Current Affairs 4 April 2023

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

5th Poshan Pakhwada Celebrated from March 20-April 3, 2023

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) celebrated the 5th Poshan Pakhwada nationwide from 20th March to 3rd April 2023 to raise awareness about the importance of nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through Jan Andolan (People’s Movement) and Jan Bhagidari (People’s Participation).

• The theme of Poshan Pakhwada 2023 is “Nutrition for All: Together Towards a Healthy India”.

Background:
i.Poshan Abhiyaan was launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 8th March 2018 for ensuring people’s participation and bringing the discourse on nutrition to the forefront.
ii.It intends to improve nutritional outcomes in a holistic manner. Behavioural change at the individual and community levels is an important component to achieve the desired goals of a Kuposhan-mukt Bharat.
iii.Every year, Poshan Pakhwada is celebrated in the month of March for 15 days. Similarly, the month of September is celebrated as Rashtriya Poshan Maah, across the country.
Key Points:
i.As 2023 is the International Year of Millets, the focus of Poshan Pakhwada was to popularise ‘Shree Anna’ (Millets) to address malnutrition.
ii.Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Women & Child Development will be the nodal Ministry for coordinating activities during the Poshan Pakhwada.

• In the State/UT (Union Territory), the Department of Women & Child Development /Social Welfare Department will be the nodal department for Poshan Pakhwada.

iii.Key themes focused on Poshan Pakhwada

• Poshan Pakhwada focused on promotion and popularization of Shree Anna / Millets for nutritional- well-being through the organization of drives to link Millet-based foods with supplementary nutrition, Home visits, Diet consultation camps, etc.
• Celebration of Swasth Balak Spardha: Celebrated and recognized the ‘Swasth Balak’ or Healthy Child as per defined criteria by generating a healthy spirit of competition for good nutrition good health and well-being.
• Popularize Saksham Anganwadis: Campaigns were organized to increase awareness and popularise Saksham Anganwadis with upgraded infrastructure and facilities as centers of improved nutrition delivery and early childhood care and education.

CMIE: Unemployment Rate Rises to 3-Month high of 7.8% in March 2023

According to the data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s unemployment rate increased to 7.8% in March 2023, the highest in 3 months, from 7.45% in February 2023. The unemployment rate was 7.14% in January 2023

• Rural unemployment was 7.47% in March 2023, Urban unemployment was 8.51%.
• Haryana had the highest unemployment rate among the states with 26.8%, followed by Rajasthan (26.4%) and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) (23.1%).
• Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh have the lowest unemployment rate among the states and Union Territories (UT) with 0.8%, followed by Puducherry (1.5%) and Gujarat (1.8%).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

WB Report: ‘Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia’According to the World Bank (WB) report “Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia,” concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM) like soot and small dust (PM 2.5) in some of South Asia’s most densely populated and underdeveloped areas are up to 20 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/mᶾ).

• According to the report, South Asia is home to 9 of the top 10 polluted cities in the world, including Dhaka (Bangladesh).
• Nearly 60% of the population in South Asia lives in areas where concentrations of PM2.5 exceed an annual mean of 35 μg/m3.

Key Observations from The Report:
i.The report claims that around 20% of all premature deaths in Bangladesh are caused by air pollution.

• It is estimated that it causes 2 million premature deaths in South Asia each year and imposes huge economic damages.

ii.The consequences of being exposed to such significant air pollution range from stunting and reduced cognitive development in children to respiratory infections and chronic and debilitating diseases.
About the World Bank (WB):
President (WB Group) – David Robert Malpass
Establishment – 1944
Headquarters – Washington D.C, United States (US)
>> Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

UBI becomes 1st Indian Bank to open SRVA Malaysia for Trade Settlement in rupee i.On 1st April 2023, the Union Bank of India(UBI) became the first Indian Bank to open its ‘Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA)’ in Malaysia to facilitate transactions between India and Malaysia in the Indian rupee. This will be done through the UBI’s corresponding bank in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia i.e. India International Bank of Malaysia (IIBM).
ii.The will allow the Indian and Malaysian traders to invoice the trade in Indian Rupee.
About Union Bank of India (UBI):
Managing Director– A. Manimekhalai
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Good People to Bank With
>> Read Full News

IDBI Bank Revises FD Rates and Launches New Amrit Mahotsav FD SchemeIDBI Bank, a private sector lender, has revised its interest rates for fixed deposits (FDs) under Rs. 2 crore, effective April 1st, 2023.

