DAILY GK 27 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 27 AUG 2019

1.    Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019  held in Bengaluru

·        The 4th edition of India’s largest confluence of digital-technology stakeholders, the Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from August 22 – 23, 2019

·        Theme of ‘Mainstreaming the Internet of Things’.

2.    Microsoft and Indian School of Business (ISB) signs MoU to set up AI Digital Lab

·        AI Digital Lab will be powered by PlatiFi technologies(a Microsoft partner) to study issues that are relevant for business and public policy.

3.    Tea grown in Arunachal Pradesh record highest  by Assam tea

·        A variety of tea grown in Arunachal Pradesh touched the record highest by Assam tea in August 13, 2019 where Dikom Tea Estate of Assam had sold its Golden Butterfly tea at Rs 75,000 per kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC).

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DAILY GK 25 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 25 AUG 2019

1. GUJARAT TOPS IN NITI AAYOG REPORT ON ‘COMPOSITE WATER MANAGEMENT INDEX2019 (CWMI 2.0)’

✔According to the recently released report,” Composite Water Management Index 2019” for the year 2017-2018 by Government’s think tank NITI Aayog in association with Ministry of Jal Shakti and Ministry of Rural Development Gujarat has again performed better in water management practices to get top spot.

✔Uttar Pradesh(39), Bihar(38), and Jharkhand(34) continued to be in the low-performing category in the chart.

2. NATIONAL FOOD LABORATORY IN GHAZIABAD INAUGURATED BY HARSH VARDHAN

✔Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated FSSAI’s National Food Laboratory in Ghaziabad on the occasion of 13th anniversary of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This national lab is a result of a Public-Private-Partnership, the first-of-its-kind in the food laboratory sector.

✔The lab is equipped with the latest technologies and facilities to conduct analysis as per global accreditation standards for testing and calibration. NFL is one of the two premier referral laboratories under the direct administrative control of the apex food regulator named- Food Safety and Standard Authority of India.

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DAILY GK 24 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 24 AUG 2019

1. FIRST WORLD YOUTH CONFERENCE ON KINDNESS INAUGURATED BY INDIAN PRESIDENT

✔The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the first World Youth Conference on kindness at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The president addressed the event celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Gandhi for the Contemporary World’.

✔Its aim is to impart empathy, compassion, mindfulness and critical enquiry to inspire, empower and enable youth to transform building a long-lasting peace in their communities and finding pathways to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

✔10th edition of UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development flagship programme ‘the Blue Dot’. It focuses on MGIEP social and emotional learning.

2. INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES HELD A BILATERAL 2+2 INTERSESSIONAL MEETING IN MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA

✔India and the United States held a round of bilateral 2+2 Intersessional meeting in Monterey, California, US.

✔They reviewed the progress and development of bilateral relations in cross-cutting defence, security, and foreign policy areas since the inaugural 2+2 Ministerial meeting of September 2018.

✔They explored further possibilities of cooperation in these fields based on common interest. They discussed on regional developments, and agreed to pursue their quest for a free, open, inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

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DAILY GK 23 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 23 AUG 2019

1. UNION HRD MINISTER LAUNCHES WORLD’S LARGEST TEACHERS’ TRAINING PROGRAMME NISHTHA

✔Union HRD Minister launched the training programme NISHTHA, (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level across the country. This is the largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.

✔NISHTHA to build capacities of 42 Lakh government teachers across the country. The basic objective of this massive training programme ‘NISHTHA’ is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.

2. KARNATAKA TOPS IN STATE ROOFTOP SOLAR ATTRACTIVENESS INDEX 2019

✔The State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index-SARAL was launched during the Review Planning and Monitoring Meeting with States and State Power Utilities. Karnataka has topped the index which evaluates Indian states based on their attractiveness for rooftop development.

