Current Affairs: April 2023 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Shahabuddin Chuppu takes oath as Bangladesh’s 22nd President 

• Shahabuddin Chuppu takes oath as Bangladesh’s 22nd President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu, a retired judge and former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, took the oath as the 22nd President of Bangladesh, with Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administering the oath of office to Shahabuddin.
• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Cabinet members and hundreds of distinguished guests attended the oath-taking ceremony, which was held in the historic Durbar Hall of the Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, Xinhua news agency reported.
• Outgoing President Md Abdul Hamid congratulated the newly-elected President, a ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party nominee who was elected unopposed on February 13.
• Hamid's second and last tenure expired on Monday.

Syria becomes world's largest ‘narco-state  

• Syria has witnessed a troubling transformation into the world's foremost narco-state, as its economic survival now depends heavily on the production and export of Captagon, also known as the "poor man's coke". 
• As per a report by ANI, This highly addictive amphetamine has become the primary lifeline of the country's economy, generating more than 90% of its foreign currency. The pervasive presence and profitability of Captagon in Syria have raised concerns about the devastating impact of drug trafficking on the country's social fabric, health, and security. Collins Dictionary provides a definition of a "narco-state" as a nation where a significant portion of the economy is reliant on the illicit trade of narcotic drugs,
• Note - Captagon, a banned illicit drug recognized by the UNODC (2021), is a synthetic stimulant that combines amphetamine and caffeine. Originally introduced by a German pharmaceutical company in 1961 for medical purposes such as treating conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, narcolepsy, and depression , Captagon was later found to be highly addictive and detrimental to mental and physical health, leading to its prohibition.

US, Philippines launch largest joint military exercises

• The United States and the Philippines have launched their l argest joint military exercises in decades, with over 17,600 military personnel taking part in the drills. The annual drills, called Balikatan, a Tagalog term for shoulder-to-shoulder, will run until April 28 and involve live-fire exercises, including a boat-sinking rocket assault in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. The drills are seen by experts as a challenge to China's dominance in the region. "Through this exercise, the Philippine and US forces will sharpen our inter-operability, increase our proficiency and complement our capabilities through collaboration, ensuring we are prepared to respond to real-world challenges together," First US Marine Aircraft Wing commander Major-General Eric Austin said at Tuesday's opening ceremony in Manila. The US has been strengthening its alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's aggressive actions in the region, including those against Taiwan. 
• The drills include 12,200 US military personnel, 5,400 Filipino forces, and 111 Australian soldiers. America's warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers, and anti-tank Javelins will be showcased, according to US and Philippine military officials. The Balikatan exercises will also test the allies' capabilities in combined arms live-fire, information and intelligence sharing, communications between maneuver units, logistics operations, and amphibious operations. The exercises will include military helicopters landing on a Philippine island off the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, nearly 300 kilometers (180 miles) from Taiwan. Philippine military officials said that the exercises were aimed at bolstering the country's coastal defense and were not directed at any country.

US, Japan, South Korea to hold missile defence exercises

• The United States, Japan and South Korea said in a joint statement they discussed the regularisation of missile defence and anti-submarine exercises to deter and respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The announcement was made at the 13th Defence Trilateral Talks held on Friday in Washington DC to exchange assessments of the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and broader region, as well as to consult on concrete ways to deepen trilateral security cooperation. 

SpaceX launches NASA’s TEMPO air quality monitoring instrument 

• NASA’s high-resolution air pollution monitoring instrument TEMPO lifted atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10 AM IST on Friday 
• The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument is on its way to a geostationary orbit where it will monitor major air pollutants across North America. TEMPO will take important scientific observations, including tha t of ozone, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde levels 
• TEMPO is a payload on the satellite Intelsat 40E. The satellite separated from the rocket about 32 minutes into launch. It will only begin its science activities in late May or early June, according to NASA. 
• Using TEMPO data, scientists will be able to study rush hour pollution, the potential for improved air quality alerts, the impact of lightning on the ozone layer, the movement of pollution from forest fires and volcanoes and even the effects of fertiliser application. “The TEMPO mission is about more than just studying pollution – it’s about improving life on Earth for all. By monitoring the effects of everything from rush -hour traffic to pollution from forest fires and volcanoes, NASA data will help improve air quality across North America and protect our planet,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, 

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 91 new 100W FM Transmitters of AIR 

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today commissioned Low Power FM Transmitters of capacity of 100 Watt at 91 locations. These transmitters of have been installed in 84 districts of 20 states. With this the network of transmitters with All India Radio has increased from 524 to 615. The addition will further boost the coverage of AIR to 73.5% of the population of the country. 
• Clear sound quality and easy availability of FM receiver equipped mobile phones has increased the demand of FM radio service in the country. In anothe r major step towards meeting this demand and capacity building of the organisation, Government has further approved installation of 63 more FM transmitters in the country. The Prime Minister congratulated All India Radio on this momentous occasion. Speaking about the significance of the addition, the Prime Minister said that today marks a significant step in the expansion of FM services by All India Radio in the direction of becoming All India FM. He underlined that the beginning of 91 FM transmitters by All India Radio is like a present for 85 districts and 2 crore people of the nation. 

Three new wildlife conservation reserves in Rajasthan  

• On Earth Day 2023, Rajasthan’s Forest Department announced three new conservation reserves that will protect the rare and endangered wildlife of Rajasthan. These three new wildlife conservation reserves are Sorsan in Baran, Khichan in Jodhpur, and Hamirgarh in Bhilwara. 
• The Rajasthan Forest Department has set the conservation bar quite high with these new additions.
• The grasslands of Sorsan in Baran will be a safe home for the Great Indian Bustard, a species that’s on the verge of extinction. As per the reports, only 200 of these Critically Endangered birds are left in the world.
• Sorsan will not only protect the Great Indian Bustard, but will also protect blackbucks, the state animal of Rajasthan, whose numbers have declined drastically due to excessive hunting, habitat loss and rampant deforestation.
• Every year, Khichan in Jodhpur, hosts thousands of migratory Demoiselle cranes. Now, with the tag of conservation reserve, Khichan will be a safe home to these birds who come to this part of the country to winter.
• Khichan is also India’s first conservation reserve for Demoiselle cranes. When areas are marked as conservation areas, It becomes mandatory for any developmental projects to get clearance as per the Forest Conservation Act, 1990. Any developmental projects within the conservation area need to get the approval of the National Board for Wildlife, and State Board of Wildlife. With these three new additions, now there are 26 wildlife conservation reserves in Rajasthan. 
• Some of the well-known conservation reserves are Bisalpur Conservation Reserve in Tonk, Jodbeed Gadhwala Bikaner Conservation Reserve in Bikaner, Khetri Bansyal Conservation Reserve in Jhunjhunu, and Jawai Bandh Leopard Conservation Reserve in Pali.

PM Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first water metro in Kochi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day Kerala visit, flaged off India's first water metro that connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery -operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with the city. 
• Water Metro provides a distinctive urban transportation system that offers a comparable level of convenience and travel experience to traditional metro systems. This mode of transit is particularly valuable in cities such as Kochi.
• ABOUT THE KOCHI WATER METRO - The metro project will start with eight electric hybrid boats developed under Cochin Shipyard Limited. The Kerala government and the German company KfW are funding this dream project. It consists of 38 terminals and 78 electric boats.
• The KWM service will launch in the first phase from the High Court-Vypin and VyttilaKakkanad terminals. The tickets for the boat trip start at Rs 20. For frequent travellers, there are weekly and monthly passes available.
• Using a Kochi One Card, one can travel on both Kochi Metro Rail and Kochi Water Metro. The Kochi One App allows users to digitally purchase tickets.

Operation Kaveri: INS Sumedha With 278 Indians Onboard Departs Port Sudan For Jeddah

• The first batch of Indians stranded in Sudan were evacuated under Operation Kaveri on Tuesday. INS Sumedha departed Port Sudan for Jeddah with 278 people onboard. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday that India has launched Operation Kaveri to rescue its citizens stranded from war-torn Sudan. Jaishankar said the government was "committed to assist all our brethren in Sudan". The government said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout Sudan. 
• India said on Sunday that it had positioned two transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and a naval ship at a key port in Sudan as part of its contingency plans to bring back stranded Indians. According to the MEA, there are risks and logistical challenges associated with overland movement, and Sudanese airspace remains closed to all foreign aircraft. It stated that the security situation in Sudan remained "volatile" despite reports of intense fighting emanating from a variety of locations in Khartoum, the nation's capital. 
• For the past 12 days, the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group ha ve been engaged in bloody combat, reportedly killing over 400 people. 

