
December 2021 - 1st to 7th
1. Barbados becomes the World’s newest republic.
- Barbados has become the World’s newest republic, around 400 years after it became a British colony. Barbados is said to have been made a ‘slave society by the British.
- It first became an English colony in 1625. It gained its independence in 1966. Barbados, the Caribbean Island nation, removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the state.
- Dame Sandra Prunella Mason took over as the President of Barbados. He was selected to become the first president of Barbados in October 2021.
- He was selected as President of Barbados, at a joint meeting of both the Houses of Parliament of Barbados. His name was announced by Speaker of the House of Assembly, Arthur Holder.
2. Sweden elects 1st Female Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.
- The former Finance Minister of Sweden, Eva Magdalena Andersson from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) won her 2nd election and became the 1st female Prime Minister (PM) of Sweden.
- On 24 November 2021, she was first elected as the PM but later resigned after her coalition partner (Green Party) quit the government and the budget failed to pass. Sweden’s Parliament is known as Riksdag. Sweden is the last Nordic country to get a female Prime Minister.
- Magdalena Andersson was born on 23 January 1967. She is a 54-year-old Swedish politician and economist serving as the PM from the Social Democratic Party or SDP.
- She began her political career as a political adviser to then PM Goran Persson in 1996 and then as Director of Planning.
- In 2004 she began to work in the Ministry of Finance as State Secretary.
- She became the head of the SDP on November 4, 2021. She is the second woman leader of the SDP.
3. Gita Gopinath to replace Okamoto as IMF’s No. 2 official.
- International Monetary Fund Chief Economist, Gita Gopinath is set to take over from Geoffrey Okamoto as the institution’s No. 2 official. It is going to be a historic movement when International Monetary Fund has the female at its first two leading positions.
- The IMF has done some changes in the roles and responsibilities of the fund’s senior management team. In which they introduced deputy managing director for the first time and it is gone to the first female named Indian born economist Gita Gopinath.
- The move comes as a surprise because Gopinath, the first woman to serve as the IMF’s chief economist, had said in October she planned to rejoin Harvard University in January to retain her tenured facility post after three years of public service.
4. Adama Barrow wins second term as Gambia’s President.
- The President of Gambia, Adama Barrow, won the second term as President during Gambia’s presidential election by achieving over 53% votes from 50 of 53 constituencies. He defeated his main challenger Ousainou Darboe who won 27.7% of vote.
- The results of the election were declared by Electoral commission Chairman Alieu Momarr Njai. Adama Barrow’s assumption as President 5 years ago ended more than 20 years of the dictatorship of former dictator Yahya Jammeh.
1. 1st Indian Young Water Professionals Programme launched.
- The First Edition of the Indian Young Water Professionals Programme was launched virtually. The program was taken up under National Hydrology Project.
- The India Young Water Professional Programme is unique and different from typical capacity building and training programs. It focuses on the engaged Training and Learning Model.
- 70% of this program is focused on project-based learning by means of Situation Understanding and Improvement Projects (SUIP).
- It also focuses on gender equality and diversity, since sustainable water management can only benefit from the skills and views of all members of society.
- For the first edition of the programme, about 20 participants have been selected, comprising of 10 men and 10 women, from central & state implementing agencies of the National Hydrology Project.
2. All India Radio launches youth programme AIRNxt.
- All India Radio has decided to begin a new programme called AIRNxt to offer youth a platform to air their voices as part of the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
- AIR stations will allow youngsters from local colleges, universities to take part in programming, allowing them to discuss and curate youth-centric shows.
- This way, the youth can air their big dreams and define the future of India. It is the biggest single theme show on All India Radio involving thousands of youth and hundreds of Educational Institutions across the country. This talent hunt show #AIRNxt will be broadcast in all major Indian languages and dialects.
3. India, Bangladesh to celebrate Maitri Diwas on 6 December.
- India and Bangladesh have decided to celebrate December 6, the day on which India formally recognized Bangladesh, as “Maitri Diwas” (Friendship Day).
- During the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021 to attend the national day of Bangladesh, it was decided to commemorate 6 December as Maitri Diwas (Friendship Day).
- Ten days before the liberation of Bangladesh, India had recognized Bangladesh on 6 December 1971. India was one of the first countries to establish bilateral diplomatic ties with Bangladesh.
- The Maitri Diwas is being commemorated in 18 countries around the world apart from Dhaka and Delhi. These countries are Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, Qatar, Singapore, UK, Australia, France, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE and USA.
- The holding of Maitri Diwas is a reflection of the deep and abiding friendship between the people of India and Bangladesh that have been forged in blood and shared sacrifices.
4. India-ITU joint CyberDrill 2021 for Indian entities.
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Department of Telecommunications operating under the Ministry of Communications conducted a Joint Cyber Drill 2021.
- The cyber drill was conducted for the Critical Network Infrastructure operators of India. The Critical Network Infrastructure are the systems, assets and networks that are essential to ensure the security of a country.
- It aims to improve the cyber security readiness of India. Also, it aims to improve the protection and incident response capability of the country.
- During the cyber drill, the cyberattacks and information security incidents were simulated. And the participants were trained to defend and respond against such incidents. Thus, the drill helped to test the cyber capabilities of an organization.
5. Earth Station of Doordarshan Kendra inaugurated in Gorakhpur.
- Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath inaugurated Earth Station of Doordarshan Kendra at Gorakhpur.
- Three FM stations of All India Radio were also inaugurated virtually on the occasion. This will be the second earth station of Doordarshan in Uttar Pradesh and it is being built at a cost of Rs.7 crore.
- This Earth Station will enable the programmes generated at the local level to be telecast live through DTH across the world. The Earth Station at Doordarshan Kendra Gorakhpur will be a boon to local Bhojpuri artists as they have been demanding it for a long.
- Three FM stations of All India Radio were inaugurated today are at Etawah, Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts. The addition of these FM stations will further enhance the reach of All India Radio, especially, in the Indo-Nepal border areas.
6. India will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024.
- The nation will have nine nuclear reactors by 2024 and a new nuclear project, the first in northern India, will come up 150 kms away from Delhi in Gorakhpur of Haryana, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.
- By 2024, India will have nine nuclear reactors plus 12 new additional ones which were approved during the Covid times with a capacity of 9000 MW.
- The minister said that nuclear energy will soon emerge as one of the most important sources of alternative or clean energy for the increasing power demand of the country.
- India is counting on its nuclear program to help meet its Paris climate commitments to reduce the emissions intensity of its economy by a third from 2005 levels by 2030.
7. PM Modi inaugurated multiple projects worth Rs 18,000 crore in Uttarakhand.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple projects worth Rs 18,000 crore at Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
- The 11 projects for which the foundation has been laid include the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor which will be built at a cost of Rs 8,300 crore. It will have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor (12 kilometers) for unrestricted wildlife movement. The expressway will reduce the distance between the two cities from 248 km at present to 180 km.
- PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Dehradun – Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 1700 crore.
- The 120 MW Vyasi hydro-electricity project, a 38-km long stretch between Devprayag and Shrikot on NH-58 and a widened 33 km stretch between Brahmapuri and Kaudiyala on Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway were among the other crucial projects inaugurated by PM Modi on Saturday.
- He also announced that the services of three new medical colleges would soon be available in the state.
1. Nagaland Police launches ‘Call Your Cop’ mobile app.
- Nagaland DGP T. John Longkumer officially launched the ‘Call your Cop’ mobile App at Police Headquarters in Kohima. The App was developed by Excellogics Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd.
- The App will enable all citizens of the state especially those in distress to get in touch directly with the police as easily available with just one click away.
- The features in the App include a directory, alerts, tourist tips, SOS, nearest police station and search. Citizens can download the app from the google store on any android phone. One can download the app from the google store. With this app, you can also receive notifications like news, updates, advisory, etc.
2. Varanasi became 1st Indian city to start Ropeway Service.
- Varanasi, a city in Uttar Pradesh is all set to become the first Indian city to start ropeway service as a mode of public transport in order to ease the traffic congestion.
- The proposed ropeway will be constructed between Cantt Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church Square (Godauliya) covering an aerial distance of 3.45 km.
- Its outlay is over Rs 400 crore which is divided between Central Government and State Government at 80:20. India will be the third country in the world after Bolivia and Mexico to use a ropeway for public transport.
3. Nagaland celebrates its 59th Statehood Day.
- Nagaland is celebrating its 59th Statehood Day on 1 December 2021. Nagaland was granted statehood on December 1, 1963, with Kohima being declared as its capital.
- Prior to this, Naga leaders and the central government reached an agreement to create a separate region of the Naga Hills in 1957. The State of Nagaland Act, 1962, was thus enacted by the Parliament to give Nagaland statehood.
- According to the Article 371-A, no act of Parliament would apply to the State of Nagaland in a matter relating to religious or social practices of Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil or criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law and ownership and transfer of land and its resources.
- Nagaland is the first state in the northeast to be bifurcated from Assam as the 16th State of the Indian Union.
4. Himachal Pradesh Police honored with ‘President’s Colour’ award.
- Himachal Pradesh Police has conducted the ‘President’s Colour Award’ ceremony at Shimla’s historic Ridge Ground. The Governor bestowed the ‘President’s Color Award’ to the State Police on this occasion.
- Director-General of Police Sanjay Kundu received the award on the behalf of state police. The Chief Guest was Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, while Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was also there as a special guest. Himachal Pradesh Police is India’s eighth state police force to receive this honor.
- ‘President Colour’ is a special achievement, demonstrating that the state police ranks highly in the service of humanity, as well as performance, professionalism, integrity, human rights protection, and other factors.
5. Hornbill Festival celebrated in Naga Heritage village Kisama.
- The biggest cultural extravaganza of Nagaland, the Hornbill Festival has kicked off with colorful renditions of traditional music, dances, and contemporary in one roof at Naga Heritage village Kisama.
- It is the 22nd edition of the Hornbill festival and will be celebrated in 6 districts of Nagaland. More than 282,800 people visited the festival during the 20th edition in 2019, including over 3,000 foreign tourists and at least 55,500 domestic visitors.
6. Jharkhand CM launched ‘Hamar Apan Budget’ Web Portal.
- Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren has launched a web portal named ‘Hamar Apan Budget’ and a mobile application prepared by the state finance Department from the Chief Minister’s residential office in Ranchi.
- Through this portal, the general public of the state can share their suggestions for the 2022-23 budget.
- The public can give suggestions through Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and e-mail and also through the app by downloading the ‘Hamar Budget’ from Google Playstore for Android phones.
7. RBI: Gujarat became India’s Largest Manufacturing Hub.
- Gujarat has left behind Maharashtra to become the country’s leading manufacturing hub, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- Gujarat saw its Gross Value Addition (GVA) in manufacturing grow by 15.9 per cent annually between FY12 to FY20 to stand at Rs 5.11 lakh crore, data shows. GVA is an economic metric that measures the supply of goods and services in an economy.
- Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s annual growth rate stood at nearly half of Gujarat’s at 7.5 per cent for the same time period and its GVA for manufacturing stood at Rs 4.34 lakh crore in FY20. Maharashtra is still the leading provider of services in India, with the state’s services GVA growing by 12.6 per cent annually, standing at Rs 15.1 lakh crore in FY20.
1. White-label ATMs : India1 Payments installed 10,000 white-label ATMs.
- India1 Payments has crossed a milestone on deploying 10000 white-label ATMs, which was called as “India1ATMs”. India1 Payments is IPO-bound and is promoted by the Banktech Group of Australia.
- It was formerly known as BTI Payments. India1 ATM has become the second-largest white label ATM brand on semi-urban and rural areas. With the deployment of 10000 ATMs, India1 Payments has become the largest player in this segment.
- The Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) which are set up, owned and operated by non-bank entities are known as “White Label ATMs” (WLAs). Non-bank entities which are incorporated in India, under the Companies Act 1956, are allowed to run WLAs.
2. SBI listed USD 650-million Green Bonds on India INX and LuxSE.
- State Bank of India (SBI) listed its USD 650-million green bonds simultaneously on the India International Exchange (India INX) and the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE).
- This dual listing is in line with 2021’s topic of the World Investor Week (WIW), ‘sustainable finance’, as indicated by the regulatory body International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA). India INX has now emerged as the leading bond listing venue with over $33 billion.
1. New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel 3rd Bowler to take 10 Wickets in an Innings.
- New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel became the third cricketer to scalp all 10 wickets in an innings. The left-arm spun a web around India’s batting order and bowled 47.5 overs, conceding 119 runs. New Zealand bundled out India for 325 on the second day of the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
- In 1956, England bowler Jim Laker had taken 10 wickets in an innings against Australia and decades later, India’s Anil Kumble, too, achieved the incredible feat against Pakistan in 1999. At the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, Kumble had made a perfect 10 to bundle out Pakistan and clinch the game.
2. Argentina beat six-time champions Germany to lift Junior hockey world cup.
- Argentina showcased its organized game with great composure to beat six-time champion German side 4-2 and win the title after 16 years in the men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium.
- Argentina has become the only third team after Germany (six wins) and India (2001, 2016) to win multiple Junior Hockey WC titles. Defending champions India finished fourth in the junior hockey world cup 2021 after losing 1-3 to France in the third-place match.
1. Government collected Rs 1.31 lakh crores as GST for November.
- The gross GST revenue collected in the month of November 2021 is Rs 1,31,526 crores. The CGST was Rs 23,978 crore, SGST is Rs 31,127 crore. The IGST was Rs 66,815 crores (of this Rs 32,165 crores was collected from the goods imported).
- The cess collected was Rs 9,606 crores (This includes Rs 653 crores from the imported goods). The GST revenue collected for the month of November is 25% higher than the GST revenue of November 2020. And is 27% higher than GST revenue collected in November 2019.
2. India’s GDP : Ind-Ra projected India’s GDP 9.4% in FY22.
- The rating agency, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Second Quarter of Financial Year-2022 (Q2 FY22) at 3 per cent and in FY22 at 9.4 per cent.
- Workplace mobility in Q1 FY22 was 26 per cent lower than the baseline and 16 per cent lower year-on-year than the baseline at The government’s capital expenditure (capex) grew 51.9 per cent in Q2 FY22 as against 26.3 per cent in Q2 FY21.
3. DBS revises India’s FY2023 growth forecast to 7 per cent.
- The Singapore-based DBS Bank’s economic research team has revised India’s FY23 growth forecast upwards to 7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) (CY2022 6.5 per cent) from 6 per cent earlier.
- The DBS team assessed that into FY23, beyond the thrust from reopening gains, precautionary savings and sectoral normalization to pre-pandemic levels, Capex generation is likely to be the next driver in raising and maintaining growth on a higher plane.
4. OECD projected India growth forecast to 9.4% for FY22.
- Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) decreased India’s growth forecast to 9.4% for FY22 from 9.7% estimated in September 2021. It has projected the Indian economy to grow at 8.1% in FY23, and moderate to 5% in FY24. OECD lowered the global growth forecast for 2021 to 5.6% from 5.7% earlier.
- According to OECD, low-skilled domestic migrants and urban workers, who faced the brunt of employment shocks in both waves of the pandemic in India, have yet to see their earnings return to pre-pandemic levels.
5. GDP Growth: S&P projected India’s GDP growth forecast at 9.5% in FY22.
- S&P Global Ratings has retained the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast of India unchanged at 9.5 percent for the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) and 7.8 per cent for the year ending FY23.
- GDP growth projection of India was revised for FY 24 to 6 per cent from 5.7 percent estimated earlier. Rising inflation is a pressure point, unlike elsewhere in emerging Asia, but external demand continues to support growth, S&P noted.
6. Goldman Sachs: India’s GDP to grow 9.1% in 2022.
- Wall Street brokerage, Goldman Sachs has estimated India’s GDP growth at 9.1 per cent in 2022.
- After India’s economy contracted by a sharp 7 per cent in 2020, Goldman Sachs pegged the economy to grow at 8 per cent in 2021 and 9.1 per cent in 2022. It earlier estimated India’s economic growth to 11.1 per cent in the fiscal year to March 31, 2022.
1. Cambridge Dictionary names ‘perseverance’ Word of the Year 2021.
- Perseverance, a word that captures the undaunted will of people across the world to never give up, despite the many challenges of the last 12 months, is Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2021.
- Perseverance has been looked up more than 243,000 times on the website in 2021, the first time it has made a noticeable appearance. NASA’s Perseverance Rover made its final descent to Mars on 18 February.
2. Nation remembers BR Ambedkar on his 66th death anniversary.
- India observes December 6 as Mahaparinirvan Divas every year to mark the death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who fought for the economic and social empowerment of Dalits in the country.
- He was popularly known as Babasaheb Ambedkar passed away on December 6, 1956. The Union government has decided to celebrate Mahaparinirvan Divas as part of the major commemoration of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
- Ambedkar was posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.
1. Lt Gen Manoj Kuma Mago appoints to head National Defense College.
- Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Mago has taken over as the Commandant of National Defense College (NDC), New Delhi.
- He hails from Ludhiana, was commanding the 10 Corps at Bathinda before being given the assignment at NDC that entails evolving a strategic culture among the country’s senior-most officials of the military, the civilian bureaucracy and the Indian Police Service.
- Lt Gen Mago, who passed out of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Brigade of Guards in 1984. He later commanded 16 Guards.
2. Sambit Patra named as chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation.
- Sambit Patra has been appointed as the chairman of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. IAS officer, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao will hold the post of managing director of ITDC.
- The India Tourism Development Corporation is a hospitality, retail, and education company owned by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism. Earlier, Patra had served as an independent Director of ONGC.
- Appointment of Dr Sambit Patra as Part-Time Non-Executive Director & Chairman of ITDC for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
3. Pradip Shah appointed as Chairman of National Asset Reconstruction Company.
- Pradip Shah, the founder of IndAsia Fund Advisors, has been appointed chairman of the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL). Shah, an MBA from Harvard and chartered accountant, is credited for establishing India’s first and largest housing finance company, HDFC, and rating firm Crisil.
- While Aditya Birla Asset Reconstruction Company managing director Sanjay Jain will be the chief executive of India Debt Resolution Company (IDRCL), the privately-owned asset management company (AMC) mandated to resolve bad loans acquired by NARCL.
4. Alka Upadhyaya appointed as chairperson of NHAI.
- Centre effects major bureaucratic reshuffle. The Centre has appointed Alka Upadhyaya as chairperson of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). A 1990-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Upadhyaya is currently Additional Secretary, Department of Rural Development.
- Other appointments:
- Sanjay Bandopadhyay, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has been named chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, a Personnel Ministry order said.
- Sundeep Kumar Nayak has been appointed as Director-General, National Productivity Council, Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade.
1. SBI signs MoU with Usha International for Empowering Women.
- State Bank of India (SBI) has signed an agreement with Usha International Limited (UIL) for empowering women entrepreneurs by providing financial assistance. The financial assistance will be provided under the Joint Liability Group model.
- This is the first of its kind collaboration between UIL and SBI in coming forward together for the upliftment of the social and economic status of women entrepreneurs in rural areas of the country by making them self-reliant and providing equal opportunity for achieving financial growth and inclusion.
2. Walmart & Flipkart signed an MoU with MP govt to support MSMEs.
- Walmart and its subsidiary Flipkart have signed an MoU with the Department of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Government of Madhya Pradesh to create an ecosystem of capacity building for MSMEs in Madhya Pradesh.
- Under this MoU, Walmart, Flipkart, and MSME Department will assist MSMEs to digitize their business and enable them to sell their products through online retail.
- This initiative comes under the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme (Walmart Vriddhi), delivered by knowledge partner Swasti, which aims to train around 50000 Indian MSMEs with business skills to become successful as suppliers to Walmart, sellers on global marketplace platforms like Flipkart.
- Under this programme, Walmart and Flipkart have partnered with various states including Haryana and Tamil Nadu.
3. India and EU will set up Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
- India and European Union (EU) have agreed to step up their Clean Energy and Climate Partnership. They jointly agreed on a detailed work program until 2023 to implement the 2016 India-EU Clean Energy and Climate Partnership.
- The Panel agreed on increased technical cooperation in energy efficiency, renewable energy, green hydrogen, grid integration, storage, power market design, interconnection, cold chain, and sustainable financing.
- The Panel also agreed to explore further avenues to strengthen India-EU cooperation within the context of the International Solar Alliance. EU expressed its support for the close cooperation between India and the International Energy Agency. India and EU also agreed to exchange closely on clean energy in the frame of G20.
1. GRSE launches first large survey vessel Sandhayak for Indian Navy.
- Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has achieved a new milestone with the launch of the first large survey vessel for the Indian Navy.
- Called Sandhayak, the vessel is the first in the series of four ships being built under the Survey Vessel Large (SVL) project. It has been built at GRSE.
- Indian State Defense Minister Ajay Bhatt, who was present at the launch ceremony, said that the ship’s launch is a new milestone for the country’s vision of ‘New India’ by 2030.
- In October 2018, the Indian Ministry of Defence and GRSE signed the contract to build the four survey ships. Featuring over 80% indigenous content by cost, the ships are fully designed by GRSE and are being built using ‘Integrated Construction’ concepts.
1. National Award-winning Choreographer Shiva Shankar Master passes away.
- The renowned National Award-winning choreographer and actor, Shiva Shankar Master passed away in Hyderabad, Telangana.
- He was born on 7 December 1948 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian dance choreographer, worked in South Indian movies.
- He received the National Award for ‘Best Choreographer’ for the movie ‘Magadheera’.
2. Veteran Telugu film lyricist ‘Sirivennela’ Seetharama Sastry passes away.
- The renowned Telugu film lyricist and Padma Shri awardee, ‘Sirivennela’ Chembolu Seetharama Sastry passed away at the age of 66 years.
- He was born on May 20th, 1955 in Anakapalle village in Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh. He launched his first song in the film, ‘Janani Janmabhoomi’ directed by K Viswanath.
3. Cyclone Jawad to hit Odisha, Andhra and West Bengal.
- The low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into Cyclone Jawad which is likely to reach the north Andhra Pradesh, south Odisha coasts and Some parts of West Bengal.
- The storm, once developed, will be called Jawad (pronounced Jowad), as named by Saudi Arabia. After Yaas in May and Gulab in September, this will be the third cyclone headed towards the east coast this year.
- A rotational list of the names of cyclones is maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with the names specific for each tropical zone. If a cyclone is especially deadly then its name is never used and is replaced by another name. The list has a total of 169 names at present which will be used on a rotational basis.
4. Former Andhra Pradesh CM Konijeti Rosaiah passes away.
- Former Governor of Tamil Nadu and former Chief Minister of the unified State of Andhra Pradesh, Konijeti Rosaiah (89-years) passed away. He had served as MLA, MLC, Lok Sabha members.
- He held several key portfolios including finance, transport, energy in the cabinets headed by Kotla Vijayabhaskhara Reddy, Channa Reddy, and YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
- 5. Veteran journalist Vinod Dua passes away.
- Veteran journalist Vinod Dua passed away recently. He was one of the pioneers in Hindi broadcast journalism, worked with Doordarshan to present the youth programme Yuva Manch in the mid-’70s and later with several other television news channels.
- He was an integral part of NDTV’s journey as well. His much-loved food show ‘Zaika India Ka’ saw him crisscrossing the whole country just for the best taste.
- He was also awarded the Padma Shri for Journalism in 2008 by the Government of India.
1. World AIDS Day 2021 Celebrates on 01st December.
- World AIDS Day is observed across the globe on 1st December every year since 1988.
- The day provides an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness.
- This year the theme of World AIDS Day is End inequalities. End AIDS and End Pandemics. With a special focus on reaching people left behind, WHO and its partners are highlighting the growing inequalities in access to essential HIV services. The day was first marked in 1988 and was also the first-ever international day for global health.
2. BSF celebrates 57th Raising Day on December 01, 2021.
- The Border Security Force (BSF) is celebrating its 57th Raising Day on 01 December 2021. BSF was formed on December 1, 1965 as a unified central agency after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected therewith.
- It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India and stands as the world’s largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed as the First Line of Defense of Indian Territories.
3. National Pollution Control Day 2021.
- National Pollution Control Day is observed on 2nd December every year. The day is observed as a national pollution control day to commemorate the lives of the people who died in the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984.
- The main objective of this day is to educate the people and to make them aware of pollution control acts and industrial disasters. This year will be marked as the 37th national pollution control day. To know more about this day, candidates are advised to read the article below.
- The day is observed in the memory of people who lost their lives in the Bhopal gas disaster. The industrial accident occurred in 1984 when the gas Methyl Isocyanate leaked on the night of December 2–3 and killed thousands.
4. World Computer Literacy Day 2021.
- World Computer Literacy Day is observed on 2nd December every year all over the world. The day is celebrated as the world computer literacy day to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide.
- The day promotes technological skills, especially in children and women, and aims to inspire them to learn more and make their work easier by the use of computers. To know, more about the World Computer Literacy day candidates are advised to read the below article.
- The day was originally founded by the Indian computer company NIIT to mark its 20th anniversary in 2001. World Computer Literacy Day was first observed and held in the year 2001 on 2nd December. As mentioned above, the day is celebrated to create awareness and drive digital literacy in underserved communities worldwide.
5. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: 2 December.
- International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed annually on 2nd December since 1986 by the United Nations General Assembly.
- The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labor, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.
- The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, marks the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) of 2 December 1949).
6. World Day of the Handicapped: 3rd December 2021.
- World Handicapped day also known as the International Day of Persons with disabilities is observed every year on 3rd December globally. The day is marked and observed to support critical issues which are related to the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
- The IDPWD day was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly.The theme of the World Day of the Handicapped 2021 is the Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities.
- The day is celebrated to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.
7. Indian Navy Day : Celebrate The Achievements 04 December.
- In India, December 4 is observed as the National Navy Day every year, to celebrate the achievements and role of the naval force to the country.
- The theme of Indian Navy Day 2021 is ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ signifying 50 years of India’s victory in the Indo-Pakistan war that took place in 1971.
- Indian Navy is a naval branch of Indian armed forces Led by the President of India (commander-in-chief). Back in 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan war, December 4 was chosen to launch Operation Trident against Pakistan.
8. International Day of Banks: 04 December.
- International Day of Banks is celebrated on December 4 to recognize the importance of multilateral and international development banks in financing sustainable developments.
- United Nations also observes the day in recognition of the vital role of banking systems in Member State in contributing to the improvement of the standard of living.
- In 2019, the United Nations General Assembly designated December 4 as the International Day of Banks. It is celebrated for the first time in 2020.
9. World Soil Day observed on 5 December.
- World Soil Day is celebrated every year on December 5 to raise awareness of the importance of soil quality for human well-being, food security and ecosystems.
- World Soil Day 2021 (#WorldSoilDay) and its campaign “Halt soil salinization, boost soil productivity” aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management, fighting soil salinization, increasing soil awareness and encouraging societies to improve soil health.
10. International Civil Aviation Day: 7 December.
- International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated every year on December 7 to recognize the importance of aviation to the social and economic development of the world.
- The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.
- The Council has decided that from now until 2023, the theme will be: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.
11. National Armed Forces Flag Day celebrated on 7th December.
- National armed forces day is also known as the National flag day of India. The day is every year celebrated and observed on 7th December.
- The aim to observe this day as the national armed forces day is to collect funds from the people for the betterment of armed forces. To know more about the national armed forces day, candidates are advised to read the article below.
- A committee was set up on August 28, 1949, under the then Defense Minister of India. The committee decided to observe a Flag Day annually on December 7.
1. Venkaiah Naidu released a Book “‘Democracy, Politics and Governance’.
- Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu on the 72nd anniversary of the adoption of the ‘Constitution of India’ released a book titled “Democracy, Politics and Governance” in English and ‘Loktantr, Rajniti and Dharm’ in Hindi at an event in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi. The book was authored by Dr A. Surya Prakash.
- This book is a collection of articles about the social, political, and economic issues that impacted India’s politics and governance. Dr A. Surya Prakash is a Vice Chairman, Executive Council of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and also a veteran journalist.
2. Narotam Sekhsaria’s autobiography “The Ambuja Story” released soon.
- Former Vice Chairman/Founder/Promoter, Ambuja Cements Ltd, Narotam Sekhsaria has authored his autobiography titled ‘The Ambuja Story: How a Group of Ordinary Men Created an Extraordinary Company’ which is set to be released in December 2021.
- The book features the story of his rise from a small-time cotton trader to setting up one of the largest cement companies in the country, Ambuja cement, one of India’s finest companies.
3. A new book titled “1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories” released.
- A new book that unearths true stories of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, ’1971: Charge of the Gorkhas and Other Stories, written by Rachna Bisht Rawat, was released.
- The book includes, from the story of the flight lieutenant who went missing after his plane crashed inside Pakistan to the ‘last khukri attack’ in modern military history.
- Rachna Bisht Rawat is the author of six books by Penguin Random House India, including the bestsellers The Brave and Kargil.
4. A book on ‘Public Service Ethics’ authored by Prabhat Kumar.
- The Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu launched ‘Public Service Ethics- A Quest for Naitik Bharat’ authored by Prabhat Kumar, published by IC Centre for Governance, at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, New Delhi.
- The book highlights the multiple dimensions element of human character, the practice of ethical principles as a way of life. It marked the importance of accountability, integrity, transparency and trustworthiness of the public governance system.
1. Lionel Messi Wins A Seventh Ballon d’Or.
- Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for a seventh time after being named as the best player in 2021 by France Football.
- Messi scored 41 goals and registered 17 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions for club and country and led Argentina to a long-awaited Copa America win in the summer.
2. V Praveen Rao wins 7th Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for 2017-19.
- Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, V Praveen Rao wins the 7th Dr M S Swaminathan Award for the period 2017-19.
- It is a biennial national (every 2 years) award that was presented by the retired ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) Employees Association (RICAREA) and Nuziveedu Seeds Limited. It carries a cash prize of INR 2 lakh and a citation.
- The Selection Committee, headed by former ICAR Director-General, RS Paroda has decided to select V Praveen Rao for the award recognising his contributions in the fields of ‘agricultural research, teaching, extension and administration’. Praveen Rao handled 13 research and 6 consultancy projects on micro-irrigation in India, Israel and South Africa.
- This prestigious award was instituted in 2004 in honour of Dr M.S. Swaminathan the main architect of India’s Green Revolution.
3. ‘Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism’ by Dinyar Patel wins NIF Book Prize 2021.
- A biography titled ‘Naoroji: Pioneer of Indian Nationalism’, authored by Dinyar Patel and published by Harvard University Press selected as the winner of the 4th Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF (New India Foundation) Book Prize 2021.
- The bookmarked the life events and legacy of Dada Bhai Naoroji. It also contains the historical background of India’s National Movement during the 19th century.
- The prize is named after institution-builder Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay who had contributed significantly to the freedom struggle, women’s movement and other fields.
- The prize is given for the high-quality non-fiction literature on modern and contemporary India and carries a cash award of INR 15 lakh and a citation.
- Instituted – 2018 & Instituted by New India Foundation.
4. Bihar won Gold Medal Award at 40th edition India International Trade Fair.
- Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the 40th edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2021 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. It was organized by the India Trade Promotion Organisation with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ as the theme and to further promote the idea of ‘Vocal for Local’.
- Bihar is the partner state for the 40th IITF and the focus states are Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
- The Bihar pavilion won the 6th gold medal by showcasing the state’s art and cultural richness through handicrafts like Madhubani, Manjusha arts, terracotta, handlooms, and other indigenous products of the state at IITF 2021. Piyush Goyal listed five pillars of India as Economy, Exports, Infrastructure, Demand, and Diversity.
5. Ratan Tata to get Assam’s highest civilian award.
- On the occasion of Assam Divas, the state government of Assam has decided to accolade renowned industrialist Ratan Tata with the ‘Asom Bhaibav’ award, the highest civilian state award for his contribution to cancer care in the state.
- The awards that precede it are Asom Saurav, followed by Asom Gaurav. With healthcare as one of its top priorities, the Assam government is showing its appreciation towards Tata’s push to cancer care in the region.
- The Tata Trust, in collaboration with the Assam government, had decided to set up 19 cancer care units during the ‘Advantage Assam – Global Investment Summit’ in 2018 and an MoU had been signed between the Assam government and Tata Trusts.
6. Nizamuddin Basti project wins two UNESCO heritage awards.
- Nizamuddin Revival Project, India’s project on the holistic urban revitalisation of the historic Nizamuddin Basti community, in New Delhi has won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2021.
- The project involves the meticulous restoration of over 20 historic monuments clustered around the 14th-century mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
- Nizamuddin Revival Project won these awards under 2 categories: Award of Excellence nd Special Recognition for Sustainable Development.
- The jury of Heritage experts honoured 9 projects from 6 countries (Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Thailand) with the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2021.
7. Mathematician Nikhil Srivastava selected for inaugural AMS’s Ciprian Foias Award.
- Indian-American mathematician, Nikhil Srivastava, who teaches at the University of California, Berkeley along with Adam Marcus and Daniel Spielman were awarded the First Ciprian Foias Prize in Operator Theory by the American Mathematical Society (AMS).
- Adam Marcus holds the Chair of Combinatorial Analysis at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland.
- Daniel Spielman is a Sterling Professor of Computer Science, a professor of statistics and data science, and a professor of mathematics.
- The award recognises their highly original work that introduced and developed methods for understanding the characteristic polynomial of matrices, namely the iterative sparsification method (also in collaboration with Batson) and the method of interlacing polynomials.
1. EIU’s Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021 announced.
- Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) has announced the Worldwide Cost of Living Index 2021. According to the Index, Tel Aviv, Israel has become the most expensive city in the world to live in in 2021, pushing Paris, France and Singapore jointly to occupy the second spot with Zurich and Hong Kong at the fourth and fifth spots respectively.
- Tel Aviv climbed from 5th place to the top in 2021 due to the rising value of the Israeli currency shekel against the US Dollar along with the increase in the price of grocery and transport. Syria’s Damascus was ranked as the world’s cheapest city.
- The Worldwide Cost of Living Index examines the cost of living in 173 cities and measures impactful global events. The cost of the living study is conducted twice a year.
2. World Cooperative Monitor report 2021: IFFCO ranks first.
- The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has been ranked ‘number one Cooperative’ among the top 300 cooperatives in the world. The ranking is based on the ratio of turnover over the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
- It signifies that IFFCO is contributing significantly to the GDP and economic growth of the nation. The 2021 edition of the 10th Annual World Cooperative Monitor (WCM) report, withholding its position from the 2020 edition.
- The 2021 WCM report is published by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (Euricse). WCM is a project designed to collect robust economic, organizational, and social data about cooperatives worldwide.
- The report is the 10th annual one and explores the economic and social impact of the largest cooperatives and mutual worldwide, providing a ranking of the top 300, sector rankings, and an analysis of responses to the current global challenges: Covid and climate change.
1. Troika : India joined the G20 ‘Troika’ with Indonesia and Italy.
- India has joined ‘G20 Troika’ and will work closely with Indonesia and Italy to ensure consistency and continuity of G20’s agenda. Apart from India, Troika consists of Indonesia and Italy.
- India will assume G20 Presidency in December 2022 from Indonesia and will convene the G20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in 2023.
- Troika refers to the top grouping within G20 that consists of the current, previous, and incoming presidencies (Indonesia, Italy and India).
2. PM Modi inaugurated thought Leadership Forum on FinTech ‘InFinity Forum’.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a thought leadership forum on FinTech, ‘InFinity Forum’.
- The event was hosted by International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), under the aegis of the Government of India in collaboration with GIFT City and Bloomberg. Indonesia, South Africa and the United Kingdom were the partner countries in the 1st edition of the Forum.
- The Forum focused on the theme of ‘Beyond’ with various sub-themes. The sub-themes include FinTech beyond boundaries, FinTech beyond Finance, and FinTech Beyond Next, with a focus on how Quantum Computing could impact the nature of the Fintech industry in the future and promote new opportunities.
1. Amitabh Kant launches Genesis International’s digital twin platform.
- Genesis International has launched its pan India program to make the Digital Twin of the entire Urban India. The launch programme was inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog.
- The creation of this very accurate 3D data will mean a host of applications would open up in high-definition mapping, which was hitherto not possible, for smart cars, e-commerce, logistics, gaming, utilities planning for next-generation networks in telecom, renewable energy and in disaster management and emergency response.
1. RBI superseded Reliance Capital board & appoints Nageswar Rao as administrator.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) superseded the Board of Directors of Reliance Capital Ltd (RCL), a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), by exercising its power conferred under Section 45-IE (1) of the RBI Act, 1934.
- RCL is promoted by Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance Group. In this regard, the apex bank has appointed Nageswar Rao Y (Ex-Executive Director, Bank of Maharashtra) as the Administrator of the company under Section 45-IE (2) of the RBI Act. The reason behind this is the defaults made by RCL for various debt obligations payments and serious governance concerns.
- The Reserve Bank of India has appointed an advisory committee to advise the administrator of Reliance Capital. The committee includes Sanjeev Nautiyal, ex-DMD of State Bank of India, Srinivasan Varadarajan, ex-DMD of Axis Bank, and Praveen P Kadle, ex-MD & CEO, Tata Capital Limited.
2. ADB approves $500-million loan to improve quality of school education.
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million loan to the Government of India to help improve the quality of the country’s school education and mitigate the impact of the Covid-19) pandemic on students’ learning.
- The loan supports the Integrated Scheme for School Education (Samagra Shiksha) and the new Exemplar School Initiative of the Ministry of Education (MOE) to improve education quality by focusing on inclusive and equitable learning outcomes.
- About 1,800 government schools will be transformed into exemplar schools in Assam, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. Exemplar schools will demonstrate quality learning environments and effective learning, which will become a model for replication in other government schools across the country.