Daily GK Update- 24th Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Haryana and Himachal inks MoU to revive Saraswati river: The state governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to revive the Saraswati river. The MoU was signed in the presence of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar and Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur in Panchkula. Under the MoU, the Haryana Government will construct a dam and a reservoir inAdi Badri area near Yamunanagar district,which is situated on the border of Himachal Pradesh. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 215.33 crore and will be borne entirely by Haryana government. Adi-Badri is considered as the origin of the Saraswati river. It is planned that the dam will be delivered 224 hectare metre water from Som river, which starts from Himachal Pradesh and falls into the Yamuna river in Yamunanagar. Out of the 224 hectare metre water, 62 hectare metre water will be given to Himachal Pradesh and the remaining 162 hectare metre water will be used for the Saraswati river in Haryana throughout the year.

 

2. Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Apna Kangra’ app: Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched the ‘Apna Kangra’ app and hampers handcrafted by self-help groups (SHGs) at Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. The app aims to provide a hassle-free experience for tourists and to boost sales of local handicrafts. While the app is bound to provide a unique experience for tourists on the one hand, on the other it will serve as an e-marketing platform for SHG products from the district.

The CM also virtually inaugurated Radhe Krishna Cow Sanctuary at Luthan in Jawalamukhi Vidhan Sabha area of Kangra. The govt of HP initiated the scheme ‘Mukhya Mantri HIMCARE’ to provide medical services to cattles.

Note: Himachal Pradesh Capital: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter); Himachal Pradesh Governor: Rajendra Arlekar; Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister: Jai Ram Thakur.

 

3. Karnataka became India’s first state to launch AVGC Center of Excellence: The government of Karnataka has launched India’s first AVGC Center of Excellence (CoE) (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka. AVGC CoE was launched with pioneering high technology digital media hub under its Innovate Karnataka initiative. It is funded by the Department of Electronics Information Technology Biotechnology and Science & Technology. Karnataka became India’s first state to set up such an AVGC CoE, it is also the biggest centre in Asia. The centre also has a finishing school that offers unique courses based on emerging technology such as virtual reality, digital compression, photogrammetry, gamification of education, real-time virtual production, and other emerging technologies.

Note: Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru; Karnataka Chief Minister: Basavaraj S Bommai; Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot.

 

4. GoodDot ropes in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador: Plant-based meat company GoodDot has roped in Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador. With this association, the company wants to create awareness about the new category of plant-based meats. It also wants to send out a message that small changes in lifestyle and food choices can go a long way in making the world a better place. The company provides alternatives to mutton, chicken and eggs and is a Direct-to-consumer (D2C) player so far and sells also through online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, etc. It also sells in countries like Canada, Singapore, Nepal, Dubai, South Africa, Mauritius, and Oman.

 

5. National Girl Child Day: 24th January: In India, the National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is observed annually on January 24. The day aims to focus on the inequalities faced by girls, to promote the education, health & nutrition of the girl child, and to spread awareness about the rights of a girl child. The day was observed for the first time in 2008 as an initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Government of India.

Significance: The day was initiated to spread awareness among people about all the inequalities faced by girls in the country. The day promotes awareness about the rights of a girl child and increases awareness on the importance of girl education, health, and nutrition.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indonesia names new capital Nusantara, replacing sinking Jakarta: Indonesia will move its capital to mineral-rich East Kalimantan, an Indonesian province on the island of Borneo. The name of the new capital will be Nusantara, which means “archipelago” in Javanese. It will be based in the regions of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara. The new project is likely to cost around 466 trillion rupiah ($32 billion).

The heavily populated city of Jakarta is home to 10 million people (30 million if you include the greater metropolitan area) and has been facing the growing issue with the overuse of groundwater by home drilling due to large-scale city developments. The problem is worsened when combined with rising sea levels. This shift of development is set to slow down the rate at which Jakarta sinks into the Java Sea.

 

2. India extends $190-million line of credit to Mauritius for the Metro Express Project: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the India-assisted Social Housing Units Project in Mauritius through video-conferencing. The two leaders also launched the Civil Service College and the 8MW Solar PV Farm projects in Mauritius, being undertaken with India’s development support. An agreement was exchanged in which India is extending a $190-million line of credit to Mauritius for the Metro Express Project and other infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, in defence sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Government of Mauritius (GoM) have signed a contract, under which HAL will export one Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)-MkIII for the Mauritius Police Force. Mauritius already operates a ALH and Dornier Do-228 aircraft built by HAL.

 

3. International Day of Education: 24th January: The International Day of Education is marked every year on 24 January globally to celebrate the role of education in bringing global peace and sustainable development. The first-ever International Day of Education was celebrated on 24 January 2019 as per the resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 3rd 2018 to celebrate the role of education in development. The theme of 4th International Day of Education in 2022 is Changing Course, Transforming Education. The celebration is led by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. PV Sindhu wins title at Syed Modi badminton 2022: Ace Indian shuttler, PV Sindhu has bagged the women’s singles title at the Syed Modi International Tournament in Lucknow. Sindhu beat fellow Indian Malvika Bansod 21-13 21-16 to win her second Syed Modi title after 2017. The 2022 Syed Modi International badminton tournament was held at Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from 18 to 23 January 2022.

Winners in other categories:

Men’s singles: Final was declared a ‘No Match’ between Arnaud Merkle and Lucas Claerbout, after one of the finalists tested positive for Covid-19.

Men’s doubles: Man Wei Chong and Tee Kai Wun (Malaysia)

Women’s doubles: Anna Cheong and Teoh Mei Xing (Malaysia)

Mixed Doubles: Ishaan Bhatnagar and Tanisha Castro (India).

 

2. India’s first para-badminton academy launched in Lucknow: India’s first para-badminton academy has been set up in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It has all the advanced equipment and facilities. The set-up will improve India’s medal prospects at the 2024 Paralympics to be held in Paris, France at Stade de France stadium. The badminton centre has been launched by the head national coach of the Indian para-badminton team, Gaurav Khanna, in association with Ageas Federal Life Insurance.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. UNCTAD report: FDI flows to India falls by 26% in 2021: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows to India fell by 26 per cent in 2021, compared to 2020, as per the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Investment Trends Monitor published. In 2020, FDI to India was recorded at USD 64 billion. This was 27 per cent more compared to USD 51 billion in FDI in 2019. UNCTAD said that low FDI in India was mainly because large cross-border mergers & acquisitions (M&A) deals recorded in 2020 were not repeated. The global FDI flows increased by 77 per cent to an estimated USD 1.65 trillion in 2021, from USD 929 billion in 2020.

 

2. IIMK LIVE and Indian Bank ink MoU to disburse loans upto Rs 50 Crore for Startups: Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode’s (IIMK) Business incubator Laboratory for Innovation Venturing and Entrepreneurship (LIVE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Bank to financially support early-stage startups. Under the MoU, a startup funding scheme, ‘IndSpring Board’ has been launched. Under this scheme loans up to Rs, 50 Crore will be disbursed to the startups. Benefit of the MoU:

(1) The startups can use the loan amount to meet their operational expenditure and capital expenditure which includes working capital, purchase of fixed assets and other expenses.

(2) The loan amount disbursed to startups under the IndSpring Board scheme from IIMK LIVE and Indian Bank can be used to meet a startup operational expenditure and capital expenditure which includes working capital, purchase of fixed assets and other expenses.

(3) Startups selected under this scheme would have to be committed towards working on innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services, or present a scalable business model with a high potential of employment generation or wealth creation.

Note: Indian Bank Headquarters: Chennai; Indian Bank CEO: Shri Shanti Lal Jain; Indian Bank Founded: 15 August 1907.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Sushmita Sen wins International Association of Working Women Award: Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen has been conferred with the International Association of Working Women Award at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) 2021. The former Miss Universe has been felicitated for outstanding performance by a female actor in a TV series for her show ‘Aarya 2’. The Aarya 2 series is created by Ram Madhvani and had released on December 10, 2021, on Disney+Hotstar. The DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) 2021 is organised virtually from January 16 to January 30, to showcase the best in alternative cinema from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and Sri Lanka.

 

2. Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe given Netaji Award 2022: Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was conferred with the Netaji Award 2022 by Netaji Research Bureau. Consul General of Japan in Kolkata Nakamura Yutaka received the honour on behalf of Mr. Abe at a function at the Elgin Road residence of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 125th birth anniversary.

Satoshi Suzuki, the Japanese Ambassador to India, addressed the program remotely from New Delhi. Abe is a tremendous admirer of Netaji, according to Sugata Bose, the famed liberation fighter’s grand-nephew and Director of the Netaji Research Bureau. Moreover, in January 2021, India bestowed the Padma Vibhushan on former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country’s second-highest civilian honour.

Daily GK Update- 23rd Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Narendra Modi unveils hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate on Parakram Divas. The size of the hologram statue is 28 feet in height and 6 feet in width. A grand statue, which will be made of granite, will replace the hologram statue once it is completed. The statue is being installed on the 125th birth anniversary as a tribute to the immense contribution of Netaji in the country’s freedom struggle and would be a symbol of the country’s indebtedness to him.

The prime minister also conferred the ’Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar’ for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the investiture ceremony. A total of seven awards were presented during the ceremony. Gujarat Institute of Disaster Management (in the Institutional category) and Professor Vinod Sharma (in the Individual category) have been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar for their excellent work in Disaster Management for the year 2022.

 

2. PM Modi to unveil 216-foot statue of saint Ramanujacharya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a 216-foot statue of Ramanujacharya in a sitting position in Hyderabad on February 5, 2022, to celebrate the 1,000th birth anniversary of the saint. Ramanujacharya was an 11th-century saint and a revolutionary social reformer. The statue will be called as the ‘Statue of Equality’. It is located in a 45-acre complex at Shamshabad on the outskirts of Hyderabad in Telangana.

About the project: The project is built at a cost of Rs. 1,000-crore, which was funded entirely by donations from devotees globally. President Ram Nath Kovind will unveil the inner chamber of the statue of Ramanujacharya on February 13, 2022. The Statue of Equality is the world’s second-tallest statue in a sitting position. The Buddha statue in Thailand is considered as the world’s tallest statue in a sitting pose.

 

3. Jerri hamlet declared as first ‘Milk Village’ of J&K: In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the administration has declared Jerri settlement in Reasi district as the first ‘Milk Village’ of the Union Territory and sanctioned 57 more dairy farms under the Integrated Dairy Development Scheme (IDDS) for the hamlet. The village, which houses 73 individual dairy units with 370 cows, will give the local farmers financial security.

After being declared as ‘Milk Village’, a total of 57 units have been sanctioned under the IDDS for the village. Under the IDDS, dairy units of five animals are provided with a 50 per cent subsidy. The scheme also has a provision for milking machine, bulk milk cooling unit at 50 per cent subsidy (maximum Rs 5 lakh), paneer making machine, khoya making, Dahi making, cream separator, ice cream making machine, butter and ghee making machine (max subsidy Rs 3. 5 lakh), milk van (maximum subsidy Rs 2 lakh), milk ATM subsidy of Rs 5 lakh.

 

4. Jahnavi Dangeti becomes first Indian to complete prestigious Nasa programme: Jahnavi Dangeti, a young girl from Andhra Pradesh, has just completed NASA’s International Air and Space Program (iasp nasa) at the Kennedy Space Centre in Alabama, US, making her the first Indian to accomplish this feat. She is part of a carefully shortlisted group of 20 students from around the world. She has been a campus ambassador for numerous organisations, including Star (Space Technology and Aeronautical Rocketry), an Indian private aerospace company. She is a member of the International Organization of Aspiring Astronauts (IOAA). She participated in many events and workshops of Nasa, Isro and other space agencies.

 

5. A book titled ‘The Legend of Birsa Munda’ authored by Tuhin A Sinha & Ankita Verma: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has released a book titled ‘The Legend of Birsa Munda’, authored by Tuhin A Sinha and co-authored by Ankita Verma. The Book is the story of a lesser-known tribal hero, Birsa Munda, who courageously fought against the oppressive British Raj for the rights of his tribal community.

 

6. Parakram Diwas: 23rd January: The Indian government has decided to celebrate January 23rd as ‘Parakram Diwas’ to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This year is the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Netaji was born on January 23, 1897. The day is celebrated to honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation. About Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose:

(1) Netaji’ was born on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack in Odisha. He acquired a degree in philosophy and was later selected for the Indian Civil Services. He refused to join as he did not want to serve the British Government.

(2) Netaji joined the Indian National Congress in 1921.

(3) Netaji started a newspaper called “Swaraj”.

(4) He had written a book called “The Indian Struggle”. The book covers the Indian Independence movement between 1920 and 1942.

(5) The term “Jai Hind” was coined by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

(6) With the slogan “Give me blood and I will give you freedom”, he awakened the country towards fighting against the British.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ILO Report: Global unemployment level in 2022 projected at 207 million: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released its World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends 2022 (WESO Trends) report. The report analyses comprehensive labour market projections for 2022 and 2023 and assesses how labour market recovery has unfolded worldwide. In the WESO 2022, ILO has downgraded its forecast for labour market recovery in 2022.

Key figures of the report:

(1) The global unemployment level in 2022 is estimated at 207 million, compared to 186 million in 2019.

(2) Total working hours globally in 2022 is projected to be 2% below the pre-pandemic level, and that is equivalent to the loss of 52 million full-time jobs.

(3) The global labour force participation rate in 2022 is projected to remain 1.2 percentage points below that of 2019 before the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic began.

(4) In 2022 around 40 million people will no longer be participating in the global labour force.

(5) ILO states that there can be no real recovery from this pandemic without a broad-based labour market recovery.

Note: International Labour Organisation Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; International Labour Organisation Director-General: Guy Ryder; International Labour Organisation Founder: Paris Peace Conference; International Labour Organisation Founded: 1919.

 

2. Oxford University Press declares ‘Anxiety’ as Children’s Word of the Year 2021: The Oxford University Press (OUP) has picked up ‘Anxiety’ as the Children’s Word of the Year 2021, based on their recent research. Apart from “anxiety” (21%), “Challenging” (19%), “isolate” (14%), “Wellbeing” (13%) and “resilience” (12%) were the children’s top five words. In 2020, Coronavirus was the Children’s Word of the Year by OUP.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. TCS Becomes Title Sponsor of Toronto Waterfront Marathon: TCS has partnered with Canada Running Series (CRS) to become the new title sponsor and official technology consulting partner of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and Virtual Race through November 2026. Tata Consultancy Services and Canada Running Series aim to modernize marathon running in Canada through a new official race app. It will offer a first-of-its-kind environmental impact calculator that will enable runners and spectators to track and offset their environmental impact. TCS will also work with CRS to create a hybrid and immersive race experience for all runners and spectators around the globe.

Note: Tata Consultancy Services Founded: 1 April 1968; Tata Consultancy Services Headquarters: Mumbai; Tata Consultancy Services CEO: Rajesh Gopinathan

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI Paper: Optimal hedge ratio for ECBs is at 63%: According to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Working Paper, the optimal hedge ratio for the External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) raised by firms in India is estimated at 63 per cent for the periods of high volatility in the foreign exchange (forex/FX) market. An optimal hedge ratio is a ratio that implies the percentage of total asset or liability exposure that an entity ought to hedge against exchange rate fluctuations. According to the Paper, domestic economic activity and movements in the exchange rate of the Indian rupee are the two major factors influencing the ECBs issuance. Depreciation of the Indian rupee has an adverse impact on the issuance of ECBs in the short as well as long run.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. SEBI Launches Saa₹Thi Mobile App On Investor Education: The new app aims to empower investors with accurate knowledge about the securities market. The app will cater largely to individual investors, who have recently entered the markets and carry out trading via their mobile phones. The app will be helpful in easily accessing all the relevant information like the basic concepts of Securities Market, KYC Process, trading and settlement, mutual funds, recent market developments, investor grievances redressal mechanism, etc. It is currently available in Hindi and English.

Note: SEBI Founded: 12 April 1992; SEBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SEBI Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi

 

2. Microsoft to acquire video gaming company Activision Blizzard: Microsoft Corp. is set to acquire game making company, Activision Blizzard Inc., in an all-cash transaction for $68.7 billion. ($95.00 per share). This acquisition will boost the competitiveness of Microsoft in the mobile gaming business and virtual-reality technology, across mobile, PC, console and cloud and will provide building blocks for the metaverse.

Activision Blizzard is famous as the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, Xbox, among other leading video games. Upon the completion of the deal, Microsoft will become the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. This is the biggest deal ever by Microsoft and also the largest-ever deal in the history of the gaming industry.

Note: Microsoft CEO and Chairman: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla wins $1 million Genesis Prize for COVID-19 vaccine: The global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc.’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Albert Bourla, has been awarded with the prestigious Genesis Prize 2022 on January 19, 2022. He has been awarded for his efforts in leading the development of a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine). The award comes with a cash prize of $1 million.

About the awards: The annual prize is awarded to Jewish people who have achieved significant professional success, in recognition of their accomplishments, contributions to humanity, and commitment to Jewish values and/or to the State of Israel. It is widely referred to as the “Jewish Nobel Prize”.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India Successfully Test Fires BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile: BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, with increased indigenous content and improved performance, was successfully test-fired from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The launch was conducted by Brahmos Aerospace in close coordination with Defence Research and Development Organisation. This flight test was monitored by all the sensors of the range instrumentation including telemetry, radar and electro-optical tracking systems deployed across the eastern coast and the down range ships. Brahmos was successfully test-fired from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on January 20, 2022. The flight test is a major milestone in the way forward for BrahMos programme. The highly maneuverable missile cruised at supersonic speed for its maximum range and all mission objectives were met. BrahMos Aerospace, the joint venture between DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyeniya, Russia, has been continuously upgrading the powerful, highly versatile BrahMos to increase its effectiveness and lethality against sea and land targets.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former India footballer Subhas Bhowmick passes away: Former India footballer Subhas Bhowmick has passed away at the age of 72 years due to prolonged illness. He was born in West Bengal. He was part of the Indian Football team that won a bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games (held in Bangkok). He also scored a hat-trick against the Philippines in the Merdeka Cup in 1971. He has also served as the coach for football teams like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Daily GK Update- 22nd Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. GOI merges eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti with National War Memorial flame: The government of India has merged the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti at Delhi’s India Gate with the flame at the adjoining National War Memorial on January 21, 2022, ahead of Republic Day. The ceremony was led by the Integrated Defence Staff chief, Air Marshal Balabadhra Radha Krishna.

This decision was taken because: The decision to merge the two flames was taken keeping in mind that flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti payed homage to the martyrs of 1971 but none of their names are present there, while names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 and wars before and after it are housed at the National War Memorial. So housing the flame at the same place along with the names will serve as a true tribute to martyrs. This will also do away with upkeeping two flames for the same purpose. This means that after 50 years of continuous lightning, the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti will no longer be present there.

About Amar Jawan Jyoti: The Amar Jawan Jyoti was inaugurated on the Republic Day of 1972 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti was lit in memory of soldiers who laid their lives during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.

About National War Memorial: The National War Memorial was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25, 2019. The eternal torch of this memorial burns at the heart of the Smarak Stambh, the main pillar of the memorial, inside the Amar Chakra. The names of 25,942 soldiers have been inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets.

 

2. ‘Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ki Ore’ programme launched by PM Modi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated ‘Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ki Ore’ programme via video conferencing. The national-level program includes seven yearlong initiatives dedicated to the celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by the Brahma Kumaris. More than 30 campaigns and over 15000 programs and events will be conducted under these initiatives by the Brahma Kumaris. Brahma Kumaris is organising the event on the occasion of the 53rd Ascension Anniversary of Pitashree Prajapita Brahma, Founding Father of Brahma Kumaris. The seven initiatives of Brahma Kumaris include: (a) My India Healthy India; (b) Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Self Reliant Farmers; (c) Women: Flag Bearers of India; (d) Power of Peace Bus Campaign; (e) Andekha Bharat Cycle Rally; (f) United India Motor Bike Campaign; (g) Green initiatives under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

 

3. Tripura celebrated 44th Kokborok Day: Kokborok Day, also known as the Tripuri Language Day is annually celebrated across the Indian State of Tripura on 19th January with an aim to develop the Kokborok Language. The day commemorates the initial recognition of Kokborok as the official language in 1979. 19th January 2022 marks the observance of the 44th Kokborok Day. The Kokborok language, the official language of Tripura, is also known as Tripuri or Tiprakok. In 1979, Kokborok, along with Bengali and English, was declared an official language of the state of Tripura, India by the state government.

Note: Chief Minister of Tripura: Biplab Kumar Deb; Governor: Satyadeo Narain Arya.

 

4. Centre appoints Vikram Dev Dutt as new CMD of Air India: Senior bureaucrat Vikram Dev Dutt has been appointed as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Air India Ltd. Dutt is a 1993-batch IAS officer of AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre. He has been appointed as the Air India chief in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry. Prior to this, he was the Principal Secretary (Tourism) in Delhi government. The Centre had in October last year accepted Tata Son’s bid of Rs 18,000 crore to acquire 100 per cent of the debt-laden state-run carrier. The takeover has not been completed yet. Talace Pvt Ltd, a unit of the holding company of the salt-to-software conglomerate, had made the winning bid of Rs 2,700 crore cash and Rs 15,300 crore debt takeover.

Note: Air India Ltd Founded: 1932, Mumbai; Air India Ltd Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 1st BRICS Sherpas meeting of 2022 held under Chinese chairship: The first BRICS Sherpas meeting of 2022 was held virtually on January 18-19 2022, with the members thanking India for its BRICS chairship in 2021. China has taken on the rotating chairmanship of BRICS in 2022. BRICS is a grouping of five major emerging economies — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Meanwhile, Sanjay Bhattacharyya India’s BRICS Sherpa said that Last year we saw a significant achievement that our foreign ministers brought about in terms of the document on the strengthening and reform of the multilateral systems. These issues of global governance, particularly the UN systems and other institutions, are extremely important. And I’m happy that we shall continue to attach high importance to its continued relevance.

 

2. Israel Completed A Successful Flight Test Of The Arrow-3: Israel has completed a successful flight test of the Arrow-3 which is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside of the earth’s atmosphere. The test was performed at a test site in central Israel, and led by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It was developed in a joint project between the Defense Ministry’s Missile Defense Organization and the American Missile Defense Agency. The Arrow 3 was first tested successfully in February 2018, after months of delays and technical problems. It is considered one of the most powerful weapons of its kind in the world and has been in development since 2008.

Note: ISRAEL Capital: Jerusalem; ISRAEL Currency: Israeli New Shekel; ISRAEL Prime Minister: Naftali Bennett; ISRAEL President: Isaac Herzog

 

3. Vijay Shekhar Sharma named as ambassador of Internet panel on languages UASG: Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma has been roped in as the Ambassador of Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG), a community-based team of industry leaders supported by global internet body ICANN. UASG works on developing and recommending standards for languages script that are not currently used to access the internet. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) aims to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. Its headquarter is based at California, United States.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Pakistani Skipper Babar Azam Named Captain of ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year: Pakistani skipper Babar Azam has been named as the captain of the ICC Men’s T20I team of the year for 2021. The ICC Team of the Year recognises the 11 best players in men’s cricket who have impressed one and all with their performances in a calendar year, either with the bat, ball or their all-round performance. No Indian male player has found a place in the team of 11. However, in ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2021, Smriti Mandhana is the only Indian women player named in the 11 member team. Smriti has made in the list for third time in the T20I team of the year after 2018 (opener) and 2019 (number three). England’s Nat Sciver has been made the captain of ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2021.

 

2. India Tennis Star Sania Mirza To Retire After 2022 Season: Sania Mirza, the most successful woman in Indian tennis history, has decided that she is bidding adieu to the sports at the end of 2022. The 35-year-old had already bowed out of singles competitions in 2013. Sania has six Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles and mixed doubles to her name. Her last headline-grabbing win came with Chinese partner Shuai Zhang in women’s doubles at the Ostrava Open on September 26, 2021. Sania’s career in numbers: Titles: 43

Career-high doubles ranking: 1

Career-high singles ranking: 27

Grand Slam wins: 6 (women’s doubles 3, mixed doubles 3)

Women’s doubles: Australian Open (2016), Wimbledon and US Open (2015)

Mixed doubles: Australian Open (2009), French Open (2012), US Open (2014)

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Ind-Ra Projects India’s GDP Growth Rate at 7.6% in FY23: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has projected the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of the Indian economy to grow at 7.6 per cent year-on-year in 2022-23 (FY23). Ind-Ra is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fitch Group. The economic recovery was encouraging, he said, and restrictions put in place by many states to contain the current wave of Covid-19 were not as severe as the second wave. Nonetheless, there are risks to the ongoing recovery, the rating agency warned. It pointed to the latest FY22 GDP advance estimates, which show that private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) — the largest component of GDP (58.6 per cent) from the demand side and a proxy for consumption demand — is projected to grow only 6.9 per cent YoY in the current year, despite a low base and sales data of many consumer durables showing robust growth.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Axis Bank & CRMNEXT won IBSi Innovation Awards 2021: Axis Bank & CRMNEXT Solution won the IBS Intelligence (IBSi) Global FinTech Innovation Awards 2021 for the “Best CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System Implementation”. It is one of the most prominent awards for global bankers and IT (Information Technology) consultants across the world. The Axis Bank implemented CRMNEXT for sales and service modernisation and it also enables smarter lead processing, automated routing, complete tracking, and visibility. It identified and honoured technology players and banks for their excellence in banking technology implementations and innovations using emerging technologies.

Note: Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; Axis Bank MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary; Axis Bank Chairperson: Shri Rakesh Makhija; Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi.

 

2. The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021 announced: The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021 ceremony was held virtually in Zurich, Switzerland to crown outstanding players for excellent achievement in football. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas and Poland/Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski were awarded the Best FIFA Players in women’s and men’s football respectively. Lewandowski won the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award for the second straight year, after getting the first one in 2020.

Here is the Complete List of Winners:

Category	Winner
Best FIFA Men’s Player	Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, Poland)
Best FIFA Women’s Player	Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)
Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper	Édouard Mendy (Chelsea, Senegal)
Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper	Christiane Endler (Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, Chile)
Best FIFA Men’s Coach	Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea, Germany)
Best FIFA Women’s Coach	Emma Hayes (Chelsea, England)
FIFA Fair Play Award	Denmark national football team and medical staff
FIFA Special Award for an Outstanding Career Achievement	Christine Sinclair (Female) & Cristiano Ronaldo (Male)

 

DEFENCE

 

1. India & Japan conducted Maritime Partnership Exercise in Bay of Bengal: A Maritime Partnership Exercise was held between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) in the Bay of Bengal in a non-contact mode amid COVID-19. The Indian side was represented by Indian Naval Ships (INS) Shivalik and INS Kadmatt while JMSDF Ships Uraga and Hirado participated from the Japanese side. Strengthening bilateral relations, promoting defence cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding and interoperability, and sharing best practices between IN and JMSDF.

 

2. Lt Gen Manoj Pande Appointed As Next Army Vice Chief: The Government approved the proposal for appointment of Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Manoj Pande as the next Vice Chief of Army Staff. General Pande would be the successor to Lt Gen CP Mohanty who is scheduled to superannuate on January 31. General Pande was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers) in December 1982. He was Director-General at Army Headquarters dealing with subjects of discipline, ceremonial and welfare.

Note: Indian Army Founded: 1 April 1895; Indian Army Headquarters: New Delhi; Indian Army Chief: Manoj Mukund Naravane; Indian Army Motto: Service Before Self

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Professional Mountaineer Major Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia Passed Away: The well-known Professional mountaineer Major Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia passed away recently. Major Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia was the recipient of Arjuna Award-1965 Padma Shri-1965 Padma Bhushan-2002 and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award for lifetime achievement in 2009. He has written over 13 books including his autobiography “Higher Than Everest”. Major Ahluwalia has also been a former president of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and the Delhi Mountaineering Association.

 

2. World’s oldest living man, Saturnino de la Fuente, passes away at 112: Guinness World Records holder for the oldest person living (male), Saturnino de la Fuente García (Spain) has passed away at the age of 112 years and 341 days. Saturnino claimed the record as the oldest person living (male) in September 2021 when he was exactly 112 years and 211 days. He was born on February 11, 1909, in the Puente Castro neighbourhood of León in Spain.

Daily GK Update- 21st Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Odisha and The United Nations World Food Programme To Bolster Food Security Of Small Farmers: The United Nations World Food Programme and the Odisha Government joined hands to improve the food security of small and marginal farmers in India by strengthening their resilience to climate change. In a participatory pilot initiative, climate advisories will be tailored to enable smallholder farmers to adapt to the impact of climate change. Smallholder farmers, who constitute 90 percent of farming communities in Odisha, will be able to select the right farming and livelihood options to improve their food security and incomes.

Note: World Food Programme Founded: 1961; World Food Programme Headquarters: Rome, Italy; World Food Programme Head: David Beasley

 

2. The MoHUA Announced The Initiation Of The Open Data Week: The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) announced the “Open Data Week” that saw participation from all the 100 smart cities, a move aimed at ensuring a collaborative effort towards making Indian cities “data smart”. The Open Data Week conducted during the third week of January from 17th January 2022 to 21st January 2022. It was divided into two segments — first, uploading of datasets, visualisation, APIs and data blogs on the Smart Cities Open Data Portal from January 17 to January 20 and second, the celebration of a “Data Day” by all smart cities on January 21.

 

3. Dileep Sanghani named as new Chairman of IFFCO: The board of directors of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) has unanimously elected Dileep Sanghani as the 17th Chairman of the Cooperative. He succeeds Balvinder Singh Nakai, who passed away earlier on October 11, 2021. Prior to this, Sanghani was serving as vice-chairman of IFFCO since 2019.

Sanghani is a senior co-operator from Gujarat and the chairman of the Gujarat State Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd. (GUJCOMASOL), a position he has held since 2017. He held various portfolios in the Gujarat government, including agriculture, cooperation, animal husbandry, fisheries, cow-breeding, prison, excise, law and justice, legislative and parliamentary affairs.

Note: IFFCO Headquarters: New Delhi; IFFCO Founded: 3 November 1967, New Delhi.

 

4. Chanchal Kumar named as new MD of NHIDCL: Chanchal Kumar has been appointed as the Managing Director, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH). He is appointed in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary. He is a 1992 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, presently Principal Secretary of Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has also approved the extension in the central deputation tenure of Ashutosh Jindal, Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat for 1 year beyond 16th February 2022 to 16th February 2023.

Note: NHIDCL Founded: 2014; NHIDCL Headquarters: New Delhi.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Roberta Metsola takes over EU parliament presidency: Roberta Metsola, a Christian Democrat from Malta, was elected president of the European Union’s parliament. Her election comes a week after the shock death of outgoing parliament president David Sassoli, who was due to step down as part of a power-sharing pact. She is only the third woman elected to the post. she is the European Parliament’s youngest president. Metsola was the candidate of the parliament’s biggest group, and she received 458 of the 616 votes cast.

Note: European Union’s parliament Headquarters: Strasbourg, France; European Union’s parliament Founded: 10 September 1952, Europe.

 

2. Dubai opens its Infinity Bridge for traffic for the first time: Iconic ‘Infinity Bridge’ in Dubai, United Arab Emirates has been formally opened to traffic for the first time on 16th January 2022. Its design resembles a mathematical sign for infinity (∞). It represents the limitless, infinite goals of Dubai. It consists of six lanes in each direction and a combined 3-metre track for pedestrians and cyclists. It is 300 meters long and 22 meters wide.

The bridge consists of six lanes and improves the link between Deira and Bur Dubai. It features a combined 3-metre track for pedestrians and cyclists. First announced in 2018, the Infinity Bridge is part of an Al Shindagha Corridor Project. Consisting of six lanes in each direction, the bridge has an arch-shaped like the infinity symbol – which symbolises Dubai’s unlimited ambitions.

Note: UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi; UAE Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham; UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. 9th women National Ice Hockey Championship-2022 begins: In Himachal Pradesh, the 9th women National Ice Hockey Championship-2022 was inaugurated at Ice Skating Rink, Kaza in Lahaul Spiti district. For the first time in the state, Ice Hockey competition & development camp is being organized at the national level. Teams from Himachal Pradesh, Telengana, Ladakh, ITBP Ladakh, Chandigarh & Delhi are participating in this mega event.

The state Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur inaugurated the Championship. This is the first time that National Level Ice Hockey Competition and Development Camp was being held in the State. In 2019, the first Basic Ice Hockey ten days Coaching Camp was organized at Kaza by State Youth Services and Sports Department, in collaboration with the Ladakh Women Ice Hockey Foundation. The State Government has already announced the High-Altitude Sports Center at Kaza with an estimated cost of Rs. 16 crore.

 

2. India to host AFC Women’s football Asian Cup 2022: India is all set to host AFC Women’s football Asian Cup India 2022 from 20th January 2022 in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune. The tournament will witness 12 teams competing for the trophy. AFC Women’s Asian Cup India will also be the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Five teams will qualify for the main event directly while two of them will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs. Hosts India has been placed in Group A alongside China, Chinese Taipei, and Iran. Meanwhile, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia have been placed in Group B. Defending champions Japan find themselves in Group C along with South Korea, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. RBI announces Digital Payments Index for September 2021: The RBI’s Digital Payment Index, which shows the deepening of payments through digital modes in India, rose by 39.64 per cent to 304.06 in September 2021 against 217.74 in the year-ago month. The RBI-DPI Index continues to demonstrate significant growth in adoption and deepening of digital payments across the country. RBI has introduced Digital Payments Index in January 2021 with March 2018 as the base year to capture the extent of digitisation of payments across the country. This means that the DPI score for March 2018 is set at 100.

RBI has started publishing the Digital Payments Index (DPI) on a semi-annual basis from March 2021 onwards with a lag of 4 months. This means that the DPI will be released by RBI for March and September every year in the months of July and January respectively.

About the RBI-DPI: The RBI-DPI comprises five broad parameters that enable measurement of deepening and penetration of digital payments in the country over different time periods, viz. payment enablers (with 25 per cent weight), payment infrastructure—demand-side factors (10 per cent), payment infrastructure—supply-side factors (15 per cent), payment performance (45 per cent) and consumer centricity (5 per cent). These parameters have sub-parameters which, in turn, consist of various measurable indicators.

Note: Reserve Bank of India Founded: April 1, 1935; Reserve Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Reserve Bank of India Governor: Shaktikanta Das.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. JIO becomes 1st telecom company to roll-out UPI AUTOPAY: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Reliance Jio have announced that UPI AUTOPAY has now been introduced for the telecom industry with Jio. Jio’s integration with UPI AUTOPAY has made it the first player in the telecom industry to go live with the unique e-mandate feature that was launched by NPCI. Using the UPI AutoPay launched by NPCI, customers can now enable recurring e-mandate using any UPI application for recurring payments such as mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI payments, entertainment/OTT subscriptions, insurance, mutual funds among others.

Here’s what this means for Jio subscribers:

(1) Jio users will no longer need to remember their date of recharge once the validity ends.

(2) The Jio plan opted by the customers would be auto renewed on the set date.

(3) For recharge amounts up to Rs 5,000, customers do not have to enter the UPI PIN on the execution of the recharge.

(4) Users can also create, modify, and remove the e-mandate for the tariff plans as per their requirements through UPI Autopay.

Note: National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008; National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.

 

2. MobiKwik launches ‘ClickPay’ in collaboration with NBBL: MobiKwik, one of India’s largest mobile wallets and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Fintech companies launched ‘ClickPay’ for its customers, in collaboration with NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL). This feature enables MobiKwik customers to pay recurring online bills (such as mobile, gas, water, electricity, DTH, insurance, and loan EMIs) with ease by eliminating the need to remember individual bill details and due dates. ClickPay is a two-step payment feature wherein the billers generate a unique payment link within the bill-pay message, allowing customers to make payments directly on the payment page. MobiKwik is focused on providing the Indian middle-class population a simple and secure payment platform to make daily life payments.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. National Startup Awards 2021 announced: National Startup Awards 2021 is the second edition of the award ceremony, conceived by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). A total of 46 Startups have been recognized as winners of the National Startup Awards 2021 along with 1 incubator and 1 accelerator, by the Government of India. They have been felicitated for their contribution in their respective sectors.

Some winners in the list:

(1) State-wise, Karnataka bagged the highest number of awards, which included 14 out of 46 national startup awards.

(2) In fintech category’s financial inclusion sub-sector, Bengaluru-based Naffa Innovations Private Limited (ToneTag) was declared the winner.

(3) In fintech category’s insurance sub-sector, Umbo Idtech Private Limited won the award.

(4) In Robotics sub-sector, Sagar Defence was declared the winner.

(5) In the women-led start-up category, Jaipur-headquartered Frontier Markets was honoured.

 

2. Sumit Bhale won gold medal at the International Folk Art Festival: Lavni artist from Maharashtra, Sumit Bhale of Fulbari taluka has won a gold medal at the International Folk Art Festival in Dubai. With his splendid performance, Maharashtra’s splendour has been widely appreciated at the international platform. Lavani is a genre of music popular in Maharashtra and is a combination of traditional song and dance, which is particularly performed to the beats of Dholki, a percussion instrument.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Noted environmentalist & ‘Save Silent Valley’ campaigner M.K. Prasad passes away: Noted environmentalist & ‘Save Silent Valley’ campaigner Prof M K Prasad passed away recently. He was a prominent figure in the historic grassroots level movement to save the evergreen tropical rain forests in Kerala’s Silent Valley from destruction. He had also led the popular science movement, ‘Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath’. Prof. Prasad, who had served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University, was in the forefront of environment protection activities in the State.

 

2. Renowned Bengali theatre personality Saoli Mitra passes away: Renowned Bengali theatre personality Saoli Mitra has passed away. She had acted in Ritwik Ghatak’s avant garde film Jukti Takko aar Gappo in 1974. She also wrote, directed and acted in the hugely popular Katha Amritsamman (Words that are like Nectar) another adaptation of the Mahabharata.

 

3. Legendary Bengali comics artist, writer and illustrator, Narayan Debnath passes away: Legendary Bengali comics artist, writer and illustrator, Narayan Debnath, has passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 97. The celebrated cartoonist was the creator of popular Bengali comic strips like Handa Bhonda (1962), Bantul the Great (1965) and Nonte Phonte (1969). He holds the record of longest-running comics by an individual artiste for the Handa Bhonda comics series which completed its continuous 60 years of running. In 2021, Debnath was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.