Daily Current Affairs November 22 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India Unveils Official Website with SCO 2023 Theme:

• India has inaugurated the official website of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) since it will hold the organization’s next summit in 2023 as chairman.
• The website emphasizes the events that will take place during India’s presidency next year.
• The event’s theme is “For a SECURE SCO.”
• SECURE was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China.
• The Prime Minister defined the SECURE idea as ‘S’ for citizen security, ‘E’ for economic development, ‘C’ for regional connectivity, ‘U’ for unity, ‘R’ for respect of sovereignty and integrity, and ‘E’ for environmental protection.
• In Samarkand, Uzbekistan, India assumed the rotating chair of the SCO.
• India will preside over the grouping for a year, till September 2023.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated India on hosting the next year’s 23^rd edition of the summit.
• In addition to Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated India on inheriting the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2023.
• “We will support India’s presidency next year,” Jinping declared at the SCO Summit in Uzbekistan.
• Notably, India will take over the SCO’s rotating annual chairmanship, which is currently held by Uzbekistan.

Government to Establish 100 Academies to Encourage Archery Among Tribal Children:

• According to Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, the government has established 100 archery academies across the nation to foster talent in tribal youth by developing their archery abilities.
• According to Mr. Munda, his Ministry is always working to improve healthcare and educational services while concentrating on creating jobs in tribal communities.
• He disclosed that the government is establishing the Eklavya Model Residential School and carrying out the Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna, which aims to close gaps and provide essential infrastructure in villages with sizable tribal populations.
• The story of the world-class archer from Ram Chatti, a village close to Ranchi in Jharkhand, is truly amazing.
• He has made three Olympic appearances and has won a string of medals at World Cups, Asian Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships, and the Asian Games.

First Northeast Regional Center for Unani Medicine Opens in Assam:

• In the Assamese town of Silchar, the first Unani medical institute in Northeast India opened its doors.
• Sarbananda Sonowal, the union minister for Ayush, officially opened the Unani medical institute in Silchar, Assam.
• The new structure, which took 48 crore rupees to construct, covers 3.5 acres.
• The complex was created by the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC), a business owned by the Indian government.
• It was given to the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), a separate entity within the Indian government’s Ministry of Ayush.
• According to Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Ayush, “Ayush system of medicine has reinvigorated its acceptability among people once again after the proven results have benefited lakhs of people during the pandemic.”
• Unani medicine, also known as Unani Tibb, Arabian medicine, or Islamic medicine, is a conventional medical system practised in South Asia.
• All disorders affecting the body’s systems and organs are treated by the Unani system of medicine.

MoS for Education Subhash Sarkar awards the National Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar for 2021–2022:

• The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar has been given to 39 schools from all around the nation for the academic year 2021–2022.
• The National Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021–22 was awarded in New Delhi by the Minister of State for Education Subhash Sarkar.
• Out of the 8.23 lakh entries, 28 government and aided institutions and 11 private schools were chosen.
• The national selection committee chose 39 schools in total, including 34 in the main category and 5 in the subcategories, for the national prize.
• Each school will receive an incentive of Rs 60,000.
• Additionally, each school will get a certificate of participation with category-specific scores and the school’s overall rating.
• The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar was created by the Ministry of Education to honour, encourage, and celebrate outstanding sanitation and hygiene practices in educational institutions.
• The SVP is intended to recognize educational institutions that have made noteworthy contributions to achieving the goals of the Swachh Vidyalaya Campaign.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS 

Karnataka to get India’s first semiconductor fab facility

• The International Semiconductor Consortium’s (ISMC’s) proposed a $3 billion chip fab in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• The construction of the fab will reportedly begin by February 2023.

Key Highlights : 

• The ISMC will make 40-65 nanometre analogue chips that will cater to “defence and auto sectors”.
• The Centre had announced subsidies of up to 50% of the project costs for semiconductor manufacturers under its Rs 76,000 crore Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in 2021.
• Earlier in 2022, Foxconn and Vedanta announced setting up a semiconductor facility in
• Singapore’s IGSS Ventures will also set up a $3.2 billion semiconductor park in Tamil Nadu.
• All of the projects will be provided with government incentives.
• It would take about 4-5 years, once the construction starts, for the ISMC’s plant to become operational.

