Monthly Current Affairs - January 2024 PDF

# Current Affairs - January 2024 ## January 1st, 2024 - **India Launches First Satellite to Study Polarization of X-ray Waves in Space** - The satellite, **XPoSat** (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), was launched on January 1st, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, by the **PSLV C...

# Current Affairs - January 2024 ## January 1st, 2024 - **India Launches First Satellite to Study Polarization of X-ray Waves in Space** - The satellite, **XPoSat** (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), was launched on January 1st, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, by the **PSLV C 58**, the 60th launch of the PSLV. It carries two key payloads, named **POLIX** and **XSPECT**. - **10 Small Satellites launched alongside** - These include the **"V-Sat"**, the satellite built by students of the LBS Women's Engineering College, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram, to study how Ultraviolet rays from space affect the climate of Kerala. ## January 2nd, 2024 - **Mannam Jayanthi** - The birth anniversary of **Mannathath Padmanabhan**, the founder of the **NSS** (Nayar Service Society), was celebrated on January 2nd. He was born on January 2nd, 1878, in the village of Perunna, Changanassery. - **Deepika Padukone appointed as brand ambassador** - **Deepika Padukone** was appointed as the brand ambassador of **Hyundai Motor India**. - **State School Youth Festival Mobile App launched** - The **"Ulsavam"** app was launched in connection with the state school youth festival, which was developed by the **KITE** (Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education) ## January 3rd, 2024 - **Rahul Raksgoth Appointed as the ITBP Chief** - **Rahul Raksgoth** was appointed as the new chief of the **ITBP** (Indo-Tibetan Border Police). - **K.P.S. Menon's Book Re-Published** -The book **"Delhi-Chungking",** written by **K.P.S. Menon**, is being re-published by the **Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.** - **Dubai Becomes First Gulf City to Ban Single-Use Plastics** - Starting on January 1st, 2024, **Dubai** banned the usage of single-use plastic bags and products. - **IHRD Launches Youtube Channel - "TechMINDS"** - The **IHRD (Institute of Human Resource Development)** launched a Youtube channel titled "TechMINDS" to share insights on modern technology. ## January 4th, 2024 - **Mount Lewotolo Erupts in Indonesia** - **Mount Lewotolo** erupted in Indonesia in January 2024. - **S. Sree Kala Appointed as the Chairperson of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board** - **S. Sree Kala** was appointed as the chairperson of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. - **First Professional Boxing Match held in Kerala** - The first professional boxing match in Kerala was held in **Cheppat, Alappuzha.** - **UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Iran become members of BRICS** - In January 2024, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Iran became members of the **BRICS** increasing the number of members to **10**. - **KSRTC Launches "Chalo" App** - The **KSRTC** launched their new mobile app, **"Chalo"**, with the features of tracking buses and digital payment for tickets. ## January 5th, 2024 - **S. Jaishankar Authors "Why Bharat Matters"** - **S. Jaishankar**, the current External Affairs Minister of India, authored a book titled **"Why Bharat Matters"**. - **India and UAE joint military exercise "Desert Cyclone 2024" to be held in Mahajan, Rajasthan** - The **India and UAE joint military exercise "Desert Cyclone 2024"** will be held in **Mahajan, Rajasthan**. - **Mission 1000 scheme launched by Kerala** - The Kerala Government launched the scheme **"Mission 1000"**, which will aim to increase the annual turnover of 1000 MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) to INR 100 Crores within four years. - **Dr. Shashi Tharoor awarded the N. Ramachandran Foundation National Award** - **Dr. Shashi Tharoor** was awarded the **N. Ramachandran Foundation National Award** for outstanding contribution to public life. - **First film entirely in the Irula language released** - The film **"Dhabari Kyuruvi"**, directed by **Priyanandan**, with all actors being Irula, was released. - **"Hillly Aqua" bottled water launched in Kerala** - The Kerala State Water Resources Department launched the bottled water brand **"Hillly Aqua"** in major rail stations of the state. - **New butterfly species found in the Western Ghats** - A new butterfly species, **"Megha Mala Veli Varayan"**, was discovered in the Western Ghats of Kerala in January 2024. ## January 6th, 2024 - **Kasaragod to host the 36th Kerala Science Congress** - The **36th Kerala Science Congress** will be held in Kasaragod. - **ISRO achieved electrical power generation through fuel cell technology** - **ISRO**, during the PSLV-C58 launch on January 1st, successfully carried out a demonstration of fuel cell technology, which produced **180 Watt** of electricity. - **Kerala wins National School Football Championship (Under-17) in Andaman** - Kerala won the **National School Football Championship** (Under-17) in Andaman, beating Lakshadweep 4-0 in the finals. ## January 7th, 2024 - **David Warner retired from Test Cricket** - Australian cricketer, **David Warner**, retired from Test Cricket in January 2024. - **Smriti Mandhana equals fourth highest run scorer for women in T20 Internationals** - **Smriti Mandhana**, Indian cricketer, became the fourth highest run scorer in T20 Internationals for women with 3000 runs. The others are **Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Harmanpreet Kaur.** - **New dragonfly species found in Wayanad** - A new dragonfly species, **"Varna Nizal Thumbi"**, was found in the Velarimala of Wayanad under the Wayanad Forest Division. Its scientific name is **"Protosticta sexcoloratus"**. ## January 8th, 2024 - **Cillian Murphy won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor** - **Cillian Murphey** won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie **"Oppenheimer"**. - **Operation Amrit campaign launched by Kerala** - The Kerala State Drug Control Department launched the campaign **"Operation Amrit"** to combat the misuse of antibiotics in the state. - **Mohanlal's biography published** - **Mohanlal**, a Malayalam movie actor, has a published biography titled **"Mohanlal: the Legend of Acting."** The book was written by **Prof. M.K. Sanu.** ## January 9th, 2024 - **Pravasi Bharatiya Divas** - **Pravasi Bharatiya Divas** celebrated every year on January 9th, to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India. - **Kannur won the Arts competition at the 62nd Kerala School Kalolsavam** - The district of **Kannur** won the arts competition at the 62nd Kerala School Kalolsavam. Kozhikode came in second, Palakkad in third, and Thrissur in fourth. - **Kalyani** - The news presenter AI (artificial intelligence) character **"Kalyani"** was created by **Mathrubhumi** to deliver news about the state school kalolsavam. - **M.T. Vasudevan Nair awarded the Prof. M.K. Sanu Award** - The state government awarded Malayalam writer **M.T. Vasudevan Nair** with the **Prof. M.K. Sanu Award**. - **P.K. Veeramani Das awarded the "Harivarasanam" Award** - The state government awarded the **"Harivarasanam"** award to **P.K. Veeramani Das**, a Tamil playback singer, for promoting harmony and equality among people. - **Franz Beckenbauer dies** - **Franz Beckenbauer**, the legendary footballer from Germany, passed away in January 2024. - Beckenbauer won the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon D'or. ## January 10th, 2024 - **World Hindi Day** - **World Hindi Day** is celebrated on January 10th, to mark the first World Hindi Conference held on January 10th, 1975. - **Senthil Pandian appointed as the WTO ambassador** - The Indian government appointed **Senthil Pandian** as the **WTO (World Trade Organization)** ambassador. - **C-130J aircraft completes night landing at Kargil air strip** - The Indian Air Force, for the first time, successfully completed a night landing at the **Kargil Air Strip** by a **C-130J aircraft**. - **Jebi Methar awarded the "Oommen Chandy" Award** - **Jebi Methar** was awarded the **"Oommen Chandy" Award**, in memory of former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, for her work as a social worker. - **South Korea bans dog meat** - South Korea passed a bill in January 2024 to criminalize the slaughtering and selling of dogs for meat. - **Indian Navy's MARCOS rescued a cargo vessel** - The **Indian Navy's MARCOS** successfully rescued a cargo vessel from pirates in the Arabian Sea in January 2024. - **Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathy appointed as the new Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff** - **Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathy** was appointed as the new Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. - **E. Santoshkumar awarded the 16th Basheer Literary Award** - **E. Santosh Kumar** was awarded the **16th Basheer Literary Award**, for his book **"Narakangalude Upam"**, by **Vayikkom Mohammed Basheer Smaraka Trust**. ## January 11th, 