Tag: Eminent Persons

Eminent Persons Fathima Beevi dies at 96 Justice Fathima Beevi died at a private hospital in Kerala's Kollam. She was India's first woman judge of the Supreme Court. She was the first woman from the Muslim community to be a part of the higher judiciary. She served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu from 1997-2001. Appointments First Indian woman to be reelected to IRU board Indian Cooperative Network for Women (ICNW) president Nandini Azad was re-elected to the board of International Raiffeisen Union (IRU), one of the oldest cooperative unions in the world. She is the first Indian woman to be reelected to the board of IRU for the second time.  

Important Days National Sports Day – August 29 It is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand Singh. Theme - "Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society". Defence, National Security and Terrorism Bright-Star exercise The biennial Tri-Services exercise, Bright-Star, a 21-day multilateral war game, is taking place at Cairo (West) Air Base in Egypt. Participants U.S.,  Saudi Arabia,  Greece, Qatar,  Egypt (host country), India Note The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed five MiG-29 combat jets, six transport aircraft and a group of its Special Forces personnel. It is for the first time that the IAF is participating in the exercise. About Egypt President – Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Capital – Cairo Currency – Egyptian Pound Eminent Persons  Commemorative coin in honour of N.T. Rama Rao  The ₹100 commemorative coin of former A.P. Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao was unveiled by President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi.  About N.T.Rama Rao  Indian actor, filmmaker and politician Served as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for seven years over three terms. (1983-84; 1984-89; 1994-95) Founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982. Awards and Honour  Padma Shri – 1968 NTR National Award  It is a national award in honour of Rao.  Instituted in 1996 by the Government of Andhra Pradesh  To recognise notable film personalities for their lifetime achievements and contributions to the Indian film industry Sports and Games BWF World Championships BWF World Championships 2023 took place in Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark. Star Indian shuttler HS Prannoy claiming his first-ever BWF World Championships medal, bronze medal. Appointments – Who is who? First woman to head Indian mission in Pakistan Geetika Srivastava will be appointed as the new Charge d’Affaires (CDA) at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. This is the first time since Independece that India’s head…

Eminent Persons Life-size statue of T.M. Soundararajan unveiled Chief Minister M.K.Stalin unveiled the bronze life-size statue of renowned playback singer late T.M.Soundararajan, at Madurai. About T.M. Soundararajan Popularly known as TMS, was born in Madurai in 1923. He was given, the title ‘Ezhisai Mannar’ and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Kalaimamani in 1973-74. He died in 2013. Sports & Games  Junior World Wrestling Championship  Amit Kumar became the first Indian wrestler to win Jr world champion since 2019 after edging past Russia’s Eldar Akhmaduninov in the 61kg final held in Jordan.  Note  Deepak Punia, was the last Indian to win a World Jr C’ship in 2019. India’s first-night street races  In a first, the Tamil Nadu government launched the Chennai Formula Racing Circuit that will host India’s first-night street circuit races – Formula 4 Indian Championship and the Indian Racing League – in December 2023.  Youth Welfare and Sports Development Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin signed a Memorandum of Understanding of three years with race promoter Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL), during the launch of the street circuit.  The 3.5 km layout will be the longest street circuit in India and South Asia that will host a night race, stretching across Island Grounds, Victory War Memorial and the Napier Bridge in the city.

Defence Rafale - M The Ministry of Defence granted approval for the acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets and three Scorpene diesel-electric submarines from France. This paves the way for the official announcement of these two significant deals at the Modi-Macron summit. The proposed inter-governmental agreement for the Rafale-M fighters includes the purchase of 22 single-seat jets and four twin-seat trainers, along with associated equipment, weapons, simulators, spares, crew training, and logistic support. Rafale M vs Rafale:  Feature Rafale M Rafale Airframe Strengthened for carrier landings Standard airframe Wing Foldable Non-foldable Tailhook Yes No Radar Maritime-optimized Standard radar Weapons Wider range of weapons, including antiship missiles Standard range of weapons Mission Carrier operations Air superiority, ground attack, air-to-air refueling Eminent Persons Kamala Harrish US Vice-President Kamala Harris made history again when she cast her 31st tiebreaking vote in the US Senate, tying the record set by John C Calhoun.  Harris already holds the distinction of being the first woman/person of colour to serve as the US vice-president. According to the US Constitution, the vice-president also serves as the president of the Senate. In this capacity, he or she may cast the deciding vote when there is a tie in the Senate. Note Interestingly, current US President Joe Biden, who served as a vice-president during the Barack Obama's presidency, did not cast a single tiebreaking vote.

