India is celebrating its 75th Independence Day on 15 August 2021. The day is observed to mark the end of British rule in India, in the year 1947. India's struggle for freedom from British rule was long and had cost too many lives. Many freedom fighters and leaders dedicated their whole life to this struggle. Therefore, this day is observed every year to celebrate our freedom and acknowledge the sacrifices and efforts of the people who fought for it. ‘Nation First, Always First’ is the theme of India’s 75th Independence Day.

Country wide Kargil Vijay Diwas is commemorated on 26 July every year on remembrance of bravery and valour of Indian Armed forces. On July 26, 1999, Indian Armed Forces had defeated Pakistan under Operation Vijay. Since then, Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated commemorating the indomitable valour, bravery and supreme sacrifice of the Indian soldier.
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Sources :  PIB

On 25th July 2021 marks the 115th birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighters Chandra Shekhar Azad. Azad was born on 23rd July 1906 in Bhavra village of Madhya Pradesh.

• In  1921 Azad took part in non-cooperation movement. After joining the movement, he was arrested by the British police and when he was presented before a magistrate, he declared his name to be 'Azad', his father's name as 'Swatantra', and his residence as 'prison'. Since then, the title of ‘Azad’, which means free in Urdu, was attached to his name.​
• Azad joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA), a revolutionary organisation formed by Ramprasad Bismil. Azad was involved in the Kakori Train Robbery on August 9, 1925, against the British Raj. 

​Sources :  PIB

165th Birth anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak celebrated on 23rd June 2021. He was called "The father of the Indian unrest", conferred with the title of Lokmanya, which means "accepted by the people as a leader". The father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, called him "The Maker of Modern India". 

• In 1890, Tilak became a member of the Indian National Congress. He was opposed to its moderate stance, especially in the battle for self-government.
• Tilak helped found the All India Home Rule League in 1916–18, with G. S. Khaparde and Annie Besant. he focused on the Home Rule League, which sought self-rule.​
• Tilak started two Paper Kesari  in Marathi and Mahratta in English.

Sources :  PIB

National Doctors’ Day celebrated on 1st July every year in the memory of Doctor BC Roy, is the symbol of the highest ideals of our medical fraternity. In 1991, the Government of India defined a special day to recognise the contributions of BC Roy, an Indian physician as well as a freedom fighter.
 
About Bidhan Chandra Roy
Bidhan Chandra Roy was an Indian physician, educationist, philanthropist, freedom fighter and statesman who served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1948 until his death in 1962.
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Sources :  PIB

The International Day of Yoga has been celebrated annually on 21 June. Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual practice which originated in India. This year considering the COVID-19 Pandemic led situation, most of the events will take place virtually, promoting the main theme of this 2021 “Be with Yoga, Be at Home".

About International Day of Yoga (IDY)
Recognized Day on    :  21 June
Established year        :  2015
2021 Theme               :  Be with Yoga, Be at Home

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 21st June as the International Day of Yoga (IDY) in their resolution adopted on 11th December 2014. Since 2015, this Day has been observed all over the world in ever-growing numbers of participants. The Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in his UN address in 2014 initiated the 21st June for International Day of Yoga (IDY).

Sources :  PIB

Word Food Safety Day celebrated on 7th June 2021 to draw attention to the fact that food is not only an agricultural or trade commodity but is also a public health issue. This year’s theme ‘Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow’ stresses that production and consumption of safe food has immediate and long-term benefits for people, the planet and the economy.

About World Food Safety Day
Recognized Day on    :  7th June
Established year        :  2019
2021 Theme               :  Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow
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the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed a resolution was adopted on December 20, 2018 that every 7th June would be World Food Safety Day. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly facilitate the observance of World Food Safety Day. Food safety is a shared responsibility between governments, producers and consumers.  Everyone has a role to play from farm to table to ensure the food we consume is safe and healthy. Through the World Food Safety Day, WHO works to mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases globally. 

Sources :  WHO

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment. Since its beginning in 1974, World Environment Day has developed into a global platform for raising awareness and taking action on urgent issues like marine pollution, global warming etc. 

About World Environment Day
The UN General Assembly designates 5th June 1972 as World Environment Day, marking the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.

Sources : Worldenvironmentday

June 1 is celebrated as World Milk day every year. 2021 marks the 21st anniversary of World Milk day. World Milk Day was created to recognise the importance of milk as a nutritious food item. The day is also commemorated to honour the dairy industry. India is the world’s largest milk producer, with 22 percent of global production, followed by the United States of America, China, Pakistan and Brazil.

About World Milk Day
World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001. 
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Sources :  PIB

Established                         : 1993
2021 Theme                        : Information as a Public Good

World Press Freedom Day celebrated on 3rd May 2021 with the theme “Information as a Public Good” . 2021 Global Conference is hosted by UNESCO and the Government of Namibia. It is held from 29 April - 3 May in Windhoek, Namibia. The Conference will call for urgent attention to the threat of extinction faced by local news media around the world, a crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

About World Press Freedom Day
World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO's General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.

About Windhoek Declaration
The Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Press, short: Windhoek Declaration is a statement of press freedom principles by African newspaper journalists in 1991. 

Sources :  UN

National Science Day is celebrated each year on 28 February to commemorate the discovery of “Raman Effect” in 1928 by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, which led to the Nobel Prize being awarded to him in the year 1930. Since that day, February 28 is being commemorated as National Science Day to recall the great discovery of CV Raman. The purpose of celebrating this day is to enhance scientific temper, popularization of science and encouraging innovative activities by infusing scientific temperament in the masses and to create a positive scientific research culture.

About Raman effect
Raman effect, change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules. When a beam of light traverses a dust-free, transparent sample of a chemical compound, a small fraction of the light emerges in directions other than that of the incident (incoming) beam.

Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu celebrated the International Mother Language Day on 21 Feb 2021 in a unique manner by tweeting in 22 Indian languages(Schedule Language) and English.

About International Mother Language Day
In order to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism, International Mother Language Day has been observed since 2000. Bangladesh mooted the idea to observe International Mother Language Day. The proposal got the UNESCO’s approval in 1999. The General Conference of UNESCO proclaimed International Mother Language Day in 1999 and it was welcomed by the UN General Assembly in its resolution of 2002. The UN General Assembly in 2007 asked its member states “to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by peoples of the world.” The UN General Assembly officially recognised the day in 2008.

About Schedule Language
As per the eighth schedule of Indian Constitution recognized the following 22 languages:​Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.

Organiser        : Election Commission of India
2021 Theme   : Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed

Election Commission of India is celebrated 11th National Voters Day on 25th January 2021. The theme for this year’s is ‘Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed’. It also focuses on ECI’s commitment towards conducting elections safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the event launch ECI’s Web Radio ‘Hello Voters’. 

ECI’s Web Radio ‘Hello Voters’:
This online digital radio service will stream voter awareness programmes. It will provide information and education on electoral processes through songs, drama, discussions, spots, stories of elections etc. in Hindi, English and regional languages from all over the country.

About National Voters’ Day
The National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25 every year since 2011, all across the country to mark the foundation day of Election Commission of India, i.e. 25th January 1950. The main purpose of the National Voters Day celebration is to encourage, facilitate and maximize enrolment, especially for the new voters. 

​Sources :  PIB

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated its 16th Foundation Day. Celebrated on occasion to remember the high level of professionalism, strong determination and achievements earned through hard work took stock of the level of preparedness to deal with  various disasters like cyclones and floods in the country and  also visited disaster affected areas, which helped the country overcome these disasters.

About National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
The National Disaster Response Force is an Indian specialized force constituted "for the purpose of special response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The "Apex Body for Disaster Management" in India is the National Disaster Management Authority.

About National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister of India, is the apex body for Disaster Management in India. Setting up of NDMA and the creation of an enabling environment for institutional mechanisms at the State and District levels is mandated by the Disaster Management Act, 2005. NDMA is mandated to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for Disaster Management. India envisions the development of an ethos of Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness and Response. 

Sources : PIB​

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on 15th January 2021 celebrated its 146th Foundation Day. IMD is one of the oldest, scientific service organizations in the country, in existence well before Independence. On this occasion Report on Cyclone disturbances during 2020; Hindi Patrika – ‘Mausam Manjusha’ released.

About India Meteorological Department (IMD)
Established                         : 1875
Under Aegis of                   : Ministry of Earth Sciences

The India Meteorological Department is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of the Government of India. It is the principal agency responsible for meteorological observations, weather forecasting and seismology. From a modest beginning in 1875, IMD has progressively expanded its infrastructure for meteorological observations, communications, forecasting and weather services. IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological Organisation. It has the responsibility for forecasting, naming and distribution of warnings for tropical cyclones in the Northern Indian Ocean region, including the Malacca Straits, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.​

Sources :  PIB

Started Year                        : 1985
Organiser                             : Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

National Youth Day is celebrated on 12 January to commemorate the birth anniversary of youth icon Swami Vivekananda. It is organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India in collaboration with one of the State Governments. It was a decision of Government of India taken in 1984 to celebrate the birthday of great Swami Vivekananda, i.e. 12 January, as National Youth Day every year. The National Youth Day is observed all over India at schools and colleges with processions, speeches, music, youth conventions, seminars, Yogasanas, presentations, competitions in essay-writing and sports every year. These were the source of inspiration and have motivated numerous youth organizations, study circles and service projects involving the youth.

National Youth Festival
The objective of the National Youth Festival is to bring youth of the country together to showcase their talents; provide them an arena, by creating a mini-India, where youth interact in formal and informal settings and exchange their social and cultural uniqueness. It is also to promote national integration, spirit of communal harmony, brotherhood, courage and adventure. The basic aim is to propagate the spirit, essence and concept of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
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Sources :  PIB

Established                         : 2003
Organiser                             : Ministry of External Affairs
2021 Theme                        : Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated once in every two years to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their roots. The 16th PBD Convention is being held Virtually on 9 January, 2021 in New Delhi. The theme of 16th Pravasi Bharatiya DivasConvention 2021 is "Contributing to Aatmanirbhar Bharat".
PBD Convention inaugurated by Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. The Inaugural session will be followed by the two virtual Plenary sessions where discussions between eminent diaspora experts will be held on themes–

• Role of Diaspora in Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and
• Facing Post Covid Challenges - Scenario in Health, Economy, Social and International Relations.

About ​Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)
​Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on 9th January every year to mark the contribution of Overseas Indian community in the development of India. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate this occasion since it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, the greatest Pravasi, returned to India from South Africa, led India’s freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
PBD conventions are being held every year since 2003. Since 2015, its format has been revised to celebrate the PBD once every two years and to hold theme-based PBD Conferences during the intervening period with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policy makers and stakeholders. These conventions provide a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and people of the land of their ancestors for mutually beneficial activities. These conventions are also very useful in networking among the overseas Indian community residing in various parts of the world and enable them to share their experiences in various fields.

Sources : PIB​

Bureau of Indian Standards celebrated 74th foundation day on 6th January 2021.

About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Established                                 : 1947
Govt Body type                           : Statutory Body

The BIS is the successor of the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), which was created in 1947 to ensure quality control and competitive efficiency in the rapid industrialization expected in the early decades of India’s independence. ​The Bureau of Indian Standards is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986.
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Sources : PIB

Established                         : 1947
Location                              : New Delhi
Under the Aegis of             : Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research(CSIR)

Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR–NPL), is one of the few premier laboratories established before independence on January 04, 1947. As a beginning of the Platinum Jubilee year and to commemorate  on January 04, 2021, CSIR-NPL  organised a National Metrology Conclave 2021  under the theme ‘Metrology for the Inclusive Growth of the Nation’. 

About Council Of Scientific And Industrial Research–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR–NPL)
The National Physical Laboratory was one of the earliest national laboratories set up under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research. Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of NPL on 4 January 1947.The CSIR- National Physical Laboratory  is the measurement standards laboratory of India. It maintains standards of SI units in India and calibrates the national standards of weights and measures.

Sources :  PIB