1. The 9th India Japan Energy Dialogue was held in New Delhi on May 1, 2018. Both India and Japan with a view to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the aegis of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized the importance of development and deployment of next generation technologies including hydrogen to realize de-carbonization. Both countries agree to work together for energy security, energy access and climate change issues. They further confirmed their commitment to work together in promoting well-functioning energy markets and affirmed to promote transparent and diversified Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market through the relaxation of destination clause. They also agree to initiate the discussion on Electric Vehicles (Evs) and commit to work together in promoting well-functioning energy markets.
2. Akshay Kumar has bagged the best actor award at the 2018 Dadasaheb Phalke awards for his role in 'Padman (Jury)' and for 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha'. The awards were given by Dadasaheb Phalke Film Foundation in Mumbai on April 29. Bhumi Pednekar won the best actress trophy for her work in Toilet Ek Prem Katha. Manisha Koirala won the 'Most Versatile Actress' award. Whereas,veteran actor-director Rakesh Roshan was given the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the industry as an actor, producer and a director. Meanwhile, veteran actor Farida Jalal was awarded the Saraswatibai Dadasaheb Phalke Best actress (Lifetime) award for her contribution to the film industry.
3. Tennis player Anikta Raina, who has displayed good form this season both in the Fed Cup and the professional circuit, has been included in the Government of India (GoI)'s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Ankita recently broke into the top-200, reaching a career-best 197 in the WTA rankings released earlier this month. With this, she became only the 5th Indian woman singles tennis player after Sania Mirza, Nirupama Vaidyanathan, Sunita Rao and Shikha Uberoi to break into the world's top 200. Beside Raina, Mehuli Ghosh, Om Prakash Mitharwal, Gaurav Solanki, Shahzar Rizvi, Hussamuddin Mohammad, Manu Bhaker, Anish Bhanwala and Gaurav Solanki were also included in the TOPS list.
4. Sitanshu Kar, a 1983-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, has become the principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). He succeeded Frank Noronha, who had held the post since 2014. Prior to this post, Kar was serving as the AIR's News Services Division (NSD) director general. In a career spanning nearly 35 years, Kar has worked in key positions in various media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Apart from this, he has the distinction of being the longest serving spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence. He served there for over a decade at a stretch.
5. Guruji Ravinder Sharma, the renowned sculpture and mentor of artists, has passed away at Kala Ashram in Adilabad, Telangana on April 30, 2018. He was the founder of Adilabad's Kala Ashram and is credited to playing a vital role in protecting ancient rural and tribal art forms and knowledge system of the country for nearly four decades. He was honoured with Kala Ratna award by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2014 for rendering matchless services to the field. After bifurcation of the State, the Telangana government awarded him the Ugadi Puraskaram in 2015. Guruji was also conferred the D. Litt (Honoris Causa) by the SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana the same year
6. The 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBS-2019) will be held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh from January 21 to 23, 2019. The event would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth. There will be provision for the participants to participate in the Kumbh Snan (in Allahabad) and then travel to New Delhi to be part of the Republic Day Parade on January 26. It will be organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in association with the Uttar Pradesh government with theme "Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India".
7. The International Labour Day, also known as International Worker's Day or May Day, observed every year on May 1 to promote and encourage the international labour associations. The day marks the victory of workers' movement for 8 hours of work. It also aims to pay tribute to workers sacrifices in achieving economic and social rights all over the world. In India, Labour Day is referred to as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas or Kamgar Din. The first Labour day or May Day was celebrated in the year 1923 in Chennai. The 2018 theme "Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Advancement" motivate workers all over the world to unite for their rights and demand social and economic advancement from the governments and capitalists. The theme also calls upon the labour leaders to collectively fight for the improvement in working conditions and press for decent work.
8. P P Lakshmanan (83), the former President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and ex-member of the Appeals committee of FIFA, has passed away at Kannur in Kerala on April 30. He was the first Indian to be chosen as the member of FIFA's appeal committee. He was an eminent member of FIFA World Cup Appeal Committee for two consecutive editions, Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010. He had also served as Kerala Football Association president.
9. The first-ever joint Army exercise "Harimau Shakti 2018" has started between the troops of the Indian and Malaysian armies at Wardieburn Camp in Kuala Lumpur on April 30. The focus will remain on tactical operations in jungle warfare.The aim of the two-week long exercise is to bolster cooperation and coordination between armed forces of both the nations and to share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain. Both armies stand to hone their tactical and technical skills in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations under the UN mandate. Overall, the exercise will not only provide an excellent opportunity to both the armies to hone their operational skills but will also contribute to enhance the strategic partnership between India and Malaysia.
10. The under-construction Lakhwar Dam is a 192 meter high concrete gravity dam with 165.9 meter long head and 20 to 50 km long backwater reservoir on Yamuna River near the Lohari village in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. The purpose of dam is to generate electricity as well as meet drinking water needs of people in the area. It is expected to come up at a cost of Rs 3,966 crore. It has a 300MW power generation capacity and will have a storage capacity of 333.04 million cubic meter.
11. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has organised Kisan Kalyan Karyashala at the block level across the country on May 2, 2018 in which farmers from that block will participate. The workshops are part of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, a rural-centric campaign that started on the 14th of last month, the birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar. It will end on May 7. During workshops, farmers from each block will be interacting with agriculture officers and scientists to discuss ways to increase their income through adoption of new technology. Awareness campaigns and training programmes will disseminate information about steps for doubling the farmers' income by 2022 and other measures taken by the NDA government for their welfare.
12. Kottayam Pushpanath (80), the renowned Malayalam detective novelist, has passed away in Kottayam, Kerala on May 2, 2018. He expanded the world of horror fiction in Malayalam literature and wrote over 100 detective and horror novels in Malayalam. His original name was Pushpanathan Pillai. It was Kottayam Pushpanath who translated Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' into Malayalam. Among his novels, 'Brahmarakshas' and 'Chuvanna Anki' were later adapted into movies. Many of his works were translated into various languages including Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.
13. Uma Bharti, the Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation, has launched the GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) – DHAN scheme at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) Auditorium, Karnal, Haryana on May 1, 2018. The purpose of scheme is to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste. The scheme also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people. Under the scheme, cooking gas would be provided to rural habitations and technical support would ensure that the scheme functioned on a sustainable basis.
14. Ashok Mitra (90), the noted scholar and the first Finance Minister in the Left Front government in West Bengal, has passed away in Kolkata on May 1, 2018. Besides serving the State Government, he also worked with the Central Government as the Chief Economic Adviser from 1970-72, when Indira Gandhi was prime minister, and was a member of Rajya Sabha. A teacher of Economics, who taught in UN Economic Commission, Mitra was also associated with World Bank for many years. He was one of Bengal's most prolific columnists and was known for his deep and critical analysis of society and its politics.
15. Chennai-based transgender Mubina has won the 2018 Miss Koovagam beauty pageant title in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu. This year, nearly 40 transgenders in the age group of 18 and 35 contested for the 'Miss Koovagam' title. In it, apart from their beauty and attire, the contestants were tested for their knowledge in Indian mythologies.
16. India has been ranked joint-sixth in the list of doping violations with 69 cases, same as that of Russia, according to World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report for samples collected in 2016. India improved its position to sixth after being joint-third for three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015. Though, the number of dope violations for India has reduced but the trend of sports which are mostly under the scanner remain same. Italy topped the rankings of drug cases in 2016, followed by France (86), United States (76), Australia (75), Belgium (73).
17. The "2018 Vijay Prahar" exercise of Indian Army's South Western Command has started near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. Over 20,000 troops of the strike formations of the Army are engaged in the exercise to fine-tune the joint-manship with the Indian Air Force (IAF). During the exercise, the formations are practicing and operationalising certain concepts of operating in the network-centric environment, integrated employment of modern-day sensors with the weapon platforms, employment of attack helicopters in the air cavalry role and a bold offensive of application of the Special Forces. The exercise that began a couple of weeks ago will conclude on May 9 and Army chief General Bipin Rawat and other senior officers are likely to witness the final phase.
18. Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, an MP from Gulbarga (Karnataka), has been re-appointed chairman of the 22-member Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for its fresh term starting on May 1. Kharge, is the leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha. A majority of the members of this parliamentary panel, which is headed by an opposition leader, are from the ruling NDA. It is the oldest parliamentary committee that examines the accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by Parliament for expenditure of Government of India and such other accounts of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies.
19. Subhash Chandra Khuntia, a 1981-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, has been appointed as Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Khuntia's appointment for a period of 3 years. The post was vacant for more than two months after TS Vijayan's tenure came to an end on February 21.
20. The Mettur Dam is one of the largest dams in India and the largest in Tamil Nadu located across the river Cauvery where it enters the plains. The total length of the dam is 1,700 metres and has the capacity of 93.4 billion cubic feet. The dam creates Stanley Reservoir.
21. The first-ever India- South Africa Business Summit (ISABS 2018) was held at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa on April 29-30, 2018. The tag line of the Summit was "United by Legacy, Unified for Prosperity" and was attended by the Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu. In it, Suresh Prabhu highlighted the historical relations between India and Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho and pledged to take the economic partnership forward. The highlights of the summit included a book release of 'The Red Fort Declaration – The Legacy 20 Years' on commemoration of 20 years of Strategic Partnership, authored by journalist Fakir Hassen, which documents the progress of bilateral relations between the two countries. There was also the release of a White Paper setting out the substantive corporate social responsibilities of Indian companies based in South Africa.
22. Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to provide digitally-signed land record receipts (also known as 7/12 receipts). The 7/12 receipt is the most important document which establishes the ownership of the land, and is primarily used by farmers while applying for loans. It is also used by the government during crop surveys and to extend various facilities. With digital authentication, the farmers will no longer have to visit revenue offices or the Maha e-seva centres. Now, the farmers will have to inform only the gat (group) number or survey number to bank or a government department, and the respective agency can ensure the 7/12 receipt online. Presently, eight lakh 7/12 receipts come with digital sign, and the aim is to complete the digitisation of all 2.5 crore receipts by August 1. To get the 7/12 receipt with digital sign, one must go to https://mahabhulekh.
23. The 12th edition of the bilateral border trade between India and China from Nathu La border in Sikkim has resumed for the scheduled period from May 1 to November 30. The trading days are from Monday to Thursday and the trade will continue till November 30. The announcement in this regard was made by the General Secretary of the Indo-China Border Traders' Welfare Association, Tenzing Tsepel. In 2017, the trade was disrupted following the Doklam standoff. It must be noted that the Nathu La pass was sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War and was re-opened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements.
24. The 2-day national workshop on Data Requirements for Disaster Risk Reduction Database successfully concluded in New Delhi on May 3, 2018. It has set the stage for the creation of a national-level disaster database. Developing the integrated database with locally obtained and validated data is crucial for tracking the risks and progress towards resilience without which India will not be able to meet its developmental goals. It will also play a vital role in implementing the Prime Minister's 10-point agenda to address disaster risks. The workshop was organised by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with UNICEF, UNDP and UNISDR. The discussions held at the workshop will lead to the formation of a Steering Group to oversee the setting up of the database, and guiding trainings and capacity building for operating, maintaining, updating and using the database. The group will also identify pilot States and draw a roadmap for implementation of the project.
25. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) will hold National Conference of 244 Districts under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) in New Delhi on May 4, 2018. The Nodal Officers of 244 Districts, State Nodal Officers and Senior officers will be present in the day-long Conference. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi will be the Chief Guest at the function. The Conference will provide an opportunity for experience sharing and will motivate the new districts to plan and execute the programme successfully. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the All India expansion of BBBP scheme in 640 districts across the country. These 244 Districts from across the country will be covered under Multi-Sectoral Intervention. This is in addition to the already covered 161 Districts. Remaining 235 Districts will be covered through Media campaign and advocacy outreach.
26. The World Press Freedom Day is observed every year on May 3 to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while following their profession. The 2018 theme "Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law" highlights the importance of an enabling legal environment for press freedom and gives special attention to the role of an independent judiciary in ensuring legal guarantees for press freedom and the prosecution of crimes against journalists. The day serves as an occasion to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.
27. On May 2, Jagdish Mukhi has been sworn in as the acting governor of Manipur by the Acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, Justice N Kotiswar Singh. As per official release, Mukhi, who is the governor of Assam and Meghalaya, will hold office in the absence of Governor Najma Heptullah. The swearing-in was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh, Speaker Y Khemchand Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Ksh Bhabananda Singh, the council of ministers, the chief secretary and director general of police and other senior officials.
28. Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton has won the 2018 Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix tournament at the Baku City Circuit in Baku on April 29, 2018. In it, both Red Bulls sensationally collided with each other. Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari finished second and Sergio Perez of Force India ended third in the Race. 9.
29. Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif (94), the former Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), has passed away 2018 in Hyderabad on May 1, 2018. He was the IAF chief from September 1978 to August 1981. After his retirement in 1981, Latif held the posts of Maharashtra Governor and Indian Ambassador to France. He had joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1941 at the age of 18 and was commissioned the next year. On completion of his training at Ambala, he was posted in Karachi, where he flew vintage biplanes like the Wapiti, Audaxes and Harts, on Anti-Submarine flights over the Arabian Sea. During 1943-44, he was one of the few Indian pilots to be seconded to the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom, where he underwent training on more contemporary aircraft like the Hurricane and Spitfire. He returned to India in 1944 and took part in the Burma campaign. At the time of partition, he chose IAF though he was reportedly urged by some to join the Pakistan Air Force.
30. The Barkana Falls is a water falls located near Agumbe in Shimoga district of Karnataka. It is among the ten highest waterfalls in India and is formed by Seetha River. The water falls is filled with water only during rainy season.
31. Indian-American Deepa Ambekar has been appointed as the interim judge to a US civil court of New York City. She has become the 2nd Indian-American woman judge in the city after Chennai-born Raja Rajeswari. In 2015, Rajeswari was sworn in as a criminal court judge and became the first India-born woman to be appointed a judge in the city. Judge Ambekar served with the New York City Council for 3 years as Senior Legislative Attorney and Counsel to the Committee on Public Safety. Prior to that, she was a Staff Attorney at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division, and a litigation associate at a private firm.
32. B. N. Vijay Kumar (60), the sitting BJP MLA from Jayanagar in Karnataka, has passed away in Bengaluru due to cardiac arrest while campaigning in his constituency on May 3, 2018. He was contesting the Assembly election for the third time. A two-time MLA from Jayanagar, Vijay Kumar was a bachelor and a civil engineering graduate. He was known for his simplicity and mild manners.
33. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, has announced additional grants of $3 million to two Indian non-profit organisations – Central Square Foundation and The Teacher App. The grants are a part of Google.org's mission to help provide quality education access and learning for all. With a $1 million grant to The Teacher App in India, Google.org aims to provide teachers with training and resources on the concepts of math, science, language, and pedagogy. The funds are expected to scale the platform to reach 500,000 teachers in two years. With online video emerging as a popular medium of learning, Google.org will provide a $2 million grant and technical assistance from the YouTube Learning team to Central Square Foundation, a policy think tank focused on improving the quality of school education. The grant will support a minimum of 20 content creators to produce at least 200 hours of quality science, technology, engineering and Math content in Hindi and vernacular languages.
34. The 4th edition of 'Vibrant North East 2018' has started in Guwahati, Assam on 3rd May 2018 in which people would be made aware of central government's schemes and programmes. It is organised by Delhi-based NGO, Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) and is supported by the North Eastern Council, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and All India Farmers Alliance. The main purpose of the event is to disseminate information about the schemes, grants and projects of the Central government to ensure that they are implemented as envisaged officially.
35. Indian pugilist Neeraj Goyat has been conferred with theWBC Asia Boxer of the Year Award. Neeraj is the current WBC Asia champion in welter weight category. Since turning pro in 2011, Neeraj has won nine fights including two knockouts.
36. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah from Egypt has been named the Football Writers' Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year for 2017/18. With this, Salah became the first African to be given the accolade after edging out Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne by less than 20 votes in a ballot of more than 400 FWA members. Beside this, Salah also became the first Egyptian player to won the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) player of the year award in April 2018.
37. Radhakrishnan Nair, the former IRDAI member, has been appointed to ICICI Bank's board as an Additional (Independent) Director. His appointment will be for a period of five years and is subject to shareholders' approval. Nair has around 40 years of experience in the banking industry and in the field of securities and insurance regulation. He is already an independent director of three subsidiaries of ICICI Bank — ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd; ICICI Prudential Trust Ltd and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Ltd. Meanwhile, the Board of Directors of ICICI Bank Limited (IBN) has appointed Dr. Tushaar Shah as a non-executive Director effective May 3, 2010
38. Keyur Bhushan (90), the well-known Gandhian, freedom fighter and writer, has passed away in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on May 3, 2018. Bhushan, born at Janta in Bemetara district, took part in the 1942 Quit India movement as a student in Raipur, and was incarcerated. During the 1980s, when terrorism was raging in Punjab, he had undertaken a foot-march to promote peace. He penned novels, collections of short stories and poems. He also edited `Sapthahik Chhattisgarh' and `Antyoday'. Bhushan represented Raipur constituency in the Lok Sabha in the 1990s.
39. The 4th Regional Conference on 'Futuristic, Resilient and Digital Infrastructure' was held in Bengaluru on May 4, 2018. The 2-day Conference was organized by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), andResearch and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). The conference is a lead-up event to the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which is going to be hosted by the Government of India on 25th and 26th June 2018 in Mumbai. The Conference saw eminent delegates representing partner institutions, academia, civil society organizations and experts from various fields expressing their views on how to bring about institutional approaches for futuristic and digital infrastructure in India.
40. The Vindhyachal Thermal Power Station, which is one of the coal-fired power stations of NTPC, is located in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. It is the largest power station in India with an installed capacity of 4760 MW. The coal for the power plant is sourced from Nigahi mines, and the water is sourced from the discharge canal of Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station.
41. On May 4, the sports initiative 'Star Khel Mahakumbh' was launched by BJP MP Anurag Thakur and cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh in the presence of 1,500 athletes. The athletes will compete in volleyball, basketball, cricket, football, kabaddi and athletics. The initiative has been designed in a manner as to attract participation of at least one lakh youth from across 5000 villages and 800 panchayats. The registration will be done on grounds across panchayats from May 4-20.
42. The 19th edition of TOONZ Animation Masters Summit 2018 was held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on May 4-5, 2018. It was inaugurated by Ashish Kulkarni, Chairman of FICCI for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Forum, and was organized by the Technopark-based Toonz Media Group. The purpose of the summit is to present new trends which can give a fresh vigour to the industry segment with the help of modern technology and taking advantage of fresh opportunities. At least 400 members of the animation and media industry drawn from within India and overseas attended the summit. In the summit, V G Samant, a venerated pioneer of Indian animation and creator of 'Hanuman', was honoured with the 'Legend of Animation' award for his contributions to the animation industry. Legendary masters including Kiran Antony- Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather, Resul Pookutty- Oscar winning sound engineer and Paul Robinson- International Media Executive, also took part in the event.
43. On May 5, the NITI Aayog and IBM have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to develop a crop yield prediction model using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide real time advisory to farmers in Aspirational Districts. The purpose of the partnership is to work together towards use of technology to provide insights to farmers to improve crop productivity, soil yield, control agricultural inputs with the overarching goal of improving farmers' incomes. The first phase of the project will focus on developing the model for 10 Aspirational Districts across the States of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The scope of this project is to introduce and make available climate-aware cognitive farming techniques and identifying systems of crop monitoring, early warning on pest/disease outbreak based on advanced AI innovations.
44. On May 1, the Government of Manipur has launched 'Go to Village' mission across the State from Konuma ground of Komlakhong gram panchayat in Imphal West district. The mission was launched simultaneously in 60 villages in all 60 constituencies. Under the new mission, the government will identify the eligible and deserving beneficiaries and deliver government services at their doorstep.
45. The World Cartoonist's Day is celebrated every year on May 5 to honor all those creative ink-stained artists, past and present, the fascinating pieces they have created and the humor they have brought into our lives. The cartoonist's aim is always to sum up the most important news of the time in a cartoon which ultimately makes the reader sit up and take notice.
46. The 12th informal meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Manila, Philippines on May 4, on the sidelines of the 51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB). The meeting was attended by the Finance Ministers / Heads of Delegations from the SAARC member states. Finance Minister of Nepal Yuba Raj Khatiwada chaired the meeting. The Finance Ministers/Heads of Delegation briefed the meeting about the current status of economic progress achieved by their countries. They also appreciated ADB for its contribution in the economic growth of SAARC countries. An Indian delegation was headed by Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
47. India has been ranked at 11th position in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2018 of global consultancy firm A T Kearney. It is the first time since 2015 that India has been pushed out of the top 10. Though, India remains among the top investment destinations due to its market size and rapid economic growth. The report said a possible factor for the fall could be the coming elections in India, as investors are likely to be monitoring political risks. The annual survey tracks the impact of political, economic and regulatory changes on the FDI preferences of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) of the country. The index is topped by United States, followed by Canada, Germany, United Kingdom and China.
48. Arun Date (84), the veteran Marathi singer, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on May 6, 2018. Date, famous for non-film 'bhavgeet' (lyrical poetry) songs, had crooned numbers like "Shukratara" and "Ya Janmavar", which became very popular among people. He was the first recipient of the state government's 'Gajananrav Vatave Puraskar'. His father, Ramubhaiyya Date, was also a well-known classical music connoisseur.
49. The 15th Asia Media Summit (AMS-2018) will be held in New Delhi on May 10-12 with theme "Telling our Stories- Asia and More". The summit will provide a unique opportunity for broadcasters in Asia to share their thoughts on broadcasting and information. It is being organised by Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in collaboration with its partners and international organisations. The decision makers, media professionals, scholars, and stakeholders of news and programming from Asia, Pacific, Africa, Europe, Middle East and North America will attend the annual conference.
50. The Keoti Falls is located on the Mahana River, a tributary of Tamsa or Tons River, in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. It has a total height of 98 metres and has a segmented type waterfall with a single drop. Keoti Falls is an example of a nick point caused by rejuvenation. Knick point represents breaks in slopes in the longitudinal profile of a river caused by rejuvenation. The break in channel gradient allows water to fall vertically giving rise to a waterfall.
51. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected India to remain the fastest growing Asian nation with 7.3% growth in 2018-19, and 7.6% in 2019-20. ADB Chief Economist Yasuyuki Sawada has stated that India should not worry about not achieving 8% growth but focus on increasing domestic demand by reducing the income inequality. He said growth is driven more by domestic consumption than exports. Mr Sawada further said inequality and poverty reduction would play a very important role in achieving higher growth because consumption can stimulate more production and that can create more employment.
52. The 2018 International Children's Theatre Festival will be held at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata, West Bengal from June 17 to 21. Children of various theatre groups from eight countries besides host India will take part in fest. The participating countries are France, Slovenia, Swaziland, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Children of theatre groups from Indian states such as Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha and West Bengal will also be participating in the 5-day festival. There will be no entry free and the festival will be open for everybody.
53. Ramit Tandon from India has won the Abu Dhabi Open squash title on May 6, 2018. In an exciting one-hour final in Abu Dhabi, Ramit toppled number one seed Omar Abdel Meguid of Egypt with scores of 11-6, 6-11, 11-3, 11-2. It was their first meeting on Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour. This is Ramit's third title on PSA tour. In world rankings, the Indian holds the 65th position, while the Egyptian is placed higher at the 41st spot.
54. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which plays a pivotal role in infrastructure development in border areas, has celebrated its 58th Raising Day on May 7, 2018. Since its inception in 1960, the BRO has grown from 02 to 19 projects. The works executed have ensured the territorial integrity and the socio-economic upliftment of the most inaccessible regions of the country as well as India's neighbourhood. Currently, the organisation maintains operations in 21 states, one UT (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), and neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. The BRO operates and maintains over 32,885 km of roads and about 12,200m of permanent bridges in the country. Presently, BRO is also involved in the construction of a tunnel at the Rohtang pass which is estimated to be ready by 2019. It is currently headed by Lt General SK Shrivastava who is the 25th Director General Border Roads (DGBR).
55. The bi-annual Naval Commander's Conference will be held in New Delhi from May 8, 2018. During the 4-day conference, the Navy will review its new mission-based deployment philosophy aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the region. The philosophy of the conference will be at sustained, peaceful and responsive presence of Indian Naval ships in critical areas and choke points. During the conference, measures to ensure safety, continued training and checks and balances on crew proficiency on-board its frontline warships will be reviewed.
56. The first organised census of Indus Dolphins will be carried out by the Punjab government along with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) -India for the conservation of Indus dolphins, which are one of the world's rarest mammals. This is India's first organized Dolphin Census, which will be completed within a span of five years. The main purpose of this census is to find out the exact population of this species of dolphins. After this, their protection program will be run. The Indus dolphins are found only in India and Pakistan and are confined to only a 185 km stretch between Talwara and Harike Barrage in India's Beas river in Punjab.
57. The first apex conference for the CEOs of Smart Cities will be held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on 8th May 2018. It will be inaugurated by Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs, Hardeep Puri. The 2-day apex Conference is being organized with an objective to provide momentum to the cities and a platform for cross-learning, sharing and disseminating the experience gained over the past two and a half years. The conference will enable the CEOs to learn from the experiences of all city leaders to understand in greater details both successes and failures. The convergence of all the best practices in Smart city missions across the country on a single platform will help the city leaders to not waste time in 'reinventing the wheel' but use the collective learning to accelerate the progress of work.
58. China has successfully launched a new communication satellite "APSTAR-6C" into orbit by the Long March 3B launch vehicle from Xichang Satellite Launch Center at Sichuan province of China. The satellite is based on the Dong Fang Hong 4 (DFH-4) platform and with a designed life of 15 years. It will provide TV transmission, communication, internet, and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region. The user of the satellite is Hong Kong-based APT Satellite Co. Ltd. Both the satellite and the rocket were developed by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST).
59. In Shooting, Olympian Gagan Narang and Pooja Ghatkar clinched a Silver medal in the 10-meter Air Rifle Mixed Team event in the Grand Prix of Liberation International competition at Pilsen in the Czech Republic on May 6, 2018. Beside this, Shri Nivetha Paramanantham and Amanpreet Singh claimed the Mixed Air Pistol Silver after topping the qualification with a score of 775. Earlier in the tournament, Nivetha had bagged a Gold medal in the Women's Air Pistol, while Mihika Poore took home the top honours in the Women's Air Rifle event.
60. The Tiroda Thermal Power Station is a coal-based thermal power plant located at Tirora in Gondia district, Maharashtra. The power plant is operated by the Adani Power. It has a planned capacity of 3300 MW.
61. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed an indigenous atomic clock that will be used in navigation satellites to measure precise location data. It is being developed by the Ahmedabad-based Space Applications Centre (SAC). This clock is currently undergoing a series of qualification tests. Once it successfully clears all tests, the desi atomic clock will be used in an experimental navigation satellite to test its accuracy and durability in space. At present, ISRO imports atomic clocks from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium for its navigation satellites. With the development of indigenous atomic clocks, the space agency sure gets a mark of technological advancement.
62. India and Guatemala have signed a pact for strengthening diplomatic cooperation through Respective Foreign Service Institutes in the educational field. The agreement was recently inked after a meeting between Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and his Guatemala counterpart, Jafeth Cabrera Franco in Guatemala City. Beside this, both the countries agreed to support each other's candidature for Non-Permanent Membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Guatemala will support India's candidature for UNSC membership for 2021-22 while New Delhi will do so for 2031-32 for Guatemala. During the talks, Indian side also agreed to the Guatemala's request for supplying solar panels to its airports. After discussions and in the presence of both the Vice Presidents, both the sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for training of diplomats and a Letter of Intent for training Guatemalan English Teachers in India. These agreements will be valid for three years and will be extended thereafter, if required.
63. The World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (WRCRCD) is observed every year on May 8 to recognize the extraordinary contribution and incredible achievements of the stalwarts and volunteers around the world for helping the people in need anytime, anywhere. The day also marks the birth anniversary Jean Henry Dunant, the founder of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize. The 2018 theme "Memorable smiles from around the world" focuses on bringing memorable smiles in people's faces everywhere.
64. Pradeep Kumar Sinha, a 1977-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been given one year extension to the post of Cabinet Secretary. With this, he will continue as cabinet secretary till June 12, 2019 as against his current retirement date of 12th June 2018. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the extension. In May 2015, Mr Sinha was appointed as cabinet secretary for a fixed two-year term. This is his second extension. As per government rules, no government servant shall be granted extension in service beyond age of retirement of 60 years but as per rule FR 56, extension in public interest may be given "for a period not exceeding four years in the case of Cabinet Secretary". The Cabinet Secretary is the top-most executive official and senior-most civil servant of the Government of India. He is the ex-officio head of the Civil Services Board, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and head of all civil services under the rules of business of the government.
65. The International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is observed every year on May 4 to thank all firefighters for their extraordinary commitment, exceptional courage and for their selfless service. The day recognizes and honors the fire fighters who risk their lives every day to save life and property in their communities. The IFFD celebrates the dedication, heroism and importance of firefighters from all over the world.
66. The World Athletics Day (WAD) is observed every year on May 7 to popularize sports among the youth, to promote athletics as the primary sport in schools and institutions and to encourage and introduce new talent and youngsters in the field of athletics.
67. Dr Tahir Hussain, an Indian-American professor of Pharmacology at the University of Houston, has received a grant of 1.6 million dollars from the National Institutes of Health to examine a kidney cell that could prevent damage from inflammation caused by obesity. The targeted cells express a protein called the angiotensin type 2 receptor, which recently has been indicated to have anti-inflammatory and renoprotective actions. If activated, the AT2R will protect against chronic and acute kidney injury. Dr Hussain, an alumnus of the Aligarh Muslim University, will study the impact of inflammation in kidneys with active AT2R as well as those with no AT2R. This is the first time the receptor's role to protect kidney structure and function against injury in obese subjects will be investigated.
68. On May 8, the third edition of the United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African Partners (UNPCAP) was inaugurated in New Delhi to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN. The UNPCAP sessions will be held from May 7-25. The course is conducted by the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping in India (CUNPK) in partnership with the US. It is aimed to build and enhance the capacity of the African Troop Contributing Countries to the UN and to further train the trainers from these countries. The first and second editions of the course were held in New Delhi in 2016 and 2017.
69. India has signed a loan agreement of $200-million with the World Bank for the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan) to achieve its goal of reducing stunting in children aged 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022. The loan will support the first phase of scaling up of interventions in 315 districts across all states and union territories. A large component of POSHAN Abhiyaan involves gradual scaling-up of the interventions supported by the ongoing World Bank assisted Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP) to all districts in the country over a 3-year period. The project will ensure convergence of all nutrition-related schemes and provide performance-based incentives to states and community nutrition and health workers, facilitating a focus on results. The POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 8 in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
70. The Bhadra Dam is located on the Bhadra River, a tributary of Tungabhadra River, in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. The dam commissioned in 1965 is a composite earth cum masonry structure of 59.13m height with length of 1,708m at the crest level, which submerges a land area of 11,250.88 hectares. It has a gross storage capacity of 2.025 km3, live storage of 63.00 BCF at full reservoir level and a dead storage of 8.50 BCF at RL (reservoir level) of 631.54m.
71. The birth anniversary of Asia's first Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore has celebrated on May 7, 2018. Rabindra Jayanti is popularly called Poncheeshe Boishakh and being celebrated ceremoniously and jauntiness all across West Bengal and Bangladesh. A revered poet, mercurial writer, and a cursive painter Tagore was a prolific composer with 2,230 songs to his credit. His songs are known as Rabindra Sangeet. Tagore has composed the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh. Tagore was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the West and is generally regarded as the outstanding creative artist of modern India. Tagore's own English translations of his collection of Bengali poems Gitanjali fetched him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Tagore's works were widely translated into English, Dutch, German, Spanish, and other European languages.
