Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Here are the most important Monthly Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Here you can download 120+ Most Important Current Affairs in PDF format. Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020 in the English language is, completely free of cost.

Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020 will be beneficial for UPSC IAS, WBCS Prelims+ Mains 2020-21, Railway Recruitment Board Exams, IBPS PO Assistant, RRB NTPC, and other state PSC exams.

Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020 download link is available at the end of the post.

~Top News of the Month~

Awards & Recognitions

MS Dhoni named captain of ICC Men’s ODI and T20I teams of the Decade

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the ICC Teams of the Decade based on the performances, consistency of players over the period of last 10 years. Former Indian captain and wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named as the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Decade.

Dhoni has also been named the skipper of the ICC T20I Team of the Decade. Similarly, Virat Kohli has been named the captain of the ICC Test Team of the Decade. Ravi Ashwin is the only other Indian on this list.

ICC Awards of the Decade 2020 announced

The ICC Awards of The Decade recognize the best players across Cricket over the past 10 years.

List of Winners

• ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade: MS Dhoni (India)

ICC Men’s Awards

• Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade: Virat Kohli (India)
• ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade: Virat Kohli (India)
• ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade:  Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
• ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Decade: Steve Smith (Australia)
• ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade: Kyle Coetzer (Scotland)

ICC Women’s Award

• Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for ICC Female Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry (Australia)
• ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry(Australia)
• ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Decade: Ellyse Perry (Australia)
• ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Decade: Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)

ICC honors Virat Kohli by declaring him ‘ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of Decade’

Indian Captain Virat Kohli won two prestigious awards at the ICC Awards of the Decade.

The two awards are:

• Sir Garfield Sobers award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade
• ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Decade.

MP’s Gwalior & Orchha named in UNESCO World Heritage Cities List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has inscribed the fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh (MP) in its world heritage cities under urban landscape city programme. This was informed by the state government of MP.

The inclusion will lead to the beautification of both cities by the MP Tourism Department in collaboration with UNESCO.

Cambridge Dictionary Named “Quarantine” as Word of the Year 2020

The Cambridge Dictionary has named “Quarantine” as the Word of the Year 2020 based on its data which showed that the word ‘quarantine’ is one of the most searched words on the Cambridge Dictionary in 2020.
Runners-up for Word of the year 2020 are Lockdown and Pandemic.

Cambridge’s word of the year 2019 was “Upcycling”.

Other Word of the year 2020: Collins Dictionary named Lockdown as the Word of the year 2020.

Veteran Bollywood Actor Naseeruddin Shah Honoured with Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Shikhar Puraskar 2020

Veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah was honoured with the Aditya Vikram Birla Kala Shikhar Puraskar 2020 at the Sangit Kala Kendra Awards virtual function. He was awarded in the category theatre.

Sangit Kala Kendra instituted this award in 1966, in memory of its Founder President, the Late Shri Aditya Vikram Birla.

Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com select “Pandemic” as Word of the Year 2020

Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com two of the most popular dictionary companies for the first time have chosen a common word “Pandemic” as Word of the Year 2020.

Pandemic is a word having roots in Latin and Greek, where “pan” denotes “for all” and “demos” indicating “people or population” sometimes roots to “democracy”.

Merriam-Webster started announcing word of the year in 2008 and in 2019 the pronoun “they” is selected as word of the year.

First Dronacharya Awardee from J&K, Kuldeep Handoo appointed as “Fit India” movement ambassador

Srinagar-born Wushu coach and the first Dronacharya Awardee from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Kuldeep Handoo is appointed as the Ambassador of Fit India movement.

Book Titled,’The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and the Raj’ Authored by Anita Anand Wins PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2020

The book titled ‘The Patient Assassin: A True Tale of Massacre, Revenge and the Raj’ authored by Journalist Anita Anand, a British Indian wins £2,000 annual PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize 2020.

1. The book is based on the life of Indian revolutionary Udham Singh.
2. The book portrays the story of a young man caught up in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar, Punjab.

Note- PEN stands for Poets, Playwrights, Editors, Essayists, and Novelists.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay-NIF book prize announced

The winners of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay New India Foundation Book Prize 2020 for the best non-fiction book on contemporary/ modern India were announced. The Prize was given jointly to Amit Ahuja for his Mobilizing the Marginalized: Ethnic Parties without Ethnic Movements (Oxford University Press) and to former Union minister Jairam Ramesh for his A Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives of VK Krishna Menon (Penguin Random House), a biography of politician and diplomat VK Krishna Menon.

Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year 2020: India’s Shantanu Narayen ranked 8th & Ajay Banga ranked 9th; Elon Musk Tops

The Fortune ranked India’s Shantanu Narayen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Adobe in 8th position and Ajay Banga, CEO of Mastercard in 9th position in its list of Businessperson of the Year 2020.

Top 3 in the list:

The list is topped by Elon Musk, co-founder & CEO of Tesla. He is also CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). He tops the list for the second time.

Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman Ranked 41 in the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2020 by Forbes

Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman made it to the World’s 100 most powerful women 2020 list announced in the 17th annual Forbes power list. This is the second time she features in the list, in 2019 she ranked at 34 and in 2020, she was ranked 41st position.

India’s leading Businesswomen, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman of Biocon Limited also featured in the list at 68th position.

The list also saw the biggest jump in ranking to 3rd position by Kamala Harris, Vice President-Elect of USA, and Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wajed is ranked at 39.

Rank	Personality	Profession
41	Nirmala Sitharaman	Finance Minister of India
68	Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw	Founder, Chair and Managing Director, Biocon Ltd.
1	Angela Merkel	Chancellor, Germany
2	Christine Lagarde	President, European Central Bank
3	Kamala Harris	Vice President-elect, United States
4	Ursula von der Leyen	President, European Commission, European Union
5	Melinda Gates	Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Bajrang Punia and Elavenil Valarivan Awarded “FICCI Sportsperson of the Year” at India Sports Award-2020

Federation of Indian Commerce and Industry (FICCI) virtually presented India Sports Awards-2020, to sports personalities for their outstanding contributions in the field of sports.

In the Event, Wrestler Bajrang Punia and Shooter Elavenil Valarivan received the highest honour “Sportsperson of the Year of Male & Female” Award.

Raj Kamal Jha for his Novel ‘The City and the Sea’ Wins 3rd Edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2020

Raj Kamal Jha, Indian Author and the Chief Editor of The Indian Express win 3rd Edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2020 for his literary fiction novel ‘The City and the Sea’. This is Raj Kamal Jha’s 5th novel.

UNEP announces 6 Recipients for 2020 Champions of the Earth Award

United Nations (UN) Environment Programme (UNEP) virtually announced 6 Individuals as recipients of the 2020 Champions of the Earth Award, which is UN’s highest environmental honour.

Awards:

Recipient	Category	Contribution
Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji	Policy Leadership	for global climate action work, and commitment to climate-responsive national development
Dr Fabian Leendertz, (Germany)	Science & Innovation	Discovery in Zoonotics & work in One Health
Mindy Lubber (United States of India)	Entrepreneurial Vision	for commitment to convert capital markets green by mobilizing top investors and companies
Nemonte Nenquimo (Ecuador)	Inspiration & Action	Leadership and unifying work with indigenous communities to halt drilling in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest
Yacouba Sawadogo (Burkina Faso)	Inspiration & Action	for teaching traditional nature-based solution to farmers for regeneration of soil to turn barren land into arable land in Africa
Professor Robert D. Bullard (United States of America)	Earth Lifetime Achievement Award	For commitment and service to environmental justice

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Headquarter– Nairobi, Kenya

Kylie Jenner tops Forbes 2020 Highest-Paid Celebrity List

Famous American Media Personality and founder of Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Jenner topped Forbes 2020’s highest-paid celebrity list with an earning of USD 590 million in 2020. She was followed by popular American singer Kanye West in the second spot with 170 million.

SAIL Wins Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2020

The Institute of Directors (IOD) awarded the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award(GPEMA) 2020 to Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in the steel sector. SAIL receives this award for the successive 2nd year.

PM conferred “ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award” to Ratan Tata

The Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Foundation Day 2020 was commemorated on December 12, 2020. To mark this occasion, the chamber organized a 5-day virtual event “ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020” from 15th to 19th December 2020 on the theme “India’s resilience: Aatmanirbhar roadmap towards a US$5 trillion economy”.

During the occasion, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address via video conferencing and also presented the “ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award” to Ratan Tata, who received the award on behalf of the TATA Group.

The award recognized the role played by Tata Group in India’s development.

NTPC wins the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020

The country’s largest power producer, National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has been conferred “Excellence” in the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Awards 2020 in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Domain.

Appointments & Resignations

AR Rahman Appointed as the Ambassador for BAFTA Breakthrough India 2020-21

Music Composer AR Rahman was appointed as the Ambassador for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA)’s Breakthrough initiative in India 2020-21″. 

• AR Rahman won 2 Academy Awards for Original score and original song in 2009 for the film “Slumdog Millionaire”.
• He also won the Golden Globes for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009 for best Original Score for which he also won the BAFTA Awards in 2009.

Sandeep Kataria, Becomes first Indian to be appointed as Global CEO of Bata; Succeeds Alexis Nasard

Sandeep Kataria, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bata India has been elevated as the CEO of Bata Organization. He becomes the first Indian to be appointed as the global CEO of Bata. He succeeds Alexis Nasard.

Shrikant Madhav Vaidya Appointed as the First Vice President of WLPGA

Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was appointed as the first Vice President of the World Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (WLPGA), an authoritative voice of the LPG industry across the globe which represents the complete LPG value chain.

Uday Shankar elected as the President of FICCI; Succeeds Sangita Reddy

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) elected Uday Shankar as its President for the year 2020-21.He will succeed Sangita Reddy. Mr. Shankar is the first person from the media and entertainment industry to lead a national industry chamber like FICCI.

1. Uday Shankar Created Hotstar, now globally expanded as Disney+ Hotstar.
2. As the Editor and news director at TV Today Group, he launched Aaj Tak in 2000 and Headlines Today in 2003.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute named 2020 ‘Asian of the Year’ with 5 others

Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serum Institute of India (SII) was named as 2020 “Asians of the Year” along with 5 others by The Straits Times; Singapore’s leading daily for their contribution in fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Shashi Shekhar Vempati CEO of Prasar Bharati Elected as Vice President of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union

Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO of Prasar Bharati was elected as the Vice President of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), one of the World’s largest broadcasting associations. He will be serving for a three-year term, which starts on 1st January 2021.

Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Secretariat– Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Environment Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Cnemaspis avasabinae: New Lizard Species Identified in Eastern Ghats, Velikonda Range in Andhra Pradesh

A team of researchers has discovered a new species of dwarf gecko named “Cnemaspis avasabinae”, This is identified as the smallest known Indian Gekkonid from the Eastern Ghats. Cnemaspis avasabinae is the 12th species discovered outside the Western Ghats and the first species from the Velikonda Range, Andhra Pradesh.

The new species has been given a common name “Sabin’s Nellore dwarf gecko”.

World’s Oldest Nanostructures Found In 6th-Century BC Pottery from Keeladi, Tamil Nadu

Scientists have discovered the oldest known human-made nano-materials in the “unique black coatings” of ancient pottery shards dated to 600 BC that were unearthed from an archeological site in Keeladi, Tamil Nadu. The research was published in the journal Scientific Reports and the findings have been documented in a paper published in “Nature”.

In accordance with the research these coatings are made of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) which have enabled the layer to last more than 2600 years.

It should be noted that this discovery has succeeded the old known carbon nanostructure that was found in the Damascus blades from the 16th-18th century. Notably the technique used in the Damascus blades was also made in India.

2020 set to be among one of the Three Warmest Year Ever Recorded: WMO’s State of the Global Climate 2020

According to the “State of the Global Climate 2020” Interim report released by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) based on the temperature data from January-October (of 2020), the year 2020 is set to be among one of the Three Warmest Years Ever recorded.2020 becomes the 2nd warmest year followed by 2016.

IUCN Report named India’s Western Ghats under Significant Concern

In accordance with the new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) namely “IUCN World Heritage Outlook 3”, India’s Western Ghats, inscribed by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2012 as a natural world heritage site, is threatened by population pressure, urbanization and climate change. The site is regarded as of significant concern.

Notably, Western Ghats is one of the world’s eight hottest hot spots of biological diversity. The other seven are Madagascar, Philippines, Sundaland [South East Asia], Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, Caribbean, Indo-Burma, and Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Tanzania/Kenya.

Sports Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Poland Footballer, Robert Lewandowski won Best FIFA Men Player Award 2020

Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) awarded Robert Lewandowski, captain of Poland National Team as the Best FIFA Men’s player for 2020 in its annual award ceremony. Lucy Bronze of England won the Best FIFA Women’s player for 2020. Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper 2020 won by Manuel Neuer.

FIFA Headquarters– Zurich, Switzerland. Motto– For the Game. For the World.

Lewis Hamilton wins Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2020 

British Driver Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) won the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix (officially known as Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix) held at Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. The race was the fifteenth round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship.

Australian Cricket Team won the 2020 Dettol ODI series against India held in Australia

Australian Batsman Steve Smith was chosen as the Player of the Series for scoring 216 runs in the series which included 2 Centuries.

During the series Virat Kohli became the Fastest Batsman to reach 12, 000 runs in ODIs (242 innings) & 22, 000 International runs (462 International innings).

New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson retires from International Cricket, Joins MLC in US

On 5th December, 2020 New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson announced retirement from International Cricket and signed a 3-year deal with USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC).

Corey Anderson once holded the record for fastest ODI century for his 36 ball hundred against West Indies in 2013. (Current Fastest Hundred in ODI: AB De Villiers (36 balls, vs West Indies), Test: Brendon McCullum (54 balls, vs Australia), T-20: David Miller (35 balls vs Bangladesh).

Mondo Duplantis and Yulimar Rojas Named ‘2020 World Athletes of the Year’ at World Athletics Awards 2020 

Pole Vaulter Mondo Duplantis of Sweden was named as the male World Athletes of the Year(2020) and Triple Jumper Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela as the female World Athletes of the Year(2020) at the World Athletics Awards 2020.

Jehan Daruvala 1st Indian to win a Formula 2 race

On December 6, 2020, Indian Driver Jehan Daruvala became the First Indian to win a Formula 2 race during the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

Jehan drives for Carling Racing, he hails from Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 Indian Cricket Team won the 2020 Dettol T20I series against Australia held in Australia

The Indian Cricket Team won the 3-match Dettol Twenty20 International (T20I) series 2020 against Australia by 2-1. Indian All-rounder Hardik Pandya was chosen as the Player of the Series.

• Indian Spin Bowler Yuzvendra Chahal became the 1st Concussion substitute to be awarded in an International Cricket Match; he also became India’s Joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is along with Jasprit Bumrah.
• Indian Captain Virat Kohli equalled Rohit Sharma’s record of Most Fifty Plusscores in T20I.
• Virat Kohli became the First Indian Captain to win a T20I series in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) Countries.
• Shikhar Dhawan became India’s 3rd highest run-getter in T20I.
• England Opening Batsman Dawid Malan became the first-ever player to cross 900-point for batsmen in ICC (International Cricket Council) T20I Player Rankings. This is the Highest-ever rating points in T20I history.

IOC adds Breakdance as Medal Events in 2024 Paris Olympic Games; 3 other events added in 2020 Tokyo Olympic Game

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board added “Breaking” – a competitive form of breakdancing & 3 other sports – Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, and Surfing to Medal Events Program in Olympic Games. Breaking will make its Olympic debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, while 3 other sports will make their Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics to be held in July, 2021 (delayed due to COVID-19).

International Olympic Committee (IOC): President – Thomas Bach, Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland

Indian Wicketkeeper-Batsman Parthiv Patel Retires from all forms of Cricket

Indian wicketkeeper batsman Parthiv Patel announced retirement from all forms of cricket. Parthiv, India’s youngest wicket keeper at 17 ended his International career with 25 Tests, 38 ODIs, and two T20Is.

• Parthiv Patel captained India at the 2002 Under-19 world cup.
• He captained Gujarat team in Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2015

Sri Lanka to host 2021 Edition of Asia Cup Cricket Tournament; Pakistan to host 2022 Edition of Asia Cup

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wasim Khan stated that Sri Lanka will host the 2021 Edition of Asia Cup, Cricket tournament and Pakistan will host the 2022 Edition of Asia Cup, Cricket tournament.

• Asia Cup is a men’s One Day International (ODI) & Twenty20 International Cricket Tournament.
• It is organized by ACC, which has 5 full members – India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Afghanistan.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Headquarters – Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing Honda wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020

Dutchman Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 in a crucial race, making his second win of the year 2020. He made his first win of the year at the special 70th Anniversary Grand Prix held at the Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) of Mercedes finished second in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020.He was followed by Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) of Mercedes.

Yash Vardhan wins Gold in the 10 m Air Rifle event at the 6^th International Online Shooting Championship (IOSC)

Junior Asian Champion Yash Vardhan won gold medal in the 10 m air rifle event at the 6^th International Online Shooting Championship (IOSC).

Pakistan Cricketer Mohammad Amir Announces Retirement from International Cricket

Mohammad Amir represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 One Day Internationals (ODIs) & 50 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). He was banned for 5 years (2010-2015) after he was convicted in a spot-fixing Scandal.

Anshu Malik wins India’s First Medal at the Wrestling-Individual World Cup 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia

India’s Women wrestler Anshu Malik won the Silver medal in the 57 Kg category at the Individual World Cup 2020 held at Belgrade, Serbia. She won the first and only medal winner in the event where Indian side was represented by 24 wrestlers.

Indian Boxers bag 9 medals at the Cologne Boxing World Cup 2020; Finish 2nd in the Overall Medal List

Indian Boxers bagged 9 Medals – 3 Gold, 2 Silver & 4 Bronze at the Cologne Boxing World Cup 2020 held from December 16-20 at Cologne, Germany. India finished 2nd in the overall Medals List, Germany topped the list with 16 medals.

Obituary

Veteran Actor, Weightlifter of England Dave Prowse dies at 85

Dave Prowse, the weightlifter who represented England in the Commonwealth Games in 1962 and later played the role of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, died at the age of 85.

Legendary Senegal footballer, Papa Bouba Diop dies at 42

The legendary Senegalese footballer Papa Bouba Diop died at the young age of 42. Diop, the midfielder was the hero when Senegal shocked the world by defending 1-0 against the reigning world champion, France in the opening game of 2002 FIFA World cup held in Japan and South Korea.

Former PM of Pakistan, Zafarullah Jamali dies at 76

On 2nd December, 2020 the 15th Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan Zafarullah khan Jamali passed away.

1996. Got appointed as the Chief Minister of Balochistan in 1988 and again in 1996.
1997. Elected as the 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan under the Candidature of Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

• He is the first politician from Balochistan to become Prime Minister.

Padma Bhushan Awardee & “King of Spice”, Dharampala Gulati passed away

Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, the founder and CEO of MDH Masala India’s famous spices company, dies at the age of 97 due to cardiac arrest in New Delhi. The pioneer of the ready to use ground spices, also called as “King of Spice” was awarded India’s third highest civilian award “Padma Bhushan” in 2019.

Father of Fiber Optics Narinder Singh Kapany India born American Physicist Passed Away at 94

Narinder Singh Kapany, known as the “Father of Fiber Optics”, who coined the term Fiber optics in 1956, passed away at the age of 94 in California, United States.

Books & Authors

A new book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat aur Samadhan’ released

Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s new book titled ‘Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat Aur Samadhan’ (Covid-19: Crisis of Civilisation and Solutions) was launched by former Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh.

“Indian Icon: A Cult Called Royal Enfield” New Book Authored By Journalist Amrit Raj

Senior business journalist Amrit Raj authored his new book titled “Indian Icon: A Cult Called Royal Enfield” which maps the story of the company and the brand “Royal Enfield”, a premium home-grown brand for the global market.

Italian Writer Alfredo Covelli Launched his First Kids Book “Vahana Masterclass” in India

Alfredo Covelli, an Italian Writer launched his new kids book titled “Vahana Masterclass” illustrating Indian Mythology and Culture. The illustration of the book was done by Indian artist Zainab Tambawalla and the book is published by Scholastic India. Vahana Masterclass is Alfredo’s first book in English, the first book for the Indian market and his first book for kids.

VP Venkaiah Naidu Virtually Released the Book “40 Years with Abdul Kalam- Untold Stories” Authored by Sivathanu Pillai

The Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu released the book titled “40 Years with Abdul Kalam- Untold Stories”, a book on the life of the former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The book was authored by Dr A. Sivathanu Pillai. The book is published by Pentagon Press LLp and the foreword was written by Pranab Mukherjee, former president of India.

“Romancing Targets: Get Closer to Selling in 7 Steps” Authored by Nidhi Vadhera India’s First Woman Author on Sales

Nidhi Vadhera, India’s first woman on sales authored the book titled “Romancing Targets: Get Closer to Selling in 7 Steps”, which shows a systematic approach to achieve the targets through 7 effective steps, which were examined and explained in the book. The book provides a clear understanding about how to sell products and services using the sales process.

Amish Tripathi Authored his 2nd Non-fiction Book Titled “Dharma: Decoding the Epics for a Meaningful Life”; Co-authored by Bhavna Roy 

Amish Tripathi authored his 2nd nonfiction book titled “Dharma: Decoding the Epics for a Meaningful Life”, co-authored by his sister Bhavna Roy.

The book is presented in a form of conversation between the characters in modern day India, which offers various practical philosophical lessons from epics like “Maharabarat” and Amis’s books “the Shiva Trilogy” and “Ram Chandra Series”.

Om Birla released a book ‘The Shaurya Unbound-Tales of Valour of the Central Reserve Police Force’

On the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the Parliament attack( December 13, 2020) Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha released a book, ‘The Shaurya Unbound-Tales of Valour of the Central Reserve Police Force’ at the parliament house, New Delhi, India.

The book is a collection of 13 most exemplary acts of courage of CRPF who were the recipients of Ashok Chakra-the Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award, Vir Chakra, and Shaurya Chakras.

2001 Indian Parliament attack:

• On December 13, 2001, 5 terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) attacked the Indian parliament.
• In this attack, 9 people including 6 Delhi Police personnel were killed
• All the terrorists were killed outside the parliament.

Important Days Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

World AIDS Day 2020 – December 1

The World AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st December to show support to the people infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and to remember the people who passed away due to AIDS and other related diseases. The first World AIDS Day was observed in 1988.

WHO theme for World AIDS Day 2020 is “Global solidarity, resilient HIV services”.

56th Raising Day of Border Security Force 2020 – December 1

The Border Security Force (BSF) of India annually celebrates its Raising Day on 1st December. The 1st December 2020 marks the 56th Raising Day of BSF. The Border Security Force (BSF), India’s first line of Defence was raised in accordance with an Act of the Parliament on 1st December 1965, following the India-Pakistan War of 1965.

The BSF has been guarding India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh since 1965.

About Border Security Force (BSF): Director General– Rakesh Asthana, IPS Headquarters– Delhi Formed on– 1st December, 1965 Motto– Duty for Life’ (Jeevan Paryant Kartavya)

National Pollution Control Day 2020 – December 2

National Pollution Control Day is annually observed across India on 2nd December to honour the people who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984.

2nd December 2020 marks the 36th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

The theme of the 2020 National Pollution Control Day is “raise awareness about the importance of pollution control and educate people on how to prevent pollution”.

World Computer Literacy Day 2020 – December 2

The World Computer Literacy Day is annually observed on 2nd December to increase the awareness about the advanced gap and increase the access to computer and information technology. The day promotes the enhancement of the technology skills of women and children.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 2020 – December 2

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is annually celebrated across the globe on 2nd December with an aim to eradicate the modern form of slavery like human trafficking, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and forced recruitment of children for armed conflicts.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 – December 3

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually observed across the globe on 3rd December to promote the participation of people with disabilities and to take action towards the inclusion of them in all aspects of the society and development.

The theme of the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities is “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.

Indian Navy Day 2020 – December 4

Indian Navy Day is annually celebrated on 4th December to celebrate the achievements of Indian Navy and commemorate the launch of Operation Trident during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

The Navy day 2020 marks the commencement of the 50th Anniversary of the victory in the 1971 war – “Swarnim Vijay Varsh”.

The theme of Indian Navy Day 2020 is “Indian Navy Combat Ready, Credible & Cohesive”.

First-Ever “International Day of Banks” observed on 4th December 2020

The United Nations (UN) celebrate the first-ever International Day of Banks across the globe on 4th December 2020.

International Volunteer Day 2020 – December 5

The United Nations (UN)’s International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development, commonly referred as International Volunteer Day (IVD) is annually celebrated across the globe on 5th December to create awareness about the important contributions of the volunteer services and encourage people to offer their service as volunteers.

The theme of the International Volunteers Day 2020(IVD2020) is “Together We Can through Volunteering”.

World Soil Day 2020 – December 5

United Nations (UN)’s World Soil Day is annually observed across the globe on 5th December to focus the global attention on the importance of healthy soil and to promote the sustainable management of soil resources.

International Civil Aviation Day 2020: December 7

The United Nations (UN) International Civil Aviation Day is annually celebrated across the globe on December 7 to help create and strengthen worldwide awareness about the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of countries.

International Civil Aviation Day theme for 2020-2023 is “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development”.

Armed Forces Flag Day 2020 – December 7

The Armed Forces Flag Day is annually observed across India on 7th December to honour the martyrs and the men and women in uniform who protect the honour of the country.

The first Armed Forces Flag Day was observed on 7th December 1949.

The Government of India has decided that December 2020 will be celebrated as the “Gaurav Maah” (Pride Month) to honour the contributions of the armed forces and its veterans.

36th SAARC Charter Day – December 8

SAARC Charter Day is annually observed across the member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on 8th December to mark the adoption of the SAARC Charter by the member countries in 1985 to establish South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

About SAARC: Secretary-General– Esala Ruwan Weerakoon (Sri Lanka). Secretariat– Kathmandu, Nepal
Established on– 8th December 1985. Members– Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

53rd Submarine Day 2020 – December 8

Indian Navy annually observes the Submarine Day on 8th December to remember and honour the submarines and martyrs of the Indian Navy who lost their lives to serve the nation. In the year 2020, the Indian Navy observed the 53rd Submarine Day.

Indian Navy Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Karambir Singh

260th Army Service Corps Day Observed on December 8, 2020

The Army Service Corps (ASC) celebrated its 260th Corps Day or Raising Day at Headquarters Western Command Chandimandir (Chandi Mandir Cantonment) in Panchkula, Haryana.

International Anti-Corruption Day 2020: December 9 

The United Nations (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day is observed annually on December 9 to raise awareness about corruption and ways through which it can be reduced.

The theme of International Anti-Corruption Day 2020– ‘Recover with Integrity’.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Headquarters– Vienna, Austria

Human Rights Day 2020 – December 10

United Nations (UN)’s Human Rights Day is annually observed across the world on 10th December, the day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1948.

The theme of 2020 Human rights day is “Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights”, which is associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

United Nations General Assembly: President- Volkan Bozkir Headquarters– New York, United States of America

International Mountain Day 2020 – December 11

The theme of International Mountain Day 2020 is “Mountain Biodiversity”, which aims to celebrate the diverse biodiversity of the mountain and address the difficulties they face.

UNICEF Day 2020 – December 11

The UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) day is annually celebrated on 11th December to mark the creation of UNICEF by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 11th December 1946. UNICEF was originally known as the “United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund”. 

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Headquarter- New York, United States of America

49th Vijay Diwas – 16th December 2020

Vijay Diwas is annually celebrated across India on 16th December which marks India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971 which resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

Indian Army Chief of the Army Staff– General MM Naravane

Minorities Rights Day 2020: December 18

Minorities Rights Day is celebrated every year on December 18 across India by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

Goa Liberation Day – 19 December

Goa Liberation Day is observed on 19 December every year in India and it marks the day Indian armed forces freed Goa in 1961 following 450 years of Portuguese rule.

History of Goa Liberation Day:

• On August 15, 1947, when India gained its Independence, Goa was still under Portuguese rule.
• The Portuguese refused to give up their hold over Goa and other Indian territories. Following a myriad of unsuccessful negotiations and diplomatic efforts with the Portuguese, the former prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, decided that military intervention was the only option.
• The 36-hour military operation, conducted from December 18, 1961, was code-named ‘Operation Vijay’ meaning ‘Operation Victory,’ and involved attacks by the Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Indian Army.

International Human Solidarity Day 2020 – December 20

United Nations (UN)’s International Human Solidarity Day is annually observed across the globe on 20th December to celebrate the unity in diversity across the world.

India’s Rank in Various Indexes

India Slips to 131 in Human Development Report 2020 released by UNDP: Norway tops the list

According to the “Human Development Report 2020 – The next frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene” released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India (score of 0.645) was ranked 131 in the list of 189 countries based on the Human Development Index (HDI). Norway topped the list with a score of 0.957; the second place was grabbed by 2 countries – Ireland (0.955) and Switzerland (0.955).  The report provides HDI ranks for the year 2019.

• India slipped two spots to 131; it ranked 129 in 2019 HDI.
• HDI is measured based on 3 criteria which are –  Life Expectancy, Education, and Per Capita Income, in the 2020 report ‘Planetary pressures’ a new experimental Index has been introduced.

India ranks 111 out of 162 countries in the Human Freedom Index 2020; New Zealand tops the index

According to the ‘Human Freedom Index 2020: A Global Measurement of Personal, Civil, and Economic Freedom’ – 6th Annual Report released by Cato Institute of United States & Fraser Institute in Canada, India (overall score of 6.43) ranked 111 in the list of 162 countries. New Zealand (score – 8.87) topped the index followed by Switzerland (score – 8.82) & Hong Kong (score – 8.74).

India Jumps to 63rd Rank in EODB 2020: World Bank

The World Bank (WB) has released the updated Ease of Doing Business(EODB) 2018 & EODB 2020 reports after correcting the data irregularities submitted by 4 countries – China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia & Azerbaijan. India Ranked 63 in the report ‘Ease of Doing Business 2020-Comparing Business Regulation in 190 Economies’ report remains unchanged.

West Bengal Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

Kolkata’s Majerhat Bridge named “Jai Hind” to Mark Netaji’s 125th Birth Anniversary

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee named the newly-built Majerhat bridge in Kolkata as ‘Jai Hind’ bridge to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose. The new bridge has been built in the place of an old one which collapsed in September 2018. It is 650-metres long and connects the Central part of Kolkata to the South western suburbs of Behala and others.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee extends “Swasthya Sathi Scheme” to entire Bengal Population

West Bengal(WB) Chief Minister(CM) Mamata Banerjee extended the state’s Health Insurance scheme “Swasthya Sathi Scheme” to cover the entire population of the state. The cashless scheme will be a relief to the population hardly hit by COVID-19. The state government will also have to bear an annual expense of Rs. 2,000 crores for Swasthya Sathi health scheme.

About “Swasthya Sathi Scheme”:

2016. Launched by West Bengal Chief Minister on 30th December 2016.
2017. Insurance coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs are provided to every family in the state

• Paperless, cashless, and smart card-based scheme.

1. A smart card will be issued in the name of a female family member.
2. All pre-existing diseases are covered.
3. The entire premium is paid by the State government and no contribution from beneficiaries

• Android-based Swasthya Sathi Mobile app for assistance to the beneficiaries.

About Ayushman Bharat:

1. On September 23, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY) from Ranchi in Jharkhand.
2. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), a health insurance scheme that provides Rs.5 lakhs per family covering 40% of India’s population.

Union Education Minister Presented 1st Copy of his Inspirational Book “Pioneer of Humanity: Maharishi Arvind” to President Ram Nath Kovind

On December 5, 2020 Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union Education Minister presented 1st copy of his inspirational book ‘Pioneer of Humanity: Maharishi Arvind’(The book is in Hindi with the title ‘Manavta ke Praneta Maharishi Arvind’) to President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The book is about Sri Aurobindo Ghosh(Maharishi Arvind), an Indian philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist.

About the Book:

Through this book, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank conveys Aurobindo Ghosh’s philosophy and thinking in a simple language to the younger generation of the world.

Note– The ideas of Maharishi Arvind plays the role of catalyst to make the country a knowledge-based superpower

About Aurobindo Ghosh:

1. Aurobindo Ghosh (15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was best known for his philosophy on human evolution and Integral Yoga.
2. He is the founder of Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.

• The Post & Telegraphs Department(now called as Department of Post), Ministry of Communications, Govt of India, released a commemorative stamp on his 92nd birth anniversary on 15th August, 1964.

West Bengal Cabinet approves construction of State’s first Deep Sea port at Tajpur

West Bengal Cabinet approved the Construction of the State’s first Deep Sea Port at Tajpur, Purba Medinipur. The Port is expected to attract investment of about INR 15, 000 Crores and generate employment for 25, 000 people. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that the port will be built entirely by the West Bengal Government.

Key points:

1. The Tajpur Deep Sea Port under West Bengal Maritime Board & West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) will boost the seafood exports industry in East Midnapore and also benefits lakhs of fishermen.
2. It will benefit the iron and steel industries functioning in and around Kharagpur for their export business.

• The Main Port of West Bengal is Kolkata Port & Haldia port.

1. However, anchoring of ocean-going vessels is not possible as the depth of the Hooghly river is shallow.

Union Ministry of Culture plans a Museum for Netaji Subash Chandra Bose in Kolkata, West Bengal

The Union Culture Ministry was planning a museum for Netaji in Kolkata, an exhibition at the Victoria Memorial and cultural performances in West Bengal, as a part of the commemoration of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary in 2022. Historical documents, photos and other materials would be brought together at one place for display. The commemoration would also be the start of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence in 2022.

State News

Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal launches “Orunodoi” Scheme

Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal launched the “Orunodoi” Scheme in the state. The scheme is allocated with an annual budget of Rs. 2400 crore to provide financial assistance to socio- economically weaker sections for a period of 5 years.

Key Highlights of Orunodoi Scheme:

1. The scheme will provide financial assistance of Rs.830/month as Directly Benefit Transfer(DBT) to the bank accounts of Women under the Jan Dhan Yojana.
2. Provides Subsidies in medicines worth Rs. 400, Pulses worth Rs. 200, Sugar worth Rs.80 and essential vegetables & fruits worth Rs. 150.

• Women with a family income less than 2 lakhs per annum can avail the benefits of this scheme.

Assam Proposed to set up its 6th National Park – “Raimona National Park” in the Ripu Reserved Forest

The Assam government has proposed to establish its 6th National park, the “Raimona National Park” in the Ripu Reserve Forest of the state which was severely damaged due to militancy.

The Ripu Reserved Forest is a part of the buffer zone of the Manas National Park along the borders of Bhutan.

Uttarakhand CM, Trivendra Singh Rawat Inaugurates Suryadhar Lake at Doiwala

Trivendra Singh Rawat, Chief Minister (CM) of Uttarakhand inaugurated the Suryadhar lake on Jakhan river at Doiwala, Dehradun district, Uttarakhand. The man-made lake is built at a cost of around Rs 50.24 crore. The lake has been named after social worker Gajendra Dutt Naithani.

UP Renames Dandupur Railway Station as Maa Barahi Devi Dham

The Government of India consented to change the name of Dandupur railway station located between Pratapgarh and Badshahpur on the Varanasi railway section, Uttar Pradesh (UP) as “Maa Barahi Devi Dham”. 

Maa Barahi Devi:

1. The station is named after the Temple “Maa Barahi Devi” located in Parasrampur village, six kilometres from the railway station.
2. The temple is known for its annual fair which is visited by a large number of people.

Other Recent Name Changes in UP:

1. The name of the Mughalsarai Junction near Varanasi has been changed as Deen Dayal Upadhyay junction.
2. Allahabad Junction has been renamed as Prayagraj Junction.
3. Allahabad City has been renamed as Prayagraj Rambag
4. Allahabad Chhioki has been renamed as Prayagraj Chheoki
5. Prayag Ghat has been renamed as Prayagraj Sangam.

Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh CM Named Jewar Airport as ‘Noida International Greenfield Airport’

Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, approved the name, design, and logo of the international airport to be constructed in Jewar, Noida- Uttar Pradesh.

Maharashtra Approves 10 New Conservation Reserves & 1 New Wildlife Sanctuary; Kanhargaon becomes 50th WLS of Maharashtra

On December 5, 2020, Maharashtra’s 16th State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) meeting headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray approved the declaration of 10 new Conservation Reserves (CR) & 1 New Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) in Maharashtra.  Kanhargaon in Chandrapur district was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary making it Maharashtra’s 50th Wildlife Sanctuary.

Ladakh New Year ‘Losar’ celebrated on December 15, 2020

Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) celebrated the ‘Losar’ festival to mark the beginning of Ladakhi New Year. ‘Losar’ is celebrated in the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar.

National Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

21st edition of Hornbill festival 2020 celebrated virtually First time in Nagaland

On 1st December, 2020 Nagaland started celebrating the 21st edition of Hornbill festival 2020 from 1st-5th of December organized virtually for the first time due to the pandemic.

Events- Mixture of dances, performances, crafts, parades, games, sports, food fairs and religious ceremonies

Started in 2000, the festival is conducted every year from December 1-10 in line with the Nagaland State Foundation day on 1st December.

Amul becomes World’s 8th Largest Milk Processor:  IFCN Dairy Processors Report 2020

According to The International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) Dairy Processors Report 2020 (Biennial), Amul (Anand Milk Union Limited) a brand of dairy cooperative major Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) emerged as the 8th Largest Milk Processor globally in the list of Top 20.

India 8th Most Affected Country in the World due to Terrorism in 2019; Afghanistan tops the List – 8th Edition of GTI 2020

According to the 8th Edition of ‘Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2020: Measuring the Impact of Terrorism’ released by Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), India with a score of 7.353 is the 8th Most Affected Country in the World due to Terrorism in 2019.

Afghanistan (9.592), Iraq (8.682) & Nigeria (8.314) are top 3 countries which are the most affected by Terrorism.

PASSEX 2020 between Russian Federation Navy and Indian Navy held in Eastern IOR

On the occasion of Indian Navy Day i.e. December 4, 2020, a two-day long Passage Exercise (PASSEX) 2020 between Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) and Indian Navy (IN) was held from 4 to 5 December 2020 in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Indian Navy: Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Karambir Singh

IIT Bombay Released Urban Quality of Life Index 2020; Mumbai Tops, Patna Ranked Last

In accordance with this, Mumbai (Maharashtra) tops the index followed by Delhi, Kolkata (West Bengal), and Chennai (Tamil Nadu) by providing the Highest Quality of Life while Bihar’s capital city Patna provides the poorest quality of life to its people.

Lakshadweep becomes India’s First 100% Organic Union Territory

Indian Island region, Lakshadweep becomes India’s first 100% organic Union Territory in the country and second in the country only after Sikkim. This comes after the UT received proper certifications and declarations under the Centre’s Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (organic farming improvement programme).

Lakshadweep: India’s smallest Union Territory with 36 Islands. Includes- 12 atolls, 3 reefs, 5 submerged banks, 10 inhabited islands. Capital- Kavaratti.

Telangana’s Nehru Zoological Park becomes first Indian zoo to receive ISO certification 9001:2015

The Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) in Hyderabad, Telangana has become the first in India to acquire ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards Certification from Accreditation Service for Certifying Bodies (ASCB) United Kingdom (UK) as the zoo passed the extensive documentation of every activity.

International Affairs

Joe Biden, Kamala Harris jointly named Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ 2020

US President-elect, Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been jointly named Time magazine’s 2020 “Person of the Year”.

Apart from this, Time magazine has named the Korean pop group BTS as its Entertainer of the Year, and basketball star LeBron James as Athlete of the Year.  Zoom founder Eric Yuan was aptly named Businessperson of the Year.

China becomes the second nation to plant a flag on the Moon

China has become the second country in the world to unfurl its national flag on the moon’s surface. Earlier this feat was achieved only by the USA when it planted its flag on the Moon during the Apollo mission in 1969.

India Tops Asia in Bribery, Use of Personal Connections to Access Public Services: 10^th GCB Asia 2020

In accordance with the 10^th edition of the report titled “Global Corruption Barometer (GCB)-Asia 2020” by corruption watchdog Transparency International, India has the highest bribery rate of 39% in Asia and the highest rate of people (46%) who use personal connections to access public services.

India Recorded Largest Reductions in Malaria cases in South-East Asia between 2000-2019: WHO

In accordance with the “World Malaria Report 2020” released by World Health Organisation (WHO), India recorded the largest reduction of malaria cases in South-East Asia from 20 million in 2000 to about 5.6 million in 2019.

QS Asia University Rankings 2021: 3 IITs in top 50; National University of Singapore topped

The global higher education think-tank, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released the QS Asia University Rankings 2021 in association with King Abdulaziz University (KAU) , Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) for the Asia’s best higher education institutions in 2021. The ranking has been topped by the National University of Singapore (NUS) for the 3rd consecutive year.

On the Indian front, three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have made it to the top 50 viz. IIT-Bombay (37), IIT-Delhi (47), and IIT-Madras (50) but no Indian university got placed in the top-10 list.

Lahore tops the list of World’s Most Polluted Cities: Air Pollution Data released by US Air Quality Index 2020

According to Air Pollution Data released by the United States (US) Air Quality Index 2020 on November 30, 2020, Lahore, Pakistan topped the list of the World’s Most Polluted Cities. It reported a Particulate Matter (PM) rating of 423 (Hazardous). New Delhi with a PM of 229 (very unhealthy) came second followed by Nepal’s Kathmandu with a PM of 178 (unhealthy).

16th Climate Change Performance Index 2021: Sweden Ranked at 4th while India ranked at 10th Position

A non-profit, non-governmental organization, Germanwatch has released the 16^th edition of Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) i.e. CCPI 2021 for 57 countries and the European Union (EU) in which India was ranked at 10^th spot with a score of 63.98 out of 100.

Notably, the index has placed no country on the first three positions, which states overall very high rating, because countries are not performing well in all index categories. In categories ranking also there are no first three positions.

Therefore, Sweden got the best ranking among its competitors but overall it is ranked at 4^th with a score of 74.42. It topped the ranking in the categories GHG Emissions, Renewable Energy, and Climate Policy.

Nepal, China announced revised height of the World’s Highest Peak Mt. Everest – 8848.86 meters

Nepal and China jointly announced that “8848.86 meters” is the revised height of the World’s Highest Peak, Mount Everest.

The revised height of Mt.Everest is 86 centimeters more than the previous measure done in 1954 by the Survey of India (8, 848 meters).

“Sagarmatha” is the Nepali name for Mount Everest, whereas it is called “Chomolungma” or “Qomolangma” in Tibetian and “Qomolangma Feng” in Chinese.

Mt. Everest:

1. It is a peak in the Himalayan Mountain Range and is located in the Mahalangur Himal Sub-range of Himalayas.
2. The Himalayas covers around 2400 Kms and passes through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah reappointed as Prime Minister of Kuwait

Kuwait’s Emir, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah reappointed Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al- Sabah as the Prime Minister of Kuwait.

About Kuwait: Capital- Kuwait City, Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar

Current Affairs MCQ: December 2020

Awards and Recognition

1. Who received the “Scientist of the Year Award-2018” by DRDO in December 2020?
   [A] Hemant Kumar Pandey
   [B] Tessy Thomas
   [C] Sudhir Kamath
   [D] Pravin K Mehta
   Correct Answer: [A] Hemant Kumar Pandey
2. Who was recently honored with ‘Legion of Merit’ (Degree: Chief Commander) by US President Donald Trump on December 2020?
   [A] Rajnath Singh
   [B] Karambir Singh
   [C] Narendra Modi
   [D] Bipin Rawat
   Correct Answer: [C] Narendra Modi
   Explanation: On December 21, 2020, United States (US) President, Donald Trump conferred the ‘Legion of Merit’ (Degree: Chief Commander) to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Advancement of India-US strategic partnership & steadfast leadership and vision for India’s Emergence as a Global power. The Honor was also bestowed upon Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia & Former Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe.
3. Who was honored with the title of ‘Global Visionary of Sustainable Business and Peace’ for promoting ‘unity, peace and sustainability’ by the Federation of Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (FIICC) in December 2020?
   [A] Ratan Tata
   [B] Larry Ellison
   [C] Narendra Modi
   [D] Warren Buffett
   Correct Answer: [A] Ratan Tata
4. Who received the 2020 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize (10000 USD)?
   [A] Yifeng Liu
   [B] Shai Evra
   [C] Kannan Soundararajan
   [D] Jack Thorne
   Correct Answer: [B] Shai Evra
   Explanation: The 2020 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize (10000 USD) will be awarded to Shai Evra of Princeton University, United States and Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel for her research which concerns locally symmetric spaces of arithmetic groups and their combinatorial, geometric and topological structure.
5. Who received the ASSOCHAM Enterprise of the Century Award from PM Narendra Modi on the occasion of 5-day virtual event “ASSOCHAM Foundation Week 2020” celebration on December, 2020?
   [A] Mukesh Ambani
   [B] Ratan Tata
   [C] Anand Mahindra
   [D] Gautam Adani
   Correct Answer: [B] Ratan Tata
6. Which Institution received ‘Award of Merit’ in the 2020 UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation?
   [A] Amar Singh College
   [B] University of Madras
   [C] Aligarh Muslim University
   [D] Islamia College of Science and Commerce
   Correct Answer: [A] Amar Singh College
7. Who received the DRDO Lifetime Achievement Award 2018 on December, 2020?
   [A] N V Kadam
   [B] Samir V. Kamat
   [C] Amit Sharma
   [D] Tessy Thomas
   Correct Answer: [A] N V Kadam
8. Which Indian Entrepreneur become one of the 7 recipients of the “Young Champions of the Earth” 2020 Prize that was announced by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)?
   [A] Vidyut Mohan
   [B] Tilak Mehta
   [C] Deepanjali Dalmia
   [D] Ritesh Agarwal
   Correct Answer: [A] Vidyut Mohan
9. Who was named as Time’s 2020 Athlete of the Year?
   [A] Donavan Brazier
   [B] LeBron James
   [C] Mondo Duplantis
   [D] Daniel Stahl
   Correct Answer: [B] LeBron James
   Explanation: LeBron James, who won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers and formed a coalition to battle voter suppression, was named Time magazine’s 2020 Athlete of the Year. The honour from Time comes days after James was named among Sport Illustrated’s Sportspersons of the Year.
10. For which of his Novel, Raj Kamal Jha won the 3rd Edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2020?
    [A] The blue bedspread
    [B] The City and the Sea: A Novel
    [C] She Will Build Him a City
    [D] If you are afraid of heights
    Correct Answer: [B] The City and the Sea: A Novel
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
11. Who has won the 11th edition of Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEOY) Award – India 2020 for developing a generation of empathetic, sensitive youth?
    [A] Samir Chaudhuri
    [B] Jeroo Billimoria
    [C] Ashraf Patel
    [D] Smriti Irani
    Correct Answer: [C] Ashraf Patel

Recent Appointments

1. Who was appointed as the President of Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) in December 2020?
   [A] Niranjan Hiranandani
   [B] Ajay Singh
   [C] Vineet Agarwal
   [D] Sumant Sinha
   Correct Answer: [C] Vineet Agarwal
2. Who was elected as the President of the International Golf Federation on December 2020?
   [A] Annika Sorenstam
   [B] Tiger Woods
   [C] Peter Dawson
   [D] Rory McIlroy
   Correct Answer: [A] Annika Sorenstam
3. Who was elected as the Vice President of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union(ABU), one of the World’s largest broadcasting associations for a 3-year term starting from 1st January, 2021?
   [A] Ibrahim Eren
   [B] Barkha Dutt
   [C] Shashi Shekhar Vempati
   [D] A. Surya Prakash
   Correct Answer: [C] Shashi Shekhar Vempati
4. Who was appointed as the Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Kotak Mahindra Bank(KMB) for a period of 3 years effective from 1st January 2021 on December 2020?
   [A] Dilip Shanghvi
   [B] Aditya Puri
   [C] Jay Kotak
   [D] Uday Kotak
   Correct Answer: [D] Uday Kotak

National Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

1. Who will be the Chief Guest of the 72nd Republic Day of India that will be held at Red Fort on 26 January 2021?
   [A] Joe Biden
   [B] Jair Bolsonaro
   [C] Boris Johnson
   [D] Emmanuel Macron
   Correct Answer: [C] Boris Johnson
   Explanation: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade in 2021. He has accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India will be celebrating its 72nd Republic Day at the Red Fort on 26 January 2021.
2. Between which states were the 100th Kisan Rail flagged off virtually by PM Modi?
   [A] Madhya Pradesh – Jharkhand
   [B] Telangana – Madhya Pradesh
   [C] Gujarat – Rajasthan
   [D] Maharashtra – West Bengal
   Correct Answer: [D] Maharashtra – West Bengal
   Explanation: On December 28, 2020, PM virtually flagged off the 100th ‘Kisan Rail’ from Sangola (Maharashtra) – Shalimar (West Bengal). The Government of India has extended a 50% subsidy on transportation of fruits & vegetables. The 1st Kisan Rail was introduced from Devlali (Maharashtra) – Danapur (Bihar) on August 7, 2020.
3. Where did President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurate INS Khukri Memorial?
   [A] Diu & Daman
   [B] Panaji
   [C] Lakshadweep
   [D] Andaman
   Correct Answer: [A] Diu & Daman
4. Which is India’s 1st city to have fulfilled 100% of its energy needs during the day with solar energy?
   [A] Pondicherry
   [B] Panaji
   [C] Diu
   [D] New Delhi
   Correct Answer: [C] Diu
5. How many Blue Flag certified beaches are there in India as of December 2020?
   [A] 5
   [B] 7
   [C] 12
   [D] 8
   Correct Answer: [D] 8
   Explanation: In October 2020 India became the First Country to be awarded the Coveted International Blue Flag certification for 8 beaches in one attempt.
6. Where did PM Narendra Modi virtually launch India’s 1st Driverless operated train?
   [A] Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation
   [B] Kochi Metro Rail Limited
   [C] Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
   [D] Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited
   Correct Answer: [C] Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
7. Where was India’s 1st Mega Leather Park planned to be established?
   [A] Kolkata
   [B] Ahmedabad
   [C] Mumbai
   [D] Kanpur
   Correct Answer: [D] Kanpur
   Explanation: The Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) is set to establish India’s First Mega Leather Park in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This project is expected to generate more than 50000 job opportunities and indirectly provide livelihood to more than 1.5 lakh individuals. The Union Ministry of Commerce has given approval to the project. The project is set to be built across 235 acres in Ramaipur village, Kanpur at an expense of Rs.5850 crores. This will attract an investment worth Rs. 13000 crores.
8. Where was India’s 1st Lithium refinery planned to be established?
   [A] Gujarat
   [B] Jharkhand
   [C] Maharashtra
   [D] Telangana
   Correct Answer: [A] Gujarat
9. Which state government has adopted Bodo as its associate official language on December, 2020?
   [A] Nagaland
   [B] Arunachal Pradesh
   [C] Assam
   [D] Meghalaya
   Correct Answer: [C] Assam
10. Where was India’s largest Hockey Stadium planned to be built, that will be a part of hosting International Hockey Federations’(FIH) 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup?
    [A] Rourkela
    [B] Bhubaneshwar
    [C] Cuttack
    [D] Asansol
    Correct Answer: [A] Rourkela
    Explanation: On 25th December, 2020, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the plan for India’s largest Hockey stadium to be built in Rourkela city with a seating capacity of 20,000. The stadium will also be a part of hosting International Hockey Federations’ (FIH) 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup that is planned to be held at Odisha.
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
11. Which country will host the Global Media and Film Summit in 2021?
    [A] China
    [B] France
    [C] United States
    [D] India
    Correct Answer: [D] India
12. Where was Bihar’s 1st Glass Bridge being constructed as of December 2020?
    [A] Pavapuri
    [B] Sarnath
    [C] Gaya
    [D] Rajgir
    Correct Answer: [D] Rajgir
    Explanation: Inspired by the glass bridge in China, a similar bridge is being constructed at Rajgir in Bihar’s Nalanda district. Apart from the glass bridge, a Nature and Zoo Safari is also in the making in the area. The bridge is scheduled to get completed by 2021.
13. Which Indian State was affected by Cyclone ‘Burevi’?
    [A] Kerala
    [B] Odisha
    [C] Jharkhand
    [D] Tamil Nadu
    Correct Answer: [D] Tamil Nadu
14. Which of the following is India’s 1st digital asset management platform that was launched by Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog on December, 2020?
    [A] BhuNaksha
    [B] DigiBoxx
    [C] UMANG
    [D] Saksham Bharat
    Correct Answer: [B] DigiBoxx
15. To honour the birth anniversary of which former Indian Prime Minister, Indian government has recognised 23^rdDecember as National Farmers Day or Kisan Diwas?
    [A] Rajendra Prasad
    [B] M. S. Swaminathan
    [C] Chaudhary Charan Singh
    [D] Norman Borlaug
    Correct Answer: [C] Chaudhary Charan Singh
16. Where did Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur commence the International Gita Mahotsav 2020 that will be held from 17 to 25 December, 2020?
    [A] Gurugram
    [B] Sonipat
    [C] Kurukshetra
    [D] Faridabad
    Correct Answer: [C] Kurukshetra
17. Which state has highest number of Leopards as per the ‘Status of Leopards in India, 2018’ report released by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, that recorded India’s 60 % jump in Leopard population compared to 2014?
    [A] Maharashtra
    [B] Kerala
    [C] Tamil Nadu
    [D] Madhya Pradesh
    Correct Answer: [D] Madhya Pradesh
18. Where did the 8th edition of the North East Festival (NEF) 2020 held for the 1st time, with this year’s focus on ‘Growth Agenda for North East Post COVID-19’?
    [A] Guwahati, Assam
    [B] Imphal, Manipur
    [C] Agartala, Tripura
    [D] Kohima, Nagaland
    Correct Answer: [A] Guwahati, Assam
19. Where is Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex located, in which India’s first advanced Hypersonic Wind Tunnel (HWT) test facility was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh?
    [A] Hyderabad
    [B] Chennai
    [C] Bangalore
    [D] Lucknow
    Correct Answer: [A] Hyderabad
20. What was the name recently approved by CM Yogi Adityanath for the New International airport that will be constructed in Uttar Pradesh, on December, 2020?
    [A] Prayagraj International Greenfield Airport
    [B] Jewar International Airport
    [C] Noida International Greenfield Airport
    [D] Ghaziabad International Greenfield Airport
    Correct Answer: [C] Noida International Greenfield Airport
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
21. Which Zoo became the 1st in India to receive ISO 9001:2015 certification?
    [A] Alipore Zoological Garden, West Bengal
    [B] National Zoological Park, Delhi
    [C] Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Andhra Pradesh
    [D] Nehru Zoological Park, Telangana
    Correct Answer: [D] Nehru Zoological Park, Telangana
    Explanation: The Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) in Hyderabad, Telangana has become the first in India to acquire ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2015 Quality Management Standards Certification from Accreditation Service for Certifying Bodies (ASCB) United Kingdom (UK) as the zoo passed the extensive documentation of every activity.
22. Where is the Losar-a New Year festival celebrated every year?
    [A] Jammu and Kashmir
    [B] Himachal Pradesh
    [C] Arunachal Pradesh
    [D] Ladakh
    Correct Answer: [D] Ladakh
    Explanation: On December 15, 2020, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) celebrated the ‘Losar’ festival to mark the beginning of Ladakhi New Year. ‘Losar’ is celebrated in the 11th month of the Tibetan calendar. ‘Tarchen’ – a religious and traditional flag was hoisted to mark the beginning of the new year. ‘Losar’ started as a tradition during the rule of the 9th King of Tibet, King Jamyang Namgyal in the early 17th century.
23. What is name of Rs. 22,810 crore project launched by Union Cabinet on December, 2020, to boost employment?
    [A] Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana
    [B] Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana
    [C] Antyodaya Anna Yojana
    [D] Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
    Correct Answer: [B] Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana
24. Where will the World’s largest scooter manufacturing factory to produce Electric Vehicles be built by Ola?
    [A] Hosur, Tamil Nadu
    [B] Mangalore, Karnataka
    [C] Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
    [D] Kutch, Gujarat
    Correct Answer: [A] Hosur, Tamil Nadu

International Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

1. Which Country’s Navy participated with the Indian Naval force in the Passage Exercise (PASSEX) 2020 held in the South China Sea?
   [A] Thailand
   [B] Australia
   [C] Taiwan
   [D] Vietnam
   Correct Answer: [D] Vietnam
2. Which country recently launched a new remote sensing satellite “Yaogan 33R”, on December 2020?
   [A] Japan
   [B] Israel
   [C] USA
   [D] China
   Correct Answer: [D] China
3. Who topped Forbes 2020’s highest-paid celebrity list on December 2020?
   [A] Kylie Jenner
   [B] Lionel Messi
   [C] Dwayne Johnson
   [D] Kanye West
   Correct Answer: [A] Kylie Jenner
   Explanation: On 15th December, 2020 Famous American Media Personality and founder of Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Jenner topped the Forbes 2020’s highest paid celebrity list with an earning of USD 590 million in 2020. The 23-year-old topped the list after she sold a 51% stake in Kylie Cosmetics for $600 million to Coty.
4. “Shaheen (Eagle)-IX”, the joint air force exercise was conducted between _____.
   [A] India and China
   [B] China and Bangladesh
   [C] Bangladesh and Pakistan
   [D] Pakistan and China
   Correct Answer: [D] Pakistan and China
5. Recently which Space Agency launched 36 UK telecom satellites into space on December, 2020?
   [A] National Aeronautics and Space Administration
   [B] Roscosmos Space Agency
   [C] SpaceX
   [D] Indian Space Research Organisation
   Correct Answer: [B] Roscosmos Space Agency, Russia
   Explanation: On 18th December 2020 Russian space agency Roscosmos Space Agency launched a Soyuz rocket carrying 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites into space from the Vostochny launch site. The satellites were made by the British company OneWeb. The UK government and Indian telecom giant Bharti took over OneWeb with USD 500 million investments.

Sports Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

1. Who received the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award in the 2020 ATP Awards?
   [A] Dominic Thiem
   [B] Novak Djokovic
   [C] Rafael Nadal
   [D] Daniil Medvedev
   Correct Answer: [C] Rafael Nadal
2. Who won the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade at the ICC awards of the Decade (2011-2020)?
   [A] MS Dhoni
   [B] Kane Williamson
   [C] Virat Kohli
   [D] Ben Stokes
   Correct Answer: [C] Virat Kohli
   Explanation: On December 28, 2020, The winners of the International Cricket Council(ICC) Awards of the Decade (2011-2020) were announced. In this, Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade.
3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup & the 2021 FIFA U-17 World Cup planned to be held in Indonesia & Peru was rescheduled to _____.
   [A] 2022
   [B] 2024
   [C] 2026
   [D] 2023
   Correct Answer: [D] 2023
4. What was the Rank of the Indian Men Hockey Team in the ranking released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for 2020?
   [A] 9
   [B] 1
   [C] 3
   [D] 4
   Correct Answer: [D] 4
5. Who became BBC’s 2020 Sports Personality of the Year?
   [A] Cristiano Ronaldo
   [B] Roger Federer
   [C] Virat Kohli
   [D] Lewis Hamilton
   Correct Answer: [D] Lewis Hamilton
   Explanation: Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton capped another successful year by claiming the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year for 2020.
   Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
   
6. Name the women wrestler who has won the first-ever medal (Silver) for India in the Wrestling Individual World Cup 2020 at Belgrade, Serbia.
   [A] Ravina Kumar
   [B] Parisingh Yadav
   [C] Asha Begum
   [D] Anshu Malik
   Correct Answer: [D] Anshu Malik
7. Who becomes the first Indian woman to score a goal in a professional European football league?
   [A] Bala Devi
   [B] Sanju Yadav
   [C] Grace Dangmei
   [D] Jabamani Tudu
   Correct Answer: [A] Bala Devi
8. Who was awarded as the Best FIFA Men’s player for 2020?
   [A] Lionel Messi
   [B] Robert Lewandowski
   [C] Luka Modric
   [D] Lucy Bronze
   Correct Answer: [B] Robert Lewandowski
   Explanation: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) awarded Robert Lewandowski, captain of Poland National Team as the Best FIFA Men’s player for 2020 in its annual award ceremony.
9. Which country was selected by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) general assembly to host Asian Games 2030?
   [A] Qatar
   [B] Saudi Arabia
   [C] China
   [D] Japan
   Correct Answer: [A] Qatar
10. Where will be the rescheduled Women’s ODI World Cup 2022 conducted by International Cricket Council (ICC)?
    [A] South Africa
    [B] India
    [C] New Zealand
    [D] Australia
    Correct Answer: [C] New Zealand
    Explanation: India will open their campaign in the rescheduled Women’s ODI World Cup against a qualifier on March 6, 2022 at Tauranga’s Bay Oval in New Zealand, according to the 31-match schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The event, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from its original window in February-March 2021.
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
11. Where will be the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH), Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 conducted?
    [A] Odisha, India
    [B] Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    [C] The Hague, Netherlands
    [D] Sydney, Australia
    Correct Answer: [A] Odisha, India
12. Which event will make its debut at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris?
    [A] Surfing
    [B] Cricket
    [C] Sport Climbing
    [D] Breakdancing
    Correct Answer: 5) Breakdancing or Breaking
13. Who is ranked as the world’s number 1 driver, as per Formula One rankings on December, 2020?
    [A] Charles Leclerc
    [B] Sebastian Vettel
    [C] Lewis Hamilton
    [D] Valtteri Bottas
    Correct Answer: [C] Lewis Hamilton

Books and Authors Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

1. Who is the author of the book “Covid-19: Sabhyata ka Sankat aur Samadhan”?
   [A] Harivansh Narayan Singh
   [B] Giriraj Kishore
   [C] Kailash Satyarthi
   [D] Gopaldas Neeraj
   Correct Answer: [C] Kailash Satyarthi
2. Who authored the book “Element of Quantitative Genetics A Conceptual Approach” that was released by Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh?
   [A] Stuti Sharma
   [B] S.K. Gupta
   [C] P.K.Mishra
   [D] Koteshwar Rao
   Correct Answer: [A] Stuti Sharma
3. Who authored the book ‘Sutranivednachi sutra- ek anbav’ that was launched by AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik?
   [A] Dr.Anuja Chauhan
   [B] Dr.Roopa Chari
   [C] Mrs.Kiran Desai
   [D] Miss.Krishna Sobti
   Correct Answer: [B] Dr.Roopa Chari
4. “In Pursuit of Justice: An Autobiography” is the autobiography of Justice _____.
   [A] Markandey Katju
   [B] Rajindar Sachar
   [C] Ranjan Gogoi
   [D] Abhinav Chandrachud
   Correct Answer: [B] Rajindar Sachar
5. Who authored the book, “The Light of Asia: The Poem that Defined the Buddha”?
   [A] Kunwar Natwar Singh
   [B] Jairam Ramesh
   [C] Chinmay Tumbe
   [D] Chandrakant Lahariya
   Correct Answer: [B] Jairam Ramesh
   Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
   
6. Who authored the book ‘Reporting India: My Seventy-Year Journey as a Journalist’ that was virtually launched by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on December, 2020?
   [A] Vinod Mehta
   [B] Prem Prakash
   [C] O. V. Vijayan
   [D] Mihir Dalal
   5Correct Answer: [B] Prem Prakash
7. VP Venkaiah Naidu Released “Oh, Mizoram”, Book of English Poems by Governor of Mizoram. Who is Governor of Mizoram?
   [A] Shri Kalraj Mishra
   [B] Prof. Jagdish Mukhi
   [C] Shri P.S. Sreedharan Pillai
   [D] Prof. Ganeshi Lal
   Correct Answer: [C] Shri P.S. Sreedharan Pillai

West Bengal Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020

1. What is the name of the 8th Hydrocarbon producing basin of India that was inaugurated by Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan?
   [A] Kerala-Konkan Basin
   [B] Himalayan Foreland Basin
   [C] Bengal Basin
   [D] Ganga-Punjab Basin
   Correct Answer: [C] Bengal Basin
   Explanation: Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan dedicated the Bengal Basin, the eighth hydrocarbon producing basin of India, to the nation at Asokenagar, West Bengal. This discovery would play a crucial role for India’s energy security.
2. Where is Culture Ministry planning to build a museum commemorating Netaji Subash Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary in 2022?
   [A] New Delhi
   [B] Kuala Lumpur
   [C] Mumbai
   [D] Kolkata
   Correct Answer: [D] Kolkata, West Bengal
   Explanation:
   The Union Culture Ministry was planning a museum for Netaji in Kolkata, an exhibition at the Victoria Memorial and cultural performances in West Bengal, as a part of the commemoration of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose’s 125th birth anniversary in 2022. Historical documents, photos and other materials would be brought together at one place for display. The commemoration would also be the start of the celebrations of 75 years of Independence in 2022.
3. Between which two cities the 5th rail link connecting India-Bangladesh was inaugurated by PM Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina during virtual India-Bangladesh Summit 2020?
   [A] Haldibari – Chilahati
   [B] Kolkata–Agartala
   [C] Singhabad – Rajshahi
   [D] Agartala-Akhaura
   Correct Answer: [A] Haldibari – Chilahati
   Explanation: On December 17, 2020, a virtual India-Bangladesh Summit was held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina which concluded with a Joint Statement. During the summit, both counterparts launched the fifth rail link connecting India-Bangladesh to further strengthen people to people contact and boost trade between the two neighbours. It is a 10.5 km long rail link, 3.5 km of which is on the Indian side, connecting Haldibari in West Bengal to Chilahati in Bangladesh.

Important Days and Themes

1. When was the 1st ever ‘International Day of Epidemic Preparedness’ observed globally by the United Nations?
   [A] 25th December, 2020
   [B] 15th December, 2020
   [C] 27th December, 2020
   [D] 22nd December, 2020
   Correct Answer: [C] 27th December, 2020
2. When was National Good Governance Day observed annually?
   [A] 31st November
   [B] 22nd December
   [C] 25th November
   [D] 25th December
   Correct Answer: [D] 25th December
3. When was National Mathematics Day observed annually, marking the birth anniversary of India’s renowned mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan?
   [A] 19th December
   [B] 21st December
   [C] 18th December
   [D] 22nd December
   Correct Answer: [D] 22nd December
4. When was the United Nations (UN)’s International Human Solidarity Day celebrated annually?
   [A] 18th December
   [B] 15th December
   [C] 12th December
   [D] 20th December
   Correct Answer: [D] 20th December
5. When does the annual celebration of Minorities Rights Day happen in India?
   [A] 15th December
   [B] 15th November
   [C] 12th December
   [D] 18th December
   Correct Answer: [D] 18th December
   Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
   
6. When was the 49th Vijay Diwas Celebrated to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War?
   [A] 15th December
   [B] 16th December
   [C] 15th November
   [D] 16th November
   Correct Answer: [B] 16th December
7. When is the National Energy Conservation day celebrated annually in India?
   [A] 14th November
   [B] 14th December
   [C] 11th November
   [D] 11th December
   Correct Answer: [B] 14th December

Obituaries

1. Which field does late Padma Shri Sunil Kothari belong to?
   [A] Science & Technology
   [B] Literature
   [C] Dance
   [D] Cricket
   Correct Answer: [C] Dance
2. Robin David Jackman, who passed away recently on December, 2020 was a famous _____ player
   [A] Badminton
   [B] Squash
   [C] Tennis
   [D] Cricket
   Correct Answer: [D] Cricket
3. How was late Narinder Singh Kapany popularly know?
   [A] Father of Business
   [B] Businessmen’s Master
   [C] Father of Fiber Optics
   [D] Father of Infographics
   Correct Answer: [C] Father of Fiber Optics
   Explanation: On 4th December 2020 Narinder Singh Kapany, known as the “Father of Fiber Optics”, who coined the term Fiber optics in 1956, passed away at the age of 94. He was an India born American physicist who was named as one of the seven “Unsung Heroes” in Fortune’s “Businessmen of the Century” issue of November 1999. He was born in 1927 in Moga, Punjab.

India’s Rank in Different Indexes

1. What is India’s rank in the recently released “Human Development Report 2020 – The next frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene” by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)?
   [A] 77th
   [B] 101st
   [C] 131st
   [D] 54th
   5) 143^rd
   Correct Answer: [C] 131^st
   Explanation: According to the “Human Development Report 2020 – The next frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene” released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), India (score of 0.645) was ranked 131 in the list of 189 countries based on Human Development Index (HDI). Norway topped the list with a score of 0.957; the second place was grabbed by 2 countries – Ireland (0.955) and Switzerland (0.955). The report provides HDI ranks for the year 2019. India slipped two spots to 131, it ranked 129 in 2019 HDI.
2. What is India’s rank in the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) 2020 report released by the World Bank on December, 2020?
   [A] 34
   [B] 63
   [C] 52
   [D] 85
   Correct Answer: [B] 63
   Explanation: The World Bank (WB) has released the updated the Ease of Doing Business(EODB) 2018 & EODB 2020 reports after correcting the data irregularities submitted by 4 countries – China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia & Azerbaijan. India Ranked 63 in the 17th edition of WB report ‘Ease of Doing Business 2020-Comparing Business Regulation in 190 Economies’ report remains unchanged.
3. What is India’s rank in 6th ‘Human Freedom Index 2020: A Global Measurement of Personal, Civil, and Economic Freedom’ report released by Cato Institute of United States & Fraser Institute, Canada?
   [A] 111
   [B] 150
   [C] 94
   [D] 48
   Correct Answer: [A] 111
4. What is India’s rank in the 16th Climate Change Performance Index 2021 released by Germanwatch and no country has placed on the first three positions?
   [A] 2^nd
   [B] 12^th
   [C] 10^th
   [D] 8^th
   Correct Answer: [C] 10^th
5. Forbes 100 Influential Women 2020 ranked Nirmala Sitharaman at ______ position.
   [A] 34
   [B] 39
   [C] 68
   [D] 41
   Correct Answer: [D] 41
   Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
   
6. What is India’s rank in the Climatescope Survey ‘Emerging Markets Outlook 2020: Energy Transition in the World’s fastest growing economies’ released by Bloomberg New Energy Finance Limited (BNEF)?
   [A] 3^rd
   [B] 2^nd
   [C] 8^th
   [D] 12^th
   Correct Answer: [B] 2^nd

