National
‘Maximum Micro-biological Containment Laboratory’ of DRDO
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, attended the civic reception hosted in her honour by the Government of Madhya Pradesh at Raj Bhavan Bhopal on November 15, 2022.
On the occasion, she, virtually, laid the foundation stones for the ‘Maximum Micro-biological Containment Laboratory’ of DRDO at Gwalior and Ratapani-Itarsi road project of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
M&M's Farm Machinery Plant at Pithampur
⇒ Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the first Greenfield Farm Machinery Plant of Mahindra & Mahindra at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh on 15 November 2022.
On this occasion, Shri Tomar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has reached a point where the world looks at us with hopeful eyes. Shri Tomar said that to make the country fully developed, we have to be fully equipped with technology.
- From the point of view of agricultural equipments, this is the first innovative experiment done by Mahindra & Mahindra. This company has also set the target of export of farm equipments.
International Travelling Exhibition “Vaccines Injecting Hope”
⇒ Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Culture & Parliamentary Affairs inaugurated an international travelling exhibition “Vaccines Injecting Hope” on 15 November 2022 at National Science Centre, Delhi.
Key Points:
- This exhibition has been made possible with support from ‘Wellcome, UK’, ‘ICMR, India’ and other research and scientific organisations in India.
- NCSM and Science Museum Group, London have joined hands to tell the story of the global effort to develop vaccines. This exhibition curated by NCSM and the Science Museum Group of UK, tells us the story of the creation of a modern-day vaccine and its many facets, with its human side.
- Starting from November 15, 2022, the exhibition will tour five venues across India namely Delhi, Nagpur, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata till September 2025 and is expected to reach out to more than 2 million people.
About Exhibition:
- The exhibition has sections on ‘The Arrival of New Virus’, ‘Designing a New Vaccine’, ‘Trials, Results and Approvals’, ‘Scaling Up and Mass Production’, ‘Vaccine Rollout’, ‘Living with COVID’; and tells the story of the global effort to find new ways to develop vaccines at pandemic speed and look at vaccinations more broadly with a historical and contemporary view.
- The exhibition set out the scientific principles underlying a vaccine’s creation and efficacy while capturing the behind-the-scenes work that accompanies their rapid development, production, transport, and delivery.
- The exhibition showcases ‘Through The Lens’, an artwork commissioned by British Council and created through collaboration between Indian sculptor based in Delhi, Sushank Kumar, and a playwright in London, Nigel Townsend. The artwork seeks to explore our relationship with Vaccination historically and in the light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic.
Background:
- The Science Museum Group is the world’s leading group of science museums, includeing five sites: the Science Museum in London; the National Railway Museum in York; the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester; the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford; and Locomotion in Shildon.
- National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), a premiere institution in the field of science communication, is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India.
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is one of the oldest and largest medical research bodies that is nurturing the biomedical research and innovation in India.
- NCSM has signed a MoU with British Council India to support the exhibition with the commissioning of an Art Installation for the exhibition “Vaccines: Injecting Hope”.
International
41st Edition of India International Trade Fair (IITF 2022)
⇒ Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 41st Edition of India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 14 November 2022.
Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal suggested that the Trade Fair could be held twice in a year with the second one focussing on the theme of ‘Athmanitbhar Bharat’, showcasing India’s swadeshi capabilities and its emerging strength.
The 41st India International Trade Fair (IITF) – 2022 was organized from 14th – 27th November 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It was held over a total area of 73,000 sq mtr.
IITF offers an ideal platform to showcase Indian products under the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign, and infuse renewed confidence and vigour in the Indian economy.
- The 41st edition of IITF saw the participation of nearly 2500 exhibitors from India and abroad.
Theme:
The theme of the 41st India International Trade Fair (IITF) – 2022 was “Vocal For Local, Local to Global”.
Partner States and Focus States:
In IITF 2022, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra were the Partner States and Uttar Pradesh and Kerala were the Focus States.
» Exhibitors from 29 States & Union Territories participated in IITF. It may be noted that Leh Ladakh participated for the first time this year.
» The 41st IITF also saw overseas exhibitors from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belarus, Iran, Nepal, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK.
» Besides, various Central Ministries, Departments, Commodity Boards and PSUs participated in this event to showcase their achievements.
Various Pavilions at IITF 2022:
» Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog inaugurated the Health Pavilion at the 41st India International Trade Fair (IITF), on 14 November. Special Secretary, Shri S Gopalakrishnan was also present on the occasion.
- At the 41st IITF, the theme of the pavilion of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was “Heal in India, Heal by India”.
- The Health Pavilion showcased various initiatives, schemes and achievements of the Union Health Ministry including the recently launched PM TB-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, National Universal Immunisation Programme, FSSAI, NACO, AB PMJAY, NVBDCP, NHA.
- The pavilion of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been awarded for “Outstanding Contribution towards Public Communication and Outreach” at 41st India International Trade Fair 2022.
» Union Minister of State for Steel and Rural Development Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste inaugurated the Steel Pavilion at IITF 2022 on 14 November.
- The steel Pavilion comprised the display by Ministry of Steel, CPSEs under the aegis of Ministry of Steel and the major private steel players in the country.
» The Ministry of Power, along with its CPSEs/Organizations participated in the IITF 2022.
- Shri R.K. Singh, Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy inaugurated the Pavilion of the Ministry of Power at the 41st IITF on 15th November.
- The Ministry of Power had set up a pavilion with the theme of “Ujjwal Bharat, Ujjwal Bhavishya”.
- In this pavilion Ministry of Power showcased its various achievements and new initiatives like Smart Metering, Smart Home, Smart distribution system, One Nation One Grid One Frequency, EV Charging Infrastructure, Energy Conservation, Universal Access to electricity and Role of Hydro Power Plants in Transformation of Communities.
» The Khadi India pavilion, depicting the theme of “Vocal for Local, Local to Global”, was inaugurated by Union Minister of MSME Shri Narayan Rane.
- India’s multi-hued ethnicity, cultural diversity, colourful weaves and traditional crafts came under one roof at the Khadi India pavilion at IITF 2022.
» Union Minister for MSME, Shri Narayan Rane, inaugurated the “MSME PAVILION” at IITF 2022. This year, MSME Pavilion had the highest ever participation of Women led enterprises (74%).
» The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) had set up “GST & Customs Pavilion” at IITF 2022 with the theme of “60 Years of Customs Act 1962”.
- The pavilion was Inaugurated by Shri Vivek Johri, Chairman, CBIC. Shri Johri also unveiled a logo on the occasion of completion of 60 years of Customs Act. The tagline of the logo is “Sevarth Raksharth”.
Death
Veteran Telugu actor Ghattamaneni Krishna
⇒ Veteran Telugu actor Ghattamaneni Krishna, fondly known as Krishna Garu, passed away on 15 November 2022 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was 79.
About Krishna Garu:
- Father of reigning superstar Mahesh Babu, Krishna acted in about 350 films in a career spanning about five decades.
- In 2009, the government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Indian cinema. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Congress party in 1989.
- After playing small roles in a few films, Krishna formally made a debut in 1964 with Thene Manasulu. He starred in spy films like Gudachari 116, Agent Gopi, Rahasya Gudachari and Gudachari 117.
- Krishna’s Pandanti Kapuram won a National Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu. He is also credited for bringing many technological advancements in Telugu cinema — first cinemascope movie, Alluri Seetharama Raju (1974), the first Eastmancolor film, Eenadu (1982), the first 70mm film, Simhasanam (1986) and the first DTS film, Telugu Veera Levara (1995).