India’s first indigenous 9mm Machine Pistol has been jointly developed by DRDO and Indian Army. The design and development of this weapon has been carried out by the Infantry School, Mhow and DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune using its expertise. The weapon is aptly named “Asmi” meaning “Pride”, “Self-Respect” & “Hard Work”.
Appointment of Director of IISR:
J Rema, principal scientist in horticulture, has been appointed the new director of the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode.
International:
Oath Ceremony of US President:
Joe Biden took the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as the 46th President of the United States on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, US, on January 20, 2021.
Kamala Harris took oath as the Vice President of US. She swore as the first woman, the first black American and the first Asian American vice-president.
Nepal’s foreign minister visited to India:
Nepal’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali visited Delhi on 14 January 2021, on a three-day visit to garner political support for the KP Sharma Oli-led caretaker government in Kathmandu. Nepalese foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali co-chaired a meeting of the bilateral joint commission with External Affairs minister S Jaishankar on 15 January 2021. He reviewed all aspects of cooperation, ranging from connectivity and trade to water resources and border management.
Important Day:
Thiruvalluvar Day was celebrated on January 15, 2021. In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “I bow to the venerable Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day”. It was first celebrated on May 17 and 18 in 1935.
Death:
Former TDP minister Patnam Subbaiah died due to cardiac arrest at Kothapalli village in Chittoor district on 15 January 2021. He was three times MLA from Palamaner assembly constituency.