National
‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth’ Initiative
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth’ via video conferencing on 11 December 2023.
During the program, Prime Minister Modi addressed the Vice Chancellors of Universities, Heads of Institutes and faculty members in workshops organized at Raj Bhawans across the country to mark the beginning of this initiative.
About Viksit Bharat @ 2047:
» Prime Minister’s vision is to actively involve the youth of the country in formulation of national plans, priorities and goals of the country.
- “Viksit Bharat @ 2047 – Voice of Youth” initiative was formulated in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to actively involve the youth of the country in the formulation of national plans, priorities and goals of the country.
- Viksit Bharat @2047 initiative will provide a platform to the youth of the country to contribute ideas to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
- The workshops will be a key step towards initiating the process of engaging youth to share their ideas and suggestions for Viksit Bharat @2047.
» Viksit Bharat@2047 is the vision to make India a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of its independence.
- The vision encompasses various aspects of development, including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance, among others.
International
NTPC wins Two Silver Awards in Brandon Hall Group’s Excellence in Technology Awards
⇒ NTPC, India’s largest integrated power company, has been declared as the winner at the Brandon Hall Group’s Excellence in Technology Awards 2023 in an online broadcast held on 7th December, 2023.
- NTPC stands out as the only PSU in India to secure dual accolades in the Technology Awards category.
- This recognition underscores NTPC’s commitment to innovation and technological excellence, placing it at the forefront of advancements in corporate wellbeing and immersive technologies.
The company received the coveted silver awards in two distinct categories:
Best Advance in Corporate Wellbeing Technology
- The Silver Award in the “Best Advance in Corporate Wellbeing Technology” Category was won by NTPC for its efforts in leveraging Technology to design an Individual-Centric Health Care Ecosystem which overcomes the limitations posed by the diversity and remoteness of NTPC Sites and provides effective medical services to all employees across all locations, thereby facilitating employees to contribute fully towards achievement of company goals.
2. Best Advance in Augmented and Virtual Reality
- The Silver Award in the “Best Advance in Augmented and Virtual Reality “Category was won by NTPC for being a leader in adapting innovative technologies.
About Award:
- The US based Brandon Hall Group is a professional development company that offers data, research, insights, and certification to Learning and Talent executives and organizations.
- Their HCM Excellence Awards program was the first to recognize organizations for learning and talent and is the gold standard, known as the “Academy Awards of Human Capital Management.”
- The awards recognize the best organizations that have successfully developed and deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems, and tools that have achieved measurable results.
- The awards receive applications from organizations worldwide ranging from small, medium, large, and global enterprises to government, not-for-profits, and associations.
27th WAIPA World Investment Conference 2023
⇒ The 27th WAIPA World Investment Conference (WIC 2023) was held from December 11-14, 2023, at the India International Convention & Expo Centre – Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
Host:
Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of the Government of India, and the current President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, hosted WIC 2023.
Theme:
The theme of the World Investment Conference 2023 was “Empowering Investors: IPAs Pioneering Future Growth”.
Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal on the main day of the conference on December 13, 2023, addressed on the Role of Trade and Investment in the Decade of Action. The Minister also chaired a closed-room roundtable of Private Equity.
- Shri Goyal also launched the Experience India Centre (EIC). It showcased the best of India’s offerings across services, technology, and products through a variety of technologies, including virtual reality, augmented reality, interactive touch screens, and projection mapping.
Highlights:
- WIC, an annual flagship event of WAIPA, serves as a platform for global investment promotion and innovation stakeholders.
- The 2023 conference brought together Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs), international organisations, academia, and the private sector, including startups, to discuss investment policies and trends, providing a unique opportunity for collaboration, trade, investments and knowledge sharing.
- Spanning four days, the WIC was the largest WIC ever, with participation from more than 1000 attendees, over 50 IPAs and various multilateral agencies.
- Some of the marquee sessions included a Meeting of ‘IPAs of G20 Nations’ and IPAs of G20 Compendium on Sustainable FDI, Meeting of World Investment for Development Alliance (WIDA), a coalition of 13 multilateral organisations including UNCTAD, WEF, WBG, UNESCAP and WAIPA, and a roundtable on “The India Opportunity: Investing in an Emerging Economy Poised for a Fast-Track Growth.
- Aligned with the overarching theme, the WIC featured parallel sessions focusing on Agri-Food Processing, Energy/Infrastructure, Tourism, Automotive & Machinery, ICT/Technology, and Life Sciences.
About World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies:
- The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies was created in 1995 in Geneva, as a non-governmental organization.
- Its mission is to empower and support investment promotion agencies in the important work they do to develop their economies; to be a voice for IPAs internationally; and to serve as a bridge between the public and private sectors.
- The association has more than 120 member agencies representing more than 100 countries.
Sports
12th Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2023
⇒ The 12th edition of ‘Admiral’s Cup’ Sailing Regatta concluded on 08 December 2023 with a glittering closing ceremony at Ettikulam Beach at Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala.
Admiral’s Cup 2023 Winners:
- Team Italy represented by Midshipman Avallone Antonio & Midshipman Creati Carlo Leonardo won the Admiral’s Cup 2023.
- Team India represented by Midshipman PPK Reddy and Cadet GY Reddy was the Runners-Up.
- Team United Kingdom & Germany represented by Officer Cadet Lucy Bell and Midshipman Aaron Middleton from United Kingdom and Cadet Beckman Carl & Cadet Hinz Anton from Germany shared the third position.
Individual position in the men’s category:
- Seaman Gorkunov Petr from Russia stood first in the individual position in the men’s category followed by Midshipman Avallone Antonio from Italy and Midshipman PPK Reddy from India at second and third positions respectively.
Individual position in women’s category:
- Officer Cadet Lucy Bell from United Kingdom stood first in the individual position in women’s category followed by Cadet Sangla Elma Salsadila from Indonesia and Cadet Jhanvi Singh from India at second and third positions respectively.
About Admiral’s Cup:
- The Admiral’s Cup witnessed competitive sailing races in Laser Radials boats during race days scheduled from 05 to 08 December 2023.
- 43 participants, including 08 female participants displayed their sailing skills in the Laser Radials in challenging wind and weather conditions as they squeezed every knot out of their boats over the past four days of the races.
- The event has become very popular since its inception in 2010.
- This edition of the Admiral’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2023, saw participation from 20 countries and Indian teams from Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla.