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A team of archaeologists have discovered a unique Iron Age Megalithic site at Ooragutta near
Bandala village in SS Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district, Telangana. The team has also
discovered two new rock art sites at Damaratogu Gundala mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem
district, Telangana.
➢ One of the sites known as “Devarlabanda Mula” has only depictions of animals and no
humans. It is believed that the paintings dated back to Mesolithic age (between 8000-
3000 BCE) since no weapons or domestic animals are shown.

HSE University (officially the Signed an agreement on

National Research University University of Delhi strategic cooperation and
Higher School of Economics), (DU) in New Delhi, joint actions. Under this
a public research univerisity Delhi (India) agreement, a large research
in St Petersburg, Russia hub will begin operating at
DU in India.

➢ The agreement was formalized during the Indo-Russian Education Summit, held in New
Delhi, Delhi from April 11 to 13. The hub will become a modern platform for the
development of academic and cultural ties.
➢ Indo-Russian Education Summit: The summit brought together key stakeholders
including university rectors, diplomats, legislators, scientists, and business leaders from
both countries to explore collaboration opportunities in education, science, creative
technologies, and professional training.

Doha’s (Qatar) Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been named the World’s Best Airport in
2024 in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in
Frankfurt, Germany on 17th April 2024. The 2023 Airport of the Year and 12-times previous
winner, Singapore Changi Airport (Singapore) secured 2nd place, winning Best Airport in Asia
and the World’s Best Airport Immigration Service.
➢ Incheon Airport (Seoul, South Korea) ranked 3rd, winning the World’s Most Family
Friendly Airport for 2024. More Details

Sweden officially became the 38th nation to sign the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA)’s “Artemis Accords” which establish a practical set of guidelines for
peaceful space exploration and use of outer space. Switzerland became the 37th country to
sign the Artemis Accords. Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of
Economic Affairs, Education Guy Parmelin on behalf of Switzerland signed Artemis Accords
in the presence of Bill Nelson, NASA administrator at NASA’s headquarter in Washington
D.C., USA.
➢ The Artemis Accords was jointly launched by National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and US Department of State in 2020 with an aim of advancing
bilateral and multilateral space cooperation between the signatories.

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Airtel National Payments To introduce eco-friendly NCMC (National

Payments Bank Corporation of Common Mobility Cards) debit and
India (NPCI) prepaid cards. These cards are powered
by RuPay and are crafted from
This is in line with Airtel Payments Bank’s environmentally sustainable e-PVC
commitment to India’s One Nation, One Card material.
vision.

➢ Customers can utilize these cards for seamless contactless payments at merchant
establishments, both online and offline, including NCMC transit transactions at metros,
buses, and parking facilities nationwide.

As per the report by Financial Express, Amazon Pay in partnership with National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to introduce its credit services on the Unified Payments
Interface (UPI). This initiative aims to improve customer experience and value propositions.
AmazonPay was granted a payment aggregator license by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) in
February 2024.
➢ AmazonPay collaborated with RBL Bank to enable UPI payments on its platform. It has
tied up with ICICI Bank for the FasTag recharge and the introduction of the Amazon Pay
ICICI co-branded credit cards. Amazon Pay has collaborated with entities like: Axio, IDFC
FIRST Bank, and Karur Vysya Bank to offer “Buy Now Pay Later” services.

Ashok Leyland For financing dealers under the

Limited, a commercial South Indian Bank bank’s dealer finance program. As
vehicle maker part of the partnership, the South
Indian Bank will provide
This arrangement is mutually beneficial for vehicle competitive dealer finance options
manufacturers, dealers and South Indian Bank. to the dealers of Ashok Leyland
Limited.

TIME, the 101-year-old global media brand has revealed the 21st edition of annual “TIME 100
most influential people 2024” in the world. The list features a total of 8 people of Indian
Origins namely Alia Bhatt, Dev Patel, Sakshi Malik, Satya Nadella, Ajaypal Singh Banga, Jigar
Shah, Asma Khan, and Priyamvada Natarajan. The TIME100 list, compiled by the American
magazine TIME, recognises the impact, innovation, and achievement of the world’s most
influential individuals.
➢ Individuals in each category are from diverse fields including movie stars, athletes,
scientists, business leaders, etc who have made an impact through their work. Alia Bhatt
won her 1st National Film Award for Best Actress in 2023 for the movie “Gangubai
Kathiawadi,” directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The 2024 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has revealed its Five Wisden Cricketers
of the Year, highlighting exceptional performances in the world of cricket. They are
Australia’s Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, and Ash Gardner, and, England’s, Harry Brook
and Mark Wood.
➢ Australian Cricketer Travis Head clinched the trophy for his outstanding 163 against
India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2021–2023 at the Oval in London, UK.