72. On May 8, Nikol Pashinian has become the new Prime Minister of Armenia ,when a Parliament dominated by his political foes elected him by a 59-to-42 vote. He has been the leader of the ongoing 2018 Armenian non-violent protests which forced Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan and his government to resign.The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Armenia, but can be removed by a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
73. India has been ranked 4th out of 25 nations in the Asia Pacific region listed on the Lowy Institute Asia Pacific Power Index. The inaugural index, compiled by Australian think tank The Lowy Institute, has pegged India as the "giant of the future". The index measures a country's overall power in an average of 8 parameters —economic resources, military capability, resilience, future trends, diplomatic influence, economic relationships, defense networks and cultural influence. The index is topped by United States, followed by China and Japan.
74. The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) has recently signed a MoU with Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for the year 2018-19.The MoU envisages provision of enhanced services by NSIC under its marketing, financial, technology and other support services schemes, for MSMEs in the country. The corporation projects to increase its total business by 21.30% from Rs. 22,258 crore in the year 2017-18 to Rs. 27,000 crore in the year 2018-19. The NSIC is a Mini Ratna PSU established by the Government of India (GoI) in 1955. The headquarters is located in New Delhi. It is the nodal office for several schemes of Ministry of MSME such as Performance & Credit Rating, Single Point Registration, MSME Databank, National SC ST Hub, etc.
75. Journalist Carlos Alvarado has been sworn-in as the new President of Costa Rica on May 8, 2018. In April 2018, he won the presidential election (second round) with 61% votes. Alvarado swept to victory against conservative Protestant singer Fabricio Alvarado Munoz. At 39, Alvarado is the country's youngest president in modern history. He has spoken out in support of marriage equality, building a green transport network for the nation and for spurring economic growth to fight against insecurity.
76. Google has appointed Nitin Bawankule as the country head for its cloud business in India. He will take over from Mohit Pande who has quit the company. Bawankule will report to Rick Harshman, Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Google Cloud. Nitin has been with Google India for over six years as sales head for multiple verticals including e-commerce, retail, classifieds, and education. He has over 20 years of experience in the digital, technology and consumer industry with stints at Dell, Motorola Mobility, Whirlpool and Godrej GE Appliances.
77. On May 9, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched the website of Digital India Internship Scheme in New Delhi. Under this scheme, 25 interns will be inducted for a period of three months. These interns will be paid a stipend of Rs. 10, 000 per month. The internship is an opportunity for a student to secure first hand and practical work experience under the guidance of qualified and experienced Supervisor and Mentor. It also aims at active participation in the learning process through experimentation and putting into practice the knowledge acquired in the classrooms.
78. In its 2018 edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has approved modern, animal-free tests for drug manufacturers. This step would spare animals from suffering due to drug experiments. The 2018 edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia has provided guidelines on tests for drugs manufactured and marketed in India. In it, IPC has replaced the pyrogen test carried out on rabbits and the abnormal toxicity test carried out on guinea pigs and mice with tests that can be done in test tubes. The guidelines in the edition will come into effect from July 1. The pyrogen test is carried out to check impurity or substance that can cause adverse side-effects. For the test, the drug is injected into a rabbit and the animal is closely observed for feverish symptoms. The abnormal toxicity test is carried out to check potential hazardous biological contamination in vaccine formulation. IPC is an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which sets standards for all drugs that are manufactured, sold and consumed in India. It is headquartered in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
79. The Gokak falls is a waterfall located on the Ghataprabha River, a tributary of the Krishna river, in Belagavi district of Karnataka. The waterfall is horse shoe shaped at the crest, with a flood breadth of 177 metres. There is a hanging bridge across the river which stands 14m above the rock bed. The bridge was built during British rule. One of the interesting features of this place is the monuments from the Chalukya era that are found on either bank of the rocky gorge. are the monuments from the Chalukya era that are present on either banks of the rocky gorge. Another attraction of this place is the very old river-front temple dedicated to Lord Mahalingeshwara, built in the Later Chalukya style of architecture. There is also an old electricity generation station and electricity was generated here for the first time in 1887.
80. The Balpakram National Park is home to wide species of plants and animals and is located in the midst of the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The national park is full of sprawling vegetation consisting of sub tropical and deciduous trees. The park is famous for the golden cat and the barking deer. Other animals include Wild water buffalo, Red panda, Elephant and eight species of cats including Tiger and Marbled cat. Wide species of baboons and monkeys are also found in the forest. It is famous for pitcher plant and many medicinal plants called 'Dik.ke'.
81. On May 10, India is hosting the 15th edition of the Asia Media Summit (AMS-2018) in New Delhi with theme "Telling our Stories- Asia and More". New Delhi is hosting the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) Kuala Lumpur for the first time. The 3-day summit will encourage regional and bilateral dialogue and cooperation to respond to challenges to the broadcasting sector in the region. It will also provide a unique opportunity for broadcasters in the Asian region to share their thoughts on software and hardware aspects of broadcasting. Over 200 foreign delegates representing 39 countries and over a hundred Indian delegates would participate in the event. Dignitaries attending the Summit include Minister of Information from Bangladesh and Cambodia and Standing Commissioner Korea Communications Commission. The summit is hosted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, jointly with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication and public sector firm Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL).
82. The 6th US-India Aviation Summit was formally inaugurated by Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu in Mumbai on May 10, 2018. The biennial Summit is jointly organised by Ministry of Civil Aviation and US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The summit is a technical, policy and commercial forum by the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation and the US Trade and Development Agency. Besides a US and India bilateral meeting, the summit will also include sessions on India's projected aviation growth in next five years, aviation security and technologies for worldwide airspace management among others.
83. Former Delhi cricketer Rajinder Pal (80), who had represented the country in one Test match, has passed away in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on May 9, 2018. A right-arm medium pacer, Rajinder Pal played his only Test match against England (then known as MCC) during the 1963-64 series at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. He bowled 13 economical overs (0/19 in 11 overs & 0/3 in 2 overs) in that Test but returned wicket-less, which forced the selectors to replace him with a much quicker Ramakant Desai for the next Test match. Incidentally, along with Rajinder Pal, the other debutant was leg spin wizard Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, who went onto have a distinguished international career. However, it was domestic cricket where Rajinder Pal was a force to reckon with, scalping 337 wickets from 98 first class games with 23 five wicket hauls.
84. Nisha Bhalla, a holistic coach & consultant from Mumbai, has been conferred with the 'Excellent Woman of Excellence' award for her spiritual service at the Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 in Delhi. The WEF is the largest global gathering of women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide. This annual event recognizes the most successful women across all fields, with guests like Nobel laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui. Nisha conducts holistic courses at her institute 'Sai Institute of Kosmic Sciences' in Mumbai. She has received numerous national level awards in this field over the years and has appeared on popular channels like Zee TV and Star Plus, exhibiting her craft in shows. She had also received the All Maharashtra Maheshwari Trophy from the hands of legendary actors Dilip Kumar and Rishi Kapoor at the age of 12, for her work in aid of the NAB (National Association for the Blind), in 1984.
85. The 2018 World Robot Conference (WRC) will be held in Beijing, China from August 15-19 under the theme of creating new intelligent power and sharing the new opening-up era. It will offer a venue where academic thoughts can be exchanged at high levels and the latest achievements demonstrated. The event will see over 12,000 competing teams and 50,000 participants from more than 10 countries and regions. A robot competition will be held during the conference where participants will compete in five categories viz. robots, artificial intelligence, automation, robotics and control systems.
86. The 15th Finance Commission has constituted an advisory council to advise and assist the commission. The 6-member council will be headed by the President of Forum for Strategic Initiatives, Arvind Virmani. The role and functions of the council will be to advise the commission on any issue or subject related to the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission. Besides, the council will also assist the commission in the preparation of any paper or research study which will enhance the Commission's understanding on the issues containing in its ToR. The advisory council will help in broadening the commission's ambit and understanding to seek best national and international practices on matters pertaining to fiscal devolution and improving the quality and reach and enforcement of its recommendations.
87. On May 8, the Madhya Pradesh government has launched India's first Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC) for its smart cities at the Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Ltd. (BSCDCL) facility in the Berkheda area. The ICCC will enable Madhya Pradesh State Administration to monitor and administer multiple cities civic utilities and citizen services across seven smart cities include Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Indore, Ujjain, Satna, and Sagar. It will also enable statewide monitoring of these cities from central command view and result in significant cost savings as compared to deploying full-fledged data and discovery data along with the control centers in each center in every seven cities. ICCC is a cloud-based Universal Internet of Things (UIoT) platform developed by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE). It can run multiple city command centre operations through its multi-efficiency capabilities.
88. Mahathir bin Mohamad has become the new Prime Minister of Malaysia on May 10, after scoring a historic victory at the 14th general election 2018. With this, 92-year old Mahathir became the oldest living Prime Minister of Malaysia and the world's oldest head of government. His coalition party 'Pakatan Harapan' defeated the governing Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition, which has been in power for more than 60 years. The victory capped a dramatic political comeback for Mahathir, who previously ruled the country for 22 years (from 1981 to 2003), and came out of retirement to take on Prime Minister Najib Razak after the leader became embroiled in a massive corruption scandal.
89. Dr Nirmal Hirawat (74), the former Madhya Pradesh minister and senior Congress leader, has passed away at Katangi town in Balaghat District on May 9, 2018. The Congress leader, who was well-known as a doctor among the local residents, was instrumental in getting the status of a tehsil for Katangi. He was a member of former Chief Minister Shyama Charan Shukla's cabinet.
90. The 25 MW Mithapur Solar Power Plant is located in Mithapur, Gujarat and is spread over an area of 100 acres. The panels are of polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic technology. It is expected to produce 40,734 MWh/year.
91. The Telangana government has launched Rythu Bandhu (friend of farmers) scheme at Dharmarajupalle-Indiranagar village in Karimnagar district on May 10, 2018. The scheme is a first-of-its-kind initiative providing investment support to farmers, who own land. It is expected to provide the much needed breather to the marginal and small farmers who constitute a major chunk of land owners in the State. Under the scheme, each eligible farmer will get at least Rs 4,000 per acre for two crops in a year — kharif in May and rabi in October. The farmers can utilize the assistance either for purchase of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides or any other input requirement as per their requirement. The scheme will cover both agriculture and horticulture crops and benefits all farmers irrespective of the size of their land holdings.
92. Pawan Kumar Agarwal, a 1985-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, has been given 3 months extension beyond May 15, 2018 as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). He was appointed as the CEO of the FSSAI in December 2015. The FSSAI is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
93. After topping the chart for four years, India has been slipped to the 6th position globally on the Global Optimism Index in the first quarter of 2018, as per survey by Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR). The report says the business optimism in India has deteriorated while entering the last year of the current regime. Austria topped the index followed by Finland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US. The report was prepared on a quarterly global business survey of 2,500 businesses in 37 economies. With regard to India, Grant Thornton stated that the underlying pessimism is reflected in other parameters as well including revenue, selling prices, profitability, employment and exports expectations. Indian businesses have been citing regulations and red tape, availability of skilled workforce, lack of ICT infrastructure and shortage of finance as the biggest growth constraints.
94. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tourism Ministers' conference was held in Wuhan, China on 9th May 2018. From India, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism and Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, K. J. Alphons attended the conference. The meeting approved an action plan that will serve as a guideline for tourism cooperation between SCO member states from the year 2019 to 2020.The joint action plan specifies cooperation among the national tourism administrations, as well as measures the member states could take to improve tourist experience and safety, develop tourist products and promote smart tourism. It was the first meeting of SCO tourism ministers since the organization was established in 2001 in Shanghai.
95. The Sikkim government has nominated Bollywood singer Mohit Chauhan as the Green Ambassador of the state for promoting Sikkim as a Green Destination, nationally and internationally, on voluntary basis. He is a playback singer and singer of a band known as 'Silk Route'. Earlier, the state government had roped in AR Rahman as its official brand ambassador to promote tourism in Sikkim. The tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim is an example of tolerance, compassion, peace, integrity and communal harmony for the rest of the country. The state is known for its rich biodiversity and abundant natural resources due to environment-friendly policies being followed by the state government for more than two decades.
96. G Sathiyan, India's top table tennis player, has officially signed with German Bundesliga's top division club ASV Grunwettersbach Tischtennis for 2018/19 season. He won three medals at his Commonwealth Games debut on April 2018. Sathiyan won a team gold, a silver in men's doubles alongside Sharath Kamal, and a bronze in mixed doubles with Manika Batra at the 2018 Gold Coast Games. Sathiyan will start playing in the Bundesliga from September after the Asian Games in Jakarta.
97. On May 11, the parliamentary panel headed by veteran BJP MP Murali Manohar Joshi has decided to study the recovery of black money and performance of public sector banks among a host of subjects. The 30-member Estimates Committee has decided to study a host of subjects related to various ministries in the year 2018-19. As per the memorandum of the committee, the panel will look into the import of uranium for nuclear plants, mining activities and environment, upgrading of India Post offices and the drought situation in the country among other matters. The panel on estimates, which is also called the continuous economy committee, suggests changes in policy or administrative framework to bring efficiency in expenditure. Besides the panel on estimates, the Public Accounts Committee has been looking into the issue of black money after the implementation of demonetisation.
98. In its latest report "Asia and Pacific Regional Economic Outlook", the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reaffirmed that India will be the fastest-growing major economy in 2018, with a growth rate of 7.4% that rises to 7.8% in 2019 with medium-term prospects remaining positive. As per report, India was recovering from the effects of demonetisation and the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the recovery is expected to be underpinned by a rebound from transitory shocks as well as robust private consumption. The report said, Medium-term consumer price index inflation is forecast to remain within but closer to the upper bound of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)'s inflation-targeting band of 4% with a plus or minus 2% change. It said, the consumer price increase in 2017 was 3.6% and projected it to be 5% in 2018 and 2019. Overall, the report stated that Asia continues to be both the fastest-growing region in the world and the main engine of the world's economy.
99. The National Technology Day (NTD) is celebrated every year in India on May 11. On this day in 1998, India successfully tested its nuclear bombs in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The tests were conducted under the leadership of Former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was then DRDO Chief, and Dr R Chidambaran, then Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission. A team of more than 100 scientists, technicians and soldiers were involved in the successfully conducted tests.
100. The Kakolat waterfall is located in the Nawada district of Bihar and is one of the most visited and renowned Bihar getaway, where tourists come from all over the state and adjoining areas to witness the sheer beauty of Mother Nature cascading marvelously. According to legend, during the Treta Yuga epoch a king was cursed by a rishi and had to take the shape of a python and lived in Kakolat. The place was visited by the great Pandavas during their exile and the accursed king got salvation from damnation. The king after getting rid of the curse proclaimed that one who would bath in the waterfall will not take the yoni of snake, and that is why a large number of people from far and near bathe in the falls.
101. According to the report 'RemitSCOPE – Remittance markets and opportunities – Asia and the Pacific', India has become the largest remittance-receiving country in the world in 2017, with migrant workers from the country sending home 69 billion US dollars. The remittances to the Asia-Pacific region amounted to 256 billion dollars last year. In 2017, India with $69 billion, China with $64 billion and the Philippines with $33 billion are the three largest remittance-receiving countries in the world. Worldwide, an estimated 40% of the total values of remittances go to rural areas. However, in the Asia-Pacific region, remittances go dis-proportionally to countries with a majority of rural populations such as Nepal 81%, India 67%, Vietnam 66%, Bangladesh 65%, Pakistan 61% and the Philippines 56%. As per report, cash-to-cash transactions remain by far the most common form of transfer.
102. In its second-quarter Sovereign Credit Overview for Asia Pacific region, Credit rating agency Fitch has said that India's economic growth will accelerate to 7.3% in the current financial year FY19 and 7.5% in the next fiscal. The growth rate will accelerate as money supply has recovered to its pre-demonetisation level and disruptions related to the rollout of GST have diminished. The rating agency said India's ratings balance a strong medium-term growth outlook and favourable external balances against a weak fiscal position and difficult business environment. But the country's business environment is likely to improve gradually with the implementation and continued broadening of the government's structural-reform agenda.
