1. PM Modi Dedicates World’s Longest Railway Platform in Hubballi Station, Karnataka
On March 12, 2023, PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the world’s longest railway platform at “Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station” in Hubballi-Dharwad, Karnataka, which was recently acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records.
The train is 1507 metres long and built at a cost of around Rs 20 crore.
2. Union Minister of Power R K Singh launches voluntary star labelling programme & iDEEKSHA Portal
During the 21st Foundation Day event of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) on March 1, 2023, Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, launched the Voluntary Star Labelling Programme for multi-door refrigerators, table and wall-mounted fans, pedestal fans, and induction hobs in New Delhi.
Additionally, he launched the iDEEKSHA (Industrial Decarbonization and EE Knowledge-Sharing) Portal, along with its newsletter and flyer.
The minister also recognized BEE's completion of a decade of the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, a flagship program under the mission implemented by BEE under the aegis of the Ministry of Power.
3. 6 digit HUID on Gold Jewellery made Mandatory from 1st April 2023
Starting from 1st April 2023, it will be mandatory for gold jewellery to have a 6 digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number consisting of both alphabets and numbers. The Department of Consumer Affairs has announced that the sale of jewellery without a 6 digit alphanumeric HUID number will be prohibited. Additionally, jewellery with a 4-digit HUID number will not be allowed for sale from the same date.
Each piece of gold jewellery will be required to have a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hallmark, purity of gold (for example, 0 22K916), and a 6-digit HUID number stamped on it. The HUID number will be manually embossed on the jewellery at the Assaying & Hallmarking Centre (AHC).
Previously, the gold hallmarking in India was voluntary until June 16, 2021. It was made mandatory in 256 districts in the first stage, and an additional 32 districts were added in the second stage, bringing the total number of districts to 288
4. Highlights of 95th Academy Awards 2023 held in Los Angeles, US: India’s 'Naatu Naatu' song , 'The Elephant Whisperers' win
On March 12, 2023, the 95th Academy Awards 2023/Oscars 2023 held at Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, United States (US). It has honoured movies released in 2022 in 23 categories. The ceremony for the same was held by the US’ Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Key Highlights :
(i) Jimmy Kimmel, the American television host, hosted the Oscars ceremony for the third time. He had previously hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018.
(ii) At the Oscars 2023, Indian actress Deepika Padukone was one of the presenters. She became the third Indian to present an Oscar after Persis Khambatta in 1980 and Priyanka Chopra in 2016.
(iii) Indian singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava performed the song “Naatu Naatu” from the movie RRR at the Oscars 2023.
(iv) The American film 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' received the highest number of nominations at the Oscars 2023 with a total of 11 nominations. It was followed by 'All Quiet on the Western Front' and 'The Banshees of Inisherin,' both of which received nine nominations each.
(v) Michelle Yeoh from Malaysia became the first Asian actress to win an Oscar in the 'Actress in a Leading Role' category for her role in the movie ' Everything Everywhere All at Once ' .
5. India’s Wins at Oscars :
(i) The song "Naatu Naatu" from the Telugu-language film RRR made history by winning Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards in 2023. It is the first Indian film song to win an Oscar, and also the first song from a Telugu movie to do so. The music was composed by M.M. Keeravani, and sung by Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj. The lyrics were written by Chandrabose, and the dance scene was choreographed by Prem Rakshith.
(ii) The Elephant Whisperers, a documentary produced by Guneet Monga and directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, became the first Indian film to win an Oscar in the Best Documentary Short film category. The film revolves around a family who adopts two orphan baby elephants in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. This was Guneet Monga's second Oscar win .
Key points :
(a) Guneet Monga won an Oscar in the Best Documentary (Short Subject) category as a producer for the documentary 'Period. End of Sentence' in 2019. However, the documentary's country of origin was the US, not India.
(b) Shaunak Sen, an Indian filmmaker, received a nomination for his documentary feature film 'All That Breathes' in the Best Documentary category. Unfortunately, it lost to the film 'Navalny.'
6. PM Inaugurates 3rd Session of National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction
The 3rd session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), with the overarching theme of “Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate,” was inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on March 10, 2023, in New Delhi, India.
The central focus of the third session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) is in line with the Prime Minister's ten-point agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) which is to "build on local capacity and initiative to enhance disaster risk reduction". This is especially important considering the rapidly changing disaster risk landscape resulting from climate change.
NPDRR is a multi-stakeholder platform established by the Government of India (GoI) to promote dialogue through sharing experiences, views, and ideas, conducting action-oriented research, and exploring opportunities in the field of DRR.
7. Ministry of Defence Signs Rs 934 crore Contract with HSL for Refit of Sindhukirti Submarine
A contract for the Normal Refit of INS Sindhukirti (S61) Submarine was signed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on March 13, 2023, with Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP), for a total cost of Rs 934 crore.
The objective of the contract is to improve the submarine's operational capabilities and prolong its operational life.
