Current Affairs

India Current Affairs March, 2011 : Short Points

11 got death penalty, 20 life term for Godhra carnage. India, ASEAN set $70 bn trade target.

Banking Laws Amendment Bill got cabinet nod.

Lanco acquired Aussie coal mines, Griffin, for $760 million.

India agreed to finance Ethiopian sugar sector revamp.

Interceptor missile test fired successfully. – Monaco became the first public sector firm to Introduce ESOPs.

SC approved single MBBS entrance test across nation.

India, Brazil inked air services agreement.

Star Indian Post office announced launch of online portal ‘a-post office’.

Essar, Inked $750m agreement to revive Zimbabwe Iran & Steel C0.

N-capable missiles Dhanush and Prithvi-II successfully tested.

India, Bangladesh decided to hold Wagah-style retreat at border.

Foundation for Judicial Academy laid in Jodhpur.

Prez Patiy cancelled appointment of PJ Thomas as CVC.

Union cabinet approved GST Bill.

India’s tallest (80 feet) statue of Lord Buddha unveiled in Sarnath.

Government approved 9.5% interest on PF deposits.

India abstained from UNSC vote on Libya no fly zone.

Bollywood actor Navin Nischol passed away.

Security forces seized armed from Maoist hide out in Midnapur.

Saina Nehwal won Swiss Open Single’s final tennis trophy.

Delhi Anti-sealing Bill passed In Rajya Sabha.

SBI announced new code of conduct. – Shimla declared environmentally sustainable city.

Orissa (the alteration of named Bill and Constitution (113th) Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Martha.

Lok Sabha passed the Coinage Amendments Bill.

Cash-strapped Air India got a breather.

Navy nabbed 16 pirates off Lakshadweep.

India invited to make huge investments in Africa.

India breaks into the top 10 nations in Scientific Research Output.

Gujarat banned the sale distribution and reprinting of Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India.

Results of Census 2011 released: Puts India’s population at 1.21 billion.

India Current Affairs January, 2011 : Descriptive Points

Noted Hindi writer Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari has been chosen for the prestigious Vyas Samman for his collection of poems ‘Phir Bhi Kuch Rah Jayega’. The Award is instituted by K. K. Birla Foundation.

The Government of India has proposed to nominate the name of Assam’s river island Majuli for inclusion in the cultural landscape category of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list.

A Tamil Brahmi script on a pot rim reading ‘a mana’ meaning a Jaina has been found at Pattanam in Earnakulam district Kerala establishing that Jainism was prevalent on the West Coast at least from second century CE (Common Era).

Kiradech Aphibarnrat pipped Mohammad Siddikur Rahman to bag SAIL open title on March 25, 2011 in New Delhi.

A. S. Suresh Krishna of Andhra Pradesh defeated Ashutosh Singh of Delhi to take the title in National Jute Board-National grass-court Tennis tournament on March 5, 2011 in Kolkata while in women’s section Kyra Shroff beat Aishwazya Agrawal to take the crown.

India on March 6, 2011 fired an interceptor missile which intercepted an incoming enemy ballistic missile at an attitude of 16 km and pulverized it in a direct kill. While the hostile missile was launched at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Orissa, the Interceptor blasted off from Wheeler Island off the Orissa Coast.

North Zone beat West Zone to clinch Deodhar Trophy of Cricket on March 9, 2011 in Jaipur by five wickets.

Shahina K. K. the Thiruvananthapuram correspondent of Open magazine has been chosen for the Chameli Devi Jain Award 2010 for being outstanding woman media person.

India will test-fire the submarine launched version of of BrahMos Underwater test-firing the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile by year end as on March 12, 2011. Underwater weapon-delivery countries defence strength.

The Human Resource Development Ministry has appointed Mahashweta Devi as National Research Professor for a second term of five years from February 2011. She has been appointed to this post in recognition of her contribution as a writer and a social activist.

V. Kalidas-The Hindu’s consultant has been honoured with the Hall of Fame Award for 2011 for his contribution to the media industry. He was honoured by Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan in Chandigarh on March 17, 2011.

India’s exports breached the $ 200 billion mark in the first 11 months of the 2010-11. Exports jumped by 49.8% year-on-year during February to $ 23.6 billion taking the April-January 2010-11 figure to $ 208.2 billion-an increase of 31.4% over the year-ago period and past the yearly target of $ 200 billion.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was honoured with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and lndusirys’ top honour. The Decade of Global Achievement Honour for her accomplishments in Hindi cinema on March 25, 2011 in Mumbai.

According to the 2010 tiger census whose results were declared on March 28, 2011 there are approximately 1,706 of the big cats in the country which includes about 70 in the marches of the Sundarbans.

The Central Government on March 24, 2011 constituted the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (FSLRC) under the chairmanship of former justice B. N. Krishna to rewrite and harmonize financial sector legislations, rules and regulations so that the requirements of the country’s fast growing financial sector may be fulfilled.

The Government recently in March 2011 approved 14 proposals of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) including that of Mauritius based Ghir Investments totalling Rs. 1,289.85 crone.

Asia’s largest solar park launched in Gujarat.

Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, launched the construction of Gujarat Solar Park in Patan district on December 28, 2010.

This is the first solar power park in Asia with a 500-MW generation capacity at a single location.

The park, being developed by the sectoral nodal agency Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd (GPCL), is spread over 2,089 hectares of mostly wasteland in the vicinity of the Rann of Kutch, in Patan district, the ancient state capital now bordering Pakistan.

Major Projects in India

Bhakra Nangal Project is a joint project of Haryana, Punjab, H.P. and Rajasthan. It is across

river Sutlej.

Damodar Vally Project is a multipurpose project of West Bengal and Jharkhand

Kosi Project is a multipurpose project in Bihar, which serves Bihar and Nepal

Tungabhadra project is a joint project of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka

Koyna hydel power project is in Maharashtra

Kundah Project is in Tamil Nadu and has a capacity of 535 MW

Narora Atomic Project is located in Uttar Pradesh

Singurauli Super power Project is located in Uttar Pradesh

The Tehri Dam Project is constructed in Uttranchal Pradesh

The Periyar Project is constructed in Kerala

Hirakud Project is located in Orissa

The Nagarjun Sagar Project is located in Andhra Pradesh

AWARDS

Ashok Chakra (India’s Highest Peacetime Gallantry Awards): Major Laishram jyotin singh (posthumously) of the Medical Corps for saving 10 of his colleagues in Kabul during an attack by terrorist in February 2011

Kirti chakra (India’s second Highest peacetime Gallantry Awards): The five Recipients are Major Rahul Gurung, Captain Deepak Sharma (posthumously), Lt. Vikas Sharma Lt, VA Deshmukh and Naik Rajinder Singh.

Shaurya Chakra (India’s Third Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award): The 21 armed forces personal awarded are: Col. Neeraj Sood, Havildar Dayal singh, Lance Naik A.K Sharma, Sepoy S.K singh, Sepoy Sangat Singh (all five posthumously), Major Sanjeev Haryal Major Rakesh Rawat, Major Manish Baral, Captain Mahendra Pratap singh, Lt, Vikram Bahadur singh, Naik vijay Pal, Lance Naik Mohammad Shaffi, Lance Naik Praveen Thakur, Naik KS Kharwung, Sepoy Channalli Basavaraj, Sepoy Ravinder singh, Sepoy Vijay singh Bohara, Rifleman Udhay Singh, Riflemen milap Singh, Paratrooper Kapil Dev and Flight Lt, Manish Arora.

Padma Vibhushan (India’s Second Highest Civilian Award): The 13 receipients are kapil Vatsyayan (for arts), Homi Vyarawalla (for Photo), A Nageshwara Rao Kapila Vatsyayna (for Cinema), L.C. Jain (posthumously), Parasaran Kesava Iyengar, Akhlaq-ur-Rehman Kidwai, Vijay Kelkar and Montek Singh Ahluwalia (all four for public affairs), Palle Rama Rao (for Science and Engineering), Azim Premji (for Business), Brajesh Mishra (for Civil Services) Prof. (Dr) Ottaplakkal Neelankandan Velu Kurup and Dr. Sitakant Mahapatra (both for Literature and Education)

Padma Bhushan (India’s Third Highest Civilian Awards): Among the 31 awardees are Khayyam, Shashi kapoor, Waheeda Rehman, SP Balasubrahmanyam, Shobhana Ranade, Rajeshree Birla, Chanda Kochhar, Shyam saran, Sankha Ghose and K.Raghavan Thirumulpad, keki Byramjee Grant and Dashrath Patel (all three posthumously)

Padma Shri (India’s Fourth Highest Civilian Award): Among 84 awardees are Urvashi Butalia,Irrfan Khan, Kajol Indira Hinduja, Shaji n Karun, Usha Uthup, Tabassum H. Khan (alias Tabu), Sivapatham Vittal, Gagan Narang, Mk Saroja, Jayaram Subhramaniam, Prof. Ea Siddiq VVS Laxman, Krishna Poona, Harbhajan Singh Mamang Dal, Gulshan Nanada and Prof. Upendra Baxi

Some others awards: The gallantry awards also include135 sena Medals, 5 Bar to Sena Medals, 755 Police Medals. CRPF received the highest number of medals recipients – 123-among police forces.

Following are names of all awardees for Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan Padma Shri Award 2011:

Name of Padma Vibhushan Awardees 2011Name Discipline State/ Domicile

Dr. (Smt.) Kapila Vatsyayan Art – Art Administration and Delhi

Promotion.

Mrs. Homai Vyarawalla Art – Photography Gujarat

Shri A Nageshwara Rao Art- Cinema Andhra Pradesh

Shri Parasaran Kesava Iyengar Public Affairs Delhi

Dr. Akhlaq-ur-Rehman Kidwai Public Affairs Delhi

Shri Vijay Kelkar Public Affairs Delhi

Shri Montek Singh Ahluwalia Public Affairs Delhi

Shri Palle Rama Rao Science and Engineering Andhra Pradesh

Shri Azim Premji Trade and Industry Karnataka

Shri Brajesh Mishra Civil Services Madhya Pradesh

Prof. (Dr.) Ottaplakkal Neelakandan Velu Kurup

Literature and Education Kerala

Dr. Sitakant Mahapatra Literature and Education Orissa

Late Shri L. C. Jain Public Affairs Delhi *

Name of Padma Bhushan Awardees 2011 Shri Satyadev Dubey Art - Theatre Maharashtra

Shri Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi alias Khayyam

Art – Cinema - Music Maharashtra

Shri Shashi Kapoor Art – Cinema Maharashtra

Shri Krishen Khanna Art – Painting Haryana

Shri Madavur VasudevanNair Art – Dance - Kathakali Kerala

Ms. Waheeda Rehman Art – Cinema Maharashtra

Shri Rudrapatna Krishna Shastry Srikantan Art – Music-Vocal Karnataka

Ms. Arpita Singh Art – Painting Delhi

Dr. Sripathi Panditharadhyula  Balasubrahmanyam

Art – Playback Singing, Music Direction & acting

Tamil Nadu

Shri C.V. ChandrasekharArt – Classical Dance-Bharatanatyam

Tamil Nadu

Shri Dwijen Mukherjee Art West Bengal

Smt. Rajashree Birla Social work Maharashtra

Mrs. Shobhana Ranade Social work Maharashtra

Dr. Suryanarayanan Ramachandran Science and Engineering Tamil Nadu

Shri S.(Kris) Gopalakrishnan Trade and Industry Karnataka

Shri Yogesh Chander Deveshwar Trade and Industry West Bengal

Ms. Chanda Kochhar Trade and Industry Maharashtra

Dr. K. Anji Reddy Trade and Industry- Pharmacy Andhra Pradesh

Shri Analjit Singh Trade and Industry Delhi

Shri Rajendra Singh Pawar Trade and Industry Haryana

Dr. Gunapati Venkata Krishna Reddy Trade and Industry Andhra Pradesh

Shri Ajai Chowdhary Trade and Industry Delhi

Shri Surendra Singh Civil Services Delhi

Shri M. N .Buch Civil Services Madhya Pradesh

Shri Shyam Saran Civil Services Delhi

Shri Thayil Jacob Sony George Literature and Education Karnataka

Dr. Ramdas Madhava Pai Literature and Education Karnataka

Shri Sankha Ghosh Literature and Education West Bengal

Late Shri K. RaghavanThirumulpad Medicine - Ayurveda. Kerala*

Late Dr. Keki Byramjee Grant Medicine – Cardiology Maharashtra *

Late Shri Dashrath Patel Art Gujarat *

Name of Padma Shri Awardees 2011 Ms. Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry Art – Theatre Chandigarh

Shri Makar DhwajaDarogha Art- Chhau Dance Jharkhand

Shri Shaji Neelakantan Karun Art – Film Direction Kerala

Shri Girish Kasaravalli Art – Film making Karnataka

Ms. Tabassum Hashmi Khan alias Tabu Art – Cinema Maharashtra

Shri Jivya Soma Mase Art - Warli Painting Maharashtra

Guru (Ms.) M.K. Saroja Art – Dance- Bharatnatyam Tamil Nadu

Shri Jayaram Subramaniam Art – Cinema Tamil Nadu

Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty Art – Music-Indian Classical Vocal West Bengal

Smt. Mahasundari Devi Art - Mithilia/ MadhubaniPainting. Bihar

Shri Gajam Govardhana Art – Handloom Weaving Andhra Pradesh

Ms. Sunayana Hazarilal Art – Dance - Kathak Maharashtra

Shri S.R. Janakiraman Art - Carnatic Vocal Music Tamil Nadu

Shri Peruvanam KuttanMarar Art - Chenda Melam- Drum concert Kerala

Smt. Kalamandalam Kshemavathy Pavithran Art – Dance - Mohiniattam Kerala

Shri Dadi DorabPudumjee Art – Puppetry Delhi

Shri Khangembam Mangi SinghArt – Traditional Music of Manipur (Pena)

