The Delhi High Court has ordered the Centre to file its submissions in response to a petition seeking restoration of Anglo-Indian representation by nomination in parliament 

While hearing a petition challenging the Constitutional (One Hundred and Fourth Amendment) Act, 2019,

Delhi High Court asked the Centre to file its submissions. The amendment removed the nomination-based representation of the Anglo-Indian community in Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. Erstwhile constitutional provisions

Article 331: Provision for nomination of two Anglo-Indians to Lok Sabha.

Article 333: Provision for nomination of one member of that community to the Legislative Assemblies

Article334: has laid down provisions for reserving the seats for SCs and STs and nomination of Anglo-Indians to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, which shall cease to be in effect on the 25 January 2020, if not extended further.

The Tamil Nadu government stated that carbon dating of excavated artefacts in the state dates evidence of iron use in India back to 4,200 years ago, based on an archaeological assessment. Excavations site: Mayiladumparai near Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu.

Key point:

• Tough terrains, high altitudes and changing weather conditions make the pilgrimage a tough one, especially for senior citizens.
• Those visiting are affected by sudden low temperature, low humidity, increased ultraviolet radiation, low air pressure, and low oxygen levels.
• Due to low humidity, within the first few hours of altitude exposure, water loss also increases, resulting in dehydration.
• The Supreme Court has urged its former Justice AK Sikrito take over as the Chairman of the high-powered committee constituted by it to “consider the cumulative and independent impact of the Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana (Char Dham Highway Development Project) on the entire Himalayan valley”.

Key points

• The Indian Badminton Team defeated 14-time champions Indonesia by 3-0 in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Thomas Cup is an international badminton competition. The 16 teams that compete for the prestigious title are representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
• The championship was started by a legendary badminton player of England Sir George Alan Thomas, who was inspired by Tennis’s Davis Cup and Football’s World Cup.
• Team India had participated in 1952 for the first time in this tournament and after a wait of 70 years, they have finally clinched the title.
• This is so far the best performance of India in the competition, the last time the country was closest to the title was in the year 1979 when they made it to the semi-finals.

Key Points:

• India and Israel celebrate 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.
• Israel has shown his interest in upgrading the Centres of Excellence (CoE) established by Israel in India.
• Both sides have agreed to complete the process of finalizing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of June 2022.

• 12th Meeting of BRICS Health Minister virtually hosted by China:
• BRICS Countries Agreed to Launch Pandemic Early Warning System for large scale pandemics.
• China is set to host the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China in June 2022.

• Design and development of the HS200 booster were completed at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC),

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• HS200 booster loaded with 203 tons of solid propellant was tested for a duration of 135 seconds.
• The 20m long and 3.2m diameter booster is the world’s second-largest operational booster with solid propellant.

Human Rating

1. S200 rockets tested for the human rating would be called HS200 (Human rated S200) Rocket System.
2. Now, ISRO names the human rated version of the GSLV MkIII as the HRLV (Human Rated Launch Vehicle).

• Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV MkIII) has a three stage propulsion system.

Background

2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared earlier in 2018 that India will send its first man or woman into space by 2022. Thus initiating ambitious Gaganyaan programme.
2023. The heavy lift launcher, GSLV MkIII’s identification and the process for human rating of GSLV MkIII for India’s historic space mission was completed in 2020.

• But the plans are spoiled due to COVID-19 thus postponing the launch to 2023 through official communication by Union Minister Jitendra Singh in Rajya Sabha.

Why GSLV is used for Human Mission

Following the successful launch of Chandrayaan Mission-2 by GSLV MkIII into geosynchronous orbit of the

Earth, GSLV is identified as the perfect launch vehicle to take humans into space by ISRO’s venture.

Gaganyaan Programme

1. Envisages undertaking the demonstration of human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in the short-term and will lay the foundation for a sustained Indian human space exploration programme in the long run.
2. The objective of Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate indigenous capability to undertake human space flight mission to Lower Earth Orbit (LEO).

Key Points:

1. The range of the Extended range version of BrahMos missile is around 350 kilometres (km) from its original 290 km.
2. The BrahMos missile achieved a supersonic speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

• The achievement is due to the dedicated and synergetic efforts of the IAF, Indian Navy, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

1. The project was conceived to enhance the IAF’s capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target on sea or land.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) of the Government of India (GoI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the UNDP will provide technical assistance to two GoI schemes: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Kisan Credit Card-Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (KCC-MISS).

• Every year Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the Baisakh month (April/May). This year, Buddha Purnima will be celeberated on May 16, 2022.
• It is believed that Gautama Buddha obtained Enlightenment on this day. Buddha Purnima is also known as Buddha Jayanti, Vesak, Vaishaka and Buddha’s Birthday. This is believed to be the 2584th Birth Anniversary of Gautam Buddha.
• Gautama Buddha’s birth name was Siddhartha Gautama. Buddha was born between 563-483 B.C in Lumbini, Nepal. He died at the age of 80 at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
• For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important pilgrimage site related to the life of Gautama Buddha. The other three important pilgrimage sites are Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. It is believed that Gautama Buddha obtained Enlightenment at Bodhagaya and he first taught the Dharma at Sarnath.

• In 1950, three years after India’s independence, a treaty was signed between Sikkim and the Republic of India. Under the agreement, the former continued its status as a ‘protectorate’ state within the Union of India.
• By 1970s, Sikkim’s ruling Chogyals had become increasingly unpopular, and calls, seeking the now-former kingdom’s integration with India, began to rise.
• In September 1974, the Chogyals called for a referendum. In April next year, after an appeal by the Prime Minister of Sikkim, the Indian Army entered and took control of the kingdom.
• On May 15, 1975, then-President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, signed a constitutional amendment, and, a day later, Sikkim became the 22nd state of India; the position of the Chogyal was abolished as well.