NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Arvind Kapil named CEO of Poonawalla Fincorp: Poonawalla Fincorp has appointed senior HDFC Bank executive Arvind Kapil as its chief
executive. Kapil is currently the group head mortgage banking business at the
bank which includes home loans, loans against property (LAP) and the sales
business of the erstwhile Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) which was
merged with the bank last year. Poonawalla Fincorp Limited is an Indian
non-banking financial company that is engaged in consumer and MSME financing.
2. New Delhi Ranked World’s Most Polluted Capital City: New Delhi is ranked the world’s most polluted
capital city for the fourth consecutive year since 2018. According to the Air
Quality Report 2023 conducted by Swiss organisation IQAir, Delhi’s PM2.5 levels
worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per
cubic metre in 2023. Bihar’s Begusarai has emerged as the world’s most polluted
metropolitan area. With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4
micrograms per cubic metre.
3. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan Submits Her
Resignation: Dr. Tamilisai
Soundararajan, Lt. Governor of Puducherry and Governor of Telangana has
submitted her resignation with immediate effect. Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad
informed this in a communique that the resignation letter has been submitted to
the President of India. The resignation is yet to be accepted. While asking
about her future plan, she informed the Media that after acceptance of her
resignation she would announce her plan publicly.
4. Election Commission appoints Sanjay Mukherjee as West
Bengal DGP: Election Commission of
India appointed Sanjay Mukherjee (1989
batch IPS officer) as the new state director general of police. He was
previously posted as the Director of Security of the West Bengal police in the
rank of the additional director general of police (ADG). In 2017, he was
appointed as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief.
5. Kashmir hosts first Formula-4
Car Racing Event along Dal Lake: Srinagar hosted the
first-ever Formula 4 car racing
demonstration event on the banks of the world-famous Dal Lake. The
event enthralled locals and motorsport fans as they witnessed stunts performed
by professional Formula 4 drivers. Sleek racing cars roared along a 1.7 km
track from Lalit Ghat on the banks of Dal Lake to Nehru Park in the city.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Putin wins Russian presidential election in landslide:
President Vladimir Putin won
a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia’s election. Putin, 71, is set to
embark on a new six-year term that will see him overtake Josef Stalin and
become Russia’s longest-serving leader for more than 200 years if he completes
it. Putin won 87.8% of the vote, the highest ever result in Russia’s
post-Soviet history, according to an exit poll by pollster the Public Opinion
Foundation (FOM).
2. Nepal Declares Pokhara as Its Tourism Capital: The government of Nepal has officially
declared Pokhara, a picturesque city in the Gandaki province, as the tourism
capital of the Himalayan nation. The formal declaration was made during a
special ceremony held at the Barahi Ghat, situated on the shores of the
stunning Phewa Lake. Pokhara, known for its natural beauty and adventure
tourism, has long been recognized as a tourism hub in Nepal.
3. EU and Egypt sign €7.4 bn deal focussed on energy,
migration: The European Union has announced
a landmark partnership agreement with Egypt, elevating the bloc’s relationship
with the North African nation and unveiling a substantial funding package to
support Egypt’s faltering economy and address shared challenges. The deal,
unveiled during a high-level delegation visit to Cairo, encompasses cooperation
in key areas such as renewable energy, trade, security, and managing migration
flows.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian troops deploy to Seychelles for Joint Military
Exercise: A contingent from the Indian Army embarked on a
journey to Seychelles to participate in the Tenth edition of the Joint Military
Exercise “LAMITIYE-2024” alongside the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). This
biennial training event holds significant importance in fostering cooperation
between the two nations. The term ‘LAMITIYE’, translating to ‘Friendship’ in
the Creole language, encapsulates the spirit of camaraderie underlying this
exercise.
2. Guyana to acquire 2 HAL-Made Dornier 228 Aircraft from
India: The Indian defence industry is making forays in the
Caribbean with the Guyana Defence
Force (GDF) planning to soon acquire two new aircraft from New Delhi with a
$23.27 million loan from Export-Import Bank of India. An agreement in
this regard was signed between Guyanese Finance Minister and Deputy GM of EXIM
Bank. Guyana, which has a substantial Indian diaspora, plans to purchase two
HAL (Dornier) 228 planes from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
3. India-US Joint Military Exercise “EX TIGER TRIUMPH
2024”: A joint military exercise
called Tiger Triumph-24 between India and the United States started
on March 18 and will continue until March 31. This exercise is taking place on
the Eastern Seaboard (East Coast)
of India. The exercise, Tiger Triump-24, is aimed at “developing
interoperability” for conducting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
(HADR) operations and “refine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to enable
rapid and smooth coordination between forces of both countries.
SPORTS
1. Srinagar hosts first-ever Formula 4 racing event: The beautiful Dal Lake in Kashmir witnessed an exciting event on March
18. Formula-4 car racing was held for the first time in the region. The sleek
racing cars raced along the Boulevard road near the lake, creating a thrilling
atmosphere.
The
Zabarwan Hills provided a stunning backdrop for the event.
2. 3rd Edition Of North East Games 2024 Begins In
Nagaland: In Nagaland, the 3rd
edition of North East Games 2024 kick-started with a glittering opening
ceremony at Regional Centre for Sporting Excellence, Sovima. Nagaland Chief
Minister Neiphiu Rio officially declared open the 3rd North East Games 2024. More
than 3000 athletes from eight North Eastern states are competing in 15
disciplines. The events are being held in 12 venues across three districts
Chumoukedima, Dimapur and Kohima.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Axis Bank to support Tata Memorial-supported National Cancer
Grid: A national tumour biobank and cancer
teleconsultation network are among the projects that will be supported by a ₹100 crore contribution
towards the National Cancer Grid (NCG), from Axis Bank. As part of the
five-year partnership, Axis Bank will support NCG, a network of 300-plus cancer
centres across the country, coordinated by the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH),
under the Tata Memorial Centre.
The
aim is to improve cancer care and research, in terms of access and digital
adoption on formalising a Memorandum of Understanding with Tata Memorial.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Ratan Tata awarded PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award: Ratan Tata, former
chairman of Tata Sons, was bestowed with the prestigious PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award for his
outstanding philanthropic contributions. The PV Narasimha Rao Memorial
Award, named after the former Prime Minister of India, is an award of
recognition for individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to
social welfare and humanitarian causes.
2. Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna to be conferred with the Sangita Kalanidhi award: Renowned Carnatic vocalist Thodur Madabusi Krishna will be conferred the 2024 Sangita Kalanidhi award by the Madras Music Academy. The Sangita Kalanidhi award is considered one of the highest honours in Carnatic music. The musician will preside over the academic sessions of the 98th Annual Conference and Concerts of The Music Academy, the Deccan Herald reporting quoting Murali. The session will be held
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