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➢ Usman Khawaja: His stellar performance in the 2023 Ashes series in England earned
him this recognition. He lead the run charts with 496 runs. More Details

Pavuluri Subba Rao, former ISRO scientist and Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL) has been conferred the prestigious Aryabhata Award by
the Astronautical Society of India (ASI). He was also presented with the “Distinguished
Fellow” title by ASI. He received the honor in recognition of his outstanding lifetime
contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India.
➢ Aryabhata Award: The award was instituted by Astronautical Society of India (ASI). The
award is presented annually to an individual for his outstanding lifetime contribution for
the promotion of astronautics in India.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted flight-test of

Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) located at
Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The ITCM is equipped with advanced avionics and
software to ensure better and reliable performance.
➢ The missile performance was monitored by various Range Sensors like: Radar, Electro
Optical Tracking System (ETOS) and Telemetry deployed by the ITR at various locations
to ensure complete coverage of the flight path. The flight of the missile was also
monitored from the Su-30-Mk-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Intel Corporation, an American technology company that manufactures semiconductor

computer circuits, has built the world’s largest neuromorphic system code named ‘Hala Point’
to enable more sustainable Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is initially deployed at Sandia
National Laboratories, utilizes Intel’s Loihi 2 processor.
➢ It aims at supporting research for future brain-inspired artificial intelligence (AI), and
tackles challenges related to the efficiency and sustainability of current AI. Hala Point
advances Intel’s first-generation large-scale research system, Pohoiki Springs, with
architectural improvements to achieve over 10 times more neuron capacity and up to 12
times higher performance.

Former World No. 1 Badminton player Kento Momota of Japan announced that he would
retire from badminton after featuring in the 2024 Thomas & Uber Cup for Japan. The 29-year-
old Kento Momota is ranked 52nd in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Rankings
as of 18th April 2024.
➢ He won the World Championships and Asian Championships in 2018 and 2019. He won
67 out of the 73 matches that he played in 2019, including 11 titles. He has also
participated in the 2020 Tokyo (Japan) Olympics, held in 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a book titled “Sabke Ram” by Panchjanya
editor Hitesh Shankar and Managing Director of Bharat Prakashan Arun Goyal. The book was
published by Prabhat Prakashan, which publishes “Panchjanya,” a Hindi weekly magazine.
➢ It narrates the history of Ayodhya and provides details about lord ram’s birthplace and
date of birth. The main features of the book is that it can be read and listened to in Hindi
and English.

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April 19, 2024 World Liver Day (WLD) is annually

observed across the globe to raise
Theme: ‘Be Vigilant, Get Regular Liver Check- awareness about the importance of
Ups and Prevent Fatty Liver Diseases.’ liver health and to prevent and
manage liver diseases. WLD aims to
The 2024 theme emphasises the urgency for
encourage a healthier lifestyle, proper
combined action in mitigating the impact of
diet, regular exercise, and avoiding
liver diseases, particularly fatty liver diseases,
harmful substances to maintain liver
a growing health concern globally.
health.

Tech industry growth projected to halve to 3.8% in FY24 compared to FY23

Women in tech workforce in GCCs to rise to 35% by 2027: TeamLease report

Amitabh Bachchan, A.R. Rahman to be conferred Mangeshkar family awards

Savsol Lubricants announces Bollywood youth icon Sidharth Malhotra as Brand Ambassador

Surbhi Goel to be appointed first female CEO of Munich Re India

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AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 20 April 2024 : Headlines

Three New Archaeological Sites Discovered in Telangana

Russia-India Signs Agreement to Operate Large Research Hub in New Delhi
Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024: Hamad International Airport of Doha (Qatar) Named
World’s Best Airport
Sweden Becomes 38th Signatory to the Artemis Accords
Airtel Payments Bank unveils NCMC Debit and Pre-Paid Cards in Collaboration with NPCI
Amazon Pay ties up with NPCI to introduce credit services on UPI
Ashok Leyland Signed MoU with South Indian Bank For Dealer Financing
8 Indian Origins Featured in the Annual TIME100: Most Influential People in the World 2024
Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, Harry Brook Among Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year
2024
Ananth Technologies Founder Pavuluri Subba Rao Conferred with ASI’s Aryabhata Award
DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) off
Odisha Coast
Intel Builds ‘Hala Point’, World’s Largest Neuromorphic System To Enable Sustainable AI
Former World No. 1 Badminton Player Kento Momota announces Retirement
PM Narendra Modi Presented with a Book Titled “Sabke Ram”
World Liver Day 2024 – April 19

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Three New Archaeological Sites Discovered in Telangana
A team of archaeologists have discovered a unique Iron Age Megalithic site at Ooragutta near Bandala
village in SS Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district, Telangana.

