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Table of Contents

Financial News related to Industry/RBI/Banking/Economy


Non-financial news related to India and its States
Lists & Indexes
Appointments in September, 2016
Sports News
Awards & Honors
World News
Days in September
Books & Authors
Obituaries

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second,
stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.
Thomas A. Edison

Financial News related to Industry/RBI/Banking/Economy


The Union Cabinet on 31 August 2016 approved simplification and liberalisation of the Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) Policy, 2016 in various sectors. These radical changes in FDI regime were
introduced by the Union Government on 20 June 2016.
Radical Changes in FDI Policy regime

Radical Changes for promoting Food Products manufactured/produced in India: To permit


100 percent FDI under government approval route for trading in respect of food products
manufactured in India.
FDI in Defence Sector up to 100%: FDI beyond 49% has been permitted through
government approval route, in cases resulting in access to modern technology. FDI limit
for defence sector has also been made applicable to Manufacturing of Small Arms and
Ammunitions covered under Arms Act, 1959.
Review of Entry Routes in Broadcasting Carriage Services: 100 percent FDI allowed under
automatic route for Teleports, Direct to Home, Cable Networks and Mobile TV. Moreover,
infusion of FDI beyond 49% in a company not seeking permission from Ministry will result
in change in the ownership pattern.
Pharmaceutical Sector: 100% FDI under automatic route in Greenfield pharma, FDI up to
100% under government approval in Brownfield pharma and 74% FDI under automatic
route in Brownfield pharmaceuticals.
Civil Aviation Sector: To permit 100% FDI under automatic route in Brownfield Airport
projects. In Scheduled Air Transport Service and regional Air Transport Service, it has now
been decided to raise FDI limit to 100%. For NRIs, 100% FDI will continue to be allowed
under automatic route.
Private Security Agencies: FDI up to 49% is now permitted under automatic route in this
sector and FDI beyond 49% and up to 74% would be permitted with government approval
route.
Establishment of branch office, liaison office or project office: No approval from Reserve
Bank of India or separate security clearance would be required in cases where FIPB
approval or license/permission by the concerned Ministry has already been granted.
Animal Husbandry: It has been decided to do away with the requirement of controlled
conditions for FDI in Animal Husbandry, Pisciculture, Aquaculture and Apiculture.
Single Brand Retail Trading: It has been decided to relax local sourcing norms up to three
years and a relaxed sourcing regime for entities undertaking Single Brand Retail Trading of
products having cutting edge technology.

Dena Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mahila Arthik Vikas
Mahamandal (MAVIM) whereby the bank will provide loans to a Maharashtra-based women centric
development body to finance various self help groups (SHGs). As per the MoU, MAVIM will co-

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ordinate with the bank and community managed resource centres (CMRCs) and act as a business
facilitator.
The Gujarat government signed an MoU with the Ministry of Civil Aviation under the Regional
Connectivity Scheme (RCS). As per the agreement signed between both the parties, 11
airports/airstrips in Gujarat will be developed as per RCS scheme of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The second reactor of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) was on 29 August 2016
successfully synchronised to the Southern Power Grid situated at Abhishekapatti, Chennai. This
marks the generation of electricity and its supply to the grid by the second reactor.

Union Cabinet on 31 August gave its approval to create a Project Development Fund (PDF) for
catalysing Indian economic presence in the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV). The
PDF will be created with a corpus of 500 Crore rupees. CLMV countries have a unique position in
the regional value chains and offer a gateway for market access to China/EU and other markets
due to various trade agreements.
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications and Maxis Communications Berhad (MCB), promoters of
Aircel, on 14 September 2016 agreed to merge their wireless businesses to form the fourth-largest
telecom operator in the country. The merger is termed as the biggest consolidation deal in India's
telecom sector.
India and Vietnam on 3 September 2016 signed twelve agreements to boost the bilateral relations
between the two nations. The agreements were inked after delegation level talks between of
Prime Minister of the two nations, Narendra Modi and Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, who is the first Indian premier to visit the country in 15 years, was on a two day
visit (2-3 September 2016) to Vietnam. The last Prime Minister to visit Vietnam was Atal Bihari
Vajpayee, who visited the nation in 2001.
The signed agreements include
1. Framework agreement on cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for
peaceful purposes
2. Protocol for amending the agreement on avoiding double taxation
3. Program of cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Matters
4. Protocol on celebrating 2017 as the "Year of Friendship
5. MoU on health cooperation
6. MoU on cooperation in information technology
7. MoU on cooperation between the Vietnam academy of social sciences and the Indian
council of world affairs
8. MoU on cooperation in cyber security

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9. MoU for cooperation in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment


10. MoU on establishment of the centre of excellence in software development and training
11. Technical agreement on sharing of white shipping information
12. Contract for offshore high-speed patrol boats
Apart from this, India also extended 500 million dollar Line of Credit (LoC) to Vietnam for facilitating
deeper defence cooperation with the South East Asian nation.
India and Chile have expanded their Preferential Trade Agreement with both offering to lower or
eliminate tariffs on a number of items traded with each other. Chile has offered concessions to
India on 1798 tariff lines with margin of preference (extent to which duties are lower than those
offered to other countries) ranging from 30 per cent to 100 per cent.
India and Egypt on 2 September 2016 signed an agreement on Maritime Transport. The agreemnt
would help the two nations to step-up co-operation on the seas not only in terms of maritime
commerce but also in transit of naval vessels.
Odisha government on 3 September 2016 signed a long-term lease agreement with Falcon Marine
Exports for the operation of Jagatjore Shrimp Culture Project in coastal Kendrapara district. Falcon
Marine Exports was the highest bidder of the project.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 1 September 2016 launched an insurance scheme for
passengers travelling on e- ticket. The insurance cover will be up to 10 lakh rupees. The insurance
coverage will be available in case of train accidents and other untoward incidents, including
terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shooting or arson. To avail the facility, train passengers will have
to pay 92 paisa premium. The insurance cover will not be applicable for children up to 5 years of
age and foreign citizens. The scheme offers travellers or nominees a compensation of 10 lakh
Rupees in the event of death or total disabilty, 7.5 lakh Rupees for partial disability, up to 2 lakh
Rupees for hospitalisation expenses and 10000 rupees for transportation of mortal remains from
the place of a train accident.
Himachal Pradesh government signed a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Singapore government for developing a smart integrated township in Jathiadevi near Shimla airport.
President Pranab Mukherjee on 8 September 2016 gave his assent to the Constitution 122nd
Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 as per Article 111 of Constitution of India. With this assent, the bill
becomes law and allows rolling out a new indirect tax regime.
Tata Powers wholly-owned subsidiary Tata Power International Pte Ltd and ICICI Venture
announced the creation of a platform company to facilitate investment in power projects in India
in two-three years, which are in advanced stages and near-operational or operating.
Union Government on 6 September 2016 launched a new program called National Initiative for
Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI). The initiative aims at nurturing ideas and
innovation into successful start ups. NIDHI, an umbrella programme of the Department of Science

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& Technology (DST), will focus on helping startups to meet their funding, infrastructure and other
mentorship needs. NIDHI will allow youths of the country to give a concrete shape to their ideas.
During the financial year 2016-17, Department of Science has allocated 180 crore rupees, with a
view to drive the innovation and startup centric new initiative.
The first edition of IoT India Congress 2016 kick started on 7 September 2016 in Bengaluru,
Karnataka. The three-day event was inaugurated by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Information
Technology (IT) and Electronics Minister, and JS Deepak, Secretary, Ministry of
Telecommunications.
India on 7 September 2016 signed the bilateral Air Services Agreement with Greece to allow
unlimited points of call for domestic airlines in Greece. Both the countries have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard under the Open Sky Policy. It will be the first
such ASA with Greece, a country known for its tourist spots and scenic beauty.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural
Gas, on 6 September 2016 launched #Gas4India campaign. The campaign is aimed at promoting
the use of gas in the country.
Global taxi aggregator Uber is teaming up with Maruti Suzuki to push up the number of drivers on
its platform to over one million. According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed
between the companies, carmaker Maruti Suzuki will assess and train 30,000 commercial drivers
for Uber, over the next three years. The initiative, named UberSHAAN will be rolled out first in
Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi-National Capital Region.
The Union Government on 12 September 2016 issued model guidelines for states to regulate direct
selling and multi-level marketing businesses while prohibiting pyramid structures as well as money
circulation schemes. The guidelines were issued to protect consumers from Ponzi frauds. The
Direct Selling Guidelines 2016 framework was released by the Food and Consumer Affairs Minister
Ram Vilas Paswan. They have been sent to the states and Union Territories for adoption.
Task force headed by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya to prepare a road map for
elimination of poverty submitted its report to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on 11 September
2016. It has suggested setting up a committee to identify people Below Poverty Line (BPL). It also
suggested participation from states in defining the BPL population.
The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved the creation of the Higher Education
Financing Agency (HEFA). The HEFA will be established to give a major push for creation of high
quality infrastructure in premier educational institutions. The HEFA will be jointly promoted by the
identified Promoter and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with an
authorised capital of 2000 crore rupees. The Government equity will be 1000 crore rupees.
The Union Cabinet on 12 September 2016 approved the process, formation and functioning of the
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council. The council will consist of the Finance Minister and State

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Finance Ministers. It will make recommendations on important issues related to GST, including
items and rates.
As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST Council shall consist of the following
members:
1. Union Finance Minister - Chairperson
2. The Union Minister of State, in-charge of Revenue of finance - Member
3. The Minister In-charge of finance or taxation or any other Minister nominated by each
State Government Members
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 8 September 2016 launched e-nivaran (electronic
resolution) facility for online redressal of taxpayers grievances. The grievances can be related to
refunds, Income Tax Returns (ITRs), Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), and Permanent Account
Number (PAN) among others.
Union Government on 9 September 2016 issued fresh flexi-fund guidelines for Centrally Sponsored
Schemes (CSS). The guidelines would give more freedom to states in spending money under the
CSS to meet local developmental requirements. Under the new norms, flexi-funds in each CSS
have been increased from the current 10 percent to 25 percent for states and 30 percent for Union
Territories.
Himachal Pradesh government on 11 September 2016 notified the guidelines for transparent
auction and scientific mining and hiked the penalty for offences under the mining act. The
government has also decided that the mining lease would be granted through open auction.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 8 September 2016 cancelled the certificate of registration of
five nonbanking financial companies (NBFCs). Now, these companies will not be able to transact
the business of a non-banking financial institution as laid down under clause (a) of Section 45-I of
the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved to dole out $631 million for developing India's first
coastal industrial corridor along the Vishakapatnam-Chennai coastline. Out of the total grant
released by the ADB, $500 million would be invested in infrastructural development while the
remaining would be used for industrial policy and business promotion. This is the first phase of
development in the 2,500-kilometre-long East Coast Economic Corridor project that is being
considered cruciual in spurring development in India's eastern coast and establishing seamless
trade links with South and Southeast Asia. The financial institution estimated a fourfold increase
worth $64 billion in the annual industrial output along the corridor by 2025.
Indias largest payment and commerce platform Paytm, announced partnership with the National
Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to enable cashless transaction on highway tolls across the
country. The Paytm FASTag will allow commuters to pass through 350 toll plazas covering 55,000
kms, without having to stop. The vehicle tag employs RFID technology to allow cashless toll fee
payment with the Paytm wallet.

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State-owned refiner Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and GAIL India will sign a pact to take 49 per cent
stake in Adani Group's Rs 5,000-crore Dhamra LNG project in Odisha. While IOC will take 38 per
cent, GAIL will pick 11 per cent stake in the proposed 5-million tonne a year liquefied natural gas
(LNG) import terminal at Dhamra by financial year 2018-19.
Union Government on 18 September 2016 notified the new import policy for marble and travertine
blocks and marble and granite slabs. The policy will come into effect from 1 October 2016. The new
policy ends the quantitative restriction on the import of marble and travertine blocks as well as
the cumbersome and restrictive import licensing system. The Minimum Import Price (MIP) for
marble blocks has been reduced to 200 US dollar per metric ton. The basic customs duty on import
of marble and travertine blocks has been increased from 10 percent to 40 percent to address the
interest of domestic producers.
The Union Government approved projects worth 500 crore rupees for integrated development of
tourism in Jammu and Kashmir under Swadesh Darshan scheme. The Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee for the scheme approved the projects as part of Development Package of
Prime Minister Reconstruction Plan (PMRP). The new projects include Integrated Development of
Tourist facilities at Mantalai - Sudhmahadev - Patnitop Circuit (for 99.99 Crore rupees), BaramullaKupwara-Leh circuit (for 99.98 Crore rupees), Rajouri - Bafliyaz - Shopian - Pulwama Circuit (for
99.99 Crore rupees) and Anantnag-Kishtwar- Pahalgam - Daksum - Ranjit Sagar Dam Circuit
(for.99.75 Crore rupees).
India and Nepal on 16 September 2016 signed three MoUs and agreements to enhance the
bilateral agreement between the two nations.
The inked MOUs and agreements are

MoU for project management consultancy services for upgradation/improvement of road


infrastructure in Terai area of Nepal The services will be provided by NHIDCL in pursuance
of the MoU signed on 20 February 2016.
First Amendatory Dollar credit line agreement between Nepal and EXIM Bank: Amendatory
agreement to 1 billion US dollar Line of Credit agreement signed on 25 November 2014,
enabling reapportioning of unutilised funds for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in
Nepal.
Dollar Credit line agreement between Nepal and EXIM Bank: New Line of Credit agreement
for 750 million US dollar for post-earthquake reconstruction projects in Nepal.

India and Sri Lanka on 15 September 2016 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
support livelihood of the fishing and farming communities in Hambantota district of Sri Lanka. The
project envisages gift of equipment and tools such as grub hoes, bicycles, life jackets and sewing
machines, worth 300 million SLR, to the fishing and farming communities in Hambantota district.

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The Reserve Bank has given approval to Rs 26,000-crore cash credit limit (CCL) for purchasing paddy
in Punjab, which came as a relief for SAD-BJP combine that struggled hard in the past for release
of funds to buy foodgrain.
State-owned Bank of India (BOI) has sold 18 per cent stake in the insurance joint venture (JV) Star
Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company (SUD) to its Japanese partner. The shareholding of DILIC will
be 44 per cent up from 26 per cent upon completion of the transaction after receiving necessary
statutory/regulatory approvals.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and GAIL (India) Limited on 21 September 2016 signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dhamra LNG Terminal Private Limited (DLTPL) for
taking equity in the 5 MMTPA capacity LNG Receiving, Storage and Regasification Terminal.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 21 September 2016 approved the partial
capital grant of 5176 crore rupees to GAIL (India) Limited for development of 2539 km long
Jagdishpur-Haidia and Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for initiating the process of winding
up of Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited (HDCPL). HDCPL is 50:50 joint venture of the
Union Government and De Beers Centenary Mauritius Limited (DBCML).
The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 approved merger of Rail budget with Union Budget. It
also decided to advance the date of presentation of the annual budget from the last day of
February to start of February. In addition, it also decided to merge the Plan and the Non-Plan
classification in the Budget and Accounts. All these changes will be put into effect simultaneously
from the Budget 2017-18.
Transportation app Ola on 20 September 2016 tied-up with Yatra.Com for Cab Booking Interface
Integration. It has integrated its application interface on Yatra.com.
The Pune Smart City Development Corporation (PSCDCL) has signed a two-year Memorandum of
Understanding with the European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) to leverage European
Smart City solutions for the Pune Smart City project.
Oracle and the Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
intended to accelerate the states digital transformation initiatives. Leveraging Oracle Cloud
solutions, Oracle and the Government of Maharashtra will develop the states smart city program,
with the goal of making the states urban landscape more livable and inclusive, while driving
economic growth.
Adani Green Energy (Tamil Nadu) Ltd on 21 September 2016 dedicated the worlds largest solar
power plant of 648 megawatts to the nation. The plant has been set up with an investment of
around 4550 crore rupees at Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.
Puducherry Government on 26 September 2016 decided to write off all farm loans taken from
cooperative Banks in the Union Territory. As per the decision, the principal loan amount, interest

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and penal interest of all farmers will be waived off. The measure will cost the state Exchequer 20
crore rupees and benefit about 7000 farmers of the Union Territory.
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh laid the foundation stone of a Gokul Gram at Mathura in
Uttar Pradesh for the conservation and development of native cattle breeds. On the occasion, he
also announced setting up of 14 such Grams across the country as part of the Rashtriya Gokul
Mission.
The union Ministry for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with the World Bank for investing Rs 2,200 crore to set up training centres
for MSME sector across India by 2017, minister of state for MSME, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhury
said at an ASSOCHAM event held in New Delhi.
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd said it has executed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of
99.49 per cent of the equity shareholding of BSS Microfinance Pvt Ltd (Company) from its existing
shareholders for an aggregate cash consideration of Rs. 139.2 crore.
Google has announced to open a new "Google Cloud Region" which is expected to go live in
Mumbai in 2017. Announcing the "Google Cloud Regions" at an event in San Francisco titled
"Horizon", the company unveiled the locations of eight new Cloud Regions - Mumbai, Singapore,
Sydney, Northern Virginia, Sao Paulo, London, Finland and Frankfurt.
The Union Government on 29 September 2016 notified the constitution of the Monetary Policy
Committee (MPC). The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (RBI Act) has been amended by the Finance
Act, 2016, to provide for a statutory and institutionalised framework for a Monetary Policy
Committee, for maintaining price stability. In exercise of the powers conferred by section 45ZB of
the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Union Government has accordingly constituted the
Monetary Policy Committee of RBI, with the following composition:

