Focus Merit

Date	Day	Theme 2020
04 January	World Braille Day
06 January	Journalist day (in Maharashtra)
09 January	Pravasi Bhartiya Divas
10 January	World Hindi Day
11-17 January	National Road Safety Week	Sadak Suraksha - Jeevan Suraksha.
12 January	National Youth Day
14 January	Armed Forces Veterans Day
15 January	Indian Army Day
18 January	15th Raising day of NDRF
19 January	National Immunization day
24 January	National Girl Child Day
24 January	International day of education	Learning for people, planet, prosperity and peace.
25 January	National Voters' Day	Electoral Literacy for a Stronger Democracy
25 January	National Tourism Day
26 January	International Customs Day	Customs fostering Sustainability for people, prosperity and the planet.
26 January	World Leprosy Day	Leprosy isn't what you think
27 January	International day of the commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust	“75 years after Auschwitz – Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice”
30 January	World Neglected Tropical diseases day

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren honoured with ‘Champion of Change Award’

January 21, 2020

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was honoured with the “Champion of Change Award-2019” for his work in the Barhait and Dumka assembly constituencies in the state. Former president Pranab Mukherjee gave the award to Soren at a function in New Delhi.

Soren, who had won the Dumka seat in 2009, was defeated in the following assembly elections but regained it in the recently-concluded polls. Soren, who also won the Barhait seat for the second consecutive term, dedicated the award to his father Shibu Soren and the people of Jharkhand.

Book on jurist Nani A Palkhivala released

January 21, 2020

A book of essays and reminiscences on Nani A Palkhivala has been released to mark the birth centenary of the noted jurist and economist. The book was released on January 16.

The book, commissioned by the Nani A Palkhivala Memorial Trust, is published by LexisNexis publicat and edited by senior advocate Arvind Datar. All the royalties from the book will go to the trust.

The book, ”Essays and Reminiscences”, is primarily divided in two parts — essays written in honour of Palkhivala on a variety of subjects and reminiscences of those who knew and interacted with the late jurist closely.

Some of the prominent contributors to the book include former RBI Governor Raghuram G Rajan, industrialist Ratan N Tata, jurists Fali S Nariman, Soli J Sorabjee and K Parasaran and Justice (retired) S Ranganathan.

W.V. Raman released his book ‘The Winning Sixer’

January 21, 2020

Former India cricketer and the current coach of the Indian women’s team, Woorkeri Venkat Raman’s book ‘The Winning Sixer’ was unveiled by Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund at Higginbothams in Chennai. The book is published by Rupa Publications, India.

Anil Radhakrishna Kumble a former India Captain, P.Madhavan, Executive Vice-President, TVS Tyres and Rahul Dravid (former Indian Cricketer) were also present at the book launch event. Raman revealed that in the book he has focused more on his journey to the top rather than just the winning moments from the lives of successful people.

During a session moderated by cricket journalist V. Balaji, Raman spoke about the leadership potential within every individual. Introspecting his own cricketing life and his interactions with various sportspersons from the yesteryear, the book sees him bring out his perspectives on one’s ability to lead and the importance of leadership.

Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Surjewala passes away

January 21, 2020

Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Singh Surjewala passed away on Monday following prolonged illness. He was 87. Surjewala, father of party leader Randeep Surjewala, breathed his last at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi.

Shamsher Surjewala remained a five-time MLA and one-time Rajya Sabha MP. He was also the former president of the Haryana Congress and a former minister. He was a president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj and fought for the rights of farmers.

14th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards held in New Delhi

January 22, 2020

President, Ram Nath Kovind, presented the 14th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards at a ceremony held in New Delhi. The awardees were selected by a jury constituted of members including Tom Goldstein (Professor and Dean, Jindal School of Journalism & Communication, O P Jindal Global University), S Y Quraishi (Former Chief Election Commissioner), Pamela Philipose (journalist and Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research) and Justice B N Srikrishna (Former Supreme Court judge).

The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award was instituted in 2016. It honours those journalists from print, broadcast and digital media who have maintained the highest standards of their profession and, despite immense challenges, produced work that sustains public trust in the media and impacts the lives of people. The awards are meant to felicitate those who hold their pen for truth.

‘Champions of Change Award’ clinched by Sparsh Ganga initiative

January 22, 2020

Environmentalist and social activist Arushi Nishank was honoured with the Champions of Change Award 2019 in the second edition of the Champions of Change Award held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on January 20. She received the award for her initiative towards cleaning and saving river Ganga, the Sparsh Ganga initiative.

The award is given under the transformation of Aspirational District Program which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year in January. The program identifies the progress of 115 ‘aspirational’ districts whose development is being monitored by NITI Aayog.

Other recipients of the award were actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, actor Suresh Oberoi for Culture and Lok Sabha MP Geeta Koda for Aspirational. Telugu film producer Allu Arvind, Minister of State Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur and Deepa Venkat of Swarna Bharat Trust (Andhra Pradesh), won the award for Social Welfare.

RBS India appoints Punit Sood as its head

January 22, 2020

Punit Sood has been appointed as the head of RBS India, the technology and operations hub of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). In this role, Punit will be building the organisation’s strategic capabilities, supporting the bank to achieve its goals.

Punit was earlier appointed as the Head of Technology India, where he shaped the India Technology business to function as a centre of excellence for RBS. Previously, he was serving as the advisor of Cornerstone Venture Partners Fund, a technology-focused global VC (Venture Capital) funds.

Bank of England picks Andrew Bailey as new governor

January 22, 2020

The British government on Friday named 60 year old, Andrew Bailey, the head of the Financial Conduct Authority, to be the next chief of the Bank of England. Mr. Bailey, who worked at the central bank for over 30 years before leaving to run the financial watchdog in 2016, will succeed Mark Carney.

As head of the Financial Conduct Authority, Mr. Bailey has extensive oversight experience. The regulator said it was investigating the misuse of a Bank of England audio feed that allowed investors to hear comments from news conferences before they were available to the public.

Mr. Bailey will begin his eight-year term on March 16. Mr. Carney, who had previously said he would leave on Jan. 31, will now stay on until March 15. He will be tasked with keeping the country’s economy on an even keel and responding to the fallout from the departure, known as Brexit.

IIM Kozhikode hosts ‘Globalising Indian Thought’ conclave

January 22, 2020

An International Conclave on ‘Globalising Indian Thought’ was held from 16th to 18th January, 2020. The conclave was hosted by The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM Kozhikode). The three-day Academic conclave was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through video conferencing, witnessing representations from renowned academicians, public figures and the presentation of more than 100 world-class research papers.

IIM Kozhikode embraced Globalizing Indian Thought as its institutional mission a decade ago. Over the years, the Institute has fostered and nurtured various elements of Indian ethos in management and leadership. The conclave was the perfect platform for the congregation of academics discussing India’s contribution to the world and how India as a country can re-imagine itself and re-shape worldviews in the current context.

Indian flight surgeons to be trained by France for Gaganyaan mission

January 22, 2020

France will train Indian flight surgeons to enable them to monitor the health of astronauts selected for the ambitious human space mission. The two-week training is a critical aspect of the Gaganyaan project that is aimed at sending three Indians to space by 2022. The flight surgeons, who will be Indian Air Force doctors specialising in aviation medicines and responsible for the health of astronauts before, during and after flight, will be shortlisted soon. Those shortlisted will then undergo two weeks training in France.

Brigitte Godard, a flight surgeon with the European Space Agency, was in India in July and August last year to start the training of physicians and engineers. France has a well-established mechanism for space medicine. It also has the MEDES space clinic, a subsidiary of CNES, where space surgeons undergo training. The four shortlisted astronauts — all test pilots from the Indian Air Force — are currently in Russia for an 11-month training programme. India and France share robust ties in the area of space.

January 2020 Current Affairs

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren honoured with ‘Champion of Change Award’

Book on jurist Nani A Palkhivala released

W.V. Raman released his book ‘The Winning Sixer’

Veteran Congress leader Shamsher Surjewala passes away

14th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards held in New Delhi

‘Champions of Change Award’ clinched by Sparsh Ganga initiative

RBS India appoints Punit Sood as its head

Bank of England picks Andrew Bailey as new governor

IIM Kozhikode hosts ‘Globalising Indian Thought’ conclave

Indian flight surgeons to be trained by France for Gaganyaan mission

All In One Current Affairs

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