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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Former Prime Minister and prominent Congress leader Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Dr. Singh, widely regarded for his intellect and vision, was sworn in as India’s Prime Minister on May 22, 2004, following the Congress Party’s victory in the general elections. He took office for a second term on the same date in 2009.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Born on September 26, 1932, in a village in Punjab province in undivided India, Singh completed his matriculation from Punjab University in 1948, laying the foundation for an illustrious career.

In a political career spanning decades, Singh served as a Rajya Sabha member from 1991 until his retirement in April 2024.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

He held the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 1998 to 2004. Internationally, he represented India at numerous high-profile conferences, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (1993) and the World Conference on Human Rights (1993).

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

As Prime Minister, Dr. Singh launched several transformative initiatives including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) (2005) which is aimed at providing 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per year to rural households.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

He also implemented the Right to Information Act (2005) that strengthened transparency and accountability by granting citizens access to public information. His National Food Security Act (2013) ensured subsidized food grains for nearly two-thirds of India’s population.

His 1964 book, "India's Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth",

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

was a groundbreaking critique of India’s inward-looking trade policy.

Dr. Singh joined the Government of India in 1971 as an economic advisor in the commerce ministry and later served as Chief Economic Advisor in the finance ministry in 1972. His key positions included:

Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission

Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Chairman, University Grants Commission

Advisor to the Prime Minister

He also served as Secretary General of the South Commission in Geneva from 1987 to 1990.

Dr. Singh’s tenure as Finance Minister (1991–1996) under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao marked a turning point in India’s economic history.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Dr. Singh was awarded India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, in 1987, among many other accolades. He was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

A member of the Indian National Congress, Singh was the first Sikh prime minister of India. He was also the first prime minister since Nehru to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.

Dr. Singh received numerous awards and honours during his lifetime. Among the most prominent are India’s second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan (1987),

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress (1995), the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993 and 1994), the Euro Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993), the Adam Smith Prize of the University of Cambridge (1956), and the Wright’s Prize for Distinguished Performance at St. John’s College in Cambridge (1955).

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

The founder Chairman of IBPS was the erstwhile Governor of Reserve Bank of India-Dr. Manmohan Singh, an eminent public figure in Indian academics and politics, who rose to become the fourteenth Prime Minister of India

(2004-2014). Dr. Singh earned his doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford in 1959.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

He began his career as a Faculty in Panjab University and went on to serve in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 1966 to 1969.

Finance as well as Member Secretary of the Planning Commission, Director of RBI and Director of Industrial Development Bank of India, prior to his appointment as Governor, RBI.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

As early as in September 1984, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in his address as RBI Governor on the occasion of Founders' Day of Bank of Maharashtra in Pune, pointed out the necessity for economic reforms in India. He touched upon the future challenges and responsibilities for the Indian banking system as well as the structural reforms and organisational improvements,

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

that were needed to enable the banking system to support the next phase of India's development.

During his tenure, comprehensive legal reforms were carried out related to the banking sector, a new chapter was introduced in the Reserve Bank of India Act and the Urban Banks Department was set up.

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Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92.

Dr. Singh as the First Chairman of the Governing Board played an important role in developing the Vision, Mission of the organisation and in establishing the governance system by developing a series of policies for the organisation.

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Osamu Suzuki, Former Suzuki Chairman Dies Aged 94.

Osamu Suzuki, the former chairman of Suzuki Motor Corp. and an icon in the global auto industry has passed away at the age of 94, as per Nikkei Asia's report. The former chairman of the Japanese brand who led the organisation for over four decades has reportedly died of lymphoma on December 25.

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Osamu Suzuki, Former Suzuki Chairman Dies Aged 94.

It is to be noted that Suzuki stepped down as the chairman of the brand in 2021 at the age of 91.

Osamu Suzuki began his time at Suzuki Motor in 1958 and took the role of the president in 1978 while doubling as the chairman 2000 onwards.

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Osamu Suzuki, Former Suzuki Chairman Dies Aged 94.

With his time of 28 years on the chair across two terms as the president of the brand he became the longest-serving head of the global automaker.

The post of the president was later transferred to his son in June 2015, while Osamu Suzuki handled the role of being the chairman and CEO for a year. After a year, he stepped down as the CEO after a fuel-economy misstatement.

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India's defence exports touched record Rs 21,083 crore in 2023-24, marks 32.5 pc growth.

