Daily GK Update- 26th Jan, 2022

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Celebrating 73rd Republic Day on 26 January 2022: India is celebrating the 73rd Republic Day on 26 January 2022. The celebrations this year are special as India is in the 75th year of Independence – being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Republic Day marks the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950. It replaced the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.

According to the Ministry of Defence, for the first time, an Indian Air Force (IAF) will show grand flypast by 75 aircraft or helicopters. A drone show by 1,000 indigenously developed drones has been planned for the ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony, along with projection mapping will be shown for the first time. In another first, 480 dancers will perform during the cultural programme at the parade have been selected through a nationwide Vande Bharatam dance competition. Republic Day of India: Importance

(1) India became independent on 15th of august, 1947. Even after independence, the country did not have a sound constitution.

(2) The laws, before the enactment of the constitution, were running on the basis of Government of India Act 1935. Having realized the need for a permanent constitution and its own governing body, the government of India appointed a Drafting Committee on 28th of August 1947 to draft it and Dr, B. R. Ambedkar as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

(3) After almost 3 years, the 308 members of the Assembly, after many consultations and a few modifications finally signed a constitution on 24th of January 1950, which came into effect on 26th of January 1950.

(4) And, that day, is being celebrated as Republic Day in India ever since then. This day defines the importance of having a proper constitution that all the citizens must abide by.

 

2. 29 Children Awarded Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022: Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) for the year 2022 has been conferred to 29 children. These winners include 15 Boys and 14 Girls, belonging to 21 States and UTs. The PMRBP award is given by the Government of India to children with exceptional abilities and outstanding accomplishments in 6 categories. The award carries a cash prize of Rs.1,00,000/-.

List of the winners of PMRBP 2022 is:

S. No	Name	Category	State
1	Gauri Maheshwari	Art & Culture	Rajasthan
2	Remona Evette Pereira	Art & Culture	Karnataka
3	Deviprasad	Art & Culture	Kerala
4	Syed Fateen Ahmed	Art & Culture	Karnataka
5	Daulas Lambamayum	Art & Culture	Manipur
6	Dhritishman Chakraborty	Art & Culture	Assam
7	Gurugu Himapriya	Bravery	Andhra Pradesh
8	Shivangi Kale	Bravery	Maharashtra
9	Dhiraj Kumar	Bravery	Bihar
10	Shivam Rawat	Innovation	Uttarakhand
11	Vishalini N C	Innovation	Tamil Nadu
12	Jui Abhijit Keskar	Innovation	Maharashtra
13	Puhabi Chakraborti	Innovation	Tripura
14	Aswatha Biju	Innovation	Tamil Nadu
15	Banita Dash	Innovation	Odisha
16	Tanish Sethi	Innovation	Haryana
17	Avi Sharma	Scholastic	Madhya Pradesh
18	Meedhansh Kumar Gupta	Social Service	Punjab
19	Abhinav Kumar Choudhary	Social Service	Uttar Pradesh
20	Pal Sakshi	Social Service	Bihar
21	Aakarsh Kaushal	Social Service	Haryana
22	Arushi Kotwal	Sports	Jammu & Kashmir
23	Shriya Lohia	Sports	Himachal Pradesh
24	Telukunta Virat Chandra	Sports	Telangana
25	Chandhary Singh Choudhary	Sports	Uttar Pradesh
26	Jiya Rai	Sports	Uttar Pradesh
27	Swayam Patil	Sports	Maharashtra
28	Tarushi Gaur	Sports	Chandigarh
29	Anvi Vijay Zanzarukia	Sports	Gujarat

 

3. Himachal Pradesh and Haryana govts tie-up for construction of Adi Badri Dam: Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana have signed an MoU at Panchkula, for the construction of Adi Badri Dam that would come upon 77 acres in Himachal Pradesh near the Adi Badri area of Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana. The proposed dam aims for the rejuvenation of the Saraswati river with an estimated cost of Rs 215.35 crore.

About the Dam: The Dam would get 224-hectare metre water from Himachal Pradesh’s Somb River that falls in the Yamuna near Adi Badri in Yamuna Nagar district. The executing agency for the construction of Adi Badri Dam would be Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. Adi Badri, also Sri Sarasvati Udgam Tirath, is located in the foothills of the Sivalik Hills in the Bhabar area. It is situated in the northern part of Haryana’s Yamunanagar district.

