1. President Draupadi Murmu presented the Padma Awards for the year 2023 at a civil investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan
President Draupadi Murmu presented 52 Padma Awards for the year 2023 at a civil investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan . These include two Padma Vibhushan, four Padma Bhushan and 46 Padma Shri awards. President Murmu presented the Padma Vibhushan to SM Krishna in the field of public importance. Professor Balkrishna Doshi was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan in the field of architecture. Kamlesh D. Patel was honored with Padma Bhushan in the field of spirituality. Kapil Kapoor was awarded the Padma Bhushan in the field of literature and education. Suman Kalyanpur was awarded the Padma Bhushan in the field of arts and Aditya Birla Group Chairman – Kumar Mangalam Birla in the field of trade and industry.
2. President dedicates to the public the historic Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolarum, Secunderabad
President Draupadi Murmu opened the historic Rashtrapati Nilayam at Bolarum in Secunderabad to the public. Telugu New Year Ugadi to heritage property over 160 years old has been opened for general public on the occasion of Virtually opening the heritage building to the general public, the President said that the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Retreat, symbols of Indian democracy, are a legacy for all countrymen. He also pointed out that the historic building of Rashtrapati Nilayam is one of the various retreats built for the President. He also inaugurated the Knowledge Gallery at Rashtrapati Nilayam. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy were also present on the occasion. The Rashtrapati Nilayam will be open to the general public throughout the year except during the southern stays of the President. Visitors can book their slot online through http://visit.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in. Apart from this, walk-in booking facility will also be available at the reception office of Rashtrapati Nilayam. Visitors 10 a.m. six days a week (except Mondays and government holidays): You can visit Nilayam from 00:00 AM to 05:00 PM. The last entry for this will be at 04:00 PM.
3. PM inaugurates new International Telecommunication Union Regional Office and Innovation Center in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Office and Innovation Center in India . At a function in New Delhi , the Prime Minister released the India 6G Vision Document and launched the 6G R&D Test Bed and Call Before You Dig App launched. This app will help in reducing the incidents of unnecessary digging and damage. ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technology (ICT). Headquartered in Geneva, it has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices. India signed a Host Country Agreement with ITU in March 2022 to set up an Area Office. It will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran, enhance coordination among nations and promote mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region. The India 6G vision document has been prepared by the Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G), which has been formed to draw up roadmaps and action plans for 6G in India involving various ministries/departments, research and development institutions, academia, standardization bodies, was done in November 2021 with telecom service providers and industry members. The 6G test bed will provide a platform to academic institutions, industries, start-ups, MSMEs etc. to test and validate emerging ICT technologies. The Bharat 6G Vision Document and 6G Test Bed will provide an enabling environment for innovation, capacity building and rapid technology adoption in the country.
4. The World Happiness Report 2023: India at 126th position
Recently the World Happiness Report has been released, in which the countries of the world have been ranked on the basis of various parameters. Finland has once again emerged as the happiest country in the world . Finland has topped The World Happiness Report 2023, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, for the sixth year in a row. Denmark, Iceland, Israel and the Netherlands are the next happiest countries Afghanistan is the world’s unhappiest country for the second year in a row Listed as the one at the bottom of the list. The report has been compiled by a number of economists, including Professor Richard Laird of the London School of Economics and Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University. The World Happiness Report was first released 10 years ago, in 2012 . The current report only covers 2019-2021. The current report presents “General ranking and modeling of national happiness based on data covering 2019 to 2021”. Under the World Happiness Report 2023, the three-year average India ranked 126th in Happiness Rankings 2020-2022 Is. This ranking of India is based on Life Evaluations in 2020-2022. In this, India’s average life assessment score is 4.036. Talking about India’s neighboring countries, Pakistan is at 108th, Sri Lanka at 112th, Bangladesh at 118th position. Nepal is in a better position than these countries and occupies the 78th position in the list. China is ranked 64th.
5. Announcement of monthly stipend of Rs 20,000 for one year for women-led startups under ‘Herstart’ platform
Recently, the Government of India has given a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000 for one year to women-led startups under the ‘ herSTART ‘ platform. has announced. Women-led business enterprises are playing a significant role in the society by creating employment opportunities in the country, driving demographic change and inspiring the next generation of women founders. HerSTART is a platform to promote innovation and startup efforts of women entrepreneurs and also helps them connect with various government and private enterprises. At least 36 unicorns and potential unicorns in India have at least one female founder or co-founder. of India various initiatives, schemes, Focusing on building women-led entrepreneurship through networks and communities, and activating partnerships between various stakeholders in the startup ecosystem. Currently, 47 companies across the globe have achieved Decacorn status (startups that are valued at more than $1 billion) by January 2023. Presently five startups in India are involved in Dekacorn as Flipkart, Byju’s, Nykaa, Swiggy and PhonePe.
6. Bombay Jayashree selected for Kalanidhi Award 2023
Recently, Carnatic singer Bombay Jayashree , who is known for her melodious and meditative style of singing and has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, has been selected for the Sangeet Kalanidhi Award for the year 2023 . Has gone. The Sangeetha Kalanidhi Award is considered the highest award in the field of Carnatic music and came into existence in the year 1942. The award carries a gold medal and a citation. Vasanthalaxmi Narasimhachari has been selected for the Nritya Kalanidhi Award for dance. Vasanthalaxmi Narasimhachari excels in both Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi.
7. Tamil Nadu TB Mortality-Free Project (TN-KET) significantly reduced the number of early TB deaths
TN-KET (Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappilla Thitam, meaning TB Death-Free Project) has significantly reduced the number of early TB deaths . This program is supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu , Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Tuberculosis Research (ICMR-NIRT) in Chennai and WHO India . implemented in collaboration with As part of this initiative, ‘Differentiated TB Care’ aims to assess patients to decide whether people with TB require ambulatory care or hospital admission. The TN-KET initiative has already achieved the initial target of 80% triaging of patients, 80% referral, comprehensive assessment and confirmation of critical illness and 80% admission confirmation.
8. Indian Railways Completes 100% Electrification Of Broad Gauge Network In Odisha
Indian Railways has completed 100% electrification of broad gauge network in Odisha . A total of 2,822 km of roads have been electrified in the state. The Ministry of Railways said that the electrification of the lines would reduce the total cost by two and a half times. This will also reduce the operation and maintenance cost of the rail. Railways have set a target of achieving net zero carbon emission by 2030 .
9. The country’s two major airports Delhi and Mumbai achieved the highest level of carbon accreditation Four Plus
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken several steps to promote sustainable development in the aviation sector and reduce carbon footprint at airports. The Airports Authority of India has drawn up an action plan for 100% renewable energy use at airports . The Ministry has said that the Airports Council International has launched the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program for carbon management at airports . The program helps airports assess their carbon emissions, develop a carbon management plan, and reduce carbon emissions. The country’s two major airports Delhi and Mumbai have achieved the highest level of carbon accreditation Four Plus has been achieved. Currently only three airports in the Asia-Pacific region have achieved this feat. The ministry has said that the Airports Authority of India has installed solar power plants at various airports. Hyderabad and Bangalore have achieved the status of being carbon neutral (Level 3+). AAI achieved Level 2 airport carbon accreditation at Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Varanasi airports in December 2019 and ACI-ACA Level 2 certification is in process for 23 more airports.
10. Income Tax Department launches free mobile app AIS for the convenience of taxpayers
The Income Tax Department has launched a mobile app named ‘ AIS for Taxpayers ‘ for the convenience of the taxpayers to view the information available in the Annual Information Statement (AIS)/Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). ‘AIS for Taxpayers’ is a mobile application provided free of cost by the Income Tax Department. This mobile application is available on Google Play and App Store. The objective of this app is to provide a detailed description of AIS/TIS to the taxpayer which displays the information collected from various sources related to the taxpayer. Taxpayers can view information related to Tax Deducted at Source, -TDS, Interest, Share Transactions, Tax Payments, Income Tax Refund and GST through the app. Taxpayers will also have the option and facility to give their opinion on the information available in the app.
