Current Affairs 14 & 15 April 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Solar Energy Corporation of India gets ‘Miniratna Category-I’ statusOn April 10, 2023, the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) was accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). A communication to this effect has been issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

• It is the only CPSU dedicated to the Solar Energy Sector.

Key Points:
i.Incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary implementing agency for renewable energy schemes/projects of MNRE towards fulfilment of India’s international commitments.
ii.Till date, SECI has awarded Renewable Energy (RE) project capacities of over 56 GW (Giga Watt). SECI is also active in setting up of projects through its own investments as well as for other public sector entities as Project Management Consultant (PMC).
iii.It has highest credit rating of AAA by domestic rating agency ICRA.
Note: The CPSEs which have made profit in the last three years continuously, pre-tax profit is Rs. 30 crores or more in at least one of the three years and have a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-I status.
About Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI):
The company holds Category 1 Power Trading Licence and is active in this domain through trading of Solar Energy from the projects set up under the schemes being implemented by it.
Managing Director – Suman Sharma
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi

India’s 1st underwater Metro starts trial run under the bed of Hooghly Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL)  successfully conducted the trial run of India’s 1st underwater metro train under the river bed of Hoogly through a tunnel of 32 meters below water level.
About the trial run:
i.The trial runs of the metro from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted for the next 7 months and after that regular services on this stretch will begin.
ii.The commercial services on this stretch are expected to begin in 2023.
iii.Two Metro rakes were involved in the trial run along the 4.8 km underground section from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade.
iv.This Metro is expected to cover the 520-metre stretch under the river Hooghly in a span of 45 seconds.
About the underground tunnel:
i.The tunnels under the river bed, 32 meters below the water level, are part of East West Metro Project that aims to connect Howrah Maidan with Rajarhat along the 16.6-km route.
ii.The process of laying the tunnel was completed in 2017.
iii.The underwater tunnels will connect Kolkata and Howrah with a Metro station at Howrah. This metro station will be the deepest Metro station (33 metres below surface) of India.
Note: 
About 9.1 km of the East-West Metro line from Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah is operational. Services of East West Metro Railway were started in phases with the first phase in February 2020 and the latest in July 2022.

India Retains Category 1 Status under US FAA’s IASA Programme 

India has retained the Category 1 status under the United States Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) programme.

• This information was communicated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Civil Aviation, on April 12, 2023.

Background:
i.Under its IASA program, FAA conducted an audit of the DGCA, India from 25th to 29th October 2021 in the areas covering aircraft operations, airworthiness, and personnel licensing.
ii.The IASA assessment was followed by final consultations on 25th – 26th April 2022 and further review by the FAA in July 2022 and September 2022.
iii.After which, based on the positive outcomes of the assessment and follow-ups, the FAA informed DGCA that India meets the international standards for aviation safety oversight of the Chicago Convention & its Annexes and continues to retain FAA IASA Category 1 status which was the last assessed in July 2018.
Benefit of Category 1 Status:
The county with Air carriers of Category 1 status is permitted to operate/ expand its services to destinations in the USA and codeshare with US air carriers.

• The IASA program, determines whether a country’s oversight of its air carriers complies with safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• The program also focuses on a country’s ability to adhere to international aviation Safety Standards and Recommended Practices contained in Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing), Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft), and Annex 8 (Airworthiness of Aircraft) to the International Convention on Civil Aviation “Chicago Convention”.

Additional info:
i.According to the recent audit made by ICAO in November 2022, India has scored an Effective Implementation (EI) of 85.65% from the previous EI of 69.95% thereby enhancing its global ranking significantly.
ii.Thus the assessment by ICAO and FAA are being a witness to India’s commitment to having effective safety oversight for its civil aviation system.
About  Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):
The DGCA is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
It also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with ICAO.
Directorate General –  Vikram Dev Dutt
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi

Drone Start-Up Garuda Aerospace becomes first to Receive Agri Drone Subsidy

Chennai (Tamil Nadu)-based Garuda Aerospace, a Made in India drone startup, has become India’s 1st company to receive Agri Drone Subsidy for agricultural drones. This subsidy is a part of the government’s efforts to promote the use of agricultural drones.

• Garuda Kisan Drones, approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), were given to 8 farmers at an event held in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The Garuda Kisan Drones would help farmers to manage and monitor the health of crops as well as detect and identify areas that require water or fertiliser.

This will benefit farmers not only by making their jobs easier and more efficient, but it will also help to increase agricultural productivity and reduce food waste.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

AI Index Report 2023: India Ranked 5th with most AI Investment; US Topped the ListAccording to ‘Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2023’, the 6th edition of the annual Artificial Intelligence(AI) index report published by Stanford University’s Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), India is ranked 5th in terms of private investments received in 2022 by startups offering AI-based products and services with a total investment of US$3.24 billion.

• In 2022, the United States (US) led the world in terms of total AI private investment with US$47.4 billion investment followed by China (US$13.4 billion), United Kingdom (US$4.4 billion), Israel (US$3.24 billion).
• India which stood in 5th place was ahead of South Korea, Germany, Canada and Australia, among others.
• Global AI private investment was $91.9 billion in 2022, which represented a 26.7% decrease since 2021.

Private Investment in AI by Geographic Area, 2013–22:
In case of analysis over Private Investment in AI by Geographic Area during the period 2013-22, AI startups in India received a total funding of US$7.73 billion, making it the 6th leading country with the most AI investments. Nearly 40% of this investment was made in 2022.

• In this category also US topped the list followed by China, United Kingdom, Israel, Canada.

Points to be noted:
i.Among Indian AI startups, Chennai-based conversational AI startup Uniphore raised $400 million in a Series E funding round last year at a valuation of $2.5 billion.
ii.The share of Indian AI journal publications has been steadily increasing from 1.3% in 2010 to 5.6% in 2021.
iii.As of 2022, a large proportion of GitHub AI projects were contributed by software developers in India (24.2%)
iv.As of 2022, the three countries or regions with the highest AI skill penetration rates were India (3.2), the United States (2.2), and Germany (1.7).
v.In 2022, researchers from Canada, Germany, and India contributed to the development of large language models (LLMs) for the first time. 54% of researchers working on LLMs were from American institutions.
Public Openion: According to a 2022 IPSOS survey, Chinese respondents (78%) are among those who felt the most positively about AI products and services. After Chinese respondents, those from Saudi Arabia (76%) and India (71%) felt the most positive about AI products.
About the AI Index Report:
i.The AI Index Report tracks, collates, distills, and visualizes data related to AI.
ii.The AI Index is an independent initiative at the Stanford Institute for HAI, led by the AI Index Steering Committee, an interdisciplinary group of experts from across academia and industry.
iii.2023’s report included a new analysis of foundation models, including their geopolitics and training costs, the environmental impact of AI systems, K-12 AI education, and public opinion trends in AI.
iv.The AI Index also increased its tracking of global AI legislation from 25 countries in 2022 to 127 in 2023.

BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI unveils new logo with modern design on 35th Foundation Day On April 12, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) unveiled a new logo on the occasion of its 35th Foundation Day. The function for the same was held at SEBI Head Office, Mumbai (Maharashtra). Madhabi Puri Buch, Chairperson of SEBI, formally unveiled the logo in the presence of former Chairpersons and former & present Whole Time Members of SEBI.
About New Logo:
The new logo retains the traditional blue palette and reflects  a more modern design. It is unique combination of its rich traditions and its new data and technology-based approach in all the three areas of its mandate in the securities market i.e. development, and regulation of the securities market, and investor protection.
The new logo of Sebi reflects the continuing commitment of SEBI to being a facilitator in the growth of the economy through capital formation and retaining its rich tradition of a consultative approach in policy making while adopting the power of data and technology.
About SEBI Formation & Functions:
It was established on April 12, 1988 under the Ministry of Finance. However, the body was granted statutory powers in 1992. It functions as a quasi-judicial body.
Key roles and functions:
i.Regulating the securities market: SEBI regulates the securities market in India by overseeing the activities of stock exchanges, brokers, and other intermediaries.
ii.Protecting investor interests: SEBI works to protect the interests of investors in the securities market by ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in the market.
iii.Promoting development of the securities market: SEBI promotes the development of the securities market by introducing new financial products, encouraging innovation, and improving market infrastructure.
iv.Regulating Credit Rating Agencies: SEBI regulates credit rating agencies (CRAs) in India to ensure that they provide accurate and reliable ratings of financial instruments.
v.Regulating mutual funds: SEBI regulates mutual funds in India and oversees their registration, operations, and performance.

