HEADLINES

 World Food Day: 16 October

 Odisha won Best State Award at 5th National Water Awards 2023.
 Manoj Kumar Dubey assumed charge as CMD & CEO of IRFC.
 Union Ministry of Earth Sciences installed X-band radar in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
 e-Migrate V2.0 web portal and Mobile App has been inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr S
Jaishankar.
 India and Colombia signed the Audiovisual Co-production Agreement in New Delhi
 India and US signed Rs. 32,000 crore deal for acquisition of 31 predator drones and MRO facility
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 S Paramesh has been appointed as the new chief of the Indian Coast Guard
 HAL becomes 14th Maharatna CPSE in India
 JP Nadda inaugurates 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities
 MSDE partners with Meta for AI Assistant in Skill India Mission and 5 Centers of Excellence in
NSTIs
 Historic medal for Ayhika & Sutirthat at Asian T T Championships 2024
 India to host Junior World Cup of shooting in 2025
 Harmanpreet Singh emerges as most expensive player in Hockey auction
 India beat Taipei to win women’s single Bendigo International Challenge Badminton Tournament

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 World Food Day: 16 October

 World Food Day is observed every year worldwide on October 16.

 World Food Day is observed to raise awareness about the importance of good food and nutrition.
 This day was established by FAO in 1979.
 It is observed to mark the founding of the United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organization in 1945.
 This year World Food Day has been observed under the theme
“Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future”.
 According to the Global Hunger Index 2024, Somalia, Yemen,
Chad, Madagascar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are
the five countries which are mostly affected from hunger and
malnutrition.
 More than 2.8 billion people in the world are unable to afford a
healt

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 Odisha won Best State Award at 5th National Water Awards 2023

 On October 14, the 5th National Water Awards 2023 were announced in New Delhi.
 In the best state category, Odisha bagged the first prize, while Uttar Pradesh got the second position.
 Gujarat and Puducherry jointly secured the third position.
 On October 22, the 5th National Water Awards 2023 will be presented
by President Draupadi Murmu in New Delhi.
 The awards will be presented to a total of 38 winners, including joint
winners in nine categories.
 Each award winner will receive a citation and a trophy as well as a
cash prize in some categories.
 To create awareness among people about the importance of water
and to motivate people to adopt best water use practices, the 1st
National Water Awards were instituted in 2018 by the Department of
Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
 The National Water Awards (NWA) focus on the good work and efforts
done by individuals and organizations across the country towards realizing the Government’s dream of a ‘Water Prosperous
India’.

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 These awards are meant to create awareness among people about the importance of water and motivate them to adopt
best water use practices.
About Odisha
Formation: 1 April 1936
Governor: Raghubar Das
Chief minister: Mohan Charan Majhi (BJP)
Assembly: 147 seats
Rajya Sabha: 10 seats
Lok Sabha: 21 seats

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 Manoj Kumar Dubey assumed charge as CMD & CEO of IRFC

 Manoj Kumar Dubey appointed as its Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC).
 Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) is a miniratna
public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Railways.
 Prior to this, Dubey was serving as Director (Finance) and
Chief Financial Officer of Container Corporation of India.
 IRFC has total assets of Rs 50,755 crore and over 51 lakh
shareholders - the highest for any company in India.
 With a market capitalisation of over Rs 2 lakh crore, IRFC
ranks among the top public sector companies and undertakings
in the country.
 Established in 1986, IRFC raises funds from both domestic
and international markets to meet the extra budgetary resource (EBR) requirements of Indian Railways.

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 Union Ministry of Earth Sciences installed X-band radar in
Kerala’s Wayanad district

 After devastating floods and landslides, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences installed X-band radar in Kerala’s Wayanad
district.
 This device will also perform high temporal sampling, which will allow it to
spot particle movements happening in shorter spans of time.
 In the early 1950s, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) started using
radar for weather applications.
 This new radar at Wayanad will monitor the movements of particles, such as
soil, to inform landslide warnings.
 Radar uses radio waves to determine the distance, velocity, and physical
characteristics of objects around the device.
 Weather radar, also known as Doppler radar, is a common application of this
device.
 In the X-band radar network, India has both wind-finding and storm-detecting
radars.

