Renowned Odia poet Prativa Satpathy will be honored with the prestigious Gangadhar National Award for Poetry 2023 by Sambalpur University on its 58th foundation day, January 5. The award includes a citation, a shawl, and a ₹1,00,000 cash prize.
Pakistan has begun its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, marking its eighth term on the council. The term started on January 1, 2025, and will conclude on December 31, 2026.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has released the 'Comparative Study of School Education System' (SES) report, which examines India's education system alongside those of countries like the USA, UK, China, Sweden, and Australia.
China is experiencing a rise in cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV), particularly impacting children and the elderly. HMPV, a respiratory virus akin to the flu, spreads through respiratory droplets, close contact, and contaminated surfaces. Human metapneumovirus is a negative-sense single-stranded RNA virus, first isolated in 2001 in the Netherlands. It was identified during the process of identifying unknown viruses growing in cultured cells.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, launched the book Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Through the Ages: A Visual Narrative of Continuities and Linkages in New Delhi. Published by the National Book Trust, this work documents India’s geo-cultural unity, counters myths of disunity, and highlights Kashmir’s 8,000-year history.
National Sports Awards 2024: Recognizing Excellence in Indian Sports
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2024, which will be awarded by the President of India. These awards consist of six categories, recognizing exceptional sportspersons, coaches, and organizations.
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024 was awarded to Gukesh D (Chess), Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey), Praveen Kumar (Para-Athletics), and Manu Bhaker (Shooting) for their outstanding performances over a period of four years.
Other awards include:
1) Arjuna Award
2) Arjuna (Lifetime) Award
3) Dronacharya Award (For coaches)
4) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (Awarded to the top-performing university in the Khelo India University Games)
5) Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar (Recognizes organizations or individuals for their contribution to sports promotion and development over the past three years).
The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme was launched on January 1, 2025, with the objective of providing Indian students, faculty, and researchers access to international research journals. The initiative has been allocated ₹6,000 crore for the years 2025, 2026, and 2027.
This scheme aims to benefit 1.8 crore individuals across 6,300 government-managed higher education institutions and central research institutions. Through ONOS, over 13,000 scholarly journals from 30 major international publishers across diverse disciplines will be made available.
The scheme's primary goal is to ensure equitable access to research resources, particularly for institutions in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. ONOS is part of India’s broader vision to become a leading global research power by 2047 and is being implemented by INFLIBNET under the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Sai Paranjpye will be honored with the prestigious Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the 10th edition of the Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF) 2025. The festival will be held from January 15 to 19, 2025, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
India recently submitted its Fourth Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the UNFCCC, outlining its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory for 2020 and significant efforts to mitigate emissions.
The report highlights that India's GHG emission intensity of GDP decreased by 36% from 2005 to 2020, progressing toward its 2030 target of a 45% reduction. Sector-wise emissions were led by Energy (75.66%), followed by Agriculture (13.72%), Industrial Processes (8.06%), and Waste (2.56%).
The breakdown of GHGs included CO2 (80.53%), methane (13.32%), and nitrous oxide (5.13%).
India's non-fossil fuel capacity reached 46.52%, with renewable power growing to 203.22 GW. Additionally, afforestation efforts absorbed 2.29 billion tonnes of CO2 between 2005 and 2021, with forest and tree cover now comprising 25.17% of the country's geographical area. These efforts align with India's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
NITI Aayog recently celebrated a decade of its establishment, marking its foundation on January 1, 2015, through a resolution of the Union Cabinet, replacing the Planning Commission.
Chairperson: The Prime Minister of India.
Governing Council: Includes the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers of all States and UTs with legislatures, Lt. Governors of other UTs, Ex-Officio Members, Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, Full-Time Members, and Special Invitees.
Regional Councils: Constituted to tackle specific regional issues and challenges affecting multiple states or regions.
CEO: Appointed by the Prime Minister for a fixed tenure, with the rank equivalent to a Secretary to the Government of India.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has recently invited Requests for Proposals from Indian users for 220MWe Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) in both Brownfield and Greenfield projects.
