Current Affairs Today July 20 2018

We are here for you to provide the important current affairs July 20 2018 which have unique updates of all daily events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, India Today, Indian Express, Business Standard, all Government official websites. Our complete current affairs helps you to get more marks in Banking, insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railway and all other competitive Exams.

• Daily Current Affairs
• Try our Current Affairs Quiz 2018
• Read Our 2018 Current Affairs

Click here to try Current Affairs Quiz : July 20 2018

Click Here to Read Current Affairs July 2018

 INDIAN AFFAIRS

Lok Sabha passes Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018
On 19^th July 2018, the Lok Sabha passed the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018.

Lok Sabha passes Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018:
i. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 will replace the Fugitive Economic Offenders Ordinance promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind in April 2018.
ii. The bill gives authorities power to attach and confiscate the proceeds of crime and properties of fraudsters and loan defaulters who flee India.
iii. Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said that, this will ensure that justice is not denied. He added that, the Government wants to bring back big defaulters in front of the law.
iv. He said that, cases where the total value involved in such offences is 100 crore rupees or more, will come under its view.
Some important lakes in India:
♦ Pandoh Lake – Himachal Pradesh
♦ Prashar Lake – Himachal Pradesh
♦ Renuka Lake – Himachal Pradesh

Govt launched a new technology called the MicroDot technology to check vehicle thefts
On July 18, 2018, Government has announced the launch of a new MicroDot Technology that would help check on vehicle thefts.
i. Under this thousands of small dots laser etched will be sprayed with a vehicle identification number on all over the vehicle’s body including its engine.
ii. This technology is yet to be finalized by the highest automobile technical standard making body CMVR-TSC.
iii. Delhi Police officials has been associated with this project as per transport ministry’s order.
Background:
i. 2.14 lakh vehicles are stolen across India annually.
ii. Delhi tops the list with 38,644 in 2016 which is 100 on a daily basis.
iii. The state of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra follows the list with 34,480 and 22,435 number of vehicles, respectively.
iv. 41,000 vehicles were stolen in 2017 that is 30 vehicles a month.
v. The auto-lifters take out the engines along with the other valuable parts and thereafter, they destroy the vehicle. Thus, most of the vehicles stolen go untraced.

 4^th Maritime Affairs Dialogue between India and Japan held in New Delhi
On July 20, 2018, The Ministry of External Affairs announced the fourth round of Maritime Affairs Dialogue between India and Japan that was held in New Delhi.

Dignitaries present:
From the Indian side:
Pankaj Sharma, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the MEA.
From the Japanese Side:
Ambassador Kansuke Nagaoka, Policy Planning and International Security Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Objective:
Aimed at discussing key issues related to the Indo-Pacific region and maritime security.
Key Points:
i. Key issues were : maritime security, cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Search and Rescue (SAR).
ii. Also means of further strengthening the bilateral cooperation in the above areas were discussed.
Other Announcements:
i. Apart from the Dialogue , the seventh round of the India-Japan Bilateral Consultations were held.
ii. The Indian delegation was led by Pankaj Sharma,Joint Secretary(Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the MEA.
iii. The Japanese side was led by Tomoyuki Yoshida, Director-General, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
iv. The key areas discussed were: Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Export Control.

International conference on “Empowering Women: Fostering Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability” organized by NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform
On 16^th and 17^th July 2018, a 2 day International conference on “Empowering Women: Fostering Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability” was organized by NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Office of International Programmes (OIP) University of Delhi.
Empowering Women: Fostering Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability:
i. The Inaugural event was presided by Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India as Chief Guest.
ii. Dr Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry was the Guest of Honor. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, and Ajay S. Shri Ram, Chairman, Governing Body, SRCC were also present.
iii. After the inaugural event, a Plenary Session and Panel Discussions were held. Discussions were held on topics like, how women-led enterprises enable change, how innovation can contribute to societal good and how technology and sustainability are complementary etc.
iv. Eminent personalities both from India and other countries took part in the conference.
v. Representatives were from Canada, United States of America, Australia, Ethopia, Cameroon, Ghana, and Nigeria, Nepal, Tibet, Bangladesh and Thailand etc.
vi. Paper presentations were conducted on ‘Empowering Women’. Business and entrepreneurship oriented competitions were also conducted.
Some important dams in India:
♦ Parbati II Dam – Parbati River
♦ Chakra Dam – Chakra River
♦ Bandardhara Dam – Paravara River

Punjab tourism and cultural affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu unveils plan to develop Virasat-e-Khalsa
On 20^th July 2018, Punjab tourism and cultural affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu finalized a blue print to further develop Virasat-e-Khalsa, a museum of the Sikhs, at Anandpur Sahib, Punjab.
Navjot Singh Sidhu unveils plan to develop Virasat-e-Khalsa:
i. Navjot Singh Sidhu said that, as Virasat-e-Khalsa attracts large number of tourist from all over the world, we need to develop tented accommodation, budget hotels, food courts and souvenir shops on that area.
ii. He also directed the foundation to get a comprehensive layout plan prepared from the architects to further develop the infrastructural facilities over remaining piece of 60 acres land.
iii. He said that, the Government of India under Swadesh Darshan Scheme had already approved Rs 99 crore for the development of historical and religious sites in Punjab.
iv. Out of this Rs 29 crore will be exclusively used for the all round development of Anandpur Sahib.
Some important museums in Punjab:
♦ Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (National Institute of Sports) – Patiala
♦ Sanghol Museum – Sanghol
♦ Sikh Ajaibghar – Balongi

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launches e-Pragati core platform
On 19^th July 2018, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched ‘e-Pragati core platform’ at Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh.

e-Pragati:
i. e-Pragati is a forward-looking digital initiative. It aims to connect citizens to 34 departments, 336 autonomous organisations and 745-plus services.
ii. Andhra Pradesh aims to realise the vision of ‘Sunrise AP 2022’ through this project.
iii. The e-Pragati authority will achieve the goals of the project by supporting the 7 development missions launched in the areas of e-Governance, Social Empowerment, Skill Development, Urban Development, Infrastructure, Industrial Development and the Services sector.
iv. N. Chandrababu Naidu said that, e-Pragati will act as a platform to connect all departments and stand alone to resolve the issues.
v. He said that, there should be coordination between citizens and the government to solve various issues.
vi. IT Minister Nara Lokesh said that, certificate-less admissions have been introduced in Andhra Pradesh. Issue of driving licences have also been made online.
vii .CEO of e-Pragati is N. Balasubrahmanyam. EY (erstwhile Ernst & Young) had played a major role in enabling the project.
viii. project was initially estimated to cost RS 1,500 crore. Later it was reduced to Rs 800 crore.
ix. Nearly 180-plus certificates, licences & permits will be available online. 100 plus mobile apps will be listed on App Store.
Some power plants in Andhra Pradesh:
♦ Simhadri Super Thermal Power Plant
♦ Sri Damodaram Sanjeevaiah Thermal Power Station

A world class exhibition on four eminent personalities of Bengal to be organized at National Library in Kolkata
A world class exhibition on 4 eminent personalities of Bengal: Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subha Chandra Bose, Rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee will be organized soon at National Library in Kolkata on a permanent basis.
World class exhibition on 4 eminent personalities of Bengal:
i. This announcement was made by Raghvendra Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Culture on 19th July 2018.
ii. He reviewing restoration, renovation and modernization works carried out by the Central Public Work Department (CPWD) at the Belvedere House of the National Library.
iii. He said that, literary festivals will also be held there. Permanent art galleries with paintings and pictures of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, sculptures and antiquities will be displayed.
iv. He said that all the renovation and revamping works will be finished before Durga Puja at a cost of nearly Rs. 8 crore.
v. He said that, a National Gallery of Modern Art of Kolkata Chapter will be opened at the Old Currency Building in Kolkata.
vi. He said that, the building would be adorned with paintings of painter Ramkinker Baij and paintings of other painters. Concert will be conducted in the ground floor.
vii. Restoration and renovation works at the Old Currency Building will be finished before Durga Puja at a cost of Rs. 3 crore.
viii. Currency Building was built in the nineteenth century (1833 CE). Initially it housed the Agra Bank Ltd. Later, it was used by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for housing the issue and exchange of government paper currency.
Some National Parks in West Bengal:
♦ Jaldapara National Park
♦ Gorumara National Park
♦ Neora Valley National Park

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Exercise Pitch Black 2018 (PB-18) to be held in Australia from 24 Jul 18 to 18 Aug 18; Indian Air Force to participate for the first time
On July 18, 2018, The Ministry of Defence announced that the Indian Air Force for the first time is participating with fighter aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black 2018 (PB-18), which is to be held in Australia from 24 Jul to 18 Aug, 2018.
The mega exercise will involve over 100 aircraft from around the globe.
Objective:
To undertake simulated air combat exercises in a controlled environment and mutual exchange of best practices and enhancing IAF capability.
Key Points:
About IAF’s Participation:
i. The IAF contingent consists of 145 air-warriors including Garud team, 04 X Su-30 MKI, 01 X C-130 and 01 X C-17. 
ii. It would be led by Group Captain CUV Rao VM .
iii. The contingent will assemble at  Air Force Station Kalaikunda and depart for the exercise on 19 Jul 18 from India to Australia via Indonesia.
Agenda of the Participation:
i. During the flight from India to Australia and back, Su-30 MKI will carry out air to air refueling with IL-78 tankers.
ii. And on its return leg from Darwin to Subang, Su-30 MKI will be refueled in air for the first time by RAAF KC-30A.
iii. During the transit to Australia, IAF contingent will also have constructive engagement with Indonesian and Malaysian Air Forces.
About the Exercise:
Ex Pitch Black is a biennial multi-national large force employment warfare exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

India tops list of skilled visa immigrants in Australia from 2000 to 2016: ACMIID
On July 20, 2018, According to The Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset (ACMID), India tops list of skilled visa immigrants according to official figures with nearly 3 lakh Indians who migrated from 1 January 2000 to 9^th August 2016.
i. They have topped the charts on skilled visa.
ii. As many as 291,916 Indians migrated to Australia , out of which , 154,012 individuals Australian citizenship.
iii. This data was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Key points:
On Skilled Visa:

On Family Visa:

On humanitarian visa programme:
i. Total of 45,816 migrants were recorded.
ii. Iraq topped the list with 37,751 migrants.
iii. India had only 1097 migrants.
About Australian Bureau of Statistics:
♦ Headquarters: Canberra, Australia.
♦ Founded:1905.
About The Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset (ACMID):
♦ The Australian Census and Migrants Integrated Dataset (ACMID) contains 2016 Australian Census of Population and Housing data linked to Permanent Migrant Settlement Data from the Department of Social Services.
♦ The Census is conducted every five years.

J P Nadda addresses 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting at Durban, South Africa
On 20^th July 2018, J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, addressed the 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting held in Durban, South Africa.

J P Nadda addresses 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting:
i. J P Nadda in his address said that, India is committed to eliminate TB by 2025.
ii. He said that India is committed to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as articulated in its National Health Policy.
iii. He stated that to achieve the vision of UHC, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched the ‘Ayushman Bharat’ (Long Live India) programme.
iv. Through the Health and Wellness Centres the programme aims to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services and National Health Protection Mission for secondary and tertiary care aims to cover nearly 100 million families.
v. He said that India’s achievement in reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) by 77%, from 556 per 100000 live births in 1990 to 130 per 100 000 live births in 2016 was commended by Regional Director, WHO SEARO.
vi. With this achievement India is on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of MMR below 70 by 2030.
vii. He added that, schemes like Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, enabling women to access antenatal check-ups, obstetric gynaecologists and to track high-risk pregnancies, etc., and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram have been rolled out.
viii. He said that in order to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease (NCD)s, India has already begun universal screening for prevention and management of 5 common NCDs including hypertension, diabetes and 3 common cancers of oral cavity, breast and cervix throughout India.
ix. He said that India has started AMRIT (Affordable Medicines & Reliable Implants for Treatment) Deendayal pharmacies to offer medicines for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and cardiac implants at low price.
Some important bird sanctuaries in India:
♦ Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary – Kerala
♦ Pathiramanal Kerala – Kerala
♦ Pakshipathalam Bird Sanctuary – Kerala

BANKING & FINANCE

Parliament approved merger of subsidiary banks with SBI; 3 previous bills repealed
On July 20, 2018, With Rajya Sabha clearing the bill of State Banks (Repeal and Amendment) Bill, 2017, Parliament officially approved of the bill to merge SBI with its subsidiaries.
i. The bill repealed the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959, and State Bank of Hyderabad Act, 1956 and amended the State Bank of India (SBI) Act,1955.
ii. This was done for rationalisation of resources, reduction of costs, better profitability, lower cost of funds leading to better rate of interest for public at large, improved productivity and customer service.
About the merger:
i. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on July 21, 2017, and had been passed by the lower house.
ii. The Union Cabinet granted its approval in February 2017, which allowed the SBI to acquire these subsidiaries.
Background:
i. The State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Travancore were constituted under the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959.
ii. The State Bank of Hyderabad and the State Bank of Patiala were wholly owned by the State Bank of India (SBI). The SBI had 90 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Mysore, 75.07 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur and 79.09 per cent shareholding in the State Bank of Travancore.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India’s economic growth remains intact; GDP to grow around 7.5%: FICCI
On 19^th July 2018, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) said that, India’s economic growth remains intact and India’s GDP is expected to grow at 7.5 % in the current financial year.
India’s economic growth remains intact; GDP to grow around 7.5%:
i. As per FICCI, the slowing down of industrial output growth in May to 3.2 % and increase in retail inflation to 5 % in June are short-term challenges that are pro-actively acted on by the government and the RBI.
ii. These would not affect the signs of revival in the economy significantly.
iii. FICCI President Rashesh Shah, said that, the industrial output growth would rebound in the next few months.
iv. The rise in inflation is monitored by RBI. RBI and the government will take necessary steps to maintain it at manageable levels.
v. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) will act as a catalyst in this. The GST collection trends show a positive sentiment in the economy.
vi. The national integrated indirect tax structure will also reduce inflation, going forward.
vi. He added that, GST Council and the central government are willing to rationalise the GST rate structure, bringing in excluded items and simplifying the tax administration.
vii. He said that along with GST, reform measures like Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, are already showing results. They will help to take GDP growth beyond 8 %.
Tag lines of some banks:
♦ Allahabad Bank – A tradition of trust
♦ Andhra Bank – Where India Banks
♦ Bank of Baroda – India’s International Bank

MoU signed between CSIR-NPL and HPCL for indigenous development of petroleum Certified Reference Materials (CRMs)
On 19^th July 2018, CSIR- National Physical laboratory (NPL) has signed a MoU with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) for indigenous development of petroleum certified reference materials (CRMs) under trade name of Bhartiya Niredeshak Dravyas (BNDTM).
MoU signed between CSIR-NPL and HPCL:
i. This will make sure that highest standard quality ecosystem is maintained for petroleum products used by all stakeholders. It will also save major foreign exchange by import substitution for CRMs.
ii. Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) has an important role in calibration of laboratory testing equipment for quality assurance.
iii. Currently, the traceability of these CRMs to SI unit is mostly done through foreign National Measurement Institutes (NMIs).
iv. CSIR-NPL is the National Measurement Institute of India. It is disseminating SI traceability using indigenous development of Certified Indian Reference Materials with trade name Bhartiya Nirdeshak Drvayas (BNDTM).
v. CSIR-NPL has developed BNDs for high purity Gold, Coal, and Water & building materials.
vi. HPCL is a Navratna PSU under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG). CSIR NPL & HPCL will now develop BNDs used in Petroleum sector in India.
About CSIR- National Physical laboratory (NPL):
♦ Director – Dr. D. K. Aswal
♦ Aim – to strengthen and advance physics-based research and development for the overall development of science and technology in India

Amazon.com’s stock market value hits $900 billion, threatens Apple
On 18^th July 2018, Amazon.com’s stock market value reached $900 billion for the first time, posing a threat to replace Apple as Wall Street’s most valuable firm.

Amazon.com’s stock market value hits $900 billion:
i. On 18^th July 2018, Amazon.com announced that, it sold over $100 million products during its annual Prime Day sale.
ii. On the same day, its stock touched $1,858.88, giving Amazon a stock market value of $902 billion. It later reversed, trading down 0.16 % for the session.
iii. Amazon’s stock has increased over 57 % in 2018, making its increase to more than 123,000 % since it listed on the Nasdaq in 1997.
iv. Apple replaced Exxon Mobil as the US company with the largest stock market value in 2011. Its shares have risen 12 % in 2018, bringing its stock market value to $935 billion.
About Amazon:
♦ CEO – Jeff Bezos
♦ Headquarters – Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Stashfin & DMI Finance partnered up to raise Rs 30 crore for onward lending through StashFin.com
On July 20, 2018, Digital lending platform StashFin has partnered with non-banking finance company DMI Finance to raise Rs 30 crores for onward lending through their platform StashFin.com .
Objective:
To augment its portfolio to meet the growing needs from their customers.
Key Points:
i. The company had raised $5 million (Rs 32.2 crore) in a pre-Series A round of funding.
ii. The investors included Kirloskar Group’s venture capital arm, Snow Leopard Ventures, as well as Singapore-based Alto Partners and GrowX Ventures.
How it works:
i. StashFin helps in making lending easy, transparent, safe and secure for borrowers across India.
ii. It provides personal loans ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 3,00,000  to salaried professionals.
iii. The company lends only 10 per cent of the actual lending capacity of a person.
About StashFin:
♦ Founded in September 2016.
♦ Founded by: Tushar Aggarwal.
♦ Currently it operates in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Senior IAS officer Madhusudan Padhi appointed as the principal secretary to Governor of Odisha Dr Ganeshi Lal.
On July 20, 2018, Odisha government appointed Senior bureaucrat Madhusudan Padhi as the principal secretary to Governor Dr Ganeshi Lal.
i. Padhi replaced C J Venugopal.
ii. He is currently posted as Transport Commissioner.
iii. CJ Venugopal has been appointed as principal secretary in E&IT Department.
Other Appointments:
i. The 1996 batch officer Saswata Mishra has been entrusted with the additional charge of Transport Commissioner.
ii. He is currently the working as Commissioner in Commercial Taxes.
Odisha:
♦ Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik
♦ Governor: Ganeshi Lal.
♦ UNESCO Heritage Site: Konark Sun Temple.
Nicknames:

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh appointed as Chef de Mission of 18th Asian Games
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appointed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the Chef de Mission (incharge) of the upcoming 18th Asian Games.
Chef de Mission of 18th Asian Games – Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh:
i. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be assisted by 4 Deputy Chef de Missions (deputy heads): Raj Kumar Sacheti, Satyavrat Sheoran, Balbir Singh Kushwaha and Dev Kumar Singh.
ii. They will lead the Indian contingent at the 18th Asian Games. The 18th Asian Games will be held in Jakarta and Palembang of Indonesia from 18^th August to 2^nd September 2018.
About Indian Olympic Association (IOA):
♦ President – Narinder Dhruv Batra
♦ General Secretary – Rajiv Mehta
♦ Headquarters – New Delhi

SPORTS

IOC adds 7 medal events to 2022 Beijing Winter Games; total no of events add up to 109
On July 20, 2018, The International Olympic Committee (IOC ) in its Tokyo 2020 Olympics schedule announced that it had added 7 medal event to its 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

i. These events include : women’s monobob, Big Air freestyle skiing for men and women, plus mixed team events in short track speed skating, ski jumping, ski aerials and snowboardcross.
ii. The addition of gold medals to a 109-event program caused a reduction in 41  athletes as complared to 2,933 competitors in Pyeongchang Olympics.
iii. An improved gender balance will be seen with  45.4 percent female athletes in Beijing, rising from 41.1 percent in Pyeongchang.
iv. Women’s ice hockey will become a 10-team lineup instead of eight, adding 46 athletes.
v. Sports losing athletes from their Olympic quota include 41 in skiing disciplines, 26 from skating and 20 fewer in biathlon.
Other Announcements:
i. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics had no finalized race on Swimming.
ii. A timetable was announced of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
IOC:
♦ Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.
♦ Founded: 1894 in Paris.

26^th edition of Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY) 2018 was held in Los Angeles on July 19, 2018.
On July 19, 2018, The 26^th edition of Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY) 2018 was held in the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.

i. The ceremony was hosted by former professional racing driver Danica Patrick.
ii. Chloe Kim and Tom Brady were among the most nominated athletes.
iii. Below are the list of the winners in their respective categories:

About Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY):
♦ First Awarded: 1993.
♦ Awarded For: Excellence in sports performance and achievements.

28th Meeting of Shooting Hopes junior international championship was held in Plzen, Czech Republic from July 11-15, 2018
On July 20, 2018, 28^th Meeting of Shooting Hopes junior International Championship was held between July 11 – 15, 2018 in Pilsen, Czech Republic.

Venue:
This competition was organized in the well-known Army shooting range in Plzeň-Lobzy.
Highlights:
i. Manu Bhaker won her 9^th International Gold medal in the span of one year.
ii. She also became the youngest Indian ever to win Gold in a senior World stage, achieving the feat in Guadalajara, Mexico in March 2018.
Indian Medals List:
Gold:

Silver:

Bronze:

Amateur Pranavi Urs wins 9th leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour
On 20^th July 2018, Pranavi Urs won the 9^th leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour at the Eagleton golf resort, in Bengaluru.
Pranavi Urs wins 9th leg of Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour:
i. Pranavi Urs shot even par 72 for a total of 4-over 220 and won the 9^th leg of the Hero women’s Pro golf Tour.
ii. She became the second amateur to win a title this season. Ridhima Dilawari was the first amateur to win a Hero WPGT event this season, as she finished on top at the 7^th leg.
iii. Tvesa Malik (75) and Gaurika Bishnoi (76) were Tied-2nd. With the consolation for Tvesa Malik for Rs.7,85,600 she moved to the top of the Hero WPGT Order of Merit, surpassing Neha Tripathi with Rs.7,53,200.
iv. Gursimar Badwal with Rs.6,89,300 is third after being Tied-4th with Neha Tripathi (76).
v. Gursimar Badwal (75) and Neha Tripathi (76) finished Tied-4th with a total of 224.
vi. Trisha Sunil (76) was sixth with 225. Amandeep Drall (74) and Anisha Padukone (74) were Tied-7th with 228.
vii. Suchitra Ramesh (78) was 9^th with 229 and Sonam Chugh (74) was at spot 10.
Some important stadiums in India:
♦ Fatorda Stadium – Goa
♦ Tilak Maidan Stadium – Goa
♦ Duler Stadium – Goa

OBITUARY

The former and first finance minister of Chhattisgarh Ramchandra Singhdeo, passed away
On July 20, 2018, The 88 year old former and first finance minister of Chhattisgarh, Ramchandra Singhdeo, had passed away in Raipur.
i. He was born on February 13, 1930 in Baikunthpur in the Koriya district of Chhattisgarh.
ii. He had a Masters Degree in Science and doctorate (PhD) in life science.
iii. He served as the Minister of Water Resources before Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.

Eminent Hindi poet-lyricist Gopal Das Neeraj passed away in kolkata
On July 20, 2018, eminent Hindi poet Gopal Das Niraj passed away in Kolkata.
i. He was born on January 4,1925 in the village of Puravali near Mahewa of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh.
ii. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1991 and Padma Bhushan in 2007.
iii. He also won Yash Bharati  award, and was the chancellor of Mangalayatan University, Aligarh.