NATIONAL

Skyroot successfully test fires India's first privately developed cryogenic rocket engine

• Skyroot Aerospace, a space technology startup based in Hyderabad, has successfully test-fired Dhawan-1, India’s first privately developed fully cryogenic rocket engine. This will power the upper stages of its upcoming Vikram-2 orbital launch vehicle. The rocket engine Dhawan-1 is named after Satish Dhawan, an Indian rocket scientist.

• Dhawan-1 is a completely ‘Made-in-India’ cryogenic engine, developed using 3D printing with a superalloy. The engine is fuelled by liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen—a high-performance, low-cost, and clean rocket fuel.

SPORTS

Saurav Ghosal beats top seed Miguel Rodriguez to become 1st Indian to win Malaysian Open squash championships

• Indian Squash star, Saurav Ghosal has scripted history as he has become the first Indian squash player to win the Malaysian Open Championships. The second-seeded Ghosal beat Miguel Rodriguez of Colombia 11-7, 11-8 and 13-11 in the men’s singles final in Kuala Lumpur to win the 2021 Malaysian Open Squash Championships title. On the other hand, the women’s singles title of the 2021 Malaysian Open squash championships has been won by Malaysia’s Aifa Azman.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Naomi Kawase appointed as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

• UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, has appointed Japanese film director Naomi Kawase as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural and Creative Industries. Ms Azoulay named Naomi Kawase in recognition of her commitment to culture and creativity at the service of the development of more just societies, especially for girls and women, and of her support for the Organization's objectives.

• Committed to the representation of women in the film industry in Africa, Ms Kawase, on Thursday took part in UNESCO’s conference on Diversity and Gender Equality in African Cinema. In 2020, she launched the UNESCO-Nara Residency with the Organization, opening up new creative and production opportunities for ten young African women filmmakers.

• Considered the “filmmaker of human relationships,” Naomi Kawase’s work draws on her personal experience to blend fiction and documentary. In 2007, she won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival for her film The Mourning Forestand in 2013 served on the Jury of the 66th edition of the Festival. She is also the official film director of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

Sanjay dutt signed as Arunachal Pradesh Ambassador

• The Arunachal Pradesh Government has signed Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt as brand ambassador and award-winning filmmaker and branding expert Rahul Mittra as brand advisor on the occasion of their golden jubilee celebrations, marking the 50th year of the naming of the state.

• This announcement was made by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Assembly Speaker Pasang Sona Dorjee at a packed function in the presence of both Sanjay Dutt and Rahul Mittra, who arrived from Mumbai by chartered flight to Dibrugarh and then by helicopter to the picturesque valley of Mechuka in the afternoon on Monday.

Indian-origin executive Parag Agrawal is new CEO of Twitter after Jack Dorsey steps down

• Indian-origin technology executive, Parag Agrawal has been appointed as the new CEO of Twitter after the social media giant’s co-founder Jack Dorsey stepped down. He is now the youngest CEO in the S&P 500 elbowing Meta Platform Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg. However, Agrawal is 37 and the same age as Mark Zuckerberg.

• Parag joined Twitter 10 years ago when there were fewer than 1,000 employees. He has been behind every critical decision that helped turn this company around. He’s curious, probing, rational, creative, demanding, self-aware and humble.

• Parag did his undergrad at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Following this, he went on to do his masters from Stanford University. He completed his PhD in Computer Science from the same place in 2012.

Hero Motocorp appoints former SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar to the board

• Two-wheeler major, Hero MotoCorp announced the appointment of former chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) Rajnish Kumar as an independent non-executive director on the board of the company. Kumar completed his three-year term as chairman of SBI in October 2020. He is currently serving as an Independent Director on the Boards of many other companies including HSBC, Asia Pacific, L&T Infotech, and is also the Non-Executive Chairman of Resilient Innovations (BharatPe).

OBITUARY

Geoffrey Johnson, Tony-Winning Casting Director, Dies at 91

• Tony-winning casting director Geoffrey Johnson died Friday at the age of 91.

• Johnson died in his sleep of respiratory failure at the Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital in New York, his rep said.

• With his business partner Vincent Liff, Johnson helped cast long-running Broadway shows Cats, Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera. The casting firm they co-founded, Johnson-Liff, cast Broadway shows such as The Elephant Man, Dreamgirls, Miss Saigon and Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 2021 : 30th November

• The United Nation recognised Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is held every year on November 30. The day marks a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

• The first Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare was held in 2005. The history of the serious efforts to achieve chemical disarmament that culminated in the conclusion of the Chemical Weapons Convention began more than a century ago. Chemical weapons were used on a massive scale during World War I, resulting in more than 100,000 fatalities and a million casualties.

NCC celebrates its 73rd Raising Day on 28th November 2021

• The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces and the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, is observing the 73rd anniversary of its raising on November 28.  NCC day is celebrated every year on the 4th Sunday in November. NCC day is observed throughout the country. The raising day is being celebrated all over the country with cadets participating in marches, blood donation camps and social development programmes.

• The NCC was formed on 15th July 1948. NCC is also the largest uniformed youth organisation in the whole world. The NCC headquarters is located in New Delhi. Headquarters is now open for school and college students. It is a voluntary “Tri-service Organisation”. This organisation includes the army, the naval and the wings.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book ‘Bangladesh Liberation @ 50 years: ‘Bijoy’ with Synergy, India-Pakistan war 1971’ by MM Naravane

• General MM Naravane released a book ‘Bangladesh Liberation @ 50 years: ‘Bijoy’ with Synergy, India-Pakistan war 1971’, a compilation of personal accounts of the war by veterans from India and Pakistan. The book is an amalgamation of historical and anecdotal accounts of the 1971 War and comprises authors from both India and Bangladesh. Mostly who fought the war.

• The event was organized by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) at the India International Centre (IIC), Delhi to commemorate 50 Years of India-Bangladesh Friendship as well as the decisive victory in India- Pakistan War 1971.

• An award ceremony was also conducted. The ‘Scholar Warrior Award’ was awarded by the former COAS (Chief of Army Staff) of Bangladesh, Bir Protik to Brigadier Narender Kumar for his outstanding contribution as a warrior and in the field of research.

INTERNATIONAL

Kuwait's Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid has been reappointed prime minister

• Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Hamad Al Sabah has been appointed the new Prime Minister of Kuwait. Sheikh Sabah also served as Kuwait’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Envoy at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 1995 to 1998. He has also been awarded with the Order of King Abdulaziz of First Class in 1998 by Saudi Arabia.
• Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued an order on behalf of the emir, appointing Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah to form a new government and provide a list of names for approval.

NATIONAL

Defence Minister virtually inaugurated 5th World Congress on Disaster Management

• The fifth edition of the World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM) was virtually inaugurated by the Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh. The event has been organised at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi campus from November 24-27, 2021. The theme of the 5th WCDM is Technology, Finance and Capacity for Building Resilience to Disasters in the Contexts of Covid-19.
• World Congress on Disaster Management is a unique initiative of Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS) Hyderabad to bring researchers, policymakers and practitioners from around the world on a common platform to discuss various challenging issues of disaster risk management. The first WCDM was held in 2008 in Hyderabad and inaugurated by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Narendra Modi approved extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana

• Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) for another four months. The Phase V of the PMGKAY scheme will be operational from December 2021 till March 2022. Under the scheme, all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) receives food grains @ 5 kg per person per month.

PM Modi lays foundation stone of Jewar Airport

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the Foundation Stone of Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. The Jewar airport is the second international aerodrome in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). It is the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has now become the state with the highest number of international airports in India.
• The airport has been developed by Zurich Airport International AG over 1,330 acres of land area.

Finance Minister launched Tejasvini & Hausala schemes

• Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has launched two schemes named ‘Tejasvini & Hausala schemes’ of J&K Bank for girls. Under 18-35 years of age to start their businesses and ‘Shikhar & Shikara’ schemes of Punjab National Bank (PNB) for development of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• Tejaswini Scheme in the course of the credit score outreach programme in Jammu. The scheme goals to offer monetary help as much as Rs 5 lakh to younger ladies for establishing gainful self-employment ventures, suited to their expertise, aptitude & native situations. Tejasvini scheme focuses on offering monetary help of Rs. 5 lakh to ladies between 18-35 years for beginning their enterprise.

India’s nominee elected to executive committee of Interpol

• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special director Praveen Sinha was elected the delegate for Asia in the executive committee of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) following a tough contest involving China. In the election, four contestants were China, Singapore, South Korea and Jordan. India’s National Central Bureau (NCB-India) reached out to its counterparts around the world to campaign for this election. The elections were held in Istanbul, Turkey during the ongoing 89 INTERPOL General Assembly.
• Interpol is the world’s largest international police organization with a National Central Bureau in all 195 member states. It has seven regional bureaus all over the world. It was formed in 1923. Its motto is connecting police for a safer world. It is headquartered in Lyon, France. Kim Jong Yang is its President.

37th edition of India-Indonesia CORPAT is being held in the Indian Ocean

• The 37th edition of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) is being held in the Indian Ocean region from 23-24 November 2021. CORPAT is held twice in a year to ensure safety and security. It was conducted for the first time in 2002. Indigenously built Indian Naval Ship (INS) Khanjar and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft is participating in the CORPAT. Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin, (376) is participating from Indonesia.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Venkaiah Naidu to lead Indian delegation at ASEM summit

• The 13th edition of the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Summit has been organised on November 25 and 26, 2021. The Summit is being hosted by Cambodia as ASEM Chair. The theme of the two-day ASEM Summit is Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth. The Indian delegation is being led by Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu through the virtual platform.
• The ASEM Summit will bring together countries in Asia and Europe to exchange views on regional and global issues and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas.
• ASEM grouping have 51 member countries and two regional organisations — the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

OBITUARY

Book “Contested Lands: India, China and the Boundary Dispute” by Former Army Officer Maroof Raza

• Former Army Officer Maroof Raza has authored a new book titled “Contested Lands: India, China, and the Boundary Dispute”. The book features the history of India’s boundary making with Tibet and China and analyses the current India-China boundary contestation stemming from interpretations of history in the post-colonial period.
• Maroof Raza’s other books: Kashmir’s Untold Story (co-authored with Iqbal Chand Malhotra), Shourya Gatha: Bharat Ke Veer Senani (co-authored with Lt. Col. Sheodan Singh),War Despatches 1971 (co-authored with Brig B.S. Mehta).  

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

HDFC Bank to tap into Equitas SFB’s customer base with co-branded credit card

• Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) partnered with HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited) Bank to launch its new co-branded credit cards. Through this partnership, Equitas SFB will utilize the HDFC bank’s reach in the credit card market and also to provide its customers a better banking ecosystem.
• The credit card can be availed in two categories. The first category is the ‘Excite Credit Card’ which offers a credit limit from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh and the second category is the ‘Elegance Credit Card’ which offers a credit of over Rs 2 lakh.

NATIONAL

All India Radio and Doordarshan win multiple awards at ABU

• Doordarshan and radio show by All India Radio has received multiple awards at ABU – UNESCO Peace Media Awards-2021 at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The awards were given by UNESCO in collaboration with Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union under the ‘Together for Peace’ initiative.

• ‘Ethical and Sustainable Relationship with Nature’ award: AlR’s ‘Living on the edge – The coastal lives’

• Living Well with Super-Diversity category: Doordarshan’s programme ‘DEAFinitely Leading the Way.

SPORTS

Tashkent to host 2025 Asian Youth Para Games

• The 5th edition of the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 will be hosted by Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and the approval given by the Asian Paralympic Committee’s (APC) Executive Board. For the first time, ‘Asian Youth Games 2025’ and ‘Asian Youth Para Games 2025’ will be hosted in the same city & in the same venues.

Tamil Nadu wins 3rd Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title

• In cricket, Tamil Nadu has lifted the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy defeating Karnataka after chasing 152. Batsman M. Shahrukh Khan smashed a dramatic last-ball six to help Tamil Nadu defend the T-20 title with a thrilling four-wicket win in the summit clash in Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. This is the third time that Tamil Nadu has won the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, having previously won it in 2006-07 and 2020-21. The side had also made it to the finals in the 2019-20 season and ended up suffering a loss against Karnataka.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Abdalla Hamdok reappointed as Sudan’s PM

• Sudan’s removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was reappointed after signing a political declaration to end the current political crisis by Hamdok and Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, general commander of the Sudanese Armed Force. Before becoming prime minister, Hamdok worked for the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank and as a special adviser at the Trade and Development Bank in Ethiopia.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

US, Australia, UK sign key deal in nuclear sub alliance

• Australia officially became a part of the new Nuclear Powered Submarine defence alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States after signing a deal with the countries in Canberra, Australia. Under the AUKUS deal, Australia will be provided with 8 nuclear-powered submarines capable of stealthy and long-range missions. It is the first agreement on technology signed by the three countries after the formation of the defence alliance AUKUS (Australia-UK-US).

• AUKUS is a trilateral security pact signed between Australia, UK & USA in September 2021. The first major initiative of AUKUS would be to deliver a nuclear-powered submarine fleet for Australia.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2021: 25th November

• The United Nations designated International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is celebrated worldwide on November 25. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to various forms of violence and the true nature of the issue is often hidden. This year’s theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”.

• In 1981, activists at the Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encuentros marked November 25 as a day to combat and raise awareness of violence against women more broadly; on December 17, 1999, the date received its official United Nations (UN) resolution.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Ban Ki-moon released his autobiography “Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World”

• A book titled ‘Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World’ is an autobiography of the Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. It consists of life experiences and challenges that the author faced in his life & elaborates his tenure in the United Nations (UN). He served as the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations for a two 5-year term (2007-2016).

• In ‘Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World’, published by HarperCollins India, Ban goes on to describe how he became a “man of peace” from a “child of war”. Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon’s first diplomatic posting was in India and he developed such a special connection that even 50 years later, he tells the Indian people that half of his “heart belongs in their country”.

Book “Cooking to Save your Life” by Abhijit Banerjee

• Indian-born American economist & Nobel laureate, Abhijit Banerjee has authored a new book (cookbook) titled “Cooking to Save your Life”. The book illustrated by France based illustrator Cheyenne Oliver is published by Juggernaut Books. He won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019 along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

BOB Cards partners NPCI for RuPay credit cards

• BOB Financial Solutions (BFSL), a subsidiary of Bank of Baroda (BoB) has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to launch BoB Credit Cards (Easy and Premier variants) on the RuPay platform. Both Easy and Premier variants of BoB credit cards have been launched on the JCB International network and both cards support global acceptance.

• Both Easy and Premier variants of BoB credit cards have been launched on the JCB International network and both cards support global acceptance.

• These cards come with benefits such as 5X reward points on select merchant categories, fuel surcharge waiver, pre-and post-purchase EMI offers, up to three complimentary add-on credit cards for family members and several exciting merchant offers enabled both by BFSL and NPCI.

Indian economy likely to grow 7-7.5% in FY23 : EAC-PM

• The meeting of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) members was held in New Delhi to examine the Indian economic growth in 2022-23 (FY23) and further. There, EAC-PM members projected India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 7-7.5% and a nominal rate of growth of more than 11% in FY23. They also projected growth of 5% in the current fiscal year (FY22) from a record contraction of 7.3% (-7.3%) in FY21.

INTERNATIONAL

8,573 Venezuelan musicians bag world's largest orchestra title

• Venezuela has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest orchestra with 8,573 musicians playing together for more than five minutes. The record was set by the country’s National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras, known as “El Sistema”. The previous such record for an orchestra was made by Russia when 8,097 musicians played together in St. Petersburg.

• The broadcast included a recording of Guinness World Records expert Susana Reyes announcing that the Venezuelan musicians had been successful in setting a new record after they played LaMarche Slave by Pyotr Tchaikovsky for more than five minutes.

El Salvador plans to build world's first Bitcoin City: Nayib Bukele

• El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has announced that the country is planning to build the world’s first “Bitcoin City”. The new city is planned to be developed in the eastern region of La Union and will be initially funded by bitcoin-backed bonds. It would get geothermal power from a volcano. Bitcoin City will not levy any taxes except for value-added tax (VAT). One half of this VAT levied will be used to fund the bonds issued to build the city and the next half would be used to pay for services such as garbage collection.

NATIONAL

CII to hold 20th edition of 'Connect 2021' on 26 & 27 November

• The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will organise its flagship event ‘Connect 2021’ from November 26 to 27 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Connect is an international conference and exhibition on information & communication technology (ICT). Theme: “Building a Sustainable Deep T’ech’N’ology Ecosystem”.

• The main focus of ‘Connect 2021’ is to take the state’s GDP to US$ 1,000 billion by 2030.

• The event will be inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on November 26, 2021. Australia and the United Kingdom are the partner countries for the event.

• The flagship event of CII is hosted by the Government of Tamil Nadu and co-hosted by Software Technology Parks of India and the Union Ministry of Electronics and Telecommunications.

Kartika Purnima celebrated in Odisha with great religious fervor

• On Karthika Purnima, which is also known as Boita Bandana is celebrated at various water bodies of Odisha. The festival is the maritime tradition that is celebrated as a testament to the maritime trade history of Kalinga, tradesmen and mariners known as sadhabas travelled on boitas (boats) to trade with distant island nations that share borders with the Bay of Bengal like Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Bali.

Education Minister Inaugurates Centres for Nano Technology, Indian Knowledge System at IIT Guwahati

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the state-of-the-art Centre for Nanotechnology and Centre for Indian Knowledge System at IIT Guwahati. He also released a book on NEP 2020 implementation. Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu was present on the occasion. IIT Guwahati has achieved excellent rankings in the various national and international ranking systems.

• The Centre for Nanotechnology will work towards meeting future challenges and augmenting academic partnerships with industry in Nanotechnology.

• The Centre for Indian Knowledge System (CIKS) will focus on preserving, documenting and sustaining the knowledge that is unique to India, such as Indian classical music, Yoga, Sanskrit, traditional medicines, temple architecture, ceramic tradition and special agricultural practices of North-East India, among other things.

• The funding for the Centre came from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

IMPORTANT DAYS

Lachit Divas (Lachit Day) celebrated every year on November 24

• Lachit Divas (Lachit Day) is celebrated annually in the Indian state of Assam on November 24, to mark the birth anniversary of the legendary Ahom army general Lachit Borphukan. Lachit Borphukan was born on 24 November 1622 in Charaideo and is known for his military intelligence in the Battle of Saraighat.

• Every year, since 1999, the ‘Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal’ is awarded to the best cadet passing-out from the National Defence Academy. The ‘Mahabir Lachit Award’ is given by the Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad in Assam to notable personalities. The cash prize of Rs 50000 and a sword is presented under this award.

Martyrdom Day of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur’ 2021: 24th November

• Every year, November 24 is celebrated as Martyrdom Day of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhs of Sikh religion. The day is celebrated as Shaheedi Divas of Guru Tegh Bahadur across the country. It was on 24 November 1675, Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life for the sake of people who did not even belong to his community. to protect religion, human values, ideals and principles.

• Guru Tegh Bahadur had resisted forced conversions of non-Muslims to Islam during Aurangzeb’s rule

• He was publicly killed in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi.

• Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi are the sites of his execution and cremation.

• Guru Tegh Bahadur’s term as Guru ran from 1665 to 1675.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Andhra Pradesh named the best marine state in India by the Department of Fisheries

• Andhra Pradesh has been named the best marine state in the country by the Department of Fisheries. The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying awarded best performing States for 2021-22 on 21 November 2021 on the occasion of the ‘World Fisheries Day, to recognise their accomplishments in the field and their contribution to the growth of the sector. The awards were announced by the Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala in Bhubaneswar.

Pratham wins the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2021

• Pratham NGO has been awarded the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 for its work on expanding the scope for education in India. Its pioneering work for more than a quarter-century in ensuring that every child has access to quality education. Its innovative use of digital technology to deliver education. Its regular evaluation of the quality of education. Its timely response in making children learn amid Covid-19 restrictions.

• Pratham NGO is an innovative learning organization, which was created to improve education quality in India.

• The NGO was co-founded by Farida Lambay and Madhav Chavan in 1995. It is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India.

• It focuses on high-quality, low-cost, and replicable interventions for addressing the gaps in the education system.

• It was established in 1994 in Mumbai to give pre-school education for children in slums.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “India vs UK: The Story of an Unprecedented Diplomatic Win” by Senior Indian diplomat Syed Akbaruddin

• Senior Indian diplomat, Syed Akbaruddin has authored a new book titled “India vs UK: The Story of an Unprecedented Diplomatic Win”. The book features the behind-the-scenes details on India’s victory against the United Kingdom in the elections to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2017. Syed Akbaruddin, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN at the time, presents a behind-the-scenes account of India’s coming-of-age in world affairs through the prism of this momentous election.

INTERNATIONAL

Russia successfull test of its ‘Zircon’Hypersonic Cruise Missile

• Russian Navy successfully test-fired the ‘Zircon’ Hypersonic Cruise Missile from Frigate – Admiral Gorshkov warship, which rightly hit the test target placed in the Russian Arctic waters. Russia destroyed its own satellite in low-earth orbit using an Anti-Satellite (ASAT) Missile named ‘Nudol’, which led to the formation of a cloud of space debris that could potentially destroy other orbiting satellites & the International Space Station (ISS).

NATIONAL

INS Visakhapatnam commissioned into Indian Navy

• INS Visakhapatnam, a P15B stealth guided-missile destroyer has been commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. This is the first of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers. It has been designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. INS Visakhapatnam measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes. It was commissioned in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh.

SPORTS

Indonesia Masters: Japan's Momota wins first title since 2020 car accident

• In badminton, Kento Momota of Japan beat Anders Antonsen of Denmark 21-17, 21-11 to win the men’s singles title at the 2021 Indonesia Masters Super 750 badminton tournament. The US$600,000 tournament was held at Bali in Indonesia from November 16 to 21, 2021. In women’s single, An Seyoung of South Korea defeated top-seed Akane Yamaguchi of Japan 21-17, 21-19 to win the title.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

National Book Award 2021: Jason Mott won for fiction

• The 72nd edition of the National Book Award was organized as a virtual event by the National Book Foundation. Jason Mott won the 2021 National Book Award for fiction for his novel “Hell of a Book”, a narrative about a black author’s adventure while travelling around in a book tour.

Tata Literature Live! Literary Awards for 2021 announced

• India’s one of the best-selling authors, Anita Desai has been conferred with the Tata Literature Live! Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021 to recognise her long literary career which spans over 50 years. Meanwhile, the Poet Laureate award for 2021 has been conferred upon Indian poet Adil Jussawala. Both these awards are presented to recognise exceptional work which has made a significant impact in the Indian literary field.

• The Twelfth Edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest was organised from November 18th to 21st 2021. She has received several awards and honours in the course of her long-spanning literary career, including the Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award and later Fellowship, and the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature.

President Kovind presents Gallantry Awards 

• President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented Gallantry Awards and Distinguished Service Decorations in Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Gallantry Awards have been instituted by the Government of India to honour the acts of bravery and sacrifice of the officers/personnel of the Armed Forces as well as other lawfully constituted forces and civilians. The order of precedence of these awards is Vir Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.

Vir Chakra:

• Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind for his role in pushing back Pakistan’s fighter jets in February 2019. Abhinandan Varthaman was Wing Commander then. In the ensuing aerial dogfight, he shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft on February 27, 2019.

Kirti Chakra

• President Kovind accorded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra (posthumously) to Sapper Prakash Jadhav for neutralising terrorists in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife and mother received the award.

Shaurya Chakra

• Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal was accorded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for his role in an operation where five terrorists were eliminated and 200 kg explosive material was recovered. His wife Lt Nitika Kaul and mother received the award.

• Naib Subedar Sombir was accorded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for killing an A++ category terrorist during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife Suman Devi and mother Rajendra Devi received the honour.

• The President also conferred the Shaurya Chakra to Major Maheshkumar Bhure who is an alumnus of Sainik School Satara. According to the citation, Major Bhure led an operation in which six top terrorist commanders were killed.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

SBI Research has revised upwards India's GDP growth projection

• State Bank of India (SBI) economists in its research report “Ecowrap”, has revised upwards the GDP growth projection for India to the range of 9.3%-9.6% for FY22 (2021-22). Earlier this was estimated in the range of 8.5%-9%. The reason for the upward revision is a decline in the number of COVID cases.

• The analysis suggested that “India remained unscathed in Q3 from the global situation, which is marred by supply disruptions, stubborn inflation and surges of infections during Q3 2021.” As per the report, India has recorded only an 11 per cent increase in Covid-19 cases during Q3 this year the second-lowest among the top 15 most affected countries.

EPFO may park 5% annual deposits in infra investment trusts, alternative funds

• The Central Board of Trustees (CBT) of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have approved that up to 5 per cent of the annual deposits can be invested in alternative investment funds (AIFs) including infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs). This investment will offer diversification to the EPFO’s investment basket.

• The Finance Investment and Audit Committee (FIAC) have been tasked to decide upon the investment options, on a case-to-case basis. However, the board has also decided to focus only on government-backed alternatives, which are category one funds like public sector InvITs and bonds. The AIFs are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

RBI authorized RBL Bank to collect Direct Taxes

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) authorized RBL Bank to collect direct taxes on behalf of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) based on a recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance and Government of India. Now, the customers of RBL Bank could pay their direct taxes through RBL Bank’s mobile banking or net banking platforms or through branch banking networks.

• RBL Bank is one of India’s leading private sector banks with an expanding presence across the country.

• The Bank offers specialized services under five business verticals namely: Corporate & Institutional Banking, Commercial Banking, Branch & Business Banking, Retail Assets and Treasury and Financial Markets Operations.

RBI calls for public comments on digital lending

• The Working Group on Digital Lending including Lending through Online Platforms and Mobile Apps, which was constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has submitted its report. RBI had set a WG on Digital Lending including Lending through Online Platforms and Mobile Apps, with Jayant Kumar Dash, Executive Director, RBI, as the Chairman to study all aspects of digital lending activities in the regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated players.

• In the near term, the WG suggested setting up a nodal agency in consultation with stakeholders to verify the technological credentials of the Digital Lending Apps (DLAs) of the balance sheet lenders and Lending Service Providers (LSPs) operating in the digital lending ecosystem.

NATIONAL

National workshop on child rights inaugurated by smriti Irani 

• Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani has said that the best test of a democracy is if we as citizens, we as a nation can deliver justice to all our children. Addressing a national workshop on Child Rights with emphasis on preventive aspects of child protection issues, organized by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Irani said that the true identity of a democracy is how it protects its children.

Dharmendra Pradhan Inaugurates Kendriya Hindi Sansthan In Meghalaya

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the newly constructed building of Kendriya Hindi Sansthan in Meghalaya on Sunday, November 21. The new institute at East Khasi Hills will work for the benefit of teachers of Hindi and people eager to learn and do research in the language and will cater to states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, the minister expressed. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was present during the inauguration programme.

• Addressing the event, the minister said that NEP 2020 is a visionary approach to transform the education landscape of the country and to achieve the realistic goal and to percolate its ripple effect to the grassroots. One of most important salient features of NEP, the Minister said, is that NEP-2020 emphasised on imparting education in Mother language at the primary level and the government is striving to achieve the target within the stipulated time frame.

SPORTS

Indian Premier league 2022 will be played in India

• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah on Saturday confirmed that Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 will be played in India. "I know you are all eagerly waiting to watchChennai Super Kings play at Chepauk. The moment is not very far, the 15th season of the IPL will take place in India and it will be more exciting with new teams joining. We have a mega auction coming up to see what the new combination looks like," said Jay Shah during an event in Chennai. Talking about Chennai Super Kings's success in IPL 2022, Jay Shah said, "A lot of credit for CSK's success over the years has to go to N Srinivasan as he has stood by his team in the difficult times. I must add that Kasi Viswanathan is like a glue that binds the team together.

Germany's Alexander Zverev wins second ATP finals

• Germany's Alexander Zverev capped a memorable year by sweeping aside Russian world number two and defending champion Daniil Medvedev 6-4 6-4 to win the ATP Finals on Sunday, claiming the title for the second time in his career.

• The 24-year-old Zverev, who did not face a single break point in the final, has now won six titles in six finals this year - including Olympic gold in Tokyo and two Masters titles in Madrid and Cincinnati.

• Zverev, who also beat world number one Novak Djokovic on Saturday, became only the fourth player to beat the top two players in the world in the semis and final of the season-ending tournament.

Indian contingent win 47 medals at Uganda Para- Badminton

• Indian shuttlers, including Tokyo Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat, won a whopping 47 medals at the Uganda Para Badminton International 2021 that concluded in Kampala on Sunday.

• India won 16 golds, 14 silver and 17 bronze medals at the five-day tournament in the Ugandan capital.

• Tokyo 2020 Paralympic bronze medal winner Manoj Sarkar and reigning para world badminton champion Manasi Joshi won the gold medal in the men’s singles and women’s singles SL3 categories, respectively.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton wins inaugural Qatar F1 Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton has claimed an emphatic victory from pole at the inaugural Qatar Formula One Grand Prix.

• Max Verstappen recovered well from a grid penalty to finish second but saw his Formula One championship lead cut to eight points by Hamilton on Sunday.

• Back-to-back wins for the defending and seven-time champion Hamilton in Brazil and Qatar have moved him within eight points with two races left.

• Hamilton claimed his seventh season win and 102nd overall ahead of Verstappen at the flood-lit Losail International Circuit where his Mercedes had already been superior over Verstappen’s Red Bull in qualifying.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

ICC Appoints Geoff Allardice as permanent Chief Executive officer

• Allardice was appointed as interim CEO in March when Manu Sawhney was suspended on the findings of a cultural review. The ICC Board relieved Sawhney in July as Allardice continued to serve as interim CEO.

• “My continued focus will be on doing the right thing for our sport and working closely with Members to deliver long-term success and sustainability,” Allardice said in a statement issued by the ICC on Sunday.

• “I would also like to thank the ICC staff for their commitment and support over the last eight months and I’m looking forward to continuing to serve cricket with such a talented team.”

• Allardice, who is a former first-class cricketer, has served as the ICC general manager, cricket for eight years and had held a similar role at Cricket Australia.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Fisheries Day 2021: 21st November

• World Fisheries Day is celebrated on 21 November every year by fishing communities across the world. It highlights the importance of healthy oceans ecosystems and ensuring sustainable stocks of fisheries in the world. 2021 is the fifth World Fisheries Day. The first World Fisheries Day was celebrated on November 21, 2015. On the same day, it was the grand opening of the International Fisherman’s organization was held in New Delhi.

• A forum for the World Fisheries consortium was established around 1997 and was famously called WFF (World Fisheries Forum). Under this forum, several participants across the world actively took part in it. Around 18 countries signed a global consensus document that marked the standardization of practices. The memories of WFF in 1997 lay etched in the pages of history because it wrote a new form of working pattern of the fisherfolk community.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Indian President Presents Swachh Survekshan Awards 2021

• President of India, Ram Nath Kovind presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2021 at the Swachh Amrit Mahotsav organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi. 2021 is the 6th edition of Swachh Survekshan awards in which as many as 4,320 cities were surveyed. The cities are ranked based on three parameters, which are service level progress (SLP), certifications and citizen’s voice.

• Once again, Indore has been adjudged as the cleanest city of India for the fifth consecutive year. Indore is followed by Surat in Gujarat at second place and Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh in the third position.

INTERNATIONAL

India's Border Road Organisation hailed for building world’s highest motorable road

• The Border Roads Organisation has received the Guinness World Record for constructing & blacktopping the world highest motorable road passing through the 19,024 feet 0.73 inches (5798.251m) high Umlingla Pass in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The 52-kilometre long Chisumle to Demchok tarmac road was developed under Project HIMANK (93RCC/753 BRTF) of BRO. Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhry, Director General Border Roads, received the Guinness World Records certificate.

NATIONAL

Prime Minister Modi hands over indigenously-built light combat helicopters to IAF

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the indigenously built light combat helicopters (LCH), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, to the Indian Air Force chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari. The Light Combat Helicopters which incorporate advanced technologies and stealth features for effective combat roles are expected to boost India’s ability to remain self-reliant. The LCH is the only attack helicopter that can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 m with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.

• The Prime Minister will also hand over ‘Made in India’ drones to the Indian Army which would be using them for different requirements all across the country. For the Navy, PM Modi would hand over the DRDO designed Advanced Electronic Warfare suite for naval ships including that for Indian Aircraft Carrier Vikrant.

Modi inaugurates irrigation projects in UP's Mahoba

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the Nation various developmental projects in Mahoba and the Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh. At Mahoba, Prime Minister inaugurated multiple projects with a cumulative cost of more than Rs. 3250 Crore, related to alleviating the issue of water shortage in the region. These projects include Arjun Sahayak Project, Ratauli Weir Project, Bhaoni Dam Project and Majhgaon–Chilli Sprinkler Project.

• In Jhansi, Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 600 MW Ultramega Solar Power Park at Garautha, constructed at a cost of over Rs 3000 crore.

• He also inaugurated Atal Ekta Park in Jhansi, named after former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• The park has been built at a cost of over Rs 11 crore across an area of about 40,000 square metres.

• It also has the statue of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, built by the renowned sculptor Shri Ram Sutar, the architect of the Statue of Unity.

• PM also attended ‘Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv’ organised by the Ministry of Defence at Jhansi Fort.

SPORTS

Alexander Zverev wins fifth ATP title of the season, 18th overall

• Alexander “Sascha” Zverev, a German professional tennis player, won the fifth ATP title of the season (2021) and 18th overall at the Vienna Open 2021 or Erste Bank Open 2021 defeating Frances Tiafoe of the United States of America (USA). At present, Alexander Zverev is ranked 3rd in the ATP World Ranking.

• Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal of Colombia have won the doubles competition at Erste Bank Open 2021 defeating Joe Salisbury of the United Kingdom (UK) and Rajeev Ram of the USA.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

Mary Kom appointed brand ambassador of TRIFED Aadi Mahotsav

• The Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Ltd) Aadi Mahotsav at Dilli Haat in New Delhi, in the presence of Sukhram Munda, Grandson of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. On the occasion, Olympic medallist and boxer Padma Vibhushan MC Mary Kom was declared as the brand ambassador of the TRIFED Aadi Mahotsav. It is a national tribal festival and a joint initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the TRIFED.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Children’s Day 2021: 20th November

• The Universal/World Children’s Day is celebrated on 20 November annually to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare. November 20th is an important date as it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. 2021 marks the 32nd anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• Universal/World Children’s Day 2021 Theme: A Better Future for Every Child

• World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and is celebrated on 20 November each year. In 1959, UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date in 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

BWF has decided to give the Lifetime Achievement Award to Prakash Padukone

• Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone has been selected for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021 by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Council. The former world no 1 has already been honoured with the Badminton Association of India’s (BAI) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. Padukone is the first-ever Indian to win a medal at World Championships in the 1983 Copenhagen tournament.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Novel ‘Lal Salaam: A Novel’ authored by Smriti Irani

• Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani is set to release her first novel titled “Lal Salaam: A Novel” in November 2021. The novel is inspired by the killings of 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during the Maoist attack in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh in April 2010. This book is a tribute to the people who have given their lifetime service to the nation.

RANKING

India Stands at 82 in Global Business Bribery Risk Rankings

• India has slipped to 82nd position (drop by 5 slots from 2020) with a risk score of 44 in the global list of 2021 TRACE Bribery Risk Matrix (TRACE Matrix) that measures business bribery risks, which was released by TRACE International. In 2020, India ranked 77 with a score of 45. Denmark has topped the rankings with a score of 2. An anti-bribery standard-setting organisation, known as TRACE, measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

SBI signs pact with Jamshedpur FC, becomes sponsor

• The State Bank of India has signed a strategic agreement with Jamshedpur Football Club, a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, to promote and support football in India. This is the first of its kind of agreement by SBI in the game of football. Through this agreement, the SBI will become one of the principal sponsors of the JFC, thereby having the SBI logo on Jersey.

• The JRD Tata Sports Complex was set up in Jharkhand by Tata Steels, to conduct ISL (Indian Super League) and promote the sport of Football in India. The two brands will also actively engage with fans via the first team and also during the broadcast of the Indian Super League (ISL). The interaction with fans will continue on the digital platforms of SBI and JFC as well.

NATIONAL

PM Modi launches Ration Aapke Gram, Sickle Cell Mission, other schemes for Janjatiya community

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a series of Tribal Welfare programs on his visit to Madhya Pradesh. PM Modi launched a welfare scheme named ‘Ration Aapke Gram’ scheme & ‘Sickle Cell Mission’ of Madhya Pradesh. He also laid the foundation stone for the construction of 50 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools across India.

• The Indian Government decided to celebrate 15th November as the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ or ‘Tribal Gaurav Diwas’, every year starting from 2021. Modi referred to his long association with the tribal society. He was all praised for the richness of their spiritual and cultural life and said that every cultural aspect of tribal including songs and dances carries a life lesson and they have so much to teach.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal virtually launched India's first Food Museum in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur

• Union Minister, Piyush Goyal virtually launched India’s first Digital Food Museum in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. It is a 1,860-sqft museum co-developed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museums, Bengaluru (Karnataka) with an estimated outlay of Rs 1.1 crore. The museum is the first one-of-its-kind effort to depict India’s food story from the beginning to India becoming the largest food gain exporter in the country.

• This museum showcases the Indian food evolution from nomadic hunter-gatherers into settled agriculture producers. The measures of the government will make the country top the list of largest agricultural exporters in the world. The museum will showcase the history of people from being foragers to producers, the story of the first harvest, the rise of villages and the preparation of demand days. The museum will display the grains of India and explain the food culture in different parts of the world.

Telangana's Pochampally, India’s silk city, is world’s best tourism village

• Pochampally village in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana, known for its famous hand-woven Ikat saris, was selected as one of the best tourism villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The award will be given at the 24th session of the UNWTO general assembly on December 2, in Madrid.

• The best tourism villages by the UNWTO pilot initiative aims to award those villages which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase good practices in line with its specified evaluation areas. It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement.

Center given new approval Rajya Sainik Board (RSB) For Ladakh

• The Centre has approved a new Rajya Sainik Board (RSB) for Ladakh. The Board will be an effective link between the Centre and the Ladakh Administration. Rajya Sainik Board will play an advisory role on the matters relating to the ex-servicemen, war widows, widows and non-combatants, including serving soldiers and their dependents. Zila Sainik welfare offices of Leh and Kargil will function under the newly constituted Rajya Sainik Board.

• The Board provide access to the welfare schemes under the Raksha Mantri Ex-servicemen Welfare Fund and welfare and resettlement of ex-servicemen.

• Approximately Sixty thousand retired and serving army personnel would get benefit from the establishment of the Rajya Sainik Board in Ladakh.

• Ladakh Scouts Regiment Center will avail maximum benefit from the welfare schemes extended through the Rajya Sainik Board.

SPORTS

USA to stage T20 World Cup: 2024-2031 ICC Men's tournament hosts confirmed

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the 14 host countries of the ICC men’s white-ball events from 2024-2031. India is set to host the 2029 Champions Trophy and co-host the 2026 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup with Sri Lanka and the 2031 ICC Men’s 50-over World Cup with Bangladesh.

• The hosts were selected through a competitive bidding process overseen by an ICC Hosting Sub-Committee chaired by Martin Snedden along with Sourav Ganguly, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India and Ricky Skerritt, President of Cricket West Indies.

APPOINTMENT & RESIGNATION

UN appoints Shombi Sharp of US as its Resident Coordinator in India

• The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has appointed Shombi Sharp of the United States (US), a sustainable development expert, as the UN Resident Coordinator in India. He will lead the UN team in India, and work towards India’s Covid-19 response plans to recover better for the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to this, he served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Armenia.

Salman Khan Appointed as Covid vaccination ambassador for Maharashtra

• Bollywood actor Salman Khan is to become the Covid-vaccine ambassador of Maharashtra. Maharashtra Public Health Minister According to Rajesh Tope, there is hesitation about receiving anti-coronavirus vaccines in Muslim-majority communities, and the government will enlist the help of Bollywood actor Salman Khan to persuade people to get the vaccine. Maharashtra is leading in terms of the number of vaccine shots administered, but in some areas the pace of vaccination is low.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Toilet Day 2021:19th November

• World Toilet Day is observed as an official United Nations international day across the world on 19th November 2021. The day is observed to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The day is observed to inform, engage and inspire people to take action toward achieving the goal of improving sanitation and aims to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. World Toilet Day 2021 theme: “valuing toilets”.

• The World Toilet Day was firstly observed on 19th November 2012 established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001 also the inaugural World Toilet Summit was held on the same day and Twelve years later, in 2013, the UN General Assembly declared World Toilet Day an official UN day.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank bags ASSOCHAM Award

• The Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) got the award for the best ‘Digital Financial Services’, in line with India’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, under the ‘Regional Rural Banks’ (RRBs) category by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). Bank chairman P. Gopikrishna received the award from Reserve Bank of India Regional Director R. Gurumurthy in Bengaluru.

• Around 40 villages in Karnataka are converted into 100% digital villages by the KVGB bank. These efforts are encouraging villagers to use digital mode for transactions. Those villages have round-the-clock access to Internet banking, mobile banking, micro ATMs, AEPS (Aadhar Enabled Payment Systems), IMPS, and UPI.

Paytm Money Launches AI Powered 'Voice Trading'

• Paytm Money, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Paytm, has launched ‘Voice Trading’, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). It will allow users to place a trade or get information about stocks via single voice command. This voice command feature uses neural networks and natural language processing (NLP) to allow instant processing. This service has been launched in line with Paytm Money’sefforts to offer next-gen and AI-driven tech to elevate user experience.

NATIONAL

IFFI 2021:Tamil film Koozhangal selected to be screened at Indian Panorama segment

• Tamil film Koozhangal will be screened at the Indian Panorama segment in the 52 International film festival Goa. Koozhangal is also India’s official entry for Academy Award for Oscars. It is a story about the relationship between an alcoholic, abusive husband and his wife. The story is from the viewpoint of their Child.
• The 52 International Film Festival of India will be organized from 20 -28 November 2021 in Goa. The International Film Festival of India is one of India’s biggest international film festivals.

PM Modi inaugurated the 82nd AIPOC in Shimla

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 82nd All India Presiding Officers Conference (AIPOC) in Shimla.  The first Conference was held in Shimla in 1921 and the AIPOC is being held in Shimla for the seventh time. All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC) is celebrating its hundred years in 2021. In this conference, various issues will be discussed such as the responsibility of presiding officers towards the Constitution, the House and the people.
• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has presided over the conference. The Conference attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the presiding officers of all the States and Union Territories added the Lok Sabha speaker. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also participate in the meeting.

Rashtriya Raksha Samarpan Parv starts in Jhansi

• 3-day Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv will be held in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations. 19th of November is the Birth Anniversary of Rani Lakshmi Bai, the epitome of bravery and courage and a great National icon of Rashtra Raksha and India’s Independence struggle. As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv will be organised from November 17 to November 19, 2021.
• This event is being organised by the defence ministry in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. On November 19, the programme will witness the participation from Defence Minister, Minister of State for Defence, Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister of UP, Yogi Adityanath.

SPORTS

Janette Brittin, Mahela Jayawardena and Shaun Pollock announced as ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced cricket legends Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka), Shaun Pollock (SA), and Janette Brittin (England) were inducted into the hall of fame. The ICC Hall of Fame recognizes the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket’s long and illustrious history. 106 players have been inducted since its launch in 2009.
• Jayawardene, who retired as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players, was a key member of the team that won the T20 World Cup in 2014 and reached the four other major ICC finals.
• Pollock, on the other hand, was one of the finest all-rounders South Africa has ever produced. He was the first player to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 300 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.
• Brittin, who died in 2017, was a mainstay of the England Test team for 19 years, helping pave the way for women’s cricket from 1979 to 1998. She was the oldest woman to score a Test hundred (at 39 years and 38 days vs Australia in 1998) and the second-oldest to score an ODI hundred (at 38 years and 161 days vs Pakistan in 1997).

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Philosophy Day 2021: 18^th November

• World Philosophy Day is celebrated on the Third Thursday of November each year. In 2021, the day falls on 18 November. World Philosophy Day 2021 opens the discussion on the different interactions of human beings with their social, cultural, geographical and political environment, with the underlying objective of better understanding the contribution of philosophy in our contemporary societies and the challenges they face, pandemic in particular.
• World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO. In 2005 the UNESCO General Conference proclaimed that World Philosophy Day would be celebrated every third Thursday of November.

Naturopathy Day 2021: 18^th November

• The National Naturopathy Day is observed in India on 18 November every year, to promote positive mental and physical health through a drugless system of medicine, called as Naturopathy. The day was declared by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Government of India, on November 18, 2018.
• It was on this day in 1945, when Mahatma Gandhi became lifetime Chairman of the All India Nature Cure Foundation Trust and signed the deed with the object of making the benefits of Nature Cure available to all classes of people.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

“The Disruptor: How Vishwanath Pratap Singh Shook India” by Debashish Mukerji

• A book titled ‘The Disruptor: How Vishwanath Pratap Singh Shook India’ was authored by Debashish Mukerji. The book presents a detailed account on India’s eighth Prime Minister (PM), Vishwanath Pratap Singh (V P Singh), who served as PM between December 1989 to November 1990. He also served as the Defence Minister of India & the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

PIDF’s Total corpus reaches Rs 614 crore

• The total corpus of Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) of RBI has reached Rs 614 crore. The PIDF scheme was launched by RBI in January 2021, to subsidize deployment of payment acceptance infrastructure (PoS) in Tier-3 to Tier-6 centres with a special focus on the North-Eastern States of the country. At that time it was decided that, RBI will make an initial contribution of Rs. 250 crores to the PIDF covering half the fund and the remaining contribution will be from card-issuing banks and card networks operating in the country.
• Initially when the scheme has launched the corpus of PIDF was Rs. 345 crore (Rs. 250 crores contributed by RBI and Rs. 95 crores by the major authorized card networks in the country). Now various other Authorised Card Networks (Rs. 153.72) and Card Issuing Banks (Rs. 210.17 crores) have increased their contribution to the PIDF Scheme hence taking the total corpus to Rs. 613.89 crore (approx Rs 614 crore).

Oct WPI inflation hits five-month high of 12.54% on higher input costs

• Ministry of Commerce & Industry released its data on Wholesale Price Index (WPI). As per Ministry’s data, provisional Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation have been accelerated to a five-month high to 12.54% in October 2021 as against 66% recorded in September. This rise was attributed to an increase in fuel and manufacturing prices. The report notes that, benchmark inflation print has remained in double digits for seven consecutive months.
• The benchmark inflation print for October 2020 was 1.31%. The high rate of inflation in October 2021 is due to an increase in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum & natural gas, food products, chemicals and chemical products etc as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.

World Bank and Asian Development Bank launches 'WePOWER India Partnership Forum'

• The WePOWER India Partnership Forum was held through a virtual platform on November 9, 2021, to boost the South Asia Women in Power Sector Professional Network (WePOWER) in India. The event was organized by the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) in association with the India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF). The event saw a panel discussion on expanding job opportunities for women in India’s Clean Energy Transition’.
• Initiated in 2019, WB in collaboration with ADB launched the WePOWER to promote gender equality in the Indian electricity sector. It is a network of 28 energy sector utilities and organizations. It also promotes normative change for women and girls in Science Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education.

NATIONAL

Arunachal Pradesh has approved the large, brightly coloured Kaiser-i-Hind as the State butterfly

• State Cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh, headed by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, approved “Kaiser-i-Hind” as the state butterfly. Kaiser-i-Hind is scientifically known as Teinopalpus imperialis. In literal terms, it means Emperor of India. The butterfly is having a wingspan of 90-120 mm. It is found across six States along Eastern Himalayas at elevations from 6,000-10,000 feet in a well-wooded terrain.
• The Kaiser-i-Hind is protected under Schedule II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Despite that, they are hunted for the supply to butterfly collectors. International Union for Conservation of Nature has red-listed the Kaiser-i-Hind.
• Kaiser-i-Hind’ is a large and brightly coloured butterfly.
• It is an elusive swallowtail butterfly, which carries ‘India’ in its name.
• They also flutter in Bhutan, Nepal, Laos, Myanmar, southern China and Vietnam.

SPORTS

VVS Laxman to take charge as NCA head

• Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President, Sourav Ganguly has confirmed, that former India batter VVS Laxman will be the next head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Laxman will take over from his former batting colleague Rahul Dravid, who was recently appointed as chief coach of the Indian team following the end of Ravi Shastri’s tenure.

OBITUARY

World-renowned writer Wilbur Smith died at the aged 88

• Internationally acclaimed Zambia-born South African author, Wilbur Smith has passed away. He was 88. The global bestselling author has authored 49 novels and sold over 140 million copies worldwide in more than 30 languages. He rose to fame in 1964 with his debut novel “When the Lion Feeds” which turned in the movie with 15 sequels. Smith published his autobiography “On Leopard Rock” in 2018.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Epilepsy Day 2021: 17^th November

• In India, November 17 is observed every year as National Epilepsy Day by the Epilepsy Foundation, to create awareness about epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain characterized by recurrent ‘seizures’ or ‘fits’. The month of November is observed as ‘National Epilepsy Awareness Month’.
• Epilepsy is a varied set of persistent neurological disarray and causes sudden seizures and fits.
• The seizures of epilepsy result due to the unusual and extreme activities in the brain and the seizures also result from hypersynchronous neuronal brain activity.
• According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), more than 50 million people across the globe have epilepsy, which makes it one of the most common neurological diseases.

World COPD Day third Wednesday of November 

• World COPD Day is observed on the third Wednesday of November every year to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improve COPD care throughout the world. The World COPD Day 2021 falls on November 17, 2021. The 2021 theme is Healthy Lungs – Never More Important.
• The day is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in collaboration with health care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world. The first World COPD Day was held in 2002. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe.

Awards & Recognition

Author M Mukundan wins JCB Prize for Literature 2021 for his novel ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’

• Author M Mukundan won the 2021 JCB prize for Literature, for his book ‘Delhi: A Soliloquy’. The book, which has originally been written in Malayalam has been translated into English by Fathima EV and Nandakumar K. The novel, published by Westland, is a story about Delhi through the eyes of its Malayali youth protagonists.
• Mukundan received the Prize trophy, which is a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral and Tagra entitled ‘Mirror Melting’, and he will receive a prize amount of Rs 25 lakh. This is the third translation to have won the JCB award in the last four years. The jury for this award comprised Sara Rai (Chair), Annapurna Garimella, Shahnaz Habib, Prem Panicker, and Amit Varma.

RANKING

Air Quality Index: Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai among world’s top 10 polluted cities

• According to the data from air quality and pollution city tracking service from IQAir, a Switzerland-based climate group, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai are among the top ten most polluted cities of the world. Delhi topped the list with AQI at 556, Kolkata and Mumbai recorded an AQI of 177 and 169, respectively, at 4th and 6th position. The cities with the worst AQI indices also include Lahore, in Pakistan, and Chengdu, in China.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

RBI unveils Internal Ombudsman mechanism for select NBFCs

• The Reserve Bank of India has announced to introduce the Internal Ombudsman mechanism for the following two types of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). These two types of NBFCs are Deposit-taking NBFCs (NBFCs-D) with 10 or more branches and Non-Deposit taking NBFCs (NBFCs-ND) with asset size of Rs.5,000 crore and above having public customer interface.
• Consequently, these two categories of NBFCs will have to appoint Internal Ombudsman (IO). The internal Ombudsman will be responsible for handling the public grievance at the entity level before the grievance is escalated to Ombudsman at RBI. RBI has given a timeline of six months to the NBFCs for the appointment of the Internal Ombudsman.

HDFC Bank launches the second edition of “Mooh Band Rakho” campaign to raise awareness on fraud prevention

• HDFC Bank Ltd has launched the second edition of its “Mooh Band Rakho” campaign to raise awareness on fraud prevention in support of International Fraud Awareness Week 2021 (November 14-20, 2021). HDFC Bank aims to increase awareness of its customers on all types of frauds and the importance of keeping your mouth shut to ensure their prevention and taking a pledge and not share confidential banking information with anyone. HDFC Bank will organise 2,000 workshops in the next four months under this campaign.