08 ca aug 2013 datewise

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1 August 2013
Australia’s Most Powerful Super Computer Unveiled
Australia’s most powerful super computer, Raijin, was unveiled
in Canberra. Raijin, named after the Japanese God of thunder
and rain, has cost of $45.2 million to build and will cost $10.85
million a year to run. The super computer, unveiled at Australian
National University (ANU),and it is the 27th most powerful
computer in the world
Rajeev Rishi is new CMD of Central Bank
On 1 August Rajeev Rishi appointed as the Chairman and
Managing Director of Central Bank of India. Prior to the new
appointment, Mr. Rishi served as the Executive Director of Indian
Bank, since October 2010. Before joining Indian Bank, he was
the General Manager of Oriental Bank of Commerce.
Karnataka Launched ” Ksheera Bhagya ” Scheme
On 1 August Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah launched
“Ksheera Bhagya ” scheme at Hoskote.Government schools and
anganwadi centres kids across the State will now receive 150 ml
of milk three times a week under the Ksheera Bhagya scheme.
2 August 2013
SAARC Goodwill Ambassador Runa Visited India
Runa Laila, the SAARC Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS
visited India from 31 July 2013 to 2 August 2013. The objective
of the visit was to extend support to the cause of HIV/AIDS

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especially on the issues of Stigma and Discrimination related to
People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV).
India’s DRDO Launches Explosive Detection Kit In US
On 2 August the India-developed US-manufactured Explosive
Detection Kit (EDK) was launched at the US Chamber of
Commerce building in Washington.In a first of its kind of reverse
technology sharing between India and the US, an innovative
Explosive Detection Kit developed by Indian scientists would be
manufactured in America and sold globally for quick detection
and identification of combinations of explosives.This was
probably for the first time that technology developed by Defence
Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) was being
manufactured and marketed in the US.
Agni-V To Be Tested Twice This Year, Could Be Inducted By
2015
on 2 August 2013,the Director of Agni Missile Project, Defence
Research and Development Organisation- Tessy Thomas
announced that the Agni V missile would become operational by
2015, with two or three successful test firings. The
announcement was made at the National Conference on Systems,
Energy and Environment organised by the Government College of
Engineering at Mangattuparamba.
3 August 2013
Arundhati Bhattacharya Appointed Managing Director Of SBI
On 2 August Arundhati Bhattacharya was appointed the
managing director and chief financial officer of the State Bank of
India(SBI).Arundhati succeeded Diwakar Gupta.With over three
decades of experience at SBI, Bhattacharya has undertaken
various assignments spanning credit, forex, treasury and retail
operations.

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Robert Mugabe Re-elected As President Of Zimbabwe
On 3 August Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union-
Patriotic Front), the political party of the incumbent President
Robert Mugabe has won the Presidential election of Zimbabwe
.Mugabe won 61 percent of the vote against the 34 percent won
by the Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe of
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.With this win,
Mugabe has won his seventh term to the office of the President of
Zimbabwe .
4 August 2013
Hassan Rohani Sworn In As Iran’s President
On 4 August 2013,Hassan Rohani sworn in as Iran’s President
.Mr Rohani succeeded Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad,whose eight-year
tenure has left Iran with an economy in crisis and an
international nuclear stalemate.He is the Iran’s seventh
president.
India Won Bronze Medal at Junior Women Hockey World Cup
On 4 August Indian Junior Women Hockey team won its first
ever Bronze medal in ERGO Hockey Junior World Cup at
Monchengladbac, Germany .India defeated England by 3-2 in a
penalty shoot-out.Indian forward Rani was declared the Best
Player of the ERGO Junior Women Hockey World Cup 2013.
Japan Sends World’s First Talking Robot Into Space
On 4 August Japan has successfully launched the world’s first
talking humanoid robot called “” Kirobo “” in to space , to serve
as companion to astronaut Kochi Wakata who will begin his
mission in November.Kirobo boarded the kounotori 4 cargo
transfer vehicle launched from the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency’s Tanegasimha space center a top an H-IIB launch
vehicle.The robot is part of a program that aims to provide
companionship using such devices to people living alone

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including the elderly.The 34 centimetres tall robot can speak
Japanese and is designed to provide emotional support for people
isolated for long periods.The Robot designed by Tomotaka
Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo.”"Kirobo “” derived from the
Japanese words for “hope” and “robot”.
Parimarjan Negi Won Politiken Cup
On 4 August Indian Grandmaster Parimarjan won the
Denmark’s Politiken Cup at Copenhagen, Denmark by gaining 9
out of the total possible 10 points. He defeated the seventh seed,
Italian Sabino Brunello in just 31 moves of Ruy Lopez.
5 August 2013
Franklin Wins Record 6 Golds at World Swimming
Championships
On 5 August American swimmer Missy Franklin became the first
woman to win six gold medals at a world-
championships.Franklin earned her record sixth gold medal of
the world championships in Barcelona, Spain.Franklin, who won
four golds and a bronze at the 2012 London Games, joins
American men Michael Phelps and Mark Spitz as well as German
woman Kristin Otto with six golds in either a world or Olympic
competition.
11-year-old UK girl has higher IQ than Albert Einstein
On 5 August an 11-year-old schoolgirl in the UK has achieved the
highest possible score of 162 on a Mensa IQ test, making her
brainier than scientists Stephen Hawking and Albert
Einstein.Cerys Cooksammy-Parnell, the grade six schoolgirl took
up the Mensa IQ test with the aim of beating her father’s score of
142.

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Karnataka Becomes First State To Establish Calamities Relief
Fund
On 5 August Karnataka Government has become the first state in
the country to establish State Natural Calamities Relief fund of
Rs. 125 crore.The Relief Fund will provide for a natural calamities
relief fund which would provide for building capital assets and
relief in respect of man-made disasters that are not covered
under the state disaster response fund guidelines of the
Government of India.
Scientists Discovered Evidence Of Brain’s ‘ Grid Cells ‘
On 5 August A team of scientists in the US has discovered a new
type of cell in the brain that helps people to keep track of their
relative location while going through an unfamiliar area. These
cells have been dubbed “grid cells” because they get activated in
a triangular grid pattern.A research team from Drexel University,
the University of Pennsylvania, UCLA and Thomas Jefferson
University has discovered a new type of cell in the brain that
helps people to keep track of their relative location while going
through an unfamiliar area.The “grid cell” is distinct among brain
cells because its activation represents multiple spatial locations.
Samantha Stosur Won Carlsbad Open Tennis Title
On 5 August Sam Stosur (Australia) won Carlsbad Open tennis
title ,after defeated Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) in the final at
Carlsbad (California ).The title was Stosur’s third in her career
and the first since she won her only major, the 2011 U.S. Open.
6 August 2013
Raghuram Rajan Appointed as the New Governor of RBI
On 6 August Chief economic adviser Raghuram Govind Rajan
has been appointed as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India

