Awards

The French mathematician who has been awarded the Abel Prize for 2024 – Michel Talagrand

The noted economists who have been awarded the first Global Inequality Research Award (GiRA) Award for 2024 by the World Inequality Database – Bina Agarwal and James K. Boyce

The noted Malayalam poet and litterateur who has been chosen to be awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2023 for his verse novel Roudra Sathwikam by the KK Birla Foundation – Shri Prabha Varma

The highest civilian decoration of Bhutan conferred on the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi by His Majesty the King of Bhutan at the Tendrelthang, Thimphu – Order of the Druk Gyalpo

The journalists who have been awarded the Chameli Devi Jain Award for Outstanding Women Mediaperson for the year 2024 – Greeshma Kuthar and Ritika Chopra

The Indian author who has been awarded the prestigious Erasmus Prize 2024 by the Netherlands-based Praemium Erasmianum Foundation for his significant contributions to the theme imagining the unthinkable – Amitav Ghosh

Defence

The venue of the second edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise IMT TRILAT) held from 21 - 28 Mar 24 – Nacala, Mozambique

The bilateral tri-Service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise between India and the US conducted on the Eastern Seaboard from 18 to 31 Mar 24 is named – Tiger Triumph – 24

The tenth edition of Joint Military Exercise between the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) conducted at Seychelles from 18-27 March 2024 is named – LAMITIYE-2024

The mission under which the land-based nuclear (MIRV) Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle-capable Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V has been successfully test-fired from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha was named – Mission Divyastra

The 14th edition of multinational maritime exercise sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa and conducted in Seychelles from 26 February to 08 March 2024 with participation of 12 countries including India was named – Exercise Cutlass Express 2024

The comprehensive maritime security exercise conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) & United States Coast Guard (USCG) at Port Blair from March 6 to March 9, 2024 was named – Sea Defenders 2024

The naval base at which Indian Navy has commissioned India's first MH60R Seahawk multirole helicopter squadron – INS Garuda, Kochi

The Naval Detachment Minicoy, India's second naval base in the Lakshadweep has been commissioned as – INS Jatayu

The third edition of India-Malaysia bilateral maritime exercise held from 28 February to 02 March 2024 off the coast of Visakhapatnam is named – Exercise Samudra Laksamana

Sports

The Indian batsman who has become the first Indian to score 12,000 runs in T20 matches (not T20 internationals) – Virat Kohli

The team which has won the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy defeating Vidarbha in the finals at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – Mumbai

The right-arm pace bowler from England who has become the third bowler in the history of Test cricket to take 700 wickets – James Anderson

The team which has won the 2023-24 Pro Kabaddi defeating Haryana Steelers in the finals at Hyderabad – Puneri Paltan

The French professional footballer who has been banned for 4 years for doping by Italian Anti-Doping National Tribunal – Paul Pogba

Persons

The noted Israeli-American author, psychologist, and economist (Nobel economic sciences laureate 2002) who passed away on March 27, 2024 – Daniel Kahneman

The former Chief of Naval Staff from 1990 to 1993 who passed away on 15 March 2024 – Admiral Laxminarayana Ramdas, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM

The new Chief Minister of Haryana who has taken over following the resignation of Shri Manohar Lal Khatter – Shri Nayab Singh Saini

The contestant from Czech Republic who has been crowned Miss World 2023 at a beauty pageant, held on 9 March 2024 at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai – Krystyna Pyszková

Miscellaneous

The country in which India's dairy brand Amul is set to launch sale of fresh milk for the first time – U.S.A.

The operation launched by Government of India to evacuate its citizens from Haiti in view of its deteriorating security situation is named – Operation Indravati

The public sector enterprise under Ministry of Power, GoI, which has been conferred the status of Miniratna Category-I CPSE by the Govt of India – GRID-India

The Scandinavian nation which has become the 32nd member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) – Sweden

The place in Bihar at which Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL) fertilizer plant was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi – Barauni

New GI Tags

• Chandi Tarakasi (Silver Filigree) work from Cuttack, Odisha
• Banglar muslin from West Bengal
• Crochets from Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh

World Happiness Rankings 2021-23

Released by: Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s Editorial Board

Important Days of March

Zero Discrimination Day: 01 March 2024

Designated by: UNAIDS

Theme: To protect everyone’s health, protect everyone’s rights

First Observed in: 2014

World Wildlife Day: 03 March 2024

Designated by: United nations General Assembly

Theme: Connecting People and Planet: Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation

First Observed in: 2014

World Hearing Day: 03 March 2024

Designated by: W.H.O.

Theme: Changing mindsets: Let’s make ear and hearing care a reality for all!

First Observed in: 2007

International Women's Day: 08 March 2024

Designated by: U.N.O.

Theme: Inspire Inclusion

First Observed by UN in: 1975

World Kidney Day: 14 March 2024 (2nd Thursday of March)

Designated by: International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF)

Theme: Kidney Health for All – Advancing equitable access to care and optimal medication practice

First Observed in: 2006

International Day of Mathematics: 14 March 2024

Designated by: International Mathematical Union

Theme: Playing with Math

First Observed in: 2020

World Consumer Rights Day: 15 March 2024

Designated by: Consumers International

Theme: Fair and responsible AI for consumers

First Observed in: 1983

International Day of Happiness: 20 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

Theme: Happier Together

First Observed in: 2013

International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination: 21 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 1966

Theme: A Decade of Recognition, Justice, and Development: Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent

International Day of Forests: 21 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

Theme: Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World.

First Observed in: 2013

World Poetry Day: 21 March 2024

Designated by: UNESCO

First Observed in: 2000

World Down Syndrome Day: 21 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2012

World Water Day: 22 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

Theme: Water for Peace

First Observed in: 1993

World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March 2024

Designated by: WHO

Theme: Yes! We can end TB!

First Observed in: 1982

International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims: 24 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2011

International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade: 25 March 2024

Designated by: UN General Assembly

First Observed in: 2008

World Theatre Day: 27 March 2024

Designated by: International Theatre Institute, France

First Observed in: 1961

96th Academy Awards (Oscars)

Best Picture – Oppenheimer directed by Christopher Nolan

Best Director - Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

Best Actor – Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer

Best Actress – Emma Stone for Poor Things

Best Animated Film – The Boy and the Heron directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Best International Feature Film – The Zone of Interest (United Kingdom) directed by Jonathan Glazer

Academy Honorary Awards – Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and Carol Littleton

Most nominations - Oppenheimer (13)

Most wins - Oppenheimer (7)

Indian entry in the International Feature Film category – 2018: Everyone is a Hero (Malayalam) (Not nominated)

Abbreviations in News

PM-SURAJ: Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan and Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan