National Sports Awards 2024

Context: 

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recently announced the National Sports Awards 2024. 

Awardees of National Sports Awards 2024

• The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) trophy.

67th Foundation Day of DRDO

Context: 

On the occasion of the 67th Foundation Day of DRDO on 1st January, floral tributes were paid to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President and Missile Man of India.

About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) 

• DRDO is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems.
• Formation: DRDO was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then already functioning Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). 

Key Achievements: DRDO's successful endeavours include – 

• Agni and Prithvi series of missiles,
• light combat aircraft – Tejas, 
• multi-barrel rocket launcher – Pinaka, 
• air defence system – Akash, etc. 

Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi.

Sri Mannathu Padmanabhan

Context: 

The Prime Minister remembered Sri Mannathu Padmanabhan on his birth anniversary on 2nd January.

About Sri Mannathu Padmanabhan

Sri Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970) was a prominent Indian social reformer and freedom fighter, from Kerala, who made relentless efforts to uplift society, empower women and remove human suffering. 

• He is best known as the founder of the Nair Service Society (NSS).

Birth: He was born on the 2nd of January, 1878 in Perunna, a small village in Kottayam district of Kerala. 

Social Reforms: 

• Nair Service Society (NSS): Mannathu Padmanabhan established the Nair Service Society (NSS) on October 31, 1914, with the primary objective of addressing the socio-economic challenges faced by the Nair community and promoting education and unity among its members.
• Temple Entry Proclamation: Actively contributed to the Vaikom Satyagraha which led to the Temple Entry Proclamation of 1936. The Proclamation permitted the lower strata of Hindus to visit temples.

Political Involvement: 

• Freedom Struggle: Worked actively in the movement for Indian independence.
• Political Affiliations: He initially supported the Indian National Congress but later associated with the Kerala Congress after its formation in 1964.

Legacy: 

• Honours: He was honoured with the title “Bharata Kesari” by the President of India for his contributions to society and the nation.
• Mannam Jayanti: His birthday, 2nd January, is celebrated as Mannam Jayanti, particularly in Kerala, to honour his contributions to social reform, education, and the upliftment of the Nair community. 

Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025

Context: 

Recently, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. 

More on the News

• The event will run for 6 days, from 4th to 9th January, 2025.
• Theme: “Building a Resilient Rural India for a Viksit Bharat 2047” 
• Motto: “gaanv badhe to desh badhe” 

About Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025

• It is an initiative of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• The Mahotsav, through various discussions, workshops and masterclasses, aims to enhance rural infrastructure, create self-reliant economies, and foster innovation within rural communities. 
• Its objectives include promoting economic stability and financial security among rural populations, with a special focus on North-East India, by addressing financial inclusion and supporting sustainable agricultural practices. 
• A significant focus of the Mahotsav will be to empower rural women through entrepreneurship; and bring together government officials, thought leaders, rural entrepreneurs, artisans and stakeholders from diverse sectors to build a roadmap for collaborative and collective rural transformation. 

World Braille Day

Context: 

Recently, the World Braille Day was observed globally on 4th January. 

About World Braille Day 

• The day commemorates the birthday of Louis Braille, the visionary who developed a tactile script that revolutionized communication for blind and partially sighted individuals.
• Celebrated globally since 2019, this day highlights the significance of Braille in empowering visually impaired individuals to access education, information, and opportunities, fostering their full participation in society.

What is Braille? 

• Braille is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical and scientific symbols. 
• It is a universal code rather than a language and serves as a tool to write and read in various languages, including Sanskrit, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Spanish, and many others. 
• Braille is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font.

Initiatives for the Empowerment of Visually Impaired Persons in India 

• According to the 2011 Census, there are 50,32,463 persons with visual impairment in India. 
• In view of this, the Government of India has undertaken a comprehensive array of initiatives to empower visually impaired individuals, emphasizing their rights, education, employment, and overall well-being. 

Key initiatives include:

• National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (Divyangjan) (NIEPVD) – formerly known as National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, it is a premier organisation under the administrative control of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 
• Model School for the Visually Handicapped (MSVH) – It imparts education to children with visual impairment from the Bal Vatika to the senior secondary level. 
• Braille Development Unit – It is part of the Department of Special Education and Research. It has contributed to the development of Braille Codes in different Indian languages. 
• It is currently creating a "Manual on Bharti Braille" to promote Braille literacy and standardization across India.