Current affairs 13 May 2023

ISRO successfully commences testing of semi-cryogenic engine.

• ISRO has successfully commenced testing of its semi-cryogenic engines, that would power future launch vehicles.
• The very first integrated test on an intermediate configuration of the 2000 kN semi-cryogenic engine was carried out at the newly-commissioned Semicryogenic Integrated Engine & Stage Test facility at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
• The test is a step towards developing a 2000 kN thrust engine, which works on Liquid Oxygen (LOX)-Kerosene propellant combination.

Varanasi’s LBSI airport gets India’s 1st reading lounge.

• The Lal Bahadur Shastri International (LBSI) Airport has become the 1st in India to have a reading lounge.
• Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's advisor Awanish Awasthi has inaugurated the lounge.
• Apart from books on Kashi, the lounge's library has a collection of literature and books in many international languages besides books of youth authors published under Prime Minister Yuva Yojana.
• The lounge has been established with the assistance of National Book Trust (NBT).

Commerce ministry recommends anti-dumping duty on optical fibre.

• The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) division of the commerce ministry has recommended imposing anti-dumping duties on imports of a specific type of optical fibre from China, Korea, and Indonesia.
• Reason: To protect the domestic industry from cheap inbound shipments
• The DGTR has recommended the duty after conducting an investigation on the dumped imports of Dispersion Unshifted Single-mode Optical Fiber from these countries.

CDS awards unit citations to 3 Tri-service units for exemplary performance.

• Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Anil Chauhan has conferred CDS Unit Citations award to the Strategic Forces Command, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and 2 PARA (Special Forces).
• Reason: For their exemplary performance for the Year 2021-22
• The CDS unit citations award was constituted after the establishment of the Office of Chief of Defence Staff in 2019.
• Aim: To boost jointness and integration in the Armed Forces

ASI awarded lifetime achievement award to Jayant Narlikar.

• An eminent astronomer, Prof Jayant V. Narlikar was awarded the first-ever Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award by the Astronomical Society of India (ASI).
• He was also a founder director of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
• The ASI instituted the award in 2022 to recognize eminent Indian astronomers for their contributions to the field of astronomy and astrophysics.
• Prof Narlikar is known for his study of the Universe.