International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
The book “Army and Nation : The Military and Indian Democracy since Independence” has been authored by Steven Wilkinson, a professor of political science and International relations at Yale University. It is about Indian Army’s relationship with the civilian government after Independence. It is in news because Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has advised his officers to read the book “Army and Nation” to understand how India succeeded in keeping the military out of politics.

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Kalidasa was one of the gems of the court of Gupta king Chandragupta II (375–415 CE). The poems he wrote were usually of epic proportions and were written in classical Sanskrit. He wrote two epic poems called Kumara sambhava, which means birth of Kumara and the Raghuvamsha, which means dynasty of Raghu. There are also two lyric poems written by Kalidasa known as Meghadutta that stands for cloud messenger and the Ritusamhara that means description of the seasons. Meghadutta is one of the finest works of Kalidasa in terms of world literature. The beauty of the continuity in flawless Sanskrit is unmatched till date. The most famous and beautiful work of Kalidasa is the Shakuntalam. It is the second play of Kalidasa after he wrote Malavikagnimitra. The Shakuntalam tells the story of king Dushyant who falls in love with a beautiful girl Shakuntala, who happens to be the daughter of a saint.

Notes:
The Indian Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India. It is celebrated in recognition of Lieutenant General K. M. Cariappa who took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on January 15, 1949.

Notes:
In 1988, World Health Assembly of WHO had passed a resolution calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31. Since then WHO has supported the observance of World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) every year.

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International Literacy Day is observed annually on September 8. Established by UNESCO in 1966, this day aims to raise awareness about the importance of literacy for individuals and communities. The date was chosen to highlight the significance of literacy as a fundamental human right and a key to sustainable development.

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In 2009, Infosys came under the security blanket of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), becoming the first private firm to be protected by the force which usually guard government installations.

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The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, also known as the “Asian Contagion,” began in Thailand. The crisis was sparked by a number of factors, including a sharp drop in global demand for the country’s exports, a high level of government and corporate debt, and speculative attacks on the Thai currency, the baht. As the crisis unfolded, it spread to other countries in the region, including Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia.

Notes:
SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that takes place between the navies of India and Sri Lanka. It is an acronym for “Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise”. The exercise typically involves a variety of naval drills and training activities, including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue operations. The first SLINEX exercise was held in 2005, and it has been conducted regularly ever since. The exercise is aimed at improving the interoperability and cooperation between the navies of India and Sri Lanka, and at enhancing the security and stability of the Indian Ocean region.

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Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) was initiated by Mauritius. It was formed in march 1997.

Notes:
BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation)