Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of July 22nd to 31st July 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs July 22nd to 31st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Every year National Broadcasting Day is celebrated in India on July 23rd to commemorate the first-ever radio broadcast that took place in the country on this day in 1927.
• Every year, India observes National Flag Adoption Day on July 22 to honour the adoption of the tricolour flag and the Ashoka Chakra, symbols of the country's freedom, unity, and sovereignty.
• India’s National Income Tax Day or Rashtriya Aaykar Divas is a significant event in India, commemorated on July 24th each year.
• Kargil Vijay Diwas 2024 is observed on July 26 every year in memory of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Kargil War.
• On July 28th, World Nature Conservation Day 2024 is celebrated and observed all over the world as an awareness program to conserve Nature.
• International Tiger Day is celebrated and observed worldwide as an awareness program on July 29^th.
• Every year, World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2024 is observed on 30th July to build awareness of the anxiety of human trafficking victims and to promote and protect their rights.
• World Ranger Day is celebrated on July 31 each year & It commemorates rangers who have been injured or killed while performing their duties.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

• According to a Bloomberg report, India’s central bank Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sold ₹34 billion ($406 million) of bonds in the secondary market, likely to absorb excess cash in the banking system resulting from inflows into the nation’s debt after being included in a global index.
• Navi Mutual Fund has launched Navi Nifty 500 Multicap 50:25:25 Index Fund, the first-ever index fund to track the Nifty 500 Multicap 50:25:25 index.
• Non-bank financial company Arka Fincap, a part of Kirloskar Group, announced that it had partnered with the Central Bank of India to offer Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) loans.
• Fintech startup TechFini has received final certification from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to operate as a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based payment infrastructure provider for banks and fintech companies.
• Tata AIG General Insurance tied up with Mahindra Finance to distribute non-life insurance products through Mahindra Finance's customer network.
• The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), which received approval of funding of $ 215.6 m from the Green Climate Fund, will create a corpus of $1 billion for ‘financing mitigation and adaptation projects’ (FMAP) of Medium and Small Enterprises (MSMEs).
• Cashfree Payments, a Bengaluru-based company, has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB).
• Fusion MicroFinance Limited, one of India’s leading Non-Banking Financial Companies - MicroFinance Institutions (NBFC-MFIs) in India, has announced the change of its name to Fusion Finance Limited.
• Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) has appointed Grant Thornton Bharat as an external auditor for its IT systems.
• Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched several new digital and technology-driven services aimed at enhancing the customer banking experience.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tightened norms related to cash pay-out service at banks, making it mandatory for lenders to keep a record of recipients.
• HDFC Bank has increased fixed deposit interest rates by up to 20 basis points (bps) for amounts below Rs 3 crore.
• TerraPay, a global money movement company, has announced that financial institutions can now send money directly to over 2.1 billion mobile wallets worldwide using existing Swift connectivity.
• One 97 Communications (OCL), the parent company of fintech firm Paytm, has partnered with Axis Bank to provide point-of-sale (PoS) solutions and Electronic Data Capture (EDC) devices to Axis Bank and its merchant network.
• Fintech app CRED has launched a unified money management dashboard called CRED Money.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to release guidance notes on scenario analysis, stress testing, and effective management of climate-related financial risks.
• The Board of Directors of AU Small Finance Bank(SFB) approved a proposal to apply to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for transitioning from a Small Finance Bank (SFB) to a universal bank.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $200 million loan to expand metro rail corridors and improve transport connectivity in Nagpur, India.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the licence of Uravakonda Co-operative Town Bank Limited., located in Uravakonda, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh (AP).
• According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI's) index that measures the adoption of online transactions, Digital payments across the country registered a 12.6% on-year rise as of March 31, 2024.
• Canara Bank plans to open 250 new branches in the current financial year to mobilize low-cost deposits (Current Account and Savings Account - CASA).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that 5 entities were selected for the test phase of the regulatory sandbox’s theme-neutral fifth cohort that it had announced in October, 2023.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released draft guidelines aimed at bolstering the liquidity resilience of banks amid the increased usage of technology.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework to improve weak Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), effective from April 1, 2025.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed penalties on payment system operators Visa Worldwide, Ola Financial Services and Manappuram Finance for deficiencies in regulatory compliance.
• Public sector banks (PSBs) are expected to receive another two-year extension to comply with the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI's) minimum public shareholding (MPS) norms, requiring a minimum public shareholding of 25%.
• Chennai-based conglomerate Shriram Group is set to enter the asset reconstruction (ARC) business during the current financial year and has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred Vijay Mallya from accessing the Indian securities market for 3 years.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of The Mahabhairab Cooperative Urban Bank Limited., Tezpur, Assam.
• Karnataka Bank has partnered with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited to offer enhanced insurance solutions and customer benefits to its patrons.
• Tata Power Solar Systems Limited (TPSSL) has partnered with the Bank of India (BOI) to provide easy and affordable financing for rooftop solar installations and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) latest Report on Currency and Finance (RCF), India is poised to be the world’s leading supplier of labour, which will propel remittances to around $160 billion in 2029 from $115 billion in 2023.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revoked unrestricted access for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to newly issued Indian government bonds with 14-year and 30-year tenors under the Fully Accessible Route (FAR), effective immediately.
• SBI Mutual Fund Unveiled the “SBI Innovative New Opportunities Fund” to invest in equity and related instruments of companies that are expected to adopt innovation.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI's) latest Report on Currency and Finance (RCF), digital payments have shown remarkable growth with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50% in terms of transaction volume and 10% in terms of transaction value over the past seven years (2017-18 to 2023-24).
• According to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Currency and Finance report for 2023-24, average cost of data breaches in India reached $2.18 million in 2023, marking a 28% increase since 2020.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s currency and finance report, The number of customers using the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) retail pilot grew from 1.3 million to 5 million by June 2024.
• According to the Reserve Bank of India’s currency and finance report, The number of customers using the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) retail pilot grew from 1.3 million to 5 million by June 2024.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning a five-episode web series to present its functions and 90-year journey.
• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced the ‘UPI One World’ wallet, aimed at enhancing the digital payment experience for international visitors to India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is set to introduce a Stewardship Code in September
• The Centre is considering raising the upper limit for short-term crop loans under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh.
• India has significantly transformed its defence sector, moving from being a major arms importer to joining the list of the top 25 arms-exporting nations.
• The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) is currently being held in India for the first time, from July 21 to July 31 at Bharat Mandapam.
• The Economic Survey has called for significant reforms in India's fertiliser administration system, pointing out that similar reforms have been successfully implemented in various countries.
• India is preparing to apply for licenses to explore deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean, aiming to secure critical resources for energy transition technologies.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has introduced the Namo Drone Didi scheme and announced substantial support for natural farming in the Union Budget 2024.
• The government has reinstated the interest subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0 and allocated ₹4,000 crore for the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
• Khelo India, the government’s flagship project aimed at promoting sports at the grassroots level, has once again emerged as the biggest beneficiary in the Union Budget allocation for the Sports Ministry.
• The Union Budget announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman includes plans to assign unique identification numbers for all land parcels in rural areas, termed "Bhu-Aadhaar," and to digitise urban land records by 2027.
• The government of India is set to launch an "Integrated Technology Platform" under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) by the end of 2025.
• The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (IT Ministry) is preparing to release a tender to procure between 300 to 500 graphics processing units (GPUs) as part of the Indian Mission.
• Sa-Dhan, a self-regulatory organisation (SRO) recognised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for microfinance institutions (MFIs), has introduced stricter guidelines for its over 220 members.
• The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) plans to raise over ₹13,500 crore through green bonds for renewable energy projects in the financial year ending March 2025.
• Rashtrapati Bhavan’s grand Durbar Hall and Ashok Hall, traditionally used for ceremonies and celebrations, have been renamed Ganatantra Mandap and Ashok Mandap, respectively.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the first blast for the Shinku La tunnel.
• The Union Budget has increased the eligible loan amount for high-end skilling courses under the Model Skill Loan scheme from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is in Kargil to mark the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.
• India is set to establish 12 new industrial cities across various states to boost domestic manufacturing.
• India ranked second after the US in initiating and imposing anti-dumping duties among WTO members in 2023.
• The Union Health and Family Ministry's tobacco cell reported 350 vape-related violations since 2022.
• The World Bank’s new B-READY project will replace the Doing Business survey, which was discontinued due to data irregularities in 2018 and 2020.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his latest "Mann ki Baat" radio address, commended the emergence of khadi startups and highlighted the vibrant handloom industry spread across India.
• The Ministry of Textiles has announced the establishment of seven Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks with a total outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore.
• The Town Official Language Implementation Committee-TOLIC (PSU) meeting, hosted by NTPC, took place in
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has completed 8.5 million houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) over the past nine years, as reported by Minister of State Tokhan Sahu in the Rajya Sabha.
• The Punjab government has decided to implement the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme after initially opting out, following the Centre's decision to withhold funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
• India's first sunken museum was inaugurated at the Humayun's Tomb Complex in New Delhi.
• The government plans to operationalize 12 new airports across eight states and Union Territories this year under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik)

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• China has unveiled an extensive 60-point policy document aimed at enhancing various sectors, including advanced industries and the business environment.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar inaugurated India's first overseas Jan Aushadi Kendra in Mauritius.
• The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has announced a strategic investment in a 900 MegaWatt (MW) hydroelectric power project in Nepal.
• Israel plans to introduce an e-visa program for Indian travellers, potentially starting later this year.
• Ivory Coast joined the United Nations Water Convention, becoming the 53rd party to the 1992 Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
• Nepal is set to sign a tripartite power trading deal to export 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh via India.
• British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the new United Kingdom (UK)-India Technology Security Initiative.
• Azerbaijan will host the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

• The Bihar government has introduced its first film promotion policy to support filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts.
• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched a scheme named 'Shramik Basera' to provide temporary accommodation to nearly 15,000 construction workers at a nominal rate of Rs 5 per day.
• Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched the "Rajiv Gandhi Civils Abhayahastam" scheme.
• Mizoram's Aizawl would be the 4th capital city in the northeast region to come under railway connectivity by July 2025 as the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) is laying the new Broad Gauge (BG) track up to Sairang, near Aizawl.
• The Kerala government has introduced QR code registration for all inland vessels, including houseboats, operating in the state.
• Kerala is launching the 'Study in Kerala' programme to attract international students to its higher education institutions.
• In a significant move towards sustainable energy, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has launched the ‘Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan’ initiative in Goa.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• The Economic Survey 2023-24, presented by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman provides a detailed overview of India’s economic performance and future outlook.
• The Department of Commerce is developing a comprehensive five-year action plan to achieve $2 trillion in exports of goods and services by 2030. This plan will build on the current 100-day agenda and extend beyond it.
• India's top-10 export destinations saw a growth rate of 16.5% during the April-June quarter, surpassing the overall merchandise export growth of 5.8%.
• In May 2024, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme added 19.5 lakh net new members.
• Hindustan Zinc, the world's second-largest integrated zinc producer, has launched a new low-carbon zinc brand called EcoZen.
• LOHUM will invest ₹2,000 crore over the next six years to build a new plant in Krishnagiri, western Tamil Nadu.
• BSNL aims for a 25% subscriber market share by the end of 2025 as it launches 4G services.
• India aims to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, with a per capita income of $18,000 annually, according to the approach paper for the "Vision for Viksit Bharat in 2047".
• The gold jewellery industry is pushing for a ‘One Nation, One Rate’ policy.
• Aditya Birla Group launched its in-house jewellery brand, Indriya.
• Nearly two years after their initial notification, insider trading regulations for mutual funds (MFs) will finally come into force on November 1, 2024.
• Rapido has become the latest unicorn by raising $120 million (approximately Rs 1,000 crore) in primary capital from existing investor WestBridge Capital, achieving a post-money valuation of $1 billion.
• The Indian economy is projected to grow above 7%, potentially closer to 7.5% in the current fiscal year, according to the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• PwC India announced that Sanjeev Krishan, 53, has been re-elected for a second term as Chairperson of PwC in India, for a four-year period beginning on April 1, 2025.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Krishnan Venkat Subramanian (KVS Manian) as the next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) of Federal Bank for three years.
• Saloma Yomdo has assumed the position of Director (Exploration & Development) at Oil India Limited (OIL).
• The Estonian parliament approved Climate Minister Kristen Michal as the Baltic country’s next prime minister (PM).
• Nita Ambani, Founder of Reliance Foundation, has been re-elected unanimously as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 142nd IOC session in Paris, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
• Bibhuti Bhusan Nayak has been elected as the 67th President of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) for the year 2024-2025.
• Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, known for films such as "Mr India", "Bandit Queen" and "Elizabeth", has been appointed festival director for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
• President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new Governors in 9 states and a new Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry.
• Wales is set to get its first female First Minister after Eluned Morgan was chosen to lead the governing Welsh Labour Party.
• Manoj Mittal has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) by the Government of India.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) appointed senior IPS officer Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS & HONOURS

• Abhinav Bindra, the first Indian to win individual gold at the Olympics, has been honoured with the Olympic Order for his outstanding contributions to the Olympic movement.
• HSBC has been named the World’s Best Bank in three categories – Sustainable Finance, Payments and Treasury, and Public-Sector Clients – in the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

• EQT Private Capital Asia, formerly known as Baring Private Equity Asia, exited RBL Bank by selling its entire 7.89% stake in the private sector lender for Rs 1,091 crore through an open market transaction.
• Aditya Birla group-owned UltraTech entered into a share purchase agreement with the promoters and their associates of India Cements Limited to purchase 10,13,91,231 equity shares or 32.72% stake for ₹390 apiece totalling to ₹3,954 crore, subject to regulatory approvals.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has announced Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) as the principal sponsor for Team India.
• A high-level delegation from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), including Executive Director Mr. Sherif Saadallah and Head Ms. Altaye Tedla, visited NITI Aayog to sign a Joint Letter of Intent (JLoI) with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a premier Telecom R&D centre under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) for the development of ‘Cell-Free’ 6G Access Points.
• The Philippines and Singapore are set to sign a Defence Cooperation Agreement.
• KisanKraft Limited, a Bengaluru-based farm equipment manufacturer, is expanding its operations to Tanzania in East Africa.
• India and the U.S. signed a cultural property agreement that aims to enhance cooperation to protect the cultural heritage of both countries.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND INDEX

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), India makes the third country in the world in terms of forest area growth.
• Parle continues to be the most chosen in-home brand according to Kantar's Brand Footprint Report.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Navy’s warship INS Teg rescued 9 crew members, including 8 Indians, who went missing after an oil tanker capsized off the coast of Oman.
• The Indian Army contingent departed for the Multinational Military Exercise KHAAN QUEST.
• Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched the first indigenous P1135.6 Frigate named Triput.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has collaborated with OpenAI to develop the CAGPT, a fenced GPT that operates without external resources.
• The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a mission to study the Apophis asteroid when it passes by Earth at a very close distance in 2029.
• The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted a flight test of the Phase-II Ballistic Missile Defence System.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Curiosity rover has stumbled upon an extraordinary find on Mars: pure sulphur crystals.
• India is set to send an astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant milestone in its space exploration efforts.
• In a ground-breaking discovery, an international team of astronomers, including Dr. Prashant Pathak, Assistant Professor at the Department of Space, Planetary & Astronomical Sciences & Engineering (SPASE), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP) has discovered a giant planet orbiting a nearby star similar to the Sun.
• The GROWTH-India Telescope captured a 116-metre asteroid, known as ‘2011 MW1’, during its closest approach to Earth.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Legendary Indian tennis players Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian tennis players to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
• A six-member student team from India achieved the country’s best-ever performance at the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) held in Bath, United Kingdom.
• In a star-studded event held in New Delhi, Lallianzuala Chhangte and Indumathi Kathiresan were named the AIFF Best Men's and Women's Players of the Year 2023-24.
• The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has named Manolo Marquez, the coach who led Hyderabad FC to an Indian Super League (ISL) title, as the new head coach of the Indian men's football team.
• Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri and Frenchman Albano Olivetti secured the men’s doubles title at the ATP Swiss Open, held in Gstaad.
• Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been selected as the male flag bearer for Team USA at the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has established a three-member committee to "review the delivery" of the T20 World Cup 2024, which was co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies last month.
• Nick Dunlap made history for the second time in 2024 with his come-from-behind victory at the Barracuda Championship.
• Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has announced that the Paris 2024 Olympics will mark his final appearance with the senior national team.
• Harmanpreet Kaur surpassed Smriti Mandhana to become India's top run-scorer in Women's T20I cricket.
• Hikaru Nakamura and Anish Giri join former world champions Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand, along with stars like Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Ian Nepomniachtchi as “icon players” in the second season.
• At the World Junior Squash Championships held in Houston, USA, India finished sixth in the men’s category and seventh in the women’s category.
• France claimed its first gold medal in men's rugby sevens at the Olympics.
• Ariarne Titmus of Australia won the 400-meter freestyle, defending her Olympic title.
• Sri Lanka won their first Women's Asia Cup title by defeating India by 8 wickets.
• Manu Bhaker won a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol event at the Paris Games.
• Lewis Hamilton secured victory at the 2024 Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix.
• Chennai is set to host India's first-ever night street racing event, marking the second round of the Indian Racing Festival (IRF).
• At the Tokyo Olympics, Torri Huske narrowly missed the women's 100m butterfly podium by a mere hundredth a second.
• Ban Hyo-jin secured a significant victory for South Korea by winning the gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
• China's Sheng Lihao made a remarkable mark at the Paris 2024 Olympics, winning his second gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle event with a new Olympic record.
• India is expected to host the Men’s Asia Cup in 2025.
• Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHOR

• The book "The Vision of Jamsetji Tata," co-authored by R. Gopalakrishnan and Harish Bhat, offers a compelling narrative interwoven with real-life stories and anecdotes about the creation of some of India's most beloved brands, such as Tata Tea, Tata Motors, Titan, and Tanishq.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

• Mark Carnevale, former PGA Tour winner and golf broadcaster, passed away at the age of 64.
• Padma Shri awardee and noted organic farmer Kamala Pujari passed away at the age of 74 in cuttack, Odisha.
• John Mayall, the British blues pioneer whose 1960s music collective the Bluesbreakers helped usher in a fertile period of rock and brought guitarists like Eric Clapton to prominence, passed away at the age of 90.
• Vasai-based Catholic priest Father Francis D’Britto, writer and environmentalist, who translated the Bible into Marathi, passed away at the age of 81 in Vasai in Palghar district.