Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 06 Nov 2023

India Flags Off First International Cruise Liner

Recently, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways flagged off the maiden voyage of the vessel Costa Serena, the first International Cruise Liner in India from Mumbai.

  • The initiative aligns with the "Dekho Apna Desh" campaign, reflecting the government's emphasis on promoting tourism.
  • The development of cruise and lighthouse tourism is part of the Sagarmala Programme, which aims to establish India as the premier cruise hub in the Asia Pacific region by 2030.
    • The goal is to increase the annual number of cruise passengers in India to 18 lakhs by 2030, up from the current figure of 4.72 lakhs.
  • India plans to have 25 operational cruise terminals by 2047, with an estimated annual passenger count of 5 million.

Read more: Ganga Vilas Cruise

ATL Marathon 2023-24

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog, opened applications for the 'Atal Tinkering Lab(ATL) Marathon 2023-24,' a national-level innovation challenge in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, YuWaah and UNICEF.

  • The 2023-24 ATL Marathon is themed around “India’s 75th Republic Day( 26th January 2024)”, with several problem statements on which student teams can build projects like Space, Agriculture, Inclusivity, Disaster management, Mobility, Health, Education & Skill Development.
    • Students across India can participate and develop innovative solutions for community problems.
  • Aims to create an ecosystem of innovation in schools and expose students to innovation.

Read more: Atal New India Challenge 2.0

Inaugural AIESC Meeting

The inaugural Australia India Education and Skill Council (AIESC) meeting, hosted at IIT Gandhinagar, represents a pivotal moment in the bilateral education and skill development collaboration between Australia and India.

  • Established in 2011 as the Australian India Education Council (AIEC), this bi-national body strategically guides the educational, training, and research partnerships between the two countries.
  • By focusing on themes like shaping future workforces, bolstering institutional partnerships, and driving research impact through internationalization, the council seeks to pave the way for the future of education and skilling in both nations.

Read more: India-Australia Relations

Neeraj Chopra Nominated for 2023 World Athlete of the Year Award

Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic and World Champion Javelin Thrower, stands among the 11 nominees for the 2023 Men's World Athlete of the Year award given by the World Athletics.

  • The selection process involves a three-way voting system, incorporating votes from the World Athletics Council, the World Athletics Family, and the public.
    • While the council's vote carries 50% weight, the remaining 50% is divided equally between the World Athletics Family and public votes.

Read more: World Athletics