Why in news?

• The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Nowruz is annually observed across the globe on 21st March to create awareness about Nowruz, which promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness.
• The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means “new day”.
• Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, when the sun crosses the celestial equator and night and day are equal it length, which usually occurs on 21 March.

Background:

• The celebration of Nowruz in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey wa inscribed as an element in 2009, and extended in 2016, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution in February 2010 and proclaimed the 21st March of every year as the International Day of Nowruz.
• The first International Day of Nowruz was celebrated on 21st March 2010.

Significance:

• Since Nowruz contributes to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities, it fits closely with the mandates of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO).

About Nowruz:

• The festival of Nowruz is named after the Persian king, Jamshed, who created the Persian or Shahenshahi calendar.
• The Nowruz is celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people across the globe, and it has been celebrated for more than 3000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.
• It is also known as Novroz in the Ismaili Muslim tradition and Naw-Roz in the Bahai faith.

Nowruz in India

• In India, the festival is mostly celebrated around August 16-17 by the Parsi community following the Shahenshahi calendar which does not comprise of leap year.

Celebration of Nowruz: An important tradition practised during Nowruz is the gathering around ‘the Table, decorated with objects that symbolize purity, brightness, livelihood and wealth, to enjoy a special meal with loved ones.

Why in news?

• Union Minister of State (MoS) for Science & Technology recently released India’s Arctic policy titled ‘India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development’ in New Delhi.
• India is one of 13 nations holding Observer status in the Arctic Council.
• Thirteen Non-arctic States have been approved as Observers to the Arctic Council. They are
• France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, China, Poland, India, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom.

Objective:

• To promote the agenda of strengthening national capabilities and competencies in science and environmental protection, maritime and economic cooperation with the Arctic region.
• To enhance understanding of the impact of climate change in the Arctic and deepen India’s participation in climate, economic, and energy security related issues. It studies linkages between polar regions and the Himalayas.
• India’s Arctic Policy is based on six pillars:
• Strengthening India’s scientific research and cooperation,
• Climate and environmental protection,
• Economic and human development,
• Transportation and connectivity,
• Governance and international cooperation,
• National capacity building in the Arctic region.

Background

• India began its engagement with the Arctic region when it signed the Svalbard Treaty (originally the Spitsbergen Treaty) in 1920 in Paris, France.
• In 2007, India began its Arctic Research Program which focuses on climate change.
• India also set up a research station ‘Himadri'(2008) in the international Arctic research base at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Norway.
• India is actively participating in studies and research development related to the Arctic oceanography, atmosphere, pollution and microbiology.
• India established IndArc, which is the first multi-sensor moored observatory in Kongsfjorden in 2014 and the northernmost Gruvebadet Atmospheric Laboratory in Ny Alesund in 2016 were launched in the Arctic region.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa under the MoES, is the nodal institution for India’s Polar research programme, which includes Arctic studies.

About Arctic Council:

• Founded in 1996, it is Headquartered in Tromso, Norway
• Council members (8)- eight Arctic states-Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the U.S
• Observer states (13)-France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, China, Poland, India, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Why in news?

• Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle’ has been unveiled in Madagascar to mark Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• Ambassador of India to Madagascar, Abhay Kumar celebrated the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by inaugurating a Green Triangle, along with Mayor of Antananarivo Naina Andriantsitohaina.
• The word green in the plaque signifies their commitment to sustainable development and saving the environment. The naming of this park as Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle is an apt tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

Why in news?

• World Sparrow Day (WSD)is celebrated every year on March 20th. This day is meant to raise awareness about the house sparrow and the dangers it confronts. The purpose of World Sparrow Day is to raise awareness and protect the bird all across the world.
• A few years ago, house sparrows were commonly seen in people’s homes. As a result of rising noise pollution, the bird is now on the edge of extinction.
• The theme of World Sparrow Day is “Love Sparrows.”
• More individuals are likely to join in a range of events and campaigns geared at sparrow conservation as a result of focusing on this issue.
• World Sparrow Day was established by Mohammed Dilawar, the founder of The Nature Forever Society. He started several projects, including the biodiversity Photo Contest, the annual Sparrow Awards, Project Save Our Sparrows, and the Common Bird Monitoring of India programme.
• The first World Sparrow Day was held in the year  In 2011,the World Sparrow Awards were established. The award recognises persons who have made significant contributions to environmental conservation and ordinary species protection.

Why in news?

• Karolina Bielawska from Poland has won the title of Miss World 2021. She was crowned by 2019 Miss World Toni-Ann Singh of Jamaica.
• Indian-American Shree Saini from the United States bagged the first runner-up title, followed by Olivia Yace from Cote d’Ivoire.
• She beat the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Northern Ireland and Cote d’Ivoire to clinch the coveted title.
• The70th edition of the Miss World international beauty pageant was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh performed ‘The Prayer’ during the 70th Miss World pageant to express solidarity with Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
• Indian Contender Femina Miss India World 2020 Manasa Varanasi represented India at the Miss World 2021. Manasa Varanasi reached the Top 13 contestants but could not make it to the Top 6 finalists.

Why in news?

• An architect Diebedo Francis Kere from Burkina Faso ,West Africa became the first African to win the 51st Pritzker Architecture Prize 2022. It’s a most prestigious honour in the field of architecture.
• In 2021 Jean-Philippe Vassal, a French architect won the 50th Pritzker Architecture Prize.
• Balkrishna Doshi is the first Indian winner of the 2018 Pritzker Prize.

About Pritzker Architecture Prize:

• It is granted annually and is often referred to as “architecture’s Nobel”.
• It was first awarded in 1979.
• It is sponsored by Hyatt Foundation.

Why in news?

• The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Mastercard have partnered to promote digital empowerment of women in India through ‘Project Kirana’, a digital financial literacy programme for women entrepreneurs in India.
• Objective: To increase the revenue of the women-owned-and-operated kirana shops and also expand their financial inclusion and enable them to adopt digital tools like digital payments etc.
• USAID and Mastercard will support women participants to build financial and digital literacy skills.
• The customized training on business and financial management, and leadership development will be provided to the beneficiaries.
• Mastercard and USAID will also address the gender gaps that limit the ability for women-owned businesses to flourish.

About Project Kirana:

• Project Kirana is a two year programme implemented by DAI and ACCESS Development Services started in November 2020.
• It is working in some selected cities like Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh.
• It provides assistance to women to prepare basic business management skills such as sales, accounting, budget management, and insurance to become successful kirana entrepreneurs.
• It witnessed the participation of more than 2,100 women in the project.

Why in news?

• Recently West Bengal celebrated the ‘Dol Utsav’ or ‘Dol jatra, the festival of colors, marking the onset of spring season.
• The festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha and celebrated on the full moon day.
• It also marks the last festival of the year as per the Bengali calendar.
• The majestic festival is celebrated by throwing ‘gulaal’ or ‘aabir’ on others and by singing and dancing in cultural programs.
• In Eastern region of India, the festival of spring is celebrated as Dol Tatra, Dol Purnima, Dol Utsav and Basanta Utsay.
• Other Popular spring festival of India:
• Rongali Bihu – the spring festival of Assam,It signifies the onset of the Assamese New Year.
• Sarhul – the spring festival of Jharkhand

Why in news?

• Telangana turned out to be the first state in India to adopt the Crop Diversification Index (CDI) by way of recording their crop diversification pattern in the form of an index. According to the CDI, Telangana grows 77 varieties of crops, out of which only 10 crops (mostly grains) are chosen for crop diversification.
• The districts of Nirmal, Vikarabad, and Sangareddy emerge as the most diverse, ranking in the top 3 in the state.
• The least diversified districts (bottom 3) in the state in terms of crop diversification would be Peddapalli, Karimnagar, and Suryapet, where paddy is the most cultivated crop, showing a decrease in the cropping areas of maize and an increase in the cropping areas of cotton.

About Crop Diversification Index (CDI)

• All the areas under the 77 different crops, which include food, non-food, and cash crops, as well as the areas under floriculture practices, have been considered to calculate the index.
• The index has a starting value of ONE representing the percentage of total cultivated area devoted to a single crop.
• Many districts in the state have index values ranging from 0 to 5, and the higher the value, the greater the agricultural diversification.
• The index would serve as the baseline for future crop diversification in the state.
• Next to paddy and maize, which are the traditionally grown crops in the state, pulses were the most preferred crops by the farmers.

Why in news?

• Recently , American Astrophysicist Eugene Newman Parker (Eugene Parker), who contributed to the solar physics, has passed away at the age of 94 at a retirement community in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America(USA).
• He was born on 10th June 1927 in Houghton, Michigan, USA.

About Eugene Parker:

• Eugene Parker witnessed the launch of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Parker Solar Probe in 2018, the first NASA Mission named after a living person and became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft named after them.
• He was a visionary in the field of heliophysics, which focuses on the study of the sun and other stars & he is well known for this theory on the existence of solar wind, a supersonic flow of particles off the sun’s surface.
• He virtually created the field of heliophysics in the 1950s.