• In response, IDBI bank has introduced the “Amrit Mahotsav FD” scheme for its retail investors, which provides returns of 7.65% for senior citizens and 7.15% for the general public.

IDBI Bank FD Rates
i.For deposits expiring in 7 days to 10 years, the bank currently guarantees interest rates ranging from 3.00% to 6.25% for the general public and 3.50% to 6.75% for senior citizens.
ii.For fixed deposits that mature in 7 to 30 days, the bank currently offers an interest rate of 3%, whereas it offers an interest rate of 3.35% for deposits that mature in 31 to 45 days.
iii.IDBI Bank currently offers 4.25% interest on deposits held for 46 to 90 days and 4.75% interest on deposits held for 91 to 6 months.
iv.Deposits maturing in 6 months, 1 day to 1 year, will earn 5.50% interest, while those maturing in 1 year to 2 years (excluding 444 days) would earn 6.75% interest.
v.The bank currently offers FDs with a maturity of 2 to 3 years at a rate of 6.5% and deposits with a maturity of 3 to 10 years at a rate of 6.25%.
vi.For 5-year tax-saving fixed deposits, IDBI Bank guarantees an interest rate of 6.25% for the general public and 6.75% for senior citizens.
vii.Only fresh deposits and renewals will be subject to the new interest rates; while existing accounts will continue to earn interest at the contracted rate.
viii.For prematurely closed deposits, the bank will levy a 1% penalty on the applicable rate. Such closures include both sweep-in withdrawals and partial withdrawals.
Related Information
i.On April 1, 2023, the Bank of India (BOI) also announced a rise in interest rates for FDs under Rs 2 crore.

• The bank hiked the interest rate on “Shubh Arambh Deposits,” which are special 501-day term deposits for deposits of less than Rs. 2 crore.

ii.IDBI Bank is offering an interest rate of 7.15% for regular customers, 7.65% for senior citizens, and 7.8% for super senior citizens on Shubh Arambh Deposits for a limited time.
About IDBI Bank Limited:
MD & CEO– Rakesh Sharma
Established – 1964
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s Tech SMEs Revenue to Reach $30-$40 bn by FY30: Nasscom-ProHance reportAccording to the report launched by National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) in collaboration with ProHance, ‘India’s Tech SMEs: Rising in the Global Digital Arena’, the Digital technology SME’s (small and medium-sized enterprises) revenue share in FY30 (financial Year 2029-2030) was expected to reach $30-$40 billion.

• The tech SMEs which comprise 7-9% of the overall technology industry was also expected to contribute an estimated $15-20 Billion in FY23 revenues.
• The tech SMEs offer cloud services, advanced analytics, and AI solutions and they were expected to account for 35-40% of overall tech revenue by FY30.
• The report is a first-of-its-kind publication on tech SME segment of the overall tech industry.

Note – Indian Tech SMEs are MSMEs that offer technology software, hardware, and services to Indian and global entities, and are headquartered in India.
Key Findings of the Report:
i.Tech SMEs in India contribute 7-9% to the technology industry, having grown at more than 10% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) through FY19, with roughly 90% in the micro and small categories.
ii.Tech SME share in Indian technology industry in FY23 is Rs 19.6 lakh crore ($245 Bn).

iii.Digital SMEs have grown 4 times since FY19, with focus on cloud migration, SaaS (Software as a service), digital engineering, and advanced analytics and AI-based solutions.
iv.Doubling of Indian tech industry to $500 Bn by FY30 is expected to entail similar trend for the tech SMEs, with digital revenues growing 2-2.5 times, to 35-40%.
v.North America accounts for 50-55% of the Indian tech SMEs revenue with specific focus around niche cloud, AI, IoT ( Internet of Things) and SaaS products. This is followed by Europe at 19-20%, and the domestic market at 17-18%, in FY23.
Note – The report was released by Nasscom on the sidelines of the Nasscom SME Confluence 2023.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS       

FOSWAL’s Special Literary Prize for Bangabandhu Handed to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

In its 63rd Literature Festival, the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) bestowed the SAARC Literature Award 2023 (Special Literary Award) to Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. [SAARC stands for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation].

