ISRO Chief Sivan named as 2020 Von Karman Award recipient

1.India hands over outdoor fitness equipment for 61 islands across Maldives

India handed over outdoor fitness equipment for 61 islands across Maldives under a cash grant of 8 million US dollars.The equipment were formally handed over by Indian High Commissioner to Maldives Sunjay Sudhir in a ceremony at Male.The installation of equipment would involve participation of all 61 island councils and further strengthen the idea of decentralization and a cherished ideal for President Ibrahim Solih’s government.

2.Govt aims to increase public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025

The Union Health Ministry has pushed for an increased expenditure on public health.In a meeting with the 15th Finance Commission, the Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan, highlighted that the government aims at gradually increasing the public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the nation’s GDP by the year 2025.The Minister asserted that the outlay for primary health expenditure will also be made nearly two third of the total public health expenditure in the country.

3.206th birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Jayanti in Sikkim

The 206th birth anniversary of Nepali poet Adikavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya or Bhanu Jayanti is being celebrated in Sikkim.Bhanubhakta Acharya was born in Nepal’s Tanahu district.Adikavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya laid the foundation of Nepali literature and is revered as a significant literary figure in Nepali communities.He is credited for translating the Ramayana from Sanskrit to Nepali, thereby making it understandable for a wide range of Nepali speaking communities globally.

4.IIT Kanpur develops UV sanitizing device ‘SHUDDH’ to make your room COVID free

Due to Covid Pandemic People are nowadays afraid of touching anything around, specifically in the areas where masses have to come.To solve this problem Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet (UV) sanitizing product named SHUDH.Smartphone operated Handy Ultraviolet Disinfection Helper that is SHUDH has six UV lights of 15 Watts each that can be individually monitored from a distance.Initial testing has proved that the device at its full operation can disinfect a 10×10 square feet room in about 15 minutes.The on/off, speed, and location of the product can be controlled remotely using your available smartphone while installing an android application.SHUDH can assist in killing the spread of coronavirus at the highly prone places such as hospitals, hotels, malls, offices and schools.

5.Visa partners with Federal Bank for rolling out Visa Secure for e-commerce

Visa, a global leader in payments technology, has entered into a partnership with Federal Bank to roll out Visa Secure to the bank’s cardholders.Visa Secure is a global authentication program that uses the latest standards of the EMV 3DS (3D Secure) protocol.Besides providing additional layers of authentication for issuers and merchants to combat online frauds, the upgraded technology provides a quicker and frictionless checkout experience to consumers.Merchants and issuers have started deployment of Visa Secure globally.

6.Google’s Sundar Pichai announces $10 billion investment in India

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a $10 billion investment in India at the Google for India virtual live-stream event.The event focused on contributing to accelerate India’s digital economy with this investment over the next five to seven years.Firstly, the Rs 75,000 crore investment will focus on help in enabling affordable access and information to every Indian irrespective of the language.The huge investment will also help local businesses to move towards digital transformation.Pichai  shared the success of programs like Internet Saathi and claimed that it has helped over 30 million women across India to learn digital skills and incorporate them into their lives and the communities.

7.Dr. Vidhu P. Nair appointed India’s next Ambassador to Turkmenistan

Dr. Vidhu P. Nair has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan.Dr Nair, who is a 2002 batch IFS officer, is presently Director in the External Affairs Ministry.He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.Turkmenistan Capital: AshgabatCurrency: Turkmenistan manatPresident: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow

8.“Elites Excellence Awards -2020” to Chhattisgarh at “Elite India Transformation Summit”

Chief Minister Darpan website and mobile app prepared for monitoring Chhattisgarh Government’s ambitious Suraji Gaon Scheme and other flagship schemes, has been awarded “Elites Excellence Awards-2020”.The state of Chhattisgarh has been awarded this honour by the country’s prestigious IT institution Elites Technomedia under the ‘Digital India initiative’.The purpose of this website and mobile app is to directly monitor the flagship schemes of the Chhattisgarh Government from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat and provide real-time information to the common citizens.

9.ISRO Chief Sivan named as 2020 Von Karman Award recipient

ISRO chief Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Von Karman Award of the International Academy of Astronautics.The award which is the highest distinction of the Academy will be conferred in March 2021 in Paris.The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) was also founded by von Karman who was the first President of the organization which is committed to expanding the frontiers in space.The von Karman award was established in 1982 and is the premier award of the Academy.It is given annually to recognize outstanding lifetime achievements in any branch of science without limit of nationality or gender.The award honours the memory of the Academy’s founder and first President, a scientist of the highest international reputation.Prior to K Sivan, two Indians namely – Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan and U.R. Rao – have been recipients of the award.

10.Ruskin Bond’s new book will mark 70 years of his writing journey

Ruskin Bond’s new book, A Song of India is all set to release in July this year.Published by Puffin Books, the book is set in 1951, and traces the beginning of Bond’s writing career.The illustrated book will mark the 70th year of the author’s writing journey.It was in England where Bond worked on his first book ‘The Room on the Roof’ and realised his true calling of becoming a writer.The new book is the fourth instalment in his memoir series after “Looking for the Rainbow” (2017), “Till the Clouds Roll By” (2017) and “Coming Round the Mountain” (2019).