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1 | P a g e
Table of Contents
Science and Tech
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58
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Awards and Honors
Dehradun Smart City Limited awarded For its work under the e-Health
project, Dehradun Smart City Limited (DSCL) has
been awarded the Smart City India award 2021 by the Central
Ministry of Urban Development.
All the 100 smart cities had participated in the competition. The
award has been given for the work done through integrated control
and command
centre.
Mahinder Giri wins International Ranger Award Mahinder Giri becomes
the only ranger from Asia to win the prestigious International
Ranger
Award for his contribution towards conservation. He is deployed as
a Range Officer at Motichur range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve,
Uttarakhand. The award has been announced for 10 professionals
across the world by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature and World Commission on Protected
Areas.
IIT Kharagpur team wins CoreNet Challenge 6.0 A team of four
undergraduate students from the Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur
have emerged as winners at the CoreNet Global Academic Challenge
6.0. CoreNet Global is a non-profit association, headquartered in
Atlanta, Georgia (US). This is the first time a squad from India
has emerged as winners in the CoreNet Global
Academic Challenge since the inception of it in 2015.
Prof. Sharad to be conferred with Vyas Samman Well known Hindi
writer Prof. Sharad Pagare will be conferred with the prestigious
Vyas
Samman - 2020 for his novel 'Patliputru Ki Samragi.' The Vyas
Samman started in 1991, is given by KK Birla Foundation for an
outstanding literary
work in Hindi authored by an Indian citizen published during the
last 10 years. It carries an award of four lakh rupees along with a
citation and plaque.
Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2020 Legendary singer Asha Bhosle will be
honoured with the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan
Award for the year 2020. Along with two National Awards in 1981 and
1986, she was also honoured with the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000. Maharashtra Bhushan Award was
started in 1996. late writer Purushottam Laxman Deshpande was the
first recipient of the honour.
Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 The Gandhi Peace Prize for the
year 2020 will be conferred on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman. Rahman was the first President of Bangladesh. Rahman is
known as the "Father of the Nation" or simply "Mujib" in
Bangladesh. Gandhi Peace Prize is an annual award instituted by the
Government in1995 and carries an
amount of Rs 1 cr, a citation, a plaque and an exquisite
traditional handicraft.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
67th National Film Awards - 2019 The 67th National Film Awards for
the year 2019 were announced on 22 March 2021. Malayalam movie
Marakkar Arabikkadilinte Simham will be awarded the Best Feature
Film
Award. Kangana Ranaut will get the Best Actress award for her
movies Manikarnika -The Queen of
Jhansi and Panga. Manoj Bajpayee and Dhanush will be awarded the
Best Actor award for the movie Bhonsle
and Asuran respectively.
Gandhi Peace Prize for year 2019 The Gandhi Peace Prize for the
year 2019 is being conferred on late Sultan Qaboos bin Said
Al Said of Oman. The award has been given in recognition of his
outstanding contributions for social,
economic and political transformation through Gandhian methods. The
Jury for the Prize is chaired by PM Modi and comprises of two
ex-officio members and
the Leader of Opposition Party in Lok Sabha.
NTPC conferred ‘Role Model’ award NTPC Ltd, a PSU under the
Ministry of Power has been conferred the ‘Role Model’ Award
at
the 11th CII National HR Excellence Award 2020-21. The award was
presented in the virtual conference “Learn from the Achievers” held
on 18
March 2021. This award is the highest level of recognition in the
field of Human Resources by the
Confederation of Indian Industry.
Anne Lacaton wins 2021 Pritzker Prize French architects Anne
Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal have won the 2021 Pritzker
Prize
for architecture, considered to be the profession’s highest honour.
The two are known to create sustainable buildings by using
pre-existing structures in their
work. Lacaton and Vassal’s most recent work is the transformation
of the Palais de Tokyo (Paris,
France 2012).
‘Manny’ bags 4 awards at Miami Film fest Sonal Sehgal’s
Indo-Latvian science-fiction thriller “Manny” has bagged 4 awards
at the
Miami International Science Fiction Film festival. It has been
directed by Latvian filmmaker Dace Puce. It won the award for the
Best Sci-Fi Picture Runner Up as well as the Best
Cinematography.
The Best Background Score was won by Naresh Kamath and the Best
Supporting Actor was won by Tony Hawkins.
Sonu Gandhi presented SERB award Dr Sonu Gandhi has been awarded
the prestigious SERB Women Excellence Award. He is a scientist at
the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB),
Hyderabad
and has recently developed a smart nanodevice for the detection of
Rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, etc.
The award was instituted by the Science and Engineering Research
Board (SERB), Dept of
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Michael Holding awarded 'Best pundit' Former West Indies cricketer
Michael Holding, who came out in support of the 'Black Lives
Matter' movement, has been named the 'Best Pundit' at the SJA
British Sports Journalism Award 2020.
Holding had delivered a powerful message against racism during last
year's England-West Indies series, saying that blacks have been
dehumanised.
The awards were hosted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
1st transgender man to star on TIME cover Oscar-nominated actor
Elliot Page will become the first transgender man to star on
the
front cover of TIME magazine. Elliot Page was nominated for various
awards for Oscar-winning 2007 independent film
Juno and plays a leading role in the Netflix hit The Umbrella
Academy. American actress Laverne Cox had become the first trans
woman to appear on the cover of
TIME in 2014.
TRB bags Kalinga Safety Excellence Award TRB Iron Ore Mines of
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) in Tensa of Sundergarh district
of
Orissa has been honoured with the Kalinga Safety Excellence
Award-2019. It has been awarded in the Gold category for exemplary
efforts in maintaining best safety
practices. The award was conferred at the Odisha State Safety
Conclave-2020 held in Bhubaneswar. TRB won it for the 3rd
consecutive year.
Gowsalya Shankar nominated for an award The U.S. Consulate has
honoured Gowsalya Shankar with a nomination for the
International
Woman of Courage (IWOC) Award. She is a Tamil Nadu-based anti-caste
activist and human rights defender. The IWOC Award Certificate of
Nomination was handed over to her by U.S. Consul General
in Chennai at an event ‘Courageous Women Inspire a Better World’ in
March 2021.
Sahitya Akademi Awards 2020 Politician-writer M Veerappa Moily,
poet Arundhathi Subramaniam are among 20 writers
who will be bestowed with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2020. The
national academy announced the names on 12 March 2021. The list
includes seven books of poetry, four novels, five short stories,
two plays, and one
each of memoirs and epic poetry in 20 Indian languages.
63rd Grammy Awards- I At the 63rd Grammy Awards, held in Los
Angeles, on 14 March 2021, Taylor Swift and Billie
Eilish won the top prizes. Taylor Swift was awarded 'album of the
year' for her lockdown album 'Folklore', while Billie
Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted” won 'record of the year'. Swift is
the first female artist ever to win an album of the year three
times. She won the award previously in 2010 and 2016.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
63rd Grammy Awards- II Beyonce became the most awarded female
artist in Grammy history with her 28th win. She was honored for
'Savage' and 'Black Parade'. Beyoncé and her nine-year-old daughter
Blue Ivy Carter won the best music video award for
"Brown Skin Girl" making Carter one of the youngest Grammy winners
in history. British singer Dua Lipa won best pop vocal album for
“Future Nostalgia.”
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan sets new record Afghanistan spinner
Rashid Khan broke Australian spin legend Shane Warne’s mega
record
on 14 Mar 2021 as he bowled the most number of overs in a single
Test in the 21st century. Warne had bowled 98 overs in a Test match
against South Africa in Cape Town in 2002. The 22-yr-old Afghan
spinner achieved this feat in ongoing 2nd Test against Zimbabwe
at
Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Mithali Raj creates another huge record Indian Women's ODI team
captain Mithali Raj became the first female cricketer in history
to
score 7,000 ODI runs. She achieved this landmark in her 213th ODI
on 15 March 2021. This feat comes after Mithali Raj, on 12 March
2021, became the first Indian woman cricketer
and only the second overall to score 10000 international
runs.
Telangana Governor presented with an award Telangana Governor
Tamilisai Soundararajan has been conferred with the Top-20
Global
Women of Excellence-2021 award. The award was presented to the
Governor as part of the 9th Annual Congressional
International Women’s Day Gala at Naperville, Illinois, Chicago.
She accepted the prestigious award from Puducherry Raj Nivas.
King Bhumibol World Soil Day - 2020 Award Ambassador of India to
Thailand Suchitra Durai received the prestigious King
Bhumibol
World Soil Day - 2020 Award of the Food and Agriculture
Organization on the behalf of the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research on 10 March 2021.
This award is recognition of ICAR’s excellent contributions in
“Soil Health Awareness” on the theme “Stop soil erosion, save our
future” during the year- 2020.
Amitabh Bachchan to be presented FIAF Award Amitabh Bachchan will
be honoured with an award by the International Federation of
Film
Archives (FIAF). The veteran actor will be the first Indian cinema
personality to be bestowed with the FIAF
Award for his dedication and contribution to the preservation of
the world’s film heritage. He will be presented the award during a
virtual showcase scheduled to take place on March
19, 2021.
Koneru Humpy wins BBC ISWOTY for 2020 Chess player Koneru Humpy
from Andhra Pradesh has won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of
the Year award (ISWOTY) for 2020, following a public vote. Humpy is
the World Rapid Chess champion having won the title in December
2019. She received the Arjuna Award, one of India's top sporting
honors, in 2003, and India's
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 2007.
Baton of Honour presented to Kiran Bedi President Ram Nath Kovind
on 8 March 2021 presented a Baton of Honour and a letter of
appreciation to former Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi at
Rashtrapati Bhavan. Kiran Bedi was removed as the Lieutenant
Governor of Puducherry on February 16, 2021, by
the President of India and Tamilisai Soundararajan took additional
charge as the Lieutenant Governor on February 18, 2021.
Niger’s Presi wins African Leadership award Niger’s President
Mahamadou Issoufou has won the 2020 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement
in
African Leadership. Issoufou is the sixth recipient of the Ibrahim
Prize, which is awarded on criteria of good
governance, democratic election and respect of terms limits.
Issoufou was the Prime Minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994 and
President of the National
Assembly from 1995 to 1996.
Bangladesh to confer Independence Award Bangladesh has announced
the names of 9 individuals and 1 organization for conferring
the
Independence Award, the highest civilian award of Bangladesh for
the year 2021. Four individuals have been selected posthumously for
the award. The award is being given since 1977. The recipients of
the award get a gold medal and a cash reward of Taka 5 lakh.
DMA honours Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Delhi Medical
Association (DMA) honored Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, for
his
contribution to the medical fraternity and outstanding service
during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He was honored during DMA's 62nd Annual Delhi State Medical
Conference. He informed that the Indian vaccines have shown some of
the lowest Adverse Events
Following Immunization, AEFI anywhere in the world.
The Hindu: Champion Publisher of the Year 2020 The Hindu Group won
two golds and two silvers at WAN IFRA’s South Asian Digital
Media
Awards, culminating in being named ‘Champion Publisher of the Year
2020'. Sportstar’s website of The Hindu Group won a gold in ‘Best
in Lifestyle, Sports, Entertainment
Website or Mobile Services’. The Hindu’s website (thehindu.com) won
silver in ‘Best Paid Content Strategy’.
40 scholars recommended for award of ISRF 2021 Forty scholars from
six countries have been recommended for the award of India
Science
and Research Fellowship 2021. The government had launched India
Science and Research Fellowship Programme for
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri
Lanka and Thailand researchers.
It has been implemented since 2015. No award was given in 2020 due
to the pandemic.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
PM Narendra Modi receives CERAWeek award Prime Minister Narendra
Modi received the CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment
Leadership Award on 5 March 2021. He also delivered a keynote
address at the Cambridge Energy Research Associates Week-
2021 via video conferencing. CERAWeek was founded in 1983 by Dr.
Daniel Yergin. CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership
Award was instituted in 2016.
Mohankrishna Bohara to be awarded The 30th Bihari Puraskar for 2020
will be given to Mohankrishna Bohara for his Hindi book of
criticism, titled Taslima: Sangharsh aur Sahitya. The book was
published in 2016. Bihari Puraskar carries award money of two lakh
50 thousand rupees, a citation and a
plaque. The award is one of the three literary awards instituted by
the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991.
Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship launched The Office of the Principal
Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under its Waste
to
Wealth Mission has launched the Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship. The
Fellowship was launched to recognize the students, community
workers or Self-Help
Groups and municipal or sanitary workers who are engaged in
tackling the challenge of waste management, scientifically and
sustainably.
78th edition of Golden Globe Awards- I The 78th Golden Globes
Awards ceremony was held on March 1, 2021. Emma Corin has won the
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Drama)
category. John Boyega won the award for Best Performance by an
Actor in a Supporting Role in a
Television Series. Netflix's The Queen's Gambit is the Best
Television Limited Series, Anthology Series, or
Motion Picture Made for Television.
78th edition of Golden Globe Awards- II Nomadland won the Best
Motion Picture (Drama). Andra Day won the Best Performance by an
Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama). Sacha Baron Cohen won the Best
Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or
Comedy) category. Rosamund Pike won the Best Performance by an
Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or
Comedy). Schitt's Creek won the Best Television Series (Musical or
Comedy).
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Mergers and Acquisition
Amazon acquires retail tech start-up Perpule Amazon Technologies, a
part of e-commerce major Amazon.com Inc, has acquired
Bengaluru-based retail tech start-up Perpule for about Rs 107.6 cr.
The acquisition will allow Amazon to offer Perpule's 'UltraPoS' and
other new technology
products to its Kirana partners. Amazon is also likely to pay
additional remuneration to Perpule's employees, which will
take
the deal value to about Rs 150 cr.
Niyo partners with Equitas Small Finance Bank Niyo, in partnership
with Equitas Small Finance Bank, has announced the launch of NiyoX.
It will help millennials to manage their savings and wealth by
offering a 2-in-1 account in the
form of a digital savings account and a wealth management suite. It
aims to onboard 2 million users by the end of 2021. Niyo is India's
leading digital banking fintech startup.
Khatabook acquires Biz Analyst for $10 mn Fintech start-up
Khatabook has acquired Biz Analyst, a SaaS business
management
application in a deal worth $10 million as a mix of cash and
equity. With this deal, Khatabook will offer its customer base of
over 10 mn monthly active
merchants an opportunity to scale up businesses. Biz Analyst is a
cash flow positive business firm providing solutions to SMEs using
Tally
accounting software.
Allana Group picks up 1% stake in LT Foods Allana Group has
announced an investment of Rs 20 crore for a 1% stake in LT Foods.
The two companies plan to work together to expand LT Food's
consumer products business
to focus on value-added as well as impulse food products. Allana
Group distributes brands such as London Dairy Ice Cream, Sunny Oil,
and Pristine
Bakery. LT Foods sells its packaged rice brands such as Daawat,
Royal, etc.
Tech Mahindra acquires Perigord Asset Holdings Tech Mahindra Ltd
has acquired a 70% stake in Perigord Asset Holdings Ltd. The
acquisition will help Tech Mahindra boost expertise in the global
pharmaceutical,
healthcare, and life science (HLS) sectors. The acquisition
underlines Tech Mahindra’s focus on digital growth, under the
NXT.NOW
framework, which focuses on leveraging next-generation technologies
to solve evolving customer needs.
IndoSpace acquires 55 acres in Haryana IndoSpace and Model Economic
Township Ltd (METL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries
Ltd (RIL), have jointly acquired 55 acres at Farukhnagar, in
Haryana, to develop a warehousing facility.
The land parcel has a development potential of 1.28 million sq ft.
With this, IndoSpace has expanded its footprint in Delhi-National
Capital Region (NCR) to
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
over 480 acres across eight industrial parks.
IndiGrid InvIT to acquire a project India Grid Trust, an
infrastructure investment trust has inked an agreement to acquire
a
power transmission project in the northeast for 4,625 cr from
Sterlite Power. The investment manager of IndiGrid, sponsored by
Sterlite Power Grid Ventures Ltd, is
majority-owned by KKR. The 830 circuit-km long NER-II Transmission
Ltd project is spread across Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh and Tripura.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Days and Events
Rajasthan Day: 30 March Rajasthan Day is celebrated every year on
March 30 to commemorate the day on which the
state came into existence. Rajasthan earlier known as Rajputana
came into existence on 30 March 1949. The state mostly comprises
lands of Rajputs including the erstwhile nineteen princely states.
It is the largest state of India in terms of the area and also
shares borders with Pakistan's
Punjab province.
Bangladesh celebrates 50 years of independence Bangladesh
celebrated 50 years of its independence on 26 March 2021. It was 50
years ago on the night of March 25, 1971, that Pakistan's military
launched a violent
crackdown on the city of Dhaka, then part of East Pakistan. Early
on March 26, 1971, the Bengali nationalist politician Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman declared
independence for Bangladesh.
World Theatre Day: 27 March World Theatre Day is celebrated
annually on 27 March. It was initiated in 1961 by the International
Theatre Institute (ITI). One of the most important events organised
on this day is the circulation of the World
Theatre Day Message through which at the invitation of ITI, a
figure of world stature shares his or her reflections on the theme
of Theatre and a Culture of Peace.
186th Raising Day of Assam Rifles March 23 is marked as the 186th
Raising Day of Assam Rifles. The Assam Rifles is the oldest
paramilitary force in India, it was raised in 1845 under the
British Raj, under the name Cachar Levy. The present name which is
‘Assam Rifles’ has been used since 1917. It plays an important role
in maintaining the law and order in the tribal parts of
Arunachal
Pradesh.
Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery The International Day
of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic
Slave
Trade is observed every year on 25 March. The day aims to raise
awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice. In order to
more permanently honour the victims, a memorial has been erected at
United
Nations Headquarters in New York.
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia's birth anniversary March 23 marks the birth
anniversary of freedom fighter and socialist leader Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia. Lohia was born on 23 March 1910. He was an activist
in the Indian independence movement and a socialist political
leader. During the last phase of British rule in India, he worked
with Congress Radio which was
broadcast secretly from various places in Bombay until 1942.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Birth anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar March 24 marks the birth
anniversary of the great Carnatic Musician Muthuswami Dikshitar.
Dikshitar was the legendary composer of Indian classical Carnatic
music. Dikshitar, Shyama Sastri, and Tygayya formed the musical
trinity of Carnatic music. His compositions are mostly in Sanskrit.
He also composed some of his Kritis in Manipravalam, a combination
of the Sanskrit and
Tamil languages.
