National
International conference on Consciousness
⇒ Union Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the international conference on Consciousness with the theme, “Exploring Consciousness- From Non- Locality to Non- Duality: The Man- Machine Debate” at NIMHANS, Bengaluru on 22 September 2022.
Organized by:
The conference was organized by India Foundation and NIMHANS and supported by Ministry of Ayush.
- The conference brought together some of the most eminent researchers and inventors in the areas of physics, biology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, cybernetics, quantum computing and allied fields as well as scholars and spiritual teachers of the major Indic Spiritual and psychological disciplines and doctrines.
The Minister also inaugurated the Centre of Excellence project in the Department of Integrative Medicine, NIMHANS, Bengaluru as part of “AYURSWASTHYA YOJANA”, a flagship programme under Ministry of Ayush.
- The Centre of Excellence (CoE) will strengthen competencies of Ayush professionals in Education technology, Research & innovation and others.
- Main objectives of the CoE project at NIMHANS is to conduct clinical trials in four neuro-psychiatric disorders to establish efficacy, safety and proposed mechanism of Integrated Yoga and Ayurveda treatment approaches.
- It will also understand the Integrative neurobiology of Neuropsychiatric Disorders (“Doshic-Brain”), create a unified digital database and train and develop clinician-scientists who have niche skills-sets in examining brain-health from both traditional and modern scientific approaches.
3rd edition of a national colloquium ‘Lokmanthan’
⇒ The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the third edition of a national colloquium ‘Lokmanthan’ organized by Prajna Pravah in Guwahati on 22 September 2022.
The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar called for strenthening the thriving space for discussion and dialogue in public realm, suggesting that ‘intolerance of others’ point of view is antithetical to the vision of free exchange of thought’.
- During the event, the Vice President also released two books – a souvenir for Lokmanthan and a collection of speeches of the Chief Minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, titled ‘In Pursuit of a Dream’.
Theme:
Lokmanthan 2022 was organized on the theme of ‘Lokparampara’, highlighting the importance of safeguarding the glorious and vibrant heritage of the North Eastern Region.
Book "She Is - Women in STEAM"
⇒ The Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Sood, and the British High Commissioner Mr. Alex Ellis unveiled the book She Is–Women in STEAM by ElsaMarie D’Silva and Supreet K Singh on September 21, 2022.
The ‘75 Women in STEAM’ joined the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and the British High Commissioner at the unveiling of the book that describes the various contours of their journeys in STEAM.
About Book:
- Marking the celebration of India’s 75th year of Independence, the book honors 75 women in STEAM (fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) celebrating gender, leadership, and sustainable development in the fields of STEAM.
- Narrating personal stories of courage, hope, and determination, this book talks about the personal and professional struggles of women who did not have it easy but who for sure are role models for every girl who aspires to work in one of these disciplines.
- This book, supported by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, FICCI FLO, and the British High Commission of India.
- This book seeks to make women in the fields of STEAM more visible, celebrate their significant contributions, and acknowledge their journeys which are often fraught with challenges that are gendered.
Important Day
International Day of Sign Languages 2022
⇒ The International Day of Sign Languages is observed every year on September 23 to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.
The day is recognized as such to raise awareness about the importance of sign language around the world.
Theme:
The theme of this year Sign Language Day-2022 was “Sign Languages Unite us”.
As per World Federation of the Deaf, on this Day, together we sign onto a declaration of support for sign languages as an essential human right for deaf people, and sign for human rights!
- On this day, collective efforts of deaf communities, governments, and civil society representatives are made to recognize and promote the different national sign languages around the world.
Background:
- The proposal for the Day came from the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), a federation of 135 national associations of deaf people, representing approximately 70 million deaf people’s human rights worldwide.
- The resolution A/RES/72/161 was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, co-sponsored by 97 United Nations Member States and adopted by consensus on 19 December 2017.
- The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages.
- The particular date was chosen because it is the same day that the World Federation of the Deaf was established in Rome in 1951.
- The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf.
- The International Week of the Deaf was first celebrated in September 1958.
Celebration in India:
Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi under the aegis of DEPwD (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt of India celebrated Sign Language Day-2022.
» The Centre conducted 5th Indian Sign Language Competition, 2022, a national-level competition held for Deaf students and interpreters to showcase their ISL skills, creativity and knowledge.
- For the Competition, entries were invited on jokes, stories and essays in Indian Sign Language.
- During the Sign Language Day programme, all the winners of the 5th ISL competition were distributed trophy and certificate by Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Kumari Pratima Bhoumik.