NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Utkarsh Mahotsav organized by Central Sanskrit University begins: A three-day Utkarsh
Mahotsav is being organized by Central Sanskrit University in New Delhi. The
objective behind organising the Utkarsh Mahotsav is to promote the Sanskrit
language across the country and beyond. They will leave no stone unturned to
promote the Sanskrit language across the country and abroad. The Centralisation
of three Sanskrit Universities reflects PM Modi’s strong commitment to
preserving and promoting the Sanskrit language across the nation. The event is
being jointly organised by the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi, Shri Lal
Bahadur National Sanskrit University, New Delhi and National Sanskrit
University, Tirupati.
The focus of the Mahotsav is the New
Educational Era – Moving Towards a Global Orientation of Sanskrit Studies. The
main theme of this Mahotsav is ‘Global Orientation of Sanskrit Studies in the
New Educational Era’ Vice-Chancellors of 17 Sanskrit Universities, Scholars and
a large number of students participated in the event.
2.
Manipur’s Poumai Naga Areas declared ‘drug Free Zone’: In Manipur, the
Poumai tribe has declared that Poumai inhabited areas will be a Drug-Free Zone
supporting the State government’s War on Drug campaign. A huge delegation of
the Poumai tribe by MLA and leaders of the students union and civil
organization met Chief Minister N. Biren Singh at Imphal and conveyed the
resolution of the Drug-Free Zone in Poumai inhabited areas of the State. They
also informed the Chief Minister that the poppy plantation will not be allowed
in the Poumai areas. The Chief Minister welcomed the resolution of the Poumai
Naga tribe and affirmed that the State government will not tolerate
deforestation and poppy plantation in hill districts in Manipur. The leaders of
the Paumai tribe also conveyed that the community will join the fight against
the drug menace in the State.
Note: Manipur Chief Minister: N Biren
Singh; Capital of Manipur: Imphal; Manipur Governor: La. Ganesan.
3.
Kerala govt to launch ‘Shaili App’ for diagnosing, and controlling lifestyle
diseases: The
government of Kerala is set to launch an Android App ‘Shaili’, aimed at
diagnosing and controlling lifestyle diseases among the people in the state of
Kerala. The app has been set up as part of the population-based screening
project launched by the Health Department under the Nava Kerala Karma plan. Under
the health-screening project:
a)
The
Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers have been tasked with
collecting information from persons over the age of 30 in their respective
areas about any lifestyle diseases or risk factors they may have.
b)
The
app, set up under the e-Health initiative, would help to collect and codify the
information quickly.
c)
The
app would primarily collect information about diseases like diabetes, high
blood pressure, heart disease, lung diseases as well as other lifestyle-related
ailments and cancers.
d)
The
health status of the individuals would be scored and those with a score of
above four would be asked to visit the nearest health centre for a check-up for
lifestyle diseases.
Note: Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram;
Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan; Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.
4.
Haryana Govt Launches ‘e-Adhigam’ Scheme to distribute tablets to students: The Haryana State
Government launches the ‘e-Adhigam’ scheme under which nearly 3 lakh students
will be receiving tablet computers to aid their online education. The state
government has planned to provide the gadget to five lakh students. Chief
Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the Advance Digital Haryana Initiative of
Government with Adaptive Modules (Adigham) scheme at Maharishi Dayanand
University in Rohtak, Haryana.
As per reports, the Class 11 students of
Haryana government schools will get the tablets after they clear the Class 10
board exams and qualify for the succeeding year. These devices come with
pre-loaded content along with personalised and adaptive learning software, and
2GB of free data. The tablet is the new classroom and “through e-books, it has
become a full-fledged classroom.
5.
Priyanka Mohite becomes first Indian woman to climb five peaks above 8,000
metres:
Priyanka Mohite from Maharashtra’s Satara district has become the first Indian
woman to climb five peaks above 8000 metres. Priyanka achieved the milestone
after climbing Mount Kanchenjunga. Priyanka works for a pharmaceutical research
company in Bengaluru.
In 2020, she also won the prestigious
Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award. The 30-year-old climbed Mount Everest in 2013,
Mount Lhotse in 2018, Mount Makalu in 2019 and Annapurna 1 in 2021. Notably,
she is also the first Indian woman to climb Annapurna 1 and Makalu.
6.
IRCTC’s Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train to stop at Nepal’s Janakpur: The Indian Railway
Catering and Ticketing Corporation (IRCTC) will launch its maiden Bharat Gaurav
Tourist train, with a stop in Nepal’s Janakpur. This train will go around the
Ramayana Circuit, which has been identified under the Swadesh Darshan scheme
and includes major locations related with Lord Shri Rama’s life, such as the
Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur, Nepal.