• The team has also discovered two new rock art sites at Damaratogu Gundala mandal of
Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana.
• One of the sites known as “Devarlabanda Mula” has only depictions of animals and no
humans. It is believed that the paintings dated back to Mesolithic age (between 8000-3000
BCE) since no weapons or domestic animals are shown.
About the Iron Age Megalithic site
i.These new sites have a new type of monuments which were not discovered anywhere in other regions of
India.
ii.The New Archaeological site discovered at Ooragutta has unique features which are in contrary to the
usual type of megalithic monument known as ‘Dolmenoid Cists’ found in this region.
• The side slabs are arranged with slabs following the shape of the cap-stone, therefore the
‘dolmenoid cist’ has a unique shape as dictated by the cap-stone.
iii.These monuments can be dated around 1,000 BCE,
Additional info: Most of the monuments in this region have squarish or rectangular shapes.
About the Archaeologists Team:
The team includes: K.P. Rao, a History Professor at the University of Hyderabad and Ch Praveen Raju, a
Research Scholar at Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa(Andhra Pradesh).
About Telangana:
Chief Minister(CM)- Anumula Revanth Reddy
Governor- C.P. Radhakrishnan
Zoological park– Nehru Zoological Park; Vana Vigyan Kendra Mini Zoo (Kakatiya Zoological Park)
Airport– Rajiv Gandhi International Airport; Begumpet Airport

Russia-India Signs Agreement to Operate Large Research Hub in New Delhi

HSE University (officially the National Research University Higher School of Economics), a public research
univerisity in St Petersburg, Russia and the University of Delhi (DU) in New Delhi, Delhi (India) have
signed an agreement on strategic cooperation and joint actions.
Under this agreement, a large research hub will begin operating at DU in India.
• The agreement was formalized during the Indo-Russian Education Summit, held in New
Delhi, Delhi from April 11 to 13.

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Signatories:
The partnership agreement has been signed by HSE University Rector Nikita Anisimov and Vice-
Chancellor of the University of Delhi Yogesh Singh.
Note: HSE University has been appointed as the coordinator of cooperation between the entire HSE
University and DU in India.
About the Hub:
i.The hub will become a modern platform for the development of academic and cultural ties.
ii.The hub also includes a fully equipped HSE University office at the central campus of DU
• This can be by all HSE University’s research groups, teachers and students as part of joint
projects.
• This will also provide a wide range of opportunities for the implementation of mirror
laboratories, educational modules and programmes, as well as academic and scientific exchange
projects.
About Indo-Russian Education Summit:
i.The summit was organized by Rossotrudnichestvo, a Russian State Agency under the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, along with the Russian House in New Delhi and the Russian Embassy in India. This was the biggest
event of its kind in the history of India-Russia bilateral ties.
ii.The summit brought together key stakeholders including university rectors, diplomats, legislators,
scientists, and business leaders from both countries to explore collaboration opportunities in education,
science, creative technologies, and professional training.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024: Hamad International Airport of Doha (Qatar) Named
World’s Best Airport
Doha’s (Qatar) Hamad International Airport (HIA) has been named the World’s Best Airport in
2024 in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Frankfurt,
Germany on 17th April 2024.
• The 2023 Airport of the Year and 12-times previous winner, Singapore Changi
Airport (Singapore) secured 2nd place, winning Best Airport in Asia and the World’s Best
Airport Immigration Service.
• Incheon Airport (Seoul, South Korea) ranked 3rd, winning the World’s Most Family Friendly
Airport for 2024.
Note:
Skytrax is the London, United Kingdom (UK)- based international aviation research organisation.

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World’s Top 10 Airports in Skytrax World Airport Awards:

Rank in 2024 Global Airports Rank in 2023

1 Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar 2

2 Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore 1

Incheon International Airport, Seoul, South

3 4
Korea

4 Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Japan 3

5 Tokyo Narita, International Airport, Japan 9

6 Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France 5

Dubai International Airport, United Arab

7 17
Emirates (UAE)

8 Munich Airport, Germany 7

9 Zurich Airport, Switzerland 8

10 Istanbul Airport, Türkiye 6

Click here for Top 100 Airports
Awards of Japan Airports:
i.Tokyo Haneda Airport has been declared the World’s and Asia’s Cleanest Airport for 2024.
• It also delivers the World’s Best Airport Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRM) & Accessible
Facilities.
• It is also the Best Airport by passenger numbers in 2024, with over 70 million passengers.
ii.Tokyo Narita International Airport wins the top award for the World’s Best Airport Staff service in 2024.
iii.Japan’s New Chitose International Airport is named the World’s Most Improved Airport in 2024.
iv.Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya, Japan has been named the World’s Best Regional
Airport for the 10th consecutive year.
Key Highlights:
i.HIA also won awards for ‘World’s Best Airport Shopping’ for the 2nd consecutive time and “Best Airport
in the Middle East” for the 10th time.