 

4. CDRI Develops Omicron Testing Kit named “OM”: CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) has developed an indigenous RT-PCR diagnostic kit, ‘Om’, for the testing of the Omicron variant of coronavirus. It is the first kit made by any government institution, and the third to be made indigenously, for specific testing of Omicron. Currently, two more such kits developed by private players are available in the market. The kit will give test results in around two hours.

About “Om”:

(1) Om enables quick and cost-effective detection of omicron variants over genome sequencing for a large population. It was made within two months and will cost around Rs 150.

(2) Further, it will give the test results in around two hours. According to the scientists, it can also be aligned for the detection of other emerging variants of Covid infection and other respiratory infections.

(3) Once the kit gets approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it will be launched by mid-February. The kit has been referred to the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) and is yet to be validated.

 

5. Jai Bhim & Marakkar shortlisted for the Oscars 2022: Indian Movie’s  Jai Bhim and Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham have been officially shortlisted for the Oscars 2022.  Jai Bhim is the fourth Indian film to get nominated for Oscars after Mother India, Salaam Bombay, and Lagaan. Marakkar Arabikadalinte Simham has been also nominated for the Global Community Oscar Awards 2021. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has released the list of 276 films eligible for the awards this year.

Not just Jai Bhim and Marakkar, directors Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s Writing with Fire, a film about a newspaper run by Dalit women, has been shortlisted in the Best Documentary Feature category at the Oscars 2022. The voting for the nominations will begin on January 27 and conclude on February 1. The nominations will be announced on February 8. The 94th Academy Awards will be held on March 27.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. AIIB invests USD 150 million in data center development to serve emerging Asia: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral development bank has committed USD 150 million to invest in the development of data centres that mostly serve emerging Asia. This project is being AIIB’s 1st data centre project. India is a key founding member of AIIB. AIIB’s investment of USD 100 million through a parallel fund structure and USD 50 million through co-investments mark the final close of KDCF II, a development fund making strategic investments in the fast-growing data center sector with a focus on the Asia Pacific.

The project is aligned with AIIB’s thematic priorities of Connectivity and Regional Cooperation, Green Infrastructure and Private Capital Mobilization. It will also support Alpha in developing climate finance monitoring indicators, incorporating the joint MDB methodology for tracking climate finance and an Environmental and Social Management System at the Fund level. This partnership benefits AIIB’s geographical diversification given the diverse pipeline covering Southeast Asia and East Asia, among other regions across Asia Pacific.

Note: AIIB Headquarters: Beijing, China; AIIB Membership: 105 Members; AIIB Formation: 16 January 2016; AIIB Head: Jin Liqun.

 

2. International Customs Day: 26th January: The International Customs Day (ICD) is observed on 26 January every year. The day is celebrated to recognise the role of customs officials and agencies and focus on the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs. This year, the theme chosen by WCO for ICD is ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’. The International Customs Day’s objective is to boost leadership, guidance, and support to customs administrations as WCO strongly opines that while borders divide, it is the ‘customs’ that establish a connection between countries.

History of the day: The day was instituted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to commemorate the day in 1953 when the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) was held in Brussels, Belgium. In 1994 the CCC was renamed World Customs Organization (WCO).

Note: World Customs Organization headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; World Customs Organization Membership:  182 countries; World Customs Organization Secretary-General: Kunio Mikuriya.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Govt appoints Vinodanand Jha as new chairperson to PMLA Adjudicating Authority: Vinodanand Jha has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Adjudicating Authority, for a period of 5 years. Jha is a 1983-batch retired IRS officer, who was serving as the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Pune before this.

About the PMLA Adjudicating Authority:The PMLA Adjudicating Authority is a three-member body whose mandated is to adjudicate the cases of attachment of assets orders issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and order for its continuity and further confiscation or release, considering the merits of the investigation.

Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted by the NDA government to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money laundering. PMLA and the Rules notified there under came into force with effect from July 1, 2005.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Swiggy turns decacorn with valuation of $10.7 billion: Food-ordering and instant grocery delivery platform, Swiggy has signed a $700 million funding round led by asset manager Invesco. With this, the total valuation of Swiggy has reached to $10.7 billion i.e. it is now a decacorn. A decacorn is a startup with a valuation of more than $10 billion. Swiggy’s latest valuation is almost double that of Zomato before the latter went for its initial public offering. Zomato was valued at $5.4 billion before its IPO.

Bengaluru-based Swiggy has overtaken budget hospitality company Oyo, whose valuation dropped to $8 billion in 2020 from $10 billion in 2019, and then increased to $9 billion in 2021. Swiggy has overtaken sports technology company Dream Sports, the parent firm of fantasy sports platform Dream11. This investment in Swiggy comes at a time when the adoption of food and online grocery is accelerating and consumer demand for Swiggy’s many services continues to grow.

 

2. Fullerton India partners with Paytm to expand digital lending to MSMEs: Fullerton India and One97 Communications Limited, which owns the brand Paytm, have announced a partnership to provide lending products to merchant partners and consumers. With the partnership, the two established institutions will leverage data-driven insights and wide reach to bring credit to new-to-credit users. They aim to co-create innovative merchant loan products using customer payment behaviour and Fullerton’s years of experience of understanding of this segment.

About the program:

(1) The program will offer Paytm Postpaid (buy-now-pay-later) to millions of consumers on the Paytm platform while utilizing Fullerton’s deep risk assessment capabilities and scale.

(2) Fullerton India and Paytm will further expand their product offerings to include instant personal loans, which are end-to-end digitally originated and disbursed using Paytm’s technology and Fullerton’s pan India presence.

(3) The two institutions would establish a wide network, specifically catering to MSMEs across small cities and towns and help them grow their business.

Note: Fullerton India CEO: Shantanu Mitra; Fullerton India Founded: 1994; Fullerton India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Ministry of Home Affairs Padma Awards 2022 announced: The Union ministry of home affairs announced the Padma awards on the eve of the country’s 73rd Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.

 

2. International Cricket Council announced ICC Awards 2021: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the 17th edition of ICC Awards for the year 2021 to recognise and honour the best international cricket players of the previous 12 months, between January 01, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Notably, these awards honour players for their performances for their respective national side in a year. The apex international cricket governing body has named the winners in the different categories such as: Emerging Cricketer of the Year, T20I Cricketer of the Year and Associate Cricketer of the Year for both men’s and women’s cricket. Winners are listed below:

 

Sr. No.	Category	Winners
1	Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year	Smriti Mandhana (India)
2	Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year	Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
3	ICC Umpire of the Year	Marais Erasmus
4	ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year	Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
5	ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year	Tammy Beaumont (England)
6	ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year	Janneman Malan (South Africa)
7	ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year	Fatima Sana (Pakistan)
8	ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year	Zeeshan Maqsood (Oman)
9	ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year	Andrea-Mae Zepeda (Austria)
10	ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year	Babar Azam (Pakistan)
11	ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year	Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
12	ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year	Joe Root (England)

Daily GK Update- 25th Jan, 2022

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Govt annouces 40-100 per cent subsidy to popularise drone in agriculture: Union Agriculture Ministry has amended the guidelines of Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) to provide 40-100 per cent subsidy until March 2023 in purchasing drones for farm mechanization. After the amendment, a grant for the purchase of drones up to 100 per cent of the cost of agriculture drones or Rs 10 lakhs, whichever is less, can be given. The detail of per cent and maximum amount of subsidy is given below:

(1) Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and State Agriculture Universities- 100% subsidy- Rs 10 lakh maximum

(2) Agriculture graduates establishing Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs)= 50 per cent subsidy up to Rs 5 lakh

(3) Existing CHCs or new ones, already or to be set up by a cooperative society of farmers, farmer producers organizations (FPOs) and rural entrepreneurs are entitled to receive= 40 per cent subsidy (maximum Rs 4 lakh).

Note: Union Minister of Agriculture: Narendra Singh Tomar.

 

2. NITI Aayog & RMI India releases report ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in India’: NITI Aayog has released a report titled ‘Banking on Electric Vehicles in India’, which outlines the need and importance of the inclusion of Electric Vehicles in RBI priority-sector lending guidelines. The report has been developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with US-based non-profit organisations Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and RMI India. The report has indicated electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and commercial four-wheelers as early segments to prioritise under Priority Sector Lending. The suggestion has also been made to recognise Electric Vehicles as an infrastructure sub-sector by the Finance Ministry and the incorporation of electric vehicles as a separate reporting category under RBI.

 

3. India’s First “District Good Governance Index” launched: The Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Amit Shah has virtually released India’s First “District Good Governance Index” for 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The top 5 districts in the District Good Governance Index” are (1) Jammu, (2) Doda, (3) Samba, (4) Pulwama and (5) Srinagar.

This index has been prepared by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. The District Good Governance Index (DGGI) is a framework document comprising of performance under ten governance sectors having 58 indicators with 116 data points.

 

4. ISRO Successfully Tests Vikas engine in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully test-fired the Vikas engine that would power India’s first human-carry rocket (Gaganyaan human space mission). This qualification test of the Vikas Engine for the Gaganyaan human space mission was conducted by ISRO at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. More such tests on Vikas Engine will be conducted in the future by ISRO. The test was carried out to verify the robustness of the engine by operating beyond its nominal operating conditions (fuel-oxidiser ratio and chamber pressure). The performance of the engine met the test objectives and the engine parameters were closely matching with the predictions during the entire duration of the test.

Note: Chairman and Space Secretary of ISRO: Dr S Somanath; ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka; ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

 

5. National Voters Day: 25th January: India observes “National Voters’ Day” every year on January 25 to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process. Election Commission of India is celebrating 12th National Voters Day on 25th January 2022. The theme for this year’s NVD, ‘Making Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative’, envisages focus on ECI’s commitment to facilitate the active participation of voters during the elections and to make the complete process hassle-free and a memorable experience for all categories of voters.

History of the day: Since 2011, National Voters’ Day has been celebrated on January 25 every year, all across the country to mark the foundation day of the Election Commission of India, i.e. 25th January 1950. The main purpose of the NVD celebration is to encourage, facilitate and maximise enrolment, especially for the new voters. Dedicated to the voters of the country, the day is utilized to spread awareness among voters and for promoting informed participation in the electoral process.

 

6. National Tourism Day: 25th January: The Indian government established January 25 as the National Tourism Day to raise awareness about the importance of tourism for the country’s economy. The day is observed to cultivate awareness among the global community on the importance of tourism and its social, political, financial and cultural worth. The ministry of tourism is the nodal agency in India to form national policies for the promotion and development of tourism. It also coordinates with central, state agencies and the public sector.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley wins second consecutive term: Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley was sworn in for a second term in office, following a landslide victory by her party in the 2022 election. She is serving as the Prime Minister of Barbados since 2018. She is the leader of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) since 2008. She is the first woman prime minister of the country as well as first PM under a republic system.

Note: Barbados Capital: Bridgetown; Barbados Currency: Barbados Dollar.

 

2. NATO partners to hold maritime drills in Mediterranean Sea: The NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member countries are conducting a 12-day maritime exercise in the Mediterranean Sea from January 24, 2022. The name of the maritime exercise is “Neptune Strike ’22”. The naval drill will end on February 04, 2022. The main purpose of this exercise will be to demonstrate and test NATO’s wide range of maritime capabilities. The US announced the decision to hold NATO naval drills, which will involve the participation of the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier, a day after Russia said it would demonstrate its own naval capabilities for two months, January and February, from the Pacific to the Atlantic Sea.

Note: NATO Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; NATO Chairman of the NATO Military Committee: Admiral Rob Bauer; Member countries of NATO: 30; Founded:  4 April 1949.

 

3. Scientists name new species of rainfrog after Greta Thunberg: A new species of rainfrog, discovered in the Panama jungle, has been named after Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. The species has been named as Pristimantis gretathunbergae, or popularly known as the Greta Thunberg Rainfrog. The frog was originally discovered in 2012 and was thought to be part of the already categorised Pristimantis family. However, recent DNA analysis confirmed that the frog is a new species, according to the scientific journal Zookeys.

The new specimen of the tropical amphibian was discovered by an international team of biologists led by doctors Abel Batista, from Panama, and Konrad Mebert (Switzerland) in Cerro Chucantí, a private reserve located in the province of Darién. It was named after Greta Thunberg when conservation nonprofit The Rainforest Trust held an auction that allowed the winner to name new species. The frog was discovered at a reserve established by the conservation organization AdoptaBosque with support from Rainforest Trust.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Ladakh team wins 9th Women National Ice Hockey Championship 2022: The women’s team from Ladakh has lifted the 9th National Women’s Ice Hockey Championship in Himachal Pradesh. The championship was organised by the Ice Hockey Association of India at Kaza area in the Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. A total of six teams participated in the championship from Delhi, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Telangana and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.

Note: Ice Hockey Association of India President: Dr Surinder Mohan Bali.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launched ‘Platina Fixed Deposit’ Scheme: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (SFB) has launched ‘Platina Fixed Deposit’, offering interest of 15 basis points (bps) higher than the regular term deposit rates provided by Ujjivan SFB. The Platina FD is a non-callable deposit, where partial & premature withdrawal is not applicable. While the interest amount can be received on monthly, quarterly or at the end of the maturity period.

About the Platina Fixed Deposit: The general FD for 990 days tenure gives 6.75% interest for general citizens and 7.50% for senior citizens, while Platina FD offers 6.90% & 7.65% interest rates FD limit: the minimum amount is Rs 20 lakh and the maximum amount is Rs 2 crores, with tenure ranging from 1 year to 5 years.

Note: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Founded: 2017; Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Headquarters: Bengaluru; Ujjivan Small Finance Bank MD & CEO: Ittira Davis.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Jio tie-up with Finland’s University of Oulu to accelerate 6G research: Jio Platforms (JPL) has signed a pact with the University of Oulu, Finland, to accelerate research and standardization in 6G technology. JPL and the University of Oulu will collaborate in Research and Development (R&D) of aerial and space communication, holographic beamforming, 3D-connected intelligence in cybersecurity, microelectronics, and photonics. The collaboration will develop competency with 6G enabled products in the defence, automotive, white goods, industrial machinery, consumer goods, efficient manufacturing, novel personal smart device environments, and experiences such as urban computing and autonomous traffic settings.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Youtuber Prajakta Koli become India’s first UNDP Youth Climate Champion: Prajakta Koli has become India’s first UN Development Programme (UNDP) Youth Climate Champion. She is a content creator on various online platforms like youtube, Instagram, etc. She has been conferred the title for her contribution towards mental health, women’s rights and girl child education through various global social campaigns. With this title, Prajakta will now have the responsibility to interact with the young generation to raise awareness around climate crisis, global warming and biodiversity loss and their impacts. She is also the global ambassador for YouTube’s ‘Creators For Change’ initiative.

 

2. India’s Koozhangal gets the best film award at Dhaka International Film Festival: P S Vinothraj directed film Koozhangal from India won the best film award in the Asian Film Competition section at the 20th Dhaka International Film Festival. Information and Broadcasting Minister of Bangladesh Hasan Mahmud gave away the awards as Chief Guest during the concluding session organised at the National Museum auditorium in Dhaka.

The list of the award for different categories are:

(1) The best actor award was given to Jayasurya for Ranjith Sankar-directed film Sunny.

(2) The Best Script Writer Award went to Indranil Roychowdhury and Sugata Sinha for Indranil Roychowdhury-directed India-Bangladesh film Mayar Jonjal.

(3) The special audience award was given to Aimee Baruah Directed film Semkhor.

(4) Sujit Bidari directed film Aina Jhyal Ko Putali from Nepal got the best director award.

(5) In the Women film maker’s section, the best feature film award was given to Maryam Bahrololumi directed film Shahrbanoo (Lady from the City) from Iran.

(6) Two Bangladeshi films, Nurul Alam Atique directed Lal Moroger Jhuti and N Rashed Chowdhury directed Chandrabati Kotha got the Audience Award.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Armed Force selected ‘Saab’ for supply of Anti-Armour weapon: Swedish defence company ‘Saab’ had been selected by the Indian Armed Force through a competitive programme for the supply of single-shot anti-armour weapon AT4. AT4 will be used by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. The order includes the AT4CS AST, which can be fired from confined spaces such as from inside buildings, bunkers and other urban environments. Carl-Gustaf system of Saab is being already used by the Indian Armed Forces.

About the AT4:

(1) AT4 will be operated by a single soldier and its single-shot system has proven efficacy against structures landing craft helicopters armoured vehicles and personnel. Its 84 mm calibre warhead offers enhanced power and performance to the Indian armed forces.

(2) The weapon can be fired with a range of projectiles, such as high-explosive anti-tank rounds, anti-structure tandem-warheads, and high explosive rounds. It can penetrate more than 17.5 inches (44 centimetres) of armour.

(3) The AT4 is equipped with an optical night sight for missions in low-light environments and has a minimum arming distance of 10 meters (32.8 feet), making it more accurate when hitting closer targets.

Note: Saab Founded: 1937; Saab Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden; Saab President and CEO: Micael Johansson.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Eminent archaeologist Thiru R. Nagaswamy passes away: Noted Indian historian, archaeologist and epigraphist from Tamil Nadu, Ramachandran Nagaswamy, has passed away. He was 91. He first director of the Tamil Nadu government’s Department of Archaeology. Nagaswamy was known for his work on temple inscriptions and art history of Tamil Nadu.

In 2018, Nagaswamy was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award. He has authored more than 100 books and his latest book was ‘Senthamizh Naadum Pandbum’, published in January 2022.