19th March 2024 Daily Current Affairs
National & International Appointments
1. Election Commission appoints Sanjay Mukherjee as West Bengal DGP
- Election Commission of India appointed Sanjay Mukherjee (1989 batch IPS officer) as the new state director general of police.
- He was previously posted as the Director of Security of the West Bengal police in the rank of the additional director general of police (ADG).
- In 2017, he was appointed as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief.
International Affairs
2. Putin wins Russian presidential election in landslide
- President Vladimir Putin won a record post-Soviet landslide in Russia’s election.
- Putin, 71, is set to embark on a new six-year term that will see him overtake Josef Stalin and become Russia’s longest-serving leader for more than 200 years if he completes it.
- Putin won 87.8% of the vote, the highest ever result in Russia’s post-Soviet history, according to an exit poll by pollster the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM).
National Affairs
3. New Delhi Ranked World’s Most Polluted Capital City
- New Delhi is ranked the world’s most polluted capital city for the fourth consecutive year since 2018.
- According to the Air Quality Report 2023 conducted by Swiss organisation IQAir, Delhi’s PM2.5 levels worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.
- Bihar’s Begusarai has emerged as the world’s most polluted metropolitan area.
- With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre.
Sports
4. 3rd Edition Of North East Games 2024 Begins In Nagaland
- In Nagaland, the 3rd edition of North East Games 2024 kick-started with a glittering opening ceremony at Regional Centre for Sporting Excellence, Sovima.
- Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio officially declared open the 3rd North East Games 2024.
- More than 3000 athletes from eight North Eastern states are competing in 15 disciplines.
- The events are being held in 12 venues across three districts Chumoukedima, Dimapur and Kohima.
Obituaries
5. Former Navy Chief Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas passes away
- Former Navy Chief Admiral (retired) Laxminarayan Ramdas passed away at the age of 90.
- He joined the Joint Services Wing of the Armed Forces Academy in Clement Town, Dehradun in 1949.
- He was commissioned as an officer of the Indian Navy in September 1953.
- He served as the 13th Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) between December 1990 and September 1993.
Sports
6. Srinagar hosts first-ever Formula 4 racing event
- The beautiful Dal Lake in Kashmir witnessed an exciting event on March 18.
- Formula-4 car racing was held for the first time in the region.
- The sleek racing cars raced along the Boulevard road near the lake, creating a thrilling atmosphere.
- The Zabarwan Hills provided a stunning backdrop for the event.
National & International Appointments
7. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan Submits Her Resignation
- Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, Lt. Governor of Puducherry and Governor of Telangana has submitted her resignation with immediate effect.
- Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad informed this in a communique that the resignation letter has been submitted to the President of India.
- The resignation is yet to be accepted.
- While asking about her future plan, she informed the Media that after acceptance of her resignation she would announce her plan publicly.
Defense
8. Indian troops deploy to Seychelles for Joint Military Exercise
- A contingent from the Indian Army embarked on a journey to Seychelles to participate in the Tenth edition of the Joint Military Exercise “LAMITIYE-2024” alongside the Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF).
- This biennial training event holds significant importance in fostering cooperation between the two nations.
- The term ‘LAMITIYE’, translating to ‘Friendship’ in the Creole language, encapsulates the spirit of camaraderie underlying this exercise.
International Affairs
9. Nepal Declares Pokhara as Its Tourism Capital
- The government of Nepal has officially declared Pokhara, a picturesque city in the Gandaki province, as the tourism capital of the Himalayan nation.
- The formal declaration was made during a special ceremony held at the Barahi Ghat, situated on the shores of the stunning Phewa Lake.
- Pokhara, known for its natural beauty and adventure tourism, has long been recognized as a tourism hub in Nepal.
Agreement
10. EU and Egypt sign €7.4 bn deal focussed on energy, migration
- The European Union has announced a landmark partnership agreement with Egypt, elevating the bloc’s relationship with the North African nation and unveiling a substantial funding package to support Egypt’s faltering economy and address shared challenges.
- The deal, unveiled during a high-level delegation visit to Cairo, encompasses cooperation in key areas such as renewable energy, trade, security, and managing migration flows.
National & International Appointments
11. Arvind Kapil named CEO of Poonawalla Fincorp
- Poonawalla Fincorp has appointed senior HDFC Bank executive Arvind Kapil as its chief executive.
- Kapil is currently the group head mortgage banking business at the bank which includes home loans, loans against property (LAP) and the sales business of the erstwhile Housing Development Finance Corp (HDFC) which was merged with the bank last year.
- Poonawalla Fincorp Limited is an Indian non-banking financial company that is engaged in consumer and MSME financing.
