March 2013 Current Affairs Study Material

INTERNATIONAL
UN Imposed New Sanctions on North Korea
On 7 March The UN Security Council approved a new regimen of sanctions against
North Korea for conducting an underground nuclear test recently, imposing penalties on
North Korean banking, travel and trade in a unanimous vote that reflected the countrys
increased international isolation. The resolution, which was drafted by the United States
and China, was passed in a speedy vote hours after North Korea threatened for the first
time to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States and South Korea.
Obama Signed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act 2013
On 8 March the US President, Barack Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence
Against Women Act 2013 on the eve of International Womens Day. The Violence
Against Women Act was first passed in 1994. Reauthorised since then, the new Act offers
support to the organisations which serve to the victims of domestic violence.
Uhuru Kenyatta Won Kenya Presidential Election
On 9 March In Kenya, Deputy Prime Minister Kenyatta has won presidential election
with a slim margin of 50.03 percent of votes. He defeated his rival Raila Odinga.
Japan & Ten EU Countries Exempted from US Iran Sanctions Act
On 13 March The US has renewed the exemptions for Japan and ten European Union
countries from tough American sanctions imposed on nations buying oil from Iran.The
third six-monthly exemption to Japan, under the Iran Sanctions Act.The 10 European
Union countries, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy,
Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the UK, have also qualified for a renewal of the
exemption from sanctions because they have not purchased Iranian oil since July , 2012.
Pakistan Parliament Completes Full 5 Year Term
On 16 March Pakistans Parliament has made history by becoming the first National
Assembly in the countrys history to complete a full term of five years, with the
conclusion of the Houses 50th session, setting the stage for the holding of
elections.Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari announced that general elections would be
held on 11 May 2013.
Cyprus Gets New Bailout Deal

Cyprus secured a 10 billion ($16.2 billion) bailout from its international creditors on 24
March 2013.Eurozone finance ministers had also approved a new bailout plan for Cyprus,
putting an end to uncertainties over the fate of the Mediterranean island country in the
euro area.The new bailout program includes deep restructuring of the countrys two
biggest banks, Bank of Cyprus and Popular Bank of Cyprus.Under the new agreement, all
bank deposits under 100,000 will be secured and guaranteed by the state.
South Africa, China Sign Deals To Boost Cooperation
On 26 March South African President Jacob Zuma and his Chinese counterpart Xi
Jinping met in Pretoria ahead of the fifth BRICS Summit.The two leaders signed a
number of agreements, focusing on trade, tourism, education and social cooperation.The
two sides agreed on future collaboration on research and development initiatives,
manufacturing, marketing and the construction of cross-border infrastructure throughout
the continent.
North Korea Declares State of War with South Korea
On 29 March North Korea declared that it had formally entered a state of war with
South Korea.The announcement was made in a joint statement attributed to all
government bodies and institutions.The two Koreas have thus technically remained at
war for decades.

INDIA & WORLD

India, South Korea Hold Security Talks
On 1 March 2013 India and South Korea hold discussions over emerging dynamics of
global and regional security, cooperation in cyber security, defense and space sectors and
reviewing bilateral ties. Arvind Gupta,Director General of IDSA, led the Indian side
while Lt.G (retd.) Bang, Hyo-Bok president of KIDA and former vice army
chief,represented the Korean side in the talks.
India,UK Signed MOU To Strenghen Cooperation In Earth Sciences
On March 1, India and UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen
their cooperation in Earth Sciences and environmental research by sharing information on
meteorology,hydrology and climate variability.The MoU between the Earth System
Science Organisation of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and UKs Natural Environment
Research Council was inked in New Delhi in the presence of Science and Technology
Minister S Jaipal Reddy .
India and Bhutan signed Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement

On 4 March India and Bhutan signed the double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA),
a move that will facilitate exchange of information on banking between the two nations
and help check tax evasion.This is the first ever DTAA for Bhutan with any country. The
treaty was signed by Finance Minister P Chidambaram and his Bhutanese counterpart
Lyonpo Wangdi Norbum, on behalf of the Royal Government of Bhutan.
India and Republic of Portugal Signed a Social Security Agreement
On 4 March A Social Security Agreement (SSA) was signed between India and Republic
of Portugal ,after the both countries meeting end at NewDelhi.The agreement was signed
by Vayalar Ravi, the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and Paulo Sacadura Cabral
Portas, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of Portugal.
India Worlds Third Largest Spam Spewing Nation
On 6 March According to statistics from SophosLabs ,India has been placed third on the
list of the countries distributing spam across the world.US is still firmly on the top,
distributing more spam than any other country in the world.China took the second spot
and India the third, with 8.2 percent and 4.2 percent of the worlds spam.
Indias Tourism Industry Competitiveness 65th in World
According to the fifth Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report by the WEF, India has
moved up by three notches to 65th out of 140 countries in terms of the competitiveness of
the travel and tourism industry.India has been ranked in the 11th place in the region and
65th overall, gaining three positions since the last edition.
India and Romania Signed Two Agreements
On 8 March India and Romania signed on Avoidance of Double Taxation and the
Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income.The agreement was signed
after External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid held talks with his Romanian Foreign
Minister Titus Corlatean on the entire gamut of bilateral relations, regional and
international issues of mutual interest.
India and Bhutan Signed $100m Currency Swap Agreement
On 8 March India and Bhutan signed a currency swap agreement for up to $100 million
to further economic co-operation between the two countries.The currency swap
arrangement was signed between the Reserve Bank of India and the Royal Monetary
Authority of Bhutan (RMAB).
Iran and Pakistan Launched Gas Pipeline Project
On 11 March Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Pakistani counterpart
Asif Ali Zardari was officially inaugurated the final construction phase of the multi-

billiondollar Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.The 1,244-mile pipeline would each day
transport more than 750 million cubic feet of natural gas to Pakistan from Irans South
Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf.This Project was started from Chabahar city in Iran to
Karachi in Pakistan with $7.5 Billion. Initially they have an idea to extend this project to
New Delhi in India but India was dropped from this project in 2009.
Britain & India Signed Agreement To Support R&D Projects
On 13 March Britain and India have signed an agreement to launch a joint programme to
encourage industry and business in the two countries to work together towards
commercialisation of research leads in a range of key areas, including energy and health
care.As part of the deal, Global Innovation and Technology Alliance (GITA) sponsored
by the Indian governments Department of Science and Technology and UKs
Technology Strategy Board (TSB) will support UK and Indian businesses and academics
in joint R&D and innovation projects over a three-year period.
India Ranks 136 in Human Development Index
On 14 March According to the Human Development Report 2013 released by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ,India has been ranked 136 among 187
countries evaluated for human development index (HDI).Norway (1st rank), Australia
(2nd rank) and the Netherlands (3rd rank) lead the Human Development Index (HDI).The
other countries ranks are:- Netherlands (4th rank) , Japan (10th rank), Denmark (15th
rank) , South Korea (12th rank).
China Unveils 5-Point Formula To Improve Ties With India
On 18 March Chinas new President Xi Jinping has unveiled a five-point formula to
improve relations with India, and that the resolution of the boundary dispute between the
two nations wont be easy and pending its final settlement peace and tranquility should
be maintained on the border without affecting the overall ties. The Xi Jinping 5 Points are
:- 1. First,to maintain strategic communication and keep bilateral relations on the right
track. 2. Second, we should harness each others comparative strength and expand win
winwin cooperation in infrastructure, mutual investment and other areas. 3. Third, we
should strengthen cultural ties and constantly increase mutual understanding and
friendship between our peoples. 4. Fourth, we should expand coordination and
collaboration in multilateral affairs to jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests
of developing countries and tackle global challenges. 5. Fifth, we should accommodate
each others core concerns and properly handle problems and differences existing
between the two countries.
India Egypt Signed Seven Agreements
On 19 March In a bid to deepen ties and strengthen economic bonds, India and Egypt
signed 7 agreements after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Egyptian President
Mohamed Morsy held bilateral talks in New Delhi.The seven agreements included a

memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the field of cyber security, cooperation in the

field of protection of intellectual property rights and prevention of illicit traffic of
antiquities besides others.The two leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation in Defence
and in international forums like UN.
India Signed Social Security Agreements With 18 Countries
On 20 March India has signed Social Security Agreements (SSAs) with Belgium,France,
Germany (social insurance for posted workers only), Switzerland, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Republic of Korea, Norway,
Germany, Finland, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Austria and Portugal.Bilateral labour
Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) have also been signed with United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Malaysia and Bahrain for ensuring
protection and welfare of overseas Indian workers.
India Votes Against Sri Lanka at UNHRC
On 21 March India has voted for the resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human
Rights Council session in Geneva.The UN Human Rights Council adopted a USsponsored resolution on human rights violation in Sri Lanka.The 47-member Geneva
forum adopted the resolution with 25 countries in favour, including India.13countries
opposed it, including Pakistan. 8 abstained and one delegation was absent.The US-backed
resolution that addresses alleged war crimes by Lankan forces during the countrys civil
war with the Tamil Tigers.The 26-year civil war that ensued, which ended with the
LTTEs military defeat in 2009.
Japan Grants India $2.32 Billion Aid For Infrastructure Building
On 27 March India and Japan have agreed to promote their bilateral strategic and global
partnership especially in economic and security areas, with Tokyo granting a $2.32
billion aid for infrastructure building. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida ,External
Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid discussed about both countries bilateral issues the
meeting held at Tokyo .During the meeting Kishida unveiled a 220 billion yen (USD 2.32
billion) aid to India for infrastructure building and a 71-billion-yen loan ($753.17
million) for the subway project in Indias financial capital Mumbai.

NATIONAL
Cabinet Approves Bill for Time-Bound Services to Citizens
On 7 March the government gave its nod to a Bill aimed at providing time-bound
delivery of services like passports, pensions and birth and death certificates, among
others, to the citizens.The Right of Citizens for Time- Bound Delivery of Goods and

Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, was approved by the Union
Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh .
President Released the Commemorative Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi
On 8 March the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee released the Commemorative
Postage Stamp on Sahir Ludhianvi on occasion of his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati
Bhavan in New Delhi.Sahir Ludhianvi died on 25 October 1980 and was a renowned
Urdu poet.He fought for recognition of lyric writers through the Film Writers
Association.
Indias First All-Women Post Office
After announcing Indias all women public bank, the central government on 08 March
2013 started an all women post office in New Delhi on the occasion of the International
Womens Day. Communications & Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal
inaugurated the post office at Shastri Bhawan the hub of central government offices in
central Delhi. All the employees in these post office are women only.
Cabinet Approved Electronic Delivery of Services Bill
On 18 March the Union Cabinet approved a bill that aims to provide access to all central
and state government services such as passport, ration card and driving licences
electronically.The Bill requires public authorities to deliver all public services
electronically within a maximum period of 8 years.
Cabinet Approved Food Security Bill
On 19 March the union cabinet has approved the National Food Security Bill which aims
to give the right to food to around 67% of Indias 1.2 billion people.The bill was
introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2011 and had been sent to a parliamentary
standing committee for further consideration.In the bill, the government had proposed 7
kg of grain per month per person to priority households and at least 3 kg of foodgrain at
half the price for general households.
Rajya Sabha Passed Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013
On 21 March the Rajya Sabha passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2013 that
provides for capital punishment in cases of brutal rape, and also deals with several other
crimes against women.On 19 March Lok Sabha passed the Bill with an aim of providing
a strong deterrent against rapes and gang rapes, the Bill states that an offender can be
sentenced to rigourous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 20 years, but
which may extend to life, meaning imprisonment for the remainder of that persons
natural life and with a fine.
Supreme Court upholds Death for Yakub Memon

On 21 March the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak
Memon in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case that had claimed 257 lives and left 713
injured.The Supreme Court also upheld the conviction of actor Sanjay Dutt under the
Arms Act in the terror attack and sent him to five years in prison.The capital punishment
of the other 10 death row convicts was commuted to life sentence by a bench of justices P
Sathasivam and B S Chauhan which also upheld the life term awarded to 16 out of 18
convicts.
68 million Indians Living in Slums
On 21 March According to the first such census report on slum households prepared by
the Registrar General of India, approximately 68 million Indians are living in slums. In
all 1.73 crore census houses have been reported in houselisting blocks, categorised as
slums in India, comprising 1.37 crore slum households.The report also noted that in 19
cities with million-plus population, 25 per cent of households live in slums.A majority-71
per cent- of these are located in six states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
west Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.90 per cent of slum households use
electricity, 70 per cent slum households have television, 72.7 per cent have telephone
facility while 10.4 per cent households have computer or laptop in their house.

STATES
HPCL signed MoU for Rajasthan Refinery
On 14 March Min of Petroleum & Natural Gas Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
(HPCL) and Rajasthan Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at
Jaipur for setting up a Rs 37,320cr refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Barmer,
Rajasthan. The project will be a joint venture between HPCL and Rajasthan State
Refinery Limited, apart from other equity partners.The MoU was signed by Subhash
Pant, Secretary Mines and Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan and K.Murli, Director
(Refineries) of HPCL.
Madhya Pradesh Spice Park Inaugurated in Guna
On 16 March In Madhya Pradesh, Union power ministry inaugurated a Spice Park in
Mawan area of Guna district. This spice park has been built at a cost of fifty five crore
rupees.
Delhi Launched a Comprehensive Five-In-One Vaccine
On 12 March the Chief Minister of Delhi,Sheila Dikshit launched a comprehensive fivein-one vaccine in order to provide protection to children against certain diseases such as
tetanus, diphtheria and pertusis.The CM announced that instead of three injections, now

there will be a requirement of only one injection for providing protection against the
diseases.
Karnataka State Assembly Elections Schedule Released
On March 20 The Election Commission of India has announced the dates for Karnataka
Assembly Elections 2013.The elections will be a single-phase election and counting
would take place on May 8.The Polls would be held on May 5.
Three High Courts Opened in Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya
Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur on 23 March 2013 got their own High Courts. Justice
Abhay Manohar Sapre, Judge of Chhattisgarh High Court took oath as the first Chief
Justice of Manipur High Court on 23 March 2013. Justice Deepak Gupta along with three
other judges would be administered the oath to the High Court of Tripura .Justice Meena
Kumari took oath as the first Chief Justice of Meghalaya. With the opening of the three
high Courts in the North Eastern states of India, the total number of high Courts in India
has gone up to 24 from previous 21.
Arunachal Pradesh Became the First State to Introduce e-GPF
Arunachal Pradesh became the first state to introduce e-GPF or electronic GPF.The state
Finance Department facilitated the online access to 34000 GPF accounts through its
redesigned Web site, which was launched by Chief Minister of Arunachal Pardesh Nabam
Tuki.
Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in Slums Report
On 29 March Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation released the
report on Housing stock, Amenities and Assets in slums based on Houselisting & House
Census, 2011.Registrar General presented the important features of the report and
outlined its importance.In all 1.73 Crore Census houses have been reported in the House
listing Blocks categorized as Slums in India, comprising 1.37 Crore slum
households.There are 19 cities with million plus population where more than 25%
households live in slums.A majority (71%) of these are located in six States namely,
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh.Out of these 19 cities, five cities namely, Vishakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Mumbai,
Vijayawada and Meerut have more than 40% slum households.Out of total slum houses,
92.7% are occupied and 7.3% are vacant.84.9% Census Houses are used for
residence/residence-cum-other use.58.4% residential census houses are in good
condition, 37.5% are livable and rest 4.0% are in dilapidated condition.70.2% Slum
households are owned.
Punjab, Haryana, Delhi Top in Well Being Index

According to the Tata Strategic Management Group Survey report , Punjab, Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have been ranked at the top of the Well Being
Index,while southern states, Gujarat and most of the north-eastern states emerged as the
most secure ones for women in the Female Security Index.The states of Punjab, Delhi,
HP, Haryana and Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh were ranked at the top of the Well
Being Index. On the Female Security Index, Chennai and Bangalore were at the top.

CONFERENCES
24th Arab League Summit Held in Doha
The 24th summit was held in Doha (Qatar) from 21 to 26 March 2013.A total of 15 heads
of state of Arab countries attended the summit.The Arab League currently consist of 21
countries, after Syria was suspended form the league due to excessive violence during the
Arab Spring. However, the Syrian opposition umbrella organization, the Syrian National
Coalition, will attend this years summit and will be offered a seat formerly occupied by
Damascus.The Arab League summit called for an international conference in the
framework of the United Nations for Syrias reconstruction. The Qatari leader meanwhile
proposed a mini- Arab summit, led by Egypt and leaders of Fatah and Hamas, in Cairo as
soon as possible to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation. He also called for Arab
countries to establish a fund of 1 billion U.S.dollars to support the Palestinians, pledging
that his country will offer a quarter of the amount. The Arab League was formed in 1945.
5th BRICS Summit Held in Durban
The 5th BRICS Summit was held in Durban, South Africa from 26 to 27 March 2013.
The summit an international relations conference attended by the head of states or heads
of government of the five member states Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa.Theme of the summit was , BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development,
Integration and Industrialisation.BRICS Leaders President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff
,Russian president Vladimir Putin,Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singhm,Chinese
president Ji Xinping, South Africas president Jacob Zuma also discussed swap
arrangements among the national currencies as well as reserve pooling. BRICS nations
have decided to establish a new development bank to finance infrastructure projects and
to create a USD 100 bn contingency fund to tackle any financial crisis in emerging
economies, in what is seen as a major win for Indias campaign to reform global financial
architecture. BRICS Summit took place in South Africa for the first time. BRICS,
originally BRIC before the inclusion of South Africa in 2010, is the title of an
association of emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa (BRICS).

AWARDS & HONOURS

Indian-Origin Writer Anil Ananthaswamy Won British Physics Journalism Prize
On 1 March Anil Ananthaswamy, a London based Indian origin writer, has won the
inaugural Physics Journalism Prize sponsored by the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The Edge of Physics, has won the
prize for his article Hip Hip Array, which focuses on the Square Kilometre Array, an
international project to design and build the largest radio telescope ever conceived.
Pranab Mukherjee Honoured with the Bangladesh Liberation War Award
On 4 March The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee was conferred with the Liberation
War Honour Award by the President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman. The award was given
away to Pranab Mukherjee for contributions to the Liberation War.
Indian Women Selected For State Dept Award For Environment Awareness
On 5 March Dr Shubhalaxmi Vaylure has been selected for the US State Departments
International Exchange Alumni Member of the Month for March for her dedication to
build greater environmental awareness in India. Shubhalaxmi first came to the US in
2003 as part of the Fulbright Indo-American Environmental Leadership Programme
which took her to the University of Montana to study educational nature centers.Upon
eturning from this programme, she drew inspiration from her Fulbright programme as she
implemented innovative educational programs at the Mumbai Conservation Education
Center.
Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh, Sharad Yadav Best Parliamentarians
On 6 March Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress veteran Karan Singh and JD(U)
chief Sharad Yadav have been selected for the Outstanding Parliamentarian
Award.Jaitley, who is Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, gets the award for the
year 2010, Karan Singh for 2011 and Sharad Yadav for 2012. The Indian Parliamentary
Group had instituted the award in 1994 which is conferred each year.
Tagore Award For Ravi Shankar
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the first annual Tagore Award for Cultural
Harmony to late Pandit Ravi Shankar at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 07 Marchi 2013.Sukanya
Shankar, wife of Ravi Shankar, received the award.
Stree Shakti Award For Nirbhaya
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Stree Shakti award on International Womens
Day( 08 March 2013) for Nirbhaya. Stree Shakti award as a tribute to her courage and
strength.The award was recevied by her family members.As a measure of recognition of

achievements in individual women in the field of social development, the government