103. Scientists have discovered the world's second oldest grain of magnetic zircon from the Singhbhum rock at the Champua in Kendujhar district of Odisha. The zircon is a mineral that contains traces of radioactive isotopes. It is an estimated that the magnetic zircon in the rock is 4, 240 million years old that will offer fresh clues about the earth's origins. It must be noted that this rock sample was recovered nearly 8 years ago from Champua that has put India at the forefront of geological research in the world. The geologists from the University of Calcutta and Curtin University, Malaysia, along with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (Beijing) made the discovery, which was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
104. The book 'Across the Bench – Insight into the Indian Military Judicial System' has been authored by Lt Gen Gyan Bhushan, former Army Commander and Member 'A', Armed Forces Tribunal of Lucknow Bench. The book deals with military judicial system vis-a-vis command and management issues within the military establishments besides the whole gamut of issues relating to veterans, their families and dependents. It was released by Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army the Staff on May 11, 2018.
105. Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate and noted economist, has been conferred with the 11th KISS Humanitarian Award 2018 on May 11 for his unwavering commitment to eradicate global poverty and foster economic and social development. He is the founder of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh and is widely known as the Father of Microfinance. The KISS Humanitarian Award is a prestigious international award given to someone who has made exceptional contribution to the society in various fields relating to social issues and who has distinguished himself or herself as a true humanitarian. It was instituted in 2008 by Dr Achyuta Samanta, the founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Bhubaneswar.
106. Anne V Coates (92), a British film editor, has passed away in Los Angeles, California on May 8, 2018. She was best known as the editor of David Lean's epic film Lawrence of Arabia in 1962, for which she won an Oscar. During her incredible career, Anne was BAFTA-nominated four times for work including 'The Elephant Man' and 'Erin Brockovich,' and received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2007. She also received an Academy Honorary Award, known as a Lifetime Achievement Oscar, in November 2016 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She continued working up to the time of her death. She was currently in pre-production as an editor on "A Dolphin In Our Lake" and as executive producer on "Off The Leash".
107. On May 11, the first-ever joint conference of Indian Customs and Department of India Posts at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi to deliberate on streamlining of imports and exports by post. Commissioners of Customs from all the States having Foreign Post Offices (FPOs) were present along with their counterpart Post Master Generals. Imports and exports by post are the 6th highest cited citizen grievances under under Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMs). Customs and Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) have worked together since a year to liberalise, reform and align laws relating to imports by India Post.
108. India and Peru signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of Renewable Energy at Lima on May 11, 2018. The pact was signed in the presence of Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva Arevalo. Beside this, Peru's External Affairs Ministry organized a special programme in Lima to commemorate the 55 years of diplomatic ties with India. Peru is a founder member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), established with India taking the initiative.
109. The International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated every year across the world on May 12 to mark the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The day is also mark to recognize the strong commitment, compassion and dedication that nurses display in the practice of their profession. The 2018 theme is – Nurses A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human right.
110. The Dabhol Power Station is located near Anjanwel village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The power station was a built by the Dabhol Power Company (DPC), which was a joint venture of Enron, General Electric, Bechtel and Maharashtra Power Development Corporation.
111. The 5th meeting of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group on Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and precursor Chemicals to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 23 May 2018. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of 7 nations of South Asia and South East Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.
112. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has been honoured with the Swara Mauli title by Shankarcharya Vidyanarsimha Bharati Swami at her residence Prabhu Kunj in Mumbai on May 13, 2018. The veteran singer has several awards to her credit in her over 7-decade-long career, including three National Awards. Mangeshkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, in 2001 – the second vocalist, after MS Subbulakshmi to receive the honour.
113. Kalasala Babu (68), the noted Malayalam film-theatre actor, has passed away in Kochi, Kerala on May 14, 2018. He is known for his drama troupe 'Kalasala' Kalasala in Tripunithura, which had artists such as Thilakan and Surasu among others. Born to noted Kathakali artiste Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair and Mohiniyattam exponent Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Babu was active in theatre before making his foray into television and cinema. He had acted in various television serials in his career spanning over four decades. He won the hearts of moviegoers through roles in movies like 'Kastooriman', 'Runway', 'Lion', 'Perumazhakalam', 'Two Countries' and 'Mallusinghto' name a few. He has acted in over 60 Malayalam films.
114. Mansoor Ahmed (49), Pakistan's World Cup-winning hockey goalkeeper, has passed away in Karachi on May 12, 2018. He was known as the 1994 World Cup hero for Pakistan. Mansoor has been a sporting icon in Pakistan, and played a key hand in the team's win in the 1994 World Cup in Sydney. He was considered the best hockey goalkeeper in the world during his playing days. He has played 338 international matches, participated in three Olympics and various other high-profile events in a career spanning from 1986 to 2000. In addition to being named the world's best goalkeeper on four occasions, Ahmed was bestowed with a presidential award in 1988 and the Pride of Performance in 1994.
115. China's first domestically developed aircraft carrier "Type-001A" has recently started sea trials. The aim of trials is to demonstrate the reliability and capability of the ship's propulsion systems. The 50,000-metric tonne vessel will become the country's second aircraft carrier, and the first to be entirely built and designed inside of China, when it joins the navy before 2020. Few countries in the world have aircraft carriers. Besides India, the US, Russia, the UK, France, Italy, Thailand and China operate a total of 18 aircraft carriers.
116. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will set up a skill development centre at 'Bharosa,' an integrated support centre for distressed women and children in Hyderabad, Telangana. The purpose of the centre is to empower vulnerable and marginalized women by imparting skills training. 'Bharosa,' is a state-of-the-art centre set up by the Hyderabad City Police to support women and children who are victims of violence. 'Bharosa' provides under one roof, 24X7 services related to police, medical, legal, prosecution, psycho-therapeutic counselling and relief and rehabilitation services in completely private counselling rooms to maintain confidentiality and privacy. The centre is equipped with well-trained staff and modern gadgets, including facilities like video conferencing, so that the victims need not go to the court.
117. The first meeting of the BIMSTEC Working Group on Customs Cooperation was held in New Delhi, India on 10-11 May 2018. Delegates from all the BIMSTEC Member States, i.e., Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress in matters of BIMSTEC customs cooperation and finalized the draft text of the Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters for BIMSTEC Free Trade Area for submission to the 21st Meeting of the BIMSTEC Trade Negotiating Committee.
118. Nandram Das Bairagi (87), the noted Hindi film lyricist, poet and politician, has passed away in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh on May 13, 2018. The multi-faceted personality, who was also MP minister in the Congress government earlier, was born in Manasa on February 10,1931. He was popularly known as Balkavi Bairagi as he wrote some classic poems in his childhood. He wrote lyrics for more than two dozen Hindi films and some like "Tu Chanda Main Chandni" from the film "Reshma aur Shera" are considered classics. He wrote several Hindi poems, among which, "Jhar gaye paat, bisar gayi tehni" is considered a gem by many Hindi poets. Bairagi was a Lok Sabha member between 1984 and 1989 and also a former Rajya Sabha MP.
119. The Rehala Falls is a tourist attraction on the Leh–Manali Highway in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a Cascade and Punchbowl type of a waterfall located 16 km from Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass. The fall is surrounded by dense forest cover. The best time to visit the waterfall is between the months of March and November.
120. The World Thalassaemia Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 8 to raise awareness about this deadly disease and the importance of blood donation. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in the blood in which the body produces abnormally low Red Blood Cells (RBCs) which are the protein carriers. The disease causes a number of complications such as bone deformities, heart palpitations, jaundice and delayed puberty, among others. As the disease is inherited, it cannot be cured but can be managed or treated through blood transfusion and bone-marrow cell transplantation if diagnosed at the right time. The 2018 theme is 'Thalassaemia past, present and future: Documenting progress and patients' needs worldwide'.
121. Sir William Mark Tully, the veteran British journalist and former BBC India correspondent, has been chosen for 2018 RedInk award for lifetime achievement in journalism. Tully worked with the BBC for 30 years before resigning in July 1994. He held the position of Chief of Bureau, BBC, Delhi, for 20 years. The lifetime achievement award to Tully is the recognition of his long and outstanding contribution to Indian journalism. Meanwhile, Faye D'Souze, the executive editor of Mirror Now channel, has been selected as the winner of the RedInk award for 'journalist of the year'. Apart from these two awards, the Redink awards for excellence in journalism are given in 13 competitive categories to 32 journalists after a process of selection by a jury appointed for each category. The RedInk awards for excellence in journalism are instituted by the Mumbai Press Club. The awards will be presented to the winners at a ceremony here on May 18 in Mumbai.
122. Indian Shooter Heena Sidhu clinched the gold medal while compatriot P Shri Nivetha settled for bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event at the International Shooting Competitions of Hannover, Germany. Heena was in a rollicking form in the final where she was tied with France's Mathilde Lamolle on 239.8 points. She won the tie to win the gold ahead of Mathilde. Shri Nivetha finished on 219.2. The finish marks a strong build-up to next week's ISSF World Cup in Munich.
123. Balakumaran (71), the veteran Tamil novelist, has passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on May 15, 2018. He was famous for his novels like 'Mercury Pookal' and 'Irumbu Kuthiraigal' which earned him a good fan following. He created strong women characters, probably cast in the mould of his mother, whom he adored. Balakumaran in a way also liberated women in his works. He had a strained relationship with his father. He also published a number of short stories and later entered Tamil cinema through script and dialogue writing. He had worked with top two stars Rajinkanth (film "Baasha") and Kamal Haasan ("Nayagan" and "Guna"). Balakumaran was a recipient of a number of awards, including the state government's 'Kalaimamani' honour.
124. Govind Lal Vora (86), the veteran journalist from Chhattisgarh, has passed away in New Delhi on May 15, 2018. He had a long association with journalism of about six decades and was the proprietor-editor of the Hindi daily "Amrit Sandesh" for the last 34 years. Vora was the younger brother of Congress Rajya Sabha MP and AICC treasurer Motilal Vora and uncle of Congress MLA from Durg constituency Arun Vora.
125. Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh International, has been honoured with the 2018 Nikkei Asia Prize in Japan for his contribution to Asia's development. Pathak is among the three who have been conferred with the award. Others are Ma Jun (China) & Professor Nguyen Thanh Liem (Vietnam). Nikkei Inc., one of the largest media corporations in Japan, has been presenting the awards since 1996 to honour people in Asia who have made significant contributions in one of the three areas: Economic and Business Innovation, Science, Technology and Environment and Culture and Community. The prizes will be awarded on June 13 in Tokyo in Japan. Dr Pathak founded the Sulabh International in 1970. It is an NGO that works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation among other social services. The foundation has built Sulabh flush composting toilets throughout India, contributing to better sanitation, safety for rural women and freedom from the manual labour of removing human waste.
126. In a Cabinet reshuffle, Col Rajyavardhan Rathore has taken charge as the new Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) on May 15, 2018. He replaced Smriti Irani. Mrs Irani will now only hold the portfolio of Minister of Textiles. A communique from the office of President Ram Nath Kovind said, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has been given an additional charge of Ministry of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs till Arun Jaitley, who underwent a kidney surgery recently, recovers from treatment.
127. The International Day of Families is observed every year on May 15 across the world to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic progression that affects families. The 2018 theme "Families and inclusive societies" will explore the role of families and family policies in advancing Sustainable Development Goal 16 in terms of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.
128. The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a comprehensive plan "REPLACE" to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the global food supply by 2023. The elimination of trans fats is key to protecting the health and saving lives. The global health body estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to over 5,00,000 deaths worldwide from cardiovascular diseases. Industrially-produced trans fats are contained in hardened vegetable fats such as margarine and ghee, and are often present in snack, baked, and fried foods. Manufacturers often use them as they have a longer shelf life than other fats.
129. The Dada Dhuniwale Thermal Power Plant is a planned coal based thermal power project located at village Goradia in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The power plant is one of the coal based power plants of Madhya Pradesh Power Generation Company Limited. Its planned capacity is 1600 MW. The project is yet to start due to non availability of coal linkage.
130. The 4th executive committee meeting of South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) was held in Kolkata, West Bengal on May 8-10, 2018 to curb wildlife crime in South Asian region. It was the first-ever meeting of SAWEN to be held in India since its inception in 2011. The 2-day conference was attended by representatives of 7 (excluding Pakistan) out of 8 member countries. Six proposals, including tracking of wildlife smuggling route, review of existing laws and structure for the organisation were tabled during the meeting. Participating countries also adopted many resolutions to curb wildlife crime in the region. They agreed on having operational framework for strengthening the regional body to combat wildlife crime. The SAWEN provides a platform for its member countries to cooperatively work together in the fight against the burgeoning wildlife crime.
131. The 4th edition of Global Exhibition on services (GES-2018) has been inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind at Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai on May 15. He has also released the logo for Services and launched the portal. 25 Indian states and around 100 countries are expected to participate in Global Exhibition on Services, this year, with 625 exhibitors and 500 overseas delegates. The 4-day event will also feature roundtables and seminars, state investment summits, B2B meetings, exhibition of key services sectors, cultural activities, country and international pavilions, among others. The event is organised by the Department of Commerce, Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). President also visited the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, where he attended an exhibition on Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) technologies and inaugurate DAE facilities in Trombay, Mumbai.
132. Jivya Soma Mashe (84), the noted tribal artist who popularized the Warli paintings world over, has passed away in Ganjad village near Dahanu, about 150 km Northwards of Mumbai on May 15, 2018. He was honored with Padma Shri in 2011 for his contribution to popularization of the Warli tribal art form. Mashe came to limelight in 1975 during special search efforts of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to find out hidden talent amongst the tribles to present the art before the world. Mashe reached Delhi with his paintings, where he was honored with President's medal in 1976. Thereafter he toured various parts of the world exhibiting his paintings at the art galleries world over. He significantly contributed to the culture and development of the Warlis, a tribe living predominantly in the mountainous and coastal areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat. His paintings brought alive glimpses of the tribal vision of nature and culture in equilibrium, and for highlighting the contemporary relevance of local forms of knowledge.
133. IIM-Ahmedabad's Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) has launched a Bharat Inclusion Initiative, which aims to invest about $25 million in startups working in the areas of financial inclusion, livelihood, education and health over the next 3 to 4 years. The project has received an initial pledge of $12.5 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Omidyar Network and Tata Trusts. This amount includes a $5 million commitment for providing support to startups through acceleration programmes, research, workshops and partnerships. The remaining amount has been earmarked for the Bharat Inclusion Seed Fund, which will invest in seed and pre-Series A startups.
134. Yamunabai Waikar (103), the acclaimed Lavani singer and Padma Shri recipient, has passed away in Satara district, Maharashtra on May 15, 2018. Born into a poor family, Yamuna Vikram Jawale learned singing and started performing along with her sisters at a young age. Soon offers to act in the `Tamasha' theatre followed, and she became famous as Yamunabai `Waikar' across Maharashtra. She also worked to create awareness about water conservation during the 1972 drought in Maharashtra and campaigned against archaic and regressive rituals of her Kolhati community.
135. Mukul Rohatgi, the former Attorney General of India and Senior Counsel, has been appointed as 'eminent jurist' in the high-profile Lokpal selection committee led by the Prime Minister. The post of eminent jurist was lying vacant since the death of senior advocate PP Rao in September 2017. Besides the Prime Minister, the selection committee is composed of the Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker. It will shortlist candidates for the post of the anti-corruption ombudsman and other posts.
136. India emerged as the 3rd largest solar market in the world in 2017 behind China and the US, as per latest report by Mercom Communications. As per the report "India Solar Market Leaderboard 2018", India set a new record with 9.6 GW of solar installations in 2017, which was more than double the 4.3 GW installed in 2016. The robust growth boosted the country's total solar installed capacity to 19.6 GW as of December 2017.
137. The Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu launched the Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP Nani – at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New Delhi on May 16, 2018. An anti-piracy video featuring Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was also launched by the Minister at the event. Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy grandmother who helps the government and enforcement agencies in combating IP crimes with the help of her grandson "Chhotu" aka Aditya. The IP mascot will spread awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children, in an interesting manner. This character is also in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) campaign for the World IP Day which celebrates the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future. It also highlighted that how a strong IP system can support innovative and creative women and indeed everyone in their quest to bring their amazing ideas to the market.
138. The first-ever International Rail Coach Expo (IRCE) will be held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu from 17th to 19th May 2018 to focus on Rail Coaches and train sets. The expo is being hosted by Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai, under the Ministry of Railways, in coordination with CII (Confederation of Indian Industries) and RITES Ltd. It will be a unique platform to bring different suppliers under one roof and create synergy for "Make in India". The expo will be of interest for train enthusiasts, railway suppliers, designers, developers, and general public.
139. Shashank Manohar, the former BCCI President, will serve a second two-year term as the independent chairman of the International Cricket Council after he was elected unopposed by the governing body's Board. According to the election process, ICC Directors were each allowed to nominate one candidate, who had to be either a present or a past ICC Director. Nominees with the support of two or more Directors would have been eligible to contest an election. However, given that Mr Manohar was the sole nominee for the position, the independent Audit Committee Chairman, Edward Quinlan, who has been overseeing the election process, declared the process complete, and former BCCI President the successful candidate. Mr Manohar became the first independent ICC Chairman in 2016.
140. The Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam is located across the Mahi River in Banswara district of Rajasthan. The dam was constructed between 1972 and 1983 for the purposes of hydroelectric power generation and water supply. It is the second largest dam in Rajasthan. It is named after Jamnalal Bajaj. The dam has an installed capacity of 140 MW.
141. On May 16, Chennaiyin FC head coach John Gregory has been honoured with a Special Achievement Award by England's League Managers' Association (LMA) in London for becoming the first Englishman to win the Indian Super League (ISL). Chennaiyin FC had beaten Bengaluru FC in the ISL final in March 2018 to claim the trophy. This victory also ensured Chennaiyin FC a place in the 2019 AFC Cup. The LMA is a body in England for English coaches and all managers in English football. The LMA hosts an awards night annually to reward the best performing coaches in English football every season and also recognises efforts of English coaches from around the world.
142. The 2-day regional conference on "Physical and Social Infrastructure for Regional Development" was held in Guwahati, Assam on May 14, 2018. It was inaugurated by Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, the Governor of Assam. The Seminar is organized in collaboration with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI). The conference provided an opportunity to do an in depth analysis of the core infrastructure related issues of the North Eastern States.
143. The first-ever all-woman Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) has started operations in Phagwara, Punjab. The seva kendra was inaugurated by Union Minister Vijay Sampla in the local head Post Office. It was 192nd POPSK in the country, but the first one to be operated by an all-woman team. According to Jalandhar regional Passport Officer Harmanbir Singh Gill, the Phagwara Kendra will be headed by department's Verification Officer Madhuri Bhavi. The Phagwara POPSK will cater needs of people from Kapurthala, Nawandhar and Jalandhar rural districts. It will benefit people immensely as the town was an NRI hub of Doaba region of the state.
144. US-based Kathak dancer Anindita Anaam has been honoured with the prestigious 'Shri Jayadev Rastriya Yuva Pratibha Puraskar 2018' for outstanding contribution to the field of art. The award was presented to the Kathak exponent during the 'Jayadev International Dance Festival'.The 4-day festival that began on May 13 has been organised under the aegis of Odisha's culture department and National Culture Mission.
145. To commemorate the National Technology Day (NTD-2018), the Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave away the DRDO Awards- 2016 & 2017 to various DRDO scientists for their outstanding contributions. Dr V K Saraswat, the former Secretary Department of Defence R&D, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri and Director General of DRDO, has been honoured with the DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award – 2017. Beside him, the DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award – 2016 has been conferred to Dr Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre, the former Secretary Department of Defence R&D, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri and DG of DRDO. Meanwhile, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, the Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Distinguished Scientist & Director General (Missiles & Strategic Systems), won the Technology Leadership Award – 2016, etc.
146. Lewis Hamilton, a British racing driver who races in Formula One for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team, has won the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix tournament 2018 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain on May 13. Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes stood second in the race. Sebastian Vettel finished fourth in the event.
147. Indore has been ranked India's first cleanest city, as per latest survey 'Swachh Survekshan-2018'. Bhopal has been ranked second and Chandigarh third in the survey at the national level. Besides, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh is India's cleanest big city with a population of over 10 lakh. Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh is 'Fastest Mover' big city. New Delhi Municipal Council is country's cleanest small city having a population between one lakh to three lakh. The Swachh Survekshan 2018 assessed 4203 urban local bodies and was organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). The exercise was undertaken from 4th January to 10th March, 2018. It enhanced the scope to cover a record number of Urban Local Bodies impacting around 40 crore urban citizens by 2700 assessors.
148. Susheela Jayapal, who is the sister of Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, has become the first South Asian to be elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon in the western US State on May 16, 2018. She won the District 2 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners with 57% of the vote. She will represent North and Northeast Portland commissioner's seat. Susheela, a former corporate lawyer and longtime community volunteer, defeated construction contractor Sharon Maxwell and two others.
149. Yudhvir Singh Malik, a 1984 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, has been given additional charge of the post of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) chairman on May 17, 2018. Malik currently is the Secretary of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways. He succeeded Deepak Kumar, who was sent back to his cadre state Bihar before completion of his tenure. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the premature repatriation of Kumar to his parent cadre with immediate effect without citing any reason. Kumar, a 1984 IAS officer of Bihar cadre, had taken over as the NHAI chief on June 2017.
150. The Supa Dam is a concrete gravity dam built across Kali River in Joida taluk of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The dam was built by Hindustan Steel Works Construction Limited (HSCL) and is now operated by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). It has a gross storage capacity of 4178 Mcum and a live storage of 4115.25 Mcum of water.
151. Firoz Bakht Ahmed, the noted social activist, educationist and columnist, has been nominated as new Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) for a period of 3 years and he succeeded Zafar Sareshwala. Firoz Bakht is grand nephew of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was the first education minister of India. He is a prolific writer and authored many books in Urdu and Hindi, especially on Children's literature. He is also a freelance journalist and columnist. He was also associated with Madrassa modernisation and Urdu medium schools upliftment. He was appointed by the courts in various committees/enquiry committees assisting the judicial procedures for prompt justice. Firoz Bakht was also associated with MANUU before its inception in 1997 as foundation panel member.
152. As per latest UN World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report of mid 2018, India's economy is projected to grow 7.6% in fiscal year 2018-19 and 7.5% for FY 18. This is a substantial recovery from the 6.7% growth India registered in fiscal year 2017. As per report, India is gaining momentum among major economies and although capital spending has shown signs of revival, a more widespread and sustained recovery in private investment remains a crucial challenge. The prediction is largely in line with 2018 Economic Survey that pegged growth at 7% to 7.5% in 2018-19. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) estimates 2017-18 GDP growth at 6.6% compared with 7.1% in the previous year.
153. Dilip Tirkey, the former Rajya Sabha MP and ex-captain of Indian national hockey team, has been appointed as the new chairman of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC). Tirkey, a leader of the ruling BJD, was elected to the Rajya Sabha on March 22, 2012 and his tenure ended on April 2, 2018. OTDC is a state government undertaking, incorporated in 1979, to promote tourism in the state and operate some of the existing tourist bungalows and transport fleets on commercial basis.
154. The Gujarat government will launch free treatment scheme for the road accident victims on May 18. Under this scheme, the state government will bear medical expenses of up to Rs 50,000 for each victim of road accident in the state for the first 48 hours. Free treatment includes dressing of wounds, X-ray, blood transfusion, treatment in ICU and MRI, and all other treatment available in a hospital. As per scheme, even people hailing from other states or citizens of other countries will get free treatment regardless of their income if they meet with a road accident and admitted to a government or a private hospital in Gujarat.
155. The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on May 17 to raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. The day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention (ITC) and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The 2018 theme "Enabling the positive use of Artificial Intelligence for All" will focus on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
156. The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) is observed every year on May to raise worldwide awareness about human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexuals, transgender, and intersex people. The 2018 theme is "Alliances for Solidarity", to recognize that progress on LGBT issues requires building and sustaining partnerships.
157. Shivangi Pathak (16) has become the India's youngest women to scale Mt Everest from Nepal side. Born in Hisar of Haryana, Shivangi climbed Mt Everest to spread the message that women could overcome any obstacle to achieve their goals.
158. Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Manipur High Court on May 18, 2018. He was administered the oath of office by Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, the acting governor of Manipur, at the Raj Bhawan in Imphal. Prior to this post, Justice Sudhakar has served as Acting Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Now, Justice Alok Aradhe has become the Acting Chief Justice of J & K High Court. Beside him, Justice Mohammad yaqoob Mir has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.
159. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the President of Badminton Association of India (BAI), has been elected as the Vice-President of Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC) during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the continental body in Bangkok, Thailand.
160. The Bishop Falls is a three-tiered waterfall with a height of 135m and is located in Shillong, Meghalaya. The Bishop' Falls is often referred to as the twin brother of the Beadon Falls since both tumble down the same escarpment into a yawning gorge. It is the 22nd highest waterfalls in India.
161. The Japanese family drama 'Shoplifters' has received the coveted award for best film, the Palme d'Or, at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2018. Poland's Pawel Pawlikowski won the best director award for his love story 'Cold War'. Little-known Italian actor Marcello Fonte won best actor for his role as a hapless cocaine-dealing dog groomer who faces down a thug in 'Dogman'. The Best actress award went to Samal Yeslyamova for Kazakh writer-director Sergey Dvortsevoy's "Ayka." A special Palme d'Or was awarded to French-Swiss Jean-Luc Godard for the film 'Image Book'.
162. The Haryana Government will launch the 'Chatra Parivahan Suraksha Yojana' to ensure safety of girl students. For facilitating women, the state government has opened women police stations in districts. Besides, women help desks have also been set up. Earlier, women constituted 6% of the police force which has now been increased to 9% by the present government. Now, it has been decided to further increase this percentage to 11.
163. Rajinder Singh has taken charge as the new President of Hockey India (HI). He succeeded Mariamma Koshy. Prior to this post, Singh was the senior Vice President of HI. He was earlier the Treasurer of HI and currently serves as the Treasurer of Hockey Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
164. Deepak Joshi from India has been promoted to the FIH Promising List (Outdoor Hockey) umpires. It was announced by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on May 19, 2018. Joshi hails from Haldwani, Uttarakhand and was a former national-level hockey player for his state team. He switched to umpiring in 2010-11 after completing his Diploma in Sports Coaching from the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala. His hard-work and determination in this field saw him being considered for the Hockey India National Championships in 2013 when he was assigned his first assignment. With the support of the Hockey India Umpiring, Technical and Competitions Committee, Joshi excelled in the domestic circuit and was rewarded with a chance to umpire at the international level in 2015 when he officiated in the U21 6-Nations Tournament in Breda, Netherlands. Apart from this, he has been assigned the duties of umpire in some major tournaments like the Uttar Pradesh Junior Men's Hockey World Cup Lucknow 2016, Hero Men's Asia Cup 2017 and the recently concluded Gold Coast 2018 XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia.
165. The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC Ltd) has bagged the S&P Global Platts Global Metals Award 2018 in the corporate social responsibility category at London Grosvenor Square Marriott Hotel in the UK. This is the first time since inception of the awards that an Indian company has bagged an award in this category. NMDC is the largest iron ore mining company in India with iron ore production of around 35 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). It has a domestic market share of about 25% (non-captive category). NMDC also extracts diamonds from its mine in Panna, which is the only mechanised diamond mine in Asia. The S&P Global Platts is the leading independent provider of information, benchmark prices and analytics for the energy and commodities markets. It has been in existence for over 100 years. The S&P Global Platts Global Metals Award recognises top performers, industry leaders and innovators.
166. The 2018 BRICS Ministerial on Environment at Durban, South Africa has agreed to include Indian societal movement "Green Good Deeds" in its official agenda in the next Ministerial in Brazil and another meeting in Russia. With this, the 'Green Good Deeds' movement has now got global recognition. Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, had formally launched the nation-wide campaign "Green Good Deeds" in January 2018 to sensitize the people and students, in particular, about climate change and global warming. The aim of the campaign is to protect environment and promote good living in the country.
167. On May 18, the Venture Capital Symposium 2018 is organized by NITI Aayog in association with Vision India Foundation in New Delhi to deepen the economic relationships between France and India. The purpose of the event is to support the Start-up India programme. The event facilitates interactions between French investors, Indian investors, Indian start-ups and critical government functionaries. The French investors will explore the investment landscape as well as the socio-cultural richness of India. In the 3-day event, French investors will gain insights into India's business ecosystems, interact with business pioneers, government officials and think-tank members and most importantly assess potential start-ups to invest in.
168. Raghuvir Singh (95), the lone freedom fighter of Muzaffarnagar district, has passed away in Noida, Uttar Pradesh on May 19, 2018. Singh was part of Subhas Chandra Bose's Azad Hind Fauj.
169. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured by European Union for strengthening Europe-India cultural ties. Bachchan, whose last release "102 Not Out", co-starring Rishi Kapoor, was well-received by critics as well as audiences, will next be seen in "Thugs of Hindostan".
170. The Farakka Barrage is built across Ganga River and located in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The barrage is about 2,240 metres long and serves water to the Farakka Super Thermal Power Station. The Feeder Canal (Farakka) from the barrage to the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River is about 40 km long.
171. Uttam Pacharne, the noted artist and sculptor, has been appointed as the new Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi by the President of India. He will hold office for a term of three years from the date on which he assumes the charge of his office. Pacharne is a widely respected person in the field of art and has held various important positions. Currently, he is Member of Advisory Committee of Kala Academy (Goa) and Member of Advisory Committee of P.L. Deshpande State Lalit Kala Academy and Director of Janseva Sahakari Bank (Borivali). Previously in March 2018, M.L. Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Akademies) of Ministry of Culture, was appointed Protem Chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
172. The 26th BASIC Ministerial Meeting of Environment Ministers was held in Durban, South Africa. India was represented by Union Environment Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan. In it, Dr Vardhan reiterated his appeal to make joint efforts to create a societal movement in combating climate change through "Green Good Deeds". He told his counterparts from BASIC countries and Michal Kurtyka of Poland, who will take over as next president of Conference of Parties (COP-24), that India has shown the vision and the political will to act. The Basic countries is a bloc of four countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China, formed by an agreement on November 28, 2009. In a joint statement issued, the Basic countries had committed to work together with other parties to ensure the full, effective and sustained implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.
173. Davis Cup player Prajnesh Gunneswaran has won the prestigious T.K. Ramanathan award for the year 2017-18 at the annual day function of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association at SDAT tennis stadium on May 19, 2018. The award is instituted by the legendary Ramanathan Krrishnan in the memory of his father, which carries a cash prize of Rs 30,000. Beside this, Bandaru Kundana Sri bagged the Nagamani Mahadevan award and Rs10, 000. VM Sandeep, part of the junior Davis Cup team, secured the Muthukrishnan Memorial Award with Rs 10,000.
174. IIT Kanpur has set up the India's first advisory Centre for Energy Regulation (CER) with the help of Government of United Kingdom to strengthen policy and regulatory limitations in energy and power sector. It would adopt innovative approach to engage with stakeholders in the power sector, especially the electricity regulatory commissions, electric utilities and the academia. The centre would also develop a regulatory database to enable stakeholders in taking more informed decisions. The online learning modules and tools would help enhance understanding of the regulatory and policy aspect for the beginners as well as advanced learners and the centre's output can later be accessed from its web portal cer.iitk.ac.in.
