DAKSH
CURRENT AFFAIRS
JUNE-2023
For SSC CGL, CHSL and other Competitive Exams
New Parliament Building Inaugurated
by Prime Minister
Chennai Super Kings won IPL 2023
Indian-origin Ajay Banga becomes the
next World Bank president
RBI Announces Withdrawal of
₹2000 Banknotes from Circula�on
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Contents
1. National News������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
2. International News��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14
3. Economy��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 18
4. Science and Technology������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 22
5. Sports�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26
6. Defence����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32
7. Awards and Honors�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
8. Appointments������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 40
9. Index and Reports���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 46
10. Obituary��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48
11. Summit and Conferences���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51
12. Books and Authors��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54
13. Important Days��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56
14. MoU and Agreements���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 60
15. Practice Questions��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 62
16. Static Takes��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 73
1
National News
New Parliament Building Inaugurated by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi
‰ The national emblem installed, the Lion Capital of
Ashoka weighs 9,500 kg and is 6.5 metres in height,
and is visible from a distance.
PM Modi flags off Northeast’s first Vande Bharat
Express
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‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Northeast
India’s first Vande Bharat Express train via videoconferencing.
‰ The aim is to boost tourism and enhance connectivity.
‰ The train will connect Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri.
‰ It will save about an hour of journey time, by one hour.
‰ This Vande Bharat will cover the journey in 5 hrs 30
mins.
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‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated
the new parliament building and installed a historic
sceptre ‘Sengol’ near the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chair.
‰ Sengol was handed over to First Prime Minister Jawahar
Lal Nehru in 1947 as a symbol of the transfer of power.
‰ A puja and a multi-faith prayer were held on the
occasion.
‰ The parliament is triangular in shape.
‰ The new Parliament building has three storeys and a
built-up area of 64,500 sqm.
‰ The new building is supposed to reduce electricity
consumption by 30 per cent, compared to the old one.
Rainwater harvesting and water-recycling systems
have been included.
‰ Lok Sabha chamber has a peacock theme.
‰ The Rajya Sabha chamber has been decorated with the
lotus as its theme.
‰ The new building has a Constitution Hall, where the
journey of Indian democracy has been documented.
Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
inaugurated PCIM&H ‘e-office’ and online portal
‰ Recently Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping
and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated
“the e-Office portal of PCIM&H” and “Online portal”.
The online portal will be for selling soft copies of
pharmacopoeial monographs.
‰ He visited Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian
Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H), Ghaziabad.
‰ The online portal will promote the hassle-free reach
of pharmacopoeia monographs among stakeholders
across the world.
The new building of the high court of Jharkhand
was recently inaugurated by the President of India
‰ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu
inaugurated the new building of the High Court of
Jharkhand at Ranchi in May 2023.
‰ The building has modern amenities as well as enriched
with state-of-the-art physical infrastructure.
‰ The entire campus is designed and constructed keeping
in mind the principle of energy conservation.
‰ The Chief Minister of Jharkhand is Hemant Soren.
‰ The Governor of Jharkhand is C. P. Radhakrishnan.
Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurates the newly
built ‘Janganana Bhawan’
‰ Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the newly
built Janganana Bhawan in New Delhi.
‰ This building is in Lutyens Zone, Delhi.
‰ WAPCOS executed the Design, Engineering &
Construction of Multi Storied Janganana Bhawan.
WAPCOS also executed Office Building for Regional
Census Centres at Guwahati, Assam and Raipur,
Chhattisgarh.
‰ The foundation stone of the building was laid in
September 2019.
’75/25’ initiative for people with hypertension,
and diabetes launched
Congress’ UT Khader becomes 1st Muslim
Speaker of K’taka Assembly
‰ Karnataka former minister and five-time Congress MLA
UT Khader has been unanimously elected as Speaker of
the state Legislative Assembly.
‰ UT Khader became the first Muslim leader to do so.
‰ State CM Siddaramaiah had proposed Khader’s name
for the post and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar had
seconded it.
‰ Recently Indian National Congress won the state
assembly elections in Karnataka and Siddaramaiah has
become the new CM of Karnataka.
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‰ The Union Health Ministry has launched an initiative
to provide standard care to 75 million individuals
suffering from hypertension and diabetes by 2025.
‰ This significant announcement was made during the
G20 co-branded event. The theme was “Accelerating
the Prevention and Management of Hypertension and
Diabetes,” which was organized by the Union Health
Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO).
‰ Union Finance Ministry will launch a ₹75 coin.
‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new
Parliament Building on May 28th 2023.
‰ The coin will be circular in shape with a diameter of 44
millimetres.
‰ The composition of the coin will be of a quaternary
alloy — 50 percent silver, 40 percent copper, 5 percent
nickel, 5 percent zinc.
Amit Shah lays the foundation stone of the campus
of the National Academy of Coastal Policing in
Dwaraka, Gujarat
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‰ The permanent campus of the National Academy of
Coastal Policing at Okha in Dwaraka was inaugurated
by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
‰ Shri Amit Shah said the Union government has left no
stone unturned to ensure the development of border
areas and the well-being of security personnel.
‰ The National Academy of Coastal Policing, the country’s
first national academy was established in 2018 to
provide intensive training to the marine police of nine
coastal states, five Union Territories as well as the
Central Police Forces.
‰ During the function, the Home Minister also virtually
inaugurated five coastal outposts of BSF located at the
Jakhau coast of the Kutch district.
Centre to launch new Rs 75 coin to mark new
Parliament inauguration
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
Assam Governor adopts 10 TB patients under
Nikshay Mitra initiative
‰ Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has adopted
10 patients suffering from tuberculosis (TB) for six
months as part of a community support initiative for
TB patients under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat
Abhiyan, known as Nikshay Mitra.
‰ Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan is a step
towards garnering community support towards the TB
patient-centric health system.
‰ “Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan” was
launched on 9th September 2022 with an AIM to end
TB in the country by 2025.
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Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry
& Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala launches
Sagar Parikrama Yatra Phase-V
‰ Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances,
and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 8th All
India Pension Adalat in Delhi.
‰ The Minister also presided over the 50th PRC (PreRetirement Counselling) Workshop.
‰ All seven India Pension Adalat has been organised by
the Department, in which 24218 cases have been taken
up and 17235 cases have been resolved.
DNA profiling of elephants as part of census
begins in Jharkhand
‰ The census is being done under the guidance of a fivemember team from the Wildlife Institute of India.
‰ DNA profiling of elephants is being done to develop a
scientific method for the estimation of the Elephant
population.
‰ It is an advanced way of counting, which will help avoid
inaccuracy.
‰ DNA profiling is the process where a specific DNA
pattern, called a profile, is obtained from a person or
sample of bodily tissue.
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‰ The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries,
Animal Husbandry& Dairying, Government of India,
and National Fisheries Development Board along
with the Department of Fisheries, Government of
Maharashtra, Government of Goa, Indian Coast Guard
and fishermen representatives is observing the Sagar
Parikrama Phase V.
‰ It got started from 17th May 2023 from Gateway of
India, Mumbai and will be proceeding towards coastal
regions which are like Gateway of India, Karanja
(Raigad District), Mirkarwada (Ratnagiri Dist.), Vasco,
Mormugaon, Canacona.
‰ Sagar Parikrama is an initiative taken by Government
of India, with an aim to resolve the issues of the fishers,
Other stakeholders and facilitate their economic
upliftment through various fisheries schemes and
programs being implemented by the Government of
India, for example Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada
Yojana (PMMSY) and Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
‰ Phase-III Program of ‘Sagar Parikrama’ started on 19th
Feb 2023 from Surat, Gujarat, and ended on 21st Feb
2023 at Sasson Dock, Mumbai.
‰ Phase-I Programme of ‘Sagar Parikrama’ was organized
in Gujarat in March 2022.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh to inaugurates 8th
All India Pension Adalat in Delhi
231 stolen antiques were brought back to India in
the last 9 years
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‰ Minister of Spacing issue Technology, Dr Jitendra
Singh announced that 231 stolen antiques have been
repatriated to India in the last nine years.
‰ He said this stands in stark contrast to the mere 13
antiques brought back by previous governments in the
70 years since independence.
‰ The minister also highlighted the government’s
commitment to preserving India’s heritage by setting
up Science Museums across the country.
Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnav launches
‘Sanchar Saathi’ Portal
‰ The Department of Telecom has launched a portal
through which can monitor ones mobile phone, and
can also block your phone number if required.
‰ The Sanchar Saathi portal focuses on the needs and
requirements of mobile phone users.
‰ It is a joint effort between the government and mobile
phone service providers.
‰ It is an initiative developed by the Department of
Telecom.
‰ It was launched by union minister Shri Ashwini
Vaishnav.
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Giriraj Singh Launches SAMARTH Campaign to
Promote Digital Transactions at Gram Panchayat
Level
‰ Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati
Raj, Shri Giriraj Singh launched the Campaign on
Promoting Digital Transactions known as SAMARTH
Campaign.
‰ It was launched in 50000 Gram Panchayats’ in Lucknow
under the Amrit Mahotsav.
‰ Secretary Rural Development Shri Shailesh Kumar
Singh briefed about the SAMARTH campaign and the
milestones which are set as well as being achieved
under this by Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna- National
Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the
Ministry of Rural Development.
Maharashtra CM Shinde launches Shasan Aplya
Dari to bring govt. schemes to citizens
‰ The Maharashtra government launched a new initiative
aimed at providing citizens with the necessary
information and full benefits of various schemes.
‰ The ‘Shasan Aplya Dari’ initiative aims to eliminate
the difficulties faced by citizens when availing of
government services and benefits.
‰ The inaugural event for this campaign was held in
Satara district, the Chief Minister’s home district.
June 2023 | CURRENT AFFAIRS
7
Kerala Becomes First India’s Fully E-Governed
State
‰ The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched
three new initiatives to support the implementation of
the National Education Policy 2020.
‰ The aim here is to improve the quality of higher
education in India.
‰ The UGC has launched a new user-friendly website, a
comprehensive UTSAH (Undertaking Transformative
Strategies and Actions in Higher Education) Portal, and
a Professor of Practice (PoP) Portal.
‰ The portal will provide detailed information about UGC
initiatives for qualitative reforms in higher education
and serve as a repository for regulations, guidelines,
and frameworks issued by the UGC.
PM Modi inaugurates International Museum
Expo 2023
‰ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated
the International Museum Expo 2023 at Pragati Maidan
in New Delhi.
‰ He also inaugurated a virtual walkthrough of the
upcoming National Museum at the North and South
Blocks.
‰ Prime Minister congratulated everyone on the occasion
of International Museum Day.
‰ The Prime Minister also mentioned that the
development of ten special museums is underway to
immortalize the contributions of the tribal communities
in India’s freedom struggle.
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‰ Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan makes the ‘Total
e-Governance Kerala’ declaration on May 25, marking a
major stride in Kerala’s journey towards achieving cent
per cent digital literacy.
‰ Kerala is the first state in India that will run its public
services fully on e-governance platforms, where
internet service will be deemed the fundamental right
of the citizen.
‰ With a focus on a knowledge-based economy and
100% digital literacy, the government has digitized
the delivery of vital services across various domains,
ensuring transparency, inclusivity, and accessibility for
all citizens.
UGC launches new website, UTSAH and PoP
portals to promote quality education in India
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After Halbi language, All India Radio broadcasts
news in Gondi language
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‰ From May 21st, 2023, All India Radio (Akashvaani)
News started broadcasting news bulletin in Gondi, the
primary dialect of a tribal people in Chhattisgarh.
‰ Every Sunday at 6.30 p.m., the weekly news bulletin in
Gondi will be presented.
‰ It will be broadcast from the Jagdalpur Akashvani
Kendra, which serves as the divisional office for
Chhattisgarh’s Bastar area. All seven districts of the
Bastar division can hear this news.
‰ Halbi already had a weekly news feed from Akashvani
News.
‰ Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, launched the
Halbi news bulletin on March 25, 2023.
Shri Bhupender Yadav launches ‘Meri LiFE’ App
‰ To create awareness for climate change as a build up
to June 5, World Environment Day, Union Minister
for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Shri
Bhupender Yadav launched a mobile application, called
“Meri LiFE” (My life).
‰ This app is inspired by the concept of LiFE, envisioned
by the Prime Minister at COP 26,
‰ This app focuses on mindful and deliberate utilization
instead of mindless and wasteful consumption.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
‘Harit Sagar’ Green Port Guidelines 2023 recently
launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping &
Waterways Launches
‰ To attain its goal of having no carbon emissions,
the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has
introduced the “Harit Sagar” Green Port Guidelines
2023.
‰ In front of several senior ministry officials, the
guidelines were introduced in New Delhi by Union
Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH,
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.
‰ The rules are designed to be in keeping with the idea
of “Working with Nature,” reducing the negative effects
on the biotic elements of harbour ecosystems and
encouraging the use of clean, environmentally friendly
energy in port operations.
Union Agriculture Minister Tomar inaugurates
Integrated Biological Control Laboratory in
Hyderabad
‰ Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Integrated
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Biological Control Laboratory at the National Institute
of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) Hyderabad.
‰ The new laboratory has state-of-the-art facilities
for giving hands-on experience on production
methodologies for biopesticides, biocontrol agents like
predators and parasitoids, entomopathogenic fungi,
bio fertilisers, NPV, pheromone and botanicals.
‰ NIPHM is a National level institute under the
administrative control of the Department of Agriculture
& Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer’s
Welfare, Government of India established in the year
1966 as Central Plant Protection Institute (CPPTI) at
Hyderabad.
UDAN 5.1, specifically designed for helicopter
routes launched
‰ The government had launched two insurance schemes
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan
Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana to make the people
belonging from unorganised sections financially secure.
‰ The government also introduced Atal Pension Yojana to
cover the exigencies in the old age.
‰ Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is a one-year
life insurance scheme renewable from year to year
offering coverage for death due to any reason. The
scheme provides life cover of two lakh rupees in case
of death due to any reason against a premium of 436
rupees per annum.
‰ Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is a one-year
accidental insurance scheme renewable from year to
year offering coverage for death or disability due to an
accident. The scheme provides accidental death cum
disability cover of two lakh rupees against a premium
of 20 rupees per annum.
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‰ Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched UDAN 5.1 to
further enhance the connectivity to remote areas of
the country and achieve last mile connectivity through
helicopters.
‰ Airfare caps have been reduced by as much as 25%
to make flying in helicopters more affordable for
passengers.
‰ Viability Gap Funding (VGF) caps for the operators
have been increased substantially for both single and
twin-engine helicopters to enhance financial viability
for operating the awarded routes.
‰ VGF aims at supporting infrastructure projects that
are economically justified but fall marginally short of
financial viability.
‰ Four successful rounds of the Regional Connectivity
Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) has
been processed and with the version 5.0 is underway.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima
Yojana (PMSBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
complete 8 years of providing social security cover
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates
Indian Air Force Heritage Centre in Chandigarh
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India’s largest tunnel aquarium ‘Aqua Marine
Park’ will open in Hyderabad
‰ The Aqua Marine Park (tunnel aquarium) in Hyderabad
will be India’s largest such project that It will cost upto
Rs 300 crore.
‰ It will have a 2,50,000 sq. ft built-up area.
‰ This tunnel aquarium will be located in Kothwalguda
Eco Park spread over 4.27 acres.
Kerala Launches Welfare Fund For Workers Under
Employment Guarantee Scheme
‰ Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan government in May 2023,
launched a welfare fund for Mahatma Gandhi Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) workers
in the State.
‰ The workers who have completed the age of 60 will
be entitled to a pension under the fund which will also
provide financial assistance for medical treatment,
education, and marriage, among other benefits.
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‰ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates IAF
Heritage Centre
‰ This is spread over 17,000 square feet in the heart of
Chandigarh.
‰ It shows glimpses of the IAF’s role in various wars,
including in 1965, 1971 and the Kargil War, besides
the Balakot air strike through murals and memorabilia.
‰ The centre has eight attractions, including aircraft
models and weapon displays. The biggest attraction
is the flight simulator. Informative exhibits on aero
engines, aircraft, kiosks and machines/fixtures, films
on achievements and personalities, and guides have
been set up.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai inaugurates Dawki
land port in Meghalaya
‰ The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand
Rai inaugurated the Dawki land port in West Jaintia
Hills, Meghalaya.
June 2023 | CURRENT AFFAIRS
9
‰ Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar
was also present.
‰ The port is to promote trade and commerce between
India and Bangladesh.
‰ The port is located 55 km from Jowai (the district
headquarters of West Jaintia Hills), and about 84 km
from Meghalaya’s capital Shillong.
‰ The corresponding Land Port in Bangladesh is Tamabil,
located in the Sylhet district.
‰ It is enriched with good infrastructure and state of art
facilities such as a godown, canteen, cargo for tourists
and electric substation.
‰ It will serve as an important trade and transportation
centre between India and Bangladesh.
Meenakshi Lekhi Inaugurates ‘Buddham Saranam
Gacchami’ Exhibition In New Delhi
UGC launches ‘CU-Chayan’, a unified faculty
recruitment portal for central universities
‰ The University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched
CU– Chayan, a unified faculty recruitment portal for
Central Universities.
‰ Announcing the launch of the portal, UGC chairman
M. Jagadesh Kumar said the user-friendly portal
would cater to the needs of all the stakeholders in the
teachers’ recruitment process.
Anji Khad bridge, the first cable-stayed rail bridge
in India
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‰ The exhibition organized in the week succeeding
Buddha Purnima was based on the life of Lord Buddha
and showcased the voyage of Buddhist art and culture
around the world.
‰ The artistic works that have been put on display offer
a glimpse into the history and philosophy of one of
Buddhism.
‰ During the program the Missions of numerous
countries were represented at the event through their
Head of Missions and deputies.
‰ The exhibition also showcases paintings from countries
like Sri Lanka and Myanmar and showcased how
Buddhism traversed across different countries.
Logistics Parks) that is being established under the
ambitious “Bharatmala Pariyojana” of the Government.
‰ The park will be built on 317 acres of land beside the
Brahmaputra and will have access to roads, rails, the
air, and waterways.
‰ The project is part of the ambitious Bharatmala
Pariyojana.
MyGov collaborates with the Ministry of Culture
to launch ‘Yuva Pratibha – Singing Talent Hunt’
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‰ MyGov and the Ministry of Culture announces the
beginning of the Yuva Pratibha-Singing Talent Hunt.
‰ The program’s goal is to uncover and recognise fresh,
young talent in a variety of singing styles in order to
promote Indian music at the grassroots level on a
national scale.
‰ The initial entry period for the competition will last for
1.5 months.
‰ It is expected to provide Indian citizens with a special
opportunity to showcase their singing abilities and win
national recognition.
India’s First International Multimodal Logistics
Park Coming at Jogighopa, Assam
‰ Sarbananda Sonowal Union Minister of Ports, Shipping,
and Waterways evaluated the development of the first
international multimodal logistics park in India’s
history, which is being built in Jogighopa, Assam.
‰ The park, which is being constructed by NHIDCL in
Jogighopa, Assam, is the first such MMLP(Multi-Modal
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
‰ ‘India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge connecting J&K is
ready’, says the railway minister.
‰ The Anji Khad Bridge, the country’s first cable-stayed
rail bridge.
‰ With a total of 96 cables spanning a length of 653km,
the bridge is part of the challenging Udampur-SrinagarBaramulla-Rail Link (USBRL) Project in the Reasi
district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kerala’s own ISP to launch on June 5 with ‘free
internet for poor’
‰ The state government-owned Kerala Fibre Optic
Network (K-FON) project will be launched on June 5.
‰ The project will provide free internet to the poor and
connectivity at affordable rates to others.
‰ Pinarayi has projected K-FON as a service to overcome
the ‘digital divide’ in society.
Amit Shah inaugurates training programme on
Legislative Drafting
‰ Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday
inaugurated a training programme on Legislative
Drafting here in the national capital, stressing the
need to draft a very “simple and clear law”.
‰ Legislative drafting has a major impact on the
interpretation of the policies and the regulations
implemented for the welfare of society and the State.
UP CM Yogi Govt amends UP Motor Vehicle
Rules, issues notification
‰ The Uttar Pradesh Government headed by Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath has amended the Uttar
Pradesh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1998 so that the fitness
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tests of vehicles can now be done in any district of the
state.
‰ If the vehicle is being operated in any other State, the
prescribed authority shall be the Registering Authority
or the Automatic Testing Center of the nearest district
of Uttar Pradesh.
‰ “After this amendment, the rules will be called the
Uttar Pradesh Motor Vehicles (29th Amendment)
Rules, 2023.” The earlier system mandated that vehicle
owners obtain fitness certificates for their vehicles
only in the district where they were earlier registered.
Madhya
Pradesh
government
Mukhyamantri Seekho Kamao Yojana
launches
‰ Madhya Pradesh Government will start a flagship
scheme named Mukhyamantri Seekho Kamao Yojana
for the welfare of youth of State.
‰ Mukhyamantri Seekho Kamao Yojana objective is to
provide skill training to educated youth of Madhya
Pradesh.
‰ Educated but unemployed youth will get skill training
in premier Industrial and Private Institution of Country
and Madhya Pradesh State.
‰ A Monthly Stipend is also provided to selected students
under Mukhyamantri Seekho Kamao Yojana.
‰ More than 703 Skill Training Areas is identified by the
Government of Madhya Pradesh.
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CBSE to introduce coding and AI from classes
6-8, coding syllabus to be prepared by Microsoft
Nations-mandated sustainable development goals
(SDG).
‰ Bhopal will now have voluntary local reviews (VLR)
to demonstrate local government’s capacity and
commitments.
Ladakh annual festival ‘Monlam Chenmo’ begins
in Leh
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‰ The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced
artificial intelligence to promote skill education.
‰ With this, subjects like coding will also be taught early.
‰ The board will introduce data science for class 8th and
‘Things you should know about keeping medicines at
home’ for class 6th.
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Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy launches Rs
5,156-crore Machilipatnam port works
‰ Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Y S Jagan Mohan
Reddy launched work on the Machilipatnam Port,
which is estimated to cost Rs 5,156 crore and will have
an initial capacity to move 35 million tons of cargo.
‰ The port, with an initial cargo capacity of 35 million
tonnes, will be completed in two years.
‰ The capacity of the 4-berth deep water port will
be increased to 116 million tonnes as cargo traffic
gradually increases.
Bhopal becomes the first Indian city to track
progress towards meeting SDGs
‰ Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan launched an Agenda for
Action: Sustainable Urban Transformation in Bhopal
on May 12, 2023.
‰ Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh has become the first
city in India to adopt the localisation of the United
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‰ The annual five-day-long Great Prayer Festival, “Ladakh
Monlam Chenmo,” a mass prayer camp by Buddhist
monks and nuns for world peace and happiness is
starting today in Leh, Ladakh.
‰ The annual Mass Prayer is resuming this year after
three years of discontinuation due to Covid.
‰ The event is being organised by the All Ladakh Gonpa
Association. Smonlam Chenmo is a major annual
prayer of the Sangha Community of Ladakh gathered
at one platform.
Andhra CM Launches ‘Jaganannaku Chebudam’
Helpline for Efficient Grievance Redressal
‰ Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra
Pradesh, has introduced a new initiative called
“Jaganannaku Chebudham” to address personal
complaints about government programmes or services.
‰ The Chief Minister established a toll-free helpline
(1902) that enables anyone to call and directly address
their specific issues with the Chief Minister’s Office.
‰ It is an improved version of “Spandana” that attempts
to actively engage the public, compile their complaints
in a targeted manner, and respond to them in mission
mode.
Punjab becomes first state to impliment ‘Right
to walk’ for pedestrians; footpaths, cycle tracks
along new roads mandatory
‰ Punjab has now become the first state to enforce the
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‘Right to walk’ for pedestrians; footpaths, and cycle
tracks along new roads mandatory.
Punjab becomes the first state to enforce the ‘Right to
walk’ for pedestrians; footpaths, and cycle tracks along
new roads are mandatory.
The road-building agencies building future roads and
widening existing ones in Punjab will now be required
to build footpaths and cycle tracks to ensure hasslefree movement for pedestrians.
Punjab Cheif Minister - Bhagwant Mann
Punjab Governor - Banwarilal Purohit
Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) laid
the foundation stone of Hare Krishna Heritage
Tower
Odisha becomes 2nd state to start the OBC survey
‰ The survey is being conducted by the Odisha State
Commission for Backward Classes in both online and
offline modes and will continue till May 27.
‰ It is being carried out in all 314 blocks and 114 urban
local bodies of the state.
‰ Odisha is incidentally the second state after Bihar to
conduct an OBC survey.
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‰ Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)
laid the foundation stone of the Rs 200-crore Hare
Krishna Heritage Tower at Narsingi on the outskirts of
Hyderabad city.
‰ The tower, which also consists of temples, will be
constructed on six acres of land in Narsingi for Rs 200
crore.
‰ The temples of Sri Radha Krishna and Sri Venkateswara
Swamy will be located in the tower.
‰ Accommodation facilities will be available for 1,500
devotees.
‰ It will highlight Telangana’s heritage in the form of
Kakatiya architectural elements.
