Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally, India Medal Tally in Olympics

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Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally, India Medal Tally in Olympics

Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally

China’s Liu Yukun won a gold medal, helping China stay at the top of the medal table. France is in second place, and Japan is in third. This is the 33rd Summer Olympics. It started on Friday and will end on August 11. The Paris Olympics has 32 sports. These include 28 main sports, plus some newer ones like breakdancing, skateboarding, surfing, and sports climbing. India won its third medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Swapnil Kusale got a bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. This happened in Chateauroux on Thursday.

Paris Olympics 2024 Medal Tally (Full List)

China leads with the most gold medals (11), but the United States has the highest total medal count (31). The top 5 countries by gold medals are China, France, Japan, Australia, and the United States.

Rank	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	China	11	7	3	21
2	France	8	10	8	26
3	Japan	8	3	4	15
4	Australia	7	6	4	17
5	United States of America	6	13	12	31
6	Great Britain	6	7	7	20
7	South Korea	6	3	3	12
8	Italy	3	6	4	13
9	Canada	2	2	3	7
10	Germany	2	2	2	6
11	Netherlands	2	2	1	5
11	New Zealand	2	2	1	5
13	Romania	2	1	1	4
14	Hong Kong	2	0	2	4
15	Sweden	1	1	2	4
16	Georgia	1	1	0	2
17	Belgium	1	0	2	3
17	Ireland	1	0	2	3
17	Kazakhstan	1	0	2	3
17	South Africa	1	0	2	3
21	Croatia	1	0	1	2
21	Guatemala	1	0	1	2
23	Argentina	1	0	0	1
23	Azerbaijan	1	0	0	1
23	Ecuador	1	0	0	1
23	Serbia	1	0	0	1
23	Slovenia	1	0	0	1
23	Uzbekistan	1	0	0	1
29	Brazil	0	2	3	5
30	Hungary	0	2	1	3
31	North Korea	0	2	0	2
32	Poland	0	1	2	3
32	Spain	0	1	2	3
34	Kosovo	0	1	1	2
34	Mexico	0	1	1	2
34	Switzerland	0	1	1	2
34	Turkey	0	1	1	2
34	Ukraine	0	1	1	2
39	Fiji	0	1	0	1
39	Mongolia	0	1	0	1
39	Tunisia	0	1	0	1
42	India	0	0	3	3
43	Moldova	0	0	2	2
44	Austria	0	0	1	1
44	Egypt	0	0	1	1
44	Greece	0	0	1	1
44	Slovakia	0	0	1	1
44	Tajikistan	0	0	1	1

Updated 01-08-2024

First Female Neurosurgeon in India, Know His Name

T. S. Kanaka, or Thanjavur Santhanakrishna Kanaka, holds a distinguished place in medical history as Asia’s first female neurosurgeon. Born on March 31, 1932, in Chennai (then Madras), Kanaka made groundbreaking contributions to the field of neurosurgery, especially in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. She was also one of the first few female neurosurgeons in the world. Her remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring medical professionals, particularly women, across the globe.

Early Life and Education of T.S. Kanaka

Kanaka was born into a well-educated family as one of eight children. Her father was the deputy director of Public Instruction and principal of Madras Teachers College. Although initially drawn toward spiritual studies, Kanaka pursued medicine instead, completing her MBBS in 1954 and later obtaining an MS in General Surgery in 1963. Her determination led her to achieve a Master of Surgery (MCh) in Neurosurgery in 1968, making her one of the first female neurosurgeons globally.

T.S. Kanaka as First Female Neurosurgeon in India

T. S. Kanaka’s career is defined by her pioneering work in neurosurgery. She was the first neurosurgeon in India to perform chronic electrode implants in the brain, a significant innovation in the treatment of neurological disorders. Kanaka was also one of the first to perform deep brain stimulation as early as 1975, which laid the foundation for modern treatments of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. She, along with other prominent neurosurgeons, spearheaded functional neurosurgery during the 1960s and 1970s.

Military Service and Career Milestones

Kanaka briefly served as a commissioned officer in the Indian Army during the 1962-1963 Sino-Indian War. For most of her career, she was associated with the Government General Hospital in Chennai and also served as a professor at Madras Medical College. In addition to her surgical work, Kanaka was heavily involved in charitable healthcare, helping provide services to economically disadvantaged communities. She worked with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for over 30 years, among other organizations.

