1. ASI discovers two 1200-year-old miniature stupas at Nalanda
Tags: National News
The Patna Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has discovered two 1200-year-old miniature stupas during landscaping activities near the Sarai Tila mound within the complex of the world heritage site 'Nalanda Mahavihara' in Nalanda district of the state.
An overview of the news
The figures of Buddha are shown on the stupa carved out of stone.
These stupas carved out of stone depicting figures of Buddha are about 1200 years old.
Such stupas were popular as votive offerings in India as early as the 7th century.
About the Stupas?
The stupa is a hemispherical structure symbolising the burial mound of the Buddha.
It rose to prominence after the advent of Buddhism and reached its peak during the reign of Ashoka.
Stupas evolved from chortens in Tibet and pagodas in East Asia.
Nalanda Mahavihara site complex
Nalanda was a Mahavihara, a large Buddhist monastery in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (modern Bihar) in India.
It is considered by historians to be the world's first residential university and one of the largest centres of learning in the ancient world.
It was established during the Gupta Empire period.
2. China’s population drops for first time since 1961
Tags: International News
The biggest decline in the population of China has been recorded after the year 1961. Negative population growth has now started in China. The death toll in China is more than the number of children born.
An overview of the news
According to the China’s National Bureau of Statistics China’s population declined by roughly 850,000 to 1.41175 billion at the end of 2022.
In China, 9.56 million people were born in 2022, while 10.41 million people died.
China's birth rate last year was just 6.77 births per 1,000 people, down from 7.52 births in 2021, the lowest ever.
The number of Chinese women of childbearing age, which the government defines as 25 to 35, has declined by nearly 4 million.
This has caused domestic demographers to worry that China will grow old before it gets rich, slowing the economy as revenues decline and increasing government debt as health and welfare costs rise.
Impact of the One Child Policy
The main reason for China's population decline is the one-child policy implemented between 1980 and 2015.
Additionally, higher education in China is very expensive, which has prohibited many Chinese people from having more than one child.
The fundamental reason why women do not want children is the failure of society and men to take responsibility for raising children.
China's strict zero-covid policies that were in force for three years have further damaged the country's demographic outlook.
Local governments have introduced measures to encourage people to have more children from 2021, including tax cuts, longer maternity leave and housing subsidies.
3. Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority signs MoU with SBI
Tags: Economy/Finance National News
Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA) signed a memorandum (MoU) of understanding with State Bank of India to help farmers in getting low interest rate loans on 16 January.
An overview of the news
The objective of the MoU is to provide information on the benefits to the depositors besides carrying out further activities to improve agricultural finance in India.
It is envisaged that the product will have far reaching consequences with regard to acceptance of e-NWRs (electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt) among small and marginal farmers.
Combined with the inherent security and negotiability of the e-NWR system, the Produce Marketing Loan will go a long way in improving rural liquidity and increasing farmers income.
Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA)
WDRA was constituted on 26 October, 2010 under the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007.
It is a Statutory Authority under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
The Authority has its Headquarters in New Delhi.
The Authority consists of a Chairperson and two Members appointed by the Central Government.
4. UN declares Pakistan based Abdul Rehman Makki a global terrorist
Tags: International News
On January 17, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) listed Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist.
An overview of the news
He has been declared a 'global terrorist' under UNSC's ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.
In June 2022, India criticised China for blocking the resolution of sanctions under the Sanctions Committee, also known as the UNSC 1267 Committee.
Makki has already been listed as a terrorist by India and the United States for his involvement in fundraising, recruiting and radicalising youths to plan attacks in India, especially Jammu and Kashmir.
Who is Abdul Rehman Makki?
Makki is the brother-in-law of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
He heads the political affairs of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and also plays a role in raising funds for Lashkar's operations.
The US government has placed a reward of $2 million on Abdul Rahman.
According to the US State Department, in 2020, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted Makki on a terrorism financing count and sentenced him to prison.
He is also a militant of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and has been designated as a terrorist by India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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
