27 Jan 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. PM congratulates Rohan Bopanna for winning Australian Open
2. First National Conference on Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation

1. PM congratulates Rohan Bopanna for winning Australian Open

Syllabus: GS-2, Sports

Prelims: Australian Open

Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, congratulated tennis player Rohan Bopanna for winning the Australian Open.

Details:

• The 43-year-old Rohan Bopanna etched his name in the history books by becoming the oldest man in the Open Era to secure a major men’s doubles crown.
• Aged 43, Rohan Bopanna became the oldest male player in the Open era to ever win a grand slam title on Saturday when he and his partner, Matthew Ebden, won the Australian Open men’s doubles tournament.
• The pair have each won grand slam titles separately – Bopanna won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles while Ebden won the 2013 Australian Open mixed doubles and 2022 Wimbledon men’s doubles – but this marked their first trophy together after they lost last year’s US Open final.
• The 43-year-old Rohan Bopanna, who recently became World No. 1 in the ATP men’s doubles rankings is now the oldest grand slam winner.
• Rohan Bopanna was born in Coorg district in Karnataka in March 1980 and developed an early interest in tennis. He carried the game to the United States, where is attended his college and slowly made his name in the world of professional tennis championships.
• Rohan Bopanna is renowned for his success in doubles tennis. He has secured victories in Grand Slam events, including winning the mixed doubles title at the 2017 French Open with his partner Gabriela Dabrowski.
• Recipient of the Arjuna Award, Rohan Bopanna has been a pivotal constituent of India’s Davis Cup squad since his inaugural appearance in 2002. Furthermore, he clinched victory in the 2006 Asian Hopman Cup, a qualifying competition for the 2007 Hopman Cup, alongside Sania Mirza.
• Rohan Bopanna has secured considerable success on the ATP Tour. He has won numerous titles in doubles events, showcasing his skill and consistency as a doubles specialist on the professional circuit.
• The grand slam winner is actively involved in promoting and developing tennis in India. He has established the Rohan Bopanna Tennis Academy to nurture young talent and provide them with opportunities to excel in the sport, contributing to the growth of tennis in the country.

2. First National Conference on Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation

Syllabus: GS-3, Economy

Prelims: Seaweed Cultivation

Context: To implement seaweed cultivation on a pan-India basis and emphasise the promotion of seaweed cultivation, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala chaired the National Conference on Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation on 27th Jan 2024 at Koteshwar (Kori Creek), Kutch, Gujarat.

Details:

• Seaweed cultivation which is an alternative for employment generation of seaweed products as it diversifies marine production and its opportunities for enhancing fish farmer income, reduces reliance on traditional fishing, and diversifies coastal communities’ livelihoods.
•  The pilot project of Kori Creek can be a game changer for seaweed cultivation.
•  The government aims for innovations in seaweed production, deliberate on policy frameworks, and regulations, facilitate networking opportunities and foster relationships. 
• End-to-end mapping of the seaweed value chain and addressing the bottlenecks in the value chain is the need of the hour.

Read previous PIB articles here.