Awards & Honours
[Link] Zagallo, the first ever footballer to win
the FIFA World Cup trophy as both player and
coach, passed away aged 92 in Brazil.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to
inaugurate the Ram Mandir temple in Ayodhya on
22nd January 2024. This echoes a similar grand
inauguration ceremony 73 years ago in 1950 when
President Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the
Somnath temple. However, India's first Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the
government and President directly participating in
the Somnath ceremony. Nehru expressed
reservations about the secular government
associating with a religious event.
3. The central government has announced Bharat
Ratna for late Bihar leader Karpoori Thakur in his
birth centenary year. Known as 'Jannayak' or
people's leader, Thakur was CM twice and
pioneered social justice policies despite hailing
from a marginalized caste himself. Major parties
in Bihar have long backed conferring India's
highest civilian honor on the state icon.
[Link] Padma Awards are India's highest civilian
honors conferred in three categories - Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri -
recognizing exceptional contributions across
diverse fields. They are announced annually ahead
of Republic Day.
5. The Ministry of Home Affairs announced
Gallantry and Service medals for 1,132 personnel
across police, fire, civil defense and correctional
services ahead of India's 75th Republic Day
celebrations. The awards recognize brave and
distinguished service to the nation
Science & Technology
[Link] are the target users of recently launched ERNET India’s newly developed integrated
web portal?
À: Education Institutions
Notes:
S Krishnan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY),
inaugurated ERNET India’s newly developed integrated web portal designed for educational
institutes in India. This event took place at the head office of ERNET India in New Delhi on
January 4, 2024. The portal aims to provide various services, including domain registration,
DNS, Website as a Service (WaaS), and Learning Management as a Service (LMaaS),
leveraging open-source software and emerging technologies like AI/ML. ERNET India,
functioning under MeitY, serves as the exclusive domain registrar for educational and
research institutes in India and offers a range of other technological services.
7. On 3rd January, New Space India Limited
(NSIL) announced it has contracted American
firm SpaceX to launch an Indian communication
satellite aboard the Falcon 9 rocket. NSIL is the
commercial arm of the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO). This will be the first time an
Indian government satellite launches on SpaceX's
workhorse Falcon 9 launcher. The mission is
scheduled in the second quarter of 2024.
8. NASA has successfully tested a Rotating
Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) that can
potentially halve travel time to Mars.
Defence
[Link] 'DESERT CYCLONE'
• 1st edition of Exercise Desert Cyclone held recently in Rajasthan.
• It is a Joint Military Exercise between India & UAE.
• Aim - To focus on enhancing interoperability and sharing best practices in Urban
Operations.
10. The US leads the military strength rankings,
followed by Russia and China in 2nd and 3rd spots.
India placed 4th for the second straight year.
Pakistan ranked 9th and Italy rounded out the top
10 at 10th. Other countries in the top 10 include
South Korea, the UK, Japan and Turkey
[Link] has been recently appointed as the new Chief of Materiel of the Indian Navy?
A:Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh
Notes:
Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh has taken over as the new Chief of Materiel of the Indian
Navy from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani. The Chief of Materiel is the head of the Materials
Branch of the Navy, dealing with logistics and maintenance. Vice Admiral Deshmukh is an
alumnus of VJTI Mumbai and a postgraduate from Defence Services Staff College,
Wellington.
International
[Link] Braille Day
• January 4 is the birthday of Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille script. Louis Braille was
born in France in 1809.
• 'Reaching the blind and visually impaired
13. The Indian government has decided to
terminate the Free Movement Regime (FMR)
allowing visa-free 16-kilometer entry into each
other's territory for people living along the India -
Myanmar border.
14. The World Health Organization published
comprehensive recommendations on the ethical
governance of emerging large multi-modal AI
models (LMM) increasingly used in healthcare
like symptom analysis chatbots. Their rapid
uncontrolled adoption makes determining proper
oversight urgent.
[Link] Economic Forum
• World Economic Forum 2024 - Davos, Switzerland
• ThemE - "Rebuilding Trust"
• India participated embodying the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" - ready to shape a
shared future underpinned by global cooperation.
• A key outcome was the launch of a "Global Good Alliance for Gender Equity and Equality"
with WEF's backing to bring together best practices, knowledge sharing and investments
across women's health, education and enterprise
[Link] Education Day
• Declare United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), January 24 as the International Day of
Education in (2018.
• Aim - to raise awareness of the value and impact of quality education.
• In 2024, UNESCO is focusing on promoting anti- racist guidelines and addressing racism in
textbooks with the theme 'learning for lasting peace
[Link] is the theme for observing Earth Rotation Day in 2024?
A. Invest In Our Planet
B. Honoring the Discovery of Our Planet's Movement
C. Together, we have the power to Restore Our Earth
D. Preventing Environment
Answer : Honoring the Discovery of Our Planet's Movement
When is World Hindi Day celebrated every year?
A. 09 January
B. 10 January
C. 14 January
D. 17 January
Answer:10 January
National
18. The Indian government has formed the 16th
Finance Commission to review fiscal distribution
between the Union and States for 5 years from
2026. Dr. Arvind Panagariya, former NITI Aayog
Vice Chairman, will helm the panel.
19. The cabinet of Chhattisgarh has decided to
start the Shri Ramlala Darshan (Ayodhya Dham)
Scheme in the state. This decision fulfills another
guarantee given by Honorable Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi to the people of Chhattisgarh.
Under this scheme, people will get the chance to
visit Ayodhya and have darshan of Shri Ramlala.
The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board will implement
the Shri Ramlala Darshan Scheme
20. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi
inaugurated the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link
(MTHL), also known as Atal Setu, marking the
opening of India's longest sea bridge to date
21. Recently, Odisha announced the world's first
exclusive melanistic tiger safari adjoining the
Similipal Tiger Reserve. The aim is to boost
tourism and allow better research and public viewing access to these rare tigers that are
hard to
sight in forests
[Link] Youth Award 2024
• Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has selected Bisathi Bharat of Anantapur district
of Andhra Pradesh for the National Youth Award (NYA) recently.
• It is an award conferred annually to individuals and voluntary organisations serving in the
arena of youth development.
[Link] Diwas
• Parakram Diwas (Day of Valor) at Red Fort.
• To commemorate the legacy of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj.
• January 23, 2024, was commemorated as the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose.
[Link] Day 2024
• Election Commission of India celebrating 14th National Voters' Day. is
• Observed annually on January 25th.
Aim To create electoral awareness amongst citizens and encourage them to participate in
the electoral process.
• Theme Sure'. 'Nothing Like Voting, I Vote For
[Link] Tourism Day
• National Tourism Day - 25th January.
• World Tourism Day - 27 September.
• Theme Memories." "Sustainable Journeys, Timeless
[Link] per United Nations World Economic Situation And Prospects Report for 2024, what is
the projected GDP growth rate for India in 2024?
Α. 8.2%
B. 9.1%
C. 6.2%
D. 5.3%
Answer:6.2%
[Link] Tiger Reserve has got the title of India's first 'Dark Sky Park'?
A. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve
B. Pench Tiger Reserve
C. Namdapha Tiger Reserve
D. Kamlang Tiger Reserve
Answer:Pench Tiger Reserve
Notes:• Pench Tiger Reserve
Pench Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra has become India's first and Asia's fifth tiger reserve
with 'Dark Sky Park'.
• 'Dark Sky Park' helps protect the night sky and reduce light pollution.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) emphasizes the importance of
preserving natural darkness for nature conservation and maintaining ecology in protected
areas.
[Link] two cities have received the 'Cleanest Ganga City' award in the 'Clean
Survey-2023'
A. Varanasi and Kanpur
B. Varanasi and Prayagraj
C. Kanpur and Prayagraj
D. Prayagraj and Ghazipur
Answer:Varanasi and Prayagraj
[Link] is Indian Army Day celebrated every year?
A. 11 January
B. 14 January
C. 12 January
D. 15 January
Answer: 15 January
Notes:• The theme of Indian Army Day in the year 2024 is "In Service of the Nation".
• Presently the Chief of the Indian Army is General Manoj Pandey.
• Though formally established on April 1, 1895, the Indian Army traces its roots back to the
British colonial era. Today, India celebrates Army Day on January 15th, commemorating the
1949 appointment of its first Indian Commander-in- Chief
[Link] inaugurates Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Connection
KLI Project
• Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today, in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep, inaugurated Kochi-
Lakshadweep islands submarine optical fiber connection (KLI-SOFC) project.
• It will lead to faster Internet for the people of Lakshadweep.
• Fund - Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), Department of Telecommunications.