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ii.Rome Fiumicino Airport of Italy is named the winner of

the 2024 award for the World’s Best Airport Security
Processing.
iii.Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France was declared
the World’s Best Low-Cost Terminal; and also named the
Best Airport in Europe for the 2nd successive year.
iv.Cape Town Airport and Durban King Shaka Airport of
South Africa were the major award winners in Africa.
• Cape Town was named Best Airport in Africa
and Best Airport Staff Service in Africa.
• Durban King Shaka Airport was named the Best
Regional Airport in Africa.
Indian Airports in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport
Awards:
Kempegowda International Airport (KIA):
i.KIA in Bengaluru, Karnataka has been recognised as the Best Regional Airport in India and South Asia
and moved up to 59 from 69 in 2023.
ii.KIA’s Terminal 2 secured the 2nd position globally as the World’s Best New Airport Terminal. Terminal
2, operational since 2023, has garnered numerous awards, including:
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Prix Versailles
World’s Most Beautiful Airport award; and
• The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification.
Other Indian Airports:
i.The Delhi International Airport secured 36th place on the list and emerged as the Best Airport in India
and South Asia.
ii.Mumbai International Airport in Maharashtra dropped to 95 from 84 in 2023.
iii.Hyderabad International Airport in Telangana moved up to 61 from 65 in 2023 and was named Best
Airport Staff Service in India & South Asia.
iv.JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity in Delhi was the Best Airport Hotel in India & South Asia.
About World Airport Awards:
i.The Awards are based on the World Airport Survey questionnaires completed by over 100 nationalities
of airport customers during the survey period (August 2023 to March 2024).
• The World Airport Survey is the world’s largest annual Airport Customer Satisfaction survey,
conducted by Skytrax.
ii.The World Airport Awards began in 1999, when Skytrax launched its first global, Airport customer
satisfaction survey.
iii.They are regarded as a quality benchmark for the world airport industry, assessing customer service
and facilities across over 570 airports.
• It is often referred to as “the Oscars of the aviation industry”.
Survey Evaluation:
The survey evaluated the customer experience across airport service and product key performance
indicators, from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, and security/immigration through to departure at
the gate.
Recent related News:
The Airports Council International (ACI) World released its report on the Top 10 Busiest Airports
Worldwide for 2023 with Delhi Airport (Indira Gandhi International Airport – IGIA) securing the 10th spot
in 2023 (in the Passengers category).

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About Skytrax:
Headquarters– London, UK
Established in– 1989
Skytrax are specialist Research and Quality Advisor to the air transport industry.

Sweden Becomes 38th Signatory to the Artemis Accords

On 16th April 2024, Sweden officially became the 38th nation to sign the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration(NASA)’s “Artemis Accords” which establish a practical set of guidelines for peaceful
space exploration and use of outer space.

Signatories: The agreement was signed by Mats Persson, Minister for Education, Sweden and Erik D.
Ramanathan, Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) to the Kingdom of Sweden in Stockholm,
Sweden.
Switzerland became 37th nation to sign Artemis Accords:
On 15th April 2024, Switzerland became the 37th country to sign the Artemis Accords. Swiss Federal
Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education Guy Parmelin on behalf of
Switzerland signed Artemis Accords in the presence of Bill Nelson, NASA administrator at NASA’s
headquarter in Washington D.C., USA.
About Artemis Accord:
i.The Artemis Accords was jointly launched by National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and US Department of State in 2020 with an aim of advancing bilateral and
multilateral space cooperation between the signatories.
ii.Artemis Accords was formally signed on 13th October 2020 by 8 founder countries: Australia,
Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates(UAE), the United Kingdom(UK) and USA.
• It is a non-binding agreement with no financial commitments.
iii.It laid down the framework for the implementation of key obligations from Outer Space Treaty(1967).
Signatories of Artemis Accord(as of 20th April 2024):
Angola, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic,
Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, and Uruguay.

BANKING & FINANCE

Airtel Payments Bank unveils NCMC Debit and Pre-Paid Cards in Collaboration with NPCI
On April 18, 2024, Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI) to introduce eco-friendly NCMC (National Common Mobility Cards) debit and prepaid cards.

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• These cards are powered by RuPay and are crafted from environmentally sustainable e-PVC
material.
• This is in line with Airtel Payments Bank’s commitment to India’s One Nation, One Card vision.
Key Points:
i.Customers can utilize these cards for seamless contactless payments at merchant establishments, both
online and offline, including NCMC transit transactions at metros, buses, and parking facilities nationwide.
ii.It eliminates the need for ticket queues. Additionally, they facilitate the issuance of concession and
monthly passes, simplifying transit transactions across different transport operators.
ii.Debit cards can be ordered through the Airtel Thanks App or by visiting nearby banking points, while
NCMC-enabled prepaid cards will soon be accessible through online and retail platforms, enhancing
customer convenience.
About Airtel Payments Bank:
MD & CEO– Anubrata Biswas
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
Establishment– 2017

Amazon Pay ties up with NPCI to introduce credit services on UPI

As per the report by Financial Express, Amazon Pay in partnership with National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI) is set to introduce its credit services on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

• This initiative aims to improve customer experience and value propositions.

Note: UPI is an Indian instant payment system developed by NPCI in 2012 but was introduced by RBI in
2016.
Key Points:
i.AmazonPay was granted a payment aggregator license by the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) in February
2024. Also, it received permission from RBI for a Prepaid Payment Instrument(PPI).

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ii.The report cited reasons which restricted the growth of

credit for UPI transactions like: many uncertainties related to
the interchange fee structure around UPI transactions and low
adoption among small merchants.
Amazon Pay partners with different financial entities:
i.AmazonPay collaborated with RBL Bank to enable UPI
payments on its platform. It has tied up with ICICI Bank for the
FasTag recharge and the introduction of the Amazon Pay ICICI
co-branded credit cards.
ii.Amazon Pay tied up with approximately 8.5 million brick
and mortar sellers across 350 urban and rural areas, along
with 10, 000 online merchants.
iii.Amazon Pay has collaborated with entities like: Axio, IDFC
FIRST Bank, and Karur Vysya Bank to offer “Buy Now Pay
Later” services.
Note:
i.At present, Amazon Pay has over 100 million customers who uses Amazon Pay UPI for various
transactions. It offers instant credit through its Amazon Pay Later option.
ii.Recently, NPCI has launched 3 new features for UPI- linked RuPay credit cards like: EMI facilities, UPI
Auto Pay for credit cards and increased credit limits. These features will come effective from 31st May,
2024.
About Amazon Pay:
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington D.C.(U.S.A.)
Founded in: 2007
About National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI):
NPCI is an Indian organisation that regulates the retail payment and settlement system in India. It was
launched as a joint initiative of Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association(IBA). It was set
up under the provisions of Payment and Settlement Systems Act(2007).
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO): Dilip Asbe
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in: 2008

Ashok Leyland Signed MoU with South Indian Bank For Dealer Financing
On April 18 2024, Ashok Leyland Limited, a commercial vehicle maker, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding(MoU) with South Indian Bank for financing dealers under the bank’s dealer finance
program.
• As part of the partnership, the South Indian Bank will provide competitive dealer finance
options to the dealers of Ashok Leyland Limited.
• This arrangement is mutually beneficial for vehicle manufacturers, dealers and South Indian
Bank.

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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

8 Indian Origins Featured in the Annual TIME100: Most Influential People in the World 2024
TIME, the 101-year-old global media brand has revealed the 21st edition of annual “TIME 100 most
influential people 2024” in the world. The list features a total of 8 people of Indian Origins namely Alia
Bhatt, Dev Patel, Sakshi Malik, Satya Nadella, Ajaypal Singh Banga, Jigar Shah, Asma Khan, and Priyamvada
Natarajan.

• The TIME100 list, compiled by the American magazine TIME, recognises the impact, innovation,
and achievement of the world’s most influential individuals.
About the List:
i.The List includes categories like Artists, Icons, Titans, Leaders, Innovators, and Pioneers.
ii.Individuals in each category are from diverse fields including movie stars, athletes, scientists, business
leaders, etc who have made an impact through their work.
iii.The TIME100 list also includes pairings of the list members and the guest contributors, selected by
TIME to write about them.
iv.The List was first published in 1999 as the result of
a debate among American academics, politicians, and
journalists.
People of Indian Origins on the List:
1.Alia Bhatt (Artists):
i.She is a famous Bollywood actress in India, who
acquired British citizenship.
ii.She won her 1st National Film Award for Best
Actress in 2023 for the movie “Gangubai
Kathiawadi,” directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
• She jointly received the award with a
Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon for the film
Mimi.
She made her international debut with Netflix’s “Heart
of Stone” in 2023.
2.Dev Patel (Artists):
i.He is a British actor and filmmaker of Indian descent. His notable movies include Slumdog Millionaire
(2008) and his directorial debut Monkey Man (2024).
ii.In 2017, he won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award for Best Supporting
Actor for the film Lion.

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3.Sakshi Malik (Icons):

She is one of the most well-known wrestlers in India. She became the first Indian female wrestler to win a
medal in the Olympic Games. She announced her retirement from wrestling in December 2023.
Medals:
i.A Silver Medal in the 58 kg freestyle category in the 2014 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Glasgow,
Scotland
ii.A Bronze Medal in the 62kg freestyle category in the 2018 CWG in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
iii.A Gold Medal in the 62kg freestyle category in the 2022 CWG in Birmingham, England
iv.A Bronze Medal in the 58kg category freestyle in the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil.
National Awards:
i.Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (erstwhile Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratan Award), the highest sporting honour
in India in 2016;
ii.In 2017, she received the Padma Shri award for Sports.
4.Satya Narayana Nadella (Titans):
i.Originally from Hyderabad (Telangana), India, he is an American Business Executive.
ii.He is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microsoft, an American multinational
technology company.
iii.In 2022, the Indian Government honoured him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to the
fields of Trade and Industry.
5.Ajaypal Singh Banga (Leaders):
i.He is an Indian-born American business executive, currently serving as the 14th President of the World
Bank Group, and has held this position since June 2023.
ii.In 2016, the Indian government honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions to the fields
of Trade and Industry.
6.Jigar Shah (Leaders):
i.He is an Indian-born American entrepreneur, serving as Director of the Loan Programs Office (LPO) in
the United States of America (US) Department of Energy (DOE).
7.Asma Khan (Pioneers):
i.She is an Indian-born British restaurateur and cookbook author.
ii.She is the Owner of an acclaimed London (United Kingdom, UK) Restaurant Darjeeling Express.
iii.In 2019, she became the 1st British chef to ever be featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table, an Emmy-
nominated documentary series.
8.Priyamvada Natarajan (Pioneers):
She is an Indian theoretical astrophysicist, working as a professor in the departments of astronomy and
physics at Yale University, US.
• She has also authored a book, Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the
Cosmos (2016).
Key Highlights:
i.The 2024 list features a total of 51 Women and over a dozen entertainers.
ii.Satya Nadella and Patrick Mahomes (American football quarterback) are both on the list for the 3rd
time, more than any other person in 2024.
iii.Motaz Azaiza (Palestinian photojournalist), 25 years old, is the youngest person on the list;
iv.Joel Habener (American Endocrinologist), 86 years old is the oldest person on the list.
About TIME magazine:
CEO– Jessica Sibley

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Headquarters– New York, USA

Created in– 1923

Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, Harry Brook Among Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year 2024
The 2024 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has revealed its Five Wisden Cricketers of the Year,
highlighting exceptional performances in the world of cricket. They are
Australia’s Mitchell Starc, Usman Khawaja, and Ash Gardner, and, England’s, Harry Brook and Mark
Wood.

Winners’ feat that resulted in becoming Wisden Cricketers of the Year:

i.Usman Khawaja: His stellar performance in the 2023 Ashes series in England earned him this
recognition. He lead the run charts with 496 runs.
ii.Mitchell Starc: In 2023 Ashes series, he emerge as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets at an
average of 27.08, including a crucial five-wicket haul in the third Test at Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds,
United Kingdom (UK).
iii.Ash Gardner: She attained a remarkable 12-wicket haul in Women’s Ashes at Trent Bridge in
Nottingham, England in June 2023. This marked the second-best match figures ever in a women’s Test
match, securing crucial points for Australia in the multi-format series. Gardner took 23 wickets across the
series
iv.Harry Brook: His notable innings in the men’s Ashes series, particularly his standout performance at
Headingley, where he made 75 runs off 93 balls, earned him recognition.
v.Mark Wood: Despite playing only the final three Ashes Tests, he took 14 wickets, but his most
memorable spell was his first at Headingley when he took five wickets.
About Wisden Cricketers of the Year:
The Cricketer of the Year award, established in 1889, is cricket’s oldest individual honor. Recipients are
chosen primarily for their performances in the preceding English summer, with no player eligible to win
the award more than once.
Other Awards:
Travis Head won 2023 Wisden Trophy
Australian Cricketer Travis Head clinched the trophy for his outstanding 163 against India in the World
Test Championship (WTC) final 2021–2023 at the Oval in London, UK.
• It is awarded every year to the cricketer – man or woman – who has produced the outstanding
Test performance of the previous 12 months.
Pat Cummins and Nat Sciver-Brunt: Leading Cricketers
Australia’s Pat Cummins and England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt named as the top cricketers globally while West
Indies’ Hayley Matthews recognized as the leading T20(Twenty-20) cricketer in the world.
• A criterion for Leading Cricketers Award is selection based on previous year’s performances by
editor and expert panel.

