National
Kerala presented their Annual Action Plan (AAP) on Jal Jeevan Mission
⇒ The state of Kerala presented their Annual Action Plan (AAP) on planning and implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), wherein Kerala also outlined the roadmap of the financial year 2021-2022.
Achievement:
Kerala has 67.15 lakh rural households, out of which around 21.55 lakh households have tap water supply. In 2020-21, about 4 lakh connections were provided.
Plan for 2021-22:
In 2021-22, the State plans to provide about 30 lakh new connections. The State plans to achieve the target of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ by 2024.
Anti-COVID drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG)
⇒ DCGI approved the anti-COVID drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) developed by DRDO for the emergency use.
The anti-COVID-19 drug has been developed by Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad.
The drug will be beneficiary for the people suffering from COVID-19.
'Grand Water Saving Challenge'
⇒ On the occasion of World Water Day i.e. on 22 March 2021, Hindustan Unilever Limited announced its partnership with the Government of India initiatives, Invest India, Startup India and AGNIi to unveil the ‘Grand Water Saving Challenge’.
Aim:
The Challenge aims to address the need for an efficient flush system in public toilets to ensure optimum usage of water and a clean and hygienic toilet.
International
3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3)
⇒ India participated in the 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) – the global platform for discussing research and cooperation in the Arctic region.
Host:
The 3rd Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM3) was jointly organised by Iceland and Japan. It was held from 8 to 9 May, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. This was the first Ministerial meeting being held in Asia.
Theme:
The theme for this year was ‘Knowledge for a Sustainable Arctic’.
India in ASM3:
During the meeting, Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Health and Family Welfare, and Earth Sciences, shared India’s vision and long-term plans for research, work, and cooperation in the Arctic region with the stakeholders.
The country would deploy open ocean mooring in the Arctic for long-term monitoring of upper ocean variables and marine meteorological parameters.
India shared its plans to contribute observing systems in the Arctic, both in-situ and by remote sensing.
ABOUT:
The first two meetings ASM1 and ASM2 were held in the USA in 2016 and Germany in 2018, respectively.
Since 2013, India enjoys ‘Observer’ status in the Arctic Council with twelve other countries including Japan, China, France, Germany, UK, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Singapore, and South Korea.
Sports
Madrid Open 2021
⇒ The Professional Tennis Tournament, Madrid Open 2021 was held from 29 April to 9 April, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. It was sponsored by Mutua, so tournament is named as 2021 Mutua Madrid Open.
Read More About 2021 Madrid Open
Death
Actor & Graphic Designer, Pandu
⇒ Actor & Graphic Designer, Pandu passed away on 6 May 2021 in Chennai. He was 74.
He was known best for his comedy roles in Tamil films & worked in over 550 films including Chinna Thambi, Nattamai, Kadhal Kottai etc.
Noted Graphic Designer, Pandu had designed logo, symbol & flag. He designed the AIADMK flag in 1972 and the party symbol (two leaves) in 1977. He was famous for designing Tamil Nadu’s tourism logo- “Umbrella”. Apart from this, he also designed the logos for Sun TV and Shankara Nethralaya.
Tamil Singer and Actor, MJC Comagan
⇒ Visually Impaired Tamil Singer and Actor MJC Comagan passed away on 06 May 2021 in Chennai. He was 48.
Comagan founded Raaga Priya orchestra with visually impaired members. Started in 1991, Raaga Priya is now a 25 member troupe. The group had entered the Limca Book of World Records by performing non-stop for 16 hours in 1999.
They were conferred with Tamil Nadu State Award in 2006.
Indian Writer, Bhaskar Maiya
⇒ Indian Writer, Translator and Professor, Bhaskar Maiya died on 06 May 2021 in Mangaluru. He was 70.
He had brought out more than 50 books in Hindi & Kannada language. In 2002, he received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, for his book ‘Ajanabeepan Ek Saiddanthik Anushilan’.