Current Affairs - September 2019

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Current Affairs Weekly PDF - September 2019 Third Week (16-23)
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INDIAN AFFAIRS
GSTN makes Aadhaar verification or physical verification mandatory for new dealers from
January 1, 2020
The group of ministers of Good and Service Tax Network (GSTN) headed by Sushil Kumar
Modi (Bihar deputy chief minister) notified that all the new dealers will have to mandatorily make
Aadhaar verification or physical verification from January 1, 2020. This move is aimed to check
malpractices in GST.
Special training program for Maldivian civil servants to be run from September 16 – 28, 2019 at
Mussoorie and New Delhi
India will conduct a two-week special training programme (STP) for 32-member delegation (70%
of delegates are women officials) of Maldivian Civil Servants at the Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) and
New Delhi from 16 - 28 September 2019. The training drive is a part of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on ‘Training and Capacity Building Programme’ between India’s National
Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Maldives Civil Service Commission (CSC) signed by
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi during his visit to Male ,Maldives in June 2019.
Polish Minister Marcin Przydacz unveils memorial pillar in Valivade, Kolhapur in memory of
refugee Polish families during WWII
Marcin Przydacz, the deputy foreign minister of Poland unveiled a memorial pillar in Valivade in
Kolhapur district of Maharashtra in memory of the 5000 polish refugee families that settled in
Valivade during World War II (WWII) 80 years ago.
Javadekar inaugurates the renovated Jayakar bungalow at NFAI in Pune, Maharashtra
Shri Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Environment, Forest and
Climate Change has inaugurated the renovated Jayakar bungalow (a famous heritage building of
Pune) at National Film Archive of India (NFAI)in Pune, Maharashtra. The renovated bungalow
have a digital film library and private space to watch the films of NFAI's collection. Javadekar also
released a special booklet ‘Parampara: An ode to Jayakar Bungalow’.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar flags off ‘Jaldoot’ bus for water conservation initiative in Pune
Union minister for environment, forest and climate change Shri Prakash Javdekar(also
Information & Broadcasting minister) flagged off a bus named “Jaldoot” in Pune, Maharashtra
which showcases the importance of water conservation. This bus which is redesigned to create
“Jaldoot: Travelling Exhibition on Jalshakti Abhiyan”, would travel to 8 districts of
Maharashtra for 2 months and would also convey to people about the work of govt. in last 100
days, along with bold initiatives and decisions undertaken.
Public Premises (Eviction Of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 Comes Into Effect
The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 which provides
for the eviction of unauthorized occupants from public premises in certain cases has come into
effect. It amends the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The new
bill is expected to increase the availability of government residential accommodations for eligible
beneficiaries and reduce the waiting period. Read full details here: Public Premises (Eviction of
Unauthorized Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 comes into effect
New Amendments Made To The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2011
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified that it has amended the rules governing the Foreign
Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2011. As per the amended rules, the individuals who
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receive gifts up to Rs 1 lakhare not required to inform the government. Before the amendment,
the threshold limit was Rs 25,000 as per the market value of the gift in India. Read full details
here: New Amendments Made To The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2011
Indian Railways undertakes "Massive Shramdan" drive with main focus on collection of plastic
waste
The Indian Railways has once again carrying out a “Massive Shramdan” drive movement aimed at
collecting plastic waste from all railway premises to create awareness for a greater impact against
single-use plastic.
Kerala govt and RCC jointly signs MoU with Maldives on cancer care
The govt. of Kerala and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) jointly signed Memorandum of
Understanding(MoU) with Maldives to strengthen cancer care in the island nation by giving
training to doctors. Maldivian minister Abdulla Ameen and Kerala’s health minister KK Shylaja
signed the MoU in presence of Kerala Chief Minister(CM) Pinarayi Vijayan.
First edition of SITMEX- Trilateral Maritime exercise of Singapore, India and Thailand of 2019
begins in Port Blair
5 days maiden trilateral exercise of Singapore, India and Thailand named SITMEX (Singapore-
India-Thailand Maritime Exercise) was commenced on September 16, 2019 at Port Blair, the
capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands to strengthen the maritime relationships of the three
countries and to enhance security. The maiden IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral exercise will conclude
on September 20, 2019.
EAM and MHRD launched PhD fellowship programme for ASEAN students in IITs
External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India Dr S Jaishankar and Minister of Human Resource
Development (MHRD) Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launched the PhD (Doctor of
Philosophy) fellowship programme, initially launched by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA),
in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for the students from Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN). In January 2018, prime minister Modi had notified to offer 1000 integrated PhD
fellowships for ASEAN students in IITs at the 25th Anniversary ASEAN-India Commemorative
Summit in New Delhi.
Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated NCCCR&D at IISc-
Bengaluru
Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated the National Centre for
Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) at Indian Institute of Science (IISc)- Bengaluru,
Karnataka which was set up by the union government through the Department of Science &
Technology (DST), in the presence of Secretary, DST ,Prof. Ashutosh Sharma and Director, IISc,
Prof. Anurag Kumar.
First International Conference On Sustainability Education 2019 Held At The India Habitat Centre
In New Delhi
The first of its kind International Conference on Sustainability Education 2019 was held at the
India Habitat Centre in New Delhi on September 9-10, 2019. It was jointly organised by Mobius
Foundation, the Climate Reality Project, India in partnership with United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) New Delhi office. Asia’s first environment school
named World Environment School (WESc) was also launched on the occasion in coorg, Karnataka.
Read full details here: First International Conference On Sustainability Education 2019 Held At
The India Habitat Centre In New Delhi
3 day 5th International Ramayana Festival organised by ICCR held in New Delhi
3 day long 5th International Ramayana Festival was inaugurated in New Delhi on September 17,
2019 by Union minister of home affairs Shri Amit Shah. The festival is organised by Indian Council
for Cultural Relations(ICCR) to promote Indian culture and its values. 17 countries have
participated in the festival which is organised 5th time in a row.
India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub inaugurated in Kolkata, West Bengal
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) inaugurated India’s first National Antimicrobial
Resistance (AMR) Hub in Kolkata, West Bengal. It was developed by ICMR in association with the
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United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services. ICMR director-general Balram
Bhargava, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) director Shanta Dutta and
US ambassador to India Kenneth I Juster were among the dignitaries present at the inaugural
ceremony.
Country's first Central Police University to be built in Greater Noida,Uttar Pradesh
India’s first Central Police University will be established in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh near the
Yamuna Expressway with the aim to improve the law and order of the country. In-Principle
approval has been given by the centre for the establishment of the university and 100 acres of
land has also been identified for this in Sector Techzone, Greater Noida. The Greater Noida
Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has also confirmed the allocation of land for the Police
University for Rs 372 crore.
Indian Railways for the first time installed PET bottle crush machine in Mumbai Rajdhani express
For the first time in India, Indian Railways installed Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottle
crush machine in Mumbai Rajdhani Express which runs between Mumbai Central and New Delhi.
It was implemented by the Western Railways as part of the Indian Railways' Swachh Bharat and
Go Green missions associated with the ban of single-use plastic imposed by the Centre. This
machine can crush up to 3,000 bottles per day. It has an internal storage bin of approx 20 litres
which is equivalent to 1500 bottles.
Ayushman Bharat signs MoU with Ola to extend healthcare benefits for its driver-partners and
families
Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) scheme which is the world’s
largest healthcare scheme signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with mobility platform
Ola whereby the scheme would provide health insurance to 2 million driver partners of Ola. All
Ola employees and eligible driver-partners can avail the AB card at a cost of Rs.30.
Indian Army conducted ‘Chang Thang’ exercise in Eastern Ladakh
Indian army conducted massive integrated exercise named ‘Chang Thang’ in the Eastern Ladakh
region bordering China in a very high altitude area in order to test and improve its capabilities in
war fighting. The exercise involved all the arms of the Indian army like T-72 tanks, artillery guns
and helicopters, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles etc. The exercise was monitored by Lieutenant
General Ranbir Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.
Open defecation decreased by 47 % between 2000 - 2017 in India: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring
Programme (JMP) report 2019
As per the WHO/UNICEF (World Health Organization/United Nations International Children's
Emergency Fund) Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene,
report 2019, “Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2000-2017: Special focus on
inequalities”, the open defecation practices in India between 2000 and 2017 has decreased by 47
% & 43 % of Indian people have gained access to basic sanitation facilities.
HRD ministry announces National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) Scheme for Higher
Education learning outcomes
Union Ministry of Human Resource & Development (MHRD) has announced a new scheme named
National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) for better learning outcomes in higher
education and is expected to be operational in early november 2019. The main objective of this
scheme is to use Artificial Intelligence(AI) in making personalized learning. AICTE (All India
Council for Technical Education) will be the implementing agency of this scheme.
Beneficiaries under PMMVY scheme crossed 1 crore
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) achieved a mark of reaching 1 crore
(1,00,11,200) beneficiaries in India. The total amount disbursed under the scheme crossed Rs.
4,000 crores. It is a flagship scheme of the Government for Pregnant Women and Lactating
Mothers (PW&LM). It is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which PW&LM receive a
cash benefit of Rs. 5,000 in three installments on fulfilling certain conditions.
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NASSCOM’s DSCI, MeitY And Google India Launched A Nationwide ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’
The National Association of Software and Services Company’s (NASSCOM) Data Security Council
of India (DSCI), Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) and Google India had
collaborated together to launch a nationwide awareness campaign ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan‘. The
campaign was launched by the Communications and Electronics & Information Technology (IT)
Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad at the Google for India event in New Delhi. Read full details
here: NASSCOM’s DSCI, MeitY And Google India Launched A Nationwide ‘Digital Payment Abhiyan’
16th Session Of The Joint Economic Commission 2019 Between India And BLEU Held In New
Delhi
The 16th Session of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) 2019 between India & Belgium -
Luxembourg Economic Union (BLEU) was held in New Delhi with the aim to improve bilateral
economic and trade relations between the two countries. Raed full details here: 16th Session Of
The Joint Economic Commission 2019 Between India And BLEU Held In New Delhi
Sitharaman handed over the 12th-century Buddha statue brought back from London to the
Minister of Culture
The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman handed over the 12th-century Buddha statue to Culture
Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.The statue was stolen 57 years ago and was finally acquired during
an auction in Masstricht ,Netherlands organized by dealer Rossi & Rossi (London). This 12th
century statue of Buddha was stolen from the Museum of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in
Nalanda,Bihar in August 1961.
Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Ayushman Bharat Pakhwara ahead of first
anniversary of AB-PMJAY in Delhi
Union health & family welfare minister Shri Harsh Vardhan launched Ayushman Bharat
Pakhwara, a fortnight-long awareness about the Ayushman Bharat scheme and other initiatives
like Poshan Abhiyaan and Swachhta Abhiyaan in New Delhi, to focus on promotive and curative
aspects of healthcare, nutrition, yoga, and healthy lifestyle. It is observed from September 15-30,
2019 celebrating one-year launch of Ayushman Bharat- the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(AB-PMJAY) on September 23, 2019.
Defence Minister Rajnath singh approves for writing history of India’s borders
Union Minister of Defence Shri Rajnath Singh gave approval for writing history on India’s borders
for better understanding of the borders. The proposed work will include making and unmaking
and shifting of borders, the role of people in the border & their socio economic aspects of life etc.
This project is expected to be completed in two years.
India to achieve $26 billion defence industry target by 2025
The Defence Minister of India Mr Rajnath Singh at the 2nd annual session of the Society of Indian
Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) for 2019 in New Delhi addressed that India will achieve $26
billion defence industry target by 2025. It is predicted that there will be an investment of $10
billion and it will create 2.3 million employment opportunities.
Govt gives special attention to 250 Districts under Poshan Maah
The central government is giving special attention to those 250 Districts of India where the
malnutrition level is higher than the national average during the celebration of “Rashtriya Poshan
Maah” (National Nutrition Month), the entire month of September, 2019 with the theme of
‘Complementary Feeding’. 5 pillars of Poshan Maah are the importance of First 1000 days of the
Child, Anaemia, Diarrhoea, Hand Wash and Sanitation and Poshtik.
Government constitutes Company Law Committee for examining provisions and issues related to
Companies Act 2013 implementation
The corporate affairs ministry in line with the govt’s objective to promote the ease of living and by
providing Ease of Doing Business to the companies abiding the law decided to be set up, a
company law committee to look into the issues pertaining to the implementation of the
Companies Act, 2013 and the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. The 11- member company
law committee will be headed by Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas.
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Agreement Between Skill India And IBM For Nationwide Train-The-Trainer Program In AI
The Directorate General of Training (DGT) division of the Ministry of Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship, has signed a pact with the world’s leading IT(Information Technology)
company IBM (International Business Machines Corporation), under which a nationwide
program to train trainers in Basic Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be carried out. The program will
be of one year duration and will have 14 instructors at 7 locations with over 200 workshops.
Read full details here: Agreement Between Skill India And IBM For Nationwide Train-The-Trainer
Program In AI
Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched various initiatives of AICTE in
New Delhi
Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched
various initiatives of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in New Delhi. The
initiatives are Facilitation through Margadarshan and Margadarshak, Model Curriculum for
Diploma Courses, Waste Management Accelerator for Aspiring Women Entrepreneurs (WAWE
Summit 2019) and 360-degree Feedback of Faculty. Read full details here: Union HRD Minister
Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Launched Various Initiatives Of AICTE In New Delhi
President Ram Nath Kovind Approved The Promulgation Of The Prohibition Of Electronic
Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019
President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind approved the Promulgation of the Prohibition of
Electronic Cigarettes (production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution,
storage and advertisement) Ordinance, 2019 after the cabinet approved it on September 18, 2019.
Electronic Cigarettes/ e-Cigarettes are battery-operated devices that produce aerosol by heating a
solution containing nicotine, which is the addictive substance in combustible cigarettes. Read full
details here: President Ram Nath Kovind Approved The Promulgation Of The Prohibition Of
Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019
Cabinet Approval On September 18, 2019
Approval to Payment Productivity Linked Bonus to railway employees for the FY 2018-19 -
Approval was given to payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) which is equivalent to 78
days’ wages for the Financial Year (FY) 2018-19, to all 11.52 Lakh non-gazetted eligible railway
employees excluding Railway Protection Force (RPF)/ Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF)
personnel, for maintaining industrial peace and railwaymen motivation.
NTPC Ltd to set up 5 GW solar park- biggest in the country, in Gujarat
NTPC ltd (formerly National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) announced to set up a
5GW(gigawatt) solar national park in Gujarat and is also expected to be the biggest in the country.
The cost of the site set up is expected to be Rs 25,000 crores ($3.5 billion) and is to be operational
in 2024.
35th Tri-Services Commanders Conference for 2019 held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
The 35th Tri-Services Commanders Conference for 2019 was held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan from
September 18-20, 2019. It was held under the aegis of the Army Southern Command
headquartered in Pune and was hosted by Southern Army Commander Lieutenant-General SK
Saini.
CBDT sets up NeAC & appoints Krishna Mohan Prasad as its first Principal Chief Commissioner of
Income Tax of NeAC
Central Board of Direct Tax(CBDT) has newly set up National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) for
electronically assessing the tax returns which would reduce the human interventions thereby
reducing the possibility of corruption. CBDT has also appointed 1984 batch Indian Revenue
Service (IRS) officer Krishna Mohan Prasad as the first Principal Chief Commissioner of Income
Tax(Pr.CCIT) of NeAC.
Overview Of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Visit To India
The governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy, paid a six-city tour to India from September 15-22, 2019
with focus on inviting companies to invest and create jobs. By this visit, Phil Murphy became the
1st governor of the US (United States) state to visit India. The six places visited were New Delhi,
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Mumbai, Agra, Hyderabad, Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. India is New Jersey’s second-largest
foreign direct investor. Read full details here: Overview of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visit
to India
Home Minister Amit Shah announced first ever “digital census” in 2021
During the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of a new building of Registrar
General of India (Janganana Bhawan/Census Building) in New Delhi, which conducts the census
exercise, Union Minister of Home Affairs(MHA) Shri Amit Shah, announced to conduct first-ever
“digital census” in 2021. t will be a transformation from paper census to digital census as mobile
app will be used to collect data.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Overview of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar's visit to Poland and Belgium
The External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India Dr S Jaishankar made an official visit to Poland and
Belgium. It is the first visit of an Indian EAM to Poland since 1987. EAM officially launched a direct
flight services between Warsaw, Russiaand New Delhi operated by LOT Polish Airlines, scheduled
for September 2019. Read full details here: Overview Of External Affairs Minister Dr S
Jaishankar’s Visit To Poland And Belgium
SCO exercise “Tsentr (centre) 2019” commenced in DONGUZ Ranges, Russia
Opening ceremony of exercise “TSENTR 2019” which forms part of the Russian Armed Forces'
annual training cycle, under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) and Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR), was conducted at the DONGUZ ranges near Orenburg, Russia. 8 SCO
member countries inclusive of Russia namely China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan are participating in the exercise that will conclude on 23
September 2019.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Unveiled Lotus Tower- The Tallest Tower Of South
Asia, Funded By China in Colombo
President of Sri Lanka(SL) Shri Maithripala Sirisena unveiled “Lotus tower” which is the tallest
tower of South Asia that cost over $100 million. 80% of the funding cost of the tower situated in
Colombo, Srilanka has been done by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is a 350-
meter-tall building having 17 storeys spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres. Read full details
here: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Unveiled Lotus Tower- The Tallest Tower Of
South Asia, Funded By China In Colombo
Overview Of 44th Toronto International Film Festival For 2019
The 44th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for 2019 was held from September 5-
15, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) of the
Government of India in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) participated in
the 44th TIFF. Read full details here: Overview Of 44th Toronto International Film Festival For
2019
Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena unveiled Lotus tower- the tallest tower of South Asia,
funded by China in Colombo
President of Sri Lanka(SL) Shri Maithripala Sirisena unveiled “Lotus tower” which is the tallest
tower of South Asia that cost over $100 million. 80% of the funding cost of the tower situated in
Colombo, Srilanka has been done by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It is a 350-
meter-tall building having 17 storeys spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres. Read full details
here: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Unveiled Lotus Tower- The Tallest Tower Of
South Asia, Funded By China In Colombo
5 Days Long 63rd General Conference Of IAEA Held In Vienna, Austria
The 63rd Annual Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General
Conference was held in Vienna, the capital of Austria with participation from 171 IAEA member
states from September 16-20, 2019. The Indian delegation to the conference was led by Dr. K N
Vyas, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission(AEC) and Secretary of the Department of
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Atomic Energy(DEA). Read full details here: 5 Days Long 63rd General Conference Of IAEA Held In
Vienna, Austria
Overview Of The 37th GST Council Meeting For 2019 Held In Panaji, Goa
The 37th Good and Service Tax (GST) Council Meeting under theChairmanship of Union
Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman was held in Panaji, Goa
on September 20, 2019. It was attended by Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate
Affairs Shri Anurag Thakur, Chief Minister of Goa Shri Pramod Sawant, Finance Ministers of
States & Union territories (UTs) and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance.
Read full details here: Overview Of The 37th GST Council Meeting For 2019
Held In Panaji, Goa
Overview Of EAM Dr S Jaishankar’s Visit To Finland
The External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India, Dr S Jaishankar made an official visit to Finland from
19-21 September, 2019. It was his first visit to Finland, after assuming charge as EAM. He unveiled
the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Helsinki, sculpted by Gautam Pal. It was gifted by the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Government of India to the Government of Finland to
commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji. Read full details here: Overview Of EAM
Dr S Jaishankar’s Visit To Finland
India With 17.5million International Migrants, Tops Country Of Origin Of International Migrants
In 2019 By UN’s ‘International Migrant Stock 2019’ Report
According to the report by the United Nations(UN) named ‘The International Migrant Stock 2019’,
India topped the country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with 17.5 million migrants
globally, making it the largest diaspora in the world. Country wise, United States(US) hosted large
no. of international migrants at 51 million equaling 19% of the world’s total. Read full deatils
here: India With 17.5million International Migrants, Tops Country Of Origin Of International
Migrants In 2019 By UN’s ‘International Migrant Stock 2019’ Report
Overview Of Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal 2 Day Visit To UAE (Sep 21 & 22, 2019)
The Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri.Piyush Goyal has made a two-day
visit to UAE (United Arab Emirates) from 21st – 22nd September 2019 to attend the meeting of
the 7th India-UAE High Level Task Force on Investment (HLTFI). He has co-chaired the 7th India-
UAE High Level Task Force on Investment 2019 held in Abu Dhabi, UAE with his highness Sheikh
Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Read full details here: Overview Of Commerce & Industry Minister
Piyush Goyal 2 Day Visit To UAE (Sep 21 & 22, 2019)
BANKING & FINANCE

Indian Banks’ 2018-19 Savings Deposits Stood At Rs 39.72 Lakh Crore
According to the Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy 2018-19 released by the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI), the aggregate savings deposits in the Indian private and public sector banks
(PSBs) reached Rs 39.72 lakh crore as on March 31, 2019. The foreign banks had a share of Rs
58,630 crore. Read full details here: Indian Banks’ 2018-19 Savings Deposits Stood At Rs 39.72
Lakh Crore
ECGC introduces ‘NIRVIK’ scheme to provide 90% insurance cover on the loan amount of
exporters: Piyush Goyal
The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) has released a new Export Credit Insurance
Scheme (ECIS) called NIRVIK to ease the lending of loan to exporters so that they can get loans
easily from banks. The details of the scheme were shared by Union Minister of Commerce and
Industry and Railways, Piyush Goyal during a press conference at New Delhi. The scheme
provides 90% insurance cover on the loan amount of exporters & it covers on both principal and
interest.
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Code for Responsible Lending (CRL) for the micro-credit industry launched by MFIN, Sa-Dhan and
FIDC
In order to bring more transparency & address customer-centric issue, the Code for Responsible
Lending (CRL) for the microcredit industry was jointly launched by Microfinance Institutions
Network (MFIN), the RBI-recognised self-regulatory organization & and industry association for
the microfinance industry, Sa-Dhan along with FIDC(Finance Industry Development Council) at
Sa-Dhan's 15th Annual National Conference 2019 held in New Delhi.
Government exempts 2% TDS on cash payments of over Rs 1 crore made through APMCs
Finance Minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitharaman notified that 2% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)
on cash payments above Rs 1 crore made through Agricultural Produce Market Committees
(APMCs) will be exempted and it is set to be effective from October 1, 2019. This is aimed to
discourage cash transactions and move towards a less-cash economy.
RBI allows all recurring bill payments through BBPS
Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has extended the use of the Bharat Bill Payment System(BBPS) for all
recurring(repetitive) payments such as school fees, insurance premiums and municipal taxes,
Equated Monthly Installments (EMI) on a voluntary basis except for prepaid recharges to extend
the scope and coverage of BBPS.
EPFO to credit 8.65% interest in over 6 crore accounts for 2018-19
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar
Gangwar notified that over 6 crore members of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
(EPFO) will get 8.65% interest on deposits, which will be credited to the accounts, for 2018-19
after the approval from the Ministry of Finance.
Airtel Payments Bank launched 'Bharosa' savings account
Airtel Payments Bank, a public limited company with its headquarters in New Delhi has launched
"Bharosa" savings account services with the aim of deepening the financial inclusion in India.
Customers of Airtel Payments Bank will get personal accident insurance up to Rs 5 Lakh, even
with the minimum balance of 500. However, the customer will need to make a debit transaction at
least once a month.
Visa in partnership with BillDesk to launch interface for recurring payments , "standing
instructions (SI) Hub"
Visa Inc, the world's leader in digital payments technology and BillDesk, an Indian online payment
gateway company have partnered for the launch of SI(standing instructions )-Hub which is a
smooth and secure way to make recurring payments using cards with a one-time enrollment. This
comes after the introduction of guidelines for e-mandate on cards for recurring transactions by
RBI(Reserve Bank of India).
ZestMoney join hands with PayU for cardless EMI payment
ZestMoney has partnered with PayU, a fintech firm that provides payment technology to online
merchants to offer cardless EMI (equated monthly installment) payment option to consumers.
ZestMoney, which has diverse customer base spread across different segments and risk profiles,
aims to offer loans of amount starting from Rs 1,000 - Rs 5 lakh as per the demand of the
customer anywhere.
Reserve Bank bars unregulated fintech firms from accessing the consumer credit data
The country’s central Bank, Reserve Bank Of India(RBI) has directed the banks and non-banking
finance companies (NBFCs) to stop sharing the pattern of consumer’s credit information held by
credit information companies (CICs) with analytics firms , IT (Information Technology)
companies, institutional agents and unregulated parties. The banking bodies have been given 15
days time period to implement the measure.
Till March 31, 2020, Banks to not declare stressed assets of MSMEs as NPAs: Sitharaman
After meeting with the heads of public sector banks(PSB) to discuss various issues, including
follow up on transmission of monetary policy rates, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated
that in order to overcome the slowdown in the economy and increase business activities, the
government asked banks not to declare stressed loans of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
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(MSMEs) as Non Performing Assets (NPAs) until March 31, 2020. (Stressed assets = NPAs +
Restructured loans + Written off assets.)
India Post launches speed post service for six new countries
The Department of Posts has expanded its speed post service to 6 new overseas destinations in
Asia, Europe and South America. It has introduced International Speed Post (EMS) for Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Brazil, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and North McDonia. EMS is a premium
service that enables its users to send documents and merchandise faster and in this service goods
can be monitored online with the help of the internet.
RBI & SEBI Jointly Working On A Framework For Accurate Exchange Of Borrower Data Between
Banks And CRAs
India’s central Banking Institution, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the regulator for the
securities market in India, SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India ) are jointly working on a
framework that will freely enable exchange of borrower information between banks and credit
rating agencies (CRAs) in more accurate manner. Read full details here: RBI &SEBI Jointly
Working On A Framework For Accurate Exchange Of Borrower Data Between Banks And CRAs
Reserve Bank Comes Out With A New Order Regarding ‘Failed’ Transactions
The country’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with a new order for
banks and payment system operators regarding the failed transaction of customers. Under this,
the time period has been fixed for the disposal of grievances and auto reversal of the amount on
the failed transaction for the banks, which has been termed as Turn Around Time (TAT).
RBI Revises Guidelines On Concurrent Audit System As Per The Recommendations Of An Expert
Committee Headed By Y.H. Malegam
Following the recommendations of an expert committee headed by Y.H.Malegam, the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) has revised the guidelines on concurrent audit system. As per the new
guideline, concurrent auditors will be appointed for a period of not more than 3 years as against
earlier tenure of 5 years & the age limit for retired staff of concurrent auditors will be capped at
70 years. Read full details here: RBI Revises Guidelines On Concurrent Audit System As Per The
Recommendations Of An Expert Committee Headed By Y.H. Malegam
RBI increased the loan sanction limit for small exporters to Rs 40 crore per borrower from Rs 25
crore
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increased the loan sanction limit for small exporters as priority
sector lending (PSL) by banks to Rs 40 crore per borrower from Rs 25 crore in order to boost
credit to the export sector.
BoB launches agri digital platform called “Baroda Kisan”
Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services company,Bank of Baroda (BoB)
has launched an agriculture digital platform called “Baroda Kisan” in Bardoli, Surat,Gujarat. It is a
web-based portal that can also be accessed by farmers through mobile. The digital portal will
address all the various needs of farmers.
Max Bupa and Indian Bank signed bancassurance corporate agency agreement
A state-owned bank, Indian Bank has signed a bancassurance agreement with a standalone health
insurance player, Max Bupa to provide Max bupa’s suite of health insurance products to its
customers. The product portfolio comprises Max Bupa’s both retail & group health insurance
products besides Indemnity and Fixed Benefit products.
SEBI tightens guidelines for debt mutual fund applicable from April 1, 2020
In order to improve the risk management & ensure sufficient liquidity, the regulator for the
securities market in India, SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has tightened the rules
for mutual funds, in which it make it mandatory for liquid schemes to hold at least 20 % in liquid
assets such as cash and cash equivalents like treasury bills and repo on government securities.
The new guideline comes into force from April 1, 2020. Read full details here: SEBI Tightens
Guidelines For Debt Mutual Fund Applicable From April 1, 2020
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Bharti Airtel & Bharti AXA Life Insurance tie up to offer pre-paid plan with insurance protection
cover
An Indian global telecommunications services company, Bharti Airtel has tied up with Bharti AXA
Life Insurance to offer prepaid plan for its users along with insurance protection plan. Airtel has
brought a special prepaid plan of Rs 599, in which customers will get 2GB (gigabyte) data per day,
unlimited calling and 100 SMS (Short Message Service) per day on any network, as well as a life
insurance cover of Rs 4 lakh from Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
Paisalo Digital inks co-origination of loan agreement with Bank of Maharashtra
Paisalo Digital (Formerly known as S.E Investments Limited) has signed its second co-origination
of loan agreement with major public sector bank in India, Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) with the
aim to necessitate the joint contribution of credit flow by BoM and Paisalo Digital. The
arrangement also involve sharing of risks & gains between them.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Wipro Infrastructure and BEML signs MoU to work together in technical sections in Bengaluru
Public Sector Unit (PSU) Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Wipro Infrastructure
Engineering (WIN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU), to work in areas such as
aerospace components through special economic zone(SEZ) , industrial automation processing, 3-
D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering.
Commerce Minister PiyushGoyal launched digital platforms for origin certificate issuance and
steel import monitoring system (SIMS)
Commerce and industry minister Shri Piyush Goyal (also railway minister) and Piyush Goyal and
minister of State Hardeep Singh puri launched Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) for
obtaining steel import information by the govt and other stakeholders for efficient policy
intervention. Piyush also launched a Common digital platform for electronic Certificates of Origin
(CoO) issuance. This platform will act as a single access point for exporters, Free Trade
Agreements (FTA)/ Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA) and others.
Govt waives 3-year lock-in period on NRI investments in IDF bonds
In order to boost foreign investment in the infrastructure sector, waived off the3-year lock-in
period for investments made by Non-Resident Indians(NRI) in Infrastructure Debt Funds (IDFs),
as notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). Transferring Rupee denominated bonds
of IDF by an NRI to another NRI outside India, are not considered as transfers for capital gain
purpose and no capital gain tax is charged on such transfers. Read full details here: Govt waives 3-
year lock-in period on NRI investments in IDF bonds
Overview Of The 37th GST Council Meeting For 2019 Held In Panaji, Goa
The 37th Good and Service Tax (GST) Council Meeting under the Chairmanship of Union Finance
& Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman was held in Panaji, Goa on September 20,
2019. It was attended by Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Shri Anurag
Thakur, Chief Minister of Goa Shri Pramod Sawant, Finance Ministers of States & Union territories
(UTs) and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance. Read full details here: Overview Of The 37th
GST Council Meeting For 2019 Held In Panaji, Goa
32 FMCG companies launched “KaroSambhav”-packaging waste management venture,aims to
mobilise Rs.1000 cr
To address the growing concern of plastic wastes 32 leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods
(FMCG) companies like Coca-Cola India, PepsiCo India, and Bislerietc are to jointly launch first-of-
its-kind packaging waste management venture named Karo Sambhav in the country that aims to
create an ecosystem for post-consumer packaging collections and optimization of material
recycling processes.
