Current affairs 12 August 2024

Abhinav Bindra Honored with Olympic Order for His Contributions.

• Abhinav Bindra received the prestigious Olympic Order for his distinguished contribution to the Olympic Movement.
• The 41-year-old, India's first Olympic gold medallist, currently serves as vice chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission.
• In Beijing in 2008, he secured gold by defeating defending champion Zhu Qinan of China.

India and Nepal Collaborate on Munal Satellite Launch.

• An MoU was signed between India's Ministry of External Affairs and NewSpace India Limited for the launch of Nepal’s Munal satellite.
• Munal Satellite, developed in Nepal under NAST, aims to create a vegetation density database of Earth’s surface.
• The satellite is set to be launched on NSIL’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.
• The MoU was exchanged during the 7th Joint Commission Meeting.

PM Modi Unveils 109 Climate-Resilient Seed Varieties.

• On August 11, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 109 high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified seed varieties.
• These seeds were developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• The varieties cover 61 crops, including 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops.
• The initiative aims to enhance farm productivity, improve nutrition, and increase farmers' income.

IAF Successfully Completes Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 in Malaysia.

• Indian Air Force (IAF) team returned after participating in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 in Malaysia from August 5-9, 2024.
• IAF's Su-30MKI jets engaged in air combat missions with Royal Malaysian Air Force's Su-30MKM fighters.
• The exercise enhanced interoperability, commonality, and operational efficiency between the two air forces.

REC CMD Vivek Kumar Dewangan Honored with "Distinguished Fellow" Award.

• Vivek Kumar Dewangan, CMD of REC Limited, received the Distinguished Fellow award at the 2024 Director's Conclave & 34th IOD Annual Day.
• The award was presented by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, recognizing Dewangan's leadership in driving infrastructure growth, innovation, and energy sector advancements.