had instituted of 6 national awards which are called Stree Shakti Puraskar. The awards
are in the name of the eminent women personalities namely Devi Ahalya Bai Holkar,
Kannagi, Mata Jajabai, Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Rani Rudramma
Devi (which is open to both men and women). Nirbhaya was honoured with the Sree
Shakti award of Rani Lakshmi Bai.The Rani Rudramma Devi Award for the year 2012
was awarded to Smt. Pranita Talukdar from Assam. She was honoured for her
commendable work for the overall development of women.
US Bravery Award for Nirbhaya
The Delhi gang-rape victim, Nirbhaya was honoured by the US government with an
International Women of Courage Award for 2013.In this year this award was given to 10
women in Washington on March 8, which is also International Womens Day.
National Tourism Award Winners 2011-12
National Annual Tourism Awards for 2011-12 was announced by Tourism Ministry on 12
March 2013. The Ministry announced 86 awards in 36 Categories. The awards presented
by President of India on 18th March. Winners of National Tourism Awards for 2011-12 :Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (Rest of India): Andhra
Pradesh (First Prize) Rajasthan (Second Prize) Gujarat (Third Prize)
Best State/ UT Comprehensive Development of Tourism (North East, Jammu and
Kashmir) Jammu & Kashmir
Best Civic Management of a Destination Category B City Municipal Council of
Mandav (Mandu),District Dhar, Madhya Pradesh
Best Heritage City Warangal City, Andhra Pradesh
Best Airport ( Class X Cities) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad
Best Airport (Rest of India) VishakhapatnamAirport, Vishakhapatnam The special
National Tourism Awards for Yann Martel, author of the book, Life of Pi, for promoting
the county (Puducherry and Munnar) through the film as well.
Tan Twan Eng Declared Winner of 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize
Tan Twan Eng on 14 March 2013 was announced as a winner of the 2012 Man Asian
Literary Prize. With this, he became the first Malaysian author to win the most
prestigious literary prize of Asia.Tan Twan Eng won the 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize
for his novel The Garden of Evening Mists.
Poetess Sugathakumari Selected For Saraswati Samman Award

On 17 March Sugathakumari, the Malayalam poetess was selected for the Saraswati
Samman 2012 for the poetry collection Manalezhuthu, which means The Writing on the
Sand in English. The Saraswati Samman is constituted by K. K. Birla Foundation.
60th National Film Awards
On 18 March The prestigious 60th National Film Awards for the year 2012 were
announced in New Delhi.Irrfan has won the Best Actor award for his powerful
performance in Tigmanshu Dhulias Paan Singh Tomar and Marathi actress Usha
Jadhav has won the Best Actress award for Dhag.
The List of Award Winners :Best Feature Film: Paan Singh Tomar
Best Actor: Irrfan for Paan Singh Tomar and Vikram Gokhale for Anumati (Marathi)
Best Actress: Usha Jadhav for Marathi film Dhag
Best Child Artist: Virendra Pratap for Dekh Indian Circus (Hindi) and Minon for 101
Chodiyangal (Malayalam)
Best Popular Film for wholesome entertainment: Vicky Donor (Hindi), Ustad
(Malayalam)
Best Animation Film: Delhi Safari
Best Childrens Film: Dekh Indian Circus
Best Film on Social Issues: Spirit (Malayalam)
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film On National Integration: ThanichallaNjan
(Malyalam)
Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director: Chittagong (Hindi) and 101
Chodiyangal (Malayalam)
Best Special Effects: Eega (Telugu)
Best Hindi Film: Filmistan Best Telugu Film: Eega
Reliance Industries Bags Refiner of the Year Award
On 23 March Reliance Industries has been awarded the prestigious International Refiner
of the Year 2013 at HART Energys 27th World Refining & Fuel Conference at San

Antonio, Texas, USA.This is the second time that RIL has received this Award for its
Jamnagar Refinery, the first being in 2005.
Indian Manish Kumar Among 28 Naturalised at White House Ceremony
Manish Kapoor from India was one among the lucky 28 to be granted the American
citizenship at the White House in the presence of the US President, Barack Obama.List of
28 service members, who were naturalised at the White House ceremony included three
from South Asia Manish Kapoor, Nazo Raoufi from Afghanistan and Mohammed
Hossain from Bangladesh.
Paris Honours Nelson Mandela
On 26 March the city of Paris made antiapartheid hero Nelson Mandela an honorary
citizen, but refused to grant an honour to Venezuelas late leftist firebrand leader Hugo
Chavez.
2013 Abel Prize To Belgian Pierre Deligne
Belgian mathematician Pierre Deligne who is regarded as one of the most celebrated
mathematicians of the 20th century, has been chosen for this years prestigious Abel Prize
in Mathematics.Award is given to him for his seminal contributions to algebraic
geometry and for their transformative impact on number theory, representation theory and
related fields.
Veteran Lensman Pranlal Patel Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award
On 28 March The 2nd National Photo Awards- 2011-12 were conferred by the Speaker,
Lok Sabha, Ms. Meira Kumar to eminent photojournalists at a function held in Vigyan
Bhavan, New Delhi.The Life-Time Achievement Awards were given to eminent
photographers Shri Pranlal Patel, Shri T.S. Nagarajan and Shri T.N.A. Perumal.In the
Professional Category, the Best Professional Photographer of the Year 2011-12 has been
given to Shri Salil Bera.

SPORTS & GAMES

Duty Free Dubai Tennis Championship-2013
Mens Singles: On 2 March Serbian Novak Djokovic won the ATP Dubai Open Tennis
Mens singles title after defeated the Czech Republican Tomas Berdych in the final at
Dubai .
Womens Singles : This title was won by Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic). In final she
defeated the Sara Errani(Italy).

ATP Mexican Open 2013 Tennis Tournament Winners

Mens Singles: Rafael Nadal won ATP Mexican Open 2013 Tennis Title after he defeated
the top seed and defending champion David Ferrer on 2 March 2013 in the final. This is
the 38th clay court title of Nadal.
Womens singles : In the womens singles Italys Sara Errani won the title after defeated
Carla Suarez-Navarro (Spain) in the final.
Services Won Santosh Trophy Title
On 3 March Services team won the final of the 67th Santosh Trophy in Kochi at the
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium by beating hosts Kerala .The Man of the Match title was
clinched by Services striker Lalian Mawia. The Services team bagged their third Santosh
Trophy title
Delhi Won Vijay Hazare Trophy
On 3 March Delhi team won Vijay Hazare Trophy after defeated Assam in the final at the
ACA-VDCA stadium.
All England Open Badminton Championship Winners
Womens Singles : On 10 March Tine Baun (Denmark) won the womens singles title
after defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand in the All England Open Badminton
Championship at Birmingham.
Mens Singles : Chen Long won the singles title after defeating Lee Chong Wei of
Malaysia at Mens singles final.
Laureus World Sports Awards 2013
On 11 March Laureus World Sports Awards 2013 were organised in Rio de Janeiro.The
Prestigious awards were claimed by sports stars- Jessica Ennis, Usain Bolt , Andy Murray
and Sebastian Coe.
The List of the Awardees :- Laureus World Sportsman of the Year -Usain Bolt Laureus
World Sportswoman of the Year Jessica Ennis Laureus World Team of the Year
European Ryder Cup Team Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Andy Murray
Laureus World Comeback of the Year Feliz Sanchez Laureus World Action
Sportsperson of the Year Felix Baumgartner Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year
with a Disability Daniel Dias
Ukrainian Women Won World Chess Championship

