National
Women Transforming India Awards 2021
⇒ NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) organized the fifth edition of the Women Transforming India Awards (WTI) on 21 March 2022.
Applications for the WTI Awards 2021 were invited under one or more than one of the following seven categories:
- Public and Community Service
- Manufacturing Sector
- Non-manufacturing Sector
- Financial Products enabling Economic Growth
- Climate Action
- Promote Art, Culture and Handicrafts
- Digital Innovation
» This year, as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence, the WTI Awards were conferred on 75 women achievers to celebrate their contribution towards a ‘Sashakt Aur Samarth Bharat’.
Official Link for full list of Winners
About WTI Awards:
- The Women Transforming India Awards is NITI Aayog’s annual initiative to highlight the commendable and ground-breaking endeavours of India’s women leaders and change-makers.
- Since 2018, the Awards have been hosted under the aegis of NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), with a special focus on entrepreneurship.
About WEP:
- Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is an aggregator portal that aims to catalyse the entrepreneurial ecosystem for women and address information asymmetry.
- To build a vibrant ecosystem for women-led enterprises, the platform works to strengthen industry linkages and increase awareness of existing programmes and services.
BRICS Vaccine R&D Center and Workshop
⇒ Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center and Workshop on Vaccine Cooperation through video-conference on 22 March 2022.
» Dr. Mandaviya highlighted that “This Centre will help to pool together complementary advantages of BRICS countries in vaccine research and development and boost the capacity of BRICS countries to prevent and control infectious diseases and provide timely help to other developing countries in need.”
- It will should entail basic R&D, preclinical & clinical studies and strengthen BRICS countries laboratory capacities to develop and standardize assays for testing vaccine candidates.
» He added that “The Centre will be instrumental in streamlining vaccination resources and facilitate equitable access to safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines”.
Youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to swim across the Palk Strait
⇒ Miss Jiya Rai brought laurels to India by swimming across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (Sri Lanka) to Dhanuskodi (India), a distance of 29 km, in 13 hours and 10 minutes on 20 March 2022.
- Miss Jiya is daughter of a senior sailor of the Indian Navy, Madan Rai, MC-AT-ARMS II of INS Kunjali. She is a student of Navy Children School, Mumbai.
A child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, she achieved the feat at the age of 13 years and 10 months, becoming the youngest and fastest female swimmer in the world to swim across the Palk Strait.
The event was conducted by the Para Swimming Federation of India (PSFI) with cooperation from many agencies including the Swimming Federation of India, Sports Development Authority, Tamil Nadu and the Autism Society of India.
» The record was earlier held by Ms. Bula Chowdhary who swam the distance in 13 hours 52 minutes in 2004.
International
36th International Geological Congress
⇒ The 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) was held during 20-22 March, 2022 on a virtual platform in New Delhi.
- India hosted the International Geological Congress after 58 Years. 58 years ago, India had hosted the 22nd session of the IGC which was the first IGC on the Asian soil.
- The three -day event witnessed participation of 5000 – 7000 delegates from all over the world.
Theme:
The theme of the 36th International Geological Congress was “Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future”.
Discussion:
» The technical session covered various emerging topics of discussion – Major Challenges before the Geoscientists, UNESCO and IGCP’s contribution to geoscientific community to deliver UN 2030 agenda and UN Sustainable Development Goals, African Mineral Industry, Geoethics in mining, On the Future (and Past) of Stratigraphy, Role of Geomagnetism Studies in coming Decades, Developing Earthquake & Tsunami Resilient Society, The Art of Geoscience Communication and its importance, Using Geological thinking to sustain in Humanly Habitable Earth, Society and Geosciences, Science Policy etc.
» The Panel discussion was all about Understanding the dynamics of the earth to create a safe and healthy planet, driving sustainable growth, reducing the gender inequalities in the field of earth sciences, better understanding of the geosciences, prediction and mitigation of climate changes and geohazards.
» IGC provided first-hand information on latest technologies in mining, mineral exploration and management of water, mineral resource and environment.
About IGC:
- The 36th IGC is a joint endeavour of the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the Science Academies of Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
- Described as the Olympics of Geosciences, the IGCs are held quadrennial, under the aegis of the International Union of Geological Congress (IUGS), the Scientific Sponsor of the IGCs.
- The event provides a unique platform for knowledge and experience sharing in the field of geosciences and professional networking.
Important Day
International Day of Forests
⇒ International Day of Forests is celebrated every year on March 21.
- The purpose of this day is to raise public awareness about the values, importance and contribution of forests in balancing the life cycle on earth.
Theme:
The theme for International Day of Forests 2022 was “Forests and sustainable production and consumption”.
History:
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
Bihar Diwas
⇒ Bihar Diwas is celebrated every year on 22 March to mark the formation of the state of Bihar.
CM Shri Nitish Kumar started the tradition of celebrating Bihar Diwas. Only after 5 years of assuming power, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the initiative and organized Bihar Diwas for the first time in the year 2010.
On 22 March 1912, the British separated the state of Bihar from Bengal. On 22 March 2022, 110 years have been completed since the formation of Bihar.