1. Rajnath Singh launches ‘Soul of Steel’ Alpine Challenge
Tags: Defence National News
To promote tourism in border areas, the defence minister Rajnath Singh launched the “Soul of Steel" Alpine Challenge on 14 January.
An overview of the news
Rajnath Singh also flagged off the 460 km long car rally 'Road to the End', a joint operation by the Indian Army and CLAW.
The rally will reach its destination in the Garhwal Himalayas near Niti village in Chamoli district in the next three days.
A team of Indian Special Forces veterans with multiple expertise in CLAW, mountaineering, skydiving, SCUBA diving, unarmed combat, multi-terrain survival techniques and emergency medical response will lead the challenge.
About ‘Soul of Steel’ challenge
It will test the high altitude endurance of an individual and will initially feature 12 Indian participants and six international teams between the ages of 18 and 30.
This challenge will run for three months.
It is being organised by CLAW Global, a conglomerate of giants.
The Indian Army is supporting the adventure challenge.
It is modelled on the lines of the 'Ironman Triathlon', a long distance triathlon held in Europe that tests a person's physical abilities.
The initiative aims to enable life skills training and youth development.
This is also expected to give a boost to the global promotion of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand.
2. Piyush Goyal launched MAARG portal for startup mentorship
Tags: Economy/Finance National News
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal launched the MAARG platform (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) on 16 January.
An overview of the news
The portal would facilitate mentorship between startups and entrepreneurs across sectors, stages, and functions.
It will allow startups to connect with mentors and discuss their mentorship needs.
Startups can connect with academics, industry experts, successful founders, seasoned investors and others to receive personalised mentorship, clarity and practical advice on growth strategy.
Objectives of the MAARG Portal
To provide guidance and support to startups throughout their life cycle.
To establish a formal and structured platform that facilitates matchmaking between mentors and startups at large across diverse sectors.
Establishing a result-oriented mechanism that allows tracking of the progress of the mentor-startup engagement.
Key Functions of MAARG Portal
Tracking mentor and startup interactions to deliver impact.
Enabling video calls and communication through the platform.
Mobile friendly interface for ease of use.
Communicate recognition and benefits of mentor contributions.
Facilitate ecosystem supporters to host friendly events.
Providing feedback, query and complaint mechanism.
3. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal hands over 9th to 10th century Nataraja idol to Archaeological Department official in Chittorgarh Fort
Tags: place in news National News
Union Minister of State for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal has handed over the 9th to 10th century Nataraja statue to the Archaeological Department of Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan.
The statue, which dates back to the 9th to 10th centuries, was stolen from the Shiva temple at Badoli in Chittorgarh district in 1998 and sold to a museum in London.
After a long legal process, in the year 2020, it was successful in bringing this statue to India from a private museum in London.
Now this statue will be kept under the protection of the Archaeological Survey Department in Kumbha Mahal.
From the year 2014 till now, 229 idols of ancient importance have been brought back to India by the Government of India.
On this occasion, the Union Minister of State for Culture, Arjun Ram Meghwal has also assured the construction of a ropeway on the Chittorgarh Fort and to connect Chittorgarh with the Bharatmala Yojana.
Chittorgarh Fort
Chittorgarh fort is the largest fort in India. It is located in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan.
Chittor was the capital of Mewar.
Chittor Fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 21 June 2013.
This fort was built by the Mauryan dynasty king Chitrangad Maurya in the seventh century.
4. Startup India Innovation Week 2023
Tags: Economy/Finance Important Days National News
The 'Startup India Innovation Week' was organised by the 'Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade' (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry from January 10 to 16, 2023. 'National Startup Day' is also celebrated on 16 January.
An Overview of the news
The main objective of organising the Startup India Innovation Week is to engage the stakeholders of the startup ecosystem in the country and to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in India.
In this, knowledge sharing sessions are organised for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs.
The sessions also included stakeholders from the startup ecosystem such as government officials, incubators, corporates and investors.
As a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, various startup related events were organised at more than 75 locations across the country to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation by engaging the startup community across the country.
These include dedicated workshops for women entrepreneurs, training of incubators, mentoring workshops, capacity building workshops, startup pitching sessions, etc.