OECD lowers India's economic growth forecast for 2019-20 to 5.9% from 7.2%
As per the intergovernmental economic organisation, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development ) latest "Interim Economic Outlook" with title "Warning: Low Growth
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Ahead", India’s GDP (gross domestic product) growth expected to grow by 5.9 per cent for 2019
(FY-Fiscal Year 2020) and 6.3 % in 2020 (FY21).
SEBI sets up committee to suggest structure and norms for social stock exchanges
Capital market regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has formed a 15-member
committee headed by Ishaat Hussain, Director at State Bank of India(SBI) Foundation and former
Tata Sons Director, to suggest possible measures and regulations in creating the ‘social stock
exchanges’. The formation of this committee comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s
maiden union budget speech to take the capital markets closer to inclusive growth and financial
inclusion.
Overview Of Taxation Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitaraman in a Press Conference in
Goa notified that Taxation Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019 was introduced to make certain
amendments in the Income-tax Act 1961 and the Finance (No. 2) Act 2019. Read full details
here: Overview Of Taxation Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019
UAE tops in non-residents investments in Indian MFs with the share of 16%
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as a top
nation in making non-resident investments in Indian mutual funds (MFs). As of March 31, 2019,
the foreign liabilities of units in Indian MFs made by UAE stood at Rs 14,979 crore, registering a
share of 16%. The second place was acquired by the United States (US) with Rs 8,989 crore (9.6%
share) followed by the United Kingdom (UK) with Rs 7,751 crore (8.3% share). Read full details
here: UAE tops in non-residents investments in Indian MFs with the share of 16%
An Allotment Agreement signed between Ministry of Coal and WBPDCL regarding world’s second-
largest Deocha Pachami Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block
In accordance with the provisions of the Coal Block Allocation Rules, 2017, made under the Mines
and Minerals (Development and Regulations) Act, 1957, the WBPDCL has been allocated the
Deocha Pachami Dewanganj-Harinsingha coal block located in West Bengal containing an area of
12.28 sq. km. with estimated reserves of 2102 Million Tonnes for generation of power.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Wing Commander Anjali Singh becomes India's first female military diplomat to join Indian
Mission in Russia
Wing Commander Anjali Singh became India’s first female military diplomat posted on an Indian
mission abroad after joining the Indian Embassy in Russia as Deputy Air Attache (air force officer
involved in diplomatic operations). She previously served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for17 years
as an Aeronautical Engineer(AE) and is also trained on MiG-29 aircraft.
President of ADB Takehiko Nakao resigns
The president of Asian Development Bank (ADB), Takehiko Nakao has announced his resignation
effective from January 16, 2020. The new president will be elected in accordance with an open,
transparent and merit-based principle.
Former Delhi HC judge Sunil Gaur appointed as Chairperson of PMLA Appellate Tribunal
Former High Court Justice Sunil Gaur, who became famous after he denied protection from arrest
to former finance minister P Chidambaram, considered as the ‘kingpin’ of the INX media case 48
hours before his retirement, was appointed as the new chairman of the Appellate Tribunal for
Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.
Cognizant India elevates R Ramamoorthy as its new CMD
Information Technology(IT) giant, Cognizant India has elevated Ramkumar Ramamoorthy
currently the executive director, as its new chairman and managing director(CMD). Ramamoorthy
will make a management committee & operating committee for the country, which will help
strengthen the company’s operations in India.
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Samuel Joseph Jebaraj appointed as DMD of IDBI Bank for 3 years

The Board of Directors (BoD) of Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI Bank) approved the
appointment of Samuel Joseph Jebaraj as Deputy Managing Director (DMD) for a period of 3 years
with effect from September 19, 2019, succeeding KP Nair. This is the first major appointment on
the Bank’s Board after Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) acquired a majority stake of 51%
(January 2019) in the bank.
Indian Air Force appoints Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria as the 26th Chief of Air
Staff
Indian Air force (IAF) has appointed Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria to take over as
the next and 26th chief of air staff. Currently serving as the Vice Chief of the IAF, Bhadauria will
replace incumbent Chief B S Dhanoa who will be superannuated on September 30, 2019. An
alumnus of the National Defence Academy commissioned to IAF in 1980, Bhadauria headed the
Cost Negotiation Committee (CNC) for the Rafale deal.
SC appoints 4 new judges, judges count goes up to Highest-ever of 34
Supreme Court(SC) of India has appointed 4 new judges which now took the total strength of
judges to 34. Recently the parliament increased the no. of judges to 34(inclusive of Chief
Justice(CJ)) from previous count of 31. The four judges appointed to the supreme court are,
Justices V Ramasubramanian, Krishna Murari, S Ravindra Bhat and Hrishikesh Roy.
RBI approves the reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan as MD & CEO of Federal Bank for another
year
The apex bank of the country, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the reappointment of
Shyam Srinivasan, aged 57, as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Federal Bank for another year with effect from September 23, 2019 until September 22, 2020.
With this, he will serve the bank as the head for a decade (September 23, 2010-September 22,
2020).
Madhukar Kamath elected as the chairman of the ABC for 2019-20
Madhukar Kamath was elected as the chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for
2019-20 succeeding Hormusji N Cama. He is the chairman emeritus of an advertising firm DDB
Mudra group and mentor of Interbrand India. He has more than four decades of experience in
advertising and marketing services.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Anurag Kashyap's ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ became the only Indian film in “The Guardian” list of 100
Best Films of the 21st century
The Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s film ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ released in 2012 featuring
Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Piyush Mishra, and Richa Chadha, became the only Indian
film in British daily “The Guardian list of the 100 Best Films of the 21st century". It claimed
the 59th position. The first spot was claimed by the film There Will Be Blood(2007).
Bangladesh school project, 'Arcadia Education Project’ wins Aga Khan Architecture Award 2019
at Kajan, republic of Tatarstan, Russia
The Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh has won the prestigious Aga
Khan Architecture Award 2019 in Kajan, the republic of Tatarstan, Russia. The novel project is
about the construction of a floating school in an area which is underwater during monsoon for the
welfare of marginalised children in Bangladesh.
IPS officer Chhaya Sharma to be honored with 2019 Asia Society Game Changers Award by Asia
Society
Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Chhaya Sharma who led the investigation of the 2012 Nirbhaya
gangrape was selected for the 2019 Asia Society Game Changers Award along with six others by
Asia Society, which is a leading educational organization. She has been awarded for redefining the
role of female police officers.
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Overview Of 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards For 2019

The 71st annual Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony for 2019 was held over two
nights on September 14- 15, 2019 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, United States. They
were presented in technical and acting categories. They were given away before 71st Emmy
Awards (Primetime Emmy Awards). Home Box Office’s (HBO) Game of Thrones received 10
awards at Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2019. ‘Game of Thrones’ season 8 has secured 32
nominations at 71st Emmy Awards, creating a record for the most number of Emmy nominations
received in a single year. Read full details here: Overview Of 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy
Awards For 2019
Raghu Rai becomes first recipient of inaugural 2019 “Acadmie des beaux-arts Photography
Award - William Klein”
Renowned Indian photographer Raghu Rai was chosen as the first recipient of the
inaugural “Acadmie des beaux-arts Photography Award - William Klein” for the year 2019 and
will be awarded in the Palais de l'Institut de France, Paris, France on October 30. The award is
named in honour of William Klein, the American born French photographer and filmmaker. The
award carries a monetary prize of 1,20,000 euros. Rai won Padma Shree in 1972, which is a first
for any photographer.
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina was conferred 2019 Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence
Award in Dhaka
Bangladesh Prime Minister(PM) Sheik Hasina was awarded Dr Kalam Smriti International
Excellence Award for the year 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She was awarded by T.P. Sreenivasan,
Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council for her contribution in
holding a healthy relation between India and Bangladesh,International peace and cooperation.
With this award, Hasina has so far received 37 international accolades.
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg wins 2019 Amnesty’s ‘Ambassadors of
Conscience’ award in Washington D.C
Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg(16 years) and the ‘Fridays for Future youth
movement’ won the Amnesty International’s ‘Ambassadors of Conscience’ award for the year
2019. The award ceremony which was held at the George Washington University, Washington
D.C, America, is the highest human rights award constituted by the Amnesty International.
Agnes Kharshiing- rights activist based in Meghalaya wins 11th International Hrant Dink award
for the year 2019
Meghalaya based rights activist Agnes Kharshiing, the survivor of coal mafia assaults a year ago,
was honoured with Turkish award, the 11th International Hrant Dink award for the year 2019
along with Nebahat Akkoç, Turkish activist against male violence at the Lutfi Kirdar International
Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Istanbul.
IR’s Secunderabad station becomes 1st station to get IGBC green platinum rating
Secunderabad railway station of Indian Railways became the first station awarded with green
‘Platinum rating’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) under the Confederation of Indian
Industries (CII) for its energy conservation initiatives and modern passenger amenities inclusion.
The station has been awarded the Indian Standard Organisation (ISO) 14001-2015 Certificate-
Environmental Management system.
Bollywood actor Neena Gupta wins two awards at Indian International Film Festival 2019 of
Boston at Massachusetts, US
Indian actress and television director, Neena Gupta (60) of Delhi has won the two awards namely,
Best Actress award for the film 'Badhaai Ho' & her film “ Last Color” has won the Best Feature
Film award at Indian International Film Festival of Boston(IFFB) 2019 in John F. Kennedy
Presidential Library and Museum, Massachusetts, US(United States).
ISB Hyderabad ranked 7th globally & 1st in Asia in Forbes “Best International 1-Year Business
Schools 2019” rankings; IMD Tops
The Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad, Telangana whose another campus is in Mohali
(Punjab), was ranked 7th globally and 1st in Asia in the Forbes' “Best International 1-Year
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Business Schools 2019” rankings. The annual Forbes' list ranked the schools on their 5-year MBA
(Master of Business Administration) gain.
Rajnath Singh becomes first Indian defence minister to fly in home-built LCA Tejas from the HAL
Airport, Bengaluru
Defence Minister of India, Mr Rajnath Singh became the first Indian defence minister to fly (for 30
minutes) the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas from the Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) Airport, also known as Hindustan Airport, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Confers The National Geoscience Awards For 2018 In Delhi
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, Shri Pralhad Joshi conferred The National
Geoscience Awards for the year 2018 in New Delhi to 22 scientists for their outstanding
contributions in geoscience fields, mining and allied areas in the country.
 Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), received the
Award for Excellence.
 Dr. Sohini Ganguly, of Goa University was conferred with the Young Scientist Award-2018.
Read full details here: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Confers The National Geoscience Awards For
2018 In Delhi
Overview of 20th Edition of NEXA IIFA Awards for 2019
The 20th Edition of NEXA International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) for 2019 was
held on September 18, 2019 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
For the first time, the award ceremony was held in India. It is an annual award ceremony
presented by the International Indian Film Academy and awarded for excellence in cinematic
achievements for Bollywood. Read full details here: Overview Of 20th Edition Of NEXA IIFA
Awards For 2019
Moti Bagh, a documentary film on the hard work of an elderly farmer, claims to have an entry at
the Oscars 2020
A documentary film, “Moti Bagh” based on the life of a farmer Vidya dutt Sharma (82) , who
belongs to a remote village in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand has been nominated for an
Oscar 2020. The film, directed by Nirmal Chander Dandriyal, shows the struggles of Sharma to
keep his farm alive and on deserted hilly land.
Jindal Global University of Haryana receives ‘Institution of Eminence’ Status
OP Jindal Global University (JGU) of Haryana has been conferred the ‘Institution of Eminence
(IOE)’ status by the Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD) in recognition of its
outstanding contribution of its faculty, students and staff.
Super 30 founder Anand Kumar honoured with Education Excellence Award 2019
Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar, aged 46, was awarded Education
Excellence Award 2019 by the Foundation For Excellence (FFE) at the organisation’s 25th
anniversary gala in San Jose, California, United States for the contributions towards imparting
education to the needy students.
Entrepreneur Kapil Pathare honoured with Doctorate in Business by Ballsbridge University
Entrepreneur and author Kapil Pathare, the Director of VIP Clothing Ltd, was honoured with
Doctorate in Business from Ballsbridge University for extensive contribution to business and
entrepreneurship. The well-known entrepreneur for his iconic brand ‘VIP Innerwear’ was also
awarded the 2019 Global leaders award ‘Enterprise Edition 2019’ in Dubai by Indian film director
Madhur Bhandarkar for promoting small business at International, national and regional level.
Home ministry announces new 'Sardar Patel National Unity Award' for promoting national
integration and unity
Union home ministry announced a new honour on the Padma awards pattern named theSardar
Patel National Unity Award to individuals and persons for promoting national unity and integrity.
The award was first instituted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in December 2018. The
name of the recipients of the award will be maintained under President’s direction and published
in Gazette of India.
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Reliance Industries becomes the most valued domestic firm in market capitalisation surpassing
TCS
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) became the most valued domestic firm in market capitalisation
(m-cap) by surpassing Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). RIL’s m-cap stood at Rs 7,95,179.62 crore
at the close of trade on September 20, 2019 while that of TCS stood at Rs 7,75,092.58 crore.
Kerala tourism wins 3 awards in 2019 PATA gold awards in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) awards for the year 2019 was held in Nur-Sultan
(Astana), the capital of Kazakhstan. The Kerala tourism has won 3 PATA gold awards at the event
and the awards are given for an ethnic food restaurant run by women at Kumarakom(Kerala)
under its Responsible Tourism(RT) mission, for Kerala tourism campaign advertisement 'Come
Out and Play' and the third one was for its website www.keralatourism.org
IIT Bombay tops the Indian institutes, and MIT overall, in 2020 QS Graduate Employability
Rankings
In the latest QS(Quacquarelli Symonds) Graduate Employability Rankings 2020, the Indian
Institute of Technology(IIT) Bombay topped all the Indian institutes in the list with band ranking
111-120, which is now up from 141-150 of the year 2018. The other two best ranked Indian
institutes are IIT Delhi at band ranking 151-160 and IIT Madras at band ranking 171-180. The list
was topped overall by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States (US).
Ladakhi Shondol dance ,the royal dance of Ladakh creates history by entering into the Guinness
book of world records
Shondol dance, which is best known as the royal dance used to be performed by artists for King of
Ladakh, has created history by entering into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest
Ladakhi dance. On the occasion of 4 days long (September 16- 20, 2019) annual Naropa Festival
2019 themed ‘Environmental sustainability of Ladakh and the Himalayan region’, as many as 408
women attired in traditional dresses and beautiful headgears performed the dance.
Zoya Akhtar's film 'Gully Boy' gets Oscar 2020 entry
Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt starrer film 'Gully Boy' has been nominated for the
Oscar 2020 Film Awards from India. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the film has been sent for an Oscar
for the Best International Feature Film category. The story of the film was inspired by the life of
rap artists, Naezy and Divine, who have come out of the narrow streets of Dharavi to realize their
dream of becoming rappers.
India’s IMPS rated as the world’s best real-time payment service in 6th annual Flavours of Fast
report for 2019 by FIS
The Jacksonville, United States (US) based research firm Fidelity National Information Services
(FIS) in its 6th annual Flavours of Fast report for 2019 rated India's Immediate Payment Service
(IMPS) as the world’s best real-time payment service in comparison to the similar facilities of 54
countries. It received the only 5+ rating. It is rated highest in FIS’s ‘Faster Payments Innovation
Index 2019’.
Overview Of 71st Primetime Emmy Awards For 2019 Held At The Microsoft Theater In Downtown
Los Angeles, California, US
The 71st Edition of Primetime Emmy Awards for 2019 was held at the Microsoft Theater in
Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States (US) on September 22, 2019. Fleabag, a British
comedy-drama television show created and written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, won the most
awards with 4. Read full details here: Overview of 71st Primetime Emmy Awards for 2019 held at
the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California, US
NDTV's Ravish Kumar awarded 1st Gauri Lankesh Memorial Award 2019 in Bengaluru,
Karnataka
Ravish Kumar (44) of Motihari, Bihar , an Indian TV anchor, writer, journalist and the Managing
Editor of NDTV India, the Hindi news channel of the NDTV (New Delhi Television Limited ) news
network , has received the 1st Gauri Lankesh Memorial Award 2019 by the Gauri Lankesh
Memorial Trust ( which is founded in memory of the journalist, Gauri Lankesh) in Bengaluru ,
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Karnataka. He was awarded in recognition of his sharp news analysis and uncompromising
secular stance.
Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam wins 'Magnificent performing arts award 2019' at 21st
century icon award ceremony held in UK
Sonu was among the winners of various categories in a grandly organized ceremony held in
London UK, which was chosen from among hundreds of entrepreneurs and successful nominees
from all over the world.
 Outstanding Media and Entertainment Award - Kalli Purie
 Specialist Professional Award - Charlotte Crosswell

SPORTS
Myanmar Hosted First Ever Myanmar International Series 2019 Held At National Badminton
Stadium In Yangon From September 10-15
The Myanmar Badminton Federation (MBF) hosted the first ever International Series badminton
tournament, the “Myanmar International Series 2019” at the National Badminton Stadium in
Yangon, the largest city of Myanmar from September 10-15. MBF hosted the event after obtaining
permission from the Badminton World Federation(BWF) for the tournament. The total prize
money of this tournament is US(United States) $10,000.
 Kaushal Dharmamer wins men’s singles title in the Myanmar International Series 2019 by
defeating Indonesia’s Karono Karono in the men’s singles event.
Read full details here: Myanmar Hosts First Ever Myanmar International Series 2019 Held At
National Badminton Stadium In Yangon From September 10-15
Overview of YONEX-SUNRISE Vietnam Open 2019
The 2019 Vietnam Open, officially the YONEX-SUNRISE Vietnam Open 2019, an annual badminton
tournament, was held at Nguyen Du Cultural Sports Club in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from
September 10-15, 2019.
 Men’s Singles Sourabh Verma (India)
 Women’s Singles Zhang Yi Man (China)
 Men’s Doubles Choi SolGyu & Seo Seung Jae (South Korea)
 Women’s Doubles Della Destiara Haris & Rizki Amelia Pradipta (Indonesia)
 Mixed Doubles Guo Xin Wa & Zhang Shu Xian (China)
Overview of YONEX Belgian International 2019
The YONEX Belgian International 2019, an annual badminton tournament, was held
at Sportoase, Leuven, Belgium from September 11-14, 2019. The total prize money of the
tournament was $25,000.
 Men’s Singles Lakshya Sen (India)
 Women’s Singles Line Christophersen (Denmark)
 Men’s Doubles Ben Lane & Sean Vendy (England)
 Women’s Doubles Gabriela Stoeva & Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria)
 Mixed Doubles Ben Lane & Jessica Pugh (England)
Kenya's Kamworor creates world record at the Copenhagen Half Marathon 2019
Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor, aged 26, finished the Copenhagen Half Marathon 2019 in men’s
category at 58min 01sec, 17 seconds earlier than the record held by Abraham Kiptum (58:18) of
Kenya in the Valencia Half Marathon in Valencia, Spain on 28 October 2018 and created a new
world record.
Mayank Vaid becomes 1st Indian to complete Enduroman triathlon in 2019, breaks world record
for shortest completion time held between London and Paris
Mayank Vaid became the first Indian and the 44th person to complete Enduroman, a triathlon
from England to France which is considered as toughest endurance competition in the world. The
event started in Marble Arch, London and ended in Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France. He also broke
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the world record for the shortest completion time in the ‘Enduroman – Arch to Arc’ triathlon in 50
hours and 24 minutes.
Afghanistan breaks own record of most Consecutive T20I Victories and Equals Australia’s Top
Record at Dhaka, Bangladesh
Afghanistan cricket team created a new record of most consecutive T20I (twenty twenty
International) victories after their 12th successive win in T20I during 2019 Bangladesh Tri-
Nation Series held at Dhaka, Bangladesh against Bangladesh.
Kohli holds on to 2nd spot with Smith retaining the first position in the latest ICC Test Rankings
The International Cricket Council(ICC) Test Rankings for batsmen released on September 16,
2019, has ranked Indian cricket captain Virat Kolhi at second place with 903 points, which is 34
points behind first positioned Australian cricketer Steve Smith having 937 points. Australia’s Pat
Cummins ranked first in the ICC test bowler rankings followed by South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada
and India’s Jasprit Bumrah in the second and third place respectively.
Spain wins 18th Men’s World Basketball Championship 2019 held in Beijing after 13 years
Spain defeated Argentina to win the 18th Men’s FIBA (Federation Internationale de Basketball)
World Basketball Championship 2019 in the final played Wukesong Sport Arena in Beijing, China
from 31 August, 2019 to 15 September, 2019.
India clinched 125 medals in Western Asia Youth and Junior Chess Championship 2019
Western Asian Youth and Junior Chess Championships 2019 was held from September 6-10, 2019
at Tivoli Grand Resort Hotel, New Delhi. It was organized by Delhi Chess Association (DCA). It was
the first edition and was held in 3 formats - standard, rapid, and blitz. India won 125 medals.
Winner of the under-20 section- Sakshi Chitlange of India received a Woman Grandmaster norm.
