Mission Olympic Cell adds 10 athletes to the TOPS list
Mission Olympic Cell under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has added ten athletes to the list of athletes who would be provided support under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Total 10 new entrants, five athletes have been included in the Core group while five have been added to the Development group. Now, the total number of athletes under TOPS has increased to 301, which includes 107 in the Core group while 294 in the Development group.
Athletes added to the Core group includes:
- Aditi Ashok (Golf)
- Fouaad Mirza (Horse Rider/ Equestrian)
- Anirban Lahiri (Golf)
- Diksha Dagar (Golf)
- Mohammed Arif Khan (Alpine Skiier )
Athletes added to the Development group includes:
- Shubhankar Sharma (Golf)
- Tvesa Malik (Golf)
- Yash Ghangas (Judo)
- Unnati Sharma (Judo)
- Linthoi Chanambam (Judo)
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
- TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) is a flagship program of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which was launched in September 2014 and revamped in April 2018.
- The scheme aims to provide all requisite support and assistance to probable athletes identified for the Olympic Games/Paralympic Games and other major international tournaments so that they can win medals.
European Parliament President David Sassoli passes away
European Parliament President, David Sassoli has passed away due to health issues. He had served as the President of the European Parliament from July 2019 until his death in January 2022. He was first elected as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2009.
Later in July 2014, Sassoli was elected Vice-President of the European Parliament. In the 2019 European Parliament election in Italy, he was elected as new president with 128,533 votes. European Parliament is one of the seven branches of the EU. Its headquarter is at Strasbourg, France.
South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris retires from cricket
South African all-rounder Chris Morris has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Morris has played in four Tests, 42 ODIs and 23 T20Is for South Africa. Morris made his Test debut as late as 2016 and featured in only four games in the traditional format, making 173 runs and taking 12 wickets.
With the bat in hand, Morris scored 467 runs in ODIs and 133 in T20s respectively. In February 2021, Rajasthan Royals doled out a record INR 16.25 crores to avail his services. Morris has also played for Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings franchises in the IPL.
Actress Harshaali Malhotra awarded 12th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022
The 2015 film Bajrangi Bhaijaan fame actress, Harshaali Malhotra has been awarded the 12th Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award 2022. She received the award from Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Governor of Maharashtra, for her commendable performance in the movie and contribution in the field of Indian Cinema. The Government of Maharashtra organised the Bharat Ranta Dr Ambedkar national Awards 2022 ceremony in the memory of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar as a part of the upcoming 73rd Republic Day.
Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas appointed as next IMF’s Chief Economist
French-born economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas has been named as the next chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He will succeed Gita Gopinath, the first woman to serve as the Fund’s chief economist. He will take over as first deputy managing director of IMF from January 21 2022. Initially, Gourinchas will join the IMF on a part-time basis from January 24, 2022. He will take upon a role on a full-time basis from April 1, 2022.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- International Monetary Fund Formed: 27 December 1945;
- International Monetary Fund Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA;
- International Monetary Fund Member countries: 190;
- International Monetary Fund Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva.
India successfully test-fires naval variant BrahMos cruise missile
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired an extended range sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile for the Indian Navy. This advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was launched from INS Visakhapatnam, a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy.
About the Missile:
- BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
- The missile can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
- BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
Indian Railways launches Mission Amanat to help passengers track their lost belongings
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Western Railways zone of Indian Railways has launched a new initiative called “Mission Amanat” to make it easier for railway passengers to get back their lost luggage. Under Mission Amanat, the details of lost luggage and belongings along with photos will be uploaded on the official website of the zonal railway, https://wr.indianrailways.gov.in/. This will help the passengers in tracking and getting back their lost belongings as well as ensure the safety and security of passengers and their luggage and belongings.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Railway Board: Vinay Kumar Tripathi.
Kochi became India’s first city to have a Water Metro Project
Kochi, Kerala has become India’s first city to have a Water Metro Project after the launch of its first boat in December 2021, namely ‘Muziris,’ among the 23 battery-powered electric boats being manufactured by Cochin Shipyard Limited. This launch is a part of the Rs 747-crore project which is operated by Kochi Water Metro Ltd (KWML). The boats will be called Water Metros.
With a total outlay of Rs 819 crore, the project’s major part is financed under Indo-German Financial Cooperation through a long-term loan agreement of 85 million Euros (Rs 579 crore) with the German funding agency, KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau).
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram;
- Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan;
- Kerala Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.
RBI set up a separate department for “FinTech”
Reserve Bank of India has set up a separate internal department for fintech (Financial technology). The new department has been created with effect from January 04, 2022, by subsuming the FinTech Division of Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, Central Office (DPSS, CO).
The department will not only promote innovation in the sector but also identify the challenges and opportunities associated with it and address them in a timely manner. Ajay Kumar Choudhary, who was recently promoted as the Executive Director of RBI was appointed as head of the department.
Important takeaways for all competitive exams:
- Reserve Bank of India Founded: April 1, 1935;
- Reserve Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
- Reserve Bank of India Governor: Shaktikanta Das.
New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel wins ICC Player of the Month Award
India-born New Zealand cricketer Ajaz Patel has won the ICC Player of the Month award for December following his stupendous 10-wicket haul against Virat Kohli and Co. in the second Test in Mumbai. The left-arm spinner was nominated for the award alongside India opener Mayank Agarwal and Australian pacer Mitchell Starc but beat them to it on the back of his incredibly rare feat.
Ajaz picked up 14 wickets in the Mumbai Test match in early December against India, including all 10 in the first innings, to become only the third player in Test history, after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble, to achieve the remarkable milestone.
India’s first heli-hub to be set up in Gurugram
Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala announced that Gurugram will get India’s 1st heli-hub with all aviation facilities. The heli-hub will be the first of its kind in India to have all facilities at one place for helicopters. The heli-hub is proposed to be built in Gurugram & would be near the metro facility along with easy connectivity to industrial areas (Noida & Bhiwadi).
The Haryana government has proposed to set up the first heli-hub of the country in Gurugram designed to have many aviation facilities like heliport, hangars, repairs, and any other related services.
Kannada writer ‘Champa’ passes away
Prominent Kannada writer Chandrashekhar Patil, popularly known as “Champa”, passed away at the age of 82. He was a Kannada language activist, a poet and a playwright and also served as President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) and Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority.
India Skills 2021 competition concluded
India Skills 2021 national competition concluded with more than 200 participants who were felicitated by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. As many as 270 winners of the Competition felicitated with 61 gold, 77 silver, 53 bronze and 79 medallions of excellence. More than five hundred competitors from across the country participated in the competition to showcase their talent from 54 industrial sectors. These sectors include car paint, patisserie and confectionery, welding, additive manufacturing, cyber security, floristry, among others.
Winners of the competition:
- Odisha finished first out of 26 states and union territories of this year in the ‘IndiaSkills 2021’ contest with 51 medals. Odisha won 10 gold, 18 silver, 9 bronze, and 14 medallions.
- With 30 medals, Maharashtra remained in second place, while Kerala took third place with 25 medals.
- The winners of the India Skills 2021 competition will also have the opportunity to compete in the World Skills International Competition in Shanghai, China, in October 2022.
- The competitions were held at multiple locations, including Pragati Maidan and offsite locations in the National Capital Region, from 7 to 9th of this month.
9th edition of North East Festival concludes
The 9th edition of the North East Festival concluded in Guwahati, Assam. The main purpose of this festival is to promote and highlight the commercial and tourism potential of the North East region. The festival was organised in the format of a carnival with live music and dance performances, engaging the visitors throughout the day in the open area while serious discussions on business, economic, socio-political issues of the region engrossed the intellectuals in the conference halls.
The festival aimed at integrated marketing of the entire North-East to attract tourists and investments. The closing day was graced by Assam’s Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, who interacted with entrepreneurs participating from across the North-East region.