‰ Archaeologists came across a 1,500-year-old rock
painting and plenty of man-made waterbodies.
‰ These have been found in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria
district.
Kiren Rijiju launches trailer of the first movie in
Tagin language of Arunachal Pradesh
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‰ The trailer of ‘Love in 90s’, the first film made in the
Tagin language of Arunachal Pradesh, was launched by
Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju on 6th May
in New Delhi.
‰ The film “Love in 90s” will be tax-free and he will ask
the state government to promote it through other
means as well.
‰ The film depicts the vibrant and colourful world of
the 90s, based on the Tagin community in the Upper
Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh and the first
film made entirely in the Tagin language.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation sets up MP’s first
animal carcass incinerator
‰ Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal Municipal Corporation
(BMC) has successfully established an animal carcass
incinerator in the state capital to ensure safe and
proper disposal of dead animals.
‰ This plant has been set up at an estimated cost of Rs4
crore in the Adampur Chawni area in the state capital.
‰ The plant is capable of burning dead animals at the rate
of 500 kg an hour. With this, we would no longer have
to bury animal carcasses.
Ancient Gujarati Textile Art ‘Mata Ni Pachedi’
Receives GI Tag
Archaeologists unearth a 2,000-year-old society
from the tiger reserve in Bandhavgarh National
Park
‰ Another ancient structure was unearthed from MP’s
Bandhavgarh National Park which provided evidence
of a “modern society” that existed thousands of years
ago.
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Assam Police Seva Setu Portal Launched To
Enhance Citizen-Police Relations
‰ The Assam Police Seva Setu Portal was launched today
in Guwahati by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
‰ The event, held in Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra
witnessed the presence of Chief Minister Himanta
Biswa Sarma, cabinet ministers, and other dignitaries.
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‰ Gujarat’s ancient textile folk art, Mata Ni Pachedi, was
awarded the esteemed Geographical Indication (GI)
tag.
‰ This four-centuries-old religious art form showcases
the mother goddess at its core, surrounded by her
stories and legends depicted on the rest of the cloth.
‰ The Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST)
applied for the GI tag in 2020 on behalf of the craft.
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International News
Bangladesh announces the discovery of a new gas
field
‰ This comes after state Senator Greg Rothman and Saval
presented legislation to make Diwali an official state
holiday in Pennsylvania in February this year.
Ireland is set to become the first country in the
world to introduce a health labeling policy on
units of alcohol
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‰ Ireland is set to become the first country to introduce
mandatory health warnings on alcohol products.
‰ Irish Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly announced
the new policy.
‰ The new policy is effective from May 22, 2026.
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‰ The Bangladesh government announced the discovery
of a new gas field in the southern district of Bhola.
‰ It is named Ilisha-1 and it is the 29th gas field in
Bangladesh.
‰ Ilisha-1’s daily production is around 20 million cubic
feet.
‰ The gas field was discovered by the state-run
Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Company (BAPEX),
which discovered over a dozen small- to medium-sized
gas fields.
‰ Sheikh Hasina is the current prime minister of
Bangladesh.
‰ Mohammed Shahabuddin is the current president of
Bangladesh.
San Francisco launches a new program to promote
public safety
Zimbabwe government shuts down Chineseowned Bikita Minerals
‰ The Zimbabwean government has ordered the
suspension of operations of lithium mine Bikita
Minerals, which is currently owned by China’s Sinomine
Resource Group until it complies with legal provisions
that include labour, environmental and immigration
laws, media.
‰ Bikita Minerals holds 11 million tonnes of lithium, the
world’s largest-known deposit of the mineral.
‰ Lithium, a crucial component in producing batteries
for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, has
seen increased global demand in recent years.
Tok Pisin Translation of ‘Thirukkural’ Released
By PM Modi in Papua New Guinea
‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Papua
New Guinea counterpart James Marape released the
Tamil classic ‘Thirukkural’ into the Tok Pisin language.
‰ Tok Pisin is the official language of Papua New Guinea.
‰ This was in order to build cultural ties up with the
south pacific nation Papua New Guinea.
‰ The book is co-authored by Subha Sasindran and
Sasindran Muthuvel, who is the Governor of the
province of West New Britain.
‰ Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the
deployment of additional community “ambassadors”
to the Mission district as part of a broader strategy to
promote public safety and improve cleanliness in the
neighborhood.
‰ The program will complement several public safety
initiatives in the Mission, including additional foot beat
patrol and SFPD Community Ambassadors on Mission
Street, reports Xinhua news agency.
Pennsylvania declares Diwali as a national holiday
PM Modi unveils Mahatma Gandhi’s bust in
Hiroshima
‰ Pennsylvania, a state in the United States, has declared
the Hindu festival of Diwali as a national holiday,
according to a recent tweet by Nikil Saval, Senator, of
Pennsylvania.
‰ A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in Hiroshima
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
‰ Gandhi’s bust has been placed there as a symbol of
support for non-violence and peace.
Libyan parliament suspends Fathi Bashagha as
prime minister
‰ Fathi Bashagha, the prime minister of the Libyan
parliament-backed Government of National Stability in
Sirte, was suspended from his post.
‰ The decision was announced after a meeting of the
parliament in Benghazi by its spokesperson Abdullah
Belhaiq.
‰ Belhaiq stated that the parliament has handed over
Bashagha’s duties to Finance Minister Osama Hammad.
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‰ The Mahatma Gandhi bust has been gifted by the
Government of India to the city of Hiroshima as a
symbol of friendship and goodwill between India and
Japan, on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister
for the G-7 summit from 19-21 May 2023.
‰ On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was bombed.
‰ The 42 inches tall bronze bust has been sculpted by
Padma Bhushan awardee Shri Ram Vanji Sutar.
‰ Pasang Dawa Sherpa, a different Nepali, had previously
reached the summit for the 26th time three days earlier,
tying Kami Rita’s previous mark from the previous year.
‰ Sherpas are well known for their climbing skills.
5,000-year-old ‘Great Grandfather’ tress officially
declared the world’s oldest trees
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‰ The tree has been discovered In a forest in southern
Chile.
‰ It is considered 5000 years old.
‰ The trunk of this tree measuring four meters (13
feet) in diameter and 28 meters tall is also believed to
contain scientific information that could shed light on
how the planet has adapted to climatic changes.
‰ The earlier known oldest tree was Methuselah, a
4,850-year-old Great Basin bristlecone pine found in
California in the United States.
Shipping
Minister
Sarbananda
inaugurates Sittwe Port in Myanmar
Sonowal
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India launches ‘Operation Karuna’ to assist
cyclone-hit Myanmar
‰ India began “Operation Karuna” to provide the required
aid to Cyclone Mocha-affected Myanmar.
‰ On May 18, three ships from India bringing supplies
arrived in Yangon.
‰ These ships are Shivalik, Kamorta, and Savitri of the
Indian Navy.
‰ In addition to emergency food supplies, the ships also
have tents, water pumps, portable generators, vital
medicines, clothing, and other supplies.
Nepali sherpa climbs Mount Everest for record
27th time
‰ A 53-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa reached the top of the
8,849-meter mountain for the 27th time.
‰ Since her first climb of Everest in 1994, Kami has made
the journey almost annually.
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‰ Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and
AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal and Deputy Prime Minister
and Union Minister for Transport & Communications
of Myanmar, Admiral Tin Aung San, jointly inaugurated
the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
‰ During this event they received the first Indian
Cargo ship which was flagged off from Syama Prasad
Mookerjee Port, Kolkata.
‰ The port will provide an alternative connectivity
between Mizoram and Haldia in West Bengal or any
Indian port through the Kaladan river in Myanmar.
‰ The multimodal connectivity project envisages road
transport from Mizoram to Paletwa in Myanmar.
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UAE’s Sharjah Police launches ‘Stay in your lane’
campaign
Bilawal Bhutto becomes first Pakistani foreign
minister to visit India in 12 years
‰ UAE’s Sharjah Police launched a traffic campaign, “stay
in your lane” in May to curb road lane violations.
‰ The campaign aims to improve traffic culture among
drivers and other road users by increasing awareness
and promoting adherence to traffic rules and
instructions.
‰ The campaign includes the dissemination of awareness
messages in three different languages through the
social networking sites of the Sharjah Police.
‰ Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari became the first Pakistani
Foreign Minister to visit India in almost 12 years when
he arrived in Goa to attend a conclave of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation.
‰ The Pakistan foreign minister was received at the
airport in Goa by JP Singh, the joint secretary heading
the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the external
affairs ministry.
‰ In 2011, Pakistan’s then-foreign minister Hina Rabbani
Khar visited India and held talks with her thencounterpart SM Krishna.
Britain’s King Charles III Crowned in Historic
Ceremony
India is among seven countries to benefit from
Saudi Arabia’s new e-visa system
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‰ Saudi Arabia has officially stopped issuing visa stickers
and replaced them with e-visas in seven countries.
‰ This has come into effect from May.
‰ Countries that will benefit from this initiative include
Jordan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, India,
Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
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India to open new consulate in Brisbane
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‰ Charles, now 74 years old, became heir to the British
throne in 1952 at the age of just three when his mother
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne. She was the
longest-serving British Monarch.
‰ Charles officially became king upon her death on
September 8 last year.
‰ Gun salutes were made at 13 locations across the UK,
including in London, Edinburgh and Hillsborough, at
the moment King Charles was crowned, while the bells
of Westminster Abbey rang for two minutes.
‰ King Charles III became the 40th Monarch.
Border Haat between India and Bangladesh
inaugurated at Bholaganj in Sylhet
‰ A new Border-Haat between India and Bangladesh
was inaugurated in Bholaganj under the Companiganj
upazila of Sylhet.
‰ Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment
Minister of Bangladesh Imran Ahmed and Assistant
High Commissioner of India Niraj Kumar Jaiswal jointly
inaugurated the Border-Haat.
‰ This is the fourth Border Haat in Sylhet division out of
which three are currently functional.
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‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new
consulate in Australia.
‰ It will be constructed in Brisbane.
‰ He announced that India will establish a new consulate
in Brisbane.
‰ This will be done to fulfill a long-standing demand of
the Indian diaspora in Australia.
‰ It was announced during the address of Narendra Modi
at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena during the PM’s recent
Australia visit.
India hands over 20 broad gauge locomotives to
Bangladesh
‰ Indian Railways has handed over 20 broad gauge (BG)
locomotives to Bangladesh.
‰ The virtual handing-over ceremony, held at Rail Bhavan,
was attended by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
and Bangladesh’s Minister of Railway, Md Nurul Islam
Sujan.
‰ The commitment was made by the Indian government
during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in
October 2019.
‰ The monetary value of these locomotives is Rs 100
crore.
‰ The aim is to improvise Bangladesh’s railway network
and strengthen the bilateral relationship between the
two countries.
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2025 to be observed as ‘special tourism year’ in
Nepal
‰ The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved
GSK Plc’s (GSK.L) respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
vaccine.
‰ ‘Arexvy is manufactured by GSK.
‰ It is the world’s first RSV vaccine for adults aged 60
years and older.
‰ The vaccine was approved for people aged 60 and older
after it was found 83 per cent effective against diseases
caused by RSV and more than 94 per cent effective
against severe diseases.
Wesley W Simina was Elected as the 10th President
of the Federated States of Micronesia
‰ Former Speaker Wesley W. Simina became the 10th
President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM),
‰ He succeeded David Panuelo.
‰ Aren B. Palik was sworn in as the nation’s vice president.
‰ The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) emerged
from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI)
which the United States administered on behalf of the
United Nations from 1947 until 1978.
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‰ The decade of the 2080s of Bikram Samvat will be
marked as ‘the Visit Nepal decade’ and the year 2025
as the special year for tourism.
‰ This was announced by the President of Nepal Ram
Chandra Paudel.
‰ New tourist destinations would be identified in all
seven provinces and each province will be a cultural
village.
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Approves First RSV Vaccine for Older Adults
Sri Lanka Supreme Court clears path for
decriminalization of homosexuality
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‰ The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has approved a bill
that would decriminalize homosexuality.
‰ At present, homosexuality is punishable by
imprisonment and fines in the neighboring island
country Sri Lanka.
‰ Activists have long campaigned for change.
‰ The Supreme Court stated that the proposed legislation
was not unconstitutional.
‰ Sri Lanka President: Ranil Wickremesinghe
‰ Sri Lanka Prime Minister: Dinesh Gunawardena
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Ludovit Odor Assumes Office as Slovakia’s
Caretaker Prime Minister
‰ Ludovit Odo has been former Vice-Governor of the
National Bank of Slovakia.
‰ Recently he has been appointed as Slovakia’s new
caretaker Prime Minister.
‰ This came after the resignation of the caretaker Prime
Minister Eduard Heger on May 7, 2023.
‰ Slovakia is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine
to the east, Hungary to the south, and Austria to the
southwest.
‰ Slovakia President - Zuzana Caputova
‰ Slovakia Capital - Bratislava
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Paraguay ruling party’s Santiago Peña wins the
presidential election
‰ Santiago Peña of Paraguay’s ruling conservative
Colorado Party has won the presidential election.
‰ Mr Peña, an economist, got more than 42 per cent votes.
‰ Efraín Alegre, the candidate of the Concertación
Nacional coalition, had nearly 28 per cent. He later
admitted defeat.
‰ Paraguay Capital: Asunción.
‰ It is located in South America.
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins the
Presidential election
‰ President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won
the presidential election, extending his rule to a third
decade.
‰ Erdogan defeated opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu
in a run-off vote.
‰ With 99.43 per cent of the votes counted, preliminary
official results announced by Turkiye’s Supreme
Election Council (YSK) showed Erdogan winning with
52.14 per cent of the votes. Kilicdaroglu received 47.86
per cent.
‰ Turkey Currency: Turkish Lira
‰ Turkey Capital: Ankara
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Economy
RBI Announces Withdrawal of ₹2000 Banknotes
from Circulation
‰ Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), has been recognized as
the best bank in managing bad loans.
‰ It has achieved a low net non-performing assets (NPAs)
ratio of 0.25% during the financial year that ended in
March 2023.
‰ This is according to the published yearly data of banks.
‰ Bank of Maharashtra is a Public Sector bank
headquartered in Pune.
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The merger of Maratha Co-op Bank with Cosmos
Co-op Bank has been approved by RBI
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‰ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to
withdraw the ₹2000 denomination banknotes from
circulation.
‰ The status of the note as legal tender will remain intact.
‰ For individuals, 30 September is the deadline to
exchange notes.
‰ Legal Tender: Legal tender is the national currency,
such as paper money and coins, that is declared by law
to be valid payment for debts and financial obligations.
India’s economic growth rate is likely to be over 7
per cent in FY23, according to Reserve Bank
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‰ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects growth for
2022-23 to be higher than the advance estimate of 7
per cent as economic momentum continues in the third
and fourth quarters of the last financial year.
‰ According to the second advance estimate released by
the National Statistical Office (NSO) in February, the
economy is estimated to grow at 7 per cent In 2022-23
as against 8.7 per cent in the previous fiscal.
Bank of Maharashtra is the top performer in NPA
management during FY23
‰ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently approved
the official merger of Maratha Sahakari Bank with The
Cosmos Co-operative Bank.
‰ The merger is effective from May 29, 2023,
‰ This has been sanctioned under the authority of the
Banking Regulation Act, of 1949.
RBI Approves Rs 87,416 Crore Surplus Transfer
to Government for FY23
‰ RBI has approved a transfer of Rs 87,416 Crore to the
union government. This amount is almost Triple the
Previous Year’s Amount.
‰ Previous year this transfer was ₹30,307 crore.
SEBI gives approval to HDFC Bank to take over as
the new owner of HDFC AMC
‰ HDFC Asset Management Company has received the
final approval for a change in control to HDFC Bank
from Housing Development Finance Corporation.
‰ The change in majority control was part of the
amalgamation of the Housing Development Finance
Corporation into HDFC Bank. The merger of HDFC with
HDFC Bank is in the final stages and is expected to be
completed in a few months.
World Bank Approves $82 Million Loan for
Controlling Zoonotic Diseases in India
‰ The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors
approved an $82 million loan towards the adoption of
global best practices for animal health management.
‰ The aim is to prevent, detect, and respond to endemic
zoonotic diseases that are an emerging infectious
diseases.
‰ It will strengthen India’s One Health approach, which
recognizes that people and animals are connected with
their shared environment.
‰ zoonotic diseases are diseases transferred from animals
to human beings. For example, Rabies, Blastomycosis,
Trichinosis etc.
‰ World Bank Cheif: Ajay Banga
‰ Cheif Economist: Indermit Gill
Google Pay Introduces Support for RuPay Credit
Cards on UPI, Expanding Digital Payment
Options
‰ In the same duration, Japan’s vehicle exports stood at
954,185, which is 6% higher than the previous year.
‰ China, last year overtook Germany to become second in
the vertical of leading car exporting nations.
SBI Emerges As Second-Most Profitable Company,
First is Reliance Industries
‰ State Bank of India, the country’s largest lender, has
achieved a significant milestone by becoming the
second-most profitable firm in India, just behind
Reliance Industries.
‰ SBI achieved 41 percent compounded growth in
earnings over the past three years,
‰ It has also achieved a 57 per cent year-on-year increase
in net profit to Rs 55,648 crore for the fiscal year 20222023.
‰ The reason for the same is the higher net interest
income and reduced provisions.
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HDFC Mutual Fund launches India’s first defence
fund
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‰ Google Pay has collaborated with the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI).
‰ RuPay credit cards will be integrated Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) platform.
‰ Now the RuPay credit cards can get linked with the
Google Pay, enabling them to make payments at both
online and offline merchants that accept RuPay credit
cards.
‰ Google Pay objective here is to provide users with
greater flexibility and choice in their payment options.
India extends $1 billion credit line for Sri Lanka
by a year
‰ India has extended a $1 billion credit line for Sri Lanka
by one year.
‰ The credit line, part of about $4 billion in emergency
assistance extended by India during the peak of Sri
Lanka’s financial crisis early last year, was scheduled
to end in March.
‰ Post-negotiations, the credit line was extended until
March 2024.
China overtakes Japan as the world’s top car
exporter
‰ China exported 1.07 million vehicles in the period, up
58% compared to the first quarter of 2022.
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‰ It is country’s first mutual fund focused on defence
sector, a move that will provide investors an opportunity
to participate in the growth potential of this space.
‰ HDFC Defence Fund will be investing in companies
with good quality management with demonstrated
track record.
‰ The aim is to achieve diversification by following a
multi-cap strategy.
‰ The fund’s focus would be on growth and quality at
reasonable valuations by investing across large, mid
and small cap stocks
Gupshup Launches GSPay To Enable UPI
Payments For Feature Phone Users
‰ Conversational engagement platform Gupshup.io has
brought UPI payments for feature phone users via a
native app called GSPay.
‰ Unlike the traditional UPI system that relies on internet
connectivity, Gupshup.ai uses SMS to enable a seamless
payment experience on feature phones.
‰ For developing this facility, Gupshup.io is leveraging
UPI 123 Pay launched by RBI and NPCI last year to
enable payments for feature phone users.
India to grow by 5.8 per cent: UN Report
‰ The World Economic Situation and Prospects report
released by the United Nations has reposed its faith in
the Indian economy.
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‰ The report said that India is expected to grow by 5.8
per cent in 2023 and 6.7 per cent in 2024. With this,
India is expected to remain the fastest-growing major
economy in the world.
‰ The report said the world economy is projected to
grow by 2.3 per cent in 2023 and 2.5 per cent in 2024.
Cabinet approves Rs 1.08 lakh crore fertiliser
subsidy for April-September kharif season
‰ The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 1.08 lakh crore
package for fertiliser subsidy for the April-September
kharif season.
‰ Cabinet’s meeting, Mansukh Mandaviya, the minister of
chemicals and fertilisers, said while the total subsidy
amount was lower than last year, it was still higher than
normal.
Reserve Bank’s gold reserves rise by 4.5% 2022-23
‰ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) added 34.22 metric
tonnes of gold in the fiscal year that ended March 31,
2023, taking the total gold reserves to 794.64 metric
tonnes.
‰ RBI held 760.42 metric tonnes as of March 31, 2022,
compared to 695.31 metric tonnes as of March 31,
2021.
‰ The gold reserves as of March 31, 2023, included gold
deposits of 56.32 metric tonnes, according to the RBI’s
half-yearly report on Management of Foreign Exchange
Reserves- October 2022 – March 2023.
AIBEA launches “Bank Clinic” for Redressal of
Grievance
‰ The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)
plans to set up an online ‘Bank Clinic’ to assist bank
customers with grievance redress.
‰ “Once a bank’s retail customer lodges an online
complaint with our “Bank Clinic”, the AIBEA team will
take up the complaint with the Bank for redress.
‰ All India Bank Employees Association is the oldest
and largest national trade union of bank employees in
India, and was founded in 1946 on the 20th of April in
Kolkata.
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India & Bangladesh launch ‘50 Start-ups Exchange’
Programme
the Visakhapatnam and Srikalahasthi-Chittoor nodes
of the state.
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‰ India and Bangladesh have recently jointly launched
the ‘50 Start-up Exchange Programme’ to promote
collaboration and exchange between the start-up
ecosystems of the two countries.
‰ It provides a platform for entrepreneurs, investors and
stakeholders from both the countries to connect and
collaborate.
‰ The ‘50 Start-up Exchange Program’ facilitates
knowledge sharing and learning opportunities between
Indian and Bangladeshi start-ups.
Netherlands becomes India’s 3rd Largest Export
Destination in FY23 after US, UAE
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‰ Netherlands has emerged as India’s third largest export
destination after the US and UAE in FY23
‰ The reason is increase in the shipment of goods like
petroleum products, electronic items, chemicals and
aluminium goods.
‰ India’s trade surplus with the Netherlands has
increased from $8 billion in FY22 to $13 billion in FY23.
ADB and India Sign $141.12 Million Loan for
Industrial Corridor Development in Andhra
Pradesh
‰ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
Government of India Jointly signed a loan agreement
worth $141.12 million.
‰ The aim is to support the development of high-quality
internal infrastructure in three industrial clusters
located in Andhra Pradesh.
‰ This funding has been done as a part of a larger
multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) of $500 million
approved by ADB in 2016 to improve infrastructure in
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SBI fourth Start up Branch launched in Mumbai
‰ The State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest
lender, has opened an exclusive branch for startups at
the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.
‰ This is the fourth startup-focused branch and the first
in Mumbai after Bengaluru, Chennai and Gurugram.
‰ In Mumbai, the bank has entered into multiple
memoranda of understanding with the Society for
Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE) at IIT-Bombay,
Centre for Incubation and Business Acceleration
(CIBA), and S.P Jain Institute of Management &
Research (SPJIMR).
India’s Unemployment Rate Rose to Four-Month
High in April 2023
‰ India’s unemployment rate climbed to a four-month
high of 8.11% in April 2023,
‰ The data is from the research firm Centre for Monitoring
India Economy.
‰ This was 7.8% in March.
‰ Urban unemployment has increased from 9.81% to
8.51% in the same period.
‰ Rural unemployment fell to 7.34% in April from 7.47%
in March.
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Bussinesses
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‰ The Government of India has introduced a new rule for
businesses with turnover above 100 crores from May
1st 2023.
‰ The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) has stated
businesses have to upload their electronic invoices on
Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) within 7 days of the
issue of such invoices.
‰ current rules allow businesses to upload such invoices
on IRP on the current date, irrespective of the date of
issue.
‰ GST Council was formed in 2016 as a constitutional
body.
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4
Science and Technology
ISRO launches NVS-01 successfully with GSLV
‰ Microsoft Research and the government-backed
AI4Bharat - an open-source language AI centre based
at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras - and
OpenNyAI have collaborated to develop the Jugalbandi
chatbot.
Tencent launches palm-based Payments in China
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‰ Chinese Internet and tech giant Tencent has launched a
palm recognition service.
‰ This is for its WeChat Pay service in Beijing.
‰ This allows Metro passengers to pay by waving their
palms over a scanner.
‰ The technology relies on the recognition of both surfacelevel palm prints and the hand’s veins, according to
Tencent.
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‰ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
successfully launched the first of the five secondgeneration satellites for Navigation by Indian
Constellation (NavIC).
‰ 2,232 kg satellite, launched using a Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle or GSLV rocket.
‰ This is expected to provide accurate navigation to India.
‰ The launch was made from Satish Dhawan Space
Centre, in Sriharikota.
‰ ISRO was formed on August 15, 1969.
‰ ISRO’s current chief is Shri S. Somanath.
Microsoft launches AI tool to moderate text and
images
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‰ Microsoft has launched a new AI-powered moderation
service called Azure AI Content Safety.
‰ This AI tool will detect inappropriate content across
images and text.
‰ It understands text in English, Spanish, German, French,
Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, and Chinese.
‰ “Microsoft has been working on solutions in response
to the challenge of harmful content appearing in online
communities for over two years.
‰ Microsoft CEO: Satya Nadella
‰ Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington,
United States
Microsoft Launches ‘Jugalbandi’, An AI-Based
Multilingual Chatbot For Rural India
‰ ‘Jugalbandi’, an AI chatbot by Microsoft has been
designed for farmers and other users living in rural
India.
AI helped to discover the New planet discovered
outside the solar system
‰ AI is now helping scientists to discover planets out
there in space.
‰ A recent study conducted by a research team from
the University of Georgia stated the evidence of a
new planet outside our solar system which has been
identified by machine learning, a branch of artificial
intelligence.
‰ This progress has been considered an important
milestone in AI.
Infosys launches Topaz, an AI-first set of services,
solutions, and platforms
‰ Infosys, a major IT services company, has launched
Topaz. It is a complete set of services, solutions, and
platforms that use generative Artificial Intelligence
(AI) technologies.
‰ Topaz is built on Infosys’s applied AI platform.
‰ It makes it easier for people and businesses to find the
best solutions and create more value faster.
‰ Salil Parekh is the current CEO of Bengaluru-based tech
giant Infosys.
IIT Kharagpur developed Software
Ramakrishna Mission Home of Services
for
‰ IIT Kharagpur has developed ‘Matri Seva’ which is
primarily database software.
‰ It is free of cost that works on patient particulars and a
database for Healthcare and Education of Ramakrishna
Mission Home of Service, Luxa, Varanasi.
‰ The software has been hosted in the Microsoft Cloudbased server.
‰ It is used for primary healthcare, mental healthcare,
follow-up visits, management of chronic-disease
conditions, medication management, health education
and other clinical services.
Saudi Arabia’s first astronaut leaves for space
station
AI Supercomputer ‘AIRAWAT’ has been named
among the top supercomputers
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‰ Saudi Arabia sent its first astronauts to the ISS
(International space station) in decades.
‰ A veteran NASA astronaut from Kennedy Space Centre,
Rayyanah Barnawi, a female stem cell researcher, and
Ali al-Qarni, a Royal Saudi Air Force fighter pilot, joined
the Saudi Arabian-sponsored crew.
‰ Houston-based Axiom Space organised and SpaceX
performed the operation.
‰ Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Space Commission
in 2018 and launched a program last year to send
astronauts into space.
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‰ The AI Supercomputer of India AIRAWAT has been
ranked 75th in the world.
‰ It has been listed in the 61st edition of the Top 500
Global Supercomputing List, as announced at the
International Supercomputing Conference (ISC 2023)
in Germany.
‰ It is Installed under the National Program on AI by the
government.
‰ AIRAWAT puts India on top of AI supercomputing
nations worldwide.
‰ It is installed at the Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing (C-DAC) in Pune, Maharashtra.
Garuda Aerospace partners with Naini Aerospace
‰ Garuda Aerospace and Naini Aerospace, a wholly
owned subsidiary of HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited) signed a joint development partnership deal.
‰ Through the agreement, Garuda will be able to make
Advanced Precision Drones in India for a variety of
uses. The mass of these drones will be about 25 kg.
‰ Garuda Aerospace recently teamed up with BEML
at Aero India to make drones at their Mysore facility.
They also started a huge effort to use local parts and
materials.
‰ Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) set up Naini
Aerospace Limited (NAeL) in December 2016 as its
fully-owned subsidiary.
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Bezos’ Blue Origin Wins NASA Contract to build
astronaut lunar lander
‰ A team led by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin won a coveted
$3.4 billion NASA contract to build a spacecraft to fly
astronauts to and from the moon’s surface.
‰ Blue Origin will design, develop, test, and validate
its Blue Moon lander to meet NASA’s human landing
system criteria for periodic astronaut trips to the
lunar surface, including docking with Gateway, a space
station in lunar orbit where crew transfers occur.
‰ The contract involves one uncrewed demonstration
mission to the lunar surface before a crewed demo on
the Artemis V mission in 2029, in addition to design
and development work.
Bollywood actress Dia Mirza unveiled Asia’s first
life-size animatronic elephant
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‰ Dia Mirza, a Bollywood actress, and PETA introduced a
realistic, life-size animatronic elephant dubbed ‘Ellie’
in Mumbai.
‰ Jamnabai Narsee International School in Juhu hosted
the event.
‰ ‘Ellie’ is the name of this mechanical elephant.
Scary Barbie: AI helped in discovering this
supermassive black hole
IIT Guwahati researchers develop ‘Time bomb’
liquid marbles with Nanoclay for controlled drug
delivery
‰ A supermassive black hole named Scary Barbie was
discovered while tearing apart a distant star.
‰ This is one of the most energetic, luminous and
transient celestial events that has been discovered.
‰ Astronomers had to unearth evidence of the star’s
dying moments from a mass of telescope data because
it was not visible.
‰ The researchers discovered it using an AI engine
called REFITT (Recommender EngineFor Intelligent
Transient Tracking).
‰ The AI engine looks through observations from many
different telescopes around the World.
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‰ A group of researchers at IIT Guwahati made a liquid
marble that doesn’t stick and doesn’t get wet. It floats
on water and drops its contents at a set time.
‰ The team has made liquid marbles that can be released
like a “time bomb” and have a chemical response on
their own.
‰ Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology
Guwahati have made liquid marbles out of nano clay
that can be designed to deliver drugs and start a chain
of chemical reactions.
A trial run of Blood Bag Delivery under the
iDrone Initiative of ICMR has been successfully
conducted
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‰ The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Union
Health Ministry successfully conducted the trial run of
blood bag delivery by drones under its iDrone initiative.
‰ The trial run as part of a path-breaking validation study
has been undertaken for the first time in the country
by the collaborative efforts of ICMR, Lady Hardinge
Medical College (LHMC), New Delhi, Government
Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida
and Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT),
Noida.
‰ The inaugural trial flight carried 10 units of whole
blood samples from GIMS and LHMC in a visual line of
sight.
India’s first robotic framework developed by
Telangana
‰ Telangana has become the first state in the country
to launch a state robotics framework with a vision to
create a sustainable robotics ecosystem.
‰ Telangana State Robotics Framework was launched
by Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao(KTR), Minister
for Information Technology(IT) and Industries, the
Government of Telangana at T-Hub Events Room,
Hyderabad, Telangana.
‰ The framework was developed by the Emerging
Technologies Wing of the ITE&C (Information
Technology, Electronics and Communications)
Department of Telangana in collaboration with the All
India Robotics Association.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
New Lithium Reserves were found in Rajasthan
‰ Months after the discovery of India’s first lithium
reserve in Jammu & Kashmir, another lithium reserve
has been discovered in Rajasthan’s Degana (Nagaur).
‰ The new lithium resource is significantly larger than
the one discovered in Jammu and Kashmir.
‰ Lithium reserves in Rajasthan have been discovered
in the same Renvat hill of Degana and its surrounding
area that was known for tungsten material.
‰ Tungsten mineral was discovered in 1914 on the hill of
Renwat in Degana by the British Government.
GigaChat, a competitor of ChatGPT launched in
Russia
‰ Sberbank, Russia’s largest banking institution,
announced the release and testing phase of GigaChat,
the country’s first ChatGPT competitor.
‰ Sberbank believes that the unique feature of GigaChat
is its ability to converse more intelligently in Russian
than other international neural networks.
‰ The release of ChatGPT in 2022 by Microsoft-backed
startup OpenAI has sparked a race in the tech sector
to produce more approachable and intuitive AI
technology.
The first death from Powassan virus infection has
been found in the US
‰ A person in the US has died from the rare Powassan
virus, marking the first fatal case in the country this
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year, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control
and Prevention.
Health officials have alerted people about the deadly
viral disease, which is currently non-treatable.
Powassan virus disease (POWV) is a rare but serious
illness caused by the Powassan virus. It is spread to
humans by the bite of an infected deer tick, groundhog
tick or squirrel tick.
The initial symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting,
and weakness
It can further lead to severe disease, including infection
of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes around
the brain and spinal cord.
IBM and NASA Collaborate to Convert Satellite
Data into High-Resolution Maps Using AI
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Five asteroids approached Earth
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‰ Five asteroids made close approaches to Earth.
‰ NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has shared details
about them.
‰ Asteroid 2023 JR1, Asteroid 2023 JP, Asteroid 2023
JL1, Asteroid 2023 JO1, Asteroid 2023 JS1 are the name
of Asteriods.
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‰ Sara is the world’s first robotic check-in assistant.
‰ It has been unveiled by Dubai-based airline Emirates.
‰ In Dubai’s financial area, a new City Check-in and Travel
Store just opened. Sara works there.
‰ The robot uses facial recognition technology to match
the faces of customers with their scanned IDs, check
them in and show them where to drop off their bags.
Cabinet approves Production Linked Incentive
Scheme – 2.0 for IT Hardware
‰ The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved the
Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for IT
Hardware with a budgetary outlay of Rs. 17,000 crores.
‰ Electronics manufacturing in India has witnessed
consistent growth with 17% CAGR (Compound annual
growth rate) in the last 8 years.
‰ This year it crossed a major benchmark in production
– 105 billion USD (about Rs 9 lakh crore)
‰ PLI Scheme 2.0 for IT hardware covers laptops, tablets,
all-in-one PCs, servers and ultra-small form factor
devices.
‰ The tenure of this scheme is 6 years.
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‰ The National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) and International Business Machines
Corporation (IBM) have come up with a new geospatial
base model.
‰ With the model, satellite data can be turned into
detailed maps of floods, fires, and other changes to the
environment.
‰ Further, It can provide insights into the Earth’s history
and offer glimpses into its future.
‰ The platform’s potential applications include
estimating climate-related risks to agriculture,
infrastructure and other sectors.
Emirates introduces the first robotic check-in
assistant in the world
Vistara Becomes First Indian Airline to Operate
Domestic Flight with Sustainable Fuel
‰ Vistara has become the first Indian airline to operate
a commercial domestic flight on a wide-body aircraft
using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
‰ The achievement was unlocked when Vistara’s brand
new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, flew from Indira Gandhi
International Airport (IGIA), Delhi to Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai using a
blend of 17% SAF with 83% conventional jet fuel.
‰ Vistara was able to reduce approximately 10,000
pounds of CO2 emissions by this flight.
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5
Sports
Archery World Cup Stage-2: Parathamesh Jawkar,
beats World No.1 to win gold
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Chennai Super Kings Won IPL 2023
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‰ Chennai Super Kings led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni
defeated Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023 Final.
‰ This is Chennai’s 5th IPL Trophy.
‰ Chennai Super Kings were handed a revised target of
171 in 15 overs according to Duckworth–Lewis.
‰ IPL 2023 was the 16th edition of the IPL.
‰ Orange Cap Winner: Shubham Gill
‰ Purple Cap winner: Mohammad Shami
‰ Fairplay: Ajinkya Rahane
‰ Player of the Tournament: Shubham Gill
‰ Emerging player: Yashasvi Jaiswal. (Yashasvi breaks
IPL record for fastest half-century, scores fifty in 13
balls)
‰ Note: Shubman Gill becomes the first Indian to score an
ODI, Test, T20I, and IPL century in the same calendar
year.
‰ Note: Atharva Taide becomes 2nd player to be retired
out in IPL history. Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter
Ravichandran Ashwin was the first IPL player to retire
hurt.
HS Prannoy won his first BWF title: Malaysia
Masters 2023
‰ India’s H.S. Prannoy beat China’s Weng Hong Yang
21-19, 13-21, 21-18 in the Malaysia Masters 2023 final
in Kuala Lumpur.
‰ This is his first BWF World Tour title.
‰ Malaysia Masters is an important event for the
qualification of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
‰ In Archery World Cup Stage-2, 19-year-old Parathamesh
Jawkar defeated World No.1 to win gold.
‰ Jyothi Surekha Vennam-Ojas Deotale wins the mixedteam title.
‰ India got two golds and one bronze.
‰ Avneet Kaur bagged a bronze in the Individual Women’s
Compound event.
‰ The world cup was held in Shanghai.
Neeraj Chopra Wins Doha Diamond League 2023
‰ India’s Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj
Chopra Wins Doha Diamond League 2023, He got the
title With an 88.67m Throw.
‰ He achieved this in his first through.
‰ Neeraj was contested close by Jakub Vadlejch with an
88.63-meter throw.
Manchester City wins the fifth Premier League in
six seasons
‰ Manchester City has now claimed the Premier League
title in seven of the last twelve seasons and five of the
last six.
‰ Along with Liverpool (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984)
and Manchester United (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000,
2001), they are the third team to achieve this.
‰ Manchester City celebrated their Premier League title
on Sunday with a comfortable 1-0 win over Chelsea at
the Etihad Stadium.
‰ Manchester City have won the English Premier League
title for the third season in a row.
BCCI To Plant 500 Trees For Every Dot Ball In
Playoffs of IPL 2023
China won its record 13th Sudirman Cup
badminton title
‰ China won its 13th Sudirman Cup title by beating South
Korea 3-0 in Suzhou. This is a record.
‰ In the women’s singles, Chen Yufei beat World No. 2 An
Se Young 21-16, 22-20, to seal the win.
‰ Shi Yuqi easily beat Lee Yun Gyu of Korea in the men’s
singles event.
‰ The event is one of the most important in badminton as
it was a deciding qualifier event of the 2024 Olympics
in Paris.
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‰ BCCI has planned to plant 500 trees for each dot ball
delivered in the playoff of IPL 2023.
‰ The announcement is in accordance with the Board of
Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) green initiative to
encourage environmental sustainability.
‰ Jay Shah, who is the BCCI secretary, made the
announcement on Twitter.
‰ Indian Long Jumper Murali Sreeshankar won gold
and Jeswin Aldrin won silver at International Jumping
Meeting in Greece.
‰ Successfully defending his title in the Men’s long
jump event, Commonwealth Games silver medallist
Sreeshankar registered his season-best jump of 8.18
meter.
‰ The 24-year-old Sreeshankar had won the International
Jumping Meeting last year with a jump of 8.31m.
Inauguration of the 3rd edition of the Khelo India
University Games done by Prime Minister Modi’
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‰ The 3rd Khelo India University Games was inaugurated
in Lucknow virtually by PM Modi.
‰ The grand opening ceremony of the 3rd Khelo India
University games took place at Babu Banarasi Das
sports complex in Lucknow.
‰ This year, the third edition of the Khelo India University
Games will be held from 25 May to the 3rd of June.
‰ These competitions will be organized in Varanasi,
Gorakhpur, Lucknow, and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
‰ There will be the participation of over 4750 athletes
from more than 200 Universities competing in 21
sports.
‰ The closing ceremony of the Games will be held in
Varanasi on the 3rd of June.
‰ Two indigenous Sports Disciplines namely Mallakhamb
and Yogasana, were part of the last edition of the Khelo
India University Games held in Karnataka and will also
be part of this edition.
Murali Sreeshankar wins gold at International
Jumping Meeting
BCCI and Adidas announce multi-year
partnership as Official Kit Sponsor of the Indian
Cricket Team
‰ The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said
that Adidas will be the new sponsor of the Indian
cricket team’s uniforms. Adidas will take over from
Kewal Kiran Clothing Limited, which was the team’s
temporary sponsor.
‰ Adidas is a German multinational company that is best
known for designing and making shoes, clothes, and
tools for sports.
‰ The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the
Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) use it to make
their uniforms.
‰ BCCI is headquartered in Mumbai.
Italian Open: Daniil Medvedev claims maiden
clay court title
‰ Daniil Medvedev beats Holger Rune in straight sets to
win the Italian Open.
‰ This is his first clay court title.
‰ He won his 20th title in his career. He will also be the
second seed at the French Open, which starts at Roland
Garros on the 28th of this month.
‰ Storm Hunter and Elise Mertens, who are from
Australia and Belgium, beat Coco Gauff and Jessica
Pegula, who were the top seeds, 6-4, 6-4, to win the
women’s doubles title.
Shaili Singh clinches bronze at the Golden Grand
Prix 2023 Athletics Meet
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‰ Indian athlete Shaili Singh wins a bronze medal at the
Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics Meet in Japan.
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‰ Shaili Singh attempted a jump of 6.65 metres, which
placed her third on the podium at the World Athletics
Continental Tour Gold Label event, the Yokohama meet.
‰ Germany’s Maris Luzzolo won the gold medal with a
jump of 6.79m, while Brooke Buschkuhl of Australia
won the silver with a jump of 6.77m.
‰ During the Indian Grand Prix 4 athletics meet in
Bengaluru which concluded last month, Shaili Singh
registered a jump of 6.76 meters, her personal best
jump, the second-best by an Indian woman after the
legendary athlete Anju Bobby George 6.83 meter.
Jyothi Yarraji won the 100-meter hurdles event at
the Federation Cup
gold
at
BFAME
‰ Sumit Mukherjee, a metro worker from Kolkata, won
four gold awards at the Bridge Federation of Asia
and Middle-East Championship (BFAME) in Lahore,
Pakistan.
‰ From May 5 to May 13, teams from five different
countries competed in the tournament.
‰ There were four groups in the games: Open, Women’s,
Mixed, and Senior. Sumit played for India in the Open
group.
‰ Sumit Mukherjee had earlier won a bronze medal
at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and the 4th Asia
Cup Bridge Championships, which will also be held in
Jakarta in 2022.
Barcelona win 2022/23 La Liga title
‰ With a 4-2 win over Espanyol, Barcelona won the
Spanish league for the first time since Lionel Messi left
the team.
‰ Robert Lewandowski scored twice in the first half,
and young star Alejandro Balde scored the other
goal.
‰ La Liga is a Spanish Football league.
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‰ Jyothi Yarraji won the women’s 100-meter hurdles
event at the Federation Cup, which took place at the
Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi.
‰ Jyothi won first place With a time of 12.89 seconds.
‰ She also beat the 13.63-second mark set by the
Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to qualify for the
Asian Championships.
‰ With their second and third-place finishes in the 100 m
hurdles, R Nithya Ramraj (13.44s) and Sapna Kumari
(13.58s) also qualified for the 2023 Asian Athletics
Championships, which will be held in Bangkok from
June 12 to June 16.
‰ In 13.72 seconds, Tejas Ashok Shirse won gold in the
men’s 100m hurdles. The runner from Maharashtra
beat Siddhanth Thingalaya’s record of 13.65 seconds,
which he had set in 2012.
Sumit Mukherjee wins
Championships in Lahore
South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championship
2023 concludes in Itanagar
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‰ South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championship 2023
concluded in Itanagar.
‰ It was a three-day international event in which more
than 100 athletes and officials from six countries
Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and
Nepal participated.
‰ In the Under-19 Boys singles, Ankur Bhattacharjee
defeated Payas Jain 4-2 to claim the gold. Payas had to
contend with the silver.
‰ in Under-19 girls’ singles, women category Suhana
Saini defeated Yashaswini Ghorpade 4-1.
Gatka martial art included in 37th National
Games
‰ The traditional martial art Gatka is expected to get a
significant boost nationwide as the Indian Olympic
Association has officially included the sport in the 37th
National Games 2023.
‰ The event will be held in Goa in October this year.
‰ During this showpiece, the IOA in collaboration
with the State Government of Goa will organise
competitions for a total of 43 disciplines, making the
37th National Games the biggest ever.
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India won three bronze at IBA Men’s World Boxing
Championships
‰ At the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, India’s Nishant Dev won bronze
in the 71kg category.
‰ Deepak Bhoria (51kg), Mohammed Hussamuddin
(57kg) also won bronze medals.
‰ India finished the event with three medals and ranked
12 in the event.
‰ Uzbekistan topped the medal tally.
‰ All three bronze medalists receive USD 50,000.
‰ International Boxing Association headquarters is
located in Lausanne Switzerland.
Odisha’s Para Shuttler Pramod Bhagat Wins
2 Gold Medals in Thailand Para Badminton
International tournament
‰ Pramod Bhagat, who won a gold medal at the
Paralympics, won two gold medals at the Thailand Para
Badminton International.
‰ Bhagat, a para-shuttler from Odisha, won the singles
and doubles medals at the big event in Thailand.
‰ Another player from Odisha, Deep Ranjan Bisoyee,
clinched a bronze award in doubles.
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Ayushmann Khurrana Joins Indian Team as
Ambassador for Special Olympics Journey to
Berlin
‰ The renowned actor Ayushmann Khurrana has assumed
a pivotal role as the Indian team’s representative for
the Special Olympics Journey to Berlin.
‰ Athletes from around the globe assemble for the
renowned Special Olympics Journey to Berlin in order
to compete in a variety of sports and showcase their
abilities.
‰ Khurrana is also the UNICEF National Ambassador for
India.
17 Medals won by Indian team at Moscow Wushu
Stars Championship 2023
Mastercard replaces BharatPe as a global sponsor
of ICC
‰ The American multinational financial services
corporation, Mastercard has reportedly replaced
BharatPe as the global sponsor of the International
Cricket Council (ICC).
‰ ICC primarily had a three-year sponsorship and its
partnership with BharatPe starting in May 2021.
‰ ICC is headquartered in Dubai.
Qatar to Host 2027 Men’s Basketball World Cup
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‰ 17 medals, including 10 gold, 4 silver, and 3 bronze,
were won by Indian Wushu athletes at the Moscow
Wushu Stars Championship 2023, which took place in
Moscow, Russia, from May 2 through May 8, 2023.
‰ Winners were honoured by the Sports Authority of
India (SAI) on May 9, 2023, at a ceremony held in New
Delhi, Delhi.
‰ Sorokhaibam Bindyarani Devi placed second on the
podium with a combined lift of 194 kilogrammes.
‰ Chen Guan Ling of China won the gold medal for a
combined lift of 204 kilogrammes.
‰ Jeremy Lalrinnunga wins silver in Asian Championships
2023. The 20-year-old won a silver medal in the snatch
event with a lift of 141kg in the 67 kg weight class.
ISSF World Cup: India’s Rhythm Sangwan wins
bronze medal in Women’s 10 metre air pistol event
in Baku
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‰ India’s Rhythm Sangwan has won the bronze medal
in the women’s 10-metre air pistol event at the ISSF
World Cup 2023 for rifle and pistol shooters in Baku,
Azerbaijan.
‰ She scored 219.1 in the final to finish third behind
Anna 2016 Rio Olympic champion Anna Korakaki of
Greece and 2004 Athens Olympics gold medallist Olena
Kostevych of Ukraine.
‰ It was Sangwan’s first individual senior medal at the
shooting World Cup.
Bindyarani Devi clinches silver medal in 55kg
category at Asian Weightlifting C’ships
‰ The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
announced on Friday that Qatar will host the 2027
Men’s World Cup.
‰ It was not specified whether there were additional
bidders.
‰ FIBA announced that Doha will host the entire 32-team
tournament, citing the completion of enhanced
underground and public transport networks for the
men’s football World Cup last November and December.
‰ Qatar is a country in the middle east Asia.
Fakhar and Chaiwal got the title of the ICC Players
of the Month for April
‰ Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman is named ICC Men’s
Player of the Month and reflects: “This month has been
one of the highlights of my career.”
‰ Thailand’s skipper Naruemol Chaiwai was awarded
the ICC Women’s Player of the Month voting, claiming
the award “gives me and Thailand the motivation to
progress in the world of cricket.”
Lionel Messi Wins 2023 Laureus World Sportsman
Of The Year Award
‰ Bindyarani Devi of India has won a silver medal at the
Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Jinju, South
Korea, in the women’s 55kg division.
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‰ Lionel Messi won the Sportsman of the Year prize at
2023 Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony in Paris.
‰ Messi played an important role in making Argentina
champion in the world cup 2022.
‰ Formula One world champion Max Verstappen, tennis
legend Rafael Nadal, NBA icon Stephen Curry and
record-breaking pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis had
also been nominated.
‰ At present he is associated with Ligue 1 club Paris
Saint-Germain.
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Praveen Chithravel sets national record in the
triple jump in Cuba
‰ Praveen Chithravel, an Indian triple jumper, set a new
national record by jumping 17.37 metres at the Prueba
de Confrontation 2023 athletics meet in Havana, Cuba.
This helped him win the gold title.
‰ Renjith Maheswary set the previous men’s triple jump
national record of 17.30m at the third Indian Grand
Prix in Bangalore in 2016. Chithravel broke that record
and set a new one.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins Formula One
Miami Grand Prix
‰ Ismail made her debut way back in 2007.
‰ She is considered as the fastest bowler in the world.
18-yr-old Geoffrey Emmanuel’s first Indian in
FIM JuniorGP World Championship
‰ The 18-year-old Geoffrey Emmanue will be the first
Indian to participate in the championship, which is
seen as an important step towards MotoGP.
‰ Geoffrey is the son of seven-time National Champion
Emmanuel Jebaraj. In his first FIM JuniorGP season, he
will race for Cuna De Campeones.
‰ The first race of the 2023 season will take place at the
Circuit de Estoril in Portugal from May 5 to May 7.
‰ FIM JuniorGP World Championship is considered the
last and most important step on the way to MotoGP.
Luca Brecel wins World Snooker Championship
title
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‰ Belgian snooker player Luca Brecel beat four-time
winner Mark Selby 18-15 in the final.
‰ Brecel, who is 28 years old, is only the fourth person
who is not British to win at the Crucible. He is also
the first player from outside the UK to win since Neil
Robertson in 2010.
