CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR IPO EXAM JAN TO MAR-11

India Current Affairs January, 2011: Short Points

• Curb on foreign tourists visiting North-East scrapped.
• India joined the UN Security council as non-permanent member.
• ADAG firm bought 26% stake in ICEX.
• India extended ban on milk products from China for a year.
• Gujjars signed pact with Rajasthan government.
• UGC cleared ban on animal dissections.
• India Lanka sign MOU to start ferry service.
• PM Manmohan Singh announced merging of OCI, PIO cards.
• India clinched T-20 against S. Africa in Durban.
• 1st edition of S. Asian winter games began in Dehradun.
• Govt. agreed to re-examine its decision to close 44 deemed to-be blacklisted units.
• IndiGo signed $15.6bn aircraft deal to buy 180 Airbus A320s.
• Gujarat signed Mous worth One Lakh Crore for shipping industry.
• Over 55 reported killed in Sabrimala tragedy in Idukki.
• Rajasthan clinched maiden Ranji Trophy.
• Golfer Gaqanjeet Bhullar became the first Indian to win on the Challenge Tour.
• RBI tightened provisioning norms for non-banking financial companies.
• Major fire In Navi Mumbai IOC depot destroyed 50,000 litres of lubricant oil.
• PM Manmohan Singh reshuffled his cabinet. Nationwide mobile number portability launched.
• Naval warship INS Deepak Joined Navy’s western fleet.
• Criminal suit lodged against Karnataka’s CM B. S. Yeddyurappa.
• Music icon Pandit Bhimsen Joshi passed away.
• India Indonesia signed pacts worth $15 lbn.
• Nation celebrated 62nd Republic Day.
• India won Asian Juniors Golf Team title.
• Four more ministers inducted in Hooda Cabinet, Haryana.

India Current Affairs January, 2011: Descriptive Points

• Kapila Vatsyayan, Homi Vyarwalla, A. Nageshwar Rao (all the three, Art), parsaran Kesava Iyengar, L. C.Jain Akhlaq-ur-Rehman Kidwai, Vijay Kelkar, Montek Singh Ahluwalia (al1 Public Affairs), O. N. V. Kurup, Sitakant Mahapatra (both Literature and Education), Brajesh Mishra (Civil Services), Azim Premji (trade and industry and Palle Rama Rao (Science and Engineering) are the thirteen eminent personalities who have been honoured with Padma Vibhushan (India’s second highest civilian award) this year.
• The Indian musical (music director) who has been nominated for Oscar Awards this year is A. R. Rahman Indian music maestro A. R. Rahman has been nominated for his music in Dannny Boy’s film ‘127 Hours’ in the categories of Best Song and Best Original Score trophy for Oscar Awards this year.
• Petroleum’s A. Sharath Kamal beat R. Abhishek to clinch men’s title and K. Shamini beat Madhurika Palkar (PSPB) to clinch the women’s title in the Keventer 72nd senior National and inter-state table tennis tournament in Kolkata on January 23, 2011.
• IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) Director-General Yukiya Amano honoured Anil Kakodkar (the former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission of India) with the Indian Nuclear Society’s Homi Bhabha lifetime. Achievement Award for the year 2009 on the occasion of the 21st Annual Conference of Indian Nuclear Society on Impact of Radiation Technology on human health and environment at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre irk Mumbai on January 17, 2011.
• Rajasthan created history for the first time in 77 years when they defeated Baroda in the final of the Ranji Trophy cricket tournament on the basis of first innings lead in Vadodara on January 15, 2011.
• Prime Minuter Dr. Manmohan Singh recently launched ‘* Mobile Number Portabillty Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on January 20, 2011 launched nation-wide Mobile Number Portability (MNP) that allows users to swish operators/service providers without losing or changing their phone numbers.
• The general council of the Sangeet Natak Akademi elected two eminent personalities from the field of performing arts-Girija Devi and Nataraj Ramakrishna-Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna) at its meeting’ held on January 19, 2011 in New Delhi.
• Indian Meteorological Department has declared that 2010 was the warmest year since 1901. According to the department, the annual mean temperature averaged over the country as a whole was 25.8023 degrees Celsius in 2010.
• Ethiopia’s Girima Assefa beat Botor Segaye Wolde (Ethiopia) in men’s section to emerge winner at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon while Koren Yal of Ethiopia clinched women title by defeating Merima Mohammed of Ethiopia on January 16, 2011 in Mumbai.
• In a step to alleviate plight of millions of people affected by the 2008 Kosi flood, the Bihar government on January 12, 2011 signed a $ 220 million agreement with the World Bank. The government will chip in with $ 39 million for the $ 259 million Bihar Kosi Flood Recovery Project aimed at supporting states recovery efforts.
• Justice B. Srikrishna Committee recently submitted its report on Telangana issue suggesting six options to resolve the Telangana statehood issue saying united Andhra Pradesh is most workable solution.
• The Indian team won the Asian Junior Golf team Championship of Golf on January 27, 2011 in Kuala Lumper India won the tournament and the gold medal on countback.
• Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was the chief guest on this years Republic Day. During his visit to India, a number of agreements/MoUs were signed between India and Indonesia on combating terror, curbing money launderings and exchange of information on criminal activity.

