Govt laid foundation stone for Maa Umiya Dham Development Project in Gujarat
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has laid the foundation stone of Umiya Mata Dham temple and temple premises under Maa Umiya Dham Development Project at Umiya Campus in Sola in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. They will be developed at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore on 74,000 square yards of land. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has virtually attended and addressed the foundation stone laying of the project. He stated the Project as an example of the notion of ‘SabkaPrayas’ (Efforts of everyone).
About the Umiya Mata Temple:
Umiya Mata Temple is the Temple of Goddess Umiya, who is worshipped as the clan-deity or kuldevi of Kadava Patidars. The temple is located in the centre of Unjha in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. It celebrated its silver jubilee in November 2009. Apart from Temple, a trust running the main temple in Unjha will also construct a 13-storey complex adjacent to the temple in order to provide training and a hostel facility to Patidar youths who are preparing for UPSC and GPSC entrance tests.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar;
- Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat;
- Gujarat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel.
Odisha tie-up with UNCDF to launch “Mission Shakti Living Lab”
Odisha inked an agreement with United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to launch “Mission Shakti Living Lab” for the financial empowerment of women. A Global Centre for Financial Health, to launch Mission Shakti Living Lab empowering women economically and drive gender equality. With the use of digital technologies and e-commerce, it will increase the income and financial well-being of women, self-help groups (SHGs) and households by helping them in the factors of planning, saving, borrow or spending better. It will address the barriers related to the autonomy and financial freedom of women.
About the Mission Shakti:
Mission Shakti was launched in 2001 to enhance the holistic development of women, there are 6.02 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) comprising 70 lakh members across rural and urban areas of Odisha under the initiative. This initiative led to an increase in the income of SHG members from Rs 3,000 to 15,000 per month in Odisha.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- UN Capital Development Fund Founded: 1966;
- UN Capital Development Fund Headquarters: New York, United States;
- UN Capital Development Fund Executive Secretary: Preeti Sinha.
Uttarakhand’s Askot Wildlife Sanctuary declared Eco-Sensitive Zone
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), an area of 454.65 square kilometres around the boundary of Askot Wildlife Sanctuary in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand has been declared as the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary Eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ). The notified area extends from 0 to 22 km around the Askot Wildlife Sanctuary. The Askot Wildlife Sanctuary was established to protect the endangered flagship species Musk Deer and its habitat. The Askot Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Musk Deer Park.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: Bhupender Yadav.
ADB projected growth forecast for 2021-2022 for India at 9.7%
Asian Development Bank has trimmed its 2021 growth forecast for India to 9.7 per cent from 10 per cent but left the 2022 growth forecast unchanged at 7.5 per cent. The inflation forecast of developing Asia was revised to 2.1 per cent for 2021 and unchanged at 7 per cent for 2022.
Asian Development Outlook Supplement Report 2021-22:
- In its Asian Development Outlook Supplement Report of December 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has trimmed the growth forecasts for developing Asia for 2021-2022 to reflect the economic impact and uncertainty caused by the new Omicron COVID -19 variant.
- ADB marks the 2021 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth projection of developing Asia to 7 per cent, down from its earlier projection of 7.1 per cent (September 2021), and 2022 growth to 5.3 per cent, down from 5.4 per cent.
Axis Bank tied up with Swift to provide digital banking solution
Axis Bank is working with new digital services from provider Swift to provide a comprehensive digital solution to clients. The bank is integrating with different digitization initiatives by government bodies and service providers to extend an end-to-end service to business clients. Axis bank’s B2B (business-to-business) digitization efforts are being supported by Swift, a cooperative of global banks that acts as an intermediary between banks and sets standards.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993;
- Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
- Axis Bank MD & CEO: Amitabh Chaudhary;
- Axis Bank Chairperson: Shri Rakesh Makhija.
Ravinder Bhakar assumed charge of NFDC, films division and CFSI
CEO of Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), Ravinder Bhakar has assumed charge of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Films Division, and Children Films Society of India (CFSI). He is a 1999-batch officer of the Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS). He has been assigned these charges in addition to his present duties as CEO of the film certification body.
IIT-Delhi tie-up with IAF to improve indigenisation efforts
IIT-Delhi signed an MoU with Indian Air Force (IAF) to support requirements towards indigenous solutions in various weapon systems. Under the MoU, The IAF has identified key focus areas involving the development of technology and finding indigenous solutions towards the sustenance of various weapon systems. The partnership between IIT Delhi and IAF will also boost the efforts by Base Repair Depots (BRDs) of Maintenance Command IAF.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Indian Air Force Establishment: 8 October 1932;
- Indian Air Force Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi;
- Indian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff: Vivek Ram Chaudhari;
- Indian Air Force Motto: Touch the Sky with Glory.
A Book titled ‘Pride, Prejudice and Punditry’ by Dr Shashi Tharoor
Former union minister and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Dr. Shashi Tharoor‘s 23rd book titled ‘Pride, Prejudice and Punditry’ was launched in Hyderabad, Telangana. There are ten sections in this book, each devoted to a particular topic such as modern Indian history, Indian Politics, etc. He has won ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ for 2019, awarded to his book – ‘An Era of Darkness.
The book marks the culmination of over 50 years of Dr Tharoor’s writings. His first short story made it into print when he was only 10 and since then he has published well over 5 million words—in books, newspapers, magazines, journals, online media, etc.—on a wide array of subjects.
British-Indian Leena Nair is the new global CEO of Chanel
French fashion house Chanel named Leena Nair, an executive from Unilever, as its new global CEO. Nair’s career at Unilever spanned 30 years, most recently as the chief of human resources and a member of the executive committee. The recruitment of Nair, who rose through the ranks of Unilever having started out as a trainee on the factory floor, comes as the fashion industry is under pressure to show a more inclusive approach.
A British national, born in India, Nair is a rare outsider at the helm of the tightly controlled family fashion house, known for its tweed suits, quilted handbags and No. 5 perfume. The 52-year-old follows US businesswoman Maureen Chiquet, who came from a fashion background and was CEO of Chanel for nine years until early 2016. Chanel was founded in 1910 by fashion legend Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel as a hat boutique on rue Cambon in Paris and grew to become a byword for French chic.
Olympics India inducts 148 athletes in list of TOPS athletes for 2024
A total of 148 athletes, including 20 new inductees, in seven Olympic disciplines and six Paralympic disciplines, have been identified for support under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The TOP scheme which is an attempt to provide assistance to India’s top athletes. This scheme was started in 2014.
The Mission Olympic Cell approved lists in Cycling, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling as well as Para Sports (Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis). Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Judo, Rowing and Tennis will be taken up in the next meeting later this month.
7th edition of India International Science festival begins in Panaji
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the seventh edition of the India International Science Festival at Panaji, Goa. The theme of the 4-day science festival is ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – “Celebrating Creativity, Science, Technology and Innovation for a prosperous India”. First India International Science Festival was held in 2015 at IIT Delhi. The main aim of the Science Festival is to bring into use the innovations by the people and develop technology that is affordable to the masses.
Wholesale inflation surges to 14.23% in November
Producers’ inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) has reached an all-time high in the current series at 14.23 per cent in November. This is the eighth successive month of double digits WPI (mainly due to the hardening of prices of mineral oils, basic metals, crude petroleum and natural gas). Wholesale Price-based Index (WPI) inflation base year is 2011-12. Also, the spike is highest since April 2005.
US Fashion Brand “Patagonia” selects Khadi Denim for its Apparels
US-based world’s leading fashion brand, Patagonia, is now using handcrafted Khadi Denim fabric for making Denim apparels. Patagonia, through textile major Arvind Mills, has purchased nearly 30,000 meters of Khadi Denim Fabric worth Rs 1.08 crore from Gujarat. The purchase of Khadi Denim by Patagonia has created additional 1.80 lakh man-hours, i.e. 27,720 man-days of work for Khadi artisans.
International Tea Day: 15 December
International Tea Day is observed every year on December 15 in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda, India, and Tanzania. It is the second most used drink in the world after water. For some people, tea is an integral part of life which adds rhythm. China is currently the largest exporter of tea. According to a study conducted by the Tea Board of India in 2007, around 80 per cent of the total tea produced in India is consumed by the domestic population.
International Tea Day 2021: History
- The first ITD was held in New Delhi in India in 2005. However, in 2015, the Indian government proposed to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to expand International Tea Day across the world.
- The reason for the UN celebrating May 21 as International Tea Day is that the season of tea production begins in May in most of the tea-producing countries.
What is Tea?
Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Tea is the world’s most-consumed drink, after water. It is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China, but the exact place where the plant first grew is not known. Tea has been with us for a long time. There is evidence that tea was consumed in China 5,000 years ago. Tea consumption can bring health benefits and wellness due to the beverage’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and weight loss effects. It also has cultural significance in many societies.
UNESCO recognises Kolkata’s Durga Puja as Intangible Cultural Heritage
UNESCO has added Durga Puja in Kolkata to its 2021 list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, giving international recognition to the biggest religious festival of the 331-year-old city and the state of West Bengal. The UNESCO’s announcement was welcomed by Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as chief minister Mamata Banerjee is widely recognized as the biggest patron of the festival.
With the inclusion of Durga Puja, the number of elements in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage from India has increased to 14. As many as 36,946 community Durga Pujas are organised in Bengal. Of these, around 2,500 are held in Kolkata. In recent years, several organisations had urged UNESCO to recognise the festival.
About the Durga Puja:
Durga Puja is an annual festival celebrated in September or October, most notably in Kolkata, in West Bengal of India, but also in other parts of India and amongst the Bengali diaspora. Durga Puja is seen as the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers. The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the Goddess. During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations.
Paytm launches EdTech Platform “Paytm Wealth Academy”
Paytm, which got listed in bourses last month, has announced the launch of Paytm Wealth Academy, a tech-powered educational platform. The launch of the wealth academy is initially on the Paytm Money app, the wealth management app owned by Paytm’s wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Money. Paytm Wealth Academy will initially be available to select users, followed by a complete rollout.
About the Academy:
- The Paytm Wealth Academy will allow users to learn trading and financial concepts at their own pace at their level of comfort. The platform offers a wide catalogue of courses and webinars along with personalized recommendations for users, curated to complement their existing knowledge.
- Paytm Wealth Academy is an educational platform designed to make financial learning intuitive and self-driven. For the first time, highly customizable courses are being offered, allowing users to start their learning journey from any stage. This will allow new traders to establish a ground-up understanding of financial concepts and also encourage experienced traders to stay updated with advanced trading strategies.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Paytm Founded: August 2010;
- Paytm Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India;
- Paytm CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Google trends: See what was trending in 2021
Google has published its annual overview of key search trends, which provides a somewhat dizzying reminder of all the things that have happened in 2021 – which really feels like it’s only lasted for a few months. Google’s 2021 Search Trends mini-site includes data on all the key topics of interest, including overall searches and news events. Google’s long-time tradition of releasing “Year in Search” annually has become a norm for those who are curious over the most searched topics on the platform.
See what was trending in 2021- Global (Overall)
| Ranking | Overall |
| 1 | Australia vs India |
| 2 | India vs England |
| 3 | Indian Premier League |
| 4 | NBA |
| 5 | Euro 2021 |
| 6 | Copa América |
| 7 | India vs New Zealand |
| 8 | T20 World Cup |
| 9 | Squid Game |
| 10 | DMX |
What was trending in 2021 in India?
Google India has announced the results for its year in search 2021 mentioning the top search trends of 2021 in India. The listing of top google trends in India has revealed what Indians searched in the year 2021 across Overall, sports, news, personalities, among other categories. As per Google India’s ‘Year in Search 2021’, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has filled the top spot for the trending query overall in 2021.
See what was trending in 2021- India (Overall)
| Ranking | Overall |
| 1 | Indian Premier League |
| 2 | CoWIN |
| 3 | ICC T20 World Cup |
| 4 | Euro Cup |
| 5 | Tokyo Olympics |
| 6 | COVID Vaccine |
| 7 | Free Fire redeem code |
| 8 | Copa America |
| 9 | Neeraj Chopra |
| 10 | Aryan Khan |
Top 10 ‘News Events’ searched by Indians on Google:
| Ranking | News Events |
| 1 | Tokyo Olympics |
| 2 | Black Fungus |
| 3 | Afghanistan News |
| 4 | West Bengal elections |
| 5 | Tropical Cyclone Tauktae |
| 6 | Lockdown |
| 7 | Suez Canal Crisis |
| 8 | Farmers Protest |
| 9 | Bird Flu |
| 10 | Cyclone Yaas |
Top 10 searched personalities on Google in India:
| Ranking | Personalities |
| 1 | Neeraj Chopra |
| 2 | Aryan Khan |
| 3 | Shehnaaz Gill |
| 4 | Raj Kundra |
| 5 | Elon Musk |
| 6 | Vicky Kaushal |
| 7 | P V Sindhu |
| 8 | Bajrang Punia |
| 9 | Sushil Kumar |
| 10 | Natasha Dalal |
Top 10 searched ‘Sports Events’ in 2021 on Google in India:
| Ranking | Sports Events |
| 1 | Indian Premier League |
| 2 | ICC T20 World Cup |
| 3 | Euro Cup |
| 4 | Tokyo Olympics |
| 5 | Copa America |
| 6 | Wimbledon |
| 7 | Paralympics |
| 8 | French Open |
| 9 | La Liga |
| 10 | English Premier League |
