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Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 26 2024

1. Exercise Dharma Guardian 2024

Military Forces from India and Japan Hold Annual Combat Exercise

The fifth annual “Dharma Guardian 2024” joint exercise between the Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces kicked off on February 25th at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan, India, and will run until March 9th, 2024.

Regarding the Two-Sided Combat Exercise

As part of the Dharma Guardian exercise, which alternates between the two nations yearly, forty-man battalions train under UN auspices in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism scenarios.

Important Objective

In preparation for overseas deployments, the exercise aims to improve interoperability among armies by polishing integrated operational capabilities and sharing knowledge in specialized sectors such as intelligence and heliborne insertion.

2. Sudarshan Setu – India’s Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge

Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka Island, located off the coast of Gujarat, were connected by the strategically vital Sudarshan Setu bridge, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated on February 24, 2024.

The bridge spans the Gulf of Kutch. It surpasses all other cable-stayed road bridges in India in length, measuring over 2 km.

After changing its name from “Signature Bridge” to “Sudarshan Setu” or simply “Sudarshan Bridge,” the bridge is now familiar to all.

Overview and Budget of the Project

The project was overseen by the Roads and Building Department of Gujarat, and the 27-meter wide four-lane bridge was approved in 2017 with an estimated cost of ₹979 crores. Larsen & Toubro oversaw the building process for six years.

The 2.32 km bridge includes a 2.45 km approach road and 900 m of central double-span cable-stayed section.

3. Legendary Ghazal Singer Pankaj Udhas Passes Away

Legendary ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas passed away at 72 years of age following a protracted illness, and his death has sent shockwaves through the music industry.

Ghazal Music: A Devoted Life

Udhas was born into a musical family in 1951 in Jetpur, Gujarat, and his musical career got off to a great start. The legendary playback singer Manhar Udhas was Pankaj’s older brother, and the latter inspired him to follow in his footsteps.

When Udhas first started, she sang Bollywood playback and dabbled with Indian pop. But the musical Urdu poetry known as ghazals was where his heart truly belonged.

Aahat, his first ghazal album, was published in 1980, and it was the beginning of an extraordinary career that would last for more than four decades.

An Unconventional Voice That Crossed Genres

People of all ages were captivated by Udhas’s lyrical voice and profound knowledge of ghazal poetry. He was instrumental in ghazal popularization, opening the genre up to listeners beyond its usual acolytes.

Songs such as “Chitthi Aai Hai” (Naam, 1986) and “Aa Gale Lag Ja” solidified his reputation as a well-known ghazal performer in India.

An Acknowledgement and a Legacy

The Filmfare Award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Ghazal Singing, and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, were among the many esteemed accolades bestowed upon Udhas in recognition of his extraordinary talent.

Udhas was well-known not only for his musical prowess but also for his modesty and commonplace demeanor. Fans of ghazals and his mesmerizing voice will always hold him in high regard.

His enduring music will continue to inspire generations to come and remind us of the profound emotional impact that ghazals can have. Pankaj Udhas’ legacy will go on in this way.

4. Renowned Filmmaker Kumar Shahani Passes Away at 83

Kumar Shahani, an esteemed director, died at 83 in Kolkata on Saturday, and the Indian film industry grieves.

An Obsessive Love of Movies

Birthed in 1940 in Larkana, Sindh (now Pakistan), Shahani was an early leader in the Indian alternative film movement. His groundbreaking, socially concerned works established him as a major figure in the independent film industry.

5. Army Clinches Khelo India Winter Games 2024 Title on Final Day

After an exciting last day of competition, the Army emerged triumphant at the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 in Gulmarg.

Army Takes First Place Army topped the medal table with 10 gold medals, thanks to Tally Alpine skier Bobby Pandey’s victory in the parallel slalom event.

Karnataka came in second with nine gold and Maharashtra, who had led after the first round in Ladakh, came in third with seven gold, thanks to this razor-thin margin.

• Uttarakhandi Shine Mehak won Personal Outcomes The women’s parallel slalom event.
• Three of Uttarakhand’s athletes won gold medals in skiing events, putting them in fifth place overall.
• With four gold medals, Himachal Pradesh took fourth place. Aanchal Thakur won two of them.
• After winning gold in ice hockey in Ladakh, the Army continued their dominance in the games by taking home nine medals in Gulmarg.
• The team’s two most notable athletes, Nordic skier Padma Namgial and snowboarder Kulvinder Sharma, both won gold medals individually.
• Thekkada Bhavani Nanjunda of Karnataka stood out as the individual star, earning an incredible hat treble of gold medals in Gulmarg, even though their success in Ladakh was heavily dependent on ice skating.

6. The Indo-Japan “Dharma Guardian” Military Exercise Begins

At the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan, India, the Joint Military Exercise ‘Dharma Guardian,’ now in its fifth iteration, began today.

The Indian Army and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will train together for a concentrated period from February 25th to March 9th, 2024, in an exercise that aims to improve military collaboration and interoperability.

Developing Relationships and Skills

Dharma Guardian is an annual event that Japan and India take turns hosting. It’s a great opportunity for both countries to:

• Practice your combined operational skills in a realistic semi-urban setting while following the guidelines laid down in Chapter VII of the UN Charter. The exercise will center on joint tactical movements.
• To encourage interoperability, it is recommended that troops from both sides participate in joint training exercises. This will allow them to learn one other’s strategies, methods, and processes for future joint operations.
• For better bilateral relations, wider strategic alliances, and peace in the area, look no further than Dharma Guardian, which demonstrates the increasing military collaboration between Japan and India.