current affairs 16 November 2021 (In English)

Bhadrachalam added as a destination in IRCTC Ramayana Circuit train.

• The Hindu pilgrimage site Bhadrachalam in Telangana has been added as one of the destinations in the Ramayana Circuit of the Pilgrim Special Train of IRCTC.
• The Ramayana Circuit Train will connect all the important places across the country associated with the life of Lord Rama.
• The Ramayana Yatra special train was inaugurated from Delhi on 7 November and will return to Delhi on 23 November after a journey of 17 days.
• The request to add the holy temple of Bhadrachalam was made by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy.

Railway Board issues an order to remove the tag of "Special Train".

• Indian Railways has issued an order to discontinue the special tag for mail and express trains and revert to pre-pandemic ticket prices with immediate effect.
• Ever since the lockdown due to coronavirus has been relaxed, Railways is running only special trains.
• It started with long-distance trains and is now running short-distance passenger services as slightly higher fares special trains to discourage people from avoidable travel.

Neeraj Chopra receives Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

• Tokyo Olympic gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, along with eleven other athletes, received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award from President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• He became India's only second individual gold medalist at the Olympics and the first in athletics.
• Awards are given every year to recognize excellence in sports.

Salman Khurshid has authored a book titled "Sunrise Over Ayodhya: Nationhood in Our Times".

• Former Union Minister and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who recently launched his book on Ayodhya Verdict titled Sunrise Over Ayodhya - Nationhood in Our Times.
• The book talks about unity between Hindus and Muslims and about creating awareness that the Supreme Court verdict on Ayodhya was good.
• On 9 November 2019, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, cleared the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

Former CBDT chief PC Modi has been appointed as the new Secretary General of Rajya Sabha.

• Pramod Chandra Mody has been appointed as the new secretary general of Rajya Sabha.
• Mr Modi is a 1982-batch retired IRS officer and former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• He replaces P.P.K. Ramacharyulu, who was appointed to the post on September 01, 2021.
• Ramacharyulu has now been appointed as an adviser to the Rajya Sabha chairman.