The Army Dental Centre of Research & Referral (ADC R&R) celebrated 25 years of establishment on 01 May 2024. General Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Command Lieutenant General MK Katiyar visited the Dental Centre on the occasion and released a Special Postal Cover.

Director General Dental Services Lt. Gen Vineet Sharma, and former Commandants of the Centre were also present during the ceremony.

The ADC R&R is the largest dental establishment of Armed Forces providing post graduate training in five specialties of dentistry, namely Oral and maxillofacial surgery, Prosthodontics and crown & bridge, Periodontics and oral implantology, Conservative dentistry and endodontics, Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics.

Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated on 30 April every year to commemorate the launch of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) by the Government of India.

• This scheme offers a benefit of 5,00,000 per family per year. No restrictions on family size, age, or gender.
• The agenda of the day is to create awareness about the scheme and its benefits and to promote the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare for all.
• The agenda of the day is to create awareness about the scheme and its benefits and to promote the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare for all.

India inched closer towards deploying a new weapon designed to enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy, with the supersonic missile-assisted release of torpedo (SMART) system being successfully flight-tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.

About SMART 

SMART is a next-generation missile-based light-weight torpedo delivery system, designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to enhance the anti-submarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedo

Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, known for his expertise in communication and electronic warfare, assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

• He was serving as Chief of Personnel at the naval headquarters in his previous assignment.
• Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who took charge as the 26th Chief of the Naval Staff, was serving as the Vice Chief of the force.
• After taking charge as the Vice Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Swaminathan paid homage to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial.

Alok Shukla, convenor of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan and founding member of the Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, has been awarded the 2024 Goldman Prize from Asia, a statement on April 29 said.

• Shukla has been declared winner for his efforts to save the forests of Hasdeo Aranya in Chhattisgarh.
• Alok Shukla led a successful community campaign that saved 445,000 acres of biodiversity-rich forests from 21 planned coal mines in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
• In July 2022, the government cancelled the 21 proposed coal mines in Hasdeo Aranya, whose pristine forests—popularly known as the lungs of Chhattisgarh—are one of the largest intact forest areas in India.
• The Goldman Environmental Foundation, which gives away the prize, recognised that the Hasdeo movement’s “ability to successfully influence policy has made it a model for environmental justice in India and generated an unprecedented amount of national and regional solidarity”.

India has cut its windfall tax on petroleum crude to 8,400 Indian rupees ($100.66) a metric ton from 9,600 rupees with effect from May 1, the government said.

The tax, which is revised every fortnight, was left unchanged at zero for diesel and aviation turbine fuel.

The government had on April 16 raised the windfall tax on petroleum crude to 9,600 rupees a metric ton from 6,800 rupees.

Argentine paleontologists have made a remarkable discovery, unveiling a new medium-sized herbivorous dinosaur known as Chakisaurus nekul.

• This swift creature, estimated to have lived approximately 90 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period in present-day Patagonia, has captured the attention of scientists worldwide.
• The fossilized remains of Chakisaurus nekul were unearthed in the Pueblo Blanco Natural Reserve, nestled in the southern province of Río Negro, an area renowned for its abundance of fossils.
• Among the diverse array of prehistoric specimens discovered in this region are mammals, turtles, fish, and other species of dinosaurs.

Kenya’s elite runners Peter Mwaniki and Lilian Kasait showcased their prowess at the 16th edition of the TCS World 10K Bengaluru.

• Mwaniki clocked 28:15, securing the men’s elite international title, while Kasait took the women’s title with a time of 30:56.
• Mwaniki’s victory was a testament to his strategic prowess as he overtook his compatriot, Hillary Chepkwony, at the 7.5km mark.
• Similarly, Kasait exhibited her dominance by pulling away from her closest rival, Emmaculate Achol, at the 7.1km mark.

About World 10K Bengaluru 

The World 10K Bengaluru is an annual 10 kilometres road running competition which takes place in Bangalore, India. The competition was first held in 2008 and usually takes place in late May. The first three editions were sponsored by Sunfeast. This year TCS sponsored the event.