2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tomas Lindahl (United Kingdom), Paul Modrich (US) and Aziz Sancar (US) have jointly won 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has chosen them for their research on mechanistic studies of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) repair. Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of functioning of living cell functions and its application for the development of new cancer treatments. Aziz Sancar:  He has mapped Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) which is the mechanism in which cells repair Ultra Violet (UV) damage to DNA. He is from the University of North Carolina, US. Tomas Lindahl: He has successfully demonstrated that DNA decays at a rate that ought to have made the development of life on Earth impossible. He is from the Francis Crick Institute. Paul Modrich: He has successfully demonstrated how the cell corrects errors that occur when DNA is replicated during cell division. He is from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Duke University School of Medicine, UK. They will receive the award at the annual award ceremony to be held on December 10, 2015 on the anniversary of the death of prize founder Alfred Nobel.  All the three laureates will share the prize money of 8 million Swedish kronor equally.

2015 Man Booker Prize

Jamaican author Marlon James has won the prestigious 2015 Man Booker Prize for his novel A Brief History of Seven Killings. With this, he became first Jamaican to win Man Booker Prize. His 680-page epic novel is inspired by the attempted assassination on Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley in the 1970s. It has been published by Oneworld Publications. Judges had shortlished James’s from a list of 8 writers including him along with India’s Sunjeev Sahota, Hanya Yanagihara, Tom McCarthy, Anne Tyler, Chigozie Obioma and Marlon James. About Man Booker prize Established: It was launched in 1969 and presented by the Man Group, It aims at promoting the finest literary work in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English and published in the United Kingdom. Award Carries: cash prize of 50,000 pounds. The authors are shortlisted by judges from a wide range of disciplines and all with a passion for quality fiction.

26 November is being observed as National Milk Day

Every year 26 November is being observed as National Milk Day (NMD) to mark birth anniversary Father of the White Revolution Dr.Verghese Kurien. Background: The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day observed on June 1 under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The first NMD was observed on 26 November 2014 by all Indian diary sector majors including National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), IDA along with around 22 state level milk federations. About Dr.Verghese Kurien Verghese Kurien was born on 26 November 1921 in Calicut in then Madras Presidency of British India. He had died on 9 September 2012. Operation Flood: As a social entrepreneur he had started billion-litre idea-Operation Flood which was the world’s largest agricultural development programme. Operation had helped to transform India from a milk-deficit country into the world’s largest milk producer. Milk Co-operatives Movement: He had founded around 30 cooperative institutions of excellence (like AMUL, GCMMF, IRMA, NDDB) which are owned, managed by farmers and run by professionals. As the founding chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Dr. Kurien was pioneer in establishment and success of the Amul brand of dairy products. Milk powder: Under his chairmanship, Amul achieved key invention of milk powder processed from buffalo milk. Awards and Honours: Ramon Magsaysay Award (1963), World Food Prize (1989), Padma Shri (1965), Padma Bhushan (1966) and Padma Vibhushan (1999).

26th November The ‘Constitution Day’

The ‘Constitution Day’ of India is being observed on 26th November to spread awareness of Indian Constitution and its architecture Dr. B R Ambedkar. Significance of the Day: On the day in 1949, constitution of India was adopted which came into force on January 26, 1950 marking the beginning of a new era in the history of free India. Key facts 2015 Constitution Day is the first edition of this day and part of year-long nationwide celebrations of 125th birth Anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constituent Assembly. Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) is the nodal Ministry for celebration of Constitution Day. It has organised number of activities on the occasion of the first Constitution Day in order to spread awareness the supreme law of the country and living document which makes the government system work effectively. Background: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared 26 November as Constitution Day after laying the foundation stone of Dr Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mills Compound in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 12 October 2015.

Supersonic Advanced Air Defence

Indigenously developed supersonic Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile was successfully test fired from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. Test facts: The supersonic interceptor missile was launched after getting signals from tracking radars. The missile moved through the trajectory path and destroyed the incoming electronically prepared target missile in mid-air at an endo-atmospheric altitude. During the test, the kill effect of the interceptor missile was analysed from data collected by multiple tracking sources. About Advanced Air Defence interceptor missile The interceptor AAD missile has been indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under Ballistic Missile Defence Programme. AAD missile is capable of destroying any incoming ballistic missile at lower (endo-atmospheric) altitude, giving full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system to country. Features: It is a 7.5-meter tall and single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile. It is equipped with a navigation system along with a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator. It also has its own mobile launcher, sophisticated radars and independent tracking system to secure data link for interception and homing capabilities.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders have signed a declaration for launching ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which would be similar to European Union (EU)-style regional economic bloc. In this regard, Kuala Lumpur declaration on the establishment of the AEC was signed by the leaders of 10-nation grouping chaired by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at its 27th Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was signed in front of world leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. About ASEAN Economic Community AEC would make ASEAN a single market with a free flow of goods, capital and skilled labour in the region. Integrate Southeast Asia’s diverse 10 economies which has combine population of 620 million people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.4 trillion US dollars. Abolish tariffs on imports within the bloc member countries and promote the liberalization of service industries such as retailing and tourism. Calls for more free movement of and skilled labour within the region including of doctors, architects and others with special skills. Focus on creating an integrated and well-connected economy of ASEAN member countries which would be business-friendly, trade-facilitative and market-driven. The new economic bloc will be launched in December 2015 and would make ASEAN’s growing GDP, 4th-biggest in the world. ASEAN 2025 declaration Apart from this AEC, ASEAN leaders also adopted the declaration on “ASEAN 2025, forging ahead together”. The ASEAN 2025 document charts the path for building AEC over the next 10 years. The declaration calls for ASEAN members to work towards building a community that is politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible. ASEAN 2025 declaration calls to work with external partners to strengthen cooperation in combating non-traditional security challenges like terrorism, human trafficking, drug related crimes and maritime issues through various initiatives and projects. About Association of South East Asian Nations ASEAN is a group of 10 South Asian nations which was brought into existence on August 8, 1967 after ASEAN declaration (also known as Bangkok declaration). Motto: “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” 10 Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Founder countries of ASEAN were: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand Enlargement: The group was expanded by adding 5 more nations which are Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Cambodia was the latest entry in the group in 1999.

Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to China

Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to China. He will replace Ashok Kantha, who was appointed as envoy to China in January 2014 for a two-year term i.e. till January 2016. Currently, Mr.Gokhale is serving as the India’s Ambassador to Germany. He is a 1981 batch India Foreign Service (IFS) officer. Prior, to his appointment as India’s top envoy to Germany, he had served at different Indian missions including in Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing and New York. Mr.Gokhale also had held the posts of director (China and East Asia) and joint secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) headquarters in New Delhi, . He is known to be one of the most knowledgeable Indian diplomat who is well versed with international affairs of China.

Dr. Satya Paul Agarwal passed away

Well-known neurosurgeon and Secretary General of Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Dr. Satya Paul Agarwal passed away in New Delhi. He was 70. Dr. Agarwal was a well-known public health administrator. He had played pivotal role in execution of various disaster and emergency relief operations and control of disease and epidemics outbreak in the country. He was serving as Secretary General of Indian Red Cross Society since 2005. He was also the Chair of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Advisory Body on Sustainable Development and Health. He also had served as Director General of Health Services (DGHS), for Union Government of India from 1996 to 2005. He was awarded with India’s second highest civilian award Padma Bhushan for his contributions to public services. About Indian Red Cross Society IRCS is a voluntary humanitarian organization to protect human life and health with its network of over 700 branches throughout India. It was established in 1920 and is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and shares its fundamental principles. Its mission is to provide relief at the time of disasters/emergencies and also promotes healthcare facilities among vulnerable people and communities.