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 The initiative to install an X-band radar in Wayanad includes installing a C-band radar (4-8 GHz) with an observational
range of 250 km in Mangaluru.
 NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are currently developing a satellite called NISAR.
About Kerala
Formation: 1 November 1956
Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan (CPI(M))
Assembly: 140 seats
Rajya Sabha: 9 seats
Lok Sabha: 20 seats

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 e-Migrate V2.0 web portal and Mobile App has been inaugurated by
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar

 This portal promotes safe and legal mobility channels for Indian migrants.
 The eMigrate V2.0 portal’s launch, according to Dr. Jaishankar,
is evidence of the government’s efforts to provide secure, open,
and inclusive mobility for Indians.
 According to him, the updated portal represents the government’s
dedication to upholding the rights and dignity of Indian labourers
employed abroad.
 The Minister stated that this is significant because it also supports
the promotion of orderly, safe, regular, and responsible
movement and mobility of people, which is Goal 10 of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
 The Minister of External Affairs noted that the number of
passports issued has nearly doubled in recent years.
 Dr. Jaishankar also noted the fact that the portal will also give migrants social security

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 India and Colombia signed the Audiovisual Co-production
Agreement in New Delhi

 Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan was the signatory representative of India.
 Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Jorge Enrique Rojas Rodriguez was the signatory representing his
country.
 This agreement will benefit producers from both countries.
 It will also lead to an exchange of art and culture among India
and Colombia.
 It will also boost cultural ties between India and Colombia.
 At present, India has co-production treaties with 16 countries.
 Colombia is the 17th country with which India has signed a
Co-Production Agreement.
About Colombia
Capital: Bagota
Currency: Colombian peso
President: Gustavo Petro

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 India and US signed Rs. 32,000 crore deal for acquisition of 31 predator
drones and MRO facility

 India and the United States to sign a Rs. 32,000 crore agreement for the acquisition of 31 Predator drones and the
establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the procurement.
 15 drones will be allocated to the Indian Navy. The remaining drones will be equally divided between the Air Force and
the Army.
 The Foreign Military Sales contract will be finalized during the signing ceremony in New Delhi.

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 It will also be attended by top Indian defence officials, including the Joint Secretary and Acquisition Manager for naval
systems.
 The Predator drones will be stationed at four key locations: INS Rajali near Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat, and two
airbases in Uttar Pradesh.
 This procurement will be a tri-service agreement, with the number of drones determined after a comprehensive study by
the Indian military.

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 S Paramesh has been appointed as the new chief of the Indian Coast Guard

 S Paramesh has assumed the office on October 15.

 He was serving as the acting Director General of the Indian Coast Guard after the passage of Rakesh Pal.
 During his 30-year’s career, Paramesh has held numerous
significant positions both at sea and on land.
 He has extensive experience in commanding key vessels such as
the Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel Samar and the Offshore Patrol
Vessel Vishwast.
 He has previously served as the Deputy Director General for
Operations and Coastal Security and as the Coast Guard
Commander for the Eastern Seaboard.
Chief of Airstaff: Amar Preeth Sing
Chief of Navvy: Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi
Chief of Army: General Upendra Dwivedi

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 HAL becomes 14th Maharatna CPSE in India

 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will now be the 14th ‘Maharatna’ company among Central Public Sector
Enterprises (CPSE), the Finance Ministry announced.
 This status will give more autonomy to the company in terms of financial and strategic matters.
 HAL is a Department of Defence Production (DoDP) CPSE with an annual turnover of Rs. 28162 crore and a net profit
of Rs. 7595 crore for FY2023-24.
14 Maharatna CPSEs
1. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
2. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
3. Coal India Limited
4. GAIL India Limited
5. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
6. Indian Oil Corporation Limited
7. NTPC Limited
8. Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Limited,
9. Power Finance Corporation

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 10. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited
11. Steel Authority of India Limited
12. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited
13. Oil India Ltd
14. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

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 JP Nadda inaugurates 19th International Conference of
Drug Regulatory Authorities

 Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the 19th International Conference of
Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA).
 The event which is being hosted for the first time in India, from
14th -18th October.
 This meeting was conducted by the Central Drugs Standard
Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, in collaboration with, the World Health Organization
(WHO).
 The 5-day conference will feature a series of insightful sessions
where regulatory authorities and industry leaders will deliberate
on key issues affecting global drug and medical device regulation.

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 MSDE partners with Meta for AI Assistant in Skill India Mission
and 5 Centers of Excellence in NSTIs

 The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has partnered with Meta for the launch of two key
initiatives.
 An AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and the
establishment 5 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality
(VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) at National Skill Training
Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur,
Chennai, and Kanpur.
 Under this partnership, an innovative AI chatbot powered by
Meta’s open-source Llama model will be developed, which
will enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital
(SID) Portal.
 The chatbot, which will be integrated into the SID Portal, offers
24/7 assistance to users
 The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimize the platform.

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 Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of
the chatbot, which will be piloted over six months.
 The Skill India Digital Portal will be the nation’s skilling ecosystem, with millions of students accessing courses aimed
at improving their employability. With the launch of the AI chatbot.
 MSDE and Meta are taking a significant step forward in revolutionizing how students interact with course content and
prepare for the future.
 Further, Skillveri, the technical partner for establishing the CoEs, will provide cutting-edge VR and MR resources,
curriculum, and trained professionals to equip learners and instructors with the latest technology, enabling immersive
and interactive learning experiences.

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 Historic medal for Ayhika & Sutirthat at Asian T T Championships 2024

 In Table Tennis, India’s top-ranked pair of Ayhika Mukherjee and Sutirtha Mukherjee have scripted history by clinching
the first-ever medal for the country in Women’s Doubles of Asian
Championships 2024 at Astana in Kazakhstan.
 The Indian pair settled for the bronze medal after losing to the
Japanese combination of Miwa Harimoto and Miyuu Kihara 0-3
in the semi-finals.
 Miwa Harimoto was part of Japan’s Paris 2024 Olympics silver-
medal team, and Miyuu Kihara is a three-time World
Championships medal winner.
 This was the first medal for the Indian women’s doubles team in
the Asian Table Tennis Championships since 1972.
 India ended the 27th Asian Table Tennis Championships with three
bronze medals. The Indian men’s and women’s teams won a bronze
medal in their respective events.

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 India to host Junior World Cup of shooting in 2025

 The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) President Luciano Rossi confirmed that India will host the ISSF
Junior World Cup in 2025.
 India continues to be a significant force in the world of shooting not only with its talented athletes but also through its
commitment to expanding the sport’s infrastructure and reach.
 Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was present during the
occasion.
Upcoming Sport Events
Asian Track Cycling Championships 2024 - India
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - USA
Kho Kho World Cup in 2025 - India
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 - Australia
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 - Brazil
World Aquatics Championships 2029 - Beijing
AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2029 - Uzbekistan

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 Harmanpreet Singh emerges as most expensive player in Hockey auction

 India captain Harmanpreet Singh became the most expensive player.

 The Hockey India League auction, with Soorma Hockey Club snapping the star drag-flicker for 78 lakh rupees.
 Abhishek became the second-most expensive buy, acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for 72 lakh rupees, while
Hardik Singh went to UP Rudras for 70 lakh rupees.
 The league will get underway on 28th December this year.

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 India beat Taipei to win women’s single
Bendigo International Challenge Badminton Tournament

 India’s Tanya Hemanth beat Tung Ciou-Tong of Taipei in straight games to win the women’s singles title at the Bendigo
International Challenge badminton tournament in Bendigo, Australia.
 The second-seeded Tanya beat her opponent Tung, seeded sixth in the tournament,
21-17, 21-17 in the women’s singles final.
 This was 21-year-old Tanya’s third international title and first of the year. She finished
runner-up at the Polish Open and Azerbaijan International in 2024. She won titles at
the India International in 2022 and Iran Fajr International in 2023.
 In the men’s doubles final, the top-seeded Indian pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and
Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi lost to the Taipei duo of Chen Cheng Kuan and Po
Li-Wei 17-21, 14-2.

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