Current Affairs June 17th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought- June 17

• On June 17^th of every year, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed all over the world as an awareness event.
• This World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2022 aims to inspire people to believe that the land degradation problem can be solved with collaboration and constructive participation on their part.

Theme

• The theme of the International Day Against Desertification, and Drought 2022 is “Rising from drought together”, which emphasizes the need for early action to avoid disastrous consequences for humanity and the planetary ecosystems.

History

• On January 30, 1995, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 17th as World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
• This day has been observed every year since 1995 to raise public awareness about the importance of reaching land degradation neutrality across the world.
• This day raises awareness that desertification and drought may be combated via community collaboration and participation, as well as a variety of alternatives.
• Furthermore, this day strives to enhance the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in countries that are experiencing severe drought, land degradation, and desertification.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

PM Shri Modi inaugurates Jagatguru Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Shila Mandir in Pune:

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jagatguru Sreesanth Tukaram Maharaj Shila Mandir in Dehu village near Pune, dedicated to the 17^th-century prophet.
• Sant Tukaram was a saint and poet of Warkari, known for his devotional poetry Abhanga and his devotion to Community worship through spiritual songs known as Kirtans.
• He lives in

About Shila Mandir:

• The Shila Mandir was built after his death, but it is not formally structured like a temple.
• It was rebuilt in masonry with 36 peaks and also bears the image of Sant Tukaram.
• Earlier, the prime minister visited the Vitthal-Rukmini statues in the main Dehu temple.
• He also worships the iconic Bhagwat Dharma pillar built in front of the Shila Mandir.
• `Palkhi Marg`, which has been granted national road status, will have lanes dedicated to “warkaris”
• The Prime Minister also announced the upgrading of highways that access the temple town from all directions, for 1,180 crores.

Rashtriya Puruskar Portal launched by the government:

• To encourage openness and public cooperation, the Union government has developed the Rashtriya Puruskar portal, which invites nominations for a variety of awards from different ministries, departments, and sectors.
• The portal aims to facilitate the public to nominate individuals and organizations for various awards conferred by the Government of India.

Key Points:

• The Rashtriya Puruskar portal has been developed by the government to invite nominations for various awards.
• These awards include various awards such as Padma Award, Sardar Patel National Unity Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, Jeevan Raksha Padak Award Series Award, and Pandit Telecom Skills Award Deendayal Upadhyaya, etc.
• This will bring together all the awards from different Government of India Ministries/Boards/Agencies under one digital platform, ensuring transparency and public partnership.
• This portal strives to facilitate the public nomination of individuals and organizations for various awards conferred by the Government of India.

India’s 1st private train service flagged off under ‘Bharat Gaurav Scheme’:

• Union Railways Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched ‘StartUps for Railways’, a major innovation initiative.
• Aiming to provide innovative solutions to problems such as railway faults, shortening the time between trains, and other passenger-related problems.
• The innovation policy is expected to bring scale and efficiency to the operation, maintenance, and creation of infrastructure through the participation of a very large and untapped startup ecosystem.
• Indian Railways launched the operation of the theme-based Bharat Gaurav train in November 2021.
• The objective of this theme is to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world, through Bharat Gaurav Trains.

About the Bharat Gaurav train:

• Indian Railways launched the Bharat Gaurav theme train in November 2021.
• This theme aims to introduce India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical landmarks to the people of India.
• Degree and world through Bharat Gaurav Train.
• The program also aims to leverage the core strengths of tourism professionals to operate themed trains to tap into India’s vast tourism potential.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

EU Parliament passes ban the sale of new petrol & diesel cars by 2035

• Members of the European Parliament have voted to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.

Aim :

• To step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles.
• The voting was held on an amendment that would have allowed some auto emissions from new vehicles after 2035, which was rejected by Members of Parliament.
• The vote upholds a key pillar of the EU’s plans to cut net planet-warming emissions by 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels a target that requires faster emissions reductions from industry, energy, and transport.
• The European Union assembly voted in Strasbourg, France to require automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100 percent by the middle of the next decade.
• The mandate would amount to a prohibition on the sale in the 27-nation EU of new cars powered by gasoline or diesel.
• To weaken the target to cut CO2 by 90% by 2035 was rejected by some lawmakers.

About European Parliament :

• Founded: 19 March 1958
• Headquarters: Strasbourg, France
• President: Roberta Metsola
• Secretary-General: Klaus Welle
• The Parliament comprises 705 members.
• It represents the second-largest democratic electorate worldwide.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

UP govt to prioritize ‘Agniveers’ for recruitment in police, related services

• Uttar Pradesh chief minister Shri Yogi Adityanath announced the government will give priority to ‘Agniveers’—soldiers recruited in the Army, Navy, and the Air Force on short-term contracts under the special ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
• The Agniveers will get priority in recruitment to police and related services in the state.
• Before this, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh had unveiled the ‘Agnipath scheme’ of short-term contractual recruitment, extending a maximum of four years, of soldiers in the tri-services that include the Army, the Navy, and the Air force.
• The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has decided to give priority to Agniveers who complete 4 years under this scheme for recruitment in CAPFs (central armed police forces) and Assam Rifles

About UP :

• Governor : Anandiben Patel
• CM: Yogi Adityanath
• Capital: Lucknow

Himachal Pradesh becomes the 1st Indian state to approve a policy for drones

• Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to formally acknowledge the public use of drones.
• The ‘Himachal Pradesh Drone Policy 2022’ was approved by the chief minister Shri Jai Ram Thakur.

Aim :

• To propagate the use of drone-enabled technology in different sectors such as defense, transport, health, agriculture, and more.

About ‘Himachal Pradesh Drone Policy 2022’ :

• The policy envisions creating a holistic drone ecosystem built upon the foundation of Governance and Reforms Using Drones (GARUD).
• The policy mainly focuses on creating drone-enabled technology, the creation of manpower through the establishment of training schools, startup and innovation schemes, and more.

About drone technology :

• Drone technology will be used by the police department for surveillance in remote areas, which is crucial, especially for a hilly state like Himachal Pradesh.
• The government also will allow the mining, forest, and horticulture departments to use drones for their respective needs.

Additional Info :

• The Department of Information Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian drone companies such as Skye Air and TechEagle to deliver medical and Agri commodities within the HP.

About Himachal Pradesh :

• Governor : Rajendra Arlekar
• CM: Jai Ram Thakur
• Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center signs MoU with BRICS NDB

• The BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) Innovation Center signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) to facilitate bilateral cooperation and promote the common development of BRICS countries.

Aim :

• To promote the sustainable development agenda, including the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals, in BRICS as well as other emerging markets and developing countries.
• The MoU was signed during a conference in Xiamen, East China’s Fujian Province.
• On behalf of the two sides, Huang Wenhui, executive vice chairman of the BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center council, and Marcos Troyjo, president of the NDB, signed the MoU.
• According to the MoU, the two sides will give priority to cooperation in such fields as artificial intelligence, the industrial internet, energy conservation, and environmental protection through joint research, personnel training, and information sharing on infrastructure and sustainable programs.

About BRICS :

• BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• It is home to over 40 percent of the world’s population and about a quarter of the global economy.
• The BRICS PartNIR Innovation Center was launched in Xiamen in December 2020.

About NDB :

• Formally opened: July 2015
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• President : Marcos Prado Troyjo

HDFC Bank signs MoU with 100X. VC to collaborate on start-up support

• Private sector bank, HDFC Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a leading early-stage venture capital firm, VC to support start-ups.
• The Bank will extend its full suite of specialized services and facilities tailored for start-ups, known as Smart-Up, to all the firms associated with 100X.VC.
• It will also extend additional credit facilities and evaluate investment opportunities in these start-ups.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Abhishek Deshmukh, Branch Banking Head – Maharashtra, and Yagnesh Sanghrajka, Founder & CFO, 100X.VC and Sanjay Mehta, founder & Partner, 100X.VC; Ninad Karpe, Partner,100X.VC, among other senior bank officials.

About the agreement :

• Under the agreement, HDFC Bank and 100X.VC will work together in mutually beneficial areas.
• The bank will also assess 100X.VC-recommended start-ups for investment and loan extension opportunities.
• HDFC Bank and 100X.VC will also collaborate on initiatives such as Master Classes for start-up enterprises in the country.
• India is among the largest and fastest-growing start-up ecosystems in the world.
• In the first half of 2022 alone, 15 start-ups emerged as unicorns.

