celebration

Ramanujan 125’ in Florida

November 9th, 2012

Ramanujan 125:

• 3-day international conference, ‘Ramanujan 125,’ to mark the 125th birth anniversary celebration of Srinivasa Ramanujan, at the University of Florida in the U.S.
• Over the last two decades, the University of Florida has become a premier centre for research on Ramanujan’s work.
• The conference is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency, and Pennsylvania State University.

BICENTENARY CELEBRATION OF CHARLES DARWIN NATURALIST WAS HELD IN FEB,2009

Chief guest

Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago to be Chief Guest The 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) will be held from 7-9 January, 2012 in Jaipur

Yingluck Shinawatra, the first woman Prime Minister of Thailand who will be the chief guest at the 63rd Republic Day

10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas begins in Jaipur
 The 10th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas begins in Jaipur
 Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh formally inaugurates the event.
 Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is celebrated on 9th Jan each year to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian
community to the development of India.
 The day commemorates the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in India from South Africa.
 Theme of 2012 Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is “Global Indian -Inclusive Growth”.
 8 seminars on issues like, water management, Solar energy, Health, Tourism and Rural development are being
organized in the program.

 Pink city beautifully decorated and tight security arrangements made for the 3 day event.





Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2012
 Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2012 was conferred to 14 eminent personalities and Indo-Canada Chamber of
Commerce, for their excellent work in various fields overseas. Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms Kamla
Prasad Bissessar, the chief guest of this year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, also received the Pravasi Bharatiya
Samman for public service.
 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is the highest award conferred by Government of India on Non-resident Indians and
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and institutions run by them for their contribution in serving the Indian diaspora
and enhancing India’s image in different parts of the world.
 The eminent personalities who received Pravasi Bharatiya Award 2012 are:
 Ms Kamla Prasad Bissessar →Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
 P.V Radhakrishna Pillai from Bahrain
 Sachchidanand Sahai from Cambodia,
 Deepak Naraindas Shivdasani from Cote D’Ivoire
 Victor Shahed Smetacek from Germany
 Prakash Lohia, chairman of Indorama Corporation,
 Jose Parayanken from Mozambique,
 Kiran Navinchandra Asher from Oman,
 Hassan Abdulkarim Chougule from Qatar,
10. S.R. Nathan from Singapore,
11. Khorshed Noshir Ginwala Rustomjee from South Africa,
12. Rajesh Kumar Saraiya from Ukraine,
13. Surendra Kumar Kaushik from US
14. Kalpalatha Kummamuri Guntupalli from US.
Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also honoured for its contribution in bettering business and
economic relations between the two countries.
 With the PBD Awards 2012, the number of NRI and PIOs awarded stands at 133, apart from 3 institutions.
January 9, 2012
10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) Concludes
 10th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, PBD concludes in Jaipur.
 President Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil addressed the valedictory session and presented this year’s Pravasi
Bhartiya Samman.
 The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Mrs. Kamla Prasad Bissessar is the chief Guest of this year’s PBD.
Current Affairs Published on www.gktoday.in from January 1, 2012 to
September 10, 2012
 Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kerala and Jharkhand elaborated various schemes and development
programmes of their states.
 C.M. of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot, who also launched “Know Your Rajasthan” programme for younger NRIs said
that attachment of younger generation of overseas Indians with their motherland is more important than
investment.
 Gehlot announces that 4 solar parks are being established in Rajasthan. To promote investors Rajsthan
Government will introduce an act for development of infrastructure.
 Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda invited Overseas Indian for investment in Knowledge city and organic Tusser industry
of his state.
 Kerala CM Oommen Chandy said that his state was getting its 22% of GDP from non resident keralites.HJe also
announces that social security for the workors of kerala is the priority of his govt and there is a potential of
investment in tourism and nano technology sectors.



Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas 2012
 Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas 2012 is being organized at Jaipur this year.
 The theme of the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas 2012 is ‘Global Indian- Inclusive Growth’.
 More than 1300 delegates from 54 countries will participate in the 10th Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas this year to
discuss their investment strategy with the government.
 It is organized by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs since 2003, when NDA Government organized it for the first
time.
 Commemorates the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in India from South Africa.



