NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. A K
Mohanty appointed as a chairman of new Atomic Energy Commission: Bhabha Atomic Research Centre director, Ajit Kumar Mohanty
has been appointed as the chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission and the secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy for a
tenure up to the age of 66 years (till 10.10.2025). He has replaced K N
Vyas. He was appointed as the BARC director in March 2019. In 1983, he joined
the Nuclear Physics Division of the BARC after graduating from the 26th batch
of the BARC Training School.
2. Ayushman
Bharat Diwas 2023: 30 April: India observed Ayushman Bharat
Diwas every year on April 30 to promote the Ayushman Bharat
Yojana values. In 2018, PM Modi announced the Ayushman Bharat
Yojna to give healthcare coverage to all Indians who cannot
afford basic medical services. This initiative was established along the lines
of universal health care to satisfy one of the United Nations' SDGs -
"leave no one behind." This scheme covers all expenses of patients.
3. The
book ‘Collective Spirit, Concrete Action’ launched: At
the 100th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, a book called ‘Collective Spirit,
Concrete Action’ was launched. This book was written by the former CEO of
Prasar Bharati Shashi Shekhar Vempati. According to the author, ‘Mann Ki Baat’
is a combination of the power of radio and the vision of a nation’s leader. Over
the course of 15 chapters, the book special also offers insights and
perspectives from grassroots change-makers and iconic personalities.
4. Kondh
Tribals celebrates Bihan Mela: The Kondh tribe of
Nayagarh district in Odisha celebrates Bihan
Mela, which refers to a seed festival. The event is participated
by farmers from as many as 40 villages in Dasapalla block, surrounded by
hills and forests. The preparations begin as soon as farmers have
harvested Kharif crops, which include both hybrid and indigenous varieties
of paddy, millets, maize, and sorghum. Kondh tribes are a tribal
group found in the hills and jungles of Orissa in eastern India.
5. Army
and civil agencies conduct fire exercise: The Army
Southern Command and some civil agencies conducted a day-long
firefighting exercise called ‘Agni Daman - 23’. The excise was
conducted with 56 teams at the 29 Field Ammunition Depot (FAD), Dehu Road.
Aim: To enhance synergy among firefighters to work together in the event
of major fire incidents The exercise was a landmark endeavor in synergizing all
the firefighting resources available with the military and civil establishment
in Pune.
6. PM Modi inaugurates NAMO Medical Education and
Research Institute in Silvassa: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi has inaugurated NAMO Medical Education and Research
Institute in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Notably,
the foundation stone of NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute
was also laid by the Prime Minister himself in January 2019. Prime
Minister also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated 96 projects worth more
than Rs 4,850 crores to the nation at Sayli ground, Silvassa. People lit mobile
flashlights to welcome PM Modi in Silvassa. Thereafter, Prime Minister
inaugurated Devka Seafront in Daman. The 5.45 km Seafront built at a cost of
around Rs 165 crore is one of its kind coastal promenade in the country. The
Seafront has been transformed into a world-class tourist destination. It
includes smart lighting, parking facilities, gardens, food stalls, recreational
areas and provision for luxury tent cities in future.
7. Nirmala Sitharaman launches a book titled
‘Reflections’: Union Minister of Finance
and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman has launched ‘Reflections’,
a book authored by eminent banker Narayanan Vaghul, in Mumbai. The book carries
a vivid account of Vaghul’s experiences spanning decades in India’s financial
landscape. The finance minister commended Narayanan Vaghul for his extensive
experience in banking and his leadership qualities. She also recognized his
contributions to mentoring leaders, which have left a lasting impact. She
highlighted Vaghul’s ideas and vision on women’s empowerment, which will
continue to be relevant and valuable for India as more women take on leadership
roles in financial services.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Devendra
Fadnavis unveiled Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Mauritius: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavis has unveiled a statue of Maratha warrior
king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Mauritius. The sculpture
was created in India by a Delhi-based artist and sent to Mauritius in
a container ship. During his visit, an MoU was signed between the
Economic Development Board of Mauritius and the Maharashtra Industrial
Development Corporation to establish a platform for investment between the
Western State and the island nation.
2. India
becomes Europe's largest supplier of refined fuels: Kpler: According to the Kpler report, India has become Europe's
largest supplier of refined fuels, surpassing Saudi Arabia. Europe’s reliance
on Indian crude oil products has grown since the ban on Russian oil. It also
showed that Europe's refined fuel imports from India are set to surge
above 360,000 barrels a day. Russia was the largest exporter of crude oil to
India by value in February in spite of the Western price cap of USD 60 per
barrel.
3. Russia’s
Sberbank launches AI to compete with ChatGPT: The
Russian-based company Sberbank launched its own AI chatbot GigaChat to
compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT It was initially designed to support
multimodal interaction and communicate in Russian more intelligently. The
GigaChat architecture is based on the neural network ensemble model called
NeONKA (Neural Omnimodal Network with Knowledge-Awareness). It includes
several neural network models along with supervised fine-tuning and
reinforcement learning with human feedback.
4. 29 April – World Dance Day: International Dance Day is celebrated every year on April 29. Objective
– To promote the art of dance and raise awareness of its importance in the
world The International Dance Day was established by the International Dance
Council (CID) in 1982 to celebrate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, the
creator of modern ballet. Dance has been known to alleviate stress, enhance
cardiovascular health, increase flexibility, and promote general well-being. The
event serves to increase public awareness of dance’s importance, encouraging
people to participate in this art form while emphasizing its cultural
significance and evolution in various regions of the world. Ultimately, World
Dance Day reminds us of the unifying power of dance in bringing people together
and celebrating the pleasure of movement.
5. 29 April – World Veterinary Day: World Veterinary Day is observed every
year on the last Saturday of April. Objective – To raise awareness about
the importance of veterinarians and their contributions to animal health,
welfare, and public health. Theme 2023 – Promoting Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusiveness in the Veterinary Profession It is celebrated around the world
through various activities such as seminars, workshops, public lectures, and
social media campaigns. World Veterinary Day was first celebrated on April 29, 2000,
as an initiative by the World Veterinary Association (WVA). Since then, it has
been observed every year on the last Saturday of April, with a different theme
chosen each year to highlight a specific aspect of veterinary medicine. This
day provides a valuable opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the
significant contributions of veterinarians to society and to increase awareness
about the importance of veterinary medicine.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Abhilash
Tomy becomes the first Indian to complete Golden Globe Race 2022: A retired naval officer, Commander Abhilash Tomy has become
the first Indian to complete the prestigious Golden Globe Race 2022. He finished
second in the race, a solo around-the-world sailing race. This race
was started at Les Sables-d'Olonne in France on Sep 4, 2022. South
African sailor, Kirsten Neuschafer also become the first
woman to win the Golden Globe Race (GGR), a solo, non-stop
circumnavigation of the globe without using any modern technological aids.
BANKING AND FINANCE
2. HDFC
Bank launches digital distribution platform for agents and partners: HDFC Bank has introduced a Digital Distribution Platform,
'Smart Saathi' for its agents and business correspondents to sell
services, especially in rural areas. HDFC Bank Smart Saathi provides a secure
and user-friendly experience to its users. The newly launched feature will
use advanced technology solutions to connect Business
Correspondents/Business Facilitators to the bank. Aim: To boost financial
inclusion by taking banking products and services to the last mile
3. NPCI International partners with PPRO to facilitate
global e-commerce payments through UPI: NPCI
International Payments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), entered into partnership with digital
payments infrastructure provider PPRO to facilitate global e-commerce payments
through UPI. The agreement is aimed at expanding RuPay card and UPI acceptance
across global clients such as payment service providers (PSPs) and global
merchant acquirers. It will drive NPCI International’s expansion into foreign
markets and will add India to PPRO’s Local Payment Method (LPM) coverage map. It
will also allow global PSPs, banks, payment gateways and enterprises with
payment platforms to expand globally giving international e-commerce merchants
access to Indian consumers. International payment service providers and their
merchants can now easily tap into an e-commerce market that is expected to
reach an estimated $111 billion next year and almost double to $200 billion by
2026. The UPI network processes 60 percent of all domestic payments and 40
percent of instant payments processed globally. It has over 32.5 crore active
users, with 390 banks and 100 third-party apps interoperable on the network.
4. Debadatta Chand appointed as new chief of BoB: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
(ACC) has approved the appointment of Debadatta Chand and Rajneesh
Karnatak as MD & CEO of Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Bank of India (BoI), respectively, for
three years. Chand’s appointment as chief of BoB is with effect from the date
of assumption of office on or after July 1, 2023, or until further orders,
whichever is earlier. Sanjiv Chadha, MD & CEO, BoB, will retire on June 30,
2023. He has been at the helm of the Bank since January 2020. Karnatak’s
appointment as chief of BoI is with effect from the date of assumption of
office until further orders, whichever is earlier. The three-year tenure of AK
Das as MD & CEO of BoI ended in January 2023.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. 68th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2023: The 68th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2023 was held at the Jio Convention Centre, BKC. The award show was hosted by Salman Khan, Maniesh Paul, and Ayushmann Khurrana. Filmfare Awards 2023 Winners List
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