11. Anti-Submarine Craft INS Androth Launched
India recently launched 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) at Kolkata and is designed for anti-submarine operations, low-intensity maritime operations and mine-laying in coastal waters. INS Andrott is approximately 77.6 m long, 10.5 m wide and requires a draft of only 2.7 m. It is propelled by three diesel powered water jets, enabling it to attain a maximum speed of 25 knots. The ship is equipped with hull-mounted sonar and a low-frequency variable depth sonar, lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, a close-in weapon system (with a 30 mm gun) and 16.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled guns.
12. Festivals of Navratri, Chaitra Shukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Navreh and Sajibu Cheraoba
Navratri, the festival of Chaitra Shukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Navareh and Sajibu Cheraoba was celebrated across the country on 22 March . Vikram Samvat is the traditional calendar used by all Hindus in India and is 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar . This year it will be Vikram Samvat 2080 . The Hindu New Year or Vikram Samvat is celebrated on the first day of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra month and is considered mathematically accurate. In many states, the Hindu New Year begins on the first day of the month of Baisakh. However, there are different views among Indian scholars regarding the Hindu New Year.
13. Nepal-India Literature Festival was organized
The Nepal-India Literature Festival was a three-day literary festival organized by the Krantidhara Sahitya Akademi of Biratnagar Metropolitan City and Meerut , India . The festival saw the participation of over 350 litterateurs from all the seven provinces of Nepal and most of the states in India. The event concluded with the adoption of the 10-point Biratnagar Declaration aimed at promoting literature between Nepal and India. The Biratnagar Declaration highlighted the need for mutual promotion of literature between Nepal and India. The declaration included the following points:
- Translation of Nepali literature into Hindi and Hindi literature into Nepali for mutual encouragement.
- In coordination with the Archaeological Department and historians, connecting the palace of King Virat of the Mahabharata period with the Mahabharata circuit.
- To encourage young writers to explore archaeological artefacts.
- To create an online platform for litterateurs of Nepal and India to share their work.
- To establish literary exchange programs for students from Nepal and India.
- To encourage literary authors to promote tourism both in Nepal and India through their work.
- To acknowledge the contribution of litterateurs in promoting cultural relations between Nepal and India.
- To create a database of literary works of Nepal and India for research purposes.
- To encourage literary authors to address social issues in their work.
- To organize Nepal-India Literature Festival every year.
- The adoption of the Biratnagar Declaration is a significant step towards promoting literature between the two neighboring countries.
14. Tamil Nadu government announces notification of Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
The Tamil Nadu government has announced the notification of Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary , making it the 18th wildlife sanctuary in the state. has been made. Spread over 80,567 hectares in the forest areas of Anthiyur and Gobichettipalayam taluks of Erode district, the sanctuary will include reserve forest areas in Anthiyur, Bargur, Thattakarai and Chennampatti. This was announced recently during the state budget. Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in proximity to Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary, BRT Wildlife Sanctuary, Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. It serves as a connecting point between the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and the Cauvery South Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to 21 species of mammals, 136 species of birds and 118 species of butterflies. It hosts fauna such as elephants, leopards, wild boars, gaurs and deer.
15. River front constructed on Narayani river
Recently river front on Gandak river in Gopalganj district of Bihar under Namami Gange program Along with the development, two ghats have also been constructed. As per the National Waterways Act, 2016, the river Gandak from Bhaislotan barrage to the confluence of river Gandak and Ganga at Hajipur in Bihar was designated as National Waterway (NW)-37 along with 111 other NWs across the country. Gandak river is also known as Gandaki and Narayani river in Nepal. It is an important river flowing through the northern part of India and Nepal. The Valmiki National Park and Tiger Reserve in Bihar are situated on the banks of this river. The Gandak River rises at an altitude of 7620 meters above sea level north of Dhaulagisi in Tibet near the Nepal border. This river originating from the Himalayas is 630 kilometers wide, In which its expansion area is 445 km in India and 185 km in Nepal. This river flows through the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and joins the Ganges near Patna in the lower part of Hajipur.
16. 3rd Annual Edition of International SME Conference, 2023
The 3rd edition of the International SME Convention 2023 (ISC) was held in New Delhi from 19 to 21 March . The program is focusing on four key thrust areas of India, namely cleantech and green energy, manufacturing, service sector and agri-food processing and agriculture implementation sector. These sectors are vital for India’s economic development and have immense potential for employment generation and sustainable development. ISC 2023 is a platform that brings together SMEs, policy makers and industry experts to discuss critical issues and explore opportunities for growth and sustainability. It is being jointly organized by the Ministry of MSME and External Affairs and India SME Forum. The Government of Madhya Pradesh is the lead state partner for the event and the Government of Uttar Pradesh is the associate state partner.
17. Microsoft and Alphabet made several new innovations using Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is making headlines this year, as major tech companies like Microsoft and Alphabet race to launch products that use the technology. Generative AI, like other forms of AI, learns to take action from past data. However, it goes beyond simply classifying or recognizing data and creates brand new content, such as text, images, and computer code, based on that training. A well-known example of generative AI is ChatGPT , which will be developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI in 2022. Is a chatbot released by It uses a large language model to generate human-like responses based on text prompts. OpenAI also recently announced GPT-4, a new multimodal model that can view text and images.
18. India’s Sarabjot Singh won the gold medal on the first day of the Shooting World Cup in Madhya Pradesh.
India’s Sarabjot Singh won the gold medal on the first day of the Shooting World Cup in Madhya Pradesh.Sarabjot secured the first position in the men’s 10m air pistol event by scoring 10.9 points. Sarabjot defeated Ruslan Lunaev of Azerbaijan 16-0 in the gold medal match. Varun Kumar won the bronze medal in the event. In the women’s section, India’s leading shooters Manu Bhaker and Yashaswini Singh Deswal could not qualify for the finals. The gold of the event was won by Li Zhui of China. Germany’s Weinkamp Dorin got the silver medal. Qian Wei of China won the bronze medal.
19. 111th Foundation Day of Bihar: 22nd March
Bihar is celebrating 111th foundation day . Bihar was separated from Bengal on 22 March 1912 . This day is celebrated as Bihar Day. This year the program will be organized under the theme of Yuva Shakti Bihar Ki Pragati. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar have greeted the people on the occasion of Bihar Day.
20. World Water Day: 22 March
World Water Day (WWD) is observed every year on 22 March . The United Nations General Assembly issued a resolution in the year 1993 declaring March 22 to be celebrated as World Water Day every year. The theme of WWD 2023 is ‘ Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crisis’, emphasizing the need to take appropriate action to address the global water crisis. The main purpose of this day is to make people aware and motivated to manage fresh water resources in a sustainable manner, as well as to know more about water related issues such as water pollution, water scarcity, insufficient water and lack of sanitation. Receive and take appropriate steps for change. According to the United Nations, the idea behind celebrating this day is “Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: “Access to water and sanitation for all by 2030 ”.
21. World Sparrow Day: 20 March
World Sparrow Day is observed on 20 March every year , it is designated to raise awareness about the conservation and protection of sparrows, as the number of sparrows is declining globally. The theme of World Sparrow Day 2023 is ” I Love Sparrows “, which aims to make more and more people aware of the relationship between humans and sparrows. According to the survey conducted by the Travancore Nature History Society (TNHS), Thiruvananthapuram city has recorded a significant decrease in the sparrow population. Its population decline has been attributed to extreme heat and unavailability of food in urban areas.
22. International Forest Day: March 21
International Day of Forests is celebrated on 21 March . On 28 November 2012, the United Nations General Assembly established 21 March as the International Day of Forests. International Day of Forests was celebrated for the first time on March 21, 2013 . International Day of Forests focuses on spreading awareness about the importance of all types of forests. On the occasion of International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to make local, national and international efforts to organize activities related to tree planting campaigns. The idea of International Day of Forests was introduced at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture . The theme for the year 2023 is ‘ Forests and Health ‘.
