Current Affairs December 2024 www.parchamclasses.

in

Contents
Important Days & themes .......................................................................................................................................3
Appointments ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Books .................................................................................................................................................................... 17
Obituary................................................................................................................................................................ 19
Awards.................................................................................................................................................................. 25
Sports ................................................................................................................................................................... 35
State ..................................................................................................................................................................... 46
J&K.......................................................................................................................................................................... 46
CHANDIGARH ......................................................................................................................................................... 46
DELHI ...................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Pudducherry ........................................................................................................................................................... 47
HIMANCHAL PRADESH ........................................................................................................................................... 47
UTTRAKHAND ......................................................................................................................................................... 48
PUNJAB ................................................................................................................................................................... 48
HARYANA ................................................................................................................................................................ 48
UTTAR PRADESH ..................................................................................................................................................... 49
CHATTISGARH ......................................................................................................................................................... 54
JHARKHAND............................................................................................................................................................ 54
Bihar ....................................................................................................................................................................... 54
WEST BENGAL ........................................................................................................................................................ 55
ASSAM .................................................................................................................................................................... 55
NAGALAND ............................................................................................................................................................. 56
ARUNANCHAL PRADESH ......................................................................................................................................... 57
Manipur .................................................................................................................................................................. 57
RAJASTHAN............................................................................................................................................................. 58
GUJARAT ................................................................................................................................................................. 58
MAHARASHTRA ...................................................................................................................................................... 60
KARNATAKA ............................................................................................................................................................ 62
Telangana ............................................................................................................................................................... 63
TAMIL NADU........................................................................................................................................................... 64
KERALA ................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Defence ................................................................................................................................................................ 64
National News ...................................................................................................................................................... 72
Finance ................................................................................................................................................................. 85
International News ............................................................................................................................................... 88
Science & Tech .................................................................................................................................................... 100
Index ................................................................................................................................................................... 106

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Important Days & themes

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
1st December BSF Raising • 60th Raising Day
Day • came into being in 1965.
• It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) of India
• Headquarters is in New Delhi.
• The BSF is the world’s largest border-guarding force securing the 6,386.36
km long International Borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• The motto of BSF “DUTY UNTO DEATH”
• Other Central Armed Police Forces are: Assam Rifles (AR), Indo-Tibetan
Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Security Guards (NSG) and Sashastra
Seema Bal (SSB).
1st December World AIDS • Theme “Take the rights path: My health, my right!”
Day • It was first observed in 1988, when the World Health Organisation (WHO)
recognised the day.
• AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the final stage of HIV
(human immunodeficiency virus) infection
• A person is diagnosed with AIDS when:
• Their CD4 cell count drops below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood
• They develop certain illnesses, called opportunistic infections
1st December BSF Raising
Day

1st December World AIDS Theme “Take the rights path: My health, my right!”
Day

2nd December Assam Day

(Asom Divas)

2nd December International

Day for the
Abolition of
Slavery 2024

2nd December Assam Day The state of Assam was formed on 26, January 1950 as a state. However, Since
(Asom Divas) 1996 December 2 has been celebrated in Assam as the Sukaphaa Divas, or
Axom Divas (Assam Day)
to commemorate the great unifier & the founder of the great Ahom dynasty in
Assam, Swargadeo Saulung Sukapha
Asom Divas celebrates the his advent in Assam after his journey over the Patkai
Hills.
2nd December International The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as
Day for the trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour,
Abolition of forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed
Slavery 2024 conflict.

Aspect Details
Forms of Modern Slavery Human trafficking, Forced labor, Child labor,
Sexual slavery, Forced marriage, Descent-based slavery

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UN Report on Slav\ery – One in ten children globally is involved in labor.

– 27.6 million people were in forced labor globally (2021).
– The majority of cases involve Asia-Pacific (15.1 million).
Slavery in India – Highest global number of modern slavery victims, with 11 million
people affected (2023 Global Slavery Index).
– Predominantly seen in brick kilns, human trafficking, and child exploitation.
– Deeply rooted in systemic inequalities and societal structures.
Global Initiatives – UN efforts: Conventions and protocols to combat human trafficking and forced
labor.
– ILO Reports: Address global trends in forced labor and exploitation.
India’s Measures – Legal Acts: Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976; Child Labour
(Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 2016.
– Special Units: Anti-trafficking units across states.
– Rehabilitation Programs: Government schemes for rescued victims.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

2nd December National Theme - "Clean Air, Green Earth: A Step Towards Sustainable Living."
Pollution
Control Day

2nd December World

Computer
Literacy Day

2nd December National • Every year, India observes National Pollution Control Day on December 2
Pollution to remember those who lost their lives in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
Control Day • This day is observed to make people aware of pollution-related issues and
how it affects our daily lives.
• Theme - "Clean Air, Green Earth: A Step Towards Sustainable Living."
• What was the Bhopal Gas Tragedy?
• The Bhopal disaster or Bhopal gas tragedy was a chemical accident on the
night of 2–3 December 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL)
pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
• The horrific incident occurred on December 2, 1984, which turned the city
into a gas chamber and killed around 25,000 people after the toxic methyl
isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked and spread in the atmosphere.
2nd December World The custom of celebrating the world computer literacy day started in 2001 by
Computer the Indian company National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT).
Literacy Day
3rd December World Day of • 2024 Theme: Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an
the inclusive and sustainable future
Handicapped • The annual observance of this day was proclaimed in 1992, by the United
or Nations
International
Day of Persons
with
Disabilities
3rd December World Day of 2024 Theme: Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an
the inclusive and sustainable future
Handicapped
or
International
Day of Persons

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with
Disabilities

4th December Indian Navy Theme 2024 is 'Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation
Day

4th December Indian Navy • Theme 2024 is 'Strength and Power through Innovation and
Day Indigenisation.
• event in Odisha’s Puri, where Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K
Tripathi will host chief guest President of India Droupadi Murmu.
• The day commemorates the Indian Navy’s attack on Karachi Harbour
during the Indo-Pakistan War in 1971. Named Operation Trident, the
Indian Navy launched its campaign that resulted in the sinking of several
Pakistani ships.
• The Navy has decided to showcase at least 24 ships, submarines, and
more than 40 aircraft at this year’s event with support from Marine
Commandos (MARCOS) and personnel from the Indian Army.
4th December International • established by the United Nations in 2019
Day of Banks • was celebrated for the first time in 2020
• to recognize the critical role that banks and other financial institutions
play in supporting sustainable development, poverty reduction, and
financial inclusion.
4th December International Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). CITES Appendix I.
Cheetah Day IUCN status: African Cheetah – Vulnerable. Asiatic Cheetah – Critical
endangered
In 1952, the Asiatic Cheetah was officially declared extinct from India (now
found only in Iran).
On International Cheetah Day, two male Cheetahs - Agni and Vayu - were
released in the forest area in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Kuno National Park currently has 24 Cheetahs including 12 cubs.
After bringing these Cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa, they were first
kept in the enclosure.
5th December International • Started by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985.
Volunteer Day • It is a day where volunteers are acknowledged and the spirit of
volunteerism is promoted at the local, national and international levels.
5th December World Soil Day • World Soil Day 2024 (WSD) campaign, under the theme : Caring for soils:
measure, monitor, manage
• An international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the
International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002
• UN General Assembly designated 5 December 2014 as the first official
World Soil Day.
4th December International
Day of Banks

4th December International

Cheetah Day

5th December International

Volunteer Day

5th December World Soil Day Theme : Caring for soils: measure, monitor, manage

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6th December All India Civil

Defence and
Home Guards
Day

6th December BR Ambedkar’s • The Mahaparinirvan Diwas, to observe the 69th Death Anniversary of
death Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, is being commemorated by the Dr.
anniversary Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) on behalf of the Union Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment, at Prerna Sthal, Parliament House Complex, on
6th December, 2024.
• Birth: 14th April 1891 in Mhow, Central Province (now Madhya Pradesh).
• Dr. Ambedkar was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, polyglot
orator and a scholar of comparative religions.

• In 1916, he received a doctorate degree from Columbia University, becoming the first Indian to do so.
• He is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution and was India's first law minister.
• He founded Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1923),
• He participated in all three round-table conferences.
• In 1947, he was appointed Chairman of the Drafting Committee for the new Constitution.
• Important Works: Newspaper Mooknayak (1920); The Annihilation of Caste (1936); The Untouchables (1948);
Buddha Or Karl Marx (1956), The Buddha and His Dhamma (1956), etc.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

6th December All India Civil to honor the commitment of the Home Guards and Civil Defence
Defence and Home organisations.
Guards Day The day marks the formation of the Home Guard force on December 6,
1946, in the Bombay Province, as a voluntary force to assist police in
controlling civil disturbance and communal riots.
Following the 1962 Chinese aggression, the central government advised
the states and Union Territories to merge their existing voluntary
organisation into one uniform voluntary force.
Post-1962: Unified under the Home Guards Act and Rules after the
Chinese aggression.
7th December Armed Forces Flag • Since 1949, 7th December is observed as the Armed Forces Flag Day
Day throughout the country to honour the martyrs and the men in uniform
who valiantly fought & continue to fight on our borders to safeguard
the country's honour
• This day is observed as a show of support and admiration for
members of the military services who give their lives in defence of the
country.
• Fundraising for the wellbeing of armed forces personnel and their
families
7th December Armed Forces Flag
Day

9th December International Anti- Theme: Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's
Corruption Day Integrity

9th December International Anti- • Theme: Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's
Corruption Day Integrity
• In 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention
against Corruption

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• The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-

Corruption Day
• The Convention entered into force in December 2005.
th
9 December International Day of • often referred to as Genocide Prevention Day.
Commemoration and • The date marks the United Nation’s adoption of the 1948 Convention
Dignity of the Victims on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
of the Crime of • The day after this, on 10 December 1948, the first human rights treaty
Genocide and of the was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Prevention of this • In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly established this day
Crime
9th December International Day of
Commemoration and
Dignity of the Victims
of the Crime of
Genocide and of the
Prevention of this
Crime

10 December Human Rights Day Theme: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now

10th Human Rights Day • since 1950

December • It commemorates the day in 1948 the United Nations General
Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- first universal statement of human rights.
• The UDHR is a landmark document that established fundamental
human rights for all people, regardless of their race, color, religion,
sex, language, or other status.
• Theme: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now
11th International • THEME: “Mountain solutions for a sustainable future – innovation,
December Mountain Day adaptation and youth.”
• The United Nations (UN) designated December 11 as International
Mountain Day in 2002.
• The first International Mountain Day was celebrated on December 11,
2003.
11th International THEME: “Mountain solutions for a sustainable future – innovation,
December Mountain Day adaptation and youth.”

11th UNICEF Day • UNICEF Full Form is the United Nations International Children
December Emergency Fund. The name was changed to United Nations Children’s
Fund in 1953.
• UNICEF is an organisation established by the United Nations in 1946
which works on humanitarian grounds to provide emergency
assistance to children belonging to underprivileged communities.
Currently, UNICEF is working in over 190 countries
• It started its operation as an agency who was providing food, clothing
and healthcare to people in Europe affected by World War II.
• In 1953, UNICEF was declared a permanent organisation of the UN
system and in 1956 it gained the Nobel Peace Prize for working for
children worldwide.
11th Bharatiya Bhasha • Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas is celebrated on December 11th to honor the
December Diwas birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati.
• A Legendary Tamil Poet and Freedom Fighter.

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• Bharati had his early education in Tirunelveli and Varanasi and

worked as a journalist with many newspapers, notable among them
being the Swadesamitran and India.
• Bharati was also an active member of the Indian National Congress.
• In 1908, an arrest warrant was issued against Bharati by the
government of British India for his revolutionary activities, forcing
him to go to Puducherry, where he lived until 1918.
12th International Day of • officially proclaimed by a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
December Neutrality resolution in February 2017.
• aims to promote peace, strengthen global security, and ease
international tensions
12th International theme, “Health: It’s on the government”.
December Universal Health
Coverage Day

12th International On 12 December 2017, the United Nations proclaimed 12 December as

December Universal Health International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day).
Coverage Day This year’s theme, “Health: It’s on the government”.
14th National Energy • First celebrated on December 14, 1991
December - Conservation Day • Theme : Lighting the Way to a Sustainable Future
• This day is championed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)
under the Ministry of Power
• BEE is a key organization in promoting energy conservation in India.
Established by the government in 2002
16th Vijay Diwas • to honor the victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan in the
December 1971 war and to pay tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for
the country.
• The day is also observed in Bangladesh as ‘Bijoy Dibos’ or Victory
Day, marking the country’s formal independence from Pakistan.
• The 1971 war was instigated by the genocide perpetrated by the
oppressive Pakistani military regime, led by General Yahya Khan,
against the Bengalipeople of East Pakistan.
• The conflict erupted when the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman-led Awami
League emerged as the winner in the 1970 elections.
Ø Post-elections, the Pakistani military initiated Operation
Searchlight on March 25, 1971
Ø Bangladeshi Liberation War started on 26th March 1971
Ø Under PM Indira Gandhi’s leadership, India
supported Bangladeshi nationalist groups and executed
'Operation Trident,' led by the Indian Navy, to target Karachi
Port.
Ø Following a 13-day battle, India secured a resounding triumph
over Pakistan on December 16, 1971, leading to the creation of
Bangladesh from the former East Pakistan.
Ø On this significant day, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi
of Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender
17th Pensioners Day in • Pensioners Day, observed annually on 17th December in India, is a
December India tribute to D.S. Nakara, the pioneer who fought relentlessly for the
rights and dignity of pensioners.
• This day commemorates the landmark Supreme Court judgment of
1982 in D.S. Nakara & Others vs Union Of India Case, given by Late
Justice Y.V. Chandrachud, then Chief Justice - Supreme Court of India,

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which guaranteed equality and justice for retired officials and

pensioners.

• The liberal pension system introduced in 1979 benefited only those who retired after March 31, 1979.
• D.S. Nakara challenged this discriminatory policy in court, arguing that it was a violation of equality.
• The Supreme Court also ordered to provide benefits to those who came under the ambit of the Pension Act,
1972 and those who retired from the armed forces. That judgment is known as the Magna Carta of pensioners.
• The roots of the Indian pension system trace back to the British colonial era. The Royal Commission on Civil
Establishments in 1881 first introduced pension benefits for government employees.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

18th December Minorities Rights • Minorities Rights Day is observed annually on 18 th December to
Day commemorate the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic
Minorities in 1992
• In India it is observed by the National Commission for Minorities
• On 29th January 2006, the Ministry of Minority Affairs was established,
separating it from the Ministry of Social Justice and Environment
• The Union Government established the National Commission for
Minorities under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 to
protect the interests of minority communities.
• Initially, five religious communities—Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis)—were notified as minorities.
• Later, on 27th January 2014, the Jains were also recognized as a
minority community.
18th December Arabic Language • since 2012.
Day • The date coincides with the day in 1973 that the General Assembly of
the United Nations adopted Arabic as the sixth official language of the
Organization.
• The theme for World Arabic Language Day 2024 is "Arabic Language
and AI: Advancing Innovation While Preserving Cultural Heritage"
18th December International • In 2000, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 18 December
Migrants Day International Migrants Day.
• On that day, in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and
Members of Their Families
19th – 24th Good Governance • As part of the Good Governance Week activities, 2024, the Prashasan
December Week Gaon Ki Ore, the Nation-wide campaign for Redressal of Public
Grievances and Improving Service Delivery will be held in all Districts,
States and Union Territories of India from 19th – 24th December, 2024.
• 25th December is celebrated as ‘Good Governance Day’ to mark the
birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
20th December SSB raising day • Union Home Minister Amit Shah attends the 61st Raising Day function
of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Siliguri in West Bengal as Chief Guest
• SSB established as Special Service Bureau in May 1963, in the
aftermath of the Chinese aggression in 1962.
• In 2004, SSB received the President’s Colours in recognition of the
keystone role in national security, since its inception.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi and three frontier headquarters are
at Lucknow (UP), Patna (Bihar) and Guwahati (Assam).

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• SSB jawans guard 2450-kilometre-long Indian border with Nepal and

Bhutan.
20th December International • on 20 December 2002, established the World Solidarity Fund, which
Human Solidarity was set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the United Nations
Day Development Programme.
• UN General Assembly, on 22 December 2005 decided to proclaim 20
December of each year International Human Solidarity Day.
21st December First-ever World • The United Nations is set to host the first Meditation Day on December
Meditation Day 21, with the global spiritual leader and humanitarian, Sri Sri
Ravishankar delivering the keynote address.
• This date is significant as it falls exactly six months after International
Yoga Day, celebrated annually on June 21
• Themed "Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony,”
• Meditation aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals,
particularly Goal 3: “Good Health and Well-Being.” It promotes mental
and emotional health, which is considered a fundamental human right.
21st December World Basketball • Basketball was played for the first time on December 21, 1891 at the
Day International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts,
USA,
• On 25 August 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted
resolution proclaiming 21 December as World Basketball Day.
21st December World Saree Day • a special occasion dedicated to honoring the tradition of sarees
22nd December National • marks the birth anniversary of the brilliant Indian mathematician,
Mathematics Day Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• Ramanujan, born in 1887, in Erode, Tamil Nadu
• The celebration of National Mathematics Day was officially launched by
then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in December 2012,
coinciding with the 125th birth anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
• his works have been the foundation of many modern mathematical
theories.
• In 1991, Robert Kanigel penned a biography of Ramanujan’s life in the
book ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’, adapted into a movie in 2016.
• Ramanujan died at the age of 32 on April 26 1920
rd
23 December National • to commemorate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Farmers/ Day • He was the fifth Prime Minister of India (from 28 July 1979 to 14
Kisan Diwas January 1980).
• He has been conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.
(2024)

Notable Initiatives
• Namo Drone Didi Scheme: approved for 2024-25 to 2025-26 with an outlay of ₹1,261 crore, aims to empower
15,000 Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing drones for agricultural rental services, including fertiliser
and pesticide application. The scheme offers 80% Central Financial Assistance of the cost of drones, accessories,
and ancillary charges, up to a maximum of ₹8 lakh.
• Kisan Kavach: On 17th December, 2024, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh unveiled Kisan Kavach, Bharat’s first
anti-pesticide bodysuit, designed to protect farmers from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure.
• National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds): The Union Cabinet approved the (NMEO-Oilseeds)
on 3.10.2024 with a total outlay of Rs. 10,103 crore. The mission aims to boost domestic oilseed production and
achieve self-reliance in edible oils, to be implemented over a seven-year period from 2024-25 to 2030-31.
• National Mission on Natural Farming: The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Natural Farming
(NMNF) on 25.11.2024 as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The scheme has a total outlay of Rs. 2,481

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crore (Government of India share – Rs. 1,584 crore; State share – Rs. 897 crore), focusing on promoting
chemical-free, natural farming practices across the country.
• Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR Based Pledge Financing (CGS-NPF): The Government of India launched the
Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR Based Pledge Financing (CGS-NPF) on 16 December 2024, providing a
₹1,000-crore corpus to support post-harvest financing for farmers. Under this scheme, farmers can access
credit by pledging their produce stored in Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA)
accredited warehouses, backed by electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs).

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

24th December National • India celebrates National Consumer Rights Day on 24th December every
Consumer Day year to raise awareness about consumer rights and responsibilities.
• The day commemorates the day when the Consumer Protection Act
1986 received the President's assent on December 24, 1986.
• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was passed by the Parliament to
replace the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
• The theme : “Virtual Hearings & Digital Access to Consumer Justice.”
• The World Consumer Rights Day is observed on 15 March.

• National Consumer Day Celebration to be chaired by Shri Pralhad Joshi (Union Minister of Consumer Affairs,
Food and Public Distribution and Minister of New and Renewable Energy) in New Delhi
• 'Jago Grahak Jago App,' 'Jagriti App,' and 'Jagriti Dashboard” to protect Consumers from the Dark Patterns to
be launched tomorrow
• ‘e-Mapp’ portal for all services Legal Metrology Services to be launched
• AI- enabled National Consumer Helpline 2.0 to be launched
• The 'Jago Grahak Jago App,' provides essential e-commerce information about all URLs during a consumer’s
online activities, alerting them if any URL may be unsafe and requires caution.
• Meanwhile, the 'Jagriti App,' allows users to report URLs where they suspect the presence of one or more dark
patterns declared illegal.
• Launch of ‘e-Mapp’ portal for all services Legal Metrology Services: It’s a unified digital platform to integrate
State Legal Metrology portals into a single national system. This initiative streamlines licensing, verification,
and registration processes for businesses, reduces compliance burdens, and promotes transparency.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

25th December Good • birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Governance • born on 25th December, 1924 in the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior
Day (now a part of Madhya Pradesh).
• He was the former Prime Minister of India and was elected to the
position twice in 1996 and 1999.
• As a parliamentarian, Vajpayee was awarded with the Pandit Govind
Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian in 1994, which defines him
as "a role model par excellence for all legislators.”
• He was conferred with Bharat Ratna in 2015 and Padma Vibhushan in
1994.

What are the Indian Initiatives to improve Good Governance?

Good Governance Index (GGI):
Ø GGI has been launched by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions to determine the
status of governance in the country.
Ø It assesses the impact of various interventions taken up by the State Government and UTs.
National e-Governance Plan:

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Ø It has the vision to make all government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through
common service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency, transparency & reliability of such services at
affordable.
Right to Information Act, 2005:
Ø It plays an effective role in ensuring transparency in governance.
Ø Other Initiatives: Setting up of NITI Aayog, Make in India programme, Lokpal, etc.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

26th December Veer Bal Diwas • Veer Bal Diwas is observed on December 26 to pay homage the
courage of the “Sahibzades”, four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the last
Sikh guru.
• On 9th January 2022, the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Ji, the Prime Minister had announced that 26th December would
be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’.
• This was announced to mark the martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind
Singh - Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji - after
being sealed alive in a wall on the orders of emperor Aurangzeb (1704).

• Ministry of Women and Child Development to celebrate and commemorate 'Veer Bal Diwas' and 'Pradhan
Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar' on 26th December, 2024
• On 26 December,2024, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, President of India to confer the ‘Pradhan Mantri
Rashtriya Bal Puraskar’ on 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls) from 14 States/UTs for exceptional achievements in
seven categories:
• Art & Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment.
DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK
26th December 20th Tsunami • Mark 20 years
Memorial Day • The tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004 was triggered by a 9.1 magnitude quake
off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province, sending waves as high as
17.4 meters (57 feet) slamming into coastlines of Indonesia, Thailand,
Sri Lanka, India and nine other countries.

What is a Tsunami?
• A tsunami is a series of massive waves produced by an underwater disturbance typically linked
to earthquakes that happen beneath or close to the ocean.
• The Japanese words "tsu" (which means harbour) and "nami" (which means wave) make up the word
"tsunami".
• tsunamis are caused by geological events, such as earthquakes, underwater volcanic eruptions, landslides, or
even asteroid impacts.
• They have extremely long wavelengths and can travel at high speeds across ocean basins.
• With waves arriving every 5 to 60 minutes, tsunamis can attack the shoreline and be dangerous for hours.

What is the 3 biggest tsunami ever?

• The three biggest tsunamis in recorded history were the 1958 Lituya Bay Tsunami, the Lisbon Earthquake and
Tsunami of 1755, and the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean.

DATE DAY THEME/ REMARK

27th December International Day • Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2020.
of Epidemic • serves as a global reminder of the critical importance of investing in
Preparedness public health systems to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious
disease outbreaks.

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Appointments
Rama Mohan Rao Amara Appointed as SBI Managing Director
• State Bank of India has appointed Rama Mohan Rao Amara as its Managing Director.
• for a period of three years
• The origin of the State Bank of India - establishment of the Bank of Calcutta in Calcutta
on 2 June 1806.
• The Imperial Bank of India on 27 January 1921.
• Nationalized by the Indian government in 1955.

Shankar Sharma Reappointed as Nepal's Ambassador to India

• Nepal’s President, Ramchandra Paudel, has reappointed Dr. Shankar Prasad
Sharma as the Resident Ambassador of Nepal to India. PM- KP Sharma Oli
• His previous term was from March 2022 to July 2024.

Air Commodore Vikassheel Singh Saini assumes command of Air Force Station,
Hakimpet
• succeeding Air Commodore Pankaj Jain.
• Recognised for his exemplary service, Air Commodore Saini was awarded the Vayu
Sena Medal by the President of India on 26 January 2018.

Eurogrip Tyres Appoints M.S. Dhoni as Brand Ambassador

Sanjay Malhotra will be the new RBI Governor for a three-year term
• Revenue Secretary Mr. Malhotra will be the 26th RBI Governor.
• Mr. Malhotra was the Revenue Secretary to the Government of India.
• Mr. Malhotra was a 1990 Batch Rajasthan Cadre IAS Officer,
• Mr. Malhotra will replace Shaktikanta Das whose tenure ends on December 10
• Shaktikanta Das was appointed as the 25th Governor of the RBI on December 12,
2018, after the abrupt exit of Urjit Patel.

About Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

• The Reserve Bank of India is India's central bank and regulatory body responsible for regulation of the Indian
banking system.
• It is responsible for the control, issue and maintaining supply of the Indian rupee.
• Commenced operations on 1st April, 1935
• The bank was set up based on the recommendations of the 1926 Royal Commission on Indian Currency and
Finance, also known as the Hilton Young Commission.
• Though privately owned initially, it was nationalized on 1st Jan 1949 and since then fully owned by the Ministry
of Finance

Composition of the RBI

• The overall direction of the RBI lies with the 21-member central board of directors, composed of:
Ø One Governor;
Ø Four Deputy Governors;
Ø Two Finance Ministry Representatives (usually the Economic Affairs Secretary and the Financial Services
Secretary);
Ø Ten government-nominated Directors; and

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Ø Four Directors who represent local boards for Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi.
Ø The first Governor of the RBI was the Australian Sir Osborne Arkell Smith. Sir C D Deshmukh was the
first Indian to become Governor.

Ajay Seth gets additional charge of Revenue Secretary

• Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth.
• Outgoing revenue secretary Sanjay Malhotra as the next Reserve Bank of India
governor.

Amul Extends Jayen Mehta’s MD Tenure by 5 Years

• Jayen Mehta has been appointed as the Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative
Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (Amul) for a 5-year period till 2029-30
• GCMMF (Amul) is India's largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) enterprise,
with an annual brand sales turnover of Rs 80,000 crores.

RBL Bank has appointed D Gukesh, one of the country’s brightest emerging chess
talents, as its brand ambassador.
RBL Bank, formerly known as Ratnakar Bank Limited, is an Indian private sector
bank founded in 1943 and headquartered in Mumbai.

Supreme Court appoints Amici Curiae to examine carbon emission rules

• The Supreme Court has appointed two lawyers as Amici Curiae to assist it in examining
the legal regime that regulates carbon emissions.
• a bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra said
• Amicus curiae is a Latin term that means "friend of the court". It refers to an individual
or organization that is not a party to a legal case but can assist the court by providing
information, expertise, or insight that is relevant to the case.

Ashwini Bhide Appointed As Principal Secretary To Maharashtra CM Fadnavis

• Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appointed Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC)
chief Ashwini Bhide as principal secretary in the CM secretariat.

Google appoints Preeti Lobana as the new India country manager

• Google has appointed Preeti Lobana as the new country manager and vice president
for Indian operations.

Telugu producer Dil Raju has appointed as the Chairman of the Telangana Film
Development Corporation (TFDC) by the Government of Telangana.

K. Vijayanand is new Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh

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Dr. Sandip Shah Appointed A Chairperson of NABL

• National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration
Laboratories (NABL) is a constituent board of the Quality Council
of India (QCI).
• NABL works to improve the quality of testing and calibration
services, ensuring trust in the products and services used by
consumers, businesses, and regulators.
• The Quality Council of India (QCI) is a premier autonomous body set up by the Government of India.
• QCI has launched a marquee campaign–Gunvatta Se Atmanirbharta: India’s
quality movement.

IAS officer Arunish Chawla appointed as Revenue Secretary in Ministry of

Finance
• Chawla previously served as secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals
in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Former SC judge V. Ramasubramanian appointed as 9th NHRC Chairperson

• President Murmu appointed retired Supreme Court Justice V.
Ramasubramanian as the Chairperson of National Human Rights
Commission.
• Retired from Supreme Court on June 29, 2023
• President Murmu also appointed Priyank Kanoongo and Dr. Justice Bidyut
Ranjan Sarangi (Retd.) as Members of the NHRC.
• The post of the NHRC Chairperson has been lying vacant since the completion of the term of the 8th
Chairperson of NHRC, Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra on 1 June 2024.
• Justice (retd) V Ramasubramanian will succeed Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, who was performing the duty of acting
chairperson of the NHRC.
• NHRC is an independent statutory body, established on October 12, 1993, under Protection of Human Rights
Act, 1993.
• Every state government has also set up the State Human Rights Commission under the provisions of
the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993.

NHRC Composition
It consists of a chairperson and five members. The composition is as follows:
• The chairperson should be either a retired Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court.
• Members include:
Ø Judge of the Supreme Court- serving or retired;
Ø Chief Justice of a High Court- serving or retired;
Ø three individuals (with at least one being a woman) who possess knowledge or practical experience in
human rights.

In addition to these full-time members, the commission includes seven ex-officio members :
1. The National Commission for Minorities
2. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SCs)
3. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (STs)
4. The National Commission for Women
5. The National Commission for Backward Classes (BCs)
6. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
7. The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities.

NHRC Appointment
• The appointment of the chairperson and members is carried out by the President of India based on the
recommendations of a six-member Selection Committee.

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Selection Committee
• The Prime Minister heads the Selection Committee.
• Members are; the Union Home Minister; the Speaker of the Lok Sabha; the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya
Sabha; the Leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Terms of the NHRC Chairperson and Members
• Three years or seventy years whichever is earlier.
• eligible for reappointment (if not attained seventy years of age).
• They can resign by addressing a letter to the President.

Himachal, Uttarakhand High Courts get new Chief Justices

• Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia appointed as the Chief Justice of
the Himachal Pradesh High Court
• Justice Narender G. was appointed as the head of the Uttarakhand
High Court Guhanathan Narendar
• Justice Sandhawalia is at present a judge of the Punjab and Haryana
High Court, Justice Narendar G. is a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High
Court.
• The Chief Justice and Judges of the High Courts are to be appointed by
the President under clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution

5 Indian states got new Governors

• Mizoram Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati as Governor of
Odisha (Raghubar Das resigned)
• Union Minister General Vijay Kumar Singh (Retd.) - new Governor
of Mizoram
• Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan - now Governor of Bihar.
• Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as Governor of
Kerala.
• Former Home secretary Ajay Bhalla - new Governor of Manipur

Imp. Constitutional Provisions Related to the Governor

• Article 153: There shall be a Governor for each state.
Ø A single person can be appointed as the Governor for two or more states (recommended by
the Sarkaria Commission).
• Article 155. Appointment of Governor by the President Oath- Chief Justice of HC
• Article 156. Term of Office of Governor - five years
• Article 157. Qualifications for appointment as Governor - citizen of India and has completed the age of thirty-
five years.
• Article 158. Conditions of Governor's office - Governor shall not be a member of either House of Parliament or
of a House of the Legislature of any State
• Article 163: There is a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor

Suman Berry Appointed Chairman of EAC-PM with Additional Charge

• NITI Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery has been given additional charge as the
chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)
• He replaced Bibek Debroy, who died on November 1.
• EAC-PM is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related
issues to the Government of India, specifically to the prime minister.

Ex-SC judge Sanjay Kaul appointed member of Bahrain International Commercial Court
• Retired Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul has been appointed a member of the Bahrain
International Commercial Court by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
• He is among the nine members appointed to the newly established BICC.

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• Capital : Manama
• Currency: Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Books
'BRING IT ON: The Incredible Story of My Life' by Deepa Malik
• publication : HarperCollins
• Deepa Malik is an Indian para athlete from Haryana.
• She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games. She won a
silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in shot put.
• In 2020, she was elected as President of the Paralympic Committee of India

Dr. Dinesh Shahra launched his book - Dalai Lama’s Secret to Happiness

EAM Dr Jaishankar releases Vikram Sampath’s book Tipu Sultan- The Saga of the Mysore
Interregnum
• The book explores the complex and controversial legacy of Tipu Sultan

Kannada translation of K.K. Shailaja’s memoir My Life as a Comrade launched

• The Kannada translation of former Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja’s memoir Comrade
Aagi Nanna Baduku (My Life as a Comrade) was released in Bengaluru.
• Translated into Kannada by Dr. H.S. Anupama, the book is published by Kriya Madhyama.

Metro Mosaic, a book about the journey of Chennai Metro Rail Limited, launched
• Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) in collaboration with The HinduGroup
launched a coffee table book Metro Mosaic on the former’s foundation day.

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Hoshang Merchant’s book ‘Rainbow Warriors of India’

• Hoshang Merchant new book, Rainbow Warriors of India, co-authored with Akshay K. Rath
• His popular book - The Naked Civil Servant (1968)

PM Modi releases compendium of complete works of great Tamil poet

Subramania Bharathi on his 143rd birth anniversary
• A legendary Tamil poet and freedom fighter.
• The birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati is celebrated as
Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas, or Indian Language Day, to honor his
contributions to literature and linguistic diversity
• The collection is titled 'Kaala Varisayil Bharathi Padaippugal' and is the
complete collected works of Mahakavi Bharathiyar in chronological order. It
is collated by Seeni Viswanathan.
• Subramania Bharati was an Indian writer of the nationalist period and is
regarded as the father of the modern Tamil literary style.
• Also known as the 'Mahakavi Bharathiyar',

Himachal Pradesh CM releases Book on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s Life

• the book ‘Loh Purush Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Ka Jeevanvrit’,
• authored by Dr. Rakesh Kumar Sharma.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launches Book on PM Modi’s

Vision and Development
• Union Culture and Tourism Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
• book titled New Bharat – Modi’s Vision and Development.
• The book is based on the developmental works and schemes of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and his vision.

Goa Governor releases autobiography of nephrologist Dr. K. Thomas Mathew

• Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai released ‘Ente Jeevitham Niraye: The
Autobiography of a Nephrologist’ written by Dr. K. Thomas Mathew, in
Kozhikode .
• His contributions include establishing Kerala’s first dialysis unit at
Government Medical College, Kozhikode, in 1975, performing the State’s
first kidney transplant surgery, and launching the first Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD)
programme

Chhaunk : On food , Economics and Society By Abhijit Banerjee

• It is part-memoir, part-cookbook addressing economics and society
through the lens of food
• Abhijit Banerjee, an Indian-born American economist, was awarded
the 2019 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, along with
Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer for their experimental approach to
reducing global poverty

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Dharmanomics by Sriram Balasubramanian

• The book reveals economic models based on dharma existed in India as far back as 5,000
years
• This is Sriram Balasubramanian’s second book.
• he is an economist based in the US.
• The first book was called, quite catchily, kautilyanomics.
• It re-examined the ideas of kautilya or chanakya who was the eminence grise of indian
kings about 1,800 years ago.

Three Books on Sitaram Yechury’s Writings on culture, media, and secularism

Launched
• Three books based on late CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury’s writings on
culture, media, science, and secularism were released
• Published by the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) and Tulika
Books.
• The three books include :
• Hindu Rashtra Hai Kya, a Hindi translation of Yechury’s 1993 English book.
• The other two are: The Fight For The Republic, which has three essays, two
devoted to Hindutva and one to India @75;
• and Reflections on Culture, Media and Science.

“The Unyielding Judge: A Tribute to Justice A.N. Grover’s Legacy

• Author - Gauri Grover, granddaughter of Justice Grover
• Highlights Justice Grover’s contributions to Indian jurisprudence, particularly the
Kesavananda Bharti case (1973).
• Launched in the presence of Attorney General R Venkataramani.

Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses' returns to India after 36-year ban
• British-Indian novelist Salman Rushdie’s controversial book ‘The Satanic Verses’ has
returned to India 36 years after it was banned by the Rajiv Gandhi government, the
1988 notification imposing the restriction

Other Books:
Midnight’s Children
Shame
Victory city
The Wizard of Oz

Obituary
Demise of researcher Dr. Prithwindra Mukherjee
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Indian researcher
and author Dr Prithwindra Mukherjee.
• Dr Prithwindra was conferred with Padma Shri 2020 for his work in the field
of education and literature.

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Blood donation pioneer Kanta Krishen passes away

• Padma Shri Kanta Krishen, who spearheaded the voluntary blood donation movement in
India, passed away
• She served as Secretary and later as President of the Blood Bank Society, established in
1964
• Under her leadership, Chandigarh became the fountainhead of the safe blood movement.
• awarded her the Padma Shri in 1972.
• She was instrumental in filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) through the organisation
Common Cause, leading to the landmark 1996 Supreme Court judgment banning the
buying and selling of blood in India.

Former Australia cricketer Ian Redpath dies

• In January 2023, Redpath was inducted into the Cricket Australia Hall of Fame.
• Earlier in 2024, the Geelong Cricket Club renamed their scoreboard in honour of
the former Australia cricketer.

Legendary India squash player Raj Manchanda, the Arjuna Award recipient and winner of 6
national titles died
• He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1983.
• undisputed national champion from 1977 to 1982

Vijay Shankar, former CBI director passes away

• Shankar headed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from December 12, 2005 to July 31,
2008.
• He helmed Aarushi murder case and gangster Abu Salem extradition
• Served as inspector general in the Border Security Force (BSF)

Aussie Davis Cup great Fraser passes away

• Neale Fraser, who won three Grand Slam singles titles and guided Australia to four Davis
Cup titles
• He won 11 Major men’s doubles titles, including at least two at each of the four Grand
Slam tournaments

Former Chief Minister of Puducherry M D R Ramachandran died

• Ramachandran was a two-time chief minister of the union territory - in 1980 and in 1990

Renowned endocrine surgeon and Padma Shri Awardee Sivapatham Vittal passes away
• Sivapatham Vittal, regarded as the father of endocrine surgery in India.
• A recipient of the Dr. B. C. Roy award and the country’s third highest civilian award, the Padma
Shri.

Former Karnataka CM S. M. Krishna passes away

• SM Krishna, the former Karnataka chief minister credited with putting Bengaluru on the global
map, passed away.
• He was 92.
• Krishna was an MLA and MLC as well as a member of both Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha multiple times, even as he assumed a range of high
public offices, including the posts of chief minister, governor and the
external affairs minister.
• A Padma Vibhushan awardee and a Fulbright scholar

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Legendary Gujarati Singer Purushottam Upadhyay Dies

Static Details
Date of Birth August 15, 1934, Kheda, Gujarat
Major Achievements Composed for 20+ films and 30+ plays
Awards Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar, Padma Shri (2017)

Yakshagana ‘bhagavatha’ (singer) K. Leelavathi Baipadithya passes away

• Senior yakshagana ‘bhagavatha’ (singer) K. Leelavathi Baipadithaya of Mangaluru, who
broke into the bastion of male ‘bhagavathas’ in yakshagana theatre, passed away.
• she is credited with being the first woman who toured along with professional
yakshagana ‘melas’ (touring troupes) which performed all-night shows in the coastal
belt.
• He was presented with the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for 2023.

Isak Andic, founder of Spanish fashion giant ‘Mango’, dies

Urban designer, architect Ranjit Sabikhi, known for Delhi’s Yamuna Apartments and
Shimla’s Oberoi Wildflower Hall, dies at 89

Legendary tabla maestro Zakir Hussain passes away in San

Francisco
• Hussain has received four Grammy Awards in his
career, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards
earlier this year.
• In February 2024, Hussain became the first Indian
musician to win three Grammys at the same
ceremony, earning awards for Best Global Music Album
(For This Moment), Best Global Music Performance (for
Pashto), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album
(for As We Speak).
• Received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
• 2019 – Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademy
• Born in Mumbai to Tabla Maestro Ustad Alla Rakha

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Singer, musician Pandit Sanjay Marathe passes away

• Noted classical singer and harmonium artist Pandit Sanjay Ram Marathe died at
a hospital in Maharashtra's Thane city.

Tribal environmental activist Tulasi Gowda passes away

• Tribal environmental activist and Padma Shri awardee Tulasi Gowda,
from Ankola in Uttara Kannada district (Karnataka), passed away
• belonging to the primitive Halakki tribe
• She planted over 30,000 tree saplings in 14 years and took care of
those saplings.
• In recognition of her work, she was conferred Padma Shri by then
President Ram Nath Kovind in 2021.

Baiga tribal artist and Padma Shri awardee Jodhaiya Bai passed away
• Madhya Pradesh's famous Baiga tribal artist Jodhaiya Bai, a Padma Shri
recipient, died
• Received Padma Shri in 2023.

About Baiga Tribe:

• Classification: The Baiga Tribe is one of India’s Particularly Vulnerable
Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• They primarily reside in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar
Pradesh.
• Traditionally semi-nomadic, they practised slash-and-burn cultivation, locally called "Bewar", and now depend
mainly on minor forest produce.
• Tattooing is an integral part of Baiga culture. Specific tattoos designated for different body parts and age
groups.
• Tattoos are made using kajal derived from Ramtilla seeds (Niger seeds).
• The Baiga tribe is the first community in India to be granted habitat rights,
reflecting their deep connection with forests.

PM Modi expresses grief over demise of former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala

• Former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om
Prakash Chautala passed away.
• Chautala was the chief minister of Haryana for a record five times and was the son
of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal.

PM Modi expresses grief over demise of filmmaker Shyam Benegal

• Suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years, at the age of 90
• born in Tirumalagiri, now in Telangana, in 1934
• His impressive body of work includes landmark series such as Yatra (1986) and
Bharat Ek Khoj (1988).
• The 53-episode Bharat Ek Khoj, based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s book Discovery of India.
• As Benegal directed some of his best movies — Ankur, Nishant (1975), Manthan
(1976), Bhumika (1977), and Junoon (1979), Zubeidaa, Sardari Begum, and Mammo.
• Padma Shri in 1976 and the Padma Bhushan in 1991.
• In 2005, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema.
• Benegal also served as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2006 to 2012.
• 18 National Film Awards

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Padma Bhushan Awardee M. T. Vasudevan Nair passed away

• M.T. Vasudevan Nair, one of India’s greatest Malayalam writers of all time, died in
Kozhikode, Kerala.
• honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1995, the Kerala government’s
Ezhuthachan Award in 2011, and the Padma Bhushan in 2005.
• In 1970 his book ‘Kalam’ won the Sahitya Akademi award for the best novel.

Bapsi Sidhwa, Parsi writer who took Partition to the world, dies at 86
• Celebrated Pakistan-born novelist and pioneer of South Asian literature
• Her notable novels: The Crow Eaters (1978) and Ice-Candy Man (1988), later
retitled Cracking India.
• She also penned Water: A Novel (2006), which was based on the film Water (2005)
written and directed by Deepa Mehta

Former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh passes away at 92

• The 14th Prime Minister of India, passed away at the All India Institute
of Medical Sciences on December 26, 2024.
• Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah village, West Punjab (now in
Pakistan).
• Padma Vibhushan (1987)
• Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in
2017
• He joined the Government of India as an Economic Advisor in
the Ministry of Commerce in 1971.
• Became the Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of
Finance in 1972.
• Dr Singh also worked as a Secretary in the Ministry of Finance –
• 15th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1982-85);
• Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission;
• Secretary General of the South Commission in Geneva, Switzerland from 1987 -1990.
• Advisor to the Prime Minister on economic affairs during the tenure of Chandra Shekar.
• As Finance Minister under former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, he was the architect of economic
reforms in 1991
that changed the
the course of India’s
economic
trajectory.
• Before being
appointed as the
Union Finance
Minister in 1991 he
held the post of the
Chairman of the
UGC.
• PM for two terms
in the Congress-led
United Progressive
Alliance
government from
2004 to 2014.

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• Singh was also the first and only Sikh to hold the office and the only prime minister of India to never win a
direct popular election.
• He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1991-2024 and was its member
for five consecutive terms.
• Authored the book India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained
Growth (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1964), a critical analysis of India’s inward-
oriented trade policies.

Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel Winner, Passes Away At 100

• As the 39th President of the United States, he played a pivotal role in brokering
peace in the Middle East during his tenure from 1977 to 1981.
• In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “decades of
untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to
advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and
social development

Some Highlights of his career:

The Panama Canal
• During his first year in office, Carter went back on a campaign promise and
decided to hand back management of the Panama Canal to the nation of
Panama - which had been in U.S. military control since its construction at
the start of the 20th century.
• The signing of the canal treaties with Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos on
September 7, 1977.

Camp David Accords

• In September 1978, Carter invited Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin
and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat to Camp David, the presidential
retreat outside Washington.
• After 13 days of secret negotiations under Carter's mediation, two accords
were signed that ultimately led to a peace treaty the following year.
• The Accords ensured that both Egypt and Israel achieved their primary
goals: Egypt regained the Sinai Peninsula that Israel had captured during
the Six-Day War in 1967, while Israel received its first formal recognition
from an Arab state

Former IPS officer deputed as OSD on Ayodhya dispute Acharya Kishore

Kunal dies of heart attack in Patna
• The 1972 batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre had also served as Patna
Senior Superintendent of Police for two years (1983-84).
• Mr. Kunal was also appointed officer of special duty on the Ayodhya
dispute during the time of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh and
Chandra Shekhar.
• books: Ayodhya Revisited, Dalit Devo Bhava

Charles Dolan, HBO founder and pioneering cable TV mogul, passes away
• Charles Dolan is known for founding HBO (Home Box Office) in 1972
and a year later creating Cablevision, one of the US largest cable
operators.

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Epigamia founder Rohan Mirchandani dies of cardiac arrest

• Founder of Drums Food International, the firm behind popular Greek
yogurt brand Epigamia, Rohan Mirchandani has passed away due to
cardiac arrest.
• Mirchandani (42), who co-founded Drums Food International in 2013.

Osamu Suzuki, who led Japanese automaker into India, dies at 94

§ Former President Chairman & CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation
§ led Japan's Suzuki Motor for more than four decades and played a key role in
turning India into a flourishing auto market

Awards
APSRTC bags Skoch Award 2024 for Unified Ticketing System
§ The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC)
has bagged the Skoch Award 2024 for its Unified Ticketing System
(UTS) project.
§ The APSRTC’s Unified Ticketing system integrates ticketing,
reservations, bus passes, and cargo services into a single platform,
enhancing passenger convenience and operational efficiency.

5th Filmfare OTT Awards 2024 Celebrating Digital Excellence

Category Awards
Best Film, Web Original Amar Singh Chamkila
Best Director, Web Original Film Imtiaz Ali for Amar Singh Chamkila
Best Actor (Male), Web Original Film Diljit Dosanjh for Amar Singh Chamkila
Best Actor (Female), Web Original Film Kareena Kapoor Khan for Jaane Jaan
Best Music Album, Film A.R. Rahman for Amar Singh Chamkila
Best Film, Critics Jaane Jaan
Best Series The Railway Men

Maria Victoria Juan from Philippines Wins Aster Guardians Global

Nursing Award 2024
• Awarded with USD 250,000 (INR 2 crore) at a prestigious award
ceremony held in Bengaluru, India.
• Launched in 2021, the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award
recognizes the critical role of nurses in healthcare.

Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine as Light’ wins best international film at

New York Film Critics Circle
• Earlier this year, the film' won the prestigious Grand Prix at the
Cannes Film Festival.
• Won Best International film at 2024 Gotham Awards

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India honored with the ISSA Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific
2024
• India has been honored with the International Social Security
Association (ISSA) Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific
2024, presented by Dr. Mohammed Azman, President of ISSA, at
the Regional Social Security Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) won 4 merit
awards.
• Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) received five
Certificates of Merit for Communication channels, E-
proceedings.

The five award categories and brief description about each is as

follows -
1. Communication Channels: - Reaching stakeholders through different Media
2. E-proceedings: A case on use of information and communication technology in justice delivery
3. Nidhi Aapke Nikat 2.0 :- Ensuring last mile delivery of Services
4. Multilingual Call Centres: - Effort towards an inclusive grievance redressal
5. Prayaas – Prioritizing Pensioners

Indian-origin Scottish Artist Jasleen Kaur wins Turner Prize for ‘Alter-
Altar’ exhibition
The Turner Prize
• established in 1984, Turner Prize is one of the most prestigious art
awards.
• Recognising the work of a British artist
• Indian-origin British artist Anish Kapoor won the prize in 1991.
• award that includes a cash prize of £25,000 (pound).

Michelle Bachelet Wins 2024 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament,
and Development
• Michelle Bachelet - founding director of UN Women, UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, and former President of Chile
• The prize honours her work to improve gender equality, human rights,
democracy and development in difficult circumstances, also noting
her contributions towards fostering India’s relations with Chile.
• The international jury for the award was chaired by former National
Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon

About the Award

• The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development is an esteemed award that has been
presented annually since 1986 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
• This award is named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, to honor her vision and
dedication to global peace, disarmament, and sustainable development.
• The first Indira Gandhi Award was given to ‘Parliamentarians for Global Action’ in 1986.
• The award carries a monetary reward of 25 lakh rupees.
• 2023 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development was awarded to Daniel Barenboim and
Ali Abu Awwad
• The jury shall consist of not fewer than five and not more than nine members named by the Chairperson
• The 1986 Indira Gandhi Prize was awarded to ‘Parliamentarians for Global Action’

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President Murmu to confer National Panchayat Awards 2024

• The National Panchayat Awards Conferment Ceremony
2024, organized by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, will
take place on 11th December 2024 at Plenary Hall, Vigyan
Bhawan, New Delhi.
• During this prestigious event, the Hon’ble President of
India Smt. Droupadi Murmu will confer the National
Panchayat Awards upon 45 awardees, selected across
various categories, recognizing their exemplary
contributions to the themes of sustainable and inclusive
development,
• Hon’ble Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri Rajiv
Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh will unveil a booklet
titled ‘Best Practices on Works of Awardee Panchayats’,

The National Panchayat Awards 2024 encompass categories such

as:
• The Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar
• Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar
• Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar
• Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar
• Panchayat Kshamta Nirmaan Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar

Five artists honoured with ‘Vani Kala Sudhakara’ title by Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha
• Five artists were honoured with the title ‘Vani Kala Sudhakara’ by Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha here during
the inauguration of the 45th Isai, Iyal, Nataka Vizha and the 35th Bharatham Festival.
• Vocalist Nirmala Sundararajan, violinist Embar S. Kannan, mridangam exponent B. Harikumar,
bharatanatyam exponent Priyadarsini Govind and playwright, director and theatre artist M. Boovaraga
Moorthy were conferred the title

Golden Globes 2025: Payal Kapadia earns two historic nods for ‘All We
Imagine As Light’
• The prestigious Golden Globe Awards 2025 has made history with
the inclusion of Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light, which has
secured two notable nominations.
• The film has been nominated for Best Motion Picture - Non-English
Language and Best Director (Motion Picture) nomination
• Kapadia becomes the first director from India to be nominated in this
category at the Golden Globe Awards.
• Released theatrically in India on November 22, All We Imagine As
Light has already received international acclaim.
• The film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
• It has also earned other prestigious accolades, including the Jury Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Screen
Awards and the Best International Feature at the Gotham Awards.
• it was awarded Best International Film by the New York Film Critics Circle.
• Notably, it has been shortlisted by France to compete in the Best International Feature Film category at the
Academy Awards 2025.

Here is the list of All Indians that have been nominated for Golden Globes:
Name Year Category Work
V. Shantaram 1959 Samuel Goldwyn Do Aankhen Barah Haath
International Film Award

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Mira Nair 1989 Best Foreign Language Film Salaam Bombay!

Mira Nair 2002 Best Foreign Language Film Monsoon Wedding
AR Rahman 2009 Best Original Score Slumdog Millionaire
SS Rajamouli 2023 Best Foreign Language Film RRR
MM Keeravani 2023 Best Song Naatu Naatu (RRR)
Chandrabose 2023 Best Song Naatu Naatu (RRR)
Payal Kapadia 2025 Best Director All We Imagine as Light
Payal Kapadia 2025 Best Non-English Language All We Imagine as Light
Film

Indian Television Academy (ITA) Awards 2024 A Celebration of Excellence in

Television
• Platform: Prestigious awards recognizing excellence in Indian television.
• Host: Gaurav Khanna, renowned for his role in Anupamaa.
• Broadcast Date: December 31, 2024, on Star Plus.

Category Winner
Popular TV Actor Harshad Chopda (Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai)
Popular TV Actress Pranali Rathod (Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai)
Popular TV Actor (Jury) Amar Upadhyay (Doree)
Popular TV Actress (Jury) Neha Harsora (Udne Ki Aasha)
Iconic TV Personality Rupali Ganguly (Anupamaa)
Best Show (Drama – Anupamaa
Popular)
Best Show (Drama – Jury) Udne Ki Aasha
Best Negative Actor Nikitin Dheer (Shrimad Ramayan)
Best Comedy Actors Subhangi Atre, Aashif Sheikh, Rohitash Gaur (Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain)
Best Hindi Channel Aaj Tak

Shaji N Karun Honored with JC Daniel Award 2023

• recognising his lifetime contribution to Malayalam cinema.
• The award, the highest honour in Malayalam cinema instituted
by the state government, includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a
citation, and a statuette.

Abathsahayeswarar Temple & BJPCI Project bag UNESCO Heritage

Award
• Two Indian heritage conservation projects—
the Abathsahayeswarar Temple Conservation Project in
Thukkatchi, Tamil Nadu, and the BJPCI Conservation Project
of Mumbai, Maharashtra—have won UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific
Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2024.

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• These two heritage conservation projects were among eight from the Asia Pacific region that won the 2024
UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
• UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) announced the award winners at
its regional office in Bangkok, Thailand
• The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation was established by UNESCO in 2000.

Abathsahayeswarar Temple Conservation Project

• The Abathsahayeswarar Temple Conservation Project won the Award of Distinction in the UNESCO’s Award
category.
• Lord Dakshinamurthy (Lord Shiva) is the presiding deity of the Abathsahayeswarar (Apatsahayesvarar
)Temple located in the Thukkatchi village in Thiruvarur District of Tamil Nadu.
• The 7th century Tamil Saivite work ‘Thevaram’ and one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams mentions the temple.
• The Temple was awarded the UNESCO Award of Distinction for using modern engineering expertise and the
know-how of Hindu temple builders, sthapathi, for structural conservation.

BJPCI Conversation Project

• The BJPCI (Sir Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Parsee Charitable Institution) Conservation project bagged the Merit
Award of UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2024.
• The BJPCI school building, built in 1908 in Gothic style, is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It was built to promote education amongst the economically weaker sections of society.

Vikas Khanna’s New York restaurant wins Michelin 2024 Bib

Gourmand Award
• Popular Indian chef Vikas Khanna won the Michelin 2024 Bib
Gourmand Award.
• Restaurant in New York, Bungalow

Cyberabad Commissionerate wins Data Security Council of India Excellence Award

• The Cyberabad Commissionerate of Telangana State Police received the Data Security Council of India
(DSCI) Excellence Award at the NASSCOM-DSCI Annual Information Security Summit in New Delhi.
• Cyberabad police was recognised for its innovative and sustained efforts in addressing cyber threats and
ensuring cyber safety through its dedicated cybercrimes Unit

2024 UNEP Champions of the Earth Award to Madhav Gadgil

• India’s veteran ecologist, Madhav Gadgil has been named as
one of the six ‘Champions of the Earth award’ for 2024.
• Madhav Gadgil was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement
category of the UNEP’s ‘Champion of the Earth’ Award.
• It was established in 2005 and awarded by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - UN’s highest
environmental honour.
• Madhav Gadgil was the Chairman of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, set up by the Union Ministry
of Environment and Forest in 2010.
• It is the , recognises trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect people and the planet.
• Every year, UNEP honours individuals and organizations working on innovative and sustainable solutions to
address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
• UNEP was set up by the United Nations in 1972.
• Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya

S.No. Winner and Nationalities Category

1 Madhav Gadgil (India) Lifetime Achievement

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2 Sonia Guajajara (Brazil's Minister of Indigenous Peoples) Policy Leadership

3 Lu Qi(China) Science and Innovation
4 Sekem organisation of Egypt (It was founded by Ibrahim Abouleish) Entrepreneurial Vision
5 Amy Bowers Cordalis (United States of America) Inspiration and Action
6 Gabriel Paun (Romania) Inspiration and Action

Ang Lee to Receive DGA Lifetime Achievement Award

• The 77th DGA Awards will take place on February 8
• Ang Lee, the celebrated Taiwanese American filmmaker, has
been named the recipient of the Directors Guild of America
(DGA) 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Ang Lee has won two Oscars for Best Director,
• Brokeback Mountain (2005)
• Life of Pi (2012)
• Golden Globe Awards: Two-time winner of the Best Director
category for, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) & Brokeback
Mountain (2005)

V. Mohan elected Honorary Fellow of International Diabetes Federation

• V. Mohan, chairman, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre and
Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, has been elected an Honorary
Fellow of the International Diabetes Federation.
• this recognition was for individuals who had made outstanding
contributions to the field of diabetes care, research, and advocacy.
• Dr. Mohan is one of the 17 individuals worldwide and two from India,
alongside diabetologist A. Ramachandran, to receive the honour

Indian Film “The Kumbaya Story” Wins tve Global Sustainability Film
Award.
• The Indian film "The Kumbaya Story" has gained international
recognition by winning the Transforming Society Short Film
category at the 13th tve Global Sustainability Film Awards (GSFA).
The ceremony took place at the famous BAFTA venue in London.
• Produced by the Kumbaya Producer Co. Ltd
• “The Kumbaya Story” narrates the inspiring journey of resilient
women who have transformed their lives through the art of
weaving, culminating in the establishment of the Kumbaya
Producer Company.

100th Tansen Music Festival Sets Guinness World Record for “largest Hindustani classical band”
• A Guinness World Record for the was set at Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh when 546 artistes performed
various ragas on 9 instruments.
• The performance was part of the 100th International Tansen Samaroh
• The performance was based on Malhar, Miyan ki Todi and Darbari Kanhra, three ragas composed by
Tansen.
• The performance was organized by renowned flute player Pandit Ronu Majumdar

Writer Suryabala’s novel selected for 34th Vyas Samman

• Noted Hindi writer Suryabala’s novel “Kaun Des Ko Vasi: Venu Ki Diary” has been selected for the 34th Vyas
Samman, 2024, the KK Birla Foundation.
• Instituted in 1991. It is awarded annually by the K.K. Birla Foundation
• given to an outstanding Hindi literary work by an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years.

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• It carries a cash prize of ₹4 lakh, a citation and a plaque.

• Vyas Samman, 2023 was given to - Hindi writer Pushpa Bharati for
her 2016 memoir, “Yaadein, Yaadein aur Yaadein.”
• Apart from the Vyas Samman, the KK Birla Foundation has
instituted other prestigious literary awards.
• The Saraswati Samman, with a cash prize of ₹15 lakh, honors
outstanding literary works in any language included in Schedule
VIII to the Constitution of India.
• The Bihari Puraskar (in the name of famous Hindi poet Biharilal),
with a cash prize of ₹2.5 lakh, is dedicated to Hindi/Rajasthani writers of Rajasthan.

Kiran Mazumdar gets 'Jamsetji Tata Award' for biosciences movement in India
• Biocon Group Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was conferred the
prestigious Jamsetji Tata Award by the Indian Society for Quality (ISQ)
for pioneering the biosciences movement in India.
• The Jamsetji Tata Award, instituted in 2004 by ISQ recognises business
leaders who have made significant contributions to Indian society.

Telangana police wins Digital Engineering Award for innovative use of GIS and AI during Ganesh Chaturthi
• Telangana Police have been honoured with the prestigious ‘Top Sustainability Initiative’ Award in the
Challenger category at the Digital Engineering Awards held in Dallas, Texas.
• Recognised for their innovative use of GIS (Graphic Information Sysytem) and AI technologies, the award
highlights their exceptional efforts during the 2024 Ganesh festival idol immersions.
• Awards organised by L&T Technology Services in partnership with ISG (Information Services Group) and
CNBC-TV18

In interim order, Supreme Court directs T.M. Krishna to be not recognised as recipient of M.S. Subbulakshmi
award
• The Supreme Court , in an interim order, directed that Carnatic vocalist T.M. Krishna “should not be
recognised” as a recipient of the The Hindu Sangita Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi Award.
• The top court’s order came a day after Mr. Krishna was conferred the award instituted by The Hindu and
awarded by the Music Academy at the inauguration of its 98th annual Conference and Concerts in
Chennai.
• A Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti, hearing a petition filed by Bengaluru resident V.
Shrinivasan, who claimed to be a grandson of the late legendary singer, M.S. Subbulakshmi, restrained Mr.
Krishna “from projecting himself as a recipient of this award”.

Karnataka Police Wins Inaugural FICCI Drone Award 2024

• The Karnataka State Police (KSP) has has won in the category of training and capacity building.
• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) instituted the award to recognise
innovative applications of drone technology by government and private organisations.
• The KSP was lauded for its Remote Pilot Training Institute (RPTI), established in 2023

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah presents 'President's Colour' to the Chhattisgarh
Police in Raipur
• President’s Colour is the highest honour that can be awarded to any military unit, military training
establishments, or State/UT Police Forces of India.
• It is also known as Nishaan, which is an emblem that is worn by all unit officers on the left-hand sleeve of
their uniform.
• any armed force must complete 25 years of service to be eligible for this prestigious honour.
• The Indian Navy was the first Indian Armed Forces to be awarded the President Colour by Dr. Rajendra
Prasad on May 27, 1951.

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• Colours are generally presented personally by the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed
Forces

Tom Cruise honoured with US Navy’s highest civilian award

• Hollywood star Tom Cruise has been felicitated with the US
Navy's top civilian honour, the Distinguished Public Service
Award.
• for his "outstanding contributions to the Navy and the Marine
Corps" through his work in Top Gun, Born on the Fourth of
July, A Few Good Men and the Mission Impossible franchise.
• US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro presented the medal
to Cruise.

Hindi poet Gagan Gill, English writer Easterine Kire among recipients of Sahitya Akademi Awards
• Hindi poet Gagan Gill and English writer Easterine Kire are among the 21 recipients of the annual Sahitya
Akademi Awards.
• Ms. Gill was selected for her book on poetry Main Jab Tak Aai Bahar
• Ms. Kire made it to the coveted list for her novel Spirit Nights.
About SAHITYA AKADEMI AWARD
• Sahitya Akademi established in 1954
• The Sahitya Akademi annually confers the award on writers of the most
outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 24 Indian languages
(22 languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India and
English and Rajasthani).
• The first Awards were given in 1955.
• The awards relate to books first published during the five years immediately preceding the year of the
award
• The authors and poets will receive a plaque, a shawl and an amount of ₹1 lakh in an award ceremony on
March 8, 2025.

K. Jayakumar bags Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award

• Former Chief Secretary and writer K. Jayakumar has bagged Kendra
Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry collection Pingalakeshini.
• A popular lyricist, Jayakumar had penned lyrics for about a hundred
Malayalam films, including several hit songs.
• In 2021 received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for overall contributions
and the coveted Asan Poetry Prize.

Padma Shri Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Choudhary Awarded 2023 National
Tansen Samman
• 'Tansen Samaroh’ took place in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, from
December 15 to 19, 2024.
• Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri from Kolkata was presented ‘Rashtriya Tansen
Samman’ for the year 2023.
• Sanand Nyas Sanstha from Indore was awarded with the ‘Raja
Mansingh Tomar Samman’ for the year 2023.
• Both the awards carry cash award of Rs 5 lakh each
• The award, instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government in the name of Tansen, is the highest national
music award in the field of Indian classical music.

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Chennai-Born Caitlin Sandra Neil Crowned Miss India USA 2024

• Chennai-born Indian American Caitlin Sandra Neil was crowned Miss India USA
2024 at the annual pageant held in New Jersey.
• The pageant was organized by the India Festival Committee (IFC).

Chennai-based gastrointestinal surgeon honoured with medical

excellence award at UK House of Commons
• Ravindran Kumeran, senior consultant gastrointestinal surgeon
at Apollo First Med Hospital, Chennai, was recently honoured
with the prestigious Global Medical Excellence Award in
Bariatric Surgery.
• The award ceremony took place at the House of Commons,
British Parliament, London

‘Ram Temple project’ of the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple in Ayodhya awarded the
‘Sword of Honour’ by the British Safety Council
• The ‘Sword of honour’ is one of the prestigious accolades in
safety management, which is given after the British Safety Council conducts
the audit of the process and practices, and finally does an on-site activity
assessment.
• Earlier M/s Larsen & Toubro responsible for the construction of the temple
were also awarded ‘Golden Trophy’ by the National Safety Council for safety
measures taken in the construction of Ram Temple

Indian Educationist Arun Kapur conferred Bhutan’s Royal Honour

• Renowned Indian educationist Arun Kapur, who set up schools in India,
Bhutan and Oman, has been conferred the ‘Bura Marp’ (red scarf) and
‘Patang’ (ceremonial sword) by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel at
the 117th Bhutanese National Day celebrations in Thimphu’s
Changlimathang stadium on (December 17, 2024).
• The honour is rarely given to non-Bhutanese residents and comes with
the honorific ‘Dasho’ title, otherwise used for senior officials.
• In 2019, Mr. Kapur was awarded the ‘Druk Thuksey’ for his work in setting up The Royal Academy school,
and in developing the Bhutan Baccalaureate educational system.
• Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Bhutan to be conferred the ‘Order of Druk
Gyalpo’ for India’s assistance to Bhutan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas honoured by King Charles III

• The Oppenheimer couple, director Christopher Nolan and producer Emma
Thomas who were honoured with knighthood and damehood at the
Buckingham Palace.
• King Charles of Britain bestowed the honour on the couple who have worked
together on multiple films and all of them have been super successful in terms
of critical acclaim and box office numbers.

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Two CMFRI scientists win NAAS recognition

• Two scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI)
were recognised by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) for
their contributions to advanced research in fisheries science.
• Eldho Varghese, senior scientist, was elected as a NAAS fellow
• Sumithra T.G., scientist, was selected as NAAS associate

IREDA Bags Triple Honours at 14th PSE Excellence Awards

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has been honoured with three awards at
the 14th PSE Excellence Awards ceremony, organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in New
Delhi .
• The company won Gold Awards in the Mini Ratna category for “Corporate Governance” and “Corporate
Social Responsibility & Sustainability.”
• Additionally, IREDA received the Silver Award for “Operational Performance Excellence.”

About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)

• It is a Mini Ratna (Category–I) non-banking financial institution under the administrative control of Ministry
of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• established in 1987.
• Motto: ENERGY FOR EVER

President Droupadi Murmu awards Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 exceptional children
• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 7 boys and 10 girls awarded from 14 states and Union territories
• in seven categories: art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports and
environment.
• The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar organized by The Ministry of Women and Child Development
Government of India
Eligibility
• A child should be an Indian Citizen.
• A child above the age of 5 years and not exceeding 18 years (as of 31st July of respective year).
• The act/incident/achievement should have been within 2 years of the last date of receipt of
application/nomination for the year of consideration.
• Number of Award will be 25, however, any relaxation to this maximum number may be permitted at the
discretion of the National Selection Committee.
• Each awardee will receive a medal, certificate and citation booklet.

Ashwini Vaishnaw confers 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Award 2024
• Indian Railways honored 101 dedicated employees and officers
with the prestigious 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar 2024 for
their exceptional contributions to the Indian Railways, and 22
shields to the top-performing railway zones across various
categories
• The award ceremony, themed "Mai Hoon Bhartiya Rail," was held
on December 21, 2024, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

First edition of Chaudhary Charan Singh Awards Conferred

• Instituted by the Kisan Trust (founded by Chaudhary Charan Singh)
• For remarkable contributions to agriculture, rural development, and
journalism.
• Kalam Ratna Award was presented to Ms. Neerja Chowdhury for her
dedication to insightful journalism.
• Sewa Ratna Award was conferred upon Dr. Rajendra Singh, the
“Waterman of India,” for his pioneering efforts in water conservation.

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• Krishak Utthan Award went to Dr. Firoz Hossain for advancing agricultural research and innovation.
• Kisan Award was bestowed upon Mr. Pritam Singh for his contributions to agricultural excellence.

Jaishankar Receives Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Award for Leadership

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was awarded the Sri Chandrasekarendra
Saraswathi National Eminence Award for Public Leadership by the South Indian
Education Society (SIES).
• South Indian Education Society (SIES) is one of the oldest educational societies in
Mumbai and was pioneered in 1932

Indian Businessman Ravi Pillai Receives Bahrain's Topmost Award

• Bahrain’s prestigious national honour - the Medal of Efficiency.
• For contributions to the progress and development of the kingdom, making
him the only foreign national to receive the title.
• King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, awarded the prestigious
national honour to Pillai, chairman of RP Group
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the Government of India in 2008.
Dr. Pillai was conferred India’s Padma Shri in 2010

Sports
Ace off spinner R Ashwin announces retirement from international cricket
• India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his
immediate retirement after the 3rd Test in ongoing Border-
Gavaskar Trophy, in Brisbane.
• Debut in 2010. 14-year career
• He is India’s second-highest Test wicket-taker. He scored 537
wickets in 106 games; Anil Kumble took 619.
• The 38-year-old bagged 37 Test five-fors, only second to Muttiah
Muralidaran (67).
• A five-for, also known as a five-wicket haul or fifer, is when a bowler takes five or more wickets in a single
innings of a cricket match
• The Tamil Nadu spinner bagged 765 wickets across formats, the second-highest behind Anil Kumble’s 956
scalps and the 11th-highest overall.
• Ashwin was the first bowler to record 100 World Test Championship wickets and is currently the highest-
wicket taker with 195 scalps from in 41 matches, followed by Australia’s Nathan Lyon
(190).
• He was part of India’s ODI World Cup-winning team in 2011.

Hardik Pandya most Searched Indian Sportsperson

• According to the Google Year in Search 2024, cricketer Hardik Pandya was the most
searched Indian sportsperson across the globe.
• Overall, he was ranked the seventh most searched sportsperson in the world in 2024.
• The list was topped by the female Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who won a gold medal
in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Indian U19 team lifts inaugural T20 Asia Cup Title

• In Women’s Cricket, India clinched the inaugural Under-19 ACC Women’s T20 Asia
Cup title at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after defeating Bangladesh

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Champions Trophy 2025: PCB confirms UAE as neutral venue

• The Pakistan Cricket Board has chosen the United Arab Emirates as a neutral
venue to host India’s games at next year's Champions Trophy.
• India had refused to travel to tournament host Pakistan for the eight-team, 50-over
Champions Trophy, amid its security concerns.
• Pakistan will not play in India in ICC events in the 2024-27 cycle.
• Pakistan will also go to a neutral venue when India hosts the 2025 Women’s World
Cup and co-hosts the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka.

Sachin Tendulkar Accepts Prestigious MCC’s Membership

• Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar has accepted an invitation to become
an honorary member of the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC).
• MCC is one of the oldest sports clubs in Australia and is responsible for
managing the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
• Earlier in 2012, the Indian batter was awarded the Order of Australia, one of
the country’s highest honours.

Team Asia of Manika Batra wins inaugural TT Waldner Cup 2024 in Norway
• Team Asia, led by six-time Olympic gold medallist Ma Long (China)
won the inaugural Waldner Cup 2024 Table Tennis tournament,
defeating Team World.
• Manika Batra was the only Indian player to be included in the Team
Asia team.

About the Waldner Cup

• The Waldner Cup has been instituted by Swedish table tennis great Jan-Ove Waldner.
• It was an invitational tournament approved by the Norwegian Table Tennis Association.
• The Waldner Cup was held in Oslo, Norway, from 13-15 December 2024.

Pranav Venkatesh wins FIDE World U-18 Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess titles in Slovenia

Vinícius Júnior and Aitana Bonmati win FIFA best player of the year 2024
awards
• Spain’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 winner Aitana Bonmatí has
been named The Best FIFA Women’s Player
• Brazil’s Vinícius Jr has won The Best FIFA Men’s Player
• at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024 ceremony in Doha, Qatar.

Men's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024: India beat Pakistan for record-
extending fifth title
• in Muscat, Oman
• a record-extending fifth title (2024, 2023, 2015, 2008 and 2004)
• Bronze Medal - Japan

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Joe Root breaks Sachin Tendulkar’s record to become highest 4th innings run-scorer in Test history
• England batter Joe Root surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar for most runs in Test run chases during
his team’s win against New Zealand

Most 4th innings runs in Test cricket:

• 1630* – Joe Root (49 innings)
1625 – Sachin Tendulkar (60)
1611 – Graeme Smith (41)
1611 – Alastair Cook (53)
1587 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul (49)
1552 – Rahul Dravid (56)

Jay Shah takes over as new ICC chairman

• The BCCI's outgoing secretary Jay Shah (December 1, 2024) took
charge as the chairman of the International Cricket Council,
becoming the fifth Indian to head the global body.
• Replaced New Zealand attorney Greg Barclay

Arjun Erigaisi becomes 2nd Indian to breach 2800 ELO rating in chess
• Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi became the second Indian after legendary
Viswanathan Anand and 16th worldwide to reach the gold-standard ELO
rating of 2800, while also occupying the fourth spot in the latest rankings.

Syed Modi International Tournament: PV

Sindhu and Lakshya Sen clinch singles
titles
• Indian badminton stars PV Sindhu
and Lakshya Sen secured singles
titles at the Syed Modi India
International badminton
tournament in Lucknow.

India’s Pavan Kampelli secures Bronze medal in e-football event at 2024 Asian
Esports Games in Bangkok
• In a momentous achievement, India's Pavan Kampelli claimed the bronze
medal in eFootball, the country's first-ever podium finish in the event, at the
2024 Asian Esports Games in Bangkok.

Alexandersson named India women’s U-20, U-17 coach

• Swede Joakim Alexandersson was appointed chief coach of the India women’s
U-20 and U-17 national teams by the All India Football Federation.

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F1: Dutch Grand Prix to be terminated after 2026

• Dutch Grand Prix held at the circuit Zandvoort confirmed that 2026 will be the last
year for the Netherlands.

Short news
• Bangladesh win U19 men's Asia Cup (cricket), defeat India in final to retain
title.
• The Under-19 Asia Cup is being organized since 1989
• Team India has won the Under-19 World Cup title in the years 2000, 2008,
2012, 2018 and 2022
• Bangladesh has won the Under-19 Asia Cup 2023 title

Lando Norris won the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

India's Kush Maini wins historic Formula 2 Constructors' Championship in Abu

Dhabi
• Formula Two driver Kush Maini clinched the Constructors’ Championship
with Invicta Racing at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
• He is the first from India to win a FIA Constructors’ World Championship

India to host first ever women's T20 World Cup for Blind in 2025
• Hosting rights were granted to India last year, but the event gains significance
after India withdrew from the Men’s T20 Blind Cricket World Cup in
Pakistan due to security concerns.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitates Indian Team contingent for

clinching 55 medals at 10th Asia-Pacific Deaf Games
• Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated
the Indian contingent for clinching 55 medals at the 10th Asia-Pacific
Deaf Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• The Indian team, represented by 68 members, including 42 men and
26 women.
• Secured 8 gold, 18 silver, and 29 bronze medals at these games held
from the 1st to the 8th of December.
• This was the best-ever performance by an Indian team in the quadrennial tournament since its inaugural
edition in 1984.

Sathish Karunakaran win Guwahati Masters 2024 badminton Singles title

• Indian badminton player Sathish Karunakaran won the BWF Super 100
Guwahati Masters 2024 badminton singles titles.
• The $100,000 lakh prize money BWF Super 100 Guwahati Masters 2024
was held in Guwahati, Assam, from 3 to 8 December 2024.
• It was the second BWF Super 100 Guwahati Masters after the inaugural edition of 2023.
• At the Guwahati Master 2024, India and China won two titles each, while Malaysia won the men’s doubles
title.

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Serial Number Events Winner Runners-Up

1 Men’s Singles Satish Karunakaran (India) Zhu Xuan Chen( China)
2 Women’s Singles Cai Yan Yan (China) Anmol Kahrab (India)
3 Men’s Doubles Chia Weijie/Lwi Sheng Hao (Malaysia) Huang Di/Liu Yang (China)
4 Women’sDoubles Ashwini Ponnappa/Tanisha Crasto (India) Li Hua Zhou/Wang Zi Meng (China)
5 Mixed Doubles Zhang Han Yu/Bao Li Jing (China) Rory Easton/Lizzie Tolman
(England)

9-Year-Old Aarit Kapil Stuns Chess Grandmaster

• Nine-year-old Delhi boy Aarit Kapil has become the youngest Indian to
beat a chess Grandmaster as he emerged victorious against Raset
Ziatdinov of United States in the ninth and penultimate round of the KIIT
International open tournament
• At 9 years, 2 months and 18 days, Aarit is the youngest Indian and third in
the world to beat a GM under the classical time control.
• The top three youngest players to beat a Grandmaster: 1. Ashwath
Kaushik (Singapore) – 8 years 2 months 2. Leonid Ivanovic (Serbia) – 8 years 11 months 3. Aarit Kapil – 9
years 2 months.

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus voted WTA Player of the Year 2024

• Sabalenka also finished the year as the top-ranked female
player for the first time in her career having won the Australian
Open and US Open
• The Italian doubles duo of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini -
Doubles Team of the Year.
• The duo won Italy’s first Olympic tennis gold at Paris 2024, and
helped Italy to their fifth Billie Jean King Cup triumph in Málaga,
Spain
• Women's Tennis Association (WTA) was founded by legendary tennis player Billie Jean King in 1973.
• It is the world governing body of women tennis professional players.

20th Asian Women’s Handball Championship – Japan Triumphs Over

South Korea
• India hosted the tournament for the first time
• India secured sixth place at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Arena
Asian Women’s Handball Championship 2024 standings
1. Japan
2. South Korea
3. Kazakhstan

Indian Grandmaster D. Gukesh becomes youngest World Chess

Champion
• Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world champion in
chess history, beating Ding Liren (China) in the World Chess
Championship 2024 in Singapore.
• The 18-year-old from Chennai broke the record held by the
Russian Garry Kasparov for nearly four decades.
• This was the first-ever World championship match contested by two Asian countries. And it was a match
between the players from India and China

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• Gukesh is only the third Asian to win the World championship.

• Viswanathan Anand, who is now a mentor for Gukesh, was the first, and
Ding Liren the second.

Khelo India winter games scheduled in Ladakh in January 2025

• featuring ice sports like ice hockey and ice skating from January 23 next
year.
• from January 23 to 27, 2025

FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host; Spain, Portugal and
Morocco to co-host 2030 edition
• Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed as host of the 2034 FIFA
World Cup in men’s soccer
• Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay
• Saudi Arabia will become the second nation from the Middle East to
host the mega football event, 12 years after neighbours Qatar staged the 2022 edition, where Argentina
defeated France.
• FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
• 2026 FIFA venue - Canada, Mexico, and the United States
2030- Spain, Portugal and Morocco
Tan Kim Her Returns as India’s Doubles Badminton Coach, Targets Asian Games
& Olympics
• The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has appointed Malaysian
doubles specialist Tan Kim Her to work with the Indian national team
• With an eye on 2026 Asian Games and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
• Tan Kim Her previously worked in India from 2015 to 2019.

Haris and Wyatt-Hodge Shine as ICC Players of the Month

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) has today announced the ICC
Players of the Month for November 2024 as Pakistan’s Haris Rauf and
England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge.

Afridi Becomes Youngest to Achieve 100 Wickets in All Formats

• Shaheen Afridi, 24, became the youngest bowler overall and the first bowler
from Pakistan to complete 100 wickets in all three formats of international
cricket
• After he took three wickets in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban

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Prasar Bharati signs MoU with Hockey India to provide live broadcast of
upcoming Hockey India League
• The upcoming Hockey India League, which is being revived after
seven years
• Set to commence on December 28 in Rourkela, HIL will be
broadcast live across the nation through Doordarshan and Prasar
Bharati’s new OTT platform — Waves.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami launches logo, mascot, anthem,

jersey & torch for 38th National Games
• The National Games are set to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi
International Stadium in Dehradun
• from January 28 to February 14, 2025.
• The mascot, “Mouli,” inspired by Uttarakhand’s state bird, the
Monal.
• theme of the National Games as “Green Games”
• The tagline for the Games, “Sankalp Se Shikhar Tak” (From Resolve
to Zenith)
• The newly designed torch incorporates motifs of the perennial holy
river Ganga and the state flower, Brahma Kamal, also known as the
“Lotus of the Darks.”
• PT Usha announced the inclusion of traditional sports like yoga and mallakhamb in the Games

India wins Women’s Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 against China
• in Muscat, Oman
• India won their maiden Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup title last
year by defeating the Republic of Korea in the final.
• Earlier the Indian hockey team beat Pakistan to win the Men's
Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 in Muscat, Oman

Mumbai wins Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, beats Madhya Pradesh
• Mumbai wins its second Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.
• Tamil Nadu max wins - has won the tournament thrice.
• TN also won the first edition held in 2006-07

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

• The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is India’s domestic T20 cricket tournament, organised
annually by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
• Initially played as the Inter-State T20 Twenty-20 Tournament in the 2006-07
season, ahead of the franchise-based Indian Premier League (IPL), which began in 2008.
• Renamed in 2010 to honour Syed Mushtaq Ali, India’s first overseas Test centurion and a domestic cricket
stalwart.

Lok Sabha Speaker XI wins TB Mukt Bharat Awareness Cricket Match,

defeats Rajya Sabha Chairman XI
• In a friendly cricket match organised to create awareness of
tuberculosis (TB), the Lok Sabha Speaker XI defeated the Rajya
Sabha Chairman XI in New Delhi.
• BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh Anurag Singh Thakur was the man
of the match

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Rithvik Wins Maiden Super 100 Title at Odisha Masters

• India's Rithvik Sanjeevi Satish Kumar claimed his maiden BWF Super 100 title
after defeating compatriot Tharun Mannepalli in the men's singles final at the
Odisha Masters.

Shammi Silva Takes Over as ACC President

• Sri Lanka's Shammi Silva has taken over as the president of the Asian
Cricket Council (ACC), succeeding India's Jay Shah, who recently became
the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
• Mr. Shah had vacated the position after three terms as ACC President.

BCCI appoints Devajit Saikia as BCCI Acting Secretary

• Saikia will remain Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acting secretary till
elections are hosted for the post in September 2025.
• replacing Jay Shah, who has taken over as International Cricket Council’s new
chairman from 1 December 2024.
• Recently Sri Lanka's Shammi Silva had taken over as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC),
succeeding India's Jay Shah

New Delhi to host 2025 World Para Athletics Championships at

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
• The world’s largest single Para sport event will take place from
26 September to 5 October 2025 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,
which will also host a World Para Athletics Grand Prix for the first
time next March
• New Delhi 2025 will mark the 12th edition of the championships
and the fourth time it is hosted in Asia, following Doha 2015,
Dubai 2019 and Kobe 2024.
• In the 2024 edition, India finished in the top 6 in the table after it 17 medals, including 6 gold. China
topped

Salman Khan Named Brand Ambassador for Kho Kho World

Cup
• The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) has officially
appointed Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as the
brand ambassador for the inaugural Kho Kho World
Cup, which will be held in New Delhi from January 13
to 19, 2025.

World Team Squash Championship 2024

• held in Hong Kong from December 9-15
• The Indian men's team achieved fifth place Winner : Egypt
• Indian women secured seventh place
• Winner : Egypt

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Kiran Ankush Jadhav clinches Men’s 50m Rifle 3P title at 67th National
Shooting Championship

Real Madrid won Intercontinental Cup title against Pachuca

• final at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar
• FIFA restarted the Intercontinental Cup this year, which features six
continental club champions

Koneru Humpy is World rapid champion

• Indian Chess Grandmaster Koneru Humpy won her second Women’s World
Rapid Chess Championship title, beating Irene Sukandar of Indonesia.
• Her first title in 2019 at Georgia.
• The top ranked Indian is only the second player after China's Ju Wenjun to
clinch the title more than once.
• Humpy is India’s first female grandmaster (in 2002)
• GM Volodar Murzin from Russia won the 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship

Youngest Brazilian Joao Fonseca wins 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals
• In Tennis, Joao Fonseca of Brazil defeated Learner Tien of the United States to
win the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals title in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• At just 18 years old, Fonseca ranked world No. 145, was the youngest participant
in this year’s tournament.
• His win makes him the second-youngest champion in the tournament’s history,
following Jannik Sinner’s victory in 2019.
• With the win, Fonseca became the first Brazilian to win the title and the lowest-ranked player to do so in
the tournament’s seven-year history.

Squash: Anahat Singh won Western India Slam 2024

• Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh won her 9th PSA Challenger title in
2024 - the Western India Slam 2024 women’s singles in Mumbai.

Lakshya Sen Wins Bronze at Inaugural King Cup International Badminton Open
2024
• This tournament is launched by two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan of
China, at Shenzhen, China
• The tournament features a men’s singles competition with eight players in
the fray.
• Lakshya Sen, who made the semi-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was
India’s only representative in the invitational tournament.

India to host ISSF Junior Shooting World Cup for first time in 2025
• This will be the 11th edition of the junior shooting World Cup and the first
one in India.

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Hemanth Muddappa wins 15th National Title in Motorcycle Drag Racing

• at the Madras International Circuit (MIC).
• Hemanth Muddappa of Mantra Racing took his tally of National titles to 15, making him
the country’s most decorated motorsport athlete.

India Shines at Junior World Pencak Silat Championship: Nusrath Fatima

Wins Silver for Nation
• Nusrath Fatima from Sankoo, Kargil, representing India, clinched a
silver medal at the 5th Junior World Pencak Silat Championship,
held in Abu Dhabi from December 18 to 22.
• Competing in the 58 kg Junior category

World Boxing forms new Asian body with BFI Chief Ajay Singh as Board member
• World Boxing has added Asia as its newest member
• Tokyo Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain has been included in the
Athletes' Commission while six Boxing Federation of India (BFI) officials,
including president Ajay Singh, will be board members.

Bihar to Host Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025

• at Rajgir Sports Academy in March 2025.
• A total of 14 countries, including India, China, Japan, South Korea, Nepal,
Pakistan, Iran, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Poland, Argentina, and South
Africa, are expected to participate.
• Bihar will host the Women's Kabaddi World Cup for the second time, after
previously hosting the event in 2012 at the Patliputra Sports Complex in
Patna.

Pro Kabaddi 2024: Haryana Steelers win maiden title after beating Patna Pirates in
final
• Haryana Steelers beat Patna Pirates and clinch their maiden Pro Kabaddi
League (PKL) in the Season 11.
• Held at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune.
• Mohammadreza Shadloui - Most Valuable Player award

Pro Kabaddi 2024 12 teams:

• Bengal Warriorz
• Bengaluru Bulls
• Dabang Delhi KC
• Gujarat Giants
• Haryana Steelers
• Jaipur Pink Panthers
• Patna Pirates
• Puneri Paltan
• Tamil Thalaivas
• Telugu Titans
• U Mumba
• UP Yoddhas

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Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2024: India concludes with 33 medals
• Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2024 held in Doha, Qatar
• Indian youth lifters won 21 medals, including all seven golds. The junior lifters contributed 12 medals to the
tally.

17-year-old from Mumbai becomes the youngest female in world to scale highest
peaks on each of 7 continents
• Kaamya Karthikeyan, a Class 12 student at Navy Children School in Mumbai,
has made history by becoming the youngest female in the world to scale
seven highest peaks across seven continents.
• Her outstanding accomplishments earned her the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya
Bal Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest national honour for young achievers in
2021
• Premlata Agrawal - first Indian woman mountaineer to scale the seven
continental peaks in 2013

The 17-year-old adventurer has conquered :

• Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro)
• Europe (Mt Elbrus)
• Australia (Mt Kosciuszko)
• South America (Mt Aconcagua)
• North America (Mt Denali)
• Asia (Mt Everest)
• and culminating the current climb in Antarctica (Mt Vinson )

Kerala clinches Senior National Men’s Handball Championship title

• Kerala defeated Chandigarh to clinch their maiden Senior National Men’s
Handball Championship title.
• in Kerala.

SHORT NEWS
• Russian Tennis Star Deniil Savelev Banned For 2 Years Over Doping

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State
J&K
Uber has launched its first water transport service in India, the Uber Shikara, on Dal Lake in
Srinagar

CHANDIGARH
Chandigarh India's first state/Union Territory to fully implemented the three new criminal laws.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the successful implementation of the three new
criminal laws:
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya
Adhiniyam 2023 at a function held in Chandigarh .
• The function was organised in Chandigarh as Chandigarh is India's first state/Union Territory to have fully
implemented the three new criminal laws.
• The three new criminal laws were implemented on 1st July 2024.
The three new laws replace the following laws:
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which replaced the Indian Penal Code 1860,
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, will replace the Indian Evidence Act of 1872.

DELHI
Cabinet approves Rithala-Kundli corridor of Delhi Metro Phase-IV project
• will further enhance connectivity between the national capital and
neighbouring Haryana.
• The corridor is scheduled to be completed in 4 years from the date of its
sanction.

Delhi airport becomes India’s first airport to connect 150 destinations

22nd Divya Kala Mela at India Gate, showcasing talents of persons with disabilities
• by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) (DEPwD), under Union Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment,
• through National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC)
• from 12th December to 22nd December, 2024 at India Gate, New Delhi.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya flags off ‘Fit India Cycling Tuesdays’ initiative
in New Delhi
• Following the launch, cycling events will continue every Tuesday
nationwide.

The Delhi government has launched the Sanjeevani Scheme for Citizens above 60
• The ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’, which promises free medical care in government and
private hospitals for all citizens above 60, will not have an income cap or upper
limit for eligibility.
• ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’ is being seen like an extension of the Delhi government’s
surgery referral scheme

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• Under this scheme, if a particular surgery cannot be performed at a government hospital, or if the waiting
time for surgery is more than a month, the patient is referred to a private hospital and the cost is borne by
the government.
• Delhi has not adopted Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.
• There would be no upper limit on the cost of treatment.

Kejriwal Launches ‘Dr Ambedkar Samman Scholarship Yojana’

• Arvind Kejriwal - AAP national convener and former Delhi chief minister
• promising to cover fees as well as the cost of travel and stay for Dalit
students from Delhi who secure admission for higher education at top
international universities.
• It will also be applicable to children of Dalit government employees.

Pudducherry
National Mental Health Survey-2 officially launched in Puducherry’s JIPMER
• NMHS-2 was formally launched recently at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and
Research (JIPMER)
• It is a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Implemented by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, that will
formulate State-level estimates of mental health conditions, with a focus on prevalence of critical issues such
as depression, suicide and substance abuse.

HIMANCHAL PRADESH
Himachal Government launches Him Bhog Atta and five Welfare scheme
• In a ceremony held in Bilaspur, to mark the two years of the
completion of his government.
• The Chief Minister launched ‘Him Bhog Atta'. The atta (flour) is made
of maize grown by farmers in the state through natural farming.
• To encourage natural farming in the state, the state government has
set a target to enrol 36,000 farmers in the Rajiv Gandhi Natural Farming Start-up Scheme, which is part of
the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme.
Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana
• The Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojna aims to prevent child exploitation.
• Aim -to cover 23,000 children of widows, destitute women, divorced women and disabled parents.
• Monthly financial assistance of Rs 1000 for children below 18 years of age to cover their educational costs.

Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project (HP Shiva)
• Aim -to encourage horticulture development in nine districts.
• It will cover 6,000 hectares and promote the cultivation of fruits like oranges, guavas, litchi and plums,
• The target is to produce 1.3 lakh metric tonnes of fruit annually by 2032 with a market value of Rs. 400
crore.
E-taxi under the Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Swarojgar Yojna
• The Chief Minister symbolically handed keys to 16 electric taxi owners under the Rajiv Gandhi Self-
Employment Start-up Scheme 2023.
• The beneficiary of the scheme receives a 50 % subsidy for the purchase of vehicles.

Cow dung purchase scheme

• The state government will buy organic and vermicompost directly from farmers at Rs 300 per quintal. The
amount is directly transferred into the farmer's account.
• This is expected to boost farmer’s income.

Mobile Ayush healthcare units

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• Five mobile units were flagged off by the Chief Minister, which will provide Ayurveda, Unani, or
Homeopathy treatments to the residents in the remote tribal regions of Kinnaur, Lahaul & Spiti, Chamba
and Shillai block of Sirmaur district.

Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana

• The Chief Minister released financial assistance worth Rs 1.90 crore to the eligible beneficiaries under the
Mukhyamantri Sukh-Ashray Yojana.
• The Sukhu government launched the scheme in February 2023 to provide education, care, and support to
the state's orphan children until they reach the age of 27.

UTTRAKHAND
Uttarakhand Launches First Wine Production Unit
• The Uttarakhand government has officially launched its first wine production unit in Kotdwar to promote
wine tourism under its new excise policy.

10th World Ayurveda Congress and Ayurveda Expo in Dehradun

• from Dec 12 to 15 in Dehradun
• The 10th edition of the World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo 2024
• Theme - 'Digital Health - An Ayurveda Perspective’
• Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State, Independent Charge, Ministry of Ayush
• AYUSH - Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy

Uttarakhand Unveils India’s First dedicated Yoga Policy to Become Global Yoga Hub
• Yoga Policy aims to integrate Ayurveda and Yoga into healthcare, promote wellness tourism, and generate
employment.
• Policy to standardize yoga institutes and promote Rishikesh as a global yoga city.
• Uttarakhand hosted the 10th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo.
• The CM urged the AYUSH Ministry to establish All India Institute of Ayurveda in Uttarakhand.
• Rishikesh - “Yoga Capital of the World
• Dilraj Preet Kaur - Uttarakhand’s Yoga Brand Ambassador.

PUNJAB
Punjab Achieves 100% Piped Water Supply
• Punjab has recently achieved milestone by providing 100% piped water supply to all rural households, falls
under the central government’s ‘Har Ghar Jal’ scheme.
• The scheme was announced by the Prime Minister on August 15, 2019 as part of the Jal Jeevan Mission
(JJM). The scheme aims to provide 55 liters of tap water per person per day to every rural household by
2024
• Other states with 100% piped water supply to all rural households under Har ghar Jal – Goa, Arunachal
Pradesh, Haryana, Telangana, Gujarat, Himachal, Mizoram,
• UTs - A & N Island, D&NH and D&D, Puducherry

SHORT NEWS
• The Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann gave nod to enact THE PUNJAB STATE (DEVELOPMENT &
PROMOTION OF SPORTS) ACT, 2024

HARYANA
International Gita Mahotsav 2024 Inaugurated in Kurukshetra, Haryana
• Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated
• 2024 International Gita Mahotsav from 28th November -15 December
2024.

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• The International Gita Mahotsav commemorates the birth of ‘Srimad Bhagwat Gita’, the sacred scripture
containing advice of Lord Krishna that he gave to Arjuna in Kurukshetra on the first day of the famous 18-day
battle in the Mahabharata.
• The annual International Gita Mahotsav is organised by the Kurukshetra Development Board of Haryana
Tourism in collaboration with the Government of Haryana.
• This year, Tanzania, an African country, is the foreign partner country, and Odisha is the State partner.
• Haryana government started the Gita Mahotsav in 1989 as a state-wide cultural and religious event.
• In 2016, the Haryana Government rebranded the event as International Gita Mahotsav, which attracted
more than 20 lakh people.

Prime Minster Modi launched Bima Sakhi Yojana in Panipat, Haryana to

empower women
• ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ is of Life Insurance Corporation to promote
financial literacy and insurance awareness among women.
• For women aged 18-70 years, who are Class X pass.
• They will receive specialized training and a stipend for the first
three years to promote financial literacy and insurance
awareness.
• The women will get Rs 7000 stipend in the 1st year, Rs 6000 in 2nd year, Rs 5000 in 3rd year
• After training, they can serve as LIC agents
• target is to enrol 200,000 women under the scheme over the next three years
• Additionally, PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Main campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural
University, Karnal.

UTTAR PRADESH
UP govt declares Prayagraj’s Maha Kumbh area as new district
• In a landmark decision, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath, has declared the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj as a new
district.
• The newly formed district will be known as Maha Kumbh Mela.
• to streamline the management and administration of the upcoming Kumbh
Mela, ensuring smooth operations for the grand religious event scheduled
for January 2025.

Gorakhpur to get country's first integrated waste management city by September 2025
• Gorakhpur is set to establish the country's first Integrated Waste Management City-cum-Learning Centre by
September 2025
• Aimed at making the city garbage-free and promoting sustainable waste management through circular
economy model.
• Spread across 40 acres in Suthni village, Sahjanwa, the ambitious project will process various types of
waste while generating charcoal and Bio-CNG
• Three dedicated plants are planned, a Dry Waste Plant with a capacity of 500 tons per day and it will
produce charcoal.
• The second plant is a Wet Waste Plant which will be a 200 ton-per-day facility producing Bio-CNG
• The final is a Hazardous Waste Plant, a separate facility which will process domestic hazardous waste using
environmentally-friendly methods.

Uttar Pradesh Becomes First State to Fully Implement GEM

• Recently, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in India to fully integrate its procurement process with
the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
• Uttar Pradesh has abolished its longstanding tendering system by fully adopting GeM.

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• This integration mandates that all service

providers, from basic stationery suppliers to those
providing Sport Utility Vehicle (SUVs) for official
use, adhere strictly to central government
regulations
• The state government estimates that this shift to
GeM-based procurement could save over Rs.
2,000 crore annually.

Government e Marketplace (GeM)

• GeM is a 100% Government owned and National
Public Procurement Portal that facilitates online
procurement of common use Goods & Services
required by various Government Departments /
Organisations / PSUs.
• The initiative was launched by the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry in 2016.
• It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverse e-
auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users, achieve the best value for their money
and aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement.

Prime Minister launched the Kumbh Sah’AI’yak chatbot for

Mahakumbh Mela 2025.
• The 2025 Maha Kumbh mela from January 13 to February
26 at Prayagraj.
• The AI-powered chatbot equipped with multi-lingual
capability to assist pilgrims and visitors.
• a part of the "Digital Mahakumbh" vision.
• Developed by the Prayagraj Mela Authority and UPDESCO,
the Kumbh Sah'AI'yak app is hosted on open-source LLM
provided by Ola's Krutrim.
• It supports Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada and Bengali.

The Maha Kumbh is organised every 12 years.

• Prayagraj: The confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati rivers
• Haridwar: On the banks of the Ganges
• Ujjain: On the banks of the Shipra river
• Nashik: On the banks of the Godavari river
• The Ardha (half) Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at only two places, Haridwar and Prayag.

UP & Manipur sign MoU for implementation of Ek Bharat

Shreshtha Bharat for 3 years
• signed in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in December 2024.
• Manipur is the third state in which Uttar Pradesh has signed
such MoU. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh signed such an MoU
with Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
• ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ programme aims to enhance
interaction & promote mutual understanding between
people of different states or UTs. The states carry out
activities to promote a sustained and structured cultural
connection in the areas of language learning, culture,
traditions & music, tourism & cuisine, sports and sharing of best practices, etc.
• For Manipur, it was the second agreement with a state after a similar MoU with Madhya Pradesh.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ on 31st October 2015 on the
occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first deputy Prime Minister and
Home Minister of India.
• Union Ministry of Education is the Nodal ministry for coordinating programmes under the EK Bharat
Shreshtha Bharat.

Atal Yuva Mahakumh & Atal Health Fair Inaugurated in Lucknow

• To commemorate the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the two-day Atal Health Fair

MADHYA PRADESH
Ratapani Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh notified as 57th Tiger Reserve of India
• Ratapani Tiger Reserve has a core area of 763.8 sq km, buffer area of 507.6 sq km and total area of 1271.4
sq km.
• 8th tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh (after Kanha, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, Panna and
Veerangana Durgavati).
• Location: Spanning Raisen and Sehore districts
54th Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2023 1414.28
th
55 Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve Rajasthan 2023 599.64
th
56 Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve Chhattisgarh 2024 2,829.38

• The tiger reserves in India were set up as a part of Project Tiger initiated in 1973 and are administered by
the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) of Government of India.
• As per the ‘Status of Tigers: Co-predators & Prey in India-2022’ report released by the NTCA and Wildlife
Institute of India, the tiger population in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to be 785, the highest in the
country, followed by Karnataka-563 and Uttarakhand-560

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav to inaugurate 10th International Forest Fair in Bhopal
• 10th International Forest Fair in Bhopal from 18 - 23 December.
• The fair will provide a wide platform to establish dialogue between collectors, producers, traders,
entrepreneurs, scientists, administrators and policy makers associated with forest.
• OPD will be conducted in the fair, in which free medical consultation will be provided by Ayurveda doctors
every day.
• Representatives from Sri Lanka, Nepal and Australia are participating in the fair.
• Theme - “Women Empowerment through Minor Forest Produce”.

MP CM Mohan Yadav launches programmes to mark 1 year of his govt

• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched ‘Jan Kalyan Parv’ and ‘Mukhya Mantri Jan Kalyan
Abhiyan’ from December 11 to 26 and December 11 to January 26, respectively
• on completion of first year of the State’s BJP government under his leadership.
• Mr. Yadav, a third-term MLA from Ujjain (Dakshin). He replaced the State’s longest serving CM Shivraj
Singh Chouhan, who is now a Union Cabinet Minister
• Mr. Yadav also received the certificate of ‘Guinness Book of World Records’ for the recitation of the verses
of the Gita.
• Over 7,000 people, including 3721 ‘acharyas' and ‘batuks', recited Karma Yoga -- the third chapter of
Bhagvad Gita – on Gita Jayanti in Bhopal
• Gita Jayanti is celebrated on 11th day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Margashirsha (Ekadashi) – also
known as Mokshada Ekadashi.

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Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Inaugurates GSI

Geoscience Museum in Gwalior
• The museum houses two exceptional galleries, offering a
glimpse into the mysteries of our planet and the chronicles
of life’s journey through time.
• Asit Saha, DG, GSI

Indore to criminalise begging from 1 January 2025

• India’s cleanest city, Indore of Madhya Pradesh, will file a
first information report (FIR) against a person for giving
money and alms to beggars from 1st January 2025.
• The district administration issued the order to criminalise
giving alms and money to beggars under Section 163 of the
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
• People who violate orders issued under Section 163 can be
punished by a maximum jail term of six months and a fine
of Rs 1000
• The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a pilot project named
“Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in the Act of Begging” in 10 cities in India.
• These cities are Indore, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna and
Ahmedabad.
• The aim of the scheme is to make India beggar-free (Bhiksha Vriti Mukta Bharat).
• The Bhiksha Vriti Mukta Bharat campaign Is to make 30 cities of India beggar-free by 2026 under the
“Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging. “
• The Scheme is a sub-scheme of the broader central government scheme SMILE - Support for Marginalized
Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise” – launched in 2022

Madhya Pradesh receives Gir Lions from Gujarat under Animal Exchange Programme
• The Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal get two Asiatic lions from Gujarat in exchange for two Bengal
tigers.
• Two pure-breed Asiatic (Gir) lions have been brought from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park, Junagadh, Gujarat
to Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal.
• Van Vihar National Park is situated next to the famous Upper Lake of Bhopal also known as the “Bada
Talab” which is a Ramsar Site and one of the two lakes of Bhoj Wetland.

Madhya Pradesh recognized as one of ‘Go-To Global Destinations for 2025’ by Wall Street Journal
• This accolade highlights the state’s rich heritage, unparalleled wildlife, and exceptional natural beauty.
• With UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Tiger Reserves, and vibrant cultural experiences, our state offers unique
experiences for every travellers.
3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in MP
• Khajuraho Group of Monuments , 1986
• Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, 1989
• Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, - 2003

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8 Tiger Reserves in MP:

• Kanha Tiger Reserve
• Pench Tiger Reserve
• Satpura Tiger Reserve
• Panna Tiger Reserve
• Sanjay Dhubri Tiger Reserve
• Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
• Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
• Ratapani Tiger Reserve (57th TR)

Indore Airport Becomes India’s First Zero-Waste Airport

• Recently, the Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore became India's first
zero-waste airport with the inauguration of a 3000 sq ft material recovery
facility.
• The new Material Recovery Facility features a comprehensive waste
management system to segregate and recycle waste from both the
airport and aircraft.
• Wet waste will be converted into fertilizer, aligning with the airport's zero-waste initiative based on the 4R
principle: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore.

PM Modi Lays Foundation for India’s 1st Ken-Betwa River Linking Project in
Madhya Pradesh
• on the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.

What is the Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)?

• The KBLP envisages transferring water from the Ken river to the
Betwa river, both tributaries of the Yamuna.
• The Ken-Betwa Link Canal will be 221 km in length, including a 2-
km tunnel.
• The project is expected to provide annual irrigation to 10.62 lakh
hectares (8.11 lakh ha in MP and 2.51 lakh ha in UP) of land, supply
drinking water to about 62 lakh people, and generate 103 MW of
hydropower and 27 MW of solar power.
• It is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for
interlinking of rivers, which was prepared in 1980.
• The Union Cabinet had approved Rs 44,605 crore (at 2020-21
prices) for the KBLP project in December 2021. To be
implemented in 8 years
• The Ken-Betwa Link Project has two phases.
• Phase-I will involve building the Daudhan Dam complex and its
subsidiary units such as the Low Level Tunnel, High Level Tunnel,
Ken-Betwa Link Canal and power houses.
• Phase-II will involve three components — Lower Orr Dam, Bina Complex Project and Kotha Barrage.
• On March 22, 2021, a memorandum of agreement was signed among the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the
governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to implement the Ken-Betwa Link Project.
• On 25th December, 2024, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the Daudhan Dam in Madhya Pradesh.
• Daudhan dam is 2,031 m long, out of which 1,233 metre will be earthen and the rest 798 m will be of
concrete.
• The height of the dam will be 77 m.
• The dam will submerge about 9,000 hectares of land, affecting 10 villages.
• Infrastructure company NCC Ltd has been awarded the contract for the Daudhan Dam.

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Ken and Betwa Rivers

• Ken and Betwa rivers originate in MP and are the tributaries of Yamuna.
• Ken originates near the village of Ahirgawan on the north-west slopes of the Kaimur Range in the district of
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The river is the last tributary of the Yamuna before the Yamuna joins the
Ganga.
• Ken meets with Yamuna near Banda district of Uttar Pradesh
• Ken River passes through Panna tiger reserve (the project poses a threat to the Panna Tiger Reserve).
• Betwa River rises in the Vindhya Range just north of Hoshangabad (Narmadapuram), Madhya Pradesh
• Betwa joins Yamuna in Hamirpur district of UP.
• Rajghat, Paricha and Matatila dams are over Betwa river.

SHORT NEWS
• Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that the sacrifice and valour of Sahibzades of Guru Govind Singh will
be included in the school curriculum in Madhya Pradesh.

CHATTISGARH
HUDCO Launches Gift Milk Programme to Combat Malnutrition in Chhattisgarh
• HUDCO, a Navratna PSU, has recently launched the Gift Milk Programme in the Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, and
Mungeli districts of Chhattisgarh under its CSR initiative to combat malnutrition among government school
children.
• The program will provide 200ml of fortified flavoured milk daily to 8,000 children in 83 government schools
for 1 year, with a focus on girls’ schools and tribal areas.

JHARKHAND
JMM’s Rabindra Nath Mahato elected unopposed as Jharkhand assembly Speaker
• Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Rabindra Nath Mahato was elected the
Speaker of the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly .
• The Nala MLA is the first leader who has been elected as the Speaker for the
second consecutive term.
• Protem speaker Stephen Marandi
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren

Bihar
Sri Lankan President visits World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar
• Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Bodh Gaya in
Bihar's Gaya district and prayed at the Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO
world heritage site (2002).
• It is in Bodh Gaya, in central Bihar, on the banks of the Niranjana River.
• It is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha,
marking the spot of the Buddha’s Enlightenment (Bodhi).

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WEST BENGAL
France to Feature Prominently at 30th Kolkata International Film
Festival
• The 30th edition of the Kolkata International Film
Festival (KIFF), slated to kick off on December 4,
announced its lineup of 175 films from 29 countries, and
revealed France as the focus country of this year’s film
festival.
• Screenings will take place in 20 venues in different parts
of the city between December 5 and 11.

UNESCO Declares West Bengal As Top Heritage Tourism Spot:

Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the

“Banglar Bari” scheme
• housing scheme for rural poor
• Under the scheme, a total of ₹1.20 lakh will be given to a
family for constructing a house, of which ₹ 60,000 in the
first instalment.
• However, beneficiaries in some areas of Jangalmahal and
Dargeeling hills will get ₹1.30 lakh.
• Mamta Banerjee also announced that government would
build “Gangasagar Sethu” - five-km-long bridge over
Muri Ganga river connecting the mainland with the
Sagar Island, where the annual Gangasagar Mela is held.

ASSAM
Assam Bans Beef Consumption in Hotels and Public Places
• The consumption of beef in hotels, restaurants,
festivals, and community events has been prohibited
from
• This decision aligns with the Assam Cattle Preservation
Act, passed in 2021, which aims to regulate cattle
slaughter.
• Currently, the Act bans cattle slaughter and the sale of
beef in areas where Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs are in the majority, and within a five kilometre radius of their
places of worship.

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India conducts first-ever Ganges River Dolphin tagging in Assam

• first-ever Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) has been tagged in
Assam.
• This initiative, conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment,
Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), was implemented by the Wildlife
Institute of India (WII) in collaboration with the Assam Forest Department and
Aaranyak, with funding from the National CAMPA Authority.
• This is the first tagging, not only in India, but also for the species.
• will deepen our understanding of conserving our National Aquatic Animal
• Approximately 90% of the species' population resides in India, historically distributed across the Ganga-
Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli river systems

Protection Status:
• International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): Endangered
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 : Schedule I
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) : Appendix I
• Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix 1

NAGALAND
Nagaland statehood day
• After India became independent in 1947, the Naga
territory initially remained a part of Assam.
• The State of Nagaland Act, 1962, was enacted by the
Parliament to give Nagaland statehood.
• Nagaland achieved statehood on 1st December,
1963, , with Kohima being declared as its capital.
• A democratically elected government took office in 1964.

• State Animal of Nagaland – Mithun

• State Bird of Nagaland – Blyth’s Tragopan
• GI Tagged products: Naga Mircha, Naga Tree Tomato, Naga
Cucumber, Chakhesang Shawls
• Folk Dances - Zeliang dance, Naga war dance, Nokinteker
Tsungsang, Rengma Naga Folk Dance
• Hornbill Festival

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ARUNANCHAL PRADESH
Arunachal Pradesh launches Mission Arun Himveer
• The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has launched Mission Arun
Himveer to enhance market linkages for local agricultural and
horticultural producers.
• The Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indo-Tibetan Border
Police (ITBP), North East Frontier.
• Under the MoU signed, the state government will supply fruits,
vegetables, meat and poultry products to the ITBP procured from
local farmers, Self Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations and farmer cooperatives, through the
APAMB.
• Under the Mission, 100% of the funds will go directly to the farmers.

Arunachal Pradesh CM unveils new logo of 4th Edition of Eaglenest

Bird Festival
• The 4th edition of the Eaglenest Bird Festival is scheduled to
take place from January 17-19, 2025, at Khellong (Doimara)
and Thongre village in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The announcement was made during the grand finale of the
4th Mon Sergyeling & Mon Rigzung Sergyeling festival in
Tawang, where the festival’s new logo was also unveiled.
• Notable highlights include the declaration of the “Trail of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama,” a culturally significant route, and
the opening of the Eco Bio-Diversity Park at Atho-Nyo (Doimara Khellong), which features a tree planted by
His Holiness during his historic 1959 visit.

Manipur
Manipur marks 5 years of Inner Line Permit system
• The Manipur government celebrated the
5th anniversary of the reimplementation of
the Inner Line Permit (ILP) System at a
commemorative event held at the City
Convention Centre.
• The Inner Line Permit (ILP) system is an
offshoot of the Bengal Eastern Frontier
Regulation, 1873, by which an “Inner Line”
was prescribed for the tribal areas.
• It is an official document issued by the state
governments of ILP states for visiting any
restricted or protected areas of these
states, as defined by the Foreigners
(Protected Areas) Order of 1958.
• The Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order,
1958, to give effect to the Foreigners Act,
1946, defines the ‘Inner Line’
• It is the last point, up to the international
border, where a foreign traveller can visit on a visa and Indian citizens can visit without the requirement of
any special permit. Beyond this point, the visitor needs to have the Special Permit.
• Inner Line Permit: The Inner Line Permit is the travel document that must be availed by domestic tourists to
visit these Protected and Restricted Areas of the ILP states, for a limited period.
• ILP States: Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur.

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• Types of ILP: There are different types of ILPs, one for tourists and another for people who plan to stay for
an extended period, often for work.
• Who is not eligible for an Inner Line Permit?
• Ans. NRIs (Indians who are staying abroad for more than 6 months), PIO Card holders, and OCI holders are
not eligible for Inner Line Permit.

Manipur: Nupi Lal Numit-2024 observed, paying tribute to Manipuri women

freedom fighters
• Manipur commemorated Nupi Lal Numit on 12th December - by offering
profound tributes to women freedom fighters who participated in 'Nupi
Lal' (women's war) against British actions in 1904 and 1939.
• On this day in 1939, hundreds of Manipuri women took to the streets of
Imphal demanding a complete stoppage of the indiscriminate export of
rice by the British rulers which resulted in a famine-like situation in the state.
• The protest led to a confrontation with the British troops and triggered the Nupi Lal (Women’s War) of 1939.
• A similar uprising had also taken place in 1904.

RAJASTHAN
PM Modi inaugurates Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024
in Jaipur
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Rising
Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 at Jaipur Exhibition
and Convention Centre (JECC) in Jaipur
• The investment summit to be held from December 9 to 11
• The event aims to showcase Rajasthan’s potential as a key
investment hub.
• Theme is ‘Replete, Responsible, Ready’.

Rajasthan govt to celebrate December 10 as Pravasi Rajasthani

Diwas every year
• ‘Pravasi Rajasthani Divas’ will be celebrated every year on
December 10, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma announced.
• Also, a separate department will be created for migrant
Rajasthanis.
• “If the families of migrant Rajasthanis face any problem, a
‘single point contact’ will be created in every district to
resolve their issues”
• in a first, the state government has decided to confer
‘Pravasi Rajasthani Samman’ to eminent personalities from the state who live abroad.

'Ek Varsh - Parinam Utkarsh' program, in Jaipur

• organized to mark the completion of one year of the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government in Rajasthan.
• PM Modi inaugurated & lay foundation stone for 24 projects worth over ₹46,300 cr in Rajasthan

GUJARAT
Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil inaugurates Gujarat’s 1st semiconductor assembly & testing plant in Surat
• Suchi Semicon, a Gujarat-based semiconductor company, has officially inaugurated its Outsourced
Semiconductor Assembly and Testing (OSAT) plant in Surat – Gujarat’s first.

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• The state-of-the-art facility was inaugurated by Union

Minister CR Patil and Gujarat’s Home Minister Harsh
Sanghavi.
• The plant will provide essential assembly, testing, and
packaging services for semiconductor components,
supporting industries such as automotive, consumer,
electronics, and industrial applications

Masali Village in Gujarat Becomes India’s First Solar Border

Village
• Masali village of Suigam taluka in Banaskantha has
become the first border solar village in the country
• Home to a population of 800 people, the village is
located nearly 40 kilometers from the international Pakistan border.

Lothal to become global hub for maritime heritage with National

Maritime Heritage Complex
• Under the Sagarmala Programme, the Ministry of Ports,
Shipping, and Waterways is developing the NMHC at
Lothal in Gujarat.
• The complex will have museums, amusement parks,
educational institute, hotels and resort. It will also recreate
Lothal cities in the complex.
• Discovery: Lothal was discovered by SR Rao, an Indian archaeologist, in 1954.
• Lothal, a prominent city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation dating back to 2400 BCE, holds historical
significance for its advanced dockyard, thriving trade, and renowned bead-making industry.
• Lothal’s strategic position on the Sabarmati River made it a key trading hub, connecting the Harappan cities
of Sindh and Saurashtra.

About National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC):

Being developed under the Sagarmala programme
The project will be completed in phases:
• Phase 1 will have NMHC museum, which also
includes an Indian Navy & Coast Guard
gallery envisaged to be one of the largest in the
country, replica model of Lothal township, Light
house museum which is planned to be the world’s
tallest

• Phase 2 will have Coastal States Pavilions (to be

developed by respective coastal states and union
territories), Hospitality Zone (with maritime theme
eco resorts and museuotels), Recreation of real time
Lothal City, Maritime Institute and hostel and 4 theme-based parks (Maritime & Naval Theme Park,
Climate Change Theme Park, Monuments Park, and Adventure & Amusement Park).

Lothal Dockyard
• Lothal is a combination of two words; Loth and thal, which in Gujarati means ‘the mound of the dead.’
• The most distinctive feature of Lothal is the dockyard, which is located on the eastern edge of the site.
• The dock is roughly 200 meters long and about 35 meters wide.

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• To minimize siltation and ensure accessibility during high tides, the dock was strategically positioned away
from the river's main current.
• A sluice gate and a spill channel maintained a consistent water level in the dockyard.
• Lothal's location was perfectly suited for a dock, as the Gulf of Khambhat's high tidal amplitude and the
river estuary's flow tides created favourable conditions for ship movement.
• Architecture: Lothal was divided into two parts: the Citadel or Upper town and the Lower town.
• Citadel: Instead of a traditional fortification wall, the citadel was surrounded by 4-meter-tall mud-brick
platforms. A warehouse was also discovered inside the citadel.
• Lower town: A bead factory and tidal dockyard were discovered.
• A compass and an ivory scale were discovered at Lothal.
• Religion: The people of Lothal worshipped a fire god, speculated to be the horned deity depicted on seals
named Atha(Athar) and Arka.
• Burial practices: At Lothal the burial pit was lined with burnt bricks, indicating the use of coffins.
• Twin Burial: The practice of pot burials is found at Lothal sometimes with pairs of skeletons
• However, there is no clear evidence for the practice of Sati.
• Beads: Double-eye beads of agate, gold-capped beads of jasper, and carnelian beads are among those
attributed as uniquely from Lothal.
• It was very famous for micro-cylindrical beads of steatite (chlorite).

Gujarat CM Launches SWAR Platform to Bridge Language Barriers

• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has launched SWAR (Speech and Written Analysis Resource)
platform on Good Governance Day
• The Chief Minister's Office (CMO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology's Bhashini Team (National Language Translation Mission), has developed the SWAR platform.
• This innovative platform leverages technology to overcome language barriers.
• The Speech-to-Text feature has also been integrated into the Gujarat CMO website.
• With the Speech-to-Text functionality, citizens can dictate their messages instead of typing them manually.
• The SWAR platform uses the indigenous artificial intelligence system, Bhashini, to facilitate this.
• In the future, the SWAR platform will support the Chief Minister's Office by incorporating advanced artificial
intelligence and machine learning capabilities.

MAHARASHTRA
Devendra Fadnavis back as Maharashtra CM, deputy CMs -
Eknath Shinde, Ajit Pawar
• Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Legislature Party Leader
Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the 21st Chief
Minister of Maharashtra
• Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of
office
• BJP-led Mahayuti had victory in the State elections
• Outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, leader of a
breakaway Shiv Sena faction, took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister, alongside Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP) president Ajit Pawar
• This marks the third time Mr. Fadnavis, an MLA from Nagpur South-West, would occupy the Chief
Minister’s office
• His previous terms were from 2014 to 2019 and briefly in November 2019, when his government lasted only
72 hours due to a lack of majority support.
• BJP secured 132 seats in the 288-member Assembly. With allies the Shiv Sena and the NCP, the MahaYuti
coalition holds a commanding majority of 230 seats.

