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Weekly Current Affairs PDF March 12 to March 18, 2023

Current Affairs PDF- March 18, 2023
NATIONAL
After BSF, ex-Agniveers will now get 10% reservation in CISF jo b
Former Agniveers will now get a 10% reservation in the Central Industrial Security Force
(CISF) job vacancies, the Union Home Ministry made the announcement after a week it
notified a similar quote for them in BSF. After amending the rules under the CISF A ct, 1968
(50 of 1968), the ministry also announced relaxation in the upper age limit depending on
whether they are part of the first batch or subsequent batches of Agniveers .
The upper age limit shall be relaxable up to five years for candidates of the fir st batch of
former Agniveers and up to three years for candidates of other batches, the ministry said,
adding that ex-Agniveers will also be exempted from the physical efficiency test, PTI
reported.

PM Modi with Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to ina ugurate first cross-border
energy pipeline
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, will
inaugurate the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline today via video conference .
This is the first cross-border energy pipeline between India and Bangladesh, built at an
estimated cost of 377 crore rupees. Out of this, the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline,
built at a cost of approximately 285 crore rupees, has been borne by the Government of
India under grant assistance.
The Pipeline has the capacity to transport 1 Million Metric Ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of
High-Speed Diesel (HSD). It will supply HSD initially to seven districts in northern
Bangladesh.

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar inaugurates “Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be

There” Exhibition
The historic exhibition which features the works of Sri Lanka’s iconic architect the late
Geoffrey Bawa, is jointly organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, the
High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Geoffr ey Bawa Trust to mark the 75th
anniversary of Indo-Lanka diplomatic relations, which falls this year .
A large number of invitees including diplomats, senior officials of the Government of India,
academics, journalists, art lovers and professionals attended the ceremonial opening of the
exhibition. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda, Director of the
National Gallery of Modern Art Temsunaro Tripati, and Trustee of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust
Sanjay Kulatunga joined External Affairs Minister J aishankar in inaugurating the exhibition .

Bihar the lowest literacy rate , Kerala manages to be on top with 94 %

According to the data shared by the Ministry of Education, Bihar has the lowest literacy
rate of 61.8% , followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 65.3 % and Rajasthan 66.1 %, Kerala has
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the highest literacy rate in India at 94%, followed by Lakshadweep at 91.85% and Mizoram
at 91.33%.
The literacy rate of women in India has increased by 68 per cent - up from 9 per cent at the
time of Independence to 77 per cent at present, LiveMint reported. As per World Bank
estimates, only 1 of 11 girls was literate during the period surrounding India's
Independence, and
Currently, only 84.7 per cent of males are literate in India .

MPORTANT DAYS
The 6th Global Recycling Day
Every year, the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources and at some point, in the
not too distant future, it will run out. That’s why we must think again about what we throw
away – seeing not waste, but opportunity. The last decade has been the hottest on record,
and we are now facing a climate emergency of unparalleled proportions. If we don’t make
significant and rapid changes, we will see continued rising global temperatures, the melting
of icecaps, continents on fire and rapid deforestat ion.
This directly affects humanity with increased poverty, immigration from displaced
communities, job losses, waste mountains and natural habitats disappearing. We have the
power to make lasting changes to combat this, and with recycling being recognized in the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030, we are already seeing many individuals,
governments and organisations taking direct action to support the global green agenda .
Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural resources.
Each year the ‘Seventh Resource’ (recyclables) saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2
emissions and this is projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030. There is no doubt
recycling is on the front line in the war to save the future of our plan et and humanity.

Ordnance Factories Day: India

Ordnance Factories are a branch of the government that is engaged in the research and
development of weapons for the military, testing, producing, performing logistics and
marketing them. Ordnance Factory Day is observed on March 18, annually in India .
It is the day on which the first Ordnance factory was set up by the British at Cossipore,
Kolkata in 1801, during colonial rule. The day is celebrated by the Ministry of Defence, who
hoist the Indian flag, sing the national anthem and then exhibit various artillery and other
items used by the Indian Armed Forces, to the public .

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Government signs MoU with 27 steel companies, kickstarting Rs 6,322 -crore PLI scheme
The government on Friday signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with 27
companies, kickstarting the Rs 6,322-crore production-linked incentives (PLI) scheme for
specialty steel, that is expected to generate investments of up to Rs 30,000 crore over the
coming five years.
The scheme will create 25 million tonnes of additional specialty steel manufacturing in the
country and create 55,000 new jobs as per a statement by the Indian Steel Association
(ISA).
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PM Modi to inaugurate Global Millets Conference in New Delh i

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference
in New Delhi The Prime Minister will also address the gathering on the occasion. He will
unveil a customised postal stamp and currency coin on the International Year of Millets
(IYM) – 2023. A video on Millets will also be released during the event with the
announcement of ICAR-IIMR as the Global Centre of Excellence. The Conference will be
attended by Agriculture Ministers of six countries, international scientists, nut ritionists,
health experts, start-up leaders and other stakeholders. It will witness participation from
over 100 countries and several stakeholders will attend the event virtually from across the
globe.
The two-day Conference will have sessions on a wide r ange of issues related to millets
including promotion and awareness of millets among producers, consumers and other
stakeholders; millets’ value chain development; health and nutritional aspects of millets,
market linkages research and development etc. An Exhibition-cum- Buyer-Seller Meet with
a focus on Millets will also be held with the participation of more than 50 domestic and
international buyers, importers, exporters and processors for the promotion of millets. The
exhibition of more than 100 stalls will showcase millets and millet-based ready-to-cook and
ready-to-eat products, by millet-based Startups, and exporters, and live cooking sessions
by various international and national chefs .

