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Recently, the President of India presented the Padma awards to 119 recipients for the year 2020 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushans, 10 Padma Bhushans and 102 Padma Shri awards. Important points: The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January). It was instituted in …

Recently, the Prime Minister has unveiled a 12-foot statue of Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath (Uttarakhand). Important points: Known as Adi Shankara, born 11th May 788 AD, at Kaladi near Kochi, Kerala. Took Samadhi at the age of 33, at Kedar tirth. He was a devotee of Shiva. Propounded the Doctrine …

Recently, the landslides caused by an earthquake of 3.4 magnitude close to the border with China has led to mass fish death in the Kameng river in Arunachal Pradesh. The region has been placed into Seismic Zone V, thus most vulnerable to earthquakes. Important points: The earthquake happened in the …

Recently, the 5th edition of Ganga Utsav-The River Festival 2021 has begun which celebrates the glory of the National river Ganga. Ganga was declared as the National River of India on 4th November 2008. The event will also comprise, launch of the Ganga Tarang Portal, curtain raiser on Ganga Knowledge …

The anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government is celebrated on 21st October  every year. The day marks the announcement of India’s first independent provisional government named Azad Hind Government. Important points: On 21st October 1943, Subhash Chandra Bose announced the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind (Free India) in Singapore, with himself as the Head of …

Recently, the Union government has renamed Mount Harriet of Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands to Mount Manipur. Important points: Mount Harriet, the third-highest island peak in A&N Islands, where Manipur’s Maharaja Kulchandra Singh and 22 other freedom fighters were imprisoned during the Anglo-Manipuri war (1891). It has been renamed in a tribute to those freedom fighters of Manipur. …

Recently, the Assam Government has announced that Bhaskarabda, a Luni-Solar Calendar will be used as an official calendar. Presently, the official calendar of Assam government makes use of the Saka calendar and the Gregorian calendar. However, the Bhaskarabda calendar will also be used from now onwards. Important points: Bhaskarabda, an era counted from the date …

Recently, a report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) stated that Africa’s rare glaciers will disappear in the next two decades due to climate change. Their current retreat rates are higher than the global average. If this continues, it will lead to total de-glaciation by the 2040s. WMO is one of the specialized agencies …

Recently, the Meghalaya Government has claimed that a detoxing pilot project has brought the Lukha river back from the dead. Important points: The Lukha River was considered toxic beyond redemption a decade ago owing to contamination due to acid mine drainage and run-off from the coal mines Phytoremediation method was used to detoxify the river, where Algae was used …

2nd October, 2021 marked the 152nd birth annivaersary of Mahatma Gandhi. India also pays tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri on the same day every year. Important points: Birth- 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar (Gujarat) Lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. In South Africa …

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) has launched an ‘Environmental Seismology’ group to develop a ‘Landslide and Flood Early Warning System’ for the Himalayan region. The scientists at the NGRI in collaboration with German scientists at GFZ, Potsdam have launched this system. Important points: It will be based on real-time monitoring with dense …

One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG)India and the UK are likely to announce a joint declaration on “one sun, one world, one grid” — or OSOWOG at the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP26). The UN Climate Change Conference, or COP26, is scheduled to be held between 31st October and 12th November in Scotland. The concept of OSOWOG is what …

Recently, Cyclone Gulab made landfall on India’s east coast and weakened into a depression. Another cyclone–Shaheen–may form over the Arabian Sea from the remnant of cyclone Gulab. Important points: Gulab was a tropical cyclone and was named by Pakistan. It affected the coasts of south Odisha north Andhra Pradesh. According to WMO (World Meteorological Organization) guidelines, countries in …

Recently, as many as 157 artefacts and antiquities were handed over to the Prime Minister by the United States including a bronze Nataraj figure. The list has a diverse set of items bas-relief panel of Revanta in sandstone made in the 10th century, 56 terracotta pieces, several bronze figurines and copper objects, among others which mainly belong to 11th and 14th centuries. It also includes an 18th-century …

Recently, steep stairways and wooden ramps among other changes have been brought at the World Heritage Site of Qutub Minar that will make the place accessible for disabled and the elderly. Humayun’s Tomb (1993) and Red Fort Complex (2007) are other world heritage monuments in Delhi. Important points: It is a five-storeyed red sandstone tower (72.5 m high) built by …

Recently, the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, erupted. Important points: The Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted for the first time in 50 years. The last time hot molten lava erupted and spread was in 1971. La Palma is the most north-westerly island of the Canary Islands, Spain. It’s geography …

Recently, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh (1886-1979) State University in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Important points: Born in Hathras (UP) in 1886, he was a freedom fighter, revolutionary, writer, social reformer, and internationalist. He was well versed in eight different languages and practised different religions. Promoted Education: In 1909, he gave up …

Every year on 15th September, India along with Sri Lanka and Tanzania celebrate National Engineer’s day to recognise and honour the achievements of the great engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. The day is observed to commemorate the great work of engineers and to encourage them for improvement and innovation. It is different from the World Engineers’ Day celebrated annually by UNESCO on …

The Thamirabarani civilisation in Tamil Nadu is at least 3,200 years old, reveals carbon dating done on organic material retrieved from archeological excavations in Sivakalai, Thoothukudi district. The determination of the age or date of organic matter from the relative proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains. Important points: The shortest river in …

A new island has been discovered that is located off the Greenland’s coast. Important points: Measuring 60×30 metres and with a peak of three metres above sea level, it has now become the new northernmost piece of land on Earth. Before this, Oodaaq was marked as the Earth’s northernmost terrain. It …