India was followed by Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan at 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
Pankaj Advani wins IBSF World Billiards Championship 2019 title, becomes world champion for
22nd time
India's top billiards and snooker player, Pankaj Advani (34) of Bangalore , Karnataka has won the
22nd world title of his career with the fourth consecutive IBSF (International Billiards & Snooker
Federation) World Billiards title 2019 in the 150 up format held in Mandalay, Myanmar. This is
his fifth title in the last 6 years in the short billiards format. Like 2018, this year too, Advani won
the final with 6–2 scores against Nay Thway Oo of Myanmar.
Novak Djokovic passes Jimmy Connors for fourth place in the all-time list of most weeks in top
spot in ATP Rankings
Serbian professional tennis player, Novak Djokovic has started his 269th week at No. 1 in the ATP
Rankings 2019 and surpassed Jimmy Connors (268 weeks) of United States (US) for 4th place in
the all-time list of most weeks in top spot. Roger Federer of Switzerland (310 weeks) got the top
spot in the latest list followed by Pete Sampras(286 weeks) of US and Ivan Lendl (270 weeks) ,
who played for Czechoslovakia, and the US. Also, Sumit Nagal (Haryana) jumped 15 places to get a
career-best ranking of 159 in the ATP rankings. Read full details here: Novak Djokovic Passes
Jimmy Connors For Fourth Place In The All-Time List Of Most Weeks In Top Spot In ATP Rankings
Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova beats Petra Martic winning the 15th WTA singles career
title at 2019 Zhengzhou Open in China
World no.2 Czech tennis player Karolina Pliskova won her career 15th WTA (Women's Tennis
Association) title by defeating Croatia’s Petra Martic at the 6th edition of the 2019 Zhengzhou
Open at Zhongyuan Tennis training base management Center, China. The prize money of the event
that was held from September 9-15 was $1,000,000.
Overview of 10th Asia Pacific Youth Games for 2019 held in Vladivostok, Russia
The 10th Asia Pacific Youth Games for 2019 were held in Vladivostok, Russia. India won a total of
16 gold, 13 silver and 5 bronze medals taking the total to 34 medals in 7 different sports events.
Assam swimmer Astha Choudhury won five medals including two gold (4×50 metre mixed
freestyle & 4×50 mixed individual medley relay) and three silver (100 metre freestyle, 200 metre
freestyle & 100 metre individual medley). Read full details here: Overview of 10th Asia Pacific
Youth Games for 2019 held in Vladivostok, Russia
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American woman Sarah Thomas became the first person to swim English Channel 4 times non-
stop
An American woman Sarah Thomas, aged 37, became the first person to swim the English Channel
4 times non-stop. She successfully completed the 84-mile challenge in 54 hours and 13 minutes.
Former India all-rounder, Dinesh Mongia announces retirement from all forms of cricket career
The Former Indian team all-rounder Dinesh Mongia (42) of Chandigarh, who played his last
international match for the Indian team in 2007 against Bangladesh, has announced his
retirement from all formats of cricket. He played 57 matches in his ODI career.
Meghalaya's Hopewel Elias Higher Secondary School clinched the title of 60th edition of U-17
Junior Boys Subroto Cup International Football Tournament 2019
Meghalaya's Hopewel Elias Higher Secondary School clinched the title of 60th edition of Under-17
Junior Boys Subroto Cup International Football Tournament 2019 by beating Bangladesh Krida
Shiksha Prothishtan (BKSP) by a scoreline of 1-0 at the tournament held in Dr. Ambedkar
Stadium, New Delhi. It was Asia's largest youth football tournament.
Dutch footballer Virgil van Dijk wins UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2018/2019,and England’s
Lucy Bronze wins in the Women's category
Dutch football player of the Liverpool team Virgil van Dijk won the 2018/2019 “UEFA (Union of
European Football Associations) Men's Player of the Year award” and ‘Defender of the season
award’. He is the first defender to win the award since its inaugural edition of 2010-11. England
player Lucy Bronze of Olympique Lyonnais won the 2019 UEFA women's player of the year
award. She is the first english player to win a UEFA player of the year award.
An official mascot for Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics 2022 revealed
The smiling panda, named Bing Dwen Dwen was revealed as the official mascot for Beijing Winter
Olympics 2022 at a ceremony held at Shougang Ice Hockey Arena in Beijing, China. A walking
Chinese lantern Shuey Rhon Rhon was declared as the official mascot for Winter Paralympics
2022.
ICC imposed 12-month ban on Sri Lankan spinner, Akila Dananjaya for suspected bowling action
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dhananjaya (25)
for 12 months for illegal bowling action. An independent investigation on August 29, 2019 in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu revealed that his bowling action was illegal. The validity of his bowling
action was questioned during the first Test against New Zealand in Galle, Sri Lanka from 14-18
August, 2019.
Ekaterinburg AIBA 2019 World Boxing Championships held in Ekaterinburg Expo, Yekaterinburg,
Russia
A Biennial event, Ekaterinburg AIBA (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur or
International Boxing Association) 2019 World Boxing Championships was held in Ekaterinburg
Expo, Yekaterinburg, Russia from September 9-21, 2019. Indian boxers clinched 2 medals and it
was for the first time that India had won 2 medals in the championships.
 Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal won silver in 52kg category while 52kg category
clinched bronze in 63kg category.
Zimbabwe’s batsman Hamilton Masakadza becomes the highest scorer in career's last T20I match
by scoring 71 runs
Zimbabwe’s batsman Hamilton Masakadza created a record by becoming the highest individual
scorer in the career's last Twenty-20 Internationals (T20I) game by scoring 71 runs (42 balls)
against Afghanistan during 2019 Bangladesh Tri-Nation Series match held in Zahur Ahmed
Chowdhury (ZAC) Stadium, Chittagong, in south-eastern Bangladesh. It was his last match in
international cricket.
Former South African cricketer Kyle Abbott creates history with a total of 17 wickets in 120th
Specsavers County Championship 2019
Former South African cricket team fast bowler Kyle Abbott has created history in first class
cricket by taking 17 wickets against Somerset in a match playing for Hampshire (the best figures
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in first-class cricket for 63 years ) in the 120th Specsavers County Championship 2019 held at
Ageas Bowl Cricket ground in West End, England.
FIFA Rankings: India drops to 104,Belgium remained its top position
FIFA has released the men’s ranking . India slipped one place and moved to 104 from 103. Indian
Football Team in recent times under the leadership of new coach Igor Stimac is undergoing a
massive change in their playing style. The ranking (men) has been topped by Belgium. Read full
details here: FIFA Rankings: India drops to 104,Belgium remained its top position
Vinesh Phogat wins bronze medal in World Wrestling Championships 2019 in Nur-Sultan,
Kazakhstan
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, defeated Greece’s two-time world bronze medalist Maria
Prevolaraki and won a bronze medal in the women’s 53kg category at the “2019 World Wrestling
Championships” held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Earlier she won both matches of the repechage
round in the 53kg category and became the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics.
World Wrestling Championships 2019 held at Barys Arena in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan from September 14-22, 2019. It was organized by the United World Wrestling
(UWW). It was a qualifying event for Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics where the top 6 wrestlers
from each category qualified for the event. India won 5 medals (1 Silver & 4 Bronze). It was
ranked 17th in the list of medal table. Read full details here: World Wrestling Championships
2019 held at Barys Arena in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Overview Of 2019 China Open Held In Jiangsu, China
The 2019 China open, officially called as VICTOR China Open 2019 was held at Olympic Sports
Center Xincheng Gymnasium in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China from September 17-22, 2019. The
tournament which was organized by Chinese Badminton Association and sanctioned by the
Badminton World Federation (BWF), had a total prize money of the United States(US) $1,000,000.
Read full details here: Overview of 2019 China Open held in Jiangsu, China
Sebastian Vettel wins Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2019 at Marina Bay
Street Circuit, Singapore
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel of Germany won the Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand
Prix 2019 held at Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore. He also became the first person to win the
Singapore Grand Prix 5 times. The second and the third spot was won by Ferrari’s Charles Lecrec
(Monaco) and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Belgium) respectively.
24th St. Petersburg Open for 2019 held at Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia
The 24th Edition of St. Petersburg Open for 2019 was held at Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia
from September 16- 22, 2019.
 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev clinched the men’s singles title.
 India’s Divij Sharan along with Slovakia’s Igor Zelenay clinched the men’s doubles title.
16th Edition of Moselle Open (Tennis) for 2019 held at the Arènes de Metz, in Metz France
The 16th Edition of Moselle Open (Tennis) for 2019 was held at the Arènes de Metz, in Metz,
France from September 16-22, 2019.
 In Men’s Singles category, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga grabbed the title.
 In Men’s Doubles, Robert Lindstedt of Sweden and Jan-Lennard of Germany clinched the
title.
Overview of T20I series held between South Africa and India
A 3-day Twenty 20 International (T20I) series was held between South Africa and India. The
series concluded with a draw 1-1 as the first match was abandoned. The captain of the Indian
team was Virat Kohl and the captain of the South African team was Quinton de Kock. Virat Kohli
(2450 runs) surpassed the record held by Rohit Sharma (2443 runs) by becoming the highest run-
scorer in the history of T20I cricket in the 3rd T20I against South Africa.
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India's first indigenous air-to-air missile Astra successfully flight tested by IAF from Su-30 MKI off
the Coast of Odisha
The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully flight-tested air-to-air missile Astra from Su-30 MKI as a
part of user trials from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha. It is India’s first air-to-air missile
which is engaged accurately with the live aerial target demonstrating its capability. It was
developed by DRDO with Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) as the lead
laboratory and other 50 public and private organisations. Read full details here: Air-To-Air Missile
Astra Successfully Flight Tested By IAF From Su-30 MKI From The Bay Of Bengal Off The Coast Of
Odisha
Indian Air Force gets first shipment of new version of Israeli Guided Bomb Spice 2000
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the first consignment of the upgraded version of the
Guided Bomb Spice-2000 with Mark 84 warheads and bombs from Israel at the Gwalior airbase,
Madhya Pradesh. The bombs are being given to India under a contract worth about Rs 300 crore
signed between India and Israel in June 2019.
DRDO presents war gaming software to the Indian Navy at ISSA Delhi
Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) handed over New-Generation
Wargaming Software to the Indian Navy with the aim of enabling Maritime Warfare Centres
(MWCs) and train using the latest technologies. The software was handed over by DRDO chairman
and defence secretary G. Satheesh Reddy to G Ashok Kumar, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff at the
Institute for Systems Studies and Analysis (ISSA), Delhi. The software is developed by DRDO’s
laboratory- ISSA, Delhi in collaboration with MWC of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
ISRO and DRDO join hands for 'Gaganyaan' mission
The Space agency of the Government of India(GoI), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to develop human-centric systems for the 'Gaganyaan' project. Some of the
important technologies provided by DRDO to ISRO include food-related technologies in space,
health monitoring of space going teams, survival kits, radiation measurement and protection,
parachutes, etc.
