Current Affairs (21th March, 2023)

Current Affairs

The B20 Conference, held in Gangtok, Sikkim, during India's G20 presidency, was aimed at identifying business opportunities in tourism, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and organic farming.
Delegations from 22 countries and over 100 Indian delegations attended the event to highlight Sikkim's potential in these sectors.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, the fourth phase of the Sagar Parikrama programme began on March 18 and ended on March 19.
The programme covered three Karnataka coastal districts: Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada.
The event was attended by Purushottam Rupala, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, as well as state ministers and stakeholders. Progressive fishermen were recognised during the programme for their contributions to various schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Kisan Credit Card (KCC), and State Scheme.

On March 18, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Millets (Shree Anna) Conference in New Delhi.
He will also address the gathering on the occasion. The conference will be attended by Agriculture Ministers of various countries, international scientists, nutritionists, health experts, start-up leaders and other stakeholders.

Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav of the Janata Samajbadi Party has been elected as Nepal's third Vice President. With the support of the Nepali Congress, the CPN (Maoist Centre), and the CPN (Unified Socialist), he was able to defeat Astalaxmi Shakya of the CPN (UML) and Mamata Jha of the Janamat Party.
The elections were held, with 311 federal lawmakers and 518 Provincial Assembly members voting. The election polling station was located in Kathmandu's New Baneshwor-based Federal Parliament Building.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Lalit Kumar Gupta as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) (ACC).
CCI is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Textile. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued an order stating that Gupta will take over as CMD of CCI with immediate effect for a period of five years or until his superannuation, whichever comes first, or until further orders are issued.
Gupta was suggested by the PESB panel for the position of CMD of CCI, and he currently holds the position of Director (Finnane) within the same organisation.

After playing his final Sheffield Shield first-class match for Tasmania against Queensland, Tim Paine, the former captain of the Australian test cricket team, has announced retirement from cricket.
Paine led the Australian team in 23 tests from 2018 to 2021 and played a total of 35 tests in his career. He took over as captain after Steve Smith was stripped of the role following the ball-tampering scandal during Australia’s 2018 tour of South Africa.

The Rishikul campus of Ayurvedic University in Haridwar recently hosted the International Ayurvet conclave with a theme on “Veterinary and Ayurveda”.
The event, which began on March 17, was inaugurated by Sanjiv Baliyan, the Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries.

Bharat Petrol Enterprise Restricted (BPCL), a 'Maharatna' and a Fortune Worldwide 500 Organization, reported that G. Krishnakumar has taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director of the company.
Krishnakumar, an electrical and electronics engineer from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli and a postgraduate in finance management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, was executive director in the company before his elevation.
He takes over for Chairman Arun Kumar Singh, who will retire in October 2022. After that, Gupta was in charge of the chairman even more. According to an official order, Krishnakumar will hold the positions of chairman and managing director until April 2025 or until further notice, according to an official order.

Rohan Bopanna, a 43-year-old Indian tennis player, and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden have become the oldest duo to win an ATP Masters 1000 title.
They beat the top-seeded Wesley Koolhof and Neil Skupski team to win the men's doubles final at the Indian Wells Masters 2023 tournament in California.
The first set was won by Bopanna and Ebden 6-3, but they lost the second set 2-6. However, they were successful in securing victory by winning the decisive tie-breaker 10-8.

The National Youth Conclave 2023 is an upcoming event in India that aims to bring together the country’s youth and government leadership.
The event is being organized under the aegis of India’s G20 presidency and in conjunction with the Urban20 and Youth20 engagement groups. The objective of the conclave is to provide an opportunity for cross-learning between the youth and government leaders.

Ratan Tata, an Indian industrialist and philanthropist, has been named an Honorary Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for his outstanding contributions to the Australia-India bilateral relationship, specifically in the areas of trade, investment, and philanthropy.
The announcement was made by Australia’s Governor-General, following a recommendation by Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell.

S Jaishankar, India's Minister of External Affairs, inaugurated the "Geoffrey Bawa: At the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, there was an exhibit called "It Is Essential To Be There."
The exhibition, which is a joint collaboration between the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi, and the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, showcases the architectural works of Sri Lanka’s renowned architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa.

World Poetry Day is celebrated on March 21, 2023. On March 21 of each year, people all over the world observe World Poetry Day to honour a form of language with which everyone can identify.
Poetry that unites people through shared humanity and values can be found in the past of every nation. Poems of any complexity can elicit discussion.

The White House has announced that US President Joe Biden will bestow the 2021 National Humanities Medals upon several recipients, including Indian-American actress, comedian, and writer Mindy Kaling, also known as Vera Mindy Chokalingam.

Worldwide, March 21 is observed as World Forestry Day or International Day of Forests to raise awareness of the significance of forests, woodlands, and trees to our lives.
It is essential to comprehend the significance, value, and contributions of forests to maintaining equilibrium in the earth's life cycle. On this day, a problem like deforestation is also addressed.