NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. IREDA releases vigilance journal ‘Pahal’: Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
(IREDA), GoI enterprise under the administrative control of Ministry of New
and Renewable Energy, has unveiled released ‘Pahal’- the insightful house journal of its Vigilance Department.
The initiative marks a significant step towards transparency, accountability,
and the promotion of renewable energy initiatives by IREDA. The unveiling
ceremony was led by IREDA’s Chairman & Managing Director, Shri Pradip Kumar
Das at the registered office in New Delhi.
2. PM Modi inaugurates Diamond Jubilee celebrations of
Supreme Court: The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has
inaugurated the Diamond Jubilee
celebration of the Supreme Court of India on 28 January at the
Supreme Court auditorium in Delhi. He also launched citizen-centric information
and technology initiatives that include Digital Supreme Court Reports (Digi
SCR), Digital Courts 2.0 and a new website of the Supreme Court. Government has
also given approval of 800 crore rupees for the new Supreme Court building. The
Supreme Court of India held its inaugural sitting on January 28, 1950.
3. Rubber meet to be held in Guwahati: The seventh edition of the India Rubber Meet (IRM 2024) will be
held in Guwahati on
February 23. The theme this year is ‘Natural Rubber — Changing Landscape,
Emerging Trends and Insights for Tomorrow’. The event, organised by the India
Rubber Meet Forum (IRMF), will feature talks, panel discussions, and
interactions on various topics including the future of the global and Indian
natural rubber industry, economy and commodity prices, and challenges and
opportunities in the tyre, non-tyre, and synthetic rubber industry. The
objective of the meeting is to provide a platform for rubber stakeholders to
interact, share knowledge, address future concerns, and network for the
advancement of the rubber industry.
4. Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar chief minister for
record ninth time: JD(U) president Nitish Kumar took oath as Chief
Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after a dramatic
volte-face. Eight other cabinet ministers also took oath at Rajbhavan with him.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanat Arlekar administered oath of office and secrecy to
three BJP and three JD(U) leaders. Besides this, one member from Hindustani
Awam Morcha (HAM) and one Independent also took oath. Deputy Chief Minister –
Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha
5. 28 January – Indian Newspaper Day: India’s Newspaper
Day is celebrated every
year on 28 January to commemorate the launch of the country’s first
newspaper in 1780. The occasion is observed to commemorate the day on which
Irishman James Augustus Hicky launched the first printed newspaper in India. It
was known as the Original Calcutta General Advertiser or Hicky’s Bengal
Gazette. India has set aside a day to mark the launch of this English-language
weekly. It marks the inception of newspapers in India, a historic moment when
James Augustus Hicky introduced the first printed newspaper, Hicky’s Bengal
Gazette, in 1780. This article delves into the significance of this day, the
historical backdrop of Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, and the evolving role of
newspapers in today’s digital age.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Squadron Leader Nikita Malhotra conferred with Vayu
Sena Medal: Nikita
Malhotra, a Squadron Leader of the Indian Air Force (IAF), was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry on the 75th
Republic Day. She was also part of the Tangail formation of fighters
during the flypast over the Kartavya Path on Republic Day Parade. She was
piloting a Dornier aircraft of the formation which included one Dakota aircraft
and two Dorniers. Based on the twin themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and
‘Bharat-Loktantra ki Matruka’, this year’s parade witnessed the participation
of around 13,000 special guests.
SPORTS
1. England to host 2027 World Test Championship Final: England will host the 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) final
in June, marking the fourth consecutive time. The ICC issued a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for a Social Responsibility Provider for the period 2024-2027. So
far, India have been played in both WTC Finals that took place in 2021 and
2023. While India lost to New Zealand in the inaugural final, the Rohit
Sharma-led side lost to Australia in the summit clash last year in June. Currently,
in WTC 2023-25 table, Australia hold the top spot, followed by India. ICC also
announces the introduction of the Women’s T20 Champions Trophy. The inaugural
edition is slated to take place in Sri Lanka in February 2027.
2. Indian pair of Rhythm Sangwan and Ujjwal Malik claim
1st gold at ISSF Shooting World Cup: The Indian pair of Rhythm Sangwan and Ujjwal Malik won India’s
first gold medal at the ISSF Shooting World Cup 2024 in Cairo. They
defeated the Armenian pair of Elmira Karapetyan and Benik Khlghatyan 17-7 in
the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Earlier, Arjun Babuta and Sonam Uttam
Maskar won silver in the 10-meter air rifle mixed team event. They lost 16-14
to Great Britain’s Seonaid McIntosh and Dean Bale in the final.
3. Australian Open 2024: Rohan Bopanna wins men’s doubles
final: Indian tennis
player Rohan Bopanna created history as he became the oldest grand
slam winner after teaming up with his Australian partner Matthew Ebden to
defeat the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the finals of
the Australian Open 2024. This is Rohan Bopanna’s second grand slam title after
the 2017 French Open win with his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski in mixed
doubles. With a grand slam title at the age of 43, Rohan Bopanna surpassed the
record of Australian tennis champion Ken Rosewall, who won a grand slam at 37.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. BoB raises Rs 5,000 Crore via 10-year infrastructure
bonds: State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) has raised
₹5,000 crore through the issuance of long-term infrastructure bonds. The bank
received a total of 128 bids amounting to ₹14,950 crore against the total issue
size of ₹5,000 crore (base issue of ₹1,000 crore and greenshoe option to retain
oversubscription up to ₹4,000 crore). The bonds have a base issue of Rs 1,000
crore, with retain oversubscription of Rs 4,000 crore as a greenshoe option. It
is a provision in an underwriting agreement that grants the underwriter the
right to sell investors more bonds than initially planned by the issuer if the
demand for a security issue proves higher than expected.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. IIT Guwahati scholar wins ‘Best Product Design’ at
Vishwakarma Awards: Satyam, a PhD Scholar in
the department of biosciences and bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
(IIT-Guwahati), has achieved the “Best Product Design” award in the
Water and Sanitation category at the prestigious Vishwakarma Awards 2023. The
competition, organized by the IIT-Delhi in collaboration with Maker Bhavan
Foundation and the WIN Foundation, aimed to recognize and support innovative
minds in technology from science and engineering colleges across India. The
theme for 2023 focused on water
and sanitation, clean technology and smart mobility.
2. Thiruvananthapuram airport bags excellence award: Thiruvananthapuram
International Airport has been selected for the prestigious Excellence Award by Quality
Circle Forum of India (QCFI) in the recent National Convention on Quality
Concepts 2024 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The TIA was selected for the
recognition based on its continuous improvement initiatives undertaken for
airport operations. QCFI is recognised as the institution representing The
Quality Circle Movement in India and has represented the country in several
international forums. The award jury praised Thiruvananthapuram Airport’s
initiatives in establishing an effective mechanism to maintain the Obstacle
Limitation Surfaces (OLS) free from obstacles for safe aircraft operations and
sustenance of the biodiversity through its sustainability initiatives.
3. President Murmu approves 80 gallantry awards: President Droupadi Murmu has approved 80 gallantry awards including six Kirti Chakra and 16 Shaurya Chakra on the 75th Republic Day. Out of the six Kirti Chakra, three were conferred posthumously. The 16 Shaurya Chakra, included two posthumous. The Kirti Chakra is India’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award after Ashok Chakra. Shaurya Chakra is the country’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award. The Kirti Chakra awardees are Major Digvijay Singh Rawat of the 21st Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), Major Deependra Vikram Basnet from the Sikh Regiment’s Fourth Battalion and Havildar Pawan Kumar Yadav from the 21st Battalion of the Mahar Regiment.
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