National News

Special songs for Mahakumbh by Akashvani and Doordarshan

• Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched a pair of special songs by Akashvani and Doordarshan, dedicated to the Mahakumbh in Delhi.
• The song has been sung by Ratan Prasanna, with the music of Santosh Nahar and Ratan Prasanna.

Mahakumbh Mela

Asia’s largest shallow wave basin research facility

• The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) has commissioned Asia’s largest shallow wave basin research facility to cater to research and industry requirements.

AI-based pulse diagnostic tool for Ayurveda practitioners

• Atreya Innovations has developed an AI-based pulse diagnostic tool for Ayurveda practitioners that can monitor patients' health on 22 parameters and generate reports in 10 Indian languages.
• The 'Nadi Tarangini' device has been developed by Aniruddha Joshi as part of his research project at IIT Bombay.

What is a Pulse Diagnostic Tool?

Virtual tokens for identification

• According to India's Digital Personal Data Protection Rules 2025, India will utilise school enrolment databases, which contain parent details and birth information. Virtual tokens will enable verifiable identification.

Defence Minister of Maldives visited India

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral discussions with the Defence Minister of Maldives Mr Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon in New Delhi, to review various aspects of bilateral defence & security cooperation.

Maldives

Meeting between Foreign Secretary of India and Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan

• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had a meeting with the Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in Dubai.
• India will provide material support in the first instance to the health sector and for the rehabilitation of refugees. They also discussed strengthening sports (cricket) cooperation.

Afghanistan

International News

Western Sydney University Campus in India

• Western Sydney University, Australia is set to open its campus in India, making it the third Australian university to have a campus in the country.

About Australia

Greenland ownership dispute: Trump and Europe face to face

• President-elect Donald Trump said he will use military force to take over Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO member.

NATO

State Special

Projects worth over 2 lakh crore rupees in Andhra Pradesh

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of projects worth over 2 lakh crore rupees in Andhra Pradesh from Visakhapatnam.
• He also laid the foundation stone for the 1 lakh 85 thousand crore rupees state-of-the-art NTPC Green Energy Limited’s Green Hydrogen Hub Project at Pudimadaka near Visakhapatnam.

About Andhra Pradesh

Delhi Assembly Elections

• The Election Commission has announced that assembly elections in Delhi will take place in a single phase on February 5 and the votes will be counted on February 8.

28th Yuva Utsav-2025

• Uttar Pradesh Chief minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the 63 youths team representing Uttar Pradesh at the 28th Yuva Utsav-2025, scheduled from Jan 10-12 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

Uttar Pradesh

Government Schemes

'Cashless Treatment' scheme for road accident victims

• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced a 'Cashless Treatment' scheme for road accident victims, which will cover up to Rs 1.5 lakh for seven days of treatment if the police are informed within 24 hours.
• Families of deceased hit-and-run victims will receive Rs two lakh.

EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan

• The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog, launched "EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan" in partnership with New Shop, India’s largest 24/7 convenience retail chain under its Award to Reward (ATR) program.

Economy

$3 billion investment in India by Microsoft

• Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella announced $3 billion investment in India for cloud and AI infrastructure over the next two years at the Microsoft AI Tour in Bengaluru.

About Microsoft

Environment and Biodiversity

Population of wading birds

• A study by researchers in Kerala has found that the population of wading birds, key indicators of wetland health, have declined in the decade from 2010-2019.

Indicator species

Garudakshi: Online FIR system

• The Karnataka Forest Department has launched the 'Garudakshi' online FIR system to curb forest encroachments, illegal tree-felling, poaching, and unauthorised entry into forest areas.

About Karnataka

Science and Tech

AnemiaPhone Technology

• AnemiaPhone Technology to accurately, quickly, and cheaply assess iron deficiency, has been transferred to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for integration into its programmes for anaemia alleviation, women’s health, and maternal and child health.

Anaemia

Sports

New Weight Classes for Boxing

• The Boxing Federation of India will conduct the men’s National championships in 10 weight categories.

New Weight Classes

Art and Culture

Flamingo Festival 2025

• ‘Flamingo Festival 2025’ is all set to be conducted at Sullurpeta in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh from January 18 to 20.

Major Festivals of Andhra Pradesh

Awards and Honours

‘Excellent’ rating to IREDA

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) has achieved an ‘Excellent’ rating for the performance MoU signed with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) for the financial year 2023-24.

IREDA

Major Appointments

John Dramani Mahama

• John Dramani Mahama was sworn into office as President of Ghana.

Ghana

Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas

• Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Oman.

Oman

Ajay Digpaul and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar

• Ajay Digpaul and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, were appointed as judges of the Delhi High Court, and judicial officer Ashish Naithani was appointed as a judge of the Uttarakhand High Court.

Tuhin Kanta Pandey

• The Union Government has appointed Tuhin Kanta Pandey as the revenue secretary in the Finance Ministry.

Suhas Subramanyam

• Suhas Subramanyam, the first Indian-American Congressman from the East Coast, took oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita.

Havaldar Baldev Singh

• Havaldar Baldev Singh (retd), who participated in three wars with Pakistan and the 1962 war with China, passed away in Jammu and Kashmir's border district of Rajouri at the age of 93.

Indo-Pakistan Wars

Kannan Srinivasan and J.J. Singh

• Two Indian Americans have been elected to Virginia's state legislatures.
• Kannan Srinivasan was elected to the State Senate, while J.J. Singh secured a seat in the State House of Delegates.

Person in News

Pritish Nandy

• Veteran poet, producer, and journalist Pritish Nandy passed away at 73 in Mumbai on January 08, 2025.

Important Days

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) celebrated once in two years on 9th January to honor the contributions of the Indian diaspora to their homeland.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas