1st Aug to 15th Aug

INDIA AND THE WORLD

Indo-UK bilateral Air Exercise Indradhanush
Indo-UK bilateral Air Exercise Indradhanush between Indian Air Force (IAF) and British Royal Air Forces (RAF)
concluded successfully. It was held in Britain.
Land Border Agreement between India and Bangladesh comes into effect
162 enclaves of India and Bangladesh were integrated with the main land with the execution of Land Border
Agreement, 1974 between the two countries at midnight on 31 July 2015. According to the agreement, 51
Bangladeshi enclaves situated at Indian soil in Cooch behar District of West Bengal amalgamated with India, while
111 Indian enclaves in Bangladeshi territory integrated with Bangladesh.
India foils Pangaeas Patent bid on turmeric, pine bark and tea
India foiled a British Companys bid to patent the use of turmeric, pine bark and tea for treating hair loss and
succeeded in protecting its traditional knowledge. The UK based company Pangaea Laboratories Limited had filed
patent application at European Patent office in February 2011 on a medicinal composition containing turmeric, pine
bark and green tea for treating hair loss.
India and Mozambique sign MoU
India and Mozambique signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation in New and Renewable
Energy Sector. The agreement was signed during the official visit of Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique to
India. Moreover, both nations also agreed to intensify cooperation in maritime security and ocean economy.
India to boycott Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
India will boycott the 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, which was to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan
from 30 September to 8 October 2015. The unanimous decision to boycott the meeting was taken after the
conclusion of the meeting of the Speakers of all State Legislative Assemblies in New Delhi. The meeting was called
to discuss the Pakistan's deliberate decision to not invite the Speaker of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Kavinder
Gupta.
India to set up Software Training Institute in Myanmar
India and Myanmar inked an agreement to set up Centre of Excellence in Software Development and Training
(CESDT) in Myanmar. The project will be set up with the financial support from ASEAN-India Cooperation fund and
will be implemented by C-DAC. The project envisages setting up of a state of the art Information and
Communication Technology Centre, imparting intensive teachers training, extending support for ICT curriculum
development.
World Bank loan for NCRMP-II
Union Government and World Bank signed a USD 308.40 million credit agreement in support of the second phase
of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Program (NCRMP-II). The agreement was also signed by the state
Governments of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
4th US - India Cyber Dialogue held
US - India Cyber Dialogue 2015 was held at the US Department of State in Washington, DC. The dialogue was held
with an aim to increase global cyber security and promote the digital economy. The Dialogue was led by the US
Cyber security Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President Michael Daniel and by India's Deputy National
Security Advisor Arvind Gupta.

INTERNATIONAL
UNGA reach consensus on new SDG
The 193 member states of the United Nations reached agreement on a new Sustainable Development Agenda for
the next 15 years. It calls for eradicating poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality, improving living
standards and taking urgent action to combat climate change. The draft agreement outlines 17 goals with 169
specific targets on issues ranging from ending poverty in all its forms everywhere to ensuring quality education
and affordable and reliable energy.
Egypt unveils Suez Canal expansion
Egypt on unveiled a major expansion of the new Suez Canal. It was inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel
Fattah al-Sisi in a ceremony held at port city of Ismailiya, located on west bank of canal. This new waterway is
expected to boost traffic that passes through the canal. The project got completed in one-year span with an
estimated cost of USD 8 billion.
70th Hiroshima Day observed
70th Hiroshima Day was observed on 6 August 2015. The day is observed to commemorate 6 August 1945, the
day when an American Boeing B-29 Super fortress bomber, named the Enola Gay, dropped an atomic bomb on the
Japanese city of Hiroshima.
ASEAN Foreign Ministers meet held in Kuala Lumpur
The 48th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers meet was held in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. The meet was held under the theme "Our People, Our Community, Our Vision", to create an ASEAN
Community which is truly people-oriented and people-centered.
Sino-Pak agreement on economic corridor
China and Pakistan signed 20 agreements worth USD 1.6 billion to implement the ambitious China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. These agreements were signed during the CPEC Forum that was held at
Karamay city in Xinjiang province of China bordering. The CPEC connects Xinjiang Province of China with
Pakistans strategic Gwadar Port and passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

POLITY/ SC JUDGMENTS/ COMMITTEES

Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children 2015 comes into effect
The new simplified Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children 2015 came into effect from 1 August 2105. The
new Guidelines will provide for more effective regulation for adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered
children and would bring more transparency and efficiency in the adoption system. Now it would become possible
for Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) to track the status of their application.
Historic Peace Pact with Naga Rebels
Union Government signed a landmark peace accord with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak-Muivah
(NSCN (I-M)), putting an end to almost two decades long pending peace talks. The signing of the pact is the end
of over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned 16 years with first breakthrough in 1997 when ceasefire agreement
was sealed.
Manipur passes Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015
Manipur Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Protection of Manipur People Bill, 2015. The House also
unanimously passed two amendment bills, namely the Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms (Seventh
Amendment) Bill, 2015 and the Manipur Shops and Establishments (Second Amendment) Bill, 2015.
Tripura passes a resolution against the death penalty
Tripura legislative assembly passed a resolution against the death penalty. The resolution requested the Union
government to amend the Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and replace it with life sentence unto death.
The resolution was passed in the light of Yakub Memon shanging, the prime accused in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