The Governor of the Bank: Chairperson, ex officio


Deputy Governor of the Bank, in charge of Monetary Policy: Member, ex officio
One officer of the Bank to be nominated by the Central Board: Member, ex officio
Chetan Ghate, Professor, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI): Member
Pami Dua, Director, Delhi School of Economics (DSE): Member
Ravindra H. Dholakia, Professor, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad:
Member
The Members of the Monetary Policy Committee appointed by the Union Government will
hold office for a period of four years, with immediate effect or until further orders,
whichever is earlier.

Railways Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu on 29 September 2016 launched various Railways
Services and dedicated them to the nation. These Railways services are:

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Liberalised station to station special freight rates policy.


Policy providing sub quota of 33% to women within reserved categories for the allotment
in catering units.
Policy giving preference to local domicile holders for commercial licenses at stations.
New system of allocating vacant berths after final charting to wayside stations.
Launch of the new tag Train at a Glance 2016 and new Time Table effective from 1 October
2016.

The Union Government on 30 September 2016 decided to raise the Employees Provident Fund
(EPF) investment in Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) from existing 5 per cent to 10 per cent. The decision
has been taken considering the good returns in ETF investment.
Infosys on 28 September 2016 launched Skava Commerce, a modern, mobile-first and modular
ecommerce platform that delivers engaging omni-channel experiences.
The Union Cabinet on 28 September 2016 approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between India and Singapore in the field of Industrial Property Cooperation. The MoU will be signed
between India's Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and the Intellectual Property
Office of Singapore (IPOS) during the visit of Singapores Prime Minister to India from 4-7 October
2016.
The Union Government on 28 September 2016 approved assistance of 1269 crore rupees for
drought affected Maharashtra. Out of the total amount, around 589 crore rupees will be
supplementary assistance for damage to Kharif crops and over 679 crore rupees for Rabi crops
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 September 2016 approved Project
SAKSHAM. It is a New Indirect Tax Network (Systems Integration) of the Central Board of Excise and
Customs (CBEC). It will help in integrating system of Central Board of Excise and Customs with the
GST network before the roll out in April 2017. The total project cost involved is 2256 crore rupees
which will be incurred over a period of seven years.
The project SAKSHAM will help in

Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST)


Extension of the Indian Customs Single Window Interface for Facilitating Trade (SWIFT)
Other taxpayer-friendly initiatives under Digital India and Ease of Doing Business of Central
Board of Excise and Customs

The Union Cabinet on 28 September 2016 gave its approval for closure of Hindustan Cables Limited
(HCL), Kolkata. The approval was given as per the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956/2013,
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and other relevant Acts.

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The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) on 27 September 2016 announced that the Indira
Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve
carbon neutral status. DIAL is a GMR Group-led consortium which manages and operates IGI
airport.
West Bengal government has decided to install monorail from Budge Budge in South 24-Parganas
to Ruby Connector in Kolkata. This was informed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 29
September 2016. The 14-kilometre-long monorail route will connect Budge Budge to Ruby via
Taratala, New Alipore and Prince Anwar Shah Road and will come up at a cost of 4216 crore rupees.

Non-financial news related to India and its States


The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) of Kolkata on 30 August 2016
handed over TIHAYU, the Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) to the Indian Navy. The warship was
handed over by Rear Admiral (Retd) AK Verma, CMD of GRSE to the Commanding Officer Cdr Ajay
Kashov. GRSE had earlier built and delivered 10 WJFACs to the Indian Navy during 2009 to 2011,
which are proving well in service.
Troops of Indian and Kazakhstan Army on 7 September 2016 began the joint exercise 'PRABAL
DOSTYK 16'. The exercise being conducted in Karaganda region of Kazakhstan will conclude on
17 September 2016. Prabal Dostyk meaning Robust Friendship is a significant step towards
fostering military as well as diplomatic ties between both countries.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully launched advanced weather satellite,
INSAT-3DR on 8 September 2016. The advanced weather satellite was launched with the
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLVF05), from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in
Sriharikota. GSLV-F05, the tenth flight of India's GSLV, carried 2211 kg INSAT-3DR into a
Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, and Ravi Shankar Prasad,
Minister of Electronics and Information Technology and Law and Justice, on 7 September 2016
jointly launched Integration of DigiLocker with Driving Licenses (DL) & Vehicle Registration
Certificates (RC) in New Delhi.
Assams Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on 8 September 2016 inaugurated Majuli as the 35th
district of Assam. With this, Majuli became India's first island district. Recently on 1 September
2016, Majuli replaced Brazil's Marajo to become the world's largest river island in the Guinness Book
of World Records.
The Union Government on 6 September 2016 launched the Urja Mitra Helpline number 14401, a
dedicated pan-India helpline for power outages.

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Union Government on 1 September 2016 constituted an expert committee to study slit in river
Ganga in Bihar. The four-member committee will be headed by Member of Ganga Flood Control
commission AK Sinha.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on 8 September 2016 dedicated 2 mbps download and 512
kbps upload digital connectivity to 6000 villages. Under the E-gram program launched in 2006-07,
total 14000 villages had been connected to internet through V-SAT technology which offers hardly
19-20 kbps speed. Many E-gram villages did not get enough speed when some centers login at the
same time.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on 6 September 2016 successfully completed test flight of
indigenous Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) Bengaluru. During the test, the helicopter remained in the
air for 15 minutes inside the HAL complex. The LUH will replace the militarys obsolescent fleet of
Chetak and Cheetah helicopters that have flown for over three decades.
Union Government on 3 September 2016 approved the use of Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide
(PAVA) as an alternative to pellet guns for crowd control. Pellet guns will be used in the rarest of
rare cases.
The Odisha Government on 3 September 2016 launched the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana (BKRY) in three
districts of the state. The scheme was launched for the development of girls. The scheme will be
implemented for three years in Ganjam, Dhenkanal and Angul districts on a pilot basis.
Gumthala Garhu near Pehowa on 3 September 2016 became the first Wifi hotspot village in Haryana
circle under the bulk plan of BSNL for the state.
The government has approved projects worth about Rs 450 crore under 'Swadesh Darshan'
scheme for five states, including poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. The scheme was launched with an
objective to develop 13 theme-based tourist circuits in the country and the approval for five was
given in a meeting of the central sanctioning and monitoring committee.
Western Odisha on 6 September 2016 celebrated the festival of Nuakhai, the agrarian festival of
the region, with religious fervor.
Indian Army on 30 August 2016 announced establishment of the Army Design Bureau (ADB) to
indigenise procurements and reduce import dependence. The ADDB will facilitate the weapons and
technology building efforts between the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO),
industry and the army.
Health Ministry on 5 September 2016 launched the Leprosy Case Detection campaign (LCDC) in the
country. Objective of the campaign is to detect the disease early so that those affected can be
saved from physical deformity.
India on 6 September 2016 received certificates from World Health Organisation (WHO) recognising
the elimination of Yaws and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the country. The
certificates were presented to Union Health Minister JP Nadda at the 69th Session of the WHO

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11

regional committee for south-east Asia region held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. With this, India became
the first country to be officially acknowledged as being yaws-free.
The results of the 2016 Swachh Survekshan (Cleanliness Index) for rural India was released on 8
September 2016. Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) and Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) were declared as the
cleanest districts in India. Mandi was judged as the cleanest district in Hills category and
Sindhudurg as the cleanest in the Plains category.
The first BRICS Wellness Workshop concluded on 11 September 2016 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The
workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Parliamentary
Affairs Ananth Kumar on 10 September 2016.
Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on 20 September 2016 released the third list
of Smart Cities that will get funding for initiating urban reforms. The list includes names of 27 new
cities. The 27 smart cities announced are from 12 States including 5 from Maharashtra, 4 each
from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, 3 from Uttar Pradesh and 2 each from Punjab and Rajasthan.
Nagaland and Sikkim have made it to the smart city list for the first time. The Golden Temple city
of Amritsar topped the list of 27 new smart cities.
India on 20 September 2016 successfully test-fired the most advanced surface-to-air missile 'Barak8' off the Odisha coast. The long-range nuclear capable ballistic missile, developed jointly with
Israel, was launched from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore
district.
Indian Railways on 19 September 2016 launched Yatri Mitra Sewa to facilitate access to
wheelchairs, battery operated cars and porter services. The service was launched to make rail
travel comfortable for elderly, differently-abled and ailing travelers.
The Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by Shashi Shekhar on 19 September 2016 directed
Karnataka to release 3000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu. As per the committees direction,
Karnataka will have to release 3000 cusecs water per day from 21 to 30 September 2016 to Tamil
Nadu.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was on 16 September 2016 conferred with the prestigious
membership of the Asia-Pacific Aerospace Quality Group (APAQG) under the category Full Member
with voting rights.
A once-in-12-years festival Naropa Festival of Buddhist spirituality, culture and tradition began on
16 September 2016 at the Hemis monastery of Drukpa lineage in Ladakh region of India.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on 19 September 2016
inaugurated the super computer PARAM ISHAN at IIT Guwahati campus.
The Guided Missile Destroyer, Mormugao, second ship of Project 15B, was launched on 17
September 2016 at Mazagaon Dock Ship Builders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.

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In a step to ensure that the details of Aadhaar is not misused, the Unique Identification Authority
of India (UIDAI) asked agencies in possession of Aadhaar number of an individual to not publish or
post the information publicly.
Yudh Abhyas 2016, a joint military training exercise of Indian and US Armies, commenced at
Chaubattia, Uttarakhand.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on 26 September 2016 successfully launched eight
satellites in two different orbits in a single mission. These satellites were launched with the PSLV
C35 from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta. The satellites that
was carried into space include the primary payload SCATSAT-1 of India, weighing 371 kg, and seven
other customer payloads (five foreign and two domestic) together weighing 304 kg during lift off.
Visaranai, a Tamil film directed by Vetrimaran and produced by Dhanushs Wunderbar Films, has
been selected as India's entry in the Foreign Language Film category for the 89th Academy Awards
(Oscars) to be held in 2017.
India and France on 23 September 2016 inked the 7.8-billion Euro deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets. As
per the deal, the aircraft will be equipped with latest missiles and weapon system like Meteor and
Scalp.
Indian Air Force on 23 September 2016 successfully fired the recently acquired long range air-toair MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft.
The Union Health Ministry has decided to launch Mission Parivar Vikas in 145 High Focus districts
in seven states for improved family planning services. The Mission will be implemented in all the
145 districts at one go.
The Union Cabinet on 21 September 2016 approved the provision of a direct communication link
through a dedicated submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Mainland (Chennai) and
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) on 20 September 2016 approved 10000 crore rupees KenBetwa project, Indias first inter-State river interlinking project. With this, India will have a river
project will be located within a tiger reserve for the first time.
Delhi Government signed an MoU with Thuringia, a state in east-central Germany, for extending
cooperation between the two in areas of higher education.
The Union Government on 29 September 2016 launched Progress Panchayat. This Panchayat is
aimed at reach out the minority community and publicize the various welfare measures taken by
the NDA government for their betterment. The programme was kick started by Union Minister of
State for Minority Affairs (independent charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi from Mewat region of
Haryana.

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Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control. Director
General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said the motive of the operation
was to hit out at the terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into the Indian Territory.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Telangana government on 28 September 2016
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide digital classes across the state through
its state channel Mana TV.

Lists & Indexes


World Economic Forum (WEF) on 27 September 2015 released the Global Competitiveness Report
(GCR) 2016-2017. The report assesses the competitiveness landscape of 138 economies.
Switzerland, Singapore and the US remain as the world's most competitive economies. The report
highlights that for second consecutive year, India has jumped 16 places in the GCI report to occupy
the 39th spot. In 2015-16 GCI report, India was placed at 55th position as compared to 71st rank
in 2014-15 report.

India's Centre for Civil Society in collaboration with Canada's Fraser Institute on 15 September
2016 released the Economic Freedom of the World 2016 Annual Report. Hong Kong topped the
index followed by Singapore and New Zealand at second and third position. India has slipped 10
positions and fetched 112th spot among all 159 countries in the World Economic Freedom (WEF)
Index. It ranks behind Bhutan (78), Nepal (108) and Sri Lanka (111) but stood higher than China
(113), Bangladesh (121) and Pakistan (133) in the Index.

Fortune on 13 September 2016 released list of most powerful women based outside the US. The
list was topped by Banco Santander's Ana Botin. The 2016 list spans 19 countries and is comprised
of 16% new names. Indians in the list include top women bankers, namely SBI chief Arundhati
Bhattacharya (2nd rank), ICICI head Chanda Kochhar (5th rank) and Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma
(19th rank).
Top 10 women in the list are
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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Ana Botin - Group Executive Chairman, Banco Santander. She is a resident of Spain.
Arundhati Bhattacharya - Chairperson, State Bank of India. She is a resident of India.
Isabelle Kocher - CEO, Engie. She is a resident of France.
Chua Sock Koong - Group CEO, Singapore Telecommunications. She is a resident of
Singapore.
Chanda Kochhar - Managing Director and CEO, ICICI Bank. She is a resident of India.
Alison Cooper - CEO, Imperial Brands. She is a resident of U.K.
Guler Sabanci - Chairman, Sabanc Holding. She is a resident of Turkey.
Ho Ching - Executive Director and CEO, Temasek. She is a resident of Singapore.

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9. Annika Falkengren - CEO and President, SEB Group. She is a resident of Sweden.
10. Omella Barra - Co-COO, Walgreens Boots Alliance. She is a resident of U.K.
World Health Organization (WHO) on 27 September 2016 released its report on pollution, which is
extremely worrying. The report claims that 92 percent of the worlds population lives in places
where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. This mean, 9 out of 10 people globally are breathing
poor quality air.

Appointments in September, 2016


India
1. Virat Kohli appointed as Brand Ambassador of Punjab National Bank
2. Bangladesh's Junaid Ahmad new World Bank head in India
3. Jet Airways names Jayraj Shanmugam as its chief commercial officer
4. Anandi Ramalingam assumed charge as Bharat Electronics Limiteds first woman director
5. Alka Sirohi appointed UPSC chairman
6. Navtej Sarna appointed new Indian Ambassador to US
7. Arun Goyal appointed Additional Secretary GST Council
8. Girish Chandra Gupta sworn in as Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court
9. Monika Kapil Mohta appointed as India's Ambassador to Sweden
10. Myntra appoints Dipanjan Basu as Chief Financial Officer
11. Shakti Sinha appointed as Director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
12. R Subramania Kumar appointed Executive Director of Indian Overseas Bank
13. Yashvardhan Sinha appointed Indias High Commissioner to UK
14. Taranjit Singh Sandhu appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka
15. CK Asnani assumes charge as CMD of Uranium Corporation of India Limited
16. Mukund Choudhari assumes charge as CMD of MOIL
17. Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao sworn in as acting Governor of Tamil Nadu
18. Religare Enterprises appoints Sunil Godhwani as CEO
19. Hiroshi Nakagawa takes over as Chairman of Isuzu Motors India
20. Ashok Chawla appointed Chancellor of TERI University
21. K K Aggarwal elected as National President of IMA for 2016-17
22. Ravi Wankhedkar elected as National President of IMA for 2017-18

World
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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US appoints Jeffrey DeLaurentis as first Cuban Ambassador in 55 years


World Bank reappoints Jim Yong Kim for second term as President
Nadia Murad Basee Taha appointed UNODC Goodwill Ambassador
GlaxoSmithKline picks insider Emma Walmsley as new CEO
Indian-origin Ravi Reddy appointed as Head of International Society for Blood Transfusion

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6. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong to be appointed as Director of the Board
7. Michel Temer sworn in as President of Brazil
8. Indian-origin Ajei Gopal named CEO of ANSYS

Sports News
Former Indian womens cricket team captain Anjum Chopra in the first week of September 2016
was awarded an honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). With this, Chopra
became the first Indian woman cricketer to get the prestigious life membership of MCC.
India's mixed doubles pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy on 5 September 2016 won
the 2016 Brazil Open Grand Prix. It was their maiden Grand Prix title.
Mariyappan Thangavelu won Indias first gold medal at the Rio Paralympics. He won the gold in the
Mens High Jump T-42 event with a leap of 1.89 metres.
Army Green on 11 September 2016 won the Durand Cup football title. In the final of Asia's oldest
football tournament in New Delhi, Army Green defeated Neroca FC 6-5 via penalty shoot outs.
Britains Jamie Murray and Brazils Bruno Soares on 10 September 2016 won the 2016 US Open
Mens Doubles title.
Germanys Angelique Kerber on 10 September 2016 defeated Karolina Pliskova by 63, 46, 64
to win 2016 US Open Women's Singles title.
Indian athlete Deepa Malik on 12 September 2016 became the first Indian woman to bag a medal
at the Paralympics.
Third seed Stan Wawrinka on 11 September 2016 defeated world number one Novak Djokovic to
lift the 2016 US Open Mens Singles title.
Indian Cyclists won six medals, including three gold, two silver and one bronze on the opening day
of the Track Asia Cup 2016 in New Delhi. The medal winners for India include Deborah Herold,
Kezia Vargheese, Alena Reji, Rajkumari Devi, Nayana Rajesh and Anu Chutia.
Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia on 13 September 2016 became the first Indian to clinch two
gold medals at the Paralympics. He broke his own world record to clinch the medals at the Rio
Games.
Vijay Goel, Union Sports Minister, Janardan Singh Gehlot, President of International Kabaddi
Federation, on 14 September 2016 formally unveiled the logo of the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup. The
logo is derived from the natural heritage of Gujarat, the Asiatic Lion, symbolising the ferocity of a
Kabaddi defender and the agility of a raider.

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Gautam Gambhir-led India Blue on 14 September 2016 won the inaugural day/night Duleep Trophy
Cricket tournament held in Greater Noida. In the final, India Blue defeated India Red, captained by
Yuvraj Singh, by a massive 355 runs.
Sikkims Sushmita Rai in the second week of September 2016 won a bronze medal at the recently
concluded World Martial Arts Masterships 2016, which was held at Cheongju, Chungcheongbukdo of South Korea.
Hearing-impaired Indian shooter Priyesha Deshmukh on 14 September 2016 won the bronze medal
in her first-ever international competition at the first World Deaf Shooting Championships.
The 2016 Track Asia Cup concluded on 16 September 2016 at the Cycling Velodrome in IG Stadium
in New Delhi. Hong Kong topped the chart with 18 medals which comprise 11 Gold, four Silvers
and three bronze.
Indian shooters clinched seven medals, including three gold, on the opening day of the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup for pistol, rifle and shotgun at
Gabala in Azerbaijan. Subhankar Pramanick: He clinched gold medal in 50-metre rifle prone event.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on 25 September 2016 became the fastest Indian and second
overall to take 200 wickets, reaching the milestone in his 37th Test.
German tennis player Alexander Zverev on 25 September 2016 defeated Stan Wawrinka to win his
first tour title in the St. Petersburg Open final.
Dominic Inglot and Henri Kontinen on 25 September 2016 won the 2016 St Petersburg Open Mens
Doubles title.
NITI Aayog, the think tank of union government, has devised a short term and medium-to-long
term action plan to help India achieve 50 medals in 2024 summer Olympics.
India's Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova on 24 September 2016 lifted the
womens doubles title in the Toray Pan Pacific Open trophy in Tokyo. In the final clash, the IndoCzech pair defeated the unseeded Chinese pair of Chen Liang and Zhaoxuan Yang 6-1, 6-1.
India's Velavan Senthilkumar on 24 September 2016 bagged the Under-19 Asian Junior Individual
squash championship title. In the final clash played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he defeated Jordan's
Mohammad Al-Sarraj 12-14, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the third week of September 2016 was named the captain of the all-time
India Test XI chosen by cricket magazine Wisden.
Sathiyan Gnanasekaran on 24 September 2016 won the men's singles title of the Belgium Open.
The Indian men's hockey team lifted the 4th U-18 Asia Cup after defeating hosts Bangladesh 5-4.

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Indian womens Kabbadi team on 28 September 2016 bagged gold medal at the 5th Asian Beach
Games. In the summit clash played at Bien Dong Park in Danang, Vietnam, the team defeated
Thailand 41-31.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 on 27 September
2016 unveiled the Official Emblem for the event. The FIFA U-17 World Cup will be Indias first
international football event.

Awards & Honors


Indian ecologist and conservation activist Bibhuti Lahkar on 4 September 2016 became the first
Asian to be awarded the prestigious Heritage Heroes Award by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) of Malappuram, Kerala was on 1 September 2016 conferred with
the 2016 Unesco Confucius Prize for Literacy. The award was conferred on the JSS in recognition of
its literacylinked skill development activities among the underprivileged in rural areas.
A revenge drama Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) on 10 September 2016 won the
Golden Lion for Best Film Award at the 73 Venice Film Festival.
Haryana has bagged Best Horticulture State award for the concerted efforts made by the state
government to increase the income of the farmers in horticulture.
The 2015 National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medals recipients were unveiled on
14 September 2016 by the White House. Mel Brooks, Morgan Freeman, Audra McDonald, Berry
Gordy and Philip Glass are on the list for the National Medal of Arts, while Terry Gross and Wynton
Marsalis are among the Humanities recipients.
President Pranab Mukherjee on 14 September 2016 presented the Rajbhasha awards at
Rashtrapati Bhawan. The awards were given away on the occasion of Hindi Divas. Vijaya Bank has
bagged the second prize under Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar (Region C) for the year 2015-16.
Indian American Ramesh Raskar on 13 September 2016 won the 2016 Lemelson-MIT Prize.
Biocon chairperson and managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has been appointed 'Chevalier
de l'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur' (Knight of the National Order of the French Legion of
Honour) for her outstanding contribution and dedication to Biosciences and Research field
globally.
Action movie star, writer, director and martial artist Jackie Chan will be given an honorary Academy
(Oscar) Award for his extraordinary achievements in the movies.
Mother Teresa on 4 September 2016 was proclaimed a Saint by Pope Francis in a ceremony at the
Vatican. Thousands of pilgrims attended the canonisation of Mother Teresa in St Peter's Square.

