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By admin: June 23, 2024

Dhiraj Bommadevara Wins Bronze at Archery World Cup 2024 Stage 3

Tags: Important Days

India's Dhiraj Bommadevara defeated Italy's Mauro Nespoli, a multiple-time Olympic medal winner, to win the bronze in the men's recurve event at the Archery World Cup 2024 stage 3 in Antalya, Turkiye on 23 June.

An Overview of the News

• The 22-year-old Bommadevara defeated Nespoli 7-3 in the playoff match. 

• Earlier, Bommadevara lost to the Republic of Korea's Kim Woojin 6-2 in the semi-finals. 

• Kim Woojin, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in team events, went on to win the final, defeating world championships silver medallist Marcus D'Almeida of Brazil 6-5 in the summit clash.

• Earlier in the day, Bommadevara clinched the bronze medal in the mixed recurve team event with Bhajan Kaur after defeating the Mexican team of Alejandra Valencia and Matias Grande 5-3 in the playoff.

Women's Recurve Event

• In the women's recurve event, India's Ankita Bhakat lost the bronze medal match to Alejandra Valencia 7-3 after losing to Yang Xiaolei of the People's Republic of China 6-2 in the semi-finals. 

• Yang Xiaolei, the top seed, had earlier defeated Indian archery ace Deepika Kumari in the third round.

India's Overall Performance

• With two bronze medals on Sunday, India concluded the Antalya leg of the World Cup with four medals. 

• The Indian women's compound team of Aditi Swami, Jyothi Surekha Vennam and Parneet Kaur had clinched the gold medal on Saturday, while Priyansh settled for silver in the men's compound individual event.

About Archery World Cup

• It is an event organized by the World Archery Federation.

• It started in 2006 and has a unique competition format.

• Archers compete in four stages held in different countries.

• The top eight archers in each category (increased from four archers between 2006 and 2009) advance to the Archery World Cup Final.

• The World Cup has been broadcast live on Eurosport since 2013 and The event is sponsored by Kia and Longines.

International Widows Day: 23 June 2024

Tags: Important Days

International Widows Day is observed annually on 23 June.

An Overview of the News

• The day aims to raise awareness about the challenging circumstances faced by widows, especially poverty.

• Theme of International Widows Day 2024: "Accelerating the Achievement of Gender Equality."

• The theme of International Widows Day 2024 is focused on accelerating the progress towards achieving gender equality. 

• This theme highlights the need to address the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by widows, and to empower them as agents of change in their communities.

History of International Widows Day:

• It was established in 2005 by The Loomba Foundation.

• In 2010, the United Nations officially adopted International Widows Day, increasing its importance globally.

• The recognition from the United Nations ensures that there is international support for the issues faced by widows and the need to address their challenges.

About United Nations

• Member countries -193

• Official Languages - Russian, English, French, Arabic, Chinese and Spanish.

• Motto - Peace, Dignity and Equality on a Healthy Planet

• Secretary-General - Antonio Guterres

• Headquarters - New York, United States

United Nations Public Service Day: 23 June 2024

Tags: Important Days

United Nations Public Service Day is celebrated every year on 23 June.

An Overview of the News

• The day is dedicated to appreciating the importance of public services and the people who work in them.

• The United Nations established the United Nations Public Service Awards to recognize and reward exceptional public service projects.

• The award program was updated in 2016 to align with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• United Nations Public Service Day reminds us of the value of public service and encourages young people to consider careers in this field.

Objectives of the United Nations Public Service Day

• Celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community

• Highlight the contribution of public service in the development process

• Recognize the work of public servants

• Encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector

United Nations Public Service Awards

• The most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service

• Rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions

• Promotes more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide

• Held through an annual competition

• Promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service

• Since 2003, the UN has received an increasing number of submissions from around the world

History of United Nations Public Service Day

• On 20 December 2002, the General Assembly designated 23 June as United Nations Public Service Day.

• It aims to recognize the important role of public service in development.

• The United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA) were created to honor exemplary public service institutions.

• UNPSA aims to improve government effectiveness and enhance public welfare.

• Public service refers to the services provided by the government in a specific area.

• Civil servants work to make a positive difference in people's lives and prioritize the well-being of the community.

• United Nations Public Service Day and UNPSA promote the importance of public service around the world.

International Olympic Day: 23 June 2024

Tags: Important Days

International Olympic Day is celebrated annually on June 23.

An Overview of the News

• Olympic Day symbolizes the commitment to making the world a better place through the power of sport.

• It promotes the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect.

• The day serves as a reminder of the unifying power of sports, inspiring young athletes and celebrating their achievements.

Theme of 2024

• The theme for Olympic Day 2024 is 'Let's Move and Celebrate'.

• This theme aims to inspire people worldwide to engage in daily physical activity and embrace the joy of movement.

History and Significance

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded on June 23, 1894, at the Sorbonne in Paris, thanks to the efforts of Pierre de Coubertin. This day marks the revival of the Ancient Olympic Games.

• International Olympic Day was first celebrated in 1948 with 9 participating countries.

• Over time, the celebration has become a global event, with National Olympic Committees organizing creative events based on the three pillars: Move, Learn and Discover.

Global Participation

• In 2024, the IOC partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to highlight the positive impact of sports on physical and mental health.

• The 'Let's Move' initiative, launched in 2023, led more than 15 million people to embrace the joy of incorporating 30 minutes of daily physical activity into their lives.

ISRO Achieves Third Consecutive Success in Pushpak Reusable Launch Vehicle Landing Experiment

Tags: Science and Technology

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a third consecutive success in the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing EXperiment (LEX) with the Pushpak vehicle.

An Overview of the News

• The third and final test in the series, RLV LEX-03, was conducted at 07:10 IST on June 23, 2024 at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka.

Pushpak's Autonomous Landing

• The winged vehicle 'Pushpak' was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter at an altitude of 4.5 km.

• Pushpak then autonomously executed cross-range correction maneuvers, approached the runway, and performed a precise horizontal landing at the runway centerline.

• Due to Pushpak's low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration, the landing velocity exceeded 320 km/h, compared to 260 km/h for a commercial aircraft and 280 km/h for a typical fighter aircraft.

• After touchdown, Pushpak's velocity was reduced to nearly 100 km/h using a brake parachute, followed by landing gear brakes for further deceleration. Pushpak autonomously maintained a stable and precise ground roll along the runway.

Significance of the Mission

• This mission simulated the approach, landing interface, and high-speed landing conditions for a vehicle returning from space, reaffirming ISRO's expertise in acquiring critical technologies for developing a Reusable Launch Vehicle.

• The successful completion of the RLV-LEX-03 mission, building on the previous LEX-01 and LEX-02 successes, boosts ISRO's confidence in the critical technologies essential for future orbital re-entry missions.

About ISRO

• Established on August 15, 1969

• National space agency of India

• Launches space rockets from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

• Headquarters located in Bengaluru. 

• Current Chairman: S Somnath