1. India has recently contributed $500,000 to the UN Peace building Fund (PBF) to boost efforts of United Nations for building and sustaining peace across the world. India has been a Member of the UN Peace Building Commission (PBC) since its inception in December 2005 and has so far contributed $5 million to the Peacebuilding Fund. The fresh contribution of $5 Lakh to the fund will be effected over the coming days. The UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is an intergovernmental advisory body that supports peace efforts in conflict affected countries and is a key addition to the capacity of the International Community in the broad peace agenda.
2. Kottayan Katankot Venugopal (86), a noted constitutional expert and senior advocate, has been appointed as the new Attorney General of India with effect from June 30, 2017 and shall have a tenure of 3 years. He succeeded Mukul Rohatgi. Venugopal has become a law officer for the 2nd time after being an Additional Solicitor General during the Morarji Desai government during the seventies. He is the recipient of Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan. The Attorney General for India is the Indian government's chief legal advisor and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of India. He is appointed by the President of India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds office during the pleasure of the President.
3. Two Indian-Americans, Adobe Chief Shantanu Narayen and former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy will be honoured with the prestigious 2017 Great Immigrants: The Pride of America" award on US's Independence Day on July 4, 2017. They are among 38 immigrants to be honoured this year for their role in helping advance the country's society, culture and economy. Among other honorees include Canadian-origin social entrepreneur Jeff Skoll, who has been awarded the 2017 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, PayPal cofounder of Ukrainian origin Max Levchin, Iranian-origin philanthropist and entrepreneur Hushang Ansary.
4. Simone Veil (89), the iconic European feminist politician, has passed away on June 30, 2017 in Paris, France. Veil played a leading role in legalizing contraception and abortion in France. She was the first female President of the European parliament since the Parliament was created in 1952.
5. Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej and Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveries have been awarded the 2017 Global Leadership Awards of the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at the USIBC 42nd Anniversary Leadership Summit in Washington DC for their role in integrating India in the global supply chain. Both were honoured for creating inclusive business environments, integrating India into the global supply chain and advancing core values such as manufacturing, innovation and scale in tough market conditions. Beside this, USIBC has also presented its first-ever "Artistic Achievement Award" to Yashwant Shirwadkar, a visionary and master in impressionistic landscape painting inspired by scenic cities in India.
6. The 41st session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee has started in Krakow, Poland from July 2 to 12, 2017. During the session, the Committee will notably consider requests for the inscription of new sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List and examine the state of conservation of sites already inscribed on the List as well as many other issues concerning the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The World Heritage Committee consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention.
7. Germany has won the 10th edition of FIFA Confederation Cup Football-2017 title by defeating Copa America Champion Chile by 1-0 goals in the final at St Petersburg, Russia. With this, Germany has won the title for the first time after Lars Stindl scored the only goal in the 20th minute when Chile midfielder Marcelo Diaz gave the ball away on the edge of his own area.
8. Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat, an IPS officer from Telangana, has been bestowed with the 2017 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes Award by the Unites States Department of State for his vital role in elevating human trafficking as a government priority and his innovative approach to investigating cases and dismantling trafficking operations. Currently, he is serving as the first Commissioner of Police of Rachakonda.
9. Shivraj Singh Chouhan (the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh) and Rajeev Pratap Rudy (the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship) has laid the foundation stone of the India's biggest Global Skill Park in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh on July 3, 2017. As per reports, 37 acre land has been allotted in Narela Shankari area of Bhopal for the Global Skill Park. The park will be constructed at a cost of Rs 645 crore. Training will be imparted to 1000 students every year by trainers of international standard. Trained students will be given placement in India and outside India at international level. The park will function on the spirit of 'With Industry -For Industry'.
10. Carrie Lam has become the first woman chief executive of Hong Kong on July 1, 2017 after winning the 2017 Chief Executive election. She is known as a tough and effective enforcer. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong (CE) is the highest office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Hong Kong is a special administration region of China, which rules it under the "one country, two systems" principle. Under the system, Hong Kong enjoys a degree of autonomy and rights not seen in the mainland.
11. India's tallest Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has installed at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi. The new 101.9m ATC tower has built at a cost of Rs 350 and is likely to start operations by December 2017. Once ready, it will be the 7th tallest ATC tower in the world. The new ATC tower will have 21 controller positions with a 360 degree view at the visual control room and 12 ground controllers at the operational level. Also, this is for the first time in the country that Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) technology will be used to increase the comfort of occupants and reduce building sway.
12. The International Plastic Bag Free Day (IPBFD) is observed every year on July 3 to highlight the need to phase-out plastic bags and to promote organic reusable bags. The day signifies the ability for the world to come together and create an environment that is plastic free and educating individuals about current alternatives to plastics and other wastes.
13. Ana Brnabic, an independent politician, has become the first openly gay person and the first female Prime Minister of Serbia. She succeeded Ivica Dacic on June 29, 2017. The role of the Prime Minister in Serbia is to direct the work of the Government, and to submit to the National Assembly the Government's Program, including a list of proposed ministers. The resignation of the Prime Minister will cause the fall of the Government.
14. Jehan Daruvala of Sahara Force India Academy has become the first Indian driver to win in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in Race 3 at the Nuremberg circuit on July 2, 2017. Jehan's victory in race 3 comes 18 years after Narain Karthikeyan won in the British F3 Championship. The 2.3-km Norisring is an extremely fast and flowing layout for a street circuit and mistakes are punished by the concrete walls instead of tyre barriers. FIA Formula 3 is the toughest junior racing category in the world.
15. The National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE) will merge with Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) to create India's third largest commodities exchange. The merger, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to be completed by December 2017. ICEX's shareholders will hold a 62.8% stake in the merged entity while the balance will be held by shareholders of NMCE. The proposed merger will offer a range of contracts including bullion, oil, rubber and other agri-commodities. The exchange will also offer the world's first diamond futures contract, which has already received "in-principle" approval from the regulator. The NMCE is the India's first demutualised online national multi-commodities exchange.
16. The 9th edition of Delhi Dialogue has started with theme "ASEAN-India Relations: Charting the Course for the Next 25 Years" in New Delhi on July 4, 2017. It has inaugurated and addressed by the Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. In the two day dialogue, political leaders, policy makers, senior officials, diplomats, business leaders, think tanks and academicians from India and ASEAN countries will participate in the discussions. It is a premier event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement between ASEAN and India. This Dialogue has been held annually since 2009.
17. The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) is located at the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra state. It is notable as Maharashtra's oldest and largest national park. The reserve is home to Bengal Tiger, Indian leopards, sloth bears, gaur, nilgai, orange-headed thrush, Indian pitta, crested treeswift, etc. The TATR is one of India's 50 "Project Tiger" – tiger reserves.
18. Dr Harsh Vardhan, the union minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has launched a month-long plantation drive to mark Van Mahotsav on July 5, 2017. Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting movement in India, which began in 1950. It is usually observed in the first week of July every year and is celebrated on different days in different parts of India. The purpose of the festival is to raise the awareness of trees among people and to highlight the need for planting and tending of trees as one of the best ways to prevent global warming and reduce pollution.
19. Sanjay Kumar, the 1985-batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General (DG) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). He will succeed R K Pachnanda, who was has taken charge as DG the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Prior to this appointment, he was director general of police (DGP) in Himachal Pradesh. The NDRF has 12 battalions with a strength of over 13,000 personnel. It is mandated to undertake special disaster response and combat roles independently and also assist local authorities in launching a quick rescue and response operation to save life and property.
20. The 15-day long annual joint military training exercise "Ex-Maitree-2017" between the Indian and Thai army has started from July 3, 2017 at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh. The aim of the joint military exercise is to build and promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance inter-operability between the two armies. Exercise Maitree 2017 is a continuation of a series of joint exercises between the Indian Army and the Royal Thailand Army. The previous edition of the exercise was held at Krabi in Thailand in 2016.
21. In Arunachal Pradesh, the most popular Dree festival of Apatani community has celebrated across the State with traditional pomp and gaiety on July 5, 2017. Through this festival, the Apatanis pray their traditional Gods to bring in a bountiful harvest season along with defeat of destructive forces in the society. The festival is marked by grand ritual and community feasts. Traditional songs and dances are part of main attraction of the Dree.
22. The Wilpattu National Park (WNP) is the largest and one of the oldest National Parks in Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of "Willus" (Natural lakes) – Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. The park is 1,317 square kilometers (131, 693 hectares) and ranges from 0 to 152 meters above sea level. It is home to elephant, sloth bear, leopard, water buffalo, etc. The most common reptiles found in the park are the monitor lizard, mugger crocodile, common cobra, rat snake, Indian python, pond turtle, etc. The best time to visit Wilpattu is during the months of February and October.
23. Achal Kumar Jyoti (64), a retired 1975 IAS Officer batch of Gujarat Cadre, is the newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), who took over as the head of the Election Commission in New Delhi on today. He succeeded Dr Nasim Zaidi. Jyoti will continue as the Chief Election Commissioner till January 17, 2018. Prior to this appointment, he was Election Commissioner of India. A CEC or an EC can have a tenure of six years or hold office till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
24. The 12th edition of G20 summit will be held at Hamburg in Germany on July 7, 2017 with theme "Shaping an interconnected world". In the 2-day summit, from India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the Indian Delegation at the G20 meet with a firm message on the global menace of terrorism. The G20 countries account for more than four-fifths of Gross world product and three-quarters of global trade. They are home to almost two-thirds of the world's population. In that context expectations are always high from a G20 summit. The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies with the aim of studying, reviewing and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.
25. The Guindy National Park (GNP) is the 8th smallest National Park of India, located at Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park has a role in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation and is home to 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deers, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimal of interference from human beings.
26. India has been ranked 23rd out of 165 nations in the 2017 Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), which is released by the UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The index measures the commitment of nations across the globe to ensuring cybersecurity to their digital systems. India is ranked 23rd on the index with a score of 0.683 and has been listed in the maturing category, which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity programmes and initiatives. The index has been topped by Singapore with a 0.925 score. The top 10 most committed countries to cybersecurity are Singapore, United States, Malaysia, Oman, Estonia, Mauritius, Australia, Georgia, France and Canada. Russia is ranked 11th.
27. The host nation India bagged 7 medals including two gold to sit atop the medal tally on the day one of the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on July 6, 2017. Long distance runner Govindan Laxman has won gold in men's 5000m race, while Manpreet Kaur won gold medal with a career second best throw of 18.28m in the women's shotput event. V Neena and Nayan James bagged a silver and bronze in women's long jump while Vikas Gowda, Sanjivini Yadav, Annu Rani added a bronze each in the men's discus throw, women's 5000m race and javelin throw respectively. The Asian Championships winner gets automatic berth for the World Championships to be held in London in August 2017.
28. The Union Government has officially launched a student- scientist connect programme "Jigyasa" in New Delhi to develop interest among students to pursue science. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has joined hands with Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to implement this programme. The programme is expected to connect 1151 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 38 National Laboratories of CSIR targeting 100,000 students and nearly 1000 teachers annually. It will also enable the students and teachers to practically live the theoretical concepts taught in science by visiting CSIR laboratories and by participating in mini-science projects. The model of engagement includes student residential programmes, scientists as teachers and teachers as scientists, popular lecture series/demonstration programme at Schools and student apprenticeship programmes among others.
29. India's first university only for Dalit students will come up in Hyderabad by 2018 as part of the Telangana government's policy of free education to students from weaker sections from kindergarten to post-graduation (KG to PG) level. The proposal was mooted by a government arm, Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS), which runs nearly 268 residential institutions for Dalit students from class 5 to under-graduate level. The purpose of establishing an exclusive university for Dalit students is to provide them a comprehensive education, so that they would come out as complete and knowledgeable citizens.
30. The 2017 Malabar trilateral naval exercise has started between India, United States and Japan in the Bay of Bengal from July 7-17, 2017 to address the variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific. The exercise will feature both ashore and at-sea training. The at-sea portions will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal and are designed to advance participating nations' military-to-military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in a multinational environment. The Ashore training will include exchanges on carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, surface and anti-submarine warfare, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) operations in Chennai.
31. The Karian Shola National Park (KSNP) is is located at the southern end of the Western Ghats, in the Anaimalai Hills in Tamil Nadu. The park consists of areas of stunted, mossy rainforests known as shola forests interspersed with rolling montane grassland with towering rocky cliffs, making it a biologically unique ecosystem. It is home to about 560 to 680 species of animal such as Nilgiri tahr, Asian elephant, deer, wild boar, tiger, leopard , etc.
32. The Ahmedabad city has been declared as a World Heritage City (WHC) at the 41st session of UNESCO's world heritage committee at Krakow in Poland. With this, the 606-year-old walled city of Ahmedabad, which was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah, has become India's first World Heritage City. The city was also the center for India's non-violent freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi. The walled city has 26 ASI-protected structures, hundreds of 'pols' that capture the essence of community living and numerous sites associated with Mahatma Gandhi who lived here from 1915 to 1930. The Ahmedabad city has also stood for unity with its elegant carvings in its Hindu and Jain temples as well as standing as one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture and Hindu Muslim art. Now, Ahmedabad will join the world heritage cities like Paris, Cairo and Edinburgh. Out of total 287 world heritage cities across the globe, there were only two cities in the Indian subcontinent- Bhaktpur in Nepal and Galle in Sri Lanka. The UNESCO tag will add immense value to Ahmedabad city which will also boost tourism.
33. A.R.Rahman, the Oscar winning Indian music composer, has been shortlisted for the 2017 World Soundtrack Awards – a public choice award for his music in the film "Viceroy's House". Gurinder Chadha, a British filmmaker of Sikh origin has directed Viceroy's House. The film features Huma Qureshi, Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson and late actor Om Puri. It will release in India on August 18, 2018. For this award, all soundtrack and film music fans globally can cast their vote for what they find the finest soundtrack in the past one year. The soundtrack that gets the highest number of votes will be given the World Soundtrack Public Choice Award 2017.
34. Guruswamy Jayraman, a 69-year-old Indian-origin Glenwood resident, has been honoured with the highest civilian award "Order of Australia" in Australia for community work, the highest civilian award in Australia. He works as a senior accountant with Woollahra Municipal Council for a living and has been devoting most of his spare time in community work for the last 25 years. He has represented various community organisations like Auburn Diversity Services, Hindu Council of Australia, Sri Om Adi Sakhi Ashram, Sewa International Australia, etc. Jayraman migrated from Delhi to Australia in 1991.
35. The 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference will takes place in Istanbul, Turkey from July 10 – 12, 2017. Dharmendra Pradhan Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will represent India in the conference. The tri-annual WPC Conference is widely recognized as the `Olympics` of the oil and gas industry. It attracts Ministers, CEOs of Oil and Gas MNCs, experts and academics from the hydrocarbon sectors and provides an ideal forum to showcase potential of India's hydrocarbon sector, highlight the recent policy reforms to international investors and interact with policy makers, technologists, scientists, planners and management experts, entrepreneurs, service providers and vendors in order to attract foreign investments into India's growing oil and gas sector.
36. Lt Col Srinivas Gokulnath has the first Indian to complete the 4,900 kilometre Race Across America (RAAM) in solo category, which is the toughest cycle race in the world. He completed the race in eleven days, 18 hours and 45 minutes, which begin from California. Lt Gokulnath stated that his postings at Siachen Base Camp and at 15,000 feet on the Uri mountains helped him achieve the feat of finishing the race. A solo rider has 12 days to finish the race and has to ride over 400 kilometres a day to finish it in given time. Sleep is for under 3-hours a day.
37. Debi Prasad Dash, a 1985-batch Indian Revenue Service (customs) officer, has taken over as director-general of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the premier agency that tackles smuggling and black money. Dash was the acting DRI chief for the past 5-months. Earlier, he has worked in the UN Security Council, Commonwealth Secretariat and the CBI. The DRI is the major intelligence agency that works to secure India's national and economic security by preventing the outright smuggling of contraband such as firearms, gold, narcotics, Fake Indian Currency notes, antiques, wildlife and environmental products. Furthermore, it also works to prevent the proliferation of black money, commercial frauds and trade based money laundering. The headquarters of DRI is located in New Delhi.
38. Arun Jaitley, the Union Finance Minister, has launched a new tax payer service module 'Aaykar Setu' in New Delhi on July 10, 2017 that compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module. This e-initiative would not only provide better taxpayer services but would also help in reducing the direct physical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities.
39. The World Population Day (WPD) is observed every year on July 11 to increase the awareness of the people towards the worldwide population issues. The 2017 theme is "Family Planning- Empowering People, Developing Nations". Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. The world population has grown tremendously over the past years. It should be noted that China has the highest population in the world and India stood at second.
40. Danfoss India, the Climate and energy efficiency solutions company, has been conferred with the 'Golden Peacock Award' for Environment Management at the 19th World Congress on Environment Management' in Hyderabad. The company has been recognized for its LEED Platinum rated constructed manufacturing facility in Chennai. Recently, the Danfoss manufacturing facility at Oragadam near Chennai was conferred with a LEED Platinum rated certification for its green and sustainable setup, which includes a 1 MW solar power plant, a bio-gas plant, Zero Liquid Discharge Waste Water Treatment plant, Rain Water Harvesting Pond, energy efficient fixtures, carbon foot print reduction initiatives, extensive green cover at Campus among others.
41. Dr John Joseph, a 1983 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has been appointed Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). He is at present posted in Mumbai and expected to take the new charge soon. The post of chief of central excise intelligence (now GST intelligence) was lying vacant for over a month after R K Mahajan took charge as Member, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). Mahajan has been given the additional charge of the DG GSTI till the joining of the new chief.
42. Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to provide women an injectable contraceptive for free. The state's public health department launched a programme "Antara" on July 10, 2017 to cover Pune, Mumbai, Raigad, Nandurbar, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Ratnagiri, and Beed. The programme will be launched in 23 district hospitals, 20 medical colleges and 12 women's hospitals. The new method under government-funded contraceptives, called Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (MPA), will add to existing contraception options for women, such as intrauterine devices, pills, and permanent sterilisation procedure— tubectomy. The contraceptive injections will deter pregnancy for three months and allow conception seven months after the injection is stopped. The injection will be given intramuscularly to women in age bracket of 18-45 years.
43. Subhash C. Garg, a 1983 batch lAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, has taken charge as the new secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the finance ministry. The post fell vacant after Shaktikanta Das retired on May 31, 2017. As the secretary in the DEA, Garg will oversee capital markets, Budget preparation as well as infrastructure financing and decide on borrowing, along with RBI. He will also decide on funding by multilateral institutions. Prior to this post, Garg was Executive Director at World Bank for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka.
44. The 22nd edition of World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference has started in Istanbul, Turkey from July 10 – 12, 2017 under the theme "Bridges to Our Energy Future". The WPC's 65 member countries represent over 96% of the world's oil and gas consumption and production. The purpose of the conference is to promote the management and sustainable use of oil, gas and other energy resources worldwide for the benefit of all. Dharmendra Pradhan, the Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, is representing India in the conference. The tri-annual WPC Conference is widely recognized as the `Olympics` of the oil and gas industry.
45. Rajasthan has become the India's first State to lay down the minimum educational qualifications for contesting elections to village cooperative societies and various other cooperative bodies. For this purpose, the State Cooperative Societies Rules, 2003, were amended and notified. The new rules would benefit about 10,000 cooperative and agricultural credit societies. The educational qualifications will range from Class V to Class VIII for election as members of governing boards of dairy societies, farming societies, consumer societies, weavers' societies, housing construction societies, urban banks, primary land development banks, credit societies, salary earners' societies and cooperative union.
46. The Karnataka Government has constituted a 9-member committee to study and submit a report to the government on the possibility of designing a separate flag for Karnataka and providing it a statutory standing. The committee will be headed by Principal Secretary, Department of Kannada and Culture. It must be noted that there is no prohibition in the Constitution for the State to have its own flag. As per S.R. Bommai v/s Union of India (Supreme Court 1994) case, the Supreme Court has declared that federalism is a basic feature of the Constitution and States are supreme in their sphere. This being the Constitutional position, however, the manner in which the State flag is hoisted should not dishonour the national flag. It has to be always below the national flag. The national flag code specifically authorises use of other flags subject to the regulation by the court. So, State flag is not unauthorized.
47. Milkha Singh, also known as The Flying Sikh, has been honoured with the 2017 Maruti Suzuki Living Legend of the Year award at the 6th edition of 'Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year' Charity Gala Awards on July 6, 2017 at ITC Grand Central in, Mumbai, Maharashtra. However, Milkha could not attend the function. Beside this, Rio Olympics silver medallist P V Sindhu was bestowed with the Sportsperson of the Year award while Indian cricketer KL Rahul was presented with Gamechanger of the year award. The 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed to Abhinav Bindra. The Coach of the Year award 2017 was given to Pullela Gopichand for mentoring a host of shuttlers like Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth, B Sai Praneeth, HS Prannoy, and many others to do well on the international circuit over the last few years.
48. The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Uttara Kannada District in Karnataka. The sanctuary is a birdwatchers paradise, housing nearly 200 species of birds, most famous for the great Indian hornbill and the Malabar pied hornbill. It is also the only known tiger reserve in India to report frequent sightings of the elusive black panther. It is also known to house the Indian sloth bear, the Indian pangolin, the giant Malabar squirrel, dhole, the Indian jackal and the muntjac (barking deer). The king cobra and the mugger crocodile (Indian crocodile) are the prime reptilians in the sanctuary.
49. According to latest report by the UN and OECD, India will become the world's largest milk producer by 2026 and will account for the biggest increase in wheat production globally. As per report title "OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026", the world's population will increase from 7.3 to 8.2 billion over the course of the next decade with India and Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 56% of total population growth. India's population will grow from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion, an increase of almost 150 million. India will overtake China and is projected to be the most populous country in the world by 2026.
50. The world's first centre for breeding Saola, a critically endangered hoofed mammal, will be constructed at Bach Ma National Park in Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. The centre is scheduled to be inaugurated in 2018 as a joint effort by the Saola World Working Group (SWWG) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which will help tackle the ungulate endemic. Saola is recognised by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 51cm in length and are found on both males and females.
51. Indian skipper Mithali Raj has become the first player in the history of women's ODI cricket to have crossed 6000 career runs. She reached the milestone in India's ICC Women's World Cup 2017 match against Australia on July 12, 2017. So far, Mithali has scored 6028 runs with the help of five centuries and 49 half-centuries. Now, she is the all-time highest run-scorer in women's cricket, surpassing the record previously held by England's Charlotte Edwards (5992).
52. The National Gandhi Museum (NGM) is located in New Delhi i.e. showcasing the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum first opened in Mumbai, shortly after Gandhi was assassinated in 1948. The museum relocated several times before moving to Rajghat, New Delhi in 1961, next to the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum is in news because Dr. Y P Anand, the former Director of National Gandhi Museum (NGM), has authored the book 'Historical Background to the Imposition of Salt Tax under the British Rule in India (1757-1947) and Mahatma Gandhi s Salt Satyagraha (1930-31) against the British Rule Background'. The book is recently launched by the Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State (I/C) for Culture and Tourism, at Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi on July 13, 2017. This book is extremely important for India, especially in the present times, wherein there is a need for humanity in the world.
53. The 8th edition of Theatre Olympics 'The Biggest Theatre Celebration of the World' will be hosted by India from February 17 –April 08, 2018, which is being organised by National School of Drama, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture. The Theatre Olympics 2018 will feature maximum number of Indian & International theatre groups, invitee eminent theatre personalities along with their performances. In addition, there will be ambience performances with allied activities like exhibitions, seminars, symposia, interactive discussions and workshops with well-known academicians, authors, actors, designers and directors. It's first time that the Theatre Olympics will be held in India. In 2016, the 7th Theatre Olympics were held in Wroclaw, Poland.
54. India has been ranked 116th out of 157 nations with a score of 58.1 at the 2017 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) index and Dashboards Report that assesses the performance of countries towards achieving the ambitious SDGs. Sweden has topped the list, followed by Denmark and Finland. The 2017 SDG Index and Dashboards Report, released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung, shows that world leaders need to strengthen their joint efforts to realize the 17 global goals. The SDG Index ranks countries based on their performance across the 17 SDGs, including economic development, environmental sustainability, social inclusion, underpinned by good governance. The index collected available data for 157 countries to assess where each country stands in 2017 with regard to achieving the SDGs. It helps countries identify priorities for early actions and shows that every country faces major challenges in achieving these ambitious goals.
55. India's first high-speed rail training centre will set up in Gandhinagar, Gujarat at a cost of Rs 600 crore, and is expected to start operating by 2020. The center will provide advanced training modules on cutting edge technologies. The construction will begin shortly after the foundation-laying ceremony is held in September 2017. It also has a sample bullet train track for testing. Over 4,000 rail engineers are expected to be trained by 2020.
56. Justice Vikramajit Sen, the former Supreme Court Judge, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) for three years. Justice Sen succeeded Justice Mukul Mudgal. The BCCC is an independent self-regulatory body set up by the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) in June 2011 to look into complaints pertaining to all non-news general entertainment channels in India.
57. Liu Xiaobo (61), the Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy campaigner, has died of multiple organ failure while under guard at a hospital in Shenyang, China on July 13, 2017. Liu had been serving an 11-year jail sentence for demanding an end to one-party rule and for introduction of multi-party democracy. He was the most prominent human rights and democracy advocate of China. Now, Xiaobo became the first Nobel Peace Prize laureate to die in custody since Carl von Ossietzky, the German pacifist and foe of Nazism who won the prize in 1935 and died under guard in 1938 after years of maltreatment.
58. Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to make social boycott a crime after President Pranab Mukherjee cleared the legislation. The Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act prescribes a maximum punishment of 3 year in jail and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. It aims to prevent atrocities carried out by extra-judicial courts and caste panchayats. The Act also provides for compensation to victims. The fines imposed on violators will be used to compensate them. The Act also has a provision to withdraw cases with the consent of victims and permission from a court. In case of a withdrawal, the accused will have to perform community service.
59. The Haryana government has decided to set up a hi-tech and ultra-modern ornamental fish hatchery that would be the first-of-its-kind project in India. The fish hatchery would be set up in district Jhajjar at a cost of Rs.13.68 crore. At present, Haryana is at second position in the country with fish production of 7,200 per kilogram per hectare per year in the year 2016-17. The fish production is aimed to be increased to 10,000 per kilogram per hectare per year in 2017-18.
60. The book "Narendra Modi: The Making of a Legend" has been authored by Bindeshwar Pathak, the Sulabh International founder and a Padma Bhushan recipient. The book is recently launched by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat in New Delhi. The coffee table book is all about PM Modi and the inspiring journey of his life. It has images and text depicting Modi's journey, his struggles and several initiatives taken by him since he took oath as country's prime minister in 2014.
61. The Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS) is located in the East Sikkim district of the state of Sikkim. The total notified area of the park is around 124 square kilometres while inside the wildlife sanctuary there are a few hamlets: Aritar, Lingtam, Phadamchen, Zuluk, Gnathang valley and Kupup. This wildlife sanctuary is linked to the forests of Bhutan and Neora Valley National Park of West Bengal. It is home many birds such as kalij pheasant, Oriental honey buzzard, blood pheasant, white-crested laughingthrush, striated laughingthrush, etc. It is also home for some rarities like the speckled wood pigeon and bay woodpecker.
62. Indonesia has renamed the northern reaches of its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea as the North Natuna Sea on July 14, 2017. It is the latest act of resistance by Southeast Asian nations to China's territorial ambitions in the maritime region. The part of the renamed sea is claimed by China under its contentious maritime boundary, known as the "nine-dash line", that encompasses most of the resource-rich sea. It should be noted that the South China Sea is a crucial shipping route and believed to be rich in natural resources, such as oil and gas.
63. India's first solar-powered 1600 HP Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) broad gauge train has launched from Safdarjung railway station to promote clean and renewable energy. The train will run from Sarai Rohilla in Delhi to Farukh Nagar in Haryana. The solar power DEMU train has six trailer coaches and is expected to save about 21,000 litres of diesel and ensure a cost saving of Rs 12 lakh per year. The coaches are equipped with a battery bank which will optimize solar energy to full load and provide power at night. There will also be a reduction of 1350 tons of carbon dioxide per train over the same time period.
64. The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) is observed every year on July 15 to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development. The 2017 theme is "Skills for the Future of Work".
65. Garbine Muguruza Blanco, a Spanish-Venezuelan professional tennis player, has won the 2017 women's singles Wimbledon Tennis tournament by defeating Venus Williams in the final by 7-5, 6-0 at All England Club in London, United Kingdom (UK). This was Muguruza's second Grand Slam singles title and she became the second Spanish woman to win Wimbledon after Conchita MartÃnez in 1994. Muguruza also became the first player to defeat both Williams sisters in Grand Slams singles finals.
66. The Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary (RWS) is located in north Tripura district and covers an area of only 0.86 square km. It is home to 150 species of birds, wild beasts and primates. It is the most ideal destination for the tourists, who are more inclined towards eco-tourism. The forest is rich with a large number of economic plants such as medicinal & aromatic, treat fodders, fruit producing trees, oil-seed producing trees, spices & orchids and other ornamental plants.
67. Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player , has won the 2017 men's singles Wimbledon Tennis tournament by defeating Marin Cilic in the final by 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 at All England Club in London, United Kingdom (UK). With this win, Federer has won a record 8th Wimbledon title and became the Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976. This was Swiss superstar's 11th Wimbledon final and 29th title at the majors. With this victory, Federer also became the first player since Bjorn Borg in 1976 to win Wimbledon without dropping a set in the entire tournament.
68. The World Day for International Justice (WDIJ) is observed every year on July 17 to promote international criminal justice and focus on human rights. This is a day to reflect upon the victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes and to celebrate the international community's continued efforts to create a more just and peaceful world. The day is also referred as the International Criminal Justice Day (ICJD) or International Justice Day (IJD). This year, in 2017, also marked the 15th anniversary of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the only permanent international court for the prosecution of individuals accused of mass atrocity crimes.
69. The Matunga railway station has become the India's first station to be run by all women staff. It is a railway station on the Central line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. A total of 30 women staffers, including 11 booking clerks, 5 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and seven ticket checkers are working under station manager Mamta Kulkarni, who was the first female station master in Central Railway's Mumbai division. With this, Matunga station has become the first such ladies special station.
70. The Nelson Mandela International Day (NMID) is observed every year on July 18 to mark birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela, the former South African President & Nobel Peace Prize winner, for his tireless struggle against apartheid. The day is an opportunity to reflect on the life and work of a legend who embodied the highest values of the United Nations. Mandela was South Africa's first black president, who spent 27 years in three different prisons and was an anti-Apartheid icon who led a memorable life. His negotiations in the early 1990s with South African President F.W. de Klerk led to the end of the country's apartheid system of racial segregation. For their efforts, both of them jointly received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1993.
71. Tata Motors Ltd. has manufactured India's first bio—CNG (bio—methane) bus, which was unveiled recently at a bio-energy programme 'Urja Utsav' in Pune, Maharashtra. The event was organized by the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The auto-firm has designed and developed bio-methane engines (5.7 SGI & 3.8 SGI) for Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV), Intermediate Commercial Vehicles (ICV) and Medium Commercial Vehicles (MCV) buses. The company displayed three models, including the lead model Tata LPO 1613 with 5.7 SGI NA BS—IV IOBD—II compliant bus. Bio-methane is produced out of biodegradable materials like kitchen waste. The gas, which gets produced by way of natural degradation process, escapes into the atmosphere unused.
72. The Dachigam National Park (DNP) is located at Umaria district in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and covers an area of 141 km2. The main animal species that Dachigam is known for is the hangul (or the Kashmir stag). Other species include Musk deer, Leopard, Himalayan serow, Himalayan grey langur, Leopard cat, Himalayan black bear, etc.
73. The 9-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court (SC) headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar will determine whether the right to privacy is a fundamental right or not under the Constitution. The nine-judge bench also comprises Justices J Chelameswar, S A Bobde, R K Agrawal, Rohinton Fali Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, D Y Chandrachud, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Abdul Nazeer. The bench is dealing with the limited issue of right to privacy and matters challenging the Aadhaar scheme would be referred back to a smaller bench. The hearing is in progress.
74. The Ministry of Science and Technology (S&T) has launched a low-cost indigenous newborn hearing screening device "Sohum" in New Delhi to detect a congenital hearing loss in newborns. The device has been developed by School of International Biodesign (SIB) startup M/s Sohum Innovation Labs India Pvt. Ltd. The portable Sohum hearing screening device measures auditory brain waves via three electrodes placed on the baby's head. When stimulated, they detect electrical responses generated by the brain's auditory system. If there is no response, the child cannot hear. The battery-operated device is non-invasive, which means babies do not need to be sedated, which is the current and risky, testing in process at present. It must be noted that 800,000 hearing impaired babies are born annually across the world, of which nearly 100,000 are in India.
75. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, the UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, has topped a poll of the most powerful Arab women in government 2017, according to latest Forbes Middle East report. Ms Qasimi was followed by Sahar Nasr, Ghada Wali, Hind Subaih Barrak Al-Subaih, Iman Houda Feraoun and Iman Houda Feraoun. Forbes has also released a list of the top 100 most powerful Arab businesswomen for 2017, and the UAE represents the highest number of women, with 18, followed by Egypt, with 16. As per the report, women in the Arab world were pioneering in the banking sector and women in this industry represents 28% of the 2017 businesswoman list. The rankings were compiled by taking into account scope of the role or ministry, years of experience and company revenues, or GDP in the case of government.
76. Veteran BJP leader LK Advani has received the Lifetime Achievement (LTA) award for his contributions as a parliamentarian in the Lok Sabha (LS). JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav got the Lifetime Achievement Award as a Rajya Sabha MP. The award was given by the Vice President Hamid Ansari at a function organised by the Lokmat Media Group. The other awardees from the Lok Sabha included Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N.K. Premachandran (Best Parliamentarian), Congress leader Kumari Sushmita Dev (Best Woman Parliamentarian) and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi (Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian). The awardees from the Rajya Sabha included CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury (Best Parliamentarian), Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan (Best Woman Parliamentarian) and Congress MP Rajni Patil (Best Debut Woman Parliamentarian). The awardees were selected by a jury, headed by former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil.
77. Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha, has recently dedicated the state's longest road bridge "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Setu" to the nation. The 2.88 km bridge is built on river Kathajodi (a tributary of Mahanadi) at an approximate cost Rs 114 crore. The Netaji Setu will not only lessen the distance between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack by 12 km, it will also help divert traffic and ease commute.
78. Fanaceso Totti, the legendary Italian footballer, has finally confirmed his retirement from professional football on July 17, 2017 and announced that he had accepted an offer from his former team Roma to become a club director. Totti is regarded as one of the most talented Italian players of all time for his vision, technique, and goalscoring ability. He is the second-highest scorer of all time in Italian league history with 250 goals; he also holds the record for the most goals scored in Serie A while playing for a single club.
79. The 1817 Paika rebellion (Paika Bidroh) was an armed rebellion against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu. The rebellion quickly spread across most of Odisha before being ruthlessly put down by the company's forces. It is in news because President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated a function in New Delhi to commemorate 200th year celebration of heroic Paika Rebellion of Odisha on July 20, 2017 to pay tribute to the martyrs. The President is scheduled to felicitate 150 Paika descendants at the function to be held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The function was organized by the Union Ministry of Culture.
80. The Nameri National Park (NNP) is located in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in the Sonitpur District of Assam that covers an area of 200km2. The forest has over 600 species. Some notable species are Gmelina arborea, Michelia champaca, Amari, Chukrasia tabularis, etc. It is an ideal habitat for a host of Indian elephant including the tiger, leopard, sambar, dhole, pygmy hog, Indian wild bison, etc. The park is also a birdwatcher's paradise with over 300 species such as white winged wood duck, great pied hornbill, wreathed hornbill, rufous necked hornbill, etc.
81. The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has launched a new pension scheme Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) for the senior citizens in New Delhi on July 21, 2017. The scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through LIC and is exempted from Service Tax or GST. The PMVVY scheme will be available till 3rd of May next year and will provide an assured return of 8% per annum payable monthly for 10 years. Loan upto 75% of purchase price will be allowed after 3 policy years to meet the liquidity needs. The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical or terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded. On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the purchase price will be paid to the beneficiary.
82. The 5th Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) will be held in New Delhi from November 23-24, 2017. The GCCS is one of the world's Largest conference on Cyber Space and related issues. The theme of the conference will be "Cyber for all: An Inclusive, Sustainable, Developmental, Safe and Secure Cyberspace". The GCCS is a prestigious international conference that aims at encouraging dialogue among stakeholders of cyberspace, which has been taking place since 2011. India is the 2nd Asian country, after South Korea, who will be organizing such conference.
83. Sanjay Kothari, a 1978 batch IAS of Haryana cadre, has been appointed as Secretary to President elect Ram Nath Kovind. Currently, he is the Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB). Beside this, Bharat Lal, a forest service officer, has been appointed as Joint Secretary to the President. Ashok Malik, the senior journalist and distinguished fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), will be Press Secretary to the President.
84. Brenda Marjorie Hale, the senior-most judge of United Kngdom (UK) has been appointed as the first female President of the Supreme Court (SC). She will take charge as the head of Britain's top judging panel in September following the retirement of current President, Lord Neuberger. She has served as Neuberger's deputy since 2013. Three new justices have also been appointed to the Supreme Court – Lady Justice Black, Lord Justice Lloyd Jones and Lord Justice Brigg – who will take up the role when Lady Hale is sworn in officially as President on 2nd October. The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal for civil cases in the UK, and criminal cases from England, Northern Ireland and Wales – which means it considers cases where an order had already been made in a lower court and is being challenged.
85. Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Petroleum Minister, has launched the India's first petroleum Research & Development (R&D) facility for testing high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions in Faridabad in the National Capital Region (NCR). The R & D facility will be operated by state-run Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and is designed to test all types of fuel including petrol, diesel, ethanol-blended petrol, bio-diesel, CNG, LNG, hydrogen-CNG and 2G-ethanol blends to ensure they meet the superior BS-VI norms that are to be implemented across the country by April 2020. In addition to generating emission data, the facility will also evaluate the fuel blends for energy-efficiency and engine durability.
86. India and Bangladesh have signed a pact to connect both the countries by waterways. The waterways will facilitate movement of passengers and goods between India's northeast and West Bengal with Bangladesh. Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya has stated that infrastructure for the services would be set up along the major rivers in Bangladesh, West Bengal and Brahmaputra in Assam. The services are expected to start by the end of year 2017.
87. The National Broadcasting Day (NBD) is celebrated every year on July 23 because on this day, in 1927, the radio broadcasting was started in India. The first ever radio broadcast in India went on air from the Bombay Station on July 23, 1927 under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company (IBC). It was by the British Viceroy of India Lord Irwin. On June 8, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio (AIR). Today, in 2017, the radio broadcast has completed 90 years in country. The All India Radio (AIR), now under Prasar Bharati, has the distinction of being one of the major broadcasting organizations in the world. The News Services Division of All India Radio disseminates news and comments to listeners in India and abroad. Today, AIR's home service comprises 420 stations located across the country, reaching nearly 92%t of the country's area and 99.19% of the total population. AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 146 dialects.
88. Dr. Udupi Ramachandra Rao (85), the internationally acclaimed space scientist and former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman, has passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka on July 24, 2017. He is credited for contributions to the development of space technology in India and its extensive application to communications and remote sensing of natural resources. Prof. Rao served as the Chairman of ISRO for ten years from 1984-1994. He was the first Indian to be inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame, Washington and in International Astronautics Federation (IAF). In his career, he published over 350 scientific and technical papers covering wide range of topics including cosmic rays, interplanetary physics, high energy astronomy, space applications and satellite and rocket technology. He also wrote several books on subjects related to space research.
89. Raveesh Kumar, a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed as the new spokesperson of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Currently, he is posted in Frankfurt as Consul General of India and will succeed Gopal Baglay, who has been appointed as the joint secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The MEA which is also known as the Foreign Ministry is the responsible for the conduct of foreign relations of India. The Ministry comes under Government of India (GoI) and is responsible for the country's representation in the United Nations. It also advises other Ministries and State Governments when the latter have dealings with foreign governments or institutions.
90. Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, has inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient, Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum at Roing in Arunachal Pradesh on July 22, 2017. The museum will serve as a place of exchange of cultural values of various tribes of the state and the North East. The MoS also pressed for documentation and research to preserve age-old culture and traditions of the state and exhorted people to shoulder the responsibility to pass on traditional and cultural values to the next generation. According to UNESCO report, there are 32 languages in Arunachal Pradesh that are on the verge of extinction and the state government is initiating programmes and policies to find out and to revive those minor and major tribal languages. Beside this, Rijiju also inaugurated the 235-meter long Chimari Bridge, which would serve as a life line between the National Highway 52 of Roing-Tezu. The bridge has been constructed by BRO.
91. India will host the men's World Boxing Championship for the first time in 2021 besides women's World Boxing Championship in 2018. It is recently announced by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in the executive committee meeting in Moscow, Russia. India has never conducted the men's World Championship but has played host to the 2006 women's mega-event. The major men's boxing events hosted by India have been the 1990 World Cup in Mumbai and the 2010 Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi. Beside this, the AIBA Executive Committee has unanimously awarded the 2019 women's World Championships to Trabzon, Turkey and the AIBA Men's World Championships 2019 to Sochi, Russia. The AIBA 2018 Congress was awarded to the Russian capital city of Moscow.
92. India has been ranked 132nd among 152 nations in a new global Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) index, which was prepared by international NGO Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI). The new global ranking of governments is based on what they are doing to tackle the gap between rich and poor. The report highlights India's less-than adequate spending on welfare measures on account of its low tax to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio compared to that of some other nations as well as the disparity between wages of men and women for the same work. India collects just 16.7% of GDP as taxes, while South Africa manages to collect over 27%, pointed out the report. The CRI index ranks nations on the basis of their welfare spending, the progressive nature of their tax system and prevailing wage inequality in the labour market. The list is topped by Sweden, followed by Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Finland.
93. The Lucknow Metro will become the India's first metro to have its own FM radio station along with a collaboration with private radio station to provide information regarding metro safety as well as on and off board entertainment. This service aims for infotainment and monetary purpose. It will offer free WiFi service for all the 'Go Smart' Card holders, which holds various other benefits as well. Beside this, Lucknow metro will also become the first metro in India to provide Commuters with free purified and chilled drinking water along with free toilet services at all of its stations.
94. India skipper Mithali Raj has been chosen as the captain of the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 team by the International Cricket Council (ICC). She was selected as captain after she led India to the final in the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup, which was won by England Women Team. Mithali led by example, scoring 409 runs during the 30- day tournament. There are four members of the England women's team in the Women's World Cup XI, including Tamsin Beaumont, who was declared Player of the Tournament, and seamer Anya Shrubsole, who captured six wickets in the final to shatter Indian hopes of claiming a maiden title. South Africa also has three members that included opener Laura Wolvaardt and bowlers Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk.
95. Prof Yash Pal (90), the internationally acclaimed physicist and higher education reformer, has passed away in Noida in Uttar Pradesh on July 25, 2017. He was born in 1926 in Jhang district of British India that is now in Pakistan. He gained recognition due to his contribution in the study of cosmic rays. Professor Yash Pal was lappointed as the Chief Consultant of the Planning Commission. He acted as the Secretary of Department of Science and Technology from 1984 to 1986. He was appointed as the Chairman of University Grants Commission where he served a full single-term of five years and also served as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. He served as a member of UN Advisory Committee on Science and Technology for Development. He is also known for his appearances on the science programme, Turning Point on Doordarshan and explaining scientific concepts in layman's language. Pal was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1976 and Padma Vibhushan in 2013 for his contribution to Science.
96. The 18th anniversary of 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' has celebrated across the country on July 26, 2017 to commemorates India's emphatic victory against Pakistan and honours the war heroes. On the occasion, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and three Chiefs of Services laid floral tribute at Amar Jawan Jyoti, India Gate. On this day in 1999, the Indian Army successfully took control of posts at a treacherous high altitude and glaciated terrain across the Himalayas in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, after fighting for 60 days. More than 500 soldiers from Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives during the war. Four Param Vir Chakras, nine Maha Vir Chakras, 53 Vir Chakras and other medals had been awarded to felicitate the Kargil War heroes.
97. Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia, has recently declared his government's full independence from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, after announcing last year that Bolivia will no longer respond to their demands. Most of the protests in Bolivia have targeted the policies of the international money lending organizations that have focused on privatisation and austerity measures to combat corruption in the country
98. The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the first meeting of the newly constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA) on July 24, 2017. After detailed consultations, ten islands namely Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep have been identified for holistic development in the first phase. The IDA was set up on June 1, 2017 following the Prime Minister's review meeting for the development of islands.
99. Subhash Chandra Garg, the secretary of Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), has been appointed as India's Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, Philippines with effect from July 12, 2017. He succeeded Shaktikanta Das, the former secretary of DEA.
100. The Fakim wildlife sanctuary is located in the eastern part of Nagaland under Kipheri district bordering Myanmar. The sanctuary lies in the Pungro circle headquarters and is spread over an area of 642 hectares. It receives high rainfall and is home to rare species. The area is covered with hills, high ridges, deep gorges and narrow valleys. Because of this variation in altitude, vegetation is equally varied. It is home to tiger, hoolock gibbon, panther, jungle cat, Himalayan bear, bison, sambar, barking deer, etc.
101. The Madras High Court has ruled that the national song 'Vande Mataram' be made compulsory in all educational institutions and government or private organisations in Tamil Nadu. As per ruling, the national song be played and sung in all schools, colleges and universities at least once a week, preferably on Monday or Friday and in government offices, private companies, factories and industries at least once a month. The issue pertains to a case filed by K Veeramani who lost the state recruitment board exam by a mark as he answered Bengali for the question on the language of 'Vande Mataram' while the answer key said that it was written in Sanskrit. Opposing his submission, Veeramani approached the Madras High Court and sought clarity on whether 'Vande Mataram' was written in Sanskrit or Bengali. As per ruling, it is the duty of every citizen to abide by the ideals ingrained in the Constitution and as such show respect to the National Anthem and the National Flag.
102. The Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCI) is a Miniratna Indian public sector unit engaged in the business of dredging. DCI is headquartered at Visakhapatnam and it reports to the Ministry of Shipping. Recently, it is in news because a proposal for disinvestment of DCI is under consideration of the Government of India (GoI). The proposal is aimed at upgrading technology, improving capability, infusing capital to buy necessary dredgers and equipments and instilling experienced professional management to optimize the operations of DCI. This information was given by the Minister of State for Shipping and Road Transport and Highways Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on July 27, 2017.
103. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently inaugurated the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam memorial at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on July 27, 2017. The event coincides with the second death anniversary of Dr Kalam. The memorial has been designed and established by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and has been built at a cost of about 20 crore rupees. The memorial will reflect India's diversity and various cultures and will pay homage to Kalam's life, displaying replicas of rockets and missiles that the late ace scientist worked on. On this occasion, Prime Minister Modi has flagged off the mobile science exhibition bus "Kalam Sandesh Vahini" which shall travel across various States of the country and reach Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on October 15, which marks the birth anniversary of the former President.
104. Nitish Kumar, the President of Janata Dal(United), has been sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Bihar for the sixth time and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister. Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi administered him the oath of office and secrecy at Raj Bhavan in Patna on July 27, 2017. Earlier, on July 26, 2017, Nitish Kumar had resigned as the Chief Minister citing irreconcilable differences with RJD on corruption charges against Lalu Prasad's son and former Deputy CM Tejaswi Prasad Yadav. Then, the JDU President joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in the state.
105. The Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council has formed a selection committee under the chairmanship of cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha to identify and recommend eligible persons for appointment as the chairman and members of the National Anti-profiteering Authority under GST. The standing committee is empowered to refer cases requiring detailed enquiry to the Director General of Safeguards, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for consideration of the NAPA. The National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAPA) is tasked with ensuring the full benefits of a reduction in tax on the supply of goods or services flow to the consumers. As per provisions of law, the Authority will be headed by a senior officer of the level of a secretary to the Government of India and shall have four technical members from the Centre and/or the states. The NAPA will have the power to cancel registration of any entity or business if it fails to pass on to consumers the benefit of lower taxes under the GST regime.
106. India's first bullet train project "Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor" will be launched during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in September 12-14, 2017. Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly inaugurate the bullet train project with the laying of foundation stone and a ground breaking ceremony. This is expected to take place in Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar (Gujarat). This is Rs 1 lakh crore project which involves construction of a 505-km line using Japanese 'Shinkansen' technology. For this, Japan will provide a soft loan worth $12 billion, at a cost of 0.1%, for a 50-year period including a 15-year moratorium. The Japanese government will be bearing 80% of the total project cost and the increase in cost estimate has to be borne by both India and Japan.
107. Microsoft India has officially launched 'Kaizala' a Made for India app for businesses and organizations, which is powered by Azure Cloud platform. It is designed for large group communications and work management, and works even on 2G networks. The app would help organisations communicate, collaborate and complete tasks and bring together desktop users and mobile-only users who may be within or outside their organisations.
108. The Punjab government has launched its flagship health scheme "Care Companion Programme (CCP)" to educate family members of patient about taking better care of patients. The CCP scheme is targeted to improve patients outcome by implementing better family engagement. For this, the state department of health and family welfare has signed a MOU with Noora Health India Trust for implementation of the CCP. The purpose of the programme is to reduce the number of baby deaths after discharge from hospitals due to infections or any other reason. The innovative programme includes teaching the family of patient's high-impact medical skills to take care of the patients in the hospital and at home.
109. The Delhi Metro has become the world's first completely 'green' Metro system for adhering to green building norms for its residential colonies. Delhi Metro has secured the platinum rating for adherence to green building norms for its 10 residential colonies from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
110. The International Tiger Day (ITD) is observed every year on July 29 to raise awareness for tiger conservation. The day is also known as Global Tiger Day (GTD). The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has stated that only 3,890 tigers are left in the world. Of them, India has the highest number. Till July 2016, there were 2,500 tigers in the country.
111. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Minority Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs, has launched "Jiyo Parsi Publicity Phase-2" in Mumbai, Maharashtra under the Jiyo Parsi scheme. The main purpose of the "Jiyo Parsi" scheme (or Central Sector Scheme) is to reverse the declining trend of Parsi population by adopting a scientific protocol and structured interventions, stabilize their population and increase the population of Parsis in India.
112. According to the recently released OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026 report, Brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef, followed by Australia and India. As per report, India exported 1.56 million tonnes of beef in 2016. It is expected to maintain its position as the third-largest exporter of the meat till 2026 by exporting 1.93 tonnes that year. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD database, India imported 363,000 tonnes of beef in 2016 and the amount was projected to stay the same over the decade. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the total world beef exports in 2016 was 10.95 million tonnes and was expected to increase to 12.43 million tonnes by 2026. The type of beef exported was not specified, but the exported meat appears to be mostly from buffaloes as the report has specified the animal for imports by Myanmar from India.
13. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently developed India's first unmanned tank "Muntra" that can remotely operate. The agency has developed the tank in three different variants to tackle any kind of situation – 'Muntra S' for surveillance missons, 'Muntra M' for mine detection and a third variant 'Muntra N' for reconnaissance in areas with nuclear and bio threats. The Muntra variants have surveillance radar, an integrated camera along with laser range finder which can be used to spy on ground target 15km away – may be a crawling men or heavy vehicles.
114. The Haryana government has officially prohibited flushing/mixing of liquid nitrogen with any drink or food article. The ban has been issued under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Central Act 34 of 2006). As per officials, the state food department will now conduct surprise checks in restaurants and bars, especially those in Gurgaon, to check whether the ban was being flouted. According to expert medical opinion, any drink or food article whose preparation involves flushing/mixing of liquid nitrogen is harmful for humans. Liquid nitrogen is a colourless liquid having a boiling point of -195.79 °C and is used to instantly freeze food and drinks. It is used in bars to quickly chill glasses, freeze ingredients, and provide a smoky effect to drinks and in molecular gastronomy. It releases a large volume of gas as it evaporates, which can burst the stomach if consumed in a sufficiently large quantity. It is also used to cool computers and in cryogenic medical procedures like removing warts and cancerous tissues by freezing them.
