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Artist Vivan Sundaram dies at 79

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Born in Shimla in 1943, the Delhi-based artist studied painting at MS University, Baroda, and The Slade School of Fine Art, London in the 1960s. One of the most influential artists who brought a sense of internationalism to Indian art, Sundaram’s practice ranged from paintings and photographs to videos, sculptures and installations. He drew inspiration for his works, large and small, from sources as diverse as Pablo Neruda’s poems and Macchu Picchu. 

Sundaram’s Emergency drawings are representative of his art of the 1970s. In the 1990s, he created the installation, Memorial, in response to the communal riots in Mumbai. He introduced a new contemporary language in his works while framing social issues. His involvement with political causes, support for radical art movements and engagement with artists across generations helped in crafting and sharpening his art practice.

His association with the Journal of Arts & Ideas and SAHMAT or the backing for the Kochi Muziris Biennale were propelled by the ambition to shape a secular public space and discourse in a polarising time. From lectures to residencies, Sundaram was generous with his time for younger artists. The seminal painter Amrita Sher-Gil, his aunt, who died young, was an inspiration for Sundaram.

Sundaram sought a balance between the gallery and street, theory and praxis, thought and work. In the process, he influenced art, both in its discourse and practice.

Today is Ram Navami

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Chaitra Navratri is marked with pomp all across the country annually by Hindus. This year, the festival began on March 22 and ends on March 30.

Ram Navami is an auspicious Hindu festival which is celebrated every year and marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ram. It falls on the Shukla Paksha Navami which the ninth day of the Chaitra month and is also the conclusion of Chaitra Navratri. He was born to King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya in Ayodhya. The festival also celebrates the descent of Vishnu as the Rama avatar.

According to the Hindu Calendar, Chaitra Navratri is marked in the month March or April. This year, Ram Navami falls on 30 March. As per Drik Panchang, Lord Rama was born during Madhyahna period which is middle of Hindu day. Madhyahna which prevails for six Ghatis (approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes) is the most auspicious time to perform Rama Navami Puja rituals. According to Drik Panchang, it will last from 11:11 am to 1:40 pm this year. The Rama Navami Madhyahna Moment will be at 12:26 pm. 

Today is International Day of Zero Waste

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March 30, 2023 will mark the first-ever Zero Waste Day with the objective of promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, support the societal shift towards circularity and raise awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It must be noted that the waste sector contributes significantly to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution.

 The theme for International Day of Zero Waste 2023 – ‘Achieving sustainable and environmentally sound practices of minimizing and managing waste’.

According to the UN data, an estimated 2.24 billion tons of municipal solid waste is generated annually, of which only 55% is managed in controlled facilities. Further, every year, around 931 million tons of food are lost or wasted and up to 14 million tons of plastic waste enters aquatic ecosystems.

Karnataka goes to polls on May 10

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The second phase of assembly elections for 2023 begins on May 10, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI), when Karnataka go to polls in a single-phase on May 10. The counting of votes will take place on May 13

Announcing this, CEC Rajiv Kumar said that the term of the current assembly will expire on May 24. A total of 5.21 crore people are eligible to exercise their right to franchise, including 2.62 crore male and 2.59 crore women.

Karnataka is the only state in the south where the BJP has been in power, and in the 2018 election, it emerged as the single-largest party, winning 104 seats in the 224-member assembly.

The Congress, on the other hand, won 80 seats, while the Janata Dal’s (Secular) tally stood at 37. After the election, however, the Congress and JD(S) formed a coalition government, with the latter’s HD Kumaraswamy taking oath as the chief minister.

In July 2019, a rebellion by some Congress-JD(S) legislators led to the collapse of the coalition government, and the BJP’s return to power under BS Yediyurappa, the saffron party’s tallest leader in the state.

In July 2021, Yediyurappa stepped aside to make way for Basavaraj Bommai, the incumbent chief minister.

Today is World Piano Day

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World Piano Day has been designed to celebrate this incredible instrument, which has brought many of us joy over the years. No matter whether you play the piano yourself or you have an appreciation for this sort of music, we can all appreciate that listening to a quality pianist is a joy.

Piano Day, an annual worldwide event founded by a group of likeminded people, takes place on the 88th day of the year – because of the number of keys on the instrument being celebrated.

German pianist and composer Nils Frahm initiated World Piano Day in 2015. The idea behind it was to celebrate the piano across the world by holding events, performances, masterclasses, lectures, etc.    The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori of Italy in 1700. It was first called ‘clavicembalo col piano e forte’, which means an instrument that can play soft and loud noises. Eventually, its name was shortened to the piano. The idea to celebrate the day came from German pianist and composer Nils Frahm in 2015. On Piano Day 2018, Christian Henson of Spitfire Audio launched a website and YouTube channel called Pianobook, dedicated to creating and sharing sampled instruments for free. 

Nikhat Zareen claims 2nd Women’s World Boxing Championship gold

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Nikhat Zareen continued to grow in stature as she added a second World title to her swelling trophy cabinet while Lovlina Borgohain broke her ‘bronze jinx’ to claim her maiden gold medal at the marquee event in New Delhi on March 26.

Nikhat upstaged two-time Asian champion Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam by a 5-0 verdict to take the light flyweight title infront of a packed KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.

Two-time bronze medallist Lovlina, on the other hand, defeated Caitlin Parker of Australia 5-2 to win her maiden World title.

“I am very happy that I have become a world champion for the second time, especially in an Olympic category,” Nikhat, who won the 52kg title last year, said after her bout.

The first bout of the day between the two Asians was an exciting affair that went down to the wire.

“Today’s bout was the toughest for me, she is an Asian champion and my next target is Asian Games and I might meet her, so I will work hard,” Nikhat said.

“It was a roller coaster bout, she got warning, I got warning, she got count so did I. But I went all out.”

Nikhat, who has moved down from her preferred 52kg, looked tentative at first as Tam was the first one to attack. But after a few seconds, the home favourite leapt forward to attack. She then landed two right hooks, followed by straight jabs.

Today is Remembering the victims of trans-Atlantic slavery

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International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a United Nations international observance designated in 2007 to be marked on March 25 every year.

The day honours and remembers those who suffered and died as a consequence of the transatlantic slave trade, which has been called “the worst violation of human rights in history”, in which over 400 years more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims.

The transatlantic slave trade, which has been dubbed “the worst violation of human rights in history,” claimed the lives of more than 15 million men, women, and children over the course of 400 years. This day honours and remembers those who endured suffering and death as a result.

The United Nations created this day to increase public awareness, demand justice, and safeguard the selfless lives of UN employees and peacekeepers.

Over 3,500 members of the U.N. staff have lost their lives to war, abductions, and natural disasters.

Lok Sabha secretariat disqualifies Rahul Gandhi from House after conviction

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In a huge setback for the Congress party, its former president Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified from the Lok Sabha because of his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case.

Rahul Gandhi, Member of Lok Sabha representing the Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency of Kerala stands disqualified from the membership of Lok Sabha from the date of his conviction i.e. March 23, 2023 in terms of the provisions of Article 102(1)(e) of the Constitution of India read with Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,” the Lok Sabha secretariat said in a notification issued today.

Responding to the notification, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari called the decision erroneous. “Lok Sabha secretariat cannot disqualify an MP. The President has to do it in consultation with the Election Commission.”

Shashi Tharoor, another senior Congress MP, said it bodes ill for democracy. “I’m stunned by this action and by its rapidity, within 24 hours of the court verdict and while an appeal was known to be in process. This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy,” he tweeted.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023

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World Tuberculosis Day will be observed on Friday, March 24. The significance of World Tuberculosis Day is to educate the world about the impact of tuberculosis.

World Tuberculosis Day is observed to reflect on the progress made in the fight against the disease and to refocus on the commitment to eradicate the epidemic. Additionally, World Tuberculosis Day also offers a reminder that tuberculosis is not merely a health disorder but also a social issue since malnutrition and poverty also contribute to spread of the disorder.

The theme for 2023 World Tuberculosis Day is “Yes! We can end TB!”. 

On March 24 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. The discovery was the most critical step taken towards the control and elimination of tuberculosis. Officially, the first World Tuberculosis Day was first celebrated in 1982 on the 100th anniversary of Dr. Koch’s announcement.

Defamation case: 2-year jail for Rahul, gets bail to appeal

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The legal tangle increased for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as a court in Gujarat’s Surat district on March 23 ‘convicted’ Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case for his alleged remark “why all thieves share the Modi surname” made during a political campaign in Karol in April 2019. The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma sentenced him to two years in jail.

He has, however, received bail for appeal at a higher court, which has to be done in 30 days.

The magistrate also imposed a fine of Rs. 15,000 after finding him guilty.

The complaint had been filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi under IPC Sections 499 (defamation: Whoever by words either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs or by visible representations, makes or publishes any imputation concerning any person intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm, the reputation of such person, is said, except in the cases hereinafter excepted, to defame that person.) and 500 (punishment for defamation: Whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.) against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged remarks stating that it has defamed all people with the ‘Modi’ surname while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The remarks had been video graphed by the video surveillance team and video viewing team duly notified by the office of Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kollar District. The Gujarat High Court had vacated the stay on trial in the criminal defamation case in February this year.

Rahul Gandhi remained present in the court when the court pronounced its verdict. On earlier three occasions too, he was present before the Court.  

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