National Startup Awards
To celebrate the National Startup Day, DPIIT organised a felicitation ceremony for the winners of the National Startup Awards, 2022 on January 16.
The felicitation ceremony recognized and rewarded the excellence displayed by startups and ecosystem enablers across various sectors, sub-sectors and categories.
World's 3rd Startup Ecosystem in India
In the last few years, India has emerged as a 'hotspot' for startups. India has the third largest startup ecosystem in the world with 108 unicorns.
There were 471 startups in the country in 2016, which increased to 86,456 in 2023. There has been an astonishing growth of over 15,000% in the number of startups in India in 6 years.
There were more than 100 unicorns in the country as of 5 May 2022, with a total valuation of $332.7 billion.
Startup India Programme
The Startup India campaign was launched on 16 January 2016. DPIIT has recognized more than 75 thousand startups to coincide with the 75th year of independence.
DPIIT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently launched the MAARG portal.
In this portal one can get an opportunity to connect with experts, industry experts, successful startup founders, investors as well as world class mentors and experts.
In addition, under India's G20 chairmanship, Startup20 Engagement Group has been established. The establishment of Startup20 Engagement Group will encourage innovations and recognize the role of startups in the changing global landscape.
5. SPIC MACAY and Ministry of Culture collaborates for 'Music in the Park' series under “Shruti Amrut”
Tags: National News
SPIC MACAY organizes its very popular 'Music in the Park' series this year under the name “Shruti Amrut” in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the New Delhi Municipal Council.
An overview of the news
In this series, the first event of 2023 was held on 15 January in Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
The concert began with a sarod performance by Aman Ali Bangash, the 7th generation musician of the Senia Bangash Gharana. Accompanied by Anubrata Chatterjee (tabla) and Abhishek Mishra (tabla).
This was followed by a Hindustani recital by Padma Bhushan Begum Parveen Sultana of Patiala Gharana, accompanied by Akram Khan (Tabla), Srinivas Acharya (Harmonium) and Shadab Sultana (Vocals).
About SPIC MACAY
SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture among Youth) is a non-political, nationwide, voluntary organization.
It was founded in 1977 by Dr. Kiran Seth, Professor-Emeritus at IIT-Delhi, who was awarded the 'Padma Shri' in 2009 for his contribution to the arts.
It enriches the quality of formal education by raising awareness about various aspects of Indian heritage and inspiring young minds to imbibe the values inherent in it.
In 2011, SPIC MACAY was awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award for its contribution to youth development.
6. Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum begins at Davos in Switzerland
Tags: Summits International News
The five-day annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) begins on 16 January 2023 in Davos, Switzerland. It is the 53rd edition of the World Economic Forum which will be organised till 20 January 2023.
An Overview of the news
The theme of the meeting of the 53rd edition of the World Economic Forum is 'Cooperation in a Fragmented World'.
The main topics of discussion in the meeting are likely to be discussed like the Ukraine crisis, global inflation, climate change etc.
Prominent global leaders participating in the meeting
Global leaders attending the meeting include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, South African President Cyril M. Ramaphosa, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yol, Swiss President Alain Berset and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin etc. are the main ones.
Representation of India in the meeting
Many Indian leaders are participating in the World Economic Forum meeting. Apart from Chief Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnav, Mansukh Mandaviya, Smriti Irani and RK Singh, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is also participating in these.
Prominent business tycoons like Gautam Adani, Sanjiv Bajaj, Kumar Mangalam Birla, N Chandrasekaran, Nadir Godrej, Sajjan Jindal, Sunil Mittal, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Nandan Nilekani, Adar Poonawalla, Rishad Premji attended the meeting.
World Economic Forum (WEF)
WEF is a Swiss non-profit organisation.
Establishment: 1971
Headquarters: Cologny (Switzerland).
Founder and Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab.
Chairperson: Borge Brende
Major reports published by WEF
Global Gender Gap Report
Global Risk Report
Global Travel and Tourism Report
Energy Transition Index (ETI)
Global Competitiveness Report
7. Entire country to be covered by doppler weather radar network by 2025
Tags: Science and Technology National News
Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh on 15 January informed that by 2025, the entire country will be covered by Doppler weather radar network so that extreme weather events can be predicted more accurately.
