4.5/5
Current Affairs 19th May 2026
NOTABLE BOOKS WRITTEN BY FORMER RBI GOVERNORS:
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C.D. Deshmukh (1st Indian RBI governor): The Course of My Life
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C.Rangarajan (19th Governor): Forks in the Road: My Days at RBI and Beyond
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Y.V. Reddy (21st Governor): Advice and Dissent: My Life in Public Service (Autobiography)
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Duvvuri Subbarao (22nd Governor): Who Moved My Interest Rate: Leading the Reserve Bank Through Five Turbulent Years
1. Ali Falih Kadhim al-Zaidi Sworn in as Iraq’s Youngest PM
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Youngest Leader: At 40 years old, the multimillionaire businessman and banker has become the youngest Prime Minister in Iraq’s history.
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Political Outsider: Regarded as a political newcomer, he was selected as a consensus candidate by Iraq's dominant ruling Shiite bloc (the Coordination Framework) to succeed Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.
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Partial Cabinet Approval: He was officially sworn in following a vote of confidence in parliament, though he takes power with a partially approved cabinet as several key ministerial posts remain vacant due to political gridlock.
Footnotes: Iraq's President: Nizar Amidi, PM: Ali al-Zaidi, Capital: Baghdad
2. PM Modi Receives Norway's Highest Civilian Honour, 32nd Global Award
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The Honor Bestowed: King Harald V of Norway conferred the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his official visit to Oslo. It is Norway’s highest honor for foreign heads of government.
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32nd Global Award: This marks the 32nd international honor PM Modi has received from foreign nations, coming just one day after he was awarded Sweden's highest civilian honor (Royal Order of the Polar Star).
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Historic Visit: The award ceremony took place during a major diplomatic milestone, marking the first official visit by a sitting Indian Prime Minister to Norway in 43 years.
3. Sikkim to Implement Anand Marriage Act, 1909 from June 1, 2026
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Direct Sikh Marriage Registration: Effective June 1, 2026, Sikh couples in Sikkim can register their marriages directly under their own specific legal framework following traditional Anand Karaj ceremonies, providing distinct legal and cultural identity.
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Elimination of Legal Gaps: Previously, due to a lack of localized state rules, Sikh couples in Sikkim had to register their marriages under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The state has now formally established the Sikkim Anand Marriage Registration Rules, 2026 to streamline independent processing.
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Supreme Court Push: The implementation was fast-tracked following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in late 2025 (Amanjot Singh Chadha vs. Union of India), which directed remaining states to plug administrative loopholes and frame localized registration mechanisms.
Footnotes: Sikkim's Governor: Om Prakash Mathur, CM: Prem Singh Tamang, Capital: Gangtok
4. Union Bank of India appoints Sowmya Sridhar as CRO 
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Key Leadership Role: Union Bank of India has appointed Smt. Sowmya Sridhar as its new Chief Risk Officer (CRO) on a contractual basis for a tenure lasting until August 31, 2029.
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Seamless Succession: Effective May 22, 2026, she officially succeeds Shri Ashwini Kumar Ramakrishna Chowdhary, whose three-year contract as CRO concluded on May 21, 2026.
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Internal Veteran: Sridhar brings over 30 years of extensive banking experience to the role. Having joined the bank in 1995, she has spent 19 of those years specializing in risk management and holds a global Financial Risk Manager (FRM) certification.
Footnotes: UBI's MD & CEO: Ashish Pandey, HQ: Mumbai, Estd: 1919
5. Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina wins Italian Open women’s title
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The Victory: Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina defeated world No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States in a hard-fought three-set final (6–4, 6–7, 6–2) to win the 2026 Italian Open women's singles title.
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Milestone Hat-Trick: This marks her third career Italian Open title (following her victories in 2017 and 2018) and her fifth overall WTA 1000-level tournament win.
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Record-Breaking Run: At 31 years old, she became the oldest woman to win three titles at the same WTA 1000 event, completing a "giant-slaying" campaign by defeating three top-5 opponents (Elena Rybakina, Iga Świątek, and Gauff) in a single tournament.
6. Surendra Kumar Jha appointed as Deputy Inspector General in BSF
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The Appointment: Senior IPS officer Surendra Kumar Jha has been officially appointed as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Border Security Force (BSF) on a central deputation basis.
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Cadre and Current Role: Jha is a veteran 2010-batch IPS officer from the Jharkhand cadre. Prior to this central posting, he was serving as the DIG (Personnel) at the Jharkhand Police Headquarters.
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Distinguished Profile: Highly regarded for his administrative and crime-control capabilities, he has previously served as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Ranchi and is a recipient of the Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) for his courage in the field.
Footnotes: BSF's Director General: Praveen Kumar, HQ: New Delhi, Estd: 1965
7. Bhopal Introduces India’s 1st Solar-Powered ‘Algae Tree’
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The Innovation: Installed at Swami Vivekananda Park under the Smart City initiative, the "Algae Tree" is a futuristic, solar-powered photobioreactor structure that utilizes microalgae to capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen via photosynthesis.
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High Environmental Impact: Developed by the Mushroom World Group, a single compact unit can absorb approximately 1.5 tonnes of annually—equivalent to the capacity of 25 mature natural trees—and generates nearly 1 ton of oxygen.
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Pollution Reduction: The device specifically targets fine air pollutants, capable of reducing dangerous levels by 45% to 55% within a 15-meter radius, making it an ideal green infrastructure supplement for congested urban areas.
8. Ishaan Khatter honored by Indian Armoured Corps' 45 Cavalry
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Honorary Membership: Bollywood actor Ishaan Khatter was formally inducted and conferred with an honorary membership into the 45 Cavalry, an elite regiment of the Indian Army's Armoured Corps.
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The Cinematic Connection: This rare honor comes as a tribute to his portrayal of real-life war hero Captain Balram Singh Mehta in the military drama film Pippa, which beautifully brought the regiment's historic 1971 Battle of Garibpur victory to life.
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Regimental Traditions: The induction took place during a formal military ceremony, making him one of the few contemporary Indian actors to be officially recognized and embraced as an honorary member by a frontline armored regiment.
WHAT HAPPENED TODAY
World Fair Play Day: 19 May
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Theme 2026: "Encouraging the Values of Fair Play — Friendship, Solidarity, Tolerance, Inclusion, and Non-Discrimination."
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The day directly contributes to advancing several UN SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 10, and SDG 16
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