Important Days
World TB Day
▪ 24 March is observed as World TB Day to amplify the urgency of ending tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious disease
▪ The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB, which opened the way towards diagnosing and curing this disease.
▪ Theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver”
Martyrs day – March 23
▪ Martyr’s Day also known as Shaheed Diwas, is a sacred occasion in India dedicated to honouring the
brave souls who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and sovereignty.
▪ This is the day when Bhagwat Singh, along with Raj guru and Sukhdev, was hanged by the British in
1931.
Defence, National Security and Terrorism
Tavasya
▪ ‘Tavasya’, the last of the four Krivak-class stealth frigates, was launched at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) on March 22, 2025.
▪ The launch marks a milestone in India’s naval self-reliance and defence production capabilities.
▪ India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) in October 2016 for four additional Krivak-class stealth frigates.
▪ Under the agreement:
✓ Two ships were imported directly from Russia.
✓ Two ships were manufactured at Goa Shipyard under technology transfer.
▪ Tavasya is expected to be the last warship built under foreign license, as India transitions to indigenous warship construction.
Awards & Honours
▪ Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla (88) was selected for the 59th Jnanpith Award on Saturday.
▪ With this, he has earned the distinction of being the first person from Chhattisgarh to receive the Jnanpith Award, which is the highest literary award in India.
▪ Vinod Kumar Shukla is the 12th Hindi writer to receive this award.
▪ In 1999, Vinod Kumar Shukla received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award.
