MONTHLY IMP TOPICS OF APRIL

26. Indian Entrepreneur Gopichand Thotakura to Join Blue Origin Space Mission

Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced that Indian
national Gopichand Thotakura will be part of a six-member crew on the next New
Shepard mission.
If successful, Thotakura will become the second Indian citizen in space after wing
comBlue Origin’s New Shepard mission successfully completed its first crewed
suborbital flight on July 20, 2021. The reusable rocket system, named after the first
American in space, Alan Shepard, carried a crew of four, including founder Jeff Bezos,
his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and student Oliver Daemen. The capsule
reached an altitude of 107 km before safely returning to Earth, marking a significant
milestone in the company’s quest for commercial space tourism.mander Rakesh
Sharma in 1984, and the first Indian civilian astronaut.

27/37. Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti 2024

134th Dr Ambedkar Jayanti was celebrated on 14th April 2024, by the Dr. Ambedkar
Foundation (DAF) on behalf of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

■ Established in 1992, under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment,

DAF operates as an autonomous body dedicated to preserving and
propagating the legacy of Dr Ambedkar.
■

28.Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

Delhi forest department has initiated the establishment of a tissue culture laThe lab will
be able to extract plant tissue from an in-vitro fully grown plant, generating multiple
trees from the same tree.

○ The forest department will take assistance from botanists and

scientists from the Indian Council of Forestry Research and
Education (ICFRE) and the Forest Research Institute (FRI).
■ Other Similar Laboratories:
 ○ The National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository
(NFPTCR) was established in Delhi at the National Bureau of
Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in 1986.
● They carry out tissue culture experiments and
research on five plant types -- tubers, bulbs,
spices, plantation crops, horticultural crops, and
medicinal and aromatic plants.

29. Invasive Chital Population in A&N Islands

Chital (Axis axis) population on Bose Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has
exceeded the ecosystem's carrying capacity, prompting the Andaman and Nicobar
Forest Department to consider relocating around 500 deer to a Biological Park in Port
Blair.

■ It was brought to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for hunting in the early
1900s by the British.
○ Recent studies indicate that the invasive chital species is
negatively impacting local flora and fauna, necessitating
strategic management measures.
■ Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, an Chief Wildlife Warden can
permit translocation for the purpose of scientific management.
○ The law mandates that such translocation should cause
minimum trauma to animals.
 ■ The chital, also known as the spotted deer or axis deer, is a graceful and
elegant herbivore native to the grasslands and forests of India and Sri
Lanka.

30.Parivartan Chintan: A Tri-Service Conference

Parivartan Chintan, an upcoming Tri-Service Conference aimed at

generating new and fresh ideas, initiatives, and reforms to propel Jointness and
Integration efforts, is being held in New Delhi on 8th April 2024.

■ It was chaired by Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan.

■ It is the first-ever conference of the Heads of all Tri-Services Institutions.

31.Taiwan Earthquake and Pacific Ring of Fire

A huge earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter Scale struck Taiwan, making it one
of the biggest Earthquakes in at least 25 years.

■ Japan issued a tsunami alert for the Ryukyu chain of islands which
stretches from Taiwan to its main ‘home island’ of Kyushu. The Ryukyu
group includes the island of Okinawa, which has been home to large US
military bases since World War II and the Cold War.
■ Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” —
where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place.
○ The Ring of Fire is the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean
where most of the world's earthquakes occur. It is home to about 75%
 of the world’s volcanoes and about 90% of the world’s earthquakes
occur here.

32.Global Hepatitis Report 2024

Global Hepatitis Report 2024 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has
highlighted India as one of the nations facing a significant burden of viral
hepatitis, particularly Hepatitis B and C infections.

33.Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

Recently, the Supreme Court announced that it would soon address petitions
for 100% verification of Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips, just
ahead of the first phase of voting on 19th April 2024.

○ The VVPAT machine is attached to the ballot unit of the Electronic

Voting Machine (EVM), and provides visual verification for the vote
cast by a voter by printing a slip of paper with the voter’s choice on it.
○ The concept of the VVPAT machine was initially proposed in 2010 during a
meeting between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and political
parties to enhance transparency in the EVM-based polling process.

34.AUKUS Alliance to Expand Membership

The AUKUS alliance, comprising Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United
States, is set to enter discussions for expanding its membership.

■ AUKUS is a trilateral partnership that aims to strengthen security and

defense interests through enhanced cooperation.
■ AUKUS will involve deeper information and technology sharing, as
well as integration of security and defense-related science,
technology, industrial bases, and supply chains.
■ The alliance was formed in 2021 to counter China's influence in the
Indo-Pacific region.
■ India is not a member of the group. However, India and the AUKUS
bloc have engaged in informal talks on emerging technologies,
although no formal dialogue has occurred yet.

35. India's Achievements in QS World University Rankings

■ IIM-Ahmedabad, IIM-Bangalore, and IIM-Calcutta ranked among the top

50 institutions globally for business and management studies.
■ Jawaharlal Nehru University achieved the 20th position globally for
development studies, making it the highest-ranked university in India.
■ The Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences in Chennai
secured the 24th position globally for dentistry studies.
■ India emerged as one of the world's most rapidly expanding research
centers, showing a 54% surge in research output from 2017 to 2022.
○ India ranks 4th in research volume globally, trailing behind
China, the US, and the UK, but ranks 9th for research
impact.
■ In the broader Asian context, India ranks 2nd for the number of
universities featured and holds the 4th position in the total number of
ranked entries.
 ■ India faces challenges in securing citations in premier global journals,
with only 15% of its research cited in top-tier journals between 2017
and 2021.

36. Asia Development Outlook Report 2024

the Asia Development Outlook Report in April 2024 and revised India's Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 and FY
2025, citing various factors contributing to this optimistic outlook.

Asia's GDP growth forecast for 2024 stands at 4.9%, with a similar projection
maintained for 2025.Inflation in Asia is expected to moderate, with a forecast of
3.2% for 2024 and a further decrease to 3.0%in 2025.

ADB now projects India's GDP growth to reach 7% in FY 2024 and 7.2% in FY
2025, up from the previous forecast of 6.7% for FY 2024.

○ Factors Fueling Growth in FY 2024:

● Higher capital expenditure on infrastructure development
by central and state governments is a major driver of
growth.
● Private corporate investment is expected to rise, supported
by stable interest rates and improved consumer
confidence.
● The service sector's performance, including financial, real
estate, and professional services, is contributing
significantly to economic expansion.

38.India Gains Sittwe Port Access

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has approved a proposal for India Ports
Global Ltd (IPGL) to take over the operations of the entire Sittwe port located on
the Kaladan River, Myanmar. It will be India’s 2nd overseas port after Chabahar
Port.

■ IPGL is a company 100% owned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and

Waterways.

Sittwe Port:

■ The Sittwe Port, located in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, is a crucial

component of the Kaladan multi-modal transit transport project.
■ The deep-water port offers a significant connectivity advantage for
cargo to reach from Vizag and Kolkata to the Northeastern states,
bypassing Bangladesh.
■ It will also reduce dependency on the Siliguri Corridor (or the
chicken’s neck) squeezed between Bhutan and Bangladesh.
■ India’s operational control over these 2 overseas ports, Chabahar and
Sittwe, will strengthen India’s maritime influence to counter China’s
String of Pearls policy with ports like Hambantota in Sri Lanka,
Djibouti in Africa, etc.

39. Artificial Reefs to be installed in Mumbai

Dia's second-ever installation of artificial reefs (after Pondicherry) to boost
marine life is being deployed near Worli Koliwada, Mumbai.

■ 210 reef units made from recycled concrete and steel are installed 500
meters offshore, and it will take 3 months to show initial signs of a
thriving ecosystem.
Artificial Reefs:

■ These are structures built by humans through biorock technology and

placed on the seabed in freshwater or saltwater environments.
○ Biorock technology was invented by Wolf Hilbertz. In this
technology, a low electrical current is passed through the
water using electrodes placed near a steel structure.
○ This current acts like a magnet, attracting dissolved
minerals, particularly calcium and carbonate ions, forming
a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) layer similar to natural coral
reefs.
■ These reefs offer crucial hard surfaces to which algae, barnacles,
corals, and oysters can firmly attach themselves.
■ These reefs will create habitats for fish, absorb carbon dioxide, and
benefit local fishing communities.

40. Volcanic Vortex Rings

Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe, and among the world’s most active
volcanoes, has been sending up almost perfect rings of smoke into the air, which
is a rare phenomenon that scientists refer to as volcanic vortex rings.

■ Vortex rings are generated when gas, predominantly water vapor, is

released rapidly through a vent in the crater.
■ The vent that has opened up in the volcano's crater is almost perfectly
circular, so the rings that have been seen are also circular.
■ Volcanic vortex rings were first observed at Etna in 1724 and have
since been documented at various volcanoes worldwide.
 ■ These rings can remain in the air for up to 10 minutes but tend to
disintegrate quickly if conditions are windy and turbulent
■ Mount Etna is a stratovolcano, which means it is composed of layers of
lava, ash, and rocks that have accumulated over thousands of years of
eruptions.
○ Etna’s summit has five craters, which are responsible for most of
the volcano’s eruptions and hundreds of lateral vents that can
produce different types of eruptions, such as explosive, effusive,
or mixed.
■ It is located on the east coast of Sicily, an island in the Mediterranean Sea
that belongs to Italy.
■ Mount Etna has been erupting almost continuously since 1500 BC,
making it one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
■ Etna has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.
■

41. 61st National Maritime Day

Recently, the 61st National Maritime Day was celebrated by the Ministry of Ports,
Shipping and Waterways. The event also included the celebration of Sports Day
on 5th April 2024 in New Delhi.

■ The day was observed as a tribute to the maiden voyage of the first
Indian-owned ship, SS Loyalty from Mumbai to London on 5th April
1919.
■ On this day, various ports and maritime organizations under MoPSW,
commemorated the velour and dedication of seafarers, exemplifying
Maritime Excellence.
○ Seafarers are people who work on ships or people who
travel regularly on the sea.
 ■ Also, the prestigious Sagar Samman Awards were to acknowledge
exemplary contributions within the maritime sector.
■ India is a signatory to both the STCW Convention and the Maritime
Labour Convention (MLC).
○ STCW Convention 1978: It was the first to establish basic
requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping
for seafarers on an international level.
○ The Maritime Labour Convention 2006: It provides
standards and regulations relating to the working and living
conditions of seafarers.

42. Mercenary Spyware Attack

Apple has recently issued urgent security alerts to iPhone users in India and 91
other countries. The notifications warn that their devices have been remotely
targeted in a mercenary spyware attack.

■ Mercenary spyware attacks are exceptionally rare and highly sophisticated

compared to regular cybercriminal activity or consumer malware.
■ Unlike common cyber threats, mercenary spyware aims to gain
unauthorized access to a user’s device.
○ If a device is compromised by a targeted mercenary spyware
attack, the attacker may be able to remotely access sensitive
data, communications, or even the camera and microphone.
 ○ These are strategically aimed, high-cost attacks, historically
linked to states, targeting select individuals like journalists,
activists, politicians, and diplomats.
○ Pegasus, developed by the NSO Group is one of the
○ examples of Mercenary Spyware.

43. Exercise DUSTLIK

The Indian Army contingent departed for the 5th edition of India-Uzbekistan joint
military Exercise DUSTLIK, scheduled from 15th to 28th April 2024 in Termez,
Uzbekistan.

■ Exercise DUSTLIK is a yearly event alternately conducted in India and

Uzbekistan.
○ The exercise aims to foster military cooperation, enhance
combined capabilities, focus on joint operations in
mountainous and semi-urban terrain, develop
interoperability, and enhance bilateral relations.
○ This edition of Exercise DUSTLIK involves personnel from
combat support arms and services, including two Women
Officers.
■ The first-ever exercise “Dustlik” between India and Uzbekistan was in
2019 which focused on counter-terrorism.

44.Tool-Using Fish Species Found in the Laccadive Sea

Recent findings indicate that three fish species (Jansen’s wrasse,

checkerboard wrasse, moon wrasse) in the Laccadive Sea, off the southwest
Indian coast, exhibit tool-use capabilities.While primates, birds, otters,
octopuses, and many other animals are known to be capable of using tools.

● The use of tools by fish seems impossible, as they lack

hands, claws, or tentacles to grasp and manipulate objects.
○ However, the three fish species use live or dead coral structures as
anvils to break the hard shells of sea urchins so they can get to the
edible bits inside.

45.Baltimore Bridge (Francis Scott Key Bridge)

a container vessel collided with the Baltimore Bridge, causing several parts to
break and fall into the Patapsco River.

■ It is named after Francis Scott Key, the writer of the American national
anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner).
■ The ship deviated from the standard route under the Bridge, unlike
large ships leaving the Port.
■ The Bridge lacked redundancy and was "fracture critical," meaning a
failure in any member could lead to a partial or complete collapse.
○ Baltimore was the 17th biggest port in the United States in
2021.
○ It is the biggest vehicle-handling port in the country,
including cars and heavy farm equipment.

Patapsco River:

■ The lower Patapsco River connects the Port of Baltimore to the

Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
 ■ The Patapsco River mainstem is a 39-mile river in central Maryland
that flows into the Chesapeake Bay.
■ The river's tidal portion forms the harbor for the city of Baltimore.

46. Thrissur Pooram

The Kerala High Court has issued directives to ensure the safety and well-being
of elephants and artists during the Thrissur Pooram festivities.

■ Thrissur Pooram is a grand celebration of Kerala’s cultural and

spiritual essence.
■ Celebrated in the Malayalam month of medam (April-May), the pooram
is held at the Thekkinkadu Maidanam in Thrissur and is considered the
mother of all poorams (annual festival).
■ It was started by Raja Rama Varma, famously known as Sakthan
Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805), with the participation
of 10 different temples.
■ Majestic elephants adorned in traditional attire and traditional
orchestra music are part of the festival.
■ The Arattupuzha Pooram was the biggest festival in Kerala before
Thrissur Pooram.

47.Surya Tilak Project Ram Lalla

○ meticulously engineered to illuminate the forehead of Lord Ram's idol

with a precise beam of sunlight during the revered festival of Ram
Navami.
○ The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) under the Department of
Science and Technology was crucial in the Surya Tilak Project at
Ayodhya.
○ The IIA team carried out the calculation of the sun's position, design, and
optimisation of the optical system for the Surya Tilak Project.
 ○ The Ram Navami date varies each year following the Gregorian calendar
due to its solar nature, while the Hindu calendar is lunar-based.
○ The Gregorian calendar is based on Earth's revolution around the
Sun, making it a solar calendar with roughly 365 days in a year,
whereas the Hindu calendar is based on the Moon's revolution
around Earth, making it a lunar calendar with roughly 354 days in
a year.
○ The Surya Tilak Project's core is its opto-mechanical system,
seamlessly integrating optical and mechanical components for precise
sunlight manipulation.

48. Swiss Women Climate Change Case

The recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in favour of a group
of Swiss women has significant implications for climate change litigation.

What was the Swiss Women Climate Change Case?

■ Petitioners: The case was brought against the Swiss government by

KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz (Association of Senior Women for Climate
Protection Switzerland), a group of women climate activists all above the
age of 64.
■ Claim: The women argued that the Swiss government’s inadequate climate
policies violate their right to life and other guarantees under the European
Convention on Human Rights.
■ Medical Vulnerability: The petitioners highlighted their medical
vulnerability as senior citizens to extreme heat caused by climate change.
○ Reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) show that the Swiss population of senior women,
especially those over 75 are more prone to heat-related
 medical problems like ‘dehydration, hyperthermia, fatigue, loss
of consciousness, heat cramps and heat strokes.
■ Court’s Verdict:
○ The ECHR noted that individuals have the right to effective
protection from the serious adverse effects of climate change
on their lives, health, well-being, and quality of life under
Article 8 of the convention.
● Article 8 of the Convention of Human Rights
includes the right for individuals to be protected by
the state from the serious effects of climate
change on their lives.
○ The court found that the Swiss government had not enacted
adequate laws to combat climate change impacts and failed to
meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emission goals.
○ ECHR's verdict applies to 46 member states, including all
European Union countries, plus the United Kingdom (UK) and
various other non-EU countries.

49.Ultrasonic Calls of Brazilian Leaf Litter Frogs

remarkable phenomenon in the Brazilian rainforest involving a tiny leaf litter frog
emitting ultrasonic calls imperceptible to humans.

■ Leaf litter frogs (Haddadus binotatus) in the Brazilian rainforest produce

ultrasonic calls, potentially to deter predators or attract other animals for
protection.
 ■ Leaf litter frogs (Haddadus binotatus) in the Brazilian rainforest produce
ultrasonic calls, potentially to deter predators or attract other animals for
protection.
○ The call's frequency ranges from 7 Kilohertz (kHz) to 20 kHz, within
humans' hearing range, and up to 20 kHz to 44 kHz, beyond human
perception.
■ The "normal" human hearing frequency range is between 20
Hz and 20 kHz.
○ While inaudible to humans, these screams can be detected by
potential predators like bats, rodents, and small primates, potentially
deterring a range of predators with their broad frequency range.
■ The discovery raises questions about the purpose of these ultrasonic calls and
their impact on predators and the ecosystem.

50.UNFPA State of World Population Report

The United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) State of World Population - 2024 report
revealed that India's population is estimated to double in 77 years.

■ Key Highlights: India leads globally with an estimated population of 1.44

billion, followed by China at 1.425 billion.
○ India's population was recorded at 1.21 billion during the last
census, conducted in 2011.
○ The report revealed that 24% were aged 0-14, 17% aged 10-19,
and 26% aged 10-24. 68% aged 15-64, and 7% aged 65 and
above.
○ Men have a life expectancy of 71 years and women 74 years.
○ The report also highlighted that 30 years of India’s progress in
sexual and reproductive health has largely ignored the most
marginalised communities globally. It noted that the
 percentage of child marriage in India was at 23% between
2006-2023.
○ Maternal deaths in India have significantly decreased, making
up 8% of global maternal fatalities.
○ The report highlights that Maternal mortality is high among
indigenous groups. Women with disabilities are more
vulnerable to gender-based violence.
● Vulnerable groups face greater sexual and
reproductive health risks, exacerbated by factors
like climate change and caste-based
discrimination.