BrainBuzz Academy

Why in the news?
Chennai-born Indian American Caitlin Sandra Neil was crowned Miss India USA 2024 at the annual pageant held in New Jersey. The 19-year-old is a second year student at University of California, Davis.
Key Points:
📍Nirali Desia of Illinois and Manini Patel of New Jersey were declared first runner-up and second runner-up in the Miss India USA competition.
📍Meanwhile, Sanskriti Sharma from Illinois was crowned Mrs India USA and Arshita Kathpalia from Washington won the Miss Teen India USA in the pageant organised by the India Festival Committee (IFC).
📍Rijul Maini, Miss India USA 2023 and Sneha Nambiar, Mrs India USA 2023 crowned Caitlin Sandra Neil and Sanskriti Sharma, respectively.
📍Sapna Mishra of Virginia and Chinmayee Ayachit from Connecticut were named first and second runner-up in the Mrs India USA competition.
📍Dhriti Patel of Rhode Island and Sonali Sharma were declared as first runner-up and second runner-up in the teen category.
📍Forty-seven contestants from 25 states participated in the three categories of the pageant.

Naga Poet and Writer Easterine Kire has been awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 for the best novel in English for her book "Spirit Nights."
About Sahitya Akademi Award:
📍The Sahitya Akademi Award is a prestigious literary honor in India, presented annually by the Sahitya Akademi, the National Academy of Letters, to recognize authors of the most exceptional literary works published in any of the 22 languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, as well as in English and Rajasthani.
📍The Sahitya Akademi, announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards in 21 languages on December 18. Eight books of poetry, three of novel, two of short stories, three Essays, three Literary Criticism, one play and one research has won the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024.
📍According to the Akademi, the books were selected on the basis of recommendations made by a Jury of three members in the concemed languages in accordance with the procedure laid down for the purpose. According to the procedure, the Executive Board declared the Awards on the basis of unanimous selections made by the Juries or selection made on the basis of majority vote. The Awards relate to books first published during the five years immediately preceding the year of Award (e. between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2012).
📍The Award in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper-plaque, a shawl and amount of Rs. 1,00,000/- towards cast content each will be presented to the awardees at the award presentation function which will be held on March 8, 2025 at Kamani Auditorum, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi.
📍Easterine Kire's "Son of the Thundercloud" was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by Sahitya Academy in 2018. She also received The Hindu Literary Prize for "When the River Sleeps" in 2015. Kire was awarded the Governor's Medal for excellence in Naga literature in 2011.

Why in the news?
New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has been finalised as the venue for the 2025 Para Worlds slated for 26 September to 5 October 2025.
Key Points:
📍This is the first time India will host para athletics’ biggest sporting event. The development was announced by the World Paralympic Association (WPA) on their official website.
📍The 2025 event is the 12th edition of the championships and the fourth time it is hosted in Asia, following Doha 2015, Dubai 2019 and Kobe 2024. 
📍As per WPA, the capital will also host a World Para Athletics Grand Prix from 11 to 13 March at the same venue in 2025. The Grand Prix event will serve as a trial event before the big competition scheduled for October.
📍The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, set to host the event, will also witness an inaugural World Para Athletics Grand Prix between the 11th and the 13th of March.
📍The premier event is set to go down as the largest international Para sporting event ever to take place in the peninsular nation.
📍India finished in the top six of the Para World Championships in the previous edition in Kobe, Japan 2024 for the first time with 17 medals including six gold.
📍The 2025 Para Athletics World Championships will be the largest international Para sport event ever to take place in India.
📍“NPC India is privileged to host the Para Athletics World Championships for the first time in India. This historic event marks a significant milestone in India’s journey to becoming a global sporting powerhouse and strengthens our bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games,”.

Useful information for all competitive exams:
Head of World Para Athletics: Paul Fitzgerald
International Paralympic Committee:
Headquarters: Bonn, Germany
Membership: 183
President: Andrew Parsons (Brazil)
International Olympic Committee (IOC):
Formation: 23 June 1894
Founders: Pierre de Coubertin, Demetrios Vikelas
Headquarters: Olympic House, Lausanne, Switzerland
President: Thomas Bach (Germany) (9th President of the International Olympic Committee)

Richa Ghosh equalled the record for the fastest-ever half century in women’s T20Is, smashing a 18-ball fifty against West Indies in the third and final match of the series in Navi Mumbai. 
Her knock, and Smriti Mandhana’s half century earlier, powered India to their highest total ever in women’s T20Is: 217/4. India’s previous best was 201/5 against UAE at the Asia Cup in July 2024.

