023 after six years.
Newcastle is a Saudi Arabia-backed club.
Madhya Pradesh won the Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2023
Madhya Pradesh women’s hockey team has won the 13th Hockey India Senior Women National
Championship 2023 held in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
Rudrankksh Patil has won the gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle competition of the ISSF Shooting
World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.
The World No. 2 tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Cameron Norrie in the final to win the
Argentina Open title in 2023.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has organized its first Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)
meeting outside Delhi in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Saurashtra won the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 title by defeating Maharashtra in the final, held at the
Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat.
Manu Bhaker won the gold medal at the National Shooting Championship.
Manu Bhaker won the gold medal in the 10-meter pistol junior women’s event at the National
Shooting Championship in Bhopal.
Divya T.S (Karnataka) has secured her first women’s 10m air pistol national title.
Divya T.S (Karnataka) has secured her first women’s 10m air pistol national title at the 65th National
Shooting Championship Competitions in Pistol events held in Bhopal.
javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (India) has the most written-about track and field athlete in 2022
Tokyo Olympics gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra (India) has the most written-about track
and field athlete in 2022, displacing the Jamaican legend Usain Bolt from the top lists.
Chahat Arora clocked 32.91 seconds to top heat 2 at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre’s 25-
metre short course pool and bettered her own previous record of 32.94 seconds set at the National
Aquatic Championships 2022.
Jaipur Pink Panthers won the Pro Kabaddi League Season 9 Final against a hard-fighting Puneri
Paltan by a score of 33-29 to win their second PKL championship.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Viacom18 Media Private Limited
(Viacom18)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Viacom18 Media Private Limited
(Viacom18) has secured exclusive media rights to broadcast the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.
Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain win gold medals at the 6th Elite National Women’s Boxing
Championships 2022
World Champion Nikhat Zarin of Telangana and the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina
Borgohain of Assam won gold medals in their respective weight categories at the 6th Elite National
Women’s Boxing Championships 2022 in Bhopal.
▪ 37th edition of the National Games ▪ 74th Strandja Memorial International Boxing
Tournament 2023
2023 – Goa
2023 – Bulgaria
▪ Intercontinental Cup 2023 (Football)
▪ IBA Women’s World Championships 2023
2023 – Odisha, India
2023 – New Delhi, India
▪ Asian Wrestling Championships
February
2023 – Kazakhstan
▪ Khelo India Winter Games 2023
▪ Asian Hockey Men’s Championship
2023 – Jammu & Kashmir, India
2023 Chennai, India
▪ FIFA Club World Cup 2022
March
2022 – Morocco
▪ Women’s Snooker World Cup 2023
▪ Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction 2023
APPSC GROUP 2 CLASSES – SS Classes
SS CLASSES - APPSC
Retirements of Players
❖ Former England cricketer Gary Ballance has announced his retirement from all forms of the game.
❖ Former Australia opener Shaun Marsh has announced his retirement from first-class cricket after
22 years with Western Australia and 38 Tests for Australia.
❖ Former England captain Eoin Morgan has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
❖ Former India opener Murali Vijay has announced his retirement from all formats of international
cricket
❖ Spain’s most capped player Sergio Ramos has announced his retirement from international
football.
❖ South Africa cricketer Hashim Amla has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
❖ South Africa all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius has announced his retirement from international cricket.
❖ France team captain Hugo Lloris announced his retirement from international football at the age
of 36.
❖ Former Tottenham and Real Madrid star, Gareth Bale have announced his retirement from
professional football.
❖ Indian Tennis Player Sania Mirza has announced her retirement from professional Tennis.
❖ Indian player Ambati Rayudu from Andhra Pradesh retired from all Formats
World Oceans Day is celebrated on 8 June every year to empower people of all ages to become
leaders of their own and stop polluting ocean, and water bodies. This day spread awareness about
reducing single-use plastics and taking action necessary to bring real change.
This day is launched by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to focus attention on the
worldwide extinction of child labour, efforts and the action required to eliminate it. In 2015, world
leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in which they included a clause to end
child labour.
2 May 2023 World Tuna Day Theme 2023:The Global Tuna Industry: Trailblazing through
Tough Times
3 May 2023 World Press Freedom Theme 2022:Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of
Day 2023 Expression as a Driver for All Other Human Rights
2 May 2023 World Asthma Day Theme 2023:Asthma care for all
(every year on 2023
first Tuesday of
May)
4 May 2023 Coal Miners Day 2023 Key pointsFirst coal mine was opened in 1575 by one
George Bruce of Carnock, Scotland.
7 May 2023 BRO 64th Raising day Key Points:The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was
2023 founded on 7th May 1960.
7 May 2023 World Athletics Day Theme 2023: Athletics for All – A New Beginning
2023
8 May 2023 World Red Cross Day Theme 2023:Everything we do comes from the heart.
2023
11 May 2023 National Technology Theme 2023:Integrated Approach in Science and Technology
Day 2023 for a Sustainable Future
12 May 2023 International Day of Theme 2023:Plant Health for Environmental Protection
Plant Health
13 May 2023 World Migratory Bird Key Point:The Secretariat of the Agreement on the
Day 2023 Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds
(AEWA) and the Secretariat of the Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
started this day in 2006.
15 May 2023 International Day of Theme 2023: Demographic Trends and Families
Families 2023
16 May 2023 National Dengue Day Theme 2023: Fight Dengue, Save Live
2023
19 May 2023 National Endangered Theme 2023: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
Species Day 2023 endangered species act
21 May 2023 International Tea Day Key point:The first International Tea Day was held in Delhi,
2023 India
21 May 2023 National Anti Terrorism Key point: On this day, Rajiv Gandhi was killed by a woman
Day 2023 suicide bomber of the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Ilam (LTTE),
a terrorist group in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
22 May 2023 International Day for Theme 2023:From Agreement to Action: Building Back
Biological Diversity Biodiversity
2023
24 May 2023 Indian Commonwealth Theme 2023: Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common
Day 2023 Future.
28 May 2023 International Day of Theme 2023: Our Voices, Our Actions, Our Demand: Uphold
Action for Women’s Women’s Health and Rights Now
Health 2023
28 May 2023 World Hunger Day Theme 2023:celebrating sustainable solutions to hunger and
2023 poverty
31 May 2023 World Vape Day / World Theme 2023: We need food, not tobacco
No Tobacco Day
April 1, Odisha Day or Utkal Day This day is significant for the people of Odisha as it marks the
2023 formation of the state on 1st April, 1936.
April 5, National Maritime Day Also known as Merchant Navy Flag Day. The Ministry of Ports,
2023 Shipping and Waterways started this day in 1964.
April 6, United Nations (UN)’s Theme 2023: Scoring for People and the Planet
2023 International Day of
Sport for Development
and Peace (IDSDP)
April 10, World Homoeopathy Day The day marks the birth anniversary of German physician Dr
2023 Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founding father of
Homeopathy.
April 16, Save The Elephant Day Theme 2023: Protecting Elephant Habitats for a Sustainable
2023 Tomorrow
April 17, World Hemophilia Day Theme 2023: “Access for All: Prevention of Bleeds as the
2023 Global Standard of Care”
April 19, World Liver Day Theme 2023: Be vigilant, do a regular liver check-up, fatty liver
2023 can affect anyone.
April 21, National Civil Services The day marks a significant event in 1947 when Sardar
2023 Day Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of Independent India,
gave a speech to the probationers of Administrative Services
Officers.
April 24, National Panchayati Raj Panchayati Raj Day celebrates the implementation of the 73rd
2023 Day Amendment Act, 1992 of the Constitution, which came into
effect in 1993. Balwant Rai Mehta, considered the Father of the
Panchayati Raj system, played a key role in its development.
April 25, World Malaria Day Theme 2023:“Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate,
2023 implement”
April 26, World Intellectual Theme 2023: “Accelerating Innovation and Creativity: Women
2023 Property Day and IP”
April 27, International Girls in ICT Theme 2023: “Digital Skills for Life”
2023 (4th Day
Thursday of
April)
April 29, International Dance Day International Dance Day celebrates the birthday of Jean-
2023 Georges Noverre, a French dancer and ballet instructor who is
considered the father of contemporary ballet.
March 1, 2023 Zero Discrimination Day Theme 2023: “Save lives: Decriminalise”
March 1, 2023 World Civil Defence Day Theme“Uniting the world’s leading specialists for
2023 the safety and security of future generations”
(NCPCR)
March 3, 2023 World Wildlife Day Theme 2023: “Partnerships for wildlife
conservation”
March 4, 2023 National Security Day (NSD), Theme 2023:‘Nurture young minds – Develop
or Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas safety culture’
March 4, 2023 National Safety Day (NSD) Theme 2023: ‘Our Aim – Zero Harm’
March 6, 2023 Raising Day of Central Key Point:The CISF was set up under the act of the
Industrial Security Force Parliament of India on March 10, 1969.
(CISF)
March 7, 2023 Jan Aushadhi Diwas, or, Theme2023:Jan Aushadhi – Sasti bhi Acchi bhi
Generic Medicine Day
March 8, 2023 International Women’s Day Theme 2023:DigitALL: Innovation and technology
(IWD) for gender equality
March 15, World Consumer Rights Day Theme 2023:Empowering Consumers through
2023 Clean Energy Transitions
March 16, National Vaccination Day, or, Theme 2023:“Vaccines Work for everyone”
2023 National Immunization Day
March 20, International Day of Theme 2023: “Be Mindful, Be Grateful, Be Kind.”
2023 Happiness
March 20, World Oral Health Day Theme 2023: ‘Be Proud of Your Mouth’
2023 (WOHD)
March 21, World Down Syndrome Theme 2023: “With Us, Not For Us”
2023 Day(WDSD)
2023
March 21, International Day for the Theme 2023: “The urgency of combatting racism”
2023 Elimination of Racial
Discrimination
March 22, World Water Day Theme 2023:‘Accelerating the change to solve the
2023 water and sanitation crisis
March 23, World Meteorological Day Theme 2023: The Future of Weather, Climate, and
2023 Water Across Generations.
March 23, Shaheed Diwas, also known Key Point:This day marks the anniversary of the
2023 as Martyr’s Day execution of three Indian freedom fighters- Bhagat
Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru in
1931.
March 24, World Tuberculosis Day Theme 2023: “Yes! We can end TB!”
2023
Feb 1, Indian Coast Guard Day Key Point:The Indian Coast Guard is ranked as the fourth
2023 largest Coast Guard in the world
Feb 4, World Cancer Day Theme 2023Close the care Gap: Uniting our voices and
2023 taking action”
Feb 10, World Pulses Day Theme 2023:Pulses for a sustainable future
2023
Feb 13, National Women’s Day Key Point:The day marks the birth anniversary of Sarojini
2023 2023 Naidu, who was referred to as the “Nightingale of India”.