These BSRs, based on India’s PHWR technology, are compact nuclear reactors with a capacity of up to 220 MWe. They are in line with the global trend of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which have capacities ranging from less than 30 MWe to over 300 MWe.
The Ministry of Defense has declared 2025 as the "Year of Reforms," with a focus on modernizing the Armed Forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of conducting multi-domain integrated operations.
One of the key areas identified is the establishment of Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs), which will enhance jointness and integration across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. These tri-service commands will address security challenges within designated geographic areas.
The reforms will also focus on emerging technologies, particularly in the Cyber and Space domains, along with advancements in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and Hypersonics to ensure the force remains future-ready.
Additionally, the modernization drive includes facilitating technology transfer and knowledge sharing through an easier business environment and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Southern Western Ghats in Kollam, Kerala, recently hosted a faunal survey that focused on various species, including birds, butterflies, odonates (dragonflies and damselflies), and other wildlife.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently provided clarification in its guidelines regarding the usage of Methylcobalamin in health supplements, medical purposes, and nutraceutical products under specific conditions.
FSSAI had initially banned Methylcobalamin in 2016 but lifted the ban in 2021, although it has yet to officially notify the updated stance.
Methylcobalamin is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B12, which can be sourced from supplements as well as foods like fish, meat, eggs, and milk. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in DNA synthesis, red blood cell (RBC) production, and neurological function.
Other forms of vitamin B12 include cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin.
Methylcobalamin helps regulate vital bodily functions such as cell multiplication, blood formation, and protein synthesis. It is commonly used for alleviating pain in diabetic neuropathy, treating anemia, and managing conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
The Supreme Court recently stated that while the right to property is no longer a fundamental right, it remains a constitutional and recognized human right.
Originally, the right to property and compensation for acquisition were protected as Fundamental Rights under Articles 19(1)(f) and 31 of the Constitution.
However, following the 44th Constitutional Amendment in 1978, the right to property was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights and became a constitutional right under Article 300A.
Building on the success of the first Composite Ecological Task Force (CETF) for the Ganga, the Indian Army has formed a new company for the revitalization of the River Gomti. The CETF, consisting of ex-servicemen, supports the efforts of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to reduce pollution in the River Ganga.
The Gomti River originates at Gomath Taal (also called Fulnar Jheel) near Madhotanda in Pilibhit district, Uttar Pradesh. It is a tributary of the River Ganga, merging with it in Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh. Some of its tributaries include the Kathina and Sai rivers. Major cities along the Gomti include Lucknow and Jaunpur.
Recently, researchers from IIT Guwahati developed an innovative injectable hydrogel for targeted breast cancer therapy. The newly developed hydrogel, made of protein-based ultra-short peptides, remains stable at the injection sites by being insoluble in body fluids.
These peptides are both biocompatible and biodegradable, ensuring safety and effectiveness in medical applications.
Hydrogels are water-based, three-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining fluids. Their unique structure closely mimics living tissues, making them highly suitable for various biomedical applications, including drug delivery and tissue engineering.
IIT Madras has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare on Project VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources).
VISTAAR is designed as a "Network" of Networks (AI-augmented), where each state can build its own Agri-Advisory network. It is a comprehensive platform that connects decentralized databases to offer seamless access to crucial agricultural resources.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, in its annual report for 2023-24, highlighted a new cyber fraud known as the "pig butchering scam" or "investment scam." This scam is a global phenomenon involving large-scale money laundering and, in some cases, cyber slavery.
It is a form of confidence and investment fraud where the victim is gradually lured into making increasing monetary contributions to what appears to be a legitimate investment opportunity. Eventually, the scammer disappears with the contributed funds. Scammers typically target unemployed youths, housewives, students, and other vulnerable individuals.
The Government of India has constituted an 18-member Working Group to revise the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23. The WPI has undergone seven revisions to date, with base years being 1952-53, 1961-62, 1970-71, 1981-82, 1993-94, 2004-05, and 2011-12.