Current Affair of March 2023

National

1. India received the GSMA Government Leadership Award 2023 at the GSMA's Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023. The MWC was organized in Barcelona, Spain. The GSMA is an association that brings together mobile operators and key stakeholders in the global mobile industry. It represents more than 750 mobile operators and 400 companies. Each year GSMA recognises one country.

2. The Bhojpur's Millet Festival was organized from 28th February to 1st March in Bihar. Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Pashupati Kumar Paras inaugurated this event. It is part of the many Millet-related events conducted in 2023, which has been declared by the UN as the International Year of Millets.

3. The Birds Eye Chilli is widely used in Asian cuisines. The chilli is also called Thai chilli. It is native to Mexico. The Spanish and Portuguese people spread the chilli all over the world. The chilli variety has received a GI tag from GoI. The state of Mizoram is to export the chilli variety.

4. The Indian government plans to establish 10 Clean Plant Centres to promote domestic production of crops like apples, almonds, grapes, avocados, and blueberries, which have seen an increase in demand for imported planting materials. They will be set up under the Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Program. The centres will offer diagnostic, therapeutic, and plant multiplication services, with an overall budget of Rs. 2,200 crore until 2030.

5. The first B2B Global Conference & Expo on Traditional Medicine under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be hosted by the Assam government to promote traditional medicines at the global level. The event will be held in Guwahati.

6. The preliminary surveys conducted by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) found the presence of lithium reserves in the Madhya district of Karnataka. They indicate the presence of some 1,600 tonnes of the resource in pegmatite rocks. This comes after the Central Government has started taking steps to initiate commercial exploration for the rare mineral in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

7. The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, inaugurated the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela. The event is being organized by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi. This year, the event is being organized under the theme of "Nutrition, Food and Environmental Protection with Shree Anna".

8. Patients have to wait in a long queue for OPD registrations in the hospitals. The hospitals collect patient information like name, age, date of birth, and other details during the registration. Sometimes long queues cause discomfort. Sick persons suffer from the delay caused by the registration formalities and their treatment gets obstructed. To avoid this, the National Health Authority introduced QR-code-based solutions called the "SCAN AND SHARE" service.

9. The "Indian States Energy Transition" Report was released recently by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and EMBER. The report analysed 16 states, which make up 90% of India's annual power requirement, and devised a scoring system called States' Electricity Transition (SET) to measure performance.

10. The India Philanthropy Report 2023 was released by non-profit Dasra and consulting firm Bain & Company. According to this report, the contributions by ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNIs) in India to the social sector have declined by 5% in the financial year ending March 2022, when the donations made by Wipro founder chairman Azim Premji are excluded.

11. The 7th International Dharma Dhamma Conference will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu. This international conference will be organized from 3rd to 5th March at the Kushabhau Thakre International Auditorium in Bhopal.

12. The Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium, a society promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of the Indian government, has launched a special marketing campaign called Millets Giveaway. The campaign is aimed at promoting direct purchases from small and marginal farmer producer organisations (FPOs) to support their livelihoods.

13. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) - NITI Aayog, a government-led think tank in India, has launched ATL Sarthi, a comprehensive self-monitoring framework to strengthen the ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in schools. AIM has established 10,000 ATLs in India to promote curiosity, imagination, and creativity among young students and to develop skills such as computational thinking, physical computing, and design thinking.

14. In India, gay and transgender individuals face discrimination in many forms. One such discrimination is the ban on them donating blood. After a petition was filed to challenge this ban, the Indian government defended the exclusion by citing scientific evidence that categorized the transgender and gay community in the "at-risk" group for HIV, Hepatitis B and C infections.

15. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released the Landslide Atlas of India, which identifies landslide hotspots in the country. The Atlas includes a database of landslide-prone regions of India based on events during 1998 - 2022, mainly along the Himalayas and the Western Ghats.

16. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is holding its 8th annual National Conference on Economics of Competition Law. This conference has been organized by CCI since 2016. This year, a plenary session on 'Antitrust and Regulation: Interfaces and Synergies' and two technical sessions on 'Competition and the Economy' and 'Economics in Antitrust Enforcement' will be conducted.

17. With the deadline approaching for the Smart Cities Mission in June 2023, the Central Government has urged the poorly performing cities to speed up their projects. These projects were supposed to be completed within 5 years of the city's selection.

18. The 5th Asean-India Business Summit was held at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on March 6 this year. The summit, part of the Asean-India Year of Friendship (an observation commemorating the 30-year-long engagement between the 10-member bloc and India), is an essential forum for charting the future roadmap for the business and economic engagement between the two parties.

19. India and the World Bank have recently signed a loan agreement to construct 781 kilometers of green highways across four states in India. The project aims to build the Green National Highway Corridors Project in 4 Indian states. The loan assistance of 500 million dollars will be used for the construction of the highways.

20. The V. V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), an autonomous institute under the Union Labour Ministry, has recently entered into a strategic alliance with the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The alliance is aimed at promoting professional and organizational development in areas related to jobs and labour.

21. The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) is embarking on a significant project to digitize its research materials. The project aims to convert the entire India House Collection, including books, reports, periodicals, archival documents, microfilms, and microfiches, into digital form.

22. Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a critical issue in India, where the coexistence of humans and wild animals is necessary. HWC is defined as the negative impact of the interaction between humans and wildlife on either or both parties. To address this issue, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav released 14 guidelines to facilitate a common understanding among key stakeholders on what constitutes effective and efficient mitigation of HWC in India.

23. The study titled "Pathways to Atmanirbhar Bharat" was released recently by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and The India Energy and Climate Center (IECC). According to this report, India has an opportunity to achieve energy independence by 2047 through investments in clean energy technologies.

24. "Groundwater: A Valuable but Diminishing Resource" Report was released by the Standing Committee on Water Resources. It recommended that the Indian government must take measures to reduce groundwater overexploitation, primarily driven by the wide cultivation of water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane.

25. The Deforestation Report by Utility Bidder has revealed that India has seen the highest surge in deforestation in the past 30 years. The country lost 3,84,000 hectares (ha) of forests between 1990 and 2000, but the figure rose to 6,68,400 ha between 2015 and 2020. This trend makes India the second-largest country with deforestation after Brazil.

26. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently released its recommendations on issues related to community radio stations (CRS). The recommendations were made to the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, which had requested TRAI's views on various issues related to CRS. The recommendations aim to improve the operations and sustainability of CRS in India.

27. The Income Tax Department has launched a mobile app named 'AIS for Taxpayer' to help taxpayers get a comprehensive view of their Annual Information Statement (AIS) on their mobile phones. This move is in line with the government's Digital India campaign, aimed at providing citizens with access to various services through their smartphones.

28. The Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the Women and Men in India 2022 report on 16th March 2023. The report revealed that India's sex ratio, or the number of females per 1,000 males, is expected to improve from 943 in 2011 to 952 by 2036. However, the report also highlighted the gender disparity in labor force participation rates in the country.

29. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched the 'Call Before u Dig' (CBuD) app, an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications. The app aims to prevent losses of about Rs. 3,000 crore ($400 million) every year due to damage to underlying assets like optical fibre cables.

30. The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) was established in 2011 as a research institute to support the conservation, protection, restoration, and management of Indian coasts. Recently, the first General Body Meeting of NCSCM was held to review its progress and plan for the future.

31. The fifth World Air Quality Report by IQAir shows that India is still facing a severe air pollution crisis. The report revealed that 39 Indian cities were among the world's 50 most polluted cities based on PM2.5 levels in the air. This article will discuss the details of the report and its implications for public health and the environment in India.

32. Bain & Company's annual India Venture Capital Report 2023 reveals that venture capital investments in India saw a decrease in deal value of 33% from $38.5 billion to $25.7 billion in 2022. The report highlights macroeconomic uncertainty and recessionary fears as the primary drivers of the decrease in deal value.

33. The Rajasthan Advocates Protection Bill, 2023, was tabled by the Rajasthan government in the state legislative assembly on 16th March. The Bill aims to prevent offenses against advocates, such as assault, grievous hurt, criminal force, and criminal intimidation, along with damage or loss to their property.

34. With the ongoing verbal battle and sloganeering between the ruling party and the opposition in the Indian Parliament, the Budget session is facing a potential washout. As a result, the Speaker is expected to use the guillotine procedure to ensure the passage of financial bills. In this article, we will explore the Guillotine Parliamentary Procedure and its significance in the Indian Parliament.

35. India's Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) jointly developed BARC B1201, India's first Bauxite Certified Reference Material (CRM). The launch of this CRM is a significant achievement, especially since it is the first of its kind in India and only the fifth in the world.

36. The online gaming sector in India has seen significant growth in recent years, and has the potential to contribute significantly to the country's goal of becoming a USD 1 trillion digital economy, generating substantial employment, and fostering innovation. However, the industry is also facing a taxation quandary, according to a report titled 'Online Gaming in India: The Taxation Quandary' by Primus Partners.

37. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2023, India is expected to be the most severely affected nation by water scarcity by 2050. This is a worrying trend, given that water scarcity is already a significant issue in India, with millions of people facing severe water shortages.

38. The Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) is all set to commemorate its 40th year of successful journey on 19th March 2023. The event will include the release of a souvenir marking the 40 years of CESTAT.

39. The National Capital Territory of Delhi is one of the most congested cities in India. The city attracts a huge quantum of traffic not only from within Delhi but also from the surrounding regions of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. This high level of traffic has led to heavy congestion on the existing ring roads. To address this issue and save Delhi through decongestion, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) proposed Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-II) as the third ring road of Delhi.

40. The Ministry of Railways has recently given the nod to the doubling of the railway line between Gooty and Pendekallu stations in Andhra Pradesh. Let's take a look at what this means and how it will impact train travel between Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

41. On 23rd March 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Bharat 6G Vision Document, which outlines India's plan to launch 6G communication services by 2030. The document was developed by the Technology Innovation Group on 6G, a group of experts from various ministries, research institutions, standardization bodies, telecom service providers, and industry.

42. The Chhattisgarh legislative Assembly has passed a Bill for the protection of mediapersons and to prevent violence against them. The Chief Minister, Bhupesh Baghel, tabled the Chhattisgarh Mediapersons Protection Bill 2023 in the House for discussion and was pleased with its passage, calling it a historic day. The opposition BJP MLAs demanded that the Bill be sent to the Select Committee of the Assembly for examination, but the request was rejected by Speaker Charandas Mahant.

43. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) launched a Real-time Performance Monitoring Dashboard called 'Sagar Manthan' virtually. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the dashboard. Here are the details about 'Sagar Manthan'.

44. The G20 Chief Science Advisers' Roundtable (CSAR) is a critical government-to-government initiative of the G20 Presidency that will deliberate on free and universal access to scientific journals that are behind paywalls. India assumed the G20 presidency on 1st December 2022, and the G20 summit will be held in New Delhi from 9th - 10th September 2023.

45. On 24th March 2023, Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar launched the National Crop Insurance Portal's digitized claim settlement module 'DigiClaim' in New Delhi, India. The module falls under the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), and will disburse claims electronically, benefitting farmers from six states.

46. A report released on 27th March 2023, titled "How Is India Adapting To Heatwaves? An Assessment Of Heat Action Plans With Insights For Transformative Climate Action" provides insights into the efficacy of heat action plans (HAPs) in India. With the increase in heatwaves due to climate change, HAPs have become India's primary policy response to contain and adapt to the impact of extreme heat.

47. Animal welfare has always been a topic of concern for various animal rights organizations and animal lovers around the world. In India, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was implemented in 1960 to prevent the mistreatment of animals. Recently, the Central Government announced new rules on 27th March 2023, to prevent cruelty to animals during specific procedures, including dehorning of cattle and castration, branding or nose-roping of any animal.

48. The Maharashtra Cow Service Commission Bill was recently tabled in the State Assembly, aimed at promoting and protecting indigenous cattle breeds. Let's take a closer look at this legislation and its key points. The Maharashtra Cow Service Commission Bill was introduced by the Maharashtra's Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in the state assembly.

49. A wild elephant by the name of Arikomban has been causing chaos in the higher ranges of Idukki district. Over the past few years, Arikomban has trampled at least 10 people to death and destroyed around 60 houses and shops. The forest department has come up with a plan to capture Arikomban and train it to be a 'kumki', a captive elephant used for operations against rogue elephants.

50. With the vision that India should lead in the development of telecom technologies and standards, the Department of Telecom organized the 'First International Quantum Communication Conclave' on 27th - 28th March 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

51. The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, released on March 29th 2023, has ranked over 1,600 universities from around the world, evaluating their performance across 51 subjects. Indian universities have made significant progress this year, with 44 courses from Indian universities ranked among the global top 100.

52. In India, affordable housing remains a critical issue, with many projects remaining incomplete and stalled. This is where the SWAMIH Investment Fund comes into play. It is a social impact fund that was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The fund provides financial backing for stalled and stressed mid-income and affordable housing projects across the country.

53. The National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal, Haryana, has produced the country's first cloned female calf of the desi breed Gir, named 'Ganga.' The NDRI had initiated a project to clone indigenous cow breeds such as Gir and Sahiwal to increase milk production.

54. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) has recently launched the Vedic Heritage Portal, a digital repository of vedic knowledge and traditions from across the country. This portal is the result of a seven-year effort and an estimated cost of Rs. 5 crore. It was launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy during the IGNCA's 36th Foundation Day celebrations.

55. The Captive Employment initiative was launched under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) recently to provide skill development and job opportunities for underprivileged rural youth. The Captive Employment initiative aims to provide sustainable placements for rural poor youth.

International

1. The Birds Eye Chilli is widely used in Asian cuisines. The chilli is also called Thai chilli. It is native to Mexico. The Spanish and Portuguese people spread the chilli all over the world. The chilli variety has received a GI tag from GoI. The state of Mizoram is to export the chilli variety.

2. The Senior Mission Leaders (SML) course is being held in Tokyo, Japan from 19th - 30th June this year. The Union Home Ministry has directed all states and Union Territories to nominate three candidates - one each from the military, police, and civilian domains - for this course. Both men and women candidates are to be selected by the departments. All the costs associated with the candidates participation in the program are to be borne by the nominating entity (department/organisations/state/UTs).

3. The UK Government recently launched the Young Professionals Scheme. Under the scheme, Indian nationals of age 18 years to 30 years can live and work in Britain for up to two years. To avail of the benefits of the scheme, the person should be an Indian citizen, he or should be between 18 to 30 years old, should have at least 2,350 pounds in savings.

4. Exercise Desert Flag VIII is set to be organized from 27th February to 17th March this year. It is a multilateral air exercise involving the participation of UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, the Republic of Korea, and the US. It aims to bring about the interoperability of different fighter engagements and sharing of best practices of various Air Forces. UAE is hosting the exercise.

5. The 'Windsor Framework' introduces a green lane for goods that will stay in Northern Ireland and a red lane system for goods that will reach the European Union. It also introduces the 'Stormont Brake' that allows the lawmakers in Northern Ireland and the UK to veto any EU regulations that may adversely impact the region. The veto requires support from 30 members from at least 2 parties in Northern Ireland.

6. The S-400 Triumf is a surface-to-air missile system that was developed in Russia in the 1990s as an upgrade to the S-300 family. It is a mobile system that was initially known as the S-300 PMU-3. The system was first put into service on April 2007. The S-400 Triumf has advanced features such-as a long-range, high-altitude interception capability, and the ability to track multiple targets simultaneously.

7. The AIRS Fellowship Program is a bilateral program between India and Australia. It is led by Australia India Institute. The funding for this program is provided by the Australian Government Department of Education. It promotes research collaborations and student mobility between India and Australia. It is part of the Update to the India Economic Strategy to 2035 action plan that seeks to strengthen academic relations.

8. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the limitations of the WHO International Health Regulations 2005, which was implemented by 196 countries across the world. In response to the challenges highlighted by the pandemic, the first round of negotiations concerning the amendments to the regulations was recently concluded. More than 300 suggested changes were proposed for this document, which is the binding instrument of international law that entered into force in 2007.

9. The Debt Forgiveness Plan was announced by the Biden Government on 24th August last year. This plan vowed to cancel 10,000 USD of student loan debt for individuals earning less than 125,000 USD or for households earning less than $250,000 per annum. Under this plan, those who are receiving Federal Pell Grants will be given an additional 10,000 USD in debt forgiven.

10. After almost a decade of negotiations, countries have reached an agreement on a treaty to protect and sustainably use marine biodiversity beyond national boundaries on the high seas. This breakthrough comes after 2 weeks of talks at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction in New York. The high seas are areas situated beyond 200 nautical miles from coastal countries' exclusive economic zones.

11. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is set to organize meeting in Switzerland to finalize the Synthesis Report, which will summarize the findings of the IPCC's previous five reports and address policy-relevant scientific questions related to climate change. The report will emphasize meeting the 1.5 degree Celsius target as the main global goal.

12. Kenzaburo Oe, the Nobel Prize-winning Japanese author, passed away on 10th March 2023, at the age of 88. His death marks the end of an era in Japanese literature, as Ōe was widely regarded as one of the most important and influential writers of the post-World War II era. His works explored complex themes of identity, memory, trauma, and the human condition, often through the lens of Japan's traumatic history.

13. The dawn school trial is a controversial experiment implemented in the city of Kupang in Indonesia. The pilot project, implemented in 10 schools in the region, requires students of 12th grade to attend classes starting at 5:30 am in an effort to "strengthen children's discipline". However, the scheme has resulted in sleep deprivation among the students, with parents and experts raising concerns over the health hazards it might bring.

14. The Sika deer, also known as the Japanese deer or Northern spotted deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia, including Japan, Taiwan, and eastern parts of China. The species has also been introduced to various other parts of the world. It is known for having small head and short legs. Depending on their habitat, species can be small or medium-sized.

15. Rwanda has taken a significant step forward in its fight against infectious diseases by becoming the first African country to house a facility for manufacturing messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. The facility, spanning across 800 square meters of space, is capable of conducting trials of new therapeutics to combat diseases like TB, HIV and others.

16. On 14th March 2023, Sir Brian Harold May was knighted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, becoming the latest musician to receive the prestigious title of "Knight Bachelor". The honor was bestowed upon May in recognition of his significant contributions to the world of music and his charitable efforts throughout his career.

17. Recently, two United States Senators, one Republican and one Democrat, introduced a bipartisan resolution in Congress, reaffirming the US's recognition of the McMahon Line as the international boundary between China and India in Arunachal Pradesh. The resolution also supports India's position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and condemns China's military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control.

18. The recently concluded three-day summit on "Collaboration in Sports and Physical Fitness" brought together delegates from eight Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) nations in New Delhi. The summit aimed to explore opportunities for collaboration in the field of sports and physical fitness and to strengthen the common commitment to sports.

19. Bhutan, a landlocked country in South Asia, is set to be removed from the LDC list on 13th December 2023, becoming the seventh country to graduate from the list. Bhutan's graduation was announced by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018, based on its sustainable development efforts, including poverty reduction, education, healthcare, and gender equality. This graduation is a significant milestone for Bhutan, as it represents the country's progress in terms of economic and human development.

20. China's recent announcement of the Saudi - Iran detente in West Asia has been viewed as a strategic move aimed at securing long-term economic interests and establishing political influence in the region. This deal is set to rival the traditional role played by the United States in the area and has far-reaching implications for global politics.

21. Poland recently announced the delivery of four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, making it the first North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country to do so. The move is seen as a significant step towards military backing for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

22. Japan and South Korea are two of the world's most important economies and play critical roles in ensuring regional peace and stability. The recent summit between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is being viewed as a major breakthrough in the efforts to put aside the past and move forward towards a brighter future.

23. On 17th March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's Commissioner for Child Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the alleged war crime of unlawfully deporting and transferring children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

24. The Oxford Union Society, commonly known as the Oxford Union, is a prestigious debating society in Oxford, England, that boasts a rich tradition of hosting some of the world's most prominent personalities across politics, academia, and popular culture. Founded in 1823, the Union remains one of Britain's oldest university unions and is distinct from the Oxford University Student Union.

25. The European Union (EU) has recently announced two major pieces of legislation that are part of its Green Deal Industrial Plan - the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA). The aim of these measures is to promote green manufacturing and reduce the EU's reliance on imports.

26. Burundi, a landlocked east-African country, has declared its first polio outbreak in 30 years. The outbreak was confirmed after a four-year-old child in the Isale district of western Burundi, along with two other children he was in contact with, were diagnosed with vaccine-linked polio. Additionally, poliovirus type 2 was detected in five samples from environmental surveillance of wastewater from the region.

27. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently introduced a new plan to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region during his visit to India. The plan is aimed at forging stronger ties with countries in South and Southeast Asia to counter China's growing assertiveness in the region, particularly over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

28. Video editing has become an integral part of our daily lives, especially with the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Among these platforms, TikTok has always been in the limelight for its huge craze among US communities. However, a new video editing tool, owned by ByteDance Ltd, is now gaining eyeballs in the country. It is TikTok's lesser-known sibling, CapCut.

29. The Nepal - India Literature Festival was a three-day literary extravaganza organized by Biratnagar Metropolitan City and Krantidhara Literature Academy of Meerut, India. The festival witnessed the participation of over 350 literary writers from all seven provinces of Nepal and a majority of the states of India. The event concluded with the adoption of a 10-point Biratnagar declaration aimed at promoting literature between Nepal and India.

30. The Investment Board Nepal has granted permission to NHPC Limited, an Indian company, to conduct a feasibility study of the proposed 450 MW Seti River-6 Hydropower Project. The project will be built in the Doti and Achham districts of Nepal and aims to provide the country with much-needed electricity.

31. The G20 RIIG (Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Innovation Group) Conference will take place on 23rd March bringing together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world. The conference will focus on the theme of building a sustainable and circular bio-economy, and discussions will cover various topics related to this critical issue.

32. The Ugandan parliament has recently passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, which proposes stringent penalties for anyone engaging in sex with a person of the same gender. The punishments range from imprisonment to capital punishment, and even entities like media groups, journalists, and publishers can be convicted of promoting homosexuality. The Bill has been met with widespread condemnation and calls for its veto.

33. Tanzania has recently confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus, a highly contagious and deadly virus that causes viral hemorrhagic fever. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the confirmation by Tanzania's national public laboratory followed the death of five people in the northwest Kagera region who developed symptoms, which include fever, vomiting, bleeding, and renal failure.

34. North Korea has recently unveiled its new nuclear underwater drone, which has caused concerns in the international community. The drone, dubbed "Haeil" or Tsunami, is designed to create massive radioactive waves through submarine explosions. The country's leader, Kim Jong-un, was reportedly "greatly satisfied" after the drone was successfully tested.

35. A new US-Canada border deal has recently taken effect with the aim to halt the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings. The agreement has closed a loophole that previously allowed migrants to claim asylum at such unofficial ports of entry. Under the new accord, migrants caught crossing anywhere along the 3,145 mile (5,060 km) border can now be sent back. This comes at a time when there has been a rise in migrant crossings into Canada from the US side.

36. Arizona's Black Mesa Trust (BMT) has been awarded the prestigious 'Water and Heritage Shield' by the International Committee On Monuments and Sites International Science Committee (ICOMOS ISC) on 25th March 2023. The award recognizes BMT's work to raise public awareness of the significance of water and indigenous sacred sites worldwide, including the Hopi's Sípàapu.

37. As the tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalate, the use of depleted uranium munitions has once again come into the spotlight. The use of these weapons is a cause for concern not only due to their devastating impact but also because of the risk they pose to human health and the environment.

38. The Museum of London Docklands was founded in 2003, with the main focus of highlighting the history of the River Thames, the growth of the Port of London, and the docks' historical ties to the Atlantic slave trade. The upcoming exhibition, Indo + Caribbean: The creation of a culture, is set to be unveiled in May 2023.

39. Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he would station tactical nuclear weapons (TNWs) in Belarus has raised concerns about increased risks of nuclear conflict. As Belarus is a neighbor to NATO member countries, stationing nuclear weapons there has the potential to escalate tensions between Russia and the West. Here are some key questions and answers to understand the situation:

40. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from the standard time during the summer and back again in the autumn. Although it was initially intended to make better use of natural daylight and save energy, today, it remains a subject of controversy.

41. On 27th June 2022, Operation Interflex began, which involves the United Kingdom (U.K.) and several other countries training nearly 2,000 Ukraine military recruits for five weeks. This initiative is part of the U.K.'s £2.3 billion commitment towards military aid and support to Ukraine, and is a collaborative effort between Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

42. India's G20 Presidency is conducting the first Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) Meeting in Mumbai from 28th - 30th March 2023. The TIWG Meeting is an important forum for over 100 delegates from G20 member countries, invitee countries, regional groupings, and international organizations to engage in discussions about accelerating global trade and investments.

43. The Dalai Lama recently recognized an eight-year-old Mongolian boy as the reincarnation of the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche, one of the most important spiritual leaders in Tibetan Buddhism. The boy's recognition has generated celebrations among Buddhists in Mongolia, but also negative reactions from secular nationalists and concern among those worried about potential reactions from neighboring China.

44. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization that provides financial assistance to member countries facing economic crises. The organization works towards maintaining international monetary cooperation, promoting exchange rate stability, and facilitating international trade. IMF lending comes with strict conditions, and countries must adhere to these conditions to receive financial assistance.

Defence

1. The HTT-40 or Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 is a trainer aircraft developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is being manufactured at facilities in Nashik and Bengaluru. It contains over 56 percent of indigenous content, which is expected to increase to over 60 percent. The Union Cabinet recently approved the procurement of 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) at the cost of Rs. 6,828.36 crores

2. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been granted approval by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a new variant of the Hindustan 228-201 LW aircraft. It is a modified form of Dornier-228 which the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have been using for short-range maritime patrolling and surveillance. This new variant belongs to the sub-5,700 kg aircraft category. It can accommodate 19 passengers with a maximum takeoff weight of 5,695 kg.

3. The Indian Navy has received the first fully indigenized fuze YDB-60 for the underwater anti-submarine warfare rocket RGB-60. The fuze was manufactured by the private Indian Industry M/s Economic Explosives Limited (EEL) which is based in Nagpur. This marks the first time that the Indian Navy has procured an underwater ammunition fuze from an Indian private manufacturer.

4. The Indian Army has proposed the acquisition of an indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) to fill critical capability gaps in high-altitude regions. The proposal is expected to be approved by the Ministry of Defence, after which orders can be placed for 310 towed guns. The ATAGS has been designed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to replace the current 155 mm artillery system in service, the Bofors towed guns.

5. The BrahMos missile is a type of supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from various platforms like submarines, ships, aeroplanes, or land. It is currently the fastest supersonic missile in the world and was developed by a partnership between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, forming BrahMos Aerospace. The missile is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra in India and the Moskva in Russia.

6. The International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) is being organized in the Gulf region from 26th February to 16th March 2023. The exercise aims to enhance maritime security and ensure safe sea lanes for maritime commerce, with over 50 nations and international maritime agencies participating. It is one of the largest multinational maritime exercises.

7. FRINJEX-23, the first-ever joint military exercise between Indian Army and French Army. It was between the 7th and 8th of March 2023 at Pangode Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Both contingents consist of a Company Group. India was represented by Indian Army troops based in Thiruvananthapuram and France was represented by the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade.

8. The South Korean military has introduced a concept known as the "Kill Web" in response to the escalating nuclear threat from North Korea. This concept is a key part of Military Innovations 4.0, which seeks to utilize the latest AI technologies to ensure the country's army can win a war with minimal casualties in the shortest possible time.

9. The INS Vikrant is an aircraft carrier currently in use by the Indian Navy. It is the first carrier to be built indigenously, having been constructed by the Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kerala. The vessel is named after India's inaugural aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant (1961), and its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "courageous." The motto of the ship is also in Sanskrit, which roughly translates to "I defeat those who fight against me."

10. On 7th March this year, the Indian Navy conducted a successful test-firing of a Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) from INS Visakhapatnam, a frontline warship. The successful test-firing validated the capability to use the weapon as an anti-ship missile, demonstrating the Navy's preparedness to safeguard its assets from attacks by adversary forces.

11. The 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra, a bilateral armour exercise between the armies of India and Singapore, was conducted from 6th to 13th March 2023, at Jodhpur Military Station, India. This joint exercise aimed to enhance cooperation, build a common understanding of mechanised warfare, combat emerging threats and adapt to evolving technologies. It also provided an opportunity for both armies to exchange ideas and best practices in a modern combat zone.

12. On 14th March 2023, the Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE) in Chennai, which is a part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), conducted a successful flight-test of the Power Take off (PTO) Shaft on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) Limited Series Production (LSP) - 3 aircraft in Bengaluru.

13. The Sea Dragon 23 exercise is a biennial coordinated multilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise for long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The exercise is hosted by the United States Navy, and it involves the participation of other friendly navies from Japan, Canada, South Korea, and India. It is being held from 15th to 30th March this year.

14. The Indian Navy has recently announced that it will honor the memory of the late General Bipin Rawat, the India's first Chief of Defence Staff, by introducing two awards in his name. The Navy made the announcement on the eve of the late General's 65th birth anniversary. The awards will be presented to deserving individuals who demonstrate outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

15. An HAL Cheetah helicopter crashed near Mandala in Arunachal Pradesh, India, with a search operation underway for the two pilots on board. The cause of the crash is currently unknown, but the Indian Army has launched a search operation to locate the pilots and investigate the incident.

16. Poland recently announced the delivery of four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, making it the first North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) country to do so. The move is seen as a significant step towards military backing for Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. The MiG-29 fighter jet is a single-seat twin-engine air-to-air fighter used for conducting ground attacks.

17. The Indian Navy's INS Dronacharya is a prestigious gunnery school located in Kochi, Kerala. The school has been in operation since 1975 and is responsible for training officers and ratings in various fields such as small-arms, naval missiles, artillery, radar, and defensive countermeasures. It recently received President's Colour.

18. The Indian Navy Forces and Royal Saudi Naval Forces met in Mumbai recently o finalize preparations for the upcoming joint naval exercise, 'Al-Mohed-Al Hindi-23', which is set to take place in May 2023 in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. This is the second such exercise between the two countries, following the first in August 2021.

19. The Ministry of Defence is reportedly considering the creation of a Non-Lapsable Defence Modernisation Fund (DMF) to modernize the defence forces. The fund is expected to supplement the regular yearly budgetary allocations and eliminate any uncertainty in provisioning adequate funds for various defence capability development and infrastructure projects.

20. India recently launched the INS Androth, as part of an eight-ship series of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC). The ASW SWC was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata and is designed to conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low intensity maritime operations and mine laying operations.

21. INS Sujata, a Sukanya class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, based at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, recently visited Port Maputo, Mozambique as a part of its Overseas Deployment from 19th to 21st March 2023. The purpose of the visit is to improve the bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between the two navies.

22. Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage-2000 aircraft have been participating in Exercise Cobra Warrior in the United Kingdom over the past three weeks. This joint training exercise has been taking place alongside six other Air Forces, including those from the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Singapore.

23. In the midst of the ongoing stand-off between India and China at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army and Air Force have conducted a 96-hour multi-domain air and land exercise, called 'Vayu Prahar', in the eastern sector. The exercise was conducted in the second week of March with the main objective of formulating plans that can lead to synergy in multi-domain operations.

24. The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy conducted their annual bilateral maritime exercise called Konkan 2023 off the Konkan coast in the Arabian Sea from 20th to 22nd March 2023. This exercise involved INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 guided missile frigate, and aimed to improve cooperation and learn best practices through various maritime drills.

25. The First Training Squadron (1TS) of Indian Navy, based in Kochi, is responsible for providing basic and advanced training to the officer and sailor trainees of the Indian Navy. Recently, two ships, INS Tir and ICGS Sarathi, from the squadron visited Port Antsiranana in Madagascar, from 20th to 23rd March 2023, as part of their training activities. Let us delve deeper into this visit and its significance.

26. On 25th March 2023, the Indian Army's Armoured Regiments were awarded the prestigious President's Standard at an event held at the Suratgarh military station in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district. The presentation was made by Army chief General Manoj Pande, who commended the four regiments for their exemplary services.

27. Recently, the UK announced that it would be sending a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine to aid in the country's fight against Russian aggression. This move comes at a time when Ukraine faces increasing hostility from Russia, and the UK is keen to support its ally in the region. The Challenger 2 tank is the UK's primary battle tank, designed to destroy other tanks, and has been used in conflict areas worldwide.

28. INS Sumedha is an indigenously-built stealth offshore patrol vessel that is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors. Recently, it reached Port Algiers, Algeria for an operational turn around. The vessel is routinely deployed for fleet support operations such as anti-piracy patrol, SAR, HADR, surveillance, and escort missions. Additionally, it is also capable of carrying an Advanced Light Combat Helicopter onboard.

29. The Russian Navy, on 28th March, test-fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan. The missiles, identified as Moskit cruise missiles, were fired at a target located approximately 100 kilometers away from the missile ships of the Pacific Fleet. The target was hit successfully with a direct hit from two Moskit cruise missiles, according to a statement from the Russian defence ministry.

Business, Economy & Banking

1. Bain & Company's annual India Venture Capital Report 2023 reveals that venture capital investments in India saw a decrease in deal value of 33% from $38.5 billion to $25.7 billion in 2022. The report highlights macroeconomic uncertainty and recessionary fears as the primary drivers of the decrease in deal value.

Science & Technology

1. Lewis Capaldi is a Scottish singer. Recently, he faced difficulties in singing during his live show. His fans completed the song for him while he was struggling to form tones. The singer has been suffering from Tourette Syndrome. It is a nervous disorder. The syndrome develops during childhood or adolescence. The common tics that develop in Tourette syndrome are coughing, blinking, sniffing, throat clearing and facial movements.

2. ALMA telescope is to get a new brain. The ALMA is set to get a hardware and software upgrade for the collection of more data and produce sharper images. The upgrades are estimated to cost 37 million USD. These upgrades will be made over 5 years.

3. Scientists have recently discovered a new form of corrosion known as the 1D wormhole corrosion. This type of corrosion is characterized by a wormhole-like 1D morphology that can serve as a mass-flow pathway. The discovery of this type of corrosion is significant for the understanding of material degradation mechanisms in molten salt environments, particularly in relation to next-generation nuclear power plants that use molten salts as coolants.

4. The Atacama Desert is situated in South America, spanning across a 1,600 km strip of land on the Pacific coast. This desert plateau is situated west of the Andes Mountains. It is the world's driest nonpolar desert. It mostly consists of salt lakes, stony terrains, sand and felsic lava that flows towards the Andes.

5. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the flight acceptance hot test for the CE-20 cryogenic engine, which will power the LVM3 launch vehicle's Cryogenic Upper Stage for the upcoming Chandrayaan-3 mission. The test was carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, and all the propulsion parameters during the test were found to be satisfactory.

6. Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy through a process called electrolysis. Green hydrogen is considered a clean and sustainable energy source that can be used in various sectors, including transportation and industry, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Due to its high economic potential and cost-effectiveness, it is expected to become a widely adopted energy source in the future.

7. POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterized by a rapid rise in heart rate after standing up or lying down. It is caused when most of the blood stays in the lower body. It is usually non-life threatening and is more common among women.

8. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) or Acute Renal Failure (ARF) is the sudden failure of the kidney's functioning that occurs within a few hours or a few days. It causes the accumulation of waste products in blood, making it hard of kidneys to keep the right fluid balance in the body.

9. Lithium is a highly reactive and flammable soft, silver-white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group of elements. It has a variety of industrial and medicinal applications, making it a highly valuable element. Lithium is commonly used in rechargeable batteries for electronic devices and electric vehicles (EVs). It is preferred over other metals because of its high energy density, low self-discharge, and long cycle life.

10. New research has shown that Nexletol, a different type of cholesterol-lowering drug, may be a viable option for people who are unable to take statins due to side effects. Nexletol, also known as bempedoic acid, was previously prescribed to be used alongside statins. The study is the first to show that Nexletol alone can reduce the risk of cholesterol-caused health problems.

11. The final full moon of the winter season, called the Worm Moon, was visible on 6th and 7th March. Each year, the timing varies between late February to late March. The name of this full moon is derived from the time it appears in the year when winter subsides in the Northern hemisphere, leading to the earthworms emerging from the ground as the soil softens.

12. The Indian Space Agency ISRO is conducting a controlled re-entry of a decommissioned Indo-French satellite, Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT1), jointly developed to study tropical weather and climate. The satellite was launched in 2011 and exceeded its intended operational lifespan until 2021.

13. The research paper titled 'Variation of lightning-ignited wildfire patterns under climate change' states that increasing global temperatures could result in more occurrences of "hot lightning" strikes around the world, resulting in an elevated risk of wildfires. Hot lightning, also known as long continuing current, is a type of lightning that lasts longer, i.e. 40 milliseconds to nearly a third of a second.

14. On 8th March Relativity Space, a startup company based in California, made history with the launch of Terran 1, the world's first 3D-printed rocket. The launch is part of the "Good Luck, Have Fun" (GLHF) mission. Terran 1 will be the largest 3D-printed object to attempt an orbital flight, weighing 9,280 kilograms and standing 110 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide. 85% of the rocket was manufactured using 3D-printing technology.

15. The H3 rocket recently experienced an engine failure during liftoff from the JAXA Tanegashima spaceport, prompting JAXA to send a self-destruct signal. JAXA is Japan Space Aerospace Exploration Agency. It was carrying the ALOS-3 satellite (Advanced Land Observation Satellite for disaster response and map making) that included an experimental infrared sensor for detecting North Korean ballistic missile launches.

16. The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is located at the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile and is adjacent to the four Very Large Telescope (VLT) Unit Telescopes. It is located atop the Cerro Paranal mountain. The VST is unique as it is the world's largest telescope specifically designed to survey the sky in visible light. The program is a collaboration between Italy's OAC and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

17. Influenza sub-type H3N2, commonly called Hong Kong Flu, is causing a surge in hospitalizations due to respiratory illness across India. H3N2 is responsible for at least 92 percent of all severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and outpatient influenza-like illnesses. It is causing more hospitalizations than other influenza subtypes. Recently, it caused 2 deaths- 1 in Karnataka and another in Haryana.

18. E-fuels are a type of fuel that is produced by capturing carbon emissions and combining them with hydrogen made from renewable or CO2-free electricity. Their examples include e-kerosene, e-methane and e-methanol. When e-fuels are burned in an engine, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but the emissions are balanced by the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the air to make the fuel, making it carbon-neutral.

19. Moon Time Zone has been proposed for establishing a universal timekeeping system that will simplify communication and coordination among different lunar missions. The proposal has come in response to the increasing number of lunar missions being planned and launched by different countries and entities- with some of the upcoming missions including Japan's M1 lunar lander and the Nova-C lander of Houston-based Intuitive Machines.

20. An atmospheric river is a narrow and elongated region in the atmosphere that carries a substantial amount of water vapour outside the tropics. Researchers first coined the term 'atmospheric river' in the 1990s. It is also known as a tropical plume, tropical connection, moisture plume, water vapour surge and cloud band.

21. NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) Mission is a collaborative project between NASA and ISRO aimed at building and launching an Earth observation satellite equipped with a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar. Notably, the satellite carries the most advanced radar system ever to be launched in a NASA Mission. It also has the largest radar antenna of its type.

22. For the first time, Oxygen-18 was detected in Earth's mesosphere and lower thermosphere using the data collected by the GREAT instrument on NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). This is the first time that heavy oxygen has been detected outside a laboratory. Heavy oxygen has 10 neutrons compared to the 8 neutrons present in the more common isotope that we breathe.

23. Red tide has recently occurred on the coast of Florida. It generally disappears by spring. It has been found since the 1800s in the Gulf of Mexico. Red tide is an algal bloom. The ocean plants living in the sea grow uncontrollably and cause a bloom. The bloom caused by red-coloured algae is called red tide. It is harmful to fish, and marine mammals, and also has harmful effects on humans.

24. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and are found everywhere that bacteria exist. They are one of the most abundant and diverse groups of organisms on the planet, and they play a significant role in controlling bacterial populations in various environments. Among them, the P74-26 bacteriophage stands out due to its unique structure and features. A new study has found that this bacteriophage has an extremely long tail.

25. OpenAI has made a major announcement that has generated a lot of buzz in the artificial intelligence (AI) community. The company has unveiled its latest creation, GPT-4, a large multimodal model that can process both text and image inputs. This new language model is an upgrade from its predecessor, GPT-3, which was already groundbreaking in its own right.

26. Venus and Earth are often compared as sister planets, having similarities in size, mass, density and volume. Now, a recent study has shown that Venus might share another feature with Earth - active volcanoes. Using decades-old radar images from the Magellan mission, researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology have found evidence of volcanic activity on Venus.

27. Baidu, the Chinese search giant, introduced its new chatbot, Ernie Bot, in a pre-recorded video presentation on Thursday. This unveiling came as competition to the Microsoft-backed ChatGPT and other similar chatbots. Ernie Bot, which stands for "Enhanced Representation of Knowledge Integration," is still in development but was presented due to high demand.

28. The first test vehicle demonstration (TV-D1) under the Gaganyaan mission will be conducted on May 2023. It aims to test the abort process mid-air, the parachute system, and the recovery of crew members after splashdown. The demonstration involves using single liquid propellant-based rocket stage to carry the crew module to a sub-orbital level. This success of this demonstration will bring Gaganyaan mission an inch closer to the goal of sending humans to space.

29. A group of researchers led by from Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, have discovered a new species of jumping spider, Thiania indica. The spider was discovered during an expedition to Kulathupuzha in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary. Thiania indica belongs to the Thiania C. L. Koch genus of Salticidae family. The research findings were published in the March 2023 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Arachnology by the British Arachnological Society.

30. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved yet another milestone in its space exploration journey. The space agency announced that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has successfully completed crucial tests that confirm its capability to endure the harsh acoustic and vibration conditions during its launch. This significant accomplishment brings the mission one step closer to its scheduled launch in June 2023.

31. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a lethal fungus that causes chytridiomycosis - a deadly disease that is wiping out hundreds of amphibian species. The pathogen affects the keratin in the skin of amphibians and is spreading across Africa, killing out or driving to the verge of extinction hundreds of amphibian species.

32. Raccoon Dog, also known as Chinese or Asian raccoon dog is a fox-like canid endemic to East Asia. Its face has racoon-like markings and is closely related to foxes. It has unique traits when compared with canids (dogs, foxes and others) such as the capacity to climb trees and hibernating during winders. A new study found evidence providing the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 originating from racoon dogs.

33. Scientists from the University of California, Irvine have conducted a study that suggests the possibility of alien life existing in the "terminator zones" of exoplanets. These zones are areas that are not too hot or too cold, and are therefore more likely to harbor liquid water, a key ingredient for life as we know it.

34. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been making headlines this year, as major tech companies like Microsoft and Alphabet race to launch products that utilize the technology.

35. For the upcoming Artemis missions, NASA's first attempt at landing astronauts on the moon since 1972, the spacesuit used will see a significant upgrade. The new spacesuit, called the AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit), will be more nimble, comfortable, and designed to fit a broader array of body types. In a recent demonstration, the suit's chief engineer showcased not just the increased mobility provided by the suit but also other interesting features.

36. A total of 76 samples of COVID-19's XBB.1.16 variant have been found in India, which might be the reason behind the recent surge in cases in the country, according to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The variant has been detected across eight states and union territories, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha.

37. Researchers in Japan have made an exciting discovery in the field of botany. A new species of orchid has been identified growing in parks, gardens, and even on balconies throughout the country. The delicate pink-and-white blooms of this orchid are reminiscent of the common Spiranthes orchid, but it lacks the typical hairy stems and flowers a month earlier. This new species has been named "Spiranthes hachijoensis" after its discovery near Hachijo Island in Tokyo.

38. Researchers from the Shadpada Entomology Research Lab at Christ College, Irinjalakuda, have made an exciting discovery in southern India - a new species of cuckoo wasp. The species has been named Trichrysis poseidonia after the Greek God of the Sea, Poseidon, due to apical abdominal teeth's striking resemblance to his trident.

39. A team of wildlife researchers has discovered a new species of naked-toed gecko, named Cyrtopodion Vindhya, in the Dahod and Panchmahals districts of Gujarat. This recent discovery brings the number of endemic reptile species described in Gujarat to five in the last 15 years. The study highlights the significance of the region's rich and unique fauna.

40. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated the Yuva Vignani Karyakram (YUVIKA) program to encourage students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and develop a passion for space science. Through this program, ISRO aims to identify and nurture talented students who have a keen interest in science and technology and inspire them to become future space scientists. Applications have been opened for this programme recently.

41. On 16th March, Microsoft unveiled its latest artificial intelligence (AI) integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Designed to boost workplace productivity, the Copilot combines the "power of large language models with business data and the Microsoft 365 apps to unleash creativity, unlock productivity and uplevel skills," according to a press statement.

42. While Babesiosis has been a concern in some states in the US for many years, recent research has shown a significant increase in the number of cases in the northeastern states.

43. The Indian space agency, ISRO, has announced that it will launch its largest rocket, LVM3, on 26th March for its second commercial mission. This is the shortest duration in which ISRO has carried out two missions of the LVM3 rocket, as it aims to meet the timelines of the customer whose satellites are being launched. This is the 6th mission to be carried out with the rocket.

44. Researchers in central Queensland's Brigalow Belt have discovered a new species of trapdoor spider called Euoplos dignitas. This nocturnal species lives underground and is larger and stockier than its male counterpart. The discovery of this new spider species is an exciting development, but it also raises concerns about its future, given the impact of land clearing in the region.

45. DMT, or dimethyltryptamine, is a potent hallucinogenic drug that is found in the Amazonian drink Ayahuasca. It is made using the flowering shrub of the Psychotria viridis plant. Scientists have been studying the effects of DMT on the human brain for years, and a recent study has revealed previously unreported effects of this compound.

46. Recently, India inaugurated the largest International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) in Devasthal, Uttarakhand. This four-meter telescope is designed exclusively for astronomical observations and is the first optical survey telescope in India. The observatory will explore the deep celestial sky, classifying objects from asteroids to supernovae, and space debris.

47. A team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery that could lend further support to the theory of panspermia, which suggests that life on Earth may have originated from outer space. The researchers have found building blocks of RNA in just 10 milligrams of materials from the asteroid Ryugu.

48. Scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute, the University of Sydney, and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory have identified a new species of the genus Nemateleotris. The lavender-blushed dartfish, or Nemateleotris lavandula, was discovered in the western and central Pacific Ocean.

49. A team of scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recently discovered a new catfish species in Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery was announced in a statement by the ZSI. The new catfish species has been christened 'Exostoma Dhritiae'. The new species was found in Siking stream, a tributary of Siang river in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

50. A team of researchers have discovered a new species of Moray eel off the coast of Cuddalore, which is located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The new species has been named Gymnothorax tamilnaduensis, with its common name being the Tamil Nadu brown moray. This discovery has been published in the international peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.

51. On 25th March 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) successfully launched the OneWeb India-2 mission, a significant achievement in space connectivity. The mission's primary objective was to deploy 36 satellites into a 450 km circular orbit with an inclination of 87.4 degrees, which was accomplished using the LVM3 rocket.

52. A team of researchers from the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid, Spain, has described a new species of deer, Dama celiae, from fossils found in the Manzanares valley. This discovery provides valuable insight into the diversity of cervids during the Pleistocene epoch, which lasted from 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago.

53. Chow-chow, also known as chayote, is a vegetable that belongs to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. It is not easily available in markets but is a popular ingredient in the cuisine of certain Indian states.

54. The New Guinea singing dog is also known as the New Guinea Highland dog. It is a dog species found in the New Guinea Highlands on the island of New Guinea. This breed is one of the few considered "barkless" and known for its unusual "yodel"-like style of vocalizing, hence its common name of "singing dog."

55. Researchers from the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin have discovered a new species of ancient beaver in the fossil collections of the university. The species has been named Anchitheriomys buceei after a popular Texas travel center chain.

56. Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a viral disease that affects birds but can also be transmitted to humans and other animals, including horses and dogs. There are several subtypes of the Influenza A virus that can cause bird flu, with H3N8 being one of them.

Government Schemes

1. Government of India notified the National Geospatial Policy 2022 in December last year as a replacement for the National Map Policy, 2005. The objective of the 2022 policy is to strengthen the location-centric industry to assist with the information economy. The policy provides a framework for the development of a geospatial ecosystem that will facilitate the growth of the industry.

2. The Union Health Minister recently announced that 9,082 Janaushadhi Kendras are being operated under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). The target is to increase the numbers to 10,000 by December 2023. The Indian government launched PMBJP in November 2008 to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices to everyone. This initiative involves opening Janaushadhi Kendras across India that offer affordable generic drugs and surgical items.

3. A milestone has been achieved under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), as over 25 crore health records have been successfully linked to the Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts. This will help with the easy access and management of health records using any ABDM-enabled health apps.

4. The Union Minister Piyush Goyal urged all states and union territories to implement the SMART-PDS to ensure the smooth operation of the public distribution system. The Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS) was proposed by the Department of Food and Public Distribution.

5. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has recently launched a new security mechanism for Aadhaar-based fingerprint authentication. Its aim is to ensure a fast-paced detection of spoofing attempts by making use of artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. The new mechanism uses a combination of both finger minutia and finger image to check the liveliness of the captured fingerprint. This will introduce a two-factor/layer authentication, further boosting the system's security.

6. In honor of National Science Day, which is celebrated on 28th February, the Indian Government launched the VAIBHAV Fellowship scheme. The new initiative aims to enhance the research capability of India's higher education institutions by promoting academic and research collaborations with top-performing institutions from around the world.

7. The 5th Jan Aushadhi Diwas is organized across India based on the theme "Jan Aushadhi - Sasti bhi Acchi bhi". It was organized from 1st to 2nd March this year. It kicked off with the Jan Aushadhi Jan Chetna Abhiyan across India. It was organized by the Union Health Ministry in collaboration with the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India and states and union territories.

8. The SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector) scheme is a demand-driven and placement-oriented umbrella skilling initiative that aims to provide incentives and create jobs in the organized textile industry and related sectors, covering the entire value chain of textiles, except spinning and weaving. It will be implemented until March 2024.

9. The Indian Government launched the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in 2010 to prevent and control major non-communicable diseases. It focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, early diagnosis, health promotion and more. It seeks to reduce premature cancer-related mortality by 25% by 2025.

10. The Jan Aushadhi Train was flagged off recently in New Delhi by union ministers Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw. It was launched as part of the week-long celebrations commemorating the Jan Aushadhi scheme. This is the second such train to be flagged off to create awareness about the scheme.

11. The PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission was launched in October 2021 with an aim to strengthen healthcare infrastructure across India. With a budget of Rs. 64,180 crore, the mission has three aspects: strengthening public health institutions, building an IT-enabled disease surveillance system, and expanding research on infectious diseases.

12. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment's flagship program, Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), aims to raise awareness about substance abuse among youth in India, with a particular focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools, and community engagement. Recently, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment and Brahma Kumaris inked a Memorandum of Understanding to make NMBA more effective and widespread.

13. The SWAMIH Investment Fund is a social impact fund designed to provide debt financing for completing stalled, brownfield, and RERA-registered residential projects. Managed by SBICAP Ventures Ltd., a State Bank Group company, the Fund is sponsored by the Union Ministry of Finance. It was launched in 2019.

14. The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has launched the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) in 57 Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) throughout India. This flagship initiative is launched under NEP 2020. It was notified in 2021. It offers a 4-year dual-major undergraduate degree program, preparing teachers for the 4 stages of the new school structure i.e. the 5+3+3+4 structure of foundational, preparatory, middle and secondary schooling.

15. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a new mission called "Har Payment Digital" as part of its efforts to make every Indian a user of digital payments. The initiative was launched during Digital Payments Awareness Week and aims to reinforce the ease and convenience of digital payments, while also onboarding new users.

16. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State, Personnel, announced that the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare has decided to create a new "Integrated Pensioners' Portal" by combining all pension portals such as Pension Disbursing Bank portals, ANUBHAV, CPENGRAMS, CGHS, etc. at the Bankers Awareness Workshop in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. This integrated portal will ensure convenience for senior citizens.

17. The One Nation, One Challan initiative aims to integrate all related agencies such as traffic police and Regional Transport Offices (RTO) on a single platform for the seamless collection of traffic fines and data transfer. Recently, the state government of Gujarat told the HC during a PIL hearing that was seeking the setting up of virtual traffic courts and that it is already in the process of establishing these courts under the 'One Nation One Challan' initiative.

18. The state government of Kerala is planning to establish a Pattaya Mission by the end of April to tackle land record issues in the state. Under the leadership of MLAs in each district, the mission will work towards providing title deeds for all individuals.

19. The tourism industry in India has always been a major contributor to the country's economy. It not only generates employment opportunities but also promotes cultural exchange and supports local businesses. However, the rapid growth of tourism has also led to its negative impacts, including environmental degradation, overcrowding, and exploitation of local communities.

20. Assam, known for its premium tea production, is one of the leading tea producing states in India. However, the tea industry in Assam has been struggling with a long-drawn financial crisis, which has affected the tea workers' livelihoods. To provide relief to the tea industry, the Assam government has launched the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme (ATISIS). This scheme provides financial backing required for the production of orthodox tea or speciality tea, which are mainly for the export purposes and requires high cost of production. During the budget, the state government allocated Rs. 100 crore for this scheme.

21. Sagar Parikrama Phase IV journey was launched on 18th March. Its purpose is to resolve issues concerning fishermen and other stakeholders and promote their economic development through various government schemes and initiatives.

22. Heal in India is an initiative of the Indian Government aimed at promoting medical tourism in the country. This initiative is being led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Ayush. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) and Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) have been working in collaboration with the Ministries to develop a 'One Step' Heal in India portal for the promotion of Medical Value Travel.

23. The Indian government recently announced the establishment of seven PM MITRA Parks in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. These parks are inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 5F vision, which aims to boost the Indian textile industry from farm to fashion to foreign markets.

