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By admin: May 15, 2024

Neeraj Chopra Secures Second Place at Doha Diamond League 2024

Tags: Sports

Olympic and World Champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra claimed the second spot in the Doha Diamond League 2024, held on May 10, 2024, at the Qatar Sports Club, Doha, Qatar.

An Overview of the News

• Czech Republic's three-time Olympian Jakub Vadlejch secured the top spot with a throw of 88.38 meters.

• Neeraj Chopra narrowly missed the first spot by just 2 centimeters, with a throw of 88.36 meters.

• Former world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada claimed the third spot with a throw of 86.62 meters.

• India's Kishore Jena, who won the silver medal at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games held in China in 2023, finished ninth in his Diamond League debut.

• The next men's javelin Diamond League meeting is scheduled to be held in Paris on July 7, 2024.

About Neeraj Chopra

• He won the 2023 Doha Diamond League.

• He clinched a gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

• He also claimed a gold medal in the men's javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Hungary.

• He is the 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in men's javelin throw.

The Diamond League:

• It is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions.

• It comprises fifteen of the best invitational athletics meetings.

• The series is in the top tier of the World Athletics one-day meeting competitions.

• The inaugural season took place in 2010.

Appointment of Nemkumar H as Managing Director of IIFL Securities Limited

Tags: Person in news

Nemkumar H assumed the role of Managing Director (MD) of IIFL Securities Limited on 15th May, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• Nemkumar H was serving as a Whole-time Director on the Board of the Company prior to his appointment as MD.

• Nemkumar H succeeded R. Venkataraman, who served as Chairman and MD of IIFL Securities Limited.

• Venkataraman's tenure as MD of the company concluded on 14th May, 2024.

• Narendra Jain has been appointed as a Whole-Time Director for a term of 5 years.

Background of Nemkumar H:

• Professional Qualification: Nemkumar H is a Chartered Accountant (CA) by profession.

• Previous Experience: He spent nearly a decade at CLSA Limited, formerly known as Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia, where he held various roles including Equity Analyst, head of research, and country head.

• Early Career: Nemkumar H commenced his career at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where he worked for 8 years in the corporate treasury and pricing departments.

• Association with IIFL: Nemkumar H joined IIFL in 2007 and played a pivotal role as one of the founding members of IIFL's Institutional Equities Business.

UNESCO Adds Three Indian Literary Gems to 'Memory of the World' Asia-Pacific Register

Tags: Latest Popular

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has added three significant Indian literary works to its "Memory of the World (MOW) Asia-Pacific Regional Register": The Ramcharitmanas (Rāmacaritamānasa), Panchatantra (Pañcatantra Fables), and Sahṛdayāloka-Locana.

An Overview of the News

• This decision was made at the 10th meeting of the Memory of the World Committee for Asia and the Pacific (MOWCAP), which took place in Ulaanbatar, Mongolia.

• During the 2024 cycle, the Asia-Pacific Member States included a total of 20 items from various countries, with three from India.

• Authored by Goswami Tulsidas, Pt. Vishnu Sharma, and Acharya Anandvardhan, respectively, these literary works hold significant cultural and historical importance.

IGNCA's Role and Representation:

• The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) played a pivotal role in ensuring the placement of The Ramcharitmanas, Panchatantra, and Sahṛdayāloka-Locana in UNESCO's Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register.

• Prof. Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Dean (Administration) and Head of Department (HOD) at the Kala Nidhi Division of IGNCA in New Delhi, Delhi, effectively represented the three entries from India.

• IGNCA's participation marked its first-ever submission of nominations to the Regional Register since its inception in 2008, underscoring its commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage.

MOWCAP:

• MOWCAP, a regional arm of UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme (MOW), was inaugurated in 1998 at its inaugural General Meeting in Beijing, China.

• The committee administers the Asia-Pacific register of MOW documentary heritage, updating it every two years with new inscriptions.

• Its primary objective is to aid in the preservation and promotion of access to the documentary heritage of the Asia-Pacific region.

• MOWCAP's mission extends to raising awareness about the significance and presence of this heritage.

• It encompasses a membership of 43 countries spanning the Asia-Pacific region.

India, Iran Sign 10-Year Deal for Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal

Tags: International News

On May 13, 2024, India and Iran sealed a decade-long deal to manage the Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal at Chabahar Port, Iran, promoting regional connectivity and trade relations.

An Overview of the News

• The agreement was inked between India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), and the Port and Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran.

• Notable figures present during the signing were Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways of the Government of India (GoI), and Mehrdad Bazrpash, Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran.

• Under the terms, IPGL is set to invest around USD 120 million to upgrade the port facilities.

• Additionally, India has extended a credit line of USD 250 million for joint ventures aimed at bolstering infrastructure associated with Chabahar.

Background

• In May 2015, India and Iran inked an inter-Governmental memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the development of the Chabahar port.

• The contract for the port's development was finalized in May 2016, coinciding with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Iran.

• Under a tripartite agreement known as the Chahbahar Agreement, signed in May 2016 among India, Iran, and Afghanistan, India undertook the development of the Shahid Beheshti terminal as part of its commitment to the project.

Chabahar Port

• Chabahar Port, situated in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of South Eastern Iran, comprises two major ports: Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti.

• The project is a joint initiative between India and Iran, designed to facilitate trade by serving as a crucial transit port for Afghanistan and landlocked Central Asian nations.

• India views Chabahar Port as strategically significant, offering a shorter and more accessible trade route that bypasses Pakistan, easing commerce with Central Asian countries.

• Chabahar Port is integral to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, a multi-modal transportation initiative spanning 7,200 kilometers. It aims to streamline freight movement between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.

About Iran:

• President: Ebrahim Raisi

• Capital: Tehran

• Currency: Iranian Rial

United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) Convenes in New York

Tags: Environment

The 19th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) took place at the UN headquarters in New York, USA, from May 6 to May 10, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• Organized by the UNFF Secretariat, the session was chaired by Zéphyrin Maniratanga from Burundi.

• The forum conducted a midterm review of the International Arrangement on Forests.

• Key outcomes included a declaration from the High-Level Segment and an omnibus resolution.

• The omnibus resolution encompassed the midterm review results and the new Quadrennial Programme of Work for the Forum spanning 2025-2028.

• Jitendra Kumar, Director General of Forests and Special Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), led the Indian delegation.

United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

• Establishment: Founded in 2000.

• Affiliation: It operates as a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• Membership: Enjoys universal membership, encompassing nations globally.

• Headquarters: Based in New York, United States.

Achievements of UNFF:

• UN Forest Instrument: Noteworthy milestone achieved in 2007, marking the establishment of the first UN Forest Instrument.

• Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN): Introduced in 2015, serving as a significant initiative under the UNFF.

• UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030: In 2017, the UNFF adopted the first UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030, outlining six Global Forest Goals.