JanuarytoJune2014

Abbreviations
Awards
BooksandAuthorsinNews
PersonsinNews
PlacesinNews
ImportantDaysCelebrated
Conference&Summits
Sports
DefenseUpdates
SpaceResearchUpdates
Snippets
BankingandEconomicNews
ListofRecentAppointments
ListofGovernorsofStatesinIndiaason16thJuly2014
ListofLt.GovernorsofUnionTerritoriesinIndiaason

16thJuly2014

ListofChiefMinistersofStatesinIndiaason16thJuly

2014
ChiefsofArmedForces

QuestionAnswersbasedonNewsduringApril,
MayandJune2014

Editorscomments*

WeareprovidingthisHalfYearlyRoundUpofGeneralAwarenessforthecandidateswho
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RajeshGoyal*

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Abbreviation
Abbreviation

Full Form of Abbreviation

American Association of Anatomists

AAPI

Asian American and Pacific Islanders

AAPI

American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin

ACB
ACM

Anti Corruption Bureau

Association for Computing Machinery

ADR

American Depository Receipt

AERA

Airports Economic Regulatory Authority

AERB

Atomic Energy Regulatory Body

AIBEA

All India Bank Employees Association

AIPMT

All India Pre-Medical Test

ASBA

Application Supported by Blocked Amounts

ASEAN

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

BBPS

Bharat Bill Payment Services

BCCI
BEE

ur
u.
co

tG

.B
es

BCCC

AAA

Broadcasting Content Complaints Council

Board of Control for Cricket in India
Bureau of Energy Efficiency
Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited

BIMSTEC

Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic

Cooperation

BIMSTEC

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Techinical and

Economic Co-operation

BIRAC

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council

BIS
BRICS

Bank for International Settlements

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

BTIA

Board-based Trade and Investment Agreement

BVR

Beyond Visual Range

BVRAAM

Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile.

BWA

Broadband Wireless Access

w
w

BHAVINI

Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices

CACP

Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices

CAD
CARA

Current Account Deficit

Central Adoption Resource Aulthority

CASA

Current Accounts & Saving Accounts

CAZRI

Central Arid Zone Research Institute

CBDR
CCEA

Common Republic of Congo

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

CCEA
CDFD

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs

Cenre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics

CECRI

Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute

CEMILAC

Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification

CICA

Confrence on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in

Asia

CIIL
CME

Central Institute of Indian Language

Continuing Medical Education

.B
es

tG

ur
u.
co

CACP

CNN
COMET

Cabel News Network

Communication plan for Election Tracking

CPIL

Central for Public Internet Litigation

Central Statistics Office
Cryogenic Study Team

w
w

CSO
CST

CUSP

Cryogenic Upper Stage Project

DARPA

Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency

DASP

Diversified Agriculture Support Project

DESEM

Dirextorate of Construction, Services and Estate Management

DGAD

Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties

DGCA

Directorate General of Civil Aviation

DGCEI

Directorate General of Central Excise Intelligence

Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transmit Systems

DIPP

Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion

DRC
DSPEA

Democratic Republic of Congo

Delhi Special Police Establishment Act

DTA

Double Taxation Agreement

DTC
DUSIB

Direct Tax Code

Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board

DVR

Differential Voting Right

EATCA

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act

ECCAS

Economic Community of Central African States

EEC

Exclusive Economic Zone

EOC
EPIC

Equal Opportunities Commission

Electors Photo Identity Card

ETIM

East Turkestan Islamic Movement

FBTB

Fuel Booster Turbo Pump

FCCB

Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds

FIA

Federation of Indian Airlines

FPI
FPO

ur
u.
co

tG

Foreign Institutional Investors

Foreign Portfolio Investors
Follow On Public Offer
Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission

w
w

FSLRC

.B
es

FII

DIMTS

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Financial Technologies India Limited

GDR

Global Depository Receipt

GIAHS

Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems

GIRO

General Interbank Recurring Order

GSDP

Gross State Domestic Product

GST

Goods and Services tax

GTO

Gyosynchronous Transfer Orbit

HAT

High Altitude Test

HESCO

Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation

Organisation

FSSAI
FTIL

Indo-Asian News Service

IARC

International Agency for Research on Cancer

IBMA

Indian Bullion, Markets Association

IBSA

India, Brazil, South Africa

ICANN

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

ICSI

Institute of Companies Secretaries of India

IDC

International Data Corporation

IDFC

Infra-structure Development finance company

IGNCA
IIA

Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

IANS

Indian Institute of Astrophysics

International Indian Film Academy

IIFM

Indian Institute of Forest Management

IISER

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research

IISER

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research

IISR

Indian Institute of Spices Research

IMR

Infant Mortality Rate

tG

Infant Mortality Rate

Intellectual Property Appellate Board
Intellectual Property Appellate Board

w
w

IPAB

.B
es

IMR
IPAB

ur
u.
co

IIFA

Intergovernment Panel on Climat Change

IRFC

Indian Railway Finance Corporation

ISAC
ISAF

ISRO Satellite Centre

International Security Assistance Force

ISIL

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

ISIL

Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant

ISIS

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

ITU

International Telecommunication Union

IUCN
IVRS

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Integrated Voice Response System

JICA
KKNPP

Japan International Cooperetion Agency

Kudan Kulam Nuclear Power Plant

KKNPP

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project

IPCC

LBSNAA

Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy Administration

LPSC

Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre

MAT

Minimum Alternate Tax

MERS

Middle east Respiratory Syndrome

MFI

Micro Finance Institution

MFN

Most Favoured Nation

MGPSY

Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana

Mumbai Metro One Private Limited

MMOPL

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

Maritime Security Advisory Board

MSME

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

MSP

Minimum Support Price

NABARD

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development

NASA
NASVI

national Academy of Statical Administration

National Association of Street Vendors of India

NAWADCO

National Waqf Development Corporation Limited

NCBC

ur
u.
co

tG

National Council of Applied Economic Research

National Commission for Backward Classes
National Cenmtre for Good Governance

w
w

NCGG

.B
es

NCAER

MMRDA
MSAB

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

NCSCM

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management

NCSM

National Council of Science Museums

NDMA

Non-Discriminatory Market Access

NDMA

National Disaster Management Authority

NEMMP
NGRBA

National Electric Mobility Mission Plan

National Ganga River Basin Authority

NGT
NHM

National Green Tribunal

National Horticulture Mission

NIAHS

National Institute of Allied Health Sciences

NCPCR

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

NIC

National Innovation Council

NIDAI

National Identification Authority of India

NIOT

National Institute of Ocean Technology

NLSA

National Legal Service Authority

NOPV

New Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel

NPCI

National Payments Corporation of India

NPCI
NPCIL

National Payments Corporation of India

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited

NPRD

National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled

NSEL

National Spot Exchange Limited

NSIC

National Small Industries Corporation

NSSO
OECD

National Sample Survey Organisation

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

OFHC

Oxygen Free High Conductivity

OPCW

Organisation for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons

PCA
PDS

ur
u.
co

tG

Open-Text-Based Assessment
Prevention of Corruption Act
Public Distribution System
Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy

w
w

PEACE

.B
es

OTBA

NIAID

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals

PHEIC

Public Health Emergency of International Concern

PETA

PIO

Person of Indian Origin

POCSO

Protection of Children against Sexual Offences

PPO

Pension Payment Order

PUCL

People Union for Civil Liberties

SAARC

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SAARC

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

State Agency for Comprehensive Health Insurance

SACU

South Africa Customs Union

SAIEVAC

South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children

SBTF
SEA-RCCPE

Shore Based Test Facility

South-East Asia Regional certification Commission for Polio
Eradication

SECI
SIAM

Solar Energy Corporation of India

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers

SIMBE

Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise

SIPRI

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

SIT
SME

Special Investigation team

Small and medium enterprises

SOD

Super Oxide Dismutase

SRS
TAFE

Sample Registration System

Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited

TARC

Tax Administration Reform Commission

TDS

Tax Deducted at Source

TRIFED

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of

India Limited

.B
es

tG

ur
u.
co

SACHI

Theatre-level Readiness and Operational Exercise

TUFS

The Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme

w
w

TROPEX

Unsymmetric Di Methyl Hydrazine

UHNW

Ultra High Net-Worth

UNAMA

United Nations Assistance mission in Afghanistan.

UNCRPD

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities

UNCTAD

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNFPA

United Nations Population Fund [The old name of this

organisation was United Nations Fund for Population
Activities]

UDMH

UNICEF

United Nations International Children Emergency Fund

Awards
(ThebelowisthelistofallthemainawardsgivensinceJanuary,2014.Incaselistofthe
awardsislong,wehavegivenalinkwhichcanbeusedtoviewthefulllistoftheawardees)

Year/
AwardNo,

Winner

AcademyAwards/Oscar
Awards

SeeOscar
Awards

SeeOscarAwards

AsianAwards

2014

MahendraSinghDhoniwontheAsianAwardfor
outstandingachievementinsportsinUK.

BAFTAawards

67th

Clickheretoviewfulllist

BaileysWomen'sPrize

2014

BharatRatnaAwards

Awardedin
2014

ur
u.
co

NameoftheAward

IrishauthorEimearMcBridehaswontheBaileys
WomensPrizeforfictionwithherdebutnovel,AGirl
isaHalfFormedThing,inJune2014.

.B
es

tG

Govt.announcedawardingofBharatRatnatoSachin
Tendulkar(Crickter);Prof.C.N.R.Rao(Scientist)in
November2013.Thesamewerepresentedtobothof
theminFebruary2014.

Awardedin
2014
CannesFilmFestivalAwards 67th/2014

w
w

BraveryAwards

SeebelowNationalBraveryAwards
WinterSleep'afilmbyTurkishdirectorNuriBilge
CeylahaswontheprestigiousPalmed'OrAward.
(OtherAwardwinnerare:BestDirector:Bennett
Miller;BestScreenplay:AndreyZvyacintsevandOleg
Negin;BestActress:JulianneMoore;BestActor
TimothySpall)

DadasahebPhalkeAward

2013

Gulzar(RealnameSampoornaSingh)hasbeen
choosenfortheaward.Heisaveteranpoetandfilm
lyricist.Heisthe45thwinnerofthaward.

MissIndia(Femina)

2014

KoyalRanafromJaipurwontheMissIndiacrownat
the51steditionofthebeautypageant

GDBirlaAward

2013/23rd
Award

Dr.RajeshGopakumar,atheoraticalphysicist

Awardedin
2014

Clickheretoviewfulllist

GandhiPeacePrize/
InternationalGandhiPeace
Prize

2013

ChandiPrasadBhatt,aGandhianand
environmentalistwhoisalsoapoineerofChipko
Movement.HehasalsobeenawardedtheMagsaysay
Awardin1982andPadamBhusanin2005.

GoldmanEnvironmentalPrize

2014

GreenNobel

2014

ur
u.
co

GallantryAwards(These
includeParamVirChakra,
MahavirChakraVirChakra,
AshokChakraKirti
Chakra,etc.)

RameshAgrawal.Hehasreceivedthepriceforhelping
villagersfightcoalemininginChhattisgarh.

.B
es

tG

Mr.RameshAgarwal,wontheprestigiousGoldman
EnvironmentalPrize,popularlyknownasGreenNobel,
onApril28,2014forscappingaproposedcoalminein
Chhattisgarh.

15th

w
w

IIFAAwards(International
IndianFilmAcademy
Awards)

BestPictureBhaagMilkhaBhaag
BestDirectionRakeyshOmprakashMehra(ForBhaag
MilkhaBhaag)
BestActorFarhanAkhtar(forBhaagMilkhaBhaag)
BestActressDeepikaPadukone(forChennaiExpress

InternationalGandhiAward 2013

(1)Dr.VijayakumarVinayakDongre(2)Prof.
GuochengZhang(PranabMukherjeeon15February,
2014presentedtheInternationalGandhiAwardfor
theyear2013)

InternationalWomenof
CourageAward

2014

Laxmi,avictimofacidattackandstandardbearerfor
themovementtoendacidattacks.

Jnanpithaward

49th/2013

KedarnathSingh(Hindipoet)

Awardedin
2014
2014

Clickheretoviewfulllist

MahatmaGandhi
InternationalAwardfor
PeaceandReconciliation
(MAGI)

2012

Dr.KennethKaunda

MoortideviAward

Since
beginning

Clickheretoviewfulllistofawardeessincebeginning

MoortideviAward

2013

CRadhakrishnanhasbeenselectedforthe
prestigiousMoortideviAwardforhisnovel
TheekkadalKatanhuThirumadhuram.Heisthesecond
MalayalamwritertobeawardedtobeMoortidevi
Award.

MostEfficientNavratna
Award

2013

KirtiChakra

Ms.MathangiSathyamurthy,Karnatakamusicianwas
selectedforM.S.SubbulakshmiAward

ur
u.
co

M.S.SubbulakshmiAward

.B
es

tG

HindustanAeronauticsLtd(HAL)receivedtheMost
EfficientNavratnaAwardfortheyear2013atthefifth
DalaiStreetInvestmentJournalAwardsnightheldin
NewDelhionApril2,2014.Theawardswere
presentedtothevariousPSUsindifferentcategories
inrecognitionoftheirperformanceandcontribution
totheIndianeconomy.

NationalBraveryAwards

w
w

NationalCommunal
HarmanyAward

Awardedin
2014
2013

Clickheretoviewfulllist
(a)TheCenterforStudyofSocietyandSecularism,
Mumbai,wason25January,2014,selectedforthe
NationalCommunalHarmonyAward2013inthe
organisationcategory.(b)MohinderSinghofDelhi.
(C)N.RadhakrishanofKeralahavebeenselectedfor
theawardintheindividualcategory.

NationalFilmAwards

2013

Clickheretoviewfulllist

NationalFilmfareAwards

59th
(awardedin
2014)
86th(2014)

Clickheretoviewfulllist

Awardedin
2014

Clickheretoviewfulllist

OscarAwards/Academy
Awards
PadamBhusan

Clickheretoviewfulllist

Clickheretoviewfulllist

PenPinterPrize

Awardedin
2014
Awardedin
2014
2014

PulitzerPrize

2014

(1)IndiabornpoetVijaySeshadrihaswonthePulitzer
Prizefor3Sections,acollectionofpoems.(2)Donna
TartthaswonthethefictionPulitzarAwardforhis
novelGoldfintch.

SahityaAkademiAwards

2013

Clickheretoviewfulllist

PadmaVibhushan

2014

TempletonPrize

TomasHaliktheCzechpriesthaswonthisprize.

23rdedition/
2013

EminentHindiwriterVishwanathTripathihasbeen
awardedtheprestigiousVyasSammanfortheyear
2013,forhisworkVyomkeshDarvesh(biographyof
notedHindiauthorAcharyaHazariPrasadDwevedi)

WorldCupofSandSculpting 2014

GroHarlemBrundtlandwasnamedasthefirst
recipientoftheTangPrize,toutedasAsia'sversionof
theNobels,forherworkasthe'Godmother'of
sustainabledevelopmentinJune2014.

2014

w
w

VyasSamman

Mr.GovindMishra,HindiAuthorforhisbookDhool
PaudhoPar.

tG

TangPrize

AkademiRatna,theFellowship,wasconferredonDr.
KanakRele,R.Sathyanarayana,andMahesh
Elkunchwar.(Clickheretoviewfulllist)

.B
es

2013

SirSalmanRushdiehasbeennamedtherecipientof
2014PenPinterPrizeinJune2014.Hehasbeen
awardethisprizeforhisoutstandingliteraryoutput
andsupportforfreedomofexpression.

ur
u.
co

SangeetNatakAkademiAward 2013
fortheatrepersonality

SaraswatiSamman

Clickheretoviewfulllist

PadamShri

SudarsanPattnaikhaswontheprizeforhisworkSave
Tree,SavetheFuture.

WorldFoodPrize

2014

SanjayaRajaram(Indiabornplantscientist)

YaleLiteraryAward

2014

PankajMishraalongwithsevenotherwritershave
wonthisawardfortheirliteraryachievements

Books&Author
AuthorsName

100ThingstoKnowand
DebateBeforeYouVote

HindolSegupta

12YearsASlave

Solomon Northup

ABadCharacter

DeeptiKapoor

ABookPostHaste:
QuintessentialIndia

B.G.Verghese

AGirlisaHalfformedThing

EimearMcBride

ur
u.
co

AGreatClamour:Encounters Pankaj Mishra

withChinaanditsNeighbours

Rama Bijapurkar

ARebelAndHerCause:Life
andWork

RakshandaJalil
CRPakrashi
SIBhryappa

.B
es

Aavarana:TheVeil

tG

ANeverBeforeWorld

AStampisBorn

NameoftheBooks

DR. Indu Anand

AmbedkarAwakening
India'sSocialConscience

NarendraJadhav

Ambedkar:AwakingIndias
SocialConscience

Dr. Narendra Jadhav

Ambedkar:AwakeningIndia's
SocialConsciousness

NarendraJadhav

AnUndocumnetedWonder:
TheMakingoftheGreat
IndianElection

SYQuraishi

w
w

Akbar:TheAsthete

AnticipatingIndiatheBestof ShekharGupta
NationalInterest
ArcticSummer

DamonGalgut

BattlesoftheNewRepublic

PrashantJha

BloodFeud:TheClintonsvs.
theObamas

EdwardKlein

CapitalintheTwentyFirst
Century

ThomasPiketty

CentralTime

RanjitHoskote

CentrestageInsidethe
NarendraModiModelof
Governance

UdayMahurkar

ChasingChaos:MyDecadein Jessica Alexander

andofHumanitarianAid
CyrusMistry

CrashandBeyond:Causes
andConsequencesofthe
GlobalFinancialCrisis

AndrewFarlow

CrossingtheBayofBengal

Sunil S Amrith

CrusaderorConspirator?
ColgateandOtherTruths

PCParekh

DestructionofHyderabad

AG Noorani

EMailRevolution

VAShivaAyyadurai

Enoch,IamaBritishIndian

SarinderJoshuaDuroch

FamilyLife

AkhilSharma

Footlights

ur
u.
co

tG

MariaAuroraAleph

.B
es

Filomena'sJourneys:A
PortraitofaMarriage,A
FamilyandCulture

ChroniclesofCorpseBearer

Charlie Chaplin

w
w

GettingIndiaBackonTrack:
BibekDebroy,AshleyJ.Tellisand
AnActionAgendaForReform ReeceTrevor
DonnaTartt

HardChoices

HillaryRodhamClinton

HashiyeParPadiDuniya

BalkrishnaGupta

Healer:DrPratapC.Reddy
andtheTransformationof
India

PranayGupte

Homeless on Google Earth

Mukul Kesavan

Goldfinch

IntheLightofWhatWeKnow ZiaHaidarRahman
IndiaatRisk

Jaswant Singh

IndiaatTurningPoint

TSRSubramanian

ArunendraKumar

IndianNationalCongressand
theStruggleforFreedom
18851947

AmalesTripathi

Karachi,YouareKillingMe!

SabaImtiaz

LalBahadurShastri:Lessons
inLeadership

PavanChoudhary

Lamlight:ParanormalStories
fromtheHinterlands

KankanaBasuPanMackilliom

ManzarDarManzar:The
EssenceofMySpirit

MaheshManzar

MayasRevenge

Deepika Ahlawat

MeetingswithRemarkable
Women

KaranSingh,PalimsestPublishers

MirroredMinds:MyLifein
LettersandCode

Vikram Chandra

ModiNomics

SameerKochhar

ur
u.
co

Sushmita Roy
AmjadAliKhan

.B
es

Myfather,OurFraternity

tG

MotheringIndia

IndiaJunction:AWindowto
theNation

MyYearswithRajivandSonia RDPradhan
GabrielGarciaMarquez

OrbitShiftingInnovation

RajivNarangandDevikaDevaiah

PostHaste:Quintessential
India

BGVerghese

Prisoner,Jailor,Prime
Minister

TabricC

PublicIssuesBefore
Parliament

VijayDarda

RationalisedRomanfor
Kashmiri

Dr.RLBhat

RedesigningtheAeroplane
WhileFlying:Reforming
Institutions

ArunMaira

w
w

OneHundredYearsof
Solitude

ReflectionsofContemporary
India

ShekharDutt

RogueElephant:Harnessing
ThePowerofIndiasUnruly
Democracy

Simon Denyer

SangharshkeSafarkaNayak
Mulayam

OmveerTomar

Shivaji:TheRealHero

BrijeshMogre

SingleMan

SankarshanThakur

ReimaginingIndia:Unlocking McKinsey & Company

ThePotentialofAsiasNext
Superpower

ur
u.
co

Smash&GrabAnnexationof SunandaKDattaRay
Sikkim

OscarGuardiolaRivera

StrangersAcrosstheBorder

ReshmaPatil

Dr. Ravindranath Shrivastava

Rajhans

.B
es

SunriseinSlums

tG

StoryofaDeathForetold:
TheCoupAgainstSalvador
Allende

w
w

TheAccidentalPrimeMinister Dr.SanjayBaru
:TheMakingandUnmaking
ofManmohanSingh
AnirudhBhattacharyya

TheDisrupterArvind
KejriwalandtheAudacious
RiseoftheAamAadmi

GautamChikermanewithSoma
Banerjee

TheFictionofFactFinding
ModiandGodhra

ManojMitta

TheFictionofFactFinding:
Modi&Godhra

Manoj Mitta

TheGoldfinch

DonnaTartt

TheHimalayanFaceOff

ShishirGupta

TheHindus:AnAlternative
History

WendyDoniger

TheCandidate

Nilanjana Roy

TheHundredNamesof
Darkness

NilanjanaRoyAleph

TheLastWord

HanifQureishi

TheLightWithin:ADifferent
VisionofLife

SipraDas

TheLiteraryThing:
History,PoetryandMakingof
aModernCulturalsphere

RosinkaChaudhuri

TheLivesofOthers

NeelMukherjee

TheMysteriousAilmentof
RupiBaskey

Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar

TheNewMiddleEast:The
WorldaftertheArabSpring

Paul Danahar

ThePoliticalEconomyof
EnergyandGrowth

NajeebJung,theLt.GovernorofDelhi

ThePoliticalEconomyof
EnergyofEnergyandGrowth

NajeebJung(Edited)

TheSmokeisRising

MaheshRao

.B
es

tG

ur
u.
co

TheHundredNamesNames
ofDarkness

DilipKumar(TheBookhasbeen
pennedbyUdayTaraNayar)

TheTragedyofLiberation:
AHistoryoftheChinese
revolution194557

Frank Dikotter

TheWarriorState:Pakistanin
theContemporaryWorld

TVPaul

TheWrongEnemy:America
inAfghanistan,20012014

CarlottaGall

ThisPlace

Amitabha Bagchi

UnderstandingBhagatSingh

Chaman Lal

w
w

TheSubstanceandThe
Shadow

Water,PeaceandWar:
BrahmaChellaney
ConfrontingtheGlobalWater
Crisis
WhyOnionsCry:Peekintoan VijeeKrishnanandNandini
lyengarKitchen
Sivakumar

Zealot:TheLifeandTimesof
JesusofNazareth

RezaAslan

w
w

.B
es

tG

ur
u.
co

PERSONSINNEWS
Nameoftheperson

Whyinnews
HehasbeenappointedastheChairmanofCoal
IndiaLimited.

AamirKhan

HehasbecometheElectionCommission's(EC)
nationalicon.ECrecordedvideoandaudio
campaignsshowinghimurgingpeopletovote
ethically.

AbdelFattahElSisi

HehasbeenappointedasPresidentofEgypton
June26,2014

AbdelazizBouteflika

AlgeriasPresidentAbdelazizBouteflikainApril,
2014wonafourthterminofficetakingmore
than81%ofthevote.

AbdulBasit

PakistanappointedAbdulBasitasPakistanshigh
commissionertoIndiainFebruary2014.

Aditikhanna

TheIndianJournalistsAssociation(IJA)inLondon
haselectedawomanPresidentandGeneral
Secretaryforthefirsttimeinits67thyear
historyinMarch2014.

AhmadTejasKabbah

AhmadTejasKabbah,whoasPresidentofSierra
Leonewaswidelycreditedwithreturningpeace
tohisWestAfricannationafteryearsofbrutal
civilwar,diedinMarch2014.

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A.K.Dubey

AkkineniNageswaraRao

HehasbeenappointedastheNationalSecurity
Adviser.
LegendaryTelugufilmactorandDadaSaheb
PhalkeAwardeeAkkineniNageshwaraRao,
passedawayearlyinJanuay2014.

Amarkant

AwellknownHindiwriterdiedinFebruary2014.

AmitabhKant

HehasbeenappointedtheSecretaryofthe
DepartmentofIndustrialPolicyandPromotion
(DIPP).

AnandibenPatel

Shehasbeenappointedasthe15thChief
MinisterofGujarat.SheisthefirstwomanC.M.
oftheState.

AndrejKiska

Mr.AndrejKiska,anonalignedCentrist,was
electedSlovakia'sPresidentinMarch2014.

Hehasannouncedhisresignationtoenablea
successortoleadhispartyinto2015elections.

AngelaMerkel

AngelaMerkelinMay2014toppedForbeslistof
theworlds100mostpowerfulwomenforthe
fourthyearinrow.SheistheChancellorof
Germany

AnuragBhushan

HehastakenchargeastheCounsulGeneralof
IndiainDubaiandNorthernEmiratesintheUAE.

ArchanaBhargav

CMDofUnitedBankofIndiawhohadtoquitthe
jobduetomountingNPAsintheBank.

Arielsharon

FormerIsraeliPrimeMinisterArielSharondied
inJanuary2014.

ArjunBahadurThapa

HehasbeenappointedaSecretaryGeneralof
theSouthAsianAssociationforRegional
Cooperation(SAARC).

ArjunKapoor

BollywoodactorArjunKapoorbecamethe
NationalAmbassadoroftheEarthHour2014.

ArturoLicata

HewasanItaliansupercentenarian,wholived
untiltheageof111years,357daysandheldthe
worldrecordfortheoldestpersonliving(male).
HediedinApril,2014

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AndrusAnsip

A1979batchIPSofifcerhasbeenappointedas
theHeadofIndianPoliceAcademy.

ArupRaha

Hetookoverasthe24thChiefoftheIndianAir
ForcesucceedingAirChiefMarshalNAKBrowne.
HehasanalumnusofDefenceServiceStaff
CollegeandNationalDefenceCollegeandhas
heldmanyoperationalassignamentssuchas
commandofaMiG29Squadron.Heisthe
recepientofParamVishistSevaMedal,Ati
VIshistSevaMedalandVayusenaMedal.

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ArunaBahuguna

ArvindKejriwal

ArvindKejriwalstagedover30hoursprotest
outsideRailBhavaninNewDelhidemanding
suspensionoftwoDelhiPolicepersonneland
threatenedtodisrupttheRepublicDay
celebrations.

ArvindKejriwal

HeresignedfromtheChiefMinistershipofDelhi
ashisgovernementfailedtotabeltheJanlokpal
BillintheAssembly.

HehasbeenappointedthenewFinance
SecretaryinApril2014.

AshokKumarGanguly

HetillrecentlywastheWestBengalHuman
RightsCommissionchairman.Justice(retd)
AshokKumarGanguly,hadtoresignfromthe
postinJanuary2014.Probeintoallegationof
sexualmisconductagainstalawintern.Thelaw
internwasastudentoftheNUJS.

AshokVaradhan

HeistheIndianOriginexecutivewhohasbeen
approvedappointedcoheadoftheGoldman
Sachssecuritiesdivision.

AshrafJehan

Shehasbecomethefirstfemalejudgetobe
appointedintheShariacourts.PakistansSharia
courthearscasesundertheIslamiclegislation.

BillGates

MicrosoftcofounderBillGateshasresignedth
etitleoftheworld'srichestmanintheForbes
magazinesannualbillionarieslist,announcedin
March2014.

BLJoshi

UPGovernorresignedfromhispostinJune
2014.

BNSrikrishna

Hehasbeenappointedthechairmanofthe
FinancialPlanningStandardsBoardIndia(FPSB),
theprofessionalstandardssettingbodyfor
financialplanners.

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ArvindMayaram

TheeminentMalayalamscientistturnedwriter
hasbeenselectedfortheprestigiousMoortidevi
Awardfor2013forhisnovelTheekkadal
KatanhuThirumadhuram.

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CRadhakrishnan

ChandiPrasadBhatt

Hehasbeenselectedfor2013GandhiPeace
Price.

ChiefAdmiralD.K.Joshi

HeresignedinFebruary2014takingmoral
responsibilityfornumberofmishapsthattwo
placeinnavalwarshipsinthelastsevenmonths.

CNR.Rao

Awellknownscientist,whohasbeenawarded
BharatRatna.

CristianoRonaldo

PortuguesefootballerMr.CrstianoRonaldowas
awardedthecountrytophonourbyPresident
Mr.AnibalCavacoSilvaonJanuary2014.

HehasbeenappointedastheDirectorGeneral
ofBSF.

DevinderpalSinghBhullar

TheSupremeCourtofIndiacommutedhisdeath
penaltyincaseof1993Delhibombblasts,tolife
imprisonmnetonthegroundofdelayindeciding
hismercypleaandhismedicalcondition.

DilipKumar

DilipKumar'slongawaitedautobiography'The
SubstanceandTheShadow"(PennedbyUdaya
TaraNayar)wasreleasedinMumbaiinJune
2014.DilipKumarisawellknownBollywood
actorofyesteryears.

DineshSarraf

HehasheenappointedasnextChairmanand
ManagingDirector(CMD)ofOilandNaturalGas
Corporation(ONGC).

DonnaTartt

ShehaswonthefictionPulitzarforherwork
Goldfinch.Thebookisalreadyamongthemost
popularandcelebratednovelsofthepastyear.

Dr.KVijayRaghavan

TheSecretaryoftheDepartmentBiotechnology
(DBT),governmentofIndia,Dr.Krishnaswamy
VijayRaghavanelectedaforeignassociateofthe
USNationbalAcademyofSciences(USNAS)in
May2014.

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DKPathak

Hehasbeengiventheadditionalchargeof
GovernorofTelangana.HeisthefirstGovernor
of29thstateofIndiai.e.Telangana.

EdwardSnowden

FormerNationalAgencycontractor,Edward
Snowden,waselectedasthenewRectorofthe
UniversityofGlasgowinFebruary2014

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E.S.L.Narasimhan

EhudOlmert

ForthefirsttimeinIsrael'shistory,acourt
sentencedtheformerPrimeMinistertosixyears
inprisonforcorruptpracticesinarealestate
projoct.Hewasalsofined3lakhUSDollarbya
TelAvivCourt.In1973,hebecametheyoungest
personeverelectedtoIsrael'sParliamentand
servedasPrimeMinisterfrom2006to2009.

ElaGandhi

Ms.ElaGandhi,thegranddaughterofMahatma
Gandhi,washonouredwith'Amadelkufa'in
SouthAfricainJanuary2014.

Aneminentjuristwhodeclinedtobepartofthe
selectcommitteeprocesstoselectIndiasfirst
Lokpal.

FarhanAkhtar

HehasbeenawardedthebestActorawardfor
hisperformanceinBhagMilkhaBhaagatthe
59thFilmfareAwardsinJanuary2014.

FarooqSheikh

HeisawellknownveteranBollywoodactor.He
diedinDubai.

GKPillai

HehasresignedasChairmanofMCXStock
Exchange,anexchangefoundedbyjignesh
ShahsFTgroup.

GRohini

Shehasbeensworninasfirstwomanchief
justiceoftheDelhiHighCourt.

GabrielGarciaMarquez

NobelprizewinnerandColombianauthor
GabrielGarciaMarquezdiedinApril2014.

GovindMishra

HeistheHindiAuthorandwinnerofthe
SaraswatiSammanfor2013forhisbookDhool
PaudhoPar.

GraemeSmith

HeisprominentSouthAfricanbatsmanwhowas
Captainforalmost10yearsandtookretirement
fromInternationalCricketinMarch2014.

HarishRawat

HehasbeenappointedasanewChiefMinister
ofUttarakhand.

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HaroldRamis

FaliS.Nariman

HeenaSidhu

HewasaAmericanactor,writeranddirectorof
classiccomedyfilmsdiedinChicagoinFebruary
2014.
PistolshooterHeenaSidhuwasofficially
declaredaworldrecordholderbythe
InternationalShootingSportsFederation(ISSF)
January,2014.

HeenaSindhu

IndianshooterHeenaSindhubecameworldNo.
1inthe10metresairpistolevent

HosniMubarak

FormerPresidentHosniMubarakhasbeen
sentencedtothreeyearsinprisonafterfinding
himguiltyofembezzlingpublicfunds.Histwo
sons,AlaaandGamal,werealsoconvictedand
givenfouryearterms.

IbrahimMahlab

HewassworninasEgyptPrimeMinisterin
February2014.

ShehasbeenappointedasthenewChairmanof
FederalReserve(CentralBankofUSA).Shewill
replaceBenBernanke,whosesecondtermends
onJanuary31,2014.Shebecomesthefirst
womentochairtheUScentralbank.

JanetYellen

Ms.JanetYellenhasbecomethefirstwomen
evertoheadtheUSCentralBankFederal
Reserve.

JatinderBirSingh

HehasbeenappointedchairmanandManaging
DirectorofPunjabandSindBankinFebruary
2014.

JeanClaudeJuncker

JeanClaudeJunckerhasbeenappointedasnext
PresidentoftheEuropeanCommissioninJune
2014.

JensStoltenberg

FormerNorwegianPremierJensStoltenbergwas
namedasNATOchief.Stolenbergwilltake
chargesofSecretaryGeneralofNATOinOctober
2014.

JhutikaRoy

LegendarybhajansingerJuthikaRoydiedin
KolkatainFebruary2014.

JigmeKhesarNamgyel
Wangchuk

TheKingofBhutan,Mr.JigmeKhesarNamgyel
WangchuckandtheQueen,Ms.JetsunPema
WangchuckpaidanofficialvisittoIndiain
January2014.

JitanRamManjhi

HehasbeenappointedasthenewChiefMinister
ofBihar.

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JanetYellen

John Thompson

He has been appointed as the Chairman of

Microsoft on 5 February 2014 by the Board of
Directors at a meeting held in Washington, US.
He succeeded Bill Gates who assumed the role
of Technology Advisor to the CEO of
Microsoft.

JudeFelix

HeistheformerIndiaHockeyCaptainandnow
appointedascoachofNationalTeamtowork
underchiefcoachMr.TerryWalsh.

JuergenStock

JuergenStockofGermanyhasbeenselectedto
benextScreataryGeneralofINTERPOL,worlds
largetsinternationalpoliceorganization.

JusticeB.S.Chauhan

HehasbeenappointedtheChairmanofthe
CauveryWaterDisputesTribunal.

HehasbeenappointedasthefirstChiefMinister
ofnewlycarvedoutstateofTelangana,India's
29thstate,createdbybifurcatingAndhra
Pradesh.

K.PrasadBabu

HehasbeenconferredtheAshokChakra,the
nation'shighestpeacetimegallantryaward,
posthumously,onIndia's65thRepublicDay.The
awardwasreceivedbyhisfather.

KathyCross

NewZealandsKathyCrossinJanuary,2014
becamethefirstwomentobeinductedinanICC
umpirespanelwhenshewasnamedasan
AssociateandAffiliateInternationalofficial.

KCChakrabarty

TheDeputyGovernorofReserveBankofIndia
(RBI)KCChakrabarty,hassubmittedhis
resignationquotingpersonalgroundsinMarch
2014.Chakrabartyatermwassupposedtoendin
June15,2014.

KhushwantSingh

Writer,journalistandoneofIndiasbestknown
Satirists,KhushwantSinghdiedinMarch2014in
NewDelhi.

KingFelipeVI

Spain'snewKingFelipeVIwascrownedonJune
19,2014

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KChandresekharRao

Hehasannouncedhisintentiontoabdicate,
afternearly40yearsonthethrone.

KiranMazumdarShaw

ShereplacedMukeshAmbaniasIIMBangalore
chairpersonrecently.Sheisalsochairpersonof
pharmamajorBiconLtd.

KoyalRana

Shewascrownedasthe51stFeminaMissIndia
whichculminatedinApril2014atMumbai.

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KingJuanCarlos

KristinLund

MajorGeneralKristinLund,ofNorway,inMay,
2014becamethefirstwomanevertoserveas
ForceCommanderinaUnitedNations
peacekeepingoperation.ShewillleadtheUN
PeacekeepingForceinCyprus.

KumarSangakkara

SriLankanbatsmanKumarSangakkaraon7
February,2014becameonlythesecondplayerto
hitatriplecentuaryandacenturyinthesame
matchduringthesecondplayertohitatriple
centuryandacenturyinthesamematchduring
thesecondTestagainstBangladesh.

LakshmiSwaminathan

ShebecamethefirstIndiantobeelectedas
PresidentofAdministrativeTribunalofthe
AsianDevelopmentBank

LeanderPaes

TennisStarhasbeenawardedPadmaBhusanin
January2014.

Lt.Gen.DalbirSinghSuhag HehasbeenappointedasthenextArmyChief
afterGeneralBikramSinghretiresinJuly,2014.
WestBengalgovernorMKNarayananresigned
fromhispostinJune2014.

MTeresaKho

HehasbeenappointedasAsianDevelopment
Bank(ADB)'snewCountryDirectorforIndiain
February2014.

MadhusudhanaChary

HehasbeenappointedasthefirstSpeakerof
theTelanganaLegislativeAssemblyinJune2014.

MakardhwajDarodha

FamousChhaudancerMakardhwajDarodha
passedawayinFebruary2014.

ManmohanSingh

DrManmohanSinghinMay,2014tenderedhis
resignationwitharequesttodissolvethe15th
LokSabha.PresidentPranabMukharjee
acceptedhisresignationtopavewayforthe
formationofnewgovernmentledbyNarendra
Modi.

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MKNarayanan

ManuelSantos

ManojVaishtookchargeastheManaging
DirectorandChiefExecutiveOfficerofMulti
CommodityExchangeofIndiaLtd.(MCX)in
February2014.
HehasbeenappointedasPresidentofColombia
forsecondtimeonJune15,2014

ManuelValls

PresidentFrancoisHollandenamedcentrist
InteriorMinisterManuelVallsashisnewPrime
MinisterreplacingJeanMarcAyraultwhoquit
afterrulingSocialistsweretrouncedinlocal
Frenchelections.

MarcoLambertini

TheappointmentofDr.MarcoLambertinias
DirectorGeneralofWWFInternationalhasbeen
announcedonFebruary2014.

MatteoRanzi

TheyoungestPrimeMinisterofItalyswornon
22ndFebruary2014.

He has been sworned as the youngest Prime

Minister of Italy.

MichelleBachelet

HehasbeensworninasthePresidentofChile,
hersecondtimeinofficeinMarch2014.

Mr.AhmedMaiteeq

HehasbeenappointedastheyoungestPrime
MinisterofLibya.

Mr.PeterMutharika

HehasbeenappointedasthePresidentof
MalawiinMay2014.

MukulMudgal

FormerChiefJusticeofPunjabandHaryanaHigh
CourtMukulMudgalwilltakeoverasthenew
chairpersonofBroadcastingContentComplaints
Council(BCCC),aselfregulatorybodyfornon
newschannels.

MukulRohatgi

HehasbeenappointedasthenewAttorney
GeneralofIndia.

MukulSangma

SupremeCourt(SC)ofIndiadirectedthe
NationalCommissionforScheduledTribes
(NCST)toverifytheauthenticityofSTstatusof
MukulSangma[January2014],theChief
MinisterofMeghalaya.

MustafaKamal

HehasbecomethefirstfromBangladeshtobe
presidentofInternationalCricketCouncil(ICC).

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Matteo Renzi

HehasbeenappointedasthefirstChiefMinister
ofnewAndhraPradesh.

NRamachandran

HehasbeenappointedPresidentofIndian
OlympicAssociationinFebruary2014.

NSrinivasan

HehasbeenappointedasthefirstChairmanof
theICC.

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NChandrababuNaidu

N.KiranKumarReddy

ChiefMinisterofAndhraPradesh,N.Kiran
KumarReddysubmittedhisresignationto
GovernorESLNarasimhaninFebruary2014in
againsttheUniongovernmentsdecisionto
divideTelugusforthesakeofvotesandseats.

N.Srinivasan

PresidentoftheBoardofControlforCricketin
India(BCCI),N.Srinivasan,willbethefirst
chairmanoftherevampedInternationalCricket
Council(ICC)Board.

NabamTuki

HehasbeensworninastheeighthChief
MinisterofArunanchalPradeshforthesecond
consecutiveterminMay,2014.

USambassadortoIndia,NancyPowellhas
resignedfromherpost

NarendraKothari

HehasbeenappointedastheChairmanof
NMDCLimited.

NarendraModi

HeisaBJP'sPrimeMinisterialcandidat.An
Ahmedabadcourtrecentlyrejectedapetition
filedbyZakiaJafriagainsttheclosurereportof
SpecialInvestigationTeam(SIT)whichgavea
cleanchittotheGujaratchiefMinisterin
connectionwiththe2002postGodhrariotscase.

NarendraModi

HehasbeenappointedasPrimeMinisterof
IndiausheringinaneweraofanonCongress
governmentwithanabsolutemajorityonits
own.

NaveenPatnaik

HehasbeenappointedastheChiefMinisterof
OdishaforthefourthconsecutiveterminMay,
2014

NitaAmbani

Shehasbeenappointedthefirstwomanonthe
Boardofthenationslargestprivatecompany.

NitishKumar

BiharChiefMinisterNitishKumarresigned,after
hispartyJD(U)'spoorshowintheLokSabha
elections.Thepartyhasmanagedtogetjust2
seatsoutof40LokSabhaseatsinthestate.

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NripendraMisra

HehasbeenappointedasthePrincipalSecretary
toPrimeMinisterMr.NarendraModiinMay
2014,soonhonablePresidentpromulgatedan
ordinanceamendingtheTelecomRegulatory
AuthorityAct1997,toenabletheformer
Chairmanoftheregulatorybodytotakeup
employmentwiththegovernment.

HehasbeenappointedasthePrincipalSecretary
toPrimeMinisterNarendraModiafterthe
governmentpromulgatedanordinanceto
amendalawthatcouldhavepreventedhim
fromgettingthekeypost.

HehasbeenappointedasadditionalPrincipal
SecretarytoPrimeMinisteronJune92014.Heis
aretiredIASofficerof1972batchoftheGujarat
cadre.

PankajAdvani

HehaswonthemensNationalSnookertitleon
6March2014.

PawanChamling

HehasbeensworninasSikkimChiefMinister
fortherecordfifthconsecutivetime.Inpower
sinceDecember12,1994.

PetroPoroshenko

HehasbeenappointedasthePresidentof
UkraineinJune2014

PullelaGopichand

HeisaformerofIndianBadmintonPlayerand
haswonprestigiousPadmaBhushanaward.

QasimFahim

AfghanVicePresidentMarshalMohammad
qasimFahim,formerlyoneofthecountrysmuch
fearedwarlords,diedinMarch2014.

RGandhi

ThegovernmenthasappointedR.Gandhias
DeputyGovernoroftheReserveBakofIndia
(RBI)inplaceofAnandSinhawhoretiredin
January2014.