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(RBI).He will take up the mantle of governorship in the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) from 5 September 2013. The present
incumbent – D Subbarao will demit his office on 4 September
2013.Rajan will have a term of three years.He will be the 23rd
Governor of RBI.He is 50 years of age and so far, he is the
youngest person to become the Governor of the Reserve Bank of
India.He was appointed as the youngest-ever Economic
Counselor and Director of Research (chief economist) at the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) from October 2003 to
December 2006.Rajan was appointed as Chief Economic Advisor
to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India on 10 August
2012.
Sharapova Tops ‘ Forbes ‘ List of Best Paid Female Athletes
On 6 August Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova has topped
the ‘ Forbes ‘ list of highest-earning female athletes for the ninth-
straight year, raking in $29 million over the last 12
months.American Serena Williams is second on the list with
earnings of 20.5 million US dollars, Chinese star Li Na in third
with $18.2 million and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in fourth
with $15.7 million.
Astronomers Discovered Lowest-mass Exoplanet Around a
Sun-like Star
On 6 August Astronomers have announced that they had
discovered the lowest mass exoplanet ever to be found orbiting a
sun-like Star. The planet has the cryptic name GJ 504b.The
image of the exoplanet was captured by making use of the
infrared data from the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. The newly
captured exoplanet was dubbed as GJ 504b. It is the lowest-mass
planet ever detected around the star, by making use of the direct
imaging techniques.GJ 504b has the dark cherry blossom, a dull
magenta colour.This planet orbits around its star at
approximately 9 times the distance Jupiter orbits around the
Sun.The researchers found that GJ 504b is about four times

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more massive than Jupiter and has an effective temperature of
about 237 degrees Celsius.
7 August 2013
India Successfully Test Fired Pinaka Rockets
On 7 August 2013,India successfully test-fired two rounds of
indigenously developed Pinaka rockets from a multi-barrel rocket
launcher (MBRL) from a base at Chandipur-on-sea near Balasore,
off the Odisha coast.The tests were routine trials conducted for
training purpose. Earlier IN 2013, ten rounds of Pinaka rockets
were tested from the same base. More advanced and second
generation Pinaka Mark II Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System
had undergone successful firing trials at Chandhan area in
Pokhran field firing ranges in western Rajasthan during July
2013.
New International Terminal Became Operational at Chennai
On 7 August the New International Terminal at Chennai airport
would begin operations.The cost for the construction of the new
terminal was about Rs. 2,000 crore
8 August 2013
220 Indian languages Lost In 50 Years
According to the Vadodara-based Bhasha Research and
Publication Centre survey ,India has lost around 20% of its
languages in the past five decades.The country had 1,100
languages in 1961,but nearly 220 of them have disappeared,said
Ganesh Devy,writer and lead coordinator of the survey called the
Peoples Linguistic Survey of India (PLSI).The survey was carried
out over two years from 2011.We have found 780 languages and
must have missed about 100 or so.That makes it close to 880
languages.The rest have disappeared, he said.Most of them
belonged to nomadic communities.

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India Signs DTAC protocol with Morocco
On 8 August India signed a Protocol amending the India –
Morocco Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) in New
Delhi .The Protocol was signed by Dr Sudha Sharma,
Chairperson, Central Board of Direct Taxes on behalf of
Government of India and H.E. Mr. Larbi Reffouh, Ambassador of
the Kingdom of Morocco to India on behalf of Government of the
Kingdom of Morocco.The Protocol is based on international
standards of transparency and exchange of information. It
provides for effective exchange of information including banking
information between tax authorities of the two countries.
Union Cabinet Approved the Setting up of ‘Bharatiya Mahila
Bank ‘
On 8 August the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting
up of ‘ Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) ‘ with an initial corpus of Rs
1,000 crore.The proposed bank will be headquartered in New
Delhi.The Mahila Bank will start with 6 branches — one each in
north, south, east, west, central and north eastern part of the
country.The proposed bank is likely to begin operations by
November this year.
Rajya Sabha Passed ‘Companies Bill 2012 ‘
The ‘ Companies Bill 2012 ‘ was passed in Rajya Sabha on 8
August.The bill will provide improved corporate governance
norms and will raise the level of transparency of the corporate
companies. It will also protect interests of investors.Earlier, the
bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 18 December 2012.The
legislation will replace the 57-year old Companies Act, 1956 after
getting the final consent from Pranab Mukherjee, the President of
India.
Uttar Pradesh Launched ‘Bhumi Sena Scheme’

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On 8 August ‘ Bhumi Sena Scheme ‘ was launched in Uttar
Pradesh by the Chief Minister of the State, Akhilesh Yadav. The
scheme was launched in a function held at Kalidas Marg,
Lucknow for reclamation of the barren, usar (alkaline soils) and
ravenous land. The scheme would help in increasing cultivation
area in the state.The Bhumi Sena scheme aimed at benefitting
landless and small farmers by making barren and usar land fit
for agricultural purposes was first launched by former Chief
Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in 1990.
9 August 2013
Indian Physicist To Head Innovation Chair At New York
University
On 9 August India-born distinguished experimental physicist, Dr
Katepalli Sreenivasan, has been appointed to the Kleiner Chair
for Innovation in Mechanical Engineering at the New York
University (NYU). Sreenivasan, who currently serves at the
Polytechnic Institute of NYU as dean of engineering and is known
for his research on the behaviour of fluids and turbulence.The
endowed chair, named in honour of Eugene Kleiner, co-founder
of Fairchild Semiconductor, the world’s first computer chip
producer, was given to Sreenivasan by NYU Provost David
McLaughlin.
Indian-American Teens Win World Geography Championship
Three Indian American teens who represented the United States
at the 11th National Geographic World Championship won the
top prize defeating 17 other teams. Team captain Gopi
Ramanathan from Sartell, Minnesota; along with Asha Jain from
Minocqua, Wisconsin; and Neelam Kaur Sandhu from Bedford,
New Hampshire , edged past Canada, which came in second.They
also beat 3rd-place India in a tense tiebreaker round, according
to the National Geographic website.
‘INS Arihant ‘ Nuclear Reactor Activated

