Current Affairs GK 22 July 2024

CURRENT AFFAIRS 22 July, 2024 

1. MANOLO MARQUEZ APPOINTED HEAD COACH OF INDIAN MEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM –

• Manolo Marquez was appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s football team by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on July 20. Marquez will take over as the full-time national team head coach after ISL 2024-25.
• From Barcelona, Spain, Marquez has a stellar record of coaching in India. In his first stint, he transformed underdogs Hyderabad FC into ISL champions before he took over at Goa. Last season, Goa finished third in the league and reached the semifinals of the playoffs. Before coming to India, Marquez had extensive experience coaching in Spain at clubs like Las Palmas (in La Liga), and Las Palmas B, Espanyol B, Badalona, Prat, Europa (third division).
• The 55-year-old Spaniard will take over the role immediately. However, Marquez, who is currently serving as the head coach of Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa, will simultaneously continue to fulfil his club commitments till the 2024-25 season ends.

2. PM MODI INAUGURATES WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE’S 46TH SESSION IN NEW DELHI –

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, emphasizing India’s commitment to global heritage preservation.
• PM Modi announced a $1 million contribution to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre for heritage conservation, particularly in the Global South. He highlighted India’s efforts in conserving heritage sites in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
• PM Modi reiterated India’s vision of balancing development with heritage conservation, citing projects like the Vishwanath Corridor, Ram Temple, and the modern campus of Nalanda University. He noted that India’s heritage reflects both history and advanced science, exemplified by structures like the 8th-century Kedarnath Temple and the 2000-year-old rust-resistant Iron Pillar in Delhi.

3. AFTER 350 YEARS, CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI’S “BAGH NAKH” BACK IN INDIA –

• The historic wagh nakh, the tiger claw-shaped weapon reportedly used by Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan in the 1659 Battle of Pratapgarh. It has been put on display at the Satara Museum on July 19, for the next seven months.
• The weapon, brought to India from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on July 17 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Maratha ruler’s ascension to the throne, received a grand welcome in Western Maharashtra’s Satara. The Chief Minister praised Mr. Mungantiwar’s efforts to bring the weapon from London.
• Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Culture Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, and members of the royal family of Satara, attended the event. The wagh nakh was encased in a bulletproof cover, and security was heightened.

4. NATIONAL FLAG DAY ON JULY 22 –

• The Constituent Assembly of India officially accepted the National Flag on July 22, 1947. This was a big step in India’s journey to become free from colonial rule. This adoption was a sign of the hopes and togetherness of the country during hard times.
• The Constituent Assembly met in New Delhi at 10:00 AM, with Dr. Rajendra Prasad in charge. Since its start on December 9, 1946, the Assembly has met many times to talk about a wide range of important issues. A move about the flag, led by Jawaharlal Nehru, was the main item on the agenda.
• Nehru wanted the National Flag to have a white band with an Ashoka Chakra in navy blue in the middle of the white band. The flag should be a horizontal triangle with deep golden, white, and dark green colors. The goal of this design was to capture India’s spirit and past while also being aesthetically pleasing. At a ratio of 2:3, the measurements were made uniformly. In his speech, Nehru talked about his pride and memories, relating the flag to the deaths of freedom fighters.

5. ECONOMIC SURVEY 2023-24 –

• On July 22, the Economic Survey 2023–24 will be released by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This is the first day of the summer session of Parliament. This is not how things usually work; Economic Surveys usually come out on January 31. But in election years, like 2024, there will be a shorter report before the interim budget.
• There is a lot of information in the Economic Survey about the state of the national economy for the fiscal year that is coming to an end. The Chief Economic Adviser guides the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs in making it, and the Finance Minister gives his or her approval. The poll has changed in both format and frequency since it began in 1950–1951.