PM Modi to release Rs 100 coin to mark 100 episodes of Mann Ki Baat  

• The government will release a new Rs 100 coin this Sunday, April 30, to commemorate the 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio show Mann Ki Baat. The coins will be minted under the authority of the central government. 
• The new coin of Rs 100 will be 44 mm in size. It is made from four metals – silver (50 percent), copper (40 percent), nickel (0.5 percent) and zinc (0.5 percent). The face of the coin will bear the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre. 'Satyamev Jayate' will be inscribed below it. On its left side, the word 'Bharat' in Devanagari script will be inscribed, while on the right side, 'India' in English will be written.
• The coin will also bear the Rupee symbol "₹" and the denominational value "100" will be mentioned in the international numerals below the Lion Capital.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh sign agreement to settle boundary dispute

• The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed an agreement for the settlement of an inter-state boundary dispute between the two States. 
• This important agreement was signed by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on 20th April 2023, Today’s agreement between the two States will end the dispute relating to 123 villages along the border and it has been done keeping in view the historical perspective, demographic profile, administrative convenience, proximity to the border, and the aspirations of the residents. 
• Both the state governments have agreed that this agreement will be final with regard to these disputed villages and neither of the States will make any new claim related to any area or village in the future. After the agreement, a detailed survey will be carried out by the Survey of India to determine the boundaries of both states.

DRDO Industry Academia Centre Of Excellence Inaugurated At IIT Hyderabad

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) has been inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Technology -Hyderabad. 
• This is the biggest such facility in the country. DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat inaugurated the facility at the campus of the IIT-Hyderabad at Sangareddy in Telangana. 
• Speaking on the occasion, he said the centre will take up futuristic projects towards long-term directed research needed for DRDO. He said the DIA CoE IITH is the largest centre among all 15 CoEs in the country and DRDO team will work with IIT-H to identify the target projects in each of these domains and execute to complete in a period of 3-5 years. 
• The research cell, which marked the beginning of the collaboration between DRDO and IITH three years ago, has now been transformed into a Centre of Excellence. 
• The CoE will have seven verticals of technology projects that will be undertaken at DIA -CoE at IITH.IITH director.  

PM Modi Inaugurates Northeast's 1st AIIMS 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dedicated to the nation newly built AIIMS Guwahati on the first day of Assam's spring festival - Rongali Bihu. It is pertinent to note that the hospital is the first AIIMS in northeast India. PM Modi inspected the campus of AIIMS Guwahati and subsequently inaugurated it and three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar. As per an official PMO release, the operationalization of AIIMS, Guwahati will mark a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the entire Northeast region. Notably, the foundation stone of this Hospital was also laid by the Prime Minister in May 2017, the release added. AIIMS Guwahati is a state-of-the-art hospital with a capacity of 750 beds including 30 AYUSH beds and has been built at a cost of more than Rs 1120 crores. 
• The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII). A AHII, to be built at a cost of abo ut Rs. 546 crore, will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation's unique problems related to health and promote the development of new technologies for solving those problems 

Solar Energy Corporation Gets Miniratna Category-I Status

• State-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) has got the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). 
• A communication to this effect has been issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, a ministry statement said on Wednesday. SECI has been accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) on Monday, 10th April, 2023, it stated. 
• Incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary implementing agency for renewable energy schemes/projects of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy towards fulfilment of India's international commitments. 
• Till date, SECI has awarded Renewable Energy (RE) project capacities of over 56 GW. SECI is also active in setting up of projects through its own investments as well as for other public sector entities as Project Management Consultant (PMC). SECI enjoys highest credit rating of AAA by domestic rating agency ICRA.  

President Murmu presents National Grassroots Innovation Awards and also inaugurated the FINE-2023 

• President Droupadi Murmu on Monday presented NIF’s 11th Biennial National Grassroots Innovation and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge Awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center (RBCC). She also inaugurated the Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE)-2023 at Sports Ground near RBCC - Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Center. 
• Addressing the award ceremony, the President said that citizens at the grassroots level have the potential to come up with science and technology based innovative solutions and serve the nation to the best of their abilities. The National Innovation Foundation (NIF) plays a vital role in encouraging and supporting such innovators. She said that NIF has created a database of more than 32,5000 technical ideas, innovations and traditional knowledge practices from more than 625 districts of the country. She was also happy to note that NIF has recognized 1093 grassroots innovators and school students at the national level in its various award ceremonies.

PM, Modi launched International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) in Karnataka.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) during his visit to Karnataka. He also released a commemorative coin on the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger. PM Modi and other dignitaries gave standing ovation to Tiger at the inaugural session of commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger. 
• During the programme, he released the publication 'Amrit Kaal Ka Vision for Tiger Conservation', a summary report of 5th cycle of Management Effective Evaluation of Tiger Reserves. He also released a summary report of All India Tiger Estimation (5th cycle). 
• After the launch, PM Modi said,- Project Tiger leads the way in the protection and conservation of big cats. It is part of Indian culture to protect nature. The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but for the whole world. India has completed 75 years of independence; and at the same time, 75% of the world's tiger population is in India. 
• PM Modi had also met Bomman and Bellie, the couple who featured in the Oscarwinning documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers'. He said, "The Elephant Whispers documentary that won an Oscar also reflects our legacy of the wonderful relationship between nature and creatures 

Indian Rafale to participate in French Military exercise with NATO 

• In a first, Indian Rafale combat aircraft are likely to participate in a multinational wargame codenamed Orion which is being hosted by France involving many of its NATO and other important allies. 
• The aircraft likely to take part in the exercise are likely to be from the Western Air Command of the force which has the Golden Arrows squadron as part of it, they said. The exercise is taking place in France with the Russia-Ikroane war in the backdrop where NATO led by US is opposing the Russian moves against Ukraine. 
• The Rafales of the IAF have earlier participated in wargames with foreign countries which took place within India including the ones with French Air Force in Jodhpur codenamed Desert Knight. 
• The French Air Force would be taking part in the wargames with its NATO and other allies with their Rafale and Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft. 

Harmanpreet Kaur becomes first Indian woman to be named Wisden Cricketer of the Year 

• The Indian cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur created history, as she became the first-ever woman from the country to be named among the Wisden Cricketers of the Year - a tradition dating back as far as 1889. Harmanpreet Kaur is the only woman in the list which comprises of England's Matthew Potts and Ben Foakes, New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell for their exploits in the English summer. Harmanpreet made her way into the list, thanks to her century at the Canterbury which led the India to their first ODI series win in the English soil since the year 1999.
• The Indian captain smashed a stunning 111-ball-143, in the second ODI of the series where the women in blue whitewashed the hosts. 
• The 34-year-old followed this up by leading India to a silver medal in cricket's return to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where they lost to Australia in the final despite her fighting half-century.  

MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh among 5 Indian cricketers to be awarded MCC lifetime membership

• Five top Indian cricketers - Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami - were given life membership in the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
• The MCC has named 19 new Honorary Life Members, with eight Test-playing nations represented. The London-based club, which established the rules of the game, bestows honorary life membership on some of the game's greatest men and women. 
• This year's list includes five former players from India and England, as well as players from Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies. Eoin Morgan, England's 2019 ODI World Cup-winning captain, Jenny Gunn, Laura Marsh, and Anya Shrubsole, who were part of England's 2017 Women's ODI World Cup triumph, and flamboyant batsman Kevin Pietersen, who won the Ashes four times and was Player of the Tournament in England's 2010 ICC Men's World T20 win, are among the five former England players to receive the honour. Jhulan Goswami, who bowed out from internationals in the England v India Women's One-Day International at Lord's last year, is the leading wicket-taker in Women's ODIs whilst Mithali Raj heads the run-scoring list with 7,805 in 211 innings. 
• MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh were both integral parts of the India side which won the 2007 ICC Men's World T20 and the 2011 ICC Men's World Cup, and Suresh Raina scored over 5,500 ODI runs across a 13-year career.  

Satwik-Chirag Create History; Become First Indian Pair To Win Gold At Asia Championships In 58 Years 

• The pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy-Chirag Shetty created history by winning India's first gold in men's doubles at the Badminton Asia Championships. at the Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Indoor Halli in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 
• This is India's first-ever gold medal in doubles at the event. India's only gold at the tournament came back in 1965, when Dinesh Khanna won the top prize in men's singles
• Satwik-Chirag beat the Malaysian pair of Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi in an intense three - set clash. The Indian duo found themselves under massive pressure after losing the first set but responded in style and kept hold of their nerves to seal a 16 -21 21-17 21- 19.
• Badminton Association of India (BAI) President Himanta Biswa announced a big prize of Rs. 20 Lakhs to the duo for their historic triumph.

ISRO Successfully Conducts Autonomous Landing Of Its Reusable Launch Vehi cle Prototype 

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday, April 2, successfully conducted the autonomous landing test or air-drop landing experiment of the space agency's reusable launch vehicle prototype. The mission, called RLV LEX, was performed in collaboration with the Defence Space Research Organisation (DRDO), and the Indian Air Force (IAF), in the early hours of Sunday at the Aeronautical Test Range (ATR), Chitradurga, Karnataka. 
• The mission marks the first time a winged body has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 kilometres by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway
• ISRO conducted the first experimental mission of its Reusable Launch Vehicle - Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) on May 23, 2016, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. As part of this experimental mission, critical technologies such as autonomous navigation, guidance and control, and the reusable thermal protection system were successfully demonstrated.

PhonePe launches shopping app for ONDC, marking e-commerce new entry

• Fintech firm PhonePe on Tuesday launched a shopping app that will run on ONDC, the open e-commerce network launched by the government. Pincode is meant for hyperlocal commerce and is available on Google Play Store and App Store. 
• It presently can be used in Bengaluru and will launch in other cities later. Pincode marks Walmart-backed PhonePe’s entry in the e-commerce segment. It will connect consumers with their neighborhood stores, giving the convenience of online ordering, discounts and instant refunds and returns. “Pincode is a brand -new shopping app and offers a revolutionary new approach to e-commerce, which puts all the local stores and sellers at the heart of the digital shopping growth story. 
• Pincode is built on the ONDC network, which allows us to generate demand for merchants digitized by various seller platforms in an inclusive manner, while creating new opportunities for growth and driving innovation at scale,’’ said Sameer Nigam, chief executive officer and founder of PhonePe. PhonePe said the app will offer consumers a wide selection of products and brands by well-known national brands, as well as locally manufactured groceries, apparel, footwear, and accessories.  

Veteran Actor Uttara Baokar Passes Away At 79 

• Veteran film and television actor Uttara Baokar passed away in Pune. She was 79. 
• Sources close to the actor's family told news agency PTI that she left for the heavenly abode following a prolonged illness. Baokar, who was ailing since the last year, breathed her last at a hospital on Tuesday. 
• Her last rites were performed on Wednesday morning, reported PTI. Baokar, who studied acting at the National School of Drama (NSD), played various roles in different plays such as 'Padmavati' in 'Mukyhamantri', 'Mena' in 'Mena Gurjari', 'Desdemona' in Shakespeare's 'Othello', mother in playwright Girish Karnad's 'Tughlaq', among others. 
• She also worked in TV shows as well namely 'Udaan', 'Antaral', 'X Zone', 'Rishtey Kora Kaagaz', 'Nazarana', 'Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin', 'Kashmakash Zindagi Ki' and 'Jabb Love Hua'. Additionally, She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Mrinal Sen's 'Ek Din Achanak.

Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto Passes away at 56  

• Jharkhand minister Jagarnath Mahto died on Thursday at a hospital in Chennai where he was undergoing treatment, a senior doctor of the health facility said. 
• He was 56. 
• Jagannath Mahto was an Indian politician and cabinet minister from Jharkhand. 
• He represented the Dumri. Vidhan Sabha constituency as a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Mahto died from complications of a lung transplant on 6 April 2023, Mr Mahto, the four-time JMM MLA from Dumri in Giridih district, was taken to Chennai in October 2020, where he had undergone the transplant as his lungs were damaged due to the COVID-19 infection, a health department official said The minister had returned to Ranchi after eight months in June 2021, 
• The Jharkhand government declared mourning for two days from April 6 in honour of Mr Mahto, during which no official ceremony would be held. According to a state government notification, the cabinet meeting scheduled this evening was cancelled. 

Siddhartha Mohanty Appointed As LIC Chairman

• The government has appointed Siddhartha Mohanty as chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India till June 2024, Chairman He will be the managing director and chief executive officer of the insurance behemoth from June 2024 till June 2025. 
• Siddhartha Mohanty had been serving as interim chairman of the corporation from March 14, 2023. Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) recommended Siddhartha Mohanty's name for the post of chairman. 
• The decision regarding the appointment of Mohanty as the LIC chairman was taken by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by PM Narendra Modi. 
• About: Siddhartha Mohanty - Siddhartha Mohanty is a postgraduate in political science and also holds a degree in law. Siddhartha Mohanty also holds a postgraduate degree in business management and is a licentiate from the Insurance Institute of India. In a career spanning over three decades in the corporation, Mohanty has made his mark in the areas of Marketing, HR, Investments and Legal.  

RBI approves re-appointment of N Kamakodi as CUB MD & CEO 

• The Reserve Bank of India has given its consent for the re-appointment of N Kamakodi as Managing Director and CEO of private sector bank City Union Bank, the Tamil-Nadubased lender said on Wednesday. 
• The tenure of his re-appointment would be for a period of three years with effect from May 1, 2023. Dr. N. Kamakodi is serving as MD & CEO of the Bank from May 2 011. He joined the Bank as DGM in the year 2003 was elevated to the post of GM in 2005 and later as Executive Director in 2006. He has excellent academic background and also acquired hands on experience on the overall operations of the Bank, He has a degre e in Bachelor ofTechnology in Chemical Engineering, an MBA from Chinese University of Hong Kong, Ph.D. in e-Banking and a CAIIB.
•  About: City Union Bank – The City Union Bank Limited is an Indian private sector bank headquartered in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. The bank was initially named Kumbakonam Bank Limited, and was incorporated on 31 October 1904 .

RBI approves appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as deputy MD of HDFC Bank

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as the deputy managing director of HDFC Bank for three years from April 19, 2023, The RBI also approved Bhavesh Zaveri’s appointment as HDFC Bank’s executive director for a period of three years, with effect from April 19. 
• HDFC Bank, which is India’s largest private sector lender, had recommended the two appointments to the central bank back in November 2022. It is appointing a deputy managing director five years after Paresh Sukthankar resigned. Bharucha has more than 35 years of experience in banking and he has been associated with HDFC Bank since 1995. 
• Before his new assignment, Bharucha was executive director responsible for wholesale banking. He previously worked at SBI Commercial and International Bank. Zaveri, before being appointed as executive director, was group head–operations, cash management & ATM product. 
• He joined HDFC Bank in 1998 in an operations function and moved up the ladder. Zaveri worked for Oman International Bank and Barclays Bank before that.  

World Heritage Day / International Day For Monuments and Sites 

• The International Day for Monuments and Sites also known a s World Heritage Day is an international observance held on 18 April each year around the world with different types of activities, including visits to monuments and heritage sites, conferences, round tables and newspaper articles. The International Day for Monuments and Sites was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982 and approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983. 
• The aim is to promote awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage of humanity, their vulnerability and the efforts required for their protection and conservation World Heritage Day highlights a different theme each year that centers around a specific aspect of cultural heritage. The 2022 theme was “Heritage and Climate,” while the 2023 theme is “Heritage Changes.” 
• The latter theme provides an opportunity to address issues related to understanding traditional knowledge and knowledge systems in the context of climate action. 
• It also emphasizes the role of cultural heritage in supporting fair protection for vulnerable communities in climate action and responding to the UN Decade of Action. 

Ambedkar Jayanti

• Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar, Indian politician and social reformer. It marks Ambedkar's birthday who was born on 14 April 1891. 
• His birthday is also referred to as 'Equality Day' by some in India. Ambedkar Jayanti processions are carried out by his followers at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai and Deeksha Bhoomi in Nagpur. It is a customary for senior national figures, such as the President, Prime Minister and leaders of major political parties, to pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the Parliament of India in New Delhi. It is celebrated throughout the world especially by dalits, adivasi, labour workers, women and also those who embraced Buddhism after his example. 
• In India, large numbers of people visit local statues commemorating Ambedkar in procession with lot of fanfare. In 2020, the first online Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated in the world Since 2015, It has been a public holiday in most indian states all government institutions including schools and universities are closed on this day.  

Himachal Pradesh government signs MoU with Oil India to develop new renewable energy sources

• To explore the state's solar potential, the Himachal Pradesh government on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Oil India Ltd to establish a framework for cooperation in harnessing and developing new and renewable energy sources in t he state. 
• The pact was signed by Harikesh Meena, Director (Energy), on behalf of the state government, and Pankaj Kumar Goswami, Director (Operations), Oil India Ltd, in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu. 
• The Chief Minister said the company would explore the possibilities of setting up floating solar power plants in water reservoirs, besides establishing ground mounted solar power projects. He said the Oil India can also set up a plant for producing green hydrogen and green ammonia on a pilot basis. 
• Himachal Pradesh has abundance in green energy and opportunity in producing green hydrogen, and the state government has taken various initiatives to harness this potential, the Chief Minister said, as he asked Oil India to send a team of experts ne xt week to inspect the sites for implementing these projects.