About Journey:
a)
After
Ayodhya, the tourists will travel to Buxar, Bihar, where they will see
Maharishi Vishwamitra’s hermitage and the Ramrekha Ghat, where they can take a
holy plunge in the Ganga.
b)
The
train then travels to Sitamarhi to see Sita’s birthplace before continuing on
to Janakpur by road (Nepal).
c)
Tourists
will spend the night in Janakpur hotels and visit the famed Ram-Janaki Temple.
d)
After
Sitamarhi, the train travels to Varanasi, the world’s oldest living city.
e)
Tourists
visiting Kashi will go about the temples of Varanasi, ‘Sita Samahit Sthal,’
Prayag, Shringverpur, and Chitrakoot. At Varanasi, Prayag, and Chitrakoot,
hotel accommodations will be given.
f)
The
train journey continues to Nasik, where passengers will spend the night in
accommodations. Trayambakeshwar and Panchvati temples will be visited.
g)
After
Nasik, the next stop is Hampi, the ancient city of Krishkindha, where you will
spend the night.
h)
Guests
will visit the temple on the Anjaneyadri Hills said to be the birthplace of
Shri Hanuman, as well as other heritage and religious sites.
i)
The
next stop on this rail excursion is Rameshwaram, where the Ramanathaswamy
temple and Dhanushkodi will be seen, as well as an overnight stay at a hotel.
j)
The
train’s next stop is Kanchipuram, where visitors can see the Shiv Kanchi, Vishnu
Kanchi, and Kamakhshi temples.
k)
The
train’s final stop on this journey is Bhadrachalam in Telengana state, often
known as the Ayodhya of the South.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
John Lee Ka-Chiu elected as Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive: John Lee Ka-Chiu
has been confirmed as Hong Kong’s next chief executive. He will replace Carrie
Lam. He will be the first security official to hold the Chief Executive
position of Hong Kong which witnessed years of political unrest and recent
debilitating pandemic controls. Lee resigned from his position as the city’s No
2 official last month to run and was the only contender to secure Beijing’s
backing.
The 64-year-old was sanctioned by the
United States in 2020 for his role in implementing a Beijing-imposed national
security law that has crushed the city’s democracy movement. His election
places a security official in Hong Kong’s top job for the first time. The
former secretary for security in Hong Kong ran under the slogan “Starting a new
chapter for Hong Kong together” and was the sole candidate in the polls.
Note: Hong Kong Currency: Hong Kong dollar;
Hong Kong Continent: Asia.
2.
International Day of Argania: 10th May: The United Nations observed 10th May 2022,
the second International Day of Argania. This celebration crowns the efforts of
the Kingdom of Morocco in promoting the Argan tree as an intangible cultural
heritage of humanity and an ancestral source of resilient and sustainable
development. The day will be celebrated this year under the theme “The Argan tree,
symbol of resilience” and will serve to raise international awareness around
the tree, its ecosystem, and the important position it holds in Moroccan
culture and heritage. The Argan tree
a)
The
argan tree (Argania spinosa) is a native species of the sub-Saharan region of
Morocco, in the southwest of the country, which grows in arid and semiarid
areas. It’s the defining species of a woodland ecosystem, also known as
Arganeraie, which is rich in endemic flora. It is resilient to a harsh
environment under water scarcity, risk of erosion and poor soils.
b)
The
argan tree woodlands provide forest products, fruits and fodder. The leaves and
the fruits are edible and highly appreciated, as is the undergrowth, and
constitute a vital fodder reserve for all herds, even in periods of drought.
The trees are also used as fuelwood for cooking and heating.
c)
The
world-renowned argan oil is extracted from the seeds and has multiple
applications, especially in traditional and complementary medicine and in the
culinary and cosmetic industries.
History of the day: The United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated in
1988 the endemic production area as the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve. Also, all
know-how concerning the argan tree was inscribed in 2014 on the UNESCO
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Moreover,
in December 2018, FAO recognized the Argan-based agro-sylvo-pastoral system
within the area of Ait Souab – Ait Mansour in Morocco as a Globally Important
Agricultural Heritage System. And lastly, in 2021, the United Nations General
Assembly proclaimed 10 May the International Day of Argania.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Max Verstappen won Miami Grand Prix 2022: F1 world champion Max Verstappen
has won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for Red Bull after defeating the Ferrari
rival Charles Leclerc. Leclerc (Ferrari) finished second and Spanish teammate
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) placed third in the Miami Grand Prix 2022. The victory
cut Leclerc’s lead over Verstappen to 19 points in the championship, while the
Monegasque’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz completed the podium.
List of 2022 F1 Race:
Bahrain Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc
(Ferrari-Monaco)
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen
(Red Bull – Netherlands)
Australian Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Max Verstappen
2.
Anurag Thakur launches mascot, logo and jersey of Khelo India Youth Games: Union Sports
Minister Anurag Thakur has launched the mascot ‘Dhakad’ along with the official
logo and official jersey of the Fourth Khelo India Youth Games at Panchkula and
lauded the effort of Haryana to host the games. The competition is being
organized by the Sports Authority of India and the state government of Haryana.
In this edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, over 8,500 athletes will be
participating.
Khelo India Youth Games 2022: Haryana will
set an example by hosting the fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games
from June 4 to June 13 at Panchkula, Chandigarh, Shahabad, Ambala and Delhi.
This was supposed to be held in the year 2021 but got delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Reliance became 1st Indian company to cross USD 100 bn annual revenue: Reliance
Industries become the first Indian company to record annual revenue of more
than a whopping $100 billion. The company has recorded a 22.5% rise in net
profit for the quarter ended March 2022. Reliance has recorded strong growth in
retail, digital services, and the oil & gas business. The company has also
reported the highest-ever quarterly EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortisation) of Rs 33,968 crores (28% up) year-on-year.
Reliance’s earnings also rose because of a rise in broadband subscribers,
online retail gaining traction and new energy investment picking roots.
Consolidated revenue of the nation’s
biggest company by market value rose 35 per cent year-on-year to Rs 2.32 lakh
crore in the fourth quarter of FY22. For the full fiscal 2021-22 (April 2021 to
March 2022), Reliance reported a net profit of Rs 60,705 crore on a revenue of
Rs 7.92 lakh crore (USD 102 billion). It is the first Indian company to have
crossed USD 100 billion in revenue in a year.
Note: Reliance Industries Ltd CEO: Mukesh
Ambani (31 Jul 2002–); Reliance Industries Ltd Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani;
Reliance Industries Ltd Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra; Reliance Industries
Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai.
2.
Pushp Kumar Joshi Named HPCL Chairman and Managing Director: Pushp Kumar Joshi,
who recently took over as the interim chairman and managing director of
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), has been appointed to the Board of
the nation’s third-largest oil refining and fuel marketing company. Joshi is
also holding the additional charge of Director-Marketing of HPCL. Prior to this
Dr Joshi was Director-HR of the Corporation from August 01, 2012. Joshi, the
senior-most director on the HPCL board, was in January picked by the government
headhunter PESB to replace Mukesh Kumar Surana. Surana superannuated from
services on April 30, 2022, but in absence of a formal order from the
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister, Joshi
was named interim head.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
Guruswamy Krishnamoorthy receives British Honour ‘MBE’ For His Service During
the COVID-19 Pandemic: Guruswamy Krishnamoorthy, CEO of Penlon, a world-class
British medical technology firm, is likely to receive The Most Excellent Order
of the British Empire (Civil Division) Award 2022 – Honorary Member of the
Order of the British Empire (MBE) recognition from the Queen at Buckingham
Palace, London, UK. The British Honorary Awards are awarded twice a year, first
during the new year and again in June, on the date of the Queen’s official
birthday.
Guruswamy’s Contribution: Guruswamy led a
group of companies that formed a consortium with Penlon as its hub. In 12
weeks, 11,700 ventilators were provided to the United Kingdom government by
employing around 4,000 people for three round-the-clock shifts. The effort also
resulted in an award from the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK.
About the Member of the Order of the
British Empire (MBE):
An MBE is the third-highest ranked Order of the British Empire award (excluding
a knighthood or damehood), after Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE), the highest award, and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE),
the second-highest award. The MBE is given in recognition of great achievement or
contribution to the community that has had a long-term, significant impact and
serves as an example to others.
2.
Bengali translation ‘Meursault, contre-enquête’ wins Romain Rolland Book Prize
2022:
The fifth Romain Rolland Book Prize – Romain Rolland Book Prize 2022 has been
awarded to the Bengali translation of the French novel “Meursault, contre-
enquête” (The Meursault Investigation). The award ceremony was organized by the
French Institute in India. Meursault, contre-enquête is the debut novel of Algerian
writer and journalist Kamel Daoud. The award was presented to translator
Trinanjan Chakraborty and publisher Esha Chatterjee of Patra Bharati, a leading
publisher of prestigious Bengali books, during the French Literary
Festival-French LitFest 2022 at Bikaner House in New Delhi. This is the first
time Patra Bharati, the publisher, has gotten this honour.
Romain Rolland Book Prize: The Romain
Rolland Book Prize, which was established in 2017, honours the finest
translation of a French title into any Indian language, including English. As
part of the prize, the winning publisher and translator will each receive a
guided trip to the Paris Book Fair 2023 (Livre Paris 2023).
OBITUARIES
1. Padma Shri Odia Writer Rajat Kumar Kar passes away: The eminent Odia litterateur Rajat Kumar Kar passed away due to heart-related ailments. He received Padma Shri in 2021 for literature and education. He was known for his commentary during the annual Ratha Jatra (Jagannath culture) on TV and radio. His writing includes Upendra Bhanja literature and has seven non-fiction to his credit. He also contributed to the revival of the dying art of Pala of Odisha.
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