India’s largest startup incubator to be built at Hubballi
i.Indian-American entrepreneur, philanthropist and venture capitalist Gururaj Deshpande has decided to launch India’s largest startup incubation centre at Hubballi (earlier Hubli) in Karnataka.
ii.The decision is based on the idea of expansion of the Deshpande Foundation’s initial incubation center, Sandbox, which was founded by Deshpande and his wife Jaishree in 2008.
INSAT-3DR to map farm fires in Haryana, Punjab
i.INSAT-3DR works in tandem with INSAT-3D, operational since 2014, in sending raw data and high-resolution images, zoomed up to 1 kilometre near the earth's surface, every 15 minutes.
ii.Next generation satellite INSAT-3DR has opened new frontiers in India's weather forecasting and is set to equip the country with the ability to detect farm fires, which intensifies air pollution in the northern region seasonally, leaving Delhi gasping for breath.
iii.A team of the Satellite Meteorology Division of India Meteorological Department (IMD), housed in New Delhi's Mausam Bhawan, has amassed a huge tranche of data relayed by it over the past few months, at an average rate of a whopping 142 GB per day.
AP Singh is interim head of Postal Bank
i.India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), floated by the postal department, has received Reserve Bank of India’s final nod to commence commercial operations.
ii.The Centre has appointed AP Singh, who was earlier Joint Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, as the interim Managing Director and CEO of IPPB.
Ex-HC judge Vishwanath Shetty sworn in as Karnataka Lokayukta
i.Former HC judge Justice P Vishwanath Shetty was administered the oath of Karnataka Lokayukta office by governor Vajubhai R Vala.
ii.The post had remained vacant since Y Bhaskar Rao stepped down in December 2015 following bribery scandal. Shetty's appointment was cleared by governor.
Gokaldas Exports to set up manufacturing units in Chittoor district
i.Gokaldas Exports has entered in to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Government for setting up four apparel manufacturing units in Chittoor district over next three years.
ii.The company plans to invest up to Rs. 200 crore which is likely to generate approximately 5,000 new jobs.
France's Iris Mittenaere wins Miss Universe 2016
i.Miss France Iris Mittenaere was crowned Miss Universe 2016 at the Mall of Asia Arena . Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar won second runner-up.
ii. Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier won first runner-up. Flo Rida and Boyz II Men gave musical performances during the Miss Universe pageant.
SC appoints former CAG chief Vinod Rai as BCCI chief
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday appointed former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) chief Vinod Rai as BCCI chief, along with noted historian Ramachandra Guha and IDFC MD & CEO Vikram Limaye as administrators of the sport body.
IMD to Set up Weather Stations in 660 Districts by 2019
i.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided to set up weather stations in 660 districts of the country for better and prompt weather forecasting with major focus on rain-fed and non-rain-fed areas to give crop specific advisories.
ii.The system would be launched in phased manner. Initially, IMD has planned to set up the system in 130 districts and gradually increase it to 660 by 2019. The plan will be taken at block level after successful functioning at district level.
Nitin Gadkari Announces to Develop 1,253 km road in Assam as National Highways
i.The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Roadinaugurated a 3-lane Brahmaputra Bridge at Saraighat in Guwahati .
ii.As a part of the event, the Minister announced that the government would spend Rs 15,000 crores to develop 1,253 kilometres of roads in Assam into National Highways over the next few years.
Inheritance Court for Non-Muslims to be Set up in Abu Dhabi
i.The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has issued a resolution to set up a Personal Status and Inheritance Court for non Muslims in Abu Dhabi.
ii.The aim of setting up the Court is to ensure access to services for all segment of the society and promote the culture of tolerance and acceptance of other communities values at the judiciary level.
India’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Rises by $ 932.4 million to $ 360.775 billion
i.The Reserve Bank of India on January 29, 2017 informed that the Foreign Exchange Reserves of India rose by 932.4 million dollars to 360.775 billion dollars for the second consecutive week ended January 20.
ii.In the previous week, India’s forex reserve increased by 687.9 million dollars to 359.843 billion dollars.
