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Testing Package
27 January, 2025
GK Update
Fri 31 Jan, 2025
National News
World Book Fair 2025
- The New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 will commence on 1st February at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
| Theme is ‘We the People of India’. |
IFTV Platform
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched the IFTV platform in partnership with Skypro and OTT partner PlayboxTV.
BSNL
| Founded: 15 September 2000 | Headquarters: New Delhi |
Judicial commission to investigate Maha Kumbh stampede
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced the formation of a three-member judicial commission to investigate the causes of the stampede.
Members of Commission
| Chairman: Justice Harsh Kumar | Members: Former DG VK Gupta and retired IAS officer VK Singh |
International News
Year of the Snake
- Nepal's indigenous Tamang community celebrated Sonam Lhoshar- the "year of the snake".
| The Tibeto-Burman ethnic group of Nepal, Tamang, constitutes about 5.6% of the population of the Himalayan nation as per the 2021 census. |
Economy and Banking
RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI)
- According to RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) for September 2024 stands at 465.33, up from 445.50 in March 2024.
- Digital payments across India recorded a double-digit increase of 11.1% year-on-year (YoY) as of September 2024.
Parameters of Report
| Payment Enablers (weightage 25%), Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side factors (10%), Payment Infrastructure – Supply-side factors (15%), Payment Performance (45%), and Consumer Centricity (5%). |
Science and Tech
India’s indigenous Artificial intelligence (AI)
- India is set to launch its indigenous Artificial intelligence (AI) model at an affordable cost.
- Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said that India’s AI Model will cost less than 100 rupees per hour after 40% government subsidy.
| 18 citizen-centric applications about the agriculture sector, learning disability and climate change will be part of this AI Model. |
Axiom Mission 4
- ISRO astronaut and Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which is set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
ISRO
| Estb: 15 Aug 1969 | HQ: Bengaluru | Chairman: V Narayanan |
MoU between Data Innovation lab and IIIT Delhi
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed under the Data Innovation lab initiative between Data Informatics and Innovation Division and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi).
| The DI Lab is designed to serve as a platform to harness emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics to enhance data collection, processing, and dissemination. |
Guinea eliminated sleeping sickness
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that Guinea has successfully eliminated the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem.
Sleeping Sickness
| Sleeping sickness is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which is injected into the body by the bite of a tsetse fly. |
Doomsday Clock
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS) moved the Doomsday Clock forward by one second, signalling a heightened risk of global catastrophe.
Doomsday Clock
| The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the estimated likelihood of a human-made global catastrophe. |
Environment and Biodiversity
Grey-headed Eagle
- A special species of grey-headed eagle has been seen in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, after a decade.
Wildlife Sanctuaries in Uttar Pradesh
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Defence
Point Nemo
- Dilna K. and Lt. Cdr. Roopa A., onboard sailing vessel INSV Tarini, successfully passed through Point Nemo during the leg of sailing from Lyttelton, New Zealand, to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.
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Point Nemo, located in the South Pacific, is the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, most remote location on Earth, situated approximately 2,688 kilometres from the nearest landmass. |
Art and Culture
Rashtriya Dogri Kavi Sammelan
- Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages organized a Rashtriya Dogri Kavi Sammelan at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu.
Major Festivals of J&K
| Hearth Festival, Tulip Festival, Gurez Festival, Shikara Festival etc. |
Sports
First research and testing laboratory for pickleball equipment
- The All India Pickleball Association (AIPA) has launched the first research and testing laboratory for pickleball equipment in India.
AIPA
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KIWG 2025
- The Union Territory of Ladakh finished on top of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025, the first phase was concluded in Leh, Ladakh.
| The second phase of KIWG 2025 is scheduled to take place in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir, from February 22 to 25. |
Awards and Honours
KGMU launched Gold Medal in name of Manik Saha
- The King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, has announced a prestigious gold medal in the name of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, to recognise outstanding students in the field of Dental Sciences.
CIL: Great Place to Work
- Coal India Limited (CIL) recognized as one of India's Top 50 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing 2025 by Great Place to Work.
CIL
| Estb: 1975 | HQ: Kolkata |
Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Award
- Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Award will be given to Badri Narayan for Poetry.
Books and Authors
Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade
- Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah released "Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade" book in New Delhi.
| The book's editor is Dr. Aishwarya Pandit. |
Nalanda: How It Changed the World
- Author Abhay K's book titled 'Nalanda: How It Changed the World' was launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
Important Appointments
Rajesh Nirwan
- Rajesh Nirwan appointed as the new Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).
Important Days
World NTDs Day
- World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day is observed on 30th January. India Gate has been illuminated in vibrant hues of purple and orange.
NTDs
| Diverse group of conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas. | Caused by a variety of pathogens including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins etc. |
International Zebra Day
- International Zebra Day is observed on January 31 every year to create awareness about the need to protect zebras.
Miscellaneous
ASER 2024
- Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 was released by NGO Pratham Foundation on learning outcomes of school students in rural India.
Key Findings
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