The Thirty-meter telescope (TMT) project is an international partnership between CalTech, Universities of California, Canada, Japan, China, and India, 2nd National Water Awards(NWAs), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2020
The Thirty-meter telescope (TMT) project is an international partnership between CalTech, Universities of California, Canada, Japan, China, and India
- The Thirty-meter telescope (TMT) project is an international partnership between CalTech, Universities of California, Canada, Japan, China, and India through the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
- Some of the Indian astronomers like Dr. Annapurni Subramanium, Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and Dr. Shashi Bhushan Pandey, a scientist at Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) along with many others collaborated with Prof. Ghez in the ongoing research and developmental activities of the TMT project.
- 2020 Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez had worked closely with Indian astronomers on the design of back-end instruments and possible science prospects of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project being installed at Maunakea in Hawaii, which can revolutionized the understanding of the universe and the enigmas in it.
- Besides, Prof. Ghez’s remarkable contribution in the discovery of a super massive compact object at the center of our Galaxy along with Prof. Roger Penrose and Prof. Reinhard Genzel for which they shared the Nobel prize in physics, Prof. Ghez was deeply involved in the development of the related instrumentation and possible science prospects for the TMT, the next-generation observatory.
- She was part of the team working towards evaluating possible front-line science cases and instrumentation for TMT utilizing associated front-line cutting edge technologies like adaptive optics.
- It had resulted in two significant papers, among many others.
- The scientific prospects and simulations by the first generation instrument for the TMT called the Infrared Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), were described in one of the SPIE proceedings in 2016.
- The latest end-to-end data simulator on Solar System bodies, the Galactic center, energetic transient objects, active galactic nuclei, and distant gravitationally-lensed galaxies were used.
- It showed the capabilities of IRIS/TMT to continue front-line scientific research in the near future to understand the nature of the supermassive compact object at the centre of our Galaxy and many more new aspects to discover “unknown-unknowns”.
- The scientists highlighted the necessity of an advanced data management system and data reduction pipeline.
- Another such collaborative publication in the journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 2015 has underlined versatile usage for future multi-messenger astronomy for various Galactic and extra-galactic objects using TMT includes many other Indian astronomers as a part of larger team along with Prof. Ghez.
- The Thirty Meter Telescope, which seeks to advance scientific knowledge while fostering connection among the partner countries and their citizens, and in which Indian astronomers worked closely with Prof. Andrez Ghez, is expected to provide facilities with even greater capabilities to gather the observations needed to answer new and emerging questions in astronomy and physics in general.
2nd National Water Awards(NWAs)
- Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, isorganising the 2nd National Water Awards (NWAs)for the year 2019.
- The awards are given to motivate individuals/organizations who are doing commendable work in the field of water resources conservation and management.
- Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices.
- The NWAs focus on the good work and efforts made by individual and organisations across the country, and the government’s vision for the path to ‘JalSamridh Bharat’.
- The event provides a good opportunity to start-ups as well as leading organisations to engage and deliberate.
- The event also provides an occasion for all people and organisations to further cement a strong partnership and engender stakeholders engagement in water resources conservation and management activities.
- The National Water Awards 2019 was launched in September, 2019 through MyGov portal and CGWB email.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2020
- 20th Summit of SCO Council of Heads of State was held on November 10, 2020.
- This was the first SCO Summit held in Virtual Format and third meeting that India participated after becoming a full member in 2017.
- This is an important year for India in SCO.
- India is going to convene a summit level meeting “SCO Council of Heads of Government” for the first time.
- A broad agenda has been drafted for this meeting, with special attention to economic cooperation.
- India has proposed the making of a Special Working Group on Innovation and Startups to share our rich experience in the startup ecosystem.
- Also proposed a Working Group on Traditional Medicine, so that the knowledge of traditional and ancient medicine is spread across SCO countries and the headway in contemporary medicine can complement each other.
- India firmly believes that with the combination of economic multilateralism and national capacity building, SCO countries can escape from the crisis of pandemic led economic losses.
- Further, India is moving ahead with a vision of a “Self-reliant India” in the post-pandemic world.
- We believe that “Self-reliant India” will prove to be a Force Multiplier for the global economy and will accelerate the economic progress of the SCO region.
- India maintains close cultural and historical ties with the SCO nations.
- Our ancestors kept alive this shared historical and cultural heritage with their untiring and persistent contacts.
- Steps such as the International North South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port, Ashgabat Agreements, reflect India’s strong resolve towards connectivity.
- India believes that to further deepen Connectivity, it is necessary to carry forward with the core principles respecting each other’s sovereignty, and Territorial Integrity.
- The United Nations has completed its 75 years.
- But despite many achievements, the basic goal of the United Nations is still unaccomplished.
- The world struggling with the pandemic led economic and social suffering is expected to bring about radical changes in the UN systems.
- It is said in our scriptures “Parivartanme Sthirmasti” – Change is the only permanency.
- Beginning 2021 India will participate in the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.
- Our focus will be on bringing possible changes in global governance process.
- A reformed multilateralism that will reflect today’s global realities and discuss topics such as expectations of all stakeholders, contemporary challenges and human welfare.
- India expect full support from SCO member nations in this endeavor.
- This peace hymn is a symbol of believe for the entire human welfare of India.
- In this painful time of unprecedented pandemic, India’s pharma industry helped more than 150 countries with essential medicines.
- As the world’s largest vaccine producing country, India will use its vaccine production and distribution capacity to help the entire humanity in fighting this crisis.
- India firmly believes in peace, security and prosperity and we have always voiced opposition to terrorism, illegal arms smuggling, drugs and money laundering.
- India has remained firm in its commitment to work in compliance with SCO principles laid down in the SCO Charter.
- However, it is unfortunate that repeated attempts are being made to unnecessarily bring bilateral issues in the SCO agenda, which is in violation of the SCO Charter and Shanghai Spirit.
- Such efforts are discordant to the spirit of consensus and cooperation that defines SCO.
- The National Museum of India is in the process of organizing the first SCO exhibition on our shared Buddhist heritage this year.
- The Literature Academy of India has completed the translation of ten Indian literary works in Russian and Chinese languages.
- India, as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, beginning from 1 January 2021, will focus on the theme of ‘reformed multilateralism’ to bring about desirable changes in global governance.
- India’s strong cultural and historical connect with the SCO region and reiterated India’s firm commitment towards strengthening connectivity in the region with initiatives like International North-South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port and Ashgabat Agreement.
- India has also extended full support to observing the 20th anniversary of SCO in 2021 as the “SCO Year of Culture” and spoke of India’s own initiatives to hold the first SCO exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage to be organized by National Museum of India, SCO Food Festival in India next year and the translation of Ten regional language literary works into Russian and Chinese. India’s vision of a “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat” (Self-reliant India) in the post-pandemic world that could prove to be a force multiplier for the global economy and the economic progress of the SCO region.