T.S. Kanaka – Legacy and Awards

Even after her retirement in 1990, Kanaka continued to consult in the medical field and remained dedicated to public healthcare. She founded the Sri Santhanakrishna Padmavathi Health Care and Research Foundation, offering free medical services to the underprivileged. Her groundbreaking achievements in neurosurgery, her dedication to charity, and her recognition as Asia’s first female neurosurgeon have earned her a lasting legacy. Kanaka was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Madras Neuro Trust for her contributions to the field.

Personal Life and Challenges

Despite her professional accomplishments, Kanaka faced significant personal challenges. After the tragic death of her younger brother, she chose to remain unmarried and fully dedicated herself to medicine. She also faced discrimination as a woman in a male-dominated field, which made it difficult for her to gain trust and opportunities early in her career. However, her perseverance paid off, and she became a role model for many. In addition to her medical contributions, she was known for her philanthropic activities, including donating blood 139 times—a record that placed her in the Limca Book of Records.

Modi 3.0 Government Sanctions Rs 12,554 Crore for Disaster Relief

The Central government has allocated Rs 12,554 crore to various states this year for relief and rehabilitation of those affected by natural disasters. This includes funding from multiple disaster relief and mitigation funds.

Key Allocations

Disaster Relief: Rs 12,554 crore has been disbursed from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund, National Disaster Response Fund, State Disaster Mitigation Fund, and State Disaster Response Fund for urban flood management, fire services, and risk mitigation from glacial lake outburst floods.

Fire Services: Rs 890.69 crore has been sanctioned by the Union Home Ministry for the expansion and modernization of fire services in five states.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Mitigation: Rs 150 crore allocated to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh for mitigation measures.

Urban Flood Management: Rs 2,514.36 crore allocated for integrated urban flood management projects.

Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme

Funding: Rs 470.50 crore approved for training 2.31 lakh volunteers from NCC, NSS, NYKS, and BSG, along with 1,300 trainers in disaster response.

Volunteer Training: Under the Aapda Mitra Scheme, approximately 1,00,000 community volunteers will be trained across 350 disaster-prone districts.

Emergency Response Enhancements

Integrated System: Launch of a single emergency number 112 for addressing emergency signals through various communication channels.

Legislative Changes: A bill to amend the Disaster Management Act, 2005, aiming to clarify roles of central organizations, provide statutory status to certain pre-Act bodies, and establish urban disaster management authorities.

Cabinet Clears Chandrayaan-4 and Venus Orbiter Mission for Space Exploration

The Union Cabinet has approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, which aims to develop technologies for returning to Earth after landing on the moon and collecting lunar samples for analysis. The total cost of the mission is Rs 2104.06 crore, covering spacecraft development, two LVM3 launches, deep space network support, and special tests for validation. The mission will be completed within 36 months, involving significant participation from industry and academia.

Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM)

The Cabinet also approved the Venus Orbiter Mission, with a budget of Rs 1,236 crore, of which Rs 824 crore will be spent on the spacecraft. VOM, scheduled for launch in March 2028, aims to explore Venus’ surface, subsurface, and atmosphere to understand the planet’s evolution. ISRO will develop and launch the spacecraft, and the mission will provide valuable insights into the evolution of Venus and Earth.

Technological and Scientific Advancements

Chandrayaan-4 will demonstrate key technologies like docking, undocking, landing, lunar sample collection, and safe return to Earth. The Venus mission will help answer important questions about Venus’ transformation and provide data to the global scientific community.

Economic and Technological Impact

The space projects will significantly involve Indian industries and create employment opportunities. The missions are part of India’s larger vision for space exploration, which includes an Indian Space Station by 2035 and a human moon landing by 2040.

Collaboration and Future Goals

These missions will build on the success of Chandrayaan-3, contributing to India’s self-sufficiency in space technology. Plans are in place to engage academia through science workshops, and facilities will be set up for the analysis of lunar samples, positioning them as national assets.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Subscribers at 69 Million, Corpus at Rs 35,149 Crore

About 7 crore people have subscribed to the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), accumulating a corpus of Rs 35,149 crore, as announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The APY, launched in 2015, is a low-cost pension scheme providing a guaranteed minimum pension ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month, depending on the contributions made by subscribers. In case of the subscriber’s death, the pension is extended to the spouse for life, and upon the demise of both, the nominee receives the entire corpus.

Key Points

Subscribers and Corpus: Over 6.9 crore people have joined APY, creating a corpus of Rs 35,149 crore.

Pension Benefits: Guaranteed monthly pensions from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 starting at age 60, based on contributions.

Death Benefits: Pension continues to the spouse; after both spouse and subscriber’s death, the corpus is given to the nominee.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY): Key Points

Launch Year: 2015, under the Government of India.

Objective: Provides a guaranteed minimum monthly pension to individuals after the age of 60.

Eligibility: Open to all Indian citizens aged 18-40, especially targeting the unorganized sector.

Pension Range: Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month, depending on contributions.

Contribution Period: Until the subscriber turns 60.

Death Benefits: Pension continues to spouse; corpus paid to nominee after both the subscriber and spouse’s death.

Corpus (2024): Rs 35,149 crore.

Subscribers (2024): 6.9 crore (69 million).

Cabinet Gives Nod to Bio-RIDE Scheme to Support R&D in Biotechnology

The Union Cabinet has approved the Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE) scheme to boost biotechnology research, innovation, and entrepreneurship with an outlay of ₹9,197 crore for the 15th Finance Commission period (2021-22 to 2025-26).

The scheme merges two existing programs — Biotechnology Research and Development (R&D) and Industrial and Entrepreneurship Development (I&ED) — and introduces a new component called ‘Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundry.’ This initiative aims to foster innovation, strengthen bio-entrepreneurship, and elevate India’s global position in bio-manufacturing and biotechnology.

It will support research, product development, and the transition from academic research to industrial applications, aligning with national and global goals in healthcare, agriculture, sustainability, and clean energy.

Key Components and Focus Areas

Unified Scheme: Combines Biotechnology R&D, I&ED, and introduces ‘Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundry’ components.

Financial Outlay: ₹9,197 crore for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Objectives: Drive innovation, support startups, and promote bio-entrepreneurship with seed funding, incubation, and mentorship.

Target Areas: Research grants will focus on synthetic biology, bio-pharmaceuticals, bio-energy, and bio-plastics, with a significant emphasis on sustainable practices in bio-manufacturing aligned with India’s green goals.

India and European Union agree to deepen cooperation in Sustainable Water Management

India and the European Union (EU) agreed to enhance cooperation in sustainable water management at the 6th EU-India Water Forum held on the sidelines of the 8th India Water Week, in New Delhi.

Discussion Agenda of 6th IEWP

The 6th EU-India Water Forum serves as a key platform for discussing water sector challenges, sharing best practices, and enhancing business and research opportunities.
As India and the EU continue to advance their cooperation in water management, this forum reaffirms their commitment to achieving sustainable water resource management for future generations.

Highlights

The shared commitment between the EU and India to address global water issues through technological collaboration, policy exchange, and sustainable investment strategies.
The current phase (Phase III) prioritizes government and business partnerships, aligning with India’s National 2030 Agenda and the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, which promotes sustainable investments, connectivity, and infrastructure development focused on green, digital, and inclusive growth.
The forum explored trilateral collaboration between East Africa, India and the EU, to address challenges in East Africa’s water bodies such as Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, leveraging the combined strength of India and the EU.

About The India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP)

As part of the India-EU Strategic Partnership and in accordance with the Joint Declaration between the EU(European Union) and the Government of India (2016) as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on Water Cooperation between the EU and the GoI (2016), the EU and India established the India-EU Water Partnership (IEWP) as a political dialogue between the EU and India.
It was set up to strengthen the political and strategic framework for a more coherent and effective collaboration between the EU and India on water management issues.
Its aim is to bring together governments, businesses, research institutions, and other key stakeholders to promote innovative approaches and the systematic implementation of existing policies.

The India – EU Water Partnership consists of five components.

The EU and Ministry of Jal Shakti cooperation based on the Joint Declaration and MoU
The EU and BMZ funded IEWP Action
EU Member States
Research and Innovation
Businesses

Projects Under IEWP

Under IEWP, the EU and India are collaborating on river management on Tapi and Ramganga River Basins.
Under Phase III, the partnership will extend its efforts to other key basins like the Brahmaputra. Both regions have co-jointly funded 7 research and innovation water projects with €37.4 million (EU €23.4 M + India €14 M), bringing together 743 participants from the EU and India.
These projects focus on drinking water purification, wastewater treatment, and real-time monitoring and control systems, and the IEWP will further provide support for market uptake of these cutting-edge water technologies in India.

India Becomes 6th Largest Market in MSCI ACWI

India has now become the sixth largest market in the MSCI All Country World Investable Market Index (ACWI IMI), surpassing China and narrowly behind France. As of August 2024, India’s weight in the index stands at 2.35%, surpassing China’s 2.24%, with France just 3 basis points ahead of India. India is also now the largest emerging market (EM) in the MSCI ACWI IMI for the first time.

MSCI ACWI IMI Overview

The MSCI ACWI IMI includes large- and mid-cap stocks globally. While India’s weight has more than doubled since early 2021, China’s has halved during the same period. However, in the standard MSCI ACWI Index, India trails China with a weight of 2.07% compared to China’s 2.41%.

Investment Impact and Passive Inflows

Analysts suggest India’s rising weight may not have a significant impact on passive inflows as ETFs tracking the index manage under $2 billion. However, India’s top EM and sixth-largest weight status boosts its image, enhancing investment appeal.

Economic Growth and Market Performance

India’s nominal GDP growth rate is currently in the low teens, more than triple that of China, leading to a stronger earnings growth environment. In August, India also overtook China in the MSCI EM IMI with a weight of 22.27%, while China’s is at 21.58%. The MSCI EM IMI is tracked by funds managing $125 billion, while the MSCI EM index is tracked by funds with $500 billion in assets.

Morgan Stanley’s Strategy

Morgan Stanley is overweight on India and Japan by 150 basis points in their pan-Asian and EM portfolios, while maintaining a 150 bps underweight on China.

First UN Deputy Secretary General, Know His Name

Louise Fréchette is a Canadian diplomat and public servant, best known for being the first United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General. Born on July 16, 1946, in Montreal, Canada, she has had a distinguished career in diplomacy, international governance, and public service. Her contributions, particularly at the UN and in Canadian diplomacy, have made her a prominent figure on the global stage.

Early Life and Education of Louise Fréchette

Fréchette was born in Montreal, where she completed her early education. In 1970, she earned a degree in history from the Université de Montréal. Her passion for international relations led her to further her studies at the College of Europe in Bruges, where she obtained a postgraduate Certificate of Advanced European Studies in 1978, equivalent to a master’s degree.

Diplomatic Career of Louise Fréchette

Fréchette began her diplomatic career in 1971 by joining Canada’s Department of External Affairs. She held various international postings, including a role at the Canadian Embassy in Athens and later at Canada’s UN delegation in Geneva. In 1985, at just 39 years old, she was appointed Canada’s ambassador to Argentina.

In 1989, she undertook a secret mission to Cuba to persuade Fidel Castro to support the Gulf War, although the mission did not succeed, she gained recognition for her efforts. In 1992, she was appointed as Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, solidifying her role in global diplomacy.

Deputy Minister in Canada

In 1995, Fréchette transitioned from international diplomacy to serve in Canada’s domestic governance. She took on the role of assistant deputy minister of finance in Ottawa and later became the deputy minister of national defense. In this position, she made history as the first woman to hold such a senior defense position in Canada.

First UN Deputy Secretary-General

In 1997, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan introduced reforms to modernize the UN. One significant change was the creation of the position of Deputy Secretary-General, responsible for overseeing the organization’s administrative functions. Fréchette was appointed to this newly created role, becoming the first person to hold the title. During her tenure, she played a key role in various reforms, including coordinating peacekeeping efforts in Haiti in collaboration with then-U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

In 2005, following criticisms related to the UN’s Iraq Oil-for-Food Program, Fréchette resigned from her post. Despite this controversy, her work at the UN is remembered for its administrative improvements and global initiatives.

Later Career and Involvement

Following her time at the UN, Fréchette continued her involvement in global governance. She became a member of the Global Leadership Foundation and held roles on various boards, including CARE Canada and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Her work focused on international security, nuclear disarmament, and humanitarian efforts.

Recognition and Awards Received by Louise Fréchette

In recognition of her contributions to public service and diplomacy, Louise Fréchette was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1998, one of the country’s highest civilian honors.

New Re-usable Low-cost launch vehicle for Bharat

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the development of Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), that will be a significant step towards the Government’s vision of establishing & operating the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and towards developing capability for Indian Crewed Landing on the Moon by 2040.

Aim

The NGLV aims to strengthen India’s position in the global space industry by lowering the cost of launches by reusing recovered components and offering enhanced capacity for carrying heavier payloads into orbits.

About NGLV

NGLV will have 3 times the present payload capability with 1.5 times the cost compared to LVM3, and will also have reusability resulting in low-cost access to space and modular green propulsion systems.
Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) is taken up which is designed to have a maximum payload capability of 30 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit, which also has a reusable first stage.

Current Vehicles

India has achieved self-reliance in space transportation systems to launch satellites up to 10 tonne to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 4 tonne to Geo-Synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) through the currently operational PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) , GSLV (GeoSynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark III) & SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicles).

How will this project be implemented?

The NGLV development project will be implemented with maximal participation from the Indian industry, who is also expected to invest in the manufacturing capacity at the outset itself, thereby allowing a seamless transition to the operational phase subsequent to the development.
NGLV will be demonstrated with three development flights (D1, D2 & D3) with a target of 96 months (8 years) for the completion of the development phase.
Funding : The total fund approved is Rs. 8240.00 Crore and includes the development costs, three developmental flights, essential facility establishment, Programme Management and Launch Campaign.

How will this be beneficial?

The development of NGLV will enable national & commercial missions including launch of human spaceflight missions to Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
Lunar/inter-planetary exploration missions along with communication & earth observation satellite constellations to Low Earth Orbit that will benefit the entire space ecosystem in the country.
This project will boost the Indian space ecosystem in terms of capability and capacity.

About Launch Vehicles

A launch vehicle is a rocket-powered vehicle that transports a spacecraft beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, either into orbit around the Earth or to another destination in outer space.
Satellites are integral to space missions. However, they don’t make their way into space independently. Instead, they rely on launch vehicles and powerful rockets for their celestial journey.

Notable Foreign Launch Vehicles

Arien 5 (European Space Agency)
Falcon 9 (Space X)
Space Launch System (SLS – NASA)
Soyuz 5 (Russian Space Agency)

What is a Reusable Launch Vehicle?

The concept of a reusable launch vehicle is based on making the spacecraft durable enough to withstand multiple launches and landings. This necessitates the vehicle’s design to be both lightweight and strong, as well as the use of materials that can withstand the extreme conditions of spaceflight.

Examples of RLVs

New Shepherd (Amazon’s Blue Origin space agency)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9
SpaceX Starship

Cabinet Clears ‘One Nation, One Poll’ and Major Agriculture-Space Proposals

The Union Cabinet has approved several key proposals with a total outlay exceeding ₹60,000 crore, covering areas from agriculture to space exploration. The much-anticipated ‘One Nation, One Poll’ policy, enabling simultaneous elections across India, also received approval. Additionally, the PM-AASHA scheme was revamped with a ₹35,000 crore budget to ensure Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for farmers. The Cabinet also sanctioned a ₹24,474.53 crore subsidy on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilizers for the 2024-25 rabi season.

Space Missions

The Chandrayaan-4 mission, with a budget of ₹2,104.06 crore, aims to develop technologies for astronaut landings on the moon and their safe return. The Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), allocated ₹1,236 crore, was approved for scientific exploration of Venus.

One Nation, One Poll Implementation

A group will be formed to implement the recommendations of the Ram Nath Kovind panel regarding ‘One Nation, One Poll’. This initiative is seen as a significant move towards enhancing democratic participation. There is no clarity yet on whether a bill will be introduced in the upcoming winter Parliament session.

PM-AASHA Reforms

The scope of PM-AASHA was expanded by merging the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), Price Support Scheme (PSS), and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) with the existing Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS). The Centre has also enhanced government guarantees to ₹45,000 crore for MSP-based procurement. Notably, the coverage for oilseeds under PDPS will increase from 25% to 40% of state production, while procurement for tur, urad, and masur will see 100% coverage for the 2024-25 season.