World Down Syndrome Day 2022: “Inclusion Means”
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is observed every year on 21 March. It is a global campaign that is observed annually to spread awareness about Down Syndrome. The Day is commemorated as a global initiative to increase awareness about hereditary disorders. An individual with Down Syndrome has an extra chromosome.
Theme
The theme of World Down Syndrome Day this year is “Inclusion Means”. It calls for making efforts to include people with down syndrome in all matters of life and not discriminate against them.
History
The first World Down Syndrome Day was observed in 2006. Then the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Down Syndrome worked with Down Syndrome International and its members to launch an extensive campaign to generate international support. In November 2011, the General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day every year. The next month it declared March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day.
Down Syndrome
Down syndrome occurs when an individual has an extra partial (or whole) copy of chromosome 21. It is not yet known why this syndrome occurs, but Down syndrome has always been a part of the human condition. It exists in all regions across the globe and commonly results in variable effects on learning styles, physical characteristics and health.
Babies with Down Syndrome have an extra copy of a chromosome, which changes how the baby’s body and brain develop. People with this syndrome usually have an IQ (a measure of intelligence) in the moderately low range and are slower to speak than other children.
World Poetry Day observed globally on 21st March
On 21st March, World Poetry Day is celebrated every year to recognise the unique ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind. World Poetry Day celebrates one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted this day during UNESCO’s 30th session in Paris in 1999 with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard. Some countries also celebrate World Poetry Day on October 15 to mark the birthday of Virgil, a Roman poet who is famous for his epic Aeneid.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- World Poetry Day Headquarters: Paris, France;
- World Poetry Day Director-General: Audrey Azoulay;
- World Poetry Day Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom.
Serdar Berdymukhamedov elected as President of Turkmenistan
Serdar Berdimuhamedow has been sworn in as the President of Turkmenistan. Berdimuhamedow succeeds his father and former president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who became president in 2006 and served till 2022. It must be noted that the presidential elections in Turkmenistan are held every seven years. Serdar Berdymukhamedov, secured 72.97 per cent of the votes election to lead the gas-rich country.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Turkmenistan Capital: Ashgabat;
- Turkmenistan Currency: Turkmenistani manat.
Indian Economist Jayati Ghosh named as member of UN’s Advisory Board
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has announced the appointment of Indian development economist Jayati Ghosh as a member of the UN’s newly established Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism. The 12-member high-level advisory board on effective multilateralism will be co-chaired by former Liberian president and Nobel laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Swedish prime minister Stefan Lofven.
The new advisory board will be asked to build on the ideas in Our Common Agenda including the centrality of women and girls, and the need to take into account the interests of young people and future generations to make concrete suggestions for more effective multilateral arrangements across a range of key global issues.
Jayati Ghosh is a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was previously a professor of economics and chairperson of the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She is also a member of the UN’s high-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs.
N Biren Singh takes oath as Chief Minister of Manipur for 2nd term
Senior BJP leader N Biren Singh took the oath as Chief Minister of Manipur for a second consecutive five-year term on March 21, 2022. The ruling BJP party contested all 60 seats in the Manipur Assembly election in 2022 and won 32 seats. Nongthombam (N) Biren Singh started his career as a footballer, then turned to journalism, before joining politics.
In the recently held Assembly polls, the BJP won an absolute majority by winning 32 seats in the 60-member House. Moreover, the Janata Dal (United), the NPF, the newly formed Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) and two Independent MLAs have extended their unconditional support to the saffron party. The JD(U) won six seats, NPF won five and the KPA won two seats.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Manipur Capital: Imphal; Governor: La. Ganesan.
HDFC Bank to launch “SmartHub Vyapar programme” & ‘AutoFirst’ app
HDFC Bank has announced to launch the “SmartHub Vyapar programme” & ‘AutoFirst’ app the following two initiatives/application to give a digital push to small business loans. The financial institution has onboarded over 2.7 million retailers and is buying 100 thousand retailers each month. HDFC Bank has plans to onboard 20 million retailers in three years. More than half of the newly onboarded retailers solely function by means of the app platform.
‘AutoFirst’ application:
The financial institution now clocks not less than ₹1,000 crores in service provider loans each month and is wanting to triple the run fee. HDFC Bank can even launch a utility ‘AutoFirst’ that may provide totally automated auto loans.
SmartHub Vyapar programme:
The SmartHub Vyapar programme for retailers will probably be launched quickly. It is an app that bundles all cost platforms – playing cards, UPI, QR code, faucet pay and SMS-based funds.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
- HDFC Bank Founded: August 1994;
- HDFC Bank CEO: Sashidhar Jagdishan;
- HDFC Bank Chairman: Atanu Chakraborty.
9th India-Seychelles Joint Military Exercise ‘LAMITIYE-2022’ begins
The 9th edition of the Joint Military Exercise ‘LAMITIYE-2022’ between the Indian Army and Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF) was held from March 22 to 31, 2022 at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA), Seychelles. The Indian Army contingent will be represented by the 2/3 GORKHA RIFLES group (PIRKANTHI Battalion).
About the exercise:
Exercise LAMITIYE is a biennial training event, been conducted in Seychelles since 2001. The objective of this joint training exercise is to build and promote bilateral military relations, sharing experiences gained during various operations; exchanging skills and good practices between both armies.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Seychelles Capital: Victoria;
- Seychelles President: Wavel Ramkalawan;
- Seychelles Continent: Africa.
5th in the series of Offshore Patrol Vessels “ICGS Saksham” commissioned
Defence Secretary of India, Dr Ajay Kumar has commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Saksham. The fifth in the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class, at Goa. The first four of the five ICGS which have already been commissioned in 2020 are ICGS Sachet (1st); ICGS Sujeet (2nd); ICGS Sarthak (3rd); and ICGS Sajag (4th) in 2021.
The Indigenous Offshore Patrol Vessel Project was launched by the Prime Minister of India in 2016 under which five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) were planned to be launched.
About the Ship:
- Goa Shipyard Limited designed and built the 105-meter OPV, which is equipped with advanced technology, navigation and communication systems, sensors, and machinery.
- The ship will be based in Kochi once it joins the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) force. Ship will be used extensively for surveillance in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and other missions mandated by the Coast Guard charter.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Formed: August 18, 1978;
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Headquarters: New Delhi;
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Director-General: Virender Singh Pathania;
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Motto: Vayam Rakṣāmaḥ (We protect).
Autobiography of former cricketer G.R. Viswanath titled “Wrist Assured: An Autobiography”
Former Indian cricket captain Gundappa Ranganatha Vishwanath has penned his autobiography titled “Wrist Assured: An Autobiography”, co-authored by senior journalist R Kaushik. The book traces the cricketing journey of Gundappa Vishwanath who played Test Cricket for India between 1969 and 1986, making 91 appearances and scoring more than 6000 runs.
Former Indian cricketers Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar released the book at the ceremony held on the first day of the 2nd day/night Test between India and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
West Bengal celebrated ‘Dol Utsav’ or ‘Dol Jatra’
West Bengal celebrated the ‘Dol Utsav’ or ‘Dol Jatra’, the festival of colours, marking the onset of the spring season. The festival is dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha and celebrated on full moon day. It also marks the last festival of the year as per the Bengali calendar. In the Eastern region of India, the festival of spring is celebrated as Dol Jatra, Dol Purnima, Dol Utsav, and Basanta Utsav. The majestic festival is celebrated by throwing ‘gulaal’ or ‘aabir’ on others and by singing and dancing in cultural programs.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- West Bengal Capital: Kolkata;
- West Bengal Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar;
- West Bengal Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee.
Indian Super League: Hyderabad FC wins maiden trophy
Hyderabad FC has clinched their maiden Indian Super League title after defeating Kerala Blasters in the penalty shoot-out in the summit clash. Goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani made three stunning saves. Hyderabad beat Kerala 3-1 in the shoot-out after the match ended 1-1 in the regulation and extra time.
For Hyderabad, Joao Victor, Khassa Camara and Halicharan Narzary scored while only Ayush Adhikari found the target in the shoot-out as Kerala suffered heartbreak for the third time in the finals.
Francis Kéré becomes first African to win Pritzker Prize 2022
Architect, educator and social activist Francis kéré has been announced as the 2022 laureate of the Pritzker architecture prize 2022, the award often referred to as architecture’s highest honour. He was born in the small village of gando in Burkina Faso, kéré is the first black architect to win the coveted award.
Established by the Hyatt Foundation in 1979, the Pritzker architecture prize is bestowed on architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of talent, vision, and commitment. in 2021, the award went to French architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal while in 2020 saw Shelley McNamara and Yvonne Farrell of Grafton architects were honoured.
Regulatory Framework issued by RBI for Microfinance Loans
The Reserve Bank of India has instructed regulated entities (REs) lending to the microfinance sector to ensure that loans are collateral-free and not secured by a lien on the borrower’s deposit account, that repayment obligations are capped, that interest rates are not usurious, and that there is no prepayment penalty. The central bank’s harmonised regulatory framework for regulated lenders, which includes scheduled commercial banks, small financing banks, NBFC-MFIs, and NBFC-Investment and Credit Companies, includes these clauses.
KEY POINTS:
● The central bank has eliminated the margin caps that were only applicable to non-banking finance companies—microfinance institutions—as a result of the regulatory framework’s harmonisation (NBFC-MFIs).
● The Reserve Bank of India (Regulatory Framework for Microfinance Loans) Directions, 2022, will take effect on April 1, 2022, according to the central bank.
● All collateral-free loans offered to low-income households — households with annual income up to $3 lakh — will be termed microfinance loans, according to the RBI, regardless of end use or mode of application, processing, or disbursal (either through physical or digital channels).
● According to the Directions, REs must have a board-approved policy that allows them to provide flexibility in payback periodicity on microfinance loans based on the needs of the borrowers.
Price of a loan:
● NBFC-MFIs are no longer subject to the margin caps (not exceeding 10% for large MFIs with loan portfolios above Rs 100 crore and 12% for the rest).
● Each RE must implement a board-approved policy on microfinance loan pricing, which includes a well-documented interest rate model/approach for calculating the all-inclusive interest rate and demarcation of interest rate components such as cost of funds, risk premium, and margin, among others.
● “On microfinance loans, interest rates and other charges/fees should not be usurious. The Reserve Bank should conduct a supervisory examination of them.
● According to the instructions, “each RE shall give pricing relevant information to a prospective borrower in a standardised simple factsheet.”
● The minimum, maximum, and average interest rates levied on microfinance loans must be conspicuously displayed in all RE offices, in all literature (information booklets/ brochures) provided by it, and in all details on microfinance loans on the website.
The RBI emphasised that any change in interest rate or other charge must be communicated to the borrower in advance, and that these changes will only take effect in the future.
LIMITATIONS OF LOAN REPAYMENT:
● The rules set a limit on a household’s loan repayment responsibilities. Repayments (including both principal and interest component) on all existing loans as well as loans under consideration are included in the outflows, which are capped at 50% of monthly household income.
● Existing loans that have outflows in excess of 50% of a household’s monthly income due to repayment of monthly loan obligations will be permitted to mature.
In such instances, however, no further loans shall be issued to these households until the prescribed maximum of 50% is met.
Card of credit:
● Each RE must give the borrower a loan card that includes information that appropriately identifies the borrower, a simplified factsheet on pricing, and all other loan terms and conditions.
● The card should also include the RE’s recognition of all repayments, including instalments received and the final discharge, as well as information about the RE’s grievance redress mechanism, including the name and phone number of the RE’s nodal person.
● Non-credit products may only be issued with the borrowers’ complete assent, and the fee structure for such goods must be clearly explained to the borrowers in the loan card itself.
Outsourced Activities:
● The central bank stated that outsourcing any activity by the RE does not relieve the RE of its obligations, and that the RE has complete responsibility for following these instructions.
● The loan agreement, as well as the fair practises code (FPC) displayed in its office/branch premises/website, must state that the RE will be held liable for unethical behaviour by its personnel or workers of the outsourced agency and will give speedy grievance resolution.
Recovering a loan:
● According to the RBI, recuperation will take place at a recognized/centrally designated location. The borrower and the RE agree on a meeting location.
● If the borrower fails to arrive at the designated/ the designated place on two or more consecutive occasions, field employees will be entitled to recover at the borrower’s place of residence or work.
● The central bank emphasised that RE or its agent will not use any punitive recovery tactics.
● While initiating the recovery process, the RE shall give the borrower the names and contact information for recovery agents in order to ensure proper notification and authorization.
A copy of the notice and the RE’s authorization letter, as well as the RE’s or the agency’s identity card, must be carried by the agent.
Neeraj Chopra Olympics: The man with Golden arm 2022
Subedar Neeraj Chopra PVSM VSM, the reigning Olympic champion in the javelin throw, is an Indian track and field athlete. Chopra joined the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and Naib Subedar in 2016, serving in the 4 Rajputana Rifles, one of the Army’s oldest rifle units. JCOs acquire the rank of Naib Subedar after 20 years of service.
Key Points:
- Neeraj Chopra, became the country’s first Olympic gold medalist in track and field on August 7, 2021.
- In his second attempt, he threw 87.58 metres to win the gold medal for India in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
- After Abhinav Bindra, he is the second Indian to win a gold medal in an individual event.
Neeraj Chopra early Career:
- Chopra acquired the fundamentals of the sport from Choudhary and a few more seasoned competitors who had trained in Jalandhar with a javelin instructor.
- He won his first medal at the district championships, a bronze.
International Career:
- Chopra competed in his first international competition in Ukraine in 2013, the World Youth Championships.
- In 2014, he earned his first international medal, a silver, in the Youth Olympic Qualification in Bangkok. At the 2014 senior nationals, he threw beyond 70 metres for the first time.
- Chopra threw 81.04 metres in the 2015 All India Inter-University Athletics meet, breaking the previous world record in the junior category. It was his first throw of more than 80 metres.
- Chopra placed fifth at the 2015 National Games in Kerala and was called back for a national-level training camp as a result, leaving Panchkula in 2016 to train at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Patiala.
- Chopra believes that being accepted into the national camp was a watershed moment in his career because he was provided with better facilities, a higher-quality diet, and a higher level of training than he had gotten at Panchkula. Training alongside national-level javelin throwers, he claims, enhanced his morale.
- Chopra was also assigned his first dedicated javelin coach, 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Kashinath Naik.
- Chopra set a new personal best in the athletics finals at the 2016 South Asian Games in Guwahati on 9 February, winning gold with a throw of 82.23 metres, just missing the 83-metre Olympic qualification threshold.
- He began training with Australian coach Gary Calvert in February 2016.
- Chopra won gold in the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and established a world junior mark of 86.48 metres, making her the first Indian athlete to do so while also breaking a national record.
- With a throw of 85.23 metres, Chopra won gold at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships.
- He set a new season best of 86.47 metres in the men’s javelin throw at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games javelin throw.
- With a throw of 87.43 metres at the Doha Diamond League in May 2018, he surpassed the national record for the second time.
- Chopra made his Asian Games debut in August 2018, representing India, and was also the Indian contingent’s flag-bearer at the 2018 Asian Games Parade of Nations.
- He won gold in the Men’s Javelin Throw at the 2018 Asian Games on August 27, throwing a distance of 88.06 metres, breaking his own Indian national record.
- It was also India’s first gold medal at the Asian Games in the javelin throw.
- Chopra was the sole track and field athlete nominated by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the country’s top sports award, the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna, in that year, but was instead honoured with the Arjuna Award in September 2018.
About Neeraj Chopra:
- Neeraj Chopra, a javelin thrower who won India’s first-ever gold medal in athletics at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7, 2021, was born on December 24, 1997, to a farming family from Khandra village near Panipat in Haryana.
- He received his education at Chandigarh’s Dayanand Anglo-Vedic College.
- Saroj Devi, his mother, is a housewife, and Satish Kumar, his father, is a farmer.
- Chopra was always urged by his family to participate in sports because he was overweight. Later, he decided to try his hand at javelin throwing and began training at Panipat’s Shivaji Stadium.