• The SAARC Literary Award for 2023 was bestowed to him for his great literary excellence through his trilogy: The Unfinished Memoirs, The Prison Diaries, and The New China as I Saw It (1952).
• The award was handed over to his daughter, Bangladesh Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina.

FOSWAL’s three-day regional literary conference was held in New Delhi, Delhi.
Key Points:
i.The SAARC Literary Award has been given annually since 2001 by the FOSWAL.
ii.Sheikh Mujib’s trilogy has been defined as a political document as well as a human testament.

• It is proclaimed to have been written with love and compassion by a man who altered the course of history and guided his people to freedom.

iii.The 2023 award was presented at the festival to Bangladeshi writers and researchers Ramendu Majumder and Mofidul Haque by eminent Punjabi novelist and FOSWAL Founder President Ajeet Cour. 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS 

Sudha Shivkumar took over as 40th President of FICCI Ladies OrganisationChennai(Tamil Nadu)-based lawyer & investment banker Sudha Shivkumar took over as the 40th National President of the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) – FICCI Ladies Organisation(FLO) for the term 2023-2024. 

• Sudha Shivkumar succeeds Jayanti Dalmia, 39th national president of FICCI FLO (2022-2023).
• Prior to this appointment, Sudha Shivkumar was serving as the National Senior Vice President of FICCI FLO.

Key Points:
As the 40th President of FICCI-FLO, Sudha Shivkumar will focus on empowering women by facilitating an enabling environment that promotes entrepreneurship, industry participation and economic development of women.
About Sudha Shivkumar:
i.Sudha Shivkumar headed a leading non-banking reputed finance company for around 13 years following which she led the operations of a South-India-based mutual fund with assets under management of Rs 25,000 crores.
ii.She also handled a Rs 350-crore portfolio of an international group of high-net-worth individuals.
iii.She has previously served as the Chairperson of FLO Chennai Chapter in 2016-17.
About FICCI Ladies Organisation(FLO): 
FLO is a division of FICCI, the apex body of industry and commerce in India.
FLO is the oldest women-led and women-centric business chamber of Southeast Asia.

• FLO at present has 19 chapters across India with about 3,000 businesswomen as its members.

Established in 1983
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi

Vice-Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh Assumed Charge as VCNS of the Indian NavyOn April 1, 2023, Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, AVSM, NM, took over as Vice-Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) of the Indian Navy, following incumbent Vice Admiral S.N. Ghormade, who stepped down as VCNS on March 31, 2023, due to retirement.
On April 01, 2023, Vice Admiral Suraj Berry, AVSM, NM, and VSM, assumed charge as Chief of Personnel (COP) of the Indian Navy.
The post of COP fell vacant on February 28, 2023, when Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, who was holding the post, assumed command of the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C).
On April 01, 2023, Vice Admiral Atul Anand, AVSM, VSM, assumed command as Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO).
About the Indian Navy:
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)– Admiral R Hari Kumar
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Motto– Sham No Varunah
>> Read Full News       

RBI appoints Neeraj Nigam as New Executive Director

On 3rd April 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Neeraj Nigam as the new Executive Director (ED) with immediate effect. He will be in charge of 4 departments, including that consumer education and protection.

• Before being promoted as ED, Neeraj Nigam was heading the Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) regional office of the RBI as director.
• For more than 3 decades, he has worked at the RBI’s central office and regional offices in the fields of Regulation and Supervision, human resource management, premises, currency management, bank accounts and other areas.
• He has also earned the professional certification of Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (CAIIB).

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS        

LIC bought Bata India shares for Rs 108 crore; increased its stake to 5.008%

Mumbai(Maharashtra)-based Life Insurance Corporation of India has purchased 6.88 lakh shares of Bata India Limited, a footwear retail company, for about Rs 108 crore, raising its stake in the company from 4.472% to 5.008% (from 57,48,071 to 64,36,692 Equity Shares).

• The purchase took place between 3rd January 2022 and 29th March 2023.
• The shares were bought in an open market purchase at an average price of Rs 1569.33.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO successfully conducts Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission in KarnatakaThe Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) at the Aeronautical Test Range(ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka.
The mission was performed in collaboration with the Defence Space Research Organisation (DRDO), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

• The test involved a winged body lifted to an altitude of 4.5 km by an Indian Air Force (IAF) Chinook helicopter, subsequently freed to execute an independent high-speed (350 kmph) landing on a runway, and achieved the landing parameters.
• This is the first time that a winged body has been released mid-air by a helicopter and carried out an autonomous landing.

Note: Along with ISRO, IAF, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), and Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) contributed to this test.
Key Points:
i.RLV LEX is essentially a space plane with a low lift-to-drag ratio requiring an approach at high glide angles that necessitated a landing at high velocities of 350 kmph.
ii.LEX utilized several indigenous systems. Localized Navigation systems based on pseudolite systems, instrumentation, and sensor systems, etc. were developed by ISRO.
iii.The Ka-band Radar Altimeter provided precise altitude information with the aid of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the landing site. NavIC receiver, indigenous Landing Gear, Aerofoil honey-comb fins and brake parachute system.

India become 1st Country in the World to Develop Own Model to Estimated TB CasesIndia becomes the first country in the world to estimate tuberculosis (TB) burden in-country and launch its country-level mathematical model to estimate the prevalence of TB cases in India.

• Existing Mechanism: Each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global TB Report provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of the TB epidemic, and of progress in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease, at global, regional and country levels.
• As per the Indian mathematical model’s data, the global TB reduction number was about 11% while the reduction in TB cases in India is 18%.

India’s TB Estimates as per New model:
i.India’s TB incidence rate stands at 196 per 1,00,000 population, instead of the 210 estimated by the WHO.
ii.In 2021, WHO projected estimated deaths from the communicable disease at 4.94 lakh, whereas it was now about 3.20 lakh under the new India’s model.
iii.The Indian mathematical model estimated the TB incidence rate (per 10,000) in India to be 196 in 2022 instead of the 210 estimated by the WHO (in 2021).
>> Read Full News

ENVIRONMENT

Capulopsyche keralensis: New genus & species of Bagworm Moth Discovered in KeralaResearchers from the Zoology Department at St. Thomas College (Autonomous), Thrissur, Kerala, have discovered a new genus and species of bagworm moth “Capulopsyche keralensis” have been discovered in the coffee plantations of Kerala in Nariyampara, Idukki district, and Nelliampathy, Palakkad district.

• On 29th March 2023, the discovery of Capulopsyche keralensis has been published in Zootaxa, an international scientific journal of animal taxonomy and natural history.

Research Team:

• The discovery is the result of the research of Usha A.U., a PhD scholar, which is supervised by Joyce Jose, both from the Zoology Department of the college.
• Researchers were assisted by Thomas Sobczyk from Hoyerswerda, Germany, an international expert on psychidae, and Roby T.J., Assistant Professor of Botany, Carmel College, Mala, Thrissur, Kerala.

Species Name Definition:
i. Capulopsyche keralensis- Capulo means “coffee” and psyche means “moth” or “butterfly”.
ii. The name, therefore, translates as ‘Coffee moth of Kerala’ as it was found in the coffee plantations of Nariyampara and Nelliampathy in Kerala.
Capulopsyche keralensis:
i. Capulopsyche keralensis belongs to the moth family “psychidae”, which consists of very small moths.

• Females of many psychid species never develop into a moth and retain larval form.

ii. It is characterised by the case-building behaviour of larvae and a high degree of sexual dimorphism.
iii. This is the 1st genus and species of the Taleporiinae subfamily, which is characterised by extreme sexual dimorphism, reported from India.
iv. Description:

• The females are pale yellowish, wingless, with short legs and antennae.
• The male moth is a small-sized brownish-black moth with a wingspan of 8–8.4 mm and a body length of 2.9 mm.

SPORTS

F1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won his maiden Australian GP titleOn 2nd April 2023, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen(Belgian-Dutch racing driver) won his first ever Australian Grand Prix (GP) Title at the Formula 1(F1) Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023 held in the Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia.
This is Red Bull’s first victory in Melbourne since 2011 with Sebastian Vettel.

• This also marks Max Verstappen’s 80th career Podium finish, with this he ties with Ayrton Senna’s total podium finishes.
• 7-time world champion, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton(British racing driver) secured 2nd position on the podium, his first podium position of the season and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso(Spanish racing driver) secured 3rd position.

About Australian GP 2023: 
i.Australian GP 2023 is the round 3 of the 2023 Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) F1 World Championship.
ii.This marks the 37th FIA F1 World Championship Australian GP.
Race Result: (top 3)

• Only 12 of the 20 starters finished the 58-lap race.
• It’s the first time Red Bull has won the first three races of an F1 season.
• In 2023 Australian GP, Fernando Alonso took his 3rd consecutive podium finish for the first time since 2013.

Facts about Max Verstappen:
i.Max Verstappen made his motorsport debut in 2005 and competed at the national level in Belgium and the Netherlands until 2009.
ii.At the age of 17, he became the youngest driver to compete in a Formula 1.
iii.He has competed in 166 Grand Prix races claiming 37 victories and a total of 80 podium finishes. He won the title of Driver’s World Champion in 2021 and 2022.
About Australian Grand Prix: 

• Circuit: Albert Park Circuit
• Number of Laps: 58
• Circuit Length: 5.278 km
• Race Distance: 306.124 km

i.The Australian Grand Prix was held on the Adelaide Street Circuit between 1985 and 1995, and since 1996 race is held in the  Albert Park Circuit.
ii.Mclaren is the most successful team in Australia with 11 victories.
iii.With 8 podium finishes Lewis Hamilton has the record for pole position at the Australian GP, he won the GP twice, in 2008 and 2015 with Mercedes.
About Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA):
President– Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Founded in 1904
Headquarters– Paris, France

Madrid Spain Masters 2023: Indonesia’s Gregoria M Tunjung defeats India’s PV Sindhu to win Women’s singles titleIndonesian badminton player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung won the Women’s singles title at the Madrid Spain Masters 2023 finals defeating India’s Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (PV Sindhu).

• This also marks Gregoria M Tunjung’s first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title and her first victory over PV Sindhu in 8 matches.
• Madrid Spain Masters 2023, a part of the Spain Masters championship, was held in Centro Deportivo Municipal Gallur, Madrid, Spain from 28th March to 2nd  April 2023.
• The 2023 Spain Masters was the 8th tournament of the 2023 BWF World Tour.

About Madrid Spain Masters 2023: 
Madrid Spain Masters 2023 is an international badminton tournament categorized as a Super 300 event.

• The tournament offered a prize pool of USD 210,000.
• The tournament was organised by the Spanish Badminton Federation with sanctions from the BWF.

Key highlights: 
i.Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto won the men’s singles title defeating compatriot Kanta Tsuneyama in the finals. This was the first all-Japanese men’s singles finals since the German open 2019.
ii.Liu Sheng Shu & Tan Ning of China won the women’s doubles title defeating  their compatriots Chen Fang Hui & Du Yue in the finals.
iii.China’s He Ji Ting and Zhou Hao Dong-won their first men’s doubles title as a pair defeating Chinese Taipei’s Lee Fang-Chih and Lee Fang-Jen in the finals.
iv.Mathias Christiansen & Alexandra Bøje of Denmark won the Mixed double title defeating Praveen Jordan & Melati Daeva Oktavianti of Indonesia.
Winners & Runners Of Madrid Spain Masters 2023

OBITUARY

Oscar-winning Japanese Composer & Pop Pioneer Ryuichi Sakamoto Passed Away Ryuichi Sakamoto, Oscar-winning Japanese pop pioneer, who was best known for his soundtrack work passed away in Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 71. He was born on  17th January 1953 in Tokyo, Japan.
About Ryuichi Sakamoto:
i. Ryuichi Sakamoto made his career debut in the 1983 film “Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence” as both an actor and a film-score composer.
ii. He 1st came to prominence as a member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), a Japanese electronic music band, in 1978.

• YMO was established by Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

iii. He has worked on various collaborative, solo, and film albums over three decades, earning him many honours for his contributions to the world music industry.
iv. Some of his contributions as a member of YMO are Yellow Magic (Tong Poo) (1978), Computer Game/Firecracker (1978), Technopolis (1979), and Rydeen (1979)
v. Some of the solo music contributions by Ryuichi Sakamoto Rain (1987), the Last Emperor (1989), Theme from The Sheltering Sky (1990), Heartbeat (1991), Sweet Revenge (1994), and Moving On (1994).
vi. He has also starred in movies such as Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (1983); The Last Emperor (1987); and The Revenant (2015).
Awards:
i. Ryuichi Sakamoto won the Oscar Award in 1988 for “The Last Emperor” with  David Byrne and Cong Su becoming the first Japanese composer to receive the award. He also won the Golden Globe Award- Best Score – Motion Pictures for the same in 1988.
ii. In 1991, He won his 2nd Golden Globe Award for “The Sheltering Sky” under Best Score – Motion Pictures 1991.

Former Indian Cricketer Salim Aziz Durrani Passes Away 

On 2nd April 2023, Salim Aziz Durrani, a former Afghan-born Indian Cricketer, passed away in Jamnagar, Gujarat, at the age of 88. He was born on 11th December 1934 in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is the only Indian Test cricketer to have been born in Afghanistan.

• He has represented India in 29 Tests, scoring 1202 runs and taking 75 wickets.
• He represented Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy of domestic cricket.
• He was well known for  India’s first Test series victory over England in 1961-62.
• In 1961, he was honoured with Arjuna Award. He became the first cricketer to receive the Arjuna Award.
• The Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) honoured him with  Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Autism Awareness Day 2023 – April 2United Nations (UN)’s World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is annually observed across the globe on April 2 to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and promote the livelihood of people having autism.

• World Autism Awareness Day 2023 was observed on 2nd April 2023 under the theme “Transforming the narrative: Contributions at home, at work, in the arts and in policymaking”.

WAAD 2023 observance is organised by the United Nations Department of Global Communication(DGC) and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs(DESA) in collaboration with the Switzerland-based Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), an organisation established and run by neurodivergent people and allies.
Background:
i. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/62/139 on 18th December 2007 and proclaimed April 2 of every year World Autism Awareness Day.
ii. The 1st ever World Autism Awareness Day was observed on 2nd April 2008.
About the United Nations (UN):
Secretary-General- António Guterres
Headquarters- New York, USA
Establishment- 1945
>> Read Full News

International Children’s Book Day 2023 – April 2International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is annually observed across the globe on or around April 2, the birth anniversary of the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, known for his fairy tales and stories.

• The day is observed to inspire Children toward reading and to call attention to books.

International Children’s Book Day 2023 was observed on 2nd April 2023 under the theme “I am a book, read me”.

• The message for ICBD 2023 was written by Children’s writer Vagelis Iliopoulos.
• The poster for ICBD 2023 was illustrated by Illustrator Photini Stephanidi.

ICBD 2023 was sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Greece.
Note: Every year, the theme of the ICBD poster is chosen as the theme of ICBD.
Key Points:
i. The day is annually celebrated by the different national sections of the IBBY.
ii. IBBY selects a theme and invites a well-known author from the host nation to write a message to the children of the world, and a famous illustrator to design a poster.
Hans Christian Andersen Award:
i. The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children’s books.

• The award is granted during the biennial IBBY Congress and consists of a gold medal and diploma.

ii. The Hans Christian Andersen Awards recognise lifetime accomplishments and are given to an author and an illustrator whose total body of work has significantly and permanently improved children’s literature.
iii. The Author’s Award has been given since 1956 and the Illustrator’s Award since 1966.
iv. The awards are sponsored by Nami Island Inc. and nominations for the Hans Christian Andersen Award are made by the National Sections of IBBY.
About the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY):
IBBY is a non-profit organisation representing an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.
President- Sylvia Vardell (2022-2024)
Headquarters- Basel, Switzerland

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