Professional Documents
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Monthly Current Affairs: February 2021
Monthly Current Affairs: February 2021
February 2021
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Wetlands Day observed on 2nd February
2 February is celebrated as World Wetlands Day every year. It raises global awareness about the vital role
of wetlands for people and our planet. Wetlands are land areas that are saturated or flooded with water
either permanently or seasonally.
This day also marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the
Iranian city of Ramsar.
The theme for World Wetlands Day 2021 is 'Wetlands and Water'.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation observed on 6th February
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is observed on Feb 6 every
year. About 120 to 140 million women have been subject to FGM and 3 million girls are at risk each year,
according to Word Health Organisation.
FGM relates to all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other
injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The theme of the day for the year 2021 is ―No Time for Global Inaction, Unite, Fund, and Act to End
Female Genital Mutilation.‖
2 February 2021
International Day of Women and Girls in Science observed on 11th February
The world celebrates the International Day of Women and Girls in Science every year on the 11th day of
February. The year 2021 marked the 6th International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
According to a UN study from 14 countries, the probability for female students graduating with a Bachelor‘s
degree in science is 18%, while the male equivalent is 37%.
The theme of the day for the year 2021 is ―Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-
19″.
3 February 2021
INDIAN AFFAIRS
India became the 1st country in world to identify need for action for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
India has become the first country in the world to identify the need for action for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver
Disease.
Dr Harsh Vardhan launched the operational guidelines for integration of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
with the National Program for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and
Stroke.
Chief Minister of Assam laid foundation of 1st skill university of eastern India
The Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has laid the foundation of the first Skill University of
Eastern India in Darrang district in Assam. The state-of-the-art skill university would be built with a financial
outlay of Rs 1,000 crore.
It will impart training to over 10,000 students in 12 disciplines. The university is expected to be completed
by 2026. It will have ―understandings‖ with countries like Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, Israel, Japan, and
England.
4 February 2021
Further, around 200 overseas representatives in India will interact with more than 100 renowned and big
Indian companies who are engaged in manufacturing and trading the silk and silk blended products.
Finance Minister announced PM AtmaNirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana and Mission Poshan 2.0
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a new centrally sponsored scheme PM AatmaNirbhar
Swasth Bharat Yojana and Poshan 2.0 Mission during the Budget 2021.
A new centrally sponsored scheme PM AatmaNirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana will be launched. In addition to
the National Health Mission an outlay of Rs. 64,180 crore over 6 years has been announced for PM
AatmaNirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana.
NITI Aayog proposed a plan for 680 sq. km Little Andaman Island
NITI Aayog has recently proposed a plan for the development of the 680 sq. km Little Andaman Island in the
Andaman and Nicobar group. This plan has raised the alarm and concerns among conservationists.
NITI Aayog proposed this plan of Little Andaman Island through a document- ‗Sustainable Development of
Little Andaman Island – Vision Document.‘ As per the document, the new little Andaman will be built
through a new Greenfield coastal city.
25-year-old Ayesha Aziz from Kashmir became India's youngest female pilot
Ayesha Aziz had become the youngest student pilot to get a flying licence at the age of 15 years in 2011. She
underwent training to fly a MIG-29 jet at Russia's Sokol airbase the following year.
She later graduated in aviation from the Bombay Flying Club (BFC) and got a commercial license in 2017.
The 25 -year-old from Kashmir is a source of inspiration and a beacon of empowerment for numerous
Kashmiri women.
5 February 2021
India's 1st amputee clinic launched by PGIMER Chandigarh
India's first amputee clinic has been launched by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and
Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. This was informed by the institute's Director Jagat Ram.
The main aim of the clinic is to unify all diverse sections in the hospital with some upgrades where needed
and to provide appropriate management to the amputees to help them rehabilitate in the society.
India gets its 1st Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management
A dedicated Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) has been established at the
National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, and an institution under the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
This was announced by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Babul Supriyo on the
occasion of the World Wetland Day
Chief Minister of Delhi launched 'Switch Delhi' campaign to promote electric vehicles
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the ‗Switch Delhi‘ campaign to promote electric vehicles and
appealed to people to buy such vehicles to combat pollution in the city. The government will hire only
electric vehicles for various purposes in the next six weeks.
He asked delivery chains and big companies, resident welfare associations, market associations, malls and
cinema halls to promote electric vehicles and set up charging stations at their premises.
Civil Aviation Minister announced next Republic Day parade to be on Central Vista Avenue
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced that the next Republic Day parade will be on Central Vista
Avenue and that it will be a 'symbol of modern India'.
6 February 2021
The Minister had performed the 'bhoomi poojan' ceremony for Central Vista Avenue earlier in the day at
India Gate. With the Bhoomi poojan, the work has officially begun for the development and redevelopment
of Central Vista Avenue.
India approved export of 156 defence equipment, including Brahmos, Tejas, and Astra missile
The Central Government gave its approval for the export of artillery guns, indigenous Light Combat Aircraft,
tanks and missiles, explosive, anti-tank mines, and others.
In total 156 Defence equipment‘s have been approved for export by the government in order to boost its
arms export to the friendly nations. The list of the items was released by the Defence Research
Development Organisation.
India-Bahrain 1st Joint Working Group Meeting held in the field of Renewable Energy
The 1st meeting of the Joint Working Group in the field of Renewable Energy between India and Bahrain was
held. Dr Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza, President of Sustainable Energy Authority led the Bahraini delegation.
The Indian delegation was led by Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy.
7 February 2021
45th Kolkata International Book Fair to be held in July 2021
The 45th Kolkata International Book Fair will be held in July this year at the Central Park Ground of Salt Lake.
125th Birth year of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Birth Centenary of Satyajit Ray will also be
celebrated at the Book Fair.
This year the focal theme country is Bangladesh to mark the country‘s Golden Jubilee Year of Independence
and the Centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
8 February 2021
The main purpose of the system is to check the cases of land disputes, put an end to fake registries of the
disputed land and save people from falling into the trap of fraudsters. The Unicode would be issued by the
state revenue department for marking all kinds of agricultural, residential and commercial land.
1st High Level Dialogue held between India-EU on Trade and Investment
The 1st High-Level Dialogue was a major outcome of the 15th India-EU Leader‘s Summit held in July 2020;
with an objective for Ministerial level guidance towards the bilateral trade and investment relations.
The dialogue was co-chaired by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and the European
Union Executive Vice-President & Trade Commissioner Mr Valdis Dombrovskis.
Ministry of Education decided to rename 1,063 residential schools after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
The Ministry of Education has decided to name residential schools and hostels funded under Samagra
Shiksha of the Ministry as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools or hostels.
The association of these schools with Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose will act as an inspiration to the children
and also motivate the teachers, staff and administration to enable them to achieve high standards of
excellence.
9 February 2021
First Tibetan Village Dungti near LAC in Ladakh electrified by GHE
In eastern Ladakh, on the Line of Actual Control bordering India and China, the lesser-known Tibetan village
of Dungti is electrified now. In 1962, Tibetan families migrated to Ladakh and settled in Dungti to form a TR
(Tibetan refuge) village of Ladakh.
Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE), which has electrified more than 100 hamlets in Ladakh for over 8 years,
brought Solar based DC electricity to the village of Dungti through the help of their CSR Supporters.
National Commission for Women held 1st ever Mahila Jan Sunwai at Jammu
The National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department held the
1st ever Mahila Jan Sunwai Programme in Jammu.
It was held under the chairmanship of NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma. During the program, complainants
of 40 cases related to women from all sections of the society were present and the Chairperson disposed of
7 cases on the spot.
FSSAI restricted Trans fatty acids to 2% in food products from January 2022
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have restricted the permissible amount of
industrial Trans Fatty Acid (TFA) in food products to 2%.
The latest amendment will come into effect from January 01, 2022. Currently, the permissible limit for Trans
fats in food products in 2021 is 3%, cut down from the previous limit of 5%.
Indian Army trained indigenous dog breed chippiparai, cocker spaniels to detect Covid-19
Indian Army has, for the first time ever, started using its dogs for quick detection of Covid-19. Two dogs
have been trained to detect Covid19 by sniffing samples of sweat & urine.
10 February 2021
The use of canines will assist in quick & real-time detection of the disease. Countries like the UK, Finland,
France, Russia, Germany, Lebanon, UAE & the US have already trained dogs for detection of Covid-19.
11 February 2021
Jammu & Kashmir-UK Space Agency- joined hands for Flood Forecasting
The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and a United Kingdom based space agency have joined hands to
work on a collaborative project on the impact-based flood forecasting.
The project is supported by the national space innovation programme (NSIP). The NSIP programme is
undertaken by HR Wallingford in association with the Oxford University, D-orbit and Sayers & Partners
(SPL).
Home Minister announced new CAPF battalion to be named after Cooch Behar's Narayani Sena
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced a new CAPF battalion that will be named after Narayani
Sena, the warriors of the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar.
The name of CAPF training centre for the eastern zone will be linked with Chila Roy, who was the younger
brother of King Nara Narayan of the Koch Dynasty. A memorial at the birthplace of Panchanan Thakur will
also be built.
Muskan 21 years old became Himachal Pradesh’s youngest Zila Parishad Chairperson
Muskan, 21, is the youngest person to be elected as Zila Parishad Chairperson from Bilaspur district,
Himachal Pradesh. Over 32% of these are in the age group of 21 to 30 years, out of which Muskan is
youngest to head top post.
In Panchayati Raj Institution polls held in hilly state, over 68% of the representatives elected to Zila
Parishads, Panchayats & Urban bodies are below the age of 40 years.
Prime Minister inaugurated Chennai Metro Phase-I extension, limited free ride to all
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project, which has
been completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore. The 9.05 km long extension will link north Chennai with the
Airport and Central Railway Station.
12 February 2021
He also inaugurated the fourth Railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. This 22.1 km section, laid
at a cost of Rs 293.40 crore, traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts.
Chief Minister of West Bengal launched 'Maa' scheme to provide meal at Rs 5 to poor people
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee launched the ‗Maa‘ scheme under which her
government would provide a meal at a nominal cost of Rs 5 to poor people.
They will get a platter of rice, dal, a vegetable and egg curry for Rs 5. The state government will bear a
subsidy of Rs 15 per plate. Self-help groups will operate the kitchens from 1 pm to 3 pm every day and such
kitchens will be set up everywhere in the state gradually.
Health Minister of Bihar informed Aadhar Card mandatory for COVID vaccination
Aadhar Card has been made compulsory to receive the Coronavirus vaccination in Bihar. Beneficiaries in the
state will have to certify their Aadhar Card number during the vaccine registration.
Mangal Pandey, the Health Minister informed that the step has been taken for checking the testing fraud of
the vaccination and transparency. District administration has already been instructed in this regard.
11th World PetroCoal Congress and World Future Fuel Summit organised in Delhi
The joint conferences of the 11th World PetroCoal Congress and World Future Fuel Summit was organised
in New Delhi. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted the increase in LPG
coverage from 56% to nearly 99.5% in less than seven years.
He also mentioned that to reduce vehicular pollution, the country leapfrogged from BS-4 to BS-6 emission
standards from April 2020.
13 February 2021
Chief Minister of Kerala inaugurated first route of Water Metro project
The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has inaugurated the first route and terminal buildings of Kochi
Water Metro. This project connects the islands across the city with the help of state-of-the-art boats.
The first phase of the Kochi Water Metro project is 520 km long. Commercial operations of the metro will
start in March 2021 after it gets the statutory clearance certificate.
3rd edition of Indian Sign Language Dictionary released with 10,000 terms
The ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment released the third edition of the Indian Sign Language (ISL)
Dictionary. The new edition will comprise of 10,000 terms of daily. The Dictionary has been brought out by
the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC).
It will also include the academic, legal, medical technical, administrative and agricultural terms in it. The
second edition of the Indian Sign language was released in the year 2019. It comprised of 6,000 terms while
its first edition was released in the year 2018 with 3,000 terms.
Prime Minister inaugurated oil & gas sector projects in Tamil Nadu
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of oil, gas sector projects in Tamil Nadu via video
conferencing. He dedicated the Gasoline Desulphurisation Unit and Ramanathapuram-Thoothukudi gas
pipeline to the nation.
Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Cauvery Basin Refinery at Nagapattinam. These projects
will facilitate socio-economic benefits and will help in boosting India‘s mission towards ‗Urja Atmanirbharata‘.
Hyderabad became only city to be recognized as 2020 Tree City of the World
The Arbor Day Foundation and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation- FAO have
recognised Hyderabad as the 2020 Tree City of the World. Hyderabad has been chosen for this recognition
for its commitment towards maintaining and growing the urban forest.
Hyderabad earned the recognition of the Tree City of the World in the second year of the programme of
Arbor Day Foundation. The city has been recognised along with 51 cities of the world (during 2020 and
cumulative 120 cities from 63 countries).
14 February 2021
Union Minister launched ‘Go Electric Campaign’ to boost electric mobility across country
The Union Minister of Road, Transport, and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched the ‗Go Electric Campaign‘ in
order to spread awareness regarding the benefits of EV Charging Infrastructure and e-mobility as well as
electric cooking in India.
The campaign is an important initiative that will help in reducing India's fossil fuel import dependence in the
coming years and will also be a step forward towards a greener and cleaner future.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched ‘Go Electric’ campaign to push e-mobility in India
Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways launched the ―Go Electric‖ Campaign to
spread awareness on the benefits of e-mobility and EV Charging Infrastructure as well as electric cooking in
India.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the aegis of the Ministry of Power has been mandated to
undertake an awareness drive for promoting Public Charging, e-mobility & its ecosystem.
Uttarakhand became 1st State to give co-ownership rights to women in husband’s property
The Uttarakhand government has brought an ordinance giving co-ownership rights to women in their
husband‘s ancestral property. The ordinance has been brought keeping in view large-scale migration of men
from the hill areas of the state in search of livelihood.
The ordinance aims to provide economic independence to women who are left behind and have to depend
on agriculture to sustain them.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs launched 'DigiLocker' for MEA's 'Passport Seva'
DigiLocker platform was launched for MEA's Passport Seva Programme by Union Minister V Muraleedharan.
DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and IT under the Digital India Corporation.
It would enable citizens to submit the documents required for passport services in a paperless mode and
they would not be required to carry the original documents.
National anthem played in Nagaland assembly for first time in almost 6 decades
The National Anthem was played in the Nagaland Assembly Session before Nagaland Governor RN Ravi
addressed the 7th Session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
15 February 2021
The move is historic for a state that has been ravaged by decades of secessionist violence and protracted
peace talks that still hang fire. Nagaland attained statehood on December 1, 1963, and was the 16th state of
the Union.
Tripura gets 1st of its kind road constructed using plastic waste
Tripura, in a first-ever initiative, has started using plastic waste for the construction of roads. Tripura Chief
Minister Biplab Kumar Deb announced that the main aim is to reduce plastic waste and make the
environment plastic-free.
The Chief Minister of Tripura stated that this is for the first time in Tripura that waste plastic was collected
and recycled, and used in constructing a 680 meter long road in front of the Women's College near BK Road.
Government of Uttar Pradesh decided to develop Jewar Airport as Asia’s biggest airport
Government of Uttar Pradesh government decided to develop Jewar Airport as Asia‘s biggest airport with
six runways. The state government has to set aside 2,000 crore for Jewar Airport in its budget for 2021-22
presenting in the Assembly.
The state government has also increased the number of runways of the Jewar Airport to six, from two
proposed earlier. The under construction airport in Ayodhya will be named as Maryada Purushottam Sriram
Airport.
Governor of Assam declared entire state of Assam as ‘disturbed area’ up to six months
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi declared the entire state as a ‗disturbed area‘ for 6 months beginning
February 27, 2021. Besides Assam, AFSPA is in force in Nagaland and parts of Manipur and Arunachal
Pradesh.
Assam is declared as a ‗disturbed area‘ under the powers conferred in Section 3 of the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958.
16 February 2021
Government of Delhi introduced contactless tickets on all DTC buses
The Delhi government on 24 Feb 2021, for the first time since its inception, expanded its ambitious
contactless ticketing service to all its Delhi transport corporation (DTC) buses.
The ticketless scheme was introduced by the government in May-June, 2020 during the lockdown. The
scheme is aimed at reducing physical human interaction that increased the chances of the spread of Covid-
19.
Union Fisheries Minister announced to develop Goa into country’s first fisheries hub
Union Fisheries Minister Giriraj Singh announced that Goa will be developed into the first fisheries hub of the
country, and that the Centre is investing Rs 400 crore in the project.
Singh also said that of this investment, Rs 41 crore has already been approved for Goa under the Pradhan
Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Besides, there are also plans to set up seaweed and ornamental fish
complex in the state, as seaweed is a 15 million dollar business across the world.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti inaugurated International Commission on Large Dams Symposium
Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has inaugurated the International Commission on
Large Dams (ICOLD) Symposium in New Delhi.
The theme of the symposium is ―Sustainable Development of Dams & River Basins‖. More than 300
delegates from across the country and abroad will participate in the Symposium.
WHO Chief lauded India for sharing COVID-19 vaccine and supporting vaccine equity
The Director-General of World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked India and
Prime Minister Modi for supporting the COVID-19 vaccine equity as well as sharing the vaccine worldwide.
The Chief of the global health body also hoped that other countries will also the example set by India. Earlier
in January 2021, WHO Chief had expressed gratitude to India and Prime Minister Modi for the continued
support to the global response against the pandemic.
17 February 2021
Uttarakhand has become the fourth state in the country where a squad of women commandos has been
added to the police department.
Jal Shakti Ministry announced 12 iconic sites for transforming into Swachh Tourist Destinations
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has announced the selection of 12 iconic
sites under Phase IV of Swachh Iconic Places.
These sites include Ajanta Caves, Sanchi Stupa, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Ramdevra, Golconda Fort,
Konark Sun Temple, etc. The initiative aims at improving the sanitation and cleanliness standards at and
around the sites.
18 February 2021
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Military seized power in Myanmar, announces 1 year emergency
The Myanmar Military Tatmadaw has announced a one year state of emergency in the country. Vice
President Myint Swe has been made the acting President and all powers have been transferred to the
Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing.
The Military informed that the leaders have been detained for committing fraud in the national elections held
on 8 Nov 2020.
NYU Langone Health performed World’s 1st successful face & double hand transplant
19 February 2021
Joe DiMeo from New Jersey who suffered horrific injuries in a car accident has become the world's first
person to undergo a successful face and double hand transplant.
The surgery was carried out on 12 Aug 2020 and lasted approximately 23 hours. It involved a team of 96
health care personnel, led by surgeon Eduardo Rodriguez, Director of the Face Transplant Program at NYU
Langone.
New Zealand suspended Political and Military ties with Myanmar after coup
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the suspension of ties with Myanmar. Ardern said
that the government will suspend all high-level political and military contact with Myanmar.
New Zealand will also impose a travel ban on the military leaders of Myanmar and ensure its aid programme
to the country will not include projects that benefit the military government.
United State government moved to re-join United Nations Human Rights Council
The United States President Joe Biden has moved to re-join the United Nations Human Rights Council-
UNHRC three years after the former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the global body.
The Trump administration had withdrawn from the world‘s most significant human rights body in 2018 over
what Trump and his allies called unfair targeting of Israel.
Reversing other decisions, Joe Biden has also joined the World Health Organisation and Paris Climate
Accord which the Trump administration withdrew from while he was in office.
WHO dismissed lab leak theory post its COVID-19 origin investigation in China
The World Health Organisation (WHO) dismissed the theory of ‗lab leak‘ of the novel Coronavirus after
concluding its investigation on the origin of COVID-19 in China.
20 February 2021
Head of the WHO-led team, Dr. Peter Ben Embarek informed about the assessment and mentioned that
the initial findings suggest that the interaction to humans through an intermediary host species is the most
likely pathway.
India joined Iran and Russia dubbed as ‘Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt 2021’
India has joined a two-day navy exercise of Iran and Russia dubbed as ‗Iran-Russia Maritime Security Belt
2021‘. The naval exercise is taking place in the northern part of the Indian Ocean.
The forces and vessels from the navy divisions of both the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps- IRGC participated in a drill, which started alongside several vessels from the Russian army.
International Solar Alliance (ISA) decided to launch the World Solar Bank (WSB)
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has planned to launch the World Solar Bank (WSB) at the United
Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that is scheduled for November 2021.
The development of the World Solar Bank will support India‘s attempt to secure its leadership in the climate
arena. The development of the bank is significance because the green finance will be one of the priority
themes at the climate meet called COP-26.
21 February 2021
World Food Program informed 12.4 million Syrians face food insecurity in year 2021
The World Food Program informed that an additional 4.5 million people in Syria have become food insecure
over the past year. This addition has brought the total number of people on the brink of hunger to 12.4
million.
The Syrian families have exhausted their savings after the 10 years of conflict as they face an economic crisis.
The UN agency further warned that an additional 1.8 million more Syrians will become severely food
insecure unless urgent action is taken.
Russian Scientists detected world’s first case of transmission of H5N8 Bird flu to human
Russian scientists had detected the first case of transmission of the H5N8 strain of avian flu to humans and
had alerted the World Health Organization. Other strains H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2 have been known to
spread to humans.
Outbreaks of the H5N8 strain have been reported in Russia, Europe, China, the Middle East and North
Africa since December ‗20 but so far only in poultry.
India signed 50 million dollar Defence line of Credit agreement with Maldives
Reaffirming its commitment for overall development and security of its maritime neighbour, India has signed
a 50 million dollar Line of Credit agreement in defence sector with the Maldives.
The agreement will facilitate capability building in the maritime domain. India also extended a new line of
credit of US dollar 40 million for the development of new sports infrastructure in the Maldives.
Australia passed ‚News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code‛
The parliament of Australia has passed the landmark legislation called the ―News Media and Digital Platforms
Mandatory Bargaining Code‖. The legislation mainly targets Facebook and Google.
22 February 2021
This legislation mandates the global digital platforms to pay for publishing the Australian news content on
their respective platforms. The law easily passed the tech giants (Facebook and Google) signed agreements
with the government to pay Australian news organisations.
US President Joe Biden revoked Trump's ban on many Green Card Applicants
US President Joe Biden revoked former President Trump's decision to freeze green card applications and
certain types of visas. Trump had blocked many green card applicants from entering the United States.
Former President Donald Trump had issued the green card ban last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic,
saying that it was necessary to protect the US workers amid high unemployment.
Financial Action Task Force kept Pakistan on grey list, adds 4 new countries
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) kept North Korea and Iran as the only two countries on its blacklist
but added four new countries to its grey list for increased monitoring.
Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal and the Cayman Islands have been added to the grey list. Pakistan continues
to be on the grey list. With the four additions, the grey list now has 19 countries.
23 February 2021
BANKING & FINANCE
Finance Minister proposed increase in FDI cap in insurance sector to 74%
The government has raised the foreign direct investment limit in insurance from 49% to 74% while
announcing the union budget 2021.
The step is expected to help private insurers get access to more foreign capital, which is expected to
accelerate their growth and improve insurance penetration in India.
World Bank & Bangladesh signed deal USD 500 million to improve Road and Digital Connectivity
The Bangladesh government signed an agreement with the World Bank for the up-gradation of rural roads
and connectivity in the western region.
The project is expected to benefit over 20 million people in the western region of Bangladesh. The project
will further finance the installation of fiber-optic cables along the highway to ensure fast and reliable internet
service.
RBI unveiled risk-based internal audit guidelines for select NBFCs, urban co-op banks
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled the risk-based internal audit (RBIA) system for select non-bank
lenders and urban co-operative banks, with a view to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their internal
audit system.
All the deposit-taking non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and the ones with an asset size of over Rs
5,000 crore, and urban co-operatives banks (UCBs) with assets of over Rs 500 crore will have to migrate to
the new system.
Reserve Bank of India proposed ‘One Nation One Ombudsman’ approach for grievance redressal
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that it will integrate the consumer grievances redressal
under a single ombudsman as opposed to the three grievance redressal schemes working at present.
Currently, there are dedicated ombudsman schemes for the consumer grievance redressal in the banking,
non-bank finance companies and digital transactions. RBI will adopt the ‗One Nation One Ombudsman‘
approach to make the alternate dispute redress mechanism simple and more responsive to the users.
24 February 2021
IDFC Mutual Fund has announced the launch of IDFC Floating Rate Fund. It is an open-ended debt scheme
predominantly investing in floating rate instruments.
IDFC Floating Rate Fund aims to invest a minimum of 65% of its corpus in floating rate securities issued by
corporates or the government.
25 February 2021
For the first time, Kotak customers can conveniently transfer money internationally to their beneficiaries
straight from their mobile.
Reserve Bank of India permitted residents to make remittances to IFSCs under LRS
The Reserve Bank of India has permitted resident individuals to make remittances under the Liberalised
Remittance Scheme (LRS) to International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in the country.
The decision of the RBI is aimed at deepening the financial markets in the IFSCs and providing an
opportunity for resident individuals to diversify their portfolios.
Governor of Reserve Bank of India projected growth rate of 10.5% for next financial year
Reserve Bank of India‘s Governor Shaktikanta Das has reiterated that the central bank has projected the
country‘s growth forecast of 10.5% for the next year.
Mr. Das stated that the liquidity will continue to be sufficient and the central bank will make available
liquidity at the appropriate times.
26 February 2021
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
India to emerge as most resilient economy after Germany in 2021
According to a report released by industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), India
will emerge as the most resilient economy after Germany in 2021.
Germany ranks first in the PHDCCI International Economic Resilience (IER) Rank followed by India and
South Korea at second and third positions, respectively.
Ford Motor Co & Google joined hands to offer cloud-based data services
Ford Motor Co will tap into software, artificial intelligence and cloud computing offered by Alphabet Inc‘s
Google to develop new consumer services and modernize internal operations.
As part of a six-year partnership, the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker will incorporate the tech giant‘s
Android operating system into its Ford and Lincoln vehicles starting in 2023.
Ministry Defence awarded HAL contract to manufacture 83 Tejas fighter jets to HAL
The Defence Ministry has awarded a contract to manufacture 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighters
to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at the Aero India international air show.
The Indian Air Force had issued a tender for 83 LCAs about two years ago and the project was stuck over
the pricing issue as both IAF and the centre had felt that the price offered by HAL was slightly high.
27 February 2021
UNICEF and SII entered into an agreement into long term supply for COVID-19 vaccines
The Serum Institute of India (SII) and the UNICEF entered into an agreement for long-term supply of
Novavax and AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines.
Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine Covishield is being manufactured by the SII and Novavax vaccine is being
produced by US-based Novavax Inc. The UNICEF will have access to about 1.1 billion vaccine doses for 100
countries.
Zomato joined hands with Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to deliver street food
As a part of Prime Minister Street Vendor‘s AtmaNibhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme, Ministry of Housing
and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has entered into MoU with Zomato.
This will give street food vendors online access to thousands of consumers and help these vendors grow
their businesses. MoHUA has also launched the mobile app for PM SVANidhi se Samriddhi- Socio-economic
profiling of PM SVANidhi beneficiaries.
Triton Electric Vehicle signed MoU with BEL for development of Electric Vehicle
US-based Triton Electric Vehicle has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bharat
Electronics Limited (BEL) for developing electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
As per the MoU, BEL will be the exclusive manufacturing partner to Triton in India for identified products,
while Triton will provide the know-how and technical documentation required for the manufacturing of
these products.
Apple partnered with TSMC to develop micro OLED displays for AR devices
Apple Inc has partnered with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to develop micro OLED
displays, which it plans to use in its upcoming augmented reality (AR) devices.
TSMC is the sole supplier of iPhone processors. Micro OLED displays are thinner, smaller, and use less
power, making them more suitable for use in wearable AR devices.
28 February 2021
Tesla has invested $1.5 billion in bitcoin, making it the biggest investment by a mainstream corporation into
the most popular crypto currency.
In addition, the company plans to start accepting digital currency as a payment option for its products. Soon
after Tesla‘s announcement, the rate of bitcoin skyrocketed to an all-time high, breaching the $44,000-mark
for the first time.
HCL Technologies signed agreement with IIT Kanpur to boost capabilities in cyber security
HCL Technologies has inked an agreement with IIT Kanpur to collaborate in the area of cyber security. As
part of the pact, HCL will work with C3iHub, a specialized cyber security research center at IIT Kanpur.
The teams will develop a security framework and solutions for cyber security challenges in current and
future operational technologies as one of the first areas of interest.
Indian Oil signed pact with Greenstat Norway for hydrogen fuel
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and the Greenstat Norway signed an agreement to set up the Centre of
Excellence on Hydrogen. This agreement was signed some days after India unveiled its national hydrogen
mission.
The National Hydrogen Mission was unveiled by the Indian government to accelerate their plans to generate
the carbon-free fuel from renewable sources. The government has also pledged in the Union Budget for
2021-22 to focus on generating hydrogen from the green power sources.
NTPC Limited decided to start 1st Hydrogen fuel bus service on Delhi-Jaipur route
India's largest energy conglomerate, NTPC Limited (National Thermal Power Corporation Limited) is
planning to start a premium hydrogen fuel bus service on Delhi to Jaipur route.
It is going to be the first FCEV bus service in India to be used for intercity commute. The new service is
going to be a pilot project to test the viability of fuel cell buses for the intercity commute.
Flipkart signed MoU with Government of Tamil Nadu to boost small-scale businesses
E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has signed a MoU with Tamil Nadu MSME Trade and Investment
Promotion Bureau to bring local artisans, weavers, & SMBs into e-commerce fold.
29 February 2021
The MoU will provide these societies with new vigour & link them to a national market for their products.
The Tamil Nadu government also has announced MSME Policy 2021 with a target to attract new
investments worth ₹2 lakh crore by 2025.
Airbus, FlyBlade India signed agreement for on-demand helicopter services in South Asia
European aviation major Airbus has signed an initial pact with FlyBlade India to help develop the on-demand
helicopter services market in South Asia.
The collaboration will create awareness about on demand helicopter services, among helicopter operators,
customers & other stakeholders in the region. The 2 partners will also work to identify ways to increase
BLADE's fleet size in South Asia.
Amazon India partnered with Mahindra Electric to include EVs in delivery fleet
Amazon India has partnered with Mahindra Electric to strengthen its commitment to electric mobility in the
country. It is looking to add 10,000 electric vehicles in its local delivery fleet by 2025.
Mahindra‘s Treo Zor vehicles have been deployed in 7 cities--Bengaluru, New Delhi, Hyderabad,
Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Indore, and Lucknow, with Amazon India‘s network of delivery service partners.
IWAI signed MoU with MOL for transportation of LPG through inland waterways
A MoU was signed between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the MOL (Asia Oceania)
Ltd for transportation of Liquefied Natural Gas through barges on National Waterways-1 and 2.
IWAI will provide support for, facilitating the handling of LPG cargo on IWAI terminals or Multimodal
Terminals at Haldia, Sahibganj and Varanasi. MOL Group is the world's largest gas carrier company.
IRCTC partnered with e-ticketing platform AbhiBus to offer bus ticket booking facility
Online e-ticketing platform AbhiBus announced its partnership with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism
Corporation (IRCTC) to provide bus ticket facility to the latter‘s customers.
The move will enable IRCTC get the bus inventory across 1, 00,000 bus routes and its customers the option
to book AC/ non-AC tickets/ buses as per their requirement.
30 February 2021
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Uber announced to acquired Alcohol delivery start-up Drizly for $1.1 billion
Uber Technologies Inc. has agreed to acquire Drizly Inc for $1.1 billion. Drizly is an alcohol e-commerce
platform that facilitates the delivery of alcohol.
The deal is Uber‘s biggest since July 2020 when it bought Postmates, a food delivery app. The Drizly
purchase primarily consists of Uber stock, with less than 10% in cash.
CCI approved BOI's 49% stake-buy in BOI AXA Investment Managers, BOI AXA Trust
Competition Commission of India has approved Bank of India's acquisition of 49% stake each in BOI AXA
Investment Managers (BAIM) and BOI AXA Trustee Services (BATS).
The total asset under management (AUM) of BOI AXA Mutual Fund was ₹2,426 crore as of 30 November
2020. Following the transaction, both the entities BAIM and BATS will become Bank of India's fully-owned
subsidiaries.
DLF Cyber City Developers Limited acquired 51.8% stake in Fairleaf Real Estate
DLF Group's rental arm DLF Cyber City Developers Limited (DCCDL) has acquired 51.8% stake in Fairleaf
Real Estate Private Limited for ₹780 crore. Fairleaf has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of DCCDL.
In December 2020, DCCDL had entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with funds managed by
Hines (Hines) for the acquisition of their stake in Fairleaf.
31 February 2021
It will acquire 58,500,000 shares for a total consideration of ₹70.20 crore constituting 38% in the paid-up
share capital of Hinduja Tech Ltd. Prior to the stake sale; Hinduja Tech Ltd was wholly-owned unlisted
subsidiary of Ashok Leyland.
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail acquired 33.5% stake in Goodview Properties Non-public Restricted
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail (ABFRL) has acquired 33.5% stake in Goodview Properties Private Limited
(GPPL). GPPL was founded by fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani, for Rs 67 crore.
Under this partnership, ABFRL and Tahiliani will also form a new entity. ABFRL will hold 80% stake in the
new entity while Tahiliani will hold the remaining 20%.
IIFL Securities and Axis Securities won bids to acquire Karvy accounts
Brokerage firms IIFL Securities and Axis Securities will acquire the accounts of Karvy Stock Broking after
winning the bids conducted by exchanges and depositories.
While IIFL will get the demat accounts of Karvy with depositories NSDL and CDSL, Axis Securities will
obtain the trading or broking accounts. IIFL Securities will get more than 1.1 million demat accounts.
32 February 2021
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Lt Gen Chandi Prasad Mohanty took charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Lt Gen Chandi Prasad Mohanty took charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding Lt Gen SK Saini.
Lt Gen Mohanty was heading the Army‘s Southern Command prior to this appointment.
An alumnus of the Indian Military College, Dehradun and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Lt Gen
CP Mohanty was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on 12 Jun 1982.
Amazon announced Jeff Bezos to step down as Amazon Chief Executive Officer
Amazon announced that founder Jeff Bezos will step down as Chief Executive Officer of the company during
the third quarter of 2021. Jeff Bezos is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Amazon and currently the
second-richest person in the world, after Elon Musk.
Bezos will transition to the role of Executive Chair of Amazon's board, while Amazon Web Services Chief
Executive Officer Andy Jassy will succeed him as the new Amazon CEO in Q3.
33 February 2021
S N Subrahmanyan appointed as Chairman of National Safety Council
S. N. Subrahmanyan, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of L&T Ltd, has been appointed as
Chairman of the National Safety Council.
"Subrahmanyan‘s experience will guide the National Safety Council which has a major role to play to ensure
safety in workplaces under new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH
Code, 2020).
Air Marshal Manavendra Singh took charge as Chief of IAF's Southern Command
Air Marshal Manavendra Singh has been appointed the Air Officer Commanding in Chief of the IAF's
Southern Air Command. He takes over from Air Marshal Amit Tiwari who has been posted as Chief of the
Central Air Command.
Mr. Singh has held a number of command and staff positions. He has commanded various frontline airbases
besides heading the IAF peacekeeping contingent in Bukavu in Congo.
Wipro Limited appointed Tomoaki Takeuchi as Country Head and Managing Director for Japan
Wipro Limited has appointed Tomoaki Takeuchi as the Country Head and Managing Director for Japan.
Prior to joining Wipro, he headed the Japan operations for Cognizant.