✔SARAL currently captures five key aspects:

• Robustness of policy framework
• Implementation environment
• Investment climate
• Consumer experience
• Business ecosystem

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DAILY GK 21 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 21 AUG 2019

1. MOU BETWEEN INDIA & MALDIVES ON TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR MALDIVIAN CIVIL SERVANTS OPERATIONALISED

✔The Memorandum of Understanding between India and Maldives on Training and Capacity Building Programme for Maldivian Civil Servants was operationalised

✔National Center for Good Governance, India and the Civil Services Commission of Maldives had signed an MoU which envisaged capacity building activities for 1000 Civil Servants of Maldives at the National Centre for Good Governance over the next 5 years.

✔India will be the nodal institution for designing customized training modules and its implementation taking into account the requirements of the Civil Service Commission of Maldives.

2. INDIAN-AMERICAN TEEN NAVNEETH MURALI WINS 2019 SOUTH ASIAN SPELLING BEE COMPETITION

✔Navneeth Murali, an Indian-American teenager from New Jersey, has won the 2019 South Asian Spelling Bee contest. The prize money for this contest is USD 3,000.

✔The South Asian Spelling Bee is an annual spelling bee platform in the US for children of South Asian descent. The competition is open to any student at or below the age of 14, who has at least one parent or grandparent who is of South Asian descent, or whose lineage can be traced to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and/or Sri Lanka.

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DAILY GK 20 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 20 AUG 2019

1. PRESIDENT RAM NATH GOVIND INAUGURATES BUNKER MUSEUM AT RAJ BHAVAN

✔The president of India, Shri Ram Nath Govind inaugurated the 15,000 square feet underground bunker museum at Raj Bhavan (Governor’s government house) in Mumbai.

✔The president also unveiled the foundation stone for the reconstruction of Jal Bhushan. It is the Governor’s office-cum-residential building with a history of nearly 200 years.

2. GUJARAT TO GET COUNTRY’S FIRST INSTITUTE FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

✔As a boost to the chemical industry in the country, Gujarat is to get the country’s first Central Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology. The CICET would be built either at Ahmedabad or Surat.

✔A plastic Waste Management Centre in Ahmedabad is to be set up to find out solutions to systematic segregation and recycling of plastic waste.

✔A skill development centre will start functioning at Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

✔Another campus, Central Institute of Plastic Engineering & Technology is to be set up at a cost of ₹54crore in Valsad, Gujarat for the benefit of tribal students and the plastic industry.

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DAILY GK 19 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 19 AUG 2019

1. TWO-DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TEACHER EDUCATION BY NCTE HELD IN NEW DELHI

✔A 2 day International Conference titled “Journey of Teacher Education: Local to Global” was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in New Delhi.

✔Ministry of Human Resource Development will launch the world’s biggest project for teacher training named NISHTHA (National Initiative on School Teachers Head Holistic Advancement) on August 22, 2019.

✔40 renowned experts from India and abroad deliberated on the areas like the present scenario of teacher education in the Indian context; innovations in teaching practices; integration of information and communications technology in teaching; inclusive education in teaching-learning environment; and internationalization of teacher education.

2. 28TH BASIC MINISTERIAL MEETING 2019 ON CLIMATE CHANGE HELD IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

✔The 28th session of BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China) Ministerial meeting 2019 on Climate Change was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar represented India for this meeting.

✔Mr. Prakash Javadekar stated that the BASIC Group coming & putting views together is an important aspect of the UN negotiations.

✔China will host the 29th BASIC Ministerial Meeting in 2020.

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DAILY GK 18 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 18 AUG 2019

1. SC CLEARS CHARDHAM PROJECT, WHICH WILL CONNECT 4 HOLY PLACES IN UTTARAKHAND

✔The Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Surya Kant has cleared the Chardham highway project, which will connect 4 holy places of Uttarakhand (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri) through 900 km all-weather roads by modifying an NGT order to form a committee to look into environmental concerns.

2. CHINA SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED A NEW ROCKET FOR COMMERCIAL USE NAMED SMART DRAGON-1

✔A new rocket for commercial use named Smart Dragon-1 with 3 satellites, developed by the China Rocket Company affiliated to the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology was launched successfully from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

✔SD-1 has a total length of 19.5 metres, a diameter of 1.2 metres and a take-off weight of about 23.1 tonnes.

✔It is a small-scale solid-propellant carrier rocket capable of sending 200 kg payloads to the solar synchronous orbit at an altitude of 500 km.

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DAILY GK 14 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 14 AUG 2019

1. 33% OF INDIA’S SKILLED YOUTH ARE JOBLESS: PLFS 2017-18

✔An analysis of the unit-level data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18, conducted by the NSSO, found that 33% of India’s skilled youth are jobless. 4 out of 10 youth who received vocational training are out of the labour force. Nearly a third of trained young men and more than a third of trained young women were unemployed.

✔In 2017-18, only 1.8% of the population (15-29 years) reported receiving formal vocational/technical training. 42% of the youth who received formal technical training were not part of the labour force.

2. SWACHH SURVEKSHAN 2020 LAUNCHED BY MOS FOR HOUSING SHRI HARDEEP PURI

✔The Minister of State (I/C) for housing and urban affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri launched the 5th edition of annual cleanliness survey, Swachh Survekshan 2020. Swachh Survekshan 2020 Toolkit, Swachh Bharat Mission Water PLUS Protocol and Toolkit, Swachh Nagar- an integrated waste management app and Artificial intelligence enabled mSBM app was launched.

✔A special song based on the Swachh Survekshan theme was released. It features Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, singers Kailash Kher and Monali Thakur.

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DAILY GK 12 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 12 AUG 2019

1. DEFENCE MINISTRY EXTENDS BENEFITS OF CHILD CARE LEAVE TO SINGLE MALE SERVICE PERSONNEL

✔Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh has approved the extension of Child Care Leave benefits to single male service personnel and further, the minimum period of CCL has been reduced to 5 days instead of 15 days.

✔Till now, women officers of defence forces are given up to 15 days to care for children up to the age of 22, with a 40 % disability. Not only female employees but now Single male service personnel also will be given 5 days leave from the earlier limit of 15 days to care for their children (irrespective of age).

2. MSCI ADDED HDFC LIFE INSURANCE TO ITS GLOBAL STANDARD INDEX

✔Morgan Stanley Capital International Inc, One of the world’s biggest index compilers, has added HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. to its Global Standard Index and removed Union Bank of India from its India Smallcap Index.

✔After the announcement, the stocks of HDFC Life gained more than 5 % intraday to hit a record high of Rs 545 & the shares of Union Bank corrected 2 % at Rs 62.40.

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DAILY GK 11 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 11 AUG 2019

1. PRESIDENT RAM NATH KOVIND GIVES ASSENT TO THE MOTOR VEHICLES (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2019

✔President of India Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, to improve road safety and facilitation of the citizens while dealing with transport departments. The Act will amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

✔The Act provides for the grant of licenses, regulation of cab aggregators, road safety and penalties for violation of these provisions.

✔The Bill proposes a scheme to allow cashless treatment of victims in a road accident during the golden hour. The golden hour is defined as the time period of up to one hour following a traumatic injury, during which the likelihood of preventing death through prompt medical care is the highest.

✔The Bill proposes to increase the minimum compensation for hit and run cases. In case of the death, the compensation has been raised from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 2,00,000, and in case of grievous injury it will be from Rs. 12500 to Rs. 50,000.

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DAILY GK 10 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 10 AUG 2019

1. INDIA’S FIRST UNDERWATER TRAIN WILL BE LAUNCHED IN KOLKATA

✔India’s first underwater train project is set to launch in Kolkata, West Bengal under the Hooghly river.

✔It is a 16-kilometer long Kolkata Metro project. It will connect Salt Sector 5 with Howrah Maidan.

✔The phase-one of the project connecting Salt Lake Sector-5 to Salt Lake Stadium will be operational.

2. MANIPUR TOPS THE RANK IN BREASTFEEDING REPORT RELEASED BY HEALTH MINISTER

✔Manipur has topped the rankings in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country. Health and Family Welfare Minister released a report on Breastfeeding.

✔Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions in the report card.

✔The Breastfeeding report card has been developed by devising a composite score based on 3 indicators namely early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and complementary feeding at 6-8 months of child’s age.

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DAILY GK 9 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 9 AUG 2019

1. IIT MADRAS PARTNERS WITH NIOT FOR OCEAN WAVE ELECTRICITY HARNESSING

✔The Indian Institute of Technology Madras partnered with National Institute of Ocean Technology to harness electricity from ocean waves. Both institutions will together develop turbines that can harness the power of ocean waves to generate electricity.

✔The research is being headed at IIT Madras. The partnership is aimed at meeting renewable energy and climate change objectives of the government of India.

2. PAPUA NEW GUINEA HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ‘LIVING’ LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD, INDIA RANKS 4TH

✔Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, Country in Oceania tops the list with 840 living languages, while India ranks 4th position with 453.

✔The other nations in the top 5 positions include Indonesia (2nd ) with 710 living languages and Nigeria (3rd with 524) and US (United States) came 5th with 335.

✔The year 2019 is designated as United Nations’ International Year of Indigenous Languages with the aim to enhace native tongues in 5 major areas which includes,

• Creation of favourable conditions for knowledge-sharing and dissemination of good practices with regards to indigenous languages.
• Increasing understanding, reconciliation and international cooperation
• Integration of indigenous languages into standard setting
• Empowerment through capacity building.
• Growth and development via elaboration of new knowledge

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DAILY GK 8 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 8 AUG 2019

1. PARLIAMENT PASSED THE CONSUMER PROTECTION BILL, 2019

✔The Rajya Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill, 2019. The bill will lead to setting up of a Central Consumer Protection Authority to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class.

✔The Bill seeks to strengthen the rights of consumers and provides a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defects in goods and deficiency in services. The bill will replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.

2. LOK SABHA PASSED THE TRANSGENDER PERSONS (PROTECTION OF RIGHTS) BILL, 2019

✔Lok Sabha passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote. It was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 19, 2019 by the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr. Thaawarchand Gehlot.

✔The Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth and according to 2011 Census, there are more than 4.80 lakh transgenders in India.

✔The Bill prohibits any kind of discrimination against a transgender person.

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DAILY GK 6 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 6 AUG 2019

1. CENTRE TO REPEAL OF ARTICLE 370 AND 35A THAT GRANTS SPECIAL STATUS TO J&K

✔Government announced to repeal Article 370 [except the first clause 370 (1)] and Article 35A which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

✔Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill, 2019 in Rajya Sabha which seeks to bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir into 2 Union territories – J&K a Union Territory with Legislature, and Ladakh Union Territory without Legislature.

✔President Ram Nath Kovind in “concurrence” with the “Jammu and Kashmir government” promulgated Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 which states that provisions of the Indian Constitution are applicable in the state. It comes into force “at once”, and shall supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954.

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DAILY GK 4 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 4 AUG 2019

1. PARLIAMENT PASSED AIRPORTS ECONOMIC REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF INDIA (AMENDMENT) BILL 2019

✔Parliament passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which amends the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008.

✔The new bill increases the threshold of annual passenger traffic for major airports to over 35 lakh from 15 lakh. It is increased as the number of air traffic passengers has been increased 117 million from 2008 to 345 million.

✔Tariff determination: Under the Act, AERA is responsible for determining the tariff for aeronautical services at different airports every 5 years, development fees of major airports, and the service fee of passengers. 

2. WORLD’S FIRST ULTRA-FAST HYPERLOOP PROJECT GRANTED TO MAHARASHTRA

✔The infrastructure project status worth $10billion was granted to Maharashtra by India, to establish the world’s first ultra-fast Hyperloop project.

✔This project stretching over 117.5km, will link Mumbai with the neighbouring city of Pune and travels to the destination in about 35 minutes.

✔Hyperloops freight at speeds up to 1200 km per hour using magnetic to levitate pods inside an airless tube.

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DAILY GK 5 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 5 AUG 2019

1. Lok Sabha to become paperless from next session

✔Speaker of Lok Sabha, Om Birla announced that the Lower House will become paperless from the next session. It will save crores of rupees to the exchequer/ national treasury.

2. Netherlands imposed ban on burqa and niqab in public places

✔The cabinet of Netherlands imposed a ban on Burqa or niqab in public places, including public transport, government buildings and at health and education institutions. Anyone found guilty will have to pay a fine of Rs 28,000.

✔Along with burqa, niqab or veil, it also banned motor helmets and ski masks. It does not include headscarves, as they cover only the head and not the face. A fine of 150 euros will be imposed on breaking the law.

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DAILY GK 3 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 3 AUG 2019

1. NAGAR KIRTAN(SIKH RELIGIOUS PROCESSION) FROM PAKISTAN REACHES INDIA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PARTITION

✔To mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Sikhism founder, a Nagar Kirtan, a Sikh religious procession was taken out for 1st time after Independence from Nankana Sahib district of Pakistan’s Punjab province entered into Attari village in Amritsar, Punjab.

✔The procession which comprising around 500 Sikh devotees will stop at Golden Temple of Amritsar before it begins its onward journey.

✔2019 marks the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Government of India will celebrate the event throughout the country and across the globe for a period of one year from November 2018 to November 2019.

2. RBI GRANTED BANK OF CHINA TO OFFER REGULAR BANKING SERVICES IN INDIA

✔India’s central banking institution, RBI has allowed Bank of China to provide regular bank services in India. BoC will be included in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

✔Jan Small Finance Bank Ltd has also been included in the second schedule. Apart from this, the name ‘Royal Bank of Scotland’ has been changed to ‘NetWest Market Plc’.

✔ ‘National Bank of Australia’ has been removed from the bank list under the Banking Regulation Act,1949.

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DAILY GK 1 AUG 2019

DAILY GK 1 AUG 2019

1. Parliament passed Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019

✔Parliament passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2019.

✔The bill criminalizes instant triple talaq among Muslims and attracts a jail term of three years for the husband.

✔It protects the rights of married Muslim women and prevent divorce by the practice of instantaneous and irrevocable ‘talaq-e-biddat’ by their husbands. It also provides the rights of subsistence allowance, custody of minor children to victims of triple talaq i.e. talaq-e-biddat.

2. Govt sanctioned project for development of Tirthankar Circuit covering sites associated with Jainism under Swadesh Darshan scheme

✔Government has sanctioned Rs.52.39 crores for the project development of Vaishali, Arrah, Masad,  Patna, Rajgir, Pawapuri, Champapuri in Bihar under the Tirthankar Circuit theme of Swadesh Darshan Scheme in the year 2016-17.

✔The ministry has identified Tirthankar Circuit as one of 15 thematic circuits for development under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. All sites in the country related to Jainism are covered under this Circuit.

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DAILY GK 31 JULY 2019

DAILY GK 31 JULY 2019

1. INDIA SIGNS MOU WITH MYANMAR ON DEFENSE CO-OPERATION IN NEW DELHI

✔India signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Myanmar on defence co-operation in New Delhi after the 2 sides held talks on issues including reviewing joint exercises and training provided to Myanmar Defence Services in India, strengthening maritime security through joint surveillance and developing new infrastructure.

✔Myanmar is a key support of India’s Act East Policy towards prioritizing relations with its East Asian neighbors.

2. SINGAPORE TOPS ASIA IN DELL GLOBAL WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR CITIES INDEX 2019, BENGALURU TOP INDIAN CITY

✔According to the latest “Women Entrepreneur Cities Index 2019”, IHS Markit, Singapore tops in Asian city ranked at 21st position, while Indian cities Bengaluru(Karnataka) and Delhi were ranked 43rd (7th in Asia) and 50th (10th in Asia) respectively.

✔San Francisco Bay Area has topped the list followed by New York and London.

✔The ranking measures a city’s ability to attract and support high potential women entrepreneurs. And it is constructed using five “pillars” include market, talent, capital (all 3 under operating Environment), culture and technology (under Enabling Environment).

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