8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics to be held in India

The Ministry of Agriculture will organize the 8th International Conference on Agricultural Statistics (ICAS-VIII) in New Delhi. The Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar will inaugurated the conference and Bill Gates will be the Chief Guest at the Conference.

The conference will be held with the theme of ‘Statistics for Transformation of Agriculture to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)’.

Defence Minister inaugurates Sisseri Bridge built by BRO

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Sisseri Bridge, built by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) on Pasighat-Bomjir Highway, Arunachal Pradesh. The 200-metre long bridge between Jonai-Pasighat-Ranaghat-Roing road will provide connectivity between Dibang Valley and Siang to meet the long-pending demand of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

Note: Director-General of BRO: Lt. Gen.Harpal Singh;

 Headquarters: New Delhi;

Founder of BRO: Jawaharlal Nehru.

17 November: World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was observed on 17 November 2019.  This day is observed every year across the world on the third Sunday of November. It marks appropriate acknowledgment of victims of road traffic crashes and their families.

The theme of this year:  “Life is not a car part”. It was based on Pillar 3 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety – Safer vehicles.

Background:  It was started in 1993 by Road Peace, a national charity for road crash victims in United Kingdom. Since then it is observed and promoted worldwide by several Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), including European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) and its associated organizations. Road traffic crashes are major cause of death among all age groups and leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years. The risk of dying in road traffic crash is more than 3 times higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries. More than half of all road traffic deaths across the world are among vulnerable road users. Pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of motorized 2- and 3-wheelers and their passengers are collectively known as “vulnerable road users”.

Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan sworn in as 13th Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court

Justice Dr Ravi Ranjan was sworn in as the 13th Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court. He was administered oath to office and secrecy under Article 219 of Constitution by Governor Draupadi Murmu at the Raj Bhavan in Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi.  The post of Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court was lying vacant since early May 2019 after the elevation of former Jharkhand HC Chief Justice Aniruddha Bose to the Supreme Court.

Prior to his appointment as the Chief Justice of Jharkhand HC, Justice Ravi Ranjan was serving in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He was elevated to Additional Judge of Patna HC in July 2008. Later, he was appointed as permanent judge in January 2010. He also served as Acting Chief Justice of the Patna HC for a brief period in 2018.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa wins Sri Lanka Presidential election

Sri Lanka’s former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has won the Presidential election. He is the brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Gotabaya got 52.25 per cent of the total valid votes. According to the final vote count released by the country’s Election commission, he received around 6.9 million votes against his main rival, Sajith Premadasa who got around 5.56 million votes. Gotabaya served as the Defence Secretary during the end of the LTTE War.

Note: Sri Lanka Capitals: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee.

Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sarita Devi has been elected as member of AIBA athletes commission

Laishram Sarita Devi (Manipur) is among the 6 boxers from 5 continents who were elected as members of AIBA Athletes Commission. She was inspired by Muhammad Ali’s achievements and turned professional in boxing in the year 2000. She is DSP in Manipur Police.

The election of the Athletes Commission members was organized during AIBA Men and Women World Boxing Championships 2019 in Russia. Boxers from all over the world voted for new members – one per continent, except Europe which has two representatives.

International Boxing Association Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland

IAAF officially changes its name to “World Athletics”

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has officially changed its name and will now be known as “World Athletics”. The name has been changed in a bid to make the sport more accessible.

The IAAF was founded in 1912 as the International Amateur Athletic Federation and changed its name to the “International Association of Athletics Federations” in 2001.

Harmeet Desai claims Indonesia Open TT Championship

Indian paddler Harmeet Desai won men’s singles title at International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Challenge Indonesia Open 2019 Table Tennis tournament held at Batam, Indonesia. Harmeet had defeated compatriot Amalraj Anthony by 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 score

Rezwana Choudhury Bannya gets ICCR Alumni award in Dhaka

Renowned Rabindra Sangeet exponent from Bangladesh Rezwana Choudhury Bannya has conferred the ICCR distinguished alumni award in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The award was given away by the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das in a musical function organised by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC).

Rezwana Choudhury Bannya is widely recognised as a great exponent of Rabindra Sangeet. She is known for her distinctive style of singing. She has established a musical school ‘Shurer Dhara’ in Bangladesh to carry forward the Guru-Shishya tradition as practised in Shantiniketan.

Distinguished Alumni Award was instituted in 2015 to recognise foreign students who have studied in various Indian Universities under the ICCR sponsored scholarship schemes and made an exemplary contribution in varied fields.

Spain’s striker David Villa retires from football

Spain’s striker David Villa has announced his retirement from football. He represented Spain in three World Cups and was also a member of the Spanish side that lifted the trophy in 2010, and won the European Championships in 2008. He netted 59 times for Spain which is a national record. His achievements also includes a Champions League title with Barcelona, as well as two La Liga wins and a World Club Cup medal.

NOTE – Capital of Spain – Madrid