1 Well-known Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagatguru Rambhadracharya will be given the 58th Jnanpith Award.
Well-known Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagatguru Rambhadracharya will be given the 58th Jnanpith Award . Gulzar is known for his work in Hindi cinema and is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of the era. Jagatguru Rambhadracharya in Chitrakoot is the head of Tulsi Peeth and is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, teacher and author of over 240 books and texts . The selection committee headed by Jnanpith Awardee Pratibha Rai selected this year’s Jnanpith Award winners. The prestigious Jnanpith Award, instituted in 1944, is awarded every year for outstanding contribution to Indian literature.
2 India rises five places in democracy index
The Democracy Index 2023 report on the state of democracy in the world has been released by the Economist Intelligence Unit . India has reached 41st position in the index with an improvement of five points compared to last year. Its rank in the year 2022 was 46th. In this index, countries have been placed in four categories : Full Democracy, Flood Democracy, Hybrid Regime and Authoritarian Regime . Norway, New Zealand and Iceland topped the index, while North Korea, Myanmar and Afghanistan have taken the bottom three positions. India has been placed on this list of fledgling democracies that have shown promising economic growth and reflect a shift in global economic power. It has been placed at 41st position with a score of 7.8. Neighboring country China has been ranked at 148 with a score of 2.12. It has been placed in the authoritarian regime category. At the same time, the condition of democracy in Pakistan is from bad to worse. Pakistan has been put in the authoritarian regime category. Earlier it was in hybrid regime. Pakistan is the first country in Australia and Asia region to be placed in this category. This ranking has been given to Pakistan in view of interference in the election process and independence of the judiciary and inaction of the government.
3 60th Munich Security Conference: Dr. S. Jaishankar to address the discussion on ‘Growing the Pie: Seizing Shared Opportunities’
External Affairs Minister Dr. Subramaniam Jaishankar is participating in the 60th Munich Security Conference in Germany . Dr. Jaishankar’ will address a panel discussion on ‘ Growing the Pie: Seizing Shared Opportunities ‘. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will also participate in this discussion. On the sidelines of the conference, Dr Jaishankar discussed important global, regional and bilateral cooperation issues with key leaders including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and UK Secretary of State David Cameron.
4 GSLV-F14/ INSAT-3DS funded by Ministry of Earth Sciences successfully launched
Satellite INSAT-3DS was successfully launched by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) from Satish Dhawan Space Center at Srihari Kota , Andhra Pradesh on GSLV-F14 launch vehicle , fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). INSAT-3DS will augment the country’s meteorological (weather, climate and ocean related) services with the existing INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR in-orbit satellites. The newly launched INSAT-3DS satellite aims to enhance monitoring of the Earth’s surface, atmosphere, oceans and environment, enhance capabilities in data collection and dissemination and satellite-aided search and rescue services. This initiative will promote observations and services related to India’s weather, climate and ocean, expand knowledge and further promote better disaster mitigation and preparedness in the future. INSAT-3DS is India’s fourth weather satellite that will operate for ten years and collect data on various aspects of climate change.
5 World Bank aided programs INSPIRES launched in Sikkim
Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang recently launched Sikkim Inspire , a collaboration between the state government and the World Bank. , a collaborative effort between . The main objective of this initiative is to promote economic growth and inclusion in the state. This marks the first direct partnership between the state government and the World Bank. The program will involve nine government departments over the next five years to create an ecosystem for economic prosperity. Emphasis will be laid on cooperation and capacity building in various sectors.
6 UP government increased Kanya Sumangala Yojana grant
Uttar Pradesh Women Welfare Department announced a substantial increase in the grant under ‘ Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana ‘ on the orders of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath . The annual grant per beneficiary has been increased from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 from this April. Launched in the year 2019 , Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana is a major initiative of the Women Welfare Department in Uttar Pradesh. The initiative aims to address the diverse challenges faced by girls in Uttar Pradesh and promote their well-being right from birth throughout their educational endeavours.
7 First child-friendly police station inaugurated in Maharashtra’s Dhule district
The first child-friendly police station was inaugurated in Dhule district of Maharashtra . It was conceptualized by District Collector Abhinav Goyal and District Women and Child Development Officer Rajendra Birari. To provide a safe and entertaining environment to the children visiting the police station premises, child-friendly paintings have been painted on the wall of one of the rooms in the police station.
8 Indian Air Force conducts air power exercise in Pokhran, Rajasthan
Indian Air Force ‘s demonstration exercise Vayu-Shakti at Pokhran near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan was held at . The exercise showcased the offensive and defensive capabilities of the Air Force during day and night. This time a joint operation was performed with the army in the exercise. It showcased seamless coordination between the two branches of the armed forces.
9 ISRO announces Young Scientist Program 2024 (Yuvika)
Children and youth have a fascination for space and the universe . They are very curious and want to know everything about all the astronomical processes. To address this strong curiosity of young minds, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is organizing a special program called “ Young Scientist Programme ” ( YUVICA ) for school children . The main objective of this initiative is to provide basic knowledge on space science, space technology and space applications to young students in the innovative trends in space science and technology. ISRO has designed this program with the symbol “Connect the Youth”. The program was successfully organized in the year 2019, year 2022 and year 2023 with the participation of 111, 153 and 337 students representing each state and union territory of India respectively. The students were divided into five batches based on geographical locations and were assigned to Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), UR Rao Satellite Center (URSC), Space Applications Center (SAC), National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC), North Eastern Space Applications Training was imparted at Center (NESAC), Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) SHAR and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS). ISRO has announced Yuvika-2024. The registration process for Yuvika-2024 will be conducted from 20 February to 20 March 2024.
10 South Indian Bank wins Technology Bank of the Year award
South Indian Bank has won the prestigious title of Best Technology Bank of the Year Award at the 19th IBA Annual Banking Technology Conference , Expo and Citation . The bank’s notable achievements were recognized with a total of six prestigious awards, including three wins, one runner-up position and two special mentions.
11 India presides over the 62nd session of the Social Development Commission
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj recently chaired the 62nd session of the Commission for Social Development , a remarkable moment in international cooperation on social development issues. Held from 5-15 February, the session focused on strengthening global cooperation to tackle serious societal challenges, a priority that aligns with the broader objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
12 MIB revises National Film Awards regulations: Indira Gandhi and Nargis Dutt’s names removed from awards category
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has revised the National Film Awards Regulations and made significant changes including renaming the awards, merging the categories and increasing the prize money. In a notable update, the names of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and renowned actress Nargis Dutt will no longer be linked . With specific award categories, as was done before. The decision was revealed in the rules of the 70th National Film Awards 2022, which were notified on Tuesday. Earlier known as the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film, the category will now be known simply as “Best Debut Film of a Director”. This change marks a significant departure from the tradition established in 1984, when the award was named in memory of former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi following her death. The award category previously known as the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration has not only undergone a name change but has also expanded its scope. It will now be recognized as “Best Feature Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values”, effectively merging aspects of national integration, social issues and environmental protection into a single category.
13 Haryana inaugurates ‘Van Mitra’ scheme to promote green cover
In an important step towards environment protection , Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar inaugurated the ‘ Van Mitra ‘ scheme and its associated portal. This innovative initiative is designed to promote community participation in afforestation efforts, especially targeting non-forest areas across the state. The scheme aims to empower local communities to play an active role in expanding the green cover of the state , thereby increasing the survival rate of newly planted trees and promoting plantation of trees outside traditional forest areas.
14 Serum Institute of India tops as most valuable unlisted firm in India
Serum Institute of India (SII) led by Adar Poonawalla has recently achieved the coveted title of India’s most valuable unlisted company with a valuation of Rs 1.92 lakh crore as per the prestigious Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 list . This achievement highlights the important role of SII not only in promoting innovation in healthcare but also in shaping the economic trajectory of the country. Compiled by Burgundy Private, the private banking business of Axis Bank, and Hurun India, the Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 showcases the most valuable non-state-owned companies in India. National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), led by Ashishkumar Chauhan, took the second position with a value of Rs 1.65 lakh crore.
15 India won 3 gold in the 11th Indoor Athletics Championship in Iran.
India won 3 golds on the first day of the 11th Asian Indoor Athletics Championship in Tehran , the capital of Iran . Tajinder Pal Singh set a national record by winning gold in shot put . Harmilan Bains won gold in women ‘s 1.5 thousand meter race . Jyoti Yarraji broke her personal and national record by winning gold in women’s 60 meter hurdles . Jyoti won the gold medal in the women’s 60 meter hurdles race by improving her own national record by timing 8.12 seconds . She defeated Asuka Tereda of Japan in the final. The Asian Indoor Championships is an event held every two years.