Static GK Based on Current Affairs

1. Where is the Headquarters of the International Court of Arbitration located?
   [A] Paris, France
   [B] The Hague, Netherland
   [C] Rome, Italy
   [D] Madrid, Spain
   Correct Answer: [A] Paris, France
2. Who is the present CEO of Tesla, on December, 2020?
   [A] Jack Ma
   [B] Bill Gates
   [C] Elon Musk
   [D] Warren Buffett
   Correct Answer: [C] Elon Musk
3. Which stadium was renamed Arun Jaitley Stadium?
   [A] Wankhede Stadium
   [B] Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium
   [C] HPCA Stadium
   [D] Eden Gardens
   Correct Answer: [B] Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium
4. Who is the Lt. Governor & Administrator of Diu and Daman as of December, 2020?
   [A] Dineshwar Sharma
   [B] Devendra Kumar Joshi
   [C] Praful Khoda Patel
   [D] Syed Asif Ibrahim
   Correct Answer: [C] Praful Khoda Patel
5. When was the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) established?
   [A] 2002
   [B] 1984
   [C] 1956
   [D] 1999
   Correct Answer: [D] 1999
6. Where is Pompeii Archaeological Park, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites located?
   [A] Spain
   [B] Italy
   [C] Greece
   [D] Poland
   Correct Answer: [B] Italy
7. Where is Satkosia Tiger Reserve located?
   [A] Odisha
   [B] Madhya Pradesh
   [C] Jharkhand
   [D] Gujarat
   Correct Answer: [A] Odisha
   Explanation:
8. Who was the present CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December, 2020?
   [A] Imran Khwaja
   [B] Yuvraj Narayan
   [C] Anil Kumble
   [D] Manu Sawhney
   Correct Answer: [D] Manu Sawhney
9. Where is the headquarters of the Bank of Baroda?
   [A] Chennai
   [B] Mumbai
   [C] Hyderabad
   [D] Vadodara
   Correct Answer: [D] Vadodara
10. Delhi Dam is also known as ______.
    [A] Amli Kheda Dam
    [B] Jayanti Devi Dam
    [C] Siswan Dam
    [D] Hartwick Dam
    Correct Answer: [D] Hartwick Dam
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
11. Where was India’s 1st hot air balloon wildlife safari launched?
    [A] Kanha Tiger Reserve
    [B] Pench National Park
    [C] Sariska Tiger Reserve
    [D] Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
    Correct Answer: [D] Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
12. When was the Ministry of Jal Shakti formed?
    [A] 2014
    [B] 2020
    [C] 2016
    [D] 2019
    Correct Answer: [D] 2019
13. Which is known as the Leather City of the World?
    [A] Kolkata
    [B] Ahmedabad
    [C] Mumbai
    [D] Kanpur
    Correct Answer: [D] Kanpur
    Explanation: The City of Kanpur is popularly referred to as “The Leather City of the World”, Manchester of India/Manchester of the East.
14. On which schedule, the official languages of India are mentioned?
    [A] 5th
    [B] 10th
    [C] 9th
    [D] 8th
    Correct Answer: [D] 8th
    Explanation: The 22 official languages are listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
15. Where is Rajaji Tiger Reserve located?
    [A] Himachal Pradesh
    [B] Uttar Pradesh
    [C] Punjab
    [D] Uttarakhand
    Correct Answer: [D] Uttarakhand
16. Where is Point Calimere wildlife sanctuary located?
    [A] Kerala
    [B] Telangana
    [C] Odisha
    [D] Tamil Nadu
    Correct Answer: [D] Tamil Nadu
17. Which country was Ranked 1st position in FIFA Men’s ranking on December, 2020?
    [A] France
    [B] Uruguay
    [C] Belgium
    [D] Germany
    Correct Answer: [C] Belgium
18. Which country was the largest producer of Steel in the world as of December, 2020?
    [A] USA
    [B] India
    [C] China
    [D] France
    Correct Answer: [C] China
19. When was the Ramsar Convention or the Convention on Wetlands signed?
    [A] 1984
    [B] 1969
    [C] 1973
    [D] 1971
    Correct Answer: [D] 1971
20. Who is holding the post of Director General of Border Security Force (BSF), as of December, 2020?
    [A] Rakesh Asthana
    [B] Ranjit Sinha
    [C] Ajit Doval
    [D] Alok Verma
    Correct Answer: [A] Rakesh Asthana
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
21. Across which river is the World’s tallest rail bridge being constructed?
    [A] Jhelum River
    [B] Poonch River
    [C] Brahmaputra River
    [D] Chenab River
    Correct Answer: [D] Chenab River
    Explanation: World’s tallest rail bridge constructed at the height of 359 meters across Chenab River. The Chenab Bridge, which is under construction between Bakkal and Kauri at Reasi District, Jammu and Kashmir.
22. Who is the current Minister of State for Civil Aviation as of December 2020?
    [A] Piyush Goyal
    [B] Suresh Prabhu
    [C] Narendra Singh Tomar
    [D] Hardeep Singh Puri
    Correct Answer: [D] Hardeep Singh Puri
23. When was the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) of India introduced?
    [A] 2012
    [B] 2005
    [C] 2009
    [D] 2016
    Correct Answer: [D] 2016
24. Where is Rana Pratap Sagar Dam located?
    [A] Gujarat
    [B] Rajasthan
    [C] Telangana
    [D] Punjab
    Correct Answer: [B] Rajasthan
25. Where is Wheeler Island located?
    [A] Odisha
    [B] Tamil Nadu
    [C] Goa
    [D] Kerala
    Correct Answer: [A] Odisha
26. Who is the current President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on December, 2020?
    [A] T. V. Narendran
    [B] Chandrajit Banerjee
    [C] Chanda Kochhar
    [D] Uday Kotak
    Correct Answer: [D] Uday Kotak
27. Himalayan Serow, a species believed to be extinct was recently found at __________.
    [A] Spiti valley
    [B] Pin Valley
    [C] Parvati Valley
    [D] Nubra Valley
    Correct Answer: [A] Spiti valley
28. Where is Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium located?
    [A] UAE
    [B] Turkey
    [C] Iran
    [D] Qatar
    Correct Answer: [D] Qatar
29. Where is the Headquarters of Canara Bank located?
    [A] Mumbai
    [B] Bangalore
    [C] Chennai
    [D] New Delhi
    Correct Answer: [B] Bangalore
30. Who was the founder of Aligarh Muslim University?
    [A] Muhammad Ali Jinnah
    [B] Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
    [C] Muhammad Iqbal
    [D] Abul Kalam Azad
    Correct Answer: [B] Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
31. Where is the Kilauea volcano located?
    [A] Hawaii
    [B] Fiji
    [C] Indonesia
    [D] Peru
    Correct Answer: [A] Hawaii
32. In which state does the world heritage site Bodh Gaya located?
    [A] Jharkhand
    [B] Assam
    [C] Bihar
    [D] Uttar Pradesh
    Correct Answer: [C] Bihar
33. Who is the current Governor of Gujarat state as of December, 2020?
    [A] Acharya Devvrat
    [B] Om Prakash Kohli
    [C] Lalji Tandon
    [D] Kalraj Mishra
    Correct Answer: [A] Acharya Devvrat
34. When was the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) founded?
    [A] 1984
    [B] 2005
    [C] 1972
    [D] 1993
    Correct Answer: [B] 2005
35. Who is the current Prime Minister of Japan on December, 2020?
    [A] Shinzō Abe
    [B] Shigeru Ishiba
    [C] Tarō Asō
    [D] Yoshihide Suga
    Correct Answer: [D] Yoshihide Suga
36. Who established the Azad Hind Government in 1943 that remains a cause for the fall of the British Empire in India?
    [A] V. O. Chidambaram Pillai
    [B] Jawaharlal Nehru
    [C] Subhas Chandra Bose
    [D] Motilal Nehru
    Correct Answer: [C] Subhas Chandra Bose
37. Which is the capital of Vietnam?
    [A] Vientiane
    [B] Ho Chi Minh City
    [C] Phnom Penh
    [D] Hanoi
    Correct Answer: [D] Hanoi
38. Which Wildlife Sanctuary contains Dajipur Sanctuary, Maharashtra as a part of it?
    [A] Bor Wildlife Sanctuary
    [B] Great Indian Bustard Wildlife Sanctuary
    [C] Koyana Wildlife Sanctuary
    [D] Radhanagar Wildlife Sanctuary
    Correct Answer: 5) Radhanagar Wildlife Sanctuary
39. Where is Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium located?
    [A] Mumbai
    [B] Patna
    [C] New Delhi
    [D] Shimla
    Correct Answer: [C] New Delhi
40. Who is the First Lieutenant-Governor of the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir?
    [A] Satya Pal Malik
    [B] Girish Chandra Murmu
    [C] Bhagat Singh Koshyari
    [D] Manoj Sinha
    Correct Answer: [B] Girish Chandra Murmu
    Explanation: Girish Chandra Murmu, was appointed by the President of India as the Lieutenant Governor of the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
41. When was Asian Development Bank (ADB) established?
    [A] 1966
    [B] 1955
    [C] 1944
    [D] 1978
    Correct Answer: [A] 1966
42. Which Constituency did Defence Minister Rajnath Singh represent in the Lok Sabha elections 2019?
    [A] Lucknow
    [B] Gandhinagar
    [C] Varanasi
    [D] Amethi
    Correct Answer: [A] Lucknow
43. What is the name of Vaccine developed by Serum Institute of India, Pune in partnership with UK’s Oxford University?
    [A]Covishield
    [B] ZyCoV-D
    [C] Biological E
    [D] Mynvax
    Correct Answer: [A] Covishield
44. When was Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) established?
    [A] 1997
    [B] 2007
    [C] 1953
    [D] 1987
    Correct Answer: [D] 1987
45. Which channel separates India’s Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep from the Maldives?
    [A] 10 Degree Channel
    [B] 12 Degree Channel
    [C] 9 Degree Channel
    [D] 8 Degree Channel
    Correct Answer: [D] 8 Degree Channel
46. Where is Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve located?
    [A] Assam
    [B] Bihar
    [C] Himachal Pradesh
    [D] Madhya Pradesh
    Correct Answer: [A] Assam
47. Who is the current Director-General of UNESCO on December, 2020?
    [A] Filippo Grandi
    [B] António Guterres
    [C] Soumya Swaminathan
    [D] Audrey Azoulay
    Correct Answer: [D] Audrey Azoulay
48. When was the Ministry of AYUSH formed?
    [A] November 2015
    [B] December 2016
    [C] September 2012
    [D] November 2014
    Correct Answer: [D] November 2014
49. Where is the Headquarters of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) located?
    [A] Montreal, Canada
    [B] Rome, Italy
    [C] Paris, France
    [D] Nairobi, Kenya
    Correct Answer: [A] Montreal, Canada
50. Who will become the new CEO of MasterCard by January 2021?
    [A] Shantanu Narayen
    [B] Satya Nadella
    [C] Michael Miebach
    [D] Ajay Singh Banga
    Correct Answer: [C] Michael Miebach
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
51. Where is the Headquarters of ISRO located?
    [A] New Delhi
    [B] Thiruvananthapuram
    [C] Bangalore
    [D] Mumbai
    Correct Answer: [C] Bangalore
52. Who is the current Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Prasar Bharati on December, 2020?
    [A] A. Surya Prakash
    [B] Shashi Shekhar Vempati
    [C] Barkha Dutt
    [D] Uday Shankar
    Correct Answer: [B] Shashi Shekhar Vempati
53. Where is the Headquarters of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) located?
    [A] New York, USA
    [B] Rome, Italy
    [C] Paris, France
    [D] Nairobi, Kenya
    Correct Answer: [D] Nairobi, Kenya
54. Where is the Headquarters of New Development Bank located?
    [A] Geneva, Switzerland
    [B] New York, US
    [C] Shanghai, China
    [D] Washington DC, US
    Correct Answer: [C] Shanghai, China
55. Which state annually celebrate the Lumbini festival?
    [A] Andhra Pradesh
    [B] Madhya Pradesh
    [C] Uttar Pradesh
    [D] Himachal Pradesh
    Correct Answer: [A] Andhra Pradesh
    Current Affairs PDF Download: December 2020
    
56. Who is the current chief of the Army Staffs in December 2020?
    [A] Bipin Rawat
    [B] Manoj Mukund Naravane
    [C] Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
    [D] Birender Singh Dhanoa
    Correct Answer: [B] Manoj Mukund Naravane
57. Where is the headquarters of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) located?
    [A] New York, USA
    [B] Rome, Italy
    [C] Paris, France
    [D] Gland, Switzerland
    Correct Answer: [D] Gland, Switzerland
58. When was India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) established?
    [A] 2016
    [B] 2010
    [C] 2012
    [D] 2018
    Correct Answer: [D] 2018
59. Bangladesh began relocating Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees to _____ in December 2020.
    [A] Sonadia Island
    [B] Hatia Island
    [C] Ukhiya
    [D] Bhasan Char Island
    Correct Answer: [D] Bhasan Char Island
    Explanation: Amid concerns being raised about the safety and consent of refugees, Bangladesh has begun moving Rohingya families from refugee camps near Ukhia in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh to Bhasan Char – an island formed from a build-up of silt in the Bay of Bengal only 20 years ago.
60. Where is the headquarters of the International Energy Agency (IEA) located?
    [A] Budapest, Hungary
    [B] Athens, Greece
    [C] Paris, France
    [D] Vienna, Austria
    Correct Answer:  [C] Paris, France

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