Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 13th August 2024

National News

 1. India and Maldives renew MoU to enhance civil service training 

• India and Maldives have renewed their MoU to bolster the training of Maldivian civil servants. 
• External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer finalized the renewed agreement in Malé. 
• The renewed MoU, spanning from 2024 to 2029, will facilitate the training of an additional 1,000 civil service officers from the Maldives. 
• This initiative builds on a previous agreement established on June 8, 2019, under which the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) of India trained 1,000 Maldivian civil servants, including high-level officials, across 32 capacity-building programs. 
• The NCGG, guided by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, has a track record of successful capacity-building initiatives in various countries, including Bangladesh, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka, as well as regional programs for Latin American and FIPIC/IOR countries. 

Recently India signed MoUs with others countries 

• India and New Zealand sign customs co-operation arrangement to ease trade between the two countries 
• India and Vietnam team up to Preserve Maritime History with NMHC in Lothal 
• India and Vietnam sign 9 agreements to deepen strategic partnership & enhance cooperation 
• India, US Sign Cultural Property Agreement To Repatriate Stolen Indian Artifacts 
• MSDE partners with Australian Government to energise Agriculture Sector of India with emerging skills 
• India’s Exim Bank to provide $2.5 million LoC for Guyana 

2. Jitendra Singh launches ‘Amrit Gyan Kosh’ and ‘Faculty Development’ Portals under Mission Karmayogi 

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has launched the ‘Amrit Gyan Kosh’ Portal and ‘Faculty Development portal’ at the Civil Service Training Institutions Convention at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. 
• It marks a paradigm shift in how we approach civil service training and it also envisions a future-ready civil service rooted in Indian ethos, with a global perspective. 
• Jitendra Singh also launched 13 Quality Improvement Plans (QIP), a roadmap for continuous enhancement of our training institutions. He also granted accreditation to 20 ministries. 
• Singh highlighted that the core of the mission is continuous learning and competency-driven capacity building. 

3. SLRTC and Army Welfare Association sign MoU to Promote Indian Sign Language 

• The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) signed an MoU with the Army Welfare Association Society (AWES), in New Delhi. 
• This collaboration is expected to bring benefits to the educational ecosystem, empowering educators and fostering an inclusive environment for students. 
• By enhancing the capabilities of Army Public School faculty in Indian Sign Language, the partnership aims to create a more accessible and supportive learning environment for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Recent MoU 

• BIS signs MoU with Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru to promote Standardisation 
• IGNCA signed MoU with Sansad TV to make Indian art and culture more accessible to the people. 
• Cisco and Tata Communications partner to launch Webex Calling in India 
• AIIMS New Delhi signed MoU with University of Bolton Institute of Medicine 
• Mahindra & Mahindra sign MoU with MSDE for ‘Drone Didi’ Pilot Project 

4. Assam launches ‘Nijut Moina Scheme’ to boost girls’ education and combat child marriage 

• Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched the ‘Nijut Moina Scheme’, an initiative aimed at eradicating child marriages by empowering female students and promoting education over early marriage. 
• The scheme is designed to provide monthly financial assistance to female students from higher secondary to post-graduate levels. 
• The initiative comes a year after Assam Police arrested over 4,000 people in crackdowns against child marriage. The ‘Nijut Moina’ scheme is universal, allowing students to voluntarily opt out if they do not want to avail of it. 
• The Rs.1500 crore scheme will benefit 10 lakh girls in four years. 

Monthly assistance under the ‘Nijut Moina’ scheme

• Higher secondary students: Rs 1,000/month. 
• Graduate level students: Rs 1,250/month. 
• Post-graduate level students: Rs 2,500/month 

About Assam 

• Formation – 26 January 1950 
• Capital – Dispur 
• Chief Minister –Himanta Biswa Sarma 
• Governor – Gulab Chand Kataria 
• State Fruit – Kaji Nemu 
• Rajya Sabha Seat – 7 
• Lok Sabha Seat – 14 

5. NIRF Ranking 2024: IIT Madras tops in overall category 

• Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan has released the India Rankings 2024, which implements the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) drafted for this purpose by the Ministry of Education in 2015. 
• This is the 9th consecutive edition of India Rankings of HEIs in India. Four distinct additions to 2024 edition of India Rankings are as follows: 
• i) Introduction of three new categories namely State Public Universities, Open Universities, and Skill Universities; and 
• ii) Integration of “Innovation” ranking into the India Rankings using NIRF framework. 
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras retains its 1st position in Overall Category for the sixth consecutive year, i.e. 2019 to 2024 and in Engineering for 9th consecutive year, i.e. from 2016 to 2024. 
• Top 100 in Overall category consists of 23 state public universities, 22 private deemed universities, 16 IITs, 9 NITs, 7 each central universities 7 private universities, 4 each AIIMS, IISERs and Govt. deemed universities, 3 Other CFTIs and 1 college. 
• Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru tops the Universities Category for ninth consecutive year. It stood first in Research Institutions Category for the fourth consecutive year. 
• IIM Ahmedabad tops in Management subject retaining its first position for fifth consecutive year. 
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi occupies the top slot in Medical for the seventh consecutive year. Moreover, AIIMS is ranked at 7th position in Overall category. 
• Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi tops the ranking in Pharmacy this year. 
• Hindu College secured the 1st position amongst Colleges for the first time replacing Miranda House which retained its 1st position for seven consecutive year. 
• IIT Roorkee retained its 1st position in Architecture and Planning for the fourth consecutive year. 
• National Law School of India University, Bengaluru retains its first position in Law for the seventh consecutive year. 
• The Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai takes the top slot in Dental subject for the third consecutive year. 
•  Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi takes the top slot in Agriculture and Allied Sectors for the second consecutive year. 
• Anna University, Chennai tops the State Public Universities Category introduced for the first time in 2024. 
• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi tops the Open Universities Category introduced for the first time in 2024.
• Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur tops in the Innovation category. 
• Symbiosis Skill and Professional University (SSPU), Pune tops the Skill Universities category ranked this year for the first time. 

Scheme and committees news 

6. Cabinet approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana. 

• The Union Cabinet has approved an extension of the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana till 2028-29 to boost advanced Biofuel projects. 
• The revised scheme will be implemented for five years. 
• The revised Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana comprises “bolt-on” and “brownfield” projects. 
• This scheme has been designed to provide financial support that benefits multiple sectors. 
• It offers a stable income for farmers through the sale of agricultural residue and mitigates environmental pollution. 
• Additionally, it aligns with India’s goals for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070 and supports the Make in India initiative. 
• The Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana is focused on the development of 2nd Generation (2G) ethanol from surplus biomass and agricultural waste. 
• This scheme was launched in 2019 and supported the establishment of India’s first 2G ethanol plant by the Indian Oil Corporation at Panipat. 

7. 2-Child policy – Andhra Pradesh 

• The Andhra Pradesh government decided to abolish a rule that barred individuals having more than two children from contesting local body elections. 
• The fertility rate in Andhra Pradesh is 1.5. 
• The two-child policy was first introduced in united Andhra Pradesh in 1994. 
• It prevented individuals with more than two children from contesting in the urban local body elections. 

Appointment 

8. Raj Kumar Chaudhary appointed as CMD of NHPC Ltd 

• Raj Kumar Chaudhary has been appointed as the new Chairman & Managing Director of NHPC Limited. 
• Prior to his current appointment, Chaudhary held the critical position of Director (Technical) at NHPC. 
• At 59 years old, Shri Chaudhary brings a wealth of expertise to the role, having joined NHPC in 1989 as a Probationary Executive (Civil) at the Koel Karo Hydro-Electric Project in Jharkhand. 

About NHPC Limited 

• Founded- 7 November 1975 
• Headquarters- Faridabad 
• Chairman & Managing Director – Raj Kumar Chaudhary
• Owner- Government of India (70.95%)

 Recent Appointment 

• Additional secretary in PMO – Amit Singh Negi 
• Director in Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) under Ministry of Corporate Affairs – Samir Ashwin Vakil 
• Deputy Election Commissioners in ECI – Maneesh Garg, Sanjay Kumar and Ajeet Kumar 
• Director general of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation – Ashok Kumar Singh 
• CEO of Khadi and Village Industries Commission under Ministry of MSMEs – Vatsalya Saxena 

9. Om Prakash Mathur Sworn in as 18th Governor of Sikkim 

• Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as the 18th Governor of Sikkim at Raj Bhavan, Gangtok. 
• Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, Justice Biswanath Somadder, administered the oath of office and secrecy. 
• The Governor and Chief Minister also participated in a plantation drive at the Raj Bhavan premises under the campaign “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.” 

