Current Affairs

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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I May 2020
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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I May 2020
Table of Contents Awards Honours
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3 Mergers Events................................
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.......... 5 Days Events .......................
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........................ 8 MOU
Agreements........................................
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15 Appointments ..................................
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........... 23 Obituaries ........................
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........................... 33 International
Affairs ..........................................
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39 Personalities in News .........................
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......... 45 Government Policies and
Schemes...........................................
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..................... 48 Science and Technology
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.............................. 53 Business and
Economy ..........................................
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59 Sports.........................................
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................. 68 Defence....................
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................................... 72 Books
Authors ..........................................
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74 Committees and Recommendations...............
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75 National Affairs ..............................
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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I May 2020
Awards Honours

• Quarraisha Abdool Karim won a French prize
• Acclaimed HIV researcher Professor Quarraisha
  Abdool Karim, has been awarded one of France's
  top science prizes.
• She won the 500 000 Christophe Merieux Prize for
  her work for the Durban-based Centre for the AIDS
  Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa),
  which she heads.
• She is best known for a study that found that a
  topical gel could stop many women catching HIV.
• Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award
• Women peacekeepers from India and Brazil have
  jointly won the United Nations Military Gender
  Advocate of the Year 2019 Award.
• Major Suman Gawani of the Indian Army and
  Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo, a
  Brazilian Naval officer, have been chosen for
  the award.
• They received the award during an online ceremony
  presided over by UN Secretary-General António
  Guterres on 29 May 2020.
• Mirabai Chanu nominated for Arjuna award
• Lifter Mirabai Chanu has been nominated for the
  Arjuna award by the national federation.
• She is already a recipient of Khel Ratna,
  countrys highest sporting honour.
• The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) has
  nominated Chanu along with Ragala Venkat Rahul
  and Punam Yadav.
• She was also awarded the Padma Shri, the
  countrys fourth-highest civilian award.
• Major Suman Gawani to be awarded
• Major Suman Gawani has been selected for the
  prestigious United Nations Military Gender
  Advocate of the Year Award (2019).
• She is an Indian Army officer and woman
  peacekeeper who has served with the United
  Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
• She has been awarded for her outstanding
  contribution to peacekeeping efforts in the
  UNMISS.
• IBM scientist bags inventor of the year award
• Indian-American inventor Rajiv Joshi has bagged
  the prestigious Inventor of the Year award.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Pakistan's first Sikh female journalist, Manmeet
  Kaur, has been nominated for a prestigious award
  in the UK.
• Manmeet Kaur has been selected as one of the 100
  most influential Sikh personalities under 30
  years of age around the world by the UK based
  'The Sikh Group'.
• The Sikh Group is a global organisation which
  awards people belonging to the community who
  serve the people in different ways.
• Naval awards presented
• Lieutenant Commander Akshay Kumar of the
  Anti-Submarine Warfare School of the Southern
  Naval Command in Kochi was awarded the Vice
  Admiral G.M. Hiranandani Memorial Rolling Trophy
  for the year 2020.
• He was awarded at the Maritime Warfare Centre,
  Kochi on 13 May'20.
• The trophy was instituted in 2013 for the officer
  performing best in tactics during the year-long
  warfare specialisation course.
• Anjum Moudgil nominated for Khel Ratna
• The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI)
  has nominated Anjum Moudgil for the Khel Ratna --
  the country's highest sporting honour.
• Jaspal Rana was recommended for the Dronacharya
  Award for the second year in a row.
• The NRAI has sent the names of champion pistol
  shooters Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma for
  the prestigious Arjuna Award.
• Bengaluru airport voted best regional airport
• The Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
  has won SKYTRAX Award 2020 for Best Regional
  Airport in India and Central Asia.
• The airport was voted by customers as the Best
  Regional Airport in India Central Asia for the
  third time in four years at the 2020 World
  Airport Awards.
• The Awards are based on the World Airport Survey
  questionnaires.
• Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• The award recognised his pioneering contributions
  in the development of logic transistor
  technologies beyond silicon and nano-electronic
  devices.
• World War II medal to Kim Jong-un
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has honoured
  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with a
  commemorative World War II medal to mark the
  75th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany.
• The medal was awarded to Kim for the role he
  played in safeguarding the memories of Soviet
  soldiers who died in the territory of North
  Korea.
• 3 Indian Photojournalists won Pulitzer
• Three photojournalists from Jammu and Kashmir are
  among the 2020 Pulitzer Prize winners.
• The awards were announced virtually on 4 May 2020
  owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
• Mukhtar Khan, Yasin Dar and Channi Anand -
  working with the Associated Press (AP) - won the
  top honours for their work.
• Pulitzer Prizes, the most prestigious awards in
  American journalism, are being given since 1917.
• Thomas Cook India won an award
• Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. has won the silver award
  for Asia's Best Integrated Report at the 5th Asia
  Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA).
• The ceremony hosted virtually on April 29, 2020
  due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was broadcast live
  from Singapore.
• The winners were selected from 461 entries
  received from 16 countries in Asia.
• Sania Mirza nominated for Fed Cup Heart Award
• Sania Mirza has become the first Indian to be
  nominated for the Fed Cup Heart Award from the
  Asia/Oceania zone along with Indonesia's Priska
  Madelyn Nugroho.
• Sania had recently made a comeback to Fed Cup
  after four years.

Mergers Events
Yes Bank acquired 24.19 stake in Dish TV ? Yes
Bank Ltd has acquired a 24.19 stake in
direct-to-home service provider, Dish TV India
Ltd.
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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• This is the fifth instance in the past one year
  that Yes Bank has acquired majority stake in a
  non-banking businesses.
• On 26 July 2019, Yes Bank had acquired 32.75
  million shares, or 18.55, of Cox Kings Ltd,
  and 34,080 shares amounting to 30 of Ezeego One
  Travel Tours Ltd.
• Ola Electric acquired Etergo
• Ola Electric Mobility has acquired
  Amsterdam-based electric scooter-maker Etergo.
• The company would leverage Etergos design and
  engineering capabilities to build its smart
  electric two- wheeler for international and
  Indian markets.
• Etergo was founded in 2014 and has developed an
  all-electric state-of-the-art AppScooter that has
  won multiple awards for its innovative design
  and engineering.
• RITES to acquire 24 stake in IRSDC
• RITES Ltd has signed an agreement to buy 24
  stake in Indian Railway Station Development Corp.
  Ltd, (IRSDC), the company tasked with
  redeveloping railway stations across India.
• RITES has also resumed operations at most of its
  offices and project sites after the government
  eased lockdown rules.
• It has achieved more than half of its capacity
  and will scale up its activities going forward.
• TPIPL acquired 10 equity in ABV
• Tata Power's arm Tata Power International Pte Ltd
  (TPIPL) has acquired 10 stake in Adjaristsqali
  Netherlands BV (ABV) from the International
  Finance Corporation (IFC) for USD 150,000 (about
  Rs 1.13 crore).
• The 10 per cent stake acquisition has increased
  TPIPL's shareholding in ABV to 50 per cent.
• This acquisition has been done as per the
  provisions of the shareholder agreement.
• Emami Cement acquisition by Nirma arm approved
• The acquisition of Emami Cement Ltd by Nuvoco
  Vistas Corp Ltd (part of the Nirma group) has
  been approved.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Facebook acquired Giphy
• Facebook has acquired Giphy a popular website
  for making and sharing animated images or GIFs.
• Giphy will now work as part of the Instagram
  team.
• Its GIF library will be integrated with the
  photo-sharing application as well as with
  Facebooks other apps.
• Giphy was founded by Alex Chung and Jace Coke in
  February 2013 as a website meant to serve as a
  search engine for GIFs.
• Apple bought NextVR for 100 million
• Apple has acquired virtual reality startup NextVR
  for 100 million.
• This will be the third acquisition by Apple in
  2020.
• It had bought voice technology startup Voysis and
  weather app Dark Sky earlier in 2020.
• NextVR's acquisition will help Apple's own
  development of VR and AR headsets.
• NextVR already supplies content to several
  existing VR headsets from Facebook, Sony, Oculus
  and Lenovo.
• 74 stake of SeQuent bought by Carlyle
• The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire 74 stake
  in SeQuent Scientific Limited, the largest
  pure-play animal healthcare company in India,
  for 210 million (Rs.1587 crore).
• Carlyle will buy shares at a price of Rs.86
  apiece.
• It will buy 56.15 (94 million shares) stake held
  by promoters including founders Arun Kumar and KR
  Ravishankar.
• Zoom acquired security startup Keybase

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• In July 2019, KPTL had entered into binding
  agreements with CLP India to sell its stake in
  three power transmission assets.
• Manulife picked 49 stake in Mahindra AMC
• Manulife has acquired 49 per cent stake in
  Mahindra Finance's wholly-owned subsidiary
  Mahindra Asset Management Company.
• Under the agreement, Manulife has invested 35
  million or Rs 265 crore to pick up 49 per cent
  stake in Mahindra AMC.
• Manulife Investment Management (Singapore) Pte.
  Ltd, has bought 49 stake in the joint venture
  where Mahindra Finance will now own the balance
  51 per cent.
• CCI approved an acquisition
• Competition Commission of India (CCI) has
  approved the acquisition of less than 5
  shareholding in Intas Pharmaceuticals Limited by
  Canary Investments Limited and Link Investment
  Trust II.
• It has been approved under Section 31(1) of the
  Competition Act, 2002.
• Canary is an investment company registered in
  Mauritius.
• Link II is a private trust created and registered
  under the laws of India.
• Tiger Midco LLC to acquire shares of Tech Data
• Competition Commission of India (CCI) has
  approved the proposed acquisition of 100 shares
  and control of Tech Data Corporation by Tiger
  Midco LLC.
• Tiger Midco is a special purpose vehicle set up
  and managed by investment funds managed by
  affiliates of Apollo Management, L.P.
• Tech Data is active globally in the wholesale
  distribution of technology products and solutions
  to resellers.

Days Events

• World No-Tobacco Day 31 May
• World No Tobacco Day is is observed every year on
  May 31st.
• It aims to spread awareness about the harmful
  effects of tobacco on health.
• The campaign also tries to reduce the prevalence
  of the diseases and deaths due to the consumption
  of tobacco.
• The theme of the World No Tobacco Day 2020 is
  Protecting youth from industry manipulation and
• preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use".
• World Vape Day 30 May
• World Vape Day is observed every year on the 30
  of May.
• The aim of World Vape Day is raising awareness
  about the relative safety of e-cigarettes and
  their potential as harm reduction and smoking
  cessation tools.
• According to Euromonitor International, the
  number of vapers globally has increased rapidly
  from around 7 million in 2011 to 41 million in
  2018.
• International Everest Day 29th May
• International Everest Day is celebrated every
  year on 29 May.
• The Day was declared in the memory of the first
  summit of Mt Everest on May 29, 1953.
• Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary
  belonging to Nepal and New Zealand respectively
  had climbed the Mount Everest on May 29, 1953.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• On May 29, 1965, (now retd) Major Hari Pal Singh
  Ahluwalia, became the first Indian to summit Mt
  Everest. World Digestive Health Day 29 May
• World Digestive Health Day is celebrated every
  year on 29th May.
• It was launched in 2004 to mark the 45th
  anniversary of the creation of the World
  Gastroenterology Organisation.
• The organisation has over 100 member societies
  and 50,000 individual members all over the world.
• The theme for the year 2020 is "Gut Microbiome A
  Global Perspective."
• International Day of Action for Womens Health
• May 28 is observed every year as the
  International Day of Action for Womens Health.
• It is being observed for more than 30 years and
  its main purpose is to promote the sexual and
  reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of all
  women all over the world.
• 28 May was declared as International Day of
  Action for Womens Health in 1987, during a
  reunion of members of WGNRR in Costa Rica.
• World Hunger Day 28 May
• World Hunger Day is observed on May 28 every
  year.
• The day was started by The Hunger Project in
  2011.
• It aims to raise awareness about the people
  living in chronic hunger worldwide and celebrate
  sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty and
  to inspire everyone to be a part of the solution.
• The Hunger Project is a US based organization
  committed to the sustainable end of world hunger.
• International Day Of UN Peacekeepers 29 May
• International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
  is celebrated every year on 29 May.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Missing Childrens Day began as an observance in
  the USA in 1983.
• The date was chosen following the disappearance
  of 6-year-old Etan Patz on 25th May 1979 from New
  York City.
• Commonwealth Day 24 May
• The Commonwealth Day is celebrated on May 24 of
  every year.
• This day is celebrated by all the countries that
  were once under the reign of the British Empire.
• Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the birth date
  of Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819.
• The day was previously named as Empire Day, as a
  celebration of the birth of Queen Victoria after
  1916.
• International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
• May 23 is the United Nations (UN) International
  Day to End Obstetric Fistula.
• The day promotes action towards treating and
  preventing obstetric fistula, a condition that
  affects many girls and women in developing
  countries.
• The theme for International Day to End Obstetric
  Fistula 2020 is "End gender inequality! End
  health inequities! End Fistula now!".
• World Turtle Day 23 May
• The World Turtle Day is celebrated annually on
  May 23, since 2000.
• The main aim behind the celebration of this day
  is to spread awareness about the protection of
  the natural habitat of turtles and tortoises.
• Every year since 2000, American Tortoise Rescue
  (ATR), a nonprofit organization established in
  1990, sponsors the celebrations for World Turtle
  Day.
• Day for Cultural Diversity 21 May

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• The National Tea Day is celebrated on April 21
  every year, while International Tea Day is being
  celebrated this year on May 21, 2020.
• The day was adopted by the United Nations in
  December 2019.
• Tea is believed to have originated during the
  Yunnan region during the Shang dynasty (1,600
  BC-1,046 BC) as a medicinal drink.
• An early record of tea drinking is noted in the
  third century AD.
• World Metrology Day 20 May
• The World Metrology Day is observed every year on
  20 May.
• The day commemorates the anniversary of the
  signing of the international treaty called Metre
  Convention in Paris on 20 May 1875, by which the
  International Bureau of Weights and Measures
  (BIPM) was created.
• The theme for World Metrology Day 2020 is
  Measurements for global trade.
• World Bee Day 20 May
• World Bee Day is celebrated every year on 20 May.
• It is celebrated to raise awareness about the
  importance of pollinators, the threats they face
  and their contribution to sustainable
  development.
• World Bee Day 2020 theme is Bee Engaged
  according to the UN.
• On May 20, the pioneer of beekeeping Anton Jansa
  was born in 1734 in Slovenia hence this day is
  celebrated as World Bee Day.
• International Museum Day 18 May
• International Museum Day is celebrated on May 18
  to create awareness about the cultural importance
  of museums.
• For 2020 International Museum Day, the theme is
  Museums for Equality Diversity and Inclusion.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act
  together, united in differences and diversity, in
  order to build a sustainable world of peace,
  solidarity and harmony.
• World Telecommunication Day 17 May
• World Telecommunication and Information Society
  Day is celebrated every year on May 17.
• Its the day to celebrate the power of
  telecommunication and its importance in building
  relationships across
• cultures around the world.
• The day was coined by the United Nations General
  Assembly.
• The theme for 2020 is Connect 2030 ICTs for the
  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• National Endangered Species Day 15 May 2020
• National Endangered Species Day is observed on
  the third Friday of May every year.
• This year it was observed on 15 May 2020.
• The day is devoted to protecting the wildlife on
  our planet.
• It was celebrated for the first time in the year
  2006.
• Endangered species are those that are at risk of
  extinction due to sudden rapid decline in their
  population or loss of their critical habitat.
• Armed Forces Day 16 May
• Armed Forces Day 2020 was observed on May 16.
• The day is celebrated on the third Saturday in
  May.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• International Nurses Day is organised every year
  to celebrate birth anniversary of Florence
  Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
• The theme for International Nurses Day 2020 is
  "Nursing the World to Health".
• The WHO has also designated 2020 as The Year of
  the Nurse and Midwife.
• National Technology Day 11 May
• May 11 is observed as the National Technology
  Day.
• This day marks the anniversary of Pokhran nuclear
  tests of 1998 and India's technological
  advancements in this space.
• On May 11, 1998, India successfully fired
  Operation Shakti missile at the Indian Armys
  Pokhran Test Range
• in Rajasthan, the first among the five nuclear
  tests in Pokhran.
• Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation
• The United Nations (UN) has a two-day global
  observance that occurs on May 8 and 9 each year.
• It is known as the Time of Remembrance and
  Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives
  during the Second World War.
• This two-day observance gives people,
  non-government organizations, and governments the
  chance to remember people who died during World
  War II.
• 480th birth anniversary of Maharana Pratap
• Maharana Pratap was a Rajput king who was known
  for his valour.
• Born on 9 May 1540, Maharana Pratap was the 13th
  Rajput ruler of the kingdom of Mewar.
• To honour of the brave king, Maharana Pratap
  Jayanti is celebrated every year on 9 May.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• World Athletics Day is celebrated on 7 May
• World Athletics Day 2020 is being celebrated on
  May 7.
• The date is subjected to change as IAAF decides
  the date every year, but the month remains the
  same which is May.
• International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF)
  introduced World Athletics Day in order to boost
  participation in athletics among youngsters.
• It was celebrated in 1996 for the first time.
• World Hand Hygiene Day 5 May
• World Hand Hygiene Day is observed on 5 May
  annually.
• It raises importance about hand hygiene in health
  care facilities, protecting health care workers
  and patients from infections.
• The theme for the year 2020 is "SAVE LIVES Clean
  Your Hands".
• The main idea of observing the day is to
  recognize hand washing as one of the most
  effective actions to avoid infections including
  the COVID-19.
• World Asthma Day is celebrated on 5 May
• World Asthma Day is an event annually organised
  by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA).
• The program is held to improve asthma awareness
  and care across the globe.
• The day is celebrated on the first Tuesday of May
  and this year it will be celebrated on May 5,
  2020.
• Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes
  breathing difficulties.
• International Firefighters Day May 4

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• World Tuna Day 2 May
• World Tuna Day is observed on 2 May every year.
• It was established by the United Nations (UN) to
  raise awareness about the importance of tuna
  fish.
• The day was observed for the first time in 2017.
• The World Tuna Day was officially proclaimed by
  the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by
  adopting resolution 71/124 in December 2016.
• International Jazz Day 30 April
• International Jazz Day is celebrated on 30 April
  every year.
• It aims at creating awareness around the world of
  the virtues of jazz as a force of peace, unity,
  dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people,
  as well as an educational tool.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and
  Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 2011
  had proclaimed 30 April as International Jazz
  Day.
• Maharashtra and Gujarat day 1 May
• 1st of May is also celebrated as 'Maharashtra
  Day' and Gujarat Day'.
• In the year 1960, an act was passed by the
  Parliament of India.
• The act was called the Bombay Reorganization Act
  and it was passed with aims to divide the state
  of Bombay, into two states Gujarat and
  Maharashtra.
• The act was passed and legislation became
  effective on the first of May, 1960.
• International Workers Day 1 May
• International Workers Day is celebrated on May 1
  every year.

MOU Agreements

• Vakrangee announced tie up with LIC of India
• Vakrangee has announced a tie-up with Life
  Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
• It will distribute Micro Insurance products
  through Nextgen Vakrangee Kendra network.
• Vakrangee shall provide the Solicitation and sale
  of the LIC's micro insurance products.
• Tie-up with LIC will support especially in
  unserved and underserved areas.
• UP govt to sign MoU with industry associations
• The UP govt is set to sign a MoU with many
  industries associations to ensure employment of
  9.5 lakh skilled and semi-skilled manpower.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• It is going to be a major breakthrough when it
  comes to generating employment opportunities for
  migrant workers.
• MSME dept of the state will sign the MoUs with
  the Indian Industries Association (IIA) and the
  National Real Estate Development Council
  (NAREDCO).
• FIFA, WHO launched SafeHome campaign
• FIFA, WHO and the European Commission have joined
  forces to launch the SafeHome campaign to
  support women and children at risk of domestic
  violence.
• The campaign is a joint response from the three
  institutions to the recent spikes in reports of
  domestic violence.
• Almost one in three women worldwide experience
  physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate
  partner.
• AIIMS Rishikesh partnered with Stasis
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),
  Rishikesh has teamed up with Stasis, a
  Bangalore-based start- up.
• It will implement a remote patient monitoring
  solution to manage COVID-19 suspects/patients in
  isolation wards.
• The solution aims to significantly reduce the
  risk of exposure to healthcare workers while
  increasing patient safety and reduce the need
  for PPE.
• Pinsent Masons partnered with World Athletics
• Pinsent Masons has announced its appointment by
  World Athletics as their first official supplier
  of legal services.
• The appointment was made after a detailed tender
  process and is for the next four years.
• Masons will provide legal support, advice and
  strategic guidance to World Athletics on a global
  basis.
• The scope of areas covered will include
  commercial rights, insurance, etc.
• Maruti Suzuki India partnered with HDFC Bank

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• LEGO Group tied up with NITI Aayog
• Danish toy production company The LEGO Group has
  announced its collaboration with NITI Aayog and
  the
• NGO Save The Children to support kids impacted
  by COVID-19 in India.
• The company has introduced targeted initiatives
  in the country to promote Learning Through Play
  and
• support home-based learning during the crisis.
• This effort will help in strengthening
  communities to combat COVID-19.
• Fiinovation partnered with Dhampur Sugar
• Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd.
  (Fiinovation) has partnered with Dhampur Sugar,
  one of the leading integrated sugarcane
  processing companies in India.
• It will facilitate the distribution of essential
  nutritional supplies for the vulnerable
  communities and create awareness on measures to
  contain the spread of COVID-19.
• The project will be implemented in the slum areas
  of Delhi.
• CSIR-IIIM, RIL to develop new diagnostic kit
• The Institute of Integrative Medicine in Jammu
  has tied up with Reliance Industries Ltd to
  develop and scale-up a new Reverse
  Transcriptase-Loop Mediated Isothermal
  Amplification (RT-LAMP)-based COVID-19
  diagnostic kit.
• A MoU has also been signed between IIIM-Jammu and
  RIL.
• COVID-19 RT-LAMP test is a nucleic acid-based
  test carried out from nasal or throat swab sample
  from patients.
• PFC signed MoU with NBPCL
• PFC has signed MoU with NBPCL to fund projects
  worth Rs 22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric
  projects Multipurpose projects in MP.

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Infosys has partnered with Avaloq, a wealth
  management software and digital technology
  provider headquartered in Switzerland.
• It will provide end-to-end wealth management
  capabilities through digital platforms.
• Infosys will be a strategic implementation
  partner for Avaloqs wealth management suite of
  solutions to
• help clients modernize and transform their legacy
  systems.
• Dept of Posts and Horticulture joined hands
• The Department of Posts and Department of
  Horticulture, Bihar have joined hands to supply
  Shahi Litchi and Zardalu Mango to the people at
  the doorstep.
• Bihar Postal Circle has made an agreement with
  the Department of Horticulture for logistics of
  Shahi Litchi from Muzaffarpur and Zardalu Mango
  from Bhagalpur.
• People can place the order on website
  www.horticulture.bihar.gov.in online.
• Fintech startup Zaggle tied up with Visa
• Zaggle has partnered with Visa to launch
  innovative payment solutions for SMEs and
  startups.
• Both the companies will jointly create solutions
  for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and
  startups to improve productivity, efficiency and
  automate processes and reduce costs along with
  focusing on easy and faster credit through a
  unique card which will have forex, prepaid along
  with credit.
• Maruti Suzuki tied-up with Cholamandalam
• Maruti Suzuki India has announced a partnership
  with Cholamandalam Investment Finance Company
  Ltd.
• It will provide customised auto retail financing
  solutions to retail buyers.
• The new solution 'Buy-Now-Pay-Later Offer' is
  aimed to provide customers with easy financing
  options, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a
  statement.
• Samsung India partnered With Facebook

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• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• NTPC, ONGC to set up joint venture
• ONGC and NTPC have signed a preliminary agreement
  to set up a joint venture company for renewable
  energy projects.
• They entered into a MoU on 21 May 2020 in New
  Delhi to formalize the arrangement.
• The MoU will enable both companies to achieve
  their respective targets in renewable energy
  business.
• ONGC has a renewable portfolio of 176 MW
  comprising of 153 MW wind power.
• Defence Ministry signed MoU with eGov
• The Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE)
  under the Ministry of Defence has inked a pact
  with eGov Foundation.
• It will drive government e-initiatives while
  bringing better citizen centric services across
  all 62 cantonment boards in the country.
• A MoU in this regard was signed between DGDE and
  eGov Foundation earlier in May 2020.
• Flipkart partnered with Bajaj Allianz
• Flipkart and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
  Company have partnered to offer a digital motor
  insurance policy to customers of Flipkart.
• Consumers can buy this motor-insurance policy
  using their Flipkart app.
• With the introduction of motor-insurance,
  consumers can now get access to a much more
  seamless, accessible and flexible insurance
  solution to safeguard their vehicles.
• SoftBank and Mapbox formed a joint venture
• SoftBank Corp. and Mapbox have announced that
  they have established a joint venture called
  Mapbox Japan.
• The JV will provide Mapboxs mapping platform,
  including APIs and data services, to developers
  in Japan.