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On 9 August India has activated the reactor on board the ‘INS
Arihant ‘ nuclear submarine, the first to be designed and built in
India.With this success, India became a member of the exclusive
club of countries that have built their own nuclear powered
submarines along with Russia, US, UK, China and France.After
the nuclear reactor is activated, INS Arihant has been undergoing
trials at Navy’s key submarine base in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra
Pradesh) and would be launched for sea trials soon since the
nuclear reactor has gone critical.Nuclear triad has the ability to
fire nuclear-tipped missiles from land, air and sea.Arihant means
destroyer of enemies in Sanskrit is an Indian submarine, which
is 111 meter long, 11 broad and 15 meter tall.The 6,000 tonne
vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV)
project at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam ,at a cost
of around Rs 15,000 crore .INS Arihant, was introduced to the
public on 26 July 2009 at a symbolic launch ceremony by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan Kaur.India operates
the INS Chakra, which is an Akula II class submarine leased
from Russia for ten years and has plans of building two more
nuclear submarines indigenously.
Saudi King Pledges $100 Million To UN Counter-Terrorism
Centre
On 9 August King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz announced that the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated $100 million to the UN
Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT).In 2011, Saudi Arabia signed
an agreement with the United Nations to create the UNCCT and
donated $10 million to its establishment.
Cabinet Approved Proposal For Establishing ‘New Media
Wing’
On 9 August the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for
establishing a ‘New Media Wing’ in the Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting for publicizing government’s initiatives through
multiple social media platforms.The proposal for establishment of
New Media Wing has been drawn on the basis of the experience

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of the initiative undertaken by the Ministry recently, on a pilot
basis to position itself on the social media platforms such as
Youtube, facebook and Twitter.
Number Of ‘ PhDs ‘ Increasing In India
On 9 August According to figures compiled by the University
Grants Commission ( UGC) ,An increasing number of Indians are
being awarded research degrees though the nation still lags
behind countries like the US and China.The number of research
degrees awarded increased by over 50 percent from 10,781 in
2008-09 to 16,093 in 2011-12. As per data compiled by Unesco
Institute of Statistics, India’s contribution to world’s research
publications has increased from 26,000 in 2002 to 44,000 in
2007.This, however, is far behind nations like the US and
China.As per a paper published by the Yale University, the
number of students to get PhDs in the US was 41,464 in 2007,
while China had 48,112 PhDs in the same year.
10 August 2013
PV Sindhu Won Bronze Medal at World Badminton
Championships
On 10 August Indian shuttler P V Sindhu has settled for a bronze
medal in women’s singles category at the BWF World
Championships 2013 after defeated by the world number three
Ratchanok Inthanon in the semifinals in Guangzhou, China . PV
Sindhu is also became the third badminton player to win a medal
in World Badminton Championship. Prakash Padukone won the
men’s singles bronze in 1983 while Jwala Gutta and Ashwini
Ponnappa won bronze in women’s doubles in 2011.
‘ ICGS Rajveer ‘ Commissioned
On 10 August ‘ ICGS Rajveer ‘ was commissioned at
Visakhapatnam (AndhraPradesh) by defence secretary R K
Mathur in the presence of vice-admiral Anurag G Thapliyal,
director general of Indian Coast Guard.The IPV is equipped with

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the most advanced and sophisticated navigational and
communication sensors and equipment. The ship is propelled to
a maximum speed of 31.5 knots .
11 August 2013
World Badminton Championship 2013 Winners
Women’s Singles :- Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon won the
women’s singles title ,after defeated Li Xuerui (China) in the final
at the World Badminton Championships at Guangzhou.This is
the first time any shuttler from Thailand has won a gold at the
Worlds in any category.
Men’s Singles :- China’s Lin Dan reinforced his claim to being
the greatest badminton player in history after he defeated arch
rival Malaysian Lee Chong Wei in the World Championship final
to become the first man to win five world singles titles.
Women’s Doubles :- China’s top seeds Xiaoli Wang and Yang Yu
won the women’s doubles title after defeated South Korea’s Hye
Won Eom and Ye Na Jang in the final.
Men’s Doubles :- Hendra Setiawan and Muhammad Ahsan (
Indonesia ) won the title ,after defeated Mathias Boe and Carsten
Mogensen (Denmark) in the final
Mixed Doubles :- Tontowi Ahmad and Lilyana Natsir (Indonesia)
won the title ,after defeated Xu Chen and Ma Jin (China) in the
final.
Soumyajit Ghosh, Manika Batra Win Titles In Brazil Open
On 11 August Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh won
the Under 21 men’s title while Manika Batra bagged the Under
21 women’s trophy at the GAC Group 2013 ITTF World Tour
Brazil Open at Santos.Ghosh defeated Benjamin Brossier of
France to win the men’s singles title.Manika defeated the host
nation’s Caroline Kumahara to take the Under-21 women’s
singles crown.

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Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners
Women’s Singles :- On 11 August Serena Williams (U.S) won the
Rogers Cup Tennis Tournament Women’s singles title ,after
defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the final at Montreal
(Canada).Serena Williams won the Rogers Cup women’s title for
the third time.
Men’s Singles :- Rafael Nadal (Spain) won his third Rogers Cup
Men’s Singles title , after defeated Canada’s Milos Raonic in the
final.
Former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav Died
On 11 August Former Union minister and senior Congress leader
from Bihar, Devendra Prasad Yadav, died in NewDelhi.Yadav was
a three-time Member of Parliament from Munger parliamentary
seat of Bihar and had served as Minister of State for Education
between 1971-77 in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet.He was also a
member of the Congress Working Committee, the apex decision
making body of the party, during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure.
12 August 2013
India Launched First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier ‘ INS
Vikrant ‘
On 12 August 2013, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS
Vikrant was launched by the Defence Minister A K Antony’s wife
Elizabeth at Kochi shipyard . Other nations capable of designing
and building a ship of equivalent size are the US, the UK, Russia
and France.It carries upto 37,000 tonnes of weight. Vikrant come
into operations by 2018.The weight of this aircraft was 40
tonnes. The launch of warship, which has a length of 260 metres
and is 60 metres wide, is behind schedule by three years. It is set
to go for extensive trials in 2016 before being inducted into the
Navy by 2018 end. Fighter aircraft–Mig-29K, Light Combat
Aircraft and Kamov-31 helicopters–will deployed on board the
carrier which will also carry an array of other weapons systems.

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India Successfully Test Fired Nuclear Capable ‘ Prithvi-II ‘
Missile
On 12 August India has successfully test-fired its indigenously
developed nuclear capable ‘ Prithvi-II ‘ missile from a mobile
launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of the Integrated
Test Range (ITR) at (Odisha) Chandipur.Prithvi-II missile was
launched by the personnel of the Strategic Force Command (SFC)
from ITR’s Launch Complex-III as part of routine user training.
The missile scientists of the Defence Research and Development
Organisation(DRDO) monitored the launch operations.The
missile, with a range of 350 km, developed by the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) .The missile, 9
metres in height with a launch weight of 4.6 tonnes, is capable of
carrying a warhead of more than 500 kg.The last users trial of
Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on on
December 20, 2012
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Wins Mali Presidential Election
On 12 August Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita
has won the Mali’s Presidential elections , after his opponent and
Ex-Finance Minister Soumaïla Cisse, conceded defeat. He was
Prime Minister of Mali from 1994 to 2000 and President of the
National Assembly of Mali from 2002 to 2007. He founded a
political party, Rally for Mali (RPM), in 2001 and he has led the
party since then.In addition to serving in the National Assembly,
Keita was a member of the Parliament of the Economic
Community of West African States.
13 August 2013
‘Arjuna Award’ For Virat Kohli, PV Sindhu and Ronjan Sodhi
gets ‘Khel Ratna’ Award
On 13 August The Government of India announced the Arjuna
Awards and Khel Ratna awards for the year 2013 .Ace Double

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trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi was recommended for the prestigious
“Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna”.Cricketer Virat Kohli and shuttler PV
Sindhu among the 14 sportspersons picked for the “Arjuna
“award .This year’s Arjuna awardees list features just one boxer,
World Championship bronze medallist Kavita
Chahal.Government of India has recomended the Arjuna Award
for the following Members:-
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna :- Ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi
The Arjuna awardees:- Virat Kohli (Cricket), Chekrovolu Swuro
(Archery), Renjith Maheshwary (Athletics), P V Sindhu
(Badminton), Kavita Chahal (Boxing), Rupesh Shah (Snooker),
Gaganjeet Bhullar (Golf), Saba Anjum (Hockey), Rajkumari
Rathore (Shooting), Joshna Chinappa (Squash), Mouma Das
(Table Tennis), Neha Rathi (Wrestling), Dharmendra Dalal
(Wrestling), Amit Kumar Saroha (Athletics).
Rajya Sabha Passed The ‘Registration of Births and Deaths
(Amendment) Bill, 2012 ‘
On 13 August Rajya Sabha passed a bill to make registration of
marriages mandatory.The Registration of Births and Deaths
(Amendment) Bill, 2012, which was passed by Rajya Sabha,
seeks to provide compulsory registration of marriages irrespective
of religion. The registration of marriages will not apply to those
who have registered their marriage under any other law.At
present, there is provision for registration of only births and
deaths.
Chad Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat Visited India
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Minister for Foreign Affairs and African
Integration of Republic of Chad visited India on 12-13 August
.During his visit he met Salman Khurshid, external affairs of
India and discussed on increasing bilateral cooperation between
the India and Chad. Chad is a member of TEAM-9 (Techno-
Economic Approach for African Movement) initiative comprising

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of eight West and Central African countries seeking to benefit in
technical and economic spheres through cooperation with India.
14 August 2013
Strong Earthquake Hits China
On 14 August China hit by strong earthquake with magnitude of
6.1.The earthquake occured in jolted parts of Tibet.Due to this
earthquake at least 87 people were injured and over 45,000
homes damaged .The epicenter of the earthquake was identified
nearer to the Ringo town.
Egypt Vice President ElBaradei Resigned
Egyptian vice-president, Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei,
announced his resignation in a letter to the interim president
on14 August .The resignation comes after scores were killed in a
crackdown by security forces on loyalists of ousted Islamist
president Mohamed Morsi.
15 August 2013
Canadian Street Named After Mahatma Gandhi
A street in Canada’s Winnipeg city has been named after
Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of India’s 67th Independence
Day on 15 August. The street leading to the Canadian Museum
for Human Rights will now be known as ” Honorary Mahatma
Gandhi Way” . At a ceremony , the Mayor of Winnipeg Sam Katz
explained that the street was named so after an individual who is
synonymous with the struggle for human rights.
Marion Bartoli Retires From Tennis
On 14 August Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli of France
announces her retirement from professional tennis.She
announced the retirement after losing in the second round of the
Cincinnati Masters to Romania’s Simona Halep. She is ranked

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seventh in the world.Besides Wimbledon 2013, Bartoli won seven
other WTA Tour titles, the first one was in Auckland in 2006.
Recently she won two tournaments both in 2011 at Eastbourne
and Osaka, Japan, prior to Wimbledon.
Former Nepal Prime Minister Man Singh Shrestha Died
Former Nepalese Prime Minister Marich Man Singh Shrestha has
died in Kathmandu on 15 August.He had served as Nepal’s Prime
Minister for about four years till April 1990, when the political
parties launched an agitation to restore democratic rights.
Astronomers Solved Mystery of ‘ Magellanic Stream’s Origin
Astronomers have solved a 40-year mystery on the origin of the
Magellanic Stream, a long ribbon of gas stretching nearly halfway
around our Milky Way galaxy.Since the stream’s discovery by
radio telescopes in the early 1970s, astronomers have wondered
whether the gas comes from one or both of the satellite
galaxies.Now, new Hubble Telescope observations reveal most of
the gas was stripped from the Small Magellanic Cloud about 2
billion years ago, and a second region of the stream originated
more recently from the Large Magellanic Cloud.The team used
Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) and ESO’s Very
Large Telescope to measure the abundances of heavy elements,
such as oxygen and sulfur, at six locations along the Magellanic
Stream.
16 August 2013
Voyager Becomes First Man-Made Object To Leave The Solar
System
According to the new research shows , NASA’s long-lived Voyager
probe crossed into interstellar space last year, becomes the first
man-made object to leave the solar system.Voyager 1 spacecraft
was launched in 1977 along with a sister probe, Voyager 2, to
observe the outer planets. Voyager 1 is now approximately 120
times farther away from the sun than Earth. Voyager 2 is

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heading out of the solar system in a different direction.The
probes are powered by the slow decay of radioactive plutonium.
Voyager 1 will begin running out of energy for its science
instruments in 2020. By 2025, it will be completely out of power.
Former Cricketer Kalyan Mitter Died
On 16 August Former Bengal Cricketer and Coach Kalyan Mitter
passed away in Kolkata.Kalyan Mitter’s first class career
spanned from 1953 to 1969 during which he played 51 matches
for Bengal and Bihar during which he scored 1698 runs and also
took 50 wickets.He was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
award by the Cricket Association of Bengal in 2011.
Kapil Dev’s Former Coach Desh Prem Azad Died
On 16 August Desh Prem Azad, the former coach of cricketer
Kapil Dev and Dronacharya awardee died in Mohali.He trained
cricketers such as Kapil Dev, Ashok Malhotra, Chetan Sharma
and Yograj Singh in the late 1970s.Desh Prem Azad represented
Haryana, the Maharaja of Patiala’s XI and Southern Punjab,
while playing 19 first-class matches. In these matches, he scored
658 runs while grabbed 8 wickets in all.
17 August 2013
Indian American Professor Received Top US Environmental
Award
On 17 August An Indian American professor of biological and
agricultural engineering has been recognised by a top US
environmental and water resources institute for his pioneering
work in hydrology.Vijay P Singh, professor and Caroline &
William N Lehrer distinguished chair in the department of
biological and agricultural engineering at Texas A&M University,
was named a recipient of the ” 2013 Lifetime Achievement
Award” by the American Society of Civil Engineers
Environmental and Water Resources Institute (ASCE-EWRI).His
work has developed the application of kinematic wave theory to

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the point where it is widely used throughout the world in
hydrologic models used for water resource modeling, flood
planning and hydrologic design.Singh has made numerous
advances in hydrologic and environmental modelling and received
prestigious awards for hydrology from multiple professional
societies.Singh’s work on entropy theory has given rise a new
branch of hydrology, called entropic hydrology.
Dilip Trivedi is new CRPF chief
On 17 August Senior IPS officer Dilip Trivedi has been appointed
as the new chief of the country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF
(Central Reserve Police Force). Trivedi, a 1978-batch officer of
Uttar Pradesh cadre has served in various positions in the state
police and has also served in the Centre as ADG of the Indo-
Tibetan Border Police.He succeeded Pranay Sahay who retired on
31 July 2013.
Virginius Xaxa Committee To Asses Status Of Scheduled
Tribes
On 17 August On the pattern of Sachar Committee for Muslims,
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a committee to
assess the status of scheduled tribes with an aim of ensuring
their uplift, particularly in socio-economic, health and education
fields.Prof. Virginius Xaxa was appointed as the chairman of the
seven-member committee.The committee will finalise and present
its report within nine months from the date of this
notification.The Prime Minister’s decision of setting up a
committee came after the government found that the STs, who
form 7.5 percent of the country’s population, are not getting
enough dues despite the special status in the constitution.
18 August 2013
Cincinnati Tennis Tournament 2013 Winners
Women’s Singles :- On 18 August Victoria Azarenka of Belarus
won the Cincinnati Tennis Tournament women’s singles

Page 20
title.Azarenka defeated Serena Williams of the U.S in the final at
Cincinnati (U.S )
Men’s Singles :- In the Men’s category Rafael Nadal (Spain) has
won the title for the first time.He defeated John Isner (U.S) in the
final.Nadal’s five Masters titles this season are a career best. He’s
tied with Novak Djokovic for most Masters titles in a season since
1990. He’s won seven of the nine Masters events during his
career.
” My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions ” By Abdul
Kalam Released
In the month of August ” My Journey: Transforming Dreams into
Actions” by former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was
launched by the Rupa Publication.In his new book Kalam shares
the inspiration and the lessons he learned from personal stories
of his life. The book describes the lesser known events from his
life.
19 August 2013
India & Bangladesh signed MoU on Textiles Cooperation
On 19 August India and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in textiles.The Secretary,
Ministry of Textiles, Zohra Chatterjee and the Sr. Secretary,
Textiles, Bangladesh, Ashraful Moqbul have signed this MoU for
cooperation in Textile sector, in the presence of the Union
Minister for Textiles, Dr. Kavuru Sambasiva Rao, the Minister of
Textiles Bangladesh, Abdul Latif Siddique and Minister of State
for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Textiles, Panabaka Lakshmi, in
New Delhi.
Singapore Honours Indian Librarian Rasu Ramachandran For
Contribution To Field
On 19 August Singapore has honoured Indian origin librarian,
Rasu Ramachandran, for his contributions to the development of

Page 21
the library profession over the past four decades.Ramachandran
received Lifetime Contribution Award from Singapore President
Tony Tan at a ceremony .Ramachandran, who joined the library
in 1969, has helped draft the National Library Board (NLB) Act in
1995 which established the library with more flexibility and
freedom to expand.Ramachandran served as a deputy chief
executive officer of NLB for four years (2000-04), and as the
secretary-general of the International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions (IFLA) for a year.The awards were
given as part of Singapore hosting the 79th IFLA World Library
and Information Congress.
20 August 2013
Muslims Have Lowest Living Standard In India
On 20 August According to the National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO) study titled ‘Employment and
Unemployment Situation Among Major Religious Groups in India’
among various religious groups,Muslims have the lowest living
standard in the country
* According to the survey data , Muslims average per capita
expenditure of just Rs 32.66 in a day.At the other end of the
spectrum, Sikh community enjoys a much better lifestyle as the
average per capita spending among them is Rs 55.30 per day,
while the same for Hindus is Rs 37.50. For Christians it is Rs
51.43.
* At all-India level, the average monthly per capita expenditure
(MPCE) of a Sikh household was Rs 1,659 while that for a
Muslim household was Rs 980 in 2009-10.The average MPCE for
Hindus and Christians were Rs 1,125 and Rs 1,543,
respectively.The survey said that average monthly per capita
consumption at all-India level was Rs 901 in villages and Rs1,773
in cities. Overall, the average MPCE was Rs 1,128.
* Muslims were at the bottom in rural areas, with an average
MPCE of Rs 833, followed by Hindus at Rs 888, Christians at
Rs1,296 and Sikhs 1,498.
* In urban areas, Muslims’ average MPCE was also the lowest at
Rs 1,272 followed by Hindus at Rs 1,797, Christians Rs 2,053
and Sikhs at Rs 2,180.

Page 22
Dhoni Beats Rafael Nadal – Usain Bolt In ‘ Forbes ‘ List
Of Highest – Paid Athletes
On 20 August Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh
Dhoni has been ranked 16th in the latest ‘Forbes’ list of highest-
paid athletes with an earning of $31.5 million (around Rs.180
crore).In the list, he was placed above Rafael Nadal and Usain
Bolt.As per the latest Forbes list of highest-paid athletes in the
world, dhoni earned $31.5 million between June 2012 and June
2013.List of places don above F1 Fernando Alonso, who is on the
19th, Lewis Hamilton on the 26th, Novak Djokovic on the 28th,
Rafael Nadal is in 30th place, and Usain Bolt in the 40th
grade.Doni has risen 15 places in this year’s list. It took 31 th
rank in the last year. Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian athlete,
who is one of the rank of 31 and a total annual revenue of $ 22
million (Rs 125 crore).List is topped by golfer Tiger Woods, who
made $ 78.1 million last year, followed by Roger Federer, who
earned $ 71.5 million, basketball player Kobe Bryant with
earnings of $ 61.9 million.The calculation is based on earnings
estimates, which includes salaries, bonuses and cash prizes from
both the club and the national team, as well as approval of
revenue.
5th India – China Strategic Dialogue Held In Delhi
The 5th India-China Strategic Dialogue was held at New Delhi on
20 August .The Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Sujatha
Singh and the Chinese side was led by Vice Foreign Minister Liu
Zhenmin.The two sides discussed several issues including
enhancing understanding on the utilization of trans-border river
waters, expanding bilateral trade and investment while
addressing problems of the large and growing deficit faced by
India, ways of maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of
Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas, methods of
boosting cultural cooperation as well as people-to-people
exchanges and expansion of scientific and technological
cooperation.

