IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Happiness 2025 celebrated on March 20.

• International Day of Happiness is celebrated annually on March 20.

• The theme for 2025 is "Caring and Sharing."

• The observance was established by the United Nations in 2012 to highlight happiness as a fundamental human goal.

• The first International Day of Happiness was marked in 2013.

• Bhutan, a country that prioritizes Gross National Happiness over GDP, initiated the UN resolution to establish this day.

• According to the World Happiness Report 2025, Finland ranks as the happiest country in the world.

• India holds the 118th position out of 147 countries in the 2025 happiness rankings.

Parsi New Year 2025 celebrated on March 20.

• Parsi New Year, also known as Navroz or Nowruz, will be celebrated on March 20, 2025.

• While the festival is observed worldwide in March, in India, it is celebrated in July or August based on the Shahenshahi or Fasli calendar.

• The name "Navroz" comes from the Persian words "nav" (new) and "roz" (day), symbolizing a fresh start.

• The festival lasts for 13 days, beginning on the first day of the Persian calendar.

• Iranians and Zoroastrians have celebrated Navroz for over 3,000 years.

• Navroz is a time for spiritual renewal, symbolizing new beginnings, rejuvenation, and reflection.

• Rooted in Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest monotheistic religions founded by Prophet Zoroaster in ancient Persia (now Iran), the celebration holds deep cultural significance.

• Following the Islamic invasion in the 7th century, many Parsis migrated to Gujarat, India, where they preserved their traditions.

• In India, Jamshedi Navroz is celebrated in honour of King Jamshed, who is credited with founding the Parsi calendar.

World Sparrow Day 2025 observed on March 20

• World Sparrow Day is observed annually on March 20.

• The event was initiated in 2010 by "Nature Forever," a bird conservation organization.

• The primary goal of the day is to raise awareness about the declining sparrow population.

• Sparrows, though small, are crucial for maintaining ecological balance.

• They help control insect populations by feeding on pests and bugs.

• Sparrows play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal, contributing to biodiversity.

RANKING AND INDEX

India's Rank in Global Free Speech Index (2024)

• India Ranks 24th Among 33 Nations in 2024 Future of Free Speech Index.

• Survey titled "Who in the World Supports Free Speech?"

• Conducted by U.S.-based think tank The Future of Free Speech in October 2024.

• The report indicates a global decline in support for free speech since 2021, with democratic nations like the U.S., Israel, and Japan seeing notable drops.

• Norway and Denmark are at the top of the index, scoring 87.9 and 87.0, respectively.

• Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan have shown the largest improvement in free speech support, though they remain at the lower end of the list.

• India scored 62.6, ranking between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).

• The index highlights that authoritarian regimes like Hungary and Venezuela received high support for free speech, despite poor actual protection of it.

• The survey also revealed that 37% of Indian respondents favored censorship of government criticism, a stark contrast to only 5% in the U.K. and 3% in Denmark supporting such censorship.

STATE NEWS

Delhi Police to Launch 'Shishtachar' Squads

• Delhi Police will introduce 'Shishtachar' squads, inspired by Uttar Pradesh's anti-eve teasing model, to enhance women’s safety.

• The squads will prioritize law enforcement rather than imposing personal or cultural morality.

• The move aligns with the BJP’s election promise to establish an 'Anti-Romeo Squad' and install CCTV cameras in public spaces.

• Trained personnel will be part of these squads, focusing on preventing and responding to crimes in real-time.

• Each district will have two squads, led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

• The squads will also conduct surprise checks on public transport, interacting with DTC drivers, conductors, and passengers to encourage incident reporting.

• 4,273 cases of rape, molestation, and eve-teasing were reported in Delhi until December 15 of the previous year, with 1,971 cases registered across various police stations.

Telangana SC Reservation Rationalization Bill, 2025

• Telangana Assembly passed a bill to sub-categorize 59 SC communities.

• The bill ensures fair distribution within the 15% SC reservation quota.

• Health Minister D. Raja Narasimha introduced the bill in the Assembly.

• CM A. Revanth Reddy acknowledged all supporting parties.

• He explained the reservation process, including the Supreme Court's role.

• SCs will be divided into three groups for reservation benefits:

✓ Group I – 1% within the 15% quota.

✓ Group II – 9% reservation.

✓ Group III – 5% reservation.

AWARDS

President Murmu Presents 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards

• President Droupadi Murmu presented the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in New Delhi.

• A total of 27 journalists across 13 categories were honoured, including fields like investigative journalism, politics, sports, and regional language media.

• The awards recognised exceptional stories, such as a ground report from Israel and the West Bank during bombings.

• President Murmu acknowledged Ramnath Goenka’s contributions to journalism and addressed the growing challenges of misinformation, deep fakes, and the misuse of artificial intelligence in the media.

• She also commended the inclusion of regional language journalism in the awards.

• Awardees:

✓ Hindi: Mridulika Jha - Aaj Tak

✓ Regional Languages: Jisha Elizabeth - Madhyamam

✓ Environment, Science & Technology: Sibu Kumar Tripathi - India Today

✓ Uncovering India Invisible: Satyasundar Barik - The Hindu

✓ Business & Economic Journalism: Twesh Mishra - The Economic Times

✓ Politics & Government Reporting: Maitri Porecha - The Hindu

✓ Sports Journalism: Shahab Ali, Amarnath Kashyap - Hindustan

✓ Investigative Reporting: Nihal AP Koshie, Mahender Singh Manral, Mihir Vasavda - The Indian Express

✓ Feature Writing: Shubhajit Roy - The Indian Express