World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March Each year, World Tuberculosis (TB)
Day is celebrated on March 24 to raise public awareness
about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of
TB. On this day in 1882, Dr Robert Koch announced that he had
discovered the bacterium that
causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this
disease. The theme of World TB Day 2021 is ‘The Clock is
Ticking’.
Martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh: 23 March The nation paid tributes to
freedom fighters - Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev - on
their
martyrdom day on 23 March 2021. On this day in 1931, British rulers
had executed them in Lahore for their revolutionary
activities against the empire. They were hanged a day before the
scheduled date of execution. A number of programmes have been
organized across the country to mark the day.
World Meteorological Day: 23 March World Meteorological Day takes
place every year on 23 March. It commemorates the coming into force
on 23 March 1950 of the Convention establishing
the World Meteorological Organization. World Meteorological Day in
2021 is devoted to the theme “the ocean, our climate and
weather.” In 1961, the World Meteorological Organization designated
March 23rd as the UN World
Meteorological Day.
22 March: Bihar Divas Bihar is celebrating its 109th foundation day
on 22 March 2021. The theme for the event of the year 2021 is 'Jal
Jivan Haryali'. The state was carved out from the Bengal presidency
on this day in 1912. The Day is a public holiday in Bihar. Due to
the pandamic situation, the Bihar government has decided to
celebrate the event on
a small-scale.
21 March: International Day of Forests 21 March is celebrated as
International Day of Forests. The day was founded by the Food and
Agriculture Organization and the United Nations in
2012. The theme of the International Day of Forests for 2021 is
“Forest restoration: a path to
recovery and well-being”. It is aimed at raising public awareness
among diverse communities about the values of the
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
forests to balance the life cycle.
22 March: World Water Day World Water Day is observed on 22 March
around the world. ‘Valuing Water’ is the theme for 2021's World
Water Day. The idea for a World Water Day was put forward in 1992,
at the Rio de Janeiro United
Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The objective of
the day is to raise awareness of the global water crisis and to
support the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal.
Shehnai festival starts at BHU As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav, a 3-day Shehnai festival started at Banaras Hindu
University campus Varanasi on 21 March 2021. The Sangeet Natak
Academy and the music and performing arts faculty of BHU have
come
together to organize this music festival. This musical evening is
organized to remember the shehnai Maestro Bharat Ratna Ustad
Bismillah Khan on his birth anniversary.
India participates in Nowruz celebrations India participated in the
Nowruz festivities at the SCO Secretariat in Beijing on 19
March
2021. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is celebrating
2021 as the ‘Year of Culture’. Nowruz is the Persian New Year and
symbol of onset of spring in the northern hemisphere. 21 March was
officially recognized in 2010 as International Nowruz Day by the
UN. In 2021, it falls on March 20.
World Sparrow Day: 20 March World Sparrow Day is observed on 20
March every year to raise awareness about the bird. The initiative
was started by Nature Forever Society (NFS) of India, founded by
Mohammed
Dilawar, an Indian conservationist. The first World Sparrow Day was
celebrated in 2010 in different parts of the world. The number of
sparrows has declined sharply in the past few years.
International Day of Happiness: 20 March March 20 is observed as
the International Day of Happiness. Since 2013, the United Nations
has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way
to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people
around the world. The resolution to adopt it was initiated by
Bhutan, a country that recognized the value of
national happiness over national income since the early
1970s.
Global Recycling Day: 18 March Global Recycling Day is observed
every year on March 18 to create awareness among the
masses about the rapid pace at which our natural resources are
being used. The day promotes the concept and practice of recycling.
Every year, events are organised
by environmentalist and activists to promote the cause. In 2021,
the theme of Global Recycling Day is “Recycling Heroes”.
National Immunisation Day: 16 March National Immunisation Day is
celebrated every year on March 16.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Also called National Vaccination Day, it is observed to convey the
importance of vaccination.
It was on this day on March 16, 1995, that the first dose of the
Oral Polio vaccine was given in India.
India had also launched its first vaccine Bacille Calmette-Guerin
(BCG) over 50 years ago to combat Tuberculosis.
Chinar Day observed in Jammu and Kashmir In Jammu and Kashmir, the
Urban Forest Division Srinagar on 15 March 2021. organized a
programme to observe Chinar Day at Shuhama Campus of Sher-e-Kashmir
University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST).
Chinar saplings were planted within the premises. The department
currently is planting about 2000 Chinar saplings
International Day of Action for Rivers: 14 Mar International Day of
Action for Rivers is marked on March 14 across the world. It aims
to bring people across borders, together to discuss issues
pertaining to river
management, river pollution, river conservation etc at a global
level. The theme for the 24th International Day of Action for
Rivers was the ‘Rights of Rivers’. The day was implemented in 1997
in Curitiba, Brazil.
Pi Day: 14 March Every year on March 14, the world celebrates Pi
Day to recognise the mathematical
constant, Pi. Pi is defined as the ratio of a circle's
circumference to its diameter and its value is 3.14. The day was
recognised in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw. In 2019, Unesco’s 40th
General Conference decided to observe Pi Day as the
International
Day of Mathematics.
World Consumer Rights Day: 15 March World Consumer Rights Day is
celebrated on the 15th of March every year to raise global
awareness about consumer rights and needs. The day was inspired by
US President John F Kennedy’s special message to the US
Congress
on March 15, 1962. The day is being observed since 1983. The theme
of the World Consumer Rights Day 2021 is ‘tackle plastic
pollution'.
Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal's birth anniversary PM Modi paid tributes to
Ayya Vaikunda Swamikal, a great thinker and social reformer
of
the 19th century, on his birth anniversary in March 2021. Ayya
Vaikundar also known as Siva Narayana or Vaikunda Swami is the
first and the
foremost Purna avatar of Eka-Paran. Vaikundar was born to Narayana
and his consort Lekhsmi at the Sea of Tiruchendur on the
20th of Masi, 1008 of Kollam Calender.
NCRB celebrates its 36th Inception Day National Crime Records
Bureau, NCRB celebrated its 36th Inception Day on 11 March 2021.
Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla presided over the function.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
NCRB is an Indian government agency responsible for collecting and
analysing crime data as defined by the Indian Penal Code and
Special and Local Laws.
It is headquartered in New Delhi and was set up in the year
1986.
World Kidney Day: 11 March World Kidney Day is celebrated every
year on the second Thursday of March. In 2021, the day was
celebrated on 11 March with the theme “Living Well with
Kidney
Disease”. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of kidneys
and to reduce the frequency and
impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems
worldwide.
CISF Raising Day 2021 CISF Raising Day is observed every year on
March 10. It was set up under an act of the Parliament of India on
March 1969 with a strength of
around 2,200 personnel. CISF stands for Central Industrial Security
Force, which is a Central Armed Police Force in
India. It is governed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and its
headquarters is in New Delhi.
Jan Aushadhi Diwas 2021 Jan Aushadhi Divas or Generic Medicine Day
is celebrated on 7 March every year in India. In 2021, the entire
week from March 1 to March 7 was celebrated as ‘Jan Aushadhi
Week’
with different themes for each day. March 7 was celebrated with the
theme of ‘Seva bhi, Rozgar bhi’. The day was first celebrated in
the year 2019 making it the third-celebration in 2021.
8 March: International Women's Day International Women's Day is
being observed on 8 March. The theme for the day in 2021 is "Women
in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a
COVID-19 world". The day is celebrated to help forge a gender-equal
world, celebrate women's achievements
and their increasing visibility in every sphere of life. It also
highlights the extraordinary roles played by women in almost every
walk of life.
Odisha pays tribute to Biju Patnaik On 6 March 2021, the Odisha
government paid rich tributes to legendary leader Biju
Patnaik
on his 105th birth anniversary. Biju Patnaik was the Chief Minister
of Odisha twice in the mid-60s and the first half of the
90s. The state government also observed the day as "Panchayati Raj
Day" as Biju Patnaik was
instrumental in decentralizing power to the grassroots level.
2023: International Year of Millets The United Nations has
unanimously declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets. A
resolution to declare 2023 as the International Year of Millets was
introduced by India and
supported by over 70 nations in the UN General Assembly. This aims
to raise awareness about the health benefits of the grain and their
suitability for
cultivation under changing climatic conditions.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
India commemorates 'Chabahar Day' on March 4 India will commemorate
Chabahar Day on the margins of the Maritime India Summit-2021
on the 4th of March. In the virtually held event, Ministers from
Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia,
and Uzbekistan are participating. The Chabahar Port is a key pillar
of India's Indo-Pacific vision to connect Eurasia with the
Indian Ocean Region.
National Safety Day: 4 March National Safety Day is observed on
March 4 every year to commemorate the foundation of
the National Safety Council (NSC). NSC aims to raise awareness
about safety measures that need to be undertaken to prevent
accidents and mishaps. National Safety Day was observed for the
first time in 1972, on the foundation day of the
National Safety Council.
World Wildlife Day: 3 March World Wildlife Day is observed annually
on March 3 to celebrate and raise awareness of the
world's flora and fauna. On December 20, 2013, the United Nations
General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as the UN
World Wildlife Day. The theme for World Wildlife Day 2021 is
"Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and
Planet".
LPAI celebrates its 9th Foundation Day The Land Ports Authority of
India (LPAI) celebrated its 9th Foundation Day at its
headquarters in New Delhi on 1 March 2021. The organization was
formed in 2012. The event concluded with a virtual panel discussion
on the subject “Facilitating Regional
Trade and Connectivity through Land Route” which was attended by
eminent scholars and persons from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and
Nepal.
World Hearing Day: 3 March World Hearing Day is held on 3 March
each year to raise awareness on how to prevent
deafness and hearing loss and to promote ear and hearing care
across the world. The theme for World Hearing Day 2021 is “Hearing
care for all!”. Also, in 2021, World Hearing Day will be marked by
the launch of the first-ever World Report
on Hearing.
1 March: 45th Civil Accounts Day The 45th Civil Accounts Day was
celebrated in New Delhi on 1 March 2021. Finance Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman was the Chief Guest of the event. This annual event was
celebrated for the first time by virtual mode and was
enthusiastically
attended by Indian Civil Accounts Service ICAS officers and staff
of the Civil Accounts Organisation.
Zero Discrimination Day: 1 March Zero Discrimination Day is
celebrated every year on 1 March. The symbol is a butterfly.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
It aims at highlighting the urgent need to take action to end the
inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status,
occupation, disability, sexual orientation, drug use, gender
identity, race, class, ethnicity and religion that are prevalent
around the world.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
MoU and Agreements
FB signs deals with 3 Australian publishers Facebook has announced
preliminary agreements with three Australian publishers. Letters of
intent had been signed with independent news organizations Private
Media,
Schwartz Media and Solstice Media. These agreements will bring a
new slate of premium journalism, including some previously
paywalled content, to Facebook.
SpiceJet ties up with Avenue Capital Homegrown carrier SpiceJet has
signed an MoU with New York-based Avenue Capital
Group for financing, acquisition, sale, and lease-back of 50 new
planes. This alliance will ensure a seamless induction of the
planes in the fleet. Besides this, SpiceJet will add 66 new
flights, including additional services on certain
routes in its domestic network at the end of March 2021.
Fourth batch of three Rafale to reach Gujarat The 4th batch of
three Rafale combat aircraft will reach Jamnagar airbase in Gujarat
from
France on 31 Mar'21. The 1st batch of 5 Rafale jets arrived in
India on 29 July'20. India had signed an agreement with France to
procure 36 Rafale aircraft. The Rafale jets are India’s 1st major
acquisition of fighter planes in the last 23 years after the
Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia.
Bharat Biotech, CSIR collaborate Bharat Biotech has tied up with
the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to
work on technologies and platforms for novel vaccines, drugs, and
even raw materials. Bharat Biotech International, Biovet, and
Sapigen Biologix have signed a joint Master
Collaborative Agreement (MCA) with CSIR-Indian Institute of
Chemical Technology (CSIR- IICT).
Puma signs deal with RC Bangalore Global sports brand Puma has
signed a three-year partnership with the Indian Premier
League (IPL) team franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore. Puma will
be the official kit partner of the team from the upcoming 14th
edition of the
tournament, scheduled to start from 9 April 2021. It also makes
Puma the only global sports brand to be associated with IPL
2021.
J&J, African Union ink deal for Covid vaccine Johnson &
Johnson will supply the African Union (AU) with up to 400 mn doses
of its Covid-
19 vaccines. J&J unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV has entered into
a deal with the African Vaccine
Acquisition Trust (AVAT) to deliver 220 mn doses of its single-dose
shot. AVAT could order an additional 180 mn doses by 2022. Almost
121,000 people across Africa have died from COVID-19 till March
2021.
Iran and China to sign 25-yr cooperation pact Iran and China signed
a 25-year cooperation agreement on 27 March 2021.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
The agreement was signed between Iranian Foreign Minister Javad
Zarif and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
China, Iran's largest trading partner and a long-standing ally,
agreed in 2016 to boost bilateral trade by more than 10 times to
$600 billion over a decade.
Adani entered into a pact with Essel Infra Power transmission &
retail distribution major Adani Transmission Limited has
signed
definitive agreements with Essel Infraprojects Limited. The pact is
signed for the acquisition of Warora-Kurnool Transmission Limited
(WKTL) for an
enterprise value of Rs 3,370 cr. WKTL will develop, operate &
maintain a transmission sys aggregating to 1,750 ckt km in
Maharashtra, Telangana & Andhra Pradesh.
Ford & HP partners to reuse 3D printing waste Ford Motor has
teamed up with tech company HP to innovatively reuse spent 3D
printing
waste by turning them into injection molded automotive parts. Auto
parts such as injection molded fuel-line clips made from 3D
printing waste have
already been installed first on Ford's Super Duty F-250 trucks.
These injection molded parts are environment-friendly, durable and
of high quality standard.
India, Bangladesh ink five MoUs Bangladesh and India on 27 March
2021 signed 5 MoUs to enhance cooperation in various
sectors, including disaster management, resilience, and mitigation,
trade, ICT, and sports. During the meet, both leaders agreed to run
a direct passenger train named ‘Mitali Express’
will run between Dhaka & New Jalpaiguri. India gifted 109
ambulances to Bangladesh and also 1.2 mn Covidvaccine doses.
Hungama Music partners with Dolby Laboratories Hungama Music has
partnered with Dolby Laboratories, enabling users with
Dolby-enabled
mobile devices to listen to music in Dolby format. It has tied up
for its surround sound technology called Dolby Atmos that offers
more clarity
and depth to music. Dolby Laboratories is a San Francisco-based
company that enhances sight and sound
experiences in movies, television, music, sports and gaming.
Tata Cleantech signs agreement with JICA Tata Cleantech Capital, a
non-banking financial company, has secured a 10-billion-yen
loan
agreement from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It
has been signed for offering loans to Indian firms focussing on
clean energy projects. The loan would be provided through a private
sector investment finance scheme of JICA
and co-financed with the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
JNPT signs Rs 100 crore pact with CNB Logitech Jawaharlal Nehru
Port Trust (JNPT) has signed an MoU with CNB Logitech of Rs 100
crore
per annum to monitor, track and optimise the movement of 50 lakh
containers in EXIM trade.
the signing of MoU will help to achieve India's maritime vision of
2030 by enhancing efficiencies.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
With this MoU with JNPT, CNB will be able to monitor over 50 per
cent of India's container movement in EXIM trade.
SAIC Motor and Haier to develop smart cars Chinese carmaker SAIC
Motor Corp. and appliance maker Haier Group Corp. have signed
a
preliminary agreement to jointly develop intelligent transportation
systems and smart homes.
The duo will cooperate in areas including autonomous driving and
lightweight-material development.
The agreement involves Haier investing in a SAIC unit that will be
set up to develop autonomous driving technology.
ASCI partners with Futurebrands The Advertising Standards Council
of India (ASCI) has partnered with brand consultancy
Futurebrands India to launch the first study into gender depiction
in advertising. The study titled, GenderNext, aims to provide
actionable insights that can shape gender
narratives, especially around the portrayal of women in advertising
positively. The report is set to be released in September
2021.
TPDDL ties up with SUN Mobility Tata Power joint venture firm Tata
Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL) has announced its
partnership with SUN Mobility to set up a network of 'Battery Swap
Points' across north and north-west Delhi.
SUN Mobility is a leading provider of an energy infrastructure
platform. In collaboration with TPDDL, SUN Mobility has launched
the first Swap Point with two Quick
Interchange Stations.
Jal Shakti Ministry ties up with UN The Jal Shakti Ministry has
entered a partnership with the United Nations Office for
Project
Services and the government of Denmark. It will help bring tap
water connections to 11 water-scarce districts in Uttar Pradesh’s
water-
starved Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions under the Jal Jeevan
mission. The project will include capacity-building support, with
the creation of village action plans.
ICM and IOM in a collaboration The India Centre for Migration
(ICM), a research think tank of the Ministry of External
Affairs
(MEA), and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have
entered into a collaboration.
They will do a joint study on strengthening data-informed and
migrant-centred migration management frameworks in India.
The project was launched by Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary of ICM
on 23 Mar'21.
RDIF, Virchow Biotech ink deal The Russian Direct Investment Fund
(RDIF) and Hyderabad-based Virchow Biotech Private
Limited have inked an agreement to produce up to 200 million doses
per year of Sputnik V vaccine in India.
The technology transfer is expected to be completed in the 2nd
quarter of 2021. Sputnik V has been registered in 54 countries
globally with a total population of over 1.4
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
billion people.
FICCI and IFSCA sign MoU FICCI (The Federation of Indian Chambers
of Commerce and Industry) and IFSCA
(International Financial Services Centres Authority) have signed an
MoU. They will establish a framework for collaboration for the
development of Gujarat
International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) IFSC as a world-class FinTech
hub. FICCI will also assist IFSCA in the development of FinTech
Accelerator programmes.
JKTPO and TPCI sign MoU Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion
Organization (JKTPO) has signed an MoU with the
Trade Promotion Corporation of India (TPCI). It has been signed for
the Agro and Food Processing sector and Film Tourism sector. The
MoU was signed during the inauguration of the J&K Pavilion at
South Asia’s largest
Integrated FB Trade Show – Indus-food 2021, held at India
Exposition Mart, New Delhi.
Glenmark joins hands with Bausch Drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
has entered into a pact with Bausch to commercialise
its nasal spray Ryaltris in Canada. The company's subsidiary,
Glenmark Specialty SA in Switzerland and an affiliate of
Bausch
Health Companies Inc have entered into an exclusive licensing
agreement. Glenmark will be responsible for regulatory approvals
and the supply of Ryaltris for the
Canadian market.
