Current Affairs 02 October 2024

1. Arti Sarin became 1st Woman Officer as DG of AFMS
Surgeon Vice-Admiral Arti Sarin became the first woman to assume the role of
Director-General of the Armed Forces Medical Services, responsible for military medical policies, the Defence Ministry announced. Sarin has served in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, starting as a Lieutenant in the Army, advancing to Surgeon Vice-Admiral in the Navy and also serving as an Air Marshal in the Air Force.

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Surgeon Vice-Admiral Arti Sarin will oversee medical policy matters for the armed forces.
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She is an alumna of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) and was commissioned in December 1985.
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Sarin holds an MD in radiodiagnosis from AFMC and a Diplomate National Board in radiation oncology from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.
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She also received training in gamma knife surgery from the University of Pittsburgh.
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She was honoured with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in July 2024
2. Claudia Sheinbaum Takes Oath as Mexico's First Female President
Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico's new president on Tuesday,
making history as the country's first female president and the first president of Jewish descent in a predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Her election victory comes 70 years after women in Mexico gained the right to vote.

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The new president, a former climate scientist with a doctorate in energy engineering, will make her first trip to Acapulco.
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Acapulco is a resort city on Mexico's Pacific coast.
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Mexico remains one of the most conservative countries in Latin America, with its 65 presidents since independence from Spain all men.
About Mexico:
President: Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo
Government: Presidential system, Federal republic
3. Prashant Kishor Launches Jan Suraj Party in Bihar, names Manoj Bharti as working president
Prashant Kishore officially launched the Jan Suraj Party, the political wing of
his Jan Suraj organization, at a major event in Patna, attracting substantial support from followers. The party plans to contest all 243 seats in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections and will also field candidates in the upcoming by-elections for four assembly seats. Many retired bureaucrats have joined, promising to bring about a political transformation in Bihar and promote clean politics.

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Prashant Kishor vowed to end the liquor ban in Bihar immediately if elected to power.
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Manoj Bharti is a resident of Madhubani. He studied at Netarhat in Jharkhand and IIT Kanpur. He has served in the foreign service.
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Manoj was India's ambassador to Ukraine, Belarus, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia.
About Bihar:
Capital: Patna
Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
Governor: Rajendra Arlekar
4. Divanshi Wins Gold in Women's 25m Pistol for India
Divanshi scored 35 in the final win against Italy's Cristina Magnani, having
qualified for the final in fifth place with a score of 577. Alongside Tejaswani and Vibhuti Bhatia, she also secured the team gold, contributing to India's medal tally. Additionally, the 25-metre sports pistol event brought two more gold medals, with Mukesh Nelavalli winning the junior men’s individual gold and the team gold alongside Suraj Sharma and Padhyumn Singh.

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Divanshi achieved a remarkable victory in the women's 25m pistol event, scoring 35 in the final to defeat Italy’s Cristina Magnani by two points.
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She had a tough road to gold after missing seven of her first 15 targets in the individual final, putting her in sixth position initially. She recovered brilliantly, hitting 16 of her next 20 to move up to second with three more series of five shots remaining in the 10-series final.
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In the 10th and final series, Divanshi matched her score of four hits from the ninth series, securing her victory.
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She qualified for the final by finishing fifth with a score of 577 in the precision and rapid-fire rounds, each consisting of 30 shots.
5. Bumrah Returns to No. 1 in Test Bowling Rankings
India's Jasprit Bumrah has reclaimed the No. 1 position as the world's top Test
bowler, following his impressive match haul of six wickets against Bangladesh in Kanpur. He takes over the spot from his teammate R. Ashwin, who was the Player of the Series against Bangladesh. Additionally, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was named Player of the Match in the Kanpur Test, has made a significant leap in the Test batting rankings, rising to third place after just 11 matches.

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This is Bumrah's second time at the top of the Test rankings.
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He first reached No. 1 in February this year, becoming the first Indian fast bowler to do so.
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Kapil Dev was the highest-ranked Indian pace bowler before Bumrah, achieving No. 2 in the ICC's retrospective rankings in 1979-80.
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Bumrah displaced Ashwin to claim the top spot in February as well.
6. Former Dutch PM Mark Rutte appointed as Secretary General of NATO
Former Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte officially assumed the role of
Secretary-General of NATO in Brussels today, succeeding Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg, who led the alliance since 2014. In his first press conference, Rutte urged allies to substantially boost defence spending to address NATO's challenges and called for stronger cooperation with Indo-Pacific partners.

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NATO's 32 members appointed Mark after the Dutch politician secured the early backing of the United States, Germany and Britain.
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Mark Rutte began his career in 1992 in HRM at Unilever and its subsidiaries.
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He studied Dutch history at Leiden University and has been a guest teacher at the Johan de Witt group of schools in The Hague since 2008.
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He served as a member of the Dutch Parliament from January to May 2003.
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He was the leader of the liberal Dutch People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) from 2006 to 2023.
About NATO:
Founded: 1949
Headquarters: Brussels
7. AIX Connect complete Merger with AI Express
The Air India Group announced that it has completed the merger of AIX
Connect (formerly AirAsia India) with Air India Express (AIX), establishing it as its low-cost division. The DGCA stated that all aircraft from AIX Connect have been seamlessly transferred to AIX's Air Operator Certificate, ensuring that the combined entity's airline operations proceed without interruption. An updated air operator certificate was issued to signify the completion of the consolidation.

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced the successful completion of the merger between AIX Connect and Air India Express.
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This merger marks a significant milestone in airline consolidation in India.
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The DGCA has granted the necessary regulatory approval for the merger.
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All aircraft from AIX Connect have been seamlessly transferred to AIX's Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
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This ensures that the operations of the combined entity continue without disruption, providing a safe and smooth experience for passengers.
8. Rajshree Birla honoured with 25th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award 2024
The 25th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence 2024 was
presented to Smt. Rajashree Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, by Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, Hon’ble Vice President of India. The event, held at the Vice President's residence in New Delhi, was attended by Shri Anil Shastri, LBSIM Board members, corporate and public service dignitaries, and LBSIM Director Prof. Praveen Gupta, along with faculty and staff.

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The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence is an annual honor recognizing individuals for significant contributions in their fields, reflecting the values of service, integrity, and leadership inspired by Lal Bahadur Shastri, India's former Prime Minister.
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The Aditya Birla Centre has led initiatives in healthcare, education, sustainable livelihoods, and infrastructure development.
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These efforts have positively impacted millions in India’s rural areas across 9,000 villages.
9. JSPL Honored with Prestigious CSR Journal Excellence Award 2024
Leading steelmaker Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. (JSPl) has received the
esteemed CSR Journal Excellence Award 2024 for its exceptional contributions to promoting and developing sports in India. The award was presented during the 7th edition of the ceremony held in Mumbai. This recognition highlights the company’s significant efforts, through its social arm, Jindal Foundation, to nurture sports talent and improve sports infrastructure, especially at the grassroots level.

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The Jindal Foundation has built 20 playgrounds, two sports complexes, and one sports hostel for underprivileged athletes.
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The Sports Hostel in Barbil provides free accommodation, nutrition, education, and intensive sports coaching for tribal and disadvantaged athletes.
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Many athletes supported by JSP have achieved success, winning medals at national and international sporting events.
About JSPL:
Founded: 1979
CEO: Shri O.P. Jindal
Headquarters: New Delhi
10. PM Modi inaugurates Gaushala with Bio-CNG plant in M.P
On Gandhi Jayanti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Lal
Tipara Gaushala with a Bio-CNG plant in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The plant, set up in collaboration with Indian Oil Corporation, can produce three tonnes of natural gas daily from 100 tonnes of cow dung. Modi also launched development projects worth Rs 685 crore.

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It is India's first modern, self-reliant gaushala.
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The Bio-CNG plant will also produce 20 tonnes of high-quality organic manure.
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Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will assist with plant operation and maintenance.
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The Gaushala was developed at a cost of Rs 32 crore from IOC's CSR fund.
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One hectare of land is reserved for future expansion.
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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attended the inauguration virtually from Bhopal.
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