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Arjun Singh’s 2023 Wisden Photograph of the Year

Arjun Singh’s photo of players Sanju Samson (India), Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies) and Dhruv Jurel
(India) all competing to take a catch during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Rajasthan
Royals and Gujarat Titans emerged as the winner of the 2023 Wisden Photograph of the Year competition.
• Arjun Singh is awarded with 1,000 Pound (£).
Wisden Schools Cricketer
Ollie Sykes (England) named Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year for his exceptional performance in the
2023 season, scoring 935 runs, taking 30 wickets, and achieving three centuries for Tonbridge School, UK.
Note:
Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, known as the ‘Bible of Cricket’, is an annual reference book published in the
United Kingdom (UK) since 1864. It holds the record as the world’s oldest and longest-running sporting
handbook.
Recent Related News:
i.The Indian women’s hockey team finished as runner-up (Silver Medal) at the Fédération Internationale
de Hockey(FIH) Hockey 5s Women’s World Cup 2024 after losing to the Netherlands in the final. The
inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey 5s Women’s World Cup was held from 24-27 January 2024 in Muscat,
Oman.
ii.Former Indian shooter and India’s first individual Olympic gold medal winner (Beijing Olympics –2008),
Abhinav Bindra has been selected as a torchbearer to take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay.
About United Kingdom (UK):
Prime Minister– Rishi Sunak
Capital– London
Currency– Pound sterling

Ananth Technologies Founder Pavuluri Subba Rao Conferred with ASI’s Aryabhata Award
Pavuluri Subba Rao, former ISRO scientist and Founder and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Ananth
Technologies Limited(ATL) has been conferred the prestigious Aryabhata Award by the Astronautical
Society of India (ASI). He was also presented with the “Distinguished Fellow” title by ASI.

• He received the honor in recognition of his outstanding lifetime contribution to the promotion
of astronautics in India.
About Pavuluri Subba Rao:
i.He was a former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist. He left ISRO in 1991, when he was
division head at ISRO.
ii.He founded Ananth Technologies Limited(ATL) in 1992 , based in Hyderabad, Telangana. The company
indigenously builds some of the sophisticated avionics for ISRO and the Defence sector.
iii.ATL has satellite manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

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Aryabhata Award:
i.The award was instituted by Astronautical Society of India (ASI).
ii.The award is named in the honour of 5th Century Indian astronomer and mathematician Aryabhata, and
also in commemoration of India’s 1st satellite named Aryabhata, launched in 1975.
iii.The award is presented annually to an individual for his outstanding lifetime contribution for the
promotion of astronautics in India.
iv.The recipient of the award receives a citation and cash prize of Rs 1,00,000.
About Astronautical Society of India(ASI):
It was established in 1990 to foster the development of astronautics in the country.
President: Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) off
Odisha Coast
On 18th April 2024, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted
flight-test of Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) from the Integrated Test
Range (ITR) located at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM):

i.The ITCM is equipped with advanced avionics and software to ensure better and reliable performance.
ii.The missile is developed by DRDO’s laboratory Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) based
in Bengaluru, Karnataka, along with contribution from other laboratories and Indian industries.
iii.The successful demonstration of flight-test confirmed the reliable performance of the
indigenous propulsion system developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment(GTRE) based in
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Key Points:
i.The missile performance was monitored by various Range Sensors like: Radar, Electro Optical
Tracking System (ETOS) and Telemetry deployed by the ITR at various locations to ensure complete
coverage of the flight path.
ii.The flight of the missile was also monitored from the Su-30-Mk-I aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
About Aeronautical Development Establishment(ADE):
ADE is a laboratory of DRDO and is entrusted with the responsibility of conducting research and
development in the field of military aviation.
Director: Y Dilip
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Established: 1959

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Intel Builds ‘Hala Point’, World’s Largest Neuromorphic System To Enable Sustainable AI
Intel Corporation, an American technology company that manufactures semiconductor computer circuits,
has built the world’s largest neuromorphic system code named ‘Hala Point’ to enable more
sustainable Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• It is initially deployed at Sandia National Laboratories, utilizes Intel’s Loihi 2 processor.
• It aims at supporting research for future brain-inspired artificial intelligence (AI), and tackles
challenges related to the efficiency and sustainability of current AI.
• Hala Point advances Intel’s first-generation large-scale research system, Pohoiki Springs, with
architectural improvements to achieve over 10 times more neuron capacity and up to 12
times higher performance.
• It can support up to 20 quadrillion operations per second, with an efficiency exceeding 15
trillion 8-bit operations per second per watt (TOPS/W) when executing conventional deep
neural networks.

