Important Days Annually Observed on 30 May, Check Now
Important Day
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The International Day of Potato in the World and Hindi Journalism Day in India is observed on 30 May. This year, the International Day of Potato is being observed for the first time.
International Day of Potato
The first International Day of Potato was observed on 30 May 2024. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on 8 December 2023 to observe 30 May as the International Day of Potato.
The United Nations passed the resolution at the request of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
In July 2023 the Food and Agriculture Oragnisation passed a resolution at its annual meeting in Rome, Italy requesting the United Nations to observe the International Day of Potato.
Earlier on the request of the Food and Agriculture Oragnisation the United Nations General Assembly declared 2008 as the International Year of Potato.
Significance of Potato
Potato is a tuber(underground stem) and its scientific name is Solanum tuberosum.
Potatoes are the third most available food crop in the world after rice and wheat. It is cultivated in almost all parts of the world and is consumed by around a billion people in the world. Potatoes are the main source of nutrients and food for many of the poor of the world. The crop can be grown in any climatic conditions. It is climate friendly also as they produce low levels of greenhouse gas emission as compared to other crops.
Theme of the International Potato Day
The theme of the first International Potato Day 2024 is: Harvesting, diversity, feeding hope.
Potato and India
Andes mountain in Peru is believed to be the origin of cultivation of potatoes. It later spread to all parts of the world.
Potatoes were brought to India by the Portuguese.
India is the second largest producer of potatoes after China in the world.
The top potato-producing state in India
Uttar Pradesh is the largest producer of Potato in India contributing around 29.65 percent of total production in the country . After Uttar Pradesh the second largest producer is West Bengal followed by Bihar, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh..
Hindi Journalism Day
Every year 30 May is observed as Hindi Journalism Day in India. On 30 May 1826 ,the first Hindi language newspaper ‘Udant Martnad’ was published in India.
Udant Martand was started by Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla in Kolkata (then Calcutta).
Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla was the editor and publisher of the weekly newspaper Udant Martand which was published on every tuesday.
However, due to lack of readership and financial problems, the Udant Martand was closed on 4 December 1826.
Father of Hindi Journalism Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla
The publication of Udant Martand was a historic occasion as it was the first attempt to publish a newspaper in Hindi when the majority of the newspapers were published in English, Urdu or Bengali language.
For his pioneering effort, Pandit Jugal Kishore Shukla who hailed from Kanpur and was a lawyer is considered to be the father of Hindi Journalism in India.