Wipro also announced the appointment of Michael Seiger as the country head and MD for Germany and
Austria. Prior to joining Wipro, Seiger was the global head of application management at Atos SE.
34 February 2021
He was previously head of ventures at Qualcomm Inc. before joining Microsoft in 2016. Managing Partner
Colin Fan is leaving his role to become an adviser to SoftBank Investment Advisers.
Government of Assam appointed sprinter Hima Das as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonwal announced that the state government has decided to appoint
sprinter Hima Das as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The Assam cabinet also amended the integrated sports policy of the state for the appointment of medal
winners of Olympics, Asian Games, CWG (Class 1) and medal winners of World Championships senior
(Class 2) officers in different departments of the state government.
Yoshiro Mori resigned as Chief Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organising committee
The Head of the Tokyo Olympics resigned after a scandal over sexist remarks he made about women
threatened to overshadow preparations for the pandemic-hit games.
Yoshiro Mori has come under increasing pressure after he said last week that women "have difficulty"
speaking concisely. The Japan Olympic Committee board has 25 members, among whom five are women.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce appointed Suzanne Clark as 1st woman Chief Executive Officer
The US Chamber of Commerce will soon see Suzanne Clark as its next CEO, the first woman to lead the
group. Clark, who's currently the President of the US Chamber, will succeed Thomas J. Donohue.
She was named as the President in June 2019. She serves on the boards of agricultural equipment maker
AGCO and TransUnion.
Tata Motors appointed Marc Llistosella as new Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
Tata Motors Ltd, India's largest vehicle maker appointed Marc Llistosella as the Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer (MD and CEO) of its India business. He will take a charge from July 1, 2021.
Previously he was serving as President and CEO of Fuso Truck Bus Corporation and Head of Daimler
Trucks in Asia. He will replace Guenter Butschek, who will work with Tata Motors till June.
35 February 2021
Aditya Mittal named as Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal, one of the world's biggest steel producers, has announced that Aditya Mittal would take over
as the Chief Executive Officer from his father, Lakshmi Mittal.
Lakshmi Mittal who would take on the mantle of Executive Chairman. Aditya Mittal was previously the
President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company, and Chief Executive Officer of its European
arm.
Ajay Mathur set to become next Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Ajay Mathur, who heads the Energy and Research Institute, is set to become the next Director General (DG)
of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
ISA, co-founded by India and France, is the first treaty-based international government organization to be
based in India. Mathur is also a member of the PM's Council on Climate Change and was earlier the DG of
the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
CEAT Tyre appointed Rana Daggubati as brand ambassador for new range of bike tyres
Tyre maker CEAT has roped in Rana Daggubati as its brand ambassador for promoting the 'Puncture Safe'
range of bike tyres. As part of the campaign across all 5 southern states, he will feature in the new
commercial for these tyres to be aired across TV and digital platforms.
The company has launched the tyres for motorcycles in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
and Kerala.
United Nations Capital Development Fund appointed Preeti Sinha as Executive Secretary
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has appointed Indian-origin investment and
development banker Preeti Sinha as its Executive Secretary. She is an Indian-origin investment and
development banker.
The Executive Secretary will work with her focus on providing the micro-finance assistance to women,
youth, small and medium-sized enterprises belonging to the underserved communities.
Kiran Bedi removed as Puducherry’s Lieutenant Governor amid political crisis in Union territory
The President has directed that Dr. Kiran Bedi shall cease to hold the office of the Lieutenant-Governor of
Puducherry and has given additonal charge to Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana.
Dr. Bedi is country‘s first woman IPS officer and BJP‘s Chief Ministerial candidate in Delhi in 2015. She was
appointed LG on May 28, 2016.
Ajai Malhotra became 1st Indian Chairperson of Advisory Committee at Human Rights Council
36 February 2021
Ajay Malhotra has become the first Indian to be elected as Chairperson of Advisory Committee of the
Human Right Council (HRC). He has served as the Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation till his
retirement in 2013.
After retirement, he served from 2015 to 2019 as Independent Director Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC), as also of ONGC Videsh (2017-2019).
Ajay H Patel elected as the Chief of Asian Zone of All India Chess Federation
Ajay H Patel was elected as the Chief of Asian Zone during the Annual General Body meeting of All India
Chess Federation held. Patel is the President of Gujrat State Chess Association as well as the Chairman of
Gujarat State Co-operative Bank.
The Annual General Body has also decided to nominate AICF secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan as FIDE
Delegate to represent India in the world body
N. Venudhar Reddy took over as Principal Director General of All India Radio News
Indian Information Service officer N. Venudhar Reddy took over as Principal Director General of All India
Radio News.
Prior to this, he was working as Joint Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset
Management under the Finance Ministry. He has earlier served as Additional Director General in the Bureau
of Outreach and Communication.
K. Sailendra appointed as Executive Director (Regional Services), Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
K. Sailendra has taken over as the executive director (Regional Services), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.,
southern region, comprising Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala and
Lakshadweep.
Besides being the regional in-charge for key areas, he will be the regional-level coordinator for the States
and the Union Territories.
37 February 2021
He was chosen along with a three-member presidency council to head a unity administration and steer the
North African state towards the ballot box on December 24.
ADB appointed Bruno Carrasco as Director General for sustainable development, climate change
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Bruno Carrasco as Director General and concurrently
Chief Compliance Officer of its sustainable development and climate change department.
Carrasco has worked at ADB for more than 23 years. He was most recently Chief of ADB's governance
thematic group. Carrasco has also worked at the United Nations Office for Project Services.
38 February 2021
RANKINGS
Democracy Index report 2020, released
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its report titled ―Democracy in sickness and in health?‖ and
also published the Democracy Index 2020. India‘s rank has degraded by two places from the previous year
ranking. This year India has been ranked at 53rd place.
In the Democracy Index, Norway has topped. The 2nd, 3rd 4th and 5th ranks have been secured by Iceland,
Sweden, New Zealand and Canada respectively in the index. The Democracy Index report 2020 by the
covers the 167 countries.
Virat Kohli retained India's top celebrity endorser for fourth consecutive year
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli retained the top celebrity endorser rank for the fourth consecutive
year in the 2020 Duff & Phelps celebrity brand valuation report. His brand value stands at $237.7 million.
Akshay Kumar retained the second position with a brand value of $118.9 million, registering a 13.8% jump.
Ranveer Singh maintained the third position with a brand value of $102.9 million.
Jeff Bezos overtook Elon Musk to become the world's richest person again
Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos reclaimed as the world‘s richest person after he knocked Tesla‘s
Chief Elon Musk from the top spot on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranking with a net wealth of $191.2
billion, or $955 million more than Elon Musk.
Tesla shares fell 2.4%, wiping out $4.6 billion from Musk‘s fortune. Musk had briefly taken over the Amazon
chief in January as the world‘s richest person in Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
39 February 2021
AWARDS & HONOURS
AR Rahman, activist won awards for being Good Samaritan work
AR Rahman and social activist from Saidapet Hari Krishnan were among the 14 people who were presented
the fourth edition of the Alert Being Awards 2020 by the NGO ALERT for their Good Samaritan work.
ALERT had been doing a brilliant job in empowering a common man to save lives. The Alert Being Icon
Award for an organisation was presented to the Biocon Foundation's founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
Jindal Steel and Power Limited conferred with Mahatma Award 2020
Chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL), Naveen Jindal has been conferred with the Mahatma
Award 2020. The Mahatma Award was founded and constituted by Amit Sachdeva, more famously known
as 'The CSR Man of India'.
He has been awarded for his humanitarian effort to support the communities and local administration in
fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
UN Chief and Moroccan-French activist won Zayed Award for Human Fraternity
United Nation‘s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French-Moroccan activist Latifa Ibn Ziaten are the
co-recipients of the 2021 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.
The award was inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity, which was signed by Grand Imam Al-Tayeb
and Pope Francis on February 2019, in the UAE‘s capital. The award carries a cash prize of $500,000.
40 February 2021
The festival will show more than 50 films from filmmakers across the country & across multiple genres,
languages & formats. The festival will also allow viewers to donate funds to support the films and filmmakers
of their choice.
Indian short film 'Bittu' shortlisted for the 93rd Academy Awards in Live Action Category
Indian short film 'Bittu' has been shortlisted for the 93rd Academy Awards in Live Action Category. India‘s
official Oscar entry Jallikattu has failed to make it to the International Feature Film shortlist.
Bittu has emerged amongst the Top 10 candidates after the first round of voting, competing amongst 174
films from across the globe. The film has been inspired by the infamous school poisoning of 2013 and
explores the close friendship between two school girls on a seemingly normal day at school.
Telangana’s Manasa Varanasi emerged as the winner of VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020.
Telangana's Manasa Varanasi was crowned VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020. It was the 57th edition of
the Femina Miss India beauty pageant.
Haryana‘s Manika Sheokand was declared VLCC Femina Miss Grand India 2020, while Uttar Pradesh‘s
Manya Singh was crowned VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 - runner-up.
41 February 2021
Jat Regimental Centre bagged the trophy of best marching contingent among the Tri-Services while Delhi
Police was adjudged as the best marching contingent among the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and
other auxiliary services.
Manipur doctor won high Japanese honour for promoting ties between 2 nations
Japan has conferred the "Order of the Rising Sun" on Manipur physician and former President of state
tourism forum, Dr Thangjam Dhabali Singh.
The honour is given to felicitate his contribution to strengthening ties between Japan and India, and Japan
and Manipur. It is one of the highest orders conferred by Japan govt. to non-military and apolitical
personalities, constituted in 1875.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh conferred SKOCH Chief Minister of the Year Award
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been conferred the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year award. The
award selection was based on a study of project-level outcomes in various states.
The award was presented to him by the Chairman, Skoch Group, Sameer Kochhar, at the CM‘s camp office.
Kay Kay Menon honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award for most versatile actor
Kay Kay Menon has been honoured with the award for 'Most Versatile Actor' at Dadasaheb Phalke
International Film Festival 2021. DPIFF is one of India's most prestigious awards ceremony which honours
actors and artists who have contributed to the Indian cinema.
It is India‘s only independent award function with a mission to celebrate the legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke,
Father of Indian Cinema.
Jasmine Harrison became youngest woman to row solo across the ocean
A 21-year-old swimming teacher, Jasmine Harrison from North Yorkshire in the UK has become the
youngest woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
She reached Antigua in the Caribbean after 70 days, three hours and 48 minutes after covering 3,000 miles.
The previous youngest female solo ocean rower was 22-year-old Katie Spots from the USA who rowed the
Atlantic east-to-west in 2010.
Late Sushant Singh Rajput honoured with 'Critic's Best Actor' award
42 February 2021
Late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in the 'Critic's
Best Actor' category during the prestigious award ceremony held.
The official of Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival announced the same through social media post.
The actor died under mysterious circumstances in June 2020.
Ayodhya district administration received Skoch Gold Award for COVID-19 Management
The Ayodhya district administration has been felicitated with Skoch Gold Award for the measures taken to
contain COVID-19. The city had participated in the esteemed 68th SKOCH awards, which were organised
through the digital mode.
Skoch Award was started in 2003 to facilitate people, projects and institutions for their contributions to
society and make India a better nation.
Uttar Pradesh received award for fastest implementation of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana
Uttar Pradesh received award for fastest implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in
the category of fastest take off in year 2020-21. Nearly 1.53 crore farmers were registered during the
period of December 2018 to March 2019 in state.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi state government is committed for the welfare of
farmers of state.
43 February 2021
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Next SpaceX commercial crew mission announced to launch in April
The 2nd operational SpaceX commercial crew mission to the International Space Station will be launched on
20 April 2021. It will be carrying astronauts from ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan) and NASA (US).
The four astronauts will replace the Crew-1 astronauts who flew to the station in Nov 2020 on the 1st
operational Crew Dragon mission.
44 February 2021
NASA has signed a statement of intent with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency (JAXA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for collaboration in the mission.
Indian Navy received three Mk III Advanced Light Helicopters from HAL
The Indian Navy received three made in India Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) from Hindustan
Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). The helicopters are customised for coastal security.
Out of 16 Mk-III helicopters ordered, three have been delivered. The naval version of ALH is fitted with an
array of advanced sensors that can detect Mumbai terror attacks like intrusions on Indian waters.
Skyroot & Bellatrix signed MoU to use latter's orbital transfer vehicle
Skyroot Aerospace and Bellatrix Aerospace have signed a MoU to use the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV)
being developed by Bellatrix Aerospace.
An Orbital Transfer Vehicle is a spacecraft that can perform various in-orbit operations, allowing a launch
vehicle to deliver satellites to more orbits. Skyroot and Bellatrix plan to have the first mission of a Vikram
launcher with an OTV by 2023.
45 February 2021
Two satellites, developed by the Indian start-ups SpaceKidz India and Pixxel (incorporated as Sygyzy) were
tested at the UR Rao Satellite Centre. ISRO also helped these two companies in fixing problems with the
solar panels on their respective satellites.
Indian astronomers detected huge optical flare from super massive black hole
Indian astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding super massive black hole or
blazar called BL Lacertae, analysis of which can help trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this
emission. Such analysis can provide a lead to probe mysteries and trace events at different stages of
evolution of the Universe
Blazars or feeding super massive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from
the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism.
46 February 2021
They were lying hidden in plain sight and were founded by the researchers of the GSI- Geological Survey of
India who had gone to Bhimbetka before the 36th International Geological Congress. Dickinsonia dates back
to 550 million years.
The National Informatics Centre has launched an instant messaging platform 'Sandes'
The National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has
launched an instant messaging platform called ―Sandes‖
Similar to WhatsApp, the new government instant messaging systems (GIMS) platform can be used for all
kinds of communications by anyone using a mobile number or email address.
CSIR inked MoU with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to promote health research
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the development, conduct and promotion of health
research in India.
Gates Foundation and CSIR will work together to identify opportunities to initiate scientific and technological
collaborations.
47 February 2021
Helena is the Army version and Dhruvastra is the Air Force version of the ALH. The missile systems have
been designed and developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO).
NASA released first audio from Mars, video of Perseverance rover landing
The United States space agency, NASA, released the first audio from Mars. It was a faint crackling recording
of the wind that was captured by Perseverance rover. NASA has also released the first video of landing of
the rover.
