1- National Voters Day observed on 25th January every year

National Voters Day

Every year National Voters’ Day (NVD) is observed on 25th January. This year i.e. 2015 is fifth National Voters’ Day and theme of this year is Easy Registration, Easy Correction.

Functions: On this occasion, awards for best electoral practices are given to Chief Electoral Officers and District Election Officers. Media houses and civil society organisations are also given awards for best campaign in Voters’ Education and Awareness.

Background

It was initiated in 2011 to commemorate the foundation day of the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI’s aim behind National Voters’ Day is to enhance registration of voters, particularly of the spring chickens, by using this social occasion to make Universal Adult Suffrage a complete reality, and thus increase the worth of Indian democracy.

2- Arundhathi Subramaniam wins inaugural  Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry

Arundhathi Subramaniam

Poetess Arundhathi Subramaniam has won the inaugural Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry. She has been conferred this prize for her work When God is a Traveller. Her name was announced at a prize ceremony held at Jaipur Literature Festival. The jury, which included Ashok Vajpeyi, Jeet Thayil, Namita Gokhale, Pavan K. Varma and Soli Sorabjee had chosen her work When God is a Traveller from among the nominated books of poetry by a single author published between September 15, 2013 and 2014.

Arundhathi Subramaniam

She is a poetess and a writer on spirituality and culture. Work- She has authored three books of poems: Where I live (2005), Sadhguru- More Than A Life (2009), Pilgrim’s India (2011).

Award: She has received the Raza Award for Poetry (2009) Khushwant Singh Memorial Prize for Poetry It was established in 2014 by Suhel Seth in memory of the late Khushwant Singh. It is conferred to Indian poets writing in English or Indian language translation. The award is carrying a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh.

3- Queen Elizabeth II Now Oldest Living Monarch in World

Queen Elizabeth II

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II is now the world’s oldest living monarch. Currently she is 88 years old. Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was oldest living monarch but he died on 23 January 2015. It should be noted that, Queen Elizabeth II is one of the eight octogenarian monarchs in the world. Others include the King of Thailand and the Emperor of Japan.

Queen Elizabeth II

She was born on 21 April 1926. She acceded to the throne on 6 February 1952 after her father, King George VI died. In 1945, she had actively joined World War II as a driver in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service (WATS). She is also the second longest reigning monarch in British history, behind her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria. She is Queen of 16 of the 53 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations. She is also Head of the Commonwealth and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

4- Renowned Marathi writer MD Hatkananglekar passes away

Renowned Marathi literary critic, writer and translator Madhukar Dattatreya Hatakananglekar passed away in Sangli district of Maharashtra. He was 89.

Madhukar Dattatreya Hatakananglekar

He was born in 1927 in Hatkanangale, a town in Ichalkaranji of Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. Earlier in 2008, he was president of Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan held at Sangli. In 1956, he started his career as Professor of Marathi language in Willindon College, Sangli. In 1973, he was promoted as Principal and retired in 1978. He had written several books in Marathi. He also had translated many Marathi short stories in English and was associated with a number of literary institutions in Maharashtra. He had written many articles in Satyakatha (सत्यकथा) magazine. In 1986, he founded Ugawai (उगवाई) magazine.

5- Pooja Thakur- first woman officer to lead guard of honour at Rashtrapathi Bhavan

Pooja Thakur- first woman officer to lead guard of honour at Rashtrapathi Bhavan

Wing Commander Pooja Thakur has become the first woman officer to lead the ceremonial Guard of Honour at Rashtrapathi Bhavan. On 25 January 2015, she led the ceremonial Guard of Honour which was inspected by the U.S. President Barack Obama at Rashtrapathi Bhavan. President Barack Obama is on 3 day visit to India. He is first American President to be Chief Guest of India’s Republic Day celebrations 2015.

Pooja Thakur

She hails from Rajasthan. She belongs to the administrative branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Currently she is posted at Disha- the publicity cell under the Directorate of Personnel Officers at the Air Force Headquarters. As a sportsperson she is active in para-jumping and adventure sports.

