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Monthly Digest
July 2017
Dear readers,
This Monthly GK Digest is a complete docket of important news and events that occurred in a month of July 2017. We have
compiled important & expected questions, which can be asked in upcoming Banking interviews and all upcoming Banking &
Insurance exams.
Banking & Financial Awareness
1. The union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has launched a
new tax payer service module called --Aaykar Setu.
Note: It compiles various tax tools, live chat facility,
dynamic updates, and important links to various
processes within the Income Tax Department in a single
module. This e-initiative would not only provide better
taxpayer services but would also help in reducing the
direct physical interface between assesses and tax
assessing authorities.
2. The bank has waived charges for fund transfer of up to
Rs. 1,000 through its IMPS (Immediate Payment Service)
to promote small transactions--State Bank of India
(SBI).
Note: For IMPS, charge will be Rs. 5 along GST for fund
transfer in the range of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1 lakh and the
charge will go up to Rs. 15 for transactions of Rs. 1-2
lakhs. Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) is an instant
interbank electronic fund transfer service through
mobile phones as well as internet banking.
3. Indus OS has collaborated with the Indian Bank to launch
an OS-integrated UPI payment platform -- YES Bank
4. Indian commodity exchange will merge with Indian
Commodity Exchange (ICEX)-- National Multi-
Commodity Exchange of India Ltd.
Note: The National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE)
will merge with Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) to
create India’s third largest commodities exchange.
5. The payments Bank has commenced operations as a
payments bank with effect from 30th June 2017-- FINO
Payments Bank.
Note: FINO PayTech Ltd was one of the 11 applicants
which were issued in-principle approval for setting up a
payments bank. Fino Paytech was founded on 13th July
2006 is headquartered at Mumbai.
6. As per latest report by BMI Research, India’s GDP growth
forecast for FY 18 -- 6.9%.
7. India has signed a loan agreement with Asian
Development Bank (ADB) for improving road
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connectivity and efficiency in Rajasthan -- USD 220
million.
8. According to the Swiss National Bank (SNB) analysis
India’s rank in money hoarded in Swiss banks in 2016 --
88th.
9. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has
approved amount of loan to build roads in Gujarat -- USD
329 million.
10. According to the RBI's Financial Stability Report (FSR),
India’s economic growth rate in terms of Gross Value
Added (GVA) in 2017-18 -- 7.3%.
Note: The FSR reflects the overall assessment on the
stability of India’s financial system and its resilience to
risks emanating from global and domestic factors.
11. The union govt. has imposed basic customs duty on
mobile phones and certain parts with immediate effect to
boost domestic manufacturing -- 10%.
Note: It will be levied on imported cellular mobile
phones and accessories such as charger, battery, wire
headset, microphone and receiver, key pad, USB cable
and other specified electronic goods.
12. India’s rank in the 2017 Global Cybersecurity Index
(GCI)-- 23rd.
Note: According to the UN telecommunications agency
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), India has
been ranked 23rd out of 165 nations in the 2017 Global
Cybersecurity Index (GCI).
13. Many organizations in Europe and the US have been
crippled by a ransomware attack known as -- Petya.
Note: It’s the second major global ransomware attack in
the past two months after WannaCry. Like WannaCry,
“Petya” spreads rapidly through networks that use
Microsoft Windows.
14. The Indian Railways is set to launch a campaign that will
give travelers the option to forego the subsidy on their
train tickets -- Give-It-Up.
Note: The passengers will have the option to forego
either 100 per cent of the subsidy or 50 per cent or to
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avail the subsidy. It will be a voluntary decision that we
leave to the customers."
15. EPFO has inked pacts with banks for collections of
provident dues and to make retirement payments -- five.
Note: The tie-ups with Bank of Baroda, ICICI Bank, HDFC
Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank will help
EPFO save around Rs 125 crore a year and expedite its
investments as well as payment of benefits to its
members. Employers having bank account with these
banks can now deposit PF dues directly in EPFO's
account using internet banking in real time basis.
16. India’s rank in the 2017 Sustainable Development Goal
(SDG) Index--116th.
Note:India is ranked 116 out of 157 nations on the 2017
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index and
Dashboard report released by Sustainable Development
Solutions Network (SDSN) and Bertelsmann Stiftung.
17. The union Govt. has saved more than 57 thousand crore
rupees with the scheme under which subsidies are given
directly to beneficiaries -- Direct Benefit Transfer
(DBT).
Note: Around 14 thousand crore rupees were saved in
providing subsidies directly to beneficiaries under the
Public Distribution System(PDS). The DBT Scheme is a
major reform initiative to check graft in welfare funds
and is aimed at transferring benefits of various central
government-run social welfare schemes to the bank
accounts of beneficiaries.
18. Who has amended the guidelines for eligible foreign
investors looking to operate at the International
Financial Services Centre (IFSC)-- SEBI (Securities and
Exchange Board of India).
Note: Now, a trading member of a stock exchange in the
IFSC can carry out the due diligence for an eligible
foreign investor(EFI), who is not registered with the
regulator as a Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI). The
provision has been made for the account opening process
of an eligible foreign investor(EFI).
19. The bank is set to raise up to Rs. 3,000 Crore through
Basel III compliant bonds-- Bank of Baroda (BoB).
Note: The finance committee of the bank approved to
issuance of AT-1 capital bonds compliant with Basel III
capital regulations for a minimum amount of Rs. 500
Crore with green shoe option. The raising of funds will be
in single or multiple tranches.
20. The bank along with YES Global Institute has launched
‘YES GST’ program for MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises) under its MSME CSR initiative, ‘Say YES to
Sustainable MSMEs in India’ -- YES Bank.
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Note: The bank will help MSMEs to understand the
impact of the proposed changes and prepare them for
migration to the new GST tax system.
21. Who has acquired Bengaluru-based Artificial Intelligence
start up ‘Halli Labs’-- Google.
Note: The firm was founded with the goal of applying
modern artificial intelligence and machine learning
techniques to solve old problems. Halli Labs was co-
founded in early 2017 by Pankaj Gupta, former chief
technology officer of online homestay aggregator
Stayzilla.
22. Indian bank has tied up with Inter-American Investment
Corporation (IIC) to boost trade with Latin America --
Axis Bank.
Note: It is the first Indian bank to participate in the
Trade Finance Facilitation Programme as a confirming
bank.
23. The bank has launched a facility whereby its existing
salaried customers can avail personal loans at ATMs --
ICICI Bank.
Note: Customers can get pre-qualified personal loans up
to 15 lakhs in their savings account instantly for a fixed
tenure of 60 months. The facility offers a bouquet of
features, swift application in simple steps, multiple
eligible loan amount options up to Rs.15 lakh based on
pre-checked CIBIL scores and instant transfer of the
money to the customer’s account.
24. The union govt. has relaxed norms in over a dozen
sectors, including defence, civil aviation, construction
and development, private security agencies, real estate
and news broadcasting -- Foreign direct investment
(FDI).
Note: The government is relaxing norms to provide
investor friendly climate to foreign players and in turn
attract more FDI to boost economic growth and create
jobs. Foreign direct investment in the country grew by
9% to USD 43.47 billion in 2016-17.
25. The bank will slash charges for National Electronic Funds
Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
transactions by up to 75% to encourage more customers
to transact digitally -- State Bank of India (SBI).
Note: Earlier, SBI has waived charges for fund transfer of
up to Rs 1,000 done through Immediate Payment Service
(IMPS).
26. According to the Asian Development Bank supplement
report, India is expected to achieve the projected growth
rate in 2017 -- 7.4%.
Note: South Asia will be the fastest growing of all sub-
regions in Asia and the Pacific, with growth on track to
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meet original projections of 7% in 2017 and 7.2% in
2018.
27. All India Radio (AIR) has earned a revenue through the
Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat Programme in the last
two years-- Around Rs.10 crore
Note:The revenue from this programme increased
substantially during the year 2016-17. The Mann Ki Baat
Programme is being broadcast in 18 languages and 33
dialects by all AIR stations.
28. The Union Cabinet has cleared hike in salaries for public
sector company employees____15%.
Note: The Cabinet approved implementation of the
recommendations of the 3rd Pay Commission for central
public-sector enterprises' employees. The new wages are
effective from 1st of January this year.
29. The bank has launched a one-stop integrated website
'SBI Realty' for home buyers -- State Bank of India (SBI)
Note: Customer will choose their dream home from
3,000 SBI approved projects spread across 13 states and
Union Territories covering 30 cities including metros,
semi metro and towns. The website is developed by
SBICAP Securities in association with PropEquity in
terms of data support, project information.
30. The commercial arm of ISRO ‘Antrix Corporation Limited’
(Antrix) has earned foreign exchange through launching
of 29 Nano satellites from 14 foreign countries--6.1
million Euro.
Note: ISRO has taken measures to protect its operational
satellites from space debris by carrying out collision
avoidance studies for all launch vehicles of ISRO to clear
lift off time.The Cartosat2 series satellite provides high
resolution images of earth’s surface at sub-meter
resolution.
31. The bank has signed an agreement with Directorate
General of Supplies & Disposal (DGS&D) for extending
various banking services to Government e-Marketplace
(GeM) -- Bank of Baroda (BoB).
Note: DGS&D has been mandated to set up GeM, an
initiative intended to bring greater transparency and
efficiency in public procurements.It will immensely
benefit all stakeholders and ensure a support system
including a dedicated team for seamless functioning of
the portal.
32. The Bank has launched a ‘Multicurrency Forex Card’ for
the customer’s convenience of loading up to 20 widely
used currencies on one card -- Standard Chartered
bank.
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Note: The card comes with an online reload facility
during overseas travel and is designed to offer travelers a
secure way to carry money when travelling abroad.The
card will also provide forex rate lock-in with zero mark-
up on cash withdrawals and shopping abroad.
33. The bank has decided to acquire digital wallet
FreeCharge from Snapdeal in a deal worth Rs. 385 Crore-
- Axis bank.
Note: Now, the acquisition will need approval from
Reserve Bank of India among others. Axis Bank already
have an PPI license, the lender has surrender one of the
licenses.
34. Canara Bank has launched its first ‘Digital Banking
Branch’ at Spencer Towers in MG Road, Bengaluru --
CANDI.
Note: The bank has also introduced customer-friendly
mobile apps which help customers get most of the
information related to their accounts from the app
without the need to visit the branch.The feature of the
‘Digital Branch’ is a humanoid robot that addresses
basic queries of customers on banking products and
services.
35. Who has received final approval from the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI) to function as the Bharat Bill Payment
Central Unit (BBPCU) and operate Bharat Bill Payment
System (BBPS) -- National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI).
Note: The total number of Bharat Bill Payment Operating
Units certified by NPCI now stands at twenty-four.The
certified units include 10 private sector banks, five
cooperative banks, three public sector banks and six non-
bank biller aggregators.
36. The Income Tax (IT)department has detected around
how many crore rupees of undisclosed income after
conducting massive searches, seizures, and surveys over
the last three years --72 thousand crore rupees.
Note: During the period of demonetisation from 9th of
November last year to 10th January, the total undisclosed
income admitted was more than 5,400 crore rupees.
37. The GST council has formed a committee to select
members of National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAPA)
under GST -- Pradeep Kumar Sinha.
Note: The standing committee is empowered to refer
cases requiring detailed enquiry to the Director General
of Safeguards, Central Board of Excise and Customs
(CBEC) for consideration of the NAPA
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New Appointments
1. India’s 14th President replacing ‘Pranab Mukherjee’ --
Ram Nath Kovind.
Note: He was administered the oath of office by Chief
Justice of India ‘JS Khehar’ at a special function in the
central hall of Parliament. Kovind was elected as the
President on 20 July 2017 after he defeated the
Opposition parties' nominee Meira Kumar.
2. The new Chief Election Commissioner of India -- Achal
Kumar Jyoti.
Note: Currently, Achal Kumar Jyoti is the Election
Commissioner of India along with O P Rawat.
3. The new CEO & MD of Larsen & Toubro -- SN
Subrahmanyan.
Note: He replaced AM Naik, who will continue as Non-
Executive Chairman for three years (from 1st Oct).
4. The Attorney General of India --K K Venugopal.
Note: Attorney General appointed by the President of
India under Article 76(1) of the Constitution and holds
office during the pleasure of the President.
5. The first woman chief executive of Hong Kong --Carrie
Lam.
Note:The Chief Executive of Hong Kong (CE) is the
highest office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR).
6. The first female Prime Minister of Serbia -- Ana Brnabic.
Note: She succeeded Ivica Dacic.
7. The new Chairman of Indian Institute of Management
(IIM) Amritsar -- Sanjay Gupta.
Note: Sanjay Gupta is the Editor in Chief of Dainik Jagran
since 2014 and has been associated with the Jagran Group
for more than two decades.
8. The new chief of the National Disaster Response Force
(NDRF) -- Sanjay Kumar
Note: He will succeed R K Pachnanda, who was has taken
charge as DG the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
9. The new Ambassador of India to the Republic of
Indonesia __Pradeep Kumar Rawat.
Note: He will succeed Nengcha Lhouvum Mukhopadhaya.
10. Who has been appointed Chairman of IIT-Kharagpur --
Sanjiv Goenka.
Note:The Chairman of RP Sanjiv Goenka Group 'Sanjiv
Goenka' has been selected as the Chairman of the Board
of Governors at IIT-Kharagpur for three years.
11. Who has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for
Autism-- Saima Wazed Hossain.
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Note: Saima is a globally renowned champion for the
cause of Autism spectrum disorder. She will serve as the
goodwill ambassador for autism in the South-East Asia
region for a period of 2 years.
12. The new Chairperson of Broadcasting Content Complaints
Council (BCCC) -- Vikramajit Sen.
Note: Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Vikramajit Sen
has been appointed as the new Chairperson of
Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) for
three years.
13. Newly elected President of Mongolia-- Khaltmaagiin
Battulga.
Note: Khaltmaagiin Battulga has won the 2017 Mongolian
presidential election by 50.6% votes.
14. The new director-general(DG) of the Directorate of
Revenue Intelligence (DRI) -- Debi Prasad Dash.
Note: DRI is the major intelligence agency that works to
secure India’s national and economic security by
preventing the outright smuggling of contraband such as
firearms, gold, narcotics, Fake Indian Currency notes,
antiques, wildlife and environmental products.
15. The president of the National Rifle Association of India
(NRAI) -- Raninder Singh.
Note: The NRAI is associated with International Shooting
Sports Federation, Asian Shooting Confederation,
Commonwealth Shooting Federation, South Asian
Shooting Confederation, and Indian Olympic Association.
16. The new Director General (DG)of Goods and Services Tax
Intelligence (GSTI)-- John Joseph.
17. New secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs
(DEA) in the finance ministry-- Subhash Garg.
Note:He will oversee capital markets, Budget preparation
as well as infrastructure financing and decide on
borrowing, along with RBI.
18. The new MD & CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce --
Mukesh Kumar Jain.
Note: He has replaced ‘Animesh Chauhan’. Slogan of
Oriental Bank of Commerce is 'Where every individual is
committed'.
19. US President Donald Trump has nominated next
secretary of the Army-- Mark Esper.
Note: Esper has been the top lobbyist for major defence
contractor Raytheon since 2010.
20. Indian-origin personality appointed as the UNICEF’s
Global Goodwill Ambassador -- Lilly Singh.
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Note: She will use her channel to showcase the
organisation’s work and urge millions of her followers to
work for children’s rights.
21. The governing body of Ramakrishna Mission
unanimously elected the 16th president of Ramakrishna
Math and Mission -- Swami Smarananandaji Maharaj.
Note: He succeed ‘Swami Atmasthanandaji Maharaj’ who
passed away in June this year.
22. Who has been appointed as the Chief Minister of
Nagaland -- TR Zeliang.
Note: Zeliang staked claim to form government in
Nagaland with a majority support of 47 members of the
Legislative Assembly.
23. Who has taken additional charge of Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting (I&B) -- Textiles minister
Smriti Irani.
24. The govt. has announced that Union Minister for Rural
Development Narendra Singh Tomar will serve as the
new -- Urban Development Minister.
25. Nepal’s acting Chief Justice has sworn in as the Chief
Justice -- Gopal Prasad Parajuli’
Note: Earlier, the Parliamenary Hearing Special
Committee (PHSC) of the Legislature-Parliament
unanimously approved the name of Parajuli for the post
of Chief Justice.
26. The state’s chief minister handed over the offer letter to
the Rio Olympics silver medallist ‘P V Sindhu’ as a Group-I
officer -- Andhra Pradesh.
Note: In Olympics history, Sindhu has become the fifth
Indian woman (Karnam Malleswari, Mary Kom, Saina
Nehwal and Sakshi Malik) to clinch a medal.
Important News – India
1. The Union Minister has launched "National Biopharma
Mission" to accelerate biopharmaceutical development in
India -- Harsh Vardhan.
Note: Under the Mission, the ministry launched a
programme named Innovate in India (i3) to create an
enabling ecosystem to promote entrepreneurship and
indigenous manufacturing in the sector.
