National
Digital Health Summit 2023
⇒ The Digital Health Summit 2023 was organized by the Confederate of Indian Industry (CII) and cobranded with Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, at Goa on 16 April 2023.
Theme:
The theme of the event was “Building One Health together – Improving Health equity”, with the objective of bringing together policy makers, industry leaders, and global healthcare experts and thought leaders to deliberate upon key issues confronting the digital health space.
During the event, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar said that-
- “Through a common digital framework, India aims to create and curate Digital Public Goods, enhance access to these tools by nations across the world and promote standards for interoperability, data privacy, and data security”.
Discussion:
The Session saw other enriching discussions on key areas like ‘Leveraging and compiling Health Data towards realising the Vision of ‘Health for All’; Innovating in Digital Health as well as Driving Investments in the future of Digital Health.
Union Home Minister presents "Maharashtra Bhushan" award for the year 2022 in Raigarh
⇒ Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2022 to spiritual leader and social activist Dr. Dattatreya Narayan alias Appasaheb Dharmadhikari at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra on 16 April 2023. He was awarded the Maharashtra Bhushan Award 2022 in the field of social work.
- In 2017, Appasaheb Dharmadhikari was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour.
About Maharashtra Bhushan:
- ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ was instituted in 1995. It was first awarded in 1996.
- Maharashtra Bhushan is the highest civilian award of the state of Maharashtra in India.
- It is presented annually by the Government of Maharashtra.
- Initially it was awarded in the fields of literature, arts, sports and science.
- Later the fields of social work, journalism and public administration and health services were included. This award is given for outstanding achievement in their field.
“YUVA PORTAL”
⇒ Union Minister of State (I/C) Science & Technology; Minister of State (I/C) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched “YUVA PORTAL” on 17 April 2023, which will help in connecting and identifying potential young Start-Ups
- Highlighting India’s global excellence in technology, innovation and Start-Ups, Dr Jitendra Singh said, each of the 37 CSIR Labs is dedicated to a different exclusive area of work.
- The Minister said, the One Week – One Lab programme will offer the opportunity to the CSIR labs to showcase the work being done by them so that others can avail of it.
Controller of Personnel Services Indian Navy
⇒ Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan assumed charge as Controller of Personnel Services on 17 April 2023.
- The Flag Officer was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 July 1987 and is a specialist in Communication and Electronic Warfare.
International
Inaugural Session of G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting
⇒ The precursor event to the 4th edition of the Space Economy Leaders Meeting (SELM) was held in Shillong on April 17-18, 2023.
- This two-day event was a forerunner for the 4th edition of SELM was organized in Bengaluru on July 6-7, 2023 under India’s G20 Presidency.
- Department of Space (DOS)/ISRO, Government of Meghalaya, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs organised the precursor event.
- Ambassadors/ High Commissioners and senior diplomats of G20 Countries and invited Countries and eminent think tanks participated in it.
Technical Sessions
» Three technical sessions were held. In a roundtable meeting, G20 countries presented their perspectives on the Space Economy. It entailed the present state of the space economy in the respective countries, efforts by the respective governments to promote the space economy including the New Space, and the challenges faced were presented. Secretary, DOS chaired the session and presented the Indian perspective.
» The awareness-building session on ‘Space Economy: Policy perspectives’ was chaired by Chairman, IN-SPACe, who presented on “Evolving Indian space policy framework and future outlook”. The delegates made engaging technical presentations and actively discussed the status, trends, and future of the Space economy.
» In the concluding session explaining the 4th SELM at Bengaluru, the delegates were briefed on the importance of the event, and the selection of the venue, and were urged to ensure the participation of a delegation from the respective countries.
Important Day
World Heritage Day or International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS) 2023
⇒ World Heritage Day is celebrated every year on 18 April to preserve human heritage and to recognize all the efforts of relevant organisations.
Theme:
World Heritage Day or International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS) celebrated on 18 April 2023 with the theme “Heritage Changes”.
- The theme this year ‘offers the opportunity to respond to questions regarding learning about traditional ways of knowing and knowledge systems in relation to climate action, and how to use a cultural heritage focus to support equitable protection of vulnerable communities through climate action, while responding to the UN Decade of Action.
History:
In 1982, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) announced 18 April as World Heritage Day. This was approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983, to enhance awareness about the importance of cultural heritage, and monuments and conserving them.
World heritage sites:
» The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has a total of 1,154 monuments designated as world heritage sites from all over the world. Apart from India only Italy, Spain, Germany, China and France have 40 or more World Heritage sites.