CURRENT AFFAIRS

June 2024
 CONTENTS

 National News 3

 Government Schemes 9

 International News 11

 Finance, Economy and Banking 12

 Defence News 16

 Appointments 18

 Books and Authors 19

 Obituaries (National) 19

 Obituaries (International) 19

 Days and Themes 20

 Reports, Rankings and Index 21

 Events 23

 Awards 23

 Sports News 26
June 2024 3

NATIONAL NEWS

Narendra Modi sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for the third time
• Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister of India for the third term at the swearing-in ceremony that took
place at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi.
• President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath.
Name of the Ministers Portfolio
Narendra Modi Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic
Energy; Department of Space and all important policy issues; and all other
portfolios not allocated to any Minister.
Amit Shah Minister of Home Affairs
Rajnath Singh Minister of Defence
Jagan Prakash Nadda Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers
Nirmala Sitharaman Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs
Nitin Gadkari Minister of Road Transport & Highways
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Minister of External Affairs
Shivraj Singh Chouhan Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Minister of Rural Development
Manohar Lal Khattar Minister of Power and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs
Dharmendra Pradhan Minister of Education
Sarbananda Sonowal Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
HD Kumaraswamy Minister of Steel and Minister of Heavy Industries
Virendra Kumar Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) Minister of Panchayati Raj and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying
Virendra Kumar Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Sarbananda Sonowal Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu Minister of Civil Aviation
Pralhad Joshi Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Minister of
New and Renewable Energy
Ashwini Vaishnaw Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Minister of Electronics and
Information Technology and Minister of Railways
Giriraj Singh Minister of Textiles
Jyotiraditya Scindia Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Minister of
Communications
Bhupender Yadav Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Jual Oram Minister of Tribal Affairs
Annapurna Devi Minister of Women and Child Development
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism
Hardeep Singh Puri Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Chirag Paswan Minister of Food Processing Industries
CR Patil Minister of Jal Shakti
G Kishan Reddy Minister of Coal and Minister of Mines
4 OSWAAL Current Affairs

Name of the Ministers Portfolio

Rao Inderjit Singh (MoS) Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning
Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
Jitendra Singh Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and
Technology
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office
Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy
Minister of State in the Department of Space
Arjun Ram Meghwal Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice
Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
Pratap Rao Jadhav Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayush
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Jayant Chaudhary (MoS) Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship
Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
Jitin Prasada (MoS) Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Shripad Naik Minister of State in the Ministry of Power
Minister of State in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Pankaj Chaudhary (MoS) Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance
Krishan Pal Gurjar (MoS) Minister of State in the Ministry of Cooperation
Ramdas Athawale Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Ramnath Thakur Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Nityanand Rai Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
Anupriya Patel Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers
V Somanna Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti
Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways
Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development
Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications
SP Singh Baghel Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Shobha Karandlaje Minister of State in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment
Kirti Vardhan Singh Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs
BL Verma Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Shantanu Thakur Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
June 2024 5

Name of the Ministers Portfolio

Suresh Gopi Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism
L Murugan Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
Ajay Tamta Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Bandi Sanjay Kumar Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
Kamlesh Paswan Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development
Bhagirath Choudhary Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Satish Chandra Dubey Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal and
Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines
Sanjay Seth Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence
Ravneet Singh Bittu Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Minister of
State in the Ministry of Railways
Durgadas Uikey Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs
Raksha Khadse Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Sukanta Majumdar Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
Minister of State in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
Savitri Thakur Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development
Tokhan Sahu Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Raj Bhushan Choudhury Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti
Bhuoati Raju Srinivasa Varma Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries
Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel
Harsh Malhotra Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
Nimuben Bambhaniya Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution
Murlidhar Mohol Minister of State in the Ministry of Cooperation
Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation
George Kurian Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying
Pabitra Margherita Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs
Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles
Supreme Court Re-Constitutes Gender Sensitisation and Key Points
Internal Complaints Committee with Justice Hima Kohli
as its Chairperson Chief Justice of India — Dhananjaya Yeshwant
Chandrachud
• The Supreme Court has reconstituted its Gender
Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee. It Central government introduces separate mobile numbering
will be a 12-member committee headed by top court series for service, transactional voice calls
judge Hima Kohli. • The Centre introduced a new numbering series,
• This was done under the powers conferred by Clause 160xxxxxxx, for making service or transactional calls.
4(2) of the Gender Sensitisation and Sexual Harassment This will help citizens easily identify legitimate calls
of Women at the Supreme Court of India (Prevention, and curb unsolicited voice calls from telemarketers
Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2013. using 10-digit mobile numbers.
6 OSWAAL Current Affairs

• Currently, 140xxxxxxx series has been allocated Kozhikode becomes India’s first UNESCO ‘City of
to telemarketers for making promotional/service/ Literature’
transactional voice calls. Since the 140xx series is being • Kozhikode in North Kerala, known for its rich cultural
used extensively for promotional calls, consumers heritage, was officially declared as India’s first UNESCO
normally do not respond to such calls and many ‘City of Literature’.
important service/transactional calls are missed. • In October 2023, Kozhikode earned a place in the
• This resulted in the wide use of regular 10-digit ‘Literature’ category of the UNESCO Creative Cities
numbers by genuine entities for making service/ Network (UCCN).
transactional calls. This allowed fraudsters to deceive
consumers by using 10-digit numbers. Key Points
Kerala’s Chief Minister — Pinarayi Vijayan
Key Points Governor — Arif Mohammad Khan
Union Minister for — Ashwini Vaishnaw Capital — Thiruvananthapuram
Electronics & Information
Technology Srinagar was named the ‘World Craft City’
• Srinagar has become the fourth Indian city to be
Two bird sanctuaries of Bihar added to Ramsar list recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Craft
Council (WCC), three years after it was designated as
• The Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries in Jamui
part of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN)
district, Bihar are now recognised under the Ramsar
for crafts and folk arts.
Convention.
• Jaipur, Malappuram and Mysore are the other Indian
• These two new wetlands are man-made reservoirs
cities that were previously recognised as World Craft
in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui. Their catchments
Cities.
feature dry deciduous forests surrounded by hills.
• Both sites were declared Wetlands of International Govt employees to get six-month maternity, child care
importance on World Environment Day on June 5. leave for surrogacy
• A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of • The Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, have
international importance under the Ramsar Convention. been updated to allow ‘commissioning mothers’ who
This convention is also known as The Convention on opt for surrogacy 180 days of maternity leave.
Wetlands and is an international environmental treaty • Under this, childcare leave will be provided to
signed on February 2, 1971, in Ramsar, Iran, under the commissioning mothers with less than two surviving
auspices of UNESCO. children. Additionally, ‘commissioning fathers’ are
eligible for a 15-day paternity leave under the amended
NOTA creates a record in Indore rules.
• BJP’s sitting MP from Indore Shankar Lalwani won by • Additionally, the Central Civil Services (Leave)
a record margin of 11,75,092 votes in a contest where (Amendment) Rules, 2024, state that commissioning
NOTA created a record with 2.18 lakh voters opting mothers with fewer than two surviving children may
for the ‘None Of The Above’ option in the Lok Sabha avail of the child care leave.
elections. • The rules also define the ‘surrogate mother’ as
• He defeated his Congress rival Pankaj Ahirwar by the woman who bears the child on behalf of the
4,03,312 votes. commissioning mother, while the ‘commissioning
father’ refers to the intended father of the child born
• NOTA stands for None of the above and was introduced
through surrogacy.
by the Election Commission of India in 2013.
• Recently, the Centre revised the Surrogacy (Regulation)
Key Points Rules of 2022, permitting married couples to use donor
Chief Election Commissioner — Rajiv Kumar eggs or sperm when one partner faces a medical
(CEC) condition.
National Voters’ Day — January 25 • According to the amended Surrogacy (Regulation)
Rules of 2022, it is mandated that the District Medical
June 2024 7

Board must confirm the presence of a medical condition • Under the provisions of the Wild Life Protection Act
in either the husband or wife, which requires the use 1972, it was declared as Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
of a donor gamete. • It was created by two environmentalists- Jai Dhar
Gupta and Vijay Dhasmana.
Central government forms a committee to review NTA
• Vijay Dhasmana is known for restoring Aravali
• The central government constituted a seven-member
landscapes. The duo is also developing a second
high-level committee to review the National Testing
biosphere above the Koyna River in the buffer zone of
Agency (NTA) and its operations to ensure fair conduct the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve near Pune, Maharashtra,
of exams. along the Western Ghats.
• The committee is led by former ISRO chairman Dr. K
Radhakrishnan and includes former AIIMS Director Indian universities to offer admissions twice a year on
Randeep Guleria, among others. lines of foreign varsities: University Grants Commission
(UGC)
PM Modi launches ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ campaign • Indian universities and higher education institutions
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Ek Ped will now be allowed to offer admissions twice a year
Maa Ke Naam’ campaign to commemorate World on lines of foreign universities.
Environment Day on June 5. He planted a Peepal tree • The two admission cycles will be July-August and
sapling at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi. January-February from the 2024-25 academic session.
• He urged people in India and around the world to • Biannual university admissions will help students
plant a tree in the coming days as a tribute to their maintain motivation since they do not have to wait
mother. one full year to be admitted if they miss admission in
the current cycle. With biannual admissions in place,
NHRC takes a serious view of ‘Nata Pratha’, issues notice
industries can also do their campus recruitment twice
to four states
a year, improving employment opportunities for
• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has graduates.
issued a notice to four states—Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat over the social practice Key Points
of Nata Pratha, where girls are sold by their family UGC Chief — Prof. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar
Headquarters — New Delhi
members under the guise of marriage.
• The commission has requested the Union Ministry of Vice President of India inaugurates Prerna Sthal at
Women and Child Development and the concerned Parliament House Complex
states to present an action taken report within eight • The Vice President of India and Chairman of Rajya
weeks. Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the newly
• This notice follows a 2020 case in which a father sold constructed Prerna Sthal at the Parliament House
his daughter for 2.5 lakhs and later filed a complaint Complex.
with the commission upon discovering her dead body. • The Sthal houses the statues of India’s eminent leaders
Key Points and freedom fighters that were previously dispersed
Chairperson of NHRC — Vijaya Bharathi Sayani across different places in the Parliament House
Governing Body — Ministry of Home Affairs complex.
• The initiative aims to enhance the visitor experience
Rajaji Raghati Biosphere (RRB), India’s first private by making it easier to access and using modern
biosphere technology, such as QR codes, to narrate the life stories
of these inspiring figures of Indian history.
• India’s first biosphere, the Rajaji Raghati Biosphere
(RRB) was created in a tiger reserve within Rajaji PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the newly built campus
National Park, Uttarakhand. of Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar
• Rajaji National Park is named after the freedom fighter • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the
C. Rajgopalachari, also known as ‘Rajaji’. newly built campus of Nalanda University in Rajgir,
8 OSWAAL Current Affairs

Bihar. Nalanda University was a great example of our Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA)
identity and traditions to the world. signs MoU with Sansad TV
• In the ancient times, the Nalanda University was • IGNCA and Sansad TV have signed an agreement to
identified as the centre of education. make Indian art and culture more accessible to the
• The ruins of ancient Nalanda comprise the people.
archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic • Under this, programmes produced by IGNCA will be
institution. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas telecast on Sansad TV and Sansad TV will also be able
to use the content from IGNCA’s cultural archives.
(residential and educational buildings) and important
artworks in stucco, stone and metal. Key Points
CEO of Sansad TV — Rajat Punhani
Key Points
Director of IGNCA — Dr. Priyanka Mishra
Chief Minister of Bihar — Nitish Kumar
Governor of Bihar — Rajendra Arlekar
UP govt to set up bioplastic park in Lakhimpur Kheri at
Capital — Patna
` 2,000 crore
• The Uttar Pradesh government will set up a bioplastic
India Contributes USD 1.169 Mn to continue the
park in Gola Gokarannath of Lakhimpur Kheri district
promotion of Hindi at the United Nations
at an investment of ` 2,000 crore.
• The Government of India has contributed USD • The park will be developed by the Balrampur Sugar
1,169,746 for the ‘Hindi @ UN’ project to expand the Mills Firm over 1,000 hectares in Kumbhi village of the
use of Hindi in the United Nations. district on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
• India has been partnering with the UN Department of • The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development
Global Communications (DGC) since 2018 by providing Authority (UPEIDA) will serve as the nodal agency for
an extra-budgetary contribution to mainstream and the park’s development.
consolidate news and multimedia content of DGC in Key Points
the Hindi language. Chief Minister of — Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh
The National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage
Governor of — Anandiben Patel
(NIIMH) in Hyderabad designated a WHO Collaborating
Uttar Pradesh
Centre (CC) for traditional medicine research
Capital- Lucknow
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated
the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage
World’s First Asian King Vulture Conservation Centre
(NIIMH) in Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Ayush,
launched in Uttar Pradesh
as a WHO Collaborating Centre (CC) for traditional
• Uttar Pradesh has established the world’s first
medicine research.
conservation and breeding centre named Jatayu
• This recognition has been granted for four years. Conservation and Breeding Centre, for Asian king
• This will make NIIMH the third Indian institute to vultures in Maharajganj district.
receive such an honour. The other Indian institutes • It aims to improve the population of Asian king
are- the Institute for Teaching & Research in Ayurveda, vultures, which was listed as critically endangered by
Jamnagar and the Morarji Desai National Institute of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s
Yoga (MDNIY), New Delhi. Red List in 2007.
• NIMH was established in 1956 and has been a pioneer Meta AI launched in India on WhatsApp, Facebook,
in various digital initiatives of Ayush such as AMAR Instagram
Portal, Showcase of Ayurvedic Historical Imprints
• Facebook parent Meta made its artificial intelligence
(SAHI) Portal and the NAMASTE Portal.
chatbot Meta AI available to use in India months after
Key Points the tech giant tested the AI chatbot with a section of
users in India.
Union Minister of AYUSH — Prataprao Ganpatrao
Jadhav • It will be available in English across the company’s
apps- WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Messenger.
June 2024 9

• The chatbot has been rolled out in more than 12 Park (BBP), Bengaluru. The safari is set up in a
countries including the United States, Australia, 20-hectare area that meets the strict rules of the Central
Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Zoo Authority for safety and ecosystem mimicry.
Uganda and Zimbabwe.
• It includes several protective measures, such as a
India’s largest leopard safari opens at Bannerghatta, railway barricade, a 4.5-meter-high chain-link fence,
Bengaluru and 1.5-meter metal sheets installed at a 30-degree
• South India’s first and the country’s largest leopard angle.
safari was inaugurated at the Bannerghatta Biological

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Railway Protection Force (RPF) launches Sangyaan App • PMAY or Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was launched
• The Director General of the Railway Protection in 2015-16. Under this, assistance is provided to eligible
rural and urban households for the construction of
Force (RPF) Shri Manoj Yadava launched the mobile
houses with basic amenities.
application- Sangyaan App.
• The houses constructed under PMAY come with
• It was designed and developed by the Tech Team of
amenities such as toilets, LPG connection, electricity
RPF to provide in-depth information on three new and functional taps through convergence with other
Criminal Acts: the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) schemes of central and state governments.
2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)
2023, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) Cabinet approves Central Sector Scheme ‘National
2023. Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme’ (N.F.l.E.S.)
• The Sangyaan App aims to educate and empower RPF • The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the
Ministry of Home Affairs for the Central Sector Scheme
Personnel by providing comprehensive information
– National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement
to understand the provisions of both new and old
Scheme (NFIES).
criminal laws while highlighting the relevance of these
• Under the scheme, off-campus labs of the National
new acts in the context of RPF operations.
Forensic Sciences University will be set up across
Central zone of Indian Railways installs first-ever 28 states and UTs and the existing structure will be
floating solar plant of Indian Railways enhanced.
• Additionally, Central Forensic Science laboratories
• The Central Railway has installed a floating solar plant
will also be established along with the enhancement
of 10 MWp capacity in the Igatpuri lake located in the
of the existing infrastructure of the National Forensic
Western Ghats. Sciences University (NFSU), Delhi.
• The plant is committed to leveraging renewable energy • With the enactment of new criminal laws that
sources, utilising solar power, installing wind-energy mandate forensic investigation for offences involving
resources, providing adequate passenger amenities punishment of seven years or more, a significant
and contributing significantly towards the railways’ increase in the workload of forensic science laboratories
goal of a green Earth’. is expected.
• The establishment of additional campuses of the NFSU
Key Points and new Central Forensic Science Laboratories would
Union Railway Minister — Ashwini Vaishnaw address the shortage of trained forensic manpower,
alleviate the caseload/pendency of forensic laboratories,
Cabinet approves assistance for 3 crore more houses and align with the government’s goal of securing a
under PM AWAS Yojana high conviction rate of more than 90%.
• The Union Cabinet approved the assistance to
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) launches ‘NCRB
3 crore additional rural and urban households for
SANKALAN of CRIMINAL LAWS’ App
the construction of houses, to meet the requirements
arising out of the increase in the number of eligible • NCRB has unveiled a mobile application- NCRB
families. Sankalan of Criminal Laws. It will be a comprehensive
10 OSWAAL Current Affairs

guide consolidating essential information about the Maritime Board (MMB) with a shareholding of 74%
upcoming legal reforms in one accessible platform. and 26%, respectively.
• The mobile application is designed for a wide audience
NHAI signs MoU with IIIT-Delhi to enhance road safety
ranging from the general public to legal professionals.
through Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• The app includes detailed compilations of three
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and
major legislations-Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita (Indian
Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology
Penal Code), Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita
(IIIT), Delhi signed an agreement to leverage Artificial
(Code of Criminal Procedure), and Bharatiya Sakshya
Intelligence (AI) based solutions for improvement in
Adhiniyam (Indian Evidence Act).
the availability of road signs on National Highways.
• It provides users with an indexed structure linking all
• As a part of the agreement, IIIT Delhi will conduct
chapters and sections of these new laws, facilitating surveys to collect imagery and other related data
ease of navigation and reference. related to the availability and condition of road signs
Key Points on selected National Highway stretches.
Headquarters — Delhi • Around 25,000 km of tentative length of Highways
Director, NCRB — Vivek Gogia stretches will be covered under this project.
• The data collected through surveys will be processed
NHAI to enhance green cover along the National by IIIT Delhi through the deployment of Artificial
Highways Intelligence for accurate identification and classification
• NHAI will undertake a unique initiative to plant of road signs.
Miyawaki plantations on land parcels adjacent to
National Highways at various locations. Centre notifies anti-paper leak law–Public Examinations
(Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024
• A total land area of over 53 acres has been identified at
different places in and around Delhi-NCR to establish • The central government has notified a law, the Public
the Miyawaki plantations. Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024
• Miyawaki plantations, also known as Miyawaki against cheating, paper leaks, and irregularities in
method, is a Japanese approach to ecological restoration competitive examinations.
and afforestation development. It will create dense, • It came into effect on June 21, 2024, and under this,
native, and biodiverse forests in a short time. These the offenders will be subjected to a jail term of up to
forests retain groundwater and help to recharge the 10 years and a fine of up to ` 1 crore. The act provides
groundwater table. punishments for “leakage of question paper or answer
• This will help in the improvement of air and soil quality. key”, “directly or indirectly assisting the candidate in
It will also help in biodiversity conservation, rapid any manner unauthorisedly in the public examination”
growth of green cover, efficient carbon absorption, and “tampering with the computer network or a
soil restoration and habitat creation for local flora and computer resource or a computer system”.
fauna. • Both individuals and institutions are also liable to
punishments.
Key Points
NHAI’s Headquarters — Delhi • The Act aims to prevent malpractice in the public
NHAI’s chairman — Santosh Kumar Yadav examinations held by the Union Public Service
Commission, the Staff Selection Commission, the
Cabinet okays `76,200-cr port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra railways, banking recruitment examinations and other
examinations held by the National Testing Agency.
• The Union cabinet approved a major port at Vadhavan
near Dahanu in, Palghar, Maharashtra at a cost of The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) introduces two
` 76,200 crore. new standards to enhance the Safety and Quality of
• It will be an all-weather greenfield deep draft port set Electric Vehicles in India
up by Vadhavan Port Project Limited (VPPL). • BIS has introduced two new standards- IS 18590: 2024
• VVPL is a Special-Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed by and IS 18606: 2024, aimed at enhancing the safety of
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Maharashtra electric vehicles in the L, M, and N categories.
June 2024 11

• L refers to two-wheelers, while the M and N categories Assam to introduce first-ever witness protection scheme
correspond to four-wheelers and good trucks, respectively. for better justice delivery
• These focus on the main parts of electric cars, buses • Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma approved
and trucks, especially the powertrain (which includes the state’s first-ever witness protection scheme - Assam
Witness Protection Scheme, 2024 for ensuring a fair
parts like motor and transmission.
justice delivery system.
• These standards are crucial in driving the transition
• The scheme will ensure adherence to Section 398 of
to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to ensure
efficient transportation system in the country. the protection of witnesses against imminent threats
during the investigation and trial of any cases.
Key Points • According to the scheme, a witness in any case could
BIS’s Headquarters — New Delhi apply for Witness Protection in a prescribed form
Director General — Pramod Kumar Tiwari before a competent authority through its member
secretary for seeking a Witness Protection Order.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Paraguay Joins International Solar Alliance as 100th King Charles III currency notes introduced in the UK
Member • Brand new banknotes featuring the portrait of the new
• Paraguay has become the 100thcountry to join the monarch, King Charles III, have been introduced in
International Solar Alliance (ISA) as a full member. the market.
• The ISA, co-founded by India and France during the • The Bank of England has asked people to return old
2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference banknotes featuring the portrait of Queen Elizabeth.
(COP21) in Paris, aims to promote solar energy The old banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II will
deployment worldwide. continue to remain valid and will remain in circulation
• It is a collaborative platform for member countries along with new ones to ease the transition.
to increase energy access, ensure energy security
Denmark becomes the first country to impose a tax on
and drive the transition towards sustainable energy
livestock carbon emissions
sources.
• Denmark will introduce a tax on livestock carbon
Key Points dioxide emissions from 2030, making it the first country
to do so.
ISA’s Headquarters — Gurugram, Haryana
• Agriculture is Denmark’s biggest source of pollution,
Director General — Dr. Ajay Mathur even though the country exports a lot of dairy and
pork goods. Each cow will be taxed at 672 krone ($96)
Oleg Kononenko, a 59-year-old Russian cosmonaut a year starting in 2030.
becomes the first to spend 1,000 days in space
• The tax will begin at 300 krone ($43) per tonne of CO2-
• Oleg Kononenko, a 59-year-old Russian cosmonaut has equivalent emissions from animals in 2030 and rise to
become the first person to spend 1,000 days in space. 750 krone ($107) by 2035.
• He has made five journeys to the International Space
Station (ISS) since 2008. Sino-French satellite launched to detect the most
powerful explosions in the universe
• His current trip to the ISS began Sept. 15, 2023, when
he launched alongside NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara • Space Variable Objects Monitor (SVOM), the satellite
and compatriot Nikolai Chub. jointly developed by China and France was launched
into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in
• Kononenko first took the cumulative space-time record
Sichuan province.
in February 2024, when he surpassed the total of 878
days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds set by fellow • It is the most powerful satellite yet for studying
Russian Gennady Padalka in 2015. Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), which result from some of
12 OSWAAL Current Affairs

the universe’s most explosive events such as the birth • This initiative aims to pave the way for zero-debris
of black holes and neutron star collisions. production lines, a crucial move to preserve lower
• It is the first astronomy satellite jointly developed by Earth orbits for future use.
China and France.
Key Points
Pakistan launches ‘Operation Azm-i-Istehkam’ or ESA’s Headquarters — Paris, France
‘Resolve for Stability’ ESA’s Director General — Josef Aschbacher
• Pakistan has launched Operation Azm-i-Istehkam
to oppose and dismantle terrorist networks from its NASA and SpaceX launch GOES-U, Weather Satellite
territory. The operation will not only include military • SpaceX successfully launched the fourth and final
action, but socio-economic uplift to deter extremism. satellite, GOES-U for NASA’s National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• This initiative follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s
review of the country’s counterterrorism operations, • GOES-U will assist weather forecasters and climate
focusing on the National Action Plan adopted after the researchers with real-time high-resolution imagery,
earlier detection of severe weather that could save
December 2014 Peshawar Army Public School attack,
lives, and tropical cyclone forecasts.
which resulted in over 140 deaths, mostly students.
• The satellites are expected to help predict space weather
European Space Agency (ESA) develops Zero Debris near Earth that can interfere with satellite electronics,
Satellite GPS, and radio communications.
• European space industry giants Airbus, OHB, and
Key Points
Thales Alenia Space have signed contracts with ESA to
NASA’s Administrator — Bill Nelson
develop large low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite platforms
NASA’s Headquarters — Washington DC, US
adhering to Zero Debris standards.

FINANCE, ECONOMY AND BANKING

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) forms Singapore Airlines owns a stake of 49% in Vistara and
committee to review Clearing Corporations (CC) it will have a stake of 25.1% in the merged entity.
• Capital markets regulator SEBI has set up a committee • The Air India group includes low-cost carriers- Air
to review the ownership and economic structure India Express and Air Asia India.
of clearing corporations and suggest measures to
Key Points
ensure that clearing corporations function as resilient,
Headquarters of NCLT — New Delhi
independent, and neutral risk managers.
CEO of Air India — Campbell Wilson
• The ad-hoc committee would be chaired by Usha
Chairman of Air India — N. Chandrasekaran
Thorat, former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank
of India (RBI).
CERT-In and Mastercard India sign MoU for collaboration
Key Points in cyber security to enhance India’s cyber-resilience in
Headquarters — Mumbai the Financial Sector
Chairperson — Madhabi Puri Buch • Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-
In) has joined hands with Mastercard to promote
National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approves cooperation and information sharing in cybersecurity
merger of full-service carriers Vistara with rival Air India related to the financial sector.
• NCLT approved the merger of full-service carrier • Both these entities will leverage their shared expertise
Vistara with rival Air India. The merger was first in cybersecurity incident response, capacity building,
announced in November 2022. sharing cyber threat intelligence specific to the financial
• With this merger, Vistara will be absorbed into Air India. sector and advanced malware analysis.
June 2024 13

• CERT-In is the National agency for incident response • The suite of insurance solutions would include personal
under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, insurance products such as motor insurance, health
of 2000. It provides Incident Prevention, Response insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, and
services and Security Quality Management Services. commercial insurance products, including engineering
and marine insurance.
Key Points
• Bancassurance is an insurance distribution model
Director General, CERT-In — Dr. Sanjay Bahl
where companies partner with banks to sell policies.
Headquarters, CERT-In — New Delhi
Key Points
CEO of Mastercard — Michael Miebach
MD and CEO, Bajaj Allianz — Tapan Singhel
Headquarters of Mastercard — New York, US
General Insurance
World Bank approves $1.5 bn loan to support India’s MD and CEO, Axis Bank — Amitabh Chaudhry
green hydrogen push
SBI pays ` 6,959 crore dividend to govt
• The World Bank approved a $1.5-billion loan to help
India accelerate its low-carbon energy development. • In the financial year 2023-24, the State Bank of India
The funds will promote a market for green hydrogen (SBI) paid a dividend of ` 6,959 crore to the government.
and electrolysers and increase renewable energy • SBI declared a dividend of ` 13.70 per share for the
penetration. financial year 2023-24, higher than ` 11.30 per equity
• This is the second round of funding from the World distributed for the previous year.
Bank. In June 2023, the World Bank approved the Key Points
$1.5-billion First Low-Carbon Energy Programmatic Chairman, SBI — Dinesh Kumar Khara
Development Policy Operation to accelerate India’s
Headquarters, SBI — Mumbai, Maharashtra
development of low-carbon energy.
• The Centre has set a target of achieving 500 GW of ICICI Bank mcap tops $100 bn; becomes only sixth Indian
installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 and co to hit a milestone
reaching net zero by 2070. Further, the Centre also
• ICICI Bank’s market capitalisation crossed the
launched the ` 17,000-crore National Green Hydrogen
$100-billion mark for the first time, becoming only the
Mission to promote the manufacturing of electrolysers
sixth company to do so.
and green hydrogen.
• With this, it joins the likes of Reliance Industries, Tata
• This operation is aligned with the Government of
Consultancy Services, HDFC Bank and Bharti Airtel—
India’s energy security and the Bank’s Hydrogen for
the four other domestically listed companies with a
Development (H4D) partnership.
market value of more than $100 billion.
Key Points
President of World Bank — Ajay Banga Key Points
Headquarters — Washington DC, US Headquarters — Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD and CEO — Sandeep Bakhshi
Axis Bank, Bajaj Allianz forge strategic bancassurance
partnership RBI Launches SAARC Currency Swap Framework For
• Axis Bank, a private sector bank and Bajaj Allianz 2024-27
General Insurance, a private general insurer, have • The Reserve Bank of India introduced a new currency
entered a strategic bancassurance partnership to boost Swap Window worth ` 25,000 crore to support the
insurance penetration and financial inclusion in the Indian Rupee for South Asian Association for Regional
country. Cooperation countries, offering various concessions.
• Under this Bancassurance tie-up, a comprehensive • This initiative was revealed in the SAARC Currency
suite of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance products will Swap Framework for 2024-27.
be distributed through Axis Bank’s network of 5,250 • The SAARC Currency Swap Facility started on Nov.
plus branches. 15, 2012, to offer a back-up funding line for short-
14 OSWAAL Current Affairs

term foreign exchange liquidity needs or balance of

Key Points
payment crises in SAARC countries until long-term
GAIL’s Headquarters — New Delhi
arrangements can be made.
Chairman and MD — Sandeep Kumar Gupta
• SAARC has eight member states: Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan Canara Bank to dilute 14.50% stake in Canara HSBC Life
and Sri Lanka. Moreover, the RBI plans to maintain Insurance via IPO
swap agreements in US Dollar/Euro Swap Window
• Public sector lender Canara Bank approved a proposal
totaling $2 billion.
to dilute 14.50% stake in the insurance arm of Canara
Key Points HSBC Life Insurance Company via the Initial Public
Offering (IPO).
RBI’s Headquarters — Mumbai
RBI’s Governor — Shaktikanta Das • It is subjected to the approval of the Reserve Bank
of India and the Department of Financial Services,
Central Electronics Limited (CEL) granted ‘Mini RATNA’ Government of India.
status (Category-1) Key Points
• Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced the MD and CEO — K Satyanarayana Raju
grant of ‘Mini RATNA’ status (Category-1) for Central Headquarters — Bengaluru
Electronics Limited (CEL) at its Golden Jubilee
celebration. Finance Ministry caps dispute value at `10 crore for
• For a Mini-RATNA status, the company must have arbitration
consistently recorded profits for the past three years. • To streamline the arbitration process to resolve
commercial disputes having the government or PSE
Additionally, it must have earned a pre-tax profit of at
as one party, the Finance Ministry has set an upper
least ` 30 crore in the last three years or maintained an
limit of `10 crore for cases to be brought in.
average annual turnover of at least ` 120 crore over the
• It has also been said that arbitration clauses should not
same period. be automatically included in large contracts.
Key Points • Arbitration as a remedy is based on an explicit provision
Headquarters — New Delhi in a contract and is not a judicial process. Arbitration
Chairman and Managing — Chetan Prakash Jain can cover a whole range of contractual matters,
Director including disputes between private sector parties
where the Government or a public sector undertaking
Arka Fincap gets IRDAI’s Corporate Agency License to
is not involved.
offer Insurance Solutions
Key Points
• Arka Fincap has been granted a Certificate of
Union Finance Minister — Nirmala Sitharaman
Registration to act as a corporate agent (composite)
by the IRDAI, allowing it to venture into insurance Oracle Partners with Tamil Nadu to Empower Youth with
distribution. IT Skills
• Arka Fincap Limited is a subsidiary of Kirloskar Oil • Oracle and Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation
Engines Limited. (TNSDC) have launched a specialised skills
development programme under the state’s massive
GAIL to set up India’s largest ethane cracker project at
skill enhancement initiative, Naan Mudhalvan
an investment of ` 60,000 cr in MP
• Under this, programme employment-linked skills
• GAIL intends to set up a 1500 KTA ethane cracker development training will be provided to more than
project at Ashta, district Sehore in Madhya Pradesh, 2,00,000 students in the state.
having a product slate of various ethylene derivatives. • TNSDC is collaborating with Oracle to offer Oracle
• The project will cover 800 hectares, with land provided Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) training to help students
by the MP Industrial. in the state advance their careers.
June 2024 15

Key Points • The Tap + Pin capability will enable merchants to accept
transactions greater than ` 5,000 via card instruments.
Oracle’s Headquarters — Austin, Texas,
United States Key Points
Executive Chairman — Larry Ellison Headquarters — Mumbai
and CTO MD and CEO — Amitabh Chaudhry

DGCA issues advisory to promote gender equality AIBEA Launches ‘Bank Clinic’ Initiative
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has • The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA)
issued an advisory circular on ‘Gender Equality in the launched the ‘Bank Clinic’ initiative to assist bank
Civil Aviation Sector’ for stakeholders to increase the customers with grievance redressal.
number of women in various positions to ensure 25% • It is a non-resolving advisory platform guiding
representation by 2025. customers on the remedies available per RBI guidelines.
• This is in line with the principle of gender equality • It serves as an additional channel alongside the normal
enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the Banking Ombudsman process. Under this initiative,
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) customers can register their complaints on the Bank
vision to promote equal opportunities to achieve
Clinic website and within five working days, they will
gender equality in aviation.
receive a reply detailing the available remedies and
• The ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations relevant RBI guidelines for their specific issue.
responsible for aviation standards and regulations.
PNB board approves diluting 10% stake in Canara HSBC
Key Points
Life Insurance Company
ICAO’s Headquarters — Quebec, Canada
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has got approval from its
ICAO’s President — Salvatore Sciacchitano
board of directors to initiate the process of diluting a
10% stake in Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company
RBI penalises SBM Bank (India) with ` 88.70 Lakh Fine
by listing the insurer through an initial public offer.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty
• Currently, PNB holds a 23% stake in Canara HSBC Life
of ` 88.70 lakh on SBM Bank (India) for non-compliance
Insurance.
with certain regulatory norms.
• Currently, Canara Bank has a 51% stake in the life
• The penalty has been imposed for non-compliance
insurer, while HSBC has a 26% stake in the joint
with licensing conditions imposed by the RBI, and
venture.
specific directions to stop undertaking Liberalised
Remittance Scheme (LRS) transactions. Key Points
MD and CEO of PNB — Atul Kumar Goel
Key Points
Headquarters — Delhi
Headquarters — Mumbai
MD and CEO of SBM bank — Sidharth Rath India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) partners with Ria
Axis Bank partners with Mastercard to launch NFC Money Transfer
Soundbox • India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has partnered with
• Axis Bank partnered with Mastercard to launch NFC Ria Money Transfer (Ria) to provide convenient and
Soundbox. The new soundbox will act as an all-in-one affordable doorstep financial services for customers in
solution to allow users to accept Bharat QR, UPI, Tap remote areas across India.
& Pay and Tap + Pin payments. • Ria is a global leader in the cross-border money transfer
• The device will be powered with a dual confirmation industry and business segment of Euronet Worldwide,
feature, providing audio cues through its speaker Inc.
and visual feedback on the screen in more than
Key Points
seven languages, ensuring a smooth and reassuring
transaction experience for both merchants and IPPB Headquarters — New Delhi
consumers. IPPB CEO — Vineet Pandey
16 OSWAAL Current Affairs

Axis Bank acquires additional stake in Max Life Insurance

Key Points
subsidiary for ` 336 crore
FIU’s Director — Vivek Aggarwal
• Axis Bank has acquired additional equity shares of Max
Headquarters — New Delhi
Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Max Financial
Services, for ` 336 crores. Bank of India Acquires 6.1% Stake in CCIL IFSC
• This strategic move comes after Axis Bank received • The Bank of India has acquired a 6.125% stake in the
regulatory approval in August 2023 to inject ` 1,612 Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (IFSC) for ₹6.125
crore into Max Life Insurance by subscribing to shares crore, aiming to enhance its strategic presence in GIFT
on a preferential basis, initially increasing Axis entities’ City IFSC.
stake to 19.02%. • This acquisition reflects the bank’s commitment to
• In 2021, Axis Bank announced its deal to acquire a the growth and development of GIFT City as a global
financial hub.
stake in Max Life Insurance Co, a subsidiary of Max
Financial Services. Key Points
Headquarters — Mumbai, Maharashtra
Key Points
MD and CEO — Rajneesh Karnatak
Axis Bank’s Headquarters — Mumbai
Axis Bank’s MD and CEO — Amitabh Chaudhary RBI launches Global Hackathon HaRBInger 2024 to
Max Life Insurance’s MD — Prashant Tripathy combat Financial Frauds
and CEO • RBI announced its third global hackathon, HaRBInger
Headquarters — New Delhi 2024 to develop cutting-edge technological solutions to
combat financial fraud in real time.
FIU fines Axis Bank ` 1.66 cr for failing to detect fraud • This initiative underscores RBI’s proactive approach to
NSG account leveraging technology to predict, detect, and prevent
• The Financial Intelligence Unit has slapped a fine of fraudulent activities, thereby enhancing the security
and resilience of the financial ecosystem.
more than ` 1.66 crore on Axis Bank for ‘failing’ to put
in place a mechanism to detect and report suspicious • The hackathon features two key themes: ‘Zero Financial
transactions carried out at one of its branches by Frauds’ and ‘Being Divyang Friendly’.
creating a “fraud” account in the name of counter- SEBI launches Saathi 2.0 mobile app on personal finance
terrorist commando force NSG. for investors
• FIU has issued an order under Section 13 of the
• Capital markets regulator SEBI launched a mobile
Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) that app ‘Saathi 2.0’ on personal finance for investors with
empowers its Director to impose a monetary penalty comprehensive tools aimed at simplifying complex
on a reporting entity (like Axis Bank) if the agency financial concepts.
finds that its designated director on the board or any
• The app includes financial calculators and has
of its employees failed to comply with the obligations modules that introduce and explain KYC procedures,
mandated under the said law. mutual funds, ETFs, buying and selling shares on stock
• The FIU functions under the Union Finance Ministry. It exchanges, investor grievances redressal mechanism
examines steps taken to check money laundering and and the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform.
other financial frauds, by banks and other financial • Additionally, the app features a range of videos
institutions designated as ‘reporting entities’ under the designed to assist investors in their personal finance
PMLA, in the financial channels of the country. planning.

DEFENCE NEWS

MoD inks MoUs with four banks to onboard them as Defence has signed Memoranda of Understanding
SPARSH Service Centres across 1,128 branches pan India (MoUs) with Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank
of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank in New Delhi
• Defence Accounts Department (DAD), Ministry of
to onboard them as SPARSH.
June 2024 17

• SPARSH stands for System for Pension Administration capabilities, aided by low sound emissions, ensure it
(Raksha) Service Centres. remains undetected by enemy radars, allowing it to
• The MoUs will provide last-mile connectivity to infiltrate and strike targets discreetly.
pensioners, especially in remote areas where they Key Points
do not have the technical wherewithal to log on to Chief of Defence Staff — General Anil Chauhan
SPARSH. (CDS)
• SPARSH is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence that Chief of the Army Staff — General Upendra
aims to provide comprehensive solutions to defence (CoAS) Dwivedi
pensioners.
SAMEER, MeitY and MCTE, Indian Army forge strategic
Key Points partnership for technological advancement
Union Defence Minister — Rajnath Singh
• In a landmark event, the Military College of
Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Indian
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and
Army and Society for Applied Microwave Electronics
Ministry of Defence (MoD) sign MoU to set up dedicated
Engineering & Research (SAMEER), an autonomous
Tele MANAS cell for armed forces
R&D laboratory under the Ministry of Electronics &
• MoHFW and MoD signed an MoU to facilitate Information Technology (MeitY) signed an MoU to
collaboration between the two ministries in operating advance collaboration in ‘Next Generation Wireless
a special cell of Tele MANAS Technologies for Indian Army’.
• MANAS is the National Telemental Health Helpline of • This initiative marks a significant milestone in
MoHFW. It was run as a two-year pilot project at the strengthening the Indian Army’s technological
Armed Forces Medical College in Pune. capabilities which is aligned towards the declared
• With the signing of the MoU, the mental health and vision for 2024 as the ‘Year of Technological Absorption
well-being of Armed Forces personnel and their for Indian Army’ by the Chief of Army Staff
families will be addressed and the Armed Forces • This strategic alliance is poised to set new standards
beneficiaries will have direct access to specialised care, for cooperation between government R&D institutions
ensuring that their unique mental health needs are and military educational bodies, driving significant
addressed promptly and effectively. technological progress.
• Tele MANAS is the digital extension of the District
Mental Health Programme (DMHP), offering High speed expendable aerial target ‘ABHYAS’ completes
comprehensive, integrated, and inclusive 24/7 tele- developmental trials
mental health services. The initiative provides toll-free • Defence Research and Development Organisation
number, 14416, in each State and Union Territory (UT) (DRDO) has completed six consecutive developmental
for easy access to mental health support. trials of High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT)
‘ABHYAS’ with improved booster configuration from
Nagastra 1 inducted into the Indian Army the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
• Nagastra 1, the country’s first indigenously • During the trials, various mission objectives covering
manufactured suicide drone was inducted into the the safe release of booster, launcher clearance, and
Indian Army. endurance performance were successfully validated.
• These are produced by Economics Explosive Limited, • ABHYAS has been designed by DRDO’s Aeronautical
a subsidiary of Solar Industries based in Nagpur. Development Establishment, Bengaluru, and
• Nagastra 1 enhances the Indian Army’s operational developed through Production Agencies - Hindustan
strength with its portability and versatility. Aeronautics Limited & Larsen & Toubro.
• It was tested in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh near the
China border. Key Points
• It is a 9 kg drone that boasts a flight duration of 30 DRDO’s Headquarters — New Delhi
minutes and a range of 15 km in man-in-loop mode, DRDO’s Chairman — Sameer V. Kamat
extending to 30 km in autonomous mode. Its stealth
18 OSWAAL Current Affairs

APPOINTMENTS

Name Designation
Rakesh Ranjan Chairman, Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
PV Sindhu Brand Ambassador for Tobacco Control
Sushil Kumar Singh Chairperson, Deendayal Port Trust
Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah Crown Prince of Kuwait
Aditya Roy Kapur Brand Ambassador of Bisleri Limonata
Kamal Kishore Soan Director General, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)
Philemon Yang President of 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA)
Rakesh Mohan Joshi Vice-Chancellor, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)
InderPal Singh Bindra Secretary of the Competition Commission of India (CCI)
Raj Priy Singh Director, Department of Rural Development
P K Mishra Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Pawan Kalyan Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh
Prem Prabhakar MD and CEO of SBICAP Ventures Limited
Ajit Doval National Security Adviser (NSA) of India
Dr Kapil Dua President of the Asian Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Lt General Upendra Dwivedi Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)
Abhijit Kishore Chairman of the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI)
Rahul Vatts Vice- Chairman of the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI)
Prem Singh Tamang Chief Minister of Sikkim
Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman Army Chief of Bangladesh
Ajith Kumar KK MD & CEO of Dhanlaxmi Bank
Rajeev Agarwal Non-Executive Independent Director, Paytm
Ashwani Kumar Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)
Girish Tanti Chairman, Suzlon Group
N. Chandrababu Naidu Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
Tesam Pongte Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly
Sudhakararao Papa Director (Enterprise) at BSNL
Bhartruhari Mahtab Pro-Tem Speaker of Lok Sabha
Atul Kumar Chaudhary Secretary, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
MLA C. Ayyanna Patrudu Elected speaker of Andhra Assembly
Paul Thomas Chairperson of Sa-Dhan
Rear Admiral Nelson D’Souza Commandant, Military Institute of Technology, Pune
Manoj Jain Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Electronics Limited
Pradeep Singh Kharola Additional Charge, Director General of National Testing Agency (NTA).
June 2024 19

Gaurav Banerjee MD & CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India

Girija Subramanian CMD of New India Assurance Company
Anuj Tyagi MD and CEO of HDFC ERGO General Insurance
J.P. Nadda Leader of House, Rajya Sabha
Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani Vice Chief of Army Staff
Simon Mak Vice- Chancellor of Universal AI University (UAIU), India’s first artificial
intelligence university
Aksha Mohit Kamboj Vice President of India Bullion Jewellers Association
Vikram Misri India’s Foreign Secretary
António Costa President of the European Council
Aksha Mohit Kamboj Vice President of India Bullion Jewellers Association
Mark Rutte Secretary General of NATO

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Name of the Book Author

The Winner’s Mindset Shane Watson
A Fly on the RBI Wall Alpana Killawala
I Have the Streets: A Kutti Cricket Story Ravichandran Ashwin
Ed Finds a Home Alia Bhatt

OBITUARIES (NATIONAL)

Name Occupation
A.J.T. Johnsingh Renowned wildlife field biologist and conservationist
Rajeev Taranath Musician
Harpal Singh Sports Journalist
Murlidhar Chandrakant Politician
Ramoji Rao Founder of Eenadu Group and Ramoji Film City
Amol Kale President, Mumbai Cricket Association

OBITUARIES (INTERNATIONAL)

Name Occupation
Saulos Chilima Politician
Donald Sutherland Actor
20 OSWAAL Current Affairs

DAYS AND THEMES

Date Day Theme

June 1 Global Day of Parents The Promise of Playful Parenting
June 1 World Milk Day
June 2 International Sex Worker’s Day Access to Justice
June 3 World Bicycle Day Cycling for Health, Equity and Sustainability
June 4 International Day of Innocent Children Victims
of Aggression
June 5 World Environment Day Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience
June 7 World Food Safety Day Food safety: prepare for the unexpected
June 8 World Ocean Day Awaken New Depths
June 8 World Brain Tumour Day Brain Health and Prevention
June 12 World Day against Child Labour Let’s act on our Commitments: End Child Labour!
June 14 World Blood Donor day 20 years of Celebrating Giving: thank you Blood Donors!
June 15 World Wind Day
June 15 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Spotlight on Older Persons in Emergencies
June 16 International Family Remittances Day
June 17 World Day to Combat Desertification and United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future,
Drought
June 18 International Day for Countering Hate Speech The Power of Youth for Countering and Addressing hate
speech
June 19 World Sickle Cell Awareness Day Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care
Globally
June 20 World Refugee Day For a World Where Refugees Are Welcomed
June 21 International Yoga Day Yoga for Self and Society
June 21 World Music Day
June 21 World Hydrography Day Hydrographic Information - Enhancing Safety, Efficiency
and Sustainability in Marine Activities.
June 22 World Rainforest Day Empowering the World in Defense of Our Rainforests
June 23 International Olympic Day Let’s Move and Celebrate
June 23 United Nations Public Service Day
June 23 International Widows’ Day Accelerating the Achievements of Gender Equality
June 24 International Day of Women in Diplomacy
June 26 International Day against Drug Addict and The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention
Illicit Trafficking
June 26 International Day in Support of Victims of
Torture
June 2024 21

June 27 Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises MSMEs and the SDGs
Day
June 29 International Day of Tropics
June 29 National Statistics Day Use of Data for Decision-Making
June 30 International Day of Parliamentarism
June 30 International Asteroid Day

REPORTS, RANKINGS AND INDEX

Mumbai retains top spot as India’s most expensive city This is a mild improvement from the last EPI, in which
for expats: Mercer report India came at the bottom.
• According to Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living Survey, • This index is released by the Yale Center for
Mumbai remains the most expensive Indian city for Environmental Law and Policy and the Columbia
expatriates. Hong Kong tops the global ranks yet again Center for International Earth Science Information
with Singapore at the second rank followed by Zurich. Network.
• Globally, Mumbai is ranked at 136th position and New • The 2024 EPI has 58 indicators, including biodiversity,
Delhi at 164th position. Chennai is ranked at 189th air pollution, air and water quality, waste management,
position and Bengaluru at 195th position. emission growth rates, projected emissions, etc.,
under the three main heads of ecosystem vitality,
• The report ranked 226 cities based on the cost of
environmental health and climate change.
more than 200 items, including transportation, food,
clothing, and entertainment. Virat Kohli tops celebrity rankings with a brand value
of $227.9 million
India becomes the world’s third-largest domestic aviation
market • According to Kroll’s ‘Celebrity Brand Valuation Report
2023: Brands, Business, Bollywood’- Cricketer Virat
• According to data compiled by aviation analytics firm
Kohli has reclaimed the top position in brand value,
Official Airline Guide (OAG), India is now third in the now reaching $227.9 million, surpassing Bollywood
aviation market after airlines such as IndiGo and Air star Ranveer Singh, who holds the second spot with
India have expanded their fleet size to cater to the $203.1 million.
surge in air passengers.
• Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has claimed the
• The data show India’s domestic airline capacity third position with a brand value of $120.7 million
doubled in the last 10 years from 7.9 million seats in due to the success of three blockbuster hits in 2023,
April 2014 to 15.5 million in April 2024. marking his comeback among India’s top five celebrity
• The world’s largest domestic aviation market is the endorsers since 2020.
U.S. followed by China. • The report ranks India’s most influential celebrity
brands by assessing their brand values derived from
Uttar Pradesh leads India in compressed biogas production
endorsements and social media presence.
• According to a report by the Center for Science and
• The combined brand value of the top 25 Indian
Environment (CSE), Uttar Pradesh could create 24%
celebrities reached $1.9 billion in 2023, marking an 18%
of India’s CBG (Compressed BioGas). increase from the previous year.
• Towns like Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, and Saharanpur
are key areas for making CBG because it has a lot of India is the world’s second-largest emitter of nitrous
feedstock. oxide
• According to ‘Earth System Science Data’, India is the
Environment Performance Index (EPI) 2024
world’s second-largest emitter of nitrous oxide after
• According to the Environment Performance Index China. Nitrous oxide emissions largely come from
(EPI) 2024, India ranked 176th among 180 countries. nitrogen fertilizer usage and animal manure.
22 OSWAAL Current Affairs

• In 2020, India accounted for nearly 11% of global man- Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index (AIPI)
made N2O emissions, second only to China, which • The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released
contributed 16%. an Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index (AIPI)
dashboard that tracks 174 economies globally for AI
Global Peace Index
readiness.
• According to the Global Peace Index, Iceland is the
most peaceful country, followed by Ireland, Austria, • India ranks at the 72nd position, with Bangladesh
New Zealand and Singapore. Iceland has topped the (0.38) at 113, Sri Lanka (0.43) at 92 and China (0.63) at
list since 2008. 31.

• India was ranked 126 out of 163 countries, with an • Denmark (0.78), and the United States (0.77) are among
overall score of 2.31. In previous rankings, it stood at the highest-rated AEs, with India categorised as an EM
139 in GPI 2020 and 141 in GPI 2019. with a 0.49 rating.
• Yemen is now the least peaceful country, followed by • Each country’s rating is analysed based on its
Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Ukraine. digital infrastructure, human capital, labour policies,
• The index is published by the Institute for Economics innovation, integration and regulation.
and Peace (IEP). • The Index has categorised each country into Advanced
• GPI provides a comprehensive measure of global Economy (AE), Emerging Market Economy (EM) and
peacefulness, evaluating 163 independent states and Low-Income Country (LIC).
territories. This report highlights the trends, results
QS World University Ranking 2025
and economic impacts of violence across the world,
offering valuable insights into the current state of • In the latest edition of the QS World University
peace and the factors influencing it. Ranking, 61% of Indian universities’ ranking has
improved, with IIT Bombay gaining the top spot in
Infosys ranks among the top 100 most valuable brands India. It has climbed from 149 rank to 118 in the 2025
in the world rankings.
• According to Kantar’s annual ‘BrandZ Most Valuable • IIT Bombay is followed by IIT Delhi and the Indian
Global Brands report,’ Infosys was ranked the 74th Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru with the two
most valuable brand in the world and the 20th most institutes ranked second and third in India, respectively.
valuable global B2B technology brand.
• Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• It has been named in the ‘100 most valuable brands’ of
(MIT) retained the ‘best institute in the world’ position
the world for the third consecutive year.
for the 13th time this year.
Gautam Adani reclaims the title of Asia’s richest man
with a net worth of $111 bn World Investment Ranking

• According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gautam • According to a report released by the United Nations
Adani, chairman of multinational conglomerate the Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD),
Adani Group, has reclaimed the title of the richest India slipped seven ranks to fifteen in the World
person in Asia with a net worth of $111 billion. Investment Ranking in 2023 as foreign direct investment
inflows fell 43% to $28 billion.
• Ambani stands at 12th rank with a net worth of $109
billion. • However, despite the fall in global rankings according
to value, India remained one of the top destinations
• According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bernard
in terms of greenfield project announcements and
Arnault is currently the richest person in the world
international project deals.
with a net worth of $207 billion. He is followed by Elon
Musk and Jeff Bezos with a total wealth of $203 billion • The US attracts the highest FDI at $311 billion, followed
and $199 billion respectively. by China, Singapore and Hong Kong.
June 2024 23

EVENTS

First International Dairy Federation Asia-Pacific Summit at Borgo Egnazia in the city of Fasano in Apulia, Italy.
• The first IDF Regional Dairy Conference Asia Pacific- This summit marked the 50th anniversary of the group.
2024 was held in Kochi, Kerala. It was a three-day • The leaders decided to promote concrete G-7 PGII
conference organised by the Ministry of Fisheries, (Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment)
Animal Husbandry & Dairying, the National Dairy initiatives.
Development Board and the International Dairy • G-7 nations committed to promoting the IMEC (India-
Federation (IDF). Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor), which aims
to create a comprehensive transportation network,
• The theme was ‘Farmer Centric Innovations in Dairying.’
comprising rail, road, and sea routes, connecting India,
• It featured deliberations bringing together leaders and the Middle East, and Europe.
experts from the global dairy sector.
• G-7 is a group of the most developed and advanced
economies in the world. The member countries are-
50th G-7 Summit 2024
France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Japan,
• The 50th G-7 summit was held from June 13-15, 2024 the United States and Canada.

