Dr Purnima Devi Barman has been awarded the Champions of the Earth award 2022, the UN’s highest environmental honour, in the Entrepreneurial Vision category. The Indian wildlife biologist leads an all-female grassroots conservation movement, the ‘Hargila Army’, which consists of over 10,000 women. This army is dedicated towards protecting the Greater Adjutant Stork (or Hargila) from extinction.
While fishing near the shores of Naripaiyur village, Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, on 22 November, 2022, the fishermen realised that a big size fish, the dugon, had accidentally got stuck inside their fishing net. The men quickly untangled the net and released the endangered species into the sea. According to the official reports, some of these fishermen had previously rescued and released two dugongs and dolphins in November.
Biju Narayanan, a self-taught electronic technician from Thodupuzha, Kerala, built a working radio all by himself at the age of 12, due to his love for electronics. Now, as a 52-year-old, he has created a smart solar mixie, with a battery backup of eight hours and 15 unique features, including a mobile charging port and an emergency lamp. He has innovated over 20 devices in the last two decades.
International Men’s Day focuses on celebrating the positive contributions made by to society and their families and on promoting gender equality. Every year, the day is celebrated globally on 19 November and aims to focus on issues affecting men and boys worldwide, including their mental health and well-being. This year, the theme is, ‘Helping Men and Boys’.
Around 3.6 billion people worldwide, are still using poor-quality toilets, that are harmful to their health. World Toilet Day is observed every year globally on 19 November, to raise awareness about the need for more safe sanitation options for everyone and access to clean water. This year, the theme is, ‘Making the Invisible Visible’.
International Day of Tolerance is observed every year globally on 16 November. As the name suggests, the day is observed to promote tolerance and spread awareness about the dangers of intolerance. It is interesting to note that the United Nations (UN) established this day in 1995, to honour the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi that year.
Happy Bhairava Ashtami 2022! Bhairava Ashtami, a festival which celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Bhairava, falls on the eighth day of Krishna Paksha in the Karthik month. Lord Bhairava is a powerful manifestation of Lord Shiva. This year, the day falls on 16 November. On this day, devotees observe fasting and worship Lord Bhairava.
Moirangthem Loiya, from Imphal West district, Manipur, came across barren land in the Langol Hill range, while hiking in early 2000. The nature lover, who also lived there, started planting trees on the barren land. He has converted it into a 300-acre forest, with a wide variety of plant species, such as oak, jack fruit and bamboo. Now the place has been renamed ‘Spring of Life’, due to his efforts.
Happy Children’s Day, India! Did you know that Children’s Day, or Bal Diwas used to be celebrated on 20 November till 1964? After the death of the nation’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, his birth anniversary was chosen as the date for Children’s Day, in India, due to his fondness for children.
World Diabetes Day (WDD), an important healthcare event, is observed annually in more than 160 countries, on 14 November. The day is one of the largest annual diabetes awareness campaigns and aims to educate more people regarding the impact of diabetes on a person’s health and about necessary preventive measures. This year, the theme is ‘Education to protect tomorrow’.