‰ From April 15 to May 1, 2023, professional snooker
players competed in the World Snooker Championship.
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‰ Max Verstappen of the Red Bull team secured an
impressive victory at the Miami Grand Prix.
‰ He started ninth on the grid.
‰ Sergio Perez of Red Bull comes second.
Max Verstappen Wins Monaco Grand Prix
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‰ Max Verstappen won the Monaco Grand Prix on Circuit
de Monaco.
‰ The victory was Verstappen’s fourth of the season.
‰ The race was held in wet conditions.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam becomes the fastest player
to reach 5000 runs in ODIs
‰ Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has become the fastest
player to reach 5000 runs in the ODI format.
‰ He played 97 innings to cross the significant 5000 runmark.
‰ Babar broke Hashim Amla’s record of scoring 5000
runs in 101 innings.
The birthday of Indian football legend PK Banerjee
will be celebrated as ‘AIFF Grassroots Day’
‰ Pradip Kumar Banerjee, commonly known as PK
Banerjee, was born on June 23, 1936, and was a
legendary Indian footballer and coach. He led the
Indian team in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
‰ PK played an instrumental role in leading the national
team to a historic Gold Medal triumph in the 1962
Asian Games.
‰ The AIFF’ (All Indian Football Federation) has decided
to commemorate PK Banerjee’s birthday as Grassroots
Day
‰ AIFF Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran
announced this.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Brand Unveiled
South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail announces
retirement from all forms of international cricket
‰ Shabnim Ismail number three-ranked ODI bowler in
the world, has announced her retirement from all forms
of international cricket, bringing an end to a career that
spanned 16 years.
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‰ The start of the journey towards the 2026 FIFA World
Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada was
formally initiated.
‰ FIFA revealed the official logo for the highly-anticipated
football tournament at the esteemed Griffith
Observatory in Los Angeles.
‰ World Cup will be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.
Nepal wins ACC Men’s, Premier Cup
V. Prraneeth becomes India’s 82nd Grandmaster.
Prraneeth becomes India’s 82nd Grandmaster
‰ ‘Vuppala Prraneeth became India’s 82nd Grandmaster
when he defeated GM Hans Niemann of the US in the
penultimate round of the Baku Open 2023.
‰ V. Prraneeth became Telangana’s sixth Grandmaster.
‰ He achieved the required 2,500 FIDE rating points at
Baku Open 2023.
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‰ Nepal won the title by defeating UAE in the final of the
ACC Premier Cup.
‰ With the title, Nepal has achieved a historic achievement
by qualifying for this year’s Asia Cup. Nepal found the
normal target of 118 runs given by UAE in 30 overs of 3
balls. Nepal won by seven wickets.
‰ The Asia Cup will be held in Pakistan next September.
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6
Defence
Sudarshan Shakti Exercise 2023 conducted in
Rajasthan
Tiger Shark 40’: Bangladesh-US Joint Naval
Exercise held in Chattogram
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‰ The Indian Army’s Sapta Shakti Command conducted
the Sudarshan Shakti 2023 exercise along the western
borders of Rajasthan and Punjab from 22 to 25 May.
‰ The ‘Sudarshan Shakti 2023’ exercise was created
to validate operational plans in a network-centric
environment.
‰ The elements of combat power, combat support
and logistic support were exercised in a synergised
application under all domains of enemy threat including
Grey Zone Warfare as part of high tempo operations.
‰ The mission of the MGS is to sustain the Indian Army
in times of conflict and peace by ensuring the constant
availability of weapons, ammunition, and other
equipment, such as vehicles and supplies.
‰ Lt. Gen. Aujla has been appointed as the new MGS and
will be one of the Chief of Army Staff’s eight principal
staff officers.
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Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit takes over as Deputy
Chief of Air Staff
‰ An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was
Commissioned in the fighter stream on 06 December
1986.
‰ He is a graduate of the Staff Course, Bangladesh and
National Defence College, New Delhi.
‰ The Air Marshal is a Qualified Flying Instructor as well
as an Experimental Test pilot, with over 3300 hours
of flying experience on fighter, trainer and transport
aircraft. He participated in Operation Safed Sagar and
Rakshak.
Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla appointed as Indian
Army’s new MGS
‰ Lt. Gen. Amardeep Singh Aujla has been appointed as
the new Master General Sustenance (MGS) of the Indian
Army, where he will be responsible for maintaining
the force’s high state of readiness in both peace and
conflict.
‰ The ‘Tiger Shark 40’ joint naval exercise between
Bangladesh and the United States began at BNS Nirvik
in Chattogram.
‰ The primary objective of the exercise is to strengthen
the strategic capabilities of both nations and encourage
the exchange of technical and procedural knowledge.
DeGRSE’s ‘GAINS’ Startup Challenge
‰ Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE)
Ltd, one of India’s premier defence shipyards and a
Category 1 Mini Ratna Company has embarked on a
mission to identify and encourage the development of
innovative solutions towards technological advances in
shipbuilding by Startups.
‰ As part of this drive, the Company launched GRSE
Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme – 2023 or
“GAINS 2023” in Kolkata.
‰ The GRSE has been a pioneering shipyard since
becoming a DPSU way back in 1960 by delivering the
first indigenous warship INS Ajay to the Indian Navy
in 1961.
INSV Tarini returns to Goa after 188-days
‰ The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini entered
Goa port on May 23, 2023, with a six-member crew,
after successfully concluding a 17,000-nautical-mile
(nm) transoceanic transcontinental voyage in 188 days.
‰ Dr. Pramod Sawant, Minister of Women and Child
Development Smriti Irani, and Navy Chief Admiral
R. Hari Kumar greeted the six-member crew as they
arrived at the jetty.
‰ Two female officers (Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa
A) led the entire expedition from Goa to Rio de Janeiro
and returned via Cape Town.
AL MOHED AL HINDI 2023 Naval Exercise of
India & Saudi Arabia begins
India-Indonesia
Shakti-23’
bilateral
exercise
‘Samudra
INS Kavaratti, indigenously designed & built ASW
Corvette, arrived at Batam, Indonesia to participate
in the 4th edition of India-Indonesia Bilateral exercise
Samudra Shakti-23
‰ The exercise took place from 14-19 May 23.
‰ The Harbour phase comprised Cross deck visits,
professional Interactions, Subject Matter Expert
Exchanges, and sports fixtures.
‰ During the Sea Phase, weapon firing, Helicopter
Operations, Anti-submarine warfare & air defence
exercises and boarding operations were held.
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‰ The INS TARKASH and INS SUBHADRA arrived in
Saudi Arabia for the AL MOHED AL HINDI 2023 naval
exercise.
‰ The naval forces of both nations will participate in the
exercise, which will emphasise joint operations and
training.
‰ This year, the naval exercise includes participation
from a maritime patrol aircraft.
‰ The inaugural edition of the exercise was conducted in
2021.
‰ The INS TARKASH is a cutting-edge Talwar-class stealth
frigate that was commissioned on November 9, 2012.
‰ INS Mormugao, the latest guided-missile destroyer,
successfully hit ‘bull’s eye’ during her maiden BrahMos
supersonic cruise missile firing.
‰ BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully
test-fired from the Indian Navy’s frontline guided
missile destroyer INS Mormugao.
‰ The missile firing demonstrated the Indian Navy’s
firepower at sea.
‰ BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint
venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can
be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land
platforms.
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Army conducts joint flood relief exercise in Assam
First C295 for India completes its maiden flight
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‰ The Gajraj Corps of the Indian Army conducted a
joint flood relief exercise named ‘Exercise Jal Rahat’
at Hagrama Bridge on Manas River, Assam to validate
joint drills and coordinate preparedness by multiagency flood relief columns.
‰ The event included rehearsals and coordination for
rescue missions of people from inundated areas by
specialist teams from the Army, NDRF, and SDRF.
‰ Senior dignitaries from the Army, Civil, CAPF, DC Offices,
Bongaigaon & Chirang, and SSB attended the occasion.
INS Mormugao: India’s Newest Guided-Missil
Destroyer successfully test fired
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‰ The first C295 for India has finished its first flight safely,
which is a big step towards getting it by the second half
of 2023.
‰ This first flight marks a significant accomplishment for
the first Make in India aerospace programme.
‰ India bought 56 C295 planes in September 2021 to
replace the AVRO force of the Indian Air Force.
‰ The Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (self-reliant India
campaign) got a boost when the defence ministry
signed a 21,935-crore deal with Airbus Defence and
Space for 56 C295 planes in September 2021.
‰ The project is being run by both Tata Advanced Systems
Limited (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space.
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‰ As part of the deal, Airbus will send 16 C295 planes
from Spain that are ready to fly, while the other 40 will
be made in India.
35th Indo-Thai coordinated patrol between
Indian Navy and Royal Thai Navy conducted
‰ The 35th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol
(Indo-Thai CORPAT) between the Indian Navy and the
Royal Thai Navy was conducted from 03 – 10 May 2023.
‰ Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari, an indigenously built
LST (L) and His Thai Majesty’s Ship (HTMS) Saiburi, a
Chao Phraya Class Frigate participate.
‰ Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies participated
in the CORPAT along the IMBL(International Maritime
Boundary Line) in the Andaman Sea.
Army’s common uniform for officers of Brigadier
rank and above from Aug 1
‰ Indian Naval Ship Magar, a Landing Ship Tank
(Large) amphibious assault ship of the Indian Navy
decommissioned after 36 years of exceptional service
to the nation.
‰ The Decommissioning ceremony was held at Southern
Naval Command, Kochi.
‰ The ship was indigenously built by Garden Reach
Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, Kolkata.
‰ INS Magar was launched on 16 November 1984 and
commissioned into the Indian Navy on 18 July 1987.
AN-32 Spares was presented to the Commander of
Sri Lankan for the operationalisation of Aircraft
‰ Air Marshall VR Chaudhuri gave AN-32 spare parts to
the head of the Sri Lankan Air Force so that the aircraft
Sri Lanka owns can be used.
‰ The gift of spares is in line with India’s promise to help
Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces get better at it operations.
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‰ Indian Army will adopt a common uniform for Brigadier
and above rank officers irrespective of the parent cadre
and appointment.
‰ The decision was taken after detailed deliberations
during the recently concluded Army Commanders’
Conference.
‰ At present, different types of uniforms and
accoutrements have specific associations to respective
arms, regiments and services in the Indian Army.
Indian Navy decommissions INS Magar after 36
years of service
Indian Air Force Receives First Batch of VTOL
Loitering Munition Developed by TASL
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‰ The Indian Air Force (IAF) got its first batch of Vertical
Take Off and Landing (VTOL) developed by TATA
Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
‰ The autonomous system has successfully demonstrated
its capability to carry out precision strikes during trials
and tests.
‰ It is Built using lightweight composites.
‰ The system has a range of over 50 kilometres. It has five
flight modes—fully autonomous, semi-autonomous,
loiter, attack and return home.
‘Buland Bharat exercise’ conducted at High
Altitude Artillery Ranges of Eastern Theatre
‰ The Indian Army has displayed its integrated
surveillance and artillery firepower in the high-altitude
ranges in the eastern theatre.
‰ Exercise Buland Bharat was done at the longest highaltitude artillery ranges in Arunachal Pradesh, which
have only recently become active.
‰ During the training practice, the Artillery and Infantry
worked together to use their skills in surveillance and
firepower to the best effect.
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DRDO, Indian Navy conduct a successful maiden
trial of SAHAYAK-NG air-droppable container
‰ Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)
and Indian Navy conducted the successful maiden test
trial of ‘Air Droppable Container -150 (ADC) from IL
38SD aircraft off the coast of Goa.
‰ This is India’s first indigenously designed and
developed Air Dropped Container.
‰ It was tested from IL 38SD aircraft (Indian Navy) off
the coast of Goa.
‰ The trial was conducted by Indian Navy to enhance its
operational logistics capabilities.
‰ It reduces the requirement for ships to come close to
the coast to collect spares and stores.
1st woman Rafale pilot in IAF team for multination drill being held in France
‰ Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, the Indian Air Force’s
(IAF) first female pilot to fly the Rafale combat aircraft,
is part of the IAF contingent taking part in the ongoing
multinational Exercise Orion in France.
‰ The multinational wargame Exercise Orion is taking
place at Mont-de-Marsan in France.
‰ It is the largest ever multinational exercise being
carried out by the French defence forces which have
involved their army, navy and air force along with their
allies. More than 7,000 NATO troops have taken part in
the drill.
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Historic Milestone For Navy: MiG-29K Jet Makes
Maiden Night Landing On INS Vikrant
‰ The Indian Army has deployed five women officers into
its Regiment of Artillery.
‰ After finishing their training at the Officers Training
Academy (OTA) in Chennai, Lt. Mehak Saini, Lt.
Sakshi Dubey, Lt. Aditi Yadav, Lt. Pious Mudgil, and Lt.
Akanksha have joined the Army’s best artillery units.
‰ Three of the five women soldiers are sent to units along
the borders with China, and the other two are sent to
“challenging locations” near the Pakistan border.
‰ The Regiment of Artillery is a major battle support
arm. It has about 280 units that handle different gun
systems, such as Bofors howitzers, Dhanush howitzers,
M-777 howitzers, and K-9 Vajra self-propelled guns.
‰ A MiG-29K fighter jet made its maiden night landing
on INS Vikrant, a feat the Indian Navy called a “historic
milestone”.
‰ This is an Indian Navy contribution to Aatmanirbharta
or self-reliance in the defence sector.
‰ In February, Russian-origin MiG-29K and a prototype
of the Naval variant of the indigenously developed
Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas jets had conducted
day landings on the aircraft carrier.
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The first batch of 5 women Army officers
commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery
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7
Awards and Honors
Goan writer Damodar Mauzo gets the 57th
Jnanpith Award
PM Modi Conferred With Highest Civilian
Honours By Fiji, Papua New Guinea
‰ Papua New Guinea conferred its highest civilian order,
Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL), on
PM Modi for championing the cause of unity of Pacific
Island countries and spearheading the cause of Global
South.
‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conferred
with the highest honour of Fiji, the Companion of the
Order of Fiji by Sitiveni Rabuka.
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‰ Goan writer Damodar Mauzo Goa has received the
prestigious Jnanpith Award, the country’s highest
literary honour, from state Governor P S Sreedharan
Pillai.
‰ Mauzo’s famous novel ‘Karmelin’ received the Sahitya
Akademi Award in 1983.
‰ Mauzo is the second Goan to receive the award, after
Ravindra Kelekar in 2008.
‰ The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest
Indian literary award presented annually by the
Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their “outstanding
contribution towards literature.
‰ It was established in 1961.
‰ Jnanpith Award prize consists of a Cash prize of ₹11
lacks, a citation and a bronze replica of Goddess
Saraswati.
‰ The first award was given to G. Sankara Kurup who
received the award in 1965 for his collection of poems,
Odakkuzhal (The Bamboo Flute), published in 1950.
‰ The 50,000 pounds ($62,000) in prize money is divided
between the author and the translator.
‰ The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize
for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize, is a literary prize
awarded each year for the best novel written in English
and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
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Bulgarian writer wins International Booker Prize
for darkly comic memory novel
‰ Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and translator
Angela Rodel won the International Booker Prize on
Tuesday for “Time Shelter,” a darkly comic novel about
the dangerous appeal of nostalgia.
‰ The book beat five other finalists to the prize, which
recognizes fiction from around the world that has been
translated into English.
Chandigarh bags first rank in National Water
Award 2022
‰ The Ministry of Jalshakti Department of Water
Resources, River Department and Ganga Rejuvenation
has named Municipal Corporation Chandigarh as first
in the Urban Local Body (ULB) category of the National
Water Award 2022.
‰ 1st National Water Awards were given in 2018.
Tata Sons Chairman Chandrasekaran gets
France’s highest civilian award
‰ Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has been
given France’s highest civilian award ‘Chevalier de la
Legion d’honneur’
‰ This is for his contributions to strengthening the trade
relationship between India and France.
‰ Chandrasekaran was appointed the chairman of Tata
Sons in 2017.
Sanika Lahane wins The International Glamour
Project Mrs India 2023
‰ Sanika Lahane from Mumbai, India is the 1st Place
Winner of The International Glamour Project Mrs India
2023, held on April 13th, 2023.
‰ She was sashed by Ms International World, India Shilpa Adam and crowned by the talented actress
Minissha Lamba.
‰ The event was organised by The International Glamour
Project Founder and Managing Director Dr Swaroop
Puranik and was hosted by Dr Akshata Prabhu, Mrs
International World 2021, and CEO of The International
Glamour Project, Miss Teen, Miss, Mrs India.
‘Gauri’ has won the ‘Best Long Documentary
Award’ at the South Asian Film Festival of
Montreal
‰ Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Ports and Shipping,
gave the award to M. Beena, Chair of the CPA, in New
Delhi.
‰ The award is given because “the Cochin Port has done
a great job of handling dry bulk and liquid bulk cargo
ships.”
‰ A ship with an average load size of 43,800 MT took 48
hours to turn around at the port.
Erling Haaland was named FWA Footballer Of
The Year Award
‰ “Gauri,” a documentary based on slain journalist Gauri
Lankesh, directed by her sister Kavitha Lankesh, has
won the “Best Long Documentary Award” at the South
Asian Film Festival of Montreal 2023.
‰ The film portrays the life of Gauri Lankesh, a journalist
and activist who was killed in 2017.
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Nigerian Author Arinze Ifeakandu Wins the 2023
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‰ Nigerian writer Arinze Ifeakandu has won the 2023
Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize, one of the
world’s largest literary prizes for young writers. The
winning work was his debut short story collection
celebrating queer love in Nigeria titled God’s Children
Are Little Broken Things (2022).
‰ Arinze Ifeakandu is 28 years old.
‰ The Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize was
launched in 2006 with the aim of celebrating and
nurturing international literary excellence.
Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar gets the first
Astronomical Society of India Govind Swarup
Lifetime Achievement Award in Pune
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‰ The first Astronomical Society of India (ASI) Govind
Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award was given to
Professor Jayant Vishnu Narlikar in Pune.
‰ Jayant Narlikar is a well-known astrophysicist and
the founding head of the Inter-University Centre for
Astronomy and Astrophysics Pune.
‰ The Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement award was
made by the ASI to honour the work of famous Indian
astronomers who have made important advances to
the fields of astronomy and astrophysics.
Cochin Port bags ‘Sagar Shreshta Sammaan’ of
Ministry of Ports Shipping & Waterways for best
performance
‰ The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
honoured the Cochin Port Authority (CPA) with the
‘Sagar Shreshtha Sammaan’ for the best turnaround
time in non-container category during 2022-23.
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‰ Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has been
named FWA Footballer of the Year.
‰ In his first 47 games for Manchester City, Haaland has
scored 51 goals, including a record-setting 35 goals in
32 Premier League games.
‰ Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, both of Arsenal,
came in second and third, respectively.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath awarded Bharat Ratna
Dr Ambedkar Award
‰ The Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award was given to
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for establishing a “fearfree Uttar Pradesh.”
‰ The award ceremony was held at the Shanmukhananda
Auditorium in Mumbai, where UP legislative council
member Lalji Prasad Nirmal accepted the award on
Yogi Adityanath’s behalf.
‰ Ramnath Kovind presided over the award ceremony,
which was organised by the Buddhanjali Research
Foundation.
37 Gallantry awards conferred by the President of
India
‰ President Droupadi Murmu conferred eight Kirti
Chakras, including five posthumous, and 29 Shaurya
Chakras, including five posthumous, upon the
personnel of the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police
Forces and State or Union Territory Police during the
Defence Investiture Ceremony (Phase-1) in New Delhi.
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‰ The Gallantry awards were given to the personnel for
displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage
and extreme devotion to duty.
Documentary ‘Writing With Fire’ Wins Peabody
Award
3 Imprisoned Iranian Female Journalists Wins
Top UN Prize
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‰ Recently, the Oscar-nominated documentary “Writing
With Fire” by Rintu Thomas and Sishmit Ghosh won
the Peabody Award in the Documentary category.
‰ The documentary is about Khabar Lahariya, the only
newspaper in the country run by Dalit women, and
their transition to digital journalism after 14 years in
print.
‰ On May 10, 2022, The Peabody announced the 35
recipients for the year.
‰ The 83rd Peabody Awards are sponsored by UBS, the
world’s largest wealth management organisation.
‰ Peabody Award: The George Foster Peabody Awards
program, named for the American businessman
and philanthropist George Peabody, honour what is
described as the most powerful, enlightening, and
invigorating stories in television, radio, and online
media.
has been organising Youth Parliament Competitions in
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas for the past 26 years.
‰ The Youth Parliament Scheme aims at inculcating
among the younger generations the spirit of selfdiscipline, righteous expression of views, and other
virtues of a democratic way of life.
‰ Union Minister of State for Ministry of Parliamentary
Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal, distributed the prizes in
New Delhi
Malayali biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju bags
Harvard University’s Radcliffe fellowship.
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‰ Biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju, who is popularly
known as ‘the Frogman of India’, has been chosen for
Harvard University’s prestigious Radcliffe fellowship.
‰ He is one of the 50 scholars who were awarded the
Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship for 2023-24.
‰ Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, known as
Harvard Radcliffe Institute, is one of the world’s leading
centres for interdisciplinary research and exploration.
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Pulitzer Awards 2023 announced for Arts and
Journalism
‰ The Pulitzer Prizes recognizing the best of journalism
and the arts in 2022 were announced on 08 May 2023.
‰ Associated Press won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in
Journalism under the Public Service category.
‰ Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper)
and Trust, by Hernan Diaz (Riverhead Books) won the
2023 Pulitzer Prize in Books, Drama and Music under
the Fiction category.
‰ This is the 107th Pulitzer Prize.
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal
wins 1st prize in 24th National Youth Parliament
Competition, 2022-23
‰ Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal won
the first prize in the 24th National Youth Parliament
Competition, 2022-23. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
‰ The United Nations announced its premier prize for
press freedom.
‰ Three imprisoned Iranian female journalists have
been awarded “for their commitment to truth and
accountability.”
‰ The winners are Niloufar Hamedi, Niloufar Hamedi,
Elaheh Mohammadi, and Narges. The U.N. Educational
Scientific and Cultural Organization World Press
Freedom Prize is named for Guillermo Cano, a
Colombian journalist who was assassinated in front of
the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in Bogota on
Dec. 17, 1986.Mohammadi.
‰ UNESCO has awarded the prize to coincide with World
Press Freedom Day on May 3 since 1997.
British-Indian Meera Syal to be awarded BAFTA
TV fellowship
‰ Meera Syal, who starred in the hit BBC comedy,
Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42, will
be honoured at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film
and Television Arts) Television Awards on May 14 at
the Royal Festival Hall.
‰ It is the highest honour given to an individual for
outstanding and extraordinary contribution in the field
of film, sports or television.
‰ Sanya is best known for her performances in ‘Goodness
Gracious Me’ and ‘The Kumars at No 42’.
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King Charles honours Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
UK chief with MBE
‰ A well-known UK-based Sanskrit scholar and the
Executive Director of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
centre Dr M.N. Nandakumara has been conferred an
honorary MBE by King Charles III for services to Indian
classical arts in Britain.
‰ Nandakumara hails from the village of Mattur in
Karnataka, and has been associated with the Bhavan
for 46 years and has welcomed Charles – the then
Prince of Wales – to the popular Indian cultural hub on
several occasions.
‰ MBE stands for the Honorary Member of the Order of
the British Empire (MBE).
68th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2023
Bhumi Pednekar for Badhaai
Do and Tabu for Bhool
Bhulaiyaa 2
Best Director
Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Gangubai Kathiawadi
for
Best Actor in a Supporting
Anil Kapoor for Jug Jugg Jeeyo
Role (Male)
Best Actor in a Supporting Sheeba Chaddha for Badhaai
Role (Female)
Do
Indian-American Neeli Bendapudi to be conferred
with this year’s Immigrant Achievement Award
‰ Neeli Bendapudi, who is the president of Penn State
University, is going to get the Immigrant Achievement
Award for her important services to higher education
in the United States.
‰ The award is given to immigrants who have made
important impacts to their communities and careers.
‰ Bendapudi won this prestigious award for her
innovative leadership and long career in academia.
‰ Neeli Bendapudi earned her bachelor’s degree in
English and MBA from Andhra University in India
and her doctorate in marketing from the University of
Kansas.
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‰ This year, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’
emerged as the biggest winner with 10 awards in major
categories, including best film, best director and best
actress at the 68th Filmfare Awards.
‰ Badhai Do also won big with six awards, including best
actor award to Rajkummar Rao.
Best Actress (Critics’)
Best Film
Gangubai Kathiawadi
Best Film (Critics’)
Badhaai Do
Best Actor (Male)
Rajkummar Rao for Badhaai
Do
Best Actor (Female)
Alia Bhatt
Kathiawadi
Best Actor (Critics’)
Sanjay Mishra for Vadh
Gangubai
‰ Michael Douglas will receive an honorary Palme d’Or
at the Cannes Film Festival for his career and services.
‰ The May 16 festival opening ceremony honoured the
78-year-old actor. Douglas has starred in many Cannesselected films, including The China Syndrome, Basic
Instinct, Falling Down, and Behind the Candelabra.
