National NEWS
NTPC launches latest edition of Girl Child Empowerment Mission (GEM):
NTPC Limited is preparing to launch a new edition of its flagship corporate social responsibility initiative, Girl Child Empowerment Mission (GEM). This program is in line with the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative of the Government of India.
Objective of Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM):
- GEM aims to nurture the imaginations of girls. And also to eliminate gender inequality by promoting their ability to explore opportunities.
- Girl Child Empowerment Mission provides a platform for young girls for their all-round development through a month-long workshop during summer vacations.
About Girl Child Empowerment Mission (GEM):
- Started as a pilot project in 2018 with only three locations and 392 participants. Today this GEM mission has grown into a nationwide movement.
- Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program has continued to expand its reach and impact.
- So far, a total of 7,424 girls have benefited from it. The number of participants is continuously increasing every year.
About National Thermal Power Corporation Limited:
- NTPC Limited is India’s largest power company. NTPC Limited is a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Power.
- Established: 1975
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- It was given the status of Maharatna company in May 2010.
- Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC: Gurdeep Singh
SNA hosting ‘Shakti-Festival of Music & Dance’ at 7 Shaktipeeths:
- Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) is organizing the festival ‘Shakti – A Festival of Music and Dance’ from 9 to 17 April 2024 in seven different Shaktipeeths of the country.
- SNA, under the Kala Pravah series, is organizing an event named ‘A Festival of Shakti Music and Dance’ to revive the temple traditions in the country. This celebration is being held during the holy Navratri in April 2024.
About Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA):
- SNA is India’s largest national level academy of music and drama established by the Government of India. The headquarters of SNA is in New Delhi.
- Established in 1953
- Current President of SNA: Dr. Sandhya Purecha
International NEWS
Simon Harris has been elected the youngest PM of Ireland:
- Simon Harris has been elected the youngest prime minister of the Republic of Ireland on 10 April 2024.
- In Ireland, the prime minister is called Taoiseach. He will succeed Leo Varadkar, who resigned in March 2024.
Ireland country:
- Capital: Dublin
- President of India: Michael Daniel Higgins
Economy NEWS
ADB raises India’s GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 7 pc on robust investment, consumer demand:
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised India’s GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7 per cent from 6.7 per cent earlier, saying the robust growth will be driven by public and private sector investment demand and gradual improvement in consumer demand.
- The 2024-25 growth estimate is, however, lower than 7.6 per cent projected for the 2022-23 fiscal. Strong investment drove GDP growth in the 2022-23 fiscal as consumption was muted, the ADB said.
ADB: Asian development bank
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- Founded: 19 December 1966
- Head: Masatsugu Asakawa
Banking NEWS
SINE, IIT Bombay and Canara Bank Forge Partnership for Startup Financing:
- A significant collaboration between Canara Bank and Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay was formalized on April 3rd through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU aims to facilitate financial assistance to startups, marking a pivotal moment for the startup ecosystem.
Objective of Collaboration:
- Canara Bank, through its Canara Start-Up Scheme, will provide financial aid for the establishment, promotion, and modernization of industrial units across India.
- SINE, as a renowned technology business incubator, offers comprehensive incubation and acceleration support for technology startups. The collaboration intends to empower startups with financial resources and expert guidance, fostering their growth and success.
Canara bank:
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- CEO: K. Satyanarayana Raju (7 Feb 2023–)
- Founder: Ammembal Subba Rao Pai
- Founded: 1 July 1906
Appointments NEWS
Air India Appoints Jayaraj Shanmugam as Head of Global Airport Operations:
- Air India has appointed Jayaraj Shanmugam, an industry veteran with 25 years of experience spanning across airlines, airports, and telecom industries, as the Head of Global Airport Operations.
- This decision comes amidst the airline’s efforts to enhance its operations and customer experience as part of the Vihaan.AI transformation journey.
Air India:
- CEO: Campbell Wilson
- Founder: J. R. D. Tata
- Founded: 1932, Mumbai
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Sports NEWS
Sri Lankan Star Kamindu Mendis and England’s Maia Bouchier Crowned ICC Players of the Month:
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named Sri Lankan cricketer Kamindu Mendis as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March 2024. Mendis’ historic batting performances in the first Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet were instrumental in Sri Lanka’s comfortable victory.
- On the women’s side, England’s Maia Bouchier has been awarded the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for March 2024. Bouchier’s exceptional performances in the T20I series against New Zealand were crucial in securing a 4-1 series victory for the visitors.
- The ICC Player of the Month awards are presented to recognize the outstanding achievements of cricketers across both the men’s and women’s game. The awards are decided by a panel of experts, as well as by fan votes, ensuring that the most deserving players are honored.
ICC:
- Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Founded: 15 June 1909
- CEO: Geoff Allardice
- Chairman: Greg Barclay
Science NEWS
GUJCOST Designated as Nodal Centre for ISRO’s START Programme
- GUJCOST (GUJARAT COUNCIL ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) has been appointed as the Nodal Centre for ISRO’s START programme, aimed at nurturing aspiring scientists and engineers in the field of space science and technology. The programme, conceptualized by ISRO, provides an introductory online platform covering various areas of space science research.
- Under the START programme, GUJCOST will conduct live classes, acting as the central hub for knowledge dissemination. Four Regional Science Centres in Rajkot, Patan, Bhavnagar, and Bhuj will also contribute to facilitating the programme, expanding its reach across the region.
- The inaugural online programme, titled “Exploration of Solar System,” invites registrations until April 19. Scheduled to commence on April 24 and run until May 10, 2024, the programme aims to provide participants with a deep understanding of the complexities of the solar system.
ISRO:
- Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- Founded: 15 August 1969
- Chairman: Sreedhara Somanath
Important Days
World Homeopathy Day 2024 Celebrating the Power of Natural Healing:
- World Homeopathy Day is observed on April 10th every year.
- The theme for World Homeopathy Day 2024 is “Homeoparivar: One Health, One Family.”
- Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that believes in the power of tiny homeopathic substances to cure the symptoms of a condition.
National Safe Motherhood Day 2024, History, Significance and Challenges:
- Each year on April 11, India commemorates National Safe Motherhood Day, coinciding with the birthday of Kasturba Gandhi, spouse of Mahatma Gandhi.
- India was the pioneer in proclaiming April 11 as National Safe Motherhood Day, with the primary objective of enhancing healthcare services for women throughout pregnancy and postpartum periods to mitigate maternal mortality resulting from pregnancy and childbirth complications
- The theme for National Safe Motherhood Day 2024 is yet to be revealed
Obituary NEWS
Nobel prize-winning British Physicist Peter Higgs Passed Away:
- Nobel prize-winning British Physicist Peter Higgs passed away at the age of 94 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom (UK).
- Awards/Honours: In 2015, he won the world’s oldest scientific prize, the Royal Society’s Copley Medal for his work on the theory of the Higgs boson or “The god particle”.
- In 2013, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics with Belgian Physicist François Englert. The award was “for the theoretical discovery of a mechanism that contributes to our understanding of the origin of the mass of subatomic particles“
