Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 1st September 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
National Nutrition Week
- National Nutrition Week is observed every year from 1st September to 7th September since 1982 and can be considered a significant period to raise awareness on the therapeutic effects of foods.
National Nutrition Month
- The month of Septemeber will be observed as ‘Nutrition Month’ in the entire nation.
World Coconut Day
- World Coconut Day is celebrated on September 2 every year. The day is celebrated to create awareness about the benefits of coconut.
- This year the theme of World Coconut Day 2020 is – “Invest in Coconut to save the world”.
International Day of Charity
- The International Day of Charity is an international day observed annually on 5 September.
- It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in
National Teacher’s day
- Teachers’ Day in India is celebrated on 5 September every year to mark the birth anniversary of India’s second President Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
PM Modi inaugurates college, administration buildings of Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated college and administration buildings of the Rani Lakshmi Bai (RLB) Central Agricultural University in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi through video conferencing.
Rs 601.12 crore annual action plan approved for PMKSY in J&K
- An amount of Rs 601,12 crore annual plan has been approved for Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the year 2020-21, an official spokesman stated .
DEA holds Sustainable Finance Collaborative consultation with UNDP
- Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme India launched the Sustainable Finance Collaborative on 26th August 2020.
Coal India to invest over Rs 1.22 lakh crore on 500 projects by 2023-24
- Coal India Ltd (CIL) will invest over 22 lakh crore rupees on development of nearly 500 projects related to coal evacuation, infrastructure, project development, exploration and clean coal technologies in the country. The investment aims at making India self-reliant in terms of coal and achieve the production target of 1 billion tonnes by 2023-2024.
Indian power market goes green with launch of pan-India GTAM in electricity
- Indian power market has gone green with the launch of pan-India Green Term Ahead Market (GTAM) in electricity.
Dept. of Fertilizers to observe Swachhta Pakhwada from 1st to 15th September
- The Department of Fertilizers is observing Swachhta Pakhwada from 1st to 15th September. All Public Sector Undertakings and other Organisations under the Department are participating in the Swachhta Abhiyan.
MoD sets up a committee to review the AFHQ CS cadre
- To enhance the military’s combat potential and rebalancing the defence expenditure, a three member committee has been set up by the Ministry of Defence.
Cabinet Approves Mission Karmayogi – National Programme For Civil Services Capacity Building
- The Union Cabinet approved Centre’s Mission Karmayogi for Civil Servants aimed at bringing post-recruitment reforms in government.
Ladakh, Lakshadweep join Centre’s ration card portability scheme
- Ladakh and Lakshadweep have the joined the Centre’s ration card portability scheme ‘One Nation-One Ration Card’, taking the total number of states and Union territories linked with the scheme to 26.
Qutub Minar illuminated in red and white to mark Poland’s Solidarity movement
- Embassy of Poland and Polish Institute in Delhi illuminated Qutub Minar in Poland’s national colours, white and red, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the creation of Poland’s Solidarity movement.
Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Japan for improving quality of Indian textiles for Japanese market
- Cabinet has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between India and Japan for improving quality and testing of Indian textiles and clothing for the Japanese market.
Govt. gives nod to 27 integrated cold chain development projects under PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana
- Government gave its nod to 27 projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana for development of integrated cold chains and value addition infrastructure in the country.
In 2019, a person died by suicide every four minutes: NCRB data
- Last year, 139,123 people died by suicide and 421,104 were killed in accidents in India, according to the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India report for 2019 released by the National Crime Records Bureau. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of people dying in accidents increased by 2.3% while for suicides, this number was 3.4%.
India received 4th highest rainfall in 120 yrs in August 2020: IMD
- India recorded 27% more rainfall than normal in August 2020, the fourth-highest amount in the last 120 years, the India Meteorological Department (IMD)
Shri Arjun Munda inaugurates ‘2 Days’ National Tribal Research Conclave’ being held virtually
- Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Arjun Munda has stated that the Ministry of Tribal affairs is funding 26 Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) for research under Grant to TRIs and is engaged in quality research in collaboration with reputed Government and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) spread over the country. National Institute for Tribal research is being set up in partnership with IIPA at the IIPA premises in Delhi, the Minister stated.
Cabinet Approves Bill To Include Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi As Official Languages In J&K
- The Union Cabinet approved a bill under which Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi, apart from the existing Urdu and English, will be the official languages in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thaawarchand Gehlot to launch 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline ‘KIRAN’
- Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot will launch the 24×7 Toll-Free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline “KIRAN”. The helpline number is 1800-500-0019. This Helpline has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to provide relief and support to persons with Mental Illness.
3rd Rashtriya Poshan Maah being celebrated this month to address malnutrition among young children and women
- The 3rd Rashtriya Poshan Maah is being celebrated this month to address malnutrition among young children and women. The objective of the Poshan Maah is to encourage Jan Bhagidaari to ensure health and nutrition for everyone.
Prakash Javadekar to chair a webinar on first ever International Day of Clean Air For Blue Skies
- Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar will chair a webinar on the first-ever International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Mr Javadekar will also review the progress of activities under the National Clean Air programme (NCAP) during the course of the webinar.
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United Nations Development Programme:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Head: Achim Steiner
Coal India Ltd:
- CEO: Anil Kumar Jha
- Headquarters: Kolkata
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy:
- Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- Constituency: Arrah
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers:
- V. Sadananda Gowda, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency : Bangalore North
- Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Minister of State
Ladakh
- Lieutenant Governor: Radha Krishna Mathur
- Capital: Leh, Kargil
Lakshadweep
- Capital: Kavaratti
- Administrator: Dineshwar Sharma IPS
Poland
- Capital: Warsaw
- Currency: Polish złoty
Japan:
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
NCRB:
- Director: Ramphal Pawar, IPS
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Indian Meteorological Department:
- Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology
- Head Quarters : New Delhi
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
- Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Madhya Pradesh
- Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State
Ministry of Women and Child Development:
- Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Amethi
- Debasree Chaudhuri, Minister of State
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
New e-market platform launched to bridge gap between Indian farmers and UAE food industry
- The UAE has launched Agriota, a new technology-driven agri-commodity trading and sourcing e-market platform that will bridge the gap between millions of rural farmers in India and the Gulf nation’s food industry.