About INS Sindhukirti (S61) :
(i) INS Sindhukirti (S61) is the 7th Sindhughosh-class diesel-electric submarine of the Indian Navy.
(ii) Sindhukirti is the 3rd Kilo Class Diesel Electric Submarine.
It was built at the Admiralty Shipyard, one of the oldest and largest shipyards in Russia, and Sevmash in the Soviet Union.
(iii) Sindukirti was commissioned on 9 December 1989 in the Soviet Union.
(iv) The Indian Navy currently has 16 submarines in service, including one nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and 7 Kilo Class submarines.
8. MIDH approves 3 Centers of Excellence for Horticultural Crops in Odisha, Goa & Karnataka
On March 9th, 2023, the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a department under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) in the Government of India (GoI), approved the establishment of three new Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for horticultural crops.
The three CoEs are :
(a) CoE for Kamlam (Dragon Fruit) to be set up by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, Karnataka, at the Experimental Station in Hirehalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
(b) CoE for Mango and Vegetables under the Indo-Israel Action Plan in Panikoili, Jajpur District, Odisha.
(c) CoE for Vegetables and Flowers under the Indo-Israel Action Plan at Govt. Agricultural Farm, Codar, Khandepar, Ponda, South Goa, Goa
CoE for Kamlam (Dragon Fruit) at Bengaluru, Karnataka :
Vision : To develop the latest production technology according to the international standard for off-season production and demonstrate these technologies for high-yield production.
CoE for Mango and Vegetables at Jajpur, Odisha :
Vision : To generate knowledge in nursery management, cultivation practices, and production of high-quality & large quantities of planting material for Mango and Vegetable crops.
CoE for Vegetables and Flowers at Ponda, Goa :
The Centre will focus on the demonstration of a high-tech nursery management system with advanced production technology using an automated irrigation and fertigation system to produce healthy, disease-free seedlings of enhanced types of Vegetables and Flowers ideal for Goa.
9. IREDA gets Infrastructure Finance Company status from RBI
On March 13, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) the status of an Infrastructure Finance Company (IFC). This move will enable IREDA to increase its financing in the renewable energy sector and attract a wider range of investors for fundraising. Previously, IREDA was classified as an ' Investment and Credit Company (ICC) ' .
10. France-led Multinational Naval Exercise 'La Perouse 2023' held in Indian Ocean Region
The Navies of Quad countries - India, Japan, Australia, and the United States (US), along with the United Kingdom (UK), participated in the third edition of the multilateral exercise 'La Perouse' led by France in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) on March 13-14, 2023.
The participating Navies were -
(i) Indian Navy (IN)
(ii) Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)
(iii) Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
(iv) United States Navy
(v) Royal Navy (RN)
Note :
There was participation of personnel, ships and integral helicopters of participating nations. From India, indigenously built guided missile frigate INS (Indian Naval Ship) Sahyadri and fleet tanker INS Jyoti saw their participation.
Aim of Exercise :
To enhance maritime domain awareness and optimize maritime coordination amongst the participating navies in the Indo-Pacific region .
11. International Day of Mathematics 2023 - March 14
Every year, on March 14th, the International Day of Mathematics (IDM) is celebrated worldwide to raise awareness about the crucial role of mathematics in addressing challenges in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate change, energy, and sustainable development.
This day also emphasizes the importance of mathematics in enhancing the quality of life in both developed and developing nations.
The theme for IDM 2023 is "Mathematics for Everyone". The International Mathematical Union (IMU) leads the global celebration of IDM with support from various international and regional organizations
Why March 14 ?
The numerical date of March 14th corresponds to the value of Pi (often denoted by the lowercase Greek letter π), 3.14, which defines the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.
" Pi Day " is already celebrated on 14th March (3.14) in several countries around the world.
12. SERB, STINT Signs MoC to Promote Research Networking between India & Sweden
A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed on March 13, 2023, between the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, and the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT) in Stockholm, Sweden.
The agreement aims to enhance cooperation and research networking between research institutions in India and Sweden. The MoC was signed by Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Secretary of SERB, and Dr. Andreas Göthenberg, Executive Director of STINT.
(I) Border - Gavaskar Trophy :
India vs Australia - 4th Test :
1st innings :
Aus (Batting first) : 480/10 (167.2)
Top scores : Usman Khawaja - 180 (422) , Cameron Green - 114 (170)
Ind :
Top wicket takers : R. Ashwin - 6/91 (47.2)
Ind (Batting second) : 571/9 ( Shreyas Iyer - abs hurt) (178.5)
Top scores : Virat Kohli - 186 (364) , Shubman Gill - 128 (235)
Aus :
Top wicket takers : Nathan Lyon - 3/151 (65) , Todd Murphy - 3/113 (45.5)
2nd innings :
Aus : 175/2 d (78.1)
Top scores : Travis Head - 90 (163) , Marnus Labuschagne - 75 (213)
Ind :
Top wicket takers : Axar Patel - 1/36 (19)
Result : Match Drawn
Player of the match : Virat Kohli
Player of the series : Ravindra Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin
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