Notes:
The biennial event on Civil Aviation and Aerospace ‘Wings India 2018’ has started with theme “India-Global Aviation Hub” in Hyderabad on March 8. It is jointly organized by Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India and FICCI. The WINGS INDIA 2018 is a platform for interactions, forging alliances, investments and air connectivity between the States and the global aviation players & stakeholders. The four-day event has witnessed the presence of 125 exhibitors and 35 CEOs. It also saw representation from 10 countries. The focus of the conference is to foster partnership to transform Indian aviation and the role of conducive regulatory framework to facilitate growth of civil aviation market.

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As part of the 10th edition of MILAN 2018, the first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea called MILES-18 has started on March 11, 2018. The exercise will be conducted for three days in the Andaman Sea. Those participating in the event include 11 foreign naval ships and six Indian ships. Apart from enhancing inter-operability, the exercise will enable honing of search and rescue operations procedures, maritime interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of maritime security scenarios. The Andaman Nicobar naval command is organizing multi-national mega event “Milan 2018” with theme ‘Friendship Across the Seas’ at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar islands from March 6 to March 13, 2018. The purpose of Milan 2018 is to enhance regional cooperation for combating Unlawful Activities at sea will be organised.

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Indian shooter Akhil Sheoran clinched gold medal in men’s 50m Rifle 3-Position at ISSF Shooting World Cup at Guadalajara in Mexico on March 10, 2018. In his first-ever World Cup participation, Akhil shot 455.6 in the final to leave behind Austria’s Bernhard Pickl in second place with 452. Hungarian Istvan Peni got 442.3 points in total to take the bronze medal. This was India’s 4th gold medal after Manu Bhaker, Om Prakash Mitharval and Shahzar Rizvi, bagged the yellow metal in the competition so far. India now tops the medal tally with a total of nine medals. International Shooting Sports Federation World Cup Stage 1 will conclude on March 11 with the Skeet Men final.

Notes:
World champions Australia have lifted the coveted 27th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah cup 2018 in Ipoh, Malaysia on March 10, 2018. In the final, they beat defending champions England by a narrow 2-1 margin. With this, Australia has now won the prestigious tournament for the 10th time. Earlier, in the classification match for the 3rd place, Argentina finished third after beating Malaysia 3-2. The hosts ended at the 4th spot.

Notes:
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has recently signed a cooperation arrangement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to promote solar energy deployment in Asia and the Pacific on March 10, 2018. The cooperation envisages solar power generation, solar based mini-grids and transmission systems for integrating solar energy into grids. The ISA and the ADB would also cooperate on knowledge sharing and developing technology roadmaps for the promotion of solar energy. Apart from this, the ISA has also inked joint financial partnership declarations with the African Development Bank (AfDb), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Green climate fund (GCF), and the New Development Bank (NDB). ISA and AfDb would work on mobilisation of concessional financing through existing, notably the Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Facility for Energy Inclusion. AIIB and ISA have collaborated for promotion of solar energy in prospective ISA member countries where AIIB operates. Besides, ISA and GCF will promote development of affordable, reliable and sustainable solar energy as an important way towards a sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The purpose of the agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of renewable energy.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron co-chaired the first Founding Conference of International Solar Alliance (ISA) at the Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Center in New Delhi on March 11, 2018. The purpose of the summit is to focus on various aspects of promoting solar energy in 121 countries that are part of the International Solar Alliance. The summit was attended by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid among other dignitaries from over 50 countries. The ISA is the first treaty-based intergovernmental organisation to be based in India that aims to help sunshine-rich developing countries to tap solar energy at more affordable prices.

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Dr. Patangrao Kadam (74), the senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra minister, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on March 9, 2018. He founded the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, an educational empire which is spread across the state, and also set up cooperative ginning mills and sugar mills in western Maharashtra. He held key portfolios such as cooperation, forest, relief & rehabilitation, education and industry under Congress -led governments during his decades-long political career.

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Sitanshu Kar, an officer of 1983 batch of Indian Information Service (IIS), will be the new head of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) after superannuation of Frank Noronha on April 30. He will take charge as PIB head on 1st May 2018. Presently, he is the director general of All India Radio (AIR)’s News Services Division (NSD).

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India B has won the 45th edition of the Deodhar Trophy 2018 by defeating Karnataka in the final by 6 wickets at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The Deodhar Trophy is a List A cricket competition in Indian domestic cricket and is named after Prof. D. B. Deodhar, who is known as the Grand Old Man of Indian cricket.

Notes:
The Telangana government has launched India’s first state-led incubator for women entrepreneurs, called as Women Entrepreneurship Hub (WE-Hub), in Hyderabad on the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD-2018). Unlike T-Hub, which is meant for technology startups, WE Hub will be open for all kinds of startups led by women. We-Hub will promote women-led, women-owned enterprises in Telangana. It is a platform which is open to all kinds of innovations including a tech start-up, a start-up in social innovation or an idea which is completely radically different. Deepthi Ravula is heading the WE-Hub incubator as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).