National & International Appointments
1. Eminent scientist S Somanath appointed new chairman of ISRO
- Eminent rocket scientist S Somanath has been appointed the 10th chairman of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as well as the Space Secretary
- He will succeed K Sivan who completed his extended tenure as ISRO chief.
- His tenure will be of three years.
- The post of the ISRO chairman, Space Secretary and Space Commission chief is usually held by one person only.
- He is currently holding the post of Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
- ISRO HQs: Bangalore
National & International Appointments
2. Alikhan Smailov appointed as new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
- Alikhan Smailov (49 years) has been appointed unanimously as the new Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
- His name was nominated by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on 11th January, 2022.
- Prior to this, he served as finance minister of Kazakhstan from 2018 to 2020
- He became the first deputy prime minister in the Cabinet in 2019.
- Kazakhstan is Central Asian country, extends from Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains.
- Capital of Kazakhstan: Nur-Sultan.
Honours & Awards
3. Subhas Sarkar launches Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2021-22
- Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar has virtually launched Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021-2022
- These awards recognize and inspire those schools, which have undertaken exemplary work in the field of water, sanitation, and hygiene
- At National level, 40 schools will be selected for awards.
- Award money has been enhanced from 50,000 to 60,000 per school under Samagra Shiksha scheme
- It was first instituted by Dept of School Education and Literacy in 2016-17
National Affairs
4. India Ranks 83rd in Q1 Henley Passport Index 2022
- India has been ranked 83rd among 111 countries in the latest Henley Passport Index, released for Q1 of 2022
- India improved its position by seven places from 90th in Q4 of 2021 in October.
- Indian passport has visa-free access to 60 countries worldwide in Q1 2022
- Top performers: Japan and Singapore, followed by Germany and South Korea
- Least Performer: Afghanistan with score of 26
- Index is based on exclusive data from International Air Transport Association (IATA)
State Affairs
5. PM Modi inaugurates 11 new government Medical Colleges across Tamil Nadu
- PM Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated 11 New Government Medical Colleges across Tamil Nadu and new campus of Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai (Fully Govt funded).
- New medical colleges have been established at a cost of Rs 4,000 crores
- Districts in which new Medical Colleges were inaugurated: Virudhunagar, Namakkal, The Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Thiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Ramanathapuram and Krishnagiri.
Science & Technology
6. ISRO successfully conducts tests of Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan
- ISRO has successfully conducted qualification tests of Cryogenic Engine for Gaganyaan human space programme
- It is conducted by ISRO Propulsion Complex in Tamil Nadu for 720 seconds duration and met the test objectives.
- Successful test has ensured reliability and robustness of the cryogenic engine for induction into Gaganyaan
- Gaganyaan programme will use 2 cryogenic engines and will be launched by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III launched vehicle
National Affairs
7. Atal Innovation Mission declares results of ‘ATL Space Challenge 2021’
- NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has declared the results of ‘ATL Space Challenge 2021’, after successful completion and overwhelming participation from young innovators
- It was launched in collaboration with ISRO and CBSE
- The challenge was designed for all the school students, mentors and teachers across the country
- It witnessed over 2500 submissions from both ATL and Non-ATL students across the country from which 75 top innovators were selected and announced.
National Affairs
8. Prime Minister inaugurates MSME Technology Centre at Puducherry
- PM Modi has inaugurated Technology Centre of MSME Ministry at Puducherry on National youth day
- It is a World Class Technology Centre set up with an investment of Rs. 122 crore
- It is spread across 10 acres and will train 20,000 youth, support 2000 MSMEs and incubate 200 Start Ups, propelling local economy to great heights
- It will boost skill development and inculcate entrepreneurial spirit among youth
- It is developed under flagship Technology Centre Systems Program
Obituaries
9. India’s oldest sloth bear ‘Gulabo’ passes away at Van Vihar National Park
- India’s oldest sloth bear, named as Gulabo (40 years) passed away at the Van Vihar National Park and Zoo, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh due to failure of internal organs.
- She was the oldest sloth bear of the country and was one of the star attractions in the park
- She was rescued from a street performer (Madaari) in May 2006.
- Van Vihar National Park was declared a national park in 1979 and covers an area of about 4.45 km2
Agreement
10. IEPFA signs MoU with IGNOU for promoting Investor Education in Delhi
- Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has signed MoU with Indira Gandhi National Open University to propagate Investor Education, Awareness and Protection by utilizing the tele-lecturing facility of Gyan Darshan Channel.
- Proposed lecture series of 75 episodes will be a live tele-lecturing series on 24x7 Gyan Darshan TV channel.
- The repository of the tele-lectures is available on IEPFA’s official YouTube channel.
National Affairs
11. Union Minister proposed single application for all Scientific Fellowship
- Union Minister Jitendra Singh has proposed Common Single Application for all Scientific Fellowships, Grants and Scholarships.
- It will not only save cost and time but will provide a level playing field to all the students
- He has also constituted Committee for streamlining Fellowships and Research Grants under the Chairmanship of Dr Shekhar C. Mande.
- After its implementation, students need not to submit multiple applications and different portals.
Honours & Awards
12. DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups receives Global Women's HealthTech Awards
- DBT-BIRAC supported start-ups, NIRAMAI Health AnalytixPvt. Ltd. and InnAccel Technologies Pvt. Ltd. have received World Bank Group and Consumer Technology Association's Global Women's Health Tech Awards
- The award recognizes innovative startups that leverage tech to improve women's health and safety
- NIRAMAI Health Analytix was selected for early-stage breast cancer medical device
- InnAccel was selected for Fetal Lite, AI-powered fetal heart rate (FHR) monitor
National Affairs
13. SC appoints high-level committee to investigate PM's security breach
- Supreme Court has appointed high-level committee to look into the alleged security breach of Prime Minister's Punjab
- Chairperson of the committee: former SC Judge, Indu Malhotra,.
- look into the alleged security breach of Prime Minister's Punjab visit on 5th January this year.
- Three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, have passed the order for the same
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