·       Beej Utsavs helps to promote not just crop diversity but also climate resilience.

·       Thousands of tribal people, from about 1,000 villages and hamlets in the tribal belt at the tri-junction of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, took part in a series of Beej Utsavs.

·       About 90 such events were held, giving participants a chance to learn the techniques of preserving indigenous seeds for use in different crop seasons.

·       The seed festivals, which witnessed massive participation from women tribal farmers, exhibited traditional seeds and held interactive sessions on their properties and significance.

·       The tribals were encouraged to protect their rich heritage of biodiversity through farm practices handed down through several generations.

·       Over 50 indigenous seed varieties were displayed at the Beej Utsav events, catalogued as grains, pulses, vegetables, and other plants.

·       Those farmers who have diligently worked to preserve seeds in their respective areas were honoured as ‘Beej Mitra’ and ‘Beej Mata’.

·       It is not organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

·       VAAGDHARA, which works on tribal livelihood issues, was the main organiser of the Beej Utsav events.

·       They were facilitated by other tribal rights groups, such as Krishi Evum Adivasi Swaraj Sangathan, Gram Swaraj Samooh, Saksham Samooh, and Baal Swaraj.

·       VAAGDHARA is a non-profit organization, registered under Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958.

·       Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), this satellite operates in geostationary orbit.

·       Launched via a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on January 13, 2023, APSTAR-6E completed its journey to geostationary orbit after separating from its independent propulsion module.

·       Its primary mission is to deliver efficient and high-capacity broadband communication services across Southeast Asia, aiming to provide reliable connectivity at a competitive cost.

·       It carries 25 Ku-band transponders and three Ka-band gateway transponders that can provide a combined communication throughput of 30 gigabytes per second.

·       It is housed within the NCR Biotech Science Cluster in Faridabad.

The institute has 4 core facilities:

·       Small Animal Facility

·       Data Management Centre

·       Biorepository

·       Bioassay Laboratory

Bioassay Laboratory serves as the research programs of THSTI but also the NCR Biotech Science Cluster and other academic and industrial partners.

·       Governing body – The Secretary to the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology is the Ex-Officio Chairperson of it.

·       SYNCHN 2024 – It was recently hosted by the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI).

·       SYNCHN (Synergy in science built through elements of collaboration for high quality data & expertise in NCR Biotech Cluster).

·       SYNCHN 2024 had focused parallel breakout sessions, fostering one-on-one interactions between industry representatives and THSTI’s principal investigators.

·       It was conceived as part of an India-U.K. Migration and Mobility MoU signed in May 2021 and was announced in November at the G20 summit in Bali.

·       It was formally launched in February 2023.

·       It will permit up to 3,000 of their degree-holding citizens aged between 18 and 30 to live and work in each other’s countries for two years.

·       This scheme makes India the first visa-national country to benefit from the scheme.

Features of India Young Professionals Scheme visa:

·       It allows Indian citizens between 18 and 30 years old to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years.

·       It will enable candidates to enter the UK at any time while their visa is valid and leave and return anytime during their stay.

·       To be eligible for the India Young Professionals Scheme visa,

·       You have to be an Indian national aged between 18 and 30 years.

·       You must have a bachelor’s degree or above.

·       You must have 2,530 pounds in savings.

·       You must not have any children under the age of 18 who live with you or whom you are financially supporting.

·       A person must be selected in the India Young Professionals Scheme ballot before they can apply for a Young Professionals Scheme visa.

·       You cannot apply if you’ve already been in the UK under this scheme or the Youth Mobility Scheme visa.

·       In case the applicant is issued a visa, they must enter the UK within six months of the date on which the visa was issued.

Once in the UK, the applicant can:

·       Study -for certain degree programs, such as post-graduation or research in sensitive subjects in the UK, an additional certificate under the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) needs to be applied before starting the course or research.

·       Work in most jobs.

·       Be self-employed and set up a company – as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees.

·       These two weight loss drugs have been approved by the FDA for chronic weight management in adults.

·       Semaglutide and tirzepatide are polypeptides, small proteins that boost the levels of naturally-occurring hormones in the body, including that of glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1), which control weight through the brain and digestive tract.

Functioning

·       Higher GLP-1 levels, released in the gut, spark a reaction by stimulating neurons that alter gut function, leading to a sense of fullness.

·       This process also taps into a brain mechanism that lights up neural pathways, triggering the sensation of satiety — the feeling of being satisfied and having had enough to eat.

·       They also help manage glucose levels, making them an effective treatment for diabetes.

·       Semaglutide only targets GLP-1 receptors.

·       On the other hand, tirzepatide also boosts a second hormone: glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP).

·       The GIP also regulates weight through receptors in brain and fat cells.

·       These drugs can be prescribed to those who are obese (with a body mass index of over 30), or overweight (with a BMI between 27 and 30), and have at least one other health condition related to their weight (such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes).

·       Side effects: Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, injection-site reactions, fatigue, allergic reactions, belching, hair loss, and heartburn.