Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar- Minister of State, Electronics and Information Technology, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India in august presence of Shri S S Ahluwalia, Member of Parliament Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha inaugurated two new Internet Exchange points (IXP) of National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) at Durgapur and Bardhman on 10th of July 2022. 

 

The launch of these Internet exchanges is under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India vision to connect every Indian with open, safe & trusted and accountable internet and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) vision 1000 days.

 

The launch event was graced by several guests including Mayor of Durgapur Anindita Mukherjee, Shri Pradip Kr. Mazumder, MLA Durgapur Purba, Shri Lakshman Chandra Ghorui, MLA Durgapur Paschim and Shri Khokan Das MLA BardhamanDakshin and Shri Paresh Chandra Sarkar, Mayor of Bardhaman, members of Chamber of Commerce and representatives of Civil Society..

Source : PIB

India has given a boost to self-reliance in safeguarding its space assets with ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operation and Management (IS4OM).

 

Union Minister of State for Space "Jitendra Singh" would inaugurate the IS4OM here on Monday(11th July 2022), in the presence of Secretary in the Department of Space and Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation S Somanath.

 

IS40M is a system conceived with a holistic approach towards ensuring safety and sustainability of the space environment while reaping the benefits of sustainable utilisation of outer space for national development, according to ISRO.

 

“It’s part of the space situational awareness (SSA) programme to identify space debris and monitor them”, an ISRO official told PTI.

 

“It’s to identify the potential collision of our active satellites with other space objects and avoid collisions with proper maneuvering to save our space assets (satellites),” he said.

 

In addition, as part of IS4OM, dedicated labs have also been set up for space debris mitigation and remediation, compliance verification of UN/Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) guidelines and various R&D activities..

Source : The Print

State-run Coffee Board is planning to focus on developing new varieties that will be resistant to the changing climatic patterns. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Coffee Board and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was signed with regard to breeding climate-resilient varieties and assessing the carbon sequestration potential in coffee among others.

 

The Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka conducts plant-related research activities under the Board in the areas of plant breeding, agronomy, agriculture chemistry and soil science, plant physiology, pathology, entomology, and post-harvest technology, among others.

In recent years, coffee growers in the country have borne the brunt of changing climatic patterns. The number of extreme weather events affecting growers, such as excessive rain in a short period or deficit rainfall, is increasing..

Source : Hindu Businessline

The honourable President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the ‘Yuva Sammelan’ which was organized by ‘My Home India’ in New Delhi on 9th July 2022.

 

The President mentioned that the youth are the present and the future of India and their talent and ability plays a special role in making the country proud. He advised that youth should contribute the maximum for the progress of the country. He congratulated and felt pride that youth of the country have laid the foundation of many start-ups through talent and hard work. He mentioned that 103 Indian Unicorns with valuation of $336 billion are present today, which is one in every 10 unicorns is from India.

 

Highlighting the ancient history and diversity of the country the president congratulated ‘My Home India’ for spreading the spirit of national unity and integrity through campaigns and words like ‘One India.’..

Source : PIB

Scientists at IIT Madras have created a ground-breaking technology that can pinpoint an individual’s cancer-causing genes. The ‘Pivot,’ an Artificial Intelligence-based technology, will assist clinicians in developing individual-specific treatment plans for patients based on their DNA profiles.

 

The tool is based on a machine learning model that divides genes into tumour suppressors, or genes that prevent the development of cancer, cancer causing oncogenes or neutral genes.

 

“The model is to analyse information such as the frequency with which a gene mutates, its characteristics, the types of mutations, and the quantity of detrimental mutations to find the gene that causes cancer in a person, essentially to find uncommon genes that cause cancer,” Karthik Raman, associate professor and a core member of IIT Madras' Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

Source : Indian Express

Brijendra Kumar Syngal, former chairman of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited(VSNL), passed away late on Saturday(9th July 2022). He was 82.

 

An IITian, Syngal left satellite communications company Inmarsat to take charge of VSNL in 1991.

