International Asteroid Day, also known as ‘World Asteroid Day’, is observed every year on 30 June. Asteroids are celestial rocks that are smaller than a planet and revolve around the sun. The day is marked to spread awareness about asteroids and the risk of an asteroid collision. The day is also observed to commemorate the anniversary of the Siberian Tunguska catastrophe (the Tunguska asteroid’s impact over Siberia), on June 30, 1908.
The ex-soccer striker Jeevan Kaneria from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, was affected by Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare auto-immune disorder, at the age of 34 and was confined to bed for nearly 21 months. But with his family and doctor’s psychological and medical support, he survived the disorder. Now, Kaneria is working as a counsellor to support various GBS patients with medical help, physiotherapy sessions and motivational counselling.
Daily wage worker Krishnaveni from Keezhmalaiyanur village in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, restarted her school education by joining Class 10 with her eldest daughter Kavitha, in 2022. Both Krishnaveni and Kavitha passed the Class 10 examination this year with flying colours. Krishnaveni, a single mother of three daughters, said that she wishes to get a government job as she feels it would secure the future of her children.
International Day of the Tropics is observed annually on 29 June. The day is observed to create awareness about the importance of tropical regions and to address the challenges faced by them, including deforestation, urbanisation and climate change. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution designating 29 June as International Day of the Tropics, on 14 June 2016.
Four years ago, the sight of a distressed cow moved Jai Ram Pathak, a home guard from Aurangabad district, Bihar, so much that he decided to protect and help stray animals, from thirst and hunger. Since then, Pathak has been feeding 10-15 animals, including stray cows, dogs, and goats, three times a day, from his own money. Pathak said that there should be more shelters for stray animals to give them protection and fulfil their needs.
The Indian Football team advanced to the semifinals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship, by defeating Nepal, with a 2-0 win on 24 June, 2023. The match was held at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. The incredible goals from Captain Sunil Chhetri and Naorem Mahesh Singh, helped the national team secure a semifinal spot.
The reading and writing habit Bhadra developed at a young age, improved her creativity and imagination and enabled her to release her first book, ‘Kunjumegham’ or ‘Small Cloud’, a collection of short stories, in 2021. Following the good reception of her first book, the 10-year-old from Thrissur district, Kerala, released her second book, ‘Appooppanthadikal’ or ‘Grandfather’s Bread’, a collection of poems, on 19 June, 2023. Apart from reading and writing, the class 5 student also trains in classical dance.
59-year-old Suresh Ragavan, an illustrator from Coimbatore, is using his artistic skills, to create awareness about wildlife conservation. To preserve the memory of native species for future generations, he has painted over 50 endemic birds, 42 endemic wild animals, and 155 endemic orchids. Suresh said that he has been visiting schools and colleges to display his drawings.
Odisha, a coastal state, has faced many devasting cyclones, including the Super Cyclone in 1999, when 10,000 people lost their lives. Due to the disaster management methods of IAS officer Pradeep Kumar Jena, no lives were lost during the recent cyclone Asani, in 2022. According to Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) data, 879 multi-purpose cyclone shelters, that can accommodate up to 3,000 people, were built in the state, to protect people.
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated annually on 14 June, with a different theme each year. The day is observed to create awareness about the necessity of blood donation and honour blood donors, who have helped save countless lives, with their selfless acts. This year, the theme, ‘Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often’, is created to highlight the importance of giving blood or blood plasma, which can save the life of a patient.