About HDFC Bank :

• Founded: August 1994
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Sashidhar Jagdishan

About 100X.VC :

• Founded: 2019
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

The trade deficit of India broadens to $24.29 billion in May 2022:

• Trade data released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry showed that India’s trade deficit in May widened to $24.29 billion from $6.53 billion a year ago.
• May’s trade deficit widened due to a sharp increase in imports, up 62.83% year-on-year to $63.22 billion, while exports increased 20.55% to $38.94 billion.
• Despite the uncertainty and volatility caused by the war in Europe, exports of technical goods increased 12.65% year-on-year, reaching $9.71 billion in May 2022.
• India’s merchandise exports in May rose by 20.55% to $38.94 billion.
• Imports grew by 62.83% to $63.22 billion.
• The trade deficit stood at $6.53 billion in May 2021.
• Cumulative exports in April-May 2022-23 rose by about 25% to $78.72 billion.
• Imports in April-May 2022-23 rose 45.42% to $123.41 billion.

WPI inflation spiked to 15.88% in May 2022:

• Wholesale price inflation peaked at 15.88% in May, the highest since September 1991, as pressures on rising food and fuel prices outpaced moderation in the dominant manufactured goods segment position.
• In April, WPI inflation was recorded at 15.08%.
• Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has remained in double digits for 14 months now, reflecting high global commodity prices, particularly oil, according to official data releases.

WPI-based Wholesale inflation in India:

• January: 12.96%
• February: 13.11%
• March: 14.55%
• April: 15.08%

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Indian Origin Miss Aarti Prabhakar to be appointed as US President Mr. Joe Biden’s new science advisor

• United States President Ms. Joe Biden will nominate Indian-origin physicist Ms. Aarti Prabhakar as his science adviser and nominate her as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
• The 63-year-old Aarti Prabhakar will replace Eric Lander, who resigned on February 7 on grounds of bullying his staff and creating a hostile work environment.
• Her responsibilities as science advisor include addressing problematic science policy issues, such as how best to position the United States to compete with China.

Note :

• Once the Senate approves the appointment, Ms. Arati would be the first woman and the first person of color to serve as science adviser to the President of the United States.

About Ms. Aarti Prabhakar :

• Aarti Prabhakar was Born on February 2, 1959, in New Delhi, Delhi, India.
• She completed her Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology in 1984 following which she spent 7 years as a program manager at DARPA.
• She is the founder and CEO of Actuate, a non-profit organization.
• She headed the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) from 1993 to 1997 and was the first woman to head the NIS.
• Former US President Barack Obama selected Aarti Prabhakar to head the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
• She served as the head of the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) from July 30, 2012, to January 20, 2017.
• In 2012, Prabhakar became the second woman to lead DARPA serving a five-year stint.
• She also spent more than a decade as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley.
• She is a founder and the CEO of Actuate, a nonprofit organization.

Government appoints 4 non-official directors to RBI central board

• The Central Government has nominated Shri Anand Gopal Mahindra, Shri Venu Srinivasan, Shri Pankaj Ramanbhai Patel, and Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia as part-time non-official Directors on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India.
• The nominations have been made for four years with effect from June 14, 2022, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

About Shri Anand Gopal Mahindra :

• Shri Anand Mahindra is the chairman of the Mahindra Group, the non-executive chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra and Tech Mahindra.
• He has served on several bodies globally, including the Global Board of Advisors of the Council on Foreign Relations, New York, and the International Advisory Council of Singapore’s Economic Development Board.
• Currently, he is on the board of Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency.

About Shri Venu Srinivasan :

• Shri Venu Srinivasan is chairman emeritus of two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company.
• In 1979, TVS Motor Company was born and under Srinivasan’s leadership grew to be the third-largest two-wheeler manufacturing unit in India.

About Shri Pankaj R Patel :

• Shri Pankaj Patel is on the board of various institutions, including Invest India, a member of the Mission Steering Group (MSG) the highest policy-making and steering body constituted under the National Health Mission (NHM), and of the Drug Technical Advisory Board by the ministry of health & family welfare.
• He is chairman and managing director of Zydus Lifesciences.

About Dr. Ravindra H Dholakia :

• Ravindra H Dholakia was the economics area faculty at IIM Ahmedabad from September 1985 to April 2018 when he superannuated.
• He was a regular visiting faculty at the European Management Institute (ESCP-EAP), Paris from 2002 to 2005.
• He received the Most Distinguished Faculty Award for the year 2017-18 at IIM-A
• With the appointments, the RBI’s central board now consists of 5 official members and 10 non-official members.
• Revathy Iyer, Sachin Chaturvedi, Satish Kashinath Marathe, Swaminathan Gurumurthy, Ajay Seth, and Sanjay Malhotra are non-official directors of the central bank.

