International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

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ECOWAS is a 15 member community of western African countries that makes efforts towards not only economic integration but also peace keeping during times of political unrest.

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International Biodiversity Day is celebrated on 22nd May every year to raise awareness about biodiversity issues. This day commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. 192 countries are party to this convention to promote sustainable development.

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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.

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In the United States, Patriot Day occurs on September 11 of each year, designated in memory of September 11, 2001, attacks.

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The Washington Treaty (North Atlantic Treaty), signed in 1949, established NATO. Article 5 of the Treaty states that an armed attack against one or more NATO members in Europe or North America is to be considered an attack against all. The other agreements listed do not contain this defining NATO provision.

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Flag Day of India is celebrated on December 7. This day honors the contributions of the armed forces and raises awareness about the welfare of soldiers and their families. The tradition began in 1949, and the Indian government promotes the sale of flags to support various military charities.

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The eminent Telugu poet Allasani Peddana, revered as one of the Ashtadiggajas (the group of eight Telugu poets) in the royal court of Krishnadevaraya, a distinguished ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire, is the author of “Manucharitam”. This work is crucial for its expansion of an episode in the Markandeya Purana that recounts the birth of Svarochishamanu, who is recognized as one of the fourteen Manus, shaping human generations.

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The Sanskrit poet Padmagupta Parimala composed “Navasaha Sankacharitam” , in which he described the exploits of Paramara
King Sindhuraja (995-1010 AD) of Dhara, who possessed the title “Nava Sahasanka”. It deals with the marriage of Sindhuraja  (the father of King Bhoja of Dhara) with the Shashi Prabha (daughter of Nagaraja Shankhapara) and the personal aspects of his life.

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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a renowned devotee of Lord Krishna and founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, had his life and teachings documented in a biography written by Krshnadas Kaviraj. This biography, entitled Chaitanya Charitamrita, provides detailed insights into his life, contributions, and teachings, validating Krshnadas Kaviraj as the author.

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Finance Ministry signed an agreement with International Monetary Fund (IMF) for setting the First center that fully integrates training and technical assistance and is a model for our future capacity development work. The South Asia Regional Training and Technical Assistance Center (SARTTAC) is expected to become the focal point for planning, coordinating, and implementing the IMF’s capacity development activities in the region on a wide range of areas, including macroeconomic and fiscal management, monetary operations, financial sector regulation and supervision, and macroeconomic statistics. The Center will help address existing training needs and respond to the demand for IMF training in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, while bringing the region’s training volume on par with those of other regions.