genesis-october 2015 issue ii.pdf

Endeavor Careers Dream Endeavor Achieve

www.endeavorcareers.com October 2015-Issue-II THE GENESIS

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The Genesis October 2015-Issue-II

Current Affairs ABriefHistoryofSevenKillingswins2015ManBookerPrize 3India,States 6,11World 12Sports 15Economy 17Corporate 21CyberBuzz 26Science&Technology 27

PeopleFaces:AngusDeaton 14BusinessBiography:RalphLauren 20

Knowledge Corners Books 4GD:Unfairtoblametelecomcompaniesforcalldrops 28Crossword 29Sudoku 36Doyouremember? 30CorporateKnowledgeQuiz 29PointCounterpoint 35

Man Booker: 3

The winning novel was inspired by the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in 1976, when the reggae legend was shot and injured a few days before a peace concert amid fierce political violence in Jamaica

Business Biography: 20

Ralph Lauren, the quintessential American designer who built a fashion empire based on sweeping fantasies of country-club prep and the Wild West, is stepping down from his post as CEO of his eponymous company

Ahmedabad CO & Centre: 101, Suyojan Towers, Near. Hotel President, Off. C.G. Road Ahmedabad 09:079 26464053/26420509 Vallabh Vidya Nagar: 3rd Floor, Diwaliba Chambers, Near ICICI Bank, Bhaikaka Statue VV Nagar 388120:02692-326065/230826 Baroda: 316, Atlantis,Opp Vadodara Central, Sarabhai Road, Vadodara 390016:0265-2341992, 9033100222 Mumbai: Vashi: :022-65652221/7666587770; Vile Parle (W): :022-65568888/65567788; Borivali: :022-65354535/65354515 Rajkot: 3rd floor, Kings, Opp Punjab Honda, Near G T Seth School, Kalawad Road, Rajkot, :02813051475 Gandhi Nagar: 302, Swagat Rain Forest - I, Block A, Near. City Pulse, Gandhinagar 382007:079 - 23600050/32449313 Surat: UL/45-48, Pooja Abhishek, Opp S.P.B. College, Athwa Lines:0261 - 313 4418/3992675 Bhopal: RMJ Educational Services, 174, Modi Complex, M P Nagar Zone II, Bhopal 462011; :0755 - 4009501 Jaipur: 302, Ganga Heights, Opp. Apex Mall, Lal Kothi, Tonk Road, Jaipur:01414044315 Kanpur: 117/H-1/368, Ist Floor, Above SBI Bank, Pandu Nagar, Near Neer Ksheer Chouraha, Kakadeo, Kanpur 208025; :8808017100, 8808011100 Thane: 501, 5th Floor, Thakor Niwas,Opp. Thane Station (West), Near Thane Post Office, Thane (W) 400 601:022-25444600/41009898 Rajahmundry: 46-7-26/1,Sri Sai Venkateswara Complex,Opp: Green Park Restaurant,Danavaipet, Rajahmundry 533101:0883 - 6557777 Bangalore: No. 23, 1st floor, Vasavi Plaza,Near Cool Joint,11th main, 4th block Jayanagar,Bangalore 560011.:080-41310888/41550888

Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out. Theodore Roosevelt



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A Brief History of Seven Killings wins 2015 Man Booker Prize Its a visceral and uncompromising novel that sheds a stark light on a profoundly disturbing chapter of Jamaicas history, but its also an ingeniously structured feat of storytelling that draws the reader in with its eye-catching use of language.

A Brief History of Seven Killingsby Marlon James was on October 13 named as the winner of the 2015 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.The 44-year-old, now resident in Minneapolis, is the first Jamaican author to win the prize in its 47-year history. The book published by Oneworld Publications is a 686-page epic with over 75 characters and voices. Set in Kingston, where James was born, the book is a fictional history of the attempted murder of Bob Marley in 1976. The 2015 Shortlist comprised Marlon James (Jamaica) for A Brief History of Seven Killings; Tom McCarthy (UK) for Satin Island; Chigozie Obioma (Nigeria) for The Fishermen; Sunjeev Sahota (UK) for The Year of the Runaways; Anne Tyler (US) for A Spool of Blue Thread and Hanya Yanagihara (US) by A Little Life. AboutthebookThe winning novel was inspired by the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in 1976, when the reggae legend was shot and injured a few days before a peace concert amid fierce political violence in Jamaica. Marley was well enough to go ahead with the concert - but the attack, which also wounded his wife and some friends, led Marley to leave Jamaica and declare the country was a rotten egg that had broken, and couldnt be put back together again. He later said the assassination attempt may have been the best thing that ever happened to me, explaining: It forced me to leave Jamaica and for the first time in my life I feel free.

James uses the assassination attempt is the starting point for his book, and events then unfold over three decades, telling the stories of drug barons, MPs, gunmen, beauty queens, journalists and even the CIA. James said he wanted to make a reasonably educated guess about what had become of the seven young men who tried to kill Marley, his family and his band. The book has attracted attention for the violence and swearing that reflect the tumultuous period.The story is told from the perspectives of 76 different characters and runs to 680 pages. The Brief History part of the title, he jokes, was based on those Concise Oxford Dictionaries - which are always four inches thick. WhatthereviewerssaySeven Killings resembles James Ellroys LA Quartet in its blistering violence, multiple voices and its determination to redo history from the gutter to the star, to borrow a phrase used by Ellroy. The Telegraph A Brief History is sometimes more impressive than it is easily enjoyable - a difficult book with a stop-start structure that doesnt quite sweep you up in the way the single narrative voices of the previous novels did. The Guardian This is a book the energy, intelligence and intellectual range of which demands and rewards attention... It showcases the extraordinary capabilities of a writer whose importance can scarcely be questioned, even if his mode of address will exclude some. The Independent Epic, immersive, acutely observed and deeply moving, its worth every long hour it demands of the reader. Huffington Post Though brilliant as a literary accomplishment, Jamess work is frequently hard going in reading terms, given the outsized stew of players and motives and the hyped-up prose that conveys it all... But, in giving us the fullest sense of this world, it proves to be a risk worth running. New Statesman Its like a Tarantino remake of The Harder They Come, but with a soundtrack by Bob Marley and a script



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by Oliver Stone and William Faulkner...epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over-the-top, colossal and dizzyingly complex. New York Times It is a crime novel that moves beyond the world of crime and takes us deep into a recent history we know far too little about. It moves at a terrific pace and will come to be seen as a classic of our times. Award jury AbouttheauthorBorn in 1970 in Kingston, Jamaica, James is the son of a police detective. Now 44, he teaches creative writing in Minnesota in the United States. His first novel was rejected by 78 publishers and agents. He initially gave up on writing and deleted and destroyed all copies of the manuscript - before eventually searching for it and finding it in an email outbox. His debut published novel was John Crows Devil. His second, The Book of Night Women, won the 2010 Dayton Literary Peace Prize and was a finalist for the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award. He is now researching and writing a novel set in the 11th Century. Im a big student of the Dark Ages, he says. Not just in Europe, but in all the other countries where it definitely was not dark. So Im going to spend some quality time in that period for a little bit. OthercontendersSatin Island: Tom McCarthy

Set in contemporary London, Satin Island tells the story of U - a corporate anthropologist working for an elite

consultancy who embarks on a data-gathering project to help decode and manipulate the world around them. McCarthy was born in 1969 and grew up in London. His books include Remainder (2006), Men in Space (2007), and C (2010) - which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

The judges said: Satin Island offers an elegant, desperate and funny account of what might well be the world of tomorrow if it werent already the world of today.

Review: It provokes and beguiles and, at the point of revelation, it withholds. On finishing it, you will have the powerful urge to throw it across the room, then the powerful urge to pick it up to read again. The Telegraph The Fishermen: Chigozie Obioma

Four young brothers in a small Nigerian town take advantage of their fathers absence to go fishing at a forbidden river. But there they encounter a madman, who makes a prophecy that the eldest will be killed by one of his brothers.

The Fishermen is Chigozie Obiomas first novel. Born in 1986 in Akure, Nigeria, Obioma has written short stories. He has lived in Nigeria, Cyprus and Turkey, and now in the US. The judges said: Obiomas The Fishermen is the captivating tale of the tragic unravelling of a family in

modern day Nigeria. He imbues the story with a compelling sense of deep-rooted and unstoppable inevitability, writing with striking maturity for a young first-time writer. Review: The Fishermen is an elegy to lost promise, to a golden age squandered, and yet it remains hopeful about the redemptive possibilities of a new generation - what I like to call the post-nationalist generation, described as egrets in the book: harbingers of a bright future. The Guardian The Year of the Runaways: Sunjeev Sahota

A group of immigrant Indian labourers share a dilapidated house in Sheffield in search of a new life. Sahota was one of is a Grantas Best of British Novelist 2013. Born in 1981 in UK, his debut novel was Ours are the Streets, published in 2011. The judges said: As much sorrow

and damage as there is in these lives, no-one here is asking for pity. These characters are genuine seekers on



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the lookout for second chances in a world which seems at times to offer not even one chance. Review: This novel captures the growing realisation for new arrivals in Britain that life here can be just as hard - if not harder - than the one they left behind. The Independent A Spool of Blue Thread: Anne Tyler

A saga that unfolds through three generations of middle-class Baltimore family the Whitshanks.

This is Tylers 20th novel. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941, her first book, If Morning Ever Comes, was published in 1964. She won the Pulitzer prize for Breathing Lessons (1988). Her novel The Accidental Tourist (1985) was adapted into a film starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Geena Davis. A Spool of Blue Thread was also nominated for

this years Baileys Womens Prize for Fiction. The judges said: She demonstrates once again her supreme powers of observation, and the stylistic brilliance that have marked her work through 50 extraordinary years. Rview: Tyler never mocks her characters. Even when shes having fun with their weird peculiarities and transparent short-sightedness, shes usually a benevolent goddess. And yet its her surprising brutality that kills off any germs of sentimentality in her work. Washington Post A Little Life: Hanya Yanagihara

The story of four college friends who have moved to New York seeking fame and fortune. At the centre of the tale is the enigmatic Jude, an orphan with a painful past. Born in Los Angeles in 1975, Yanagihara is the author of The People in the Trees, which was shortlisted for the PEN/Robert W

Bingham Prize for debut fiction. She is an editorat Conde Nast Traveller and lives in USA.

The judges said: A Little Life is a work of lasting emotional impact, often larger than life itself, as [Yanagihara] delicately balances the horrors of a traumatic childhood with the story of selfless enduring tenderness and devotion. Review: Somehow, against all the odds, just like its protagonist, this book survives everything its author throws at it - and if it doesnt quite triumph, it has far outplayed the odds. The Guardian WhatBookerbringsIn addition to his 50,000 prize and trophy, James also receives a designer bound edition of his book and a further 2,500 for being shortlisted. On winning the Man Booker Prize, an author can expect international recognition, not to mention a dramatic increase in book sales. Last years winning novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, has sold 300,000 copies in the UK and almost 800,000 worldwide. Hardback sales of Flanagans book in the week following his win eclipsed his combined BookScan sales for the previous decade. Flanagan described the experience as the most extraordinary honour you are fully aware that you are no longer standing in the same place you had been previously as a writer. Other recent winners have included Hilary Mantel (2012 and 2009), whose Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies have been adapted into award-winning adaptations on stage and screen, and Julian Barnes (2011), whose The Sense of an Ending will soon be adapted for film. Other winning novels that have gone on to have second or third lives as stage and screen adaptations include Schindlers Ark (directed by Steven Spielberg as Schindlers List), The Remains of the Day and The English Patient. This is the second year that the prize, first awarded in 1969, has been open to writers of any nationality, writing originally in English and published in the UK. Previously, the prize was open only to authors from the UK & Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland and Zimbabwe. First awarded in 1969, the Man Booker Prize is recognised as the leading award for high quality literary fiction written in English.Man Group has sponsored the prize since 2002. Man Group is one of the worlds largest independent alternative investment managers.



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Current Affairs: India HAPPENINGSIndia pledges to cut emissions by 33-35% by 2030: India has pledged to cut its emission levels by 33-35 percent over the next 15 years in what it has termed as a fair and balanced commitment to protect the environment, based also on its own agenda for economic development. Ahead of the crucial, 21st meeting of the Conference of Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change due in Paris from November 30 to December 11, India made a 38-page submission under what is called the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) are the primary means by which governments communicate internationally the steps they will take to address climate change in their own countries. INDCs reflect each countrys ambition for reducing emissions, taking into account its domestic circumstances and capabilities. It works by pairing national policy-setting in which countries determine their contributions in the context of their national priorities, circumstances and capabilities with a global framework that drives collective action towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient future. ITBP mission for Swachh Ganga flagged off: A 2,350-km long Swachh Ganga river rafting expedition of border guarding force ITBP was flagged off by Union Minister Uma Bharti from the banks of the holy river at Dev Prayag in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand on October 2. The all-river journey will meander through five Ganga states and 49 cities in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal over a stretch of 2,350 km. It will end in the first half of December at Gangasagar in the Bay of Bengal, spanning 73 days. During the exercise, the expedition team will collect polythene waste, pick samples of Ganga water and soil and will also document the presence of endangered Gangetic Dolphins and later submit these records to concerned authorities to ascertain the level of pollution in the river. Mid-day meal rules under National Food Security Act: The government has notified Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Rules, 2015 under the Food Security Act. The rules provide for temporary utilization of other funds available with the school for MDM in case school exhausts funds meant for meal for any reason. Food security allowance will be paid to beneficiaries in case of non-supply of meal for specified reasons. Monthly testing of meals on random basis by accredited Labs to check its quality has also been provided in the rules. State governments will fix responsibility on the person or agency if meals are not provided on 3 consecutive school days or five days in a month. Every child within the age group of six to fourteen years studying in classes I to VIII shall be provided hot cooked meal having nutritional standards. Accessible India Campaign launched: Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot said that the government will give all possible facilities to Persons with Disabilities under its national flagship campaign Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan). Starting from Mumbai, the programme will be initially implemented in 50 big cities across the country. The campaign will audit accessibility issues pertaining to government buildings among other things. He also said that the categories of differently-abled persons will be increased from present 7 to 19 categories to cover the maximum extent of disabilities. Indias largest warship INS Kochi commissioned: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar commissioned Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kochi, the largest India-made warship, at the naval dockyard in Mumbai on September 30. The warship was designed by Indian Navys Directorate of Naval Design and was constructed by Mumbais Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders. Apart from the state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, the warship also boasts a significant indigenous component. It is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, some of which have been developed by the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and manufactured in the country by our public and private sector industries, said Chief of Naval staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan. Panel to fix pay, perks of MPs to be set up: The government has decided to constitute an Emoluments Commission to determine the salary and allowances of MPs. The move comes in the backdrop of a controversy over a parliamentary panels recommendations in June to double the pay and perks of lawmakers. The panel In June, a



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parliamentary panel had pitched for 100 percent hike in salary and daily allowances of MPs and 75 percent raise in pension of ex-MPs apart from facilities for their companions in place of spouses. The panel, headed BJP MP Yogi Adityanath, had also sought doubling of the existing Rs 50,000 salary of MPs and favoured increasing the pension of former parliamentarians from Rs 20,000 to Rs 35,000. The government rejected most of the panels recommendations. National Institutional Ranking Framework launched: India will have its own ranking system--the National Institutional Ranking Framework-- for higher educational institutions that will cover all institutes offering courses in management, engineering, law, and humanities from April 2016. The ranking system, tailored for the Indian institutions that are otherwise placed far too low on the global ranking lists, will mark institutions on the basis of five major parameters, which include teaching, learning resources; research, consulting, collaborative performance; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity and perception. There will be subheads under each of these five categories to rank the institutions, for instance under the teaching, learning and resources head, institutes will be graded on the basis of faculty-student ratio, faculty with Ph. D and experience, laboratory, sports and extra-curricular facilities. Southwest Monsoon ends with 14% deficit: Under the influence of the El-Nino phenomenon, the Southwest monsoon ended with a deficiency of 14 per cent this year with around 55 per cent of the country receiving normal rainfall. The official period for the Southwest Monsoon season in India is between June 1 and September 30. In 2014 also the monsoon reported a deficiency of 12 per cent. IMD had made a forecast of 88 per cent deficient rainfall with plus or minus 4 per cent. This years rainfall was particularly marred by the El-Nino phenomenon. Country wise, Northwest India has recorded a deficiency of 17 per cent, followed by 16 per cent in Central India, 15 per cent in Southern Peninsula and 8 per cent in East and North-east India. Bigger pictorial warnings on tobacco products from April 2016: Pictorial health warning on packages of tobacco products will become bigger. A notification to this effect has been issued by the Health Ministry saying that all tobacco products will carry warnings covering 85 per cent of the package area from April 1, 2016, up from 40 per cent at present. The Rajasthan High Court had ordered the Centre to ensure that larger pictorial warnings are carried on all tobacco products by September 29. The Ministry will seek six months as the producers of the products need to make adjustments to their products. In March, the government had indefinitely delayed the implementation of bigger pictorial warnings, pending the decision of a parliamentary committee which was examining the issue. Graphic booklet on CRPF martyrs launched: Home Minister Rajnath Singh released a graphic booklet depicting the valour and sacrifice of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel during the epic battle of Sardar Post at Rann of Kutch in the 1965 lndo-Pak War. The comic book is first in the series of Shaurya Gaathas (valour stories) that the countrys largest paramilitary force will publish to honour the courage and bravery of its troops in various combat theatres including the Left Wing Extremism operations. On April 9, 1965, at the Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch, two companies of CRPF stood their ground and repulsed the attack of a full-fledged Pakistani Infantry brigade inflicting heavy casualties. New Paryatan Bhawan named after Deen Dayal Upadhyay: The new Tourism Ministry building in New Delhi was named after Jan Sangh icon Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Ministry, which is functioning from Transport Bhawan, will soon have its own headquarters in the capital as the government laid the foundation stone for the Paryatan Bhawan at Mandir Marg on September 27, World Tourism Day. NDMC will construct the new building at an estimated cost of Rs 90 crore. Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme launched for PwDs: An MoU was inked between The Trust Fund for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and The New India Assurance Company Limited to launch Group Mediclaim Policy for empowerment of persons with disabilities Swavlamban Health Insurance Scheme. The Trust Fund is managed by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The scheme will provide comprehensive cover to the beneficiary as well as his family (PwD, Spouse & up to two children) and can be availed by PwDs aged between 18 years and 65 years with family annual income of less than Rs. 3,00,000 per annum. The scheme also ensures coverage of any pre-existing condition and a health Insurance cover up to Rs. 2,00,000 per annum as family floater.



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Proposal mandating storage of messages withdrawn: Following a public uproar over threat to privacy, the government has withdrawn the draft encryption policy which made it mandatory for storage of all messages, including social media, for 90 days. Generally, all modern messaging services like WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Google Chat, Yahoo Messenger and the like come with a high level of encryption and many a time, security agencies find it hard to intercept these messages. As per the original draft, the new encryption policy proposes that every message a user sends must be mandatorily stored in plain text format for 90 days and made available on demand to security agencies. The draft proposed legal action that could entail imprisonment for failure to store and produce on demand the encrypted message sent from any mobile device or computer. PM returns from successful visit to US: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his 6 day long visit to the US on September 28 after meeting the US President Barack Obama and addressing the Leaders summit on Peace-keeping at UN headquarters in New York. During his visit to US, Modi had discussions with a number of important world leaders where issues ranging from bilateral relations to terrorism, reform of the UN Security Council were discussed. On climate Change the Prime Minister came out with a new vision of Climate Justice and exhorted the developed countries to go beyond the negatively defined idea of emission cuts to help countries with technology and finance for sustainable development. He also strongly called upon the world community to unite in its fight against terrorism. In his meetings with G-4 leaders and other world leaders, Prime Minister Modi effectively highlighted the case of time bound reform in United Nations Security Council to reflect realities of the 21st century. Court is Indias official entry to Oscars 2016: Chaitanya Tamhanes National award- winning Marathi film Court, a poignant commentary on Indias judicial system, has been selected as the countrys official entry for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars next year. The independent, low-budget but gripping drama received widespread praise from the critics. The drama unfolds through an aging folk singer, who is tried for abetment to suicide in a court. The movie, inspired by the real life story of folk singer Jiten Marandi, who got embroiled in a criminal case after a bomb blast, critiques the justice delivery system, its chaos and delays, which affect the common mans freedom. India is yet to win an Oscar in the best foreign film category. The last Indian film that made it to the final five list was Ashutosh Gowarikars Lagaan. Court was named the Best Picture at the National film awards this year, besides winning 17 international honours after its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in 2014. Times World University Rankings: No Indian institute features among the top 200 universities in the world, according to Times Higher Education, which has published the twelfth edition of its World University Rankings. India has two institutions in the top 400, the Indian Institute of Science (the 251-300 group) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, and (351-400 cohort). The California Institute of Technology (US), the University of Oxford (UK) and Stanford University (US) are the top three institutes in the list. AWARDSShanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards The government has announced the recipients of prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and

Technology (SSB). The Ministry of Science and Technology announced 11 awards in seven different fields. WINNERS: Biological Science: Balasubramanian Gopal, Rajeev Kumar Varshney; Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and

Planetary Sciences: Jyotiranjan Srichandan Ray; Engineering Sciences: Yogesh Joshi; Mathematical Sciences: Ritabrata Munshi, K. Sandeep; Medical Science: Vidita Vaidya; Physical Sciences: Bedangadas Mohanty, Mandar Deshmukh; Chemical Sciences: D Srinivasa Reddy, Pradyut Ghosh

The annual award, given by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), consists of a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a citation and a plaque. It is named after the founder Director of the CSIR and is given annually to young scientists below the age of 45 who have made outstanding contributions in any field of science and technology.

Porter Prize Reliance Foundation, Tata Power and Apollo are among the nine corporates who have bagged this years Porter Prize

for Enabling Social Progress. Instituted in the name of Michael E Porter, a Professor at Harvard Business School and father of modern strategy field, it is awarded to entities which have showcased outstanding performance in the industry



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and their activities have enabled upliftment of social indicators in their area of work. The winners of this years awards were announced by Institute for Competitiveness, which organised the Porter Prize 2015.

WinnersPorter Prize for Enabling Social Progress: Reliance Foundation, the CSR arm of Reliance Industries; Porter Prize for Excellence in Corporate Integration and Governance: Tata Power; Porter Prize for Leveraging Unique Activities: JSW Steel; Porter Prize on Industry Architectural Shift: Mahindra Rural Housing and Finance; Porter Prize on Exploiting Tradeoffs: Abbott India; Porter Prize for Creating Distinctive Value: DHL; Porter Prize for Value Based Healthcare: Apollo Hospitals; Porter Prize on Creating Shared Value: Jain Irrigation & JSW Group.

Vayoshreshtha Samman President Pranab Mukherjee on October 1, 2015 presented National Awards Vayoshreshtha Samman to senior citizens in a function organized by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in New Delhi on the International Day of Older Persons on October 1. The 2015 winners are: Best Institution for providing services to senior citizens and awareness generation1. Gram Vikas Parisha, Vill. Rangaloo, Jumarmur; 2. Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni, Tahata. Best District Panchayat in providing services and facilities to senior citizens1. Zilla panchayat Dindori, Dindori, MP 2. Udupi Zilla Panchayath, Manipal, Karnataka. Centenarian1. Uday Singh Maan, Lowa Kalan, Jhajjar, Haryana. Iconic Mother1. Laduben alias Leelaben Chaabildas Gurjar, Thakkar-Bapa Colony, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Life Time Achievement1. Yashwant Narayan Kadam, Vijaynagar Colony, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. DRDO Lifetime Achievement award The government conferred the Defence Research and Development Organisations (DRDOs) lifetime achievement award for 2015 on V S Arunachalam, formerly a scientific advisor to the defence minister and the founder chairman of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, for his outstanding contribution over several decades in the field of scientific research and technology. At DRDO, Arunachalam initiated Indias major defence projects like the Light Combat Aircraft and the Integrated Guided Missiles programmes. He is a member on the advisory and editorial boards of several universities and foundations, including the Materials Research Society Bulletin. He is a recipient of numerous honours and awards, including Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Engineering Sciences and the Padma Vibhushan. SASTRA Ramanujan Prize The 2015 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize will be awarded to Jacob Tsimerman of the University of Toronto, Canada. The prize will be awarded during the International Conference on Number Theory at SASTRA University in Tamil Nadus Kumbakonam (Ramanujans hometown) where the prize has been given annually. The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize was established in 2005 and is awarded annually for outstanding contributions by young mathematicians to areas influenced by the mathematics genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. The age limit for the prize has been set at 32 because Ramanujan achieved so much in his brief life of 32 years. Forbes lifetime achievement award Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava has been honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the Forbes India Leadership Awards (FILA), 2015. The award recognises his invaluable contribution to the Indian business community and exemplary leadership demonstrated over the years. An IAS topper of 1956 batch, Bhargava was one of the founding members of Maruti in 1982. He led the company as Managing Director from 1990 to 1997. Bhargava, who has been chairman of the countrys largest car maker since 2007, also serves on the board of several leading corporates. In November 2011, the Emperor of Japan had conferred the Order of the Rising Sun Gold and Silver Star on Bhargava. PERSONSINNEWSJayant Prasad: Former ambassador Jayant Prasad has been appointed the next Director General of the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), the prestigious New Delhi-based think tank on strategic affairs. In his long and distinguished career that he began by specialising on the South Asian neighbourhood, Prasad most prominently served in Afghanistan as the Indian Ambassador during 2008-2010 and as Ambassador to Nepal during 2011-2013. He takes charge at a special moment in the history of IDSA as 2015 marks the fiftieth year of existence of the think tank.



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Manmohan Singh: The CBI has told a Special Court that there is no evidence against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in coal scam case. It opposed the plea of ex-Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda seeking summoning of former PM as additional accused in the case, saying the application was devoid of any merits. It said there is not even prima facie evidence to suggest that the then PM, who was also Coal Minister at that time, was part of any conspiracy in allocating coal block to Jindal Group firms. Koda had contended that Singh being the final authority to allocate coal blocks, cannot escape from the consequences of his decision. Sanjiv Chaturvedi: Former Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of AIIMS, Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was honoured with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award recently, said he has donated the entire award money to AIIMS for treatment of poor patients. Chaturvedi received Rs 19.85 lakh as award money of which Rs 5.63 lakh has to be deposited as advance tax.Chaturvedi, who is currently posted as deputy secretary of AIIMS, was removed from the post of CVO in August 2014. Digital India brand ambassadors: The government as appointed four Brand Ambassadors were nominated for a period of one year to propagate the product and applications being launched by the department under Digital India Programme. They are: 1. Satwat Jagwani, All India IIT-JEE -Advanced Topper -2015 (Student) 2. Krati Tiwari, All India IIT-JEE -Advanced Girl Topper -2015 (Student) 3. Ankit Fadia, Author & Ethical Hacker 4. Pranav Mistry, Samsung USA (Computer Scientist/Author of 6th Sense). Thereafter, no other person has been appointed as Brand Ambassador for Digital India. The services of these Brand Ambassadors will be used, as and when required for generating mass awareness for the programme. New Ambassadors: Navtej Sarna will be the next Indian High Commissioner to United Kingdom. Gautam Bambawale will take over as High Commissioner to Pakistan. Syed Akbaruddin will join as the next Permanent Representative of India to the UN, New York replacing Asoke Mukerji. Vijay Gokhale will be the next Ambassador in Beijing. Other postings include that of Anil Wadhwa as Ambassador to Italy and Pankaj Saran as Ambassador to Russia. Harsh V Shringla will be the new Ambassador to Bangladesh. Sujan Chinoy will be going as Ambassador to Japan. George Rajuis Indias next Ambassador to Iraq. Most of these positions will be taken up by Jan 2016. Appointments: Stuti Narain Kacker, a 1978 batch IAS officer, has been appointed Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) by Women and Child Development Ministry. Uday Shankar, CEO, STAR India was re-elected as The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF)s President for the second term running. Raj Chengappa, Group Editorial Director of India Today was elected the President of Editors Guild of India. Chairman and Editor-in Chief of India TV, Rajat Sharma, was reappointed as the President of News Broadcasters Association (NBA). Resignations/Retirements: Visva Bharati Vice-Chancellor (VC) Sushanta Dattagupta, facing charges of administrative and financial irregularities, resigned in October. Amid reports of tobacco farmers committing suicides, the Commerce Ministry has asked Tobacco Board Chairman K. Gopal to go on leave with immediate effect. OBITUARIESSenior BJP leader Ram Kapse, who represented Thane in the 9th and 10th Lok Sabha, passed away in Mumbai on September 29 at the age of 82. Manipur Governor Syed Ahmed, who was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly five times from the Nagpada constituency, passed away in Mumbai on September 27 at the age of 73. Meghalayas oldest and longest serving legislator, Hoping Stone Lyngdoh, passed away in Shillong on September 26 at the age of 86. Noted environmentalist Kallen Pokkudan, who devoted his entire life to cultivating and conserving mangroves across Kerala, died in Kannur on September 27 at the age of 78. Veteran TV actor Mohan Bhandari, known for serials like Khaandaan (DD), Karz, Parampara, Jeevan Mrityu, Pathjhad, Gumraah and Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, died in Mumbai on September 24. Malayalam playback singer Radhika Thilak passed away in Kochi on September 20 at the age of 45. Independent Indias first visually-challenged MP Sadhan Gupta of the CPI(M) died in Kolkata on September 20 at the age of 98.



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Current Affairs: States GUJARAT: Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has launched 16 new television channels which will broadcast programs for students, youths, farmers, women and artisans. These channels were launched at a function in Gandhinagar by the CM on October 14, 2015. These channels are part of Indias largest and only education TV network Vande Gujarat. These channels will be utilised to broadcast educational programs for school students, programs for students preparing for competitive exams, programmes related to agriculture, skill development, hygiene, health-care, science, etc. While launching the channels, the CM said the network would help numerous students, farmers, women and many others who are living in remote areas. She also expressed hope that the educational programmes will serve as an alternative to expensive tuition system for students living in villages and remote areas. MAHARASHTRA: In the wake of rising cases of farmers suicides, Maharashtra Government has decided to launch a mental health scheme aimed at bringing down the number of deaths due to the agrarian crisis. The scheme will be known as Prerana Project- Farmers Mental Health Service Programme. It envisages roping in accredited social health activists (ASHA) community health workers in efforts to reduce farmers suicides. As many as 628 farmer suicides have been reported so far this year in the Marathwada region, which has experienced the most deficient rainfall in the entire country. TAMIL NADU: Madras High Court has directed the Centre to issue suitable direction to manufacturers of helmets for two wheelers to provide helmet lock as a component and not as an accessory. The Court said two helmets should be given to people at the time of purchase of a vehicle. The courts order has led wearing of helmet mandatory in Tamil Nadu since July 2015. Emphasizing the relevant sections of Motor Vehicle Act, which mandated providing helmets to two wheeler riders, the Court asked the Centre to ensure two-wheeler manufacturers to provide helmets confirming to the Bureau of Indian Standards. The judge said, if helmet is provided by the manufacturer, it will prevent use of sub-standard headgears. TELANGANA: Telangana government has decided to enhance relief amount being paid to families of farmers who committed suicide due to farm distress to 6 lakh rupees from the present one lakh fifty thousand rupees. The welfare programmes like financial assistance for young women will be extended to also to the families of farmers who committed suicides. Earlier, the government officially admitted that 141 farmers committed suicides due farm distress and said all the families will be paid ex-gratia. KERALA: Taking a serious view of the increase in the number of children missing in the state, the Kerala government has launched a programme to trace, rescue and reunite the little ones with their family. Titled as Operation Valsalya, the state governments ambitious programme is envisaged to be implemented on the lines of the much acclaimed Operation Smile project in Ghaziabad. According to police statistics, as many as 69 children have been kidnapped or abducted across the state till June in 2015. The picture and other whereabouts of children, rescued from various parts of the state under the mission, would be uploaded in the website www.Trackthemissingchild.Nic.In. ARUNACHAL PRADESH: The Supreme Court has directed the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh government to grant citizenship within three months to Chakma and Hajong tribals who had migrated from Bangladesh in 1964-69 and were settled in Arunachal Pradesh, saying they cannot be discriminated in any manner pending formal conferment of rights of citizenship. Their status also stands duly acknowledged in the guidelines of the Election Commission of India. The apex court said that Chakmas have a right to be granted citizenship and it is even recognised by judicial decisions that they cannot be required to obtain any Inner Line permit as they are settled in Arunachal Pradesh. ODISHA: Odisha government has decided to provide 200 days of work under MGNREGA, in a bid to prevent possible migration of people from drought-hit areas in the state. At a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, the state government decided to extend the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) work days to 200 days. Earlier the Centre had announced 150 days of work under MGNREGA in drought hit areas across the country. Normally, people get 100 days of work per annum under MGNREGA.



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Current Affairs: World HAPPENINGS

UN unanimously adopts resolution on Sri Lanka: The US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka was adopted at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in October. The resolution that was co-sponsored by 25 countries besides the US and Sri Lanka, was adopted by consensus. The resolution follows up on the report by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka and has called for promoting reconciliation between ethnic communities and accountability over war crimes. It welcomed Sri Lankan governments bid to set up an accountability process with independent judicial institutions led by personnel known for their integrity and impartiality and with the participation of foreign judges, lawyers and investigators.

5 nations elected for two-year term on UNSC: In one round of voting the United Nations General Assembly on October 15, 2015 elected Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay to serve as non-permanent members on the Security Council for two-year terms beginning on 1 January 2016. The five permanent Council members, which each wield the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The non-permanent members that will remain on the Council until the end of 2016 are Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela. UN adopts new Global Goals for sustainable development: The 193-Member United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with a set of bold new Global Goals at the UN Sustainable Development Summit that ended on October 4. The new framework titled Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is composed of 17 goals and 169 targets to wipe out poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change over the next 15 years. NZ to create worlds largest marine reserve: New Zealand will create one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, spanning an area of 620,000 sq km. The Kermadec ocean sanctuary will be one of the worlds most significant fully protected ecosystems, PM John Key announced recently. The sanctuary is in the South Pacific Ocean, about 1000km north-east of New Zealand, and expands a marine reserve that surrounds a clutch of small islands. The area is considered crucial in terms of biodiversity, featuring nearly 35 species of whales and dolphins, 150 types of fish and three of the worlds seven sea turtle species. It is also geologically significant, encompassing the worlds longest chain of submerged volcanoes and the second deepest ocean trench, plunging to 10 km underwater deeper than Mount Everest is tall. Iceland admits killing 184 whales in 2015: Iceland announced in October that 155 fin whales and 29 minke whales were killed by its hunters in the 2015 season, in defiance of calls to end the practice. Iceland and Norway are the only nations that openly defy the International Whaling Commissions 1986 ban on hunting whales. Japan has used a legal loophole in the ban that allows it to continue hunting the animals in order to gather scientific data -- but it has never made a secret of the fact that the whale meat from these hunts often ends up on dining tables. Nepal rations fuel amid blockade by protesters: Nepal began rationing petroleum products amid blockade by protesters against the new Constitution. The measures introduced restrict weekly sales of fuel to three litres for motorcyclists and 10 litres for cars. The move comes after the country decided an odd-even license plate system for plying of vehicles on alternate days and asked international airlines to refuel planes abroad amid a fuel crisis due to the blockade. Besides Raxaul, four other major trading points including Kakarvitta, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj have also been blocked. The agitating Madhesi Front claims that the Constitution does not guarantee enough rights and representation to the Madhesi and Tharu communities residing in southern Nepal Catalan vote deepens political standoff in Spain: Separatists in Catalonia vowed to push on for independence from Spain after winning control of their regional parliament in polls held recently, but the Spanish



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government promised to keep the country united. The separatist Together For Yes alliance along with the radical left-wing group CUP said they have a majority which totally legitimises initialising the process towards declaring independence. But in Madrid, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he would not discuss the end of unity of Spain. Groups that want to break Spains richest region away as a new nation in Europe won a combined 72 seats in the 135-seat regional parliament in the polls. Bolivian eliminates Presidential term limits: Bolivias parliament has passed a law that would allow President Evo Morales to run for another term, if ratified in a national referendum next year. Historically, Bolivia is one of South Americas most unstable countries. It has enjoyed relative prosperity and calm under Morales who is its first indigenous leader. The current constitution, adopted in 2009, bars more than two consecutive terms Palestine renounces security, political accords with Israel: On the day that the Palestinian flag was raised at United Nations Headquarters for the first time, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on September 30 renounced political and security accords with Israel, due to its continual violations of the 20-year-old agreements. They leave us no choice but to insist that we will not remain the only ones committed to the implementation of these agreements, while Israel continuously violates them, he announced referring to the so-called Oslo accords to set up a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with interim terms governing security and economic cooperation. AWARDSRight Livelihood Awards: The foreign minister and the people of the Marshall Islands have been honoured for taking legal action against the nuclear powers for failing to honour disarmament obligations. Tony de Brum and the people of the Pacific island group shared the honorary portion of the 2015 Right Livelihood Award, sometimes referred to as the alternative Nobel. This years 3-million-kronor (USD 358,500) Cash Award was shared by three activists Canadas Sheila Watt-Cloutier, for her supports to Inuit causes; Ugandas Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, for her struggle for sexual minorities rights; and Italian surgeon Gino Strada, for providing medical assistance to victims of war. Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honours efforts that prize founder, Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes. The awards will be presented in the Swedish Parliament on November 30. PERSONSINNEWSAPPOINTMENTS: Hoesung Lee of South Korea has been elected as the new Chairman of UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), replacing Rajendra Pachauri of India, who quit in February over allegations of sexual harassment. Hailemariam Desalegne, 50, was unanimously re-elected Ethiopias prime minister for a second term at the inaugural session of the newly-elected parliament in Addis Ababa in October. James Bond actor Daniel Craig was appointed as its Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards by the United Nations in October. US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson was appointed as the new US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in October. The UN announced Fayez Saraj as the new Prime Minister of the national unity government in Libya which has been divided between an Islamist-backed government based in Tripoli and an internationally recognised government in the countrys east since the ousting of the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli was elected as the new PM of Nepal in October. OBITUARIES: American Nobel laureate for Chemistry Richard Heck, who designed a method of building complex molecules that has helped fight cancer, protect crops and make electronic devices, died in Manila on October 10 at 84. BBC journalist Sue Lloyd-Roberts, known for her series of investigative reports that frequently involved travel to conflict zones, died in a London on October 13 at the age of 64. Hungarys first democratically-elected President and former dissident Arpad Goncz died aged 93 in Budapest on October 6. Swedish author and playwright Henning Mankell, whose best-selling mystery series features the dour Inspector Kurt Wallander, died on October 5 at 67. Famed Egyptian satirical writer Ali Salem, known for the 1971 comedic play School of the Troublemakers, died in Cairo on September 22 at the age of 79.



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FacesAngus Deaton: Understanding poverty By emphasising the links between individual consumption decisions and outcomes for the whole economy, his work has helped transform modern microeconomics, macroeconomics and development economics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for 2015 to American

economist Angus Deaton. To design economic policy that promotes welfare and reduces poverty, we must first understand individual consumption choices. More than anyone else, Angus Deaton has enhanced this understanding. By linking detailed individual choices and aggregate outcomes, his research has helped transform the fields of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and development economics. The work for which Deaton is now being honored revolves around three central questions: How do consumers distribute their spending among different goods? Answering this question is not only necessary for explaining and forecasting actual consumption patterns, but also crucial in evaluating how policy reforms, like changes in consumption taxes, affect the welfare of different groups. In his early work around 1980, Deaton developed the Almost Ideal Demand System a flexible, yet simple, way of estimating how the demand for each good depends on the prices of all goods and on individual incomes. His approach and its later modifications are now standard tools, both in academia and in practical policy evaluation. How much of societys income is spent and how much is saved? To explain capital formation and the magnitudes of business cycles, it is necessary to understand the interplay between income and consumption over time. In a few papers around 1990, Deaton showed that the prevailing consumption theory could not explain the actual relationships if the starting point was aggregate income and consumption. Instead, one should sum up how individuals adapt their own consumption to their individual income, which fluctuates in a very different way to aggregate income. This research clearly

demonstrated why the analysis of individual data is key to untangling the patterns we see in aggregate data, an approach that has since become widely adopted in modern macroeconomics. How do we best measure and analyze welfare and poverty? In his more recent research, Deaton highlights how reliable measures of individual household consumption levels can be used to discern mechanisms behind economic development. His research has uncovered important pitfalls when comparing the extent of poverty across time and place. It has also exemplified how the clever use of household data may shed light on such issues as the relationships between income and calorie intake, and the extent of gender discrimination within the family. Deatons focus on household surveys has helped transform development economics from a theoretical field based on aggregate data to an empirical field based on detailed individual data. LessonsforIndiaAngus Deaton, has had a long professional association with India. And various lessons from his work are quite relevant to Indian public policy today, for example the lesson about measurement being the key to enforcing accountability. Deaton was a pioneer in devising ways to measure consumption, which led to a better understanding of poverty and ways to fight it. India, unfortunately, falls short when it comes to measurement. Deatonhas been sceptical about the extraordinary claims of new approaches to designing superior schemes to combat poverty, particularly the use of randomised controlled trials. A healthy dose of scepticism is a necessary ingredient in policy making as it limits the possibility of making a wrong choice. At the same time, Deaton has been open to taking strong stands be it on the efficacy of cash transfers or the possibility of long-term harm to recipients of foreign aid. For an Indian audience, the Nobel is a welcome development as his work has been of particular relevance to our challenges.We spend over Rs 3 trillion annually on subsidies and welfare measures but make slow progress in poverty reduction, with almost a third of the population still poor. Indias fight against poverty can benefit a lot from Deatons body of work.



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Current Affairs: Sports CRICKETSehwag retires Virender Sehwag, 37, announced retirement from international

cricket in October. He confirmed his participation in next years Masters Champions League 2020, where only retired cricketers can play. In a glorious international career spanning over 12 years, Sehwag played 104 Tests scoring 8586 runs at an impressive average of 49.34, hitting 23 centuries and 32 half-centuries.

He is the only triple centurion in Tests for India having scored career-best knock of 319 against Pakistan at Multan followed by 309 against South Africa. This makes him the only batsman along with Don Bradman, Chris Gayle and Brian Lara to have scored a triple century twice in Tests.

In 251 ODIs, he accumulated 8273 runs at an average of 35.05 and scored 15 hundreds apart from hitting 38 fifties. He smashed his highest ODI score in 2011 against the West Indies at Indore, slamming 219 runs off only 149 balls. This is the third highest score in ODIs, after Rohit Sharma (264) and Martin Guptil (237 not out). In 19 Twenty20 Internationals, he managed 394 runs with two fifties. He has been a part of two World Cup winning teams under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni --- 2007 World T20 in South Africa and the ICC Cricket World Cup in India.

BCCI not to terminate CSK, RR from IPL The Board of Cricket Council in India (BCCI) has confirmed that two suspended franchises Chennai Super King and Rajasthan Royals will not face termination and said that two new teams will replace them in the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. The decision announced following the meeting of its working committee meeting in Mumbai on October 18 will make the next two IPLs an eight-team affair. The BCCI, however, said that a total of ten teams would play in the IPL from 2018 after the end of two-year suspension of CSK and RR. The Supreme Court appointed Justice R.M. Lodha-led committee had in July 2015 suspended the CSK and RR for two years from the league following the involvement of some players in spot-fixing. Meanwhile, the BCCI also announced mobile phone company Vivo as the new sponsor IPL for the next two years with beverage giant PepsiCo making its exit. Nike was retained as the apparel sponsor of the Indian cricket team. Others in News: The ICC has barred Sri Lankan off-spinner Tharindu Kaushal from bowling the Doosra in international cricket after it was found illegal in independent assessment but cleared all his other deliveries. Former England fast bowler Frank Tyson, who took 76 wickets in 17 Tests and was nicknamed Typhoon due to his ferocious pace, died at the age of 85 on September 27. Former Australian Test cricketer Lindsay Kline, who is famously known for facing the final ball of the sports first tied test match against the West Indies in 1960, passed away at 81 in Melbourne on October 2. FOOTBALL: FIFAs independent ethics committee in Zurich suspended world body president Sepp Blatter and UEFA head Michel Platini, who is also a candidate for the FIFA presidency, for 90 days in October after they were named in a Swiss corruption case. Haryanas Government Senior Secondary School from Alakhpura, Bhiwani defeated Chanambam Thambou Higher Secondary School, Manipur 5-3 in penalty shootout to lift the Subroto Cup football trophy in the junior girls (Under-17) section at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi on September 29. Indian football teams slumped to their fourth straight defeat losing 1-2 to hosts Turkmenistan in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, in Ashgabat on October 8 thus ending their chances of qualification. HOCKEY: The Indian junior mens (Under-21) hockey team suffered a nail-biting defeat on penalties against Great Britain in the final of the 5th Sultan of Johor Cup in Johor Bahru (Malaysia) on October 18. The India colts, who were leveled at 2-2 against Great Britain after full time in the title encounter, lost in the penalty shootout 4-3, to the Great



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Britain boys. India had earlier finished at the top of the table in the league encounter just losing one match ironically to Great Britain. Sumit Kumar and Harmanpreet Singh with 3 goals each have been the top scorers for India in tournament. CHESS: GM Sergey Karjakin of Russia annexed the World Cup Chess Championship defeating compatriot Peter Svidler 6-4 in a thrilling finale that concluded in Baku (Azerbaijan) in October. Karjakin and Svidler thus joined five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand of India, Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria and American duo of Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura in the line-up for the Candidates tournament to decide the challenger for Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the next world championship. BADMINTON: P V Sindhu dream run at the Denmark Open ended in agony as the Indian shuttler suffered a 21-19, 21-12 straight-game defeat against Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China in the Womens Singles final of the USD 650,000 Super Series Premier badminton event, in Odense on October 18. Mens Singles title was won by Chinas Chen Long who beat Indonesias Tommy Sugiarto in the final 21-12, 21-12. Womens Doubles title was won by South Korean pair of Jung Kyung Eun & Shun Seung Chan while South Koreas Yoo Yeon Seong and Lee Yong Dae won the Mens Doubles title. South Korea also won the Mixed Doubles title when its pair Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na defeated their Indonesian opponents in the final. TENNIS: David Ferrer of Spain claimed the Malaysian Open title at Kuala Lumpur on October 4 defeating his Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez in the final between the top two seeds. Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continued its dominating run by winning their sixth title of the year at the Guangzhou Open on September 26 beating Xu Shilin and You Xiaodi 6-3 6-1 in the final. Former US Tennis Association head David Haggerty was elected president of the International Tennis Federation to succeed outgoing ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti. Indias Divij Sharan and Saketh Myneni won their first title together this season when Malek Jaziri and Denis Molchanov opted out of the final, down a match point, in the ATP Izmir Cup, in Izmir (Turkey) on September 27. World No.1 Novak Djokovic rolled to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Frances Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final of the Shanghai Masters hard-court tennis tournament in Shanghai on October 18. TABLE TENNIS: Chinas Fan Zhendong won the gold medal in Mens Singles at the Asian Table Tennis Championships (ATTC) in Pattaya, Thailand in October. China also pocketed gold in mens team, womens team, mixed doubles, mens doubles and womens singles. Kim Hye Song and Ri Mi Gyong from North Korea won the Womens Doubles title. Chinas Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin claimed the Mens Doubles title. Chinas Zhu Yuling won the Womens Singles title. India finished seventh in Mens team event. ATHLETICS: Kenyas athletes Eliud Kipchoge and Gladys Cherono won the 42nd Berlin Marathon on September 28. Eliud Kipchoge crossed the finish line in 2:04:01 to beat his personal best, while Gladys Cherono won the womens competition in 2:19:25. A total of 41,224 runners from 127 countries and regions participated. SQUASH: Saurav Ghosal beat top seed Marwan Elshorbagy of Egypt 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 in the final to clinch the JSW Indian Squash Circuit Kolkata International in Kolkata on September 27. RALLY: Experienced driver Raj Singh Rathore and his co-driver Amber Udasi clinched the top prize in the 17th edition of the Raid de Himalaya, the worlds highest altitude motorsports rally, by drivng his Polaris across the finish line first in the Xtreme Four-Wheeler category at Srinagar on October 17. Bengalurus Arvind K.P. was crowned champion in the Xtreme Two-Wheeler category. This year, the cross country endurance rally saw 167 participants travelling 1,920 km over six days. The off-roading event started in Shimla on October 9 with night halts at Manali, Dalhousie, Srinagar and Rangdum. In the Adventure category, meant for driving enthusiasts, the top slot was bagged by Jagmeet Gill with navigator Chandan Sen. F1: Lewis Hamilton blazed to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg at Suzuka (Japan) on September 27 while Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel was third.



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Current Affairs: Economy

Gujarat easiest place to do business in India BJP-ruled Gujarat is the best place in the country to do business, says the World Banks ranking on ease of doing business in states followed by AP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan. These rankings were provided in the report titled Assessment of State Implementation of Business Reforms which was prepared by World Bank in association with the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), KPMG, CII and FICCI. The ranking of 32 states and union territories was based on eight specified parameters setting up of business, allotment of land, labour reforms, procedure for environmental clearance, infrastructure, procedure for registration for tax purposes and inspections for compliance of various norms. What this report does very well is to provide a roadmap for states serious about improving their business environment and creating jobs, World Bank country director Onno Ruhl said.

India ranks 142ndin ease of doing business India continues to be a tough place for doing business even as the country has improved regulator processes for starting enterprises and trading across borders, according to World Bank. In terms of ease of doing business, India is ranked 142nd among 189 countries in the latest rankings issued by the World Bank. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. The rankings are determined by sorting the aggregate distance to frontier scores on 10 topics, each consisting of several indicators, giving equal weight to each topic. Singapore is at the top position, followed by New Zealand. Hong Kong SAR (China) is at the third spot. Other nations in the top 10 are Denmark (4th), Korea Republic (5th), Norway (6th), the US (7th), the UK (8th), Finland (9th) and Australia (10th). South Asian Economic Conclave organised Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a strong pitch for greater integration of the South Asian region, even as she underscored the need for speedy implementation of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) agreement. The Minister was speaking at the South Asian Economic Conclave organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi on September 30. SAFTA was signed by the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries in January 2004, in Islamabad. Under this pact, India allows duty-free access to goods from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Also India has reduced the sensitive list it maintains for these countries to 25 items. Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian said that Indias neighbouring countries had looked at other countries for trade and not depended on India. As a result he said, SAFTA was unable to offer benefits that North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) offered. PM Modi Launches Mudra Scheme in Jharkhand Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the MUDRA scheme under which people can take loans up to Rs 10 lakh to start businesses. The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Yojana aims to help small entrepreneurs. Those covered under the scheme include proprietorship/partnership firms running as small manufacturing units, shopkeepers, fruits/vegetable sellers, hair cutting saloon, beauty parlours, transporters, truck operators, hawkers, co-operatives or body of individuals, food service units, repair shops, machine operators, small industries, artisans, food processors, self-help groups, professionals and service providers etc. in rural and urban areas. Loans up to Rs 50,000 come under Shishu loans. Kishor will cover loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs. 5 lakh. Tarun covers loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs. 10 lakh. Antrix asked to pay $672 mn fine to Devas Multimedia Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)s arbitration body International Court of Arbitration has asked ISROs commercial arm Antrix Corporation to pay damages worth $672 million to Bengaluru-based Devas Multimedia for unlawfully terminating a deal in 2011, citing national security. Under the deal signed in 2005, Antrix was to provide 70 MHz of S-Band wavelength to Devas for its multimedia services by leasing 90 per cent of the transponders in



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ISROs GSAT-6 and GSAT-6A satellites. Devas, in turn, was to pay Antrix a total of USD 300 million over 12 years. In its findings, the tribunal had noted that Antrix had no legal justification for terminating the agreement. Black money law comes into force With the compliance window closing on October 1, the black money law has come into force. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairperson Anita Kapur said that with the closure of the compliance window, the act with all its provisions will be enforced on defaulters. The Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Act, 2015, for the first time, allows levy of tax in India on assets kept abroad. The law provides for a compliance window for declaring and paying penalty and a failure to meet the timeline will attract an additional penalty of 90 percent for a total tax liability of 120 percent on the quantum of black money stashed abroad. Indias drive to get back ill-gotten wealth stashed away by its citizens abroad has drawn responses from 638 declarants for total assets worth Rs.3,770 crore ($580 million). Indo-US FATCA pact becomes operational The ambitious anti-offshore tax evasion and black money detection pact between India and the US -- Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) -- became operational from October. The pact aims to cover automatic sharing of information on bank accounts as well as financial products like equities, mutual funds and insurance, and is aimed at fighting the menace of black money stashed abroad. Banks, mutual funds, insurance, pension and stock-broking firms will report their Indian client details to the US which will be shared with New Delhi. If a financial institution does comply with FATCA, it will have to pay 30 per cent penalty tax on all its US revenues, including dividend, interest, fees and sales. June-end external debt at $482.9 billion Indias external debt stood at $482.9 billion as of June-end, up 1.8% from March-end, the Reserve Bank of India said on September 30. Indias external debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 24% as of June-end, recording an increase of 23.7% over its level at March-end 2015. Excluding valuation gains due to appreciation of the US dollar against the Indian rupee and other major currencies, the increase in external debt during the quarter would have been higher at $10.1 billion. The countrys ratio of short-term residual debt to forex reserves fell to 51.9% in June-end, from 54.2% in March-end 2015. UIDAI shifted to IT Ministry The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which issues Aadhaar cards, has been shifted to the administrative control of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology from NITI Aayog. The decision to shift UIDAI from NITI Aayog, which has replaced Planning Commission, has been taken keeping in mind the governments ambitious Digital India programme as the Aadhaar numbers are being linked with several services. The issuance of Aadhaar cards, started by the then UPA government, has come under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court which recently held that the card would not be mandatory for availing benefits of governments welfare schemes. India top FDI destination in H1 FY16Financial Times With USD 31 billion of foreign capital inflows, India has surpassed China and the US to take the pole position in attracting largest FDI in the first half of 2015. The report published in Financial Times, London said that India has attracted USD 31 billion of FDI in H1 2015, ahead of USD 28 billion of China and USD 27 billion of US. In a year when many major FDI destinations posted declines, India experienced one of 2014s best FDI growth rates, increasing its number of projects by 47 per cent, it said. Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) launched The Government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining related operations, using the funds generated by District Mineral Foundations (DMFs). The scheme aims at mitigating the adverse impacts due to mining operation on the environment and health and ensuring long-term sustainable livelihoods for the affected people in mining areas. 60 per cent of the funds will be spent on high priority areas including drinking water supply, health care, sanitation, education and skill development of the affected people. Besides, the rest of the funds will be spent on making roads, bridges, railways, waterways projects, irrigation and alternative energy sources. Mining companies will have to contribute 30 per cent of the royalty payable by



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them to DMFs in case of mining leases executed before January 12, 2015 and 10 per cent of the royalty where mining leases are granted after this date. Poor monsoon likely to hit 2015-16 kharif output by 1.78% Declining for the fourth consecutive year, Indias foodgrain production is projected to drop by 1.78 per cent to 124.05

million tonnes in the 2015-16 kharif season due to poor monsoon and drought-like situation in some states. Foodgrain output was 126.31 million tonnes (MT) in the kharif (summer) season of the 2014-15 crop year (July-June). The Agriculture Ministry released the first advance estimates for the 2015-16 kharif crops recently. The cumulative rainfall during the current monsoon season has been deficient by 15 per cent. As a result, the kharif production of rice, coarse cereals and pulses, which are part of foodgrain basket, is likely to decline this year as compared to the fourth advance estimate of kharif foodgrain output for 2014-15. These are preliminary estimates and would undergo revision based on feedback from the states. It releases four estimates before the final one.

MNCs exempted from MAT retrospectively from 2001 The government has decided to amend income tax laws to exempt foreign companies from MAT retrospectively from 2001. Foreign companies, irrespective of whether they belong to a country with which India has a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, have been exempted from payment of minimum alternate tax (MAT) on profits from April 2001 if they do not have a place of business in India. In case the companies belong to countries with which India does not have a DTAA, the MAT exemption will apply if they are exempted from registration under Indias Companies Act. Under these sections, firms are exempted from registration if they do not have a place of business in India. US Congress lets discriminatory outsourcing H-1B fee lapse In a breather for Indian IT firms, the discriminatory USD 2,000 H-1B fee mostly imposed on them lapsed in October. The charges, often called outsourcing fee, had forced Indian IT companies in the last few years to pay millions of dollars towards protecting the US-Mexican border from illegal immigration. The legislation with regard to a USD 2,000 fee on H-1B visas for companies having more than 50 per cent of its employees oversees was adopted by the US Congress in 2010. In a recent report, NASSCOM said Indian tech industry contributed an estimated over USD 375 million during this period to the US Treasury including helping America secure its borders. India 155thin UNs broadband penetration ranking At a time when the Centre is pushing the Digital India campaign and talking about broadband for all, the countrys Internet growth is lagging that of most other countries. According to the State of Broadband 2015 report by the United Nations, Indias broadband penetration ranking has fallen to 155 from 113. This despite the fact that the number of people with broadband access on mobile phones has gone up to 5.5 per cent of the population compared with just 3.2 per cent in 2013. South Korea continues to have the worlds highest household broadband penetration, with 98.5 per cent of homes connected; Qatar (98 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (94 per cent) are ranked second and third, respectively. India 55thon WEF Global Competitiveness Index In a big jump, India has moved up 16 positions to rank 55th on a global index of the worlds most competitive economies, where Switzerland remains on top. The jump in Indias position underlines the countrys recent economic recovery, improvement in the competitiveness of the countrys institutions and its macroeconomic environment and a slight improvement in infrastructure, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in its latest Global Competitiveness Report in Geneva. WEF said that the most problematic factors for doing business in India include corruption, policy instability, inflation and access to finance. The areas where India ranks better were investor protection, gross national savings, quality of education system, venture capital availability, hiring and firing practices, GDP and domestic market size, public trust in politicians and burden of government regulation.



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Business Biography Ralph Lauren: Fashion Moghul The American clothing designer is best known for his sportswear line, Polo Ralph Lauren, which is the centerpiece of his fashion empire

Ralph Lauren, the quintessential American designer who built a fashion empire based on sweeping fantasies of country-club prep and the Wild West, is stepping down from his post as chief executive of his eponymous company. The 75-year-old designer, who founded the luxury fashion label nearly 50 years ago, has announced that Stefan Larsson, a former H&M executive and president of Old Navy, a Gap brand, will be taking over. Ralph, who turns 76 in October, has decided to step down as CEO, plans to stay on as chief designer for the label. Larsson will take over as CEO of the Ralph Lauren Corporation in November. Ralph Lauren was born Ralph Lifshitz in the Bronx, New York City, on October 14, 1939. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Belarus. At the age of 16, Ralph and his brother Jerry changed their last name to Lauren, having been teased consistently at school. Another brother, Lenny, retained the family name.In 1967, Lauren began designing mens neckties, branding them under the name Polo and selling them at large department stores, including Bloomingdales. Lauren then expanded his designs to a full menswear line. In 1970, Lauren was awarded the Coty Award for his menswear designs. Following this recognition, he released a line of womens suits tailored in a classic mens style. In 1972, Lauren released a short-sleeve cotton shirt in 24 colors. This design, emblazoned with the Polo logo, became the brands signature look.

