National:
Loan:
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $300 million loan on December 18, 2020. The loan is to upgrade rural power distribution networks to provide reliable electricity supply to consumers in Uttar Pradesh.
Book:
- The Vice-President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu virtually released the book “Oh Mizoram”, a collection of English poems, on December 18, 2020. The book has been written by Governor of Mizoram, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai.
Science:
- Scientists at the International Advanced Research Center for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials under Department of Science and Technology of India in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad have developed a low cost hybrid supercapacitor device with excellent capacitive retention with a novel electrode material (Nickel cobaltite / NiCo2O4) they have synthesized. The device could pave way for next generation high power-high energy storage devices.
International:
SpaceX Crew-3 mission:
- NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have selected Indian-American Raja Chari to be the Commander of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. 43 year old Raja Chari is a colonel in the US Air Force. This mission is expected to be launched in next year.
2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards:
- 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation were released by UNESCO Bangkok on 16 December 2020. This year India has won four UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
- Award of Excellence: Sunder Nursery, Delhi
- Special Recognition for Sustainable Development Award: Sunder Nursery
- Award of Distinction: Koothambalam at Guruvayoor Temple, Thrissur, Kerala, India
- Award of Merit: Amar Singh College, Srinagar, India & Malabari Hall Building, Seva Sadan Society, Mumbai, India
Death:
- English Actor Jeremy Bulloch died on 17 December 2020 in Tooting, London. He was 75. He was known for playing the role of Boba Fett in the Star Wars franchise movies.