National News

legendary leader who was

known for his maritime prowess
and military might.

Statue of Chhatrapati
Additional Points:
The Indian Navy celebrates Navy
Day on December 4 to
Maharaj unveiled at commemorate "Operation
Trident," the Navy's audacious
Rajkot Fort attack on Karachi harbor during
the 1971 War.

About Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj

● Shivaji was born on 6 April 1627
in Shivneri fort.
● He made Raigarh his capital.
● He was the son of Shahji Bhosle
and Jija Bai.
Launched by: Prime Minister
● The Jagir administrator, Ddoji
Narendra Modi
Konda Deo gave Shivaji
Launched On: Navy Day (4th
Maharaj training.
December)
● Religious Guru: Ramdas.
Location: Rajkot Fort in
● He appointed eight ministers
Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district.
who were called ‘Astapradhan’.

More about the News:

● The fort was built in 1660 by
Maratha Ruler Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj.
● It is tribute toChhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj, he was a
Country’s first women
India's first Woman
Aide-De-Camp (ADC).

ADC Manisha Padhi Additional Points:

Table of all the “firsts” by Indian
Women:

Recognition Women

To win the Booker Arundhati

Prize Roy

Supreme Court Justice M.

judge of India Fathima
Why in the news? Beevi
Indian Air Force officer Manisha
Padhi from Odisha has become the To become Chief Sucheta
Minister of an Indian Kriplani
country’s first woman Aide-De-Camp
state (UP)
(ADC) to the Governor of Mizoram.
To obtain a pilot's Sarla
About the Aide-De-Camp (ADC):
license and fly an Thakral
An aide-de-camp is a personal aircraft
assistant or secretary to a person of
high rank, usually a senior military, To score 5000 runs in Mithali Raj
ODI cricket
police or government officer, or to a
member of a royal family or a head First woman combat Avani
of state. pilot Chaturvedi

First and only Shivangi

More about the News? female pilot to fly Singh
● Mizoram governor Dr Hari Babu the Rafale fighter
Kambhampati appointed aircraft
Manisha Padhi, a 2015 batch
Indian Air Force officer, as
UP Plans To Build India’s ● The plan also includes
AI-enabled internal modes of

First AI City In Lucknow transport within the city.

Additional Points:
About Uttar Pradesh Electronics
Corporation Limited (UPECL):
● Uttar Pradesh Electronics
Corporation Limited
(UPECL) is a state-owned
corporation under the
Information Technology and
Electronics Department,
Government of Uttar
State: Uttar Pradesh Pradesh.
City: Lucknow ● It was established in 1979.
Nodal Agency: UP Electronics
Corporation Ltd.
More on the News:
● To promote the AI ecosystem.
Petro Capital of India
● Ecosystem of innovation and
R&D incorporating
cutting-edge technology.
● The government will allocate 40
acres in the Nadarganj
Industrial Area.
● The AI city will feature a mix of
luxury and affordable housing
complexes, promoting a
walk-to-work model. State: Gujrat
More on the News:
● With the world's largest State-of-the-Art
grassroot
Jamnagar
oil
and
refinery in
OPaL
Ayodhya Railway Station
petrochemical complex at
Dahej in Bharuch district,
Gujarat is now recognised as
the 'petro capital’ of India.
● Reliance Industries Ltd's (RIL)
Jamnagar refinery is the
largest and most complex
single-site refinery in the world.

Additional Points:
About Petrochemical Industry in Launched by: PM Narendra Modi
India:
Launched on: 30th December
● A petrochemical is any
Features of the Railway Station:
chemical manufactured from
● Infant Care Room
crude oil and natural gas
● Tourist Information Center –
distinct from fuels and used
details on local spiritual and
for various commercial
sightseeing attractions for
purposes.
encouraging tourism.
● Mumbai is famous for its
● Sick Room – urgent care and
petrochemical industry in
first aid for passengers
India.
● Fire Exits
● Accessible Infrastructure for
disabled
● It also provides standard
railway station facilities like
 food plazas, waiting halls, Habibganj Gond Queen Rani
dormitories and shops. Railway Kamlapati
More on the News: Station
● the Ayodhya railway junction in
Uttar Pradesh has been Manduadih Banaras Railway
officially renamed as Ayodhya Railway Station.
Dham junction Station
● The station, with a total cost of
₹430 crore, is designed to
accommodate up to 100,000
passengers. Uttar Pradesh’s First
● Its architecture blends modern
solutions with the aesthetics of Intra-District
traditional Indian temple
architecture.
Helicopter Route
Additional Points:
Renamed Railway stations:
Old Name Renamed

Pratapgarh Maa Belha Devi

railway Dham Pratapgarh
station Junction.

Jhansi Virangana
Railway Lakshmibai
Station Station. State: Uttar Pradesh Inaugurated
by: CM Yogi Adityanath
Mughalsarai Deen Dayal Launched on: 25th December (On
Railway Upadhyaya the Occasion of Atal Vihari Bajpyee)
Station Station.
Route: Bateshwar in Agra to
Goverdhan in Mathura.
More on the News: Speciality: India’s fastest solar
● This project is based on the electric boat
Public Private Partnership Launched at: Navgathi Panavally
model which will be operated Yard in Alappuzha.
by a Uttarakhand Private Developed by: Mazagon Dock
company. Shipbuilders and Navalt
● The Project is worth ₹100 crore. Objective: To Transition towards
eco-friendly maritime transportation,
Additional Points:
About Bateshwar:
● Bateshwar is a village in Agra
District, on the banks of the
river Yamuna.
● It is an important spiritual
and cultural center for Hindus
and Jains.
● It is known for the 101 Shiv
Temple Complex.
● Shouripur, near Bateshwar, More about the News:
which is the birthplace of the ● The Barracuda is inspired by
22nd Tirthankar of Jain faith, the name of a swift long fish.
Lord Neminath. ● It has been named officially
as Saur Sakthi.

India’s fastest solar

electric boat launched
Boat name: Barracuda
MedTech Mitra Portal
● The new initiatives would
facilitate indigenous
development of affordable,
quality MedTech devices and
diagnostics.

Additional Points:
About Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR)
● The Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) is the apex
body in India for the
Portal: MedTech portal
formulation, coordination, and
Launched by: Union Minister of
promotion of biomedical
Health and Family Welfare
research.
Coordinated by: Indian Council of
● The ICMR was established in
Medical Research (ICMR) and the
1911.
Central Drugs Standard Control
Organisation (CDSCO)
Objective: For the development of
MedTech Sector NHAI Launched ERS
More on the News:
● The MedTech Mitra Portal is an
Mobile App For Swift
online platform that connects
healthcare professionals,
Emergency Response
researchers, entrepreneurs and
innovators to collaborate on the App: ERS Mobile App
development and Launched by: NHAI (National
implementation of new medical Highway Authority of India)
technologies.
 administrative control of the
Ministry of Road Transport.

“Paat Mitro” : Mobile

Application Jute Farmer

Application: ‘Paat Mitro’ App

Launched by: Ministry of Textiles
Launched in: To provide important
Objective: It helps to quickly send
information about MSP and
information to emergency teams on
agronomy
the road during accidents or
Developed by: The Jute Corporation
emergencies.
of India Limited (JCI)
Objective:
About NHAI:
● National Highways Authority More on the News:
of India (NHAI) was ● The app also offers agronomic
constituted by an Act of practices, Minimum Support
Parliament in 1988 under the Prices (MSP) details, Jute
Gradation Parameters ,
 'Jute-ICARE' schemes, weather
forecasts, JCI’s Purchase National Geoscience
Centers’ locations, and
Procurement Policies. Data Repository
● It enables farmers to track their
jute payments and uses a (NGDR) Portal
Chatbot for queries.
● India is the largest producer of
jute followed by Bangladesh
and China.

Additional Points:
● The Jute Corporation of
India Limited is a central
public sector undertaking
under the ownership of the
Ministry of Textiles,
Government of India.
● It was created in the year
1971 with the primary
objective of strengthening Launched On: 19th December 2023
the jute sector Launched by: Ministry of Mines
Ministry: Ministry of Mines
Lead by: Geological Survey of India
(GSI) and Bhaskaracharya Institute
of Space Applications and
Geoinformatics (BISAG-N)
Objective: Easy availability of
geospatial data for the entire
country
More on the News:
 ● The launch of the portal puts
India in the league of nations
like the US, Australia and
Canada, that are advanced in
their mineral mining journey.
● The idea is that the industry
and the academia should use
this data to undertake more
and more mineral exploration
projects.
[BISAG (N)] is an Autonomous
Scientific under the MeitY,
Government of India
● To undertake technology
development & management,
R&D, facilitate National &
International cooperation etc,
in the area of geo-spatial
technology.

Additional Points:

Mission investigation @ 75 Days

About Geological Survey of India
(GSI):
● The Geological Survey of
India (GSI) was set up in 1851
primarily to find coal deposits
for the Railways.
● Its main functions is creating
and updating of national
geoscientific information and
mineral resource assessment. Mission: Mission investigation@75
● Ministry: Ministry of Mines Days
● Headquarters: Kolkata Launched by: Bihar
Objective: Streamline and expedite
the criminal justice process in the
About BISAG-N
State
● Bhaskaracharya National
Institute for Space
More on the News:
Applications and
● The goal is to finish
Geo-informatics
investigating crimes, including
 preparing the official crime
report (chargesheet), within 75 World's largest
days of reporting the crime.
● Every police station and district Meditation center
police team will be checked on
how well they are doing every Inaugurated
month, starting from January 1.

Additional Points:
About Bihar:
● Capital: Patna
● Chief minister: Nitish Kumar
● Bihar is a state in East India,
bordering Nepal.

Name: Swarved Mahamandir

Speciality: world's largest
meditation center
Where: Varanasi
Inaugurated by: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
More on the News:
● The Swarved Mahamandir is
the physical representation of
none other than the unmatched
Spiritual Treatise Swarved,
authored by Sadguru
Sadafaldeoji Maharaj,
Vihangam Yoga's greatly
 revered founder and spiritual
leader.
● The center that can seat 20,000
people at a time for meditation.
● Verses of the Swarveda have
been carved upon the walls of
the Mahamandir -- a
seven-floor superstructure.
● This Mandir do not have any
idol of God/Godesses
Additional points:
About Sadguru Sadafaldeoji
Maharaj
● Sadguru Sadafaldeo Ji
Maharaj was a renowned
spiritual leader and founder of
the Vihangam Yoga tradition.
● Born in the late 19th century in
Uttar Pradesh.
● He is regarded as a significant
figure in the realm of
spirituality and yoga.
● This form of yoga is unique as
it emphasizes the importance
of detaching the mind from
worldly distractions and
connecting with the inner self.
Emmanuel Macron Will
be the Chief Guest for
the Republic Day 2024
Event: Republic Day 2024
Significance of the Day:
● The Constitution was adopted
by the Constituent Assembly of
India on November 26, 1949,
and came into effect on
January 26, 1950.
More on the News:
● French President Emmanuel
Macron accepts PM Modi’s
invite, to be chief guest at
Republic Day celebrations.
● On Macron’s invite, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi was the
Guest of Honour at the Bastille
Day parade in Paris on July 14.
 ● Before this, the U.S. President specialized kits of essential
Joe Biden was expected to supplies and equipment.
travel to India ● It can handle bullet injuries,
burns, head, spinal and chest

Arogya Maitri Aid

injuries, minor surgeries,
fractures and major bleeding.
● It can treat as many as 200
Cube: World’s first patients.
● The kit also includes a portable
Portable Hospital generator, featuring both
traditional and solar
panel-based options, ensuring a
reliable power supply for the
entire setup.
● These cubes are light and
portable, and can be rapidly
deployed anywhere, from
airdrops to ground
transportation.
Why in the News?
World’s first Portable Hospital
Additional Points:
Arogya Maitri Aid Cube was
Project 'BHISHM':
Unveiled.
● Project 'BHISHM' is a
Launched from: Gurugram
government initiative aimed
More about the News:
at digitizing and streamlining
● Designed indigenously under
the management of public
the Project 'BHISHM' (Bharat
healthcare facilities in India
Health Initiative for Sahyog
through the use of technology.
Hita and Maitri).
● It is made up of 72 detachable
mini-cubes each containing
 ● Even the Constitution of Nepal,

International News adopted in 2015, explicitly

states that there can be no
discrimination on the basis of
Nepal-first south Asian sexual orientation.

country to register Important facts:

Taiwan is the first country in Asia to
same Sex Marriage legalize the same sex marriage.
Netherland is the First country to
legalize same-sex marriage after
Parliament passed the law in
December 2000.

Deepest and largest

underground Lab on earth
Country: Nepal Name: Deep Underground and
Why in the News: Nepal becomes Ultra-low Radiation Background
first south asian country to register Facility for Frontier Physics
same sex marriage Experiments (DURF)
More on the news:
● Trans-woman Maya Gurung, 35
and Surendra Pandey, 27, a
gay, got legally married and
their marriage was registered in
Western Nepal.
● In 2007, Nepal’s Supreme Court
had allowed same-sex
marriage.
Country: China Savera Prakash has become the First
Significance: Operationalization of Hindu women to contest election in
the world’s deepest and largest Pakistan
underground laboratory
Depth: 2,400 meters
More on the News:
● DURF will be used for scientific
experiments.
● Global research for dark matter,
a mysterious form of matter
● It hosts facilities like ultra-low
cosmic ray flux, extremely low
More on the News:
environmental radiation,
● Savera Prakash, a Hindu
exceptionally low radon
woman from the Buner district
concentration, and ultra-clean
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in
space.
Pakistan
● These factors collectively create
● The first woman to contest
an ideal environment for
elections for the provincial
precision experiments.
assembly from constituency
PK-25 on a general seat.
First Hindu women to ● She is affiliated with the
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

contest election in
Pakistan
Name: Savera Prakash
Why in the News?
United Nation declared
2024 The International
year of Camelids

Declared by: United Nations

What are Camelids:
Camelids are members of the
biological family Camelidae.
Year: 2024
Significance: This declaration aims
to highlight the crucial role of
Camelids in the lives of people
globally.
Additional points:
About United Nations:
● The United Nations (UN) is an
international organization
founded on October 24, 1945, in
the aftermath of World War II.
● Headquarter is in New York.

More on the News: Donald Tusk New PM

● These animals contribute to
food security, nutrition, and of Poland
economic growth, particularly
benefiting Indigenous Peoples
and local communities.
● They provide milk and
meat,fiber used for clothing
and shelter, means of
transportation and produce
organic fertilizer for agriculture.
Country: Poland Paudel
PM Appointed: Donald Tusk
More about the news: Mohamed President of
Muizzu Maldives
● Donald Tusk was the former
Leader of the EU. Christian Prime Minister of
● The current Prime Minister of Ntsay Madagascar
Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki,
Abdel Fattah re-elected to third
lost the vote of confidence in
el-Sisi, term as President
the parliament. of Egypt
● A coalition of opposition parties
won the general elections.
India has been designated
Additional Points:
About Poland:
as the chair of the
Capital: Warsaw International Sugar
Currency: Zloty
Prime Minister: Donald Tusk Organisation (ISO) for 2024
President: Andrzej Duda
Organization: International Sugar
Organisation (ISO)
Recently elected Presidents/Prime Chair: India
Ministers- Year: 2024
More about the news:
India has been designated as the
Personality Post
Chair of the International Sugar
Ram Sahaya Vice President of Organisation (ISO) for 2024.
Prasad Yadav Nepal It aims at establishing an "orderly
relationship between the supply and
Hun Manet PM of Cambodia
demand for sugar in the world
Chris Hipkins PM of New Zealand market.
Ram Chandra President of Nepal
 ● The “entire opiate economy” in
Additional Points: Myanmar is now worth between
● The International Sugar $1 billion and $2.5 billion, or
Organization is an between 2% and 4% of national
intergovernmental GDP.
organization, which was ● The reason for this rise can be
established by the linked with the military coup
International Sugar and civil war in the country,
Agreement of 1968, as the with less opportunities for
body responsible for people to earn.
administering the Agreement.
● Headquarters: London Additional Points:

Myanmar becomes the

largest Opium producer
Why in the news?
According to a recent report by the
UN Office on Drugs and Crime
About Golden Triangle:
(UNODC), Myanmar has become the
● The Golden Triangle refers to a
largest producer of Opium in the
region in Southeast Asia,
world.
specifically where the borders
Overtook: Afghanistan
of Thailand, Laos, and
More on news
Myanmar meet.
● The Taliban’s strict ban on
● It is notoriously known as one
poppy cultivation, introduced
of the world's primary
last April in Afghanistan,
opium-producing areas.
slashed opium production in the
country by 95%.
About the Golden Crescent:
● The Golden Crescent is an area
that spans across three
Economics
countries: Afghanistan, Iran,
and Pakistan.
● It's located in Southwest Asia. eSvarna : First
● This region is one of the world’s
largest producers of opium and Corporate RuPay
heroin.
Credit Card with UPI

Launched by: IndusInd Bank

What is eSvarna?
eSvarna is a new corporate credit
card.
It operates on the RuPay network,
which is a card payment service
provider like Visa and MasterCard.
Unique Feature:
Linking with UPI for Payments:
● This card is special because it's
India's first corporate credit
 card that can be linked with
UPI Government
● This means you can use UPI

Schemes in News
along with enjoying the benefits
of a credit card.
● The card has strong security
and counterfeit measures.

Ayushman Arogya Mandir

Additional points:
About UPI:
● Unified Payments Interface is
an Indian instant payment
system.
● The interface facilitates
inter-bank peer-to-peer and
person-to-merchant
transactions. Why in the News?
● It is used on mobile devices Ayushman Bharat Health and
to instantly transfer funds Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) to be
between two bank accounts. renamed as 'Ayushman Arogya
● Developed by: National Mandir’.
Payments Corporation of More about the News:
India. ● The rebranding initiative aims
● Year: 2016. to further the vision of
Ayushman India and transition
healthcare delivery from illness
to wellness.
● The tagline accompanying the
new name is 'Arogyam
Paramam Dhanam’.
 ● This decision ensures continuity women’s participation in the
and aligns the new identity with workforce
the broader health mission
objectives More on the News:
● Government aims to set up
Additional Points: 17,000 creches across the
AB-HWC aims to provide country.
comprehensive primary healthcare, ● It aims to provide the children
including both maternal and child of working women a safe and
health services, and free essential secure environment for the
drugs and diagnostic services close nutritional, health and cognitive
to people's homes through development of the children.
AB-HWCs. ● It targets primarily urban areas
where family-based childcare
support is less available.
● It is for both organized and
Palana Scheme in News unorganized sectors
irrespective of their
employment status.
● The Palna component has been
included under Mission Shakti.

Additional Points:
About Mission Shakti
● Mission Shakti’ aimed at
strengthening interventions
for women safety, security
Introduced by: Women and Child and empowerment.
Development Ministry ● It has two sub-schemes -
Objective: To provide quality child 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya'.
care facilities through While the "Sambal"
Anganwadi-cum-Crèches, enabling
 sub-scheme is for safety and
security of women, the
"Samarthya" sub-scheme is
for empowerment of women.
● ‘No charge ticket’ of the bus
travels was issued to the
woman passengers.
● Women of the state shall also
get LPG cylinders at the
subsidized Price.

Telangana Panchayati Raj Ministry

Mahalaxmi Yojana Launches “Gram
Manchitra” App

State: Telangana
Scheme: Mahalaxmi Yojana
Launch year: 2023
App Launched: Gram Manchitra
Objective: The scheme offers free
Launched by: Panchayati Raj
travel to women and transgender
Ministry
community in most of the TSRTC
Objective: To empower Gram
buses.
Panchayats and improve grassroots
More on the News:
spatial planning
Other Objectives:
More about the News:
● Women of the state would
Gram Manchitra: A GIS application
receive the 2500/- each.
for comprehensive view of
development projects.
Function: Captures photos with
Geo-Tags at three stages - before,
during, and after project completion.
Uses: Geo-tagging assets in sectors
like natural resource management,
water harvesting, sanitation,
agriculture, and more.
with Kakatiya Zoological Park in
Warangal.
About Indira Gandhi Zoological
Park (IGZP): Indira Gandhi
Zoological Park is located in
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It
is the third largest zoo in the country.
About Kakatiya Zoological Park : It
is a zoo situated in Hanamkonda,

Environment Warangal of Telangana, India.

About Mouse Deer:

● Smallest deer in India and is

Indian Mouse deer nocturnal.

● Endemic to the Indian

and Chousingha Subcontinent.

About Chousingha:
● It is a small antelope found in
India and Nepal with
four-horned.
● It is endemic to the Indian
subcontinent.
● They are found in woodland
areas throughout India.

Why in the News?

The Indira Gandhi Zoological Park
(IGZP) has received two new species,
Mouse Deer and Chousingha as part
of an animal exchange programme
Barda Wildlife Sanctuary ● Aim: To conserve and protect
the Asiatic Lion and its
is to become the second habitat.
● They are only found in the Gir
home for Asiatic lions National Park and Sanctuary
in Gujarat.

About the Asiatic Lions:

● The Asiatic lion, also known as
the Persian lion, survives in
the wild only in India.
● IUCN status: Endangered

Bhutan has 1,000-sq.

Why in the News?
The proposal to make Barda Wildlife km. green city along
sanctuary as the second home for
the Asiatic Lions has been sent for Assam border
approval
State: Gujrat Project: "Gelephu Smart City
More about the news: Project,"
Barda Wildlife sanctuary is situated Country: Bhutan
approximately 15 kilometers from Features of the City:
Porbandar and 100 kilometers west ● "Gelephu Smart City Project,"
of Gir Forest National Park. is intended to be over 1,000
square kilometers in size.
Additional Points: ● The way is to connect South
About the Project Lion @ 2047: Asia with Southeast Asia, using
● Launched: 2021. India's northeastern states as a
bridge.
 ● The Indian government has Venue: Dubai, UAE
agreed to help by building the COP 27: Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
first India-Bhutan railway line COP 26: Glasgow, United Kingdom
to Gelephu. Objective:
● The project aims to bring ● To evolve a global consensus to
economic growth and new address the climate
opportunities, like access to catastrophe.
markets, capital, new ideas, ● Limiting the increase in global
and technology. temperature to 1.5 degrees
● It will have features like an Celsius.
international airport, "zero ● Assisting the communities who
emission" industries, and a are most vulnerable to the
focus on tourism and wellness, consequences of climate
reflecting Bhutan's strengths. change.
● Achieving net-zero emissions by

Conference of the Parties 2050.

(COP 28) to the UN About the COP:

It facilitates the exchange of best
Framework Convention on practices and innovations across
vital sectors crucial to
Climate Change (UNFCCC) decarbonisation efforts in the
areas of energy, transport,
buildings, industry, finance and
nature.
● The COP meetings act as the
decision-making body of the
UNFCCC in order to address
climate change.

Event: COP 28
 Winter Solstice: 22
where 'sol' means Sun and
'stitium' means to stop.
● During the winter solstice, the
December days are the shortest.

Additional Points:
Event(Reference Date
to Northern
Hemisphere)

Summer Solstice 21st June

22 December 2023: Winter Solstice Winter Solstice 22nd December

Date: 22 December 2203 Equinox (Spring) 21st March
Significance: Winter Solstice
Equinox (Autumn) 23rd September
More on the News:
● The winter solstice marks the
shortest day of the year Indian Railways
● The Earth is tilted 23.4 degrees
on its axis, so if the Earth's pole
is pointing towards or away
launched an Initiative
from the Sun during the day,
the arc the Sun travels through
‘Gajraj Suraksha’
will rise and fall during the year.
● Winter Solstice happens when
one of the Earth's poles is far Initiative: Gajraj Suraksha
away from the Sun. Launched by: Indian Railways
● It falls on December 21 or 22 in Objective: To address the issue of
the Northern Hemisphere and elephant fatalities resulting from
June 20 or 21 in the Southern train accidents.
Hemisphere. More about the News:
● The word solstice is derived ● It uses an AI-based algorithm
from the Latin word solstitium, and a network of sensitive
 optical fibre cables to detect

Art and Culture

elephants getting close to
railway tracks.

Garba enlisted in
UNESCO Intangible
Cultural Heritage
● Gajraj Suraksha senses
pressure waves generated by
the movement of elephants
along the tracks.
● The Detection System sends
alarms to station masters
whenever movement is
detected along the tracks.
● The Indian Railway is planning
to introduce this system in West
Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Why In the News?
Assam, Kerala, certain parts of Garba enlisted in UNESCO Intangible
Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu. Cultural Heritage.
State: Gujarat
Ministry: Ministry of Culture
Additional Points:
About Garba:
● West Bengal leads with 26
● Garba is a form of dance that
corridors, constituting 17% of
originated in the state of
the total elephant corridors.
Gujarat in India.
● Karnataka has the highest
elephant population in India.
 ● It is traditionally performed
during the nine-day Hindu UNESCO: Bengaluru T2
festival Navratri.
● The dance is characterized by world’s most beautiful
its circular movements, vibrant
costumes, and energetic music. Airport
About UNESCO Intangible
Cultural Heritage:
● The list was established in
2008 when the 2003
Convention for the
Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage
sites of the World came into
effect.

More on the News: Award: UNESCO's Prix Versailles

● Garba of Gujarat is the 15th 2023,
ICH element from India to join Acknowledgement: Bengaluru
this list. Terminal 2 as world's most beautiful
● Traditions or cultural airports
phenomena from India such as Conferred to: Bengaluru's
Ramlila, Vedic Chants, Kumbh Kempegowda International Airport
Mela and Durga Puja have (KIA) Terminal 2
already been recognised by the More on the News:
UNESCO list.
● The airport was honored with
the prestigious 'Special Prize for
an Interior' in recognition of its
outstanding design.
 ● There is a unique combination private sector or institutional
of art and technology within T2. organization.
● The airport is sustainably ● It has been Initiated since
designed and has been rated 2000.
by US Green Building Council.
The Awards consist of five
categories.

Six Indian Heritage ● Award of Excellence.

● Award of Distinction.
Projects win UNESCO Asia ● Award of Merit.
● Honorable Mention.
- Pacific Awards 2023 ● Award for New Design in
Heritage Contexts

More about the News:

Site awarded in India:

Site Award

Rambagh Gate in Award of

Amritsar Excellence

Pipal Haveli, Honor for

Award: Asia- Pacific Awards 2023 Punjab Sustainable
Development
Conferred by: UNESCO
Conferred to: 5 from China, 6 from Karnikara
India, and 1 from Nepal. Mandapam at
Award of
About about the award: Kunnamangalam
Distinction
Bhagawati
● The objective is to motivate the Temple, Kerala
protection of Cultural Heritage
Epiphany, Award of Merit
sites, which are initiated by any
Haryana
individual organization under
 David Sassoon ● He is believed to have lived
Library and Award of Merit between the 3rd-4th century or
Reading Room, 8th-9th century.
Mumbai ● People from Hinduism,
Bikaner House, Award of Merit Jaininsm and Buddhism claim
New Delhi him to be of their respective
religion.
● Dravidian groups also count
him as a saint, as he dismissed
Statue of Thiruvalluvar the caste system.
● He had contributed the
unveiled in France Tirukkural or ‘Kural’ to the
Sangam literature.
● Tirukkural comprises 133
sections of 10 couplets each is
divided into three books: Aram
(virtue), Porul (government and
society), and Kamam (love).
● Thiruvalluvar Day is celebrated
in Tamil Nadu on the fourth day
of Pongal celebrations.

Personality: Thiruvalluvar
Statue in which Country: France
(Cergy) Meghalaya Lakadong
About Thiruvalluvar:
● Thiruvalluvar, also called Turmeric gets GI Tag
Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.
● The period of his birth and State: Meghalaya
death is highly debated. GI Product: Lakadong Turmeric
More about the News:
 ● It is considered to be one of the
world's best varieties of First state to register 18
turmeric
● It is darker in color and is
GI Tag in a single day
grown organically without the
use of fertilizers.
● It is found in the Lakadong
area of Jaintia Hills, and has
high curcumin content.

Additional Points:
● GI tag identifies a product
originating from a particular State: Uttarakhand
region.
Achievement: Got GI certificates for
● Registration of Geographical
a maximum of 18 products in a single
indication is valid for 10 years.
day.
● Geographical Indication (GI)
More on the News:
tag is given as per the
● The 18 products of the state
Geographical Indications
which have received GI
(Registration and Protection)
(geographical Indication)
Act, 1999. It was implemented
certificates include:
from 2003.
1. Uttarakhand Chola
● GI tag is given by the
2. Jhangora
Geographical Indications
3. Mandua
Registry located in chennai.
4. Red Rice
5. Almora Lakhori Chilli
6. Berinag Tea
7. Burans Sharbat
8. Ramnagar (Nainital) litchi
9. Ramgarh Aadu,
10. Malta
 11.Pahari Tor (Toor Dal) About the book: It is a collection of
12.Gahath (Dal) short stories centered around women
13.Kalah Bhatt (Black Rice) at a crossroads in their lives and
14. Bichhubati Fabric dealing with themes around
15. Nainital Mangbatti (Candle) marriage, parenthood, death,
16.Rangoli Pichoda loneliness and love.
17.Chamoli Raman Masks More Books by her: Pyjamas Are
18. Kitai Wood Carving Forgiving, The Legend of Lakshmi
Prasad, Mrs Funnybones
● For the 1st time in the 20-year Additional Points:
journey from the enactment of More Books Authored by Indian
the GI law in 2003 to 2023, GI Actor and actresses:
certificates have been issued to
18 products of a state Actor Book Title
simultaneously in a single day.
Tusshar Kapoor The Bachelor
“Welcome to paradise”: Dad: My Journey
To Fatherhood

Twinkle Khanna Unveiled And More

Neena Gupta Sach Kahun Toh

Kalki Koechlin The Elephant in

the Womb

Kabir Bedi Stories I Must Tell

Priyanka Unfinished
Chopra Jonas
Book: “Welcome to paradise”
Author: Twinkle Khanna Sonali Bendre The Modern
Gurukul
 pay tribute to the Great Indian
Emraan Hashmi The Kiss of Life
Musical Maestro Tansen.
● The event is organized near the
Sonu Sood I Am No Messiah
tomb of Tansen.
● 1500 people performed tabla in
the 'Taal Darbar' in Gwalior, City

Tansen Samaroh 2023 of Music, setting a Guinness

World Record for the most
persons performing tabla at the
same time

Additional Points:
About Tansen:
● Mian Tansen was a prominent
Indian classical music
composer, musician and
Festival: Tansen Samaroh vocalist.
● He was among the
Year: 2023
Navaratnas (nine jewels) at
Organized by: Ustad Alauddin Khan
the court of the Mughal
Kala Evam Sangeet Academy, under
Emperor Jalal ud-din Akbar.
the department of culture,
● Akbar gave him the title Mian,
Government of Madhya Pradesh
an honorific, meaning learned
About the Samaroh:
man.
● Tansen Sangeet Samaroh is
● ‘Tansen’ title was given to him
celebrated every year in the
by Raja Vikramjit of Gwalior.
month of December in Behat
village of Gwalior district,
Madhya Pradesh.
● It is a 4-day musical event.
● Artists and music lovers from all
over the world gather here to
 National Good Veer Bal Diwas :
Governance Day 2023 26th December

Important day: Good Governance

Day
Important Day: Veer Bal Diwas
Date: 25th December Date: 26th December
Significance: It is celebrated in Significance: To mark the
honor of the birth anniversary of martyrdom of Sri Guru Gobind
former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Singh’s sons Sahibzadas Baba
Vajpayee. Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh
Objective: To raise awareness about Singh Ji.
the importance of More on the News:
More on the News: ● On the occasion, the Prime
● It was started in 2014. Minister flagged off a
● Atal Bihari Vajpayee was march-past by youth in Delhi.
awarded the Bharat Ratna in ● On the day of the Prakash
2014. Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh
● The day serves as a platform to Ji, on 9th January 2022, Prime
educate citizens about the Minister announced that 26th
responsibilities and duties of December will be observed as
the government. ‘Veer Bal Diwas’.
National Mathematics Day
Additional Points:
About Srinivas Ramanujan
Date: 22nd December ● The great
Important Day: National mathematician was born
Mathematics Day on this day in Tamil
Nadu Erode to a
Brahmin Iyengar family.
● Since his childhood days,
he had a liking for
mathematics which led
him to master
trigonometry at the age
of 12.
● He became one of the
youngest Fellows of the
Royal Society and only
the second Indian
More on the News: member.
● This date marks the birth ● 1729 is known as the
anniversary of legendary Ramanujan’s Number
mathematician Srinivasa ● It is the smallest
Ramanujan. number expressible as
● The celebration of this day the sum of two cubes in
began in 2012 when then Prime two different ways.
Minister Manmohan Singh
●
declared December 22 as
National Mathematics Day to
honor the life and
achievements of Ramanujan in
the field of Mathematics.
 National Energy
Additional Information:
All important day of December:

Conservation day
Date Important Day

1st World Aids Day

02nd National Pollution Control Day

2023, International Day for
the Abolition of Slavery 2023

04th Indian Navy Day 2023

05th World Soil Day 2023

06th BR Ambedkar’s Death

Anniversary 2023
Important day: National Energy
07th International Civil Aviation
Conservation day
Day 2023
Date: 14th december
10th Human Rights Day 2023
Objective: To drive mass awareness
11th UNICEF Foundation Day 2023
about the importance of energy
efficiency and Conservation.

More on the News:

Award and Honors
● The National Energy
Conservation Day has been
celebrated every year on Shaikh Hassan Khan
December 14 since 1991.
● The Bureau of Energy Efficiency
(BEE), under the Ministry of
climber Mount Vinson
Power spearheads the
Personality: Shaikh Hasan Khan
celebrations every year.
Achievement: Climbed Mount ● Mount Vinson is situated at an
Vinson, the highest peak in altitude of 4,892 meters above
Antarctica sea level.

Highest Peaks:

More about the news:

● Shaikh Hassan Khan, a Continent Highest Peak
36-year-old Kerala government
employee, has climbed Mount Asia Mount Everest
Vinson, the highest peak in
South America Aconcagua
Antarctica.
● This is the fifth peak that North America McKinley
Shaikh Hasan Khan has
conquered. Africa Kilimanjaro
● The aim of his campaign is to
spread awareness about Europe Elbrus Mountains
climate change happening in
Antarctica Vinson Massif
Antarctica.
Australia Kosciusko
Additional Points:
About Mount Vinson:
● It is the highest mountain in
Antarctica.
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize promoting international peace,
larger good of humanity.

For 2023 Presented ● The prize carries a cash award

of 2.5 million Indian rupees and
a citation.
● Established in 1986.
More about the news:
● Daniel Barenboim is an
Argentine-born classical pianist
and conductor based in Berlin.
● Barenboim is a vocal supporter
of the Israeli-Palestinian peace
Prize: Indira Gandhi Peace Prize For process and has used his
2023 platform (music) to raise
Winners: Daniel Barenboim and Ali awareness about the
Abu Awwad importance of dialogue and
Contribution: coexistence.
The award recognizes their ● Ali Abu Awwad is a prominent
exceptional contributions in bringing Palestinian peace activist and
together the youth and peoples of proponent of nonviolence.
Israel and the Arab World for a
non-violent resolution of the Additional Points:
Israel-Palestine conflict. Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in Recent
About the Prize: Years:
● Also known as Indira Gandhi Year Winner
Prize for Peace, Disarmament
2021 NGO Pratham
and Development, is the
prestigious award accorded 2022 Indian Medical Association and
annually by Indira Gandhi the Trained Nurses Association
of India
Memorial Trust to individuals or
organizations in recognition of 2023 Daniel Barenboim and Ali Abu
creative efforts toward Awwad
 Ajanta Ellora Film Pushpa Bharti winner
Festival Padmapani of Vyas Samman
lifetime
achievement Award

Winner: Pushpa Bharti

Award: Vyas Samman
Conferred By: KK Birla Foundation
Winner: Javed Akhtar Contribution/ Work: “Yaadein,
About the Award: The honor Yaadein aur Yaadein.”
comprises Padmapani memento, About “Yaadein, Yaadein aur
citation and monetary award of Rs 2 Yaadein'': “Yaadein, Yaadein aur
lakhs. Yaadein.” is a memoir. It reflects on
More on the News: the joys, challenges, and
● Javed Akhtar, the co-writer of transformative moments that have
Hindi cinema classics such as shaped her life.
"Zanjeer", "Deewaar", "Sholay", More on the News:
etc, honored for his contribution ● The Vyas Samman is a literary
to the Indian film industry. award in India, first awarded in
1991. It is awarded annually by
the K.K.
● Birla Foundation and includes a
cash payout of Rs 4,00,000.
 ● To be eligible for the award, the Conferred by: Royal Society of
literary work must be in the Chemistry
Hindi language and have been About the Award: In recognition of
published in the past 10 years. contributions to chemistry education

Additional Points:
Vyas Samman in previous Years:

Year Prize Book

2022 Gyan Pagala Khana

Chaturvedi
More on the News:
● The winner becomes a part of
2021 Asghar Mahabali an elite list from which 60
Wajahat members have further been
conferred with the Nobel Prize
2020 Sharad K Empress of for their work including 2022
Pagare pataliputra Nobel Laureate Carolyn
Bertozzi and 2019 Nobel
laureate John B Goodenough.
● She also received £5000, a

Nyholm Prize for medal and a certificate.

Chemistry Education Additional Points:

● The prize was established in

Excellence 2007 by the Royal Society of

Chemistry (RSC) and is
awarded every two years.
Winner: Prof. Savita Ladage ● The Royal Society of
Contribution: in recognition of Chemistry’s Prizes portfolio is
contributions to chemistry education. one of the oldest and most
 prestigious in the world,
recognising achievements by
individuals, teams and
organizations in advancing
the chemical sciences.
UNHCR Nansen
Contribution: for his work
championing the right to education
for displaced children.
Established: 1954
About the Award: The UNHCR
Nansen Refugee Award honors
individuals, groups and
organizations who go above and
beyond the call of duty to protect
refugees, as well as internally
displaced and stateless people.

Refugee award 2023 Prize Conferred:

A commemorative medal and a
monetary prize of USD 100,000.

Additional Points:
About UNHCR:
● The United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) is a United Nations
agency mandated to aid and
protect refugees, forcibly
displaced communities, and
stateless people, and to assist
in their voluntary repatriation,
local integration or
Conferred by: United Nations High resettlement to a third
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) country.
Winner (2023): Abdullahi Mire (a ● It is headquartered in
Somali Refugee) Geneva, Switzerland
 ● In 2022 the Global Laureate
was Dr. Angela Merkel, the
Former Federal Chancellor of
Germany.
Rabindranath Tagore
Literary Prize 2023
More on the News:
Award: Rabindranath Tagore Literary
Prize
Winner: Poet Sukrita Paul kumar
Work: “Salt & Pepper: Selected
Poems”
Prize: Cash prize of USD 5000, a
Tagore Statue and a certificate
About the Award:
● The Rabindranath Tagore
Literary Prize is a literary honor
in India conferred annually to
published works of Indian
authors in novel, short stories,
poetry and drama, originally
written in any of Indian official
languages and dialects, but
translated to English.
● First awarded in 2018.
● It encourages world peace,
literature, art, education and
human rights.
● Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee
was awarded the Rabindranath
Tagore Literary Prize for Social
Achievement.
● Last year, the prize was
awarded to acclaimed
journalist-author Raj Kamal Jha
for his novel “The City and The
Sea.”
Sahitya Akademi Award Additional points:
About Sahitya Akademi

2023 announced ● The Sahitya Akademi Award is

one of the highest literary
honors in India.
● The Sahitya Akademi Award is
given to 22 languages
included in the Eighth
Schedule of the Constitution
of India as well as in English
and Rajasthani.
● The award consists of a cash
Awards: Sahitya Awards prize, a plaque, and a citation.
● The first Awards were given in
Conferred by: Sahitya Akademi
1955.
More on the News:
Sahitya Akademi has announced its
annual Sahitya Akademi Awards
9 books of poetry, 6 of novel, 5 of
short stories, 3 Essays and 1 Literary
Study have won the Sahitya Akademi
Awards 2023.

Some Notable Winners:

● Hindi novel Mujhe Pehchano by
Sanjeev.
● Requiem in Raga Janki (Novel)
Neelum Saran Gour in English
● Rajdev Ki Amrai (Novel) by
Sadiqua Nawab Saher in Urdu
Language.
 NTPC Kanti receives
FICCI Water Award 2023
Additional Points:
Award: FICCI water award 2023
Winner: NTPC Kanti (NTPC Kanti
also known as George Fernandes
Thermal Power Plant Station is
located in Kanti, Muzaffarpur, Bihar)
Edition: 11th
Category: “Industrial Water Use
Efficiency” category.
About FICCI water Award 2023:
The FICCI Water Awards, presented
annually, play an important role in
acknowledging organizations across
various sectors for their exemplary
efforts in water conservation and
management.
More on the News:
● The recognition signifies the
NTPC’ exceptional efforts in
water conservation and its
commitment to the efficient use
of water resources in its
operations.
● Raised awareness about
responsible water usage.
● NTPC Limited, (National
Thermal Power Corporation) is
an Indian central Public
Sector Undertaking under the
ownership of the Ministry of
Power and the Government of
India, who is engaged in the
generation of electricity and
other activities.
● Headquarters: New Delhi.
● Founded: 7 November 1975
 Bhutanese Author ● The Sahitya Akademi
established the 'Premchand

Tsering awarded the Fellowship' in 2005

commemorate the 125th birth
to

Sahitya Akademi’s anniversary of famed Hindi

writer Munshi Premchand.

‘Premchand Fellowship’ ● It is granted to "a person of

eminence in the field of culture
and literature" who is
conducting study on Indian
literature or to innovative
writers from countries other
than India that are members of
the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation.
● Intizar Hussain, a Pakistani
Urdu writer, was the inaugural
Winner: Tshering Tashi winner of the scholarship.
Award: Sahitya Akademi’s
‘Premchand Fellowship’
More about the News:
● Mr. Tashi is a writer based in
Bhutan's capital Thimphu who
specializes in creative
nonfiction.
● He has published a number of
books about Bhutan and has
made his country more
accessible, engaging, and
attractive to young people.
Additional Points:
About 'Premchand Fellowship
 Science and
● The technology uses nano-scale
iron oxy-hydroxide , which
selectively removes arsenic
when water is passed through

Technology it.
● This technology is suitable for
both domestic and community
level water purification.
Amrit Technology By
IIT Madras Additional Points:
About Arsenic:
● Arsenic is a chemical element
that occurs naturally in the
Earth's crust.
● Arsenic can be found in various
forms, including inorganic and
organic compounds.
● Blackfoot disease is a
characteristic vascular disease
associated with long-term
exposure to inorganic arsenic.

Technology: AMRIT Technology

Developed by: IIT Madras
Objective: To remove Arsenic and
metal Ions from water

More about the news:

● AMRIT Technology stands for
Arsenic and Metal Removal by
Indian Technology.
 “Made for India”
● This LLM uses a custom
tokenizer to interpret the
languages and scripts.
Krutrim AI
Additional Points:
Other indigenous AI’s:
Bhashini AI-Driven Language
Translation System

Vyom Female-looking
Mitra spacefaring humanoid
robot being developed by
the ISRO
AI:: Krutrim AI SUVAS AI-driven translation tool,
Venture: Krutrim SI Designs to facilitate regional
Founded by: Bhavish Aggrawal, language usage in legal
co-founder of Ola, proceedings.
More on the News:
Features of Krutrim AI
● The model understands 20
Indian languages and can
India and US to launch
generate content in ten of
these.
NISAR Satellite in 2024
● Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Odia,
Telugu are among the Why in the News?
languages it can generate India and US to launch NISAR
content in. satellite 2024
● The project team claims that Satellite: (NISAR) NASA ISRO
Krutrim is larger than even synthetic Aperture Radar
GPT-4 in Indic language
support.
 About the NISAR Satellite: Additional Points:
● Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, often
referred to as the father of
India's space program,
established the Indian
National Committee for Space
Research in 1962.
● This Committee was then
transformed into the Indian
● NISAR has been built by space Space Research Organization
agencies of the US and India (ISRO) on 15th August 1969.
under a partnership agreement ● Headquarter: Bangalore.
signed in 2014. ● Chairman of ISRO: S Somnath
● It is expected to be launched in
January 2024 from Satish
Dhawan Space Centre into a
near-polar orbit. China, Egypt Jointly
● The satellite will operate for a
minimum of three years. Launch Satellite
● It is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
observatory. MisrSat-2
● NISAR will map the entire globe
in 12 days.
● It will help in monitoring
ecosystems, disaster
Management, climate change
etc, like melting glaciers, sea
level rise.

Satellite: MisrSAT- 2
Countries Involved: China and
Egypt Bacteria name on
Launched from: Jiuquan Satellite
Launch Center in northwest China Rabindranath Tagore
Rocket: Long March-2C carrier
rocket
Objective: To support Egypt’s SDGs
in agriculture, mining, water
management, and environmental
protection.

More on the News:

● MisrSat-2, an optical
remote-sensing satellite, is
equipped with a high-resolution
camera capable of capturing Why in the news?
detailed images of Egypt’s soil A team of researchers from
and water resources. Visva-Bharati University’s botany
● To monitor climate changes, department has discovered a new
desertification, and land species of bacteria Pantoea Tagorei.
degradation. Discovered by: Visva-Bharati
● This initiative positioned Egypt University
as the first African country with Scientific name of Bacteria:
satellite assembly and testing Pantoea Tagorei
capabilities.
More on the News:
● The Association of
Microbiologists of India (AMI)
has officially recognized the
discovery.
● Pantoea Tagorei has the
potential to significantly reduce
 the need for commercial
fertilizers. Odisha Government
● Pantoea Tagorei is a
plant-growth promoting declared Leprosy as the
bacteria (PGPB). PGPBs are a
type of bacteria that live in the reportable Diseases
soil around plant roots and
form a symbiotic relationship
with the plants.
● They provide the plants with
essential nutrients, such as
nitrogen and phosphorus
● Tagore was a vocal advocate
for sustainable farming
practices and believed in the State: Odisha
importance of promoting More on the News:
self-sufficiency in food ● The Odisha Government has
production. declared Leprosy as the
reportable Diseases in the
Additional Points: state.
About Association of ● Though India has eliminated
Microbiologists of India (AMI) leprosy according to the WHO
● The Association of criterion (less than one case per
Microbiologists of India (AMI) 10,000 population at the
is a professional organization national level), it remains
dedicated to advancing the endemic in some states
field of microbiology in India. including Odisha.
● Founded in 1952.
About Reportable Disease:
● A reportable disease is an
infectious disease that is
 required by law to be reported
to public health authorities. Noma disease included
● This is done to enable timely
tracking, investigation, and
in the Neglected
control of the disease to
prevent its spread and protect
Tropical Disease by WHO
public health

Additional Points:
About Leprosy:
● Leprosy, also known as
Hansen's disease, is a chronic
infectious disease caused by
the bacterium Mycobacterium
Leprae. Why in the News?
● It primarily affects the skin, Noma disease include in the
peripheral nerves, mucous Neglected Tropical Disease
membranes, and eyes. Disease: Noma
● Leprosy is transmitted About Noma:
through close and prolonged ● Noma (also known as
contact with an infected gangrenous stomatitis or
person who is not receiving cancrum oris) is a rapidly
treatment. progressive and often fatal
infection of the mouth and face.
● This disease predominantly
affects children between the
ages of two and six years old.
● More prominent in the least
developed countries around the
world.
 Defence
What is Neglected Tropical
Disease:
● Neglected tropical diseases
(NTDs) are a diverse group of

INS Imphal
20 conditions that are mainly
prevalent in tropical areas,
where they mostly affect
impoverished communities commissioned in
and disproportionately affect
women and children. Indian Navy
More on the News:
● People with noma and noma
survivors may face stigma.
● The underlying causes for this
disease are primarily poor oral
hygiene and malnutrition

Launch: INS Imphal

More on the news:
● The third of four warships of
Project 15B that together form
the Visakhapatnam class
stealth-guided missile
destroyers.
● It is an indigenously-built
stealth guided missile destroyer.
● The guided missile destroyer
has an overall length of 164
meters.
 ● It is a potent and versatile
platform equipped with Exercise Astrashakti
state-of-the-art weapons and
sensors, including surface-to-air 2023
missiles, anti-ship missiles and
torpedoes.
● INS Imphal is the first warship
to have been named after a
city from the Northeastern
region

Additional Point:
What is Project 15B?

● The Project 15B (P15B) / Why in the news?

