Today in History (October 15^th, 1931)

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015), an Indian aerospace scientist who served as the 11th president of India from 2002 to 2007. He spent four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India’s civilian space program and military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.

Let’s Revise

A) What is the title of the report released by Fair Work India Ratings in 2024?

1. Labour Standards in the Gig Economy
2. Fair Work India Ratings 2024: Labour Standards in the Platform Economy
3. Platform Economy Report 2024
4. Gig Economy in India 2024

Answer: 2)
Explanation: The report title is Fair Work India Ratings 2024: Labour Standards in the Platform Economy.

B) Who conducted the sixth consecutive annual study on labour standards in the platform economy?

1. Fair Work India Team alone
2. Oxford University alone
3. Fair Work India Team in association with Oxford University
4. Indian Government

Answer: 3)
Explanation: The study was conducted by the Fair Work India Team in association with Oxford University.

C) What is the expected size of the gig workforce in India by 2029-30?

1. 10 million workers
2. 15 million workers
3. 20 million workers
4. 23.5 million workers

Answer: 4)
Explanation: The expected expansion of the gig workforce to 23.5 million workers by 2029-30.

D) What accelerated the trend of gig workers during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic?

1. Rise of technology and internet
2. Freedom to work from anywhere
3. Delivery of necessities to home-bound consumers
4. All of the above

Answer: 4)
Explanation: The pandemic accelerated the trend due to gig workers delivering necessities and those who lost jobs turning to part-time work.

Summary of Today’s News

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2024

South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature by the Swedish Academy, Stockholm, Sweden for her “intense poetic prose” that explores historical traumas and the fragility of life.
• Han Kang is the first South Korean writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, marking a historic moment for South Korea’s literary scene.
Key Literary Contributions by Han Kang:

• The Vegetarian (2007):It was her breakthrough novel, translated by Deborah Smith in 2015, and it won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize.
• The International Booker Prize, established in 2005 as the Man Booker International Prize, is awarded for a single book of fiction translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland, promoting global literature and celebrating the contributions of both the author and the translator.
• Human Acts (2016): Focuses on the 1980 Gwangju massacre, where South Korean military forces killed protesting students and civilians.
• Explores trauma and collective memory in a visionary yet concise manner.
Note:
Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature 1913, for Gitanjali, for his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, which he expressed in his own English words and made a part of the literature of the West.
• Notable literary contributions by Rabindranath Tagore are Manasi, Gitanjali, Sâdhanâ: The Realisation of Life, and Chitra: a Play in One Act.

Acemoglu, Johnson and Robinson share Nobel prize on Economics for work on wealth inequality

• Nobel Prize in Economics: Awarded to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson for their research on wealth inequality between nations.
• Focus of Research: The trio examined the impact of political and economic systems established by European colonizers on societal prosperity.
• Importance of Institutions: Their findings highlight that differences in economic and political institutions significantly contribute to why some countries thrive while others struggle.
• Statement by Prize Committee: Jakob Svensson emphasized that addressing income disparities is a major challenge, and the laureates’ work sheds light on the role of societal institutions.
• Example of Nogales: The committee illustrated their point with the contrasting fortunes of residents on either side of the U.S.-Mexican border, attributing differences to institutional rather than geographical or cultural factors.
• Democracy and Growth: Acemoglu noted that countries transitioning to democracy from non-democratic regimes tend to experience faster economic growth.
• Authorial Contributions: Acemoglu is recognized for his influential works, including “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty.”