Legendary Collarwali Tigress who gave birth to 29 cubs passes away
India’s “Supermom” tigress, popularly known as ‘Collarwali’, has passed away at Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Madhya Pradesh, due to old age. It was over 16 years old. ‘Collarwali’ tigress was known for giving birth to 29 cubs during her lifetime, which is believed to be a world record.
The official name given to the tigress by the forest department was T-15 but she was fondly called ‘Collarwali’ by the native people. She gained the Collarwali title as she became the first tigress in the park to be fitted with a radio collar in 2008. Madhya Pradesh also gained an identity as a ‘Tiger State’ due to the significant contribution of this supermom.
JIO becomes 1st telecom company to roll-out UPI AUTOPAY
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Reliance Jio have announced that UPI AUTOPAY has now been introduced for the telecom industry with Jio. Jio’s integration with UPI AUTOPAY has made it the first player in the telecom industry to go live with the unique e-mandate feature that was launched by NPCI.
Using the UPI AutoPay launched by NPCI, customers can now enable recurring e-mandate using any UPI application for recurring payments such as mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI payments, entertainment/OTT subscriptions, insurance, mutual funds among others.
Here’s what this means for Jio subscribers:
- Jio users will no longer need to remember their date of recharge once the validity ends.
- The Jio plan opted by the customers would be auto renewed on the set date.
- For recharge amounts up to Rs 5,000, customers do not have to enter the UPI PIN on the execution of the recharge.
- Users can also create, modify, and remove the e-mandate for the tariff plans as per their requirements through UPI Autopay.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008;
- National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe.
MobiKwik launches ‘ClickPay’ in collaboration with NBBL
MobiKwik, one of India’s largest mobile wallets and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Fintech companies launched ‘ClickPay’ for its customers, in collaboration with NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL). This feature enables MobiKwik customers to pay recurring online bills (such as mobile, gas, water, electricity, DTH, insurance, and loan EMIs) with ease by eliminating the need to remember individual bill details and due dates.
ClickPay is a two-step payment feature wherein the billers generate a unique payment link within the bill-pay message, allowing customers to make payments directly on the payment page. MobiKwik is focused on providing the Indian middle-class population a simple and secure payment platform to make daily life payments.
Legendary Bengali comics artist, writer and illustrator, Narayan Debnath passes away
Legendary Bengali comics artist, writer and illustrator, Narayan Debnath, has passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 97. The celebrated cartoonist was the creator of popular Bengali comic strips like Handa Bhonda (1962), Bantul the Great (1965) and Nonte Phonte (1969). He holds the record of longest-running comics by an individual artiste for the Handa Bhonda comics series which completed its continuous 60 years of running. In 2021, Debnath was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.
Dubai opens its Infinity Bridge for traffic for the first time
Iconic ‘Infinity Bridge’ in Dubai, United Arab Emirates has been formally opened to traffic for the first time on 16th January 2022. Its design resembles a mathematical sign for infinity (∞). It represents the limitless, infinite goals of Dubai. It consists of six lanes in each direction and a combined 3-metre track for pedestrians and cyclists. It is 300 meters long and 22 meters wide.
The bridge consists of six lanes and improves the link between Deira and Bur Dubai. It features a combined 3-metre track for pedestrians and cyclists. First announced in 2018, the Infinity Bridge is part of an Al Shindagha Corridor Project. Consisting of six lanes in each direction, the bridge has an arch-shaped like the infinity symbol – which symbolises Dubai’s unlimited ambitions.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi;
- UAE Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham;
- UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Axis Bank & CRMNEXT won IBSi Innovation Awards 2021
Axis Bank & CRMNEXT Solution won the IBS Intelligence (IBSi) Global FinTech Innovation Awards 2021 for the “Best CRM (Customer Relationship Management) System Implementation”. It is one of the most prominent awards for global bankers and IT (Information Technology) consultants across the world.
The Axis Bank implemented CRMNEXT for sales and service modernisation and it also enables smarter lead processing, automated routing, complete tracking, and visibility. It identified and honoured technology players and banks for their excellence in banking technology implementations and innovations using emerging technologies.
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;
- Axis Bank Tagline: Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi.
A book titled “Bose: The Untold Story of An Inconvenient Nationalist” by Chandrachur Ghose
A new biography titled “Bose: The Untold Story of An Inconvenient Nationalist” authored by Chandrachur Ghose will be released in February 2022. The book contains the thoughts and opinions of Subhas Chandra Bose about the development of independent India, communalism, geopolitics and political ideology. It also marked the untold and unknown stories of Netaji (Subhas Chandra Bose).
The essence of the book:
- The biography attempts to bring new perspectives on Netaji’s thoughts on independent India’s development, the problem of communalism, geopolitics, his political ideology, and how he negotiated with the political parties, revolutionary societies, and the government.
- The book throws light on Bose’s intense political activities around the revolutionary groups in Bengal, Punjab, Maharashtra, and the United Provinces; his efforts to bridge the increasing communal divide and his influence among the splintered political landscape; his outlook on and relations with women; his plunge into the depths of spirituality; his penchant for covert operations; and his efforts to engineer a rebellion among the Indian armed forces.
DPIIT organized Startup India Innovation Week from 10 to 16 January
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has virtually organised the 1st-ever ‘Startup India Innovation Week’ from 10th -16th of January 2022. The week commemorate the 75th year of India’s independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ and showcase the spread and depth of entrepreneurship across India.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal launched the Startup India Innovation Week. As part of the Start-up India Innovation Week, Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode’s (IIMK) business incubator, Laboratory for Innovation Venturing and Entrepreneurship (LIVE), and Indian Bank has signed an MoU to launch a start-up funding scheme ‘IndSpring Board’ to support early-stage start-ups with loans up to Rs 50 crore.
Noted environmentalist & ‘Save Silent Valley’ campaigner M.K. Prasad passes away
Noted environmentalist & ‘Save Silent Valley’ campaigner Prof M K Prasad passed away recently. He was a prominent figure in the historic grassroots level movement to save the evergreen tropical rain forests in Kerala’s Silent Valley from destruction. He had also led the popular science movement, ‘Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath’. Prof. Prasad, who had served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University, was in the forefront of environment protection activities in the State.
India & Japan conducted Maritime Partnership Exercise in Bay of Bengal
A Maritime Partnership Exercise was held between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) in the Bay of Bengal in a non-contact mode amid COVID-19. The Indian side was represented by Indian Naval Ships (INS) Shivalik and INS Kadmatt while JMSDF Ships Uraga and Hirado participated from the Japanese side. Strengthening bilateral relations, promoting defence cooperation, enhancing mutual understanding and interoperability, and sharing best practices between IN and JMSDF.
Some Important Exercise:
- Red Flag: India and US
- Al Nagah: India and Oman
- ‘Naseem-Al-Bahr’: India and Oman
- Ekuverin: India and Maldives
- Garuda Shakti: India and Indonesia
- Desert Warrior: India and Egypt
India to host AFC Women’s football Asian Cup 2022
India is all set to host AFC Women’s football Asian Cup India 2022 from 20th January 2022 in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Pune. The tournament will witness 12 teams competing for the trophy. AFC Women’s Asian Cup India will also be the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Five teams will qualify for the main event directly while two of them will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs.
Japan are the defending champions of the Women’s Asian Cup, having won it in 2018. Hosts India has been placed in Group A alongside China, Chinese Taipei, and Iran. Meanwhile, Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia have been placed in Group B. Defending champions Japan find themselves in Group C along with South Korea, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
Renowned Bengali theatre personality Saoli Mitra passes away
Renowned Bengali theatre personality Saoli Mitra has passed away. She had acted in Ritwik Ghatak’s avant garde film Jukti Takko aar Gappo in 1974. She also wrote, directed and acted in the hugely popular Katha Amritsamman (Words that are like Nectar) another adaptation of the Mahabharata.
Mitra, who was the recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2003, Padma Shri in 2009, and Banga Bibhusan in 2012 would be remembered by her fans and critics alike for her solo performance as Draupadi in Naathvati Anaathbat (Five husbands, yet an orphan), which she also wrote and directed, and as Sita on Sitakatha.
Roberta Metsola takes over EU parliament presidency
Roberta Metsola, a Christian Democrat from Malta, was elected president of the European Union’s parliament. Her election comes a week after the shock death of outgoing parliament president David Sassoli, who was due to step down as part of a power-sharing pact. She is only the third woman elected to the post. she is the European Parliament’s youngest president. Metsola was the candidate of the parliament’s biggest group, and she received 458 of the 616 votes cast.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- European Union’s parliament Headquarters: Strasbourg, France;
- European Union’s parliament Founded: 10 September 1952, Europe.