Israeli Airliner Completes First Direct Flight to Arab Emirates
- A chartered El Al airliner carrying Israeli and American diplomats landed in the United Arab Emirates, completing a symbolic first direct flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi.
India to receive development assistance loan worth Rs 3,500 Cr from Japan to fight COVID-19
- Japan has committed an official Development Assistance loan of 3 thousand 500 crore rupees for the COVID-19 Crisis Emergency Response Support.
Togo first in Africa to end sleeping sickness
- Togo has become the first country in Africa to eliminate human African Trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, a disease caused by parasites transmitted through infected tsetse flies. The World Health Organization (WHO) August 27, 2020 certified so, after the country applied for it in 2018.
China to unveil statue of Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis, the most celebrated Indian doctor in China
- China is set to unveil a bronze statue of Indian doctor Dwarkanath Kotnis, one of five Indian physicians dispatched to China for medical assistance during the second Sino-Japanese war in 1938.
India, Australia and Japan to launch resilient supply chains for Indo-Pacific
- India, Australia and Japan agreed to launch an initiative to ensure the resilience of supply chains in the Indo-Pacific, with the move coming against the backdrop of tensions created by China’s aggressive actions across the region.
Google partners with Bangladesh for flood forecasting
- Google has partnered with Bangladesh Water Development Board to bring the flood warning services to the country. Google stated that it currently covers more than 40 million people in Bangladesh and it is working to expand its coverage to the whole of the country.
Donald Trump announces Wilmington as first World War II Heritage City
- US President Donald Trump announced Wilmington in southern US state North Carolina as the first World War II Heritage City at a ceremony held to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
G20 Foreign Ministers’ Extraordinary Meeting (Virtual) on Strengthening International Cooperation Across Borders
- The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Extraordinary Meeting was convened by the current G20 Chair, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Highness Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud, chaired the meeting. EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar represented India.
UNEP launches “Green Nudges” programme for universities
- The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched a new publication, “The Little Book of Green Nudges”, which aims to inspire up to 200 million students around the globe to adopt environmentally friendly habits and greener lifestyles.
Rajnath Singh to represent India at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Moscow
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Russia, visited the Main Cathedral of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Museum Complex in Moscow.
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UAE
- President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Capital: Abu Dhabi
- Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham
Israel
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Currency: Israeli Shekel
Japan:
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
Togo:
- Capital: Lome
- Currency: West African CFA franc
China
- Capital: Beijing
- President: Xi Jinping
- Currency: Renminbi
Bangladesh:
- Capital : Dhaka
- Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
- Currency: Bangladeshi taka
UNEP
- Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya
- Head: Inger Andersen
Russia:
- President: Vladimir Putin
- Capital: Moscow
- Currency: Russian Rouble
- Prime minister: Mikhail Mishustin
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
ICICI Bank launches virtual property exhibition
- Private sector lender ICICI Bank, launched a virtual property exhibition that digitally showcases real estate projects from key cities across the country.
- Called Home Utsav, the exhibition is available for everyone, including ICICI Bank’s customers, and those who are not customers of the bank.
GDP decline for full FY21 seen at around 10.9%, up from earlier estimate of 6.8%: SBI’s Ecowrap
- With first quarter (Q1) gross domestic product (GDP) contraction of 9 per cent revealing a deeper economic malaise, State Bank of India’s Economic Research Department has now estimated that the decline in FY21 growth will likely be in double-digits, around 10.9 per cent, against the previous estimate of 6.8 per cent.
RBI announces more measures to foster orderly market conditions
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct additional special open market operations involving the simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities for Rs 20,000 crore in two tranches of Rs 10,000 crore each.
India’s GDP contracts by 23.9% in April-June quarter
- As per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the April-June quarter (Q1) slipped by a sharp 9 per cent.
European Investment Bank to invest 650 million euros into Kanpur city metro rail
- The European Investment Bank (EIB) has decided to invest 650 million euros into the construction of Kanpur’s first city metro line.
Federal Bank & Innoviti Tie-Up To Extend Affordability In Times Of COVID Crisis Through Debit Card EMI On POS Terminals
- Federal Bank and Innoviti Payment Solutions announced their partnership to provide convenient and affordable options of Federal Bank Debit Cards through Innoviti POS terminals.
Irdai sets up panel to study index-linked products for life insurance companies
- Insurance regulator Irdai constituted a six-member working group to examine various aspects for allowing life insurance companies to offer index-linked products.
RBL Bank launches cardless cash withdrawal facility through ATMs
- RBL Bank has launched cardless cash withdrawal facility from ATMs, leveraging the Instant Money Transfer (IMT) system.
- It has tied-up with Empays Payment Systems, a global financial technology provider, to offer this service.
PayPal & DSCI report on ‘Fraud & Risk Management in Digital Payments’
- Data Security Council of India and PayPal India, released a study report on Fraud & Risk Management in Digital Payments by Lt. Gen (Dr) Rajesh Pant, National Cyber Security Coordinator, GoI in the presence of K. Rajaraman, Addl. Secretary, Dept. of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
LazyPay launches LazyUPI digital credit card
- LazyPay has launched a digital credit card that combines the power of UPI and the Buy-Now-Pay-Later, Called LazyUPI.
RBI revises PSL guidelines; Bank loans to start-ups to get priority sector tag
- Reserve Bank of India has revised Priority Sector Lending guidelines. RBI stated the move is aimed at addressing regional disparities in the flow of priority sector credit. In the revised guidelines, higher weightage have been assigned to incremental priority sector credit in identified districts where priority sector credit flow is comparatively low.
Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ceased to Be Banking Company: RBI
- Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank has ceased to be a banking company within the meaning of the Banking Regulation Act, the Reserve Bank stated.
Srei Equipment Finance bags €10-m loan from KfW IPEX-Bank
- Srei Equipment Finance has bagged a €10-million (about Rs.87 crore) loan from KfW IPEX-Bank to facilitate German exports to India. The financing is backed by cover from Euler Hermes.
WE HUB, NutriHub partner to aid women entrepreneurs in agri business
- WE HUB, an incubator to foster and promote women entrepreneurship, has announced its partnership with NutriHub, a first of its kind incubator to cater start-ups needs in the Nutricereals sector.
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ICICI Bank:
- CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters: Mumbai
European Investment Bank (EIB):
- Headquarters : Luxembourg, Luxembourg
- President: Werner Hoyer
Innoviti Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd
- Registered office: Bangalore, Karnataka
- Chief Executive Officer(CEO): Rajeev Agrawal
Federal Bank
- Headquarters: Aluva, Kerala
- MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan
IRDAI
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
RBL Bank
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- MD & CEO: Vishwavir Ahuja
Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Formation– 1 April 1935
- Governor– Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed).
Aditya Birla Payments Bank:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, India
- Dev Bhattacharya: (Non-Executive Director)
- Sudhakar Ramasubramanian :(MD & CEO)
Srei Equipment Finance Limited:
- Hemant Kanoria: Chairman
- Head quarters : kolkata
KfW IPEX-Bank:
- Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany
- CEO: Klaus R. Michalak
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
L&T bags significant contract from Defence Ministry
- Larsen & Toubro (L&T) stated its defence arm secured a significant contract from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for supplying four regiments of Pinaka Weapon Systems.
Tata Power Signs a PPA With Tata Motors To Commission India’s Largest Carport At Pune
- Tata Power, India’s largest integrated power utility has achieved a new milestone by signing a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tata Motors to commission India’s largest Carport. With 2 MWp capacity, the project is expected to reduce 1.6 lakhs ton of carbon emission for Tata Motors in its life time.
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Tata Power:
- CEO: Praveer Sinha
- Headquarters: Mumbai
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
First newspaper for kids ‘The Young Minds’ launched in Assam
- The newspaper named ‘The Young Minds’ is the brainchild of Neelam Sethia and Neha Bajaj ,two Guwahati-based women entrepreneurs have launched a newspaper specifically designed for kids.
- The Young Minds, reportedly, will cater to kids of 4-14 years of age.
Karnataka CM flags off RO-RO train service between Bengaluru and Solapur
- Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa flagged off Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO-RO) train between Bengaluru (Nelamangala) to Solapur (Maharashtra) through video conferencing. CM Yediyurappa flagged off the RO-RO train from Nelamagala station on the outskirts of Bengaluru at 9.15 am.
51st IFFI to be held in Goa from Nov 20
- Fifty first International Film Festival of India IFFI will be held in Goa, from November 20th to 28th. This film festival being a hybrid film festival due to Covid 19, would screen films on official digital platform along with the theatrical screenings.
AP Govt to launch two schemes for pregnant women on September 1
- Andhra Padesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will launch two new schemes for pregnant women.
- The schemes, YSR Sampoorna Poshana and YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus, to be launched on September 1, 2020 aim at providing nutritious food for pregnant women and lactating mothers along with children.
Naveen Patnaik launches citizen-centric apps
- Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched mobile App ‘AMA SAHAR’ and ‘SWACHHA SAHAR ODISHA’ web app to provide citizen centric services.
Madhya Pradesh govt launches campaign ‘Gandagi Bharat Chhodo’
- In Madhya Pradesh, a massive ‘Gandagi Bharat Chhodo’ campaign was launched by the State Government. Urban Development and Housing Minister Bhupendra Singh stated that this campaign has been given the shape of a mass movement.
UP govt decides to set up exclusive anti-electricity theft police stations in every district
- Uttar Pradesh government has decided to set up exclusive anti-electricity theft police stations in every district of state to address the problem of frequent cases of power theft.
MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Technology Centre at Bhiwadi in Rajasthan
- Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Technology Centre at Bhiwadi in Alwar District of Rajasthan through video conferencing.
AP to set up crop insurance firm
- Andhra Pradesh, which is among the few States that have chosen to have their own crop insurance schemes, is in the process of establishing AP General Insurance Company (APGIC) to run the scheme.
Uttar Pradesh to create Udyog Bandhu-like body for farmers
- Uttar Pradesh (UP) is all set to create a dedicated body, on the lines of Udyog Bandhu, to assist enterprising farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in investing in projects for post-harvest infrastructure management and community farming assets with the help of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) that the Centre had announced in August, sources revealed.
SIDBI, Maharashtra Govt ink pact to develop MSME ecosystem
- Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra Government to develop the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ecosystem in the state.
Festival Pang Lhabsol Celebrated In Sikkim
- Pang Lhabsol is one of the most historically significant festivals celebrated in Sikkim.
- Pang Lhabsol is a unique festival of Sikkim and commemorates the consecration of Mount Khangchendzonga as the guardian deity of Sikkim.
In first-ever digital initiative, Bihar police set up voice recording system to transcribe case diaries
- The police in Bihar’s Arwal district have started writing case diaries through an automated transcription systemin stations in the district.
Andhra Pradesh signs MoU with CSIR for a bulk drug pharma park in the state
- Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC) signed an MoU with CSIR-IICT, a premier R & D institute in the country to to set up a bulk drug pharma park in the state of with the Centre’s support.
Tripura receives first ever inland shipping cargo from Bangladesh
- The Daukandi (Bangladesh) – Sonamura (Tripura) Inland Waterway Protocol route was operationalised marking a milestone in India-Bangladesh relations.
SVP Group inks MoU with Rajasthan govt to invest Rs 4,000 cr in aviation, textile sectors
- The Rajasthan government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ShriVallabh Pittie (SVP) International Group for development of facilities related to aviation, defence and textile sectors.
J-K LG Launches SPARROW System For J-K Administrative Service Officers
- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched Smart Performance Appraisal Report Recording Online Window (SPARROW) system for Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officers, at Raj Bhavan.
Assam govt re-launches SVAYEM scheme to provide self-employment to around 2 lakh youths
- The Assam government re-launched a scheme to provide self-employment to around 2 lakh youths of the state. Known as Swami Vivekananda Assam Youth Empowerment (SVAYEM), it would provide 50 thousand rupees each as seed money to selected youths to start business ventures.
First-ever cannabis medicine project coming up in Jammu
- Union minister Jitendra Singh announced that the first ever cannabis medicine project will soon be set up at Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu with Canadian collaboration.
Tamil Nadu Govt constitutes 7- member panel to look into NEP-2020
- The Tamil Nadu Government has constituted a seven member panel to look into the National Education Policy-2020.
- The committee will be headed by the state education department principal secretary Dheeraj Kumar with six former vice chancellors as the members.
Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu selected as fully Digital Economy district
- Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, which houses a large number of small and medium enterprises, especially in the fire crackers and allied sectors, has been selected by the Central Government as the state’s first Fully Digital Economy district.
UP govt to allocate outlets under Public Distribution System to women SHGs
- In a major step towards self-reliance of the women in the state, Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to allocate outlets under Public Distribution System to women self-help groups. These are the outlets which are lying unattended in state. The move will expedite the food distribution to the needy hit by the pandemic.
Andhra Pradesh government signs MoUs with Netherlands, 7 firms on food processing, marketing
- The State government signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Netherlands government and seven companies in food processing, marketing and technologies, to benefit the horticulture and aquaculture farmers across the State.
Karnataka clears Rs 600 crore watershed project
- The Karnataka Cabinet approved a Rs 600 cr project – Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agriculture Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) – for the benefit of 20 taluks with low groundwater levels in Karnataka.
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Assam:
- Capital: Dispur
- Governor: Jagdish Mukhi
- Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP)
Karnataka:
- Capital: Bengaluru
- Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
- Governor: Vajubhai Vala
Andhra Pradesh:
- Capital: Amaravati
- Chief Minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
- Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
Odisha
- Capital: Bhubaneswar
- Governor: Ganeshi Lal
- Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik
Madhya Pradesh:
- Capital:Bhopal
- Governor: Anandiben Patel(additional charge)
- Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
UP:
- Capital: Lucknow
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
MSME:
- Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Minister of Shipping and the Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Jairam Gadkari
- Constituency: Nagpur, Maharashtra
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI):
- Chairman & Managing Director (CMD): Mohammad Mustafa
- Headquarter: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Maharashtra:
- Capital: Mumbai
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Chief Minister:Uddhav Bal Thackeray
Sikkim
- Capital: Gangtok
- Chief minister: Prem Singh Tamang
- Governor: Ganga Prasad
Bihar
- Governor: Phagu Chauhan
- Capital: Patna
- Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
CSIR-IICT
AP
- Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
- Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
Jammu and Kashmir
- Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Governor: Manoj Sinha
TN
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Adani Group buys 74% stake in Mumbai international airport
- The Adani Group has acquired 74% stake in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in
IndiGrid completes Rs 1,080 cr acquisition of GPTL Transmission project
- India Grid Trust (IndiGrid) has completed the acquisition of another transmission asset Gurgaon Palwal Transmission Ltd (GPTL) from Sterlite Power at an enterprise value of Rs 1,080 crore.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
Vedanta ties up with SBI for long-term syndicated loan of Rs 10,000 cr
- Vedanta Ltd has tied up with State Bank of India for a long-term syndicated loan facility worth Rs 10,000 crore.
C-CAMP inks pact with India Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre to nurture frugal innovations
- The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has signed a pact with the India Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre (ISIC) to jointly identify and nurture frugal innovations and make quality healthcare affordable and accessible.
WhatsApp partners Cyber Peace Foundation to drive cyber safety awareness
- Facebook-owned WhatsApp has partnered Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) to create awareness on cyber safety among students.
IIT Roorkee signs MoU with NIUA for building accessible, safe Indian cities
- National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee for collaboration in areas of universal design principles and inclusive development in the backdrop of ‘Building Accessible Safe Inclusive Indian Cities’ (BASIIC) program.
LEAF, AP Govt ink agreement with focus on food processing
- Integrated agri value-chain company – Lawrencedale Agro Processing India (LEAF) has entered into an agreement with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to expand the scope of food processing in the State.
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SBI
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 July 1955
Vedanta Limited
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- CEO: Sunil Duggal
Cyber Peace Foundation
- Headquarters: Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Founder: Vineet Kumar
Whatsapp
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance introduces customer service chatbot ‘LiGo’ on Google Assistant
- ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has introduced its customer service chatbot ‘LiGo’ on ‘Google Assistant’.
- This would enable the Company’s policyholders to have their queries addressed by simple voice commands such as “Ok Google, I want to speak to ICICI Prudential Life LiGo” or “May I talk to ICICI Prudential Life LiGo”.
Punjab launches ‘iRakhwali’ mobile app to save environment
- Punjab government has decided to induct common people as ‘Greenery Saviours’ to further strengthen its drive to preserve the environment in the state.