Eminent Persons Follow the footsteps of King Panagal : Stalin In a tweet in Tamil, Stalin said: It is the King of Panagal’s birth anniversary (July 09).  He was the progenitor of the Dravidian Kingdoms.  He was the one who showed what good we can do to our people by attaining power with countless revolutionary schemes such as women’s suffrage and Endowment Protection Act.  A supplementary essay on the King of Panagal became a political crucible for the then school student, M Karunanidhi.  Let’s walk the path of King of Panagal, who was praised by Thanthai Periyar as ‘the incomparable leader’. About Panagal Raja Raja Sir Panaganti Ramarayaningar, also known as the Raja of Panagal, was a zamindar of Khalasthi.  He was also an important member of the Justice Party which was the prelude to the Dravidian political parties.  He was considered as a major champion of democracy and a staunch supporter of the empowerment of the depressed classes. Raja of Panagal was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from 1921 to 1926.  He also served as the president of Justice Party from 1925 till his death on December 16, 1928.

World Organizations – Pacts and Summits SCO Summit The grouping’s decision to induct Iran as its ninth and latest member was one of a number of agreements signed at the summit. However, India, who hosted the summit for the first time, refused to join other members on paragraphs relating to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the joint statement, and stayed out of a joint statement on SCO Economic Development Strategy 2030, indicating a lack of consensus in the grouping.  India took sharp aim at Pakistan for cross-border terrorism, and at China for connectivity projects that do not respect sovereign boundaries. The agreements signed include the New Delhi Declaration, outlining areas of cooperation between SCO countries; a joint statement on countering radicalisation; and one on digital transformation, where India offered to share expertise on digital payment interfaces. Note: The SCO grouping now comprises China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.  Eminent persons 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitaraman Raju. President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to the freedom fighter Alluri Sitramam Raju at the closing ceremony of his 125th birth anniversary celebrations in Hyderabad. Known for: Rampa Rebellion of 1922. Places in News Tamil inscriptions at Thulukkarpatti site Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) recently found potsherds with Tamil inscriptions during the excavation work at Thulukkarpatti near Radhapuram in Tirunelveli district. The TNSDA has been carrying out excavations at Thulukkarpatti village since March 15, 2022. Last week, a pot shell with Tamil inscriptions 'Puli' (Tiger) was found on the site.  Among the potsherds found now, there are potsherds with Tamil inscriptions such as 'Thi E ya', 'Thi sa' and 'Ku vi ra (n)'.  This is a good proof of literature in the Tamil community living on the banks of Nambiar with its own cultural elements. Since…

Eminent Persons Sahitya Akademi winner Sarah Thomas no more She is best known for her 1978 novel Narmadipudava. The book won her the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979. She also received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award in 2010 for overall contribution to Malayalam literature.

Defence Indigenous very short-range missile systems tested twice The DRDO conducted two consecutive successful flight tests of Very Short-Range Air Defence missiles at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha. In another development, the maiden flight test of the Power Take off (PTO) Shaft was successfully conducted on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA-Tejas) Limited Series Production (LSP)-3 aircraft in Bengaluru. “The flight tests were carried out from a ground-based man portable launcher against high-speed unmanned aerial targets, mimicking approaching and receding aircraft. The targets were successfully intercepted, meeting all mission objectives.”    Eminent Persons  Surekha is first woman to operate Vande Bharat train Surekha Yadhav, Asia’’s first woman loco pilot, has become the first woman to operate the newly introduced semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express trains. A native of Satara district of Maharashtra, Ms. Yadav piloted the train between Solapur and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. She was felicitated at the CSMT. “Vande Bharat – powered by Nari Shakti. Appointments Madhav Kaushik, a city-based writer and literary organiser, has been appointed as the president of the National Sahitya Akademi. vice president: Kumud Sharma About Sahitya Akademi Sahitya Akademi award established in 1954, is a literary honour that is conferred annually by Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of letters. Akademi gives 24 awards annually to literary works in the languages it has recognized and an equal number of awards to literary translations from and into the languages of India. The Sahitya Akademi award is the second-highest literary honour by the Government of India, after the Jnanpith award.

Defence Exercise La Perouse 2023: The third edition of the multilateral exercise La Perouse is scheduled to be conducted in the Indian Ocean Region from 13 to 14 March 2023. About the Exercise: This edition will witness participation of personnel, ships and integral helicopters of Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Indian Navy, Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, Royal Navy and the United States Navy. The biennial exercise La Perouse is conducted by the French Navy. Aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness and optimising maritime coordination amongst the participating navies in the Indo-Pacific Region. The two day exercise provides an opportunity for likeminded navies to develop closer links in planning, coordination and information sharing for seamless maritime operations. The exercise will witness complex and advanced naval operations including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, air defence exercises, cross deck landings and tactical manoeuvres. Indigenously built guided missile frigate INS Sahyadri and fleet tanker INS Jyoti will be participating in this edition of the exercise. Eminent Persons Tamil literary giant Ki Raja Narayanan, popularly known as Ki Ra, on his birth centenary year, at a function organised at the Dr. MGR Janaki College of Arts and Science in Chennai.   Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was the chief guest at the event. He published a collection of essays titled 'One Hundred'. In 1991, he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Gopalla Gramam. Which was set in the Karisal landscape and based on the migration of telugu speaking people. Most of the short stories are written about the lifestyle of the people of Kari Sal land. In it, it highlights the challenges they face on a daily basis. As a result, he becomes the father of Tamil Nadu's Karisal literature. Awards & Honours: OSCAR Awards 2023 RRR song, the Elephant Whisperers win Oscars The 95th Academy Awards ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA,…

Eminent Persons Tamil scholar Avvai Natarajan dies at 86 Tamil scholar Avvai Natarajan, who served as the Vice-Chancellor of Tamil University in Thanjavur and known for his exceptional oratorical skills, died in Chennai He taught Tamil in Raja Serfoji Government College in Thanjavur and Thiagarajar College in Madurai for a few years in the late 1950s and 1960s. He worked as news reader in All India Radio. He was brought to the Department of Information and Public Relations of Tamil Nadu government when M. Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister in 1974. He served as the Secretary of the Department of Tamil Development and Culture. He was the Vice-Chancellor of the Tamil University from 1992 to 1995. Later, he served as the Vice Chairperson in the Governing Board of Central Institute of Classical Tamil. He was the General Secretary of the 5th World Tamil Conference (WTC) held in Madurai. He was the member of the committee for the 7th World Tamil Conference (WTC) which was held in Mauritius. Awards and Honour Padma Shri - 2011 Kalaimamani Award - 2009 Perarignar Anna Award - 2010 Notable Works Vazvikka Vantha Vallalar (வாழ்விக்க வந்த வள்ளலார்) Peraringar Anna (பேரறிஞர் அண்ணா) Kambar Virunthu (கம்பர் விருந்து)    Kambar Kaatchi (கம்பர் காட்சி) Bharathi Palsuvai (பாரதி பல்சுவை) Tirupaavai Vilakkam (திருப்பாவை விளக்கம்)  Tiruvenpaavai Vilakkam (திருவெம்பாவை விளக்கம்) Sangam Age Literary Feminist Poets (சங்க இலக்கியப் பெண்பாற் புலவர்கள்) Arulukku Avvai Sonnathu (அருளுக்கு அவ்வை சொன்னது) Thirukkovaiyar (English) (திருக்கோவையார்) Pulamai Selviyar (புலமைச் செல்வியர்)