Manipur

Shri Prahlad Singh Tipaniya Art – Folk Music Madhya Pradesh

Smt. Usha Uthup Art – Music. West Bengal

Smt. Kajol Art- Cinema Maharashtra

Shri Irfan Khan Art- Cinema Maharashtra

Shri Mamraj Agrawal Social work West Bengal

Shri Jockin Arputham Social work Maharashtra

Ms. Nomita Chandy Social work Karnataka

Ms. Sheela Patel Social work Maharashtra

Ms. Anita Reddy Social work Karnataka

Shri KanubhaiHasmukhbhai Tailor Social work Gujarat

Shri Anant Darshan Shankar Public Affairs Karnataka

Prof. M. Annamalai Science and Engineering Karnataka

Dr. Mahesh Haribhai MehtaScience and Engineering – Agricultural Science

Gujarat

Shri Coimbatore Narayana Rao Raghavendran Science and Engineering Tamil Nadu

Dr. (Mrs.) Suman Sahai Science and Engineering Delhi

Prof.(Dr.) E.A. SiddiqScience and Engineering – Agricultural Science

Andhra Pradesh

Shri Gopalan Nair ShankarScience and Engineering – Architecture

Kerala

Shri Mecca RafeequeAhmed Trade and Industry Tamil Nadu

Shri KailasamRaghavendra Rao Trade and Industry Tamil Nadu

Shri Narayan Singh Bhati Civil Services Andhra Pradesh

Shri P K Sen Civil Services Bihar

Ms. Shital MahajanSports – Adventure Sports- Para Jumping

Maharashtra

Ms. Nameirakpam Kunjarani Devi Sports – Weightlifting Manipur

Shri Sushil Kumar Sports – Wrestling Delhi

Shri VangipurapuVenkata Sai Laxman Sports – Cricket Andhra Pradesh

Shri Gagan Narang Sports – Shooting Andhra Pradesh

Smt. Krishna Poonia Sports – Discus Throw Rajasthan

Shri Harbhajan Singh Sports – Mountaineering Punjab

Dr. Pukhraj Bafna Medicine - Padeatrics Chhattisgarh

Prof. Mansoor Hasan Medicine- Cardiology Uttar Pradesh

Dr. Shyama Prasad Mandal Medicine - Orthopaedic Delhi

Prof. (Dr.) Sivapatham Vittal Medicine – Endocrinology Tamil Nadu

Prof. (Dr.) Madanur Ahmed Ali Medicine – Gastroenterology Tamil Nadu

Dr. Indira HindujaMedicine – Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Maharashtra

Dr. Jose Chacko PeriappuramMedicine – Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.

Kerala

Prof. (Dr.) A. Marthanda Pillai Medicine – Neurosurgery Kerala

Shri Mahim Bora Literature and Education Assam

Prof. (Dr.) Pullella Srirama Chandrudu Literature and Education- Sanskrit Andhra Pradesh

Dr. Pravin Darji Literature and Education Gujarat

Dr. Chandra Prakash Deval Literature and Education Rajasthan

Shri Balraj Komal Literature and Education Delhi

Mrs. Rajni Kumar Literature and Education Delhi

Dr. Devanooru Mahadeva Literature and Education Karnataka

Shri Barun Mazumder Literature and Education West Bengal

Dr. Avvai Natarajan Literature and Education Tamil Nadu

Shri BhalchandraNemade Literature and Education Himachal Pradesh

Prof. Riyaz Punjabi Literature and EducationJammu and Kashmir

Prof. Koneru Ramakrishna Rao Literature and Education Andhra Pradesh

Ms. Buangi Sailo Literature and Education Mizoram

Prof. Devi Dutt Sharma Literature and Education Uttarakhand

Shri Nilamber Dev Sharma Literature and EducationJammu and Kashmir

Ms. Urvashi Butalia # Literature and Education Delhi

Ms. Ritu Menon # Literature and Education Delhi

Prof. Krishna Kumar Literature and Education Delhi

Shri Deviprasad Dwivedi Literature and Education Uttar Pradesh

Ms. Mamang Dai Literature and Education Arunachal Pradesh

Dr. Om Prakash Agrawal Others – Heritage Conservation Uttar Pradesh

Prof. Madhukar Keshav Dhavalikar Others – Archeology Maharashtra

Ms. Shanti Teresa Lakra Others-NursingAndaman & Nicobar

Smt. Gulshan Nanda Others – Handicrafts promotion Delhi

Dr. Azad Moopen Social work UAE *

Prof. Upendra Baxi Public Affairs -Legal Affairs United Kingdom *

Dr. Mani Lal Bhaumik Science and Engineering USA *

Dr. Subra Suresh Science and Engineering USA *

Prof. Karl Harrington Potter Literature and Education USA *

Prof. Martha Chen Social work USA *

Shri Satpal Khattar Trade and Industry Singapore *

Shri Granville Austin Literature and Education USA *

Note: * indicates awardees in the category of Foreigners / NRIs/ PIOs/ Posthumous. And # indicates duo case.