The rover is on a mission to search if there is any sign of past life on the MARS (RED Planet). The rover sent
a high-definition video clip of about three minutes and 25 seconds. Video shows deployment of a red-and-
white parachute having 70.5-foot-wide canopy.
Facebook banned Myanmar military from its platforms with immediate effect
Facebook announced ban on the Myanmar military from using its Facebook and Instagram platforms with
immediate effect, as weeks of mass demonstrations continue in the Southeast Asian country after the
military seized power.
Decision to ban the Myanmar army came due to exceptionally severe human rights abuses and the clear risk
of future military-initiated violence in Myanmar as well as the army‘s repeated history of violating Facebook‘s
rules, including since the coup.
48 February 2021
SPORTS
India topped medals tally at first Asian Online Shooting Championship
The Indian shooting contingent has topped the medals tally in the first-ever Asian Online Shooting
Championship, organised by Kuwait Shooting Federation.
The 24-member Indian shooting contingent won total 11 medals, which included four gold medals, two
silver and five bronze medals. 274 shooters from 22 Asian countries took part in the competition.
Rishabh Pant & Joe Root nominated for ICC Men's Player of the Month
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the nominees for the inaugural ICC Player of the
Month Awards that recognise and celebrate the best performances across all forms of international cricket
throughout the year.
The nominees for Men's Player of the Month (January) are Rishabh Pant (India), Joe Root (England) and Paul
Stirling (Ireland). The nominees for the Women's Player of the Month include Diana Baig (Pakistan),
Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail from South Africa.
Former pacer Merv Hughes inducted into Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
Former right-arm fast bowler Merv Hughes has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. In
2005, Hughes became a selector for the Australian cricket team, a role he would hold through until 2010.
The 59-year-old played 53 Tests and 33 ODIs for Australia in a career spanning from 1985 to 1994, during
which he captured 212 Test wickets and 38 ODI wickets.
Government of India permitted BCCI to use drones for aerial filming of cricket matches
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ave granted a
conditional exemption to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the deployment of drones for
live aerial cinematography of the India Cricket Season in 2021.
49 February 2021
The Drone Rules 2021 are in the final stages of discussion with the Law Ministry and approval is expected by
March 2021.
Germany’s Bayern Munich won 2020 FIFA Club World Cup football tournament
Germany‘s Bayern Munich defeated Mexico‘s Tigers 1-0 in the final played at Doha to win the 2020 FIFA
Club World Cup football tournament.
Benjamin Pavard scored for Bayern Munich. Six continental confederations and the host nation‘s league
champions participate in the tournament every year.
Ravichandran Ashwin became 1st bowler to dismiss left-handers 200 times in Tests
Team India‘s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the 1st player in the 143-year history of Test cricket
to take 200 wickets against left-handed batsmen. Fast bowler Stuart Broad was the 200th left-hander to be
dismissed by Ashwin.
He achieved the feat during the second day of India's second Test against England here at the MA
Chidambaram Stadium, his home ground.
Chief Minister of Odisha laid foundation stone of India's largest hockey stadium in Rourkela
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation stone of India's biggest international hockey stadium at
Rourkela in Sundergarh district. The new hockey stadium will be named after freedom fighter 'Birsa Munda'
and will have a seating capacity of more than 20,000.
The state government has set a target to complete the construction of stadium ahead of the men's FIH
Hockey World Cup 2023.
South Africa's Chris Morris became most expensive player in auction history
Chris Morris became the costliest ever player at an IPL auction for Rajasthan Royal. Krishnappa Gowtham
became the costliest Indian uncapped player for Chennai Super Kings at the IPL 2021 auction.
Prior to Chris Morris, Yuvraj Singh was the costliest-ever buy in auction history as he was bought for Rs 16
crore by Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2015. A total of 292 players were enlisted for the auctions- 164 of them
Indian and 125 overseas.
IPL governing council confirmed that VIVO is back as Title Sponsor for IPL 2021
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has made an announcement that smartphone manufacturer VIVO will be
returning as the title sponsor for 2021. Brijesh Patel, the Chairman of the Indian Premier League made this
announcement.
Under the IPL "mini-auction" for 2021, 291 players will be listed. The cricketers have been shortlisted by the
eight franchises.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka won Australian Open tennis women’s singles title
50 February 2021
Japan‘s Naomi Osaka won her second Australian Open and her fourth title in her past eight appearances at a
Grand Slam tennis women‘s singles title by beating American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 in the final in
Melbourne.
Before this, Osaka had won the 2019 Australian Open and 2018 and 2020 US Open titles. The 2020 AP
Female Athlete of the Year is also on a 21-match winning streak that dates to last season.
Serbian Tennis player Novak Djokovic won 9th Australian Open Title
Novak Djokovic, the world-number one Serbian Tennis player defeated Daniil Medvedev of Russia 7-5, 6-2,
6-2 in the finals of the Australian Open 2021 at Rod Laver Arena in Australia to win his 9th Australian Title.
This is also the 18th Grand Slam win for Djokovic, just two behind from Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Earlier, the Serbian Player had defeated Aslan Karatsev in the semi-finals, while Daniil Medvedev had
outclassed the Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Union Sports Minister announced Karnataka to host 2nd Khelo India Games
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that the 2nd Khelo India University Games will be hosted
by Karnataka. It will be held in partnership with the Association of Indian Universities.
Over 4,000 sportsmen under the age of 25 will compete. The 1st edition was held in Bhubaneswar in 2020.
In the 2nd edition of the games, Yogasana and Mallakhamb have also been added.
51 February 2021
BOOKS & AUTHORS
The book titled ‘Yes Man: The Untold Story of Rana Kapoor’ released
The book titled ‗Yes Man: The Untold Story of Rana Kapoor‘ by Pavan C. Lall has been released. Yes Man is the
story of Rana Kapoor, and his Icarus-like flight that eventually led to the Yes Bank crisis.
In this hard-hitting book, Pavan C. Lall details not only Rana Kapoor‘s journey, but also asks tough questions
about the banking system, its regulators and even the business environment that led to a point of no return for
Yes Bank.
Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama launched a book 'The Little Book of Encouragement'
Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has come up with his new book "The Little Book of Encouragement". It
has 130 quotes and is edited by Renuka Singh and published by Penguin Random House.
He has praised India's rich civilizational heritage in his book, saying it is rooted in the long-standing traditions
of karuna and ahimsa: compassion and non-violence.
Sangeet Paul Choudary’s Book ‘Platform Scale: For a Post-Pandemic World’ released
A Book titled ‗Platform Scale: For a Post-Pandemic World‘ has been authored by Sangeet Paul Choudhary. It
is published by Penguin Random House India.
It explains the importance of inner workings of platform business models and their ability to scale rapidly.
The 1st edition of Platform Scale was published in 2015.
52 February 2021
The memoir promises to offer insights into Priyanka Chopra Jonas‘ childhood in India, her formative teenage
years in the US.
Penguin Random House India announced new book on India’s scam culture
Penguin Random House India announced the acquisition of a new book by award-winning journalist and
author Snigdha Poonam that gives an insight into the subculture of scams, cons and frauds in the country.
The book, titled ―India: A Scamster Born Every Minute‖, will be released under Penguin‘s Viking imprint in
2022, the publishing house. It proposes to navigate the sociocultural landscape of India and maps the
evolution of corruption in the country.
53 February 2021