2. India’s tallest Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower has installed
at -- Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), Delhi.
Note: It will be the 7th tallest ATC tower in the world.
3. Who has launched a month-long plantation drive to mark
Van Mahotsav -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
Note: Van Mahotsav is an annual tree-planting movement 5. India’s first university only for Dalit students will come up
in India, which began in 1950. The purpose of the festival
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27. Tamil film actor has been appointed brand icon of Pro
Kabaddi League franchise Tamil Thalaivas -- Kamal
Haasan.
Note:
➢ Tamil Thalaivas co-owned by India batting legend
Sachin Tendulkar.
28. New Secretary to President elect Ram Nath Kovind --
Sanjay Kothari.
Note: Currently, Mr. Kothari is the Chairman of Public
Enterprises Selection Board.
29. The largest microfinance company 'Janalakshmi Financial
Services' (JFS) has appointed a veteran banker as its new
chief executive officer(CEO) -- Ajay Kanwal.
Note: Currently, Kanwal is a senior adviser to private
equity firm TPG Capital and global payments company
Mastercard.
30. The new Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar-- Sushil Kumar
Modi.
31. The new spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA)-- Raveesh Kumar.
32. Who re-appointed as Managing Director (MD) & Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Axis Bank for three-year from
June 2018-- Shikha Sharma.
Note: Sharma began her career with the erstwhile infra
lender ICICI Ltd in 1980.
33. India’s alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) -- Subhash Chandra
Garg.
Note: The secretary of Department of Economic Affairs
(DEA) Subhash Chandra Garg has been appointed as
India’s Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of
the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, Philippines.
is to raise the awareness of trees among people and to
highlight the need for planting and tending of trees as one
of the best ways to prevent global warming and reduce
pollution.
4. An agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI)
of Japan to manufacture stainless steel coaches and bogies
for metro rail -- The Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
(BHEL).
Note: The agreement covers establishing engineering,
design, and manufacturing facilities at BHEL using
Japanese technology. It will also entitle BHEL for all
technology advances and upgrades.
in -- Hyderabad.
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Note: The purpose of establishing an exclusive university
for Dalit students is to provide them a comprehensive
education, so that they would come out as complete and
knowledgeable citizens.
6. The Asia-Africa-Europe (AAE-1) submarine cable system
stretch from Marseille in France to Hong Kong -- Reliance 13. The two programmes to take education to the remotest
Jio.
Note: He was administered the oath of office by Chief
Justice of India ‘JS Khehar’ at a special function in the
central hall of Parliament. AAE-1 is claimed to be the
world’s longest 100Gbps technology-based submarine
system.It will have 21 cable landings across Asia and
Europe.
7. Western Railways have changed the name of ‘Elphinstone
Road station as -- Prabhadevi.
Note: Prabhadevi is a local deity, whose temple is located
in the vicinity of the railway station. In December 2016,
the Maharashtra Assembly had unanimously adopted a
resolution to rename these railway stations which were
subsequently followed by a nod from the Central
Government.
8. The Power Ministry has launched the app and the portal
for providing e-Bidding solution to states to select
Independent Power Producers (IPPs) -- MERIT.
Note: The objective of is to increase transparency and
accountability and transfer maximum benefit to the
consumer reflects a 360-degree approach of a ‘government
in action’.The app also gives information regarding
reasons for deviation from merit order such as must run
conditions, transmission constraints etc.
9. The first government hospital in the country to perform a 16. The union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the
lung transplant -- PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Note: The institute has been successfully performing
heart, kidney, pancreas, liver, and Cornea transplants.
10. India’s first high-speed rail training centre will set up in
the state -- Gujarat.
Note: The rail training centre will set up at a cost of Rs 600
crore, and is expected to start operating by 2020.
11. The union govt will organize three-day international fair in
3 to 5 November 2017 -- World Food India 2017.
Note: International fair will provide a platform to Indian
farmers and manufacturers to show case their products
and explore partnerships with foreign companies,
organized by the Food Processing Ministry. The World
Food India is a step aimed at creating India a 'Global Food
Factory' and 'Global Food Retail Market'.
12. Indian Railways has launched virtual server to optimize
server usage and faster connectivity -- RailCloud.
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Note: The technology is developed by rail PSU RailTel at
an estimated cost of approx Rs 53 crore. The RailCloud
technology enables maximising the usage of available
server and storage resulting in accommodation of bigger
data and more applications within same server space.
corners of the country with the help of technology --
Swayam and Swayam Prabha.
Note: Under Swayam, courses would be offered through
digital classrooms with online study material available free
of cost in videos. Swayam Prabha would tap into the
potential of Direct to Home Service wherein a person can
install a dish antenna for about Rs 1,500 & have access to
32 digital educational channels run by the HRD Ministry.
14. The union Railway Minister ‘Suresh Prabhu’ has
inaugurated the Science Express Climate Action Special at -
- Madgaon station.
Note: The Science Express is an innovative mobile science
exhibition of the Department of Science and Technology
mounted on a 16-coach AC train. The objective is to
increase awareness on climate change and its mitigation
among various sections of society, especially students.
15. 100 metres from the edge of River Ganga as a ‘No-
Development Zone’ in the stretch between Haridwar
(Uttarakhand) and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) -- NGT
(National Green Tribunal).
Note: There shall be no dumping of waste of any kind
within 500 metres from the edge of River Ganga.The NGT
also declared an environment compensation of Rs. 50,000
on anyone who dumps waste in River Ganga.
International Rice Research Institute, South Asia Regional
Center at the campus of National Seed Research and
Training Center in -- Varanasi.
Note: This Center will be the first international Center in
eastern India and it will play a major role in harnessing
and sustaining rice production in the region. The Centre
will also undertake capacity building exercises for
stakeholders across the rice value chain.
17. The National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-
22) launched by -- Shri J P Nadda.
Note: The Strategic Plan gives year wise elimination
targets in various parts of the country depending upon the
endemicity of malaria in the next 5 years. This plan focuses
on the states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
18. Indian scientists have discovered an extremely large
supercluster of galaxies, which is as big as 20 million
billion suns-- Saraswati.
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Note: Inter University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) team of astronomers has named it
‘Saraswati’.This is one of the largest known structures in
the neighborhood of the universe, 4,000 million light-years
away from Earth and roughly more than 10 billion years
old.
19. The city hosted the National Conference of NITI Aayog -- 27. The country’s first Bio-CNG (bio-methane) bus at a bio-
New Delhi.
Note: The focus of the conference is on best practices in
social and economic sectors across states.
20. The union minister ‘Arun Jaitley’ has launched a new
pension scheme for the senior citizens in new Delhi --
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana.
Note: The scheme provides an assured return of 8% per
annum payable monthly for 10 years and exempted from 29. The science & technology ministry has launched a low-cost
Service Tax or GST. The scheme can be purchased offline
as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation of
India(LIC). The PMVVY scheme will be available till 3rd
May,2018.
21. The first solar-powered 1600 HP DEMU train in India has
launched from the station -- Safdarjung railway station.
22. The ministry will launch a new sub-scheme ‘Aajeevika
Grameen Express Yojana’ (AGEY) under the Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana--The Union Rural Development
ministry.
Note: The AGEY aims to provide an alternative source of
livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under 31. The United Nations Peacekeeping Course for African
DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport
services in backward rural areas.
23. The Indian Railways has launched an integrated mobile
application to cater various passenger requirements --
SAARTHI.
Note: The Rail SAARTHI (synergised advanced application
rail travel help and information) such as safety for women,
complaint facility and suggestion for improvement.
24. The 5th ‘North East Connectivity Summit- 2018’ will be
held in the state -- Arunachal Pradesh.
Note: The summit organised by the FICCI is one of the
most important forums for action oriented deliberations
on sub-regional economic integration and connectivity
between North East India and South-East Asia. The 4th
North East Connectivity Summit will be held in Nagaland
in September 2017.
25. Who has released the National Trade Facilitation Action
Plan (NTFAP) in New Delhi-- Arun Jaitley.
Note: The WTO-Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) was a 34. Who has formed a new catering policy to improve food
major milestone for the global trading system and all
actions covered under the plan have been categorised by
prioritising the activities into short, mid, and long term.
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26. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has
launched the mobile app for syncing Aadhaar data on the
mobile phone-- mAadhaar app.
Note: Once you register in mAadhar app, your Aadhaar
card profile including phone number, address and other
details get stored on the app.
energy programme, ‘Urja Utsav’--Tata Motors.
