·       It is a tributary of the Jamuna River (Brahmaputra River), flowing through India and Bangladesh.

Origin:

·       It originates as Chhombo Chhu from a glacial lake Khangchung Chho at an elevation of 5,280 m in the northeastern corner of the state Sikkim.

·       Teesta Khangse glacier and Chho Lhamo are also considered as the source of Teesta River by many authors.

·       The total length of river is 309 km (192 mi). It drains an area of 12540 km2.

Course:

·       It flows to the south, cutting a deep gorge through the Siwalik Hills east of Darjiling (West Bengal) and turns southeast to run through the Sivok Khola pass onto the plains of West Bengal.

·       The river continued southward to empty directly into the upper Padma River (Ganga River).

·       About 1787, however, the river changed its course to flow eastward, crossing the Rangpur region of Bangladesh to join the Jamuna River near Chilmari after a total course of about 200 miles (320 km).

The major tributaries of Teesta river:

·       Left-bank Tributaries: Lachung Chhu, Chakung Chhu, Dik Chhu, Rani Khola, Rangpo Chhu.

·       Right-bank Tributaries – Zemu Chhu, Rangyong Chhu, Rangit River.

Objectives:

·       Generate discussions: Foster innovative discussions among policymakers and stakeholders to overcome barriers to scaling up mitigation action.

·       Inclusive participation: Ensure diverse participation to support national processes and practical domestic policymaking pathways.

·       Explore opportunities: Identify cost-effective and scalable mitigation opportunities to help countries implement and enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

·       Operationalization: Conduct annual global dialogues and investment-focused events from 2023-2026.

·       Address equity and sustainable development: Focus on equity, sustainable development, and synergies with adaptation, considering regional approaches.

·       To enable effective inter-agency collaboration while protecting data privacy, ZKP data vault can be introduced.

·       Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) Data Vault leverages block-chain technology concepts.

·       The ZKP data vault allows one party to prove possession of certain information without revealing the actual data, enabling data analysis and insights without direct exposure of sensitive PII.

·       Data remains isolated within each organization’s infrastructure, undergoing one-way irreversible anonymization and probabilistic search with fuzzy logic to prevent leakage and reverse-engineering of personal information.

·       The ZKP data vault maintains comprehensive audit logs for transparency and accountability, tracking all data requests and responses without revealing the actual data.

·       While the concept is relatively new for PII data, the authors cite successful applications of ZKP data vaults in non-PII contexts.

·       Implementing ZKP data vaults would represent a pioneering approach in India, enabling secure real-time access to anonymized data for enhanced inter-departmental collaboration while complying with data protection laws and fostering public trust.

·       The authors acknowledge the challenges involved but emphasize the potential benefits of improved governance, enhanced security, and better public services through this innovative approach.

·       It is a biennial award introduced in 2008 to honour exceptional achievements in astrophysics, neuroscience, and nanoscience.

·       In 1958, Fred Kavli started his own enterprise, founding Kavlico.

·       At present, the company is a leading manufacturer of pressure sensors and related systems, which are used in all kinds of industries, from aviation to home appliances.

·       Kavlico’s pressure transducers (devices which convert pressure into an electric signal) are known for their high accuracy, stability, and reliability.

·       The Kavli Prize was designed to be like the Nobel in the fields of astrophysics, neuroscience, and nanoscience.

·       The Nobel Prize is only awarded for achievements made “during the preceding year” but the Kavli Prize does not operate under such a restriction.

·       The prize comprises a USD 1 million cash prize (per field), a scroll, and a medal, 7 cm in diameter.

·       Along with the US-based Kavli Foundation, the prize is given in partnership with the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

The prize is given in partnership with:

·       US-based Kavli Foundation

·       Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters

·       Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research

The 2024 winners are:

·       David Charbonneau (Harvard University) and Sara Seager (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for Astrophysics,

·       Robert Langer (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Armand Paul Alivisatos (University of Chicago) and Chad Mirkin (Northwestern University) for Nanoscience.

·       Nancy Kanwisher (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Winrich Freiwald (Rockefeller University) and Doris Tsao (University of California, Berkeley) for Neuroscience.

·       This is the eighth edition of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012.

·       The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases.

·       The harbour phase will comprise professional, sports and social interactions.

·       During the exercise, navies of both countries will jointly hone their war fighting skills at sea and enhance their interoperability.

·       Indian Navy’s indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik is participating in the bilateral maritime exercise. Japan is being represented by the Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri.

·       It provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and facilitates operational interactions between India and Japan.

·       The exercise also reaffirms their shared commitment towards maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Other Exercises between India and Japan:

·       Malabar: India and Japan with the United States and Australia participate in the naval war gaming exercise named Malabar.

·       SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force)

·       Dharma Guardian (Military Exercise)