Chautala's entry in politics:
📍Chautala was born in a small village near Haryana's Sirsa. His father, Chaudhary Devi Lal, played a major role in the creation of Haryana in 1966, served as the state's chief minister, and later as India's deputy prime minister. He also founded the INLD party in 1996. According to information available on the internet, Chautala dropped out of school and chose politics, following his father's path. In 1970, he was elected to Haryana’s legislative assembly as a member of the Janata Dal (People’s Party).
📍Chautala’s early political career had some controversies. One major incident was in 1978 when he was detained at the Delhi airport for bringing a large number of wristwatches into the country. This led to a fallout with his father, but Chautala later worked to rebuild his political image. He led the "Nyaya Yudh" campaign to support his father's successful bid in the 1987 elections and organized protests against corruption in the 1990s. However, in 1990, he faced accusations of being involved in the killing of a political opponent.
📍Chautala was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1987 and served until 1990. In December 1989, he became Haryana's chief minister, replacing his father who had been appointed as the deputy PM of India. However, he was unable to secure a seat in the state assembly within the required six months and had to step down in May 1990. He later won a by-election and briefly served as chief minister again in 1990-91.
📍After the Congress Party won the 1991 elections in Haryana, Chautala entered the assembly through a by-election in 1993. In 1995, he resigned as a protest against a deal to share Haryana’s water with neighboring states. Chautala won a seat in the 1996 elections and became the opposition leader. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) was formed in 1998. In 1999, after the Haryana Vikas Party lost its majority, Chautala became chief minister for a fourth time.
📍Chautala has served as the CM of Haryana from December 1989 to May 1990; July 1990 to July 1990; from March 1991 to April 1991 and, finally, from July 1999 to March 2005.

The world will mark 21st December 2024 as the first-ever World Meditation Day, following a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on 29th November 2024.This marks a significant moment in global recognition of meditation's value. This historic event will establish an annual global celebration of meditation, highlighting its transformative benefits for mental and physical health and its potential to foster peace and unity.
Significance of December 21:
Winter Solstice: Marks the beginning of Uttarayana (auspicious time for inner reflection) in Indian tradition.
Complementary Date: Falls exactly six months after June 21, celebrated as the International Day of Yoga (Summer Solstice).
World Meditation Day 2024: History
The General Assembly declared December 21 to be World Meditation Day to increase awareness of meditation and its advantages while remembering that everyone has the right to the best possible level of physical and mental wealth.
The General Assembly also recognised the connection between yoga and meditation as complementary methods of improving health and well-being.
World Meditation Day 2024: Significance
Meditation is a powerful tool for promoting compassion, peace and unity. World Meditation Day serves as a reminder to tackle the various global challenges and strive for harmony within ourselves and our communities.
By practicing meditation to nurture inner peace, we can collectively contribute to creating a more resilient and sustainable world for present and future generations.
What is meditation?
According to the United Nations, meditation is an ancient practice that involves focusing one's attention on the present moment. Rooted in religious, yogic, and secular traditions across cultures, meditation has been practiced for thousands of years.
The most recognised definition of meditation generally describes it as a practice where an individual uses techniques such as mindfulness, focused attention, or concentrated thought to train the mind and achieve a state of mental clarity, emotional calmness, and physical relaxation.
World Meditation Day 2024: 10 Health Benefits
Stress reduction: Meditation is effective in reducing stress and can alleviate symptoms of stress-related illnesses, such as fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Better memory: Regular meditation can improve focus, which in turn may improve memory and mental clarity. These benefits can be helpful in combating dementia and age-related memory decline.
Increased attention: Meditation improves attention span, allowing you to concentrate for extended periods.
Increased willpower: Meditation ensures the mental self-control necessary to avoid harmful behaviours.
Improved sleep: Meditation can improve the quality of sleep and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.
Reduced discomfort: Meditation helps with emotional regulation and pain management. This can help in the treatment of chronic pain when used alongside medical care.
Reduced blood pressure: Those who meditate regularly experience lower blood pressure both during and after meditation. This can help reduce strain on the heart and blood vessels, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease.
Reduced anxiety: Regular meditation helps decrease anxiety and can assist with mental health conditions such as obsessive-compulsive behaviours, social anxiety and general anxiety.
Decreased depression: Meditation has been shown to lower the incidence of depression.
Increased compassion: Meditation helps you discover your best self, leading to a deeper understanding of your own self and encouraging kindness towards others.