General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - December 2014

Dec 2014

Aug 11, 2025

Indian Railways Conducts Trial Run of Asia's Longest Freight Train 'Rudrastra'

In a landmark achievement, the Indian Railways successfully conducted the trial run of Asia's longest freight train, named 'Rudrastra'. Spanning an incredible 4.5 kilometres in length, the mammoth goods train is set to transform freight transport in India by improving efficiency, reducing turnaround time, and saving resources.
The trial run was held between Ganjkhwaja railway station in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh, and Garhwa in Jharkhand—covering 209 kilometres in 5 hours 10 minutes at an average speed of 40.5 km/h.

Anand Sharma Quits as Congress Foreign Deputy Chief

Senior leader and member of the Congress Working Committee Anand Sharma resigned as Chairman of the All-India Congress Committee foreign department.
Sharma, who was handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi alongside three other Congress leaders to be part of the multi-party global outreach on Operation Sindoor, sent his resignation to party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Aug 10, 2025

Youth Leaders' Roundtable Conference Chaired by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) is organising a visit of a Young Leaders' Delegation from Nepal comprising 10-12 members representing various political parties of Nepal from August 3 to 12, 2025. The visit spans New Delhi, Pune and Mumbai, aimed at fostering greater political and youth-level engagement.
As part of this visit, a Youth Leaders' Roundtable Conference was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Government of India and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi. The Roundtable Conference was chaired by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, and attended by young Members of Parliament from India, who interacted with the Nepali Young Leaders' Delegation.
The Roundtable Conference centred on the theme 'The Role of Youth Exchanges and Sports in Indo-Nepal Bilateral Relations', and provided a vibrant platform for dialogue between emerging political leaders of both nations.

Aug 09, 2025

India Hosts WHO Workshop on Herbal Medicine Safety in Ghaziabad from August 6 to 8

India hosted the WHO-International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH) workshop from August 6 to 8 in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
The three-day workshop was organised by the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and supported by the Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy (PCIM&H).
The event was inaugurated by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, and Dr. Kim Sungchol, Chairperson, WHO–IRCH. Countries which participated physically included Bhutan, Brunei, Cuba, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Paraguay, Poland, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, while Brazil, Egypt, and the USA joined virtually.

Aug 08, 2025

Chandigarh Hosts First National Young Chef Competition to Celebrate Indian Culinary Heritage

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), launched India's inaugural National Young Chef Competition (NYCC) in Chandigarh, aiming to preserve and promote the country's rich culinary heritage. The event, held at the Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hotel Management, marked the North Zone round, with 11 premier hospitality institutes from northern states showcasing their culinary prowess.
Conceptualised by the 120-year-old PHDCCI, the NYCC, themed 'Celebrating Indian Culinary Heritage and Blending Tradition with Innovation,' is a six-month-long initiative organised in partnership with the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC). The competition seeks to highlight the diversity and uniqueness of Indian cuisine while encouraging young chefs to blend traditional flavours with modern techniques.

Mrs. S. Radha Chauhan Assumes Charge as Chairperson of Capacity Building Commission

Mrs. S. Radha Chauhan, a retired IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre (1988 batch), assumed charge as the Chairperson of the Capacity Building Commission in New Delhi. She succeeded Adil Zainulbhai, who led the Commission since its inception in April 2021.
With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, Mrs. Chauhan has held several key positions in both the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Central Government. Notably, she served as the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), playing a pivotal role in policy-making and human resource management for the civil services.

Aug 07, 2025

Sandeep Arya India's Next Ambassador to Bhutan

India appointed Sandeep Arya, a 1994-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, as the next Ambassador of India to Bhutan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated.
Earlier, Arya assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to Vietnam in October 2022.
He was Additional Secretary (Disarmament & International Security Affairs) and Joint Secretary (Europe West/AD) at the MEA between 2019 and 2022.

Delhi Assembly Becomes India's First Legislature to Run Entirely on Solar Power

The Delhi Legislative Assembly became the first legislature in the country to be powered entirely by solar energy, following the commissioning of a 500-kilowatt rooftop solar power plant.
Alongside this, the Assembly launched the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), marking a shift towards paperless legislative functioning.
The two initiatives were inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, who called the Assembly's transition a model for sustainable and digital governance.

PM inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kartavya Bhavan in Delhi in a gala affair as part of the government's ambitious project to bring central ministries and departments under one roof for seamless functioning.
Kartavya Bhavan-3, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, is the first of the several upcoming Common Central Secretariat (CCS) buildings as part of the larger Central Vista project.
The state-of-the-art building, consisting of swanky conference rooms, modern amenities and CCTVs, will house the offices of the ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Rural Development, MSMEs, DoPT, Petroleum and Natural Gas.
The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) will also have his office in the building, which is spread over 1.5 lakh sq metres.

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