Note: The use of Bio-CNG will contribute in a positive
manner to the Smart Cities proposition of keeping them
clean. The bio-methane engines could be used in LCV, ICV
and MCV buses.
28. The railway station has become the India’s first station to
run by all women staff -- Matunga railway station.
indigenously developed hearing screening device for
newborns -- Sohum.
Note: The Sohum uses brain-stem auditory evoked
response technology which is recommended as best
screening choice. SOHUM, has been developed by School of
International Biodesign (SIB), a startup M/S Sohum
Innovation Labs India Pvt. Ltd.
30. The Union Government has approved climate change
projects for three states under National Adaptation Fund
for Climate Change (NAFCC)-- Rajasthan, Gujarat and
Sikkim.
Partners (UNPCAP-02) 2017 has started in the city -- New
Delhi.
32. The city will host the tenth edition of Urban Mobility India
conference beginning 4th November this year --
Hyderabad.
Note: The three-day event will be jointly organised by the
Union Ministry of Urban Development and the Telangana
Government.The theme of this year’s conference is
intelligent, inclusive and sustainable mobility.
33. The union Minister Maneka Gandhi has launched online
complaint system for registering sexual harassment
complaints at workplace in New Delhi -- sexual
harassment e-box.
Note: This online portal is open for central government
women employees only and later on, complaints from
private sector will be entertained effectively. The Ministry
will soon conduct a national level survey to examine the
magnitude of sexual harassment at workplace.
quality in trains & stations-- Indian Railway Catering and
Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC).
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Note: As per the new catering policy of 2017, the IRCTC
will manage catering services on all mobile units, and
pantry car contracts will also be reassigned to railways'
catering arm. Now, IRCTC will not have the right to
outsource or issue licenses for provision of catering
services to private licensees
35. The National Dairy Development Board's (NDDB) quality 41. The first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs)
logo for milk and milk products to signify safe and quality
milk and milk products from dairy cooperatives launched
by ____ Radha Mohan Singh.
Note: This move will reinforce the consumers' recognition
that the quality mark is synonymous with good quality.
NDDB's quality mark will provide dairy cooperatives and
producer institutions the much-needed brand identity and
a competitive edge.
36. The round table conference- ensuring cyber security on
Indian Railways in New Delhi has been inaugurated by --
Suresh Prabhu.
Note: Railways keeps conducting audits to ensure safety
checks and cyber security is one of the top priorities. Cyber
security on railway has now been identified as the focus
area and it must be implemented as per acceptable
standards in the IT industry.
37. Online application has been invited from girl students for
enrolment in UDAAN project 2017-19 --The Central
Board of Secondary Education(CBSE).
Note: The scheme is open for deserving girl students who
aspire to pursue higher education in engineering and to
assist them to prepare for entrance exam while studying in
Class 11 and 12th in Kendriya Vidyalaya(KV), Jawahar
Navodaya Vidyalaya(JNV) or government schools affiliated 44. The High Court ordered that “Vande Mataram” must be
to CBSE or any board.
38. Who has planned to install 1,100 water vending machines
at 450 stations in 2017-2018 to ensure clean drinking
water at low cost -- Indian Railway Catering and
Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
Note: A glass of 300 ml water dispensed through these
machines will cost just one rupee. At present, there are
1,106 water vending machines at 345 stations in the
country.
39. The Union minister has launched a mobile app for road
maintenance in all the States -- Aarambh.
Note:The mobile phone app aims at use of Geographic
Information System (GIS) based mapping for making road
inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost
estimates and other relevant data for preparation and
monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.
40. The FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)
directs the concerned food business operators to
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discontinue the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale
and import of stapled tea bags by--1st January,2018.
Note: The FSSAI has also directed all food safety
commissioners to take action to prevent the use of unsafe
packaging materials by companies and take up measures
for enforcement of its order.
‘Shachi’ and ‘Shruti’ at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat --
Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL).
Note: These two NOPVs are the first warships to be
launched by a private sector shipyard in India.
42. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a national
memorial on the second death anniversary of former
president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in -- Rameshwaram
(Tamil Nadu).
Note: The Kalam memorial was built by the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Pei
Karumbu. The memorial, build at a cost of 20 crores,
blends Mughal and Indian architecture. Its main entrance
resembles Delhi's India gate and the main door is a replica
of the entrance of the Brihadiswara Temple in Tanjavur.
43. Microsoft officially unveiled a mobile-only productivity
application to simplify large group communication for
Indian organisations -- Kaizala.
Note: “Microsoft Kaizala, a made for India product, brings
together the two disparate worlds of mobile only
messaging apps and a digitally integrated modern
workplaceThe application had been optimized for 2G
networks to enable connectivity in remote locations and
offered features with offline support.
played and sung in all schools, colleges, and universities at
least once a week -- Madras High Court.
Note: The court also ruled that the national song must be
played and sung in all government offices and institutions,
private companies, factories, and industries at least once a
month.
45. Scientists have developed new Artificial intelligence (AI)
software to create three dimensional (3D) models from 2D
photographs -- SurfNet.
Note: It will give them the ability to understand the 3D
environment around them using standard 2D cameras.
SurfNet software can be used in object recognition,
robotics, and even self-driving cars.
46. The union govt. will provide vaccine free from next year
and it would help in tackling the liver related diseases --
Hepatitis C.
Note: For this purpose, union government is planning to
provide up to 3,000 crore rupees in the budget.
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47. The Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) has launched India's first unmanned tank that was
being developed in Chennai lab -- ‘Muntra’(Mission
UNmanned TRAcked).
Note: Muntra-S: Country's first unmanned surveillance
missions. Muntra-M: for detecting mines. Muntra-N: for
operation in areas where there is a nuclear radiation or bio
weapon risk.
48. The oil company will operate India’s first petroleum R&D
facility for testing high-end BS-VI quality fuel emissions--
Indian Oil Corp (IOC).

States News

1. The state government has launched a digital ride sharing
app 'G-Ride'for techies -- Kerala.
Note: The G-Ride app automatically matches co-workers
and neighbours and help them travel together to work.
2. The state govt. has launched ‘Elevate 100’ scheme to
identify and nurture innovative start-ups -- Karnataka.
Note: The purpose of the scheme is to identify 100 most
innovative start-ups in the state to elevate them to the
next level of success.
3. The 2017 Dree festival has celebrated in the state --
Arunachal Pradesh.
Note: ‘Apatanis’ pray their traditional Gods to bring in a
bountiful harvest season along with defeat of destructive
forces in the society through this festival. The festival is
marked by grand ritual and community feasts.
4. India’s biggest Global Skill Park will be set up in the city -
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Note:37-acre land has been allotted in Narela Shankari
area of Bhopal for the Global Skill Park.Training will be
imparted to 1000 students every year by trainers of
international standard. The park will function on the
spirit of ‘With Industry -For Industry’."
5. Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu has launched a web
portal to assist visitors to apply for and obtain the
mandatory ILP, online from anywhere in the country--
arunachalilp.com.
Note:The e-Inner Line Permit (eILP) programme is a
digital step for hassle-free entry of domestic visitors to
the state. Inner Line Permit (ILP) is an official travel
document issued by the Government of India (GoI) to
allow inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected
area for a limited period.
6. Delhi Traffic Police relaunched its mobile app in an
improved avatar that will allow general-public to report
traffic offences occurring on city roads --Traffic
Sentinel.
Note: The mobile application was lunched under the
Traffic Sentinel scheme in December 2015, that allowed
users to report traffic violations by uploading photos and
videos and earn reward points.
7. The state govt. has launched a scheme to deposit the
salary of two lakh six thousand Anganwadi Sevika and
assistants in the state directly into their bank accounts --
Maharashtra.
Note: The scheme which reduces the delay in
disbursement of the salary of these employees. The
money will be deposited through Public Financial
Management System.
8. The Tamil Nadu Housing and Urban Development
Minister ‘K Radhakrishnan’, Chennai Metropolitan Area
will be expanded to -- 8,878 square KMs.
Note: Now, the whole of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur
districts besides Arakkonam taluk in Vellore would be
included in Chennai Metropolitan Area.
9. The state has been declared as ‘disturbed area’ under
AFSPA for next 6 more months under the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act -- Nagaland.
Note: According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts)
Act, 1976 once declared ‘disturbed’, the area has to
maintain status quo for a minimum of 3 months.
10. The state who has become the first Indian state to make
social boycott a crime -- Maharashtra.
Note: The Maharashtra Prohibition of People from Social
Boycott (Prevention Prohibition and Redressal) Act
prescribes a maximum punishment of 3 year in jail and a
fine of Rs 1 lakh.
11. The state government will set up modern ornamental
fish hatchery in the state-- Haryana
Note: The fish hatchery would be set up in district Jhajjar
at a cost of Rs.13.68 crore.
12. The Central Public-Sector Unit Energy Efficiency Services
Limited (EESL) will invest how many crores in Tamil
Nadu over the next three years --Rs. 11,000 crores.
Note: The scheme of giving solar pumps for farming will
be extended to cover the whole country soon. The UDAY
scheme has enabled the Tamil Nadu discom to reduce its
debt burden from nearly 14-thousand crore rupees in
2013-14 to 3783 crore rupees last year.
13. The state govt. has decided to merge all regional Co-
Operative Banks into a mega State Co-Operative Bank--
Chhattisgarh.
Note: Now, the 264 branches will remain functional and
will hereon work as Scheduled Co-Operative Banks. It
will help in reducing the interests on farm loans by up to
2%. The farmers will get modern facilities including core-
banking, mobile and internet banking.
14. The state govt. has decided to extend the current subsidy
on electricity for citizens who use up to 400 units a
month--Delhi govt.
Note: Now, the subsidy will continue to be Rs 2 per unit
for consumers in the slab of 0-200 units, and Rs.2.97 per
unit for consumers in the slab of 201-400 units. The total

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amount of subsidy will be 1,720 crore rupees for the
current financial year.
15. The state govt. has launched a flagship programme
‘Livelihood Intervention and Facilitation of
Entrepreneurship’ (LIFE) at Songsak--Meghalaya.
Note: LIFE is a programme of the State Rural Livelihood
Society, which is implementing the Centre's flagship
programme National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
NRLM promotes livelihood through women Self Help
Groups (SHGs) and their Federations.
16. Uttar Pradesh government has signed Memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with the Centre for setting up of an
All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital
in -- Gorakhpur.
Note: The hospital will have 750 free beds and the
project will cost 1,750 crore rupees. The OPD of the new
AIIMS will start by September,2018 and trauma centres
will be established by 2020.
17. The first Technology and Innovation Support Center
(TISC) of India will be set up in -- Punjab.
Note: TISC will be set up at Patent Information Centre in
Punjab under the World Intellectual Property
Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program.
18. The state hosted the National conference on crowd
management -- Kerala.
Note:The conference was organized by the National
Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) jointly with the
Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
19. The state govt. will set up 60 new primary Health
Centers in the rural areas of the state -- Gujarat
Government.
Note: This expansion of existing primary health centre
networks will benefit the rural population of the state.
The State government has given approval to 60 more
primary health centers (PHCs), which will take the
total number of PHCs in Gujarat to 1453.
20. The state govt. has decided to set up eight new Women
Police Stations at sub-division level in the state--
Haryana Govt.
Note: These will be established at Assandh, Dadri, Hansi,
Gohana, Manesar, Dabwali, Ballabgarh and Naraingarh
and each Women Police Station would have a hundred
percent lady police staff.
21. The state govt. has formed the Saputara Area
Development Authority (SADA) for “comprehensive
development” Dang district -- Gujarat govt.
Note: The authority will carry out planned development
in 419-hectare area of ‘Saputara’ for tourism purpose.
The SADA will prepare maps and development plans
considering the future requirements of next twenty-
years.
22. Odisha CM has dedicated the state’s longest road bridge
to the nation named it after -- Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose.
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Note:The 2.88 km bridge over the river Kathajodi will
connect the Bhubaneswar with Cuttack and reduce the
distance by 12 km.
23. Madhya Pradesh govt. has started a Yojana in 25
thousand schools of the state to encourage best works --
Shala Siddhi Prohatsan Yojana.
Note:The selection committee will forward applications
of three primary and three middle schools for awards to
the District Institute for Education and Training
(DIET).The Yojana will help in encouraging teachers
working in the government schools by recognizing their
best works.
24. The metro city will host global business meet in
November 2017-- Kolkata.
Note: The Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in
association with the West Bengal Government will host a
Global Business meeting ‘Horasis Asia Meeting’ in
November this year. It will focus on sustainable business
practices in various areas, including power and energy.
25. The state govt. has organized first ever weekly cultural
programme ‘Cultrue of Cruise' at Dal Lake to bring artists
from various fields on one stage -- Jammu and Kashmir
(J-K).
Note: In the festival, the organisers would hold regular
interactions with cross sections of the society and
tourists who visit
26. The state government has launched “Janahitha” to
receive complaints from public through a special portal --
Telangana.
27. The Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has
inaugurated the Research Institution of World Ancient,
Traditional, Culture & Heritage (RIWATCH) Museum
at -- Roing(Arunachal Pradesh).
Note: It will serve as a place of exchange of cultural
values of various tribes of the state and the North East.
28. The ‘Mission Football’ at a grand ceremony at JN
Sports Complex, Shillong launched by -- Dr. Mukul
Sangma.
Note: Mission Football is an initiative to help develop
skills of football enthusiasts and develop young
footballers for the country.
29. ‘Rojgar Mela’ inaugurated by the minister in Kukas
area of Jaipur(Rajasthan) -- Col Rajyavardhan Singh
Rathore.
Note: Three thousand students have been enrolled in
the Rojgar Mela and more than 40 companies would
take interviews of them.
30. The state hosted the fifth edition of South India
Writers Ensemble (SIWE) at Chengannur -- Kerala
state.
Note: The core theme of this year festival is
‘tolerance’.The three-day event is being organized by
People for Performing Arts and More, an art and
cultural outfit.
31. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister ‘Yogi Adityanath’ has
launched online UP- RERA (Real Estate Regulatory
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Act.) registration platform in Lucknow-- www.up-
rera.in
Note: Now the builders of Uttar Pradesh can register
their projects on the site and instantly get a RERA
registration number.
32. The state government has formally named the Outer
Wheeler island in Bhadrak district as APJ Abdul Kalam
Island as a tribute to the former president -- Odisha
government.
Note: Dr Kalam's emotional attachment with the
interim test range at Chandipur in Balasore district
and Wheeler Island in Bhadrak district.
33. The Union government has launched two Mobile apps
to the user community in timely manner for their
safety____ India Quake & Sagar Vani.
Note: The 'India Quake' will automatically disseminate
relevant parameter (location, time and magnitude)
Important News – World
1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-nation
tour to -- Israel and Germany.
Note: In first leg (three- day tour), PM Modi went to Israel
where he holds talks with his Israeli counterpart
‘Benjamin Netanyahu’ on all matters of mutual interest.In
his second leg, Mr. Modi participated in the G 20 summit at
Hamburg in Germany.
2. The 41st session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee
has started in -- Krakow, Poland.
Note: The World Heritage Committee consists of
representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World
Cultural and Natural Heritage, elected by the General
Assembly of States Parties to the Convention.
3. The 2017 Indo-Thai joint military exercise has started in
Himachal Pradesh -- Maitree.
Note: The aim of the joint military exercise is to build and
promote bilateral Army-to-Army relations and enhance
inter-operability between the two armies
4. Indian city is hosting the 3rd edition of International
conference on sports CII Score Card 2017-- New Delhi.
5. The city is hosting the 12th edition of G-20 Summit 2017--
Hamburg(Germany).
Note: The 12th edition of G20 summit was held at
Hamburg in Germany with theme 'Shaping an
interconnected world'.
6. The world's most detailed scan of the brain's internal
wiring has been produced by scientists at -- Cardiff
University.
Note: The MRI machine reveals the fibres which carry all
the brain's thought processes. It has been done in Cardiff,
Nottingham, Cambridge, and Stockport, as well as London
England and London Ontario.
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after the occurrence of earthquakes. The 'Sagar Vani'
is a software platform where various dissemination
modes are integrated on a single central server.Mobile
apps have been Developed by the National Centre for
Seismology (NCS).
34. The state government has launched its flagship health
scheme Care Companion Programme (CCP) -- Punjab.
Note: The CCP scheme is targeted to improve patient
outcome by implementing better family engagement.
35. The state government has signed MoU with Airport
Authority of India (AAI) for aviation development --
Uttarakhand.
Note: The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has signed
MoU with Govt. of Uttarakhand for development for
aviation sector in the state.
7. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the
end of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the -- Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC).
Note: Though the agency marks an end to the outbreak in
the country, enhanced surveillance will continue, as well
as strengthening of preparedness and readiness for Ebola
outbreaks. It was the country’s eighth outbreak of EVD
since the discovery of the virus in the country in 1976.
8. A new fast-growing Israeli flower has named after Prime
Minister Narendra Modi --Crysanthumun.
Note: The Danziger flower farm is one of Israel's leading
floriculture companies with approximately 80,000 square
meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specializing in
reproduction of plants.
9. The Informal Leader’s Meeting of the 5 BRICS countries
was held in -- Hamburg, Germany.
Note: The meeting was held in run up for the upcoming
9th BRICS Summit, which will take place in Xiamen, China
in September.
10. The country hosted the 2017 Everest International Model
United Nations (EIMUN) Regional Conference -- Nepal.
Note: The fourth edition of Everest International Model
United Nations (EIMUN) Regional Conference was held in
Kathmandu, Nepal from 10-14 July,2017.
11. Who has declared victory over the Islamic State terror
group after months-long battle in Mosul -- Iraq.
Note: The operation was backed by a US-led coalition
battling IS group in Syria and Iraq, which has carried out
waves of air strikes against the group and deployed
military advisers on the ground.
12. The world’s first centre for breeding Saola will be
constructed at Bach Ma National Park in -- Vietnam.
Note: Saola is recognised by two parallel horns with sharp
ends, which can reach 51cm in length and are found on
both males and females.
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13. The eighth meeting of the SAARC Ministers of Law and
Order preceded by meeting of the SAARC Secretaries of
Law and Order and Immigration Authorities has begun in -
- Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Note: The meeting focused on the issue of tackling
terrorism apart from discussing liberalization of visa,
illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic
substances, and small arms. The South Asian Association
for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional
intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of
nations in South Asia.
14. The country hosted the 2017 Family Planning Summit
(FPS) -- United Kingdom.
Note: The summit has been organized by the UNFPA, the
United Kingdom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
15. Recently, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill
that proposes to advance defence cooperation with --
India.
Note: The amendment passed by the House requires the
Secretary of Defence, in consultation with the Secretary of
State, to develop a strategy for advancing defence
cooperation
16. The country will introduce a new procedure for officials
visiting the country to meet political representatives and
prisoners -- Sri Lankan.
Note: The move comes as government is unhappy with the
outcome of the visit by UN Special Rapporteur on Human
Rights and Counter-terrorism.
17. The Navy has tested the world's first-ever active laser
weapons system (LaWS) which is now deployed and ready
for war -- United States Navy.
Note: The system has special materials that release
photons and at the speed of light, it silently hits an object,
burning it to a temperature of thousands of degrees. Each
strike travels 50,000 times the speed of an incoming ICBM.
18. Tri-Nation navies concluded the eight days 'Malabar Naval
Exercise' aimed at achieving deeper military ties between
the three nations near Chennai in Bay of Bengal -- US,
Japanese and Indian
Note: The naval exercise featured 95 aircraft, 16 ships and
two sub marines. Aim of exercise is to Increase
interoperability amongst the three navies and develop
common understanding of procedures for Maritime
Security Operations.
19. The country to host the 2022 World Short Course
Swimming Championships -- Russia.
Note: The International Swimming Federation (FINA) has
selected the Russian city to host the 2022 World Short
Course Swimming Championships.
20. The country has declared total independence from IMF
and World Bank (WB)-- Bolivia.
Note: The President of Bolivia Evo Morales has declared
his government’s full independence from the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
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21. The country who has successfully launched an advanced
satellite-carrying rocket “Simorgh” -- Iran.
Note:Iran has successfully launched Simorgh’ into space
from the Imam Khomeini National Space Station in
Semnan.
22. The world's first full-scale floating wind farm has started
to take shape off the north-east coast of -- Scotland.
Note: The technology will allow wind power to be
harvested in waters too deep for the current conventional
bottom-standing turbines used. The Peterhead wind farm
(Hywind) is a trial which will bring power to 20,000
homes.
23. The new species of giant ocean sunfish has been
discovered by an international team of researchers led by
Murdoch University in Perth, Australia --hoodwinker
(mola tecta).
Note: The heaviest type of bony fish that can weigh over
two tonnes and grow to three metres long. The new
species has so far been found around New Zealand, around
the southeast coast of Australia, off Africa and southern
Chile.
24. Who has selected Dubai as the data hub for the Middle East
North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region for the city’s
integrated initiatives to mine and manage its data -- The
United Nations (UN).
Note: The designation will be part of a portfolio of local
and regional data portals, analytics and reports to engage
stakeholders and help accelerate progress.It will also serve
as a platform for city-to- city learning and ‘solutions
transfer’ across metropolitan, national and global contexts.
25. The 2017 BRICS Youth Forum opened to discuss the
development of the youth in the countries of the grouping
in-- Beijing, China.
Note: The three-day forum gathered 50 youth
representatives working as civil servants, scholars,
entrepreneurs, artists and journalists from the BRICS
countries. The theme of the forum is 'Enhance BRICS
Partnership, Promote Youth Development'.
26. The mostly submerged unknown continent beneath the
South Pacific has been named as -- Zealandia.
Note: Zealandia measured 1.9 million square miles and is
94% underwater. It had only three major landmasses, New
Zealand’s North and South Islands to the south, and New
Caledonia to the north Zealandia.
27. The 7th edition of South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) Artists Camp & Exhibition of
Paintings begins in -- Nepal.
Note: These events provide platform to artists for
exchanging ideas with fellow artists and helping in
creating special bonding among them. Around 40 artists
from SAARC member countries (except Afghanistan)
taking part in the camp.
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Important Day
1. The National Doctors’ Day (NDD) is celebrated every year
in India on -- 1st July.
Note: The day honour the legendary physician and the
2nd Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra
Roy.
2. International Co-operative Day is an annual celebration of
the co-operative movement observed on -- the first
Saturday in July.
Note: The theme for the 2017 International Day of
Cooperatives is Co-operatives ensure no-one is left
behind.
3. The World Sports Journalist Day (WSJD) is observed on --
2nd July.
Note: The day mark the services of sports journalists for
the promotion of sports.
4. The 2017 International Plastic Bag Free Day (IPBFD) is
observed on -- 3rd July.
Note: The day highlight the need to phase-out plastic
bags and to promote organic reusable bags.
5. The World Population Day is observed across the world
on --11th July.
Note: The day increase the awareness of the people
towards the worldwide population issues. The theme of
this year is ‘Family Planning- Empowering People,
Developing Nations’.
6. The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally every
year on --15th July.
Note: The theme of 2017 is "Skills for the Future of
Work".
7. The 2017 World Day for International Justice (WDIJ) is
observed on --17th July.
8. Nelson Mandela International Day’ celebrated every year
in honour of Mandela's birthday on --18th July.
Honors & Award
1. Indian personality has been bestowed with the 2017
Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes Award --
Mahesh Bhagwat.
Note: Currently, he is serving as the first Commissioner
of Police of Rachakonda.
2. The Indian metro has become the world’s first
completely green metro system -- Delhi Metro.
Note: Delhi Metro has secured the platinum rating for
adherence to green building norms for its 10 residential
colonies from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
3. The veteran actress has been honored with the 2017
Mahanayak Samman -- Shakuntala Barua.
4. Anti-hunger activist has been awarded the Young
Leaders Award for 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II at a
ceremony in the Buckingham Palace -- Ankit Kawatra.
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Note: The day is observed annually with the slogan ‘Take
Action! Inspire Change’.
9. The 2017 National Broadcasting Day (NBD) is
celebrated in India -- 23rd July.
10. Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year in honour of the
Kargil War's Heroes -- 26th July.
Note: On this day in 1999 that the Indian Armed Forces,
as part of Operation Vijay recaptured Indian posts in
Kargil which had been occupied by Pakistan's army.The
Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days, 527 soldiers
from Indian Armed Forces sacrificed their lives during
the war.
11. The World Hepatitis Day is being observed world-wide to
raise global awareness of Hepatitis and encourage
prevention, diagnosisand treatment-- 28th July.
Note: The Theme of this year is "Eliminate Hepatitis" to
mobilize intensified action towards the health targets in
the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Hepatitis is a
group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D,
and E.
12. The International Tiger Day is observed globally to raise
awareness for tiger conservation -- 29th July.
Note: The goal of the day is to promote a global system
for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise
public awareness and support for tiger conservation
issues. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), only
3,890 tigers are left in the world.
13. The World Day against Trafficking in Persons is observed
across the world to raise awareness of the plight of
victims of human trafficking and to protect their rights --
30th July.
Note: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) selected this year ‘Act to Protect and Assist
Trafficked Persons’ as the focus of the Day.
Note: The Queen’s Young Leaders Award recognizes
exceptional work towards solving hunger and
malnutrition.Ankit Kawatra is the founder of Feeding
India, an organization which works towards eradicating
hunger and food wastage in India.
5. Indian NGO has won the 2017 UNDP Equator Prize for
sustainable farming model -- Swayam Shikshan
Prayog.
6. Indian-Americans, will be honoured with the Great
Immigrants Award for their role in helping advance the
country's society, culture, and economy -- Shantanu
Narayen and Vivek Murthy.
Note: Narayen(54-year): Native of Hyderabad has an
undergraduate degree in electronics engineering, a
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master’s degree in computer science, and an MBA from
UC Berkeley.
Murthy (39-year): Born in the UK and a Harvard and
Yale alumnus, was appointed by former President
Barack Obama in 2014, becoming the first-ever Indian-
American to occupy the post and also the youngest ever
surgeon general of the country.
7. The old city of Hebron in the west bank has been
declared as the Palestinian World Heritage Site by --
UNESCO.
Note: The decision has also put Hebron in UNESCO’s list
of heritage sites in danger. The world heritage sites in
danger list has also included Vienna’s historic centre.
8. The steel firm has won the Prime Minister’s trophy for
‘Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant’ in 2015-16 --
Tata Steel. Ltd.
Note: Tata Steel Ltd. (TISCO) has won the Prime
Minister’s trophy for ‘Best Performing Integrated Steel
Plant’ in India during 2014-2015 and 2015- 16.
9. The Personality of the Year award by Skoch Consultancy
Services (SCS)-2017 -- Kishore Sansi.
Note: The award is part of the ‘Skoch Banking and
Financial Leadership’ series.
10. Indian-origin man has been awarded the highest civilian
award Order of Australia for community work in
Australia___ Guruswamy Jayraman
Note: Jayraman works as a senior accountant with
Woollahra Municipal Council for a living.
11. The Sportsperson of the Year award during the ‘Maruti
Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year’ Charity Gala Awards --
P V Sindhu.
12. Bangladeshi champion has been appointed as WHO
Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in South-East Asia
Region -- Saima Wazed Hossain.
13. Indian music composer has been shortlisted for the
2017 World Soundtrack Awards (public choice award) -
- A R Rahman.
14. Indian city has been declared as a World Heritage City
(WHC) by UNESCO -- Ahmedabad.
15. The Climate and energy efficiency solutions company,
has been conferred with the ‘Golden Peacock Award’ --
Danfoss India.
Note: The company has been recognized for its LEED
Platinum rated constructed manufacturing facility in
Chennai.
16. Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has
received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his
contributions as a Lok Sabha member -- LK Advani.
Obituaries
1. Noted singer has passed away in Kolkata, West Bengal --
Sabita Chowdhury.
Note: She was wife of legendary composer Salil
Chowdhury.
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17. JD(U) leader has also received the Lifetime Achievement
Award as a Rajya Sabha MP -- Sharad Yadav.
Note: The award was given by the Vice President
‘Hamid Ansari’ at a function organised by the Lokmat
Media Group to honour distinguished Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha members in New Delhi.
18. Bollywood movie has won the best film award at 18th
IIFA Awards 2017-- Neerja.
Note: Neerja is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language
biographical thriller film directed by Ram Madhvani and
written by Saiwyn Quadras and Sanyuktha Chawla
Shaikh.
19. Internationally-acclaimed senior kathak dancer has
been conferred with a fellowship by the Department of
Culture, Government of India (GoI) -- Nandakishore
Kapote.
Note: Kapote will carry out a detailed study on ‘Hand
Gestures and Kathak Dance in Abhinaydarpan
20. Bollywood actress has won the 2017 IIFA Women of the
Year award -- Tapsee Pannu
Note: She has won the 2017 IIFA Woman of The Year
for her role in Pink at the 18th edition of the
International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in
New York City, United States.
21. Who has extended Megastar Amitabh Bachchan's
ambassadorship for another two years after success of
polio drive--United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF).
Note: Earlier, He had served as UNICEF Goodwill
Ambassador for Polio in India. The World Health
Organisation (WHO) also appointed Bachchan as its
goodwill ambassador for hepatitis in South-East Asia
region to boost awareness and intensify action to arrest
the epidemic.
22. Who handed over the offer letter to the Rio Olympics
silver medallist ‘P V Sindhu as a Group-I officer in the
state -- N Chandrababu Naidu.
Note: Since 2013, She has been working with Bharat
Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and is currently an assistant
manager (sports) at its Hyderabad office.
23. Mohun Bagan has conferred the former club captain and
coach with the prestigious Mohun Bagan Ratna Award
2017 -- Subrata Bhattacharya.
Note: Former club striker Balwant Singh has been
awarded the Best Football Player of the Year prize.
➢ Debabrata Das was honoured with the Best
Cricket Player of the Year award.
2. The French politician and Holocaust survivor passed away
in her home in Paris -- Simone Veil.
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Note: Simone served as minister of health under the
center-right government of Valery Giscard d’Estaing and
later as president of the European Parliament.
3. Renowned cartoonist passed away at the hospital in Pune -
- Mangesh Tendulkar.
Note: His cartoons specially about government offices and
on traffic rules was famous. Tendulkar also wrote some
books like 'Bhuchchkra', 'Pocket Cartoons' and 'Sunday
Mood'.
4. The Chinese Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy
campaigner, has passed away -- Liu Xiaobo.
Note: He was the most prominent human rights and
democracy advocate of China.
5. India's former ambassador to the US passed away in Goa -- 12. American songwriter the lead singer of Linkin Park passed
Naresh Chandra.
Note: He was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan -
India's second highest civil honour - in 2007.
6. The legendary South African jazz musician, has passed
away in Nelspruit, South Africa -- Ray Phiri.
Note: Phiri was known primarily for his contributions to
Paul Simon’s Graceland album and ensuing tours.
7. Veteran Bengali actress has passed away in Kolkata, West
Bengal -- Sumita Sanyal
Note: She has worked in around 50 Bengali films and was
also part of Hindi films like Guddi, Mili, Aashirwad and 14. Former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Congress Leader
Mere Apne.
8. The Oscar-winning American film and television actor
passed away at UCLA Medical Center due to unexpected
complications during a short hospitalization --- Martin
Landau.
Note:He won his Academy Award (Oscars) for his
poignant portrayal of washed-up Bela Lugosi in 1994’s
Tim Burton’s Ed Wood.
9. The former Chief Minister of Sikkim has passed away in
New Delhi -- Nar Bahadur Bhandari.
Note: Bhandari was the founder leader of Sikkim Sangram
Parishad had governed Sikkim from 1979 to 1994.
Sports News
1. Who has won the 10th edition of FIFA Confederation Cup
Football-2017 title -- Germany.
Note: The four-time World Cup winners, Germany won
the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup by defeating Chile 1–0
in the final to win their first title.The FIFA
Confederations Cup is an international association
football tournament for national teams, currently held
every four years by FIFA.
2. The flag bearer athlete for the Indian contingent in the
22nd Asian Athletics Championship (AAC)-2017 -- Tintu
Luka.
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10. An Iranian- born mathematician who was the first woman
to win the coveted Fields Medal passed away -- Maryam
Mirzakhani.
Note: Mirzakhani, a professor at Stanford University in
California won the Fields Medal, the equivalent of the
Nobel Prize for Mathematics in 2014.
11. Space scientist and the former chairman of the Indian
Space Research Organization(ISRO) passed away in
Bengaluru-- Prof. 'Udupi Ramachandra Rao.
Note: He initiated the development of the medium
powered GSLV rocket for two-tonne spacecraft in
1991.Prof. Rao was decorated with the Padma Vibhushan
(2017) and the Padma Shri (1976).
away in California, U.S.-- Chester Bennington.
Note: He was best known as the front man for the rock
band Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music
video era and the third-best of the new millennium.
13. Renowned scientist known for his contributions to the
study of cosmic rays passed away at his residence in Noida
___ Professor Yash Pal.
Note: He received the Kalinga Prize (in 2009) awarded by
UNESCO, Padma Bhushan (in 1976) and Padma Vibhushan
(in 2013).
passed away due to heart attack in Bengaluru____ N.
Dharam Singh.
Note: Mr. Singh headed the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular)
coalition government from May 2004 to February 2006.
He represented the Karnataka Legislative Assembly seven
times without a defeat and was a member of the Lok Sabha
from Bidar constituency in 2009 general election.
15. Bollywood actor passed away due to heart attack at his
residence in Andheri Mumbai-- Inder Kumar.
Note: Inder has worked in several popular films like
Wanted’, ‘Tumko Na Bhool Payenge’ ‘Kahin Pyaar Na Ho
Jaaye’ and Akshay Kumar’s 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi.'
Note: Over 1,200 athletes and officials from 43 countries
in Asia witnessed the largest sporting event at Kalinga
Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The official mascot of
the Championship is 'Olly Turtle' that represents the
famous Olive Ridley sea turtle.
3. Tennis star of Serbia defeated Gael Monfils to clinch the
Eastbourne International Men’s Singles title -- Novak
Djokovic.
4. Czech tennis player has defeated Danish Caroline
Wozniacki to win the Eastbourne International Women’s
Singles title -- Karolina Pliskova.
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5. Who has won the 2017 Asian Team Snooker
Championship -- India.
Note:India's leading cueist Pankaj Advani teamed up
with Laxman Rawat to demolish Pakistan in the final of
the Asian Team Snooker Championship in Bishskek,
Kyrgyszstan.
6. The new chief coach of the Indian cricket team till ICC
World Cup 2019 -- Ravi Shastri.
Note: Earlier, the head coach ‘Anil Kumble’ has resigned
from the post after the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
7. Who has topped in the medal tally for first time in the
history of Asian Athletics Championships -- India.
Note: India ended the championships on top with a haul
of 29 medals which included 12 gold, 5 silver,and 12
bronze.
8. The first Indian to complete the 4,900- Kilometers RAAM
(Race Across America) in the solo category -- Gokulnath.
Note: A solo rider has 12 days to finish the race and has
to ride over 400 kilometers a day to finish it in given
time. Sleep is for under 3-hours a day.
9. SLC Board has been appointed as One Day International
(ODI) and T20 captain for the upcoming series against
India-- Upul Tharanga.
10. Who has inaugurated Oorja CRPF Under-19 Football
Talent Hunt Tournament in New Delhi -- Vijay Goel.
Note: This Tournament is being organised as a run up to
under 17 FIFA World Cup by CAPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP, CRPF,
CISF and Assam Rifles.
11. India's spin duo remains at the top two positions in the
ICC Test bowlers' rankings released in Dubai -- Ravindra
Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin.
Note: In the all-rounders chart, Jadeja remains static at
second place, while Ashwin is holding on to the third
spot.
12. Indian women's cricket team skipper has surpassed
former England captain'Charlotte Edwards' (5992 runs)
to become the highest run-scorer in the One-Day
Internationals (ODI) -- Mithali Raj.
Note: Mithali Raj became the first women’s player to
reach 6000 ODI runs. Now, Mithali Raj has 6,028 runs in
181 ODIs at an average of 51.37.
13. Who has won the South Australian Open Squash
tournament 2017 -- Harinder Pal Sandhu.
Note: Harinder Pal Sandhu from India has won the South
Australian Open squash title by defeating Rhys Dowling
in the final by 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 at Adelaide, Australia.
14. Finnish racing driver has won the Formula One Austrian
Grand Prix tournament 2017-- Valtteri Bottas.
Note: Finnish racing driver Valtteri Bottas has won the
2017 Formula One Austrian Grand Prix tournament at
Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.
15. Who has won the gold at World Para Athletics
Championships -- Sundar Singh Gurjar.
Note: Indian athlete Surendra Singh Gurjar has won the
gold in the men's javelin throw event (In the F46
category) at the 2017 World Para Athletics
Championships in London (UK). The 2017 World Para
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Athletics Championships is a track and field meet for
athletes with disabilities, governed by the International
Paralympic Committee, being held at Olympic Stadium in
London.
16. Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has provisionally
suspended Indian shot putter after she tested positive for
banned substances for the second time -- Manpreet
Kaur.
Note: The test was conducted by National Anti-Doping
Officials during the Federation Cup National
Championships held in Patiala from 1st - 4th June.
17. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has
appointed the Indian Cricket team's bowling coach --
Bharat Arun.
Note: Bharat Arun’ coaching career started with Tamil
Nadu in 2002, where he continued to work for four years
and led the team into the finals of Ranji Trophy twice, in
2003 and 2004 respectively.
18. Who bagged the under-15 (boys & girls) titles in the
Dutch Open Junior Squash Championship in Amsterdam,
Netherlands -- Neel Joshi (boy) and Ananya Dabke
(girl).
19. Who has won the first National Masters snooker
tournament title in Chennai -- I H Manudev.
Note: Manudev defeated former Asian champion Alok
Kumar 4-1 to win the National Masters Snooker’s Title.
20. Who has won the Formula One British Grand Prix --
Lewis Hamilton.
Note: Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton is a British Formula
One racing driver who races for the Mercedes AMG
Petronas team. British Grand Prix is currently held at the
Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in
North amptonshire in England.
21. India’s professional squash player has won the Victorian
Open squash tournament in Melbourne, Australia --
Harinder Pal Sandhu.
Note: He defeated top-seed Rex Hedrick (Australia) by
12-14, 11-3, 11-4.
22. Who has won the 2017 Wimbledon title in the men’s
single category -- Roger Federer.
Note: Federer defeated Marin Cilic (Croatia) by 6-3, 6-1,
6-4. It was Federer’s record 8th Wimbledon title and
overall 19th Grand Slam.
23. Who has won Wimbledon Women’s singles title beating
Venus Williams (United States) 7-5, 6-0 -- Garbine
Muguruza.
Note: The 2017 Wimbledon Championships was a
Grand Slam tennis tournament which took place at the
All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in
Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom.
24. Who has won the 2017 ICC women world cup title by
defeating India at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London --
England.
Note: Chasing a target of 229, India being bowled out for
219 in 48.4 overs. Shrubsole (England) who took six
wickets was declared Player of the Match. Tammy
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Beaumont (England) was awarded Player of the Series
title. She had made 410- runs in the tournament.
25. ICC has chosen captain of the ICC Women’s World Cup
2017 team -- Mithali Raj.
Note: The side includes four players from England
(Tamsin Beaumont, Anya Shrubsole, Sarah Taylor and
Alex Hartley), three from South Africa (Laura Wolvaardt,
Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk) three from India
(Harmanpreet Kaur,Deepti Sharma and Mithali Raj) and
Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry.
26. Indian Shuttler has won the 2017 US Open Grand Prix
Gold badminton tournament title at Anaheim -- H S
Prannoy.
Note: In the final match, Prannoy beat Kashyap(India)
21-15, 20-22, 21-12. In the women's singles tournament,
Aya Ohori (Japan) won the final beating Michelle Li
(Canada).
27. India ended their World Para Athletics Championship
campaign with medals -- Five.
Note: The lone Gold came through Sundar Singh Gurjar
in men's javelin throw F-46 event. India bagged two
medals in the high jump, Sharad Kumar won a silver
medal, Varun Bhati bagged bronze medal in the T42
event.
28. Who will host the men's World Championship for the
first time in 2021 -- India
Note: Earlier, the major men's boxing events hosted by
India have been the 1990 World Cup in Mumbai and the
2010 Commonwealth Championships in New Delhi.
29. Indian weightlifter has bagged a gold medal at the Asian
Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships in
Kathmandu, Nepal -- Konsam Ormila Devi.
Note: The weightlifter from Manipur lifted 56kg in
snatch and 70kg in clean & jerk for a total effort of 126kg
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in the 44kg weight category to finish on the top of the
podium.
30. The first Indian to win in the FIA Formula 3
European Championship -- Jehan Daruvala.
31. The world youth champion Indian boxer has clinched a
gold medal in Commonwealth Youth Games Bahamas --
Sachin Siwach.
Note: Siwach defeated Welsh boxer James Nathan
Probert 4-1 in the final to claim the gold in the light
flyweight (49kg) category.
32. Who has won the women's 100m backstroke gold in a
new world-record time at the world aquatics
championships in Budapest -- Kylie Masse.
Note: Earlier, she tied for the bronze medal at the 2016
Summer Olympics in 100 m backstroke.
33. Who has won bronze medal in Asian Youth and Junior
Weightlifting Championships at Kathmandu, Nepal --
Ajay Singh.
Note: He got third place in 77 Kgs men's junior category,
lifting 143 kgs in snatch and 172 kgs in clean and jerk.
34. Who has won the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at
the Hungaroring in Mogyoród -- Sebastian Vettel
(Germany).
Note: The 2017 Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix was
the eleventh round of the 2017 Formula One season and
the 32nd running of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
35. American newest star of the pool has become the first
swimmer to win three gold medals on a single night at
either the worlds or the Olympics -- Caeleb Dressel.
Note: Dressel won the 50m freestyle (22.76) and the
100m butterfly before leading off a world-record
performance in the 4x100-meter mixed freestyle relay.
Dressel has become the second swimmer to win seven
gold medals at a single World Championships, after
Michael Phelps.
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