24. The horticulture sector is an essential component of the Indian agricultural economy, providing livelihoods to millions of farmers and contributing significantly to the country's GDP. Recognizing the importance of this sector, the Indian government launched the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) in 2014. This centrally sponsored scheme aims to promote comprehensive development of horticulture in the country, with the goal of facilitating sustainable and inclusive growth.

25. On the occasion of World Forestry Day, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched the Mukhyamantri Vriksh Sampada Yojana, also known as the Chief Minister Tree Wealth Scheme. The scheme aims to promote tree plantation across the state by providing financial assistance to farmers and landowners.

26. Education is the foundation of a progressive society, and India has recognized the need to improve its literacy rates for economic and social development. The Indian Government has launched a new scheme, the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), to address the issue of adult illiteracy in the country. The scheme is a significant step towards empowering non-literates and enabling them to become self-sufficient.

Awards & Honours

1. The Hindustan Samachar was awarded a new contract to provide news content in 12 languages to Doordarshan and AIR for a period of 25-and-a-half months. The deal is reportedly worth Rs. 7.70 crore and includes the supply of 12 national news stories and 40 "local stories" in regional languages every day.

2. The captain of the Argentina football team Lionel Messi recently won the Best FIFA Men's player award. It is one of the prestigious awards for sports personalities, especially for those in the football game. The award is presented by FIFA.

3. Ahead of the MP elections which are to be held in November 2023, the Kol community has taken the centre stage. The population of Kols in the state is big. Therefore, gaining the support of these tribes will bring victory. With Scindia joining the BJP in 2022, the election battle in the state has become fierce.

4. The Archaeological Survey of India recently discovered a 1,300-year-old Buddhist stupa near Jagannath temple located in Puri. The stupa was discovered during a mining operation. Khondalite stone is mined here. It is a metamorphic rock and was used in the construction of the Puri Jagannath temple.

5. There are protests in Punjab to release the Bandi Sikhs, who are prisoners. The Bandi Sikhs are in jail for more than 30 years now. They have been imprisoned for various convictions. Bandi Singhs is the common term given to Sikh prisoners who were convicted for being involved in militant activities in the Indian state of Punjab. These individuals are still incarcerated in various jails across India.

6. Thomas Sankara, who is often called "Africa's Che Guevara", was famed for his revolutionary socio-economic and political visions that rejected the Western economic and political support in Burkina Faso. On 23rd February, Thomas Sankara's exhumed remains were reburied in the west African country's capital Ouagadougou. This reburial was at the very scene of his murder in 1987.

7. The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar would be given annually to young performers under the age of 40 who have shown exceptional skill. The age of the nominees would be calculated based on their age on April 1 of that year. The Yuva Puraskar will be granted in one of five areas, namely- music, dance, theatre, and puppetry, as well as contribution/scholarship in performing arts. No more than 33 Yuva Puraskar awards will be granted each year.

8. Yamunotri Dham is part of Char Dham - the four famous Hindu pilgrimages in the Himalayas. The other famous Hindu pilgrimages in the Himalayas are Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Yamunotri Dham is the starting point of the annual pilgrimage that is held from May to October. It is situated close to River Yamuna's source.

9. Santh Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti is being observed at the national level for the first time. This year marks the 284th birth anniversary of Santh Sevalal Maharaj. The celebrations are being organized by the Union Ministry of Culture under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. It is being held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

10. Dibang Hydropower Project, which was approved by the Central Government recently, is India's largest-ever hydropower project. This multipurpose project is being set up close to China's border on the Dibang River, in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Dibang Valley District. Notably, it is being developed in a mountainous region.

11. Recently, the oldest known flint tools were discovered in Tunel Wielki cave. These tools may have been created by the extinct species Homo heidelbergensis, the ancestors of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis. These tools exhibit the use of the bipolar knapping technique. This discovery sheds new light on the life of Middle Pleistocene hominids in Central Europe, especially in harsh climatic and environmental conditions.

12. Bola Tinubu recently became the president-elect of Nigeria, beating his rival, Atiku Abubakar. The country's current president, Muhammadu Buhari, will step down after serving two terms. Tinubu is a Muslim from the southern Yoruba community. He is known to be a long-term political kingmaker and one of Nigeria's richest politicians. He served as a Logos governor for two terms after a military rule ended in the region.

13. The recent visit by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman to the Gurudongmar Lake, located at an altitude of 17,800 feet in the Mangan district of Sikkim, highlights the significance of this sacred site from both religious and strategic perspectives. The Gurudongmar Lake is one of the highest lakes in India and is situated in the Great Himalayas, close to the Indo-China border.

14. Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine, previously known as Artemivsk or Artyomovsk, is the administrative centre of Bakhmut Raion in Donetsk Oblast. Located on the Bakhmutka River, it is situated about 89 kilometres north of Donetsk.

15. Porter Prize 2023 was conferred recently to the Indian Government's Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The award recognized the achievements of the ministry in the health sector, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It recognized India's successful delivery of more than 2.5 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines and the role of stakeholders like ASHA workers. The Prize is named after Michael E. Porter- an economist and researcher.

16. Ales Bialiatski is a Nobel laureate and the co-founder of the Viasna human rights group, which had been at the forefront of providing legal and financial aid to those who were imprisoned during protests against the long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko. This Belarusian received Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 for his role in promoting human rights and democracy. He shared the award with the Russian rights group Memorial and Ukraine's Center for Civil Liberties.

17. The Ministry of Jal Shakti is commemorating International Women's Day by honouring women who have contributed to various programs of the Ministry through the Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023. The award will recognize women for their exceptional contributions to the Swachh Bharat Mission - Grameen (SBM-G), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), and National Water Mission (NWM) under various categories.

18. CBIP Award 2022 was conferred recently to NTPC Limited for the 'Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation'. The award recognizes the role of Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station - the largest power station in India - in efficiency and high-level power generation.

19. The Rijksmuseum is the Netherlands' national museum. It is dedicated to Dutch arts and history. It is situated in Amsterdam in Museum Square, close to the Van Gogh Museum. It was founded in The Hague on 19th November 1798. It was shifted to Amsterdam in 1808. The Night Watch at Rijksmuseum is a famous painting by Rembrandt - a Dutch Golden Age painter

20. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is a designated area around the site of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. It was established by the Soviet Armed Forces after the 1986 disaster and was initially a 30 km radius area. The zone's borders have been expanded since then, covering a larger area of Ukraine, and it shares a border with the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve in Belarus.

21. Yellowstone National Park in the US, which celebrated its 151st anniversary recently, is considered the first national park in the world. The park, spanning over 9,000 sq km across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, was established by the US Congress in 1872 with the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act.

22. The Keeladi museum was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in the Sivaganga district. This museum showcases the life of ancient Tamils during the Sangam Age. It is built on a 2-acre land in Keeladi at a cost of Rs. 18.43 crore. The museum features a variety of antiques, virtual reality experiences of the excavations, and models of the ships of the Sangam Age.

23. Group Captain Shaliza Dhami has made history as the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) to be appointed as the leader of a frontline combat unit in the Western sector. She will be in charge of a missile squadron, marking a significant milestone in the IAF's history. This achievement comes after the Indian Army recently began assigning women officers to command roles outside the medical stream, with approximately 50 women expected to lead units in operational areas.

24. The Sigur Plateau, situated in the Nilgiri District of Tamil Nadu, is a vast plateau covering an area of 778.8 square kilometres (300.7 sq mi) and lies on the northern slopes of the Nilgiri Hills. The plateau connects several protected areas, including the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

25. Chitwan National Park is the first-ever national park set up in Nepal. It was founded in 1973 as the Royal Chitwan National Park. It became a World Heritage Site in 1984. This park encompasses a massive area of 952.63 sq km (367.81 sq mi). It is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal. Notably, its adjacent Parsa National Park is contiguous with Bihar's Valmiki National Park.

26. On 8th March 2023, Ram Chandra Poudel, a veteran Nepali Congress leader and former Deputy Prime Minister, was elected as the new President of Nepal. He secured a comfortable victory with the vote of 214 lawmakers of Parliament and 352 provincial assembly members. Poudel is the 3rd President of the country, succeeding Bidhya Devi Bhandari, whose tenure ended on 12th March.

27. The Indian Army has made history by appointing a woman officer, Colonel Geeta Rana, to lead an independent field workshop in a sensitive location in eastern Ladakh, near the China border. This marks a significant milestone in the Indian Army's efforts to bring about gender parity and offer women officers command assignments in select branches.

28. Dick Fosbury, the legendary American high jumper, who changed the game of high jump forever with his unconventional technique, passed away at the age of 76. Fosbury was a gold medalist in high jump at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where he stunned the world with his revolutionary style, known as the Fosbury Flop.

29. The Telugu film 'RRR' has gained global attention following a Best Original Song win for 'Naatu Naatu' at the 2023 Oscars. The film fictionally narrates the life of real-life Indian freedom fighters Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Both the revolutionaries led tribal people in the present-day Andhra Pradesh to oppose the dominance of the Nizams and the British. They lost their lives at young age during their fight against the colonialism.

30. The Mahim Fort is a historic fort located in Mahim, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Built by the descendants of King Bimbdev between 1140 and 1241, the fort has a rich history and has witnessed frequent contests over the years. Let's take a closer look at this ancient structure, its current state, and the efforts underway to restore it to its former glory.

31. On 14th March 2023, Sir Brian Harold May was knighted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, becoming the latest musician to receive the prestigious title of "Knight Bachelor." The honor was bestowed upon May in recognition of his significant contributions to the world of music and his charitable efforts throughout his career.

32. Lake Sils is a stunning natural wonder in the Upper Engadine valley of Grisons, Switzerland. Named after the village of Sils im Engadin, the lake is a popular tourist destination and is known for its clear waters and surrounding mountain ranges. Recently, a Czech man achieved an unprecedented feat of human endurance by diving into this frigid lake without a wetsuit to reach a depth of 52.1 feet.

33. India is a land of diverse cultural heritage, where the remnants of the past still stand tall and proud, bearing testimony to the country's rich history. One such iconic structure is the Bathinda Fort in Punjab, believed to be the oldest surviving fort in the country. The fort, which dates back to over 1,600 years, is currently undergoing repairs and restoration to preserve its legacy for future generations.

34. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has reopened the Himalayan Zojila Pass ahead of the usual schedule. The Zojila Pass is a strategic link between Ladakh and Kashmir. It is the only road link that connects the Ladakh region to the rest of India.

35. Golconda Fort, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, is a historically significant fortress that dates back to the 11th century. Because of its proximity to diamond mines, including the Kollur Mine, the city became a center of trade for large diamonds known as Golconda Diamonds. The fort complex is currently in the UNESCO's tentative list to become a World Heritage Site. Despite its historical importance, the fort is currently abandoned and in ruins.

36. The East African Rift is a geological feature that stretches for 56 kilometers. It first emerged in Ethiopia's desert in 2005. The Rift is predicted to create a new ocean and divide Africa into two separate parts. Although the emergence of new coastlines may unlock new opportunities for economic growth, there will also be consequences such as the necessary evacuation of people, potential loss of lives, and environmental impacts.

37. Gujarat, known for its rich biodiversity and wildlife, is home to the Asiatic lion, one of the rarest and most endangered big cat species in the world. The Asiatic lion population in Gujarat is concentrated in the Gir Forest National Park, which is the only remaining habitat of this species. To ensure the survival and protection of the lion population, the state government is planning to move 40 Asiatic lions to the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located 100 km from the Gir Forest National Park.

38. A new species of gecko, Cnemaspis ganeshaiahi, has been discovered in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) in Chamarajanagar, Karnataka. This gecko species is endemic to this area and has been named after KN Ganeshaiah, a renowned agricultural scientist and Kannada writer. Researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE) announced the discovery of this new species.

39. Shaktikanta Das, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has been named "Governor of the Year" for 2023 by Central Banking, an international economic research journal. Das's steady leadership during challenging periods, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the collapse of a significant non-banking company, and inflationary pressures due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, earned him this accolade.

40. India's External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, inaugurated the "Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To Be There" exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi on Friday. Jointly organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, the exhibition features the works of Sri Lanka's late iconic architect, Geoffrey Bawa.

41. The AuditOnline application, developed under the e-panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) as part of the Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES), has been recognized at the WSIS Forum 2023. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) and National Informatics Centre (NIC) received recognition for the software program under Category 7 - Action Line (AL) C7 - ICT Applications: e-Government.

42. The Railway Women's Welfare Central Organisation (RWWCO) is an apex body responsible for the welfare of railwaymen and their families. RWWCO annually honours the services of selected women employees of Group-C & Group-D for their outstanding services. The purpose is to boost the morale of those women who show exemplary dedication, integrity, and courage in the discharge of their duties.

43. Namami Gange Program is a flagship program launched by the Government of India in 2014 to clean and rejuvenate the River Ganga. The program is aimed at reducing the pollution levels and restoring the ecological balance of the river. Under the Namami Gange Program, the development of river front on Narayani River in the district of Gopalganj, Bihar has been undertaken, and two Ghats have been constructed at a total cost of Rs. 6.62 crore.

44. Perumal Murugan's novel 'Pookkuzhi', also known as 'Pyre' in English, has been nominated for the International Booker Prize 2023 longlist. The book has made history by becoming the first Tamil novel to receive this recognition. The novel is set in rural Tamil Nadu during the 1980s and explores caste-based violence through the elopement of a young inter-caste couple.

45. The Tamil Nadu Government has announced the notification of Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, making it the 18th wildlife sanctuary in the state. Spread across 80,567 hectares in the forest areas of Anthiyur and Gobichettipalayam taluks in Erode district, the sanctuary will include reserve forest areas in Anthiyur, Bargur, Thattakarai and Chennampatti. The announcement was made during the state budget recently.

46. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious Padma Awards at a Civil Investiture Ceremony that was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan recently. The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian awards of the country, and this year, 106 individuals were recognized for their exceptional and distinguished service in various fields.

47. A team of archaeologists has made an incredible discovery on the Siniyah Island, situated in the Persian Gulf. They have found what is believed to be the oldest pearling town in the region. The discovery was made on the island located in the emirate of Umm al-Quwain, which is situated about 50 km northeast of Dubai.

48. The Abel Prize, named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, is considered one of the highest honors in mathematics. The prize is conferred every year by the King of Norway and is awarded to one or more outstanding mathematicians. This year, the Abel Prize was awarded to Argentine-American mathematician Luis Caffarelli for his groundbreaking contributions to several areas of mathematics.

49. Lake Natron is a fascinating natural wonder located in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. The crimson waters of this alkaline lake look surreal and are indeed mesmerizing, but not enticing enough to force people to take a dip in it. The lake has become a centre of attraction for experts and analysts due to its unique features and mysterious history.

50. Claude Lorius, a pioneering glaciologist, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 91. He was best known for his research into climate change, specifically his work in Antarctica which helped prove that humans were responsible for global warming. In 1956, just out of university, Lorius joined an expedition to Antarctica. This trip sparked his fascination with the continent and its mysteries.

51. The Indian Railways is constructing the world's highest railway bridge in the challenging terrain of the Himalayas, which is expected to be completed in the coming months. The Chenab Bridge, an engineering marvel, is a part of the strategically important Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah (USBRL) railway link that will connect Jammu & Kashmir to the rest of India.

52. Basava, also known as Basavanna, was a 12th century CE Indian statesman, philosopher, poet, Lingayat social reformer, and Hindu Shaivite social reformer. He was born in a small village called Basavana Bagewadi in modern-day Karnataka. Basava is known for his social awareness campaigns through his poetry, popularly known as Vachanaas, which were written in Kannada.

53. Sir M. Visvesvaraya was an Indian civil engineer, administrator, and statesman. Born on 15th September 1861, in Muddenahalli village in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore, Sir M. Visvesvaraya played a pivotal role in the development of the state of Mysore and India as a whole. His contributions to the fields of engineering, education, and public service have made him a revered figure in Indian history.

54. Arizona's Black Mesa Trust (BMT) has been awarded the prestigious 'Water and Heritage Shield' by the International Committee On Monuments and Sites International Science Committee (ICOMOS ISC) on 25th March 2023. The award recognizes BMT's work to raise public awareness of the significance of water and indigenous sacred sites worldwide, including the Hopi's Sípàapu.

55. In a recent meeting attended by Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Loksabha speaker Om Birla in New Delhi, a decision was taken to release one tigress each to Kota's Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve and Bundi's Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in the state of Rajasthan. The decision was taken to increase the tiger population in the region and to improve the ecological balance of the area.

56. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway is a much-awaited infrastructure project that will connect the bustling city of Delhi with the scenic hills of Dehradun. The project is expected to provide a boost to tourism and trade, and also reduce travel time and distance. In this article, we will explore the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and the various aspects related to it.

57. Anji Khad Bridge is a significant infrastructure project in Jammu and Kashmir that connects the Katra-Reasi section of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway line. The bridge is situated over the Anji river and is ranked as the second most important bridge on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Project after Chenab Bridge.

Sports

1. Race Across India is Asia's longest-ever cycle race. It was accorded the Asian Ultracycling Championship by the World Ultracycling Association. It was kicked off recently from Srinagar in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The final destination of this first-of-its-kind race is Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, covering a distance of 3,655 kilometres over 12 states.

2. India's Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, Anurag Singh Thakur, inaugurated the 13th IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, marking the beginning of a much-awaited event in the world of boxing. The tournament, hosted by the Boxing Federation of India, will take place from 16th to 26th March, with a total prize fund of $2.4 million.

3. The Kodava hockey festival, an annual inter-family field hockey tournament held in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, is set to return after a four-year hiatus. The festival is organized by a different Kodava family each year and is named after them. This year's festival will be organized by the Appachettolanda family and will take place in Napoklu, a small town 21 km away from district headquarters Madikeri.

4. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has announced that the 2023 edition of the SAFF Championship, South Asia's most prestigious international football tournament, will be held in Bengaluru from 21st June to 3rd July. This marks India's fourth time hosting the tournament, and the first time since the 2015 edition held in Thiruvananthapuram.

References:
jagranjosh.com
gktoday.in
business-standard.com

Share with your Friends

Join The Discussion

Comments ( 0 )

  1. Be the first one to review.