AC Oct Pocket

Current Affairs Pocket PDF
This is Paid PDF provided by AffairsCloud.com, Our team is working hard

in back end to provide quality PDF. If you not buy this paid PDF
subscription plan, we kindly request you to buy pdf to avail this service.
Help Us To Grow & Provide Quality Service
CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF PLANS

Current Affairs PDF 2019: Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s
Current Affairs PDF 2018: Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s
CRACK HIGH LEVEL PDF PLANS

Crack High Level: Puzzle & Seating Arrangement Questions PDF 2019
Crack High Level: English Language Questions PDF 2019
Crack High Level: Data Interpretation Questions PDF 2019
Suggestions & Feedback are welcomed –

https://www.affairscloud.com/subscriber-feedback/
1|P a ge
Follow Our Current Affairs Copyright 2019 @ AffairsCloud.Com
Current Affairs Pocket PDF – October 2019
Table of Contents
INDIAN AFFAIRS ....................................................................................................................................................... 3
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ..................................................................................................................................... 16
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES........................................................................................................................................ 19
VISITS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20
BANKING & FINANCE NEWS................................................................................................................................... 22
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS ................................................................................................................................ 28
MOUS & AGREEMENTS ........................................................................................................................................... 32
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 33
AWARDS .................................................................................................................................................................. 39
SUMMITS, CONFERENCE & EVENTS....................................................................................................................... 47
COMMITTEE & MEETING NEWS ............................................................................................................................. 52
INDEX ...................................................................................................................................................................... 53
ACQUISITION AND MERGERS ................................................................................................................................. 56
DEFENCE ................................................................................................................................................................. 57
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY .................................................................................................................................. 59
ENVIROMENT.......................................................................................................................................................... 65
SPORTS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 65
BOOKS & AUTHORS................................................................................................................................................. 73
OBITUARY ............................................................................................................................................................... 75
IMPORTANT DAYS .................................................................................................................................................. 79
2|P a ge
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Cabinet Approvals
Cabinet approvals on October 9, 2019
• Approval for the relaxation of Aadhaar seeding of data of the beneficiaries under PM-Kisan
• Approval for MoUs signed between India and Foreign Broadcasters in the field of radio and television
• Approval for apprise of the progress under NHM and decisions of the EPC and MSG of NHM.
• Approval to 5% hike in DA/DR for central government employees and pensioners from 12% to 17%
• Approval for the inclusion of 5,300 DP families of Jammu & Kashmir-1947
Read full details here:
Cabinet Approvals with Foreign Countries on 23rd October, 2019

The cabinet committee chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the following
proposals with the foreign countries:
• Approval on MoU between India and St. Vincent & the Grenadines on cooperation in the field of
Traditional Systems of Medicine
• Approval on Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between India and America
• Approval of MoU between India and Kuwait in the field of accounting, finance and audit knowledge base
• Approval on Cooperation in the field of Railways between India’s Ministry of Railways, Directorate-
General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission Read full details here:
Cabinet Approvals on 23rd October, 2019

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the following
proposals on October 23, 2019
• Cabinet approves regulations for conferring ownership or mortgage/ transfer rights to 40 lakh
residents in Delhi
• CCEA approves MSP for Rabi Crops of 2019-20
• Approval to review guidelines for Granting Authorization to market Transportation Fuels
State wise National News

Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Government launches India’s first Village secretariat system
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP)
launched the first of its kind Village Secretariat system at Karapa village nearKakinada, Andhra Pradesh. It has
set up village and ward secretariats which act as a bridge between the government and the people by rendering
over 500 types of services at their doorstep.
CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched YSR Kanti Velugu Scheme 2019 in Andhra Pradesh
The Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party
(YSRCP) launched YSR Kanti Velugu Scheme 2019 at Government Junior College for Boys in Anantapur district
on the occasion of World Sight Day. Under this scheme, the natives of Andhra Pradesh can screen their eyes free
of cost and spectacles will also be provided. It is a part of the Fit India Movement. A task force headed by the
Collector would monitor the programme in each district. Read full details here:
Andhra Pradesh becomes the first state to launch online platform SMARTPORT as part of the EDB
Reforms
Andhra Pradesh (AP) became the first state in India to launch an online platform SMARTPORT as part of
implementing the Ease of Doing Business (EDB) Reforms related to trade and export promotion in all ports in
the state. The platform will be covered under the AP Public Service Delivery Guarantee Act, 2017 and tracked
through a single-desk portal.
3|P a ge
Arunachal Pradesh
Indian Army’s first mountain combat exercise ‘Him Vijay’ 2019 begun in Arunachal Pradesh
Indian Army’s first and biggest mountain combat exercise “Him Vijay” for the year 2019 begun at Arunachal
Pradesh. It is an important exercise for validating the operational concepts of the newly raised Integrated Battle
Groups (IBGs) to meet the requirements of modern warfare. The exercise has two phases, where the first phase
will be conducted from October 7-10, 2019 and the second phase will be conducted from October 20-24, 2019.
7th edition of Tawang Festival 2019 commenced in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

A 3-day 7th edition of Tawang Festival 2019 has commenced in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh. Organized by
Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Department, it is being held from 28 to 31, Octoberm 2019. US(United States)
Ambassador to India, Kenneth Ian Juster has inaugurated the festival in presence of Chief Minister Pema
Khandu.
Renowned journalist Taro Chatung of Arunachal Pradesh passes away

Renowned journalist Taro Chatung, considered as a pioneer of electronic media in Arunachal Pradesh, has
passed away at a hospital in Itanagar after a prolonged illness. He was 57. He hailed from Kudumbarang, Hija, in
Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh.
Assam
Assam govt announces “no govt jobs for those with more than two kids starting from 2021” & “a New
Land Policy
Govt. of Assam has announced two new policies in its state regarding govt jobs and on land. Theyare as follows:
• Govt job policy: 2 years after adopting “Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam” the
state govt. has announced that no person will be considered for govt job if he/she has more than 2
children. This policy will become effective from January 1, 2021.
• Land policy: Under the new land policy, a landless indigenous person would become eligible to hold 3
bighas of land (43,200 square feet) for farming and half a bigha (14,400 square feet) for house
construction. These lands can be sold only after 15 years of use.
First India-Bangladesh Stakeholders’ Meet 2019 held in Guwahati, Assam

The 1st India-Bangladesh Stakeholders’ Meet was held from 22- 23 October 2019 in Guwahati, Assam, with the
participation of a 70-member delegation from Bangladesh including its Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi & a
similar team represented the Indian side. he meet focused to boost India’s connectivity with the neighbouring
country to get the best of the rest under Act East Policy for Assam.
Bihar
4-day long Chhath festival 2019 commenced in Bihar
Chhath puja 2019, the festival of worship of the Sun God, is being celebrated on a large scale in the
state of Bihar, which was commenced with ritual of Nahai Khai. The Puja is celebrated sixth day
after Diwali or on the day of Karthik Chhath. Apart from Bihar, it is also observed in Jharkhand,
Eastern Uttar Pradesh, and also in Nepal.
Chattisgarh
Chhattisgarh health minister T S Singhdeo inaugurates India' s 1st Garbage Cafe situated in Ambikapur
Chhattisgarh state Health Minister T S Singhdeo has inaugurated India’s 1st 'Garbage Cafe' with the tagline
‘More the waste better the taste’ in Ambikapur of Surguja district. The concept of this cafe is that ragpickers and
the homeless will collect plastic waste, and in return, the municipal corporation will offer them food.
4|P a ge
Goa
50th IFFI for 2019 to be held in Goa
Information and Broadcasting Minister Mr. Prakash Javadekar notified that the 50th, the Golden Jubilee edition
of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2019 will be held in Goa from November 20-28, 2019 with
Russia as the partner country. For the first time, films with audio deion will be screened for the visually
impaired.
Goa Maritime Conclave 2019 held in Goa

The Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) 2019 was held at Hotel Taj Fort Aguada in Goa under the theme “Common
Maritime Priorities in IOR and need for Regional Maritime Strategy” from October 3-5, 2019. It was inaugurated
by the National Security Advisor (NSA) Mr Ajit Kumar Doval and organized by Naval War College (NWC), Goa. It
was hosted by Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, the Chief of the Naval Staff. Read full details here:
Goa government replaces traditional ‘dial 100’’ with new integrated emergency number ‘dial 112’
The government of Goa replaced the traditional ‘dial 100’ with new integrated emergency number ‘dial 112’ for
police, fire and medical emergencies with the help of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The new
Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) was launched by the Goan Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Along
with the dial number 100 (Police), it also replaced dial number 101(Fire) and 108 (Ambulance Services).
Gujarat
Environment ministry approves Rs 1,400 crore airport project in Kutch, Gujarat

Union environment ministry has given its approval for developing a commercial airport in Kutch, Gujarat worth
1,400 crores. This proposed project which is expected to be commissioned in 2021- 22, is to be developed by
Mundra International Airport Pvt Ltd, Gujarat. As a part of the project, the existing airstrip in Mundra will be
developed into a full-fledged commercial airport serving Boeing 747-400 category aircraft.
Gandhinagar becomes 1st kerosene-free district of Gujarat

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, after distributing one thousand LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)
connections to the women beneficiaries in the state as part of Ujjwala Yojana, has announced that Gandhinagar
district of Gujarat became the first Kerosene-free district of the state.
Himachal Pradesh
14th Indo – Mongolian joint military training exercise, the 2019 Nomadic Elephant-XIV begun in
Himachal
14th edition of the Indo – Mongolian joint military training exercise Nomadic Elephant-XIV for the year 2019,
has begun at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh. This 14-day exercise will continue till October 18, 2019. The aim of
the exercise is to train both the armies in counter terrorism and counter insurgency (counter revolt) operations
thus enhancing defence cooperation.
Bollywood actress Yami Gautam will be the brand ambassador of the Rising Himachal global investors’
meet 2019
The state government of Himachal Pradesh (HP) has appointed Bollywood actress Yami Gautam (30) as the
brand ambassador of the Rising Himachal Global Investors’ Meet 2019, which is to be held on 7-8, November,
2019 in Dharamshala, HP.
Karnataka
Ten-day Mysuru Dasara festival inaugurated in Karnataka
Kannada novelist Dr. S L Bhyrappa inaugurated the ten-day MysuruDasara festival in presence of Karnataka
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and other dignitaries. This festival will comprise of cultural programmes, sports
5|P a ge
events inaugurated by Indian Badminton player PV Sindhu, wrestling competitions and would culminate
(conclude) with a grand elephant procession on Vijayadashmi.
Human Resource Minister launches Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme – DHRUV in
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' has launched 14-day
long ambitious Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Program- 'DHRUV' from Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) headquarters at Bengaluru, Karnataka in presence of Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, Wing
Cdr. Rakesh Sharma, AC (Retd.) among others.
Kerala
20th annual national conference Medrecon 2020 to be held in Kochi, Kerala
The 20th annual national conference on health informatics Medrecon 2020 will be held in Kochi, Kerala on
February 7- 8, 2020 under the theme ‘Value of Data in Health Care Ecosystem’. It will be jointly organised by
the Health Informatics and Information Management Association (HIIMA), Kerala, and the Health Records
Association of India (HERAI).
Tamil Nadu forms 2 panels led by K. Manivasan over water disputes with Kerala
The government of Tamil Nadu formed 2 committees to deal with water disputes with Kerala related to the
Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) & Pandiyar-Punnampuzha hydroelectric project, both led by Secretary of
Tamil Nadu’s Public Works Department (PWD) K. Manivasan. It was one of the agreements made by the chief
ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Pinarayi Vijayan respectively during a
meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in September 2019.
Madhya Pradesh
India's first e-waste clinic to be set up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
The first e-waste clinic of India will be set up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC)
and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have tied up to set up the clinic. It will be formed in compliance
with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Director and producer Priyadarshan awarded MP government's National Kishore Kumar Samman for
2018-19
Renowned Malayalam and Hindi film director and producer Priyadarshan was awarded Madhya Pradesh (MP)
government's National Kishore Kumar Samman for 2018-19 at a function in Khandwa, MP. The award is
instituted by MP’s Department of Culture and is given for excellence in cinematic achievements. The Kishore
Kumar Samman jury selected noted actor Waheeda Rehman for the award for 2017-18 who will be felicitated
in the coming days.
Madhya Pradesh based MCNUJC inks pact with UNICEF to work together on child rights
Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCNUJC), a public university in
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has inked an agreement with UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) to jointly work
in the area of child rights as a part of CRC30 (30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child)
commemoration.
Maharashtra
5th World Parliament of science, religion and philosophy 2019 held in Pune, Maharashtra
A 3-day event of 5th World Parliament of Science, Religion and Philosophy 2019 with the theme of 'Role of
Science, Religion and Philosophy for World Peace and well-being of Mankind' organized by MIT (Maharashtra
Institute of Technology) World Peace University in association with World Peace Centre, Alandi, MAEER's MIT
Group of institutions and MIT ADT University ,was held at the world's largest dome philosopher Saint
6|P a ge
Dnyaneshwara World Peace Prayer Hall, Loni Kalbhor in Pune, Maharashtra to create and promote interfaith
and inter-religious movement for World Peace.
10th edition of Indo Maldives joint exercise Ekuverin 2019 begin at Aundh Mil Stn, Pune
The 10th edition of the joint exercise between India and Maldives named Ekuverin for the year 2019begun at
Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharashtra. This 14 day joint exercise between Indian Army(IA) and Maldives
National Defence Forces (MNDF) will be conducted till October 20, 2019. The previous/9th edition of the
exercise was conducted at Northern Area Headquarters, Lhaviyani Atoll, Maalifushi of Maldives in 2018.
Manipur
International conference on drug situation held in Imphal, Manipur
A 2- day “Regional Conference on Developing a Comprehensive Approach: Combating Illicit Trafficking of
Afghan Opiates and Drug Situation in the Northeast (NE)” held in Imphal , Manipur from September 30-October
1, 2019. Manipur Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh was the chief guest for the event. The conference has been
organized by the Manipur State Government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office,
South Asia (UNODC-ROSA). The event is the continuation of the earlier conference held at Chandigarh in Punjab
in 2018.
3rd edition of manipur’s shirui lily festival 2019 kick started in Ukhrul
3rd edition of 4-day long Shirui Lily Festival 2019 has been inaugurated by the Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge) for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel & Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam
Biren Singh at Shirui Vangayan Ground of Ukhrul in Manipur. During the event, Union Minister also unveiled
the ‘Strength of Unity’ pillar which was curated by young sculptor Sorei Keishing from Kangpat village in
Manipur.
Nagaland
Nagaland govt launches Ex-gratia scheme for students studying outside Nagaland
Temjen Imna Along, Nagaland Minister for Higher and Technical Education and Tribal Affairs has launched
Nagaland government ex-gratia scheme for students studying outside Nagaland (NGESSO), an initiative of
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, at the Directorate of Higher Education in Kohima. The scheme will
provide an Ex-Gratia of Rs 5 Lakh as a one-time payment to parents of students in the event of any unfortunate
deaths of Indigenous Naga Students of Nagaland who are studying outside the State in different parts of the
country.
Odisha
39th WCP For 2019 Held At KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the 39th World Congress of Poets (WCP) for 2019 at the
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It was held from October 2-
5, 2019 under the theme ‘Compassion through Poetry’. It was held for the third time in India. Previously, it was
held in Chennai in 1986 and 2007. The congress was held in 3 languages English, Spanish and Chinese. Read full
details here:
Odisha launched SAP to make the state child marriage free by 2030
Odisha govt has launched a Strategic Action Plan(SAP) at a conference in the state organized on prevention of
child marriage in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. SAP, which is to be implemented between 2019-2024, will function
with the support of UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) & UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) to
end child marriage in the state by 2030. Read full details here:
7|P a ge
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched 'Odisha Mo Parivar' programme

Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik launched “Odisha Mo Parivar” (Odisha, My Family) programme. It
is a social service initiative with the aim of encouraging environment protection, blood donation and the
welfare of Odias in distress. This initiative will also help to rescue the stranded Odias in foreign countries.
Odisha government signs LoU with UNICEF for 'drink from tap mission'
A Letter of Understanding (LoU) was signed between the Odisha government and the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF) for "drink from tap mission". The main objective of the mission is to provide piped quality
drinking water supply to each household on a 24-hour basis.
CM Naveen Patnaik approves Rs 3208 crore for ABADHA scheme for 3 years in Odisha
The Cabinet of Odisha presided by Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik approved the project worth Rs 3,208
crore under Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA)
scheme to develop Puri, a city in Odisha, as a World-class Heritage city over a period of 3 years.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan becomes the third state to ban certain categories of pan masala
Rajasthan became the third state in India to ban certain categories of pan masala containing magnesium
carbonate, nicotine, tobacco, mineral oil and flavoured ‘supari’ under the Food Safety Act after Maharashtra and
Bihar. Even the production, storage, distribution and sale of these products is banned.
Rajasthan Becomes First Indian State To Launch Policy On Pneumoconiosis

Chief Minister of Rajasthan Mr Ashok Gehlot launched ‘Policy on Pneumoconiosis Detection, Prevention,
Control and Rehabilitation’. With this, Rajasthan became the first state in India to launch such a policy and in
January 2015, it had became the first Indian state to notify Pneumoconiosis as an epidemic. Pneumoconiosis is
a disease of the lungs due to inhalation of dust, characterized by inflammation, coughing, and fibrosis. Read full
details here:
Global Summit on 'Spirituality for Unity, Peace and Prosperity' held in Mount Abu, Rajasthan
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the Global Conference-cum- expo on
‘Spirituality for Unity, Peace and Prosperity’ organized by Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa
Vidyalaya at the Shantivan Campus in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. It was held from September 28 to October 1, 2019.
Rajasthan govt has increased the unemployment allowance for transgenders to Rs 3500/pm from Rs
3000/pm
Under the Mukhyamantri Yuva Sambal Yojna, the Rajasthan state government has increased the unemployment
allowance for transgenders in the state to Rs 3,500 from Rs 3,000 per month. The eligible candidate of the
transgender category should be a graduate degree holder from any university established by law located in the
state.
Two-day Sudarshan Chakra Vahini war exercise 2019 of Indian Army held at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
A 2 day long Sudarshan Chakra Vahini war exercise 2019 of the Indian Army commenced at Jaisalmer field
firing range, Rajasthan. The army showcased its strength regarding Agni Missile and artillery.
Former Rajasthan home minister Digvijay Singh passed away at 86

Former home minister of Rajasthan, Shri Digvijay Singh passed away at the age of 86 in Jaipur due to illness.
Born on April 23, 1933, in Uniara village, Tonk district of Rajasthan, he served as a Member of the Legislative
Assembly(MLA) 6 times from the Uniara and Deoli (both of Rajasthan) assembly seats.
8|P a ge
TamilNadu
Tamil Nadu becomes the first state in India to enact law on contract farming
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has approved the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract
Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2019, which aims to set a policy framework and
institutional mechanism on agricultural produce and livestock contract farming. With the act accepted, Tamil
Nadu (TN) becomes the first state in India to enact the law on contract farming.
Telangana
Telangana police becomes the first in country to integrate police patrol systems with passenger cabs
In order to provide a safe & secure environment to passengers, especially women, the Telangana police in its
1st of its kind in the country, has taken up a high tech initiative to integrate their police patrol systems with
passenger cabs. This is being done using police's 'Hawk-Eye' app that is connected to every taxi aggregator
apps that provides a cab service facility.
Former Minister of Telangana, Madati Narasimha Reddy passes away at the age of 85
Madati Narasimha Reddy, Senior Congress leader and former minister has passed away in a city hospital in
Hyderabad, Telangana after a brief illness. He was 85. Born in erstwhile Mosallapalli village of Mogulapalli
Mandal in now Jayshankar Bhupalpalli district of Telangana, Reddy worked as Minister in Nedurumalli
Janardhan Reddy and Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy (former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Cabinets.
Telangana tops in capex on irrigation during 2015-19: Study by CARE Ratings

According to a study by CARE Ratings, Telangana was ranked first in terms of expenditure incurred on capital
outlay/asset creation (capex) by State governments during 2015-2019 on irrigation in India.
 Other largest spenders: Tamil Nadu spent highest on urban development; Bihar on rural development; Uttar
Pradesh in the areas of transport, energy, public health, education and housing and Maharashtra on agriculture.
Tripura
Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb inaugurates “Angikaar - A campaign for change management" at Agartala
The Chief Minister (CM) of Tripura state Government Biplab Kumar Deb has inaugurated 3 month-long
“Angikaar”- 'A campaign for change management' program by Urban Development Department at Agartala
town hall, Tripura. The aim of this campaign is to bring the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban
(PMAY-U) under one fold of other central government implemented the scheme. This initiative is also in line
with the goal set by the central government of providing affordable house to everyone by 2022.
Uttarakhand
4th edition of KAZIND-2019, a joint military exercise between India & Kazakhstan begins at
Pithoragarh , Uttarakhand
4th edition of KAZIND-2019, the joint military exercise between India and Kazakhstan commenced in
Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand on October 2, 2019, which will continue till October 15, 2019 with the involvement of
100 soldiers from both the armies. It aims to carry out counter- terrorism operations in hilly areas.
Uttar Pradesh
India's 1st plant to produce diesel from plastic waste opened in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
India's 1st plant to produce diesel from plastic waste in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh has been soft-
launched by Mathura MP (Member of Parliament) Hema Malini with the aim to fulfill Prime Minister(PM)
Narendra Modi's dream of a Swachh Bharat Mission. The plant, working on a full scale at the Mathura Municipal
Corporation (MMC), built on a public-private partnership (P-P-P) model for which the MMC has signed a
contract of Rs 9.5 crore with Paterson Energy Private Limited, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
9|P a ge
Ghaziabad’s Loni town is India’s most polluted city; CPCB’s AQI figures at 358
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India, Loni rural (Dehat) of Ghaziabad, Uttar
Pradesh emerged as the most polluted city in India with the Air Quality Index (AQI) figures at 358. Strict
measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were implemented in the city to tackle air pollution.
It topped the list of 108 most polluted cities. It was classified into the “very poor” category.
Uttar Pradesh & Thai govt to organise India’s first training & performance programme of KHON Ramlila
The Culture Department of Uttar Pradesh government will organise India’s first training and performance
programme of world-famous KHON Ramlila at Grand Deepotsav function on November 26, 2019, in Ayodhya,
Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with Thai government. KHON Ramlila is a masked form of Ramlila art of
Thailand depicting scenes of Ramlila. It has no dialogues. Only background voices narrate the whole story of
Ramayana.
WWF India and UP govt. conducted Annual Ganges river dolphin census 2019 in Uttar Pradesh
From October 9-15, 2019 the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) -India and Uttar Pradesh (UP) govt’s. Forest
Department (FD) of 5 districts conducted weeklong annual Ganges river dolphin census 2019 along the
Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and Narora Ramsar site of UP, in which the endangered dolphin
population rose to 36 in 2019 from previous 33 in 2018.
UP's Ayodhya created Guinness record by lighting 6 lakh earthen lamps on the banks of the Saryu River
A new Guinness World Records record was created by the Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar
Pradesh and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya Awadh University during Deepotsav 2019 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh by
lighting 6 lakh earthen lamps on the Saryu riverbank on the eve of Diwali.
West Bengal
Kanyashree University in Nadia district of West Bengal and its colleges across state will be opened to
empower girls
For the empowerment of girls, the West Bengal state Government led by its Chief Minister (CM) Mamata
Banerjee, will open Kanyashree University in Nadia district (only for women) & Kanyashree colleges across the
state. In January 2019, the CM laid the foundation stone for the new university at Krishnanagar in Nadia
district. Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme was launched by West Bengal on March 8, 2013 to ensures the schooling
of girls and to stop their marriage before the age of 18 years.
Mamata Banerjee presented Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman to 79 community Durga Pujas
The West Bengal (WB) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee presented the Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman (BBSS)
(first started in 2013) at the state secretariat in Kolkata, West Bengal to 79 community Durga Pujas in 11
categories.
Subha dutta, Bengali daily ‘Bartaman’ editor passes away in Kolkata, West Bengal
Subha Dutta, editor of Bartaman, a leading Bengali daily newspaper, has passed away at a private hospital in
Kolkata, West Bengal after a brief illness. She was 67. She hailed from Kolkata. Subha took over as the
newspaper's editor after her brother Barun Sengupta, the founding editor of Bartaman died in 2008.
Union Territories Wise National News

Delhi
Amit Shah flagged off second Vande Bharat Express Train between Delhi and Katra
Union Home Minister Mr. Amit Shah flagged off the second Vande Bharat Express train from New Delhi railway
station. It runs between Delhi and Katra (Shri Mata Vaishno Devi), Jammu and Kashmir at a maximum speed of
130 km/hour and will cover the distance in 8 hours, reducing the travel time by 4 hours. It will halt at Ambala
Cantt, Ludhiana and Jammu Tawi for 2 minutes each. The number of the train is 22439/22440.
10 | P a g e
President of India, Shri Ram NathKovind presented 2019 Swachchta Ambassador award to Sachin
Tendulkar in New Delhi at the 5th India Today Safaigiri Summit
On the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the president of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind
presented 2019 Swachchta Ambassador award to former Indian cricketer Shri Sachin Tendulkar during the 5th
edition of India Today Safaigiri Summit held in New Delhi.
A 2-Day National Workshop ‘Arogya Manthan’ Held In New Delhi

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated a 2-day national workshop ‘Arogya
Manthan’ in New Delhi which was held on September 30- October 1, 2019. It was organised by the National
Health Authority (NHA) to mark the first anniversary of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(PMJAY), which was launched on September 23, 2018 at Ranchi, Jharkhand by the Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. Read full details here:
Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 by WEF held in New Delhi

Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 focusing on the governance of drones was held in New Delhi. The
summit was organized by the World Economic Forum(WEF) under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Minister of State(MoS-Independent charge) for Civil Aviation, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri addressed the event.
Dr Harsh Vardhan Launched FSSAI’s ‘Trans-Fat Free’ Logo In New Delhi

Union health & family welfare minister shri Harsh Vardhan launched “Trans Fat Free” logo of Food Safety &
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) during the 8th International Chefs’ Conference of 2019 (ICC VIII) held in
New Delhi. The logo was launched to boost the ‘Eat Right Movement’ of FSSAI. Read full details here:
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launched ‘Ganga Aamantran’ Abhiyan In New Delhi
Union minister of Jal Shakthi Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched ‘Ganga Aamantran’ abhiyan, a month
long open-water rafting and kayaking expedition in New Delhi. The expedition which begins from October 10-
November 11 2019, will cover an area of 25,000kms from Devprayag in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West
Bengal. Read full detals here:
EAM minister S Jaishankar inaugurated e-Vidyabharti, e-ArogyaBharti for African countries in New
Delhi
External Affairs Minister(EAM) Shri Subrahmanyam Jaishankar inaugurated e-Vidyabharti (tele- education)
and e-ArogyaBharti(Tele-Medicine) projects for all the 54 African countries in New Delhi on the 55th
anniversary of Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation(ITEC) which is India’s flagship capacity building
programme. These are e-learning platforms to ease the delivery of online education. It will serve as a digital
bridge between India and Africa. These will be delivered by Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL).
Health minister Harsh Vardhan launched WHO India Country Cooperation Strategy 2019–2023 in New
Delhi
Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare(MOHFW) DrHarsh Vardhan launched ‘The WHO India Country
Cooperation Strategy 2019–2023: A Time of Transition’ in New Delhi. This Country Cooperation Strategy(CCS)
paves the way for World Health Organisation(WHO) to work with the Indian govt. in achieving the goals of
health sector.
CM Arvind Kejriwal officially launched an initiative called ‘Farishte Dilli Ke’ in New Delhi
The Chief Minister (CM) of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) officially launched an initiative
called ‘Farishte Dilli Ke’ (Angel of Delhi, in English) under which citizens who take accident victims to the
hospital are felicitated. Entire costs of treatment for all road accident victims will be borne by the Delhi
government. It was initially launched in February 2017 on pilot basis.
11 | P a g e
Indian Railways launched 09 ‘Sewa Service’ trains with Delhi-Shamli passenger train; inaugurated by
ministers of railway, petroleum and health in New Delhi
Indian Railways(IR) launched 09 ‘Sewa Service’ Trains to connect the unconnected smaller towns around major
cities. Sewa service trains were launched by the Minister of railways and commerce & industry, Shri Piyush
Goyal along with Minister for Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW), science & technology and earth sciences, Dr.
Harsh Vardhan and Minister of petroleum & natural gas and steel, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of
State(Mos) for Railways Shri Suresh Channabasappa Angadi from New Delhi by inaugurating Delhi-Shamli
passenger train.
Health minister Shri Harsh Vardhan launched postal stamp of Hyderabad’s National Institute of
Nutrition (NIN) in New Delhi
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) Shri Harsh Vardhan released postal stamp of
Hyderabad(Telangana) city-based ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) to commemorate its centenary
celebration. It is also the oldest institute of ICMR. The stamp was released in New Delhi at the Indian Council of
Medical Research(ICMR). The theme for the NIN centenary year was ‘Empowering the nation through
nutrition’.
Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurates 11th Nuclear Energy Conclave for 2019 in New Delhi
The Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Minister of State (MoS) Prime
Minister’s Office (PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh
inaugurated the 11th Edition of Nuclear Energy Conclave 2019 in NewDelhi. It was held under the theme
“Economics of Nuclear Power- Innovation towards Safer & Cost Effective Technologies”. It was organized by
India Energy Forum (IEF). Read full details here:
Mr Prahlad Singh inaugurates CCRT e-portal and YouTube Channel at the event “ Digital Bharat Digital
Sanskriti” in New Delhi
Union Minister of State (MoS) for Culture & Tourism (Independent Charge) Mr Prahlad Singh inaugurated CCRT
e-portal and YouTube Channel with support from Routes 2 Routes, during the event “Digital Bharat – Digital
Sanskriti” at the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) Head Quarter located at Dwarka, New
Delhi. The event was organised by Rashtriya Centre for Cultural Resources and Training under the Ministry of
Culture.
CM Arvind Kejriwal agrees to implement Central scheme PM-KISAN in Delhi

The Government of Delhi headed by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has
agreed to implement the Central scheme Pradhan Mantri , Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN) in Delhi. Earlier,
West Bengal and Delhi Governments had refused to implement the scheme in respective states. At present, the
Delhi Government has sent names of 11,000 farmers for availing the benefits.
2nd Assembly of International Solar Alliance for 2019 held in New Delhi
The 2nd Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held in New Delhi on October 30-31,
2019. It was hosted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Mr R.K. Singh,
Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Power was the President of the ISA Assembly and
Ms Brune Poirson, Minister of State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition Govt. of France,
was the Co-President of the Assembly. Read full details here:
Jammu & Kashmir

First government-operated daycare recreation centre for senior citizens inaugurated in Leh
Supreme Court judge, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer inaugurated the first Government-sponsored and operated day-
care cum recreation centre for senior citizens in Leh, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). It is co-sponsored by
12 | P a g e
Government and the District Legal Service Authority of J&K. It is a one-stop-shop for entertainment, medical
services and legal aid for the aged people of the region.
Rashtriya Rifles of Indian army with Jammu University organized Sangam Youth Festival 2019 at
Bhadarwah, J&K
In a bid to promote peace and prosperity in the Chenab Valley region, Rashtriya Rifles, a branch of the Indian
Army in collaboration with Jammu University have jointly organized “Sangam 2019-20 Youth Festival” having
2019 theme ‘Let’s Build Our Nation’ at the University’s Bhaderwah campus, Doda district, Jammu &
Kashmir(J&K).
Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu/Bridge inaugurated in Ladakh by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Mr Rajnath Singh inaugurated Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu/Bridge over River Shyok,
connecting Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldie in Eastern Ladakh. The Bridge, which is 1400 feet span, is constructed
by the Project Himank of Border Road Organization (BRO) and is at an altitude of 14,650 feet in the forward
area of the Ladakh region (Proposed union territory from October 31, 2019). Its cost is Rs 100 crores.
Ladakh
First Ladakh Literature festival 2019 to be held from Oct 29-31, 2019
The aim of the festival is to celebrate the region’s art, culture, and literature. The last day (31st Oct) of the
festival will mark the transformation of Ladakh from a division to Union Territory (UT). The fest is being
organized by Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) Tourism, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh,
Ladakh Media & Art Organisation (LAMO) and All Ladakh Tours Operators’ Association (ALTOA). The festival
will begin in the State of Jammu & Kashmir state and culminated in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
Other National News

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Launched Eco-Friendly Crackers
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched eco-friendly green firecrackers, manufactured in India and
are also made available in markets for sellers and consumers. These green crackers were developed by the
Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to combat air pollution. The CSIR-NEERI (National
Environmental Engineering Research Institute) has developed new formulations for reduced emission of light
and sound emitting in crackers with 30% reduction in particulate matter. Read full details here:
MSDE along with IIM Bangalore to launch Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF)
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in partnership with the Indian Institute of
Management- Bangalore (IIMB) will launch a new 2-year program called 'Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship'
(MGNF). It will be delivered by IIMB’s Centre of Public Policy (CPP). It will be launched on a pilot basis in 6
states namely Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
PM Modi releases postage stamp in honor of Marshal of IAF, Arjan Singh

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has released a commemorative stamp of Marshal of the Indian Air Force
(IAF) late Arjan Singh in honor of his exemplary service to our nation. The stamp was issued at an event of the
'at home' program of the IAF to mark its 87th raising day in New Delhi. Arjan Singh DFC (Distinguished Flying
Cross) was the senior-most Indian Air Force officer who served at various key positions, namely, Chief of the
Air Staff from 1964 to 1969 & India's Ambassador to several countries.
Deadline to generate 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 in the country: MNRE

As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the target date for achieving the cumulative 175
GW (gigawatt) renewable power installed capacity is December 31, 2022, with 100 GW of solar, 60 GW of wind,
10 GW of bio-power and 5 GW of small hydropower.
13 | P a g e
BIS will rank state capitals & smart cities with Water Quality Ranking to prevent water-borne diseases
On the event of World Standards Day, Consumer Affairs Minister Mr Ram Vilas Paswan notified that the Bureau
of Indian Standards (BIS) will rank all state capitals and 100 smart cities in WaterQuality Rankings for quality
tap water to prevent water borne diseases. The ranking will begin in the coming 3 months.
Railways launched Sahyatri mobile app and a new website for online complaint registration
On october 11, 2019, The Indian Railways launched a Sahyatri mobile app
website www.railways.delhipolice.gov.in through which the passengers can register their complaints online. It
was launched by Union Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Mr Nityanand Rai at the
NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council) Convention Centre on Sansad Marg, New Delhi.
Key Points:
i.Benefits: Railway police can address the complaints of passengers from across India, provide information on
various issues and help in crime detection by integrating the criminal database online.
ii.Delhi GRP has uploaded 6171 data on the website and only the authorized Government Railway Police (GRP)
officers can access the entire website.
iii. Super admin: GRP heads of 24 states and 1 Union Territory (UT) are made super admin.
iv.The Sahyatri app will help railway passengers locate the jurisdiction of a police station and the details of GRP
officials by geo-tagging with Google Maps
v.Other members present: Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, Deputy Commissioner of Police
(Railways) Dinesh Kumar Gupta and other officials were present during the launch.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY reached milestone of providing health coverage to 50 lakh people in India
Over 50 lakh people have benefited from free of cost treatment under the Ayushmaan Bharat- Pradhan Mantri
Jan Arogya Yojana(PM-JAY) which is the world’s largest health care programme. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the top performers in providing free and tertiary
healthcare treatment under PM-JAY. The treatments were worth nearly Rs 7,901 crores across India.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan launches Food Safety Mitra Scheme, Eat Right Smart Jacket & Eat Right Jhola
On October 16, 2019 (World Food Day), Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan
launched Food Safety Mitra (FSM) Scheme, Eat Right Smart Jacket and Eat Right Jhola in New Delhi. FSM
engages motivated individuals with food safety ecosystem at ground level. A FSM is an individual professional
certified by FSSAI who assists in compliances related to Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, Rules &
Regulations with 3 avatars- Digital Mitra, Trainer Mitra and Hygiene Mitra.
J&K's Chenani Nashri tunnel to be named after Shyama prasad mukherjee: Nitin Gadkari
As per the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways of India, Nitin Gadkari , India’s longest 9.2 km long
Chenani-Nashri tunnel located on National Highway-44 (NH 44) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) will be named
after Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who fought for Kashmir on One Nation One Flag issue & has contributed a
lot to national integration.
Livestock population in India rises by 4.6% to nearly 535.78 million: 20th Livestock census for 2019
The provisional data of the 20th Livestock Census for 2019 was released by the Department of Animal
Husbandry and Dairying which works under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying. It showed
that the livestock population increased by 4.6%, from 512.06 million in 2012 livestock census to 535.78 million
in 2019. Read full details here:
India to host the 91st Interpol General Assembly in 2022

India will host the 91st International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) General Assembly in 2022. The
proposal was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock during a
meeting in New Delhi during Mr Stock's official visit in August 2019.
14 | P a g e
Kerala extends maternity leave benefits to teachers & other staff of private educational
institutions
Kerala govt, as a first in the nation has planned to extend maternity leave benefits to teachers and other staff of
private educational institutions, including the people working in the unaided sector. This extension of
maternity leave under the Maternity Benefit Act was approved by the Central govt and when once amended,
Kerala would be the first state to provide maternity benefits in the private educational sector.
Indian defence exports set to reach Rs 35,000 crore by 2024

During the 4th Defence Attaches Conclave for 2019 at an event of Indigenous Defence Equipment Exporters
Association held in New Delhi, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat forecasted that India’s defence exports will be
tripled to Rs 35,000 crore by 2024 from present Rs 11, 000 crores per annum. The 4th Defence Attaches
conclave was jointly organised by the Defence Ministry and news portal Bharat Shakti.
Indian railways allows e-commerce companies to use its EMU services under its new pilot project
Indian Railways has allowed e-commerce companies to use its EMU (electric multiple unit) services under its
new pilot project. Eastern Railway has also allowed Amazon to use the vendor compartment from Sealdah -
Dankuni (West Bengal) EMU Local (suburban services) to carry its goods. However, e-commerce companies
will be able to avail this facility of Railways only in non- peak hours (from 11 am to 4 pm during the day).
Government approves purchase of indigenously developed military equipment worth over Rs 3300
crore
The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the purchase
of more than Rs 3300 crore of military equipment for the armed forces, including indigenously designed and
developed anti-tank guided missiles. The first two projects include the purchase of a third-generation anti-tank
guided missile (ATGM) to increase the firepower of Indian Tanks & auxiliary power unit (APU) for T-72 and T-
90 battle tanks. The APU will enable various upgrades to the Fire Control System and to add night fighting
capability to the tanks.
Broadband download speeds in India rose by 16.5% during Q2-Q3 2019: Report by Ookla
According to the report by Ookla, the company which owns Speedtest, which examined the recent trends in
Indian telecom market during the last two quarters Q2-Q3 of 2019, broadband download speeds in India rose
by 16.5% during Q2- Q3 2019 and topped 34.07 Mbps (Megabytes Per Second) in September 2019. India
emerged as the leader in mean fixed broadband download speed amongst other neighboring countries. Read
full details here:
Govt sets up panel to resolve differences between MeitY & NITI aayog over AI mission implementation
Government has set up a panel to resolve the difference between the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and
govt. think tank National Institution for Transforming India(NITI) Aayog over the implementation of the
ambitious Artificial Intelligence (AI) mission. The panel will be headed by principal scientific advisor Shri
Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan.
Government announces postal ballot voting for voters with disabilities and people above 80 years
The govt. has announced that disabled people and people aged above 80 years can vote through postal ballot
in-order to increase the voters’ turnout. The announcement was made after the ministry of law and justice
amended conduct of Election Rules, 1961, on October 22, 2019, based on the recommendations of election
commission to allow the above-mentioned people to cast their vote through postal ballot. Currently, the postal
ballot voting is made available only to those assigned poll duties and to armed forces.
15 | P a g e
India to adopt Brazil model of human milk bank to achieve BM reach to 70% infants by 2025
The Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare Mr Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated that India will
adopt the Brazil model of human milk bank. India’s target is to achieve at least 70% infants to have access to
breast milk (BM) by 2025 and it will subsequently be increased to 100%.
Commemorative Coin on Paramahansa Yogananda released by the finance minister Nirmala

Sitharaman in New Delhi
The union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman released commemorative coin of Paramahansa Yogananda, the
father of yoga in the west, marking his 125th birth anniversary in New Delhi. Shri Paramahansa Yogananda was
the founder of Yogoda Satsanga Society(YSS) of India and Self- Realisation Fellowship(SRF) organisations.
Vice president Venkaiah Naidu unveiled 15 point charter for parliamentary reforms in New Delhi
The Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu, unveiled a 15-point charter during the "Arun Jaitely Memorial
Lecture on Strengthening of Parliamentary Institutions in the Country" in Delhi University in New Delhi, in-
order to create reforms in parliament for its effective functioning. The charter was mainly created citing poor
attendance in legislatures and quality of debate in the parliament. The parties are entitled to ensure at-least
50% of attendance of their legislators. Read full details here:
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated National Symposium to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis , in
New Delhi
Union minister of Health & Family Welfare(HWF), Science and technology and earth sciences, Shri Harsh
Vardhan inaugurated the National symposium under the theme “United to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis”, in
order to eliminate the disease, in New Delhi. During the event, Shri Vardhan also signed ‘Call to Action to
eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis by 2021’ with the govt’s commitment to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis from
2021. Read full details here:
Govt announced eligibility of Overseas Citizens of India to apply for national pension system at par with
NRIs
The union finance ministry of the govt. has made an announcement that Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) are
now eligible to apply for National Pension System (NPS) at par with Non Resident Indians (NRIs), as permitted
by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). As per the released notification, the OCIs can
apply for the pension system according to the PFRDA Act 2013 and the amount will also be repatriable based
on Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999, guidelines. Read full details here:
J&K and Ladakh formally become UTs under J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019
The 144th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of India, which is celebrated as
National Unity Day, the 2 new Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh formally came into
existence. As per the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, 2 UTs came into existence at the stroke of
midnight on 31 October 2019, almost three months after the Centre revoked Article 370. With this, India now
has 28 states and 9 UTs.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
PM Modi and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth Jointly inaugurated Metro Express and ENT hospital in
Mauritius
Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius PravindJugnauth, jointly
inaugurated the Metro Express and new ENT (ears, nose and throat) Hospital in Mauritius through a video link.
This ENT hospital is also the first paperless E-Hospital in Mauritius.
16 | P a g e
Singapore set to become the first country to ban ads for unhealthy sugary drinks
The health ministry of Singapore notified that it will ban ads for unhealthy sugary drinks to combat rising
diabetes rates. Thus, it will become the first nation in the world to do so. It has requested the SSB (sugar-
sweetened beverages) manufacturers to reformulate the drinks with less sugar content.
WHO launches its first world report on vision

World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched its first report on vision. According to the report, nearly 2.2
billion people live with vision impairment or blindness globally, in which over one billion cases could have been
prevented or have yet to be addressed. It aims to address these challenges and galvanize action.
India becomes a member of G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance
India became a member of Group of 20 (G20) Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance which
works towards advancing the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies. The World Economic
Forum (WEF), the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation serves as secretariat for the
Alliance.
UK to issue coin in honour of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary

The United Kingdom’s (UK) Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Sajid Javid (Pakistani-origin British finance
minister) notified that the UK government will issue a commemorative coin to mark the 150th birthday
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The announcement was made at the 21st Edition of the annual GG2
Leadership Awards ceremony 2019 in London hosted to celebrate the British Asian success. UK's Royal Mint
will work on the coin.
Overview of Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan 3-day visit to
Mongolia
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan who is the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, accompanied by an official
and business delegation, paid a 3-day official visit to Mongolia on 7-9 October 2019. This is a follow up of the
recent visit by Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga to India. Upon his arrival, he met Mongolia’s Heavy
industry and mining minister Nandinjargal Ganbold and held various delegation-level talks in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia. Read full details here:
Overview of defence minister Mr Rajnath Singh’s visit to France

Defence minister of India Mr Rajnath Singh visited Paris, France from October 7-9, 2019. He was received by a
military guard of honour at Hotel de Brienne, the headquarters of the French Armed Forces ministry in Paris.
During the visit, he received the first of the 36 Rafale aircrafts. Indian delegation included Defence Secretary Dr.
Ajay Kumar, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the three Services. Read full details here:
Overview of 5 day visit of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu to Comoros and Sierra Leone
Vice President of India, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu held a 5 day tour to Comoros and Sierra Leone (African
countries) from October 10-14, 2019. It was the first-ever visit by a high-level Indian dignitary to Comoros, an
archipelago situated off the Southeast coast of Africa and to Sierra Leone. Read full details here:
India handed over Mi-24V helicopter's second addition to Afghan Air forces
Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar has officially handed over the second pair of Mi- 24V
helicopters to Afghanistan's acting defense minister Asadullah Khalid at a ceremony held at the military airport
in Kabul, Afghanistan. These helicopters will replace the four helicopters that India gifted to Afghanistan in
2015-16 & will boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the Afghan Air Force (AAF).
17 | P a g e
UAE announced the establishment of Mohammad Bin Zayed University, the ‘world’s first AI
university’ in Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced the establishment of the World’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)
university, named Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Masdar City in Abu
Dhabi, UAE. MBZUAI will begin its graduate-level courses in 2020.
A 3-day long Indo-Bangla Baul music festival 2019 held in Dhaka, Bangladesh
3-day long festival of Baul songs called “Indo-Bangla Baul Music Festival 2019” organized by the Lalon
Biswasangha in association with Indian High Commission, to mark the 129th death anniversary of Bengali
philosopher & Baul saint, Fakir Lalon Shah, concluded in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
FATF granted Pakistan an ultimatum until February 2020, to curb the terror financing
The Paris based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an organization that monitors the financing of
international terrorism, gave a 4-month extension to Pakistan & warned of action for its failure to combat
money laundering and terror financing. If it does not curb the financing of terrorism by February 2020, it will
be put on the black list. The decision has been taken by FATF after the completion of its five day plenary session
in Paris, France.
UN General Assembly appoints 14 new members to the 47-member body of the UNHRC
The United Nations(UN) General Assembly has elected 14 new members to the 47-member body of UN Human
Rights Council(UNHRC). The term of these 14 new members is 3 years starting from January 2020 till
December 2022. No member elected by the General Assembly can occupy the seat for more than two
consecutive times. The 14 members are Armenia, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Libya, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Namibia, Netherlands, Poland, Republic of Korea, Sudan and Venezuela.
China Sam Group signs deal to lease Tulagi Island in the Solomons Central Province
State-owned China Sam Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Solomons' Central Province to
lease Tulagi Island and the surrounding islands for the development of the special economic zone (SEZ). It was
signed by the Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Solomon Islands Foreign Minister
Jeremiah Manele at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on October 9, 2019.
India ranked 7th in IP filings: WIPO's world intellectual property indicators 2019 report
According to “World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) 2019” report for 49 countries released by the
United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), India has emerged as a top 10 nation (ranked
7th ) in the ranking of the total (resident and abroad) IP (Intellectual Property) filing activity by origin & its
patent filings rose to 7.5% to 3,473 in 2018.
Sri Lanka removed from Grey List of FATF

Island Nation Sri Lanka was removed from the “grey list” of international terror financing watchdog FATF
(Financial Action Task Force). Sri Lanka was subjected to review in October 2016 of the International
Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) of FATF to assess the progress of Anti Money Laundering (AML)/Combating
the Financing of Terrorism(CFT). In 2017, it was identified in the “Grey List”.
19th Indo – Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation for
2019 held in Stockholm, Sweden
19th Indo – Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation (JCEC)
for 2019 between India and Sweden was held in Stockholm, Sweden on October 22- 23, 2019. It
was co-chaired by Ms. Anna Hallberg, Minister of Foreign Trade, Government of the Kingdom of
Sweden and Piyush Goyal, Commerce and Industry Minister, Government of India. Read full
details here:
18 | P a g e
Indians will not have to get a visa to come to Brazil: Brazilian President Bolsonaro
As per the Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro (64), Indian tourists and businessmen would not need a
visa to come to Brazil. It has been decided to reduce the visa requirements for the people of China and India.
Bolsonaro came to power as the 38th President of Brazil on 1 January 2019 & has reduced the visa
requirements for many developed countries.
Sri Lanka and UNEP announces new Colombo Declaration for tackling global nitrogen challenge
The government of the island nation Sri Lanka along with the support of the United Nations (UN)
Environment Programme (UNEP) convened (brought a meeting) a 2-day event at the
Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) where the members came
together and adopted “Colombo Declaration on Sustainable Nitrogen Management”. The aim of
the declaration is to halve the nitrogen waste by 2030. Read full details here:
Pakistan releases coin worth PKR 50 to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru
Nanak
The government of Pakistan released a new coin worth Pakistan Rupees (PKR) 50 to
commemorate the 550th anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. It will be available at the Kartarpur
Sahib along with a postal stamp worth PKR 8 to the traveling pilgrims.
Ecuador to quit OPEC in 2020

Ecuador will quit Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from January 1, 2020 due to fiscal
problems. It will continue to support efforts to stabilise the world oil market. It is one of the smallest members
of the OPEC.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey inaugurated National e-Assessment Scheme of IT
department in New Delhi
Revenue Secretary Shri Ajay Bhushan Pandey who is also the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) inaugurated National e-Assessment Scheme (NeAS) in New Delhi along
with the National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) under Section 143(3A) & (3B) of the IT Act. Read full details
here:
UP CM Yogi Adityanath introduced Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana

Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath introduced the Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala
Yojana which aims to empower the girl child. If a girl child is born, that family will receive Rs 15,000. Under the
community marriage scheme, the support amount to poor girls for marriage was increased from Rs 35,000 to
Rs 50,000.
CM YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan Yojana in Kakturu village of Nellore
district, Andhra Pradesh
Chief Minister (CM) of Andhra Pradesh (AP) YS Jaganmohan Reddy of Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party
(YSRCP) launched YSR Rythu Bharosa - PM Kisan Samman Yojana at Vikrama Simhapuri University in Kakturu
village of Nellore district, AP to reduce the debts of the farmers by providing a sum of Rs 13,500 per annum in 3
installments in which the contribution of the State Government is Rs 7,500 and the Centre is Rs 6,000.
19 | P a g e
Bride gets Rs 51,000 as per a Madhya Pradesh govt’s scheme ''Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah /
Nikah Yojna''
Under the Madhya Pradesh government’s scheme 'Mukhya Mantri Kanya Vivah/Nikah Yojna',
brides from economically backward sections of the state are eligible to receive Rs 51,000 if they
prove that the groom's house has a toilet before the wedding. The government has made it
compulsory for the groom to click a selfie while standing in the toilet in the groom's residence in
order to be eligible for the scheme.
VISITS
Indian Visits
Overview of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit to Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand
President of India, Mr Ram Nath Kovind visited Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand from September 27 to
October 1, 2019.President Kovind presented Colours to Corps of Army Air Defence at the Army Air Defence
Centre in Gopalpur, Ganjam district of Odisha. Read full details here:
Overview of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India

On October 03-06, 2019 Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid a four-day official visit to India at the
invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the first visit of Bangladesh PM since the completion of
elections in both Bangladesh and India.
i. A total of 3 bilateral projects were inaugurated through video link. The three projects unveiled were in three
separate but key areas like energy, skill development and people to people ties. They were
• Import of Bulk LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) from Bangladesh.
• Vocational training and
• Social training facilities.
ii. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was invited as the Chief Guest at the 33rd edition of the India Economic
Summit organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) from 03-04 October 2019. The theme for the 2019 summit was ’Innovating for India: Strengthening
South Asia, Impacting the World‘.
iii. The India- Bangladesh Business forum meet was held on October 4, 2019. It was attended by Union Minister
of Commerce & Industry and Railways, PiyushGoyal in presence of Bangladesh prime minister Sheik Hasinz.
Read full details here :
Overview of the visit of the King and Queen of the Netherlands to India
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands paid a 5 day official visit to India at the invitation
of Indian president Shri Ram Nath Kovind, from October 13-17 2019 to boost bilateral and political cooperation
between the two nations. This was the first visit to India by the king since his ascension to the throne in 2013.
Foreign Visits
Overview of defence minister Mr Rajnath Singh’s visit to France
Defence minister of India Mr Rajnath Singh visited Paris, France from October 7-9, 2019. He was received by a
military guard of honour at Hotel de Brienne, the headquarters of the French Armed Forces ministry in Paris.
During the visit, he received the first of the 36 Rafale aircrafts.
i. The first squadron of the aircraft will be deployed at Ambala air force station, Haryana and the second at
Hasimara base in West Bengal.
ii. Mr Rajnath Singh held a second India-France Ministerial level Annual Defence Dialogue 2019 with his
French counterpart Florence Parly in Paris.
iii. He extended an invitation to the French firms to participate in DefExpo 2020, which will be held
in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from February 5-8, 2020 under the theme ‘India: The Emerging Defence
Manufacturing Hub”. Read full details here
20 | P a g e
Overview of Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan 3-dayvisit to
Mongolia
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan who is the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel, accompanied by an
official and business delegation, paid a 3-day official visit to Mongolia on 7-9 October 2019. This is a follow up
of the recent visit by Mongolian president KhaltmaagiinBattulga to India. Upon his arrival, he met Mongolia’s
Heavy industry and mining minister NandinjargalGanbold and held various delegation level talks in Ulanbaatar,
Mongolia.
Commissioning of infrastructure facilities
On October 8, 2019 Shri Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the ceremony for commissioning the
infrastructure facilities constructed to support the proposed 1.5 MMT(million metric tonnes) oil refinery
project in Mongolia. It is the largest project undertaken by India under Lines of Credit (LoC) programme.
• LoC of USD 236 million: During the ceremony, Shri Pradhan announced India’s additional US $ 236
million Line of Credit(LoC) to Mongolia from its previous committed value of US$ 1 billion. This project
once completed, will boost Mongolia’s economic development and will meet 3/4th of oil requirement of
Mongolia.
• EIL: Petroleum and natural gas ministry’s public sector undertaking, the Engineer India Ltd, will be the
provider of project management consultancy services to the project.
• Project: The construction project of petrochemical refinery will be completed by 2022. This refinery
will be built near Sainshand in southern Dornogovi province of Mongolia.
• Members present: Mongolian Prime Minister Mr. UkhnaagiinKhurelsukh, six cabinet ministers,
Mongolia’sDornogovi Province Governor, Mr. T. Enkhtuvsh participated in the ceremony.
Overview of Dharmendra Pradhan's 4-day visit to Japan & Russia

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Mr Dharmendra Pradhan held a 4-day visit to Japan and Russia
from October 22- 26, 2019.
It was a follow-up visit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Vladivostok, Russia for the 5th Eastern
Economic Forum 2019 (September).
He visited Tokyo, Japan to participate in the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity (GFSEC) Ministerial Meet
2019. Read full details here:
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi reportedly killed by U.S. forces in Syria
The president of the United States(US), Donald Trump announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the
terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria(ISIS) also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL) was killed in Syria during a US-led military operation in Syria’s northwest Idlib province. It is reported
that Abu Bakr killed himself by detonating a suicide vest.
Overview of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia

The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi paid a visit, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 28-
29, 2019, at the invitation of the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud for attending the Plenary Session of
the 3rd Future Investment Initiative(FII) Forum being held in Riyadh. The visit, which is the second visit of
Prime Minister Modi to the Kingdom in three years, also had the aim of boosting bilateral ties between the two
countries in key sectors including energy and finance. Read full details here:
Overview of President Ram Nath Kovind’s 7-day visit to Philippines and Japan
President of India, Mr Ram Nath Kovind made a 7-day visit to the Philippines and Japan from October 17-23,
2019. He visited the Philippines at the invitation of Mr. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Philippines and
Japan to attend the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, His Majesty Naruhito. Read full details
here:
21 | P a g e
BANKIN & FINANCE NEWS

RBI in News
Overview of the 4th Bi- monthly Monetary Policy rates for 2019-20
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced its 4th Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Rates for 2019-20. The three-
day policy review meeting held on October 1, 3, 4 of 2019 consisting of 6 members of the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC) was headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.
i.Repo Rate was reduced by 25 basis points to 5.15% from 5.40% with immediate effect. GDP for 2019-20 was
predicted at 6.1% from 6.9%.
ii. The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled to be held from December 3-5, 2019. Read full details here:
India’s CAD limited at 2% of GDP for the first quarter of 2019-20: RBI
As per the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India's current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to $
14.3 billion or 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the first quarter(April - June) of 2019-20 due to
lower crude oil prices, higher income from invisible businesses such as services. The CAD had fallen from $ 15.8
billion (2.3 % of GDP) in the first quarter of 2018-19.
Bengaluru-based fintech startup Shubh loans receives RBI’s NBFC licence

Shubh Loans, a Bengaluru-based fintech sector start-up, has received a Non-Banking Financial Company
(NBFC) license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through its subsidiary ‘Ekagrata ‘of its parent company
Datasigns Technologies. It has raised series A2 funding of Rs 34 crore (USD 4.8 million) already from Omidyar
Network India.
RBI rejects merger of Lakshmi Vilas Bank and Indiabulls housing finance
The country’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has denied the proposed merger of Indiabulls Housing
Finance and Lakshmi Vilas Bank, the flagship private sector bank. The merger was announced by Indiabulls in
April, 2019 and sought approval from RBI on May 7,2019. The rejection comes after LVB was put into a prompt
corrective action (PCA) framework in September 2019 by the RBI due to high NPAs (Non Performing Assets).
Reserve Bank gives final approval for the formation of the proposed Kerala Bank
The country’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its final approval of Kerala government’s
long-pending proposal of setting up its own ‘Kerala Bank’, by amalgamating 13 district co-operative banks
(DCBs) with Kerala State Co-operative Bank.
Credit Saison India receives RBI’s NBFC license

Credit Saison India, the domestic subsidiary of Japanese financial services leader Credit Saison, has received a
licence from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI ) to set up a non-banking financial company(NBFC) in Bengaluru,
Karnataka, which will begin operations by October 2019 end.
Reserve Bank imposes a monetary penalty on Balancehero India & Toyota Financial
In exercise of the powers vested under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, Country’s
central bank,the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 12.88 lakh on Prepaid
Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer Balancehero India Private Limited for non-compliance of regulatory
guidelines.
Toyota Financial Services India Limited (TFSIN), the Indian subsidiary of Toyota Financial Services
Corporation (TFSC) has also faced Rs 5 lakh penalty for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI, under
the provisions of the RBI Act, 1934.
22 | P a g e
RBI introduces a new reporting system for co-operative banks- CISBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) came up with a new reporting system for all co-operative banks (urban, State
& district central) called Central Information System for Banking Infrastructure (CISBI) in which they will
submit information related to opening/ closing/ conversion of branches, offices, non-administratively
independent offices (extension counters, satellite offices), and customer service points (ATMs- Automated
Teller Machines) in a single proforma online. The Bank Branch Statistics Division (BBSD) in the Department of
Statistics and Information Management (DSIM), Reserve Bank of India will be the nodal unit for CISBI.
Reserve Bank to operationalise unified DoS/DoR, effective from November 1, 2019

In order to strengthen its oversight of commercial banks, urban co-operative banks (UCBs) and non-banking
financial companies (NBFCs) ,the country’s central bank, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to
operationalise unified Department of Supervision (DoS) & Department of Regulation (DoR) with effect from
November 1, 2019.
RBI issues guidelines on 'on tap' authorisation on payment systems, stipulating minimum net worth
With an aim to encourage innovation and competition, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI ) has issued guidelines
on 'on tap' authorisation of payment systems. This includes minimum networth terms for various companies.
RBI has decided to introduce the ever-open facility of application for license to operate Bharat Bill Payment
Operating Unit (BBPOU), Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) and White Label ATM (Automated
Teller Machine).
Vreedhi Financial Services receives NBFC licence from RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave Vreedhi Financial Services (VFS) a license to act as a non- banking finance
company (NBFC). It’s objective is to provide credit and other services to micro- enterprises operating in tier
two-three cities and small towns. It will address the gap between the addressable and viable credit in the
micro-enterprises space which is $123 billion as per the study conducted by the International Finance
Corporation (IFC).
Farmers get lower share of consumers’ rupee for perishables: RBI's Supply chain dynamics and food
inflation in India survey 2019
As per the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Supply Chain Dynamics and Food Inflation in India survey 2019
carried out across 18 states, Indian farmers get average share in the consumers’ rupee in the range between 28
% and 78 % across 14 crops, with a lower share in the case of perishables (particularly, vegetables like potato
and onion) and higher share in case of non- perishables (such as oilseeds and spices). Farmers get lower share
of consumers’ rupee for perishables: Read full details here
Banking Technology
APP NAME LAUNCHED BY KEY NOTES
Three new digital product - UCO Bank’s (United *-A new current account facility has also been launched by the
UCash, Digilocker and an app Commercial Bank) bank. The app comes with the integration of four existing apps
of the bank – UCO Mbanking, UCO UPI, UCO Mpassbook and
UCO Secure in a single platform.
“FD health” ICICI Bank *-Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI
Bank) launched a new Fixed deposit (FD) scheme called “FD
health” which provides investors a complimentary critical
illness cover on 33 critical illnesses for the customers who are
in the age bracket of 18-50years.
23 | P a g e
Loans issued by Banks
Loans issued by Received by Amount Key Notes

Paisalo digital BOB Paisalo Digital - *-The aim to necessitate the joint contribution of credit
(Formerly known as flow to empower farmers, MSME (Ministry of Micro,
S.E Investments Small and MediumEnterprises) segment and small
Limited) businesses.
*-Under the agreement, Paisalo Digital will work as a
customer outreach for BOB and will encourage loans
between Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000 in the rural areas with
a special focus on Uttar Pradesh(UP).
U GRO Capital BOB - *-The aim to necessitate the joint contribution of credit
U GRO Capital flow with competitive rate of interest, to empower
(formerly known as SMEs (Small and medium-sized enterprises) by using U
Chokhani securities) GRO Capital’s co-lending technology platform ‘GRO-
Xstream’.
ADB Government of India $190 million *- For improving road connectivity in Rajasthan
(GoI) *-The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the
Government of India (GoI) have signed the Tranche 2
loan agreement worth $190 million to upgrade 754
kilometers of Rajasthan state highways and major
district roads (MDRs) to two-lane or intermediate-lane
standards.
New Development 2 projects of Brazil & $ 800 million *-New Development Bank (NDB)’s Board of Directors
Bank (NDB) India has approved two projects namely, Fundo Clima Brazil
National Climate Fund Project ($ 500 million )&
Renewable Energy Sector Development Project ($ 300
million) with the loans totaling $ 800 million. Now the
Bank's portfolio stands at 44 projects with loans
aggregating to $ 12.4 billion. Read full details here:
World Bank (WB) India $165 million *- The World Bank has signed a tripartite $ 165 million
loan agreement with Government of India (GoI),
Government of Odisha, with the aim to Support
Climate Resilient Agriculture for 125,000 Small holder
Farmers from 15 districts in Odisha & diversify and
improve the marketing of their produce, for increased
income by managing 128,000 ha (hectare) of
agricultural land.
Agreements & Mous Signed

Banks Signed with Key Notes
Indian Army Bank of Baroda (BoB) Indian Army with the aim to provide new and
better banking experience for both serving &
retired personnel of Indian Army.
Government e-Marketplace Union Bank of India *- To avail various services Union Bank of India
(UBI), one of the largest government-owned
banks of India has signed a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Government e-
Marketplace (GeM) to provide cashless,
paperless and transparent payment system to
small traders.As per the MoU, Union Bank
will provide a number of services including
transactions in the GEM Pool account,
functioning bank guarantees, and earnest money
deposit to users registered on the GEM portal.
24 | P a g e
Other Banking News

Interest Rates Of PPF, NSC, SSY And Other Small Savings Scheme Remain Unchanged For Q3 FY 19-20
The Union Ministry of Finance in a circular dated September 30, 2019 notified that the interest rates of post
office small savings schemes, including that of Public Provident Fund (PPF), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY),
National Savings Certificate (NSC) and Senior Citizen Savings Scheme remain unchanged for the third quarter
(Q3) October to December of the current financial year 2019-20. They will earn the same interest rate as of July
to September quarter (Q2) of FY 2019- 20. The rates are revised quarterly. Increase in the budget’s fiscal deficit
(3.3% of GDP-Gross Domestic Product) and reduction in the corporate tax rates. Read full details here:
Public Sector Banks (PSBs) Will Have Uniform Timings Across All States
With all Public Sector Banks (PSBs) having banking hours at their convenience, the integrated working hours
have been introduced by the Indian Department of Financial Services. The banks will commence service at 10
am on the basis of the new timing starting , 1 October 2019. Lunch breaks are allowed in the afternoon,
between 2.00 and 2.30. Read full details here:
IRDAI Sets Up 12-Member Working Group To Review The Product Structure Of Title Insurance
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has constituted a 12- member working
group (WG) chaired by T.L. Alamelu to review the product structure of title insurance, which covers any loss
caused due to a defect in the ‘title’ of the property arising out of third-party challenges. WG will submit its
report in 12 weeks’ time from the date of the order. Read full details here:
Axis Bank launches digital Fixed Deposit product called ‘Express FD’
Axis Bank, the third-largest of the private-sector banks in India has launched digital fixed-deposit (FD) product
named ‘Express FD’, which can be opened in three minutes through the digital route without opening a savings
account by investing a minimum Rs 5,000 up to Rs 90,000, for a tenure of 6 to 12 months . The new Express FD
account offers attractive interest rates, zero issuance fees and no penalty on premature withdrawal (up to 25%
of the amount)
SBI, BoB limits cash withdrawals using micro-ATM transactions of other banks
State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) limited the cash withdrawals of customers using micro-
ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) of other banks to 4 times a month. BoB permitted its customers to do 4
transactions a day while SBI limited it to 1 transaction. SBI account holders who are not part of the
government’s direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme are allowed to do 5 transactions a month.
State Bank launches debit card with EMI facility on POS

In order to provide a superior and affordable shopping experience to its customers, Indian multinational, public
sector bank, the State Bank of India (SBI) has launched the “Debit Card EMI facility” for its existing customers.
Under this service, the consumer can opt for an EMI (equated monthly installment) period ranging from 6
months to 18 months.
HP CM Jai Ram Thakur flags off 'Pragati Rath' of HDFC bank in Shimla
Himachal Pradesh (HP) Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur flagged off a one-month program 'Pragati Rath' of HDFC
(Housing Development Finance Corporation) bank in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh (HP) to make people aware of
financial and digital literacy. The Pragati Rath is undertaken by a special van, which is equipped with LED
(light-emitting diode) and through this, customers will be made aware of digital banking.
Star health insurance join hands with Paytm to sell comprehensive health insurance solutions
Indian life insurance provider, Star Health Insurance has joined hands with Paytm, an Indian e- commerce
payment system to offer comprehensive life insurance products. As per this partnership, Paytm will distribute
Star Health Insurance products to its customers.
25 | P a g e
ICICI inks pact with CSC e-Governance services India to expand rural outreach
Indian multinational banking and financial services company, ICICI Bank (Industrial Credit and Investment
Corporation of India) has tied up with Common Service Centre e-Governance Services India Limited, a Special
Purpose Vehicle(CSC SPV) to expand its reach to villages and remote towns.
Government reduces interest on house building advance to 7.9% from 8.5%

To overcome the sluggishness of the real estate sector & boost housing demand, the government has reduced
the interest rate on House Building Advance (HBA) from 8.5% to 7.9% for one year. As per the Union Housing
and Urban Affairs Ministry, the new interest rate was effective from October 1, 2019 & will apply to all loan
amounts.
Life Insurance Council’s first Rs 100 cr ‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’ joint mass media campaign to begin
Life Insurance Council has decided to launch the Indian life insurance industry’s first joint mass media
campaign with the slogan ‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’ (first thing is life insurance) within a month whose total
cost will be around Rs 100 crore. For this purpose, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India will provide Rs 40
crore. It will be a joint effort of 24 Indian life insurance companies.
CBDT signs 300th APA by signing 3 APAs pertaining to United Kingdom

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) signed the 300th Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) in September
2019 by signing 3 APAs pertaining to United Kingdom (UK)- 2 Unilateral and 1 Bilateral APA. It is considered as
a significant landmark of India’s APA Programme which is in the seventh year now. In the ongoing fiscal, the
total number of APAs entered into has gone up to 29 with 27 Unilateral and 2 Bilateral APAs.
UPI transactions registers a new high of 955 million in September 2019 : NPCI
As per the recently released data by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) based transactions recorded a new high of 955.02 million during September 2019 worth Rs
1.61 trillion as against 918.35 million in August 2019 with Rs 1.54 trillion worth. Such UPI based transactions
increasing 2.3 times or 135% on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis.
Reliance Nippon Life AMC to be rebranded Nippon India Mutual Fund

The largest Japanese life insurance company, Nippon Life Insurance has renamed Reliance Nippon Life Asset
Management (RNAM) as Nippon India Mutual Fund (NIMF) after acquiring 75 % stake in RNAM from Reliance
Capital for around Rs 6,000 crore.
India gets first detail of accounts of Indian citizens in Swiss banks

In the matter of getting information about black money from foreign land, India has got the first tranche of
accounts details of Indian citizens in Swiss banks under the new regular system of automatic exchange of
information (AEOI). However, the exchange of information is done with the condition of confidentiality. The
Federal Tax Administration (FTA) of Switzerland has exchanged details of financial accounts under 75 global
standards of AEOI to 75 countries. India is also included in them.
GST Council forms a panel of officers to suggest measures to increase GST revenue
The GST Council has formed a 12 member high-level committee of officers with 5 members from Centre and 5
commissioners, SGST (State Goods and Service Tax) from the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh,
West Bengal and Punjab along with Joint Secretary of GST Council and Executive Vice President of GST Network
(GSTN) to suggest measures to increase the revenue from Goods and Service Tax (GST) and to administer it.
For the 1st time, Home Credit India (HCIN) join hands with KVB for joint lending
Home Credit India (HCIN), a leading consumer durable loan provider, for the first time joined hands with one of
the oldest banks in India , Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) for offering joint lending. Under the partnership, Home
26 | P a g e
Credit and KVB will be jointly providing the loan as a single amount to the customer. End-to-end automated
processing is the special feature of this tie-up by which the customer gets real-time approval and disbursement.
No charges on digital payments to large businesses with an annual turnover over Rs 50 crore
from Nov 1, 2019
The Ministry of Finance notified that banks will not levy charges or merchant discount rate (MDR) on digital
payments to the customers or merchants of the businesses with an annual turnover of more than Rs 50 crore
from 1 November 2019. This move is to encourage digital payments and they will have to mandatorily offer
electronic mode of payments to their customers from the said date.
PayPal & Synchrony tied up to launch co-branded Venmo’s first credit card
PayPal Holdings Inc and Synchrony partnered to launch co-branded Venmo’s first credit card. Synchrony will
become the exclusive issuer of a Venmo co-branded consumer credit card in the United States (US). It is
expected to be launched in the second half of 2020.
Bajaj Allianz Life launches first of its kind video calling service in the insurance industry called ‘i- SERV’
Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance launched a first-of-its-kind video calling service within the life insurance industry
called i-SERV to enhance the customer experience and provide resolutions to the queries of its customers. This
service is available to customers across 125 Bajaj Allianz Life branches in 112 cities.
SBI & Pine labs join hands to provide monthly EMI for debit card customers
Pine Labs,an Indian merchant platform company has joined hands with Indian multinational, public sector
bank, State Bank of India (SBI) to offer EMIs (equated monthly instalments) for debit card transactions. The tie-
up will enable SBI to widen its EMI facility at the Pine Labs Point-of- Sales (PoS) terminals at more than 40,000
merchants across over 1,500 cities.
India's revenue growth in banking sector dropped from 22% to 10.3%: McKinsey's Global
Banking Annual Review 2019
McKinsey & Company released its Global Banking Annual Review 2019. According to the report, Indian revenue
growth within India’s banking sector reduced from 22% (2002-07) to 10.3% (2010-18). Indian banks
experienced a dramatic drop in ‘return on tangible equity’ from 17.7% in 2013 to 2.3% in 2018. Read full
details here:
GeM and Federal Bank tied up for payment-related services

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and Federal
Bank to offer a number of services including transfer of funds through GeM Pool Accounts (GPA), advising of
Performance Bank Guarantees (e-PBG) and Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) to the registered users on the portal.
It will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system. This will help the MSMEs (Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises) to access easy credit and do better business with the government.
Aditya Birla Finance & Indian Dental Association (IDA) join hands to provide monthly EMI for dental
patients
A leading well-diversified financial services company, Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL) has signed a
partnership agreement with Indian Dental Association (IDA) to offer EMIs (equatedmonthly installments) for
patients getting dental treatments, during 11th world dental show 2019 held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
IOB in association with Universal Sompo launches health care plus insurance policy
A major public sector bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in association with Universal Sompo General Insurance
Company Ltd has launched co-branded health care plus insurance policy with a sum insured from Rs 50,000 -
Rs 15 lakh through online platform for IOB customers on real time basis.
27 | P a g e
IRDAI sets up an 8-member panel headed by S Sadagopan to evaluate applications filed under the
Regulatory Sandbox(RS)
Inorder to promote innovative ideas to foster growth in the insurance sector, an autonomous body tasked with
regulating insurance industries in India. IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), has
formed an 8-member panel headed by the International Institute of Information Technology (Bangalore)
Director S Sadagopan to evaluate applications filed under the Regulatory Sandbox (RS). The Committee will
have a term of one year & meet whenever required.
One billion transactions done through UPI in October 2019

The mission of Modi government Digital India is gaining momentum rapidly as Transactions using India’s own
domestic payments platform—Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as it has achieved the double milestone of 1
billion transactions as well as has crossed 100 million users in October, 2019. With this, UPI has become the
fastest growing system. anywhere in the world.
Srei Equipment Finance Ltd & United Bank of India partnered to provide loans to MSME and retail
sector customers
In bid to provide loans to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and to the retail sectors, the
United Bank of India (UBI) and Srei Equipment Finance Ltd (SEFL), the Non-Banking Financial Company(NBFC)
and wholly owned subsidiary of the Srei Infrastructure Finance Ltd have partnered together under a co-lending
agreement (Intercreditor Agreement). They both have also jointly organised “Loan Utsavs” across 20 cities in
India. Read full details here:
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS

GDP & Growth Rate
Organisation Rate Key Notes
World Trade Organisation FY 2020 2.7% *- Report reduced the global trade growth forecast to 1.2% for
(Global trade growth 2019 from 2.6% growth forecast made in April 2019 due to trade
forecast) tensions and sluggish global economy.
*- The global trade growth forecast for 2020 was reduced
FY 2019 1.2% to 2.7% from 3%.
S&P Global Ratings FY 2020-2021 7% *- Standard & Poor (S&P) Global ratings has reduced India’s
(India’s growth) growth to 6.3% from its previous estimation of 7.1% for 2019-
2020
FY 2019-2020 6.3% *- The reduced growth projection is mainly due to decline in
private consumption growth.
International rating FY 2020 5.8% *- International rating agency Moody’s has reduced India’s gross
agency Moody’s Domestic Product(GDP) growth forecast to 5.8% for FY20 (Fiscal
Year20) from its previous estimate of 6.2%.
*-This downgrade in GDP was due to deceleration to an
FY 2019 6.2% investment-led slowdown which has broadened into
consumption, driven by financial stress among rural households
and weak job creation.
India Ratings and FY 2020 6.1% *- India Ratings and Research(Ind-Ra) has reduced India’s Gross
Research(Ind-Ra) Domestic Product (GDP) for FY20 (Fiscal Year 20) to 6.1% from
its previous estimate of 6.7%.
*-This downgrade in GDP was due to a
FY 2019 6.7% slowdown in rural and urban consumption demand growth.
28 | P a g e
World Bank in its report, FY 2019 6% *-India's growth forecast to 6% for 2019 (down from 7.5 %) for
“South Asia Economic the second consecutive year ,after a wide decline in the initial
Focus, Fall 2019 : Making quarters. In 2018, India’s GDP (Gross domestic product) growth
(De)centralization stood at 6.8 %, down from 7.2 % in 2017.
Work”
International Monetary FY 2020 7% *-International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded India’s Gross
Fund (IMF) Domestic Product(GDP) growth forecast to 6.1% for the year
2019 from its previous estimate of 7.3% as per the IMF’s World
FY 2019 6.1% Economic Outlook(WEO) report. IMF also projected India’s
FY 2018 7.3% growth forecast for 2020 at 7%.Despite India’s GDP being
lowered for 2019, it still retained its rank as the world's fastest-
growing major economy, tying with China.
Fitch rating Further 6.7% *- American credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings has downgraded
increase India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast for FY20 (Fiscal
Year 20) to 5.5% from its previous estimate of 6.6%. The GDP is
FY21 6.2%
expected to increase to 6.2% FY21 and will further increase to
FY20 5.5% 6.7% year after.
FY19 6.6%.
Economy News
Indonesia leads SE Asia’s $100bn internet economy: 4th e-Conomy SEA report for 2019
The 4th Edition of the report titled “e-Conomy SEA report 2019:Powering Southeast Asia's $100 billion Internet
economy” was jointly released by Google, Singapore investment company Temasek and American consultancy
Bain & Company. As per the report, Indonesia and Vietnam led the SE (SouthEast) Asia’s $100bn internet
economy becoming the fastest-growing digital economies in the region. Until 2018, this report was jointly
published by Google and Temasek. Read full details here:
IRDAI sets up 9-member working group headed by TR Alamelu to review existing reinsurance norms
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has constituted 9-member panel headed
by TR Alamelu, member (Non- life) to have a look at the set of regulations, circulars and guidelines on
Reinsurance, Foreign Reinsurance Branches and Lloyd’s India & would suggest amendments to reinsurance,
investment, foreign reinsurance branches(FRBs) and Lloyd’s India regulations in the next two months.
UNCTAD along with ESCAP released Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2019
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) along with the Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s (ESCAP) collaboration, released the Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment
Report 2019 (APITR).The report is published biennially to provide information on the impacts of recent and
emerging developments in trade and Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) on countries to achieve sustainable
development. The theme of APITR 2019 is “Navigating Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) towards Sustainable
Development”.
Poverty rate halves in India after 1990s: World Bank

As per the World bank (WB), India has halved its poverty rate since the 1990s, the situation has improved
significantly and has achieved economic growth rate of over 7 percent in the last 15 years. Along with this,
there are many challenges in the path of development journey of the country that it will have to improve the
efficiency of resources for this. Read full details here:
Bangalore & Kolkata will also be named in the list of World Bank’s ease of doing business survey from
2020
According to the World Bank (WB), Kolkata and Bengaluru will be added to the list of World Bank’s ease of
doing business survey from the year 2020.The survey so far covered only Delhi and Mumbai. According to the
29 | P a g e
17th edition of World Bank’s (WB) report ,“Doing Business 2020- Comparing Business Regulation in 190
Economies",released on October 23, 2019 India has ranked 63rd in the list with the score of 71.0.
Surjit Bhalla led the high-level advisory group on trade and policy suggests panel for easier entry to
foreign investors
The High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) on trade and policy led by Surjit Bhalla, a former member of the Prime
Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PM-EAC) submitted its report to the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry. The group suggested a simpler regulatory and tax framework for overseas investment funds, allowing
individual investment from abroad in Indian debt and capital markets, and state-specific policies to facilitate
foreign direct investment in agro-processing.
Business News
BSE ties up with FICCI to promote small enterprises
In order to promote the micro, small and medium industries (MSME) and startups, BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange)
has organized a discussion session in collaboration with FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry) in New Delhi. The purpose of this session was to identify shortcomings in existing policies and suggest
good policies.
EESL, NIIF joins hands to install smart electricity meters in all households in India
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) under the Union
Ministry of Power and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) have joined hands to formulate an
electricity distribution plan to install smart electricity meters in all households. The two companies have formed
a joint venture called IntelliSmart Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (IntelliSmart) which will execute, finance and operate
the smart meter program.
CIBIL to give real time alerts called CIBIL Alert on changes in customers’ credit profile
TransUnion Credit Information Bureau of India Limited (CIBIL), a credit information company,launched a new
feature called CIBIL Alert through which customers can get real-time notifications about key changes in their
CIBIL Score and Report. This new feature comes after banks have begun to link their retail loans to credit scores
under the new external benchmarking system.
Air India becomes world's first airline to bring aircraft to runway using taxibot technology
Air India has become the first airline in the world to use taxibot on an A320 aircraft with passengers onboard at
Indira Gandhi International Airport ,New Delhi. The taxibot is a pilot- controlled semi-robotic aircraft tractor,
bringing the aircraft from the parking bay to the runway and vice versa. The engine of the aircraft remains shut
while using the taxibot, which saves fuel & also reduces carbon emissions.
Mastercard in collaboration with MS Dhoni launched an initiative titled “Team Cashless India”
A technology company in the global payments industry, Mastercard in collaboration with Indian cricketer
Mahendra Singh Dhoni launched a nationwide initiative titled “Team Cashless India” to boost digital payments.
The campaign encourages all Indian citizens to nominate 1 or more merchants who currently do not accept digital
payments at their firms/stores. The nominated merchants will get support to install digital payments acceptance
infrastructure.
Italy to introduce 3% web tax on digital giants from 2020

As a part of the 2020 draft budget, Italy approved to levy 3% web tax for internet transactions on digital giants
like Facebook, Google and Amazon, including United States giants from 2020. This plan is expected to yield about
600 million euros ($662 million) per annum. It is in line with proposals from the Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD).
30 | P a g e
RIL becomes the first Indian company to have a market cap of over Rs 9 lakh crore
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has become the first Indian company to have a market
capitalization (m-cap) of Rs 9,00,666 crore. RIL's stock rose 1.76% during early trading and reached the level of
Rs.1420.75. Earlier in August 2018, Reliance had set the record of the first company in the country to touch the
market capitalization level of Rs 8 lakh crore.
Government granted 'Maharatna' status to Hindustan Petroleum and Power Grid Corp
Department of Public Enterprises, under the Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public
Enterprises(MoHI&PE), granted 'Maharatna' status to state-owned Public Sector Units(PSU)
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL).
These two PSUs will now have autonomous status and the boards can now take major financial
decisions. Read full details here:
Rajnath Singh approved the issuance of 2 OGELs for export of defence equipment and
technologies
Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh approved the issuance of 2 Open General Export
Licences (OGELs) that allows export of certain defence equipment and technologies to select
countries, thus enhancing ease of doing business. It would also help achieve the defence ministry’s
target of reaching $26 billion in defence exports by 2025. This grant of license will be considered
by Department of Defence Production (DPP) based on case to case. The authorization under this
OGEL which is a 1 time grant, will be initially valid for a period of 2 years from the date of issue.
7 mining and metals companies partnered with WEF for responsible sourcing
7 mining and metals companies- Tata Steel, Antofagasta Minerals, Eurasian Resources Group Sarl, Glencore,
Klockner & Co, Minsur SA and Anglo American/De Beers (Tracr) partnered with the World Economic Forum
(WEF) to accelerate responsible sourcing of raw materials under the new 'Mining and Metals Blockchain
Initiative'.
BSE - Ebix JV gets in-principle approval from IRDAI for insurance broking business
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ,Asia's first stock exchange and its joint venture (JV) partner Ebix, US (United
States) based insurance exchange, has received in-principle approval from insurance regulator IRDAI
(Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) to act as a direct insurance broker under the IRDAI
(Insurers Brokers) Regulations, 2018. The JV, named as BSE- Ebix Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd.
Three Indian-origins named among top 10 in 'The Best-Performing CEOs in the World, 2019' list
by HBR, Jen-Hsun Huang tops
Three Indian-origin CEOs (chief executive officer), Shantanu Narayen (CEO of Adobe Inc), Ajaypal Singh Banga
(CEO of Mastercard) and Satya Narayana Nadella (CEO of Microsoft) are among the world's top 10 best-
performing chief executives, featured in a list of 'The Best-Performing CEOs in the World, 2019' prepared by
Harvard Business Review (HBR). Narayen of Adobe is at 6th place in the list and Banga is at 7th position.
Microsoft's Nadella ranks 9th on the list. Jen-Hsun Huang, the CEO of the US (United States) -based technology
company Nvidia, ranked 1st on the list, which features 100 CEOs. Read full details here:
Budget carrier IndiGo becomes the member of global airlines body IATA
Budget carrier IndiGo became a member of International Air Transport Association (IATA). In 2019, Indigo
expanded its international flight operations wherein it connected India with countries such as Turkey, Vietnam,
Myanmar and China.
31 | P a g e
Amazon, Apple & Alibaba are the most disruptive companies: KPMG Report
KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler), a global network of professional services firm, released a report
titled “Disruptive companies and business models”, in which it stated that Amazon, Apple & Alibaba are the
most disruptive companies. More than 740 technology industry business leaders were surveyed globally.
Singapore-based AirCarbon Pte launches the worlds’ 1st blockchain-based carbon trading exchange
Singapore-based AirCarbon Pte launched the world’s first blockchain-based carbon trading exchange. It will
permit airlines and other corporate buyers to buy and sell tokens backed by carbon offset credits approved by
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
MOUS & AREEMENTS

MOUS with Country
Country Mou with Field /Purpose
Syria India A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Syria to
upgrade the existing India-Syria Center for Excellence in Information and
Technology (IT) to the Next Generation Center for Excellence in Information and
Technology (NexGen-ISCEIT) situated in Damascus.
MOUs with Organisations

Organisation Mou with Field /Purpose
National Buildings Construction Department of Sports under To provide project management consultancy for
Corporation Limited the aegis of Ministry of development of National Sports University at Imphal,
Youth Affairs and Manipur. The project worth is Rs 400 crore.
Sports(MYaS)
National eGovernance Division The National Law Institute For implementation of ‘Online Capacity Building
(NeGD) University (NLIU), Bhopal Programme on Cyber Law, Crime Investigation and
Digital Forensics through NeGD Learning Management
System (LMS)’. Read full details here:
Other MOUS
AYUSH and Defence ministry signed MoU for traditional medicine services in New Delhi
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH(Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homeopathy) and Defence Shri Shripad Yesso Naik signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) between
the ministry of AYUSH and Defence to provide health services of AYUSH under the health establishments of
Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). The MoU was signed during the inauguration
of Ayurveda Palliative Care Unit at Palliative Care Centre, base Hospital in New Delhi.
AIIA signs MoU with Frankfurter innovationszentrum biotechnologie GmbH, Germany in New Delhi
All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) under Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha,
Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) has signed an MoU (Memorandum of understanding) with Frankfurter
Innovationszentrum Biotechnologie GmbH (FiZ), Germany in New Delhi to research in the field of genomics &
develop norms supported with new-age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
India and Pakistan signed agreement to operationalise Kartarpur Corridor for the pilgrims
India and Pakistan have signed an agreement to operationalize the Kartarpur corridor (under construction
border corridor between India and Pakistan). As per the agreement, Indian pilgrims, will now be able to visit
Darbar Sahib established by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev in 1522 in Pakistan. The corridor will be
formally inaugurated by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 9, 2019, ahead of the 550th birth
anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev (founder of Sikhism) on November 12, 2019. Read full details here:
32 | P a g e
APPOINTMENTS & RESINATIONS

National
Person Name Appointed as Entity/Place Key Notes
Manohar Lal Khattar Chief Ministers Haryana BJP’s (Bharatiya Janata Party) Manohar Lal
Khattar was sworn in as Haryana’s chief
minister (CM) for a second term (11th CM). He
will lead the BJP-JJP (Jannayak Janata Party)
coalition government in the state. JJP leader
Dushyant Chautala took oath as the deputy CM
of the state.
Former IAS officers Girish Lt Governor J&K Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
Chandra Murmu officers Girish Chandra Murmu and Radha
Krishna Mathur were appointed as first
Radha Krishna Mathur Lt Governor Ladakh Lieutenant (Lt) Governors of Jammu and
Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh respectively. These
Union Territories will come into existence on
October 31, 2019. These newly appointed
governors succeed Satya Pal Malik, who has
been transferred and appointed as
Governor of Goa. Read full details here:
Sharad Arvind Bobde 47th Chief Justice India President Ram Nath Kovind has signed the
warrant appointing Justice Sharad Arvind
Bobde (63) as the 47th Chief Justice of India
(CJI) & he will continue in this post for 17
months till 23 April 2021. The current Chief
Justice Ranjan Gogoi (46th) is retiring on
November 17, 2019, & Bobde will take over as
Chief Justice on 18 November 2019. His
appointment has been made under Article 124
(2) of the Constitution of India.
SK Ghotia Air Officer South Western Air He succeeded Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora,
Commanding-in- Command who recently appointed as the new vice chief
Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia Principal Government of He succeeds Sitanshu Kar. He has been
Spokesperson India appointed as the new principal Director
General (DG) of the Press Information Bureau
(PIB), the publicity wing of the central
government.
PK Gupta Chairman-cum- NBCC (National He succeeds in Shri Shiv Das Meena. Prior to
Managing Director Buildings this appointment, Gupta serving as Executive
(CMD) Construction Director of engineering services company
Corporation) RITES(Rail India Technical and Economic
Service) Limited.
S. Mallikarjuna Rao MD and CEO Punjab National Currently serving as chief executive of the
Bank Allahabad Bank, Rao will replace Sunil Mehta
of PNB and will head the Delhi based bank till
September 18, 2021.
Surjit Bhalla Executive Director India at IMF Surjit succeeds former Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) deputy governor Subir Gokarn
Abhishek Singh chief executive MyGov India He replaces tech entrepreneur Arvind Gupta,
officer whose tenure ended recently in July 2019.
33 | P a g e
Vivek Aggarwal Additional charge of ASRB The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
the post of Secretary (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi assigned additional charge of the post of
Secretary, ASRB to Vivek Aggarwal, a 1994-
batch IAS officer, who is the current Joint
Secretary in the Department of Agriculture
Cooperation and Farmers Welfare
Amur S MD & CEO Tata He succeeds Vinod Kumar. Prior to this
Lakshminarayanan communications appointment, Lakshminarayanan was
President and CEO of Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) Japan, Ltd.
Sushil chandra mishra chairman-cum- OIL He succeeds Utpal Bora.

managing director Prior to this appointment, Mishra serving as
Executive Director in Oil India Ltd
Lt-General Iqroop Singh General Officer Indian Army He succeedsLieutenant-General Abhay
Ghuman Commanding-in- Krishna.
Chief (GOC-in-C)
K Satish Reddy President Indian He succeeds Glenn Saldanha. Rajesh Jain,
pharmaceutical Managing Director of Panacea Biotec Limited
alliance will continue as Vice-President of the
company.
Vikas Varma Chief Operating Mastercard India Mastercard India, payment technology major,
Officer (COO) elevated Mr Vikas Varma as the Chief
Operating Officer (COO) of the firm. He will
take up the responsibility related to new
partnerships and development of digital
payment solutions and has been serving the
firm since 2005.
Mr J.P.S. Chawla Controller General Controller General He succeeds Mr. Girraj Prasad Gupta. The
of Accounts 1985-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service
(ICAS) Officer was appointed as CGA with
effect from October 15, 2019 on regular basis
but has been officiating as CGA with effect
from September 1, 2019.
Sudhaker Shukla member of IBBI Insolvency and Sudhaker Shukla, a 1985 batch Indian
Bankruptcy Board Economic Service(IES) officer, was appointed
of India (IBBI) as the whole-
time member of Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Board of India (IBBI) for a period of 5 years,
after the approval from Appointments
Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
Anup Kumar Singh Director-General National Security The Department of Personnel and Training
Guard (DoPT) under the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) of
the Government of India notified that
Ahmedabad city Police Commissioner Anup
Kumar Singh, aged 59, was appointed as the
Director-General (DG) of the National Security
Guard (NSG)
succeeding Sudeep Lakhtakia. He is the 1985-
batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the
Gujarat cadre. The appointment was approved
by the Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet
(ACC).
34 | P a g e
Pankaj kumar CEO Unique He replaces Ajay Bhushan Pandey. As per the
Identification Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
Authority of India (ACC), Government of India(GoI), Pankaj
(UIDAI) Kumar (a 1987 batch Indian Administrative
Service -IAS officer of Nagaland cadre) has
been appointed as the new CEO (Chief
Executive Officer) of the Unique Identification
Authority of India
(UIDAI).
Arvind Singh Chairman Airport Authority As per the appointment committee of the
of India (AAI) cabinet, Government of India (GoI), Arvind
Singh (1988 batch IAS - Indian Administrative
Service officer of Maharashtra cadre) has been
appointed as the chairman of Airports
Authority of India(AAI) in the rank and pay of
additional secretary.He replaces Anuj
Aggarwal.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Head NHAI Sukhbir Singh Sandhu (a 1988-batch IAS
officer of Uttarakhand cadre), has been
appointed as the chief of the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI). He
replaces Nagendra Nath Sinha.
Dineshwar Sharma New Administrator Lakshadweep President of India, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind
appointed a 1976-batch retired Indian Police
Service (IPS) officer of Kerala cadre,
Dineshwar Sharma, former interlocutor for
Jammu and Kashmir (2017), as the new 34th
Administrator of Lakshadweep succeeding
Mihir Vardhan. He had served as chief of the
Intelligence Bureau (IB) from 2015 to 2017.
Pramod Kumar Tiwari Director General Bureau of Indian As per the Appointments Committee of the
(DG) Standards (BIS) Cabinet (ACC), Government of India (GoI),
Pramod Kumar Tiwari, the present joint
secretary in department of food and public
distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs,
Food and Public Distribution, has been
appointed as Director General (DG) of
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He
succeeded Rohit Kumar Parmar.
Vijayendra Chairman-cum- National Small As per the Appointments Committee of the
Managing Director Industries Cabinet (ACC), Government of India (GoI),
(CMD) Corporation Vijayendra has been appointed as Chairman-
(NSIC) cum-Managing Director (CMD)of National
Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC).
He succeeds Ram Mohan Mishra.
Dattatray Padsalgikar Deputy National Security Former Mumbai Police Commissioner (from
Advisor 2016 - 2018) and Maharashtra DGP (director
(Dy NSA) general of police- 2018) Dattatray Padsalgikar
(61), has been appointed as the deputy
national security advisor (NSA).He will now
act as an assistant to national security adviser
Ajit Doval.
35 | P a g e
INTERNATIONAL
Person Name Appointed as Entity/Place Key Notes
Kais Saied President Tunisia He succeeds Mohamed Ennaceur (5th president).
Independent candidate Kais Saied won the 2019
presidential election and thus became the 6thPresident of
Tunisia.
Filipe Nyusi President Mozambique Mozambique's incumbent President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi
of Frelimo party was elected as its president for a second
term, despite claims of widespread cheating. He is the 5th
president of the country (considering his second term).
He scored 73% of the vote, ahead of Ossufo Momade of
Renamo, with almost 22%.
Argentina's Alberto President Argentina’s Alberto Angel Fernandez (60), an Argentine lawyer and
Fernandez politician (opposition candidate ) has won Argentina’s
presidential election in the first round with more than
45% of the vote needed to win, beating current President
Mauricio Macri. Alberto will assume the presidency on 10
December 2019 & ex-president Cristina Kirchner will be
the vice-president.
Joko Widodo President Indonesia's Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, (7th president)
popularly known as Jokowi, was sworn in for the
final(2nd) term as the President of Indonesia for a 5-year
term period. The oath-taking ceremony was held in
Jakarta. Jokowi on April 17, 2019, won the presidential
poll, with 55.5% of votes along with vice president Maruf
Amin, who replaced outgoing Jusuf Kalla.
Antonio costa PM Goa-origin The Socialist Party of Goa-origin Portuguese Prime
Portuguese Minister (PM) Antonio Costa has won re-election but
failed to secure an absolute majority in parliament. It will
have to form a minority government.
Amrit Lugun Ambassador of Greece He succeeds Ms. Shamma Jain. He is an Indian Foreign
India Service (IFS) Officer of the 1989 batch
Muktesh Kumar High Niue He succeeds Mr. Sanjiv Kohli. He is an Indian Foreign
Pardeshi Commissioner Service (IFS) Officer of the 1991 batch presently working
India as a High Commissioner of India to New Zealand
Mexican actress ambassador Indigenous A specialized agency of the United Nations
Yalitza Aparicio people ,UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization) has appointed Mexican actress
Yalitza Aparicio as its goodwill ambassador for
indigenous people
Anumula Gitesh High India to Australia He succeeds Dr. Ajay M. Gondane.
Sarma Commissioner
IFS officer Kishan Ambassador India to Georgia He succeeds Shri Yogeshwar Sangwan. Dewal is presently
dan dewal serving as Ambassador of India to the Republic of
Armenia.
Sajjan Jindal vice chairman World Steel Mr Sajjan Jindal, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)
Association of JSW (Jindal South West Holding Ltd) Steel, was elected
as the vice chairman
T V Narendran, Members of World Steel Tata Steel Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing
Lakshmi Mittal Board of Association Director (MD) Thachat Viswanath Narendran, and Arcelor
Directors (BoD) Mittal, Chief Lakshmi Niwas (LN) Mittal were the newly
elected members. HBIS (Hebei Iron and Steel Group Co.,
Ltd) Group Co. Chairman Yu Yong was elected as the
chairman.
Christine lagarde Women head European Central The European Union (EU) leaders confirmed the
Bank appointment of former 1st women head of the
Washington based body , International Monetary
36 | P a g e
Fund(IMF) Christine Lagarde (63) as the new chief of the

European Central Bank (ECB) for a non-renewable term
of 8 years. She will be replacing Mario Draghi (Italy) from
November 1, 2019.
Upender Singh Ambassador India to The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the Government
Rawat Republic of of India notified that Mr Upender Singh Rawat was
Nicaragua concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India
to the Republic of Nicaragua, with residence in Panama
city. He is the Ambassador of India designate to the
Republic of Panama. The Indian Foreign Service (IFS)
Officer of 1998 batch, will succeed Mr Ravi Thappar.
Rajnish Kumar chairman Indian Banks’ The chairman of State Bank of India(SBI) Shri Rajnish
Association(IBA) Kumar was appointed as the new chairman of the Indian
Banks’ Association(IBA) for a period of 2019-20. He
succeeds Sunil Mehta, the former Managing Director(MD)
& Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Punjab National Bank
(PNB).
Sourav Ganguly President BCCI At the BCCI's General Body meeting in Mumbai, former
Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, aged 47, took
over as the 39th President of the Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI). Prior to his appointment, C K
Khanna served as the interim president.
Shri Arun Kumar High India to The present High Commissioner of India to the Republic
Sahu Commissioner Grenada of Trinidad and Tobago, Shri Arun Kumar Sahu was
concurrently accredited as the next new High
Commissioner of India to Grenada, by replacing
Bishwadip Dey, with residence in Port of Spain. Deepika
Padukone, PV Sindhu named as ambassadors for 'Bharat
Ki Laxmi', initiative Bollywood actress DeepikaPadukone
and Indian badminton player Pusarla Venkata Sindhu
were named as the brand ambassadors of 'Bharat Ki
Laxmi' movement.
Ayushmann Ambassador To raise voice The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Union
Khurrana against child Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)
sexual abuse appointed Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana to raise
awareness and speak up against sexual abuse of children.
He recently shot a video on the Protection of Children
from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) to educate the people
on the same and it will be played on social media,
television and cinema halls. The Act aims to make people
aware of the protection and legal support that it offers
against child sexual abuse.
Godavarthi Ambassador India to He is the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of 1993
Venkata Srinivas Republic of Cabo batch, succeeding Mr Rajeev Kumar. The Ministry of
Verde External Affairs (MEA) of the Government of India
notified that Mr Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas was
concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India
to the Republic of Cabo Verde, with residence in Dakar. At
present, he serves as the Ambassador of India to the
Republic of Senegal.
Mokgweetsi Eric President Republic of Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi (58) the 5th and
keabetswe Masisi Botswana current President of Botswana (interim), has won a 5-
year term in Botswana's elections for President role
which saw his ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)
attains the minimum 29 parliamentary seats required to
form a government after securing more than 51 % vote.
37 | P a g e
Shri Godavarthi High India Present Ambassador of India to the Republic of Senegal,
Venkata Srinivas Commissioner to the Republic of
Shri Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas, has been concurrently
Gambia accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to the
Republic of the Gambia, with residence in Dakar, Senegal.
The 1993 batch Indian Foreign Service(IFS) officer Shri
Srinivas, has replaced Shri Partha Satpathy.
Sophie Wilmes First woman Belgium The King of Belgium Philippe Léopold Louis Marie named
caretaker Prime Belgian budget minister Sophie Wilmes of the Reformist
minister movement party as the interim prime minister of the
country, thus making her the first woman to head the
government. She will replace Charles Yves Jean Ghislaine
Michel, who stepped down from the post to take over as
European Council President on December 1, 2019.
IFS officer Shri High India to the As per the ministry of external affairs (MEA) ,
Muktesh Kumar commissioner Independent Government of India (GoI), Shri Muktesh Kumar
Pardeshi state of Samoa Pardeshi has been concurrently accredited as the next
High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of
Samoa, with residence in Wellington. He replaces Shri
Sanjiv Kohli.
Shri Birender Singh Ambassador India to Republic Shri Birender Singh Yadav was appointed as the next
Yadav of Iraq Ambassador of India to the Republic of Iraq.
The 1997 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, shri
Birender Singh replaced Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit as the
ambassador.
Rafael Grossi Director-general International Rafael Mariano Grossi (58) of Argentina has been
Atomic Energy appointed as the new Director-General of the
Agency (IAEA) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) , an
international organization that seeks to promote
the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use
for any military purpose, including
nuclear weapons. Grossi has been appointed for a term of
4 years and assumes office from
December 3, 2019. He will be the 6th head of IAEA since it
was founded in 1957.
Amit Sachdev Prestigious 2019- Prestigious 2019- New York-based Indian-American Amit Sachdev, an
20 class of white 20 class of white interventional gastroenterologist & board-
house fellows house fellows certified internist, is among 15 people selected to the
prestigious 2019-2020 Class of White House
Fellows with the Department of Health and Human
Services, White House, Washington, USA
(United States of America).
Name Resigned as Entity / Place

Kapil Dev Chairman Cricket Advisory Committee
Rajat Monga Senior group president Yes bank’s
Saad al-Hariri resigned Prime minister Lebanon
Brand & Campaign Ambassador

Person Name Brand / Campaign Key Notes
Jasprit Bumrah Cultsport As per the recently released International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s
ODI (One Day International) Player Rankings 2019, Bumrah retained
the top position in the bowler rankings.
38 | P a g e
AWARDS
NOBLE PRIZE 2019

CATEGORY WINNER KEY NOTES
Physiology William G Kaelin Jr, *-For discovering how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability.
or Medicine Peter J Ratcliffe, *-The scientists identified molecular machinery that regulates the
Gregg L Semenza activity of genes in response to varying levels of oxygen.
*-This discovery will help to form new strategies to fight anemia,
cancer and several other diseases.
Physics James Peebles *- “For theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology” (after the Big
Bang theory)
Michel Mayor, *- “For the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star”.
Didier Queloz
Chemistry John B Goodenough, *- For their pivotal role in making lithium ion batteries
M Stanley whittingham, *- Akira Yoshino is a Japanese chemist. He is also the inventor of the
Akira yoshino lithium ion batteries
*- Goodenough doubled the lithium battery’s potential, creating the
right conditions for a vastly more powerful and useful battery.
*- M Stanley Whittingham eliminates pure lithium from the battery.
Literature 2018 Nobel Polish author *-“For a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion
Prize for Olga represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life”
Literature Tokarczuk
2019 Nobel Peter Handke *-“For an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored
Prize for the periphery and the specificity of human experience.”
Literature
Peace Abiy Ahmed Ali *-For his efforts to promote reconciliation, solidarity and social justice,
and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict
(more than 20 years of conflict) with neighbouring Eritrea.
Economic Abhijit Banerjee, *-For their experimental approach to reduce global poverty.
Sciences Esther Duflo ,
Michael Kremer
Name of Award Award Field Key notes

Winner
Awards in Field of Literature and Academics
2019 Booker Prize Margaret Novelist Canada's Margaret Atwood (79) for her novel 'The
Atwood and Testament' and Britain's Bernardine Everisto (60) for ‘Girl,
Bernardine Woman, Other’, have been jointly chosen as the winner of
Evaristo 2019 Booker Prize. Bernardine is the 1st black woman to
receive this award in the 50-year history of the Booker
Prize. At the same time, 79-year-old Atwood is the oldest
winner of this award. Both the authors to split the GBP
pound (sterling) 50,000 at a gala ceremony at the Guildhall
in London, England
EU's Sakharov prize Ilham Tohti Economist Ilham Tohti (50), an Uighur economist serving a life
2019 sentence in China for "separatism" has won the European
Parliament’s Sakharov Prize 2019 for his over 20 years of
work defending China’s Uighur minority. The EU's top
human rights award will be presented on December 18,
2019, at an event in Strasbourg, France.
39 | P a g e
Berggruen Prize 2019 Justice Ruth Philosophy and

Los Angeles-based Berggruen Institute announced United
Bader culture States (US) Supreme Court Justice Ms. Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
Ginsburg aged 86, as the winner of the $1 million Berggruen Prize
2019 for philosophy and culture. She won the award for her
pioneering legal work towards gender equality and her
support for the rule of law.
Awards in Field of Sports
Wisden India Jasprit Indian Indian cricketers Jasprit Bumrah & Smriti Mandhana won
Almanack Cricketer of Bumrah & Cricketers 7th Edition of Wisden India Almanack Cricketer of the Year
the Year 2019 Smriti 2019 award. They are the 2 Indians among the 5 winners,
Mandhana which were announced on October 25, 2019. The other 3
winners are Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman, Sri Lanka's
Dimuth Karunaratne and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Read
full details here:
Awards in Field of Social Service ,Science , Bravery
UNHCR Nansen Azizbek Human rights He was awarded for ending status of stateless people
Refugee Ashurov lawyer through his organisation Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without
Award 2019 Borders (FVLWB) in Kyrgyzstan which thus became the
world’s first country to end statelessness.cash prize of USD
150,000 prize money .She also received a cheque
amounting £25,000.
10th India Social Shanti Social Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (IC) of Civil Aviation,
Entrepreneur of the Raghavan & Entrepreneur Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister of State of
Year Award for 2019 Dipesh Commerce and Industry of India presented
Sutariya the 10th Edition of India Social Entrepreneur of the Year
Award 2019 to Shanti Raghavan & Dipesh Sutariya of
EnAble India alongside the 33rd India Economic Summit for
2019 in New Delhi for building an ecosystem of skilling,
employment and entrepreneurship for persons with
disabilities (PwDs).
‘Most Eminent Senior Shri K. Bravery *- Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu presented
Citizen Award’ Parasaran the ‘Most Eminent Senior Citizen Award’ for the year 2019
to Shri K. Parasaran (92), former Attorney General of India
in New Delhi on the occasion of Elder’s Day celebration
organized by Age Care India (organisation for the welfare of
elders).
Awards in the Fields of Arts and Culture Films
India’s Most Powerful India’s Kallie Media Recently in September 2019, she was also honored with
Women in Media” Puri Two ‘Outstanding Media & Entertainment Award’ at the
award annual 21st Century Icon Awards in London.
Doctorate of Arts Asha Bhosle Singer University of Salford in Greater Manchester, England
degree (86) honored Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle (86) with an
(Music & Media) honorary Doctorate of Arts degree in recognition of her to
the field of music & her role in inspiring future generations
to participate in the arts and media.She was awarded
doctorate degree by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Salford, Jo Purves
People’s Choice Short film Media ‘Spirit of Kerala’, a short film based on a boat race from
Award 2019 ‘Spirit of Kerala directed by Arun Joseph, won the People’s Choice
Kerala’ Award 2019 at My Rode Reel Film Competition
2019 which is the world’s largest short film competition.
The winners shared in a prize money worth over
$1,000,000.
40 | P a g e
Orchestra of the Year Hong Kong Music 45-year-old professional Hong Kong Philharmonic
2019 Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) became the first Asian orchestra to win
Orchestra Orchestra of the Year 2019 award given by the
Gramophone Magazine at the Gramophone Classical Music
Awards 2019 at London, United Kingdom (UK). It was the
only category of the annual awards opened to public votes
in which Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra defeated 9
other rivals. This award is often likened to the Oscars for
the classical music
world.
Awards for States, Country, Banks, Organisations
DigiDhan mission fin- Fintech firm Organisation India's largest merchant financial technology(fin-tech)
tech award 2018-19 BharatPe company, BharatPe has received the DigiDhan Mission Fin-
tech Award 2018-2019 for 'Innovation in Digital Payments
through Emerging Technology' at the MeitY (Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology) Start-up Summit
2019 held in New Delhi. The award was given by Ravi
Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communication, Electronics &
IT (Information Technology) and Law & Justice.
Other Important Awards
Royal society science Caroline Feminist, Royal Society Science Book Prize 2019 (sponsored by
book prize 2019 criado perez Activist and Insight Investment) for her 2nd book ‘Invisible Women:
journalist Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men’ at an
awards ceremony at the Royal Society, London, United
Kingdom (UK).
15th International Greta Children’s The International Children’s Peace Prize worth €100,000
Children’s Peace Prize Thunberg & Peace or $123,000 is awarded annually to a child who fights
for 2019 Divina courageously for children’s rights. The prize was launched
Maloum by KidsRights during the 2005 World Summit of Nobel
Peace Laureates at the Capitol in Rome, chaired by Mikhail
Gorbachev. Since then, the prize has been presented every
year by a Nobel Peace Laureate.
4th Asia IFS officer Environmental Ramesh Pandey has introduced M-Stripes (Monitoring
Environmental Ramesh crime System for Tigers Intensive Protection & Ecological Status),
Enforcement Award Pandey a novel software-based patrolling in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve,
for 2019 UP on the recommendation of National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) to avoid poaching.
Fortune's 2019 “40 Arjun Bansal Business Arjun is the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Under 40 list” and Ankiti Software and AI Lab of the US (United States) tech company
Bose Intel. Ankiti is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and co-
founder of the fashion platform Zilingo.
Udyog Rattan Thakur Anup Business Thakur Anup Singh, Chairman and Managing Director
Award 2019 Singh (CMD) of Marg ERP received Udyog Rattan Award 2019
from the Institute of Economic Studies (IES) affiliated to
Government of India in an award function held at New
Delhi, for his work in transforming how Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can accelerate their business
by using technology.
World's richest man Bill Gates Business Bill Gates (63) in full William Henry Gates III, an American
title 2019 business magnate, author, and Microsoft co-founder, has
crowned the title of world's richest man 2019 by beating
Jeffrey Preston Bezos (55), the founder & CEO (Chief
Executive Officer) of the legendary e-commerce
American company Amazon.
41 | P a g e
Awards in content Format

GOPIO honored 3 Indian-Americans with Health Council Award 2019 for contribution in the health sector
On October 11, 2019, an International body named Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), presented
the Health Council Award 2019 during the GOPIO health summit in New Jersey, United States(US), to people who have
contributed in the health sector. The summit aims at improving the health of Indian diaspora people across the world.
Among other awardees, 3 Indian Americans were awarded the Health Council Award.
Key points
i.Firm awarded: The GOPIO also honoured US-based firm Sabinsa Corporation, by Indian-origin Muhammed Majeed, for
its achievement and contributions in the health supplements sector.
Indian-American Awardees:
Name Field Awarded category
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of S S White Manufacturing of the latest medical
Rahul Shukla Technologies and Shukla Medical, US. equipment.
Hitesh Bhatt CEO of Bhatt Foundation Inc, US. Healthcare technology category.
Promoting health awareness among the
H R Shah Chairman and CEO of TV Asia, Indian diaspora.
About GOPIO:
• Founded- 1989.
• President – Niraj Baxi.
Mukesh Ambani retains the top position for 12th straight year in Forbes India Rich List 2019
On October 11, 2019, Forbes India Rich List 2019 was released by Forbes India in which Mukesh Ambani, aged 62,
Chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) held the top spot for the 12th consecutive year with a net worth of $51.4
billion.
i. Overall, the total wealth of tycoons on the 2019 Forbes India Rich List decreased 8% to $452 billion from a year ago
(2018).
Other names on the list:
Rank Name Industry Net Worth ($ bln)
2 Gautam Adani Adani Ports & SEZ (Special Economic Zone) 15.7
3 Hinduja brothers Ashok Leyland 15.6
4 Pallonji Mistry Shapoorji Pallonji Group 15
5 Uday Kotak Kotak Mahindra Bank 14.8
Winners of the 13th edition of PII-ICRC Awards for 2019 declared

On October 1, 2019, The 13th edition of the Press Institute of India (PII)- International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) annual awards 2019 for best article and best photograph on a humanitarian subject were declared. The
award ceremony was jointly organized by the PII and ICRCNew Delhi Regional Delegation in New Delhi.
Key Points:
i. The awards were given under the theme “Impact of Climate Change on Humanitarian Issues”.
ii. Prior to the award ceremony, a discussion on the ‘Impact of climate change on humanitarian issues’ was held.
List of winners:
Best Article category
Award Name Article
‘Our houses are vanishing. Nobody cares’
First place Urvashi Sarkar Appeared on the PARI (People’s Archive of Rural India) website
‘Bengali-speaking students in Kannada-medium Bengaluru school
reveal journey of climate change refugees from disappearing islands’.
Second place Disha Shetty Appeared on IndiaSpend
‘Living like Nomads’
Third place Anup Sharma Appeared in The Pioneer
42 | P a g e
Best Photograph category

Award Name Picture
G. Sivaprasad (The
Mathrubhumi) & Rijo Joseph ‘Close to the heart’
First place (Malayala Manorama) ‘Running for life’
Rinku Raj (Malayala
Second place Manorama) ‘Rough sea, tough life’
Third place Bibin Xavier (Deepika Daily) ‘It was life’
Special awards
Jency Samuel
from Chennai Best Article category ‘Unpredictable seas push fishers away from home’
Nikhil
Ghanekar from
Delhi Best Article category ‘When the hills go thristy’
Prashant K
from Lokmat,
Pune Best Photograph category ‘Mining the aquifer’
About the award:
They are designed to promote and recognise the outstanding work of journalists in the field of humanitarian reporting.
Prize money:
The first, second and third place winners received Rs 100,000, Rs 70,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively.
Special awardees received Rs 20,000 each.
Overview of Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 Regional Winners

The Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 (AAA) Regional Winners were announced. The awards will be presented
over two nights on December 5 and 6, 2019 at the Victoria Theatre, Singapore. These awards are the constituent event
of the Singapore Media Festival and hosted by the Singapore Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
These awards are given for creative excellence.
Key Points:
i. Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Gully Boy’, India’s official entry to the 92nd Oscar Awards, was named as the best
film from India. It is directed by Zoya Akhtar.
ii. Netflix series Delhi Crime won for Best Actress, Best Direction, Best Drama Series, Best Editing and Best Original
Programme. It is directed by Richie Mehta and the story is based on the 2012 gang rape case that took place in Delhi.
List of Indian awards:
Category Awardee
Best Actor in a Leading Role Sumedh Mudgalkar – RadhaKrishn by Swastik Productions for Star Bharat
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Balaji Manohar – Bhak by HOOQ
Shefali Shah – Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/Ivanhoe
Best Actress in a Leading Role Pictures for Netflix
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Mona Ambegaonkar – Bhak by HOOQ
Best Adaptation of an Existing Format Hear Me Love Me by Fremantle India for Amazon Prime
Best Animated Programme or Series (2D or
3D) Lamput : Collection V2 by Vaibhav Studios for Cartoon Network
Best Cinematography Magesh Madan – Mega Icons – Dalai Lama by National Geographic India
Zakir Khan for Kaksha Gyarvi by OML (Only Much Louder) Entertainment
Best Comedy Performance for Amazon Prime Video
Best Comedy Programme Sketchy Behaviour by OML Entertainment for Amazon Prime Video
India’s Game-Changers: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw by BBC (British
Best Current Affairs Programme or Series Broadcasting Corporation) World News
43 | P a g e
Richie Mehta for Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/ Ivanhoe

Best Direction (Fiction) Pictures for Netflix
Paramangsu Mukherjee – Mega Icons – APJ Abdul Kalam by National
Best Direction (Non-Fiction) Geographic India
Best Documentary Programme (one-off) TARINI by National Geographic India
Best Documentary Series Firepower: Defending India by AETN18 Media for History TV18
Best Drama Series Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/Ivanhoe Pictures for Netflix
Beverley Mills – Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/Ivanhoe
Best Editing Pictures for Netflix
Best Feature Film Gully Boy by Excel Entertainment
Best Infotainment Programme The President’s Bodyguard by National Geographic India
Best Lifestyle Programme Travel Trends India by CNN (Cable News Network)
Best Lifestyle, Entertainment
Presenter/Host Maniesh Paul – Indian Idol 10 by Fremantle India for Sony Entertainment
Best Non Scripted Entertainment Masters of Taste – The Family Table by National Geographic India
Best Original Programme by a
Streamer/OTT Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/Ivanhoe Pictures for Netflix
Richie Mehta – Delhi Crime by Golden Karavan Productions/ Ivanhoe
Best Original Screenplay Pictures for Netflix
Best Promo or Trailer RadhaKrishn by Swastik Productions for Star Bharat
Best Short Form Content Lamput : The Airport by Vaibhav Studios for Cartoon Network
Best Single News Story/Report Yogita Limaye: Afghanistan Sexual Harassment by BBC World News
VIVO IPL (Indian Premier League) CRICKET LIVE – Maruti Suzuki Cricket
Best Sports Programme (one off/series) Live – VIVO IPL Final 2019 by STAR TV INDIA
Chandragupta Maurya by One Life Studios for Sony Entertainment
Best Telenovela or Soap Opera Series Television
Best Theme Song or Title Theme Bhak – ‘City of Schemes’ by Surya Ragunaathan & Adriel George for HOOQ
Best Visual or Special FX in TV Series or
Feature Film RadhaKrishn by Swastik Productions for Star Bharat
President Ram Nath Kovind confers 1st National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards for 2019
On October 29, 2019, The President of India, Mr Ram Nath Kovind conferred the 1st Edition of National Corporate
Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) for 2019 along with Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.
The jury recommended 19 winners and 19 honourable mentions across the 3 award categories, out of the 528 entries
received for NCSRA.
Edelweiss Financial Services bags National CSR Award
Edelweiss Financial ServicesNSE 4.13 % Ltd was conferred with the National CSR Award 2018 for excellence in
corporate social responsibility. Chairman and CEO of Edelweiss Group Rashesh Shah received the award from President
Ram Nath Kovind. Edelweiss Group set up its philanthropic initiative EdelGive Foundation in 2008.
Key Points:
i. Categories: The 3 main categories were Corporate Awards for Excellence in CSR sub divided into 4- Companies
have eligible CSR Spend above 100 crores; Spend between 10 crores and 99.99 crores; Spend between 1 crores and 9.99
crores and Spend below 100 crores; plus four honourable mentions. Second category was Corporate Awards in CSR in
Challenging Circumstances: (up to five awards) plus five honourable mentions and third category; Contribution of
CSR in National Priority Areas plus 11 Honorable Mentions of companies which have undertaken appreciable CSR
activities.
About the Award:
The NCSRA has been instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to recognize outstanding contribution in the field
of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to achieve inclusive growth and inclusive and sustainable development. These
44 | P a g e
awards are the highest recognition in the domain of CSR by the Government of India and were instituted in 2017
subsequent to the recommendations of the High Level Committee on CSR.
5 Indian start-ups working on sustainable development selected for 2019 SEED Awards
On October 24, 2019, The SEED Awards for 2019 were announced by SEED. There were 14 winners and 52 finalists
from 9 countries including 5 Indian start-ups. The awards were categorized into SEED Low carbon Awards, SEED South
Africa Climate Adaptation Awards, SEED Africa Awards, and SEED Gender Equality Awards.
Key Points:
i.In the SEED Low Carbon category, an organisation named Aikya Organics, located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh won the
award from India. This organization works to promote gender equality by training 1,200 women farmers.
ii.Stonesoup, Aarohana EcoSocial Developments, Ecozen Solutions, and Farmers Fresh Zone were the other
finalists from India selected under SEED Low Carbon Awards 2019.
iii.The prizes will be conferred on January 20, 2020.
About the SEED Awards:
The SEED awards are granted to organizations working towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDG). The
SEED was founded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Program
(UNDP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at the World Summit on SDG, Johannesburg,
South Africa in 2002. It works in Asian and African countries.
India’s first international award, the Gandhi Mandela Award 2019 constituted
New Delhi based Non-Profit Organisation(NPO), the Gandhi Mandela Foundation has constituted the first-ever Gandhi
Mandela Award in 2019. It is India’s first international award announced on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma
Gandhi on October 2, 2019, and will be organized in India in December 2019. The award honours exemplary work and
achievements of the heads of state and govt. and other distinguished persons/organizations around the world. Read full
details here:
Narendra Singh Tomar confers National Panchayat Awards 2019

Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Mr Narendra Singh Tomar conferred National Panchayat Awards 2019 in New Delhi
to 240 panchayats out of the 2.5 lakh panchayats of India. The Panchayati Raj Ministers from states of Karnataka,
Chattisgarh, Assam and Tamil Nadu along with representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions across the country took
part in the award ceremony. Read full details here:
Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja creates new speed record by climbing the world's 14 highest
peaks in 7 months
The mountaineer from Nepal, Nirmal Purja, aged 36, created a new speed record by climbing the world’s 14 highest
peaks over 8,000 metres (26,250 feet) in just 7 months. The 14th peak which he climbed was Shishapangma, located at
Nyalam County, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. He had begun his "Project Possible" in April, 2019.
4 heritage landmarks of India won UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage
Conservation 2019 held in Penang, Malaysia
Four heritage landmarks from India were chosen for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage
Conservation 2019. The awards were announced at a ceremony held in Penang, Malaysia. Renewal of Tai Kwun - Centre
for Heritage and Arts in Hong Kong received the Award of Excellence, which is the highest award among all categories.
The 4 sites are as follows:
• Vikram Sarabhai Library from Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad – Award of Distinction
• Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai - Award of Merit
• Our Lady of Glory Church, Mumbai - Award of Meri
• Flora Fountain, Mumbai - Honourable mention
Short film ‘Spirit of Kerala’ wins the People's Choice Award 2019
‘Spirit of Kerala’, a short film based on a boat race from Kerala directed by Arun Joseph, won the People's Choice Award
2019 at My Rode Reel Film Competition 2019 which is the world’s largest short film competition worth over $1,000,000.
45 | P a g e
Pune headquartered Bajaj Finance overtook SBI in market capitalization

On October 1, 2019 Bajaj Finance Ltd based at Pune, Maharashtra, has surpassed India’s largest bank, the State Bank of
India (SBI) for the first time, in terms of market capitalization. The market capital of Bajaj Finance stood at Rs 2.32 lakh
crore while it was Rs 2.28 lakh crore for SBI.
President of India presented “VayoshreshthaSamman – 2019” to Senior Citizens & Institutions in New Delhi
On October 3, 2019 the president of India Shri Ram NathKovind presented “VayoshreshthaSamman – 2019” in New
Delhi, as an honour to senior citizens and institutions for their services towards the cause of the elderly persons to mark
the October 1 annual commemoration of ‘International Day of older Persons’, at a function organised by the Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment presided by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri
ThaawarchandGehlot.
Key points
i. VayoshreshthaSamman: Instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, this scheme of awards
gradually upgraded to National Awards status, for institutions. The Awards are given to institutions /organisations /
individuals from any part of the country with nominees invited from from governmental as well as non-Governmental
Agencies like National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) etc. Read the full details here :
Shiv Nadar from HCL tops EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019
According to the Edelgive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2019 which was released on October 14, 2019, by Hurun India,
HCL (Hindustan Computer Limited) Technologies Chairman Shiv Nadar emerged as India's most generous
philanthropists who contributed Rs 826 crore during the financial year 2018-19 (FY19). As per Companies Act 2013, it
is mandatory for entities having net worth of rupees five hundred crore or more, or turnover of rupees one thousand
crore or more or a net profit of rupees five crore or more during any financial year, to devote 2 percent of their profit to
CSR (Corporate social responsibility).
Kerala's nun Mariam thresia receives the title of 'Saint', 93 years after her death
Indian nun Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan of Kerala and four others (English Cardinal John Henry Newman, Swiss
laywoman Marguerite Bays, Brazilian Sister Dulce Lopes and Italian Sister Giuseppina Vannini) declared Saints by Pope
Francis (head of the Catholic Church) at a grand ceremony at the Vatican City, a city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy.
The title was conferred on Thresia 93 years after her death. Born in Thrissur, Kerala on 26 April 1876, Sister Thresia
died on 8 June 1926 at the age of 50.
Health minister Harsh Vardhan, felicitated 2018-19 Kayakalp awards in New Delhi
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) felicitated the 2019 Kayakalp awards in New
Delhi during the national felicitation ceremony of Kayakalp awardees (2018-19). All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), Delhi won the first prize of Rs 3 crores under the government’s Kayakalp scheme for 2018-19 in central
government hospitals ‘A’ category.Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER),
Puducherry was the runner up and was awarded Rs 1.5 cores. The Kayakalp award is felicitated to public health
facilities in terms of hygiene and cleanliness. Read full details here:
24th Busan International Film Festival for 2019 held in Busan, South Korea
24th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) was held at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, South Korea from October 3-
12, 2019. A total of 299 films from 85 countries were screened (118 world premieres and 27 international premieres) at
the event. 18 films from India were screened at the festival.
• Indian actress Bhumi Pednekar, aged 30, receive the Face of Asia award 20197
• Tannishtha Chatterjee’s directorial debut ‘Roam Rome Mein’ received the Asian Star Award 2019.
• Meghalaya’s filmmaker Pradip Kurbah won the prestigious Kim Ji-seok Award 2019 for his film Iewduh. Read
full details here:
PV Sindhu ranked 13th in Forbes list of world’s highest paid women athletes for 2019; Serena Williams tops
In the Forbes list of the highest-paid women athletes 2019, Indian badminton player PV (Pusarla Venkata) Sindhu was
ranked 13th with a total earning of $5.5 million, comprising total prize money of $500,000 and endorsements worth $5
million. She is India’s most marketable female athlete having endorsements with Bridgestone, JBL, Gatorade, Panasonic,
and more. The list was topped by Serena Williams (Tennis- America) with earnings of $29.2 million followed by Naomi
Osaka (Tennis- Japan) and Angelique Kerber (Tennis- Germany).
46 | P a g e
US astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir creates history by embarking on the first ever all- female
spacewalk
The United States (US) Space agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) astronauts Christina
Koch (40) & Jessica Meir (42) have created history by taking a walk outside the International Space Station (ISS). This is
the 1st time that only a team of women astronauts has walked outside the ISS. The spacewalk is known as extra-
vehicular activity (EVA).
Delhi students’ “Rakshak” and “VisionAir” apps won 2019 Marconi Society’s Celestini Programme awards
A team of students from Bharti Vidyapeeth College of Engineering, Delhi, won the 2019 Marconi Society’s Celestini
Programme awards for their innovative solutions for addressing challenges of women’s safety and air pollution. The
team won first prize of $1500 for the app “Rakshak” that sends an SOS (save our souls) alert based on audio snippets in
case of an emergency. Another team from the same college has won the second prize of $500 for the app “VisionAir” that
uses photos of the horizon taken from a smartphone to estimate the air quality.
Indian actor Nawazuddin siddiqui receives Golden dragon award at Cardiff international film
festival 2019 held in Wales, UK
Nawazuddin Siddiqui (45), an Indian actor, known for his works in Hindi cinema , has been awarded the prestigious
Golden Dragon Award at the Cardiff International Film Festival (CIFF ) 2019 held in historical Pierhead Building in the
heart of Cardiff Bay, Wales, UK (United Kingdom) from 24th - 27th October, 2019. Siddiqui was given this award by
counsel general of Wales, UK, Mick Antoniw, for his commendable contribution to the cinema world.
SUMMITS, CONFERENCE & EVENTS

Summits
Name of Summit Venue Key Notes
‘India Sports Summit – Fitness’ New Delhi, India *-The ‘India Sports Summit- Fitness: $10 Billion Opportunity’
was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Sports & Youth
Affairs Mr Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi.
*-It was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII), Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS),
Sportscom, and Sportskeeda.
*-The first India Sports Summit 2019 was also inaugurated at
this event.
2nd India-China Informal Summit Mahabalipuram, *-2nd India-China Informal Summit The second informal
Tamil Nadu summit between the Prime Minister(PM) of India Shri
Narendra Modi and the President of the People's Republic of
China Mr Xi Jinping was held in Mahabalipuram,Tamil Nadu, on
11-12 October 2019.
*-Previously, the first informal summit between the two nations
was held in Wuhan, China in April 2018.
*-Both leaders attended cultural programme at the shore
temple in Mahabalipuram on the inaugural day of the meet.
India relaxes e-visa rules for Chinese nationals. Read full details
here:
C40 world mayors Summit 2019 Copenhagen, *- Climate Leadership Group C40, the group of major
Denmark international cities that have banded together around making
sustainable changes in transportation, energy use, and
consumption held its 7th
edition of C40 world mayors Summit 2019 at Copenhagen,
Denmark from October 9- 12, 2019
*-The aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve
climate resilience.
*-Kolkata state Government has received the prestigious “6th
C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards 2019” for the
city's green mobility. Read full details here:
47 | P a g e
Drone Innovators Network New Delhi , India *- The summit was organized by the World Economic
Summit-2019 Forum(WEF) under the aegis of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
*- Minister of State(MoS-Independent charge) for Civil Aviation,
Shri Hardeep Singh Puri addressed the event.
Global Summit on ‘Spirituality for Mount Abu, *- It promoted the connection between one’s consciousness,
Unity, Peace and Prosperity’ Rajasthan thoughts and action and their impact on the world.
*- The delegates from across 140 countries had participated in
the event.
Vibrant Goa Expo and Summit Taleigao, Goa. *- The summit was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Goa Shri
2019 PramodSawant, in the presence of all high officials. DRDO
signed 30 Transfer of Technology with 16 Companies Read full
details here:
USISPF summit 2019 New Delhi *- The members of the US (United States) India Strategic
Partnership Forum (USISPF) under the delegation of its
chairman Mr. John Chambers, called on Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi in New Delhi for the USISPF summit 2019. This
meet was part of US-India’s combined partnership in fields of
economic growth, entrepreneurship, employment-creation, and
innovation.
First MeitY Start-up Summit New Delhi *- Union minister of law & justice, communications, electronics
2019 , India & Information Technology(IT), Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
unveiled new initiatives by the Ministry of Electronics &
Information (MeitY) in the first MeitY Start-up Summit 2019
held in New Delhi.
*-The summit is seen as a step forward to
bring all key stakeholders and startups under one roof. Read
full details here:
G7 Economic Summit for 2020 Miami, Florida *-46th Group of Seven (G7) Economic Summit 2020 of
developed world leaders will be hosted by the president of the
United States (US) Mr Donald Trump at one of his own
properties, the Trump National Doral golf resort near Miami,
Florida on June 10-12, 2020.
Indo-French knowledge summit University of *- In order to promote higher education, research and
2019 Lyon ,France innovation, a two-day 2nd edition of the Indo- French
Knowledge Summit 2019, organised by the Embassy of France
in India in association with
the Ministry of Science and Technology and the HRD (Human
Resource Development) Ministry, held at the University of
Lyon,France from October 17-18, 2019.
*-About 15 agreements have been signed between French &
Indian participants during this summit.
“Global Bio-India 2019” Summit New Delhi,India *- Union Minister of Science & Technology(ST), Earth
Sciences(ES) and Health & Family Welfare(H&FW), Shri Harsh
Vardhan at a curtain raiser in New Delhi, announced for the 1st
edition of “Global Bio-India 2019” Summit which is to be held
from November 21-23, 2019 in New Delhi, the host state of the
summit. The Global Bio-India 2019 summit is one of the largest
biotechnology stakeholders’ conglomerates (gathering together
into a compact mass).
18th NAM Summit 2019 Baku, Azerbaijan *- Theme - “Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure
concerted and adequate response to the challenges
of the contemporary world.''
48 | P a g e
Conferences
Name of Conferences Venue Key Notes
13th Conference of Central Council of New Delhi, India *-Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW)
Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the 13th Conference of
Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHWF)
for 2019
*-To build a consensus on National wealth priorities. A
new initiative – ‘Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan
(SUMAN)’ for Zero Preventable Maternal and Newborn
Deaths, its website and the grievance redressal portal was
launched on the occasion. Read full details here:
13th Conference of Central Council of New Delhi, India *-Inaugurated by - Union Minister for Health & Family
Health and Family Welfare for 2019 Welfare (MoHFW) Dr. Harsh Vardhan
*- Objective: To build a consensus on National wealth
priorities.
*- SUMAN: A new initiative – ‘Surakshit Matritva
Aashwasan (SUMAN)’ for Zero Preventable Maternal and
Newborn Deaths, its website and the grievance redressal
portal was launched on the occasion
1st National Hindi science writers Lucknow, *- First-ever 2-day long National Hindi Science writers
conference 2019 Uttar Pradesh conference was held at Dr. Shakuntala Mishra National
rehabilitation university in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP)
from October 11-12, 2019.
*- Speaker of the UP assembly Hriday Narayain dixit has
inaugurated the conference, which aims to
promote use of Hindi and other Vernacular languages in
science writing.
20th annual national conference Kochi, Kerala *-Theme - ‘Value of Data in Health Care Ecosystem
Medrecon 2020
Conference on ‘One New Delhi, India *- Union minister of Road Transport & Highways and
Nation One Tag – FASTag’ Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Nitin Gadkari
inaugurated conference on ‘One Nation One Tag – FASTag’
in New Delhi for rolling out the usage of a unified
electronic system in the country. FASTag is an electronic
toll collection system in India, operated by the National
Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
*- It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
technology to make toll payments directly from the
prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly to toll
owner. Read full details here:
Regional Conference on Developing a Imphal, Manipur *-Manipur Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh was the
Comprehensive Approach: Combating chief guest for the event. *-The event is the continuation
Illicit Trafficking of Afghan Opiates of the earlier conference held at Chandigarh in Punjab in
and Drug Situation in the Northeast 2018.
(NE)
5th edition of World Coffee Conference Bengaluru, *- Theme - ‘sustainably through consumption’
(WCC) & Expo 2020 Karnataka *- The event will celebrate all things of coffee in an
immersive experience with conferences and will make
Indian coffee a brand that is recognised worldwide and
formulate ways to make India a
sustainable destination for coffee.
*-Organized by Coffee Board of India and the
International Coffee Organization (ICO), the event will be
hosted by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
Government of India (GoI).
49 | P a g e
2019 Army commanders’ conference New Delhi, India *- Defence minister Rajnath Singh addressed the army
officers. During the conference procurement of slow-
moving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the Indian
Army(IA) was decided. Also, The Indian Army launched a
new programme called OASIS (Officers Automated
Structures Information System). The purpose of this
programme is to digitize the
official records of the army officers.
1st edition of CII’s Asia Health- 2019 New Delhi , India *- The 1st edition of Asia Health-2019 conference with
conference the theme Serving the World's Fastest Growing Region
through Healthcare Convergence, organized jointly by the
National Health Authority and CII (Confederation of
Indian Industry) held in New Delhi from 16 - 19 October
2019
*-The aim to bring multiple stakeholders together to
discuss the future of Health. Read full details here:
International conference on New Delhi , India *- The 5th edition of International Conference on
ROADTECH 2019 (sustainable roads ROADTECH 2019 with agenda "Sustainable Roads
and highways) and Highways-Smart Use of Available Resources for
Green and Sustainable Roads", organized by ASSOCHAM
India (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of
India ), was held in Hotel Shangri, New Delhi. Union
Minister of State for Road Transport Vijay Kumar Singh
addressed the meeting. Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union
Minister for Road Transport & Highways was its Chief
Guest.
Events
Name of Events Venue Key Points
‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ New Delhi, India *-Prime Minister(PM) of India Shri Narendra Modi chaired the
programme meeting on ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ programme in New
Delhi.
*-The programme aims at enhancing interaction between people
of different cultures from all the states and Union Territories(UT).
*-Also, The 10th edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav
(RSM) under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat was inaugurated in
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Read full details here:
39th World Congress of Bhubaneswar, *- Theme- ‘Compassion through Poetry’
Poets (WCP) for 2019 Odisha *- There were 4 venues for WCP which are as follows:
 Venue for wisdom poetry – KIIT
Venue for tourism poetry – Konark Sun Temple
Venue for spiritual poetry – Puri Sea Beach
Venue for reflection poetry – Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences
(KISS)
5th World Parliament of Pune, *- Theme -‘Role of Science, Religion and Philosophy for World
science, religion and Maharashtra Peace and well-being of Mankind’
philosophy 2019 *- Organised by MIT (Maharashtra Institute of Technology) World
Peace University in association with World Peace Centre, Alandi,
MAEER’s MIT Group of institutions and MIT ADT University ,was
held at the world’s largest dome philosopher Saint Dnyaneshwara
World Peace Prayer Hall, Loni Kalbhor in Pune,Maharashtra
First India International New Delhi , India *-First India International CooperativeTrade Fair (IICTF) 2019
Cooperative Trade Fair 2019 was held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from October 11-13,
2019.
50 | P a g e
*-The fair was organised by National Cooperative Development

Corporation (NCDC), in association with Bangkok (Thailand)
based Network for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives
(NEDAC), and the ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,
External Affairs, Commerce & Industry.
*-The IICTF was conducted with the aim of doubling farmers’
income by promoting cooperative-to-cooperative trade within
India & abroad as 94% of farmers in India are members of at-least
one cooperative institution. Read full details here:
Goa Maritime Conclave 2019 Goa *-Theme “Common Maritime Priorities in IOR and need for
Regional Maritime Strategy”
*- It was inaugurated by the National Security Advisor (NSA) Mr
Ajit Kumar Doval and organized by Naval War College (NWC),
Goa. It was hosted by Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC,
the Chief of the Naval Staff.
Health minister Harsh Vardhan New Delhi , India *- Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare (MOHFW) DrHarsh
launched WHO India Country Vardhan launched ‘The WHO India Country Cooperation Strategy
Cooperation Strategy 2019– 2019–2023: A Time of Transition’ in New Delhi. This Country
2023 Cooperation Strategy(CCS) paves the way for World Health
Organisation(WHO) to work with the Indian govt. in achieving the
goals of health sector.
Pradhan Mantri Innovative Bengaluru, *-Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Shri
Learning Programme – DHRUV Karnataka Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' has
launched 14-day long ambitious Pradhan Mantri Innovative
Learning Program- 'DHRUV' from
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) headquarters at
Bengaluru, Karnataka in presence of Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO,
Wing Cdr. Rakesh Sharma, AC (Retd.) among others.
SARAS Aajeevika Mela 2019 New Delhi , *-Aim: To bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed
India with the support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform which will
help to show-case their skills, sell products and help them build
linkages with bulk buyers.
*- Organisers: It is organized by the marketing arm of MoRD,
Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology
(CAPART).
3rd India Energy Forum by New De Aerocity, *- The Summit, served as a platform to examine
CERAWeek (Cambridge Energy New Delhi the fundamental challenges and opportunities to provide
Research Associates) sustainable, secure and affordable
energy choices to the nation. Various ministers held key speeches
during the forum. Read full details here:
Exhibition ‘Hunar Haat’ Prayagraj, Uttar *- Union Minority Affairs Minister Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi
Pradesh notified that the “Hunar Haat” exhibition will be organised at
North Central Zone Cultural Centre in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
(UP) from November 1-10, 2019.
*-All the “Hunar Haat”, to be organised in 2019 and 2020 will be
based on the theme of “Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat”. It is organized
by the Minority Affairs Ministry.
3rd Edition of India Mobile Aerocity, New *- Theme “Imagine: a new Connected world; Intelligent.
Congress 2019 Delhi Immersive. Inventive”.
*- It was organised by the Department of Telecommunications
(DoT), Government of India and Cellular Operators Association of
India (COAI). IMC is the largest digital technology forum in South
Asia. The 3 day event was inaugurated by the Telecom Secretary
51 | P a g e
Mr Anshu Prakash. IMC won “The Knowledge Hub” award at the

Exhibition Excellence Awards 2019. Read full details here:
11th Nuclear Energy Conclave New Delhi,India *- Theme “Economics of Nuclear Power- Innovation towards Safer
for 2019 & Cost Effective Technologies”.
*- The Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern
Region (I/C), Minister of State (MoS) Prime Minister’s Office
(PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy
and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 11th Edition of
Nuclear Energy Conclave 2019 in New Delhi. It was organized by
India Energy Forum (IEF). Read full details here:
2nd global cinema campaign Mumbai, *- In a bid to raise awareness and take steps against hunger and
“Feed Our Future” Maharashtra malnutrition in India, the food-assistance branch of the United
Nations (UN) and the world's largest humanitarian organization,
United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) has launched a
2nd cinema advertisement campaign 'Feed Our Future’ in
Facebook’s Mumbai office, Maharashtra with support from UFO
Moviez India Limited ,an Indian digital cinema distribution
network.
International Solar Alliance New Delhi *- The 2nd Assembly of International Solar Alliance (ISA) was held
2019 in New Delhi on October 30-31, 2019. It was hosted by the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Mr R.K. Singh,
Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Power was the
President of the ISA Assembly and Ms Brune Poirson, Minister of
State for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition Govt. of France,
was the Co-President of the Assembly. Read full details here:
COMMITTEE & MEETIN NEWS

Committee News
Committee Name Head Key Notes
Inter-Ministerial Ajay Bhushan Pandey To check money laundering activities. It is set up as per the
Co-ordination powers conferred under Section 72A of the Prevention of
Committee (IMCC) Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Rajiv Guaba Union government formed a Committee of Secretaries (CoS),
headed by Cabinet Secretary Mr Rajiv Gauba to examine the
financial stress of the telecom sector faced by service
providers such as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone-Idea Ltd and
suggest measures to overcome it. The panel includes
the secretaries to the ministries of finance, law, and telecom.
Meetings News
Meeting Name Venue Key Notes
BRICS culture ministers' Curitiba, Brazil *- Prahlad Singh Patel, the Union Minister of State for Culture and
meeting 2019 Tourism (Independent charge) has participated in BRICS (Brazil,
Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Culture Ministers’ meeting
2019 held in Curitiba, Brazil.
*-A program called ‘Bonding Regions & Imagining Cultural
Synergies’ is being organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art
of India during November-December, 2019 under the aegis of
BRICS Alliance of Museums and Art Gallerie.
9th RCEP Intersessional Bangkok, *-9th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Ministerial Meeting for 2019 Thailand Intersessional Ministerial Meeting for 2019 was held in Bangkok,
Thailand from October 11-12, 2019.
*- It was the last Ministerial before the 3rd Leaders Summit for
2019, which will be held in Bangkok on November 4, 2019. Trade
52 | P a g e
ministers of 16 RCEP countries participated in themeeting. Union

Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Mr Piyush Goyal
represented India at the meet.
*- Read full details here:
G20 Okayama Health Okayama City, *- During the meeting the Union minister of health and family
Ministers’ Meeting 2019 Japan welfare, Science and technology and Earth Science Shri Harsh
Vardhan shared the vision of Universal Health Coverage(UHC).
Special vision for projected 20% of elderly population in India by
2050 was also discussed. Read full details here:
Annual Meetings of the Washington DC, *- The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World
Boards of Governors of the US Bank Group (WBG) & International Monetary Fund (IMF) 2019 was
WBG & IMF 2019 held in Washington, DC, United States (US) from October 14-
20,2019. It included the meetings of the Development Committee,
the International Monetary andFinancial Committee, the Group of
Twenty (G20), the Group of Twenty-Four (G24), and various other
constituencies. Indian delegation was led by union finance minister
Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman. Read full details here:
29th BASIC ministerial meet Beijing, China *- The 29th BASIC ministerial meet on climate change was held
on climate change from October 25th-26th 2019 in Beijing, China. Members of the
BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) participated in
the event. In the Indian side, Union Minister for Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Shri Prakash Javadekar
participated in the event. India’s offer to host the 30th BASIC
ministerial meeting was welcomed. Read full details here:
INDEX
Ranking
Survey /Index Name Released By / Conducted by Key Notes
Global Competitiveness Index 2019 World Economic Forum(WEF) 68th –India
Top 3 Ranks
1st- Singapore
2nd –Us
3rd - Hongkong
Henley & Partners Global Passport Henley & Partners. 82nd – India
Index 2019 Top 3 Ranks
1st – Japan & Singapore
2nd - South Korea , Germany ,Finland
3rd – Denmark, Italy , Luxemborg
IMD Smart Cities Index 2019 IMD World Competitiveness 67th – Hyderabad , India
Center’s Smart City 68th- New Delhi , India
Observatory in partnership 78th – Mumbai,india
with Singapore University of 79th – Bangalore, Karnataka
Technology and Design Top 3 Ranks
(SUTD). 1st – Singapore, Singapore
2nd- Zurich , German
3rd – Oslo , Norway
Railway cleanliness survey 2019 Ministry of Railways *-Three railway stations of Rajasthan
emerged as top clean stations - Jaipur,
Jodhpur, Durgapura
*-Bottom ranking – Four stations of Southern
Railway – Perungalathur, Guduvanchari,
Singaperumalkoil, Ottapallam
*-Most improved stations: Non-suburban
stations Faizabad and Ayodhya in Uttar
Pradesh
53 | P a g e
World Wealth’s wealthiest city Wealth intelligence firm New 12th – Mumbai,
worldwide 2019 World Wealth (NWW) 22nd - Delhi
26th - Bangalore
28th – Hyderabad
Topped by
1st -New York City
University-Industry Linkage Index Dr Shekhar C Mande, 1st-Karnataka
2019 Secretary, Department of 2nd- Kerala
Scientific and Industrial 3rd-Gujarat
Research (DSIR), Ministry of Read full details here:
Science and Technology.
Crime in India Report 2017 National Crime Records List of states in crimes against women
Bureau 1st-Uttar Pradesh
(NCRB) 2nd- Maharashtra
3rd- West Bengal
10th World Giving Index 2019 Charities Aid Foundation 82nd - India
(CAF). 1st -USA
2nd- Myanmar,
3rd - New Zealand and Australia
1st Edition of Hurun Global Unicorn Hurun Research Institute. 3rd - India
List For 2019 1st - China
2nd- United States (US)
Read the full details here :
QS India University Rankings 2020 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 1st - IIT Bombay
2nd - Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
3rd- Indian Institute of Technology,Delhi
Global Firepower Index (GFP) - Global Fire Power 4th – India
Military Strength Ranking 2019 Top 3 Ranks
1st –Us
2nd- Russia
3rd - China
Nation Brands 2019 Brand Finance 7th – India
(18.7% growth in brand value to $2,562 bn.)
Topped by
1st - USA
(7.2% growth in brand value to $27,751 bn.)
2019 Rural Swachhta Survey Swachh Bharat Mission 1st-Peddapalli district of Telangana
(Sanitation Survey) 2nd -Haryana’s Faridabad
3rd- Haryana’s Rewari
India Innovation Index 2019 National Institution for *-Most innovative state in India
Transforming India(NITI) 1st- Karnataka
Aayog along with the Institute 2nd - Tamil nadu
for Competitiveness 3rd - Maharastra
Read full details here:-
Global Hunger Index 2019 Irish aid agency Concern 102nd- India (out of 117 countries with the
Worldwide and German GHI score of 30.3, down from its 2018
organisation Welt Hunger position of 95)
Hilfe Read full details here:
2019 Mercer Global Pension Index Human resource consulting 32nd – India
(MMGPI) firm Mercer. Top 3 Ranks
1st - Netherlands
2nd- Denmark
3rd – Australia
54 | P a g e
Global Health Security Index 2019 Economist Intelligence Unit 57th – India
(EIU) Top 3 Ranks
1st- US
2nd- UK
3rd- Netherlands
Financial Times- Masters in Financial Times(FT) Top 50 rankings
Management Rankings 2019 17th - Indian Institute of Management-
Calcutta (IIMC)
21st - IIM- Ahmedabad
44th - IIM Bangalore
Topped by:
1st - University of St. Gallen , Switzerland.
17th edition of World Bank Ease of World Bank’s (WB) 63rd – India
Doing Business 2020 report Read full details here:
"Global Microscope 2019: The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 5th – India
enabling environment for financial (EIU) Topped by
inclusion" 1st- Columbia
2nd-Peru
3rd- Uruguay
4th- Mexico
Reports
Report Name Submitted/ Released By Key Notes
“The State of the World’s Children United Nations Children's *- It was for the first time in 20 years, it
2019: Children, food and nutrition- Fund (UNICEF) evaluated the issue of children, food and
Growing well in a changing world” nutrition.
“WDR 2020: Trading for World Bank (WB) *-“World Development Report (WDR) 2020:
Development in the Age of Global Trading for Development in the Age of Global
Value Value Chains”. According to the report, Global
Chains” value chains (GVCs) can help the developing
economies to enhance growth.
*-GVC describes the people and activities
involved in the production of a good or service
and its supply, distribution, and post sales
activities when activities must be coordinated
across geographies. Read full details here:
First National Diabetes and Diabetic Health Minister *-Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Retinopathy Harsh Vardhan released the report on the first National
Survey report Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Survey
(2015-2019), at the Conference of Central
Council of Health and Family Welfare, in New
Delhi.
*-The report was released in observance of
World Sight Day.
*-The survey has revealed that Diabetic
Retinopathy (DR) in India is 16.9% and the
prevalence of Sight-Threatening DR (STDR) is
3.6%. Mild retinopathy prevalence is 11.8%.
Health System Strengthening Ministry of Health and *-14 states and union territories (UTs) were
Conditionality Report Of States 2018- Family Welfare (MOHFW), penalised under National Health Mission (NHM)
19 Harsh Vardhan for their worst performances on various health
parameters in 2018-19. Dadra and Nagar Haveli,
55 | P a g e
Haryana, Assam, Kerala and Punjab were the

top five states/UTs which performed well. Read
full details here :
National Blindness and Visually Health minister *-National Blindness and Visually Impaired
Impaired Survey 2019 Harsh Vardhan Survey 2019 in New Delhi marking the occasion
of World Sight Day. The survey was conducted
from 2015-2019 by the health ministry in
collaboration with the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS)- RP (Rajendra Prasad)
Eye Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences across 24
states and Union Territories(UT). Around 1.11
lakh people were tested during the survey.
National Diabetes and Diabetic Health Minister *-Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy are now
Retinopathy Survey report Harsh Vardhan emerging as a significant non-communicable
disease and they also lead to ocular
morbidity(eye diseases which include both
visually impairing and non-visual impairing
conditions).
"The CS Gender Credit Suisse Research *-3rd edition of the report titled "The CS
3000 in 2019: The changing face of Institute (CSRI) Gender 3000 in 2019: The changing face of
companies” companies". According to the report, in terms of
female representation on board globally, India
ranked 23rd out of the 56 countries in 2019
while the list was topped by Singapore and Italy
in terms of female CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
representation.
2019 edition of the Global World Health Organisation *-2019 edition of Global Tuberculosis(TB)
Tuberculosis (TB) Report (WHO) report. The aim of the report was to provide
data on TB (mycobacterium Tuberculosis)
assessments and the progress in prevention and
diagnosis of the disease in all
regional and country level. 8 countries reported
for 2/3rd of global TB. Among them India
topped the list in high burden TB reported
countries. Read full details here:
10th Credit Suisse Global Wealth Financial services company *- India became the fastest wealth creator in the
Report 2019 Credit Suisse world in 2019, with house hold wealth in dollar
terms growing faster by 5.2%than any other
region. Total wealth in India increased 4 times
between 2000 and 2019. India also ranked 5th
globally in terms of the number of ultra-high net
worth individuals. Read full details here:
ACQUISITION AND MERERS

