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By admin: April 13, 2023

Kolkata Metro becomes India's first metro train to run under river

Tags: National News

On 12 April 2023, the Kolkata Metro reached Howrah from Kolkata through a river tunnel for the first time in India, carrying only officers and engineers. This tunnel is built across the Hooghly River.

An Overview of the News: 

• Services on this route of Kolkata Metro will start from this year itself. Once the services start, Howrah will become the country's deepest metro station (33 meters below the surface).

520 meter long tunnel:

• The route from Howrah to Esplanade is about 4.8 km long, of which 520 m will be completed by tunneling under the Hooghly river. It will take about 45 seconds to cross this tunnel built across the Hubli river.
• The tunnel is 32 meters below the surface of the water. The entire length of this tunnel is 10.8 km underground.

Tunnel built on the lines of Eurostar

• This tunnel of Kolkata Metro has been built like the Eurostar trains passing through the Channel Tunnel in Europe between London and Paris.
• The work of digging this tunnel was completed by Afcons in four months (April-July 2017).

Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC):

• The Kolkata Metro Rail was inaugurated on 24 October 1984 as India's first metro.
• Now again, for the first time in the country, the tunnel under the river has also been built here, the Kolkata Metro.
• The tunnel will remain like this for 120 years

Based on the standard of tunnel seismic zone 3:

• The Kolkata Metro tunnel has been designed according to seismic zone 3, the zone in which Kolkata falls.

Kolkata metro tunnel age 120 years: 

• The Kolkata Metro tunnel is designed for a service life of 120 years. Not even a drop of water can enter the tunnels of the river.
• General Manager of Kolkata Metro Railway: P Udaya Kumar Reddy
• MD of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC): H N Jaiswal

Ratnakar Patnaik appointed as new Chief Investment Officer of LIC

Tags: Person in news

On 11 April 2023 Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) appointed Ratnakar Patnaik as its new Chief Investment Officer.

An Overview of the News:

• Patnaik has replaced PR Mishra on this post. Earlier, Patnaik had joined LIC in September 1990 as a direct recruit officer.

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC):

• Establishment: 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• It is a wholly owned company by the Government of India.
• It is the country's largest life insurance company as well as the largest investor company.
• It provides health insurance, life insurance, mutual funds, investment related services as its products.

Tibet least free country in Freedom in the World Index 2023

Tags: INDEX

Global watchdog Freedom House has released its 'Freedom in the World Index' for 2023, ranking Tibet as the "world's least free country" along with South Sudan and Syria.

An Overview of the News:

• This is the third annual report after the 2021 and 2022 Freedom House reports. According to the report, both Chinese and Tibetans living in Tibet lack basic rights.

• According to the report, the Chinese authorities are very harsh in suppressing any sign of discontent among Tibetans.

• A number of issues relating to the human rights of the Tibetan people require serious and urgent attention from the international community.

• Every move by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to sinicize Tibet is being closely watched by the rest of the world.

• People living in Tibet are not even getting basic human rights.

• The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights raised the issue of serious human rights violations in Tibet in its third Periodic Review Report.

• The Communist Party of China (CPC) is forcefully destroying Buddhism and culture in Tibet for complete Sinicization.

• Tibetan children have been completely cut off from Buddhist teachings. Along with this, hatred against Buddhism and culture is being created in children through school education.

• Tibetan religious leaders are being persecuted in the name of re-education.

• The Freedom House report compared the atrocities in Tibet to the atrocities committed on Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province.

India ranked 77th in the world's 'Most Criminal Countries' ranking

Tags: Reports INDEX

World of Statistics released the ranking of the world's "most criminal countries" in which India is ranked 77th, while the US is at 55th and the UK at 65th.

An Overview of the News

• As per the ranking, Venezuela has been ranked first as the most criminal country, followed by Papua New Guinea in second place and South Africa in third place.
• Turkey, Germany and Japan are among the least criminal countries, ranked 92nd, 100th and 135th respectively.
• According to this report, Afghanistan ranks fourth with a crime rate of more than 76 crimes per 100,000 people.
• The overall crime rate is calculated by dividing the total number of reported crimes by the total population and multiplying by 100,000.

Countries with the ten highest crime rates

• Venezuela (83.76)
• Papua New Guinea (80.79)
• South Africa (76.86)
• Afghanistan (76.31)
• Honduras (74.54)
• Trinidad and Tobago (71.63)
• Guyana (68.74)
• El Salvador (67.79)
• Brazil (67.49)
• Jamaica (67.42)

Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhary passed away in Dhaka

Tags: Person in news

Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhary passed away on April 13, 2023 in Dhaka at the age of 81.

An Overview of the News

• Dr. Zafarullah Chowdhury was a renowned public health activist and vascular surgeon and established the Gnosasthya Center in 1972 to provide affordable and quality treatment to the underprivileged in Bangladesh.
• Gnosasthya Kendra has expanded into a network of seven hospitals and 50 sub-centres, providing affordable healthcare services to the people of Bangladesh.
• Dr. Zafarullah has received international acclaim for his work in the field of public health, having been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1985 and the Right Livelihood Award in 1992.
• He was known as the "Poor People's Doctor" for his excellent work in providing health services to the poor.
• He established a large field hospital near Melaghar in Tripura during the Bangladesh Liberation War to treat war-injured freedom fighters and refugees.
• In 1977, he was awarded the Freedom Award, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh.

About Bangladesh

• It is located in South Asia and is bordered by India to the north, east and west and Myanmar to the southeast.
• The country is home to several major rivers, including the Padma (Ganges), the Meghna and the Jamuna, which flow through the country and form important fertile plains for agriculture.
• Capital - Dhaka
• Currency - Bangladeshi taka
• Official languages - Bengali, English
• Population -16.94 crore (2021) World Bank
• Prime Minister - Sheikh Hasina

"Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origin of Empire": Nandini Das

Tags: Books and Authors

The book titled "Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origin of Empire" is authored by Nandini Das, Professor of English Literature at the University of Liverpool.

An Overview of the News

• The book explores the cultural and literary exchange between England and Mughal India in the early modern period.
• The book highlights the influence of the publication of Richard Hakluyt's "Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffic and Discoveries of the English Nation" on Britain's perception of itself as a heroic seafaring nation.
• The book highlights the challenges faced by English merchants in finding new markets after their excommunication by Pope Pius V in 1570.
• The book focuses on Thomas Roe's four-year mission as the English ambassador to the court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir in India in 1615.
• The book takes readers on a journey through the dark, wood-panelled rooms of Jacobean England and the elaborate courtyards of Mughal India.

More Books for 2023

• "War and Women" - Dr. MA Hasan.
• "Basu Chatterjee: And Middle-of-the-Road Cinema" - Anirudh Bhattacharjee
• "Gandhi: Politics and Sect" - Piyush Babele
• "Phoolange" - Lekhnath Chhetri, writer from Darjeeling
• "A Matter of the Heart: Education in India" - Anurag Behar
• "Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform" - Rachna Biswat Rawat
• "As Good As My Word" - KM Chandrasekhar
• “Mundaka Upanishad: The Gateway to Eternity” - Dr. Karan Singh, Ex-MP

Gond painting of Madhya Pradesh gets GI tag

Tags: State News

Gond paintings from Madhya Pradesh have bagged the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a recognition that protects and acknowledges the work of tribal artists.

An Overview of the News

• Patangarh village in Dindori district is home to many Gond artists, one in every household whose artwork is popular in the state and recognized internationally.
• Narbadia Armo, a physically challenged tribal woman from Khannat village, makes mouth paintings and acts as a role model for women who feel helpless.
• With the GI tag, Narbadiya Armo's paintings will get recognition, a unique identity and a fair price for her artwork.

What is GI Tag?

• A Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign given to products coming from a specific geographical location.
• GIs certify that products have been made using traditional methods or have specific qualities due to their origin.
• GI is used for food, handicrafts and industrial products.
• GI tag ensures that only authorised users can use the name of the product.

Who grants and regulates Geographical Indications?

• Geographical Indications (GI) are a type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) recognized and protected under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) provides a framework for the protection of GIs at the international level.
• In India, the registration and protection of GI is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in September 2003.
• The first product in India to receive the GI tag was Darjeeling tea, which was given the GI tag in the year 2004-05.

About Madhya Pradesh

• It is the second largest state of India by area after Rajasthan.
• Forests occupy 25.14 percent of its area.
• Governor - Mangubhai Patel
• Chief Minister - Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Capital - Bhopal

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar launches "Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project" in Kampala

Tags: International Relations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar launched Varanasi's 'Tulsi Ghat Restoration Project' on 10 April 2023 during his visit to Kampala, Uganda.

An Overview of the News:

• The Tulsi Ghat Renovation Project is an initiative aimed at enhancing the aesthetic appeal of Varanasi, the oldest inhabited city in the world.
• Uganda was supported to chair the Non-Aligned Movement from Africa for the period from 2022 to 2025. The position of chair of NAM rotates every three years during the summits.

Mozambique Visit:

• The External Affairs Minister will visit Mozambique from 13 to 15 April. This will be the first visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to Mozambique.
• The fifth meeting of the India-Mozambique Joint Commission will be chaired by the Foreign Ministers of both the countries.
• During the visit, various types of assistance will be announced from the Indian side to both these countries. There will also be talk on defense cooperation with these two countries.
• In March 2023, India conducted military exercises with nine countries in Africa, as well as a separate meeting with the military chiefs of African countries.
• In March 2023, Cyclone Freddy caused havoc in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar.

Uganda:

• Capital: Kampala
• President: Yoweri Museveni
• Prime Minister: Robinhood Nabanza
• Currency: Uganda Shilling

Mozambique:

• Capital: Maputo
• President: Philippe Nyusi
• Prime Minister: Carlos Agostinho do Rosário
• Currency: Mozambican metical (MZN)

Shakib Al Hasan wins ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the second time

Tags: Sports

On 13 April, Shakib Al Hasan and Henriette Ishimwe won the ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month awards for March 2023.

An Overview of the News

• Shakib Al Hasan won the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for the second time and first win in July 2021.
• He was recognized for his key role in Bangladesh's 3–0 T20I series victory over England.
• 19-year-old Rwandan Henriette Ishimwe won the ICC Women's Player of the Month award for her performances in the Nigerian Women's T20I tournament and the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.
• Ishimwe played a key role in Rwanda's victory over Zimbabwe, taking four wickets in four balls. She also scored 92 runs and took nine wickets including a hat-trick in the Nigerian Women's T20I tournament.
• Ishimwe is only the second female player from an Associate member to win the ICC Player of the Month award.

About International Cricket Council (ICC)

• ICC is the global governing body for the game of cricket.
• It was established in 1909 as Imperial Cricket Conference and later in 1965 it was renamed as International Cricket Conference. In 1989, its name was changed to International Cricket Council.
• The ICC is responsible for organising major international cricket tournaments such as the Cricket World Cup, World Twenty20, Champions Trophy and Women's World Cup.
• The ICC also oversees the ranking of international teams and players, and sets the rules and regulations of the game.
• The ICC is made up of 12 full members (Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe) and 92 associate members.
• Full members have Test status and can play official Test matches, while Associate members have ODI and T20I status and can play official One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals.
• Establishment - 15 June 1909
• Headquarters - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Chairman - Greg Barclay
• CEO - Geoff Allardyce
• General Manager - Wasim Khan
• Assistant - Asian Cricket Council

India's Antim Pangal wins silver medal at Asian Wrestling Championships

Tags: Sports

India's wrestler, Antim Pangal won the silver medal in the 53 kg category at the 2023 Asian Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

An Overview of the News

• In the final match, Pangal lost to Akari Fujinami of Japan.
• Apart from Pangal's silver medal, four other Indian wrestlers also won bronze medals: Anshu Malik (57 kg), Sonam Malik (62 kg), Manisha (65 kg) and Ritika (72 kg).
• The Asian Wrestling Championships is an annual wrestling competition organised by the Asian Wrestling Federation (AWF).
• The championships consist of men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling events.
• The first Asian Wrestling Championship was held in 1979 in Tehran, Iran.
• The championship was cancelled in 1984 for political reasons.
• The championship was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The championship has been held every year since its inception, except in 1984 and 2020.

About kazakhstan

• It is a Central Asian country that was once a part of the Soviet Union. It became an independent nation in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
• The country is the ninth largest country in the world by land area, stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east.
• The capital of Kazakhstan is Nur-Sultan, which was renamed from Astana in 2019. It is a modern city known for its futuristic architecture.
• Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan and an important cultural and economic centre. It was the capital of Kazakhstan until 1997 when the government was moved to Astana.

W-20 International meeting begins in Rajasthan's Jaipur

Tags: Summits

The second Women 20 (W20) international meeting was held on 13 April in Jaipur, Rajasthan and the meeting was attended by 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries.

An Overview of the News

• The purpose of this meeting is to address the issues of gender inequality and promote economic empowerment of women globally.
• The Women-20 is an official G20 engagement group, and the meeting focuses on the theme of "Women-led development: Leveraging the untapped potential of women to accelerate an inclusive and sustainable future".
• W20 was established in 2015 under the Turkish Presidency with the primary objective of women empowerment, advocacy of women's rights and creating a common platform for them to voice their opinion.
• The agenda of the two-day meeting focuses on five key priorities: women entrepreneurship, grassroots women leadership, bridging the gender digital divide, education and skill development and climate change.

About the G20

• It is an international forum of the world's leading economies established in 1999.
• Its primary objective is to promote international financial stability and sustainable economic growth.
• The G20 serves as a forum to discuss and coordinate policies related to a wide range of economic and financial issues such as trade, investment, employment, energy and climate change.

About Rajasthan

• It is a state located in northwestern India and it is the largest state of India by area.
• Chief Minister - Ashok Gehlot
• Capital - Jaipur (Executive Branch)
• Governor - Kalraj Mishra

Maharashtra government announces Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's birth anniversary as 'Swatantraveer Gaurav Din'

Tags: State News Important Days

On 11 April, the Maharashtra government declared 28 May, the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, as 'Swatantraveer Gaurav Diwas'.

An Overview of the News

• Various programs will be organised to promote and propagate the thoughts and works of Veer Savarkar on Swatantraveer Gaurav Divas.
• It aims to highlight Savarkar's contribution to India's independence movement, his ideology and his campaigns for social reforms and the eradication of untouchability.

About Veer Savarkar

• Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, also known as Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was an Indian freedom fighter, writer and politician who played an important role in the Indian independence struggle.
• He was born on May 28, 1883 in Bhagur village of Nashik district, Maharashtra.
• Savarkar is credited with establishing the concept of Hindutva, which aimed to create a Hindu nationalist identity for India.
• In addition to his role in the Indian independence movement, Savarkar was a prolific writer, writing several books, including "The Indian War of Independence of 1857", "Six Glorious Ages of Indian History", and "Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?"

About Maharashtra

• Capital - Mumbai
• Chief Minister - Eknath Shinde
• Governor - Ramesh Bais
• State Industries Minister - Uday Samant