AWARDS AND HONORS

TN institutes Youth Award to honor Kalam
The state government of Tamil Nadu instituted a youth award in the name of former President Dr APJ Abdul
Kalam. The annual Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award will consist 8 gram gold, 5 laks rupees in cash and a citation. The
award would be given from 2015 onwards on Independence Day (15 August) to a person from the state who
works with exceptional merit in science, humanities and students welfare.
Amalendu Krishna wins Ramanujan Prize 2015
Amalendu Krishna won the Ramanujan Prize for year 2015. He was bestowed with this award for his outstanding
contributions in the area of algebraic cycles, algebraic K-theory and the theory of motives. Presently, Krishna is a
mathematician professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai.
Goa Tourism Minister wins Travel Writers Award
Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar received the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) - Safari India
South Asia Travel Award 2015. Parulekar is the first tourism minister of Goa to receive this prestigious award.
Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) was founded in 1998 at the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA)
Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a professional organization of travel writers.
Dr. Moily conferred with 24th Saraswati Sammaan
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee presented the 24th Saraswati Sammaan for the year 2014 to Dr. M Veerappa
Moily, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) in New Delhi for his poem Sri Ramayana Mahanveshanam. Divided into
five volumes, Ramayana Mahanveshanam was first published in 2007 in Kannada. Later the poem was translated
into English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil.
Kochi is the first Indian city to be a member WTCF Council
Kochi became the first Indian city to be a member of Beijing headquartered World Tourism Cities Federation
(WTCF) Council and join its league of leading tourism cities across the world. The WTCF, headquartered at Beijing,
is a non-profit, non-governmental international organization voluntarily formed by tourist cities like Los Angeles,
Berlin, Barcelona and others.
Raghavendra Gadagkar
Indian sociobiologist Raghavendra Gadagkar was awarded with Germany's highest civilian honour Cross of Order
of the Merit at the German Consulate in Bengaluru. He was awarded for his contribution in the field of behavioural
ecology and sociobiology and for strengthening research corporation between India and Germany.
PAHAL enters Guinness Book of World Record
Union Governments ambitious Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme was acknowledged as the worlds
largest cash transfer program (households) by the Guinness Book of World Records. The scheme was formally
launched as Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG subsidy in 2013 in 291 districts under the aegis of Union
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

ECONOMY AND BANKING

SBI Life Insurance launches Smart Humsafar
SBI Life Insurance launched Smart Humsafar, a unique plan that offers multiple benefits of savings and insurance
cover for husband and wife under a single policy.
Rail Links to North-East States inaugurated
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu launched new train services in the Northeast after the completion of North
Lakhimpur-Murkongselek and Balipara-Bhalukpong sections into broad-gauge. He launched the service through
video-conferencing from New Delhi.

BUSINESS AND CORPORATES

Airtel launches pan-India 4G services
Bharti Airtel launched pan-India 4G high-speed data services. The service was launched in 296 towns across India
and it will be available to customers through 4G-enabled mobile phones, internet dongles and Wi-Fi routers. With
this the largest telecom company of India became the first company to roll out the pan-India 4G network which is
built on an open partner ecosystem model.
ILO & FICCI MoU to facilitate SMEs
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) signed the Phase II of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation for establishing a
National Coordination Centre for Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Training Services in
India. The MoU will contribute to holistic development of the SMEs in India from the perspective of skill
development, employees relation and better business efficiency.
Murugappa and Organo Group of Japan form a JV
The water treatment engineering company Polutech Limited of Murugappa Group signed an agreement with Japanbased Organo Corp to form a Joint venture (JV) of an industrial water treatment requirement company. The new
venture will deal in industrial water treatment requirements services to meet growing demand of industries for
waste water management.
Snapdeal Instant launched
eCommerce firm Snapdeal launched its new service named Snapdeal Instant to enable delivery of packages to
customers as early as within an hour of placing the order. Snapdeal Instant is aimed at further improving
customer experience on the eCommerce platform by enabling faster deliveries and maintaining product quality at
the same time.
Airtel acquires YTS solutions
Indias largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel acquired financial solutions firm YTS Solutions for an undisclosed
amount. With this acquisition, YTS Solutions will be integrated with the operations of Airtel Money Services Ltd, a
subsidiary of Airtel. This acquisition will help Airtel to expand its footprint in the payments sector by integrating
business capabilities and unique service delivery model of the YTS.