IISc, Applied Materials India ink R&D pact Applied Materials
India, the local subsidiary of Applied Materials Inc., has signed a
research
and development (R&D) pact with the Indian Institute of Science
(IISc), Bengaluru. As part of the Industry Affiliate Program of the
Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering
(CeNSE), both will work closely with CeNSE to explore new
applications and solutions in the field of advanced
materials.
India, Japan agree for cooperation India and Japan have agreed to
recognize each other’s offices to act mutually as competent
International Searching and International Preliminary Examining
Authority (ISA/IPEA) for any international patent application filed
with them.
The agreement was arrived at during the 4th review meeting between
both in March 2021 under a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on
industrial property.
Thermax arm signs pact with Germany's SBE Thermax Babcock and
Wilcox Energy Solutions (TBWES) has signed a Know-How
Transfer
and License agreement with Steinmüller Babcock Environment GmbH
(SBE), Germany for Waste to Energy technology.
As a part of it, TBWES will design, engineer, manufacture, and sell
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) fired waste to energy solutions
incorporating SBE’s well-established grate and boiler
technology.
Mindtree inks deal with Knauf Mindtree Ltd has signed a multi-year
agreement with Knauf, a global manufacturer of
building materials and construction systems.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
As per it, Mindtree will help accelerate the company’s IT
transformation initiatives. Mindtree will provide application
development services, help to digitize their infrastructure,
transforming their supply chain systems, and further develop
digital platforms.
Sevilla, FC Bengaluru announce collaboration Spanish football club
Sevilla FC and FC Bengaluru United have announced a five-year
collaboration. Through this partnership, Sevilla FC will look to
strengthen their presence in the Indian
football ecosystem. As part of the agreement, fans will be able to
see FC Bengaluru United as well as their
academy players in Sevilla FC’s traditional white and red colours
from the 2021-2022 season.
Labour Bureau signs agreement with BECIL Labour Bureau has signed a
service level agreement with Broadcast Engineering
Consultants India Limited, BECIL. It will all India surveys on
Migrant Workers and All India Quarterly Establishment based
Employment Survey. These surveys will be useful in providing the
government with crucial data on migrant
workers and the employment situation in formal and informal
establishments.
Govt signs 1,188 crores deal with BDL The Union Defence Ministry
has signed a 1,188 crore deal with Bharat Dynamics Limited
(BDL) for the supply of 4,960 Milan-2T Anti-Tank Guided Missiles
(ATGMs) to the Indian Army.
It is a ‘Repeat Order’ of contract, which was signed with BDL on
March 8, 2016. The missile is a Tandem Warhead ATGM with a range of
1,850 meters, produced by BDL
under license from MBDA Missile Systems, France.
Indian Oil Corp enters into JV with Phinergy Indian Oil Corporation
has entered into a collaboration with Phinergy, an Israeli
company
specialising in hybrid lithium-ion and aluminium-air/zinc-air
battery systems, to form IOC Phinergy Private Limited.
The joint venture will manufacture Aluminum-Air systems in India to
boost India's flagship programme - "Make in India" and recycle used
Aluminum to strengthen India's energy security.
Gland Pharma inks deal with RDIF Gland Pharma Ltd has entered into
an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund
(RDIF) for the supply of 252 million doses of Sputnik V
(Russian-made) vaccine against COVID-19.
The agreement will see Gland Pharma utilizing its Drug Substance
and Drug Product facilities at its sites in Hyderabad.
The production is expected to commence from the third quarter of
2021.
FIFA collaborates with United Nations FIFA has announced its
collaboration with the United Nations on Office on Drugs and
Crime
(UNODC) to launch the Global Integrity Programme. It is a
comprehensive international programme aimed at providing all 211
member
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
associations with enhanced knowledge and tools to fight and prevent
match manipulation. The first edition of the programme started with
the first module on March 4, 2021.
Cabinet approves MoU between India, Maldives The Union Cabinet has
approved an MoU signed between the Union Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community
Empowerment of the Maldives for cooperation in Sports and Youth
Affairs.
The MoU was signed in November 2020. Bilateral exchange programmes
in the field of sports between India and Maldives will help
in
expanding knowledge in the area of sports.
JSW Sports collaborates with Odisha government JSW Sports in
collaboration with the Sports and Youth Services Department,
Government of
Odisha has announced the launch of a comprehensive Grassroot
Program. It is scheduled to commence on 1 April'21. It will be
rolled out in eight locations - Bhubaneshwar, Sambalpur, Balangir,
Boudh, Sonepur,
Angul, Ganjam, and Mayurbhanj under the umbrella of the Odisha
Government's pact with JSW Sports.
Nokia partners with Microsoft, Amazon, Google Nokia has partnered
with Microsoft, Amazon web services and Google to develop new
cloud-based 5G radio solutions with its radio access network (RNA)
technology. The goal of the partnerships is to develop new business
cases. It will develop new and innovative high value 5G use cases
that will equip customers with
the tools they need for digital transformation.
Agreement signed for Sewage Treatment Plants A tripartite
concession agreement has been signed between the National Mission
for Clean
Ganga (NMCG), UP Jal Nigam, and GA Infra Private Limited-Lahoti
Buildcon Limited for the development of Sewage Treatment Plants
(STPs) for Moradabad.
The contract was awarded at a total cost of Rs 99.68 cr. It is
aimed at eliminating the flow of untreated sewage from Moradabad
city into the River
Ganga.
Sony Pictures Networks signs multi-year deal Sony Pictures Networks
India (SPNI) has signed a multi-year television and digital
broadcast
deal with Ultimate Kho Kho. The league is expected to be telecast
in the prime time slot (7-9 pm) in English and Hindi
and will also be streamed on SonyLIV. Ultimate Kho Kho was founded
by Dabur's Amit Burman who had acquired long-term
commercial rights from the Kho Kho Federation of India in
2019.
Cholamandalam, Karur Vysya Bank join hands Cholamandalam Investment
and Finance company has inked a partnership with Karur
Vysya Bank for co-lending business, eyeing to garner a larger
market share across segments. It would significantly help
Cholamandalam and Karur Vysya Bank to expand the reach to
new customer segments across the country. It will allow both the
companies to use an effective composite risk management
framework.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Aquaconnect partners with Bank of Baroda Aquaconnect has partnered
with Bank of Baroda, India’s leading public sector bank, to
pave
the way for access to formal credit for 1.6 million aquaculture
farmers. Under this partnership, Bank of Baroda has extended loan
for up to 10 lacs under KCC
scheme and fisheries loan. Higher credit limits can also be availed
under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
(PMMSY).
ONGC acquires 5% stake in Indian Gas Exchange Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Limited (ONGC) signed a Share Purchase and
Shareholders Agreement (SPSHA) with the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX)
and the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) on March 10, 2021.
As per the agreement ONGC has acquired 5 per cent equity in IGX.
ONGC is aligned to the government’s vision of increasing the share
of gas in the energy mix
to 15% by 2030.
Educate Girls signs MoU with Rajasthan Educate Girls, an NGO, has
announced an MoU with the Government of Rajasthan's
Directorate of Women Empowerment at Jaipur. As per the MoU, Educate
Girls will develop a collaborative framework to strengthen
the
planning and implementation of the state's women and adolescent
girls' initiatives and reform processes.
It will set up a state-level Project Management and Implementation
Unit.
Vi partners with Disney+ Hotstar Telecommunications company Vi has
partnered with video streaming platform Disney+
Hotstar to provide a year of free content to its users. This will
include live sports such as the IPL (Indian Premier League). For Vi
prepaid users, it is launching three new unlimited recharge plans
and a new data-only
plan that will offer the one-year Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription
as a bundled benefit.
Govt Polytechnic College signs MoU with GCET In the Jammu and
Kashmir, Government Polytechnic College, Jammu inked an MoU
with
Government College of Engineering & Technology (GCET), Jammu on
9 March 2021. It has been signed for upskilling and enhancing
employability of engineering students to the
latest technologies at Center for Invention, Innovation,
Incubation, and Training (CIIIT), Jammu established at Government
Polytechnic Jammu.
Russia, China sign MoU to build space station Russia and China
signed an MoU on 9 March 2021 for the joint construction of a lunar
space
station. The lunar station will be designed as a "complex of
experimental research facilities created
on the surface and/or in the orbit of the Moon". The collaboration
will promote international cooperation on the project and offer
equal
access to any nation that wants to take part.
IOCL, IDCO sign MoU for Paradip Plastic Park The state-run Odisha
Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) and
Indian
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Oil Corporation Limited signed an MoU on 9 March 2021, to develop a
Plastic Park in Paradip.
IOCL announced a special strategic incentive scheme to attract
investments in downstream polymer industries at Paradip Plastic
Park.
With a project cost of Rs 107 cr, the park is spread over 120 acres
of land.
Indian Navy, Suryadipta Projects ink an MoU The Indian Navy has
signed a contract with Suryadipta Projects to construct 11
ammunition-
cum-torpedo-cum-missile (ACTCM) barges. The contract was concluded
on March 5, 2021. Delivery of barges is scheduled to commence from
22 May 2021. The ACTCM barges will be inducted in Indian Navy to
undertake the mission needs for
embarking or disembarking ammunition, torpedo, missile, etc.
Chingari inks deal with BandEdge Short video app Chingari has
announced a partnership with BandEdge, a music, and talent
agency, to promote budding singers, backstage music bands, dancers,
among others. BandEdge artistes work and perform across multiple
Indian languages. Chingari has also partnered with Bengali
streaming service Hoichoi for short-video clips and
dialogue from shows and movies on the platform.
LeapFrog in a partnership with Temasek Global impact investor
LeapFrog Investments has signed a strategic partnership with
Singapore's state investor Temasek. Temasek will commit $500
million as an anchor investor across multiple funds of LeapFrog.
Temasek will also take a minority stake in LeapFrog and provide
growth capital to support
the expansion of the LeapFrog team and investment capabilities
across Asia and Africa.
Philippines Vaccine Head to visit India Chief Implementer of the
Philippines' National Policy Against COVID, Carlito Galvez Jr
will
visit India to finalize agreements with several vaccine
manufacturers. He will visit India from March 9 to 12, 2021 to sign
supply agreements and negotiate earlier
deliveries of vaccines. The Philippines is among the last countries
in Southeast Asia to start its COVID-19 vaccine
rollout.
WCD Ministry sign agreement with Invest India Union Ministry of
Women and Child Development signed an MoU with Invest India in
New
Delhi on 8 March'21. The aim of the MoU is to enhance co-operation
in the thematic areas of nutrition, child
protection and development, women empowerment and convergent
capacity building in mission mode.
It was signed by Joint Secretary in the Ministry Aditi Das Raut and
VP of Invest India, Hindol Sengupta.
Textiles Ministry and Agri Ministry sign MoU Ministry of Textiles
and Ministry of Agriculture signed an MoU on 7 March 2021 to
amplify
sericulture activities in the country in the presence of Textiles
Minister Smriti Irani and
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Minister of State for Agriculture Parshottam Rupala. The MoU will
focus on establishing tree based agro-forestry models in
sericulture and
exploring possibilities of activities through Krishi Vigyan
Kendras.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Appointment
New Chief Growth Officer of GameStop GameStop Corp. has appointed
Elliott Wilke to the role of Chief Growth Officer as it plans
to
transform its business to e-commerce. Elliott Wilke will start his
term on April 5, 2021. At GameStop, Mr. Wilke will oversee growth
strategies and marketing, with a focus on
increasing customer loyalty and growing the reach of PowerUp
Rewards and Game Informer.
First female referee appointed for EFL match Rebecca Welch has
become the first female referee to be appointed to an English
Football
League match. Welch is the first woman to get an official
appointment and is set to officiate the League
Two game between Harrogate and Port Vale on 5 April 2021. Welch has
previously officiated men's matches in the National League as well
as
elite women's matches such as the FA Cup final in 2017.
Soma Mondal: New Chairman of SCOPE Steel Authority of India Limited
(SAIL)'s Chairman Soma Mondal has been elected as the
new Chairman of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE).
Mondal has been elected for a term of two years, with effect from 1
Apr'21. She had assumed the charge of Chairman of SAIL on 1 Jan'21.
SCOPE is an apex professional organisation representing the Central
Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSEs).
Deutsche Bank's new Investment Banking head Deutsche Bank has
appointed Fabrizio Campelli as the head of its Investment Banking
and
the Corporate Banking unit. Campelli, who joined the bank in 2004
from McKinsey, has been a member of the executive
board since November 2019. Previously, Campelli was working as a
Chief Transformation Officer of Deutsche Bank.
New Andhra Election Commissioner Former Andhra Pradesh Chief
Secretary Nilam Sawhney has been appointed as the new
State Election Commissioner (SEC). She will replace the Andhra
Election Commissioner Ramesh Kumar. She was the first woman Chief
Secretary of the state. The former IAS officer is working as the
Principal Advisor of Chief Minister, as of 27 March
2021.
Mahindra appoints Anish Shah as the MD, CEO Mahindra and Mahindra
Ltd has announced the appointment of Anish Shah, as the
Managing Director and Chief Executive, effective from April 2,
2021. Shah will oversee operations of all Mahindra Group companies
and will take over from
Pawan Goenka. He is currently serving as the Deputy Managing
Director and Chief Financial Officer of
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Mahindra.
Saurabh Garg appointed UIDAI CEO Senior bureaucrat Saurbah Garg has
been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He is a 1991
batch IAS officer. Sanjeev Kumar, a 1991 batch IAS officer of
Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed as the
Chairman of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Atish Chandra
will be Chairman and Managing Director, Food Corporation of
India.
Chitra Nayak: Independent Director of Infosys IT services major
Infosys on 24 March 2021 announced the appointment of former
Salesforce
Executive Chitra Nayak as an Independent Director. She will assume
the charge on March 25, 2021. The appointment is for a period of
three years. Previously she was the Chief Operating Officer at
Funding Circle, an online SMB lending
marketplace.
ECI transfers Coimbatore DC and Commissioner The Election
Commission of India (ECI) has transferred Coimbatore District
Collector
Rajamani and the city commissioner of police Sumit Sharan to
non-election posts. ECI also directed the state government to
appoint IAS officer S Nagarajan as the new
District Collector. S Davidson Devasirvatham has been appointed as
the Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore.
Ralf Speth: TVS Motor's Chairman in 2023 TVS Motor Company on 24
March 2021 announced the appointment of global automotive
industry icon Sir Ralf Speth to its board of directors. He will be
succeeding Venu Srinivasan as the chairman in 2023. TVS Motor
further announced the appointment of Kuok Meng Xiong as an
independent
director. Ralf had previously worked with BMW and he was the CEO of
Jaguar Land Rover for over 11
years.
Justice Ramana to be next CJI Chief Justice of India SA Bobde has
recommended the name of Justice NV Ramana as his
successor. Chief Justice Bobde is set to retire on 23rd April 2021.
Justice Bobde was sworn in as the 47th CJI in November 2019. Once
cleared for an appointment, Justice Ramana is expected to take over
as the next CJI
on April 24, 2021, and will retire on Aug 26, 2022.
EC suspends observer of West Bengal Election Commission has ordered
the suspension of an Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer
Narendra Prasad Pandey who was deployed as an Observer for West
Bengal assembly polls.
He was suspended due to his alleged misconduct with district
officials and misuse of his official position.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
He was appointed as General Observer in the Kashipur assembly
constituency of West Bengal.
President appoints two judges to Karnataka HC President Ram Nath
Kovind has appointed Rajendra Badamikar and Sushree Khazi
Jayabunnisa Mohiuddin as Additional Judges of Karnataka High Court
for 2 yrs. Rajendra Badamikar is presently working as Registrar
General at the High Court of
Karnataka, Bengaluru. Sushree Khazi Jayabunnisa Mohiuddin is
presently working as Registrar (Vigilance) at the
High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru.
Dr Vivek Murthy to be Biden's Surgeon General US Senate has voted
to confirm Indian-American Dr. Vivek Murthy to be President
Biden's
Surgeon General. Dr. Murthy served as the Surgeon General under the
Obama administration from 2014 to
2017. He is a distinguished Physician and former Vice Admiral in
the Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps.
Cipla reappoints Umang Vohra as MD for 5 years Cipla has approved
the re-appointment of Umang Vohra as the Managing Director
and
Global Chief Executive Officer of the company for a further period
of five years. The appointment is effective from April 1, 2021, to
March 31, 2026. Vohra had joined Cipla in 2015. Vohra earlier
worked with Eicher Motors, PepsiCo, and Dr. Reddy’s
Laboratories.
New General Secretary of RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of
RSS has elected Dattatreya Hosabale as its Sarkaryavah
or General Secretary for a period of three years. He replaces
Bhaiyyaji Joshi. Dattatreya Hosabale was Sah Sarkaryavah of RSS
since 2009. He hails from the Shivamogga district in Karnataka
joined RSS in 1968.
Arindam Bagchi appointed MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has been
appointed as the new MEA spokesperson. The outgoing spokesperson
Anurag Srivastava will now be a Joint Secretary (north). Bagchi is
a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service officer who had earlier served
as Ambassador
to Croatia and Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, besides
having served as a Director in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Marc Llistosella won’t join Tata Motors Marc Llistosella won’t be
joining as the next Chief Executive Officer and Managing
Director
of Tata Motors as previously announced on 12 February 2021. Guenter
Butschek will continue as the company’s CEO and Managing Director
until June 30,
2021. Llistosella was most recently the President and CEO of Fuso
Truck and Bus Corporation and
30 | P a g e
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Samia Suluhu: 1st female President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan
was sworn in on 19 Mar'21 as Tanzania's first female President
after
the sudden death of John Magufuli. Hassan will serve the remainder
of Magufuli's second five-year term, which does not expire
until 2025. She is the only other current serving female head of
state in Africa alongside Ethiopia's
President Sahle-Work Zewde, whose role is mainly ceremonial.
Aparna Chennapragada: Robinhood's 1st CPO American stock trading
platform Robinhood has appointed Indian-origin Aparna
Chennapragada as its first Chief Product Officer. She has worked on
various product roles at Google for 12 yrs and has over 20 yrs
of
experience in product development, design, and strategy including
stints at companies like Akamai and Oracle.
She is also currently a board member at financial giant Capital
One.
Pinduoduo founder steps down as Chairman Colin Huang, the founder
of fast-growing Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo, has
resigned as Chairman. Chen Lei, who replaced Huang as Pinduoduo’s
CEO in July 2020, will now also serve as the
company’s Chairman. Pinduoduo was founded in 2015, and just after
three years it was listed on the technology-
focused Nasdaq stock exchange in New York in July 2018.
