National
Next generation Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle
⇒ The first set of indigenously developed next generation Armoured Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle was inducted into the Corps of Engineers of Indian Army at Pune on 21 December 2021.
Designed by:
The system has been designed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Ordnance Factory Medak & Bharat Electronics Limited, Pune.
» The vehicle is capable of carrying out reconnaissance of water obstacles and boggy patches for execution of engineer tasks with capabilities to carry out reconnaissance and provide real time update to force commanders.
New CEO and CMD of BrahMos
⇒ DRDO scientist Atul Dinkar Rane has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) and chief managing director (CMD) of the Indo-Russian multinational aerospace and defence corporation, BrahMos Aerospace Limited on 24 December 2021.
Apart from this, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Joshi, Senior Scientist, DRDO has also been appointed as Deputy CEO of BrahMos Aerospace Limited.
SKOCH Public Service Award 2021
⇒ Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan on 18 December 2021 received the SKOCH Public Service Award 2021 for Disaster Management and Mitigation in New Delhi.
- J Radhakrishnan is a 1992 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of Tamil Nadu cadre.
First AgriTech Challenge cohort
⇒ Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) rolled out their first AgriTech Challenge cohort under South-South Innovation platform for its ambitious innovative Agri-tech program. The event was held on 21st December, 2021.
Aim:
The aim of the event was to help smallholder farmers across Asia and Africa to address their challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.
» AIM, NITI Aayog in partnership with UNCDF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rabo Foundation launched a South-South innovation platform to enable cross-border exchange of innovations, insights and investments in July 2021.
- The Cohort represents a diverse range of solutions across the value chain of the smallholder farmer, including soil analysis, farm management & intelligence, dairy ecosystem, carbon credits, solar-based cold storage, digital marketplace, fintech, livestock insurance, among others.
- Moreover, there were over 130 innovators who applied to join the Challenge with solutions addressing key productivity, climate risk and supply chain gaps for smallholder farmers.
International
11th Edition of Exercise EKUVERIN
⇒ 11th Edition of Exercise EKUVERIN between India & Maldives was conducted at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives from 06 to 19 December 2021.
Significance:
» The 14-day joint exercise enhances synergy & inter-operability between Armed Forces of both the Nations in terms of understanding transnational terrorism both on land & at sea, conducting Counter Terrorism & Counter Insurgency Operations and sharing best military practices and experiences.
» Besides rigorous training, the joint military excercise also included cultural and sports activities to enhance defence cooperation and bilateral relations.
- The Ekuverin exercise has been started in 2009. ‘Ekuverin’ means ‘friends’, is derived from the Dhivehi language.
Next President of Chile
⇒ Leftist Gabriel Boric to become Chile’s youngest ever president.
- Gabriel Boric won the election as the next President of Chile in December 2021. Boric got 56 percent of the vote, while his opponent got 44 percent.
- Gabriel Boric, 35, will be sworn in as Chile’s president in March, making him both the youngest leader in South America and the youngest president in modern Chilean history.
SpaceX launches 52 Starlink Satellites
⇒ A SpaceX rocket carried 52 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from California in December 2021. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from coastal Vandenberg Space Force Base and arced over the Pacific. It was the 11th launch and recovery of the stage.
» Starlink is a satellite-based global internet system that SpaceX has been building for years to bring internet access to underserved areas of the world.
- This mission was the 34th launch for Starlink, a constellation of nearly 2,000 satellites in low Earth orbit.
Sports
88th National Billiards and Snooker Championships 2021
⇒ The 88th National Billiards and Snooker Championships 2021 was organized by Cue Sports India from December 04-20, 2021 at Sage University Campus in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
» Ace cueist Pankaj Advani won his 11th National Billiards title.
- In the National Billiards Championships, Advani represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) team.
- He defeated his PSPB teammate Dhruv Sitwala 5-2 in a best-of-nine final in Bhopal.