Foxconn to invest USD 5 Bn in India

Global electronic manufacturing giant Foxconn agreed to invest USD 5 billion in the Maharashtra over the next five
year. This investment will be the largest investment by a foreign company in the State.
Xiaomi and Foxconn to set up Assembly line in Andhra
China-based Smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp tied up with Taiwan-based Foxconn to set up their first Assembly line
in Andhra Pradesh under Union Government's Make in India initiative. These two Smartphone manufacturers will
together roll out Xiaomis first locally made Smartphone, the Redmi2 Prime to expand Xiomi's market share in
India.
Google launches Parent Company Alphabet Inc.
Search engine giant Google Inc launched a new parent company called Alphabet Inc that separates its highly
profitable search and advertising business. Google will be replaced by Alphabet Inc as the publicly-traded entity
and all its shares will automatically converted into the shares of new parent entity with same rights. Alphabet Inc
will comprise of the search engine unit and all other subsidiaries.

SPORTS
Prabhroop Sekhon wins two gold medals Special Olympics World Summer Games
14 year old Master Prabhroop Sekhon won two gold medals in 300 metre and 500 metre in Roller Skating at the
Special Olympics World Summer Games. The event was held at Los Angeles, USA.
Chinappa wins Victorian Open
Indian champion Joshna Chinappa won the womens squash title in the Victorian Open WSA Event in Melbourne,
Australia. In the final clash, Chinappa defeated the second seed Line Hansen of Denmark 11-5, 11-4, 11-9.
Indian women's recurve win a silver at the World Archery Championships
Indian women's recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Laxmirani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly won a silver medal at the
World Archery Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. In the Summit clash, the Indian trio lost the World
Championship final to top seeded Russians 4-5 to settle for the silver.
Dipa Karmakar wins bronze in gymnastics
Ace Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar clinched the women's vault bronze medal at the 6th Senior ART Gymnastics
Asian Championships at Hiroshima, Japan.
Indian Men's Hockey team won European series against Spain 2-1
Indian Men's Hockey Team won the three match series in their European Tour 2-1 after registering a second win in
the third and final match of the series. The Indian team defeated Spain 4-2 at Teresa in Spain.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
SAMANVAY
Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh launched SAMANVAY, a compilation of all schemes of both
Union and State governments for Gram Panchayats. SAMANVAY was launched with an aim to help MPs in utilizing
relevant schemes in the planning and implementation of Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). It will also compile
all information on gram panchayat activities on the schemes undertaken by the Centre and State Governments.
Suraksha Bandhan Mission
Union Government launched Suraksha Bandhan drive in a Mission Mode through participating banks and insurance
companies to facilitate enrolment under social security schemes. The schemes are Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima
Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY). Participating
Banks supported by the participating Insurance Companies will work towards local outreach, awareness building
and enrolment facilitation during this drive.
Nai Manzil scheme launched in Patna
The Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla launched a new Central Sector Scheme Nai Manzil in Patna.
The scheme will address educational and livelihood needs of minority communities in general and muslims in
particular as it lags behind other minority communities in terms of educational attainments.
Disha
Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a new mobile app named Disha to promote digital literacy in
Bihar. The app aims to help people learn about computers and Internet through self-learning modules. The app
also aims to offer digital literacy to tribal and Dalit women in the state.
School Nursery Yojana
Union Government launched the School Nursery Yojana, an initiative to bring students closer to nature. The Yojana
seeks to engage class VI to IX in planting saplings in nurseries in schools. The scheme seeks to plant a tree for
sustainable future and to make the nation clean and green.
RBI notifies new Interest Subvention Scheme
Reserve Bank of India notified the Union Budget-2015-16 Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) and asked all banks
to provide interest concession of 2 percent on short-term crop loans of up to Rs. 3 lakh.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

World's Largest Radio Telescope being constructed in China
Technicians started the assembly of the World's Largest Radio Telescope, Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical
Telescope (FAST), is being constructed in Guizhou province of south-west China, whose dish size will be equivalent
to 30 football fields.
Solar Telescope operationalized in Udaipur
Multi Application Solar Telescope (MAST), a telescope for the detailed study of the solar activity including its
magnetic field, was operationalized at the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO) of Physical Research Laboratory (PRL).
Forbes releases Highest-Paid Actors list
Forbes magazine released the list of 2015 World's Highest-Paid Actors. Robert Downey Jr. topped the list for the
third year in a row, with earnings of USD 80 million. Jackie Chan was placed at the second place in the list with
earnings of USD 50 million.
Satellite renamed to honor Kalam
Global satellite called Global Sat for DRR will be named after former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam who
died in July 2015. The satellite to be used for earth observation and disaster risk reduction will be renamed as UN
Kalam Global Sat.
India loses 41 tigers in 8 months
Fresh data from National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and TRAFFIC-India, the wildlife trade monitoring
network revealed that between January and August 2015, India lost about 41 tigers.
Marketing of Bio-diesel blended HSD announced
The Union Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP & NG) announced Marketing of High Speed Diesel (HSD)
blended with Bio-diesel in selected retail outlets of OMCs in New Delhi & Vishakhapatnam (by HPCL), Haldia (by
BPCL) and Vijayawada (by IOCL).
11 people killed in stampede near Durga Temple in Jharkhand
At least 11 people including one woman were killed in a stampede near Durga temple in Jharkhand's Deoghar on
10 August 2015. More than 20 people were injured in the incident.

PERSONS IN NEWS
Les Munro
The last surviving Dambusters pilot, Les Munro, died on 4 August 2015 in New Zealand following heart problems.
He was 96. Les Munro was among the pilots who took part in the legendary Dambusters operation of World War II
in 1943. The operation consisted of using bouncing bombs to attack German dams.
Roland S Folger
Roland S Folger was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mercedes-Benz
India. He will succeed Eberhard Kern, who will now head companys operations in Europe.
Rekha Menon
Rekha M Menon was appointed as the chairperson of Accenture India. Rekha replaced Avinash Vashista who was
both Chairman and Managing Director of Accenture India, since 2011.
Amitabh Bachchan
Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan accepted the proposal of Maharashtra State Government to be the tiger
ambassador of the state.
Ram Nath Kovind
Senior Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Nath Kovind was appointed as Governor of Bihar. He succeeds West
Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, who was holding additional charge of Bihar.
Michael Clarke
Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke announced his decision to retire from International Cricket after playing
the ongoing Ashes series.
Om Prakash Munjal
The founder of Hero Cycle Om Prakash Munjal passed away on 13 August 2015 following a brief illness at the DMC
Hero Heart Centre, Ludhiana. He was 87.
Om Prakash Rawat
Om Prakash Rawat, a 1977 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, was
appointed as the Election Commissioner of India. His appointment will come into effect from the day he assumes
office.
Acharya Dev Vrat
Acharya Dev Vrat was sworn-in as the Governor of the Himachal Pradesh at the Raj Bhawan in Shimla. He will be
the 27th Governor of this hill-state.
Sudhakar Shetty
Sudhakar Shetty was elected as the president of the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI). He succeeds Jaspal
Singh Kandhari.

MISCELLANEOUS
Aadi Perukku festival celebrated
Aadi Perukku festival was celebrated in Tamil Nadu. On this day, thousands of people including newlywed couples
performed pooja in Cauvery River in Erode Tiruchirapalli and Salem. Aadi Perukku is a Hindu Tamil festival
celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi (mid-July to mid-August) in gratitude to water bodies
especially Cauvery River.
Tendong Lho Rum Faat celebrated
Tendong Lho Rum Faat (Prayer of the Tendong Mountain), an ancient festival of the ethnic Lepcha tribe of Sikkim
was celebrated with traditional devotion and fanfare. It is an annual festival celebrated in the month of JulyAugust. On this day, the tribe worships the Mount Tendong, which is regarded as their savior deity.

16th Aug to 31st Aug

INDIA AND THE WORLD

Second Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation Summit held in Jaipur
The Second Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation Summit was held in August 2015 in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Besides the Prime Minister NarendraModi, the summit was attended by heads of states and governments and key
officials of the 14 pacific island nations of the group. During the summit the leaders discussed common areas of
cooperation including marine resources exploration, oil and natural gas, mining, IT, health care, fishing, marine
research and space collaboration, climate change, UN reforms.
Indo-Australian MoU on Education, Training and Research
India and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of education,
training and research. The MoU will help intensify existing partnerships between India and Australia in higher
education & research, including technical and professional education, schools, vocational education and training
and will open up new and innovative areas of cooperation.
Australias BRIDGE programme
The BRIDGE programme is run by Australian Schools in collaboration with Indian Schools came in news after
Australia agreed to include JawaharNavodayaVidyalayas (JNVs) within its ambit.
India and Seychelles sign 5 pacts
India and Seychelles signed five agreements/Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) aimed at improving bilateral
relations in New Delhi. Agreements were related to Air Services, provision of one Dornier Aircraft, exchange of
information on taxes, agricultural research, etc.
USITC extends anti-dumping duty on Indian Mushrooms
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) extended the anti-dumping duty on Indian preserved
mushrooms for another five years. The extension was done as part of extension of anti-dumping duty orders on
preserved mushrooms from Chile, China, India, and Indonesia.
India and Egypt signed two MoUs
India and Egypt signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of
tourism and research. They were signed in Egypts capital Cairo during the visit of External affairs minister
SushmaSwaraj to Egypt.
Indo-Nepal MoU on Petroleum Pipeline
India and Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for constructing a Petroleum Product Pipeline that
will be built from Raxaul in India to Amlekhgunj in Nepal.
India and Bangladesh on sign MoU to tackle FICN smuggling
India and Bangladesh on signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to tackle the menace of fake Indian
currency notes (FICN) smuggling. The MoU was signed during a maiden meeting of the Joint Task Force on Fake
Currency Notes (JTFFC) in Dhaka.

INTERNATIONAL
The Call to Action Summit 2015
The Call to Action Summit 2015 on ending preventable child and maternal deaths was held in New Delhi. The
summit was a prelude to the United Nations Summit for the adoption of post-2015 development agenda that will
be held in September 2015 in New York. During the summit, the participants took stock of progress, best practices
for ending preventable child and maternal deaths and discussed further steps to be taken in the area.
ISIS destroys ancient Syrian Temple
Islamic State for Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants destroyed Palmyra's ancient temple of Baalshamin in Syria. As per
the reports, the militant group placed a large quantity of explosives in the temple of Baalshamin and then blew it
up.
Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. He was administered the oath of office by
President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. Wickremesinghe, a legislator since 1977,
has served the country as its Prime Minister on three occasions. He held the post from 1993-94, 2002-2004 and
since January 2015.
Tsipras resigns as Greek PM
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in a televised address to the nation announced his resignation. He submitted
his resignation to President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and asked for the earliest possible election date. 41-year-old
Tsipras, who was elected as the Prime Minister in January 2015, said that he felt a deep moral obligation to lay his
action before the judgment of the Greek people.
Bangladesh to receive funds from the United Nations (UN) for solar home systems
Bangladesh became the first country to receive funds from the United Nations (UN) for its fast growing solar home
systems. The UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) issued carbon credits worth USD 3.56
million to two Bangladeshi organizations.
Pakistan and Russia sign a landmark defense deal
Pakistan and Russia signed a landmark defense agreement that includes the sale of four Mi-35 Hind E attack
helicopters to Pakistan. The signing of agreement signals a major thaw in relations between the two Cold War
rivals.
UNP led UNFGG coalition won the Sri Lanka Parliamentary Elections 2015
United National Party (UNP) led United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) coalition with 106 seats
emerged as the winner in the 2015 Parliamentary elections of Sri Lanka. But it failed to secure absolute majority in
the Parliament of 225 members.

POLITY/ SC JUDGMENTS/ COMMITTEES

SC stay on banning Santhara
The Supreme Court of India (SC) stayed the Rajasthan High Court (HC) judgment that banned Santhara ritual of
Jainism. Santhara is a voluntary religious practice of facing death at the end of one's life. The Rajasthan HC in
August the Santhara as illegal and an offence punishable under the section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The section deals with abetment to committing suicide.
Haryana, Maryland agreed to cooperate in biotechnology, life sciences
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Lt Governor of Maryland Boyd K. Rutherford have agreed to
explore the possibilities of cooperation in the fields of biotechnology, life sciences and agriculture, cyber security
and engineering.
Himachal to make Sanskrit mandatory in Govt Schools
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh announced that Sanskrit will be introduced as a mandatory
subject in all Government schools of the state. The announcement came while he was presiding over the meet of
the Himachal Sanskrit Academy.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Rajendra Singh conferred the 2015 Stockholm Water Prize
The Waterman of India Rajendra Singh was conferred with the 2015 Stockholm Water Prize. Singh was named for
the prestigious award for his innovative water restoration efforts, improving water security in rural India, and for
showing extraordinary courage and determination in his quest to improve the living conditions for those most in
need.
Kolkata Port adjudged the Major Port of the Year
Kolkata Port was adjudged as the Major Port of the Year amongst 12 major ports in the country for the year
2014-15. It was honored in recognition of its impressive growth rate in volumes, optimizing capacity utilization,
growth in output per berth and customer satisfaction.
Zia Haider Rahman wins the James Tait Black Award 2015
Bangladesh novelist Zia Haider Rahman won the James Tait Black award 2015 for his debut novel In the Light of
What We Know. He received this prize during the 2015 Edinburgh international book festival.
TPP Nair, SP Misra, Romeo James recommended for 2015 Dhyan Chand Award
The selection committee headed by former Indian hockey captain ZafarIqbal recommended the names of TPP Nair,
SP Misra and Romeo James for 2015 Dhyan Chand award. Their names were shortlisted from the names of 60
applicants.
TPP Nair, the former captain of the Indian volleyball team, led the Indian team, which bagged a bronze medal in
the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games and a silver medal in the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games. SP Misra is the former captain
of Davis Cup and at present is the chairman of the All India Tennis Association Selection Committee (AITASC).
Romeo James, the former goalkeeper of the Indian hockey team, represented the country in the 1984 Los Angeles
Olympics where India finished fifth.
Union Government announced awardees for Rajiv Gandhi KhelRatna 2015 and Arjuna Awards 2015
The Union Government announced the awardees for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Arjuna Award for the
year 2015. Sania Mirza will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and 17 other prominent sport
personalities will receive the Arjuna Awards.

ECONOMY AND BANKING

Bandhan starts operations as SCB
Bandhan Financial Services, a Micro Financial Institution (MFI) started operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank
(SCB). Henceforth it will be called as Bandhan Bank. With this, Bandhan became the first micro finance company
in the country to start operations as a full-fledged commercial bank. It is also the first commercial bank from
Eastern India to get RBI clearance since independence.

Cochin Airport is the first solar powered airport in India

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurated a 12 MW solar power project at the Cochin International
Airport. Spread over 50 acres, the project is reportedly the single largest solar project which has been constructed
in an airport in India. With this project, Cochin airport became the first airport in India to run on solar power.

RBI grant in-principle approval to 11 payment banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted in-principle approval to 11 payment banks applicants under the
Guidelines for Licensing of Payments Banks.
The 11 payment banks granted the approval include

Aditya Birla Nuvo Limited

Airtel M Commerce Services Limited

Cholamandalam Distribution Services Limited

Department of Posts

FinoPayTech Limited

National Securities Depository Limited

Reliance Industries Limited

Shri Dilip Shantilal Shanghvi

Shri Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Tech Mahindra Limited

Vodafone m-pesa Limited

RBI's in-principle nod will be valid for a period of 18 months, during which time the applicants have to comply
with the requirements under the Guidelines and fulfill the other conditions as may be stipulated by the RBI.

