NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. President inaugurates cultural extravaganza 'Vividhta
ka Amrit Mahotsav’: President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the four-day cultural extravaganza
'Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav: A cultural odyssey' unveiling the richness of
Northeast India at Amrit Udyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. On the
occasion, the President said that the diverse culture of our country is our
strength and soft power. Celebrating this diversity at
the Mahotsav will showcase and experience India's rich cultural heritage and
unity.
2. CCEA approves ‘Doubling of Motumari - Vishnupuram’
& ‘Rail Over Rail: The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs approved “Doubling of Motumari
- Vishnupuram” and "Rail Over Rail at Motumari ” at an estimated cost of
nearly 1,740 crore rupees Motumari - Vishnupuram section, stretching for a
distance of 88.81 Km, connects the Kazipet - Vijayawada High-Density Network
with the Secunderabad - Guntur Highly Utilised Network The Rail Over Rail at
Motumari Station will avoid cross movement of trains, avoid detention of trains
3. Centre awarded over Rs 30 crore to athletes under
Khelo India scholarship: The Centre has awarded over 30 crore rupees to athletes under the Khelo
India scholarship scheme during the 2023-24 financial year. The Sports
Authority of India has granted a total annual scholarship of over six lakh 28
thousand rupees to almost three thousand athletes under the Khelo India
scholarship scheme. The Ministry said this amount was spent on training,
coaching, diet, medical insurance, kits and out-of-pocket allowance for the
athletes.
4. Uttarakhand CM launches “Dhami against drugs
campaign”: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has
initiated the “Dhami against drugs campaign,” a significant effort led by the
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Metropolitan Dehradun. The “Dhami against drugs
campaign” is a testament to Uttarakhand’s proactive stance on public health and
social well-being. The campaign aims to eradicate drug abuse and cultivate a
healthier, drug-free society by 2025. The state aims to achieve a “Drugs Free
Uttarakhand” by 2025.
5. Venkatachalam H appointed as MD & CEO of Tata AIA
Life: Private life insurer, Tata
AIA Life Insurance has appointed Venkatachalam H as the new Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of the company. The appointment is
subject to approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of
India (IRDAI). Venkatachalam will take over from the incumbent, Naveen
Tahilyani, who will be moving to another role in the Tata Group and has been
elevated as a Non-Executive Director of Tata AIA Life Insurance Company. Naveen
Tahilyani has been serving as MD & CEO of the life insurance company since
2020.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India, Türkiye & Qatar Named Guests of Honor at
2024 World Governments Summit in Dubai: India,
Türkiye, and Qatar have been declared the guests of honor at the 2024 World
Governments Summit which set to take place in Dubai from February 12-14. The
summit, themed ‘Shaping Future Governments,’ will see the participation of over
25 government and state heads from around the world.
2. The delegations from Türkiye, India, and Qatar will be led by their
respective leaders: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed
bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The guest countries will showcase their
successful government experiences and best developmental practices during the
summit, which will bring together thought leaders, experts, and representatives
of over 85 international and regional organizations with 120 governmental
delegations, and 4,000 attendees.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. SCA Stadium Renamed in Honor of Niranjan Shah: The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) stadium in Rajkot has been
re-named as the Niranjan Shah Stadium. This change comes as a tribute to the
former first-class cricketer and senior cricket administrator, Niranjan Shah,
marking his immense contributions to the sport and the region. Niranjan Shah’s
legacy in cricket extends beyond his playing days; from the mid-1960s to the
mid-1970s, he represented Saurashtra in 12 first-class games, laying the
groundwork for a lifelong association with cricket.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Ravi Kumar Jha named MD & CEO of LIC Mutual Fund: LIC Mutual Fund Asset Management announced
the appointment of Ravi Kumar Jha as its MD and CEO. Jha, with a distinguished
career and prior association with LIC, comes with a track record of over 30
years in handling diverse positions and he was serving as Executive Director -
Corporate Strategy till December 2023. His previous roles include Executive
Director Corporate Strategy – LIC Mutual Fund Asset Management and various
positions at LIC of India.
2. HDFC Bank raises $300 million through maiden sustainable
finance bond issue: HDFC Bank has raised $300 million through its
first-ever sustainable finance bond issue. The fund raise is part of an overall
raise of $750 million through Regulation S Bonds. The lender has raised $300
million for three years with a 95 bps spread over US Treasury, and another $450
million for 5 years with a 108 bps spread over US Treasury. These are the
tightest credit spreads achieved by an Indian issuer for a three-year
sustainable bond and five-year senior unsecured bond for a similar size of USD
Reg S issuance. The proceeds of the sustainable finance bond will be utilized
for funding green and social loans, and towards financing general banking
activities.
3. SBI partners with Flywire to modernize international
education payments for students: State Bank of India (SBI) has partnered with Flywire Corporation to
revolutionize the landscape of international education payments for Indian
students. This strategic partnership aims to simplify the traditionally complex
payment process, offering students a seamless and fully digital experience. Integrated
directly into SBI’s platform, Flywire’s technology would enable Indian students
to complete their international education payments effortlessly in Indian
rupees.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. CC Singh, Narsimha Rao & Dr. Swaminathan to be
conferred with Bharat Ratan: The government has
announced India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna to Former Prime
Ministers PV Narasimha Rao,
Chaudhary Charan Singh, and Father of Green Revolution, Dr. M S
Swaminathan. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his social media post. Mr.
Modi said, Dr. Swaminathan’s
visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture
but also ensured the nation’s food security and prosperity.
2. Stunning Sleepy Polar Bear Image By UK Photographer Wins Top Picture Prize: A stunning picture of a sleeping polar bear has won the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. The portrait titled ‘Ice Bed’ has been clicked by British amateur photographer Nima Sarikhani. His photo was crowned as champion following a contest in which a record 75,000 people voted. Notably, Mr Sarikhani captured the image after three days of searching for polar bears off the coast of Norway. When his expedition vessel changed course, he finally encountered two polar bears and caught the younger one climbing onto a small iceberg and carving out his bed.
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