GK and Current Affairs Updates

INTERNATIONAL

Adama Barrow re-elected The Gambia’s President

• The President of Gambia, Adama Barrow, won the second term as President during Gambia’s presidential election by achieving over 53% votes from 50 of 53 constituencies. He defeated his main challenger Ousainou Darboe who won 27.7% of vote. The results of the election were declared by Electoral commission Chairman Alieu Momarr Njai. Adama Barrow’s assumption as President 5 years ago ended more than 20 years of the dictatorship of former dictator Yahya Jammeh.

NATIONAL

PM Modi virtually inaugurated thought Leadership Forum

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a thought leadership forum on FinTech, ‘InFinity Forum’. The event was hosted by International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), under the aegis of the Government of India in collaboration with GIFT City and Bloomberg. Indonesia, South Africa and the United Kingdom were the partner countries in the 1st edition of the Forum.

• The Forum focused on the theme of ‘Beyond’ with various sub-themes. The sub-themes include FinTech beyond boundaries, FinTech beyond Finance, and FinTech Beyond Next, with a focus on how Quantum Computing could impact the nature of the Fintech industry in the future and promote new opportunities.

SPORTS

Argentina beat Germany to lift Junior hockey world cup

• Argentina showcased its organised game with great composure to beat six-time champion German side 4-2 and win the title after 16 years in the men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium. Argentina has become the only third team after Germany (six wins) and India (2001, 2016) to win multiple Junior Hockey WC titles. Defending champions India finished fourth in the junior hockey world cup 2021 after losing 1-3 to France in the third-place match.

Badminton World Federation: Viktor Axelsen, Tai Tzu Ying named 2021 BWF Player of the Year

• Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and China’s Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying were named Male and Female player of the year 2021 respectively by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It was the first season-ending award in this category for both Vicktor Axelsen and Tai Tzu Ying — the All England champions of 2020. Viktor Axelsen is the Olympic champion and Tai Tzu Ying is the Tokyo Games, silver medallist. Viktor Axelsen was rewarded for his extraordinary run starting from the Barcelona Spain Masters in February 2020.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Jasprit Bumrah signs up as Unix Brand Ambassador

• Unix, an Indian Mobile Accessories manufacturing brand, has signed Indian Cricket Fast Bowler, Jasprit Bumrah as its Brand Ambassador to increase the visibility of their products. The products include wearable mobile electronics such as Chargers, Earphones, Data Cables, Power Banks, Wireless Speakers, Smartphone Batteries, Bluetooth neckbands and TWS are mostly manufactured and marketed across India through distributors.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Armed Forces Flag Day 2021:7th December

• National armed forces day is also known as the National flag day of India. The day is every year celebrated and observed on 7th December. The aim to observe this day as the national armed forces day is to collect funds from the people for the betterment of armed forces. To know more about the national armed forces day, candidates are advised to read the article below.

• A committee was set up on August 28, 1949, under the then Defense Minister of India. The committee decided to observe a Flag Day annually on December 7. The aim to celebrate this day as the national flag day Or national armed forces day is to distribute flags amongst the people and collect the funds from them for the betterment of the armed forces. The Defence Ministry of India in 1993 consolidated all the related welfare funds into a single Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Eminent Indian-American mathematician Nikhil Srivastava, has been jointly selected for the inaugural $5,000 Ciprian Foias Prize

• Indian-American mathematician, Nikhil Srivastava, who teaches at the University of California, Berkeley along with Adam Marcus and Daniel Spielman were awarded the First Ciprian Foias Prize in Operator Theory by the American Mathematical Society (AMS). Adam Marcus holds the Chair of Combinatorial Analysis at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Daniel Spielman is a Sterling Professor of Computer Science, a professor of statistics and data science, and a professor of mathematics.

• The $5,000 award has been given to Nikhil Srivastava for his work in developing and introducing techniques to understand the characteristic polynomial of matrices, including iterative sparsification. Nikhil Srivastava has earlier jointly won the George Polya Prize in 2014, and the Held prize in 2021 making this his third major award. He is an associate professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book on ‘Public Service Ethics’ authored by Prabhat Kumar

• The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu launched ‘Public Service Ethics- A Quest for Naitik Bharat’ authored by Prabhat Kumar, published by IC Centre for Governance, at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, New Delhi. The book highlights the multiple dimensions element of human character, the practice of ethical principles as a way of life. It marked the importance of accountability, integrity, transparency and trustworthiness of the public governance system.

• Prabhat Kumar was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1963 batch, Uttar Pradesh (UP) cadre. Prabhat Kumar is an Indian politician and retired civil servant. He served as the Cabinet Secretary between 1998 and 2000. On the creation of Jharkhand in November 2000, he was made the first Governor.

Book titled “1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories” released

• A new book that unearths true stories of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, ’1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories, written by Rachna Bisht Rawat, was released. The book includes, from the story of the flight lieutenant who went missing after his plane crashed inside Pakistan to the ‘last khukri attack’ in modern military history.

• Rachna Bisht Rawat is the author of six books by Penguin Random House India, including the bestsellers The Brave and Kargil. She lives in Gurugram with Hukum the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed golden retriever; an eclectic collection of books and music; and Manoj Rawat, the man in olive green, who met her when he was a gentleman cadet at the Indian Military Academy and offered to be her comrade for life.

NATIONAL

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth Rs 18000 crore at Dehradun

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth Rs 18,000 crore at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The 7 projects inaugurated consist of initiatives focusing on making travel safer including the 120 MW Vyasi Hydroelectric Project, along with Himalayan Culture Centre in Dehradun.

• The 11 projects for which the foundation has been laid include the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor which will be built at a cost of Rs 8,300 crore. It will have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor (12 kilometres) for unrestricted wildlife movement. The expressway will reduce the distance between the two cities from 248 km at present to 180 km.

• PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Dehradun – Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 1700 crore.

Amitabh Kant launched Genesys International’s digital twin platform of urban

• Genesys International has launched its pan India program to make the Digital Twin of the entire Urban India. The launch programme was inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. The creation of this very accurate 3D data will mean a host of applications would open up in high-definition mapping, which was hitherto not possible, for smart cars, e-commerce, logistics, gaming, utilities planning for next-generation networks in telecom, renewable energy and in disaster management and emergency response.

• Moreover, with all the smart city components, the digital twin of cities will put India on the map with advanced cities that are now using this geospatial technology. Genesys has a constellation of advanced sensors in India, consisting of aerial mobile and terrestrial systems capable of imaging at very high speeds and resolution. Genesys has also filed for patents in unique Geocoding for addressing 3D data as well as automated capture of features from 3D Street map imagery.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Ravindra Jadeja Appointed as Brand Ambassador of Kinara Capital

• Bangalore based innovative, fast-growing fintech, Kinara Capital signed the Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, as its official brand ambassador on the occasion of the company’s 10th anniversary. Kinara Capital provide loan service to India’s MSMEs. Till date, Kinara Capital has disbursed 70,000 collateral-free loans. With this partnership, Kinara aims to boost its outreach in financing the MSME sector in the country. With a current AUM of INR 1000 crores, Kinara Capital plans to grow 500 per cent by the year 2025. 

Oyo appointed SBI's former Chairman Rajnish Kumar strategic group advisor

• IPO-bound hospitality unicorn Oyo Hotels and Homes (Oyo) has appointed Rajnish Kumar, former Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) as Strategic Group Advisor. In his role, Kumar will advise Oyo’s management on short-term and long-term strategy, regulatory and stakeholder engagement, and enhancing the brand of the company globally. He is currently a part of the boards of HSBC Asia Pacific, L&T infotech, Hero Motocorp and BharatPe.

OBITUARY

Veteran journalist Vinod Dua passes away at 67

• Veteran journalist Vinod Dua passed away recently. He was one of the pioneers in Hindi broadcast journalism, worked with Doordarshan to present the youth programme Yuva Manch in the mid-’70s and later with several other television news channels. He was an integral part of NDTV’s journey as well. His much-loved food show ‘Zaika India Ka’ saw him crisscrossing the whole country just for the best taste.

• More recently, he was known for his political commentary in web shows for digital media platforms The Wire and HW News. Mr Dua was honoured with several awards for his contribution to journalism.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Civil Aviation Day 2021: 7 December

• International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated every year on December 7 to recognize the importance of aviation to the social and economic development of the world. The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.

• The Council has decided that from now until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.

Nation remembers BR Ambedkar on his 66th death anniversary in 2021

• India observes December 6 as Mahaparinirvan Divas every year to mark the death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who fought for the economic and social empowerment of Dalits in the country. He was popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar passed away on December 6, 1956. The Union government has decided to celebrate Mahaparinirvan Divas as part of the major commemoration of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

• Bhimrao Ambedkar was born in Madhya Pradesh’s Mhow, Ambedkar was the 14th and the last child of his parents. He was primarily an Economist and educationist.

• Babasaheb was also the flag bearer of India’s Dalit Activism, is called the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Goldman Sachs has estimated India's GDP growth at 9.1 per cent in 2022

• Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs has estimated India’s GDP growth at 9.1 per cent in 2022. After India’s economy contracted by a sharp 7 per cent in 2020, Goldman Sachs pegged the economy to grow at 8 per cent in 2021 and 9.1 per cent in 2022. It earlier estimated India’s economic growth to 11.1 per cent in the fiscal year to March 31, 2022.

IDFC FIRST Bank debuts with India’s first standalone metal debit card

• IDFC FIRST Bank announced the launch of FIRST Private Infinite, the country’s first-ever standalone metal debit card, in partnership with Visa. FIRST Private Infinite is a lifetime free card designed specifically for customers who are part of the Bank’s FIRST Private program, premium savings and wealth offering. The FIRST Private program offers an unrivalled banking and investment experience to customers and comes with a range of exceptional investment, banking, lifestyle and wellness benefits.

• IDFC FIRST Bank offers a comprehensive digital savings account solution that includes a seamless online account opening process, video KYC and a new-age digital platform for mobile and net banking with an easy-to-navigate user interface. The Bank’s digital wealth management solutions are available to customers on the mobile app and net banking platform which offer unique features such as a ‘Consolidated Investment Dashboard’.

Gujarat has surpassed Maharashtra to become India's leading manufacturing hub

• Gujarat has left behind Maharashtra to become the country’s leading manufacturing hub, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Gujarat saw its Gross Value Addition (GVA) in manufacturing grow by 15.9 per cent annually between FY12 to FY20 to stand at Rs 5.11 lakh crore, data shows. GVA is an economic metric that measures the supply of goods and services in an economy.

• Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s annual growth rate stood at nearly half of Gujarat’s at 7.5 per cent for the same time period and its GVA for manufacturing stood at Rs 4.34 lakh crore in FY20. Maharashtra is still the leading provider of services in India, with the state’s services GVA growing by 12.6 per cent annually, standing at Rs 15.1 lakh crore in FY20.

INTERNATIONAL

Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year 2021: ‘Perseverance’

• Perseverance, a word that captures the undaunted will of people across the world to never give up, despite the many challenges of the last 12 months, is Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2021. Perseverance has been looked up more than 243,000 times on the website in 2021, the first time it has made a noticeable appearance. NASA’s Perseverance Rover made its final descent to Mars on 18 February.

NATIONAL

Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti conservation project wins two Unesco awards

• Nizamuddin Revival Project, India’s project on the holistic urban revitalisation of the historic Nizamuddin Basti community, in New Delhi has won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2021. The project involves the meticulous restoration of over 20 historic monuments clustered around the 14th-century mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.

• The settlement around the tomb of Noted Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, who settled in a Delhi village Ghiyaspur located on the tributary of River Yamuna, is known as the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti. The Nizamuddin area comprises the Humayun’s Tomb, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti and Sunder Nursery, Batashewala Tomb-Garden Complex, the tomb of courtier poet Khan I Khanan ‘Rahim’, and the Mughal-period caravanserai of Azimganj Serai.

Hemant Soren launched “Hamar Apan Budget” and a mobile application

• Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren has launched a web portal named ‘Hamar Apan Budget’ and a mobile application prepared by the state finance Department from the Chief Minister’s residential office in Ranchi. Through this portal, the general public of the state can share their suggestions for the 2022-23 budget. The public can give suggestions through Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and e-mail and also through the app by downloading the ‘Hamar Budget’ from Google Playstore for Android phones.

• The public could use the hyperlink https://finance.jharkhand.gov.in/budgetvichar to register oneself on ‘Hamar Apan Price range Portal’.

• The portal requires a Mobile number and e-mail (non-compulsory) to generate OTP.

• After profitable authentication of the OTP, the public can file the suggestion for the desired area in the budget.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Alka Upadhyaya appointed as chairperson of National Highways Authority of India

• Centre effects major bureaucratic reshuffle. The Centre has appointed Alka Upadhyaya as chairperson of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). A 1990-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Upadhyaya is currently Additional Secretary, Department of Rural Development.

• Sanjay Bandopadhyay, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has been named chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, a Personnel Ministry order said.

• Sundeep Kumar Nayak has been appointed as Director-General, National Productivity Council, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

EU, India to step up Clean Energy and Climate Partnership

• India and European Union (EU) have agreed to step up their Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. They jointly agreed on a detailed work program until 2023 to implement the 2016 India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. The Panel agreed on increased technical cooperation in energy efficiency, renewable energy, green hydrogen, grid integration, storage, power market design, interconnection, cold chain, and sustainable financing.

• The Panel also agreed to explore further avenues to strengthen India-EU cooperation within the context of the International Solar Alliance. EU expressed its support for the close cooperation between India and the International Energy Agency. India and EU also agreed to exchange closely on clean energy in the frame of G20.

OBITUARY

Former Tamil Nadu Governor Konijeti Rosaiah passes away

• Former Governor of Tamil Nadu and former Chief Minister of the unified State of Andhra Pradesh, Konijeti Rosaiah (89-years) passed away. He had served as MLA, MLC, Lok Sabha members. He held several key portfolios including finance, transport, energy in the cabinets headed by Kotla Vijayabhaskhara Reddy, Channa Reddy, and YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Volunteer Day 2021: 5 December

• International Volunteer Day (IVD), also called International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is observed on 5 December every year. International Volunteer Day Theme 2021: “Volunteer now for our common future”. The purpose of the day to celebrate the efforts of volunteers and organizations and offer the opportunity to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

• The International volunteer day was first observed and mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It was observed through Resolution A/RES/40/212 on 17 December 1985. This day offers a chance to individual volunteers, communities, and organizations in order to promote their contributions to the development at the local, national and international levels.

World Soil Day 2021:5 December

• World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to raise awareness of the importance of soil quality for human well-being, food security and ecosystems. World Soil Day 2021 (#WorldSoilDay) and its campaign “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.

• In June 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day. It was also adopted officially in the 68th United Nations General Assembly. As a result, World Soil Day was for the First time Officially celebrated on 5th December 2014. The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

ADB approved $500-million loan to India to help improve the quality of school Education

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million loan to the Government of India to help improve the quality of the country’s school education and mitigate the impact of the Covid-19) pandemic on students’ learning. The loan supports the Integrated Scheme for School Education (Samagra Shiksha) and the new Exemplar School Initiative of the Ministry of Education (MOE) to improve education quality by focussing on inclusive and equitable learning outcomes.

• About 1,800 government schools will be transformed into exemplar schools in Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. Exemplar schools will demonstrate quality learning environments and effective learning, which will become a model for replication in other government schools across the country.

S&P projected India’s GDP growth forecast at 9.5% in FY22

• S&P Global Ratings has retained the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast of India unchanged at 9.5 percent for the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) and 7.8 per cent for the year ending FY23. GDP growth projection of India was revised for FY 24 to 6 per cent from 5.7 percent estimated earlier. Rising inflation is a pressure point, unlike elsewhere in emerging Asia, but external demand continues to support growth, S&P noted.

NATIONAL

2021 India-ITU joint CyberDrill for Indian entities

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Department of Telecommunications operating under the Ministry of Communications conducted a Joint Cyber Drill 2021. The cyber drill was conducted for the Critical Network Infrastructure operators of India. The Critical Network Infrastructure are the systems, assets and networks that are essential to ensure the security of a country.

• It aims to improve the cyber security readiness of India. Also, it aims to improve the protection and incident response capability of the country.

• During the cyber drill, the cyberattacks and information security incidents were simulated. And the participants were trained to defend and respond against such incidents. Thus, the drill helped to test the cyber capabilities of an organisation.

Cyclone Jawad likely to reach north coastal Andhra Pradesh

• The low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into Cyclone Jawad which is likely to reach the north Andhra Pradesh, south Odisha coasts and Some parts of West Bengal. The storm, once developed, will be called Jawad (pronounced Jowad), as named by Saudi Arabia. After Yaas in May and Gulab in September, this will be the third cyclone headed towards the east coast this year.

• A rotational list of the names of cyclones is maintained by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), with the names specific for each tropical zone. If a cyclone is especially deadly then its name is never used and is replaced by another name. The list has a total of 169 names at present which will be used on a rotational basis.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Gita Gopinath: From Mysuru to No. 2 Official at IMF, First Indian to Take up the Top Role

• International Monetary Fund Chief Economist, Gita Gopinath is set to take over from Geoffrey Okamoto as the institution’s No. 2 official. It is going to be a historic movement when International Monetary Fund has the female at its first two leading positions. The IMF has done some changes in the roles and responsibilities of the fund’s senior management team. In which they introduced deputy managing director for the first time and it is gone to the first female named Indian born economist Gita Gopinath.

• The move comes as a surprise because Gopinath, the first woman to serve as the IMF’s chief economist, had said in October she planned to rejoin Harvard University in January to retain her tenured facility post after three years of public service.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Walmart announces MoU with MP government to train and support MSMEs

• Walmart and its subsidiary Flipkart have signed an MoU with the Department of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Government of Madhya Pradesh to create an ecosystem of capacity building for MSMEs in Madhya Pradesh. Under this MoU, Walmart, Flipkart, and MSME Department will assist MSMEs to digitize their business and enable them to sell their products through online retail.

• This initiative comes under the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme (Walmart Vriddhi), delivered by knowledge partner Swasti, which aims to train around 50000 Indian MSMEs with business skills to become successful as suppliers to Walmart, sellers on global marketplace platforms like Flipkart. Under this programme, Walmart and Flipkart have partnered with various states including Haryana and Tamil Nadu.

OBITUARY

Renowned Bangladesh’s Professor Rafiqul Islam passes away

• Renowned scholar and national professor of Bangladesh Professor, Rafiqul Islam passed away. Prof. Rafiqul Islam was one of the greatest scholars on the national poet of Bangladesh Kazi Nazrul Islam. He was honoured with Swadhinta Padak and the Ekushey padak, which is the highest civilian award of Bangladesh. He was a recipient of the Bangla Academy Literary Award. He had written close to 30 scholarly books. Prof. Rafiqul Islam was currently the President of the Bangla Academy.

IMPORTANT DAYS

India & Bangladesh will celebrate Maitiri Diwas on 6 December

• India and Bangladesh have decided to celebrate December 6, the day on which India formally recognized Bangladesh, as “Maitri Diwas” (Friendship Day). During the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021 to attend the national day of Bangladesh, it was decided to commemorate 6 December as Maitri Diwas (Friendship Day). Ten days before the liberation of Bangladesh, India had recognised Bangladesh on 6 December 1971. India was one of the first countries to establish bilateral diplomatic ties with Bangladesh.

• According to the joint statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Prime Minister Modi highlighted that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the greatest leaders of modern times, will be remembered for his courage and indelible contribution to Bangladesh’s emergence as a sovereign country.

Indian Navy Day 2021: 04 December

• In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country. The theme of Indian Navy Day 2021 is ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ signifying 50 years of India’s victory in the Indo-Pakistan war that took place in 1971.

• Indian Navy is a naval branch of Indian armed forces Led by the President of India (commander-in-chief). Back in 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan war, December 4 was chosen to launch Operation Trident against Pakistan. On December 4, the Indian Navy formally entered the war and attacks on Karachi were constantly showering. As we all know because of the Indian Navy the whole country rejoiced with success. The victory over Pakistan made our country proud and respect the Indian Navy even more.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

President's Colour Award ceremony organised by HP Police

• Himachal Pradesh Police has conducted the ‘President’s Colour Award’ ceremony at Shimla’s historic Ridge Ground. The Governor bestowed the ‘President’s Color Award’ to the State Police on this occasion. Director-General of Police Sanjay Kundu received the award on the behalf of state police. The Chief Guest was Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, while Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was also there as a special guest. Himachal Pradesh Police is India’s eighth state police force to receive this honour.

• ‘President Colour’ is a special achievement, demonstrating that the state police ranks highly in the service of humanity, as well as performance, professionalism, integrity, human rights protection, and other factors.

RANKING

IFFCO ranks first among top 300 cooperatives in the world

• The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has been ranked ‘number one Cooperative’ among the top 300 cooperatives in the world. The ranking is based on the ratio of turnover over the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. It signifies that IFFCO is contributing significantly to the GDP and economic growth of the nation. The 2021 edition of the 10th Annual World Cooperative Monitor (WCM) report, withholding its position from the 2020 edition.

• The 2021 WCM report is published by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (Euricse). WCM is a project designed to collect robust economic, organizational, and social data about cooperatives worldwide.

• The report is the 10th annual one and explores the economic and social impact of the largest cooperatives and mutual worldwide, providing a ranking of the top 300, sector rankings, and an analysis of responses to the current global challenges: Covid and climate change.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

DBS revises India's FY2023 growth forecast by 100 bps to 7%

• The Singapore-based DBS Bank’s economic research team has revised India’s FY23 growth forecast upwards to 7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) (CY2022 6.5 per cent) from 6 per cent earlier. The DBS team assessed that into FY23, beyond the thrust from reopening gains, precautionary savings and sectoral normalisation to pre-pandemic levels, Capex generation is likely to be the next driver in raising and maintaining growth on a higher plane.

INTERNATIONAL

Bangladesh and US kick off bilateral maritime exercise CARAT for a free and open Indo-Pacific

•US military personnel and Bangladesh Navy (BN) began the 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) maritime exercise virtually from 1 December in the Bay of Bengal. The nine-day exercise focuses on a wide range of naval capabilities and includes cooperative actions that demonstrate the US and Bangladesh’s capacity to work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

•CARAT is to promote regional cooperation and build relationships, according to Bangladesh Navy Fleet Commander Rear Admiral S M Abdul Kalam Azad. Since 2011, the Bangladesh Navy has been participating in the CARAT exercise, which is celebrating its 27th anniversary this year.

Sweden gets first female prime minister for second time in less than a week

•The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden. On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Swedan’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.

•Magdalena Andersson was born on 23 January 1967. She is a 54-year-old Swedish politician and economist serving as the PM from the Social Democratic Party or SDP.

•She began her political career as a political adviser to then PM Goran Persson in 1996 and then as Director of Planning.

•In 2004 she began to work in the Ministry of Finance as State Secretary.

•She became the head of the SDP on November 4, 2021. She is the second woman leader of the SDP.

NATIONAL

Nagaland begins Hornbill Festival 2021 celebration at Naga Heritage village, Kisama in Kohima

•The biggest cultural extravaganza of Nagaland, the Hornbill Festival has kicked off with colorful renditions of traditional music, dances, and contemporary in one roof at Naga Heritage village Kisama. It is the 22nd edition of the Hornbill festival and will be celebrated in 6 districts of Nagaland. More than 282,800 people visited the festival during the 20th edition in 2019, including over 3,000 foreign tourists and at least 55,500 domestic visitors.

•This year’s edition of Nagaland’s iconic Hornbill Festival, widely hailed as the “festival of festivals”, will be held in its traditional format, starting on December 1 after it was held virtually last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The opening ceremony culminated with the flight of the Hornbill- A musical presentation by Task Force for Music and Arts Nagaland.

India joins G20 Troika, to assume G20 presidency on Dec 1 next year

•India has joined ‘G20 Troika’ and will work closely with Indonesia and Italy to ensure consistency and continuity of G20’s agenda. Apart from India, Troika consists of Indonesia and Italy. India will assume G20 Presidency in December 2022 from Indonesia and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in 2023. Troika refers to the top grouping within G20 that consists of the current, previous, and incoming presidencies (Indonesia, Italy and India).

•Italy hosted the G20 summit during October 30-31 that was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where India had raised the issue of Afghanistan’s future following the takeover by the Taliban.

•Indonesia took over the G20 presidency on December 01, 2021.

SPORTS

Anju Bobby George the first Indian athlete to win a medal at the world championships

•Legendary Indian athlete, Anju Bobby George has been bestowed with the Woman of the Year Award by World Athletics for grooming talent in the country and for her advocacy of gender equality. In 2016, she formed a sports academy for young girls. Through this, she has helped India advance in sports and also inspire more women to follow in her footsteps. She is also presented with the award for advocating gender equality. Anju, the only Indian to have won a medal in the World Championships with a long jump bronze in the 2003 edition.

•She is a gold medallist in the 2005 IAAF World Athletics Finals.

•She was the first Indian athlete to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the World Championships in Athletics held in 2013 in Paris.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Sambit Patra appointed as chairman of ITDC

•Sambit Patra has been appointed as the chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. IAS officer, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao will hold the post of managing director of ITDC. The India Tourism Development Corporation is a hospitality, retail, and education company owned by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism. Earlier, Patra had served as an independent Director of ONGC.

•Appointment of Dr Sambit Patra as Part-Time Non-Executive Director & Chairman of ITDC for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri awardee ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passes away

•The renowned Telugu film lyricist and Padma Shri awardee, ‘Sirivennela’ Chembolu Seetharama Sastry passed away at the age of 66 years. He was born on May 20th, 1955 in Anakapalle village in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. He launched his first song in the film, ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’ directed by K Viswanath.

•In 1986 the movie ‘Sirivennela’ directed by K Viswanath made him famous and also gave him a second name as ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry. He got the first ‘Nandi Award for best lyricist for ‘Sirivennela’, presented by the Andhra Pradesh state government. Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist- Telugu, Padma Shri (2019) and He won ‘Nandi’ Awards several times.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day of the Handicapped 2021: 3rd December

•World Handicapped day also known as the International Day of Persons with disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December globally. The day is marked and observed to support critical issues which are related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The IDPWD day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly.

•The theme of the World Day of the Handicapped 2021 is the Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities. The day is celebrated to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Bihar bagged gold medal in the 40th India International Trade Fair

•Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. It was organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the theme and to further promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’. Bihar is the partner state for the 40th IITF and the focus states are Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

•The Bihar pavilion won the 6th gold medal by showcasing the state’s art and cultural richness through handicrafts like Madhubani, Manjusha arts, terracotta, handlooms, and other indigenous products of the state at IITF 2021. Piyush Goyal listed five pillars of India as Economy, Exports, Infrastructure, Demand, and Diversity.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI appoints three-member panel to advise Reliance Capital administrator

•Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded the Board of Directors of Reliance Capital Ltd (RCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), by exercising its power conferred under Section 45-IE (1) of the RBI Act, 1934. RCL is promoted by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Group. In this regard, the apex bank has appointed Nageswar Rao Y (Ex-Executive Director, Bank of Maharashtra) as the Administrator of the company under Section 45-IE (2) of the RBI Act. The reason behind this is the defaults made by RCL for various debt obligations payments and serious governance concerns.

•The Central Bank will also apply to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for appointing the administrator as the Insolvency Resolution Professional. Reliance Capital will become the third non-banking financial company to go under the insolvency procedure after DHFL and Srei Group companies. A part of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, Reliance Capital has repeatedly failed to repay its debt obligations.

INTERNATIONAL

Barbados parts way with Queen and becomes world's newest republic

• Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony. Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society by the British. It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966.  Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state.

• Dame Sandra Prunella Mason took over as the President of Barbados. He was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021. He was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados. His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.

NATIONAL

Kerala Tourism launches STREET project to enhance visitor experience

• Kerala Tourism launched the ‘STREET’ project to promote and take tourism deep into the interiors and rural hinterland of Kerala. The project would help visitors experience the diversity of offerings in these locales. The STREET is an acronym for Sustainable, Tangible, Responsible, Experiential, Ethnic, Tourism hubs.

• The STREET project aims to present the unique identity of the state of Kerala before to travellers. It also offers a huge potential for growth in the tourism sector and would bring in significant changes.

• The project will foster mutually beneficial organic relationships between tourism development and the ordinary lives of people in the state of Kerala.

First Indian Young Water Professionals Programme launched virtually

• The First Edition of the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme was launched virtually. The programme was launched in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra; Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’ Farrell and Additional Secretary of Ministry of Jal Shakti, Debashree Mukherjee. The program was taken up under National Hydrology Project.

• The India Young Water Professional Programme is unique and different from typical capacity building and training programs. It focuses on the engaged Training and Learning Model.

• 70% of this program is focused on project-based learning by means of Situation Understanding and Improvement Projects (SUIP).

• It also focuses on gender equality and diversity, since sustainable water management can only benefit from the skills and views of all members of society.

• For the first edition of the programme, about 20 participants have been selected, comprising of 10 men and 10 women, from central & state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project.

All India Radio gives opportunity to Young India Voices

• All India Radio has decided to begin a new programme called AIRNxt to offer youth a platform to air their voices as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. AIR stations will allow youngsters from local colleges, universities to take part in programming, allowing them to discuss and curate youth-centric shows.

• It added that about 20,000 youth from 1,000 educational institutions will be participating during the next year from every nook and corner of India through 167 AIR stations.

• These shows would encourage the youth to speak about the achievements of the country during the last 75 years of independence and where do they expect the country to reach in various fields.

• This way, the youth can air their big dreams and define the future of India. It is the biggest single theme show on All India Radio involving thousands of youth and hundreds of Educational Institutions across the country. This talent hunt show #AIRNxt will be broadcast in all major Indian languages and dialects.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Mago takes over as NDC Commandant

• Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Mago has taken over as the Commandant of National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi. He hails from Ludhiana, was commanding the 10 Corps at Bathinda before being given the assignment at NDC that entails evolving a strategic culture among the country’s senior-most officials of the military, the civilian bureaucracy and the Indian Police Service. Lt Gen Mago, who passed out of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Brigade of Guards in 1984. He later commanded 16 Guards.

OBITUARY

National Award-winning Choreographer Shiva Shankar passes away due to C-19

• The renowned National Award-winning choreographer and actor, Shiva Shankar Master passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born on 7 December 1948 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian dance choreographer, worked in South Indian movies. He received the National Award for ‘Best Choreographer’ for the movie ‘Magadheera’.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Pollution Control Day 2021: 2nd December

• National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2nd December every year. The day is observed as a national pollution control day to commemorate the lives of the people who died in the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984. The main objective of this day is to educate the people and to make them aware of pollution control acts and industrial disasters. This year will be marked as the 37th national pollution control day. To know more about this day, candidates are advised to read the article below.

• The day is observed in the memory of people who lost their lives in the Bhopal gas disaster. The industrial accident occurred in 1984 when the gas Methyl Isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2–3 and killed thousands.

World Computer Literacy Day 2021:2nd December

• World Computer Literacy Day is observed on 2nd December every year all over the world. The day is celebrated as the world computer literacy day to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide. The day promotes technological skills, especially in children and women, and aims to inspire them to learn more and make their work easier by the use of computers. To know, more about the World Computer Literacy day candidates are advised to read the below article.

• The day was originally founded by the Indian computer company NIIT to mark its 20th anniversary in 2001. World Computer Literacy Day was first observed and held in the year 2001 on 2nd December. As mentioned above, the day is celebrated to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book ‘Democracy, Politics and Governance’ authored by Dr A. Surya Prakash

• Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu on the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the ‘Constitution of India’ released a book titled “Democracy, Politics and Governance” in English and ‘Loktantr, Rajniti and Dharm’ in Hindi at an event in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi. The book was authored by Dr A. Surya Prakash.

• This book is a collection of articles about the social, political, and economic issues that impacted India’s politics and governance. Dr A. Surya Prakash is a Vice Chairman, Executive Council of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and also a veteran journalist.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

India1 Payments deploys over 10,000 White Label ATMs

• India1 Payments has crossed a milestone on deploying 10000 white-label ATMs, which was called as “India1ATMs”. India1 Payments is IPO-bound and is promoted by the Banktech Group of Australia. It was formerly known as BTI Payments. India1 ATM has become the second-largest white label ATM brand on semi-urban and rural areas. With the deployment of 10000 ATMs, India1 Payments has become the largest player in this segment.

• The Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which are set up, owned and operated by non-bank entities are known as “White Label ATMs” (WLAs). Non-bank entities which are incorporated in India, under the Companies Act 1956, are allowed to run WLAs. Non-bank entities are allowed to set up WLAs across India, after getting authorisation from the apex bank, under the Payment & Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.

INTERNATIONAL

South Korea hopes to build sustainable floating city by 2025

• South Korea is soon going to get the world’s first floating city, to deal with the problem of floods due to rising sea levels. The floating city project is a joint effort by the UN Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habit) and OCEANIX. The city will be built off the coast of Busan in South Korea and is likely to be completed by 2025.

• The floating city will have ‘flood-proof infrastructure’ and comprise several man-made islands to eliminate the risk of flooding. The self-sufficient city will be specifically designed to withstand natural disasters like tsunamis, floods, and Category 5 hurricanes.

Merriam-Webster chooses vaccine as the 2021 word of the year

• The American publishing company Merriam-Webster has chosen the word “vaccine” as its 2021 Word of the Year. Merriam-Webster is America’s most trusted online dictionary for English word definitions, meanings, and pronunciation. It has been declaring the word of the year since 2008. The word “vaccine” saw a 601 percent increase in definition lookups over the year, compared to 2020.

NATIONAL

First ever Aharbal Festival held in Kulgam 

• Kulgam district administration and the Department of Tourism, Jammu & Kashmir organized the 1st ever Aharbal Festival at Kulgam, J & K to promote tourism in Kashmir, particularly at the Aharbal waterfall. Aharbal falls, also known as “Niagara Falls” of Kashmir, is a hill station in the southwestern part of Kashmir Valley in the Jammu and Kashmir.

• The department organized the 1st ever Lolab festival, a one-day festival at Chandigam Lolab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, J&K, and Doodhpathri Festival, a 3-day tourism festival at Budgam, J&K, to promote Doodhpathri as an attractive tourist destination.

IISF 2021: Science Film Festival To Be Part Of 4-Day Event In Goa From December 10

• The 7th edition of the four-day India International Science Festival (IISF) is scheduled to be held in Panaji, Goa, from December 10 to 13, 2021. The festival theme in 2021 is “Celebrating Creativity in Science, Technology and Innovation for Prosperous India”. The first IISF was held in New Delhi in 2015.

• The Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is the nodal agency to organise IISF 2021. The festival will be organised jointly with the Departments of Atomic Energy (DAE), Science and Technology (DST), Biotechnology (DBT), and Space (DoS) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

UAE’s Ahmed Al Raisi elected Interpol president for 4-year term

• The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has elected Inspector General Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi (United Arab Emirates) as its President for a 4-year term at the 89th Interpol general assembly meeting held in Istanbul, Turkey. He replaces Kim Jong Yan from South Korea.

• In the final round, the UAE candidate received 68.9 per cent of votes cast by member countries. As president, Al Raisi’s role during his four-year term will be to chair meetings of the executive committee which supervises the implementation of decisions taken at the General Assembly.

OBITUARY

Stephen Sondheim, Titan of the American Musical, Is Dead at 91

• Veteran composer and lyricist, Stephen Joshua Sondheim has passed away at the age of 91 in Connecticut, United States (US). He received 8 Tony Awards, a Special Tony Award 2008 for lifetime achievement in the theatre. He also received a Pulitzer Prize (‘Sunday in the Park’), and an Academy Award for the song ‘Sooner or Later’. Also won several awards like eight Grammy Awards, Presidential Medal of Freedom 2015, etc.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

BSF Raising Day 2021: December 01

• The Border Security Force (BSF) is celebrating its 57th Raising Day on 01 December 2021. BSF was formed on December 1, 1965 as a unified central agency after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith. It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India and stands as the world’s largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed as the First Line of Defence of Indian Territories.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947” authored by Ayaz Memon

• A book titled ‘Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947’ authored by Ayaz Memon released. It is an anthology of Indian Cricket and marked several insights of Indian cricket of the last 70 years. The book has covered the era of veteran cricketers K N Prabhu to P N Sundaresan and Dicky Rutnagar to Ramachandra Guha and Suresh Menon, those years of famous victories consist of experiences about World Cups, various Test cricket, etc.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

HSBC India launches recycled PVC plastic credit card

• HSBC India has launched India’s 1st credit card made from recycled PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) plastic. The cards have been introduced in partnership with global cards manufacturer IDEMIA to gradually eliminate single-use PVC plastic. The cards are made from 85 per cent recycled plastic and each card will save 3.18gm of plastic waste in addition to helping lower overall carbon emission.

• The card was launched as a part of a new program launched by HSBC Group to introduce sustainable cards across all its global locations to support its global commitments to sustainability and a net-zero in its operations by 2030.

LIC gets RBI approval to hike stake in KMB to 9.9%

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its approval to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to raise its stake in private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank to 9.99 per cent. Currently, LIC holds 4.96% stake in the private lender. Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited has received an intimation from LIC stating that the RBI had granted its approval to LIC, for increasing its holding in the Bank up to 9.99 per cent of the paid-up equity share capital of the Bank.

• The approval of the central bank will be valid for one year. As per RBI norms, prior approval of the RBI is required to increase the stake in private banks beyond 5 per cent.

• LIC is one of the biggest institutional investors in India’s stock market and has a stake in a number of private and public sector banks. LIC has a stake in as many 24 scheduled commercial banks, data from Capitaline shows.

NATIONAL

Skyroot successfully test fires India's first privately developed cryogenic rocket engine

• Skyroot Aerospace, a space technology startup based in Hyderabad, has successfully test-fired Dhawan-1, India’s first privately developed fully cryogenic rocket engine. This will power the upper stages of its upcoming Vikram-2 orbital launch vehicle. The rocket engine Dhawan-1 is named after Satish Dhawan, an Indian rocket scientist.

• Dhawan-1 is a completely ‘Made-in-India’ cryogenic engine, developed using 3D printing with a superalloy. The engine is fuelled by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen—a high-performance, low-cost, and clean rocket fuel.

SPORTS

Saurav Ghosal beats top seed Miguel Rodriguez to become 1st Indian to win Malaysian Open squash championships

• Indian Squash star, Saurav Ghosal has scripted history as he has become the first Indian squash player to win the Malaysian Open Championships. The second-seeded Ghosal beat Miguel Rodriguez of Colombia 11-7, 11-8 and 13-11 in the men’s singles final in Kuala Lumpur to win the 2021 Malaysian Open Squash Championships title. On the other hand, the women’s singles title of the 2021 Malaysian Open squash championships has been won by Malaysia’s Aifa Azman.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Naomi Kawase appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

• UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, has appointed Japanese film director Naomi Kawase as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural and Creative Industries. Ms Azoulay named Naomi Kawase in recognition of her commitment to culture and creativity at the service of the development of more just societies, especially for girls and women, and of her support for the Organization's objectives.

• Committed to the representation of women in the film industry in Africa, Ms Kawase, on Thursday took part in UNESCO’s conference on Diversity and Gender Equality in African Cinema. In 2020, she launched the UNESCO-Nara Residency with the Organization, opening up new creative and production opportunities for ten young African women filmmakers.

• Considered the “filmmaker of human relationships,” Naomi Kawase’s work draws on her personal experience to blend fiction and documentary. In 2007, she won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for her film The Mourning Forestand in 2013 served on the Jury of the 66th edition of the Festival. She is also the official film director of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

Sanjay dutt signed as Arunachal Pradesh Ambassador

• The Arunachal Pradesh Government has signed Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt as brand ambassador and award-winning filmmaker and branding expert Rahul Mittra as brand advisor on the occasion of their golden jubilee celebrations, marking the 50th year of the naming of the state.

• This announcement was made by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Assembly Speaker Pasang Sona Dorjee at a packed function in the presence of both Sanjay Dutt and Rahul Mittra, who arrived from Mumbai by chartered flight to Dibrugarh and then by helicopter to the picturesque valley of Mechuka in the afternoon on Monday.

Indian-origin executive Parag Agrawal is new CEO of Twitter after Jack Dorsey steps down

• Indian-origin technology executive, Parag Agrawal has been appointed as the new CEO of Twitter after the social media giant’s co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down. He is now the youngest CEO in the S&P 500 elbowing Meta Platform Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg. However, Agrawal is 37 and the same age as Mark Zuckerberg.

• Parag joined Twitter 10 years ago when there were fewer than 1,000 employees. He has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware and humble.

• Parag did his undergrad at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Following this, he went on to do his masters from Stanford University. He completed his PhD in Computer Science from the same place in 2012.

Hero Motocorp appoints former SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar to the board

• Two-wheeler major, Hero MotoCorp announced the appointment of former chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) Rajnish Kumar as an independent non-executive director on the board of the company. Kumar completed his three-year term as chairman of SBI in October 2020. He is currently serving as an Independent Director on the Boards of many other companies including HSBC, Asia Pacific, L&T Infotech, and is also the Non-Executive Chairman of Resilient Innovations (BharatPe).

OBITUARY

Geoffrey Johnson, Tony-Winning Casting Director, Dies at 91

• Tony-winning casting director Geoffrey Johnson died Friday at the age of 91.

• Johnson died in his sleep of respiratory failure at the Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital in New York, his rep said.

• With his business partner Vincent Liff, Johnson helped cast long-running Broadway shows Cats, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. The casting firm they co-founded, Johnson-Liff, cast Broadway shows such as The Elephant Man, Dreamgirls, Miss Saigon and Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 2021 : 30th November

• The United Nation recognised Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is held every year on November 30. The day marks a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

• The first Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare was held in 2005. The history of the serious efforts to achieve chemical disarmament that culminated in the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention began more than a century ago. Chemical weapons were used on a massive scale during World War I, resulting in more than 100,000 fatalities and a million casualties.

NCC celebrates its 73rd Raising Day on 28th November 2021

• The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces and the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, is observing the 73rd anniversary of its raising on November 28.  NCC day is celebrated every year on the 4th Sunday in November. NCC day is observed throughout the country. The raising day is being celebrated all over the country with cadets participating in marches, blood donation camps and social development programmes.

• The NCC was formed on 15th July 1948. NCC is also the largest uniformed youth organisation in the whole world. The NCC headquarters is located in New Delhi. Headquarters is now open for school and college students. It is a voluntary “Tri-service Organisation”. This organisation includes the army, the naval and the wings.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book ‘Bangladesh Liberation @ 50 years: ‘Bijoy’ with Synergy, India-Pakistan war 1971’ by MM Naravane

• General MM Naravane released a book ‘Bangladesh Liberation @ 50 years: ‘Bijoy’ with Synergy, India-Pakistan war 1971’, a compilation of personal accounts of the war by veterans from India and Pakistan. The book is an amalgamation of historical and anecdotal accounts of the 1971 War and comprises authors from both India and Bangladesh. Mostly who fought the war.

• The event was organized by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) at the India International Centre (IIC), Delhi to commemorate 50 Years of India-Bangladesh Friendship as well as the decisive victory in India- Pakistan War 1971.

• An award ceremony was also conducted. The ‘Scholar Warrior Award’ was awarded by the former COAS (Chief of Army Staff) of Bangladesh, Bir Protik to Brigadier Narender Kumar for his outstanding contribution as a warrior and in the field of research.

INTERNATIONAL

Indian , Maldives and Sri Lanka hold first ever Colombo security conclave

• The ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy participated in the first-ever Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Focused Operation to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, along with Sri Lanka and the Maldives, a statement from the Indian Navy said on Sunday. The two-day conclave concluded on Sunday.

• During the conclave, exercises were conducted between the lead maritime security agencies of India, Maldives and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean region.

Petr Fiala appointed as the Prime Minister of Czech Republic

• Petr Fiala has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic by President Milos Zeman. Fiala, 57, heads the three-party coalition Together (Civic Democratic Party, Christian Democrats, TOP 09 party), which garnered 27.8% of the vote in early October. Fiala succeeds Andrej Babis. The alliance narrowly defeated the ANO movement led by billionaire Babis. The centrist group of the Mayors and Independents and the left-wing Pirate Party joined with Fiala’s coalition to remove Babis, who had served as prime minister since 2017.

NATIONAL

Delhi deputy cm Manish Sisodia inaugurates 'Smart Urban Farming Expo'

• Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia inaugurated the two-day Smart Urban Farming Expo on Saturday, which is being organised by the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDC), in partnership with Urban Gro, Indian Society Of Agricultural Engineers (ISAE) and Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).

• India’s first specialised urban farming fair is being organised in Thayagaraj Stadium, INA, Delhi, on November 27-28 to start a movement towards mass adoption of urban farming in the capital. The expo includes sessions on the new frontiers of urban agriculture, its associated technical horti-engineering, business, economic, social and environmental aspects.

Indian Railways is constructing the tallest pier railway bridge of the world in Manipur

• The Indian Railways is constructing the tallest pier railway bridge of the world in Manipur. The ambitious project of the Railways in Manipur is part of the Jiribam-Imphal railway line, which ultimately is part of a new broad gauge line being constructed to connect the northeastern state with the rest of the country. Currently, the tallest pier bridge record is held by 139-metre high Mala-Rijeka viaduct built at Montenegro in Europe.

Cherry Blossom Festival 2021 celebrated in Meghalaya

• The three-day Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2021 was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma, and Ambassador of Japan to India, Satoshi Suzuki. It was celebrated from November 25 to 27. The festival was held in two venues, Ward’s Lake and Polo Grounds in Meghalaya. The annual festival coincides with the actual blooming of the cherry blossom flowers. It is also known as the Prunus Cerasoides, these flowers underline the Himalayas and cover the east and west Khasi hills.

Kantar's 2021 edition of India's most purposeful brands

• According to Kantar’s BrandZ India 2021 report, Amazon, Tata Tea and Asian Paints emerged as the most purposeful brands in India across technology, FMCG, and non-FMCG categories respectively. In technology ranking Amazonleads the index followed by Zomato, YouTube, and Google, and Swiggy jointly in 4th place.

• While Asian Paints topped the non-FMCG rankings, Samsung and Jio ranked jointly in the 2nd position, followed by MRF. The FMCG category rankings saw Tata Tea topping the chart, Surf Excel in 2nd position.

Assam CM launches Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme 2021

• Assam government on Sunday rolled out the microfinance loan waiver scheme to give relief to 24 lakh women in the state.

• Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme, 2021, at Collegiate HS School, Tezpur in Sonitpur district.

• Himanta Biswa Sarma ceremonially distributed cheques of Rs 25,000 to five women beneficiaries during the programme.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Vivek Johri Appointed as the chairman of CBIC

• Senior bureaucrat Vivek Johri has been appointed as the chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), an order issued on Sunday by the personnel ministry said. Johri, a 1985-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Indirect Taxes) officer, is currently working as the member in the board.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Bajaj Allianz ties up TropoGo to distribute ‘drone insurance’ products

• Bajaj Allianz General Insurance announced its partnership with deep-tech startup TropoGo for the distribution of a drone Insurance product. With this Bajaj Allianz General Insurance becomes the 4th insurer to offer drone cover. HDFC Ergo was the first insurer to launch a drone insurance cover in June 2020, followed by ICICI Lombard in August 2021, and Tata AIG last month.

• The drone insurance product will cover Damage to the Drone and Payload it carries Third Party Liability, BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) Endorsement, and Night Flying Endorsement.

INTERNATIONAL

WHO classifies new C-19 variant B.1.1.529 as Omicron

• World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the new C-19 variant B.1.1.529 as Omicron. New C-19 variant B.1.1.529 was first reported to WHO from South Africa on 24 November 2021. According to WHO, the strain may spread more quickly than other forms. It has a large number of mutations. WHO said that preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant as compared to other variants. WHO also said that current PCR tests continue to successfully detect the variant.

• The classification puts Omicron into the most-troubling category of C-19 variants, along with the globally-dominant Delta, plus its weaker rivals Alpha, Beta and Gamma.

• Apart from South Africa, Omicron has been detected in Israel in a person coming from Malawi; Botswana; Belgium and Hong Kong.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Mountaineer Harshwanti Bisht becomes first women President of Indian Mountaineering Foundation

• Noted mountaineer from Uttarakhand, Harshwanti Bisht has earned the distinction of being elected the first woman president of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). The 62-year-old Bisht won 60 out of a total of 107 votes to get elected to the coveted post. It is for the first time that a woman has been elected as the president of the IMF, which was founded in the year 1958.

• Bisht, 62, who hails from a village named Sukai in Pauri district, says promoting mountaineering and other adventure sports, and bringing more women into the field will be among her priorities.

• Bisht, who has been honoured with the Arjuna award for her achievements in the field of mountaineering, said there was a time when Uttarakhand used to be at the top when it came to adventure sports like mountaineering but the scenario has changed in recent years.

• Bisht, who did a course in mountaineering from the Uttarkashi-based Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in 1975, scaled the Nanda Devi peak in 1981 which earned her the Arjuna award. She was also a member of an expedition team to Mount Everest in 1984.

• A professor of economics, Bisht recently retired as the principal of PG College, Uttarkashi.

OBITUARY

National award winning choreographers shiva shankar passed away

• National Award-winning choreographer K Sivasankar dies due to C-19 related complications at the age of 72 on Sunday. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People November 29th 2021

• The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is an UN-organized day held every year on November 29. The day aims to educate the public on the question of Palestine and support a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is observed to mark the anniversary of resolution 181, wherein the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine on November 29, 1947.

• In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine. This date, which was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people, is based on the call by the United Nations General Assembly for an annual observance of the resolution on the partition of Palestine.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Sixth BRICS film festival awards announced at IFFI

• South African Film Barakat by Director Amy Jephta and Russian Film The Sun above Me Never Sets by Director Lyubov Borisova has shared the Best film Award in the Sixth edition BRICS Film Festival. For the first time the BRICS Film Festival was held alongside the 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa during November 20-28, 2021. 

• The awards were given to these films for their brilliant cinematic portrayal of human emotions and magnificent storytelling on screen.

• Commenting on the excellence of the films and the talents, Rahul Rawail, BRICS Jury Chairperson, said, “The Jury this year had some very able people and what we realized during the process was that though we are of different cultures, when we watch the films, we are all the same. That is the way this world should be.”

Japanese film 'Ring Wandering wins Golden Peacock Award at IFFI

• Japanese director Masakazu Kaneko’s Ring Wandering, which explores Tokyo’s wartime past, bagged the coveted Golden Peacock Award at the closing ceremony of the 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), in Goa on Sunday.

• The Ring Wandering, which captures the story of a labourer and an aspiring manga artist, whose search for bones to complete his art piece unearths war-time memories, won the top honour in the International Competition section for being a “beautifully photographed combination of fantasy and manga-inspired reality, reflecting a fascination with the echoes of the past reverberating in present-day Japanese society”.

RANKING

Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) prepared by government

• The government think tank Niti Aayog has released the first-ever Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to measure poverty at the national, State/UT, and district levels. As per the inaugural index, Bihar has been adjudged as the state with the highest level of multidimensional poverty. 51.91 per cent of the state’s population are multidimensionally poor.

• Jharkhand is at second position with 42.16 per cent of the state population as multidimensionally poor. This is followed by Uttar Pradesh at 37.79 per cent, Madhya Pradesh (36.65 per cent) and Meghalaya (32.67 per cent) in the top five poorest states.

• Meanwhile, Kerala (0.71 per cent), Goa (3.76%), Sikkim (3.82%), Tamil Nadu (4.89%) and Punjab (5.59 %) are the top 5 lowest poverty states across India.

• Kottayam in Kerala is the only district that registered zero poverty across the country as per the index.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Reserve Bank Imposes Rs 1 Crore Penalty on SBI for Violating Norms

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on the State Bank of India (SBI), for violating subsection (2) of section 19 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. SBI held shares in the borrower companies of an amount exceeding 30 per cent of the paid-up share capital of those companies.

• As per Sub-section (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, no banking company can hold shares in any company, as pledgee, mortgagee or absolute owner, of an amount exceeding 30 per cent of the paid-up share capital of that company or thirty per cent of its own paid-up share capital and reserves.

Hindujas planning to raise stake in IndusInd Bank to 26% after RBI hike cap on promoter holding

• Reserve Bank of India had formed an Internal Working Group (IWG) in June 2020, to review the extant guidelines on ownership and corporate structure for Indian private sector banks. The IWG had 5 members with Shrimohan Yadav as the convenor. The Internal Working Group (IWG) had made 33 recommendations to RBI. Now RBI has accepted 21 recommendations out of these 33.

• The initial lock-in requirements will continue as a minimum of 40 per cent of the paid-up voting equity share capital of the bank for the first five years.

• The cap on promoters’ stake in the long run of 15 years has been raised from 15 per cent (earlier) to 26 per cent of the paid-up voting equity share capital of the bank.