Second meeting of Startup-20 engagement group under India’s G-20 Presidency begins in
Sikkim
The two-day meeting of the Startup20 engagement group under India’s G20 Presidency
began today at Chintan Bhawan in Gangtok. The Startup20 engagement group aims to bring
together global startup systems while ensuring that every nation has the freedom to grow
its unique ecosystem.
Mr Tamang appreciated the central government’s Startup India Initiative to transform India
into a country of job creators instead of job seekers. He highlighted various aspect s of the
scheme including tax exemptions, ease of doing business, and funding assistance. The chief
minister also acknowledged the role of the National Credit Guarantee Trust Company,
Startup India Seed Fund Scheme, Small Industries Development Bank of Ind ia, and Startup
India Hub in taking India to the third position in the Global Startup ecosystem and a jump
from the 81st to the 40th position in Global Innovation Index in 2022 .

Current Affairs PDF- March 17, 2023

NATIONAL
Bengaluru honoured with 2023 Partnership for healthy cities award for Tobacco control
efforts
Bengaluru is among five global cities that have been recognised for achievements in
preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries, with the Indian tech city's
efforts in tobacco control winning a $150,000 award by a leading global initiative
supported by the WHO.
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Bengaluru was honoured with the 2023 Partnership for Healthy Cities Award, along with
Montevideo in Uruguay; Mexico City, Mexico; Vancouver, Canada and Athens, Greece, at
the inaugural Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit held in London, a statement by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) said. The cities were recognised for positively impacting
the health of their population and making sustainable and lasting strides toward NCD and
injury prevention that can be replicated in other jurisdictions.

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport adjudged best airport in South Asia: Skytrax
Delhi airport has been adjudged the best airport in India and South Asia, according to
international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. The Indira Gandhi International
Airport (IGIA) in the national capital has also moved up to the 36th position this year from
37th in 2022, according to a release.
The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a GMR Airports Infrastructure Ltd-led
consortium, is operating IGIA, which is also the country's largest airport. A release on
Thursday said Delhi airport is the only Indian airport to feature on the prestigious list of
top 50 airports across the world since 2020. Region ally, it has topped the list of best
airports in South Asia as per Skytrax.

SPORTS
Gianni Infantino re-elected as FIFA president
Gianni Infantino, a contentious figure in the world of football, on Thursday secured a new
term as Fifa president after an election in which he was the only candidate, Infantino, 52,
got the post for another four years by acclamation at Fifa’s 73rd Congress in the Rwandan
capital of Kigali. All but a small number of Fifa’s 211 national federations rose to a pplaud
Infantino, making his re-election as head of football’s governing body a formality.
Upon getting the crown, Infantino promised record revenues in the next four -year cycle of
$11 billion as he called for more football to be played around the world. H e also appeared
to acknowledge that he was not universally popular amid controversies, including the
treatment of migrant workers in the run -up to last year’s World Cup in Qatar and a failed
plan to play the tournament every two years.

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

India's KR Parvathy appointed as UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan
India's Kavilmadam Ramaswami Parvathy, who has served in leading roles at the World
Food Programme in Türkiye and Afghanistan, has been appointed by UN Secretary -General
Antonio Guterres as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan,
Parvathy took up her new post as Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan Wednesday, following
the appointment by the Secretary-General and confirmation from the host Government,
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said at the daily news briefing.
"We remain with full gender parity among our 130 Resident Coordinators," Dujarric said.
Parvathy brings more than 30 years of experience in development and humanitarian
sectors, focusing on strategic planning, performance, risk management, people
management, conflict analysis and humanitarian access negotiations,
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Rajesh Gopinathan resigns from TCS, Succeeded by K Krithivasan

Rajesh Gopinathan, CEO of TCS for six long years has resign ed from the post. He is
succeeded by TCS' BFSI unit president K Krithivasan.
Tata Consultancy Services, an Indian provider of IT services, announced in a regulatory
filing that Rajesh Gopinathan, its chief executive officer, has resigned. He is succeeded b y K
Krithivasan, who was named CEO-designate on and stated that, subject to shareholder
approval, he will take on the roles of CEO and managing director in the coming fiscal year.

IMPORTANE DAYS
World Sleep Day
World Sleep Day (the Friday before the northe rn hemisphere vernal equinox) is an annual
event organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society, formerly
World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), since 2008.[1] The goal is to celebrate the
benefits of good and healthy sleep and to draw society's attention to the burden of sleep
problems and their medical, educational, and social aspects, and to promote the
prevention and management of sleep disorders.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Rural Development signed MoU for skilling of rural
youth & empowering women
In order to empower women and rural poor youth, the Ministry of Ayush (MoA) and Rural
Development signed MoU to collaborate in developing skilled personnel by imparting
training for the Ayush healthcare syste m. The course will also include training of rural
youth as panchakarma technicians, which will be started on a pilot basis. The proposed
training will be imparted under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya -Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-
GKY), which is the Ministry of Rural Development’s flagship program, charged with the dual
goals of diversifying the incomes of rural poor families and catering to the career ambitions
of rural youth.
MoA will aid its institutes to conduct courses, training, and provide certification to the
candidates. The Ministry will also depute nodal agencies across the country, who will
ensure mobilization, counselling, training, placement, and tracking of candidates as per
DDU-GKY norms in their respective designated states.

Two-day SCO Tourism Ministers’ meeting to begin at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh : 17 March
The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Ministers’ Meeting will
start today in Varanasi. Union Minister for Tourism G. Kishan Reddy reached Varanasi
yesterday to take part in the meeting. During the meeting, the Tourism Joint Action Plan
on the Development of Cooperation in Tourism among SCO member countries would be
adopted.
The Joint Action Plan will include actions relating to the promotion of the SCO tourism
brand, the promotion of the cultural heritage of the SCO Member States in tourism, sharing
and exchange of information and digital technology in tourism, and promoting mutual
cooperation in medical and health tourism.
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AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Hello Ujjivan app wins the prestigious 13th Aegis Graham Bell Awards
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank is proud to announce that its Hello Ujjivan app has won the 13th
Aegis Graham Bell Awards (AGBA) in the "Innovation in Consumer Tech" category. The
thirteenth edition of the prize is an initi ative of Aegis School of Data Science, backed by the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; NITI Aayog and Skill India to foster an
innovative culture in India. Hello Ujjivan, is the first mobile banking app in India that
enables speech, visual, and vernacular features to give bank's MicroBanking and Rural
customers access to banking financial services who have limited reading and writing
abilities. The app has intuitive AI and machine learning capabilities, to enable customers
transact conveniently and safely in the language of their choice

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Named 'Governor Of The Year' At Central Banking Awards
2023
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das has been selected as the 'Governor of
the Year' for 2023 by Central Banking, an international economic research journal.
Mr Das has been praised by the publication for his leadership role at the Central bank
during his tenure, which began in December 2018, and has been marked by a series of
grave challenges, starting with the collapse of a major non-bank firm, moving through the
first and second waves of the coronavirus, and then, in 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
and its inflationary impact.

Current Affairs PDF- March 16, 2023

INTERNATIONAL
Singapore Changi Airport is named the World’s Best Airport 2023 : Skytrax World Airport
Award
Singapore Changi Airport has been named as the World’s Best Airport in 2023 in the World
Airport Awards held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Amsterdam, Changi Airport also won
the awards for the World’s Best Airport Dining and World’s Best Airport Leisure Amenities.
The Hamad International Airport, Doha, in 2nd place and Tokyo Haneda Airport ranked 3rd.

NATIONAL
Indian Navy To Participate In US Anti -Submarine Warfare Exercise Sea Dr agon 23
The Indian Navy’s P8I aircraft will be participating in the US -led anti-submarine warfare
exercise (ASW), called the ‘Sea Dragon’, from March 15 -30. The exercise will see more
complex drills compared to the previous editions. The P8I aircraft of th e Indian Navy
arrived at Guam, US on March 14. Along with this aircraft, the multilateral ASW will also
witness participation from P8A of the US Navy, P1 from the Japanese Maritime Self Defence
Force, CP 140 from the Royal Canadian Air Force and P3C from t he Republic of Korea Navy
(RoKN).
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This year, the ‘Sea Dragon 23’ exercise will test the capabilities of participating aircraft in
tracking simulated and live underwater targets and simultaneously share mutual expertise,
the Indian Navy

AAHAR 2023: Asia’s biggest International Food and Hospitality Fair begins in Delhi
Aahar 2023 organized with the support of the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries,
Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and
other bodies, will focus on unveiling the potential of the hospitality sector and exhibiting
technologies, products and services to domestic and international buyers. Aahar is India’s
largest four-day culinary show where hoteliers and restauranteurs, caterers and
distributors come to source the best in culinary, hospitality and equipment and also guage
the market trends.

SPORTS
Ashleigh Gardner, and Harry Brook, seal ICC Player of the Month awards for February
Australia's Ashleigh Gardner won the award in the women's category. She was instrumental
in Australia's triumph in the recent Women's T20 World Cup and received the player of the
tournament,
England's Harry Brook was voted the best men's player for the month of February after his
amazing run of form. The English batter re ceived his second POTM award after winning it
earlier in December 2022.

Gianni Infantino re-elected FIFA president till 2027

Gianni Infantino was re-elected as FIFA president until 2027 by acclamation, after
highlighting his strong financial performance a s a reason for keeping a CEO in their position
for life. The decision was made by the congress of 211 member federations, who have seen
their annual funding from FIFA increase from $250,000 to $2 million since Infantino’s first
win in 2016. Following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA now has $4 billion in reserves,
and it conservatively predicts a record revenue of at least $11 billion from the 2026 men’s
World Cup, which will be hosted in North America.

OBITURY
Actor Sameer Khakhar who played role of Khop di in 'Nukkad', Passed away at 71
Actor Sameer Khakhar, best known for playing the lovable drunk Khopdi in the classic 1980s
TV serial "Nukkad", died at a hospital here in the early hours of Wednesday due to multiple
organ failure.
The actor, who was most recently seen in the Prime Video series "Farzi" and moved to the
US in the 1990s for a few years to become a software developer, was 71. Sameer Khakhar
was admitted to MM Hospital in Borivali in suburban Mumbai on Tuesday morning
following respiratory issues,

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Honeywell (HON) Appoints Veteran Vimal Kapur as New CEO
Honeywell International HON announced that company veteran and current president and
chief operating officer, Vimal Kapur, will succeed Darius Adamczyk as the new chie f
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executive officer ("CEO"), effective Jun 1. Mr, Kapur was named the president and chief
operating officer of Honeywell last July. As COO, he oversaw the Honeywell Accelerator
program, which uses certain frameworks and toolkits to improve end -to-end processes,
digital transformation and business outcomes. As CEO, Kapur will focus on “the
incorporation of Accelerator and standardization of global business models to enable
maximal performance in each business segment."

