Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 3rd October 2024

1. The first-ever Kho Kho World Cup will be hosted by India in 2025. 

• It has been announced by the Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI) and the International Kho-Kho Federation that the first Kho-Kho World Cup will be held in India in 2025. 
• 24 countries from 6 continents will take part in this event, and 16 men's and as many women's teams will participate in it. 
• Ahead of the World Cup, KKFI plans to take it to 200 schools in 10 cities to promote the sport. 
• A membership drive for school students will also be run by the federation , aiming to register at least 50 lakh players ahead of the mega tournament. 
• The tournament will feature a week-long series of matches featuring top-level athletes from around the world. 
• The aim of the Kho-Kho World Cup is to take this indigenous Indian sport to the international level. 
• Kho-kho has its roots in India, and the World Cup will highlight the rich cultural heritage and competitive spirit of the sport. 
• Starting from mud, the sport has now reached the mat and has a presence in 54 countries across the world. 

2. BharatGen project launched by India for generative AI in local languages.

• On September 30, an initiative called BharatGen was launched by India to make generative AI available to citizens in various Indian languages. 
• Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said it is the world's first state-funded project of its kind. 
• This initiative, run by IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), will create generative AI systems. 
• It will be able to generate high-quality text and multimodal content in various Indian languages. 
• The initiative was launched by Principal Scientific Advisor A K Sood, among others. 
• Four thematic hubs (T-Hubs) for quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum materials and devices were also launched by Sood under the National Quantum Mission (NQM). 
• These centres will be at the forefront of research and innovation, and will set the stage for India's leadership in quantum computing, communications, sensing and materials. 
• The four T-Hubs have been established at the IISc Bengaluru, IIT Madras, as well as the Centre for Development of Telematics New Delhi, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi. 
• These include 17 technical groups from 17 states and two union territories. 
• Each T-Hub will operate under a Hub-Spoke-Spike model, supporting a cluster-based network of research projects (spokes) and individual research groups (spikes) along with these central hubs. 
• This will enhance coordination among research institutions and enable them to pool resources and expertise. 

3. The 2024 edition of the annual apex level international conference IPRD started in New Delhi on 3 September. 

• The 2024 edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), the annual apex-level international conference of the Indian Navy, is being held in New Delhi from 3 to 5 October. 
• The three-day conference' theme is “Resource Geopolitics and Security in the Indo-Pacific.” 
• IPRD is the flagship expression of the Indian Navy's international engagement at the strategic level, addressing overall maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. 
• This year's conference will focus on how traditional and newly-identified marine resources are influencing contemporary geopolitics and how they will shape it in the future. 
• Offshore energy resources such as hydrocarbons are expected to continue to have geopolitical importance. 

4. Iran declared war on Israel by firing 181 missiles. 

• On October 1, the Israeli military said Iran had fired missiles at Israel, and air raid sirens sounded across the country and almost 10 million people were ordered to stay near bomb shelters. 
• Israeli police reported a suspected “terrorist” shooting in Jaffa, south of Tel Aviv, resulting in several casualties. 
• Four people were killed and seven others were injured in the attack. 
• Israel and the United States have warned that if Iran attacks there will be serious consequences. 
• The alerts come a day after rocket and missile attacks from Lebanon, and as Israel said it had launched a limited ground operation in southern Lebanon. 
• Also in April, Iran had launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel, but very few of its missiles reached their targets. 
• Many were shot down by the US-led coalition, while others failed to launch or crashed in flight. 

5. Gandhi Jayanti 2024: 2 October 

• Every year on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated. 
• This year this day is the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 
• International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October to commemorate the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. 
• On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. 

Mahatma Gandhi:

• Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, was a lawyer, political ethicist, activist, and writer. 
• His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 
• He was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on 2nd October 1869. 
• He was an ardent follower of Satyagraha and Ahimsa. 
• His notable works: Hind Swaraj, My Experiments with Truth, Harijan (Gujarati Newspaper), Young India (English Newspaper) 
• He founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932. 
• Times Magazine named Mahatma Gandhi as the Man of the Year in 1930. 

6. A.K. Saxena took over the additional charge of the post of CMD in RINL. 

• On September 30, 2024, MOIL CMD Shri Ajit Kumar Saxena assumed additional charge of CMD of RINL, the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. 
• Saxena is presently the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of MOIL, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Steel. 
• RINL CMD Atul Bhatt is on personal leave from September 9 to November 30, which is also the date of his retirement. 
• Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) is a steel manufacturing company under the Ministry of Steel. 
• It owns and operates a 7.5 million tonne capacity plant at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 

7. India Army to host Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2024. 

• The Indian Army and the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) will host the Chanakya Defense Dialogue 2024. 
• It will be conducted on the 24-25 October on the theme of “Drivers in Nation Building: Fuelling Growth through Comprehensive Security”. 
• This defence dialogue will facilitate in-depth discussions, and foster strategic partnerships. 
• It will provide a platform for national and international leaders, policymakers, and subject matter experts to share their expertise. 
• It will reflect the Indian Army’s vision of a resilient, secure, and prosperous Bharat in 2047. 
• The COAS shared his thoughts on the theme "Pillars of Security: Powering India's Path to Viksit Bharat by 2047" in a Fireside Chat. 

8. PM Modi inaugurated ‘Jamaica Marg’ in Delhi. 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi named the road in front of the Jamaica High Commission as ‘Jamaica Marg’. 
• The unveiling of Jamaica Marg is a reminder of the global reach of India's diplomatic efforts. 
• Both countries leaders met at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. 
• They discussed various aspects of the India-Jamaica partnership, including further cooperation in sports and cultural exchanges. 
• Jamaica Prime Minister Holness was on an official visit to India from September 30 to October 3, 2024. 
• Both countries also advocated for reform of multilateral institutions, including the UN Security Council. 
• They also focused on areas like south-south collaboration, including India's flagship Indian technical and economic cooperation program. 

9. 26th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2024 started at the Dubai World Trade Centre. 

• The 26th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2024 started at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 1st October. 
• 29 leading companies are participating in the Indian pavilion. 
• The event is organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). 
• Cutting-edge innovations in renewable energy, water treatment, and environmental technologies issues were discussed. 
• WETEX 2024 featured 16 international pavilions from 14 countries. 
• The event will serve as a vital platform for companies to showcase their latest innovations. 
• India's growing self-reliance in water treatment technologies, exports in this sector have been surging by 200–300% annually. 

10. Telangana becomes the first state to get NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform chapter. 

• NITI Aayog launched the first State Chapter of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). 
• NITI Aayog in association with WE Hub and the Telangana government, launched the first State Chapter of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP). 
• The platform aims to promote and support women entrepreneurs across sectors. 
• The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) Hub will be the nodal agency for all WEP activities in the State. 
• It will provide those resources, tools, and a robust network to enhance their business growth. 
• WEP will provide customized support like digital skills, access to financial services, mentorship and market linkages. 
• WE Hub is a first-of-its-kind incubation centre in India exclusively for women entrepreneurs. 

11. 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 closing ceremony held in Ranchi 

• The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 ended on 30 September 2024 with an official ceremony in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi, presided over the closing ceremony. 
• The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2024 was officially launched on 1 September 2024 by Annpurna Devi and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. 
• The Rashtriya Poshan Maah is held annually from 1-30 September 2024. 
• The 7th Rashtriya Poshan Maah focused on Anaemia, Growth Monitoring, Complementary Feeding, and Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi. It also focused on Technology for better governance and. ‘Environmental Sustainability’. The Anganwadi centers across the country were encouraged to plant trees under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative to promote environmental sustainability. 

About POSHAN Abhiyaan 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Abhiyan in March 2018 at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. 
• The POSHAN Abhiyan aims to advance nutritional outcomes holistically for children under six, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. 
• The Poshan Abhiyaan aims to reduce malnutrition across India and improve the health of children and mothers.

Some key targets of the Poshan Abhiyaan include: 

1. Reducing stunting in children aged 0-6 years by 2% annually. 
2. Reducing under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) by 2% annually. 
3. Combating anaemia in children, adolescent girls, and women by 3% annually. 
4. Reduction in low birth weight by 2% annually. 

12. The reconstitution of the Monetary Policy Committee has been notified by the government. 

• The Governor of the RBI is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Monetary Policy Committee. 
• The Deputy Governor of RBI, in charge of monetary policy, is also the ex-officio member of the committee. 
• One officer of the RBI to be nominated by the Central Board is also the ex-officio member of the committee. 
• Professor Ram Singh, Economist Saugata Bhattacharya, and Dr Nagesh Kumar have been appointed as the members of the committee. 
• Professor Ram Singh is Director of Delhi School of Economics. 
• Dr Nagesh Kumar is Director and Chief Executive of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development. 
• The members of committee (Professor Ram Singh, Economist Saugata Bhattacharya, and Dr Nagesh Kumar) shall hold office for four years, with immediate effect or until further orders, whichever is earlier. 
• Professor Ram Singh, Economist Saugata Bhattacharya, and Dr Nagesh Kumar will replace Ashima Goyal, Shashanka Bhide, and Jayanth R Varma. 

13. CSIR-NIScPR Commemorates 83 Years of Scientific Excellence of CSIR

• CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) celebrated the 83rd Foundation Day of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) at the National Agricultural Science Complex, Pusa, New Delhi. 
• On the occasion, a special issue of ‘Science Reporter’, a monthly publication of CSIR-NIScPR was also released during the event. The title of the issue is “Science Reporter: A Six Decade Journey in Science Communication (1964-2024)”. 
• Awards were distributed by distinguished guests to retirees, employees completing 25 years of service, and meritorious 10th and 12th-class students. 

14. PM Narendra Modi participates in Swachh Bharat Diwas 2024 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has participated in the Swachh Bharat Diwas 2024 programme on the occasion of 155th Gandhi Jayanti in New Delhi. 
• The event marks the completion of 10 years of the launch of one of the most significant mass movements for cleanliness, the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• The Prime Minister will launch several projects related to sanitation and cleanliness, worth over nine thousand six hundred crore rupees. These include projects under AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, National Mission for Clean Ganga and 15 Compressed Biogas Plant projects under GOBARdhan Scheme. 
• The Swachh Bharat Diwas programme will showcase India’s decade-long sanitation achievements and those in the recently concluded Swachhata Hi Seva campaign. It will also set the stage for the next phase of this national endeavour. 
• The theme for Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, ‘Swabhav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata’, has once again united the nation in its commitment to cleanliness, public health and environmental sustainability. 
• Under Swachhata Hi Seva 2024, over 19 lakhs programmes have been completed with public participation of more than 17 crore people. Transformation of around 6.5 lakh Cleanliness Target Units has been achieved. Nearly one lakh SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir camps have also been organised, benefitting over 30 lakh Safai Mitras. Over 45 lakh trees have been planted under the Ek Ped Maa ke Naam campaign. 

15. Arti Sarin becomes first woman to take over as DG, Armed Forces Medical Services 

• Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin became the first woman officer to take over as the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS). 
• The DGAFMS is directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters which relate to the Armed Forces. 
• Prior to assuming the appointment of 46th DGAFMS, the Flag Officer held the coveted appointments of DG Medical Services (Navy), DG Medical Services (Air) and Director & Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune. She is an alumna of AFMC, Pune and was commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services in December 1985. 
• The Flag Officer has the rare distinction of serving in all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces, having served as Lieutenant to Captain in the Indian Army, from Surgeon Lieutenant to Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy, and as an Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force. 

Recent Appointment in Defence Sector 

• Chief of Indian Air Force – Amar Preet Singh (replace V.R. Chaudhari) 
• DG of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) -Amrit Mohan Prasad 
• DG of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) – Rajwinder Singh Bhatti 
• Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command – Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit 
• Deputy Chief of Air Staff – Air Marshal Tejinder Singh 

16. Ram Singh, Saugata Bhattacharya, Nagesh Kumar appointed as new MPC members 

• The Government has appointed the Director of the Delhi School of Economics, Ram Singh, noted economist Saugata Bhattacharya, and the Director of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, Nagesh Kumar, to the Monetary Policy Committee. 
• The panel, which decides interest rates, is headed by the Reserve Bank of India Governor. 
• The reconstituted MPC is scheduled to have its first meeting from October 7 to 9. Following the MPC meeting, Governor Das will announce the bi-monthly monetary policy on October 9. 
• The members of the MPC appointed by the central government will hold office for a period of four years, with immediate effect or until further orders, whichever is earlier. 
• The new members have replaced Ashima Goyal, a member of the Economic Advisory Council of Prime Minister, Shashanka Bhide, senior advisor at the National Council for Applied Economic Research and Jayanth Varma, who is a professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. 

17. India wins SAFF U-17 Championship 2024 after beating Bangladesh 

• The undefeated Indian football team lifted the 2024 Men’s SAFF U17 Championship by defeating Bangaldesh 2-0 in the final. 
• The final was played at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan. 
• The Indian boy’s football team, also famously known as Blue Colts, remained undefeated throughout the tournament. 
• India and Bangladesh have met five times in the SAFF men’s age group tournament finals. India has won four times – U18 in 2019, U20 in 2022, U16 in 2023 and U17 in 2024. Bangladesh has won once in U16 in 2015. 
• Seven teams -India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan participated in the 2024 Men’s SAAF U17 Championships. 
• India, Bangladesh, and the Maldives were in Group A, and Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan were in Group B. 
• Captain of Indian team – Ngamgouhou Mate 

Awards Winners 

• Player of the Tournament- Mohammed Arbash of India. 
• Goalkeeper of the Tournament- Aheibam Suraj Singh 

18. 1 October – International Coffee Day 

• International Coffee Day is celebrated on 1st October every year to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage. 
• Theme 2024 – Coffee, Your Daily Ritual, Our Shared Journey 
• International Coffee Day was celebrated for the first time on October 1, 2015. It was organised by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), which was established in 1963. Hosted by the ICO, International Coffee Day promotes the fair trade of the beverage. 

19. Israel declares UN's Guterres 'persona non grata’ 

• Israel declared UN chief Antonio Guterres "persona non grata" on Wednesday, accusing him of failing to specifically condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel. 
• "Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil," said Foreign Minister Israel Katz in a statement. 
• "This is an anti-Israel Secretary-General who lends support to terrorists, rapists, and murderers," he said. 
• Following Iran's missile attack on Israel late Tuesday, Mr. Guterres condemned the "broadening conflict in the West Join FREE Whatsapp