The world’s largest Mahamrityunjay Yantra was installed in Maha Kumbh

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1 The world’s largest Mahamrityunjay Yantra was installed in Maha Kumbh

The world’s largest and most magnificent Mahamrityunjay Yantra  has been installed   in  Prayagraj Mahakumbh . This Mahamrityunjay Yantra is 52 feet long, 52 feet wide and 52 feet high  . Through this Mahamrityunjay Yantra, wishes are being made for the safe and successful completion of Mahakumbh, blessings of Lord Bholenath on the millions of devotees coming here and for their good health and long life. Along with the installation of the Yantra, Mahamrityunjay Yagya is being performed here round the clock. Thousands of devotees are coming here daily to offer sacrifices in the Yagya and to have darshan of Mahamrityunjay Yantra.

2 First astronomical observatory of eastern India inaugurated in Bengal

East India’s first and the country’s sixth astronomical observatory  under  the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of  Science & Technology, Union  was  inaugurated  at Panchet Hill in Garpanchkot area  of  ​​Purulia district  of  West Bengal  . It is the sixth such observatory in India after Ladakh, Nainital (Uttarakhand), Mount Abu (Rajasthan), Gurbani Hills in Pune and Kavalur in Tamil Nadu. The observatory set up at Garpanchkot Hills   is named after  the renowned scientist Satyendra Nath Bose . The observatory has been set up by the Kolkata-based Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences  . Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sidhu Kanu Birsa University, Purulia to run the observatory and share resources. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences was established in 1986 by the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India. It is a leading scientific research and development institution in the field of basic sciences in the country.

3 India test fired anti-drone micro missile system Bhargavastra

The indigenously developed  micro missile system Bhargavastra  was successfully tested at  Gopalpur Seaward Firing Range  on January 12 and 13.  The Indian Army’s Air Defence and Guided Missile School and Centre  is located in  Gopalpur, Odisha . The micro missile system has been developed to counter the threat of swarm drone attack  . The successful tests were conducted in the presence of senior Army officials. However, Bhargavastra has not been inducted into the Indian Army yet as the system has to undergo further trials and the Government of India will take a final decision on whether to induct it or not after the system is approved by the Army. Bhargavastra has been developed by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), a subsidiary of Nagpur-based Solar Group.

4 Maha Kumbh 2025: ‘One Plate, One Bag’ campaign launched

 With an aim to make  Maha  Kumbh  2025 eco-friendly , the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has launched the   “ One Plate, One Bag ” campaign. The aim of this initiative is to make this world’s largest religious event plastic-free. Under the campaign , cloth bags and steel plates and glasses  are being distributed, which will be used as an alternative to plastic. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti and the first ‘Amrit Snan’ (January 14) of Maha Kumbh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister  Yogi Adityanath  greeted the devotees and appealed to adopt eco-friendly practices.

5 Government launches app to promote battlefield tourism

 In a significant initiative to connect  citizens with the gallant history of India’s armed forces  , the Government has launched the  “ Bharat Rannbhoomi Darshan ” app and website  in conjunction with Army Day celebrations  in   Pune, Maharashtra on January 15, 2025. Jointly developed by the Ministries of Defence, Tourism and Indian Army, the app allows citizens to visit major battlefield locations,  including  the wars of 1962, 1971 and 1999, and important conflict zones such as Siachen Base Camp and Galwan Valley  . The effort aims to transform border areas into tourist hubs, giving citizens an opportunity to connect more closely with India’s military history and the sacrifices of its soldiers.

6 NPCI partners with Magnati to expand UPI adoption in UAE

NPCI  International Payments Limited (NIPL)the international arm of  India’s National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)  , has partnered with UAE-  based fintech company  Magnati  . The partnership aims to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions in the UAE for Indian travellers. The collaboration will integrate UPI into the UAE’s payments ecosystem, allowing Indian visitors to use their preferred payment method without any hassle.

7 Odisha-Singapore MoU: Fintech Hub launched in Bhubaneswar

The Electronics and IT Department  of   the  Government of Odisha  has partnered with  the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN)  of  Singapore  to set up  a  Global Competence Centre in Bhubaneswar  . The collaboration aims  to promote  innovation in InsurTech and related sectors , in line with India’s vision of   “ Insurance for All ” by 2047.  The MoU was signed during the official visit of Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to Odisha on January 17, 2025.

8 RBI allows foreign banks to open accounts in Indian rupees

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)  has  authorised overseas branches  of  designated banks to open Indian Rupee (INR) accounts for non-residents  . The initiative is aimed at promoting the global use of the Indian rupee in cross-border transactions and investments. Non-residents can now use the balances in their INR accounts to settle transactions with other non-residents, thereby promoting the use of the Indian rupee in international trade. Indian exporters are allowed to open accounts abroad to receive export proceeds and use these funds to pay for imports, enhancing operational flexibility and reducing currency conversion costs.

9 Both the men’s and women’s teams of India created history by winning the title in the first Kho-Kho World Cup

The Indian women’s and men’s teams  have  won the  Kho-Kho World Cup 2025  title. Both the women’s and men’s teams won the title by defeating Nepal in the final  . Both these matches were held in New Delhi on Sunday. In the men’s final, the Indian team defeated Nepal 54-36, while the women performed brilliantly and defeated the Nepal team by a huge margin of 78-40. This was the first edition of the Kho-Kho World Cup, which was supported by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). 20 men’s and 19 women’s teams participated in it.

10 Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen and An Se-young won the men’s and women’s singles titles at the Open Super badminton tournament

Olympic champions Viktor Axelsen  and  An Se-Young  won  the men’s and women’s singles titles at the India Open Super badminton tournament  . Axelsen defeated Hong Kong’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 21-16, 21-8. In women’s singles, An Se-Young easily defeated P Chochuwong 21-12, 21-9.  Malaysian pair Goh Se Fei and Nur Izzuding,  who ended the winning streak of  India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in the semi-finals  , performed brilliantly and defeated Korean pair Kim Won Ho and Seo Seung Jae 21-15, 13-21, 21-16 in the men’s doubles final.