National
National Apprenticeship Mela
⇒ Skill India with due support from Directorate General of Training (DGT) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) organized a day long “National Apprenticeship Mela” across the country in over 400 locations on October 4th, 2021.
Aim:
Under the initiative, the aim was to support the hiring of nearly one lakh apprentices and assist employers in tapping the right talent and develop it further with training and providing practical skillsets.
Participants:
The event witnessed the participation from more than 2000 organisations operating in more than 30 sectors such as Power, Retail, Telecom, IT/ITeS, Electronics, Automotive and more.
5th to 12th pass students, Skill Training Certificate holders, ITI students, Diploma holders and graduates were eligible to apply at the Apprenticeship Mela.
Best Tourism Policy Award
⇒ Andhra Pradesh bagged the award for the best Tourism Policy in the country. The award was presented during a virtual event held on 28 September 2021. The awards were instituted by the Tour and Travels Association (TTAA).
MD & CEO of National Securities Depositories
⇒ Padmaja Chunduru has been appointed managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) of National Securities Depositories (NSDL). Her appointment has been ratified by the shareholders of NSDL at its meeting held on September 29, 2021.
Chunduru has served as MD & CEO of Indian Bank between September 2018 and August 2021.
Mahatma Gandhi Seva Award for 2020 and 2021
⇒ The Karnataka State government announced the Mahatma Gandhi Seva Award for 2020 and 2021 to freedom fighter Meera Bai Koppikar from Mudhol, and Sri Siddaganga Institute of Education and Sri Siddaganga Mutt, Tumakuru district, respectively.
- The award was presented on October 2 at Gandhi Bhavan in Bengaluru.
About awardees:
Ms. Koppikar, a nonagenarian, is currently living in Vatsalya Dhama in Mudhola of Bagalkot district. Ms. Koppikar participated in the freedom struggle and lived in Sabarmati Ashram. She participated in the Bhoodan movement of Vinobha Bhave and inspired people to donate about 40,000 acres of land in Karnataka for the cause.
Sri Siddaganga Education Institute and Sri Siddaganga Mutt have been providing education with free food and shelter to thousands of poor children without discrimination of caste and creed.
About Award:
The award is given to people or institutions in recognition of service to society based on Gandhi’s ideals. The award comprises ₹5 lakh each along with citation.
International
15th Edition of Indo - Nepal Joint Military Training Exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN’
⇒ The 15th Edition of Indo – Nepal combined battalion level military training exercise ‘SURYA KIRAN’ between Indian Army and Nepali Army commenced on 20 September 2021 at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
Culminated on:
The Exercise SURYA KIRAN XV culminated on 02 October 2021 at Pithoragarh, after 14 days of rigorous training.
Participants:
Around 650 defence personnel from both the Armies participated in the event.
About Exercise:
The Joint Exercise was focused on Counter Terrorism and Disaster Relief operations. The exercise also provided an opportunity to troops of both Armies to foster everlasting professional and social bonding.
As part of the exercise, both the Armies familiarized themselves with each other’s weapons, equipment, tactics, techniques and procedures of operating in a counter-insurgency environment in mountainous terrain.
Also, there was a series of Expert Academic Discussions on various subjects such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, High Altitude Warfare, Jungle Warfare etc.
Significance:
The exercise is part of an initiative to develop inter-operability and sharing expertise between the two nations.
The bonhomie, esprit-de-corps and goodwill generated during the exercise will go a long way in future strengthening the bonds between the Armed Forces of both countries.
- Last edition of Exercise Surya Kiran was conducted in Nepal in 2019.
First female PM of Tunisia
⇒ Tunisia’s President Kais Saied on 29 September 2021, named geologist Najla Bouden Romdhane as the first female PM in Tunisia and the Arab world.
Adani group signs agreement with SLPA and conglomerate John Keells
⇒ The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) signed an agreement with India’s Adani Group to build a brand-new terminal next to a $500-million Chinese-run jetty at the sprawling port in the capital Colombo.
Adani group signed a more than $700-million agreement with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and conglomerate John Keells Holdings. The agreement worth more than $700 million is the largest foreign investment ever in the port sector of Sri Lanka.
About Terminal:
Adani group will have a 51 percent controlling stake in the joint venture known as the Colombo West International Terminal.
The new container jetty will be 1.4 kilometres in length, with a depth of 20 metres and an annual capacity to handle 3.2 million containers. The first phase of the project with a 600-metre terminal is due to be completed within two years.
Sports
2021 Asian Table Tennis Championships
⇒ The 2021 Asian Table Tennis Championships was the 25th edition of the table tennis tournament held in Doha, Qatar from 28 September to 5 October, 2021.
The Asian Table Tennis Championship is organized by the Table Tennis Federation of Asia (TTFA).
India won a total of 3 Bronze medals in the Championships.
Winners:
Men’s doubles:
The two Indian pairs of Sharath Kamal Achanta and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, and Harmeet Desai and Manav Vikash Thakkar, earned bronze medals in the men’s doubles of the 2021 Asian Table Tennis Championships.
Men’s team:
In the Men’s team, Sanil Shetty, Harmeet Desai, Manav Vikash Thakkar, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and Sharath Kamal Achanta won the bronze medal.