PREFACE
It gives us great pleasure to release the monthly edition of the PRAVAHINI – Monthly e-Compendium & Weekly e-Periodicals of Current Affairs. The magazine’s members have shown considerable cooperation as well as devotion. We at successmantra.in work tirelessly to create this magazine and bring it to you with a great sense of gratitude.
The PRAVAHINI May-2022 eBook covers the current events that happened in the month of May. Current Affairs is a crucial component of any competitive exams including CLAT, AILET, DU-LLB, HM, CAT, IAS, PCS, SSC, Banking, MBA and various other competitive examinations.
Current Affairs play the bigger role in many competitive and government exams. It holds the power of making or breaking your chance of success. Therefore, the candidates should cover the Current Affairs thoroughly and smartly.
The PRAVAHINI May-2022 eBook is divided into different sections keeping in mind the need of various exams. The sections covered namely International, National, Economy, Ecology and Environment, Science & Technology, Legal Affairs, Sports, States News Makers and few others.
We would also be pleased to receive any suggestion that could assist us with the upcoming editions.
Success Mantra (GTB Nagar, Delhi)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
National Affairs
International Affairs
Economic Affairs
Appointments
Awards & Honor
Sports
Dates & Days
Report & Indexes
Science & Technology
Miscellaneous
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
RAJIV GANDHI ASSASSINATION CASE: SC VERDICT
The Supreme Court used Article 142 of the Constitution to grant AG Perarivalan, a convict in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, extraordinary powers to “do complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it.”
Perarivalan was released free by a bench of justices led by L.N. Rao and B.R. Gavai, who took into account his lengthy incarceration.
Perarivalan spent 29 of his 32 years in prison in solitary confinement until being granted bail by the Supreme Court in March 2022.
He spent 16 years on execution row before the court remitted his sentence to life imprisonment in 2014.
The court further noted that Perarivalan had filed his clemency plea under Article 161 with the Tamil Nadu Governor in 2015, and that the state cabinet had instructed the state’s chief executive to accept it in September 2018.
Background of the issue:
Rajiv Gandhi was slain in a suicide explosion at a rally in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, on May 21, 1991. Perarivalan was arrested on June 11, 1991, while he was only 19 years old.
On January 28, 1998, 26 persons were sentenced to death, including Perarivalan and his co-accused Nalini.
On May 11, 1999, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan, and Nalini.
PLACES OF WORSHIP (SPECIAL PROVISIONS) ACT, 1991
The Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the order of a civil court in Varanasi directing a videographic survey of the Maa Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex.
The principal contention is that the order of the Varanasi court which was upheld by Allahabad High Court is “clearly interdicted” by The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
What is the Places of Worship Act?
It is described as “l maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”
Exemption: The disputed site at Ayodhya was exempted from the Act. Due to this exemption, the trial in the Ayodhya case proceeded even after the enforcement of this law.
Besides the Ayodhya dispute, the Act also exempted: Any place of worship which is an ancient and historical monument, or an archaeological site covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of. Any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.
Penalty: Section 6 of the Act prescribes a punishment of a maximum of three years imprisonment along with a fine for contravening the provisions of the Act.
Criticism: The law has been challenged on the ground that it bars judicial review, which is a basic feature of the Constitution, imposes an “arbitrary irrational retrospective cutoff date,” and abridges the right to religion of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs.
What Are its Provisions?
Section 3: This section of the Act bars the conversion, in full or part, of a place of worship of any religious denomination into a place of worship of a different religious denomination or even a different segment of the same religious denomination.
Section 4(1): It declares that the religious character of a place of worship “shall continue to be the same as it existed” on 15th August 1947.
Section 4(2): It says any suit or legal proceeding with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship existing on 15th August, 1947, pending before any court, shall abate and no fresh suit or legal proceedings shall be instituted.
Section 5: It stipulates that the Act shall not apply to the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, and to any suit, appeal, or proceeding relating to it.
WHAT IS TAJ MAHAL CONTROVERSY?
A petition has been filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking directions to open 20 rooms of Taj Mahal to check for the presence of Hindu Idols.
The petition seeks a direction to the government to constitute a fact-finding committee to study and publish the 'real History of Taj Mahal' and to put to rest the controversy surrounding it. The petition has been filed by Rajneesh Singh.
The petitioner has argued that several Hindutva groups claim that the Taj Mahal is actually Tejo Mahalaya, an old Shiva temple.
He has sought directions from the Allahabad HC to the Archaeological Survey of India to open the rooms inside the monument to ascertain facts and check whether there are any idols or inscriptions hidden inside.
The petitioner asserted that there is no harm in opening these rooms and settling all controversies to rest. The writ petition was filed at the High Court on May 7, 2022. It will first be processed by the registry of the Lucknow bench and then taken up for hearing.
As per reports, the petition claims that King Paramardi Dev had built the Tejo Mahalaya temple palace in 1212 AD. The temple was then passed down to rulers and it was annexed by Shah Jahan in 1632 from king Jai Singh and converted into a memorial for his wife.
The petitioner claimed that it was absurd and beyond reality that the construction of a mausoleum takes 22 years for completion. He further stated that in many books, the wife of Shah Jahan is described as Mumtaz-ul-Zamani not Mumtaj Mahal.
The petition seeks to set aside the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951, under which Taj Mahal along with other monuments was declared as a historical monument.
The petitioner seeks that correct and complete historical facts about the monument should be disclosed to the public since crores of money is being invested for the preservation of the ancient monument.
GYANVAPI MOSQUE & VISHWANATH TEMPLE CONTROVERSY?
The legal dispute started in 1991 when a petition was filed through advocate Vijay Shankar Rastogi on behalf of the Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar, the main deity of the temple, claiming that a temple was constructed by Maharaja Vikramaditya about 2,050 years ago at the spot.
They alleged that this temple was then demolished by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1669 and the mosque was constructed thereafter, using and upon the ruins of the temple. The Gyanvapi Mosque is located in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Then about a century later, Ahilya Holkar, the queen of Indore built a new Kashi Vishwanath temple next to the mosque in 1780. It is considered the most significant shrine of Lord Shiva by many.
It is one of the more prominent of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva, Vishveshvara or Vishvanath, that is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana.
The High Court responded by staying the proceedings in the lower court, where the matter continued to remain pending for 22 years.
Then in December 2019, a month after the Supreme Court declared its judgment on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, VS Rastogi filed a plea on behalf of the same Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar seeking an archaeological survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex.
Rastogi filed the petition in the Varanasi court as the ‘next friend’ of the deity Visheshwar.
Despite the stay on the trial by the concerned high court which is yet to deliver its verdict, the Varanasi court ordered the ASI to conduct a survey of the mosque on 8 April 2021.
The Sunni Waqf Board has said that they will challenge the order. The Allahabad High Court stayed the archaeological study of the Gyanvapi complex being done by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
PARDONING POWERS OF PRESIDENT
Recently, a claim made by the Centre that the President had "exclusive powers" to decide whether to pardon Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict drew criticism from the Supreme Court before it reserved the case for judgment.
Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence where the sentence is a sentence of death.
Limitation: The President cannot exercise his power of pardon independent of the government.
In several cases, the Supreme Court has ruled that the President has to act on the advice of the Council of Ministers while deciding mercy pleas.
These include Maru Ram vs Union of India in 1980, and Dhananjoy Chatterjee vs State of West Bengal in 1994.
Procedure: Rashtrapati Bhawan forwards the mercy plea to the Home Ministry, seeking the Cabinet’s advice. The Ministry in turn forwards this to the concerned state government; based on the reply, it formulates its advice on behalf of the Council of Ministers.
MADHYA PRADESH START-UP POLICY
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Madhya Pradesh Startup Policy and spoke to the startup community via video conferencing at the Madhya Pradesh Startup Conclave in Indore.
The Prime Minister also unveiled the Madhya Pradesh Startup Portal, which would ease and promote the startup environment in the state.
The event will be attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, as well as key officials and entrepreneurs.
According to the official, Madhya Pradesh has 1,937 start-ups recognised by the Union government, with women running 45 percent of them.
Various pillars of the startup ecosystem will be represented at the Madhya Pradesh Startup Conclave, including government and private sector policymakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, academicians, investors, mentors, and other stakeholders.
INS 'SURAT' & INS 'UDAYGIRI'
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has launched two made-in-India warships INS ‘Surat’ and ‘Udaygiri’ at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. This is the first time that the two indigenously built warships have been launched together, the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL).
Both warships have been designed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built at MDL, Mumbai.
About INS Surat:
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Surat is the fourth destroyer in Project 15B which is named after the second-largest commercial hub of western India.
Built using block construction, the ship involves the hull construction in two different geographical locations, which was then assembled at Mazagon Docks Limited.
About the INS Udaygiri:
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Udaygiri, named after a mountain range in Andhra Pradesh, is the third ship of Project 17A Frigates. It is a follow-on to the P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class) with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.
The new warship is the reincarnation of the erstwhile ‘Udaygiri’, the Leander class ASW frigate, which saw numerous challenging operations in its illustrious service to the country, spanning over three decades from February 1976 to August 2007.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
CZECH REPUBLIC TO REPLACE RUSSIA IN UNHRC
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in a secret ballot voting elected the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
157 countries voted in favor of the Czech Republic in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and there were 23 abstentions. The Czech Republic retains the UNHRC seat till 31 December 2023.
Russia was suspended from the UNHRC by a vote in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its human rights violations in Ukraine. Later, Russia announced that it had withdrawn from UNHRC before the vote.
The seats in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) are divided among regional groups and a replacement for Russia had to come from an East European country. The Czech Republic, an East European country, submitted a candidacy proposal to the UNHRC in April.
In 2011, Libya was suspended from UNHRC because of the violence against protesters by forces supporting then-leader Muammar Gaddafi.
What is UNHRC?
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a UN organization that aims to protect human rights. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006.
It replaced the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva in Switzerland.
FINLAND & SWEDEN URGES TO JOIN NATO
Recently, Finland and Sweden have shown interest to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Finland: It has stayed out of such alliances because it always wanted to maintain cordial relations with its neighbour, Russia. For a long time, the idea of not joining NATO or getting too close to the West was a matter of survival for the Finns.
However, the change in perception and an overwhelming support to join NATO came about following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Sweden: Unlike Finland, whose policy stance was a matter of survival, Sweden has been opposed to joining the organisation for ideological reasons.
What is NATO?
It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
There are currently 30 member states. Its original members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
UAE PRESIDENT & RULER OF ABU DHABI PASSED AWAY
UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan passed away. He served as the President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi from November 3, 2004.
About Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan:
Born in 1948, Sheikh Khalifa was the second President of the UAE and the 16th Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He was the eldest son of Sheikh Zayed.
He was elected to succeed his father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who served as the UAE’s first president since the union in 1971 until he passed away on November 2, 2004.
Since becoming the president of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa has presided over a major restructuring of both the Federal Government and the government of Abu Dhabi.
Under his reign, the UAE witnessed an accelerated development that ensured decent living for the people calling the country home.
RANIL WICKREMESINGHE AS 26TH PM OF SRI LANKA
On 12th May 2022, Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th prime minister of Sri Lanka.
He was sworn in as the PM to steady the nation’s economy which is debt-ridden and to end the ongoing political turmoil. His appointment has been welcomed by India.
Wickremesinghe has replaced former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa who had recently resigned from this post.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa administered the for the new PM of the country. Former PM Rajapaksa is currently hiding in an undisclosed location as the country is boiling with anti-government protests.
The United National Party’s head is Ranil Wickremesinghe. This party is the current main opposition party in Sri Lanka. Ranil Wickremesinghe had already served as the nation’s Prime Minister four times and this will be his fifth time in office.
The country is facing widespread shortages of food, and fuel as well as rising inflation and skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. The nation is also facing hours-long power cuts and hence the citizens of the nation are protesting all across the country against the government.
In Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, groups of anti and pro-government activists had clashed after the protestors were demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The protestors had set fire to the ancestral home of the Rajapaksa family.
SRILANKAN PM RESIGNED AMIDST CRISIS
Recently, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister (PM) Mahinda Rajapaksa tendered his resignation as Prime Minister to the Sri Lankan President.
Amid the economic crisis and intensified protests and violence, Sri Lankan citizens have been demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.
Also, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wanted the Prime Minister to resign, as it will enable him to form an interim government and pave the way for a solution to the present crisis in Sri Lanka.
Mahinda Rajapaksa also served as a President. During his term, Sri Lanka witnessed the defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. His term is marked by allegations of corruption, human rights abuses, and nexus with China, which led the country into a debt trap.
The Sri Lankan cabinet will be dissolved and a new Prime minister will be selected. A unity government with the Opposition can be formed by the President. The Parliament may be dissolved and fresh elections can be conducted for the Parliament.
A national council appointed by the President will select the new prime minister and Cabinet comprising all parties in the Sri Lankan Parliament.
What is the crisis in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis. The nation does not even have enough foreign exchange reserves to import essential items like fuel, medicines, and food. It also defaulted on its foreign debts. The economic turmoil gave rise to political instability and civil strife.
RODRIGO CHAVES AS COSTA RICA NEW PRESIDENT
Rodrigo Chaves, Costa Rica’s new president, was sworn in, promising to tackle corruption and rebuild the country’s economy.
Last month, he won a four-year term in a runoff against former President Jose Maria Figueres, who was also stained by a corruption investigation.
During the first-round election in February, Chaves’ predecessor Carlos Alvarado’s party was nearly wiped out, earning no seats in the new Legislative Assembly.
Chaves’ Social Democratic Progressive Party holds only ten of the legislature’s 57 seats, making him a surprise qualifier for the runoff after finishing fourth in the first round.
Costa Rica is one of Central America’s most politically stable countries, having a population of roughly five million people. Despite this, the country has challenges such as social inequality, corruption, starvation, and drug trafficking.
YOON SUK-YEOL AS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH KOREA
Yoon Suk-yeol was sworn in as South Korean president in a huge ceremony at Seoul’s National Assembly, taking office at a time of high tensions with nuclear-armed North Korea.
The ceremony was attended by over 40,000 people, including officials from the US and China. The new president is facing several challenges, including the task to balance ties with China to defuse ongoing tensions with North Korea.
Yoon Suk-yeol, who has called North Korea the South’s “main enemy,” offered to work with the international community to craft an “audacious plan” to improve North Korea’s economy in return for its commitment to “complete denuclearization.”
The 20th president of the country delivered an inauguration speech vowing to build a nation that “truly belongs to the people.”
BRICS MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MEETING
The BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting will be hosted by China on 19th May 2022 via video conference. Since, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, this is the first meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers.
Jaishankar- Indian External Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor- Minister of International Relations and Cooperation South Africa Carlos Alberto- Minister of Foreign Affairs, Brazil. Sergey Lavrov- Minister of Foreign Affairs Russia.
In January 2022, the BRICS Chairmanship was handed over to China by India.
During this foreign minister’s meeting, the BRICS Foreign Ministers will also be holding a “BRICS+” dialogue with other foreign ministers from various other developing countries and emerging markets. The names of the participating countries are not known.
This meeting will be helping to prepare the ground for the 14th BRICS summit. This BRICS leadership meeting will be the first after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia hopes that its cooperation with the BRICS nations will help mitigate the pressures of the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia. The sanctions on Russia have not been supported by the BRICS countries.
What is the theme of BRICS 2022?
‘Foster High-Quality BRICS Partnership Usher in a New Era for Global Development’ is the theme for BRICS 2022.
BANGLADESH OFFERED CHITTAGONG PORT TO INDIA
Bangladesh Prime Minister offered India the use of the Chittagong Port in Bangladesh.
Access to the Chittagong Port will benefit India’s northeastern states like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
Before independence, the northeastern part of India had access to Chittagong Port via the Brahmaputra and Barak River systems. After partition in 1947, India’s Northeast lost access to the sea.
The Chittagong Port had gone to East Pakistan and India lost a major trade route. However, India continued to use the ports of East Pakistan until the 1965 war with Pakistan.
After that, the northeast had to depend on the ‘chicken’s neck’ (a narrow strip in West Bengal) to carry out trade. However, in recent years India got access to some ports of Bangladesh including Chittagong Port.
Further revival of pre-Partition trade routes would improve the trade for the Northeast region and generate revenue for Bangladesh.
What are the other initiatives to revive these trade routes?
In March 2021, the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Maitri Setu Bridge. It was built over the Feni River and reduced the distance between (Tripura) and the Chittagong port in Bangladesh.
Road infrastructure in Meghalaya’s Dawki, Assam’s Sutarkandi, and Tripura’s Akhaura linking Bangladesh is also being improved.
Mizoram is planning to build bridges across the Khawtlang Tuipui river for faster access to the Chittagong port.
Where is Chittagong Port located?
Chittagong Port, Bangladesh’s principal seaport is built on the Karnafuli River. It is the busiest port along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. It is also used for transshipment by India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
MACROS JR. ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF PHILIPPINES
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Junior, a son of late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos claims the victory in the 2022 Presidential Election of the Philippines with more than 30.8 million votes.
A win would return the Marcos dynasty to power. Hundreds gathered to protest the results of the election.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Leni Robredo are the president and vice president candidates in the election. Both the candidates promised economic recovery following the pandemic.
Along with the two main candidates, eight other candidates, including former boxing star Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and former national police chief Sen. Panfilo Lacson, have lagged far behind in voter preference surveys.
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
SAUDI ARAMCO: WORLD'S MOST VALUABLE COMPANY
Oil giant Saudi Aramco has dethroned Apple Inc. to become the world’s most valuable company, underscoring the recent surge in oil prices that have boosted the energy giant this year.
Aramco traded near its highest level on record, with a market capitalization of about $2.43 trillion, surpassing that of Apple for the first time since 2020.
The iPhone maker fell 5.2% to close at $146.50 per share, giving it a valuation of $2.37 trillion.
Even if the move proves short-lived and Apple retakes the top spot again, the role reversal underscores the power of major forces coursing through the global economy.
Soaring oil prices, while great for profits at Aramco, are exacerbating rising inflation that is forcing the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates at the fastest pace in decades.
The higher rates go, the more investors discount the value of future revenue flows from tech companies and push down their stock prices.
REVIEW OF SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS (SDR)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased the weighting of the US dollar and Chinese yuan (Renminbi) in the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket of currencies. The updated weightings will be effective from August 1st.
S. dollar’s weighting was increased to 43.38% from 41.73%. The Chinese yuan’s weighting was increased to 12.28% from 10.92%.
Euro’s weighting was reduced to 29.31% from 30.93%. The Japanese yen’s weighting was reduced to 7.59% from 8.33%. The British pound’s weighting was reduced to 7.44% from 8.09%.
The review is based on trade and financial market developments from 2017 to 2021. This is the first review since the Chinese yuan joined the basket of currencies in 2016.
As of now, the COVID-19 pandemic or advancements in Financial technologies does not have any major impact on the relative role of currencies in the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket.
What are Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)?
SDRs are international foreign exchange reserve assets, created in 1969 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to supplement the official reserves of IMF’s member countries.
Its value is based on a basket of five currencies: the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, and the British pound sterling. SDRs are not a currency; rather they represent a claim to currency held by member countries of IMF. Thus, SDRs can be exchanged for the currencies of IMF’s member countries.
APPOINTMENTS
RAJIV KUMAR APPOINTED AS NEW CEC
Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was appointed as the next chief election commissioner. He will assume charge on May 15 after incumbent Sushil Chandra demits office on May 14, a notification issued by the Law Ministry said.
In pursuance of clause (2) of Article 324 of the Constitution, the President appointed Shri Rajiv Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner with effect from the 15th of May 2022.
Kumar took charge as the Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on September 1, 2020.
Prior to assuming charge in the Election Commission, Kumar had been the chairman of the Public Enterprises Selection Board. He joined as the PESB chairman in April 2020.
Election Commission of India Formed: 25 January 1950;
Election Commission of India Headquarters: New Delhi.
CAMPBELL WILSON APPOINTED AS CEO & MD OF AIR INDIA
Tata Sons has appointed Campbell Wilson as the new CEO and MD of Air India. The newly-appointed Wilson was until recently the CEO of Scoot, a low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.
Campbell Wilson has 26 years of aviation industry expertise across both the full service and low-cost airlines.
On January 27, 2022, Tata Sons had taken over Air India from the Government.
After the competitive bidding process, Air India was sold on October 21, 2021 to Talace Private Limited, a subsidiary of the Tata Group’s holding company, worth Rs. 18,000 crores.
Campbell Wilson started off as a Management Trainee with SIA in New Zealand in 1996.
Wilson then worked for SIA in Canada, Hong Kong and Japan before returning to Singapore in 2011 as the founding CEO of Scoot, which he led until 2016.
NIDHI CHIBBER AS NEW CHAIRPERSON OF CBSE
Senior IAS officer, Nidhi Chibber has been appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle affected by the Centre.
Chibber, a 1994 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, is currently Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries.
She has been appointed as chairperson of the CBSE in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the government of India, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.
About the CBSE:
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national level board of education in India for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India.
Established in 1929 by a resolution of the government, the Board was indeed a bold experiment toward inter-state integration and cooperation in the sphere of secondary education.
There are approximately 26,054 schools in India and 240 schools in 28 foreign countries affiliated to the CBSE.
AWARDS & HONOURS
PRESIDENT OF INDIA CONFERRED GALLANTRY AWARDS
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind conferred 13 Shaurya Chakras which included six posthumous to the personnel of the Indian Armed forces for their conspicuous courage displayed during operations.
Army Chief General Manoj Pande was conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for his distinguished service of exceptional order at a defence investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The President also conferred 14 PVSM, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals (UYSM) and 24 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals (AVSM) for distinguished service of an exceptional order.
These awards of Gallantry and other Defence decorations conferred were approved by the President in January on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day celebrations this January.
Gen Manoj Pande assumed the charge of the 29th Chief of the Army Staff on April 30. Before that, he was serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff for three months and was the General Officer Commander in Chief, Eastern Command of the Army before that.
2022 TEMPLETON PRIZE AWARDED TO FRANK WILCZEK
The 2022 Templeton Prize was awarded to Frank Wilczek, a theoretical physicist who had won the Nobel Prize, author, and professor at the Arizona State University.
His works on nature’s fundamental laws have transformed the understanding of the forces that govern the universe. He has become the 6th Nobel laureate who has received the Templeton Prize.
In the year 2004, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics along with H. David Politzer and David Gross. They won the prize for discovering asymptotic freedom in the strong interaction theory.
This is an award given annually to a person who is living and whose meritorious achievements advance the philanthropic vision of Sir John Templeton which is to harness the power of science with the aim of understanding the deepest questions regarding the universe and humankind.
When was the Templeton Prize established?
In the year 1972. This prize was established, administered, and funded by John Templeton. Currently, this prize is co-funded by the John Templeton Foundation, Templeton World Charity Foundation, and Templeton Religion Trust.
This prize is currently administered by the John Templeton Foundation. This prize was originally awarded to the people who are working in the area of religion but in the 1980s the field was expanded to include people working at the intersection of religion and science.
The first recipient of the Templeton Prize was Mother Teresa in the year 1973.
SPORTS
INDIAN MEN'S BADMINTON TEAM CREATED HISTORY
India created history by winning the Thomas Cup title for the first time.
What is the Thomas cup?
It is an international badminton competition among men’s teams of various countries of the Badminton World Federation (BWF). It is also known as the World Men’s Team Championships.
Since 1982, cup championships have been held every two years. Before that, they were conducted once every three years. The first Thomas cup tournament was conducted in 1948–1949.
Where was the Thomas cup 2022 held?
Bangkok, Thailand.
India defeated Indonesia in the Thomas cup finals by 3-0. The Indonesian team is the defending champion.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DAY: 11TH MAY
Every year, May 11th is celebrated in India as National Technology Day to mark the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear tests (Pokhran-II) conducted in May 1998.
They were a series of five nuclear tests conducted under the administration of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan’s Thar desert from 11th to 13th May 1998.
What is the theme for this year’s National Technology Day?
Integrated Approach in Science & Technology for a Sustainable Future.
The National Technology day honors scientists and engineers for their technological contributions to India.
The Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Department of Science and Technology calls for applications for the national awards for the commercialization of technologies.
Technology Development Board (TDB) is a statutory body, established in 1996 under the Technology Development Board Act, 1995. The objective of TDB is to promote the development and commercialization of indigenous technology.
INTERNATIONAL NURSES' DAY OBSERVED ON MAY 12TH
May 12 is observed as International Nurses’ Day across the world to honour the services of nurses. It is the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the English social reformer, statistician and founder of modern nursing.
She was also known as Lady with the Lamp. She was the founder of modern nursing and was a British social reformer and statistician.
The theme of International Nurses Day 2022:
The theme for this year’s Nurses’ Day is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health”. Many hospitals across the world are observing International Nurses Week from May 6 to 12. As part of it, several activities, including yoga sessions and seminars are being organised.
The Florence Nightingale story
Nightingale gained prominence during the Crimean War between Russia and Britain in the 1850s. Along with her team of 38 women, she took care of British soldiers who were dealing with horrible sanitation facilities apart from battling Russian forces.
According to historical accounts, injured soldiers had dirty bandages covering rotting wounds, there were rats at their bases, and only one bathtub per 150 personnel. Making matters worse, a dead horse had been left to rot in their water supply.
WORLD MIGRATORY BIRDS DAY OBSERVED ON 14TH MAY
World Migratory Bird Day has been marked twice a year since its inauguration in 2006. International Migratory Bird Day will be celebrated on 14 May and 8 October 2022.
The day is celebrated with an aim to safeguard migratory birds’ breeding, non-breeding as well as stopover habitats while preserving a healthy bird population.
This is important because birds have an important role to play in the environment. They are needed to maintain the ecological balance.
Birds are nature’s ambassadors, which is why it is necessary to restore ecological connection and integrity in order to boost migratory bird migration.
The theme of the World Migratory Bird Day 2022:
The theme for World Migratory Bird Day 2022 is light pollution. As artificial lighting has been increasing globally by at least 2 per cent per annum, this has had an adverse impact on many birds.
Light pollution is a major threat to migratory birds as it leads to disorientation when they fly at night, this, in turn, leads to collisions and also interferes with their long-distance migrations.
History of International Migratory Bird Day:
International Migratory Bird Day was marked in 2006 when the United Nations decided that the world’s population needs to be made aware of the worldwide migratory linkages.
Since then, 118 countries have participated in and organised the event. The United Nations (UN) Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds had envisioned the World Migratory Bird Day.
NATIONAL DENGUE DAY OBSERVED ON 16TH MAY
National Dengue Day is observed on the 16th of May every year in India. National Dengue day was an initiative of the Ministry of health and family welfare to make people aware of dengue and its prevention measures.
It also has the people to know how to prepare and control dengue before the transmission season begins.
About dengue: Aedes Aegypti, is the main cause of the spread of dengue. It is a female mosquito that bites and transmits dengue to human beings.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease that is caused by the dengue virus of 4 distinct stereotypes, namely, DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4. Symptoms of dengue are severe muscle pain nausea and it may also lead to death if not cured properly.
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY OBSERVED ON 18TH MAY
International Museum Day (IMD) is celebrated every year on 18 May. This day is observed to highlight the importance of museums in any culture.
Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.
International Museum Day is celebrated with the aim of educating the public about museums and the challenges they face.
International Museum Day 2022 Theme:
This year, the theme for International Museum Day is ‘The Power of Museums’. As per ICOM’s website, the theme focuses on exploring the power of museums to achieve sustainability, to innovate on digitalisation and accessibility, and the power of community building through education.
International Museum Day: History
The idea of having an International Museum Day first surfaced during a meeting called ‘Crusade for Museums,’ organised by ICOM in 1951.
However, the resolution for International Museum Day was adopted during ICOM General Assembly in Moscow, in 1977.
On this day since 1997, every year all the museums of the world are invited to participate and promote the role of museums in the world by organizing several activities that are focused on the theme.
REPORTS AND INDEXES
INDIA BECOMES 4TH LARGEST VEHICLE MARKET
According to the report released by Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA), India has surpassed Germany to become 4th largest vehicle market in the world. The 1st was occupied by China, followed by the US and Japan.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, India sold 3,759,398 vehicles in 2021 as compared to 2,973,319 vehicles in Germany. This is almost 26 per cent of growth and the only country to register double-digit growth among the top 5 countries.
Key points of the report:
India is expected to become the third-largest Vehicle market by 2025, However, it requires India to surpass Japan which sold 4,448,340 units in 2021.
The personal mobility space is around 33 vehicles per 1,000 which is one of the lowest compared to the developed market.
The topmost position is secured by China however the automobile sales remained stagnant.
Similarly, the United States of America (USA) too reported 4 per cent growth. v.Thirdly, Japan holds the 3rd position however it shrunk compared to both 2020 and 2019.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FIRST IMAGE OF BLACK HOLE NAMED SAGITTARIUS A
Recently, Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) facility, revealed the first image of the black hole named Sagittarius A* at the centre of our galaxy - the Milky Way.
Nearly all galaxies have these giant black holes at their centre, where light and matter cannot escape, making it extremely hard to get images of them.
Researchers called the black hole “the gentle giant in the centre of our galaxy”.
This image of the black hole referred to as Sagittarius A* (Sagittarius A(asterisk)) gave further support to the idea that the compact object at the centre of our galaxy is indeed a black hole.
It is near the border of Sagittarius and Scorpius constellations. It is 4 million times more massive than our sun.
It strengthens Einstein’s general theory of relativity that a point in space where matter is so compressed as to create a gravity field from which even light cannot escape.
In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope made history by releasing the first ever image of a black hole Messier 87 (M87) – the black hole at the centre of a galaxy M87, which is a supergiant elliptical galaxy.
What is a Black Hole?
The concept was theorized by Albert Einstein in 1915 and the term ‘black hole’ was coined in the mid-1960s by American physicist John Archibald Wheeler.
Usually, the black holes belong to two categories:
One category ranges between a few solar masses and tens of solar masses. These are thought to form when massive stars die.
The other category is of supermassive black holes. These range from hundreds of thousands to billions of times that of the sun from the Solar system to which Earth belongs.
In April 2019, the scientists at the Event Horizon Telescope Project released the first-ever image of a Black Hole (more precisely, of its shadow).
Gravitational waves are created when two black holes orbit each other and merge.
WHAT IS NASA'S ENDURANCE MISSION?
A rocket carrying NASA’s Endurance mission was launched recently.
What is the aim of the mission?
To find out why planet Earth supports life, whereas other planets like Mars and Venus do not. A wet planet like Earth will be suitable for life to exist.
Venus was once a watery planet but it dried out later for unknown reasons. If we understand why Venus dried out, our knowledge regarding habitable planets increases.
What will be done under the Endurance Mission?
The Earth’s global electric potential will be measured. This electric potential of Earth is believed to be very weak and thus it can support life.
MISCELLANEOUS
1ST 'AMRIT SAROVAR' INAUGURATED IN INDIA
The first “Amrit Sarovar” in India was inaugurated on 13th May 2022 by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Swatantra Dev Singh, Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister at Patwai, Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.
This newly inaugurated “Amrit Sarovar” of Patwai will help to conserve water and protect the environment. It will also be a tourist attraction for the people staying in the nearby areas.
In this “Amrit Sarovar” boating and various other entertainment facilities are also available.
On 24th April 2022, Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched by PM Modi with the broad aim of water conservation for the future. By 15th August 2023, the Mission will be completed.
What is the objective of Mission Amrit Sarovar?
The aim of this mission is to develop and rejuvenate 75 water bodies in each district of India as a part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration.
Under this mission, 50,000 water bodies will be created and each of these water bodies will be an Acre or more in size. Every individual Amrit Sarovar will have a 10,000 cubic meter water holding capacity.
52ND TIGER RESERVE IN INDIA
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav has announced that Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan has been notified as Rajasthan’s 4th and the 52nd tiger reserve of India.
It will help to conserve biodiversity and bring ecotourism and development to the area.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had given in-principle approval to make Ramgarh Vishdhari Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas as tiger reserves on July 5 last year.
Wild animals like Indian wolf, leopard, striped hyena, sloth bear, golden jackal, chinkara, nilgai and fox can be seen in the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.
According to the “Status of Tigers in India” report released in 2019, there are 2,967 tigers in 20 states across the country.
Other Three Tiger Reserves
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Sawai Madhopur
Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar
Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Kota.
BIRD SANCTUARY OF TAMIL NADU
The Nanjarayan Tank is recently declared the 17th bird sanctuary of Tamil Nadu.
Nanjarayan Tank is located on the outskirts of Tirupur city around 60 kilometers from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was built by King Nanjarayan as a source for irrigation. It is also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir.
The undisturbed mudflats (sediment deposits) in the middle of the lake ensure a thriving ecosystem and also attract many birds. Pelicans, painted storks, coots, etc can be found here.
It is also a haven for migratory birds. In 2010, four bar-headed geese, one of the world’s highest-flying birds from Europe were spotted in the tank. A flock of 14 ruddy shelducks that breed in parts of Europe and Central Asia was spotted in 2020.
The habitat of birds is getting destroyed. The mudflats were damaged due to the de-silting work in 2015 done by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Tamil Nadu government.
Water pollution is also a major issue, as effluents from nearby dyeing units are released into the lake. Declaring the tank as a bird sanctuary may restore the habitat of birds. A conservation center, watchtowers, and butterfly garden are being planned.