India Current Affairs January, 2011: Descriptive Points

• Noted Hindi writer Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari has been chosen for the prestigious Vyas Samman for his collection of poems ‘Phir Bhi Kuch Rah Jayega’. The Award is instituted by K. K. Birla Foundation.
• The Government of India has proposed to nominate the name of Assam’s river island Majuli for inclusion in the cultural landscape category of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list.
• A Tamil Brahmi script on a pot rim reading ‘a mana’ meaning a Jaina has been found at Pattanam in Earnakulam district Kerala establishing that Jainism was prevalent on the West Coast at least from second century CE (Common Era).
• Kiradech Aphibarnrat pipped Mohammad Siddikur Rahman to bag SAIL open title on March 25, 2011 in New Delhi.
• A. S. Suresh Krishna of Andhra Pradesh defeated Ashutosh Singh of Delhi to take the title in National Jute Board-National grass-court Tennis tournament on March 5, 2011 in Kolkata while in women’s section Kyra Shroff beat Aishwazya Agrawal to take the crown.
• India on March 6, 2011 fired an interceptor missile which intercepted an incoming enemy ballistic missile at an attitude of 16 km and pulverized it in a direct kill. While the hostile missile was launched at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Orissa, the Interceptor blasted off from Wheeler Island off the Orissa Coast.
• North Zone beat West Zone to clinch Deodhar Trophy of Cricket on March 9, 2011 in Jaipur by five wickets.
• Shahina K. K. the Thiruvananthapuram correspondent of Open magazine has been chosen for the Chameli Devi Jain Award 2010 for being outstanding woman media person.
• India will test-fire the submarine launched version of of BrahMos Underwater test-firing the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile by year end as on March 12, 2011. Underwater weapon-delivery countries defence strength.
• The Human Resource Development Ministry has appointed Mahashweta Devi as National Research Professor for a second term of five years from February 2011. She has been appointed to this post in recognition of her contribution as a writer and a social activist.
• V. Kalidas-The Hindu’s consultant has been honoured with the Hall of Fame Award for 2011 for his contribution to the media industry. He was honoured by Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan in Chandigarh on March 17, 2011.
• India’s exports breached the $ 200 billion mark in the first 11 months of the 2010-11. Exports jumped by 49.8% year-on-year during February to $ 23.6 billion taking the April-January 2010-11 figure to $ 208.2 billion-an increase of 31.4% over the year-ago period and past the yearly target of $ 200 billion.
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was honoured with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and lndusirys’ top honour. The Decade of Global Achievement Honour for her accomplishments in Hindi cinema on March 25, 2011 in Mumbai.
• According to the 2010 tiger census whose results were declared on March 28, 2011 there are approximately 1,706 of the big cats in the country which includes about 70 in the marches of the Sundarbans.
• The Central Government on March 24, 2011 constituted the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) under the chairmanship of former justice B. N. Krishna to rewrite and harmonize financial sector legislations, rules and regulations so that the requirements of the country’s fast growing financial sector may be fulfilled.
• The Government recently in March 2011 approved 14 proposals of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) including that of Mauritius based Ghir Investments totalling Rs. 1,289.85 crone.
• Current Affairs India February, 2011

• Anil Kumble has been elected as President of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
• Paravati Mohanty 72-year-old woman is on a mission to eradicate illiteracy.
• President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on 12-02-2011 inaugurated the World Philatelic Exhibition ‘INDIPEX 2011′ in the national capital.
• The National Conference on Storage of Food Grains was held on February19, 2011 in New Delhi.
• Overseas Employers Conference was held in Hyderabad city.
• National Biodiversity Authority is located in Chennai.
• Ashutosh Misra wrote the book “India – Pakistan: Coming To Terms”.
• Major Laishram Jyotin Singh (Manipur) is the first officer from Army Medical Corps (AMC) to receive the award the highest peacetime gallantry award.
• Meghalaya state government has renamed the Brookside Bungalow to Rabindranath Art Gallery.
• R. S. Butola appointed as the next chairman of Indian Oil Corporation.
• Upendra Kumar Sinha takes charge as the new chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Shankar Vanavarayar has been elected National chairman of Young Indians (Yi) for 2011-12.
• V.S.Rangan has been named as the best CFO in the financial sector for 2010 by ICAI.
• A.K.Hazarika has been appointed as acting Chairman of ONGC and S.V.Narasimhan as interim head of IOC.
• Monisha Kaltenborn becomes the 1st female CEO of a Formula One Team Sauber.
• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has decided to open subsidiary for financial services, to enter into investment banking, wealth and asset management.
• Sunil Kakar has been appointed as CFO for Infrastructure finance firm IDFC.
• Vasant Krishnan has been appointed as CFO of Mahindra Satyam.
• Air Marshal KJ Mathews has been appointed as the Commander in Chief of the Delhi-based tri-services Strategic
• Forces Command (SFC), which is responsible for the nuclear arsenal of India.
• Subhash Lalla Former IAS officer resigned as a member of the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission for his alleged role in the Adarsh housing scam.
• Sudhir Chandra is appointed as the new chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• Kerala has been voted the top travel and tourism destination in India by a poll conducted by the Outlook Traveller magazine.

India Current Affairs March, 2011: Short Points

• 11 got death penalty, 20 life term for Godhra carnage.
• India, ASEAN set $70 bn trade target.
• Banking Laws Amendment Bill got cabinet nod.
• Lanco acquired Aussie coal mines, Griffin, for $760 million.
• India agreed to finance Ethiopian sugar sector revamp.
• Interceptor missile test fired successfully. – Monaco became the first public sector firm to Introduce ESOPs.
• SC approved single MBBS entrance test across nation.
• India, Brazil inked air services agreement.
• Star Indian Post office announced launch of online portal ‘a-post office’.
• Essar, Inked $750m agreement to revive Zimbabwe Iran & Steel C0.
• N-capable missiles Dhanush and Prithvi-II successfully tested.
• India, Bangladesh decided to hold Wagah-style retreat at border.
• Foundation for Judicial Academy laid in Jodhpur.
• Prez Patiy cancelled appointment of PJ Thomas as CVC.
• Union cabinet approved GST Bill.
• India’s tallest (80 feet) statue of Lo rd Buddha unveiled in Sarnath.
• Government approved 9.5% interest on PF deposits.
• India abstained from UNSC vote on Libya no fly zone.
• Bollywood actor Navin Nischol passed away.
• Security forces seized armed from Maoist hide out in Midnapur.
• Saina Nehwal won Swiss Open Single’s final tennis trophy.
• Delhi Anti-sealing Bill passed In Rajya Sabha.
• SBI announced new code of conduct. – Shimla declared environmentally sustainable city.
• Orissa (the alteration of named Bill and Constitution (113th) Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Martha.
• Lok Sabha passed the Coinage Amendments Bill.
• Cash-strapped Air India got a breather.
• Navy nabbed 16 pirates off Lakshadweep.
• India invited to make huge investments in Africa.
• India breaks into the top 10 nations in Scientific Research Output.
• Gujarat banned the sale distribution and reprinting of Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India.
• Results of Census 2011 released: Puts India’s population at 1.21 billion.

April, 2011

• Ivory coast rocked by fierce fighting
• Flghting flared. In Libya as flared, In Libya as
• Mexico created history with first bio-fuel Fight -Adel Safar named as Syria PM
• Burnese military chief Gen. Than Shwe retired
• Bangladesh’s Mohammad Yunus lost the final legal battle to remain as Grameen Bank Chief.
• British astrophysicist Martin Rees won the Templeton Prize.
• 7.4 magnitude quake rattled Japan again.
• Yemen Prez Saleh rejected deal to step down- Russia began refuelling Iran N-plant.
• Film director Sidney Lumet died.
• Sebastien Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix F-1 racing.
• Ivory Coast’s strongman Laurent Gbagbo captured from bunker.
• Japan raised N-threat to Chernobyl level – Russia celebrated 50 years of conquest of Space.
• Former Egyqt Prez Mubarak and his sops detained for probe.
• Syria Prez Assad formed new Cabinet- World’s oldest man Walter Bruening died.
• US Prez Obama began his 2012 fundraising campaign.
• An Egypt court ordered the dissolving of Mubarak’s party.
• Israel became CERN group member.
• Goodluck Jonathan won Nigeria’s presidential elections.
• Pak tested short-range ‘ .Hatf-9 N-missile.
• Rivals rejected Nigeria vote results.
• Prez. Assad ended state of emergency in Syria.
• CERN atom smasher set new record for beam intensity.
• Yemen Prez Saleh reportedly agreed to Gulf nation’s exit plan.
• Former Sony chief Norio Ohga died- Rafael Nadal won Barcelona Open tennis title.
• China swept all 5 gold medals in Asian Badminton Championships.
• Italy, France called for changes to Schengen treaty.
• Lobsang Sangay elected PM of Tibetan governmnt-in-exile.
• Thailand, Cambodia armies agreed Fateh and Hamas reached agreement on reconciliation.
• The winner of Chinese Grand Prix is – Lewis Hamilton
• The Australian who recently smashed a record of 15 sixes in Aussie’s in against Bangladesh is a – Shane Watson
• Britain’s Newspaper of the year Award has been conferred on -The Guardian.
• The winner of Malaysian Grand Prix is – Sebastian Vettel
• The winner of Asian Biliards – Alok Kumar
• The winner of Global Diversity Award for Sport 2010 is – Kapil Dev
• The number one pair in ATP Tennis Doubles ranking is – Paes and Bhupathi.
• The winner of US Masters (Golf) is – Charl Schwartzel

Current Affairs India April, 2011

• Rabobank got RBI nod for India operations.
• Team India won the Cricket World Cup after 28 years.
• World Cup celebration continue bio-fuel flight leader Safar named all over nation. .
• Delhi cabinet gave its nod to ban on plastic bags.
• India suspended food imports from Japan for 3 months.
• Union Cabinet approved Consulate General of India in Perth.
• The government decided that blanket ban on food Imports from Japan was not required as items tested so far were not found contaminated from radiation leak.
• Indian Premier League (IPL-4) got off in Chennai.
• Anirban Lahiri won the inaugural Panasonlc Open Golf title.
• SFI founder C Bhaskaran died.
• 44-deemed univs facing derecognition got reprive from Supreme Court.
• PM Singh reached China for BRICS summit.
• India, China’ agreed to resume defence exchanges.
• Kanishtha Dhankhar crowned Femina Miss India World 2011.
• Alok Kumar won Asian Billiards Championship title.
• India,Kazakhstan Inked nuke, oil pacts.
• Jaipur’s last titular Maharaja Bhawanl Singh died.
• Orissa became first state to launch rural livelihood mission.
• Abhijit Gupta won the Dubai International Open Chess title.
• India, Japan signed pact on digital library- PSLV-CI6 placed 3 satellites in orbit. .
• Congress won first civic polls in Gandhi nagar
• RBI granted relief of banks on NPAS.
• India-Pak panel okayed repatriation of prisoners.
• Spiritual leader Sri Sathya Sai Baba died.
• Ex-chief of CWG Suresh Kalmadi arrested on charges of forgery.
• A special CBI Court sent ‘ Kalmadi and two others to 8-day custody.
• Indo-pak trade talks resumed after two years.
• 2G: PM Singh got clean chit from Public Accounts Committee.

May, 2011

• Jharkand’s Premlata Agarwal, 45, became the oldest Indian to scale Mount Everest on May 20, A2011. Ms. Agrawal, supported by that Steel is also the first person form Jharkhand to go on an expedition to Mt. Everest
• Air Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne has been appointed the next chief of Air Staff of India. He will assume office on retirement of Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik on July 31, 2011.
• Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on his visit to Madhya Pradesh dedicated the world class 6 Million tones per annum Bina Refining to the nation in Bina (Madhya Pradesh) on may 20.2011. He said that the country would increase its refining capacity to 23-80 million by 2012.
• Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri of Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai has been selected for the prestigious G.D. Birla Award for Scientific Research.
• Under the 58th National Film Awards adaminte Makan Abu- a Malayalm movie has been chosen as the best feature film. The Movie shows humanist values freeing matters of faith from the constrictions of narrow parochialism.
• Salim Kumar for his role in Adaminte Makan Abu and Dhanush for his brilliant Performance in Aadukula have been selected best Actors under the 58th National Film Awards this year.
• During his African visit to Africa in May 2011, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said India would off $5 billion for next three years under lines of credit to help Africa to achieve its development goals. The $ 5 billion line of credit represents an increase of $1.6 billion over the billion that remains unspent.
• On 21, 2011 the 800- tonne Ariane 5 launcher carrying two communication satellites weighing over 9,000 kg in its nose fairing blasted off into space. India’s GSAT-8 the largest and heaviest satellite built by Indian Space Research Organisation and its partners was one of the two co-passengers on the flight.
• India on May 21, 2011 twice successfully test-fired the indigenously developed air-to-air Astra interceptor missile from Chandipur in Orissa. The Missile is envisaged to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds.
• A Successful flight-test of Russia I UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle ) was conducted by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) a lab of Defiance Research and Development Organisation near Hosur (Karnataka) on May 21,2011
• Aditya Sudarshan has been declared the winner of the Metro Plus Playwright Awards 2011 for his entry “The Green Room’ This prestigious award is instituted by the Hindu newspaper and is given for the best original unpublished and unperformed playscript in English.
• Mamta Benerjee took over as the first woman Chief minister of West Bengal in May 2011 after her party Trinamool Congress in alliance with Indian National Congress secured absolute majority and ended the 34 year rule of mighty Left Front reducing them to a double them to double digit figure of 62 seats in the newly constituted Assembly.
• Human Right Activist Binayak Sen has been made member of the Planning Commission’s Steering Committee on Health which will advise the panel on The Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-2017). He will represent the Bilaspur based healthcare organization Jan Swasthya Shayog.
• Famous Bollywood singer Shaan was on May 10, 2011 announced as the Tobacco Control Ambassador of India by the Union Ministry of Health And Family Welfare given his popularity and fan following among young age group people.
• In order to build a capability based approach the Army’s Western Command Embarked on a simulated war game in the deserts of northern Rajasthan in May 2011. The exercise named ‘Vijayee Bhava’ (Blessed to win) is the first in series of Annual summer exercise that got underway at Suratgarh in Rajasthan with Indian Air Force supporting the drill

• Current Affairs India May, 2011

  1. Murli Manohar Joshi reappointed PAC Chairman.
  2. ISRO announced building one of nation’s fastest supercomputers.
  3. POSCO steel project given final clearance from union ministry.
  4. RBI raised saving interest to 4%.
  5. Arunachal CM Dorjee Khandu found dead.
  6. Jarbom Gamin sworn in Arunachal CM.
  7. Maheshwar Dam in Madhya Pradesh, got conditioned nod.
  8. Air India pilots called off their 10-day strike.
  9. India Russia called to intensify bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation.
  10. Mary Kom won gold in 48kg category of Asia Cup
  11. Kashmir got 1^st Pandit woman panch.
  12. Gold Plating of Tirupati temple shelved.
  13. CCI notified new norms for M&As.
  14. India signed Tax treaty with Colombia.
  15. Medical Council of India re-constituted.
  16. 5 BJP ministers inducted into Punjab cabinet.
  17. RBI tightened forex derivative norms of companies.
  18. Pistol Shooter Anuj Raj Singh became the first Indian woman to win Olympic quota place.
  19. India Uzbekistan Inked 34 accords.
  20. 58^th National Film Awards announced.
  21. India elected to the 47-nation UN Human Rights Council.
  22. India’s advanced communication satellite GSAT-8 launched from French Guyana.
  23. Vijay Kumar became the 7^th Indian shooter to qualify for 2012 London Olympics.
  24. PM Manmohan singh began his 6-day Africa Tour.
  25. PM Manmohan singh offered $5 Billion credit line to Africa.
  26. Railways lowered age limit to 58 years for senior women.
  27. Italian luxury sports carmaker Ferrari made official debut in Delhi.
  28. PM Man Mohan Singh announced $180 million aid t Tanzania.
  29. Chennai Super Kings won the IPL-4 title beating Royal Chalengers Bangalore in the Final.
  30. Ban imposed in J&K on purchase and sell of army’s clothings.