1 President Draupadi Murmu receives honorary doctorate in political science in Algeria
President Draupadi Murmu was conferred with an honorary doctorate in political science from Sidi Abdellah Pole University of Science and Technology in Algiers , the capital of Algeria . The doctorate was conferred by Kamal Baddari, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Algeria. In the last leg of the visit, the President will visit Malawi from 17 to 19 October . During the visit, the President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings and interact with key business and industry leaders and Indian diaspora in Malawi.
2 PM Modi inaugurates ITU – WTSA and 8th India Mobile Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Scindia inaugurated the ‘ ITU-WTSA (International Telecommunication Union – World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly)’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 15 October . Along with this, PM Modi also inaugurated the 8th ‘India Mobile Congress 2024’ . 3,000 industrial leaders, policy makers and technical experts from more than 190 countries are participating in ITU – WTSA. Apart from this, India Mobile Congress 2024 will provide information about many latest innovations, updates on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 6G development etc. The theme of the 8th edition of India Mobile Congress is ‘ The Future is now’.
3 Parmesh Sivamani took charge as Director General of Indian Coast Guard
Paramesh Sivamani has taken over as the 26th Director General of the Indian Coast Guard . He is an alumnus of the National Defence College and the Defence Services Staff College in Tamil Nadu . He was awarded the Tatrakshak Medal in 2014 and the President’s Tatrakshak Medal in 2019. He was also awarded the Director General Tatrakshak Commendation in 2012.
4 India and Colombia signed an MoU on audio-visual co-production in New Delhi
India and Colombia signed an MoU on audio-visual co-production in New Delhi . Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan signed the agreement with Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Jorge Rojas Rodriguez . The agreement will promote collaboration between Indian and Colombian filmmakers , encourage co-productions and strengthen cultural ties.
5 Army renamed Kaksar Bridge in Ladakh as Captain Amit Bhardwaj Bridge
Paying tribute to the heroes of the Kargil war in Ladakh, the Army has renamed the Kaksar Bridge as Captain Amit Bhardwaj Setu . The initiative has been taken as part of various events being organised to mark the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas . Captain Bhardwaj made the supreme sacrifice while protecting the motherland in the 1999 Kargil war.
6 Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav launched ‘Shetkari Samriddhi’ special Kisan train
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav inaugurated the ‘ Shetkari Samridhi ‘ special Kisan Rail from Devlali in Maharashtra to Danapur in Bihar . Its objective is to ensure that the crops of the farmers of Maharashtra reach other states of the country quickly . This train will stop at many major stations including Nashik, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Itarsi, Jabalpur, Satna, and Deendayal Upadhyay, giving farmers an opportunity to sell their produce at the right time and at the right price. Farmers will be able to send their crops from areas like Devlali and Nashik to Bihar at a rate of just Rs 4 per kg. Parcel vans as well as ordinary class coaches have been installed in this train for small and big farmers, which will provide travel convenience to both farmers and laborers.
7 Dia Mirza appointed jury member for ALT Environment Film Festival 2024
Bollywood actress and environmental activist Dia Mirza has been appointed as a jury member for the 2024 edition of the All Living Things Environment Film Festival (ALT EFF) . ALT EFF will run from November 22 to December 8. The festival will screen 72 films, highlighting important environmental issues such as climate change and wildlife conservation. This year’s ALT EFF aims to expand its reach beyond traditional places. For this, film screenings will be organized in 55 small towns and villages of India. Also, 45 screenings will be held in 14 major cities. All Living Things Environment Film Festival (ALT EFF) is a leading environment film festival in India.
8 ISRO Chairman S. Somnath receives IAF World Space Award
On October 14, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman S. Somnath received the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) World Space Award . The ISRO chief has received this award for the remarkable achievement of Chandrayaan-3 . The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) has described ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission as a great example of scientific curiosity and economical engineering. The IAF World Space Award is one of the biggest honors in the field of space exploration. It is given to individuals or organizations in the field of space science, technology and exploration. This award was established by the International Astronautical Federation. Earlier, the recipients of the IAF World Space Award include big space agencies like NASA and individuals like Elon Musk, who have made a big contribution in the field of space. Chandrayaan-3 is India’s third lunar exploration mission, which was launched to explore the south polar region of the moon (Lunar Exploration Mission).
9 Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced 3 Artificial Intelligence Centers of Excellence in New Delhi
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced three Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence focused on Health, Agriculture and Sustainable Cities in New Delhi , for which Rs. 990.00 crore has been sanctioned. Shri Pradhan said that these centres will play a key role in promoting research, innovation and economy and public welfare. These centres will be set up at AIIMS New Delhi , Indian Institute of Technology Ropar and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur . The Centre at AIIMS New Delhi will work in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in the area of health, the Centre at Indian Institute of Technology Ropar in the area of agriculture and the Centre at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in the area of sustainable cities.
10 India signs deal with US to purchase 31 MQ-9B Predator drones
In a major boost to its defence capabilities , India has signed a deal with the US to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator drones aimed at enhancing India’s operational preparedness and military capabilities. The deal includes MQ-9B Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian drones for the three services . The Defence Ministry signed the deal with the US government in the presence of Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane in New Delhi. The ministry also signed a separate agreement with General Automics Global India Pvt Ltd for indigenous procurement, maintenance, repair and upkeep of the drones.
11 Shooting: Sonam Uttam Maskar won silver medal in women’s 10m air rifle event at ISSF World Cup 2024
Indian shooter Sonam Uttam Maskar has won the silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup 2024 being played in Delhi . 22-year-old Maskar secured second place in the final with 252.9 points. China’s Yuting Hong won the gold medal in the competition while French shooter Oceane Muller won the bronze medal. In the same competition, another Indian shooter Tilottama Sen finished sixth with 167.7 points.