Visakhapatnam-class is the Objective: To demonstrate the
latest destroyer design capability of engaging four targets
currently under construction simultaneously
for the Indian Navy. Venue: Suryalanka Air Force Station
● Four Guided missile Conducted by: IAF
Destroyers of Project 15B (P Developed by: Defence Research
15B) are under construction at and Development Organisation
M/s Mazagon Dock (DRDO)
Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai. More on the News:
● India has become the first to
demonstrate the capability of
engaging four targets
simultaneously at such ranges
by command guidance using a
single firing unit.
 ● India recently showed off the ● The exercise aims to increase
power of its home-made Akash military
missile system. collaboration,interoperability
● The Akash missile unit, which and share best practices
had special radars and control between India and Vietnam.
centers, tracked these targets ● The VINBAX exercise was
and launched missiles to inaugurated in 2018, with the
destroy them. first edition held in Jabalpur,
Madhya Pradesh.
Additional Points:
About DRDO:
● Full Form of DRDO is Defence
Research and Development
Organisation.
● Headquarters: New Delhi,
India.
● DRDO's primary objective is to
enhance the defense
capabilities of India through
indigenous research and
development.

Joint Military
Exercise VINBAX-2023
Countries: India and Vietnam
Edition: 4th
More about the News:
 Appointment

Newly Elected Chief Ministers

Why in the news? State Chief Minister

Recently, elections were conducted
in the 5 states for the Legislative Rajasthan Bhajan Lal Sharma
Assembly. Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo sai
States: Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Mohan Yadav
Telangana, Mizoram, Madhya
Pradesh
Pradesh.
Telangana Revanth Reddy
More on the News: Mizoram Pu Lalduhoma
State and their to be Chief
Ministers:
 Additional Points:
State Chief Governor LA Vidhan Lok Rajya
Minister Parishad Sabha Sabha

Rajasthan Bhajan Lal Kalraj Mishra 200 - 25 10

Sharma

Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo Biswabhusan 90 - 11 05

sai Harichandan

Madhya Mohan 230 29 11

Pradesh Yadav

Telangana Revanth Tamilisai 119 40 17 07

Reddy Soundararajan

Mizoram Pu 40 1 1
Lalduhoma

● Nina Singh was the first woman

First woman to head

IPS officer allocated to the
Rajasthan cadre.
● She also worked as Joint
CISF : Nina Singh Director in the CBI during
2013-18.
Appointee: Nina Singh
Post: Head CISF
More on the News:
● She created history by
becoming the first woman to
head the Central Industrial
Security Force (CISF).
 Additional Points:
About CISF: Brand Ambassador of
● CISF is an armed force of the
Union established under an Act Tripura State
of Parliament, “Central
Industrial Security Force Act,
1968 (50 of 1968)”.
● The Central Industrial Security
Force is a federal police
organisation in India under the
Ministry of Home Affairs.

Name Position Organization Brand Ambassador: Saurav Ganguly

Chair person State: Tripura
Anand and More about the News:
Swiggy
Kripalu Independent ● Saurav Ganguly is a former
Director
India cricket captain and
K.S. Commissioner Hyderabad ex-BCCI chief.
Reddy of Police Police ● He has been selected as the
International brand ambassador due to his
Governing Table Tennis immense fan following among
Vita
Board Federation cricket lovers.
Dani
Member (ITTF)
● He is also the Brand
Foundation
ambassador of West Bengal
Global Brand State.
Deepika
brand Bisleri
Padukon Additional Points:
Ambassador
About Tripura:
● Location: Located in the
Northeastern region of India;
bordered by Bangladesh to the
north, south, and west, and the
 states of Assam and Mizoram to

●
the east.
Chief Minister: Manik Saha
Obituary
● Governor: N. Indrasena Reddy
● Capital: Agartala
● Integrated into the Indian Former Chairman of
Union on 15 October 1949.
Lalit Kala Academy
Recent Appointments:
Appointee Post Passed Away
Rajiv Chairman of Max Life
Anand Insurance

Anand Chairperson of Swiggy

Kripalu

Samir Lead BBC Board

Shah

Kanchan First Woman Director

Devi General of the Indian
Personality: Dr Uttam R. Pacharne
Council of Forestry
Research and Education More on the News:
(ICFRE) ● Dr Uttam R. Pacharne, was a
renowned sculptor and former
Col Sunita First Female
Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi
BS Commanding Officer at
Armed Forces Transfusion passed away.
Centre ● He bagged the National Lalit
Kala Akademi Award and
Manisha India’s First Woman Aide
Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar
Padhi De Camp (Mizoram)
(1985).
Pramod Director of NHSRCL ● He was appointed Chairman of
sharma (National High Speed Rail the Lalit Kala Akademi (2018)
Corporation Limited)
 ● Major Scuptures by him: White
Tiger Regiment at Jhansi
(1980), Swami Vivekananda
Sports
statue, Mumbai (1981), standing
Buddha and Dr B. R. Ambedkar R Vaishali becomes
statue, both in Dhule (2002),
Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj statue
in south Mumbai
India’s third Female
chess grandmaster
Additional Points:
About Lalit Kala Academy:
● The Lalit Kala Akademi
(National Academy of Art) is
India's national academy for
the fine arts.
● Established: 1954
● Headquartered: New Delhi
● Current chairman: V Nagdas

Player: R Vaishali
Achievement: Third Female
Grandmaster (84th Overall)
Sport: Chess
More about the News:
● Indian chess player Vaishali
Rameshbabu earned her
grandmaster title by crossing
2,500 International Chess
Federation (FIDE) ranking
 points at the IV El Llobregat
Open in Spain". National Sports
● Grandmaster (GM) title, the
highest a chess player could Awards 2023
aspire for.
● She achieved the title of
Woman Grandmaster in 2017.
● She is the elder sister of R.
Praggnanandhaa who got the
GM title in 2018, when he was
just 12.

Additional Points:
Koneru Humpy was the first female
to get GM title in 2002 at the age of
15 the world’s youngest female Award: National Sports Awards 2023
player ever.
The other Indian female GM is Announced by: Ministry of Youth
Dronavalli Harika. Affairs & Sports

India’s Name More on the news:

Grandmaster The awardees will receive their
awards from the President of India
84th R Vaishali
at a specially organized function at
83rd Aditya Samant Rashtrapati Bhavan on 09th
January, 2024.
82nd Praneeth Vuppala

81st Sayantan Das

80th Vignesh NR
 ● Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ms Parul Chaudhary Athletics
Ratna Award 2023

Name of the Discipline Shri Mohameed Boxing

sportsperson Hussamuddin

Shri Chirag Badminton Ms R Vaishali Chess

Chandrashekhar
Shetty Shri Mohammed Cricket
Shami
Shri Rankireddy Badminton
Satwik Sai Raj Shri Anush Equestrian
Agarwalla

Arjuna Awards for outstanding Ms Divyakriti Singh Equestrian

performance in Sports and Games
Dressage
2023

Name of the Discipline Ms Diksha Dagar Golf

sportsperson
Shri Krishan Hockey
Shri Ojas Pravin Archery Bahadur Pathak
Deotale
Pukhrambam Hockey
Ms Aditi Gopichand Archery Sushila Chanu
Swami
Shri Pawan Kumar Kabaddi
Shri Sree shankar M Athletics
Ms Ritu Negi Kabaddi Shri Illuri Ajay Blind
Kumar Reddy Cricket
Ms Nasreen Kho-Kho
Ms Prachi Yadav Para
Ms Pinki Lawn Bowls Canoeing

Shri Aishwary Shooting

Pratap Singh Tomar ● Guru Nanak Dev University,
Amritsar won the Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA)
Ms Esha Singh Shooting
Trophy 2023.