About ISMC : 

• ISMC is a joint venture between UAE’s Next Orbit Ventures and Israel’s Tower Semiconductor.

About Karnataka : 

• Governor: Thawarchand Gehlot
• Chief Minister : Basavaraj Bommai
• Capital: Bengaluru
• National Park: Bannerghatta National Park, Anshi National Park.Bandipur National park, Kudremukh National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary

Karnataka signs MoU with Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States  

• The Karnataka government entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS).
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister and Finance Minister Shri Basavraj Bommai.

About the MoU : 

• Under the GoK-MoU, CEGIS has proposed to provide technical, analytical, and programmatic support in areas such as enhancement of state revenue including competency mapping and training of frontline tax officials, designing a strategy for improving Administrative Data Quality and data use for Education, Health, and Women and Child Development Departments.
• CEGIS shall work closely with departments such as Finance, Education, Social Welfare, and others to identify mutually aligned areas to provide technical and analytical support. 

About CEGIS : 

• Founded: 2019

Aim : 

• To enable a transformative improvement in the functioning of Indian state governments.
• It works with Indian states in preparing an analytical roadmap for governance and expenditure reforms and provides strategic implementation support to deliver on this vision.
• At present, CEGIS is engaged with the Governments of Telangana, NCT of Delhi, Bodoland Territorial Region, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Tata Power Solar Systems ties up with Union Bank of India to facilitate solar rooftop adoption in the MSME sector

• Tata Power Solar Systems (TPSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL), has tied up with Union Bank of India (UBI) to help the MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) sector switch to solar solutions.

Objective : 

• To improve access to green energy and save on the cost of electricity, thus making MSMEs more profitable.

Key Highlights : 

• The association will be implemented under UBI’s solar scheme called Union Solar.
• MSMEs can avail of the dual services of Solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) by TPSSL, financed through a term loan facility by UBI, wherein industries can avail up to Rs 8 crore of the loan amount at interest rates (exclusive for Tata Power customers) with nil or minimum collateral. 
• The scheme also requires a minimum down payment of only 20% of the project cost.

About TPSSL  : 

• Founded: 1989
• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
• In 2017, Tata Power Solar became the first Indian company to ship over 1 GW of solar modules worldwide.

About UBI : 

• Founded: 11 November 1919
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : A Manimekhalai
• Tagline: Good People to Bank with

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

RBI approves DSP Mutual Fund’s 10% stake buy in Equitas SFB

• DSP Investment Managers Private Ltd (DSPIM) has acquired a 9.99% stake in Equitas Small Finance Bank for an undisclosed amount following approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
• DSP Investment Managers will acquire up to 9.99% of the paid-up equity capital of the bank through the schemes of DSP Mutual Fund, following the amalgamation of parent company Equitas Holdings Limited with the bank.

Key Highlights : 

• The proposed acquisition of shares by DSPIM would be consequent to the Scheme of Amalgamation of Equitas Holdings Limited with the Bank taking effect.
• In May 2022 Equitas Holdings and Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) were approved by their respective boards for their merger.
• The merger is aimed at meeting the RBI’s licensing conditions to bring down the shareholding of the holding company to 40% within five years from the date of commencement of business of the bank, which was completed by September 4, 2021. 
• The promoter holds a 74.50% stake in the bank.

About Equitas SFB : 

• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• MD & CEO : Vasudevan P N

Softbank to sell 4.5% stake in Paytm for $ 200 million

• SoftBank Group Corp sold a 4.5% stake in Indian digital payments giant Paytm’s One97 Communications for about USD 200 million (around ₹1,627 crores) in a block deal.

Key Highlights : 

• Softbank is the second largest shareholder with a 17.5% stake in Paytm.
• Softbank has offered to sell shares in the price band of Rs 555 to Rs 601.55 apiece that are held through its subsidiary SVF India Holdings.
• Softbank expects to raise around USD 200 million at the lower end of the price band, Rs 555.
• Paytm shares closed at Rs 601.45 at BSE.
• The current holding of Softbank at closing price is valued at around USD 835 million.
• Bank of America is the sole book runner for the deal.

About SoftBank Group Corp :

• Founded : 3 September 1981z
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Chairman & CEO : Masayoshi Son

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Gandhi Mandela Award is given to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama:

• Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the governor of Himachal Pradesh, presented the Gandhi Mandela Award 2022 to the 14th Dalai Lama at Thekchen Choeling at McleodGanj, Dharamshala.
• The Tibetan spiritual leader accepted the Gandhi Mandela Foundation’s peace award in New Delhi.
• Justice KG Balakrishnan, a former chief justice of India, and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, a former justice of the Supreme Court, both attended the ceremony.
• The Dalai Lama was chosen as the recipient of the prize this time by a jury that also included former Chief Justices of India KG Balakrishnan and Justice Dipak Misra, former Supreme Court Judge Gyan Sudha Misra, former Chief Justices of Nepal and Bangladesh, Kedarnath Upadhyay and MD Tafazzul Islam.
• The Gandhi Mandela Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a government of India registered trust that was established to promote the nonviolent principles of Mahatma Gandhi and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Khalid Jawed is awarded the JCB Prize for Literature in 2022:

• The fifth JCB Prize for Literature went to author Khalid Jawed for his work “The Paradise of Food,” which Baran Farooqi translated from Urdu.
• The novel, which was first released in 2014 under the name “Ne’mat Khana,” is the first Urdu-language work to get the honour and the fourth translation overall.
• With the conflict between his household and the outside world, the narrator of “The Paradise of Food” strives to find his place in a middle-class Muslim family over the course of fifty years.
• Along with a trophy and the prize money of Rs. 25 lakh, Jawed also received the sculpture “Mirror Melting” by Delhi artists Thukral and Tagra.
• In addition, Baran Farooqi received Rs 10 lakh for the honour.
• The award was chosen by a team of five judges, which included writer Janice Pariat, translator-historian J Devika, author Amitabha Bagchi, author-academician Rakhee Balaram, and journalist and editor AS Panneerselvan.
• The International Booker-winning book “Tomb of Sand” by Geetanjali Shree, which Daisy Rockwell translated from Hindi, and “Imaan” by Manoranjan Byapari were both included on a shortlist unlike any other in the history of the award that exclusively contained translation (translated from Bengali by Arunava Sinha).
• Additionally, Hindi and Nepali books were included in the shortlist of the literary award for the first time.
• The debut novels “Valli” by Sheela Tomy and “Song of the Soil” by Chuden Kabimo, both translated from Nepali by Ajit Baral, were also on the shortlist.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

Jal Jeevan Mission: Uttar Pradesh district of Shahjahanpur is one of the top districts:

• Shahjahanpur has surpassed all other cities in the country in terms of the number of tap connections provided in a single month.
• Shahjahanpur has made history by giving tap connections to every rural family as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• According to the data on the Jal Jeevan Mission website, Bulandshahr, Bareilly, and Mirzapur have also been included in this survey.
• This accomplishment is seen as a significant step forward in rural drinking water provision.
• Districts are chosen around the country for this survey based on the scheme’s progress.
• In October, Shahjahanpur, Bulandshahr, and Bareilly were named among the best-performing districts in Uttar Pradesh.
• Shahjahanpur was ranked first in the best-performing district category, receiving 689990 points.
• Bulandshahr comes in second with 657180 points, and Bareilly comes in third with 619114 points.

