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Tropical cyclones

Tropical cyclones Tropical cyclones across the globe, except Atlantic hurricanes, are moving closer to land in recent decades, a new study found. Tropical cyclones generally have been moving westward by about 30 kilometres per decade since 1982, putting them closer to land and making them more dangerous, a study published in Science said. Each decade since the 1980s, an additional two cyclones have come within 200 kilometres of land, the study said. Ominous trends Researche

What caused the tilt to Saturn’s rotation axis?

What caused the tilt of Saturn’s rotation axis? The tilt of the rotation axis of the gas giant Saturn may in fact be caused by its moons, scientists from CNRS, Sorbonne University and the University of Pisa have reported (Nature Astronomy). The current tilt of Saturn's rotation axis is caused by the migration of its satellites, and especially by that of its largest moon, Titan. Recent observations have shown that Titan and the other moons are gradually moving away from Satur

Vishakhapatnam: Best Performing Civic Body in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Awards

Vishakhapatnam: Best Performing Civic Body in Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Awards The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has selected Vishakhapatnam Municipal Corporation as the best-performing civic body. Vishakhapatnam was placed under the Annual Awards for Excellence which recognises the outstanding contribution of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban in 2019.  Andhra Pradesh bagged a special category award in innovative construction technology and project monitoring tools.

Minister Harsh Vardhan nominated to GAVI Board

Minister Harsh Vardhan nominated to GAVI Board The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan was recently nominated by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, GAVI as a member of GAVI board. The term of the minister as a member in the GAVI board will be between 2021 and 2023.  Dr Harsh Vardhan was elected as the chair of the World Health Organization. GAVI Board The GAVI Board is responsible for policy making, providing strategic directions

Republic Day Parade, 2021

Republic Day Parade, 2021 The Republic Day parade of 2021 will feature the newly acquired Rafale fighter jets. The Rafael Jets will be a part of the Ekalavya formation.  The vertical Charlie formation is when an aircraft flies at a lower altitude and conducts rolls before stabilizing at a higher altitude. About the Parade The Republic Day parade marches from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate along the Rajpath. The first Republic Day parade was held in 1950. The chief

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar The award is formerly known as the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement. This is the Highest Civilian Honour in India that is given to exceptional achievers under the age of 18. A child must be an Indian Citizen and reside in India in order to get the award. The Ministry of Women and Child Development instituted the purashkar in 1996. This Pushkar recognizes the children with exceptional abilities and outstanding status in

Padma Awards 2021

Padma Awards 2021 On the evening of 72nd Republic Day, India honoured 119 people from the diverse fields with the Padma Awards. Highlights These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions at Rashtrapati Bhawan.. It also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners or NRI or PIO or OCI,16 Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender awardee. Shri Ram Vilas Paswan has conferred the award (Posthumous) in Public Affairs Bihar category. Padma Awa

Impact of COVID-19 on adolescent girls and Education

Impact of COVID-19 on adolescent girls and Education Prelims Pointers: Education is in the Concurrent List. It was put into the Concurrent list (List III under Article 246) after the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act, 1976. Like the rest of the population, as many as 120 million adolescent girls (data for Mains) — roughly one-tenth of the nation — are experiencing a never-before situation. However, the disruption they are facing is likely to push back the gains made in the pre

Bhashan Char Island

Bhashan Char Island Key Facts The Bangladesh Authorities recently moved around 1,750 Rohingya Muslims to a controversial island in the Bay of Bengal called the “Bhashan Char Island”.  About Bhashan Char The island is also known as Char Piya. It is in Hatiya Upazila, Bangladesh. The island is located in the Bay of Bengal about 6 kilometres from Sandwip island. How the island was formed? The island was formed in the year 2006 by Himalayan silt. A

Tribal issues

Tribal issues For almost two decades now, Chellapan and his family have been forced to lead a nomadic life after being ‘banished’ from their tribal colony. The punishment came after Chellappan, who belongs to the Muthuvan tribe, married his maternal cousin, which is prohibited in the community. He and his wife Yasodha were ostracised from the Adichilthotty tribal colony in Athirappilly panchayat in the Edamalayar forest range, straddling Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. Si

First-ever Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sports Festival begins in Ladakh

First-ever Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sports Festival begins in Ladakh Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju inaugurated the first-ever Khelo India Zanskar Winter Sports Festival on January 21, 2021, at Padum in Zanskar of Kargil district.  The 13-day festival has been organised by the Ladakh UT Administration to promote Zanskar as a winter tourist destination. The Union Sports Minister said that Zanskar used to remain cut off from the rest of the world for 5-6 months d

Contemporary World History: Russia

Contemporary World History: Russia Russian authorities have repeatedly tried to play down the political importance of Alexei Navalny, the opposition politician who was poisoned in Siberia five months ago, saying he is unpopular. President Vladimir Putin, while answering questions from reporters in December on the poison attack, said, ‘who needs him anyway’. But the arrest of the 44-year-old Kremlin critic upon his return to Moscow on Sunday — he left the country in

Flight Lieutanant Bhawana Kanth

Flight Lieutanant Bhawana Kanth Bhawana Kanth is to become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the Republic Day parade. She was one of the first women fighter Pilots inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2016. The other fighter pilots inducted into the Indian Air Force were Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. Bhawana Kanth In 2019, Bhawana Kanth became the first female fighter pilot of India to qualify to undertake combat missions. She received the Na

Theodore Baskaran won Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020

Theodore Baskaran won Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020 S. Theodore Baskaran who is a writer, a historian, a naturalist and an activist has won the Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award, 2020. The award was instituted by the Sanctuary Nature Foundation. Why did he win the award? Theodore Baskaran was chosen for the award in the light of his dedication to wildlife conservation. He won the award for his writing prowess in English and Tamil.  About S. Theodore B

Hyderabad- 2020 Tree City of the World

Hyderabad- 2020 Tree City of the World The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as a 2020 Tree City of the World. Hyderabad was selected for recognition following its commitment to grow and maintain the urban forests. Highlights This recognition was a testament to the city’s sustained and institutional efforts of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. It also marks the development of

Harvest Festivals of India

Harvest Festivals of India Lohri Lohri is primarily celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus. It marks the end of the winter season and is traditionally believed to welcome the sun to the northern hemisphere. It is observed a night before Makar Sankranti, this occasion involves a Puja Parikrama around the bonfire with prasad. It is essentially termed as the festival of the farmers and harvest, whereby, the farmers thank the Supreme Being. Makar Sankranti Makar Sankranti denotes the

List of all valleys of India

List of all valleys of India Dzukou Valley wildfire The wildfire at Dzukou Valley, straddling the Manipur-Nagaland border, has been doused after it raged for two weeks, officials said on Monday. No fresh fire or smoke was visible. The Dzukou Valley, situated at an average altitude of 2,452 metres, is a popular trekking destination known for its exotic flowers. #joinourtelegram# List of all valleys of India Araku Valley = Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Barak Valley

Status of Gender Inequality in India

Status of Gender Inequality in India Is the electoral promise of paying women for carrying out domestic work and care work a progressive public policy? The proposal, put forth by Kamal Haasan’s political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam, has generated curiosity and reopened the old but unsettled academic debate. On the face of it, the proposal might appear progressive. However, closer scrutiny suggests otherwise. A disproportionate burden of work Women bear a disproportionate

Abhilash Tomy

Abhilash Tomy Commander Tomy, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo and unassisted in a sailing yacht, intends to give another shot at the Golden Globe Race next year. The GGR, as it is called, is a daredevil ocean race with basic, read vintage, sailing equipment which he attempted in 2018. But a vicious storm in the southern Indian Ocean dismasted him and he sustained a spinal injury. He was subsequently rescued in a multi-nation effort and had to undergo surgery.

All woman cockpit crew

All woman cockpit crew The first non-stop flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru, flown by four women pilots, landed at Kempegowda International airport in Bengaluru at 3.07 am on Monday, flying over the North Pole and covering a distance of about 16,000 kilometers. The flight was operated by an all-women cockpit crew of Captain Zoya Aggarwal (P1), Captain Papagari Thanmai (P1), Captain Akansha Sonaware (P2) and Captain Shivani Manhas (P2), who responded to the cheers and clapping by

Iran and South Korea

Iran and South Korea Iran warned on Monday its seizure of a South Korean tanker in the Gulf must not be politicised after the U.S. and France urged the Islamic Republic to release the ship. “We have repeatedly told... the intervening parties, whether they are the United States or France, that the case does not concern them at all and that they will not help to solve a technical problem if they politicise it,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh. The Islamic Re

Author Ved Mehta passes away

Author Ved Mehta passes away Celebrated Indian-American author Ved Mehta, who overcame blindness and became widely known as the 20th-century writer most responsible for introducing American readers to India, died in the U.S. on Saturday. The New Yorker magazine, where he had been a staff writer for 33 years, announced the death on Sunday. Mehta was born in pre-Partition Lahore into a well-off Punjabi family in 1934. He lost his eyesight at the age of three from meningitis. He did not

FLIGHT LIEUTANANT BHAWANA KANTH

FLIGHT LIEUTANANT BHAWANA KANTH Bhawana Kanth is to become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the Republic Day parade. She was one of the first women fighter Pilots inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2016. The other fighter pilots inducted into the Indian Air Force were Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. Bhawana Kanth In 2019, Bhawana Kanth became the first female fighter pilot of India to qualify to undertake combat missions. She received the Na

Vanadium reserves in Arunachal Pradesh

Vanadium reserves in Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh, considered a sleeping hydropower giant, is likely to become India’s prime producer of vanadium, a high-value metal used in strengthening steel and titanium. Exploration is carried out by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has placed the eastern Himalayan State on the vanadium map of the country, and geologists are confident of identifying a deposit soon. India is a significant consumer of vanadium but is not a primary prod

Nari Shakti Puraskar

Nari Shakti Puraskar Nari Shakti Puraskar is conferred every year on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The award is conferred by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The Nari Shakti Puruskar is awarded to individuals or groups or NGOs or institutions. The award encourages women to participate in decision-making roles, and skill development in traditional and non-traditional sectors among the women. Who are eligible for the award? As per the Guideline

Indonesia jet missing

Indonesia Jet missing A jet carrying 62 people lost contact with air traffic controllers minutes after taking off from Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on a domestic flight on Saturday. Officials were examining debris found by fishermen to see if it was from the missing plane. The plane was carrying 50 passengers and 12 crew members, all Indonesian nationals. #joinourtelegram# Reason for the missing Indonesia jet: Thunderstorms What are Thunderstorms? A lightnin

Interlinking of the Rivers and Ken-Betwa Project

The Ken-Betwa Link Project The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the River interlinking project that aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in MP to Betwa in UP to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region spread across the districts of two states mainly Jhansi, Banda, Lalitpur and Mahoba districts of UP and Tikamgarh, Panna and Chhatarpur districts of MP. Ken-Betwa is one of the 30 rivers interlinking projects conceived across the country. The project has been delayed du

All the Martial Arts of India

All the Martial Arts of India 1.  Kalaripayattu It is the oldest martial art in India and originated in the state of Kerala in 4th century A.D. Techniques of Kalaripayattu: Uzhichil or the massage with Gingli oil, Otta, Maipayattu or body exercises, Puliyankam or sword fight, Verumkai or bare-handed fight etc. Kalari is a Malayalam word which means School/gymnasium/training hall where Martial arts are practised or taught. Kalaripayattu was introduced as a martial art

Mukundpura meteorite

Mukundpura meteorite On June 6, 2017, at around 5 a.m., residents of Mukundpura village near Jaipur saw a bright trail in the sky followed by a thunderous sound. They spotted a burning object with a sulphur smell on the soft agricultural land. The meteorite broke into several fragments, but a pit of about 15 cm in diameter and 10 cm in depth was formed at the impact site. The local police immediately collected it and handed it over to the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata. No

Women Violence and Attitudinal problem

Women Violence and Attitudinal problem Unnao. Hathras. And now Badaun. The dirge continues as news of another horrific alleged rape and murder emerged from Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. A 50-year-old anganwadi worker, who visited a temple, was found brutally battered outside her home at a village in Badaun district. After she succumbed to the injuries, a depressingly similar pattern came to light: the police had dithered with both the post mortem and in registering an FIR. The culprits, a

Buddhism and Philately

Buddhism and Philately It’s no surprise that many stamps of M. Lokeswara Rao are related to nature. But about one-third of Mr Rao’s stamp collection is on Buddhism. In his book, Buddhism on Stamps, which was released on Thursday, he discusses the life and teachings of Buddha through 1,134 philatelic (collection of stamps) material, including stamps and postcards. “I took to painting Buddha in 2014 as a stress-relieving hobby. Two years later, when I retired, I starte

AI ‘Ramanujan Machine’- Can find Hidden Patterns in Numbers

AI ‘Ramanujan Machine’- Can find Hidden Patterns in Numbers A new artificially intelligent “mathematician” which is called the “Ramanujan Machine” has the potential to reveal the hidden relationships between numbers. Key Facts Ramanujan machine comprises of the algorithms that seek out the mathematical conclusions. These mathematical conclusions are likely to be true but have not been proved. The set of algorithms has been named after the Indian

Preeti Sinha- To lead United Nations Capital Development Fund

Preeti Sinha- To lead United Nations Capital Development, Fund The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has appointed Preeti Sinha as its Executive Secretary. She is an Indian-origin investment and development banker. Highlights The executive secretary will work with her focus on providing micro-finance assistance to women, youth, and small and medium-sized enterprises belonging to the underserved communities. The Executive Secretary is the highest leadershi

Malayalam poet-lyricist Anil Panachooran passed away

Malayalam poet-lyricist Anil Panachooran passed away Poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran were 55. A lawyer by profession, Panachooran came into the limelight in 2007 with the much-appreciated songs in Arabikkadha, including ‘Chora Veena Mannil...’ and ‘Thirike Njan...’. ‘Chora Veena Mannil...’, sung with revolutionary fervour by the poet himself, is played regularly at Left cultural events. Then came the song ‘Vyathyasthanam oru barber...&rsqu

Legendary Music Director Shantanu Mohapatra passes away

Legendary Music Director Shantanu Mohapatra passes away Legendary Odia musician, Shantanu Mohapatra passed away. He was the first Odia music composer to work with legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey and Md Rafi and also the first to work in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and Telugu film industries. Mohapatra has composed music for hundreds of Odia film songs and Jatra (opera) shows in a career that spanned over three decades. Mohapatra, who retired as the Director of Odisha Min

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2020

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill 2020 What is the news? The Delhi High Court has directed the Medical Superintendent of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) to constitute a medical board to examine the condition of a 25-week pregnant woman, whose foetus is suffering from serious abnormalities. The court’s direction came while hearing a petition by a woman seeking permission to undergo medical termination of her 25-week pregnancy on the ground that the foetus was s

Environment Minister inaugurates Atal Paryavaran Bhavan

Environment Minister inaugurates Atal Paryavaran Bhavan The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar, inaugurated the Atal Paryavaran Bhavan at Lakshadweep on February 19, 2021. Highlights While inaugurating the Atal Paryavaran Bhavan, the minister said that Lakshadweep will undergo a comprehensive development that too without compromising the UT’s commitment to nature. He will also attend programmes at Suheli, Kadmat and Bangaram islands a


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01 Feb,2024
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