C.A Jan 2015

Serena Williams of US won the womens single title
of Australian Open 2015

Published on: 02-FEB-2015
Important for Exam: 105 people agreed
Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6(5) in Melbourne, Australia to clinch sixth title of
Australian Open. This was 19th career Grand Slam title for Williams who had never faced defeat by
Sharapova since 2004.
India successfully test-fired canister-based ICBM

Agni-5 missile
Published on: 02-FEB-2015
India test-fired the maiden canister-based most potent missile Agni-V with a strike range over 5000
kilometers. It is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of over one tonne.
PETA announced to create India's first fenced

elephant sanctuary near Bengaluru
Published on: 31-JAN-2015
The model of the sanctuary was designed by the PETA consultant and elephant expert Carol Buckley
and it will come up in an area of 49.5 hectare within the Biological Park which is an extension of the
Bannerghatta National Park.
GTU launched e-Raksha Research Centre to fight

cybercrime
The centre was launched to curb rising menace of cybercrimes. Centre will encourage research and
enhance capability to provide solution for issues related to cyber security.
Union Government divested 10 percent stake in Coal

India Limited
Government divested 63.16 crores shares (10 percent) of CIL through offer for sale (OFS) at a floor
price of 358 rupees per share and realized an amount of 22557.63 crore rupees through the
disinvestment process.
18th National Conference on e-Governance held in

Gujarat
The main Theme of the Conference was Digital Governance New Frontiers. The focus sector was
Skill Development & Employability.
Maharashtra approved field trials for GM food

Maharashtra government on the basis of recommendations of Anil Kakodkar committee granted

NOCs for open field trials of five genetically modified (GM) crops. The crops are rice, chana
(chickpeas), maize, brinjal and cotton.
Churches in England opposed Mitochondria

Donation Technique to produce babies
The British government was urged to block the technique of creation of babies from three people by
Churches of England. The technique involves addition of a donor woman's mitochondria to another
woman's egg.
Union Government approved a rehabilitation

package of 1102-crore rupees for J&K
Rehabilitation package of 1102 crore rupees approved for flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir. The
fund was sanctioned from the National Disaster Response Fund.
Union Government released Commemorative

Postage stamps with Swachh Bharat Mission as
theme
The Commemorative Postage stamps were released by the Union Ministry for Communications &
Information Technology.
Paul van Ass appointed as coach of National Mens

Hockey team
Former Dutch National Hockey team coach Paul van Ass was on 30 January 2015 appointed as the
head Coach of Indian men's hockey team. He succeeded Terry Walsh of Australia.
Kanagasabapathy J Sripavan sworn-in as 44th Chief

Justice of Sri Lanka
Justice Sripavan succeeded Shirani Bandaranayake who resigned on 29 January 2015. She resigned
one day after she was reinstated as Chief Justice by the Sri Lankan President on 28 January 2015.
RBI constituted High Powered Committee headed by

R Gandhi on Urban Cooperative Banks
A high Powered Committee chaired by R Gandhi constituted to re-examine and recommend set of
businesses, size, conversion and licensing terms for the Urban Cooperative Banking Sector.
AP Government decided to file a defamation suit

against the State Bank of Hyderabad
State government will file a defamation suit as SBH has freezed account of Andhra Pradesh State
Council of Higher Education.
S Lakshminarayanan appointed as Chairman of

Shriram Transport Finance Co Ltd
The decision to appoint S Lakshminarayanan as Chairman of STFC was taken during a board
meeting of the company held at Colombo on 24 January 2015.
Krishna Chaudhary appointed as the Director

General of ITBP
Krishna Chaudhary appointed as the DG of ITBP which was lying vacant since 1 January 2015 after
retirement of Subhas Goswami. Chaudhary will be in office till June 2017.
DRDO received approval to build missile launch

testing facility in the Krishna Delta Complex
The approval was granted by the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife chaired by
Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
UNCTAD released Global Investment Trends Monitor

Report
The report highlights that Global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows declined by 8 percent in
2014 to an estimated 1.26 trillion US dollars
Karnataka Government decided to amend Karnataka

Compulsory Primary Education Act, 2012
The State Government decided to amend the Section 19(2) of the Act by inserting words Mother
Tongue Kannada. This insertion guarantees that Kannada language will become compulsory for
children from Class I to V.
Union Ministry of Defence announced 2015 Republic

Day Parade Awards
The panels was appointed by the Defence Ministry for assessing the marching contingents from three
Services, Para-Military Forces and tableaux from various States/ Ministries/Departments and School
Children items from Schools of Delhi as well as outside Delhi.
Union Sports Ministry revised the Scheme of Special

Awards to medal winners
The amount of award money for medal winners in Olympic Games (summer and winter) has been
enhanced from existing 50 lakh rupees (gold medal), 30 lakh rupees (silver medal) and 20 lakh
rupees (bronze medal) to 75 lakh rupees, 50 lakh rupees and 30 lakh rupees respectively.
Zomato Media Pvt Ltd acquired Turkey-based firm

Mekanist
Online restaurant search service provider Zomato Media Pvt Ltd on 29 January 2015 acquired Turkish
company Mekanist for an undisclosed sum.
Subhash Ghising, the President of Gorkha National

Liberation Front (GNLF), died
Subhash Ghising, the person who gave birth to Gorkhaland movement and raised voice for creation of
a separate Gorkhaland state for ethnic Gorkha (Nepali) living in Darjeeling District of West Bengal
died.
Hanumanthu Purushotham took charge as CMD of

NRDC
Earlier, he was Scientist-G and Head of Knowledge Management Centre at International Advanced
Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Department of Science and
Technology at Hyderabad.
Anti-Leprosy Day observed to focus Attention on

Disease
The day is celebrated in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi in order to re-memorize his selfless efforts
and care for the people affected by the infectious disease leprosy.
Malaysia declared MH370 flight disappearance an

accident
The declaration was made by the Director General of Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Azharuddin
Abdul Rahman in accordance with standards of annexes 12 and 13 of the International Civil Aviation.
ErosNow tied up with RailTel to provide Streaming

Services to Rail Passengers
With the help of this tie-up, the railway passengers will soon have access to movies, television
content, music videos and audio tracks.
Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel launched

Taluka Planning Atlas
The Taluka Planning Atlas seeks to enable the local administration in taking effective decisions about
the development in respective regions.
20th Law Commission submitted 253rd Report titled

Commercial Courts Bill 2015 to Union Government
20th Law Commission of India headed by Justice (retd) A P Shah submitted its 253rd report entitled
Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts and Commercial Courts Bill,
2015 to Union Government.
ICC lifted the five-year ban imposed on Pakistans

fast bowler Mohammad Amir
ICC lifted the five-year ban imposed on Mohammad Amir who was jailed and banned for a spot fixing
scam along with Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt during Pakistans tour of England in 2010.
Shekhar Sen appointed as Chairman of Sangeet

Natak Akademi
Shekhar Sen will succeed Leela Samson as the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Union Government launched Website, Logo, Vision,

Mission of NHIDCL
The NHIDCL as a fully owned company of the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways,
Government of India was incorporated on 18 July 2014.
Shirani Bandaranayake reinstated as Chief Justice

of Sri Lanka
With the reinstatement of Bandaranayake, the appointment of Mohan Peiris as Chief Justice of Sri
Lanka by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was cancelled and termed as illegal appointment.
World Bank released a report on Social Inclusion

and Sustainable Development in Himachal Pradesh
It is the first report of its kind for Himachal Pradesh. It is a macro-social account of the states
achievements over the past several decades.
India to host ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2016

The meeting was chaired by N Srinivasan in the presence of all the full-member and associate
representatives.
Purple Tea can be produced in Assam: Experts

Assams Longai area of Cachar district in the Barak Valley and the hilly forested areas of Karbi
Anglong district are capable of producing health-rich purple tea. Currently, this variety of tea is
produced only in Kenya.
CCEA approved HDFC Banks proposal to raise

foreign holding limit to 74 per cent
HDFC Bank would raise the fund through issuing of equity shares to non-resident Indians (NRIs) or
foreign institutional investors (FIIs) or foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) subject to aggregate foreign
shareholding not exceeding 74 per cent of the post issue paid up capital.
Union Cabinet approved MoU on Tourism between

India and Oman
The MoU will strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism between tourism ministries of both the
countries.
Sean Abbott of Australia named as the Bradman

Young Cricketer of the Year 2015
Sean Abbott named as Australias young cricketer of the Year 2015. Steve Smith received the Allan
Border Medal and was named as Test and ODI player of the year.
Kunal Jeswani appointed as CEO of Ogilvy & Mather

India
The post of CEO of Ogilvy & Mather India was lying vacant since 2008 when the then CEO Pratap
Bose resigned.
Malayalam actor Mala Aravindan died

Mala Aravindan died on 28 January 2015 following cardiac arrest in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He was
76.
Steve Easterbrook appointed as CEO of McDonalds

Corporation
Steve Easterbrook will succeed Don Thompson who decided to retire as President and Chief
Executive Officer of McDonald's on 1 March 2015.
Union Cabinet reconstituted Empowered Committee

on setting up of Semiconductor Wafer FAB projects
The Union Cabinet on 28 January 2015 reconstituted the Empowered Committee on setting up of
Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication (FAB) manufacturing facilities in the country.
CCEA approved mandatory packaging of foodgrains, sugar in Jute material for the Jute Year 201415
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 January 2015 approved mandatory
packaging of food-grains and sugar in Jute material for the Jute Year 2014-15 with certain
exemptions.
S Jaishankar appointed as the Foreign Secretary of

India
Dr. S Jaishankar appointed as the new Foreign Secretary. He replaced current Foreign Secretary
Sujatha Singh whose tenure was curtailed by nearly seven months.
Australian golfer Kelvin David George Nagle died

Kelvin David George Nagle, winner of British Open in 1960 died on 29 January 2015 in Sydney at the
age of 94. He held a record of winning 61 tournaments on the Australasian PGA tour.
66th Republic Day celebrated across the Nation

Main theme of 2015 Republic Day Parade was Women Empowerment (Nari Shakti).
Apple Inc recorded the highest-ever profit of 18

billion US dollars in corporate history worldwide
According to S&P analyst Howard Silverblatt, the profit of 18 billion US dollar was the largest profit
ever made by a public company in the corporate history worldwide.
Hockey Olympian Jaswant Singh Rajput died

Hockey Olympian Jaswant Singh Rajput who was part of Indian hockey team that won gold medal in
1948 London and 1952 Helsinki Olympics died on 28 January 2015. He was 88.
K Durga Prasad appointed as the Special DG of

CRPF
Union Government appointed an IPS officer of 1981 batch from Andhra Pradesh K Durga Prasad as
the Special Director General of the CRPF on 27 January 2015.
Maharashtra government decided to buy a house in

London where BR Ambedkar stayed
Dr BR Ambedkar house in London where he lived while pursing his higher studies in the London
School of Economics during 1921-22 will be purchased by Maharashtra Government.
Saina Nehwal won womens single of Syed Modi

Grand Prix Gold Badminton Tournament 2015
She defeated World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain 19-21, 25-23, 21-16 in the finals played at
Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in Sunderbans got a

fresh start with expert assistance
Renowned experts in herpetology who introduced global best practices in crocodile conservation gave
a fresh start to the Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in Sunderbans.
Chandigarh launched a smart city app named Smart

Chandigarh
The app was launched to create awareness on consumer rights and responsibilities and provide all
types of citizen-centric and public utility services and information to the residents.
Wing Commander Puja Thakur became first lady

officer to lead Inter-Service Guard of Honour
Thakur leading the Inter-Service Guard of Honour was in line with the theme of Nari Shakti (Women
Power) chosen for the 2015 Republic Day parade.
RBI signed an MoU on Supervisory Cooperation

with Banco Central do Brasil
RBI inked MoU on Supervisory Cooperation and Exchange of Supervisory Information with Banco
Central do Brasil (BCB).
Arundhathi Subramaniam won Khushwant Singh

Memorial Prize for Poetry
Poet Arundhathi Subramaniam won the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry for her
work When God is a Traveller at Jaipur Literature Festival.
Alexis Tsipras sworn in as PM of Greece

He became the first prime minister in Greek history to be sworn in without the traditional oath on a
Bible and blessing of basil and water from the Greek Archbishop.
India-US declared Joint Strategic Vision for the AsiaPacific and Indian Ocean Region
Joint Strategic Vision aimed to promote peace, prosperity and stability in Asia-Pacific and Indian
Ocean region.
Jagannathan Chakravarthi appointed as Chief

Financial Officer of Mindtree Limited
Jagannathan Chakravarthi was on 23 January 2015 appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of
Mindtree Limited with effect from 1 April 2015.
Famous Greek Singer Demis Roussos Died

Famous Greek singer Demis Roussos died on 25 January 2015 in Athens, Greek following a brief
illness
Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme retired

from Football
36-year-old legendary Argentine footballer Juan Roman Riquelme retired from football on 26 January
2015. He captained Argentina in 2006 World Cup.
Divya Prakash Sinha appointed as Security

Secretary in the Union Cabinet Secretariat
Divya Prakash Sinha was appointed as Secretary (Security) in the Union Cabinet Secretariat. His
appointment was approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
Major Mukund Varadarajan, Naik Neeraj Kumar

Singh posthumously awarded with Ashok Chakra
Major Mukund Varadarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh were on 26 January 2015 posthumously
awarded with the highest peacetime military honour the Ashok Chakra by President Pranab
Mukherjee.
President approved conferment of Padma Awards

2015 on 104 persons
The President of India Pranab Mukherjee approved the conferment of Padma Awards 2015 on 104
persons from the fields of art, social work, public affairs, science, trade, medicine, literature, etc.
Legendary cartoonist R K Laxman died

Legendary cartoonist and creator of the Common Man in cartoons, R K Laxman died on 26 January
2015 at the age of 93. He was one of the Indias greatest caricaturists.
India-US Business Summit held in New Delhi

The Summit was organized by the US India Business Council (USIBC) in partnership with
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
Miss Colombia Paulina Vega crowned Miss Universe

2014
Paulina Vega of Colombia crowned as Miss Universe 2014. She was crowned by the 2013 pageant
winner Venezuelan Gabriela Isler.
India and the US released the Joint Statement titled

Shared Effort; Progress for All
The two leaders pledged to translate their commitment of Chalein Saath Saath: Forward Together We
Go of September 2014 into action through Sanjha Prayaas; Sab Ka Vikaas: Shared Effort; Progress
For All.
Former Thailand Premier Yingluck Shinawatra

impeached
Yingluck is the first Prime Minister to be impeached by parliament in Thailands history. The
impeachment was a result of an allegation for failing to stop corruption in rice-pledging scheme.
RBI simplified procedure for External Commercial

Borrowings Policy
The directions have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange
Management Act, 1999. Changes are effected during the tenure of the ECB.
Goa to host Indo-Russian Musical Festival ZimaFest

The festival will host various world's best DJs and bands like Alisa, Dolphin, Parikrama and DJ sets by
Karsh Kale, Mara, Kohra, Janux, XP Voodoo, Christ Burstein FT, Victoria Bourke, Bhavishyavani
Future Soundz FT. M. Mat.
Prime Minister presented National Bravery Awards

2014 to 24 awardees
8 girls and 16 boys were conferred with National Bravery Awards. Four of them have been awarded
posthumously. The awardees receive a medal, certificate and cash incentive. Also, they will
participate in the Republic Day parade.
National Girl Child Day observed on 24 January

National Girl Child Day is observed on 24 January 2015 across the nation.
SBI signed a loan agreement for 100 million Euro

with European Investment Bank
EIB is a long-term lending institution of the European Union. The loan will be utilised for lending to
private businesses in India. The agreement was signed on 19 January 2015. The agreement was
facilitated by SBI Capital Markets.
UN SecretaryGeneral appointed Saraswathy Menon

in peace-building panel
The others on the seven-member panel, formally known as advisory group on the review of the
peace-building architecture, include a retired Pakistani major general, Anis Bajwa and Charles Petrie
of France, who headed an internal review panel on UN actions in Sri Lanka.
Kerala to get first International Institute of Music

Kerala Culture Minister K C Joseph on 22 January 2015 announced setting up of the International
Institute of Music in Kerala.
Telugu comedian Mailavarapu Surya Narayana

passed away
Tollywood Actor and comedian Mailavarapu Surya Narayana passed away on 23 January 2015
following multi-organ failure.
Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died

Saudi Arabia King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz passed away on 23 January 2015 following a brief illness.
R V Easwar appointed as Interim Chairman of DDCA

Former High Court judge Justice R V Easwar was on 22 January 2015 appointed as Interim Chairman
of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA).
Emami International FZE acquired 66.67 percent

controlling stake in Fravin Pty Limited
Emami International FZE, a subsidiary of Emami Group, on 22 January 2015 acquired 66.67 percent
controlling stake in Australia-based Fravin Pty Limited.
PM Narendra Modi launched Sukanya Samridhi

Yojana under BBBP campaign
Sukanya Samridhi Yojana will enable parents to open bank accounts of girls who are under 10 years
of age.
Dubais Maze Tower listed in Guinness World

Records
Dubais Maze Tower was listed in the Guinness World Record for being the worlds largest vertical
maze. The maze tower was built by Al Rostamani Group of Dubai.
Suzlon Energy announced to sell 100 percent stake

in its German subsidiary Senvion SE
The 100 percent stake was sold to US-based company Centerbridge Partners for 7200 crore rupees.
The proceeds from sale of stake will be utilised towards debt reduction.
Apple Inc acquired British startup firm Semetric

Limited
Apple Inc on 21 January 2015 acquired United Kingdom based startup firm Semetric Ltd to add music
analytics tool in its devices.
Jasjit Ahluwalia appointed as Dean of School of

Public Health at Rutgers University
Ahluwalia will assume the office as Dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health from April 2015.
Currently, he is a professor of internal medicine and epidemiology at the University of Minnesota.
Pakistan's Ex-Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri

penned a book titled Neither a Hawk nor a Dove
The book will be published by Penguin in India at the end of January 2015. The book is based upon
the relations between India and Pakistan.
Union Government launched National Heritage

Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)
The Union Ministry of Urban Development on 21 January 2015 launched the HRIDAY campaign that
seeks to preserve and rejuvenate the rich cultural heritage of the country.
Shanta Kumar Committee on FCI restructuring

submitted its report to the Prime Minister
Shanta Kumar Committee on 21 January 2015 submitted its report on restructuring of Food
Corporation of India (FCI) to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Snapdeal signed 50:50 Joint Venture with DEN to

launch TV Commerce channel DEN Snapdeal TV
shop
Through this joint venture, Snapdeal aims to create a multi-nodal electronic shopping avenue for
customers and it aims to take the DEN TV shop to 100 million households across India
WhatsApp unveiled a new service for sending

messages from a Web browser
The mobile messaging application WhatsApp on 21 January 2015 unveiled a new service for sending
messages from a Web browser.
CII and Alibaba signed agreement to provide global

platform to Indian SMEs
Alibaba.com and CII will collaborate and develop various trade opportunities and online promotions to
facilitate greater economic engagement between Indian and Chinese small and medium enterprises
(SMEs).
NTCA released report on Status of Tigers in India,

