January 2023 English Magazine - 15536959 - 2023 - 03 - 12 - 20 - 17

JANUARY 2023 CURRENT AFFAIRS
Table of Contents
1 Civilian Honours of India-2023 1
2 AISHE 2020-2021 11
3 ASER Survey 2022 15
3 Superlatives 16
4 Indices – Reports 21
5 Excercises & Defence 23
6 IITs 25
7 International 27
8 Awards 29
9 Geography Related Issues 30
10 Culture-History-Heritage 31
11 Summits 34
12 Constitution & Politics 36
13 Sports 37
14 Books 41
15 Environmental Issues 42
16 Economy 45
17 Important Dates & Events 47
18 National 50
19 Science & Technology 54
20 Persons In New’s 58
21 Regional 64
0www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

Civilian honours of India

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India. They are announced annually on
the eve of Republic Day. The awards come under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Awards are given in three categories:

• Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service.
• Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher-order.
• Padma Shri for distinguished service.
The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of
public service is involved.
The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee,
which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The nomination process is open to the public.
Even self-nomination can be made.
History of Padma Awards

• The Government of India instituted two civilian awards, the Bharat Ratna and Padma
Vibhushan in 1954.
• The Padma Vibhushan had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg, and Tisra Varg. These
were later renamed Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri through a Presidential
Notification issued on January 8, 1955.
Bharat Ratna
• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award in the country. It is awarded in recognition of
exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. It is
considered on a different level from Padma Award.
• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President of
India. No formal recommendations for Bharat Ratna are necessary.
• The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year.
The government has conferred Bharat Ratna Award on 45 persons to date.
Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri
• List of fields Padma Awards, which were instituted in the year 1954, is announced every year
on the occasion of Republic Day except for brief interruption(s) during the years 1978 and
1979 and 1993 to 1997.
• The constitutional validity of Padma Awards was challenged in 1992 in Kerala and Madhya
Pradesh concerning the public interest Litigation filed. The award was suspended until the
issue was resolved in the respective courts.

• All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex are eligible for these
awards. However, Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors
and scientists, are not eligible for these awards.
• The award seeks to recognize works of distinction and is given for distinguished and
exceptional achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines.
A list of the fields is as under:

• Art (Music, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Cinema, Theatre, etc.)
• Social work (social service, charitable service, contribution to community projects, etc.)
• Public Affairs (Law, Public Life, Politics, etc.)
• Science & Engineering (Space Engineering, Nuclear Science, Information Technology, Research
& Development in Science & its allied subjects, etc.)
• Trade & Industry (Banking, Economic Activities, Management, Promotion of Tourism, Business,
etc.)
• Medicine (medical research, distinction/specialization in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha,
Allopathy, Naturopathy, etc.)
• Literature & Education (Journalism, Teaching, Book composing, Literature, Poetry, Promotion
of education, Promotion of literacy, Education Reforms, etc.)
• Civil Service (distinction/excellence in administration etc. by Government Servants)
• Sports (popular Sports, Athletics, Adventure, Mountaineering, promotion of sports, Yoga, etc.)
• Others (fields not covered above and may include propagation of Indian Culture, protection of
Human Rights, Wild Life protection/conservation, etc.)
The Padma Awards: Important Facts

The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the
Government could consider giving an award posthumously.
A higher category of Padma award can be conferred on a person only where at least five years have
elapsed since the conferment of the earlier Padma award. However, in highly deserving cases, a
relaxation can be made by the Awards Committee.
The awards are presented by the President of India usually in March/April every year where the
awardees are presented a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.
The recipients are also given a small replica of the medallion, which they can wear during any
ceremonial/State functions etc. if the awardees so desire. The names of the awardees are published in
the Gazette of India on the day of the presentation ceremony.
The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to
NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120.

The award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name.
The Padma Awards Committee

• All nominations received for Padma Awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee,
which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
• The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home
Secretary, Secretary to the President, and four to six eminent persons as members.
• The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President
of India for approval.
Padma Awards 2023
• 106 Padma Awards including 3 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one)
• The list comprises 6 Padma Vibhushan,
• 9 Padma Bhushan and
• 91 Padma Shri Awards
• 19 of the awardees are women and
• 2 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 7 Posthumous awardees.
Padma Vibhushan (6)
S.No. Name Field State/Country
1 Shri Balkrishna Others - Gujarat

Doshi (Posthumous) Architecture
2 Shri Zakir Hussain Art Maharashtra
3 Shri S M Krishna Public Affairs Karnataka
4 Shri Dilip Mahalanabis Medicine West Bengal

(Posthumous)
5 Shri Srinivas Varadhan Science & United States

Engineering of America
6 Shri Mulayam Singh Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh

Yadav (Posthumous)

Padma Bhushan (9)

S. Name Field State/Country
No
1 Shri S L Bhyrappa Literature & Karnataka

Education
2 Shri Kumar Mangalam Trade & Maharashtra

Birla Industry
3 Shri Deepak Dhar Science & Maharashtra

Engineering
4 Ms. Vani Jairam Art Tamil Nadu
5 Swami Chinna Jeeyar Others - Telangana

Spiritualism
6 Ms. Suman Kalyanpur Art Maharashtra
7 Shri Kapil Kapoor Literature & Delhi

Education
8 Ms. Sudha Murty Social Work Karnataka
9 Shri Kamlesh D Patel Others - Telangana

Spiritualism
Padma Shri (91)
S.No Name Field State/Country
1 Dr. Sukama Acharya Others - Haryana

Spiritualism
2 Ms. Jodhaiyabai Baiga Art Madhya Pradesh
3 Shri Premjit Baria Art Dadra and Nagar

Haveli and Daman

and Diu
4 Ms. Usha Barle Art Chhattisgarh
5 Shri Munishwar Medicine Madhya Pradesh

Chanddawar
6 Shri Hemant Chauhan Art Gujarat
7 Shri Bhanubhai Chitara Art Gujarat
8 Ms. Hemoprova Chutia Art Assam
9 Shri Narendra Chandra Public Affairs Tripura

Debbarma (Posthumous)
10 Ms. Subhadra Devi Art Bihar
11 Shri Khadar Valli Dudekula Science & Karnataka

Engineering
12 Shri Hem Chandra Art Assam

Goswami
13 Ms. Pritikana Goswami Art West Bengal
14 Shri Radha Charan Gupta Literature & Uttar Pradesh

Education
15 Shri Modadugu Vijay Gupta Science & Telangana

Engineering
16 Shri Ahmed Hussain & Shri Art Rajasthan

Mohd Hussain *(Duo)
17 Shri Dilshad Hussain Art Uttar Pradesh
18 Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate Social Work Maharashtra
19 Shri C I Issac Literature & Kerala

Education

20 Shri Rattan Singh Jaggi Literature & Punjab

Education
21 Shri Bikram Bahadur Social Work Tripura

Jamatia
22 Shri Ramkuiwangbe Jene Social Work Assam
23 Shri Rakesh Radheshyam Trade & Industry Maharashtra

Jhunjhunwala (Posthumous
)
24 Shri Ratan Chandra Kar Medicine Andaman & Nicobar

Islands
25 Shri Mahipat Kavi Art Gujarat
26 Shri M M Keeravaani Art Andhra Pradesh
27 Shri Areez Trade & Industry Gujarat

Khambatta (Posthumous)
28 Shri Parshuram Komaji Art Maharashtra

Khune
29 Shri Ganesh Nagappa Science & Andhra Pradesh

Krishnarajanagara Engineering
30 Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr Art Odisha
31 Shri Anand Kumar Literature & Bihar

Education
32 Shri Arvind Kumar Science & Uttar Pradesh

Engineering
33 Shri Domar Singh Kunvar Art Chhattisgarh
34 Shri Risingbor Kurkalang Art Meghalaya
35 Ms. Hirabai Lobi Social Work Gujarat

36 Shri Moolchand Lodha Social Work Rajasthan
37 Ms. Rani Machaiah Art Karnataka
38 Shri Ajay Kumar Mandavi Art Chhattisgarh
39 Shri Prabhakar Bhanudas Literature & Maharashtra

Mande Education
40 Shri Gajanan Jagannath Social Work Maharashtra

Mane
41 Shri Antaryami Mishra Literature & Odisha

Education
42 Shri Nadoja Pindipapana Art Karnataka

halli Munivenkatappa
43 Prof. (Dr.) Mahendra Pal Science & Gujarat

Engineering
44 Shri Uma Shankar Pandey Social Work Uttar Pradesh
45 Shri Ramesh Parmar & Ms. Art Madhya Pradesh

Shanti Parmar *(Duo)
46 Dr. Nalini Parthasarathi Medicine Puducherry
47 Shri Hanumantha Rao Medicine Telangana

Pasupuleti
48 Shri Ramesh Patange Literature & Maharashtra

Education
49 Ms. Krishna Patel Art Odisha
50 Shri K Kalyanasundaram Art Tamil Nadu

Pillai
51 Shri V P Appukuttan Social Work Kerala

Poduval

52 Shri Kapil Dev Prasad Art Bihar
53 Shri S R D Prasad Sports Kerala
54 Shri Shah Rasheed Ahmed Art Karnataka

Quadri
55 Shri C V Raju Art Andhra Pradesh
56 Shri Bakshi Ram Science & Haryana

Engineering
57 Shri Cheruvayal K Raman Others - Kerala

Agriculture
58 Ms. Sujatha Ramdorai Science & Canada

Engineering
59 Shri Abbareddy Nageswara Science & Andhra Pradesh

Rao Engineering
60 Shri Pareshbhai Rathwa Art Gujarat
61 Shri B Ramakrishna Reddy Literature & Telangana

Education
62 Shri Mangala Kanti Roy Art West Bengal
63 Ms. K C Runremsangi Art Mizoram
64 Shri Vadivel Gopal & Shri Social Work Tamil Nadu

Masi Sadaiyan *(Duo)
65 Shri Manoranjan Sahu Medicine Uttar Pradesh
66 Shri Patayat Sahu Others -Agriculture Odisha
67 Shri Ritwik Sanyal Art Uttar Pradesh
68 Shri Kota Satchidananda Art Andhra Pradesh

Sastry

69 Shri Sankurathri Chandra Social Work Andhra Pradesh

Sekhar
70 Shri K Shanathoiba Sharma Sports Manipur
71 Shri Nekram Sharma Others - Himachal Pradesh

Agriculture
72 Shri Gurcharan Singh Sports Delhi
73 Shri Laxman Singh Social Work Rajasthan
74 Shri Mohan Singh Literature & Jammu & Kashmir

Education
75 Shri Thounaojam Chaoba Public Affairs Manipur

Singh
76 Shri Prakash Chandra Sood Literature & Andhra Pradesh

Education
77 Ms. Neihunuo Sorhie Art Nagaland
78 Dr. Janum Singh Soy Literature & Jharkhand

Education
79 Shri Kushok Thiksey Others - Ladakh

Nawang Chamba Stanzin Spiritualism
80 Shri S Subbaraman Others - Karnataka

Archaeology
81 Shri Moa Subong Art Nagaland
82 Shri Palam Kalyana Social Work Tamil Nadu

Sundaram
83 Ms. Raveena Ravi Tandon Art Maharashtra
84 Shri Vishwanath Prasad Literature & Uttar Pradesh

Tiwari Education

85 Shri Dhaniram Toto Literature & West Bengal

Education
86 Shri Tula Ram Upreti Others - Sikkim

Agriculture
87 Dr. Gopalsamy Veluchamy Medicine Tamil Nadu
88 Dr. Ishwar Chander Verma Medicine Delhi
89 Ms. Coomi Nariman Wadia Art Maharashtra
90 Shri Karma Social Work Arunachal Pradesh

Wangchu (Posthumous)
91 Shri Ghulam Muhammad Art Jammu & Kashmir

Zaz

Ministry of Education releases All India Survey on Higher

Education (AISHE) 2020-2021
The Ministry has been conducting All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) since 2011, covering
all higher educational institutions located in Indian Territory and imparting higher education in the
country. The survey collects detailed information on different parameters such as student enrollment,
teacher’s data, infrastructural information, financial information etc. For the first time, in AISHE 2020-
21, HEIs have filled data using entirely online data collection platform through the Web Data Capture
Format (DCF) developed by Department of Higher Education through the National Informatics Centre
(NIC).
• Enrollment in higher education increases to 4.14 crore, crossing the 4-crore mark for first time;
increase of 7.5% from 2019-20 and 21% from 2014-15
• Female enrollment reaches 2 crore mark, increase of 13 Lakh from 2019-20
• Significant increase of 28% in enrolment of SC students and 38% in enrolment of Female SC
Students in 2020-21, compared to 2014-15.
• Substantial increase of 47% in enrolment of ST students and 63.4% increase in the enrolment
of Female ST Students in 2020-21, compared to 2014-15.
• Significant increase of 32% in OBC Student enrolment and 39% in Female OBC Students, since
2014-15.
• Notable increase of 29% in Student Enrolment and 34% in Female Student Enrolment in the
North Eastern Region in 2020-21 since 2014-15.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has improved from previous year for all social groups
• Enrollment in Distance Education has increased by 7% in 2020-21 from 2019-20
• Number of Universities has increased by 70, number of colleges has increased by 1,453, in
2020-21 over 2019-20
• Gender Parity Index (GPI) has increased from 1 in 2017-18 to 1.05 in 2020-21
• Total number of faculty/teachers increases by 47,914 from 2019-20
Following are the key highlights of the survey:

Student Enrollment
• The total enrollment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 crore in 2020-21 from
3.85 crore in 2019-20. Since 2014-15, there has been an increase of around 72 Lakh in the
enrolment (21%).

• The Female enrolment has increased to 2.01 crore from 1.88 crore in 2019-20. There has been
an increase of around 44 Lakh (28%) since 2014-15.
• The percentage of female enrolment to total enrolment has increased from 45% in 2014-15 to
around 49% in 2020-21.
• As per 2011 population projections for 18-23 years age group, GER has increased to 27.3 from
25.6 in 2019-20.
• Notable increase of 1.9 points is observed in GER of ST students in 2020-21, as compared to
2019-20.
• Female GER has overtaken Male GER since 2017-18. Gender Parity Index (GPI), the ratio of
female GER to male GER, has increased from 1 in 2017-18 to 1.05 in 2020-21.
• The enrolment of SC students is 58.95 Lakh as compared to 56.57 Lakh in 2019-20 and 46.06
Lakh in 2014-15.
• The enrolment of ST students has increased to 24.1 Lakh in 2020-21 from 21.6 Lakh in 2019-
20 and 16.41 Lakh in 2014-15.
• The average annual enrolment of ST students has increased to around 1 Lakh during the period
2014- 15 to 2020-21, from around 75,000 during the period 2007-08 to 2014-15.
• Enrolment of OBC students has also increased by 6 Lakh to 1.48 crore in 2020-21, from 1.42
crore in 2019-20. There is a notable increase in OBC student enrolment since 2014-15 of
around 36 Lakh (32%).
• The total Student Enrolment in North East States is 12.06 Lakh in 2020-21 as compared to 9.36
Lakh in 2014-15.
• The female enrolment in North East States is 6.14 lakh in 2020-21, higher than the male
enrolment of 5.92 lakh [For every 100 male students, there are 104 female students in NER].
The female enrolment outnumbered male enrolment for first time in 2018-19, and the trend
continues.
• The enrolment in Distance Education is 45.71 Lakh (with 20.9 Lakh Female), an increase of
around 7% since 2019-20 and 20% since 2014-15.
• Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan are the
top 6 States in terms of number of students enrolled.
• As per response in AISHE 2020-21, about 79.06% of the total students are enrolled in
undergraduate level courses and 11.5% are enrolled in postgraduate level courses.
• Among Disciplines at undergraduate level, enrollment is highest in Arts (33.5%), followed by
science (15.5%), Commerce (13.9%) and Engineering & Technology (11.9%).

• Among streams at postgraduate level, maximum students are enrolled in Social Science
(20.56%) followed by science (14.83%).
• Of the total enrolment, 55.5 Lakh students are enrolled in Science Stream, with female students
(29.5 Lakh) out numbering male students (26 Lakh).
• Government Universities (59% of total) contribute towards 73.1% of the enrolment.
Government Colleges (21.4% of total) contribute towards 34.5% of the enrolment.
• The enrolment in Institute of National Importance (INIs) has increased by nearly 61% during
the period 2014-15 to 2020-21.
• Enrolment has increased in 2020-21 compared to 2014-15 in the Specialized Universities
relating to Defence, Sanskrit, Biotechnology, Forensics, Design, Sports etc.
• The total number of pass-outs has increased to 95.4 Lakh in 2020-21 as against 94 Lakh in
2019-20.
• Availability of different infrastructural facilities in HEIs in 2020-21:
• Libraries (97%)
• Laboratories (88)
• Computer centres (91%, 86% in 2019-20)
• Skill Development Centre (61%, 58% in 2019-20)
• Connectivity to National Knowledge Network (56%, from 34% in 2019-20)
Number of Institutions:
• The total number of Universities / University like institutions registered is 1,113, Colleges
43,796 and Standalone Institutions 11,296.
• During 2020-21, the number of universities has increased by 70, and the number of colleges
has increased by 1,453.
• Since 2014-15, there has been increase of 353 Universities (46.4%).
• The Institutes of National Importance (INIs) have almost doubled from 75 in 2014-15 to 149 in
2020-21.
• 191 new Higher Education Institutions have been established in North Eastern States since
2014-15.
• Highest number of universities is in Rajasthan (92), Uttar Pradesh (84) and Gujarat (83).
• During 2014-15 to 2020-21, on average, 59 Universities have been added annually. This was
about 50 during 2007-08 to 2014-15.