Indian-American Ravi Chaudhary to be the new Assistant Secretary of US Air Force

The United States Senate has confirmed Indian -American Ravi Chaudhary as the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for the Air Force, one of the top civilian leadership positions in the
Pentagon. He previously served as a Senior Executive at the US Department of
Transportation where he was Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of
Commercial Space at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He was responsible for the
execution of advanced development and research programs in support of the FAA's
commercial space transportation mission. While at the transportation department, he also
served as the executive director of the regions and centre operations, where he looked
over the integration and support of aviation operations in nine regions.

IMPORTANT DAYS
National Vaccination Day or National Immunization Day
Every year, National Vaccination Day or National Immunization Day is observed in India on
March 16 with an aim to spread awareness about the importance of vaccines in the
healthcare system. The day is observed to create awareness regarding how effective
vaccinations are to prevent deadly diseases.
It was first observed on 16 March 1995 when the first dose of Oral Polio Vaccine was given.
It is an attempt to increase awareness for the eradication of polio from the planet earth
Every year, the day is celebrated under a specific theme. In 2022, the theme was, 'Vaccines
Work For Everyone'. However, the theme for this year is not announced yet

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

RBI and Central Bank of the UAE sign MoU to promote innovation in financial products
and services
The Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates signed a
Memorandum of Understanding in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday to promote innovation in
financial products and services.
As per the MoU, both central banks will work together to explore Central Bank Digital
Currencies and investigate interoperability between the CBDCs of CBUAE and RBI. They will
conduct proof-of-concept and pilot tests of bilateral CBDC bridge to facilitate cross-border
transactions of remittances and trade. This collaboration is expected to increase efficiency
and reduce costs in cross-border transactions, furthering the economic ties between India
and UAE. The MoU also includes technical collaboration and knowledge sharing on matters
related to Fintech and financial products and services.
This collaboration will help both central banks enhance their capabilities and contribute to
the development of a robust financial ecosystem. The collaboration between RBI and
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CBUAE is a significant step towards promoting innovation and collaboration in the field of
FinTech.

Current Affairs PDF- March 15, 2023

NATIONAL
DRDO successfully conducts flight test of indigenous PTO,Shaft on LCA Tejas
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a
maiden flight-test of the Power Take off (PTO) Shaft on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas)
Limited Series Production (LSP) -3 aircraft in Bengaluru. The PTO shaft is indigenously
designed and developed by the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment
(CVRDE), Chennai Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The PTO shaft was designed with a unique innovative patented ‘Frequency Spanning
Technique’ which enables it to negotiate different operating engine speeds.

NMDC celebrates International Year of Millets at Business Women Expo 2023

At the forefront of popularizing Millets, NMDC distributed the Superfood at the Business
Women Expo 2023 in Hyderabad. In the backdrop of the International Year of Millets 2023,
NMDC inspired women entrepreneurs to build Millet businesses and contribute to the food
security of the nation. On behalf of the company, Shri K Prave en Kumar, ED (Personnel and
Law) and Shri K Mohan, CGM (Personnel) distributed the Millets and interacted with the
participants on its benefits for a healthier future
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly at its 75th session declared 2023 the
International Year of Millets.

India 8th most polluted country in world, Swiss firm IQAir Report
The Swiss firm IQAir released the ‘World Air Quality’ report which says that India is the
world's eighth most polluted country in 2022, dropping from the fifth spot the previous
year. The PM2.5 level of most polluted Indian cities stands at 53.3, according to the data.
The two Indian cities in the ranking of the world's most polluted city are ---Bhiwadi, on
Delhi's outskirts, which had pollution levels at 92.7, and Delhi followed close behind at
92.6.
The report said India and Pakistan experienced the worst air quality in the Central and
South Asian region, where nearly 60% of the population lives in areas where the
concentration of PM2.5 particles is at least seven times higher than WHO's recommended
levels.

13 th edition of India-Singapore Bilateral Armour exercise ‘Bold kurukshetra’ held in

Jodhpur
The Singapore Army and Indian Army participated in the 13th edition of Exercise Bold
Kurukshetra, a bilateral armour exercise from 06-13 March 2023 at Jodhpur Military
Station, India.
For the first time in the exercise series, both armies participated in a command post
Exercise, which involved Battalion and Brigade level planning elements and computer
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wargaming. Hosted by the Indian Army, the exercise involved soldiers from the 42nd
Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment and an Armoured Brigade of Indian Army.
The ten-day long joint training that commenced on 05th March fostered common
understanding of mechanised warfare in emerg ing threats and evolving technologies,
developing inter-operability through a computer simulation -based Wargame using joint
operational and tactical procedures controlled through a joint command post. Both
contingents not only learnt about each other’s ope rating drills and procedure, but also
exchanged ideas and best practices being followed in a modern combat zone.

SPORTS
Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur to inaugurate IBA Women’s World Boxing
Championships
The IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships wil l begin in New Delhi today, March 15.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur will attend the opening
ceremony at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex this evening.
International Boxing Association, IBA President Umar Kremlev, and Boxing Fe deration of
India, BFI President Ajay Singh will also be present on the occasion. BFI is hosting the
biggest boxing event till the 26th of March. The Championship is taking place in India for
the third time after 2006 and 2018, the most for any country. Th e tournament will witness
the participation of more than 350 boxers from around 74 countries. The Indian team of 12
boxers for the event includes 2020 Tokyo Bronze medallist, Lovlina Borgohain and the
current world champion in the 50kg category, Nikhat Zar een.

SCIENCE & TEHNOLOGY

Google unveils 'magic wand' for emails and documents
Alphabet’s Google on Tuesday unveiled a flurry of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for its
email, collaboration and cloud software, taking aim at Microsoft days before its riva l is
expected to make a similar announcement. In a replay of last month’s duelling chatbot
launches by the tech giants, Alphabet touted a “magic wand” for its popular Google Docs
software that can draft a marketing blog, training plan or other text, then r evise its tone at
users’ discretion, a company official demonstrated to reporters. Alphabet also said its AI
will be able to summarise message threads in Gmail, craft slide presentations, personalise
customer outreach and take meeting notes as part of its upgrade to Google Workspace, a
product suite with billions of users on free and paid accounts.

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Deepak Mohanty appointed as PFRDA Chairperson
The Central government has appointed Deepak Mohanty, a former whole -time member of
the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA), as the new Chairperson of
the PFRDA. Mohanty, also a former executive director of the Reserve Bank of India, will
hold the top PFRDA post till attaining the age of 65 years or until further orders, It also
appointed Mamta Shankar, an Indian Economic Service Officer (1993) to the post of Whole -
Time Member (Economics) in PFRDA.
PFRDA regulates the National Pension System (NPS) which is mandatory for the Central
government staff joining service since 2004. Most state governments have also made it
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mandatory for their staff joining the service since 2004 or 2005. Later, corporates and the
general public were allowed to subscribe to NPS.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Consumer Rights Day
World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on March 15 every year with an aim to raise
global awareness about consumer rights and promote consumer protection. The day is also
commemorated to be aware about the market injustices across the world. The World
Consumer Rights Day is globally recognised and accredited by the United Nations. For 40
years Consumers International has run the campaign, uniting the consumer movement to
celebrate together. Consumers International Members help to select the campaign topic
each year to help mobilise global action on pressing issues impacting consumers.

International Day to Combat Islamophobia

The U.N. General Assembly established the International Day to Combat Islamophobia in a
resolution passed by a unanimous majority in 2022, designating March 15 as the day of the
holiday’s celebration. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation was represented by Pakistan
in the resolution’s introduction. It is in remembrance of the day in 2019 in Christchurch,
New Zealand, when a shooter opened fire inside two mosques, killing 51 people and
wounding another 40. The resolution was formally introduced by Pakistan’s U.N.
representative, Munir Akram. He said that this resolution acknowledges the widespread
rise in intolerance, prejudice, and violence against members of nume rous religious and
other communities, regardless of who is doing it.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

IDFC Mutual Fund set to become Bandhan Mutual Fund
DFC Mutual Fund, which was founded in 2000, announced that it is set to renovate itself as
Bandhan Mutual Fund. Customers will soon discover all IDFC Mutual Fund schemes have
been rebranded as Bandhan Mutual Fund after the effective date. Since the underlying
investment strategy, processes, and team continue to remain the same, investors can
benefit from the same high‐quality investment approach that the fund house is reputed
for, - IDFC Mutual Fund said in an official statement .

Current Affairs PDF- March 14, 2023

NATIONAL
Surekha Yadav, Asia's 1st woman loco pilot who now becomes first female to operate
Vande Bharat
Asia's first woman loco pilot Surekha Yadav has added another feather to her cap as she
became the first female to operate the newly -introduced semi-high speed Vande Bharat
Express train, She piloted the semi-high speed train between Solapur station and
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai on Monday.
The train departed Solapur station at right time on March 13 and reached CSMT five
minutes before the scheduled arrival, a Central Railway release said, adding that on
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completion of a more than 450-km long journey, Yadav was felicitated at platform number
8 at CSMT

Exercise La Perouse between navies of India, US, Japan, France, UK and Australia begins
The two-day multi-lateral maritime exercise ‘La Pérouse’, involving the participation of
personnel, ships and integral helicopters of Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Indian
Navy, Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, Royal Navy and the United States Navy, kick -
started in the Indian Ocean Region on March 13. “The third edition of the multilateral
exercise La Perouse is scheduled to be conducted in the Indian Ocean Region from 13 to 14
March 2023," the Ministry of Defence said in a press release.
The biennial exercise La Perouse is conducted by the French Navy and aims to enhance
maritime domain awareness and optimise maritime coordination amongst the participating
navies in the Indo-Pacific region, the release stated.

Nitin Gadkari unveiled first methanol run buses i n Bengaluru

The first methanol-powered buses in Bengaluru unveiled by Union Minister for Road and
Transport, Nitin Gadkari. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), NITI
Aayog, Indian Oil Company (IOC), and Ashok Leyland are working togethe r to carry out the
initiative, which aims to lower the level of pollutants. Methanol can be produced through
the reaction of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen, which are also known as
syngas. The syngas can be produced from various sources such as natural gas, coal, or
biomass.

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

FDIC names former Fannie Mae chief Tim Mayopoulos as CEO of Silicon Valley Bank
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on Monday named former Fannie Mae head Tim
Mayopoulos as the chief executive officer of Silicon Valley Bank, a subsidiary of the defunct
SVB Financial Group. He steps in after regulators shuttered the startup -focused lender on
Friday after a run on its deposits that left it with a dearth of capital. Mayopoulos served as
the chief executive officer of mortgage financier Fannie Mae for more than six years before
he joined fintech Blend. The collapse of SVB, the biggest bank to fail since the financial
crisis of 2008, has crippled stocks and triggered concerns of a contagion throu ghout global
markets.

IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day of Action for Rivers
The International Day of Action for Rivers observed on 14 March is a day dedicated to
solidarity – when diverse communities around the world come together with one voice to
say that rivers matter. That communities having access to clean and flowing water matters.
That everyone should have a say in decisions that affect their water and their lives. That
it’s our time to stand up for these rights, now more than ever.
We’re celebrating the 26th Anniversary of this Day for Rivers by also highlighting the
importance of being a protector and voice for rivers.
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International Day of Mathematics

Every year on March 14th, people around the world gather together to celebrate the
importance of mathematics and everything it’s used for, Mathematics is defined as the
study of such topics as quantity, structure, space, and change. This definition makes it
sound like you have to be a rocket scientist to do math. But whether you realize it or not,
you probably use mathematics daily. Do you balance your checkbook? When you have to
drive somewhere, do you estimate out how much time it will take to arrive? Do you count
calories? Have you ever measured ingredients when you’re cooking? Do you do your own
taxes? If you do any of these things, you’re using math!

Pi Day
Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π. Pi Day is observed on
March 14 since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant figures of π. It was founded in
1988 by Larry Shaw, an employee of the San Francisco, California science museum, the
Exploratorium. and it also happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

First international conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage to begin in New Delhi
The first international conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage will commence in New Delhi
today 14 th March. It is being organised with a focus on India’s civilisational connect with
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations 2023. The two -day conference aims
at re-establishing trans-cultural links and seeking out commonalities, between Buddhist art
of Central Asia, art styles, archaeological sites and antiquity in various museum collections
of the SCO countries.
The event, under India’s leadership of SCO, wi ll bring together Central Asian, East Asian,
South Asian and Arab countries on a common platform to discuss Shared Buddhist Heritage.
The SCO countries comprise of Member States, Observer States and Dialogue Partners,
including China, Russia and Mongolia. The two-day programme is being organised by the
Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of External Affairs and the International Buddhist
Confederation. A number of Indian scholars of Buddhism will also participate in the event.
Participants will also have the opportunity to tour some of the historical sites of Delhi.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Gyan Chaturvedi awarded with the 32nd Vyas Samman, 2022
Noted Hindi writer Dr Gyan Chaturvedi’s 2018 satirical novel, Pagalkhana, has been
selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman, 20 22. Instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991,
the annual Vyas Samman is given to an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen
published during the last 10 years.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Suryoday Small Finance Bank launches Blossom Women’s savings account,
Suryoday Small Finance Bank on Monday launched a new savings account for women.
Suryoday's Blossom Women’s Savings Account is built on a strong proposition of giving
women a complete, simplified, and rewarding banking experience.
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Under this new account, women can earn up to 7% interest rate per annum with monthly
interest credit coupled with a specially designed RuPay Platinum Debit Card which offers
discounts on shopping and online purchases and many more, The new women's savings
account can be operated through the Bank’s 571 banking outlets and digital banking
platform.

Current Affairs PDF- March 13, 2023

INTERNATIONAL
Saudi Arabia launches new national airline
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman formally announced on Sunday the
creation of a new national airline, Riyadh Air, with industry veteran Tony Douglas as its
chief executive, as the kingdom moves to compete with regional transport and travel hubs.
Riyadh Air will serve more than 100 destinations around the world by 2030, making use of
the kingdom's location between Asia, Africa and Europe,

SPORTS
India win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1 against Australia and also qualify for 2023 WTC
Final
India vs Australia: Australia played out a draw in the final Test in Ahmedabad but India took
the series 2-1 and won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth successive time. And
India have also qualified for the World Test Championship final where they will face
Australia at The Oval.

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI approves reappointment of Sumant Kathpalia as MD, CEO of IndusInd Bank
IndusInd Bank said the central bank has approved the re -appointment of Sumant Kathpalia
as MD and CEO for a period of two years from 24 March, 2023. The nod by RBI comes
nearly six months after the IndusInd Bank's board of directors had cleared another term for
Kathpalia, who has been the lender's MD & CEO since March 2020.
At IndusInd Bank, he has been part of the management team for 15 years ago. He has been
a key member of the top-level executive committee looking at IndusInd Bank -wide financial
management, managing investor relations and evaluating inorganic growth opportunities.

Tech Mahindra appoints Mohit Joshi as MD & CEO

Tech Mahindra announced Mohit Joshi, the former president of Infosys, as its managing
director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) designate for a period of five years,
effective from 20 December 2023.
Mohit Joshi will take over as MD & CEO when CP Gurnani retires on 19 December 20 23.
However, he will join Tech Mahindra well before that date to allow for sufficient transition
time, said the company.
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Govt appoints Siddhartha Mohanty as interim chairman of LIC

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) on Monday said that M R Kumar has complete d his term as
the Chairman. The government has approved the appointment of Siddhartha Mohanty as
the interim Chairman of LIC for three months with effect from March 14, the insurer said
last week.
The government is set to appoint a full-time chairman at LIC by June, a finance ministry
official said, Mint reported. The official said the chairman would be selected from among
candidates available within the life insurer and would serve a term of around a year.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Rotaract Day
World Rotaract Day - 13 March: is a special day dedicated to celebrating and recognizing
the accomplishments of young adults who are involved in the Rotaract movement. Rotaract
is a global network of young professionals who work together to promote community
service, professional development, and cultural exchange. The day is observed on March
13th each year and is an opportunity to raise awareness about the work that Rotaract clubs
are doing around the world.
Rotaract was first established in 1968 in North Carolina, USA, and has since grown to
become a global movement with over 250,000 members in more than 10,000 clubs around
the world. Rotaract clubs are made up of young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who
come together to address community needs, develop leadership skills, and build
international understanding.
On World Rotaract Day, Rotaract clubs around the world hold events and activities to
celebrate the achievements of their members and raise awareness about the impact of
their work. These events can include se rvice projects, social gatherings, fundraising
activities, and more.

Commonwealth Day
Every year, on the second Monday of March, 56 countries from around the world hold
celebrations to commemorate Commonwealth Day. While this day was originally referred
to as “Empire Day” and had been celebrated on Queen Victoria’s birthday on May 24th
since 1904, Commonwealth Day wasn’t established as such until 1977, when one of its
member states proposed this date for all member states of the organization to
simultaneously celebrate this occasion, led by the head of the Commonwealth of Nations,
the current British ruler.
With 'Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future' as its theme, the day aims to
unite 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens in celebration of their sha red values and
principles, and in pursuit of a common future, centred on sustainability and peace.

SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Lockheed Martin, & Tata ink MoU for fighter plane wings production in India
Global defence aerospace player Lockheed Martin and Indias Tata Group have inked an
agreement for the production of fighter plane wings at their joint venture Tata Lockheed
Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL) in Hyderabad.
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According to Lockheed Martin, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) envisions

production of 29 fighter wing shipsets, with an option of additional shipsets, with
deliveries commencing in 2025.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

'Naatu Naatu' from ‘RRR’ won Oscars for Best Original Song
'Naatu Naatu' from SS Rajamouli’s hit ‘RRR’ won Oscars for Best Original Song. Th e
audience was captivated as they watched Ram Charan and Jr NTR's spectacular dance
moves in the song. The crowd cheered wildly when MM Keeravani (composer of the song)
walked up to the stage to accept the prestigious award.
There has never been an Oscar nomination in this category from an Indian production
before RRR’s ‘Naatu Naatu’. AR Rahman's 'Jai Ho', written for the 2008 film Slumdog
Millionaire, was awarded the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2009. However,
Slumdog Millionaire was made by British production whereas RRR is an Indian production.
While ‘Naatu Naatu’ was nominated for Best Original Song, ‘All That Breathes’ and ‘The
Elephant Whisperers’ were nominated for Best Documentary Feature and Best
Documentary Short Film, respectively. 'Th e Elephant Whisperers' took home the trophy
while 'All That Breathes' lost to 'Navalny'.

Indian film The Elephant Whisperers wins Academy Award for Best Documentary Short
Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga’s Netflix documentary short, The Elephant
Whisperers, has won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short category at the 95th Academy
Awards. The film was competing against Haulout, How Do You Measure a Year?, The
Martha Mitchell Effect and Stranger At The Gate. Director Gonzalves dedicated the award
to ‘my motherland, India’. Guneet, in an Instagram post, wrote, “Tonight is historic as this
is the first ever Oscar for an Indian production…”
Produced by Achin Jain and Guneet Monga, and directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, the 41 -
minute short follows the family from Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve who end up
adopting two orphan baby elephants. What was special about this India short was that it
happened to be filmmaker Gonsalves’ directorial debut.

Current Affairs PDF- March 12, 2023

INTERNATONAL
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano erupts, covering villages in ash
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted today,
spewing out smoke and ash that blanketed villages near the crater. The volcano is located
on Java Island, near Indonesia’s cultural capital Yogyakarta. The volcano’s last major
eruption in 2010 had claimed more than 300 lives and forced the evacuation of some
280,000 people. Indonesia, which has nearly 130 active volcanoes, sits on the Pacific “Ring
of Fire”, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
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Silicon Valley Bank collapse, causes shockwaves across world

The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in the United States has caused
shockwaves around the world. California-based Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest bank in
the US, was closed on Friday (March 10) by the California Department of Financial
Protection and Innovation which later appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC) as its receiver.
From Californian winemakers to startups on the other side of the Atlantic, businesses are
attempting to handle their accounts after their bank abruptly closed down Friday.
According to reports, the financial crisis is causing anxiety for corporations as w ell as for all
their employees whose paychecks can be affected by the commotion.

SpaceX Launches 40 OneWeb Satellites To Orbit From Florida

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched 40 OneWeb satellites to low -Earth orbit from Cape
Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This was the penultimate mission to complete the
first generation (Gen 1) low-Earth orbit satellite constellation of OneWeb, a London -based
satellite communications company backed by Bharti Enterprises. OneWeb aims to enable
global coverage in 2023, and its latest launch was the penultimate mission that would
complete OneWeb's Gen 1 constellation to fulfil the goal. The launch of 40 satellites by
SpaceX on March 9 was OneWeb's 17th mission to date. Later this month, OneWeb will
launch more satellites with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and New Space
India Limited (NSIL), in order to complete the UK -based company's global footprint of Gen
1 satellites. If the launch with ISRO and NSIL is successful, there will be 582 OneWeb
satellites in orbit.

NATIOONAL
PM Modi Inaugurates Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his yet another visit to Karnataka on Sunday inaugurated
the 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway at Mandya. Besides inaugurating, the PM laid
foundation stones for several key road projects too on Sunday at Mandya in Karnataka.
The 118-km long Bengaluru-Mysuru road project has been developed at a total cost of
around Rs 8,480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from
around 3 hours to about 75 minutes and will act as a catalyst for socio -economic
development in the region,
He also laid the foundation stone for Mysuru -Kushalnagar 4-lane highway. Spread over 92
kilometres, the project will be developed at a cost of around Rs 4,130 crores and will help
halve the travel time from about 5 to only 2.5 hours.

Divya Kala Mela showcasing products & craftsmanship of Divyang entrepreneurs to open
at Bhopal
Divya Kala Mela is being organised from 12 March, to showcase the products and
craftsmanship of Divyang entrepreneurs and artisans from across the country. Governor
Mangubhai Patel and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virender
Kumar and Minister of State Kumari Pratima Bhowmick will inaugurate the fair,
About 150 Divyang artisans, artists and entrepreneurs from 21 states and union territories
are participating in the Divya Kala Mela. Home decor, lifestyle, clothing, stationery, eco -
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friendly products, packaged food, toys, gifts, personal accessories, jewelry, bags, organic
products, etc. will be available at the fair. There will also be cultural programs by Divyang
and other artistes during the Mela. For the first time after Delhi and Mumbai, Divya Kala
Mela is being organized in Madhya Pradesh.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates world 's longest railway platform in Hubballi-Dharwad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday : 12 March inaugurated several development
projects in Karnataka including the longest railway platform in the world in Hubballi -
Dharwad. With the inauguration of the Hubballi railway platform, the city has registered its
name in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest railway platform in the
World at Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji station. The 1,507 -metre-long platform has been
built at a cost of about ₹20 crore
The Hubballi station is an important junction in Karnataka and a major hub of trade and
commerce. It connects the railway lines towards Bengaluru (Davanagere side), Hosapete
(Gadag side), and Vasco-Da-Gama/Belagavi (Londa side).

100 cities to bend-unbend for countdown to 9th International Day of Yoga

The Ministry of Ayush along with Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) is
organizing Yoga Mahotsav 2023 from 13th to 14th March 2023 at Delhi’s Talkatora
Stadium. There will also be workshops on 15th March 2023 at MDNIY. Union Minister of
Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the Yoga Mahotsav 2023 and it will
commemorate 100 days countdown to the 9th edition of International Day of Yoga (IDY)
2023.
ollowing the footprints, this year, Yoga Mahotsav-2023 is being organized to give a wider
promotion and publicity to various dimensions of yoga and its utility. Mass yoga
demonstrations/sessions will take place in 100 places in Delhi NCR to celebrate the
countdown and it will commence 100 Days, 100 cities, and 100 organizations activities
across the nation.

SPORTS
Bangladesh’s historic T20 - series win against England
Bangladesh might have lost their proud unbeaten record in ODIs but they have exacted
emphatic revenge over England in the shorter format, winning the second T20 by four
wickets and the series with a game to spare. This is a curiously lopsided England side, light
on batters and so overblessed with bowlers – so much so that the 19th over was also Chris
Jordan’s first. Bangladesh started it needed 13 off 12 deliveries, and had the game wrapped
up with seven to spare.

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Day Against Cyber Censorship
Every year on March 12th, World Day Against Cyber Censorship rallies support for an
unrestricted Internet that is accessible to all. The day also draws attention to ways
governments around the world censor free speech online. The Internet lets peop le around
the world gain access to vast amounts of information. Not only can people get information
on nearly any topic imaginable, but they can get it quickly, and usually for little cost. Most
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people who have access to the internet take it for granted. T hey might also take for
granted the idea of sharing things with others over the worldwide web. Unfortunately,
however, there are people in the world who want to restrict the internet. These people
don’t want people to use their freedom of speech over the w orldwide web.
Each year, this issue is becoming more of a problem. Just recently, Reporters Without
Borders unveiled several digital predators of freedom. According to Reporters Without
Borders, these digital predators represent a clear danger for freedom of opinion and
expression, and article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees this
right. Digital predators harass people online, censor information, spread disinformation,
and use the internet to spy.

Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tribute to Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal on his birth
anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, he devoted himself to serving others and nurturing a
society that is inclusive and just. The Prime Minister said, Ayya Vaik unda Swamikal
undertook numerous efforts to empower the downtrodden as well. Mr Modi said, his
thoughts will keep inspiring people across generations.
Ayya Vaikundar also known as Siva Narayanar or Vaikunda Swami is the first and the
foremost Purna avatar of Eka-Paran as per Ayyavazhi Mythology. He was born to Lord
Narayana and his consort Goddess Lakshmi at the Sea of Tiruchendur on the 20th of Masi,
1008 K.E.