Business & International

  • The merger deal between Kotak Mahindra Bank and ING Vysya Bank received the Reserve Bank’s approval, which would create the country’s fourth largest private sector lender in April 2015.
  • IDFC Bank will begin operations from October 1 with 20 branches. The company has already got an approval for the same from Reserve Bank of India in April 2015.
  • India’s rank remained unchanged at 19th in 2014 among the top 30 merchandise exporters of the world, while China continues to hold the top slot, according to the WTO report in April 2015.
  • India and many influential western nations are among the 57 founder members of the $50 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in April 2015.
  • Dena Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India under the Prime Minister’s Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti BimaYojana (PMJBY) scheme to provide insurance cover to all Aadhaar-linked savings account holders of the bank in the age group of 18 to 50 years in April 2015.
  • The World Bank projects India’s GDP to expand to 7.5 percent in the current fiscal year.
  • Tata Teleservices has decided to drop the brand DoCoMo from its telecom brand Tata Docomo months before its agreement with Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo to use the brand ends in April 2015.
  • Iconic business leader Ratan Tata has acquired a stake in Chinese handset maker Xiaomi, the first investment by any Indian in the smartphone maker in April 2015.
  • French IT services company Cap Gemini announced the acquisition of US-based IT services company iGATE for $4 billion in April 2015.
  • Japan’s state­of­the­art maglev train clocked a new world speed of 600 kilometres (373 miles) per hour running speed.

National

  • Gujarat stands to top the list of States in the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission, while Odisha has excelled in the construction of community toilets, according to an assessment by the Union Urban Development Ministry for 2014-15.
  • India successfully test-fired the nuclear-weapons capable Dhanush missile for its full range of 350 km offs the Odisha coast in April 2015.
  • Maharashtra generates over 26,820 tonne solid waste per day, more than any other state in the country, a recent Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report has said in April 2015.
  • The Centre has given six months’ more time to the states for rolling out the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Only 11 states and Union Territories have so far implemented the National Food Security Act which was passed by Parliament in September 2013. The rest 25 states/UTs have not implemented it yet by April 2015.
  • An 11-member international jury has declared Thane the National Earth Hour Capital with the city emerging the winner from India in the Earth Hour City Challenge this year. The city represented India in the Global Earth Hour Capital Competition of 16 countries in Seoul in April 2015.
  • Uttarakhand, the State with the second highest tiger population after Karnataka, now has a second tiger reserve, besides the Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Rajaji National Park has now been notified as the Rajaji Tiger Reserve by the Centre in April 2015.
  • The Central Government is set to form three new tiger reserves in Ratapani in Madhya Pradesh, Sunabeda in Odisha and Guru Ghasidas in Chhattisgarh.
  • The Union Cabinet cleared amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act that would allow juveniles aged between 16 and 18 to be tried as adults for heinous crimes such as murder and rape in April 2015.
  • In April 2015, All-weather port Haldia in West Bengal is set to become the country’s first green port. Railway engines, trucks and other vehicles there are being run on bio-diesel made at the port.
  • In April 2015, Pakistan and Russia have agreed to hold first-ever joint military exercises as part of their enhanced defence cooperation, in a sign of increasing bonhomie between the Cold War-era adversaries.
  • Indian Navy’s most powerful war ship INS Visakhapatnam launched into the water for the first time at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai.

Persons in News    

  • Nasim Zaidi takes over as new Chief Election Commissioner of India.
  • Mohan Kumar appointed as the next Ambassador of India to France.
  • Vikas Swarup took over as the new face of the External Affairs Ministry, its spokesperson in April 2015.
  • Sangeeta Bhatia, an Indian-origin scientist at MIT, who has developed artificial human microlivers for drug testing, has won a prestigious $2,50,000 Heinz award for her work in tissue engineering and disease detection in April 2015.
  • Tata Sons, promoter of the major operating Tata companies, appointed top-ranked investment strategist Farida Khambata as the first woman independent director in the company’s 103-year history.
  • Pakistan conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan, its top civilian award, on Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • Chhurim Sherpa (Nepali mountaineer) became the first woman to climb the 8850 metre (29035 feet) Mount Everest summit twice in a week.
  • United States (US) President Barack Obama is going to honour Microsoft’s Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella with the ‘Champions of Change’
  • Former military ruler Generals Muhammadu Buhari won the Presidential election in Nigeria.

Sports

  • Sim Bhullar became the first player of Indian descent to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) league as he made his debut for Sacramento Kings.
  • India produced a spirited performance to beat Korea 4-1 in the penalty shoot out, to finish third at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey. A gritty New Zealand surprised world champion Australia 3-1 in the penalty shoot-out.
  • Rajeev Shukla was re-appointed as the chairman of the powerful IPL governing council in April 2015.
  • Sania Mirza became the first female tennis player from India to become world number one player in doubles ranking after she wins won WTA Family Circle Cup with Martina Hingis.
  • Australian cricketer and commentator Richie Benaud died in Sydney at the age of 84.
  • Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was inducted as one of the five new members into the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy.

Important Days in April

  • 5th April: National Maritime Day
  • 7th April: World Health Day
  • 10th April: World Homeopathy Day (Birth day of Samuel Hanimen)
  • 17th April: World Hemophilia Day
  • 18th April: World Heritage Day
  • 22nd April: International Mother Earth Day
  • 24th April: Panchayati Raj Divas
  • 25th April: World Malaria Day