Astronomers using NSF’s Green Bank Telescope discovered the most massive neutron star ever-
MSP J0740+6620
Astronomers at West Virginia University (U.S) using Green Bank Telescope (GBT) of the National
Science Foundation (NSF) in Pocahontas County, United States (US) have discovered the most
massive neutron star ever called MSP J0740+6620. It is one of the densest objects in the known
universe. The research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd delivered second Scorpene submarine “KHANDERI” to Indian
Navy in Mumbai
India’s biggest warship builder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd(MDL), delivered the second of the
6 scorpene class submarine, Indian Naval Ship (INS) khanderi to the Indian Navy in Mumbai,
Maharashtra. The submarine will be commissioned at Naval dockyard by the Union Defence
Minister Shri Rajnath Singh
Defence Ministry signed Rs.5,500 crore contract for additional indigenous Akash SAM systems
and LCAs
Union defence ministry signed contracts worth Rs. 5,500crores for 7 squadrons of Akash Surface
to Air Missile (SAM) systems and 83 Light Combat Aircrafts (LCA) to be deployed by the Indian
Air Force (IAF) in the borders of China and Pakistan. The cabinet ministry headed by Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi cleared the project for IAF.The main vendors in this contract are
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) along with 150 private
vendors.
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Thaawarchand Gehlot launches MIS portal under Accessible India Campaign in New Delhi
The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Thaawarchand Gehlot has launched a
Management Information System (MIS)developed by the Department of Empowerment of
Persons with Disabilities for stakeholders of Accessible India Campaign (AIC) in New Delhi.
Consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan launched online ‘national laboratory directory’
Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution Shri Ram Vilas Paswan launched
an online ‘National Laboratoy Directory’ ,a one-stop-shop that provides information about testing
infrastructure of industries, academia, researchers and various products of Indian standards for
stakeholder benefits, especially start- ups. ‘Manak-Online’ – Public web interface and app have
also been developed for to check authenticity of a BIS Licence / Registration of a product.
ENVIRONMENT
74-year-old museum specimen-species of giant salamander becomes the world’s largest
amphibian
Researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and London's Natural History Museum
discovered a new species of giant Chinese salamander is now considered to be the world’s largest
amphibian. The study of this species is mentioned in the journal “Ecology and Evolution” and its
scientific name is Andrias sligoi.
Protodontopteryx ruthae -world’s oldest bird species is discovered in Waipara, New zealand
Scientists from the Canterbury Museum(England) have discovered the world’s oldest bird species’
fossils belonging to an ancient family of duge seafaring birds called as Protodontopteryx ruthae in
Waipara, New zealand that lived 62 million years ago. It was mentioned in the journal
‘Palaeontology’. The bird which was smallest in size of its family, maintained size of an average
sea gull while its descendants had wingspans more than five metres.
According to United in Science Report 2019 by UN, average global temperature between 2015-
2019 set to be the hottest of any five-year period on record
According to the report titled United in Science for 2019 by United Nations (UN), the average
global temperature between 2015-2019 will be the hottest of any five-year period on record. It is
estimated to be 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial (1850-1900) times and 0.2 degrees
Celsius warmer than 2011-2015. The report was compiled by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) and was prepared by the Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Action
Summit 2019.
OBITUARY
American historian and Francis Parkman awardee Jean Edward Smith passed away at 86
Washington (America) born famous historian Jean Edward Smith, known for his books on
Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant passed away at the age of 86 in
Huntington, West Virginia, America, after suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Writer and Dissident of Hungary’s movement of communist rule Gyorgy Konrad, passed away at
the age of 86
Gyorgy Konrad, famous writer and sociologist who was also familiar in Hungary’s dissident
movement under Communist rule, passed away at the age of 86 in Budapest, the capital of
Hungary. Born on April 2, 1933, in Debrecen, eastern Hungary, Konrad’s famous works were 1969
novel “The Case Worker” and 2007 memoir “A Guest in My Own Country: A Hungarian Life”.
B R Vats, former PTI correspondent who covered 1st LS polls passed away at the age of 97 in New
Delhi
Bhagat Ram Vats (BR Vats), who was a former senior correspondent of Press Trust of India (PTI)
passed away at the age of 97 due to head injury in New Delhi. He was well known for covering the
1st Lok Sabha polls and had also travelled with the then Prime Minister(PM) Jawaharlal
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Nehru(1st PM) for 14 years covering his political activities, especially the election tours in 1952,
1957 and 1962.
Veteran American journalist & Pulitzer Prize winner Robert S Boyd passes away
Noted American Journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Skinner Boyd has passed away in
Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, US(United States) due to congestive heart failure.He was 91. Born
on 28 January 1928, Chicago, Illinois, US, he shared a 1973 Pulitzer Prize with colleague Clark
Hoyt for uncovering the fact that Democratic vice-presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton's exit
from the campaign due to severe psychiatric problems and undergone three shock treatments.
Famous filmmaker Shyam Ramsay passes away at Mumbai, Maharashtra
Bollywood's famous horror film producer Shyam Ramsay (one of the seven Ramsay Brothers) has
passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra after suffering from pneumonia. He was 67. Ramsay
Brothers (Kumar, Tulsi, Shyam, Keshu, Kiran, Ganguly and Arjun)came to Mumbai from Karachi
after partition and decided to get into the business of film production.
Former Dutch football international Fernando Ricksen passes away
Former Rangers football player Fernando Ricksen of Netherlands has passed away in St Andrew's
Hospice in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Scotland after a 6-year battle with motor neuron disease.
He was 43. Born on 27 July 1976 in Hoensbroek, Limburg, Netherlands, earned 12 caps for the
Netherlands between 2000 and 2003.
Former Tunisia president Zine el-Abidine Ben passed away at the age of 83 in Saudi Arabia
Former president of Tunisia Zine el-Abidine Ben has died in exile at the age of 83 in Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia. He was ousted from power in 2011 at the start of the Arab spring movement in which
many leaders were swept from power. He ruled Tunisia as president from 1987 until he was
ousted in 2011.
Former Indian test cricketer Madhav Apte passed away at the age of 86 in Mumbai
Former Indian test cricketer and opener Madhav Apte passed away at the age of 86 in a hospital in
Mumbai due to cardiac arrest. Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra as Madhavrao Laxmanrao Apte in
1932, he had played 67 first class matches inclusive of 46 Ranji trophy matches for Mumbai and
three for Bengal scoring 3336 runs with 6 centuries and 16 half centuries.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

A book on Gandhi titled "Being Gandhi" by Paro Anand set to release
A new book titled "Being Gandhi" written by award-winning author Paro Anand has been
released. It marks the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The book, published by Harper
Collins Children's Books, explores the life events of Gandhiji.
Book titled 'Turbulence & Triumph: The Modi Years', jointly authored by Rahul Agarwal and
Bharathi S Pradhan set to release
The pictorial biography of PM Narendra Modi titled ‘Turbulence & Triumph: The Modi Years’
jointly authored by Rahul Agarwal and Bharathi S Pradhan is set to release in October 2019. It is
published by Om Books International. It depicts the journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
from this young days to becoming 14th prime minister of India.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released ‘Himalayan Odyssey’ book by MP Veerendra Kumar in
New Delhi
Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu released the book in New Delhi named ‘Himalayan
Odyssey’ written by Member of Parliament (MP) Veerendra Kumar. The book is an English
translation of the Kendra Sahitya Akademi and Kerala Sahitya Akademi award-winning
Malayalam original ‘Haimavathabhuvil’ by Veerendra Kumar, who is also the Chief Managing
Director(CMD) of Mathrubhumi.
Roopa Pai’s "From Leeches to Slug Glue: 25 Explosive Ideas that Made (and Are Making) Modern
Medicine" to be released
A new book "From Leeches to Slug Glue: 25 Explosive Ideas that Made (and Are Making) Modern
Medicine" that traces the origins of experiments and discoveries in science and medicine
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evolution spanning over 2,500 years and several geographies, is to be released on September 28,
2019. The book is authored by Roopa Pai and will be published by publisher Puffin Books.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World ozone day observed on
September 16
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer by the United Nations (UN)
proclaimed in December 19, 1994, is observed annually on September 16 under the resolution
A/RES/49/114. This day marks the drafting of the Montreal Protocol under the Vienna
convention for the protection of the ozone layer signed by 28 nations in Montreal, Canada on
substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in 1987. The theme for the year 2019 is “32 Years and
Healing”. The year 2019 marked the 25th World Ozone Day celebrations.
10th edition of World Bamboo Day for 2019 observed on September 18
10th World Bamboo Day (WBD) was observed on September 18, 2019 to increase the awareness
of bamboo globally by the World Bamboo Organization (WBO). Bamboo is known as poor man’s
timber and green gold. The Bamboo Forum of India celebrated WBD under the theme ‘Bamboo for
sustainable development goals‘ at Lamyanba Shanglen, Palace Compound, Imphal, Manipur. Read
full details here: 10th edition of World Bamboo Day for 2019 observed on September 18
First World Patient Safety Day by WHO observed on 17th September 2019
The first ever World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is observed on September 17, 2019 launched by
World Health Organisation (WHO) to mark the importance of patient safety under the campaign
‘Medication without Harm’. The theme for the year 2019 is ‘Patient Safety: a global health priority’
and its slogan is ‘Speak up for patient safety’. Read full details here: First World Patient Safety Day
by WHO observed on 17th September 2019
World Alzheimer’s Day 2019 observed on September 21
World Alzheimer’s Day (WAD) was observed on September 21, 2019. It is held annually to raise
awareness about Alzheimer's and Dementia. The theme for the year is raising awareness and
challenging the stigma around the disease.
International Day of Peace or World Peace Day observed on 21 September, 2019
The International Day of Peace, also known as World Peace Day, is observed all over the world by
the United Nations (UN) annually on 21st September. The day aims to strengthen the ideals of
peace and recognises the efforts of those people who have worked hard to end conflict and
promote peace. The theme of this Day for 2019 was ‘Climate Action for Peace’. The theme focuses
on the need of fighting climate change by protecting and promoting peace throughout the world.
World rose day observed on 22nd September, 2019
World rose day is observed all over the world for the welfare of cancer patients who are battling
cancer. The purpose of celebrating this day is to make cancer patients become strong enough to
face the disease with spirit and will power.