2014
The largest increase was recorded in the Western Ghats Landscape complex comprising Kerala,
Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu with 776 tigers (up from 402 in 2006).
ILO released a report titled World Employment and

Social Outlook Trends 2015
The report warned that unemployment will continue to rise in the coming years, as the global
economy has entered a new period combining slower growth, widening inequalities and turbulence.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna made it to Guinness

World Records
Out of the total account opened, 5.68 crore accounts belonged to male and 5.82 crore account
belonged to females. In percentage terms, 49.37 % accounts belonged to male while 50.63%
accounts belonged to females.
India signed an agreement on transfer of sentenced

persons with Hong Kong
Under the agreement, the two sides will exchange sentenced prisoners in each other's jurisdiction.
The agreement will mostly apply to Indian prisoners as there are very few Hong Kong residents in
Indian prisons.
Doctors sucessfully performed the first organ

transplant on a newborn baby in Britain
News of the operation has been revealed in an article in the Archives of Diseases in Childhood in the
third week of January 2015. This case has set a milestone in the care of newborns in the Britain.
Oxfam released study tittled Wealth: Having it All

and Wanting More
The study highlighted that the wealthiest 1% will soon own more than the rest of the world's
population by 2016. Currently, 85 billionaires have the same wealth as the bottom half of the worlds
population.
Indian Novelist Vikram Chandra named among the

finalists of NBCC awards
Novelist Vikram Chandra named among the finalists for NBCC Awards for his non-fiction work Geek
Sublime: The Beauty of Code, the Code of Beauty.
Netherlands, Thailand inked MoU with Sikkim to

help in development of floriculture
State government of Sikkim Government reached an understanding with Governments of the

Netherlands and Thailand for development of floriculture in the state.
Periyar Tiger Reserve won NTCA biennial award

For encouraging local public participation in managing the reserve, Periyar Tiger Reserve of Kerala
won the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) biennial award.
Hindi Novel Farishta authored by Kapil Isapuri

Kapil Isapuri, the Hindi novelist of Farishta accused filmmakers of PK for plagiarism. He has sought
punitive damages of 1 crore rupees along with the credit of his work from the filmmakers.
EU decided to lift ban on import of mangoes from

India
28-member European Union decided to lift ban on the import of mangoes from India. The proposal to
lift the ban was unanimously voted by the European Commission standing committee on plant health.
17 Skill Development Centres launched by Chief

Minister of Andhra Pradesh
To impart training and to hone skills of youth, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched 17 Skill
Development Centres (SDC) in Andhra Pradesh.
Four ICG vessels commissioned at Mormugao Port

of Vasco
Four Indian Coast Guard (ICG) vessels namely ICG Amogh, ICG Ameya, Charlie 413 and Charlie 414
commissioned by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at Mormugao Port of Vasco in Goa.
Ayonika Paul, Annu Raj Singh won gold at 4th Gun

for Glory Shooting Championship
The championship was held at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi in Pune from
15 January 2015 to 21 January 2015.
ONGC inked MoC in Hydrocarbons and Energy with

Pan-IIT
In response to Make in India initiative of Prime Minister, ONGC and Pan-IIT signed MoC to enhance
exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons and alternate sources of energy.
World Economic Situation and Prospects 2015

report released by UNESCAP
UNESCAP released WESP 2015 report and projected that regional growth will pick up in 2015-16, as
average GDP growth will accelerate from 5.0 percent in 2014 to 5.3 percent in 2015 and 5.7 percent
in 2016.
Scientists developed two new global maps to

provide help in search for fresh farmland
It offered two types of data that experts argue is essential for the search. Now, two new global maps
may provide some help in the search for fresh farmland.
EU decided to appeal a decision by ECJ to remove

Hamas from terror list
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini decided to appeal in a meeting with other foreign ministers
from the 28 EU-member states.
India signed MoU with South Africa for developing

Youth Enterprises
National Small Industries Corporation Limited on 19 January 2015 signed a Memorandum of

Understanding of Cooperation with the Black Business Council of South Africa.
WHO released Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases 2014

As per Global Status Report on Non-communicable Diseases 2014, every year 16 million people die
prematurely before the age of 70.
NHRC issued notice to UP Government over Hooch

Tragedy
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on 19 January 2015 issued notice to Uttar Pradesh
Government over hooch tragedy in Malihabad near Lucknow and its bordering Unnao district.
Union Government banned mobile handsets with

fake, duplicate identity numbers
Union Government prohibited imports of all kind of mobile handsets with fake or duplicate Unique
Identity Numbers. The move will help the security agencies to track callers using different SIM cards.
Filmmaker Pahlaj Nihalani appointed as Chairman of

CBFC
Union Government reconstituted Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and named Filmmaker
Pahlaj Nihalani as its chairman. Nihalani succeeded Leela Samson.
Haiti president announced formation of new

government under Prime Minister Evans Paul
Haitian President Michel Martelly on 18 January 2015 announced the formation of new government
that will be led by newly elected Prime Minister Evans Paul.
ONGC won 10th Savio Cup All India Basketball

tournament
Oil & Natural Gas Corporation defeated Indian Overseas Bank to win the Savio Cup All India
Basketball 2015. Final match was played at Don Bosco School court in Matunga, Mumbai.
Prime Minister of Bhutan Lyonchhen Tshering

Tobgay visited India
Prime Minister of Bhutan Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay visited India.
Twitter appointed Taranjeet Singh as Head of Sales

for its India operation
As Head of Sales, his responsibilities would include increasing commercial opportunities for Twitter in
India and to work closely with brands and agencies to maximise value of real-time marketing.
Former PM Manmohan Singh adopted Pachim Bekeli

Gaon Panchyat under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana
Former PM Manmohan Singhon adopted Pachim Bekeli Gaon Panchyat under Sansad Adarsh Gram
Yojna.
Parliament of Europe adopted resolution on two

Italian marines
Parliament of Europe adopted a resolution calling on India to allow the return of two Italian marines
Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone.
HDFC Bank featured among world's 50 most

valuable banks in 2014
Relbanks compiled and released the list of 66 largest banks in the world by market capitalisation as
on 31 December 2014. Indias SBI, HDFC and ICICI are featured in the list.
Hyderabad to host World Congress on Information

Technology in 2018
The decision to hold the event was taken during a meeting between Chief Minister of Telangana K
Chandrasekhar Rao and NASSCOM on 16 January 2015
National Immunization Day for the year 2015

observed on 18 January
National Immunization Day for the year 2015 was observed across India.
Viktor Troicki won Mens Single title of Sydney

International Tennis Tournament
Viktor Troicki of Serbia won Mens Single title of Sydney International Tennis Tournament.
Nissan and NASA partnered to Jointly Develop and

Deploy Autonomous Drive Vehicles
NASA and Nissan announced formation of a five-year research and development partnership to jointly
develop advance autonomous vehicle systems and prepare it for commercial application of the
technology.
Eicher Motors appointed Rudratej Singh as

President of Royal Enfield
Earlier, he was based in Singapore with Unilever as Vice-President South Asia, HPC & Foods
Marketing Operations.
Paladugu Venkata Rao, former Minister of Andhra

Pradesh, died
At the time of his death, he was serving as Member of Legislative Council for second time. His term
was to end in 2017.
Jimjang Deru created national record in weightlifting

in 56-kg category
Weightlifter Jimjang Deru created a national record in weightlifting by lifting 238 kilograms under the
56 kilograms category at 10th Youth National Weightlifting Championship held in Yamuna Nagar,
Haryana.
Pankaj Advani won National Billiards title for

seventh time
This was his seventh Senior National Billiards Championship. Advani, the 12-time world champion has
won the previous six titles in 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2005.
Indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

handed over to IAF
The LCA Tejas Series Production-1 (SP1) was handed over to Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal Arup
Raha in Bengaluru by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
South Africa's AB de Villiers hit fastest century in

ODIs
South Africa batsman and ODI captain AB de Villiers hit a century off 31 balls to record the fastest
ever one-day international ton. He surpassed Corey Andersons record of a century off 36 balls scored
on 1 January 2014.
Petra Kvitova won womens single title of Sydney

International Tennis tournament
This is the 15th career title won by former Wimbledon Champion and World No 4 Kvitova. She won
the Wimbledon Championship twice in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
The US and UK announced cooperative measures in

combating cyber threats
The measures include better threat information sharing and the creation of a new joint cyber task
force which will have a physical presence in both the countries
Year 2014 ranked as Earth's hottest year since 1880

The year 2014 was ranked as the Earths hottest year since 1880 as per the two separate analyses
done by NASA scientists and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists.
Mark Knowles, Ellen Hoog named FIH Player-of-theyear 2014

Mark Knowles and Ellen Hoog were named as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Player of the
Year 2014 in men and women category, respectively.
Flash floods in Malawi; hundreds killed

Flash floods struck Malawi in the third week of January 2015. The flood caused by the torrential rain
has swept away several houses and have killed at least 170 people.
Japan committed 2620 crore rupees Overseas

Development Assistance loan to India
Japan committed 2620 crore rupees development loan assistance to India for PPP infrastructure
financing project of IIFCL.
Deep Kumar Upadhyay appointed as Nepal's

ambassador to India
Nepali Congress leader Deep Kumar Upadhyay was on 16 January 2015 appointed as Nepal's
ambassador to India.
CCEA approved revised buffer norms of foodgrains

for better management of food stocks
CCEA chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 16 January 2015 approved revision in buffer
norms of foodgrains in the Central Pool.
Sania Mirza, Bethanie Mattek-Sands won womens

doubles title of Sydney International
Indo-American tennis pair, Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won doubles title at the Sydney
International Tennis Tournament 2015 by defeating Americans pair Abigail Spears and Raquel KopsJones in the summit clash 6-3, 6-3.
Book on Sonia Gandhi titled The Red Sari written by

Javier Moro released in India
The Red Sari, an unauthorized biography of Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi, was released
by Roli Books in India.
HAL Chairman R K Tyagi conferred with JGBS-Top

Rankers Excellence Award
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman R.K. Tyagi was on 16 January 2015 conferred with
the JGBS-Top Rankers' Excellence Award for CEO of the year 2014.
21st Screen Awards announced

2015 Screen Awards were announced in Mumbai. Shahid won the Best Actor (male) trophy for Haider
and Priyanka won Best Actor (female) for Mary Kom.
Andrey Baryshpolets won the 13th Parsvanth

International Grandmasters Chess Tournament
Ukrainian Grandmaster Andrey Baryshpolets won the 13th Parsvanth International Grandmasters
Chess Tournament on 16 January 2015.
National Conclave on ending Under-nutrition among

Tribal Children concluded
National Conclave on ending under-nutrition among tribal children concluded.
Union Government launched two schemes to

support Scheduled Castes
Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 16 January 2015 launched two schemes
Venture Capital Fund for Scheduled Castes and Green Business scheme.
Stephen Constantine appointed as head coach of

India's men football team
All India Football Federation (AIFF) appointed Englishman Stephen Constantine was as the head
coach of Indian mens football team. He will also be in charge of India under-23 football team.
China to launch construction of five new nuclear

reactors with total capacity of 5 Gigawatts in 2015
China will launch the construction of at least five new nuclear reactors with a total capacity of more
than 5 Gigawatts.
Veteran freedom fighter Ghelubhai Naik passed

away
Legendary social activist and freedom fighter Ghelubhai Naik passed away on 16 January 2015
following a brief illness in Dang District, Gujarat.
J & K selected for the National Award of eGovernance for Best District Level initiative
e-Panchayat project of J&K was selected for the National Award for e-Governance for the best districtlevel initiative in Citizen-Centric Service Delivery through ICT.
First set of RIC readers handed over to Chiefs of

Indian Navy and Coast Guard
First set of Resident Identity Card (RIC) readers were handed over to Navy Chief Admiral R K
Dhowan and Coast Guard Director General Vice-Admiral A G Thapliyal by Union Home Minister
Rajnath Singh.
Trade deficit of India declined to ten month low in

December 2014
Trade deficit of India declined to ten month low of 9.43 billion US dollars in December 2014.
China Food and Drug Administration approved new

vaccine to treat Poliomyelitis
Chinese drug regulator China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) on 15 January 2015 approved a
new vaccine S-IPV to treat the Poliomyelitis.
RBI issued final guidelines for banks to act as

Insurance brokers
Final guidelines that allow banks to act as insurance brokers were issued by Reserve Bank of India on
15 January 2015.
Noted RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal

conferred with Giraffe Hero award 2015
Renowned Indian RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal was on 15 January 2015 conferred with the
Giraffe Hero award 2015 by a US-based NGO The Giraffe Heroes Project.
Siddhartha Chatterjee appointed as CTO of

Persistent Systems Ltd
Siddhartha Chatterjee was on 14 January 2015 appointed as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of
Persistent Systems Ltd with effect from 14 January 2015 itself.
Baba Ramdev appointed as state brand ambassador

of Haryana Government
Baba Ramdev appointed as brand ambassador of Haryana Government.
Xiaomi launched its new phablet Mi Note

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on 15 January 2015 unveiled its flagship phablet Mi Note in
Beijing, China.
Chief Election Commissioner Veeravalli Sundaram

Sampath demitted his office
Veeravalli Sundaram Sampath, Chief Election Commissioner demitted his office on 15 January 2015
after attaining the upper age limit to hold the post as per the Constitution of India.
Indian-Americans Jonodev Osceola Chaudhuri and

Deven J Parekh nominated to key posts in US
US President Barack Obama nominated two Indian-Americans Jonodev Osceola Chaudhuri and
Deven J Parekh to key posts in US.
Leela Samson resigned as Chairperson of Central

Board of Film Certification
Chairperson of Central Board of Film Certification Leela Samson resigned from her office on 16
January 2015.
Tarun Rai appointed as CEO of J Walter Thompson

South Asia
Tarun Rai was appointed as CEO of J Walter Thompson South Asia.
Indian cricket teams new ODI kit launched

Indian Cricket team and Nike unveiled the new ODI Kit at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Nike is the
main kit sponsor of Team India.
Wholesale price Index-based Inflation raised 0.11

percent in December 2014
The wholesale price index based inflation raised marginally to 0.11 percent in December 2014 from
zero percent in November 2014.
Sandip Das resigned as MD of Reliance Jio

Infocomm Ltd to join Reliance Retail Ltd
Das will mentor the Jio division of Reliance Retail in developing a long-term evolution (LTE) device
ecosystem for Reliance Jios growth in the telecom space.
Hari Shankar Brahma appointed as the New Chief

Election Commissioner
Hari Shankar Brahma was appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Election
Commission. He succeeds V.S. Sampath who demitted the office after attaining the age of 65, the
upper age limit under the Constitution for holding the post.
A P Singh resigned as member of Union Public

Service Commission
A P Singh resigned as member of Union Public Service Commission.
ICC Cricket World Cup

Brett Lee announced his retirement from all forms of

cricket
Australian cricketer Brett Lee on 14 January 2015 announced his retirement from all forms of cricket
after a 20-year career.
Amitabh Bachchan presented with Social Media

Person of the Year award 2015
Actor Amitabh Bachchan was on 13 January 2015 presented with the Social Media Person of the Year
Award 2015 by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
67th Army Day observed on 15 January

India on 15 January 2015 observed the 67th Army Day.
DGFT imposed 100 crore rupees fine on Riddhi

Siddhi Bullion for violation of RBI norms
The order was issued by Kavita Gupta, additional director general of foreign trade, Mumbai. The order
also cancelled its nominated agency certificate (NAC). NAC is the mandatory document needed for
direct import of precious metals.
Appointment Committee of Cabinet approved

Anupam Shrivastava as CMD of BSNL
His appointment was pending from long. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) had
shortlisted Anupam Shrivastava for the post of CMD of BSNL in 2013.
World Bank Group released Global Economic

Prospects (GEP) Report, January 2015
According to the report, global growth in 2014 has been disappointing as in previous three years;
however, developing countries should see an uptick in growth in 2015.
Union Government identified five areas for VaranasiKyoto partnership

Union Government has identified five areas for rejuvenating the holy city under the Kyoto-Varanasi
partnership deal that was entered between India and Japan in August 2014.
RBI relaxed Forex Hedging Norms for Exporters and

Importers
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 14 January 2015 relaxed the Forex Hedging Norms under
Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.
NFL, EIL and FCIL signed agreement to form

Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd
The Joint Venture agreement is aimed at setting up new Ammonia and Urea plants at the existing site
of Ramagundam Fertilizer plant in District Karimnagar in Telangana.
Critically endangered Forest Owlet sighted in Betul,

Madhya Pradesh
Critically endangered forest owlet (Athene blewitti) sighted in a new location at Betul district of
Madhya Pradesh by a Pune-based conservation society.
RBI cut Repo Rate by 0.25% in sixth Bi-Monthly

Monetary Policy Statement 2014-15
RBI cut its main lending rate (repo rate) by 0.25 per cent with immediate effect in its sixth Bi-Monthly
Monetary Policy that was announced on 15 January 2015.
Scientists discovered hybrid insecticide-resistant

mosquito in Mali
A team of researchers led by Gregory Lanzaro have discovered a super mosquito hybrid in the West
African country of Mali that is resistant to insecticide-treated bed nets
Prabhu Nath Dwivedi named as the winner of the

Sahitya Akademi Award 2014 for Sanskrit
Eminent Sanskrit scholar Prabhu Nath Dwivedi was on 14 January 2015 named as the winner of the
Sahitya Akademi Award 2014 for Sanskrit language.
Bhakti set world record by swimming 1.4 miles in 52

minutes in the Antarctic Ocean
Bhakti Sharma, the open water swimming champion of India set a world record by swimming 1.4
miles in 52 minutes in one degree temperature in the Antarctic Ocean.
Japan approved its largest ever Defence Budget for

2015
The Cabinet of Japan headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved its largest ever defence budget
for 2015 on 14 January 2015.
Union Government reconstituted Pollution Control

Board Working Group
Union government reconstituted pollution control board working group to simplify procedures to get
consent certificates and categorisation of industries.
NGT gave directions to clean Yamuna under Maily

se Nirmal Yamuna Revitalization Plan 2017
The directions were given by the principal bench of NGT presided over by Chairperson Justice
Swatanter Kumar. The tribunal's judgment came on a petition by Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan
against pollution in the Yamuna and covering of drains in Delhi.
Pope Francis cannonised Joseph Vaz, the first saint

of Sri Lanka
Pope Francis cannonised Saint Joseph Vaz in presence of hundreds of thousands of people packed
on a Colombo oceanfront during his visit to Sri Lanka.
Maharashtra Cabinet decided to disburse aid to

drought-hit farmers by 26 January 2015
The decision to provide 2000 crore rupees as aid to drought-affected farmers was taken by the
Maharashtra Cabinet on 7 January 2015.
India - China trade deficit increased to 37.8 billion

US dollars in 2014
India China trade deficit increased to 37.8 billion US dollars in 2014 despite the increase in bilateral
trade by 7.9 percent.
Chinese archaeologists discovered Buddhist relics

in Hubei Province of Central China
The relics were discovered by a team of archaeologists led by Chen Qianwan, Head of the
archaeology institute of Xiangyang City.
ABC of Swine Influenza

Swine Influenza has been in news in the month of December 2014 and January 2015. The national
capital Delhi has so far witnessed 41 cases of swine flu with 4 deaths.
NGO Pratham released 10th Annual Status of

Education Report (ASER 2014)
NGO Pratham released 10th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2014) notes that overall
situation with basic reading continues to be extremely disheartening in India.
Supreme Court sought assistance of Premier

institutes to find missing children
The Supreme Court sought assistance of Premier institutes to find missing children every year.
Bengaluru FC beat Dempo to lift Football Federation

Cup
Bengaluru FC defeated Goa's Dempo Sports Club 2-1 to win their maiden football Federation Cup. In
the final clash was played at the Nehru Stadium Margao, Goa.
India and Australia signed MoU for skill and

infrastructural development in sports
The Sport Education Development Australia (SEDA) and India's Infrastructure Leasing and Financial
Services Limited (IL-FS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 13 January 2015.
Tamil Novel Madhorubhagan written by Perumal

Murugan
Tamil novelist Permual Murugans book Madhorubhagan (One Part Woman) counght under
controversies for description of Hindus half-female god, Ardhanareeswara.
Legendary Odia actor Hara Patnaik died

Veteran Odia actor and director Hara Patnaik passed away on 13 January 2015 following a brief
illness in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Idukki in Kerala became first District of India to have

Complete Rural Broadband Coverage
As part of it, 8 Block Offices & 52 Gram Panchayats of the Idukki district were connected on Optical
Fiber and one Gram Panchayat, namely Edamalakudy, was connected through VSAT (Very Small
Aperture Terminal).
Chinese scientists published first genetic map of

Tibetan Highland Barley
The research by Chinese scientists assembled 3.89 billion of the estimated 4.5 billion base pairs of
the chemicals that make up DNA in the barley genome, and included 39197 protein coding genes.
First Border Haat of Tripura opened at Srinagar-Feni

border
Third border haat along the India-Bangladesh frontier was inaugurated at Srinagar-Feni border. The
haat will boost local trade and people-to-people contacts.
Madagascar Government led by Prime Minister Kolo

Roger resigned
Madagascar Prime Minister Kolo Roger's resignation

Rajaonarimampianina on 13 January 2015.
was accepted
by President
Hery
Arvind Panagariya took charge as Vice-Chairman of

NITI Aayog
Arvind Panagariya took charge as Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayothe first vice-chairman of the NITI
Aayog.
Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistans chief Maulana Fazlullah

designated as global terrorist by US
Maulana Fazlullah, the chief of Pakistani Taliban was designated as a global terrorist by US
Department of State. US designated him as a global terrorist after TTP claimed responsibility for the
attack on an army school in Peshawar.
Union Ministry of Health proposed COTPA

(Amendment) Bill 2015
The Union Ministry of Health proposed the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of
Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution)
(Amendment) Bill 2015.
Google launched Flight Search Tool in India

Flight Search Tool allows you to search directly for flights within Google to quickly find, compare and
book flights from your mobile device, tablet or desktop.
Union government sacked DRDO Chairman Avinash

Chander
Union Government removed Chairman of DRDO Avinash Chander, 16 months before his contract was
to end. Decision of termination of his contract was taken by appointments committee of Cabinet
headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Supreme Court issued notice to Union Government

on voting rights for inter-state migrants
The Supreme Court gave notice to Union Government on voting rights for inter-state migrants.
Ministry of Railways inaugurated Indias first CNG

powered train
Union Railway minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated Indias first compressed natural gas (CNG)powered train.
Seventh Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2015 held in

Gandhinagar

The Seventh Vibrant Gujarat Summit was held from 11 January to 13 January 2015 in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat and it was organised by the Government of Gujarat.
SEBI proposed easier norms for domestic mutual

fund managers
The proposed norms aimed to make it easier for domestic mutual funds to manage offshore pooled
assets.
World Bank signed tripartite agreement for smart

cities initiatives during Vibrant Gujarat Summit
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of Vibrant Gujarat Summit being held in Gandhinagar. On
the occasion, the State government released a special Vibrant Gujarat postal cover.
ISRO Mars Orbiter Mission Team won the 2015

Space Pioneer Award
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) Team of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 12 January
2015 won the 2015 Space Pioneer Award in the Science and Engineering category
Zomato acquired US based food portal Urbanspoon

Zomato announced to acquire Urbanspoon- US based food portal for an undisclosed amount in an allcash deal.
RBI and ECB signed MoU on cooperation in Central

Banking
Reserve Bank of India and the European Central Bank inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
for cooperation in the field of central banking. The MoU provides a framework for regular exchange of
information, policy dialogue and technical cooperation.
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan received Governor of

the Year Award for 2015
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan received the Governor of the Year for 2015.
CSO released Quick Estimates of Index for Industrial

Production for November 2014
Indias Index of Industrial production (IIP) grew 3.8 percent in November 2014. IIP was released by
Central Statistics Office of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for the month of
November with base 2004-05.
Deepak Parekh appointed as Chairman of BAE

Systems India (Services) Private Limited
Deepak Parekh was on 12 January 2015 appointed as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of
BAE Systems India (Services) Private Limited with effect from 1 January 2015.
President signed Ordinance to amend Mines and

Minerals Development & Regulation Act, 1957
An ordinance that amends the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, 1957
received assent of President Pranab Mukherjee. It paved way for introduction of competitive bidding
for allocation of mines other non-coal minerals.
Charlie Hebdo: a French satirical weekly magazine

French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo was in news in first week of January 2015 after being
attacked by three masked gunmen. 12 people of the office were killed in the attack.
Australia launched Online Visa Pilot Programme for

Indian business and tourism visitors
Australia on 12 January 2015 launched Online Visa Pilot Programme to make it easier for Indian
business and tourism visitors to apply online visa for travelling Australia.
Dima Hasao District of Assam got its first broad

gauge railway track
A goods train with 43 wagons reached the main railway station of the Dima Hasao district using this
broad gauge railway track.
Golfer Anirban Lahiri voted Asian Tours 2014

Players Player of the Year
Indian professional golfer Anirban Lahiri voted as the 2014 Players Player of the year in Asian Tour for
his successful exploits on the Asian Tour.
Alur Seelin Kiran Kumar appointed as Chairman of

ISRO
Kiran Kumar became eighth Chairman of ISRO after succeeding K Radhakrishnan who retired on 31
December 2014.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or

Award
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo on 12 January 2015 won the 2014 FIFA Ballon dOr award for
the best footballer of the year in the world.
Election Commission of India announced dates of

Delhi Assembly Elections 2015
Delhi Assembly elections 2015 will be held on 7 February 2015 and results will be declared on 10
February 2015. The dates were announced by Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath.
13th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas 2015 concluded in

Gujarat
The event concluded with giving away Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards to 15 members of the
Indian Diaspora by the Vice-President Hamid Ansari.
Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha appointed as 21st

chief justice of Bangladesh
Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha's appointment was confirmed by the Bangladesh President Abdul
Hamid as per Article 95(1) of the Bangladesh Constitution.
Actor and comedian Taylor Negron died

Actor and comedian Taylor Negron died on 10 January 2015 after battling with the cancer for long
time.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic won the 2015 Presidential

elections of Croatia
Kolinda belongs to the conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party and is a former Assistant
Secretary General at NATO and former Croatian ambassador to the United States.
Adani Enterprises & SunEdison signed JV to build

solar park in Mundra
Adani Enterprises and US-based SunEdison signed a joint venture (JV) to build the solar park at
Mundra, Gujarat in India.
Swedish actress Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg died

Swedish-born actress Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg died on 11 January 2015 following a brief illness
in Italy.
Andhra Pradesh constituted Fourth State Finance

Commission
Andhra Pradesh government constituted the Fourth State Finance Commission under the
Chairmanship of M L Kantha Rao, the Professor of Economics and Dean S K University.
US House of Representative passed legislation

approving construction of Keystone XL Oil Pipeline
US House of Representatives passed a legislation that approves construction of a controversial

Keystone XL oil pipeline with 266-153 votes.
Tech Mahindra signed definitive agreement to

acquire Swiss firm SOFGEN Holdings Limited
The deal is aimed at boosting the financial services offering by Tech Mahindra so as reach the top line
target of 5 billion US dollar by 2015.
SDSC-SHAR director MYS Prasad chosen for Vikram

Sarabhai Memorial Award 2015
The director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota Range (SHAR) MYS Prasad was
on 10 January 2015 selected for the Vikram Sarabhai memorial award 2015.
Australia won 4-match Border-Gavaskar Test series,

2-0
India lost 4-match Border-Gavaskar Test series, 0-2 from Australia. The third and fourth match of the
series was drawn.
Roger Federer won Brisbane International Tennis

title
In the finals played at Brisbane in Australia, he defeated third seeded Milos Raonic of Canada 6-4, 6-7
(2), 6-4.
Misbah-ul-Haq announced to retire from ODIs after

Cricket World Cup 2015
Misbah started his ODI career in 2002. He has played 153 ODIs and scored 4669 runs at an average
of 42.83. He has been the captain of Pakistan in 78 games, out of which Pakistan won 41 games.
US to host international Anti-terror Summit on 18

February 2015
US Attorney General Eric Holder announced that an Anti-terror Summit will be held in Washington.
The summit will be held on 18 February 2015.
National Youth Day observed across India on 12

January
India observed National Youth Day on 12 January 2015 to mark 152nd birth anniversary of social
reformer, philosopher and thinker Swami Vivekananda.
Sultanpur National Park shut down after migratory

birds found dead
The Sultanpur National Park was shut down for one week after 47 migratory birds were found dead in
the park. The bird sanctuary is a seasonal wetland that attracts around 200 species of migratory birds.
Stanislas Wawrinka won Chennai Open title of

Tennis
Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka defeated Slovenian qualifier Aljaz Bedene to win Chennai Open title
of tennis for a third time. In the title clash, Wawrinka defeated Bedene 6-4 6-3.
Sindhushree Khullar appointed as the Chief

Executive Officer of NITI Aayog
Senior bureaucrat Sindhushree Khullar was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog with effect from 1 January 2015.
Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari presented

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards 2015
Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari on 9 January 2015 presented the Pravasi Bharatiya
Samman Awards 2015 to sixteen personalities.
Yu Min honoured with State Preeminent Science and

Technology Award 2014
Chinese nuclear physicist Yu Min was on 9 January 2015 presented with the State Preeminent
Science and Technology Award 2014 by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Maithiripala Sirisena sworn-in as 7th President of Sri

Lanka
Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena (Maithiripala Sirisena) was on 9 January 2015
sworn-in as the 7th President of Sri Lanka.
Legendary Gospel performer Andrae Crouch died

Veteran gospel performer and songwriter Andrae Crouch died on 8 January 2015 following a heart
attack in the Los Angeles.
Actor Rodney Sturt Taylor passed away

Australian actor Rodney Sturt Taylor died on 7 January 2015 following a brief illness in Los Angeles.
Presidential rule imposed in Jammu and Kashmir

President Pranab Mukherjee approved the recommendation of Governor of Jammu and Kashmir N N
Vohra as deadlock over the formation of the new government continued in J & K.
Vistara airline started domestic flight operation in

India
Vistara airline a joint venture of Tata-SIA started its flight operation in India.
Maithripala Sirisena won 2015 Presidential Elections

of Sri Lanka
Mithripala Sirisena won presidential elections 2015 of Sri Lanka that was announced by the Election
Department.
Kotak Mahindra Bank secured shareholders

approval for merger with ING Vysya Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank secured its shareholders approval for amalgamation of ING Vysya Bank. It was
announced by the Kotak Mahindra Bank.
K K Paul sworn in as sixth Governor of Uttarakhand

He succeeded Governor Aziz Qureshi who was appointed as the Governor of Mizoram on 30
December 2014.
Freedom fighter Perin Romesh Chandra died

Freedom fighter Perin Romesh Chandra died on 8 January 2015 following a prolonged illness.
DMRC launched first public bicycle sharing scheme

for Delhi Metro users
The scheme aims to provide pollution free last-mile connectivity to DMRC commuters. The ecofriendly project was inaugurated from the Saket Metro Station in south Delhi.
Egypt to hold parliamentary elections in March 2015

Egypt will hold parliamentary elections in two phases that was announced by the Egypt election
commission.
All-women contingent of Indian defence to march

past for the first time on 2015 Republic Day parade
The all-women contingent would comprise of 150-odd women army officers who will give a salute to
the President of India. The chief guest of 2015 Republic Day will be the US President Barack Obama.
Vaccine Raksha Blu for bluetongue disease

launched
Indian Immunologicals Limited launched, Raksha Blu, the first vaccine for bluetongue disease in India.
Bluetongue disease is a non-contagious, insect-borne, viral disease that affects sheep, goats, buffalo,
deer, dromedaries and antelope across the country.
Commemorative Postage Stamps released to mark

100 Years of Mahatma Gandhis Return to India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Commemorative Postage Stamp to mark 100 Years of
Mahatma Gandhis Return from South Africa to India.
The Lunchbox nominated for BAFTA 2015 under

Non-English Best Film Category
The film is competing with Polish-Danish drama film Ida, Russian drama Leviathan, Brazilian-British
adventure drama thriller film Trash, and Belgian drama Two Days, One Night.
India to provide 60 million dollar LoC to Guyana for

road infrastructure projects
Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to provide 60 million dollars Line of Credit to Guyana for its
road infrastructure projects and passenger ferry service.
Modibo Keita appointed as the Prime Minister of

Mali
Modibo Keita was on 8 January 2015 appointed as the Prime Minister of West African nation Mali. His
appointment was confirmed by Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita.
Haryana Government appointed Yash Pal Singhal as

Haryana DGP
He took over the post with immediate effects. He succeeded S N Vashisht who has been posted as
Director General of State Vigilance Bureau.
Former Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Rajkumar

Manisana passed away
Retired Gauhati High Court Chief justice Rajkumar Manisana passed away on 8 January 2015
following a brief illness.
The Indian Parliament A Critical Appraisal written

by Sudha Pai and Avinash Kumar released
Book titled The Indian Parliament A Critical Appraisal authored by Prof. Sudha Pai and Avinash
Kumar was released by Vice President Hamid Ansari on 8 January 2014.
Kailash Satayarthi dedicated his Nobel Peace Prize

to the Nation
The medal was dedicated by Satyarthi to the President at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Medal will be put up on display at the Rashtrapati Bhavan museum.
Teixobactin, a new antibiotic discovered

Scientists from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts discovered a new antibiotic named
Teixobactin capable of fighting infections that kill hundreds of thousands of people each year.
India to provide 69 million rupees assistance to

Nepal for goitre control
Indian Government on 8 January 2015 decided to provide 69 million rupees to Nepal as assistance to
launch the Iodine Deficiency Disorder Control Programme (IDDCP)
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Dandi Kutir museum

Narendra Modi on 8 January 2015 inaugurated a state-of-the-art museum Dandi Kutir opposite
Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on the occasion of the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas.
Jharkhand Assembly adopted resolution on opening

High Court bench in Dumka
Resolution urging Jharkhand government to send a proposal to Union Government for setting up a
high court bench in the second capital of the state, Dumka was adopted unanimously.
Quikr launched instant messenger Quikr Nxt to

enable seamless transactions
The messenger will allow users to chat using the website or mobile app. The messenger has been
integrated into Quikrs mobile app, mobile site and website.
Australian airline Qantas named worlds safest by

AirlineRatings.com
The airline was lauded for amassing an extraordinary record of firsts in safety history and operations
over its 94-year history.
IT services firm Synechron acquired Paris-based

Team Trade
Synechron specializes in software integration and business consulting. The acquisition by the New
York-Based Synechron is to expand its footprints in Europe.
Union Government launched National Toll Free

Helpline to assist the drug dependent persons
The helpline was launched by the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawar Chand
Gehlot
China included potatoes as staple diet after rice,

wheat and corn
The decision was based upon an attempt to ensure food security, ease the pressure on the
environment and increase the income of farmers.
NASA Kepler Space Telescope made 1000th

Exoplanet Discovery
Using Kepler data, scientists reached this millenary milestone after validating that eight more
candidates spotted by the planet-hunting telescope are, in fact, planets.
AMCA: Indias own fifth generation fighter aircraft

It was revealed by the sources from Defence Ministry that the preliminary design stage of the futuristic
fighter aircraft is over and the development work on the project is expected to start in 2015.
Pakistan-India Dosti bus service operation restricted

up to Wagah border
Pak-India Dosti bus service was restricted up to Wagah Border that was announced by the Pakistan
Tourism Development Corporation.
Hike Messenger acquired Zip phone to launch free

voice calling
Chat application Hike messenger on 8 January 2015 acquired US-based free voice-calling company
Zip Phone to launch free voice calling. However, the details of acquisition were not disclosed.
ICICI Bank launched Contactless credit and Debit

cards
ICICI Bank launched contactless credit card and debits called Coral Contactless Credit Card and
Expressions Wave Debit Card.
ICC announced Associate & Affiliate panel of

umpires for the year 2015
ICC on 7 January 2015 announced 11-member ICC associate and affiliate panel of international
umpires for the year 2015. The panel was named by the associate and affiliate selection committee.
Atul Khare appointed as the UN Under-SecretaryGeneral

Atul Khare will succeed Ameerah Haq of Bangladesh as the United Nations (UN) Under-SecretaryGeneral, Department of Field Support (DFS).
New Zealand won Test series 2-0 against Sri Lanka

New Zealand by defeating Sri Lanka by 193 runs won the 2-match test series on 7 January 2014. The
second test was played at Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Praj Industries bagged contract from Kakira Sugars

to build largest ethanol plant of Uganda
Praj industries bagged an order from Ugandas Kakira Sugars for production of fuel ethanol (60000
liters per day) and premium grade extra neutral alcohol (Beverage Alcohol).
India to host World Bridge Championships 2015

India will host the 42nd World Bridge Championships that will be held in Chennai from 26 September
2015 to 10 October 2015.
Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers

approved 100 percent production of Neem-Coated
Urea
The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers allowed fertiliser firms to produce 100 percent NeemCoated Urea to boost income of the farmers.
French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdos Paris office

attacked by terrorists

The killed persons include Editor-in-Chief Stephane Charbonnie (known as Charb) and cartoonists
Jean Cabu Cabut (known as Cabu), Tignous and Wolinski, as well as Charlie Hebdo contributor and
French economist Bernard Maris.
Scientists discovered two Earth-like planets Kepler

438b and Kepler 442b
The Scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics have discovered two Earth-like
planets Kepler 438b and Kepler 442b.
102nd Indian Science Congress held in Mumbai

The 102nd Indian Science Congress was held in Mumbai with the theme: Science and Technology for
Human Development.
President signed ordinance to amend the Motor

Vehicles Act, 1988
Ordinance that amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 paves the way for plying of e-rickshaws on
roads of the NCT was signed by the President.
Whole plant therapy can beat malaria parasites'

drug resistance: Study
Researcher said that the new treatment is based on a use of the whole plant (WP) Artemesia annua,
from which the current pharmaceutical drug artemisinin (AN) is extracted.
Russian President issued decree to enable foreign

soldiers to serve in Russian Military
Earlier, they were required to get Russian citizenship to serve in Russian Military, or a paper granting
them Russian citizenship rights, but now they can serve legally without Russian citizenship.
Russian Popov Ivan won 7th Chennai International

Open Grandmaster Chess title
The winner Popov Ivan was awarded the cash purse of two lakhs rupees, while Runner-up Dzhumaev
Marat of Uzbek GM got one lakh fifty thousand rupees and third placed GM Mozharov Mikhail of
Russia secured a cash award of one lakh fifteen thousand rupees.
CCI cleared PepsiCo Indias proposal to sell its

bottling plants to franchisee Varun Beverages
PepsiCo India and Varun Beverages entered into the deal on 15 November 2014 following which they
had approached CCI for its approval.
Prime Minister released commemorative coin to

mark 175th birth anniversary of Jamsetji Tata
The reverse face of the coin bears the image of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata in the centre, with the
inscription 175 in Devnagri script.
Dinesh Oraon of BJP unanimously elected Speaker

of Jharkhand Legislative Assembly
He is the 10th Speaker of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly since the State came into being on 15
November 2000
Amitabh Bachchan named as the Brand

Ambassador of AP health sector
Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan on 6 January 2015 named as the Brand Ambassador of Andhra
Pradesh (AP) health sector.
Pakistan Parliament passed 21st Constitutional

Amendment, Army Act Amendment Bills
Both houses of Pakistans Parliament passed the 21st Constitution Amendment Bill 2015 and the
Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2015 and cleared the way for establishment of military courts in the
country.
Indian Junior weightlifters ended their campaign by

bagging 14 medals
Indian weightlifters bagged a total of 14 medals including 6 Gold Medals in the 17th Asian Youth (boys
& girls), 22nd Junior Women and 29th Junior Men Asian Weightlifting Championships 2015 at Doha,
Qatar.
Raosaheb Patil Danve appointed as the Maharashtra

BJP President
Amit Shah appointed Raosaheb Patil Danve as the new BJP President of Maharashtra. He succeeds
Devendra Fadnavis.
President signed Ordinance to amend Citizenship

Act, 1955
Ordinance that amends Citizenship Act, 1955 and provides life-long Indian visa facility to PIOs was
signed by the President on 6 January 2014. The ordinance was signed before the three-day meet of
Indian diaspora in Gujarat during Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2015.
US firm Digipas launched smart luggage lock called

eGeeTouch
US company Digipas on 4 January 2015 launched the first smart luggage lock eGeeTouch at the
International Consumer Electronics Show 2015.
Subramanium committee recommended single

window system for environment projects
High-level committee (HLC) headed by former Cabinet Secretary T S R Subramanium in its

recommendation suggested single window clearance mechanism for green nods as corporates seek
short cuts to get clearance for their environment projects.
Nilesh Shah resigned as MD & CEO of AXIS Capital

Limited
Shah with over 20 years of experience in capital markets has worked with the investment bank for
nearly four years.
Avijit Ghosh took over the charge of CMD of Heavy

Engineering Corporation
His appointment was confirmed by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) under the Union
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The board had recommended his name on 26
June 2014.
Rare plant species Chlorophytum palghatense

found in Palakkad district of Kerala
The Scientists at the Centre for Medicinal Plants Research in Kerala discovered a rare plant species
named Chlorophytum palghatense at the Dhoni hills in Palakkad district of Kerala.
Ishpreet Singh Chadha won National Sub-Junior

Snooker title 2015
Ishpreet Singh Chadha of Maharashtra on 6 January 2015 won his maiden National Sub-Junior
Snooker title 2015 at the BRC Gloster National Billiards & Snooker Championship 2015.
Bihar Government increased maternity leave period

to 180 days from 135 days
Bihar Government increased the duration of maternity leave to 180 days and also made provisions for
730 days of child care leave. These leaves will be allowed for two children during entire service
period.
Tencent Holdings Limited launched China's first

online bank WeBank
Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings Limited on 6 January 2015 launched China's first online bank
named WeBank to boost small businesses.
Larry Page named Business Person of the Year 2014

Fortune magazine declared the Larry Page, chief executive officer and co-founder of Google as the
Business person of the Year for 2014.
Facebook Inc acquired voice recognition startup

company Wit.ai
Facebook Inc on 5 January 2015 acquired startup company Wit.ai in an attempt to develop voice
recognition.
Union Cabinet approved promulgation of ordinance

for amending MMDR Act, 1957
Union Cabinet approved promulgation of ordinance to amend the Mines and Minerals Development
and Regulation (MMDR) Act of 1957.
Tonino Lamborghini Mobile launched smartphone

88 Tauri costing 6000 US dollars
The luxurious handset sporting 5-inch high-definition display was launched ahead of the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Forbes released its fourth annual The 30 Under 30

List
44 Indians and people of Indian-origin, including technology wizards, inventors and policymakers,
have been named in the list
Nomura forecasted Indian Economic growth at 5.5

percent for FY 2015-16
The firm also forecasted that Indian Economy will also recover in FY 2015-2016. The recovery is likely
to get support from easing inflationary pressures and measures towards economic reforms.
Union Government nominated 17 Telugu

personalities as brand ambassadors of Swachh
Bharat campaign
Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu nominated 17 Telugu personalities as brand
ambassadors of Swachh Bharat campaign.
BCCI announced 15-man Indian cricket team for

World Cup 2015
The 15-member Indian team was announced during the meeting of the selection committee of BCCI
and will be led by Captain-cum-Wicket Keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Former Minister of State for PWD Ram Prasad Kamal

died
Former Minister of State for Public Works Department (PWD) Ram Prasad Kamal passed away on 4
January 2015 after a brief illness in Allahabad.
Tropical forests absorb more Carbon Dioxide than

thought: NASA
Tropical forests may absorb more Carbon Dioxide in response to rising atmospheric levels of
greenhouse gases than earlier thought. This was claimed in a study conducted by scientists of NASA.
ICRISAT launched GreenPHABLET for small farmers

Green PHABLET is a customised low-cost combination of phone and tablet computer. The device was
powered by GreenSIM. The GreenPHABLET is dust- and shatter-proof, readable under bright
sunlight; operates from -20C to +60C.
Android App SnoopSnitch launched to detect

International Mobile Subscriber Identity
Android app SnoopSnitch that can detect International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers by
keeping a tab if someone is spying on you launched. The app works with Android handsets that have
Qualcomm chips.
Excessive concentration of antibiotics found in

three Chinese rivers
An excessive amount of antibiotics was found in Chinese rivers namely Yangtze, Huangpu and Pearl
Rivers. The situation threatens to cause widespread antibiotic resistance.
Union Cabinet approved to set up India-based

Neutrino Observatory in TN
Union Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved to set up the India-based
Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Tamil Nadu.
S Shrikrishna won the National Sub-Junior Billiards

title 2015
S Shrikrishna on 5 January 2015 won his maiden National Sub-Junior Billiards title at the BRC Gloster
National Billiards & Snooker Championship 2015.
Former MCA office-bearer Ramesh Kosambia died

Ramesh Kosambia died at his residence in Borivli at the age of 87. He was the former office-bearer of
the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) and is now survived by three sons and a daughter.
P Krishnamurthy appointed as Private Secretary of

Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar
IAS officer P Krishnamurthy is appointed as Private Secretary for a five-year period or on co-terminus
basis with the minister's tenure.
Jubiliant Life Sciences got USFDA approval for

selling its generic drugs in US market
Jubilant Life Sciences got USFDAs nod for generics Mycophenolate Mofetil, an immuno-suppressant
and Rizatriptan, used for treatment of migraine.
Union Government aligned FDI policy with NIC 2008

The foreign direct investment policy was aligned with the upgraded National Industrial Classification
(NIC) code with an aim to improve the ease of doing business.
Union Petroleum ministry launched LPG schemes

for benefitting BPL families
The Union Petroleum Ministry launched the sale of subsidised 5 kg cooking gas cylinders to benefit
Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, students and migrant labourers.
RBI allowed FIIs to buy up to 49% paid-up capital in

Bajaj Corp
RBI permitted FIIs/RFPIs investment up to 49 percent of the paid-up capital of Bajaj Corp under the
Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS). Till September 2014 (BSE data), FIIs held 15.21 percent in the
company.
Union Cabinet approved 2G telecom spectrum

auction targeted to fetch 64840 crore rupees
The largest ever auction of Second Generation (2G) telecom spectrum is targeted to fetch around
64840 crore rupees from the sale.
Prime Minister appointed economist Arvind

Panagariya as the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog
Panagariya is an Alma matter of Rajasthan University and holds a Ph.D. degree in Economics from
Princeton University. He is a Professor of Economics at Columbia University.
Sutirtha Bhattacharya took charge as CMD of Coal

India Limited
Sutirtha Bhattacharya took charge as full-time Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India Limited.
He succeeds S Narsing Rao who resigned from the post in June 2014 to join Telangana government
Jiji Thomson resigned as Director General of SAI

Jiji Thomson on 2 January 2015 resigned as Director General of Sports Authority of India (SAI) with
immediate effect. Thomson took charge of SAI in March 2013.
ICG Rajratan: The Inshore Patrol Vehicles

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Rajratan returned back to Porbandar harbor on 4 January 2015 after
completing 48-hour long search operation at and around the site the Pakistani terror boat sank.
Project LettuceOnMars: To grow lettuce on Mars in

2018
Scientists at University of Southampton has planned to grow first life on Mars under project Lettuce on
Mars.
Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association GS

Gangaram Laxman Talekar died
Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association General Secretary (GS) Gangaram Laxman Talekar passed
away on 31 December 2014 following a heart attack.
Jiaolong, the Chinese deep sea submersible, began

exploration in Indian Ocean

Named after a mythical dragon Jiaolong, the Chinese deep sea manned submersible in search of
active hydrothermal vent dived in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
PM launched National Programme for LED-based

Home and Street Lighting
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 5 January 2015 launched a National Programme for LEDbased Home and Street Lighting in New Delhi to reduce energy consumption.
Transgender Madhu Kinnar won Mayoral election

from Raigarh Municipal Corporation
Madhu Kinnar won the Mayoral election Chhattisgarhs Raigarh Municipal Corporation. She won the
election by defeating her nearest rival BJPs Mahaveer Guruji by 4537 votes.
O T Anilkumar won 7th Chennai Open FIDE Rating

Chess Tournament (Category B)
Keralas O T Anilkumar bagged title of Chennai Open FIDE Rating Tournament (Category B) played at
Nehru Stadium, Chennai.
New Jersey to host International Hindi Conference

in April 2015
The theme of the International Hindi Conference 2015 is Expanding World of Hindi: Possibilities and
Challenges.
Israel stopped transfer of tax collected from

Palestinians to Palestinian Authority Government
Israel stopped transfer of about 500 million shekels of taxes for the month of December 2014 that was
collected on behalf of the Palestinians to the Palestinian Authority Government.
China launched official website for military weapons

procurement
China on 4 January 2015 launched website www.weain.mil.cn to guarantee transparency in arms

procurement.
SRF Limited acquired DuPont's pharma business

brand Dymel
Specialty chemicals firm SRF Limited on 1 January 2015 acquired the pharmaceutical propellant
business brand Dymel of American chemical firm DuPont for 20 million US dollars.
Veteran Chinese sports administrator He Zhenliang

died
The former International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and Vice President He Zhenliang died on
4 January 2015 in Beijing following a brief illness.
Gujarati film actor Upendra Jethalal Trivedi died

Veteran Gujarati actor Upendra Jethalal Trivedi passed away on 4 January 2015 in Mumbai following
respiratory arrest.
Andy Murray won ATP World Tennis Championship

in Abu Dhabi
Andy Murray won the ATP World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi after Novak Djokovic withdrew
from the final match.
Union Sports Ministry recognised Boxing India as

national federation for representing Boxing
In this regard, the Ministry allowed Boxing India to use the name under the Emblems & Names
(Prevention of Improper use) Act, 1950 for all its future correspondence.
Kiran Bhai Vadodaria elected as INS president

He succeeded Ravindra Kumar of The Statesman. The appointment was announced at the 75th
annual general meeting of the organization in New Delhi.
Bharat Forge acquired France-based Company

Mecanique Generale Langroise
The acquisition aimed to consolidate its position in the oil and gas space. Bharat Forge acquired MGL
via its German arm CDP Bharat Forge GmbH.
Mario Matthew Cuomo, former New York Governor,

died at 82
Mario Matthew Cuomo was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. He served as
the 52nd Governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994, Lieutenant Governor of New York
from 1979 to 1982, and Secretary of State of New York from 1975 to 1978.
ICICI Bank launched Digital Village Project in

Akodara Village of Gujarat
The project aimed to provide services ranging from cashless banking to digitised school teaching. The
digital village has three themes i.e. cashless, comprehensive and connected.
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara became

fastest to score 12000 Test runs
Kumar Sangakkara became the fastest cricketer to reach 12000 Test runs. He achieved the milestone
in 224th innings played against New Zealand.
Union Government accepted Bezbaruah panel report

on safety of North East people
Union Government accepted recommendations of Bezbaruah Committee, set up to look into the
concerns of the people of the North East living in other parts of India.
Former ISRO Chairman V R Gowarikar died in Pune

V R Gowarikar, the scientist who gave India its first own weather forecasting model died in Pune. He
was 81.
Jaffna-Kankasanthurai rail track restored by IRCON

in North Sri Lanka inaugurated
Sri Lankan Jaffna-Kankasanthurai rail track restored by IRCON was inaugurated on 2 January 2015
by Sri Lankas Transport Minister Kumara Welgama.
RBI relaxed KYC rules for Non-Banking Financial

Companies
RBI amended KYC norms for NBFCs, as they were facing practical difficulties and constraints in
getting KYC documents at frequent intervals.
American country music singer Little Jimmy

Dickens died at 94
American country music singer Little Jimmy Dickens died on 2 January 2015 at Nashville. He was
famous for his humorous novelty songs.
Gujarat government announced new industrial

policy for 2015
Gujarat government announced its new industrial policy for the year 2015 by the Chief Minister
Anandiben Patel.
Indians awarded with Queens New Year Honours

2015

Indian-origin Nilesh Jayantilal Samani awarded knighthood as part of Queens New Year Honours.
Maharashtra government launched online RTI

application filing facility
Maharashtra launched online portal of Right to Information (RTI) application filing facility.
R K Srivastava took over as Chairman of AAI

He is appointed for the period of five years. Union Government has confirmed his appointment on 19
December 2014.
Union Government formed NITI Aayog to replace

Planning Commission
To replace the 65 year old Planning Commission, the Union Government has set up the National
Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog.
Union Government launched integrated women

safety mobile app called Himmat
Union Government launched integrated women safety mobile app called Himmat.
Chrysopelea taprobanica, the Sri Lankan flying

snake, sighted in Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve
Sri Lankan flying snake, Chrysopelea taprobanica for first time sighted outside the island nation, it
was sighted in APs Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve.
Beji Caid Essebsi sworn in as President of Tunisia

Beji Caid Essebsi was sworn in as the President of Tunisia and became the first freely elected leader
of Tunisia.
M Sathiyavathy appointed as Director General of

Civil Aviation
M Sathiyavathy appointed as the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). She is the Indias first
women to be appointed as DGCA.
President signed National Judicial Appointments

Commission Bill, 2014
The President signed 121 constitutional Amendment Bill that approves to set up National Judicial
Appointments Commission.
Koppillil Radhakrishnan retired as ISRO chief

K Radhakrishnan retired as Chairman of ISRO. Shailesh Nayak will hold additional and interim charge
as Chairman until a regular chief is named.
A.K. Mittal appointed as Chairman of Railway Board

A.K. Mittal succeeded Arunendra Kumar as the Chairman of Railway Board. Arunendra Kumar
superannuated from Railway Services on 31 December 2014.

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Serena Williams of US won the womens single title

of Australian Open 2015

India successfully test-fired canister-based ICBM

PETA announced to create India's first fenced

GTU launched e-Raksha Research Centre to fight

Union Government divested 10 percent stake in Coal

18th National Conference on e-Governance held in

Maharashtra approved field trials for GM food

Maharashtra government on the basis of recommendations of Anil Kakodkar committee granted

Churches in England opposed Mitochondria

Union Government approved a rehabilitation

Union Government released Commemorative

Paul van Ass appointed as coach of National Mens

Kanagasabapathy J Sripavan sworn-in as 44th Chief

RBI constituted High Powered Committee headed by

AP Government decided to file a defamation suit

S Lakshminarayanan appointed as Chairman of

Krishna Chaudhary appointed as the Director

DRDO received approval to build missile launch

UNCTAD released Global Investment Trends Monitor

Karnataka Government decided to amend Karnataka

Union Ministry of Defence announced 2015 Republic

Union Sports Ministry revised the Scheme of Special

Zomato Media Pvt Ltd acquired Turkey-based firm

Subhash Ghising, the President of Gorkha National

Hanumanthu Purushotham took charge as CMD of

Anti-Leprosy Day observed to focus Attention on

Malaysia declared MH370 flight disappearance an

ErosNow tied up with RailTel to provide Streaming

Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel launched

20th Law Commission submitted 253rd Report titled

ICC lifted the five-year ban imposed on Pakistans

Shekhar Sen appointed as Chairman of Sangeet

Union Government launched Website, Logo, Vision,

Shirani Bandaranayake reinstated as Chief Justice

World Bank released a report on Social Inclusion

India to host ICC Twenty20 World Cup in 2016

Purple Tea can be produced in Assam: Experts

CCEA approved HDFC Banks proposal to raise

Union Cabinet approved MoU on Tourism between

Sean Abbott of Australia named as the Bradman

Kunal Jeswani appointed as CEO of Ogilvy & Mather

Malayalam actor Mala Aravindan died

Steve Easterbrook appointed as CEO of McDonalds

Union Cabinet reconstituted Empowered Committee

S Jaishankar appointed as the Foreign Secretary of

Australian golfer Kelvin David George Nagle died

66th Republic Day celebrated across the Nation

Apple Inc recorded the highest-ever profit of 18

Hockey Olympian Jaswant Singh Rajput died

K Durga Prasad appointed as the Special DG of

Maharashtra government decided to buy a house in

Saina Nehwal won womens single of Syed Modi

Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project in Sunderbans got a

Chandigarh launched a smart city app named Smart

Wing Commander Puja Thakur became first lady

RBI signed an MoU on Supervisory Cooperation

Arundhathi Subramaniam won Khushwant Singh

Alexis Tsipras sworn in as PM of Greece

Jagannathan Chakravarthi appointed as Chief

Famous Greek Singer Demis Roussos Died

Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme retired

Divya Prakash Sinha appointed as Security

Major Mukund Varadarajan, Naik Neeraj Kumar