current affairs december 2014

Govt appoints Shailesh Nayak as ad hoc Chairman of ISRO[31/12/2014]

The government has appointed Shailesh Nayak, secretary in the ministry of earth sciences, as the ad-hoc chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Four State owned banks get new head[31/12/2014]

The Ministry of Finance appointed new head of four state owned bank - R Koteeswaran MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank, P. Srinivas MD and CEO of United Bank of India, Animesh Chauhan MD and CEO of Oriental Bank of Commerce, and Kishore Sansi MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank.

The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) bill [31/12/2014]

The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) bill passed by Parliament in August this year has received President's assent, official sources said. The new law facilitates the setting up of a commission for appointment of judges, replacing the 20-year-old collegium system, which has been under severe criticism. The bill, 124th amendment to the Constitution, grants Constitutional status to the NJAC and its composition which will be headed by the Chief Justice of India. Besides the CJI, the judiciary would be represented by two senior judges of the Supreme Court. Two eminent personalities and the Law Minister will be the other members of the body.

Raghubar Das sworn in as Jharkhands first non tribal CM[28/12/2014]

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raghubar Das became the first non-tribal to take oath on 28th December 2014 as the chief minister of Jharkhand.

Ganguly and Kiran Bedi new Clean India ambassadors[27/12/2014]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi and stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma as brand ambassadors for the “Clean India” campaign.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malviya chosen for Bharat Ratna award[24/12/2014]

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and educationist Madan Mohan Malviya were chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Japan parliament reelects Shinzo Abe as prime minister [24/12/2014]

Japan’s parliament re-elected Shinzo Abe to serve another term as Prime Minister after his party won a snap election earlier this month. Mr. Abe won 328 votes out of the 470 cast by lawmakers in a special session of the lower house. Since the ruling Liberal Democrats hold only two lower house seats, two other lawmakers also cast votes for Mr. Abe.

S Bhattacharya appointed as CMD of Coal India Ltd[24/12/2014]

Senior IAS officer S Bhattacharya has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Coal India Ltd(CIL). The coal major was without a full time chief for the past six months.

New Heads for Central Reserve Police Force and RAW[21/12/2014]

Shri Prakash Mishra, presently working as Special Secretary (IS), Ministry of Home Affairs, is appointed as Director General, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with effect from the date of his joining of the post.

Shri Rajinder Khanna, is appointed as Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing, for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge.

India launches largest rocket and unmanned capsule[18/12/2014]

The 630-tonne Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (MK III) blasted off from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The new rocket will be able to carry heavier satellites into space. India has successfully launched lighter satellites in recent years, but has faced problems sending up heavier payloads. The new rocket is capable of carrying communication satellites weighing 4,000 kg, reports say, meaning India will not have to rely on foreign launchers to do so. The rocket's main cargo was an Indian-made capsule capable of carrying two to three astronauts into space.

Miss World 2014[18/12/2014]

Rolene Strauss representing SOUTH AFRICA has been crowned as the 64th Miss World in 2014.

Ghanta Chakrapani is first TSPSC Chairman[18/12/2014]

Academician, journalist and political commentator Ghanta Chakrapani has been appointed as the first Chairman of the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC).

Pratibha Ray gets Kalinga Ratna award[17/12/2014]

Eminent litterateur and Jnanpeeth award winner Pratibha Ray received the prestigious Kalinga Ratna award given by Sarala Sahitya Sansad.

Jairam Ramesh appointed as a member of UNEPs International Advisory Board[14/12/2014]

Former Union minister Jairam Ramesh has been appointed as a member of a board which provides strategic policy advice to a key UN agency on environmentally-sound technologies for developing nations. The International Advisory Board (IAB) which gives strategic policy advice to the Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the programmatic direction of International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC). The IETC, based in Osaka, Japan, was established with the mandate of providing support to developing countries in transition with environmentally-sound technologies.

Dineshwar Sharma appointed new Intelligence Bureau chief[13/12/2014]

Dineshwar Sharma, Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, was appointed as the agency's new chief and will take charge on 1st January succeeding Syed Asif Ibrahim. A 1979 batch IPS officer from Kerala cadre, Sharma, who has been working with the agency for the past 23 years, will have a two-year tenure.

DRDO Wins Innovation Excellence Award [13/12/2014]

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), has been once again awarded the prestigious Thomson Reuters India Innovation Award- 2014 in category of “Research Institutions”. Shri Avinash Kumar, Additional Director (IPR), DRDO HQ received the award on behalf of DRDO at a function held in Mumbai. The award was adjudged on the basis of patents filed, efficiency and effectiveness of research, the impact of innovations as measured by patent citations and international competitiveness. DRDO had also won the Thomson Reuters India Innovation Award- 2011 in the category of "Hi-Tech Academic & Government".

Pragati Scholarship for Girls [13/12/2014]

To provide encouragement and support to Girl Child to pursue technical education "Pragati Scholarship" has been launched by the Government from the year 2014-15.

Richard Rahul Verma is appointed as US ambassador to India[10/12/2014]

The United States senate confirmed by a voice vote the nomination of Richard Rahul Verma as the next US ambassador to India. Mr. Verma (46) is the first Indian-American to be the U.S. ambassador to India.

Current account deficit widens to $10.1 billion in second quarter[09/12/2014]

India’s current account deficit (CAD) increased to $10.1 billion (2.1 per cent of GDP) in the second quarter of this fiscal from $7.8 billion (1.7 per cent of GDP) in the preceding quarter and $5.2 billion (1.2 per cent of GDP) in the same quarter of 2013-14. "The increase in CAD was primarily on account of higher trade deficit, contributed by a deceleration in export growth and increase in imports," a press release by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 8th December.

Indian Communication Satellite GSAT-16 Launched Successfully [07/12/2014]

India's communication satellite, GSAT-16, was successfully launched on December 7, 2014 by the Ariane-5 launch vehicle VA221 of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane-5 precisely placed GSAT-16 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), after a flight of 32 minutes and 20.4 Seconds duration. GSAT-16 is an advanced communication satellite weighing 3181.6 kg at lift-off and is being inducted into the INSAT/GSAT system. It is configured to carry a total of 48 communication transponders, the largest number of transponders carried by a communication satellite developed by Isro so far, in normal C band, upper extended C band, and Ku band.

Meghalaya get railway after 60 years of Independence[05/12/2014]

Meghalaya was recently added to the country's railway map with Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagging off a first passenger to the northeastern state. With the commissioning of this line, Meghalaya, which was the only state among the seven sisters of the Northeast not having any railway line, has been brought into the Railway Map of India. The Dudhnoi - Mendipathar railway line passes through Goalpara district of Assam. Out of the total length of 19.75 km of the line, 10.26 km falls in Assam and 9.49 km in Meghalaya.

PM Narendra Modi named Asian of the Year by Singapore daily[05/12/2014]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was named "Asian of the Year" for being development-focused leader of India by editors of Singapore's leading daily, The Straits Times.

Shri Anil Kumar Sinha, New CBI Director[02/12/2014]

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Anil Kumar Sinha, IPS as Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge of the post vice Shri Ranjit Sinha, IPS consequent on completion of his tenure on 02.12.2014.

Baichung Bhutia conferred AFC Hall of Fame Award[01/12/2014]

Former Indian national football team captain Baichung Bhutia was honoured with the AFC Hall of Fame Award on occasion of the Asian Football Confederation's 60th anniversary on 30th November at Manila. FIFA president Sepp Blatter presented the award to Baichung.

PM announces Rs 28,000 crore for new rail projects in northeast[01/12/2014]

Focusing on improving connectivity to the northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces Rs 28,000 crore for laying new railway lines in the region and develop the "untapped" tourism potential of the area.

current affairs october 2014

Devendra Fadnavis was taken oath as Maharashtra CM[31/10/2014]

Devendra Gangadharrao Fadnavis was taken oath as 27th Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the second youngest Chief Minister of the State.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas[31/10/2014]

Govt. of India has declare birthday of Sardar Patel on his 139th birthday as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. And celebrate this occasion through various activities mainly "Run For Unity".

Rajiv Mehrishi takes over as Secretry Department of Economic Affairs[31/10/2014]

Shri Rajiv Mehrishi, IAS took over as Secretary Department of Economic Affairs(DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India with effect from the afternoon of 30th October, 2014 and until further orders.

World Childrens Prize for Malala[30/10/2014]

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history, won the World's Children's Prize on, after a global vote involving millions of children. "Millions of children have voted to award Malala this year's World's Children's Prize for the rights of the child". The award was created in 2000 and is part a worldwide educational programme in which children learn about global issues, democracy and their own rights.

Manohar Lal Khattar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Haryana[26/10/2014]

Manohar Lal Khattar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Haryana. 60-year-old Khattar, a first-time MLA from Karnal and a non-Jat leader was administered the oath along with nine ministers by Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki.

India wins another term at UNHRC[22/10/2014]

India received the most number of votes in the Asia-Pacific group of the U.N. Human Rights Council, winning a second consecutive two-year term at the world body. Official sources said this was a reflection of India’s standing in the world. India was a committed supporter of the U.N. human rights system and would continue to work towards strengthening of the Council.

N Gopalaswami appointed as Chairman of Kalakshetra Foundation Chennai[22/10/2014]

The Government has appointed Shri N Gopalaswami as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai. In a notification issued on 21st October, 2014 by Ministry of Culture, Government of India, it is mentioned that Shri N Gopalaswami has been appointed as the Chairman for a term of 5 years from the date of publication of the notification. Shri Gopalaswami was former Chief Election Commissioner of India.

Arvind Subramanian is Chief Economic Adviser[17/10/2014]

The former IMF economist Arvind Subramanian is appointed as the Chief Economic Adviser and Rajasthan cadre IAS officer Rajiv Mehrishi is appointed as the finance secretary, the Narendra Modi government has brought in a new team to steer the economy, five months after it came to power.

Cruise missile Nirbhay test-fired [17/10/2014]

India’s indigenously developed nuclear capable sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’, which can strike targets more than 700 kms away, is test-fired from a test range at Chandipur in Odisha today.

ISRO successfully launches IRNSS 1C navigation satellite [16/10/2014]

ISRO today launched its third navigation satellite IRNSS 1C on board its PSLV rocket from here in the wee hours, moving closer to setting up its own navigation system on par with the GPS of the US. IRNSS 1C is part of the series of seven satellites Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch to put in place what is called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. Today's launch marked the first time that India has conducted four orbital launches in a year .

Narinder Batra elected unopposed as president[14/10/2014]

Narinder Batra was unopposed elected the president of Hockey India while Mushtaque Ahmad was elected secretary general as the national hockey federation elected its new office-bearers for a four-year term.

Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2014[13/10/2014]

Jean Tirole of France, is one of the most influential economists. He has made important theoretical research contributions in a number of areas, but most of all he has clarified how to understand and regulate industries with a few powerful firms. #JeanTirole

IIMB prof Dr Pulak Ghosh appointed to UN Secretary Generals group[11/10/2014]

Dr Pulak Ghosh, Professor at the Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore, has been appointed as a member of the UN Secretary-General's Big Data Privacy Advisory Group. Ghosh, Professor, Quantitative Methods & Information Systems Area at IIMB, has been appointed as member of the Data Privacy Advisory Group of Global Pulse - the UN Secretary-General's Big Data innovation initiative, the institute said in a release on 11^th October 2014.

PM launches Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana[11/10/2014]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today launched the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, calling it a scheme that would open the door for good politics, and inviting all MPs to select a village to develop on a demand-driven, rather than a supply-driven model, with people's participation. The Prime Minister said that development in villages was often supply-oriented. The Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, would however have three distinct features - it would be (a) demand driven (b) inspired by society (c) based on people's participation.

2014 Nobel Peace Prize[10/10/2014]

The Nobel Peace Prize 2014 was awarded jointly to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzay "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education".

2014 Nobel Prize in Literature[10/10/2014]

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2014 was awarded to Patrick Modiano "for the art of memory with which he has evoked the most ungraspable human destinies and uncovered the life-world of the occupation".

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014[09/10/2014]

Americans Eric Betzig and William Moerner and German scientist Stefan W. Hell won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for developing new methods that let microscopes see finer details than they could before.

Nobel prize for Medicine and Physics[07/10/2014]

Isamu Akasaki (Japan), Hiroshi Amano (Japan), Shuji Nakamura (Japan) won the Nobel prize in Physics for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources.

John O´Keefe(UK), May-Britt Moser and Edvard I. Moser (Norway) won the Nobel prize in Medicine for their discoveries of cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain.

Thomas Kailath wins US National Medal of Science[04/10/2014]

Thomas Kailath, a Pune educated Indian-American engineering professor at Stanford University, is one of the recipients of the US National Medal of Science announced by President Barack Obama. Kailath is also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, one of India's high civilian awards and is a member of major science and engineering academies in India.

PM Narendra Modi launches Swachh Bharat campaign[02/10/2014]

Wielding a broom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd October launched the 'Swachh Bharat' campaign, a cleanliness drive across India, on Gandhi Jayanti. More than 2,500 students from close to 50 government schools in Delhi took the 'Swachhta Shapath' along with Modi as he inaugurated his ambitious 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'.

Current Affairs for November 2014

Russian Film Leviathan gets the Golden Peacock at the 45th IFFI [30/11/2014]

The Russian Film ‘Leviathan’ has been awarded the Golden Peacock at the 45th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). The award was given to Director Andrey Zvyagintsev as well as producers Alexander Rodnyansky and Sergey Melkumov. Governor of Goa Mrs Mridula Sinha and veteran actress Waheeda Rehman jointly presented the award to the director Andrey Zvyagintsev at a glittering closing ceremony of the 45th IFFI at Goa.

New Chairperson assumes office at Appellate Tribunal for Electricity[28/11/2014]

Mrs. Ranjana Prakash Desai, former Judge of Supreme Court has taken over the charge of Chairperson, Appellate Tribunal for Electricity, New Delhi. She was administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy in the presence of other members and officers of the Tribunal and office bearers of Energy Bar Association, APTEL.

Anoop Mishra new Lok Sabha Secretary General[27/11/2014]

Anoop Mishra, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, will be the new Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced the appointment on Wednesday. Mr. Mishra, a former IAS officer of the 1978 batch, will have the rank and status of Cabinet Secretary with effect from December 1, 2014 to November 30, 2016 or until further orders.

Sania named UN Goodwill Ambassador[26/11/2014]

Sania Mirza was named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the South Asian region by UN Women. Described as a “woman of achievement” and “youth icon”, Sania will undertake initiatives to promote women empowerment in the region.

18th SAARC Summit[26/11/2014]

The 18th SAARC Summit begins at Kathmandu on 26th November 2014, with focus on deeper integration among the eight South Asian neighbours, amid high hopes that the leaders of India and Pakistan will meet to break their diplomatic ice.

PM Narendra Modi and Sushil Koirala flag-off Kathmandu-Delhi bus service[25/11/2014]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala today flagged off the Kathmandu-Delhi bus service called Pashupatinath Express from here. The route, the bus service will follow would be from Kathmandu, Bhairawa, Sanauli, Gorakhpur, Lucknow and New Delhi.

Shri Ajit Doval, NSA, appointed as the Special Representative of India[24/11/2014]

Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser (NSA), has been appointed as the Special Representative of India to conduct boundary negotiations and strategic consultations with China.

Magnus Carlsen crowned world champion[23/11/2014]

In the eleventh game of the World Chess Championship, Viswanathan Anand playing with black pieces lost to Magnus Carlsen. With this win Carlsen has successfully defended his World Champion title.

Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana[21/11/2014]

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the launch of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) with components (i) to separate agriculture and non agriculture feeders facilitating judicious rostering of supply to agricultural and non-agricultural consumers in rural areas and (ii) strengthening and augmentation of sub transmission and distribution infrastructure in rural areas, including metering of distribution transformers/feeders/consumers. The estimated cost of the scheme for above two components is Rs.43,033 crore which includes the requirement of budgetary support of Rs.33,453 crore from Government of India over the entire implementation period.

Rajinikanth conferred Centenary Award at IFFI[21/11/2014]

South Indian cinema’s superstar Rajinikanth was bestowed with the Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year at the opening ceremony of the 45th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

China commits $45.6 bn for economic corridor with Pakistan[21/11/2014]

The Chinese government and banks will finance Chinese companies to build $45.6 billion worth of energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan over the next six years, according to new details of the deal seen by Reuters. The Chinese companies will be able to operate the projects as profit-making entities, according to the deal signed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a visit to China earlier this month.

India thrash Nepal 6-0 to clinch SAFF Womens Championship[21/11/2014]

Indian women's football team beat Nepal in the 3rd SAFF Championship Football tournament to win their third title in the regional tournament at Islamabad.

Kotak Mahindra Banks acquisition of ING Vysya Bank [20/11/2014]

Kotak Mahindra Bank's acquisition of ING Vysya Bank is the country's first ever amalgamation of a profit earning entity post the global financial meltdown in 2008. Kotak Mahindra Bank announced amalgamation with ING Vysya Bank in a over Rs 15,000 crore deal. Post merger, the combined entity will have market capitalisation larger than Rs 1 lakh crore.

Rajiv Mehrishi appointed on board of governors of Asian Development Bank[18/11/2014]

Rajiv Mehrishi, Finance Secretary and Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India has been appointed as India's Alternate Governor on the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank.

FM to Relaunch Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP)[17/11/2014]

FM to Relaunch Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP). Available to the Investors in the Denomination of Rs. 1000, 5000, 10,000 and 50,000, with no Upper Ceiling on Investment. Investment made in the KVP will Double in 100 Months.

Kidambi Srikanth and Saina won China Open Series Premier[16/11/2014]

World No. 16 Kidambi Srikanth caused a huge upset in the final of China Open Super Series Premier as he stunned the former World No. 1, two time Olympic Champion, five time World Champion and local favorite Lin Dan. This is Srikanth’s first ever Super Series title and first ever title won by an Indian player in men’s singles category. And Saina Nehwal clinched her maiden China Open by defeating Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in women's single category.

G20 summit opens in Australia[15/11/2014]

Australia's prime minister vowed that world leaders would deliver on an initiative to add $2 trillion to global GDP, promising freer trade and more investment in infrastructure as heads of the 20 largest economies began cementing plans to drag sagging growth out of the doldrums. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has repeatedly promised this year's Group of 20 gathering in the Australian city of Brisbane would be more than a talkfest, said the growth plans would add millions of jobs and boost global GDP by "more than 2 percent" above expected levels over the next five years.

US and China announce historic climate accord[14/11/2014]

China and the United States, the world’s two largest carbon polluters, on 12th November 2014 announced ambitious plans to cut down on greenhouse gas emission over the next two decades. The landmark agreement, signed between President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping in Beijing, says that the US will cut down emissions by about 28 percent below 2005-levels by 2025. China has pledged to achieve the "peaking of carbon dioxide emissions around 2030 and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20 percent by 2030."

Rohit Sharma created history in one day cricket [13/11/2014]

Rohit Sharma created history by smashing the highest individual ODI score with a breathtaking knock of 264 as India thrashed Sri Lanka by 153 runs in the fourth cricket one-dayer. He scored his 264 off only 173 balls that had 33 fours and seven sixes.

PM launches Jeevan Pramaan Digital Life Certificate for Pensioners[10/11/2014]

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today launched "Jeevan Pramaan" – an "Aadhar-based Digital Life Certificate" for pensioners, in a move that could eventually benefit over a crore pensioners.

Salgaocar FC wins Durand Cup[09/11/2014]

Salgaocar FC, Goa win over Pune FC to emerge Durand Cup champion for the third time at Margao.

