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Highlights:

• Avani Lekhara won medal in women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event/
• She is a 19-year-old Lekhara and created a record at Paralympics by equalling the world record of Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik.
• Iryna Shchetnik had a record score of 249.6 in 2018.
• Avani became the first Indian woman to win first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
• Cuiping Zhang of China won silver medal with a score of 248.9 while Iryna Shchetnik won the bronze medal with a score of 227.5.
• Avani finished 7th with a score of 621.7 and become the 5th Indian athlete to won a gold medal in the Paralympics Games.
• She is the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold following swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972, javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia in 2004 & 2016 and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan in 2016.
• India has won 19 medals so far across all 11 editions of Tokyo Paralympics Games since 1960. It comprises of 5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze.

• Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic athlete of the shooting event. 
• She has been currently ranked at World No. 5 in Women’s 10m Air Rifle standing (SH1). 
• She competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games and has been getting support by GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme.

Highlights:

• The Indian and Algerian navies conducted their first ever naval exercise off the coast of Algeria on August 29, 2021.
• The exercise reflects increased maritime cooperation among two countries.
• Stealth ship INS Tabar represented India while Algeria was represented by its naval ship ANS Ezager.
• As part of the exercise, activities like communication procedures, coordinated maneuvers, and past steam were carried out between Indian and Algerian warships.
• This naval exercise opened up the possibility for both the navies to understand the concept of mutual operations, enhance interoperability, and increase future interaction and cooperation.

• Both the countries have established diplomatic relationship. Algeria is having an embassy in New Delhi while India set up it in Algiers. 
• They are part of Non-aligned movement. Being a member of African Union, Algeria supports the candidacy of India for a permanent seat in Security Council. 
• Trade between both the countries has increased from US$55 million in 2001 to US$3.4 billion in 2011. 
• Both the countries have also taken steps to increase collaboration in the oil sector.
• Indian car company, Maruti, has a significant market in Algeria. It is the third largest export market for Maruti.
• India also provided Algeria US $1 million humanitarian aid to help the “victims of the earthquake in Algeria in May 2003. India handed over medicines worth half a million US dollars in April 2004.
• Indian Space Research Organisation launched the Satellite Alsat 2A of Algeria into orbit in July 2010.

Highlights:

• In the event, women’s competition was significantly depleted because of pullouts caused by COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
• Preeti Dahiya, Sneha Kumari, Khushi and Neha won the gold medals in the women’s draw.
• Out of 10 women finalists, six made directly to the finals because of small size of their respective draws.
• Dahiya defeated Kazakhstan’s Zuldyz Shayakmetova by 3-2.
• Khushi defeated Dana Diday of Kazakhstan by 3-0 in bouts.
• Bishwamitra Chongtham and Vishal are the gold-winners in the men’s competition.
• Preeti, Khushi, Tanisha Sandhu, Nivedita, Tamanna and Simran won the silver medals in women’s competition.
• Vishvanath Suresh, Vanshaj and Jaydeep Rawat won silver medals in men’s competition.
• Five Indian boxers, including one woman, earlier won bronze medals in youth event after they lose in semi-finals. 
• Daksh, Deepak, Abhimanyu and Aman Singh Bisht won the bronze medals. 
• In women’s category, Lashu Yadav won bronze medal.
• Last edition of Asian Youth Championships was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. India had won 12 medals, including five gold. 
• The gold medallists in youth category were awarded with USD 6,000, silver medallists got USD 3,000 while bronze medallists got USD 1,500.  
• In the junior competition held along with the Championships, India had won eight gold, five silver and six bronze medals.

• It is a biennial, continental athletics competition held for Asian athletes. 
• It is organised by the Asian Athletics Association. 
• The first championships were held in 2015. It is a youth category event that is held for athletes aged fifteen and seventeen.

Highlights:

• According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), use of leaded petrol has been eradicated from the globe.
• UNEP highlighted, this milestone will prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths and save over USD 2.4 trillion annually for world economies.
• This milestone was achieved century after doctors first issued warnings regarding the toxic effects of leaded petrol, Algeria (last country to use the fuel) exhausted the supplies in July 2021.
• It is a big milestone for global health and environment as well.
• UNEP also warned that, use of fossil fuel must still be drastically reduced, in general, to do away with the frightening effects of climate change.
• During 1970s, almost all the gasoline that used to be sold worldwide contained lead. 
• The UNEP launched its campaign called “Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV)” for eradication of ‘leaded petrol’ in 2002. 
• Major economies including United States, China and India had already stopped using fuel in 2002. But, the situation in lower-income countries was critical. 
• Concerns regarding the leaded petrol were first raised in 1924.
• Use of leaded petrol in transport sector is responsible for about quarter of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions. 
• It is set to grow to one third by the year 2050.
• Leaded petrol causes major health problems like heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• Leaded petrol also impacts the development of human brain.
• Eradication of leaded petrol is expected to support realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) like good health & well-being, clean water, clean energy, sustainable cities, climate action and life on land.

Highlights:

• World’s highest motorable road inaugurated in Ladakh.
• A road connecting Leh to the Pangong Lake was inaugurated on August 31, 2021 by Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal.
• The stretch passing through the Kela Pass at 18,600 feet is the world’s highest motorable way.
• The road was constructed by 58 Engineer Regiment of the Indian Army.
• It will reduce the distance between Leh (Zingral to Tangtse) to Pangong Lake crossing the Kela Pass by 41 kms.
• This road will play a significant role in boosting the socio-economic status of local residents, primarily for the people of Lalok region of Ladakh. 
• It will facilitate tourism and tourists will see world’s highest motorable road, rare medicinal plants, participate in snow sport activities etc.

• It is an endorheic lake spreading into eastern Ladakh and West Tibet. 
• It is situated at an elevation of 4,225 m. The lake is 134 km long and divided into five sub lakes namely, Pangong Tso, Rum Tso (twin lakes), Tso Nyak, and Nyak Tso. 
• 50% of the length of overall lake in located in Tibet China while 40% in Ladakh India. 
• 10% of the lake is disputed and is considered as de-facto buffer zone between India and China. 
• This lake is 5 km wide at its broadest point. 
• It freezes completely during winter, despite being saline water.
• The lake is currently in the process of being identified under Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance and will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the Ramsar convention.

Highlights:

• World’s first Plant-based smart air-purifiers called “Ubreathe Life” by the scientists of Indian Institutes of Technology, Ropar & Kanpur, and Faculty of Management Studies of Delhi University.
• Ubreathe Life amplifies the air purification process in indoor spaces like schools, hospitals, offices, and homes.
• This product is being developed by Urban Air Laboratory which is a start-up company of IIT Ropar.
• Product is being claimed as world’s first, state-of-the-art ‘Smart Bio-Filter’, which can make breathing fresh.
• It has been incubated at IIT Ropar.
• IIT Ropar is a designated iHub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) by the Department of Science and Technology of government.
• The Ubreathe Life technology works by air-purifying natural leafy plant. In it, air of the room interacts with leaves and goes towards soil-root zone where maximum pollutants are purified. 
• Technology used in this product is called as ‘Urban Munnar Effect’ and patent-pending “Breathing Roots”. These technologies amplify the phytoremediation process of the plants.
• Phytoremediation Process is the process by which plants effectively remove pollutants from the air.

• This technology effectively improves indoor air quality by removing particulate, gaseous and biological contaminants. 
• It also increases the oxygen levels in indoor space with the help of specific plants, UV disinfection and a stack of pre-filter, charcoal filter and HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. 
• It also comprises of a centrifugal fan which creates a suction pressure inside the purifier and releases purified air.

Highlights:

• Bangladeshi scientist, Dr Firdausi Qadri, won the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
• Dr Qadri is an emeritus scientist at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).
• She is also a laureate of the 2020 L’Oréal-Unesco for Women in Science Award which was presented to her for her advocacy of early diagnoses and global vaccination & her work on understanding and preventing infectious diseases affecting children across developing countries.
• She decided early on to pursue a career in medical research. She joined icddr,b in 1988 to focus her research on communicable diseases, immunology, vaccine development and clinical trials.
• The most difficult assignments before her were in the fight against cholera and typhoid. 
• These two major diseases are prevalent in Bangladesh as well as in Asian and African nations with limited access to adequate water, sanitation, medical treatment and education. 
• Dr Qadri played a key role in development of a more affordable oral cholera vaccine (OCV) as well as typhoid conjugate vaccine (ViTCV) for infants, children and adults.
• Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives
• This institute was founded by her in 2014. 
• It conducts biomedical research and runs training courses as well as a testing center. 
• The institute has become a hub of scientific activity by local and visiting scientists in Bangladesh.

• Ramon Magsaysay Award is the highest honour in Asia. 
• It was established in April 1957 and is widely regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Asia. 
• The award is presented to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in eradication of poverty and development of the society in Asia.
• Other recipients of award in 2021
• Other recipients of award in 2021 are-
• Mohammad Amjad Saqib from Pakistan
• Steven Muncy from South-East Asia.

Highlights:

• Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency over food shortages on August 31, 2021 after private banks in the country ran out of foreign exchange to finance imports.
• Sri Lanka is suffering from a hard-hitting economic crisis. Following the crisis, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ordered emergency regulations to counter the hoarding of sugar, rice and other such essential foods.
• President also named a top army officer as “Commissioner General of Essential Services to coordinate the supply of paddy, rice, sugar and other consumer goods”.
• This move followed sharp price rises for sugar, rice, onions and potatoes. Price rise was supplemented by long queues outside stores because of shortages of milk powder, cooking gas and kerosene oil.
• Government also increased penalties for food hoarding.
• But shortages of food come as Sri Lanka battles a fierce coronavirus wave, claiming more than 200 lives a day.
• Economy of Sri Lanka reduced by a 3.6 % in 2020 because of the covid-19 pandemic. 
• In March 2020, government also banned imports of vehicles and other items like edible oils and turmeric in order to save foreign exchange. 
• Central Bank of Sri Lanka also increased interest rates in order to shore up the local currency.

Highlights:

• Odisha-born Dr Basant Kumar Misra (Neurosurgeon) has been conferred with the prestigious American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ ‘International Lifetime Achievement Award in Neurosurgery’. 
• Misra is the first Indian medical doctor to receive the AANS honor, which was conferred on him at a virtual ceremony in the course of the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting 2021 held in Orlando, Florida.
• He was the world’s first health care provider to operate Computer-Guided Aneurysm surgery.

• Dr Mishra completed his MBBS from VIMSAR, Burla and he received a Master of Surgery from Delhi University in 1980 and an MCh Neurosurgery from AIIMS New Delhi in the year 1983. 
• Mishra is the chief of surgery, head of the neurosurgery department, and Gamma knife radiosurgery, PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre located in Mumbai. 
• He is president of the Asian Australasian Society of Neurological Surgeons and the World Federation of Skull Base Societies.
• He is the first vice president of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies.
• He is also the recipient of the most prestigious Dr BC Roy National Award in the class of ‘Eminent Medical Person’ (Highest Medical Award in India) in 2018.

Highlights:

• Mexican photographer Alejandro Prieto emerged as the winner of the Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) 2021. 
• He has won for shooting a picture of a larger roadrunner staring up at the barbed-wire-clad border wall between the USA & Mexico, with what almost appears like a sense of bewilderment. 
• The image has been given the title as ‘Blocked’. 
• The Bird Photographer of the Year comes with a money prize of 5,000 pound. 
• He was once chosen from amongst 22,000 entries from seventy three countries.

Highlights:

• India has become the first Asian Country to launch a Plastics pact on September 3, 2021.
• This new platform was developed by World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• It will help to promote a circular system for plastics.
• New platform was launched by British High Commissioner to India, Alexander Ellis.
• It will bring together prominent enterprises on a national level in order to make pledges for the creation of a circular plastics system.

• Commitments under the pact are aimed at keeping plastic packaging in the economy and out of natural environment.
• It mentioned 17 businesses including major FMCG brands, manufacturers, retailers and recyclers who have committed with the pact as founding members. 
• Nine businesses have joined as supporting organisations.
• The pact provides for time-bound targets of reducing, innovating and re-imagining plastic packaging.
• It aims to define a list of unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging & items and take measures to address these problems with the help of redesign and innovation, by 2030.
• Under the pact, 100 per cent of plastic packaging will be made reusable or recyclable, 50 % of plastic packaging will be effectively recycled and 25 % average recycled content will be made across all plastic packaging.

Highlights:

• Indian biologist Shailendra Singh won the Behler  Sea Turtle Conservation Award for bringing back three critically endangered protected species of sea turtles from the brink of extinction
• The award has been bestowed with the help of various international bodies concerned in turtle conservation such as IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Turtle Survival Alliance,Turtle Conservancy, and the Turtle Conservation Fund.
• He and his team’s efforts now span lots of India, impacting properly over 1/2 of its turtle and tortoise species, many of which are amongst the most endangered turtles on the planet
• For some species, such as the Batagur kachuga (red-crowned roofed turtle), the northern river turtle (Batagur baska) and the black softshell turtle (Nilssonia nigricans), the efforts of Dr. Singh and his team are their last hope for survival in the wild.

Highlights:

• Ayush Ministry launched the campaign called “AYUSH AAPKE DWAR” from some 45 locations across India on September 3, 2021.
• Campaign was launched by Minister of State for Ayush from Ayush Bhawan by distributing medicinal plants to staff.
• About 21 states are participating in launch activities in which more than 2 lakh saplings will be distributed across India.

• AYUSH AAPKE DWAR campaign was launched with the aim of distributing medicinal plant saplings to 75 lakh households in India in one year. 
• These medicinal plants include Ashoka, Tejpatta, Stevia, Ashwagandha, Jatamansi, Giloy/Guduchi, Shatavari, Guggulu, Lemongrass, Tulsi, Sarpagandha, Brahmi, Kalmegh and Amla.

• Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, various other programs were launched such as- launch of the Y-Break App and distribution of Prophylactic Ayush Drugs.
• AYUSH Ministry is dubbed as “Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy”. 
• It was set up on November 9, 2014 to develop education, research and propagation of indigenous alternative medicine systems across India. 
• This ministry was renamed as “Ministry of AYUSH” on April 13, 2021. 
• This ministry includes seven traditional systems of healthcare.
•  

Highlights:

• The Union government is all set sign a tripartite "Karbi Peace Accord".
• The agreement is expected to be signed in presence of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the representatives of Karbi outfits in the national capital, 

• The accord is significant as the insurgency by Karbi - a major ethnic community of Assam - groups, dotted by several factions and splinters, has had a long history in Assam, marked by killings, ethnic violence, abductions and taxation since the late 1980s.
• Earlier, dreaded militant Ingti Kathar Songbijit and 1,039 others belonging to five outfits  laid down arms before the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to return to the mainstream.
• The militants belong to People''s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Karbi People''s Liberation Tiger (KPLT), Kuki Liberation Front (KLF) and United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA).
• Songbijit is the chief of PDCK. 
• He was earlier the commander-in-chief of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland.
• He was involved in several incidents of massacres, mostly of the people from minority communities, in the erstwhile Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. Songbijit was sidelined after the Ranjan Daimary faction of NDFB suspended operations. 
• He later formed the PDCK in Karbi Anglong district.

Highlights:

• The Union government is all set sign a tripartite "Karbi Peace Accord".
• The agreement is expected to be signed in presence of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the representatives of Karbi outfits in the national capital, 

• The accord is significant as the insurgency by Karbi - a major ethnic community of Assam - groups, dotted by several factions and splinters, has had a long history in Assam, marked by killings, ethnic violence, abductions and taxation since the late 1980s.
• Earlier, dreaded militant Ingti Kathar Songbijit and 1,039 others belonging to five outfits  laid down arms before the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to return to the mainstream.
• The militants belong to People''s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Karbi People''s Liberation Tiger (KPLT), Kuki Liberation Front (KLF) and United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA).
• Songbijit is the chief of PDCK. 
• He was earlier the commander-in-chief of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland.
• He was involved in several incidents of massacres, mostly of the people from minority communities, in the erstwhile Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. Songbijit was sidelined after the Ranjan Daimary faction of NDFB suspended operations. 
• He later formed the PDCK in Karbi Anglong district.

Highlights:

• Odisha’s Kendrapara district is crisscrossed by creeks, rivers and water inlets and has emerged as the only district in India where all  3 species of crocodiles (gharial, salt-water and mugger) are found.
• District has additionally claimed repute for its profitable conservation program established for salt-water crocodiles at the Bhitarkanika National Park.
• The national park consists of 1,768 estuarine crocodiles and is domestic to 70 per cent of India’s estuarine crocodiles.
• At present, with the discovery of gharial and mugger crocodiles, all 3 types of crocodiles have been found in the river system of Kendrapara District.
• Gharial hatchling rescued from the Paika River, a tributary of Mahanadi, on August 29, 2021
• In 2016, a 14-feet-long mugger used to be sighted.

Highlights:

• Hurun Research Institute has released the Hurun India Future Unicorn List 2021, as per which India is the third-largest Unicorn/startup ecosystem in the world.
• The USA is on top, followed by China on second. 
• India has 51 unicorns according to the list. 
• The USA has 396 and China has 277 unicorns. 
• Zilingo is the pinnacle unicorn in the ranking in India with funding of USD 310. 
• The headquarters of Zilingo is in Singapore. Bengaluru is the top Indian metropolis in terms of the variety of Unicorns headquartered in the city. 
• Bengaluru has 31 unicorns followed by Mumbai which has 12 unicorns.

Highlights:

• Yoshihide Suga had been appointed as Prime Minister in 2020 after the resignation of Shinzo Abe.
• Suga announced to end his tenure as his approval ratings dropped to an all-time low.
• Japan is still under a state of emergency and is grappling with the worst ever Covid wave. 
• It has now seen more than 1.5 million virus cases while it is witnessing a slow vaccination roll out. 
• Decision to host the Olympics Games in 2021 despite the worsening pandemic further deteriorated the situation.
• Financial markets in Japan had made gains in recent weeks. 
• Country’s shares increased sharply on the news.  
• The broad Topix stock index closed up by 1.6% after hitting the highest level in three decades.

• Yoshihide Suga was born to a family of strawberry farmers. 
• He was first elected for Yokohama City Council in 1987. 
• He got elected to Japan’s Diet for the first time, in 1996. In 2005, the then prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, appointed him as senior vice of internal affairs and communication. 
• In the following year, prime minister Shinzo Abe appointed him as minister with three cabinet posts. 
• He held this position till 2007.

Highlights:

• Government of Tamil Nadu recently announced its plan to set up India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay on the southeast coast.
• Dugong or sea cow is an endangered marine mammal. 
• It is facing extinction because of habitat loss, sea pollution, and loss of seagrass.
• Dugong is found in Gulf of Mannar and at Palk Bay in Tamil Nadu.
• Gulf of Mannar is a shallow bay area between south eastern end of Tamil Nadu and western Sri Lanka.
• With the help of community participation, Government will also construct a Dugong Marine Conservation Reserve in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay area to protect the species.
• Marine Conservation Reserve will be established over an area of 500km in Palk Bay.
• It is believed that, an estimated 200 individuals live in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar area which would largely benefit from Tamil Nadu government’s recent decision to establish conservation reserve.

• Dugong is a sea mammal and is the only living species of the order Sirenia. 
• The mammal is restricted to coastal habitat because of seagrass, which is a major part of its diet. 
• They have a distinct dolphin-like tail, different skull form and teeth pattern. 
• Its closest relative is Steller’s Sea cow, which got extinction in eighteenth century. 
• The IUCN has listed dugong as a “vulnerable to extinction species”. 
• On the other hand, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species has limited or banned the trade of derived products.

Highlights:

• Governing body of Vatan Prem Yojana held its first meeting on September 4, 2021. 
• The Vatan Prem Yojana was launched on August 7, 2021.
• They held the meeting at Gandhinagar under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
• Presentation of details of the scheme was put before the chief minister.
• Governing body proposed works to the tune of Rs. 1,000 crore, which have to be completed by December 2022.
• Governing body has formed a project management unit for the smooth implementation of this scheme.
• Governing body has made it possible for donors to send their money online. 
• Under the scheme, Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRGs) and NRIs can contribute 60 percent of the cost of a village-level project. Remaining 40 percent amount will be borne by the state government.

• Vatan prem Yohana is a repackaged version of Madar-e-Vatan scheme by the state government of Gujarat. 
• Madar-e-Vatan has been renamed due to association of the title with Persian language. 
• In the earlier version of the scheme, contribution of the state government and NRIs was 50:50. 
• Now, it has been changed to 60:40.

• Smart classes in schools and Library
• Community hall, Primary health centre and Anganwadi
• CCTV surveillance system,
• Water recycling, drainage, sewage treatment and beautification of ponds.
• Bus-stand
• Solar energy powered streetlights, etc.

Highlights:

• According to US-based global leader approval tracker morning consult, approval rating of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the highest among thirteen world leaders who were surveyed.
• This survey data is updated on a weekly basis.
• Prime Minister Modi obtained the approval rating of 70 %.

• He is ahead of President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of USA Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Australian Scott Morrison, Prime minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro.
• Prime Minister Modi also achieved the lowest disapproval rating among adults. Out of total adults surveyed in India, 25 per cent disapproved of him.
• In June 2021, this approval rating had dropped to 66 per cent. 
• It has dipped by 20-point dip from August 2019 when his rating was 82 per cent.
• The real-time polling data on elections, elected officials and voting issues are provided by Political Intelligence proprietary platform of Morning Consult. 
• Morning Consult conducts around 11,000 daily interviews globally regarding the leadership approval and 5,000 daily interviews with registered voters in the United States regarding the presidential and congressional elections. 
• Daily global survey data is prepared on the basis of 7-day moving average of all adults in any country with a margin of error of between +/- 1-3 %.  
• Surveys are weighted on the basis of age, gender, region and education breakdowns etc.

Highlights:

• International Literacy Day is located globally on 8th September each and every year. 
• The day spread awareness about the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies and the want for intensified efforts closer to extra literate societies.
• The fifty-fifth International Literacy Day theme is Literacy for a human-centred recovery: Narrowing the digital divide. 
• The 8th of September was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO in 1966 to remind the global neighbourhood of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards extra literate societies. 
• It was celebrated for the 1st time in 1967.

Highlights:

• Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, current district magistrate of Noida, has become the first IAS officer to win Paralympics medal.
• He ended his campaign with the winning of historic silver.
• He lost gold to top seed Lucas Mazur of France in the men’s singles SL4 class final at the Tokyo Paralympics on September 5.
• Mazur has also won three gold medals in European Championships, in the qualifying group A match. But India made a tremendous effort in the final to challenge him.
• Suhas has an impairment in one of his ankles.
• He produced an entertaining performance of 21-15, 17-21, 15-21 against the two-time world champion Mazur in a 62-minute summit clash.
• He also became the first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics.
• In the semi-final match, Suhas has outwitted Fredy Setiawan of Indonesia by 21-9 ,21-15.

• Suhas is a computer engineer who went on to become an IAS officer. 
• He has been posted as a district magistrate of Noida since 2020. 
• This role saw him at the forefront of the fight against ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 
• In 2017, he has won gold medals at BWF Turkish Para badminton championship in men’s singles as well as in men’s doubles. 
• In 2016, he won gold at Asia championships while in 2018, he won bronze in Asian Para Games.

• India made its first appearance at the Paralympics in 1968. 
• In total, India had won 12 medals till 2016 Rio edition. 
• India now improved upon the entire number by 7 medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics alone. 
• India have finished at 24th position out of 162 nations in terms of overall medal tally.

Highlights:

• Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, launched Vidyanjali Portal and several other initiatives in the education sector on September 7, 2021.
• These initiatives were launched while asserting that they will play a significant role in shaping India’s future.
• Initiatives were launched while inaugurating the conclave of ‘Shikshak Parv’.
• Vidyanjali portal was launched with the objective of facilitating education volunteers, donors or CSR contributors for school development.

• Vidyanjali portal was launched to enable community or volunteers to contribute by connecting with the government and government-aided schools of their choice directly.
• As per education ministry, any person who is a citizen of India, NRI, PIO or any organisation, institution, company & group registered in India can volunteer and contribute in following two ways:
• Services/Activities: Assets or material or equipment like basic civil infrastructure, classroom support materials & equipment, basic electrical infrastructure, digital infrastructure, equipment for extra-curricular activities, sports, yoga and health etc.
• Serving and retired teachers, scientists, government or semi government officials, self-employed & salaried professionals, retired armed forces personnel, alumni of educational institutions, homemakers and other literate person can volunteer at a school on requests.

• Shikshak Parv-2021 was launched by the Ministry of Education (MoE). 
• Its celebration started on September 5 and will conclude on September 17, 2021. 
• It is being organised to recognise valuable contributions of teachers and to take the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 ahead.

Highlights:

• As part of India’s presidency of the BRICS countries in 2021, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host the 13th BRICS Summit in a virtual format
• ‘BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS cooperation for continuity, consolidation and consensus’, is the theme of the summit.
• India had outlined 4 priority areas for its Chairmanship. 

• Reform of the Multilateral System
• Counter terrorism
• For accomplishing SDGs Digital and Technological tools are used
• Enhancing People to People exchanges
• India’s presidency of the BRICS this year coincides with the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the BRICS, as reflected in this year's theme.

Highlights:

• Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, launched the ‘Business Blasters’ programme on September 7, 2021.
• This programme was launched with the aim of developing young entrepreneurs at school-level by providing students some seed money in order to start a business.
• It will be implemented across all the Delhi government schools under the “Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum (EMC)”.
• Under the programme, class 11 and 12 students will be provided seed money of Rs 2,000 to start their business.
• The programme was started at the School of Excellence Khichripur under a pilot project. 
• 9 groups of 41 students were formed in this and they were provided the seed money of Rs 1,000. 
• They made huge profits in it.

• Business Blasters programme will become a basis of India’s progress. 
• Thorough this programme, students will not run after jobs, but jobs will come to them. 
• If this programme is implemented properly, it can take India from being a developing country to a developed one. 
• It will also help in addressing the problem of unemployment.
• Drawback of Indian education system
• Biggest drawback of the Indian education system was that students were being provided education but an entrepreneurial mindset was not being inculcated. 
• This initiative would help in changing the mindset.
• EMC Carnival:
• Delhi government will organise EMC carnival with 100 top projects from Business Blasters projects at zonal and district level. 
• Projects will be rated by renowned successful entrepreneurs and universities. 
• After this, students included in the top 10 projects will directly be admitted to BBA courses in Delhi Technological University and Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology.

Highlights:

• Union environment minister, Bhupendra Yadav, launched a portal called "PRANA".
• PRANA Portal will be used to track the progress of the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in order to comply with India’s commitment to ensure clean air and blue skies to everybody.
• This portal was launched on the occasion of ‘International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies’ in non-attainment cities (NAC).
• Non-attainment cities are those cities that failed to meet the National air quality standards in a five-year period.
• With India’s efforts, 86 cities showed a better air quality in 2019 and it increased to 104 cities in 2020.
• Environment ministry and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) seeks to achieve 20-30 % reduction in particulate matter (PM10 as well as PM2.5) concentrations in India by 2024.
• In order to achieve the target, India has prepared and is implementing city-specific action plans to improve air quality in 132 NACs/Million Plus Cities. 
• It targets city-specific air polluting sources like soil & road dust, vehicles, MSW burning, domestic fuel, construction material and industries.

• PRANA portal will help in tracking physical and financial status of city air action plan implementation. 
• It will also disseminate information on air quality to the public.

• Indian Environment minister and Japanese Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro also held first ever India-Japan High level policy dialogue. 
• They discussed issues related to air pollution, climate change, sustainable technologies & transport, marine litter, fluorocarbons and COP-26. 
• India and Japan are also strengthening bilateral cooperation on circular economy & resource efficiency, green hydrogen, low carbon technology etc.

Highlights:

• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), listing the top universities and colleges across India, on September 9, 2021.
• NIRF India Ranking 2021 has been announced for eleven categories, namely, Overall, University, Management, Pharmacy, College, Architecture, Engineering, Medical, ARIIA (Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements), Law and Research Institutions.
• NIRF India Ranking parameters and weighted averages were adopted to rank colleges and universities for all the categories.
• Broad categories adopted to rank the colleges, universities and institutes are- Teaching, Learning and Resources; Graduation Outcomes, Research and Professional Practice; Outreach & Inclusivity and Peer Perception.
• Number of institutes participating in NIRF rankings has increased over the years. 
• Thus, categories in which institutes are ranked were changed this year. 
• In 2016, there were four categories to rank the institutes which increased to eleven in 2021.
• About 6,000 colleges and universities participated in the sixth edition of NIRF 2021 Rankings.

• IIT Madras has topped the list in the Engineering Category, for the sixth consecutive year.
• IIT Madras also topped the list in overall category.
• IIM Ahmedabad also maintained its top rank in Management category, for the second year.
• In University category, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore was at top position.
• Miranda House, Delhi topped the list in college category.
• Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi was ranked at first position in Pharmacy category.
• In Medical Category, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi was ranked at first position.

Highlights:

• Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, has been appointed as India’s Sherpa for G20.
• G20 is an influential grouping which brings together the major economies of world.
• Next G20 Summit is scheduled to take place from October 30 to 31, 2021 under Italian Presidency.
• India will hold the G20 Presidency from December 1, 2022 and will also convene G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2023 for the first time.
• India will also be part of the G20 Troika (preceding, current, and incoming G20 Presidencies) from December 1, 2021 to November 30, 2024.
• Since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been leading India’s representation at G20 Summits.

• G20 is an intergovernmental forum consisting of 19 countries and the European Union (EU). 
• This grouping works to address major issues related to the global economy like international financial stability, sustainable development and climate change mitigation. G20 comprises of largest economies, including industrialised & developing nations, of the world.  
• It collectively accounts for 90 % of gross world product, 75-80 % of international trade, half of world’s land area and two-thirds of the global population.
• This grouping was founded in 1999 following a several world economic crises. Since 2008, it organises summits at least once a year, involving each member’s head of government or state, foreign ministers, finance minister, and other high-ranking officials. 
• EU is represented by European Commission and European Central Bank.
• Sherpa is the personal representative of the head of state or government who prepares an international summit, specially the annual G7 and G20 summits. 
• Sherpa is generally influential, but they do not have any authority to make final decision regarding any given agreement.

Highlights:

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, virtually inaugurated the first functional smog tower of India on September 7, 2021.
• Smog tower was launched at Anand Vihar in Delhi.
• Now, ministry would keep a close eye on the results to determine if India need more of such projects in the future.

• A smog tower is a structure that are designed as a large or medium scale air purifier. 
• It helps in reducing air pollution by forcing the air through filters.
• The smog tower at Anand Vihar is having the height of over 20 metres. 
• It is of downdraft type in which polluted air will come in from top of the tower and clean air will come out from bottom. 
• This filter was installed to reduce the localised particulate matter.
• Filtration system used in the smog tower has been designed by University of Minnesota. 
• It has an expected efficiency of 90 %.
• Forty fan units have been installed in the tower in order to provide a design airflow rate of 1,000 m3/sec.
• Smog tower has been built by Tata Projects Limited in collaboration with the NBCC (India) Ltd as project management consultant.
• Ministry has stepped up its activities to achieve clear air in light of COP26 in Glasgow which is scheduled in 2021. 
• According to minister, Rs 375.44 crore has been released to 114 cities in the financial year 2019-20 and 2020-21 for take actions under city action plan. 
• Rs 4,400 core has been released to 42 cities having million plus population for 2020-21 as 15th Finance Commission report had recommended.

Highlights:

• IASP (International Association for Suicide Prevention) observes World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) on 10 September each year.
• The purpose of this day is to increase focus round the globe that suicide can be prevented. 
• The theme for 2021 is Creating hope through action. 
• The International Association for Suicide Prevention collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to host World Suicide Prevention Day with quite a number activities around the world because 2003.

Highlights:

• International Day to Protect Education from Attack is observed globally on ninth September. 
• In deciding the International Day to Protect Education from Attack to be observed for the 1st time in 2020.
• The reason for the day is to raise consciousness concerning the significance of safeguarding colleges as locations of protection and protection for college students and educators and the need to maintain training at the pinnacle of the public agenda.
• The day was set up by a unanimous choice of the UN General Assembly, calling on UNESCO and UNICEF to raise focus on the plight of millions of youngsters dwelling in international locations affected by conflict. The decision proclaiming the Day was once presented with the aid of the State of Qatar and co-sponsored by 62 countries.

Highlights:

• Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh and Union Highways Minister, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Emergency Landing Facility on a National Highway in Rajasthan.
• This emergency landing facility has been constructed on the Satta-Gandhav stretch of National Highway (NH) 925A in Barmer, Rajasthan.
• On the occasion, C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) landed at the emergency field landing at the National Highway in Jalore, Rajasthan.
• This is the first time; a National Highway will be used for emergency landing of IAF aircraft.
• Development of roadways as key infrastructure enabled the construction of high-quality expressways and highways, that can be used as runways with few modifications. 
• These highways and expressways have a limited construction of additional infrastructure. 
• As a result, they can be used to operate various types of aircraft during emergencies.
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) developed a three kilometres section of the Satta-Gandhav stretch on NH-925A, under the supervision of IAF.

• This facility was developed on NH-925A from Km 41/430 to Km 44/430 for the IAF. 
• It is a part of newly developed two-lane stretch of Satta-Gandhav and Gagariya-Bakhasar section in Barmer (Rajasthan). 
• Total length of the highway is 196.97 kilometres, while the length of emergency landing facility is 3.5km. 
• It costs worth Rs 765.52 crores under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. 
• It was completed in 19 months.
• Significance of Emergency Landing Facility
• This facility will be used for road traffic flow on every day basis. 
• However, during the operations of IAF, it will be used to facilitate the landing of all types of aircraft of IAF. 
• It will improve the connectivity between villages of Jalore and Barmer districts in Rajasthan.

Highlights:

• PMGDISHA is a central sponsored scheme.

• It initiated a campaign to achieve 100% digital literacy in the digital village.
• Making one person in every family digitally literate is one of the integral components of the Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India.

• Under the campaign, a three day certification drive for rural citizens, particularly women and deprived communities, will be performed for a few days in September 2021.
• The drive was launched under the PMGDISHA Scheme, GOI's flagship digital literacy program.
• In addition, the Common Service Centres  (CSC) also proposed that all digital villages be 100% digitized.
• Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan is the scheme to make six crore persons in rural areas, across States/UTs, digitally literate, reaching to around 40% of rural households by covering one member from every eligible household by 31st March, 2020.
• The Scheme would empower the citizens in rural areas by training them to operate computer or digital access devices (like tablets, smart phones etc.), send and receive e-mails, browse Internet, access Government services, search for information, undertake digital payment etc. and hence enable them to use the Information Technology and related applications especially Digital Payments to actively participate in the process of nation building. 
• The Scheme aims to bridge the digital divide, specifically targeting the rural population including the marginalised sections of society like Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST), Minorities, Below Poverty Line (BPL), women and differently-abled persons and minorities. 
• To register as candidate the applicant must perform the electronic KYC and agrees to term and condition.Candidate data will be shared with the examination agencies for certification purpose and with training centre for training purpose.
• If candidate wishes to withdraw his/her personal information  from the system, information will not be deleted and will be kept as a record purpose.

• To make a person digitally literate, so that he/she can operate digital devices (like Tablets, Smart phones etc) send and receive emails & browse Internet for information and undertake digital payment etc.

• Nominated digitally illiterate person from every eligible rural household.
• Age : 14 to 60 years

• 20 Hours (Minimum 10 Days and Maximum 30 Days)
• Medium of Instruction
• Place of Learning
• The eligible households can nominate one person from their family. 
• The selected person to get themselves enrolled under this programme in a nearest Training Centre/ Common Service Centre (CSC).
• Evaluation:
• Independent external evaluation will be conducted by a National level certifying agency like NIELIT, NIOS, IGNOU, HKCL, ICTACT, NIESBUD etc.

Highlights:

• Swachh Survekshan Gramin 2021 has been launched. Swachh Survekshan Gramin 2021 was launched in the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission.
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) will undertake the Survekshan (survey) nationally to assist the acceleration of ODF Plus interventions and extend momentum for enhancing ODF Sustainability as well as Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) activities throughout villages.
• More than 17000 villages in 698 districts will be included this time.
• As part of the survey, schools, anganwadis, public health centers, haats/bazaars, religious places, etc. will be visited.
• Around 1,74,750 households will be interviewed for their comments on SBM issues.
• Also, residents will be mobilized to grant comments on sanitation associated problems on-line using an application developed for the purpose.
• In SSG 2021, many new elements are included, including the assessment of solid, liquid, plastic waste and fecal sludge management arrangements, menstrual hygiene awareness, and menstrual waste management and disposal arrangements.

Highlights:

• PMGDISHA is a central sponsored scheme.

• It initiated a campaign to achieve 100% digital literacy in the digital village.
• Making one person in every family digitally literate is one of the integral components of the Prime Minister’s vision of Digital India.

• Under the campaign, a three day certification drive for rural citizens, particularly women and deprived communities, will be performed for a few days in September 2021.
• The drive was launched under the PMGDISHA Scheme, GOI's flagship digital literacy program.
• In addition, the Common Service Centres  (CSC) also proposed that all digital villages be 100% digitized.
• Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan is the scheme to make six crore persons in rural areas, across States/UTs, digitally literate, reaching to around 40% of rural households by covering one member from every eligible household by 31st March, 2020.
• The Scheme would empower the citizens in rural areas by training them to operate computer or digital access devices (like tablets, smart phones etc.), send and receive e-mails, browse Internet, access Government services, search for information, undertake digital payment etc. and hence enable them to use the Information Technology and related applications especially Digital Payments to actively participate in the process of nation building. 
• The Scheme aims to bridge the digital divide, specifically targeting the rural population including the marginalised sections of society like Scheduled Castes (SC)/Scheduled Tribes (ST), Minorities, Below Poverty Line (BPL), women and differently-abled persons and minorities. 
• To register as candidate the applicant must perform the electronic KYC and agrees to term and condition.Candidate data will be shared with the examination agencies for certification purpose and with training centre for training purpose.
• If candidate wishes to withdraw his/her personal information  from the system, information will not be deleted and will be kept as a record purpose.

• To make a person digitally literate, so that he/she can operate digital devices (like Tablets, Smart phones etc) send and receive emails & browse Internet for information and undertake digital payment etc.
• Eligibility Criteria:
• Nominated digitally illiterate person from every eligible rural household.
• Age : 14 to 60 years
• Course Duration:
• 20 Hours (Minimum 10 Days and Maximum 30 Days)
• Medium of Instruction
• Place of Learning
• The eligible households can nominate one person from their family. 
• The selected person to get themselves enrolled under this programme in a nearest Training Centre/ Common Service Centre (CSC).
• Evaluation:
• Independent external evaluation will be conducted by a National level certifying agency like NIELIT, NIOS, IGNOU, HKCL, ICTACT, NIESBUD etc.

Highlights:

• Research establishments have been ranked for the first time in India Rankings 2021.
• The Minister of Education released the 2021 India ranking established by the National Institutional Ranking Framework.
• This is the sixth consecutive version of India Rankings of HEIs in India.
• In the first edition in 2016, university categories and rankings in three specific fields were announced, namely engineering, management, and pharmacy rankings.
• Over the years, three new categories and five new subject areas have been added, bringing the total to four 4 categories and seven subjects.

• Overall
• University
• College
• Research Institutions

• Engineering
• Management
• Pharmacy
• Architecture
• Law
• Dental
• Research establishments have been ranked for the first time in India Rankings 2021.

Highlights:

• Engineers Day 2021 is being observed on September 15, to mark the birthday of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.

• The day mark the contributions of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya in the field of engineering and education.
• Visvesvaraya is the man with high principles.
• He played a significant role in constructing dams, reservoirs and hydro-power projects across India.
• His high architect projects are Krishna Raja Sagar dam in Karnataka and flood protection system in Hyderabad.
• He also designed ‘automatic barrier water floodgates’ installed at the Khadakvasla reservoir in Pune in 1903.
• India has been celebrating the Engineers Day on September 15, since 1968. His birthday is celebrated as Engineers’ Day in India, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.

• He is more commonly known as Sir MV. 
• He was an Indian civil engineer, & statesman. 
• He served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore, from 1912 to 1919. 
• He pursued his degree from 3rd oldest engineering college in Asia called College of Engineering, Pune. 
• He also received India’s highest honour that is Bharat Ratna, in 1955. 
• King George V has knighted him as a Knight Commander of the British Indian Empire (KCIE) for his contributions towards public good.

• World Engineer’s Day is observed in several countries on varying dates of the year. 
• World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) has however designated March 4th as ‘World Engineering Day for a Sustainable World’, as of 19 January 1996.

Highlights:

• British government has announced to introduce legislation in 2021, under which all the newly built homes and offices will require to feature electric vehicle chargers in England.
• Under the legislation, all new homes and offices will be required to feature smart charging devices which can automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods.
• According to it, new office blocks will require to install a charging point for every five parking spaces.
• This law will make England the first country in the world, that require all new homes to have EV chargers.

• The legislation is part of the movement that seeks to rapidly boost the number of chargers in England ahead of UK’s 2030 ban of new fossil-fuel vehicles.
• Home and office EV charger proposal is expected to start in 2022.
• This legislation will help in boosting confidence and help those who transition from gas cars in overcoming the range anxiety because many homes in England do not have off-street parking or garages.
• The government originally announced to mandate that all new homes have a charge point with the parking space in 2019.
• United Kingdom Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had recently announced to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles from 2030, nothing the future of personal mobility on electric vehicles. 
• The ban on gasoline vehicles had initially been proposed for 2040. 
• But it has been brought forward by ten years under the ten-point plan of UK of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 
• Hybrid vehicles would be phased out by 2035.

Highlights:

• Colexion, largest licenced NFT (non-fungible tokens) platform, announced the formal public lunch on September 10, 2021.
• Colexion is a NFT platform for Sports, Entertainment & Art.
• NFTs are the next billion-dollar evolution, that clearly states that digital ecosystem of sport, entertainment & art is perhaps the biggest thing to happen in upcoming years.
• Collectors and investors worldwide own collections of varied set of memorabilia which have been appreciated much over decades.
• This platform will soon enable the users to buy, sell and trade NFTs of their favourite superstars. It has also started a user pre-registration program.

• Colexion is an NFT trading and community platform. 
• It provides users with trade, purchase, and interactive activities. It will feature NFT collections of global stars. 
• Through this platform, users would be able to buy different tiers of blind boxes and own celebrity’s limited NFT collections. 
• Each NFT collectible comprise of a unique record on the blockchain. Users will obtain ownership of this unique NFT collectible by purchasing it on the platform or trading on the Colexion marketplace. 
• Colexion will accept general payment methods like credit cards in order to make it easy for mainstream consumers to participate.
• Colexion will feature stars from field like sports, arts, entertainment, and other industries celebrities. Global sports stars will be the main partners in initial phase of the launch.
• Colexion has been launched with the aim of creating a significant entrance to virtual reality by means of NFT collections, trading, and community platforms. 
• It will bring the Novel technology world through NFT.

Highlights:

• Bhupendra Patel sworn in as New CM of Gujarat.Bhupendra Patel became chief minister of Gujarat on September 13 after Vijay Rupani resigned from the post on September 11, 2021. 
• He was elected as the BJP legislative party leader as well as Chief Minister elect of Gujarat on September 12, 2021.
• He was sworn in by Governor Acharya Devvrat at the Raj Bhavan, Gandhinagar.

• He is an Indian politician, chief minister of Gujarat and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. 
• He is also a member of Gujarat Legislative Assembly and represents Ghatlodia constituency. 
• He was born in July 1962 to a Gujarati Kadava Patidar family of Ahmedabad. 
• He completed his Diploma in Civil Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Ahmedabad. 
• He has also been associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. 
• He is a builder by profession and a trustee of Sardardham Vishwa Patidar Kendra. 
• He is also the chairman of the standing committee of Vishwa Umiya Foundation. 
• He follows Akram Vignan Movement, which was founded by Dada Bhagwan.

Highlights:

• International Day of Democracy was observed on September 15, 2021, in order to review the state of democracy across the globe.

• International Day of Democracy was established in 2007 by a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• It owes its existence to the Universal Declaration on Democracy, that was adopted on September 15, 1997 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
• IPU is an international organisation of national parliaments.
• Following this, Qatar led efforts to promote this day.
• Finally, on November 8, 2007, this day was established.
• UNGA’s resolution of establishing the day is titled as “Support by United Nations system of efforts of governments to promote and consolidate a new or restored democracies.”
• IPU had suggested to celebrate this occasion on September 15, every year in order to commemorate the adoption of Universal Declaration on Democracy 10 years ago. 
• First such celebration was held in 2008. 
• Every year, events are organised under an individual theme.
• United Nations notes that, the International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review “state of democracy” worldwide. 
• Democracy is a process as a goal which can be made into a reality only with the full participation of international community. 
• Essential elements of democracy include: values of freedom, respect for human rights and holding periodic & genuine elections by universal suffrage.

Highlights:

• World Ozone Day or the International Day for preservation of Ozone Layer was observed on September 16, 2021 across the world.
• This day is celebrated every year and is dedicated to a cause which might not be visibly relevant but is important for the protection of the ozone layer.
• World Ozone Day was proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly in 1994, after signing of the Montreal Protocol.
• Montreal Protocol on Substances depleting the ozone layer was signed by almost every country in 1987.
• This day is significant in the light of depleting Ozone Layer. 
• Ozone is the fragile layer of gas that protects people from harmful cosmic rays. 
• But people have itself became a threat to the natural paradigm of the Earth. 
• Thus, this day is celebrated with the objective of curbing all human-led ozone-depleting substances.

• This theme is selected to highlight the long-term results of 35-year-old Montreal protocol, which is the first ever protocol to be ratified by all the 197 members of the United Nations.
• Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change initiated “India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP)” in 2019. 
• This action plan aims to provide an integrated vision towards reducing refrigerant transition, curbing cooling demand and enhancing energy efficiency. 
• The ICAP aligns with the international theme of the day in 2021.

Highlights: 

• World Alzheimer Day was observed across the world on September 21 with the objective of raising awareness of the disease, common symptoms and risk factors.

• Alzheimer disease is a prevalent kind of dementia which gradually causes memory loss & loss of cognitive capacity.
• The day raises awareness regarding the cause and severity of Alzheimer’s disease.
• In some of the countries, the day is observed throughout the month.

• Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain condition which gradually deteriorates memory and cognitive abilities.
• It is the most frequent cause of dementia in older people.
• This condition is a progressive illness which causes brain cells to deteriorate and die.
• A Greek Philosopher, Pythagoras, spoke of a human lifetime in the 7th century BC and referred to the final years of human existence as “senium.”
• He used the term senium to characterise the period of mental & physical deterioration.
• In 1901, Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, diagnosed the first case of Alzheimer in a 50-year-old German lady.
• Thus, this disorder was named after Alois Alzheimer.
• Alzheimer Disease International
• Alzheimer Disease International was formed in 1984. 
• On the tenth anniversary of the Alzheimer Disease International in 1994, World Alzheimer’s Day was announced and is being observed on September 21 since then. 
• The World Alzheimer’s Month was started in 2012.

Highlights:

• The International Day of Peace is observed by United Nations on September 21, every year.
• This day is also called as World Peace Day.
• The Day is celebrated across the world in order to strengthen the ideals of peace by observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
• It promotes global solidarity to build a peaceful and sustainable world.
• United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously passed a resolution in February 2021 and called the Member States to support a “sustained humanitarian pause” for local conflicts.
•  As per the official website of UN, the global ceasefire must continue to be honoured in order to ensure that people who are caught in conflict have access to lifesaving vaccinations and treatments.

• The theme focuses on how to help everyone in recovering better, how to build resilience and how to transform the world into a place which is more just, equal, equitable, inclusive, sustainable & healthier.

• United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had established the day in 1981.
• Third Tuesday of September was chosen as the International Day of Peace, which also marks the opening day of the regular sessions of the UNGA.
• Later, UNGA declared September 21 as the International Day of Peace in 2001.
• The day is celebrated as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
• It plays a significant role in promoting peace across the world.
•  The day seeks to promote a green & sustainable global economy which produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience towards climate impacts.

Highlights:

• Mura-Drava-Danube (MDD) was declared as the world’s first ‘five-country biosphere reserve’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• The biosphere reserve covers seven hundred kilometres of the Mura, Drava and Danube rivers and stretches across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia.
• The complete vicinity of the reserve is a million hectares - in the so-called ‘Amazon of Europe’, which is now the greatest riverine included area in Europe.
• The biosphere “represented an essential contribution to the European Green Deal (climate motion plan) and contributed to the implementation of the European Union Biodiversity Strategy in the Mura-Drava-Danube region.”
• The strategy’s aim is to revitalise 25,000 km of rivers and guard 30% of the European Union’s land area through 2030.
• The vicinity is one of the richest in Europe in terms of species diversity. 
• It is domesticated to floodplain forests, gravel and sand banks, river islands, oxbows and meadows.
• The place is home to the very best density in Europe of breeding pairs of white-tailed eagle & endangered species such as the little tern, black stork, otters, beavers and sturgeons. 
• It is also an important stepping stone for extra than 2,50,000 migratory waterfowls each year.

Highlights:

• Indian Railways took a leap in advancement of Skill India Mission by launching the “Rail Kaushal Vikas Yojana (RKVY)” under the aegis of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)”.
• RKVY was launched by Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
• This Mission will provide Railways an entry level training in industry relevant skills with the help of 75 Railway training institutes across India.
• This mission seeks to empower youth by providing entry level training in skills relevant to industry as part of 75 years of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• This mission incorporates the vision of skill development of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mission will train about 50 thousand youth. 
• It was launched with the aim of imparting training skills to the youth across several trades to bring qualitative improvement. Under the mission, training will also be conducted in remote areas. 
• It will improve the employability of the youth as well as upgrade the skills of self-employed. It will also cater to those who are working with contractors through re-skilling and up - skilling.

• Under the mission, training will be provided to 50000 candidates in a period of three years. In the initial phase, training will be provided to 1000 candidates. 
• Youth will be trained in four trades namely, Electrician, Welder, Machinist and Fitter. 
• Mission comprises of initial basic training of 100 hours. 
• In later phases, zonal railways will add other trades to the training programs. 
• Youth will be trained for free and participants will be selected from applications received online, on the basis of marks in matriculation. 
• Candidates who are 10th passed and between 18-35 years shall be eligible to apply.

Highlights:

• Tata Steel has commissioned the first carbon capture plant of India that extracts CO₂ at once from the blast furnace gas, at its Works of Jamshedpur. 
• By this achievement, Tata Steel has come to be the country’s first steel corporation to adopt such a carbon seize technology. 
• The CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization) plant was inaugurated by T.V. Narendran (CEO and MD of Tata Steel) in the presence of employer officers and different dignitaries.
• The plant can seize 5 tonnes of CO₂ per day (5-tonne per day (TPD)). 
• The agency will reuse the captured CO₂ on-site in order to promote a circular carbon economy.
• The CCU facility uses amine-based technological know-how and makes the captured carbon available for onsite reuse.
• The depleted CO₂ gasoline is sent lower back to the fuel network with multiplied calorific value. 
• This task has been performed with technological aid from Carbon Clean, a global leader in low cost CO₂ capture technology.

Highlights:

• Nagaland's first and India's 61st Software Technology Park of India (STPI) centre was opened on September 17, 2021, in Kohima. 
• The Center was inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrashekhar.
• The inauguration of the STPI centre in Kohima is a fulfilment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of growing a technology ecosystem in the northeast to create possibilities for future generations in the region.
• The MoS urged the want to create actual trade in the science ecosystem. 
• To create job opportunities, the national government ought to work towards developing an interconnection of establishments to create consciousness about more than a few possibilities available for the youth.

Highlights:

• The G-20 Agriculture Ministers conference was held virtually. 
• Working together to accomplish the goal of zero hunger: a project effectively conducted by the Agriculture Ministry, is the theme of this conference.
• The Indian government's proposal was accepted by the United Nations and declared 2023 as the International Year of Millet.
• The United Nations (UN) has accepted the proposal of Indian Government and declared the year 2023 as International year of Millets
• The biofortification of cereals being carried out to fight malnutrition in the country.
• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana wherein the government is offering an income support of Rs.6,000 per year to small farmers.

Highlights:

• According to Agriculture Ministry, India’s food grain production is expected to touch a record of 150.50 million tonne in the Kharif season of 2021 with a better rice output.

• In the Kharif season of 2020-21 crop year, food grain output consisting of rice, pulses & coarse cereals were at 149.56 million tonnes.
• Record production is expected in rice, sugarcane and cotton.
• However, production of coarse cereals and oilseeds is estimated to be lower during the Kharif season of 2021.
• Production of pulses is likely to reach 9.45 million tonne in 2021-22 Kharif season as compared to 8.69 million tonne in 2020-2021.
• Production of tur is estimated to reach to 4.43 million tonnes as compared to 4.28 million tonnes in 2020-2021.
• Production of coarse cereals is likely to decline at 34 million tonnes from 36.46 million tonne in last year.
• Maize output is expected to decrease at 21.24 million tonnes in 2021 as compared to 21.44 million tonnes in 2020.
• Cotton production is expected to reach at 36.22 million bales (of 170 kg each) against 35.38 million bales in 2020.

Highlights:

• About 150 leading companies and organisations including oil majors & port authorities called on September 22, 2021 for decarbonising the global shipping industry completely by 2050.
• These companies also urged the governments to step up their action warning time was limited.
• About 90% of world trade are transported by sea and global shipping accounts for 3% of the world’s CO2 emissions. 
• Thus, this sector is under growing pressure to get cleaner.

• UN shipping agency called International Maritime Organization (IMO), aims to reduce the overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships by 50 % as compared to 2008 levels by 2050. 
• However, industry groups are calling to accelerate action from governments.
• In the latest initiative, shipping, chartering, finance, fuel production & ports companies and groups are asking for stronger measures in order to ensure that sector will meet the climate goals set by the Paris accord. 
• Paris accord seeks to limit the global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.
• Call to Action initiative was developed by the World Economic Forum, non-profit Global Maritime Forum and other partners. 
• This action initiative calls for decarbonization of the shipping which could only happen with the urgency, if governments and regulators establish proper policy frameworks.
• Other signatories of initiative include -container lines A.P. Moller-Maersk, MSC & Hapag Lloyd, Royal Dutch Shell, oil majors BP, mining groups BHP and Rio Tinto etc.

Highlights:

• As per Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) study, India is all set and is on the right track to become industrial trans fat-free by 2022.
• In India, only 1.34 % of the newly tested processed food samples shows more than the permissible levels of ingredients.
• FSSAI cited pan-India survey results and dismiss the perception of excessive use of industrial trans fats in processed food products.
• India has mandated to reduce the limit of industrially produced trans fats to 2 % in order make India free from the industrially produced trans fats by 2022, one year ahead of the WHO guidelines.
• To test compliance by the industry, the FSSAI collected 6,245 samples of processed foods, in association with the Quality Council of India. 
• Samples were collected from six predefined categories in 419 cities. 
• As per survey, 34% of 6,000 processed food samples were high in fats and 3% of packaged food item samples comprises of over 2% trans fat.

• According to WHO, Increased intake of trans fat that is, more than 1% of total energy intake, increases the risk of coronary heart disease mortality.
• Trans fat is considered as the worst type of fat. 
• Unlike other dietary fats, trans fat or trans-fatty acids increases bad cholesterol and lowers the good cholesterol. 
• A diet comprising of trans fat increases the risk of heart disease.

Highlights:

• Leh is all set to host the first edition of the Himalayan Film Festival, which is starting from September 24, 2021.
• The film festival will be inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur, on September 24.

• Himalayan Film festival will run for five days from September 24 to 28.
• Ladakh is hosting the film festival as part of the celebrations of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence.
• The 5-day festival will comprise of several segments to capture audience and film buffs alike.
• The five-day festival is being organised with the aim of creating an interactive and exposure platform in order to promote aspiring local filmmakers as well as to showcase Ladakh as an attractive film destination.
• This festival is being organised by Leh in association with the Directorate of Film Festivals under Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
• The film festival will be held at the Sindhu Sanskriti Kendra in Leh.

Highlights:

• The International Day of Sign Languages was observed on September 23, 2021 to raise awareness regarding the importance of sign language.
• The day is observed every year by the UN General Assembly.
• It is observed with the objective of raising awareness on the importance of sign language in full realisation of human rights of deaf people.
• This day provides a unique opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of deaf people and other people who uses sign language.
• It also acknowledges the early access to sign language and several services in sign language such as quality education which is vital for the development and growth of deaf individual.

• The theme highlights how each of us, deaf and hearing people, can work together to promote the recognition of our right of using sign languages in all areas of life.
• First ever International Day of Sign Language was observed on September 23, 2018 across the world, with the theme “With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!”. 
• The day was celebrated as part of the International Week of the Deaf, which is observed during September 24 to 30. 
• The International Week of the Deaf was first celebrated in the year 1958 and has evolved into a global movement of deaf unity since then.

Highlights:

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has started a historic initiative to set up first ever Tussar Silk Yarn Production Centre at Choudwar in Cuttack district in Odisha.
• The silk yarn productionsur centre was inaugurated on September 24, 2021 by Chairman of KVIC, Vinai Kumar Saxena.
• This centre will ene local availability of Tussar Silk yarn, reduce the silk production cost as well as create local employment.
• Tussar silk is one of the finest varieties of Silk. 
• It is distinguished by its coarseness and porous weave, giving it a rugged and rustic appearance.
• This centre was set up at a cost of Rs 75 lakh.
• It is capable of producing 200 KG of silk yarn of worth Rs 94 lakh annually.

• Odisha has been known for exquisite Silk production, particularly the Tussar variety. 
• This industry provides livelihood to thousands of tribal people, particularly women in the state. 
• But the Silk weavers were totally dependent on states such as West Bengal, Karnataka and Jharkhand for the Silk yarn. 
• This in turn, increased the cost of the Silk fabric here.

Highlights:

• World Tourism Day is observed by the United Nations Organisations (UNO) on September 27, every year.

• This theme was designated by World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 
• The pandemic had a massive social and economic impact on the developed as well as the developing economies. 
• So, the organisation believes that, tourism will help in the recovery and growth of the economies.

• As per official website of United Nations Organisations (UNO), tourism is the most important economic sectors that employs and provide livelihood to one in every tenth person on Earth. 
• In several countries, tourism represent more than 20 per cent of their GDP. 
• The constant growth of the tourism sector in the last six decades reflects more progressive access towards tourism because of declining cost of transport and growth of middle classes worldwide.
• UNWTO had instituted the World Tourism Day during a meeting that took place in Spain. 
• This meeting commenced first celebration of the day in the year 1980. 
• September 27 was chosen as the date to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes. 
• UNWTO statutes were adopted on September 27, 1970.

Highlights:

• World’s highest EV charging station was opened at Kaza town, which is located in of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
• The EV charging station was opened on September 23, 2021 in order to promote a sustainable environment.
• It is the world’s highest electric vehicle charging station located at 500 ft.
• Along with the EV charging station, two women drove electric vehicles from Manali to Kaza to promote a clean and green environment.
• All the products including chargers of this station are made in India.

• India is gaining good momentum in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. 
• There is a good response for battery-operated small electric vehicles such as e-scooter, e-rickshaws, electric three-wheelers, e-carts, and e-bikes in India. 
• Currently, road ministry is planning to run railway, metro, and long-run intercity buses on green hydrogen fuel. Battery electric vehicle as well as fuel cell vehicle technologies are complementary to each other. 
• These technologies are all set to overtake fossil-run automotive by 2050 in India.

Highlights:

• International start-up hubs ranking 2021 was recently compiled and published by Start-up Genome for its annual Global Start-up Ecosystem Report 2021.

• As per the comprehensive ranking of international start-ups, London, Mumbai and Bangalore have been featured among the world’s top start-up hubs.
• London maintained the second-place ranking along with the New York for second consecutive year, despite Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
• Bangalore has also been ranked at 23rd position, maintaining the position among top 30 global tech hubs.
• Delhi was ranked at 36th position.
• Mumbai has been ranked at first position in the Emerging Ecosystems ranking, outperforming the fast-growing ecosystems in areas of performance, funding, talent and market research.
• Karnataka is also the 4th largest technology and innovation cluster in the world and is home to more than 400+ global R & D centres.
• This report ranks the leading 140 start-up ecosystems on the basis of seven success factors like Talent, Performance and Connectedness.
• As per the report, London is the most attractive destination to set up a tech start-up outside the Silicon Valley. Its overall ecosystem is valued at USD 142.7bn. 
• London is also among one of the best cities for access to funding, quality and activity in the investment ecosystem, globally.
• According to the report, Indian start-ups have raised USD 12.1 billion in the first half of year 2021. 
• It demonstrates the rapid growth of India as the global hub for tech & innovation. India has produced 24 unicorns in 2021, as of August 2021.

Highlights:

• Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) World Giving Index 2021 was published recently, in which India found the place among top-20 generous countries.
• India has been ranked at the 14th spot. Its rank has improved up from the 10-year global rank of 82.

• CAF report notes that, India is one of the fastest climbers on the Index.
• According to the report, 61% Indians have helped a stranger during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
• 36% of Indians donated money.
• 34% Indians volunteered for social causes in India.
• According to CAF survey, communities across the world have mobilised to help fellow citizens during covid-19 pandemic. 
• It resulted in the highest ‘helped a stranger’ figures since 2009.
• 55% of the world’s adults (that is 3 billion people) were reported helping someone they didn’t know in 2020.
• 31% people donated money in 2020 as compared to donations in last five years.
• Levels of volunteering in 2020 are broadly unchanged globally.
• Developed countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, Ireland, and the Netherlands were out of the highest ranking.
• Australia and New Zealand maintained their top-10 ranking.
• Poor countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana found place among top-10 generous countries in CAF 2021 index.
• The most generous country across the world is Indonesia. Indonesia has been ranked at first position in the CAF Index this year. 
• Indonesia is followed by Kenya, Nigeria, Myanmar, Australia, Ghana, New Zealand, Uganda, Kosovo and Thailand in that order. In the year 2019, US was ranked at top position.

Highlights:

• World Maritime Day is observed on the last Thursday of September month. 
• In the year, it will be observed on September 30, 2020.
• World Maritime Day is observed to appreciate the importance of maritime industry and to underline the importance of maritime security, maritime safety, maritime environment, and shipping.
• This day also marks the day of adaptation of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) convention. IMO was adapted in 1958.
• World Maritime Day was first observed in 1978.
• In India, International Maritime Day is observed by organising “awards ceremony” every year. 
• It is organised to recognise the contribution made by members of the Indian Maritime industry in past 12 months. 
• In the year 2021, event will centre around an international conference which was held on World Maritime Day in South Africa. 
• During the event, industry influencers will convene to raise awareness regarding the focus issues for those in the seafaring community.

• World Maritime Day is an annual celebration, which was founded by the United Nations (UN) in association with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). 
• The day celebrates the contribution that the maritime industry makes towards the global economy. 
• Without international transportation of goods, facilitated by the maritime industry, global economy would be unable to function. 
• But this fact is overlooked by many. 
• However, World Maritime Day is organised to address this issue.
• World Maritime day was first held on March 17, 1978 to mark 20th anniversary of establishment of IMO. 
• Since its conception, IMO members states have increased from original 21 to 167. 
• IMO now encompasses all major nations who are involved in maritime industry.

Highlights:

• International day for Universal Access of Information is observed on September 28 every year by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• This day is observed because, torrential flow of information is the result of dominant paradigm considering the availability of information assign of the development. 
• As a result, common perspective is that information is power.
• Thus, UNESCO realized the phenomenon induced by information and announced on November 17, 2015 that the International Day for Universal Access of Information will be observed on September 28.
• Various organizations and governmental bodies adhered to the declaration by UNESCO. 
• Hence, UN General Assembly (UNGA) also decided to observe September 28 as the

• This theme highlights the fact that need of public for accurate and reliable information has never been stronger than now, amidst struggle by countries to overcome COVID-19 pandemic rebuild communities and institutions.
• The International day for Universal Access of Information (IDUAI) mainly focus on making information accessible to all, in order to develop robust structure of sustainable policies in society.
• The day also ensures that “access to information is continuous” at times of crisis in a bid to make collectively informed decision to find solution to it.