India's defence exports continue to rise touching a record Rs 21,083 crore (about USD 2.63 billion) in the FY2023-24, a growth of 32.5 percent over the previous fiscal when the figure was Rs 15,920 crore.

The figures indicated that the exports grew by 31 times in the last 10 years as compared to FY 2013-14.

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India's defence exports touched record Rs 21,083 crore in 2023-24, marks 32.5 pc growth.

The five lists for DPSUs are in addition to the five PILs of 509 items notified by the Department of Military Affairs. These lists include highly complex systems, sensors, weapons and ammunition.

The release said the Defence Ministry achieved the highest-ever growth in Indigenous defence production in value terms during 2023-24,

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India's defence exports touched record Rs 21,083 crore in 2023-24, marks 32.5 pc growth.

on the back of the successful implementation of the policies and initiatives of the government.

Defence production went up to a record-high figure of Rs 1,26,887 crore, reflecting a growth of 16.7 per cent over the defence production of the previous financial year. The value of defence production in FY 2022-23 was Rs 1,08,684 crore.

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Gautam Adani launches new renewable energy brand campaign.

Adani Group unveiled a new advertising campaign, titled “First the fan will come, then electricity will come”, to promote its renewable energy initiatives. The campaign, shared on social media by Chairman Gautam Adani, reflects the group's commitment to a sustainable future.

The campaign is part of Adani Group's broader commitment to renewable energy.

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Gautam Adani launches new renewable energy brand campaign.

Its renewable unit, Adani Green Energy, aims to develop 50 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. This includes the ambitious Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Gujarat.

Spanning 538 square kilometres—five times the size of Paris—Khavda is set to become one of the largest renewable energy projects in the world.

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Gautam Adani launches new renewable energy brand campaign.

he park will have a total capacity of 30 GW, with the first phase of 250 MW wind energy already operational.

The group's track record includes the 648 MW Kamuthi Solar Plant in Tamil Nadu, completed in 2016. At the time, it was the world’s largest single-site solar power project. These projects highlight Adani Group's leadership in advancing India’s clean energy goals.

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Jeet Adani- Director of Adani Airport Holdings Ltd.

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Dr. Sandip Shah Appointed as the Chairperson of NABL-QCI.

Dr. Sandip Shah, an eminent medical professional and visionary leader, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI).

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Dr. Sandip Shah Appointed as the Chairperson of NABL-QCI.

NABL works to improve the quality of testing and calibration services, ensuring trust in the products and services used by consumers, businesses, and regulators.

Dr. Shah succeeds Prof. Subbanna Ayyappan in this role, bringing over 35 years of expertise in healthcare and diagnostics with a distinguished career in pathology, molecular biology, and transplant immunology.

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RBI Forms Panel to Develop Ethical AI Framework.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has formed an eight-member committee to create a framework for responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the financial sector.

Led by Professor Pushpak Bhattacharyya from IIT Bombay’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the committee will study the current adoption of AI in financial services globally and,

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RBI Forms Panel to Develop Ethical AI Framework.

in India. It will also examine regulatory and supervisory practices related to AI in the financial sector worldwide.

The group will identify risks linked to AI and propose methods to evaluate, reduce, and monitor these risks. It will also recommend compliance requirements for financial entities, including banks, NBFCs, FinTechs, and payment system operators.

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RBI Forms Panel to Develop Ethical AI Framework.

The committee aims to draft a governance framework to support ethical AI adoption in India’s financial sector, according to the RBI.

The members include:

Debjani Ghosh, Independent Director, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub.

Balaraman Ravindran, Head, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras.

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RBI Forms Panel to Develop Ethical AI Framework.

Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Rahul Matthan, Partner, Trilegal.

Anjani Rathor, Group Head and Chief Digital Experience Officer, HDFC Bank.

Sree Hari Nagaralu, Head of Security AI Research, Microsoft India.

Suvendu Pati, CGM, FinTech Department, RBI.

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Nvidia introduces Jetson Orin Nano Super, its most affordable supercomputer.

Nvidia has unveiled the new Jetson Orin Nano Super Generative AI supercomputer, its most affordable so far, with a price-tag of $249, down from $499.

It delivers as much as a 1.7x leap in generative AI inference performance, a 70% increase in performance to 67 INT8 TOPS, and a 50% increase in memory bandwidth to 102GB/s compared with its predecessor.

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Nvidia introduces Jetson Orin Nano Super, its most affordable supercomputer.

The SoM uses an NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPU with tensor cores and a 6-core Arm CPU.

The new Jetson Orin Nano Super Generative AI supercomputer is aimed at supporting the GenAI needs of users such as hobbyists, developers, and students. The Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit also fits in the palm of a hand, per Nvidia.

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Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years.

The bald eagle is now officially the national bird of the US, after President Joe Biden signed a law on Christmas Eve bestowing the honour upon the white-headed and yellow-beaked bird of prey.

The bird has been a national emblem in the US for years, appearing on the Great Seal of the US - used on US documents - since 1782.

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Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years.

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin objected to the creature being chosen to represent the country, calling it a "bird of bad moral character".

Bald eagles, like other eagles worldwide, had been seen by many as symbols of strength, courage, freedom and immortality for generations, according to the US Department of Veteran Affairs.

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Bald eagle officially declared US national bird after 250 years.

And, unlike other eagles, the bald eagle was indigenous only to North America.

The legislation designating the bald eagle as the national bird was spearheaded by Minnesota lawmakers. The bald eagle is also protected under the National Emblem Act of 1940, which makes it illegal to sell or hunt the creature.

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

Following Australia, two universities from the United Kingdom --- Queen’s University Belfast and Coventry University --- have filed applications to set up their respective international campuses at GIFT city in Gujarat.

Based in Northern Ireland, Queen’s is almost 200-year old and is ranked in the top-200 in the world for impact and sustainability.

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

As a member of the Russell Group, Queen’s is one of UK’s 24 leading research-intensive universities.

The second UK university that has proposed to set up a campus in GIFT City is Coventry University which was established in 1843 and has more than 13,000 international students from 160 countries.

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

The university had launched its “India Hub” at Delhi in March 2024 which collaborates with the Indian government, academia and industry to tackle global challenges such as climate change, economic development and health issues.

The IFSCA unveiled its International Branch Campus Regulations in October 2022,

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

permitting India-branch campuses of foreign universities to repatriate funds in a relaxed regulatory environment.

Two Australian universities have already started their international campus in GIFT City. In January 2024, Deakin University became the first foreign university in India to open an international campus at GIFT City.

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

In November 2024, University of Wollongong (UOW) became the second Australian University to open a similar campus.

Foreign university norms-:

Foreign universities are granted GIFT IFSC registration for a period of five years. This can be renewed for an additional period of five years.

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After Australia, two UK universities plan international campuses in Gujarat’s GIFT City.

Those universities that have secured a position within top-500 in global overall ranking or subject ranking in latest QS World Universities ranking can only apply for setting up a campus in GIFT City. Institutions that are “reputed” in its home jurisdiction are also eligible to set up a campus in GIFT City.

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DPIIT signs MoU with private company ‘boat’ to help startups.

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has entered into a strategic alliance with boAt, an Indian company in audio and wearables market. This collaboration aims to foster innovation and provide tailored support to DPIIT recognised Startups including startups in D2C and manufacturing domains.

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DPIIT signs MoU with private company ‘boat’ to help startups.

The key features of this mutual partnership includes: curate dedicated program(s)/ initiative(s) for mentoring startups, innovators and entrepreneurs, provide resources, guidance, and support for different milestones such as prototype development, and offer connections and insights for international expansion, wherever applicable and feasible.

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Aisake Eke elected as Tonga’s new Prime Minister.

Aisake Valu Eke was elected as Prime Minister of Tonga. He will replace Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, who resigned on December 9. Valu Eke, who will be officially sworn in as Prime Minister in February, was first elected to parliament in 2010 and served as minister of finance between 2014 and 2017.

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Aisake Eke elected as Tonga’s new Prime Minister.

He will be in office for less than a year before the South Pacific island nation of 105,000 people holds its next election in November 2025. Tonga’s Parliament consists of 17 lawmakers elected by the public and nine who are nobles, elected by a group of hereditary chiefs. Two members of Parliament were unable to vote.

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International Day of Epidemic Preparedness | 27 December

The first ever International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, being held on 27 December 2020, was called for by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for and partnership against epidemics.

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International Day of Epidemic Preparedness | 27 December

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of investing in systems to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

WHO works closely with governments to support efforts to build strong emergency and epidemic preparedness systems, as part of an overall approach to advance universal health coverage and strengthen primary health care systems.

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