Modi among Forbes worlds most powerful people[06/11/2014]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his debut among the world’s most powerful people, ranked 15th on the Forbes list topped by Russian President Vladimir Putin who pipped his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama for a second year in a row. The list of 72 most powerful people in the world also included the names of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani at 36th, ArcelorMittal Chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal at 57th and Microsoft’s Indian-born CEO Satya Nadella at 64th.

Anita Kapur is new CBDT Chairperson[05/11/2014]

Senior IRS officer Anita Kapur has been appointed as the new chairperson of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the apex authority of the Income Tax department.

Vijay Kelkar new NIPFP chairperson[03/11/2014]

Thirteenth Finance Commission Chairman Vijay Laxman Kelkar has been appointed as Chairperson of the Finance Ministry’s think-tank National Institute of Public Finance & Policy (NIPFP). He replaces former Reserve Bank governor C. Rangarajan.

Pankaj Advani clinched the World billiards championship[01/11/2014]

Pankaj Advani clinch the World billiards championship (timed format) in Leeds and bagging record 12 world titles. He became the first player ever to win titles in both formats thrice, following his double in 2005 and 2008.

State Foundation Day[01/11/2014]

1st November Celebrate as State Foundation day of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh and Haryana Day.

current affairs september 2014

Justice H L Dattu sworn in as Chief Justice of India[28/09/2014]

Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu was sworn in as the 42nd Chief Justice of India by President Pranab Mukherjee. 63years old Justice Dattu took oath in the name of God at a brief ceremony held at the chandeliered Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Kapil Dev honoured[26/09/2014]

Cricket legend Kapil Dev has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at a ceremony in the House of Lords. The award, constituted by the Indo-European Business Forum, was presented to Dev on 24th September 2014 for his contribution to the sport and for his work to uplift poor.

Mars Mission: India creates history[24/09/2014]

ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) on 24th September 2014, successfully entered the orbit of the red planet. With this, India has become the first nation in the world to have entered the Mars orbit in the first attempt. ISRO's MOM is also the cheapest such mission till now. #MarsOrbiter

Ex UN envoy Hardeep Singh Puri named Secretary General of ICM[23/09/2014]

India's former Ambassador to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri has been appointed Secretary General of a commission, launched by a global think tank, that is aimed at identifying policy proposals to enhance the multilateral system's ability to respond to evolving global challenges.

The Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), launched by International Peace Institute (IPI), will be chaired by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and co-chaired by Foreign Minister of Norway Bo.

Shweta Chaudhary wins bronze in womens 10m air pistol[20/09/2014]

Shweta Chaudhary helped India get its first medal in the 2014 Asian Games after she won the bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol at the Ongnyeon International Shooting Range.

Lalitha Kumaramangalam is NCW chief[18/09/2014]

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s national executive member, Lalitha Kumaramangalam, has been appointed chairperson of the National Commission for Women.

Adil Zainulbhai to head Quality Council of India[17/09/2014]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appointed former McKinsey India Chairman Adil Zainulbhai as the Chairman of Quality Council of India (QCI). An autonomous body under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

Raghunath Anant Mashelkar to chair expert panel on Swachh Bharat campaign[15/09/2014]

Scientist Raghunath Anant Mashelkar, former director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, has been named the chair of an expert panel to recommend best technologies for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Swachh Bharat" national sanitation campaign.

The membership of India in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation initiated[12/09/2014]

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) today set the ball rolling to make India a member of the security bloc which will give the world's largest democracy a greater say on issues like combating terrorism and participation in major oil and gas projects in Central Asia. The annual Summit of the SCO attended among others by Presidents of Russia, China, Afghanistan and Iran, cleared administrative hurdle to grant membership to India, Pakistan and Iran to the China-dominated grouping .

Rohan Bopanna to receive Davis Cup Commitment Award[12/09/2014]

Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna will be awarded the Davis Cup Commitment Award in Bangalore on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing World Group play-off tie against Serbia, it was announced by International Tennis Federation (ITF).

Shri Subash Chandra Garg, IAS, appointed as Executive Director World Bank[10/09/2014]

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Subash Chandra Garg, IAS, as Executive Director, World Bank for a period of three years with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders.

Marin Cilic clinch U.S. Open Men's Single Title[09/09/2014]

Marin Cilic of Croatia clinch U.S. Open Men's Single Title defeating Kei Nishikori of Japan.

Serena Williams clinch US Open Title [08/09/2014]

Serena Williams of USA won the 18th Grand Slam title of her career, beating Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3, 6-3 to claim a third consecutive Womens SIngle trophy at the US Open.

Makarova, Vesnina win US Open doubles title[07/09/2014]

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia clinched the Women's Doubles title by defeating Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Flavia Pennetta of Italy.

Sania Mirza-Bruno Soares clinch U.S. Open mixed doubles title[06/09/2014]

Sania Mirza of India and Bruno Soares of Brazil defeat Abigail Spears of USA and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico to clinched mixed doubles Grand Slam crown in U.S. Open Tennis. #SaniaMirza #USOpenTennis

Sathasivam sworn in as Kerala Governor[05/09/2014]

Former chief justice of India (CJI) P. Sathasivam was sworn in as the new Governor of Kerala.

Tata house, temple win UNESCO award[05/09/2014]

Mumbai’s Esplanade House, once the residence of Jamsetji Tata, founder of the Tata empire, and the Shri Sakhargad Nivasini Devi Temple Complex in Satara are among the 14 projects from 10 countries that bagged the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards that were announced in Bangkok on 2nd September. The awards recognise efforts of private individuals and organisations in restoring and conserving heritage structures and buildings.

INS Sumitra Commissioned by Admiral RK Dhowan[05/09/2014]

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral RK Dhowan, commissioned INS Sumitra (fourth indigenous Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel) into the Indian Navy at an impressive ceremony held at Chennai.

Shri Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu to be Chief Justice of India[05/09/2014]

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Handyala Lakshminarayanaswamy Dattu, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 28th September, 2014.

India slips to 71st rank in global competitiveness list[03/09/2014]

India has slipped to 71st position -- the lowest among BRICS countries - in an annual global competitiveness list, where Switzerland remains on top. The annual list, released today by Geneva-based World Economic Forum (WEF), comes at a time when the new Indian government has completed 100 days in power and has promised further steps to revive its economy and the ease of doing business in the country.

As per the Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15, Switzerland is the most competitive economy, followed by Singapore and United States. Other countries in the top ten are Finland (4), Germany (5), Japan (6), Hong Kong SAR (7), Netherlands (8), United Kingdom (9) and Sweden (10).

China, which has improved its position by one place to 28th spot, leads the BRICS grouping, among which India has the least ranking. Russia is ranked at 53rd position, followed by South Africa (56) and Brazil (57), India's decline of 11 places to 71st.

G. K. Reddy Award for Vinod Mehta [03/09/2014]

Eminent journalist and Editorial Chairman of Outlook group Vinod Mehta has been chosen for the G.K. Reddy Memorial Award 2014. The award, given for outstanding contribution to journalism, was founded by Member of Parliament and Chairman of the TSR Foundation, T. Subbarami Reddy. It carries a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh, a gold medal and a citation

Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Abhiraj Commissioned[02/09/2014]

The Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Abhiraj, the fourth in the series of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, was commissioned on 02 Sep 2014 at Tuticorin by Vice Adm SPS Cheema Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command in the presence of Inspector General SP Sharma Commander Coast Guard Region (East).

The 50 meter indigenous FPV displaces 290 tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots with an endurance of 1500 nautical miles at an economical speed of 13 knots. The ship is equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and advanced communication and navigational equipment. The ship makes an ideal platform for undertaking multifarious missions such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation. The special features of the ship include an Integrated Bridge Management System (IBMS), Integrated Machinery Control System (IMCS) and an integrated gun mount with indigenous Fire Control System (FCS). The ship which has been named ICGS “Abhiraj”, literally meaning “Brilliant”, will be based at Tuticorin and will be under administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East).