Current Affairs Today 20th January 2021 -Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 20th January 2021

NEWS AT A GLANCE

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DAYS

Government Declares Netaji’s birthday to be marked as ‘Parakram Diwas’ every year

• The Government of India has decided to celebrate the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that falls on January 23 as ‘Parakram Diwas’ from now on every year.
• This day is Mainly for To honour and remember Netaji’s indomitable spirit and selfless service to the nation.
• The Government of India has decided to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary year of Netaji beginning from January 2021 in befitting manner at national and international level.
• The announcement assumes significance ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled later this year.
• Bose, a noted freedom fighter, had floated Azad Hind Fauj to fight for India’s independence.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : NATIONAL NEWS

DRDO hands over MotorBike Ambulance Rakshita to CRPF

• Defence Research and Development Organisation handed over MotorBike Ambulance Rakshita to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• Director General of CRPF Dr A P Maheshwari flagged off the contingent of 21 bikes on the occasion.
• It is a bike-based casualty transport emergency vehicle.
• It was Developed by DRDO lab Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) in New Delhi.
• Rakshita is fitted with a customized reclining Casualty Evacuation Seat (CES), which can be fitted in and taken out as per requirement.
• Other major features are the head immobilizer, safety harness jacket, hand and foot straps for safety, adjustable footrest, physiological parameter measuring equipment with wireless monitoring capability and auto warning system for the driver.

Purpose :

• The bike ambulance will help in overcoming the problems faced by Indian security forces and emergency health care providers. The bike ambulances will provide life-saving aid for evacuation of injured patients from low intensity conflict areas.

About DRDO :

• Founded : 1958
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Chairman :  Dr G. Satheesh Reddy

About CRPF :

• Formed : 27 July, 1939
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Minister : Amit Shah
• Comes under Ministry of Home Affairs
• Director General :  Dr A P Maheshwari

Defence Secretary inaugurates Swachhata Pakhwada organised by NCC at India Gate

• Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar inaugurated Swachhata Pakhwada organised by National Cadet Corps, NCC at India Gate.
• The theme of this Swachhata Pakhwada is ‘Clean India, Green India, Yeh Hai Mera Dream India’.
• It has contributed immensely towards nation building, through activities such as ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’ and Special National Integration Camps, Leadership and Personality Development and Swachhata Abhiyan Programmes.
• During the Swachhata Pakhwada the NCC cadets will keep Rajpath clean for the Republic Day Parade – 2021 by spreading awareness through displaying banners, distribution of pamphlets and showcasing Swachhata through Nukkad Nataks

About National Cadet Corps :

• Founder : Government of United Kingdom
• Founded : 16 April, 1948
• Director General : Lt. Gen. Tarun Kumar Aich
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Motto : Unity and Discipline

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Nepali climbers make history, become first to scale world’s second highest mountain K2 in winter

• A team of 10 Nepali climbers made history by becoming the first to scale in winter the world’s second highest mountain K2, considered as the world’s most dangerous and challenging peak.
• K2 with its daunting 8,611 meters height is located in Gilgit-Baltistan side of the Karakoram range.
• It was the only among 8,000-meter high peaks that was never scaled in winter.
• The achievement was the result of a collaborative effort between the climbers affiliated with multiple teams: one led by Nirmal Purja and the other by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa.

UK sets out new laws to protect historic statues, monuments

• The UK government unveiled new laws to protect England’s cultural and historic heritage in the form of statues and monuments to ensure they are not removed at a whim.
• The move comes in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests in the country last year targeting several historic monuments, including with graffiti on Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in Parliament Square in London.
• New legal protections mean that historic statues should be retained and explained for future generations and individuals who want to remove any historic statue, whether protected with a listed status or not, will now require listed building consent or planning permission.

About UK :

• Prime Minister : Boris Johnson
• Currency : Pound sterling
• Capital : London

CURRENT AFFAIRS : STATE NEWS

Kerala, MP change MoU on Responsible Tourism

• Madhya Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding with Kerala for replicating the latter’s pioneering Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative.
• The States signed a joint declaration underneath which Kerala will prolong a sequence of companies underneath a 16-point programme.
• The MoU was exchanged by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Usha Thakur.
• Next week, a 13-member staff from Bhopal, led by Ms Thakur, will tour totally different elements of Kerala to assemble first-hand information about RT within the State.

About MP : 

• Capital : Bhopal
• Chief Minister : Shivraj Singh Chouhan

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ARTS & CULTURE

First bird fest at mahananda sanctuary from feb 20

• First, a bird festival is being organised at the Mahananda wildlife sanctuary in West Bengal to provide an opportunity to enthusiasts to explore the forest and watch different bird
• The Darjeeling Wildlife Division will be organising the 1st Mahananda Bird Festival from February 20 to 23
• Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in fauna and has more than 300 species of birds.
• The sanctuary has been designated as an ‘important bird area’ due to its critical role in the conservation of birds and their habitat.
• The sanctuary is well known among the birding community, and bird watchers flock to it for sighting the Rufous-necked hornbill, among other birds.

About West Bengal :

• Governor : Jagdeep Dhankhar
• Capital : Kolkata

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENSE NEWS

Indian and French air forces to conduct Exercise Desert Knight-21

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force are set to participate in Exercise Desert Knight-21.
• The bilateral air exercise will be held at Jodhpur Air Force station in Rajasthan, India, from 20 to 24 January.
• Exercise Desert Knight-21 aims to improve interoperability between the forces while exchanging ‘ideas and best practices’ gained from operational experience.
• According to the Indian Ministry of Defence, the exercise will see the deployment of Rafale aircraft by both countries.
• Both the air forces will deploy frontline fighter jets as well as transport, and tanker aircraft in the exercise.

About Indian Air Force :

• Founded : October 8, 1932
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Commander in Chief : Ram Nath Kovind

India set to procure more MiG-29 and Sukhoi fighter jets

• The government is set to procure 21 MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft from
• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 83 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• The Centre will also purchase the upgrades of the aircraft’s existing fleets.
• The Request for Proposal (RFP) will soon be issued to Russian state-run defence export arm Rosoboronexport.
• The MiG-29s are expected to be acquired at “relatively lower prices” and will add to 59 such jets already with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Before this, the Union cabinet had approved Rs 48000 crores acquisition of 83 LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• This will include 73 improved Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Mk.1A fighters and ten LCA Mk.1 trainers.

About Russia :

• President : Vladimir Putin
• Capital : Moscow
• Currency : Russian ruble

About  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited :

• Founder : Walchand Hirachand
• Founded : 23 December, 1940, Bangalore
• Headquarters : Bangalore

CURRENT AFFAIRS : AGREEMENTS

TRIFED and IFFDC ink MoU to work together for tribal livelihood generation

• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Farm Forestry Development Co-operative Ltd (IFFDC)  to promote livelihood generation of tribal people.
• TRIFED is focusing its efforts on finding new ways to improve the lives and the livelihoods of the tribal people. As a part of its continued efforts, TRIFED has been partnering with like-minded organisations to create synergies together.
• The two organizations have agreed to partner with each other to organise training programmes for tribal artisans in the area of entrepreneurship skill and business development.
• They will also collaborate further to identify and implement CSR initiatives and tribal development efforts

About TRIFED : 

• Founded : 1987
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Comes Under Ministry of Tribal Affairs
• Chairman : Ramesh Chand Meena
• Vice- Chairman : Pratibha Brahma
• Managing Director : Shri Pravir Krishna

About IFFDC :

• Chief Project Manager : Dr Harish Chandra Gena

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS

PM Narendra Modi appointed chairman of Somnath temple trust

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was appointed the new chairman of the trust which manages the world famous Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan town in Gujarat’s Gir-Somnath district.
• Modi, one of the trustees of the Shree Somnath Trust, was named to the top post unanimously
• PM Modi is the only second Prime Minister to hold the post, after Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

Other members of the trust includes: 

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah,
• Veteran BJP leader LK Advani,
• Harshvardhan Neotia– chairman of Kolkata-based construction major Ambuja Neotia Goup,
• Pravin Laheri- retired chief secretary of Gujarat and
• Jeevan Parmar- retired professor of Sanskrit in Veraval

CURRENT AFFAIRS : HONOURS & AWARDS

Bilkis dadi and Harsh Mander conferred with Quaide Milleth Award

• Bilkis Dadi, and an eminent social activist and writer Harsh Mander of “Karwan -e- Mohabbat” were presented the Quaide Milleth Award.
• The awards consist of a Shawl, citation and a cash of Rs 2.5lakh rupees were presented to the recipients by Navaid Hamid, President, All India Majlis e Mushawarat.
• They are awarded for Probity in Political and Public Life at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
• Both recipients had made a mark in public life with their determination and zeal to protect the secular fabric of the country.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Goa CM releases book ‘Manohar Parrikar – Off the Record’

• Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant released a book ‘Manohar Parrikar- Off the Record’ at a function organized at Institute Menezes Braganza hall in the city.
• The book has been written by senior journalist Waman Subha Prabhu.
• The book ‘Manohar Parrikar- Off the Record’ is a collection of memories of Mr Prabhu who happened to be with late Parrikar during the journey of his life.
• In the book the author has endeavored to narrate the multi-faceted personality of late Manohar Parrikar.
• This book, no doubt, will serve the purpose as it will help to inspire generations to generations

About Goa :

• Governor : Bhagat Singh Koshyari
• Capital : Panaji

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Music producer Phil Spector, passes away

• Phil Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his “Wall of Sound” method and who later was convicted of murder, has died. He was 81
• Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson in 2003 at his castle-like mansion on the edge of Los Angeles.
• After a trial in 2009, he was sentenced to 19 years to life.
• While most sources give Spector’s birth date as 1940, it was listed as 1939 in court documents following his arrest.
• Decades before, Spector had been hailed as a visionary for channeling Wagnerian ambition into the three-minute song, creating the “Wall of Sound” that merged spirited vocal harmonies with lavish orchestral arrangements to produce such pop monuments as “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Be My Baby” and “He’s a Rebel.”
• In 1969, Spector was called in to salvage the Beatles’ “Let It Be” album, a troubled “back to basics” production marked by dissension within the band.

Dr V Shanta, renowned Indian oncologist, passes away

• Dr V Shanta, renowned Indian oncologist and doyen of cancer care, has passed away at the age of 93.
• Dr V Shanta was the chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute which she joined in 1954.
• The institute is known for providing state-of-the-art healthcare to all patients.

Achievements :

• She won several awards, including the Padma Shri in 1986, the Magsaysay Award in 2005, the Padma Bhushan in 2006 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016.

Daily CA On Jan 19

• The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated  its 16th Raising Day On 18th January.
• On Jan 17, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off eight trains connecting different regions of the country to Kevadiya with an aim to facilitate seamless connectivity to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.
• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated Road Safety Month where he highlighted the Central Government’s commitment towards safety.
• The United States has designated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain as its major strategic partners of the Country.
• The Pakistan government has issued at least seven special permits to Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and six other members of the ruling family to hunt the internationally protected bird houbara bustard during the 2020-21 hunting season.
• CARE Ratings has revised downwards its projection of the Centre’s fiscal deficit to 8 percent of GDP during FY21 against its earlier estimate of 9-9.5 per cent.
• Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan digitally chaired the 148th session of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization through video conference.
• India and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on a basic partnership framework for operation of the ‘specified skilled worker’ (SSW) system under which the Japanese government accepts foreign nationals who have a certain level of expertise and skill.
• Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has launched Vedhik Erudite Foundation’s ambitious scheme to provide free coaching for civil services and other competitive examinations to 10,000 meritorious students.
• US-India Business Council (USIBC) has selected Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw as one of its vice-chairs effective immediately.
• President Yoweri Museveni won a sixth five-year term, extending his rule to four decades, according to official results announced .
• Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, announced a new ‘Indian Personality of the Year’ award.
• In Ladakh, Khelo India 1st Zanskar Winter Sports Festival began On Jan 18, 2021. Aim : Engaging the Youth and opening new vistas of tourism in Zanskar are the main aims of the festival.
• Sports Ministry has decided to name all upcoming and upgraded sporting facilities of the Sports Authority of India, after renowned athletes, who have contributed to sports in India
• Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and Spain’s Carolina Marin have won the men’s and women’s singles titles at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Yonex Thailand in Bangkok, the first of three competitions in the Thai capital.
• Former Union minister and noted businessman Kamal Morarka has passed away. He was 74.
• Indian classical musician Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan passed away at the age of 89.

Daily CA On Jan 20

• The Government of India has decided to celebrate the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose that falls on January 23 as ‘Parakram Diwas’ from now on every year.
• Defence Research and Development Organisation handed over MotorBike Ambulance Rakshita to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Director General of CRPF Dr A P Maheshwari flagged off the contingent of 21 bikes on the occasion.
• Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar inaugurated Swachhata Pakhwada organised by National Cadet Corps, NCC at India Gate.
• A team of 10 Nepali climbers made history by becoming the first to scale in winter the world’s second highest mountain K2, considered as the world’s most dangerous and challenging peak.
• The UK government unveiled new laws to protect England’s cultural and historic heritage in the form of statues and monuments to ensure they are not removed at a whim.
• Madhya Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding with Kerala for replicating the latter’s pioneering Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative.
• First, a bird festival is being organised at the Mahananda wildlife sanctuary in West Bengal to provide an opportunity to enthusiasts to explore the forest and watch different bird
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force are set to participate in Exercise Desert Knight-21. The bilateral air exercise will be held at Jodhpur Air Force station in Rajasthan, India, from 20 to 24 January.
• The government is set to procure 21 MiG-29 and 12 Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft from The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the purchase of 83 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Farm Forestry Development Co-operative Ltd (IFFDC)  to promote livelihood generation of tribal people.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was appointed the new chairman of the trust which manages the world famous Somnath Temple at Prabhas Patan town in Gujarat’s Gir-Somnath district.
• Bilkis Dadi, and an eminent social activist and writer Harsh Mander of “Karwan -e- Mohabbat” were presented the Quaide Milleth Award.
• Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant released a book ‘Manohar Parrikar- Off the Record’ at a function organized at Institute Menezes Braganza hall in the city.
• Phil Spector, the eccentric and revolutionary music producer who transformed rock music with his “Wall of Sound” method and who later was convicted of murder, has died. He was 81
• Dr V Shanta, renowned Indian oncologist and doyen of cancer care, has passed away at the age of 93. She was the chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute which she joined in 1954.

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