• National

India’s first elephant hospital opens in Mathura

• India’s first specialized hospital for elephants was formally opened by Agra Divisional Commissioner Anil Kumar at Farah block’s Churmura village.
• Located close to the elephant conservation and care centre, the hospital is designed to treat injured, sick or geriatric elephants and is equipped with a medical hoist for lifting elephants.

• Economy and Business

IndusInd Bank Launches India’s 1st Interactive Credit Card With Buttons

• IndusInd Bank has announced the launch of IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card, which empowers customers with a choice of payment options such as EMI, Reward Points or Credit at the push of a button, on the card, at the point of sale (POS).
• The bank claims it to be the nation’s first interactive credit card with buttons.
• According to the bank, this card provides customers with the flexibility of 3 payment options at a POS terminal — Credit, Converting Transactions into EMIs with 4 tenure options (6, 12, 18 & 24 months) or using accumulated Reward Points, by simply pushing a button on the card.

• Awards

Saroj Suman Gulati conferred with Global Education Leaders Award 2018

• An educationist Dr Saroj Suman Gulati has been conferred with the coveted Global Education Leaders Award 2018 by His Highness Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan (member of the Cabinet and Minister of State for Tolerance) UAE.
• The award has been conferred on Dr Gulati in recognition of her exemplary contribution to ‘K-12 education and promotion of Art and Culture’.
• Gulati (Director of Blue Bells Group of Schools) was among the nine eminent education leaders from India who were awarded for their exemplary contribution in various spheres of education and social development.

• Appointments

Asim Kumar Roy appointed as Bengal Lokayukta

• Retired Calcutta High Court judge Asim Kumar Roy was appointed the Lokayukta of West Bengal on 16 November 2018.
• He is the 2nd Lokayukta in the state after Samaresh Banerjee, who had served in the post between 2006 and 2009.
• The West Bengal Assembly had in July 2018 passed the Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

• Appointments

Justice Amareshwar Pratap Sahi sworn in as Chief Justice of Patna High Court

• Today, Justice Amareshwar Pratap Sahi was sworn in as the new chief justice of Patna High Court.
• The oath of office was administered by Bihar governor Lalji Tandon.
• Prior to his appointment Justice Sahi was a judge of the Allahabad High Court.

• Obituaries

Ad. Guru Alyque Padamsee passes away

• Ad Guru Alyque Padamsee (90-years) passed away in Mumbai.
• Mr Padamsee was also best known for his role as Muhammad Ali Jinnah in historical drama “Gandhi” (in 1982).
• He was honoured with Padmashri (in 2000), named Advertising Man of the Century by The Advertising Club in Mumbai.

• Obituaries

Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, Hero of 1971 Longewala Battle, Passes Away

• Decorated war veteran Brigadier Kuldip Singh Chandpuri passed away in a private hospital in Mohali, Punjab.
• He was 78.
• Chandpuri, who was an Army Major during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, had held his post through the night in the famous battle of Longewala in Rajasthan with just 120 men against a full-fledged attack by advancing Pakistani Patton tanks.
• He was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) for the heroic stand-off against the tanks and forcing the enemy to retreat.

• States

Kerala Government launched Gau Samridhi scheme for dairy farmers

• The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has launched the ‘Cow Samridhi Plus Scheme’ to provide insurance coverage to dairy farmers in the state.
• It will give insurance coverage to dairy farmers at low premium rates.
• Farmers belonging to the general category will be getting 50% subsidy on premiums while those belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) category would get 70% subsidy on the premium.

• States

Odisha Government Announced New Biotechnology Policy

• The Odisha government announced a new Biotechnology Policy 2018 to attract investments in the sector at the concluding day of the Make in Odisha Conclave, held in Bhubaneswar.
• Odisha’s Science and Technology Minister B N Patra said that the government will provide its full support for the development of the biotechnology sector by forming Public Private Partnership, bio-incubation centers and bi-tech finishing schools.
• The state government aims to make the state a top biotech investment destination in the country.

• Miscellaneous

Adobe CEO in Business Person of the Year list

• Shantanu Narayen, the Chief Executive Officer of Adobe has been named by Fortune in its ‘2018 Business Person of the Year’ list.
• In the list, Shantanu Narayen is at 12th position.
• The list has been topped by the CEO of insurance company ‘Progressive Tricia Griffith’.
• In choosing Fortune’s ‘Business Person of the Year’, the publication weighs 10 financial metrics like profits and revenue.

• Agreements

India and UK sign MoU for collaboration in cancer research

• India and the United Kingdom (UK)have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in cancer research.
• The MoU was signed between Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Cancer Research UK (CRUK) for India-UK Cancer Research Initiative for collaboration in cancer research for the next five years.

• Agreements

Union Govt. and ADB sign USD 300 Million loans to support IIFCL

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a USD 300 million Loan Agreement to support lending by India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL).
• The Project will enhance the availability of long-term finance for PPP projects, improve the operational capacity of IIFCL, and expand the portfolio of infrastructure financing instruments available to IIFCL.
• The Project supports the renewed effort of the Government of India in accelerating infrastructure growth through increased Private Sector investment.
• The Project is relevant and responsive to the constraints to bank based infrastructure financing, fiscal space creation, and repercussions on GDP growth.