International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
World leprosy day is annually observed around the world on the last Sunday of January. It was initiated in 1954 by French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau. The day was chosen to coincide with the death anniversary of Indian freedom fighter and Father of nation Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30 1948.
Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind. It is caused by a slow-growing type of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). It is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT)

Notes:
BIMSTEC-Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
The BIMSTEC is sub-regional grouping comprising of seven countries of South Asia- India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and South East Asia- – Myanmar, Thailand. It was established on 6 June 1997 through Bangkok Declaration. It is headquartered at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Notes:
Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The DRDO began developing the Pinaka in the late 1980s as an alternative to Russian-made systems. The Pinaka can fire 12 rockets and is designed to engage targets at a range of up to 40 km. It was used extensively by the Army during the Kargil War.
The Pinaka is named after “Pinaka”, the bow of Lord Shiva.

Notes:
The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva.

Notes:
5 operational commands and 2 functional commands

Notes:
The first Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was Josip Broz Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia. The NAM was established in 1961 during the Cold War to promote cooperation among countries that did not want to align with either the Western or Eastern blocs. Tito played a crucial role in its formation, alongside leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Gamal Abdul Nasser. The movement aimed to provide a platform for countries seeking independence from colonialism and to advocate for peace and mutual respect among nations.

Notes:
World Consumer Rights Day is observed on March 15th every year. This day is dedicated to promoting and raising awareness about consumer rights and responsibilities around the world. It provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of consumer protection, fair business practices, and the need for consumer advocacy.

Notes:
The Varuna naval exercise is a biennial military exercise between India and France, focusing on enhancing interoperability and maritime security. The first Varuna exercise took place in 2001, and it has since evolved to include various naval operations, showcasing advanced naval capabilities. France is a key strategic partner for India, particularly in defense and maritime cooperation.

Notes:
Indra Exercise is a joint military exercise that takes place between India and Russia. It is a bilateral exercise that involves the armed forces of both countries, including the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy, as well as the Russian Armed Forces. The exercise typically focuses on a variety of military drills and training activities, including air defense, maritime security, and counter-terrorism operations. The first Indra Exercise was held in 2003, and it has been conducted annually ever since. The exercise is part of the growing military cooperation between India and Russia, and it is aimed at enhancing the interoperability and coordination of their armed forces.

Notes:
Indian Peace Keeping Force took control of Jaffna from the LTTE in late 1987 to enforce the disarmament of the LTTE as a part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. This operation was named operation Pawan.