World Rhino Day 2019 observed on September 22
World Rhino Day was observed on September 22, 2019. It is an international ecological
observance to raise awareness on the protection of 5 existing species of rhinoceros- white rhino,
black rhino, Indian rhino, Javan rhino, and Sumatran rhino. Indian cricketer & brand ambassador
for rhino protection in WWF India, Rohit Sharma had launched “Rohit4Rhinos campaign” in
partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet.
International Day Of Sign Languages (IDSL) Observed On September 23, 2019
On September 23, 2019, The second International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) was observed
throughout the world to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization
of the human rights of people who are deaf. The theme of this day for 2019 is “Sign Language
Rights for All”. The day corresponds with International Week of the Deaf, which also took place
annually from 24th -30th September. Read full details here: International Day of Sign Languages
(IDSL) observed on September 23, 2019
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International Coastal Cleanup Day observed on 21st September

The International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD) is observed annually on the third Saturday of
September. This year it was observed on September 21, 2019. It encourages people along with
ocean conservation groups, and environmental organizations to clean up the garbage/trash on the
beach. 2019 International Coastal Cleanup Animal is The Pelican.
1st Edition of Ayushman Bharat Diwas for 2019 observed on September 23
The 1st edition of Ayushman Bharat Diwas was observed on September 23, 2019. It was on this
day a year ago Ayushman Bharat Yojana or Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) was
launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Ranchi, Jharkhand. It is the world's largest
health care programme which provides a health cover of Rs 5 lakh annually to vulnerable families.
STATE NEWS
Justice P Laxman Reddy appointed as the first Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh, will serve a term of
5 years
Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy was sworn in as the Andhra Pradesh’s (AP) first Lokayukta after the
state's bifurcation in 2014. Reddy will have a five-year term as Lokayukta. AP Governor
Biswabhushan Harichandan administered the oath of office to Justice Reddy at a function in
Vijayawada.
Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu inaugurated 24 kW Dikshi Hydroelectric Project, state’s
first community-managed mini-hydroelectric project
The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu has inaugurated the 24 kW(Kilowatt )
Dikshi Hydroelectric Project on the Phudungto river at Dikshi village in West Kameng district of
Arunachal Pradesh. The project was developed by a Hyderabad (Telangana) based firm Devi
Energies Private Limited. It is State’s first community-managed mini-hydro electric project and
also the first independent power project of its kind in the Northeast.
First speaker of bifurcated AP, Dr Kodela Siprasada Rao passed away at the age of 72
Former first speaker of the Andhra Pradesh (AP) Legislative Assembly, after bifurcation of AP, and
one of the key leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, aged 72,
passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was found hanging in his house and expired while
undergoing treatment at Basava Tarakam Cancer Hospital in Hyderabad.
Veteran music director Usha Khanna to be honoured with Maharashtra government's "Lata
Mangeshkar Award" for the year 2019-20
The Cultural Affairs Minister of the government of Maharashtra, Mr. Vinod Tawde announced that
Veteran music director Usha Khanna, aged 78, has been awarded the Maharashtra government's
"Lata Mangeshkar Award" for the year 2019-20. The award was instituted in 1993 and consists of
Rs 5,00,000 cash, a citation and a memento.
Congress veteran & freedom fighter BJ Khatal Patil passed away at 100 in Maharashtra
Congress veteran BJ Khatal Patil passed away at the age of 100 due to Pneumonia at his residence
in Rangaragalli in Sangamner town of Maharashtra. Born on March 26, 1919, in Sangamner town
in Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, Khatal served as a lawyer and took part in the Indian
independence struggle and Non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi.
Children's week organized in Anganwadi centers of the Uttar Pradesh from 16 - 21 September,
2019
Children's week celebrated from September 16- 21, 2019 at Anganwadi centers in Uttar Pradesh.
As September is named as Nutrition Month, a variety of activities are taking place at the
Anganwadi centers across the state. Mamta Day was organized on the first day of children's week
as a part of bal suposhan utsav. Mothers cooked food from their homes and brought them to the
Anganwadi centers and fed the children in groups.
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Udhampur district of J&K organized the first women-only marathon against drug addiction
The Udhampur district of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) along with non-governmental organization
(NGO) Dogra Kranti Dal organized the first women-only marathon on the theme of drug
awareness in lines with Prime minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Fit India movement.
A 3-day long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded in Agartala, Tripura
A 3-day long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded with boat race & swimming competitions
at Rudrasagar lake in Agartala, Tripura. Neermahal is a water palace constructed by Maharaja Bir
Bikram Kishore Manikya in the middle of Rudrasagar lake in 1930 as Manikya’s summer spot
being greatly inspired by Mughal style of architecture.
HP CM Jai Ram Thakur launched the Mukhya Mantri Seva Sankalp Helpline '1100' for redressal of
public grievances
Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh (HP) Shri Jai Ram Thakur launched the “Mukhya Mantri Seva
Sankalp Helpline '1100' (Chief Minister’s Service Resolution Helpline) for redressal of public
grievances in a speedy and time bound manner. The helpline functions from 7am-10pm from
monday-saturday. By this service, HP became the fourth state in the country after Uttarakhand,
Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to launch this helpline.
TN Unveils ‘Tamil Nadu Electric Vehicle Policy 2019’ With Rs.50,000-Cr Investment Target
Chief Minister of TamilNadu Shri Edappadi K Palaniswami unveiled new ‘Tamil Nadu Electric
Vehicle Policy 2019’ in the state that would attract Rs. 50,000 crore investment and also create
1.5lakh jobs. An EV park is also decided to be created in the future with plug-and-play facilities.
50-100% exemption of road tax will be made for all EVs till the end of 2022. Read full details
here: TN Unveils ‘Tamil Nadu Electric Vehicle Policy 2019’ With Rs.50,000-Cr Investment Target
Noted Malayalam actor Sathar passed away in Kochi, Kerala
Sathar, veteran Malayalam actor, has passed away in Kochi, Kerala after suffering from liver
ailments. He was 67. Born on 25 May 1952, Kadungalloor near Aluva in Ernakulam district of
Kerala, has over 300 movies to his credit, including Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films.
Maharashtra set to become India’s first state to formulate vertical property rules
The cabinet of Maharashtra cleared the “vertical property rules” to create a database of all flats,
buildings and commercial complexes with an aim to prevent property-related frauds. It is set to
become India’s first state to formulate vertical property rules. The draft rules will be inserted into
the Maharashtra Land Revenue Record of Rights and Registers for Apartments and Building Rules
2019 by the Revenue Department of the Maharashtra government.
Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah Launched ‘ERSS – Dial 112’, ‘E-Beat Book’ System And The ‘E-
Saathi App’ At The 29th Meeting Of The Northern Zonal Council In Chandigarh
Union Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) shriAmit Shah launched 3 citizen centric services of
chandigarh police at the 29th meeting of the Northern Zonal Council in chandigarh, the capital of
Punjab and Haryana. The three services are ‘E-Beat Book’ System, ‘E-Saathi App’ and Emergency
Response Support System (ERSS – Dial 112). Read full details here: Home Affairs Minister Amit
Shah Launched ‘ERSS – Dial 112’, ‘E-Beat Book’ System And The ‘E-Saathi App’ At The 29th
Meeting Of The Northern Zonal Council In Chandigarh
Veteran actor and multi-faceted artiste S.K. Padmadevi who was part of the first Kannada talkie
film ‘Bhakta Dhruva’ passed away
Veteran actor and multi-faceted artiste S.K. Padmadevi, aged 95, who was part of the first
Kannada talkie film ‘Bhakta Dhruva’ (1934) passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka from age-
related illness. She also starred in ‘Samsara Nouke’, first Kannada social film (1936). She hailed
from Bangalore, Karnataka.
Senior TDP leader, Naramalli Shivprasad passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Senior Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Chittoor Member of Parliament (MP),
Naramalli Sivaprasad has passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu after suffering from kidney
ailments. He was 68. Born on 11 July 1951, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh (AP) , he won the 2009 and
2014 Lok Sabha elections from Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency. He also made a lot of efforts to
demand special status for Andhra Pradesh.
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Actor Govinda appointed as the brand ambassador of Madhya Pradesh to promote the state's
traditions and tourist places
Public Relations Minister of Madhya Pradesh government, PC Sharma notified that Indian
Bollywood actor Govinda, aged 55, is appointed as the brand ambassador of Madhya Pradesh to
promote the state’s traditions and tourist places. The government also has plans to set up a film
city in the state.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launched 'champions campaign' against dengue
The Chief Minister of Delhi, Mr Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched
"champions campaign" in the fight against dengue. Earlier, he had also launched 10Hafte 10Baje
10Minute campaign.
Maharashtra govt. to set up “Swachh Bharat World University” at Sevagram in wardha district of
Maharashtra
In order to focus on cleanliness and sanitation research, the state govt of Maharashtra has decided
to set up ‘Swachh Bharat World University’ to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary.
The university will be set up at Sevagram town, Wardha, in vidarbha region of Maharashtra. A
seven-member committee headed by Vinod Tawde, education minister of Maharashtra has been
formed to study about the university requirements.
The book titled “The Cousins Thackeray: Uddhav, Raj and the Shadow of their Senas” by Dhaval
Kulkarni released
The book titled “The Cousins Thackeray: Uddhav, Raj and the Shadow of their Senas” written by
the journalist Dhaval Kulkarni was released. It is published by Penguin Random House. The book
depicts the political journey of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
Telangana declares 2020 as Artificial Intelligence(AI) year
The Telangana state Government will celebrate 2020 as Year of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by
organising multiple programs and activities related to the new age technology throughout the
year. The decision comes in the backdrop of the emerging talent workforce and renewed focus by
industry and other ecosystem players on this space in the past four to five years.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal launched a new mobile app named “Tatpar” for accessing
over 50 citizen-centric services
The Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has launched a new mobile app called ‘Tatpar’
developed by various units of Delhi Police over the last three years . people will be able to do
more than 50 works of their need through this app with a single touch.The app was designed by
the IT ministry along with the National e-Governance Division, the app amalgamates all the
websites and mobile applications of Delhi Police.
Centre introduced a new scheme named ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’ for the fishermen in
Tamil Nadu
Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Giriraj Singh notified that a new
scheme named ‘Assistance for Deep Sea Fishing’ was introduced for fishermen in Tamil Nadu as a
part of 'Blue Revolution Scheme’. Rs 300 crore was released for this scheme by the union
government.
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International Coastal Cleanup Day observed on 21st September

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