Abul Hossain Wins 2017 Kolkata Marathon
i.Siliguri lad Abul Hossain won the Kolkata Marathon as amateur runners from north Bengal and Northeast India dominated the first edition of the meet here.Hossain won the race with a timing of two hours 34 minutes and two seconds to leave Kolkata lad Biswanath Pal second, five minutes behind.
ii. Paritosh Roy finished third with a timing of two hours, 52 minutes 48 seconds.Sikkim's Mangali Tamang won the women's half marathon with a timing of one hour 31 minutes and 13 seconds.
PV Sindhu wins Syed Modi International badminton tournament
i.Indian shuttler PV Sindhu won the Syed Modi International Grand Prix Gold after beating Indonesia's Gregoria Mariska in the final.
ii.The Rio Olympics silver medalist eased past her opponent in straight sets, 21-13, 21-14. India's Sameer Verma also won the tournament in men's singles category after defeating compatriot Sai Praneeth in straight sets, 21-19, 21-16.
Federer has won over ₹680 crore in tournament prize money
i.Switzerland's Roger Federer became the second player in tennis history after Novak Djokovic to crossing $100 million (over ₹680 crore) in tournament earnings after winning the Australian Open.
ii.The eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Federer has amassed over $100 million, earning almost $2.8 million overcoming Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final.
Hollywood Legend & Harry Porter actor John Hurt dies at 77
Sir John Hurt, the British actor who starred in The Elephant Man and Harry Potter, John Hurt dies at 77died on January 25, 2017 at his residence in Norfolk, London due to Cancer. He was 77.
14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas convention begins in Bengaluru
i. The 14th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) convention has begins in Bengaluru. The three-day event will kick start with the Youth PBD, the theme of which is 'Role of Diaspora Youth in the Transformation of India'. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has been held traditionally on 9th January every year to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi as a Pravasi from South Africa to India.Three plenary sessions are scheduled to be held in Youth PBD. First will be on reaching out to Indian Students abroad, NRIs and overseas Indian Community Students in India. Second will be on Start-ups and Innovations and 3rd on Start-up ecosystem in Karnataka.
All India Conference of Waqf Boards begins
i. The All India Conference of Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of States and Union Territories' Waqf Boards begins in New Delhi.The conference will be inaugurated by Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.Various issues, including review of progress under the schemes relating to grant of financial assistance for computerization of waqf properties, strengthening of waqf boards and development of waqf properties by National Waqf Development Corporation Ltd. will be discussed during the conference.
Japan to Help in Developing Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi Smart Cities
i. Japan has decided to be associated with the development of Chennai, Ahmedabad and Varanasi as smart cities. This was conveyed by Japan’s Ambassador to India Mr.Kenji Hiramatsu during his meeting with Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu.
Per capita income of Indians to cross Rs 1 lakh in FY17
i. India’s per capita income, a gauge for measuring living standard, is estimated to cross Rs 1 lakh in 2016-17, up from Rs 93,293 in the previous fiscal. As per the ‘First Advance Estimates of National Income, 2016-17’ released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the per capita net national income during 2016-17 is “estimated to be Rs 103,007” at current prices. This is higher by 10.4 per cent compared to Rs 93,293 during 2015-16.
ii. The Central Statistics Office said India’s GDP is expected to slowdown to 7.1 per cent during 2016-17 from 7.6 per cent in the previous fiscal mainly due to slump in manufacturing, mining and construction activities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit 2017 at Gandhinagar
i.Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 8th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit 2017 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
ii.This year's biennial flagship event of the state is hosting Prime Ministers, Presidents, Deputy Prime Ministers and ministers of several countries apart from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies
Maharashtra govt launches India's largest WiFi service
i.Maharashtra government has launched India’s largest public WiFi service called 'MumbaiWifi'.
ii. The facility, inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai and initially provide 500 Wifi hotspots across various locations like Vidhan Bhawan, Kalanagar in Bandra, Bombay High Court, and Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office.
Pakistan fires 'first submarine-launched nuclear-capable missile'
i.Pakistan has fired its first submarine-launched cruise missile, a show of force for a country that sees its missile development as a deterrent against arch-foe India.
ii.The launch of the nuclear-capable Babur-3 missile has a range of 450 km (280 miles) and was fired from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean, is likely to heighten long-running tension between India and Pakistan.
United Nation Recognises 2017 as Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
i.The United Nations 70th General Assembly has recognised the year 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.
ii.This recognizes the importance of international tourism and particularly of the designation of an international year of sustainable tourism for development, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, in leading to a greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and in bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of peace in the world.
PM Narendra Modi Releases special commemorative postage in 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna
i.Prime Minister Modi released special commemorative stamps on Prakash Parv in 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh in Patna on 5 January 2017.
ii. Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, Union Minsters Ravi Shankar Prasad Ram Vilas Paswan and Harsimrat Kaur were present on this occasion.
5 Indian Americans Takes Oath as Members of US Congress
i.Five Indian Americans Takes Oath as Members of US Congress.
i.They are Kamala Harris, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal.
ii.The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Kerala Launched its First Solar Powered Boat Aditya
i.The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first solar-powered boat of the state water transport department, Aditya on January 12, 2017 at a function held in Vaikom boat Jetty in Kerala.
ii.Piyush Goyal, Minister of State with independent charge for New & Renewable Energy, Solar Powered boatwas the chief guest.
4th International Kite Festival begins in New Delhi
i.Fourth International Kite Festival begins in New Delhi .
ii.Professional kite flying experts from across India and the globe are taking part in the three-day festival, which will have an exhibition on the history of kites as well.
iii.A special kite making demonstration will also be organised where professional kite flyers will showcase their expertise and demonstrate the art of kite making.
Government Launches Web-Portal ‘ShaGun’ for Monitoring Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
i.The Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar launched a dedicated web portal ‘ShaGun’ on for continuous monitoring of the elementary education scheme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and promote the development of education sector of India.
ii.The portal has been developed by World Bank in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development. ShaGun has been coined from the words ‘Shala’ meaning schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning quality.
10th Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) Begins in Jaipur
i.The 10th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) was inaugurated Jaipur Literature Festival at the historic Diggi Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan jointly by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, veteran lyricist Gulzar, American poet Anne Waldman and spiritual writer Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.
ii. The theme of the 10th edition of JLF is The Freedom to Dream India at 70. JLF is considered as the ‘Greatest Literary Show on Earth’The five day event would see the participation by over 250 authors, thinkers, politicians, popular culture icons, speakers, connoisseurs, book lovers among others.
Delhi Police commissioner Alok Verma appointed next CBI chief
A 3-member committee headed by PM Modi selected Alok Kumar Verma as next CBI chief for a period of 2 years. Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer, has been Delhi Police chief for the last 11 months. Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana was acting as CBI's interim director.
Alibaba Becomes Worldwide Sponsor of Olympic Games through 2028
i.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group entered into a long-term partnership through 2028 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This makes Alibaba the worldwide sponsor of Olympic Games through 2028.
ii. The partnership was agreed between IOC President Thomas Bach, Alibaba Group Founder and Executive Chairman Jack Ma and Alibaba Group Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang.
iii.With this Alibaba has become the first company in the world to make a long-term commitment to the IOC through 2028 as well as first Chinese company to commit to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Nation celebrates its 68th Republic Day
i. India celebrates its 68th Republic Day today (26th January 2017). On January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India came into force, and Republic Day is celebrated to honour that day. On this day in 1950, the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad took the oath. President Pranab Mukherjee has started the ceremony by hoisting the Indian flag, following which the Republic Day Parade from Rajpath. The parade starts from Rajpath and ends at Red Fort in Delhi. Every year on Republic Day, India invites a visiting head of state, who is the state guest of honour (chief guest) for the ceremony. This year's guest of honour is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
ii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who personally received the Prince at the airport, stated that United Arab Emirates (UAE) is India's valued partner and close ties between the two countries are important for the entire region. Though Republic Day is celebrated on January 26 with the Parade on Rajpath, the celebrations are spread over three days and end with the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29.