About the best Performer:

• Shahjahanpur won first place in two categories.
• It has risen to the top place in the aspiring category after providing 28419 tap connections in October alone.
• According to the website, 44557 families have received tap connections as of October 1.
• While the number of tap connections provided has reached 72976 as of October 31.
• Bulandshahr comes in second for best performance and third for fastest moving districts.
• In October, it offered 21260 household tap connections.
• The number of tap connections was 97129 on October 1, and it increased to 118389 on October 31.
• Bulandshahr has joined the ranks of aspirants by becoming the second state to offer a 6 per cent FHTC (where the supply begins at the tap) in a month.
• By providing tap water connections to 22,222 families in October, Bareilly (with 619114 points) placed second in the best-performing category and third in the aspirant category.
• Mirzapur (600,050 points) finished second in the fast-moving category for providing tap water connections to 20,655 families, according to officials.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

‘The World: A Family History,’ written by British historian Simon Sebag

• Simon Sebag Montefiore, a British historian, has published a new book titled “The World: A Family History.”
• Montefiore presents the stories of many famous families in ‘The World: A Family History.’
• The two-part book, which will be published by Hachette India, will tell the story of humanity in “a ground-breaking, single narrative that will forever shift the boundaries of what history can achieve.”
• The story begins with a family 9,50,000 years ago.
• Montefiore takes readers on an epic tour through the world’s most influential families, including the Caesars, Medicis, Incas, Ottomans, Mughals, Bonapartes, Habsburgs, Zulus, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Krupps, and Churchills.
• Among Montefiore’s past publications are ‘Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar,’ ‘Jerusalem: The Biography,’ and ‘Written in History: Letters That Changed the World.’

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Former IAS Dr. CV Ananda Bose appointed as new West Bengal Governor

• The President of India Ms. Droupadi Murmu appointed a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Kerala Dr. CV Ananda Bose as the new Governor of West Bengal.
• He will Succeed Shri La Ganesan who was holding the additional charge of West Bengal since July 2022 after incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar was nominated as the Vice President Candidate by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

About Dr. CV Ananda Bose : 

• C V Ananda Bose is a 1977 (retired) Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer of the Kerala cadre.
• He held the rank of secretary to the government of India, chief secretary, and university vice-chancellor. 
• He is chairman of the Habitat Alliance, in consultative status with the UN, and was a member of the UN-Habitat Governing Council.
• He has also represented India at various international forums and the United Nations has selected his initiatives as ‘Global Best Practice’ four times.
• He last served as an administrator in the National Museum before superannuating in 2011.
• He is also the first-ever fellow of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie.

About WB :

• Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
• Capital: Kolkata
• National Park: Sundarban National Park, Jaldapara National Park, Gorumara National Park
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary.

CEC Mr. Rajiv Kumar invited as an international observer for the Nepal elections

• Chief Election Commissioner of India Shri Rajiv Kumar has been invited by the Election Commission of Nepal as an International Observer for the forthcoming elections to Nepal’s House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly.
• Elections are scheduled in Nepal on 20th November 2022 for the Federal and Provincial elections to elect 275 members of the Federal Parliament and 550 seats of the seven Provincial Assemblies.

Key Highlights :

• CI’s India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) has by far trained more than 2200 officers from 109 countries of whom 70 officers from Nepal have also been trained as part of capacity-building initiatives.
• A capacity-building program for 25 officials from the Election Commission of Nepal is also scheduled to be held from 13th to 24th March 2023 at IIIDEM.
• Representatives from the Election Commission of Nepal participated in the recently held International Conference hosted by ECI on the Conference on ‘Role, Framework & Capacity of EMBs.
• ECI had been chairing the Association of World Election Bodies, which is the world’s largest international organization in the field of election management – from Sept 2019 to October 2022.
• A-WEB currently comprises 119 election management bodies (EMBs) from 109 countries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

INS Trikand participates in combined maritime forces focused on operation Sea Sword 2

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trikand participated in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) led Focused Operation “Sea Sword 2” in the Northwest Arabian Sea.

Key Highlights : 

• The ship participated with other multinational forces and regional partner navies to counter terrorism, prevent narcotics trade and stop smuggling entities from using the seas for their nefarious activities.
• The Indian Navy’s long-range maritime patrol aircraft also participated in the operation and provided air support.
• This effort is part of the Indian Navy’s commitment to ensuring the safety of the seas and collective security in the region as espoused by the SAGAR vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

About INS Trikand :

• INS Trikand (F51) is a Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy.
• She is the third and final ship of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy.
• She was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• She was commissioned to the Indian Navy service on 29 June 2013.

Recent News : 

• Earlier, the 26th edition of the multinational maritime exercise “MALABAR 22” culminated in the seas off Japan on November 15, 2022.
• This edition also marked the 30th anniversary of the exercise and was hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

About the Indian Navy : 

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral R. Hari Kumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China To Send Monkeys Into Space To Study Reproduction In Zero-Gravity

• Astronauts from China are planning to perform a reproductive experiment in zero gravity involving monkeys in space aboard a new Chinese space station called Tiangong.
• The experiment is expected to be conducted in the Wentian module of the space station that docked earlier in 2022.

Key Highlights :  

• The module, which currently has only enough room for algae, fish, or snails, has been designed in a way to expand and configure for larger organisms.
• The Tianhe, Wentian, and Mengtian lab modules of the space station provide it with the basic T-shape structure.
• These experiments will help improve our understanding of an organism’s adaptation to microgravity and other space environments.
• China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has set a goal of more than 1,000 experiments to be conducted in fields ranging from technical spheres to medical science.

About China : 

• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

Google collaborates with Karnataka govt to support emerging local start-ups

• Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Karnataka to support its vision of promoting innovation and spurring the growth of startups across Karnataka.
• In collaboration with the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), Google stated that it will work with women-led founders and startups across tier 2 and tier 3 cities to offer essential training, access to partners, etc.
• Under the MoU, Google will work together with the Karnataka government to:
• Empower the local startup community with training, knowledge, and tools
• Extend Google Career Certificates scholarships to youth
• Support digital citizenship and online safety across schools through the ‘Be Internet Awesome’ program
• In June 2022, Google also launched Google for Startups Accelerator – India Women Founders, which was designed to help women founders address challenges that are unique to their experience, including fundraising, hiring, and many others.

About Google : 

• Founded: September 4, 1998
• Headquarters: California, United States
• CEO: Sundar Pichai

India’s first-ever private rocket Vikram-S launched by ISRO – Mission Prarambh’

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched India’s first privately developed launch vehicle, Vikram-S, as part of the Prarambh mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• Prarambh is the maiden mission of Hyderabad-based space-tech startup Skyroot Aerospace which received support from ISRO as well as the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (INSPACe).
• The launch vehicle has been named ‘Vikram-S’ as a tribute to the father of the Indian space program, the late Vikram Sarabhai.

Aim : 

• To launch Vikram–S (VKS), a single-stage solid fuelled sub-orbital rocket into space.

About Vikram-S : 

• Vikram-S is one of the world’s first all-composite space launch vehicles.
• The solid thrusters have been 3D-printed to ensure spin stability.
• Vikram-S is carrying payloads manufactured by Space Kidz India, BazoomQ Armenia, and N-Space Tech India. 
• Vikram-S has a mass of 545 kilograms, a length of six meters, a diameter of 0.375 meters, a peak vacuum thrust of seven tonnes, and can carry payloads weighing up to 83 kilograms to a maximum altitude of 100 kilometers.
• The ‘Prarambh’ mission carried three customer payloads of two Indian and one foreign customer equipped with sensors for the measurement of acceleration and pressure.
• The flight was launched to prove avionics systems in the Vikram series like telemetry, tracking, inertial measurement, GPS, an onboard camera, data acquisition, and power systems.

About ISRO : 

• Established: 15 August 1969
• Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• Chairman: S Somanath

About Skyroot Aerospace : 

• Founded: 12 June 2018
• Headquarters: Hyderabad, India
• CEO : Pawan Kumar Chandana
• Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited is an Indian private aerospace manufacturer and commercial launch service, provider.
• It is the largest private space start-up in India with ₹526 crores raised as capital to date.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

The 22nd FIFA World Cup 2022 begins at Al Khor, Qatar:

• The 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup was formally declared open at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, in a colourful ceremony.
• The football event is being hosted by an Arab country for the first time.
• The final will be held on December 18 at the Lusail stadium, the largest of the eight stadiums used to host the World Cup, with 32 teams competing for the most coveted prize in international football.
• On December 18, 2022, Qatar’s National Day, the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador takes place at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
• The 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup will be contested in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, 2022.
• It is the first occasion that an Arab country would host the tournament.
• It is the second World Cup to be held in Asia, following the 2002 World Cup, which was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
• The world cup will feature 32 teams.
• The Cup’s mascot is La’eeb.
• It is inspired by the keffiyeh, a traditional headdress worn by Arab men.

FIFA Event:

• FIFA World Cup 2022: Qatar
• FIFA World Cup 2026: Canada, Mexico, USA
• FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2022: Costa Rica
• FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022: India
• FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2023: Australia and New Zealand

About FIFA:

• President: Gianni Infantino
• Founded: 21 May 1904
• Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

Former Indian Ambassador Abasar Beuria Passes Away

• Noted Odia literature and former Indian ambassador Abasara Beuria passed away at the age of 80 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

About Abasara Beuria : 

• Beuria began his career as a lecturer and then as a bank officer before joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
• He is a former diplomat, author, and Chairman of, the Institute of Odia Studies & Research (IOSR).
• He had served in Indian diplomatic missions in Japan, Russia (formerly the USSR), the United States of America, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar.
• He played a key role in the translation of engineering books in Odia.

Daily CA on November 22:

• India has inaugurated the official website of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) since it will hold the organization’s next summit in 2023 as chairman.
• According to Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, the government has established 100 archery academies across the nation to foster talent in tribal youth by developing their archery abilities.
• In the Assamese town of Silchar, the first Unani medical institute in Northeast India opened its doors.
• The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar has been given to 39 schools from all around the nation for the academic year 2021–2022.
• Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the governor of Himachal Pradesh, presented the Gandhi Mandela Award 2022 to the 14th Dalai Lama at Thekchen Choeling at McleodGanj, Dharamshala.
• The fifth JCB Prize for Literature went to author Khalid Jawed for his work “The Paradise of Food,” which Baran Farooqi translated from Urdu.
• Shahjahanpur has surpassed all other cities in the country in terms of the number of tap connections provided in a single month.
• Simon Sebag Montefiore, a British historian, has published a new book titled “The World: A Family History.”
• The 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup was formally declared open at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, in a colourful ceremony.

• The International Semiconductor Consortium’s (ISMC’s) proposed a $3 billion chip fab in Mysuru, Karnataka.
• The Karnataka government entered into a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Effective Governance of Indian States (CEGIS).
• Tata Power Solar Systems (TPSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy (TPREL), has tied up with Union Bank of India (UBI) to help the MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) sector switch to solar solutions.
• DSP Investment Managers Private Ltd (DSPIM) has acquired a 9.99% stake in Equitas Small Finance Bank for an undisclosed amount following approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
• SoftBank Group Corp sold a 4.5% stake in Indian digital payments giant Paytm’s One97 Communications for about USD 200 million (around ₹1,627 crores) in a block deal.
• The President of India Ms. Droupadi Murmu appointed a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Kerala Dr. CV Ananda Bose as the new Governor of West Bengal.
• Chief Election Commissioner of India Shri Rajiv Kumar has been invited by the Election Commission of Nepal as an International Observer for the forthcoming elections to Nepal’s House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly.
• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Trikand participated in the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) led Focused Operation “Sea Sword 2” in the Northwest Arabian Sea.
• Astronauts from China are planning to perform a reproductive experiment in zero gravity involving monkeys in space aboard a new Chinese space station called Tiangong.
• Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Karnataka to support its vision of promoting innovation and spurring the growth of startups across Karnataka.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched India’s first privately developed launch vehicle, Vikram-S, as part of the Prarambh mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• Noted Odia literature and former Indian ambassador Abasara Beuria passed away at the age of 80 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.