National Reading Day: 19 June
National Reading Day is celebrated every year on 19th June by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The day is dedicated to the father of ‘Library Movement in Kerala’, late P.N. Panikar is celebrated to honor PN Panicker, whose death anniversary falls on June 19.
The week after 19th June will be observed as Reading Week and the entire month till 18th July will be observed as Reading Month.
IIT Bombay hosted the BRICS Network University Conference 2021
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay hosted a three-day virtual conference of BRICS Network Universities on Electric Mobility.
Theme of the BRICS Network University Conference: “Electric Mobility”
The 13th BRICS Summit 2021 was chaired by India.
Establishment of BRICS: 2009
Founders: China, India, Brazil, Russia (BRIC)
South Africa joined in 2010 (BRICS)
Indian environmental organization ‘Family Forestry’ wins prestigious United Nations award
The United Nations Association for the Resistance to Desertification (UNCCD) has awarded the prestigious Land for Life Award for 2021 to Rajasthan-based environmental organization “Family Forestry”.
Theme of the Award 2021 “Healthy Land, Healthy Life”
Founder of Family Forestry: Shyam Sundar Jyani
The Land for Life Award was launched in 2011 at UNCCD COP (Conference of Parties) 10 and is considered the world’s highest award with respect to land conservation and restoration.
India’s great sprinter Milkha Singh passed away
India’s great sprinter ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh passed away at the age of 91 due to corona infection.
A four-time Asian Games gold medalist, Milkha also won a gold medal in the 1958 Commonwealth Games.
His best performance was at the 1960 Rome Olympics in which he finished fourth in the 400 m final.
He also represented India in 1956 and 1964 Olympics.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1959.
A film ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ has also been made on the life of Milkha Singh, in which Farhan Akhtar played his character.
RBI is second only to Turkey in terms of surplus transfer
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stood second in terms of reserves transferred to the government as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) for the financial year 2020-21.
While Turkey ranks first.
In FY 2020, RBI was at the fourth position.
RBI has transferred a surplus of Rs 99,122 crore to the government for FY21.
The surplus transferred by the RBI is 0.44% of GDP, while that of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey is 0.5% of GDP.
Malaysia (0.26%) is at number three.
Global Peace Index 2021
Recently the 15th edition of the Global Peace Index, 2021 was released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
Ranking has been given to 163 countries of the world in this index.
Main theme of the index: ‘Measurement of Peace in a Complex World’
Ranking:
Iceland – 1 (Most peaceful country in the world)
New Zealand – 2
Denmark – 3
Afghanistan – 163 (world’s most disturbed country)
Yemen – 162
Syria – 161
India has been ranked 135th in this index.
Whereas India was ranked 137 in the year 2020.
Bhutan – 22
Nepal – 85
Bangladesh – 91
Sri Lanka – 95
Pakistan – 150
The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the world’s first wooden satellite in 2021
The European Space Agency (ESA) will launch the world’s first wooden satellite.
Whose name is “Visa Woodsat”.
This satellite will be launched from New Zealand.
It is a nano satellite.
The length, width and height of this satellite is 10 cm.
A thin layer of aluminum oxide has been applied to reduce the vapor from the wood and protect it from the corrosive effects of atomic oxygen.
ESA Headquarters: Paris, France
Current CEO: Johann-Dietrich Wern
British lawyer Karim Khan sworn in as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
UK lawyer Karim Khan has been sworn in as the new Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He replaced Fatou Bensouda of The Gambia.
Establishment of the International Criminal Court: 1 July 2002
Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands
President: Piotr Hofmanski (Poland)
International Court of Justice (ICJ) established: 26 June 1945
President: Joan Donoghue (USA)
Presently Judge of India in International Court of Justice: Dalveer Bhandari
First Indian Chief Justice in ICJ: Dr. Nagendra Singh
The ICJ is one of the 6 principal organs of the United Nations, it mainly hears disputes between nations.
Whereas ICC prosecutes individuals.
World Competitiveness Index 2021
The World Competitiveness Index 2021 was released by the Management Development Institute (IMD).
In this index, India has been placed 43rd out of 64 countries.
This index examined the impact of COVID-19 on economies around the world in 2021.
Ranking:
Switzerland – 1
Sweden – 2
Denmark – 3
Telangana AI Mission launches ‘Revv Up’ accelerator program for AI startups
Telangana Government launched the NASSCOM-run Telangana Artificial Intelligence Mission (T-AIM) accelerator program named “Rev Up” to empower AI startups.
NASSCOM Established: 1 March 1988
Headquarters: New Delhi
President: UB Praveen Rao
