1. 18th Raising Day of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
Tags: Important Days
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The Raising Day of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is celebrated every year on January 19.
An overview of the news
This year the 18th Raising Day of NDRF has been celebrated.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
NDRF was established in the year 2006 under the 'Disaster Management Act, 2005' with 6 battalions.
It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Presently NDRF has 12 battalions, three each from BSF and CRPF and two each from CISF, SSB and ITBP and each battalion has 1149 members.
Role of NDRF:
Providing prompt assistance in natural and man-made calamities.
To establish coordination between different security agencies involved in relief and rescue operations.
Safe evacuation of people from the disaster area and distribution of relief materials, etc.
Director General of NDRF - Atul Karwal
2. National Startup Day 2023
Tags: Important Days
In order to promote and encourage new businesses in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on 15 January 2022 that every year 16 January will be celebrated as 'National Startup Day'.
An Overview of the news
In the year 2022, India celebrated the first 'National Startup Day'.
No specific theme has yet been chosen for the celebration of this day.
This year, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, several events were organised at over 75 locations in the country with an aim to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation by involving the startup community.
These range from dedicated workshops for women entrepreneurs, training for incubators, and mentorship workshops to stakeholder round tables, capacity building workshops, startup pitching sessions, etc.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry have organised 'Startup India Innovation Week' from January 10 to 16.
3. Startup India Innovation Week 2023
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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.
4. Indian Army Day
Tags: Important Days
Army Day is celebrated in India every year on 15 January in the memory of the soldiers and the Indian Army.
An overview of the news
This year India is celebrating its 75th Army Day.
This year, on the occasion of Army Day, for the first time, a parade has been organised outside Delhi in Bengaluru.
The day provides an opportunity to showcase Indian military capabilities including various weapon systems like K9 Vajra Self-Propelled Gun, Pinaka Rocket, T-90 Tank, BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Tunguska Air Defense System, 155mm Bofors Gun, Swati Radar.
Why is it celebrated on 15 January?
On January 15, 1949, Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
M. Cariappa is one of only two Indian Army officers to hold the five-star rank of Field Marshal, the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.
Army Day is celebrated every year to honour the soldiers of the country, who have set the greatest example of selfless service and brotherhood and laid down their lives for the country.
Indian Army
The Indian Army was established about 127 years ago by the British on April 1, 1895.
The Indian Army traces its origins to the armies of the East India Company, which later became the 'British Indian Army' and eventually, after independence, the Indian Army.
The country's last British Commander-in-Chief was Francis Roy Butcher.
The Indian Army is one of the most powerful forces in the world competing with superpowers like Russia, America and China.
5. 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presided over the Armed Forces Veterans Day celebrations on January 14, 2023 at Jaswant Maidan, Dehradun Cantonment.
An overview of the news
He also launched a car sports initiative 'Soul of Steel Alpine Challenge' from Dehradun to Gamshali located in Niti Valley.
He dedicated to the nation the Shaurya Sthal developed by the Uttarakhand War Memorial Trust.
This year the event is being celebrated by the three service headquarters at nine locations across the country – Jhunjhunu, Jalandhar, Panagarh, New Delhi, Dehradun, Chennai, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar and Mumbai.
During the event, ex-servicemen were honored with medals/souvenirs/certificates of recognition etc.
Armed Forces Veterans Day
Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated on 14 January. On this day in 1953, the first Indian Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army, Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa formally retired from service.
Cariappa led the Indian Army in the 1947 war.
This day is celebrated as Armed Forces Ex-Servicemen Day and this day is dedicated to the respected ex-servicemen.
The day was first observed on January 14, 2016 and it was decided to celebrate the day every year by hosting such interactive programs in honor of the Armed Forces Veterans and their next of kin.
6. National road safety week
Tags: Important Days
National Road Safety Week is celebrated every year from 11 to 17 January by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
An overview of the news
The purpose of celebrating this week is to make people aware of road safety.
During National Road Safety Week, various organisations and groups come together to educate the public about the consequences of careless or reckless driving.
The National Road Safety Week was started in 1989.
The Central Government had approved the National Road Safety Policy on March 15, 2010, based on the recommendation of the Sundar Committee.
This year the theme of National Road Safety Week has not been announced. Last year its theme was 'Road Safety - Jeevan Raksha'.
Some initiatives taken by the Government of India for road safety
MoRTH participated in the '3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety to achieve the Global Goal 2030' held in Sweden in the year 2020 where a target was set to achieve zero road accident death in India by the year 2030.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 has been implemented under which penalties have been increased for traffic violations, faulty vehicles, juvenile driving etc.
7. National Youth Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year January 12 is celebrated as National Youth Day in India. The day is celebrated to mark the birthday of Swami Vivekananda.
An overview of the news
The theme of National Youth Day 2023 is "Developed Youth - Developed India".
The National Youth Festival was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 12 in Hubli-Dharwad, Karnataka.
National Youth Festival is organised every year to inspire the talented youth of the country towards nation building as well as to provide the message of universal brotherhood of Indian culture at national and international level.
Background of the day
The announcement to celebrate National Youth Day was made by the Government of India in the year 1984.
The celebration of Youth Day in India was started in 1985.
International youth day
International Youth Day was started by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1999. For this, the United Nations General Assembly had passed resolution 54/120.
International Youth Day was celebrated for the first time on August 12, 2000.
Swami Vivekananda
Swami Vivekananda was born on January 12, 1863 and his childhood name was Narendra Nath Dutt.
He was a chief disciple and monk of Ramakrishna Paramahansa.
He introduced the Indian philosophy of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world.
He earned global fame at the Chicago World Religion Conference in the year 1893 and it was only through this that Indian spirituality was propagated globally.
Vivekananda had established Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math.
8. 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
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Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated every two years on 9 January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India.
An overview of the news
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the three-day 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention and a digital exhibition on the contribution of overseas Indians in the freedom struggle in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
He also released a commemorative postage stamp 'Go Safe, Go Trained'.
The theme of the Convention is "Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India's Progress in the Age of Amrit".
About Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
On January 9, 1915, this day was chosen as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa.
Mahatma Gandhi led India's freedom struggle and changed the lives of Indians forever.
Celebration of Pravasi Diwas started in India in 2003.
In the year 2015 it was revised and it was decided to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas every two years.
The 16th Pravasi Divas Conference was held in New Delhi with the theme "Contribution to Self-reliant India".
This day marks the contribution of the overseas Indian community in the development of India.
9. World Hindi Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year on January 10, World Hindi Day is celebrated with the aim of spreading awareness about Hindi language among the people all over the world and presenting Hindi as an international language.
An overview of the news
Theme of World Hindi Day 2023 - 'Making Hindi the language of public opinion, without forgetting the importance of their mother tongue.'
Background of the day
The first World Hindi Conference was held at Nagpur on 10 January 1975 with delegates from 30 countries.
In memory of this conference, the Government of India had decided to celebrate January 10 as World Hindi Day from 2006.
How is World Hindi Day different from Hindi Day?
Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on 14 September as Hindi was recognized as the official language on this day.
On September 14, 1949, the Constituent Assembly gave Hindi language the status of the official language of India.
Other information related to Hindi, the official language of India
The Hindi language derives its name from the Persian word 'Hind', which means 'the land of the Indus River'.
It is the official language of India, English being the other official language.
Hindi is also a language included in the Eighth Schedule.
According to Article 343, the official language of the Union will be Hindi in Devanagari script.
Article 351 is related to 'Directions for the development of Hindi language'.
10. World Braille Day 2023
Tags: Important Days
World Braille Day is celebrated on 4 January of every year around the world and it also marks the birth anniversary of Braille’s inventor Louis Braille.
Important facts
This day is very important for blind people because on this day, Louis Braille, who brought light to the lives of the blind, was born.
It was Louis Braille who gave birth to the Braille script, due to which today blind people are also able to read and write and are moving forward.
Thus it is a perfect day to recognise his efforts.
The day also recognizes that people with visual impairments are equally entitled to the same standards of human rights as all others.
Background of the day
By passing a resolution on 6 November 2018, the United Nations General Assembly decided to celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille, the father of Braille script, on 4 January every year as 'World Braille Day'.
World Braille Day was celebrated for the first time on 4 January 2019.
According to a report by the World Health Organization of the United Nations, about 39 million people are blind in the world and about 253 million people are suffering from some kind of eye problem. Braille script is very helpful for such people.
What is a Braille script?
Braille is a system of reading and writing by touch used by the blind.
It consists of an arrangement of dots that form the letters of the alphabet, numbers and punctuation marks.
It was first developed by a young Frenchman named Louis Braille in the late 1820s.
He created Braille by modifying a system of night writing that was intended for military use.
Braille devices help blind people to recognize letters easily.
There is a wide range of electronic devices to meet the needs of blind people and these devices use different technologies to transmit different types of graphic information such as pictures, maps, graphs, text etc.
