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By admin: July 29, 2023

Sumit Nagal wins 4th ATP Challenger title with win at Tampere Open 2023

Tags: Sports News

25-year-old Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal won the Tampere Open 2023 ATP Challenger men's singles title, his fourth ATP Challenger Tour title, on 23 July in Finland.

An Overview of the News 

• In the final, Nagal defeated Dalibor Svracina of the Czech Republic by a score of 6–4, 7–5 to win his second ATP Challenger event of the year. His previous win came at the Garden Open in Rome, ending a four-year title drought.

• Prior to this, Sumit Nagal had won two other ATP Challenger titles: Buenos Aires Challenger in 2019 and Bengaluru Challenger in 2017.

• Nagal's win in Tampere and his win in Rome made him the first Indian tennis player to claim two ATP Challenger titles on European soil.

• In his journey to the final, Sumit Nagal defeated notable players such as Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic, JL Reis da Silva of Brazil and Mohammed Aziz Dougauz of Tunisia.

• In the semi-finals, Nagal faced Spain's Daniel Rincon and won the hard-fought match with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Kerala to set up India's first fisheries Atal Incubation Centre

Tags: place in news Latest Popular State News

After receiving a grant of ₹10 crore from NITI Aayog, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) will set up India's first Atal Incubation Center (AIC) in fisheries.

An Overview of the News 

• NITI Aayog, as the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, provided a grant to KUFOS to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the fisheries sector.

• The AIC initiative is part of the Atal Innovation Mission, which aims to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across various industries in the country.

Fisheries Atal Incubation Centre:

• Fisheries Atal Incubation Centre will act as a focal point to foster innovation and inspire young individuals to create advanced technologies and solutions that will address challenges faced by our marine ecosystem and fishing communities .

• Its primary objective is to promote progress in the fisheries industry by providing a supportive and encouraging environment for startups and innovative initiatives within the sector.

• The centre will play a key role in creating employment opportunities, creating a conducive environment for startups and entrepreneurs to flourish and succeed.

Vice Chancellor of KUFOS - T. Pradeepkumar

About Kerala

Capital - Thiruvananthapuram

Official Bird - Great Hornbill

Governor - Arif Mohammad Khan

Chief Minister - Pinarayi Vijayan

Origin of rivers in Kerala

• Periyar River

• Bharathapuzha River

• Pamba River

• Chaliyar River

• Chalakudy River

India's longest lake - Vembanad, Kerala

Naveen Patnaik holds the record for being India's second longest serving chief minister

Tags: Latest Popular Person in news

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik holds the distinction of being the second longest serving Chief Minister in India.

An Overview of the News 

• Patnaik held the office of Chief Minister for an impressive period of 23 years and 138 days, assuming office on 5 March 2000.

• In achieving this feat, he surpassed the previous record holder, former Chief Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu, who served for 23 years and 137 days from June 21, 1977 to November 5, 2000.

• The title of longest-serving Chief Minister is held by former Chief Minister of Sikkim, Pawan Kumar Chamling, who held the post for an even longer period of 24 years and 166 days.

• Patnaik's journey in politics has been remarkable, and his turning point came when he was called on to lead the newly formed Biju Janata Dal on 17 April 1997, following the death of his father, former Chief Minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik.

• He began his political journey by winning the election from the Aska Lok Sabha constituency in his home district of Ganjam, marking the beginning of his successful leadership tenure.

Naveen Patnaik:

• In 1998, Naveen Patnaik joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government at the Center as the Minister of Steel and Mines. However, he later decided to return to the state and contest the assembly elections in 2000.

• Under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has achieved an impressive record of being undefeated in all elections including Lok Sabha, Assembly and Panchayat elections.

• In 2000, Naveen Patnaik successfully formed a coalition government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha and became the 14th Chief Minister of the state on 5 March.

• One of the most significant challenges Naveen Patnaik faced was in 2009 when communal violence in Kandhamal ended his alliance with the BJP.

• In 2012, Naveen Patnaik faced an alleged political coup attempt organised by his advisor Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, which he successfully foiled.

On top of the list of missing women in India: Maharashtra

Tags: Reports

Among all states, Maharashtra topped the list with the highest number of missing women in 2021, with a reported count of 56,498.

An Overview of the News 

• In 2021, a total of 375,058 women (above 18 years) were reported missing in India, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) as mentioned in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) press release.

• Additionally, 90,113 girls (under the age of 18) were also reported missing in India during the same year.

• The second-highest number of missing women was in Madhya Pradesh with 55,704 cases.

• Following closely, West Bengal reported 50,998 missing women, while Odisha recorded 29,582 cases in the same year.

• Compared to the previous year, in 2020, there were 320,393 women and 71,204 girls reported missing across the country.

• Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra were the two states that witnessed the highest number of missing girls and women from 2019 to 2021.

• In the three-year period from 2019 to 2021, a concerning total of 10,61,648 women and 2,51,430 girls went missing in India.

About Maharashtra

• It is a state located in the western part of India and covers a significant part of the Deccan Plateau.

• Chief Minister - Eknath Shinde

• Governor - Ramesh Bais

World's largest permafrost crater 'Batagaika' is expanding rapidly due to global warming in Russia

Tags: International News

Batagaika, the world's largest permafrost crater, is located in the Far East Siberian taiga and is expanding rapidly due to global warming in Russia.

An Overview of the News 

• This massive crater, also known as the "Gateway to the Underworld", initially appeared in the 1960s when the area was cleared for timber.

• The crater is about one kilometre long and is classified as a 'mega-slump', indicating significant geological changes on Earth.

• One of the primary factors contributing to the formation of permafrost craters is the thawing of permafrost, which is being caused by deforestation, land use change, and rising temperatures.

• Russia's warming rate is at least 2.5 times faster than the global average, melting its long-frozen tundra and contributing to the expansion of the 'Batagaika' crater at a rate of about 10 metres per year.

Permafrost Crater:

• Permafrost refers to land that is frozen at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years.

• It is mainly found in areas with high terrain and close to the Earth's poles, that is, the North and South Poles. Permafrost is made up of a mixture of soil, rock, and sand that is bound together by ice.

• In particular, permafrost holds substantial amounts of organic carbon within its frozen layers.

• When permafrost melts and the soil thaws, it releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, potentially increasing global warming.

Tripura's Asmita Dey won gold medal in Junior Asian Judo Championship 2023 in Macau, China

Tags: Sports News

Asmita De, who hails from Tripura, achieved a significant feat by winning the gold medal in the Junior Asian Judo Championship 2023 held in Macau, China.

An Overview of the News

• Competing in the 48 kg category, Asmita faced stiff opposition from judokas representing 27 different countries including Korea, Bhutan, Iraq and the US.

• During the preliminary round in Group D, Asmita displayed exceptional skills and pulled off a stunning win against Hong Kong's Suet Yiu Tang.

• Advancing to the semi-finals, 20-year-old Indian judoka Asmita Dey continued her impressive run by defeating Australia's Ashlyn Doe.

• In the final match, Asmita once again showed her strength and finally won the gold medal by defeating Annaliese Fielder of Australia.

• The win adds to Asmita Dey's already impressive record as she has earlier won a silver medal at the Asian Open 2023 in Kuwait City and a bronze at the Asian Junior Championships in 2022.

India participated in the Macau Junior Asia Cup Judo Competition and won a total of five medals: three gold, one silver and one bronze:

• Unnati put up an exceptional performance to win the final against Rylee Rametta of Australia and earn the gold medal.

• In the final, Arun defeated Kohsei Toyoshima of Australia to win the gold medal.

• Competing in the over 100 kg category, Yash Ghangas put up a tough fight against Mongolia's Khangarid Gantulga in the final but settled for a silver medal for India.

• Shraddha Kadubal Chopra won the bronze medal by defeating Australia's Kelly Bannister in the 52 kg category.

President of the International Judo Federation: Marius Vizer

India's first online gaming academy launched in Madhya Pradesh

Tags: Popular Science and Technology State News

Madhya Pradesh is launching its first online gaming industry "MP State Esports Academy".

An Overview of the News

• The Academy aims to provide a platform for aspiring gaming and esports professionals to advance their skills and reach a professional level.

MP Junior Esports Championship

• "MP Junior Esports Championship" is a 10-day talent hunt tournament from 27th July to 7th August.

• It is exclusively for e-sports enthusiasts in the age group of 12 to 17 years.

• The tournament provides a platform for young participants to engage, compete and showcase their gaming skills.

Inclusive Selection Procedure

• 80% seats in the academy are reserved for gamers from Madhya Pradesh.

• The remaining 20% seats are open to enthusiastic gamers from across India.

• The selection process is open to all, giving a fair chance to the participants to compete for admission.

Combination of tradition and innovation

• MP State Esports Academy aims to promote the sport represented in the Asian Games and Olympics.

• It seeks to integrate traditional and modern sports while providing opportunities in both emerging esports and traditional sports.

Government Sponsored Excellence

• Selected eSports athletes will receive 12 months of intensive coaching and high-quality eSports education.

• The coaching and education is fully funded by the government, with an aim to nurture and groom talented sportspersons.

Exports in India: Growing Recognition and Growth Projections

• With its inclusion as a medal sport in the Asian Games 2022 and a pilot program in the Commonwealth Games 2022, eSports is gaining recognition in India.

• The gaming industry in India is expected to grow four-fold to reach Rs 1,100 crore by 2025.

• India's potential as a lucrative market for eSports has attracted major gaming companies from around the world.

• Due to its increasing popularity, global players are looking for opportunities and investing in Indian e-sports.

Sports minister of Madhya Pradesh: Yashodhara Raje Scindia

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - 30 July

Tags: Important Days

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is an annual event observed on 30 July every year.

An Overview of the News

• The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons aims to raise awareness and prevent the widespread issue of people trafficking and modern slavery, which affects many countries around the world.

• The focus of the 2023 campaign, based on the latest UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, is to highlight developments and trends related to trafficking. It aims to urge governments, law enforcement, public services and civil society to evaluate and strengthen their efforts in prevention, victim assistance and ending impunity.

Theme:

• The theme for the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2023 is "Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind."

• It stresses the need to support and protect all victims, while ensuring that no one is overlooked or neglected in the fight against trafficking.

Importance

• Human trafficking involves the exploitation of men, women and children, forcing them into labor or sex work. UNODC data showed that since 2003 there have been approximately 225,000 trafficking victims worldwide.

• Globally, there has been a significant increase in the detection and conviction of traffickers. This increase may be attributed to improved methods of victim identification and/or to an actual increase in the number of persons being trafficked.

History of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

• In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly approved a Global Action Plan aimed at combating trafficking in persons worldwide. The plan called for collaborative efforts between governments to combat this harmful phenomenon.

• Based on the Global Action Plan, the United Nations General Assembly organised a high-level meeting in 2013 to advance the fight against human trafficking. During this meeting, the Member States unanimously adopted resolution A/RES/68/192.

• The resolution passed in 2013 officially designated July 30 as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The purpose of this annual celebration is to raise awareness of the plight of human trafficking victims and to emphasise the importance of protecting and promoting their rights.

• The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons aims to integrate the fight against trafficking into wider United Nations initiatives, contribute to global development and enhance security around the world.