On 13 March Womens chess team of Ukraine won the World Chess Team
Championship. The second place went to team from China, and the third to the Russian ,
Fifth place to India.
India Won Eight Medals in Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship
On 14 March India won a total of eight medals in the inaugural Asian Grand Prix Archery
Championship at Bangkok . India won two gold, two Silver and four bronze.
Australia Won Azlan Shah Trophy
On 17 March Australia, the World Champions won the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey
Tournament title for the seventh time after defeated defeated Malaysia in the final.
Kimi Raikkonen Won Australian Grand Prix
On 17 March Finlands Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in
Melbourne.It was the 20th Grand Prix win for Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion.
Indian Wells Tennis Tournament Winners
Mens Singles : On 18 March Rafael Nadal of spain won the Mens singles title after
defeated Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in the final at California .This is Nadals
third Indian Wells ATP Masters title and first hard court title since 2010.
Womens Singles :- Maria Sharapova defeated Caroline Wozniacki in the womens final
in straight sets to win her second Indian Wells ATP Masters title.
Swiss Open Badminton 2013 Winners
Mens Singles :- On 18 March Wang Zhengming from china won the Swiss Open
Badminton Mens singles title after defeated Du Pengyu in the final at basel.
Womens Singles:- In the Womens singles Wang Shixian from china got the title after
defeating Ratchanok Inthanon (Thailand) in the final.
West Zone Won Deodhar Trophy
On 13 March Defending champion West Zone won the Prof. D.B. Deodhar Trophy for
the 12th time after defeated North Zones challenge in the final at the Nehru Stadium.
Neha Tripathi Won Sixth Leg of Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour 2013
Kolkatas Neha Tripathi won sixth leg of Hero Womens Pro Golf Tour 2013 in
Panchkula on 21 March 2013. This is the third victory of Neha Tripathi in 2013 season.
With this victory, Neha Tripathi overtook Smriti Mehra in the Hero Order of Merit 2013.

Sebastian Vettel Won F1s Malaysian Grand Prix

On 24 March Three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Malaysian Grand Prix
2013 at the Sepang International Circuit.

ECONOMY
Nine Indian Women in Forbes Asia Power Business Women List
On 1 March ICICI Bank CEO and MD Chanda Kochchar, Biocon founder Kiran
Mazumdar-Shaw and film producer Ekta Kapoor are among the nine Indian women
named in Forbes magazines inaugural Asia Power Businesswomen list.The list also
includes Britannia Industries Managing Director Vinita Bali ; HT Media Chairman and
Editorial Director Shobhana Bhartia ; AZB & Partners Founder and Senior Partner Zia
Mody ; Axis Bank CEO and Managing Director Shikha Sharma ; and Tractors & Farm
Equipment Chairman Mallika Srinivasa; Kapoor, TV and movie producer.
Mukesh Ambani Is Richest Indian on Forbes list
As per an annual ranking published on 4 March 2013 by business magazine
Forbes,Mukesh Ambani has retained his title as Indias richest person for sixth year in a
row,with networth of $ 21.5 billion.In the overall rich list of worlds billionaires, Mukesh
Ambani is ranked 22nd, while the second-richest Indian Lakshmi Mittal is at 41st
position with a networth of USD 16.5 billion.Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim has
topped the rankings with a networth of USD 73 billion, followed by Bill Gates (USD 67
billion), Spains Amancio Ortega (USD 57 billion), Warren Buffett (USD 53.5 billion)
and Larry Ellison (USD 43 billion) in top five.
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad Airports Among Top 5 in the World
Airports of Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad are among the top five airports in the world
providing international standard services.Airports Council International (ACI),a global
body of airports, has adjudged Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport as second
best after Seouls Incheon airport in the category of airports handling 25-40 million
passengers per annum (MPPA) for their service quality for the year 2012.Mumbais
Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport was adjudged the third best in this
category.Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi International airport (RGI) has bagged the second
position for their service quality in the category of five to 15 MPPA. Japans Nagoya
airport was adjudged the best in this category. Seouls Incheon ranked first, Singapores
Changi second and Beijing was placed at the third spot.
RBI to Launch Plastic Currency Notes in 5 Cities

On 12 March The Union Government and RBI decided to introduce one billion pieces of
10 Rupees bank notes made of plastic on a field trial basis in five cities.A 10 Rupees note
in polymer/plastic on a field trial basis will be introduced first; Minister of State for
Finance .The field trail is supposed to be conducted in five cities of Kochi, Mysore,
Jaipur, Bhubhaneswar and Shimla with varied geographical locations and climatic
conditions.As per the RBI, the primary objective of introduction of polymer notes is to
increase its life, it could also help in combating counterfeiting.
Gujarat Tops in FMCG Consumption
On 12 March According to the Evolution of Indian Rural Markets During 2004-05 to
2009-10 report released by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India
(Assocham) , Gujarat has garnered maximum growth in per capita food and non-food
consumption expenditure across the country between FY05 and FY10 with growth rate of
about 28% and 33% respectively. Besides registering a growth of about 24.69%, Gujarat
has also topped in terms of household consumption of fast moving consumer goods
(FMCGs) during the fiveyear period.West Bengal has seen least growth of just about
1.6% and about 8% in per-capita food and non-food consumption expenditure,
respectively.The per capita food and non-food consumption expenditure across India has
increased at over 14% and 17%, respectively, between FY05 and FY10.
India Top Rice Exporter in FY 2011-12
On 13 March As the export price of Indian rice was more competitive than the Thai rice,
India has displaced Thailand from the position of top exporter of rice during 2011-12,
Minister of State Commerce and Industry was informed to Rajya Sabha.In 2010-11, the
rice exports stood at 24.71 lakh tonnes from 21.56 lakh tonnes in the previous fiscal.Rice
exports were at 74.67 lakh tonnes during April-December 2012 against 71.75 lakh tonnes
in the full fiscal year of 2011-12.
India 5th in World Billionaire Rich List
According to the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2013, India stands 5th among the top 10
countries with the largest number of billionaires with 122 and the number is expected
double by 2022.Mumbai has secured the 7th spot in the list of top global cities with a
High Net Worth Individual HNWI population.Presently, the city has 2,105 HNWIs and is
expected to touch 4,988 with a 137 per cent rise by 2022. Delhi is not too far behind
Mumbai; it ranks 11th with a current HNWI population of 1,945 which is likely to grow
by 120 per cent and reach 4,278 by 2022. In the cities that that matter to HNWIs , New
York and London are the first two places in the list.
India May Become 5th Largest Manufacturing Nation
According to the Boston Consultancy Group (BCG) report titled People productivityKey to Indian manufacturing competitiveness, India may become the 5th largest
manufacturing nation from 9th position at present, if the country is able to increase the

share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent.The National Manufacturing Policy

envisages that Indias manufacturing sector should increase its share of GDP from 15
percent at present to 25 percent by 2022, in line with global peers.It will help India
become the fifth-largest manufacturing nation.
Hindujas are Britains Richest Asians
Leading NRI businessmen Srichand Hinduja and Gopi Hinduja, Chairman and CoChairman of the Hinduja Group, have emerged as the richest Asians in Britain in
2013.After playing second fiddle for years to steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, the
Londonbased Hinduja brothers have come out top this year with net wealth assessed at
12.5 billion pounds up 3 billion pounds on the 2012 figure.
Mumbai Falls to 66th Rank Among Leading Global Financial Hubs
According to the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), Mumbai which is Indias
financial capital has slipped to 66th rank in the list of leading financial centres around the
world, with New Delhi failing to even make a mark.GFCI offers profiles,ratings and
rankings for 79 financial centres around the world positioned Mumbai at the 66th place,
which is down three places from last year when it was ranked 63rd on the much coveted
list.Mumbai is the only Indian city on the list. London topped the list, followed by New
York ranking second in the list. Hong Kong and Singapore in the third and fourth place
respectively.
RBI Cuts Repo Rate by 25 Base Points
On 19 March The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.5
per cent from 7.75 percent in its midquarter review of the monetary policy. Consequently,
the reverse repo rate under the LAF stands adjusted to 6.5 per cent from the earlier 6.75
per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 8.5 per cent
with immediate effect.The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has been retained at 4 per cent.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Spinning Black Hole Observed for the First Time
The Spinning black holes are first identified by Paranal Observatory astronomers in
Chile.The enormous black hole at the center of the spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is spinning
about 84 percent as fast as Einsteins general theory of relativity allows it to, researchers
determined. NGC 1365, located about 56 million light-years from Earth.
Pinaka Rockets Successfully Test-Fired

On 1 March Indigenously developed Pinaka rockets were successfully test-fired by

Indian army from a multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) by an armament establishment
from a base at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from Balasore.Pinaka is an area weapon
system with a range of 40 km.Pinaka system can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds
,adding that the battery of six launchers can neutralise at a time a target area of 3.9 sq km.
Large Meteorite Found in Antarctica
On 1 March the international group of researchers has discovered the18-kg meteorite in
eastern Antarctica, the largest found in that area in 25 years.
Astronomer Measured Exact Distance to Our Closest Neighbouring Galaxy
On 7 March Astronomers have for the first time accurately measured the distance to one
of the Milky Ways neighbouring galaxy and it is just 163,000 light-years away.
Japan Pioneers Gas Extraction From Seafloor Methane Hydrate
On 12 March Japan has become the first country in the world to extract natural gas from
frozen methane hydrate successfully off the central coast. According to the Japanese
study, it was estimated that around 1.1tn cubic metres of methane hydrate existed in the
offshore deposits. This is equal to the gas consumption of Japan in more than 10 years.
Worlds Largest Telescope Inaugurated in Chile
On 13 March The worlds largest radio telescope has been inaugurated in Chile on a
mountain high above the Atacama Desert, wielding unprecedented power to peer into the
remotest regions of the universe.The ceremony attended by President Sebastian Pinera
and other dignitaries.The ALMA space observatory consists of 66 antennae creating a
telescope array 16 kilometres in diameter.
UAE Inaugurated Worlds Largest CSP Solar Power Plant
On 17 March United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed AlNahyan inaugurated the 100-megawatt solar plant Shams 1 in the desert of Abu
Dhabi,the worlds largest concentrated solar power plant in operation.Covering an area of
2.5 square km, the 600-million-U.S. dollars project incorporates the latest in parabolic
trough technology and features more than 258,000 mirrors mounted on 768 tracking
parabolic trough collectors, capable of delivering green electricity to 20,000 homes.
India Successfully Test Fired Worlds First Underwater Supersonic Cruise Missile
On 20 March India has successfully test fired its submarine-launched version of BrahMos
supersonic cruise missile of the over 290 km-range in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of
the southern port city of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).The launch of Missile is

counted as the first test-firing of an underwater supersonic cruise missile anywhere in the
world. The missile travelled its complete range of over 290 km.
Big Bang Radiation Map Unveiled
On 21 March The European Space Agency (ESA) has unveiled the most detailed map yet
of relic radiation from the Big Bang,revealing new data it hopes will shed light on the
creation and expansion of our Universe.The map results suggest the universe is
expanding more slowly than scientists thought, and is 13.8 billion years old, 100 million
years older than previous estimates.
India and US Agreed for Future Cooperation in Moon and Mars Missions
On 23 March India and the US agreed for cooperation on future missions to the Moon
and Mars after successful collaboration in Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission. The highly
successful Chandrayaan-1 lunar mission which was launched by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) in October 2008 led to strong evidence of the presence of
lunar water.
Crew Reaches Space Station in Less than 6 Hours
On 29 March An astronaut from the U. S.with three Russian cosmonauts took a short cut
to reach space station and saved around 45 hours of journey. The crew took only 5 hours
and 45 minutes to reach the space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome,
Kazakhstan.This is for the first time that any crew has used this express route to reach
space station in the minimum possible time.Three members on this Russian Soyuz are
Chris Cassidy from NASA, Alexander Misurkin and Pavel Vinogradov from Russia.
NTPC Commissioned New Solar Power Project in Andaman & Nicobar
On March 30,NTPC Ltd has commissioned a 5-MW solar photo-voltaic power project at
Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.It is the first grid-connected solar photo-voltaic
project in these islands and also the first greenfield renewable solar PV project of NTPC.
New Indian Ship ASWC Kiltan Launched in Kolkata
INS Kiltan is an anti-submarine warfare corvette of the Indian Navy built under Project28. It is the third of four Kamorta class corvettes under various stages of induction with
the Indian Navy. The ship was built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers,
Kolkata and launched on 26 March.The ship takes its name from the Kiltan island, a coral
island that is part of Indias archipelagic Union Territory of Lakshadweep.The Kiltan is to
be armed with a range of indigenously developed cutting edge weapons and sensors
including a medium range gun, torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and a close-in
weapon system.

PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Nagaland , Tripura , Meghalaya new CMs
On 5 March Neiphiu Rio of Naga Peoples Front (NPF) party was sworn in as Chief
Minister of Nagaland for the third straight term. On 5 March Mukul Manda Sangma of
Congress party was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second term.
On 6 March ManikSarkar of CPM party was sworn in as chief minister of Tripura for the
fourth consecutive time .
Panabaka Lakshmi Assumes Additional Charge of Textiles
On 5 March Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Panabaka Lakshmi
assumed additional charge as Union Minister of State for Textiles.Lakshmi was minister
of state for textiles until she was shifted to petroleum and natural gas ministry in the same
rank after the reshuffle in end October 2012.
IAEA Chief Amano Wins Second Term
The UN atomic agencys board of governors on 06 March 2013 approved giving
Japanese director general Yukiya Amano a new four-year term without even resorting to a
vote.
Nicolas Maduro sworn in as Venezuelas Interim President
On 8 March Venezuelan Vice- President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in as Venezuelas
acting president, despite the Opposition resistance as it is being considered to the
violation of the countrys constitution.
New Governors For 5 States
On 9 March President Pranab Mukherjee appointed new Governors for 5 states Former
CBI Director, Ashwani Kumar appointed as Governor of Nagaland. Congress veteran
SC Jamir appointed as Governor of Odhisa . Governor of Tripura DY Patil transferred
to Bihar Bihar Governor Devanand Konwar shifted to Tripura Nikhil Kumar, who
was serving as Governor of Nagaland, has been transferred and appointed as Governor of
Kerala .
Aung Suu Kyi Re-elected As Opposition NLD Leader
On 10 March Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been re-elected head of
the new executive board of the National League for Democracy at a landmark maiden
party congress.

Jorge Bergoglio Elected As 266th Pope

On 13 March Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is selected as the new leader for 120
crore Catholics across the world.George was the Buenos Aires Archbishop and he was
chosen as the new Pope by 115 qcardinals.He changed his name as Francis- 1.He is the
266th Pope (head of the Roman Catholic Church).Francis-1 is the first Pope from the
Jesuit community. He is also the first pope from Latin America. He is also the first pope
to be selected from a non European country in the modern history.There are five Indian
also among the cardinal electors.
Xi Jinping Took Over As Chinas New President
On 14 March Xi was elected as President by 3000-strong National Peoples Congress,
which also endorsed his appointment as the Chairman of the Military Commission.
Chinas parliament formally elected Xi Jinping as president, four months after he took
charge of the Communist Party.
Khil Raj Regmi Sworn as Nepal PM
On 14 March Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was sworn-in as the new Prime Minister of
Nepal .Khil Raj Regmi will be the head of interim government which will have its
elections by 21 June 2013. This is the first time in Nepalese political history that a sitting
Chief Justice is being named as the Head of the Government.
Sundar Pichai To Take Over as Googles Android Chief
Google on 13 March 2013 , announced that Andy Rubin, who was heading the companys
Android division, is stepping down. He will be replaced by SundarPichai, an IITian, who
also heads Googles Chrome division.
Li Keqiang Appointed as Chinas new Prime Minister
On 14 March Li Keqiang was appointed prime minister at the annual session of Chinas
National Peoples Congress.Mr. Li is the latest Communist Party leader. He succeeds
Wen Jiabao in a position that entails steering the economy and government operations
through the State Council, or cabinet.
Bobby Ghosh is Time International Editor
Eminent Indian journalist Bobby Ghosh had been named the new editor of Time
International. Ghosh was appointed on 15 March 2013 as the first non-American world
editor in TIMEs history.
Indian American Appointed Vice Chairman of Illinois Innovation Council

On 18 March Indian-American politician Raja Krishnamurthy has been appointed vice

chair of the Illinois Innovation Council by the Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Krishnamurthyis currently the president of Sivanathan Laboratories.
Mir Hazar Khan Khoso Sworn in as aretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan
On 25 March Justice Retd. Mir Hazar Khan Khoso took oath as the sixth caretaker Prime
Minister of Pakistan on 25 March 2013 in Islamabad.
Renee Ramaswamy Nominated to the National Council of the Arts
On 22 March Renee Ramaswamy, founder of the Ragamala Music and Dance Theatre in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to the National
Council of the Arts for a fiveyear term.
Obama Appoints First Woman Secret Service Director
On 26 March President Barack Obama chose veteran agent Julia Pierson as Secret
Service director, the first woman to lead the male-dominated agency.
Ralph Waters new World Cup 2015 Chairman
Ralph Waters has been named new chairman of the local organizing committee for the
2015 World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Waters was previously the deputy
chairman of the committee and succeeds James Strong, the previous chairman.

B)RESIGNS
UP minister Raja Bhaiya Resigned
UPs food and civil supplies minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who is an
accused in the murder of a deputy superintendent of police, on 04 March 2013 met chief
minister Akhilesh Yadav and tendered his resignation.
Odisha Law Minister Raghunath Mohanty Resigned
A senior Odisha minister, Raghunath Mohanty, resigned on 16 Marchi 2013, after his
daughter-in-law accused him of torturing her for dowry.
Mukesh Ambani To Exit Board of Bank of America
Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani will step down as
the board of director of Bank of America He has served on the Bank of America board
since March 2011 and became a director prior to the establishment of the global advisory
council.

Five Cabinet Ministers Resigned

On 20 March the 5 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party Cabinet ministers
resigned from the Union Council of Ministers, which were accepted by the Pranab
Mukherjee President of India. Pranab Mukherjee, also allocated the charge of Chemicals
and Fertilizers Ministry to Srikant Jena who is Minister of State in the same ministry.The
five cabinet ministers are :- (i) M K Alagiri ( Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers) (ii) S
S Palanimanickam (Minister of State (Finance) ) (iii) S. Gandhiselvan (Minister of state
for Health and Family Welfare) (iv) S. Jagathrakshakan (Minister of State for Commerce
& Industry) (v) D. Napoleon (Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment).
Italy Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi Resigned
Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi resigned on 26 March, over his governments
decision to return two marines to India to face trial for the murder of local fishermen
while on anti-piracy duty.

C)DEATHS
Venezuelan President Chavez Died
On 5 March Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died at Caracas .Hugo Chavez was the
President of Venezuela from 1999 till his death in 2013. He Served as the President of
Venezuela for three times.A coup attempt was made in Venezuela in April 2002 to
overthrow Hugo Chavez from his office.
Former West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah passed away in Jordan
On March 9th,the former West Bengal Governor and industrialist Viren J Shah died in
Jordan. He was also member of the Rajya Sabha twice from 1975 to 1981 and from 1990
to 1996. He was the Governor of West Bengal from 1999 to 2004.
Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman Died
On 20 March Bangladesh President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, died at Singapore
.Rahman, was made the ceremonial head of the state in 2009 after Awami League was
elected in the landmark December, 2008, general elections.
Pietro Mennea, the Italian Athlete Died
Pietro Mennea, the Italian athletics died in Rome on 21 March 2013. Pietro Mennea was
the gold medal winner in the 200m at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Nigerian Author Chinua Achebe Died

On 22 March Renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has died at the age of 82 .One
of Africas best known authors, his 1958 debut novel Things Fall Apart, which dealt with
the impact of colonialism in Africa, has sold more than 10 million copies.
Two Time Pulitzer Winner Anthony Lewis Dies
On 25 March Anthony Lewis, who has died aged 85, was a New York Times columnist
and author who twice won a Pulitzer Prize, the highest award in American
journalism.Anthony Lewis was a prominent public intellectual, who wrote for The New
York Times op-ed page and The New York Review of Books, among other publications.
Grammy Award Winning Producer and Engineer Phil Ramone Died
On 30 March Phil Ramone, the Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer who
applied his platinum touch to recordings with Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon,
has died at the age of 72.Ramone won 14 Grammy awards and worked with Frank
Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, Elton John and Tony
Bennett.

D)VISITORS
President of India Visited Bangladesh
President of India, Pranab Mukherjee visited Bangladesh from 3 5 March .During the
visit he met with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and discussed the
Teesta and land border issues.
President Mukherjee Visited Mauritius
The President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, visited Mauritius from 11 to 13 March
.During the visit he attended the Mauritius 45th Independence anniversary celebrations as
a Chief Guest. He met the President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Rajkeswur
Purryag , Prime Minister, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and discussed the bilateral
double taxation avoidance convention.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim Visited India
Jim Yong Kim the President of World Bank, visited India from 11th to 13th
March.During the visit Jim Yong Kim met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance
Minister P.Chidambaram and discussed Indias major initiatives aimed at fostering
equitable growth. This is the Kims first visit to India after taking over as President of the
World Bank Group 2012 July.
Egypts President Mohamed Morsi Visited India

Egypts President Mohamed Morsi visited India from 18 to 20 March .During the visit
Morsi met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in NewDelhi and discussed the forge closer
cooperation in economic and other fields.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Visited South Africa
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited South Africa from 25 to 28 March.During the
visit he attended the BRICS Summit and met Russian president Vladimir Putin and
discussed about the substantive progress being made on the other remaining phases of the
joint nuclear energy programme between India and Russia at Kudankulam. Manmohan
Singh also met China new president Xi Jinping and discussed the issue of Beijings
proposal to construct three dams across the Brahmaputra river on its side.

E)MISCELLANEOUS
Salman Rushdie Named in Al-Qaidas Most-Wanted List
Indian-origin British author Salman Rushdie had been named in the most-wanted list of
Islam critics to kill released by al-Qaida in the new issue of its English online magazine.
A fatwa was issued against Rushdie by Irans late leader Ayotollah Khomeini in 1989
over passages in his book The Satanic Verses.
Maldives Ex-President Nasheed Arrested
On March 5,Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed had been arrested, to face
charges of abuse of power during his tenure, after he failed to appear for a hearing and
evaded two arrest warrants. He is charged with illegally ordering the arrest of a senior
judge, a move that led to his fall from power in 2012.
Czech Senate Accuses President Vaclav Klaus of High Treason
On 5 March Czech President Vaclav Klaus dismissed a decision by lawmakers to press
high treason charges against him as politically motivated.The Senates actions were
prompted by an amnesty granted by President Klaus , which will free over 6,000 prison
inmates and halt the prosecution of prominent business executives and officials charged
with asset stripping, bribes and fraud.
12 Year Old Neha Ramu has IQ Higher than Albert Einstein
On 5 March Neha Ramu, 12-year-old Indianorigin girl in UK has stunned everyone after
she scored an incredible 162 on her IQ test even higher than Albert Einstein and
Stephen Hawking.The score puts the tween in the top one per cent of brightest people in
the UK and means she is more intelligent than physicist Hawking, Microsoft founder Bill
Gates and scientist Albert Einstein, who are all thought to have an IQ of 160.
Navneet Kaur Dhillon Crowned Femina Miss India 2013

On 24 March Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned Femina Miss India 2013 in a star
studded grand finale of the 50th edition of the beauty pageant.The first and second
runners-up were Sobhita Dhulipala and Zoya Afroz respectively.

PLACES IN NEWS
Strong Earthquake in Taiwan
On 27 March a strong earthquake struck central Taiwan , killing at one person and
injuring 19 as it damaged buildings on the quake-prone island.The Central Weather
Bureau said the magnitude-6.1 earthquake was felt throughout the island.The U.S.
Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.0.Nantou is a rural county about 250
kilometres south of Taipei.

ABBREVIATIONS
BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
NABARD - National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
AWACS - Airborne Warning And Control System
CMIE - Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy
OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
AICTE - All India Council for Technical Education
NDMA - National Disaster Management Authority
DTC - Direct Taxes Code
AAPSO - Afro-Asian PeoplesSolidarity Organization
TIEA - Tax Information and Exchange Agreement
DTAA - Double taxation Avoidance Agreement
AFSPA - Armed Forces Special Powers Act
NOIDA - New Okhla Industrial Development Authority

IAAI - International Airports Authority of India.

FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation

BOOKS IN NEWS
Vice President of India Released Walking With Lions: Tales from a Diplomatic Past
The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari released a book titled Walking with Lions:
Tales from a Diplomatic Past, written by K. Natwar Singh, the former Union Minister for
External Affairs on 1 March 2013. This was Published by Harper Collins India.
Yuvraj Singh The Test of My Life Book Released
On 19 March Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh launched his new memories Auto biography
book The Test of My Life. The Test of My Life is a book that talks about Yuvraj Singhs
battle with cancer and his love for cricket. The book was launched in Mumbai where all
his fellow cricketers came to show their support.
Taliban Shooting Victim Is Publishing A Memoir : I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai, the teenage girl shot by the Taliban for promoting girls education, is to
tell her life story in a book due out later this year.In a deal reportedly worth around $3
million. The book will be entitled I Am Malala.

COMMITTEES
Govt Appoints Mukul Mudgal Committee To Probe Wal-Mart Lobbying Activities
On 5 March The union government has appointed a one-man Inquiry Committee, headed
by former Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice Mukul Mudgal, to
inquire into reports on the US lobbying activities of Wal-Mart for access to India market.
The Committee has to submit its report within three months and it is being provided
administrative and functional support by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in its probe.

IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES

May 1 International Labour Day

May 3 World Press Freedom Day

May 3 International Energy Day
May 3 World Asthma Day
May 4 Anti Tobacco Day
May 4 World Athletics Day
May 8 World Red Cross Day
May 11 National Technology Day
May 13 National Solidarity Day
May 17 World Telecommunication Day
May 20 World Metrology Day
May 21 Anti Terrorism Day
May 24 Commonwealth Day
May 31 World No Tobacco Day
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