HDFC Bank signs pact with KEXIM for $300mn Credit Line; HDFC MF launches schemes for Large, Mid & Small-Cap Segmentsi.On April 12, 2023, HDFC Bank signed a ‘Master Inter Bank Credit Agreement’ with Export Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM) for a USD 300 million line of credit.  The agreement was signed by the representatives of HDFC Bank and KEXIM at GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec) City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
ii.This finance will be utilized by the bank towards funding requirements of the companies having equity participation by Korean companies; companies having business relationships with Korean companies; and the consumers for purchase of cars manufactured by Korea-related companies.
iii.HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd., investment manager to HDFC Mutual Fund (HDFC MF) launched three schemes viz. HDFC S&P BSE 500 Index Fund, HDFC NIFTY Midcap 150 Index Fund & HDFC NIFTY Smallcap 250 Index Fund allowing investors to diversify their portfolio to large, mid and small-cap segments.
About HDFC Bank:
MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Establishment – 1994
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline – We Understand Your World
>> Read Full News

Canara Bank, Bharat BillPay tie up for cross-border bill payments for Indian diaspora in Oman Canara Bank and NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) in co-ordination with Musandam Exchange, Oman have launched cross-border inward bill payment services for Indians based in Oman.

• NPCI is acronym for National Payments Corporation of India.
• NBBL is the wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India.

Key Points:
i.This will enable the Non Resident Indians (NRIs) to utilize the platform offered by the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) to make bill payments on behalf of their families through the Musandam Exchange in Oman.
ii.With this initiative, Canara Bank becomes the first public sector bank (PSB) in India to offer inbound cross-border bill payments through BBPS
iii.Musandam Exchange, managed by Canara Bank, is also the first exchange house in Oman to go live on cross-border inbound bill payments
iv.The cross-border bill payment service is already live in Kuwait, facilitating inbound remittances like electricity, water, mobile phone, gas, credit card bills, and more.
About Oman:
Capital– Muscat
Currency– Omani Rial

CUB launches India’s 1st Voice Biometric Authentication for Logging into its Banking App

On 12th April 2023, the Citi Union Bank (CUB) based in Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu), launched India’s 1st Voice Biometric Authentication for logging into its mobile banking app at an event held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).
The voice biometric was developed by Kaizen Secure Voiz Pvt. Ltd based in Chennai (TN), under the guidance of the 5G use case lab of the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT).

• The newly introduced voice biometric will be one more option for customers to log in along with user id, PIN, face id and fingerprint authentication.

Note: IDRBT is the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) established institution focussed on research in banking technologies.

PhonePe raises Another USD 100 million from General Atlantic

Walmart Inc.-owned PhonePe, digital payments and financial services decacorn, raised USD 100 million (about Rs 820 crore) from  United States(US) based private equity firm, General Atlantic (GA) and other investors as a part of its ongoing USD 1 billion fundraise to expand into the lending space.

• PhonePe secured the fresh capital from General Atlantic and its co-investors at a pre-money valuation of USD 12 billion.
• So far, it has raised USD 750 million as part of the ongoing round.
• PhonePe had raised USD 100 million from Tiger Global, Ribbit Capital and TVS Capital and USD 200 million from its parent firm Walmart as part of the mega fundraise.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

UNCTAD Report: India’s Economic Growth Projected to Slow to 6% In 2023, Down from 6.6% In 2022   According to the “Trade and Development Report Update: Global Trends and Prospects” (April 2023) report published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), India’s economic growth is projected to decline to 6% in 2023 from 6.6% in 2022.
Key observations with respect to India:
i.According to the report, India grew at a 6.6% annual rate in 2022, giving up the top spot among G20 (Group of Twenty) countries to oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which grew at an 8.6% annual rate.

• India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is anticipated to slow to 6.0% in 2023 as a result of declining government spending and high export orders.

ii.To lessen the effects of foreign capital outflows, a depreciating currency, and inflation risks, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) began tightening its policy stance in the spring of 2022.
iii.South Asia grew at a 5.7% annual rate in 2022, while UNCTAD predicts it to grow at a 5.1% annual rate in 2023, “driven by the growth of its largest economy, India.”
About the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD):
Secretary-General – Rebeca Grynspan
Establishment – 1964
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
>> Read Full News

India’s Exports Increased 6% To USD 447 Billion in FY23, While Imports Increased 16.5% To USD 714 BillionAccording to Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), India’s exports increased 6% to a “record” USD 447 billion in financial year 2022–23 (FY23), up from USD 442 billion in FY22, while imports increased 16.5% to USD 714 billion from USD 613 billion in FY22.

• The increase in exports can be attributed to strong growth in outgoing shipments from sectors such as petroleum, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and marine.

Backdrop
The data were announced by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, MoCI, who was in France and Italy on a 3-day visit from April 11-13, 2023, to meet with leaders and top executives from these two countries in order to strengthen trade and investment ties.
Key Points:
i.The export performance for 2022–23 showed that India’s overall exports (goods and sevice together) increased by 14% to an all-time high  USD 770 billion in FY23 as against USD 676 billion in FY22 and  USD 500 billion in FY21.
ii.India’s service exports have also increased, rising from USD 254 billion in 2021–2022 to USD 323 billion in 2022–2023—a 27.16 % increase.

• There is significant growth in the services sector, particularly in the business processing, accounting, and Information Technology (IT) sectors.

iii.The following sectors in the goods segment witnessed growth: oil meals, electronic goods, tobacco, oil seeds, rice, coffee, fruits and vegetables, leather goods, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, marine products, chemicals, and ready-made textiles.
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023: 
i.In light of current global concerns, Government of India (GoI) recently unveiled the “Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023,” which aims to boost rupee trade, increase exports to USD 2 trillion by 2030, and support e-commerce exports.
ii.The objective of FTP 2023 is to switch from an incentive-based to a remission-based regime, promote cooperation between exporters, states, districts, and Indian missions, lower transaction costs, and develop more export hubs.
iii.The trade policy unveiled by the GoI, is a “dynamic and responsive” trade policy without an end date and would be modified in accordance with the evolving global setting, when compared to the custom of 5-year FTPs.
iv.In light of the current global situation, goods exports have seen good growth since the introduction of the FTP 2023, while service exports could experience a significant increase in the current fiscal year (FY24).

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS  

RBI approves re-appointment of Sanjay Agarwal as MD & CEO of AU SFB for 3 years 

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Sanjay Agarwal as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jaipur (Rajasthan)-based AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) for 3 years with effect from 19th April 2023.

• Uttam Tibrewal was also re-appointed as the Whole Time Director of AU SFB for 3 years with effect from 19th April 2023.

Note:
According to the annual report of AU SFB, the re-appointment of Sanjay Agarwal and Uttam Tibrewal for the 2nd term was approved by the shareholders via postal ballot on 9th March 2022 for 4 years from 19th April 2022 to 18th April 2026.
About Sanjay Agarwal:
i. Sanjay Agarwal, a Chartered Accountant and the promoter of AU SFB, is currently serving as the MD & CEO of AU SFB. He has over 26 years of strategic executive experience.
ii. He possesses extensive experience in Retail Finance, Accountancy, Agriculture & Rural Economy, Banking, Human Resource Management, Credit Risk, and Business Management.
About Uttam Tibrewal:
i. Uttam Tibrewal joined the Board of AU SFB in 2005.
ii. He has over 23 years of experience in the Financial Service sector with rich experience in the field of Agriculture & Rural Economy, Financing small-scale industry, Accountancy, Banking, Risk and Business Management.
iii. He is in charge of branch and personal banking, as well as the following departments: Retail Assets encompassing Wheels & Secured Business Loans, Home Loans, and Agricultural Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Agri-SME) Loans.
About AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB):
AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) was established in 1996 as AU Financiers and bagged the SFB licence in 2015 and started operations as SFB in 2017.
MD & CEO- Sanjay Agarwal
Headquarters- Jaipur, Rajasthan   

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

CCI approves Acquisition of Certain Shareholding of BTS Investment & BTS VCC by NBCUniversalThe Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves the acquisition of certain shareholdings of BTS Investment 1 Pte. Ltd. (BTS Investment) and Bodhi Tree Systems VCC (BTS VCC) by NBC Universal Media, LLC (NBC Universal), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
Acquirer- NBC Universal Media, LLC (NBC Universal)
Targets- BTS Investment 1 Pte. Ltd. (BTS Investment) & Bodhi Tree Systems VCC (BTS VCC).
CCI approves Acquisition of the Stake in MSSSL by JSPL from Mukand Limited
The CCI approves the acquisition of 5.51% of the equity share capital in Mukand Sumi Special Steel Limited (MSSSL) by Jamnalal Sons Private Limited (JSPL) from Mukand Limited (Mukand) and its nominees.

• JSPL has acquired  25,71,150 equity shares having a face value of Rs 10 each fully paid up by MSSSL from Mukand.

Acquirer- Jamnalal Sons Private Limited (JSPL).
Enterprise whose shares are being acquired- Mukand Sumi Special Steel Limited (MSSSL)
About the Competition Commission of India (CCI):
Acting Chairperson- Sangeeta Verma
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment- 14th October 2003 (Operational from 2009)
>> Read Full News

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

TCG Anadolu: Türkiye’s Largest Warship and World’s First Drone CarrierRecep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, officially unveiled ‘TCG Anadolu’, the country’s largest warship and the world’s first unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) carrier.  It is an amphibious assault vessel of the Turkish Navy that can be configured as a landing helicopter dock (LHD) and a drone carrier.

• TCG Anadolu was built as part of the ‘Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship Project’ and began trials in March 2022.
• It was built in Istanbul (Türkiye) by the Ottoman company Sedef Shipbuilding and is based on the L-61 aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I.
• Both vessels were designed by the same manufacturer, Spain’s Navantia.

Key Features of TCG Anadolu
i.TCG Anadolu, which has a length of 231 metres (758 feet) and a width of 32 metres (105 feet), is now the largest ship in the Turkish Navy and is capable of carrying troops, combat helicopters, military drones, land vehicles, and light Warcrafts.
ii.The ship can travel 9,000 nautical miles at a maximum speed of 20.5 knots and a maximum displacement of 27,436 tons.
iii.Its deck can accommodate 11 UCAVs or 10 helicopters, while it’s hangar can hold 30 UCAVs or 19 helicopters.
iv.TCG Anadolu will be equipped with four mechanised vehicles, two personnel landing vehicles (LCVP), and two landing craft air cushions (LCAC).
Significance
i.TCG Anadolu, the world’s first warship in its class, can land and take off Turkish UCAVs Bayraktar TB3 and Kizilelma, as well as light attack aircraft Hurjet.
ii.The multi-purpose ship will enable Turkey to perform military and humanitarian operations all over the world and position it as the “leader” of game-changing technologies in the defence sector.
iii.The action will strengthen Turkish naval power and make the country one of the few in the world with an indigenously built aircraft carrier.
iv.Weapons, combat management, electronic warfare, infrared search and track, electro-optical search, laser warning, torpedo defence systems, and radars for the ship were built domestically.
v.With its own logistics support and without the assistance of a home base, the TCG Anadolu ship will be able to transport at least a battalion-sized force to the designated region.
About the Republic of Türkiye:
President – Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Capital – Ankara
Currency – Turkish Lira

OBITUARY

National Award-Winning Actress Uttara Baokar Passed Away National Award-winning actress and noted theatre artist Uttara Baokar passed away in Pune, Maharashtra, at the age of 79. She was born on 5th August 1944.
About Uttara Baokar:
i. Uttara Baokar, whose acting career spanned more than 5 decades, was trained at the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi, Delhi.
ii. She has performed in more than 50 plays and is well known for her roles in Padmavati in Mukyhamantri, Mena in Mena Gurjari, and Desdemona in Shakespeare’s Othello.
iii. She was prominently known for “Tamas” (1988), “Ek Din Achanak” (1989), Rukmavati Ki Haveli (1991), “Two Women” (Doghi) (1996), Sardari Begum (1996), “Thakshak” (1999), and Uttarayan (2004).
iv. She has worked on a number of television serials, including ‘Rishtey’, ‘Jabb Love Hua’, ‘Kashmakash Zindagi Ki’, and ‘Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin’.
v. She studied acting teaching techniques at GDR Drama School, Berlin and worked as a professor for voice, speech and acting at NSD New Delhi.
Awards:
i. Uttara Baokar won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Acting (Hindi theatre) in 1984.
ii. In 1988, she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for “Ek Din Achanak”.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Journalist Piyush Babele Authored a New Book Titled “Gandhi: Siyasat aur Sampradaiykta”

Journalist and author Piyush Babele have authored a new book in Hindi – “Gandhi: Siyasat aur Sampradaiykta” (Gandhi: Politics and Communalism) about Mahatma Gandhi’s beliefs about religion, politics, and the struggle for freedom from the British.

• The book is published by Genuine Publications & Media Pvt. ltd. The book also indicates the Hindu-Muslim riots and the blame that was tried to put on Mahatma Gandhi.

Piyush Babele currently heads the Madhya Pradesh Congress’ media department.

Health Special Issues of CSIR Magazines “Vigyan Pragati” & “Science Reporter” released

Health Special issues of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR)’s popular science magazines “Vigyan Pragati” and “Science Reporter” were released at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi.
The magazines were released by Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) & Director General (DG) of ICMR and Prof Ranjana Aggarwal, Director of CSIR-National Institute Of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR).

• The authors of the special issues were the working scientists of ICMR labs who came together in a workshop at CSIR-NIScPR in November 2022.
• The Health special issues comprise several health-related articles such as mental health, epidemiology, lifestyle diseases, maternal & oral health, and health consequences of child marriage. These two magazines have a 7-decade history and have the major responsibility to inculcate a scientific temper in society by disseminating authentic S&T knowledge.

IMPORTANT DAYS

39th Siachen Day – 13 April 2023 Siachen Day is annually observed by the Indian Army on April 13 to commemorate the Indian Army’s “Operation Meghdoot”. The day honours the Bravehearts of the Indian Army who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty during Operation Meghdoot.
The day also recognises the Indian army personnel (Siachen Warriors) who continue to guard the Siachen Glacier, the northern frontier which is a part of the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.

• The Siachen Glacier is a glacier located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas

13th April 2023 marks the observance of the 39th Siachen Day.
Operation Meghdoot:
i. Operation Meghdoot was led by Major (later Col) RS Sandhu.
ii. 1984 Operation “Meghdoot” was the codename for the Indian Armed Forces’ operation to seize control of the Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir (now in the UT Ladakh), precipitating the Siachen conflict. It was the 1st military offensive of its kind.
iii. The operation was successful in preventing Pakistan’s upcoming Operation Ababeel, which was meant to achieve the same objective as Meghdoot. As a result, Indian forces were able to take full control of the 70-kilometre-long Siachen Glacier.
iv. Currently, the Indian Army is still the only army in the world to have taken tanks and other heavy weapons up to such a height (well over 5,000 metres or 16,000 feet).
v. In the region of the glacier, up to 10 army battalions from the Indian and Pakistani armies are each actively deployed at heights of up to 6,400 metres (21,000 feet).
vi. Colonel Narendra “Bull” Kumar, a mountaineering legend, created a map of Siachen that played a major role in the success of Operation Meghdoot in 1984.

104th anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – 13th April 202313th April 2023 marks the 104th Anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, on 13th April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab, British India(now in Punjab, India).

• The day aims to pay homage to the victims of the massacre and reflect on the impacts of this event on the Independence movement of India.

About Jallianwala Bagh Massacre:
i.On 13th April 1919, which also marked the Baisakhi festival, a harvest festival in Punjab, thousands of Indians gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab to protest against the Rowlatt Act and the arrest of pro-independence activists Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal.
ii. On that day, temporary brigadier general, Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer had announced the implementation of a curfew throughout Amritsar and banned all processions and prohibited public gatherings of groups of 4 or more people.
iii.General Dyer opened fire on the gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in order to enforce Martial Law prevailing that was in effect at Amritsar during the time.
iv.It was reported that around  1,650 rounds of bullets were fired at the crowd.
v.According to the Hunter Commission, a 1919 investigation into the Jallianwala Bagh massacre headed by William Hunter, around 379 people were killed (including men, women and children) and around 1500 were injured.
Jallianwala Bagh Memorial:
i.The Jallianwala Bagh Memorial was established in 1951 by the Government of India to commemorate the Amritsar massacre.
ii.The memorial comprises a 30-feet-high central pylon that stands in the middle of a shallow tank.
iii.It was designed by American architect Benjamin Polk and inaugurated in 1961.
iv.The memorial is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust.

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