BSNL & MTNL to be merged, VRS scheme for employees announced: Ravi Shankar Prasad
As per the Union Minister for Communications and Electronics and Information Technology , Ravi Shankar
Prasad, the Central government has decided to merge the loss-making state-owned telecom companies, Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) to revive them. The revival
plan includes raising funds through sovereign bonds, monetization of corporate assets and voluntary
retirement schemes (VRS) for employees.
CCI approves Hyundai and Kia's acquisition of shareholding in ANI and Ola Electric Mobility Pvt Ltd
The Fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) under section Section 31(1) of the Competition
Act, 2002 approved acquisition of shareholding (equity stake) by the Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) and Kia
56 | P a g e
Motors Corporation (KMC) in ANI Technologies Private Limited (ANI), the parent company of ride-hailing firm
Ola, and its electric vehicle arm Ola Electric Mobility Private Limited (OEM).
DEFENCE
Exercise
Exercise Name Venue Participating Countries Purpose
2019 Nomadic Bakloh in Himachal India & Mongolian The aim of the exercise is to train both the
Elephant-XIV Pradesh armies in counter terrorism and counter
insurgency (counter revolt) operations
thus enhancing defence cooperation.
4th edition of KAZIND- Pithoragarh , India & Kazakhstan It aims to carry out counter-terrorism
2019 Uttarakhand operations in hilly areas.
CORPAT 2019 Northern part of Bay India- Bangladesh Participation of INS (Indian Naval Ship)
of Bengal Ranvijay, a guided-missile destroyer and
INS Kuthar, an indigenously built
missile as well as BNS (Bangladesh Naval
Ship) Ali Haider, a Type 053 frigate and
BNS Shadinota, a Type 056 stealth guided
missile corvette
Dharma Guardian Vairengte , Mizoram India & Japan Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self
2019 Defence Forces (JGSDF) comprising 25
soldiers each will participate in the
exercise with the aim to share their views
on various aspects related to the work of
the army.
Ekuverin 2019 Aundh Mil Stn, India & Maldives Under the United Nations(UN) mandate
Pune ,Maharastra ,the exercise focuses to enhance
interoperability between the two nations in
carrying out counter insurgency and
counter-terrorism operations in a semi-
urban environment while sharing best
practices.
Vajra Prahar 2019 Seattle, US India & US The military of the two countries will share
their best practices and experiences during
the exercise. Bilateral military exercises
and defense exchanges will further
enhance defense cooperation between
India and the US.
ShinyuuMaitri 2019 West Bengal India and Japan Indian Air Force(IAF) of India and Japan’s
Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF)
joint air force exercise named “Shinyuu
Maitri” began at the Air Force Station, Arjan
Singh of Panagarh town in West Bengal. It
is a week-long exercise and will be
conducted till October 23, 2019.
2nd edition of DANX- Port Blair, Andaman - *- The main objective of the exercise was to
2019 and Nicobar Islands practice and strengthen the procedures and
drills of all command forces. The exercise
has all the resources and forces of the
Army, Navy, and Airforce.
57 | P a g e
IMNEX-2019 Visakhapatnam, India & Myanmar *- The opening ceremony was conducted
Andhra Pradesh on board INS (Indian Naval Ship) Ranvijay.
*-The exercise is conducted in 2 phases:
Harbour phase (till October 20) and Sea
Phase (from October 20- 22).
2019 “Sindhu Rajasthan,India Indian Army *-The Indian Army (IA) is to conduct
Sudarshan” exercise codenamed “Sindhu Sudarshan”
for the year 2019 in the deserts of
. Rajasthan from November 29 to December
4, 2019.
*-The aim of this exercise is to
evaluate the capability of the defence
services in an integrated air-land battle. In
the Sindhu Sudarshan exercise, operational
efficiency of the Strike Corps fighting in the
desert terrain will be assessed and the
Indian Air Force (IAF) will provide support
in terms of destruction of targets and
airlifting troops
“Ex Eastern Bridge – Oman India and Oman *-5th edition of 10-day bilateral air exercise
V” 2019 between the air forces of India [Indian Air
Force -IAF] and Oman [Royal Air Force of
Oman -RAFO] called “Ex Eastern Bridge –
V” has been commenced at RAFO base
Masirah in Oman. It will be concluded on
October 26, 2019.
'Ex Shakti -2019' Rajasthan India and France *- ‘Ex Shakti -2019', a joint exercise of the
Armies of India and France will be held
from 31 October2019- to November 13,
2019 in the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in
Rajasthan. The exercise will be fully
focused on anti-terrorist operations. In this
military exercise, counter terrorism will be
practiced in the desert with the
participation of Sikh Regiment of Sapta
Shakti Command from the Indian Army
while troops of the 21st Marine Infantry
Regiment of 6th Armoured Brigade will be
present on behalf of the Army of France.
Testing
Missile Name Testing Location Features
LGM-30G Minuteman III Vandenberg Air It travelled approximately 4,200 miles (6,750km) across
Intercontinental ballistic missile Force Base, California the Pacific Ocean to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall
(ICBM) Islands.
AirForce, Army, Navy

AIR FORCE
India’s first special Aircraft to serve Prez, Vice Prez, & PM will arrive by June 2020
India’s first dedicated two long-haul special Boeing 777-300ER aircraft equipped with missile defence systems
that will serve Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu
is likely to reach New Delhi, India by June 2020. As per the proposal, It will be kept under control by Indian
Airforce (IAF) rather than Air India. If IAF got the charge of plane then the name also changes from Air India
One to Air Force One.
58 | P a g e
ARMY
Indian Army inducts Israeli Spike anti-tank guided missiles
Indian Army inducted a limited number of small Spike anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) of Israel in order to
meet the operational requirements till the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) develops
indigenous man portable ATGM (MP-ATGM). This MP-ATGM is of third-generation category and will have
features like a missile range of 250kms, with advanced avionics and night vision capabilities.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOY

Apps & Web portal
App & Web Name Launched by Purpose
Applications for Remedies in Directorate General of *-For filing anti-dumping applications by the domestic
Trade for Indian Industry and Trade Remedies (DGTR) industry for speedy resolution of dumping issues.
other Stakeholders (ARTIS) *-It has invited the applications to file the process to be
followed by Domestic Industry for anti-dumping
investigations under Section 9A of the Customs Tariff
Act, 1975 as amended and the Customs Tariff
(Identification, Assessment and Collection of Anti-
Dumping Duty onDumped Articles and for
Determination of Injury) Rules, 1995.
Audio Odigo app Tourism Ministry *- For 12 sites of India inclusive of iconic sites in New
Delhi for benefiting tourists.
*- A Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) for Delhi’s
GolGumbad(15th century domed tomb from the Lodi
dynasty period) with Government of Delhi and Resbird
Technologies were signed in developing the tourism
amenities in presence of Director General(DG) of
Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) Smt. Usha Sharma.
Consumer App Consumer Affairs *-In order to redress public grievances and provide
Minister, Shri Ram Vilas valuable solutions on consumer-related issues.
Paswan *-The app, which strengthens ‘digital India’
objectives, provides a one-stop solution to the
consumer grievances via mobile devices.
*-The grievances will be resolved in a time-bound
manner within 20 days. It takes 2months /60days to
resolve a grievance in case of eliciting feedback from
companies or further enquiries.
EDantseva Website And Mobile Health Ministry *-Aim to provide oral health information
Application collected from authentic scientific resources.
*-He also released the Braille booklet and Voice over
on Oral Health Education for the visually impaired
individuals to access information, along with the oral
health posters for pregnant women and children. Read
full details here:
IPRs “L2Pro India” Guruprasad Mohapatra, *- Mr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary of the
Secretary of DPIIT Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal
Trade (DPIIT) which works under the Ministry of
Commerce & Industry, launched the website and
mobile application for Intellectual Property Rights
(IPRs) named L2Pro India (Learn to Protect, Secure
and Maximize Your Innovation) in New Delhi. They
were developed by Cell for IPR Promotion and
Management (CIPAM)- DPIIT along with Qualcomm
and National Law University (NLU), Delhi.
59 | P a g e
mHariyali App MoHUA *- New mobile app named “mHariyali” and website
Minister of State "Environment Protection in
(Independent Charge) for Government Colonies" in New Delhi, which encourages
Housing & Urban Affairs people to plant trees and for Green drives.
Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri *-Both app & website are developed by National
Informatics Centre (NIC)-Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affair (MoHUA).
PRAKASH portal Union Ministers RK Singh *-This portal was launched in bringing transparency as
and Shri Pralhad Joshi well as better coordination in coal supplies to power
jointly launched plants. The link for the portal
ishttps://mapp.ntpc.co.in/prakash. Read full details
here:
Sahyatri mobile app, Union Minister of State *- Railways launched Sahyatri mobile app and a new
Website: (MoS) in the Ministry of website for online complaint registration
www.railways.delhipolice.gov.in Home Affairs (MHA) *- Through which the passengers can register their
Mr Nityanand Rai complaints online. It was launched by at the NDMC
(New Delhi Municipal Council) Convention Centre on
Sansad Marg, New Delhi.
"India Post Mobile Banking" app Indian post *-For mobile banking facility the Department of Post
has launched a mobile banking application namely
"India Post Mobile Banking" for its savings account
holders to facilitate easier transactions.
*-The facility has started from 15 October 2019 & will
be available to all customers of core banking solutions
(CBS) enabled post offices.
TechSagar National Cyber Security *- Lt. Gen (Dr) Rajesh Pant, National Cyber Security
Coordinator's office in Coordinator of India launched an online portal of
partnership with Data India’s technological capability named ‘TechSagar’.
Security Council of India *-It was launched by the National Cyber Security
(DSCI). Coordinator's office in partnership with Data Security
Council of India (DSCI).
*-It can be accessed at: www.techsagar.in This
repository will help to facilitate new opportunities for
businesses and academia to collaborate, connect and
innovate, in future.
Rail Dhandora app Southern Railway *-For hassle-free working and transactions in
Chennai Southern Railway launched a new application
called Rail Dhandora for the railway personnel and
customers for the hassle-free working and transactions
with the Railways. It was launched by John Thomas,
General Manager, Southern Railway (SR) in Chennai,
Tamil Nadu. It is developed by the Information
Technology (IT) Cell of Passenger Marketing Wing of
Southern Railway.
Satellite Launches
Satellite Name Country Purpose
Gaofen-10 satellite China *-China has sent the new Gaofen-10 satellite into space with a
March-4C rocket developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight
Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology
Corporation from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North
China's Shanxi Province.
60 | P a g e
*-The satellite has successfully entered the planned orbit & will start
receiving pictures and other data with a resolution of less than a
metre.
ICON space weather satellite NASA *- To study earth's ionosphere National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) launched Ionospheric Connection Explorer
(ICON) space weather satellite from Northrop Grumman’s L-1011
Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached
beneath, from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station in Florida, United States. Ionospheric is the layer of the
earth's atmosphere that contains a high concentration of ions and
free electrons and is able to reflect radio waves. It will study the
dynamic zone in an atmosphere where terrestrial weather from
below meets space weather from above for 2 years.
Other Science News

NATIONAL
Chandigarh University students develop India's most secure and portable OS elementary puzzles
A group of 3 computer science engineering students of Chandigarh University comprising of Adarsh Chauhan,
Anmol Puri and Puspraj Jaswal developed India's most secure and portable Operating System (OS) elementary
puzzles by working on the Kernel of the OS. It is Linux-based GUI (Graphical Operating System) which offers
compatibility and data security to its users.
Indian scientists discovered plastic-eating bacteria namely 'Exiguobacterium sibiricum strain

DR11' & 'Exiguobacterium undae strain DR14' in Greater Noida wetlands, UP A team of researchers at Shiv
Nadar University in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP) have discovered two 'plastic-eating' bacterial strains
namely Exiguobacterium sibiricum strain DR11 and Exiguobacterium undae strain DR14 from the wetlands of
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The strains have the great potential to decompose polystyrene. The study has
been published in the journal Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Advances.
Government Launches GEMINI, a Disaster Warning Device for fisherman

Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a disaster warning device and satellite
based Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for Navigation and Information (GEMINI) system. It will help
provide information related to disaster warnings when fishermen move away from the coast beyond 10 to 12
kilometres, Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) and Ocean States Forecasts (OSF) to fishermen. Read full details here:
KUFOS scientists discover first species of eel-loach in the world named ‘Pangio bhujia’
The scientists of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) have discovered the 1st & unique
eel-loach species of miniature well-dwelling subterranean fish named ‘Pangio bhujia’ in Cherinja village,
Kozhikode district of Kerala. The eel lives in deep subterranean aquifers is about 3 centimeters in length,
pinkish-red in colour & belongs to the genus Pangio. Generally, eel- loaches are found in fast-flowing streams in
the south and south-east Asia. The study has been published in Zootaxa journal.
IIT Madras signs a 5-year joint-research agreement with ExxonMobil for research in Energy and
Biofuels
Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Madras has signed a 5-year joint-research agreement with ExxonMobil
Research and Engineering Company (EMRE), the research and engineering arm of ExxonMobil Corporation for
research in biofuels, data analytics, gas conversion and transport, and finding low-emission solutions. This
agreement is in line with the central Government’s new ‘biofuel policy’, which targets to convert the country’s
biofuel industry into a $15.6 billion economy. Read full details here:
61 | P a g e
Scientists excavates dried-up river in Prayagraj ,Uttar Pradesh

A team of scientists from the CSIR-NGRI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Geophysical
Research Institute) and the Central Groundwater Board, Ministry of Jal Shakti, have found an undiscovered ,old,
dried-up river in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh that linked the Ganga and Yamuna rivers ,
during the geophysical survey in the Kaushambi and Prayagraj region in December 2018.
Two diagnostic kits for encephalitis, bluetongue virus, developed by ICAR- IVRI under the Make in India
released
Two diagnostic kits for Encephalitis, Bluetongue Virus called ‘Bluetongue sandwich ELISA (sELISA)’ for
detection of antigen and the ‘Japanese Encephalitis 1gM ELISA’ for the control of Swine, developed by Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) - Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) under the Make in India’
initiative were released at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi with the aim to prevent the spread of virus in animals and
thus predict their outbreak in humans. Each kit is meant for testing around 45 samples.
Indian army inducts indigenous dhanush howitzer cannons and US based precision guided
Excalibur artillery ammunition
Indian army has added indigenous 'Made in India' Dhanush Howitzer cannons and the US (United States)-based
Precision Guided Excalibur artillery ammunition, which will increase its combat capability. Excalibur Artillery
Ammunition, purchased from the US under the fast track process, is a modern ammunition used in cannon that
is capable of accurately targeting enemy targets. Excalibur Artillery Ammunition, purchased from the US under
the fast track process, is a modern ammunition used in cannon that is capable of accurately targeting enemy
targets.
India, US sign SoI to develop a range of warfighting technologies and systems during DTTI 2019 in New
Delhi
India and the United States (US) signed a joint Statement of Intent (SoI) to co-develop a range of cutting-edge
warfighting technologies and systems for their militaries like virtual augmented reality (VAR), air-launched
unmanned airborne systems (UAS), networked operations, brand new weapon and light-weight ammo
(ammunition) designs. It was signed during the 9th meeting of the India US Defence Technology and Trade
Initiative (DTTI) 2019 held in New Delhi. Read full details here:
New argentine fish named "Glossanodon macrocephalus" discovered in Kerala waters

Researcher team from Zoological Survey of India(ZSI), led by Bineesh K.K., discovered a new deep-sea fish
Glossanodon macrocephalus (common name Kerala argentine) in the Arabian Sea, off the southwestern coast of
India, Kerala. The fish which belongs to family Argentinidae of the genus Glossanodon is whitish with the
silvery body. The discovery of this fish species is published in the journal ‘zootaxa’.
Scientists discover new stable form of plutonium

Using the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, an international team of
scientists, led by the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), have discovered a new compound of
plutonium which is solid and stable, and maybe a transient phase in radioactive waste repositories. This is
published in the journal Angewandte Chemie as a Very Important Paper (VIP). This new phase is named as
Pu(V). The chemical name of Plutonium is Pu.
ASI discovers 2,000-year-old historic trade center in Andhra Pradesh (AP)

A 2000-year old historic trade settlement & a Pallava-period statue of Lord Vishnu has been unearthed during
excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) near the banks of Swarnamukhi river in the
village of Gottiprolu in Andhra Pradesh (AP). Archaeological excavation near Nellore, about 80 kilometers east
of Tirupati, has uncovered a huge brick-lined enclosure. A statue along with some antiquities & pottery has
been unearthed at the site.
62 | P a g e
Researchers from IIIT Hyderabad created first ever Indian Brain atlas
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad(IIIT-H), Telangana have created
the first-ever ‘Indian brain atlas’(IBA). As per their research, the average Indian brain is smaller when
compared with western and eastern countries like China, Korea etc. The Indian brain atlas was constructed in
collaboration with the Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal
Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
INTERNATIONAL
NASA gets it first all-electric experimental aircraft X-57 Mod II, codenamed Maxwell
National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) in
Edwards, California received its first all electric experimental aircraft (X-plane) X-57 Mod II (Modification II)
codenamed Maxwell from Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) of San Luis Obispo, California, United States
(US). It replaces the traditional combustion engines on a baseline Tecnam P2006T aircraft, with electric cruise
motors and weighs approximately 3,000 pounds.
First Satellite Servicing Spacecraft MEV-1 launched; developed by Northrop Grumman and NASA
The first satellite-servicing spacecraft named “MEV-1” (Mission Extension Vehicle-1) was launched on the
Russian Proton rocket that took off from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome(launching site for spacecraft) in
Kazakhstan. It was developed by Northrop Grumman, US (United States) for its wholly-owned subsidiary Space
Logistics LLC, in partnership with NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) through a no-funds
exchanged NASA partnership called Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities.
China unveiled DF-41 the most powerful intercontinental-range ballistic missile on the planet
On the 70th National Day of China which was observed on October 1, 2019, it launched DF-41 (Dongfeng-41)
the most powerful intercontinental-range ballistic missile on the planet during the National Day parade at
Chang'an Avenue in Beijing. It made its first appearance along with a clutch of new military hardware. DF-41
has a range of up to 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometres), capable of carrying 10 independently targeted nuclear
warheads and flying at 25 times the speed of sound, could theoretically, hit the United States in 30 minutes.
Scientists develops strongest silver ever, 42 % sturdier than the previous world record
A team of scientists from Vermont University of the United States (US) has developed the strongest silver ever -
42% stronger than the previous world record. The team has mixed a trace amount of copper into the silver, that
transformed two types of inherent nanoscale defects into a powerful internal structure, due to the impurities
are directly attracted to these defects. It also helps in maintaining its electrical conductivity.
For the first time, researchers see individual virus formation

The researchers, including those from Harvard University in the United States (US) have captured images of the
formation of individual viruses. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). The viruses when formed were of 30 nanometers in diameter
and had one piece of RNA (Ribo – Nucleic Acid) about 180 identical proteins.
Saturn created a solar system record after the discovery of 20 new moons, surpassing Jupiter
A team of researchers led by Carnegie's Scott S. Sheppard from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, increasing its tally of moons to 82. It surpassed the number of
moons orbiting Jupiter planet which stands at 79. This was announced by the International Astronomical
Union's (IAU) Minor Planet Center (MPC), France.
Remains of 5,000-year-old city unveiled in Israel's archaeological site En Esur

Archaeologists of Israel have unveiled remains of a 5,000-year-old city believed to be the biggest in the region
from the Bronze Age. The site known as “En Esur” included fortifications, a ritual temple, and a cemetery. An
63 | P a g e
even earlier settlement, believed to be 7,000 years old, was discovered beneath the city. It is regarded as the
'New York City' of its time period.
NASA's hubble space telescope observes 1st Confirmed Interstellar Comet-2I / Borisov
An independent space agency of the United States(US),NASA's(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Hubble Space Telescope has observed 2nd interstellar comet named 2I/Borisov passing through the solar
system. This is the 2nd interstellar object observed after Oumuamua in 2017.
Debayan Saha, IIT Kharagpur graduate invents "PM 2.5" device to curb air pollution
Debayan Saha, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Kharagpur has
invented a device called "PM 2.5" when fitted near the silencer pipe in vehicles will curb air pollution. 1 car
fitted with the device can neutralise the pollution emitted from 10 cars in its vicinity.
World’s oldest known natural pearl ‘Abu Dhabi Pearl’ discovered at a Neolithic site on Marawah Island,
Abu Dhabi
An 8,000-year-old world’s oldest natural pearl named ‘Abu Dhabi Pearl’ was discovered at a Neolithic site on
Marawah Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was found in the floor of a room discovered during
excavations and the layers from which the pearl came have been carbon-dated to 5800-5600 BC (Before
Christ), during the Neolithic period. It was discovered by the archaeologists of the Department of Culture and
Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
China unveils new commercial carrier rockets codenamed the Smart Dragon family & Tenglong liquid-
propellant rocket
China Rocket, commercial space wing of China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), unveiled its new
generation of commercial carrier rockets codenamed the Smart Dragon (SD) family, and a Tenglong liquid-
propellant rocket which is a cluster of solid-fuelled rockets. These new Long rocket series can carry up to 1.5-
tonne payload. With this launch, it gears up to compete with India to attract the lucrative global space launch
market as India has already launched a record-breaking 104 satellites into orbit (96 belong to the United
States).
Scientists discover 6 new lizard species of 'Dravidogecko' family at western ghats in Aurangabad,
Maharashtra
A group of scientists have discovered Six new species of Lizard in the Western Ghats Mountains in Aurangabad
,Maharashtra. The six new species have been named as Dravidogecko septentrionalis, D janakiae (after botanist
Janaki Ammal from Kerala), D tholpalli, D meghamalaiensis, D douglasadamsi (after British author and satirist
Douglas Noel Adams) and D smithi (in honour of British herpetologist Malcolm Arthur Smith).
Male White bellbird is the world’s loudest bird

The male white bellbird(Procnias albus) is the world’s loudest bird which hits 125.4 decibels, as loud as a very
loud rock concert. This study was published in the journal Current Biology. The call by the bird is made as part
of their mating rituals and its mating call is about three times louder than screaming phias (Lipaugus
vociferans) — the previous loudest bird singer.
IAF successfully test-fired 2 Brahmos surface-to-surface missiles from mobile platform at Trak Island in
Andaman Nicobar
Indian Air Force(IAF) has successfully test fired 2 Brahmos surface to surface missile from mobile platform at
Trak Island of the Andaman Nicobar Islands. The test firing was a part of routine operational training. Both the
missiles, 2.5 tonnes each, directly hit the mock target close to 300kms away. The ground targets were engaged
with accuracy from mobile platform. Read full details here:
64 | P a g e
Russia’s new Knyaz Vladimir submarine test-fired Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile for
first time
Russia’s most advanced version of the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine named Knyaz Vladimir
(Prince Vladimir) of Borei-class vessel, test fired the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile for first time. The
launch was conducted in the white sea of the northwest coast of Russia with a dummy payload and had
precisely hit the target range of thousand kms away in the Russian region of Kamchatka.
ENVIROMENT
Typhoon Hagibis strikes northern Japan
The Typhoon Hagibis, the worst typhoon to hit Japan, since Ida in 1958, left many died and missing further
cancellation of three Rugby World cup matches. The Indian Navy has deployed INS (Indian Naval Ship)
Sahyadri and INS Kiltan to render assistance to Japan.
World’s fastest ant known as Saharan silver ant has been discovered
The Saharan silver ant (Cataglyphis bombycina) of the world's 12,000 known ant species, has been discovered
as the world’s fastest ant. A team of German researchers from the University of Ulm and Freiburg(Germany)
discovered the ant in Douz area of Tunisia. The desert living ant hits speeds of nearly one meter per second,
and covers 2.8 feet per second 108 times its body length per second.
Cyclone 'Kyarr' to become the first super cyclonic storm in Arabian sea in last 12 years
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone 'Kyarr' with an estimated wind speed of 220-
230 kmph intensifies to become the first Super Cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in the last 12 years after
Cyclone Gonu ravaged the Oman coast in 2007. Kyarr is the 9th super cyclone to form in the North Indian
Ocean.
SPORTS
BADMINTON
Overview of 9th YONEX Dutch Open 2019 held at Topsportcentrum in Almere, Netherlands
The YONEX Dutch Open 2019 was held at Topsportcentrum in Almere, the Netherlands from October 8-13, 2019. It was
the 9th Super 100 tournament of the 2019 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour and also part of the Dutch
Open championships.
• Men’s Singles Lakshya Sen (India)
• Women’s Singles Wang Zhiyi (China)
• Men’s Doubles Vladimir Ivanov & Ivan Sozonov (Russia)
• Women’s Doubles Gabriela Stoeva & Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria)
• Mixed Doubles Robin Tabeling & Selena Piek (Netherlands)
Overview of 16th Danisa Denmark Open 2019

Danisa Denmark Open 2019, a Super 750 badminton tournament, was held at Odense Sports Park, Odense, Denmark
from October 15-20, 2019. It was the 16th tournament of the 2019 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour and
a part of the Denmark Open championships.
• Men’s Singles Kento Momota (Japan)
• Women’s Singles Tai Tzu-ying (Taiwan)
• Men’s Doubles Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia)
• Women’s Doubles Baek Ha-na & Jung Kyung-eun (South Korea)
• Mixed Doubles Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti (Indonesia)
Bahrain International Series 2019 held in Bahrain
65 | P a g e
Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) Bahrain International Series 2019 was held at Shaikh Khalifa Sports City, Isa
Town in Bahrain from October 9-13, 2019. It was organized by Bahrain Badminton and Squash Federation (BBSF) and
sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) Badminton Asia.
• Men’s Singles Priyanshu Rajawat (India)
• Women’s Singles Sri Fatmawati (Indonesia)
• Men’s Doubles Prad Tangsrirapeephan & Apichasit Teerawiwat (Thailand)
• Mixed Doubles Juhi Dewangan & Venkat Gaurav Prasad (India)
Overview of 17th Yonex French Open 2019

Yonex French Open 2019, a Super 750 badminton tournament, was held at Stade Pierre de
Coubertin, Paris, France from October 22-27, 2019. It was the 17th tournament of the 2019
Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour and was a part of the French Open
championships.
• Men’s Singles Chen Long (China)
• Women’s Singles An Se-young (South Korea)
• Men’s Doubles Marcus Fernaldi Gideon & Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (Indonesia)
• Women’s Doubles Lee So-hee & Shin Seung-chan (South Korea)
• Mixed Doubles Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti (Indonesia)
PV Sindhu slips to number 6th, Kashyap rises to 25th position: BWF Rankings 2019
As per the recently released BWF (Badminton World Federation) Rankings 2019, World Champion women’s shuttler PV
Sindhu (24) has slipped a rank to 6th due to poor performance in the last two weeks but Parupalli Kashyap (33) has
benefited from a good performance and reached 25th position. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag remain 12th in
men’s doubles while Ashwini Ponnappa and N. Sikki Reddy moved up one place to 19th in women’s doubles.
Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty ranked 9th in BWF World Rankings 2019,
Gideon & Sukamuljo topped
Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were ranked 9th in the Badminton World
Federation’s (BWF) World Rankings 2019. They were the runners in the men’s doubles category at Yonex French Open
2019. They gained two places in the ranking. The ranking was topped by the Indonesian pair of Marcus Fernaldi Gideon
& Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.
BOXING
Overview of 11th AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2019 in Ulan-Ude, Russia
11th edition of International Boxing Association, originally the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (AIBA)
Women’s World Boxing Championships 2019 was held at FSK Sports Complex, Ulan-Ude, Russia from October 3-13,
2019. The Elite Women boxing championships was organized by AIBA.
• 224 competitors from 57 nations participated in the event and 21 nations claimed the medals.
• India was ranked 9th in the medal tally while Russia clinched the top spot.
• India clinched 1 silver and 3 bronze medals.
CRICKET
Virat And Bumrah Retain Top Position In Latest ICC / ODI Rankings 2019
As per the recently released ‘MRF (Madras Rubber Factory)Tyres International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s ODI (One
Day International ) Player Rankings 2019’ as of October 3, 2019, Indian captain Virat Kohli and fast bowler Jasprit
Bumrah have retained their top positions. This ranking has been released after the recently played one-day series
between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Read full details here:
ICC test ranking 2019: Virat Kohli reached 936 points; need 2 points to surpass No.1 Steve Smith
As per the latest ICC (International Cricket Council ) men's test rankings 2019, Indian captain Virat Kohli (936 points)
has reached very close to the top Australian batsman Steve Smith (937 points) & took 2nd position in the batting list.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are 4th and 9th respectively. Apart from Kohli, these two are the other Indian
batsmen in the top 10. Read full details here:
66 | P a g e
Indian batsman, Rohit sharma attains career best 17th In ICC Test player rankings 2019
As per the recently released MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) Tyres International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test Player
Rankings” as of October 7, 2019, Rohit Sharma, who became the first Indian cricketer to score a century in both innings
of his first test as an opener, reached a career best 17th position . He jumped from the 54th position to the 17th. Read
full details here:
Zimbabwe and Nepal readmitted as ICC members; Indra Nooyi reappointed as ICC Independent Director
The International Cricket Council (ICC) readmitted Zimbabwe and Nepal as its members in a meeting held in Dubai.
Zimbabwe Cricket was suspended with immediate effect in July 2019 and Nepal was banned in 2016. Both nations had
been suspended for governmental interference. Apart from this, the prize money for ICC women’s events was increased
by $2.6 million. Also, Indra Nooyi reappointed as ICC Independent Director. Read full details here:
Overview of India vs South Africa Test series 2019

India vs South Africa Test Series was held in India in which India won the 3 match series by 3-0. It was the first time that
India whitewashed South Africa in the history of Test cricket. The South Africa cricket team toured India from
September 15, 2019, to play 3 test matches and 3 Twenty 20 International series (match drawn). Read full details here:
Pakistan’s pacer Mohammad Hasnain becomes youngest player to take a T20I hat-trick
Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain became the youngest ever cricketer to take a hat-trick in T20I (Twenty 20
Internationals) cricket in the 2nd T20 match against Sri Lanka at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan during the Sri
Lankan cricket team tour in Pakistan. He is 19 years and 183 days old. It was his second T20I match.
Overview of women’s South Africa Cricket tour of India, 2019 in Gujarat

The South Africa women's cricket team played against India in the latest T20I (twenty-twenty International) & One Day
International (ODI) matches during South Africa Cricket tour of India, 2019 held from September till October 4,2019
held at Lalabhai Contractor Stadium in Surat, Gujarat. India defeated South Africa in the finals; by winning the six-match
series for 3-1 with two matches being washed out due to rain.
India maintains second position in latest ICC women's ODI rankings, Australia tops the list
On October 7, 2019 in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) women's One Day International (ODI) rankings,
India has maintained its second position and has also increased it points lead over England which is ranked at the 3rd
position. The list was topped by Australia.
Australia broke their own record for most consecutive wins in women's ODI
Australian women’s cricket team broke the record for most consecutive wins in One Day International (ODI) cricket with
their 18th triumph by defeating Sri Lanka in the tri-match ODI series during Sri Lanka women's cricket team tour in
Australia" at the Allan Border Field stadium in Brisbane, Australia. They broke their own record of 17 consecutive wins
achieved between 1997 and 1999.
Australia’s Alyssa Healy creates world record becoming highest scorer in women’s T20I
Australian cricketer Alyssa Healy created a world record for the highest individual score in women’s T20I (Twenty
Twenty International) by scoring 148 runs off 61 balls against Sri Lanka in the third and final t20I match of "Sri Lanka
Women tour of Australia, 2019" at the North Sydney Oval in Australia. She surpassed teammate Meg Lanning’s previous
world record score of 133 runs.
New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite tops ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings 2019
In the latest 2019 International Cricket Council (ICC) women’s rankings for ODI (One Day International) match, Amy
Satterthwaite (33) of New Zealand clinched the top spot in Batting rankings with 759 points. India’s Smriti Mandhana
settled down at the second spot with 755 points.
Indian Women’s cricket team won ODI Series 2019 against South Africa
Indian Women’s cricket team won the One Day International (ODI) Series 2019 against SouthAfrica by 3-0. The South
African women's cricket team toured India to play against India women'scricket team from September 20- October 14,
2019. The 3 matches were held at Reliance Stadium, Vadodara, Gujarat. Mithali Raj became the 4th cricketer and the 1st
in women's cricket to complete 20 years and 105 days in the highest form of international cricket.
67 | P a g e
Karnataka clinched the 18th season of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 also known as the Ranji One- Day Trophy
Karnataka clinched the 18th season of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 also known as the Ranji One- Day Trophy, a List A
cricket tournament in India which was held from 24 September – 25 October 2019. The final match was held between
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the match was called off due to rain and Karnataka was declared as winners by 60 runs
via VJD method (Jaydevan System or Gokul Gurandi system). Final Match was held at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in
Bengaluru, Karnataka. It was the 4th title for Karnataka.
13th Edition of ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 to be held in South Africa
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that the 13th edition of ICC Under-19 (U19) Cricket World Cup 2020
will be held in South Africa from January 17- February 10, 2020. The JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom will be the main
venue. Benoni and Kimberley are the other host cities.
For the first time, Papua New Guinea secures Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 qualification; Ireland also qualifies
Papua New Guinea (PNG), for the first time, qualified for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Twenty 20 (T20)
World Cup tournament 2020 by defeating Kenya in a match held at Dubai International Stadium, Dubai. It was a World
Cup Qualifier tournament. Ireland has also qualified for ICC T20 World Cup 2020 after finishing at the top of their group.
The 2020 World T20, the seventh edition, will be held from October 18 to November 15, 2020, in Australia.
ICC bans Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan for 2 years over corrupt approaches
Global governing body of cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Bangladesh cricket team's star all-
rounder and its Test and T20 (Twenty-20) captain Shakib Al Hasan (32) for 2 years. Shakib was accused of being
approached by bookies during the tri-series (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe) 2018 and IPL (Indian Premier
League) 2018 in January 2018 but he did not fully convey the ICC's anti-corruption unit (ACU).
FOOTBALL
FIFA bans former CONMEBOL president Eugenio Figueredo for lifetime
FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) banned the former president of South American Football
Confederation, commonly known as CONMEBOL (CONfederación SudaMEricana de FútBOL) Mr Eugenio Figueredo, aged
87, for lifetime due to bribery charges and fined Swiss Franc (CHF) 1,000,000 (€914,266). He was accused of breaching
Article 27 (bribery) of the 2018 edition of the FIFA code of ethics.
Italian former professional footballer, Claudio Marchisio announces retirement

Italian former professional footballer & Juventus midfielder, Claudio Marchisio (33) has announced his retirement from
football following persistent knee injuries. Nicknamed 'the little prince', Marchisio has joined Juventus at the age of just
seven & played almost 400 matches.
FIFA bans former Salvadorean football association president, Reynaldo Vasquez

The international governing body of association football, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has
banned former chief of the Salvadorean Football Association (FESFUT), Reynaldo Vasquez (elected in June 2009) from
all football-related activities for life & and imposed 475,000-euro ($522,000 or Rs 3,70,73,871) fine after a corruption
investigation. He had breached art. 27 (Bribery and corruption) of the 2019 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger retires from football at the age of 35

German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger from the Germany national football team, has announced his retirement from
the game at the age of 35. Schweinsteiger earned 121 caps for his country, scoring 24 goals. He also led his team to win
the 2014 World Cup in Brazil by defeating Argentina.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi won the European Golden Shoe 2018/19; 3rd consecutive win
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi won the third straight European Golden Shoe for the 2018/19 season at a ceremony in
Barcelona, Spain. He was the top league-goal scorer in the European leagues 2019, after scoring 36 goals (in 34 games).
It was his sixth Golden Shoe. He is already the only player in history to get five Golden Shoes.
India ranks 106th in Latest FIFA Rankings, Belgium tops the list
On October 24, 2019, the latest FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) rankings were released.
According to the latest rankings, India dropped to the 106th position from its previous rank of 104. The ranking was
topped by Belgium, followed by France and Brazil in the second and third spots respectively. Indian National football
tema is also known as Blue tigers.
68 | P a g e
FIFA granted China to host the inaugural edition of expanded 24-team Club World Cup in 2021
FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) has appointed China as the host, to conduct the inaugural
edition of the new format of 24-team Club World Cup in 2021. Currently, the Club World Cup of the football association
features 7 teams including the holders of the UEFA (Union of European Football Association) Champions League.
TENNIS
Overview of China Open 2019
The China Open 2019, an annual tennis tournament, was held at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China, from
September 30 to October 6, 2019. It was the 21st edition for the men and the 23rd for the women.
• Men’s Singles Dominic Thiem (Austria)
• Women’s Singles Naomi Osaka (Japan)
• Men’s Doubles Ivan Dodig (Croatia) & Filip Polášek (Slovakia)
• Women’s Doubles Sofia Kenin & Bethanie Mattek-Sands (America)
Overview of 45th Edition of Erste Bank Open 2019

The 45th Edition of Erste Bank Open (Vienna Open) 2019, a men's tennis tournament, was held atWiener Stadthalle,
Vienna, Austria from October 21-27, 2019. It was a part of the Association of
Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour 500 Series of the 2019 ATP Tour and had prize money of €2,296,490.
In Men’s singles category, Dominic Thiem of Austria clinched his first Vienna open title.
In Men’s Doubles category, Rajeev Ram of America & Joe Salisbury of Great Britain won the title.
Novak Djokovic wins 46th edition of 2019 Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships by defeating John
Millman in Tokyo
The 46th edition of the 2019 Japan Open Tennis Championships was held from September 30– October 6, 2019, at
Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan. Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic defeated Australia’s John Millman to win the first
Japan Open Singles title and was also his 10th win on tournament debut. This event was part of the ATP(Association of
Tennis Professionals) Tour 500 series of the 2019 ATP Tour.
Aryna Sabalenka won the women’s singles title in the 6th edition of WTA Wuhan Open 2019 in China
Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka won women’s singles title in the 6th edition of 2019 WTA Wuhan Open (WTA-
Women's Tennis Association) by defeating America’s Alison Riske, at the Optics Valley International Tennis Center in
Wuhan, China. By this win, Aryna became the first player to claim back-to-back titles in Wuhan and also joins Czech
player Petra Kvitova as the only two-time Wuhan Open champion.
• China’s Duan Yingying and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova won the women’s doubles title.
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal achieved a career-best ranking of 129 in ATP men's singles
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal, aged 22, from Haryana achieved a career-best ranking of 129 in the latest Association
of Tennis Professional (ATP) men's singles rankings 2019. He moved up six places from 135. The first place was held by
Novak Djokovic (Serbia), followed by Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Roger Federer (Switzerland).
4th Edition of European Open 2019 held in Antwerp, Belgium

European Open 2019, the 4th edition of men's tennis tournament, was held from October 14-20,2019 at the Lotto Arena
in Antwerp, Belgium. In Men’s singles category, Scotland’s Andy Murrayclinched the title and in Men’s doubles category,
Germany’s Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mieswon the title.
Prithvi Sekhar wins gold in 2nd Edition of World Deaf Tennis Championships 2019
The 2nd Edition of World Deaf Tennis Championships 2019 was held from October 12-19, 2019 in Antalya, Turkey.
India’s unseeded Prithvi Sekhar, aged 26, defeated third seed Jaroslav Smedek of the Czech Republic by 6-4, 6-3 points
and clinched the men’s singles title.
OTHER SPORTS NEWS

Overview of 7th CISM Military World Games for 2019
The 7th CISM Military World Games - 7th PEACE GAMES for the year 2019 were held at Wuhan Sports Center in Wuhan,
Hubei Province, China from October 18–27, 2019 under the motto Military Glory, World Peace. It was the first
international military multi-sport event to be held in China. This event occurs once in 4 years. The medal standing was
topped by China while India ranked 27th. Read full details here:
69 | P a g e
17th IAAF World Athletics Championships For 2019 Held In Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar
The 17th Edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships for 2019 was held at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha,
Qatar from September 27-October 6, 2019. The biennial event was organized by the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Qatar Athletics Federation. Doha Corniche was the route for the marathon and
racewalking events. India ranked 58th in the event. Read full details here:
Overview of ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships 2019 held in Fujairah, UAE:
The Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Asian Junior Boxing Championships 2019 was held in Fujairah, United Arab
Emirates (UAE) from October 11-17, 2019. 239 participants from 26 countries had participated in the events. It was
organized by Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC). Indian boxers clinched 21 medals (6 gold, 9 silver, 6 bronze). It ended
top in terms of medals won but finished second behind Uzbekistan (20) in the medal tally which won 8 gold medals.
15th edition of the World Wushu Championships 2019 held at Minhang Gymnasium in Shanghai, China
15th edition of the World Wushu Championships (WWC) 2019 was held at Minhang Gymnasium in Shanghai, China from
October 20-23, 2019. It was organized by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) with the support of the Chinese
Wushu Association (CWA). India was ranked 10th with 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze. Read full details here:
Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh won gold medal in 2019 Asian Track cycling championship held in South Korea
The 2020 Asian Track Cycling Championships was held from 17 to 21 October 2019 at the Jincheon National Training
Center Velodrome in Jincheon, South Korea organized by Asia Cycle Federation (ACC). Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh
Laitonjam won a gold medal in men’s junior Keirin event. It consisted of 40th Asian Cycle Track Championships and 27th
Junior Asian Cycle Track Championships. Overall India won 5 medals but all of them won in Junior Events.
Harika won Best Women’s Player prize in FIDE Chess.com Grand Swiss tournament 2019
Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli, aged 28, won the Best Women’s Player prize in FIDE (Fédération Internationale des
Échecs or World Chess Federation) Chess.com Grand Swiss tournament 2019 held at the Comis Hotel & Golf Resort in
Douglas, Isle of Man from October 10-21, 2019. The tournament was organized by IOM International Chess Limited with
the total prize money of $433,000.
10th Asian Age Group Championships for 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka
The 10th Asian Age Group Championships (AAGC) for 2019 was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from September 24-
October 2, 2019. It was organized by the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) through the Asia Amateur Swimming
Federation (AASF). It was the first time India hosted the International Championship in swimming, diving, water polo
and Artistic swimming events.
Maj AQ Khan won silver medal in 53rd Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2019 in
Indonesia
Maj Abdul Quadir Khan of the Indian Army Corps of Signals, won silver medal in the 53rd Asian Bodybuilding and
Physique Sports Championship 2019 that held in Batam, Indonesia in his maiden event.
Tiger Woods clinched historic 82nd title with Zozo Championship 2019 win
The Zozo Championship 2019, a professional golf tournament, was held at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Chiba,
Japan from October 24 - 27, 2019. It was the first event sanctioned tournament by the PGA (Professional Golfers'
Association) Tour in Japan, in a deal that will last until at least 2025. The tournament title was clinched by America’s
Tiger Woods, aged 43, which was his 82nd PGA Tour crown.
XLIX World Artistic Gymnastics Championships for 2019 held in Stuttgart, Germany
XLIX (49th) World Artistic Gymnastics Championships for 2019 are being held at the Hanns- Martin-Schleyer-Halle in
Stuttgart, Germany from October 4- 13, 2019. They are organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and
the German Gymnastics Federation (GGF). These are held annually in the non-Olympic years.
Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge becomes first person to run a marathon in under 2 hours
An Olympic champion and world record holder from Kenya Eliud Kipchoge, aged 34, became the first person to run a
marathon in under 2 hours by finishing the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 40.2 seconds in Vienna's Prater
Park, Austria. He covered the distance of 26.2miles.
70 | P a g e
Overview of World Youth Chess Championship 2019 held in Mumbai, India

World Youth Chess Championship 2019 was held in Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel in Mumbai, India
from 1st to 13th October 2019. The Championship was organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs(FIDE) or
International Chess Federation. India bagged seven medals (highest medals than any other country) in the
Championship including 1 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medal. Russia won 5 medals in the Championship and followed by
India.
Indian football team won 3rd SAFF U-15 Women's Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh
Indian football team won the 3rd Edition of the SAFF U-15 Women's Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh by 5-3
via a penalty shoot-out. The tournament was an international football competition for women's under-15 national
teams. It was organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and was held at Changlimithang Stadium in
Thimpu, Bhutan from October 9- 15, 2019 in which 4 teams had participated.
Kenyan marathon runner Brigid kosgei breaks world record in 2019 Chicago Marathon
Kenya's legendary female runner Brigid Jepscheschir Kosgei(25) has set a new world record in the 2019 Chicago
Marathon held in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Kosgei completed the race in 2 hours 14 minutes and 4 seconds. Earlier,
this record was in the name of Paula Radcliffe, who made the world record on April 13, 2003 London Marathon in 2
hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds.
Great Britain wins 9th Edition of Sultan of Johor Cup hockey tournament 2019 by defeating India
The 9th edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup 2019, an international men's under–21 field hockey tournament, was held at
Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia from October 12– 19, 2019. Great Britain defeated India in the
finals by 2-1. It was their 3rd title. Malaysia secured third place.
Lewis Hamilton wins Mexican Grand Prix 2019

5-time world champion Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, a British racing driver, clinched his 10th win of the season for
Mercedes at the Mexican Grand Prix 2019. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, a German racing driver, and Mercedes’ Valtteri
Bottas, a Finnish racing driver, finished second and third respectively.
Mercedes’s Valtteri Bottas won 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes clinched its record
constructors' title
German automobile maker Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (Finland) won the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix (formally known as
the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2019) held at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka in Mie Prefecture,
Japan. With this, Mercedes won sixth consecutive Formula One(F1) constructors’ championship title.
17th IAAF World Athletics Championships For 2019 Held In Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar
The 17th Edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships for 2019 was held at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha,
Qatar from September 27-October 6, 2019. The biennial event was organized by the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Qatar Athletics Federation. Doha Corniche was the route for the marathon and
racewalking events. India ranked 58th in the event. Read full details here:
Overview of ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships 2019 held in Fujairah, UAE:
The Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Asian Junior Boxing Championships 2019 was held in Fujairah, United Arab
Emirates (UAE) from October 11-17, 2019. 239 participants from 26 countries had participated in the events. It was
organized by Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC). Indian boxers clinched 21 medals (6 gold, 9 silver, 6 bronze). It ended
top in terms of medals won but finished second behind Uzbekistan (20) in the medal tally which won 8 gold medals.
Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh won gold medal in 2019 Asian Track cycling championship held in South Korea
The 2020 Asian Track Cycling Championships was held from 17 to 21 October 2019 at the Jincheon National Training
Center Velodrome in Jincheon, South Korea organized by Asia Cycle Federation (ACC). Indian cyclist Ronaldo Singh
Laitonjam won a gold medal in men’s junior Keirin event. It consisted of 40th Asian Cycle Track Championships and 27th
Junior Asian Cycle Track Championships. Overall India won 5 medals but all of them won in Junior Events.
71 | P a g e
Maj AQ Khan won silver medal in 53rd Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship 2019 in
Indonesia
Maj Abdul Quadir Khan of the Indian Army Corps of Signals, won silver medal in the 53rd AsianBodybuilding and
Physique Sports Championship 2019 that held in Batam, Indonesia in his maiden event.
10th Asian Age Group Championships for 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka
The 10th Asian Age Group Championships (AAGC) for 2019 was held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from September 24-
October 2, 2019. It was organized by the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) through the Asia Amateur Swimming
Federation (AASF). It was the first time India hosted the International Championship in swimming, diving, water polo
and Artistic swimming events.
XLIX World Artistic Gymnastics Championships for 2019 held in Stuttgart, Germany
XLIX (49th) World Artistic Gymnastics Championships for 2019 are being held at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in
Stuttgart, Germany from October 4- 13, 2019. They are organized by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and
the German Gymnastics Federation (GGF). These are held annually in the non-Olympic years.
Overview of World Youth Chess Championship 2019 held in Mumbai, India

World Youth Chess Championship 2019 was held in Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel in Mumbai, India
from 1st to 13th October 2019. The Championship was organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs(FIDE) or
International Chess Federation. India bagged seven medals (highest medals than any other country) in the
Championship including 1 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medal. Russia won 5 medals in the Championship and followed by
India.
Indian football team won 3rd SAFF U-15 Women's Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh
Indian football team won the 3rd Edition of the SAFF U-15 Women's Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh by 5-3
via a penalty shoot-out. The tournament was an international football competition for women's under-15 national
teams. It was organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and was held at Changlimithang Stadium in
Thimpu, Bhutan from October 9- 15, 2019 in which 4 teams had participated.
Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge becomes first person to run a marathon in under 2 hours
An Olympic champion and world record holder from Kenya Eliud Kipchoge, aged 34, became the first person to run a
marathon in under 2 hours by finishing the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 40.2 seconds in Vienna's Prater
Park, Austria. He covered the distance of 26.2miles.
Kenyan marathon runner Brigid kosgei breaks world record in 2019 Chicago Marathon
Kenya's legendary female runner Brigid Jepscheschir Kosgei(25) has set a new world record in the 2019 Chicago
Marathon held in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Kosgei completed the race in 2 hours 14 minutes and 4 seconds. Earlier,
this record was in the name of Paula Radcliffe, who made the world record on April 13, 2003 London Marathon in 2
hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds.
Great Britain wins 9th Edition of Sultan of Johor Cup hockey tournament 2019 by defeating India
The 9th edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup 2019, an international men's under–21 field hockey tournament, was held at
Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, Johor Bahru, Malaysia from October 12– 19, 2019. Great Britain defeated India in the
finals by 2-1. It was their 3rd title. Malaysia secured third place.
Mercedes’s Valtteri Bottas won 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, Mercedes clinched its record constructors' title
German automobile maker Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas (Finland) won the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix (formally known as
the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2019) held at the Suzuka International Racing Course in Suzuka in Mie Prefecture,
Japan. With this, Mercedes won sixth consecutive Formula One(F1) constructors’ championship title.
Minerva Punjab FC renamed as Punjab Football Club

Former I-League champions Minerva Punjab Football Club (MPFC) was renamed as Punjab Football Club (PFC) as per an
agreement of MPFC with Round Glass Sports Private Ltd. They are also the defending champions of Junior League and
Elite League.
72 | P a g e
IOC selects Indian olympic boxer Mary Kom as 2020 Tokyo olympics athlete ambassadors group member
The 6-time world champion Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom (36) has been inducted into the 10- member sports
ambassador group by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Boxing workforce to represent boxers ahead of the
2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book Name Author Key Notes
"Carpenters and Kings: Western Siddhartha Sarma *- It is published by Penguin Hamish Hamilton
Christianity and the Idea of India" India. It examines the history of Christianity in
India in the context of local and global events.
"How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Bill Gates *- It will be published by UK-based Allen Lane
Solutions We Have and the publishers. The book is about climate change and
Breakthroughs We Need" the possible solutions to prevent an environmental
crisis.
"The Great Game in the Buddhist Phunchok Stobdan *- The author describes the Dalai
Himalayas: India and China's Quest for Lama factor which caused the Buddhist Himalayas
Strategic to be in a state of flux, especially in the current
Dominance” India-China relationship.
"The Tech Whisperer" Jaspreet Bindra *-Published by-Penguin India.

*-The key feature of this book is the chapter AI
which is written by AI. In partnership with
Findability Sciences, Jaspreet Bindra rigged up an
AI to write
‘India and the Netherlands- Past, Present Venu Rajamony *-Published by- Bombay Ink.
and Future" *-The book portrays the history of bilateral
relations between India and the Netherlands and
was released at the prestigious Rijks museum
(National Museum) in Amsterdam, Netherlands
during a seminar on the Indo-Dutch bilateral
relations.
“Becoming: A Guided Journal for Michelle Obama *- It is published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of
Discovering Your Voice" Random House, a division of Penguin Random
House. The journal will be published in more than
20 countries.
'150 Years of Celebrating the Mahatma Fakir Hassen *-Launched on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's
the South African Legacy' 150th birth anniversary in Johannesburg, South
Africa.
"India in a Warming world: Integrating Nitin Desai *- Edited by Navroz K Dubash set to release
Climate Change and Development" Book titled "India in a Warming world: Integrating
Climate Change and
Development " featuring a collection of articles by
climate experts including Sunita Narain, Anil
Agarwal, Dr. Friederike Otto & Shibani Ghosh,
edited by Navroz K Dubash is set to release in
November 2019. It is published by Oxford
University Press (OUP). The foreword of the book
is written by Nitin Desai, former Under-Secretary
General (Economic and Social Affairs) at the United
Nations.
"Mind Master: Vishwanathan Anand *-Indian first chess grandmaster and 5-time world
Winning Lessons from a Champion's champion, Shri VishwanathanAnand authored a
Life” new book titled "Mind Master: Winning Lessons
from a Champion's Life" which portrays his
73 | P a g e
experiences in life as well as in the game. The book

published by Hachette India will be released on
December 11, 2019. He was the first world
champion from Asia
"The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Sudha *- The book titled "The Daughter from a Wishing
Unusual Tales About Women in Murty Tree: Unusual Tales About Women in Mythology"
Mythology" written by Indian writer Sudha Murty released. It
is published by Puffin Publishers. It is a mythology
series depicting the untold stories of women in
mythology (collection of myths).
"Dark Fear, Eerie Cities: New Hindi Sarunas Paunksnis *-" A new book titled "Dark Fear, Eerie Cities: New
Cinema in Neoliberal India” Hindi Cinema in Neoliberal India" authored by
Sarunas Paunksnis, professor at Kaunas University
of Technology, Lithuania was released. The book
published by Oxford University Press, portrays the
emergence of Hindi cinema in the early 21st
century.
“Bridgital Nation” Shri N *- Prime Minister (PM) of India, Shri Narendra
Chandrasekaran, Modi unveiled a book titled “Bridgital Nation” in
Ms. Roopa New Delhi, where the first copy of the book was
Purushottam presented to Shri Ratan Tata. The book is written
by Natarajan Chandrasekaran Chairman of Tata
Sons and Ms. Roopa Purushothaman, chief
economist & head of policy advocacy of Tata Sons.
"Measuring Poverty around the World" Late economist *- The final book of late British economist Anthony
Anthony B Atkinson Barnes Atkinson titled "Measuring Poverty around
the World" has been released and published by
Penguin Random House. Born on 4 September
1944 in the United Kingdom(UK), Anthony
Atkinson familiarly known as Tony Atkinson, was
unable to finish the final book due to his death
from cancer in 2007. The book has been edited by
his colleagues John Micklewright and Andrea
Brandolini.
“Ten Studies in Kashmir: Prof K N Pandit’s *- An Indian historian, educationist and Padma Shri
History and Politics” recipient, Kashi Nath Pandit’s new book entitled
“Ten Studies in Kashmir: History and Politics”,
published by Academic Foundation, has been
released by vice-chancellors of various universities
at a function at the Jammu University in Jammu
and Kashmir (J&K).
"The True Meaning of Yoga" penned by Atman in Ravi Spiritual philosopher, mentor and author, Atman in
Ravi’s (AiR) new book entitled "The True
Meaning of Yoga" has been released. The book has
been published by AiR Institute of Realization, a
Non-profit organization in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The new book talks about Yoga, which has very
little to do with physical and breathing exercises &
transcending the body and mind.
"Markendya Purana" and "The Bhagavad Bibek Debroy Economist and author Bibek Debroy has written
Gita" English translations of 2 Hindu mythological
texts- 'Markendya Purana' and 'The Bhagavad Gita’.
These are published by Penguin Publishers.
They are translated from Sanskrit.
74 | P a g e
"Suncatcher" Romesh Gunesekera's Man Booker Prize-shortlisted Sri Lankan author

