current affairs 18 May 2022

PM Modi to address programme marking silver jubilee celebrations of TRAI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a programme marking silver jubilee celebrations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 17 May, 2022.
TRAI was established in 1997 through the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.
It is the regulator of the telecommunications sector in India.
The TRAI Act was amended by an ordinance, effective from 24 January 2000, establishing a Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI.
During the programme, Prime Minister will also launch a 5G Test Bed, developed as a multi institute collaborative project by a total of eight institutes led by IIT Madras.
The Test Bed will enable a supportive ecosystem for Indian industry and startups which will help them validate their products, prototypes, solutions and algorithms in 5G and next generation technologies.

Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER inaugurates amenities at ancient Kanheri Caves on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
The Kanheri Caves are a group of caves and rock-cut monuments cut into a massive basalt outcrop in the forests of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, on the former island of Salsette in the western outskirts of Mumbai.
The Kanheri caves comprise more than 110 different rock-cut monolithic excavations and is one of the largest single excavations in the country.
These excavations were primarily undertaken during the Hinayana phase of Buddhism but also has several examples of the Mahayana stylistic architecture as well as few printings of the Vajrayana order.
The name Kanheri is derived from Kanhagiri in Prakrit and occurs in the Nasik inscription of the Satavahana ruler Vasisthiputra Pulumavi.
They contain Buddhist sculptures and relief carvings, paintings and inscriptions, dating from the 1st century CE to the 10th century CE.
Kanheri was mentioned in the travelogues of foreign travellers. The earliest reference of Kanheri is ascribed to Fa-Hein who visited India during 399-411 CE.

Shreya Singla, a girl from Bathinda, Punjab, has made her state and country proud by winning a gold medal in Badminton in the ongoing 24th Deaflympics in Brazil, becoming the first girl in her state to do so.
She won the medal during a team event by defeating Japan in the finals.
India’s largest contingent of 65 athletes is playing at the event.
Shreya, who hails from Bathinda, is the only disabled player from Punjab in the current Indian team.
In 2019, Shreya represented India at the 2nd World Deaf Youth Badminton Championship held in Taiwan and won a silver medal in the girls’ double event.

Devasahayam Pillai, who embraced Christianity in the 18th century, became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Pope Francis during an impressive canonisation ceremony at the Vatican.
Saint Devasahayam Pillai, who was an Indian layman of the Catholic Church, was a significant part of the church’s history in the 18th century.
Pillai is considered a martyr by the church and he led a tough battle against casteism in the country.
Pillai was born in a Hindu family but converted to Catholicism, and was considered a martyr after his demise.

The launch of extended-range version of BrahMos missile from Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft was as planned and it achieved a direct hit on designated target in Bay of Bengal region.
The range of the advanced version of this BrahMos missile is extended to around 350 km from the original 290 km.
It was the first launch of the extended range version of BrahMos missile from Su-30 MKI aircraft.