H. Nagrale: New Mumbai Police Commissioner Senior Indian Police
Service (IPS) officer Hemant Nagrale on 17 March 2021 assumed
charge
as the new Mumbai Police Commissioner. He replaced the former
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Singh has been
transferred to the Home Guard department.
New Chairman of Stop TB Partnership Board Union Minister for Health
and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has been appointed as the
Chairman of the international body Stop TB Partnership Board. He
was appointed in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the
movement to
eradicate Tuberculosis from India by 2025. Dr Harsh Vardhan will
serve a three-year term, commencing from July 2021.
MA Ganapathy appointed NSG Chief Senior IPS officers M A Ganapathy
and Kuldiep Singh were appointed Director General of
the National Security Guard and the Central Reserve Police Force,
respectively on 16 Mar'21. Ganapathy, a 1986 batch IPS officer of
the Uttarakhand cadre, is currently DG, Bureau of
Civil Aviation Security. Singh, a 1986 batch IPS officer of the
West Bengal cadre, is presently the Special DG, CRPF.
Deb Haaland as Secretary of Interior US Senate has confirmed Deb
Haaland as the Secretary of the Interior. She becomes the first
Native American to lead a cabinet agency and securing a central
role
in President Joe Biden’s plans to fight climate change.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
She became one of the first two Native American women elected to
Congress in 2018. She will oversee policies guiding the use of 500
million acres of federal and tribal land.
Gyanwant Singh: New Director Security of WB The West Bengal
government on 15 March 2021 appointed IPS officer Gyanwant Singh
as
the new Director Security. Previously, he was working as Additional
Director General (Security). He replaced Vivek Sahay. Election
Commission of India (ECI) removed Vivek Sahay over the incident in
Nandigram in
which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured.
Kapil Dev inducted as PGTI board member Kapil Dev has been inducted
as one of the board members of the Professional Golf Tour of
India (PGTI). Meanwhile, the Delhi-NCR Open Golf Championship 2021,
to be jointly organized by the
TATA Steel PGTI and Prometheus School, Noida, will begin at the
scenic Golden Greens Golf Club in Gurugram on 16 March 2021.
The tournament carries a prize purse of Rs 30 lakh.
Deepak Mishra: ICRIER Chief Executive World Bank economist Deepak
Mishra has been appointed as the next Director and Chief
Executive of leading think-tank Indian Council for Research on
International Economic Relations (ICRIER).
He is currently a Practice Manager in the World Bank's
macroeconomics, trade and investment global practice.
Before joining the World Bank, he worked at Tata Motors and Federal
Reserve Board.
Hardeep Singh Brar: Head in Kia Motors Kia Motors India Ltd has
announced the appointment of Hardeep Singh Brar as the
national
Head of Sales and Marketing with immediate effect. He will join Kia
Motors from the Chinese company Great Wall Motors, where he served
as
the Director of sales and marketing. He has held senior leadership
positions across sales functions at Maruti Suzuki,
Volkswagen,
General Motors, and Nissan.
ECI transfers Morigaon DC, ADC in Assam The Assam govt has replaced
Morigaon Deputy Commissioner Leena Das and Additional
Deputy Commissioner Debajani Choudhury on the recommendations of
the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 14, 2021.
Home Secretary Seema Rekha Bhuyan has been appointed as the new
Morigaon DC. Skill Employment and Entrepreneurship dept secy Hanif
Noorani has been transferred as the
ADC of Morigaon.
Prof AK Singh: New VC of PRSU, Prayagraj Prof Akhilesh Kumar Singh
has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Prof
Rajendra
Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. He has
been appointed by the Chancellor of the university and UP Governor
Anandiben
Patel for a term of three years.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Prof Akhilesh Kumar Singh took charge on 13 March 2021.
ATC appoints Sanjay Goel as President Telecom infrastructure
provider American Tower Corp (ATC) has appointed Sanjay Goel
as
the President, Asia Pacific. Goel will take charge from 16 March
2021 and will succeed Amit Sharma, who has been the
Chief of Asia Pacific since the start of India operations. ATC’s
wholly-owned subsidiary ATC India started operations in 2007 and
has about 76,000
towers installed across the country.
Uttarakhand CM inducts 11 ministers Uttarakhand Chief Minister
Tirath Singh Rawat expanded his Council of Ministers on 12
March 2021. Governor Baby Rani Maurya administered the oath of
office to 11 ministers at Raj Bhavan. Banshidhar Bhagat, Bishan
Singh Chufal, Ganesh Joshi, and Swami Yatishwaranand are the
new faces of Tirath Singh Rawat's team, who took the oath. MLA from
Gadarpur Arvind Pandey took the oath in Sanskrit.
China's Ant Group CEO resigns China's Ant Group Chief Executive
Officer Simon Hu has stepped down from his role on 12
March 2021. Hu will be replaced by company veteran and Executive
Chairman Eric Jing. China's Ant Group, as the fintech giant, is
pushed by regulators to revamp operations after
its failed $37 billion initial public offerings (IPO).
Thomas Bach re-elected as IOC president Thomas Bach was re-elected
as president of the International Olympic Committee on 10
March 2021 for a final four-year term. The German lawyer was
unopposed and won the vote 93-1. He also signed future Olympic
hosts Paris and Los Angeles, while Brisbane is now being
fast-
tracked for 2032. Bach first presided over the 2014 Sochi
Games.
Pierre Bruno: Wipro's CEO for Europe business IT services firm
Wipro appointed Pierre Bruno as Chief Executive Officer of its
European
operations on 10 March 2021. Bruno joined Wipro from DXC
Technology, where he was Vice President and Managing
Director of Southern Europe. Bruno will lead Wipro's business in
six distinct regions across Europe.
Anurag Thakur: Captain in Territorial Army Minister of State for
Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur was promoted as
Captain in the Territorial Army as a regular commissioned officer
on 10 March 2021. He has become the first serving Union Minister to
be promoted as Captain in the Indian
Territorial Army. Thakur has been promoted to the rank of Captain
at 124 Infantry Battalion Territorial Army
(Sikh).
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Maju Varghese appointed as WHMO Director Indian-American Maju
Varghese on March 9, 2021, was formally appointed as Director of
the
White House Military Office. As the WHMO Director, Varghese will
oversee all military operations aboard Air Force One
on Presidential missions worldwide. He previously served as the
Chief Operating Officer of the Biden campaign during the 2020
presidential election.
G P Samanta: Chief Statistician of India The Indian government has
appointed Dr. G P Samanta as the new Chief Statistician of
India (CSI). Dr. Samanta was currently deputed as an advisor in the
RBI's Department of Statistics and
Information Management. He will replace 1986-batch IAS officer Dr.
Kshatrapati Shivaji who was holding the additional
charge of the post since September 2020.
OZiva signs Deepika Padukone as endorser Plant-based nutrition
brand OZiva has announced the appointment of actor Deepika
Padukone as its brand ambassador. Recently, OZiva became the first
nutrition brand in India to be certified clean and received
the Purity Award and Pesticide Free certificate from the US-based
Clean Label Project. OZiva provides everyday fitness, skin, and
hair nutrition products.
Tirath Singh Rawat: New CM of Uttarakhand Tirath Singh Rawat will
be the new CM of Uttarakhand. He is a Member of Parliament from
Pauri Garhwal. He was the first Education Minister after the
formation of the Uttarakhand state in 2000. He has headed the state
unit of the BJP in the past and has been a state legislator.
Trivendra Singh Rawat stepped down from the post of Chief Minister
on 9 March 2021.
New Chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors The Comptroller and
Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu has been again
appointed as the Chairman of the Panel of External Auditors of the
United Nations for 2021. The CAG was elected as Chairman of the
Panel in 2020 as well. As of March 2021, CAG is also the External
Auditor of the WHO, Geneva and Food
and Agriculture Organization, Rome and Inter-Parliamentary
Union.
EC orders removal of West Bengal DGP Election Commission ordered
the removal of West Bengal Director-General of Police,
Virendra with immediate effect on 9 March 2021. P Nirajnayan has
been appointed as Director-General of Police (DG) and Inspector
General
of Police (IGP) in place of Virendra. The decision has been taken
by the commission after reviewing the poll preparedness in
the
state.
Arcil appoints Pallav Mohapatra as MD and CEO Asset reconstruction
company Arcil has appointed Pallav Mohapatra as the new Chief
Executive Officer and Managing Director.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Prior to this, Mahapatra was the MD and CEO of the Central Bank of
India. He has also served as the Deputy Managing Director in charge
of the stressed assets
management group at the State Bank of India.
Biswajit Daimary takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP BJP's Biswajit
Daimary on 8 march 2021, took oath as the Member of Parliament in
Rajya
Sabha. Earlier, in February 2021, Daimary was elected unopposed to
the upper house of Parliament. Dineshchandra Jemalbhai and Rambhai
Mokariya from Gujarat also took oath as Rajya
Sabha MPs. Chairman M.Venkaiah Naidu administered the oath to the
new members.
Glenmark signs Rohit Sharma as ambassador Glenmark Pharma has
signed cricketer Rohit Sharma as brand ambassador for its
product
Candid Powder. Sharma has officially signed on to represent
Glenmark's Candid Powder, a legacy brand of
the company's consumer care division. Glenmark's Candid Dusting
Powder is used to treat four key skin problems of redness,
irritation, sweat rash, and fungal infections.
Kotak: Ashok Gulati as additional Director Kotak Mahindra Bank has
appointed agricultural economist Ashok Gulati as an
additional
independent Director on its board. The term of Gulati, who has also
been appointed by the Supreme Court to a four-member
panel, is for five years starting from 6 March 2021. He is
currently the Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian
Council for Research
on International Economic Relations.
Naureen Hassan: 1st VP, COO of New York Fed Indian-American Naureen
Hassan has been named as the first Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer (COO) of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
She has been appointed by the board of directors of the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York,
effective from 15 March 2021. She was, most recently, the Chief
Digital Officer for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (MSWM).
Joe Biden appoints 2 more Indian-Americans US President Joe Biden
has appointed two more Indian-Americans in key administrative
positions. Chiraag Bains has been appointed as Special Assistant to
the President for Criminal Justice
and Pronita Gupta has been named Special Assistant to the President
for Labour and Workers.
From 2010 to 2017, Chiraag served in the Justice Department’s Civil
Rights Division.
Drew Vollero: First CFO of Reddit Reddit has appointed Drew Vollero
as its first Chief Financial Officer. Formerly, he worked as
a Chief Financial Officer in Snapchat-parent Snap. Vollero, who has
also worked at toymaker Mattel Inc, will lead Reddit's finance team
starting
35 | P a g e
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
Obituaries
Former BSP MLA Virendra Singh passes away Former BSP MLA Virendra
Singh passed away on 30 March 2021 following a prolonged
illness. He was elected as BSP MLA from Bareilly Cantonment seat in
2007 and Bithri Chainpur seat
in 2012. Singh had been suffering from serious health problems
since 2018.
Surendra Sirsat passes away Former Speaker of Goa Assembly Surendra
Sirsat passed away in March 2021. Sirsat served as the
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA for three terms -
1977,
1989 and 1994. He served as the Speaker of the Goa Legislative
Assembly between 1990-91.
Anil Dharker passes away Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker
passed away in March 2021. He was the founder and director of the
Mumbai International Literary Festival. Dharker had been the editor
of a variety of publications, starting with ‘Debonair’,
‘Mid-Day’;
‘The Independent’ and ‘The Illustrated Weekly of India’. He had
also worked as a TV show producer and anchor.
K C Chakrabarty passes away Former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank
K C Chakrabarty passed away in March 2021. After his stint at Bank
of Baroda, Indian Bank, and Punjab National Bank, Chakrabarty
had
joined the RBI as a DG in 2009 and resigned in 2014, three months
before his term ended. Chakrabarty had taught at the Banaras Hindu
University before entering commercial
banking.
Veteran filmmaker Sagar Sarhadi passes away Veteran filmmaker Sagar
Sarhadi passed away in March 2021. He was known for his work in
movies such as Bazaar and Lorie, which he directed, and Kabhi
Kabhi, Chandni, and Faasle, for which he penned the dialogues.
Before he ventured into cinema, Sarhadi was an Urdu writer. He
received his first break with Patni (1970).
Former SEBI Chairman Ramakrishna passes away G.V. Ramakrishna, who
was the 1st chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of
India
after it became a statutorily empowered markets regulator, passed
away in March 2021. Ramakrishna was appointed in 1990 as the second
chairman of the then two-year-old
Securities and Exchange Board. Starting his career as a biochemist
doing research in haematology, Ramakrishna joined the
IAS in 1952.
Ritika Phogat passes away Ritika Phogat, the cousin sister of
champion wrestlers Geeta and Babita Phogat, died by
suicide after she allegedly lost a wrestling tournament final in
Bharatpur, in March 2021. She had participated in a state-level
wrestling tournament at Bharatpur between 12 and 14
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
March 2021. Ritika had trained under Dronacharya award-winning
wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat.
Tanzania's President John Magufuli passes away Tanzania's President
John Magufuli passed away in Dar es Salaam on 17 March 2021. The
President died of a heart ailment that he has battled for over 10
years. According to Tanzania's constitution, Vice President Samia
Suluhu Hassan will be sworn in
as the new President to serve the remainder of Magufuli's five-year
term. Hassan will be Tanzania's first female President.
Ram Swaroop Sharma passes away BJP MP from Mandi in Himachal
Pradesh, Ram Swaroop Sharma passed away in March
2021. He was found hanging in his room. Sharma was first elected to
Lok Sabha in 2014. He was re-elected from Mandi in the 2019 general
elections. He also served in the parliamentary standing committee
on external affairs.
Former Union Minister Dilip Gandhi passes away Former Union
Minister and BJP leader Dilip Gandhi passed away in March 2021. He
had also tested positive for corona. He has represented the
Ahmednagar South constituency three times as an MP. From 1985 to
1999, he was the Deputy Chairman of Ahmednagar Municipality. He was
elected to the Lok Sabha for the second time in 2009 and for the
third time in 2014.
Marvin Hagler passes away Former undisputed middleweight world
champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler passed away in
March 2021. The American dominated the middleweight division from
1979 until his controversial defeat
by Sugar Ray Leonard in April 1987. Hagler fought 67 times during
his 14-year professional career, winning 62. He made 12 successful
title defenses.
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair passes away Kathakali legend
Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair passed away in March 2021. He won
accolades Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (KSNA) fellowship in 1999
and Padma
Shri in 2017. Amid a lifetime of undevoted attention to Kathakali,
he started the famed Bharatheeya
Nritha Kalalayam. Actor Vineeth is among his most popular
disciples.
Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini dies King Goodwill Zwelithini, the
traditional leader of South Africa's Zulu nation, passed away
in
March 2021. Zwelithini, the eighth Zulu king, reigned for more than
50 years, making him the longest-
serving Zulu monarch. The Ingonyama Trust controlled by the king
owns 29% of the land of the KwaZulu-Natal
province, about 28,000 square kilometres, or 10,811 square
miles.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
Brahma Kumaris’ Chief passes away Brahma Kumaris' Chief
Administrator Dadi Hriday Mohini passed away on 11 March 2021. Dadi
Mohini was appointed as the Chief Administrator of the organization
after the death of
its former Chief Dadi Janki a year ago (in March 2020). The Brahma
Kumaris is a spiritual organization that teaches a form of
meditation that
focuses on identity as souls, as opposed to bodies.
Lou Ottens, inventor of cassette, passes away Lou Ottens, the Dutch
engineer who invented the audio cassette tape, passed away on
7
March 2021. He also engineered the concept of magnetic tape players
and computer discs (CDs). Ottens founded the cassettes in1960s when
he was employed with tech giant Philips.
PM of Ivory Coast Hamed Bakayoko passes away Prime Minister of
Ivory Coast, Hamed Bakayoko, passed away in March 2021. He was
appointed Prime Minister in July 2020, following the sudden death
of his predecessor
Amadou Gon Coulibaly. A former media executive who turned to
politics, he played a prominent mediation role in
Ivory Coast's civil war during the first decade of the
century.
Former Rajasthan Governor passes away Former Rajasthan Governor
Anshuman Singh passed away in March 2021. Anshuman Singh was a
retired Justice who served as the Governor of Rajasthan from
January 1999 till 2003. He was born in 1935 in Allahabad and
pursued arts and law. He was also appointed as the Governor of
Gujarat state in 1998.
Poet NS Lakshminarayana Bhatta passes away Renowned Kannada poet,
eminent academic, and critic Prof N S Lakshminarayana Bhatta
passed away on 6 March 2021 in Bengaluru. He was also known as
'NSL' in the literary circles and Kannada music world. Prof Bhatta
was a Sahitya Akademi winner and had translated 50 of William
Shakespeare
sonnets into Kannada.
Marathi actor Shrikant Moghe passes away Veteran Marathi actor
Shrikant Moghe passed away on 6 March 2021. Moghe was popular for
his work in both Marathi and Hindi languages, in films and theatre.
He was famous for his roles in Marathi films like Madhuchandra,
Sinhaasan, Gammat
Jammat, Umbaratha and Vasudev Balwant Phadke and Marathi stage
plays Varyavarchi Varaat, Tuze Aahe Tujapashi and Lekure Udand
Jali.
Chairman of Muthoot Group passes away M G George Muthoot, the
Chairman of the Muthoot Group, passed away on 5 March 2021. He was
instrumental in making Muthoot Finance Ltd, the largest gold
financing company in
India and the first-ever NBFC to join the ‘Rs 1,000-cr net profit
club’. He was ranked India’s 26th richest person with a net worth
of $4.8 bn by Forbes magazine in
2020.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
BJP MP Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan passes away BJP MP from Khandwa,
Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan passed away in March 2021. He had tested
positive for COVID-19 on 11 Jan 2021 and was undergoing treatment
in Delhi. Nandkumar Singh Chauhan represented the Khandwa
constituency of Madhya Pradesh. The leader started his political
career in 1978 from the Shahpur Municipal Council and was
later elected as a member of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.
Current Affairs Monthly Capsule
|March 2021
International Affairs
Brazil's Armed Forces Chiefs resign abruptly The Chiefs of all 3
branches of Brazil’s armed forces jointly resigned following
President Jair
Bolsonaro’s replacement of the defense minister. The announcement
came after the heads of the army, navy & air force met with the
new
defense ministe