Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 2nd week February 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
UN World Pulses Day
- The WorldPulses Day is a day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 10th feb to recognize the importance of the legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas and lupines among others) as a global food.
National Deworming Day: Children, adolescents to receive single dose of Albendazole
- The National Deworming Day (NDD) is being observed on 10th February across the country. Children and adolescents in the age group of 1-19 years will be administered single dose of a safe medicine Albendazole in all states and Union Territories on the occasion.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is the 11th of February
- Theme:“Investment in Women and Girls in Science for Inclusive Green Growth”.
World Unani Day
- The World Unani Day is observed every year on February 11.
- The day commemorates the birth anniversary of great Unani scholar and social reformer Hakim Ajmal Khan
National Productivity Day is observed on 12 February
- The day is celebrated by the National Productivity Council (NPC) to promote productivity culture in India.
- National Productivity Day is observed on 12 February. Also, National Productivity Week is celebrated from 12-18 February 2020. The day aims to propagate productivity, quality, competitiveness, and efficiency
World Radio Day
- World Radio Day is celebrated on 13 February World Radio Day 2020 celebrates the radio as a method for teaching individuals, giving data, and promoting the opportunity of expression across cultures.
- The theme of World Radio Day 2020 is “Radio and Diversity”.
On 12 February, Darwin Day is celebrated
- Charles Darwin was a biologist and naturalist who is known for his theory of evolution. On 12 February, Darwin Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Charles Darwin and his significant contributions in the field of science and humanity
Sarojini Naidu’s 141st Birth Anniversary: National Women’s Day
- India celebrates Sarojini Naidu’s birthday as National Women’s Day of India every year on February 13.
- Sarojini Naidu was India’s first women governor and also famous as ‘Bharat Kokila’.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Campaign gets underway across country
- An 18 day long focused Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Campaign gets underway across the country. The campaign, being organised by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, will continue till 28th of this month.
Central govt issues advisory to States/ UTs to implement vehicle registration system
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued an advisory to all States to implement the system of vehicle registration as per Rules notified under the Central Motor Vehicle Act 1988.
- The advisory was issued after it came to the notice of the Ministry that in some States, vehicles are not being registered in spite of vehicles having Valid Type Approval certificates.
NIFM, Faridabad renamed ‘Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management’
- The Centre has decided to rename the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Faridabad, as ‘Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management’ (AJNIFM).
15 crore loans extended to women under PMMY till Jan 2020, TN tops
- Over 15 crore loans, amounting to Rs 4.78 lakh crore, have been disbursed to women borrowers under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), stated Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs
15 crore loans extended to women under PMMY till Jan 2020, TN tops
- Over 15 crore loans, amounting to Rs 4.78 lakh crore, have been disbursed to women borrowers under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), stated Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs
Union Cabinet approves Pesticide Management Bill 2020
- Union Cabinet has approved the Pesticide Management Bill 2020. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar stated, the legislation will promote organic pesticides in the country. Major Ports Authority Bill to enhance overall efficiencies of the ports was cleared by the Cabinet.
HM Amit Shah to inaugurate Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for BIMSTEC partner nations
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate a two-day Conference on Combating Drug Trafficking for BIMSTEC Partner Nations in New Delhi . The conference is being organized by Narcotics Control Bureau.
Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 amended to make arbitration process user friendly
- The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 was amended by the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Act, 2015 in order to make arbitration process user-friendly, cost-effective and ensure speedy disposal and neutrality of arbitrators
NHAI to waive off FASTag cost between 15-29 Feb
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to waive off the FASTag cost of 100 rupees for NHAI FASTag between 15th to 29th of this month.
- Road users can visit any authorized physical point-of-sale locations with a valid Registration Certificate (RC) of the vehicle and get an NHAI FASTag free of cost.
Dr Jitendra Singh launches CPGRAMS Reforms at National Workshop on e-office in New Delhi
- Minister for Personnel and Public Grievances Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated a National Workshop on e-office in New Delhi.Dr Singh also launched the Centralized Public Grievance Redress And Monitoring System, CPGRAMS Reforms at the event.
Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in New Delhi renamed as Sushma Swaraj Bhawan
- Government has decided to rename Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra in New Delhi as Sushma Swaraj Bhawan and Foreign Service Institute in the national capital as Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.
PM Modi to hold talks with Portuguese President in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold delegation-level talks with President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in New Delhi. The visiting dignitary will meet President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan who will host a banquet in his honour. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will also call on the Portuguese President
E-Cigarettes Banned Across All Indian Airports and Aircrafts – Aviation Security Regulator
- Aviation security regulator BCAS has banned e-cigarettes and similar products on all airports and aircraft in India, according to an official document .Distribution, sale, storage and advertisement of such products is prohibited on any airport premises or any aircraft departing or arriving in India
Be updated with Daily Current affairs News
STATIC GK:
NHAI:
- Founded: 1988
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Sanjeev Ranjan
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Iran launches satellite, fails to put it into orbit
- Iran launched a satellite but failed to put it into orbit in a blow to its space programme. The attempted launch of the Zafar comes days before the 41st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and crucial parliamentary elections in Iran on February 21.
Bangladesh: 5th Dhaka Art Summit inaugurated
- The fifth edition of the biennial art extravaganza of Bangladesh, Dhaka Art Summit was inaugurated by State Minister for Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh K M Khalid.
US President Donald Trump to visit India on February 24-25
- United States President Donald Trump will be coming to India later this month on a two-day visit. This would be Trump’s maiden trip to India as the President of the United States.