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Michael Douglas to Receive Honorary Palme d’Or
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8
Appointments
‰ He was working as the acting Central Vigilance
Commissioner (CVC) since December last year after the
completion of Suresh N Patel’s tenure.
‰ Praveen Kumar Srivastava was sworn in as the Central
Vigilance Commissioner by President Droupadi
Murmu.
‰ Central Vigilance Commission is an apex Indian
governmental body created in 1964 to address
governmental corruption. In 2003, the Parliament
enacted a law conferring statutory status on the CVC.
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CAG Girish Chandra Murmu re-elected as WHO
external auditor for a 4-year term
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Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala is the
new Chief Justice of Madras High Court
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‰ The election was held Monday at the 76th World
Health Assembly in Geneva, where the CAG of India was
re-elected in the first round of voting itself with 114 out
of 156 votes.
‰ He has been holding the position for a four-year term
from 2019 to 2023.
‰ The CAG is also the external auditor of the Food
and Agriculture Organization (2020-2025), the
International Atomic Energy Agency (2022-2027),
the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(2021-2023) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union
(2020-2022).
‰ CAG is a constitutional post. Article 148 of the
Constitution, states There shall be a Comptroller and
Auditor-General of India who shall be appointed by the
President.
‰ WHO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Praveen Kumar Srivastava Sworn In As Central
Vigilance Commissioner
‰ Mr. Srivastava is a 1988-batch (retired) Indian
Administrative Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya
cadre.
‰ Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala was sworn in
as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court on Sunday,
May 28, 2023.
‰ Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi administered the oath
of office during a ceremony in Raj Bhavan.
‰ Earlier, Justice Sanjay V Gangapurwala had assumed
the role of Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High
Court in December 2022.
Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka has been appointed
as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court
‰ Justice Ramesh Devkinandan Dhanuka was sworn in as
the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
‰ Dhanuka was administered the oath of office by
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais at the Raj Bhavan.
‰ Justice Dhanuka is due to demit office on May 30, upon
attaining the age of 62, and will have a tenure as chief
justice of three days, possibly the shortest.
Karnataka Bank appoints Srikrishna Hari Har
Sarma as Managing Director and CEO
‰ The board of directors of Karnataka Bank Ltd has
appointed Srikrishnan Hari Hara Sarma as an Additional
Director to take up the role of MD and CEO of the bank.
‰ Sarma was part of the founding management team at
HDFC Bank Ltd for over nine years. As the Country
Head - Transactional Banking and Operations.
‰ Karnataka Bank was founded in 1924 and is
headquartered in Mangaluru.
Arjun Ram Meghwal replaces Kiren Rijiju as
Union Law Minister
‰ Arjun Ram Meghwal has been appointed as India’s new
minister of law.
‰ Arjun Ram Meghwal has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the
minister of law and justice for the Indian government.
‰ In place of Kiren Rijiju, Meghwal has been assigned the
independent responsibility of Minister of State in the
Ministry of Law and Justice, in addition to his existing
portfolios.
‰ The portfolio of the Minister of Earth Sciences has been
assigned to Kiren Rijiju.
‰ Arjun Ram Meghwal is the Minister of State for
Parliamentary Affairs.
‰ Supreme Court gets two new judges, Justice Mishra and
K.V. Raman
‰ The Supreme Court has regained its full strength of
34 judges, including the CJI, for a brief period as three
judges -- Justice KM Joseph, Justice Ajay Rastogi, and
Justice V Ramasubramanian.
‰ With the retirements of Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and
Justice MR Shah, the current strength of judges in the
Supreme Court had fallen to 32.
Indian-origin officer becomes first top-rank
South Asian woman in NYPD
Captain Pratima Bhullar Maldonado, an Indian-origin police
officer, has become the highest-ranking South Asian woman in
the New York Police Department, after her recent promotion
to the rank of Captain.
Maldonado runs the 102nd Police Precinct in South Richmond
Hill, Queens. She was promoted to the rank of Captain last
month.
Data Security Council of India appoints Pramod Bhasin as
chairman
‰ Data Security Council of India (DSCI), has appointed
Pramod Bhasin as the new chairman.
‰ Bhasin is the founder of Genpact Ltd and is currently
the chairman of ICRIER. He has assumed a new role,
succeeding Rajendra S. Pawar, the chairman and
co-founder of NIIT Group.
‰ DSCI is a not-for-profit, industry body on data
protection in India, setup by NASSCOM.
‰ It was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Noida,
Uttar Pradesh.
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IAS Vineet Joshi appointed as new Chief Secretary
in Manipur
Justice Mishra and K.V. Raman. Viswanathan
administered oath as SC Judge
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‰ The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
has appointed Vineet Joshi, Additional Secretary,
Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education
as the new Chief Secretary in Manipur.
‰ Vineet Joshi, a 1992 Manipur cadre IAS officer, replaced
Dr. Rajesh Kumar as the new Chief Secretary.
‰ Vineet Joshi will also replace three other IAS officers
MH Khan (1988 cadre), Moses Challai (1990 cadre)
and P Vaiphei (1991 cadre), all of Manipur cadre.
IDBI Bank appoints Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy
Managing Director
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‰ IDBI Bank on Monday approved the appointment of
Jayakumar S. Pillai as Deputy Managing Director on the
Board of the bank.
‰ Jayakumar S. Pillai has 32 years and 7 months of
experience in Canara Bank.
‰ The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) was
constituted under the Industrial Development Bank of
India Act, 1964 as a Development Financial Institution
(DFI) and came into being on July 01, 1964.
‰ IDBI is headquartered in Mumbai.
RN Jayaprakash was reelected as president of the
Swimming Federation
‰ The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) unanimously
re-elected RN Jayaprakash as its president.
‰ Monal Chokshi was elected as general secretary, Sudesh
Nagvenkar as treasurer, Rajkumar, Anil Vyas, Satish
Kumar, Bhaskar Das, Anil Khatri as vice presidents,
Seema Merotra, Muralitharan, Lokeshwar Singh and
Lakshmi Chandra Mahakur as joint secretaries.
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Paytm promotes Bhavesh Gupta as President and
COO
‰ The company that operates Fintech company Paytm,
One 97 Communications Ltd, has appointed Bhavesh
Gupta as president and chief operating officer (COO).
‰ Gupta was the company’s CEO of lending and director
of payments.
‰ Prior to joining Paytm in 2020, Gupta was the CEO of
Clix Capital (formerly GE Capital) and the director of
SME and business banking at IDFC Bank.
Amy Pope Elected Next Director General of the
International Organization for Migration
‰ The Member States of the International Organization
for Migration, the United Nations Migration Agency,
elected Ms. Amy E. Pope as its next Director General
during the 6th Special Session of the IOM Council.
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‰ Established in 1951, the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental
organization in the field of migration.
‰ IOM is part of the United Nations system, as a related
organization.
Manoj Soni to take oath as UPSC chairman
‰ The government has appointed Ravneet Kaur as the
Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India
(CCI).
‰ There has been no full-time Chairperson for the
competition regulator since Ashok Kumar Gupta was
demitted from office in October 2022.
‰ The Competition Commission of India is India’s chief
national competition regulator. It is a statutory body
within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
‰ CCI was founded in October 2003 and is headquartered
in New Delhi.
Vedanta appoints Sonal Shrivastava as Chief
Financial Officer from June 1
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‰ Dr Manoj Soni took the Oath of Office and Secrecy as
Chairman, of the Union Public Service Commission.
‰ The Oath was administered by Smt. Smita Nagaraj,
senior Member of the Commission.
‰ UPSC is a Constitutional Body under Article 315-323
Part XIV Chapter II.
‰ Vedanta Ltd has appointed Sonal Shrivastava as its
chief financial officer effective June 1st.
‰ Shrivastava joins the Holcim group, where she was
the CFO for their Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa
operations.
‰ Prior to this, she was the CFO of Ambuja Cements Ltd.
‰ Shrivastava and has more than 26 years of financial
leadership experience across sectors.
A K Jain appointed as PNGRB Chairman
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‰ The government has appointed former Coal Secretary
A K Jain as the chairman of the Petroleum and Natural
Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), a post that was lying
vacant since December 2020.
‰ Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved
the appointment of Anil Kumar Jain, retd. Secretary to
the Government of India.
‰ He was appointed Coal Secretary in September 2019,
he retired on October 31, 2022, from the post.
‰ Under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board
(PNGRB) Act 2006, PNGRB grants authorization to the
entities for developing a City Gas Distribution (CGD)
network (including the PNG network) in a specified
Geographical Area (GA) of the country.
‰ It is headquartered in New Delhi/
Government of India appoints Ravneet Kaur as
CCI Chairperson
Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood appointed as the
next CBI director
‰ Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood was appointed the next
CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) chief.
‰ The 59-year-old has been appointed to the post for
a period of two years from the date of assuming
charge after outgoing CBI chief Subodh Kumar Jaiswal
completes his tenure on May 25.
Linda Yaccarino appointed as Twitter’s New Chief
‰ Elon Musk Appoints Linda Yaccarino Twitter’s New
Chief.
‰ Ms. Yaccarino would focus on business operations and
he would work on product design and technology at
the social media platform.
Puma appoints Karthik Balagopalan as new MD
for India
‰ PUMA’s Global Director of Retail and e-Commerce,
Karthik Balagopalan (42) has been appointed as the
new Managing Director of PUMA India.
‰ Karthik Balagopalan wiil succeed Abhishek Ganguly.
‰ Balagopalan will be based in Germany and will report
to Puma CEO Arne Freundt.
‰ Bengaluru.
NIIF appoints Rajiv Dhar as interim CEO
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
‰ National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF),
a quasi-sovereign wealth fund and said its board has
appointed Rajiv Dhar as interim managing director and
CEO.
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‰ The appointment is effective May 11, 2023.
‰ Rajiv Dhar will succeed Sujoy Bose’s.
Parminder Chopra Becomes First Woman to
Become CMD of India’s Largest NBFC, PFC
‰ The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) has
recommended the name of Parminder Chopra to
succeed as the next CMD of India’s largest NBFC by net
worth (all reserves), Power Finance Corporation (PFC).
‰ Chopra will be the first woman to be appointed as
the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the
Maharatna company.
‰ PFC was incorporated on July 16th, 1986.
Angshumali Rastogi will be India’s representative
to the global civil aviation organisation
Dr K. Govindaraj Elected As New President of
Basketball Federation of India
‰ Dr K. Govindaraj elected as the President of International
Basketball Federation (FIBA), Asia.
‰ He is a Congress MLC. He is also the President of
Basketball Federation of India and President of
Karnataka Olympic Association.
Namdev Shirgaonkar will be India Taekwondo
chief
‰ Namdev Shirgaonkar was elected unopposed as
the president of the executive committee of India
Taekwondo in the election of the body on 24 May 2023.
‰ All the office-bearers were elected unopposed.
‰ Shirgaonkar holds a Black Belt in Taekwondo.
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‰ The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved 12
appointments for filling up various foreign posts.
‰ Senior bureaucrat Angshumali Rastogi was on Tuesday
appointed India’s representative to the council of the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in
Montreal, Canada, according to a Personnel Ministry
order.
‰ Rastogi has been appointed in place of Shefali Juneja
for three years.
‰ The tenure will last for two years.
‰ Omar Rashid is the General Secretary of the Assam
Badminton Association and has been involved in the
administration of badminton for over two decades.
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Alia Bhatt becomes the first Indian global
ambassador of Gucci
‰ Alia Bhatt is the new global ambassador for Gucci.
‰ This accomplishment makes the actress the first Indian
to be the symbol of an Italian luxury fashion house.
‰ Alia Bhatt is the first Indian global ambassador for
the prestige brand, and she will make her debut at the
upcoming Gucci Cruise 2023 runway show in Seoul,
South Korea.
Badminton Asia Appoints Omar Rashid as Chair
of Technical Officials Committee
‰ Badminton Asia has appointed Omar Rashid, the joint
secretary of the Badminton Association of India, to lead
the Technical Officials Committee.
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Indian-American Neera Tanden named as
American President’s domestic policy adviser
‰ US President Joe Biden announced that IndianAmerican Neera Tanden will serve as the next head of
his domestic policy council, replacing outgoing adviser
Susan Rice.
‰ She is the first Asian-American to lead any of the top
White House advisory councils in history.
Mark Nicholas to become next president of MCC
‰ Mark Nicholas, a renowned cricket commentator and
former cricketer, will become the next president of the
prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
‰ His term will start on October 1, 2023, and it will last
for a year.
‰ Stephen Fry is the current president of the MCC.
Sourav Ganguly to be brand ambassador of
Tripura tourism
‰ Former Indian cricket captain and former BCCI chief
Sourav Ganguly has accepted the offer of becoming the
brand ambassador of Tripura tourism.
‰ Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha announced this.
Polavarapu Mallikharjuna Prasad will be the next
Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India
(CIL)
‰ Polavarapu Mallikharjuna Prasad Prasad is currently
posted as chairman cum managing director of Central
Coalfields Ltd (CCL) based in Ranchi.
‰ He is recommended as the next chairman of CIL.
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‰ Coal India Limited is an Indian central public sector
undertaking under the ownership of the Ministry of
Coal, Government of India.
‰ It is headquartered in Kolkata.
‰ In September 1975 CIL was formed as a Holding
Company with five subsidiaries namely Bharat Coking
Coal Limited (BCCL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL ),
Eastern Coalfields Limited ( ECL ), Western Coalfields
Limited ( WCL ) and Central Mine Planning and Design
Institute ( CMPDI ).
SN Subrahmanyan new CMD of L&T, AM Naik
steps down
‰ Larsen & Toubro (L&T), an Indian multinational
engineering company, announced that it has appointed
S N Subrahmanyan as its new Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD),
‰ The appointment is effective from October 1, 2023.
‰ Subrahmanyan is the CEO and MD of L&T as of right
now.
‰ An M Naik, who is currently the Non-Executive
Chairman of the company, has chosen to leave his job
on September 30, 2023. Naik will be called “Chairman
Emeritus.”
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Indian-origin Ajay Banga confirmed as next
World Bank president
‰ He has been holding the post of judge since 2009.
‰ He has replaced Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava.
‰ Calcutta High Court has jurisdiction over the State of
West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
Air Marshal Narmadeshwar Tiwari took over as
the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the
South Western Air Command
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‰ Ajay Banga, an Indian-American and a former
Mastercard CEO has been appointed as the World
Bank’s 14th president.
‰ His term will start on June 2nd and will last for the next
five years.
‰ A 25-member executive board confirmed Banga for the
body.
‰ Ajay Banga, 63, was born in India and spent his early
career there, has been a U.S. citizen since 2007. He most
recently served as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic.
‰ The present President is David Malpass.
Australian airline Qantas appoints Vanessa
Hudson as its first female CEO
‰ Qantas Airways Ltd appointed finance chief Vanessa
Hudson as its new chief executive officer on May 2,
making her the first woman to lead the airline.
‰ The company announced that Hudson will succeed
Alan Joyce, who will retire in November.
‰ In her 28 years with Qantas, Hudson held several senior
roles, including chief customer officer and senior vice
president for the Americas and New Zealand.
TS Sivagnanam designated as Calcutta High
Court’s Chief Justice
‰ Justice TS Sivagnanam has been appointed as the Chief
Justice of Calcutta High Court, as per the notification
released by the Law Ministry.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
‰ Air Marshal Narmadeshwar Tiwari took over as the Air
Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air
Command.
‰ Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari was commissioned
in the Fighter Stream on 07 Jun 1986. He is an alumnus
of the National Defence Academy and passed out as the
President’s Gold Medalist.
Southern Air Command gets new chief, Air
Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan
‰ Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan took over as Air
Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Southern
Air Command on 01 May.
‰ Prior to assuming the current appointment, he was
the Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command,
handling air operations.
‰ An alumnus of Sainik School, Kazhakootam and
National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Manikantan
was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on June 7,
1986.
Justice S.V. Bhatti was appointed Acting Chief
Justice of Kerala
‰ From April 24, 2023, Justice Sarasa Venkatanarayana
Bhatti is Kerala’s acting Chief Justice (CJ).
‰ He succeeds retired Justice S. Manikumar.
‰ Justice S.V. Bhatti, a native of Madanapalli in Chittoor
district, began his legal career in Hyderabad, Telangana,
in 1987.
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‰ Rathendra Raman, a 1995 batch Indian Railway Traffic
Service (IRTS) officer, took over as the new chairman
of the Kolkata Port, now known as Syama Prasad
Mookerjee Port.
‰ He previously served as the Chief Freight Traffic
Manager (CFTM) in the South Eastern Railway.
Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan Takes Over As
Chief Of Andaman Air Command
‰ Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan on Monday took charge
as the Commander-in-Chief of the strategically vital
Andaman and Nicobar Command, which is India’s only
tri-services command.
‰ Air Marshal Balakrishnan is the 17th Commander-inChief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN),
officials said. He succeeds Lt Gen Ajai Singh.
‰ SpiceJet named Arun Kashyap COO.
‰ Kashyap, Air India’s CTO, will rejoin SpiceJet.
‰ He is Former SpiceJet Chief Programme &
Transformation Officer.
‰ Kashyap will report to the airline’s Chairman and
Managing Director Ajay Singh starting June 12.
Rajneesh Karnatak Joins Bank Of India As
Managing Director, CEO
‰ Rajneesh Karnatak had been the chief general manager
of Punjab National Bank until his appointment as
executive director in Union Bank of India.
‰ Rajneesh Karnatak has joined the Bank of India as its
managing director and chief executive officer.
Duroflex appoints
Ambassador
Virat
Kohli
as
Brand
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Debadatta Chand was appointed as Managing
Director of Bank of Baroda
SpiceJet appoints Arun Kashyap as Chief
Operating Officer
‰ The Indian mattress brand, Duroflex has appointed
Virat Kohli as its brand ambassador.
‰ The company would like to amplify the message of
quality sleep to a wider audience.
‰ Wakefit signs Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana
as brand ambassador.
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‰ The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has
approved the appointment of Debadatta Chand as the
MD and CEO of Bank of Baroda (BoB).
‰ His appointment is for a period of three years with effect
from the date of assumption of office on or after July 1,
2023, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
‰ Sanjiv Chadha, the incumbent MD and CEO of BoB, is
set to retire on June 30, 2023.
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Index and Reports
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana top states in
the Covid year
MoPSW ranked 2nd in the Survey Report on Data
Governance Quality Index
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‰ The three southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Telangana emerged as the top performers among the
‘larger states’ in the NITI Aayog’s annual ‘health index’
for the Covid year of 2020-21.
‰ Tripura performed well in the smaller states category
while Delhi ranked at the bottom among the Union
Territories.
‰ The Health Index, launched by NITI Aayog in 2017,
assesses the performance of states and union territories
based on 24 health performance indicators.
‰ The NITI Aayog collaborates with the Union Health
Ministry and the World Bank to release a comprehensive
health index.
‰ This recognises Mumbai’s status as a significant player
in the real estate market.
‰ The report, titled ‘Prime Global Cities Index Q1
2023‘, notes that Bengaluru and New Delhi have also
registered an increase in average annual prices in the
first quarter of 2023.
‰ Dubai is in the top position.
‰ The report is released by Knight Frank.
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IIM Kozhikode Among the Top Four Schools in
India
‰ MoPSW ranked 2nd amongst the Ministries /
Departments in the Survey Report on Data Governance
Quality Index.
‰ The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
(MoPSW) has achieved a remarkable feat, securing
the second position among 66 ministries in the highly
influential Data Governance Quality Index (DGQI)
assessment for 2022-2023 Q3.
‰ The Ministry has achieved an impressive score of 4.7
out of 5.
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Indian government panel proposes ban on diesel
4-wheeler vehicles by 2027
‰ The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode makes
an entry in the prestigious Financial Times Rankings
2023 (FT Rankings).
‰ IIM Kozhikode at 72nd position among the top-75
Open-enrolment executive program providers globally.
‰ IESE Business School, Spain has been ranked globally
and IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, ISB and IIM
Kozhikode are awarded the top four places in India.
Mumbai Ranks Sixth In Annual Housing Price
Growth Among 46 Cities Globally
‰ Mumbai has achieved the sixth position in the global
ranking of annual housing price growth among 46
cities worldwide.
‰ A report commissioned by India’s Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas proposes prohibiting the
use of diesel-powered four-wheeled vehicles in cities
with populations exceeding 10 lakhs by 2027 and
promoting electric and gas-powered vehicles instead.
‰ Former Oil Secretary Tarun Kapoor led the council.
‰ It also suggested phasing out motorcycles, scooters,
and three-wheeled vehicles with internal combustion
engines by 2035.
Everest Annual ITS Rankings: Accenture Tops
Everest Annual ITS Rankings for Seventh
Consecutive Year
‰ Accenture takes the number one spot for the seventh
straight year in the Everest 2023 PEAK Matrix Service
Provider of the Year Awards for Information Technology
(IT) services.
‰ The ranking of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS),
Capgemini, and Wipro has risen to take the number 2,
3, and 4 spots, respectively.
‰ Everest Group, a global IT research firm, first launched
the rankings in 2016.
National Manufacturing Innovation Survey:
Karnataka ranked the most ‘innovative’ State
‰ Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released the World
Press Freedom Index 2023 on World Press Freedom
Day (WPFD), which was on May 3.
‰ With a score of 36.62, India came in 161st place out of
a total of 180 countries.
‰ India had a rank of 150 in the year 2022.
‰ The score for each country or territory is determined by
evaluating how well it meets five criteria: the political
context, the legal framework, the economic context, the
sociocultural setting, and the safety situation.
‰ The first three spots were taken by Norway, Ireland,
and Denmark, respectively.
‰ The countries that occupied the last place on the list
were Vietnam, China, and North Korea.
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‰ Based on the results of a survey that investigated the
levels of innovation implemented by manufacturing
companies, Karnataka is the most “innovative” state
overall, followed by Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
‰ According to the results of the National Manufacturing
Innovation Survey (NMIS) 2021-22, which was
published in May 2023, the states in the Northeastern
region (with the exception of Assam) have the least
innovative manufacturing practices, followed by Bihar.
World Press Freedom Index
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10
Obituary
‘Anupamaa’, passed away due to cardiac arrest at the
age of 51.
‰ He suffered a massive cardiac arrest late at night in
Igatpuri near Nashik.
‰ Nitesh Pandey was born on January 17, 1973, in
Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. He was an actor, known
for Om Shanti Om (2007), Pyaar Ka Dard Hai Meetha
Meetha Pyaara Pyaara (2012) and Khosla Ka Ghosla!
(2006).
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Scientist Dr N Gopalakrishnan passes away
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‰ Dr N. Gopalakrishnan, a well-known scientist and speaker,
died after passing out on his way home. He was 68.
‰ Before becoming Director of CSIRCBRI, Gopalakrishnan
worked as a scientist at CSIR-SERC’s Advanced Seismic
Testing and Research Laboratory (ASTaR).
‰ He got his M.Tech in Structural Engineering from the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras.
‰ The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in Bengaluru, is
where he got his Ph.D.
‰ He is known for his work in structural dynamics and
earthquake engineering, as well as in experimental
methods in structural engineering and buildings that
support machines.
‰ He has five Indian patents and has written or co-written
61 articles for foreign and Indian journals.
Actress Samantha Weinstein dies aged 28 in
Canada
‰ Canadian actress Samantha Weinstein has passed away
at the age of 28. Weinstein, who started acting at the age
of 9, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago.
‰ Weinstein died May 14 at Princess Margaret Hospital in
Toronto after a battle with ovarian cancer.
‰ Weinstein had a breakout role playing Josephine in Big
Girl, which won the best Canadian short film award at
the Toronto Film Festival in 2005.
‰ Weinstein’s TV credits included guest roles on Being
Erica, Less Than Kind, Copper and Darknet, from
director Vincenzo Natali.
Actor Sarath Bab passes away aged 71 in
Hyderabad
‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’ actress Vaibhavi Upadhyaya
dies in a car accident
‰ Actress Vaibhavi Upadhyaya, best known for her role
in the TV show ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, lost her life in a
car accident.
‰ Vaibhavi was born on July 28, 1990, in Gujarat. She also
has a sister, Jinal Thaker, and a brother, Ankit Upadhyaya
‰ Vaibhavi was also part of CityLights, Please Find
Attached, Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka and Sanrachna.
The actor has also been part of shows such as CID and
Adaalat.
Actor Nitesh Pandey passes away due to cardiac
arrest at the age of 51
‰ Actor Nitesh Pandey, who is well known for the role
of Dheeraj Kumar in the top-rated television show
‰ Sarath Babu had worked in over 200 films.
‰ He passed away aged 71 in Hyderabad.
‰ He was undergoing treatment for multi-organ failure.
‰ Sarath Babu was a prominent figure in the South Indian
film industry. Born on March 31, 1951, in Chennai,
Tamil Nadu, India,
‰ He made significant contributions to both Tamil and
Telugu cinema throughout his career. Sarath Babu’s
real name was Sathiya Sarath Babu Khannaiyann, and
he was often referred to as the “Edison of the South” for
his versatility and talent.
Legendary Singer Tina Turner ‘Queen of Rock’
Dies Aged 83
‰ Tina Turner, an early rock’n’roll star who became a
huge pop star in the 1980s, died after a long illness at
the age of 83.
‰ In the past few years, she had been sick. In 2016, she
was identified with intestinal cancer, and in 2017, she
had a kidney transplant.
‰ He is known for a black woman representation in the
Rock and Roll style of music.
Famous historian Ranajit Guha passes away at 100
Ranajit Guha, a renowned historian, has died.
He was hundred years old.
He died in his Austrian home.
Guha was born on May 23, 1923, in Barisal, Bangladesh.
His family then relocated to Kolkata.
‰ Guha retired from the Australian National University
in 1988 after previously working at several prestigious
universities.
‰ ‘Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in Colonial
India’ is one of his best-known books.
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Karumuttu T Kannan, renowned Industrialist
and philanthropist passes away at 70
‰ Srichand Parmanand Hinduja was the eldest of the four
Hinduja brothers and chairman of Hinduja Group
‰ He died in London at the age of 87 after a prolonged
illness.
‰ The Hinduja Group is a multinational organisation
involved in a wide range of industries, including
banking, finance, manufacturing, and media.
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‰ Karumuttu T. Kannan, Chairman and Managing Director
of Thiagarajar Mills Ltd in Madurai and a well-known
businessman and philanthropist, died at the age of 70.
‰ Kannan was the son of Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar,
who started the Thiagarajar Mills in 1936. Karumuttu
Thiagarajan died in 2004.
‰ Kannan went to Madurai University and got a degree in
business administration.
‰ During his tenure, He served as the Chairman of the
Cotton Textile Export Promotion Council in Mumbai,
the Southern Region Textiles Committee of the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the South
India Mills’ Association.
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Hinduja Group chairman SP Hinduja passes away
at 87 in London
Former AIFF vice-president AR Khaleel passes
away
‰ AR Khaleel, the former All India Football Federation
(AIFF) vice-president, treasurer, and executive
committee member, died on Wednesday after a brief
illness. He was 91.
‰ Khaleel was a prominent football administrator of his
day, and he was instrumental in popularising the game
in India, particularly in Karnataka.
‰ He was a footballer, who ran Jawahar Union FC, one of
Bengaluru’s traditional clubs, was an administrator par
excellence, and served Karnataka football as an office
bearer for many years.
Mexico football legend Antonio Carbajal dies at
93
‰ Antonio Carbajal, the first Mexican player to feature in
five World Cups.
‰ He was born in Mexico.
‰ He died in his sleep at the age of 93.
‰ He was an important player of the Mexico team that
advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals in 1958. He
is most known for his record-breaking five FIFA World
Cup appearances.
‰ Germany’s Lothar Matthäus in 1998 and Rafael Márquez
of Mexico in 2018 are other two football players.
Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi passes
away at 89
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‰ Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Arun Gandhi passed away
at Kolhapur in Maharashtra.
‰ Arun Gandhi was born on April 14, 1934, to Manilal
Gandhi and Sushila Mashruwala in Durban. Like his
grandfather, he became an activist.
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‰ Arun Gandhi was an Indian-American activist, speaker,
and writer who worked to promote peace and social
justice.
‰ Arun Gandhi Books: “Legacy of Love: My Education in
the Path of Nonviolence” and “The Gift of Anger: And
Other Lessons from My Grandfather Mahatma Gandhi.”
‰ Awards: Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award
and the Light of Truth Award from the Dalai Lama.
American Economist & Nobel laureate Robert E
Lucas Jr Passed Away
2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Tori Bowie Dies At
32
‰ Tori Bowie, a 32-year-old American sprinter and long
jumper who won three Olympic medals and two world
crowns, died.
‰ The sprinter won three medals at the 2016 Olympic
Games in Rio, including gold in the 4x100-meter relay,
silver in the 100-meter relay, and bronze in the 200meter race.
‰ At the 2017 World Championships, she also won gold
in the 100-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay.
Boxer Kaur Singh, Asian Games Gold Medallist,
Passes Away At 74
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‰ Robert E. Lucas Jr., Nobel Prize-winning economist,
dies at 85.
‰ He won the Nobel Prize in Economic Science – officially
known as “The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic
Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel” in 1995 for his
work on rational expectations and the efficacy of
government intervention in the economy.
‰ At the University of Chicago he served as the faculty for
four years.
‰ Professor Desai was elected member of the prestigious
PEN America Chapter (which has 600+ members)
consisting of academics, writers, historians, novelists
and poets.
‰ In 2009, the Government of India honoured her with
Padma Bhushan for literature and education.
Padma Bhushan Awardee and Indian-American
development economist Padma Desai passed away
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‰ Padma Desai received her PhD in economics from
Harvard University in 1960.
‰ In 2001, she served as President of the Association
for Comparative Economic Studies. Professor Desai
also received honorary degrees from both Middlebury
College and Columbia University.
‰ India’s Asian Games gold medallist boxer Kaur Singh,
who famously took on the legendary Muhammad Ali in
an exhibition bout, passed away at aged 74.
‰ He breathed his last at a hospital in Kurukshetra,
Haryana.
‰ In 1982, Singh won a gold medal at the heavyweight
category Asian Games held at New Delhi.
‰ He was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 1982 and
Padma Shri in 1983.
‰ He also competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
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Summits and Conferences
Arab League Summit adopts Jeddah Declaration
FIPIC Summit 2023
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi inaugurated 1st
Mining StartUp Summit at IIT Mumbai
‰ 1st Mining StartUp Summit was held at IIT Mumbai
today.
‰ Union Minister of Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi
inaugurated the summit.
‰ The summit emphasized the importance of
collaboration among leading industries in the mineral
exploration sector, financial institutions, and banks.
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‰ The 32nd Arab League Summit recently concluded in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with the adoption of the Jeddah
Declaration.
‰ This declaration focuses on fostering Arab unity and
addressing various regional challenges.
‰ An important highlight of the summit was the
unanimous decision to readmit Syria to the Arab
League, which was met with enthusiasm from the
participating leaders.
‰ The meeting was held to discuss the priorities,
implementation and utilization of health innovations
like digital health towards ensuring Universal Health
Coverage.
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6th Indian Ocean Conference held in Dhaka
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‰ The 3rd Forum on India-Pacific Islands Cooperation
(FIPIC Summit), was held in Port Moresby on 22 May,
in Papua New Guinea.
‰ The Prime Minister of India and Papua New Guinea
co-chaired the summit.
‰ The discussions covered various areas of cooperation
including commerce, technology, health care and
climate change.
‰ The Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation
(FIPIC) was launched during PM Modi’s visit to Fiji in
November 2014 and includes 14 island countries.
G7 Health Ministerial Meeting on Health
Innovation in Japan
‰ Union Minister of Health and family welfare, Dr
Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the G7 Ministerial
meeting on Health Innovation in Nagasaki, Japan.
‰ Health Ministers of the G7 countries and invited
“Outreach 4” countries of India, Indonesia, Vietnam
and Thailand participated in the meeting.
‰ On May 12–13, Dhaka capital of Bangladesh hosted the
sixth annual Indian Ocean Conference.
‰ The theme of the summit was ‘Peace, Prosperity, and
Partnership: for a Resilient Future,’
‰ This year’s Indian Ocean Conference widely shed
light on preserving peace and order to guarantee the
economic growth of nations bordering the Indian
Ocean.
‰ Indian Ocean Conference is the premier consultative
forum for Indian Ocean nations to discuss regional
cooperation prospects for Security and Growth for All
in the Region (SAGAR).
‰ The first Indian Ocean conference was conducted in
Singapore in 2016, and the fifth will take place in Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in 2021.
The 42nd ASEAN Summit held in Indonesia
‰ In Labuan Bajo, Indonesia 42nd ASEAN Sumit was held
in May 2023.
‰ President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, who currently
holds the presidency of the ASEAN bloc, talked about
the enormous potential of the ASEAN region
‰ The guiding theme for the summit was “ASEAN Affairs:
Epicenter of Growth”.
‰ ASEAN member nations have a total population of
around 650 million inhabitants
‰ ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
intergovernmental organization of ten Southeast Asian
countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and
Vietnam.
Y20 Consultation event held at the University of
Kashmir
Science 20 Engagement Group meeting under
India’s G20 Presidency held in Lakshadweep
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‰ In Lakshadweep, the Science 20 Engagement Group
meeting on Universal Holistic Health under India’s G20
Presidency began at Bangaram Island.
‰ The focus was to work on improved agricultural
practices, greater access to nutritious food, healthier
eating habits and more opportunities for ecologically
conscious and sustainable food products.
‰ 48 delegates from G-20 countries are participating in
the two-day meet, held as part of India’s G20 Presidency.
‰ As a part of India’s G20 Presidency, the Youth 20 (Y20)
group’s Y20 Consultation was held at the University
of Kashmir from 10th – 11th May 2023 to consult the
youth of the nation on ideas for a better tomorrow.
‰ The aim was to draft an agenda for action on ‘Climate
Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making
Sustainability a Way of Life’, which is one of the five
Y20 themes.
‰ The Y20 Consultation was inaugurated by Shri
Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, JKUT and
Chancellor, University of Kashmir.
‰ Note: The theme of India’s G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future”
- is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha
Upanishad.
‘World Health Assembly’: PM Modi addresses
76th Session in Geneva, Switzerland
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‰ Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the
76th Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva,
Switzerland via video message.
‰ Prime Minister extended warm greetings to everyone
present and congratulated the World Health
Organization on completing the historic milestone of
serving the world for 75 years. He expressed confidence
that WHO would be setting goals for the next 25 years
when it reaches 100 years of service.
Petersberg Climate Dialogue 2023 held in Berlin
‰ On May 2 and 3, 2023, Germany and the United Arab
Emirates hosted the Petersberg Dialogue on Climate
Change in Berlin, Germany.
‰ The Petersberg Climate Dialogue is an annual high-level
political and international forum conducted before the
Conferences of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations
on Climate Change.
‰ This was initiated by former German Chancellor Angela
Merkel in 2010.
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UAE launched the ‘Machines Can See 2023’
Summit
‰ The UAE government launched the ‘Machines Can See
2023’ Summit, an international conference in Artificial
Intelligence (AI).
‰ It took place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai.
‰ The conference aims to bring together experts from
around the world to discuss the future of AI and its
potential in contributing to the UAE’s vision of creating
the next Silicon Valley.
India hosts the first-ever physical Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum
in New Delhi
‰ Department of Promotion for Industry and Internal
Trade, Ministry of Commerce organized the third
edition in the form of the first-ever physical Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO) Startup Forum in New
Delhi recently.
‰ Earlier two summits were held in virtual mode.
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‰ The engagement aimed at expanding the startup
interactions amongst the SCO Member States, nurturing
the spirit of innovation, generating more employment
and encouraging young talent to build innovative
solutions.
‰ SCO was founded in 2001 and it is headquartered in
Bejing.
‰ India Joined this organization in 2017.
‰ The SCO currently comprises eight Member States
(China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer
States interested in acceding to full membership
(Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six
“Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia,
Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
Foreign Ministers meeting of SCO member
countries held in Goa
‰ The G7 summit hosted by this year’s Japanese G7
presidency took place in Hiroshima City, Japan.
‰ A leaders’ communiqué was adopted at the end of the
summit.
‰ India was invited to attend the G7 conference, and PM
Modi attended the summit.
‰ Some Major Issues discussed were
Š Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
Š nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation
Š the global economy, finance and sustainable
development
Š climate change, energy and environment
Š food security and health
Š Engagement with international partners
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‰ Foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO) met in Goa for two days.
‰ The foreign ministers of eight countries convened in
Goa.
‰ This year’s host is India, which assumed leadership of
the SCO group in September of last year.
‰ This gathering will set the atmosphere for the July SCO
Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.
The G7 summit took place in Hiroshima, Japan
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Books and Authors
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The book “Guts Amidst Bloodbath: The
Aunshuman Gaekwad Narrative” by Aditya
Bhushan released
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‰ Anshuman Gaekwad, a former Indian Test player,
put out a book called “Guts Amidst Bloodbath” at the
Cricket Club of India (CCI). The book is partly about his
life.
‰ Guts Amidst Bloodbath is the story of Aunshuman
Gaekwad as told by him, with many interesting views
from his teammates, opponents, administrators,
selectors, umpires, friends, and family.
‰ His name has been linked to Indian Cricket in some way
for more than 50 years.
Narendra Modi revealed a book called ‘Saurashtra
Tamil Sangam Prashasti,’ authored by Somnath
Sanskrit University.
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‰ Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, launched a
book called ‘Saurashtra Tamil Sangam Prashasti,’ which
was written by Somnath Sanskrit University. This
happened at the end of the ‘Saurashtra Tamil Sangam’
event, the
‰ The Sangam celebrates the cultural and historical ties
between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. In the past, many
people moved from the Saurashtra area to Tamil Nadu.
‰ The book is a collection of poems written by well-known
writers about how the Saurashtra Tamil Sangam feels.
Ruskin Bond wrote a new book titled ‘The Golden
Years.’
‰ Indian author Ruskin Bond wrote a book titled “The
Golden Years: The Many Joys of Living a Good Long
Life”.
‰ The book is published by HarperCollins India
‰ It was released on 19 May 2023, Bond’s 89th birthday.
‰ “The Golden Years” represents the author’s experiences
during the 60s, 70s and 80s.
‰ The Blue Umbrella, The Room on the Roof, School
Times, Angry River, A Flight of Pigeons, How To Live
Your Life, The Great Train Journey, Roads to Mussoorie,
and Jungle Book are some works of Ruskin Bond.
‘Supreme Court On Commercial Arbitration’
book By Dr Manoj Kumar Released
‰ This work in the shape of a compendium of three
volumes with Judgments spanning from the year 1988
till 2022 covering the Arbitration Act, of 1940 and
the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, of 1996 aims to
achieve the above objective.
‰ The book is written by Dr Manoj Kumar and fore
worded by Shri.R.Venkataramani and was released on
13.05.2023.
Indo-Canadian Rupi Kaur’s book is among the
most banned in US schools
‰ Rupi Kaur is a Canadian-Sikh poet.
‰ Her book’ Milk and Honey has made it to the list of the
11 most banned books in US classrooms for the first
half of the 2022-23 school year.
‰ Kaur’s debut work, ‘Milk and Honey, which was released
in 2014,
‰ Kaur’s Twitter account was also withheld in India due
to the Khalistan issue.
A book called ‘Collective Spirit, Concrete Action’
written by Shashi Shekhar Vempati
Former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant authored
“MADE IN INDIA:75 Years of Business and
Enterprise”
‰ Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer
Amitabh Kant and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI
Aayog) authored a new book titled “Made In India: 75
Years of Business and Enterprise”.
‰ It is published by the Rupa Publications India.
‰ The book consists journey of India in reaching a
significant milestone by becoming the 5th largest
economy in the world.
‰ Branding India-An Incredible Story, and Incredible
India 2.0, Editor of “The Path Ahead- Transformative
Ideas for India”, are other books of Amitabh Kant.
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‰ ‘Collective Spirit, Concrete Action’ is a book by former
Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekhar in which he has
documented PM Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.
‰ Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio program ‘Mann
Ki Baat’ will complete its 100th edition on April 30.
‰ The radio program was started on the occasion of
Vijayadashami on October 3, 2014, and is broadcast in
22 Indian languages, 29 dialects, and 11 international
languages through multiple platforms.
Draupadi Murmu’s life from her school and college
days to becoming a teacher, social worker, counsellor,
minister, governor of Jharkhand, and ultimately the
president.
‰ From leaving her small village in the Mayurbhanj
district of Odisha to becoming the first citizen of India,
Murmu achieved numerous milestones through her
unconventional path.
‰ A journalist with over 25 years of experience, Kasturi
Ray, an IIMC alumnus, has worked with national
newspapers and digital news space in senior positions.
Kasturi Ray authored the book “Droupadi Murmu:
From Tribal Hinterlands to Raisina Hills”
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‰ Journalist Kasturi Ray authored the book, drawing
from interviews and in-depth analysis of President
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Important Days
International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples
of Non-Self-Governing Territories 25-31 May
‰ In 1946, eight Member States - Australia, Belgium,
Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand,
the United Kingdom and the United States - listed 72
territories under their administration, which they
considered to be non-self-governing. Eight became
independent before 1959.
‰ The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted
the resolution A/RES/54/91 on 6th December 1999.
‰ It was decided to annually observe the International
Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-SelfGoverning Territories starting from May 25.
‰ The week was first observed in 2000.
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World No Tobacco Day 2023: 31st May
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‰ Tobacco growing harms our health, the health of
farmers and the planet’s health. The tobacco industry
interferes with attempts to substitute tobacco growing,
contributing to the global food crisis.
‰ This campaign encourages governments to end
tobacco growing subsidies and use the savings to
support farmers to switch to more sustainable crops
that improve food security and nutrition.
‰ The theme for 2023: Grow food, not tobacco
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World Vape Day: 30th May on 30th May
‰ World Vape Day is an annual event that is celebrated
on May 30th.
‰ The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the
potential benefits of vaping as a harm-reduction tool
for smokers.
75th International Day of Un Peacekeepers: 29
May
‰ The Indian Army commemorated the 75th International
Day of UN Peacekeeper Day on 29 May 2023.
‰ Army paid homage to the fallen comrades by laying
wreaths at the National War Memorial, New Delhi by
the Chief of the Army Staff, Vice Chief of Army Staff and
representatives from the Navy and Air Force, Ministry
of External Affairs and United Nations.
‰ This is the day when in 1948 the first UN peacekeeping
mission, “UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO)”
began operations in Palestine.
World Thyroid Awareness Day: 25 May
‰ World Thyroid Day is a global healthcare event
celebrated on the 25th of May every year.
‰ This is to identify the seriousness of the disease and
awareness about its treatment.
‰ Thyroid diseases are, perhaps, among the most
prevalent endocrine disorders globally.
‰ During the annual general meeting of Thyroid
Federation International in September 2007, it was
decided to create a “World Thyroid Day” on the 25th
of May.
Indian Commonwealth Day 2023:24 May
‰ Empire Day or Commonwealth Day aims to bring 2.5
billion Commonwealth citizens together.
‰ Indian Commonwealth Day 2023 Theme is “Forging a
sustainable and peaceful common future”.
‰ This day is observed as a holiday in parts of the
Commonwealth of Nations.
‰ Commonwealth Day is celebrated to remind the Birth
Anniversary of Queen Victoria.
World Turtle Day 2023: 23 May
‰ Turtles and tortoises are common sightings in parables,
stories, and pop culture and we celebrate World Turtle
Day on May 23 to honour these resilient animals.
‰ Turtles and tortoises are associated with wisdom and
perseverance.
‰ The day was first celebrated by American Tortoise
Rescue in 2002.
‰ This year’s World Turtle Day theme is ‘I Love Turtles,’
emphasising the critical need to conserve these species
and their future in the face of dwindling habitats.
International Day for Biological Diversity 2023:
22 May
‰ Every year on May 22, the world marks the International
Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding
and encourage the preservation of the Earth’s diverse
ecosystems.
‰ This significant day serves as a reminder of the crucial
role biodiversity plays and emphasizes the urgency to
safeguard and revive it.
‰ The theme for International Day for Biological
Diversity 2023 is “From Agreement to Action: Build
Back Biodiversity.”
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‰ India observes the National Anti-Terrorism Day on
May 21 every year to spreading awareness about the
importance of combating terrorism and promoting
unity and peace in the country.
‰ The day serves as a reminder of the tragic consequences
of terrorism and the need for constant vigilance against
such terrorist acts.
‰ The National Anti-Terrorism Day aims to honour the
memory of former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi,
who was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by a terrorist
group named Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
International Tea Day: 21 May
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‰ The United Nations chose May 21 as International
Tea Day to honour the drink’s cultural history, health
benefits, and economic value.
‰ Tea is important in many cultures, and it comes in a
wide range of smelly tastes from all over the world.
‰ Tea is also liked because it reduces inflammation and
fights free radicals.
‰ Although 21st May is going to be the second
International Tea Day yet we may proclaim the Firstever International Tea Day was on 21st May 2020.
World Metrology Day 2023: 20 May
‰ World Metrology Day is celebrated on May 20, which
marks the anniversary of the signing of the Meter
Convention in 1875 and the beginning of official
international cooperation in metrology.
‰ The theme of World Metrology Day 2023 is
Measurements supporting the global food system.
‰ The Convention set the framework for global
collaboration in the science of measurement and in its
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National Endangered Species Day 2023: 19 May
‰ National Endangered Species Day is observed annually
on the third Friday in May.
‰ In 2023 it is being observed on 19 May to raise awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation.
‰ Objective – To spread awareness of the importance of
protecting endangered species, and their habitats, and
the efforts needed to do so.
‰ Theme 2023 – Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the
endangered species act.
World Bee Day 2023: 20 May
‰ Bees and other pollinators are fundamental for the
health of ecosystems and food security. They help
maintain biodiversity and ensure the production
of nutritious food. However, intensive monoculture
production and improper use of pesticides pose serious
threats to them.
‰ World Bee Day 2023 creates awareness about the issue.
‰ The United Nations designated this day for December
2017, with the first celebration taking place on May
20th, 2018.
‰ It is observed every year on 20th May.
‰ The theme for World Bee Day 2023 is “Bee Engaged
in Pollinator-Friendly Agricultural Production”. This
theme emphasises the urgent need to adopt agricultural
practices that are supportive of pollinators, such as
bees.
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National Anti-Terrorism Day 2023:21 May
industrial, commercial and societal applications.
World AIDS Vaccine Day 2023: 18 May
‰ HIV AIDS is an ever-present health issue in our society.
‰ There is still no known vaccine that can be used to stem
the flow of this deadly infection. To raise awareness of
the continued need for a vaccine.
‰ On 18th May 1997, during a speech made at Morgan
State University, the president of the day Bill Clinton
asked for experts and scientists around the world to
work towards creating a vaccine for AIDS.
‰ World Aids Vaccine Day takes place on May 18th. The
first was observed on May 18 in 1998.
International Museum Day 2023 Observed on
18th May
‰ International Museum Day, observed on May 18, 2023.
‰ The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the
vital role that museums play in promoting cultural
exchange, enhancing diverse cultures, and fostering
mutual understanding, cooperation, and harmony
between diverse communities.
‰ International Council of Museums established this day.
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World Hypertension Day 2023: 17 May
‰ World Hypertension Day is observed on 17 May every
year, all across the world.
‰ Hypertension is a condition when the force of the blood
against the artery walls is more than it should be. This
further causes high blood pressure. This becomes the
root cause of several diseases.
‰ The theme for the year 2023 is ‘Measure Your Blood
Pressure Accurately, Control It.’
‰ World Hypertension League introduced World
Hypertension Day on May 14, in the year 2005.
‰ Since 2006, World Hypertension Day has been observed
on May 17.
World Telecommunication and Information
Society Day: 17 May
International Nurses Day 2023: 12 May
‰ On International Nurses Day, people celebrate Florence
Nightingale’s birthday. Nightingale is thought to be the
person who started modern nursing.
‰ Every year, the holiday is held on May 12.
‰ The day honours the work that nurses have done all
over the world.
‰ In 1974, the International Council of Nurses said that
Florence Nightingale’s birthday should be marked as
International Nurses Day.
‰ This year, “Our Nurses, Our Future” is the theme of
International Nurses Day.
International Day of Plant Health: 12 May
‰ We depend on Plants for 80 per cent of the food we eat
and 98 per cent of the oxygen we breathe.
‰ The International Day of Plant Health 2023 calls on
everyone to raise awareness and take action to keep
our plants healthy and help protect the environment
and biodiversity.
‰ The theme of this year’s celebration of International
Day of Plant Health is “Plant Health for Environmental
Protection,”
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‰ World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated
annually on 17 May since 1969, marking the founding of
ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph
Convention in 1865.
‰ This year, World Telecommunication and Information
Society Day (WTISD) focuses on “Empowering the
least developed countries through information and
communication technologies.”
‰ In November 2006, the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference
in Antalya, Turkey, decided to celebrate both events on
May 17 as World Telecommunication and Information
Society Day.
‰ The first World Migratory Bird Day was launched in
April 2006, at the famous wildlife reserve called ‘Ol Ari
Nyiro, owned by Ms. Kuki Gallmann in Laikipia, Kenya.
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International Day of Living Together in Peace: 16
May
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‰ Living together in peace is all about accepting
differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize,
respect and appreciate others, as well as living in a
peaceful and united way.
‰ The UN General Assembly, in its resolution 72/130,
declared 16 May the International Day of Living
Together in Peace.
International Day of Families: 15 May
‰ The 2023 International Day of Families observance is
to raise awareness of the impact of demographic trends
on families.
‰ 2023 Theme: Demographic Trends and Families
‰ On May 15, International Day of Families is observed to
bring attention to how important families are and what
part they play in society.
‰ The day focuses on the important role families play in
our society and brings attention to the problems they
face.
World Migratory Bird Day 2023: 13 May
‰ World Migratory Bird Day 2023 focuses on the topic of
water and its importance for migratory birds.
‰ World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awarenessraising campaign highlighting the need for the
conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.
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National Technology Day 2023: 11 May
‰ Every year on May 11, National Technology Day is held.
‰ On this day, events are held by the government,
institutes, schools, and colleges to honour India’s
scientists and their work.
‰ In May 1998, India did a set of five nuclear bomb tests
called Pokhran-II. At the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was
Prime Minister.
‰ For 2023, the theme is ‘School to Startups-Igniting
Young Minds to Innovate.’
World Thalassemia Day 2023: 08 May
‰ World Thalassemia Day is celebrated annually on the
8th of May.
‰ Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that causes
the body’s haemoglobin level to be lower than normal.
Haemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen.
‰ The main objective for observing the day is Awareness
of thalassemia, its symptoms, and ways to live with it.
‰ International Thalassemia Day was established by the
Thalassemia International Federation (TIF) in 1994.
‰ The theme for World Thalassemia Day 2023 is “Be
aware, Share, Care, Strengthening Education to Bridge
the Thalassemia Care Gap”, which promotes knowledge
and treatment options for this condition.
World Red Cross Day: 8th May
‰ The day is celebrated to honour the birthday of
Henry Dunant. Born on May 8, 1828, he founded the
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International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and
was a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
‰ The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a global
humanitarian network that operates in nearly every
country around the world and it provides assistance
and support to those in need during emergencies,
disasters, conflicts and other crises.
‰ The red cross day was established at the 20th
International Conference of the Red Cross in Tokyo,
Japan, in 1933.
‰ “Everything we do comes #fromtheheart” is the theme
for World Red Cross Day in 2023.
World Athletics Day: 7th May
World Asthma Day 2023: 02 May
‰ World Asthma Day 2023 is being observed on May 2,
2023.
‰ The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) puts on this
day every year to raise awareness and improve asthma
care around the world.
‰ This special day is for people who have asthma and is
meant to raise awareness and teach people about the
disease and how to treat it.
‰ “Asthma Care for All” is the theme for World Asthma
Day in 2023. “Closing Gaps in Asthma Care” was the
theme for 2022, and “STOP for Asthma” was the theme
for 2019.
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‰ On May 7, 2023, World Athletics Day was held.
‰ The main goal of this day is to teach kids about fitness
and urge young and school-aged kids to get involved
in sports.
‰ “Athletics for All: A New Beginning” is the theme for
World Athletics Day in 2023.
‰ The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF)
created World Athletics Day in 1996.
‰ The theme for the Day will be “Shaping a Future of
Rights: Freedom of Expression as a Driver for all other
human rights”
‰ World Press Freedom Day 2023 will also be the
occasion to award the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World
Press Freedom Prize.
‰ This global event was declared by the UNGA in 1993
after the 26th session of UNESCO’s general conference
in 1991 passed a suggestion to do so.
World Portuguese Language Day 2023: 05 May
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‰ World Portuguese Language Day, celebrated on May 5
every year, is dedicated to highlighting the Portuguese
language importance.
‰ It plays a role in bringing the Portuguese people
together and in preserving their culture and identity.
‰ Portuguese is one of the most widespread languages
and considered as sixth most spoken language in the
world.
‰ The date of May 5th was officially established in 2009
as ‘World Portuguese Language Day’ by the Community
of Portuguese Language Countries.
International Firefighter’s Day 2023: 04 May
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‰ International Firefighters Day is celebrated around the
world every year on May 4.
‰ International Firefighters Day helps people understand
how important fire is and how to use it safely.
‰ International Firemen Day was started in 1999 to
honour the bravery and hard work of firemen around
the world.
World Press Freedom Day 2023: 03 May
‰ World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on
3 May. Its main celebration is organized by the UN
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO).
‰ The Day serves as a reminder to governments of the
need to respect their commitment to press freedom and
is also a day of reflection among media professionals
about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.
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World Tuna Day 2023: 02 May
In December 2016, the United Nations General
Assembly voted to officially observe World Tuna Day.
‰ More than 7 million metric tons of tuna and tunalike species are harvested yearly. These migratory
tuna species account for 20 per cent of the value of
all marine capture fisheries and over 8 per cent of all
globally traded seafood.
‰ It has been celebrated for the first time in 2017.
‰ The Theme of World Tuna Day 2023 is ”The Global
Tuna Industry: Trailblazing through Tough Times”.
‰
UN General Assembly declares Nov 26 as World
Sustainable Transport Day
‰ The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution
to designate November 26 every year as World
Sustainable Transport Day.
‰ The resolution adopted invites all UN member states,
organisations of the UN system, international and
regional organisations and civil society to mark World
Sustainable Transport Day.
‰ The aim behind the observance of the day is enhancing
intermodal transport connectivity, promoting
environmentally friendly transportation, developing
socially inclusive transport infrastructure and other
aspects of transport sustainability.
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MoU and Agreements
India and Australia sign agreements in the field
of migration, mobility partnership and Green
Hydrogen
to help people find lost keys, keep tabs on luggage or
locate other things.
‰ The two companies behind the iPhone and the software
that powers Android phones recently submitted
a proposal to set standards for combating secret
surveillance on Apple’s AirTag trackers and similar
gadgets.
‰ The concept also has the backing of Samsung.
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Ministry of Ayush and ICMR sign an MoU to
promote and collaborate on integrative health
research
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‰ India and Australia signed agreements in the field of
migration and mobility partnership and on the Green
Hydrogen task force.
‰ The Memorandum of Understandings were exchanged
after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony
Albanese in Sydney.
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MakeMyTrip collaborates with Microsoft to
introduce voice-assisted booking in Indian
languages
‰ The new, in-platform tech stack powered by Microsoft
Azure OpenAI Service and Azure Cognitive Services,
will converse with the user to offer personalised travel
recommendations.
‰ The recommendations will be based on preferences,
holiday packages, budgets and other factors.
‰ Bill Gates, Founder of Microsoft
‰ Sanjay Mohan, Group Chief Technology Officer
MakeMYTrip
‰ Sangeeta Bavi, Executive Director, Digital Natives,
Microsoft India
‰ Rajesh Magow, Co-Founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip
Apple and Google joined hands to fight against
unethical tracking tactics
‰ Apple and Google are teaming up to thwart unwanted
tracking through Bluetooth devices that were created
‰ Memorandum of Understanding was signed between
the Ministry of Ayush and the Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR).
‰ The MoU has been signed with an aim to promote and
collaborate on integrative health research.
‰ This cooperation will focus on identified areas of
national importance in healthcare for promoting highimpact research to generate evidence utilizing modern
scientific methods.
‰ This MoU will also strengthen research capacity
through the training of Ayush researchers.
‰ MoU was signed by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary,
Ministry of Ayush and Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General,
ICMR & secretary, Department of Health Research,
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of
India.
‰ Shri Sarbananda Sonowal is the Union Minister of
Ayush.
India and Israel sign MoU for industrial research
and development cooperation
‰ India and Israel recently signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on Industrial Research and
Development Cooperation, which focuses on several
key technology areas.
‰ These are aerospace, electronics instrumentation, civil
infrastructure and engineering, environment, mining,
chemicals, petrochemicals, and agriculture.
‰ In New Delhi, the Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) and the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s
Directorate of Defence Research and Development
(Directorate of Defence Research and Development)
signed the Multi-Sectoral Agreement.
NTPC and NPCIL sign an Agreement for the joint
development of Nuclear Power Plants
‰ NTPC ( National Thermal Power Corporation Limited)
Ltd. signed a Supplementary Joint Venture Agreement
with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL)
in New Delhi today for the development of Nuclear
Power Projects.
‰ The two companies will first work on two pressurised
heavy-water reactor (PHWR) projects: the Chutka
Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project (2700 MW) and
the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project
(4700 MW).
‰ These projects were found to be part of nuclear projects
for a fleet.
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Seven religious sites to be connected by Waterways
in Guwahati
‰ Assam government signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Inland Waterways Authority
of India and the Sagarmala Development Corporation
Limited for starting a riverine religious tourism circuit
connecting seven historic temples situated along the
Brahmaputra in Guwahati.
‰ The MoU will make it possible for a modern “Hop On
Hop Off” ferry service to run between seven religious
places around Guwahati.
‰ The seven religious places that will be covered by this
agreement are Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwalknata,
Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati
Satra.
‰ The waiting room at the ferry terminal will be a modern
space that will make the travellers feel at ease.
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Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and
The Chartered Accountants of the Maldives Sign
Memorandum of Understanding
‰ The signing was held in the presence of the Hon’ble
Minister for Tourism, IT & EC and Printing & Stationery,
Goa, Shri Rohan Khaunte, and the Hon’ble Chief
Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, in
Dehradun on May 23, 2023.
‰ The initiative is aligned with the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’
campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
to encourage people to experience India’s rich and
vibrant cultural history.
‰ The MoU will explore the best of what both states have
to offer, with a special focus on spiritual, wellness, and
eco-tourism circuits.
‰ It will also work on Joint tourism packages along with
working together enrichment and promotion of art,
cuisines, handicrafts, festivals and human resource
development in both states.
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‰ Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding
between Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
and The Chartered Accountants of the Maldives.
‰ ICAI and CA Maldives aim to establish mutual
cooperation for the advancement of Accounting
Knowledge, Professional and Intellectual Development,
Advancing the interests of their respective members
and positively contributing to the development of the
Accountancy Profession in the Maldives and India.
Goa signs MoU with Uttarakhand to strengthen
tourism cooperation
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‰ The Government of Goa and the Government of
Uttarakhand have signed an MoU with an aim to
enhance overall tourism in both states.
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1. What is the shape of the new Parliament?
(a) Triangular
(b) Circular
(c) Rectangular
(d) Pentagonal
2. The theme of the Lok Sabha in the newly made
Parliament building is
(a) Lion
(b) Peacock
(c) Lotus
(d) Tiger
10. The Maharashtra government launched a new
initiative aimed at providing citizens with the
necessary information and full benefits of various
schemes. This Scheme is known as
(a) Shasan Aplya Dari
(b) Naya Aplya Dari
(c) Karma Aplya Dari
(d) Janseva Aplya Dari
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Practice Questions
4. Which high court’s new building was recently
inaugurated in May 2023 by the President of India?
(a) Bihar
(b) Jharkhand
(c) Uttar Pradesh (d) West Bengal
12. A website named UTSAH has been launched by
which of the following organisations?
(a) NITI Aayog
(b) University Grant Commission
(c) Central Board of Secondary Education
(d) National Green Tribunal
6. ’75/25′ initiative is launched for people with
(a) Hypertension
(b) Diabetes
(c) Both A and B are correct
(d) None of the above is correct
14. UDAN 5.1 has been launched by the Government of
India specifically for
(a) Small routes
(b) Large routes
(c) Private Jets
(d) Helicopters
11. Which state in India became First Fully E-Governed
State?
(a) Karnataka
(b) Kerala
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Goa
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3. The first Vande Bharat Express of North East India
will connect Guwahati with
(a) New Jalpaiguri (b) Imphal
(c) Tripura
(d) Aizwal
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5. Who among the following inaugurated the Janganana
Bhawan in New Delhi?
(a) Narendra Modi (b) Amit Shah
(c) Rajnath Singh (d) None of the above
7. National Academy of Coastal Policing has been
established in
(a) Gujarat
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Punjab
(d) Kerala
8. Who among the following has become the 1st Muslim
Speaker of the Karnataka State Assembly?
(a) UT Khader
(b) Iqbal Hussain
(c) Mohammad Rizwan
(d) Asif Sait
9. The 8th All India Pension Adalat was inaugurated in
(a) Delhi
(b) Patna
(c) Mumbai
(d) Kolkata
13. International Museum Expo was inaugurated at
(a) Mumbai
(b) Ahmedabad
(c) New Delhi
(d) Chennai
15. India’s largest tunnel aquarium ‘Aqua Marine Park’
will open in
(a) Maharashtra
(b) Bihar
(c) Telangana
(d) Madhya Pradesh
16. Indian Air Force Heritage Centre was inaugurated in
(a) Bengaluru
(b) Chandigarh
(c) New Delhi
(d) Mumbai
17. Dawki land port was recently inaugurated in
(a) Manipur
(b) Mizoram
(c) Meghalaya
(d) Tripura
18. India’s First International Multimodal Logistics Park
Coming was opened in
(a) Assam
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Kerala
19. CBSE has decided to introduce coding and AI from
classes 6-8. The coding syllabus to be prepared by
(a) Google
(b) Yahoo
(c) Intel
(d) Microsoft
(c) Odisha
(d) Maharashtra
(c) Bhola
(d) Mirpur
20. Which State became the second state in India to start
the OBC Survey?
(a) Bihar
(b) Jharkhand
21. In which district of Bangladesh a new gas field is
discovered by the Bangladesh Government?
(a) Dinajpur
(b) Dhaka
(c) Japan
(d) India
(c) Caribbean
(d) Australian
23. The official language of Papua New Guinea is
__________
(a) Tok Pisin
(b) English
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24. A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by the
Prime Minister of India in
(a) Hiroshima
(b) Nagasaki
(c) Yangtze
(d) None of the above
(c) Chile
(d) North Korea
25. The world oldest tree has been found in
(a) Brazil
(b) Argentina
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26. Operation Karuna is launched by the Government of
India to assist cyclone hit people of which country ?
(a) Nepal
(b) Bhutan
(c) Myanmar
(d) Japan
27. In May 2023, Border Haat between India and
Bangladesh inaugurated at
(a) Patparganj
(b) Bholaganj
(c) Kishanganj
(d) Kasganj
(c) 8
(d) 9
(c) 500 Rupees
(d) 2000 Rupees
28. Recently, Saudi Arabia has stopped issuing visa
stickers and replaced them with e-visas for how
many countries?
(a) 6
(b) 7
29. RBI has decided to withdraw which currency notes
from circulation?
(a) 100 Rupees
(b) 200 Rupees
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(b) Bank of Maharashtra
(c) State Bank of India
(d) Punjab National Bank
31. Recently, which country has been the top performer
in car export?
(a) Japan
(b) Germany
(c) China
(d) India
32. India’s first defence fund was recently released by?
(a) HDFC Mutual Fund
(b) ICICI Mutual Fund
(c) SBI Mutual Fund
(d) None of the above
33. Recently, 50 startup exchange programme was
launched between India and
(a) China
(b) Bangladesh
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22. Which country has become the first country in the
world to introduce a health labelling policy on units
of alcohol ?
(a) France
(b) Ireland
30. Which bank is the top performer of NPA management
in the financial year 2023?
(a) Bank of Baroda
(c) Japan
(d) South Korea
(c) Netherlands
(d) Germany
(c) Facebook
(d) Infosys
(c) Riyasat
(d) None of the above
(c) Infosys
(d) Google
(c) Air Purifier
(d) None of the above
(c) Bihar
(d) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Go Air
(d) Vistara
34. Recently, Which country has become India’s third
largest export destination?
(a) Japan
(b) China
35. AI-powered moderation service called Azure AI
Content Safety was launched by
(a) Google
(b) Microsoft
36. Microsoft Launched, An AI-Based Multilingual
Chatbot For Rural India named
(a) Chaupal
(b) Jugalbandi
37. AI-powered tool called Topaz was launched by
(a) Tata
(b) Tech Mahindra
38. AIRAWAT is a type of
(a) Robot
(b) Supercomputer
39. Which among the following is the first Indian state to
launch ‘State Robotic Framework.’?
(a) Maharashtra
(b) Telangana
40. Which airline has become the First Indian Airline to
Operate Domestic Flight with Sustainable Fuel?
(a) Air India
(b) Indigo
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41. Which team won the trophy of the Indian Premier
League 2023?
(a) Mumbai Indians
(b) Gujarat Titans
(c) Chennai Super Kings
(d) Royal Challengers Bangalore
42. Who among the following Indian Athletes won the
Doha Diamond League 2023?
(a) Sushil Kumar (b) Neeraj Chopra
(c) Hima Das
(d) Avneet Kaur
43. For every dot ball in the Indian Premier league, BCCI
has decided to plant how many trees?
(a) 100
(b) 200
(c) 500
(d) 1000
53. Recently, who has been given France’s highest
civilian award?
(a) Ratan Tata
(b) N. Chandrasekaran
(c) Anil Ambani
(d) Mukesh Ambani
54. Who has won the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize?
(a) Arinze Ifeakandu(b) Chetan Bhagat
(c) Romila Thapar (d) None of the above
55. Who was named FWA Footballer Of The Year Award ?
(a) Erling Haaland (b) James Mark
(c) Fredrick Charles (d) Lionel Messi
56. Which film has won the 68th Hyundai Filmfare
Awards 2023 for best film?
(a) Pathan
(b) Gangubai Kathiawadi
(c) London Dreams
(d) The Kerala Story
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44. Who among the following Indians won gold at the
International Jumping Meeting in Greece?
(a) Murali Sreeshankar
(b) Avneet Kaur
(c) Jeswin Aldrin
(d) None of the above
52. Georgi Gospodinov won Booker Prize for
(a) Time Shelter
(b) Death Shadow
(c) All at Once
(d) None of the above
45. Recently, the South Asian Youth Table Tennis
Championship 2023 was concluded at ?
(a) Itanagar
(b) Imphal
(c) Gangtok
(d) Agartala
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46. 2027 Men’s Basketball World Cup will be hosted by
(a) UAE
(b) Iran
(c) Kuwait
(d) Qatar
47. 2023 Laureus World Sportsman Of The Year Award
was won by
(a) Virat Kohli
(b) Arjun Tendulkar
(c) Lionel Messi
(d) Chrisitiano Ronaldo
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48. World Snooker championship title was won by ?
(a) Luca Bresel
(b) David Junior
(c) Peter Marx
(d) None of the above
49. Who has recently been appointed as the Deputy
Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force?
(a) Upendra Dwivedi
(b) Ashutosh Dixit
(c) Aman Singh
(d) Dilbagh Singh
50. Samudra Shakti is a joint bilateral exercise between
India and ?
(a) Japan
(b) Indonesia
(c) China
(d) USA
51. The 57th Jnanpith Award was given to
(a) Gajendra Singh (b) Damodar Mauzo
(c) Ajay Rana
(d) Dilshad Singh
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57. Who among the following has been appointed as the
Central Vigilance Commissioner?
(a) Girish Chandra Murmu
(b) Praveen Kumar Srivastava
(c) Sanjay Vijaykumar
(d) Nitish Kumar
58. Who has been appointed as the Chief Justice of the
Bombay High Court ?
(a) Justice Ramesh D. Dhanuka
(b) Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala
(c) Justice V K Malhotra
(d) Justice Ashish Singh
59. Who has been appointed as the new Chairmen of
UPSC?
(a) Vijayant Thapar (b) Manoj Singh
(c) Manoj Soni
(d) V K Srivastava
60. Who has ben appointed as the new World Bank
Chairmen?
(a) Shreeman Raghavan
(b) Vinod Pawar
(c) Ajay Banga
(d) None of the above
61. World Press Freedom Index is released by ?
(a) World Bank
(b) IMF
(c) Reporters Without Borders
(d) Freewe NGO
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62. G7 Health Ministerial Meeting on Health Innovation
was held in which country?
(a) France
(b) Japan
(c) China
(d) India
(c) Dhaka
(d) Colombo
63. 6th Indian Ocean Conference was held in
(a) New Delhi
(b) Mumbai
64. A new book “The Golden Years” was written by
(a) Ruskin Bond
(b) Chetan Bhagat
(c) Romila Thapar (d) Avika Tripathi
65. Collective Spirit, Concrete Action’ was written by
(a) Shashi Shekhar (b) Shashi Bhusan
(c) Veena Vajpayee (d) Vipin Chaudhary
(c) 25 May
(d) 31st May
(c) 10 May
(d) 11 May
67. National Technolgy day is celebrated on
(a) 8 May
(b) 9 May
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68. The theme of the world Press Freedom day 2023 is
(a) “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of
Expression as a Driver for all other human
rights”
(b)
“Creating a Future of Rights: Freedom of
Expression as a Driver for all other human
rights”
(c) “Open to all, Open for all”
(d) None of the above
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69. Goa signs MoU with which state to boost Tourism?
(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Himachal Pradesh
(c) Punjab
(d) Bihar
70. Recently, India has signed MoU with which
country for industrial research and development
cooperation?
(a) China
(b) Japan
(c) Israel
(d) Germany
(c) 90 Rupees
(d) 100 Rupees
(c) Gondi
(d) None of the above
71. To mark the establishment of the New Parlaiment
building, the Government of India has launched a
coin of
(a) 50 Rupees
(b) 75 Rupees
72. From May 2023 onwards, All India Radio has decided
to add which language to broadcast news?
(a) Bhojpuri
(b) Maithili
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74. Recently, a biological control laboratory was started
in
(a) Mumbai
(b) Nagpur
(c) Hyderabad
(d) Kanpur
75. Dwaki land port was inaugrated in
(a) Mizoram
(b) Manipur
(c) Tripura
(d) Assam
76. The first cable-stayed rail bridge in India is
(a) Anji Khad Bridge
(b) Bhupen Hazarika Bridge
(c) Gandhi Setu
(d) None of the above
77. Britain king Charles II is ______ Monarch.
(a) 30th
(b) 46th
(c) 40th
(d) 48th
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66. World No Tobacco day is celebrated on
(a) 1 May
(b) 15 May
73. MeriLife App has been launched to create awareness
about
(a) Climate Change (b) Judiciary System
(c) Hygiene
(d) Drinking Water
78. India handed over 20 broad gauge locomotives to
which of the following countries?
(a) Nepal
(b) Bhutan
(c) Bangladesh
(d) China
79. Which year will be observed as ‘special tourism year’
in Nepal?
(a) 2023
(b) 2024
(c) 2025
(d) 2026
80. Recently the Cosmos Cooperative Bank has merged
with
(a) Maratha Cooperative Bank
(b) Konkan Cooperative Bank
(c) Sindh Cooperative Bank
(d) None of the above
81. ADB and India Sign $141.12 Million Loan for
Industrial Corridor Development in
(a) Telangana
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Sikkim
82. Asia’s first life-size animatronic elephant was
unveiled by
(a) Priyanka Chopra
(b) Deepika Padukone
(c) Dia Mirza
(d) Anushka Sharma
83. GigaChat has been recently launched in which of the
following country?
(a) America
(b) China
(c) Russia
(d) India
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84. The 3rd Khelo India University Games was
inaugurated in
(a) New Delhi
(b) Guwahati
(c) Patna
(d) Lucknow
85. Who among the following Indian Athelete has
won Bronze Medal at the Golden Grand Prix 2023
Athletics Meet?
(a) Shaili Singh
(b) Srishti Singh
(c) Suopanjita Roy (d) None of the above
86. Who has won the 100-meter hurdles event at the
Federation Cup?
(a) Jyothi Yarraji
(b) Vijay Shah
(c) Neeraj Chopra (d) Jaspreet Singh
93. Who is appointed as the new chief of Twitter?
(a) Linda Yaccarino (b) David Mark
(c) Christian Zen (d) Pramod Mehta
94. The New MD of Puma, India is
(a) Vijay Kishore
(b) Rajiv Dhar
(c) Karthik Balagopalan
(d) None of the above
95. Dr N. Gopalakrishnan, who recently passed away
was
(a) Politician
(b) Scientist
(c) Film Maker
(d) Businessman
96. Who became first Indian global ambassador of
Gucci?
(a) Sara Ali Khan (b) Kartik Aaryan
(c) Varun Dhawan (d) Allia Bhat
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87. Which of the following games has been added in the
37th National Games?
(a) Jataka martial art
(b) Gatka martial art
(c) High ladder martial arts
(d) None of the above
92. Who among the following has been appointed as the
new CBI director?
(a) Praveen Sood (b) Brijesh Singh
(c) Amandeep Kaur (d) Subodh Kumar Jaiswal
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88. Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023 was held
at
(a) North Korea
(b) South Korea
(c) Japan
(d) China
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89. Who replaced Kiren Rijuju as the Union Law
Minister?
(a) Mansukh L. Mandaviya
(b) Smirti Irani
(c) Arjun Ram Meghwal
(d) Piyush Goel
90. Who si appointed as the chairmen of data security
council of India?
(a) Pramod Bhasin (b) K.V.Raman
(c) R.K.Singh
(d) RN Jayaprakash
91. Who has been recently appointed as the chairman of
PNGRB?
(a) B.K.Singh
(b) A.K.Jain
(c) C.S. Yadav
(d) None of the above
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97. The book “Guts Amidst Bloodbath: The Aunshuman
Gaekwad Narrative” is written by
(a) Ramachandra Guha
(b) Arundhati Roy
(c) Chetan Bhagat
(d) Aditya Bhusan
98. “Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands to
Raisina Hills” is authored by
(a) Kasturi Ray
(b) Binod Sinha
(c) Chetan Bhagat (d) Amitabh Kant
99. “MADE IN INDIA:75 Years of Business and
Enterprise” is authored by
(a) Pranab Muhkerjee
(b) M. Venkaiah Naidu
(c) Amitabh Kant
(d) None of the above
100. International tea day is celebrated on
(a) 20 May
(b) 21 May
(c) 22 May
(d) 23 May
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10. (a)
elected as Speaker of the state Legislative
Assembly. UT Khader became the first Muslim
leader to do so.
Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public
Grievances, and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh
will inaugurate the 8th All India Pension Adalat
in Delhi. The Minister will also preside over
the 50th PRC (Pre-Retirement Counselling)
Workshop.
The Maharashtra government launched a new
initiative aimed at providing citizens with
the necessary information and full benefits
of various schemes. The ‘Shasan Aplya Dari’
initiative aims to eliminate the difficulties
faced by citizens when availing of government
services and benefits.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan makes the
‘Total e-Governance Kerala’ declaration on May
25, marking a major stride in Kerala’s journey
towards achieving cent per cent digital literacy.
Kerala is the first state in India that will run its
public services fully on e-governance platforms,
where internet service will be deemed the
fundamental right of the citizen.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has
launched three new initiatives to support the
implementation of the National Education Policy
2020. The aim here is to improve the quality of
higher education in India. The UGC has launched
a new user-friendly website, a comprehensive
UTSAH (Undertaking Transformative Strategies
and Actions in Higher Education) Portal, and a
Professor of Practice (PoP) Portal.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi
inaugurated the International Museum Expo
2023 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. He
also inaugurated a virtual walkthrough of the
upcoming National Museum at the North and
South Blocks.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched
UDAN 5.1 to further enhance the connectivity
to remote areas of the country and achieve lastmile connectivity through helicopters. Airfare
caps have been reduced by as much as 25% to
make flying in helicopters more affordable for
passengers.
11. (b)
12. (b)
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1. (a) The new Parliament was inaugurated on
28th May 2023. It is triangular in shape. The
Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new
parliament building and installed a historic
sceptre ‘Sengol’ near the Lok Sabha Speaker’s
chair. Sengol was handed over to First Prime
Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1947 as a symbol
of the transfer of power.
2. (b) The new Parliament building has three storeys
and a built-up area of 64,500 sqm. Lok Sabha
chamber has a peacock theme. The Rajya Sabha
chamber has been decorated with the lotus as
its theme.
3. (a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off
Northeast India’s first Vande Bharat Express
train via video-conferencing. The aim is to boost
tourism and enhance connectivity. The train
will connect Guwahati with New Jalpaiguri.
4. (b) The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu
inaugurated the new building of the High
Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi in May 2023.
The building has modern amenities as well
as enriched with state-of-the-art physical
infrastructure. The entire campus is designed
and constructed keeping in mind the principle
of energy conservation.
5. (b) Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated
the newly built Janganana Bhawan in New
Delhi. This building is in Lutyens Zone, Delhi.
WAPCOS executed the Design, Engineering
& Construction of Multi Storied Janganana
Bhawan.
6. (c) The Union Health Ministry has launched an
initiative named 75/25. It was aimed to provide
standard care to 75 million individuals suffering
from hypertension and diabetes by 2025.
7. (a) The permanent campus of the National
Academy of Coastal Policing at Okha in Dwaraka
was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit
Shah. Shri Amit Shah said the Union government
has left no stone unturned to ensure the
development of border areas and the well-being
of security personnel.
8. (a) Karnataka former minister and five-time
Congress MLA UT Khader has been unanimously
13. (c)
14. (d)
24. (a) A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in
Hiroshima by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gandhi’s bust has been placed there as a symbol
of support for non-violence and peace.
25. (c) The tree has been discovered In a forest in
southern Chile. It is considered 5000 years old.
The trunk of this tree measuring four metres
(13 feet) in diameter and 28 metres tall is also
believed to contain scientific information that
could shed light on how the planet has adapted
to climatic changes.
26. (c) India began “Operation Karuna” to provide
the required aid to Cyclone Mocha-affected
Myanmar.On May 18, three ships from India
bringing supplies arrived in Yangon. These
ships are Shivalik, Kamorta, and Savitri of the
Indian Navy.
27. (b) A new Border-Haat between India and
Bangladesh was inaugurated in Bholaganj under
the Companiganj upazila of Sylhet.Expatriates’
Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister of
Bangladesh Imran Ahmed and Assistant High
Commissioner of India Niraj Kumar Jaiswal
jointly inaugurated the Border-Haat.
28. (b) Saudi Arabia has officially stopped issuing visa
stickers and replaced them with e-visas in seven
countries. Countries that will benefit from this
initiative include Jordan, United Arab Emirates
(UAE), Egypt, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines,
and Indonesia.
29. (d) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to
withdraw the ₹2000 denomination banknotes
from circulation. The status of the note as legal
tender will remain intact.For individuals, 30
September is the deadline to exchange notes.
30. (b) Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), has been
recognized as the best bank in managing bad
loans. It has achieved a low net non performing
assets (NPAs) ratio of 0.25% during the financial
year that ended in March 2023.
31. (c) China exported 1.07 million vehicles in the
period, up 58% compared to the first quarter
of 2022.In the same duration, Japan’s vehicle
exports stood at 954,185, which is 6% higher
than the previous year.
32. (a) It is the country’s first mutual fund focused on
the defence sector, a move that will provide
investors an opportunity to participate in the
growth potential of this space. HDFC Defence
Fund will be investing in companies with good
quality management with demonstrated track
record.
33. (b) India and Bangladesh have recently jointly
launched the ‘50 Start-up Exchange Programme’
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15. (c) The Aqua Marine Park (tunnel aquarium) in
Hyderabad will be India’s largest such project.
It will cost up to Rs 300 crore. It will have
a 2,50,000 sq. ft built-up area. This tunnel
aquarium will be located in Kothwalguda Eco
Park spread over 4.27 acres.
16. (b) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates IAF
Heritage Centre. This is spread over 17,000
square feet in the heart of Chandigarh. It shows
glimpses of the IAF’s role in various wars,
including in 1965, 1971 and the Kargil War,
besides the Balakot air strike through murals
and memorabilia.
17. (c) The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs
Nityanand Rai inaugurated the Dawki land port
in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Meghalaya
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar was
also present. The port is to promote trade and
commerce between India and Bangladesh.
18. (a) Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of
Ports, Shipping, and Waterways evaluated
the development of the first international
multimodal logistics park in India’s history,
which is being built in Jogighopa, Assam. The
park, which is being constructed by NHIDCL
in Jogighopa, Assam, is the first such MMLP
that is being established under the ambitious
“Bharatmala Pariyojana” of the Government.
19. (d) CBSE has decided to introduce coding and AI
from classes 6-8. The coding syllabus to be
prepared by Microsoft. This step is in accordance
with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
20. (c) The survey is being conducted by the Odisha
State Commission for Backward Classes in both
online and offline modes and will continue till
May 27. It is being carried out in all 314 blocks
and 114 urban local bodies of the state. Odisha
is the second state after Bihar to conduct an
OBC survey.
21. (c) The Bangladesh government announced the
discovery of a new gas field in the southern
district of Bhola.It is named Ilisha-1 and it is the
29th gas field in Bangladesh.
22. (b) Ireland is set to become the first country to
introduce mandatory health warnings on
alcohol products. Irish Minister for Health,
Stephen Donnelly announced the new policy.
The new policy is effective from May 22, 2026.
23. (a) Recently in May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi along with his Papua New Guinea
counterpart James Marape released the Tamil
classic ‘Thirukkural’ into the Tok Pisin language.
Tok Pisin is the official language of Papua New
Guinea.
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37. (c)
38. (b)
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40. (d)
41. (c)
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43. (c)
44. (a)
45. (a)
achieve. This was CSK’s fifth IPL Trophie. This
was 16th Edition of IPL.
India’s Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower
Neeraj Chopra Wins Doha Diamond League
2023. He got the title With an 88.67m Throw.
BCCI has planned to plant 500 trees for each
dot ball delivered in the playoff of IPL 2023.
The announcement is in accordance with the
Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI)
green initiative to encourage environmental
sustainability.
Indian Long Jumper Murali Sreeshankar
won gold and Jeswin Aldrin won silver at
International Jumping Meeting in Greece.
Successfully defending his title in the Men’s
long jump event, Commonwealth Games silver
medallist Sreeshankar registered his seasonbest jump of 8.18 metre.
South Asian Youth Table Tennis Championship
2023 concluded in Itanagar. It was a three-day
international event in which more than 100
athletes and officials from six countries Bhutan,
Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and
Nepal participated.Itanagar is the capital city of
Arunachal Pradesh.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
announced that Qatar will host the 2027 men’s
World Cup. FIBA announced that Doha will
host the entire 32-team tournament, citing
the completion of enhanced underground and
public transport networks for the men’s football
World Cup last November and December.
Lionel Messi won the Sportsman of the Year
prize at 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards
ceremony in Paris. Messi played an important
role in making Argentina champion in the world
cup 2022.
Belgian snooker player Luca Brecel beat fourtime winner Mark Selby 18-15 in the final.
Brecel, who is 28 years old, is only the
fourth person who is not British to win this
championship.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy,
Ashutosh Dixit was Commissioned in the fighter
stream on 06 December 1986. He is a graduate
of the Staff Course, Bangladesh and National
Defence College, New Delhi.
INS Kavaratti, indigenously designed & built
ASW Corvette, arrived at Batam, Indonesia to
participate in the 4th edition of India-Indonesia
Bilateral exercise Samudra Shakti-23. The
exercise took place from 14-19 May 23.
Goan writer Damodar Mauzo Goa has received
the prestigious Jnanpith Award, the country’s
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to promote collaboration and exchange between
the start-up ecosystems of the two countries.It
provides a platform for entrepreneurs, investors
and stakeholders from both the countries to
connect and collaborate.
Netherlands has emerged as India’s third
largest export destination after the US and UAE
in FY23. The reason is the increase in shipment
of goods like petroleum products, electronic
items, chemicals and aluminium goods.
Microsoft has launched a new AI-powered
moderation service called Azure AI Content
Safety.This AI tool will detect inappropriate
content across images and text.
‘Jugalbandi’, an AI chatbot by Microsoft has
been designed for farmers and other users
living in rural India.Microsoft Research and the
government-backed AI4Bharat - an open-source
language AI centre based at the Indian Institute
of Technology (IIT) Madras - and OpenNyAI
have collaborated to develop the Jugalbandi
chatbot.
Infosys, a major IT services company, has
launched Topaz. It is a complete set of services,
solutions, and platforms that use generative
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. Topaz
is built on Infosys’s applied AI platform.
The AI Supercomputer of India AIRAWAT has
been ranked 75th in the world. It has been
listed in the 61st edition of the Top 500 Global
Supercomputing List, as announced at the
International Supercomputing Conference (ISC
2023) in Germany.
Telangana has become the first state in the
country to launch a state robotics framework
with a vision to create a sustainable robotics
ecosystem.
Telangana
State
Robotics
Framework was launched by Kalvakuntla Taraka
Rama Rao(KTR), Minister for Information
Technology(IT) and Industries, the Government
of Telangana.
Vistara has become the first Indian airline to
operate a commercial domestic flight on a widebody aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel
(SAF). The achievement was unlocked when
Vistara’s brand new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner,
flew from Indira Gandhi International Airport
(IGIA), Delhi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
International Airport, Mumbai using a blend of
17% SAF with 83% conventional jet fuel.
Chennai Super Kings led by Mahendra Singh
Dhoni defeated Gujarat Titans in IPL 2023
Final.Chennai Super Kings were handed a
revised target of 171 in 15 overs according to
Duckworth–Lewis which they were able to
46. (d)
47. (c)
48. (a)
49. (b)
50. (b)
51. (b)
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55. (a)
56. (b)
57. (b)
58. (a)
59. (c)
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60. (c)
61. (c)
62. (b)
under Article 315-323 Part XIV Chapter II of the
Constitution of India to discharge their duties,
functions and obligations assigned under
Article 320.
Ajay Banga, an Indian-American and a former
Mastercard CEO has been appointed as the
World Bank’s 14th president. His term will start
on June 2nd and will last for the next five years.
World Bank is headquartered in Washington,
DC.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released the
World Press Freedom Index 2023 on World
Press Freedom Day (WPFD), which was on May
3. With a score of 36.62, India came in 161st
place out of the total of 180 countries.
Union Minister of Health and family welfare,
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the G7
Ministerial meeting on Health Innovation in
Nagasaki, Japan. Health Ministers of the G7
countries and invited “Outreach 4” countries
of India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand
participated in the meeting.
On May 12–13, Dhaka capital of Bangladesh
hosted the sixth annual Indian Ocean Conference.
The theme of the summit was ‘Peace, Prosperity,
and Partnership: for a Resilient Future,’
Indian author Ruskin Bond wrote a book titled
“The Golden Years: The Many Joys of Living
a Good Long Life”. The book is published by
HarperCollins India. Ruskin Bond is known for
Jungle Book.
‘Collective Spirit, Concrete Action’ is a book by
former Prasar Bharti CEO Shashi Shekhar in
which he has documented PM Modi’s ‘Mann
Ki Baat’ programme.Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’ will
complete its 100th edition on April 30.
World Tobacco day is celebrated on 31st of May
every year. The theme for 2023: Grow food, not
tobacco.
Every year on May 11, National Technology
Day is held. On this day, events are held by the
government, institutes, schools, and colleges to
honour India’s scientists and their work.
World Press Freedom Day is observed annually
on 3 May. Its main celebration is organized by
the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).The theme for the Day
will be “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom
of Expression as a Driver for all other human
rights”.
The Government of Goa and the Government of
Uttarakhand have signed an MoU with an aim to
enhance the overall tourism in both states. The
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highest literary honour, from state Governor
P S Sreedharan Pillai. Mauzo’s famous novel
‘Karmelin’ received the Sahitya Akademi Award
in 1983.
Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov and
translator Angela Rodel won the International
Booker Prize on Tuesday for “Time Shelter,” a
darkly comic novel about the dangerous appeal
of nostalgia. The prize was established as the
Booker Prize for Fiction after the company
Booker, McConnell Ltd began sponsoring the
event in 1969.
Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has
been given France’s highest civilian award
‘Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur’ . This is for
his contributions to strengthening the trade
relationship between India and France.
Nigerian writer Arinze Ifeakandu has won the
2023 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize,
one of the world’s largest literary prizes for
young writers. The winning work was his debut
short story collection celebrating queer love in
Nigeria titled God’s Children Are Little Broken
Things (2022).
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has
been named FWA Footballer of the Year.
In his first 47 games for Manchester City,
Haaland has scored 51 goals, including a recordsetting 35 goals in 32 Premier League games.
This year, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Gangubai
Kathiawadi’ emerged as the biggest winner
with 10 awards in major categories, including
best film, best director and best actress at the
68th Filmfare Awards. The awards were first
introduced in 1954.
Mr. Praveen Kumar Srivastava is a 1988-batch
(retired) Indian Administrative Service officer
of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. He was working
as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner
(CVC) since December last year after the
completion of Suresh N Patel’s tenure.
Justice Ramesh Devkinandan Dhanuka was
sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Bombay High
Court.Dhanuka was administered the oath of
office by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais at
the Raj Bhavan. Bombay High Court Jurisdiction
include Maharashtra and Goa and over the
Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli,
and Daman and Diu.
Dr Manoj Soni took the Oath of Office and
Secrecy as Chairman, of the Union Public Service
Commission. The Oath was administered by
Smt. Smita Nagaraj, senior Member of the
Commission. UPSC is a Constitutional Body
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virtual handing-over ceremony, held at Rail
Bhavan, was attended by Railway Minister
Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bangladesh’s Ministea r
of Railway, Md Nurul Islam Sujan.
The decade of the 2080s of Bikram Samvat will
be marked as ‘the Visit Nepal decade’ and the
year 2025 as the special year for tourism. This
was announced by the President of Nepal Ram
Chandra Paudel.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently
approved the official merger of Maratha
Sahakari Bank with The Cosmos Co-operative
Bank. The merger is effective from May 29,
2023.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
Government of India Jointly signed a loan
agreement worth $141.12 million.The aim is
to support the development of high-quality
internal infrastructure in three industrial
clusters located in Andhra Pradesh.
Dia Mirza, a Bollywood actress, an d PETA
introduced a realistic, life-size animatronic
elephant dubbed ‘Ellie’ in Mumbai.Jamnabai
Narsee International School in Juhu hosted the
event.
Sberbank, Russia’s largest banking institution,
announced the release and testing phase
of GigaChat, the country’s first ChatGPT
competitor.
The 3rd Khelo India University Games was
inaugurated in Lucknow virtually by PM Modi.
The grand opening ceremony of the 3rd Khelo
India University games took place at Babu
Banarasi Das sports complex in Lucknow.
Indian athlete Shaili Singh wins a bronze medal
at the Golden Grand Prix 2023 Athletics Meet
in Japan.Shaili Singh attempted a jump of 6.65
metres, which placed her third on the podium at
the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Label
event, the Yokohama meet.
Jyothi Yarraji won the women’s 100-meter
hurdles event at the Federation Cup, which took
place at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi.
Jyothi won first place With a time of 12.89
seconds.
The traditional martial art Gatka is expected to
get a significant boost nationwide as the Indian
Olympic Association has officially included the
sport in the 37th National Games 2023. The
event will be held in Goa in October this year.
Bindyarani Devi of India has won a silver medal
at the Asian Weightlifting Championships 2023
in Jinju, South Korea, in the women’s 55kg
division. Sorokhaibam Bindyarani Devi placed
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signing was held in the presence of the Hon’ble
Minister for Tourism, IT & EC and Printing &
Stationery, Goa, Shri Rohan Khaunte, and the
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri
Pushkar Singh Dhami, in Dehradun on May 23,
2023. ​​
India and Israel recently signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on Industrial Research and
Development Cooperation, which focuses
on several key technology areas. These are
aerospace, electronics instrumentation, civil
infrastructure and engineering, environment,
mining, chemicals, petrochemicals, and
agriculture.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently
inaugurated the new Parliament building on
May 28. ₹75 coin was launched to mark the
establishment. The coin will be circular in shape
with a diameter of 44 millimetres.
From May 21st, 2023, All India Radio
(Akashvaani) News will broadcast a news
bulletin in Gondi, the primary dialect of a tribal
people in Chhattisgarh. Every Sunday at 6.30
p.m., the weekly news bulletin in Gondi will be
presented.
To create awareness for climate change as a
build up to June 5, World Environment Day,
Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and
Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav launched
a mobile application, called “Meri LiFE” (My
life).
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the
Integrated Biological Control Laboratory at the
National Institute of Plant Health Management
(NIPHM) Hyderabad.
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs
Nityanand Rai inaugurated the Dawki land port
in West Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. The port is to
promote trade and commerce between India
and Bangladesh.
‘India’s first cable-is stayed rail bridge
connecting J&K is ready’, says the railway
minister. The Anji Khad Bridge, the country’s
first cable-stayed rail bridge.
Charles III, now 74 years old, became heir to the
British throne in 1952 at the age of just three
when his mother Queen Elizabeth II ascended
the throne and was the longest-serving British
heir-apparent. Charles III officially became
king upon her death on September 8 last year.
Charles II is the 40th Monarch of Britain.
Indian Railways has handed over 20 broad
gauge (BG) locomotives to Bangladesh. The
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at CSIR-SERC’s Advanced Seismic Testing and
Research Laboratory (ASTaR).
Alia Bhatt is the new global ambassador for
Gucci. This accomplishment makes the actress
the first Indian to be the symbol of an Italian
luxury fashion house.
Anshuman Gaekwad, a former Indian Test
player, put out a book called “Guts Amidst
Bloodbath” at the Cricket Club of India (CCI).
The book is partly about his life. The book is
written by Aditya Bhusan.
Journalist Kasturi Ray authored the book
“Droupadi Murmu: From Tribal Hinterlands
to Raisina Hills”, drawing from interviews
and in-depth analysis of President Draupadi
Murmu’s life from her school and college days
to becoming a teacher, social worker, counsellor,
minister, governor of Jharkhand, and ultimately
the president.
Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
officer Amitabh Kant and former Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of the National Institution for
Transforming India (NITI Aayog) authored
a new book titled “Made In India: 75 Years of
Business and Enterprise”. It is published by the
Rupa Publications India.
The United Nations chose May 21 as
International Tea Day to honour the drink’s
cultural history, health benefits, and economic
value. Tea is important in many cultures. Teas
come in a wide range of smelly tastes from all
over the world. The tea board of India is located
in Kolkata.
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second on the podium with a combined lift of
194 kilogrammes.
Arjun Ram Meghwal has been appointed as
India’s new minister of law. Arjun Ram Meghwal
has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the minister of law
and justice for the Indian government.
Data Security Council of India (DSCI), has
appointed Pramod Bhasin as the new chairman.
Bhasin is the founder of Genpact Ltd and is
currently the chairman of ICRIER.
The government has appointed former Coal
Secretary A K Jain as the chairman of the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board
(PNGRB), a post that was lying vacant since
December 2020.
Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood was appointed
the next CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)
chief. The 59-year-old has been appointed to
the post for a period of two years.
Elon Musk Appoints Linda Yaccarino Twitter’s
New Chief.Ms. Yaccarino would focus on
business operations and he would work on
product design and technology at the social
media platform.
PUMA’s Global Director of Retail and
e-Commerce, Karthik Balagopalan (42) has
been appointed as the new Managing Director of
PUMA India. Karthik Balagopalan will succeed
Abhishek Ganguly.
Dr N. Gopalakrishnan, a well-known scientist
and speaker, died after passing out on his way
home. He was 68. Before becoming Director of
CSIRCBRI, Gopalakrishnan worked as a scientist
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
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Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
Mountain Railways of India (1999, 2005, 2008)
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
(2014)
Red Fort Complex (2007)
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
Taj Mahal (1983)
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding
Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
(2018)
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‰ The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the
identification, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to
be of outstanding value to humanity.
‰ The world heritage sites are being identified by an
international treaty called the Convention Concerning
the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural
Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
‰ UNESCO published its first list of protected places in
1978, there were just 12 World Heritage Sites.
‰ Italy is the country with the most sites on the list.
‰ As of now, India has 40 world heritage sites listed below
with the year in which they were included in the list.
‰
‰
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‰
Cultural (32)
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‰ Agra Fort (1983)
‰ Ajanta Caves (1983)
‰ Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda,
Bihar (2016)
‰ Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
‰ Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
‰ Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria
Terminus) (2004)
‰ Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
‰ Dholavira: a Harappan City (2021)
‰ Elephanta Caves (1987)
‰ Ellora Caves (1983)
‰ Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
‰ Great Living Chola Temples (1987, 2004)
‰ Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
‰ Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
‰ Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
‰ Hill Forts of Rajasthan (2013)
‰ Historic City of Ahmadabad (2017)
‰ Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)
‰ Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019)
‰ Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana
(2021)
‰
‰
Natural-7
‰ Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area
(2014)
‰ Kaziranga National Park (1985)
‰ Keoladeo National Park (1985)
‰ Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
‰ Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988,
2005)
‰ Sundarbans National Park (1987)
‰ Western Ghats (2012)
Mixed-1
‰ Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)
UN Specialized Agencies and their Headquarters
‰ The UN specialized agencies are autonomous
international organizations working with the United
Nations. All were brought into a relationship with
the UN through negotiated agreements. Some existed
before the First World War.
‰ Some were associated with the League of Nations.
‰ Others were created almost simultaneously with the
UN. Others were created by the UN to meet emerging
needs.
Agency
Headquarters
Food and Agriculture Organization
Rome, Italy
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Vienna, Austria
International Civil Aviation Organization
Montreal, Canada
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Rome, Italy
International Labor Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
International Monetary Fund
Washington, DC, USA
International Maritime Organization
London, United Kingdom
International Telecommunication Union
Geneva, Switzerland
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Paris, France
Madrid, Spain
Universal Postal Union
Bern, Switzerland
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
World Intellectual Property Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
World Meteorological Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
World Bank
Washington, DC, USA
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World Tourism Organization
Paris, France
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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
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DESCRIPTION
• Validity Period: 2 year
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators
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• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW.
• This will cater all the upcoming Exams of SSC including SSC CGL, SSC CPO, SSC
CHSL,MTS, STENO, SSC GD, & State wise various Exams like UP, Delhi Bihar and
many More.
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators
• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW
If you are preparing for SSC & State Exams then this is the most useful pack for you.
This is a one stop solution for all of your exam preparation.
This will add value and direction to your preparation at an affordable price.
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DESCRIPTION
• Validity Period: 1 year
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators
P
W
• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW.
• This will cater all the upcoming Exams of SSC including SSC CGL, SSC CPO, SSC
CHSL,MTS, STENO, SSC GD, & State wise various Exams like UP, Delhi Bihar and
many More.
• This SSC Mahapack includes Live Classes, Recorded Lecture by renowned
Educators
• Test series & EBooks curated by the best content team with the trust of PW
If you are preparing for SSC & State Exams then this is the most useful pack for you.
This is a one stop solution for all of your exam preparation.
This will add value and direction to your preparation at an affordable price.
76
CURRENT AFFAIRS | June 2023
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