National
Chief Economic Advisor
⇒ The Government of India has appointed Dr V. Anantha Nageswaran as the Chief Economic Advisor. Dr Nageswaran has assumed charge on 28 January 2022.
Prior to this appointment, Dr. Nageswaran has worked as a writer, author, teacher and consultant. He was the Dean of the IFMR Graduate School of Business and a distinguished Visiting Professor of Economics at Krea University.
He has also been a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India from 2019 to 2021.
Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed at the launch of Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation, on the occasion of the 92nd birth anniversary of Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj.
The Prime Minister praised Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation for their goal of preserving India’s rich heritage of art and culture.
Founded by:
The Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation has been founded by Pandit Jasraj’s son Shaarang Dev Pandit, and his daughter, Durga Jasraj.
- The main objective of the fluctuation is to protect, preserve, develop and promote the National Heritage, Art & Culture of India.
Golden Book of the Year Award 2022
Sreekanth Kopuri, an English poet from Machilipatnam, has won the ‘Golden Book of the Year Award 2022, for his work ‘Poems of the Void’, for best lyrical poetry.
Other 50 eminent personalities who won this award include Chetan Bhagat (400 days), Sudha Murthy (The Sage with Two Horns), Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev (Karma), Priyanka Chopra (Unfinished), Dalai Lama (Little Book of Encouragement) and a host of others.
The award is given to 50 best books every year by Pune-based Wings Publication.
Tri-Service Andaman & Nicobar Command inducts ALH MK III
⇒ In a boost to maritime security, the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III aircraft was formally inducted at INS Utkrosh by Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command Lieutenant General Ajai Singh at Port Blair on January 28, 2022.
The ALH MK III aircraft is manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The ALH MK III aircraft with its glass cockpit, Shakti engines, advanced Maritime Patrol Radar, Electro–optical payload and Night Vision Device will act as a force multiplier in keeping India’s far eastern seaboard and Island territories safe.
International
India signed a $375 million contract with the Philippines
⇒ BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) signed a contract with the Department of National Defence of the Republic of Philippines on January 28, 2022 for supply of Shore Based Anti-Ship Missile System to Philippines.
About Contract:
- India has formally inked its first major defence system export deal with the Philippines.
- India signed a $375 million contract with the Philippines for the BrahMos shore-based anti-ship missile system.
Key Points:
- The BAPL is a joint venture company of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.
- The 290 km range supersonic missile has been jointly developed with Russia and is produced in India.
Sundance Film Festival 2022
⇒ All That Breathes, the only Indian film at the Sundance Film Festival 2022 which won the top prize in World Cinema Documentary Competition.
World Cinema Grand Jury Prize (Documentary): ALL THAT BREATHES, directed by Shaunak Sen
- All That Breathes is a documentary about brothers in Delhi fighting to protect the bird known as the Black Kite.
» The 2022 Sundance Film Festival was hosted by the Sundance Institute from January 20 to 30, 2022.
Sports
World Games Athlete of the Year award for 2021
⇒ Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has won the World Games Athlete of the Year award for 2021, becoming only the second sportsperson from the country to win the honour.
- In the FIH Stars Awards in October, PR Sreejesh was named the goalkeeper of the year for 2021.
» In 2020, Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal became the first Indian to win the honour for her 2019 show.
Death
Captain of India's 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, Charanjit Singh
⇒ Captain of India’s 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, Charanjit Singh, died on 27 January 2022 in Una, Himachal Pradesh.
He was a part of the silver-winning side in the 1960 Summer Olympics Games in Rome. He was also a part of the 1962 Asian Games silver-winning team.
Singh was a recipient of the Indian government’s Arjuna Award in 1963. He was also awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in 1964.
Marathi author and social activist Anil Awachat
⇒ Marathi author and social activist Anil Awachat, better known as Baba, died on 27 January 2022. He was 78.
Awachat was the founder-director of the Muktangan Rehabilitation Centre in Pune and associated with several social causes. The centre was set up in 1986 to treat addiction and included a combination of medicine, therapies and activities.
Known for his books including Purnia, Awachat regularly wrote for Marathi magazines and other publications.