First ‘Jerusalem-Mumbai Festival’ to be held in Mumbai on February 15
- The first ‘Jerusalem-Mumbai Festival’ will be held in the capital of Maharashtra to showcase the special links between the two cities and to promote ties between India and Israel.
US proposes USD 1.5 billion for Indo-Pacific to ensure region remains ‘free and open’
- The Trump administration has proposed USD 5 billion in budgetary allocation for 2021 fiscal for the crucial Indo-Pacific region, which it stated was part of its efforts to ensure that the region remains “free, open, and independent of malign Chinese influence
Covid-2019 is official name for disease caused by new coronavirus says WHO
- The World Health Organization(WHO) says the official name for the disease caused by the new coronavirus is Covid-2019.The word coronavirus refers to the group of viruses it belongs to, rather than the latest strain
New educational institution built with Indian assistance inaugurated in Nepal
- A new educational institution building constructed with Government of India financial assistance for students from the economically weaker sections was inaugurated in a remote area of Gulmi district in
- The new three-storey building with Indian assistance of 5 crore rupees is part of the Chandrakot Campus under the Tribhuvan University.
Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visits Indian Military Academy
- Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited the Indian Military Academy to strengthen engagement and defence cooperation between the two countries.
- She was accompanied by a 20-member delegation of Thai diplomats and senior dignitaries.
STATIC GK :
| Country | Capital | Currency | Head |
| Thailand | Bangkok | Thai baht | Prime Minister :Prayut Chan-o-cha |
| Portugal | Lisbon | Euro | President:Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Nepalese rupee | Prime minister: KP Sharma Oli |
| Israel | Jerusalem | Israeli new shekel | Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu |
| USA | Washington, D.C. | United States Dollar | President: Donald Trump |
| China | Beijing | Renminbi | President: Xi Jinping |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Bangladeshi taka | Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina |
| Iran | Tehran | Iranian rial | President: Hassan Rouhani |
WHO:
- Head: Tedros Adhanom
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Founded: 7 April 1948
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
RBI moots customer protection agency for digital payments sector
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that it will prepare the way for an agency that will look after the interests of digital payment system customers and their security.
- The rapid adoption of digital modes of payment for according to the central bank, the agency will be a self-regulatory organisation that will promote best practices in various aspects of the ecosystem, including customer protection, pricing and security.
Lending from CRR buffer to get 5-year exemption: RBI
- The Reserve Bank of India has stated that the special lending window with Cash Reserve Ratio exemption will be open from 14th of February and incremental loans disbursed under this facility will have CRR exemption for the next five years.
GST collection for last 3-months amounted to over Rs 1 lakh cr each month
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has stated that GST collection all through the country for the last three months amounted to more than a lakh crore rupees each month.
Reserve Bank proposes new umbrella entity for retail payments system
- The RBI has proposed setting up a new pan-Indian umbrella entity for retail payments system and has published a draft framework. It has sought stakeholder comments by February 25. The new entity will be involved in the development and monitoring of new payment methods, standards and technologies.
KVGB launches programme to boost entrepreneurship at polytechnics, ITIs
- Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB), a regional rural bank headquartered in Dharwad district, has come out with plans to boost entrepreneurship among the students of polytechnics and ITIs.
- P Gopi Krishana, Chairman, KVGB, who launched the ‘Vikas Yuva Prerana’ campaign, stated this programme will help the students from these institutes take up self-employment opportunities and establish their own ventures.
Nasscom’s IT revenue grows at 7.7 per cent in FY20
- The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) projected the Indian IT sector to grow 7 per cent to reach $191 billion in FY20, with exports reaching $147 billion, and headcount addition accelerating from the previous year.
₹2,500-crore capital boost for three state-owned general insurers approved
- The Union Cabinet gave its in-principle nod for immediate capital infusion of ₹2,500 crore in three state-owned general insurers — Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL), National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL) and United India Insurance Company Ltd (UIICL).
15th Finance Commission forms panel on defence, internal security funding
- The Fifteenth Finance Commission has constituted a five member group on Defence and Internal Security.
- The chairman of the commission K. Singh will head the group. Home Secretary and Defence Secretary will be the members of the group among others.
Allahabad Bank cuts MCLR by 0.05 per cent across tenors
- Allahabad Bank has cut the marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by 05 percentage points across tenors, effective February 14. The Asset Liability Management Committee of the bank has reviewed the existing MCLR and decided for a downward revision by 5 basis points (bps) across different MCLR tenors, the bank stated in a regulatory filing.
RBI to conduct ₹2.25-lakh cr reverse repo auction
- The RBI will seek to mop up a whopping ₹25-lakh crore via a 14-day variable rate reverse repo auction under its revised Liquidity Management Framework, which was unveiled on February 6. This move shows the banking system is awash with liquidity and comes amid rising inflationary pressures.
STATIC GK
NASSCOM:
- The National Association of Software and Services Companies is a trade association of Indian Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing industry. Established in 1988, NASSCOM is a non-profit organisation. NASSCOM initiated a program called ‘10000 Startups’ in 2013.
- Chairperson: Keshav R Murugesh
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founders: Dewang Mehta, Nandan Nilekani
Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB):
- Founded: September 12, 2005
- Head quarters: Dharwad, Karnataka
- Chairman :Puttaganti Gopi Krishna
RBI:
- Headquarters location: Mumbai
- Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
GST:
- Goods and Services Tax is an indirect tax used in India on the supply of goods and services. It is a comprehensive, multistage, destination based tax: comprehensive because it has subsumed almost all the indirect taxes except a few state taxes.
- The tax came into effect from 1 July 2017 through the implementation of the One Hundred and First Amendment of the Constitution of India by the Indian government. The GST replaced existing multiple taxes levied by the central and state governments.
Allahabad bank:
- Headquarters: Kolkata
- CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
- Tagline :Tradition of Trust
MCLR:
- The marginal cost of funds-based lending rate (MCLR) is the minimum interest rate that a bank can lend at.
- MCLR is a tenor-linked internal benchmark, which means the rate is determined internally by the bank depending on the period left for the repayment of a loan.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Amazon to set up two data centres in Telangana with USD 1.6 billion investment
- A massive investment by Amazon in Telangana, the tech giant has sought environmental clearance for the construction of two data centres at a cost of Rs 11,624 crore ($1.6 billion).The data centres are expected to come up at two locations on the outskirts of Hyderabad in Ranga Reddy district. More than 90 per cent of the investment would go towards the high-end computer and storage equipment that would be housed at these two data centres.
Realme PaySa partners NPCI, HDFC Bank
- Realme PaySa, the financial services app for smartphone brand Realme, has joined hand with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an innovative solutions provider for retail payment systems, and the country’s largest private lender HDFC Bank to conduct UPI hackathon.
Facebook to provide digital literacy training to one lakh women in seven Indian states
- Facebook launched its ‘We Think Digital’ programme, under which the social media giant will provide digital literacy training to 1 lakh women across seven states, including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar.In partnership with National Commission for Women (NCW) and Cyber Peace Foundation, the program aims to provide digital literacy training to one lakh women across seven states through the year.
MEITY grants ₹44 lakh to 8 Warangal start-ups under TIDE scheme
- Warangal-based tech incubator SRiX has disbursed grant-in-aid worth ₹44 lakh to eight start-ups under the Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) 2.0 scheme. The scheme runs under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
IRCTC to launch Kashi Mahakal Express train on Feb 16
- The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is all set to introduce third corporate train, which will ply between Varanasi and Indore.
- The train — Kashi Mahakal Express — will be inaugurated on February 16. Its commercial run will begin from March 19, 2020.
Star Health launches outpatient care policy
- Private health insurer Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd unveiled its Outpatient Care policy, covering consultation, tests and medical bills, among others.
- The policy is for customers in the age group of 18 to 50 years and also covers dependent children up to the age of 25 years. A maximum of six members of a family can avail the policy.
EIU lowers global growth forecast for 2020
- The Economist Intelligence Unit has revised downwards its global growth forecast for 2020 to 2% from 2.3%. This impact because of Novel coronavirus outbreak in China and also the virus starts spreading globally. The virus originated in Wuhan, a city of around 11.3 million people in central Hubei province, China, and has spread to most provinces in mainland China and overseas.
STATIC GK:
MEITY
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is an executive agency of the Union Government of the Republic of India.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Ravi Shankar Prasad, Cabinet Minister
- Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State
Economist Intelligence Unit :
- Managing Director (MD): Robin Bew.
- headquarters: London, England.
- founded: 1946.
NPCI
- The National Payments Corporation of India is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: 2008
- Non-Exe Chairman :Biswamohan Mahapatra
- MD & CEO :Dilip Asbe
IRCTC:
- Head quarters: New Delhi
- Chairman and Managing Director: Mahendra Pratap Mall
Star Health
- Headquarters: Chennai
- Founded: 2006
- Chairman and CEO: V Jagannathan
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
CM Jagan Mohan Reddy opens Andhra’s first Disha police station at Rajamahendravaram
- Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the first Disha police station in the state at Rajamahendravaram in East Godavari district.
- Jagan also launched an app for women in distress to get immediate response from the police.
1000 Kudumbashree hotels to serve meals at Rs 25: Kerala budget
- Kerala government unveiled an initiative of setting up 1,000 ‘Kudumbashree’ hotels to provide subsidised Kerala meals at Rs 25 while presenting its budget for 2020-21.
Haryana launches Rs 1500 crore Mukhyamantri Parivartan Yojna
- Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal launched “Mukhyamantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna”.
- Under this scheme, annual financial assistance of Rs 6000 will be provided to those families in the State whose annual income is upto Rs 1.80 lakh and land holding is less than 5 acres so that premium of various welfare schemes of the Central Government, pension scheme and crop insurance could be paid automatically from the bank accounts of the needy families.
Mega industrial exhibition in Vadodara from February 15
- In a bid to promote ‘Made in India’ products, the Federation of Small Scale Industries (FSSI) will organise a mega industrial exhibition in Gujarat from February 15.
- Over 10,000 industrial products will be showcased in more than 300 stalls at the sixth ‘Engiexpo 2020’.
UP govt to launch internship scheme for school college students
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath government will introduce an internship scheme for students of class 10 and 12 as well as those pursing graduation to brighten their employment prospects.
- A job fair organised by the Department of Labour and Employment Exchange at Gorakhpur University.
Jashpur is Chhattisgarh’s first tobacco-free town
- Jashpur city, situated in north-east of Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, has been declared as the first tobacco (smoke) free town, achieved though widespread awareness campaign, strict compliance and enforcement of tobacco control regulations.
Chhattisgarh to impose permanent ban on hookah bars
- The Chhattisgarh government has decided to impose a permanent ban on hookah bars across the state and will soon declare the license issued for running hookah centres “illegal”.
