Current Affairs in English – January 9 2023

January 9, 2022

National Events:

Patangrao Kadam:

• Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India has received Patangrao Kadam award for contribution in the fight against COVID-19.
• Poonawalla is the first one to be conferred with Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Award. Patangrao Kadam was an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra and the award has been set up in his memory.

Indian Navy & Sagar defence engineering private limited:

• Indian Navy has recently announced a collaboration with Sagar Defence Engineering Private Limited for development of armed autonomous boat swarms.
• The platform will be able to conduct a variety of navy and security tasks, including high-speed interdiction, surveillance, constabulary operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The agreement is part of SPRINT initiative.

SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence).

Fully digital:

• Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on January 7, 2023, declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in its banking service.
• This achievement was possible due to social interventions through local self government institutions along with infrastructure development and technological advances. Kerala has received 3 Digital India awards for its advancement in digital sector.

 “UP Global City”:

• Uttar Pradesh government has launched a 100 – day “UP Global City” campaign ahead of Global Investors Summit and G20 summit.
• The campaign aims to bring urban areas in the state up to global standards, with a focus on improving urban facilities, air quality, cleanliness, and beautification, as well as proper garbage disposal. The campaign will be implemented in all 762 urban bodies in the state.

Osmanabad District Court:

• Osmanabad District Court has become the first court in Maharashtra to introduce e-system of functioning. Under this system, all the court related work including filing, payment and other court services, etc can be done through mobile app or online modes.
• Osmanabad is the first court in the district to be run through computer system as per the directives of the Supreme Court and High Court.

Nityanand Rai:

• Union government has formed a committee to discuss measures to protect Ladakh’s unique culture, language and employment. A 17 – member committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of MoS for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.
• The committee will discuss the preservation of culture and language in view of the geographical and strategic importance of Ladakh.

‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’:

• The 17th edition of the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ convention commenced in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore on January 8, 2023. The theme of the 2023 event is ‘Diaspora: Reliable partners for India’s progress in Amrit Kaal’.
• Republic of Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali is the chief guest and Republic of Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi is the special guest of honor of the event.

‘Adi Shaurya-Parv Parakram Ka’:

• A military tattoo and tribal dance festival ‘Adi Shaurya-Parv Parakram Ka’ will be held in New Delhi on 23 and 24 January 2023.
• It is being organised as part of the Republic Day celebrations 2023 and to mark the 126th birth anniversary (Parakram Diwas) of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are jointly organising the event.

SGrBs:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced that maiden Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) would be issued in two tranches of Rs 8,000 crore each on January 25 and February 9, 2023.
• These bonds are being issued to promote green infrastructure. The Central Government had released the framework of Sovereign Green Bond in November 2022. It is being issued as part of its total market borrowing.

Astro Tourism-A Sky Gazing Event:

• National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) in association with Nehru Memorial Museum and Library organized Astro Tourism -A Sky Gazing event at Delhi’s India Gate on 6 January 2023.
• The event was inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture, Arjun Ram Meghwal. The event includes the activities like Astro talks by expert astronomers, Exhibition on Astronomy, and Astro-Photography.

e-NAM:

• e-NAM, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare’s initiative, has won the Platinum Award in the Digital Empowerment of Citizens Category in Digital India Awards 2022. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred the Digital India Awards, 2022.
• e-NAM is a digital platform integrating 1260 mandis across 22 States and 3 UTs to facilitate online trading of agricultural commodities.

Chandrashekhar Azad:

• A museum dedicated to the life of freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad is going to be built in the Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh.The announcement was made by Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh Brajesh Pathak on the 117th birth anniversary of Azad in July 2022.
• The museum would be built in the Badarka village in the Unnao district, which is also the freedom fighter’s birthplace.

 ‘Northeast Krishi Kumbh-2023′:

• Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the three-day ‘Northeast Krishi Kumbh-2023’ at Umiam in Meghalaya. The three day ‘Northeast Krishi Kumbh – 2023’ was organized on January 5-7, 2023.
• The highlights of the North East Krishi Kumbha -2023 included live demonstrations and exhibition of recent technologies through 102 stalls. B.D. Mishra is the governor of Meghalaya.

UAPA,1967:

• Union Home Ministry has designated Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen operative Asif Maqbool Dar as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, UAPA, 1967.
• Dar who is a resident of Jammu and Kashmir is currently based in Saudi Arabia. Dar is involved in instigating the youth of Kashmir Valley using social media platforms for terrorist activities.

DWMS:

• The Digital Workforce Management System (DWMS), developed by Digital University Kerala received the prestigious ‘Digital India’ platinum icon award on 7 January 2023.
• The DWMS is created as a ‘platform of platforms’, which integrates many features like onboarding, profiling, curation of job seekers, skill assessment, and matching. DWMS was developed by a team headed by Ajith Kumar R.

Tamil Nadu Events:

 ‘Spirit of Mylapore’:

• The Madras Sanskrit College, an over century-old educational institution was selected for the ‘Spirit of Mylapore’ award. The award is given by non – banking finance company Sundaram Finance.
• The College commenced operations in 1906. The award was given during the 19th edition of Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival.

International Events:

CIJ DY Chandrachud:

• The Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession has decided to confer Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud with the Center on the Legal Profession Award for Global Leadership. CLP’s highest professional distinction will be presented to CJI Chandrachud on January 11, 2023.
• Justice Chadrachud, who became chief justice in November 2022, holds an LLM and an SJD from Harvard Law School.

Manpreet Monica Singh:

• Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh became the first female Sikh judge in the US in January 2023. She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No 4 in Texas.
• She has been A trial lawyer for two decades and remains involved with many civil rights organizations at the local , state and national levels.

Ahmedabad:

• The International Kite Festival 2023 officially started on January 8th in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, with a theme centered around the G20 countries. The Festival is being held in Ahmedabad annually since 1989 as part of the official celebration of uttarayan.
• The event brings together kite makers and flyers from around the world to showcase their unique creations and impressive flying techniques.

RRR:

• SS Rajamouli won the top prize-Best Director at the New York Film Critics Circle for his film RRR. SS Rajamouli’s RRR is a fictional story based on the lives of Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem.
• The New York Film Critics Circle is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda Hale from the New York Daily News.

Sports Events:

Anahat Singh:

• Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh clinched the girls Under 15 squash title at the most prestigious British Junior Open tournament in Birmingham, in January 2023. The 14 year old defeated Sohaila Hazem of Egypt, 3-1 in the final.
• The British Junior Open is held in January every year in the UK where all the best players from all over the world compete to win the coveted title.

University of Kerala:

• The University of Kerala bagged the ‘Overall Championship’ at the 36th Inter University South Zone Youth Festival in Tirupati on 7 January 2023.
• Mahatma Gandhi University came as the runners-up. Noted Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Alekhya Punjala was the chief guest of the event. Championships were awarded in five categories viz, music, dance, fine arts, theatre, and literary events.