2024 - **Deepti Sharma makes 100 wickets and 1000 runs in T20 Internationals** - **Deepti Sharma**, an Indian Cricketer, became the first Indian Woman to take 100 wickets and score 1000 runs in T20 internationals. - **Ustad Rashid Khan passed away** - **Ustad Rashid Khan**, a famous Tabla player and Padma Bhushan awardee, passed away in January 2024. - **USA Launches "Peregrine" craft for lunar exploration** - The **"Peregrine"** space craft was launched by the **USA** for lunar exploration. It was launched from Cape Canaveral space station in Florida in a **Vulcan Centaur rocket** as part of the **NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program**. It was built by the privately owned company **Astrobotic Technology**. - **India's first indigenous UAV "Dristi 10 Starliner" launched ** - **Adani Defence Aerospace** launched **"Dristi 10 Starliner"**, India's first homegrown UAV. - **Dubai chosen as top travel destination by Trip Advisor** - **Dubai** won the **Traveler's Choice Award 2024** for the best travel destination by **Trip Advisor**. Bali came second. - **Dr. Punalur Somarajan receives the Aarattpuzha Velayudha Panicker Foundation's second annual award** - **Dr. Punalur Somarajan** won the **Aarattpuzha Velayudha Panicker Foundation's second annual award**. ## January 12th, 2024 - **National Youth Day** - The birth anniversary of **Swami Vivekananda**, also known as **Narendranath Dutt Datta**, was celebrated as **National Youth Day**. He was born on January 12, 1863, in the northern part of Kolkata, in Simla. - **P.N. Gopikrishnan wins Guruvayoorappan Trust's 2023 "Oadakuzal" literary award** - **P.N. Gopikrishnan** was awarded the **2023 "Oadakuzal" literary award** from the **Guruvayoorappan Trust**, for his book of poems titled **"Kavitha Mamasabhogiyann".** - **Qatar to host AFC Asian Cup 2023** - **Qatar** will host the **AFC Asian Cup 2023**. - **Kozhikode Medical College IMCH receives MUSKAN certification** - **Kozhikode Medical College IMCH** became the first government hospital in Kerala to receive the **MUSKAN (Mother-Friendly and Newborn Facility) Certification** for **"Kid-Friendly Services"** offered to the public. - **UV Jose appointed as Executive Director of the Swachh Bharat mission** - **UV Jose** was appointed as the Executive Director of the **Swachh Bharat Mission**. - **Gabriel Attal appointed as the new Prime Minister of France** - **Gabriel Attal** was appointed as the new Prime Minister of France. - **Deakin University establishes its campus in India** - The **Deakin University** in Australia established its first campus in **Gift City, Gujarat**. ## January 13th, 2024 - **Indore and Surat declared cleanest cities of India** - **Indore (Madhya Pradesh)** and **Surat (Gujarat)** were declared as the cleanest cities of India by the **Swachh Survekshan 2023**. This is the 7th consecutive year that Indore won this award. - **Navi Mumbai** came in third, followed by **Saswad (Maharashtra), Padan (Gujarat), and Lonavala (Maharashtra)** as the cleanest cities under the categories of cities below one lakh population. - **Maharashtra** was declared as the cleanest state, followed by **Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh**. - **Alappuzha** and **Varkala** were awarded as the cleanest cities in Kerala among cities with and below 1 lakh population respectively. - **Kotarakkara Bhadra, a renowned Kathakali artist, passed away** - **Kotarakkara Bhadra**, a renowned Kathakali artist, passed away in January 2024. - **Kerala's first seafood restaurant "Kerala Sea Food Cafe" opened** - The Kerala Fisheries Department launched the first seafood restaurant, **"Kerala Sea Food Cafe"**, in Thiruvananthapuram. - **US launches Einstein Probe** - The United States launched **"Einstein Probe"** into space. - **P.R. Kumara Kerala Varma wins the 'Swathi Sangeetha Puraskar'** - **P.R. Kumara Kerala Varma** was awarded the **"Swathi Sangeetha Puraskar"** for his contributions to Carnatic music. ## January 14th, 2024 - **India inaugurates world's longest sea bridge** - **Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Trans Harbour Link (MTHL)** was inaugurated in Mumbai. It is the world's longest sea bridge at 21.8 KM and connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai's Sewri. - **Sheikh Hasina begins her 5th term as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh** - **Sheikh Hasina** was appointed as the 12th Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and continued her streak of four consecutive terms. The political party **"Awami League"** represents her. - **India ranks 80th in the Henley Passport Index** - India was ranked **80th** in the **Henley Passport Index**. France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain came in first place, followed by Finland, South Korea, and Sweden as countries with second-highest ranking passport. The countries ranked third were Denmark, Austria, Ireland, and The Netherlands. - **Wagemon to host the International Paragliding competition** - **Wagemon, Idukki**, will host the **International Paragliding Competition** in 2024. - **Chittur, Palakkad to host the 44th Technical High School Kalolsavam –** **Chittur, Palakkad** will host the **44th Technical High School Kalolsavam**. The district of Kozhikode bagged first place, Thrissur secured second place, and Malappuram got third place in the state-level Kalolsavam. ## January 15th, 2024 - **Indian Army Day** - **Indian Army Day** is celebrated every year on 15th January to commemorate the day when Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa was appointed as the first commander-in-chief of the Indian Army after Independence. It was celebrated at **Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre** in Lucknow. - **Rohit Sharma records the first 150 T20 international matches as a player **- **Rohit Sharma** played in the **150th T20 international match** in January 2024. - **Prabha Atre passed away** - Renowned Hindustani classical music vocalist, **Prabha Atre**, passed away in January 2024. - **Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakal to host "Global Science Festival Kerala 2024"** - **Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakal** will host the **Global Science Festival Kerala 2024**. - **Thiruvananthapuram to host the 39th State Technical High School Sports Meet** - The **39th State Technical High School Sports Meet** will be hosted by **Thiruvananthapuram**. - **Eline, the first robot in Kerala is installed in the Elikkulam panchayat** - The **Elikkulam panchayat** in Kerala installed **Eline** the first robot in Kerala that can help with front office services. - **RCC (Regional Cancer Centre) in Thiruvananthapuram becomes Kerala's first robotic surgery unit in the public sector** - The Regional Cancer Center in Thiruvananthapuram became the first government hospital in Kerala to perform robotic surgery. - **Microsoft surpassed Apple to become the world's most valuable company** - **Microsoft** became the most valuable company in the world, surpassing **Apple**, in January 2024. - **Ivory Coast to host the 34th African Cup of Nations** - The **34th African Cup of Nations** will be held in **Ivory Coast**. ## January 16th, 2024 - **National Startup Day** - **National Startup Day** is celebrated on January 16th to commemorate the contribution of Indian Startups and entrepreneurs. - **The 100th Death Anniversary of *Kumaran Asan* was observed on January 16th** - The 100th death anniversary of **Kumaran Asan**, a famous Malayalam poet, was observed on January 16th, 2024. He passed away in a boat accident in Pallanayyar in Alappuzha, on January 16th, 1924. - **Real Madrid wins Spanish Super Cup** - **Real Madrid** won the **Spanish Super Cup** defeating Barcelona 4-1 in the finals. This is the **13th** time that Real Madrid has won the trophy. - **K.J. Joy, famous Malayalam movie music composer passed away** - **K.J. Joy**, a prominent Malayalam movie music composer, passed away in January 2024. - **T.H. Mustafa, former minister of Kerala passed away** - **T.H. Mustafa**, a former minister of Kerala and a Congress leader, passed away in January 2024. He served as the food minister of Kerala from 1991 to 1995, when **K. Karunakaran** was the Chief Minister. - **Kera scheme launched by Kerala** - The Kerala government launched the **Kera (Kerala Agriculture Climate-Resilient Value Chain Renovation Program),** a program to help farmers by assisting them with climate-resilient farming and increasing their income. The **World Bank** is collaborating with the government to implement the scheme. ## January 17th, 2024 - **Lionel Messi wins "The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023" for Men's Player of the Year** - **Lionel Messi** was awarded **"The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023"** for the best men's player for the **8th** time. - **Alexia Putellas (Spain)**, won the **FIFA Best Women's Player of the Year Award**. - **Pep Gurdiola** won the award for **Best Men's Coach** and **Sarina Wiegman** won the **Best Women's Coach Award**. - **Marcio Sagalo** passed away. He was a Brazilian footballer who played four World Cups as a player and coach. - **"Prapyam"** was launched by the Kerala Disaster Management Authority (KDM) to help those with impaired hearing and speech by helping them communicate with rescue workers. ## January 18th, 2024 - **"Oppenheimer" wins the Critics Choice Award for "Best Film"** - **"Oppenheimer"** won the **Critics Choice Award** for "Best Film". - **"The Boy and the Heron"** (directed by Hayao Miyazaki) won the Critics Choice Award for **Best Animated Movie**. - **"Anatomy of a Fall"** (directed by Justin Triet) won the Critics Choice Award for **Best Foreign Language Film**. - **Cillian Murphy** won **Best Actor** for his role in the movie **"The Holdovers".** - **Emma Stone**, won the award for **Best Actress** for her portrayal of the character in the movie **"Poor Things."** - **Robert Downey Jr.** won **Best Supporting Actor** for his role in the movie **"Oppenheimer."** - **Davin Joy Randolph** won the **Best Supporting Actress** award for her role in **"The Holdovers".** - **DC Connect Launched in Kerala** - The Kerala IT Mission launched an initiative named **"DC Connect"** to help the public file complaints directly to the District Collector of their district. - **K.B. Sreedevi passed away** - **K.B. Sreedevi**, a renowned Malayalam writer, passed away in January 2024. - **Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh become the top performers in the National Startup Ranking 2022** - The **Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Startup India** ranked **Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh** as the top performers in the **National Startup Ranking 2022**. - **Frederik X** became **king of Denmark** in January 2024. ## January 19th, 2024 - **Rohit Sharma becomes the leading T20 century scorer**- **Rohit Sharma** became the leading run-scorer in T20 Internationals for **centuries**, by scoring his 5th century in the match against Afghanistan. - **Fin Allen becomes the only player to hit 16 sixes in a T20I innings** - **Fin Allen** scored **16 sixes** in one inning during a T20 international match against Afghanistan, tying the record held by **Hazratullah Zazai** of Afghanistan. - **The first Municipality in India to achieve digital literacy is declared as Kottarakara, Kollam**- **Kottarakara Municipality** in Kollam was declared as the first municipality in India to achieve digital literacy. - **Sara, a 4-year-old girl from the Czech Republic, is the youngest to reach base camp of Everest** - **Sara*, a four-year-old girl from the Czech Republic, became the youngest person to reach the base camp of Everest. - **Cyclone Belal hits Mauritius and Reunion Island** - **Cyclone Belal** caused havoc in **Mauritius and Reunion Island**, which is a French-controlled island, in January 2024. - **Arun Raj's "Kathiravan" movie about Ayyankali to be released** - **Arun Raj** a new director is making the movie **"Kathiravan"**, a biographical movie about the social reformer **Ayyankali**. - **Surendran Nair wins the "Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram"** - **Surendran Nair**, a painter, was awarded the **"Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram"**, a prestigious award by the Kerala Cultural Affairs Department, for his contributions to the world of painting, in 2022. ## January 20th, 2024 - **Japan's SLIM probe landed on the moon** - Japan's space agency, **JAXA**, successfully landed its **SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)** probe on the moon. With this, Japan became the fifth country to successfully land a craft on the moon after the USA, USSR, China, and India. It is also known as the **"Moon Sniper"** for its ability to land precisely at the target point. - **Rafael Nadal becomes the brand ambassador for a Saudi Arabian Tennis Brand** - **Rafael Nadal** was appointed as a brand ambassador for a tennis brand in Saudi Arabia in January 2024. - **R. Praggnanandhaa becomes India's top-ranked chess player** - **R. Praggnanandhaa**, an Indian chess player, became the top-ranked Indian chess player exceeding **Viswanathan Anand** in the world chess ranking. - **The first International Surfing Festival in Kerala will be held in Varkala** - The **International Surfing Festival** will be held in **Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram**, in 2024. The event is organized by the **Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society** in collaboration with the Thiruvananthapuram DTPC and the Surfing Federation of India with technical support from the International Surfing Association. - **The Oxford University starts trials for the first human-made Nipah virus vaccine** - The **Oxford University** started human trials for the first Nipah virus vaccine. - **Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC) set up in Bengaluru** - **Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC)** was opened in **Devanahalli, near Bengaluru Airport**, in January 2024. ## January 21st, 2024 - **Indian Army develops a hybrid anti-drone system "Ganga"** - The Indian Army has developed its own **hybrid anti-drone system**, named **"Ganga"**, to combat the growing threat of drone attacks in India. - **"Ganga"** is a combination of **Russian-made Shilka guns and jammers**. It has the capacity to detect drones from a distance thanks to its **electro-optical system.** - **Kerala develops its first native AI processor "Kairali"** - **"Kairali"**, the first AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor developed by the **Kerala Digital University**, was made public in January 2024. - **Gujarat becomes the first state in India to have a solar-wind integrated energy system** - **Gujarat** became the first state in India to host a **solar-wind integrated energy system** in January 2024. - **Kerala becomes the first state in India to include the preamble of the constitution in school textbooks** - **Kerala** became the first state in India to include the preamble of the Indian constitution in school textbooks in January 2024. - **UNESCO and NCERT publish an illustrated book "Let's Move Forward"** - **UNESCO and NCERT** (National Council of Educational Research and Training) published an illustrated book titled **"Let's Move Forward"** to help improve the values of school children. - **LIC becomes the highest valued public company** - **LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India)** became the highest valued public company in India in January 2024. - **The world's tallest Ambedkar statue is installed in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh** - **The world's tallest statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar** stands at 125 feet tall in **Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.** It is known as **"Social Justice Statue"**. ## January 22nd, 2024 - **Harbin, China to host 2025 Asian Winter Games** - **Harbin, China** will be hosting the **9th Asian Winter Games** in 2025. - **Hisham Abdul Wahab uses AI singer for the first time in Indian cinema** - **Hisham Abdul Wahab**, a Malayalam music composer, used an AI (artificial intelligence) singer for the first time in Indian cinema in the song **"Shards of Dreams"** in the movie **"Hai Nana"**. - **"Otti Kodu Thaalum Enne En Snehamme", a book of poems written by Prabha Varma** - **Prabha Varma** wrote a book of poems titled **"Otti Kodu Thaalum Enne En Snehamme"**. - **The Kerala Food Safety Department launches a scheme to produce bio-diesel and soap from used cooking oil** - The Kerala Food Safety department launched the **"Repurpose Cooking Oil Scheme (RuCo)"** to convert used cooking oil to bio-diesel and soap to promote sustainable practices. - **Safe Road Initiative Launched** - The **"Safe Road"** initiative was launched in Kerala by the **NATTPAK (National Transportation Planning and Research Centre) and KSRTC (Kerala Road Safety Authority)** with the goal of making safer roads. ## January 23rd, 2024 - **Desh Prem Divas** - **Desh Prem Divas** (National Patriotism Day) is celebrated on January 23rd to commemorate the birth anniversary of **Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose**. He was born on January 23rd, 1897 in Cuttack, Odisha. - **Sheikh Hassan Khan becomes the first Malayali to climb Cerro Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the America** - **Sheikh Hassan Khan**, a Malayali mountaineer, climbed **Cerro Aconcagua**, the tallest mountain in the Americas. - **Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana launched** - The Indian Government launched the **Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana** to install solar panels in one crore households in India. - **The 19th NAM Summit held in Kampala, Uganda** - The **19th NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) Summit** was held in **Kampala, Uganda**, with the theme **"Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence"**. - **Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra becomes India's first Dark Sky Park** - **Pench Tiger Reserve** in Maharashtra became India's first **Dark Sky Park**. It is an area that has limited light pollution, making it ideal for stargazing. - **NACIN's new campus opened in Palasamudram, Andhra Pradesh** - The new campus of the **NACIN (National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes, and Narcotics)** will be in **Palasamudram, Andhra Pradesh**. - **A center for Arabic language studies will be set up in Ponnani, Malappuram, in the name of Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom** - A center for Arabic language studies will be established in **Ponnani, Malappuram** in the name of **Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom**. - **Syama S. Prabha becomes the first transgender person to join the JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)** - The first transgender person, **Syama S. Prabha**, to be chosen for **JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)** in Kerala belonged to the state. ## January 24th, 2024 - **National Girl Child Day** - **National Girl Child Day** is observed on January 24th every year to create awareness about the rights of the girl child and challenges that they face. - **Karpoori Thakur was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously** - **Karpoori Thakur**, the former Chief Minister of Bihar, was posthumously awarded the **Bharat Ratna** in 2024, India's highest civilian award. He was a freedom fighter and prominent socialist leader. - **Rohit Sharma named the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2023** - **Rohit Sharma** was named the captain of the **ICC ODI Team of the Year 2023**. - **The team also includes Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav.** - **Suryakumar Yadav named captain of the ICC T20 Team of the Year 2023** - **Suryakumar Yadav** was named the captain of the **ICC T20 Team of the Year 2023**. - **The team also includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.** - **Pat Cummins named the captain of the ICC Test Team of the Year 2023** - **Pat Cummins** was named the captain of the **ICC Test Team of the Year 2023** ## January 25th, 2024 - **National Voters' Day** - **National Voters' Day** is celebrated every year on January 25th, to mark the establishment of the Election Commission of India (ECI). - **The theme for 2024's National Voters' Day is "Nothing Like Voting, I Vote For Sure".** - **Suryakumar Yadav named the "ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023"** - **Suryakumar Yadav** was named the **"ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023"**, a win which followed the same achievement from the previous year. - **Lieutenant H. Devika leading the Indian Navy Platoon in the Republic Day Parade** - **Lieutenant H. Devika**, a Malayali officer, will lead the Indian Navy platoon in the Republic Day parade in 2024. - **North Korea test-fired a nuclear-powered underwater drone "Haeil -5-23"** - In January 2024, **North Korea** tested a **"Haeil- 5-23"**, a nuclear-powered underwater drone, which is considered a significant development in its military capabilities. - **India's first AI-based oncology center opened at Apollo Hospital Bengaluru** - The first AI-based oncology center, **Apollo Cancer Center**, was launched in Bengaluru. - **India has established its own secure army mobile network "SAMBHAV"** - **Indian Army** unveiled a security system called **"SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Version) ",** which uses end-to-end encryption to secure communication between its workers. - **The Kerala government has decided to convert the state's cultural university, Kerala Kalamandalam, into a state university**- The Kerala government has decided to convert the **Kerala Kalamandalam, a cultural institution**, to a state university. ## January 26th, 2024 - **Republic Day** - **Republic Day** is celebrated every year on January 26th to commemorate the adoption of the *Indian Constitution* in 1950. - India celebrated the **75th Republic Day** in 2024. - **Kerala set to be the first digitally literate state in India by November 1, 2024** - **Kerala** will be the first state in India to fully achieve digital literacy by November 1st, 2024. - **Karnataka launched the "Browse Safe" app for internet users** - **Karnataka** launched an app called **"Browse Safe"** to help internet users stay safe from online scams. - **Cyclone "Ish" hit the UK and Ireland** - **Cyclone "Ish"** brought havoc to the UK and Ireland in January 2024. - **Shubham Gill was awarded the Polly Umrigar Award for "India's Best Men's International Cricketer" of the year 2022-23** - **Shubham Gill** won the **Polly Umrigar Award** for the best men's international cricketer chosen by **BCCI** for the year 2022-23. - **Other winners of this award are Mohammed Shami (2019-20), R. Ashwin (2020-21), and Jasprit Bumrah (2021-22).** - **Deepti Sharma was declared as the "India’s