National
The President of India launched the ‘Unnathi’ programme
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu attended the civic reception hosted in her honour by the Government of Kerala at Thiruvananthapuram on March 17, 2023.
On the occasion, the President inaugurated the silver jubilee celebration of ‘Kudumbashree’ and launched ‘Unnathi’. She also witnessed the release of technical, engineering and diploma books translated into Malayalam.
Key Points:
- ‘Kudumbashree’ is one of the largest women’s self-help networks in the world.
- ‘Unnathi’ is an umbrella programme to create opportunities for employment and self-employment, among the youth belonging to SC and ST communities.
Matua Dharma Mahamela 2023
⇒ The Matua Dharma Mahamela 2023 was organised by the All India Matua Mahasangha from 19 March to 25 March, 2023.
- The Matua Maha Mela is an important event which showcases the vibrant culture of the Matua community.
Key Points:
- The Matua Dharma Mahamela 2023 was held at Sridham Thakurnagar, Thakurbari in North 24 Parganas of West Bengal.
- The mela was organized to celebrate the 212th birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur ji, the founder of the Matua sect.
- About 45 lakh people visited the mela during the week to seek the blessings of the founder of the sect.
Meghalaya gets Electric trains for the first time
⇒ Indian Railway is progressing at full throttle for becoming Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030.
Meghalaya got electric trains for the first time after the Indian Railways completed the electrification of important sections between Abhayapuri – Pancharatna and Dudhnai – Mendipathar.
- In an endeavour for complete electrification, Northeast Frontier Railway has achieved another milestone by commissioning Dudhnai – Mendipathar (22.823 Track Kilometre) single line section and Abhayapuri – Pancharatna (34.59 Track Kilometre) double line section on 15th March, 2023.
Key Points:
- The Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE) has carried out the electrification works in these sections.
- Mendipathar is the only railway station in the north-eastern state of Meghalaya which is in operation since 2014 after being inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.
- After commissioning of electric traction, trains hauled by electric locomotive will now be able to operate directly from Mendipathar in Meghalaya which will increase the average speed.
International
Sri Lankan exhibition “Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be There”
⇒ External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar inaugurated the Sri Lankan exhibition “Geoffrey Bawa: It is Essential To be There” on 17 March 2023 at the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.
Organized by:
The historic exhibition was jointly organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art, Ministry of Culture in New Delhi, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust Colombo.
The Exhibition was held from March 17 to May 7, 2023. The historic exhibition which featured the works of Sri Lanka’s iconic architect the late Geoffrey Bawa, was organised to mark the 75th anniversary of Indo-Lanka diplomatic relations, which falls this year.
Key Points:
- The exhibition was the first major exhibition which draws from the archives to look at the Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa’s practice.
- Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Indo-Lanka Diplomatic Relations, this event celebrated as part of the Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Sri Lanka.
- Exploring relationships between ideas, drawings, buildings and places, the exhibition explored the different ways in which images were used in Bawa’s practice.
- Over 120 documents from the Bawa archives were viewed, including a section on unbuilt work and Bawa’s own photographs from his travels. Geoffrey Bawa has designed several iconic buildings in India as well.
- This exhibition was first presented in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from February–April 2022.
- Bawa’s work has been exhibited at multiple venues in Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, North America, Australia, India, Brazil, Singapore, and Germany but this was the first exhibition to focus on the archive. It was the first retrospective exhibition of his work to be shown internationally since 2004.
- The Geoffrey Bawa Trust received financial support from Kohler India as initiating partner to produce this exhibition.
Exercise Sea Dragon 23
⇒ A P8I aircraft of the Indian Navy arrived at Guam, USA on 14 March 2023 to participate in ‘Exercise Sea Dragon 23’, the third edition of the coordinated multi-lateral ASW exercise for Long Range MR ASW aircraft, conducted by the US Navy.
- The exercise Sea Dragon 23 was held from 15-30 March 2023, with emphasis on coordinated anti-submarine warfare among the participating countries.
Key Points:
- The complexity and scope of these exercises has increased steadily over the past years to include advanced ASW drills.
- The Exercise witnessed representation by an Indian Navy P8I, along with P8A of the US Navy, P1 from the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, CP 140 from the Royal Canadian Air Force and P3C from the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN).
- Ex Sea Dragon 23 tested the capabilities of participating aircraft in tracking simulated and live underwater targets, whilst also shared mutual expertise.
» The aim of the Exercise was to achieve high levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific.
RBI Governor conferred with ‘Governor of the year’ award at Central Banking Awards 2023
⇒ RBI Governor, Shri Shaktikanta Das has been conferred with the ‘Governor of the year’ award in the Central Banking Awards 2023.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, Shaktikanta Das on June 14, 2023 received the Governor of the Year at the Central Banking Awards 2023 in London.
- He has been recognised for his leadership, and for his handling of multiple crises that have arisen during his tenure.
- Governor of the Year: Shri Shaktikanta Das
Other Important Winners of the 10th Central Banking Awards 2023:
- Central Bank of the Year: National Bank of Ukraine
- Lifetime Achievement: Stefan Ingves
The Central Banking Awards 2023 recognise excellence in a community that had faced significant policy and operational challenges amid heightened inflationary pressures, rapid technological change and environmental transition.