20

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• According to the MoU, both the parties have
  agreed to form a joint Indian - Russian working
  group. Flipkart joined hands with Vishal Mega
  Mart
• Flipkart has announced a partnership with retail
  store chain Vishal Mega Mart for the home
  delivery of essential items through a safe
  supply chain in 26 cities.
• A Vishal Mega Mart Essentials store has been
  created on the Flipkart platform.
• Consumers can order essential products from more
  than 365 Vishal Mega Mart stores and get them
  delivered at their doorstep by Flipkart.
• NRAI tied up with DotPe to build tech platform
• National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI)
  has partnered with fintech start-up DotPe to
  build its own tech platform.
• It would enable them with online payments for
  digital ordering, bill settlements, and
  contactless dining.
• DotPe is a Gurgaon-based O2O commerce platform
  which helps in increasing omnichannel sales,
  providing seamless B2B digital ordering
  solutions.
• Eriscsson and UNESCO partnered
• Ericsson has joined the UNESCO-led Global
  Education Coalition and launched Ericsson
  Educate.
• It is a digital program delivering online
  learning content focused on improving digital
  skills for students in secondary schools and
  universities.
• UNESCO and Ericsson launched a new portal for
  teaching AI to kids on May 13, 2020.
• University of Hyderabad, CCMB partnered
• University of Hyderabad (UoH) and CSIR-Centre for
  Cellular and Molecular Biology have tied up with
  Vins Bioproducts Ltd to develop antibody
  fragment-based immunotherapy for treatment for
  Covid-19 pandemic.
• This collaborative effort plans to use the
  F(ab)2 platform technology which has been
  providing neutralising
• antibodies from horses for a variety of
  life-threatening pathologies in humans.

21

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• The partnership will enable retailers to create a
  unified omnichannel experience, allowing them to
  capture demand across all consumer channels
  including stores, brand websites, social channels
  and online marketplaces.
• They will fulfill the same via their warehouses,
  and more importantly from their retail stores.
• MoneyGram partnered with Federal Bank
• MoneyGram Payment Systems has entered into a
  partnership with the Federal Bank for a strategic
  partnership to offer cost-effective
  direct-to-bank-account credit option for
  customers in India.
• Through this partnership, millions will be able
  to receive deposits directly in their bank
  accounts.
• According to the World Bank, India remains the
  world's top recipient of remittances.
• Indian firms to supply Remdesivir
• 4 Indian companies, including Cipla, Jubilant,
  Hetero and the domestic arm of Mylan, have signed
  non- exclusive voluntary licencing agreements
  with Gilead Sciences.
• They will manufacture and supply generic versions
  of COVID-19 drug Remdesivir.
• Ferozsons Laboratories of Pakistan is also part
  of the five-country global partnership Gilead has
  announced to sell Remdesivir in 127 countries.
• Consumer Affairs dept partners with 2 startups
• The Dept of Consumer Affairs has partnered with
  tech startups Safejob and Seekify to use
  technology to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at
  the local Kirana store level.
• The Suraksha Store initiative is designed for the
  health and safety of the citizens.
• The primary objective of this project is to
  educate Kirana store owners across the country
  about Covid-19 safety guidelines.
• TCPL tied up with Domino's, Zomato
• Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) has partnered with
  food delivery platforms like Domino's Pizza and
  Zomato.

22

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• India and the Asian Infrastructure Investment
  Bank, AIIB signed a 500 million dollar COVID-19
  Emergency
• Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project
  in New Delhi on 8 May 2020.
• It has been signed to strengthen its public
  health preparedness.
• This is the first-ever health sector support from
  the Bank to India.
• MoD inked contract with TPSED
• Ministry of Defence signed a contract for
  Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure, MAFI
  of 37 airfields for Indian Air Force, Indian
  Navy and Indian Coast Guard with M/s Tata Power
  SED (TPSED).
• The contract was signed at a cost of nearly Rs.
  1,200 crore in New Delhi on 8 May 2020.
• The MAFI Phase-II is a follow-on programme based
  on MAFI Phase-I.
• Coir Board signed MoU with IIT Madras
• Coir Board has signed an MoU with IIT Madras, to
  establish a Centre of Excellence for Coir
  Applications.
• The Centre of Excellence aims at furthering the
  research work done so far in the coir sector with
  the support of IIT, Madras.
• It will support the development of relevant
  technology and evolve standards for production
  and processing through specific projects and
  monitor research projects.
• Wipro signed MoU with Govt. of Maharashtra
• Wipro has signed an MoU with the Govt of
  Maharashtra.
• Under this, it will repurpose one of its
  information technology campuses in Hinjewadi,
  Pune to a 450-bed intermediary care COVID-19
  hospital in four weeks and hand it over to the
  state government by May 30, 2020
• The hospital will be converted back to an IT
  facility after a year.

23

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB),
  Hyderabad has tied up with Eyestem Research
  Private Limited, to take up research activities
  on COVID-19.
• Through this research collaboration, an attempt
  will be made to grow novel coronavirus in human
  cell lines.
• It will enable in vitro testing of potential
  drugs and vaccines against the COVID-19.
• IIT Hyderabad to partner with Hong Kong firm
• IIT Hyderabad is going to collaborate with New
  Frontier Capital Management.
• It will establish a global network for ventures
  as well as create a venture ecosystem.
• The core objective of this partnership will be to
  promote innovation, research and incubation.
• A MoU in this regard was signed which will also
  enable the firm to establish an office at the IIT
  Hyderabad campus.
• Facebook partnered with Bollywood
• Facebook has collaborated with some of the
  biggest names in Indian entertainment to put
  together a home-to-home fundraiser concert, I
  For India.
• 100 per cent proceeds from the fundraiser concert
  will go to the India COVID Response Fund managed
  by GiveIndia, to support on-ground relief
  efforts.
• GiveIndia (www.giveindia.org) is Indias largest
  giving platform with reach across 23 states.
• Flipkart partnered with Meru
• Flipkart has partnered with Meru for delivering
  grocery and essential items during the lockdown.
• Meru is India's app-based ride-hailing cab
  operator in which Mahindra Mahindra holds a
  majority stake.
• This partnership will help deliver grocery
  essential items to Flipkart customers at their
  doorstep across Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR and
  Hyderabad through a safe and sanitised supply
  chain.

Appointments

• PFC appointed RS Dhillon as CMD
• Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has announced the
  appointment of Ravinder Singh Dhillon as Chairman
  and Managing Director from June 1, 2020.
• He would hold the post till the date of his
  superannuation (May 31, 2023) or until further
  orders.
• Incumbent CMD Rajeev Sharma is attaining
  superannuation on May 31, 2020, after a glorious
  career spanning close to four decades.
• Venkataramani Sumantran Indigo Director
• Venkataramani Sumantran, the chairman and
  managing director of Celeris Technologies, has
  been appointed the independent director of
  IndiGo.
• Sumantran will hold the post for the next five
  years.
• He serves as an adjunct professor at the
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is on
  several statutory and advisory boards in India,
  Europe and the US.

24

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Leo Puri to take over as Chairman of JP Morgan
• Kalpana Morparia, chairman of JP Morgan South
  Asia and South East Asia, plans to resign by
  early 2021.
• Leo Puri, former chief executive officer (CEO) of
  UTI Mutual Fund, will replace her.
• Murali Maiya will become the new CEO for South
  and South East Asia.
• Madhav Kalyan, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, India, will
  become senior country officer for India from Q1
  2021.
• Wipro to get first non-Indian CEO
• Wipro has named former Capgemini executive
  Thierry Delaporte as its new CEO, the first
  non-Indian to head a homegrown IT services
  company.
• Delaporte will take over as CEO and MD on July 6,
  2020, replacing incumbent Abidali Neemuchwala.
• Delaporte was till recently chief operating
  officer at Capgemini.
• Aiman Ezzat took over as CEO of Capgemini
  recently.
• Narinder Batra appointed member of OCC
• Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President
  Narinder Batra has been appointed as a member of
  the Olympic Channel Commission.
• Batra had earlier served as the president of
  Hockey India (2014-2016) and Asian Hockey
  Federation (2003- 2013).
• He was also the treasurer of Delhi District
  Cricket Association between 2003 to 2013.
• Brazils Marcos Troyjo New President of NDB
• New Development Bank (NDB) has elected Marcos
  Troyjo from Brazil as its new president, as the
  term of KV Kamath comes to an end.

P Kumaran India's HC to Singapore 24 P a g e
25

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Periasamy Kumaran has been appointed as the next
  High Commissioner of India to The Republic Of
  Singapore on May 26, 2020.
• He will replace the current High Commissioner of
  India to Singapore, Jawed Ashraf, who took over
  more than three years ago in November 2016.
• Ashraf is to take over as the High Commissioner
  of India to France.
• Sandip Mukund Pradhan got two-year extension
• Sandip Mukund Pradhan, the Director-General of
  Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been given an
  extension for his central deputation tenure.
• The extension has been given for a period of two
  years and it will come into effect from June 6,
  2020.
• Pradhan was appointed as the Director-General of
  SAI in August 2017.
• Satish Tripathi named member of a commission
• Indian-American physician Siddhartha Mukherjee
  and compatriot higher education leader Satish
  Tripathi have been named by New York Governor
  Andrew Cuomo among members of a commission.
• The commission will focus on plans to jumpstart
  the state's economy badly hit by the COVID-19
  pandemic.
• The state's Blue-Ribbon Commission will be
  chaired by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
• Anant Ambani joined Jio Platforms board
• Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance
  Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, has joined
  the board of
• Jio Platforms as an additional director.
• He was appointed on the board of Jio Platforms on
  March 16, 2020.
• Jio Platforms, the unit of RIL, comprises mostly
  its telecom business under Reliance Jio Infocomm,
  which is the largest in the country with more
  than 388 million subscribers.

26

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Vodafone has recruited Jean-Francois Van Boxmeer
  to succeed Gerard Kleisterlee as chairman from
  November 2020.
• He is the current CEO of brewer Heineken.
• He will join as a non-executive director on July
  28, 2020.
• He has been Heinekens CEO since 2005.
• He will hand over the role to Asia-Pacific chief,
  Dolf van den Brink, in June 2020.
• Kotak Mahindra to work with Franklin Templeton
• Franklin Templeton Trustee Services has appointed
  Kotak Mahindra Bank to work together with
  Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India).
• It will assist the trustees in monetising
  portfolios of the six schemes that are being
  wound up.
• The appointment will provide the trustees with
  the added experience and ability to monetise
  assets at the earliest possible time.
• T S Tirumurti New UN Permanent Representative
• T S Tirumurti, India's new Permanent
  Representative to the UN has assumed charge as
  the Ambassador amid the coronavirus pandemic.
• A 1985-batch IFS officer, Tirumurti succeeds
  Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, who retired on April
  30, 2020 and returned to Hyderabad.
• Tirumurti previously served as Secretary,
  Economic Relations at the Ministry of External
  Affairs headquarters in New Delhi.
• Jahnabi Phookan National President of FICCI
• Jahnabi Phookan has been appointed as National
  President of FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO).
• FICCI FLO is the oldest women-led and -focused
  business chamber of Southeast Asia and the
  womens wing

