National
Big Impact Awards- 2023 Celebrating Businesses of Jammu
⇒ Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology; Minister of State (I/C) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh attended as chief guest of ‘Big Impact Awards- 2023 Celebrating Businesses of Jammu’ at Hari Niwas, Jammu on 19 February 2023.
During the event, Dr Jitendra Singh said, under PM Modi, India has had a huge quantum jump in the global benchmarks with India being the fastest growing economy in the world having overtaken United Kingdom, jumping forty steps up in the global innovation index, ranking third in the Startup ecosystem having more than 90,000 Start-Ups from 250 in 2014 with 100 unicorns.
- Dr Jitendra Singh also said, the pro-business reforms unleashed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government in the last nine years is laying a strong foundation of New India, opening up new vistas for the business community, improving India’s rank in ease of doing business from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2022, as per World Bank report.
- India is now world’s third largest in aviation sector with 147 airports from just 74 in 2014, Dr. Singh added.
During the award ceremony, Dr Jitendra Singh gave prizes to-
Davinder Kumar Batra, CEO, Batra Group, Ritesh Grover and Vinod Grover, MD V-Brand, Ajay Chaudhary & Rahul Jandiyal of KC Group, Kunwarnai Ritu Sinhji Social Entrepreneur, Anchit Wazir of Groovy Juices, Pooja Gupta, Founding Director, Nimbark Organic Foods, Janet Arora and Manit Arrora of Deendayal Omprakash Brand, Vimal Kumar, MD Royal Nest Estates, Soham Amla of Tatsa Motors and Bikes, Sahil Agarwal of Shivaya Healthcare, Dr. R D Sood of Sood Eye Care, Maloop Singh of Darpan Productions and others.
First phase of 'Shiv Srishti', a theme park based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
⇒ Union Home minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of ‘Shiv Srishti’, a theme park based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Pune, Maharashtra on 19 February 2023.
» Shri Amit Shah said that the first phase out of the four phases of ‘Shiva Srishti’ has completed. Shri Shah expressed confidence that this Rs 438 crore project would definitely completed within the stipulated time.
- He said that in the first phase an effort has been made to preserve many incidents of Shivaji Maharaj’s life at a cost of Rs 60 crore. Many important events like the history of Shivaji’s forts, the coronation of Shivaji and his escape from the clutches of the Mughals from Agra have been preserved in 3D.
- By visiting this place, the young generation of the country will get to know about the life of Shivaji Maharaj very well and will learn about his life dedicated for ‘Swadharm’ and ‘Swabhasha’, and his willingness to make sacrifices for Swaraj.
- Shri Shah said that in April 1967, under the guidance of Satara’s Rajmata Sumitra Raje Bhonsle and Shrimant Chhatrapati Pratap Singh Maharaj this ‘Pratishthan’ was established in Satara by Babasaheb. Since then, Babasaheb gave more than 12 thousand lectures on Shivaji across the country and more than 1200 ‘Janata Raja’ plays have been staged which spread the message of Shivaji across the country.
Key Points:
- Maharaja Shivchhatrapati Pratishthan implements the project for which the state government allocated land and Rs 50 crore for the first phase.
- Shiv Srishti Theme Park has preserved the historical facts related to Shivaji Maharaj with authenticity, in the coming time this park will become the grand theme park in Asia.
- A wonderful combination of both technology and history is seen in the construction of Shiv Srishti, an attempt has been made to bring history alive by combining holography project mapping, miniatures motion, simulation, 3D-4D technology and light and sound technology.
International
4th EXERCISE DHARMA GUARDIAN 2023
⇒ The 4th edition of joint military exercise, “EX DHARMA GUARDIAN”, between India and Japan was conducted at Camp Imazu in Shiga province, Japan from 17 February to 02 March 2023.
Notably, in the series of military training exercises undertaken by India with various countries, Exercise DHARMA GUARDIAN which is an annual training event with Japan, is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the backdrop of current global situation. The scope of this exercise covers platoon level joint training on operations in jungle and semi urban/urban terrain.
Participation:
Troops of the Garhwal Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and an Infantry Regiment from the Middle Army of the Japan Ground Self Defence Force (JGSDF) participated in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution.
Highlights:
- The joint exercise enabled the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting tactical operations under a UN Mandate, in addition to developing inter-operability, bonhomie, camaraderie and friendship between the two armies.
- The training was focused primarily on high degree of physical fitness and sharing of drills at the tactical level.
- During the exercise, participants engaged in a variety of missions ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, basics of establishing integrated surveillance grids, including employment of aerial assets.
- The joint exercise facilitated both armies to know each other better, share their wide experiences and enhance their situational awareness.
- “Exercise Dharma Guardian” further enhanced the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces, furthering the bilateral relations between the two nations.
EXERCISE SHINYUU MAITRI 23
⇒ The Indian Air Force (IAF) participated in Exercise Shinyuu Maitri 23 with the Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF). The Exercise was conducted on 01 and 02 March 2023.
- The exercise was organised on the side-lines of the Indo-Japan Joint Army Exercise, Dharma Guardian, which was conducted from 13 February 2023 to 02 March 2023 at Komatsu, Japan.
Participation:
The IAF contingent participated in Exercise Shinyuu Maitri 23 with one C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
Phase:
- The first phase of the exercise included discussion on transport operations and tactical manoeuvring.
- In the second phase, flying drills were carried out by IAF’s C-17 and JASDF C-2 transport aircraft.
Key Points:
- The exercise gave an opportunity for the respective subject matter experts to interact and study each other’s operational philosophies and best practices. The exercise also enhanced mutual understanding and interoperability between the IAF and the JASDF.
- Exercise Shinyuu Maitri 23 was another step in the expanding defence cooperation between the two countries; as well as for the IAF to operate in diverse environments across the globe.
- The exercise was conducted at a time when the IAF’s heavy lift transport aircraft fleet also participated in Exercise Desert Flag VIII in the UAE and Exercise Cobra Warrior in the UK.
Important Day
37th Statehood Day of Arunachal Pradesh
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced the 37th Statehood Day celebrations of Arunachal Pradesh and attended the civic reception hosted in her honour by the State Government at Itanagar on February 20, 2023.
About Arunachal Pradesh:
- Arunachal Pradesh became a full-fledged 24th state of India on February 20, 1987.
- Till 1972, it was known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA). It gained the Union Territory status on January 20, 1972 and was renamed as Arunachal Pradesh. Administratively, the State is divided into sixteen districts.
- Arunachal Pradesh became the state of India with the 55th Amendment Act of the Indian Constitution.
- The capital of the state is Itanagar in Papum Pare district. Itanagar is named after ‘Ita fort’, meaning ‘fort of bricks’, built in the 14th Century AD.
- Popularly known as the ‘Land of the Dawn-lit-Mountains’, Arunachal Pradesh is India’s remotest state and the first Indian soil to greet the rising sun.
Death
Former Gujarat governor and veteran BJP leader Om Prakash Kohli
⇒ Former Gujarat governor and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Om Prakash Kohli passed away on 20 February 2023. He was 87.
- A former Rajya Sabha member and ex-president of the BJP in Delhi, Kohli was also an academician. He taught Hindi at Delhi University’s Hansraj College and Deshbandhu College for over three decades.
- Kohli was the 19th governor of Gujarat from 2014 to 2019. He also served as governor of Madhya Pradesh and Goa.