Shri Harinder Pal Squash

Singh Sandhu

Ms Ayhika Table Tennis

Mukherjee

Shri Sunil Kumar Wrestling

Additional Points:
About National Sports Awards:
Ms Antim Wrestling
● National Sports Awards are
given every year to recognize
Ms Naorem Wushu and reward excellence in sports.
Roshibina Devi ● ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel
Ratna Award’ :
It is given for the spectacular
Ms Sheetal Devi Para
and most outstanding
Archery
performance in the field of
sports by a sportsperson over
 the period of the previous four Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
years. (MAKA) Trophy.
● ‘Arjuna Award for outstanding

Khelo India Para Games

performance in Sports and
Games’:
It is given for good
performance over a period of 2023 concluded
the previous four years and for
showing qualities of leadership,
sportsmanship and a sense of
discipline.
● ‘Dronacharya Award for
outstanding coaches in Sports
and Games’:
It is given to coaches for doing
outstanding and meritorious
work on a consistent basis and
for enabling sportspersons to
Event: Khelo India Para Games
excel in International events.
Edition: First (Maiden)
● ‘Dhyan Chand Award for
Venue: New Delhi
Lifetime achievement in
Winners: Haryana
Sports and Games’:
More on the News:
It is given to honour
● Haryana stood as the
sportspersons who have
frontrunner with 40 gold
contributed to sports by their
medals, 39 silver and 26 bronze
performance and who continue
medals, followed by Uttar
to contribute to promotion of
Pradesh with 25 gold, 23 silver
sports event after their
and 14 bronze medals.
retirement.
● Tamil Nadu finished third with
● The overall top performing
20 gold medals, 8 silver and 14
university in inter-university
bronze medals.
tournaments is given the
Additional Points:
About Khelo India 2023:
● Khelo India 2023 held in
Madhya Pradesh.
● This was the fifth edition of the
games. Maharashtra emerged
as the winner of the games.
● Tamil Nadu will host the Khelo
India Games in 2024.
● Difference between Khelo India
and National Games
Bangladesh won the
Asia cup u-19
Winner: Bangladesh
Defeated: UAE
Organized by: Asian Cricket Council
More on the news:
● Bangladesh crushed UAE by 195
runs to win the Under-19 Asia
Cup in Dubai.
● This is Bangladesh’s maiden
cup in Asia cup U-19.
● Mahfuzur Rahman Rabby was
the captain of Bangladesh
team.
Additional Points:
● The ACC Under-19 Asia Cup is
a cricket tournament
organized by the ACC for
Under-19 teams from its
member nations.
● It was first held in 1989 in
Bangladesh where India won
the tournament.
● The second edition was
played after 14 years in 2003
in Pakistan where India
retained their title.
 Vijay Hazare Trophy Germany won the FIFA
2023 U-17 world Cup for
Related Sport: Cricket the first Time
Winner: Haryana
Defeated: Rajasthan
About Vijay Hazare: A limited-overs
cricket competition, named after the
Indian cricketer Vijay Hazare. It
involves state teams from the Ranji
Trophy.
More about the news:
● Haryana for the first time won
the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023
Event: FIFA U-17
title by defeating Rajasthan by
Winner: Germany
30 runs.
Defeated: France
● Haryana's Sumit Kumar was
Host: Manahan Stadium in
chosen player of the match in
Surakarta, Indonesia
the final match
More about the News:
● Germany won the FIFA U-17
World Cup for the first Time.
● Ruberto of Argentina wins
Golden Boot, Germany’s
Brunner bags Golden Ball

Additional Points:
● The FIFA U-17 World Cup, is
the world championship of
association football for male
 players under the age of 17
organized by FIFA.
● Nigeria is the most successful
nation in the tournament's
history, with five titles and
three runners up.
13th Hockey India
Senior Men National
Championship 2023
Event: India Senior Men National
Championship 2023
Edition: 13th
Venue: Mayor Radhakrishnan
Hockey Stadium in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
Winner: Punjab
Defeated: Haryana
More about the News:
● Hockey Punjab defeated
Hockey Haryana with a close
margin of 9-8 after the match
was tied 2-2 at regulation time.
● This marks Hockey Punjab’s
fourth title in the tournament’s
13 editions.
Additional points:
About Senior National Hockey
Championship:
● The Senior National Hockey
Championship is a state-level
national field hockey
competition contested by the
state associations and
government institutions under
Hockey India, the sport's
governing body in India.
 International Tennis About Vijay Amritraj:
● Vijay Amritraj is an Indian
Hall of Fame sports commentator, actor and
retired professional tennis
player from Madras.
● He was awarded the Padma
Shri, India's 4th highest civilian
honor, in 1983.

About Leander Paes:

● Leander Paes, an 18-time
Grand Slam champion in
Why in the News?
doubles and mixed doubles,He
Two Indian Players have become the
won an Olympics Bronze in
first Asian men to be inducted into
Singles in 1996.
the International Tennis Hall of
Fame.
Players: Vijay Amritraj and Leander
Paes

About the International Tennis

Hall of Fame:
● The International Tennis Hall
of Fame is a museum and hall
of fame dedicated to
preserving the history of
tennis and honoring its
greatest players.
● It is located in Newport,
Rhode Island, United States,
and was founded in 1954.
 Reports / Indices
● Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, and
Gujarat are among the 13
states and Union Territories

Logistics Performance recognized as “achievers” in

the logistics index chart for

Index 2023 2023.

● Notably, the number has
reduced from 15 to 13 states
this year, with Himachal
Pradesh and Uttarakhand
transitioning to “aspirers” and
“fast movers” categories,
respectively.
● Sikkim and Tripura showcased
commendable progress, moving
from the “fast movers”
category in 2022 to the coveted
“achievers” category this year.
● Delhi, Assam, Haryana, Punjab,
Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh
maintained their status as
Released by: Commerce and “achievers” in the logistics
Industry Ministry performance index.
Edition: Fifth
About the Index:
The index serves as a crucial gauge
for evaluating the efficiency of
logistical services, crucial for driving
exports and overall economic
growth.
More on the News:
 Quality of Living city
and sanitation standards,
violence and crime, physical
remoteness, etc.
Index 2023
Additional Points:
About Mercer:
Mercer is an American consulting
firm founded in 1945.

World Digital
Index: Quality of Living city Index
Competitiveness Index
2023
Published by: Mercer
2023
Top city: Vienna (Austria), Zurich
(Switzerland), and Vancouver
(Canada) are at the top three spots.
India’s Ranking: Pune at 154th, with
Hyderabad slightly ahead at 153rd,
and Bengaluru following closely at
156th.
More about the Report:
● This comprehensive index Index: World Digital
assesses the quality of life for Competitiveness Index 2023
employees working abroad, Published By: International Institute
especially those with families. for Management Development (IMD)
● It draws data from over 500
India’s Rank: 49th among 64
cities worldwide and considers
economy
various factors such as climate,
schools and education, disease
Topped By: USA followed by
Netherlands and Singapore. List of Top global
About the Index: It provides
insights into how nations are Leaders 2023
navigating the digital landscape
amid the technological threats posed
by AI etc.
More about the News:
According to IMD's study, India has
made significant in terms of
cybersecurity knowledge but lacks
on fronts like technology and future
readiness.

Additional Points:
● The World Digital
Competitiveness Index
evaluates the digital
Survey: List of Top global Leaders
competitiveness of countries
Conducted by: US-based
based on several factors such
consultancy firm ‘Morning Consult
as the availability of skilled
More on the News:
digital talent, investment in
● Indian Prime Minister Narendra
technology, and the
Modi secured the top position
regulatory environment.
as the world’s most popular
● It provides insights into a
leader followed by the President
country's readiness to perform
Andrés Manuel López Obrador
in the digital economy.
(Mexico).
● It is published by the
● He got an impressive approval
International Institute for
rating of 78%.
Management Development
● United States President Joe
(IMD).
Biden holds the seventh
 position on the list with an
approval rating of 40%.
● Prime Minister Modi not only
leads in approval but also has
the lowest disapproval rating
among the top 10 leaders,
standing at a mere 18%.
● Canadian Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau holds the highest
disapproval rating among the
top 10 leaders, standing at 58%

Additional Points:
About Morning Consult
Morning Consult is a business
About the Index: The Climate
intelligence company established in
Change Performance Index (CCPI)
2014.
tracks countries’ efforts to combat
climate change.
More on the News:
● India has ascended to the 7th
Global Climate position in this year's Climate
Change Performance Index
Performance Index (CCPI).
● India's success is attributed to
its robust performance in the
Report Indices: Global Climate greenhouse gas category.
Performance Index ● None of the countries has yet
Published by: Germanwatch, CAN achieved a performance across
International and the NewClimate all indicators that can be
Institute qualified as very high.
India’s Rank: 7th
 ● This is why the first three places
in the final ranking remain
unoccupied.

Additional Points:
Germanwatch is a
non-government organization
based in Bonn.