SPORTS
Former World No. 1 Badminton Player Kento Momota announces Retirement
On 18th April 2024, former World No. 1 Badminton player Kento Momota of Japan announced that he
would retire from badminton after featuring in the 2024 Thomas & Uber Cup for Japan.
• The 29-year-old Kento Momota is ranked 52nd in the Badminton World Federation (BWF)
World Rankings as of 18th April 2024.
• He won the World Championships and Asian Championships in 2018 and 2019. He won 67 out
of the 73 matches that he played in 2019, including 11 titles.
• He has also participated in the 2020 Tokyo(Japan) Olympics, held in 2021.
Note: The BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2024 is set to be held in Chengdu, China from 27th April to 5th
May 2024.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

PM Narendra Modi Presented with a Book Titled “Sabke Ram”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was presented with a book titled “Sabke Ram” by Panchjanya editor
Hitesh Shankar and Managing Director of Bharat Prakashan Arun Goyal.
• The book was published by Prabhat Prakashan, which publishes “Panchjanya,” a Hindi weekly
magazine.
• It narrates the history of Ayodhya and provides details about lord ram’s birthplace and date of
birth.
• The main features of the book is that it can be read and listened to in Hindi and English.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Liver Day 2024 – April 19
World Liver Day (WLD) is annually observed across the globe on 19 April to raise awareness about the
importance of liver health and to prevent and manage liver diseases.

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• WLD aims to encourage a healthier lifestyle, proper diet, regular exercise, and avoiding harmful
substances to maintain liver health.
The theme of World Liver Day 2024 is ‘Be Vigilant, Get Regular Liver Check-Ups and Prevent Fatty
Liver Diseases.’
Note: The 2024 theme emphasises the urgency for combined action in mitigating the impact of liver
diseases, particularly fatty liver diseases, a growing health concern globally.
Global Impact:
i.In 2019, India launched WLD to raise awareness about liver-related diseases. In 2023 the major liver
associations expand this initiative worldwide.
ii.Prominent liver health organisations worldwide jointly urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to
officially recognise April 19th as World Liver Day.
iii.The collaboration of the organisations are as follows:
• The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL);
• The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL);
• The American Association for the Study of the Liver Diseases (AASLD);
• The Asociacion Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Higado (ALEH); and
• The Society on Liver Disease in Africa (SOLDA)
Liver:
i.The liver is the second largest organ in the human body. It weighs about 1,200–1,500 grams.
ii.It is a critical organ located in the upper right part of the belly (abdomen), beneath the diaphragm, and
on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines.
iii.It is capable of regenerating itself with just 25% of healthy liver tissue.
iv.The liver performs over 500 vital functions including Metabolism, Immunity, Digestion, Detoxification,
and Vitamin storage.
Key Facts:
i.Each year, thousands of people are affected by liver disease. 1.5 billion people live with chronic liver
disease, and 2 million lives are lost yearly.
ii.In 2020, 905,700 individuals were diagnosed with liver cancer, and 830,200 lost their lives to this
disease.
iii.Liver cancer ranked among the top 3 causes of cancer-related deaths in 46 countries. Without action,
cases could rise by 55% from 2020 to 2040.

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Aspirant Queries

Aspirant: Does Affairscloud covers all the Current affairs topics

related to examinations?

Affairscloud: We Guaranteed All the Important topics related to

examination are covered in Our Daily CA content and Daily CA
Quizzes.

Aspirant: Why is there a delayal in news?

Affairscloud: As some of the major news sites doesn't provide the

required data on the exact day, we take extra time for important
data to be presented to the aspirants on the examination basis to
ensure nothing is missed.
Example: In 'Important Days' topics the International
Organisations publish their reports and Rankings in the evenings, to
make sure every data is covered, we delay the topics to the next day

Candidates appearing for Competitive Exams. Kindly Share the

General Awareness questions, which asked in their respective
exams to “[email protected]”

GA Questions Asked in Exams

• Affairscloud’s Self Analysis for General Awareness Section

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Most Trusted Source!!!!! Since 2014, nearly 85% of the questions in the General
Awareness section on Bank Exams have been covered by Affairscloud@Careerscloud.

Detailed Analysis of GA Questions asked in SBI Clerk Mains Exam2023-2024:

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