6- TRAI issues draft rules for full mobile number portability

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued draft regulations to facilitate full mobile number portability (MNP). In this regard, TRAI has issued draft amendment to the Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability Regulation, 2009. It will enable mobile subscribers to retain their numbers when they shift to other states or telecom service areas. TRAI has sought public comments on the subject by 6 February 2015.

Key highlights of draft amendment

It insets a clause in current rules in order to safeguard interest of post-paid mobile service users. It was necessary as these users were facing disconnection in new network even after clearing all their dues of their old telecom service provider. It also fixed a time line for both the old or donor service providers and new or recipient service provider. This time line will clarify dues regarding the any with their subscribers to ensure continuity of service.

What is Mobile Number Portability?

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) enables mobile telephone users to retain their mobile telephone numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. Currently, MNP norms allow users to retain their numbers while changing their operators within the same service area. It should be noted that India has 22 telecom circles or service areas.

7- Parupalli Kashyap Wins Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Title 2015

Parupalli Kashyap

India’s Parupalli Kashyap has won $120,000 Syed Modi India Grand Prix Gold badminton title 2015. In the final match he defeated Kidambi Srikanth to win the men’s singles title held at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Kashyap won the final match by score of 23-21, 23-21.

About Syed Modi International India Open Grand Prix championship

It is named after a famous Indian badminton player Syed Modi, an eight-time National Badminton champion. After his death, a badminton tournament was constituted in his memory, Syed Modi Memorial and All India Syed Modi badminton championship hosted each year at Lucknow.

8- Saina Nehwal wins Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold badminton tournament 2015

Saina Nehwal

Indian ace shuttler Saina Nehwal has clinched the Syed Modi International India Grand Prix Gold badminton title 2015 in the women’s singles category. In the final match she defeated world champion Carolina Marin (Spain) by score of 19-21, 25-23, 21-16 held at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. With this win she has retained this title which she had won in 2014.

About Syed Modi International India Open Grand Prix championship

It is named after a famous Indian badminton player Syed Modi, an eight-time National Badminton champion. After his death, a badminton tournament was constituted in his memory, Syed Modi Memorial and All India Syed Modi badminton championship hosted each year at Lucknow.

9- India funds Nepal’s Pancheshwar project to counter Kheri floods

India will provide fund of Rs 1500 crore to Nepal’s Pancheshwar multi-purpose project on Mahakali river for countering the Kheri floods in Uttar Pradesh. This move of Union government comes after a delegation of MPs visited Nepal and had submitted their report to government.

Pancheshwar multi-purpose project

It is located at Narayan Ghat of Dharchula on Mahakali River( also known as Kali Ganga in Uttarakhand ) in Nepal. The height of dam is the 315 meters. After completion dam will be the second largest dam in the world with a capacity of 6720 Mega Watt (MW) power production. In case of power sharing, India has reached into an agreement with Nepal to procure additional electricity produced by project. This project will regulate and control the free flow of Karnali and Mohana rivers which cause floods in Kheri, Pilibhit of Uttar Pradesh and other Terai districts of northern India.

10- Edgar Lungu sworn into office as Zambia’s new president

Edgar Lungu sworn into office as Zambia’s new president

Edgar Lungu has sworn in as Zambia’s sixth President. He was declared elected as President in elections held at 24 January 2015 to replace the late Michael Sata, who died in office in October 2014. In this election his ruling party Patriotic Front (PF) won with a narrow margin by securing 48.33 percent of total votes over his rival Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND). He will be in office and lead southern African nation for the remainder term of Sata’s until next a general election scheduled in September 2016. Edgar Lungu is former defence minister from the Zambia’s ruling Patriotic Front (PF).

11- India, U.S. sign three MoUs on smart cities

India and United States (US) have signed three Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) on smart cities. These MoUs were signed by the representatives of United States Trade and Development Agency (USTAD) and the respective Chief Secretaries of State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh in the presence of Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu. These MoU’s seeks to give a boost to Union governments flagship smart cities scheme, by building smart cities in Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Ajmer in Rajasthan. Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. US will help each respective state to conduct feasibility studies, finding investors, ways to use the best technology and formulating the plan for building three smart cities. While, respective state Governments will provide resources like technical information and data related to smart cities planning; staff, logistical and travel support and budgetary resources.

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