About RBI :

• Established: 1 April 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy Governors: Mahesh Kumar Jain, Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra, and T. Rabi Shankar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS & HONORS

WHO Awards PGI Chandigarh Centre For Tobacco Control

• For recognizing the efforts in propelling tobacco control, the WHO has awarded the Resource Center for Tobacco Control (e-RCTC) of the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh with the Regional Director Special Recognition Award.
• The Resource Center for Tobacco Control gives data connected with tobacco control in India, including brochures and orders, approaches and regulations, and multidisciplinary distributions.
• The center has helped to build capacity by hosting more than 50 workshops and webinars for more than 3,500 program managers and scholars.

About e-RCTC :

• The Resource Center for Tobacco Control, a joint drive of the PGIMER and the UNION-SEA, was set up in 2018 by 25 associations working over tobacco control in India with a means to exhibit tobacco control drives.
• The gateway has drawn in 4.2 lakh guests from 100 nations in 3 years.

About WHO :

• Established: 7 April 1948
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director General : Tedros Adhanom

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

India – Israel adopts vision statement’ to enhance defense cooperation

• To commemorate 30 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, India and Israel adopted a “vision statement” which will pave the way for strengthening defense cooperation in the future.
• Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and his Israeli counterpart Shri Benny Gantz held bilateral talks in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The two leaders discussed defense cooperation and the prevailing global and regional scenario.
• The year 2022 marks 30 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.

Additional Info :

• External Affairs Minister Shri S Jaishankar paid an official visit to Israel from 17-21 October 2021 & during the visit, Israel signed the instrument of ratification of the International Solar Alliance.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Israeli Prime Minister Shri Naftali Bennett on the sidelines of the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow on 2 November 2021.
• The annual India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence was held in Israel on October 26-27, 2021.

About Israel :

• President : Isaac Herzog
• PM: Naftali Bennett
• Capital: Jerusalem
• Currency: New shekel

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIT Madras develops robot to eliminate Manual Scavenging in India

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ ‘HomoSEP,’ a Robot developed by the Institute’s Researchers to eliminate manual scavenging in India, is all set for field deployment.
• A total of 10 units are planned to be deployed across Tamil Nadu with the Researchers already in touch with Sanitation Workers to identify locations.
• The robot has been developed over the last several years by a team led by Prabhu Rajagopal, Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, IIT Madras, and Faculty, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras together with IIT Madras-incubated start-up Solinas Integrity Private Limited.

About ‘HomoSEP :

• The HomoSEP Robot can homogenize the hard sludge in septic tanks through a custom-developed rotary blade mechanism and pump the tanking slurry using an integrated suction mechanism.
• Sanitation Workers will be able to operate the HomoSEP on their own, after being provided with the relevant training and appropriate guidance along with necessary safety measures.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

Tamil Nadu government signs MOUs to convert 71 ITIs into tech centers:

• To provide enhanced training to students at government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), the State Employment and Training Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Technologies Ltd, Pune, in the presence of Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Mr. MK Stalin at the Secretariat.
• During the recent Budget session of the Assembly, Labour and Skill Development Minister CV Ganesan, that infrastructure at government ITIs will be improved, turning them into ‘technology centers’ in collaboration with leading industries, to improve students’ employability.

About the MoUs:

• The MoU with Tata Technologies is aimed at enhancing infrastructure and bridging the gap between job seekers’ and employers’ needs.
• The MoU will help turn 71 government ITIs into level 4.0 technology centers, and Rs 2,877.43 crore will be spent to provide machinery, tools, equipment, and software at these institutes.
• Students will be trained in disciplines such as robotics, industrial automation, manufacturing process control, advanced manufacturing, electric vehicle mechanism, industrial painting, and advanced welding.
• The department expressed hope that students from these ITIs would get jobs in top firms.

Pontaq Organises Investors Summit, Signs MoU with Tamil Nadu Government to Encourage Budding Start-Ups:

• Pontaq, an innovation fund that invests in early-stage technology businesses in the UK, India, US, and Canada, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission, which is backed by the state government.
• Under the terms of the MoU, the government will help Pontaq-supported companies expand business operations in the State.
• As part of this, Pontaq organized an investors summit in the state.
• Fifty tech-based start-up founders participated in the event.
• Some presented their business ideas during the four-pitch sessions and shared their start-up journey, vision, and how they are solving a real-world problem using new-age technologies like AI and IoT.
• KT Rama Rao, IT Minister, Telangana, virtually attended the event and answered the questions of entrepreneurs related to the business opportunities in the State.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

IWF Youth World Championships: Saanapathi Gurunaidu wins gold:

• At the IWF World Youth Championships in Leon, Mexico, Indian weightlifter Saanapathi Gurunaidu won gold in the men’s 55 kg category.
• On the first day of the competition of the IWF, two more Indian weightlifters Vijay Prajapati and Akansha Kishor Vyavhare also won medals, they also won silver.

Key Points:

• With a total lift of 230 kg, Saanapathi won gold in the men’s 55 kg event.
• He won silver medals in the 104 kg jump and gold in the 126 kg jerk and jerk events.
• With a total lift of 175 kg, Vijay placed second in the men’s 49 kg event.
• In the recoil category, Vijay lifted 78 kg, while in the push and jerk category, he lifted 97 kg.
• In the women’s 40 kg weight category, Akanksha won the gold medal.
• She won the silver medal with a total of 127 kg after finishing first in the 59 kg jerk and third place in the 68 kg lift.

Neeraj Chopra Sets New National Record With 89.30 Metre Javelin Throw:

• Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra set a new national record by throwing 30 meters at the Paavo Nurmi Olympics in Finland.
• Chopra’s previous national record was 88.07m, set by him in Patiala last March.
• He won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics with a throw of 87.58m on August 7, 2021.
• Neeraj Chopra is India’s first Olympic gold medalist in athletics and a medalist. second individual gold medal at the Olympic Games.
• Chopra’s 89.30m effort would put him in fifth place on the season’s world-leading list.
• Neeraj Chopra won the silver medal with his throw at the event.
• This was Neeraj’s first competitive outing since winning the historic gold medal at the Tokyo Games.
• Finland’s Oliver Helander won the gold medal at the event with a throw of 89.83 meters.

Daily CA on June 17 :

• On June 17^th of every year, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed all over the world as an awareness event.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jagatguru Shri Sant Tukaram Maharaj Shila Mandir in Dehu village near Pune, dedicated to the 17^th-century prophet.
• The Union government has developed the Rashtriya Puruskar portal, which invites nominations for a variety of awards from different ministries, departments, and sectors.
• Union Railways Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched ‘StartUps for Railways’, a major innovation initiative.

• Members of the European Parliament have voted to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
• Uttar Pradesh chief minister Shri Yogi Adityanath announced the government will give priority to ‘Agniveers’—soldiers recruited in the Army, Navy, and the Air Force on short-term contracts under the special ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
• Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country to formally acknowledge the public use of drones.
• The BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) Innovation Center signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) to facilitate bilateral cooperation and promote the common development of BRICS countries.
• Private sector bank, HDFC Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a leading early-stage venture capital firm, 100X.VC to support start-ups.

• Trade data released by the Ministry of Trade and Industry showed that India’s trade deficit in May widened to $24.29 billion from $6.53 billion a year ago.
• Wholesale price inflation peaked at 15.88% in May, the highest since September 1991, as pressures on rising food and fuel prices outpaced moderation in the dominant manufactured goods segment position.

• United States President Ms. Joe Biden will nominate Indian-origin physicist Ms. Aarti Prabhakar as his science adviser and nominate her as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
• The Central Government has nominated Shri Anand Gopal Mahindra, Shri Venu Srinivasan, Shri Pankaj Ramanbhai Patel, and Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia as part-time non-official Directors on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India.
• For recognizing the efforts in propelling tobacco control, the WHO has awarded the Resource Center for Tobacco Control (e-RCTC) of the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh with the Regional Director Special Recognition Award.
• To commemorate 30 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, India and Israel adopted a “vision statement” which will pave the way for strengthening defense cooperation in the future.
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ ‘HomoSEP,’ a Robot developed by the Institute’s Researchers to eliminate manual scavenging in India, is all set for field deployment.

• Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), the State Employment and Training Department signed an MoU with Tata Technologies Ltd, Pune.
• Pontaq has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission
• At the IWF World Youth Championships in Leon, Mexico, Indian weightlifter Saanapathi Gurunaidu won gold in the men’s 55 kg category.
• Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra set a new national record by throwing 89.30 meters at the Paavo Nurmi Olympics in Finland.