The Ralph Lauren style became a nationwide phenomenon after he dressed the male actors in the 1974 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby in clothing from his current line. The films evocation of the lost, elegant era of F. Scott Fitzgerald provided a perfect vehicle for Laurens classic, sometimes nostalgic, vision. Lauren once said of his style, Im interested in longevity, timelessness, stylenot fashion. His work throughout the following decades reflected this motto, as his exploration of new ideasincluding Southwestern themes and safari lookswas always grounded in his central focus on classic American clothing. Lauren subsequently broadened his brand to include a luxury clothing line called Ralph Lauren Purple, a home-furnishing collection called Ralph Lauren Home, and a collection of fragrances. Polo currently produces clothing for men, women and children. Lauren has also designed Olympic uniforms for Team USA. Laurens vision appealed to a wide spectrum of people, and his label quickly turned into an empire. Seeing how his clothing was associated with a certain lifestyle, starting in 1983 he expanded his business to include a range of home accessories that would eventually include pillows, throws, bed and bath products, furniture, and household paint. Lauren also diversified the appeal of his label by creating lines of clothing and accessories targeted at a wide range of price points and demographics, including a jeans line and a childrens line. By the 1990s the presence of both his shops and his brand name had become global. Polo expanded rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, opening boutiques across the United States and abroad. In 1984, Lauren opened the flagship store in New Yorks Rhinelander Mansion. The company went public on June 11, 1997, traded under the symbol RL.The success of Polo has earned Lauren a personal fortune estimated at $6.5 billion. Lauren married receptionist Ricky Anne Low-Beer in New York City in 1964. The Laurens are the parents of three children: Andrew, David and Dylan.



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Current Affairs: Corporate RANKINGS&INDEXESRobin Hood Index: According to the Robin Hood Index launched by Bloomberg recently, each person below poverty line in India would get $59 if the $22 billion wealth of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Indias richest man, were to be distributed among them. The index shows how the net worth of each countrys wealthiest person compares with the livelihood of his fellow countrymen by calculating the lump sum (in dollars) each person living in poverty would get if the assets of the richest citizen were to be liquidated and redistributed. The two countries where the poor stand to gain the most are Cyprus and Sweden. If the wealth of John Fredriksen, Cyprus richest man were to be redistributed among that countrys poor, each would get $45,987. Similarly, $33,149 of the wealth of Ingvar Kamprad, Swedens richest man, would reach each poor man in that country, if the wealth was to be given away. The Bloomberg Billionaire Index and the CIA World Factbook were used as the reference points for the index. Bloomberg Markets Most Influential List: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ranked 13th among the worlds top 50 people in the fifth edition of the Bloomberg Markets Most Influential list. This is an annual ranking of the most popular politicians, economists, bankers, tech-executives, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and money managers. While US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen tops the Bloomberg list, Chinese President Xi Jinping is on the second spot. Apple CEO Tim Cook is ranked third. The only other Indian on the list of 50 people is 41-year-old Ruchir Sharma (50), who heads emerging markets and global macros at Morgan Stanley Investment Management and is well known for his book Breakout Nations: In Pursuit Of The Next Economic Miracles. Forbes India Rich List: Mukesh Ambani remains Indias richest person for the ninth consecutive year with a net worth of USD 18.9 billion, according to the latest Forbes India Rich List released at the end of September. The top 10 richest in India are: 1) Mukesh Ambani; USD 18.9 billion 2) Dilip Shanghvi; USD 18 billion 3) Azim Premji; USD 15.9 billion 4) Hinduja brothers; USD 14.8 billion 5) Pallonji Mistry; USD 14.7 billion 6) Shiv Nadar; USD 12.9 billion 7) Godrej family; USD 11.4 billion 8) Lakshmi Mittal; USD 11.2 billion 9) Cyrus Poonawalla; USD 7.9 billion 10) Kumar Birla; USD 7.8 billion. This list was compiled using shareholding and financial information obtained from the families and individuals, stock exchanges, analysts and Indias regulatory agencies. Forbes 50 richest families in Asia: As many as 14 Indian families have made it to the inaugural list of Forbes 50 richest families in Asia, led by the Ambanis, who were ranked third on the list with a net worth of USD 21.5 billion. Other Indian families in the list include Dabur Indias Burmans, Cadila Healthcares Patels, Eicher Groups Lals, Shree Cements Bangur family and Ciplas Hamieds. The overall list was topped by Lee family of Samsung Group, whose 2014 revenues were equivalent to 22 per cent of South Koreas GDP. While few dominate to such an extent, many business dynasties hold wide regional sway with their sprawling, cross-border empires, Forbes said. Fortunes 40 under 40 list: As many as five Indians have featured in this years Fortune 40 under 40 list, an annual ranking of the most influential young people in the world of business. The five Indians in the coveted list include Dhivya Surayadevera (CEO of GM Asset Management), Vas Narasimhan (research head at Novartis), Anand Swaminathan (head of Accenture Digital), Apoorva Mehta (CEO of Instacart) and Reshma Saujani (founder of Girls Who Code). The Fortunes 40 under 40 list for this year was topped by Adam Neuman, Co-founder and CEO, WeWork, followed by Teslas JB Straubel and Ryan Graves, SVP of Global Operations, Uber at the second and third positions, respectively. There are tech names here, yes, but also stars in health care, autos, finance, food, real estate, comedy, and even ultimate fighting, Fortune said, adding that this list is one that, rather than being about money alone, was about achievements, ambition, and influence. HAPPENINGSUninor rebrands as Telenor: Telecom operator Uninor announced changing its brand name to Telenor, the name of its parent firm, and spending Rs 100 crore on repositioning itself as the most affordable service provider in India, even as the company said it will compensate consumers for call drops. It has changed its tag to Ab life full paisa vasool from Sabse Sasta. The Norway-based firm, Telenor, entered India through a joint venture with Unitech Wireless, which



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was branded as Uninor. Unitech has now completely exited from the operations and in 2014, the Telenor group increased its stake in the Indian entity to 100 per cent. Nissan inks 8-year deal with ICC: Carmaker Nissan has entered into an eight-year sponsorship deal with the International Cricket Council, marking the Japanese carmakers first significant foray into the sport replacing Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor. Future Group ties up with Patanjali Ayurved: Kishore Biyani-led retail major Future Group has entered into a partnership with Baba Ramdev-promoted Patanjali Ayurved to sell the latters FMCG products through its stores. Patanjalis range of FMCG products, including staples, nutrition, hair care, skin care, dental care and toiletries, will be sold through Future Groups Big Bazaar, KBs and EasyDay outlets across India. Infosys bags contract to build GST Network: Infosys has secured the high-profile contract to develop and operate the technology platform for the proposed goods and services tax (GST), beating the biggest names in Indian IT and US tech giant Microsoft. The GST IT system will provide a standard interface for the taxpayer including registration, filing of returns and payment of tax and a common and shared IT infrastructure between the Centre, the states and other bodies such as the Reserve Bank of India. WCD Ministry, Vedanta sign MoU for next gen Anganwadis: The Ministry of Women and Child Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vedanta in September to develop and modernise 4000 Anganwadis in the country. The Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta will build the next generation Anganwadi centres at a cost of Rs. 400 crore in the states of AP, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, MP, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana and UP among others. The land for the Anganwadis will be provided by the Gram Panchayats. ITC to spend Rs 250 crore for strengthening rural livelihoods: Diversified group ITC will spend Rs 250 crore this fiscal as part of its social investments for strengthening rural livelihoods. The company will also continue to add one lakh acres of land under its watershed development and 50,000 acre in its afforestation initiatives each year. Under the Mission Sunehra Kal, ITC works to strengthen rural livelihoods through its rural retail initiative e-Choupal, wasteland development through social forestry, soil and moisture conservation programmes, livestock development initiatives, building skills and social infrastructure. CNX Nifty to be renamed Nifty 50: India Index Services & Products Limited (IISL), an NSE group company, has decided to rebrand its flagship CNX Nifty index as Nifty 50 besides renaming all its other existing indices, from November. The index provider will rebrand all its existing indices to include Nifty in their names as against the name CNX used currently. Inclusion of Nifty in the name of IISLs indices will enhance the acceptability of products linked to Nifty family worldwide, NSE managing dire

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