An overview of the news
The accuracy of the meteorological department's forecast regarding severe weather has improved by about 40 per cent in the last eight to nine years.
In this sequence, by 2025, there will be a Doppler radar network across the country. The number of Doppler radars in the country has increased from 15 in 2013 to 37 in 2023.
India will set up 25 more radars in the next two to three years, taking the number to 62.
Speaking on the occasion of the 148th Foundation Day of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minister said with the improvement in forecasting, the disaster-related death rate has come down to single digit.
IMD commissioned four Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. This will strengthen the weather monitoring capabilities in the Western Himalayan region.
These were installed at Surkanda Devi in Uttarakhand, Jot and Murari Devi in Himachal and Banihal Top in Jammu and Kashmir.
What is Doppler Weather Radar?
It is a special type of radar that uses the Doppler effect to generate velocity data about objects at a distance.
It is designed to improve accuracy in long range weather forecasting and monitoring using a parabolic dish antenna and a foam sandwich spherical radome.
What is Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging)?
It is a device that uses electromagnetic waves in the microwave region to detect the location, height, intensity, and speed of moving and non-moving objects.
What is the Doppler effect?
It refers to the change in wave frequency during the relative motion between a wave source and its observer.
It was discovered by Johann Doppler, who described it as a process of increasing or decreasing the luminosity of stars depending on the relative motion of the star.
8. PM announces ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project to provide medical supplies to developing nations
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project on 13th January under which India will provide essential medical supplies to developing countries affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
An overview of the news
Under this project, India will provide essential medical supplies to any of the developing countries affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
PM announced at the Concluding Session of the two-day virtual ‘Voice of Global South Summit’.
India will launch the Global South Science and Technology Initiative to share its expertise in areas like space technology and nuclear energy.
India will also set up a ‘Global South Center of Excellence’ for research on development solutions which can be scaled up and implemented around the world.
PM Modi also suggested a Global South Young Diplomats Forum that would help connect young officials with foreign ministries.
During the Covid pandemic, India's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative supplied vaccines made in India to over 100 countries.
9. PM Modi flags off Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam Vande Bharat Express train
Tags: National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of Pongal on 15 January, virtually flagged off the Vande Bharata Express train connecting Secunderabad with Vishakhapatnam.
An overview of the news
This is the 8th Vande Bharata Express which will cover a distance of about eight hours between Secunderabad in Telangana and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
The intermediate stops envisaged for the train include Warangal, Khammam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry.
This will lead to ease of living, boost tourism and benefit the economy.
In the last few years, seven Vande Bharat trains have covered a distance of 23 lakh kms, carrying 40 lakh passengers to their destinations.
The state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Express can accelerate to 100 kmph in just 52 seconds.
Name of all 8 Vande Bharat Express train
Varanasi-New Delhi,
Katra-New Delhi,
Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar,
Amb Andaura - New Delhi
Chennai - Mysuru
Nagpur - Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh)
Howraha-New Jalpaiguri
Secunderabad-Visakhapatnam
About Vande Bharat Express Train
The first Vande Bharat Express was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 February 2019.
These trains have a self-propelled engine which can save diesel and reduce electricity usage by up to 30%.
The first Vande Bharat Express was manufactured by Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai.
It was manufactured under the ‘Make in India’ programme, at a cost of about Rs 100 crore.
These trains can achieve a maximum speed of 160 kmph.
In the Union Budget for 2022-2023 the government has proposed the development and manufacture of 400 new Vande Bharat trains in the next three years.
10. Best Agripreneurs honoured on National Youth Day
Tags: Awards National News
On the occasion of National Youth Day, 82 best Agripreneurs trained under Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business (AC&ABC) scheme were hounered for their significant contribution through Agri-Clinic and Agri-business services to the farmers.
An overview of the news
The Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Scheme is a mega flagship scheme of the Government, which was launched by the Government of India in April 2002 in collaboration with NABARD.
It aims to transform unemployed youth into self-employed agri-entrepreneurs through 45 days free residential training in different parts of the country along with access to loans and subsidies from banks.
The scheme is being implemented by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Hyderabad through a network of 136 Nodal Training Institutes (NTIS) spread across all states.