Tripura: Hornbill festival begins with aim to raise awareness for bird conservation
- The first-ever hornbill festival in Tripura has begun with an aim to raise awareness among people for bird conservation.Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurated the two-day festival at Barmura Eco park.
Ministry of Civil Aviation Flags Off 1st Helicopter Service under UDAN in Uttarakhand
- Ministry of Civil Aviation(MoCA) operationalised the first-ever helicopter services from Dehradun’s Sahastradhara helipad to Gauchar, and Chinyalisaur under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of Government of India.
Tamil Nadu govt decides to declare Cauvery Delta Region as protected special agricultural zone
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy has stated, the Cauvery Delta Region in the state will be declared a protected special agricultural
- He laid the foundation stone for what is touted as Asia’s largest livestock farm at Thalaivasal village near his hometown Salem .
Lt Governor of J&K to head reconstituted Science Technology and Innovation Council
- Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu will head 24 members reconstituted Jammu and Kashmir Science Technology and Innovation Council (STIC). Members of the council include five representatives from Jammu and Kashmir government, 10 from universities and research and development institutions and eight from the Science and Technology Department of the Central Government. Chief Secretary J&K B V R Subrahmanyam has been nominated as the chairman of the six-member executive committee of STIC.
Mumbai to get India’s largest air quality monitoring network
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will develop an air quality monitoring network across 90 locations in Mumbai. This will make it the largest network in India.
- The project is likely to be finished over the next five years.
Bhupesh Baghel inaugurates Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi as Chhattisgarh’s 28th district
- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi as the 28th district of the state. The new district, carved out of Bilaspur, has three tehsils and three development blocks namely Gaurela, Pendra and
‘Reading Mission’ launched by Haryana govt to promote reading habits among students
- To improve reading habit among students, the ‘Reading Mission- Haryana’ has been initiated by the state government.As reading helps in developing social values of egalitarianism, tolerance, and justice.
UP Govt launches toll free helpline numbers for students
- Taking a unique initiative to solve the queries of students ahead of the Board Examinations, Uttar Pradesh Government has launched toll-free helpline numbers.
TN Chief Minister inaugurates SCF cricket ground near Salem
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy along with National Cricket Academy Head and Former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid inaugurated the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF) Ground with international standards at Kattuvepplaipatti in Vazhappadi near Salem.
Tamil Nadu govt schools to soon have health & wellness programme
- Students of all government & government-aided schools in state will have a structured health & wellness programme. This will cover several aspects ranging from emotional well-being to gender sensitivity.
- This has been drawn up by the NCERT in collaboration with UNESCO & other experts from across the country.
UP draws up rules to regulate groundwater usage, fixes fines for violations
- The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved the UP Groundwater (Management and Regulation) Rules – 2020, to protect and regulate the usage of groundwater after the water table dipped to alarming levels in the state, which currently has 82 overexploited, 47 critical and 151 semi-critical blocks.
Museum on Delhi’s art history to come up at Qila Rai Pithora
- Delhi’s new museum being set up by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at Qila Rai Pithora, considered to be the first of the seven historical cities.
- The theme of the museum was yet to be finalised, a request for proposal (RFP) had been floated inviting ideas on the basic theme of “cities of Delhi”.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to inaugurate 1st phase of East – West Metro in KolkataT
- Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the first phase of East – West Metro in Kolkata .
- In this phase, trains will play from Salt Lake’s sector five to Salt Lake Stadium. Passenger services will start in this 5.8 Kilometres stretches.
J&K LG Girish Chandra Murmu launches Financial Inclusion Outreach Campaign
- In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu launched the Financial Inclusion Outreach Campaign with special focus on extending banking services to all un-banked areas.
Singing national anthem mandatory in Maharashtra colleges from February 19
- Singing the national anthem will be made compulsory in all colleges of Maharashtra from February 19. The state government will issue a notification asking colleges to begin their work with the national anthem from February 19, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, stated the technical and higher education minister.
UP govt inks MoU with eGov Foundation for state-wide implementation of municipal financial accounting platform
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Govt of UP and eGov Foundation to implement the municipal financial accounting system. This initiative is a part of the municipal accounting reforms across the entire state and covers all 652 ULBs (Urban Local Bodies) of Uttar Pradesh.
Puducherry Passes Resolution against Citizenship Amendment Act
- The Congress-ruled Puducherry adopted an Assembly resolution against the amended Citizenship Act, becoming the first union territory in the country to say no to the new law.
- Earlier, the states of Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, MP and West Bengal had adopted Assembly resolutions against the Act.
Manipur CM launches ‘Anganphou Hunba’ programme at Arapti Mayai Leikai in Imphal East
- Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh stated that his government has prepared a 260-crore rupee project to provide irrigation facilities by pumping ground water and is awaiting the Centre’s approval.
- Launching ‘Anganphou Hunba’ (Early Paddy Crop) programme at Arapti Mayai Leikai in Imphal East
STATIC GK
| States | Capital | Chief minister | Governor |
| Puducherry | | V Narayanasamy | Lieutenant Governor– Kiran Bedi |
| Maharastra | Mumbai | Uddhav Thackeray | Bhagat Singh Koshyari |
| Manipur | Imphal | N. Biren Singh | Najma Heptulla |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | Edappadi K. Palaniswamy | Banwarilal Purohit |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | Yogi Adityanad | Anandiben Patel. |
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati, Vishakapatnam, Kurnool | Jaganmohan reddy | Biswabhusan Harichandan |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Pinarayi Vijayan | Arif Mohammad Khan |
| Haryana | Chandigarh | Manohar Lal Khattar | Satyadev Narayan Arya |
| Uttarkhand | Dehradun | Trivendra Singh Rawat | Baby Rani maurya |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Bhupesh Baghel | Anusuiya Uikey |
| Delhi | | Arvind kejriwal | Anil Baijal |
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
- Founder: Alexander Cunningham
- Founded: 1861
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Parent organisation: Ministry of Culture, Government of India
UNESCO:
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Head: Audrey Azoulay
- Formation: 4 November 1946.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS AND MERGERS
Infosys to acquire US-based Simplus for $250 million to step up cloud biz
- Bengaluru-based IT services major Infosys stated it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire US-headquartered Simplus, a major Salesforce platinum partner, in a bid to strengthen its cloud business.
- The acquisition, expected to be complete within a month, will incur a cost of up to $250 million
CCI clears Ford-Mahindra joint venture
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Ford Motor, and the transfer of the automotive business of Ford India to the joint venture.
- The proposed combination envisages the formation of a joint venture, called Ardour Automotive Pvt Ltd, between M&M and Ford Motor.
Adani Transmission sells 25.1 pc stake in arm AEML to QIA for Rs 3,220 cr
- Adani Transmission stated it has sold 1 per cent stake in its arm Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML) to Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) for approximately Rs 3,220 crore.
STATIC GK:
Adani Group:
- Headquarters: Ahmedabad
- Founder and Chairman: Gautam Adani
- Founded: 20 July 1988
Mahindra & Mahindra:
- Founded- 2 October 1945.
- Founders- Jagdish Chandra Mahindra, Kailash Chandra Mahindra, Malik Ghulam Muhammad.
- Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Ford:
- Founded- 16 June 1903.
- Founder- Henry Ford.
- Headquarters- United States (US).
Infosys
- CEO: Salil Parekh
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- Founders: N. R. Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
BBIN member nations deliberate on proposed MoU for implementation of Motor Vehicles Agreement
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN) deliberated upon a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the implementation of Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) for the regulation of passengers, personal and cargo vehicular traffic among the four countries.
YSRC government signs MoUs with 11 institutions to help ryots
- In a bid to bring reforms in the agriculture sector, State government signed MoUs with 11 reputed institutes in the country as knowledge partners in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.Objective of the MoUs is to impart technology and knowledge transfer to farmers in the State.
STATIC GK:
BBIN:
- The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) initiative is a sub regional architecture of countries in Eastern South Asia, a subregion of South Asia.
- BBIN meeting will be held by official representation of member states to formulate, implement & review of agreements in areas such as water resource management , connectivity of power, transport and infrastructure.
- Founded- 14 May 1977.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
Prasar Bharati bids farewell to chairman A Surya Prakash
- India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash retired from his position, ending his two-term long journey that started in 2014. Prakash was bid farewell at the organisation’s 159th board meeting.
HDFC Bank appoints Anjani Rathor as chief digital officer
- HDFC Bank has appointed Anjani Rathor as its new Group Head – Digital Banking. Rathor has been designated Chief Digital Officer (CDO), and will be responsible for taking the Bank’s digital transformation journey to the next level, the private sector lender state
Arvind Kejriwal to take oath as Delhi CM on February 16 at Ramlila Maidan
- After resounding victory in Delhi assembly elections, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will take oath for the third time on February 16.The swearing-in ceremony will take place at the historic Ramlila Maidan — similar to that of last two times
Sanjay Vatsayan takes over as Eastern fleet commander
- Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan took command of the eastern fleet deployed across the indo-pacific region to safeguard the nation’s maritime interest.He took charge at Visakhapatnam on February 10 (Monday), 2020.
Ducati appoints Bipul Chandra as new head of Indian operations
- Italian super bike maker Ducati stated it has appointed Bipul Chandra as the new Managing Director of its India operations.Chandra replaces Sergi Canovas who is moving to an international role within the company.
New Deputy Chairman for VOC Port Trust
- Bimal Kumar Jha has assumed charge as Deputy Chairman of the VO Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin (formerly Tuticorin Port Trust). He succeeds N Vaiyapuri, who retired on December 31.
Atul Kumar Gupta is the new ICAI President
- Atul Kumar Gupta will be the new President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI)for the year 2020-21. Nihar Niranjan Jambusaria has been elected as the Vice President of the ICAI for 2020-21. They were elected at a meeting of the central council in New Delhi
Former India all-rounder Robin Singh appointed UAE’s Director of Cricket
- The Emirates Cricket Board has appointed former Indian cricketer Robin Singh as the new director of cricket. Robin Singh’s appointment was announced after Emirates Cricket Board fired head coach Dougie Brown
Ajay Patel new AICF president, Bharat Singh Chauhan Secretary
- Ajay Patel has been elected as president, Bharat Singh Chauhan as secretary, Naresh Sharma as treasurer, M Arun Singh as joint secretary and Vipnesh Bharadwaj as vice-president, Returning Officer for AICF elections.
Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law appointed as UK’s new Finance Minister
- Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s son-in-law, Rishi Sunak has been appointed as UK’s Finance Minister. He replaced Pakistani Chancellor Sajid Javid. After the reshuffle ,three Indian origin Members of Parliament are now a part of Britain’s most diverse cabinet led by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Indian-origin UK Minister Alok Sharma to lead UN climate summit
- Indian-origin Alok Sharma was named the new UK Minister in charge of the crunch UN climate talks to be hosted by Britain. He will take charge of the crucial summit ‘COP26‘ as its former president was removed amid controversy just weeks ago.
