VISION

1)  United Nations Day: 24 October

•Every year 24 October is celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It was on this day in 1945 that the Charter of the United Nations came into force. With the ratification of the UN Charter by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. It was declared to be an international observance in 1971 by UNGA and that it should be observed as a public holiday by United Nations member states.

2)  International Day of Diplomats: 24 October

•The International Day of Diplomats is celebrated on 24 October every year. The day aims to commemorate the contributions made by diplomats in shaping the world since ancient times and in making our planet a better place. It also aims to bridge the gap in perception and reality of diplomats’ lives among the general public.

•The first International Day of Diplomats was celebrated in Brasília on 24 October 2017. The day was proposed by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K and saw participation from the diplomats of Bangladesh, France, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey.

3)  Indian Navy launches Offshore Sailing Regatta

•The Indian Navy has organised an Offshore Sailing Regatta from Kochi to Goa, as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, and above all, boost the spirit of adventure and ocean sailing among the Navy Personnel. The event organised under the aegis of the Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA) will see the participation of six Indian naval sailing vessels (INSVs), comprising of four 40 footers ad two 56 footers. The vessels will cover a total distance of 360 nautical miles between the starting point at the Naval base in Kochi to Goa.

4)  South Korea flight tests first homegrown space rocket “Nuri”

•South Korea recently launched its first indigenously developed rocket, known as “Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II” or “Nuri”. The launch vehicle lifted off from the Naro Space Center, in Goheung, built on an island nearly 300 miles (500 kilometres) south of Seoul. Nuri rocket is 47.2 metres long and weighs 200 tons. The three-stage rocket is fitted with six liquid-fuelled engines. It has been built at an estimated cost of 2 trillion won (£1.23bn or $1.6bn).

5)  China launches satellite ‘Shijian-21’

•China successfully launched a new satellite named Shijian-21. The satellite will be used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. Shijian-21 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on a Long March-3B carrier rocket. The satellite will be mainly used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. This launch marked the 393rd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.

6)  Rajinikanth honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award

•Actor Rajinikanth was honoured with the prestigious 51st Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 67th National Film Awards ceremony, for his contribution as an actor, producer and screenwriter. He received the prestigious award from Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu for his stupendous contribution to Indian cinema.

•Instituted in 1969, the award is the highest honour for an artiste in Indian cinema. The award was decided by a jury consisting of five members: Asha Bhonsle, director Subhash Ghai, Mohanlal, Shankar Mahadevan and actor Biswajeet Chatterjee. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2019 was to be announced last year but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, as were the National Film Awards for 2019.

7)  Election Commission of India launches Garuda App

•The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Garuda app for digital mapping of all polling stations, to ensure faster, smarter, transparent and timely completion of election work. Through the Garuda app, Booth Level Officers (BLO) will upload photos and location information of the polling stations, along with data like latitude and longitude of the centre, from their registered mobile numbers. The app will also help in reducing the paperwork.

8)  DRDO Successfully flight-tests Expendable Aerial Target ‘ABHYAS’

•The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT)- ABHYAS, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. The target aircraft is equipped with a MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control.

9)  Election Commission of India launches Garuda App

•The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched the Garuda app for digital mapping of all polling stations, to ensure faster, smarter, transparent and timely completion of election work. Through the Garuda app, Booth Level Officers (BLO) will upload photos and location information of the polling stations, along with data like latitude and longitude of the centre, from their registered mobile numbers. The app will also help in reducing the paperwork.

10)  “Writing for My Life” anthology of Ruskin Bond released

•“Writing for My Life”, an anthology of author Ruskin Bond has been released. It contains some of the most exemplary stories, essays, poems and memories of Ruskin Bond. This anthology has been released 25 years after the first anthology of Bond titled, “The Best of Ruskin Bond”. The selections for this anthology have been made by Bond himself and his editor Premanka Goswami. Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. His first novel is The Room on the Roof.

11)  Drama film Koozhangal is India’s official entry for Oscars 2022

•The Tamil-language drama film Koozhangal (internationally translated as Pebbles), has been selected as India’s official entry for the 94th Academy Awards (Oscars 2022). The film has been directed by filmmaker Vinothraj PS and produced by Vignesh Shivan and Nayanthara. The 94th Academy Awards are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, on March 27, 2022.

12)  FIFA Ranking 2021: India ranked 106th

•India has ranked 106th in the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) Rankings 2021, the position of team India was increased to one spot. After the victory in the SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) Championship 2021 of team India led by Sunil Chhetri, it has secured the 106th position. The team has defeated Nepal in the summit clash. Under the FIFA Rankings, Belgium is at 1st position. Brazil holds 2nd position, France holds 3rd position.

13)  Nagaland to host 56th National Cross Country Championship

•The 2022 South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships is scheduled to be held in Kohima, Nagaland on January 15, 2022. Besides this, the 56th National Cross Country Championships will also be clubbed with the South Asian Federation Cross Country Championships. This will be the first-ever national athletics event hosted by Nagaland.

•Top athletes from the eight South Asian countries will take part in the day-long international sports event. The championship will involve running on different types of terrain including sprint over dirt, jog downhill and mounting uphill.

1)  International Snow Leopard Day: 23 October

•Every year, October 23 is observed as International Snow Leopard Day since 2014. The day commemorates the anniversary of the Bishkek Declaration and to celebrate this endangered cat and raise awareness for its conservation and protection. It was on October 23, 2013, when political leaders from 12 countries came together to endorse the ‘Bishkek Declaration on the conservation of snow leopards.

•Snow Leopard is found in 12 countries. They are India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

2)  Mole Day observed on 23rd October

•On 23rd October every year mole day is celebrated which is popular amongst all chemistry enthusiasts. This day is marked to commemorate and honour the Avogadro‘s number. The celebration of this day happens from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m commemorating the chemistry is measuring unit. This occasion aims to make the students interested in chemistry and its concepts. The theme for the occasion, inspired by the mascot – A Mole. This year the theme is DispicaMole Me. 

3)  Chhattisgarh launched “Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store” Scheme

•Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has virtually launched a new scheme named ‘Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store scheme’ to provide low-cost generic medicines and enable seamless healthcare services to the vulnerable people of the state. The scheme will be implemented by the Urban Administration and Development Department (UADD).

•Under the scheme, around 188 medical shops are planned to be opened in 169 cities. Currently, 84 generic medical shops are opened in the inaugural session to distribute medicine. Under this scheme, people will get a discount between 09 per cent and 71 per cent on the MRP (Market Rate Price) of generic medicines.

4)  UIDAI to host ‘Aadhaar Hackathon 2021’

•Government agency UIDAI is hosting a Hackathon titled “Aadhaar Hackathon 2021”. The hackathon is starting on 28 Oct 21 and would continue till 31 Oct 21. With new challenged and themes, the Hackathon 2021 will have two topics. The first theme is around “Enrolment and Update”, which essentially covers some of the real-life challenges being faced by the residents while updating their address. The second theme of the Hackathon is around the “Identity and Authentication” solution offered by UIDAI.

•UIDAI is soliciting innovative solutions to prove Identity without sharing the Aadhaar number or any demographics information. Also, it is looking for innovative applications around face authentication API – the newly launched authentication modality of UIDAI. The objective is to popularize some of the existing and new APIs to solve the needs of residents.

5)  Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation wins Earth Heroes Awards 2021

•The Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation has bagged the Earth Guardian Award instituted by the NatWest Group. The eight winners of the award were felicitated by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora secretary-general Ivonne Higuero through a virtual ceremony.

6)  Turkey joins Pakistan in FATF Grey list

•Global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ of countries. In a briefing, FATF president Marcus Pleyer also said that three new countries Turkey, Jordan, and Mali have also been added to the Grey List. In June this year, the FATF had retained Pakistan on its ‘Grey List’ for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing.

•The FATF asked Islamabad to investigate and prosecute UN-designated terror terrorists including Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar. It also asked Pakistan to work to address its strategically important deficiencies.

•Pakistan was placed on the Grey List by the FATF in June 2018. Since then, Pakistan continues to be in the list due to its failure to comply with the FATF mandates. Due to its placing on the Grey List, it has become increasingly difficult for Pakistan to get financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union.

7)  Microsoft Launches Program To Support AI Startups In India

•Microsoft recently announced the launch of Microsoft AI Innovate, a 10-week initiative that will support startups in India leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, helping them scale operations, drive innovation, & build industry expertise. The program will also enable startups to reach out to newer customers and geographies with Microsoft’s sales and partners.

•To support the startup ecosystem in the country, the company has launched a programme, Microsoft AI Innovate, for nurturing and scaling startups that are leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI). Microsoft AI Innovate was aimed at bringing together startups, corporates, industry bodies, governments, and venture capital firms, to create a shared platform for learning and innovation. The selected startups in each of the cohorts will have access to industry deep-dive sessions and AI masterclasses by industry experts, mentoring by unicorn founders, skilling and certification opportunities, among other benefits.

8)  Martin Scorsese, Szabo to get Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award

•Hollywood veteran Martin Scorsese and celebrated Hungarian filmmaker Istevan Szabo will be honoured with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The 52nd edition of the film festival will be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa.

•While Szabo is known for his masterpieces like 1966’s “Father” and 1981 movie “Mephisto”, Scorsese is one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential directors in film history.

•The opening film of this edition of IFFI will be “The King of all the World”, directed by Carlos Saura. Around 30 titles have been shortlisted for screening at 52nd IFFI from prominent International Film Festivals in the Festival Kaleidoscope and World Panorama Section. The festival will also pay a special tribute to Sean Connery, the first actor to portray fictional British spy James Bond on the big screen.

1)  International Stuttering Awareness Day: 22 October

•Every year October 22 is observed as International Stuttering Awareness Day, since 1998. The day is intended to raise public awareness of the millions of people who have a speech disorder of stuttering or stammering. Theme 2021: “Speak the change you wish to see”.

2)  India crosses 100-crore COVID-19 vaccination doses milestone

•India completed 100 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines on 21st October, in about 9 months since the drive began. PM Modi called the achievement “the triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians”. The Prime Minister visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here and interacted with healthcare workers and people receiving the vaccine.

•To mark the occasion, the Union Health Ministry held a series of events and released a two-minute and four-second video with rap and visual representation of the country’s fight against COVID-19.

3)  Centre approves hike in DA/DR for central government employees and pensioners

•The Union Cabinet has approved a further hike of 3 per cent in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for the central government employees and pensioners. The increase of 3% is over the existing rate of 28 per cent of the basic pay/pension and will be effective from July 1, 2021. Now after this hike, the DA/DR will increase to 31%.

•It must be remembered that earlier in July 2021, the government had announced an 11% hike in DA/DR from 17% to 28% of the basic pay/pension. It will cost the exchequer Rs 9,488.70 crore per annum. As a result, the DA and DR instalments are due for four periods including January 1, 2020, July 1, 2020, January 1, 2021, and July 1, 2021. However, the rate of DA/DR for the period between January 2020 to June 2021 shall remain at 17%.

4)  MP Govt announced Implementation of “Mukhyamantri Ration Aapke Dwar Yojana”

•The government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) has announced the implementation of the scheme ‘‘Mukhyamantri Ration Apke Dwar Yojana”, which will start from November 2021. Under this scheme, the ration will be provided at the doorstep of the villagers where there are no Fair Price Shops (FPS).

•To provide ration material to the vulnerable sections such as Divyanga (Specially-Abled) and senior citizens near their homes. To ensure proper ration supply for poor tribal families in each village bin 74 tribal dominated blocks of 16 districts.

5)  Defence Minister launched the book on Veer Savarkar

•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the book titled “Veer Savarkar: The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition” authored by Uday Mahurkar and Chirayu Pandit at Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi. Minister Rajnath Singh described Savarkar as an “icon of Indian history” and also described his contributions to a nation that was not yet considered and highlighted the prolonged controversies from time to time on the great leader Savarkar.

6)  Donald Trump to launch social media platform called Truth Social

•Donald Trump has announced plans to launch a social media platform called TRUTH Social that will be rolled be out early next year. The former US president, who was banned from Facebook and Twitter earlier this year, says his goal is to rival the tech companies that have denied him the megaphone that was paramount to his rise. Truth social will be a product of a new venture called the Trump Media & Technology Group. He wants to create a platform that rivals Twitter or Facebook, but that simply won’t happen.

7)  India ranks 79th in World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2021

•India has ranked 79 out of 139 countries and jurisdictions in the World Justice Project’s (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2021. The WJP Rule of Law Index 2021 ranks the countries based on scores ranging from 0 to 1, with 1 indicating the strongest adherence to the rule of law. Denmark, Norway and Finland topped the World Justice Project’s (WJP) Rule of Law Index 2021.

