10th International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2024

• Date observed: June 21, 2024.
• Theme: "Yoga for Self and Society."
• Main Event: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the national celebration at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Significance: 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the global observance.
• Background: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared June 21 as IDY in December 2014, following a proposal by India.

Inauguration of New Nalanda University Campus

• Location: Rajgir, Bihar.
• Inaugurated by: PM Narendra Modi.
• Key Features:
  • Net-Zero Campus: Includes solar power plants, water recycling, and 100 acres of water bodies.
  • International Collaboration: Established through the Nalanda University Act, 2010; involves 17 participating countries (including Australia, China, Thailand, and Laos).
• Historical Context:
  • The original university was founded in the 5th century (Gupta Period) and flourished for 800 years.
  • It was destroyed in the 12th century by Bakhtiyar Khilji.

Global Gender Gap Index 2024 (World Economic Forum)

Category	Detail
India's Rank	129th out of 146 countries
Top Country	Iceland (1st for 15th consecutive year)
India's Status	Slight decline from 127th in 2023
Evaluation Pillars	1. Economic Participation 2. Educational Attainment 3. Health and Survival 4. Political Empowerment

National Appointments & Governance

• Pro-tem Speaker (18th Lok Sabha): Bhartruhari Mahtab (7-term MP) appointed by the President under Article 95(1).
• Role: Administers the oath to newly elected MPs and presides over the election of the permanent Speaker.
• Environment: Government launched the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign to promote large-scale tree plantation across the country.

International Affairs & Defense

• Bangladesh PM Visit: Sheikh Hasina arrived in India for a two-day state visit; the first guest of the new NDA-3 government.
• INS Teg: Indian Navy’s stealth frigate visited Port Victoria, Seychelles, to participate in the Seychelles National Day celebrations.
• Russia-North Korea Pact: President Putin and Kim Jong Un signed a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" including a mutual defense clause.

Awards & Honors

• PEN Pinter Prize 2024: Awarded to Indian author Arundhati Roy for her "unwavering commitment to truth."
• Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar 2024: Announced for multiple languages (e.g., K. Vaishali for English, Gaurav Pandey for Hindi).

Science & Technology

• Boeing Starliner Mission: Return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) delayed to late June due to technical issues (helium leaks and thruster malfunctions).
• Discovery: Scientists identified a "Great Cold Spot" on Jupiter using the James Webb Space Telescope.