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Veteran award-winning film director K.G. George on 6 September 2016 won the prestigious J.C.
Daniel Award for his overall contribution to the Malayalam film industry. The award will be given
away along with the State Film Awards at a function to be held at Palakkad in October 2016.
Kulakkatil Geevarghese George is an Indian film director and screenwriter.
Acclaimed Kannada movie Thithi on 6 September 2016 won the Best Film Award at the first BRICS
Film Festival, which concluded in New Delhi. The BRICS Film Festival was organized as a part of the
special events planned in run-up to the BRICS summit to be held in India.
Novel, Into the Hidden Valley authored by Stuart Blackburn on 4 September 2016 won the 2016
MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction in the UK. The author was presented the award at the
HNS Conference in Oxford.
Eminent Malayalam critic and academician M Leelavathy was on 17 September 2016 chosen for
the prestigious N Mohanan Suvarna Mudra Award 2016, instituted in memory of well-known short
story writer N Mohanan.
The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards was announced on 18 September 2016 at the Microsoft
Theater, Los Angeles, California, U.S. The Game of Thrones won best drama series at the 2016
Primetime Emmy Awards, while Veep took home the top comedy award.
Novel titled His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet was in news in September 2016. It came
in news after being shortlisted for the 2016 Man Booker prize.
India-born researcher Dinesh Bharadia on 14 September 2016 was chosen for the prestigious
Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award.
Two Indian forest officials, Sanjay Dutta and Ritesh Sarothiya, have been selected for the 2016 Clark
R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards. Clark R. Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards honours
individuals engaging in exemplary law enforcement actions to protect wildlife.
Adi Godrej, the Chairman of Mumbai-based Godrej Group, on 19 September 2016 was conferred
the 10th Annual Clinton Global Citizen Award for leadership in business and philanthropy.
Nobel laureate and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was on 15 September 2016 honoured as
the 2016 Humanitarian of the Year by the students and faculty at the Harvard Foundation.
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on 25 September 2016 gave away Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Krishi Puruskars to 12 farmers for their contribution in the
agriculture sector.
Noted Telugu writer Prof. Kalakaluri Enoch was on 29 September 2016 conferred with Moortidevi
Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith for the year 2015 at function in New Delhi. The award was given for
his novel Ananta Jeevanam.

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Veteran music director and violinist Uttam Singh on 27 September 2016 was named for the 2016
Lata Mangeshkar Award for Lifetime Achievement of the Maharashtra Government.

World News
The 2016 G20 Summit was held for two days on 4 September and 5 September 2016 at the
Hangzhou International Exhibition Centre, Hangzhou, China. The theme of 2016 G20 Summit was
Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy. It was the first
ever G20 summit to be hosted in China and the second Asian country to host the Summit. The
2017 G20 Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany, under the leadership of Angela Merkel.
The worlds first driverless bus service began carrying passengers in the first week of September
2016 in Lyon, France.
The 28th and the 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit concluded on 8
September 2016 at Vientiane, Laos. The theme for the 2016 summit was Turning Vision into Reality
for a Dynamic ASEAN Community.
The US space agency, NASA, on 8 September 2016 launched OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral
Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft. The unmanned
spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx, blasted off onboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
The UN Charter, the seminal treaty of the United Nations (UN), was on 7 September 2016
translated into Sanskrit Language for the first time. This came following the pioneering efforts of
Jitendra Kumar Tripathi, the Secretary of the Lucknow-based Akhila Bharatiya Sanskrit Parishad.
The United Kingdom (UK) and Iran in September 2016 appointed ambassador in each-other's
country for the first time since 2011. This appointment marks the restoration of the diplomatic
relations between the two nations.
The World Health Organisation on 5 September 2016 certified Sri Lanka a malaria-free nation. Sri
Lanka is the second country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate malaria after
Maldives.
A newly discovered fish of the genus Tosanoides was in September 2016 named in honour of US
president Barack Obama for his commitment to protect nature through the expansion of the
Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
American tech giants Microsoft, Google and Salesforce on 3 September 2016 officially adopted the
EU-US Privacy Shield framework. This will enable them to receive personal data from the European
Union (EU) in compliance with the new standards.
The Chinese and Russian navies on 19 September 2016 concluded Joint Sea-2016, eight days of
naval exercises, in the South China Sea.

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Google on 21 September 2016 launched its latest mobile chat application, Allo, along with Google
Assistant that can be used in online conversations with friends.
The first Druzhba-2016 (Friendship-2016) Russian-Pakistani joint military exercise commenced on
24 September 2016 in Cherat, Pakistan. The exercise will conclude on 10 October 2016.
China on 25 September 2016 officially launched the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical
Telescope (FAST) in a mountainous region of Guizhou province.
The worlds first baby was born from a new procedure that combines the DNA of three people. The
baby was born in Mexico.

Days in September
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

The International Literacy Day celebrated on 8 September


International Day of Charity was celebrated on 5 September
National Hindi Divas (Hindi Day) was observed across India on 14 September
International Day of Democracy was observed on 15 September
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer was observed across the world
on 16 September
6. International Day of Peace was observed across the world on 21 September
7. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was observed on 26
September
8. World Tourism Day 2016 was observed across the world on 27 September
9. The International Translation Day was observed on 30 September
10. World Maritime Day was observed across the world on 29 September
11. World Rabies Day was observed on 28 September

Books & Authors


1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Book titled Democrats and Dissenters authored by Ramachandra Guha


His Bloody Project authored by Graeme Macrae Burnet
The Sellout authored by Paul Beatty
Hot Milk authored by Deborah Levy
All That Man Is authored by David Szalay
Do Not Say We Have Nothing authored by Madeleine Thien

Obituaries
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Golf legend Arnold Palmer passes away


Hindi and Urdu writer Reoti Saran Sharma passes away
Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister of Israel, dies
Worlds oldest cricketer Lindsay Tuckett passes away
Noted Assamese poet Nalinidhar Bhattacharyya dies

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