27

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• She has been listed among Bloomberg Markets Most
  Influential 50 in Finance, Foreign Policys Top
  100
• Global Thinkers, and Thomson Reuters' The World's
  Most Influential Scientific Minds.
• BR Sharma appointed as chairman PSC
• Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu has appointed
  retired IAS officer BR Sharma as chairman JK
  Public Service Commission (PSC).
• Sharma will hold the position till he attains the
  age of 62 years and his appointment will take
  effect from the date he assumes the office.
• During his 35 years of career, Sharma has served
  JK and the Central Government on various
  positions.
• Dilip Oommen New President of ISA
• Dilip Oommen, CEO, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel
  India (AM/NS India) has taken over as president
  of the Indian Steel Association (ISA).
• He was unanimously appointed as president for the
  next two years.
• Earlier in May 2020, TV Narendran, MD and CEO,
  Tata Steel, stepped down from the post of
  president of ISA, three months before the
  scheduled end of his term.
• Govinda Rajulu Chintala Nabard chairman
• The govt has appointed Govinda Rajulu Chintala as
  chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and
  Rural Development.
• He is currently chief general manager at Nabard.
• The appointments committee of the union cabinet
  cleared Chintalas appointment for 2 years.
• It also cleared the appointment of Shaji KV,
  currently general manager at Canara Bank, as
  deputy MD at Nabard for five years.
• TikTok hired new CEO from Walt Disney

28

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Centre, Central Board of Secondary Education,
  CBSE has appointed IAS Officer Manoj Ahuja as the
  new Chairman on 12 May 2020.
• Manoj Ahuja is currently working as Special
  Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
  Administration.
• He will be replacing Anita Karwal, who has been
  appointed as Secretary in the Department of
  Education and Literacy, Ministry of HRD in April
  2020.
• Archaeological Survey of India got new chief
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) got a
  new Director General with the appointment of IAS
  officer V. Vidyavathi on 12 May 2020.
• Ms. Vidyavathi is a 1991 batch Karnataka cadre
  officer, according to the order of the
  Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• She will be serving in the rank of Additional
  Secretary to the Government of India.
• Akhil Kumar re-inducted into NADA panel
• Former Commonwealth Games gold-winning boxer
  Akhil Kumar has been re-inducted into the
  National Anti-Doping Agency's Disciplinary
  Panel.
• Akhil, who is also serving in Haryana Police as
  ACP Gurugram, was formerly in the panel from 2017
  to 2019.
• He is among the most accomplished names in Indian
  boxing and has also been the government observer
  for the sport between 2017 and 2019.
• Daren Tang Next WIPO Director General
• Daren Tang, Chief Executive of the Intellectual
  Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) was
  officially appointed as the next Director
  General of the World Intellectual Property
  Organization (WIPO).
• Tang will take over the helm of WIPO on 1 October
  2020 for a term of six years.
• This marks the first time a Singaporean will lead
  a UN agency, and WIPOs first Director General
  from Asia.
• WB govt transferred health secretary

29

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Kumar Sangakkara 2nd term as MCC President
• Kumar Sangakkara is set to serve his second term
  as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club
  (MCC).
• Sangakkara who is the first overseas President of
  MCC, took charge of the club on October 1, 2019.
• Presidents of MCC traditionally serve only a
  12-month term, but during the first and second
  World War, Lord Hawke (1914-18) and Stanley
  Christopherson (1939-45) both served for longer
  periods.
• Iqbal Chahal Mumbais new civic chief
• The chief of the Municipal Corporation of Greater
  Mumbai has been replaced.
• Principal Secretary in the states Urban
  Development Department Iqbal Chahal has been
  appointed as Mumbais new civic chief, replacing
  Praveen Pardeshi.
• Mumbai has turned into the coronavirus epicentre
  in the country, reporting over 11,000 cases and
  437 deaths till now.
• Ajinkya Rahane ELSA Corp brand ambassador
• Global edtech company ELSA Corp, India has
  announced the appointment of Ajinkya Rahane as
  its brand ambassador for India, Middle East,
  ANZ, and SAARC.
• The company's product ELSA Speak is a mobile app
  which uses speech recognition technology and AI
  to help language learners improve their English
  pronunciation.
• Ajinkya Rahane is the Vice-Captain of the Indian
  Cricket Test Team.
• Facebook's Libra appointed Stuart Levey as CEO
• Libra Association, the entity managing the
  Facebook Inc-led effort to build global digital
  currency Libra, has named Stuart Levey as its
  first chief executive officer.
• Levey is currently serving as Chief Legal Officer
  of HSBC.
• In April 2020, Libra's governing body said it
  will be linked to individual national currencies
  and overseen by global watchdogs.

30

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• NFL appointed non-official independent Dir.
• National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL) has appointed
  Pandya Ashwinkumar Balvantray as non-official
  independent director to its board.
• His appointment will be for three years with
  effect from May 4, 2020.
• At present, Balvantry is working as Secretary
  General of the International Commission on
  Irrigation and Drainage.
• StanC Kusal Roy as head of Retail Banking
• Standard Chartered Bank has appointed Kusal Roy
  as the new head of Retail Banking, effective May
  5, 2020.
• Prior to joining Standard Chartered, he was
  Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at
  Tata Capital Financial Services Ltd.
• He has also held various senior roles in ICICI
  Bank, Barclays Bank and Citibank India.
• Tarun Bajaj Director on RBI Central Board
• The government has appointed Economic Affairs
  Secretary Tarun Bajaj as a Director on the
  central board of RBI.
• Bajaj replaces Atanu Chakraborty, who retired on
  April 30, 2020.
• Prior to taking over as Economic Affairs
  Secretary, Bajaj, a 1988 batch IAS officer, was
  the Additional Secretary in Prime Minister's
  Office.
• Krishnan Ramachandran MD CEO of Max Bupa
• Max Bupa Health Insurance has announced the
  appointment of Krishnan Ramachandran as its
  Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
• Ramachandran last served as the CEO of Apollo
  Munich Health Insurance.
• Prior to Apollo Munich, he served in various
  capacities at Practice Head Healthcare and
  Experience Manager at Deloitte Consulting,
  across India and New York.

Risk Management and Treasury.
31

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Emily McNeal, who held the role of Flipkart Group
  CFO since September 2018, has decided to return
  to the US.
• Sanjay Kumar Jha Midhani CMD
• Ministry of Defence, through a Presidential
  Order, has appointed Dr Sanjay Kumar Jha,
  Director (Production and Marketing) of Mishra
  Dhatu Nigam Ltd (Midhani) as its CMD.
• Jha has served in the Department of Atomic Energy
  (DAE) for more than 27 years.
• He has invented a process to develop unique
  properties in pressure tube a lifetime component
  for nuclear power reactors.
• Sudan appoints first ambassador to U.S.
• Sudan has announced that the US has approved
  Khartoum's pick of a veteran diplomat as
  ambassador to Washington, the first such envoy
  in over 2 decades.
• The US govt approved the nomination of Noureldin
  Sati as an ambassador and plenipotentiary of the
  Republic of Sudan.
• Sati served as Sudan's ambassador to France in
  the 1990s and later worked with UN peacekeeping
  missions in Congo and Rwanda.
• Lt Gen Shukla assumed charge of ARTRAC
• Lt Gen Raj Shukla has assumed the command of the
  Army Training Command (ARTRAC).
• General Shukla was commissioned into the Regiment
  of Artillery in December 1982.
• He commanded a Medium Regiment in the
  Eastern/Desert Theatres, an Infantry Brigade in
  counter insurgency operations, an Infantry
  Division along the LoC in Kashmir and a Corps
  along the Western Borders.
• Ashok Michael Pinto US representative to IBRD
• US President Donald Trump has nominated
  Indian-American Ashok Michael Pinto as a
  representative to the International Bank for
  Reconstruction and Development.
• He has been nominated for a term of two years.

31 P a g e
32

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Nilaya Mitash posted at ADB
• Nilaya Mitash, a Karnataka cadre IAS officer of
  the 1991 batch, has been posted at the Asian
  Development Bank (ADB) as principal operations
  coordination specialist.
• He was working as Resident Commissioner of
  Karnataka in the national capital.
• The state government has relieved him from the
  current post to take up the long-term foreign
  assignment at ADB headquartered in Philippines.
• JNCASR Professor elected to AAAS
• Professor Shobhana Narasimhan from the
  Theoretical Sciences Unit at the Jawaharlal Nehru
  Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
  (JNCASR), has been elected as an International
  Honorary Member to the American Academy of Arts
  and Sciences.
• The American Academy of Arts and Sciences honours
  scholars and leaders who have distinguished
  themselves in the sciences, arts, humanities and
  public life.
• Troy Alstead Independent member of board OYO
• OYO Hotels Homes has announced the appointment
  of former Starbucks Corporation COO, Troy
  Alstead, as an independent member of the board
  of directors.
• Alstead worked with Starbucks Corporation for 24
  years, and most recently served as Chief
  Operating Officer.
• Currently, OYOs board has industry experts
  including Gerardo Issac (Gerry) Lopez.
• Yes Bank appointed Neeraj Dhawan as CRO
• Yes Bank has appointed Neeraj Dhawan as its chief
  risk officer with immediate effect.
• He has been appointed for a period of 3 years.
• He assumed charge from 2 May 2020 in place of
  Ashish Agarwal, the current chief risk officer,
  who will be transitioning to a new role.
• Prior to this, Dhawan was holding the position of
  chief risk officer for retail and business
  banking at Yes Bank.

33

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet had
  approved the appointment of Aramane as the new
  highways secretary on April 26, 2020.
• Aramane took charge from incumbent Sanjeev
  Ranjan, who has been appointed as secretary in
  the Ministry of Shipping.
• Tarun Bajaj Economic Affairs Secretary
• 1988 batch IAS officer Tarun Bajaj assumed charge
  as the Economic Affairs Secretary on 1 May 2020.
• Prior to this, he was the Additional Secretary in
  Prime Minister's Office.
• Mr. Bajaj replaces Atanu Chakraborty, who retired
  on 30 April 2020.
• Before joining Prime Minister's Office in 2015,
  Bajaj was Joint Secretary in the Economic Affairs
  Department.
• Ajay Tirkey Secretary of WCD Ministry
• Ajay Tirkey, an IAS officer, has assumed charge
  as Secretary in Ministry of Women and Child
  Development.
• He succeeds Rabindra Panwar who retired on 30
  April 2020.
• Before assuming the charge of Secretary, Ajay
  Tirkey was holding the post of Special Secretary
  and Additional Secretary in the Ministry.
• He has also worked in Ministry of Defence as
  Director and Joint Secretary from 2004 to 2009.
• Shikha Sharma Advisor of Google Pay India
• Google Pay appointed Shikha Sharma, former CEO of
  Axis Bank, as an advisor.
• She will help Google accelerate its payment
  journey.
• Sharma left Axis Bank at the end of 2018.

Obituaries

• Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passed away
• Famous astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passed away in
  May 2020.
• Daruwalla was a known Ganesha devotee who
  combined the principles of various techniques
  like Vedic astrology, Numerology, Palmistry,
  I-Ching, Tarot, Kabalah and even Western
  astrology for his predictions.
• His website, Ganeshaspeaks, was one of the
  most-accessed sites in astrology, and commanded a
  huge following, globally.
• Veteran lyricist Yogesh passed away
• Veteran lyricist Yogesh Gaur passed away in May
  2020.
• He is known for his famous songs like 'Kahin Door
  Jab Din Dhal Jaaye' and 'Zindagi Kaisi Hai
  Paheli' in 'Anand',
• Yogesh was a prominent lyricist in '70s Hindi
  cinema and gave some of his best songs in films
  of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee.
• Ajit Jogi passed away
• First CM of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi passed away in
  May 2020.
• A bureaucrat-turned politician, Jogi had served
  as the first CM of Chhattisgarh from November
  2000 to November 2003 in then Congress
  government.

34

• Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
• May 2020
• Jogi parted ways with the Congress in 2016 after
  he and his son got embroiled in a controversy
  over a by- election.
• Later, he quit the Congress and formed Janata
  Congress Chhattisgarh (J).
• M.P. Veerendra Kumar passed away
• M.P. Veerendra Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP and a doyen
  of Keralas socialist politics, passed away in
  May 2020.
• Kumar, apart from his exemplary political career
  as the leader of several socialist outfits, was
  also an acclaimed writer, orator and thinker.
• His travelogue Haimavatha Bhoovil won the
  prestigious Kendra Sahitya Akademi award in 2010.
• Urdu Writer Mujtaba Hussain passed away
• Renowned Urdu writer and Padma Shri winner
  Mujtaba Hussain passed away in Hyderabad in May
  2020.
• He was known for his humorous writings and
  columns in Urdu newspapers and books.
• Some of his notable works include his
  autobiographical satire titled Apne Yaad Mein.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2007.
• Former footballer Shanmugam passed away
• Former Tamil Nadu footballer and coach R.
  Shanmugam passed away in May 2020.