R.Chandrashekhar

TookoverasPresidentofNASSCOMinJanuary
2014.HesucceededSomMittal,whoservedas
thePresidentofNASSCOMfrom2007to2013.

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P.K.Mishra

HehasbeenappointedchiarmanofCentral
BoardofDirectTaxes(CBDT)inFebruary2014.
FormerChiefJusticeofIndiaR.CLahotihasbeen
appointedastheArbitratorintheRs.20000
croretaxdisputewithVodafone.
IndiabornRajeevSurion1May,2014took
chargeastheChiefExecutiveOfficerand
presidentofFinnishtelecommunications
eqipmentmakerNokia.

RajendraMalLodha

HehasbeenappoinmentastheChiefJusticeof
IndiainApril2014.

RajivMathur

HehasbeenappointedastheChiefInformation
Commissioner(CIC)byPresidentPranab
MukherjeeinMay,2014.

RanjitKumar

HehasbeenappointedasnewSolicitorGeneral
ofIndia.

RajeevSuri

TheQueenElizabethIIconferredtherankof
KnightCommander(KBE)onformerchairmanof
theTataGroupRatanTatainApril2014.Itisone
ofthehighesthonoursgivenbythequeento
civilians.

ReuvenRivlin

HehasappointedasPresidentofIsraelonJune
10,2014

RKDhowan

ViceAdmiralRKDhowanwasgiventhedutiesof
officiatingNavychief,pendingtheappointment
ofaregularchief.

RKSrikantan

EminentcarnaticVocalistRkSrikantanpassed
awayinSeshadripuramonFebruary2014.

RobinK.Dhowan

Hehasbeenappointedas22ndChiefofIndian
NavyinApril2014.HesucceedsAdmiralDK
Joshi,whoresignedinFebruary2014taking
moralresponsibilityoftheaccidentonINS
SindhuratnainMumbai.

RussiMody

RustomjiHormusji(Russi)Mody,fondlycalled
GrandOldManofSteel,passedawayinMay
2014inKolkata.

S.Mallikarjunaiah

FormerDeputySpeakeroftheLokSabha(of
10thLokSabhafrom19911996),S.
Mallikarjunaiah,passedawayinMarch2014.He
becamethezVicePresidentoftheTumkur
MunicipalCouncilin1956.

SachinTendulkar

Britain'spremiumluxurygoodsbrandEastIndia
Companyhasissuedanexclusivelegaltender
goldcoinworth12,000poundsterlinginhonour
ofIndiancricketlegendSachinTendulkar.The
rarecoinhasbeenissuedinhonourof
Tendulkar'sremarkablecareerspanning24
years.

Sampooran Singh
Kalra (Gulzar)

HehaswontheDadasahebPhalkeAwardfor
2013

SatyaNadella

Microsoftsboardon4February,2014named
HyderabadbornSatayaNadellaaschief
executiveofthecompany.Nadellawillbeonly
thethirdCEOofMicrosoftafterfounderBill
GatesandSteveBallmer.

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RatanTata

HeisthefourtimeFormulaoneworldchampion
andnowclinchedthefifteenthLaureus
SportsmanoftheyearAwardinKualaLumpur.

SheikhHasina

ShehasbeensworninasthePrimeMinisterof
Bangladeshforsecondstraighttermafterthe
electionsthatweremarredbyviolenceand
boycottsinJanuary2014.

SheilaDikshit

ShehasbeenappointedthegovernorofKerla.
ShereplacedNikhilKumar,whohasheldthe
postsinceMarch2013.

ShekharDutt

TheGovernorofChhattisgarhtenderedhis
resignationtothePresidentofIndiainJune
2014.

ShinzoAbe

Mr.ShinzoAbebecamethefirstJapanesePrime
MinistertobechiefguestatIndia's65th
RepublicDaycelebrations.

ShubranshuChoudhary

HeIndianJournalistwhowondigitalactivism
awardinMarch2014forregionalnewsservice.

SivaPrasadaRao

HehasbeenappointedasthefirstSpeakerof
theAndhraPradeshAssemblypostbifurcation.

SomaMondal

HehasbeenappointedtheDirectorofNavratna
inMarch2014.PSUNationalAluminium
CompanyLtd(NALCO).

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SebastianVettel

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SubhashChandra
Nembang

SuchitraSen

Hehasbeenappointedaunopposedas
ChairpersonoftheConstituentAssemblyon
February2014.Parliament.
LegendaryactressofyesteryearsSuchitraSen
diedinKolakatainJanuary2014.Knownasthe
GretaGarboofIndiaforleadingareclusivelife
aftersheleftfilms,Senwasaniconicstarof
regionalBengalicinema.

SudarshanSeneviratne

He has been appointed as Sri Lankas

new high commissioner to India in
April 2014.

SumitraMahajan

ShehasbeenappointedastheSpeakerofthe
16thLokSabha.

SushilKoirala

Hehasbeenappointedthenewprimeminister
withatwothirdmajority,almostthreemonths
afterthegeneralelectionsinNovember2013.

HewaselectedunopposednewPrimeMinister
ofNepal.

TomFinney

Hediedattheageof91inFebruary2014.

TRZeliang

HehasbeenappointedasthenewChiefMinister
ofNagaland.

UKSinha

TheSecuritiesandExchangeBoardofIndia(SEBI)
Chairmangotatwoyearextensiontill2016to
continueatthetopjob.

V.K.Murthy

RenownedcinematographerandDadasaheb
PhalkeawardeepassedawayinApril,2014.He
wasfamousforhiscameraworkinGuruDutt's
classicslike'Pyaasa'and'Sahib,BibiAur
Ghulam'.

VijaySeshadri

Hehasbecomethe5thIndianbornpersonto
wintheprestigiousPulitzerPrizeinApril2014.

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SusilKoirala

HehasbeenappointedthenewCEOofReliance
communication

VinodSawhny
VishalSikka

tG

ITmajorInfosysinJune,2014namedVisalSikka,
formerexecutiveboardmemberSAPAG,itsfirst
nonfounderChiefExecutiveOfficer.

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XiJinping

VivekhasbeenappointedSpecialAdvisorto
UnitedNationstohelpsteerthemultination
bodyframeapolicyandensureits
implementationintheareaofbroadbandand
associatedcybersecurityissuesinJanuary2014.

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VivekLall

TheChinesePresidenthastoppedthelistofthe
100MostInfluentialAsianPeopleof2014
publishedbyAsianAwardsLtd2014.
AThaicourthasorderedPrimeMinisterYingluck
ShinawatraandseveralCabinetMinisterstostep
downinMay2014.Thecountry'sConstitutional
CourtfoundYingluckviolatedtheconstitution
whenshedismissedtheNationalSecurity
CouncilChiefin2011.

YuvrajSingh

Heisthemostexpensiveplayerfortheseventh
IPLandwaspurchasedforRs.14cr.

YingluckShinawatra

ZeidRa'adZeidAlHussein Hehasbeenappointedunanimouslyasthenext
UNHighCommissionerforHumanRights,bythe
UNGeneralAssemblyinJune2014.

PlacesinNews
Nameofthe
Place

Where
Located

Whyplacewasinnews

UttarPradesh TajMahotsav,thetendayannualfestival

Agra

beganinAgra,UttarPradeshinFebruary
2014.Thethemeofthefestivalforthisyear
isPaighameMohabbatorthemessageof
love.TajMahotsavwasstartedin1992and
organizedbytheUttarPradeshDepartment
ofTourismtoincreasetheIndianTourism.

Punjab

Theremainandotherarticlesofatleast
282personswhowereexecutedbythe
Britishauthoritiesforparticipatinginthe
1857munitywereexhaumedatAjnala.

Aruranchal
Pradesh

India

Thefirsttrialrunofarailenginewasheld
inthestatecapitalfromHarmuttyyin
AssamsNorthLakhimpurdistrict[January
2014.]

Badakhshan

Afghanistan

tG

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Ajnala

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w

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es

HundredsofpeopleofAabeBarikvillage
inBadakhshanprovinceofAfghanistan
werekilledinadevastatinglandslide.
Nearly300housesalongwiththeirin
habitantswereburiedalivethemudand
rubblewhenawholemountainside
collapsedoverthevillage.

UttarPradesh Twoteenagedalitsisters,whowerecousins

Badaun

Baiji

Iraq

aged14and15years,wereallegedlygang
rapedandmurderedwiththeirbodies
foundhangingformamangotreeinKatra
villageofBadaundistrictinUttarPradesh.

Baijiisacityofabout200,000inhabitants
innorthernIraq.Itislocatedsome130
milesnorthofBaghdad,onthemainroad
toMosul.Sunniextremiststookcontrolof
mostofIraq'slargestoilrefinery,locatedat
Baiji.

Thailand

ThePrimeMinisterYingluckShinawatra
declaredtheimpositionofemergencyrule
inBangkokandsurroundingareas[January
2014]

Bangkok

Thailand

ThesixthAsianMinisterialConfernecefor
DisasterRiskReductionwasheldhere
recently.MinisterofStateforHomeAffairs
KirenRijijuledtheIndiandelegationtothe
fivedayconferenceandsharedthe
measuresbeingtakenbyIndiainreducing
disasterrisks.themainfocusoftheAsian
MinisterialConferencewasonenhancing
communityresilienceatlocallevel.

Bentiu

SouthSudan

RebelgunmeninSouthSudanmassacred
hundredsofciviliansinethnickillingswhen
theycapturedtheoiltownrecently.
Reportssayrebelskilledmorethan200
peopleinonemosquealoneafterdriving
govtforcesfromthetown.Sudansrebel
commanderRiekMachar,whowas
dismissedasvicepreseidentbyPresident
SalvaKiirinJuly2013,hasdeniedtheUN
reportandsaidhisforceswerenotbehind
themassacreinBentiu.

Andhra
Pradesh

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BhavaniIsland

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Bangkok

Bhilai

Chhatisgarh

BhavaniIslandinAndhraPradeshonthe
wavesofriverKrishnawasdevelopedas
newadventuresports.Itwasdevelopedby
AndhraPradeshTourismDevelopment
Corporation(APTDC)inpartnershipwith
BangalorebasedFreakoutAdventure
Solutions.
Inthebiggestindustrialaccidentinrecent
years,atleastsixemployeesofBhilaisteel
plantwerekilledandover30injuredaftera
gasleakinJune2014.Theincident
occurredwhenrepairworkwasbeing
carriedoutinasectionoftheplant.

Chhattisgarh

Sixpeoplediedandover50wereinjured
whenablastoccurredatSAIL'ssteelplant
inthiscityofChhattisgarhfollowedbyagas
leakthatfurhterworsenedconditions.
MinistryofsteelaswellasSAIL(Steel
AuthorityofIndiaLimited)hasinstituted
inquiryintothematter.Theincident
occuredafterthemainheaderofthepump
house2thatsuppliedwatertotheGas
CleaningPlant(GCP)ofBlastFurnaces
reptured.Therewassuddenlossinwater
pressuretotheGCPandtheBlastFurnace
gasfromthescrubbersenteredthewater
pipline.Thegas,reportedtobea
compositionofdeadlymethaneandcarbon
monoxide,startedleakingfromthe
repturedparttothepipelineandgrilledthe
employeesattendingthebreakdowninthe
pumphouse.

Bhutan

Asia

BhutanenteredintoagreementwithJapan
NissanMotorCompanytosupplyelectric
carsforitsTaxisandgov.fleet.

Bhutan

Asia

tG

Bhutan,officiallytheKingdomofBhutan,is
alandlockedcountryinSouthAsialocated
attheeasternendoftheHimalayas.Itis
borderedtothenorthbyChinaandtothe
south,eastandwestbyIndia.Narendra
ModivisitedBhutanonhisfirstevervisitof
foreigncountryafterbecomingPrime
Minister.

.B
es

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Bhilai

Bihar

India

BhabuawasofficiallydeclaredGreenCity
inJanuary2014.Thisisconsideredasthe
firsttownintheworldwhereallthe
buildingsonthemainthroughfareshave
beenpaintedgreen.Thisideatopaintthe
towngreenandmakeitenvironment
friendlywasmootedbyArvindKumar
Singh,DistrictmagistrateofKaimur

Bodoland

Assam

Governmenthassetupanexpert
committeetostudyandexaminethe
demandofaseprateBodolandstatetobe
carvedoutodAssam.

SouthAmerica TheFIFA2014WorldCupisbeingplayedin

Brazil

Brazilthisyear.Thereisacontroversy
regardingholdingthesegamesinBrazil.Itis
aboutBrazilasasocietyandtheway
moneyisspent,whenFIFAawardedthe
WorldCuptoBrazil,therewaseuphoria.
Nowverylittleofthatisleft..Afewflagsin
thewind,butnothingsuggeststhisisa
countrycrazyforfootball.Brazilianswant
tosupportBrazil,butnottheWorldCup.

Nigeria

China

China

Thecountry'sBokoHarmanIslamic
militantsabducted223schoolgirlsfrom
theirboardingschoolinApril2014inthe
townofChibokinnortheasternBorno
state.TheAfricanleaders,summitinParis
hasagreedtowageawaragainstBoko
HarmanIslamicmilitantsandhasagreedto
shareintelligenceandtocoordinateaction
againstthegroup.AnAmericanspecialist
teamhasalsoarrivedinNigeriatohelpfind
andfreeschoolgirls.
Chinaeaseditsonechildpolicy.Underthe
newpolicycoupleswillbeallowedtohave
twochildrenifoneoftheparentsisanonly
child.

.B
es
TamilNadu

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Chinnapuliyur

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Chibok

TheOilandNaturalGasCorporation
(ONGC)starteddrillingitsfirsteverwellin
thePalarbasinatChinnapuliyurvillage
about55kmfromChennai.

Russia

CrimeahasbeenabsorbedintoRussiaafter
theupperhouseofparliament
ununanimousalyratifiedthetreaty.

Delhi

India

DelhiGovernmentannouncedthatitwill
notallowFDIfundedstoresinDelhi
[January2014]

Crimea

Ukraine

Theselfproclaimedheadofthe"People's
republicofDonetsk"ineasternUkraine,
DenisPushilin,hasdeclaredtheregiona
sovereignstateandaskedRussiato
considerallowingittoaccede.Pushilinwas
speakingafterheclaimed89percentofthe
peopleintheregionsupported
independenceintherecentreferendum,
whichwasslammedasillegalandasafarce
byboththeWestandKiev.

Dukezong

China

TheancientBuddhisttownofShangriLa,is
locatedinsouthwestofChina'sYunnan
province.ItwasguttedbyfireinJanuary
2014.

Egypt

Egypt

Itwasinnewsasateamofarchaeologist
fromEgyptandAmericainJanuary2014
discoveredatombofthePharaonicking
(unknown)thatdatesbacktoabout1650
BC.

EnnorePort

Tamilnadu

ThisportwasrenamedasKamrajport
limited

EnnorePort

Chennai

TheEnnorePortinChennai,oneofthe12
majorportsinthecountrywillnow
oknownasKamarajarPortinFebruary
2014.k.Kamarajwasafreedomfighterand
architectofmodernTamilNadu.

tG

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es
Uttarakhand

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Gairsain

ur
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Donetsk

ThreedayUttarakhandAssemblysession
washeldatGairsaininChamolifromJune
911,2014.Theassemblysessionof
Uttarakhandwasheldforthefirsttime
outsidethecapitalcity,Deharadun,since
itsformationin2000.

Ecuador

Ecuadorhasdeclaredanemergencyinthe
islandafterapetroltankerranaground
there,whichposesathreattothe
archipelago'sfragileecosystem.Theship's
cargowasemptied,buttheauthoritiessaid
pollutants,likemotoroil,insidethevessel
couldspillandcauseenvironmentdamage.
TheGalapagosarehometouniqueanimal
speciessuchasthegianttortoise,marine
iguanaandflightlesscormorant.In1978,
thechainofvolcanicislandsweredeclared
aWorldHeritageSitebytheUNESCO.

Goa

Goa

ThePortugeseCommonwealthGames,
popularlyknownasLusofoniaGames,were
heldatPanditJawaharlalNehruStadiumin
January2014.

GreatHimalayan
NationalPark

Himachal
Pradesh

Thishasbeennominatedforforworld
heritagesite.

Guangdong

China

Atthisplace,Chinadestroyedmorethansix
tonnesofsmuggledelephantsivoryin
GuangdongprovinceinJanuary2014.By
thisactChinahasgivenamessagethatit
wishestoprotectingdwindlingelephant
population.

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Galapagos

Afghanistan

w
w

Herat

TheIndianConsulateinthisprovinceofthis
proAfghanistanwasattackedbyheavily
armedgunmen,whowerealsocarrying
rocketpropelledgrenades.BraveITBP
(IndoTibetanBorderPolic)personaland
Afghansoldiersrebutattackers.Allthe
Indiastaffaresafe.Indiahasinvestedin
somemajorinfrastructureprojectsin
AfghanistanlikeSalmahydroelectricdamin
HeratprovinceandtheAfghanparliament
buildinginKabul.India'sdevelopment
assistanceprogrammeforAfghanistan
currentlystandsatUSD2bn,makingitthe
leadingdonarnationamongallregional
countries.

Syrian

WomenandChildrentrappedintheSyrian
cityundergovt.siegewillbepermittedto
leaveunderadealreachedbetweenthe
twowarringgroupsthatmarkedthefirst
tangiblesignofprogressinpeacetalksin
thecountry.Homsisoneofthefirstcities
toriseagainstPresidentBAsharAssad.
Activistssayabout800familiesare
trapped,withoutregularaccesstofood,
medicineandbasicnecessities.

Hura

Israel

Israel'sAntiquitiesAuthorityhasunveileda
monasterydatingbacksome1400yearsin
thesouthofthecountrywithimpressive
mosaicfloorsthatshedlightonlifeinthe
regionduringtheByzantineperiodinthe
BedouinvillageofHuraintheNegevnear
SouthIsrael.

Iraq

Iraq

Astateofemergencyhasbeendeclaredin
thecountryafterjihadistmilitantscaptured
thecityofMosul.NurialMalikihascalled
upontheUnitedNations,ArabLeague,
EuropeanUnionandotherstosupportIraq
anditsstandonfightingterrorism.Healos
announcedthatthegovtwouldarm
citizenstofightthemilitantsandjointhe
securityforcesindefendingthiercountry.
ThemilitatngroupIslamicstateofIraq
Levant(ISIL),supportedtobeanaffiliateof
alQaeda,iscontrinuouslyadvancing
towardsthecapitalBaghdadandhas
capturedapartofthecountry'sbiggest
refineryinthecityofBaiji.

w
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Homs

Jalpaiguri

WestBengal

TheJalpaiguridistrictofWestBengalwas
bifurcatedonJune20,2014tocreate
AlipurduardistrictoftheState,Withthis,
Alipurduarwillbecomethe20thdistrictof
theState.

SouthAfrica

Thefirstfullfledgedgurudwaraistobe
builtherefollowinganeightyearbattle
withmainlywhiteSouthAfricanresidents
ofanupmarketsuburb.Thegurudwarahas
beenrunonatemporarybasissofar.But
nowcityofJohannesburghasagreedto
rezonethepropertytoallowconstruction
ofaplaceofworship.

Karachi

Pakistan

HeavilyarmedmilitantsattackedPakistan's
busiestairportinthesoutherncity,forcing
thesuspensionofallfights,andanallnight
siegeofthebusyJinnahInternational
Airportleftnearly40peopledead,
includingall10oftheattackersandseveral
Injured.

Khajuraho

Madhya
Pradesh

TheworldfamousKhajurahoDanceFestival
beganatKhajuraho,MadhyaPradeshin
February2014.TheDanceFestivalwillbe
celebratedfromFebruary2026,2014.Itis
organisedbytheMadhyaPradeshKala
Parishad.

Kievs

Ukraine

Latvia

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es

AntigovernmentprotestersinUkraineend
atwomonthoccupationofKievscityhall,
followinganamnestyofferaimedateasing
astandoffoverPresidentViktor
Yanukovychsrule.

Karnataka

UnionCabinethasapprovedtheproposal
tosetupanewrailcoachmanufacturing
unitwhichbillmanufacture500coaches
perannum.

Europe

InJanuary2014,Latvia,aBalticnation,
joinedtheEurozoneinthehopethatthe
Eurowillloweritsborrowingcostsand
encourageinvestorsbyeliminating
currencyrisk.Itbecamethe18thmember
oftheEuropeanUnion,whichusestheEuro
asitscurrency.

w
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Kolar

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Johannesburg

U.K

Afourdayglobalsummitwasheldinthe
citytoendsexualviolenceinwarrecently.
Theevent,whichisthebiggestofitskind
everheld,includedfilmscreenings,theatre,
artandwasattendedbyhighlevelforeign
delegates.HollywoodactressandUN
SpecialEnvoyAngelinaJoliejoinedUK
ForeignSecrretaryWilliamHaugetolaunch
thesummit.Everyyear,150mngirlsand
womenarerapedinconflictaroundthe
world,alongwith70mnmenandboys.

Maharashtra

India

MaharashtraGovernmentgaveapprovalto
theRs.20000croreDrylandFarming
Mission,aschemeunderBharatNirman
campaignthatistobeimplementedinthe
state..Theheadquartersofthemission
willbelocatedinAurangabad.

Mandi

Himachal
Pradesh

Atleast24engineeringcollegestudents
fromHyderabadwerewashedawayinriver
BeashereinKulludistrictofHimachal
Pradeshbytheflashfoodsthatoccurredin
theriverafterwaterwasreleasedfromthe
upstreamLarjiHydroelectricproject.

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London

Iraq

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Mosul

IraqPrimeMinisterannouncedonJune10,
2014stateofemegencyinIraqafterjihadist
militantscapturedthesecondlargestcityin
thecountry,Mosul.Thecity,situatedsome
400kmnorthwestofBaghdadisthecapital
oftheNinevehProvince.

Nepal

InApril2014,atleast12Nepaleseguides,
whowerepreparingroutesatMount
Everestforcommercialclimbers,were
killedonbyanavalancheinthemost
deadlymountaineeringaccidenteveron
theworld'shighestpeak.

MountKelud

Indonesia

Thisvolcanoisnewsasitagainerruptedan
forcedclosingupofseveninternational
Airports.

MountEverest

India

Terminal2(T2)oftheChhatrapatiShivaji
InternationalAirporthasbeeninaugrated.
ThenewMumbaiairporthasbecomecode
FcompliantandisreadytohandleA380
typeaircraftoperations.

Mumbai

India

Dr.ManmohanSinghinauguratedanew
AirportinJanuary2014.Theworldclass
Terminal2(T2),ishavingaroofareaof11
acre,isbasedonPublicPrivatePartnership
(PPP)model.

Mumbai

Maharashtra

Mumbaigotthefirstmetroafterawaitof
sevenyearsinJune2014.TheMetrolinks
VersovaAndheriGhatkoparorasitis
calledtheVAGCorridor.

Nabanna

WestBengal

WestBengalGovernorMKNarayanan
releasedthefirsteveradmiistrative
calenderattherelocatedstatesecretariat
atNabannainadjoiningHowrahdistrict[
January2014]

Nashik

Maharashtra

UnionMinisterPraffulPatelinaugurated
thelongestrunwayinAsiaattheNashik
AirportinMarch2014.Withthehelpof
HindustanAeronauticsLimited(HAL),this
airportwasconstructedatthecostofRs.82
crore.

Nepal

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Mumbai

Nepal

ThisistheplacewherethirdBayofBengal
InitiativeforMultiSectoralTechinicaland
EconomicCooperation(BIMSTEC)was
held.
SupremeCourtofNepalhasgiventhe
voterstherighttocastnegativevotes
duringtheParliamentaryorlocalelections.
ThusNepalbecomesthethirdcountryin
SouthAsiaafterIndiaandBangladeshthat
guarantesthisrighttotheirvoters

India

TheWorldfamousDhanuYatraofBargarh
(about330kmfromBhubaneswar)started
atworldsbiggestopenairtheatre.Theplay
comprisesofthreeepisodesinthelifeof
KrishnabirthofKrishnaandhischildhood
Leelas,visitingMathuraandthekillingof
Kansa[January2014]

OkavangoDelta

Botswana

ThesiteinBotswanabecamethe1000th
siteonJune22,2014tobeincludedinthe
UNESCOWorlHeritageSiteList.The38th
sessionoftheWorldHeritageSite
CommitteeatDoha,Qatarendorsedthe
OkavangositeastheNaturalWorld
HeritageSite.

PalkStrait

IndianOcean

FormerPresidentAPJAbdulKalam
inauguratedthecentenarycelebrationsof
thePambanrailwaybridgeIndiasfirst
cantileverbridge,connectingthepilgrim
islandofRameswaramwiththemainland.
OfficialnameofthebridgeisAnnaiIndira
GandhiBridgeAlso,Kalamunveileda
plaqueandreleasedabookMarvelsof
SouthIndianRailway.

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Odisha

Patna

Gujarat

RanKiVav,a11thcenturystepwell
nominatedforworldheritagesiteislocated
atthisplace.

Bihar

TheChiefMinisterNitishKumarunveiled
20kmfreeWiFizonestretchfromNIT
PatnaonAshokRajpathtoDanapur
recently.WiththisstepBiharhasmadea
strongbidforamentionontheworlds
infotechmapasthisfreeWiFizoneisthe
longestintheworld.earlier,Chinas3.5km
zonewastreatedasthelongestsofar.A
citysurveillanceanddial100projecthas
alsobeenlaunchedinthecitywhichisthe
firstofitskindinthecountryasit
integratesthesurveillanceofthecity,
vehicletrackinganddial100controlcentre
schemes.

w
w

Patan

WHOrevealedthatPeshawarinPakistan
hadthelargestnumberofPoliocasesinthe
worldin2013.

Peshawar

Pakistan

PortBlair

Andamanand Atleast21personsdiedwhenthetourist
boatcarrying51touristscapsizedbetween
Nicobar

RossIslandandNorthBaynearAndaman
andNicobarcapital.PrimeMinister
ManamohanSinghcondoledthelossof
livesintheboattragedyandsanctionedan
exgratiaoftwolakhrupeesfromthePrime
MInistersReliefFundtothefamiliesof
thosekilledintheboattragedy.

SouthKorea

Thecitywere23rdwinterolympicsof2018
willbehosted.

Russia

Russia

OlypictorchwaslitinRussiaatitshighest
pointonthewesternpeakofMountElbrus,
thehighestpeakofEuropeonFebruary
2014.

Somalia

HornofAfrica Atleast12people,includingpermanent

ur
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Pyoengchang

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es

tG

secretaryoftheSomalianPrimeMinister
andanexintelligencecommander,were
killedinanattackbyAIShabaabmilitant
grouponSomaliaspresidentialpalacein
Mogadishurecently.Nineattackers,
includingtwosuicidebombers,were
amongthosekilled.Acarbombwentoff
outsidethegateofthepresidentialpalace
beforeagroupofAIShabaadfighterstried
tostormthebuilding.Theattackwasaimed
tocausemaximumdamagebutwasfoiled
bylocaltroopsandAfricanUnion
peacekeepers

SouthKorea

EastAsia

AmultistoryferrySewolcarrying459
people,mostlyhighschoolstudents,onan
overnighttriptothesoutherntourist
islandofJeju,sankoffcountry'ssouthern
coaston16April.SouthKoreanauthorities
havearrestedcrewmembersofthe
capsizedferrythatkilled150people,with
another152stillmissing.

Chhattisgarh

Fifteensecuritypersonnelwerekilledina
MaoistambushinSukmadistrictofsouth
ChhattisgarhinMarch2014.

TamilNadu

India

TamilNadugovernmentlaunchedthefirst
phaseofofprovidingfreeCompact
FluorescentLight(CFL)bulbstoover14lakh
hutdwellersinthestate.Thisisan
energysavingmeasureaimedatsaving40
mwofpower.

TamilNadu

India

Sixworkerswereinjuredwhenhotwater
spilledfromavalveatKudankulamnuclear
powerplant,situatedinTamilNadu,inMay
2014.

Telhara

Bihar

Theplacewhereremainsofanancient
univercityhavebeendiscovered.Biharis
alreadyknowntobehometoNalandaand
Vikramashilauniversities.Theplacewas
visitedbyChinesetravellerHeuenTsangin
the7thcenturyAD,anditwasmentioned
asTeleadakainhisaccount.

Thimpu

Bhutan

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Thecountrydeclaredrescueoperations
over,followingthedevastatingcoalmine
blast,thecountry'sworsteverindustrial
disaster,afterretrievingthebodiedoftwo
lasttrappedminers,bringingthefinal
deathtoll301.Atotalof485minerswere
rescuedalive.Apreliminaryexpertreport
ontheaccidentpointedtoseveralsafety
violationsinthemine,includingashortage
ofcarbonmonooxidedetectorsand
ceilingsofwoodinsteadofmetal.

Africa

ItwasthenewswhenPresidentYouwen
Musevenisignedacontroversialantigay
billthatallowsharshpenalitiesfor
homosexualoffences.

w
Uganda

Mr.NarendraModivisitedThimpu,Bhutan
onJune1516,2014,toboosttheirmutual
interest,economictiesandcooperationin
variousfields.Thiswasthefirstforeignvisit
ofMr.Modiafterassumingthechargeof
PrimeMinisterofIndia.

Asia

w
w

Turkey

Sukma

Asia

Therewereprotestsagainstthelocal
government.

Ukraine

Ukraine

TheParliamentofUkrainpassedanewset
oflegislationwithviewtosuppress
protestsagainstPresidentVikrant
Yanukovych.Thenewlawdoesmakes
blockadingpublicbuildingspunishableup
tofiveyearsinprisonandprotesters
wearinghelmetswillfaceafineoran
adminstrativearrest.

Ukraine

Ukraine

Crimeavotedtooverwhelminglytosecede
fromUkraineandjoinRussia

Varanasi

UttarPradesh DieselRailEngineFactoryatVaranasiranks

Ukrain

Vietnam

Inthecountry,thousandsofantichina
protestershavegoneontherampagein
southernpartofthecountry,damagingand
settingfiretfactories.Theywere
protestingatChina'sdeploymentofanoil
riginanareaofSouthChinaclaimedby
bothVietnameseenvoytoTaipeitoexpress
seriesconcern.

Vrindavan

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es

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Vietnam

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secondaftertopperUSinconstructing
DieselRailEngines.

UttarPradesh Afoundationstonetobuild70storytemple
tobeknownasChandrodayaMandirhas
beenlaidatthistown.

Japan

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YonaguniIsland

Japanhasbegunitsfirstmilitaryexpansion
atthewesternendofitsislandchainin
morethan40years.Themoverisks
angeringchina,lockedinadisputewith
JapanovernearbyIslandwhichtheyboth
claim.JapaneseDefenceMinisterItsnori
Onodera,whoattendedaceremonyon
YonaguniIslandtomarkthestartof
construction,suggestedthemilitary
presencecouldbeenlargedtootherislands
intheseassouthwestofJapan'smain
ialands.Buildingthebasecouldextend
JapanesemonitoringtotheChinease
mainlandandtrackChineseshipsand
aircraftcirclingthedisputedcrags.

ImportantDatesandDays
Date

CelebratedAs
LouisBrailleDay

9Jan

NRIDay

10Jan

WorldLaughterDay

11Jan

WorldLaughterDay

12Jan

NationalYouthDay

15Jan

ArmyDay

26Jan

RepublicDay(India)

26Jan

InternationalCustomsDay

27Jan

InternationalDayofCommemorationin
MemoryoftheVictimsoftheHolocaust

30Jan

Marty'sDay(India)

30Jan

WorldLeprosyEradicationday

6Feb

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u.
co

tG

WorldCancerDay
InternationalDayofZeroTolerancetoFemale
GenitialMutilation
WorldRadioDay

w
w

13Feb

.B
es

4Feb

4Jan

14Feb

Valentine'sDay

20Feb

WorldDayofSocialJustice

21Feb

InternationalMotherLanguageDay

24Feb

CentralExciseDay

28Feb

NationalScienceDay

3Mar

WorldWildlifeDay

8Mar

InternationalWomen'sDay

15Mar

WorldsDisabledDay

OrdnanceFactoriesDay(India)

20Mar

InternationalDayofHappiness/World
SparrowDay

21Mar

InternationalDayofForests/International
DayforEliminationofRacialDiscrimination/
WorldPoetryDay/WorldDownsSyndrome
Day

22Mar

WorldDayforWater

23Mar

WorldMeterologicalDay

24Mar

WorldTBDay

2Apr

WorldAutismAwarenessDay

5Apr

NationalMaritimeDay

7Apr

WorldHealthDay

17Apr

WorldHaemophiliaday

21Apr

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u.
co

tG

WorldHeritageDay/InternationalDayfor
MonumentsandSites
SecreatariesDay
EarthDay

w
w

22Apr

.B
es

18Apr

18Mar

WorldBook&CopyrightDay

25Apr

WorldMalariaDay

23Apr

1May

InternationalLabour/WorkersDay

3May

PressFreedomDay/WorldAsthmaDay

4May

CoalMinersDay

8May

WorldRedCrossDay

9May

WorldThalassaemiaDay

11May

NationalTechnologyDay

12May

InternationalNursesDay

15May

InternationalDayoftheFamily

17May

WorldTelecommunicationDay

18May

WorldMuseumDay

BhashaShahidDiwas(India)

21May

AntiTerrorismDay

21May

AntiTerrorismDay/WorldDayforCultural
DiversityforDialogue&Development

23May

WorldTurtleDay

24May

CommonwealthDay

31May

AntiTobaccoDay

1Jun

GlobalDayofParents

4Jun

InternationalDayofInnocentChildren,Victims
ofAggression

5Jun

WorldEnvironmentDay

14Jun

WorldBloodDonorDay

15Jun

Father'sDay(2014)

26Jun

InternationalDayAgainstDrugAbuse&Illicit
Trafficking

10May,11
May

WorldMigratoryBirdDay

2ndSunday
ofMay

WorldMother'sDay(in2014itwillcelebrating
on11052014)

Second
Sundayof
February

WorldMarriageDay(In2014itwascelebrated
on09022014)

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19May

Conferences&Summits

WhenHeld
Where
Held

TheleaderofCanada,
France,Germany,Italy,
Japan,theUnited
Kingdom,theUnited
States,andThe
Presidentofthe
EuropeanCommission
(G7leaders)

BIMSTEC
Summit(3rd)

Bangladesh,India,
Myanmar,SriLanka,
Thailand,Nepaland
Bhutan.

Heldon45
June2014at
Brussels
(Belgium)

G7leadersfirstdiscussedglobalgrowth
andhowtotacklehighunemployment.
Leadersalsoaddressedtradeissues,
includingtheactiveandambitiouson
goingnegotiationsbetweenG7members.
G7leaderalsoadoptedadeclarationon
nonproliferationanddisarmamentfor
2014.Globaleconomic,energyand
climate,developmentchallenges.Note:
Originally,aG8summitwasscheduledto
takeplaceinSochi(Russia)inearlyJune
2014underRussianpresidency.However,
owingtoRussia'sallegedviolationof
Ukraine'ssovereigntyandterritorial
integrity,theG7leadersdecidedto
insteadmeetinBrusselson45June2014
intheG7format
March2014; Thedeclarationissuedattheendofthe
NayPyiTaw, Summitexpressedsatisfactionwiththe
Myanmar
closecoopertionbetweenlaw
enforcementagenciesofmemberstatesin
combatingterrorismandtransnational
crimes,callingforexpeditingthe
ratificationforentryintoforcesofthe
BIMSTECConventinonCooperationin
CombatingInternationalTerrorism.All
sevencountriescommitedtoalleviate
povertytoensuredignity,improvethe
qualityoflifeandwellbeingofthe
peoples

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40thG7
(Earlier
knownasG8)
Summit2014
heldat
Brussels

IssuesandDiscussions

Participants

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Nameofthe
Confrences/
Summits

March2014; TheConferencediscussedtheviewsand
Dehradun
experiencesoffarmersonsoiland
conservation.Italsodiscussedtheimpact
ofGoIschemeslikeMGNREGAand
integratedfarmingsystemsinIndia.
Otherissuesofdiscussionsincluded,role
ofwomen,empowermentoffarmers,
governanceforsoilandwater
conservation,roleofthePanchayatiRaj
etc
April2014;
Qingdao
(China)

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Conferenceof 22countries,including
theWestern
USA,India
PacificNaval
Symposium
(WPNS)

Itisheldbiennially.Theconference
adoptedaagreementaimedatensuring
thatmiscommunicationbetweennaval
veselsdoesnotdevelopedintoconflictin
thePacificOcean.Inthisconference,Code
forUnplannedEncountersatSea(CUES)
wasadoptedanditsetsEnglishasthe
standardlanguageofcommunication,and
establishestheradiofrequenciesthat
shouldbeusedbetweennavalshipsand
aircraft.Itestablishessingalsthatcanbe
sentwithflaresandothervisualmethods.
Thethemeofthisyear'sconferencewas
"InnovationsinScienceandTechnologyfor
InclusiveDevelopment".Different
scholarspresentedtheirviewsand
researchfindingsintheConference.

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Conference
For
Conserving
SoilAnd
Water
Resources

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IndianScience LeadersofmanyScience February

Congress
Academicsparticipated 2014;
(101st)
inthisCongress.Almost Jammu
1200015000delegates
includingNobel
laureates,senior
scientists,teachers,
Youngscholarsand
studentsparticipated
andpresentedtheir
researchfindings.
Nuclear
Itwasattendedby
March2014;
Security
leadersof53countries, TheHague
Summit2014 headsoffourobserving (Netherland)
organisations(EU,
Interpol,IAEAandUN)
andabout5000
delegates.

ThemainaimofNSSistopreventnuclear
terrorismanddangersthroughvarious
means.TheHagueNSSachievements
includenewreductioncommitmentswith
Japan,ItalyandBelgiumagreeingtocut
theirstocksofhighlyenricheduranium
andplutonium.Anotherachievmentofthe
Summitwasanagreementwherein35
countriesagredtoadopttheNuclear
SecurityguidelinesandlettheIAEAadvise
upontheimplementationbyinvitingpeer
reviewsofexternalexperts..The
countriesalsopledgedtoturn

internationalguidelinesonnuclear
securityintonationallawsandopenup
theirproceduresforprotectingnuclear
installationstoindependentscrutiny.
However,18countries(likeIndia,China)
refusedtoadopttheguidelines.The
Summitinajointdeclarationsaidthatthe
nationsarecommittedtonuclear
disarmament,nuclearnonproliferation
andtheuseofnuclearenergyforonly
peacefulpurposes

ATOMEXPO2014hasbecomeoneofthe
majorworldeventsduringwhichthemost
topicalissuesofthenuclearenergyare
discussed,andfurthernuclearpower
developmenttrendsareshaped.

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ATOMEXPO
Forthefirsttimethe
9to11June
2014Nuclear Forumwasattendedby 2014at
EnergyForum therepresentativesof
Moscow
countriessuchas:
Angola,Belgium,
Zambia,Yemen,
Indonesia,Lebanon,and
Pakistan.Anumberof
prominentinternational
contractsweresignedat
theForum,inparticular,
CooperationAgreement
inthesphereofatomic
energybetweenthe
StateAtomicEnergy
CorporationRosatom
andforeigncompanies
andstateauthorities

Sports
(ThebelowisgiventhewinnersofallthemajorsportseventssinceJanuary2014)

NameofTrophy

Month/Year

Winner

Nameof
Sport

Mar14

Indiawonthethreegold
threesilversandthree
Bronzemedals,thereby
toppingthetally.

AustarlianOpen

2014

Men'sSinglesStanislas
Tennis
Wawrinka(Switzerland);
Women'ssingleLiNa
(China)

Melbourne
(Australia)

NationalBasketball
Championship

March2014
(64th)

TamilnaduwontheMens
titlewhereas
Chhatisgardhwonthe
womenstitle.

Basketball

NewDelhi

NationalSnooker
Championship

Mar14

PankajAdwaniandVidya
PillaiwontheMensand
Womenstitle
respectively.

Snooker

Lucknow

2014

KarnatakaState.Manof
thematchtitlewasgiven
toK.H.Rahul.

Cricket

Hyderabad

SnookerWorld
Championships

May2014

MarkSelby(U.K)

Snooker

Sheffield,
England

ThomasCup

May2014

Japan

Badminton

NewDelhi

UberCup

May2014

China

Badminton

NewDelhi

WorldTwenty20
(Mens)
WorldTwenty20
(Womens)

2014

SriLanka

Cricket

Bangladesh

2014

Australia

Cricket

Bangladesh

Men'sHockeyWorld
Cup

Jun14

Australia

Hockey

TheHague,
Netherlands

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AsianGrandPrix
Archery
Championship

RanjiTrophy

Archery

Whereheld

Jun14

Netherlands

Hockey

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Women'sHockey
WorldCup

Netherlands
(TheHague)

DefenseUpdates
Topic

Headline

Newsdetails

IndiaSuccessfully
conductsnighttest
Agnimissiles

Indiaconductedsuccessfullyitsmaidennighttestofits
AgniIballisticmissilewithstrikerangeof700km.from
atestrangeoffOdishaCoast.

Akash

AkashSuccessfully
TestFiredAgain

Launchingthesamemissileforthesecondconsecutive
day,IndiainMay2014successfullytestfired
indigeneouslydevelopedsurfacetoairAkashmissileas
partofausertrialfromIntegratedtestRange(ITR)at
Chandipur,Odisha.

Akash

SupersonicAkash
Missiletestfiredby
Armyinverylow
AltitudeinITR
Balasore

IndianArmyinJune2014testfiredsurfacetoairAkash
missilefromanIntegratedTestRange(ITR)inBalasore,
Odisha.Thistestwaslastamongthevalidationtrials
beingcarriedoutbytheArmyonthefirstoffproduction
modelsofAkashSupersonicmissile.Nowitisreadyfor
beinginductioninIndianarmy.

AkashMissile

AkashMissile
On23rdAprilIndiasuccessfullytestfiredsurfacetoair
successfullytestfired missileAkashfromChandipurinOdisha.The700kgall
weatherAkashmissilecancarry60kgwarheadsat
speedsofuptoMach2.5witha27kmrangeandan
effectiveceilingof15km.TheAkashmissilecan
operatesautonomouslyandsimultaneouslyengaged
andneutralisedifferentaerialtargets.Itcanbe
launchedfromstaticormobile.

AstraMissile

Indiasuccessfully
testfiredAstraairto
airmissile

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AgniMissile

BrahMos
Missile

BrahMosSuccessfully
TestFired

IndiainMay,2014successfullytestfireditsfirst
indigenouslydevelopedairtoairmissileAstrafroma
SU30combataircraftoverafiringrangeinthewestern
sector.ItisdevelopedbyDRDOandisanallweather
weaponssystem.
Indiasuccessfullytestfiredthe290kmrangeBrahMos
supersonicantishipcruisemissilefromthecountry's
largestindigenouswarshipINSKolkata.Itwasforthe
firsttimethatthemissile,alreadyinserviceinNavy,
demonstrateditscapabilityfromanindigenous
warship.

Armysuccessfullytest TheArmysuccessfullytestfiredanadvancedversionof
firesBrahMosMissile 290kmrangesupersoniccruisemissileBrahMosaspart
ofausertrialatPokharantestrangeinRajasthan.The
missilewaslaunchedbyamobileautonomouslauncher
deployedinfullconfigurationwithmobilecommand
postattheranges.BoththeArmyandNavyhave
alreadyinductedthemissiledevelopedbyIndiain
partnershipwithRussia.

GarudaV

ExerciseGarudaV
successfully
completed

TheIndoFrenchAirExercisenamedGarudaV
commencedon3rdJunewassuccessfullyconcluded
whereboththeforcesengagedinvariouscombatroles,
includingAirtoAirrefueling.

INS
Vikramaditya

INAVikramaditya
dedicatedtonation

NarendraModidedicatedIndia'slargestwarshipINS
Vikramadityatothenation.Itisa44500tonnewarship
acquiredfromRussiaforoverRupees15000cr.The
dealwassignin2004.INSVikramadityaisafloating
airfieldwithanoveralllengthofabout284metersand
maximumbeingof60metersstretchingasmuchas3
footballfieldsputtogether.Sheiscapableofsustaining
herselfatseaforabout45days.

Military
exercises

IndoFrenchair
exerciseGaruda5

IndiaandFrancewouldstarttendayjointairexercise
namedGaruda5.Itisaimedattrainingthepilotsand
crewofIndiaandFrance.Theexercisewillbeheldin
RajasthanJodhpurairbasefrom3rdJune2014.Both
theIndianAirForceandFrenchAirForcewouldbe
engagedinvariousmissionsrangingfromclosecombat
engagementoflargeforces,slowmoverprotection,
andprotectingandengaginghighvalueaerialassetsin
exerciseatthestrategicairbasenearIndoPakborder.
Theflyingconsistingofairtoairrefueling,basicand
advancedfighterinterceptionsprotectionsofhighvalue
aerialtargetscombatmaneuveringwouldbethemain
focusoftheexercise.Theobjectiveoftheexerciseisto
exposeIAFpilotstoFrenchfightertacticsandFrench
pilotstoIndianfightertactics.

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BrahMos
Missile

PrithviMissile Prithvidefense
defence
vehicletestfires
vehicle

IndiatestfireditsmaidenPrithvidefencevehiclefrom
WheelerIsland,offtheOdishaCoastwithanaimto
trackthetargetmissiles.

Transport
Aircraft

India'snewlyacquiredUSmadeC130Jtransport
aircraftcrashednearGwaliorkillingall5crewmembers.
Indiahadrecentlyacquired6C130JSuperHercules
aircraft

IAFsC130Jplane
crashes

SpaceResearchUpdates
Headline
MoonMission ISROto
India
Launch
Chadrayaan
2by2016

Newsdetails
TheIndianSpaceResearchOrganization(ISRO)announced
tolaunchIndiasmissiontothemoon,Chandrayaan2,by
2016,whichwouldincludeanorbiter,Landerandroveron
January10,2014.TheISROaimedtodemonstrateits
capabilitytosoftlandonthelunarsurfacewiththis
mission.Chandrayan2wouldbelaunchedbya
GeosynchronousSatelliteLaunchVehicle,(GSLV)powered
byanindigenouslydevelopedcryogenicengine.Indian
becameafullfledgedmemberoftheeliteglobalspace
leagueafteritputthe1982kgGSAT14communication
satelliteintoperfectorbitwiththehelpofitsGSLVrocket
poweredbyanindigenouscryogenicengine.Thesatellite
wasinjectedintoorbitafteraflightofonly1000seconds
byGSLVrocket,whichheraldedIndiasentryintothe
cryogenicclubthathadsofarincludedonlytheUS,Russia,
Japan,FranceandChina.Objectives:Includedinthebroad
objectivesofthemissionwouldbetheextensionof
scientificexperimentscarriedoutbyChandrayaan1,
IndiasfirstmissiontotheMoonwhichincludedalunar
orbiterandimpacted.Thescientistshadannouncedthat
usingdatafrominstrumentsaboardIndiasChandrayaan1
spacecraft,theyhaduncoveredevidenceofwaterlocked
inmineralgrainsontheMoonssurface.

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Topic

GSLVD5
Launched
Successfully

IRNSS1B

IRNSS1B
(Navigation
Satellite)
Successfully
launched

IndianSpaceResearchOrganization(ISRO)successfully
launchedGSLVD5rocket,whichispoweredbyan
indigenouscryogenicengine,fromtheSatishDhawan
SpaceCentreinSriharikotaonJanuary5,2014.Therocket
successfullyinjectedGSAT14communicationsatelliteinto
geosynchronoustransferorbit.ISROachievedthefeat
aftertwofailuresearlier.WhileIndiahasmasteredthe
PSLVrangeofrocketswithastringof25consecutive
successes,GSLV,whichcancarryheavierpayloads
includinghumanstospace,hasremainedachallenge.
WiththelaunchofGSLVD5,Indiajoinedcountrieslikethe
US,Russia,Japan,FranceandChinawhichhave
successfullydevelopedtheirowncryogenicengines.In
April,2010,theISROtesteditsfirstindigenouscryogenic
engine,butitfailedalittlelessthanasecondafterthe
cryogenicstageignited.Features:Height49.13m;Liftoff
Mass414.75tonnes;NumberofStages3(Solid,Liquidand
Cryogenic).NeedofGSLV:ThePSLVcanonlylaunch
satellitesweighing1.4tonneswhereasGSLVcanlaunch
satelliteweighingmorethan2tonnes.Indiahadgotseven
cryogenicenginesfromRussia,andISROhasusedsixof
them.Withnoaffordablesupplycomingfromabroad,
Indiafeltthenecessitytodevelopitsowncryogenic
engine.Also,ithasacostofapproxRs.25000crorein
spacemarket.TheISROwillalsogetthecontribution.

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GSLV

ISRO'SPolarSatelliteLaunchedVehicle,PSLVC24,successfully
launchedIRNSS1BinApril,2014fromSatishDhawanSpace
Centre(SHAR),Sriharikota.IRNSS1Bisthesecondnavigation
satelliteamongthesevensatellitesthatwilleventually
constitutetheIndianRegionalNavigationSatelliteSystem
(IRNSS).Oncecompleted,theIndianRegionalNavigational
SatellitesSystem(IRNSS)systemwilloffernavigational
services,forbothcivilanddefencepurpose,inIndiaandalso
1500kmbeyonditsboarders.

After10years
inorbit,
INSAT3E
expires

ISRO'SCommunicationssatelliteINSAT3EinApril,2014
completeditslifeandwentoutofservice.Builttolast15years,
ithascompletedtenandahalfyearsinorbit.Thethird
generationsatellitewaslaunchedinSeptember2003with36
transponders24Cbandand12extendedCband
transpondersbutonly25ofthemhavebeenworkingsince
2009.INSAT3Ehadbrieflyblinkedanddisruptedservicesfor
almostadayinSeptember2012andwasrestored.

PSLVC23

Fiveforeign
satellites
launched

PSLVC23waslaunchedonJune30,2014.Itcarriedfiveforeign
satellites.Allfivesatelliteswerereleasedsuccessfully.Besides
itsprimarypayloadof714kgFrenchEarthObservationSatellite
SPOT7,PSLVC23carriedandplacedinorbit14kgAISATof
Germany,NLS7.1(CANX4)andNLS7.2(CANX5)ofCanadaeach
weighing15kgandthe7kgVELOX1ofSingapore.Thefive
satellitesarefromfourcountriesFrance,Germany,Canada
andSingapore.

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INSAT3E

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SNIPPETSNewsUpdates(ApriltoJune2014only)
June2014

40th G-7 (Earlier known as G-8) Summit 2014 held at Brussels

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The leader of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States,
and The President of the European Commission (G7 leaders) met in Brussels on 4-5 June, 2014
in the G7 format.

PM Visits Bhutan - Announces concessions

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Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi embarked on 2 day visit to Bhutan. It was his first
official visit to a foreign country.

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Bhutan promised not to allow its territory to be used against India, an assurance that comes
against India, an assurance that comes against the backdrop of militants from the northeast taking
shelter there. The two countries agreed to continue with their close coordination and cooperation
on issues relating to their national interests, said a joint statement issued at the end of the visit.

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The two sides recalled the free trade arrangement between them and the expanding bilateral trade
and its importance in further cementing their friendship.

The two leaders also expressed satisfaction on completion of the Supreme Court building and the
imminent commencement of the construction of the Kholongchhu Hydro-electric Project.
During his visit to Bhutan, Indian Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi announced a number
of measures and concessions including the exemption of Bhutan from any ban on export of milk
powder, wheat, edible oil, pulses and non-basmati rice. The two sides also reaffirmed their
commitment to their cooperative partnership and agreed to further promote trade and
investment.

Delhi becomes First kerosene-free city in India

Delhi Government announced that Delhi has become the first kerosene-free city in the country.
This feat was achieved after implementation of the Delhi: A Kerosene-Free Scheme launched in
2012 under which no subsidized kerosene were being issued in Delhi.

Reuven Ruby Rivlin elected as 10th president of Israel

Reuven Ruby Rivlin was elected as the 10th President of Israel. Reuven Ruby Rivlin is a
member of Likud party.

Sumitra Mahajan to be New Lok Sabha Speaker

C Radhakrishnan selected for Moortidevi Award 2013

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BJP leader Ms. Sumitra Mahajan has been elected as the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha. She is
the second women speaker of Lok Sabha in a row, as the previous Speaker was Ms Meira
Kumar.

State Bank of India partners with Ezetap Mobile to launch mPOS solution

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C Radhakrishnan, the eminent Malayalam scientist-turned-writer, has been awarded the

prestigious Moortidevi Award for 2013. He has been selected for this award for his novel
Theekkadal Katanhu Thirumadhuram. The novel is a biographical account of Thunchat
Ramaanujan Ezhuthachan, the person who is regarded as the father of Malayalam language.

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SBI has partnered with payments service provider, Ezetap Mobile Solutions, to deploy mobile
point-of-sale (mPOS) solution. SBI plans to deploy 5,00,000 point-of-sale terminals within the
next five years, it said in a release. "Mobile POS has the power to transform payments and
commerce. It can be deployed easily and at low cost in every corner of the country," SBI's
deputy managing director S K Mishra said. The SBI-Ezetap platform would allow the bank to
provide value-added services for merchants and consumers from a single, secure POS device and
application, he added.
Sanjaya Rajaram wins World Food Prize

India-born plant scientist Sanjaya Rajaram has been named the winner of the US $250,000
World Food Prize for his breakthrough achievement in increasing global wheat production by
more than 200 million tonnes following the Green Revolution.

Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh wins Jnanpith

Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh has been chosen for the prestigious Jnanpith award for 2013. . Singh
is the 10th Hindi writer to receive the honour and joins the likes of Sumitra Nandan Pant,
Ramdhari Singh Dinkar among others. He will be the recipient of the 49th Jnanpith award.

Malala Yousafzai wins Liberty Medal

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Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistan girl has won the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution
Centre in Philadelphia. Its an honour to be awarded the Liberty Medal, Yousafzai. She is now
17 year old and accepted this award on behalf of all the children around the world who are
struggling to get an education.

Militants captured Iraq's largest oil refinery Baiji refinery

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Militants in Iraq captured Iraq's largest oil refinery Baiji refinery. The Baiji refinery is located
north of Baghdad in Iraq. The reports indicate that militants attacked refinery with machine
gun
fire
and
mortars.

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Baiji is one of three oil refineries in Iraq and only processes oil from the north. The other two are
located in Baghdad and the Southern Iraq which are firmly under government control and are
operational.

BrahMos missile test-fired from warship INS Kolkata

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While most of Iraq's oil and gas fields are in the centre and the south of the country, militants
have seized territory in Iraq's oil-producing Kirkuk province.

India successfully test-fired the 290 km-range BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile from
the countrys largest indigenous warship INS Kolkata off the coast of Karwar in Karnataka.

Supersonic Akash Missile test-fired by Army in very low Altitude in ITR Balasore

In June 2014, Indian Army test-fired surface-to-air Akash missile from an Integrated Test Range
(ITR) in Balasore, Odisha. This test was last among the validation trials being carried out by the
Army on the first off production models of Akash Supersonic missile. Now it is ready for being
induction into Indian army. The missile intercepted fast-moving, small unmanned aerial
vehicle named Banshee at an altitude of 30 meters above the sea level. This test-fire at a low
altitude has proved its capability against subsonic cruise missile.

Former Captain of Bangladesh Mohammad Ashraful banned for eight years

Former Captain of Bangladesh Mohammad Ashraful on 18 June 2014 was banned for eight years
by the disciplinary panel set up by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. He was found guilty on four
charges of fixing matches in Bangladesh Premier League of 2013. Ashraful has also been
ordered to pay a fine of one million taka (12280 US dollar). The 29-year-old was under
suspension since June 2013 after he admitted to the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit that
he had indulged in fixing BPL matches.

World Bank lowers India's GDP growth forecast to 5.5 per cent for 2014-15

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The World Bank has lowered India's GDP growth forecast to 5.5 per cent for 2014-15, from the
earlier forecast of 5.7 per cent. The World Bank report, however, said that India's growth would
accelerate to 6.3 per cent in 2015-16, and 6.6 per cent in 2016-17.

Nivea to set up first plant in India at Sanand

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Global skin care giant Nivea India, an affiliate of Germany-based Beiersdorf AG, will also set up
its R&D center, announced to set up its first ever manufacturing plant in India at Sanand near
Gujarat .

RBI directs banking bodies to cooperate with SIT on black money

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RBI recently directed all banks and financial institutions to provide information and documents
sought by the Special Investigation Team, SIT set up to unearth black money. RBI issued a
notification to this effect yesterday. The SIT under the chairmanship of former Justice M B Shah
was constituted by the Narendra Modi-led government on its first day in office.

UK firm honours Sachin Tendulkar with rare coin

East India Company, now a days Britain's premium luxury goods brand has come out with an
exclusive legal tender gold coin worth 12,000 pound sterling in honour of Indian cricket legend
Sachin Tendulkar.The rare coin has been issued in honour of Tendulkar's remarkable career
spanning 24 years. It is also reported that only 210 gold coins, each weighing precisely 200g,
are being issued to pay tribute to Tendulkar at a global level.

Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) signs pact with GCCI to encourage women
entrepreneurs

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Bharatiya Mahila Bank Ltd (BMB) and trade body Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(GCCI) will jointly facilitate women entrepreneurs by addressing their finance requirements for
technological up-gradation, marketing, diversification in their businesses. As per the terms of
MoU, BMB and GCCI-BWW would jointly conduct training workshops for GCCI-BWW
members on the procedure for availing financial assistance. BMB will set up a simplified
application process for loans of less than Rs 5 lakh by the GCCI-BWW members.
ICICI Bank launches co-branded card with DMRC

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ICICI Bank has launched its co-branded card with DMRC. The card is backed by MasterCard,
which has similar products, in cities such as London, Singapore and Taiwan.
A.K. Dubey appointed as Chairman of Coal India Limited

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A.K. Dubey has been appointed as Chairman of Coal India Limited He will serve as the
Chairman for a period of three months until the new chairman of the state-owned company is
duly appointed.

Maharashtra State Cabinet approved reservation for Marathas and Muslims in the
State

Maharashtra State Cabinet approved 16 percent reservation to Maratha community and 5

percent to Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions. The reservation is
applicable only for non-creamy layer of these communities and will be implemented
immediately. This decision will not affect the existing 52 percent reservation in the State and
with this the overall reservation has now increased to 73 percent.

Jean-Claude Juncker named as next European Commission president

Jean-Claude Juncker has been named as the next president of the European Commission.
Juncker, a former Luxembourg Prime Minister and veteran EU insider, was backed by all EU
member states, except Britain and Hungary.

Flipkart launches 7-inch calling tablet for Rs 9,999/-

After e-commerce, Flipkart has jumped into the fiercely competitive smart device market in
India by launching its calling tablet for Rs 9,999. The seven-inch tablet branded Digiflip Pro is
expected to help the domestic online marketplace increase revenue and expand its presence in the
multi-billion
dollar
electronics
business.

PSLV C23 launched successfully from Sriharikota

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Indian successfully launched PSLV C23 Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. The
launch was delayed by three minutes to avoid space debris. It was a commercial venture for
ISRO as it has carried five foreign satellites into the space. This has strengthened India's space
mission capability to launch foreign satellites on a commercial basis.

Pankaj Advani wins his maiden IBSF 6-Red World Snooker title in Egypt

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Indian cueist Pankaj Advani won his maiden IBSF 6-Red World snooker title at Sharm el-Sheikh
in Egypt today. He defeated Kacper Flilpiak of Poland in the final that lasted barely an hour.
With this win, Advani today created history by becoming the first player in the world to win
world titles in the long and shorter formats of both billiards and snooker.
FIFA World Cup 2014

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The opening ceremony of 20214 FIFA l World Cup was held on 12th June, 2014 at Sau Paulo
(Brazil). The month-long tournament sees 32 nations compete in 64 games.

President Addresses Joint Sitting of Both Houses of Parliament

Pranab Mukherjee, President of India addressed on June 9.2014 the first joint sitting of
Parliament as mandatorily required under the Constitution after general elections that brought in
the Narendra Modi government in May 2014. The President said that putting the economy back
on track was paramount goal of the government. Government will create a policy environment
which is predictable, transparent and fair.

Israel, Denmark Keen to Partner in Ganga Clean-up

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Major Points of Presidents Address

1. To check food inflation will be the top most priority of the
government.
2. Government will prevent hoarding and black marketing.
3. Work towards high growth rate and put Indian economy
back on track.
4. Create more jobs
5. Allow FDI in sectors that will create jobs, assets.
6. Committed to providing water security.
7. IITs and IIMs in every state.
8. Zero tolerance towards violence against women; strengthen
the criminal justice system.
9. 33% reservation for women in Parliament and legislative
assemblies.
10. New health policy and roll out a national health insurance
mission.

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PM Narendra Modis pet Ganga clean-up programme and his mission for clean water has
attracted the attentions of some foreign nations. Israel and Denmark, global leaders in water
technology and water management, say they can be part of this particular national mission.

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India, China Hold First Major talk since Modi Victory

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met for three
hours in June 2014. Some of the problem Areas between India and China are as follows:-

(1)Border Dispute

(a) Long-standing dispute over the shared 4000 km Himalayan border that led to the 1962
India-China war.
(b) India says China occupies 38000 sq. km of territory on the Aksai Chin Plateau in the
Western Himalayas while China claims its right on nearly 90000 sq. km of land in
Arunachal Pradesh.
(2) Tibet India has given asylum to Tibets exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who fled the
region after a failed 1959 uprising against China. Tibet claims it was independent until China
occupied it in 1950 while China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries.

(3) Trade Trade between India and China, which enjoys dominance in the global economy,
has also stalled, falling to $ 65 billion last year. China has a $ 48 billion surplus.

Jaipurs Gaurav Agrawal Tops Civil Service Examination

For the first time in four years, a male candidate has topped the prestigious examination. Gaurav
Agrawal got the first rank in the exam with Economics as his optional subject.

Eye on China, Green Rules for Borders Eased

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Defense projects coming up within 100 km of the border with China will no longer be-required
the approval of the central environment ministry, the government said in June 2014, virtually
clearing the way for dozens of strategic infrastructure plans stuck for years.
India Full Member of Washington Accord

India became permanent signatory to the Washington Accord in June 2014 paving the way for
global mobility and employment avenues for engineers.

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This was decided at a meeting of the International Engineering Alliance (IEA) in Wallington,
New Zealand. The meeting had begun on June 9 and on June 13 and all 15 signatory countries
voted in favour on India.

Poroshenko Sworn in As Ukraine President, Vows Unity

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Washington Accord
(a) Indias membership will bring undergraduate engineering education on a par with world
standards.
(b) This will help in the mobility of engineering grads and professionals at a global level.
(c) India has been a provisional member of Washington Accord since 2007.

This 48 years old billionaire took the oath of office before Parliament, buoyed. Ukraines
new President Petro Poroshenko said his country would never give up Crimea and would not
compromise on its course towards closer ties with Europe, spelling out a combative and
deficient message to Russia in his augural speech in June 2014.

UNESCO Lists Three Myanmar Cities as World Heritage

UNESCO has finally approved the inscription of three ancient cities of Myanmar among the
worlds heritage, marking the countrys entry onto the list for the first time. Now included on

the list are three Pyu Ancient Cities-Hanlin, Beiktano and Sri Kestra, all in the irrigated
landscape in the central dry zone of the Ayeyarwady River basin.

The three cities, added with Irans Burnt City reflect the Pyu Kingdom that flourished for more
than 1000 years between 200 BC and 900 AD, according to the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization

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May 2014

Thailands army Chief announces military coup:

Thailands army Chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha announced a military takeover of the
government in May 2014, saying that the coup was necessary to restore stability and
order after six months of political deadlock and turmoil.

China signs 30-year deal for Russian natural gas:

China signed a landmark $400 billion deal in May 2014 to buy natural gas from Russia.
This brings Moscow more close to Beijing at a time when President Vladimir Putins
relations with the west have deteriorated. President of China also called for an Asian
security arrangement that would include Russia and Iran and exclude the United States.

Swiss voters reject worlds highest minimum wage:

In May 2014, Swiss voters rejected the proposals to introduces the worlds highest
minimum wage.

Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable missile Hatf III:

On 8th May, 2014, Pakistan successfully test-fired short-range surface-to-surface ballistic
missile Hatf III. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads
up to a range of 290 kilometers, that could cover parts of India.

Worlds highest railway tunnel opens in China:

The world highest tunnel for high-speed trains in northwest China became operational
on 1 May, 2014 at an altitude of 3,607.4 meters.

SC appoints Mudgal to probe IPL scandal:

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The Supreme Court on 16 May, 2014 appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal to probe the
spot-fixing and betting allegations against 13 people, including some cricketers who
played the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013, and inaction by Board President N.
Srinivasan
SC allows raising of water level in Mullaperiyar dam:
The Supreme Court allowed the raising of water level in Mullaperiyar dam up to 142 feet.
SC quashed the law passed by the Kerala assembly on the Mullaperiyar dam. The SC
restrained the Kerala government from implementing the legislation and obstructing
Tamil Nadu from increasing Water level. SC also set up a 3-member committee headed
by a Central Water Commission member to ensure proper repair of the Mullaperiyar
dam.

SC bans Jallikattu and bullock-cart racing:

In a major step towards protecting animals from human cruelty, Supreme Court banned
the popular post-harvest Jallikattu or bullfights in Tamil Nadu and bullock-cart racing in
Maharastra, Punjab and other states on the grounds that they violated provisions of the
50-years-old Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Harappan granary found at Rakhigarhi in Haryana:

A team of researchers has found a granary, with walls of mud-bricks, which are still in
remarkably good condition, at Rakhigarhi village, a Harappan civilization site, in
Haryana.

Fund to boost Chinas maritime Silk Road development:

China in May, 2014 set up a 10 billion Yuan ($1.6 billion) fund to take forward its
ambitious Maritime Silk Road Plan to build ports and boost maritime connectivity with
Southeast Asian and Ocean Littoral countries.
The 10 billion Yuan (around Rs. 10,000 crore) fund will support infrastructure projects
under the umbrella of the Silk Road plan.

Netherlands tops Press Freedom Index 2014, India 78

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Global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in over a decade, according to Press
Freedom Index 2014, released by American NGO Freedom House. The Netherlands,
Norway and Sweden retain their places at the top of the list for protecting press freedom.
China maintains the worlds most sophisticated censorship apparatus. India also saw a
decline in 2013 to reflect interference in content by media owners in the run-up to the
2014 elections.

Brazil issues stamps to honor Indian Cinema:

Brazil in May, 2014 paid tribute to the Indian film industry on its centenary by releasing
two postage stamps designed by an Indian graphic designer at a commemorative festival
in Brasilia. Indian cinema completed 100 years in 2013.

16th Lok Sabha elections:

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on 16 May, 2014 created an electoral record by
becoming the first party in 30 years to win a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha. The
party won 282 seats, comfort ability above the half-way mark of 272 in the 545-members
Lok Sabha. The alliance it leads National Democratic alliance (NDA) has 336 seats
in the lower house of the Parliament.
CBI can probe without Centres nod
In a landmark judgment, Supreme Court gave the CBI a free hand to inquire into
corruption charges against top bureaucrats by striking down a law that mandated the
agency to seek the Centre nod before investigating officers of the rank of join secretary
and above.

President launches Indias own card payment network RuPay:

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President Pranab Mukhaerjee in May, 2014 launched India own payment gateway RuPay
equivalent of Visa and MasterCard, which will work on ATMs and merchant outlets and
help in reducing cash transactions.
RuPay is the coinage of two terms Rupee and Payment. RuPay, which works on three
channels ATMs, Point of Sales (POS) and online sales, is the seventh such payment
gateway in the world.
World to have 3 billion Internet users by years end: UN
The United Nations International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has reported that
there will be nearly three billion Internet users (two-third of them from the developing
world). This will accounts for about 40 percent of the worlds population.

Miners Trapped :

On May 2013, hundreds of miners were trapped nearly a mile undergrounds after an
explosion and fire cut off electricity to the depths of a coal mine in Soma, Turkey. The
resulting disaster has now become the worst in Turkish history, claiming the lives of 301
workers with nearly another 500 escaping or being rescued.

Govt. Constitutes SIT to Go After Black Money:

The new Union government announced the setting up of a high-level Special
Investigation Team (SIT) to help unearth black money stashed away abroad at the first
meeting of the Cabinet, presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SIT
would be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice M.B. Shah and another retired
Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat would be its vice-chairman.

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The SIT will have high-profile government officials like Revenue Secretary, Deputy
Governor of Reserve Bank of India, Director of Intelligence Bureau, Director of
Enforcement Directorate, Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, Research and
Analysis Wing chief, Director-General of Revenue Intelligence, Chairman of the
Central Board of Direct Taxes and Director of Financial Intelligence
Top Ten Priorities of the Modi Government
The new government led by Narendra Modi has set the following ten top priorities. The
focus is on good governance through time bound delivery.

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Build confidence in bureaucracy.

Welcome innovative ideas give freedom to bureaucrats to work.
Transparency in government; e-auction will be promoted.
Education, health, water, energy and roads are priority.
People-oriented policy is priority.
Infrastructure and investment reforms.
System to be in place for inter-ministerial issues.
Economys concerns to be addressed.
Policies to be implemented in time-bound manner
Stability and sustainability in government policies.

IB Ex-Chief Ajit Doval is Indias New NSA

Former Intelligence Bureau Chief Ajit Doval
Security Adviser.

has been appointed as the National

April 2014

Status of Transgender: In a landmark ruling Supreme Court of India granted the status
of third gender to transgender. Court also directed the centre and states governments to
treat them as socially and educationally backward classes and citizens and provide them
reservation in admissions in educational institutions and government jobs. This ruling
will entitle them to benefits of central and state government welfare schemes. There are

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about 2 million transgender, popularly known as Kinnar. By virtue of this verdict, all
identity document, including a birth certificate, passport, ration card and driving license
would be available to third gender.
Black Money Account Holders: Government of India disclosed to the Supreme Court
the names of 26 people who had accounts in banks of Liechtenstein. The information of
this was received by India from German authorities. 18 of the above referred above
people are reported to have black money in their accounts.
Sinking of Ferry in South Korea: A multi-story ferry carrying 459 people sank of
South Koreas southern coast resulting in large number of deaths as most of people on
board were high school students. The Ship had sailed from Incheon for an overnight
journey to the Tourist Island of Jeju.
Largest Producers of Tea in World: India is the second largest producer of Tea in the
world. It contributes around 9,80,000 tonnes every year and is about 20 % of the total Tea
production. China occupies the first place with 1.64 billions tones yield per annum, which
amounts to 35% of the overall Tea production.
Green Curtains: Indian Railways has decided to launch a pilot project green curtains at
major tourist destination like Agra and Jaipur to check open defecation and littering along
the stations. It will improved the aesthetic ambience along the stations. The green
curtain initiative involve construction of RCC boundary wall of appropriate height along
the railways boundary up to a suitable distance, landscaping from the track to the wall
and within station circulation area.
Endangered birds: 15 Indian birds have been included in the list of 100 Evolutionary
Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) bird species identified in a study by
zoological Society of London and Yale University. (1) Bengal Florican, (2) Forest Owlet,
(3) Red-headed Vulture, (4) Egyptian Vulture, (5) Jerdons Courser, (6) Lesser Florican,
(7) Spoon-billed Sandpiper, (8) Sociable Lapwing, (9) Siberian Crane, (10) Great Indian
Bustard, (11) Greater Adjutant, (12) White-bellied Heron, (13) Wood Snipe, (14) Masked
Finfoot (15) Christmas Island Frigatebird.
Indias mission to Mars : On 9th April Indian space craft Orbiter crossed the half way
mark on its voyage to the red planet, four month after it left earth in December 2013.
Arunanchal Pradesh capital now on Rail Network : Itanagar, the capital of
Arunanchal Pradesh is now accessible by train. Itanagar is the second capital in the eight
north eastern states, after Guwahati, to be connected by Rail with other parts of the
country.
IDFC and Bandhan get in principle approval to setup banks: RBI has granted in
principle approval to applicants, IDFC limited and Kolkata based Bandhan Financial
Services Private Limited to setup banks.
Exports by India: India exported goods worth $ 312 billion in 2013 showing an increase
of 5% over the previous year. However India share in world exports is merely 1.7%. Now
India ranks 13 amongst top exporting countries in 2013.

BankingandEconomicNews(ApriltoJune2014only)
June 2014
Headline

News in Brief

Government announced a sharp hike of 14.2% in passenger

fares and 6.5% in freight tariffs, as envisaged in the interim
budget. The decision o these hikes was taken on February
10 by the UPA government with the caveat that it would
come into effect after the polls.
Institute for Economics
Instituted for Economics and Peace (IEP) in June, 2014
and peace (IEP) released its released its Global Peace Index for the year 2014 which it
Global Peace Index for the topped by Iceland. India has been ranked at 143rd position
out of 162 countries surveyed.
year 2014 which is topped
According to the index, the most peaceful countries are
by Iceland.
Iceland, Denmark and New Zealand. Syria replaces
Afghanistan as the worlds least peaceful country.

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Fare and Freight Hike by

Railways

The RBI reduced the SLR by 50 basis points 22.5 percent in

its bi-monthly monetary policy statement while.

RBI asks banks to disclose

sector-wise loans from next
fiscal

RBI has now asked banks to make sector wise disclosure

from 2014-15 onwards of their advances with a view to
encourage them to actively manage exposure to various
segments. Thisdisclosure requirement is based on
recommendations of the Committee on Comprehensive
Financial Services for Small Businesses and Low Income
Households under chairmanship of Dr. Nachiket Mor.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
(NABARD) in June 2014 reduced the rate of interest by 20
basis points (bps) on their long term refinance facility to
banks with an objective to promote investments in
agriculture. The new rates will be applicable from June
2014. The rates of refinance will now be 9.50% for 5 years
and above and 9.70% for 3-5 years period, Banks availing
more than Rs. 500 crore in a single drawl will further be
incentivized by 10 bps.
RBI in its directions to Banks has told thata bank account
can be opened with just one address proof, which can be
either permanent or local. The decision will help migrant
workers and employees with transferable jobs who at
present face problems in opening banks accounts due to non
availability of the documents of address proof at new place.
In its Policy dated 3rd June, RBI kept the Repo rate
unchanged at 8 percent. However it reduced Statutory

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SLR Reduction by Reserve

Bank of India

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NABARD reduces
refinance rate by 20 bps

RBI simplifies KYC norms

for opening of banks
accounts

RBI keeps key policy rates

unchanged in monetary

policy review

Liquidity Ratio by 50 basis points to 22.5 percent (from

23 percent). This move is likely to infuse around Rs. 40000
crore into the banking system.
RBI tightens merger rules
The RBI has tightened merger rules for non-bank finance
for non-bank finance firms companies (NBFCs), requiring them to obtain central bank
permission to acquire or merge with any similar entity.
RBI has allowed banks to provide loans with tenures of up
to 10 years to exporters to help them ensure capital flows to
fulfill long-term contracts. Existing norms allow banks to
give loans for up to one year only.

Treat foreign stake of over

10 % in listed cos as FDI

In the statement issued by GoI it is said that foreign

investment of 10% or more in a listed company will now be
treated as FDI as the government has accepted the report
of the Committee on Rationalizing Definitions of FDI and
FII, headed by Arvind Mayaram. Further, it said an
investor may be allowed to invest below 10% and this can
be treated as FDI subject to the condition that the FDI stake
is raised to 10% or beyond within one year from the date of
the first purchase. If the stake is not raised to 10% or above,
then the investment can be treated as portfolio investment.
The panel has also suggested that foreign investment in an
unlisted company, irrespective of the threshold limit, may be
treated as FDI.

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RBI extends loan tenures

for exporters to 10 years

Indias largest real estate company DLF has become the

countrys first real estate developer to get ISO 9001 : 2008
quality certification for development of housing and
commercial projects.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) began
drilling of its first-ever well in the Palar basin at
Chinnapulitur village near Gummidipoondi, about 55 km
from Chennai. The basin, covering an area of 1800 sq km,
was sandwiched between the two petroleum-bearing
Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery basins.
Indias biggest e-commerce company, Flipkart has
announced to acquire fast growing online fashion retailer
Myntra for $300 million.
The Tax Administration Reform Commission (TARC)
headed by Parthasarathi Shome, submitted its first report.
The panel has recommended a radical overhaul including
abolition of the post of Revenue Secretary, empowerment of
the apex direct and indirect taxes bodies, and allowing
revenue service officers to specialize to help implement
global best practices.

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DLF gets ISO certification

ONGC begins drilling in

Palar basin

Flipkart buys out Myntra

for $300 m
Shome Panel submits its
first to Finance Ministry

The leader of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the

United Kingdom, the United States, AND the President of
the European Council and the President of the European
Commission (G7) leaders) met in Brussels on 4-5 June, 2014.
The event was originally planned to take place in the Black
Sea resort city of Sochi, in a G8 format (including Russia)
However, Russia was expelled from the Group of Eight over
disagreement over the Ukraine and the political crisis there.

Lithuania ready to join

euro in 2015

The European Commission in June, 2014 announced that

Lithuania meets all the criteria for joining the euro, clearing
the way for the Baltic state to become the 19th member of
the single currency in January, 2015.

PMs Bhutan visit

At the invitation of King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel

Wangchuck, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a
State Visit to Bhutan in June, 2014. Prime Minister
addressed the Joint Sitting of the Parliament in the Gyalyong
Tshogkang in June 2014.

India becomes permanent

member of Washington
Accord

India in June, 2014 became a permanent member of the

Washington Accord, an elite international treaty on
engineering studies that promotes the movement of engineers
across signatory countries that includes the US, the UK and
Australia.

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G7 summit held in Brussels

In its first decision after taking charge, Prime Minister

Narendra Modis government announced the formation of a
Special investigation Team (SIT) to probe black money The
decision was taken in the first meeting of the Union Cabinet
chaired by Prime Minister Modi.
The Unit 1 of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant (KNPP)
reached full capacity generation of 1000 MW in June 2014.
This is the first nuclear power plant in the country to touch
1000 MW of power generation. The Rusian-designed Voda
Voda Energo Reactor (VVER) achieved the final milestone
nearly eight months after power generated at the plant was
connected to the grid.

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Govt. constitutes SIT on

Black Money

Kudankulam becomes first

nuclear plant to generate
1000 MW power

Delhi becomes first

kerosene-free city in India

The Delhi Government in June 2014 announced that the

national capital has become the first Kerosene-free city in
the country. With the successful implementation of Delhi; A
Kerosene-Free City Scheme, 2012, no subsidized Kerosene is
being issued in the national capital and the country can save
up to Rs. 200 crores every year.

May 2014
Headline

News in Brief

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RBI extends loan tenures

for exporters to 10 years

Singapore replaced
Mauritius as top sources of
FDI in India

India emerged as the worlds third-largest economy in 2011

in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) from being the
tenth largest in 2005, moving ahead of Japan, while the US
remained the largest economy closely followed by China,
according to a World Bank reported released on 29 April,
2014.
Singapore has replaced Mauritius as the top sources of for
foreign direct investment into India, according for about 25
percent of FDI inflows in 2013-14. During the last financial
year, India attracted $5.98 billion in FDI from Singapore,
whereas it was $4.85 billion from Mauritius, according to the
data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP).
The Reserve Bank of India in may, 2014 allowed bank to
provide loans tenures of up to 10 years to exporters to
provide loans tenures of up to 10 years to exporters to help
them ensure capital flows to fulfill long-term contracts.
Existing norms capital flows to fulfill long-term contracts.
Existing norms allow banks to give loans for up to one years
only. This facility is available with certain conditions,
including an interest rate limit of 200 basis points above the
London interbank, offered rate (Libor), a global benchmark,
Besides, exporters receiving loans of $100 million or above,
need to report the translation immediately to the RBI. As per
the conditions, there should be irrevocable supply orders in
place.
Bhartiya Mahila Bank, the countrys first all-women lender,
was included in the second scheduled to the RBI Act in May,
2014. Post inclusion in the second schedule or commercial
bank category, the lender becomes eligible for loans from
RBI on bank rate and also acquires membership of clearing
houses. Also, it provides that any activity of the bank would
not adversely affect the interests of depositors.
In existence since November 2013, the bank started with a
seed capital of Rs. 1,000 crore. One of the key objectives of
the lender is to focus on the banking needs of women and
promote economic empowerment.

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India becomes worlds

third-largest economy

Bhartiya Mahila Bank

included in second
scheduled to RBI Act

RBI asks banks to install

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), for the benefit of persons

disabled-friendly ATMs

with disabilities, made it mandatory in May, 2014 for banks

to install talking ATMs with Braille keyboard. All new
ATMs to be installed by commercial banks from July 2014
onwards would provide audible instructions and Braille
keyboard to customers.

RBI to launch plastic notes

next year

Plastic currency notes would be launched in the country in

2015 after field trials, reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor
Raghuram Rajan said in May, 2014.
ReserveBank of India (RBI) in May,2014 barred local
companies from repaying rupee loans using dollar loans
raised overseas. RBI said companies will not be allowed to
raised external commercial borrowings from overseas
branches and subsidiaries of India banks for the purpose of
refinance and repayment of rupee loans in case of take-out
financing, infrastructure financing and spectrum allocation
and other repayments. Earlier, RBI restricted banks from
issuing guarantees to offshore joint ventures and subsidiaries
of India companies to avail of foreign currency loans to
repay rupee credit.
To boost financial inclusion, the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) on 7 May, 2014 said that banks were at liberty to
allows minors above 10 years to independently open and
operate bank accounts only along with a parent or a
guardian. All children and teenagers below the age of 18 are
considered minors under current rules.

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RBI allows minors above

10 years to open operate
bank a/c

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RBI restricts use of ECB to

repay rupee loans

Headline

April 2014
News in Brief

Minimum balance
Penalty to end

In its first bi-monthly monetary policy, RBI said that instead

of levying penal charges for non-maintenance of minimum
balance in ordinary saving bank accounts, banks should limit
services available on such accounts. Hence, while no penalty
may be charged for non maintenance of minimum balances,
the services available to a customer including account
statement, several ATM transactions, cheque books issuance
and number of withdrawals may be offered only on the
payment of a sum.

WB to double its lending

capacity

The World Bank has announced that it is nearly doubling its

lending capacity to boost support for middle-income countries

RBI wants govt. to pare

stakes in banks

like Brazil, China, Indonesia, India and Mexico over the next
ten year, because they can provide insight to poorer countries
in solving their problems.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recommended to the
Centre to reduce its holdings in public sector banks. RBI feels
it is essential for robust corporate governance practices,
considering these lenders deteriorating asset quality and
rating downgrades.
Some of the Highlights of Recommendations:

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(a) Governance : The posts of chairman & managing

director be split.
(b) Corporate governance: RBI and govt. to dissociate
from selection of top management.
(c) Public sector bank board: RBI and govt should
withdraw from boards.
(d) Auditors: CA director should not be a part of
management committee.
(e) Fixed period: Chief executives should be given 5-years
terms.
(f) Remuneration: Market-based remuneration,
accompanied with higher accountability, including claw
back clauses.
(g) Incentive Structure: Incentives/bonuses should be paid
over a few years and not immediately.
(h) HR issues: Need to reassess the number of EDs /
General Managers in each bank.
(i) HR appraisal policy: Performance-linked
remuneration.
(j) Holding company : To begin with, such structure could
be experimented with slimmer PSBs.
(k) Under the Banking Regulation Act, the govt. has to
hold at least 51 percent stake in public sector banks.
However, in several cases, the stake is as much as 80
percent.
(l) It said the SBI group was more vulnerable in that the
banks senior management was selected internally,
which inhabited new thinking.
(m) The existing committee method of sanctioning loans
should be done away with, as this did not hold any
single individual accountable, the central bank said.
(n) In case of frauds, banks boards and senior
managements should be held accountable and a
branch-level official should not be made scapegoat.

SBI sells stressed assets

During the end of the last financial year, banks sold large part
of their non-performing assets (NPAs) to Asset Reconstruction
Companies (ARCs). The move, which follows a push from the
Reserve Bank of India in this regards, is expected to boost
banks profitability for the quarter ended March 2014. State
Bank of India (SBI), Indias largest lender sold Rs. 3500 cr. of
NPAs.
The Govt. of India has authorized the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) to issue debt instruments up to a ceiling of Rs. 50000 cr.
under the market stabilization scheme (MSS) for the fiscal
2014-15. Last year to the ceiling was pegged at the same level.

Govt. sets cap for MSS

State Bank of India (SBI) launched Tablet (Tab) Banking

service for opening savings bank accounts and giving inprinciple housing loan approval at the customers doorstep.
Indias largest bank also launched e-KYC (Know your
Customer) service. The three digital banking services will be
rolled out across the SBI network in a phased manner.

WB projects 5.7 %
growth for India

The World Bank, in its latest edition of South Asia Economic

Focus projected an economic growth rate of 5.7 percent in
2014-15 for India on the back of a more competitive exchange
rate and many large investment going forward.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) liberalized hedging limit for
domestic investors to USD 250,000 from existing USD 250000
from existing USD 100000 on the basis of a simple declaration
without any requirement of further documentation.
The Reserve bank of India has accepted the Vijaya Bhaskar
Committees recommendations, which suggested Indian
money and currency markets move their benchmarks towards
transaction-based from poll-based in an attempt to weed out
manipulation.

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Vijaya Bhaskar
Committees
recommendations

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RBI liberalizes hedging

limit for investors

SBI rolls out tab banking

service

Highlights:
(a) The Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives
Association of India (FIMMDA) as well as Foreign
Exchange Dealers Association of India (FEDAI) are
industry nodal agencies.
(b) The central bank has advised the FIMMDA and
FEDAI to act as administrators to the Indian rupee,
interest rate, and foreign exchange benchmarks,
respectively, and take necessary steps to implement the
recommendations of the committee.
(c) The central bank has asked benchmark submitters to
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governance of the benchmark submission process. The

policy should be aimed at deploying senior personnel
with requisite knowledge, who will be responsible for
benchmark submissions.
(d) Earlier in 2013, the central bank appointed a
committee under the chairmanship of P Vijaya
Bhaskar as it had sought to avoid embarrassments like
rigging of London Interbank Offered Rated (Libor)
and exchange rates across Europe.
(e) The special panel recommended that the benchmark
dealers with disclose submission of rates by banks or
dealers with a lag for transparency. Financial
benchmarks used to settle financial contracts.
(f) Submitted are required to keep records of past
submission with methodologies while periodic audit
may have to be done on submissions.
Measures are excepted to strengthen the governance
framework for benchmark submission.

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Big loan defaulters to face The reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken upon itself the
RBIs audit
task of investigating bank frauds after a series of inquiries by
banks themselves in high-profile cases such as those involving
Decan Chronicle and Kingfisher Airlines yielded very little.
The Board of Financial Supervision (BFS), chaired by RBI
governor Raghuram Rajan, has cleared a proposal that the
central bnak will conduct an independent forensic audit of
corporate declared fraudulent by banks. Independent audits,
however, will be restricted to corporate that have borrowed
that have borrowed more than Rs. 1000 cr. The central bank
will first try gen to the bottom of what went wrong with
Decan Chronicle. The Hyderabad-based Decan Chronicle
borrowed Rs. 4000 cr. From a consortium of 18 lenders, who
allege the company misused the banning system by borrowing
from one of lenders without keeping others in the loop.
Independent forensic audit is one of the many steps taken by
the RBI to check the rise in stressed assets in the banking
system.
RBIs approval to IDFC, The Reserve Bank of India granted in-principle bank
Bandhan
licences to Infrastructure Development Finance co (IDFC) and
microfinance lender Bandhan Financial Services Ltd. ending
a four-year process that left many applicants including
Reliance Capital and L & T Finance disappointed. But the
regulars promise of keeping a window open permanently for
bank licenses in future, rather than inviting applications at
intervals, has kept their hopes alive. India Post should still get

Highlights:
(a) Banks should be able to prove to the RBI the rationale
of their pricing policy, ie how the banks decide the
pricing of a banking product.
(b) Banks, particularly those whose weighted average
maturity of deposits is on the lower side, should move
towards calculating the Base Rate on the basis of
incremental cost of funds.
(c) More transparency in pricing, less customer complaints
better assets, liability management at banks.
(d) The banks board should make certain that the use of a
different mythology in calculating cost of funds should
not lead to any discrimination among borrowers.
(e) Banks should have a board-sanctioned policy delimiting
components which are utilized to decide the spread like
specific operating cost, credit risk premium and tenor
premium, competition, business strategy and customer
relationship.
(f) Bank Board Should make certain that any price
differentiation is coherent with banks credit pricing
policy factoring Risk Adjusted Return on Capital
(RAROC).
(g) The RBI panel asked Indian Banks Association (IBA)
to develop IBBR, a fresh benchmark for floating
interest rate products, which may be compared and
released by IBA on a periodical basis.
(h) In banks the grievances redressal systems should be
quick in responding to customers demands and the
banks not putting in place enough measures should be
penalized by the RBI.
RBI has set the upper limit for the WMA (Ways and Means
Advances) for the Central Government at Rs. 35000 cr per
week for the first half of the FY 2015. If the govt. utilizes 75

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Draft Report on Pricing

of Credit

a license with the regular saying it may issue one to the

institutions with the largest presence across the country after
discussions with the govt.
The announcement came after the Election Commission
allowed the central bank to go ahead with the move. The inprinciple approval is valid for 18 months during which IDFC
and Bandhan will have to meet all RBI rules to secure a
permanent license and begin banking activities. Twenty-five
applicants were in the fray to get new licenses.
RBI panel headed by RBI Deputy Governor Anand Sinha has
recommended bringing a benchmark floating interest rate
especially for home loans.

RBI caps WMA limit for

the Government

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RBI moots centralized

bill payment system

percent of WMA limit, RBI may further activate fresh

floatation of market loans.
A committee set up by the reserve Bank of India has suggested
a mechanism for centralized bill payment system in the
country. The committee has recommended setting up two
organizations Bharat Bill Payment Services (BBPS) and the
Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOUs) for the
purpose. BBPS will be set up inline with the National Payment
Corporation of India (NPCI). RBI has sought comments on the
recommendations and will issue the final guideline in due
course.
It informed that the panel known as GIRO (Govt. Internal
Revenue Order) Advisory Group (GAG), headed by IIT
Bombay professor Umesh Bellur, was set up in Oct 2013. The
panel was looking into GIRO-based electronic system. It is a
centralized process that allows payments for utility bills,
educational fees and insurance premium by just visiting the
bank branch. According to the report, BBPS will be the not
for profit authorized standard setting body while the BBPOUs
will be the authorized operational units, working in
compliance with the standards set by BBPS.
All trades in securitized debt instruments and over-thecounter (OTC) corporate bonds will have to be reported
within 15 minutes of the transaction, as SEBI directions to
stock exchanges and market intermediaries. The trades in
securitized debt instruments (listed or unlisted) by mutual
funds, FIIs, alternative investment funds, foreign venture
capital investors and portfolio managers are to be reported on
trade reporting platform of either NSE, BSE or MCX-SX,
within 15 minutes of trade. Similarly, all OTC trades in
corporate bonds have to be reported on any one of the
reporting platforms provided in the debt segment of the three
stock exchanges within 15 minutes. OTC trades generally refer
to transactions that can be executed between two market
entities without others being aware of the price at which they
have been effected.

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OTC Trades to be
reported within 15 min

SEBI plans risk profiling

of listed firms

To help it better regulate the marketplace and strengthen its

surveillance system, SEBI plans to set up a mechanism for risk
profiling of listed companies and various market
intermediaries, including stock brokers. The capital markets
watchdog is also working on a formalized risk-based
supervisory approach for various market intermediaries, for
which it has set up a Risk Based Supervision Task Force
within an objective to understand the supervision needs for
each class of entities regulated by it. As part of us focus areas

tG

India takes the crown of

third largest economy
from Japan

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Revised DTC proposes

super rich tax

for the current fiscal. SEBI plans to considerably beef up its

market surveillance capabilities.
The finance ministry has proposed significant changes to the
direct taxes Code (DTC) Bill. It has not accepted
Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendation on
widening of tax slabs. The changes, however cannot move
forward as a final call will have to be taken by the next govt.
as since the bill was not taken to Rajya Sabha, It will lapse
with the dissolution of Lok Sabha.
Highlights:
(a) 35 % tax on those earning more than Rs. 10 cr.
(b) Making a company liable to tax on indirect transfers if
20 % of its global assets are in India.
(c) The revised code proposes to replaces the Income tax
Act of 1961.
(d) It has provision to increase threshold of global assets to
be located in India for taxation of income from indirect
transfer from 50 % proposed in DTC 2010 to 20 %
now.
As per the data of International Comparison Programme,
India has overtaken Japan as the Worlds third largest
economy in 2011 in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
India holds 6.4% share of global GDP on a PPP bases.

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US remains in first place with 17.1% share, followed by China

at 14.9%.
It has been reported that The Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
will acquire 100% of Ranbaxy Laboratories in a $ 4
billion..The combined entity will create the fifth largest
specialist generics company in the world and the largest
pharma company in India.
As per world Bank report India received foreign exchange
remittances worth $ 70 billion in 2013 from its migratory
work force to retain the top spot in the world. China,
Philippines, Mexico are other countries with large remittances
from abroad.

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Sun Pharma to acquire to

Ranbaxy

India tops Global

Remittance Chart

List of Cabinet and State Ministers as on 27th May 2014

NameoftheMinister

Portfolio

Rank

NarendraModi

Personnel,PublicGrievancesandPensions,
PrimeMinister
DepartmentofAtomicEnergy
DepartmentofSpace,Allimportantpolicyissuesand
allother
portfoliosnotallocatedtoanyminister.

RajnathSingh

HomeAffairs

SushmaSwaraj

ExternalAffairs,OverseasIndianAffairs

ArunJaitley

Finance,CorporateAffairs,Defence

CabinetMinister

M.VenkaiahNaidu

UrbanDevelopment,HousingandUrbanPoverty
Alleviation,Parliamentary
Affairs

CabinetMinister

NitinGadkari

RoadTransportandHighways,Shipping

CabinetMinister

D.V.SadanandaGowda

Railways

CabinetMinister

UmaBharati

WaterResources,RiverDevelopmentandGanga
Rejuvenation

CabinetMinister

MinorityAffairs

CabinetMinister

GopinathraoMunde
RamvilasPaswan

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NajmaA.Heptulla

CabinetMinister
CabinetMinister

RuralDevelopment,PanchayatiRaj,DrinkingWater CabinetMinister
andSanitation
CabinetMinister

Micro,SmallandMediumEnterprises

CabinetMinister

WomenandChildDevelopment

CabinetMinister

AnanthKumar

ChemicalsandFertilizers

CabinetMinister

RaviShankarPrasad

CommunicationsandInformationTechnology,Law CabinetMinister
andJustice

AshokGajapathiRaju
Pusapati

CivilAviation

CabinetMinister

AnantGeete

HeavyIndustriesandPublicEnterprises

CabinetMinister

HarsimratKaurBadal

FoodProcessingIndustries

CabinetMinister

NarendraSinghTomar

Mines,Steel,LabourandEmployment

CabinetMinister

JualOram

TribalAffairs

CabinetMinister

RadhaMohanSingh

Agriculture

CabinetMinister

KalrajMishra

ManekaGandhi

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ConsumerAffairs,FoodandPublicDistribution

SocialJusticeandEmpowerment

CabinetMinister

SmritiIrani

HumanResourceDevelopment

CabinetMinister

HarshVardhan

HealthandFamilyWelfare

CabinetMinister

DharmendraPradhan

PetroleumandNaturalGas(IndependentCharge)

MinisterofStates

G.M.Siddeshwara

CivilAviation

MinisterofStates

InderjitSinghRao

Planning(IndependentCharge),Statisticsand
ProgrammeImplementation
(IndependentCharge),Defence

MinisterofStates

JitendraSingh

ScienceandTechnology(IndependentCharge),Earth MinisterofStates
Sciences
(IndependentCharge),PrimeMinisterOffice,
Personnel,Public
GrievancesandPensions,DepartmentofAtomic
Energy,Departmentof
Space

KirenRijiju

HomeAffairs

KrishanPal

RoadTransportandHighways,Shipping

MinisterofStates

ManojSinha

Railways

MinisterofStates

MansukhbhaiDhanjibhai
Vasava

TribalAffairs

NirmalaSitharaman

PiyushGoyal

PrakashJavadekar

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MinisterofStates

MinisterofStates

ChemicalsandFertilizers

MinisterofStates

CommerceandIndustry(IndependentCharge),
Finance,CorporateAffairs

MinisterofStates

HeavyIndustriesandPublicEnterprises

MinisterofStates

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P.Radhakrishnan

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Nihalchand

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ThaawarChandGehlot

Power(IndependentCharge),Coal(Independent
Charge),Newand
RenewableEnergy(IndependentCharge)

MinisterofStates

InformationandBroadcasting(IndependentCharge), MinisterofStates
Environment,Forest
andClimateChange(IndependentCharge),
ParliamentaryAffairs

RaosahebDadaraoDanve ConsumerAffairs,FoodandPublicDistribution

MinisterofStates

SanjeevKumarBalyan

Agriculture,FoodProcessingIndustries

MinisterofStates

SantoshKumarGangwar

Textiles(IndependentCharge),ParliamentaryAffairs, MinisterofStates
WaterResources,
RiverDevelopmentandGangaRejuvenation

SarbanandaSonowal

SkillDevelopment,Entrepreneurship,YouthAffairs MinisterofStates
andSports

(IndependentCharge)

ShripadYessoNaik

Culture(IndependentCharge),Tourism(Independent MinisterofStates
Charge)

SudarshanBhagat

SocialJusticeandEmpowerment

UpendraKushwaha

RuralDevelopment,PanchayatiRaj,DrinkingWater MinisterofStates
andSanitation

V.K.Singh

DevelopmentofNorthEasternRegion(Independent MinisterofStates
Charge),External
Affairs,OverseasIndianAffairs

VishnuDeoSai

Mines,Steel,LabourandEmployment

MinisterofStates

MinisterofStates

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ListofGovernorsofStatesinIndiaason16thJuly2014
State

ShriE.SLakshmiNarasimhan

ArunachalPradesh

Lt.General(Retd.)NirbhaySharma

Assam

ShriJanakiBallavPatanaik

Bihar

ShriDnyandeoYashwantraoPatil

Chhattisgarh

ShriBalramjiDassTandon

Goa

ShriB.V.Wanchoo

Gujarat

ShriOmPrakashKohli

Haryana

ShriJagannathPahadia

HimachalPradesh

Smt.UrmilaSingh

JammuandKashmir

ShriN.N.Vohra

Jharkhand

Dr.SyedAhmed

Karnataka

ShriK.Rosaiah(Add.Charge)

Kerala

SmtSheilaDikshit

MadhyaPradesh

ShriRamNareshYadav

Maharashtra

ShriKateekalSankaranarayanan

Mizoram

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Nagaland

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Meghalaya

AndhraPradesh

Manipur

ShriVKDuggal
Dr.K.K.Paul

Dr.KamlaBeniwal
ShriPadmanabhaBalakrishnaAcharya

Odisha

ShriS.C.Jamir

Punjab

ShriShivrajPatil

Governor

Rajasthan

SmtMargaretAlva

Sikkim

ShriShriniwasDadasahebPatil

TamilNadu

Dr.K.Rosaiah

Telangana

ShriE.SLakshmiNarasimhan(Add.Charge)

Tripura

ShriPadmanabhaBalakrishnaAcharya(Add.Charge)

UttarPradesh

ShriRamNaik

Uttarakhand

ShriAzizQureshi

WestBengal

ShriKeshariNathTripathi


ListofLt.GovernorsofUnionTerritoriesinIndiaason16thJuly2014

Lt.Governor/Administrator

AndamanandNicobar
Island(UT)

Lt.GeneralA.K.Singh(Retd.),PVSM,AVSM,SM,
VSM(LieutenantGovernor)

Chandigarh(UT)

ShriShivrajV.Patil(Administrator)

DadraandNagarHaveli
(UT)

ShriB.S.Bhalla,IAS(Administrator)

DamanandDiu(UT)

ShriB.S.Bhalla,IAS(Administrator)

Delhi(NCT)

ShriNajeebJung(LieutenantGovernor)

Lakshadweep(UT)

ShriH.RajeshPrasad,IAS(Administrator)

Puducherry(UT)

ShriVirendraKataria(LieutenantGovernor)

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UnionTerritory


ListofChiefMinistersofStatesinIndiaason16thJuly2014
State
AndhraPradesh

ChiefMinister
Shri.NaraChandrababuNaidu
ShriTarunGogoi

Bihar

ShriJeetanRamManjhi

Chhattisgarh

Dr.RamanSingh

Delhi(NCT)

UnderPresidentsRule

Goa

ShriManoharParrikar

Gujarat

Smt.AnandibenPatel

Haryana

ShriBhupinderSinghHooda

HimachalPradesh

ShriVirbhadraSingh

Jammuand
Kashmir
Jharkhand

ShriOmarAbdullah

Karnataka

ShriSiddaramaiah

Kerala

MrOommenChandy

Maharashtra
Manipur

tG

ShriShivrajSinghChouhan
ShriPrithvirajChavan

ShriOkramIbobiSingh
Dr.MukulSangma

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Meghalaya
Mizoram

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MadhyaPradesh

ShriHemantSoren

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Assam

ShriLalThanhawla
Shri.TRZeliang

Odisha

ShriNaveenPatnaik

Nagaland

ArunachalPradesh ShriNabamTuki

Puducherry(UT)

ShriN.Rangasamy

Punjab

ShriParkashSinghBadal

Rajasthan

Smt.VasundharaRaje

Sikkim

ShriPawanKumarChamling

TamilNadu

SelviJ.Jayalalithaa

Telangana

KChandrasekharRao

Tripura

ShriManikSarkar

UttarPradesh

ShriAkhileshYadav

Uttarakhand

ShriHarishRawat

WestBengal

Km.MamataBanerjee

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ChiefsofArmedForces
ChiefoftheAirStaff

AirChiefMarshalArupRaha,PVSM,AVSM,VM,ADC

ChiefoftheArmyStaff

GeneralBikramSingh,PVSM,UYSM,AVSM,SM,VSM,ADC(Lt.
GeneralDalbirSinghSuhaghasbeennamedtobethenextCOAS
andwillsucceedGeneralBikramSinghwhoretiresonJuly31,
2014).

ChiefoftheNavalStaff

AdmiralRKDhowan,PVSM,AVSM,YSM,ADC

ChiefoftheIntegratedDefenceStaff

AirMarshalPPReddy

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TESTYOURCURRENTAFFAIRSKNOWLEDGE
QuestionAnswersbasedonNewsduringApril,MayandJune2014

Question

Answer
Tobacco

As part of Election Visitor

Programme (EVP) 2014 how many
foreign delegates will visit India
during Lok Sabha Election 2014?

50 delegates from 20 Countries are

to visit India to have first hand
experience of Lok Sabha Election

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40%

tG

As per RBI directive, Kotak

Mahindra Bank has been asked to
reduce the promoters share holding
to what percentage?

40% of all the cancer cases in India

are due to use of which product ?

Socially and Economically

backward, so as enable them to get
reservations in jobs and
educations.

Best Hindi film of the 61st National

Awards ?

Jolly LLB

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As per Supreme Court Judgement,

transgenders have been recognised as
third gender and will now be treated
as?

First humanoid robot named Pepper Japan

, was recently unveiled in which
countries which can communicate
and read emotions?
From 1st April 2014 RBI has
Urjit R. Patel Committee
adopted the Consumer Prise Index as
the key measure of inflation. It has
been adopted on the basis of which
committee report ?
How much remittance was received
by India in 2013 to earn it the top
spot in the world in foreign exchange
remittances ?

70 billion dollar

125 Years

In a major policy initiative , the

government of India is proposing to
raise FDI in defence sector to 49
percent from existing how much
percent?

26%

In April 2014 government of India

disclosed to the Supreme Court the
names of 26 people who has accounts
in banks of which country ?

Liechtenstein

Cement & Building Material

Goa

tG

In April 2014 Supreme Court lifted

the ban on which state for mining
iron ore ?

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In April 2014 Lafarge and Holcim

announced their merger. What is
their main business ?

Hyderabads famous Salar Jung

Museum is celebrating how many
years of its existence during June
2014?

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In June 2014 Air India has joined

which global airlines group ?

Star Alliance
Russia

In May 2014, Flipkart.com has been

taken over a famous fashion eretailer ? Name the company
acquired by Flipkart ?

Myntra.com

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In May 2014 China signed a

landmark $400 billion deal to buy
natural gas from which country?

In terms of new Companies Act, now

it is mandatory to change the
auditors of the company after how
many years ?
In terms of RBI norms, what
percentage of total branches will be
required to open in unbanked rural
areas by two firms who have been
granted bank licences in April 2014?

10 years

25%

In terms of RBI report what is the

approximate percentage of house
hold sector in deposite honourship in
banks ?

60%

In which city has first clinic for

technology de-addiction was open ?

Bangalore

In which city was Hockey World Cup The Haque, Neatherlands

2014 held?
Thailand

In which temple is Harmandir Sahib

complex situated ?

Golden Temple (Amritsar)

1989

30 days

Indonesia

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India extended the Tourist Visa-onArrival Scheme to citizens of South

Korea with effect from 15th April
2014. This single entry visa is valid
for maximum period of how many
days ?
Indian womens badminton team
defeated which country to reach for
the first time in the quarter finals of
Uber Cups ?

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In which year did infamous

Tinanmen Square massacre took
place in China ?

In which neighbouring country of

India there was coup by military in
May 2014?

Manuel Valls was appointed as the

France
new Prime Minister of which country
?
Ministry of Corporate affairs has
31-Dec-14
deferred mandatory e-voting for
share holders till which date?
Name Indias 10 year old
communication satellite which has
gone out of service ?

INSAT - 3E

Name Indias first Indigeneous air-toair missile which was test fired on
4th May from Sukhoi-30 MKI
fighter Jet ?

Astra

T. R. Zeliang

Name the 14 year old Indian girl who

became the youngest ever woman to
scale the Mount Everest ?

Malavath Poorna

Name the 41st chief justice of India

who was sworn in April 2014 ?

Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha

Name the all women lender which

has been included in the second
schduled of RBI Act ?

Bhartiya Mahila Bank

Name the American Bank which was

in news on account of miscalculating
a measure of a capital on its books
resulting in reduction of its capital
level by $ four billion ?

Bank of America

Name the author of the book

Accident Prime Minister : The
Making and Unmaking of
Manmohan Singh ?
Name the body which has
recommended that they Planning
Commission should be replaced by a
reforms and solution body?

Sanjaya Baru

tG

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Name te newly appointed Chief

Minister of Nagaland ?

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es

IEO (Independent Evaluation

Office)

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Name the bollywood actress who has Deepika Padukone

been appointed as brand ambassodar
of Axis Bank ?
Getting India Back on Track : An
Action Agenda For Reform

Name the CEO of Amway India who

was arrested on charges of cheating
and other financial fraud ?

William Scott Pinckney

Name the chemical used in election

ink or indeliable which makes stain
the skin an impossible to wash off ?

Silver nitrate

Name the chess player who became

the first ever chess player to hold the
World Blitz, Rapid and Classic title
at the same title ?

Magnus Carlsen

Name the book which has been

authored by Bibek Debroy, Ashley J.
Tellis nad Reece Trevor ?

Name the cities chosen by Indian

Railways for creation of Green
Curtains ?

Agra & Jaipur

Name the city in Iraq where 40

Indian workers were kidnapped by
militants?
Name the city which has been
declared as the permanent venue for
IFFI?

Mosul

Name the city which will host the

World Chess Championship rematch
between India and Norway in
November 2014?

Sochi, Russia

Goa

tG

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Name the company which has

Sun Pharmaceuticals Limited
decided to acquire Ranbaxy
Laboratories Limited for $ 3.2 billion
?
Name the Congress leader who has
Nabam Tuki
been sworn as the eighth Chief
Minister of Aruranchal Pradesh for
the second consecutive term?
Mallikarjun Kharge (Deputy
leader is Amrinder Singh)

Name the country in whose

Parliament was Rabindra Nath
Tagore honoured in April 2014 ?

United Kindgom

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Name the congress party leader in

Lok Sabha?

Name the country which announced

backing out from hosting the Asian
Game of 2019 ?

Vietnam (Games were to be held

at Hanoi)

Name the country which has became

the only country in the world with
legislated corporate social
responsibility (CSR) and spending
threshold of up to$ 2.5 billion ?

India

Name the country which has

overtaken Mauritius as the top most
overseas investors through FDI to
Indian markets ?

U.S.A.

Name the country which has won the

coveted ICC Laureus Spirit of Sports
Award 2014 ?

Afghanistan

Name the country which released

two postage stamps to honour 100
year of Indian Cinema ?

Brazil

Name the dam which was in news

Larji Dam
due to death of 24 students who were
washed away in River Beas in
Himachal Pradesh?

Mullaperiyar Dam

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Name the dam which has been

allowed to have water level upto 142
feet by Supreme Court in May 2014?

Narmada dam

Name the Encyclopedia which has

been released by IHRF and took
about 25 years to complete the
compendium of thousands of year of
history, science, art, architecture,
policy, religion, philosophy and
culture ?

Enclyclopedia of Hinduism

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tG

Name the Dam whose height has

been allowed to be increased from
121.9 meters to 138.7 meters making
it the second largest concrete gravity
dam by volume?

Name the film which was selected as

the best film for 61st National film
Awards ?

Ship of Theseus

Name the finance company which

has received RBI approval to setup a
minimum of 9000 white label ATMs
(WLAs) in the next three years in
rural India ?

SREI Infrastructure Finance

Limited

Name the firm which detail the first

Indian retail e-commerce to file for
an initial public offering (IPO) on
NASDAQ and to be listed on that
exchange?

HomeShop 18

INS-Vikrant

Name the former CJI who has been

appointed as the arbitrator in
Vodafone Tax dispute?

R.C Lahoti

Name the former Indian cricket

captain who has joined the Mudgal
Committee as member in June 2014?

Saurabh Ganguli

Name the former Solicitor General

who withdrew his candidature for
appointment as Supreme Court
Judge?

Gopal Subramaniam

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Name the first Air-craft carrier ship

of India which was recently sold to a
ship breaking company of Mumbai
for over Rs. 63 cr. ?

Name the four West African

countries which agreed to club
together to wage war on Nigeria
Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram
?
Name the Hollywood actor who was
honoured as most popular
Hollywood star at 15th edition of
IIFA ?
Name the Indian arm of Malaysian
no-frill airlines which has started its
operations in India recently through
its first flight between Bangalore and
Goa?

Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin

Name the Indian born executive who

took over as the Chief Executive
Officer and President of Nokia ?

Rajeev Suri

Name the Indian born person to win

a Pulitzer prize for his collection of
poems - 3 Sections ?

Vijay Seshadri

Name the Indian IT company which

has become the third largest
employer in technology sector in the
world?

TCS

Air Asia

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John Travolta

Name the Indian origion plant

scientist who has been awarded for
World Food Prize of the United
Nations 2014?

Dr. Sanjay Rajaram

Name the Indias second navigation

satellite launched on 4th April 2014
by PSLV C-24 ?

IRNSS - IB

Name the insurance company which

introduced Insurance On Wheels
concept for faster renewal of policies
?
Name the International organisation
with whom United Nations entered
into agreement to use the power of
sports to promote peace and
economic development?

National Insurance Company

Name the latest two coastguard ships

that was indected in to service of
Indian Coastguard in June 2014?

ICGS Achook and ICGS Agrim

Name the Lok Sabha constituency

which recorded the highest turnout
of 88.22% in 2014 elections ?

Dhubri in Assam

.B
es

tG

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International Olympic Committee

Srinagar

Name the member of SAARC ?

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,

India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan,
and Sri Lanka

Name the moon of Saturan on which

a vast liquid ocean was found by
NASA in April 2014 ?

Enceladus

Name the National Park of India

which has been included in the
UNESCO World Heritage list?

GHNPCA (In Himachal Pradesh)

Name the new CEO of Infosys

Limited?

Vishal Sikka

Name the new Chief Information

Commissioner, who was earlier
Intelligence Bureau Chief?

Rajiv Mathur

w
w

Name the Lok Sabha constituency

which recorded the lowest turnout of
25.86% in 2014 elections ?

Jitan Ram Manjhi

Name the new district created in

West Bengal which becomes the
20th district of the state?

Alipurduar

Name the new Finance Secreatary

who replace Sumit Bose ?

Arvind Mayaram

Name the new king of Spain who

took over the reigns of the country
from his father King Juan Carlos?

Prince Felip

Name the new leader of Opposition

of Rajya Sabha declared in June
2014?
Name the new mineral which was
discovered recently in Australia ?

Ghulam Nabi Azad

Putnisite

Admiral R.K. Dhowan

Greenpeace India

.B
es

tG

Name the NGO on which RBI put

restrictions of prior permission for
accepting donations from certain
overseas contributors ?

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Name the new naval chief of India ?

Name the new Chief Minister of

Bihar who took over in May 2014
Nitish Kumar ?

Uttarpara

Name the poet-lyricist and

filmmaker who has been selected for
Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2013 ?

Gulzar (Sampooran Singh Kalra)

w
w

Name the place where Ambassdor

cars by HM were manufactured near
Kolkata ? Recently the work in the
factory has been stopped due to
negligible demand of these cars ?

Name the port which retain the

Pipavav Port (Gujarat)
foremost position in mariane exports
among all the major ports in terms of
quantity during to 2013-14?
Name the province of Afganistan
Herat
where Indian Consulate was attacked
by four gunmen in May 2014?

Name the PSU company enjoiyng

Navratna Status is in the danger of
being stripped of Navratna Status
due to losses for the third year in
ago?
Name the public sectors steel plant
where an accident took place due to
gas leakage?

Shipping Corporation of India

Name the RBI constituted committee

which recommended for
improvement in the governing
structure of state owned banks and
to helps private sector banks attarct
more capital ?
Name the robotic submarine
launched to solve the mystery of lost
Malaysian plane MH-370 ?

P.J. Nayak Committee

Name the sector which has been

approved in May 2014 for 100% FDI
?

Defence

tG

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Bluefin 21

Bhilai Steel Plant Durg in

Chattisgarh

Chung Hong-won

.B
es

Name the South Korean Prime

Minister who resigned over Seoul
ferry disaster ?

w
w

Name the state which recorded the

Tamil Nadu
highest rate of increase in the
number of electors in the country in
the past five years as stated in the
electoral data released early this year
?
Name the state which will become the Gujarat
first one in India to implement 33%
reservation for women in the police
force?
Name the team which has won NBA
championship for 2014?

San Antonio Spurs defeated

Miami heat by 104-87

Name the temple whos audit has

been order by Supreme Court of
India ?
Name the two entities which were
granted in principle approval of
bank licences in April 2014?

Shree Padmanabha temple

(1) IDFC Limited and (2) Bandhan

Financial Services Private
Limited.

Name the two former Popes who

John XXIII and John Paul II
were declaired the Saints by the Pope
Francis at Vatican in April 2014?
Name the two Indian companies
Wipro Limited & Tata Power
which are included in the list of
world most ethical companies, which
was prepared by the US-based entity,
Ethisphere Institute ?

Name the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi

University who was in controversy
due to introduction of FYUP ?

USA and China

Prof. Dinesh Singh

Gariphema

tG

Name the village in Nagaland which

has been declared as first tobacco
free village in India ?

Nepal & Bhutan

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Name the two Indian neighbours

with whom India has agreed to
include a new cross-bounsary
landscape in the Hindukush
Himalayan Region ?
Name the two largest emitters of
Greenhouse Gases ?

Kedarnath Singh (Hindi Poet and

Writer)

Name the worlds top three arms

importing countries as per report of
Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute ?

India, China & Pakistan

On which day is World Heritage Day

is Celebrated ?

18-Apr

On which issue, South Korean Prime

Minister Chung Hong-won agreed to
resign from his post?

Mishandling of Ferry disaster by

governemnt. Ferry name Sewol
sank while on a routine trip from
port of Incheon to the traditional
holiday island of Jeju.

One Mars Year is equal to howmany

earth days ?

687 earth days

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es

Name the winner of the Jnanpith

Award for 2013?

It is given to batsman who scores

highest number of runs. Robin
Uthappa got the Orange Cap in
2014

Peace Angel 2014, was a joint

military exercise between which two
neighbours of India ?

China & Pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

visited which country on his first
official visit to a foreign country
since assuming charge?

Bhutan

Purple Cap in IPL is given to whom?

It is given to baller who takes

highest number of the wickets in
IPL. Mohit Sharma got the cap in
2014.

ur
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Rani ki Vav is located in which state

of India?

Orange Cap in IPL is given to

whom?

Gujarat

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RBI has capped the Ways and Means 35000 cr.

Advances limits for first half year of
2014-15 to how many crores of
Rupees ?

w
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RBI has has made it mandatory for

all banks to install talking ATMs
with Braille Keypads for the benefit
of whom ?

RBI in major relief to customers

asked banks to not levy any penalty
on what type of loan transactions ?

Disable persons, specially the blind

Banks have been directed not to

levy any penalty on pre-payment
of loans under floating rate
scheme that covers housing, auto
and personal loans

Telangana, the latest state of India

has howmany districts ?

10

The High Court of which state has

recently ruled that the Nationals of
Bangladesh, who settled in the state
before 24th March 1971 should be
treated as Indians ?

Meghalaya

14.2 % and 6.5% respectively

The train Deccan Queen runs

between which two cities?

Mumbai and Pune

The use of which animals have been

presented during Jallikattu festivals
celebrated in Tamil Nadu?

Bulls

U.S President Barack Obama has

announced new rules to cut carbon
pollution from existing Power plants
by 30% till -which year ?

2030

What is Beiji ?

It is the largest oil refinary in Iraq

which was taken over by militants

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What is Dendroid ?

The Railway passenger fare and

freight charges were increased by
what percentage from 25 June ?

It is virus of Trojan family

What is Foldscope ?

It is low cost Microscope

It is an tracking system used in
sports like Tennis, Badminton to
determine line calls and it allows
the instant review for major
events.
The Jaipur Foot, also known as
the Jaipur Leg, is a rubber-based
prosthetic leg for people with
below-knee amputations. Although
inferior in many ways to the
composite carbon fibre variants,
its variable applicability and cost
efficiency make it an acceptable
choice for prosthesis. Ram
Chander Sharma designed and
developed it in 1968

.B
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What is Hawk eye technology ?

w
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What is Jaipur Foot?

What is the approximate number of

refugees at the end of 2013 as per
U.N. High Commissioner Refugees?

51.2 million Refugees

What is the full form of DTC, a draft

of which was released by Finance
Ministry in April 2014?

Direct Taxes Code

What is the full form of FYUP ?

Four Year Undergraduate

Programme

Great Himalayan National Park

Conservation Area

What is the full form of KKNPP ?

What is the full form of MMOPL?

Kudankulam Nuclear Power

Project
Mumbai Metro One Pvt. Ltd.

What is the full form of PPP ?

Purchasing Power Parity

What is the full form of the BCG ?

Boston Consulting Group

What is the full form of the SAARC

?

South Asian Association for

Regional Cooperation

What is the major benefit of

adopting Universal Account Number
by Employees Provident Fund
Organisation ?

It will help the employees to

subscribe for various schemes run
by EPFO for their entire service
period with different employers
Jallikattu

Crowd-funding

.B
es

tG

What is the name given to funding

source where in funding is received
in small amounts from multiple
investors through a web-based
platfarm or a social networking site
for a specific project business
venture or social cause ?

ur
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What is the name given to bullfight

event in Tamilnadu which has been
banned by Supreme Court in May
2014?

What is the full form of GHNPCA ?

RuPay

What is the name given to surface to

surface ballistic missile Hatf III by
Pakistan ?

Ghaznavi

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What is the name given to Indias

own payment gateway which will
work on ATMs and merchant
outlates and help in redusing cash
transactions?
What is the name given to new
district which has been carved out of
most populous districts Thane?

Palghar

What is the name given to the Chinas Maritime Silk Road Plan
plan to build ports and boost
maritime connectivity with
Southeast Asian and Indian Ocean
littoral countries?

Sandesh Pathak

What is the name of the deadly virus

for which the Computer Emergency
Response Team of India (CERT-In)
issued an advisory to all internet
users in India in April 2014 ?

Heartbleed

What is the name of the Indias

largest warship which has been
purchased from Russia and the
original name of the same was Baku?

INS Vikramaditya

What is the name of the most

expensive billionaire home in the
world as per Forbes list ?

Antilia

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Mehrangir

tG

What is the name of the Mumbai

bungalow of late Dr Homi Bhabha
which was sold for Rs. 372 cr.
through auction by NCPA?

What is the name of new software

app developed to help the illlitriate
former ?

25%

.B
es

What is the new minimum public

share holding for PSUs ?

w
w

What is the prescribed age for

Above 10 years
minors to operate banks accounts as
per recent guidelines announced by
RBI allowing minors to operate Bank
account independently ?
The aim is to improve energy
efficiency in Indian Railways and
facilitate Railways to save upto
15% energy by 2020 year.

What is the tax slab proposed in the

revised direct tax code for
individuals earning more than Rs.
10cr. a year ?
What was the major relief
announced by RBI to Saving Bank
account holders in its policy
announcement in April 2014?

35%

What is the purpose of launching

RAILSAVER portal by Indian
Railways ?

It asked banks to cut down

services on low-balance accounts
and do away with fines.

Garuda V held at Jodhpur

What was the theme of World Green

Economy Summits 2014 which was
held at Dubai ?

Global Partnership, Sustainable

Future

When is the world Turtle Day

observed ?

23rd May

When was the world Malaria Day

observed ?

26-Apr

When was World Heritage Day

observed ?

18-Apr

Where is the home base of INS

Vikramaditya, Indian Aircraft
Carrier, which was operationally
deployed in Indian Navy recently ?

Karwar, Karnataka

Brussels, Belgium

Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

tG

Where was the 15th edition of IIFA

held in April 2014 ?

ur
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co

Where was G7 summit held in June

2014?

What was the name given to fifth

IndoFrench bilateral air exercise ?

Manila, Philippines

Which airline has emerged as the

cheapest in the world as per US
travel websites whichairline.com ?

Firefly of Malaysia

Which Airlines has highest market

share of demestic air traffic in India
?
Which city in India has been
declared as the first kerosene free
city?
Which city of U.K. has been allowed
to use city name as the extension for
the websites ?

IndiGo

w
w

.B
es

Where was the 23rd World

Economic Forum on East Asia
summit held in May 2014 ?

Delhi

London

Dr. Nachiket Mor Committee

Which community in Maharastra

has been allowed 20% additional
reservation in govt. jobs and
education?

Maratha community

Which country defeated the

defending championship Spain in
FIFA World CUP 2014 which
resulted in elimination of Spain from
World Cup ?
Which country has rejected the
Minimum Wage Inititative that
introduced highest minimum wage in
the world?

Chile

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Which committee on Comprehensive

Financial Services for Small
Businesses and Low Income
Households recommended that
banks actively manage their
exposures to various sectors,
including priority sectors ?

tG

Switzerland

China

.B
es

Which country has taken initiative to

build a maritime silk road to boost
connectivity between the Asia-Pacific
region and the Indian Ocean ?

w
w

Which country has won the FIH Men Australia

Hockey World Cup by defeating
Netherlands?
Netherlands

Which Country tops the Press

Freedom Index 2014 released by
American NGO Freedom House?

Netherlands

Which country was forbidden from

whale hunting by International
Court of Justice ?

Japan

Which country will host the 18th

SAARC summit ?

Nepal

Which country has won the FIH

Women Hockey World Cup by
defeating Australia?

Which country will host the next ICC West Indies

T20 World Cup 2016 ?
Japan defeated Malaysia

Which country won the 2014 edition

of Uber Cup ?

China defeated Japan

Which country won the ICC T20

Womens World Cup 2014?

Australia

Which Global skin care Company

announced to set up its first ever
manufacturing plant in India at
Sanand near Gujarat ?

Nivea

Which harmful chemical is mainly

used for artificial fruit ripening ?

Calcium Carbide

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Which country won the 2014 edition

of Thomas Cup held in Delhi ?

Rajiv Gandhi International

Airport Hyderabad

Which Indian state is the top

recipient of foreign remittances into
the country ?

Keral

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Which Indian Airport has won the

Roll of Excellence Award given by
Airport Council International, Seoul,
South Korea ?

World Bank

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w

Which International Organisation

has launched the Knowledge
Partnership on Migration and
Development (KNOMAD) ?

Which major pharma company came AstraZeneca

under market regulator SEBIs lens
for violation of its regulations on
fraudulent and unfair trade
practices?
Which Navratna Company has
HAL
received in most efficient Navratna
Award for the year 2013 ?
Which Power Plant has recently
become Indias first nuclear plant to
generate 1000 MW?

Kudankulam Nuclear Power

Project

Which software US company

acquired mobile handset bussiness of
Nokia for over 7.2 billion dollar ?

Microsoft

Jammu & Kashmir

Which state government has adopted

new logo featuring Charminar and
Decorated Gateway from the
Kakatiya dynasty ?

Telangana has adopted a new logo

designed by Laxman Aelay

Which state has ordered

establishment of women helpline in
each district of State?

Uttar Pradesh

Which state has recently decided to

add a chapter on the cricket legend
Sachin Tendulkar in its school
syllabus ?

Maharashtra

Gujarat

Sri Lanka

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Which team won the 5th edition of

ICC T20 Wold Cup held at Dhaka,
Bangladesh in April 2014?

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Which state of India has issued for

the first time Soil Health Cards to
every land farmer in the state ?

Which state became the first state in

the country to declare all election
booths as No Smoking Zone during
Lok Sabha 2014 elections ?

Xenon and Argon

Who defeated five time snooker

champion Ronnie O'Sullivan to wn
the Worls Snooker Championship in
2014 ?

Mark Selby

Ratan Tata

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w

Which two gases were recently

banned by World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA) after claims that
athletes can use it through in
halation to enhance their
performance, illegally?
Which well known Indian
industrialist has been conferred the
rank of Knight Commander by
Queen Elizabeth II ?
Who are the other two election
commisioner along with CEC VS
Sampath ?

Nasim Zaidi and HS Brahma

Ajit Kumar Doval

Who has been appointed as the next

Army Chief after General Bikram
Singh retires on 31st July 2014?

Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh

Suhag

Who has been awareded M.S.

Subbulakshmi Award 2014?

Mathangi Satyamurthy

Who has been named as Indian

Captain for Hockey World Cup 2014
to be held at Hague, Netherland in
the first fortnight of June ?

Sardar Singh

Who has been nominated as the next

US Alternate Excutive Director of
IMF ?

Sunil Sabharwal

Who has been selected as the

goodwill ambassodor of 35th
Nationals Games scheduled to be
held in Kerala in January-February
2015?
Who has been unanimously elected
as the first Speaker of the Andhra
Pradesh Assembly post-bifurcation?

Sachin Tendulkar

.B
es

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Who has been appointed as the new

National Security advisor to the
Prime Minister ?

Sushma Swaraj

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w

Who has recently become the first

woman External Affairs Minister of
India?

Kodela Siva Prasada Rao

Who has taken over as the 15th Chief Anandiben Patel

Minister of Gujarat ? She is also the
first women Chief Minister of
Gujarat ?
Who has won the US open Golf title
for 2014?

Martin Kaymer of Germany

Who is the author of the book

Crusader or Conspirator Colgate
and other Truths ?

P.C. Parakh

Who is the Chairman of Special

Investigation Team to investigate
large amount of money stashed
abroad by evading taxes or
generated through unlawful
activities?
Who is the chairman of the Cauvery
Water Disputes Tribunal ?

Justice M.B. Shah

Who is the Chairman of the Special

Investigation Team to unearth illicit
money?

M.B Shah

Who is the Director of the Film Ship

of Theseus which was awarded
National Film Award for best feature
film ?
Who is the head of five member
committee constituted to recommend
a site for the capital of successor
state of Andhra Pradesh ?

Anand Gandhi

Who is the new Attorney General of

India ?

Mukul Rohatgi

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Justice B.S. Chauhan

tG

K. SivaramaKrishnan

.B
es

Who is the new CEO and President

of Nokia ?

Rajeev Suri

Who is the new Chief Minister of the Nara Chandra Babu Naidu
residuary state of Andhra Pradesh?
Rajnath Singh

Who is the new Solicitor General of

India?

Ranjit Kumar

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w

Who is the new Home Minister of

India?

Who is the new speaker of 16 Lok

Sabha ?

Sumitra Mahajan

Who is the winner of men single title

of French Open 2014?

Rafael Nadal of Spain defeated

Novak Djokovic of Serbia

Who is the winner of women single

title of French Open 2014?

Maria Sharapova of Russia

defeated Simona Halep of
Romania
Koyal Rana

Who was crowned as the new Miss

India (51st Femina Miss India
contest) ?

Who won men singles title of the

Yonex-Sunrise India Open
Badminton 2014?

Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia

Who won the IPL 2014?

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated

Kings XI Punjab

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