Senior IAS officer Debasish Panda appointed finance secretary
- Senior IAS officer Debasish Panda was appointed as the new finance secretary, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Panda, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present special secretary, department of financial services.
STATIC GK:
All India Chess Federation (AICF)
- Founded– 1951
- Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ducati:
- Parent organization: Lamborghini
- Founded: 4 July 1926, Bologna, Italy
- CEO: Claudio Domenicali
HDFC:
- CEO: Aditya Puri
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: August 1994, India
- Tagline : We understand your world
Prasar Bharati
- Founded- 1997
- Headquarters- New Delhi, India.
- Chief Executive Officer- Shashi Sekhar Vempati
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Mumbai Girl Youngest In World To Climb South America’s Highest Peak
- Kaamya Karthikeyan, a class seven student of Navy Children School (NCS) in Mumbai, became the youngest girl in the world to summit Mt Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America.
- At 6962 metres, Mt. Aconcagua is the highest peak outside Asia.
Pullela Gopichand To Be Recognised By International Olympics Committee
- India’s chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand considered by the International Olympics Committee (IOC) for the Coaches Lifetime Achievement Awards.
- Gopichand, 46, received an honourable mention in the male category of the prestigious 2019 IOC’s coaches award in recognition of the role he played in the development of the game in India.
David Warner beats Steve Smith by one vote to Australian cricketer of the year award
- David Warner won the Australian cricketer of the year award ,won his third Allan Border Medal beating teammate Steve Smith
- Ellyse Perry claimed her second Belinda Clark Award at the Australian Cricket Awards
South Indian Bank bags IBA awards
- South Indian Bank came out with flying colours at the Banking Technology Awards 2020 instituted by the Indian Banks’ Association. SIB delivered a stellar performance by winning the coveted awards in 6 categories
US scientist Carl H June, Novartis CEO Narasimhan bag Genome Valley Excellence Award
- Carl H June, a scientist from the University of Pennsylvania, USA and Vasant Narasimham, CEO of Novartis will share the Genome Valley Excellence Award of BioAsia, an annual biotech and life sciences forum of Telangana Government
Kovind awards President’s Colour, highest military honour, to INS Shivaji
- President Ram Nath Kovind presented the President’s Colour to INS Shivaji in Lonavala, Maharashtra.
- INS Shivaji houses the Naval College of Engineering which trains officers of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
STATIC GK:
International Olympic Committee:
- Headquarters- Lausanne, Switzerland
- President- Thomas Bach
- Director General(DG)- Christophe De Kepper
- Founded- 1894 in Paris, France.
South Indian bank:
- Headquarters: Thrissur
- CEO: V. G. Mathew
- Founded: 29 January 1929
- Tagline: Experience next generation banking
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
African Union 2020 Summit Commences
- The annual African Union Summit has kicked off in Addis Ababa. This 33rd Ordinary Summit, which commenced on 21st January, will run until the 10th of February.
- The summit is being held under the African Union’s theme for the year 2020 Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions For Africa’s Development.
The 23rd Edition of National Conference on e-Governance inaugurated in Mumbai
- The 23rd edition of the annual National Conference on e-Governance has been inaugurated by Minister for Environment, Tourism & Protocol, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Aaditya Thackeray at National Sports Club of India (NSCI) Worli, Mumbai.
MP: National Water Conference to be held in Bhopal
- In Madhya Pradesh, a National Water Conference is going to be held in the capital Bhopal to solve water crisis and make the state a water-rich state.
- There was plenty of water in the state before due to rivers like Narmada, Chambal, Son, Betwa and Sindh but as a result of decline in groundwater during the last few years, water crisis has arisen in most parts of the state.
Fourth East Asia Summit (EAS) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation
- During the 14th East Asia Summit held in Bangkok on 4 November 2019, Leaders emphasized the importance of the ASEAN Outlook as a guide for ASEAN’s engagement in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions to contribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, freedom and prosperity .
Kerala to host global meet on climate change, ocean health
- ClimFishCon 2020, a three-day international conference on the impact of climate change on ‘hydrological cycle, ecosystem, fisheries and food security’.
- Theme:Climate Change-Effective Adaptation for a Secure Future.
India to host COP13 UN Summit on conservation of migratory birds
- The 13th Conference of Parties (COP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), an environmental treaty under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programme, is going to be hosted by India during 17 to 22 February at Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- The theme of CMS COP13 in India is ‘Migratory species connect the planet and we welcome them home’
Naveen Inaugurates 2nd BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise
- The second BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercise-2020 (BIMSTEC DMEx-2020) hosted by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in
- The three-day exercise will be held in Bhubaneswar and Puri with the theme: ‘A cultural heritage site that suffers severe damage in the Earthquake & Flooding or Storm’.
43rd Session of IFAD Governing Council
- 43rd Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) of the United Nations was held for two days at the headquarters of the FAW in Rome, with the presence of 177 member states of the organization.
- Titled: “Investing in sustainable food systems to end hunger by 2030”.
Organic Food Festival for women entrepreneurs
- An organic food festival for women entrepreneurs will be held during February 21-23 in the national capital as part of the government’s effort to boost organic products and promote women entrepreneurship in the area of production and processing.
- Theme: Unleashing India’s Organic Market Potential
STATIC GK:
MOFPI
- Ministry of Food Processing- Harsimrat Kaur Badal
- Constituency- Bathinda, Punjab
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
- Headquarters– Rome, Italy
- Founded- 1977
EAS:
- It is the Indo-Pacific’s premier forum for strategic dialogue.
- It has 18 members – the 10 ASEAN- Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United States and Russia.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
India ranks 17th among countries at risk of coronavirus import
- Of the countries most at risk of importing coronavirus cases, India ranks 17th, researchers have found on the basis of a mathematical model for the expected global spread of the virus that originated in China’s Wuhan area in December 2019.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
Indian Army Major develops world’s first bulletproof helmet
- An Indian Army has developed the world’s first bulletproof helmet which withstands even an AK-47 bullet round from a distance of 10 meters. Earlier, Major Anoop Mishra had developed a bulletproof jacket against sniper bullets.
DRDO inks deal with Russian company for missiles propulsion systems
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a technology development contract with a Russian company Rosobor on export at DefExpo2020.
- DRDO’s High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) signed contract with Rosobor on export for development of Advanced Pyrotechnic Ignition Systems.
India-UK joint military exercise from Feb 13-26 at Salisbury Plains
- The fifth edition of India-UK joint military exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior’ will be conducted at Salisbury Plains, United Kingdom from February 13 to 26.The exercise is conducted alternatively in United Kingdom and India.
US approves sale of Integrated Air Defense Weapon System to India
- The US has approved the sale of an Integrated Air Defense Weapon System to India for an estimated cost of USD 1.867 billion to modernise its armed forces and to expand its existing air defense architecture to counter threats posed by air attack.
Indian DRDO developing Pranash, a new 200km strike range ballistic missile
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has started working on the development of the Pranash, a 200-km range surface-to-surface ballistic missile that would be armed with conventional warheads.
Army received banned anti-aircraft ammunition worth Rs 39 crore from OFB in Aug 2015: CAG
- Indian Army “received” banned anti-aircraft ammunition worth around Rs 39 crore from the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in August 2015, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) stated in its latest report that was tabled in Lok Sabha.
Surprise third American entry for Indian fighter jet deal, F 15EX in the fray
- The multi-billion dollar Indian program to acquire new fighter jets could see a third American aircraft enter the fray, with permissions being sought to offer the iconic F 15 EX to the air force for its requirement of 114 fighters that are to be produced domestically.
Indian, Sri Lankan Navies to conduct joint hydrographic survey
- Indian Navy’s Sandhayak class Hydrographic Survey Ship, INS Jamuna (J16), commanded by Captain HA Hardas, arrived in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- The ship has been deployed to Sri Lanka based on a mutual agreement to carry out Joint Hydrographic Survey off the South West Coast of Sri Lanka.
STATIC GK:
DRDO
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Minister responsible: Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence
- Chairman, DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR
Venkaiah Naidu unveils A Child of Destiny: An Autobiography by Prof. Ramakrishna Rao
- The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released the book titled “A Child of Destiny: An Autobiography” written by Prof. Ramakrishna Rao, in Vishakhapatnam.
A book titled A Commentary and Digest on The Air, Act 1981 was released
- Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar released a book titled “A Commentary and Digest on The Air, Act 1981,” at Chandigarh. The book was written by K K Khandelwal, Chairman, Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA), Gurgaon and authored by Apoorva Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Department.
Dharmendra Rai, launches his book “The Thin Mind Map Book”
- Dharmendra Rai, Mind Map & Brain Literacy Pioneer has launched his book “The Thin Mind Map Book“.The book is designed to make anyone an expert in mind mapping by devoting two full days to reading and doing all the experiential exercises mentioned in the book.
Book titled “Messages from Messengers” by Priti K Shroff
- “Messages from Messengers” book launch by Priti K Shroff at the prestigious Bombay Stock Exchange, Mumbai.The book deals with Indian culture and tradition and is suitable for everyone in all stages of life, as a tool for self-guidance.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Iran shows ballistic missile Raad-500 from US, dedicates to Sulaimani
- Iran made the short-range ballistic missile Raad-500 amid heightened tensions with the US.
- The missile has a new generation engine to put the satellite into orbit. The name of this engine is Zuhair which is made of alloy. It is lighter than a steel engine built earlier, so it is easier for the missile to capture high speed.
Atlas 5 blasts off with Solar Orbiter
- A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted from Cape Canaveral, boosting the European Space Agency’s $1.5 billion Solar Orbiter probe out of Earth’s gravitational grip toward a multi-year voyage around the sun that will give scientists their first glimpse of the star’s poles.
Indian Army, pvt firm develop world’s cheapest gun shot locator
- ‘Parth’ gun shot locator device developed by the Army’s College of Military Engineering jointly with a private firm costs much cheaper than the imported ones.The device costs around Rs 3 lakhs, and if inducted, would replace a similar imported item which costs around Rs 65 lakhs.
Ananth Technologies first Indian private firm to build foreign-owned satellites
- Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies has signed deals to build six foreign-owned satellites in India, a first by an Indian private company. Ananth will open a facility in Bengaluru, where it will build satellites weighing 50-250 kg for customers in Sweden and
NASA says it wants next generation of astronauts to walk on Moon, journey to Mars
- NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine stated the agency is celebrating its 20th year of continuous presence aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in low-Earth orbit this year. NASA plans to send the first woman and next man to the Moon by
Great Indian bustard, Asian elephant added to ‘facing extinction’ list
- The Asian elephant and the ‘great Indian bustard’ bird have been added to the list of migratory species that are ‘threatened with extinction’ under the 13th Convention of Parties (CoP) that will bring together 130 countries in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, where the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals under the United Nations
One Web: London start-up launches first big batch of satellites
- The UK-based One Web company has sent 34 satellites into orbit on a single Soyuz rocket from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The start-up is building a mega-constellation in the sky to deliver broadband internet to all corners of the globe.
STATIC GK:
Indian Army:
- Motto- “Service before Self”.
- Headquarters- New Delhi, India.
- Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)- General Manoj Mukund Naravane
Iran
- Capital– Tehran
- Currency–Rial
- President– Hassan Rouhani
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Bangladesh beat India to win maiden Under-19 World Cup
- Bangladesh beat India by three wickets to win maiden ICC U-19 World Cup cricket title by Duckworth-Lewis method last night in South Africa. In a low-scoring final, Bangladesh first restricted India to a meagre 177 in 47.2 overs and then did well enough to score a revised target of 170 in 42.1 overs.
Haryana thrashes SAI to win 10th Hockey Senior Women National C’ship
- Haryana thrashed Sports Authority of India (SAI) 6-0 to win the 10th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2020 (A Division) title at Kollam.
- Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy beat Hockey Maharashtra 2-1 in the third-fourth place play-off match.
Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre Red wins 1st Khelo India Ice Hockey tournament
- The Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre (LSRC) Red won the first Men’s section Khelo India Ice Hockey tournament 2020.They defeated Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team 3-2 in a nail biting thriller final match.
Eoin Morgan outclasses Kane, Virat to win captain of the year award
- Eoin Morgan, who led England to their first World Cup title, won the captain of the year award for 2019 announced by ESPNcricinfo.In the 13th edition of the annual ESPNcricinfo Awards, the ODI batting performance of the year award went to Ben Stokes for his nerveless performance in the tied World Cup final
Gulmarg all set to host five day National Winter Games from March 7AIR
- World-famous Ski destination Gulmarg is all set to host a five-day national winter games event from 7th March under the banner of Khelo India.
- Secretary Youth Services and Sports, Sarmad Hafeez reviewed the arrangements for the mega event with all the stakeholders.
India’s Lalremsiami named as 2019 FIH Women’s Rising Star of Year
- India forward Lalremsiami has been named as the 2019 FIH Women’s Rising Star of the Year by the International Hockey Federation.
Aditya Mehta & Vidya Pillai wins National Snooker Championship
- Aditya Mehta & Vidya Pillai has won the National Snooker Championship held in pune, Maharashtra. Aditya Mehta defeated the world champion Pankaj Advani to win the men’s title of the National Snooker Championship.
Chess: Koneru Humpy wins, D Harika suffers defeat in fifth round of Cairns Cup
- Players had mixed fortunes in the fifth round of the Cairns Cup Chess at St Louis in the United States with Koneru Humpy posting a win and D Harika suffering a defeat.
ICC ODI rankings: Kohli retains top spot; Ravindra Jadeja grabs seventh position
- In Cricket, India skipper Virat Kohli continues to hold on to the top spot in the batting chart of the latest ICC ODI rankings released in His deputy Rohit Sharma also maintains the second position.
Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh named Player of the Year 2019 by IHF
- The Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh was named Player of the Year for 2019 by the International Hockey Federation.
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi posts win in Prague Chess opener
- India’s Vidit Santosh Gujrathi opened his campaign in the Masters event of the Prague Chess Festival with a win over Sam Shankland of the USA.
Amit Panghal ranked No 1 by IOC’s Boxing Task Force rankings for Olympic Qualifiers
- World silver-medallist Amit Panghal has been ranked number one in the 52 kilogram category for Olympic Qualifiers, making him the first Indian pugilist in over a decade to achieve the global top position in the category.
STATIC GK:
FIH:
- Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
- President: Narinder Batra
- Founded: 7 January 1924
- CEO: Thierry Weil
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passes away
- Well-known Hindi novelist and Padma Shri awardee Giriraj Kishore passed away following a cardiac arrest.
- Giriraj Kishore was best known for his novel ”Pehla Girmitiya” that was based on Mahatma Gandhi”s stay in South Africa.
Veteran RSS pracharak P Parameswaran passes away
- Parameswaran, one of the senior-most ‘pracharaks’ (Promoter) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and former leader of the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh, passed away.
Robert Conrad, Two-Fisted TV Star of ‘Wild Wild West,’ passes away
- Robert Conrad, a television tough guy best known for his lead role in the mid-1960s series “The Wild West,” passed away.
Former Bengal power minister Sankar Sen passes away at 92
- Former West Bengal Power Minister and former Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University Sankar Sen died at a south Kolkata nursing home following old age problems, family sources.
Veteran Mumbai journalist Nandu Kulkarni dies at 69
- Veteran journalist Nandu R. Kulkarni, the Bureau Chief of the Kolkata-based newspaper The Statesman passed away following a heart attack at a hospital.
- Kulkarni, 69, was a bachelor and lived alone at his home in the suburb of Kandivali in northwest Mumbai
Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks passes away
- Noted fashion designer and Padma Shri awardee Wendell Rodricks passed away.
- He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2014 and was a recipient of Chevalier de I’Ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the order of arts and letters) in 2015.
Former TERI chief R K Pachauri passes away at 79
- Environmentalist R K Pachauri, a former TERI chief under whose chairmanship the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007, passed away after a prolonged cardiac ailment. He was 79.