Romesh Gunesekera's new novel "Suncatcher" is
set to release in November 2019. It is published by
Bloomsbury Publishers. It is a coming-of-age
story about difficult friendships and sudden
awakenings.
"The Unquiet River: A biography of the Arupjyoti A new book titled "The Unquiet River: A biography
Brahmaputra" Saikia of the Brahmaputra" by historian Arupjyoti Saikia
is to be released. The book which will be published
by Oxford University Press (OUP), portrays the
landscape of Assam valley and the livelihoods
around, that shaped the river.
"The Parrot Green Saree” Nabaneeta Sen's The last novel of Bengali writer Nabaneeta Sen's
Naxal trilogy, “Phoenix” has been translated and
released in English. The book is titled as "The
Parrot Green Saree” in english. The book portrays
the story of two women, two generations and two
worlds having different expectations and desires.
The book which is translated by Tutun Mukherjee,
has been published by Niyogi Books.
OBITUARY
NATIONAL
PERSON NAME FIELD BORN PLACE KEY POINTS
M Gopal Gowda Kudmi writer & Karnataka, India *-Rendered more than 200 performances across
Konkani folk the country, Gopal Gowda’s research write-ups
artiste on the Kudmi history, their dialects, culture,
traditions and beliefs have appeared in Konkani
and Kannada periodicals, research magazines
and in textbooks.
Krishna Gopal krishna Centenarian Karnataka, *-He has been awarded gold medal from the
Kadekodi philatelist & coin India central government for collecting stamps
collector released in 64 different countries with the
picture of Mahatma Gandhi.
Farook Khan Indian-origin Maharashtra, India *-He had started the Miss India South Africa
Journalist Pageant as part of the Miss India Worldwide
Pageant.
Colathur Gopalan Popular Salem, *-He was conferred Padmashri in 1970 & Padma
nutrition Tamil Nadu. Bhushan in 2003.
scientist &
former Director-
General of
Indian Council of
Medical
Research
H L Trivedi Noted village of Charadva *-He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest
nephrologist near Halvad , Gujarat civilian award, in 2015 for his contribution as a
nephrologist to the society.
Kadri Gopalnath Renowned Mangalore , *- He had earned the distinction of being the 1st
Saxophone Karnataka Carnatic musician to be invited in the BBC
player & Padma (British Broadcasting Corporation ) Promenade
Shri awardee concert in 1994, in the Royal Albert Hall in
London.
75 | P a g e
KB Siddaiah Socio-Political Kenkere village in *- Renowned Socio-Political philosopher, poet

philosopher Magadai taluk of and social activist K.B. Siddaiah passed away at
writer, poet Ramanagara district the age of 65. A month ago, he met with an
accident and was under treatment until his death
at Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He
was the recipient of the Sahithya Akademi Award
in the year 2004.
Dadu chougule Dhyan Chand Maharashtra *- Maharashtra's legendary wrestler & Dhyan
Awardee, Chand Awardee, Dadu Chougule passed away in
legendary Kolhapur, Maharashtra due to heart attack. He
wrestler was 73. He was awarded the prestigious Dhyan
Chand Award for lifetime achievement in sports
in 2018. He won a silver medal in the 1974
Commonwealth Games held in New Zealand.
TP Radhamani Veteran actress Palakkad district of *- Veteran actress TP Radhamani who was
Kerala, predominantly active in Malayalam & Tamil films
passed away in Chennai,Tamil Nadu due to
cancer. She was 67. Hailing from Palakkad
district of Kerala, Radhamani began her acting
career at the age of 14. She has also appeared in a
few hindi films.
Dilip Parikh Former Gujarat Mumbai, *-Dilip Ramanbhai Parikh, Former Gujarat Chief
CM (13th) Maharashtra Minister (CM) has passed away at a private
hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat after a prolonged
illness. He was 82. Born in 1937 in Mumbai,
Maharashtra, Parikh was the 13th Chief Minister
of the state Gujarat from October 1997 – March
1998. At that time he was with the Rashtriya
Janata Party (RJP).
K R Wadhwaney Veteran sports Karachi (now in *-Veteran sports journalist and author K R
Journalist and Pakistan) Wadhwaney passed away at the age of 90 at his
author residence in New Delhi due to old age ailments.
Born in Karachi (now in Pakistan), Wadhwaney
later migrated to Lucknow after the India-
Pakistan partition in 1947. After moving to Delhi
in the 1960s, he worked as a sports journalist for
5 decades and then became a sports editor in the
Indian daily newspaper, Indian Express.
Kamal Sharma Former Punjab Ferozepur, Punjab. *-Former Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
BJP chief President and senior party leader Kamal Sharma,
aged 49, passed away due to a heart attack in
Ferozepur district. He was born on 17 March
1970 and hailed from Ferozepur, Punjab. He had
resigned from the post of Punjab BJP chief in
2015.
C. Raghavachari Senior journalist Warangal *-Veteran Telugu journalist Chakravarthula
District, Telangana Raghavachari, who was the former editor of
Visalaandhra, a Telugu daily for over 30 years
from 1972, has passed away in Hyderabad
,Telangana following a prolonged illness. He was
80. Raghavachari, who hailed from Warangal
district, now in Telangana, was one of the
prominent leaders of the Communist Party of
India (CPI).
Mano Famous Sattenapalli, Andhra *-Famous Kollywood (Tamil cinema) actor,
Kollywood actor Pradesh comedian & Mimicry artist Mano has died in a car
& mimicry artist, accident in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was 37.
76 | P a g e
Mano acted in the Tamil film Puzal,which was

directed by Azhagu. He had participated in
several reality shows and was also a very good
dancer & television (TV) host.
Nanammal Padma Shri Zameen *-India’s oldest yoga teacher V. Nanammal
awardee & Kaliayapuram, passed away at her residence near Coimbatore,
India’s oldest Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu due to old age ailments at the age of
Yoga teacher 99. She had trained one million students over 45
years. Born in 1920 in Zameen Kaliayapuram,
Coimbatore, Nanammal had received various
awards. Some of them include the Nari Shakti
Puraskar award received from former President
of India Pranab Mukherjee in 2016, India’s
fourth-highest civilian award the Padma Shri in
2018, Yoga Ratna award in 2017, etc.
N. Venkatachala Former Mulabagal taluk in *-Former Karnataka Lokayukta and former judge
Karnataka Kolar district, of the Supreme Court, Justice Nanje Gowda
Lokayukta & Karnataka. Venkatachala, aged 89, passed away in
former Judge of Bengaluru, Karnataka after he had an accidental
Supreme Court fall. He was born on July 3, 1930 in Mittur village
in Mulabagal taluk in Kolar district, Karnataka.
Geetanjali Popular Telugu Mani, Kakinada, *- Popular Telugu actress of yesteryears
actress Andhra Pradesh, Geetanjali, aged 74, passed away due to cardiac
arrest in Hyderabad, Telangana. She was
renowned for her role as Goddess Sita in the
movie 'Sitarama Kalyanam'. Born as Mani, in
Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, she also acted in
Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi films for several
decades.
Gurudas Dasgupta Veteran CPI Barisal, Bangladesh *- Gurudas Dasgupta ,an Indian politician and a
leader leader of the Communist Party of India (CPI) has
passed away in Kolkata,West Bengal after
suffering from kidney and heart-related
ailments.He was 83. Born on 3 November 1936
Barisal, Bangladesh, Gurudas was a member of
Rajya Sabha 3 times (1985,1988 & 1994)and Lok
Sabha twice (from Panskura constituency of
West Bengal in 14th Lok Sabha (2004) and
Ghatal in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009).
INTERNATIONAL
PERSON NAME FIELD BORN PLACE KEY POINTS
Jessye Norman American opera Augusta, Georgia *-She won the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor
singer in 1997, Grammy Award for Best Opera
Recording for "Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle" in
1998.
Jose Romulo Sosa Ortiz Mexican singer Mexico City , Mexico *-Known by his stage name Jose Jose
and musician *-He popularly called as “El Príncipe de la
Canción” or “The Prince of Song”.
Eric Pleskow American- Austria,Vienna *-The Hollywood tycoon, was the president of the
Austrian film film company United Artists from 1973 to 1978
producer and then as co-founder of Orion Pictures where
many films under these film companies won
Oscar awards.
Satyapriya Mohathero Buddhist pundit Cox's Bazar’s Ramu, *-He was the recipient of Ekushey Padak, the
Bangladesh second-highest civilian award of Bangladesh,
in 2015 for social work.
77 | P a g e
Peter Edward Ginger English London, England *-He won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement
Baker drummer Award in 2006.
Andres Gimeno French Open Barcelona, Spain *- Born on 3 August 1937 Barcelona, Spain,
champion Gimeno's was 34 years and 9 months old when
he achieved
Roland Garros ( French Open) in 1972 and
became the oldest first-time men's Grand Slam
champion /Male French Open champion in the
Open era.
Alexei Leonov Astronaut Russia *- The first human to walk in space passes away
in Moscow Russian astronaut Alexei Leonov, who
walked for the first time in space in 1965, died in
Moscow, Russia after a long illness. He was 85.
Born on 30 May 1934, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia,
the Soviet cosmonaut was a close friend of Yury
Gagarin, the first person reached space in 1961.
Mr. Leonov described by the Russian Space
Agency as Cosmonaut No. 11, was awarded the
country's highest honor 'Hero of the Soviet
Union'.
Sara Danius Swedish Author Täby, Sweden *-1st female head of Nobel's literature award
body passes away Sara Danius, a literature critic,
author and the first female head of the
prestigious Swedish Nobel'sliterature award
body, has passed away after having suffered from
breast cancer for several years.She was 57. Born
on 5 April 1962, Täby, Sweden, Danius served as
the first female permanent secretary of the
Swedish Academy from 2015 - 2018.
P.V. Krishnamoorthy Veteran Yangon, Myanmar *-Veteran broadcast journalist & first of DG of
broadcast Doordarshan, P.V. Krishnamoorthy passed away
journalist at the age of 98 Veteran broadcast journalist P.V.
Krishnamoorthy, aged 98, passed away in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
*-He was born in Yangon, Myanmar, on April 1,
1921. He was the first Directorate General (DG)
of Doordarshan when Doordarshan was
separated From AIR in 1976.
Alicia alonso Legendary Cuba *- Legendary Cuban ballet dancer &
cuban ballet choreographer Alicia Alonso passes away in
dancer Havana, Cuba after suffering from health
complications. She was 98. Being recognized by
the world for the stylized beauty of her
choreography, she founded the Alicia Alonso
Ballet Company in the year 1948 at
Havana.
Kalidas Karmakar Painter Faridpur district of *- Karmakar was born on January 10, 1946, in
south-central Faridpur district of south-central Bangladesh. He
Bangladesh. received Shilpakala Padak in 2016, and Ekushey
Padak in 2018, the second-highest civilian award
by the Bangladesh Govt.
Mark Hurd Co-Chief Manhattan, New *- Former Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Executive York City, United Oracle Mark Hurd, aged 62, passed away. He was
Officer (CEO) of States born in Manhattan, New York City, United States
Oracle Mark on January 1, 1957. He had previously served as
Hurd, Chairman, CEO, and president of Hewlett-
Packard (HP).
78 | P a g e
Marieke vervoort Belgian Diest, Belgium *- Marieke Vervoort, Belgian Paralympic athlete
paralympic has ended her life at the age of 40 through
athlete euthanasia (the practice of intentionally ending a
life to relieve pain and suffering). Euthanasia is
legal in Belgium.
*-Vervoort was suffering from a muscle disease
that caused her constant pain, paralysis in her
legs. Marieke signed euthanasia documents in
2008, to allow a doctor to end her life, one day.
Sadako Ogata First female UN Minato ,Tokyo ,Japan *- The first woman, the first Japanese person, and
refugee chief the first academic as United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Sadako
Ogata passed away at the age of 92 in Tokyo,
Japan. She served as the 8th Chief of the UN
refugees from 1991-2000. She had also served as
the head of the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) from 2003- 2012 and also as the
chairman of the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) from 1978-1979.
IMPORTANT DAYS
OBSERVED DAYS KEY NOTES
DATE/WEEK
October 1-31, Breast cancer awareness *-The Breast Cancer Awareness month is observed annually from
2019 month October 1 till October 31
*- In order to raise awareness about the disease and also to raise
funds for its research, diagnosis, prevention etc
*- Pink ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer
awareness.
October 1, 2019 International Day of Older *-Theme -"The Journey to Age Equality"
Persons *-The day is seen as an opportunity to highlight the important
contributions that older people make to society and also to raise
awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing in today’s
world.
October 1, 2019 International coffee day *-The first official date was 1 October 2015, as agreed by the
International Coffee Organization (ICO) and it was launched
in Milan, Italy.
October 1, 2019 World Vegetarian day *-The day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness
Month, which has been known variously as Reverence for Life
month, Month of Vegetarian Food, and more.
October 2,2019 150th Gandhi Jayanti/ *-The birthday of Late Lal Bahadur Shastri, the second Prime
International Day of Non- Minister of India was also observed on this day. Read full details
Violence 2019 here:
October 2 - 8, Wildlife week *-Theme -"Life Below Water: For People And Planet”
2019 *-The aim of protecting Indian wildlife species from extinction.
October 4,2019 World Animal day *-To raise awareness among people about taking actions worldwide
for the rights of an animal as well as welfare.
October 4-10, World Space Week *-Theme - “The Moon: Gateway to the Stars”
2019
October 5,2019 World Teachers day *-Theme - Young Teachers: The Future of the Profession.
October 7, 2019 World Habitat day *-Theme -Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform
waste to wealth the aim of this day is to reflect on the state of cities
and towns and the basic human right to adequate shelter.
79 | P a g e
October 7,2019 First World Cotton Day *- It wasorganized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as an
initiative of the Cotton-4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and
Mali) in collaboration with the FAO, UNCTAD, ITC and the
International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). Read full details
here:
October 8, 2019 87th Air Force Day *- Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated its 87th anniversary on Air
Force Day at Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
*- Different squadrons involved in the Balakot airstrikes were
awarded during the event. Abhinandan’s 51 Squadron was awarded
unit citation by Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. Read full details
here:
October 9, 2019 World Post Day *- The establishment of the Universal Postal Union(UPU) in 1874 in
Bern, Switzerland. The day was mooted by an Indian, Anand Mohan
Narula, during the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.
October 9 - 15 , National postal week *- Aim to create broader awareness about the India Post's role and
2019 activities in the lives of people and business and its contribution to
social and economic development.
October 10, 2019 World Mental Health Day *- Theme - “suicide prevention”.
*- In order to raise awareness on mental health issues and the
efforts needed to support mental health. It is organized by the World
Federation for Mental Health with the World Health Organisation’s
support, the International Association for Suicide Prevention(IASP)
and United for Global Mental Health (United-GMH).
October 10, 2019 World Sight Day *- Theme - “Vision First”.
*-Originally initiated by the SightFirstCampaign of Lions Club
International Foundation in the year 2000, this day aims to raise
awareness on blindness and vision impairment.
October 11, 2019 World egg day *- Theme - “Eat your egg today and every day.''
*- The day is celebrated globally to raise awareness of the benefits of
eggs and their nutritional importance. It was first established at the
1996 International Egg Commission’s (IEC) conference in Vienna,
Austria where it was decided to celebrate this day on the second
Friday of October.
October 11, 2019 World Obesity Day *- World Obesity Federation, a non-profit body which is in official
relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). The day which
was first established in 2015, aims to raise awareness on obesity
and ways to prevent them and alsomaintaining a healthy weight and
reverse the obesity crisis.
October 11, 2019 International Day of the Girl *- Theme - “GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable”.
Child *- The aim of this day is to highlight and address the needs and
challenges girls face, and also promote girls' empowerment and the
fulfillment of their human rights.
October 12, 2019 World migratory bird day *- Theme - “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution”.
*- World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD ) was observed all over the
world to create awareness on the need for conservation of
migratory birds and their habitats.
October 12, 2019 World arthritis day *- Theme -"Time2Work".
*- World Arthritis Day (WAD) was observed all over the world with
the aim to create global awareness on issues affecting people with
rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases(RMDs).
October 13, 2019 International day for *- Theme -“Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and
disaster reduction disruption of basic services”.
October 14, 2019 World standards Day *- Theme -“Video Standards Create a Global Stage”.
*- It is observed annually by the members of the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU) as a way of tributing the global experts, developing
80 | P a g e
technical agreements published in national and international

standards.
October 15, 2019 International Day of Rural *- “Rural Women and girls building climate resilience”.
Women *- This day recognizes the critical role of rural women in enhancing
agriculture and rural development, improving food security and
eradicating rural poverty.
October 15, 2019 World Student’s Day *- The day is celebrated commemorating the birth anniversary of
former President (11th president) of India Shri Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
who wished to be identified as a teacher and then as anything else.
October 15, 2019 Global Handwashing Day *- Theme - “Clean Hands For All”.
*- Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is observed annually on October
15 to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of
handwashing. GHD was founded by the Global Handwashing
Partnership(GHP) and was first celebrated in the year 2008.
October 15,2019 World Mathematics Day *- World Mathematics Day was observed on October 15, 2019. It is
observed annually since 2007 by educational resource provider 3P
Learning. The day was initially celebrated on March 14, 2007 (Pi
Day) and later on the schedule was changed to hold the event in
October 2015.
October 15, 2019 White cane safety day *- The White cane safety day is observed annually on October 15th
ever since 1964 after the United States (US) passed a resolution H.R.
753. The day aims to create awareness on the significance of white
cane among the common people and also about the special needs of
the visually impaired. White cane is considered as the important
symbol of blindness and tool of independence.
October 16, 2019 World Food Day *- Theme - “Our actions are our future. Healthy diets for a
#zerohunger world”
*- The World Food Day(WFD) is observed annually on October 16th
by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United
Nations(UN) under the resolution (A/RES/35/70) adopted in the
year 1981. At the FAO’s 20th General Conference in 1979, the day
was first decided to be celebrated to honour the founding date of
FAO in 1945
October 17, 2019 World Trauma Day (WTD) *- On October 17, 2019, World Trauma Day (WTD) is observed all
over the world to create awareness on the increasing rate of
accidents and injuries causing death and disability across the world
and the need to prevent them. Trauma refers to any kind of injury to
the body from various sources like road accidents to fires, violence
and hate crimes.
October 17,2019 International Day for the *- Theme for the year 2019 is “Acting together to empower children,
Eradication of Poverty their families, and communities to end poverty”.
*- The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty by the United
Nations(UN) is observed annually on 17th October under the
resolution (A/RES/47/196), adopted on 22 December 1992 at the
UN General Assembly (UNGA).
*- This year marks the 27th anniversary of the declaration by the
General Assembly. The day aims to recognize that all people must
come together to end poverty and discrimination in order to build a
sustainable future. Under the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), No Poverty is the No.1 goal.
October 20,2019 National Solidarity Day *- National Solidarity Day was observed on October 20, 2019 which
commemorates the national integrity shown by Indians at Sino- Indo
war against China. China had attacked India on this day in 1962. This
day honours our Armed Forces who guard our borders.
October 20, 2019 World Osteoporosis Day *- World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) was observed on October 20,
2019 to create awareness on the prevention, diagnosis and
81 | P a g e
treatment of Osteoporosis which is a disease of bone in which the

density and quality of bone are reduced.
*-The day is organised by the International Osteoporosis Foundation
(IOF) annually.
October 20,2019 World Statistics Day *- World Statistics Day (WSD) is observed on October 20, once every
5 years, first celebrated in 2010 and next on 20 October 2020. The
day acknowledges the fundamental importance of sustainable
national statistical capacity. India celebrates its statistics day on 29
June every year commemorating the birthday of the legendary
statistician Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
October 20, 2019 International Chefs Day *- Theme - “How Healthy Food Works”.
*- International Chefs Day is observed annually on October 20,
2019, to celebrate the profession of chefs. The day was first
observed in 2004 by chef Dr. Bill Gallagher of Worldchefs, an
organization of the World Association of Chef Societies. The
Worldchefs has partnered with Nestlé professionals about the
importance of healthy eating.
October 20–26 7th International lead *- The three key themes for 2019 are: Learn the Risks, Join the
,2019 poisoning prevention week Action, Eliminate Lead Paint.
(ILPPW) *-7th International lead poisoning prevention week (ILPPW) is
being observed from 20–26 October 2019 to raise awareness about
the health effects of lead poisoning.
October 21,2019 61st Edition of National *-61st Edition of National Police Commemoration Day was observed
Police Commemoration Day on October 21, 2019, to pay homage to the CRPF (Central Reserve
Police Force) personnel who were killed by the Chinese Army in
1959.
October 21, 2019 Global Iodine Deficiency *- The Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders(IDD) Prevention Day also
Disorders (IDD) Prevention known as World Iodine Deficiency day is observed annually on
Day October 21. The aim of this day is to create awareness on iodine
deficiency which leads to many health problems and also on the
adequate use of iodine in day to day life.
October 22, 2019 International Stuttering *- Theme -“Growth Through Speaking”.
Awareness Day *- The International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) is observed
annually on October 22 to raise awareness on the people of 1% of
the world's population having speech disorder of stuttering (also
known as stammering). This ISAD is organised by 3 organisation.
They are European League of Stuttering Associations(ELSA),
International Fluency Association (IFA) and International Stuttering
Association(ISA).
*- The day was designated to be observed in 1998, sixteen years ago
by these organisations.
October 23, 2019 International Snow Leopard *-The International Snow Leopard day is observed annually on
Day October 23. The day is observed to raise awareness on protecting
and preserving the rarest and endangered animal (snow leopards)
on the planet. The 4th steering committee meeting of the Global
Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP) held in
New Delhi. Read full details here:
October 24, 2019 58th Raising day of Indo *-The Indo-Tibetian Border Police (ITBP), one of the seven Central
Tibetan Border Police Armed Police Forces (CRPF) of India, raised on 24 October 1962, has
(ITBP) force celebrated its 58th Raising Day on October 24, 2019, at ITBP's
Headquarter in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Union Minister of
State for Home Affairs,
Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, has attended ITBP parade event, which
showcased valour and courage of various contingents and also of the
brave four legged soldiers (military dogs).
October 24, 2019 World polio day *- Theme - "Stories of Progress: Past and present"
82 | P a g e
*- The World Polio Day is observed across the world on 24 October

2019 to raise awareness and resources to support the polio
eradication effort. As per the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) of the United States (US), the overarching theme
for world Polio Day was "Stories of Progress: Past and present". As
per the World Health Organisation (WHO), the strain of Wild type
poliovirus 3 (WPV3), which was last recorded in northern Nigeria in
2012, has been eradicated.
October 24, 2019 World Development *- On October 24, 2019, the World Development Information Day
Information Day (WDID) (WDID) was observed to draw the attention of the world to
2019 development problems and necessity of strengthening international
cooperation to solve them. The day was established in 1972 by the
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) & it coincides with the
United Nations(UN) Day on 24 October.
October 24, 2019 United Nations Day *- Theme - “Our Planet. Our Future”.
*- United Nations (UN) Day is observed every year on October 24,
2019, since 1948. It marks the anniversary of its entry into force in
1945 of the United Nations (UN) Charter.
October 24- 30 Disarmament week *- Observed annually, the 2019 edition of Disarmament Week is
2019 being observed from 24- 30 October 2019 in various parts of the
world to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need
for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent
tasks of disarmament.
October 24 -31 7th Global Media and *- Theme - “Media and Information Literate Citizens: Informed,
2019 Information Literacy (MIL) Engaged, Empowered”.
week *-7th edition of Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week
observed from 24 to 31 October 2019 to review and celebrate the
progress achieved towards “MIL for All”.
October 25, 2019 4th National Ayurveda Day *-National Ayurveda Day/ Dhanwantari Jayanti was observed on
for 2019/ Dhanwantari October 25, 2019. It was the 4th edition and was celebrated by the
Jayanti Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha,
and Homoeopathy) at the National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA),
Jaipur, Rajasthan. Dhanvantari is a Hindu God who cures diseases.
October 27, 2019 World Day for Audiovisual *- Theme - “Engage the Past Through Sound and Images”.
Heritage (WDAH) *- World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) was celebrated to
raise awareness of the significance and preservation of recorded
sound and audiovisual documents (films, sound and video
recordings, television and radio programmes) for future
generations.
October 28, 2019 18th International *-On October 28, 2019, The 18th edition of International Animation
Animation Day (IAD) Day (IAD) was celebrated all over the world to recognize and
celebrate all the artists, the scientists and the technicians behind the
animation. ASIFA(Association Internationale du Film d’Animation /
International Animated
Film Association), a member of UNESCO (United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has established
this celebration day. The 2019 IAD poster was generously created
by Giannis Koutsouris(Greek animation artist).
October 29, 2019 World Stroke Day *- The World Stroke Day is observed annually on October 29 to
create awareness on prevention of the seriousness of strokes and to
ensure better care and support for stroke survivors. The day was
first started by the World Stroke Organization(WSO) in 2006 and it
was declared as a public
health emergency in 2010. The hashtag for 2019 on WSD is
“#DontBeTheOne” focusing to prevent the disease, as one in 4
people are at the risk of suffering from stroke.
83 | P a g e
October 29, 2019 International Internet Day *- The International Internet Day is observed annually on October
29 to commemorate the day in the history of telecommunication and
technology celebrating the event of sending the first electronic
message through the internet from one computer to another in 1969
in California, United States(US). The year 2019 also marks the 50th
anniversary of the International Internet Day.
October 31, 2019 World Savings Day/ Thrift *- Theme - "Savings give life a lift".
Day *- World Savings Day (WSD), also called the World Thrift Day was
observed on October 31, 2019. It is celebrated every year across the
world since 1924. The day promotes the value of bank savings and
re-establishes the citizen’s confidence in banks.
October 31, 2019 World Cities Day *- Theme -“Changing the world: innovations and better life for
future generations”. The general theme of WCD is ‘Better City, Better
Life’.
*- The World Cities Day(WCD) is observed annually on October 31
by the United Nations(UN) under
the resolution (A/RES/68/239). The day is observed to promote
global urbanization and to address challenges in urbanization. The
day also aims to implement the New Urban Agenda globally.
October 31, 2019 National Unity Day *- National Unity Day, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was
(Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) observed, commemorating the 144th birth anniversary of Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy prime minister of India. Also
familiarly known as “the Iron Man of India”, Patel’s dream of
scrapping Article 370 and full integration of Jammu and Kashmir
with India came to effect on his 144th birthday as a tribute to him.
Good Luck with Your Exams!!!!!

Subscribe(Buy) Current Affairs PDF 2019 - Pocket,
Study and Q&A (English & Hindi)
Suggestions & Feedback are welcomed –
https://www.affairscloud.com/subscriber-feedback/
AC Useful Links:
 Current Affairs
 Current Affairs 2019
 Current Affairs in Hindi
 Current Affairs Quiz
 Current Affairs Today
84 | P a g e

AC Oct Pocket

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

AC Oct Pocket

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Current Affairs Pocket PDF

This is Paid PDF provided by AffairsCloud.com, Our team is working hard

CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF PLANS

Current Affairs PDF 2018: Study, Pocket and Q&A PDF’s

CRACK HIGH LEVEL PDF PLANS

Crack High Level: English Language Questions PDF 2019

Crack High Level: Data Interpretation Questions PDF 2019

Suggestions & Feedback are welcomed –

Current Affairs Pocket PDF – October 2019

Cabinet Approvals with Foreign Countries on 23rd October, 2019

Cabinet Approvals on 23rd October, 2019

State wise National News

7th edition of Tawang Festival 2019 commenced in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

Renowned journalist Taro Chatung of Arunachal Pradesh passes away

First India-Bangladesh Stakeholders’ Meet 2019 held in Guwahati, Assam

Goa Maritime Conclave 2019 held in Goa

Environment ministry approves Rs 1,400 crore airport project in Kutch, Gujarat

Gandhinagar becomes 1st kerosene-free district of Gujarat

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched 'Odisha Mo Parivar' programme

Rajasthan Becomes First Indian State To Launch Policy On Pneumoconiosis

Former Rajasthan home minister Digvijay Singh passed away at 86

Telangana tops in capex on irrigation during 2015-19: Study by CARE Ratings

Union Territories Wise National News

A 2-Day National Workshop ‘Arogya Manthan’ Held In New Delhi

Drone Innovators Network Summit-2019 by WEF held in New Delhi

Dr Harsh Vardhan Launched FSSAI’s ‘Trans-Fat Free’ Logo In New Delhi

CM Arvind Kejriwal agrees to implement Central scheme PM-KISAN in Delhi

Jammu & Kashmir

Other National News

PM Modi releases postage stamp in honor of Marshal of IAF, Arjan Singh

Deadline to generate 175 GW renewable energy by 2022 in the country: MNRE

India to host the 91st Interpol General Assembly in 2022

Indian defence exports set to reach Rs 35,000 crore by 2024

Commemorative Coin on Paramahansa Yogananda released by the finance minister Nirmala

WHO launches its first world report on vision

UK to issue coin in honour of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary

Overview of defence minister Mr Rajnath Singh’s visit to France

Sri Lanka removed from Grey List of FATF

Ecuador to quit OPEC in 2020

UP CM Yogi Adityanath introduced Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana

Overview of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India

Overview of Dharmendra Pradhan's 4-day visit to Japan & Russia

Overview of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Saudi Arabia

BANKIN & FINANCE NEWS

Bengaluru-based fintech startup Shubh loans receives RBI’s NBFC licence

Credit Saison India receives RBI’s NBFC license

RBI introduces a new reporting system for co-operative banks- CISBI

Reserve Bank to operationalise unified DoS/DoR, effective from November 1, 2019

Vreedhi Financial Services receives NBFC licence from RBI

Loans issued by Banks

Loans issued by Received by Amount Key Notes

Agreements & Mous Signed

Other Banking News

State Bank launches debit card with EMI facility on POS

Government reduces interest on house building advance to 7.9% from 8.5%

CBDT signs 300th APA by signing 3 APAs pertaining to United Kingdom

Reliance Nippon Life AMC to be rebranded Nippon India Mutual Fund

India gets first detail of accounts of Indian citizens in Swiss banks

GeM and Federal Bank tied up for payment-related services

One billion transactions done through UPI in October 2019

ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS

Poverty rate halves in India after 1990s: World Bank

Italy to introduce 3% web tax on digital giants from 2020

MOUS & AREEMENTS