Correct Answer :   Shekhar Kapur

---

The upcoming 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India, which is set to be held in Goa, has announced its International Jury panel.

The jury will be headed by acclaimed filmmaker "Shekhar Kapur", who is known for films like ‘Bandit Queen’, ‘Mr. India’ and ‘Masoom’.

The international jury members include Spanish cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine, who is known for his collaborations with Pedro Almodovar, producer Jerome Paillard, producer Catherine Dussart and producer Helen Leake.

They will judge the International Competition and Best Debut Feature Film of a Director Award at the Festival.

The ‘International Competition’ is a selection of 15 acclaimed feature films of important genres, representing the emerging trends in the aesthetics sense and politics of film as envisioned by masters and young voices alike.

The international jury will select the winner of the coveted Best Film Award which includes the Golden Peacock, Rs 40 lakh monetary component and certificates for the Director and Producer.

Apart from the Best Film, the jury will also give verdict on the winners in the Best Director, Best Actor (Male), Best Actor (Female) and Special Jury Prize categories.

The ‘Competition For Best Debut Feature Film Of a Director’ section will see seven debutants competing for the coveted Silver Peacock, Rs 10 lakh and a certificate.

Earlier, it was announced that the Manipuri film ‘Andro Dreams’ will be the opening film of the Indian Panorama non-feature section.

Organised under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Indian Panorama segment, considered the festival’s flagship component, will feature a total of 45 films, consisting of 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films.

The 54th edition of IFFI is set to be held in Goa from November 20-28, 2023..

Source : The States Man

Correct Answer :   Narendra Modi

---

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched 'Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)’ platform for youth of the country on 31st October 2023, at Kartavya Path on the National Unity Day.

* In a momentous decision on October 11, 2023, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, gave its approval for the establishment of an autonomous body known as "Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)."



THE VISION :

* 'Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)’ is envisioned as a pivotal, technology-driven facilitator for youth development and youth-led development, with the overarching goal of providing equitable opportunities to empower the youth in realizing their aspirations and contributing to the creation of a “Viksit Bharat” (developed India), across the entire spectrum of the Government.

* It envisions a framework where the youth of our country can seamlessly connect with programs, mentors, and their local communities. This engagement is designed to deepen their understanding of local issues and empower them to contribute to constructive solutions.

ABOUT MERA YUVA BHARAT (MY BHARAT) :

* Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), an autonomous body will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National Youth Policy. The beneficiaries  will be in the age-group of 10-19 years.

* Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is  'Phygital Platform' (physical + digital) comprising physical activity along with an opportunity to connect digitally.

NEED FOR SUCH BODY :

* Role of youth in Amrit Kaal : India’s youth are to play a critical role in defining the future of the nation - especially at the pivotal juncture of India’s 75 years of independence, as the country embarks on a paradigm-shifting development journey over the next 25 years of building an Amrit Bharat by 2047.
* Establishing a framework for bringing youth from diverse areas under a single platform : Vision 2047 requires a framework that can bring rural youth, urban youth and Rurban youth on a single platform. The existing schemes of the Government were designed and launched at different points in time over the last 50 years with the then prevailing understanding of the needs of rural youth in our society. The dynamic shifts in the urban-rural landscape have necessitated a re-evaluation of these approaches. It is imperative to create a framework that unites rural, urban, and rurban youth on a common platform. Mera Yuva Bharat will help to create such a framework.
* Establishing a new contemporary technology-led platform to engage with the present-day youth : In today's fast-paced world, characterized by rapid communication, the prevalence of social media, and the emergence of new digital tools and cutting-edge technologies, a technology-driven platform can connect youth to programmes that can help them improve their capabilities and also connect them with community activities.
* Ensuring accessibility by creating a phygital ecosystem : The Mera Yuva Bharat platform will create a phygital ecosystem and empower young individuals to become catalysts for community transformation. They would act as "Yuva Setu," linking the government with its citizens. Recently, a web portal of the Department of Youth Affairs, yuva.gov.in, hosted a nation-wide program called “Meri Maati Mera Desh” in which 50 million young people participated and helped to plant 23 million saplings to create Amrit Vatikas pan-India. Mera Yuva Bharat would help to create and sustain such a phygital ecosystem that connects millions of young people in a network seamlessly.

OBJECTIVES :

The primary objective of Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is to make it a whole of Government platform dedicated to the advancement of the youth. Its objectives include:

* Leadership Development in the Youth
* Improve the leadership skills through experiential learning by shifting from isolated physical interaction to programmatic skills
* Investing in youth to make them social innovators, and leaders in the communities
* Better alignment between the aspirations of the youth and the community needs
* Enhanced efficiency through Convergence of existing programmes
* Act as a one-stop shop for young people and Ministries
* Create a centralized youth database
* Improved two-way communication to connect youth government initiatives and activities of other stakeholder that engage with youth
* Ensuring accessibility by creating a Phygital Ecosystem - a blend of physical and digital experiences..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Nokia

---

Nokia has teamed up with broadband provider Tata Play Fiber to roll out India's first WiFi6-ready broadband network, the companies said on Thursday (26th Oct 2023).

As part of the deal, the Finnish gear maker will provide Tata Play Fiber with a variety of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and WiFi equipment, including optical line terminal (OLT) and optical network terminal (ONT) with WiFi6 and mesh beacons to bolster the broadband network's presence in India

“Our partnership with Nokia allows us to bring Wifi6-ready network to our customers - which is a first in the category. The deployment of this next generation best-in-class optical networking solution will boost up speed & coverage for multiple smart gadgets in all tech-dependent homes and enterprises," said Anand N Sahai, CEO at Tata Play Fiber.

Vinish Bawa, head of enterprise, Webscale & Emerging business, India, at Nokia, said, “Nokia has been the world leader in optical line terminal (OLT) technologies, and we are proud to be a close partner for Tata Play Fiber in India. This deal is an extension of the work we have already done together and will also notch up a first for India by upgrading the network to be WiFi6 ready."

As broadband consumption rises in homes and businesses, there's a soaring demand for robust, high-capacity connections. Future-proof fiber and in-house solutions, like the WiFi 6 technology, become crucial to cater to changing user needs.

WiFi 6, offering an improved indoor experience, can be set up in a mesh or interconnected router system, ensuring faster internet over vast areas, supporting low-latency tasks like gaming, and offering enhanced gigabit speeds to numerous devices. Moreover, it ups the ante on network security.

Nokia said that its Mesh technology which will ensure seamless coverage for large customer premises and areas with barriers like concrete walls. Nokia’s WiFi6 mesh technology is ideally suited to residential homes with large and/or multi-floor spaces, as well as for SOHO enterprises, which represent a large addressable market in India.

Another differentiating feature of the Nokia solution is the use of its AI/ML software to identify traffic patterns, faults and potential outages in the GPON network so as to optimize the end user experience, it added..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   United Kingdom

---

The first-ever global artificial intelligence safety summit kicked off in the United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday (1st Nov 2023).

Organized by the UK government, the summit is being held under strict security measures in Bletchley Park near the city of Milton Keynes, as technology ministers from many countries are discussing the advantages of AI, including transformational and advancing drug discovery, safer and cleaner transport, improving public services, as well as speeding up and improving diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The AI safety summit “will focus on how to best manage the risks from the most recent advances in AI,” according to a UK government statement.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has laid out the summit’s aims as agreeing on the risks of AI and informing how they can be managed, a better international collaboration, and how safe AI can be used for good in global scale.

Sunak said that he will be joining world representatives and business leaders “to drive these important talks forward.”

“We’ll be discussing what the next five years look like for AI, and the action we’ll need to take to ensure it’s developed safely, both in the short and long term,” he added.

The second and third AI safety summits will be held in South Korea in six months’ time and then in France in one year’s time, she also said.

King Charles III :

Connecting to the summit via video link, UK’s King Charles III said the “rapid rise of powerful artificial intelligence is considered by many of the greatest thinkers of our age to be no less significant, no less important than the discovery of electricity, the splitting of the atom, the creation of the worldwide web, or even the harnessing of fire.”

He continued: “AI holds the potential to completely transform life as we know it helps us better treat and perhaps even cure conditions like cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s (disease).”

The king added: “However, if we are to realize the untold benefits, then we must work together on combating its significant risks to AI continues to advance with ever greater speed towards models that somebody could surpass human abilities even human understanding. There is a clear imperative to ensure that this rapidly evolving technology remains safe and secure.”..

Source : AA

Correct Answer :   Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS)

---

The company announced 1st Nov 2023 that Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) received type-certification for its drone product, DOPO, from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

"DOPO is a multipurpose drone, and with this type of certification, it can be deployed across multiple industries like survey, mapping, inspection, agriculture, surveillance, and disaster management."

"Throttle Aerospace Systems was India’s first company to receive a provisional drone license from DGCA, qualified for the Government of India’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, and is licensed to make drones for the defence industry," the company said in an exchange filing.

Commenting on the occasion, Mrs. Anjali Rattan, Business Chairperson of RattanIndia Enterprises Limited, said, “We are thrilled to receive the prestigious DGCA’s certification & approval for the quality and performance of our drone, DOPO. This certification is a testament to our unwavering dedication towards ensuring the highest standard of safety, reliability, and performance of our products & services. This reflects our company’s commitment to meet and exceed regulatory standards while delivering cutting-edge solutions to our customers through our make-in-India products."

RattanIndia Enterprises is engaged in new-age businesses including e-commerce (Cocoblu Retail), electric vehicles (Revolt Motors), fintech (Wefin), fashion brands (Neobrands), and drones (Neosky).

Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) is a subsidiary of NeoSky India Ltd. and is one of India’s fastest-growing drone hardware & software makers, based out of Bangalore, India. The company said TAS has qualified for the Government of India’s PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) scheme.

TAS’s parent company, 'NeoSky', has a DGCA Drone RPTO (Remote Pilot Training Organisation) license.

In January of this year, the company successfully acquired the market-leading electric motorcycle manufacturer, Revolt Motors. According to the company, the flagship model of Revolt Motors, the RV400, has been experiencing strong demand and is renowned as the most technologically advanced bike globally..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Rajeev Chandrasekhar

---

Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is set to participate in the “AI Safety Summit 2023” that is scheduled to be held at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire in United Kingdom (UK) on November 1-2, 2023.

This two-day summit, organized by the UK Government, will bring together Ministers and representatives from various countries, including the UK, US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, South Korea, among others.

The summit will see the participation of leading global think tanks, renowned academic institutions specializing in AI, and government representatives from like-minded nations.

On the first day, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will address the attendees during a plenary session. His address will focus on India’s approach and commitment to harness the transformative potential of AI to enhance the lives of its citizens while emphasizing the importance of effectively addressing user harm and mitigating risks.

Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will also participate in discussions related to “Frontier AI risks,” with a specific focus on “Risks to Global Safety from Frontier AI Misuse.” These discussions will delve into safety risks associated with recent and next-generation frontier AI models, including their implications for biosecurity and cybersecurity.

On the second day of the summit, the Minister will contribute to discussions regarding the establishment of a collaborative framework for AI among like-minded nations. He will shed light on India’s perspective concerning AI risks in areas such as disinformation and electoral security.

Overall, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will engage in meaningful dialogues with his counterparts from around the world, centered on the theme of “AI for Good.” He will also underscore Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision, wherein AI is regarded as a kinetic enabler in propelling India’s digital economy, which has witnessed remarkable growth over the past nine years.

Addressing the subject in the past, the Minister has stated, “AI, like any other technology, will be disruptive, but it can also be abused by criminals. As a result, we have drafted the Digital India Act, a framework for all emerging technologies, including AI, and established the principle that technology can be used for any purpose but must not cause harm.

By 2025-2026, at least over 1 Billion Indians will be online. So, it is our responsibility to ensure that all of them are safe from the misuse of AI on social media.”

Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire is known to be a historically significant location as it was the base for World War II code-breaking operations..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Thailand

---

This is just the right time if you are planning a trip to Thailand as the country is visa-free for Indian passport holders.

The country has announced temporary removal of visa requirements for Indian as well as Taiwan passport holders, visiting Thailand from next month till May 2024.

Thailand Tourism has extended the facility for a stay of upto 30 days in the country.

It has to be noted that India is the fourth largest market for tourism in Thailand and the country has seen 12 lakh arrivals till now this year (2023), just from India. Passenger numbers to Thailand from India come right after Malaysia, China and South Korea.

Thai Tourism also extended the facility to travellers from China in a bid to woo more tourists, especially after the hit it took during COVID.

The decision has come as good news for Indians, preceded by Sri Lanka's announcement of visa-free entry for Indian travellers.

As a trend, it has been noted that Indian travellers are being increasingly pursued by tourism authorities and boards of several international destinations.

As per the data by Indian authorities, people travelling abroad from India have increased, with the top destinations being the UAE, Saudi Arabia, USA, Singapore, Thailand, UK, Qatar, Kuwait, Canada and Oman..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Uttarakhand

---

Norway will help fund India’s ‘Hunger Project’ and help strengthen women leaders to protect the environment and promote food security in Uttarakhand.

The duration of the project would be three years, until September 2026 with a budget of ₹44.7 million, an official said.

The hunger project organizes capacity-building training for elected women representatives (EWRs) and federations, focusing on strengthening van panchayats (forest councils) which in turn will ensure food security and livelihood opportunities for marginalized households.

The programme will strengthen elected women’s leadership in gram panchayats so that they can play a pivotal role in conserving forests and natural resources, devise and adopt strategies to promote sustainable living, food security and collaborate with members of van panchayats and the local community, especially women.

The project will be implemented in 3 districts, 9 blocks, 172 gram panchayats and 145 van panchayats of Uttarakhand involving 900 EWRs for the protection of standing forests and nurturing their immediate environment that is crucial to the community’s livelihoods and food security.

Additionally, it will enhance awareness of local communities via 334 Jagrukh Manchs to effectively combat climate change risks collectively, the official informed.

The expected outcome of the project includes capacity building of elected women representatives (EWRs) and federations, an advanced environment, friendly development agendas in Panchayats, strengthening institutional processes to manage and conserve forest commons, mitigate climate risks, ensuring food security and livelihood opportunities for marginalised households, the official added.

Queries sent to spokespeople of the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi and Indian ministries of finance, food & public distribution and climate change remained unanswered at press time..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   31st October

---

In India, October 31 is observed as National Unity Day. In 2014, the Indian government implemented it. Many people observe October 31st as National Unity Day to commemorate and spread awareness of the importance of bringing people together to unite and foster a positive attitude toward the unity of all nations. It is crucial to concentrate on every aspect of uniting the nation of India. To create a strong India Country, it is imperative that the country be united and that all of its citizens concentrate on every aspect of the field.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2023 :

Every year on October 31, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, is observed to honor Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an Indian freedom warrior who served as the country’s first deputy prime minister and home minister after independence. He played a key role in uniting the 565 semi-autonomous princely nations and colonial provinces from the British Empire to form the modern nation of India. The nation currently observes Sardar Patel’s birthday as National Unity Day in honor of his contributions to the creation of a unified India.

People celebrate the day by taking part in events like runs for unity. Most people recognize Sardar Patel as one of the founding fathers of the Indian Republic. This is because shortly after India and Pakistan were divided, he was instrumental in uniting the separate provinces into a single India. In addition, he served as India’s Home Minister during the 1947 Indo-Pakistani War and India’s political unification.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas theme :

National Day was first established by Narendra Modi in 2014. The theme for National Unity Day 2023 will be announced shortly for this year. But you can check the previous few year’s theme from below.

Ekta Diwas 2023 Campaign :

The National Unity Week will be held from October 25 to October 31, 2023, as part of the “Meri Maati Mera Desh” campaign, which aims to honor the courageous freedom warriors who gave their lives in defense of our freedom and to propagate the message of national unity and the spirit of Rashtriya Ekta. The Ministry has instructed all relevant entities to organize appropriate programs in support of the “Meri Maati Mera Desh” campaign. Swearing-in ceremony has to be organized in every office. “Run of Unity” and integration programs will also be organized..

Source : Bscnursing2022

Correct Answer :   Manipur

---

* Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh sent a powerful message of unity and harmony as he participated in the Mera Houchongba 2023 celebrations in Imphal.

* Aim : To bring together the diverse communities of the state, emphasizing the strong bond between the people of the hills and the valley.


About Mera Hounchongba :

* The festival is observed and celebrated during the month of ‘Mera,’ which typically falls in September or October..

Source : India Today