National
First-ever Startup India Innovation Week
⇒ The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) organized the first-ever Startup India Innovation Week from 10th -16th of January 2022.
The aim of this virtual week-long innovation celebration was to commemorate the 75th year of India’s independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It was designed to showcase the spread and depth of entrepreneurship across India.
Startup India Innovation Week had sessions ranging from topics such as Enhancing Market Access Opportunities, Discussions with Industry leaders, Best Practices by States, Capacity Building of Enablers, Reverse Pitching by Incubators, Technology Exhibitions, Corporate Connects and more.
The programme brought together top policy makers, industry, academia, investors, startups, and all ecosystem enablers from across the globe.
Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
⇒ Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the final deliverable configuration of Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on January 11, 2022.
The indigenously developed anti-tank missile is a low weight, fire & forget missile and is launched from a man portable launcher, integrated with thermal sight.
Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 – 2022
⇒ Shri Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education virtually launched Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 – 2022 on 12 January 2022.
- In order to create self-motivation and awareness about sanitation the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) was first instituted by the Department of School Education and Literacy, in 2016-17.
» The SVP 2021-22 is open to all categories of schools i.e. Government, Government aided and Private schools in both rural and urban areas.
The schools will be assessed through an online portal & mobile app in 6 sub-categories:
- Water
- Sanitation
- Hand Washing with soap
- Operation and Maintenance
- Behaviour Change and Capacity Building
- Newly added category on COVID-19 Preparedness and Response
About:
- Schools shall be awarded at the District, State and National level based on an internationally recognized five-star rating system.
- At the National level, 40 schools will be selected for awards this year under the overall category.
- The award money for the schools has been enhanced this year from Rs.50,000/- to Rs.60,000/- per school, under Samagra Shiksha scheme.
- Also, 6 sub-category wise awards have been introduced for the first time, with award money of Rs.20,000/- per school.
- The Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar recognize, inspire and award the schools who have undertaken exemplary work in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene and also provides a benchmark and roadmap for schools to make further improvements in future.
International
Prime Minister of the Netherlands
⇒ Mr. Mark Rutte became the Prime Minister of the Netherlands for a fourth term.
Mark Rutte is a Dutch politician serving as Prime Minister of the Netherlands since 2010 and Leader of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) since 2006.
World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association's Global Women's Health Tech Awards
⇒ NIRAMAI Health Analytix Pvt Ltd and InnAccel Technologies Pvt. Ltd., two start-ups supported by DBT-BIRAC, have received the World Bank Group and the Consumer Technology Association’s Global Women’s Health Tech Awards, which recognizes innovative startups that leverage tech to improve women’s health and safety in emerging markets.
NIRAMAI Health Analytix Pvt Ltd is a recipient of BIRAC’s Women in Entrepreneurial Research Award 2019.
- It was selected for its novel software-based medical device that detects early-stage breast cancer in a simple and private way on women of all age groups and breast densities, addressing a critical unmet need in cancer screening.
InnAccel Technologies Pvt Ltd. is a recipient of DBT and BMGF’s Grand Challenges Exploration-India 2019.
- It was adjudged a winner of the Global Women’s Health Tech Awards for Fetal Lite, a next-generation, AI-powered fetal heart rate (FHR) monitor based on fetal ECG signal extraction technology for mothers in labour or post 37 weeks of gestation.
- Fetal Lite has next-gen ECG signal processing and is more accurate, reliable, and easier to use than the conventional Doppler-based devices while being comfortable for the mother.
» As per a statement by the World Bank, this year, the Awards attracted over 70 companies from 35 countries, which submitted their innovative products and services under three categories:
- Reproductive health and pregnancy
- General women’s and adolescent health
- Women safety and security
Important Day
World Hindi Day
⇒ UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites on WHC (Vishwa Dharohar Samiti) website.
It was announced by the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO, Paris on the occassion of World Hindi Day i.e. on 10 January 2022.
World Hindi Day:
World Hindi Day is observed on January 10 to honour the language.
- The theme of this day is to make Hindi a part of public opinion, although it doesn’t necessarily mean that one has to leave their mother tongue.
- The first World Hindi Day conference was organised on January 10, 1975, in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
- The day is observed in India from the year 2003. The Ministry of External Affairs began the tradition of celebrating World Hindi Day in other nations in 2006 with an aim to promote this language across the world.