 

Under his watch, the company rolled out India's internet service and launched its then biggest global depository receipt issue.

 

Syngal, referred to as father of internet in India, joined Reliance following a controversial exit from VSNL. In recent years, he was associated with a consulting firm..

Source : Business Standard

National Fish Farmers Day is celebrated on 10th July every year to demonstrate solidarity with all fisher folk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholders throughout the Country. It is 65th National Fish Farmers Day being celebrated across the Country.

 

National Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is celebrating the National Fish Farmers Day on 10th July 2022 virtually at NFDB Hyderabad from 10.30 am  to 12.45 pm. Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan , Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying will grace the occasion.

 

Around 700 fish farmers,  aquapreneurs  & fisher folks, professionals, officials and scientists from across the nation are expected to participate in the event. During the event, launching  of 4 Nos of Posters as an outreach on Domestic Fish Consumption and sustainable production shall be released.

2 Nos shall be released on  “Fish for Motherhood” & “Fish Nutrients and their Wellness Benefits” by  Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and 2 Nos of posters shall be released on “Sustainable Fishing Practices” & “State Fishes of India” by Dr. L.Murugan,  Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying..

Source : PIB

Prime Minister "Narendra Modi" attends the first 'Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture' (AJML) on Friday (July 8th, 2022) at Vigyan Bhavan in the national capital. While attending the event, Modi also addressed the gathering. The keynote address at the first AJML was delivered by Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister, Government of Singapore, on 'Growth through Inclusivity, Inclusivity through Growth'. 

 

 

* PM Narendra Modi to speak at Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture in Delhi on Friday

 

* Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a senior minister of Singapore govt, will deliver keynote address: PMO

 

* Finance Ministry organised the lecture in recognition of Jaitley's invaluable contribution to India

 

The lecture will be followed by a panel discussion by Mathias Cormann (OECD Secretary-General) and Arvind Panagariya (Professor, Columbia University).

 

A PMO release said that the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance has organised the first 'Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture' in recognition of the former union minister's invaluable contribution to the nation.

 

Prime Minister will also interact with the delegates participating in the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC), a three-day event being organised from July 8 to 10, 2022.

Source : India TV News

 

A tribal council in Meghalaya has called for a meeting of traditional heads to revisit the Instrument of Accession, that made the Khasi domain a part of the Indian Union seven decades ago.

 

Meghalaya is divided into three regions dominated by as many matrilineal communities — the Khasis, Garos and Jaintias. The Khasi hills straddle 25 Himas or States that formed the Federation of Khasi States. 

 

Titosstarwell Chyne, the chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) agreed that the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement signed with the Dominion of India between December 15, 1947 and March 19, 1948, should be studied. The treaty was signed by Governor General of India, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, on August 17, 1948.

 

“Understanding the paragraphs of the agreement is important as many provisions are missing from the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” Pynshngain N. Syiem, Congress leader in the KHADC, said..

Source : Epaper.Thehindu

On 7th July 2022, US Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said the US government must not impose sanctions on India under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for its purchase of S-400 missile weapons system from Russia.

 

* The Biden administration has not yet issued a clear statement on whether India might be subjected to sanctions under CAATSA, even as India began receiving the weapons from Russia in late 2021.

* CAATSA is a law that came into effect in the US in 2017, meant to punish countries having deep engagements with Russia, North Korea, and Iran using economic sanctions. It said countries having a “significant transaction” with Russian intelligence and military agents will be subject to at least five kinds of sanctions.

* Why did the US enact a law like CAATSA? The US flagged issues of Russia’s alleged interference in the 2016 Presidential elections, and its role in the Syrian war as some of the reasons for punishing engagement with it.

* India has purchased the S-400 Triumf missile systems, which have advanced capabilities to judge the distance from a target and launch a surface-to-air missile attack.

* However, the application of CAATSA is not limited to the S-400, and may include other joint ventures for manufacturing or developing weapons in the future, or any other kinds of major deals with Russia.