- The state Forest Department has announced to launch a dedicated app ‘iRakhwali’ in this regard.
Hyderabad based EFLU app ‘English Pro’ launched
- Union Minister for Education Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal launched a mobile application, ‘English Pro’, developed by the Hyderabad-based English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU).
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ICICI Prudential Life Insurance
- CEO: N. S. Kannan
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Punjab
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Chief minister: Amarinder Singh
- Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Reliance Industries to acquire Future Group’s retail business for Rs 24,713 crore
- Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries announced the acquisition of the retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing businesses of Kishore Biyani’s Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore. The acquisition was done through the company’s subsidiary Reliance Retail Ventures.
Infosys acquires US-based Kaleidoscope Innovation for $42 million
- Infosys acquires US-based product design and development firm, Kaleidoscope Innovation, for $42 million.
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Infosys:
- CEO: Salil Parekh
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Kiara Advani Becomes New Brand Ambassador For Myntra
- Flipkart-owned fashion e-commerce brand Myntra has signed up with Bollywood actress Kiara Advani as its brand ambassador.
Lebanese diplomat Mustapha Adib named Prime Minister
- Lebanon’s leaders have designated the country’s ambassador to Germany, Mustapha Adib, as the new premier.
ISL Side Chennaiyin FC Appoint Csaba Laszlo As Head Coach For 2020-21 Season
- Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC announced the appointment of experienced Csaba Laszlo as their head coach for the 2020-21 season.
Retired IAS Officer Utpal Kumar Singh Appointed Secretary In Lok Sabha
- Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Utpal Kumar Singh has been appointed as Secretary in Lok Sabha with effect from September 1. The appointment was approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on August 28.
Hemant Khatri takes over as CMD of Hindustan Shipyard
- Cmde Hemant Khatri (Retd) assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of state-owned defence shipbuilder, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd.
Central Board Of Direct Taxes Chairman Pramod Chandra Mody Gets 6-Month Extension
- Pramod Chandra Mody was given a six-month extension till February next year as the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
Aveek Sarkar elected new Press Trust of India chairman
- Aveek Sarkar, the Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of the Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, has been elected Chairman of Press Trust of India.
Justice Arun Kumar Mishra retires from Supreme Court
- Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, who took over as a Supreme Court judge back in the year 2014, retires from the apex court.
Tamil Nadu Appoints India’s First-ever Woman Ambulance Driver Under New Initiative by CM Palaniswami
- M Veeralakshmi was appointed driver of one of the newly launched ‘108’ ambulances and it is a ‘first’ in the country,woman was appointed as ambulance driver.
Former Bureaucrat Rajiv Kumar Takes Over As Election Commissioner
- Former bureaucrat Rajiv Kumar assumed charge as the new election commissioner.
- He takes the place vacated by Ashok Lavasa who joins the Asian Development Bank as vice president.
Vice Admiral S R Sarma assumes charge as Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy
- Vice Admiral S R Sarma assumed charge as the Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy.
K Padmakar to hold additional charge as CMD of Bharat Petroleum Corporation
- The government has given K Padmakar additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director of state-run oil refining and marketing company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
ITPO CMD L C Goyal gets one-year extension till Sep 1, 2021
- A one-year extension was given to L C Goyal as the Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and he will continue in the post till September 1, 2021.
Charu Sinha becomes first woman IG to lead CRPF in Kashmir
- IPS officer Charu Sinha has become the first woman commander to head the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) formation in the Kashmir Valley, officials stated .Sinha, a 1996-batch officer of the Telangana cadre, has been appointed as the Inspector General (IG) of CRPF’s Srinagar sector that oversees the deployment of the paramilitary forces’ battalions in Srinagar city of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
M V Raja Sekhar takes charge as Director (R&D) of BEL
- M V Raja Sekhar took charge as Director (R&D) of Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL).
RBI Approves appointment of Murali Ramakrishnan as MD, CEO of South Indian Bank
- Private sector lender South Indian Bank said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved appointment of Murali Ramakrishnan as its MD and CEO with effect from October 1. He will replace V G Mathew.
Krishnan appointed as MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has given its approval for the appointment of S Krishnan as Managing Director and CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank.
Govt approves restructuring of Railway Board, appoints first CEO in rail history
- The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) approved restructuring of Railway Board and appointed Vinod Kumar Yadav as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board.
Bureaucrat Kshatrapati Shivaji takes up India’s top statistical post
- The Government of India has appointed Kshatrapati Shivaji, a 1986-batch Maharashtra cadre IAS officer, as secretary in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) from September 1. The secretary at this ministry is, by design, known as the chief statistician of India.
Dr Neena Malhotra named India’s next envoy to Italy
- Diplomat Dr Neena Malhotra has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Italy, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
Shri Raj Kumar Srivastava appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Croatia
- Shri Raj Kumar Srivastava has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Croatia. He is presently Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India, Tokyo.
Sbotop ropes in Dwayne Bravo as brand ambassador
- Sbotop has announced its new partnership with Dwayne Bravo, as its brand ambassador.
- The brand inked a multi-year sponsorship deal with English Premier League club Leeds United as their principal club sponsor.
Bajaj Allianz Life ropes in Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassador
- Private life insurer, Bajaj Allianz Life has announced the appointment of Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana as its brand ambassador to promote its products and digital services across offline and online mediums.
SIAM elects Kenichi Ayukawa as new President
- The Executive Committee of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), elected Kenichi Ayukawa as its new President.
SEBI’s Manoj Kumar joins GIFT City’s regulatory body
- Manoj Kumar, Chief General Manager at SEBI, has moved to Gujarat International Finance Tech (GIFT) City. He has joined as an Executive Director (ED) with the International Finance Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), which regulates GIFT City institutions and exchange trading.
Australia appoints cricket icon Matthew Hayden as trade envoy to India
- The Australian government has appointed former cricketer Matthew Hayden and Indian-origin politician Lisa Singh as trade envoys for advancing business ties with India.
Rajiv Lall Resigns As Non-Executive Chairman Of IDFC First Bank
- Rajiv B Lall, non-executive chairman of IDFC First Bank, has resigned with immediate effect.
FADA appoints Vinkesh Gulati as its new President for 2020-22
- Auto dealer’s body The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations(FADA) has announced the appointment of Vinkesh Gulati as its 35th President for the period 2020-22.
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Tamil Nadu
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
Indian navy:
- Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS):Admiral Karambir Singh
- Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS):Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar
BPCL
ITPO
CRPF:
- Head quarters: New Delhi
- A P Maheshwari , IPS, Director General, CRPF
Bharat Electronics Limited:
- Headquarters:Bengaluru, Karnataka
- Chairman & MD: M V Gowtama
SIB
- Headquarters: Thrissur
- Tagline: Experience Next Generation Banking
Punjab & Sind Bank
- HeadQuarters: NewDelhi, India
- Tagline: Where Service is a Way of Life
Republic of Croatia
- Capital: Zagreb
- President: Zoran Milanović
- Currency: Croatian kuna
Bajaj Allianz Life
- CEO: Tapan Singhel
- Headquarters: Pune
Australia:
- Prime minister: Scott Morrison
- Capital: Canberra
- Currency: Australian dollar
IDFC First Bank
- CEO: V. Vaidyanathan
- Headquarters: Mumbai
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONORS
Hyderabad International Airport wins CII-GBC ‘National Energy Leader’ award
- The Hyderabad International Airport has won the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC) ‘National Energy Leader’ and ‘Excellent Energy Efficient Unit’ award.
Srinagar based govt school teacher selected for National Teachers Award 2020
- Roohi Sultana, a Kashmir based teacher, who uses ‘play way method’ to teach her students has been selected for National Teachers Award 2020 which she dedicated to her students and education department.
Air Force Sports Control Board conferred with ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020’
- Air Force Sports Control Board was conferred with ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020’ for the outstanding contribution in helping sportsperson to excel in their respective disciplines and implement robust sports welfare measures.
ABB India’s Factory To Be Awarded Green Factory Building Certification By IGBC
- ABB India has won a gold certification by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for its environmentally-friendly smart factory, becoming the first to be certified as a green building within the Nashik industrial area which houses about 10,000 factories across various industries.
NTPC wins National Management Games 2020
- Team NTPC Vallur from Tamil Nadu has overcome stiff challenge to emerge as winner at the recently concluded AIMA Chanakya (Business Simulation Game)National Management Games(NMG)2020, an all India competition for corporate. The victory was also significant since NTPC won the prestigious NMG for the first time in five years.
Agnikul Cosmos bags TiE50 Award
- IIT Madras-incubated Agnikul Cosmos, which provides a dedicated launch vehicle for smaller satellites at a lower cost, has been conferred with TiE50 award.
National Teachers’ Awards 2020: President Kovind confers awards to 47 teachers across India
- The national level awards are given on Teachers’ Day to celebrate the unique contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country and to honour those teachers who through their commitment have not only improved the quality of school education but also enriched the lives of their students.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Dr. Harsh Vardhan invites stakeholders in country and abroad to participate in formulating STIP 2020
- Union Minister for Science and Technology, Harsh Vardhan invited stakeholders and the public at large in the country and abroad to participate in formulating an evidence-driven, inclusive Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020).
NCPUL organises “World Urdu Conference” in New Delhi
- Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually addressed the inaugural session of the two days World Urdu Conference organised by National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language ( NCPUL ) in New Delhi.
17TH ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ Consultations held
- Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry & Railways and E. Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam co-chaired the 17th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers Consultations held virtually on 29th August 2020.
12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Senior Officials’ Meeting reviews progress made since Aug last year
- The 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation, MGC Senior Officials’ Meeting reviewed the progress in all areas of cooperation. MGC is an initiative by six countries – India and five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.
India to host summit of SCO council of heads of government on November 30
- India will host a summit of the council of heads of government of the SCO on November 30 with a focus on contributing to the trade and economic agenda of the influential grouping, a senior official in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated.
Prahlad Singh Patel virtually attends 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting
- Union Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel virtually attended 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’
- The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting was held through video conference under the Chairpersonship of the Russian Federation.
35th FAO Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC)
- The 35th Session of the Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific is being held virtually from 1-4 September 2020, on a videoconferencing platform, on an exceptional basis, in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health concerns.
3rd Annual Leadership Summit of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum
- PM Narendra Modi shall deliver the Special Key Note Address at the USISPF 3rd Annual Leadership Summit at, through video conference.
- 3rd Annual Leadership Summit of US-India Strategic Partnership Forum: Theme -The Theme of the 5 day Summit that began on the 31st of August is “US-India Navigating New Challenges”.
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Shanghai Cooperation Organisation:
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Secretary General: Vladimir Norov
MoCT
- Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism of India: Prahlad Singh Patel
- Constituency: Damoh, Madhya Pradesh
US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF):
- The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is a non-profit organization that works for the partnership between India and the U.S.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKINGS
India ranks in top 50 countries for 1st time in Global Innovation Index
- India ranked in the top 50 countries for the first time in the Global Innovation Index. India jumped four positions to rank at 48th since 2019. The index compiled by World Intellectual Property Index (WIPO) presented the latest global trends and annual innovation ranking for 131 countries.
Elon Musk is now the third richest person in the world
- Elon Musk’s net worth is now $115 billion, pushing him past Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the list of the world’s richest people, according to Bloomberg.
- The Tesla founder and CEO the third-richest person in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
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World Intellectual Property Organization:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Director-General: Francis Gurry
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Karan Johar writes his first children’s book ‘The Big Thoughts of Little Luv’
- The director Karan Johar had released his autobiography named An Unsuitable Boy back in 2017. Now, he has penned his first children’s book titled The Big Thoughts of Little Luv.
The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind by Ramachandra Guha
- Historian Ramachandra Guha will come out with a book on cricket in November, The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind will be co-published by HarperCollins India and William Collins UK.
Channing Tatum To Release First Children’s Book ‘The One And Only Sparkella’
- American actor Channing Tatumannounced the publication of his picture book ‘The One and Only Sparkella’ (Feiwel & Friends).
Pope Francis” new book to hit stands in December
- The book titled, “Let Us Dream” is a product of the numerous exchanges between Pope Francis and his biographer Austen Ivereigh, in the weeks following the coronavirus outbreak around the world.
Author Radha Nair on her book ‘Breaking The Cocoon @ 40’
- Radha Nair’s ‘Breaking The Cocoon @ 40’ is a delightful collection of select events from her life.
Mr Goonmeet Singh Chauhan’s New Book ‘Invertonomics’ Talks about Transforming India
- Invertonomics is a book of ideas presenting pragmatic models for solving chronic problems of the country arising from the spectrum of Social Inequality, Pollution, Gender disparity, and Decadent Rural Economy.
Two books on Ma Anand Sheela to be published later this year
- Two books on Sheela Birnstiel, popularly known as Ma Anand Sheela, are set to be pubslihed.
- One of the books is an authorised biography,Nothing To Loseby Manbeena Sandhu which will acquaint readers with the woman behind the strong persona. This will be published by Harper Collins, India in October.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Indian Railways develops remote-controlled medical trolley ‘MEDBOT’ to deliver food, medicines to COVID-19 patients
- Indian Railways has developed a remote-controlled medical trolley named ‘MEDBOT’ to help deliver food and medicines to COVID-19 patients.
IIT Bombay students launch AI-based alternative to CamScanner: AIR Scanner
- IIT Bombay, launched AIR Scanner, a free-of-cost document-scanning mobile application.
- The AI (Artificial Intelligence) based Reading Assistant and Document Scanner app is developed by Rohit Kumar Chaudhary and Kavin Agrawal, both students of IIT Bombay.
CSIR-CMERI develops World’s Largest Solar Tree
- CSIR-CMERI has developed the World’s Largest Solar Tree, which is installed at CSIR-CMERI Residential Colony,
Indian astronomers discover one of the farthest Star galaxies in universe
- Indian astronomers have discovered one of the farthest Star galaxies in the universe in a landmark achievement. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh stated it is a matter of pride that India’s first Multi-Wavelength Space Observatory ‘AstroSat’ has detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located 3 billion light-years away from Earth.
IIT Madras startup subsidiary launches nano textile coating to inactive Coronavirus
- A subsidiary of a tech startup incubated by IIT Madras has launched a nanotech coating for textiles that can inactivate the novel Coronavirus within five minutes of contact.
India bans PUBG, 117 other Chinese apps for ‘stealing, transmitting users’ data’ to servers outside India’
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.
SpiceJet launches portable ventilator SpiceOxy for patients with breathing issues
- SpiceJet introduced a portable ventilator for patients ‘SpiceOxy’, the compact ventilator was designed by engineers of SpiceJet Technic, a subsidiary of SpiceJet.
IIT Guwahati collaborates with university in Czech Republic for data protection project
- A team of researchers from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, is working towards developing indigenous algorithms that can protect the Nation’s digital data from cyber-attacks by advanced computers.
IIT Delhi incubated startup launches ‘‘Chakr DeCoV’’ to decontaminate N95 masks
- IIT Delhi incubated startup Chakr Innovation has launched ‘Chakr DeCoV’ to decontaminate N95 masks.
- Chakr DeCoV is built with an innovative decontamination mechanism, which utilises the high penetrability of Ozone gas for cleaning the pores of the N95 mask, ensuring complete decontamination of its intricate layers.
DIAT Develops Herbal Based Immunity Boosting Room Freshener ‘Healthy Air’
- Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), a Deemed to be University located near Khadakwasla, has developed herbal-based immunity-boosting room freshener product named “HealthyAir” to contain the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID19).
IISc researchers develop low-cost, on demand printing technique
- The researchers at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering in the Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Science have developed a low cost, on demand printing technique. This new technique replaces the nozzles of an inkjet printer with a mesh covered chemically treated nano wires that repel water.
CMERI Durgapur develops solar-powered sprayers for small, marginal farmers
- CMERI Durgapur has developed two solar-powered spray systems to help small and marginal farmers engage in site-specific irrigation to reduce water wastage.
IIT Guwahati Researchers Design Engineered Surfaces To Detect, Prevent COVID-19
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed methods to detect and prevent the novel coronavirus using bio-interface interactions between the virus and the surface spike protein.
IIT Bombay’s robotic submarine Matsya 6 finishes third in RoboSub competition
- A robotic submarine – Matsya 6 – designed by students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, won the third position in presentation at the global RoboSub competition held in California.
SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites, inches closer to faster internet
- SpaceX has successfully sent 60 Starlink internet satellites aboard the Falcon 9.
- The launch was Starlink’s first mission of the month. The Elon-musk owned space tech company has conducted sixteen missions this year.
China just launched a ‘reusable experimental spacecraft’ into orbit
- A report from Chinese state media’s Xinhua stated the launch was successful and that a Long March 2F rocket sent the spacecraft into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, but it provided no information about exact launch time or what technologies the spacecraft will test.
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Indian Railways
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairman: V K Yadav
CSIR- CMERI
- Director: Harish Hirani
- Headquarters: Durgapur, West Bengal
MEITY
- Union Minister of the Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology and Communications: Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency: Patna Sahib, Bihar
Spicejet
- CEO: Ajay Singh
- Headquarters: Gurugram
Spacex:
- CEO: Elon Musk
- Headquarters: California, United States
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Amul becomes first Indian dairy company to be in Rabobank’s Global Top 20 list; Nestle leads
- Amul, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), has become the first Indian dairy firm to make a place of 16th in the global top 20 list released by Rabobank, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services company.
Akash, Isha Ambani Enter Fortune’s ’40 Under 40′ Global List
- The twin children of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, Akash and Isha, have made it to the Fortune’s latest ’40 Under 40′ list of influential people around the world.
IISc leads 63 Indian institutions in THE World University Rankings 2021
- The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, maintained its lead as the country’s top institution in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021.
Andhra Pradesh tops ease of doing business rankings, Telangana on 3rd spot
- Andhra Pradesh has bagged the first rank among all the states in the country in the state business reforms action plan-2019 (BRAP-2019), representing ease of doing business for Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Hyderabad among top cities for career in AI
- Hyderabad is one of the top five cities in the country to offer jobs in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), a latest report by job portal site Indeed has revealed.
- Bengaluru tops the list of destinations for a career in AI, followed by Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
BEML bags Rs.842 cr mobility vehicles order for Pinaka project
- Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket launcher developed indigenously for the Indian Army
- BEML, a Bengaluru-based defence equipment manufacturer, has bagged an order worth 842 crore from Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the supply of 330 high mobility vehicles, for Pinaka Project.
11th INDRA NAVY: Bilateral maritime exercise between Indian and Russian Navy
- The 11th edition of exercise INDRA NAVY, a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between Indian and Russian Navy will begin in the Bay of Bengal. Initiated in 2003, Exercise INDRA NAVY epitomises the long-term strategic relationship between the two Navies.
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Ministry of Defence (MoD):
- Union Minister- Rajnath Singh
- Constituency– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- Minister of State (MoS)– Shripad Yesso Naik
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
2020 Chess Olympiad: India, Russia declared joint winners after server malfunction
- India and Russia were declared joint winners of the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad after the final was marred by internet disconnection and server malfunction.
Arsenal defeat Liverpool on penalties in thrilling final to win FA Community Shield
- Arsenal defeated Liverpool on penalties to win the FA Community Shield at the Wembley Stadium in England.
Sumit Nagal becomes 1st Indian to win grand slam singles main draw match in 7 years
- Sumit Nagal stormed into the second round of the ongoing US Open Tennis. Nagal defeated Bradley Klahn of USA 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the first round of the US Open to progress further into the tournament.
Former Olympic Giant Slalom Champion Viktoria Rebensburg Retires at 30
- Olympic ski champion Viktoria Rebensburg retired from the sport, who won the gold medal in giant slalom at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
CFI all set to host first-ever Cycling Summit in 2021
- The Cycling Federation of India (CFI) is all set to host the first-ever Cycling Summit in 2021, with an aim to promote the culture of cycling in the country.
Indian Grandmaster P Iniyan Wins World Open Online Chess Tournament
- Indian Grandmaster P Iniyan won the prestigious Annual World Open online chess tournament.
- Iniyan defeated Grandmasters Baadur Jobava of Georgia, Sam Sevian, Sergey Erenburg of USA and Nyzhyk Illia of Ukraine.
Ja Morant wins 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award
- The Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant has been named the 2019-20 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.
- He is the second player to win the Rookie of the Year Award with the Grizzlies, joining Pau Gasol (2001-02).
World Cup host Qatar set to play in Gold Cup next year in US
- World Cup host Qatar is set to play in the Gold Cup next year in the United States after accepting an invitation from soccer’s governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Former England batsman Ian Bell announces retirement from cricket
- Former England batsman Ian Bell has announced his retirement from professional cricket.
- Bell played 161 one-day internationals and eight Twenty20s.
Pierre Gasly wins thrilling Italian Grand Prix
- Pierre Gasly took a stunning upset win in the Italian Grand Prix for Red Bull’s Alpha Tauri team in one of the most remarkable races in history.
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Cycling Federation of India(CFI):
- President: Parminder Singh Dhindsa
- Secretary General: Maninder Pal Singh
- Headquarters: New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
K Shankar Bajpai, India’s former envoy to US, China and Pakistan, passes away
- Former diplomat Katyayani Shankar Bajpai passed away at the age of 92.
- Bajpai joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1952, and went on to become India’s ambassador to the United States, China, and Pakistan — three of the most important diplomatic postings for an Indian official.
Former President of India Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee passes away
- Former President Pranab Mukherjee passed away after he developed a lung infection and also tested positive for COVID-19.
Legendary cardio specialist Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati dies of Covid-19 at 103
- Pioneering cardiologist Dr Sivaramakrishna Iyer Padmavati, who had established the country’s first cardiac care unit at Delhi’s Govind Ballabh Pant hospital, passed away of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). She was 103.
Former England cricket allrounder David Capel passes away at 57
- David Capel, the former cricket allrounder who played 15 Tests and 23 one-day internationals for England from 1987-1990, has passed away.
Tom Seaver, Mets legend and Baseball Hall of Famer, passes away at age 75
- Longtime big leaguer and Hall of Famer Tom Seaver has passed away. He was 75.
Veteran filmmaker Johnny Bakshi passes away
- Veteran producer-director Johnny Bakshi passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 82.
Former BSF DIG Dr Mahesh Kumar Dwivedy passes away
- Former DIG of BSF (Medical Wing) Dr Mahesh Kumar Dwivedy passed away after prolonged illness at the age of 73.