1. Last Six Months Current Affairs
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INTERNATIONAL
Palestinian Authority to be Named „State of Palestine‟
On 7 January Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has signed a
decree changing the name of the Palestinian Authority to the ―‖State of
Palestine,‖" according to the organization‘s official news agency.
Pakistani Supreme Court Orders Arrest of Prime Minister On 15 January
2013 Pakistan‘s Supreme Court ordered the arrest of the prime minister in
connection with a corruption case linked to power projects. The Supreme
Court gave authorities 24 hours to arrest Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf
and 16 others.This is the first in the history of Pakistan to arrest a Prime
Minister. The orders of the Court came following the allegations in connection
with a corruption case linked to power projects, done during his office of the
Water and Power Minister.
Obama Signed 23 Executive Orders on Gun Safety
On 16 January President Barack Obama announced 23 executive actions on
gun control laws, making them stricter,which would come into effect
immediately after his signatures. One of these measures include requiring the
target shooters to keep their guns locked and also to ban military-style assault
weapons, high capacity magazine as well as to make the background check
mandatory.Obama announced that this was his attempt to keep children safe,
keeping in view the massacre of Newtown where 20 first grade children along
with six adults were killed.
140 Nations Agreed On Global Mercury Limits
On 19 January , More than 140 nations have agreed on the first legally binding
treaty to curb mercury pollution.Delegates at UN discussed in Geneva
approved measures to control the use of the highly toxic metal, which is

2. widely used in chemical production and small-scale mining, in order to limit
mercury emissions.The governments agreed to ban the production, export
and import of a range of products containing mercury by 2020.The treaty has
been discussed for four years, but it is only now that the negotiators agreed
over the final version of the document. The treaty, known as the Minamata
Convention on Mercury, provides controls and reductions across a range of
products and processes where mercury is used, released and emitted.
Milos Zeman Elected as Czech Republic new President
On 25 January A leftist candidate Milos Zeman won the Czech Republic‘s first
presidential election decided by direct vote.Milos Zeman, a former prime
minister and head of the Citizens‘ Rights Party, won with 54.8% of the vote.He
defeated Karel Schwarzenberg, an aristocratic foreign minister with the
TOP09 party, who garnered 45.2%.Zeman replaces Vaclav Klaus, who must
step down after serving the maximum of two terms.
INDIA & WORLD
India – Pakistan Exchanged Nuclear Unit‟s Lists
On 1 January India and Pakistan exchanged their nuclear units‘ lists , as it is
customary since 20 years. The list which contains the names of nuclear units
of two countries, are exchanged between India and Pakistan as a custom and
part of an agreement which prevents them from aiming the nuclear
installations of each others‘ nations.
Thousands of illegal Indian Migrants in UK
According to a 2012 UK Home Office report, India has been named along with
Pakistan, China, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Brazil
and Iran as the main sources of illegal immigration to Britain.What the report
does not mention is how many of the 863,000 illegal migrants that it says are
living in the UK are students. This is a contentious area because critics of the
coalition government claim it is counting students among overall immigrants.
World Economic Forum‟s Global Risks Report
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) report , India ranks lowest
among the world‘s major economies for its preparedness to tackle global
environmental risks and second-lowest for economic risks. Switzerland is best
placed among the world‘s 10 major economies for adapting to or recovering

3. from global economic and environmental risks.While India is ranked 9th in
terms of its ability to tackle global economic risks, it comes last at 10th
position for environmental risks.However, India fared relatively better at 6th
position in terms of the government‘s risk management effectiveness.The US
and China were ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
Indians Top the List of Working in Dream Jobs
According to survey conducted by networking website LinkedIn,Indians have
emerged at the top of the list of people working in their dream job.The dream
job league table:1. India – 44 percent 2. Indonesia – 42 percent 3. United Arab
Emirates – 35.7 percent 4. Germany – 33 percent 5. Brazil – 32 percent 6.
Austria – 31 percent 7. Switzerland – 30 percent 8. USA – 29 percent 9. France,
Canada, Sweden, South Africa – 28 percent 13. Singapore, Hong Kong – 27
percent 15. Australia – 26 percent 16. New Zealand – 25 percent 17. UK – 21
percent
India – Vietnam Signed on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
On 15 January India and Vietnam signed an MoU aimed at building capacity
for developing institutional framework and identifying thrust areas and
opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises in this country.The
MoU was signed here between the Ministry of Planning and Investments of
Vietnam and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of
India .
India and Sri Lanka signed Anti-terror, Tax evasion Agreements
On 22nd January India and Sri Lanka signed two separate agreements on
combating international terrorism and avoidance of double taxation, eyeing
elevation of ―robust‖ bilateral ties to building of a special economic
partnership.The two key accords were signed after the 8th India-Sri Lanka
Joint Commission meeting held at New Delhi , both countries discussed
enhanced cooperation in a range of areas including civil nuclear energy.At the
meeting, the Indian side was led by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid
while the Lankans were led by his counterpart G.L. Peiris.During the meet,
both the parties also decided setting up of the Special Economic Zone at
Trincomali and a textile and pharmaceutical cluster in Sri Lanka.
International Tea Producers Forum formed

4. On 22 January India, along with five other tea producing countries, has formed
the International Tea Producers Forum (ITPF) at Colombo.Union Minister of
State for Commerce and Industry D Purandesari signed the joint communique
on behalf of India along with representatives of Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,
Rwanda and Malawi in Colombo.The ITPF will initially be an independent
body but in future may get affiliated to Food & Agriculture Organisation of
United Nations.
India , Bangladesh Signed Extradition and Visa Agreements
On 28 January Bangladesh and India signed an extradition treaty and struck a
deal to relax business visa restrictions between the neighbouring countries.
However, refusal provisions were incorporated into the extradition
treaty.Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde signed the agreement with his
Bangladeshi counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir at the end of their bilateral
talks.
India Dropped to 140th Rank in Press Freedom
According to the report Reporters Without Borders India has dropped nine
places to the 140th rank in the list of 179 countries in the latest World Press
Freedom Index.China (173rd, +1) shows no sign of improving. Its prisons still
hold many journalists and netizens, while increasingly unpopular Internet
censorship continues to be a major obstacle to access information.As last year,
the list is topped by three European countries – Finland, Netherlands and
Norway.Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea continue to be at the bottom
of the list as has been in the last three years.
NATIONAL
Govt Launched Direct Cash Transfer Scheme in 20 Districts
On 1 January 2013 The government launched its scaled down Cash Transfer
Benefit (CBT) in 20 districts,but food, fertiliser and fuel subsidies will not be
covered in the initial phase. All 26 schemes are ready for rollout. On 1 January
2013 the seven schemes in which payout is due in the (20 selected) districts,
the money will be transferred through the direct benefit transfer system using
the UIDAI platform.The scheme is going to be rolled out in 43 districts by 1
March 2013, 20 districts from January 1, 11 districts from February 1 and 12

5. districts from March 1. By end of 2013, the direct cash benefit transfer will be
rolled out in all the districts of the country.
PA Sangma launched National People‟s Party
PA Sangma, who broke away with the NCP in 2012 to contest the presidential
elections, though unsuccessfully, on 05 January 2013 launched National
People‘s Party (NPP), and chosen a book as its symbol. Sangma has chosen to
align his party with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
President Released Stamps on Swami Vivekananda
On 12 January The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee released the
Commemorative Postage Stamps, at the Commemoration of the 150th Birth
Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, in New Delhi .
Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2012
On 17 January According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)
2012 report has found that learning levels have dipped to an all-time low. So,
almost half the 6-7 year-olds (Class I) in India cannot read even one letter in
any language, over 57% cannot read any English while almost 40% cannot
recognize numbers between 1 and 9.The 12.8% children between Class I and
V could not read a single letter while 10.7% could not recognize numbers 1 to
9. The number of children in Class V who could read Class II text fell from
53.7% in 2010 to 46.8% in 2012. In 2010, seven out of 10 children could solve
a two-digit subtraction problem with borrowing. This has come down to five
out of 10 in 2012.
STATES
Odisha Launched „ Public Service Delivery System „
On 2 January The Odisha government launched the much-sought after ‖ Public
Service Delivery System ‖ for citizens under the Odisha Right to Public Service
Act, 2012.Under the new act, people will get services like issue of driving
license, birth and death certificates, passport and trade license within a
stipulated time.Odisha is among the 12th state to implement the law.
Haryana Government announced Kanyadan Scheme for Bride
participants of Mass Marriages

6. The Government of Haryana on 3 January 2012 announced its plan of
launching a Kanyadan Scheme in the state for brides participating in the mass
marriage ceremony, which would be organised by any of the registered NGO
or the Red Cross Society. The scheme would carry an incentive amount of
11000 rupees and would come into effect from 1 April 2012. The incentive
amount of 11000 rupees would be given to brides from all castes, creeds, race,
religion and the income category to which the girl belongs.
Arunachal Pradesh Collaborated with NSDL for Adoption of National
Pension Scheme
On 9 January The state of Arunachal Pradesh entered into an agreement with
signing of MoU with National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), permitting it
to work as a Central Record Keeping Agency (CRA) for adoption of the
National Pension System (NPS).National Pension Scheme NPS is an initiative
of the Union Government of India and Arunachal Pradesh is the 26th State to
adopt it.
Gujarat Tops List of Indian States on Economic Freedom Policy
According to the Economic Freedom of States in India report which was
released by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor and present Rajya
Sabha Member Bimal Jalan.The top state in India in (terms of) economic
freedom in 2011 was western Indian state Gujarat. It displaced southern
Indian state Tamil Nadu which had been at the top in 2009.Gujarat freedom
index has been rising fast and estimated at 0.64 points. The biggest
improvement has been registered by Madhya Pradesh with freedom index
score rose from 0.42 in 2009 to 0.56 in 2011 enabling it to move up from sixth
to third position.
Assembly polls in Tripura,Meghalaya and Nagaland on Febrauary
Assembly elections in Tripura will be held on February 14 and in Meghalaya
and Nagaland on February 23 and their results will be out on February 28, the
Election Commission announced on 10 January 2013.The EC also announced
byelections to nine assembly constituencies in Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal and Punjab on February 23 and in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra on
February 24, but their results will be out together on February 28.
President‟s Rule Imposed on Jharkhand
On 18 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India imposed President‘s
Rule in Jharkhand under Article 356(1) of the Constitution.The President‘s

7. Rule for the third time since its formation 12 years ago.The decision came as a
follow up of the recommendation made by the Union Cabinet of India and fall
of the state machinery in form of Government on 8 January after the
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha the supporting party to BJP led Coalition
Government withdrew its support from it. The state was placed under
President‘s Rule in 2009 and 2010.
Three New High Courts for North East
The Centre has constituted three new High Courts in the northeast Meghalaya,
Manipur and Tripura taking the total number of High Courts in the country
from 21 to 24.According to Law Ministry sources, the strength of judges in
each High Court will be as follows: Tripura 4 (including the Chief Justice), and
Meghalaya and Manipur: three each (including the Chief Justice).
CONFERENCES
100th Indian Science Congress held in Kolkata
The 100th Indian Science Congress was held from 3 to 7 January in Kolkata
(West Bengal) .The theme of the session is ‖ Science for Shaping the Future of
India ‖ .The session was inaugurated by Pranab Mukherjee the President of
India .In the session Prime Minister Manmohan Singh released The Science,
Technology and Innovation Policy(STI) 2013 ‘ .On 4 January Former President
Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam inaugurated a Children Science Congress as part of the
100th Indian Science Congress .The 100th Indian Science Congress (ISC 2013)
is also organized a special programme ― Women empowerment for the
development of the country‖ to showcase the contribution of women in
science and technology.This is the 13th time the Indian Science Congress is
being hosted by Kolkata
11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas held in Kochi
11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) was held from 7- 9 January at Kochi
(Kerala).Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag was the chief guest of this
official inaugural session.2000 delegates from 40 countries attended the
convention.The theme for this year‘s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is ―Engaging
Diaspora – the Indian Growth Story‖.On 7th January in the event they

8. discussed on problems that people from Kerala face in the region.Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurated the annual flagship event and
released the postage stamp on Ghadar Movement on 8 January and President
Pranab Mukherjee will delivered the valedictory address on January 9 and
also presented the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards.Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
(PBD) is celebrated on January 9 every year to mark the contribution of
overseas Indian community in the development of India.The Pravasi Bharatiya
Divas, the first of its kind involving the Indian Diaspora, was held in 2003 at
New Delhi.
Fourth Meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Ministers held in Vientiane
The Fourth meeting of ASEAN and India Tourism Minister (4th M-ATM+
India) was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR from 21 to January in conjunction with
the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2013 (ATF2013).The Meeting was jointly co-
chaired by H.E. Prof. Dr. Bosengkham Vongdara, Minister of Information,
Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR, and H.E. Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, Minister for
Tourism, Government of India.In the meeting Both the Ministers have signed
the Protocol to amend the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN
and India on Strengthening Tourism Cooperation.
World Economic Forum Summit Held in Davos
The 43rd World Economic Forum Annual Meeting held from 23 – 27 January
at Davos-Klosters in Switzerland.The annual forum, which has been running
for over 40 years, provides a platform for decision-makers in politics, non-
governmental organisations and businesses to gather and to exchange views
on the world‘s most pressing problems.The World Economic Forum (WEF)
unites international political leaders, business leaders and journalists from
across the globe to discussed and shape global, regional and industrial
agendas with regards to economics, health and the environment.The WEF was
founded in 1971 as a non-profit organization by the German Klaus Schwab, a
business professor at the University of Geneva.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Malala won ” 2012 Tipperary International Peace Award “
On 3 January Malala Yousafzai, the teenaged Pakistani school girl shot by a
Taliban gunman last year , has been awarded the ‖ 2012 Tipperary
International Peace Award ‖ from Ireland for her courage and determination

9. to speak out in support of equal access to education for children.Malala is the
second Pakistani to get the award. In 2007, it was given to late Benazir Bhutto.
Malala honored with the French ” Simone de Beauvoir ” Prize
On 9 January Malala Yousafzai (15), the schoolgirl from Pakistan shot by
Taliban for campaigning girls‘ education, received France‘s Simone de
Beauvoir Prize for Women‘s Freedom in Paris. Malala‘s father Ziaudin
Yousafzai received the honour on her behalf. he award is accompanied with
2.5 million RupeTes honorarium.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2013
On 9 January Pranab Mukherjee President of India presented the Pravasi
Bharatiya Samman (Awards) 2013 to 14 people, included Overseas Indian
Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag, He was also
the Chief Guest of 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2013. In accordance to
Tradition, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Awards) 2013 have been given to
notable Indians living abroad. The other awardees are Prof Dr Gurusharan
Singh Chhatwal of Germany for science, Dr Rasik Vihari Joshi (Mexico) for
Literature, Gilbert Canabady Moutien (Reunion Island) and Mohammed
Rabeeh Karuvanthodi (Saudi Arabia) for business, Patricia Maria Rozario(UK)
for Music, Dr Narendra Ramakrishna Kumar (USA) for Healthcare, Subash
Razdan (USA) and Islmail Ebrahim (South Afrcia) for Public service. Dr
Satendra Kumar Singh (New Zealand), Australia India Society of Victoria
(Australia) and Bava Pandalingal (UAE), Ashok Shambhomal Vaswani
(Guinea), Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait for community service, Tan Sri
Ravindran Menon from Malaysia for Community service, are among others on
the list of awardees.
Mamata Banerjee gets gift from PCB
Overwhelmed‘ by the hospitality at the Eden Gardens during India-Pakistan
second ODI in Kolkata, the PCB sent the gift as a silver-coated Quran to the
Cricket Association of Bengal who handed it over to the CM during a function
at the Netaji Indoor in Kolkata on 10 January 2013.
Mahaveer Golechha Bags Award for Alzheimer‟s Drug On 17 January The
London-based Indian researcher Mahaveer Golechha, was selected to be
felicitated for an award that includes his work on a drug that can be a
potential cure of Alzheimer‘s disease.In the study conducted by Golechha, he
found discovered that naringin has essential anti-Alzheimer activity.

10. 70th Golden Globe Awards – 2013
On January 13 The 70th Golden Globe Awards honored the best in film and
television of 2012, was presented in California .
Best Film – : Argo
Best Actor – : Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Best Actress – : Jessica Chastain
(Zero Dark Thirty) Best Director - Ben Affleck (Argo)
Best Musical or Comedy -: Les Miserables
Best Foreign Language Film – : Amour
Best Animated Feature Film -: Brave
Krishi Karman Awards 2011- 2012
On 15 January President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Krishi Karman
awards for the year 2011-12 at an award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The awards were presented to the State Governments for their excellent
performance in increasing the production of food grains in their respective
states.
Awards in Different Segments :-
The Awards for Special Contribution to Total Food Grains Production -
Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Rice – Bihar - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Wheat - Haryana - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Pulses - Jharkhand - Award for
Contribution to Production and Productivity of Coarse Cereals – Uttar Pradesh
58th Filmfare Awards
The 58th Filmfare Awards were held honoring the best films of 2012 from the
Hindi-language film industry (commonly known as Bollywood). The ceremony
was held on January 20, 2013 at Mumbai.
Best Movie :- Barfi!
Best Actor :- Ranbir Kapoor (Film -Barfi!)
Best Actress :- Vidya Balan (Film – Kahaani )
Best Director :- Sujoy Ghosh (Film – Kahaani )
Lifetime Achievement Award :- Yash Chopra (After Death)
Prof C N R Rao awarded by Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Sciences was awarded Prof C N R Rao, National
Research Professor and Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for

11. Advanced Scientific Research (JNCAR), the prestigious ―International
Scientific Cooperation Award 2012″. The award is designed to acknowledge
outstanding scientists for their contribution to science and for promoting
global networking of international science cooperation.
Padma Awards – 2013
President of India Approved the Conferment of 108 Padma Awards
On 25 January Pranab Mukherjee, the President of Union of India approved
conferment of 108 Padma Awards. Four people have been conferred with
Padma Vibhusan, twenty four are conferred with Padma Bhushan and 80
people would be receiving Padma Shree Awards. Out of all the awardees
twenty-four are ladies and 11 people belong to categories like NRIs, PIOs,
Foreigners and Posthumous awardees.
Padma Vibhushan
Raghunath Mohapatra, Art, Orissa
S Haider Raza, Art, Delhi Prof Yash Pal, Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh
Prof Roddam Narasimha, Science and Engineering, Karnataka
Padma Bhushan
Sharmila Tagore, Art, Delhi
Dr (Smt) Saroja Vaidyanathan, Art, Delhi
Late Rajesh Khanna, Art, Maharashtra
Late Jaspal Singh Bhatti, Art, Punjab Adi Burjor Godrej, Trade and Industry,
Maharashtra Prof Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Literature & Education USA
Rahul Dravid, Sports, Karnataka
H Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom, Sports, Manipur
Padma Shri
Hosanagara Nagarajegowda Girisha, Sports, Karnataka , Subedar Major Vijay
Kumar, Sports, Himachal Pradesh Yogeshwar Dutt, Sports, Haryana B
Jayashree, Art, Karnataka Sridevi Kapoor, Art, Maharashtra Ramesh Gopaldas
Sippy, Art, Maharashtra
359 Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced

12. On 26 January President Pranab Mukherjee has approved awards of 359
Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and
others on the eve of the 64th Republic Day Celebrations .This includes 01 Kirti
Chakra, 11 Shaurya Chakra, 56 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 01 Bar to Nao Sena
Medal (Gallantry), 03 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 03 Vayu Sena Medal
(Gallantry), 28 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 03 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 06 Bar
to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 44 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 12 Yudh Seva Medal, 02
Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 37 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 01
Bar to Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 07 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to
Duty), 14 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 04 Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal
and 116 Vishisht Seva Medal..Major Abup J Manjali of the Rashtriya Rifles was
selected for the award of Kirti Chakra for his extraordinary bravery efforts in
counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taiwan Business Magnate Launched Tang Prize (Asian Noble Prize)
On 28 January Samuel Yin , A business magnate tycoon from Taiwan has
launched the Tang Prize(Asian Noble prize) for outstanding achievements in
natural and social sciences.He announced that he would establish Tang Prize
Foundation which would have an initial donation of 103 million dollar.Tang
Prize Foundation was decided that the prizes under the Tang Prize
Foundation will be awarded every alternate year to the international leaders
in sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, the rule of law as well
as the study of China.
SPORTS & GAMES
Kohli is CEAT ” International Cricketer of the Year “
On 4 January Vice-captain of Indian Cricket team Virat Kohli was named the
International Cricketer of the Year while Pakistan cricket team was named as
the Best International Cricket Team in the 2011-2012 season at the CEAT
cricket awards in New Delhi. Unmukt Chand, who led India to the U-19 World
Cup win last year, got the inaugural Indian Youngster of the Year award.The
Former Pakistan cricket captain Zaheer Abbas received the Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Uttarakhand won 63rd National Basketball Championship
On 4 January Uttarakhand won 63rd National basketball championship men‘s
title after defeated Punjab in the final at Ludhiana (Punjab).In the women‘s

13. section, Railways won the title against by first-time finalist Tamil Nadu in the
final.
Tipsarevic won Chennai Open Tennis Title
On 6 January Second-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia has won the ATP
Chennai Open Title after defeated Roberto Bautista-Agut of Spain in the final
at Chennai.Tipsarevic won the chennai open title for the first time in his
career.
Nicol David won World Series Squash Title
On 6 January Nicol David won the World Series Squash Finals women‘s title
after defeated England‘s Laura Massaro in the final at London.In the men‘s
final, Egypt‘s Amr Shabana came from behind to beat England‘s Nick Matthew
.
Australia Won Test Against Sri Lanka
Australia secured a five-wicket won in the third and final Test match against
Sri Lanka on 6 January at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) .
Brisbane International Tennis Winners – 2013 Womens Single‟s :
Serena Williams (USA) won the WTA Brisbane International womens single‘s
title on 5 January with a straight sets demolition of Russian Anastasia
Pavlyuchenkova.
Men‟s Singles : In the Men‘s singles Category Andy Murray from scotland
won the title after defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov .
Women‟s Doubles : Sania Mirza and her partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands won
the women‘s doubles trophy by winning against Kveta Peschke and Anna-
Lena Groenefeld Men‟s Doubles : Marcelo Melo – Tommy Robredo won the
doubles title after defeated Eric Butorac – Paul Hanley .
Pakistan won the Three – Match Series
On 6 January Pakistan won the three-match series by 2-1 against India.With
this win over Pakistan, India lost the three matches one day series .Nasir
Jamshed of Paksitan was declared as the Player of the tournament.MS Dhoni
was once again chosen as the Player of the match.
Lionel Messi, the man of the four Golden Balls
Lionel Messi became the first four-time winner of the FIFA Player of the Year
award after shattering the world record with 91 goals last year(2012) for

14. Barcelona and Argentina.His 91 goals topped Gerd Mueller‘s mark of 85 for
Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.
Bangar quits first-class cricket
Former India player and Railways captain Sanjay Bangar announced his
retirement from first-class cricket after guiding his team to a 122-run victory
over Bengal in the final league game of the Ranji Trophy on 01 January 2013
in Kolkata.He played 165 first class matches amassing 8342 runs at an
average of 33.35 and has 300 wickets to his credit.
National Table Tennis Championship Winners
On 11 January Soumyajit Ghosh became the youngest national champion after
he defeated six-time winner Achanta Sharath Kamal in the summit clash of the
74th National Table Tennis Championship mens singles final at
Raipur.Shamini Kumaresan won the womens singles title.Sourav Chakraborty
and Ganeshan Sathiyan won the doubles title.In the Women doubles category
K. Spoorthy and Nikhat Banu (AP) defeated Madhurika Patkar and Pooja
Sahasrabudhe in the final and got the title.
Haryana girls retain U-20 hockey title
Haryana defeated Uttar Pradesh 1-0 to retain their under-20 women hockey
national championship at the Gachibowli Stadium on 16 January 2013.
Kerala won 61st National Volleyball Championship Title
On 16 January Kerala defeated Tamilnadu to retain the men‘s title in the 61st
Senior National Volleyball Championship at the Sawai Man Singh Indoor
Stadium in Jaipur.In the women‘s section, Railways defeated Kerala and won
the title in the final.
Malaysian Open Badminton Championship Winners
Men‟s Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Indonesia) won the Men‘s singles title after
defeated Sony Dwi Kuncoro in the final at Kuala Lumpur on 20 January.
Men‟s Doubles: Mohd Ahsan (Indonesia) -Hendra Setiawan (China) defeated
Ko Sung-hyun-Lee Yong-dae (Malaysia) in the final.
Women‟s Singles: Tai Tzu-ying (Thailand) won the women‘s singles title
after defeated Yao Xue (Korea)
Women‟s Doubles: In the event Bao Yixin-Tian Qing (China) won the title
after defeated Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)

15. Lalith Babu takes top honours
Lalith Babu defeated Swapnil Dhopade in the final round to clinch the Chennai
Super Kings International Grandmaster chess tournament that concluded at
the Nehru Stadium in Chennai on 23 January 2013.Lalith Babu won
Rs.200,000 and the trophy after becoming the first Indian player to claim the
Chennai Open
Australian Open Tennis Tournament – 2013 Winners
Womens Single‟s :- Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the Women‘s Singles
title of the Australian Open Tennis tournament after defeated Li Na of China in
the final at Melbourne on 26 January .
Men‟s Singles:- Novak Djokovic (Serbia) has won the men‘s singles title after
defeating Andy Murray (Britain) in four sets. This is Djokovic‘s fourth
Australian Open and over all six Grand Slam single title.
Women‟s Doubles:- Top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci won the title,
defeating wild cards Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the final.
Men‟s Doubles : Top seeded American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the
men‘s doubles title. Americans Mike and Bob Bryan won their record 13th
Grand Slam doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor
Sijsling .
Magnus Carlsen Won Tata Steel Chess Championship
Magnus Carlsen won Tata Steel 2013 Chess tournament title in the final at
Netherlands on 27 January .In the final round tournament, he scored 10 points
, winning clear first ahead of second-place finisher Aronian (Armenia).World
champion Viswanathan Anand at third position.
Mumbai won 40th Ranji Trophy Title
On 29 January Mumbai won its 40th Ranji Trophy title against Saurashtra by
an inning and 125 runs in the final at Wankhede at Mumbai .Wasim Jaffar was
declared Man of the Match. Ajit Agarkar was the captain of the winning team.
ECONOMY
Philippines introduced „sin tax‟

16. A ―sin tax‖ on cigarettes and alcohol was introduced in the Philippines on 01
January 2013, as part of a government bid to boost finances.Many stores
started selling tobacco and drink at inflated prices before midnight , ahead of
the official implementation of the tax hikes on January 01, hitting partygoers
in the pocket.Tax on cigarettes will gradually be raised to 30 pesos ($0.72) per
pack by 2017, roughly doubling the current price to around 52 pesos.Duty on
alcohol will also increase gradually until 2017, increasing the price of a bottle
of beer by 23.50 pesos, with varying levels for other drinks including wine and
spirits.
LIC Launched New Jeewan Nidhi & Flexi Plus Policies
The Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India launched two new Insurence
policies New Jeevan Nidhi, a pension scheme, and Flexi Plus on 3 January .New
Jeewan Nidhi provides the facility of insurance coverage of full amount while
the insured person keeps depositing premiums.The Flexi policy is a unit
linked insurance product. The plan not only provides a lump sum benefit on
death but also maturity benefit irrespective of survival of the policy holder
Mukesh Ambani 18th richest man in world
Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani is the 18th richest person in the
world with a personal wealth of $24.7 billion in 2012, according to the
Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world‘s 100 wealthiest
individuals. Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim remained the
world‘s richest person last year holding a personal fortune of more than $70
billion.Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the founder of fashion retailer Zara,
Amancio Ortega, got a second and third places respectively.
Indian Companies Top Globally in R&D Investment
According to the European Commission report Indian companies have come
on the top globally when it comes to growth in their research and
development (R&D) investments, leaving their counterparts in the US and
Europe far behind.Indian firms rank far below when it comes to absolute R&D
investments made by them and the top-ranked company from the
country.These are the only 14 Indian companies present in a list of top-1500
entities worldwide in terms of their annual R&D investments.The top-ranked
Indian company is Infosys at 329th place and Japanese company Toyota
Motor appears at the top of the ranking in the 2012 Scoreboard.
IMF forecasted Indian Economic Growth Rate to be 5.9 percent in 2013

17. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 23 January 2013 pegged India‘s
economic growth rate in 2013 at 5.9 per cent and projected a higher growth of
6.4 per cent next year in line with the gradual strengthening of global
expansion.
World Bank‟s “Global Economic Prospects 2013″ Report
According to the World Bank ―Global Economic Prospects 2013″ report ,
India‘s growth is expected to inch closer to that of China in near future, in
which the economies of developing countries like India, China and Brazil are
projected to be recovering and higher growth rate.The World Bank expects
that by 2015, the growth rate of China would be 7.9% and that of India
7%.While the growth of the world economy growth is projected to inch up
from 2.3% in 2012 to 2.4% in 2013, with the high-income countries remaining
at the same level of growth of 1.3% in both 2012 and 2013, it is the emerging
markets like India, China and Brazil that would show significant signs of
recovery.They are expecting a recovery in India from 5.1% growth in 2012 to
6.1% growth in 2013.
India 119th on Economic Freedom Index
According to the Heritage Foundation‘ 2013 Index of Economic Freedom
survey report , India has been ranked as the 119th freest country in the world
and India‘s economic freedom score stood at 55.2, as its institutional
shortcomings continue to undermine the foundations for long-term economic
development.The top ten countries in the list include Hong Kong, Singapore,
Australia, New Zealand, Switzarland, canada, Chili, Mauritius, Denmark and
US.
India second in steel production globally
India is second only to China in terms of steel production. In the last 5 years
India‘s production grew by 33 percent, thus making it behind China among the
top 5 steel producing nation. World Steel Association (WSA) data has revealed
that China‘s production grew by 39 per cent during 2008-2012, India‘s by 33
percent and India‘s production grew constantly in the last five years from 57.8
MT in 2008 to 63.5 MT in 2009, 69 MT in 2010, 73.6 MT in 2011 and 76.7 MT
in 2012
RBI cuts CRR, Repo Rates
On 29 January The Reserve Bank of India slashed its key interest rates by 0.25
per cent and released 18000 crore rupees additional liquidity into the system

18. to perk up growth through reduced cost of borrowing. RBI in its third quarter
monetary policy review surprised the market by cutting short-term lending
rate called repo, by 0.25 per cent to 7.75 per cent and Cash Reserve Ratio
(CRR) by similar margin to 4 per cent.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
US approved First new Tuberculosis Drug
On 1 January The US Food and Drug administration approved a Johnson &
Johnson tuberculosis drug in 40 years .This is the first new medicine to fight
the deadly infection in more than four decades.The disease is rare in the US,
but kills about 1.4 million people a year worldwide.
Spiral galaxy IC 2233
Astronomers had captured one of the flattest galaxies known in the universe,
sitting like a silver needle in the haystack of space. The NASA/ESA Hubble
Space Telescope produced a beautiful image of the spiral galaxy IC 2233, one
of the flattest galaxies. The IC 2233 is located about 40 million light-years
away from Earth. This galaxy was earlier discovered by British astronomer
Isaac Roberts in 1894.
“Immune system „booster‟ may hit cancer”
Japanese research where stem cells were used to clone and produce large
numbers of a specialized type of white blood cell. These cells, known as
cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), are produced by the immune system and are
able to recognize specific markers on the surface of various tumour cells,
causing them to launch an attack to kill the tumour cells.The researchers are
succeeded in using stem cells to ―mass-produce‖ CTLs in laboratory
conditions.
Chinese Biologists Discovered Antibiotic In Panda Blood
Chinese biologists have discovered that the blood of the endangered giant
panda includes a compound called ‖ Cathelicidin-AM ‖ which acts as a natural
antibiotic. The nature of the blood compound makes it an attractive treatment

19. for so-called superbugs, those strains of disease that have become immune or
resistant to traditional antibiotics.
India to make world‟s largest solar telescope
India is likely to begin construction of the world‘s largest solar telescope on
the foothills of the Himalayas in Ladakh to understand the fundamental
processes taking place on the Sun by year-end.A 2-metre class, state-of-the-art
National Large Solar Telescope (NLST), built by Bangalore-based Indian
Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), will permit Indian scientists to carry out
cutting edge research aimed to study Sun‘s atmosphere.
Internet emits 830 mt of carbon dioxide annually
According to Researchers from the Centre for Energy-Efficient
Telecommunications (CEET) and Bell Labs, Internet and other components of
information communication and technology (ICT) industry annually produces
more than 830 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse
gas, and is expected to double by 2020
„Lakshya‟ Missile Successfully Tested
India‘s indigenously developed, Lakshya‘ was sucessfully tested on 7 January
.It was launched from the Integrated Test Range – ITR, at Odisha .25 meters in
length, 100 km away from the target to the missile .
17 billion‟ Earth-sized planets in Milky Way
The Milky Way contains at least 17 billion planets the size of
Earth.Astronomers using NASA‘s Kepler spacecraft found that about 17
percent of stars in our galaxy have a planet about the size of Earth in a close
orbit.The Milky Way is known to host about 100 billion stars, meaning that
about one of every six has an Earth-sized planet around it.
Brahmos cruise missile test fired in successfully
Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos scored once again in its 34th launch on 09
January 2013 off Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal, hitting a
decommissioned vessel with accuracy.As it took off vertically from a naval
warship, reached an altitude of 14 km, levelled out and started cruising at
three times the speed of sound, it performed ―a double manoeuvre in S-form‖
and hit the decommissioned ship, about 290 km away.
Astronomers Found ” NGC 6872 ” Largest known Spiral Galaxy

20. A team of astronomers from the United States, Chile and Brazil has crowned it
the largest-known spiral galaxy, a spectacular behemoth five times bigger
than our own Milky Way, based on archival data from NASA‘s Galaxy
Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission.The title-holder is now NGC 6872, a
barred spiral found 212 million light-years away in the southern constellation
Pavo. The distance between NGC 6872′s two huge spiral arms is 522,000 light-
years, compared to about 100,000 light-years for the Milky Way.
Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment
A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian
Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim
will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named after
―Sathees as SCR7‖ and a detailed account of it has been carried in the
international scientific journal ―Cell‖".Scientists world over believe that the
double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA
damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and
cancer.
“Largest Space structure in the Universe:
Large Quasar Group
An international team lead by astronomer Roger Clowes of the University of
Central Lancashire in England discovered the largest known structure in the
universe, a clump of active galactic cores that stretches 4 billion light-years
from end to end.This is the largest Space structure in the Universe.This
structure is known as a ―Large Quasar Group(LQG)‖.
Indian Scientists Discovered Molecule for Cancer Treatment
A team of Indian researchers, led by Dr Sathees C Raghavan of the Indian
Institute of Science at Bangalore, have identified a molecule which they claim
will revolutionise the cure for cancer.The molecule has been named after
―Sathees as SCR7‖ and a detailed account of it has been carried in the
international scientific journal ―Cell‖".Scientists world over believe that the
double strand break (DSB) of DNA is one of the most lethal form of DNA
damage, resulting in drastic consequences such as genome instability, and
cancer.
World‟s First Global Renewable Energy Atlas Launched

21. On 13 January Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) launched the world‘s first clean energy atlas at IRENA‘S General
Assembly , currently offers open-access information on solar and wind power
throughout the world and the creators plan to expand to other renewable
energy resources over the next two years.The atlas includes information on
clean energy resources in 37 countries, including those which have no
diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates.The International
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is working in partnership with the
Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) to build a
qualitative and quantitative data framework for renewable energy in
developing countries.
Ancient River Found on Mars
On 17 January The European Space Agency scientists have revealed a 1500
km long and 7 kilometre wide river that once ran across Mars.The images
which were captured by the ESA‘s Mars Express showed Reull Vallis, the river-
like structure, which is believed to have formed when water ran from the
surface of Mars in distant past. The structure which surprised the
astronomers stretches for around 900 miles or 1500 km across the Martian
surface and also shows various tributaries. These structures, it is believed,
were formed somewhere around 3.5 billion years ago.
India Increased Rafale Fighter Jets‟ Order
India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by
France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali, sources close to negotiations on the
multi-billion dollar deal .The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to
an expected order for 126 was raised by India .The Indian press has estimated
the value of the deal for 126 Rafales at $12 billion (nine billion euros).A 50 per
cent increase in the number of planes ordered would take it to around $18
billion, in a huge boost for the French defence industry.
„Japan to replace Fukushima plant with world‟s largest wind farm‟
In the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan had decided to
build the world‘s largest offshore wind farm to replace the crippled nuke
plant.The country plans to build a total of 143 wind turbines on platforms 16
kilometres off the coast of Fukushima by 2020, which is home to the stricken
Daiichi nuclear reactor that hit the headlines in March 2011 when it was
damaged by a severe earthquake and tsunami.The wind farm will generate 1
gigawatt of power once completed, and is part of a national plan to increase

22. renewable energy resources following the post-tsunami shutdown of the
country‘s 54 nuclear reactors.The wind farm will surpass the 504 megawatts
generated by the 140 turbines at the Greater Gabbard farm off the coast of
Suffolk, UK – currently the world‘s largest farm.
India, US finalise Rs 3,000 crore deal for jet engines
India and the US have finalised a Rs 3000-crore deal for supplying 99 jet
engines to be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas‘ being
developed by the DRDO.Around two years ago, India had selected the
American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for
the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15.The deal
worth Rs 3,000 crore has been finalised with the US for procuring 99 engines
for the LCA Tejas MkII.As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines
initially but India will have the option of ordering another 100 engines in the
future.
INS Saryu Inducted into Indian Navy
On 21 January Air Marshal PK Roy, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and
Nicobar Command, commissioned INS Saryu into the Indian Navy at Goa .INS
Saryu is the lead ship of the indigenous Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV)
Project designed and built by Goa Shipyard Limited, the ship aptly
demonstrates the immense potential of the country‘s indigenous designing
and ship building capabilities.Capable of carrying a helicopter (ALH) onboard,
the ship‘s weapon and sensor outfit includes a SRGM 76.2 mm gun with an
electro-optic fire control system, two 30mm guns as close in weapon systems,
latest navigational and early warning radars, chaff launchers for self
protection and an integrated ESM system to undertake all assigned missions.
MIT researchers Created Moisture – Powered Polymer
MIT ( Massachusetts Institute of Technology ) researchers have created a new
polymer film that can generate electricity by drawing on a ubiquitous source:
water vapor.The new material changes its shape after absorbing tiny amounts
of evaporated water, allowing it to repeatedly curl up and down. Harnessing
this continuous motion could drive robotic limbs or generate enough
electricity to power micro- and nanoelectronic devices, such as environmental
sensors.

23. India Sucessfully Test Fired K-5 Ballistic Missile
On 27 January India successfully test fired medium range K-5 ballistic missile
,with a strike range of around 1500 kilometres, from an underwater platform
in Bay of Bengal.K-5 is part of the family of underwater missiles being
developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for
the Indian strategic forces‘ underwater platforms.
Iran „successfully sent monkey into space‟
Iran on 28 January 2013 announced that it had successfully send a monkey to
the space.It also declared that the monkey come back to the Earth
successfully.The rocket called Pishgam (meaning Pioneer) reached at a height
of 120 km (75 miles) for a sub-orbital flight before ―returning its shipment
intact‖. The first country to launch the primate into space was US.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Asif Ibrahim appointed as chief Intelligence Bureau
Indian Police Service officer SA Ibrahim appointed as chief of the Intelligence
Bureau on 01 January 2013 and he becoming the first from the country‘s main
minority community(Muslim Community) to hold the post. Ibrahim, an IPS
officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has taken over as from Nehchal Sandhu
who retired December 31. He will hold the post for two years.
Urjit Patel appointed as RBI deputy governor
On 02 January 2013 Urjit Patel, a consultant at Boston Consulting Group, had
been appointed a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India, succeeding
Subir Gokarn who was aiding the governor in shaping the monetary policy.
YV Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission
On 02 January 2013 former RBI governor YV Reddy was appointed chairman
of the 14th finance commission to suggest principles of sharing of revenues

24. between the Centre and the states and insulate pricing of public utilities like
electricity, water and public transport from policy fluctuations.
Ami Bera and Tulsi Gabbard Sworn In As US Lawmakers
On 4 January Indian American physician from California, Ami Bera, and the
young Iraq war veteran from Hawaii, Tulsi Gabbard, created history after
being sworn in as new members of the US House of Representatives.Bera is
only the third Indian American have ever been elected to the House of
Representatives.Tulsi Gabbard is the first Hindu ever to won the
Congressional election.
Malala‟s Father Appointed as Education Attache in Birmingham
On 3 January Malala‘s father Ziauddin Yousafzai has been appointed as the
education attache at the Pakistan consulate in Birmingham, England.The job is
believed to be for up to three years.
Indian American Srinivasan re-nominated as Federal Judge
On 4 January Srikanth Srinivasan a brilliant Indian American legal mind has
been re-nominated by US President Barack Obama to serve as Federal Judge
for the District of Columbia Circuit.In June 2012 he was nominated by Obama
to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Justice D K Jain appointed new Law Commission chief
The Union Cabinet of India on 7 January 2013 appointed Justice D K Jain as
Chairman of 20th Law Commission of India. He gives advice to the
government on complex legal issues. Justice Jain, 64, will take over as the chief
of the law panel on January 24 after retiring from the Supreme Court on the
same day.
John Brennan as a CIA director
U.S. President Barack Obama announced on )7 January 2013 John Brennan
wasnominated as director of the American Intelligence Agency(CIA) and
Chuck Hagel as a Defense secretary. John Brennan played a key role in
encounter the Osama Bin Laden.
Indian-origin politician to be Singapore‟s first woman speaker

25. Indian-origin politician Halimah Yacob elected as the first woman Speaker of
Singapore‘s Parliament on 08 Janauary 2013.She take charges from 14
January 2013.Halimah, a former labour lawyer, is a member of Parliament
from the ruling People‘s Action Party (PAP).
Kulwant Singh Gill Took charge as new Commandant of NDA
On 8 January Air Marshal Kulwant Singh Gill took charge as the new
commandant of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla,
Pune.The NDA provides three-year training in defence and academics to its
cadets before they move on to their respective officers‘ training academies for
another one-year course and get commissioned into the armed forces.
R.K. Dubey Took Charge as Canara Bank‟s new CMD
On 11 January R.K. Dubey has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing
Director of Canara Bank .Mr. Dubey was previously worked as a Punjab
National Bank General Manager in 2008 and was appointed as Executive
Director of Central Bank of India in 2010.
Rajkumar Goyal Took Charge as Central Bank of India new ED
On 11 January Rajkumar Goyal has took charge as Executive Director (ED) of
Central Bank of India (CBI).He was previously with the bank of India as the
General Manager of Human Resources Department
Obama nominated Jack Lew as new Treasury Chief
On 11 January President Barack Obama nominated his chief of staff, Jack Lew,
to become the next Treasury secretary and succeed Timothy Geithner.Last
year, Lew was named Obama‘s chief of staff, and before that he had served as
the White House budget director.
First Gujarati in UK cabinet
Lord Dolar Popat has appointed a minister in the UK cabinet .He become the
first Gujarati taking his place in the UK cabinet .Popat was appointed minister
for business, innovation & skills and transport.
Mohan Pieris assumes duties as 44th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
On 15 January 2013 ,Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed his
cabinet‘s legal advisor as the country‘s new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani
Bandaranayake. Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace

26. Sri Lanka‘s first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in
a controversial move.Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as
the Attorney General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet.
Ved Prakash is UGC chairman
Ved Prakash, serving as acting chairman of the University Grants Commission,
had been appointed as its chairman on 18 January 2013.The chairman‘s post
remained vacant ever since S. Thorat retired in February 2011. Since then Mr.
Prakash had been the acting chairman.
Obama Sworn in as the US President for Second Term
On 20 January US President Barack Obama Barack Obama was sworn in as the
President of the country for a second four-year term.Obama as the 44th
president of the United States and also he is the third consecutive president to
win two terms, after Bush and Clinton. Joe Biden sworn-in for second term as
US vice-president.
Suchitra Ella, Founding Chairwoman of CII‟s women wing
Suchitra K. Ella, Joint Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International, had
been nominated as the Founding Chairwoman of the Indian Women Network
of CII. The network aims to provide a platform for working women to come
together and discuss issues and opportunities and share best practices. She is
currently the Chairperson of CII Andhra Pradesh State Council for 2012-13.
She had earlier been elected to the CII Andhra Pradesh State Council. She has
been awarded the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge award
2007 by the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, the Manhattan Chamber of
Commerce and the FLO GR8 Women Achievers Award 2008 for
entrepreneurial excellence.
B)RESIGNS
Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda resigned
Political uncertainty deepened in Jharkhand on 08 January 2013, with Chief
Minister Arjun Munda submitted his resignation to Governor Syed Ahmed. On
07 January 2013, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced the
withdrawal of its support to the BJP-led government.
Rajapaksa Dismissed First Woman Chief Justice of the Country

27. On 13 January Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka dismissed the
first woman chief justice of the country, Shirani Bandarnayake after endorsing
her impeachment by the Parliament that caught her guilty on the corruption
charges.She appointed as a chief Justice on May 2011.
C)DEATHS
Violin maestro MSG passes away
M.S. Gopalakrishnan — legendary violinist known for his mastery of both the
Carnatic and Hindustani systems of classical music — passed away on 03
January 2013 in Chennai.In his career spanning 75 years, he not only broke
new ground as an accompanist, but also rose to become one of the best solo
violinists in the country, along with Lalgudi G. Jayaraman and T.N. Krishnan.
The three are considered the violin trinity‘ of south Indian classical
music.Despite enviable success and accolades that came in the form of
national honours such as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, and
innumerable titles, including the Sangita Kalanidhi‘ title awarded by The
Music Academy, Chennai.
Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum is no more
Renowned Pakistani singer Mehnaz Begum died on 19 January 2013.Mehnaz
specialized in ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal, drupad and reciting salam, noha
and marsiya.Mehnaz was the daughter of popular sub-continental singer
Kajjan Begum.She sang over 2,500 songs for radio‚ television and films in a
variety of genres like ghazal, thumri, dadra, khayal and drupad.
D)VISITORS
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag Visited India
Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag visited India from 3 – 10 January
.During the visit Purryag met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pranab
Mukherjee on 4 January in New Delhi. In Bihar , he visited his ancestral village
, Bojeetpore near Patna.President Purryag also the chief guest of Pravasi
Bharatiya Divas .He attended the 3 days event 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
held in Kochi (Kerala).
Vice President Hamid Ansari Visited Vietnam
Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Vietnam from 14 to 17 January.During
the visit Ansari met Vietnam‘s Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh and

28. discussed the both countries bilateral issues , signed several agreements
.Ansari attended the closing ceremony of the celebrations to mark the 40th
anniversary of the India-Vietnam diplomatic ties.
Bhutan King Wangchuck Visited India
The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited India from 23-
30 January.During the visit he attended the India‘s Republic Day celebrations
as a Chief Guest.Wangchuck met President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, and the United Progressive Alliance‘s Chairperson, Sonia
Gandhi.This is the fourth time since 1954 that a Bhutanese King will be a Chief
Guest at India‘s Republic Day celebrations.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Ex-Haryana CM Chautala, son get 10 years jail
Former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay had
been sentenced to 10 years in jail in connection with a teachers recruitment
scam.Special CBI Judge Vinod Kumar sentenced the Chautalas and seven
others to 10 years in jail while one convict was given five years in jail and 45
others four years in jail.
Swaminarayan sect opens $100-million quake-proof temple near
Hollywood
One of the biggest Hindu temples in the US, built at a whopping cost of $100
million near the Hollywood city in Los Angeles .The 68th Swaminarayan
temple of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
(BAPS) had been built using 35,000 pieces of meticulously hand carved Italian
Carrara marble and Indian Pink Sandstone.
Premlata Conquers Summit of Mt Vinson in Antarctica
On 17 January Premlata Agrawal, the oldest woman in India to have climbed
Mt. Everest, has conquered Mt. Vinson in Antarctica in pursuit of the
Mountaineering Challenge‘ of climbing the Seven Summits‘.She completed her
Mt. Vinson expedition on January .The person successful in conquering all the
seven summits is considered a member of the Hall of Fame‘ for
mountaineers.Premlata will become the first Indian woman and one of the
oldest in the world to conquer all seven summits.
Ex-ISRO chairman Inducted in to „ Satellite Hall of Fame „

29. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced its former
chairman and Department of Space secretary Prof U R Rao by inducting him as
the member of the prestigious Satellite Hall of Fame , Washington.Since
1987, the SSPI Hall of Fame has been recognising the invaluable contribution
of the visionaries who have transformed life on planet earth for the better
through satellite technology. Members of the Hall of Fame are recognised
pioneers in communications, satellite related aerospace scientific research or
development and delivery of applications for business, institutions and
government via satellite.
David Headley sentenced for 35 years for 26/11 role(Mumbai attacks)
Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist David Headley was on 24
January 2013 sentenced to 35 years in jail by a Chicago court for his
unquestionable‘ role in the massacre of 166 people in the 2008 Mumbai
attacks.
Forbes India Celebrity 100 List
According to the Forbes India ―‖ Celebrity 100 List ―‖ The Bollywood
superstar Shah Rukh Khan, topped the inaugural Forbes India Celebrity 100
list.Forbes India estimates, the total earning of Shah Rukh from October 2011
and September 2012 was 202.8 crore Rupees.The ranking was given based on
the popularity as well as income of the biggest entertainers of India. Second
on the list was Salman Khan and MS Dhoni followed in the third position.The
special edition of Forbes India judged in eight different categories – directors,
film actors, TV personailities, models, comedians, sports stars, authors and
singers/musicians.The youngest celebrity in the list of Forbes India was Saina
Nehwal, aged 23 years.
Switzerland best place to be born, India 66th
Switzerland has been called the best place in the world to be born in 2013
according to the The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of
The Economist. The worst place for a baby to start life was violence-hit
African country Nigeria. The survey included 80 nations and Australia ranked
second followed by Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Singapore, Netherlands,
Hong Kong, Canada and New Zealand were also ranked among top 10. India
was ranked 66th place.The survey included significant parameters to judge
the best country to be born and these factors included demography,
geography, cultural and social characteristics, state of economy, future income
per head as well as public policy.

30. PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Quake in Indonesia
On 22nd January A strong, shallow earthquake rocked parts of western
Indonesia early killed 30 persons and panicking residents and ruining homes.
Several other people were injured.Indonesia‘s meteorology and geophysics
agency put the preliminary magnitude at 6.0 and said the inland quake caused
no tsunami. It was centered southwest of the city of Banda Aceh and 10 miles
(6 kilometers) beneath the earth‘s crust, according to the U.S. Geological
Survey..
233 People Killed in Brazil Night Club Fire Accident
On 27 January The blaze in the university town of Santa Maria nightclub fire
killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil .Most of those who died were
suffocated by toxic fumes that rapidly filled the crowded club after sparks
from pyrotechnics used by the band for visual effects set fire to soundproofing
on the ceiling.
ABBREVIATIONS
CBT————-Cash Transfer Benefit
EIU————–Economist Intelligence Unit
CBS————Central Bureau of Statistics
NLST———-National Large Solar Telescope
CEET———-Centre for Energy-Efficient Telecommunications
CIA———–American Intelligence Agency
WEF———-World Economic Forum
PBS———Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
MSME——–Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
BWF———–Badminton World Federation
BOOKS IN NEWS
Swami Vivekananda “The Monk as Man ” Book Released
The renowned Bengali writer Shankar wrote a ―The Monk as Man ‖ book on
Swami Vivekananda ,who spread the message of India‘s spiritual heritage

31. across the world.In the book Shankar described Vivekananda used to
emphasise greatly on physical strength and is known for the shocking
statement Better to play football than read the Gita‘.
McChrystal “My Share of the Task: A Memoir ” Book Released
General Stanley McChrystal, the former American commander in Afghanistan,
wrote a ―My Share of the Task: A Memoir,‖ book which was released on 7
January .In the book Chrystal explained that tensions between the White
House and the Pentagon were evident in the Obama administration from its
opening months in office.This book is not just for aficionados of military
history or for students of American foreign policy .
COMMITTEES
Vijay Kelkar Committee for Fiscal Consolidation
The Vijay Kelkar Committee, which was appointed by Finance Ministry to
suggest a roadmap for fiscal consolidation, has suggested immediate hike in
fuel prices and complete deregulation of diesel prices by start of 2014-15
fiscal.It also suggested raising kerosene and LPG rates.Now the Kelkar
committee recommendation is still at proposal stage.
Justice Verma Committee Submitted Report
On 23 January The three-member committee included former Chief Justice of
India, J S Verma, who headed the committee, Justice (Retd.) Leila Seth, former
Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court and Gopal Subramanian, former
Solicitor General of India , set up to suggest ways to make rape laws stronger
in the country, has submitted its report with recommendations to enhance
and amend existing laws dealing with cases of sexual crime.The Justice Verma
panel recognised failure of governance as primary cause of sexual crimes.The
Panel suggested Trafficking should be made punishable with imprisonment
ranging from not less than 7 years to 10 years .There was a need for the
separate Bill of Rights for women that will make sure that women would have
their own rights for having sexual autonomy.
INTERNATIONAL
UK, Afghan, Pakistan Leaders Hold Talks in Britain

32. On 4 February The leaders of Britain, Afghanistan and Pakistan pushed for the
Taliban to come to the table for peace talks to end Afghanistan‘s protracted
conflict and gave themselves a six-month deadline to get a deal.British Prime
Minister David Cameron hosted Afghanistan‘s President Hamid Karzai and
Pakistan‘s President Asif Zardari for trilateral talks on Afghanistan‘s
floundering peace and reconciliation process.
UNICEF Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report
On 8 February According to the UNICEF (United Nations Children‘s Fund
)Syria Crisis Humanitarian Situation Report, The vaccination effort in
collaboration with the Ministry of Health is well underway, with over 53,000
children receiving measles vaccinations, over 44,000 receiving vitamin A
supplements, and over 10,000 polio doses administered.
Pakistan to Renamed Sindh Province to „Sind‟
On 12 February 2013, the Sindh Assembly approved a bill to rename the
southern Pakistani province as Sind.The assembly approved the Sindh Laws
Amendment Bill of 2012, whereby the letter ―h‖ will be removed from the
name of the province.
Russia Rejected U.S. Nuclear Warheads Proposals
On 14 February Russia rejected U.S. president Barack Obama proposals ,
which deployed nuclear warhead delivery systems including bombers, missile
launchers and nuclear submarines – a cut of about 60%.In 2010 Russia and
the United States signed on ―New START‖ agreement.The New Start treaty
limits each side to no more than 800 deployed nuclear warhead delivery
systems including bombers, missile launchers and nuclear submarines – a cut
of about 50%.
Rafael Correa Re-elected for 3rd term as Ecuador‟s President
On 17 February Ecuadoreans president Rafael Correa has been re-elected for
a third term with more than 50 percent of votes in his favour.As per the
results, Rafael Correa got 56.7 percent while his closest competitor Guillermo
could secure only 23.3 percent.Correa is a socialist leader who was first
elected in 2006 December and he was sworn in on 15 January 2007 as the
56th president of Ecuador.Correa was re-elected to a second term in 2009.
Pakistan Hands Over Strategic Gwadar Port To China

33. On 18 February Pakistan and China signed an agreement to hand over control
of the strategic Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea to a Chinese company.Under
the agreement for transfer of concession rights, the deep sea port will remain
the property of Pakistan while the Chinese company will share profits from its
operation. China Overseas Port Holdings Limited will fully assume
responsibility for Gwadar port in Balochistan province.
Israel‟s Netanyahu Announced Coalition Deal with Tzipi Livni
On 19 Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced a coalition deal with
former Foreign Minister and the rival centrist Hatnua Party Chairwomen Tzipi
Livni, at Jerusalem. Under the deal agreement, Livni will serve as the new
Justice Minister and will oversee the peace efforts with the Palestinians.Tzipi
Livni is an Israeli Politician and the first women to be the leader of opposition
in Israel. She is the leader of the new centrist party, Hatnuah. She served Israel
as its Foreign Minister from 2006 to 2009.
Russia and Brazil Signed on Defence Cooperation Agreements
On 20 February Russia and Brazil signed a Defence, Energy and Agricultural
agreements .Brazil agreed to negotiate the purchase of Russian anti-aircraft
missile batteries on the condition that Russia transfer the technology to
Brazilian defense companies without restrictions.The agreements are signed
by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Brazilian President Dilma
Rousseff .
Nicos Anastasiades Elected as Cyprus New President
On 24 February the centre-right DISY (the Democratic Rally) party leader
Nicos Anastasiades, has won the presidential elections of Cyprus with 57.5
percent votes.Nicos Anastasiades had a very easy going victory over
Communist-backed Stavros Malas who secured 42.5 percent votes in the
election.
Raul Castro re-elected for Second Term as Cuba‟s President
On 25 February Raul Castro has been re-elected as Cuba‘s president officially
to his last five-year term.The National Assembly of People‘s Power approved,
in the capital Havana, Army General Raul Castro Ruz as president of the
Council of State, and elected Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, as its first vice
president.Raul Castro became interim president when his brother, revolution
icon Fidel, took ill in 2006. He then formally became president in 2008.

34. INDIA & WORLD
India-Malaysia Double Taxation Agreement in Force
On 2 February India and Malaysia signed on double-taxation avoidance
agreement (DTAA). Dividends paid by Indian companies to Malaysian
investors or entities will attract a lower withholding tax of 5 percent against
10 per cent earlier. The new agreement has also, in line with international
practice, introduced a new article for taxing capital gains from alienation of
property.
India Failed To Curb Sexual Violence Against Women
According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2013 India has
been accused of failure to curb incidents of sexual violence against women
and for restrictions on right to free speech, India ―has a thriving civil society,
free media, and an independent judiciary‖, the city-based rights group said in
its assessment of rights abuses in India.
Six Indian Institutes in Global 150 Top Think-Tanks
On 3 February Six Indian research institutes, including Centre for Civil Society
(CCS), are among top 150 global think – tanks in the annual list released by
the University of Pennsylvania for the year 2012.The list was topped by
Brookings Institution (United States) followed by Chatham House (United
Kingdom) and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (United
States).Other Indian think-tanks featured in the list are:- Institute for Defence
Studies and Analysis , Indian Council for Research on International Economic
Relations , The Energy and Resources Institute , Observer Research
Foundation and Development Alternatives.
India and Austria Signed a Social Security Agreement
On 5 February India and Austria signed a social security agreement at Vienna,
under which the Indian professionals working in Austria would be exempted
from paying the social security contribution of the country, if such payments
are already made in India. Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and
Austrian Minister for Labour and Social Security, Rudoulf Hundstorfer signed
on the agreement.
India Pledges $100m For Mali Reconstruction
On 5 February India pledges $100m for Mali reconstruction .India has
committed to giving $1 million for the upgrade of the Malian army with a

35. pledge to ramp up contributions for reconstruction to $100 million after the
situation stabilizes.
India and China Tourists Triple Australian Visits
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics report , Chinese and Indian
visitors, with tourist numbers from those countries tripled in the past
decade.630,000 visits from Chinese tourists in 2012 compared with 190,000
in 2002. Indian visits went from 45,000 to 160,000 in the same period.Despite
a high Australian dollar, Australia‘s short-term visitor numbers were up by
nearly five percent since 2011 with 6.1 million short trips made to Australia
270,000 more than in 2011.
Special Purpose Vehicle Formed for TAPI Pipeline Project
On 7 February The Union Cabinet gave its approval for formation of the
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-
India (TAPI) Pipeline Project and to permit GAIL India Ltd. to join the SPV. The
four countries involved in the TAPI Gas pipeline project, signed an Inter-
Governmental Agreement along with a Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement
(GPFA).Turkmenistan and Pakistan agreed to the formation of TAPl Ltd. The
1,680 km pipeline will carry 90 million metric standard cubic metres a day
(mmscmd) of gas, and is scheduled to become operational in 2018.
India and Japan to Strengthen Cooperation in Tourism Sector
India and Japan have resolved to strengthen cooperation in tourism sector.
This was decided at a meeting between the visiting Japanese Senior Vice-
Minister of Tourism, Mr. Hiroshi Kajiyama and Union Tourism Minister Shri K
Chiranjeevi in New Delhi on 12 February 2013.
India and France Signed 22 Agreements
On 14 February France and India have signed on 22 agreements after French
President Francois Hollande‘s meetings with the Indian president and the
prime minister in New Delhi.Both nations exchanged views on a number of bi-
lateral, regional and multilateral issues and signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in order to facilitate technical cooperation in Railways
to each other.Chairman, Railway Board, India and Chairman and CEO SNCF
from the French side signed this MoU.Both the nations also concluded
negotiations on the short range surface to Air missile to be co-produced in
India. They also agreed on the need to reinvigorate economic engagement
between the two countrie

36. India and Bangladesh Signed Land Boundary Agreement
On 16 February India and Bangladesh held the second Joint Consultative
Commission meeting in Dhaka .After the meeting , both countries exchanged
one strip map as part of the process of the implementation of the agreement
signed to resolve land boundary issues between them.In addition, two MOUs
were also signed for the construction of a rail link to connect Akhaura in
Bangladesh to Agartala in India and for setting up a thinktank to be called
Bangladesh-India Foundation.The India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative
Commission is an interministerial body of the two countries headed by the
Minister of External Affairs of India and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.
CBI probe Ordered into Rs 3700 crore Italian Chopper Deal Scam
In February 2010, India had inked the deal with Italain Finmeccanica to
acquire the 12 three-engine AW-101 helicopters from AgustaWestland for
IAF‘s elite Communication Squadron ,which ferries around the President, PM
and other VVIPs.The deal came under the scanner of Italian agencies after
allegations of kickback given in India surfaced.The agencies arrested Giuseppe
Orsi, the head of Italian defence and aerospace giant Finmeccanica as part of
their probe related to international corruption.Around 50 million euros ,
about 10 per cent of the deal, were alleged to have been given as bribes to
ensure that the company won the contract.On February The Defence Ministry
has ordered CBI probe into alleged scam in a Rs 3600 crore defence helicopter
deal after arrest of head of Italian firm Finmeccanica on charges of bribery.
India and Britain Discussed on Nuclear Cooperation
―On 19 February Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Britain Prime
Minister David Cameron discussed on regional and global issues ,which
included key issues of nuclear energy cooperation, security, terrorism and
trade .The two sides have also decided to commence negotiations on a
bilateral Civil Nuclear Agreement.Britain has assured that it will extend all
cooperation to any Indian probe into the multi-million-dollar helicopter scam
which involves Italian defense giant Finmeccanica‘s UK-based subsidiary
AgustaWestland.David Cameron announced that his country is going to
introduce sameday visa service for Indian businessmen in a bid to accelerate
the bilateral trade between the two sides.‖
India won Kishanganga Case Against Pakistan

37. On 18 February the Court of Arbitration at the Hague allowed India to go
ahead with the Construction of the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Gurez
valley near Bandipura in North Kashmir, the court rejected the plea of
Pakistan that the construction was a violation of 1960 Indus Water Treaty.The
Court of Arbitration, chaired by Stephen M. Schwebel in its orders stated that
India can move ahead with the diversion of water plans of Kishanganga that is
a tributary of Jhelum, for generation of hydro-electric power. But it restrained
India from adoption of the drawdown technique of flushing for clearing the

38. sedimentation of the run-of-the river project that had been designed and
asked it to adopt a different technique for generation of 330 MW power
facilities.
NATIONAL
President Gave Assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance,
2013
On 3 February President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 which provides for, amongst other things,
stricter punishment for crimes against women. The Ordinance was to be
largely based on the recommendations of the Justice Verma
Committee.However, the Ordinance will have to be passed by Parliament
within six months otherwise the same shall lapse.
All Juvenile Crimes 64% by 16-18 yr Old Age Group
On 4 February According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data
shows that most juvenile crimes are committed by those in the age group of
16-18 years.In 2011 the growth in rape by juveniles (34%) over 2010 was
again among the highest.In 2011, 64% of all juvenile criminals fall in the age
group of 16-18. In 2011, 33,887 juveniles were arrested for 25,178 instances
of crime.All together make for over 50% of all rape cases by juveniles.
Aero India 2013 “ Held in Bangalore
The Asia‘s biggest airshow ―Aero India 2013‖, a biennial air show and
aviation exhibition held from 6 – 10th February at the Yelehanka Air Force
Station in Bangalore .In the event displays magnificent aerobatic skills and
belongings that created a chance of winning potential business tieups and
networking. Defence Minister of India, A K Antony inaugurated the Air Show
on 6 February .In the event 53 civil and military aircraft and 27 countries
participated and 78 delegations attended from US, Israel and Russia.The first
Edition of the show was organised for the first time in 1996.The next Aero
India show is scheduled to be held from 18 February to 22 February 2015 at
Bangalore.
Cabinet Approved Rs.38500 cr Rural Road Development Plan
On 7 February The Union Cabinet approved a Rs 38,500 crore rupees for road
connectivity under the Prime Minister‘s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).The
schemes approved were mainly for connectivity to villages in tribal areas,

39. desert and hilly areas, with a population of at least 250 each.In 82 areas hit by
Naxalite violence, villages with less than 250 people are also to be connected
under the scheme.
Parliament Attack Case Convict Afzal Guru Hanged
On 9 February in a top secret operation , the 2001 Parliament attack case
convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged in Delhi‘s Tihar jail.Afzal Guru was
given the death sentence by the Supreme Court in 2004.The President
rejected the Afzal Guru‘s mercy petition on 23 January 2013.The code name of
the secret operation was Operation ―Three Star ― .
Centre Notified Cauvery Dispute Tribunal Award
After six years,on the directions of the Supreme Court, the Central
Government of India has notified the final award of the Cauvery Water
Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on sharing the waters of the Cauvery system
among the basin States of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala and Union
territory of Puducherry on 20 February.The Tribunal, comprising chairman
Justice N.P. Singh and members N.S. Rao and Sudhir Narain, in a unanimous
award in February, 2007 had determined the total availability of water in the
Cauvery basin at 740 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet at the Lower Coleroon
Anicut site.In, what was then described as a balancing act, the Tribunal gave
Tamil Nadu 419 TMC of water (as against the demand of 562 TMC); Karnataka
270 TMC (as against its demand of 465 TMC); Kerala 30 TMC and Puducherry
7 TMC.After the issuance of the notification, institutions like the Cauvery River
Authority (CRA) chaired by the Prime Minister and the CMC will cease to exist.
STATES
Sonia Gandhi Launched “Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram “ Scheme
On 6 February Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi
launched ― Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)‖, a new children
health care project initiative in Palghar, a tribal block in Thane district of
Maharashtra.The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, is a part of the National
Rural Health Mission of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The
scheme is aimed at improving overall quality of life of children through early
detection of birth defects, diseases and deficiencies, which are among key
factors for child mortality.

40. Maharashtra Promulgates Ordinance To Amend Cooperative Societies
Act
On 15 February the Maharashtra Government promulgated an ordinance to
amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, which aims to promote
voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and
professional management of co-operative societies.The ordinance is to amend
the Act to make it in consonance with the 97th constitutional amendment by
Parliament last year.
India‟s First Geothermal Plant in Chhattisgarh
On 17 February Chhattisgarh has signed an agreement with the National
Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to set up the country‘s first geothermal
power plant in its newlyformed Balrampur district.A memorandum of
understanding (MoU) for the project was signed between the NTPC and the
Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency (CREDA). The plant will
come up at Tata Pani in Balrampur, a district located in extreme northern
region of the state.
Rajasthan Constituted a Task Force to Check the Spread of Swine Flu in
State
On 19 February the State Government of Rajasthan decided to constitute a
task force to control Swine Flu effectively. Chief Secretary of the State, CK
Matthew was appointed as the head of the task force constituted.The state had
witnessed 148 cases of death and 834 positive cases since April 2012. A
central team that constitutes of five doctors and microbiologist is on the state
visit and would pay a visit to Jodhpur, Ajmer and Bikaner, areas worst affected
from the disease.
Cabinet Approved NTPC Power Project in Jharkhand
On 20 February the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) approved the
setting up of the 1,980 MW North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Plant in
Jharkhand by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).The Cabinet
committee of investment also agreed for restoring the original coal linkage for
the project and declared that the project will be based on environment
friendly super-critical technology. This supply will be made available in the
13th Five Year Plan.

41. Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly Elections Results
Northeastern states of Tripura ,Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly election
was released on 28 February .The Assembly elections in the three states,
having 60 seats each, were held February 14 and February 23.In Tripura the
CPI-M on its own won 49 seats out of the total 60 seats and stormed back to
power in Tripura for the fifth straight term.Chief Minister Manik Sarkar won
from Dhanpur by a margin of around 5,000 votes. It was Sarkar‘s sixth
win.Meghalaya – The Indian National Congress here has won 29 seats in the
election to the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly with Chief Minister Mukul
Sangma, winning with huge margins.Nagaland – Ruling Naga Peoples Front
combine returned to power with an absolute majority in Nagaland winning 39
seats in the 60-member Assembly.The ruling NPF-led Democratic Alliance of
Nagaland (DAN) alliance will form government for a third consecutive
term.Congress managed to win eight seats. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu
Rio won from Northern Angami II seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival
Kevise Sogotsu of Congress by 12,671 votes.
Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu Commissioned
On 22 February J. Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu inaugurated a
desalination plant at Nemmeli in Kanchipuram district of the state.The plant
which will benefit over 15 lakh residents in Velachery, Pallipattu and
Tiruvanmiyur areas of south Chennai has been set up with an investment of
Rs 871 crore. About 265 million ltrs of water will be drawn from the sea to
realise 100 million ltrs per day of drinking water through the plant spread
over 40 acre.
CONFERENCES
13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS)
The 13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) concluded on 2
February at NewDelhi.The theme of the summit is The Global Challenge of
Resource Efficient Growth and Development‘.‖Among from 30 countries
Heads of Governments , research institutions, policy-makers, NGOs and
corporates attended the summit.The Summit organized annually since 2001
by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), is an international platform for
exchange of knowledge on all nuances of sustainable development.

42. AWARDS & HONOURS
Malala Yousafzai nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Malala Yousafzai, who was shoot by the Talibans against the girl education
was nominated for this year‘s Nobel Peace Prize, as the deadline expired on 01
February 2013. French, Canadian and Norwegian MPs have all separately
nominated Malala.This year‘s award will be announced in early October, but
speculation was already underway as the deadline for nominations ran out on
1 February .
L. N. Tallur won Skoda Art Prize 2012
On 1 February Karnataka artist L. N. Tallur, whose works depict majorly the
underbelly of India, has won the Rs 1 million Skoda Prize 2012 for
contemporary art, from among a shortlist of four artists including an artist
collective.
13th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS) Awards
Sustainable Development Leadership Award :- The Seychelles President, Mr
James Michel has been awarded the Sustainable Development Leadership
Award at the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit . Georgescu roegen
Award : The award is Kozo Mayumi (Professor at Faculty of Integrated Arts
and Sciences, The University of Tokushima). The co-winners of the Georgescu-
Roegen Award (bioeconomic practice) are Accion Ecologica and Oilwatch.
South Sudan Bishop Taban won UN Peace Award
On 9 February A South Sudan‘s Bishop Emeritus Paride Taban has won a
coveted 2013 UN peace prize ( Sergio Viera de Mello Prize ) in recognition of
his efforts to build trust among warring communities in the conflict-torn
region.Vieira de Mello, the UN‘s former human rights chief, was killed in a
bombing in Iraq in 2003. The annual prize in his honour is awarded to a
person, community or institution that has made an exceptional contribution to
reconciliation of communities or groups in conflict, and whose example can be
duplicated elsewhere.
Pandit Ravi Shankar honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy
award S
itar legend Pandit Ravi Shankar was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
Grammy award, which was jointly accepted by his daughters Anoushka
Shankar and Norah Jones on 9 February 2013.He was posthumously awarded

