1. India’s 94th Grandmaster: Mayank Chakraborty
Assam’s Mayank Chakraborty has officially become India’s 94th Grandmaster (GM). This achievement is historic as he is the first-ever Grandmaster from the North Eastern region of India.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- FIDE Standards: To become a Grandmaster, a player must achieve a FIDE rating of 2500 and earn three Grandmaster norms.
- Regional Milestone: While West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have traditionally dominated Indian chess, Mayank’s feat marks a significant shift in the geographical spread of the sport in India.
- First GM of India: Viswanathan Anand became India's first Grandmaster in 1988.
- Governing Body: All International chess titles are awarded by FIDE (International Chess Federation), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland.
2. 60th Jnanpith Award: Vairamuthu
Renowned Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu has been selected to be honored with the 60th Jnanpith Award. This is the highest literary honor in India, recognizing his vast contribution to Tamil literature and cinema.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- The Award: Established in 1961, the Jnanpith Award is presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature."
- Eligibility: It is bestowed upon Indian citizens writing in any of the 22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and English.
- Historical Context: The first recipient of the Jnanpith Award was G. Sankara Kurup (Malayalam) in 1965.
- Tamil Literature: Vairamuthu is a recipient of multiple National Film Awards and the Padma Bhushan.
3. Reinforcement of Seismic Code 2016
In a significant regulatory move, the Seismic Code of 2016 (IS 1893:2016) has been reinforced and prioritized, superseding certain directives of the proposed 2025 code. This ensures that infrastructure projects maintain rigorous earthquake-resistant design standards.
- Exam-Centric Facts:
- BIS Standards: Seismic codes in India are published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the series IS 1893.
- Seismic Zoning: India is divided into four seismic zones (Zone II, III, IV, and V). Zone V is the most seismically active, while Zone II is the least.
- Objective: These codes provide guidelines for the design of structures to withstand earthquake shocks without total collapse, focusing on "ductility" and "lateral strength."
- Zonal Map: The National Center for Seismology (NCS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal agency for monitoring earthquake activity in India.