AWARDS

Siddhesh Sakore named land hero by UNCCCD • He became the only Indian filmmaker to receive the
‘Liv Ullmann Peace Prize’, in Chicago, for his Gujarati
• Siddhesh Sakore, a farmer and the founder of AGRO
film, ‘Harun-Arun’.
RANGERS, from Maharashtra, has been named Land
Hero by the United Nations Convention to Combat Sahitya Akademi announces Yuva Puraskar winners for
Desertification (UNCCD). 2024
• He was awarded for his innovations in natural farming • The Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar, commonly referred
and waste management. to as the Yuva Puraskar, is a prestigious literary honour
bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi, India’s National
• UNCCD announced the names of ten land heroes on
Academy of Letters.
World Desertification and Drought Day.
• The Yuva Puraskar aims to recognise young writers
under 35 for their exceptional literary works in one of
Vinod Ganatra becomes the first Indian honoured with
the 24 major Indian languages.
‘Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award’
• This year’s Yuva Puraskar for English was awarded
• Globally acclaimed film-maker Vinod Ganatra has to K Vaishali for her memoir Homeless: Growing Up
become the first Indian to be conferred the prestigious Lesbian and Dyslexic in India (Yoda Press), and the Bal
‘Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his Sahitya Puraskar for English, to Nandini Sengupta for
contribution to films. her book The Blue Horse and Other Amazing Animals
• He has bagged 36 national and international awards, from Indian History (Hachette India).
including the ‘Janakinath Gaur Award’ from Doordarshan • The Bal Sahitya Puraskar has been awarded for seven
novels, six books of poetry, four stories, five short
for his children’s programme, ‘Baingan Raja.’
stories, one play, and one historical fiction.

Yuva Puraskar winners

Language Name of the Writer Book
Assamese Nayanjyoti Sarma Jaal Kota Jui (Short stories)
Bengali Sutapa Chakraborty Deraje Halud Ful, Gatajanma (Poetry)
Bodo Rani Baro Saikhlum (Short stories)
24 OSWAAL Current Affairs

Dogri Heena Choudhary Ek Rang Tere Range Chaa (Poetry)

Gujarati Rinku Rathod To Tame Raaji? (Ghazal)
Hindi Gaurav Pandey Smritiyon Ke Beech Ghiri Hai Prithvi (Poetry)
Kannada Shruthi BR Zero Balance (Poetry)
Kashmiri Mohd Ashraf Ziya Aene Baedas (Articles)
Konkani Adwait Salgaonkar Pedanyacha Samaaram (Essays)
Maithili Rinki Jha Rishika Nadi Ghati Sabhyata (Poetry)
Malayalam Shyamkrishnan R Meeshakkallan (Short stories)
Manipuri Waikhom Chingkheinganba Ashiba Turel (Poetry)
Marathi Devidas Saudagar Usvan (Novel)
Nepali Suraj Chapagain Canvas Ko Xitiz (Poetry)
Odia Sanjay Kumar Panda Hu Baieaa (Short stories)
Punjabi Randhir Khat Jo Likhno Reh Gaye (Poetry)
Rajasthani Sonali Suthar Sudh Sodhun Jag Angane (Poetry)
Santhali Anjan Karmakar Jangbaha (Poetry)
Sindhi Geeta Pradeep Rupani Paper Parya (Articles)
Tamil Lokesh Raghuraman Vishnu Vandhar (Short stories)
Telugu Ramesh Karthik Nayak Dhaavlo (Short stories)
Urdu Javed Amber Misbahi Stepney (Short stories)

2024 Kavli prize awarded in Astrophysics, Nanoscience • The prestigious Dr V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement
and Neuroscience Award is presented in every Mumbai International
• The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has Film Festival (MIFF). It carries a cash award of 10 lakh
announced the 2024 Kavli Prize Laureates in the fields rupees, a trophy and a citation.
of astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience. • The award is instituted in memory of legendary
• David Charbonneau of Harvard University, and Sara filmmaker V Shantaram.
Seager, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
were awarded for Astrophysics. Sanya Malhotra wins best actress award at the New York
• Robert Langer of MIT, Armand Paul Alivisatos of the Indian Film Festival for ‘Mrs’
University of Chicago, and Chad Mirkin of Northwestern • Sanya Malhotra has bagged the best actress award at
University were awarded for Nanoscience. the prestigious New York Indian Film Festival 2024 for
• Nancy Kanwisher (MIT), Winrich Freiwald (Rockefeller her role in the movie ‘Mrs’.
University), Doris Tsao (University of California,
• ‘Mrs’ is reportedly the Hindi remake of the critically
Berkeley) were awarded for Neuroscience.
acclaimed Malayalam film, ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’.
• The Kavli Prize is a partnership among The Kavli
The movie has been described as a captivating account
Foundation, The Norwegian Academy of Science and
of a woman’s strength and resilience, focusing on the
Letters and The Norwegian Ministry of Education and
journey of Richa, portrayed by Sanya Malhotra.
Research.
Renowned wildlife Filmmaker Subbiah Nallamuthu C-DOT wins UN’s WSIS 2024 PRIZE ‘Champion’ Award
awarded with V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award • The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT),
• Subbiah Nallamuthu was conferred with V. Shantaram the premier Telecom R&D centre of the Government
Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable of India, was awarded UN’s WSIS 2024 “Champion”
contributions to wildlife filmmaking. Award for the project “Mobile-Enabled Disaster
June 2024 25

Resilience through Cell Broadcast emergency Dr Usha Thakur awarded 12th Vishwa Hindi Samman in
Alerting”, recognised under AI, C-7, E-environment, the Hindi Samvad Event
in the category of ‘Benefits in all aspects of life - • Dr Usha Thakur was awarded the 12th Vishwa Hindi
E-environment”. Samman in a Hindi Samvad event organised by the
• The C-DOT’s mobile-enabled Cell Broadcast Emergency Embassy of India in Nepal, recognising her contribution
Alerting Platform is an end-to-end solution for near in the development of Hindi literature.
real-time delivery of life-saving emergency information • She has translated more than 40 literature into Hindi
to mobile phones through cellular networks. and Nepali and strengthened the Hindi language. This
SEBI bags the ‘Best Conduct of Business Regulator’ award is given by the Ministry of External Affairs,
award by The Asian Banker Government of India.

• SEBI bagged the ‘Best Conduct of Business Regulator’ Gudleppa Hallikeri award for Siddalinga Pattanashetti
award in the Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker for • Poet and playwright Siddhalinga Pattanashetti has
its role in enhancing the regulatory framework for been chosen for the prestigious Gudleppa Hallikeri
securities markets in India. Award for 2024 by the Gudleppa Hallikeri Memorial
• The Asian Banker creates platforms to build a greater Foundation, Hosaritti (Haveri District).
sense of community amongst players in the financial • Hallikeri was a notable Indian freedom fighter from
services industry, from traditional banks and digital Karnataka, known for founding the Gandhi Grameena
disruptors to fintechs and platform players. Gurukul and using nonviolent protests.
• It also publishes rankings and ratings of institutions,
people and processes to establish high standards in the Mumbai’s super cop Krishna Prakash honoured with
delivery of finance products and solutions. Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award
• Krishna Prakash, head of Mumbai Police’s elite counter-
Nar Singh and Rohini Lokhande won the Dilip Bose
terrorism unit, Force One, has received the prestigious
Lifetime Achievement Award
Annual Hindi Sahitya Bharati Award.
• The All India Tennis Association (AITA) announced the • He is a two-time Guinness World Record holder who
Dilip Bose Award for lifetime achievement to coach achieved his third record for initiating the maximum
Nar Singh. number of letters through postcards to Lord Ram,
• A new lifetime achievement award for women coaches enabling the common man’s direct connection with
has been created by AITA and the first award in this the divine.
category will be presented to the 69-year-old Rohini
Lokhande. She has trained thousands of players in GRSE wins ‘Sustainable Governance Champion Award’
different age groups and has helped many to qualify at Outlook Planet Sustainability Summit 2024
as coaches. • Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd.
has been honoured with the ‘Sustainable Governance
NIMHANS bags the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Champion Award’ at the Outlook Planet Sustainability
Promotion for 2024 by the World Health Organisation Summit & Awards 2024.
• National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences • This recognition highlights GRSE’s unwavering
(NIMHANS), Bengaluru, an Institute of National commitment to sustainable practices and governance
Importance under the Ministry of Health and Family excellence.
Welfare, Government of India has been awarded the
Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion for 2024 Indian American Bruhat Soma wins the 2024 Scripps
by the World Health Organisation (WHO). National Spelling Bee
• The Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion, • Bruhat Soma, a seventh-grader, won the US National
established by WHO in 2019, recognises individuals, Spelling Bee champion title along with a Scripps Cup
institutions and/or governmental or non-governmental trophy and a USD 50,000 check after acing a 90-second
organisations that have demonstrated remarkable spell-off against the second runner-up, 12-year-old
contributions to health promotion. Faizan Zaki from Texas.
26 OSWAAL Current Affairs

• Bruhat spelt 29 words correctly in the tiebreaker, Arundhati Roy wins Pen Pinter Prize for ‘unflinching,
surpassing Zaki by nine. unswerving’ writing
• Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy was
Indian writer Sanjana Thakur wins the 2024 Commonwealth honoured with the Pen Pinter Prize 2024 for her
Short Story Prize “unflinching and unswerving” writings.
• Sanjana Thakur, a 26-year-old writer from Mumbai, • The prize, established in 2009 by the charity English
won the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for PEN, defends freedom of expression and celebrates
literature in memory of Nobel-Laureate playwright
her story “Aishwarya Rai”.
Harold Pinter.
• She will receive a cash prize of £5,000 and was named
• The prize is awarded annually to a writer of outstanding
the overall winner of the prize after having won the
literary merit who is a resident of the United Kingdom,
prize for the Asia region.
the Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth.

SPORTS NEWS

India won the T20 World Cup 2024 • All four gold medals were won by the Indian women’s
• India beat South Africa by 7 runs and lifted the ICC team- Dipanshi – Gold in 46kg, Muskan – Gold in
T20 World Cup 2024 for the second time after 2007. 53kg, Rajnita – Gold in 61kg, and Mansi Lather – Gold
• Virat Kohli was named the ‘Player of the Match’ in 69kg.
and Jasprit Bumrah was named the ‘Player of the • The championship was held in Amman, Jordan.
Tournament’.
• Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz finished the India Joins World Boxing (WB)
tournament with the most runs – 281 and Afghanistan’s
Fazalhaq Farooqi was the joint-highest wicket-taker • The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) joined World
along with India’s Arshdeep Singh – 17 wickets. Boxing (WB), a newly formed body after the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to
Rohit Sharma becomes first batter to hit 200 sixes in T20Is recognise the International Boxing Association (IBA).
• Rohit Sharma becomes the first player to hit 200 sixes • The IOC had previously warned that any boxer
in T20Is during the T20 World Cup 2024. whose National Federation adheres to the IBA would
• New Zealand’s Martin Guptill is closest to his record be excluded from the Olympic Games in Los Angeles
with 173 sixes. 2028. The IOC’s stance was further reinforced after the
IBA announced prize money for Olympic medalists at
Rohit Sharma becomes the first cricketer to hit 600 sixes
the Paris Games.
in international cricket.
• Rohit Sharma, known as the ‘Hitman,’ made history
Key Points
by becoming the first cricketer to hit 600 sixes in
international cricket. President of BFI — Ajay Singh
• He is the first Indian and the second player globally,
after Chris Gayle, to hit 100 sixes in ICC white-ball Taiwan Athletics Open 2024
tournaments (T20 and ODI). • India won seven medals -three golds, three silvers and
• This record was made in India and Ireland match that one bronze at Taiwan Athletics Open 2024.
was played at the Nassau County International Cricket
• The 2024 Taiwan Athletics Open is a World Athletics
Stadium in New York, USA.
Continental Tour bronze event held in Taipei, Taiwan.
U-17 Asian Wrestling Championship 2024 • D.P. Manu won the gold medal in the javelin throw
• Indian wrestlers won 11 medals, including four gold, with his throw of 81.58 meters. Nayana James won
two silver, and five bronze in the Under-17 Asian the gold medal in the women’s long jump. Ankesh
Wrestling Championship 2024. Chaudhary won the gold medal in men’s 800 meters.
June 2024 27

French Open 2024

Title Winner
Men’s Singles Carlos Alcaraz
Women’s Singles Iga Swiatek
Men’s Doubles Marcelo Arevalo & Mate Pavic
Women’s Doubles Coco Gauff & Katerina Siniakova
Mixed Doubles Laura Siegemund and Edouard Roger-Vasselin

2025 edition of MotoGP Bharat to be held in Noida, UP • In dressage, star ratings are awarded based on the
• MotoGP Bharat will be hosted in Noida, UP from 2025 difficulty and stature of the events. A five-star rated
until 2029. Grand Prix is considered the toughest in the sport.
• The Uttar Pradesh government will collaborate with Max Verstappen won the Canadian Grand Prix for the
Spain’s Dorna Sports and Indian partner Fairstreet third Consecutive Year
Sport for the event. • Dutch-Belgian racing driver Max Verstappen of Red
• MotoGP is the pinnacle of World Championship Road Bull won the Canadian Grand Prix 2024 and claimed
Racing. his third title for the consecutive year.
• The Canadian Grand Prix 2024 was held at the iconic
Norway Chess Titles
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• Magnus Carlsen has won his sixth Norway Chess title It is also known as the AWS GRAND PRIX DU CANADA
after beating GM Fabiano Caruana in armageddon. 2024.
• Ju Wenjun claimed the title with 19 points by defeating
Sumit Nagpal wins his sixth ATP Challenger Tennis title
Lei Tingjie in the women’s category,
• Sumit Nagpal etched his name in history by winning
Real Madrid wins 15th Champions League title the prestigious Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 ATP
• Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League title by Challenger Tennis tournament in Germany.
defeating Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium. • He defeated Alexander Ritschard of Switzerland to
• They have created history by winning it for the 15th win his sixth ATP Challenger title.
time. • The ATP Challenger Tour Tennis Tournament is
organised by the Association of Tennis Professionals
Tata Communications secures five-year broadcasting (ATP).
deal with World Athletics
India to host the 2025 FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World
• Tata Communications has entered into a five-year Cup
agreement with World Athletics to provide broadcasting
• India will host the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World
services. It will start the global coverage of premier
Cup in December 2025.
events starting from the Tokyo World Championships.
• The tournament, set to feature 24 teams for the first
• The World Athletics Championships is an event that
time, will be the 14th edition of the Junior Hockey
regularly draws a global viewing audience of one
World Cup.
billion people.
• The last edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World
Shruti Vora becomes the first Indian to win three-star Cup took place in 2023 in Malaysia.
GP in dressage.
Key Points
• Shruti Vora has created history by becoming the first
President of Hockey India — Dr. Dilip Tirkey
Indian to win a three-star Grand Prix equestrian event,
FEI Dressage World Cup held in Lipica, Slovenia. Puja Tomar becomes the first Indian to win in UFC
• She is the first to finish first at a Grand Prix-3, or CDI-3, • Puja Tomar made history as the first Indian to win a
in any equestrian event. fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC),
28 OSWAAL Current Affairs

defeating Brazil’s Rayanne dos Santos at UFC Louisville Shafali Verma breaks record for fastest double century
2024. in women’s Tests, becomes second Indian to breach 200-
run mark
Archery World Cup 2024
• India women’s team’s star opener, Shafali Verma,
• The Indian Archery team won four medals- one gold,
became the fastest double centurion in the history of
one silver, and two bronze at the Archery World Cup
women’s Test cricket.
2024.
• She recorded the feat during the one-off Test against
• The event was organised by the World Archery and its
South Africa in Chennai.
stage three concluded in Antalya, Turkey. The Archery
World Cup 2024 is being organised in four stages. The • This makes her only the second Indian woman to
fourth stage will be held in Tlaxcala, Mexico in October record a double century in the longest format after
2024. Mithali Raj.
• Dhiraj Bommadevara won two bronze medals. Cricket Legend Kapil Dev takes the helm of Indian
Priyansh won the silver in the men’s compound event. Professional Golf
BWF Australian Open 2024 • Kapil Dev has taken over as president of the
• Lee Zii Jia from Malaysia won the BWF Australian Professional Golf Tour of India, the apex body for the
Open 2024 after defeating Naraoka Kodai of Japan. men’s domestic game.
• With this, he secured his second title of the season. • Kapil Dev is fondly known as the ‘Haryana Hurricane’
for his exceptional all-round cricketing skills.
Spanish Grand Prix 2024
Cummins creates history with second consecutive T20
• Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Spanish Formula
World Cup hat-trick
One Grand Prix for the third year in a row after
defeating McLaren’s pole-sitter Lando Norris. • Australia cricketer Pat Cummins created history in St
Vincent when he became the first player to register
Paavo Nurmi Games 2024 a hat-trick in consecutive ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
• Neeraj Chopra won gold medal in the men’s javelin matches.
throw event at the Paavo Nurmi Games 2024 in Turku, • He registered a hat-trick over two overs against
Finland. Bangladesh.
• Nurmi Games is a World Athletics Continental Tour
(Gold level) event. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announce retirement from
T20 Cricket
FIDE U-20 World Chess Championship 2024
• Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have announced their
• Divya Deshmukh from Nagpur, India, clinched the retirement from T20Is after lifting the T20 World Cup
FIDE Under-20 Girl’s World Chess Championship. 2024.
• With this, she became the fourth Indian woman to win • However, they will still play for India in ODIs and Test
the title after Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and Matches.
Soumya Swaminathan