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By admin: Nov. 1, 2022

Jamshed J Irani, 'steel man of India’, dies at 86

Tags: Person in news

Jamshed J Irani, known as the steel man of India, died in Jamshedpur on 31 October. He was 86.

Important facts

• Irani is survived by his wife Daisy Irani and their three children, Zubin, Nilofar and Tanaaz.

• He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of India in 2008 for his services in the field of metallurgy.

• Born on 2 June 1936 in Nagpur to Jiji Irani and Khorsed Irani, Dr. Irani completed BSc from Science College, Nagpur in 1956 and MSc in Geology from Nagpur University in 1958.

• He then went to the University of Sheffield in the UK, where he earned a Masters in Metallurgy in 1960 and a PhD in Metallurgy in 1963.

• He began his professional career with the British Iron and Steel Research Association in Sheffield in 1963.

• Irani retired from the board of Tata Steel in June 2011, leaving behind a legacy of 43 years and has brought the company international reputation in various fields.

• Jamshed J Irani joined the Board of Tata Steel and also served as non-executive director from 2001 for a decade. 

• He also served as a director of several Tata Group companies which include Tata Motors and Tata Teleservices.

• He also served as the National President of the Confederation of Indian Industry in 1992–93.

• He was honoured with several awards including Padma Bhushan in 2007 for his contribution to the industry.

UP’s Ranipur gets 53rd tiger reserve of India

Tags: National National News

The Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh has become the 53rd tiger reserve of India, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on 31st October.

Important facts

• Ranipur Tiger Reserve in Chitrakoot district of UP is the fourth tiger reserve in the state after Dudhwa, Pilibhit and Amangarh.

• According to the latest tiger census conducted in 2018, India has 2,967 tigers, of which 173 are in UP.

About Ranipur Tiger Reserve

• Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the UP-MP border in Chitrakoot and about 150 km from Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

• Covered with northern tropical dry deciduous forests, this area is home to tigers, leopards, bears, spotted deer, sambar, chinkara and other mammals.

• Established in 1977, it is one of the main attractions of Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh.

Other tiger reserves in Uttar Pradesh

• At present there are three tiger reserves in the state. These include Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Amangarh Tiger Reserve and Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.

• Amangarh is the buffer zone of Jim Corbett National Park and is located in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

• Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located in Lakhimpur, Pilibhit Tiger Reserve is in Pilibhit. 

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina confers ‘Friends of Liberation War’ honour on Edward M Kennedy

Tags: Awards International News

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina posthumously awarded the prestigious 'Friends of Liberation War' honour to former US Senator Edward M Kennedy in Dhaka on 31 October for his contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh.

Important facts

• The honour was handed over to his son Edward M. Ted Kennedy Jr.

• Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remembered with gratitude the contribution of Edward Kennedy Sr.

• He said Kennedy Sr. took a bold step against the genocide committed by Pakistan on innocent Bengali people despite the role of the US government during the 1971 Liberation War.

• She said Kennedy Sr. had worked hard to suspend military and economic aid to Pakistan until the end of the war.

Liberation War of 1971 

• In the 1950s, Pakistan was ruled by a military-bureaucratic rule that ruled the entire country (East and West Pakistan) in an undemocratic manner.

• The Bengalites had no political representation in this system of governance.

• This dominance of West Pakistan was challenged by the Bengalis during the general elections of 1970.

• In the general election of 1970, the Awami League of East Pakistan's Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got a clear majority.

• West Pakistan was not ready for any leader of East Pakistan to rule the country.

• On March 26, 1971, West Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan.

• As a result, lakhs of Bangladeshis had to take refuge in India.

• The Pakistani army had to face defeat due to the bravery of the 'Muktiwahini Sena' and Indian soldiers who fought for the independence of Bangladesh.

• On 6 December 1971, a new nation Bangladesh was born out of 13 days of war with the intervention of India.

Govt restricts use of Glyphosate in agriculture

Tags: National National News

The government has recently banned the use of herbicide glyphosate and its derivatives, considering the health hazards to humans/animals. Only authorised pest control operators are allowed to use it.

About Glyphosate

• It is a widely used herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds and grasses.

• It works by blocking an enzyme essential for plant growth. 

• It was developed in 1970, and its scientific name is N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine. 

• This product is mainly used in agriculture.

• Glyphosate and its formulations are widely registered and are currently used in over 160 countries, including the European Union and the United States.

• Farmers around the world have been using it for safe and effective weed control for more than 40 years.

• In India, glyphosate is approved for use only in tea gardens and non-planting areas with the tea crop. Its use elsewhere is illegal.

Health impacts of glyphosate

• The worrying findings were revealed in a 2020 study by Pan India on the status of glyphosate use in the country.

• The health effects of glyphosate range from cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity to neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity.

• Symptoms include burning, swelling, skin irritation, mouth and nose pain, unpleasant taste, and blurred vision.

• The large-scale use of glyphosate in non-designated areas has serious consequences.

• The use of all weedicides, including glyphosate, is depleting food resources and depriving them of adequate nutrition.

• It was being used in more than 20 crop fields.

Giridhar Aramane assumes the office of Defence Secretary

Tags: Person in news

Giridhar Aramane, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, assumed the office of Defence Secretary on 1 November, 2022.

Important facts

• In his 32 years of experience in the IAS, Armane has held several important positions in the Central Government as well as in the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

• He will take over the top post after Ajay Kumar retires at the end of October.

• Prior to his current assignment, Armane was Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

• He was Additional Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.

• Apart from the Cabinet Secretariat, he looked after the Exploration Division in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and was the Executive Director in charge of Inspection in the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.

• In the Andhra Pradesh Government, He had served as Principal Secretary in Urban Development Department, Managing Director of State Finance Corporation and Secretary (Finance Department).

• Armane has done B Tech in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad and M Tech from IIT, Madras.

• He has also done MA (Economics) from Kakatiya University, Warangal.

Amrit Lal Meena Assumes Charge as Coal Secretary

Tags: Person in news

Amrit Lal Meena took over the charge of the post of Secretary, Ministry of Coal on 1 November, 2022.

Important facts

• Prior to assuming the present post, Amrit Lal Meena, (a 1989 Bihar cadre IAS officer), was holding the charge of Special Secretary (Logistics), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• Amrit Lal Meena replaces Dr. Anil Kumar Jain, who retired as Coal Secretary on 31 October.

• Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Electrical Engineering from Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, Meena did his Post-Graduation Diploma in Public Policy and Management from IIM, Bangalore.

• He had served as District Magistrate in five districts of the state of Bihar for more than nine years.

• He worked in various departments including Rural Development, Urban Development, Building Corporation as Secretary in the Government of Bihar.

• He also worked as Principal Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary in the Road Construction Department, Government of Bihar.

Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) Asia Pacific Conference

Tags: National National News

Goa is hosting a three-day long Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) conference from 1st to 3rd November 2022.

Important facts

• Delegates will discuss and collaborate on key issues that will help shape the future of Asia's aviation industry and turn the vision of the Global Council for Complete Air Transport Systems (CATS) of 2045 into reality.

• Theme of 2022 conference - “Think Global, Collaborate Regional, Accomplish Local”. 

• The conference also covered Digitization and Automation, which play an important role in strengthening CANSO's vision for the skies of the future.

• Delegates will also be able to witness some of the cutting edge technology that will help modernise air traffic management in the region.

About CANSO

• The Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) is the global voice of the air traffic management (ATM) industry and is shaping future skies. 

• Its members support more than 90% of the world's air traffic and include air navigation service providers, airspace users and operators, manufacturers and aviation industry suppliers.

• It brings together the world's air navigation service providers, leading industry innovators and air traffic management experts to share knowledge, develop best practices, and shape the future of safe and seamless airspace.

• Founded - 1996

• Director General - Simon Hocquard

About Airports Authority of India 

• Airports Authority of India is an organisation/authority functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.

• The Airports Authority of India (AAI) manages a total of 133 airports which include 11 international airports, 8 customs airports, 81 domestic airports and 25 civil enclaves in defence airfields.

• Established- 1st April, 1995

• President- Sanjeev Kumar

• Headquarters - New Delhi

Second edition of Naval Commanders' Conference

Tags: Defence National News

The second edition of Naval Commanders' Conference of 2022 begins on 1 November, 2022 in New Delhi.

Important facts

• During the four-day conference, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address and interact with naval commanders on matters related to national security.

• Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the Chiefs of Indian Army and Indian Air Force will also interact with the Naval Commanders.

• During the conference, the Chief of Naval Staff, along with other Naval Commanders, will review major operations, material, logistics, human resource development, training and administrative activities undertaken by the Indian Navy over the past few months.

• They will deliberate on plans for important future activities and initiatives.

• The conference will also focus on the dynamics of the geo-strategic situation in the region and the Navy's readiness to deal with it.

Chief of Defence Staff - General Anil Chauhan

Chief of Indian Air Force - V. R. Chaudhari

 Chief of Indian Army - General Manoj Pande

Chief of Indian Navy - Admiral R Hari Kumar 

PM Modi declares Rajasthan's Mangarh Dham national monument

Tags: National National News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan a national monument on 1 November, 2022.

Important facts

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the  ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ programme in Banswara district of Rajasthan on 1 November.

• The event is being organised by the Ministry of Culture. The Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are also participating in this program.

• He addressed a gathering of members of Bhil tribals and other tribes at Mangarh Dham in Banswara district.

• PM paid tributes to the tribals who were massacred by the British army in 1913 in Mangarh in Rajasthan.

About Mangarh Dham

• It is a memorial for around 1,500 tribals massacred by the British army in 1913, is located on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, a region with a large tribal population.

• In 1913 the assembly of tribals and forest dwellers against the British Raj in Mangarh was led by the social reformer Govind Guru.

• This massacre of tribals, which took place six years before Jallianwala Bagh, is sometimes referred to as "Adivasi Jallianwala".

• On November 17, 1913, the British army killed hundreds of Bhil tribesmen in the hills of Mangarh.

• The Bhil tribe is called the "Dhanush Man of India" because they are highly skilled in learning the bow.

Kalanamak Rice

Tags: Science and Technology National News

Indian Agricultural Research Institute has successfully tested two new dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice (Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652) in Uttar Pradesh which give double yield.

About Kalanamak Rice

• It is a traditional variety of paddy with black husk and strong aroma.

• It is a non-basmati rice with medium slender grain length.

• It is believed to be a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Shravasti when he visited the region after attaining enlightenment.

• This variety has been in cultivation since the original Buddhist period (600 BCE).

• It is popular in the Himalayan Terai (Kapilvastu) of Nepal and eastern Uttar Pradesh, where it is known as the fragrant black pearl.

• Kalanamak rice was granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Government of India in 2012.

Two dwarf varieties of Kalanamak rice

• Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638

• Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1652

Health Benefits of Kalanamak

• It is rich in micronutrients such as Iron and Zinc. 

• Therefore it is said to prevent diseases borne out of nutrient deficiencies. 

• Regular consumption of Kalanamak rice is believed to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

• It contains 11% protein, which is almost twice that of common rice varieties.

• It has a low glycemic index (49% to 52%) which makes it relatively sugar free and suitable for diabetics.

• It also contains antioxidants like anthocyanins which are useful in preventing heart disease.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)

• It is also known as the Pusa Institute, India's national institute for agricultural research, education and extension.

• The institute was originally located in Pusa, Bihar as the Imperial Institute of Agricultural Research in 1911.

• In 1919 it was renamed as Imperial Agricultural Research Institute and after a major earthquake in Pusa, it was shifted to Delhi in 1936.

• It is financed and administered by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Goa Maritime Symposium

Tags: Defence National News

The fourth edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) is being conducted by the Naval War College (NWC) at Goa from 31 October to 1 November 2022.

Important facts

• The theme of GMS-2022 is Maritime Security Challenges in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigation Frameworks.

• The Symposium was inaugurated by Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankhar, Commandant, Naval War College.

• The participants of the symposium include Captains/ officers of the rank of Commander or equivalent from navies/ maritime forces from friendly countries like Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand besides India.

About Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS)

• It was conceptualised and instituted by the Indian Navy in 2016.

• It is a forum for promoting collaborative thinking, cooperation and mutual understanding between India and the major maritime countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

• The Symposium is organised biennially by NWC, Goa and so far three editions of the event have been organised.

S Jaishankar participated in the virtual meeting of the Heads of Government of the SCO

Tags: International News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar represented India at a virtual meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on 1 November 2022.

Important facts

• The 21st Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) is being held on 1 November 2022 in the virtual format. 

• The meeting was attended by SCO Member States, Observer States, Secretary General of the SCO, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), Turkmenistan and other invited guests.

• India remains actively engaged in various SCO activities and dialogue mechanisms in the region as well as other multilateral cooperation within the SCO framework.

• The leaders of the SCO member states met for the summit meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 16 September 2022.

• The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Samarkand Declaration was adopted.

• Member countries also called for the improvement of SCO activities and the development of efficient transport corridors for interconnectivity.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) 

• It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation.

• It was founded in 2001.

• The SCO Charter was signed in 2002, and came into force in 2003.

• It is a Eurasian political, economic and military organisation.

• Its aim is to maintain peace, security and stability in the region.

• China, Russia and four Central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan – were founding members of the SCO.

• Official Languages - Russian and Chinese

• Chairmanship - On the basis of rotation for a year by Member States

• The Council of Heads of Governments (CHG) is the second-highest council in the organization.