33rd India International Trade Fair opened at New Delhi

The 33rd India International Trade Fair began at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 14 November 2013. President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the India International Trade Fair (IITF). The trade fair aimed to spur international trade while highlighting India's economic growth. The Theme of IITF 2013 is Inclusive Growth. The 14-day event scheduled from 14 to 27 th November 2013. About 6000 exhibitors including 250 from foreign countries are participating in the fair. This year Japan is a partner country and South Africa, the focus country. While Bihar is a partner state, Odisha is the focus state. 

About India International Trade Fair : 
The trade fair is organized by the India Trade Promotion Organization, and the fair is housed at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The IITF is one of the largest international trade fairs in the world. The Indian International trade fair first opened in 1980. And this annual event provides a common platform for the manufacturers, traders, exporters and importers. The fair displays comprises a wide range of products and services including Automobiles, Coir Products, Jute, Textiles, Garments, Household Appliance, Kitchen Appliances, Processed food, Beverages, Confectionery, Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, Telecommunication, Power sector, Electronic Sector, Furniture, Home Furnishings, Sports Goods, Toys, Engineering Goods etc.

International Day for Tolerance observed on 16 November

International Day for Tolerance was observed on 16 November 2013 across the world to educate people about the need for tolerance in society and to aware them about the dangers of intolerance.

Live discussions and debates took place across the world on this day, focusing on how various forms of injustice, oppression, racism and unfair discrimination have a negative impact on society. Human rights activists also used this day as an opportunity to speak out on human rights laws, especially with regard to banning and punishing hate crimes and discrimination against minorities.

About International Day for Tolerance

International Day for Tolerance is celebrated worldwide every year on 16 November to promote the Tolerance among the public. The day was first observed in 1995.

Timeline of International Day for Tolerance

• In 1993, UN General Assembly (by resolution 48/126) declared the year-1995 as United Nations Year for Tolerance. The year was declared on the General Conference of UNESCO’s initiative.
• On 16 November 1995‚ the UNESCO member states adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the year.
• In 1996, the UN General Assembly (by resolution 51/95) invited UN Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November.

Lord Swraj Paul presented with International Indian of the Decade Award

Lord Swraj Paul, a leading NRI industrialist and educationist was presented with the International Indian of the Decade award on 15 November 2013. Swraj Paul was presented the award for his outstanding achievements in the fields of industry, education and philanthropy. 

Virender Paul, the acting High Commissioner of India to the UK presented the award to Lord Swraj Paul at the 20th anniversary of the publication of India Link International (a monthly magazine). 

About Lord Swraj Paul 
• Lord Swraj Paul is the founder of the UK-based steel and engineering multinational company Caparo, which at present employs about 10000 people worldwide from UK, USA and India. 
• He was made the Life Peer is a member of the House of Lords in 1996 and donated 1 million pounds to prevent the London Zoo closure in 1994. 
• He became the first Indian-born Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords in 2008 and was also appointed to the Privy Council in 2009. 
• From 2000 to 2008, he was the member of the London Development Agency. He chaired the London Development Agency Olympics Delivery Committee between 2005 to 2008,  which was responsible for delivering the land and infrastructure for the London 2012 Olympic Games on time and on budget  
• In 1999, he became the chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton in 1999. In 2006, he became the Chancellor of the University of Westminster. From 1992 to 1997, he was the pro-chancellor of Thames University and its chancellor in 1998 
• In 1983 he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India 
• In 1998, he was granted the freedom of the city of London 
• Universities of UK, USA, Switzerland and India has awarded him 15 honorary degrees
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology gave him the Corporate Leadership Award 

One in 10 people could suffer from diabetes by 2035

A shocking new report suggests that one in 10 people globally will have diabetes by 2035.

To highlight World Diabetes Day which takes place each year on Nov. 14, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) released its sixth edition of the Diabetes Atlas.

The report estimates how many adults between the ages of 20 to 79 will be affected by the disease in the future.

By the end of this year, the IDF estimates that 382 million people will have diabetes around the world, CBS News reported.

By 2035, that number will skyrocket to 592 million. For comparison, about 285 million people had the disease just four years ago.

Eighty percent of people with the disease live in low- and middle-income countries, and most of them are between 40 and 59 years old.

The organization also said that one person dies from diabetes every six seconds, or about 5.1 million deaths annually.

The IDF estimates that the percentage of U.S. residents affected by diabetes will increase to 11.6 by 2035, which will be 29.7 million people.

About 8.3 percent of the U.S. population had a form of diabetes in 2011, according to the American Diabetes Association. 

Prof. CNR Rao and Sachin Tendulkar Selected for Bharat Ratna Award

The Government of India on 16 November 2013 decided to confer, the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award on eminent scientist Prof CNR Rao and cricket player Sachin Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar is the first sport person to win the Bharat Ratna Award.

The Bharat Ratna award so far, given only to eminent personalities from the field of dance, music, art, literature and the social sector. In the year 2011, the Government of India modified the eligibility criteria for Bharat Ratna Award - to enable eminent Sports-persons to receive the Nation’s highest civilian award.

About Prof. CNR Rao

Prof. Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao (CNR Rao) was born on 30 June 1934, Bangalore, India. He is an eminent scientist and a well recognized international authority on solid state and materials chemistry.

He has published over 1400 research papers and 45 books. Prof. CNR Rao's contributions have been recognized by most major scientific academies around the world through conferment of memberships and fellowships. He has been honoured with several national and international awards, including Padma Vibhushan.

Prof. CNR Rao is Honorary President of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India.

About Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian Batsman who is considered one of the greatest batsmen of the cricket world.

Sachin Tendulkar who belongs to Mumbai Maharashtra made his appearance in six world cups for India and was the member of the 2011 World Cup winning squad of the nation.

Sachin Tendulkar made his Test debut against arch-rival Pakistan at Karachi in 1989. He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 1989 in Gujranwala. He currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and One Day Internationals. 

In 198 Test matches, Sachin Tendulkar scored over Fifteen Thousand Eight hundred runs at an average of 53.86. He slammed 51 Test centuries and an unbeaten 248 against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2004 was his best ever. 

He made 49 hundreds in the one-day format, including a double hundred which is the first in this form of cricket and 96 half centuries.

In 2012, Sachin Tendulkar became the first player to score 100 international centuries.

Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from Test cricket after playing his landmark 200th Test match against the West Indies on 15 November 2013. Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar announced retirement form one day cricket on 23 December 2012 and from Twenty20 cricket format on 26 May 2013.

About Bharat Ratna award

• Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian Award of the country was instituted in the year 1954.
• It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. 
• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. 
• The number of annual awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
• The last recipient of Bharat Ratna award is Pandit Bhimsen Joshi in 2008.
• The first ever Indian to receive this award was the famous scientist, Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.

Indian biotech aiming to be $100 billion sector by 2025: Shaw

Indian biotechnology sector is looking to be a $100 billion sector by 2025, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said here on Saturday. 

"We want to make Indian biotechnology a $100 billion sector by 2025. I really believe this can be done if we have right policies in place, right resources and right investments," Biocon chairman and managing director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw told PTI. 

She was speaking on the sidelines of the third convocation and fifth annual lecture of NIIT University. 
Taking this road map is about delivering security like food security, health security and energy security and environment security, she added. 

"Agri bio can itself provide a $40 billion sector, Already BT Cotton is a $7.5 billion sector for the country. If you allow other genetically modified crops it could be much bigger," Shaw said. 

ISRO marks 50 years of rocketry

November 15, 2013 : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to celebrate the 50 years of rocketry on November 21, 2013. It was on November 21, 1963, at 18:25 IST that the American made Nike-Apache rocket was launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) ,the first rocket to be launched from Indian soil for scientific purposes. The RH-200 sounding rocket set to be launched at 18:25 hours from the TERLS on November 21 marking the 50th anniversary significant event - India’s entry into the space arena. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is the primary space agency of the Indian government. ISRO is amongst the six largest government space agencies in the world, along with USA's NASA, Russia's RKA, Europe's ESA, China's CNSA and Japan's JAXA. Its primary objective is to advance space technology and use its applications for national benefit. Established in 1969, ISRO superseded the erstwhile Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). Headquartered in Bengaluru, ISRO is under the administrative control of the Department of Space, Government of India. ISRO's journey on launching vehicles: 1960s–1970s sounding rockets 1980s-Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 1990s-Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) 2000s and 2010s-Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) 2000s and 2010s-Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)

What:ISRO marks 50 years of rocketry When: November 21, 2013 Where:Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) How:The RH-200 sounding rocket set to be launched at 18:25 hours from the TERLS

Daley Thompson honoured with IAAF Hall of Fame award

November 16, 2013 : British decathlon great Daley Thompson is honoured with IAAF Hall of Fame award on November 16, 2013. The 55-year-old veteran won Olympic gold at Moscow 1980 and Los Angeles 1984 as well as the world title in 1983. Thomson is among 12 athletes to be added to the 24 inaugural members announced last year. Fellow Briton Sebastian Coe, who twice won 1500m Olympic gold, was one of those inducted in 2012. French 200m and 400m runner Marie-Jose Perecis also on the list. The duo and the rest of the 2013 entrants will be formally added to the Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Monaco. The criteria for the Hall of Fame initially required athletes to have won at least two Olympic or World titles, have set a world record and been retired for at least 10 years. However the rules were relaxed in 2013 to allow entry to athletes "whose achievements had an extraordinary impact on the sport". Norway's Grete Waitz, who died of cancer in 2011 at 57, is honoured for her pioneering performance in the women's marathon after not qualifying under the original specifications . Hall of Fame entrants 2013 Harrison Dillard (US). Majorie Jackson (Aus) Hannes Kolemainen (Fin) Nataliya Lisovskaya (USSR) Svetlana Masterkova (Rus) Noureddine Morceli (Alg) Parry O'Brien (US) Marie-Jose Perec (Fra) Viktor Saneyev (USSR) Yuriy Sedykh (USSR) Daley Thompson (GB) Grete Waitz (Nor) International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF): The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded on July 17, 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation. Since October 1993, it has been headquartered in Monaco. Beginning in 1982, the IAAF passed several amendments to its rules allowing athletes to receive compensation for participation in international athletics competitions. However, the IAAF retained the word "amateur" in its name until its 2001 Congress at which the IAAF's name was changed to its current form.. What: Daley Thompson honoured with IAAF Hall of Fame award When: November 15, 2013

Indian Navy receives second P8I maritime patrol aircraft

November 16, 2013 : American defence major Boeing has delivered the second P-8I aircraft to India on November 15, 2013. The P-8I is likely to boost the Indian Navy's long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Boeing is building eight P-8I aircrafts for India, which delivered the first one in May. Based on the company's Next-Generation 737 commercial airplane, the P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the US Navy. The first P-8I recently completed testing its weapons capabilities, including successfully firing a Boeing Harpoon missile at a target and dropping a torpedo. In order to efficiently design and build the P-8I and the P-8A, the Boeing-led team is using a first-in-industry, in-line production process that draws on the company's Next-Generation 737 production system, a media release said. Boeing: The Boeing Company is a United States-based multinational corporation that designs, manufactures and sells fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, rockets and satellites and provides leasing and product support services. Boeing is among the largest global aircraft manufacturers, is the second-largest aerospace & defense contractor in the world based on 2012 revenue and is the US' largest exporter by dollar value. Boeing stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The Boeing Company's corporate headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois and the company is led by Chairman and CEO James McNerney. Boeing is organized into five primary divisions: Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS), Engineering, Operations & Technology, Boeing Capital and Boeing Shared Services Group

What: Indian Navy receives second P8I maritime patrol aircraft When: November 15, 2013 Where: New Delhi

Govt honours Sachin with Bharat Ratna

November 16, 2013 : The Government of India has conferred the Bharat Ratna to the cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar just hours after his retirement from the in international cricket on November 16, 2013. Sachin is honoured for his 24 year long and splendid cricketing contribution to the nation. Sachin retired from international cricket after playing his 200th and final Test against West Indies at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The Government has also announced the Bharat Ratna for the chemist genius Prof. Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao, popularly known as C.N.R Rao. He currently serves as the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. Bharat Ratna: Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India or Gem of India in English) is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavour. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for the award.. The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are to be made by the Prime Minister of India to the President of India. The holders of the Bharat Ratna rank 7th in the Indian order of precedence, though they do not carry any special title or any other honorifics.

What: Sachin Tendulkar and C.N.R Rao conferred Bharat Ratna When: November 15, 2013 Where: New Delhi