About Sikkim 

• Capital – Gangtok 
• Chief Minister – Prem Singh Tamang (2nd time) 
• Governor – Om Prakash Mathur (replace Lakshman Prasad Acharya 

Recent Appointment 

• Governor of Jharkhand – Santosh Kumar Gangwar (12th) 
• Governor of Chhattisgarh – Ramen Deka 
• Governor of Rajasthan – Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde 
• Governor of Telangana – Jishnu Dev Varma 
• Governor of Punjab – Gulab Chand Kataria 
• Governor of Maharastar – CP Radhakrishnan 
• Governor of Meghalaya – C H Vijayshankar 
• Governor of Assam – Lakshman Prasad Acharya (also additional charge of Manipur) 
• Governor of Puducherry – K. Kailashnathan (25th) 

Awards 

10. Pakistan athlete Arshad Nadeem to be honoured with Hilal-e-Imtiaz Award 

•  The Javelin Throw gold medallist in the Paris Olympics 2024, Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem is set to be honoured with Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the country’s government. 
• Hilal-e-Imtiaz is the second-highest civilian award given by the Government of Pakistan and Nadeem will get this award following his brilliant performance in the final of the competition.
• Pakistan’s athlete won gold with a throw of 92.97 meters, setting a new Olympic record and surpassing Denmark’s Andreas Thorkildsen’s mark from Beijing 2008. Grenada’s Anderson Peters secured bronze with a throw of 88.54 meters. 
• India’s Neeraj Chopra fell short of retaining his gold medal, finishing with a best throw of 89.45 meters. 
• Chopra became the second male athlete from post-independence India to win two Olympic medals in an individual event. 

Recent Award 

• Grand Collar of Order of Timor Leste (Highest Civilian Award of Timor Leste) – President Droupadi Murmu 
• Companion of the Order of Fiji (highest honour of Fiji) – President Droupadi Murmu 
• V Venkayya Epigraphy Award 2024 – V. Vedachalam 
• Global Water Tech Award for environmental initiatives – Delhi Metro Rail Corporation 
• Customised Gold Coins by Paris’ Grevin Museum – Shah Rukh Khan
• Olympic Order by IOC – Abhinav Bindra 

11. Shah Rukh Khan received lifetime achievement award at Locarno Film Festival. 

• On August 10, he became the first Indian personality to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award, also called Pardo alla Carriera, or Career Leopard. 
• He received the award at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. 
• As part of the Locarno tribute, the festival also screened Khan's 2002 hit Devdas. 
• 2024 Locarno International Film Festival is a film festival event. 
• It is being held from August 7, 2024 to August 17, 2024 in Locarno, Switzerland. 

12. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024 

• The first-ever Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) awardees 2024 were announced recently. 
• These awards honour individuals who have made distinguished contributions through impactful research, innovation, or discovery that benefits Indian communities or society. 
• It was replacing the existing science awards, including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. 
• Vigyan Ratna honours lifetime achievements and substantial contributions in any field of science and technology.
• Vigyan Shri recognizes distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology. 
• Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar recognizes and encourages the young scientists under 45 years of age. 
• This year’s Vigyan Ratna was awarded to G. Padmanabhan for his work on the malaria parasites. 
• Chandrayaan-3 Team was awarded with the Vigyan Team for their successful mission in 2023. 
• Vigyan Shri was given to Annapurni Subramaniam, Jayant Bhalchandra Udgaonkar, Naba Kumar Mondal. 
• Vigyan Yuva was awarded to Vivek Polshettiwar, Urbasi Sinha, Roxy Mathew Koll. 

Science and technology news 

13. Anti-diabetic herb was discovered by researchers on Brahmayoni Hill in Gaya. 

• Gymnema sylvestre, commonly known as Gudmar, has been identified among several medicinal plants at Brahmayoni hills in Gaya, Bihar by researchers. 
• The findings, published in the International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), highlighted the potential of this herb in treating diabetes. 
• To develop the anti-diabetic drug BGR-34, Gurmar has already been used by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). 
• The unique properties of this plant include the ability to lower blood sugar levels, attributed to gymnemic acid, which prevents the absorption of sugar in the intestines. 
• Magadh University professors who conducted the study explained that gurmar also contains flavonoids and saponins, which help regulate lipid metabolism and lower cholesterol levels. 
• The plant is one of the three medicinal herbs found on the Brahmayoni Hill, an area long known among traditional healers for its diverse medicinal flora. 
• A study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi in 2022 further confirmed the effectiveness of BGR-34 in reducing obesity and blood sugar levels while improving metabolic function. 

14. Scientists have discovered rice varieties that can reduce fertiliser use. 

• Scientists have discovered natural variations in rice nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) along with associated traits and genes. 
• The Dhala Heera variety boasts both high NUE and a shorter growth duration. 
• Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a critical factor in agricultural sustainability. 
• It measures grain yield or nitrogen harvested per unit of urea input. 
• Poor fertiliser NUE can waste nitrogen fertilisers worth a staggering Rs 1 lakh crore annually in India. 
• The study found that the NUE of the best varieties were five times as much as the least. 
• The study was co-authored by Ashu Tyagi and Navjyoti Chakraborty. 
• Some improvements in NUE could be done by improving fertilizer formulations, legume-based on crop-rotations and crop management practices. 

15. Mission to Apophis asteroid 

• The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a mission to study the Apophis asteroid when it passes by Earth at a very close distance in 2029. 
• The mission is named as the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses). 
• Roughly 375 m across, the asteroid Apophis will pass within 32 000 km from Earth’s surface on 13 April 2029. 
• An asteroid of such large size comes this close to the Earth only once in about 5,000 to 10,000 years. 

16. Small Modular Reactors 

• The Indian government is planning to team up with the private sector to study and test small modular reactors (SMRs). 
• SMRs, of 10 MWe-300 MWe each, are smaller versions of their conventional counterparts. 
• They can be installed without time and cost overruns, and can consume power locally at the SMR site. 
• Their ability to integrate with RE can offer a resilient grid and manage the intermittency, the cost being around ₹4/kWh. 

17. Rogue Waves prediction 

• Rogue waves are unusually large waves compared to ones which come before and after, pose a threat to ships, coastal and offshore infrastructure, and human lives. 
• There is no method existed to forecast rogue waves until now. 
• Using billions of data points collected by a network of 172 ocean buoys, an artificial intelligence has trained to distinguish wave patterns that preceded rogue waves, up to five minutes in advance. 
• The WMO sea state code characterises sea state based on wave height on a scale of 0 (no waves) to 9 (waves over 14 m). 

18. Methane mitigator by India 

• The first cultures of indigenous methane-mitigating agents, are discovered in rice fields and wetlands primarily in Western India. 
• Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with 26 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. 
• It is naturally counteracted by methanotrophs—methane-eating bacteria. 
• Methylocucumis oryzae bacterium is a novel genus and species. 
• These bacteria oxidise methane, producing CO2 and H2O, thereby preventing methane levels from skyrocketing. 
• Methylocucumis oryzae promotes rice plant growth, inducing early flowering and increasing grain yield. 

Defence 

19. India and Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise MITRA SHAKTI Commences in Sri Lanka 

• The 10th edition of India- Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise MITRA SHAKTI commenced at Army Training School, Maduru Oya, Sri Lanka. 
• The Exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 12th to 25th August 2024. 
• Indian contingent comprising of 106 personnel is being represented by a Battalion of Rajputana Rifles along with personnel from other arms and services. The Sri Lankan contingent is being represented by personnel from the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lankan Army. 
• Joint Exercise MITRA SHAKTI is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Sri Lanka. The last edition was conducted in Pune in Nov 2023. 
• The exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban environment. It will facilitate development of inter-operability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two armies. 

Sports 

20. India wins CAVA Women’s Volleyball Nations League for the second time 

• Indians beat the host Nepal 23-25, 25-14, 22-25, 25-21, 15-5 in the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Nations League final. 
• Nepal lost to India 3-2 in the finals at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu. 
• This was the second time Nepal was facing off India in the title match at home and first since the 13th South Asian Games. 
• India clinched Gold, Nepal secured the silver medal and Iran settled with bronze in the tournament. 

Important day 

21. 13 August – World Organ Donation Day 

• World Organ Donation Day is observed every year on August 13. 
• Objective – To raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage people to register as organ donors. 
• The history of organ transplantation dates back to the early 20th century, with significant milestones marking its evolution. 
• The first successful kidney transplant occurred in 1954, when Ronald Lee Herrick donated a kidney to his identical twin brother, a groundbreaking procedure performed by Dr. Joseph Murray. 
• This landmark event paved the way for advancements in organ transplantation, leading to the successful transplantation of hearts, livers, lungs, and other organs 

Miscellaneous news 

22. World's oldest calendar has been discovered in Turkey. 

• Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest calendar in Turkey. 
• The calendar is etched in a 12,000-year-old stone pillar, which is discovered by archaeologists at the Gobekli Tepe site in Turkey. 
• It will help in rewriting the timeline of human civilization.
• As per this calendar, ancient humans were following accurate ways to keep a track of time before it started getting documented in Ancient Greece in 150 BC. 
• The researchers have also discovered that the calendar depicts a comet strike which led to a mini ice age of 1200 years. 
• The Gobekli Tepe site is the world's oldest man-made structure discovered so far. 
• Humans constructed it between 9,600 and 8,200 BC and the site predates Stonehenge by more than 6,000 years. 
• This site has many stone pillars and an analysis of these pillars found that one structure was carved to be a calendar. 

23. Syed Refaat Ahmed took the oath of office as new chief justice of Bangladesh. 

• Professor Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser, was present when President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered him the oath. 
• Professor Muhammad Yunus heads the interim government in Bangladesh. 
• Syed Refaat Ahmed succeeded Obaidul Hassan. 
• In the middle of widespread protests calling for a reform of the judiciary and protestors giving judges a deadline to step down, Obaidul Hassan announced his resignation. 
• Hassan was seen by protestors as a supporter of Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister of Bangladesh. 

24. Railways and NCRTC collaborated to promote 'One India-One Ticket' initiative. 

• To launch the 'One India-One Ticket' initiative, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have collaborated. 
• The aim of this collaboration is to provide a seamless travel solution, making it easier for passengers to book and travel using both Indian Railways and RRTS services. 
• After booking IRCTC train e-ticket, users can now choose to book Namo Bharat Train tickets for a maximum of eight passengers per booking as an additional service. 
• RRTS booking option will be displayed on the PNR confirmation page and can also be accessed from the user's train ticket booking history. 
• A unique QR code will be generated for each RRTS ticket and will be easily printed on the Electronic Reservation Slip (ERS). 
• The QR codes will be valid for a period of 4 days, one day before the RRTS travel date, on the travel date and two days after the travel date. 
• As per the current Railway Reservation Window (ARP), tickets can be 
• booked up to 120 days in advance. 

25. UPI Limit for Tax Payments 

• The Reserve Bank of India announced the UPI tax payment limit increase from the current limit to Rs 5 lakh per transaction. 
• Currently, the transaction limit for UPI is Rs 1 lakh except for certain category of payments which have higher transaction limits. 
• It has now been decided to enhance the limit for tax payments through UPI from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per transaction. 

26. I&B Ministry to release fresh draft Broadcasting Bill after detailed dialogue 

• The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Monday extended the time for receiving feedback on the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill till October 15, stating that a fresh draft would be published after detailed consultations with the stakeholders. 
• The draft Bill was placed in the public domain on November 10, 2023, along with the explanatory notes seeking comments from the stakeholders and the general public. "In response, multiple recommendations/comments/ suggestions were received, including from various Associations," said the Ministry in a post on social media platform X. The Ministry said it was. 
• It has extended the time for receiving feedback on the draft placed in public domain till Oct. 15 holding a series of consultations with the stakeholders on the draft Bill. 
• Amid reports on the withdrawal of the draft Bill, Apar Gupta, lawyer and co- founder of the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), on Monday said via an X post: "I would like to thank everyone who reported, worked and educated others on its dangerous provisions. This is a broad coalition of diverse individuals, groups and organisations who have stood up and asked the government for transparency and contested political censorship." 
• He said: "Hope that the MIB practises the Pre-Legislative Consultation Process (PLCP) in letter and spirit for future legal proposals. I hope to continue providing a political economy framing and a detailed legal analysis that advances policy and public deliberation." 
• Earlier, the IFF had criticised the "secret" changes to the draft Bill, which expanded regulatory requirements on online news and entertainment media. The IFF had reiterated the concerns raised by civil society that the Bill would lead to further censorship implications for online platforms. 
• The government has been working on the draft Bill which is aimed at replacing the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995. 

Indian polity 

27. Boilers Bill 2024 

• It repeals the Boilers Act, 1923 (5 of 1923). 
• It was comprehensively amended in the year 2007 by the Indian Boilers (Amendment) Act, 2007 
• Out of the seven offences, to ensure safety of boilers and personnel dealing with boilers, in four major offences which may result in loss of life and property, criminal penalties are retained. 
• For other offences, provision is being made for fiscal penalty. 
• Moreover, for all non-criminal offences ‘fine’ has been converted into ‘penalty’ to be levied through executive mechanism instead of courts as existed earlier.” 

Obituary 

28. Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki dies 

• Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube CEO and one of Google’s earliest employees, has passed away at the age of 56. 
• Wojcicki, one of the most prominent women in tech, stepped down from her role at YouTube in 2023, a position she held for nine years. 
• She was previously a senior vice-president for ad products at Google and became CEO of YouTube in 2014. 
• Before Google, Wojcicki worked at Intel and Bain & Company. 

29. Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh Dies 

• Former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away at the age of 93. 
• A former Congress MP, K Natwar Singh was India’s External Affairs Minister for the period 2004-05 during the UPA-I government led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 
• He also served as ambassador to Pakistan and was attached to the office of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1966 to 1971. Topic: