Recently, Nauni university awarded agro-processing award.

• Nauni University (Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry) received the third place for the Outstanding Exhibitor Award at CIPHET IIFA-2024.
• The recognition was under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (AICRP-PHET).
• Significance: The university’s contributions focus on post-harvest management, food preservation, agro-processing, and value addition technologies, enhancing agricultural sustainability and economic opportunities for farmers.
• The University is located at Nauni in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh.

Current Context : India’s Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, launched two key initiatives—ADITI 2.0 and DISC 12—at DefConnect 4.0 in Delhi.

Aim : to strengthen India’s defence technology ecosystem by encouraging innovation and providing financial support for new ideas.

ABOUT

ADITI 2.0 (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX):

• Features: 19 challenges from the Armed Forces in domains like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technology, and anti-drone systems.
• Grants: Up to ₹25 crore for winners of the iDEX challenges.
• Focus: 30 critical and strategic defence technologies to strengthen innovation in India’s defence sector.

DISC 12 (DEFENCE INDIA START-UP CHALLENGES):

• Features: 41 challenges focusing on UAVs, AI, Networking, and Communication.
• Grants: Offers up to ₹5 crore for selected innovations.
• Partnership: Launched in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, encouraging start-ups and MSMEs to create defence prototypes and commercialize products.
• MIRA Initiative: Introduces Medical Innovations and Research Advancement (MIRA)to develop medical technologies for the Armed Forces.

Current Context : Indian Navy’s INS Talwar arrived at Simon’s Town, South Africa to participate in the eighth edition of exercise IBSAMAR.

• The eighth edition f IBSAMAR, running from 6th to 18th October 2024, is being hosted by South Africa at Simon’s Town.
• INS Talwar, a frontline Indian stealth frigate, is leading India’s participation.

ABOUT IBSAMAR

• IBSAMAR is a trilateral naval exercise involving the navies of India, Brazil, and South Africa.
• Established: 2008
• Objective: Strengthen trilateral defense ties, improve tactical skills, and promote mutual understanding.
• Held every two years, rotating locations among the three countries.

INDIA’S OTHER MARITIME EXERCISES

• India-Thailand: Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT)
• United Kingdom: Konkan-Shakti
• Indonesia: Samudra Shakti
• Singapore: Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)
• Qatar: Zair-Al-Bahr
• Japan: Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX).

Current Context : Recently, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd delivered INS Nirdeshak to the Indian Navy.

ABOUT

INS Nirdeshak is the second vessel in the Survey Vessels (Large) Project, designed by GRSE in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Defence.

Significance:

• It will strengthen the Indian Navy’s hydrographic and oceanographic survey capabilities.
• Critical for coastal defense and underwater navigation.
• It is 110 meters long and has a displacement of 3,400 tonnes.
• It is powered by two diesel engines and can reach speeds of over 18 knots.
• The INS Nirdeshak is the second of four vessels in the series, with the first, INS Sandhayak, commissioned in February 2024.

Current Context : The Union Cabinet recently approved the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat.

Aim: To preserve, promote, and present India’s rich maritime legacy to both national and international audiences.

Goal:

• To generate economic growth through cultural tourism, creating over 22,000 jobs.
• Boost researchand education in maritime history and archaeology.

It will be completed in two phases :

• Phase 1A: Underway, includes a main museum, aquatic gallery, and warship exhibits.
• Phase 1B: Will include the world’s tallest Lighthouse Museum, theme parks, and state pavilions.
• Lothal is a site from the Indus Valley Civilization, was a major maritime trade hub over 4,500 years ago. ​

Current Context : Recently, the new annual State of the Global Climate report is published.

It is an Annual Report published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) since 2021, based on input from national and international experts.

2023 Report Findings:

• Hottest Year on Record: 2023 marked the hottest year globally.
• Rivers and Reservoirs: The driest year for global rivers in 33 years, with persistent below-normal flows and reservoir inflows over the last five years.
• Glaciers: Significant ice loss, with more than 600 gigatonsof water lost across all glaciated regions—the largest mass loss ever recorded in 50 years.
• Water Scarcity: 6 billionpeople face inadequate access to water at least one month a year, projected to rise to 5 billion by 2050.
• Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Water and Sanitation): The world is far behind in achieving this goal, indicating a growing water crisis.

Current Context : The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory is a significant milestone for India’s space research and astrophysics, inaugurated at Hanle, Ladakh.

ABOUT:

• Location: At an altitude of ~4,300 meters, making it the highest imaging Cherenkov observatory globally and the largest in Asia.
• Purpose: Observes high-energy gamma rays, aiding the study of energetic cosmic phenomena like supernovae, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts.
• Built by: Indigenously developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)with support from Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL) and other Indian industry partners.
• Collaboration: Promotes international collaboration, enhancing India’s contributions to space science and astrophysics.
• Scientific and Socio-Economic Impact: Contributes to the understanding of particle acceleration mechanisms, fundamental physics, and also supports socio-economic development in Ladakh.

Current Context : Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of Tata Sons and a visionary leader of Indian industry, passed away on October 9, 2024, at the age of 86, in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.

ABOUT RATAN TATA :

• Birth: Born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai, India, into a prominent Parsi family with deep ties to the Tata Group.
• Family: His father, Naval Tata, was adopted into the Tata family. Ratan’s parents separated when he was 10, and he was raised by his grandmother, Navajbai Tata.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:

Leadership of Tata Group:

• Global Expansion: As chairman of Tata Sons from 1991 to 2012, Ratan Tata led significant acquisitions, including Tetley Tea(2000), Corus Steel (2007), and Jaguar Land Rover (2008), enhancing Tata Group’s global presence and revenue.
• Indigenous Innovations: He oversaw the launch of the Tata Indica, India’s first homegrown car, and the Tata Nano, aimed at providing affordable transportation.
• Employment Generation: The Tata Group employs over 800,000 people, contributing significantly to job creation and industrial growth in India.
• Tata Trusts : Ratan Tata directed significant funds toward education, healthcare, and rural development through Tata Trusts, which hold a majority stake in Tata Sons.

AWARDS AND HONORS

• Tata was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2008, India’s second-highest civilian honor.
• He was also recognized internationally, being appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.​​

Current Context : Shoolini University in Solan ranked in the 401-500 band of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024, improving from the 501-600 band last year.

• It holds the title of the number one private university in India for the second consecutive year.
• The university achieved the highest scores in Research Quality and International Outlook among private institutions in India.

Comparison with Other Universities: The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is the only institution ranked higher, in the 201-250 band. Shoolini outperformed other institutions like Anna University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Mahatma Gandhi University in the 501-600 band.

Current Context : Recently, Five Russian mountaineers lost their lives during an expedition on Mount Dhaulagiri.

ABOUT MOUNT DHAULAGIRI:

• The name Dhaulagiri means “White Mountain” in Sanskrit. It is known for its snow-covered peaks and glaciers.
• Located in the Dhaulagiri Himal Range, part of the Himalayas in west-central Nepal.
• It ranks 7^th highest mountain in the world.
• Height: 8,167 meters (26,795 feet).
• It is one of the 14 peaks on Earth that exceed 8,000 meters.
• It forms a significant part of the Gandaki River Basin and stretches 120 km from the Kaligandaki to the Bheri River.

The first successful expedition to Mt. Dhaulagiri was led by the Swiss climber, Max Eiselin, in 1960.