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Rahul Narvekar Elected Maharashtra Assembly Speaker

• BJP MLA Rahul Narvekar was elected unopposed as the speaker of the 15th
Maharashtra legislative assembly, marking his second consecutive term.
• Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties refused to file nomination
• From the Colaba constituency

BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar sworn in as pro-tem speaker of

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
• Senior BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar (December 6, 2024)
took oath as pro-tem speaker of
the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, a day ahead of the
special session of the newly-elected house.
• Administered the oath of office by Governor C.P.
Radhakrishnan
• The speaker's election will be held on December 9 and it
will be followed by trust vote of the Devendra Fadnavis-led
Mahayuti government

Maharashtra's Proposal for UNESCO Heritage Site

• The Maharashtra government plans to submit a proposal to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to
include the famous Lonar Lake in Buldhana district in the Unesco World Heritage Sites list,

About Lonar Lake:

• It was created due to a meteorite.
• It is the only known saline crater lake in the world, formed by the impact of a meteorite about 50,000 years
ago.
• Its water is seven times saltier than seawater.
• One of the most striking aspects is its color, which changes from green to pink depending on the season
and the water conditions. This is caused by the presence of microorganisms that thrive in the saline and
alkaline environment of the lake.

India’s First Bio-Bitumen National Highway Inaugurated

• Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari
inaugurated India's first bio- bitumen-based National Highway
stretch on NH-44 in Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• This stretch has been developed using lignin-based bio-bitumen
technology by Praj Industries, in collaboration with CSIR - Central
Road Research Institute (CRRI), National Highways Authority of
India (NHAI), and Oriental.
• Bio-bitumen is a sustainable alternative to traditional asphalt. It’s
made from waste materials and other natural products, and it’s designed to lower the carbon footprint
of road construction
• greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 per cent compared to fossil-based bitumen.

Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024

• The Maharashtra Assembly passed a Bill seeking to reform the prison system in the State.
• The Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024, is based on the Model Prisons Bill, 2023, sent
by the Centre to the States
• A high-security prison and detention centre will be set up in Mumbai

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• The Bill provides for categories of prisons such as special prison, open prison for women, temporary prison
and open colony.
• Open prisons and open colonies will help with rehabilitation and reintegration of former jail inmates after
their release.
• The Bill also provides for the constitution of a ‘prison and correctional prison force’.
• A welfare fund for the staff and another fund for the prisoners is also an important feature.

21st Third Eye Asian Film Festival to be held in Mumbai & Thane from Jan 10-
16
• from January 10 to January 16, 2025.
• The Third Eye Asian Film Festival, initiated by the Asian Film
Foundation in 2002
• Renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar will be honoured
with the Asian Cinema Culture Award, while journalist Rafique
Baghdadi will receive the Satyajit Ray Memorial Award.

KARNATAKA
Karnataka Governor launches “Yuva Shuddhi Abhiyan” to fight against drug abuse
• Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot launched the 'Yuva Shuddhi Abhiyan,' a significant anti-narcotic
campaign targeting college students, at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan.

Handigodu disease
• Karnataka Health Minister has directed officials to study Handigodu
disease scientifically
• Handigodu disease is a rare osteoarthritic disorder (bone and joint
disease) found in Shimoga and Chikmaglur districts.
• It is an inherited degenerative bone and joint disease, first noticed
in Handigodu village.
• Symptoms include severe joint and hip pain, deformation,
dwarfism, and difficulty walking.
• The disease begins in preadolescence and can severely affect mobility.
• Over 1,000 people have died from the disease since its discovery in 1975.

63rd ISAM Conference to Be Held at IAM Bengaluru

• Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine (ISAM) is organising its 63rd annual conference at Institute of
Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Bengaluru, from 05 to 07 December 2024.
• The Institute deals with military and civil aerospace medicine including the human aspects of space flight
programme of the country.
• Established in the year 1952
• ISAM has been conducting an annual scientific conference since the year 1954.
• The current conference is themed 'Collaborate for Research'

Uber launches women-only bike taxi service ‘Moto Women’ in

Bengaluru
• Uber India has introduced ‘Uber Moto Women’ in
Bengaluru, marking its first women-exclusive bike taxi
service globally.
• The service, which connects female riders with female
drivers, is set to expand to other major metropolitan cities,
including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad.

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Karnataka’s New SWIFT City Initiative

• Karnataka state’s ambitious plan to develop ‘SWIFT City’ in Sarjapura,
envisioned as a hub for startups, innovation, finance, and technology.
• The project will offer small and medium-sized startups flexible
workspace options through leasing, sales, or investment-sharing
models.

Telangana
Telangana’s Rythu Bharosa: Boosting Farmer Welfare
• The Telangana government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth
Reddy, is set to roll out the Rythu Bharosa Scheme after
Sankranti
• Rythu Bharosa Scheme: Offers ₹15,000 annual subsidy to
farmers, increasing the benefits from the earlier ₹10,000
under Rythu Bandhu.
• The scheme replaces the previous Rythu Bandhu

Google to Launch Safety Engineering Centre in Hyderabad

• Google has chosen Hyderabad to set up Google Safety Engineering Centre
(GSEC).
• It would be the first-of-its-kind in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, after Tokyo,
and only the fifth in the world, with similar facilities in Dublin, Munich and
Malaga.
• This GSEC is a specialized international cybersecurity hub that will play a vital
role in developing advanced security and online safety products for the
Indian context. It also aims to foster skill development, boost employment,
and enhance cybersecurity capabilities in India

ANDHRA PRADESH
Andhra Pradesh raises retirement age of judicial officers from 60 to 61 years
• Governor Justice Abdul Nazeer has approved the amendment to the retirement age of judicial officers in
Andhra Pradesh.
• The Andhra Pradesh government had earlier decided to extend the retirement age for judicial officers,
introducing the "AP Government Employees’ Retirement Age Rationalization Amendment Bill" during a
recent legislative assembly session

AP Urjaveer Energy Scheme 2024

• The Andhra Pradesh government has initiated the AP Urjaveer
Scheme, which aims to enhance energy efficiency and
sustainability.
• It is a collaboration with Energy Efficiency Services Limited
(EESL), the focus is on training private electricians statewide
and the goal is to promote and sell energy-efficient appliances.
• The scheme will train 1,12,000 private electricians and will
learn to market six types of energy-efficient appliances.
• These include 6W LED bulbs, 20W LED tube lights, 30W BLDC ceiling fans, 5-star air conditioners, induction
cooking stoves, and 10W LED inverter lamps.
• The trained electricians will be referred to as Urjaveers.

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• Urjaveers will form a network across Andhra Pradesh and will educate the public about energy-efficient
appliances.
• The AP Urjaveer Scheme aligns with other energy initiatives, which supports the National Efficient Cooking
Programme (NECP).
• It also complements energy-efficient solutions under the PMAY scheme.

Andhra Pradesh government declares Ratha Saptami as State festival

• Ratha Saptami as a State festival for three days at the Sri
Suryanarayana Swamy temple at Arasavalli in Srikakulam district.
• Ratha Saptami (Magha Saptami) will be celebrated on February 4,
2025. The temple’s substantial income ensures the festival’s self-
sufficiency without government financial aid.
• Ratha Saptami is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day
(saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month
Magha.
• It also marks the birth of Surya and is hence also celebrated as Surya
Jayanti (the sun-god’s birthday)

TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu CM announces ₹5 Cr prize for World Chess Champion Gukesh

KERALA
Ashraya: New Farmer Service Centres Launched in Kerala
• The Agriculture department is opening ‘Ashraya’ farmer service centres for the delivery of digital services to
the State’s farming community.
• The centres are designed as a continuation of the ‘Kathir’ app ( ‘Kerala Agriculture Technology Hub and
Information Repository’) which was launched recently for offering farm-related services on a single digital
platform.

Defence
Indian Army contingent departs for 18th edition of Battalion Level Joint
Military Exercise Surya Kiran
• The Indian Army contingent comprising 334 personnel departed for
Nepal today to participate in 18th edition of Battalion Level Joint
Military Exercise SURYA KIRAN.
• The exercise will be conducted in Saljhandi, Nepal from 31st
December 2024 to 13th January 2025.
• It is an annual training event conducted alternatively in the two countries.
• The Indian Army contingent is being led by a Battalion from the 11th Gorkha Rifles.
• The Nepal Army contingent will be represented by Srijung Battalion.
• The aim of Exercise SURYA KIRAN is to enhance interoperability in jungle warfare, counter terrorism
operations in mountains, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief under United Nations Charter
• The first Indo-Nepal joint army training exercise known as Surya Kiran started in 2011.

India and Vietnam Coast Guard Joint Exercise

• Sea exercise code-named ‘Sahayog–Hop Tac’, conducted off the coast of Kochi, enhanced cooperation
between the Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• Vietnam Coast Guard ship - CSB 8005 was on a four-day visit

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• The exercise addressed critical maritime security challenges and included various scenarios, such as a
pollution-response demonstration. The exercise also included Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS)
operations to inspect vessels suspected of illegal activities

MoD inks contract worth ₹1207 Cr with Cochin Shipyard Limited for Short Refit and
Dry Docking of INS Vikramaditya
• INS Vikramaditya is a 45,000-tonne aircraft carrier, built in Russia as the Admiral
Gorshkov and commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2013.
India has two aircraft carriers:
1. INS Vikrant
• India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala.
• Commissioned into the Indian Navy on September 2, 2022. It's the fourth carrier in the Indian Navy.
2. INS Vikramaditya
• Purchased from Russia in 2013 for $2.3 billion. It's a 45,000-tonne conventionally-powered carrier with a ski-
jump ramp for aircraft takeoffs
Both carriers are stationed in Karwar, Karnataka

India and Cambodia commences inaugural joint table top Exercise CINBAX in
Pune
• 1st edition of Joint Table Top Exercise, CINBAX, between the Indian
Army and the Cambodian Army commenced at Foreign Training Node,
Pune
• The exercise will be conducted from 1st to 8th December 2024.
• aimed to wargame conduct of joint Counter Terrorism (CT) operations under Chapter VII of the United
Nations Charter.
• The exercise will be conducted in three phases.
• Phase-I will focus on preparations and orientation of participants for CT operations during UN peace
keeping missions.
• Phase-II will involve conduct of the Table Top exercises
• Phase-III will involve finalisation of plans and summing up.

'HARIMAU SHAKTI 2024’ Indian Army Arrives in Malaysia for Bilateral Army
Exercise
• The 4th edition of joint military exercise between the Indian Army and
the Malaysian Army
• December 2 to December 15 at the Bentong Camp in the Malaysian
capital, Kuala Lumpur.
• Indian contingent comprising of 78 personnel is being represented by a
Battalion of MAHAR Regiment.
• The Malaysian contingent is being represented by 123 personnel
from The Royal Malaysian Regiment.
• The exercise will focus on operations in the jungle environment.
• In 2023, the joint bilateral training exercise took place in India at Meghalaya's Umroi Cantonment.

Rajnath Singh commissioned Stealth frigate ‘INS Tushil’ into Indian

Navy in Russia
• INS Tushil (F 70), the latest multi-role stealth-guided
missile frigate, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in
the presence of Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh at the Yantar
Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia on December 09, 2024
• INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigates of the
Project 1135.6 of which, six are already in service. INS
Tushil, the seventh in the series

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• It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the jointly-developed Brahmos supersonic cruise
missiles.
• The name Tushil translates to “protector shield,”
• its crest symbolizes the ‘Abhedya Kavacham’ (Impenetrable Shield), alongside its motto—Nirbhay, Abhedya
aur Balsheel (Fearless, Indomitable, Resolute)
• The ship features an indigenous content of 26%.
• INS Tushil will join the Western Fleet, the “Sword Arm” of the Indian Navy, under the Western Naval
Command, ranking among the most technologically advanced frigates in the world.

INS Nirdeshak to be commissioned on December 18

• Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth is scheduled to visit
Visakhapatnam on December 18, to preside over the commissioning
ceremony of INS Nirdeshak at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
• The ceremony will be hosted by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Eastern Naval Command.
• The ship, built at GRSE Kolkata, boasts over 80% indigenous content
• The 110-meter-long vessel, with a displacement of approximately 3800 tons, is powered by two diesel
engines and is equipped with state-of-the-art Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Equipment.
• INS Nirdeshak, the second ship of the Survey Vessel (Large) Project, is designed to conduct hydrographic
surveys, aid in navigation, and support maritime operations.
• It represents the reincarnation of the erstwhile Nirdeshak, which served the Indian Navy with distinction for
32 years until its decommissioning on December 19, 2014.
• An endurance of over 25 days at sea and a top speed exceeding 18 knots.

President Droupadi Murmu awards Honorary General Rank to

Nepali Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel
• Suprabal Janasewashree General Ashok Raj Sigdel, Chief of
the Army Staff (COAS) of the Nepali Army was conferred
with the Honourary Rank of General of Indian Army by Smt
Draupadi Murmu, the Hon’ble President of India
• He is on India’s visit from 11th to 14th December 2024,

Defence ministry signs Rs 13,500 Cr deal with HAL for 12 Su-30 fighters
• The Defence Ministry inked a Rs 13,500 crore deal with state-run
aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to procure 12
Sukhoi jets for the Indian Air Force.
• The Russian-origin aircraft will feature 62.6 per cent domestic
content.
• Su-30MKI is a two-seater multi-role long-range fighter jet
developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi.
• It is now built under licence by HAL for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Indian Navy to commission last Scorpene-class submarine & first Nilgiri-class frigate in January 2025
• The Indian Navy is set to begin 2025 with two new commissioning.
• The last of the Kalvari-class or Scorpene-class submarines and the first of the Nilgiri-class frigates are likely to
be commissioned in January.
• Both were scheduled for commissioning in December, but the timelines have changed.
• Vagsheer is the sixth and last Scorpene-class submarine, ordered by the Indian Navy in 2005.
• It was launched in April 2022.
• These submarines have been completely built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders through a transfer of
technology from France-based Naval Group.

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• While the French name for this class of submarines is Scorpene, the Indian Navy has classified these as the
Kalvari-class submarines.
• Scorpenes are 2000-ton conventional attack submarines designed for all types of missions, including anti-
surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations or intelligence gathering.
• These submarines have six weapon-launching tubes and 18 weapons (torpedoes, missiles).

The six submarines in the Kalvari class are:

• INS Kalvari: commissioned in December 2017
• INS Khanderi: commissioned in September 2019
• INS Karanj: commissioned in March 2021
• INS Vela: commissioned in November 2021
• INS Vagir: commissioned in January 2023

• first Nilgiri-class frigate, INS Nilgiri, launched in September 2019.

• The Nilgiri-class frigates are part of Project 17A, a series of seven stealth guided-missile frigates being built
for the Indian Navy - also being built by Mazagon Dock.
• These Project 17A frigates are based on the P17 Shivalik-class frigates with advanced stealth features, and
indigenous weapons and sensors than the Shivalik-class frigates.
• The second ship, Tamal, is expected to be delivered by next year.
• These ships are part of a $2.5 billion deal inked between India and Russia in 2016 for four frigates - two
ships were to be built in Russia and the other two will be built at the Goa Shipyard in India with technical
collaboration from Russia.

Indian Light Tank achieves major milestone by firing several rounds accurately at high altitude
• at an altitude of more than 4200m
• This was subsequent to the Phase I trial in desert environment in September 2024.
• This light tank has been defined, designed and developed by Combat Vehicles Research & Development
Establishment, the Chennai-based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• It is manufactured by the Industry Partner Larsen & Toubro Precision Engineering & Systems.
• ILT is being designed as a 25-ton class armoured fighting vehicle for Armed Forces for High altitude
applications.

Russia wins 13th Edition of Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta

• The 13th edition of ‘Admiral’s Cup’ Sailing Regatta concluded on 13 Dec 24 at Ettikulam Beach at Indian
Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala (Kerala):
• Team Russia won the Admiral's Cup 24.
• Team Italy - Runners-Up
• Team India/ INA ‘A’ - finished third.
• Participation from 25 countries
• Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta inception in 2010.

Indian Navy Launches SAMPARK 4.0 Initiative in Maharashtra

• Launched on 16 Dec 24
• Aims to enhance healthcare access for Naval Veterans, Veer Naris,
and their families in Maharashtra, particularly those residing in
remote regions.
• Sampark 4.0 will focus on establishing direct communication
channels between the veterans and Ex-Servicemen Contributory
Health Scheme (ECHS), promoting a sense of camaraderie and
support within the veteran community.

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2nd Land Forces Summit held in Japan

• Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi participated virtually in the 2nd LAND FORCES SUMMIT
held in Japan.
• The Summit brought together Army Chiefs and Senior Generals from several nations, including Japan, the
United States, Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, and the Republic of Korea.
• to strengthen defence ties and promote a peaceful, stable and secure Indo-Pacific

U.S. Unveils Advanced Dark Eagle Hypersonic Missile System

• The U.S. military successfully launched a Long-Range Hypersonic missile
from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• The U.S. claims that Dark Eagle outperforms Russia’s S-300V4, S-400, and
S-500 systems.

Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Signs MoU with Indian Navy to Boost Logistics Education & Research
• The MoU aims at enhancing logistics-related education, research, and training for the Indian Navy.
• The collaboration is set to strengthen the Indian Navy's logistical framework by focusing on supply chain
management, multimodal transportation, and sustainability in logistics.
• Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara, established in 2022 as a central university under the Ministry of
Railways, is dedicated to creating world-class talent in the logistics and transportation sectors.

India, Sri Lanka joint naval exercise SLINEX 2024 from December 17
• The SLINEX 2024, the bilateral naval exercise between India
and Sri Lanka will be conducted under the aegis of the
Eastern Naval Command (ENC) off Visakahpatnam coast from
December 17 to 20.
• The exercise will be held in two phases —the Harbour Phase
(from December 17 to 18) and the Sea Phase (December 19 to
20).
• Initiated in 2005, the SLINEX is a significant series of bilateral
naval exercises that have strengthened the maritime
cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
• Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra, a naval offshore patrol vessel
of the Eastern Fleet, along with a Special Forces team will
participate on behalf of India.
• While SLNS Sayura, an offshore patrol vessel, with an embarked Special Forces team will join on behalf of Sri
Lanka.

Steel Cutting ceremony of first ship of NGMV for Indian Navy takes place at
Cochin Shipyard
• The Steel Cutting ceremony of the first ship of the Next Generation
Missile Vessel (NGMV) being built for the Indian Navy was held at the
Cochin Shipyard.
• It will be equipped with Surface-to-Surface Missile systems, Anti-Missile
Defence Systems, Air Surveillance and Fire Control Radars.
• The Navy entered into a contract with the Cochin Shipyard for the
construction of six NGMVs in March last year.
• The induction of these ships in the Navy is planned from 2027.

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INS Nirdeshak to be commissioned at Vizag Naval Dockyard

• INS Nirdeshak is the second ship under the Survey
Vessel (Large) Project of the Indian Navy.
• It is designed to conduct hydrographic surveys, assist
in navigation, and support maritime operations.
• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata with over 80% indigenous
content.
• INS Sandhayak, the first of the four ships of Survey
Vessel Large (SVL) project, was commissioned on
February 3
• Legacy: INS Nirdeshak represents
the reincarnation of the erstwhile INS Nirdeshak,
which served the Indian Navy for 32 years with
distinction until its decommissioning in 2014.
• The name ‘Nirdeshak’, meaning ‘Pathfinder’,
signifies its role in charting the seas with precision.
Key Specifications:
• Displacement: Approx. 3400–3800 tons.
• Length: 110 meters.
• Speed: Capable of achieving speeds exceeding 18 knots.
• Endurance: Can remain at sea for over 25 days.

INCOIS Upgrades SARAT for Enhanced Sea Rescue Operations

• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has recently upgraded its Search and
Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT) to improve the effectiveness of sea rescue operations.
• Originally introduced in 2016, SARAT has become a vital tool for the Indian Coast Guard and other
agencies.
• The upgraded version, SARAT 2, comes with advanced features that provide more accurate predictions for
missing objects and individuals at sea, optimizing rescue operations.

President Murmu awards President’s Colours to College of Defence Management, Secunderabad

• Since its establishment in 1970, CDM Secunderabad has trained officers of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air
Force, equipping them with the managerial, leadership, and strategic expertise necessary to meet the
challenges of modern warfare

Adani Defence Delivers 2nd Drishti-10 Drone to Indian Navy for Maritime
Security
• The second Drishti-10, a variant of Israel's Hermes 900 medium-
altitude long-endurance UAV, was integrated into naval
operations at Porbandar in Gujarat following the successful
deployment of the first drone earlier this year.
• Manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace at its Hyderabad
facility
• Drishti 10, India’s only indigenous UAV operating reliably above 32,000+ feet with large payload carrying
capacity and boasting a 36-hour endurance and a payload capacity of 450 kg.
• The Drishti 10 is the sole military platform approved to operate in all weather conditions, holding Nato's
STANAG 4671 certification for airworthiness of its UAV system.
• Adani Defence also delivered the Drishti-10 Starliner to the Indian Army.

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Philippines to acquire U.S. Typhon missile system

• The land-based "mid-range capability" Typhon missile launcher, developed
by US firm Lockheed Martin for the US Army, has a range of 300 miles (480
kilometres), though a longer-range version is in development.
• Manila and Washington, longstanding treaty allies, have deepened
their defense cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took
office in 2022 and began pushing back on Beijing's claims to the South China Sea.
• The Philippines and the United States conduct annual joint military exercises called Balikatan, which means
"shoulder-to-shoulder".

China’s First Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship

• China has launched its first next-generation amphibious
assault ship, Named Sichuan after a southwestern
Chinese province.
• the Type 076 ranks among the world’s largest
amphibious assault ships
First Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship

2 indigenously-built warships Nilgiri & Surat delivered to Indian Navy

• 2 warships, a destroyer (Surat) and a frigate (Nilgiri) were delivered to the
Indian Navy.
• The ships have been designed by the Warship Design Bureau of Indian
Navy and constructed indigenously by Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders Ltd
(MDL)
• Yard 12707 (Surat), the fourth and final Project 15B stealth guided
missile destroyer.
• Previous 3 in the past three years - IN Ships Visakhapatnam, Mormugao and Imphal commissioned
• It is also poised to be IN’s first Al enabled warship.
• Yard 12651 (Nilgiri), is the First of Class (FoC) ship of Project 17A stealth frigate is a follow-on of the Shivalik
class (Project 17) frigates active in service.
• Nilgiri is first among the seven P17A frigates under construction and MDL, Mumbai and GRSE, Kolkata.
• Nilgiri & Surat are expected to be delivered to IN in 2025 and 2026.

Defence Ministry signs contract with L&T for procurement of K9 VAJRA-T Self-
Propelled Tracked Artillery Guns
• The Defence Ministry signed a ₹7,629 crore contract with Larsen & Toubro
(L&T) for 100 additional of 155 mm/52 calibre K9 Vajra-T self-propelled tracked
artillery guns.
• The K9 Vajra is built by L&T with technology transfer from South Korean
defence major Hanwha Defence.
• The K9 Vajra was mainly brought for use in deserts, and the standoff with China
prompted the Army to deploy them in the mountains.

Defence Ministry Launches Rashtraparv Website & App

• The Union Defence Ministry launched the Rashtraparv Website & Mobile
App on 25 December 2024 on the occasion of Good Governance Day.
• The Rashtraparv Website & Mobile App was launched by Defence
Secretary Rajesh Singh in New Delhi.
• Since 2014 the government of India has observed Good Governance Day
on the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.

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The Rashtraparv Website & Mobile App will provide information to the users on:
• Information related to the organisation of national events organised by the ministry like Republic Day,
Beating Retreat Ceremony, Independence Day, etc.
• It will also livestream such events, provide a facility to purchase tickets for such events, provide information
related to seating arrangements & route maps of events, etc.
• It will host a Tableau Management Portal to facilitate States/ UTs and Union Ministries/ Departments in
designing and finalizing their tableaux for the Republic Day event.

Indian Army pays condolences to Tashi Namgyal, first informant of 1999 Kargil War
• Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army extended condolences to the family of Tashi
Namgyal, the Ladakhi shepherd who is credited with alerting Indian troops about
Pakistan infiltration during the 1999 Kargil conflict.
• Namgyal passed away on 21st December, 2024 in central Ladakh's Aryan Valley
• The Kargil War was fought for more than 60 days and ended on July 26, 1999, with a
gallant victory for India.
• The XIV Corps or The Fire and Fury Corps is the Army's Udhampur-based part of
the Northern Command - deployment in the Kargil-Leh area guarding the frontiers
with China and Pakistan. It also guards the Siachen Glacier.

𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲

• The new HR policy will be implemented from December 31 and is meant for non-
gazetted personnel between the ranks of constable and inspector. It will impact over
98% of the 1.94-lakh strong force
• For the first time, choice-based posting has been introduced.
• Each personnel will have the opportunity to list ten preferred posting locations.
• CISF personnel retiring within two years will be given a posting out of three choices
of location, and they will be given 1st priority.
• In the case of women and couples, after six years of non-choice posting, they will have the option of choice-
based posting.
• The aim of this policy is to create a more resilient and satisfied force.

About CISF:
• It is a paramilitary force of India that provides security for critical infrastructure, government buildings,
and other important facilities
• Established in 1969 under the Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968.
• CISF's raising day - March 10.
• The motto for the CISF raising day is "Service, Security, Brotherhood"

Indian Army unveils statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at eastern Ladakh's Pangong Tso
• The Indian Army has installed a statue of Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji on
the bank of Pangong lake at an altitude of 14,300 feet, a region that is close to
the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the eastern Ladakh sector.
• The statue was unveiled by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, the General Officer
Commanding of the 14 Corps, widely known as Fire and Fury Corps.

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National News
India Partners with France to Establish Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum as Global Cultural Landmark
• The Ministry of Culture has announced a landmark partnership with France Museums Dévelopement (FMD)
to develop the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum as a world-class cultural institution.
• It builds upon the Letter of Intent signed in 2020, which emphasized museum and heritage cooperation.
• This ambitious project is an integral part of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project and is set to span
approximately 1,55,000 square meters across the iconic North and South Blocks in New Delhi.
• France, renowned for its expertise in such projects, exemplified by the Louvre, Grand Palais, and Hôtel de
la Marine

Sanraksha App launched by Indian Railways for Enhancing

Rail Passenger Safety
• It integrates advanced technology, including data
analytics and potential AI applications, aiming to
improve capacity building of the Indian Railway’s
frontline safety category staff.
• The application integrates the domain knowledge of
Indian Railways with information technology, Data
Analytics and potential leveraging of AI in future, to
provide an intelligent, effective and scalable system
to cater to the training and capacity building needs
of railway employees.

PM Modi inaugurated Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav

showcasing cultural fabric of North-East
• On 6th December at Bharat Mandapam, New
Delhi.
• The three-day cultural festival, being celebrated
for the first time - held from 6th to 8th
December.
• Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur,
Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sikkim are also
referred to as the ‘Ashtalakshmi’ or eight forms
of prosperity
• The 'Mahotsav' will provide an unprecedented platform to showcase the region's vibrant textile industry,
artisanal crafts and unique Geographical Indication (GI) products
• The Union Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, also released the mascot for Asthalakshmi Mahotsav-Purvi (a girl,
and she is wearing attire that represents the elements of the eight states of the North East).

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launches PM e-VIDYA DTH

Channel for Indian Sign Language
• PM e-VIDYA DTH Channel No. 31 for Indian Sign Language (ISL) to
promote ISL as a language as well as a school subject.
• The Channel will disseminate learning content for school children
(Central & State Curriculum), teachers, teacher educators and other
stakeholders in the area of career guidance, skill training, mental
health, class-wise curricular content, communication skills
• According to the Census 2011, a total of 2.68 crore persons in India
were reported as having disabilities out of which 19% have hearing
disabilities. In 2023, WHO estimates that in India, approximately 63 million people suffer from significant
auditory impairment

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• PM e-Vidya was launched as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan by the Ministry of Education on
17th May 2020.
• The initiative aims to provide multi-mode access to education through digital, online, and on-air platforms
to minimise learning losses, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Anna Chakra’ PDS Supply chain optimisation tool, SCAN portal

launched
• The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution and New & Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad
Joshi launched ‘Anna Chakra’, the Public Distribution
System (PDS) Supply chain optimisation tool and SCAN
(Subsidy Claim Application for NFSA) portal a significant
step towards modernizing the Public Distribution System
and subsidy claim mechanisms of the States.
• Developed in partnership with the World Food Programme and IIT-Delhi, the Anna Chakra system
leverages advanced algorithms to optimize foodgrain movement across the country's logistics network.
• The tool integrates with the Railways' Freight Operations Information System and the PM Gati Shakti
platform, marking a significant technological upgrade.
• Simultaneously, Joshi launched the SCAN portal, a single-window system for states to submit and process
food subsidy claims, promising streamlined workflow automation.

Parliament Clears Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak To Replace Aircraft Act

Of 1934
• Passed by the Rajya Sabha after clearance by the Lok Sabha in
August 2024
• The bill remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act,
1934, which has been amended 21 times. It aims to improve the
ease of doing business in the aviation sector.
• The new bill was introduced as a response to suggestions from
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to amend the outdated Aircraft Act.
• The most significant change in the Bill is that the Radio Telephone Operator Restricted certificate and
licence testing process, which was conducted by the Department of Telecom (DoT) for aviation personnel,
including aircraft maintenance engineers, flight despatchers and pilots, has been moved to the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• This will ensure a single-window clearance process as aviation personnel can now secure all their
certificates from one authority.
• The Bill also adds power to regulate the design of aircraft, as well as the places where they are being
designed, in addition to retaining provisions for their manufacture, repair and maintenance.
• Establishment of Three Authorities:
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):
Regulatory functions and safety oversight.
• Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS):
Security oversight.
• Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB):
Aircraft accident investigations.
• Specified Offences Punishable by Up to Two Years’
Imprisonment, ₹1 Crore Fine, or Both:
• Violating rules on prohibited goods in aircraft
(e.g., arms, explosives).
• Flying in a manner endangering people or
property.
• Non-compliance with DGCA and BCAS
directions.

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Rajya Sabha passes Boilers Bill 2024, to replace 100 years old Boiler Act 923
• provisions for regulation of boilers, safety of life and property from explosions, and uniformity in
registrations.
• The bill has provisions to ensure the safety of people working inside a boiler apart from repair of boilers to
be undertaken by qualified and competent persons.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal introduces Coastal

Shipping Bill 2024 in Lok Sabha
• A Bill that seeks to promote coastal trade and
encourage the participation of Indian-flagged
vessels owned and operated by Indian citizens for
national security and commercial needs was
introduced in the Lok Sabha
• The goal of the action is to encourage more
domestic maritime companies to participate in
coastal shipping while streamlining regulatory
processes.
• India-flagged ships engaged in coastal trade
(within the country) will not need licences, while
foreign flagged ones still need to go through a
licensing process of the DG Shipping, as per the new
Coastal Shipping Bill 2024
• It also seeks to empower the Director-General of
Shipping to issue licence after taking into
consideration certain factors including citizenship
of the crew and building requirements of the
vessel so as to create major jobs for India seafarers and to promote ship building in India.
• No licence granted shall be suspended, revoked or modified, unless the licence has been given a reasonable
opportunity of being heard.
• The Bill also proposes that the Centre shall within a period of two years from the date of commencement of
this Act publish a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan which shall be updated every two
years.
• Greater coordination with inland waterways authority has also been mentioned in the Bill whereby inland
vessels will be allowed to take part in coastal trade subject to certain conditions.
• A National Database of Coastal Shipping is also proposed to be set up for greater transparency and
information sharing.
• Penalties have also been proposed in the Bill that vary between ₹1,00,000 to ₹15,00,000 depending on the
quantum of offence that include deliberately providing misinformation, flouting of licensing norms or
otherwise. A six month imprisonment has also been proposed, if necessary.
• The regulation of the coastal maritime sector in India lacks uniformity.
• Non-mechanised vessels engaged in coastwise trade are governed by the Coasting Vessel Act, 1838 which
only provides for registration of such vessels.
• The mechanised vessels on the other hand fall under the purview of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

Packaged mineral drinking water in ‘high-risk food’ category: FSSAI

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
• Manufacturers and processors of packaged drinking and mineral
water must now pass mandatory inspections before obtaining
a licence or registration.
• Additionally, businesses in the high-risk food category will be
required to undergo annual audits by FSSAI-recognised third-
party food safety agencies.

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9th edition of International Conference on Waste to Worth

Technologies
• The 9th International Conference on Waste to
Worth, organized by Confederation of Indian
Industry (CII), focused on sustainable waste
management practices, held in New Delhi.
• Theme -‘Enabling & Building Global Tech-
Partnerships for Future Ready & Sustainable
growth Environs along with Circular economies”

India’s First Vertical Lift Rail Bridge: The New Pamban Bridge
• Constructed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)
• The Pamban Bridge is 2.05 km long bridge with a
unique 72 m Vertical Lift span, one of its kind in the
country.
• It is cleared for operation by Commissioner of Railway
Safety. But Commission of Railway Safety (CRS)
flagged multiple violations for not following
standard design of RDSO, a railways body.
• Railway board formed a five-members special
committee to look into the serious lapses regarding
the construction.
• The committee will submit its report in one and half months.

About New Pamban Bridge

• It is India’s first vertical-lift railway sea bridge.
• It connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to Mandapam on the mainland in Tamil Nadu.
• The new bridge is being built parallel to the old Pamban Bridge and will replace it.
• The old & iconic Pamban Bridge, India's first sea bridge, was opened in 1914.
• The old Pamban railway sea bridge was closed in December 2022 due to excessive vibrations
• The new bridge has been designed for double railway line and future electrification as well.

Length of Bridge 2.05 km

Length of Lift Span 72.5 m
Builder Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)
Cost of Construction ₹535 crore
Unique Feature Fully automated vertical lift span with 22m air clearance above sea level for ship
movement
Train Compatibility High-speed trains
Decommissioned Old Pamban Bridge (1914–2022)
Bridge
Foundation Laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2019

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao improved sex ratio and Gross Enrollment ratio of girls
• The Government has said that the Sex Ratio at Birth of girl child in the country has improved from 918 in
2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24 as per the provisional data of Health Management Information System (HMIS) of
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• As per the data of the Unified District Information System for Education, the National Gross Enrollment ratio
of girls in school at the secondary level has increased from 75 per cent in 2014-15 to 79.4 per cent in 2021-
22.

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About Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme

• Was launched on January 22, 2015 as a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Women & Child
Development with the Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• It focuses on preventing gender-biased sex-selective practices, ensuring survival and protection of the girl
child and promoting her education.
• BBBP is a centrally sponsored scheme with 100% funding by the Central Government in all the districts of
the country under Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti.
• The government of West Bengal is not implementing BBBP.

Government Launched eMaap Portal for Fair Trade & Consumer Protection
• Department of Consumer Affairs is integrating all the state portals
into one as the National Legal Metrology Portal ‘eMaap’ which will
include all functions of Legal Metrology including enforcement and
help to get a unified database.
• It provides a transparent legal metrology system, allowing easy access
to certificates and promoting awareness of rights and responsibilities.
• eMaap simplifies critical procedures such as issuing, renewing, and
amending licenses, as well as handling verification and stamping of weighing & measuring instruments,
registration certificates, and appeals, etc.
• By creating a centralized database, eMaap eliminates the need for stakeholders to register on multiple
State Portals, fostering ease of doing business and transparency in trade practices.
• For consumers, eMaap ensures that trade instruments are verified for accuracy, enhancing confidence in
market transactions.

SheSTEM 2024 Celebrated Youth-Led Innovation for a Sustainable Future

• Young innovators from across the country presented their solutions for energy storage and sustainability at
SheSTEM 2024, an annual event organized by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the Office of Science and
Innovation at the Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi
• It celebrates the contributions of women in STEM and encourage young minds to pursue careers in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
• SheSTEM 2024 challenge invited students from grades 6–12 across India to submit innovative ideas focused
on Battery Technology and Energy Storage (BEST) systems.

NITI Aayog Launched "Trade Watch Quarterly" Publication

• Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, Suman Bery released NITI Aayog’s latest publication analysing India’s trade
statistics for the first quarter of the financial year 2024 (April to June), in New Delhi
• The trade watch publication offers a holistic snapshot of India’s trade position, combining global demand-
supply perspectives, sectoral performance, and insights into emerging trade opportunities.
• Total trade stood at $576 billion, registering a 5.45% year-on-year increase.

Nationwide 100-day TB eradication campaign launched

• In a step to eliminate Tuberculosis (TB) in the country, Union Health Minister JP Nadda launched a 100-day
intensified nationwide campaign from Panchkula district of Haryana.
• The campaign, focused on enhancing detection, reducing diagnostic delays and improving treatment
outcomes, will be implemented in 347 districts of 33 states/UT where the prevalence of the disease is
higher.
• The rate of decline of tuberculosis incidence in India has doubled since 2015 and is ahead of the global
average.
• The government is working on 4Ts — Test, Track, Treat and Technology — to treat TB.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions making India TB-free before achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
• World TB Day – 24th March
• The theme of World TB Day 2024 - 'Yes! We can end TB! '

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Cabinet approves opening of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas & 28 new

Navodaya Vidyalayas
• As of date, there are 1,256 functional Kendriya Vidyalayas,
including three abroad — Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran.
• Kendriya Vidyalayas are primarily opened to cater to
educational needs of wards of transferable and non-
transferable employees of Central Government including
Defence and Paramilitary forces
• Navodaya Vidyalayas are affiliated to CBSE and provide free
residential quality education to talented children from Class-VI to XII in rural areas, targeting socially and
economically backward students

IIT Jammu to host grand finale of Smart India Hackathon 2024

from Dec 11
• Smart India Hackathon - a nationwide initiative that brings
together the brightest young minds for developing
innovative solutions to critical issues.
• This year, 30 teams will compete in the grand finale to
address vital cybersecurity challenges posed by the
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection
Center (NCIIPC)
• The seventh edition of the Smart India Hackathon (Software Edition), organised by the Union Ministry of
Education, will commence on December 11 across 51 nodal centres nationwide, with IIT-Jammu playing a
prominent role as one of the hosts.
• The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) is the Indian chapter of the United Nations Internet Governance
Forum (UN IGF), a global multi-stakeholder platform that fosters dialogue on public policy issues related to
the Internet.
• Established in 2021

Opposition submits notice to move no confidence motion against Rajya

Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar
• for allegedly conducting the House in a partisan manner, making
it the first such action in India’s parliamentary history.
• Opposition parties have decided to move a notice under Article
67(b) of the Constitution, with 65 signatures.
• The minimum required numbers for moving a motion to remove
the vice president is 50.

About Article 67(b):

• The Vice President of India serves as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
• Article 67(b) of the Indian Constitution outlines how the Vice President can be removed from office.
• It states that the Vice President may be removed from his office by a resolution of the Council of States
(Rajya Sabha) passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council and agreed to by the House of
the People.
• Grounds for Removal: The Constitution does not specify particular grounds for removal, leaving it to
the discretion of the members of Parliament.
• No such resolution can be moved unless ‘at least a 14-day notice has been given of the intention to move
the resolution.
• The notice must clearly state the intention to initiate the resolution and outline the reasons for it.
• Thus, the process to remove the Vice President begins in the Rajya Sabha, where the Vice President serves
as the ex-officio Chairperson.

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What is a No-Confidence Motion?

• In a parliamentary democracy, a government can be in power only if it commands a majority in the directly
elected House.
• Article 75(3) of the Constitution embodies this rule by specifying that the Council of Ministers are collectively
responsible to the Lok Sabha.
• For testing this collective responsibility, the rules of Lok Sabha provide a particular mechanism – a motion of
no-confidence.
• The procedure is specified under Rule 198 of the Lok Sabha. The Constitution does not mention either a
Confidence or a No Confidence Motion.

Who can move a No-Confidence Motion?

• Any Lok Sabha MP, who can garner the support of 50 colleagues, can, at any point of time, introduce a
motion of no-confidence against the Council of Ministers.
• A no-confidence motion can be moved only in the Lok Sabha. It cannot be moved in the Rajya Sabha.
• The first no-confidence motion against the administration of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was
presented in the Lok Sabha in August 1963.

Indian Post Unveils Special set of postcards featuring Penguins of Antarctica

• Indian Post released a special set of postcards featuring the Penguins of
Antarctica.
• The postcards will be carried by the 44th Antarctica Expedition from the
Bharati Branch Post Office and Maitri Post Office to Mumbai in the hands of
Vandita Kaul, Secretary (Posts), Ministry of Communications.
• Also released a permanent pictorial cancellation of Strawberry at
Mahabaleshwar Post Office, Pune to commemorate Mahabaleshwar
Strawberry’s Geographical Indication (GI) status.
• Released a special slogan cancellation featuring the mascot and tagline
“Collect, Connect, Celebrate-The Festival of Stamps” for Mahapex 2025,
scheduled for January 22-25, 2025, at the World Trade Centre, Mumbai.
• This cancellation will be affixed to deliverable articles at head post offices
across Maharashtra and Goa.

SC Grants Permanent Commission to Woman Army Officer

• The apex court delivered its verdict on an appeal filed by a woman
officer, who is posted as Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Dental
Corps at Agra, challenging a January, 2022 order of the Armed Forces
Tribunal (AFT) Regional Bench, Lucknow.
• In a relief to a woman Army officer, the Supreme Court granted her
permanent commission saying she was wrongly excluded from the
consideration when other similarly placed officers were given the
benefit.
• A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan, while illustrating, observed that thoughts on conditions
of service and job perquisites would be last in the minds of valiant Indian soldiers bravely guarding the
frontiers at Siachen or in other difficult terrains
• The bench exercised its plenary powers under Article
142 of the Constitution and directed the grant of
permanent commission to her.

Google Partners with NCERT to Launch YouTube Channels in 29

Indian Languages
• Google has announced a strategic partnership with the
National Council of Educational Research and Training

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(NCERT) to make quality education more accessible across India.

• As part of the partnership, NCERT will roll out YouTube channels tailored to students from grades 1 to 12.
• Google is also partnering with the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) to offer
credentialed courses on YouTube.
• Learners who complete these courses on NPTEL’s YouTube channels can obtain certifications through the
NPTEL-SWAYAM portal

Lok Sabha Passes Railways (Amendment) Bill 2024

• The amendment primarily grants statutory powers to the Railway
Board and was introduced by Union Railways Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw.
• All the provisions in the erstwhile colonial-era Indian Railway
Board Act, 1905 are proposed to be incorporated in the Railways
Act, 1989 through this Bill. It is intended to simplify the legal
framework and reduces the need to refer to two laws.
• The Bill also proposes to amend the Railways Act, 1989 to provide statutory backing to the Railway Board,
which has functioned without such a sanction since it began functioning.
• The provisions added to the amended Bill authorise the Central government to decide the composition of
the Railway Board. This includes the number of members, their terms of service, and their qualifications and
experience.
• The Bill also proposes to improve operational efficiencies and decentralise powers, granting greater
autonomy to Railway Zones. Increasing autonomy has been a long-standing demand, supported by various
committees, including 2014 Sreedharan Committee.
• The Bill proposes to establish an independent regulator to oversee tariffs, safety, and the participation of
the private sector in the Railways.
• The amendment was aimed at addressing the lack of direct train connections between Thawe Junction and
major cities like Delhi, which is crucial for local people, including migrant workers and pilgrims.
• The amendment is expected to speed up the approval process for these train services, helping to meet
long-standing demands from the region.

PM POSHAN scheme: Centre to bear additional cost of ₹425.62 cr in FY2024-25 due to inflation
What is the PM Poshan Scheme?
• In September 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman or PM-POSHAN
for providing one hot cooked meal in Government and Government-aided schools with the financial outlay
of Rs 1.31 trillion.
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) children studying in classes
I-VIII
• The scheme was earlier known as the national programme for mid-day meal in schools or Mid-day Meal
Scheme.
• launched for an initial period of five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).

India Achieves Total Fertility Rate of 2.0

• India has achieved a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.0,
according to the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–
21).
• This meets the targets set under the National Population
Policy 2000 and the National Health Policy 2017, which
aimed for a TFR of 2.1.
• The government has implemented multiple schemes under
its Family Planning Programme to reach this milestone.
• Contraceptive options provided include condoms, oral contraceptive pills, emergency contraceptives,
intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs), and sterilization, Antara injectable contraceptive

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• Post-pregnancy contraceptive measures, including Post-Partum IUCDs, Post-Abortion IUCDs, and Post-
Partum Sterilization, are also part of the program.
• Awareness campaigns, such as World Population Day and Vasectomy (male sterilization) Fortnight, are held
annually.
Ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions
Ministry of earth sciences
Amrit Gyaan Kosh Portal Ministry of science and technology
• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched launched "Amrit Gyaan Kosh" Portal to strengthen governance
training under Mission Karmayogi.
• The Amrit Gyan Kosh Portal, on the Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) platform, has been jointly
developed by the Capacity Building Commission and Karmayogi Bharat.
• The portal aims to promote self-reliance in government training and empower educators.
• It serves as a comprehensive repository, curating best practices across the India and aligning with the 15 out
of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• It covers diverse policy themes such as health, education, agriculture and digital governance.
• The curated resources on the platform enable faculty to align their teaching with global standards while
addressing India’s unique administrative challenges, maximizing learning opportunities.

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy unveils ‘Green Steel Taxonomy for India’

• India is committed to decarbonise the steel sector in alignment with
net-zero emission intensity target by 2070
• H D Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Steel & Heavy Industries,
unveiled the Taxonomy of Green Steel for India during an event held
at Vigyan Bhavan.
• Globally, there is no commonly accepted definition of green steel;
India is the first nation to release the Taxonomy of Green Steel.
• “Green Steel” shall be defined in terms of percentage greenness of
the steel
• The greenness of the steel shall be expressed as a percentage, based
on how much the steel plant’s emission intensity is lower compared
to the threshold.
• Threshold: 2.2 tonnes of CO2e per tonne of finished steel (tfs).
• This threshold limit shall be reviewed every three years.
• The National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST) shall serve as the nodal agency for
measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) as well as for issuing the greenness certificates and star
ratings for the steel.

Based on the greenness, the Green steel shall be rated as follows:

• Five-star green-rated steel: Steel with emission intensity lower than 1.6 t-CO2e/tfs.
• Four-star green-rated steel: Steel with emission intensity between 1.6 and 2.0 t-CO2e/tfs.
• Three-star green-rated steel: Steel with emission intensity between 2.0 and 2.2 t-CO2e/tfs.

Lok Sabha passes Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024

• The Lok Sabha passed the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 through a voice vote, which seeks
to amend the existing Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• Enhanced Powers for NDMA and SDMA: The Bill empowers the NDMA and SDMA to prepare national and
state-level disaster plans, respectively.
• Urban Disaster Management Authority: State governments can now establish separate Urban Disaster
Management Authorities for major cities and state capitals.
• Disaster Database: The Bill mandates the creation of a comprehensive disaster database at both national
and state levels.

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Govt to launch ‘Udaan Yatri Café’ at airports to offer affordable food for UDAN scheme passengers
• The plan will roll out from Kolkata Airport on the occasion of 100 years of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
International Airport, Kolkata and eight years of UDAN, the regional air connectivity scheme of the
Ministry.
• UDAN is aimed at enhancing regional air connectivity and making flying more affordable. It was introduced
on October 21, 2016 for 10 years, Extended for 10 more.
• The first UDAN flight took off on April 27, 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi.
• Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu

Sarbananda Sonowal unveils ‘Jalvahak’ scheme to boost cargo

movement via inland waterways
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW),
Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled a major policy for cargo promotion,
‘Jalvahak’, incentivising movement of long haul cargo via inland
waterways across National Waterways (NW) on NW1 (Ganga),
NW2 (Brahmaputra) & NW16 (Barak)
• The cargo promotion scheme provides direct incentive to the
cargo owners to transport their goods via inland waterways for a distance of more than 300 kms.
• Sonowal also flagged off cargo ships – MV AAI, MV Homi Bhaba along with MV Trishul with two Dumb
Barges Ajay & Dikhu – from the GR Jetty, in Kolkata.
• This marks the beginning of fixed Scheduled Sailing Service of cargo vessels from Haldia for NW 1 (Ganga)
and NW 2 (Brahmaputra).
• This is a joint effort by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) the nodal agency of waterways
development in the country, as well as by the Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL), a fully owned
subsidiary of the Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCIL).
• The ‘Jalvahak’ scheme offers reimbursement of up to 35% of the total operating expenditure incurred
while transporting cargo via waterways on NW 1, NW 2 and NW 16 via Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route
• It encourages to reduce logistics costs, decongest road and railways, and adapting to a sustainable mode of
transportation.
• To encourage the business proposition of vessel operators, the scheme encourages cargo owners to hire
vessels owned or operated by Government entities.
• The scheme is initially valid for three years.
• India boasts an extensive network of inland waterways comprising rivers, canals, backwaters, and creeks -
total navigable length of 20,236 km
• Target of 200 million MT of cargo movement via waterways by 2030 and 500 million MT by 2047

Yuva Sahakar: Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme

• Recently, the Minister of Cooperation informed the Lok Sabha about the Yuva Sahakar Scheme.
• “Yuva Sahakar – Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme” is being implemented by
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) a statutory corporation under Ministry of
Cooperation
• aims to encourage newly formed cooperative societies with new and/or innovative ideas.
• The scheme encourages young entrepreneur Cooperative Societies which are in operation for a minimum
of 3 months.
• The loan provided under the scheme is a long-term loan (up to 5 years) and as an incentive, NCDC provides
2% interest subvention on its applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project activities.

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Launches Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR based pledge Financing
(CGS-NPF)
• Pralhad Joshi launched the Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR based Pledge Financing (CGS-NPF).
• This scheme provides a corpus of Rs 1,000-crore for post-harvest finance availed by farmers against
electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs) after depositing commodities in Warehousing
Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) accredited warehouses.

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• The scheme is a significant initiative as a guarantee cover for the loans availed by farmers/ traders against
electronic negotiable warehouse receipts (e-NWRs).
• CGS – NPF Scheme has been introduced to instill confidence in bankers, encouraging the extension of
pledge finance against electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (e-NWRs) for farmers /traders who store
their agricultural / horticultural produce in warehouses registered with the WDRA.
• This scheme majorly focuses on Small and Marginal Farmers, Women, SC, ST and Divyangjan (PwD)
farmers with a minimal guarantee fee.
• Besides, small traders (MSMEs), FPOs are also benefited under this scheme.
• Loans extended to small and marginal farmers up to Rs. 75 Lakhs will have coverage of 80 to 85% and
loans extended to MSMEs/FPO ‘s /traders up to Rs. 200 Lakhs will have coverage upto 75% under the
scheme.

Salient features of Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR based pledge Finance (CGS-NPF) is as follows:
Total Corpus Rs. 1000 Crores
Coverage Loans up to Rs. 75 lakhs for agricultural purpose and Loans up to Rs. 200 Lakhs for
nonagricultural purpose.
Eligible Institutions All scheduled banks and all cooperative banks
Eligible Borrowers Small and Marginal Farmer (SMF)/ Women/SC/ST/PwD Farmers, other farmers, MSMEs,
Traders, FPOs and Farmer cooperatives.
Risks covered Credit and warehouseman risk
Guarantee Fee 0.4% p.a. for farmers and 1% p.a. for non-farmers
Guarantee coverage 85% for loans up to Rs. 3L
and 80% for loan between 3 to 75 lakhs for small and marginal
farmers/women/SC/ST/PwD
and 75% for other borrowers.

Govt increases MSP of Copra for 2025 season to ensure better returns to
farmers
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs hiked the Minimum
Support Price (MSP) for fair average quality of milling copra to Rs
11,582 per quintal and for ball copra to Rs 12,100 per quintal for
the 2025 marketing season.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches India’s first-of-its-kind anti-

pesticide bodysuit Kisan Kavach
• Designed to protect farmers from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure
• Developed by BRIC-inStem, Bangalore, in collaboration with Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd.
• The washable and reusable suit, priced at ₹4,000, can last up to a year and
employs advanced fabric technology to deactivate harmful pesticides upon
contact

Govt Distributes Property Cards under SVAMITVA Scheme

• Prime Minister Modi, via video conferencing will preside over the e-Distribution of
SVAMITVA Property Cards on 27th December 2024 .
• This event will also mark a major milestone of crossing more than 2 crore property cards preparation and
distribution under the SVAMITVA scheme and distribution of more than 58 lakh property cards on a Single
Day.
• A survey of villages and mapping with improvised technology in village areas (SVAMITVA) is a Central
Sector Scheme.

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• The pilot phase of the SVAMITVA Scheme was launched on 24th April 2020 for implementation during
2020-21. The national roll out of scheme was launched on 24th April 2021.
• It seeks to give ownership of property in rural inhabited areas, by
mapping land parcels using drone technology and providing a
‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners with the issuance of
legal ownership cards (Property cards/Title deeds) to the property
owners.
• Implementation: It is implemented with the collaborative efforts of
the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Department, State
Panchayati Raj Department and Survey of India.
• Full coverage of nearly 6.62 lakh villages in India

Centre Ends No Detention Rules In Schools

• The government has scrapped the ‘no-detention policy’ for
students in classes 5 and 8.
• Children who do not meet the promotion criteria will have
a chance to retake the exams within two months of the
result declaration. If they fail again, they will be retained in
Class 5 or Class 8.
• The ‘No Detention Policy’ was introduced in 2009 under
the Section 16 of Right to Education Act, which aimed to
provide free and compulsory education to every child in
India up to Class 8.
• The primary goal of the policy was to prevent students
from being held back due to poor academic performance,
as this was seen as a major factor contributing to school
dropouts.
• By allowing automatic promotion, the policy aimed to
create equal opportunities for children from diverse
backgrounds and enable them to complete elementary
education regardless of academic challenges.

Why was this policy scrapped?

• Previously, Section 16 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, restricted schools from detaining students up to
Class 8.
• However, many states opposed the policy, arguing that it left students ill-prepared for board exams and
contributed to higher failure rates in Class 10.
• In 2015, 23 out of 28 states recommended scrapping the policy. As a
result, Parliament amended the RTE Act in March 2019, allowing states to
conduct regular exams in Classes 5 and 8 and officially ending the No
Detention Policy.

PM Modi pays tribute to legendary actor Raj Kapoor on his 100th birth
anniversary
• Born on 14th December in 1924 in Peshawar, what was then undivided
India and is now part of Pakistan, Kapoor was the son of Prithviraj Kapoor
and grew to become not only a successful actor but also one of the greatest filmmakers of the Hindi film
cinema.
• The actor-director was honoured with the Padma Bhushan (1971) and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1988).

PM Modi pays tribute to social reformer Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya on his birth anniversary
• Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was born on December 25, 1861, in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.

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• Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was given the title of 'Mahamana'

or great soul by Mahatma Gandhi, who considered him as an
elder brother.
• In 2014, Pandit Malviya was posthumously conferred with Bharat
Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.
• In 2016, the Indian Railways started the Varanasi-New Delhi
Mahamana Express in the leader’s honour.

Major contributions:
• Banaras Hindu University: He played a key role in the Indian independence struggle against British rule and
founded the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. At the BHU, he served as Vice-Chancellor from 1919
to 1938.
• Hindu Mahasabha: Malaviya was one of the early leaders of the Hindu Mahasabha, and helped found it in
1906.
• Scout and Guide: He was also one of the founders of Scout and Guide in India.
• 'Satyamev Jayate': One of the most famous slogans, 'Satyamev Jayate' was said by Pandit Malviya in the
session of 1918 when he was the President of the Indian National Congress.
• President of INC: Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was the President of Indian National Congress for four
sessions (1909, 1913, 1919 and 1932). Pandit Malviya played a big role in the Civil Disobedience and Non-
cooperation movement which were led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• Role in media: He was the chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946 and he also founded many
Hindi and English newspapers, namely: The Leader, Hindustan Dainik, Maryada etc.

Centre Sets June 2026 Deadline for Mandatory Use of India-Made Solar Cells
• In a step towards discouraging foreign imports of components used in solar panel manufacturing,
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has set a deadline of June 2026, after which solar
companies must use only India-made solar photovoltaic cells in their panels to participate in government
procurement programmes.
• So far 92 gigawatt of solar capacity has been installed in India.

UNESCO, IGNCA joint initiative to preserve 700 disappearing languages in India: expert
• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts has taken an initiative along with United National Educational
Scientific, Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to preserve around 700 vanishing languages in India.
• special training programme was being organised for enthusiastic youngsters in understanding manuscripts
and books written by authors of “vanishing languages” such as Brahmi, Modi, Koraga, Irula, Sholaga,
Sarada, Kaithi, Takri and others.
• released a book titled Low-Hanging Fruits, authored by Prof. Sachchidanand Joshi

India Launches UG Minor in Quantum Technologies

• The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), in collaboration
with the National Quantum Mission (NQM) under the Department of
Science and Technology (DST) launched India’s first Undergraduate
(UG) Minor Programme in Quantum Technologies.
• AICTE, in collaboration with leading institutions like the IITs, will
implement Faculty Development Programs (FDPs).
• To support the programme, advanced quantum laboratories will be established

SHORT NEWS
• NCERT signs MoU with Flipkart to ensure affordable & seamless availability of NCERT publications across
the country, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
• For Republic Day Celebration-2025, the theme for tableaux has been decided as 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat
aur Vikas’.

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Finance
Lok Sabha passes Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 allowing four nominees
in bank accounts
• first Bill of the Winter Session
• The Bill, piloted by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was approved
by a voice vote.
• The Bill allows bank account holders to have up to four nominees in their
accounts.
• Proposes changes related to redefining “substantial interest” for
directorships, which could increase to ₹2 crore instead of the current
limit of ₹5 lakh.
• It proposes to increase the tenure of directors (excluding the chairman
and whole-time director) in cooperative banks from 8 years to 10 years,
so as to align with the Constitution (Ninety-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2011.
• Once passed, the Bill would allow a director of a Central Cooperative Bank to serve on the board of a State
Cooperative Bank.
• The Bill also seeks to give greater freedom to banks in deciding the remuneration to be paid to statutory
auditors.
• It also seeks to redefine the reporting dates for banks for regulatory compliance to the 15th and last day of
every month instead of the second and fourth Fridays.
• Depositors will have the option of successive or simultaneous nomination facility, while locker holders will
have only successive nomination.

Home ministry ropes in Razorpay to boost cyber security around digital

payments
• Fintech firm Razorpay has has partnered with Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and will
lead an extensive campaign to educate businesses and consumers on
critical topics concerning cybersecurity
• India contributes to 46 per cent of the world's digital payment volume.
• Recent data from the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal revealed a sharp revealed a sharp increase in
digital fraud incidents across India, with over 7,000 complaints reported
daily (between January and April 2024). 85% of these complaints involve
financial fraud

SBI Card Surpasses 20 Million Credit Cards Milestone

• SBI Card has surpassed the 2 crore cards in force milestone, since its
inception in 1998
• It remains the second-largest issuer in India, following HDFC Bank
• Abhijit Chakravorty, MD & CEO of SBI Card

RBI Unveils MuleHunter.AI to Fight Financial Fraud

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has created an artificial intelligence (AI)
powered model that could reduce digital fraud by helping banks deal
with the increasing problem of “mule” bank accounts.
• The model, called MuleHunter.AI, has been developed by the Reserve
Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), Bengaluru, a subsidiary of the central
bank.
• MuleHunter.AI enables detection of mule bank accounts in an efficient manner

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What is a mule bank account?

• A mule account is a bank account that is used by criminals for illegal activities, including the laundering of
illicit funds.
• A mule account is typically bought over by the criminals from their original users, individuals who are often
from lower income groups, or have low levels of technical literacy.
• The related term “money mule” is used to describe the innocent victims who are used by the criminals to
launder stolen or illegal money via their bank accounts.

FDI inflows into India cross $1 trillion between 2000-2024: DPIIT

• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is when a company or individual from one country invests in a company or
assets in another country. It can involve acquiring a stake in an existing business or starting a new subsidiary.
• FDI inflows into India have crossed the $1 trillion milestone in the April 2000-September 2024 period
• About 25% of the FDI came through the Mauritius route. It was followed by Singapore (24%), the U.S.
(10%), the Netherlands (7%), Japan (6%), the U.K. (5%)
• Key sectors attracting the maximum of these inflows include the services segment, computer software and
hardware, telecommunications, trading, construction development, automobile, chemicals, and
pharmaceuticals

RBI Launches Podcast Series for Public Communication

• Reserve Bank of India has decided to launch podcasts for wider dissemination
of information that is of interest to the public.
• podcasts will help explain things simply among the wider section of the
society.

RBI increases collateral-free agricultural loan limit from Rs 1.6 to Rs 2 lakh

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enhanced the collateral-free loan limit for farmers from Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs
2 lakh, effective January 1, 2025,
• aimed at supporting small and marginal farmers amid rising input costs.

Max Life Rebrands to Axis Max Life Insurance

• Max Life Insurance announced a change in its corporate name to Axis Max
Life Insurance after receiving the corporate and regulatory approval.

BOBCARD Launches TIARA Credit Card

• BOBCARD Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, announces
the launch of the TIARA Credit Card — a first-of-its-kind, women-centric
credit card
• Ravindra Rai – MD & CEO of BOBCARD Ltd.

HDFC Bank executes first gold forward deal from Gujarat GIFT City
• HDFC Bank has become the first domestic bank to execute a gold forward deal from GIFT City, Gujarat.
• A gold forward deal is an agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of gold at a predetermined price on a
future date.
• The deal was executed by HDFC Bank GIFT City IBU (International banking unit) in collaboration with
Hindustan Platinum Private Limited, a refiner and manufacturer of precious metal products and industrial
services.

India Secures $500 Million ADB Loan for Green Infrastructure Projects
• The ADB loan, with a sovereign guarantee, will be extended to the India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd
(IIFCL)

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Asian Development Bank(ADB)

• Asian Development Bank is a regional development bank of the Asia Pacific region with 69 member
countries.
• It was established in 1966 and has its headquarters in Manila, Philippines.

About IIFCL
• a wholly owned company of the government of India, which was set up in 2006.
• It is registered as a Non-Banking Finance Company-Non Deposit-taking Infrastructure Financing Company
( NBFC-ND-IFC)
• The Reserve Bank of India regulates it.
• Managing Director: Padmanabhan Raja Jaishankar

HSBC India and Taj group launch India's first premium co-branded hospitality
credit card
• HSBC India and Indian Hotels Company have come together to launch
HSBC Taj Credit Card, India’s first premium co-branded hospitality credit
card, crafted for luxury enthusiasts
• Launched in collaboration with Visa

55th GST Council Meeting

• 55th GST Council met under the Chairpersonship of Union
Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman
in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Recommendations:
• Used Electric Vehicle (EVs): GST council decided to raise the rate of tax to 18% from 12% on all
used EV sales, just as in case of non-electric vehicles.
• GST will apply only to the margin value (difference between purchase and selling price, adjusted for
depreciation if claimed) in case of business sales. No GST applies to individual-to-individual sales.
• Bank's Penal Charges: No GST applies to penal charges by banks and non-banking financial companies
(NBFCs) for loan term violations.
• Payment Aggregators: Payment aggregators handling payments of less than Rs 2,000 will be eligible for an
exemption.
• Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF): GST council did not agree on bringing ATF under the ambit of GST because
states refused to accept it. 5 products i.e., crude oil, petrol, diesel, ATF and natural gas were kept out of
purview of GST. The central government levies excise duty on them and states levy VAT.
• GST Exemption: Black pepper and raisins supplied directly by farmers will be exempt from GST.
• Gene therapy is fully exempt from GST, and Integrated GST exemption on surface-to-air missiles is
extended.
• Compensation Cess: Reduced compensation cess rate to 0.1% on supplies to merchant exporters.
• This Cess is collected on the supply of select goods and or services to compensate the states for any
revenue loss on account of implementation of GST.
• Popcorn: GST Council clarified (no new tax imposition) that caramelized popcorn is taxed at 18% GST.
• Ready-to-eat popcorn with salt and spices attracts 5% GST if not pre-packaged and labeled, and 12% if pre-
packaged and labeled.
• Caramelised popcorn is classified as sugar confectionery, and attracts 18%
GST while salted popcorn is a namkeen and subject to 5% GST.
GST Council
• It a constitutional body under Article 279-A (101st Amendment, 2016), makes recommendations on GST
implementation.
• GST is a value-added (Ad Valorem) and indirect tax system that is levied on the supply of goods and services
in India.

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• Members: The Council includes the Union Finance Minister (Chairperson), Union Minister of State
(Finance), and a finance or any other minister from each state.
• Nature of Decisions: In the Mohit Minerals case, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled GST Council
recommendations are not binding, as Parliament and states have simultaneous legislative powers on GST.

International News
Mikheil has been sworn in as Georgia's new president
• It is bounded on the north and
northeast by Russia,
• on the east and southeast by
Azerbaijan, on the south by Armenia
and Turkey,
• and on the west by the Black Sea.
• Capital: Tbilisi
• Currency: Georgian lari

Former Supreme Court Judge Madan Lokur Appointed As United Nations IJC
Chairperson
• Retired Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur has been appointed chairperson
of the United Nations Internal Justice Council.
• The Internal Justice Council comprises five members appointed by the
Secretary-General.
• The IJC is a body that appoints judges for the UN Dispute Tribunal and the UN
Appeals Tribunal.
• The UN General Assembly established the Internal Justice Council (IJC) as part
of the new internal justice system in order to help ensure independence,
professionalism and accountability in the administration of justice system of
the United Nations.

Donald Trump named Indian-American Sriram Krishnan as Senior White House

Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence.
• Mr. Krishnan, originally from Chennai, is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist
and author

Aisake Valu Eke elected as new Prime Minister of Tonga

• Veteran politician ’Aisake Valu Eke was voted prime minister by secret ballot
in parliament

• Capital: Nukuʻalofa
• Currency: Paʻanga (TOP)
• The country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
• It consists of some 170 islands divided into three main island groups:
Tongatapu in the south, Ha‘apai in the centre, and Vava‘u in the north

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Iceland’s new govt takes office under PM Kristrun Frostadotti

• It will be the first time in Iceland that the leaders of all the governing parties will be
women, and
• the first time that the country will have a female prime minister and a female
president – Halla Tomasdottir – simultaneously.

• Capital: Reykjavík
• Currency: Icelandic króna
• Iceland’s rugged coastline, of more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km), meets the
Greenland Sea on the north,
• the Norwegian Sea on the east, the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west,
• and the Denmark Strait—which separates it from Greenland by about 200 miles
(320 km)—on the northwest.

Trump nominates Indian American Kash Patel as FBI Director

• US President-elect Donald Trump announced the nomination of Kashyap ‘Kash’
Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Justice Murdu Nirupa Bindushini Fernando sworn in as 48th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
• Justice Fernando succeeds Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, who recently
retired
• President - Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Mali’s Junta Replaces Prime Minister Choguel Maiga with Abdoulaye Maiga
• Capital: Bamako
• Currency: West African CFA franc
• Mali is bounded on the north by Algeria
• east by Niger and Burkina Faso
• south by Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea
• west by Senegal and Mauritania

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala reappointed as DG of WTO

• Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala reappointed as Director-General of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) for a second four-year term, set to begin on 1 September
2025.
• On March 1, 2021, become the first woman and first African to lead the WTO.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

• The WTO is the world’s largest international economic organization, with 164 member states representing
over 98% of global trade and global GDP
• Also, WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations
• It officially commenced operations on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement, thus
replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that had been established in 1948

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Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah becomes Namibia’s first female President

• Capital: Windhoek
• Currency: Namibian dollar
• It is bordered by Angola to the north
• Zambia to the northeast
• Botswana to the east
• South Africa to the southeast and south
• and the Atlantic Ocean to the west

Donald Trump has appointed Jared Isaacman, a billionaire astronaut and close associate of
Elon Musk, as the new head of NASA.

Ghana’s former leader John Dramani Mahama was

declared the winner of the presidential election
• Capital: Accra
• Currency: Cedi (GHS)
• Ghana is bordered to the northwest and north
by Burkina Faso, to the east by Togo, to the south by the
Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Côte d’Ivoire.
• India opened its representative office in Accra in 1953,
prior to Ghana’s independence and established full-
fledged diplomatic relations with Ghana in 1957, immediately after it
attained independence
• The first-ever State Visit of President of India to Ghana was on 12-4 June 2016, (The only other earlier VVIP
visit from India to Ghana was that of the Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 8-9 November 1995.)
• Ghana has a positive trade balance with India, mainly due to huge imports of gold by India which accounts
for nearly 80% of total imports from Ghana.
• Ghana’s main exports to India are Gold, cocoa, cashew nuts and timber products.
• India’s major exports to Ghana include pharmaceuticals, agricultural machinery, transport vehicles, electrical
equipment, plastics, iron & steel, ethyl alcohol to increase India’s global
exports to US$ 400 billion in 2021-22, the target of US$ 1.1 billion for
Ghana was achieved

Burkina Faso Junta Appoints New Prime Minister

• Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo appointed as Burkina Faso’s new
Prime Minister.
• The country faces ongoing challenges,
including escalating violence,
displacement of 2 million people
• Capital: Ouagadougou
• Currency: West African CFA franc

Jagath Wickramaratne elected as new Speaker of Sri Lankan Parliament

• The appointment of the new speaker comes following the resignation
of Asoka Ranwala

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French President Emmanuel Macron names

Francois Bayrou as new Prime Minister
• Mr. Macron vowed last week to remain
in office until his term ends in 2027.
• Capital: Paris
• Currency: Euro (€) , CFP franc (XPF)
• The India-France strategic partnership, signed in
1998
• Starting with the Rafale deal to the acquisition of
26 Marine versions of Aircraft, the French have been willing to
give the Indians some of their best defence systems.
• France supports India’s bid for permanent membership of the
United Nations Security Council
• Joint Exercises: Exercise Shakti (Army), Exercise Varuna
(Navy), Exercise Garuda (Air Force)

Mikheil Kavelashvili Elected as Georgia’s President

• lawmakers elected far-right former football
star Mikheil Kavelashvili as the country’s new
president

• Capital: Tbilisi
• Currency: Georgian lari (₾) (GEL)
• It is bounded on the north and northeast by Russia
• on the east and southeast by Azerbaijan,
• On the south by Armenia and Turkey, and on the west by the Black Sea.

India, ISA Sign Agreement on Solar Project in Pacific Islands

• To execute new solar projects in Fiji, Comoros, Madagascar and
Seychelles
• The Wilmington Declaration released at the Quad Leaders' Summit in
Delaware in the U.S. on September 21 stated that the Quad countries
will work together and partner clean energy supply chains.
• the Project Implementation Agreement (PIA) was signed between the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and
the ISA to execute the projects in these Indo-Pacific countries.

India to join 197 nations at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh

• The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December 2024
under the theme Our Land. Our Future.
• Marking the first time West Asia hosts this crucial environmental
conference.
• India’s delegation, jointly led by Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav
and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini
• The delegation will present the Aravalli Green Wall Project (AGWP), a
comprehensive initiative targeting the restoration of 1.15 million hectares
of degraded landscape across four states - Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat,
and Delhi
• Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of UNCCD, COP16 will be the largest UN land conference to date

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What is the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)?

• Established in 1994, it is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and
development to sustainable land management.
• It addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some
of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found.
• The Convention’s 197 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to
maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought.
• The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) works with the other two Rio
Conventions to address the interlinked challenges of land, climate and biodiversity:
• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• These 3 conventions are based on the outcomes of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), also known as the Earth Summit

World Maritime Technology Conference 2024 in Chennai

• World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) is held once in 3
years under the auspices of World Maritime Technology Congress.
• will be held in Chennai from December 4 to 6.
• WMTC consists of 21-member organisations from 17 countries
connecting professionals the field of maritime technology and
allied sectors.
• India hosting after a gap of 15 years. Last edition hosted in Mumbai.
• The previous conference, which was delayed due to the Covid pandemic, was held in Copenhagen in April
2022.

'Brain rot' is Oxford's word of the year

• ‘Brain Rot’ describes the cognitive decline attributed to excessive exposure to
mindless social media content.
• ‘Brain rot’ is defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or
intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material
(now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.

Merriam-Webster Picks Polarization As Word of the Year 2024

• Collins dictionary went with “brat”. Oxford chose “brain rot”.
• US’s premier dictionary Merriam-Webster’s word of the year
is “polarization”
• Merriam-Webster defines polarization as “division into two
sharply distinct opposites; especially a state in which the
opinions, beliefs, or interests of a group or society no longer
range along a continuum but become concentrated at
opposing extremes.

‘Manifest’ Cambridge Dictionary Word Of The Year

• "Manifest" means to imagine achieving something you want, in the belief that doing so will make it more
likely to happen
• Brat – Collin a person, especially a child, who behaves badly
• Brain Rot – Oxford
• Polarization – Merriam Webster

South Korea President has declared ‘emergency martial law’

• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol accused the opposition of sympathising with North Korea and
paralysing the government with anti-state activities.

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• Since the establishment of the Republic of Korea, martial law has been
declared 16 times. It was last declared in 1980.
• Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule,
and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military ones. Standard
civil liberties may be suspended for as long as martial law continues.
• According to South Korean law, the government must lift martial law if
the majority of the National Assembly demands votes for its repeal.
• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s cabinet has reversed a martial
law order in the country, just hours after he issued the surprise decree
that plunged Seoul into political uncertainty and sparked fierce backlash
from lawmakers across the political spectrum.

India Launches Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP)

• Over 19,000 Indian and foreign nationals holding Overseas Card of India (OCI)
have been enrolled in India's first Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller
Programme (FTI-TTP), started in June this year.
• The facility, started at the Delhi airport, can now be availed at 31 international
airports
• The Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) scheme was introduced in August 2005
which provides for registration of all Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who were citizens of India on January
26, 1950, or thereafter, or were eligible to become citizens of India on the said date.

Who cannot be an OCI?

• An applicant is not eligible to get an OCI card if his/her parents or grandparents have ever been a citizen of
Pakistan or Bangladesh.
• Foreign military personnel either in service or retired are also not entitled for grant of OCI.

Advantages of OCI card holders

• An OCI card holder — essentially a foreign passport holder — gets a multiple entry, multi-purpose life-
long visa for visiting India, and is exempt from registration with local police authority for any length of
stay in the country.

Limitations on OCI card holder:

• Not entitled to vote; to be a member of a Legislative Assembly or of a Legislative Council or of
Parliament; to hold Indian constitutional posts such as that of the President, Vice President, Judge of the
Supreme Court or High Court.
• He or she cannot normally hold employment in the government.

India, Kuwait sign MoU to establish Joint Commission for Cooperation

• External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Kuwait's Foreign Minister
Abdullah Ali Al Yahya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
establish a Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) at the level of foreign
ministers.
• Abdullah Ali Al Yahya was on an official visit to India
• Under the new MoU, new Joint Working Groups will be established in
Education, Investment, Trade, Agriculture, Technology, Security, and
Culture.
• The JCC would also oversee existing working groups in areas such as
hydrocarbons, health, and consular matters.

About Kuwait
• A small kingdom situated in the Arabian Peninsula.
• It is a Muslim Arab country rich in petroleum oil.

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• It has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

• It gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1961.
• Capital: Kuwait City
• Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar
• Emir: Sheikh Meshal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah

India Kuwait Relationship

• close political and economic ties traced back to their history.
• Till 1961, the Indian Rupee was the currency of Kuwait.
• Kuwait, a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, is oil-rich
and a major exporter of crude petroleum oil and LPG to India.
• Around one million Indians live and work in Kuwait, making
them the largest expatriate community in Kuwait.

Bangladesh: Yunus-Led Interim Government Set To Remove 'Father Of The

Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Image From Currency Notes
• As per instructions from the Muhammad
Yunus-led interim government
• Bangladesh Bank has begun printing new
notes with features of the July uprising,
a student-led anti-quota protest which
led the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5

UNGA Declares December 21 as World Meditation Day

• India co-sponsored a UN General Assembly draft resolution that was
unanimously adopted to proclaim December 21 as World Meditation
Day.
• December 21 marks the Winter Solstice, which in Indian tradition is
the beginning of "Uttarayana - an auspicious time of the year,
especially for inner reflection" and meditation.
• It also falls exactly six months after the International Day of Yoga
commemorated on June 21, which is the Summer Solstice.

Nebraska Declares December 6 as Mahatma Gandhi Remembrance Day

• Nebraska is a midwestern U.S. state.
• A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in the State Capitol building in
Nebraska as December 6 was proclaimed as a day of remembrance for
Gandhi in the US state, honouring the principles of non-violence, tolerance
and justice championed by the iconic Indian leader.

India to Chair UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs for the first time

• India has been chosen to Chair the 68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic
Drugs (CND).
• India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, Ambassador
Shambhu S Kumaran, officially assumed the Chairmanship of the UN
Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
• This is the first time that India has been named to Chair this important UN
body.
• The CND is the principal policy-making body of the United Nations on drug-
related matters.

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Storm Darragh affected three million people in parts of Wales and south-west
England

Dubai Breaks Record with World’s Largest Gold Bar, Weighing Over 300
KG
• Dubai has unveiled the world’s largest gold bar, setting a new
Guinness World Record.
• Weighing 300.12 kg, the bar is valued at approximately $25
million (₹211 crore).
• Displayed at the Dubai Gold Souk Extension
• Created by Emirates Minting Factory, it was crafted in 8-10
hours, adhering to Guinness standards.

Cyclone Chido rips through French territory of Mayotte and heads for Africa’s
east coast
• The French territory of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean has suffered
extensive damage from Cyclone Chido
• The Chido slamed into northern Mozambique

Switzerland Suspends ‘Most Favoured Nation Status’ to India

• In a move set to have far-reaching impact on Indian companies operating in
Switzerland and Swiss investments in India, Switzerland has announced it
will suspend the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) status with India, effective
January 1, 2025.
• This unilateral action from the European country stems from a double
taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) between the two countries.
• The Swiss finance department issued an official statement, pointing to a 2023 ruling by the Supreme Court
of India in the Nestle case as the reason for this significant decision.

What is the MFN status between India and Switzerland?

• The Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) status is a term commonly used in international trade agreements to
ensure that a country extends the best possible treatment or tariff rates to one nation, which it offers to
others under similar circumstances.
• In tax treaties, such as the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Switzerland,
the MFN clause ensures that the lower tax rates applied to residents of other OECD countries are
extended to the treaty partner as well.
• The OECD, or Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was established in 1961 in Paris.
• India and Switzerland initially signed the DTAA in 1994, with amendments made in 2010.
• India had previously signed tax agreements with Lithuania and Colombia, which set lower tax rates on
certain types of income compared to those offered to OECD countries. Both of these countries later
became members of the OECD.
• In 2021, Switzerland interpreted that the accession of Colombia and Lithuania to the OECD meant that a 5
per cent tax rate on dividends would apply to the India-Switzerland tax treaty under the MFN clause,
instead of the 10 per cent rate specified in the agreement.

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What was the Supreme Court’s ruling?

• According to the statement by Switzerland’s finance department, in 2021, the Delhi High Court while
hearing the case against Nestle, upheld the applicability of the residual tax rates after taking into account
the MFN clause under the double tax avoidance treaty.
• The Indian Supreme Court, in a decision dated October 19, 2023, reversed the lower court’s decision and
concluded that the MFN clause between two nations does not automatically apply when a country joins
the OECD.
• It added that the prior tax treaty takes precedence in such cases unless the MFN clause is specifically
mentioned in a ’notification’ in accordance with Section 90 of the Income Tax Act.

Britain Becomes First European Nation to Join CPTPP

• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
(CPTPP)
• Britain became the first European nation to join an Indo-Pacific trade bloc
• Britain becomes the 12th member of the trade club, which comprises Australia,
Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and
Vietnam.

Gadhimai Mahotsav of Nepal continues to be the world’s biggest animal

slaughter event
• Gadhimai Mahotsav continues to face criticism from animal activists
campaigning vigorously for decades.
• This Hindu festival, held once every five years at the Gadhimai Temple
in Bariyarpur, Bara district of Madhesh Province, Nepal, near the
Indo-Nepal border, started and concluded on Shukla Purnima.
• In 2024, the Supreme Court of India directed state governments to restrict the export and transport of
animals intended for sacrifice.
• Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered a ban on animal sacrifices in 2019, but the ruling remains largely
unenforced.

Mount Semeru Eruption in East Java

Category Key Points

Why in News Mount Semeru erupted in East Java, Indonesia, prompting an aviation warning. A thick
column of ash rose 1,000 meters into the sky.
Mount Semeru Located in East Java, Semeru is 3,676 meters tall, one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes.
Past Eruptions Semeru has been in a near-constant eruption since 1967. Recent eruptions occurred in
2021, 2022, and 2024.
Geological Mount Semeru is in a subduction zone between the Indo-Australian plate and the Eurasian
Location plate.
Legends Named after Sumeru, the central mountain in Hinduism, it is believed to be the abode of
Shiva in Java.

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Italy Grants Citizenship to Argentina’s

President
• The Italian government has granted
Argentinian President Javier Milei
citizenship based on his Italian
heritage.
• Capital: Rome
• Currency: Euro (€)

Himanta Biswa Sarma attends Bhutan’s National Day

• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma attended Bhutan's 117th
National Day celebration on 17 December 2024 at Thimphu, the capital of
Bhutan.
• Himanta Biswa Sarma was on a three-day visit to Bhutan from 16-18
December 2024 at the invitation of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar
Namgyel Wangchuck.
Bhutan National Day
• This day marks the coronation of the first King of Bhutan, Druk Gyalpo
Ugyen Wangchuck, on December 17, 1907.
• In Bhutan, the official title of the King is Druk Gyalpo, which means Dragon King in Dzongkha.
• Dzongkha is the official language of Bhutan.
• The current King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, is the descendant of the Ugyen Wangchuck and is the
fifth King of Bhutan.
• Capital: Thimphu
• Currency: Nagultram
• Language spoken in Bhutan-Dzongkha
• King: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
• Prime Minister: Tshering Tobgay

Bhutan
• Bhutan, also known as Druk Yul, meaning "Land of the Thunder
Dragon", is a landlocked South Asian country.
• Bhutan is a Monarchy where the King is the Head of the State while a
democratically elected Prime Minister is the Head of the
Government.
• Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim share a land
border with Bhutan.
• India shares a 699 km long international boundary with Bhutan.

Moldova Joins International Solar Alliance

• Moldova has officially joined the International Solar Alliance
(ISA), Moldova’s inclusion comes after Armenia became the 104th
full member last month.
• The ISA is an inter-governmental treaty-based organization founded
during COP21 in Paris in 2015 by Indian PM Narendra
Modi and French President François Hollande.
• ISA aims at mobilising more than USD 1000 billion of investment
needed by 2030

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Biden signs a bill officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the U.S.
• The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is indigenous to North America.

Malaysia has extended visa exemptions for Indian and Chinese nationals until December
31, 2026, allowing 30-day visits
• emphasized that the extension aligns with Malaysia's 2025 ASEAN chairmanship
and the preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
• The visa liberalization plan, initially introduced in 2023.

Russia Declares Federal Emergency Over Black Sea Oil Spill

• Russia declared a federal emergency over an oil spill caused by two
Russian tankers in the Black Sea.
• The tankers were hit by a storm
• Oil pollution refers to the contamination of water bodies, specifically
oceans, seas, or rivers, by oil or petroleum products.
• It typically occurs due to oil spills from accidents involving tankers,
offshore drilling rigs, pipelines, or other oil-related activities.
• Impact on Marine Biodiversity:
• Reduces insulation capacity of marine mammals The oil coats the feathers or fur of birds and the
fur of marine mammals, reducing their insulating properties and leading to hypothermia.
• It can also damage the gills of fish and other aquatic organisms, suffocating them or impairing their
ability to respire and reproduce.
• Destruction of Habitat:
• Harms sensitive habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves, and estuaries eg. Sunderbans

India Concerned as China to Construct World’s Largest Dam in Tibet

• The Chinese government has given its green signal to the construction of
the world’s largest dam on the river Yarlung Zangbo/Tsangpo (known as
the Brahmaputra in India) on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau.
• The project has raised concerns among environmentalists as it will lead to
the displacement of millions of people and the destruction of the natural
ecosystem in Tibet.
• It could seriously affect millions of people downstream in India and Bangladesh.
• The construction of a dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River was announced by China in 2020.
• It will be the world’s largest dam in the world overtaking the Three Gorges Dam built on the Yangtze
River in China.
• The total investment in the dam is over 1 trillion yuan (US$137 billion), making it the single largest
infrastructure project in the world.
• Currently, the world’s largest installed hydel power capacity is the Three Gorges Dam which was designed
to produce 88.2 billion kWh.

Concern of India
• The Yarlung Zangbo(Tsangpo) River enters India through the Namcha Barwa mountains.
• There is a concern that China will block or divert the flow of the river away from India.
• China by building the dam on the river could use it as a weapon against India.
• China by storing water can cause water scarcity in India. By suddenly releasing the water, China can create
massive floods in Arunachal, Assam, and Bangladesh.
• The Yarlung Zangbo River enters India in Arunachal Pradesh and China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is
part of its territory.

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About Brahmaputra River

• Brahmaputra River is one of the largest rivers in the world and originates in the Chemayungdung glacier of
the Kailash range near the Mansarovar lake, Tibet.
• It is known as the Yarlung Zangbo(Tsangpo) River in Tibet and covers a distance of 1200 km in Tibet.
• It enters Arunachal Pradesh near Namcha Barwa mountain foothills and is known as Siang or Dihang.
• In Assam, the Dibang or Sikang and Lohit rivers join Siang and then it is called Brahmaputra.
• The Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh near Dhubri.
• In Bangladesh, the Teesta River joins it and it is known as Jamuna.
• It finally merges with the river Padma (Ganga in Bangladesh) and forms the world’s largest delta before
falling into the Bay of Bengal.

PM Modi accorded a cermonial Guard of Honour at Bayan Palace in Kuwait

• On the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber
Al-Sabah, the Amir of Kuwait, PM Modi attended the opening
ceremony of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait as his ‘Guest of
Honour’.
• received a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Bayan Palace, Kuwait, in
the presence of Kuwaiti Prime Minister Mohammed Sabah Al-Salem
Al-Sabah.
• Kuwait is hosting the biennial Arabian Gulf Cup with participation from eight countries, including GCC
nations, Iraq, and Yemen. This football tournament is one of the most prominent sporting events in the
region.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-day visit to Kuwait
• This will be the first visit of any Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait after 43
years.
• He will also interact with the Indian diaspora at the 'Hala Modi' community
event at Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Sports Complex.
• The year 2021-22 marked 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic
relations between two countries.

• Capital: Kuwait City

• Currency: Kuwaiti dinar
• Kuwait is bounded to the west and north by Iraq, to the east by the Persian
Gulf, and to the south by Saudi Arabia.
• India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Kuwait in 1961.

PM Modi awarded Kuwait’s highest honour, the Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’,
the highest honour in Kuwait, by Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-
Jaber Al Sabah . This is the 20th international honour bestowed on Modi.
• The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer is a Kuwaiti knighthood awarded to Heads of
State, foreign sovereigns, and members of foreign royal families as a symbol of
friendship.

A vaccine for cancer: What Russian scientists have claimed?

• Russian scientists have developed an mRNA vaccine that has shown the
ability to suppress tumour development in pre-clinical trials.
• The vaccine can be “personalised” based on the genetic analysis of
each person’s tumour in less than an hour using artificial intelligence (AI)
to identify mutations called neoantigens.
• The individualised vaccines based on this information will train the body’s immune system to recognise and
target the cancer cells.
• Russians can get these “cancer shots” for free from early 2025.

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UN Secretary General Pays Tribute to Brigadier General Amitabh Jha

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has paid tributes to Brigadier
General Amitabh Jha of India, who was serving with the UNDOF at Golan
Heights
• Brigadier Jha was serving as Deputy Force Commander of the United
Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) from April 2023
• He recently served as acting Force Commander of UNDOF in complex
circumstances, following the fall of the Assad Government in Syria.
• UNDOF was established in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire and supervise
the disengagement of Israeli and Syrian forces

Nepal celebrates 101st birth anniversary of Jan-Andolan leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
• Nepal celebrates the 101st birth anniversary of the founding leader of the Nepali
Congress (NC), Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
• He is popularly known as Kisunji in the political sphere.
• Bhattarai twice served as the Prime Minister of Nepal, once heading the interim
government from 19 April 1990 to 26 May 1991, and then as elected Prime Minister
from 31 May 1999 to 22 March 2000.

Nepal hosts first International Balloon Festival in Pokhara

• Nepal’s tourism capital, Pokhara, has taken adventure tourism to new heights
with its inaugural International Balloon Festival.
• The nine-day event, running from December 24, 2024, to January 2, 2025

Science & Tech

ISRO’s PSLV-C60/SPADEX Mission
• India is set to take a major leap in its space programme with the launch of the
Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEX) on December 30, 2024 from the Satish
Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
• ISRO will deploy this mission using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60)
• SpaDEX will involve the launch of two identical satellites, the Chaser (SDX01)
and the Target (SDX02), each weighing approximately 220 kg.
• These satellites will be placed in a 470 km low-Earth circular orbit with a 55°
inclination.
The mission's objectives are:
• Demonstrating precision manoeuvres to rendezvous and dock the satellites.
• Validating the transfer of electrical power between docked spacecraft.
• Operating payloads post-undocking, with a mission life of up to two years.
• It positions India to become the fourth country globally to achieve advanced docking technology, after US,
Russia, China
• Launch vehicle: PSLV-C60.
• Orbit: 470 km circular orbit at a 55-degree inclination.
• Separation dynamics:
• Target and Chaser spacecraft will separate with an initial velocity difference to achieve 10-20 km
inter-satellite separation.
• Propulsion systems will be used to align both spacecraft into the same orbit, achieving Far
Rendezvous.
• Docking and demonstration: After docking, the mission will demonstrate electrical power transfer before
undocking for payload operations.

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NASA probe makes closest ever pass by the sun

• NASA’s pioneering Parker Solar Probe made history, when it flew closer to the sun than any other
spacecraft, with its heat shield exposed to scorching temperatures topping 930 degrees Celsius.
• Launched in August 2018, the spaceship is on a seven-year mission
• Launch Vehicle - Delta IV-Heavy with Upper Stage
• Became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona – the Sun’s
upper atmosphere – in 2021
• The mission objectives of the Parker Solar Probe are to study the
structure and dynamics of the Sun's corona, the Sun's magnetic field,
and the solar wind.
• To achieve this, the probe will make a total of 24 close approaches to the Sun over the course of its
mission, getting as close as 3.83 million miles from the Sun's surface, which is about 7 times closer than
any previous spacecraft.
• Parker Solar Probe and its instruments are protected from the Sun by a 4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite
shield, which can withstand temperatures reaching nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,377 Celsius).

Features:
• Mass: 685 kilograms at launch.
• Scientific Instruments:
1. Fields Experiment (FIELDS)
2. Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS )
3. Wide Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR)
4. Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP)

HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir Could Reach Poorest Nations by 2025-26

• Lenacapavir, a preventive HIV drug, could become accessible in low-income
countries by 2026.
• This injectable drug is already approved in the United States for multi-drug
resistant HIV treatment

Young Mammoth Discovered in Siberian Permafrost

• Russian scientists have revealed the remains of a 50,000-year-old baby
mammoth found in thawing permafrost in Siberia’s remote Yakutia region.
• Named “Yana” after the river basin where it was discovered, the mammoth is
said to be the “best-preserved” mammoth carcass ever found.
• Weighs over 100kg and is 120cm tall and 200cm long.

New ginger variety ‘IISR Surasa’ developed by ICAR-IISR

• ICAR – Indian Institute of Spices Research has released its new ginger variety for
commercial applications.
• Named IISR Surasa, the variety has been developed through a farmers participatory
breeding programme.
• It can produce up to 24.33 tons per hectare when grown scientifically.

What is Gympie-Gympie, the World’s Most Toxic Plant?

• Gympie-Gympie, an unassuming green plant which can “spark suicidal thoughts.”
• Dendrocnide moroides is commonly known as the Australian stinging tree.
• It is primarily found in rainforest areas of Australasia, the Moluccas, and Indonesia.
• The plant has hair-like needles all over its body, filled with powerful neurotoxin. feels both like electrocution
and burning — a sensation that can last for weeks, or even months.

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World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Lays First Egg at 74

• The world’s oldest known wild bird, a Laysan albatross named Wisdom, is around 74 years
old now, she has laid her 60th egg
• at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the northwestern Hawaiian Archipelago.

A Siberian Demoiselle crane, Sukpak, set a record by migrating over 3,676 km to

Rajasthan, India
• A tagged Siberian Demoiselle crane has made history by setting a new distance
record for migratory birds arriving in Rajasthan.
• The crane, known as Sukpak, flew an impressive 3,676 km to reach Khichan in the
Phalodi district, surpassing the previous longest recorded flight of 2,800 km for a
crane tagged in Mongolia.
• Khichan is India’s first reserve for Demoiselle cranes.
• It is the smallest crane species
• The bird holds cultural importance in India, where it is called Koonj or Kurjaa.

Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space launches ‘Astra View’ commercial satellite imagery

service
• ‘AstraView’ - a new commercial satellite imagery service designed to provide
continuous insights into Earth
• AstraView provides high resolution, real time satellite imagery and data to
support critical operations and help take informed decision making

High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) Observatory

• NEWS: Scientists at the HESS observatory in Namibia have found the
most energetic cosmic rays ever detected, reaching up to 40
teraelectronvolts.
• Since gamma rays cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere, H.E.S.S.
detects them indirectly via their interactions with the air molecules.
• The H.E.S.S. observatory is operated by a collaboration of more than 260 scientists from about 40 scientific
institutions and 13 different countries.

NCVET recognizes IN-SPACe as awarding body to boost vocational training in space sector
• The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), Ministry of Skill Development &
Entrepreneurship (MSDE), has officially recognized the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization
Center (IN-SPACe) as an Awarding Body (Dual).
• IN-SPACe’s recognition as an awarding body will help standardize and accredit its specialized training
programs - in areas such as Satellite Manufacturing, Space Technology in Agriculture, Mission Design for
Launch Vehicles, Orbital Mechanics, and Advances in Space Propulsion Systems.
• IN-SPACe operates as an autonomous agency under the Department of Space (DOS), dedicated to
promoting and enabling various space activities, including the development of launch vehicles and
satellites, and space-based services.

Ananth Technologies Limited becomes first private Indian satellite operator to

provide GSO communication satellite services
• The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-
SPACe) has announced Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL) as the
beneficiary of the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) enabling access to
Indian Orbital Resources for non-government entities (NGEs).
• Ananth Technologies Limited will undertake the end-to-end management of the project, which includes
the development, launch, and operation of a multi-beam high-throughput Ka band communication satellite.
• The project aims to bridge the communication gap in underserved regions of India, particularly in rural areas,
where access to reliable internet and telecommunications services is often limited.

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• Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, founder of Ananth Technologies Limited

• Pawan Goenka, chairman, IN-SPACe

China Opens its First Atmospheric Monitoring Station in Antarctica

• Located in the Larsemann Hills in East Antarctica, the Zhongshan National
Atmospheric Background Station began operating with the aim of
supporting the global response to climate change.
• China signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1983. The treaty designates the
continent as a natural reserve and prohibits commercial resource
extraction.
• Like the United States, China has been expanding its presence in Antarctica and in the Arctic to explore polar
resources.
• China in February opened its Ross Sea scientific research station in Antarctica. It also has five other
research stations in Antarctica that were built between 1985 and 2014.
• Currently, there are 70 permanent research stations scattered across Antarctica, representing 29 countries
from every continent
• India has two active research stations Maitri and Bharati in Antarctica. The first research station, Dakshin
Gangotri, set up in 1983, had to be abandoned

PSLV XL Proba-3 Launch: ISRO successfully launches ESA’s mission to study sun’s
corona
• ISRO successfully launched European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission
aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C59 rocket
• The four-stage PSLV-XL rocket (PSLV C59) lifted off from the Satish Dhawan
Space Center in the second attempt
• The Proba-3 (Project for Onboard Anatomy) consists of two satellites — Coronagraph (310kgs) and
Occulter (240kgs) — in which two spacecraft would fly together as one, maintaining precise formation down
to a single millimetre to study the Corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere.
• Proba-3 is the world's first precision formation flying mission. 'Probas' is a Latin word, meaning 'Let's try'.
• PSLV-C59 is a 44.5 metre tall rocket and is on its 61st flight and the 26th with the PSLV-XL variant which is
normally used to place heavy satellites.
• ISRO Chairman - S. Somanath V. Narayan (replaced Somnath on 13 Jan)
• Director General of the ESA - Josef Aschbacher

Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite launched aboard Vega-C rocket

• Sentinel-1C was launched from the European Spaceport in French
Guiana, onboard Vega C rocket operated by Arianespace
• Part of the European Copernicus programme, it will use advanced
radar technology to provide continuous imaging over land and sea,
day and night, and even through cloud cover.
• Copernicus Sentinel-1C was successfully placed into orbit at an altitude
of around 700 km above the Earth
• Sentinel 1C will synchronise with Sentinel 1A, which is already in
space.
About Copernicus Sentinel-1C
• The Sentinel-1 mission, the first in the family of Copernicus, is based on a constellation of two identical
satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart, to optimise global coverage and data delivery for
Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the EU’s Space Programme.
• Sentinel-1A was the first satellite in the series, launched in April 2014, followed by the launch of Sentinel-
1B in 2016.
• Sentinel-1B mission came to an end in August 2022

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In a first, IIA astronomers spot far UV emissions from novae in Andromeda galaxy
• Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have spotted far ultra
violet (FUV) emissions from novae for the first time in the neighbouring
Andromeda galaxy.
• IIA team used ultraviolet imaging telescope (UVIT/AstroSat) data
• AstroSat is India’s first dedicated space astronomy observatory and the UVIT is
one of the primary payloads which was developed by IIA.
• Launched on September 28, 2015 by the PSLV-C30 rocket from Satish Dhawan
Space Centre in Sriharikota

IIT Ropar Unveils New Bluetooth System

• The Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub (AWaDH)
at IIT Ropar revealed a new Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Gateway
and Node System, which is part of the National Mission on
Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), funded by
the Government of India.
• The system includes a built-in humidity and temperature sensor
• In agriculture, the BLE system monitors soil moisture and air quality.
This leads to improved farming practices. In logistics, it maintains
optimal conditions for perishable goods, reducing spoilage risks.
• Real-time data and alerts enable quick responses to changes in conditions.

Google Unveils Revolutionary Quantum Chip ‘Willow’

• The Willow can perform a standard benchmark computation in under
five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers 10
septillion (that is, 1025) years — a number that vastly exceeds the age of
the Universe
• Errors are one of the greatest challenges in quantum computing, since
qubits, the units of computation in quantum computers, have a
tendency to rapidly exchange information with their environment,
making it difficult to protect the information needed to complete a
computation.
• Typically the more qubits you use, the more errors will occur, and the system becomes classical.
• Willow can reduce errors exponentially as we scale up using more qubits.

Google Unveils ‘GenCast’ for Weather Forecasting

• Google’s DeepMind team recently launched GenCast, a new AI model that excels in weather prediction
• GenCast provides faster and more accurate forecasts, extending up to 15 days ahead.
• GenCast is what is called a “diffusion model”, similar to AI image generators. However, instead of taking text
and producing an image, it takes the current state of the atmosphere and produces an estimate of what it
will be like in 12 hours.

World’s first carbon-14 diamond battery

• Scientists at the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy
Authority (UKAEA) have developed the carbon-14 diamond
battery an extraordinary technology capable of powering devices
for thousands of years.
• Diamond Battery uses carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon,
which has a half-life of 5,700.
• Operates by harnessing energy from the radioactive decay of
carbon-14.
• The carbon-14 battery sits in a case of diamond which provides it with strength and resilience.

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Applications
• It can prove particularly helpful in healthcare where it can be used to power pacemakers, hearing
aids, and ocular devices. Patients won't need to replace batteries as the diamond battery can last
for years.
• The battery could also be used in extreme environments – both in space and on earth – where it is
not practical to replace conventional batteries.
• They can also prove to be of great help in space missions.

India sets up its first diabetes biobank in Chennai

• Aimed at facilitating advanced research on diabetes, the variations of the
Indian type and other related disorders, the Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research
Foundation (MDRF) has set up the country’s first diabetes biobank.
• This repository of population-based biological samples established in
Chennai will gather, process, store and distribute biospecimens (blood
samples) to assist scientific studies.

India’s Deep Ocean Mission’s Success: First Image of Active Hydrothermal Vent at 4,500 metre
• India’s ambitious Deep Ocean Mission has achieved a groundbreaking milestone with the discovery of an
active hydrothermal vent 4,500 meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean.
• In a joint effort by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and the National Centre for Polar and
Ocean Research (NCPOR), Indian scientists captured the first-ever image of an active hydrothermal vent in
the Indian Ocean.
Hydrothermal vents
• often described as underwater hot springs, form along mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates diverge.
• Magma from the Earth’s mantle rises, creating new crust and
volcanic mountain chains.
• Seawater seeps into the crust, heats up, and shoots back out,
carrying dissolved minerals that solidify into chimney-like structures
when they meet cold seawater.
• The first hydrothermal vent was discovered in 1977 on the
Galapagos Rift, but this is India’s first direct observation of such a
phenomenon.
• These vents produce rare minerals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese, essential for modern technology and
clean energy solutions.
• They host life forms that thrive without sunlight, relying on chemosynthesis—a process where organisms
convert inorganic chemicals like hydrogen sulfide into energy.

Deep Ocean Mission (DOM)

• It is an ambitious initiative of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) which aims to develop technologies
and capabilities for deep sea exploration.
• Also, DOM is one of nine missions under the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory
Council (PMSTIAC).
• Samudryaan and Matsya6000: As a part of DOM, India’s flagship deep ocean mission, Samudrayaan, was
initiated in 2021 by the Minister of Earth Sciences.
• With Samudrayaan, India is embarking on a groundbreaking crewed expedition to reach a depth of 6,000 m
to the ocean bed in the Central Indian Ocean.
• This historic journey will be accomplished by Matsya6000, a deep-ocean submersible designed to
accommodate a crew of three members.
• Varaha- India's Deep-Ocean Mining System: The National Institute of Ocean Technology, an autonomous
institute under MoES has conducted successful deep-sea locomotion trials using 'Varaha,' an underwater
mining system, at a depth of 5,270 meters in the central Indian Ocean.

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IIT-Madras launches research centre for next-gen Amoled displays

• Amoled (active-matrix organic light emitting diode) displays for smartphones,
tablets, watches and wearables.
• Inaugurated by S. Krishnan, secretary of MeitY
• The centre, funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), DRDO and Tata Sons, will work on a novel patterning technique to
lower the cost for display manufacture in the country.
• This Centre will support the nation's initiative to develop a semiconductor
industry in India

What is Glass Child Syndrome?

• The term “glass child” refers to siblings of children with chronic illnesses or
disabilities.
• These siblings often feel invisible, overshadowed by their sibling’s condition,
which has gained attention, denoting the emotional struggles faced by these
children.

Index
Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav releases India State of Forest Report 2023
• Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav
released the ‘India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023) at Forest Research
Institute, Dehradun.
• The ISFR is brought out by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) on a biennial basis
since 1987.
• The India State of Forest Report 2023 is 18th such report in the series.

MAJOR FINDINGS
• As per the present assessment, the total Forest and Tree cover is 8,27,357sq
km, which is 25.17 percent of the geographical area of the country.
• The Forest Cover has an area of about 7,15,343sq km (21.76%) whereas the Tree Cover has an area of
1,12,014 sq km (3.41%).
• As compared to 2021, there is an increase of 1445 sq km in the total forest and tree cover of the country
which includes- 156 sq km increase in the forest cover and 1289 sq km increase in tree cover.
• Top four states showing maximum increase in forest and tree cover are Chhattisgarh (684 sq km) followed
by Uttar Pradesh (559 sq km), Odisha (559 sq km) and Rajasthan (394 sq km).
• Top three states showing maximum increase in forest cover are Mizoram (242 sq km) followed by Gujarat
(180 sq km) and Odisha (152 sq km).
• Area wise top three states having largest forest and tree cover are Madhya Pradesh (85,724 sq km)
followed by Arunachal Pradesh (67,083 sq km) and Maharashtra (65,383 sq km).
• Area wise top three states having largest forest cover are Madhya Pradesh (77,073 sq km) followed by
Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km) and Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km).

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• In terms of percentage of forest cover with respect to total geographical area, Lakshadweep (91.33
percent) has the highest forest cover followed by Mizoram (85.34 percent) and Andaman & Nicobar Island
(81.62 percent).
• 8 states/UTs namely Mizoram, Lakshadweep, A & N Island, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya,
Tripura, and Manipur have forest cover above 75 percent.
• The total mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km in the country.
• The extent of bamboo bearing area for the country has been estimated as 1,54,670sq km.
• In the present assessment total carbon stock in country’s forest is estimated to be 7,285.5 million tonnes.
• There is an increase of 81.5 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last
assessment.
• Regarding status on achievement of target under NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) related to
carbon sequestration - as compared to the base year of 2005, India has already reached 2.29 billion tonnes
of additional carbon sink as against the target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030.

EC Releases Comprehensive Data on 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Female Participation Leads at 65.78%
• The Election Commission of India has released a comprehensive statistical reports for the Lok Sabha
elections 2024 and each of the simultaneous assembly elections held in four states namely Andhra Pradesh,
Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.
• As per the data, Lok Sabha Elections created world record with 646.4 million voters exercising their
franchise.
• 8,360 candidates contest elections as against 8,054 in 2019.
• Female voters stood at 65.78 per cent as compared to 65.55 per cent for male electors.
• A massive 46.4 per cent increase in third-gender electors from 2019.
• Over 10.58 lakh votes were not counted or rejected in the Lok Sabha election
• Only one Parliamentary constituency of Surat (Gujarat) was uncontested. BJP’s Surat Lok Sabha seat
candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed
• NOTA got 63,71,839 (0.99%) in 2024 compared to 1.06% in 2019.

Annual report: Crime in Telangana jumps by 22% in 2024

• Overall crime in Telangana jumped by 22.53% with a net increase of 31,165 cases, according to the annual
report released by Director General of Police (DGP) Jitender
• This 22.5% rise compared to 2023 highlights both increased reporting and rise in crimes such as cyber
fraud, thefts, and crimes against women.
• Cyber crimes surged dramatically in Telangana during 2024 - 43.33%.

India Ranks 39th in Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024
• According to the TTDI 2024 report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India is ranked 39th
among 119 countries.
• In the previous index published in 2021, India was ranked 54th (was adjusted to 38th place.)
Rank Country Score
1 United States 5.24
2 Spain 5.18
3 Japan 5.09
4 France 5.07
5 Australia 5.00
6 Germany 5.00
7 United Kingdom 4.96
8 China 4.94
9 Italy 4.90
10 Switzerland 4.81
39 India 4.25

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IIT Delhi leads India in QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025

• The QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education experts, today released the third edition of the ‘QS
World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025’.
• The top place has been bagged by IIT Delhi this year (globally 171th rank) which saw an improvement of 255
ranks, followed by IIT Kharagpur at 202 rank globally, an improvement of 147 ranks, and the third rank has
been taken by IIT Bombay with an improvement of 69 ranks (global rank 234).
• A total of 78 Indian universities feature in the 2025 QS Sustainability rankings, with nine of the top 10
institutions in the country improving their ranking this year
Rank in 2025 2024 Change Institution
India Ranking Ranking
1 171 426 255 Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
2 202 349 147 Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)
3 234 303 69 Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
4 245 522 277 Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
5 277 344 67 Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
6 299 220 -79 University of Delhi
7 376 505 129 Indian Institute of Science
8 396 449 53 Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)
9 401 576 175 Manipal Academy of Higher Education – Manipal
University (MAHE)
10 412 496 84 Anna University

Top 10 Indian institutions in the Environmental Impact category

Institution Environmental Impact Rank
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) 55
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) 87
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) 101
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) 113
Indian Institute of Science 179
Jadavpur University 189
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) 204
University of Delhi 244
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) 268
Jawaharlal Nehru University 323

Universities from India scored better in the Knowledge Exchange and Employability and Outcomes lenses.
Institution Knowledge Institution Employability and
Exchange Outcomes Rank
Rank
University of Delhi 121 Indian Institute of Technology 116
Delhi (IITD)
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) 161 Indian Institute of Technology 116
Bombay (IITB)
Indian Institute of Technology 197 Indian Institute of Technology 130
Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi 218 Indian Institute of Technology 191

(IITD) Madras (IITM)
Manipal Academy of Higher 227 Indian Institute of Technology 267
Education – Manipal University Kanpur (IITK)
(MAHE)

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Indian Institute of Technology 241

Bombay (IITB)
SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND 244
TECHNOLOGY

Global rankings
2025 Rank 2024 Rank Institution Country
1 1 University of Toronto Canada
2 18 ETH Zurich Switzerland
3 8 Lund University Sweden
3 2 University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States
5 189 UCL United Kingdom

India Emerges as Prime Global Target for Mobile Malware Attacks

• According to a recently published Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024
Mobile IoT and OT Threat report by the cloud security
company Zscaler Inc.
• India has emerged as the most targeted country for mobile
malware attacks globally (28%), surpassing the United States
and Canada.
• The Report analysed security attacks by hackers on mobile and IoT/OT from June 2023 to May 2024.
• Malware, or malicious software, is a type of programme or file that steals data and damages or destroys
the computer and its system. Cybercriminals or hackers use malware.
• Common types of malware are computer viruses, worms, spyware, Trojan horses, and ransomware.
• With nearly half of mobile attacks being trojans (malware that tricks users into downloading and running
malicious software), the financial sector is particularly vulnerable.
• On a positive note, India has improved its ranking as a malware origin point, moving from 5th to 7th place
in the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region.

IndiGo Ranks Among Worst Airlines Globally in AirHelp 2024 Report

• According to the report, India's IndiGo Airlines ranks 103rd out of 109
airlines, making it one of the worst performers.
• Tata's Air India - at 61st.
• AirAsia: 94th
• At the top of the list, Brussels Airlines has been named the best airline,
followed by Qatar Airways, United Airlines
• However, the airline disputes the findings, citing concerns over the
report's methodology and lack of transparency regarding the Indian sample size.
• IndiGo maintains high rankings in India’s DGCA data for punctuality and low customer complaints. It holds
a 61.3% market share in India, with over 7.25 crore passengers in 2024.
• The AirHelp Score report, which gathers data from over 54 countries, evaluates airlines based on a
combination of punctuality, customer claims, and passenger satisfaction.

International Debt Report (IDR) 2024

• World Bank’s "International Debt Report 2024" highlights a worsening debt crisis for developing
nations, with 2023 marking the highest debt servicing levels in two decades, driven by rising interest rates
and economic challenges.
• LMICs Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face external debt challenges. In 2023, their debt
reached US$8.8 trillion, largely due to pandemic-related borrowing for economic recovery.
• Factors Driving Indebtedness
• High Interest Rates: Tight monetary policies in high-income countries pushed interest rates to a 20-year
high.

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• Bangladesh and India experienced over 90% increases in interest payments in 2023.
• Other Factors: Inflation, depreciating currencies, and global economic uncertainty due to armed conflicts
and trade fragmentation.
• Impact of rising debt: Budget strain impacted critical sectors like health, education, and environmental
programs.

More than 77% of earth's land became drier in last 30 years: United Nations report
• The report, launched at the 16th conference of the UNCCD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• More than 77% of Earth’s land experienced a drier climate during the three decades leading up to 2020,
compared to the previous 30-year period,” according to a report released by the U.N. Convention to
Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• During the same period, global drylands expanded by approximately 4.3 million square kilometres — an
area nearly a third larger than India — now covering more than 40% of the Earth's land.
• The report, warned that if efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions fail, another 3% of the world's humid
areas are projected to transform into drylands by the end of this century.
• Areas particularly hard-hit by the drying trend include around 96% of Europe, parts of the western U.S.,
Brazil, Asia and central Africa.
• South Sudan and Tanzania have the largest percentage of
land transitioning to drylands, with China experiencing the
largest total area shifting from non-drylands to drylands
• About half of the world's dryland inhabitants are located
in Asia and Africa.
• The most densely populated drylands are in California,
Egypt, eastern and northern Pakistan, large parts of India
and northeastern China.

Indian cuisine declared 12th best in the world by Taste Atlas

• In Taste Atlas’s prestigious list of the 100 Best Cuisines in
the World for 2024-25.
• The top five cuisines in the world were Greek, Italian,
Mexican, Spanish, and Portuguese.
• Indian dishes in the 50 Best Dishes in the World:
• Murgh Makhani: Ranked 29th
• Hyderabadi Biryani: Ranked 31st

Elon Musk becomes the first person to reach a net worth of $400 billion
• The SpaceX and Tesla owner has become the first person to hit a net
worth of $400 billion.
• According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth hit $447
billion last month.
• Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world is
worth around $250 billion – a whopping $150 billion less than Musk
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg comes in third with $224 billion

India Skills Report 2025

• Published by Wheebox in collaboration with esteemed organizations such as the All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Association of Indian
Universities, highlights India’s growing potential as a global talent hub.
• The India Skills Report is an annual initiative designed to Assess Employability, Track Skill Trends, Promote
Global Mobility
• Nearly 55 per cent of Indian graduates are expected to be globally employable in 2025, up from 51.2 per
cent in 2024

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• India’s National Employability stands at 54.8% indicating a significant pool of talent scoring above 60% on
the Wheebox Global Employability Test (GET) with
• Maharashtra leading with 84% employability followed by Delhi (78%), Karnataka (75%)
• Male employability is slightly higher (53.47%) than female (46.53%)
• Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh emerging as top states with male
employable resources
• Rajasthan leads in female employability followed by Gujarat and Kerala.
• Kerala is one of the top States favoured for employment, alongside Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar
Pradesh.
• 93.22% of users expressed strong interest in internships with Tamil Nadu showing the highest preference
for internships, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka.

Smuggling in India Report 2023-24

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has released the annual ‘Smuggling in India – Report 2023-24’
report.
Key Highlights of report
• DRI seized 1319 kg of gold, with land and air route contributing 55% and 36% of seizures respectively.
• Quantity of cocaine smuggled into India, primarily through airports, increased by 9%.
• DRI seized illegal wildlife products, particularly elephant tusks (~53 kg).
Why India is prone to Smuggling?
• Geographical location: Proximity to major drug-trafficking routes e.g. Death crescent (Afghanistan, Iran,
Pakistan), Death triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand) etc.
• Extensive border: porous land boundaries, difficult terrain, and presence of ~7500 km coastline, makes them
difficult to monitor.
• High domestic demand: Cultural affinity for Gold, rising youth population and demand of narcotics etc.
makes India a lucrative market.
• Economic factors: Differences in tax structures, pricing, etc. encourage smuggling.
E.g. cheaper Gold in Dubai, Bangkok

Donald Trump Named TIME's 2024 Person of the Year

• The news magazine had previously bestowed the "Person of the Year" title to
Trump in 2016 after his first presidential election victory.
• Pop star Taylor Swift received the title last year.

ICRA ESG Ratings Report : India ranks 6th with 127 companies committed to net-zero
targets
• India ranks 6th globally in corporate climate action, with 127
companies committed to science-based target initiative or
SBTi net-zero targets, and these companies are primarily from
non-hard-to-abate sectors like textiles, software, and
pharmaceuticals, stated a report by ICRA ESG (Environmental,
Social, and Governance) Ratings
• Out of these 127 companies with net-zero commitment from
India, around 7 per cent belong to high emissions sectors like
construction materials and mining
• While India ranks sixth, the United Kingdom leads globally with the highest number
of companies committed to SBTi net-zero targets.
• In contrast, China, despite being the largest emitter, has a lower share of companies with such
commitments.

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WHO’s World Malaria Report 2024

• South-East Asia Region contributes about 1.5% of the burden of malaria cases
globally and India accounted for about half of all estimated cases in 2023,
followed by Indonesia
• since 2000 the WHO South-East Asia Region has made remarkable progress
against malaria and estimated malaria cases in the region fell from 22.8 million
in 2000 to 4 million in 2023 – a reduction of 82.4%.
• Together, India and Indonesia accounted for about 88% of malaria deaths in the
Region
• Approximately 95% of the deaths occurred in the WHO African Region, where
many at risk still lack access to the services they need to prevent, detect and treat
the disease.
• As of November 2024, 44 countries and one territory had been
certified malaria-free by WHO, and many more are steadily
progressing towards the goal.

About Malaria
• It is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium
parasites, transmitted to humans through the bites of
infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• Geographical prevalence: Mostly found in tropical countries.
• Symptoms: Fever, chills and headache, fatigue etc.
• Five Plasmodium species cause malaria in humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, P. knowlesi.
• P. falciparum and P. Vivax pose the greatest threat.
• Malaria Vaccines: RTS,S/AS01 vaccine (WHO approved first vaccine in 2021), R21/Matrix-M (WHO approved
second vaccine in 2023 ).

World's Richest Families 2024: Waltons top with $432.4 bn, Ambanis at no. 8
• The Bloomberg list of the world’s richest families for 2024 reveals significant wealth disparities among the
global elite. The Walton family, which owns Walmart, tops the list,
Family Wealth (Billion USD)
1. Waltons (Walmart) 432.4
2. Al Nahyan (UAE) 323.9
3. Al Thani (Qatar) 172.9

NITI Aayog releases Report on ‘SAFE’ for Affordable Worker Housing to Boost Manufacturing Growth
• NITI Aayog released a report on “S.A.F.E. Accommodation - Worker Housing for manufacturing growth”.
• This comprehensive report explores the crucial role of secure, affordable, flexible, and efficient (S.A.F.E.)
accommodations for industrial workers in boosting India’s manufacturing sector.
• It identifies key challenges, offers actionable solutions, and highlights the pivotal interventions required to
scale up such housing facilities across the country.
• In the Union Budget 2024-25, the Hon’ble Finance Minister emphasized the importance of rental housing
with dormitory-style accommodations for industrial workers.
• This initiative, to be executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with Viability Gap Funding
(VGF) support and commitments from anchor industries, underscores the government’s commitment to
addressing a critical component of India’s manufacturing ecosystem.
• India is poised to elevate its manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP from the current 17% to 25% as
part of its long-term vision of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047
• According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, India needs to generate 7.85 million jobs annually until 2030 to
sustain its economic growth trajectory.

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Why S.A.F.E. Accommodation Matters ?

• The report identifies several benefits:
• Enhancing Workforce Productivity and Retention
• Attracting Global Investments
• Aligning with Global Labour Standards

3 Indians in Forbes’ 2024 Power Women List

• Forbes has recently unveiled its 2024 list of The World's 100 Most Powerful
Women, featuring three Indian trailblazers:
• Nirmala Sitharaman (Rank 28 overall)
Position: Finance Minister of India
• Roshni Nadar Malhotra (Rank 81 overall)
Position: Chairperson of HCL Technologies and CEO of HCL
Corporation
• Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Rank 82 overall)
Position: Founder and Chairperson of Biocon

Top 5 Women In That List (2024)

1. Ursula von der Leyen – President of the European Commission
2. Christine Lagarde – President of the European Central Bank
3. Giorgia Meloni – Prime Minister of Italy
4. Claudia Sheinbaum – President of Mexico
5. Mary Barra – CEO of General Motors

'Arctic Report Card’ 2024

• A recent report titled the 2024 Arctic Report Card by the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveals that the
Arctic, once a major carbon sink, is now becoming a carbon source
due to ongoing climate-induced warming.
• What are the Key Findings of the Report?
• The Arctic’s summer of 2024 was the third warmest on record, with
regions like Alaska and Canada experiencing extreme heat waves.
• Permafrost thaw is causing the Arctic tundra to switch from a carbon sink to a carbon source.
• Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity, releasing more carbon and extending the wildfire
season.
• The extent and thickness of sea ice have reduced significantly over the past decades.
• The reindeer or caribou are in decline due to climate change affecting Indigenous communities reliant on
them for food and cultural practices.

What is the Arctic?

• The Arctic is the northernmost polar region of Earth. It includes the
Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Alaska (US), Canada, Finland,
Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden.
• The Arctic is characterized by its cold climate, with temperatures often
dropping below freezing.
• India’s @ Arctic Region: India engaged with the Arctic by signing
the Svalbard Treaty in 1920.
• India began its Arctic research program in 2007, and launched its first
scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean and established the Himadri
research base in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway in 2008.
• India has held observer status in the Arctic Council since 2013.
• In 2022, the Indian government announced an Arctic policy aimed at engaging in climate research.
• The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research will be the nodal agency for its implementation.

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