Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 10th October 2024

1. Indian women’s team created history by winning bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championships. 

• The India team won the first-ever medal in the women’s team category at the Asian Table Tennis Championships. 
• In the semifinals, India registered a 1-3 loss to Japan while in the other semifinal, China lost to Hong Kong by 3-0. 
• In the semifinals, Ayhika Mukherjee lost to Miwa Harimoto by 2-3. 
• Manika Batra however brought back India into the tie with a 3-0 win over Satsuki Odo. 
• India defeated South Korea in the quarterfinals by 3-2 to secure the medal. 

2. The integration of the UMANG app with DigiLocker has been announced by the National e-Governance Division. 

• This has been done to provide citizens seamless access to a wide range of government services. 
• With this collaboration, users will be allowed to manage multiple services through a single platform. 
• The UMANG app is accessible to all Android users. 
• Services of the UMANG app can be accessed through the DigiLocker app. 
• DigiLocker is a flagship initiative under the Digital India program. 
• It is aimed at providing secure cloud-based storage of documents. 
• The UMANG app provides a single platform for all Indian citizens to access pan-India e-Government services, spanning from Central to Local Government organisations. 

3. A scholarship scheme for faculty members from academic institutions has been announced by RBI. 

• Full-time faculty members teaching economics or finance at any UGC or AICTE-recognized university or college in India can apply under the scheme for short-term research.
• The scheme covers monetary and financial economics, banking, real sector concerns, and other themes of relevance to the RBI. 
• The scheme aims to raise awareness of the RBI's activities among faculty and students while also providing exposure to various operational areas of the RBI. 
• A maximum of five scholarships will be offered to candidates selected based on their curriculum vitae, a research proposal of no more than 1,000 words, and an interview with a selection panel.
• The deadline for submitting applications is the 5th of next month. 

4. 70th National Film Awards presented to the winners of various categories by President Draupadi Murmu on 8 October. 

• Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2022. 
• Here is the important list of 70th National Film Awards 2024. 

5. ‘Study In India’ Campaign has been launched by India at UAE Education Show. 

• Its ‘Study in India’ campaign has been officially launched by India at the 20th International Education Show in Sharjah.
• The campaign is organized by EdCIL, a Miniratna company under the Ministry of Education. 
• It seeks to position India as a leading global education hub. 
• Ahmed Mohamed Obaid Al Naboodah of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Yatin Patil, Deputy Consul General of India in Dubai inaugurated the India Pavilion at Expo Centre Sharjah. 
• The ‘Study in India’ programme showcases over 590 Indian universities and institutions. 
• Study in India portal is a centralized platform designed to streamline the entire application process for international students. 
• India’s higher education sector is ranked as the second largest in the world. 
• The International Education Show is organized in cooperation with the Sharjah Private Education Authority. 
• It is organized by Expo Centre Sharjah with the support of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). 
• More than 100 universities and educational institutions from over 20 countries take part in the event. 

6. Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded jointly to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper. 

• The Nobel Prize for 2024 in Chemistry was awarded to David Baker “for computational protein design” along with Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper “for protein structure prediction”. 
• David Baker led a team that developed a new protein using bespoke software methods in 2003. 
• Hassabis and Jumper received the award for their role in developing an artificial intelligence model called AlphaFold 2. 
• It could predict the structures of millions of proteins. 
• This year’s chemistry prize also continued a new tradition in this category of the award going to non-chemists. 
• In 2023, Nobel Prize in chemistry was given to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei I. Ekimov for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots. 
• Baker works at the University of Washington in Seattle, and Hassabis and Jumper work at Google DeepMind in London. 

7. President Droupadi Murmu will be the first Indian president to visit Algeria, Mauritania, and Malawi. 

• President Droupadi Murmu will be on a visit to three African countries—Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi from October 13-19. 
• This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to these three African nations. 
• After 39 years, She will be the first-ever President from India to visit Algeria at the level of head of state or head of government. 
• The President will address the India-Algeria Economic Forum. She will also inaugurate the India Corner at Hamma Garden at Jardin d’essai. 
• She will also inaugurate an India centre at the Hamma Botanical Garden. 

8. Repo rate remained unchanged at 6.50% for the tenth consecutive time. 

• On October 9, it was decided by the Reserve Bank of India to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50% for the tenth consecutive time. 
• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting was held on October 7, 8 and 9. 
• As a result, the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate remains at 6.25% and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.75%. 
• The RBI has maintained status quo on the benchmark interest rate through February 2023. 
• Additionally, the decision was taken by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to change the monetary policy stance to 'neutral' and clearly focus on sustainable alignment of inflation with the target while supporting growth. 
• These decisions are in line with the objective of achieving the medium-term target for consumer price index (CPI) inflation within a range of 2% plus or minus 4% while supporting growth. 
• Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 6.7% in the first quarter of FY2024-25, driven by private consumption and investment. 
• The next meeting of the MPC is scheduled from December 4 to 6, 2024. 

9. Hurricane Milton is set to land Florida. 

• The National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects Milton to land as an "extremely dangerous hurricane" in the US state of Florida. 
• It could strike near the city of Tampa. 
• It could cause torrential rain, flash flooding, and high winds. 
• It is steadily moving eastwards, through the Gulf of Mexico. 
• It has been placed in the most powerful hurricane category five. 
• In recent years, Milton has been one of the most powerful storms to form in the North Atlantic. 
• Hurricanes are a type of tropical storm that form in the North Atlantic. 
• The National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (Noaa) has predicted that the 2024 hurricane season will be more active than usual. 

10. WAZA suspended the membership of Delhi’s National Zoological Park for six months. 

• The World Association of Zoos and Aquarium suspended the membership of Delhi’s National Zoological Park due to concerns related to the welfare of the African elephant Shankar. 
• The World Association of Zoo and Aquarium (WAZA) raised the issue of the African elephant Shankar being in chains. 
• This elephant is without a mate. India has made a pact with Botswana to ship a female elephant from there. 
• WAZA is a non-governmental organisation that sets accreditation standards for zoos. 
• A zoo being suspended means it cannot attend conferences or activities organised by WAZA. 
• The Delhi Zoo is under a six-month suspension due to a breach of the WAZA Code of Ethics. 
• The African elephant, Shankar, was gifted to then-President Shankar Dayal Sharma by Zimbabwe. 

11. Nitin Gadkari unveils ‘Humsafar Policy’ for Onboarding Service Providers 

• Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari launched the ‘Humsafar Policy’ in New Delhi to enhance convenience of travelling on National Highways and accelerate development of the Wayside Amenities in presence of Shri Ajay Tamta, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways. 
• This scheme will help in facilitation of a smooth, safe, and pleasant journey for users. It will be environment friendly and has been prepared to keep the ecology and cleanliness in perspective. 
• The policy aims to provide a comprehensive framework to ensure that commuters have access to standardized, well-maintained, and hygienic facilities by onboarding both existing and upcoming service providers along National Highways and Expressways. Existing and upcoming service providers under the categories of Eateries, Fuel Station and Trauma Centres will be eligible, to register under the Humsafar Policy. 
• The policy aims to benefit all stakeholders. Registered service providers will benefit from waiver of fees for renewal for existing access permission and will be provided space on National Highways to put up signages of their establishment to increase visibility. 
• In addition, the service providers will be featured on NHAI ‘Rajmarg Yatra’, mobile app to boost their online visibility. 
• The ‘Humsafar’ policy will also benefit commuters by enabling access to standardized, well maintained and hygienic facilities. Commuters will be able to find details of relevant service providers near their location instantly on the ‘Rajmarg Yatra’ app. 
• The app will also empower commuters to report issues and rate the service provided and facilities. Registered service providers will be able to avail a waiver of renewal fees for access permissions, if they maintain an average rating of 3 or higher. 

12. Cabinet Approves National Maritime Heritage Complex and Border Roads 

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved two major infrastructure projects that highlight the government’s focus on both heritage preservation and border area development. 
• The first project is the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat, while the second focuses on improving road infrastructure in the border areas of Rajasthan and Punjab. 