• 17 Universities (of which 14 are State Public) and 4,375 Colleges are exclusively for women.
• The College Density, the number of colleges per lakh eligible population (population in the age-
group 18-23 years) has been 31. This was 27 in 2014-15.
• States with Highest college density: Karnataka (62), Telangana (53), Kerala (50), Himachal
Pradesh (50), Andhra Pradesh (49), Uttarakhand (40), Rajasthan (40), Tamilnadu (40).
• Top 8 Districts with Highest number of Colleges: Bangalore Urban (1058), Jaipur (671),
Hyderabad (488), Pune (466), Prayagraj (374), Rangareddy (345), Bhopal (327) and Nagpur
(318).
• Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra
Pradesh,Gujarat are top 8 States in terms of number of colleges.
• 43% universities and 61.4% colleges are located in Rural Areas.
Faculty:
• The total number of faculty/teachers are 15,51,070 of which about 57.1% are male and 42.9%
are female.
• The female per 100 male faculty has improved to 75 in 2020-21 from 74 in 2019-20 and 63 in
2014-15.

ASER Survey 2022

The ASER Report 2022 released recently revealed that almost all (98.4%) students in the age bracket
of 6-14 years are now enrolled in schools.
ASER Survey:
• A citizen-led household survey that provides estimates of the enrolment status and basic reading
and arithmetic levels of children aged 3-16 at the national, state, and district level.
• Conducted by NGO Pratham every year since 2005.
• Reaches children in the age group of 3-16 in almost all rural districts of India.
• Uses household rather than school-based sampling.
Highlights of ASER 2022:
• In ASER 2022 Survey, 7 lakh candidates from 19,060 schools in 616 districts were surveyed to
calculate the learning outcomes post-pandemic on school children.
• Enrollment has gone from 97.2 per cent in 2018 to 98.4 per cent in 2022.
• As many as 72.9 per cent of the surveyed students go to government schools.
• In only three states, the number of girls not going to school is above 10% – Madhya Pradesh (17%),
Uttar Pradesh (15%), and Chhattisgarh (11.2%).
• Nationally, children’s basic reading ability has dropped to pre-2012 levels, reversing the slow
improvement achieved in the intervening years.
• In both government and private schools, only 20.5% students of Class 3 can read, compared to
27.3% in 2018.
• The proportion of Class 5 students who can read has dropped to 42.8% in 2022, compared to 50.5%
in 2018.

SUPERLATIVES
Menstrual Leaves for Female Students
• Higher Education Minister in Kerala R Bindu announced that girl’s students above the age of
18 years will get maternity leave of 60 days. The required attendance percentage for female
students will be 73 percent including menstrual leave. The attendance percentage required
earlier was 75 percent.
• The government is considering granting menstrual leaves in all state universities as recently
announced by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).
• The Kerala government is planning to extend the leave policy to all the universities under
the State Higher Education Department.
Basmati Rice
• For the first time in the country, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
has specified identity standards for basmati rice (including brown basmati, milled basmati,
parboiled brown basmati, and milled parboiled basmati).
Rajasthan Becomes First State to Implement Blindness Control Policy
• Rajasthan has become the first state in India to implement a policy for blindness control with
the objective of ensuring the "right to sight" for its citizens.
• The Medical & Health Department of the state government released the policy document
over the weekend, outlining a massive drive to reduce the rate of blindness and bring light
into the lives of over 3 lakh people suffering from visual impairment.
• The prevalence rate of blindness in Rajasthan was 1.1% in 2020, and the new policy aims to
bring it down to 0.3%. This ambitious goal will be achieved through a combination of
keratoplasty centers for cornea transplant, eye banks in medical colleges, and public
awareness campaigns.
India's First School of Logistics, Waterways, and Communication.
• India's first School of Logistics, Waterways, and Communication was launched in Agartala.
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, SarbanandaSonowal, along
with Dr.ManikSaha, Chief Minister of Tripura, jointly inaugurated the school. The school aims
to enable the rich pool of talent in the region to become world-class experts in the
transportation and logistics sector.
World's 1st Agri-focused Satellite to generate $108 million Revenue for South
Africa
• As per the statement of Pontsho Maruping, Chairperson of the South African Council for
Space Affairs, the launch of world's first agriculture-focused satellite, AgriSAT-1 /ZA 008 is
expected to generate over USD 100 million in revenue for South Africa.
Key points about AgriSAT-1 /ZA 008:
• It was launched by Dragonfly Aerospace on a Space X Falcon 9 rocket.

• Being the world's first agriculture-focused satellite, it will provide high-quality data to the
agriculture and forestry industry for efficient and sustainable practices.
India's First Centre of Excellence in Online Gaming to be set up in Shillong .
• This was announced by Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill
Development & Entrepreneurship, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, at a function in Meghalaya's
capital.
J&K declared as 'Free Area' for purposes of Prevention and Control of Infectious
and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009
• Government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has declared the Whole Union Territory (UT) as "Free
Area" for purposes of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in
Animals Act, 2009.
• The declaration has been made in the exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (5) of section
6 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act,
2009, and in supersession of notification dated 5th
• September 2022, after the government of J&K on being satisfied that no cases of lumpy skin
disease (LSD) have been reported from any district of Union Territory of J&K.
Captain Surbhi Jakhmola Becomes 1st Woman Officer Posted on Foreign
Assignment at BRO
Captain SurbhiJakhmola, an Indian Army officer from 117 Engineer Regiment, has been posted in
the Project Dantak of Bhutan, she becomes the 1st woman officer to be posted on a foreign
assignment at the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Project Dantak:
i. Project Dantak, is an overseas project of the Border Roads Organisation under the Ministry of
Defence of India.
ii. Project Dantak was established in April 1961 as a result of the vision of His Majesty the Third
King and then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.
iii. The project identifies the importance of connectivity in spurring the socio-economic
development and growth of Bhutan. It is tasked to construct the pioneering motorable roads in
Bhutan.
India has surpassed china in population
India has surpassed China in terms of population. World Population Review announced that India has
become the most populous country in the world. By the end of 2022, India's population will be 141.7
crore and by January 18, 2023, this number will reach 142.3 crore. A company called Macro trends has
also estimated that the population of our country has reached 142.8 crores. It is known that the latest
reports have revealed that China's population has decreased for the first time in the last 60
years. Currently, the population of China is 141.2 crores. Although the United Nations has predicted
that India will surpass China's population by the end of 2023, the World Population Review has
revealed that India has already surpassed this record.

5G Drones
• Startup firm IG Drones Develops India's First 5G-enabled Drone, Skyhawk Startup firm IG Drones,
which was born out of the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) campus in Odisha's
Sambalpur has developed a 5G-enabled drone that is capable of vertical take-off and landing.
• As it's a VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing), it can be operated from any terrain without the need
for a conventional runway.
• The drone named Skyhawk can be used in defence and medical applications, among other sectors.
The drone can carry a 10 kg payload and has an endurance of around five hours.
European Union establishes its First Mainland Satellite Launch Port
• European Union Establishes Its First Mainland Satellite Launch Port
• The European Union (EU) has launched its first mainland orbital launch complex, "Spaceport
Esrange," a new satellite launch and reusable rocket test facility at Esrange Space Center near the
City of Kiruna in northern Sweden.
• It was inaugurated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, King of Sweden Carl
XVI Gustaf, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
• The EU will utilize it to complement its current launch capabilities in French Guiana.
Lyre Bird
• Australian Lyre Bird in Melghat Forest Region of Maharastra
• First Time in India
• Scientific Name: Menura
Jet fighter' godwit breaks world record for non-stop bird flight
• Bar Tailed Godwit Bird.
• Its scientific name is 'Limosalapponica'.
• It is a type of migratory birds...! Recently a godwit bird created a record by traveling more than
13 thousand kilometers non-stop for 11 days. Got a place in the Guinness book.
• The bird that left in the American state of Alaska. After 11 days, it reached Tasmania in Australia
and everyone shouted 'Hurrah...!’ It According to the Guinness World Records, the bird with the
tag number 234684 left from the state of Alaska in America on October 13 last year. After flying
into the wind in Alaska, enduring fatigue, conquering hunger pangs, traveling in the wind for
eleven and a half days, a long journey of 13,560 kilometers (8,435 miles) and landed in the state
of Tasmania, Australia. In 2020, it overturned the record of 217 miles traveled by another godwit
bird.
• The bird's distance traveled was recorded by a 5G satellite tag placed on the lower back of the
bird and slightly above the tail.
World's longest river cruise Ganga Vilas
• The distance from Varanasi to Dibrugarh is 3200 kilometers. During this journey, the cruise
goes through the river Ganges along with 27 other tributaries.
• Tourists will also visit around 50 tourist sites belonging to the world heritage during that time.

• Cruise Director Raj Singh said that there is a possibility of spending around 20 lakhs per tourist.
• Ganga Vilas Cruise from Varanasi will reach Patna in eight days. It passes through Buxar,
Ramnagar and Ghazipur. After that it will go to Kolkata via Parakka and Murshidabad in another
20 days. From there it goes to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. It will be a 15-day journey in the
Bangla rivers. It will re-enter India at Guwahati. After that finally reach Dibrugarh.
1st IVF Mobile Unit For animals
• 1st IVF Mobile Unit For animals at Amreli, Gujarat.
• Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Inaugurated the
mobile IVF lab.
• The Government of India and Amar Dairy jointly dedicated the IVF mobile Van.
Kerala Becomes Country's First Fully Digital Banking State
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in
its banking service and said this recognition would boost the state economy. Vijayan said this
achievement was possible due to social interventions through local self-government institutions
along with infrastructure development and technological advances in the banking sector.
A robot that will argue in court
• The world's first robot lawyer has been developed by the American company Dunatpay.
• It will argue the case in court on behalf of the man. The company has created a bot based on
artificial intelligence as an alternative to lawyers.
• It is going to hear arguments in a case related to violation of traffic rules in an American court
next month. However, there is no real robot. Not attending court. The defendant who attends the
court should wear earphones along with this app on his cell phone. This AI bot listens to the
arguments in the court and gives suggestions to the defendant in the court such as how to argue
and what point to raise.
Avni Chaturvedi is a lady fighter pilot for Japan Aeronautics.
Lady fighter pilot and squadron leader Avni Chaturvedi of the Indian Air Force has achieved a rare
honor. Fighter pilot Avni will be participating in the Air Force's combat maneuvers to be held in
Japan. This will be the first time that an IAF woman fighter pilot will participate in a foreign mission.
Army’s First 3-D Printed House Inaugurated in Gandhinagar for Jawans
• Indian Army’s first 3D printed houses built by Military Engineering Services (MES) in
collaboration with the Chennai-based start-up Tvasta was inaugurated at the south-Western
Air Command, Gandhinagar.
• Using this technology, a new house can be built in five days against four or five months in
conventional mode, the start-up claimed. Concrete 3-D printing is an automated manufacturing
method for constructing three-dimensional real-life structures. The technique utilizes a
concrete 3D printer that accepts a computerized three-dimensional design file from the user
and fabricates a 3D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a specialized type of
concrete specifically designed for the purpose.

• “These structures also stand testament for the solidarity of the Indian Armed Forces in
fostering home-grown technologies that are focused on indigenization of Defense technologies,
as a part of ‘Atma nir bhar Bharat,” the statement read.
World's first Palm-leaf Manuscript Museum in Kerala capital
• Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated the Palm leaf Manuscript Museum
with modern audio-visual technology at the renovated Central Archives, Fort area in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The Museum, promoted as “World’s First Palm-Leaf Manuscript
Museum” was set up by the Archives Department in association with the Kerala Museum of
History and Heritage at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
World’s largest Hockey Stadium
Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
▪ India's Biggest Hockey Stadium
▪ Total Capacity: 21,000
▪ Location: Rourkela, Odisha
▪ Construction cost: ₹260 Crore ($31 million)
▪ Inaugurated by: CM of Odisha Naveen Patnik
▪It is the largest all-seater field hockey stadium in the world.
India’s first underwater metro service through the Hoogly river
• India’s first underwater metro service, The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) said that
the East-West Metro Corridor project, is expected to be completed by December 2023. With
this, another feather is being added to the crown of Kolkata Metro, the first metro railway in
the country.
• Kolkata Metro, which started its journey in 1984, is being expanded to cover the whole city
and its outskirts. The underwater metro, which will be running through the Hoogly river will
connect the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata
Captain Shiva Chauhan
• Captain Shiva Chauhan is the first woman military officer to be actively assigned to the
world’s highest battleground, the Siachen Glacier.
• The officer was dispatched to the Kumar post in Siachen Glacier, situated at an altitude of
around 4755 meters.
Bharat Biotech Intranasal Covid 19 Vaccine -iNCOVACC
• An intranasal vaccine stimulates a broad immune response – neutralizing IgG, mucosal
IgA, and T cell responses.
• Immune responses at the site of infection (in the nasal mucosa) – essential for blocking
both infection and transmission of COVID-19.
• Developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech

Indigenously developed Vaccine for Cervical Cancer

Indigenous human papillomaviruses vaccine, Cervavac has been prepared to protect women from
cervical cancer. The Drug Controller General of India has approved the vaccine for cervical cancer
made by the Serum Institute of India and thus has become a part of the National Immunisation
Mission of the country.
Aska Police Station of Odisha Awarded as the Best Police Station in India
Aska Police Station of Odisha Awarded as the Best Police Station in India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah awarded the Aska Police Station of Ganja, district of Odisha as the
number one police station in the country.
Aska Police station was awarded in the annual ranking of Police station for 2022. Aska Police
station received the prestigious award along with the certificate of appreciation from Union
Minister Amit Shah.
Wayanad becomes first district in country to provide basic documents to all tribal people.
Wayanad becomes first district in country to provide basic documents to all tribal people.
Kerala's Wayanad becomes the first district in the country to provide basic documents and
facilities such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards,birth/death certificates, election ID cards, bank
accounts and health insurance to all tribespeople.
Apart from the basic documents, other services such as income certificates, ownership
certificates, age certificates, and applications for new pensions are also provided at the camps.
India's Deepest Metro Station
India's Deepest Metro Station to Come Up at Pune's Civil Court Interchange
Switzerland is the first WTO member to formally accept the new Agreement on
Fisheries Subsidies.
Switzerland is the first WTO member to formally accept the new Agreement on Fisheries
Subsidies.
Switzerland has become the first WTO member to formally submit its acceptance of the WTO's
new Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, paving the way for the historic agreement for ocean
sustainability to enter into force.
It will prohibit subsidies from being provided for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)
fishing, fishing in high seas and overfished stocks.
Indices – Reports
'Uttar Pradesh emerges top gaming destination'
• Report by: Mobile Premier League (Bengaluru,Karnataka)
• India's gaming market will reach $8.6 billion by 2027, as per India Mobile Gaming Report 2022.
• India's gaming market was worth $2.6 billion in the financial year 2022 and it will reach $8.6
billion by 2027 with a compounded annual growthrate of 27%.
HIGHEST SHARES OF GAMERS

• Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Ghaziabad and Allahabad

• Maharashtra: Pune, Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and Nashik Rajasthan: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur,
Alwar and Kota
• Bihar: Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur
• West Bengal: Kolkata, Midnapore, Murshidabad, Howrah and Darjeeling
People aged 65+ worldwide to more than double from 761 mn in 2021 to 1.6 bn
in 2050: UN
• The United Nations (UN) in its World Social Report 2023 projected that the number of people
aged 65 years or older worldwide will more than double from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion
in 2050.
• It is published by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2023
• Wetlands International's largest annual water bird census named "Asian Water Bird Census"
(AWC) 2023" began on January 7,2023, across Asia and Australasia simultaneously and will
conclude on January 22,2023.
• About AWC:
• AWC (started in 1987) is part of the International Waterbird census coordinated by Wetland
International
• In India, AWC is coordinated by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) (founded in 1883.
an NGO) and Wetland International (NGO).
• Significance: AWC supports the conservation of wetlands and water birds worldwide. AWC
data is used to promote national water bird and wetland conservation and for other initiatives
such as:
• Waterbird Population Estimates Programme (WI)
• Global Species Programme (Red List,by IUCN)
• Important Bird Area Programme (BirdLife international)
• Bonn Convention (for Migratory Species)
• Central Asian flyway Action plan
Japan has world's most powerful passport. Here's where India stands, 85th
• India was ranked at the 85th position, along with Mauritania and Uzbekistan, among 199
countries in a list of the world’s most powerful passports, said a report published.
• This Index is Released by London based Henley & Partners company
• Top countries: Japan, Singapore, South Korea are Top and Performing Countries

EXCERCISES & DEFENCE

VARUNA' - 2023
• The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France - Exercise Varuna
commenced on the Western Seaboard.
• While the bilateral exercise between the two navies was initiated in 1993, it was christened
as 'VARUNA' in 2001 and has become a hallmark of the India – France strategic bilateral
relationship.
• This edition of the exercise will see the participation of the Indian Navy's indigenous guided
missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol
aircraft P-8I and Dornier, integral helicopters, and MiG29K fighter aircraft.
• List of exercises between India and France:
• Army- SHAKTI
• Navy -VARUNA
• Air Force – GARUDA
Army Day Parade 2023 held in Bengaluru
• The Army Day was held outside New Delhi for the first time as part of the Centre's initiative
to take major events away from the National Capital Region to different parts of the country.
• This day recognizes the achievements of the first Indian Commander in Chief of the Indian
Army General (later Field Marshal) Kodandera Madappa (KM) Cariappa.
Exercise Cyclone-I
• The Indian and the Egyptian Armies are to conduct the first ever joint exercise Cyclone-I. It
held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan for 14 days.
• The exercise is the first of its kind as it brings the special forces of the countries to a common
platform. Cyclone-I would help the armies exchange their culture and ethos. Also, they will
foster interoperability and aid in boosting the diplomatic relation between the nations.
Soul of Steel
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches 'Soul of Steel' Alpine Challenge to Promote Tourism
in Border Areas .
• On 14th January 2023, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the "Soul of Steel"
Alpine Challenge to promote tourism in border areas during the event organised as a part of
the 7th Army Veterans' Day in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
• The "Soul of Steel" Alpine Challenge is the world's 1st Alpine skill and endurance challenge,
set to take place from January to June 2023.
AK-203
• India and Russia Joint Venture starts production of Kalashnikov AK-203
• The Indo-Russian joint venture for the of manufacturing Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles is
a testament to the strong partnership relations between the two countries.

• The move to manufacture these rifles in India through a joint venture not only lends greater
firepower to the Indian armed forces but also serves as a significant step in strengthening
military-technical cooperation between the two nations.
IL-38 Aircraft
• Indian Navy's IL-38 Aircraft will take part in the 74th Republic Day celebrations at the
Kartavya Path for the first time and perhaps the last time.
• It will be among the 50 aircraft including 9 Rafales of the Indian Air Force- will take part in
the event.
• IL-38 is a maritime reconnaissance aircraft that was commissioned into the Indian Navy in
1977 and remained a formidable air asset throughout its service life for nearly 44 years.
United States -Sri Lanka CARAT or MAREX-2023
• Sri Lanka and the United States are to conduct week-long joint military exercises in January
2023 to prepare for disaster relief and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific, amid China's
increasing military manoeuvres in the strategic region.
• The exercise, named Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)/Marine Exercise
(MAREX) Sri Lanka 2023, will involve participants from the SriLanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air
Force, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Maldives National Defence Force.
VAGIR
• The Indian Navy is set to commission the fifth of its diesel-electric Scorpene-class submarine
Vagir.
• Vagir is among the six submarines being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
Limited (MDL) Mumbai, in collaboration with the French M/s Naval Group under Project 75.
ICG Ship 'Kamla Devi', Fifth and Last vessel of FPV Series Commissioned at
Kolkata
• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Kamla Devi' the Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) which is designed,
built, and delivered by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd to Indian Coast
Guard was commissioned in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Veer Guardian-2023
• India and Japan to conduct joint exercise to strengthen cooperation in air defence
• The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) and the Indian Air Force will participate in the joint
air exercise "Veer Guardian-2023" starting on January 12 at Hyakuri Air Base in Japan.
• Four Su-30 MKI, two C-17, and one IL-78 aircraft from the Indian contingent will take part in
the air exercise, while four F-2 and four F-15 aircraft from the JASDF will take part.
BSF starts Ops Alert' exercise ahead of Republic Day
BSF starts “Ops Alert” exercise ahead of Republic Day.The Border Security Force (BSF) has
started an 'Ops Alert' exercise to enhance security along the India-Pakistan border in Kutch
district of Gujarat and Barmer in Rajasthan in view of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.

Exercise 'PRALAY'
The Indian Airforce is to conduct a massive military exercise near the Line of Actual Control.
The Government of India conducts such military exercises on the border to control the
infiltrations. Infiltrations are common in the Line of Control, India - Pakistan border, and Line of
Actual Control, India - China border. During these military exercises, there is a huge movement
of artilleries and soldiers to the border. Squadrons move and surround the region during the
exercises. This helps to keep a check on the trouble-causing elements at the border. The PRALAY
is to be conducted on the North Eastern border where Chinese infiltrations are rising these days.
AMPHEX 2023
Indian Navy conducted AMPHEX 2023 Mega Military Exercise in Andhra Pradesh
On 22nd January 2023, the Indian Navy (IN) conducted a six-day-long mega military exercise
"AMPHEX 2023", the largest biennial tri-services amphibious exercise involving the Indian
Army (IA) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh between 17th
January and 22nd January 2023.
The exercise witnessed the participation of a large number of troops from the Indian Army,
amphibious warships from the Indian Navy, and aircraft from the IAF.
TROPEX-23
It is a biennial (every two years) Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX),aimed
at "validating and refining" the Navy's concept of “operations" as well as to test overall combat
capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.
The first exercise of maritime surveillance was held in January 2019. It is also called the biggest
war game of the Indian Navy.
Tarkash 2023
It is a counter Terrorism Exercise between India's National Security Guard and US Special
Operations Forces scheduled at Chennai from 16 January 2023 to 14 February 2023
21 Andaman Islands named after ParamVir Chakra awardees
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23rd January named the 21 largest unnamed islands in the
Andaman & Nicobar archipelago after 21 ParamVir Chakra awardees.
IITs
IIT Guwahati signs MoU with AMTRON & RCH to Foster Drone Technology in
Northeast India
• The Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G), Assam, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (AMTRON) and
RC Hobbytech Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (RCH) to improve and advance drone-based technology in
Northeast India.
IIT Madras develops BharOS
• IIT Madras develops BharOS - India's Indigenous Mobile Operating System

• With the goal of creating a "self-reliant India, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras-
incubated firm has developed a mobile operating system 'BharOS' that can benefit India's
100 crore cellphone users in India.
• Developed indigenously, by JandK Operations Private Limited, a Company established by IIT
Madras, BharOS is a significant step towards developing robust indigenous digital
infrastructure in the country.
Saarang 2023’ India’s Largest Student-Run Festival -IIT Madras
The Saarang 2023 is one of the largest student-run festivals held completely in physical mode. It is
expected to see over 80,000 people at the festival.
Key Points
• The theme of this year’s Saarang edition is ‘Mystic Hues’ which celebrates how intertwined
colors are with culture and tradition.
• IIT Madras is hosting the Saarang 2023 after two years post Covid-19 pandemic.
• Saarang 2023 launched ‘Panacea’ for this year’s social cause.
• Panacea is a campaign aimed to encourage healthy habits to prevent disease outbreaks.
• This year, three new verticals are being introduced including Nova presents, Media
Confluence, Comics, and the Korean Fest.
• The Korean Fest will celebrate journalism, comic books and characters, and Korean culture.
RITES, IIT-Kanpur Sign MoU for A Sustainable Future
RITES, the transport infrastructure consultancy and engineering firm, signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur for mutual assistance and
cooperation to strengthen and develop a sustainable future by ‘Transforming to Green’.
The umbrella MoU pertains to exploring opportunities in the areas of sustainability, including ESG and
carbon-related works such as carbon neutrality in sectors such as steel, cement and power among
others. The agreement also includes R&D-related works on air quality sensors to align RITES with the
vision of MoEFCC and MoHUA to address air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste
management.
Soil test in 90 seconds-IIT Kanpur
• IIT Kanpur’s invention rapid soil-testing device BhuParikshak that came out last year has
been launched as a product in market. The device developed by a team led by Prof Jayant
Kumar Singh from the department of chemical engineering and others is licensed to an
agritech company, AgroNxt Services.
IIT Guwahati Develops Drone For Warehouse
• 'Warehouse drones' for warehouse management, 'Reaper drones' for military and law
enforcement and 'Ornithopter' based on the design of birds for surveillance in tight spaces
are among the various drones developed by the aeromodelling club at the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) Guwahati.
• The club is encouraging students to harness creativity, technology and innovation in
aeromodelling and develop smart drones with an easy interface for common people

IIT researchers efficiently make bioethanol from wood waste

• Ruminococcus flave faciens RfGH54, an endoglucanase enzyme, has been closely studied by
researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G).
• The enzyme converts woody biomatter into a simple sugar that can be efficiently fermented
to produce bioethanol.
• Among the many biofuels known, ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) is widely studied due to its
positive environmental impact.
• It is typically created through the fermentation of sugar and starch-containing raw materials.
• The study was part of a government-funded project to develop novel and efficient enzymes
for sustainable bioenergy, which was funded by the Government of India’s Department of
Biotechnology.
• Apart from bioethanol production, the multifunctionality of RfGH54 opens up new
possibilities for its use in the textile and food industries.
• Using specific fungi or bacteria, the produced glucose is easily fermented to bioethanol.
IIT Delhi to launch Abu Dhabi campus by 2024
Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed that a campus of the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi would soon start functioning in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement came after Muraleedharan attended a meeting with Indian association
representatives of the Northern Emirates.
INTERNATIONAL
India is worried about China's dam construction
India has expressed concern over the construction of a 60,000-megawatt capacity dam undertaken by
China on the borders of Arunachal Pradesh. The Central Electricity Department has revealed that
there is a possibility of diverting Chinese water through this dam being built on the YarlungTsangpo
(Brahmaputra) river. China has said that it is possible to stop the water through this dam and cause
flood situations or water scarcity in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. But officials said that India is
prepared to face any situation and has taken up the construction of dams in many places in Arunachal
Pradesh for water storage.
Russia Is Fourth Biggest Source of Imports for India
• Russia has now become India's fourth- largest trading partner, with imports from Russia
increasing five-fold to USD 32.9 billion between April - December 2022.
• India's higher imports from Russia are mostly due to two commodities: fertilizers and crude
oil.
• Russia has improved from being India's 20th largest source of imports in the previous fiscal
year (FY22).

`Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra`

• Indian Railways to run international train `Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra` connecting Ayodhya with
Janakpur in Nepal
• The two most important pilgrimage sites, Ayodhya and Janakpur, from the neighbouring
countries of India and Nepal will be covered by Indian Railways' Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC
Tourist Train on a special tour, "Shri Ram-Janaki Yatra: Ayodhya to Janakpur," railways
announced in a news.
• On February 17, 2023, the tourist train will depart from Delhi, boosting bilateral relations and
fostering cultural links between the two nations. The tourist train will include the visit of
Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Kashi, and Prayagraj as added attractions in the tour. There will be a
two-night stay in the hotels, one each at Janakpur and Varanasi, respectively, while the visit to
Ayodhya, Sitamarhi, and Prayagraj will be covered in the day halt at the destination.
India, UAE Signed Agreement on Green Hydrogen Development and Under Sea
Cable Connectivity
• Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, who is on a three-
day visit to Abu Dhabi, and UAE's (United Arab Emirates) Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
Suhail Al Mazrouei, signed the agreement on cooperation in the field of Green Hydrogen
Development and Investment.
• They also discussed the launch of a sub- sea cable between India and the UAE under the
Mission, 'ONE SUN, ONE WORLD, ONE GRID INITIATIVE' which is announced by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
• They also discussed opportunities in the field of power and renewable energy.
WHO Warns Against Use Of 2 Indian Cough Syrups Over Deaths Of 19 Children
in Uzbekistan
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings on two cough syrups of Indian
pharmaceutical company - Marion Biotech. It is advised not to use this medicine in children.
• WHO has said that two cough syrups belonging to the company do not meet the quality
standards and their sale should be completely banned.
• The WHO made the announcement in the wake of allegations that the tonic was linked to the
deaths of 19 children in Uzbekistan. WHO has said that strict measures should be taken
against the sale of Ambronol Syrup and DOK-1 Max Syrup of Marion Biotech Company in the
market.
India, Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear installations
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and prisoners. New Year's Eve followed
the tradition that has been going on for the past few years. He exchanged information about nuclear
facilities and prisoners belonging to India and Pakistan at the embassies of the two countries in
New Delhi and Islamabad. Since 1992, the two countries have exchanged details of nuclear
installations in order not to carry out attacks on them.

1,668 journalists killed in past 20 years (2003-2022)

A total of 1,668 Journalists have been killed worldwide with murders, contract killings,
ambushes, war zone deaths, and fatal injuries. These journalists have been killed in connection
with their work in the last two decades from 2003 to 2022. The reports gave an average of more
than 80 journalists being killed every year
Brazilian Government Declares Medical Emergency in Yanomami
Brazil's ministry of health has declared a medical emergency in the Yanomami territory.
The country's largest indigenous reservation bordering Venezuela, following reports of children
dying of malnutrition and other diseases caused by illegal gold mining.
A decree published by the incoming government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the
aim of the declaration was to restore health services to the Yanomami people that had been
dismantled by his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.
AWARDS
Jaga Mission
• Odisha has won the "Bronze Award" in the United Nations Human Settlements Programme's
(UN-Habitat) "World Habitat Awards 2023" for the Jaga Mission, a 5T programme of the
state.
• [5T: Transparency; Technology; Teamwork; Time & Transformation]
• Jaga Mission - 'Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission' is India's largest land titling and slum
upgrading initiative, and one of the largest in the world.
‘NaatuNaatu’ from ‘RRR’ wins Best original Song at Golden Globe Awards 2023...
• “NaatuNaatu” Song from SS Rajamouli’s Telugu film “RRR” won the Best Original Song-
Motion Picture. The award was shared among M M Keeravani, composer of the track, and
Chandrabose, lyricist of the song.
• ‘NaatuNaatu’ became the first Asian song to win a Golden Globes award.
• Keeravani received the trophy during the award ceremony.
CJI DY Chandrachud to be Conferred with “Award for Global Leadership”
• Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice DY Chandra chud, will be presented with the
'Award for Global Leadership' by Harvard Law School in America.
• The award was announced in recognition of lifetime services rendered to the field of law. It
was handed over in a virtual program on 11th of this month.
• Justice Chandra chud earned his LLM and Doctorate in Juridical Sciences (SJD) degrees from
the same school.
• He has been serving as the 50th Chief Justice of India since November 9 last year.

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar

The Prime Minister National Award for Children is also known as the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya
Bal Puraskar. It is conferred by the President of India. In 2023, the president will present this
award to 11 children (six boys and five girls) from 11 different states and union territories.
About the Award
The award is presented to children belonging to the age group 5 to 18 years
Categories in the award: Innovation, art and culture, sports, social service, bravery, and
scholastic Award recipients will receive a certificate, a medal, and a cash prize of one lakh
rupees Categories in the award:
Bal KalyanPuraskar: Children of age less than 18 years are awarded in this category
Bal Shakti Puraskar: Children of age between 5 years and 18 years are awarded in this category.
GEOGRAPHY RELATED ISSUES

2022 is the fifth hottest year on record
The average temperature of the Earth's surface will be the highest recorded in 2022, NASA
report concluded. As a result, that year became the fifth hottest year on record. The temperature
in 2022 is 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0.89 degrees Celsius, higher than the 1951-1980 average
temperature set by NASA.Tothis extent scientists from the Goddard Institute of Space Studies of
NASA in New York revealed.
Kilauea Volcano
Island's most dangerous volcano, Kilauea is erupting and spewing out massive amounts of
lava. According to the American Geological Survey, this is the largest earthquake in the last 40
years.
Meghalaya’s living root bridges
• Root bridges: Meghalaya
• Locally known as 'jingkiengiri'
• These sites have recently been added to the tentative UNESCO world heritage site list.
• These are naturally built bridges mainly built by firstly planting two rubber trees of the
Ficuselastica on either side of a river.
Machu Picchu
It is a 15th-century site.
Location: Machu Picchu is located 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Cuzco, Peru, in the Cordillera
de Vilcabamba of the Andes Mountains.
Machu Picchu is believed to have been built by Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth ruler of the
Inca, in the mid-1400s.It is made up of temples, palaces, terraces, monuments, complexes and
walls.

The city is divided into a lower and upper part, separating the farming from residential areas,
with a large square between the two.
Machu Picchu was abandoned when the Inca Empire was conquered by the Spaniards in the
sixteenth century.Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram
Bingham.It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.
CULTURE-HISTORY-HERITAGE
Purana Qila
Archaeological Survey of India, ASI is all set to begin excavation at Delhi's Purana Qila again -
third time after excavations in the year 2013-14 and 2017-18.
For the exposure and preservation of the trenches that were excavated in previous years.
Evidence of layers predating the Mauryan period was found.
Located in South Eastern part of New Delhi PuranaQilla, the 16th-century fort, was built by Sher
Shah Suri and second Mughal emperor Humayun.
The fort is standing on a site with thousands of years of history.
Norway Archaeologists find 'World's Oldest Runestone'
• Archaeologists in Norway have found the oldest runestone in the world.
• The inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic
history of runic writing in Oslo, Norway.
Jijabai Bhonsle
• Jijabai was born to MahalasabaiJadhav and LakhujiJadhav of Deulgaon, near Sindkhed, in
present-day Maharashtra.
• She was the mother of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She died at Pachad village
near Raigad Fort.
• She also renovated Kevareshwar Temple and TambadiJogeshwari Temple.
1200-year-old miniature votive stupas
• Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered two 1200-year-old miniature votive
stupas during landscaping activities near Sarai Tila mound on the premises of 'Nalanda
Mahavihara', a world heritage site in Nalanda district.
• The stupas, carved from stone, depict Buddha figures.
• What is a votive stupa?
• The form of the stupa, with its distinctive domelike drum, originates in eight cylindrical
structures in which the Buddha's relics were placed after his death.
Mukarram Jah, titular Nizam of Hyderabad dies in Turkey at 89
• MUKARRAM JAH Bahadur, the titular eighth Nizam of Hyderabad, passed away in Istanbul, a
statement issued by his office on behalf of the family said. He was 89.

• Jah, the successor and grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Osman Ali Khan
Bahadur, was living in Turkey.
• Born to Prince Azam Jah and Princess DurruShehvar, the imperial princess of the Ottoman
Empire, on October 6, 1933 in France, Mukarram ah was coronated as Asaf Jah the Eighth on
April 6, 1967, after the passing away of Mir Osman Ali Khan in February 1967.
Thiruvalluvar Day
• The Prime Minister, has paid homage to Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day and recalled his
noble thoughts. He also urged the youth to read the Kural.
About Thiruvalluvar:
• Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.
• He contributed the Tirukkural or Kural' to the Sangam literature.
• Tirukkural is comprised of 133 sections of 10 couplets each divided into three books: Aram
(virtue), Porul (government and society), and Kamam (love).
Ottanthullal
• Ottanthullal (or Thullal, in short) is recite-and-dance art-form of Kerala
• Strictly follows principles of Natya Shastra written by Bharatmuni.
• It is performed solo and is conducted during temple festivals from temple premises.
• The performer is called Thullalkaran
• A great Malayalam poet called KunchanNambiyar introduced Thullal in the 18th century.
Sagol Kangjei
• Home Minister inaugurated a 122-foot-tall statue of a polo player astride a Manipur Pony in
Imphal.
Important findings from Juna Khatiya
Excavations at one of the biggest necropolises at JunaKhatiya village (Kutch, Gujarat) show rows
of graves with valuable items such as Ceramic pots, beaded jewellery, animal bones etc.They date
back to 3200BCE to 2600BCE (predating several other Harappan sites).Dholavira ( a UNESCO
world heritage site in Gujarat) has a cemetery in and around the town, but no major habitation has
been discovered around Juan Khatiya.
Dhunuyatra Festival
DhanuYatra Festival of Odisha is the 11-day festival of the masses. During the
DhanuYatraFestival, which held every year at the end of the harvesting of paddy in Odisha,
episodes related to Bhagawan Shri Krishna are presented through folk art forms which touch
the hearts of millions of people....

AP Govt Introduces Lesson on India’s First Muslim Woman Teacher Fatima

Sheikh
• The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a lesson on the contribution of Fatima
Sheikh in the textbooks of the eighth class. Fatima Sheikh was India’s first woman Muslim
teacher and one of India’s greatest social reformers and educators.
• She was known to have given shelter to Jyoti Rao Phule and Savitribai, the well-known social
reformer couple who worked for the education of girl child
Rani Velu Nachiyar
Recently, the Prime Minister of India has paid tributes to Rani Velu Nachiyar on her birth
anniversary
About QUEEN VELU NACHIAR (3 January 1730 – 25 December 1796):
• She was the first queen to fight against the British colonial power in India.
• She is known by Tamils as Veeramangai.
• She was the princess of Ramanathapuram and the only child of Raja
Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathy and Rani Sakandhimuthal of the
Ramnad kingdom.
• She was trained in war to match weapons usage, martial arts like Valari, Silambam
(fighting using a stick), horse riding, and archery.
• She was a scholar in many languages and she had proficiency with languages
like French, English and Urdu.
• She married the king of Sivagangai, with whom she had a daughter.
• She succeeded her husband in 1780 and She granted powers to the Marudu brothers
to administer the country in 1780.
• She died a few years later, on 25 December 1796.
Dalits enter Perumal temple for first time
Around 250 members of the Dalit community entered the 200-year-old Sri VaradharajaPerumal
temple at Eduthavainatham village in Kallakurichi district for first time.
Ahom burial sites to vie for UNESCO tag
Centre chooses Assam's CharaideoMaidams from 52 sites across the country to be nominated
for World Heritage Site status.
Centre has decided to nominate Assam's CharaideoMaidams, the Ahom equivalent of the ancient
Egyptian pyramids for the UNESCO World Heritage Site status this year.There is currently no
World Heritage Site in the category of cultural heritage in the northeast.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the Madams, representing the late medieval (13th-19th
century CE) mound burial tradition of the Tai Ahom community in Assam,from among 52 sites
across the country seeking the World Heritage Site tag.

The Ahom rule lasted for about 600 years until the British annexed Assam in 1826.Charaideo,
more than 400 km east of Guwahati, was the first capital of the Ahom dynasty founded by Chao
Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1253.
Swami Sahajanand Saraswati
The union home minister will take part in a celebration commemorating farmer leader Swami
Sahajanand Saraswati's birth anniversary in Patna, Bihar.
He (real name Navrang Rai) was an ascetic, a nationalist and a peasant leader of India.
The Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS) was founded by Saraswati in 1929 to address
peasants' complaints about zamindari attacks on their occupancy rights, and served as the
foundation for the farmers' movements in India.
Ajmer sharifdargah
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over Chadar which would be offered on the Urs of
Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at the Aimer Sharif Dargah.
It is a Sufi tomb (dargah) of the revered Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti, located at Ajmer,
Rajasthan, India. The shrine has Chishti's grave (Maqbara).
All the member of committee of Dargahal known as "Khadims’ Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th
century Sufi saint and philosopher during the reign of the Sultan Iltutmish
The white marble dome of Chishti's shrine, as seen today, was built in 1532.
SUMMITS
Gol to Hold the First Global Tourism Summit in April 2023 As Part of Its G-20
Presidency.
• As part of its Group of Twenty (G20) presidency, the Government of India (Gol) will host the
country's first "Global Tourism Investors Summit 2023" in April 2023, with participation
from all G20 members.
• The summit would showcase India's "major tourist destinations" to a global audience, with
stakeholders from various state governments.
World Economic Forum
• The Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF) concluded at Davos in Switzerland.
• The theme for this year's WEF meeting is, Cooperation in a Fragmented World’.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
• It is a Swiss nonprofit foundation established in 1971, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
• It is recognised by the Swiss authorities as an international institution for public-private
cooperation.
• The Founder and Executive Chairman of WEF is Klaus Schwab.
Major reports by WEF
• Energy Transition Index

• Global Competitiveness Report

• Global IT Report (WEF along with INSEAD, and Cornell University publishes this report),
• Global Gender Gap Report
• Global Risk Report
• Global Travel and Tourism Report.
14th World Spice Congress
• The 14th World Spice Congress will be held from February 16 to 18, 2023 at CIDCO
Exhibition and Convention Centre, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The World Spice Congress, which is organized by Spices Board India along with various
trade and export forums, will be conducted on the side lines of India's G20 presidency.
• The theme chosen for the current edition of WSC is Vision 2030: SPICES' (Sustainability-
Productivity - Innovation Collaboration- Excellence and Safety)."
International Tourism Fair FITUR 2023 kicks off in Madrid
• FITUR means Feria Internacional del Turismo.
• FITUR is the global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for
inbound and outbound markets in Latin America.
• FITUR is the second most important tourism fair in the world. Around 10,000 national and
international companies take part in each edition and there are more than 50,000 visitors.
India Assumes Presidency of 13th International Renewable Energy Agency
• India has assumed the presidency of the 13 th assembly of the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA), the first international organisation solely dedicated to renewable
energy, which was held from January 13-15, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
(UAE).
• The theme of the 13th IRENA assembly is "World Energy Transitions: The Global Stocktake."
8th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF)
The 8th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) was recently inaugurated at the
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
The theme of the four-day festival is "Marching towards AmritKaal with Science, Technology,
and Innovation"
India International Science Festival (IISF) is an initiative of Ministry of Science and Technology
and Ministry of Earth Science of Government of India in association with VijnanaBharati which
is a science movement with Swadeshi spirit lead by eminent scientists of the country.
Jammu and Kashmir Government to Host its First SARAS Fair 2023
The Jammu and Kashmir Government is set to host their first SARAS Fair 2023 from 4th
February to 14th February 2023. In the SARAS Fair 2023, artisans and women’s self-help groups
from across the country will showcase their crafts, Handicrafts, handloom, and food. The fair
would be organized at Bagh-e-Bahu, in Jammu.

The fair is expected to witness the participation of women's self-help groups from around 15
states and UTs across the country.
CONSTITUTION & POLITICS
Kollam is India's first Constitution- literate district.

• As part of the ambitious campaign, around 16.3 lakh people in the district above the age of
10 have been educated on various aspects of the Constitution and the strenuous process
involved 2.200 trainers called 'senators'.
• During the seven-month campaign, the senators visited schools, offices, auto stands and
tribal councils to spread awareness.
• As part of the campaign, the Preamble of the Constitution has been distributed in all
households and installed at government, quasi-government and private institutions and
schools.
Article -176 Constitution of India
The Tamil Nadu Governor’s skipping of portions of the address prepared by the government and the
walkout from the Assembly demonstrates the trust deficit between the governor and the chief
minister.
Article 176 - At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the Legislative
Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the Governor shall address the
Legislative Assembly
Electronic Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) project to provide access to
judgements
• CJI announces launch of electronic Supreme Court Reports (e-SCR) project to provide access
to judgements
SC on freedom of speech
• A Constitution Bench of Justices S Abdul Nazeer, AS Bopanna, BR Gavai, V Ramasubramanian
and BV Nagarathna held that the restrictions on freedom of speech of public functionaries
cannot go beyond what is prescribed under Article 19(2) of the Constitution, which are
exhaustive and applicable to all citizens.
Article 223 of the Constitution of India
Justice Sabina appointed Acting Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court

SPORTS
ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup: India beat England to win the inaugural
Women’s U19 T20 World Cup
India beat England in the first-ever ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup final in Potchefstroom, South
Africa. India bowled out England for a paltry 68 and won by 7 wkts. This is the first ICC trophy India
has won in women’s cricket.
The Indian women’s cricket team has never won a World Cup at any level. The seniors reached the
World Cup final on three occasions across formats but failed to go the distance. Bowling first, India
cleaned up the English side for mere 68 runs in 17.1 overs.
England captain and stellar all-rounder Grace Scrivens has been named Player of the Tournament
after a run of outstanding performances with bat and ball.
Titas Sadhu of India poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC Women’s U19
T20 World Cup 2023 Final match
Hockey World Cup 2023: Germany beat Belgium 5-4 in the finals
Germany beat Belgium 5-4 in the penalty shootout to win the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 at
the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. The scores were level at the end of regulation time at 3-
3.
This is Germany’s third Hockey World Cup title after they won it in 2002 and 2006. With this, they
draw level with Netherlands and Australia. Germany also became the fourth team to register a
come-from-behind win in a World Cup final. From a 2-0 deficit to a 3-2 to lead and ultimately a
shootout, they eventually became champions.
Information related to Hockey
As the FIH Hockey World Cup kicked off in Odisha (in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela), here is little
information about the game.
About Hockey:
• Field hockey is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each on a rectangular
field with white lines on the blue AstroTurf.
• To score a goal, the scorer has to enter the opposition D- the D-shaped box 16 yards in front
of the goal. A shot from outside the D is not counted.
• Types of hockey hit: Scoop, Flick, Tomahawk (reverse backhand), Jink
• Fouls: The ball touching your feet, tackling from behind, third-party interference (two
players are not allowed to tackle an attacking player at the same time), obstruction (when a
player or a stick comes in between the ball and the other plaver) and dangerous play.
• Fouls are penalized in different ways: Free hits, Penalty Corners, Penalty strokes.
• India's Performance in Men's Hockey
• India was the first non-European team to be a part of the International Hockey Federation.

• India's hockey team is the most successful team ever in the Olympics, having won a total of
eight gold medals
• India also has the best overall performance in Olympic history with 83 victories out of the
134 matches played.
• They have also scored more goals in the Olympics than any other team.
• They are also the only team ever to win the Olympics without conceding a single goal, having
done so in 1928 and 1956.
• Major player: Major Dhyan Chand was an Indian field hockey player, widely
• regarded as one of the greatest field hockey players in history
• A century later, a clearer picture of how mercury becomes a superconductor
Superconductivity was first discovered in mercury, yet scientists required 111 years to
explain how it becomes superconducting.
• In 1911, Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Ones discovered super conductivity in mercury.
He found that at a very low temperature, called the threshold temperature, solid mercury
offers no resistance to the flow of electric current.
Australian Open 2023
Novak Djokovic defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of men’s singles match of the Australian Open
2023. Djokovic wins 10th Australian Open and 22nd grand slam. He levels Rafael Nadal with his 22nd
Grand Slam title.
In the Women’s Singles category, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina in the final, 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
to win the women’s singles tennis title at the 2023 Australian Open
MEN'S SINGLES
Winner: Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
Opp: Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece)
WOMEN'S SINGLES
Winner: Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus)
Opp: Elena Rybakina (Russia)
MEN'S DOUBLES
Winners: Jason Kubler& Rinky Hijikata
Opp: Hugo Nys & Jan Zielinski
WOMEN'S DOUBLES
Winners: B. Krejcíková & K. Siniaková
Opp: S. Aoyama & E. Shibahara
MIXED DOUBLES
Winners: L. Stefani& R. Matos
Opp: R. Bopanna & S. Mirza

Indian Opener Shubhman Gill hits double century off 149 balls
• India Vs New Zealand: Indian batter Shubman Gill has smashed three sixes on the trot to
reach his double hundred (208 off 149 with 4s-19 and 6s-9) and become only the eighth and
the youngest player (23 years) in ODI history.
Hashim Amla retires from all forms of cricket
Hashim Amla, South Africa’s second-highest Test run-scorer of all time, has announced his
retirement from all forms of cricket at the age of 39. He amassed 9282 runs in 124 Tests – second
only to Jacques Kallis, hit 27 ODI hundreds and piled up 18672 runs in all formats for South Africa.
Mary Kom-led IOA committee to probe wrestlers' claims
The Indian Olympic Association formed a seven-member committee, headed by M C Mary Kom,
to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India president
BrijBhushan Sharan Singh
79th Grandmaster of India M. Pranesh
• M. Pranesh from Tamil Nadu won the Rilton Cup competition.
• With this victory, he became the 79th Grandmaster of India.
France's World Cup-winning goalkeeper and captain, Hugo Lloris, announced
his retirement from international football
World Cup winner Hugo Lloris retired from playing for France on Monday after a record 145
appearances. Lloris won the 2018 World Cup and was captain of the squad that lost to Argentina in
the final in Qatar last month. The 36-year-old goalkeeper told L'Equipe newspaper he will focus on
his Tottenham club career in the English Premier League.
Former Australian captain Belinda Clark receives statue honour
Former Australia captain becomes first female cricketer to have statue. Belinda Clark was
honoured for her incredible career as a pioneer for women's cricket and sport with a statue placed
alongside fellow Australian icons at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Football legend Pele dies at 82
• Pele, the Brazil footballing legend and three-time World Cup winner, has died at the age of
82.
• He was widely considered to be football's first global superstar.
• Pele had been treated for colon cancer, following surgery to remove a tumour in September
2021.
• He had been hospitalised since November with multiple ailments.
Koneru Humpy won Silver at the World Chess Blitz Championship.
• Former World rapid champion K. Humpy produced a superlative performance to claim
India’s first-ever silver medal from the World blitz chess championship that concluded in
Almaty, Kazakhstan.
• Humpy defeated China’s Zhongyi Tan to win Silver in the 17th and final round.

• Fourth-seeded Humpy scored an impressive 12.5 points, just half a point behind the gold
medal winner Bibisara Balabayeva of Kazakhstan.
• Humpy is the second Indian to win a medal at World Blitz, after Viswanathan Anand.
Nisha emerges victorious at National Gymnastics Championship
• Nishka Agarwal, a 14-year-old girl from Hyderabad has made Telangana proud by becoming
the National champion at the 57th Junior National Gymnastic Championship.
• The event was held in Kerala from 30 December 2022 to 2 January 2023. It's after 12 years
that Telangana is seeing such an achievement. In 2011, Aruna Reddy from the state won the
title.
ICC Men’s and Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2022
ICC Men’s and Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2022 revealed
ICC Founded: 15 June 1909;
ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay;
ICC CEO: Geoff Allardice;
ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
ICC awards winners for 2022
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy: Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy: Nat Sciver (England)
Men's Test Cricketer of the Year: Ben Stokes (England)
Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year: Babar Azam
Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year: Nat Sciver
Men's T20 International Cricketer of the Year: Suryakumar Yadav (India)
Women's T20 International Cricketer of the Year: Talia McGrath (Australia)
Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Marco Jansen (South Africa)
Women's Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Renuka Singh (India)
Men's Associate Cricketer of the Year: Gerard Erasmus (Namibia)
Women's Associate Cricketer of the Year: EshaOza (India)
David Shepherd Trophy: Richard Illingworth (England)
ICC T20 Cricketer of the year 2022
Indian middle-order batter Surya kumar Yadav was named the Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year by the
International Cricket Council (ICC). Surya kumar became the first Indian batter to score 1000 runs or
more in a calendar year during the 2022 season. The Indian batter had also dethroned Pakistan's
Mohammad Rizwan by becoming the new No.1 batter in the ICC T20I rankings last year.

BOOKS
Come! Let's Run: English translation of Book Authored by Tamil Nadu Health
Minister Released
• The English version of the book titled 'Come! Let's Run' by Tamil Nadu Health and Family
Welfare Minister, Ma. Subramanian was released by Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former
Captain of the Indian Cricket team.
• The Tamil version of the same book titled 'Odalam Vanga' was released on March 8, 2021.
• The book was published by Emerald Publishers and the English translation was done by
Geeta Padmanaban (a teacher) along with J. Joicy and Sharon.
India's Knowledge Supremacy
India's Knowledge Supremacy: The New Dawn" Book Written by Dr Ashwin Fernandes released
A book titled "India's Knowledge Supremacy:
The New Dawn" Written by international Indian expat; Dr Ashwin Fernandes has released
globally.
This book was launched by Honourable Minister of Education of India Shri Dharmendra
Pradhan, at an event at Dr.Ambedkar International Centre. This New book launched focuses on
India's knowledge supremacy, journey showcasing changing trends in newly emerging India.
Ex-CJI RanjanGogoi Releases Assam CM's Book "Mukhyamantrir Diary 1
• Ex-CJI RanjanGogoi Releases Assam CM's Book "Mukhyamantrir Diary 1"Rajya Sabha
Member of Parliament (MP) and former Chief Justice of India (CJI) RanjanGogoi launched the
book "Mukhyamantrir Diary 1" authored by HimantaBiswaSarma,Chief Minister (CM) of
Assam. The book chronicles the daily activities of the HimantaBiswaSarma, during the 1st
year ofhis tenure as CM.
"Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom,"
• Author: Noted Economist and Popular Historian Sanjeev Sanyal
A Life in Movie- Irrfan Khan’s Iconic Life
“Jadunama” book written on veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar by Arvind

Mandloi
BRAVING A VIRAL STORM: India’s Covid-19 Vaccine Story – Author AASHISH

CHANDORKAR AND SURAJ SUDHIR
Dhoni releases autobiography of Prof. K.K. Abdul Gaffar

Techno-educationalist, Professor K.K. Abdul Gaffar’s autobiography, ‘Njaan Sakshi’ (me as the
witness), was released by cricket legend Mahendra Singh Dhon

Environmental issues
Don't share details of Joshimath survey with media: NDMA

• Don't share details of Joshimath survey with media: NDMA
• After the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a report that Joshimath sank 5.4
cm between December 27 and January8, the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA) directed all departments and organisations involved in survey and data collection in
the Uttarakhand town hit by land subsidence not to interact with the media or share data on
social media.
Neelakurinii
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has listed Neelakurinji
(Strobilantheskunthiana) under Schedule Ill of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including it
on the list of protected plants.
Rare species of duck sighted in Manipur's Loktak lake after over 90 years
• A rare species of duck, Greater Scaup, locally known as Sadangman, was recently sighted in
Loktaklake in Manipur's Bishnupur district after a gap of over 90 years.
• About Greater Scaup:
• IUCN Status: Least Concern
• The greater scaup (Aythyamarila) is a medium-sized diving duck belonging to the family
• The greater scup species is distributed in Asia, Europe, the United States, and Canada.
• It is a rare visitor to the Indian Subcontinent.
Spot Bellied Eagle Owl
• A 'Spot Bellied Eagle Owl' (Bubo Nipalensis) was spotted for the first time in the
Seshachalam forest, and for the third time in Andhra Pradesh.
• About Spot Bellied Eagle Owl:
• The bold predatory bird, measuring 20- 25 inches in length and weighing between 1.5 kg
and 2 kg, feeds on small rodents and lizards.
• The bird makes a strange scream similar to humans and it is hence called the 'Ghost of the
Forest' in India and 'Devil Bird' in Sri Lanka
• It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia
• IUCN Status: Least Concern
Rare dinosaur eggs
Rare dinosaur eggs found in Narmada Valley show how ancient reptiles shared traits with
today's birds: Study.
A group of Indian researchers found rare cases of fossilized dinosaur eggs - an egg within an egg
among 256 newly discovered eggs from the Narmada Valley.

National capital Delhi has emerged as the most polluted city in the country-
NCAP REPORT
• National capital Delhi has emerged as the most polluted city in the country. The National
Clean Air Program (NCAP) 2022 report revealed this.
• The report noted that the tiny dust particle pollution in the air here is twice the safe limit of
2.5 pm levels. However, in the last four years, Delhi's pollution has come down by seven
percent.
• In 2019, it was 108 micrograms per cubic meter, which has come down to 99.71 micrograms
in 2022. The NCAP aims to reduce this pollution by 20 to 30 per cent by 2024.
• Faridabad in Haryana ranks second among the most polluted cities after Delhi with 95.64
micrograms per cubic meter. Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh came third with 91.25 micrograms.
• To reduce air pollution in 102 cities of the country, the central government has established
NCAP at the national level on January 10, 2019.
Assam Took Rhino Poaching Down to Numero Zero In 2022
No rhino poaching incident was reported in Assam in 2022. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa
Sarma, while interacting with reporters on the first day of 2023 on Sunday, apprised the people
of this positive news. Sharing the data of year-wise rhino poaching incidents in the state, GP
Singh, Special DGP of Assam, taking to Twitter, said: "Our efforts against rhino poaching have
yielded good results. In 2022, not a single rhino was killed by poachers in Assam. The last such
incident happened on December 28, 2021, in Hilkund, Kohora, Golaghat district. Our efforts
against poaching will continue."
Union Cabinet approves National Green Hydrogen Mission
• It aims to make India a ‘global hub’ for using, producing and exporting green hydrogen
• Developing green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne)
per annum, alongside adding renewable energy capacity of about 125 GW (gigawatt) in
India by 2030.
• It aims to entail over Rs 8 lakh crore of total investments and is expected to generate six
lakh jobs.
Visakhapatnam Railway Station awarded ‘Green Railway Station Certificate’
East Coast Railways ‘Visakhapatnam railway station has received the prestigious ‘Green Railway
Station Certification’ with the highest Platinum rating. The certificate has been awarded by the
Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for adopting green concepts. It secured 82 out of 100
points in six environmental categories.
SankhyaSagar
Madhya Pradesh's newest Ramsar wetland covered in invasive water Hyacinth, threatening
biodiversity.
An artificial lake in MP's Shivpuri district SankhyaSagar, has virtually disappeared under a thick
layer of an invasive aquatic plant (hyacinth), threatening the biodiversity of the water body.

SankhyaSagar - a Ramsar site (declared in 2022), is a wetland site designated internationally

important by UNESCO.
The lake spreads across 248 hectares (612.82 acres) and helps maintain the ecological balance
of the Madhav National Park.
The lake is home to marsh crocodiles aka 'Mugger' (Crocodyluspalustris), which is a Schedule I
reptilian species protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act. 1972.
Haiderpur Wetland
The Union Environment Ministry has recently directed Uttar Pradesh to immediately stop the
further draining of the Haiderpur wetland and ensure that dewatering the protected Ramsar
site for farming needs takes place only when migratory birds are not nesting at the location.
About Haiderpur wetland:
It is a human-made wetland that was formed in 1984 by the construction of the Madhya Ganga
Barrage on a floodplain of the river Ganga.
Location: Muzaffarnagar-Bijnor border in Uttar Pradesh. It is located within the boundaries of
Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary.
This provides habitat for various animal and plant species, including around 30 species of
plants, 300 species of birds (102 waterbirds), 40 fish and more than ten mammal species.
It supports more than 15 globally threatened species, such as the critically endangered gharial
and the endangered hog deer, black-bellied tern, steppe eagle, Indian skimmer and gold
mahseer.
It has been recognised as the 47th Ramsar site of India in 2021.
Bhoj wetland
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and
Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) to periodically monitor the activities of a
cruise vessel polluting the Bhoj wetland in Bhopal, MP.
A mid-sized cruise vessel can consume 150 tonnes of fuel each day and dump toxic waste in
water.
Bhoj wetland:
It is located around Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh
The wetland is also a Ramsar site with international importance.
It has two lakes, Upper Lake, also called Bhojtal and Lower Lake or ChhotaTalaab.
It provides drinking water to 1.2 million people, Pandey highlighted during the January 10
hearing.
Chinampas: Floating Gardens made of Plastic bottles
In Singapore, a group of volunteers are encouraging people to turn plastic bottles into mini
floating gardens, known as chinampas.
Origin: It was used as an ancient farming technique by the Aztecs (Mexico), who built artificial
floating islands in lakes and found a way to grow plants and food on them.

Usage: This can be used as an innovative example to recycle and reuse plastic bottles.
Olive Ridley Turtles (Lepidochelysolivacea)
The villagers in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh reported that Olive Ridley Turtles
hundreds of Olive Ridley turtles were washed ashore. This is the annual breeding season of
Olive Ridley turtles, that is, between February and March.
During this time, the females come to the shore to lay eggs. Unfortunately, their population is
declining due to several reasons such as fishing nets, plastics, etc.
In India, the turtle’s nest in the Gahirmatha beach the beach is one of the largest nesting sites of
the Olive Ridley Turtles in the world.
They are also known as the Pacific Ridley Turtles.
The IUCN categorizes these turtles as "Vulnerable" CITES put them under "APPENDIX I". They
are found in the Indian Ocean, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.
ECONOMY
India to become $26 trillion economy by 2047: EY report

• India to become $26 trillion economy by 2047: EY report
• Ernst &Young, released a report titled India@100: Realizing the potential of a US$26 trillion
economy. According to the estimates
• Indian economy will reach GDP size of US$26 trillion by 2047, the 100th year of the
country’s independence.
• The per capita income is expected to increase to US$15,000, putting the country among the
ranks of developed economies.
Gujarat and Rajasthan Emerge as Top Investment Destinations in India
• According to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Gujarat has
surpassed all other Indian states in attracting new investments from both domestic and
foreign corporations. Fresh investments worth Rs 3.98 trillion were announced for Gujarat
during the financial year (FY) 2022, representing a 273 percent increase over the FY 2021
figure of Rs 2.91 trillion.
• Rajasthan, on the other hand, emerged as the second most attractive destination for
investments in India in FY 2022.
Supreme Court Verdict on Demonetisation
• A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has upheld the Union Government’s 2016
decision to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 by a 4:1 majority.
Circulation of notes doubled
After demonetization, Arends passed. Since then, digital transactions have increased. However, the
wind is running without the use of notes. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the use of notes is still

doubling. According to the details of the Reserve Bank of India. As of last December 23, cash worth Rs.
32.42 crores is in the hands of the people Same. At the time of demonetisation in 2016, people had
only Rs 17.74 lakh crore. That is, the use of notes has increased by 83 percent. On December 19, Union
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that the number of currency notes with people has also
increased by 30 percent.
RBI Utkarsh 2.0
• Utkarsh 2.0 addresses the period 2023-25. It harnesses the strengths of Utkarsh 2022 by
retaining the six vision statements as well as core purpose, values, and mission.
• The six vision statements are:
• excellence in performance of its statutory and other functions,
• strengthened trust of citizens and institutions in the RBI,
• enhanced relevance and significance in national and global roles,
• transparent, accountable and ethics-driven internal governance,
• best-in-class and environment-friendly digital and physical infrastructure and
• innovative, dynamic and skilled human resources will guide the strategy.
Brazil and Argentina to Preparations for a Common Currency
Brazil and Argentina aim for greater economic integration, including the development of a
common currency, Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentine leader Alberto Fernandez said in a joint article they penned.
They also decided to advance discussions on a common South American currency that can be
used for both financial and commercial flows, reducing costs of operations and external
vulnerability.
The plan, set to be discussed at a summit in Buenos Aires, will focus on how a new currency
which Brazil suggests calling the "sur" (south) could boost regional trade and reduce reliance on
the U.S. dollar.
JLN Port Upgradation
ADB & NSFTPL Signs USD 131 Million Loan to Support the JLN Port Upgradation & Enhance
International Trade
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and NhavaSheva Freeport Terminal Private Limited
(NSFTPL) signed USD 131 million loan to upgrade the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Port Container
Terminal located in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra to enhance international trade in India through
efficient, transparent, and state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President - MasatsuguAsakawa
Headquarters- Mandaluyong city, Metro Manila, Philippines
Members - 68 members (49 from Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside)

Important dates & events
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023

• The 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2023 Convention will be held in Indore (Madhya Pradesh),
India from 8-10 January, 2023.
• The theme of this PBD Convention is "Diaspora: Reliable partners for India's progress in
AmritKaal”
• 9 January commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.
To mark this day, the tradition of celebrating Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) started in 2003.
1st PBD Convention was organised on 9 January 2003 to mark the contribution of the
overseas Indian community to the development of India.
National Youth Day
• National Youth Day is celebrated every year on January 12 to mark the 160th birth
anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Every year on this occasion, the government organises
National Youth Festival in collaboration with one state willing to host from January 12 to
January 16. This year Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurate the festival on January 12 in
Huballi, Karnataka.
• Theme: “ViksitYuva – Viksit Bharat (Developed Youth – Developed India)”.
• In the year 1985, the government had declared the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda,
January 12, as ‘National Youth Day’. Since then, all the centres of Ramakrishna Math and
Ramakrishna Mission have been celebrating the occasion through various programmes.
National Startup Day 2023
• National Startup Day is celebrated annually on January 16th in India, to recognize and
promote the country's vibrant startup ecosystem.
• The day is marked by a week-long event, the Startup India Innovation Week, organized by
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Parakram Diwas
• Parakram Diwas is annually observed across India on January 23 to commemorate the birth
anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, fondly known as "Netaji".23rd January
2023 marks the 126th birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.Netaji's Memorial, a
National Memorial dedicatedto Netaji will be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep.In
2021, the Government of India declared January 23 as ParakramDiwas to honour the selfless
contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to India's freedom movements.The 1st ever
ParakramDiwas was observed on 23rd January 2021 on the 124 th birth anniversary of
Netaji.Subhash Chandra Bose Date of Birth 23rd January 1897.

National Girl Child Day 2023

• National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is annually observed across India on January 24 to spread
public awareness about inequities that girls face in Indian society. The day also promotes
awareness about the rights of the girl child.The day is observed by holding a variety of
events to honour girls.National Girl Child Day was established in 2008 by the Ministry of
Women and Child Development (MoWCD). The 1st ever National Girl Child Day was
observed on 24th January 2008.
• Theme: "Self Defence Training for Girls"
International Day of Education 2023
• United Nations (UN)'s International Day of Education (IDE) is annually observed across the
globe on January 24 to celebrate the role of education in peace and development. 24th
January 2023 marks the 5th observation of International Day of Education. The United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/73/25 on 3rd December
2018 and proclaimed January 24 of every year observed as International Day of Education.
The theme of International Day of Education 2023 is "to invest in people, prioritize
education".
13th National Voters Day
• India celebrated its 13th National Voters Day on January 25. The first NVD was celebrated in
2011. The Election Commission of India will host the celebrations. “Nothing Like Voting. I
Vote for Sure” The theme conveys the aspirations of the citizens to vote in the elections
conducted in the country. ECI has designed a logo marking the theme. The logo has Ashok
Chakra, a tick mark, and the wordings of the theme. The ECI screened the song "MAIN HOON
BHARAT" on NVD, 2023.It was composed in association with Subhash Ghai Foundation. Song
speaks about the power of voting.
National Tourism Day
• The Government of India is celebrating this year National Tourism Day at Pochampally of
Telangana.
• In 2021, the United Nations World Tourism Organization selected the village as one of the
Best Tourism Villages in the world, and therefore, the Indian Government is launching its
national-level celebrations of the day from this village. The village is famous for its IKAT
saris. They are unique and hand woven. In 2021, India earned 9 billion USD of foreign
exchange earnings from the tourism sector. The United Nations and other international
organizations celebrate World Tourism Day on September 27.
The Jaipur Literature Festival
• The Jaipur Literature Festival is celebrated in the month of January in the city of Jaipur, the
Pink city.
• 16th edition of the festival is to be celebrated in 2023.
• The festival was introduced in 2006 and is the largest free literary festival in the world.

Lohri2023
• Harvest Festival celebrates in different parts of India
• On 13th January 2023, the Lori festival is observed across India with the customary fervour
and joy, which is mostly associated with crop harvesting and happiness.
• The festival is celebrated in North India, especially in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Delhi, Jammu and Chandigarh.
Assam to Celebrate Mongeet Festival
• Assam to Celebrate Mongeet Festival of Music, Culture, and Food
• Mongeet is a festival of music, poetry, art, craft, food, culinary techniques, indigenous herbs,
and culture celebrated in Majuli, Assam.
• The Mongeet festival started in the year 2020 as a movement of arts and music and it aims to
nurture the upcoming musical talents of Assam.
• It was started by actor Adil Hussain and Kaushik Nath, an actor-director-turned-
entrepreneur.
• It is the only festival from Assam that is designed to promote music, art, culture, and food.
International Kite Festival 2023 Ahmedabad
• The International Kite Festival 2023Ahmedabad, Gujarat,with a theme centered around the
G20 countries.
Traditional 'Cherchera' Festival in Raipur
• Chhattisgarh CM Celebrates Traditional 'Cherchera' Festival in Raipur
• On 6th January 2023, Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister (CM) of Chhattisgarh, celebrated the
traditional Cherchera festival, an important harvest festival of Chhattisgarh which is
popularly known as the "Rice bowl of India“at Dudhadhari Math in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Orange Festival in Nagaland
Nagaland is celebrated the Orange Festival for two days.
Nagaland Fruit Festival is being organized in the state to praise the hard work of orange
growers. Revenue from oranges in the state almost doubled recently. Fruit festivals are famous
all over the world. The most popular fruit festivals in the world are the Pineapple Festival of
Thailand, the Pumpkin Festival in Germany, the Mango Festival of India, the Cranberry festival
in Canada, the Marino Grape Festival of Italy, the Orange Festival of Amsterdam, etc.
International Fruit Day is celebrated on July 1
HCHF &Ladakh Tourism Deptorganises Annual Ethnic Mamani Festival
The Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) and Ladakh Tourism Department
organised the annual Ethnic Mamani festival at the 500 years old village, Steyangkung, Barsoo
Kargil [Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)] and Chiktan Shagaran in Ladakh. The old tradition of feeding
deceased family members is where the history of the Mamani Festival celebration in
Ladakhoriginates.During Mamani, individuals traded food with their neighbours and relatives
while also worshipping a variety of spirits (Lha).

NATIONAL
NCERT Launched India's First National Assessment Regulator "PARAKH"
• NCERT Launched India's First National Assessment Regulator "PARAKH"
• The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has released India's first
national assessment regulator, PARAKH, which will work on setting norms, standards, and
guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards in the
country.
• The PARAKH regulator aims to set up assessment guidelines for all boards to help remove
disparities in the scores of students enrolled with different state boards.
• PARAKH stands for The Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for
Holistic Development.
• It is established within the education survey division of the NCERT.
Vande Bharat Trains
• It is an indigenously designed and manufactured semi high speed, self-propelled train that is
touted as the next major leap for the Indian Railways in terms of speed and passenger
convenience since the introduction of Rajdhani trains.
• The first Vande Bharat was manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, as
part of the 'Make in India' programme, at a cost of about Rs. 100 crore.
• Vande Bharat Express Train:
• 1st- Delhi to Varanasi
• 2nd- Delhi to Katra (Jammu Kashmir)
• 3rd- Gandhinagar to Mumbai
• 4th- Una (Himachal Pradesh) to New Delhi
• 5th- Chennai to Mysore
• 6th- Bilaspur to Nagpur
• 7th- Hawrah to New Jalpaiguri
• 8th- Secunderabad to Vishakhapatnam
‘Operation Janjagarn ‘
• RPF of NFR launches Operation Janjagarn to stop various types of menaces
• Railway Protection Force (RPF) of N. F. Railway has launched ‘Operation Janjagaran’, an
awareness campaign against the menace of stone pelting on trains, drugging, human
trafficking, crime against women passenger etc. The Operation Janjagaran covering nearby
localities of Railway tracks and stations, villages, schools etc.
• The aim is to counsel them about the consequence of such menaces on trains and its
repercussions on passenger safety. Posters, pamphlets and other publicity literature are
being distributed to make local peoples aware about the perils of such menaces.

Piyush Goyal launched MAARG Portal for Startup Mentorship

• The MAARG (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) platform was
launched by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
• The Commerce Ministry said MAARG, a portal to facilitate mentorship for start-ups across
diverse sectors, and geographies.
'Bharat Pravah-India along its Shores'
• Recently, the Ministry of Shipping, Waterways, and Ports has launched 'Bharat Pravah-India
along its Shores', an initiative to highlight the significance and imagery of rivers, ports, and
shipping in everyday life through a series of nationwide events.
• Bharat Pravah will serve as a common platform to bring together stakeholders from
different walks for the purpose of creating a larger vision of shipping, rivers, seas & people.
• It will highlight the challenges, policy issues and future goals relating to the maritime sector.
REWARD Project
• Impressed with Karnataka's performance in the implementation of the Rejuvenating
Watershed for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD) scheme,
the World Bank has decided to get agricultural officers from Sub-Saharan countries to visit
the State to learn from its experience.
• Karnataka has been identified as a "lighthouse partner" by the World Bank in developing the
science-based watershed model.
• It is the first State to develop a Land Resource Inventory portal (the portal will contain the
details on the appropriate measures to be taken for different types of land with respect to
agriculture, groundwater, crop, and soil health) that has details of 14 lakh hectares of land
coming under the project.
Weather Radar Network
• Entire Country to be Covered by Doppler Weather Radar Network by 2025
• The entire country will be covered by Doppler Weather Radar Network by 2025 to help
predict extreme weather events more accurately, union minister Jitendra Singh said,
speaking at the foundation day of India Meteorological Department.
Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued
• Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued by Ministry of Minority Affairs
• The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has discontinued the scheme of interest subsidy on
education loans for overseas studies for students belonging to minority communities
(PadhoPardesh).
• All banks were notified by the “Indian Banks Association” last month about the
discontinuation of the PadhoPardesh Interest Subsidy Scheme from 2022-23. The scheme so
far was being implemented through Canara Bank, the designated nodal bank.

'Eat Right Station' Certification from FSSAI

• Varanasi Cantt and Kanpur Railway Station Bags 'Eat Right Station' Certification from FSSAI
• The certification is part of the 'Eat Right India’ movement- a large-scale effort by FSSAl to
transform India's food system to ensure safe,healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.
• The other railway stations with Star certification include
• AnandVihar Terminal Railway Station (Delhi);
• ChhatrapatiShivaji Terminus (Mumbai);
• Mumbai Central Railway Station, (Mumbai);
• Vadodara Railway Station, Chandigarh Railway
• Station and Bhopal Railway Station.
Setu Samudra Project, Tamil Nadu
• One of Tamil Nadu’s long-held dreams is the Sethu Samudra Project, which would connect
India’s east-west coasts by dredging the shallow Bagh Strait between Sri Lanka and India,
making way for large ships to pass through.
'Prahari' App
• 'Prahari' App and BSF Manuals Launched Union Homme and Cooperation Minister
• BSF ‘Prahari’ app is a great example of Proactive Governance, now Jawans can get personal
and service-related information, housing, Ayushman-CAPF and leave related information on
their mobile.
• Other features of the app include:
• Availability of Bio Data
• Grievance redressal on “Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring
System” (CP-GRAMS)
• Information on various welfare schemes.
• The app will also connect the Jawans with the portal of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
K9 Vajra Howitzers
• The Defence Ministry has started the process for the procurement of 100 more K9-Vajra
tracked self-propelled howitzers which are built in India by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) using
technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defence.
Assam launches a massive drive against child marriages in the state
The Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa recently decided to launch a massive drive against
child marriages in the state. The Gram Panchayat Secretary was appointed as the Child Marriage
Prevention Officer. The drive will encourage the public to lodge complaints at the nearby police
stations. Child marriage is illegal under the POSCO and Prevention of Child Marriage Act. The
national average of underage pregnant mothers is 6.8%. In Assam, it is 11.7%. Underage
pregnant mothers mean girls who are under the age of 21 years and are pregnant.

Chhattisgarh unemployment benefit for youth

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced that unemployment benefit will be
given to the youth of his state from the next financial year. He said that he will pay
unemployment benefits every month but did not disclose the amount. During the 2018
elections, the Congress party had promised to this extent, but it was not implemented due to
various reasons. It is noteworthy that the assembly elections are going to be held at the end of
this year. On this occasion, he also announced special schemes for the protection of women,
tribal culture and traditions along with unemployment benefits, housing construction scheme
for workers.
Drones to the farmers to spray fertilizers and insecticides
The Rajasthan Government is to provide drones to the farmers in the state to spray fertilizers
and insecticides. The drones are to be provided to low-income group farmers and on rent.
Around 1500 drones will be made available to the farmers to achieve this plan. The State
Government is launching this initiative to save water. Most of Rajasthan is desert and using
drones will save 80% of water.
Jal Jeevan Mission achieves 11 crores tap water connections
Jal Jeevan Mission achieves 11 crores tap water connections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
recently the Jal applauded Jeevan Jal Jeevan Mission. Mission for achieving 11 crores tap water
connections. The mission was announced by the PM in 2019. The main objective of the mission
is to provide tap water connections to every household in India. And the target is to be achieved
by 2024. For this mission. GOl allocated Rs.3.5 trillion. It is being implemented by the Ministry of
Jal Shakti.
Bihar Govt inks MoU with FSI for TOF Field Survey to promote Agroforestry
Bihar Govt inks MoU with FSI for TOF Field Survey to promote Agroforestry
The Bihar Government, in collaboration with the Forest Survey of India (FSI), has decided to
conduct a "Tree Outside Forest" (TOF) field survey to identify the dominant tree species that are
growing outside the Recorded Forest Areas (RFA) in Bihar.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Bihar Government and
FSI for the TOF field survey to promote agroforestry is expected to start in April 2023.
This would help farmers get additional income by encouraging tree plantation on farmland
along with crops.
According to the FSI India State of Forest Report, 2021, Bihar saw increases in growing stock of
3.79% in RFA and 0.58% in TOF.

Science & Technology

LHS 475b
• NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Discovers New Exoplanet Named LHS 475b
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the James Webb
Space Telescope has discovered its first new exoplanet.
• Researchers have labelled the planet as LHS 475 b, and it's roughly the same size as Earth.
Located just 41 light-years away, the planet orbits very close to a red dwarf star and
completes a full orbit in just two days.
• Researchers hope that in the coming years, owing to the Webb telescope's advanced
capabilities, they will be able to detect more Earth-sized planets.
• So far most of the discovered exoplanets are similar to Jupiter as Earth-sized planets are
much smaller in size and harder to discover with older telescopes.
India is committed to eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) by 2027
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated that India is
committed to eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) by 2027 three years ahead of the global
target through mission mode, multi-partner, multi-sector, targeted drive for which they have
drawn up the roadmap.
• Dr Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the National Symposium on India's Roadmap to Eliminate
Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) at Vigyan Bhawan,New Delhi, Delhi.
NASA considers building an oxygen pipeline in the lunar South Pole
• NASA is considering whether to use an oxygen pipeline to efficiently transport oxygen to
various locations around the lunar south pole for its upcoming Artemis missions.
• It is doing so after Peter Curreri, Chief Science Officer at Lunar Resources Inc., detailed
problems with NASA's existing plans for transporting oxygen using rovers.
Indian scientist-led team first to find evidence of solitary waves in Mars
magnetosphere
• Indian scientist-led team first to find evidence of solitary waves in Mars magnetosphere
• In a significant discovery, Indian scientists have reported the first evidence of the presence
of solitary waves or electric field fluctuations in the Martian magnetosphere. Despite several
global missions to Mars, the presence of solitary waves in the Martian magnetosphere had
never been reported by any space agency or institute in the world.
• The Navi Mumbai-based Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), an autonomous institute of
the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has identified and reported the solitary
waves in the Martian magnetosphere with the help of high-resolution electric field data
recorded by a Nasa spacecraft.

WEF 2023 Artificial intelligence to stop fires: World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF) said on Monday that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be of great
use in effectively dealing with natural disasters like fires. She said that when such accidents occur,
carbon emissions can be reduced with AIS. Artificial intelligence sensors not only provide real-time
weather information but also detect smoke quickly and alert authorities. She explained that the fire
can be prevented from spreading further. Currently, the US is developing two such
programs. Moreover, due to fire every year worldwide, an average of Rs. 50 billion dollars (Rs. 40
lakh crores) will be lost, it has revealed. Artificial technology to prevent fires and save forests
Protection from lightning with 'laser'
European scientists have developed advanced lighting rods that protect against lightning by laser. It
has been successfully tested in Switzerland. Although this lighting rod is only 26 feet high, it works
efficiently. The researchers said that the existing lighting rods can only provide protection up to a
certain area, but with these laser lighting rods, protection can be provided over a larger area.
Cooking oil with yeast cells
•Cooking oil is in high demand worldwide. However, many countries are facing a shortage of
cooking oil due to insufficient cultivation of oil palm. Importing from abroad. C16 Biosciences, a
New York-based company in the US, has found an alternative way to meet this shortage
•In the laboratory, researchers made palm oil with yeast cells. A special strain of yeast called
Metschnikoviapulchurrima or MP is used to make this oil. By inoculating yeast on grass or food
waste, palm oil can be made in just seven days. The CEO of the company said that it would take
seven years to produce palm oil using the same oil palm cultivation method, and their invention
would be useful to meet the global shortage of palm oil.
Biochar from plastic
• American researchers have made coal from plastic, which has become the biggest threat to the
earth. This coal was invented from two types of plastic, polystyrene used for Styrofoam
package and poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) used for making water bottles.
• Biochar (a high carbon form of charcoal) is created by adding these to corn stover, a byproduct
of the corn crop. This biochar increases the water holding capacity of the soil and fertilizes
it. Meanwhile, Candice LestyAbdula Aziz, who led the research, said that they are also
experimenting with making charcoal that filters water from this plastic.
‘Ionocaloric cooling’: New method of refrigeration technique
• Salt is used to melt the ice that has fallen and frozen on the roads, and this technique is the
source of their new cooling system. It is environmentally friendly. This technique, is named
as “ionocaloric cooling “.
• Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
(Berkeley Lab) of America have applied this basic concept to develop a new method of
heating and cooling

• Ionocaloric cooling takes advantage of how energy, or heat, is stored or released when a
material changes phase - such as changing from solid ice to liquid water. Melting a material
absorbs heat from the surroundings while solidifying it releases heat.
The first-ever tractor that runs completely on cow dung
• British scientists created a record by making a tractor powered by cow dung. Dung of about
100 cows was collected and converted into biomethane (positive methane).
• A cryogenic tank was fitted to the tractor and this liquid fuel was ignited. He explained that
he successfully drove a 270 bhp tractor with that fuel. It is claimed to perform at par with
diesel level tractors and emit less pollution.
• The cryogenic engine emits a temperature of about 160 degrees and liquefies the
biomethane, he said. This tractor was manufactured by Bennaman, a Cornish company
Successful test launch of tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II
• Prithvi-II is an indigenously developed Surface-to-Surface Missile Short-Range Ballistic
Missile (SRBM), which has a range of around 350km and can carry a one tonne payload.
• Prithvi II class is a single-stage liquid-fueled missile that has warhead mounting capability
of 500 kg-1000kg.
• The missile is a proven system and is capable of striking targets with a very high degree of
precision.
• The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring
trajectory to hit its target.
• It was initially developed for the Indian Air Force as its primary user and was later
inducted into the Indian Army as well.
• While the missile was inducted into India's Strategic Forces Command for the first time in
2003, it was the first missile developed under the IGMDP.
Zebrafish
• Protein found in Zebrafish can regenerate aged discs in human vertebrae
• A study by Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, discovered that a protein called Cellular
communication network factor 2a (Ccn2a)
A new filter is 99% efficient at removing microplastics from water
• Scientists from South Korea have developed a new water purification system that can
effectively remove microplastics from water in just 10 seconds. The system uses a polymer
that is relatively inexpensive and has excellent adsorption performance and good
photothermal properties
Scientists experiment aging can be slowed down with solar energy
• Genetically modified mitochondria. Solar energy has been converted into chemical energy. It
has been found that it can make the cells survive longer. The researchers succeeded in this
test done on snakes.

• A team of scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of
Washington said the research could help in finding new treatment options for age-related
diseases and reducing age.
108th Indian Science Congress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and addressed the inaugural session of the 108th
Indian Science Congress (ISC) on January 3, Tuesday) through video conferencing. While the first
session of ISC was held in 1914, the latest 108th Annual Conference of ISC was organized by
Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Amaravati Road Campus. This year the focal
theme of ISC has been decided as “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with
Women Empowerment”. The conference will discuss issues such as sustainable development,
women empowerment and the role of science and technology in achieving this.
Solar-powered artificial leaf to produce hydrogen from air
• Chemical engineers from École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland
have invented a solar-powered artificial leaf. Their solar-powered, transparent and porous
electrode turns water from its gaseous state in the air into hydrogen fuel.
JUICE Spacecraft
The European Union is to launch the JUICE Spacecraft in April 2023. The spacecraft is to explore
the moons of Jupiter.
Specifically,the mission is to study the three major moons of Jupiter namely Ganymede, Europe,
and Callisto. Out of the 80 moons of the planet, these three were selected for their large oceans.
The satellite is to be launched from French Guiana. Ariane 5 will carry the satellite. JUICE is the
first satellite from the earth to enter the orbit of Ganymede.JUICE stands for Jupiter Icy Moons
Explorer. The satellite was developed by Germany and tested by France.The main objective of
the mission is to study the microbial life on the icy moons of the planet.
Transfat
Five billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans-fat, increasing their heart disease and
death risk, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO). The global
health body, in 2018, had advocated some best-practice policies for the global eradication of
industrially generated trans-fatby 2023.Trans fats, also called partially hydrogenated oils, are
created when hydrogen is added tovegetable oil to make it more solid.The sources of trans fat
can be (1) Natural or (2) Artificial.
Natural trans fats are also called ruminant trans fats.
Ni-kshay Mitra 2.0
Health and Family Welfare Minister said that more than 47 thousand NikshayMitra and 8.8 lakh
TB patients have been connected through Ni-Kshaya 2.0 portal.The Government is making all-
out efforts to make the country TB-free by 2025. The initiative was launched by The President in
2022.

India to eradicate measles and rubella (MR) by 2023

India set a goal (in 2019) to eradicate measles and rubella (MR) by 2023 after missing the
previous deadline of 2020 (an earlier target of 2015 was also missed) for a number of reasons,
worsened by the pandemic's disruptions.
Fuels with plastic
Two Indian researchers have simultaneously come up with solutions to two of the biggest
challenges facing the planet - carbon emissions and plastic waste. Industrial fuels are made by
combining carbon dioxide and plastic waste. India's Motyar Rahman and ShubhajitBhattacharjee,
who are researching under the guidance of Professor Erwin Reisner at Cambridge University, have
developed a special reactor. It converts greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, plastic waste into
syngas, formic acid, glycolic acid etc. These are widely used in industries. Syngas is used as liquid
fuel. Formic acid is used for processing in leather and textile industries. Glycolic acid is used in
pharmaceutical industries.
PERSONS IN NEW’S
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the chief guest for India's Republic Day
celebrations
• 180-Strong Egypt Contingent joined Republic Day Parade, President Chief Guest
• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will be the first chief guest from his country at India's
Republic Day celebrations, the government announced. This makes him only the fifth leader
from the West Asian and Arab world to be the chief guest.
Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as the Deputy National Security Adviser
• Renowned IPS Officer Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as the Deputy National Security
Adviser Retired director general of the Border Security Force (BSF), Shri Pankaj Kumar
Singh, was recently appointed as the Deputy National Security Adviser in National Security
Council Secretariat for a period of two years.
• Singh, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed on a re-
employment contract.
The oldest woman in the world is no more
• The oldest woman in the world is no more. Sister Andrey passed away at the age of 118
• World's oldest, French nun Sister Lucille Randon (118) has passed away. Known as Sister
Andre, she breathed her last on Tuesday night at her nursing home in Toulon, France. To this
extent, Andre's representative David Tavella revealed. It is noteworthy that she passed away
when she would have celebrated her 119th birthday in another month.
• Lucile Randon | World's oldest, French nun Sister Lucille Randon (118) has passed
away. She, identified as Sister Andre, died Tuesday night in Toulon, France

UAE Names Oil Chief Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber as COP28 Climate President
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has named Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and
Advanced Technology of UAE and Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), as President of the COP28 climate summit.
• The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will be held in Dubai, UAE, from 30th November to
12th December 2023.
• Shamma Al Mazrui appointed COP28 UAE Youth Climate Champion.
• Razan Al Mubarak appointed COP28 UAE UN Climate Change High-Level Champion.
About the United Arab Emirates (UAE):
• Prime Minister- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
• President- Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Capital- Abu Dhabi
• Currency- United Arab Emirates Dirham
Renowned Scientist Dr AD Damodaran Passed Away
• On 13th January 2023, Dr A D Damodaran, a renowned scientist and former Director of the
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) National Institute for Interdisciplinary
Science and Technology (NIIST), passed away in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• Dr A D Damodaran worked briefly at the Nuclear Fuels Complex in Hyderabad, Telangana,
and served as a visiting scientist at the Indian Institute of Metals and the Vikram Sarabhai
Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• He started working at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and later took over as Director of
CSIR-NIIST in 1985, where he held the position for 12 years.
Nilakshi Saha
• Nilakshi Saha Sinha appointed as next Ambassador of India to Armenia
Most beautiful woman in the world passes away
• Gina Lollobrigida, Italian screen star dies at 95
• Often described as "the most beautiful woman in the world", her films included Beat the
Devil, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Crossed Swords.
• She co-starred alongside the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Rock Hudson and
Errol Flynn.
• Her career faded in the 1960s and she moved into photography and politics.
Aruna Miller as Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
• Democratic Party leader Aruna Miller (58) has created history by becoming the first Indian-
American to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland in the US.
• A former Maryland House delegate, she was sworn in as Maryland's 10th lieutenant
governor on Wednesday. The lieutenant governor is the highest post in the US states after

the governor. Their family migrated from Andhra Pradesh to America when Aruna was one
year old.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Resignation
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has taken a sensational decision to resign from her post.
She announced her resignation in a meeting held with the leaders of the ruling Labor Party. Jesinda,
who was emotional on this occasion, said that she feels that this is the right time for her resignation.
Chris Hipkins sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand
Chris Hipkins was sworn in as the 41st Prime Minister of New Zealand today. Former Prime Minister
JacindaArdern suddenly resigned from her position, and 44-year-old Hipkins took over the duties in
her place. It is known that Jesinda said that she no longer has the ability to lead the country. Her
resignation was accepted by Governor General Cindy Kiro. Hipkins was made minister during the
Covid crisis. Then he got good recognition.
Makki as an international terrorist
Pakistan-based hardened Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul RehmanMakki has been declared an
international terrorist by the United Nations. India has been in a long diplomatic struggle to declare
Makki, who is number 2 in LeT, as an international terrorist. Finally, the UN Security Council's '1267
ISIL (Daesh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee' declared Makki as an international terrorist and
issued a statement on Monday. On June 16 last year, China vetoed a joint motion by the United States
and India to declare Makki as an international terrorist. This time China did not put any obstacles and
the decision was won against Makki. With the decision of the United Nations, restrictions on mackerel
have come into force worldwide. Countries should freeze his assets wherever they are. Makki is
restricted from traveling abroad. He is prohibited from raising funds for terrorist activities. Makki is
the brother-in-law of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed
UNSC 1267 Committee
• The ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UNSC (1267 Committee) has placed Abdul
RehmanMakki - the key planner of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), on its
sanctions list.
• The move was made possible after China withdrew the "technical hold" that it had imposed
in June 2022, when the US and India tried to get Makki on the global terror blacklist.
UNGA confirms Inger Andersen for Second Term as Executive Director of UNEP.
• UNGA confirms Inger Andersen for Second Term as Executive Director of UNEP.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elected Inger Andersen of Denmark as
Executive Director (ED) of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) for a second,4-
year term beginning from 15th June 2023 to 14th June 2027.
• She is currently serving her initial 4-year term from 2019 to 2023.
Gambian Vice-President BadaraAlieuJo of Passes Away in India
• BadaraAlieuJo of, the Vice-President (VP) of the Republic of the Gambia (West African
country), passed away in India at the age of 65.

• His demise was announced by the President of Gambia, Adama Barrow. BadaraAlieuJoof was
born on 1958 in Gambia.
Padma Shri Awardee Prabhaben Shah Passed Away
• Padma Shri Awardee Prabhaben Sobhagh chand Shah, Social Worker from Union Territory
(UT) of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman, and Diu passed away in Daman at the age of 92.
Indian-American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first LGBTQ woman
of colour city council.
• Indian-American attorney Janani Ramachandran becomes first LGBTQ woman of colour city
council.
• A 30-year-old Indian-American attorney, Janani Ramachandran has emerged as the youngest
and the first queer woman of colour to take oath as the Oakland City Council member in the
U.S. state of California.
• LGBT is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.
Praveen Sharma appointed as Director of National Health Authority
• Praveen Sharma has been selected for appointment as Director in the National Health
Authority (Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
Renowned Assamese poet Nilamani Phukan passes away
• Renowned Assamese poet and recipient of Jnapith Award, NilamaniPhookan has passed
away. He was 89.
• Phookan was one of the most celebrated poets of Assam and has been awarded the country's
highest literary award, the 56th Jnanpith for the year 2021.
• The notable works of Phukan are 'XurjyaHenuNaamiAaheEiNodiyedi', 'Kabita', and
'GulapiJamurLagna'.
High Powered Committee (HPC) to address issues related to the protection of
Ladakh's
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in India has established a High Powered Committee
(HPC) to address issues related to the protection of Ladakh's culture, language, land, and
employment opportunities.
• A 17-member committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Minister of State
for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs.
Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav passed
• Former Union Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader, Sharad Yadav (75) passed
away.
• He was 7 Times Loksabha member, 3 Times Rajyasabha Member
• Belongs to State Madhya Pradesh
Former Governor of Bengal KesarinathTripathi passed away
• Former West Bengal Governor KesarinathTripathi (88) passed away.

• He served three times as Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

• He was born on 10 November 1934 in Allahabad. He also served as the Governor of Bihar,
Meghalaya and Mizoram. Tripathi was a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly
for six terms.
• He served as UP Sales Tax Cabinet Minister from 1977 to 1979. Tripathi practiced as a senior
advocate in the Allahabad High Court.
• As a writer and poet, he has written many books.
Father of laparoscopic surgery passes away in Mumbai
• Padma Awardee Dr.Tehemton E Udwadia "Father of laparoscopic surgery" passes away
Indian Surgeon and Gastroenterologist,
• He was honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest civilian award in 2006 and Padma
Bhushan, India's 3rd-highest civilian award, in 2017, for Medicine.
• 15 July 1934 (born in Bombay Presidency)
Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh sworn in as 1st female Sikh judge of USA
• Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh sworn in as 1st female Sikh judge of USA
• Indian-origin Sikh woman, Manpreet Monica Singh became the first ever female Sikh judge
in the US after she was sworn in as a Harris County judge.
Kevin McCarthy elected as America House of Speaker
• Kevin McCarthy elected as America House of Speaker
• Republican party
Music legend Dan Williams has passed away
• Famous music legend Don Willis (100) is no more.
• Dan Williams died at his home in Branson after an illness related to old age.
• Don Williams formed a musical quartet with his brothers Andy Williams, Dick Williams and
Bob Williams. He has sung many songs on radio and in movies.
Anil Kumar Lahoti Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Railway Board
• Anil Kumar Lahoti has been appointed as the next Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of
the Railway Board.
• The Cabinet's appointments committee confirmed Anil Kumar Lahoti's nomination.
• Mr. Lahoti formerly served as a Member (Infrastructure) of, the Railway Board.
• The Indian Railway Board Act was passed in March 1905
First Indo-American woman Judge Juli A Mathew took oath for her second term
as a Texas court
• Indian-American Democrat Juli A. Mathew took oath as a judge in Fort Bend County, Texas,
for a second consecutive term.

• Mathew, a native of Thiruvalla in Kerala, was sworn-in via videoconferencing from

Bheemanady in Kasaragod, and will continue to serve as presiding judge for Number 3 of the
Fort Bend County Court for a period of four years.
Lula Da Silva Becomes Brazil's President For 3rd Time
• The 77-year-old veteran leftist, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, took the oath
of office, less than five years after he was jailed on controversial, since-quashed corruption
charges.
Tripura Revenue Minister N C Debbarma dies
• Narendra Chandra Debbarma, veteran politician, minister and president of IPFT, the BJP’s
ally in the Tripura government, and senior-most member of Manik Saha’s cabinet, passed
away on Sunday at Agartala Government Medical College & GBP Hospital.
• He held the forest and revenue portfolio in the Saha cabinet. The Tripura government has
declared a holiday in the state on Monday and three days of state mourning for the departed
leader.
A Madhavarao appointed as Director (Technical) of BDL
• The government has cleared the appointment of A Madhavarao for the post of Director
(Technical) of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a PSU under the Ministry of Defence.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), the
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of
Madhavarao
• He has been appointed to the post with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the
post till the date of his superannuation, ie April 30, 2026, or until further orders, whichever
is earlier.
Former Pope Benedict XVI passes away
• He led the Catholic Church for fewer than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope
to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.
• Benedict spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the walls of the
Vatican where he passed away
• His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on 5 January.
• The Vatican said the body of the Pope Emeritus will be placed in St Peter's Basilica from 2
January for "the greeting of the faithful".
Year Ender: Bill Gates made 2022's biggest charitable donation
• Topping the list is Bill Gates, who gave USD 5 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation to back the grant maker's work in global health, development, education, policy
and advocacy.
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the 10 largest charitable gifts announced by
individuals or their foundations total led nearly USD 9.3 billion in 2022.

• The contributions went to large, well-established institutions, three of them private

foundations and three universities to support environmental sustainability, children's
mental health, and stem-cell research. The other gifts backed cancer research and treatment,
housing efforts, youth programs, and reproductive health.
Famous architect BV Doshi passed away
Eminent architect Balakrishna Vithal das Doshi (95) passed away in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. He
worked with famous architects like Li Corbusier. Served as an architect for projects like IIM-
Ahmedabad and IIM-Bangalore. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, Aga Khan, Pritzker Architect
and Royal Gold Medal in recognition of his services.
Vikram Dev Dutt as Director General of DGCA.
ACC approves appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as Director General of DGCA. The Appointment
Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, has approved the
appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Civil
Aviation (DGCA) with effect from 28th February 2023.Vikram Dev Dutt will succeed Arun Kumar,
DG of the DGCA, who retires on 28th February 2023.
Harjeet Singh Aror
Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) &Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) awardee Harjeet Singh
Arora, former Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal, passed away in Delhi at the age of 61
REGIONAL
T-Hub as the best incubator

• Tea Hub has another rare honor. Awarded the best startup incubator in the country. The
National Startup Awards-2022 program has been announced by the central government
itself. T Hub CEO MS Rao received the Best Incubator Award from Union Minister Piyush
Goyal in Delhi on Monday. Applications received from 17 categories and 50 sub-categories
for National Startup Awards-2022
Dubbaka weave saree selected for Virasat national exhibition
• Dubbaka weave saree of Siddipet district has been selected for the ongoing Virasat national
exhibition in the national capital Delhi under the auspices of the Ministry of Handloom and
Textiles.
• 75 sarees woven by handloom workers from different parts of the country are being
displayed in this exhibition. There are many types of Lenin.
• However, Boda Srinivas, CEO of Dubbaka Handloom and Handicraft Producer Company
Limited in the town said that the sari woven by the weavers of their company has been
selected for the national exhibition due to the fact that the sarees they are making are made
of 100 percent Belgian cotton.

Shantikumari is the first woman CS of Telangana

• A. Shanti Kumari, a 1989 IAS batch, has taken charge as the new Chief Secretary of Telangana
State Government.
• During KCR's tenure as minister, Shantikumari served as Medak Collector
• Shanti Kumari took charge as the first woman Chief Secretary of Telangana State. Her tenure
is until 2025, April.
Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023
As part of the Swachh Bharat Mission introduced by the Central Government, Rajanna Sirisilla
district stood at the top place in the Swachh Survekshan Grameen-2023 awards. The first
position has been secured in the four-star ranking category in the country. This award was
given for making all the villages in the district as model villages under the ODF (Open
Defecation Free) Plus category. This was announced by the Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation
CM KCR launched the first phase of 'Kanti Velgu' on January 18, 2023
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated the second phase of the Kanti Velugu
program at Khammam on January 18. The program is considered to be the largest eye screening
program in the world. Three Chief Ministers from other states Pinarayi Vijayan, Bhagwant Singh Man
and Arvind Kejriwal participated in this program. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh
Yadav was also present.
For the next 100 days from January 19, free eye examinations will be conducted in special health
camps with around 1500 medical teams through the Kanti Velugu program. The first phase of the
program was conducted by 827 health teams for eight months. Health camps are about to start in the
remaining areas.
Kanti Velugu Scheme was launched on 15th August 2018 at Malkapur, Medak District. This scheme is
designed to provide medical services to the people suffering from eyesight problems in Telangana
state. Free eye examination, spectacles, surgeries and medicines are provided to the people at
government expense.
Sir Chhotu Ram Award to Chief Minister KCR
The representatives of Akhil Bharat Rythu Sangam announced the Sir Chhotu Ram Award to Chief
Minister KCR who started the Maha Yajna for the welfare of Indian farmers. On this occasion, State
Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy was presented with the award by the representatives
of Akhil Bharat Rythu Sangam.
Enkur received the National Award 'Agros'
A. Sairam, who runs Agros Rythu Seva Kendra in Enkur, Khammam district, received the second best
award at the national level. Chandrasekhara, Director General of Manage, Rajendranagar said that
Shobhathakur, Joint Secretary of the Union Department of Agriculture, presented the award in a
program organized under the auspices of the National Agricultural Extension and Management

Organization (MANAGE) in Delhi. Agros MD Ramulu said that this award was given for the quality
services provided to the farmers.
TiE Hyderabad gets first woman president
TiE Hyderabad, the global entrepreneur network, announced Rashida Adanwala as the new president,
the first woman to hold the position for the year 2023.
Indus Entrepreneurs (TIE), founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley, is a non-profit organization dedicated to
supporting entrepreneurs from all industries, from incubation to start-up, throughout the
entrepreneurial life cycle.
Liberation of Telangana only with the sacrifices of martyrs
President Draupadi Murmu said that the liberation of the state of Hyderabad including the Telangana
region was due to the sacrifices made by the martyrs for the oppressed people during the rule of
Nizam Nawab. She participated as the chief guest in the 'Liberation of Nizam's Province' conference
organized by Keshav Memorial Education Society.She said that the city of Hyderabad has become an
address of unity in diversity.
Paryataka Mitra Award for Telangana
Telangana was awarded the Paryataka Mitra Award at the Buddhist Tour Operators Association
International Conference held in Kolkata. Mallepalli Lakshmaiya, Buddhavanam Special Officer,
received it.
Telangana tops in foreign investment
Telangana has emerged as one of the states with the highest foreign investment in the agriculture
services sector. The ministry of agriculture analysed investments received by 2019 states between
October 2021 and September 17. During those two years, $189 million of investments came from
abroad across the country. Of these, Telangana received the highest amount of $49.44 million,
followed by Gujarat ($30.49 million), Tamil Nadu ($20.07 million) and neighbouring ANDHRA
Pradesh ($0.12 million). During the 2002-year period between 22 and 20, foreign investments in the
agriculture services sector as a whole amounted to USD 2,313.09 million.
Telangana is ranked eighth in GVA
Telangana stood at the 8th position with a share of 3.87 percent, Andhra Pradesh state is ranked 10th
with a share of 48.10 per cent in the National Gross Value Added (GVA), said Kiran Kumar, deputy
director general of the National Statistical Department. The top five states are Gujarat (5.15 per cent),
Maharashtra (85.14 per cent), Tamil Nadu (53.11 per cent), Karnataka (04.7 per cent) and Uttar
Pradesh (16.5 per cent). A state-level round table meeting was held in Vijayawada to clear doubts
among industry communities in collecting annual data from industries and filing returns directly on
the ASI portal. Speaking on the occasion, he said. From this year onwards, we will conduct an annual
survey to assess the progress related to the service sector. We collect annual statistics to assess the
progress of the service sector. We will collect details of how many people are getting employment
through this sector, their income, expenses and fixed capital. So far, we have been collecting data
annually only from industries related to the manufacturing sector. The report has been sent to the

Centre with the information collected from 8,3 units in the state. An annual survey will be conducted
to ascertain the gross domestic product(GDP), gross value addition (GVA), net value addition and
income and employment projections through the manufacturing sector. This information will be
useful for making estimates on the investments required for the development of the industrial sector,"
he said. Kadapa region director Malleswara Rao participated in the meeting.
Telugu states are top in guaranteed loans
RBI has released a latest report on the financial conditions of states study-2021-22. Telugu States are
Top in guaranteed loans: The Reserve Bank has revealed that Telugu states are top in the country in
guaranteeing loans taken by public sector organizations. How is the economic condition of which state
in the latest report released by RBI titled 'Study on Economic Conditions of States-2021-22'? How
many direct loans? How much is collateral for loans? The details are mentioned.
As of last year (2021-22), all the states in the country have given guarantees for loans taken by public
sector organizations of Rs.5 lakh crore. Of these, Telangana is the highest with Rs.1,35,282.50 crore,
AP with Rs.1.17,503.1 crore, and Tamil Nadu with Rs.91,975 crore are in the top 3 positions. It is
noteworthy that these three states account for 68.8 percent of Rs.5 lakh crore.
More loans from the markets...: Apart from guaranteeing the loans taken by the public sector
organizations, the loans taken by the state government directly from the markets are also
separate. Last year Tamil Nadu took the highest Rs.87,000 crore, Maharashtra Rs.68,750 crore and
West Bengal took Rs.67,390 crore and stood in the first 3 positions. AP has taken a loan of Rs.46,443
crores while Telangana has taken Rs.45,716 crores.
All the states together raised more than Rs.7.01 lakh crore in 2021-22 and paid Rs.2.09 crore in
arrears.
According to a Reserve Bank report, the total debts of AP will reach Rs.4,42,442 crores and Telangana
government's debts will reach Rs.3,66,306 crores at the end of the current financial year (2022-23).
Telangana's debt is 28.2% and AP's 33% in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Punjab is found to
have the highest debt of 47.9%.
Tamil Nadu has the highest debt of Rs 7.53 lakh crore, UP Rs 7.10 lakh crore and Maharashtra Rs 6.80
lakh crore. All the states together crossed Rs.76.09 lakh crores.
ANDHRAPRADESH
AP CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy flagged off 165 veterinary ambulance units
AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy flagged off 165 veterinary ambulance units on January 25 as
part of an effort to strengthen veterinary care in Andhra Pradesh. Dr. These have been made available
as part of the second phase of YSR Sanchar Pasu Arogya Seva Scheme. As part of the first batch, 175
ambulance units were commissioned in May 2021.
As part of this scheme, the government has made available a total of 340 veterinary ambulances.
These veterinary ambulances are designed to perform minor surgeries on sheep, goats, cattle and
domestic animals, along with basic medical services. The State Government shall make available at
least two veterinary ambulances for each Assembly Constituency.

In addition to ambulance services, the government also plans to set up two super specialty hospitals
in Vijayawada and Pulivendu along with infrastructure development in the district veterinary
hospitals.
YSR Pension Kanuka
AP government increased YSR pension kanuka from Rs.2500 to Rs 2,750 from 1st January 2023. The
government has been disbursing pensions every month to grandparents, widows, weavers and toddy
tappers, fishermen, single women, tanners and HIV patients.
6th Phase of Jagananna Thodu
The Jagananna Thodu scheme was introduced with the good intention of supporting the small traders
by giving validity to the interest rates. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will disburse interest-free
loans of up to Rs 10,000 to small traders under the Jagananna Thodu scheme. The entire interest
burden will be borne by the government and 3.95 lakh small traders and traditional artisans at the
rate of Rs 10,000 each.
3,99,84,868 Voters in Andhra Pradesh
There are 3,99,84,868 voters in the state, chief electoral officer Mukesh Kumar Meena said. As many
as 2023,4,66 voters have been removed from the draft voters' list 973.. While there are 3,98,54,093
voters in the draft voters list, there is an increase of 1,30,728 voters in the final list. From 2,01,34,621
women voters in the draft list, the number has now increased to 2,02,21,455. The number of male
voters increased from 1,97,15,614 to 1,97,59,489. The number of third gender voters increased from
3,858 to 3,924. The number of service voters increased from 68,115 to 68,162. A total of 4,66,973
votes have been deleted from the draft list due to reasons such as deaths, migrants and repeats and
5,97,701 newly registered persons have been included in the list, the election commission said. A total
of 6,891 NRI voters were registered.
Kurnool district has the highest number of voters.
Kurnool (19,42,233) topped the list with the highest number of voters in the state. Anantapur
(19,41,277) and Nellore (19,13,920) came second and third respectively. Alluri Seetharama Raju
(7,29,085), Parvathipuram Manyam (7,76,716) and Bapatla (12,52,432) are the districts with the least
number of voters.
Bheemili tops the constituencies..
Bheemili constituency in Visakhapatnam district has the highest number of 3,28,899 voters. It is
followed by Gajuwaka (3,11,316) and Panyam (3,04,305) in Kurnool district. Pedana constituency in
Krishna district has the least number of voters at 1,60,757, followed by Bapatla with 1,82,544 and
Parvathipuram constituency with 1,88,773 voters.
23 districts have the highest number of women voters.

In 142 constituencies, there are more women voters than male voters. Except for Srikakulam,
Visakhapatnam and Prakasam districts, the remaining 23 districts have a large number of women
voters. Pulivendula, represented by CM Jagan, has 1,10,422 male voters, 1,14,396 female voters,
Kuppam represented by Chandrababu naidu has 1,11,320 male and 1,09,742 female voters.
These are the constituencies where male voters are predominant
There are more male voters in 33 constituencies. They are Tekkali, Pathapatnam, Amudalavalasa,
Etcherla, Narasannapeta, Rajam, Cheepurupalli, Visakhapatnam West, Gajuwaka, Pithapuram,
Peddapuram, Amalapuram, Rajolu, Kothapeta, Gurajala, Macherla, Ongole, Kondepi, Markapuram,
Panyam, Pattikonda, Mantralayam, Adoni, Tadipatri, Singanamala, Kalyanadurgam, Raptadu, Rappadu,
Madapura.
Increased number of young voters...
The number of young voters in the age group of 18 and 19 years has increased. The number of young
voters in the draft voters' list increased from 2,24,787 to 3,03,225. As many as 5,97,701 people have
been registered as new voters in the final voters' list, the Election Commission said. Of these, 2,95,557
are males, 3,02,005 are females and 139 are third genders. Of the 4,66,973 people removed from the
draft voters' list, 3,71,636 were dead, 80,420 were displaced and 14,917 were duplicate voters.
Rs.2000 Crores worth Granules Plant to setup in Kakinada
Drug maker Granules A massive plant will be set up at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. The company will
invest Rs 2,000 crore in the centre over the next five years. The facility will be operationalised in a
phased manner over an area of 100 acres.
G-20 Preparatory Conference in Vizag
The G-20 Preparatory Conference will be held on March 28 and 29 in Visakhapatnam city. Andhra
Pradesh Government has specially assigned the responsibilities to the officers for this purpose. A
committee of IAS officers has been constituted to oversee the management arrangements. Special
Chief Secretary of Housing Department Ajayjain will act as the nodal officer.
Representatives from 40 countries will come to this two-day G20 working group meeting. 300
national and international representatives will be present. Union ministers along with foreign
ministers and ambassadors of G-20 countries will participate in this conference. A team of officials has
started working on their required accommodation and conference management arrangements.
Kilkari calls for pregnant and nursing mothers
The central government has implemented a new system in Andhra Pradesh called 'Kilkari' (Hindi
word. which means child's smile in Telugu) for the services of pregnant women, nursing mothers and
babies. Every pregnant and lactating woman is being alerted through IVRS in measures to prevent
maternal deaths. From the fourth month of pregnancy to the first year of the child's birth, information
on what precautions to take every week is provided to cell phones free of charge through the number
0124458000. It talks about maternal and child health services and vaccinations. If you can't hear it.

you can call 14423 and listen. This policy was introduced by the Union Health and Family Welfare
Department in 2016. Initially these services were started in Hindi, Bengali, Bihari, Odia and Assamese
languages. Recently they started in Telugu as well.
BEL’s defence system integrated complex in Satya Sai district
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has sanctioned Rs 384 crore under phase-one towards construction
of a unit at Palasamudram in Sri Satya Sai district. Besides manufacturing missiles and testing radar, it
has decided to develop the facility as a defence system integrated complex to manufacture state-of-art
defence equipment.
CJI to inaugurated AP Judicial Academy in Mangalagiri
The Andhra Pradesh Judicial Academy was inaugurated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,
Justice DY Chandrachud. High Court Chief Justice Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and High Court
Judges participated in this program organized at Mangalagiri Mandal Khaja
New Urban Development authorities in the state
The formation of BUDA (Bapatla Urban Development Authority) and PUDA (Palnadu Urban
Development Authorities) will contribute for the development of newly formed Palnadu and Bapatla
districts. As part of the formation of urban development authority, a total of 349 villages in 28
mandals and eight municipalities in Palnadu would be included in PUDA, BUDA will include 461gram
panchayats in 25 mandals, three municipalities including Bapatla, Chirala, and Repalle under six
assembly constituencies.
Global Health Summit in vishakapatnam

Visakhapatnam hosted the Global Health Summit, which is organised by the American Association of
Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). This summit held from January 6–8, 2023, at the Novotel and with
the participation of 100 doctors from the US and 400 doctors from India.
Veeragallu inscription was found in Bapatla.

Veeragallu (a rock placed in memory of war dead) inscription dating back to the tenth century has
come to light in Dharmavaram of Addaki mandal of Bapatla district. Vidwan Jyoti Chandramouli, a
history researcher from Addanki area, found this on the wall of the temple while working on the
Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in the village. The inscription filled with mud was cleaned and examined.
He said that it is known as Chalukya script. He named Madaiya said that he was a hero who had been
sacrificed in the name of his younger brother in the presence of Madhavaswami
Adani Krishnapatnam Port has been awarded the International EHS Award
Adani Krishnapatnam Port has been awarded the International EHS Award by Greentech
Foundation. Adani Krishnapatnam Port Environment Vice President Dr. D. Jyoti and EHS Associate
General Manager G. Venugopal Reddy received this award at the Green Tech Foundation conference
held in Goa. The representatives of the port said that this award has been given considering
environmental protection, health and safety. He said that Adani Krishnapatnam Port attaches great

importance to environmental protection and this award is in recognition of its efforts in plant
cultivation and conservation and the best standards of health and safety.
Rashtrapathi Prathiba Purakar
VVN Prasanna kumar, commandant of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), VVN Prasanna
kumar, a native of Pandullapalli, Vetapalem Mandal, Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, joined the
CRPF as an Assistant Commandant in 1997 and served in various capacities in Internal Security
Divisions in Manipur, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. Presently
serving in NDRF Delhi Head Office on deputation. Before coming here, he served as commandant in
39th battalion of CRPF in Vijayawada
AP ranks third in illegal mining cases
Andhra Pradesh ranks third in illegal mining cases. 8,354, 10,736 and 9,351 cases were registered in
the three-year period from 2019-20 to 2021-22 respectively. 3,396 vehicles were seized. The state
government has collected Rs.420.91 crores in the form of fines. After Uttar Pradesh and Madhya
Pradesh, the highest number of cases have been reported in the state.
****THE END****

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JANUARY 2023 CURRENT AFFAIRS

5 Excercises & Defence 23

9 Geography Related Issues 30

12 Constitution & Politics 36

17 Important Dates & Events 47

19 Science & Technology 54

0www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

Civilian honours of India

The Awards are given in three categories:

History of Padma Awards

1www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

A list of the fields is as under:

The Padma Awards: Important Facts

2www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

The Padma Awards Committee

Padma Vibhushan (6)

S.No. Name Field State/Country

1 Shri Balkrishna Others - Gujarat

2 Shri Zakir Hussain Art Maharashtra

3 Shri S M Krishna Public Affairs Karnataka

4 Shri Dilip Mahalanabis Medicine West Bengal

5 Shri Srinivas Varadhan Science & United States

6 Shri Mulayam Singh Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh

3www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

Padma Bhushan (9)

1 Shri S L Bhyrappa Literature & Karnataka

2 Shri Kumar Mangalam Trade & Maharashtra

3 Shri Deepak Dhar Science & Maharashtra

4 Ms. Vani Jairam Art Tamil Nadu

5 Swami Chinna Jeeyar Others - Telangana

6 Ms. Suman Kalyanpur Art Maharashtra

7 Shri Kapil Kapoor Literature & Delhi

8 Ms. Sudha Murty Social Work Karnataka

9 Shri Kamlesh D Patel Others - Telangana

Padma Shri (91)

S.No Name Field State/Country

1 Dr. Sukama Acharya Others - Haryana

2 Ms. Jodhaiyabai Baiga Art Madhya Pradesh

3 Shri Premjit Baria Art Dadra and Nagar

4www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

4 Ms. Usha Barle Art Chhattisgarh

5 Shri Munishwar Medicine Madhya Pradesh

6 Shri Hemant Chauhan Art Gujarat

7 Shri Bhanubhai Chitara Art Gujarat

8 Ms. Hemoprova Chutia Art Assam

9 Shri Narendra Chandra Public Affairs Tripura

10 Ms. Subhadra Devi Art Bihar

11 Shri Khadar Valli Dudekula Science & Karnataka

12 Shri Hem Chandra Art Assam

13 Ms. Pritikana Goswami Art West Bengal

14 Shri Radha Charan Gupta Literature & Uttar Pradesh

15 Shri Modadugu Vijay Gupta Science & Telangana

16 Shri Ahmed Hussain & Shri Art Rajasthan

17 Shri Dilshad Hussain Art Uttar Pradesh

18 Shri Bhiku Ramji Idate Social Work Maharashtra

19 Shri C I Issac Literature & Kerala

5www.youtube.com/@praveensir Praveen Sir Classes

20 Shri Rattan Singh Jaggi Literature & Punjab