Union Government appoints two private sector professionals to head BoB and Canara Bank
Union Government appointed private sector professionals, namely PS Jayakumar and Rakesh Sharma, as
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Canara Bank, respectively.
This is the first time that private sector professionals were appointed to head the Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
Earlier, the heads of PSBs were selected from among the state-run banks or government officers.

BUSINESS AND CORPORATES

RCom ties up with Jasper Tech
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Groups Reliance Communications Ltd. (RCoM) entered into an agreement with the USA
based Jasper Technologies, Inc. to offer Internet of Things (IoT) services in India. IoT refers to a network of
internet connected devices which are embedded with electronic sensors and data transmitting technologies. By
using the Internet, the data collected by sensors in the IoT devices like cars, power systems and even as small as
tooth brushes transmitted to other networked devices and data processing systems. Thus, the information
generated by processing the data will be used by the companies and individuals to make better decisions.
Uber Cabs ties-up with BhartiAirtel to set up WiFi hotspots in cabs
Bharti Airtel Limited tied-up with the Uber Cabs, allowing Uber riders to pay using Airtels mobile wallet service
Airtel Money. With this partnership, Uber will set up WiFi hotspots in each of its cabs. Uber will pay Airtel for the
bandwidth consumed.
SBI launches M-Wallet App
State Bank of India (SBI) launched a mobile wallet (M-wallet) application named SBI Buddy. The application was
launched in collaboration with Accenture and Mastercard.
Andhra government and Tata Trust sign MoU to develop Vijayawada villages
Andhra Pradesh Government and the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
develop 264 villages of the Vijayawada parliamentary constituency. The MoU was signed in Vijayawada in the
presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and the chairman of the Tata trust Ratan Tata.
PayU and red Bus tie up
PayU India tied-up with online bus ticketing platform red Bus to offer cash-back discounts to customers who use
its wallet PayU Money to buy tickets.
ICICI Bank launches Smart Vault
ICICI Bank launched Smart Vault, a first-of-its-kind locker facility by a bank in India with robotic technology. The
Smart Vault uses robotic technology to access the lockers from the safe vault and enables customers to
conveniently access their lockers at any time of their preference, in the comfort of a secure lounge where the
locker automatically comes up to the customer.
YouTube ties up with WWI to set up YouTube Space
Google-run video sharing portal YouTube tied-up with Whistling Woods International (WWI) to set up YouTube
Space in Mumbai. Slated to open in late 2015, the YouTube Space Mumbai facility will allow YouTube creators and
students at WWI to learn about video production and collaborate with other creators.

Prasar Bharti and Digital Television Russia sign MoU

Prasar Bharti and Digital Television Russia signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation, which will set
the stage for a new media era in both the countries. The MoU is aimed at co-producing TV programmes,
repackaging and dubbing popular programmes from the both countries.
Fortune releases maiden Change the World list
Fortune, an American business magazine, released its maiden Change the World List. It listed out the companies
that have made significant progress in addressing major social problems as a part of their core business strategy.
The list consists of a range of companies including telecommunications (Vodafone), retailing (Walmart),
automobiles (Ford; Toyota) and information technology (Google; Facebook, IBM).
Birla Corporation to acquire two Indian units of Lafarge Group
Birla Corporation signed an agreement with French-based Lafarge Group to acquire its Jojobera unit in Jharhkand
and Sonadih in Chattisgarh for a sum of Rs. 5000 crore.
Housing.com acquires HomeBuy360
Mumbai based Real estate listing portal Housing.com on 16 August 2015 acquired Bengaluru-based customer
relationship management software company HomeBuy360 in all cash deal of 2 million US dollars.

SPORTS
Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia wins the women's marathon title
Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia won the women's marathon title at the 2015 World Athletics Championships at the Beijing
National Stadium, China. She is the first Ethiopian female to win the event at the world championships.
U Mumba wins Kabaddi League 2015
Anup Kumar led U Mumbai won the Pro Kabaddi League 2015 title by defeating Bengaluru Bulls 36-30 in the final
match held in Mumbai. While the winners got one crore rupees as prize money, the Bengaluru Bulls won 50 lakh
rupees.
Indian women hockey team qualifies for Olympics after 36 years
Indian women hockey team qualified for Olympics after 36 years. Indian women last qualified in Moscow Olympics
held in 1980. The present qualification will allow India to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Bolt wins 200 m world title
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt won the 200-meter title at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics held at Beijing
in China. Bolt completed the race in 19.55 seconds surpassing his American rival Justin Gatlin who completed the
race in 19.74 seconds.
Aditi Ashok wins the Ladies British Amateur golf championship
Aditi Ashok of Bengaluru became the first Indian to win the Ladies British Amateur stroke play golf championship
at the Moortown Golf Club at Leeds, United Kingdom.
Kumar Sangakkara retires from international cricket
Former Sri Lankan cricket captain and batsman Kumar Sangakkara retired from International Cricket. He played
his last match against India as part of three match test series held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sangakkara had already
taken retirement from One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty-20 cricket. He retired from Twenty-20 cricket
format after Sri Lanka won the T20 World cup in 2014. He retired from ODI cricket format after the ICC World
Cup 2015.
De Villiers break Gangulys Record
South African skipper AB de Villiers became the fastest batsman to reach 8000 One Day International (ODI) runs.
He went past 8000 runs in just 182 innings, surpassing the previous record held by former Indian captain
SouravGanguly, who achieved the fete in 200 innings.
Abhishek Verma clinches gold in Archery
India's Abhishek Verma won the gold medal in the compound men's individual section in the Archery World Cup
Stage 3 competition at Wroclaw, Poland.
Saina Nehwal is the first Indian to win silver in the World Badminton Championship
Indias ace shuttler Saina Nehwal became the first Indian to win silver in the World Badminton Championship. She
lost the women's singles summit clash to Spain's Carolina Marin 16-21, 19-21 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Olympic
bronze medallist had reached the finals of the event on 15 August 2015 by defeating Indonesia's Lindaweni
Fanetri.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
Telemedicine initiative Sehat launched
The Union government launched a telemedicine initiative 'Sehat' in collaboration with Apollo Hospitals to provide
healthcare facilities in rural areas. Under the initiative people will be able to consult doctors through video link and
also order generic drugs. It will also help in providing quality and affordable healthcare is one of the emerging
needs for citizens in rural areas.
SAHAJ Scheme
Union Government launched a scheme named SAHAJ for online release of new LPG connections for the consumers.
The scheme launched by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan can be availed through the
portal mylpg.in. At present, the scheme will be available in 13 cities of the country, and will be expanded panIndia within the next few days.
e-payment module to accept compensatory amount for diversion of forest land launched
The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar launched an e-payment module
to accept compensatory amount for diversion of forestland in the country. This e-payment module will cut delays
and bring transparency in the system, which is meant, for collecting fund from user agencies which diver forest
land for non-forest purpose.
Government declares names of 98 smart cities
The Union Government declared the names of 98 cities for its ambitious smart cities project. The State
governments selected the aspirant cities and Union Territories on the parameters set by the Centre. The selected
cities include 12 cities from Uttar Pradesh, 12 from Tamil Nadu, 10 from Maharashtra, 7 from Madhya Pradesh, 3
each from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. All other states have also got one or two cities for the purpose, except
Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly 13 crore population across 98 cities, which constitute 35 percent of urban population,
will be covered under the mission.
Educational Loan Portal for students launched
The Union Government launched a web portal named Vidya Lakshmi (www.vidyalakshmi.co.in) for the benefit
of students seeking Educational Loans. It is the first portal of its kind that provides single window for students to
access information and make application for educational loans provided by banks as well as for government
scholarships.
Start-up India, Stand up India launched
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a new campaign Start-up India, Stand up India to promote bank
financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation. Under this initiative, in
addition to existing systems to facilitate start-ups, loans would also be given to help people. This initiative will give
a new dimension to entrepreneurship and will help set up a network of start-ups in the country.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

GSAT-6 launched successfully
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-D6 was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space
Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. GSLV-D6 inducted 2117 kg GSAT-6, an advanced
communication satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite is intended to provide S-band
communication services in the country.
Gene identified THSD7A responsible for obesity in Indians
Scientists belonging to various research organizations in India identified THSD7A as primarily responsible for
obesity in Indians. The research was published in the International Journal of Obesity. It was led by the CSIRCentre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
NASA spacecraft LADEE found presence of neon gas in Moons atmosphere
NASA spacecraft LADEE (Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer) confirmed the presence of Neon gas
in Moons atmosphere. This is the first time that the availability of the gas in the atmosphere was confirmed.

PERSONS IN NEWS
Twinkle Khanna
The book titled Mrs Funny bones: Shes Just Like You and a Lot Like Me authored by former Bollywood actress
Twinkle Khanna has been released. It is about how a modern woman looks at India and how India looks back at
her.
Dilip Vengsarkar
Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar was elected as the president of the Association of Indian Statisticians and
scorers of India (ACSSI).
Vince Chhabria
President Barack Obama appointed Indian-American Vince Chhabria as a full-time federal judge of California court.
The 46-year-old Chhabria is the Bay Area's first Indian-American federal judge.
Amol Palekar
Film Federation of India (FFI) appointed veteran actor and director Amol Palekar as the Chairman of Indias Oscar
jury.
Girish Sahni
Girish Sahni assumed charge as the Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Additionally, Sahni will also serve as Secretary, Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Union Ministry of
Science & Technology.
Chetan Bhagat
Rupa Publications released the book titled Making India Awesome, authored by Chetan Bhagat. This is the
second non-fiction book written by the countrys best-selling author. His first non-fiction book, What Young India
Wants was well received by readers.
Ananth Padmanabhan
Ananth Padmanabhan was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HarperCollins India with effect from
October 2015.
Rajiv Mehrishi
Rajiv Mehrishi, 1978 batch IAS of Rajasthan cadre, was appointed as the Union Home Secretary. He succeeded LC
Goyal, an IAS officer of 1979 batch.
Ashwani Lohani
Ashwani Lohani was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of state owned national carrier Air
India Limited. The Appointment Cabinet Committee (ACC) chaired by the Prime Minister approved his
appointment.

Dr Malleshappa Madivalappa Kalburgi

Unidentified persons shot the veteran Kannada writer and former vice-chancellor of Kannada University Dr
M.M.Kalburgi dead at his residence in Dharwad. The 77-year-old Kannada epigraphist was a renowned scholar of
Vachana literature. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award (2006) for Marga, a collection of his research
articles.
Oliver Wolf Sacks
Renowned neurologist and author Oliver Wolf Sacks died aged 82 in New York. Compared to his career as a
practitioner of neurology and an academician, he was better known as the author of best-selling books like
Migraine, Awakenings, The Minds Eye, etc.
Rajiv Mangla
Rajiv Mangla was appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of e-Commerce major Snapdeal.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic, the worlds top ranked tennis player, was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of the United
Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), after having served as the UNICEFs Serbia Ambassador.
Sebastian Coe
The former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe was elected as the sixth President of the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF). The British Olympian was elected as the President at the 50th IAAF Congress in
Beijing, China.
Aditi Chauhan
Aditi Chauhan, Indias international football goalkeeper, became the countrys first woman to play English league
football. She made her debut for the womens team of the West Ham United in the opening game of the season
against Coventry City.
Kishor Piraji Kharat
Kishor Piraji Kharat was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Industrial
Development Bank of India (IDBI).
Ajit Kumar Seth
Former Cabinet secretary Ajit Kumar Seth was appointed as the Chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection
Board (PESB). He was appointed for a period of three years or till he attains 65 years of age.
Tarun Khanna
A book titled The Kumbh Mela: Mapping the Ephemeral Megacity authored by Tarun Khanna was released by Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.
Suvra Mukherjee
Indias First Lady Suvra Mukherjee, wife of President Pranab Mukherjee, passed away on 18 August 2015 following
a cardiac arrest in New Delhi. She was 74. Suvra was a vocalist of Rabindra Sangeet and was an ardent fan of
Indias national poet Rabindranath Tagore.

MISCELLANEOUS
Thiru Onam celebrated in Kerala
Thiru Onam (Thiruvonam) festival, the most auspicious day of the Onam, was celebrated in Kerala. The
celebrations of Onam started with Atham ten days ago. It marks the birthday of Sri Padmanabham, the presiding
deity of Thiruvananthapuram. It is the most important day of Onam.
National Sports University to come up in Manipur
Manipur Government handed over 336.93 acres of land at Yaithibi Khunou in Thoubal district to Union Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports for construction of National Sports University.
Wealth-X Report on Wealthiest People Under 35
Global wealth intelligence and prospecting company Wealth-X released the report on Top 20 Wealthiest People
Under 35. As per the report, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the wealthiest individual under the
age of 35, with a personal fortune of USD 41.6 billion.
Report on the future of tropical deforestation released
The Washington-based Center for Global Development (CGD) released a report on the future of tropical
deforestation from 2016-2050 with and without carbon pricing policies. The study says that in next 35 years, an
area of tropical forest equivalent to the size of India will be deforested. If current trends continue, tropical
deforestation will add 169 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 2050, the equivalent of running
44000 coal-fired power plants for a year.
School Sports Promotion Foundation launched
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) launched the School Sports Promotion Foundation with an aim to tap the
sporting talent at the school level.
World Humanitarian Day observed
World Humanitarian Day was observed on 19 August 2015 with the theme Inspiring the World's Humanity. The
theme calls on people to join any of the worlds humanitarian organizations and become an active messenger of
Humanity. The day is dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working
for humanitarian causes.
UNFCCC, MSSRF to work for conservation of coastal resources of Andhra Pradesh
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Chennai-based MS Swaminathan
Research Foundation (MSSRF) have agreed to work together for the conservation of coastal resources in Andhra
Pradesh. The UNFCCC has sanctioned 3.8 crore rupees for the potential adaptation strategy of MSSRF in Krishna
district through an adaptation fund.
War Museum Inaugurated
Jaisalmer War Museum established in the Military Station of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan was inaugurated by Lieutenant
General Ashok Singh, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Southern Command to mark the Golden Jubilee
Commemoration Year of 1965 Indo Pak War.

Urdu copy of 105-year-old Shri Ramcharitmanas was found

An Urdu copy of 105-year-old Shri Ramcharitmanas was found from a scrap market at HauzKhas in New Delhi. The
book written by Shiv Brat Lal, a native of Bhadohi district, in 1904 and was later printed at Lahores Half-Tone
press in 1910 was found in a pile of torn books three years ago.
Commemorative postal stamp on emperor Ashoka
Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad released a commemorative postal stamp on emperor Ashoka. The
postal stamp of 5 rupees will be available for sale in the post offices.