I-Learning Test 9 : 24 September – 01 October 2017
- Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)
BIRAC is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprise to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.
BIRAC is an industry-academia interface and implements its mandate through a wide range of impact initiatives, be it providing access to risk capital through targeted funding and technology transfer.
It also helps in intellectual property (IP) management and handholding schemes that help bring innovation excellence to the biotech firms and make them globally competitive.
Key Strategies
- Foster innovation and entrepreneurship
- Promote affordable innovation in key social sectors
- Empowerment of start-ups & small and medium enterprises
- Contribute through partners for capability enhancement and diffusion of innovation
- Enable commercialization of discovery
- Ensure global competitiveness of Indian enterprises
http://www.birac.nic.in/desc_new.php?id=89
- UN convention on the Rights of persons against disabilities
The convention is an international human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (2006).
Rights specific to this convention include the rights to accessibility including the information technology, the rights to live independently and be included in the community (Article 19), to personal mobility (article 20), habilitation and rehabilitation (Article 26), and to participation in political and public life, and cultural life, recreation and sport (Articles 29 and 30).
Articles 33–39 govern reporting and monitoring of the convention by national human rights institutions (Article 33) and Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Article 34).
- “Kunjali Marakkar”
In Medieval India, “Kunjali Marakkar” was was titled to the Hindu king of Calicut, in present-day state of Kerala, during the 16th century.
- The Marakkars are credited with organizing the first naval defence of the Indian coast, to be later succeeded in the 18th century by the Maratha Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre.
- There were four major Kunhalis who played a part in the Zamorin’s naval wars with the Portuguese from 1502 to 1600.
Of the four Marakkars, Kunjali Marakkar II is the most famous.
- Panipat
It is famous in India by the name of “City of Weavers” and “Textile City”, it is also known as the “cast-off capital” due to being “the global centre for recycling textiles”. The place has witnessed three important historical battles in Medieval India.
- Panipat city is the biggest centre of “shoddy yarn”, quality blankets and carpets in India and has a hand loom weaving industry.
- Blankets prepared through hand looms and power looms are sent to soldiers.
The Battle of Panipat Memorial society, set up by the Government of Haryana, highlights the major events that took place for over two hundred years which made Panipat a place of great historical importance.
Source: Common themes of Medieval India
- Marco Polo
His travels are recorded in Book of the Marvels of the World, also known as The Travels of Marco Polo, c. 1300), a book that described to Europeans the wealth and great size of China.
Marco Polo was not the first European to reach China, but he was the first to leave a detailed chronicle of his experience.
This book inspired Christopher Columbus and many other travellers. There is a substantial literature based on Polo’s writings; he also influenced European cartography, leading to the introduction of the Fra Mauro map.
Source: Travellers to Medieval India
