Nepal Government to include yoga in school curriculum

The Nepal government is set to make yoga education compulsory for school children by including it in their curriculum, it was reported. Krishna Prasad Kapri, Joint secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, said: “The ministry has completed designing courses on yoga for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12,”

Through integrated approach, certain topics about yoga will be included as part of the compulsory subjects such as English and Nepali. However the students can make choice between yoga, Ayurveda and natural medicine as optional subjects. Ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said that yoga was being integrated in the curriculum “to promote a healthy lifestyle”.

Another curriculum for a three-year vocational course on Technical School Leaving Certificate in Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy has also been designed which will be taught under three-year diploma programme. The curriculum will be timely revised as per the need.

Maharashtra: CM launched first girder of India’s longest sea-bridge MTHL

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray launched the first girder for the country’s longest sea-bridge, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). The girder weighs 1,000 tonnes and was set off by a 1,400-tonnes ‘launching girder’ marking the erection of the first span in the civilian works of the MTHL.

It is expected to be completed by 2022 and slash the travel time between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai from existing 100 minutes to 30 minutes. Estimated to cost around Rs 14,260 crore, it is being financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The bridge is said to be 22 km long, of which 16.5 km will run in the sea making it the longest sea bridge in India, and second after the Bandra Worli Sea Link, that will connect the mainland with Sewri and Chirle. The MTHL will connect the new international airport coming up in Navi Mumbai, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, the country’s first expressway, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Mumbai-Goa Highway, providing faster access to north Maharashtra and southern India.

Madhya Pradesh: Government to set up Gandhi chairs and pillars

Madhya Pradesh government has decided to set up Gandhi ‘chairs’ and pillars dedicated to him in universities and colleges across the state. The stone pillars will bear inscriptions regarding Gandhiji with an objective to help the young generation connect with the Mahatma, and inspire them to work in nation-building.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath will inaugurate the study centres to promote research on Gandhiji at a symbolic function here on January 30 (the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi). All the varsities and colleges have been directed to complete the work of setting up the chairs and the stone pillars by January 26.

Arunachal Pradesh: Famous ‘Parshuram Kund Mela’ begins

Parshuram Kund Mela started in North-Eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund, a Hindu pilgrimage centre is situated on the Brahmaputra plateau in the lower reaches of the Lohit River.

Devotees across the country visit the sacred place to take a holy dip in the Kund on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. More than 12,000 footfalls of pilgrims are recorded so far who have come to the Mela this year.

The legendary beheading of his mother by Lord Parshuram and eventual penance followed by taking a bath in the so-called Brahma Kund, has added religious significance to this place.

Indian Army Day celebrated on 15 January

The 72nd Indian Army Day is being celebrated across the country. Army Day Parade is also organized at Parade Ground, Delhi on this day. Army of India has the dedication to the motherland by being effective responders during calamities and through the contributions to wider nation-building.

Indian Army Day is celebrated every year on 15th January to honour Field Marshal KM Cariappa who took command of the Indian Army from General Francis Butcher on the same day in 1949.

India Meteorological Department’s 145th foundation Day celebrated

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is celebrating its 145th Foundation Day on 15 January 2020. With a humble beginning in 1875, the IMD has marched forward with various milestones and paradigms to serve the society. 

It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organization.

E-commerce company Amazon to invest USD 1 billion in India

Jeff Bezos, chief of the e-commerce company, Amazon announced USD 1 billion (over Rs 7,000 crore) incremental investment in India to help bring small and medium businesses online and committed to exporting USD 10 billion worth of India-made goods by 2025.

The new investments will help hiring talent to fill roles across Amazon in India, including software development engineering, cloud computing, content creation, and customer support.

The investments will also help in expanding growth opportunities for the more than 5,50,000 traders and micro, small, and medium-sized businesses – including local shops – through programs like Saheli, Karigar, and “I Have Space”.

National Highway Excellence Awards 2019′ to be presented by Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari will present the ‘National Highways Excellence Awards 2019’ to outstanding performers in National Highways sector on Tuesday in New Delhi. The aim is to recognise companies which are performing exceptionally well in the construction, operations, maintenance and tolling stages of highway development as well as in the arena of road safety.

The awards were instituted in the year 2018. Following the success of the first cycle, the Ministry has decided to make the National Highways Excellence Awards an annual feature. The awards will be given in the following seven categories: Excellence in Project Management; Excellence in Operation and Maintenance; Excellence in Toll Management; Excellence in Highway Safety; Innovation; Outstanding Work in Challenging Conditions; and Green Highway

Prof M S Swaminathan honoured with MVN National Award

Eminent Agricultural Scientist, Prof M S Swaminathan was recently chosen as the first recipient of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’. Dr Swaminathan was awarded for his distinguished contributions to the field of agriculture. Dr Swaminathan is the “Father of the Green Revolution in India and the Doyen of Agricultural Science”.

At the same time, a well-known social worker, Dr Gutta Muniratnam was felicitated with ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service‘. Dr Swaminathan could not attend the function, while Dr Muniratnam was present and received the award from the Vice President, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu. Each award carries a cash prize of Rupees Five Lakh and citation.