Feb 20, World Day of Social Theme 2023:Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing
2023 Justice Opportunities for Social Justice
Feb 24, Central Excise Day 2023 Key Point:The day marks the anniversary of the enactment of
2023 the Central Excise and Salt Act on 24th February 1944.
Feb 27, World Sustainable Theme 2023 : Energy Transition = Energy security!
2023 Energy Day
Feb 28, National Science day Theme 2023: Global Science for Global Wellbeing
2023
January 65th Foundation Day or 65th Key Point:The DRDO was formed in 1958.
1 Raising Day of Defense
Research and Development
Organization (DRDO)
January United Nations(UN)’s World Key Point: It marks the birth anniversary of Braille’s
4 Braille Day inventor Louis Braille.
January National Birds Day Key Point: January 5 is the day of the yearly “Christmas
5 Bird Count.”
January World Day of War Orphans Key Points The World Day of War Orphans was founded
6 by the French organization SOS Enfants en Detresses.
January Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)or Theme 2023 “Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s
9 Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Day progress in Amrit Kaal”
January World Hindi Day, also known as Key Point:The day commemorates the anniversary of the
10 Vishwa Hindi Diwas first World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur of January
10, 1975
January National Human Trafficking Theme 2023To wear blue to raise awareness.
11 Awareness Day
January National Youth Day or Rashtriya Theme 2023: “Viksit Yuva-Viksit Bharat”
12 Yuva Diwas
Key Point:The marked the birth anniversary of Swami
Vivekananda.
January 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day Key Point:In 14 January, 1953, the First Indian
14 Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army Field Marshal KM
Cariappa, who led the Indian forces to victory in the 1947
war, formally retired from the Service.
January Indian Army Day Key Point: The motto of the Indian Army is ‘service before
15 self’
January National Startup Day Key Point:India Ranks 3rd Globally In Startup Ecosystem
16
January National Girl Child Day (NGCD) Key Point: It was initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of
24 Women and Child Development and the government of
India.
January National Voters’ Day (NVD) Theme 2023:‘Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure’
25
January 74th Republic Day Key Point:It marks the anniversary of the adoption of the
26 Indian Constitution, which came into effect on January
26th, 1950
January International Customs Day (ICD) Theme 2023: Nurturing the next generation: promoting a
26 culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in
Customs
January Martyrs’ Day also called Key Point:The day marked as the death anniversary of the
30 Shaheed Diwas nation’s ‘Bapu’, Mahatma Gandhi.
January World Neglected Tropical Theme 2023:Act Now. Act Together. Invest in Neglected
30 Diseases Day Tropical Diseases
January (Last Sunday of January): World Theme 2023:Act Now. End Leprosy
29 Leprosy Eradication Day
World Press Freedom Index -2023 Reporters Without Borders 161st Topped by:Norway
Bottom Rank:North Korea
(UNDP) 3. Iceland
Busiest Airport in the Airports Council 9th: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Top 3 Busiest Airports
world in 2022 International (ACI) International (IGI) in the World for 2022
Airport 1. Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International
Airport
2. Dallas Fort Worth
Airport (Dallas, Texas)
3. Denver Airport
(Colorado, USA)
Global Hunger Index – Irish aid agency Concern 107th Total of 17 countries,
2022 Worldwide and German including Belarus, Chile,
organisation Welt Hunger China, Croatia shared the
Hilfe top rank
Global Peace Index Institute for Economics and 135th Topped By: Iceland
2021 Peace (IEP) Sydney
Bottom Rank: Afghanistan
World Air Power Index World Directory of Modern Rank of Indian Air • Topped by: US Air Force
2022 Military Aircraft (WDMMA) Force (IAF): 3rd • 2nd position occupied by
Russian Air force
Best Airport Rankings Skytrax, a UK-based Delhi’s Indira Gandhi • Topped by: Changi Airport
2023 consultancy Firm International Airport (Singapore)
(IGIA) has been
declared the best
airport in the South
Asian region
Global Terrorism Institute for Economics and 13th Topped by: Afghanistan
Index 2023 Peace (IEP) with a score of 8.822
points.
The Global Liveability Economic Intelligence Unit’s • 112th – New Delhi Topped by:Vienna (Capital
Index 2022 (EIU) of Austria)
• 117th – Mumbai
(It published the list Top 3 Country:
of most liveable city” 1. Vienna
in the world) 2. Copenhagen
3. Zurich
Shatabdi Purush (Man of the Socialist Pandit To recognise his efforts as a socialist leader
Century) Ramkishan during the event organized to mark the birth
centenary celebrations of Madhu Limaye, a
socialist ideologue and ace parliamentarian, in
New Delhi, Delhi.
2023 Leipzig Book Award Russian Poet Maria For her volume of poetry entitled
Stepanova “MädchenohneKleider“ (Girls Without Clothes).
Laureus World Sportsman Of Lionel Messi, The 2023 Awards will honour the most
The Year 2023 Argentine professional memorable sporting performances of 2022
footballer
First ASI GovindSwarup Professor Jayant For his outstanding contributions to the field of
Lifetime Achievement Award Vishnu Narlikar Astronomy and Astrophysics in India.
2022
International Booker Prize Bulgarian Writer For the dark comic novel titled “Time Shelter”
2023 GeorgiGospodinov
and translator Angela
Rodel
Pravasi Bharatiya Raj Subramaniam Highest civilian recognition bestowed by India upon
Samman award individuals of Indian descent and Indian diaspora
Ramon Magsaysay Dalai Lama Leadership in Safeguarding Tibetan Religion and Culture
Award
Best Actress (Critics’) Bhumi Pednekar for Badhaai Do and Tabu for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
SAARC literary award Bangabandhu Sheikh Outstanding literary excellence in the trilogy
Mujibur Rahman
Kerala’s highest civilian M T Vasudevan Nair Exceptional contributions in various fields such
honour- “Kerala Jyothi” as literature, art, culture, science, social work,
and sports
2023 Abel Prize Luis Caffarelli “for his seminal contributions to regularity theory
for nonlinear partial differential equations
including free-boundary problems and the
Monge-Ampère equation”
2022 Christopher Nepali cricketer Asif Sheikh for his act of sportsmanship during a T20
Martin-Jenkins Spirit of international match
Cricket Award
Honorary Officer in the Indian Industrialist Shri for his outstanding contributions to the
General Division of the Ratan Tata Australia-India bilateral relationship
Order of Australia (AO)
Saraswati Samman Renowned Tamil Writer For her 2019 memoir, Surya Vamsam
2022 Sivasankari
Vyas Samman 2022 Gyan Chaturvedi For his Hindi Novel ‘Pagalkhana’
International Golden City Indian Ministry of Tourism Foe global effort on advertising in the post-
Gate Tourism Awards and Government of India Covid period to reopen opportunities in India
2023
Cleanest airport in the Delhi International Airport/ For Best Airport Service Quality (ASQ)
Asia Pacific region by Indira Gandhi International
international grouping Airport (IGIA)
ACI
2023 PEN/Nabokov Writer Vinod Kumar Shukla for Achievement in International Literature
Lifetime Achievement
Award
BS Banker of the Year managing director (MD) and For his successful navigation of technology-
2022 chief executive officer (CEO) related challenges while maintaining the bank’s
of HDFC Bank-Sashidhar strong performance
Jagdishan
Best adventure tourism Jammu and Kashmir In recognition of its efforts in promoting
destination award ‘Gulmarg’ as an adventure destination of
international order.
Sangeet natak Akademi Award Prem Kumar Mallick For his contributions in the field of Hindustani
2019 Vocal music
Best film at Dadasaheb Phalke The Kashmir Files Film Festival Awards
International Film Festival
Marconi Prize 2023 Hari Balakrishnan To increasing digital inclusivity through advanced
information and communications technology
Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Journalist A.B.K. for excellence in Journalism
Award Prasad
Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel from USA 71st annual Miss Universe pageant
Medicine or Svante Paabo, Swedish For the discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and
Physiology Geneticist human evolution.
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Actress Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Film Editing Everything Everywhere All at Once
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Visual Effects Avatar: The Way of Water
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Documentary Feature ‘Navalny’ by Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker,
Film Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Cinematography ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ by James Friend
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Makeup and Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Annemarie Bradley for ‘The
Hairstyling Whale’
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Costume Design Ruth Carter for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Documentary Short ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ by Kartiki Gonsalves and
Film Guneet Monga
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Animated Short Film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Original Score All Quiet on the Western Front
Oscars Awards 2023 Best Production Design All Quiet on the Western Front
The Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation (RMAF), which is widely regarded as the “Nobel Peace
Prize of Asia,” recently announced this year’s awardees in a global announcement ceremony. The
2022 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are Sotheara Chhim (Cambodia), Bernadette Madrid (Philippines),
Tadashi Hattori (Japan) and Gary Bencheghib (Indonesia).
Bihari Puraskar to Noted writers Madhu Kankaria and Dr. Madhav hada
The National Sports Awards 2023 will be announced soon and will be conferred by the President
of India in an award ceremony. Different types of sports awards in India are listed below that will
be announced for 2023.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Outstanding performances in sports spanning over a period of four
Award years.
Major Dhyan Chand Award Good performance and contributing towards the promotion of sports.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy Top performance in inter-university tournaments over the last one year.
Playing a role in the area of sports promotion and development over the
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
last three years.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Outstanding achievements in the field of adventure activities or sports
Award on land, sea and air.
The complete list of National Sports Awards in India 2022 with discipline is provided below. A
PDF download link is also provided at the end of the National Sports Awards 2022 Winners List.
Deaf
Arjuna Award Jerlin Anika J
badminton
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar –
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award recognizes the most outstanding sports performance
over a period of four years preceding the year during which the award will be given by a
sportsperson. Sporting achievements will also be considered during years of the Olympic Games,
Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. Check out Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022
winners list below.
These Arjuna Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of sportspeople at both the
international and national levels. Check out the Arjuna Award 2022 winners list below.
The Dronacharya Award is conferred to sportspersons who have contributed to sports through their
performance and continue to do so even after retiring from active sports. Motivating those who have
dedicated their lives to sports and sports promotion throughout their lives. Promoting excellence in
sports and broadening its base. Check out the Dronacharya Award winners list 2022 below.
Comic Book Titled “First Lithuanian Travelers Launched by Diana Mickevičienė, Lithuanian
in India” ambassador to India
Coffee Table Book “The Banker to Every Indian” Released by SBI Bank
Shashi Shekhar
Collective Spirit, Concrete Action (The Book documenting PM Modi’s ‘Mann Ki
Baat’ programme)
Books Author
Books Author
Maitri
Person IN NEWS
• Padel, the dynamic and fast-growing sport, received a momentous boost as the Indian Padel
Federation (IPF) announced a strategic partnership with badminton legend Pullela Gopichand.
• Colonel Shuchita Shekhar has become the first woman officer to command a Communication Zone
Mechanical Transport Battalion in the Indian Army Service Corps.
• Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has announced his retirement from a glittering soccer career at
the age of 41, leaving Italy’s Serie A as the league’s oldest-ever goal scorer.
• Ace Turtle Omni Pvt Ltd., a retail company, has appointed Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana as the
brand ambassador of its Wrangler brand
• Ajay Banga became the first Indian American to hold the position of President of the World Bank.
• Shri P Upadhyay, INAS has taken over as Director General of Naval Armament (DGONA) from Shri
KSC lyer, who superannuated on 31 May 23
• Lionel Messi has broken the record for most goals scored in Europe's top five leagues.
• 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund player Jude Bellingham has been named Bundesliga Player of the
Season for his incredible campaign in season 2022/23.
• Councillor Chaman Lal, on 30 May 2023, become the first ever British-Indian Sikh to take oath as
Birmingham's Lord Mayor.
• India's young batter Shubman Gill accomplished a milestone by becoming the only cricketer in
history to score a century in Test, ODIs, T20I, and Indian Premier League in a calendar year.
• Nepali Sherpa climbs Mt Everest for record 27th time sets new record
• In a first of its kind for the state of Nagaland, two film personalities Ms. Kivini Shohe and Ms.
Andrea Kevichüsa, will be representing Nagaland at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, 2023.
• Alia Bhatt is the first Indian Global Ambassador of Gucci. She will make her appearance as their
ambassador at the Gucci Cruise 2024 show in Seoul.
• Indian professional mountaineer Arjun Vajpai, has become the first Indian man to summit Mt.
Annapurna 1, which is also the 10th highest mountain in the world.
• The Indian Air Force's first woman pilot to fly the Rafale fighter jet, Flight Lieutenant Shivangi
Singh is part of the IAF contingent taking part in the multinational exercise 'Orion' in France.
• Chris Messina, the man credited with inventing the hashtag, has announced that he is quitting
Twitter.
• Indian origin ‘Subby’ Subramaniam has been appointed as Warrant Officer of the United Kingdom
(UK’s) Royal Air Force in April 2023.
• New Zealand’s Kim Cotton, on 5 April 2023, became the 1st woman on-field umpire in a full-
member men’s T20I during New Zealand’s second match against Sri Lanka in Dunedin, New
Zealand.
• Anjali Sharma of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, in April 2023, became the first woman to
conquer Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa wearing Luanchari.
• Indian-American software and robotics engineer, Amit Kshatriya, was appointed as the first head
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA's) Moon to Mars Programme.
• As part of the ‘Drowning Prevention Awareness’ campaign, Indian Police Service (IPS) officer
Krishna Prakash swam from Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves, Mumbai.
• Indian-origin Sikh woman officer Lieutenant Manmeet Colon took charge as the Assistant Chief of
Police in the US state of Connecticut on 27 March 2023.
• Pakistani origin Humza Yousaf on 27 March 2023 won the race to become Scotland's new leader,
the youngest and first from a minority ethnicity.
• The Weeknd was named the most popular artist in the world according to Guinness World
Records on 22 March 2023.
• Indian team’s star hockey player Rani Rampal has become the first woman in the sport to have a
stadium named after her, in Rae Bareli.
• Swimmer Sampanna Ramesh Shelar has become the fastest Indian in under-21 group to swim
across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in Tamil Nadu on 17 March
2023.
• Surekha Yadav, Asia’s first woman loco pilot has become the first female to operate the newly-
introduced semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express train in March 2023.
• Colonel Geeta Rana of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers became the first
woman officer to take over command of an independent field workshop in the Ladakh Sector.
• Indian-American Arun Subramaniam has been confirmed as the first South Asian District Judge for
the Southern District of New York.
• Indian-American Nikki Haley has announced that she will make a bid for the White House.
• Smriti Mandhana secured the highest bid of Rs 3.4 crore at the first-ever Women’s Premier
League (WPL) 2023 auction in Mumbai on 13 February 2023.
• NASA has appointed veteran astronaut Joe Acaba as chief of the Astronaut Office at the agency's
Johnson Space Center in Houston in Feb 2023.
• Indian-American student Natasha Periyanayagam in February 2023, was named in the Johns
Hopkins Center for Talented Youth's list of "world's most talented" students for the second year in
a row.
• Indian-American Dr. Ami Bera has been appointed as a member of the US House committee
handling intelligence-related matters.
• Indian-American US Representative Pramila Jayapal has been named Ranking Member of the
House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity in January 2023.
• Indian-American astronaut Raja Chari has been nominated by US president Joe Biden for the post
of Air Force brigadier general in Jan 2023.
• Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian to bag an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her movie
"The 'Everything Everywhere All at Once", in January 2023.
• New Zealand's former COVID-19 response minister Chris Hipkins will replace Jacinda Ardern as
Prime Minister.
• Aruna Miller has become the first Indian-American politician to be sworn in as the Lieutenant
Governor in the state of Maryland, USA on 19 Jan 2023.
• Indian-American attorney, Janani Ramachandran has become the youngest and the first LGBTQ
woman of color to take oath as the Oakland City Council member in the US state of California on
17 January 2023.
• Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc announces his resignation
• R'Bonney Gabriel was named the winner of the 71st annual Miss Universe pageant on 15 January
2023.
• Indian cricketer Virat Kohli became the fifth-highest run-scorer in history of ODI cricket on 15
January 2023.
• Captain Surabhi Jakhmola, an officer of the 117 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army, has
become the first woman officer of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) to be posted on a foreign
project in January 2023.
• First female fighter pilot, squadron commander Avani Chaturvedi, participate in the inaugural air
exercise Veer Guardian 2023.
• India’s dairy giant Amul's Managing Director R S Sodhi resigned from the post on 9 January 2023.
• An Indian-American aerospace industry expert, AC Charania, has been appointed as NASA's new
chief technologist.
• Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh became the first female Sikh judge in the US in January
2023.
APPSC GROUP 2 CLASSES – SS Classes
SS CLASSES - APPSC
• Captain Shiva Chouhan became the first woman officer to get operationally deployed at Siachen,
the world's highest battlefield.
• Lula da Silva sworn in as the President of Brazil for the 3rd time
Organized /Led
Summit Venue Objectives
by
Group of Seven Japanese Prime The summit will address global challenges such
Hiroshima,
(G7) summit Minister Fumio as nuclear war, climate change, and global
Japan
2023 Kishida health
International
New
Global Buddhist Buddhist Theme: Responses to Contemporary
Delhi,
Summit 2023 Confederation Challenges from Philosophy to Praxis
India
(IBC)
UN
UN 2023 Water To accelerate the progress on water
United Nations Headquarters,
Conference related goals and targets worldwide.
New York, USA
Organized /Led
Summit Venue Objectives
by
Responsible Use of
Diplomatic conference held in 2023
Artificial intelligence in
— Netherlands regarding military uses of artificial
the Military 2023
intelligence.
(REAIM 2023) Summit
IGC-5 of Biodiversity United Nations New York Discuss the conservation and
Beyond National sustainable use of marine biological
1st Global Union Ministry of To attract global investment into the Indian tourism
Tourism,India New
Tourism and hospitality sector along with investments in
Delhi,
Investors tourism infrastructure, technology, skill development,
INTERNATIONAL
Nusrat Jahan Choudhury confirmed as the first Muslim woman to become a federal judge.
The US Senate confirmed former American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer Nusrat Jahan Choudhury as the first
Muslim woman to serve as a federal judge in June 2023.
Indian military contingent participated in the multinational joint exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” in Mongolia.
The multinational peacekeeping joint exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” with the participation of military contingents
and observers from more than 20 countries began in Mongolia on 19th June 2023.
India’s Resolution for Memorial Wall Honouring Fallen Peacekeepers Adopted by UN General Assembly
The Resolution received 190 co-sponsorships, highlighting faith in India’s contributions. India’s Permanent
Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, introduced the draft resolution, which was adopted by
consensus.
India Sri Lanka Defence Symposium cum Exhibition was held at Taj Samudra in Colombo.
The objective of the event is to promote a stable and peaceful Indian Ocean region, which is in line with India’s vision
of security and development for all in the region. The symposium seeks to identify areas of cooperation for economic
revival while strengthening the capacity building of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The UAE will host the world’s largest conservation conference in 2025.
The 2025 WCC will be held in Abu Dhabi from October 10-21, 2025. The event will be an opportunity for
conservationists from around the world to come together and discuss the most pressing environmental challenges
facing our planet.
Celeste Saulo of Argentina became the first female leader of the World Meteorological Organisation.
Saulo won a landslide victory at the Congress of the United Nations Climate and Weather Agency in Geneva. Saulo
has served as director of Argentina’s National Meteorological Service since 2014.
Dr. Abdullah Al Mandous, a meteorologist from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been elected as the new
President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a four-year term from 2023 to 2027.
Dubai successfully tests drug delivery via drones, paving the way for advanced technologies in healthcare.
Dubai, in collaboration with Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Emirati
smart mobility company Bark Air, completed the groundbreaking trial of a 10-kilometer range.Drones operated by
Fakih University Hospital deliver medicine from the hospital to a patient’s home in Cedre Vila, demonstrating the
city’s potential in using drone technology for medical delivery.
India’s public sector Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam will develop Arun-4, the second hydroelectric project in Nepal.
SJVN is currently developing a run-of-river 900-MW Arun-III hydroelectric project located on the Arun River in eastern
Nepal, scheduled for completion in 2024.
CAG of India Girish Chandra Murmu Re-elected as External Auditor of WHO for Second Term
Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), has been re-elected as the External
Auditor of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027.
The 3rd Forum on India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC Summit), which was held in Port Moresby on 22 May, was
jointly organized with Papua New Guinea.
India launched ‘Operation Karuna’ to assist Myanmar devastated by Cyclone Mocha. Three Indian Navy ships carrying
relief material reached Yangon on 18 May and the fourth ship arrived on 19 May.
The 29th edition of CABSAT was held at the Dubai World Trade Center.
ABSAT 2023, the leading exhibition for content creation, production, distribution, digital media, satellite
communications and space technology, which opened on 16th May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, attracted
industry leaders with a significant Indian presence.
The G7 is an influential international forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom,
and the United States.The G7 aims to discuss and coordinate policies on global economic growth, security, and other
pressing challenges.
First ministerial meeting of the India-EU Business and Technology Council will be held in Brussels.
The two sides established three working groups under the Council. These are the Working Group on Strategic
Technologies, Digital Governance, and Digital Connectivity, the Working Group on Green and Clean Energy
Technologies, and the Working Group on Trade, Investment, and Resilient Value Chains.
D-Eight is an organization for development cooperation between Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia,
Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
Border Haat between India and Bangladesh was inaugurated at Bholaganj in Sylhet.
Border Haat may be small in terms of the volume of trade but they contribute immensely in bonding of people on
both sides of border, knowledge sharing and deepening people-to-people connectivity which is an essential building
block in cementing ties between the two neighbouring countries.
APPSC GROUP 2 CLASSES – SS Classes
SS CLASSES - APPSC
King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey in a quintessentially British display of pomp and pageantry.The
coronation will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour in France
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit France on 14th of July as the Guest of Honour for the Bastille Day
Parade in Paris. The visit is to mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, and an Indian
armed forces contingent will participate in the Parade alongside their French counterparts.
The UAE Government launched the ‘Machines Can See 2023’ summit. It is one of the leading international
conferences in Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the region, taking place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai in
partnership between the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office and the
‘Machines Can See’ company.
Ministry of Tourism is participating in the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2023 being held in Dubai.
The Indian Pavilion will showcase India’s rich cultural and natural heritage including UNESCO World Heritage Sites,
Wildlife Sanctuaries and Spiritual Heritage Sites.
Santiago Peña of Paraguay’s ruling conservative Colorado party won the presidential election.
Santiago Peña, an economist and member of Paraguay’s ruling conservative Colorado Party, has won the country’s
presidential election.
The fair is recognized as the premier platform for sourcing apparel, fashion fabrics, prints, clothing accessories, home
textiles, footwear and more in the UAE.
Dubai-based airline Emirates unveiled the world’s first robotic check-in assistant.
Dubai-based airline Emirates has launched the world’s first robotic check-in assistant named Sara.The robot is
equipped with facial recognition technology and can print boarding passes to make the check-in process more
efficient. Sara is also portable and can move around to help those in need. Sources reveal that future iterations of the
Sarah will also have weapons that can carry goods.
7th edition of the joint military exercise “Ajeya Warrior-23” is being conducted between India and United
Kingdom.
The 7th edition of joint military exercise “AJEYA WARRIOR-23” between India and United Kingdom (England) is being
conducted from 27 April to 11 May 2023 at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom.
India Pavilion was inaugurated at the Global Education and Training Exhibition in Dubai.
India Pavilion at GETEX 2023 being held from 26-28 April 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE.
Mohammed Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on 24th April, 2023.The oath of office
was administered by Parliament Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury in a ceremony at Bangabhaban.
India has surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation with 1.4286 billion people, according to the
United Nations data.Population growth is influenced by factors such as fertility rates, increasing longevity, and
international migration.
The theme of the summit is Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis. The summit will be
attended by eminent scholars, Sangha leaders, and Dharma practitioners from all over the world.
Dr S Jaishankar virtually inaugurated the Buzi Bridge, which is a part of the 132 km Tica-Buzi-Nova-Sofala Road
project built by India.
India elected as member of key UN bodies including Statistical Commission and Commission on Narcotic Drugs
India has been elected as a member of the UN Statistical Commission, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and the
Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS by the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC
of the United Nations.India aims to make its due contributions in these bodies and others in the spirit of advancing
multilateral solutions to global challenges, guided by the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘The World is
One Family’.
Reid Wiseman will be the mission commander, Victor Glover will be the mission pilot, and Christina Koch and Jeremy
Hansen will serve as mission specialists.Christina Koch and Victor Glover will make history as the first woman and first
black person to go to the vicinity of the Moon.
The current president of the World Bank Group is Ajay Banga. He was selected on May 3, 2023, and began his five-
year term on June 2, 2023. Banga is an Indian-American businessman who previously served as the president and
CEO of Mastercard. He is the first person of Indian origin to lead the World Bank Group.
Elevate is a pitching series organized by the Consulate General of India in Dubai, providing a platform for startups to
connect with investors and global counterparts.
High Commissioner Pranay Verma and Bangladesh Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni jointly inaugurated the Indian
Higher Education Meet 2023 on 18 March. It was organized under the aegis of the Study in India program in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.
Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav was elected the third Vice President of Nepal.
Yadav defeated Astalakshmi Shakya of the CPN (UML) and Mamata Jha of the Janmat Party. He was supported by the
ruling coalition, including the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), and the CPN (Unified Socialist).
Ram Chandra Poudel has been elected the third President of Nepal.
The president is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of the federal parliament (House of
Representatives and the National Assembly) and provincial assemblies.
China’s parliament also elected Zhao Lejie as the new parliament speaker and Han Zheng as the new vice speaker.
Vietnam’s National Assembly on 2nd March elected Communist Party veteran Vo Van Thuong as the country’s new
president.
Bola Tinubu has been associated with the ‘All Progressive Congress Party’ from which he has been winning elections.
Dr. Balakrishnan has been cited “for his fundamental contributions to wired and wireless networking, mobile sensing,
and distributed systems”.
The Marconi Prize is a top honor for computer scientists and is awarded by the US-based Marconi Foundation. It is
given to those who have “made a significant contribution to enhancing digital inclusion through advanced
information and communication technology.”
India, Guyana sign Air Services Agreement to allow easier travel between the nations
The Air Services Agreement shall enter into force after diplomatic exchanges between the two Parties confirming
that each Party has completed the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement.
Cross-border payment connectivity was started between the two countries by connecting India’s UPI Unified
Payments Interface & Singapore’s PayNow.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s mobile-based rapid payment system, which provides instant payment
facility round the clock using Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by customers. This eliminates the risk of the
remitter sharing the bank account details. UPI supports both Person-to-Person (P2P) and Person-to-Merchant (P2M)
payments and it also enables a user to send or receive money.
India as Chair of the G-20 will host the Permanent Mission Roundtables at the UN Headquarters.
India as the Chair of the G-20 will host the Permanent Mission Roundtable at the United Nations Headquarters ahead
of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit in New York in 2023.A roundtable titled ‘Gandhian Trusteeship :
A Panel Discussion on Sustainable Lifestyles and Enduring Pace’ organized on 23rd February 2023.
The government of Bangladesh has requested India to supply 100 electric buses for use in Dhaka and Chattogram this
year, says Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. The request was made when Deputy High
Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Dr. Binoy Geogre met Minister Obaidul Quader at his office on Sunday.
Prominent Indian-American politician Nikki Haley has announced her candidacy for the US presidency.
she has become the first Republican to challenge former US President Donald Trump to become his party’s candidate
for the White House in 2024.The next US presidential election will be held on 5 November 2024.
The 12th World Hindi Conference is being organised in Fiji from 15 to 17 February 2023 by the Ministry of External
Affairs, Government of India in association with the Government of Fiji.The Theme “Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to
Artificial Intelligence”.During the conference, Hindi scholars from India and other countries honored with the “Vishwa
Hindi Samman” for their exceptional contribution to the Hindi language.
The ruling Awami League nominated retired judge, anti-corruption commission commissioner and freedom fighter
Mohammad Shahabuddin. No other party or individual filed nomination for the post.
Nikos Christodoulides, the former Foreign Minister of Cyprus, has been elected as the country’s next president. He
won the election with 52% of the votes, defeating seasoned diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis who received 48% of
the votes.
India will be the theme country of the 2025 Madrid International Book Fair.
Spain is the theme country for the 46th International Kolkata Book Fair in January 2023.he Madrid International Book
Fair is an annual event held in the Buen Retiro Park in Madrid.
Former NATO General Petr Pavel becomes new President of Czech Republic
Like India, the President of the Czech Republic does not have a direct or active role in running the country, yet he
chooses the prime minister and head of the central bank, is consulted on foreign policy, and influences government
policies.
Egypt to allot land to Indian industries in Suez Canal Special Economic Zone.
The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway running north to south from the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt to connect
the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. This canal separates the continent of Africa & Asia. It provides the shortest
sea route between Europe and the lands surrounding the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. The Suez Canal is one
of the busiest trade routes in the world. About 12% of the world’s total trade passes through this canal daily.
UNESCO dedicated In year 2023 International Day of Education to Afghan girls and women.
UNESCO has decided to dedicate 24 January 2024, as the International Day of Education for Afghan Girls and Women.
India and South Korea held the 5th Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue in Seoul.
During the two-day talks that ended on January 17, the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including
trade and investment, security and defence, science and technology as well as cultural and people-to-people
exchanges.
Italian man Michele Centella sets Guinness World Record by creating ‘mirror typing’ books in ancient languages.
He reverse-typed the Bible, the Code of Hammurabi, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Book of the Dead from ancient Egypt,
the writings of Leonardo da Vinci. He has reverse typed all the four Indian Vedas and compiled them in a single book.
Makki’s name was first heard in India when the country was rocked by dreaded attacks like 26/11. Makki was a
mastermind of these attacks. In these attacks, Makki had prepared a complete plan to terrorize Mumbai with the
help of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. It was told by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2022 that 74-year-old
Makki has been involved in terrorist attacks in India since 2006.
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is being held in Davos, Switzerland.
The theme for the year in 2023 WEF meeting is ‘Cooperation in a Fragmented World’.The meeting will bring together
experts, academics, investors, political and business leaders to brainstorm solutions to the world’s complex
problems.
Amanda Dudamel Newman of Venezuela, R Bonnie Gabriel of US and Andrea Martinez of Dominican Republic made
it to the list of top 3 contestants.
Indian-American AC Charania has been appointed as the new chief technologist of NASA and will serve as principal
advisor to Administrator Bill Nelson on technology policy and programs at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
Singapore and South Korea are joint second in the ranking, followed by Germany and Spain and then several other
European nations. India is at 85th position in the ranking.An Indian passport holder can travel visa-free to 59
countries, although in 2022 the number was 60.
Indian-origin Manpreet Monika Singh became the first female Sikh judge in America.
Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh has been sworn in as a Harris County judge, becoming the first female Sikh
judge in the US.she has been involved in several civil rights organizations at the local, state and national levels.
China has become the 1st country in Asia and the 2nd country in the world to launch hydrogen-powered urban
trains.Germany was the first country to introduce hydrogen powered trains in September 2022.
Fuel cells have been installed in this train, which generate energy by mixing hydrogen with oxygen and in return only
water and steam are emitted. This eco-friendly train can travel up to 1000 kilometers in one go and its maximum
speed is 140 km/h.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has been named ‘Person of the Year’ 2022 by Time magazine.
Zelensky shares the 2022 title with “the spirit of Ukraine,” which Felsenthal said was embodied by the “countless
individuals inside and outside the country” who fought behind the scenes, including everyday people such as chefs
and surgeons.