13. Development of National Maritime Heritage Complex, Lothal, Gujarat 

• The Cabinet has given the nod for the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat. 
• The project, designed to celebrate India’s rich maritime history, will be executed in phases. 
• The first phase, which is already under construction with over 60 per cent progress, is expected to be completed by 2025. 
• The total development of the NMHC will include world-class facilities, including multiple galleries showcasing naval artifacts and a replica of the ancient Lothal township, a major Indus Valley port city. 
• The NMHC aims to highlight India’s 4,500-year-old maritime heritage, drawing in tourists, researchers, and cultural organisations. The complex will be one of the world’s largest maritime museums, reinforcing India’s historical significance in naval trade and exploration. 

14. Air Marshal SP Dharkar appointed as the next IAF Vice Chief 

• Air Marshal SP Dharkar, a distinguished fighter pilot, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of Air Staff. 
• He will succeed Air Marshal AP Singh, who is set to become the Chief of Air Staff. 
• With more than 3,600 flying hours, Air Marshal Dharkar brings extensive experience to the position. 
• He is an alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College in Dehradun, the National Defence Academy in Pune, the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, and the Air War College in the United States. 

Recent Appointment in Defence Sector 

• First woman DG of Armed Forces Medical Services – Arti Sarin 
• Chief of Indian Air Force – Amar Preet Singh (replace V.R. Chaudhari) 
• DG of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) -Amrit Mohan Prasad 
• DG of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) – Rajwinder Singh Bhatti 
• Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command – Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit 

15. India’s Prasanth Kumar re-elected as president of AAAI 

• GroupM Media India, the Indian arm of the US-based media investment group’s chief executive officer (CEO) – South Asia, Prasanth Kumar, has been re-elected as the president of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the year 2024-25. 
• The AAAI is a not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed trade association of advertising agencies, formed in 1945. 
• Prasanth Kumar is a GroupM veteran with over two decades of experience in advertising, having worked in other organisations as well. 
• He has previously worked at Pepsi, The Hindu, The Media Edge, and McCann Erickson before joining GroupM. He also served as vice-president of AAAI during 2020-22. 

Recent Appointment 

• Head of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit – Sharad Kumar (replace KK Mishra) 
• First woman DG of Armed Forces Medical Services – Arti Sarin 
• CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) – Ajit Kumar Saxena (additional charge) 
• Chief of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) –Alok Ranjan 

16. Ravindra Kundu takes charge as Cholamandalam MD 

• Ravindra Kumar Kundu has been appointed as the Managing Director of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company for a five-year term. 
• Kundu’s journey at Cholamandalam began in 2000 when he joined as a Senior Executive in Marketing. Over the years, he progressed through various leadership roles, overseeing critical functions such as credit, collections, and business operations. 
• With over 36 years of experience in the automobile and financial services sectors, Kundu has been a key figure in the company, serving as Executive Director since January 2020. 

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector 

• Deputy Governor of RBI – M. Rajeshwar Rao (reappointment for 1 year) 
• Executive Director of RBI – Aviral Jain 
• New Members of Monetary Policy Committee – Ram Singh, Saugata Bhattacharya, Nagesh Kumar (replace Ashima Goyal, Shashanka Bhide, Jayanth Varma) 
• MD & CEO for IndusInd Bank – Sumant Kathpalia (reappointment for 3 years) 
• Chairman of Utkarsh Small Finance Bank – Parveen Kumar Gupta 

17. GRSE delivers second survey vessel INS Nirdeshak to Indian Navy 

• Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd delivered survey vessel INS Nirdeshak to the Indian Navy. 
• INS Nirdeshak is the second in a series of four such vessels being constructed by GRSE, with the first delivered to the Navy 10 months ago in December 2023.
• These are the largest survey vessels for the Indian Navy to be built in the country. 
• At 110 metres long, INS Nirdeshak will join INS Sandhayak, the first Survey Vessel Large (SVL) delivered by GRSE, to keep the country’s naval forces equipped with the latest survey data, which is essential for operations. 
• The Sandhayak-class SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collect oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications, which adds muscle to India’s maritime capabilities. 

18. 10 October – World Mental Health Day 

• World Mental Health Day is observed every year on October 10. 
• This day aims to increase understanding, dispel misconceptions, and encourage mental wellness support.
• Theme 2024 – Mental Health At Work 
• World Mental Health Day was founded in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), led by Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter. 
• This was first observed on October 10th when 12 countries participated. The goal of this day is to spread awareness, reduce stigma related to mental health and mobilise global suppors