GK Snapshots on 15 November 2021

World Kindness Day 2021 – November 13

World Kindness Day is annually observed across the globe on November 13 to highlight the act of kindness in the community. The day aims to promote the importance of being kind to each other, yourself and to the world.

Purpose:

The purpose of the day is to reinforce that compassion links us all together and has the power to bridge the gap between nations.

World Kindness Movement(WKM):

i.The World Kindness Movement (WKM) is an international NGO with no political or religious affiliations.

ii.The declaration to establish the WKM was adopted on 20th September 1997 at the first conference held in Tokyo, Japan during which Japan brought together like-minded kindness organizations from across the globe.

Aim: To inspire individuals and connect nations to create a kinder world.

World Quality Day 2021 – November 11

World Quality Day is annually observed across the globe on 2nd Thursday of November to offer an opportunity to focus on the significance of quality management in day to day life.

The day aims to raise quality awareness and to support economic prosperity for individuals and organisations across the globe to adopt high quality standards.

World Quality Day 2021 falls on 11th November 2021.

• The World Quality Day 2020 was observed on 12th November 2020.

• The World Quality Day 2022 will be observed on 10th November 2022.

The theme for World Quality Day 2021 is “Sustainability: Improving Our Products, People, and Planet”.

President Ram Nath Kovind Confers Honorary Rank of General of Indian Army on Nepal Army Chief Prabhu Ram Sharma

Nepal Army Chief General Prabhu Ram Sharma was conferred with the honorary rank of ‘General of the Indian Army’ by President Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. (It is a continuation of a tradition that started in 1950)

• Nepal Army chief Gen Prabhu Ram Sharma was on a 4-day visit on an official invitation extended by General Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army to India to improve the defence ties between both nations.
• Chief General Sharma had meetings with defence secretary Ajay Kumar, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army chief Naravane and Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary.
• Nepal relies on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal’s access to the sea is through India, and it imports a major proportion of its requirements from and through India.

Note – Ram Nath Kovind became the 14th President of India on 25 July 2017.

IIT Guwahati to Collaborate with OIL to Boost Technology in Energy Sector

Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT)Guwahati has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Oil India Limited(OIL) to collaborate on development and introduction of new technologies in energy and related sectors.

• The MoU was signed by Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Director of IIT Guwahati, and Sasanka Pratim Deka, Executive Director of OIL.
• The Joint research activities should be aimed to reach the common people of India and pave the pathway for the upliftment of society.

Note: IIT Guwahati is one of the top Indian institutes dedicated to develop the state of the art technologies and skilled manpower in the field of petroleum and allied industries.

EX CBDT Chairman PC Mody appointed as Secretary General of Rajya Sabha

On 12th November, PC Mody, the former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), was appointed as the new Secretary General of Upper House (Rajya Sabha) for a 1-year term. He will succeed PPK Ramacharyulu, who was appointed just weeks before on 1st September 2021.

• The Chairman of Rajya Sabha , M Venkaiah Naidu, who is the appointing authority made the appointment of PC Mody.

• PPK Ramacharyulu has now been appointed as an Advisor in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for 1-year term.

• PC Mody is the 1st Indian Revenue Services (IRS) officer to hold the post of Secretary General of Rajya Sabha, which is normally held by a Senior IAS Officer.

Prof. Bimal Patel elected to International Law Commission for 5-yr term

The Vice-Chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University and Member of National Security Advisory Board (NSA) of India, Professor Bimal Patel elected to the International Law Commission (ILC) for a five-year term starting from January 1, 2023 to 2027.

• He has secured 163 votes out of 192 members present and voting. He has topped in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Asia-Pacific group.

• He was one of the 8 members selected by UNGA from the Asia-Pacific region.

Key Points
i.India topped the group with 163 votes for Patel, followed by 162 votes for Thailand

• Other 6 representatives selected for Asia Pacific where from Japan, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Cyprus & Mongolia

Law Minister Kiren Rijiju launches “Citizens’ Tele-Law Mobile App”

The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju launched “Citizen’s Tele-Law Mobile App’’. The app will empower the citizens regarding pre-litigation cases and timely redressal of grievances. He also felicitated the Tele-Law 124 Frontline Functionaries including para legal workers and village level entrepreneurs.

• A special mobile van with the message ‘Tele-Law on Wheels’ of the campaign was also flagged off, to empower people seeking legal advice.

About Tele-Law Mobile App:

i.It will provide efficient legal advice and consultation from the panel of lawyers.

ii.A special “Login” week is being organised throughout the country for encouraging those in need to seek legal advice and consultation through teleconferencing and video conferencing through Common Service Centres (CSCs).

iii.These CSCs are named as ‘Kanuni Salah Sahahyak Kendra’ for this purpose.

iv.The consultation is available free of cost to those entitled to free legal aid under Section 12 of Legal Service Authority, whereas others could avail at Rs 30/ per consultation,

Defence Secretary Releases a Book Titled ‘Force in Statecraft’ at NDC

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar released a book titled ‘Force in Statecraft’ at National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi.

• The book contains essays on counter-insurgency operations, conflict in the North East, air power, nuclear posture etc,.

Editors of the book – The book is an edited volume by Commandant of NDC Air Marshal, Diptendu Choudhury and President’s Chair of Excellence at NDC Air Vice Marshal Dr. Arjun Subramaniam (Retd).
Overview of the Book:
i.The Book gives a wider national security discourse which would generate better ideas to proliferate and morph into better policies, strategies and doctrines and how they can best be employed in current and future scenarios.
ii.It is a go-to book for policy makers, legislators, diplomats, academics, leadership at all levels in the various national security verticals.