Important Days

Important Days 

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

• The day is commemorated on November 30 every year. 
• The day aims to encourage efforts for eliminating the use of chemical weapons and remember those who have suffered because of such warfare.
• The Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1993 to remember the victims of chemical warfare. It came into force on April 29, 1997.

About OPCW

• Formation – 29 April 1997.
• Headquarters – The Hague, Netherlands.
• Director General – Fernando Arias.
• The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

National Organ Donation Day 2022

• National Organ Donation Day is being celebrated every year on November 27 to commemorate the contributions made to society by deceased donors and their families.
• India ranks third in the world only behind the USA and China as per the data available on the Global Observatory on Donation and Transplantation (GODT) website.

Note

• World Organ Donation Day is annually observed across the globe on August 13.

Defence, National Security and Terrorism

Yudh Abhyas 2022

• The 18th edition of Indo – US joint training exercise “Yudh Abhyas 22” was conducted in Auli, Uttarakhand.
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations. 
• The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Troops from both nations will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity.

ICG commissions Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III squadron 

• The Coast Guard Region East, 840 Sqn (CG), an Indian 
• Coast Guard Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mk-III squadron, was commissioned by the Director General of Coast Guard VS Pathania at ICG Air Station, Chennai.
• The commissioning of 840 Sqn (CG) is indicative of the leap towards self-reliance in the field of helicopter manufacturing, in line with the government’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. 
• It will provide a major fillip to the abilities of the Indian Coast Guard in the security sensitive waters off Tamil Nadu and Andhra region. 
• The ALH Mk-III helicopters are indigenously manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
• The helicopters feature state-of-the-art equipment including advanced RADAR as well as Electro optical sensors, Shakti engines, full glass cockpit, high-intensity searchlight, advanced communication systems, automatic identification system as well as search-and-rescue homer.
• A total of 16 ALH Mk-III aircraft have been inducted into the Indian Coast Guard in a phased manner and four of these aircraft are positioned in Chennai.

Awards and Honour 

National Sports Awards 2022

• President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Sports Awards 2022 to the awardees at a function at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi.
• National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

Note 

• ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’: awarded for the spectacular and most outstanding 1 performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over the period of the past four years.
• Arjuna Award : awarded for good performance over a period of the previous four years and for showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
• Dronacharya Award: awarded for coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel in international events.
• Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games: awarded to honour sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and who continue to contribute to promotion of sports event after their retirement.
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: awarded to corporate entities (both in private and public sector), Sports Control Boards, NGOs, including sports bodies at the State and National level, who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
• The overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy.

Cultural Panorama
Elephant-themed exhibition ‘Aa Aana’ in Fort Kochi

• Aa Aana is a month-long exhibition that will begin on December 1 at Fort Kochi in Kerala.
• The exhibition is a part of ‘Gajotsavam’, a programme to raise awareness on the conservation of the elephant.
• The exhibition is organised jointly by the Wildlife Trust of India and Whitley Fund for Nature and Cochin Collective.
• The event is being organised as part of the Cochin Carnival and will showcase how elephants are celebrated in art and culture and also presented in temple rituals.

About Indian Elephant

• IUCN Status – Endangered
• Indian Elephant is the State animal of Jharkhand, Karnataka and Kerala.
• Karnataka has the largest number of elephants in India.