Today's Current Affairs 26th March 2023

NATIONAL

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, I&B Minister Anurag Thakur flag off first Delhi-Dharamshala Flight

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur today flagged off the first Indigo Airline Delhi-Dharamshala-Delhi flight in New Delhi.

Indigo airline will operate daily flights on this route.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Thakur expressed his gratitude towards the Ministry of Civil Aviation for facilitating Indigo connectivity to Himachal Pradesh. He said, this flight will benefit half of the State population. He added that Indigo could not have become a truly national airline without flying to the hill state. Mr. Thakur credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the rapid expansion of airport infrastructure in the country. He said the number has gone from 74 to over 140 in a short span of time. He further said that it is due to the UDAN scheme that the people in Hawai Chappal can travel in Hawai Jahaz.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah inaugurates Gorata Martyr Memorial and SardarVallabhbhai Patel Memorial in Bidar, Karnataka

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah inaugurated Gorata Martyr Memorial and SardarVallabhbhai Patel Memorial and also unfurled the 103 feet high tricolor at Gorata ground in  Bidar, Karnataka today. On this occasion, former Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri B. S. Yediyurappaand many other dignitaries were present.

Paying tributes to the country's first Home Minister SardarVallabhbhai Patel, Shri Amit Shah said that had Iron Man SardarVallabhbhai Patel not been there, Hyderabad and Bidar would never have become independent. This monument of Sardar Patel is a symbol of liberation of the people of Hyderabad-Karnataka-Marathwada from the cruel rule of the Nizam. Shri Shah said that today is a very important day becausein 1948, at this place, the Nizam killed hundreds of people for hoisting a two-and-a-half-feet tricolor and I am fortunate to hoist a 103-feet tall tricolor at the same place.

SPORTS

Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals to be crowned as the champions of the inaugural edition of the WPL (WPL-2023)

Mumbai Indians, on Sunday, March 26, became the champions of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) after beating Delhi Capitals (DC) by seven wickets at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

DC’s innings can be segregated into two halves – The first 16 overs followed by the last four. In the first 16 overs, the Capitals found themselves in all sorts of strife. Barring Meg Lanning, no other batter looked secured in the middle. Just when Lanning was needed to stay until the end, she got run out after scoring 35 runs off 29 balls with five fours.

As far as the awards are concerned, there was complete dominance from MI, with Hayley Matthews dominating by taking home both the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and the purple cap. Interestingly, Matthews went unsold in the first round of the auction before being picked up at the base price by MI in the accelerated round, And the Orange cap was begged by Meg Lanning.

Saweety Boora & Nitu Ghanghas Clinch Gold Medals For India At Women's World Boxing Championships

Saweety Boora defeated Wang Lina of China in the 81kg category final to bag India's second gold medal at the ongoing Women's World Boxing Championships. The Indian pugilist registered a 4-3 win. It was a neck-and-neck battle between Saweety and China's Wang Lina, but the Indian star eventually beat the latter by a narrow margin. Earlier on Saturday, Nitu Ghanghas outplayed Lutsaikhan Altansetseg of Mongolia in the 48kg category final by a unanimous 5-0 verdict to bag a gold medal. She became the sixth Indian woman pugilist to win a gold in the history of the tournament, before Saweety became the seventh to do so.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO deploys 36 OneWeb satellites in space in textbook mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday launched 36 OneWeb satellites into space on its heaviest launch vehicle - The LVM-III in a textbook mission. The spacecraft lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota to Low Earth Orbit with probes from the UK-based company.

The OneWeb constellation is a network of satellites around the planet that are aimed at providing broadband connectivity across the world. The UK company is implementing a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. India’s Bharti Enterprises serves as a major investor and shareholder in OneWeb.

The deployment complete the first constellation of 648 satellites around the planet by the UK company. The satellites are divided into 12 planes and operate at an altitude of 1200 kilometers above the planet.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Dilma Rousseff the New BRICS bank chief

The Board of Governors of the New Development Bank (NDB) unanimously elected H.E. Mrs. Dilma Vana Rousseff as the President of the Bank, effective immediately, in full accordance with the Articles of Agreement of the New Development Bank and the procedures of the President election,” the NDB said in a statement on Friday.

In a press statement earlier this month, NDB had said: “NDB President Marcos Troyjo will step down by March 24, 2023. The Board of Governors of the NDB will then elect a new President nominated by Brazil, to fulfil the incumbent rotating mandate expiring on July 6, 2025. After the election, the new President takes office”.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Purple Day of Epilepsy

Celebrated annually on March 26, Epilepsy Awareness Day, or Purple Day, was created to increase the public’s understanding of this brain disorder and to eliminate the fear and stigma surrounding it. With over 3.5 million people diagnosed with epilepsy in the U.S. and over 50 million worldwide, it is likely you know someone living with the day-to-day challenges epilepsy brings. The good news is epilepsy can be easily managed if diagnosed and treated correctly, so awareness and research are important.

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain that affects brain's ability to transmit electrical impulses which could lead to seizures. Epilepsy cannot be cured but can be managed with medication and a series of lifestyle changes. Controlling the triggers of the disorder can reduce the number of seizures one experience. While not skipping medication is most important, there are certain lifestyle factors that can greatly reduce the risk of seizures. Not sleeping well is one of the most common triggers for seizures and one must develop a proper sleep routine and do regular exercise for sound sleep. A balanced diet with all the essential nutrients, reduced stress and leading a healthy social life can all prevent seizures.

Independence Day of Bangladesh

The Independence Day of Bangladesh is celebrated every year on March 26. It is the national holiday of Bangladesh that commemorates the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. On the morning of March 26, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan, which were known at the time as East Pakistan and West Pakistan, respectively. The day is characterized by parades, speeches, fairs, and ceremonial events to commemorate that historic day in 1971. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Isha Ambani gets GenNext Entrepreneur award at Forbes India Leadership Awards 2023

Isha Ambani, the chairperson of Reliance Industries' retail unit, Reliance Retail, has won the 'Gennext Entrepreneur' award at Forbes India Leadership Awards 2023 at the ceremony held on March 24.

Along with her, several other major industry leaders were also felicitated at the award ceremony. The other big names include CK Venkataraman, managing director of Titan Company, who was felicitated with the 'CEO of the Year' award and Abhay Soi, chairman and managing director of Max Healthcare, who was awarded the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award.