1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Tata Aircraft Complex for the manufacture of C-295 aircraft along with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on October 28 and will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects. Mr Modi will inaugurate the Tata Aircraft Complex for the manufacture of C-295 aircraft along with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez . Spanish President Pedro Sanchez will be on an official visit to India till October 29. He will be accompanied by his wife Begona Gomez. Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate Bharat Mata Sarovar in Amreli and lay the foundation stone of projects worth about Rs 4,900 crore. These projects will benefit the state’s Amreli, Jamnagar, Morbi, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Junagadh, Porbandar, Kutch and Botad districts.
2 NTPC and Indian Army collaborate for sustainable energy in Ladakh
NTPC has partnered with the Indian Army on 25 October to set up a solar hydrogen-based microgrid in Chushul , Ladakh . This move will provide 24-hour power supply in Ladakh using green hydrogen . National Thermal Power Corporation i.e. NTPC has designed this solar hydrogen-based microgrid system to operate independently. In this, hydrogen is used as an energy storage medium , which will supply 200 kW of electricity round the clock throughout the year. It will replace the existing diesel generators at these places. It will provide power supply even in extreme winters. NTPC will be responsible for this project for the next 25 years. Its objective is to provide assistance to Indian soldiers deployed in important areas like Ladakh. NTPC has recently started the trial of hydrogen bus in Leh, so that renewable energy targets and carbon neutrality can be achieved in Ladakh.
3 Madhya Pradesh gets the gift of various road construction projects worth Rs 20,000 crore
To strengthen and modernize the infrastructure of Madhya Pradesh, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced road construction projects . Accordingly, approval has been given to road construction projects worth more than Rs 20,000 crore to the state. This information was given by the Public Works Minister of the state Rakesh Singh last Friday. He said that action is being taken rapidly to bring these projects on the ground soon. In the coming days, 27 projects to be started at a cost of about 20 thousand 403 crores will expand the routes and roads of the state, which will make traffic smooth as well as bring unprecedented improvement in road safety. Public Works Minister Rakesh Singh expressed his gratitude to Union Minister Gadkari and Chief Minister Dr. Yadav. He said that this gift is a big achievement for the state, which will give a new direction to the infrastructure development of the state. Road construction work will start in various areas of the state, which will establish new dimensions of economic and social progress along with improving traffic.
4 India ranked 176th in the first Global Nature Conservation Index, 2024
India has been ranked as one of the five worst performing countries in the recently released first Global Nature Conservation Index, 2024. India was ranked 176th out of 180 countries in terms of commitment to nature conservation . Small European country Luxembourg was ranked top while Pacific island country Kiribati was ranked bottom in the Global Nature Conservation Index . The Global Nature Conservation Index is prepared and released by The Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel and non-profit website BioDB.com. The first Global Nature Conservation Index was released in October 2024.
5 International Gita Festival 2024
The International Gita Mahotsav will be held from November 28 to December 15, 2024 at Kurukshetra , Haryana , showcasing a grand glimpse of Indian heritage, spirituality and culture. Since 2016, the event has expanded globally, helping spread the message of the Bhagavad Gita and enhance Haryana’s global presence. Initiated by the Haryana government, the Gita Mahotsav emphasises the significance of the holy land of Kurukshetra, where Lord Krishna preached the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna . Every year a partner country is chosen to take the message of the Gita to an international audience. In 2024, Tanzania will be the partner country for the festival, reflecting its global influence, while Odisha has been chosen as the partner state, promoting inter-state cultural exchange.
6 New molecules developed to treat Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists have designed and synthesized new molecules for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) through a mix of synthetic, computational and in-vitro studies . These non-toxic molecules may prove effective in treating this disease. Neurons are specialized cells in the brain that form the nervous system . The nervous system communicates between the brain and the rest of the body. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) disrupts this communication, leading to disruptions in learning and memory and changes in adaptive behavior. Alzheimer’s disease is caused by an imbalance in certain hormones. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and accounts for about 75 percent of all dementia cases. Currently, the treatment options available to cure Alzheimer’s disease are limited to one N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (memantine) and three anti-cholinesterase drugs (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine). But, approved anti-cholinesterase drugs suffer from limitations of short-term benefits and severe side effects that restrict their clinical applications. Recently, scientists Dr. Prasad Kulkarni and Dr. Vinod Ugale (SERB TARE Fellow) from the Agharkar Research Institute, Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have developed a rapid one-pot, three-component reaction with high synthetic yields to generate the new molecule.
7 Dr. Neena Malhotra appointed as ambassador to Sweden
The Government of India has appointed Dr. Neena Malhotra as the next Ambassador of India to Sweden . She is currently serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of External Affairs. Dr. Malhotra is a distinguished officer of the 1992 batch of the Indian Foreign Service. She has previously served as India’s Ambassador to Italy, the Republic of San Marino and the United Nations Organisations in Rome.
8 ADB approves $434 million loan for 500 MW solar plant in Assam
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $434.25 million loan to build a 500 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) facility in Assam ’s Karbi Anglong district . The Assam Solar Project aims to significantly add to the state’s renewable energy capacity, thereby strengthening energy security and promoting sustainable energy development in the region.
9 Manika Batra becomes first Indian to reach quarterfinals of WTT Champions event
Indian paddler Manika Batra qualified for the quarterfinals of the WTT Champions in Montpellier, France on 26 October . She registered a stunning 3-1 win over Romania’s Bernadette Szocs in the Round of 16. Thus, she became the first Indian player to qualify for the quarterfinals of a WTT Champions event . Batra became the first table tennis player from India to reach the last 16 of the singles table tennis competition at the Olympics.
10 Indian football team ranked 125th in FIFA rankings
The Indian men’s football team moved up one place to 125th in the latest FIFA rankings released on 24 October 2024. India improved their position thanks to a 1-1 draw against Vietnam in an international friendly earlier this month. Under the guidance of new coach Manolo Marquez, the team is still looking for its first win, as they have suffered one loss and two draws since his appointment. Despite this, India’s points tally has improved to 1133.78, improving their position in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) rankings, where they have now moved up to 22nd place, ahead of Vietnam. The top spot in the FIFA rankings is held by reigning world champions Argentina with 1883.5 points, followed by France, Spain, England and Brazil in the top five positions. Portugal and Italy have also improved marginally, while the Netherlands and Colombia have seen a slight drop in their rankings.
11 International Dwarfism Awareness Day 2024
International Dwarfism Awareness Day , which is observed every year on October 25 , highlights the lives and challenges of people affected by dwarfism, as well as raises awareness of conditions such as achondroplasia . The day encourages understanding and inclusion of people of short stature, breaking stereotypes and misconceptions. The history of this day dates back to 2012, when Little People of America (LPA) , founded in 1957 by actor Billy Barty , decided to celebrate this day to commemorate his birthday. Dwarfism refers to a condition in which a medical or genetic condition causes short stature, usually 4 feet 10 inches (147 cm) or less. The most common type of dwarfism is achondroplasia, a genetic disorder affecting bone growth.