Kamla Persad Bissessar arrives India
 Prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Mrs. Kamla Persad Bissessar arrives in New Delhi for a 10 day state visit.
 She is accompanied by a high level Ministerial and Business delegation.
 Five agreements are likely to be signed between the two countries.
 She is the Chief Guest at the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas celebrations 2012.
 Mrs. Bissessar is the first woman of Indian origin who is heading a government.
 Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is being held in Jaipur from January 7, 2012.
 Mrs. Bissessar will also be conferred Pravasi Bhartiya Samman in Jaipur.
 Her ancestral village is in Buxar district of Bihar.



Kamla Prasad Bissessar visits her ancestral village
 Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Kamla Prasad Bissessar visits her ancestral place at Bhelpur village in Buxar
district of Bihar.
 Her parents migrated to Trinidad & Tobago 122 years ago, her close relatives still live in the village. She was given
a warm welcome by the villagers.












 ‘Shaurya Diwas’ function was organized to commemorate the 251st anniversary of the third battle of Panipat.
 Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761, at Panipat between the forces of the Maratha Empire and
a coalition of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Durrani with two Indian Muslim allies—the Rohilla Afghans of
the Doab, and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Oudh.
 The defeat of the Maratha army in this empire led to a clear path of colonization for the British.
 President of India recalls the supreme sacrifices made by the Marathas in the battle and says that this will always
inspire us to safeguard our borders.







63rd Republic Day celebrated in INDIA
 India celebrated its 63rd Republic Day on January 26, 2012
 This year’s Chief Guest in the parade was Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Nineteen of the 24
children selected for the National Bravery Award – 2011 also participated in the parade.
 The highlight of this year’s Parade was the 3,000 kilometer range Agni-IV missile, 150 kms range Prahaar tactical
battlefield support missile and the Rustom-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
 The weaponary put on display by the Indian Army included the T-72 tank, Carrier Mortar Tracked, SMERCH
Multiple Launch Rocket System, Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket System.
 The grand finale of the parade was a spectacular flypast by the IAF, with the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft
participating in the Parade for the first time.




817 police personnel Awarded Police medals
 817 police personnel have been awarded police medals on the occasion of the 63rd Republic Day 2012.
 Seven personnel have been awarded President s Police Medals for Gallantry while Police Medals for Gallantry
went to 87 personnel. President s Police Medals for Distinguished Service have been awarded to 93 personnel
and Police Medals for Meritorious Service to 630 personnel.
 As many as 38 personnel have been awarded correctional Service Medals.
 President s Correctional Service Medals for Distinguished Service has been awarded to one person and
Correctional Service Medals for Meritorious Service to 37 personnel.
 Twenty four officials of CBI have been awarded President s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Police
Medal for Meritorious Service on the eve of the 63rd Republic Day.






Important Firsts on Republic Day 2012
 The latest nuclear capable Agni-IV missile
 C-130J Super Hercules, special operations plane
 A woman officer leading the IAF unit----Sneha Shekhawat becomes first woman to lead IAF contingent at
Republic Day
 Flight Lieutenant Sneha Shekhawat
 First woman to lead an Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent at the 63rd Republic Day parade
 Led the 144-strong IAF contingent at the parade at Rajpath.
 She was assisted by 3 other women Flying Officers Heena Pore, Anupam Chaudhary and Pooja Negi.


Important Facts about Republic Day Guests of India:
 United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II was the first women chief guest at Republic Day parade in 1961, while Sri
Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was the second woman chief guest.
 France has the distinction of being the guest of honour for the maximum four times followed by three times each
from Bhutan, Mauritius and USSR/Russia.



Quick Facts: Republic Day Chief Guest →Ms Yingluck Shinawatra
 Thailand’s PM

 First woman Prime Minister of Thailand
 At 44 she is the youngest Prime Minister of Thailand
 28th Prime Minister of Thailand
 Thai businesswoman and politician, member of the Pheu Thai Party
 Third woman chief guest at the Republic Day parade in India
 First Prime Minister of Thailand to attend the Republic Day parade as the chief guest
 Yingluck’s magic: In May 2011, the Pheu Thai Party nominated Yingluck as their candidate for Prime Minister in
the 2011 general election. As a Result: The Pheu Thai Party won a landslide victory, winning 265/500 seats House
of Representatives of Thailand. This was only the second time in Thai political history that a single party won a
parliamentary majority.