43. the best world music album trophy at the 55th Grammys, a day after being
honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award by The Recording Academy.He
got ―55 Grammy award for his album The Living Room Sessions Part 1‘ .
National e-Governance award for Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh had been conferred upon the prestigious National e-
Governance Gold Award for 2012-13, for its Sparsh Abhiyan‘ aimed towards
the disabled and the aged.
Amartya Sen honoured with France‟s highest civilian award
The French president Mr Francois Hollande honoured the Amartya Sen with
the France‘s highest civilian award, Commandeur de la Legion d‘Honneur‘
(Legion of Honour) after delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture
in New Delhi on 15 February 2013.The prestigious honour is the reason for
his enormous contribution to the field of economics and for his exchanges
with French academic institutions would also be recognised.
Paul Hansen Won “2012 World Press Photo “ Award
On 15 February Swedish photographer Paul Hansen has won the ―2012
World Press Photo award‖ with a picture of two Palestinian children killed in
an Israeli missile strike being carried to their funeral.The picture shows a
group of men marching the dead bodies through a narrow street in Gaza
City.World Press Photo, one of photojournalism‘s most prestigious contests,
issued awards in nine categories to 54 photographers of 32 nationalities.
63rd Berlin Film Festival Awards
The awarding ceremony of the 63rd Berlinale ended on 16 February in
Berlin.Romanian film ―Child‘s Pose‖ won the Golden Bear, the top jury prize
awarded to the best film in the Berlin International Film Festival. Best Film :-
Child‘s Pose ( Romania ) Best Actor :- Nazif Mujic in ―Life of an Iron Picker‖
(Bosnia/France/Slovenia) Best Actress :- Paulina Garcia in ―Gloria‖
(Chile/Spain) Best Director :- David Gordon Green for ―Prince Avalanche‖
(US) Best ScreenPlay :- Jafar Panahi for ―Parde‖ (Closed Curtain) Iran.
Ela Bhatt honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize
Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self Employed Women‘s Association (SEWA), was
presented with the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and
Development for the year 2011 by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee at
Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 18 February 2013.Ela Bhatt was

44. honoured for her life time achievements in empowering women, promoting
grassroot level entrepreneurship and for her contribution towards promoting
equitable development and peace.
Ratan Tata receives E&Y lifetime award
Former Tata Group head Ratan Tata is this year‘s recipient of the life time
achievement award‘ instituted by Ernst & Young, for asserting a greater role
for Indian entrepreneurs on the global business landscape‘.The entrepreneur
of the year (2012) award went to Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej.The
entrepreneur of the year is the only business award to be based on self-
nomination.
Oscars Awards-2013
85th Oscar awards presentation ceremony held in Los Angels on 25 February
2013.In this ceremoney Life of Pi cinema got a 4 Oscar awards.
Best Picture: Argo
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)
Best Supporting Actress:Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)
Best Directing: Ang Lee(Life of Pi)
Best Adapted Screenplay:Chris Terrio( Argo)
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man Best Original
Song:Skyfall‖ from Skyfall, music and lyrics by Adele Adkins and Paul
Epworth
Best Original Score: Life of Pi
Best Animated Feature: Brave Best Cinematography:Life of Pi
Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Best Documentary Short Subject:Inocente
Best Film Editing:Argo
Best Foreign Language Film:Amour (Austria)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Misérables
Best Production Design:Lincoln
Best Short Film (Animated): Paperman

45. Best Short Film (Live Action): Curfew Best Sound Editing: Skyfall (TIE), Zero
Dark Thirty (TIE),
Best Sound Mixing: Les Misérables
Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi
SPORTS & GAMES
Leander Paes, Jaideep Mukherjee Received” Davis Cup Commitment “
Award
On 2 February Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Jaideep Mukherjee
were felicitated by the All India Tennis Association (AITA) at the RK Khanna
Tennis Stadium , when they were presented with the Davis Cup Commitment
Trophy.Mukherjee made his Davis Cup debut in 1960 against Thailand and
had a 62-35 win-loss record while Paes is currently playing his 49th Davis Cup
tie here against South Korea.
Graeme Smith Captains his 100th Test
On 4 February South African test cricket team captain Graeme Smith has
created a unique record by leading the side in 100th test.As the South African
captain Graeme Smith stepped on the field against Pakistan, he became the
only captain in the world to have led the team in 100 test matches.Earlier, the
record for captaining in most number of test matches was held by former
Australian skipper Allan Border. Allan Border led the Australian test cricket
team in 93 test matches. Sourav Ganguly holds the record of captaining Indian
test team in most number of test matches. Sourav played as skipper in 49 test
matches. Now, Graeme Smith is the only cricketer to play as captain in 100
test matches.
India Won Record 46 Medals in Special Olympics
On 6 February India‘s differently-abled athletes returned with the largest haul
of medals in the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games at Pyeong Chang,
South Korea.The Indians won 46 medals – 13 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze –
from among mentally-challenged 2200 athletes from over 120 nations in the
Games .India doubled its medal tally from the World Winter Games 2009.The
Games are being competed in eight sports .

46. Sachin Equaled Sunil Gavaskar‟s First Class Cricket Record
On 8 February Sachin Tendulkar equaled the record of Sunil Gavaskar of 81
first class hundreds in first class cricket at Mumbai. He managed to equal
Gavaskar‘s record after scoring an unbeaten 140 runs in Irani Trophy against
Rest of India in the first innings of the tournament of Mumbai team.When he
reached 106, Tendulkar also completed 25,000 runs in first class cricket.
Wrestling Dropped From 2020 Olympic Games List
On 12 February the International Olympic Committee (IOC) leaders dropped
wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games.Wrestling will be included at the
2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The IOC board acted after reviewing the 26
sports on the current Olympic program. Eliminating one sport allows the IOC
to add a new sport to the program later this year.Wrestling will now join
seven other sports in applying for inclusion in 2020. The others are a
combined bid from baseball and softball, karate, squash, roller sports, sport
climbing, wakeboarding and wushu. They will be vying for a single opening in
2020.The last sports removed from the Olympics were baseball and softball,
voted out by the IOC in 2005 and off the program since the 2008 Beijing
Games. Golf and Rugby will be joining the program at the 2016 Games in Rio
de Janeiro.
Victoria Azarenka won Qatar Open Tennis Title
On 18 February Defending champion Victoria Azarenka from Belarus defeated
Serena Williams (America) to won the Qatar Open tennis title in the final at
Doha.
Sania Mirza won Dubai Tennis Championship Title
On 23 February India‘s Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie-
Mattek Sands won the Dubai Tennis Championship title. The Indo-American
duo defeated the second seeded Russian-Slovenian combination of Nadia
Petrova and Katarina Srebotnik. Sania bagged her second Doubles title of the
season.
ECONOMY
BHEL and GAIL Granted Maharatna Status
On 1 February The Union Government of India granted Maharatna status to
BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd ) and GAIL (Gas Authority of India

47. Limited), a development which will provide them greater financial and
functional autonomy and also ensure better valuation for shares of the two
public sector undertakings.Ideally any Maharatna firm has a capacity to take
investment decision of around 5000 crore Rupees without taking assistance
from the government. On the other hand, forms with Navratna status have the
capability of 1000 crore Rupees.For any company to qualify for Maharatna
status, the annual turnover should be over 25000 crore Rupees in past three
years, as per the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises.
Per capita Monthly Income Growth Eases to 14% in 2011-12
On 1 February According to the the revised data of national accounts the per
capita monthly income, a measure to assess standard of living, grew at a
slower rate of 13.7 per cent to Rs 5,130 in 2011-12 at current prices
compared to Rs 4,513 in 2010-11.On the Gross Domestic Saving (GDS) front,
the data revealed that the growth at current prices in 2011-12 slowed to 30.8
per cent of GDP at market prices against 34 per cent in the previous year.The
gross domestic capital formation has increased from ―Rs 28,71,649 crore in
2010-11 to Rs 31,41,465 crore in 2011- 12 at current prices.It further
revealed that the per capita private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) at
current prices in 2011-12 is estimated at Rs 42,065 as against Rs 36,677 in the
year 2010-11, showing an increase of 14.7 per cent against an increase of 15.7
per cent in the previous year.
Argentina Censured by the IMF for Economic Data
On 3 February The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has censured
Argentina for the quality of its official inflation and GDP data.Inflation in
Argentina is estimated by private economists to be at 25% a year and rising
but the government reported it at 11% or less for last year.Argentina became
the first country to be censured by the International Monetary Fund for not
providing accurate data on inflation and economic growth under a procedure
that can end in expulsion.
Mumbai Is World‟s Cheapest City
Mumbai shares the title of the world‘s cheapest city with Karachi, in Pakistan,
according to the ―Worldwide Cost of Living 2013‖ survey by the Economist
Group‘s Economic Intelligence Unit.After Mumbai and Pakistan comes Delhi
,Algiers, Bucharest, Colombo and Panama City.According to the report, the five
most expensive cities in the world are Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, Sydney, Oslo
and Melbourne.

48. Railway Budget 2013-14
On 26 February Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal presented the 2013-
14 Railway Budget in the Loksabha . Railway Budget 2013-14
Highlights :- 2013-14 Railway Budget Estimates – Rs.42,210 crores
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores in 2013-14
Good Earnings – Rs.93,554 crores
Good Traffic Receipts – Rs.1,43,742 crores
Total Revenue Receipts – Rs.1,46,626 crores
Ordinary Working Expenses – Rs.96,500 crores
Operating Ratio to be 87.8%. -
A new Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli, Coach Manufacturing Unit in
Sonepat District (Haryana) ,Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool
(Andhra Pradesh), new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha).
Highest ever plan outlay of Rs.63,363 crores
5.2 per cent growth in passenger traffic expected in 2013-14 Freight loading
of 1047 MT, 40 MT more than 2012-13. 67 new Express trains to be
introduced.26 new passenger services, 8 DEMU services and 5 MEMU services
to be introduced. Run of 57 trains to be extended. Frequency of 24 trains to be
increased.22 new rail lines to be taken up in 2013-14
Proposal for setting up of Railway Tariff Regulatory Authority formulated and
at inter-ministerial consultation stage. Fuel Adjustment Component (FAC)
linked revision for freight tariff to be implemented from 1st April 2013. 72
additional suburban services in Mumbai and 18 in Kolkata An independent
Rail Tariff Authority has been formalised ndian Railways Institute of Financial
Management to be set up at Secunderabad Recruitment to RPF with 10%
vacancies reserved for women.Seek to fill 1.52 lakh vacancies in railways this
year. 47000 vacancies for weaker sections and physically challenged to be
filled up soon By end of 2013-14, 1,500 km of contracts to be awarded for two
dedicated rail corridors Economic Survey of contracts to be awarded for two
dedicated rail corridors.
Union Budget 2013-14
On 28 February Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Presented the
Rs.16,65 279 Crore(Planed Expenditure Rs. 5,55,322 crore , Non Planed
Expenditure Rs 11,09,975 crore) Union budget in the Lok Sabha for the
financial year 2013-14.This is the 82‘nd Budget for India and 8th Budget for
the Finance Minister P Chidambaram.In the past, former Prime Minister
Morarji Desai presented the Union Budget 8 times as Finance Minister. The
Highlights of Union Budget 2013-14: Total budget expenditure seen at 16.65