Page 23
Sonia Gandhi Launches ‘Food Security Scheme’ In Delhi
On 20 August Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched the
Centre-Sponsored ‘ Food security scheme ‘on the occasion of
former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 69th birth
Anniversary.Delhi was the first state to implement the
scheme.Under the scheme, a total of 73.5 lakh people will get
foodgrain at highly subsidised rates.The food security programme
would provide subsidised grains for 67 per cent of the population
and would see government spending an estimated Rs. 1,25,000
crore to supply 62 million tonnes of grains. Under the scheme,
beneficiaries would get wheat at Rs. 2 a kg, rice at Rs. 3 a kg and
coarse grain at Rs. 1 a kg.Congress party ruled northern states
Haryana and Uttarakhand have also launched this scheme.
Renowned Rationalist Narendra Dabholkar Shot Dead In Pune
On 20 August Maharashtra’s Renowned rationalist Narendra
Dabholkar ,who fought for a law against superstition and black
magic, was shot dead in Pune in Maharashtra.Narendra Achyut
Dabholkar was an Indian rationalist and author from
Maharashtra. He was the founder-president of Maharashtra
Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), an organization set
up to eradicate superstition.Dabholkar started focusing on
eradication of superstition, and joined the Akhil Bharatiya
Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ABANS). In 1989, he founded
the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (“Committee
for Eradication of Superstition in Maharashtra”), and campaigned
against superstitions, confronting dubious tantriks and claimed
holy men who promised ‘miracle cures’ for ailments.In 2010,
Dabholkar made several failed attempts to get an anti-
superstition law enacted in the state of Maharashtra. Under his
supervision, MANS drafted the Anti-Jaadu Tona Bill (Anti-Black
Magic Bill).
21 August 2013
India Third Largest Internet Using Nation

Page 24
On 21 August According to research firm com Score latest report
titled “India Digital Future in Focus 2013 ” , India with 73.9
million Net users is the world’s third largest Internet population,
overtaking Japan (4th position) but behind China (First position)
and the US. (Second position) Riding on a 31 per cent year-on-
year increase, India’s online population grew to 73.9 million.With
an extended online universe in excess of 145 million the market
is at a tipping point for online businesses.India overtook Japan
by adding 17.6 million users in 2012.Of the total 644 million
home and work internet users in Asia-Pacific as of March 2013,
China accounted for a lion’s share of 54 per cent followed by
India (11.5 per cent), Japan (11.4 per cent), Southeast Asia(9.6
per cent) and rest of APAC (13.5 per cent).
Maharashtra Cabinet Approved “Anti-Black Magic and
Superstition Ordinance”
On 21 August the Maharashtra Cabinet has approved the “Anti-
Black Magic and Superstition Ordinance” after the death of anti-
superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar.The decision was taken
by the state cabinet in wake up of the protests that followed after
the murder of Dabhokar in Pune on 20 August 2013.Dabholkar
was at the forefront of a campaign to persuade the Maharashtra
government to pass an anti-superstition and black magic bill.
Robert Mugabe Sworn In As Zimbabwe President
On 21 August Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a new five-
year term as President of Zimbabwe.Mugabe of Zanu-PF
(Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front) party won the
Presidential election (Parliamentary Election) by winning 61
percent votes in his favour on 3 August .
22 August 2013
21st Round Bhutan-China Border Talks
The 21st round of the boundary talks between the government of
Bhutan and People’s Republic of China was held in Bhutan’s

Page 25
capital Thimphu on 22 August.The Bhutanese delegation was led
by Lyonpo Rinzin Dorje, Foreign Minister.The Chinese delegation
was led by Mr. Liu Zhenrrin, Vice Foreign Minister, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.The meeting agreed to conduct Joint Technical
Field Survey in the first week of September 2013 in Pasamlung
area in Bumthang.The two sides expressed satisfaction with the
talks and reaffirmed their commitment to resolve the boundary at
the earliest through mutual consultation, understanding and
accommodation on the basis of the Four Guiding Principles
agreed to in 1988 and the 1998 Agreement on the Maintenance of
Peace and Tranquility in the Bhutan-China Border Areas.China
shares a contiguous border of 470 kilometres with Bhutan and
its territorial disputes with the country have been a source of
potential conflict.
India and Israel Signed MoU for Crop Diversification
On 22 August India and Israel have signed an MoU for setting up
Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for developing fruits and vegetables
to encourage crop diversification pattern.Haryana and
Maharashtra covered in phase I while states such as Rajasthan,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and
Gujarat and are being covered in Phase-II (2012-15).
Cabinet Approved Amendments To Negate SC ruling On
Convicted MPs and MLAs
On 22 August the Union Cabinet approved amendments to the
Representation of People Act to negate a Supreme Court order on
immediate disqualification of convicted MPs and MLAs.The
development came after all major political parties backed the
government on the move to amend the Act to negate the impact of
the apex court verdict directing immediate disqualification of MPs
and MLAs on being sentenced for more than two years in a
criminal case.The Cabinet also approved amending the
Constitution for overturning the SC ruling, which barred people
in police or judicial custody from contesting polls. The two

Page 26
proposals were approved in the form of amendments to the
Representation of People Act .
Afghan Vice-President Mohammad Karim Khalili Visited India
The vice president of Afghanistan, Mohammad Karim Karim
Khalili visited India from 20 – 22 August.During the visit Khalili
met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New delhi .In the meet
they discussed security issues and trade among other bilateral
issues.Khalili also meet’s India’s president Pranab Mukherjee,
vice-president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and external affairs
minister Salman Khurshid and discussed on both countries
bilateral issues.
23 August 2013
India and Iraq Signed Energy Cooperation Agreement
On 23 August India and Iraq signed an agreement on energy
cooperation to boost the bilateral ties.The agreement was signed
along with three other agreements after comprehensive talks
between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Iraq Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki on strategic bilateral, regional and
international issues. Iraq is an important Gulf nation and has
emerged as India’s second largest crude oil supplier after Saudi
Arabia.
Indians Third Largest Immigrant Group In US
On 23 August According to the Migration Policy Institute latest
study report , Indians have emerged as the third-largest
immigrant group in the US behind Mexicans and Chinese, with
nearly 1.9 million of them living in the country.Indian population
in the US has grown to over 150 times its size since 1960, when
the slightly more than 12,000 Indian immigrants represented less
than 0.5 per cent of the total immigrant population of 9.7 million
immigrants.Till 2011, Indian-born immigrants accounted for
almost five per cent (1.86 million) of America’s 40.4 million
immigrants.Almost one-third of all Indian immigrants resided in

Page 27
just two states- California and New Jersey.More than a quarter of
them lived in three major metropolitan areas- New York, Chicago
and San Jose.Two per cent of all unauthorised immigrants in the
United States were also from India.
Boeing Delivered Indian Air Force’s 3rd C-17 Globemaster III
On 23 August the third Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter was
delivered to Indian Air Force (IAF).The C-17 is a large, versatile
military transport aircraft able to carry heavy, oversize loads long
distances and land on rough and unprepared surfaces. It has
been used in humanitarian and military missions around the
world .It joins the first and second India C-17 airlifters, which
arrived in June and July, respectively.In operation since 1991,
the C-17 is a large, versatile military transport aircraft able to
carry heavy, oversize loads long distances and land on rough and
unprepared surfaces. It has been used in humanitarian and
military missions around the world
Vice President Releases Book “Ghalib & His Times”
The Vice President of India Shri M. Hamid Ansari released a book
entitled “Ghalib & His Times” brought out by Ghalib Institute on
23 August .The book portrays history through photographs and
is a very valuable book for all to know the contemporary history.
Ghalib Institute, New Delhi since its establishment in 1969, has
endeavored to acquire and preserve illustrations about Ghalib’s
life and times and his eminent contemporaries. The book has
tried to revive through illustration that was lost.India and Delhi
of Ghalib’s times is immensely important from historical angle.
24 August 2013
Sania Mirza – Jie Zheng pair Won New Haven Open Title
On 24 August India’s Sania Mirza won the women’s doubles title
at the New Haven Open Tennis tournament along with her
partner Jie Zheng of China.Sania and Jie defeated the pair of
Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) and Katarina Srebotnik

Page 28
(Slovenia) in the final at Yale.This is Sania Mirza’s 17th WTA
doubles title and the third Title in 2013.
US Scientists Created World’s Most Accurate Clock
US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
scientists have built the world’s most accurate clock, whose
ticking rate varies less than two parts in one quintillion, or 10
times better than any other.The clock, made from the element
ytterbium, could be used for technological advancements beyond
timekeeping, such as navigation systems, magnetic fields and
temperature.
25 August 2013
Leander Paes – Daniel Nestor pair Won Winston-Salem Open
Trophy
On 25 August India’s Leander Paes won Winston-Salem Open
Tennis tournament title along with his partner Canadian Daniel
Nestor . Nestor and Paes defeated Treat Huey (Philippines) and
Dominic Inglot (Britain) in the final.Nestor become the first
doubles player to reach the 900 match wins milestone.
Sebastian Vettel Won Belgian Grand Prix
On 25 August Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian
Grand Prix .The defending triple world champion came home a
comfortable 16.869 seconds ahead of second-placed Spaniard
Fernando Alonso of Ferrari with Hamilton third for Mercedes.
Per Capita Income Up 6.7% in 2004-12
On 25 August According to official sources data ,the per capita
income in the country increased 6.7 per cent per annum during
2004-05 to 2011-12, while the percentage of poor declined by 2.2
per cent over the period.For 2011-12, the Planning Commission

Page 29
has estimated percentage of people living below the poverty line
at 21.9 per cent.The poverty line in 2011-12 in terms of monthly
per capita consumption expenditure was estimated at Rs 816 in
rural areas and Rs 1,000 in urban areas.State-wise, Uttar
Pradesh had highest number of people living below poverty line
during 2011-12 at 598.19 people below poverty line out of every
lakh.It was followed by Bihar at 358.15 people (per lakh), Madhya
Pradesh 234.04 people, Maharashtra 197.92 people and West
Bengal at 184.98 people living below the poverty line.
Eminent Classical Singer Raghunath Panigrahi Died
On 25 August Eminent Indian classical singer and music director
Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi died in Bhubaneswar.Pandit
Panigrahi’s effort to popularise poet Jayadeva’s ‘Gita
Govinda’.Pandit Raghunath Panigrahi was born at Gunupur in
Odisha’s Rayaga (earlier Koraput) district.Pandit Raghunath was
the first Odia singer to be honoured by the French government
for his ‘Gita Govinda’ composition way back in the 70s.He was
also conferred with the Padmashri award in the year 2010.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Visited India
Nouri Al-Maliki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq visited
India from 22 -25 August.During his four day visit , Maliki met
with the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh and President
of Indian Union, Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President of India,
Hamid Ansari in New Delhi.Both the nations exchanged views on
bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest and
reached a broad consensus.The discussions enabled better
understanding and appreciation of each other’s concerns and
perspectives and helped in forging closer understanding at the
highest political level .Apart from this, during his visit , several
MoUs were signed between the two nations. This was the first
visit of Maliki to India.
26 August 2013

Page 30
Lok Sabha Passed ‘National Food Security Bill, 2013′
On 26 August Lok Sabha passed the ‘National Food Security Bill,
2013′.The Bill seeks to give legal rights to get subsidized grains
every month to 67 percent of the overall population (of which 75
percent is rural and 50 percent is urban population).A beneficiary
will be entitled to 5 kg of rice, wheat or coarse cereals at Rs. 3,
Rs. 2 and Re. 1 per kg a month, respectively.The beneficiaries will
be identified by the States based on parameters prescribed by the
Union government.Once the Bill gets its nod in the Rajya Sabha
and President’s accent, India will join the selected league of
countries that guarantee food grants to a majority of its
population.
Rajya Sabha Passed ‘The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill,
2010′
On 26 August the Rajya Sabha passed a bill to amend marriage
laws to provide for irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a
ground for divorce, subject to certain safeguards to the wife and
affected children.The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2010 was
passed by voice vote. It seeks to amend the Hindu Marriage Act
1955 and the Special Marriages Act, 1954.Under the new bill, a
provision has been made to restrict the grant of decree of divorce
on the ground of irretrievable breakdown of marriage if the court
is satisfied that adequate provision for the maintenance of
children born out of the marriage has not been made consistently
with the financial capacities of the parents.The bill allows wife to
oppose grant of divorce on the ground that a dissolution of
marriage will result in grave financial hardships. The court can
also restrict grant of divorce if it is not satisfied about adequate
provision for maintenance of children born of marriage.
27 August 2013
Malala Yousafzai Wins International Children’s Peace Prize
On 27 August Pakistani school pupil and education activist
Malala Yousafzai won the International Children’s Peace Prize
2013. The International Children’s Peace Prize is an initiative of

Page 31
the Amsterdem-based Dutch KidsRights Foundation. It was
launched in the year 2005 by former Soviet President Mikhail
Gorbachev, when he chaired the Summit of Nobel Peace
Laureates in Rome. Since then, the prize has been awarded every
year by a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The prize is presented
annually to an exceptional child, whose courageous or otherwise
remarkable actions have made a difference in countering
problems, which affect children around the world.
Madonna Tops ‘ Forbes’ 2013 Highest-Paid Celebrities List
On 27 August According to Forbes ’2013 list of highest-paid
celebrities ‘ Madonna was the world’s highest-earning celebrity in
2012-13.Madonna made $US125 million between June 2012 and
June 2013.Veteran film director Steven Spielberg took second
place in the list, while musical talent show mogul Simon Cowell
tied for third with Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James and disc
jockey Howard Stern.
Mandela Is The First Recipient Of ‘Mahathir Award ‘ For
Global Peace
On 27 August Former South African President Nelson Mandela
was awarded the first Lifetime Campaigner for Peace and
Freedom of the Mahathir Award for Global Peace .Current South
African President Jacob Zuma received the award on behalf of
Mandela, who is in a critical condition in a hospital in
Pretoria.The Mahathir Award for Global Peace is a peace award
instituted by the Mahathir Global Peace Foundation. The
foundation was formed to contribute to worldwide peace
efforts.Mahathir bin Mohamad is a Malaysian politician who was
the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22
years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia’s longest serving
Prime Minister.
28 August 2013
Brigalia Bam Awarded with Gandhi Peace Prize

Page 32
On 28 August Brigalia Bam, former head of South Africa’s
election body, received the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi
International Award for Peace and Reconciliation her
commitment to democracy.The award was created in 2003 to
mark the centenary of a newspaper, Indian Opinion, published in
South Africa by Gandhi. It was created in memory of Mahatma
Gandhi who began his socio-political life in South Africa and
struggled ceaselessly for justice and for peace and reconciliation.
Indian-origin Cardiologist Named White House Fellow
On 28 August Dr Kapil Parakh, an Indian-origin cardiologist
working in Washington area, is among a dozen people chosen by
the White House for its prestigious fellowship programme for
2013-14.Dr Parakh is the director of heart failure at the Johns
Hopkins Bayview Medical Centre and assistant professor in the
Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Behaviour
and Society.Dr Parakh is the co-founder of Health for America, a
non-profit that mobilises youth to improve the health of
communities through innovation while shaping the next
generation of leaders.
Scientists Discovered New Element 115
An international team at the GSI research facility in Germany
have confirmed the existence of a new element with atomic
number 115, verifying earlier measurements performed by
research groups in Russia. By bombarding a thin film of
americium with calcium ions, the research team was able to
measure photons in connection with the new element’s alpha
decay. Certain energies of the photons agreed with the expected
energies for X-ray radiation, which is a ‘fingerprint’ of a given
element.The scientists have not named it yet but for time being it
will be referred as, Ununpentium.
29 August 2013
Lok Sabha Passed ‘Land Acquisition Bill ‘

Page 33
The Lok Sabha passed the landmark land acquisition and
rehabilitation bill on 29 August , that aims to provide fair
compensation to those whose land is taken, brings transparency
to the process and details measures for rehabilitation of those
displaced.The bill, which will now be called, The Right to Fair
Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition,
Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2012, replaced a nearly
120-year-old law enacted during British rule in 1894.
27 crore People Live Below Poverty Line In India
India’s population was estimated at 123 crore as of March 1,
2012, while as many as 27 crore people lived below the poverty
line in 2011-12, Minister of State for Planning Rajeev Shukla
explained in a written reply to Rajya Sabha on 29 August.As per
the Population Census of 2011 conduced by the Office of
Registrar General of India, the population in the country was
estimated at 121 crore as of March 1, 2011.The poverty ratio in
the country has decreased to 21.9 per cent in 2011-12 from 37.2
per cent in 2004-05.The rate of decline between 2004-05 and
2011-12 is three times faster than experienced between 1993-94
and 2004-05.As per the Millennium Development Goals Report
2013, the poverty rate in India fell from 49 per cent in 1994 to 42
per cent in 2005 and 33 per cent in 2010.
India’s First Defence Satellite GSAT-7 Launched Successfully
India’s first exclusive defence satellite GSAT-7 was successfully
launched by European space consortium Arianespace’s Ariane 5
rocket from Kourou spaceport in French Guiana on 30
August.This launch will push ahead India’s maritime
security.GSAT–7 has been built at an expense of 185 crore
rupees and will act as the country’s maiden dedicated spacecraft
for defence applications.The frequency bands of GSAT-7 will help
space-based marine communications.The state-of-the-art satellite
carrying payloads operating in UHF, S, C and Ku bands, had a
lift-off mass of 2625 kg and is based on ISRO’s 2500 kg satellite
bus with some new technological elements, including the

Page 34
antennae.According to ISRO, GSAT-7 is an advanced
communication satellite to provide wide range of service
spectrum from low bit rate voice to high bit rate data
communication.The satellite solar arrays generate 2900 W of
electrical power.Payload of the GSAT–7 is designed to provide
communication capabilities to users in distant oceanic
regions.The launch cost for ISRO is nearly Rs 470 crore,
including insurance.
Australia’s Aaron Finch Hits T20 World Record
Australian batsman Aaron Finch hit a new record in Twenty20
Internationals in Southampton (England), when he scored 156
runs off 63 balls against England at Southampton on 29
August.Finch mashed 14 sixes and 11 fours in his innings and
surpassed the previous international record of 123, scored by
New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum.In the process he also became
the first Australian to score a T20 international century.
Most Wanted Indian Mujahideen Terrorist Yasin Bhatka
Arrested
Indian Mujahideen co-founder and one of India’s most wanted
terrorists, Yasin Bhatkal was arrested on 30 August.Yasin has
been on the run since 2008. The IM leader is wanted in a string
of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi
and Hyderabad.Yasin, who co-founded IM in 2008 along with
brother Riaz, is also wanted in the German Bakery bomb blast in
Pune on February 13, 2010.
” Dhyan Chand – The Wizard of Hockey ” Book Released
The first-of-its-kind graphic biography on former Indian Hockey
player Dhyan Chand titled “” Dhyan Chand-The Wizard of Hockey
“” was launched at Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi on 29
August .The biography was launched on the National Sports Day
to commemorate the 108th birth anniversary of the legend.The

Page 35
book has been written by Luis Fernandes, who researched
extensively on the subject.The book is being printed by comic-
series publication Amar Chitra Katha.The book focussed on
Dhyan Chand’s achievements and goal-scoring feats at 1928,
1932 and 1936 Olympics that got him the title The Wizard.
Second ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus Held In
Brunei
The 2nd ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus has concluded
in Brunei on 29 August .Defense ministers from ASEAN signed a
declaration of commitment to enhance peace and security in the
Asia-Pacific region.They committed to adhere to the principles of
equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit and respect for
international laws in the handling of disputes. The defense
ministers also agreed to promote better understanding and
confidence-building measures among defense
establishments.ASEAN Defence minister’s meeting firstly
convened in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi on Oct. 12, 2010, the
regional event has involved 18 member states, including
ministers from the 10 ASEAN nations.ASEAN Defence Ministers’
Meeting – Plus was established in 2010.This forum is convened
every two years.The third ADMM-Plus is scheduled to be held in
Malaysia in 2015.

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