175. According to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review, India is the 6th wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of US $8,230 billion. The factors that will help in wealth creation in India include large number of entrepreneurs, good educational system, robust outlook for IT, business process outsourcing, real estate, healthcare and media sectors which will result in a 200% rise in wealth in 10 years. In the list, the United States is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of $62,584 billion. China stood at the 2nd place with $24,803 billion, while Japan is at the 3rd place with $19,522 billion. Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country. It includes all their assets less any liabilities. As per report, the global wealth is expected to rise by 50% over the next decade, reaching $321 trillion by 2027. The fastest growing wealth markets are expected to be India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, China, Mauritius.
176. Anil Kumar Jha has been appointed as chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL) till his superannuation i.e. January 31, 2020. Prior to this post, He was CMD of subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields. Jha replaced acting chairman Suresh Kumar, who has been holding the post of additional secretary at the ministry of coal. The CIL is a state-owned coal mining company headquartered in Kolkata.
177. In Tennis, Rafael Nadal has beaten defending champion Alexander Zverev by 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to win Italian Open title for a record 8th time. With his victory in Rome, Nadal regained the World No. 1 ranking before the 2018 French Open.
178. The Indian women's Hockey team failed to defend its crown at the 5th Women's Asian Champions Trophy 2018, as it lost to hosts South Korea, 0-1 in the summit clash at the Sunrise Stadium in Donghae City on May 20. South Korea set a resolute defence and scored the only goal of the match in the 24th minute when Youngsil Lee found the back of the net from a field effort. With this, South Korea has lifted the title for the 3rd time after having won it in 2010 and 2011. India, on the other hand, finished second best for the second time after having lost to Japan in the final of the 2013 edition. Indian striker Vandana Katariya was declared player of the tournament while youngster Lalremsiami was named as the upcoming player of the tournament. Besides, striker Navneet Kaur and Vandana Katariya finished as joint top-scorer in the tournament along with China's Xiaoming Song.
179. Bernard Lewis (101), the renowned Jewish-American historian, has passed away in New Jersey, United States on May 19, 2018. He was one of the most famous and influential Middle East scholars in the world who warned of a "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West. His influential books shaped generations of scholars on the West Asian region but whose views stirred fierce passions. Mr. Lewis, who was born in London and was a long-time professor at Princeton University, was a Cold War hawk, a strong pro-Israel Jew, and influential among White House and Pentagon planners of the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. The books included The Arabs in History (1950), The Emergence of Modern Turkey (1961), and The Crisis of Islam (2003).
180. Russia has launched the world's first floating nuclear power station " Akademik Lomonosov " at a ceremony in the port of the far northern city of Murmansk, where it will be loaded with nuclear fuel before heading to eastern Siberia. The 21,500-tonne ship was named after Academician Mikhail Lomonosov. Akademik Lomonosov, which is constructed by the state nuclear power firm Rosatom, has a length of 144 metres and width of 30 metres (98 ft). It has a displacement of 21,500 tonnes and a crew of 69 people. It will be primarily used to power oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the Arctic to drill for oil and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations.
181. The International Bio-diversity Day (IBD) is observed on 22nd May every year to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The 2018 theme 'Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity' marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity and to highlight progress made in the achievement of its objectives at the national and global levels. On the occasion, the National Mission for Clean Ganga and World Wildlife Federation-India jointly organised a workshop – Ganga and its Bio-diversity: Developing a Road Map for Habitat and Species Conservation – in New Delhi. The purpose of the workshop is to form an integrated approach for conservation of Ganga's ecology, environment and bio-diversity by restoring Ganga's ecological integrity.
182. Justice B N Srikrishna, who heads the high-level committee on framing new data protection norms for India, will chair a panel discussion on 'Future of Governance', which is scheduled to be held on May 24. The panel discussion will focus on various aspects related to data privacy, an issue that has become increasingly relevant in the digital era. The event is being organised as part of a series of talks on Digital Technologies and their impact on society, human psyche and economies. It is hosted by India International Centre (IIC) in collaboration with NITI Aayog and Centre for Policy Research (CPR). J Satyanarayana, Chairman of Aadhaar-issuing body "Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)", is also scheduled to speak at the upcoming session.
183. Nicolas Maduro Moro, the leftist leader and Venezuela's President, has been re-elected to a second six-year term. Maduro hailed his win as a victory against imperialism, but his rival candidates have rejected the electoral process and called for new elections. The vote was marked by low turnout. Meanwhile, the United States, European Union and several of Venezuela's Latin American neighbours said they would not recognize the results of the election, saying the conditions did not exist for a free and fair poll. Reeling from a 5th year of recession, falling oil production and U.S. sanctions, Venezuela is seeing growing levels of malnutrition and hyperinflation, and mass emigration.
184. Lionel Messi, an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Barcelona, has won the 2018 European Golden Shoe. He claimed the prize after scoring 34 goals in La Liga this season, helping his club to a 25th league triumph. With this, he becomes the first player to win the European Golden Shoe for a record 5 times. He won the award in 2017, as well as in 2010, 2012 and 2013. Four-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished 9th in the rankings after scoring 26 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga.
185. The Indian charity 'Jagriti Yatra' has won the Charity Clarity award for Outstanding Impact at the 3rd annual Asian Voice Charity Awards 2018 in London, United Kingdom on May 18. The Jagriti Yatra organizes a 15-day long train journeys, covering 800 km for 400 young change-makers across India every year, to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. The event was organized by Britain's oldest Asian diaspora publication 'Asian Voice' and Europe's first independent charity due diligence platform 'Charity Clarity'. Meanwhile, the 'Cleft Lip and Palate Association' won the Charity of the Year award & 'Road To Freedom' won Startup Of The Year. The awards are about rewarding charities that think big and solve the most pressing social issues of our time, both in Britain and globally.
186. The International Museum Day (IMD) is observed every year on May 18 to raise awareness of the fact that, "Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples". The 2018 theme is "Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics".
187. Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani (78), the veteran Telugu writer & novelist, has passed away at California, United States on May 21, 2018. She hailed from Kaza village of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh. She was considered among the top fiction writers of her time. An author of over 40 novels, her works mainly centered on human relationships. Some of her famous novels include Murali Krishna, Radha Krishna, Aagamana, Aathmeeyulu, Abhijata, Secretary, Jeevana Tarangalu and Kalala Kougili. Many of her literary works have been adapted to film and TV screenplays. Her last notable contribution for films has been Trivikram Srinivas's A..Aa, inspired by her novel 'Meena'.
188. The 71st World Health Assembly (WHA-2018) has started in Geneva, Switzerland on May 21. In it, Union Health Minister J P Nadda is leading the Indian Delegation. In the plenary meeting of WHA, Mr. Nadda spoke on the theme "Health for All: Commit To Universal Health Coverage". He stated that the Indian government has recently launched the Ayushman Bharat programme, which rests on the twin pillars of health and well-ness centres, and the National Health Protection Mission for 100 million families covering 500 million individuals. The programme will approximately cover 40% of the India's population, who will be provided an insurance cover of Rs 500,000 per year. He further said that in line with India's ambitious plan to end TB by 2025, the Government of India (GoI) has started the implementation of a national strategic plan and allocated 550 million dollars. The 6-day event is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.
189. The Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX) has launched the India's first options contract on copper futures on May 21, 2018. The option contract will provide physical market participants an additional instrument to hedge their risk. Currently, June, August and November 2018 option contracts are available for trading, with one MCX copper futures contract (1 MT) as the underlying. The exercised positions of the options contract post expiry shall devolve into the respective underlying future positions. This new options contract provides the optimal tool to hedge and mitigate price risk in copper for the stakeholders. MCX copper options are available to trade from 10:00am-11:30pm/11:55pm on weekdays. In order to encourage active participation in the market the exchange is not levying any transaction fees on all the commodity options contracts till September 30, 2018.
190. The Athirappilly Falls is located across Chalakudy River in Thrissur district of Kerala. It is the largest waterfall in Kerala, which stands tall at 80 feet. The scenic beauty of Athirappilly falls has always been attractive to filmmakers. The falls were featured in several Malayalam and Bollywood films such as 'Baahubali', 'Dil Se', 'Guru', 'Madras Cafe', 'Happy', etc.
191. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has named Stacey Cunningham its first female President in the history of the 226-year-old exchange. She will succeed Thomas Farley on May 25, 2018. Currently, she is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of NYSE. With Cunningham's promotion, America's leading two stock exchanges will be led by women after Adena Friedman took over as CEO of Nasdaq in January 2017.
192. The Madhya Pradesh government has launched 'My MP Rojgar Portal' as a part of the 'Ham Chhu Lenge Asman' Mukhyamantri Career Counselling programme 'Pahal' in Bhopal on May 22, 2018. The portal is equipped with providing jobs to youths as per their educational qualification, skills and interest and ensuring availability of able candidates to employers as per need of their business. This portal has been prepared by Madhya Pradesh Skill Development and Employment Generation Board under youth empowerment mission. On this portal, youth can get opened employment account by registering his profile as per qualification. He can choose place of employment, job sector, and job role through the portal. On searching in profile account, he could know the number of jobs and posts and employers as per this interest and ability. Online applications can be submitted for jobs in the companies.
193. Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan from Chennai has become the champion of the LIC 3rd Kolkata Open International Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2018 and clinches a prize purse of Rs 3 lakh at The Newtown School on May 22. He registered a quick draw against Shyam Sundar M to won the final match of the tournament.
194. The 5th edition of Kalinga literary festival 2018 is scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha that will explore concepts of equality, equity and humanity in literature. The 3-day festival will witness innovative sessions on radio, poetry recitation, short story, lyrics and cinema by speakers like writer Amish Tripathi, politician-author Pavan Verma, Urdu poet and lyricist Rahat Indori, writer Mridula Garg, entrepreneur-author Ravi Singh, and commentator and journalist Vinod Dua among others. Discussions on issues ranging from youth to inclusion, transgender to equality, women to equity, and governance to justice will be held at the festival. Over 250 speakers, poets, musicians, artists and performers will participate in the fest.
195. Dr Hemu Adhikari (81), the veteran film and theatre actor, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on May 22, 2018. He acted in Sai Paranjpe's "Katha" and Marathi films like "Dhyaas Parya" and "Harishchandrachi Factory". He was known for his cameo in Rajkumar Hirani's "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" (2006).
196. Polish author Olga Tokarczuk has won the prestigious 2018 Man Booker International Prize for fiction for her novel 'Flights'. The novel, translated by Jennifer Croft, interweaves narratives of travel with explorations of the human body. It combines tales of modern-day travel with the story of a 17th century anatomist who dissected his own amputated leg and the journey of composer Frederic Chopin's heart from Paris to Warsaw after his death. Tokarczuk is the first Polish author to have won the prestigious award that honours the finest works of translated fiction from around the world. The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and is open to books in any language that have been translated into English. The £50,000 ($67,000) award is split evenly between the writer and her translator, Jennifer Croft.
197. The Maharashtra Government has introduced a new scheme to help the landless labourers among the Scheduled Castes (SCs) to acquire agricultural land. The landless among the SCs can now purchase for acres of rainfed agricultural land or two acres of irrigated land by paying only 5% of the cost. The rest up to Rs 8 lakh will be borne by the state government. This is a modified scheme as the earlier Dadasaheb Gaikwad empowerment of scheduled caste landless labourers scheme was providing 50% subsidy and was found inadequate and benefited only about five thousand landless labourers from SCs in the State so far.
198. The 3-day Smart Cities India 2018 Expo has started in New Delhi on May 23, 2018. The mega event, consisting five expos is being held with a vision to help develop attractive and safe cities that evoke pride, passion and a sense of belonging among citizens. The five expos are as follows: Building India Expo, Solar India Expo, Transport India Expo, Smart Cities India Expo and Water India Expo. Over 300 exhibitors from different countries are participating in the 4th edition of this event. The event is co-organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), the NASSCOM Center of Excellence – IoT and Exhibitions India Group.
199. The Rajasthan government has launched 'Nidaan' software for presumptive diagnosis and monitoring of seasonal and non-communicable diseases as well as the trends of ailments found in specific areas. It is expected to help in formulation of specific action plans for control of diseases. "Nidaan" will facilitate online entries of as many as 46 diseases and healthcare services available for their treatment in different institutions.
200. The National Anti Terrorism Day (NATD) is celebrated every year in India on May 21 to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism and violence and its effect on the people, society and the country as a whole. It was on this day in 1991, the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide squad of Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE), while attending a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The aim behind the observance of Anti-Terrorism Day is to wean away the people from terrorism and violence.
201. India has been ranked 145th among 195 countries with score of 41.2 in terms of Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) index of 2016, as per Lancet's latest study "Global Burden Of Disease". According to the study, India performed poorly in tackling cases of tuberculosis, rheumatic heart diseases, Ischaemic heart diseases, stroke, testicular cancer, colon cancer and chronic kidney disease among others. However, the report mentioned that India has seen improvements in healthcare access and quality since 1990. The five countries with the highest levels of healthcare access and quality in 2016 were Iceland (97.1 points), Norway (96.6), the Netherlands (96.1), Luxembourg (96.0), and Finland and Australia (each with 95.9). The study used an index to measure the quality and accessibility of healthcare, based on 32 causes of death which should be preventable with effective medical care. Each of the 195 countries and territories assessed were given a score between 0-100.
202. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) meeting has started in Islamabad, Pakistan on May 23, 2018. It is first time that Pakistan is hosting the meeting. The legal experts from 8 member states, including India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, as well as representatives of the SCO and RATS Executive Committee are participating in the meeting. The purpose of the 3-day meeting is to discuss terrorist threats facing the region and ways and means to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation between SCO member states. Other goals of the meeting included strengthening trust amongst the member states and promoting cooperation in politics, trade, economy, research, technology and culture, as well as in education, energy, transport, tourism, and environmental protection.
203. The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved an ordinance to set up the India's first national sports university in Imphal, Manipur. The ordinance is on the lines of the bill introduced in Lok Sabha in August, 2017, which is already pending in Parliament. The proposed university will be spread over 325 acres and cost Rs 524 crore. It will promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management, and sports coaching. It will function as a national training centre for select sports disciplines. It may also establish campuses and study centres in other parts of the country. The University will be empowered to grant degrees, diplomas and certificates.
204. The two-month long military exercise of India Army "Gandiv Vijay" was concluded in Mahajan field firing ranges near Suratgarh in Rajasthan on May 23, 2018. The Chetak corps of South Western Command of Indian Army carried out the exercise with an aim to train commanders and soldiers in their offensive tasks. Thousands of troops from the Corps took part in the exercise along with a huge array of weapons and equipment. The exercise was based on the central role of carrying out offensive operations through a joint air-land battle in a network-centric environment employing modern intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance concepts and equipment. It was an integrated exercise involving multi-mode mobilisation from dispersed locations to the time and place of decision in a terrain orchestrated on the lines of operational responsibility of the formation. During the exercise, synergy between mechanised forces, infantry, artillery, engineers, elements of Special Forces (SF) and Air Force was practised and fine tuned.
205. The joint military exercise "SURYA KIRAN-XIII" between India and Nepal will be conducted at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand from 30 May to 12 June 2018. The exercise will comprise of nearly 300 soldiers from both Indian and Nepal Army who would be sharing their experiences gained during conduct of various counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations in the past. The aim of this exercise is to conduct battalion level joint training with emphasis on counter terrorism operations in mountainous terrain. During the exercise, aspects of disaster management and joint effort towards relief work have also been included. The joint military exercise will enhance the level of defence cooperation which will further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two nations.
206. On May 23, NITI Aayog and ABB India have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to work together in preparing key sectors of the economy for digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics and industrial automation. Jointly, NITI Aayog and ABB will work with government ministries, solicit feedback for areas critical to them and discuss solutions using industrial automation, and digitalization technologies. The initiative also covers the fast growing segment of electric mobility. The first workshop for senior government officials, under this collaboration, would be organised in June 2018 at ABB Ability Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. Given the importance of the food processing sector, the workshop will focus on digital and automation technologies in this sector. NITI Aayog, in collaboration with ABB, will come out with a report on policy recommendations based on the feedback received in the workshops, by December 2018.
207. India has been ranked 44th in terms of competitiveness for year 2018, in the annual rankings compiled by International Institute for Management Development (IMD). The US became the most competitive economy globally driven by its strength in economic performance and infrastructure, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore in the second and third place. Netherlands and Switzerland were the other two nations in the top five slots. This year India ranked the 12th most competitive economy out of the 14 Asian countries on the list. Regarding India, the report said some of the challenges which India has to face for the year 2018 would be skilling of manpower and employment generation, streamlining the implementation of goods and services tax and balancing high growth with sustainable development goals. The report further noted that digital literacy and adequate bandwidth at rural areas and mobilisation of resources for infrastructure development needs are few more key areas where the government needs to concentrate.
208. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) supported scheme to provide mobile services at 4,072 tower locations in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas. The 96 districts in 10 States will be covered for Phase-ll project and the network will be used by the security personnel deployed in the naxal affected areas. Project will also provide the mobile services to help the residents in unconnected inhabited villages which would improve the economic activities in the region. It will give impetus to the e-Governance activities in the backward and LWE affected area with the availability of digital mobile connectivity. The total project cost would be Rs.7, 330 Crore. The Cabinet also gave its approval for the Implementation of a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North Eastern Region in Meghalaya.
209. C K Prasad, the retired judge of the Supreme Court of India (SCI), has been appointed the chairman of the Press Council of India (PCI) for a second term. Prasad headed the media watchdog for three years from November 2014. He had succeeded Justice Markanday Katju. The Press Council of India is a statutory body with a mandate to act as a watchdog to oversee the conduct of the print media. It was reconstituted for three years in October, 2014 and the term ended in October 2017. According to the Press Council Act, the council shall consist of a chairman and 28 other members.
210. The World Turtle Day (WTD) is observed every year on May 23 across the world to protect turtles and their disappearing habitats around the world. The day is celebrated to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.
211. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput has collaborated with NITI Aayog for the promotion of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) launched by the Cenrtal government. An agreement in this effect was signed by the actor with NITI Aayog in New Delhi on May 25, 2018. The aim of the WEP is to build an ecosystem for women across India to realize their entrepreneurial aspirations, scale-up innovative initiatives and chalk-out sustainable, long-term strategies for their businesses. Mr. Rajput will also promote NITI Aayog's digital payments campaign which looks towards transforming India into a less-cash economy. The actor will endorse the WEP and encourage use of Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) application by appearing in various video, print and social media campaigns of NITI Aayog. He would also be supporting NITI Aayog in promoting the Women Transforming India Awards 2018, the theme for which is 'Women and Entrepreneurship' and whose nominations are currently ongoing.
212. The ASEAN India Film Festival 2018 has started in New Delhi on May 25, which will be inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore. During the 6-day event, 32 films from 11 countries will be screened. It includes 2018 Best Film in the National Film Awards Village Rockstar, Singaporean film Maker Kirten Tan's film Pop Aye, first female director of Brunei Darussalam Siti Kamaluddin's movie Yasmine. Beyond films, the festival will also have panel discussions on various aspect of cinema. The film festival will be a platform for people of the film industry of member countries to explore areas of cooperation in the domain of cinema and cultural cooperation. The Directorate of Film Festivals is organising the Film Festival in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs as part of the series of events to commemorate the 25 years of ASEAN and India relations.
213. On May 24, in New Delhi, the UNICEF has launched a 'data visualisation app' which provides a user-friendly visual representation of complex analytics of the education scenario in India. The app has been made with technical inputs from the UNICEF, in collaboration with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration (NIEPA) and the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It uses the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), the National Assessment survey (NAS) and demographic data and can be used as a visual tool by policy makers, senior government officials, academia, and researchers to address gaps and monitor programs in the field of education. Beside this, UNICEF India in partnership with HRD Ministry has also organized a 'Shiksha Mela Education Open Day' to demonstrate case stories showcasing holistic and equitable quality education achieved through convergent programming across 17 Indian states.
214. The Singchung Bugun Community Reserve (SBVCR), an NGO from West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, has won the India Biodiversity Award 2018 in the "Conservation of wildlife species" category for its efforts in conserving rare wildlife resources in the area. The award was conferred by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and presented by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Hyderabad. The award consists of citation, a memento and a cash prize of Rs one lakh. The SBVCR was instituted under a clause of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 that enables any state government to declare a community-owned forest area as a "community reserve" if the locals are willing to participate in conservation efforts for the same. The Reserve lies right next to the Eaglesnest Wildlife sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot, which is also home to the Bugun Liocichla — a new bird species that has no reported sighting anywhere else in the world.
215. The 15th Finance Commission has constituted a high level group to examine the strengths and weaknesses for enabling balanced expansion of health sector. The group headed by Director AIIMS, Dr. Randeep Guleria will have eminent experts of health sector. It will evaluate the existing regulatory framework in the sector and examine its strength and weaknesses for enabling a balanced yet faster expansion of the health sector keeping in view India's demographic profile. The high level group will also suggest ways and means to optimize the use of existing financial resources and incentivise the state governments' effort on fulfillment of well-defined health parameters. Besides, it will holistically examine best international practices and seek to benchmark the country's frameworks to these practices for optimizing benefits.
216. Nima Jangmu Sherpa, a 28 year old Nepali woman, has created a world record by scaling three highest mountains in a single climbing season. She made her historic ascent on Mt Kanchenjunga, third highest peak of the world, on May 23. With this, she has become only woman in the world to climb three highest peaks in Nepal above 8,000 meters in one season within 25 days. She had successfully scaled Mt Everest on May 14 and Mt Lhotse on April 29. The women have set many new records during this year's climbing season 2018. Last week India's Shivangi Pathak became youngest women of the country to climb Mt Everest from Nepal side. Similarly, Ajeet Bajaj and his daughter Deeya also scaled Mt Everest last week to become India's first father-daughter duo to climb highest peak of the world.
217. The 5th India-CLMV Business Conclave was held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 21-22 May 2018, which was jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry of India along with Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia. Here, CLMV stands for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam. The business conclave provided an opportunity for developing better understanding of CLMV economies which have untapped potential for development and which offer more scope for enhancement of economic engagement with India. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is the institutional partner of the event. The ministerial and business delegations from India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos consisting of about 400 delegates participated in the programme.
218. The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar has launched the 'Samagra Shiksha' – an integrated Scheme for school education in New Delhi on May 24. The scheme focuses on improving quality of education, enhancing the Learning outcomes and using technology to empower children and teachers. Samagra Shiksha is a program that unifies learning from the pre-school to class 12 levels and encapsulates elements of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). It aims to treat education holistically as a continuum from pre-school to class 12. The excerpts of the scheme are as follows: provision of quality education, bridging social and gender gaps in school education, promoting vocationalisation of education, strengthening teacher education institutions like SCERTs and Diets to improve quality of teachers, annual grant of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per school for strengthening of libraries, etc.
219. Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi (97), one of India's most highly decorated generals, has passed away at New Delhi on May 24, 2018. He hailed from Gulyana village near Rawalpindi in Pakistan, where he was born in 1921. Gen Bakshi was most known as one of the commanders of Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 (Operation Ablaze). During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was instrumental in the capture of territory in what is now referred to as the crucial Chicken-Neck Sector, for which he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. Fondly called Zoru by his friends, he was decorated for gallantry with the Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, etc.
220. The Amrit Dhara is a natural waterfall located in Koriya district of Chhattisgarh. It originates from the Hasdeo River, which is a tributary of the Mahanadi River. It falls from a height of 90.0 ft. The waterfall is about 10.0–15.0 ft wide.
221. Japanese women's badminton team has clinched the Uber Cup for the first time since 1981 when they defeated hosts Thailand 3-0 at the IMPACT Stadium on May 26, 2018. Ranked two in world singles, Akane Yamaguchi began Japan's title got off to a flying start as she beat World No. 4 Ratchanok Intanon 21-15, 21-19. Doubles pair Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota gave Japan their second point, winning the tie 21-18, 21-12. Nozomi Okuhara spelled victory for her side as she made light work of Nitchaon Jindapol, who looked visibly tired, beating her by 21-12, 21-9. Earlier Japan lifted this coveted cup in 1966, 1969, 1972 and 1978. China won the title 14 times. The Uber Cup is also known as the Women's World Badminton Championship. It is second in prestige only to the Olympics as a national team event.
222. Prof. Ganeshi Lal, the Haryana BJP leader, has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha. The post was vacant since March 2018 after veteran Naga leader S C Jamir completed his tenure. After that, Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik was additionally discharging the duties of Odisha Governor since March 2018. Meanwhile, Kummanam Rajasekharan, who is Kerala BJP chief, will be the new Governor of Mizoram. He will succeed Lt. General (Retd.) Nirbhay Sharma, who is completing his tenure on May 28, 2018. President Ram Nath Kovind approved their appointments.
223. Mia Amor Mottley has become the first female Prime Minister (PM) of the Caribbean island of Barbados. The win makes Mottley just the 8th PM to lead Barbados since the island gained independence from Great Britain in 1966. The Mottley-led Barbados Labour Party (BLP) recorded an historic landslide victory in the 2018 general election, secured all 30 seats in the House of Assembly and over 70% of the popular vote that makes them the first party to accomplish this feat.
224. The 9th edition of 'Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav' under the Ministry of Culture, has started in Tehri, Uttarakhand on May 25, 2018. The 3-day Mahotsav will provide an opportunity to citizens specially youths to experience true spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat". It will showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Country in all its rich and varied dimensions, viz Handicrafts, Cuisine, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Documentation and Performing Arts-Folk, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary- all in one place.
225. Veteran actor Geeta Kapoor (57) has passed away at a Mumbai hospital in Maharashtra on May 26, 2018. Her son left her at a hospital last year and never returned to check on her. The film personalities Ashoke Pandit and Ramesh Taurani were paying for her care. She acted in over 100 films, including Meena Kumari's classic Pakeezah.
226. The Telangana government has announced a unique life insurance scheme for farmers. Under the scheme, the government will provide life insurance facility of Rs 5 lakh to the nominee, after the death of the insured farmer. The entire premium will be paid by the government to the insurance agency and the nominee will get the amount within 10 days of the claim after the death of the farmer. With this, the dependent family will get the benefit irrespective of the reason for the death of the farmer. The state government has tied up with the state-run Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for the implementation of the scheme. The farmers in the age group of 18 to 60 are eligible to enroll their names to get benefit from it. The insurance scheme will commence on August 15 and farmers will be given insurance bonds. Every year on August 1, the total premium amount will be credited to LIC.
227. The Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and IIT Bombay have been awarded the Clarivate Analytics India Innovation Award 2018 in the Academic Institutions category at the 2018 India Innovation Conference in Bengaluru on May 16. The award places IIT Bombay in the top 12 innovators in India. Under the Government Research Organizations category, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have been awarded the Clarivate Analytics India Innovation Award 2018. Every year, Clarivate Analytics recognizes the most innovative companies in India according to patent-related metrics that get to the essence of what it means to be truly innovative. This analysis is done using proprietary Clarivate Analytics data and tools. The evaluation is strictly driven by metrics for both patent volume (patents published) as well as patent quality (grant success rate, extent of globalisation, and citations).
228. The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Nepal for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. With this, Nepal has become the first country in WHO's South-East Asia Region to defeat the world's leading infectious cause of blindness. Trachoma, an eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is spread through contact with infective eye or nose discharges. Infection is particularly common in young children. Transmission is associated with poor sanitation and hygiene, which increase the availability of eye discharges and encourage the breeding of flies. Trachoma puts more than 190 million people at risk of blindness in 41 countries. It is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of around 1.9 million people worldwide.
229. Former US astronaut Alan Bean (86), who was the fourth man to walk on the Moon, has passed away in Texas, United States. Bean went into space twice, the first time in November 1969 as the lunar module pilot on the Apollo 12 moon-landing mission. In 1973 he was commander of the second crewed flight to Skylab – America's first space station. Bean retired from NASA in 1981 and carved a successful career as an artist. His paintings, inspired by space travel, featured lunar boot prints as well as small pieces of his mission patches which were stained by Moon dust.
230. The Wanakbori Thermal Power Station (WTPS) is a coal-fired power station and is located on the bank of Mahi river in Kheda district of Gujarat. There are seven units of each 210 MW capacity.
231. Chennai Super Kings has won the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL-11) after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final by 8 wickets in Mumbai on May 27, 2018. It is their 3rd IPL title. Shane Watson's whirlwind century helped Chennai to defeat Hyderabad with 9 balls to spare. Man of the Match Watson hit 11 fours and 8 sixes during his unbeaten knock of 117 off 57 balls. Sunil Narine of Kolkata Knight Riders was named Most Valuable Player, also known as Man of the Series, while Rishabh Pant of Delhi Daredevils was named the Emerging Player of the Tournament. Among other awards, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Kane Williamson (735 runs) got the Orange Cap while Kings XI pacer Andrew Tye (24 wickets) got the Purple Cap. Kiwi Trent Boult got the Perfect Catch award for his stunning one handed catch of Royal Challenges Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli.
232. Nasir Ul Mulk, the former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice (retd), has been appointed as the interim Prime Minister of Pakistan until general elections are held on July 25, 2018. The announcement was made by Leader of the Opposition Khursheed Shah at a press conference in Islamabad on May 28 following a meeting between himself and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Earlier, Mulk also served as the acting Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan.
233. The Himachal Pradesh government has launched the 'Prakritik Kheti Khushhaal Kisaan Yojana' to enhance agricultural income by adopting low-cost climate-resilient Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) system. Under the scheme farmers would be provided training, necessary equipments, bio-pesticides, bio-insecticides, etc. The purpose of the scheme is to promote organic farming in a big way and plans to adopt an integrated approach for promoting organic and zero budget natural farming system. At present, 39,790 farmers have already switched over to organic farming ensuring production of healthy food grains, free from harmful chemical ingredients. A state-level committee headed by the chief minister would monitor the implementation and progress of the ZBNF system.
234. Aakarshi Kashyap from Chhattisgarh has won the girls' singles title at the Yonex Sunrise All India Junior U-19 badminton tournament 2018 in New Delhi on May 27, 2018. In the final, she defeated S Kavipriya. In the boys' singles final, Priyanshu Rajawat of Madhya Pradesh scored an upset victory over fifth seeded Kiran George of Kerala to win title. Beside this, the duo of Krishna Sai Podile and Sristhi Jupudi registered a hard-fought 21-17, 21-16 victory over the pair of Edwin Joy and Nafeesah Sara Siraj in 35 minutes to win the mixed doubles title. The tournament doubled up as selection event for 2018 Junior Asian Team Championship slated to be held in Indonesia in July.
235. The Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K) has signed a Rs 15 crore-Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the VTOL Aviation Pvt Ltd to develop prototypes for self-piloted Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. These prototypes will be used as air taxis for civilians. The VTOL technology equips the aircraft to perform manoeuvres that are impossible with traditional aircraft, and also comes across as a big advantage for air combat and rescue. Other features like an ability to carry enough payload and minimal readiness time make it handy in emergency situations like rapid deployment of ground troops, precise location hovering for delivery of supplies. These aircraft will also be very useful for rapid medical evacuation of troops from difficult terrains. VTOL aircraft can be used for surveillance, rescue mission, combat situations, paramedics, and civil aviation. These aircrafts could be operated in both steered and pilotless modes from any trivial base like helipads or any ground surface.
236. Film actor Akshay kumar has launched an advertisement campaign on twin pit toilet technology for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in New Delhi on May 27, 2018. The ad campaign focuses on promoting the twin pit toilet technology in rural India. The actor appealed everybody to spread the awareness on the issue and make the cleanliness drive more effective. The twin pit toilet technology is an Indian invention that collects defecation for a period of five years and then it turns into valuable organic compost. This decomposed waste is safe to handle and rich in NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) nutrients which makes it ideal for use in agriculture. The technology is also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
237. Tata Trusts, the philanthropic organisation, has signed a MoU with the Government of India (GoI) to provide development initiatives in 8 worst Naxal-affected districts in Chhattisgarh, which were covered under the "transformation of aspirational" districts programme of NITI Ayog. As per the pact, the Tata Trusts will help the government in conducting surveys and providing ground level and technical support in raising the living standards of citizens and ensuring inclusive growth for all. The 8 worst Naxal-hit districts, which were chosen for the programme and would be helped by the Tata Trusts are Rajnandgaon, Kanker, Bastar, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Sukma.
