Daily Important Current Affairs – 13 January 2021 | UPSC, IBPS, RRB, SSC, TNPSC

National Affairs

Union Science & Technology Minister launches Coastal Research Vessel ‘Sagar Anveshika’ to boost deep sea research

Union Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan dedicated Sagar Anveshika, a new coastal research vehicle.

• The research ship ‘Sagar Avneshika’ has been developed by the Titagarh Marine Limited, Kolkata for the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
• The ship will be used for various programmes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and serves as a national facility for ocean research

International Affairs

51st International Film Festival of India – Bangladesh declared as Country in Focus

Bangladesh is to be the Focus Country in 51st International Film Festival of India.

• The Country in Focus is a special segment that recognizes the cinematic excellence and contributions of the country.
• 2021st IFFI is scheduled from 16 January to 24 January, 2021. The First Edition of IFFI was celebrated on 1952

About Bangladesh:

• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Bangladeshi taka

Sweden manufacturer to establish 100 Crore Manufacturing Plant in Tamil Nadu

Autoliv Inc a Swedish manufacturer company will establish Manufacturing Plant in Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs.100 crore.

• This plant will be set up at Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai District of Tamil Nadu.
• This manufacturing project of Autoliv Inc. will be creating jobs for more than 400 people.
• Autoliv Inc. develops, manufactures and markets air-bags, seat belts and steering wheels.

Awards

National Energy Conservation Awards 2020 announced – Indian Railway won 13 Awards

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has organized the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) awards 2020. Indian Railway has won 13 awards in three categories of NECA.

• Western Railway has been awarded the First Prize
• Eastern Railway has been awarded the Second prize
• North Eastern Railway & South Central Railway has been awarded Certificate of Merit in the Transport Category.
• Electrical Department, DRM Office, North Eastern Railway has won the Certificate of Merit in Building Category
• Diesel Loco Shed, South Central Railway, Vijayawada won the first prize in Railway workshops subcategory

Ratings & Reports

ICRA forecasted India’s GDP at 10.1% in 2022

ICRA Ratings predicted India’s Gross Domestic Product at 10.14 in Fiscal Year in 2022.

• The agency had earlier projected a contraction of 7.8% for the ongoing fiscal 2020-21
• The agency also predicted the headline CPI inflation to decline to 4.6 per cent in 2021-22 from 6.4 per cent in 2020-21

Defence News

Sea Vigil 21 – Largest Coastal Defence Exercise conducted by Indian Navy

Indian Navy conducted Largest Coastal Defence Exercise Sea Vigil 21 on 12-13 January 2021.

• The aim of this exercise is to assess the country’s preparedness in the domain of maritime security and coastal defence.
• The first edition of this exercies was conducted in January 2019.
• The entire coastal security set up was reorganised after the 26/11 Terror attack at Mumbai which was launched via the sea route.

About Indian Navy:

• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff: G. Ashok Kumar
• Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff: Vice Admiral M. S. Pawar, AVSM, VSM

Summits & Conference

Prarambh- Startup India International Summit to be held on January 15 and 16

Prarambh- Startup India International Summit will be held on 15 and 16 January 2021 virtually through video conferencing mode.

• The summit will also mark the 5th anniversary of the “Startup India” campaign that was launched by PM Modi in 2016.
• Parambh will be hosted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

Appointments

Tenzin Lekphell appointed as new secretary general of BIMSTEC

Tenzin Lekphell has been designated as the new secretary general of BIMSTEC. BIMSTEC initiative for multi-sectoral technical and economic cooperation

• The secretary general of BIMSTEC is appointed by BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting. The tenure of secretary general is 3 years

About BIMSTEC:

• The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and Southeast Asia.
• The BIMSTEC nations are India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan

Jay Shah designated as the BCCI’s Official Representative on ICC Board, succeeds Sourav Ganguly

Jay Shah has appointed as the official representative of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meetings.

• He is currently served as the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
• He succeeds BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

About ICC:

• Chairperson: Greg Barclay
• CEO: Manu Sawhney
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

US President Elect Joe Biden nominates Willian J Burns as Central Intelligence Agency Director

US President Elect Joe Biden nominated former career diplomat William J Burns to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

• He is also served in the US Foreign Service.
• He is also served as ambassador to Jordan in the Clinton administration and to Russia under George W. Bush.

About Central Intelligence Agency:

• Headquarters: Virginia, United States
• Founder: Harry S. Truman

Government designates RS Sharma to Head Empowered Panel for COVID-19 Vaccine

Central Government appoints former TRAI Chief, RS Sharma to Head Empowered Panel for COVID-19 Vaccine.

• This Panel comprises of Ten members including Health Ministry and UIDAI officials
• He has also been included as a member of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 that was formed in August 2020. This panel is headed by Niti Aayog member, VK Paul.

Space News

ISRO to Adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Labs to promote Space Education

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has going to acquire 100 Atal Tinkering Labs with an objective to promote education in the field of STEM and Space education

• To develop entrepreneurship and innovation, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog has established over seven thousand Atal Tinkering Labs across the country

About ATL:

Atal Tinkering Labs is an approach of Central government of India to create an environment of scientific temperament, innovation, creativity amongst Indian Students.

About ISRO:

• Founder: Vikram Sarabhai
• Director: Kailasavadivoo Sivan
• Founded: 15 August 1969

Sports Affairs

Dhaka Marathon 2021 concludes- Jigmet Dolma from India secured fourth position

• Hicham Lakohi of Morocco came secured first position in the men’s category and Angela Jim Asunde from Kenya won first position in the women’s category
• Athletes from all over the world including India, Morocco, Kenya, France, Nepal, Ethiopia among others participated in various categories of the event.

About Dhaka Marathon 2021:

• The marathon was organized as the remembrance of the return of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Pakistan jail to Bangladesh in 1972.

Obituaries

Indian American novelist Ved Prakash Mehta passes away

The Indian American novelist and journalist Ved Prakash Mehta died at the age of 86.

• He is well known for his epic 12-volume autobiography that melded the personal and political, recalling his childhood vision loss and the traumas of Indian partition.
• His First book was his autobiography titled “Face to Face” which was published on 1957.

Pulitzer Prize winner Neil Sheehan passes away

Journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Neil Sheehan has passed away. He was 84.

• He won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award in 1989 for “A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam.”
• He also served as a war correspondent for United Press International and then the Times in 1960

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