8)  Economist Gita Gopinath to leave IMF in January 2022

•The International Monetary Fund’s Chief Economist and Director of the Research Department, Gita Gopinath will leave the organisation in January 2022. She will return to Harvard University’s economics department. She was on public service leave during her tenure at the organisation, and the leave will end in January 2022. Gopinath, during her tenure, co-authored the “Pandemic Paper”, a document that set globally endorsed targets for vaccinating the world against Covid-19, the IMF said.

•Harvard had extended Gopinath’s leave by one year as an exceptional case, which allowed her to serve as the chief economist at the IMF for three years. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Gopinath’s contribution to the fund was “truly remarkable”.

9)  Alok Mishra becomes new MD of India Ports Global Limited

•The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) has appointed Captain Alok Mishra as the Managing Director of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL). He is currently serving as the Head of operation and transformation lead at the Gateway Terminals India Pvt Ltd (GTI), Mumbai Maharashtra.

•Alok Mishra has been appointed for the full-time role for a term of 5 years. Alok Mishra succeeds Harjeet Kaur Joshi, CMD of Delivery Company of India Ltd (SCI), who held the additional charge as the MD of IPGL.

10)  Reliance Brands acquires 40% stake in designer Manish Malhotra’s MM Styles

•LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 02: Manish Malhotra attends a reception and dinner for supporters of The British Asian Trust on February 2, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)

•Reliance Industries Ltd’s Reliance Brands Ltd (RBL) and famous designer Manish Malhotra have announced a strategic partnership to acquire a 40 per cent stake in Malhotra’s MM Styles Pvt Ltd. According to a Reliance Brands statement, this “strategic partnership” is the first “external investment” for MM Styles Pvt Ltd.

•Launched in 2005, the Manish Malhotra luxury retail is spanned across four flagship stores in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Hyderabad. Manish Malhotra, the main architect behind the 16-year-old couture house, will continue to be at the helm of affairs of MM Styles Pvt Ltd as managing and creative director.

11)  Barbados elects its first-ever president, removing UK’s Queen Elizabeth

•Barbados has elected its first-ever president as it prepares to become a republic, removing Queen Elizabeth as head of state. Dame Sandra Mason, 72, is set to be sworn in on 30 November, which will mark the country’s 55th anniversary of independence from Britain. The first woman to serve on the Barbados Court of Appeals, Dame Sandra has been governor-general since 2018. The historic election came after a joint session of the House of Assembly and the Senate.  described the vote as a “seminal moment” for the nation.

12)  SAI appoints Commodore PK Garg as new CEO of TOPS

•The Sports Authority of India (SAI) appointed Commodore PK Garg as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) at the Mission Olympic Cell meeting. He joined the Indian Navy in 1984 and was in charge of many important and prestigious assignments over 34 years of service. Commodore Garg, who was the High-Performance Director with Sports Authority of India till June 2021, is also an Arjuna Awardee recipient (1990) in Sailing and has also won the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee in 1993-94.

13)  Alexei Navalny Wins European Union’s Sakharov Prize

•The European Parliament has awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize, Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for 2021, to the imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The 45-year-old activist has been awarded for his immense personal bravery to fight tirelessly against the corruption of Vladimir Putin’s regime.

1)  National Police Commemoration Day: 21 October

•In India, the Police Commemoration Day is observed on October 21 every year. The day is marked to remember and honour the brave policemen who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. Police Commemoration Day commemorates the day in 1959, when twenty Indian soldiers were attacked by Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area, in which, ten Indian policemen lost their lives and seven were imprisoned. Since that day, 21 October has been observed as Police Commemoration Day in honour of the martyrs.

2)  PM Modi inaugurates Kushinagar International Airport in UP

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airport has been built at an estimated cost of Rs. 260 crore, by the Airport Authority of India. Besides, it has the longest runway in Uttar Pradesh. It will facilitate domestic & international pilgrims to visit the Mahaparinirvanasthal of Lord Buddha in Kushinagar.

•Kushinagar is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha, where he attained Mahaparinirvana after his death. The airport will help in boosting tourism on the Buddhist circuit. The first international flight at the Kushinagar International Airport landed from Colombo, Sri Lanka, carrying a Sri Lankan delegation of over a hundred Buddhist Monks & dignitaries. Now the number of airports handling passenger flights in Uttar Pradesh has increased to 9.

3)  India ranks 71st on 2021 Global Food Security Index

•India has achieved the 71st position in the Global Food Security (GFS) Index 2021 from among a list of 113 countries. The GFS Index is designed and constructed by London-based Economist Impact and is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience. The overall score of India is 57.2 points on the GFS Index 2021.

•According to the report, India held 71st position with an overall score of 57.2 points on the GFS Index 2021 of 113 countries, fared better than Pakistan (75th position), Sri Lanka (77th Position), Nepal (79th position) and Bangladesh (84th position). But the country was way behind China (34th position). However, over the past 10 years, India’s incremental gains in overall food security score were lagging behind that of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

4)  Ecuador declares state of emergency over crime wave

•Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso has declared a 60-day state of emergency in the South American country, due to the rise in violent drug crimes. President Lasso has pointed to drug trafficking and consumption as the main drivers behind an increase in murders, home burglary, thefts of vehicles and goods, and muggings.

•Under the emergency measures, the armed forces and police would work together to carry out “arms checks, inspections, 24-hour patrols, and drug searches, among other actions. Ecuador is a transit country for cocaine smuggled from neighbouring Peru and Colombia and much of the crime wave is thought to be drug-related.

5)  CII organises International Conference and Exhibition “Future Tech 2021”

•The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has organised an International Conference and Exhibition on Digital technologies, “Future Tech 2021- a Journey of digital transformation to technology adoption and acceleration” from October 19 to 27, 2021.  The focus theme of the International conference is “Driving technologies for building the future, we all can trust”.

•The inaugural session was virtually attended by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The theme will have 5 pillars: Strategy, Growth, Resilience, Inclusiveness, Trust. The International conference will serve as a platform for Indian industry and entrepreneurs to understand the nuances of technologies and identify the right approach and technologies for their business as well as B2B partnerships.

6)  A Balasubramanian becomes new Chairman of AMFI

•A Balasubramanian has been elected as the new Chairman of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). He replaces Nilesh Shah, the Managing Director of Kotak Mutual Fund. Balasubramanian is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aditya Birla Sun Life Asset Management. Meanwhile, Radhika Gupta, the MD and CEO of Edelweiss AMC, has been appointed as vice-chair of AMFI.

7)  Imtiaz Ali appointed ambassador of Russian Film Festival

•Director-producer Imtiaz Ali has been roped in as the ambassador of the Russian Film Festival in India. As part of the festival, ten notable Russian films of various genres are being premiered for Indian audiences on Disney+ Hotstar from October 16 to November 27. Russia and India are cooperating in the field of cinematography through the BRICS.

8)  Kung Fu Nuns wins UNESCO’s Martial Arts Education Prize 2021

•The well known Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa order of Buddhism has won the inaugural UNESCO’s Martial Arts Education Prize 2021, for their brave and heroic acts of service and championing of gender equality across the Himalayas. The Nuns empower young girls through martial arts, to defend themselves, build confidence, and take on leadership roles in their communities.

1)  World Osteoporosis Day: 20 October

•The World Osteoporosis Day (WOD) is observed annually on October 20. The day aims to raise global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease. WOD is organized by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), by launch of a year-long campaign with a specific theme. In 2021 the Global WOD Campaign theme is “Serve Up Bone Strength”.

2)  International Chef’s Day: 20 October

•International Chefs Day is observed every year on 20 October. The day aims to celebrate and honour the noble profession and educate people around the world about eating healthy. It is also the day for experienced chefs to pass on their knowledge and culinary skills to the next generation with a sense of pride and commitment.

•The theme of the International Chefs Day 2021 campaign is Healthy Food for the Future. International Chefs Day was created by Dr Bill Gallagher, a renowned chef and the former president of the World Association of Chefs Societies (World Chefs), in 2004.

3)  World Statistics Day: 20 October

•World Statistics Day is celebrated around the globe every year on 20 October to highlight the achievements of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. The celebration of World Statistics Day 2021 is a global collaborative endeavour, organized under the guidance of the United Nations Statistical Commission.

4)  Home Minister Amit Shah flags off ‘Modi Van’

•The Union Home Minister Amit Shah has flagged off “Five Mobile Medical Vans” dubbed as Modi Van on October 19, 2021, in the Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh. These vans have been launched under the ‘Seva Hi Sangathan’ programme of BJP to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 20 years as the Head of Government.

•The Five Mobile Medical Vans will operate in five Assembly Constituencies in Kaushambi. These vans will work under the aegis of Kaushambi Vikas Parishad run by BJP’s National Secretary Vinod Sonkar.

5)  4th General Assembly of International Solar Alliance begins

•The Fourth General Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has been organised virtually between October 18 and 21, 2021. The Assembly will be presided over by President of the ISA Assembly RK Singh, who is also the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy.

6)  Rajasthan launched ‘Prashasan Gaon ke Sang’ Campaign

•Rajasthan Government has launched a mega campaign named ‘Prashasan Gaon Ke Sang’ till December 17, 2021, to provide local access to government services in the remotest villages of the state. Officials from 22 Departments of the local administration will reach out to the rural parts of every gram panchayat to offer on-spot solutions to the applicants.

7)  Ayushmann Khurrana joins CoinDCX for ‘Future Yahi Hai’ campaign

•Ayushmann Khurrana has become the latest celebrity to venture into the cryptocurrency space through his association with CoinDCX’s ‘Future Yahi Hai’ campaign. The CoinDCX ‘Future Yahi Hai’ Megadrive is directed towards addressing major questions and doubts and dispelling myths when it comes to crypto investments from the perspective of young India. CoinDCX is India’s largest cryptocurrency exchange valued at $1.1 billion.

•The campaign, which eventually plans to rope in popular personalities from various spheres, aims to drive home a simple but engaging narrative that breaks through misconceptions surrounding crypto for both new and old investors and, consequently, increases participation in crypto-enabled financial services.

•Khurrana joins A-listers like Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh and Salman Khan to be associated with various crypto exchanges and crypto trade platforms like Chingari and Coin SwitchKuber.

8)  Gulzar pens book titled “Actually… I Met Them: A Memoir”

•Legendary Indian poet-lyricist-director Gulzar has come out with his new book title “Actually… I Met Them: A Memoir”. In a memoir published by the publishing group Penguin Random House India. In this book, Gulzar has shared many interesting unknown facts about legends like Kishore Kumar, Bimal Roy, Ritwik Ghatak, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Mahasweta Devi, among others.

9)  IndiaFirst Life Introduces ‘Saral Bachat Bima’ Insurance Plan

•IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life), a joint venture of Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India introduced “IndiaFirst Life Saral Bachat Bima Plan”. It is a savings and protection cover plan for the entire family. The plan includes paying for the short term and enjoying long term benefits and it will provide consistent protection through insurance cover.

10)  Sahdev Yadav becomes new President of IWF

•Sahdev Yadav, former Secretary-General of IWLF, was unanimously elected as the President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF). The election also saw the appointment of S.H. Anande Gowda and Naresh Sharma as the new Secretary-General & Treasurer of IWLF. 10 new Vice Presidents, 4 Joint Secretaries & 7 executive committee members were also elected, in the election conducted by Returning Officer Narinder Paul Kaushik, Delhi District Court.

11)  India’s Bhavani Devi wins Charlellville National Competition in France

•Fencer Bhavani Devi, who made history at the Tokyo Olympics by becoming the first Indian to compete in the sport at the Games, has won the Charlellville National Competition in France in the individual women’s sabre event. She is currently ranked 50th in the world and is the top-ranked fencer from India. She is eyeing a good show at the 2022 Asian Games and has started preparing for the multi-discipline sporting extravaganza.

12)  China and Indonesia won Uber Cup and and Thomas Cup Respectively

•China beat Japan 3-1 in a thrilling Uber Cup final in Aarhus, Denmark, to reclaim the Uber Cup title. This is China’s 15th Uber Cup title win in 19 finals. The match pivoted on the longest match in the Uber Cup history when Chen Qing Chan and Jia Yi Fan won their doubles match. Indonesia lifted the Thomas Cup trophy for the first time since 2002 after defeating the defending champions China 3-0 in the final match held in Aarhus, Denmark.

•Uber and Thomas Cup are the biennial international badminton championship played by the women and men’s national teams of the members of the Badminton World Federation.

1)  National Teachers’ Day: 05 September

•The 5th of September is celebrated as teacher’s day all over India. This day is celebrated as the teacher’s day to mark the birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who was the former president of our country. He was a philosopher, a scholar, and the Bharat Ratna Awardee.  He was the second President of India (1962 to 1967) and the first Vice President of India (1952–1962). The Ministry of Education presents the National Teachers Awards on this occasion every year. In 2021, the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind will confer National Awards on 44 teachers from across the country.

2)  International Day of Charity: 05 September

•The International Day of Charity is observed annually on September 05. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. September 5 was chosen in order to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa, who had always been engaged in charitable work. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for “work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”

3)  28th Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise ‘SIMBEX-2021’

•The 28th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) took place from September 02 to 04, 2021. The SIMBEX-2021 annual bilateral maritime exercise was hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) in the southern fringes of the South China Sea.

4)  GoI launches AYUSH AAPKE DWAR campaign to distribute medicinal saplings

•As a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration, the Ministry of AYUSH has launched a campaign titled ‘AYUSH AAPKE DWAR’, which aims to distribute medicinal plant saplings to 75 lakh households in one year. The campaign was inaugurated by the Union Minister of AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal from Mumbai, during which he distributed medicinal plant saplings to citizens.

•Subsequently, the campaign was launched from more than 45 locations across the country. The medicinal plants being distributed include Tejpatta, Stevia, Ashoka, Giloy, Ashwagandha, Lemongrass, Tulsi, Sarpagandha and Amla. Under this campaign, it is proposed to undertake the cultivation of medicinal plants across 75,000 hectares in one year.

5)  India and US inks Project Agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

•The Ministry of Defence, the Government of India and US Department of Defence have signed a Project Agreement (PA) for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV). This agreement is signed under the Joint Working Group Air Systems in the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). 

•The PA for ALUAV is part of the Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) Memorandum of Agreement, which was first signed between the Ministry of Defence and the US Department of Defence, in January 2006 and renewed in January 2015. The RDT&E aims at deepening defence technology collaboration between the two nations through the co-development of defence equipment.

6)  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs 24th meeting of FSDC

•Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has chaired the 24th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC). Finance Minister is the chairperson of FSDC. It must be noted that FSDC Sub-Committee is chaired by the Governor, RBI.

7)  India becomes first Asian nation to launch ‘Plastics Pact’

•India has become the first country in Asia to launch a Plastics Pact, a new platform to promote a circular system for plastics. The India Plastic Pact platform was launched on September 03, 2021, by the British High Commissioner to India, Alexander Ellis, at the 16th Sustainability Summit hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

8)  Cyrus Poncha becomes new Vice-President of Asian Squash Federation

•Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) Secretary-General, Cyrus Poncha has been unanimously elected as Vice-President of the Asian Squash Federation (ASF), during the 41st annual general meeting of ASF. The Dronacharya Awardee has been elected for a period of the four-year term.

•David Mui of Hong Kong was elected unopposed as the President of ASF for a second term. Apart from Cyrus Poncha, Mr Fayez Abdullah S.Al-Mutairi of Kuwait and Tae-sook Hee of Korea have been also elected as the Vice-Presidents of ASF.

9)  PhonePe launches digital payment interactive geospatial platform “Pulse platform”

•PhonePe has launched a platform named PhonePe Pulse. Pulse is India’s first interactive platform with data insights and trends on digital payments. The platform shows more than 2000 crore digital transactions by customers on an interactive map of India. PhonePe also launched the Pulse Report, an in-depth study on the evolution of digital payments over the past 5 years. The report also has insights about how digital payment adoption across India has evolved since 2016 and includes detailed geographical and category-specific trends.

10)  A book title “A Rude Life: The Memoir” by Vir Sanghvi

•Vir Sanghvi, one of India’s most recognised journalists, has come out with a memoir titled A Rude Life. ‘A Rude Life: The Memoir’ has been published by Penguin Random House. Through this book, the author has shared his views and experience of the most eventful careers in Indian journalism, including his personal life, stories of and about celebrities and politicians, middlemen and behind-the-scene actors.

11)  Know Your Rights and Claim Them: A Guide for Youth by Angelina Jolie

•Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has recently announced her upcoming book, titled “Know Your Rights and Claim Them: A Guide for Youth”. The book has been written jointly by Angelina Jolie, Amnesty International and human rights lawyer Geraldine Van Bueren QC.

12)  Tokyo Paralympics 2020: India finishes 24th with record 19 medals

•India finished their campaign at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 with an all-time high of 19 medals which includes five gold, eight silver, and six bronze. This is the best medal tally for India a single edition of the Paralympic Games. India is placed at 24th position in the overall medal tally out of a total of 162 nations.

1)  International Day against Nuclear Tests: 29 August

•The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed globally on 29th August. The day aims to increase awareness about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

2)  National Sports Day: 29 August

•Every year, 29th August has been observed as National Sports Day in India. The first National Sports Day was celebrated on 29th August 2012, on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand who was the star of hockey team of India. The day is used as a platform to launch various sports schemes as well as organise various sporting events and seminars to spread awareness about the importance of physical activities and sports in life.

3)  National Small Industry Day: 30 August

•In India, the National Small Industry Day is celebrated on 30 August every year, to support and promote small Industries for their overall growth potential and opportunities received for their development in the year. The industry day is a medium to provide balanced growth to existing small, medium and large scale enterprises and render assistance for setting up new industries to boost the state’s financial health.

4)  International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

•United Nations observes International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances globally on the 30th of August every year. The day is being observed to express deep concern about the rise in enforced or involuntary disappearances in different regions of the world including the incidents of arrest, detention and abduction.

•All of the above incidents result in an increasing number of reports pertaining to harassment, ill-treatment and intimidation of witnesses of disappearances or relatives of persons who have disappeared. UN General Assembly declared the 30th of August as International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances and the day was observed for the first time in the year 2011.

5)  Rajnath Singh names Army Sports Institute, Pune as “Neeraj Chopra Stadium”

•Raksha Mantri, Rajnath Singh visited the Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune and named the Army Sports Institute stadium as “Neeraj Chopra Stadium”. The focus of the Indian Army (in the field of sports) is to identify and train promising sportspersons in 11 disciplines. The Indian Army’s “Mission Olympics” programme was launched in 2001 with the intent to deliver medal-winning performances in the Olympics and other international events.

6)  World’s Highest Altitude Movie Theatre open in Ladakh

•The world’s highest movie theatre has recently been inaugurated in Ladakh, which got its first-ever mobile digital movie theatre in the Paldan area of Leh, at an altitude of 11,562 feet. The inflatable theatre can operate in -28 degrees Celcius. The initiative aims to bring cinema watching experience to most remotest areas of India. It must be noted that four such theatres will be established in Leh in the coming period.

7)  Govt introduces “Bharat series (BH-series)” registration

•Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has introduced a new registration mark for new vehicles i.e. “Bharat series (BH-series)”. The vehicles bearing the BH-series mark will not have to require the assignment of a new registration mark when the owner of the vehicle shifts from one State to another.

•Earlier, under section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, if a person moves from one state to another, a person is allowed to keep the vehicle for not more than 12 months in any state other than the state where the vehicle is registered, but a new registration with the new state- registering authority has to be made within the stipulated time of 12 months.

8)  World’s Highest Altitude Movie Theatre open in Ladakh

•The world’s highest movie theatre has recently been inaugurated in Ladakh, which got its first-ever mobile digital movie theatre in the Paldan area of Leh, at an altitude of 11,562 feet. The inflatable theatre can operate in -28 degrees Celcius. The initiative aims to bring cinema watching experience to most remotest areas of India. It must be noted that four such theatres will be established in Leh in the coming period.

9)  Paralympics 2020: Avani Lekhara wins gold in Shooting

•Shooter Avani Lekhara has scripted history as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. The 19-year-old from Jaipur, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, finished with a world record-equalling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record.

•Avani is only the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold after swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016) and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (2016).

10)  Paralympics 2020: Bhavinaben Patel wins silver in table tennis

•In table tennis, Indian paddler Bhavinaben Patel has claimed the historic silver medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games at Tokyo, in the women’s singles summit clash. The 34-year-old Patel lost to Chinese paddler Ying Zhou, 0-3, in her maiden Paralympic Games. This is the first medal for India at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympic Games.

•Patel is the only second Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics, after Deepa Malik, who claimed silver in shotput at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

11)  Paralympics 2020: Nishad Kumar wins silver in men’s high jump

•India’s Nishad Kumar has clinched a silver medal in the men’s high jump T47 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. This is the second medal for India at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. The 23-year-old Nishad made a jump of 2.06m, and in doing so created an Asian record. He also equalled his jump with USA’s Dallas Wise, who also took home silver.

•Another American, Roderick Townsend, won the gold with a world record jump of 2.15m. T47 class is meant for athletes with a unilateral upper limb impairment resulting in some loss of function at the shoulder, elbow and wrist.

Vision IAS Current Affairs Monthly Magazine July 2021 PDF

 Vision IAS Current Affairs Monthly Magazine June 2021 PDF