238. The BCCI and UN Environment has signed a letter of intent to promote 'green' Cricket in India at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on May 27, 2018. The aim of the partnership is to spread greater awareness about key environmental challenges facing the country, and highlight alternate and more sustainable solutions. The BCCI will endeavor to reduce its environmental impact by greening operations and engaging cricketers and fans in green initiatives. The partnership will also focus on phasing out single-use plastic across stadiums in the country. Even during the course of 2018 IPL, a film with messages from captains of various franchises was created and aired in stadiums highlighting hazards of plastic pollution. The headquarters of UN Environment is located in Nairobi, Kenya.
239. The Baglihar Dam is a run-of-the-river power project on the Chenab River in the southern Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
240. Madala Ranga Rao (69), the noted Telugu film personality, has passed away in Hyderabad on May 27, 2018. He was popularly known as "Red Star" for his revolutionary movies. He acted and produced several films including hits such as 'Yuvatharam Kadilindhi', 'Yerra Mallelu', 'Praja Shakthi', 'Swarajyam', 'Viplavashankham' and 'Mahaprasthanam'. Rao received the prestigious Golden Nandi award from Andhra Pradesh government for his film 'Yuvatharam Kadilindhi'.
241. The main event of 4th International Yoga Day celebrations (IDY-2018) will be held on 21st June 2018 at Dehradun in Uttrakhand. Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word 'yoga' derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Today it is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity. The day is celebrated every year on June 21 to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
242. Colombia will formally become the first Latin American 'Gobal Partner' of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). According to a statement posted on NATO's website, cybersecurity, maritime security, terrorism and its links to organized crime, and building the capacities and capabilities of the Colombian armed forces. In addition to Colombia, NATO lists Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand and Pakistan as "partners across the globe" or simply "global partners". Each country has developed an "Individual Partnership Cooperation Program" with the 29-country US-led alliance, with many contributing actively to NATO missions.
243. Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has won the International Cricketer of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Ratings awards in Mumbai on May 28, 2018. Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was presented the International Batsman of the Year Award, while New Zealand pace sensation Trent Boult won International Bowler of the Year Award. Afghanistan leg spinner Rashid Khan, who impressed everyone with his skills in the recently concluded IPL grabbing 21 wickets, was presented with the T20 Bowler of the Year Award. Woman cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, who single-handedly took the team to the final of the ICC Women's World Cup with her breathtaking knock of 171 not out against Australia in the semi-final, won the Outstanding Innings of the Year Award. Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed on former India wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer.
244. Sangeeta Bahl (53), the former model and entrepreneur from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), has become the oldest Indian woman to have scaled the world's tallest peak "Mount Everest" on 19th May 2018 with the help of two Sherpas. She also became the first woman from J&K to scale the mountain. She broke the record held by Premlata Agarwal, who scaled Mt Everest at the age of 48 in 2011. Bahl had scaled Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak in 2011 along with her husband Ankur Bahl and has now climbed six of the seven highest peaks of each continent.
245. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recognized the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in Kerala as the world's first fully solar energy-powered airport. The airport has a 12 MWp solar power plant comprising of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres. The plant is capable of generating 50,000 units of electricity daily, and is equipped with a supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA), through which remote monitoring is carried out. The airport now generates 0.125 million units of power a day from its eight power plants with a total installation capacity of 30 MWp. It will be scaled up to 40 MWp by July 2018. The CIAL is the first airport in India developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model and was funded by nearly 10,000 non-resident Indians from 30 countries. With over 2 million sq ft in area, the airport's Terminal 3 is India's fourth largest terminal.
246. Indian botanist Dr. Kamaljit S. Bawa has been conferred with the prestigious Linnean Medal in Botany from the Linnean Society of London on May 24, 2018. He has been recognized for his pioneering research on the evolution of tropical plants, tropical deforestation, non-timber forest products and for decades of work on the biodiversity of forests in Central America, the Western Ghats and the Eastern Himalaya. With this, he became the first Indian to win the award ever since it was first constituted in 1888. Dr. Bawa is the President of Bengaluru-based non-profit Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). The Linnean Medal is awarded to a biologist every year by the Linnean Society of London (the world's oldest active biological society founded in 1788 and named after famous Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus who gave us one of the systems of naming plants and animals).
247. Daniel Ricciardo, an Australian racing driver who is currently competing in Formula One for Red Bull Racing, has won the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2018 at the Circuit de Monaco on May 27.
248. The first edition of Global Wind Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany from September 25, 2018. The organisers of the 4-day event are expecting speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark. The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the wind industry worldwide. The focus of the conferences would be on three major subjects: Dynamic markets, cost efficiency and smart energy. The event will provide a platform for experts from across the globe to discuss innovative and green technologies for harnessing wind energy making.
249. Amar Devulapalli, a Hyderabad-based journalist with four decades of professional experience, has been elected as the new President of Indian Journalists Union (IJU), a body of working journalists in the country. He is the consulting editor of Saakshi daily, and anchors a popular news hour program Fourth Estate' on Saakshi TV five days a week. He was also the secretary-general of IJU. Apart from him, Sabina Inderjit has become the secretary-general of IJU. She is a senior journalist based in Delhi and working as Associate Editor of the Indian News and Features Agency (INFA), founded by her grandfather and veteran editor Durga Das. Earlier, she worked as special correspondent in The Times of India.
250. The Talakona waterfall is located in Sri Venkateswara National Park of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh. With a 270 feet fall, it is the highest waterfall in the Andhra Pradesh. Talakona is also known for the Lord Siddheswara Swamy Temple, which is located close to the waterfall.
251. Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's Patanjali has recently launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL). Initially, only the employees and office bearers of Patanjali will be able to avail the benefits of the SIM card. After its full-fledged launch, customers will get a 10% discount on Patanjali products. The Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards can be recharged for Rs 144, for which users can avail unlimited calls throughout the country, a 2 GB data and send a 100 SMSes. The SIM card also comes with medical insurance and life insurance covers. The medical insurance cover is for Rs 2.5 lakh, while life insurance costs Rs 5 lakh. However, the covers can only be avail in the case of road accident.
252. Kerala cartoonist Thomas Antony has won an international award in the best caricature category. He is among the 9 winners at the 13th edition of the World Press Cartoon awards 2018, instituted by an organization based in Lisbon, Portugal. The awards are given to the best works published in 2017 in newspapers and magazines from around the world. According to World Press Cartoon website, the winners are from 8 countries in three continents– Europe, Asia and South America. Antony is the lone cartoonist selected from Asia selected for the prize. The awards will be presented at a function to be held in Portugal on June 2, 2018.
253. India has signed a loan agreement with the World Bank (WB) for $21.7 million for strengthening the public financial management in Rajasthan project in New Delhi on May 29, 2018. The objective of the project is to contribute to improved budget execution, enhanced accountability and greater efficiency in revenue administration in Rajasthan. It involves strengthening of the Public Financial Management Framework; strengthening of expenditure and revenue systems; and project management and capacity building among others. The project size is approximately $31 million, of which $21.7 million will be financed by the World Bank, and remaining amount will be funded out of the state budget. The project duration is 5 years.
254. The Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) government has submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Rs 189 crore Devika river rejuvenation project to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for approval. The aim of the project is to develop bathing ghats in the premises of the Devika River, removal of encroachments, sewerage treatment, restoration of natural water bodies and development of catchment area. The river holds religious significance as it is revered by Hindus as the sister of river Ganga. Devika river, which is also known as Devika Nagari, originates from the hilly Suddha Mahadev temple in Udhampur district and flows down towards western Punjab (now in Pakistan) where it merges with the Ravi river.
255. Sudha Balakrishnan, the Vice-President of National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), has been appointed the first-ever Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). She will hold the rank of executive director and will have a 3-year term. The CFO will be responsible for reporting of financial information of the central bank, establishing accounting policies and ensuring compliance with regulations. The CFO will also be entrusted with communicating RBIs expected and actual financial performance and overseeing its budget processes. As CFO, Balakrishnan will also be in charge of the dividend RBI pays to the government, which is crucial in the final budgetary calculations. Under the RBI Act, 1934, the central bank is required to pay the government its surplus after making provisions for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets and, contribution to staff and superannuation fund among others. RBI follows a July to June financial year.
256. Pankaj Saran, the 1982-batch officer of Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been appointed as the new Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA). He will at post for a period of two years, on deputation basis initially till the date of his superannuation, i.e., November 30, 2018, then on re-employment on contract basis. Currently, he is India's envoy to Russia. He served twice in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) — first as Deputy Secretary/ Director during 1995 and 1999, and then as the Joint Secretary between 2007 and 2012. Former chief of the Intelligence Bureau, Ajit Doval is the National Security Adviser (NSA). He is assisted by Deputy National Security Advisers. Ex-chief of India's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Rajinder Khanna was in January 2018 also appointed as the Deputy NSA.
257. In the North-East, the Gaj Yatra has been rolled out by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) from Tura, the principal town of Garo Hills of Meghalaya on May 28, 2018. It is the part of an 18-month-long national campaign to protect India's national heritage animal "elephants" and its habitat. The event involves taking an elephant mascot across districts frequented by jumbo herds for generating awareness among the people. The aim of the campaign is to involve people from all walks of life in the conservation of elephants. The WTI is securing 101 elephant corridors through its Right to Passage project, in partnership with the Union government's Project Elephant, state forest departments and various NGOs. The aim is to rehabilitate people affected "by conflict in corridor areas" while ensuring uninterrupted movement of elephants between key habitats. Earlier, the campaign was launched by the Dr. Harsh Vardhan on the occasion of 2017 World Elephant Day (WED) in New Delhi.
258. The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is observed every year on May 29 to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage. The day also offers a chance to honor more than 3,700 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948. The 2018 theme is "UN Peacekeepers: 70 Years of Service and Sacrifice".
259. On May 29, the Ministry of Women and Child and Development (MoWCD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh in New Delhi for management of Home of Widows at Sunrakh Bangar, Vrindavan. The MoWCD has constructed this shelter home for widows with a capacity of 1000 inmates. The MoU shall be in force for a period of 2 years which may be renewed for further period on satisfactory running of the Home. As per MoU, the Uttar Pradesh Government shall be responsible for activities including setting up mechanism for identifying beneficiaries, providing residential care to the widows, deploying staff as per norms with prescribed qualification and experience. The MoU further states that senior officials of Government of Uttar Pradesh shall visit and check the security staff periodically and monitor their performance. The MoU also includes provisions for facilitating Aadhaar Cards for all inmates and medical/geriatric care for inmates.
260. Former Supreme Court judge Justice R K Agrawal, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has been appointed the President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). He will take over from Justice D K Jain, who will complete his term on May 31. The NCDRC, which deals with consumer rights and addresses their disputes and grievances, is a quasi-judicial commission set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986. The commission is headquartered in New Delhi and is headed by sitting or retired judge of Supreme Court of India (SCI).
261. The latest report of Moody's Investors Service has cut India's GDP growth forecast to 7.3% in 2018 from the previous estimate of 7.5% due to higher oil prices and tighter financial conditions. However, Moody's maintained its 2019 growth forecast at 7.5%. The report "Global Macro Outlook: 2018-19" stated that the Indian economy is in cyclical recovery led by both investment and consumption. However, higher oil prices and tighter financial conditions will weigh on the pace of acceleration. The private investment cycle will continue to make a gradual recovery, as twin balance-sheet issues – impaired assets at banks and corporates – slowly get addressed through deleveraging and the application of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
262. The Andhra Pradesh government has recently declared official symbols for the state after the bifurcation. Neem and Black Buck (Krishna Jinka) have been declared as the state tree and animal respectively. Similarly, Rose-ringed parakeet will be the state bird while jasmine will be the state's flower. The symbols were notified by the state government's Department of Environment, Forest, Science and Technology via a Government Order (GO). Telangana was bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014, after the AP Reorganisation Act was passed in Parliament.
263. Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, who is currently Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, has been appointed the new General Officer Commander-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Northern Command (of the Indian Army). Lt Gen Singh will succeed Lt Gen Devraj Anbu, who will take charge as Vice Chief of the Indian Army on June 1. Lt Gen Singh was the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) when India carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on September 26, 2016. Lt Gen Singh had also served as commander of the Army's One Corps in Mathura. The Udhampur-based Northern Command is considered very crucial as it looks after Army's operations in J&K besides guarding the LoC.
264. The World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on May 31 to highlight health and other risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. The 2018 focus is "Tobacco and Heart Disease" to emphasize impact tobacco has on the cardiovascular health of people across the globe. The WNTD 2018 aims to highlight the links between the use of tobacco products and heart and other cardiovascular diseases, increase awareness within the broader public of the impact tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke have on cardiovascular health. The global tobacco epidemic kills more than 7 million people each year, of which close to 9 lakh are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Tobacco causes over two million deaths from cardiovascular diseases every year.
265. Alicia Pucheta, who is the Vice President of Paraguay, will become the first-ever interim woman President of Paraguay after President Horacio Cartes offered his resignation from the presidency in order to assume a position as Senator. The parliament is due to confirm Cartes's resignation and proclaim Pucheta as interim president. If his resignation is accepted, he would be succeeded by Pucheta for the remainder of his 5-year term, which is due to end on 15 August 2018.
266. Urmila Singh (71), the former Himachal Pradesh governor and Congress leader, has passed away in Indore, Madhya Pradesh on May 29, 2018. Belonging to a family of freedom fighters, Singh was appointed as the governor of Himachal Pradesh in 2010. Prior to that, she had served as the chairman of the National Scheduled Tribes Commission (NCTC). Singh had also served as a minister in Madhya Pradesh government and had headed the state Congress unit.
267. The Gujarat government has launched its 'Reuse of Treated Waste Water Policy' in Gandhinagar, which aims to reduce the state's dependence on fresh water sources like the Narmada river. The policy will promote the use of treated wastewater and will see the setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) in all major towns and cities of Gujarat. Under this policy, the state government planned to construct 161 sewage treatment plants to treat waste water and use it for non-drinking purposes. The treated water would be used in industrial units, thermal power plants, gardening and in the construction sector. At present, around 2,600 million litres per day (MLD) of waste water was being treated by 52 STPs in the state. The policy aims to double the existing water treatment capacity to around 5,000 MLD in the next two years.
268. On May 31, the Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank (WB) have signed a $500 million loan agreement to provide additional financing for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Rural Roads Project. The project will be implemented by Union Ministry of Rural Development. The Ministry will build 7,000 km of climate resilient roads, out of which 3,500 km will be constructed using green technologies. The loan has a 3-year grace period and a maturity of 10 years. The World Bank has supported PMGSY since its inception in 2004. So far it has invested over $1.8 billion in loans and credits mostly in the economically weaker and hill states across North India – Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. It has built and improved about 35,000 km of rural roads and benefited about eight million people with access to all-weather roads.
269. The book 'Straight Talk' has been authored by Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Member of Rajya Sabha. The book suggested the automatic suspension of allowances for law makers per day or per hour lost due to disruptions. It also stresses to set up the special tribunals or fast track courts for election related cases. There are many more suggestions related to Law & Parliament in the book. It was released by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on May 30, 2018.
270. Top Indian discus thrower Vikas Gowda has recently retired after competing at the highest level for more than 15 years, during which he became the first and only Indian male to win Commonwealth Games medals in the discipline. His retirement was announced by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on its twitter page after Gowda sent the AFI a letter declaring his intent to call it quits. Gowda, who will turn 35 on July 5, is also four-time Olympian. He holds the national record of 66.28m (achieved in 2012) and is one of the most decorated Indian athletes, having won gold in the 2013 and 2015 Asian Championships. He also won silver in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and a gold in the 2014 Glasgow CWG. In the Asian Games, he won a bronze in 2010 and a silver in 2014.
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