Current Context : Kumar Tuhin has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

• He is presently serving as a Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
• He joined as Director General of, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on December 20, 2021, and earlier served as Ambassador to Hungary from November 2018 to November 2021, High Commissioner to Namibia from June 2015 to October 2018.

Celebrated annually on September 25.

Aim : to mark the birth anniversary of Indian leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.

• It is a day of remembrance and celebration of his life and legacy and he was one of the most prominent figures in India’s political history.
• He was a co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and a thinker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
• Antyodaya means ‘rising of the last’.

Celebrated on 25 September.

• Aim : To respect and value the contribution of pharmacists in improving global health.
• Theme : Pharmacists: Meeting global health needs.

Current Context : Justice Rajiv Shakdher of the Delhi High Court has been elevated as the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.

• Justice Shakdher will serve in his new capacity until his retirement on October 18.

Current Context : Kerala secured the first position in the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) 2024, for the second consecutive year.

• Index is released by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

RELEVANT DATA:

Ranking Criteria: The index is based on five parameters:

• Human Resources and Institutional Data
• Compliance
• Food Testing Infrastructure & Surveillance
• Training & Capacity Building
• Consumer Empowerment
• Other state rankings : Tamil Nadu ranked second, Jammu & Kashmir third, and Gujarat fourth.
• The SFSI, first introduced in 2019.

Objective: The SFSI encourages states to improve food safety and create a competitive ecosystem for safe food delivery across India.

Current Context : India has formally become a member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).

• Besides India, three other countries – Nicaragua, Eswatini and Somalia – have also formally joined the Alliance by ratifying its framework.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE

• It is a global initiative launched by India on April 9, 2023.
• Aim : to protect and conserve big cat species, including tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, snow leopards, pumas, and cheetahs.
• The alliance seeks to unite 96 countries that are home to these species, promoting collaboration on research, conservation efforts, and anti-poaching measures.
• Headquarter in New Delhi
• This alliance aligns with global conservation frameworks and supports the goals of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Current Context : India and the United States have agreed to promote sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), electrification of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, and the use of hydrogen in buses, tractors, and heavy equipment.

About Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) :

It is an eco-friendly alternative to conventional jet fuel, aimed at reducing carbon emissions in aviation.

Benefits:

1. Lower Carbon Emissions: SAF can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%over its lifecycle.
2. Feedstock: Derived from renewable sources like biomass, used cooking oil, and municipal waste.
3. Compatibility: SAF can be blended with traditional jet fuel and used without engine modifications.
4. Challenges: Currently more expensive and limited in production compared to conventional fuels.
5. Global Impact: Crucial for meeting aviation emission reduction targetsunder CORSIA (ICAO).

Current Context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Park in Maharashtra’s Amravati.

The park, spanning 1000 acres, aims to boost the textile industry.

ABOUT PM MITRA

• It is an initiative of the Indian government aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the textile sector by creating world-class industrial infrastructure.
• Objective: Strengthen India’s textile sector by integrating the entire textile value chain (spinning, weaving, garmenting) in one location.
• Inspiration: Based on the Prime Minister’s 5F vision: Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• Scale: Establish 7 textile parksin Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
• Launched under the Ministry of Textiles.

Current Context : Air Marshal A.P. Singh has been appointed the next Chief of the Air Staff.

• He is currently the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and will take over the top post on September 30
• He will replace Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari.
• Singh was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the IAF on December 21, 1984.
• He is a recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

Celebrated on 23 September

• Theme : Sign up for Sign Language Rights’
• Aim : to raise awareness about the importance of sign language and promote linguistic diversity and cultural identity for the deaf community.
• Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to support and protect the rights of people with hearing impairments.
• The day was first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf.