Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

Appointments Current Affairs

Unilever appoints Hein Schumacher as the new CEO
• Unilever has announced the appointment of Hein Schumacher as its new Chief Executive Officer.
• He will replace Alan Jope, who announced in Sept'22 his intention to retire from Unilever.
• Hein is currently CEO of global dairy and nutrition business Royal FrieslandCampina and became
a Non-Executive Director of Unilever in Oct'22.
• He will begin working as Unilever CEO on 1 July'23.
Air Marshal A.P. Singh to be new Vice Chief of Indian Air Force
• He will succeed Air Marshal Sandeep Singh.
• A P Singh is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air
Command.
• He will take charge as the Vice Chief on 1 Feb'23.
• He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF In December 1984.
• He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National
Defence College.
Puma India signs Harmanpreet Kaur as brand ambassador
• Puma India has signed Harmanpreet Kaur as its new brand ambassador.
• She will endorse the brand’s footwear, apparel and accessories throughout the year 2023.
• With this deal Harmanpreet Kaur joins the roster of ambassadors like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul,
Kareena Kapoor, Sunil Chhetri, Yuvraj Singh, Anushka Sharma among others.
• Harmanpreet Kaur is the captain of the Indian women's cricket team.
Madhvendra Singh appointed first CEO of Gujarat Maritime Cluster
• Gujarat Ports Infrastructure Company Limited was appointed Madhvendra Singh as the first Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gujarat Maritime Cluster in Jan 2023.
• The Gujarat Maritime Cluster (GMC) is the first of its kind Commercial Maritime Cluster in the
country aimed at creating a hub for maritime services of international standards.
• It is the first and only maritime cluster in India.
NMDC signs up Champion Boxer Nikhat Zareen as its brand ambassador
• National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has appointed the World Boxing Champion
and gold medal winner of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Nikhat Zareen as its
brand ambassador in Jan 2023.
• She also won the gold medal at the women’s boxing world championships on May 20, 2022, in
Istanbul, Turkey.
• She became the fifth Indian woman to win a boxing world championships gold medal.
Former NATO general Petr Pavel becomes new President of Czech Republic

1|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• Petr Pavel, a former chairman of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military
committee, has become the new president of the Czech Republic on 28 January 2023.
• He will replace incumbent President Milos Zeman.
• During the election, General Pavel got 58.2 percent of the votes while Andrzej Babis got 42.8
percent.
• Czech Republic Prime Minister: Petr Fiala
JP Morgan Chase gets RBI approval to appoint Prabdev Singh as new CEO
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved JP Morgan Chase & Co. to appoint Prabdev Singh
as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in India in Jan 2023.
• He has been JPMorgan’s interim CEO since November 2022.
• He has replaced Madhav Kalyan who was named as the head of payments in the Asia Pacific.
• Prabdev Singh is a trained engineer and has worked for a decade at HSBC Holdings Plc.
Pawan Agarwal & V. Kulkarni elected IPMA President & Vice-President
• Pawan Agarwal, Managing Director, Naini Papers Ltd. and Vadiraj Kulkarni, have been elected as
new President and Vice President respectively of Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA)
at the 23rd Annual Session of IPMA in Jan'23.
• IPMA is the apex body for Paper Industry in India.
• IPMA Awards for 2021-22 were also conferred to JK Paper Ltd., Rayagada at the 23rd Annual
Session of IPMA.
Naresh Lalwani takes over as new General Manager of Central Railway
• Naresh Lalwani has taken over as new General Manager (GM) of Central Railway.
• He is a senior officer of the Indian Railway Engineering Service of 1985 batch.
• Before taking over as GM, he was working as Senior Deputy GM and Chief Vigilance Officer of
Western Railway.
• He succeeds Ashok Kumar Misra, GM Western Railway who was holding the additional charge of
Central Railway as well.
Shamalbhai B Patel appointed as chairman of Amul
• Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets milk and dairy products under the
Amul brand announced appointment of Shamalbhai B Patel as its chairman and Valamjibhai
Humbal as vice chairman.
• Shamalbhai B Patel is chairman of Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers Union and
Sabar dairy.
• Announcement was made after an election conducted by deputy collector, Anand.
IIM Ahmedabad named professor Bharat Bhasker as new director
• Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has announced the appointment of Bharat
Bhasker as IIM-A director.
• He is appointed for 5 years with effect from 1 March'23.
• Bhasker is currently a professor at IIM-Lucknow.

2|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• IIM-A's Incumbent director Errol D’souza’s term will end on 31 Jan'23.

• In the interim, professor Arindam Banerjee will work as director in-charge from 1 to 28 Feb'23.
Tata Trusts appoints Siddharth Sharma as CEO, Aparna Uppaluri as COO
• Tata Trusts on 24 January 2023, appointed Siddharth Sharma as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the Trusts and Aparna Uppaluri as the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
• Siddharth Sharma, the chief sustainability officer at Tata Sons, will succeed N Srinath.
• Aparna Uppaluri is currently the programme director for India, Nepal and Sri Lanka at the Ford
Foundation
US President nominates Julie Turner as North Korea human rights envoy
• US President Joe Biden has nominated Julie Turner as special envoy for human rights in North
Korea.
• The post was empty since 2017.
• She is a long-time diplomat and current director of Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at Dept of State.
• She has previously worked on North Korean human rights as a special assistant in the envoy's
office.
Vikram Dev Dutt to be next chief of DG of Civil Aviation
• Union govt approved the appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as the next Chief of the Directorate of
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 21 January 2023.
• He is currently serving as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of Air India Asset Holding
Ltd.
• He will take over as the head of the DGCA on February 28, upon the superannuation of incumbent
DGCA chief Arun Kumar.
Justice AK Sikri appointed Administrator of Shooting World Cup 2023
• Retd. Supreme Court Judge, A. K. Sikri has been appointed by the Delhi High Court as
Administrator to manage the use of funds for the ISSF Shooting World Cup in 2023.
• The world cup will take place in March 2023 in Bhopal.
• According to the court, the administrator can enlist the services of any athlete of his choosing
who has competed at the national or international level in shooting.
Vedanta’s Cairn Oil & Gas appointed Nick Walker as CEO
• Cairn Oil & Gas, a unit of Vedanta Ltd, on 19 Jan'23 appointed of Nick Walker as Chief Executive
Officer (CEO).
• Nick Walker has previously served as the President and CEO at Lundin Energy, a large European
independent E&P company.
• He has also worked with Talisman Energy, Africa Oil and has an international experience of 30
years in technical, commercial, and executive leadership roles.
Praveen Sharma appointed as Director of National Health Authority

3|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• Praveen Sharma has been appointed as the Director in the National Health Authority (Ayushman
Bharat Digital Mission) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• He is a 2005 batch Indian Defense Service of Engineers (IDSE) officer.
• The National Health Authority implements India's public health insurance scheme called
"Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)".
Former BSF DG Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed Deputy NSA
• Retired Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) Pankaj Kumar Singh was appointed
on 17 Jan 2023 as the Deputy National Security Adviser for a period of two years.
• He is a 1988 batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre.
• He retired as the BSF Chief on December 31, 2022.
• He had earlier served as Inspector General of CRPF in Chhattisgarh and IG (Operations) at CRPF
Headquarters in Delhi.
Sibi George appointed India's next ambassador to Marshall Islands
• Sibi George, presently Ambassador of India to Japan, has been concurrently accredited as the
next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Marshall Islands on 16 January 2023.
• Sibi George is a 1993-batch Indian Foreign Service Officer.
• In 2014, the Government of India conferred on him the S.K. Singh Award for his Excellence in
Indian Foreign Service.
UK Treasury Adviser Clare appointed as OECD Chief Economist
• UK's Clare Lombardelli, has been appointed as the new Chief Economist of Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD).
• She is currently UK Treasury’s chief economic adviser.
• Lombardelli has 20 years of experience in economic analysis.
• She will lead the OECD’s economic work, replacing France’s Laurence Boone, who has held the
post since 2018.
Brazil appoints Sonia Guajajara as 1st minister of indigenous people
• Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced Sônia Guajajara as the first minister of the
new Ministry of Indigenous People in January 2022.
• Sônia Guajajara is widely known as the leader of the main group of Brazil’s indigenous tribes and
is a member of the Amazon Guajajara.
• She was also featured in Time Magazine’s annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people in
2022.
UAE names oil company chief to lead UN’s COP 28 climate talks
• The United Arab Emirates has named Sultan al-Jaber to preside over the upcoming United
Nations climate negotiations in Dubai.
• He both leads Abu Dhabi’s state-run oil company and oversees its renewable energy efforts.
• He is the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co.

4|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• Al-Jaber also led green initiatives including a $22bn “carbon-neutral” city on Abu Dhabi’s
outskirts.
Cognizant names former Infosys President Ravi Kumar as CEO
• On 12th January 2023, Cognizant IT head has announced the appointment of former Infosys
chairman Ravi Kumar as its CEO and board member.
• Ravi Kumar has replaced Brian Humphries in both the roles.
• He has worked in Infosys for 20 years.
• During this time he held various leadership roles, including serving as the Chairman from January
2016 to October 2022.
Meta appoints Vikas Purohit as head of global business in India
• Meta announced the appointment of former Tata CLiQ CEO Vikas Purohit as the director of the
global business group in India in January 2023.
• Purohit will lead Meta’s strategic relationship with various brands to boost the adoption of digital
tools for revenue growth.
• He started his career at Aditya Birla Group.
• Arun Srinivas is the Director and Head of Ads Business for Meta in India.
Herbalife signs up cricketer Smriti Mandhana as brand ambassador
• Herbalife Nutrition appointed Smriti Mandhana as a ‘nutrition sponsor’ in January 2023.
• Currently, she is the vice-captain of the Indian women’s national cricket team.
• Herbalife Nutrition has signed over 100 sponsorship deals with various world-class athletes.
• Many Indian athletes like Virat Kohli, Mary Kom, Lakshya Sen, and Manika Batra have partnered
up with Herbalife Nutrition.
Central government extends term of RBI Deputy Governor Michael Patra
• The government has re-appointed Michael Patra as deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India
for an additional period of one year with effect from January 15, 2023.
• The Appointments Committee was headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Prior to being elevated to this position, Patra was an executive director with the RBI.
• Patra is also a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.
Anurag Kumar appointed CMD of ECIL
• Anurag Kumar was appointed the Chairman and Managing Director of Electronics Corporation
of India Limited (ECIL) on 9 Jan 2023.
• Kumar was ECIL's Executive Director before this appointment.
• ECIL’s Director (Personnel) Samir Mukherjee was holding additional charge of ECIL’s CMD post
before this appointment.
ICICI Prudential signs Suryakumar Yadav for a new campaign
• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has announced the launch of its 360° Financial Protection with its
digital-first campaign featuring cricketer Suryakumar Yadav.

5|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• The company also provides 360-degree financial protection against any unfortunate event,
critical illnesses, and accidents.
• Suryakumar has emerged as a consistent batter in the white ball format since his international
debut.
Chetan Sharma reappointed as Chairman of BCCI’s selection committee
• Chetan Sharma was reappointed as the chairman of the senior selection committee on 7 January
2023.
• He is a former Indian cricketer and politician who played Tests and ODIs as a fast bowler for the
Indian cricket team.
• He was the first man to take a hat trick in the ODI world cup and achieved this feat in the 1987
Reliance World Cup against New Zealand.
• BCCI President: Roger Binny
Paytm Payments Bank gets RBI nod for Surinder Chawla as new CEO
• Paytm Payments Bank has received the RBI’s nod to appoint Surinder Chawla as its Managing
Director and CEO in January 2023.
• Chawla was working with RBL Bank, where he served as Head of Branch Banking and focused on
expanding the CASA base, fee revenue, and cross-selling across channels.
• Paytm Founded: August 2010
• Paytm CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council elects Saiyam Mehra as chairman
• The members of the All India Gem and Jewelry Domestic Council (GJC) on January 5 2023 elected
Sayam Mehra as its new chairman for a period of two years (2023-24).
• The members also elected Rajesh Rokade as the vice-chairman of the body.
• All India Gem and Jewelry Domestic Council is a national trade association for the promotion and
development of the gems and jewellery trade in India.
Bank of Singapore appoints Jason Moo as new Chief Executive Officer
• Bank of Singapore (BoS) has announced the appointment of Jason Moo as its new CEO.
• He will succeed Bahren Shaari officially from March 6 onwards.
• He has 25 years of experience in private banking, wealth management, and capital markets.
• The bank was acquired by OCBC Bank in 2009 from ING Group.
• From 2017 to 2019, Moo was the CEO of Goldman Sachs (Singapore).
• Bank of Singapore founded: 2010
Five-time MLA Kuldeep Pathania to be next speaker of Himachal Assembly
• Senior Congress leader and five-time MLA from Bhatiyyat Kuldeep Singh Pathania is all set to be
the next speaker of the Himachal Assembly.
• He will be the 18th Speaker of the Himachal Legislative Assembly.
• He was elected to the Assembly in 1985,1993, 2003, 2007, and 2022.

6|Page
 Appointments Current Affairs | January 2023

• The first session of the 14th Himachal Pradesh legislative Assembly started on 4 Jan'23 in the state
capital Shimla.
Ajay Kumar Srivastava becomes new MD and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank
• Ajay Kumar Srivastava has been elevated as Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas
Bank with effect from January 1, 2023 from his current posting as executive director.
• He started his banking career as a probationary officer in 1991 with Allahabad Bank.
• After the successful completion of about 27 years in Allahabad Bank he was elevated as Executive
Director of IOB in October 2017.
Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan assumes command of the IAF Western Command
• Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha assumed the charge on 1 January 2023.
• He is a graduate of National Defence Academy, Pune and was commissioned into the IAF as a
fighter pilot in Jun 1985.
• He is an alumnus of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
• He is recipient of ‘Vishist Seva Medal’ and ‘Ati Vishist Seva Medal.
• Sinha succeeds Air Marshal S Prabhakaran.
Lula da Silva sworn in as the President of Brazil for the 3rd time
• He was sworn in as the President for the third time on 1 January 2023 for a 4 year term.
• He defeated the incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro.
• Lula is a trade unionist.
• Geraldo Alckmin was sworn in as the Vice President of Brazil.
• Lula had previosuly led the country from 2003 to 2010.
Sujoy Lal Thaosen takes over additional charge of Director General BSF
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Sujoy Lal Thaosen took the additional
charge as Director General Border Security Force (BSF) in Dec'22.
• The incumbent BSF DG Pankaj Kumar Singh retired on 31 Dec 2022.
• Sujoy Lal Thaosen is a 1988 batch officer of MP cadre.
• He will hold the ‘additional charge’ of BSF DG till the appointment of a regular DG of BSF or until
further orders.
Dinesh Kumar Shukla appointed as the chairman of AERB
• Dinesh Kumar Shukla, former Executive Director of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) &
Distinguished Scientist assumed the charge as Chairman, AERB in December 2022.
• He has been appointed for this post for a period of 3 years.
• He is internationally acclaimed expert in the field of Nuclear Safety.
• He has been associated with the commissioning of high flux research reactor Dhruva.

7|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

Awards and Honours Current Affairs

President awarded RPF/RPSF personnel with Jeevan Raksha Padak awards
• President of India Droupadi Murmu awarded the RPF/RPSF personnel with Jeevan Raksha Padak
awards, in January 2023.
• Awardees:
• Jaipal Singh - Head Constable/ Northern Railway
• Surendra Kumar - Constable/Northern Railway
• Bhuda Ram Saini - Constable/7th BN/RPSF
• They have saved 1000 human lives and railway property worth billions during a fire accident in a
railway wagon.
R-Day: Uttarakhand tableau wins first prize
• Uttarakhand tableau which showcased the state’s wildlife and religious sites at the 74th Republic
Day parade has won the top prize.
• Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were in the second and third positions respectively.
• Army’s Punjab Regiment has been adjudged the best marching contingent among the three
services.
• Gujarat’s tableau emerged as the numero uno in the popular choice segment.
Odisha's VK Pandian conferred with FIH President's Award 2023
• V Karthikeyan Pandian, an IAS officer, and private secretary to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik was
conferred with FIH's President's award on 29 Jan 2023.
• He was awarded for successfully hosting the 2023 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 in
Bhubaneswar and Sundargarh.
• Previously, He successfully organized other hockey tournaments like the Champions Trophy,
Hockey World League, and FIH Pro-League.
Aasif become the 1st Nepali cricketer to win the ICC Spirit of Cricket
• Nepal's wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh has been named the recipient of the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award
2022 for his decision not to run out Andy McBrine of Ireland while attempting a run.
• Aasif thus becomes the first player from Nepal to win the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award.
• The award is annually awarded by the ICC to recognise the player or team upholding the spirit
of the game.
President’s Medals for fire service, and civil defence announced
• On 26 Jan 2023, 47 personnel were awarded the President’s Fire Service Medals for distinguished
service.
• Out of these, Jammu & Kashmir's Firdous Ahmad Khan and Bashir Ahmad Ahanger were awarded
Fire Service Medal for Gallantry.
• 55 personnel were also awarded President’s Home Guard and Civil Defence Medals for
distinguished and meritorious services.

1|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

Marco Jansen crowned ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2022
• South Africa bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen was crowned as the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer
of the Year 2022 in January 2022.
• Jansen beat India’s Arshdeep Singh, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and New Zealand’s Finn Allen
to win the award.
• In eight Tests, he took 36 wickets at an average of 19.02 and an economy rate of 3.18 in the 2022
season.
29 officers and staff of the CBIC to get Presidential Awards on 26 Jan
• 29 officers and staff of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) to get the
Presidential Awards on 26 January 2023.
• They will be awarded the Presidential Award of Appreciation Certificates and Medals for
“Exceptionally Meritorious Service rendered at the Risk of Life” & for “Specially Distinguished
Record of Service” on their achieving excellence in the discharge of their duties.
Defence Minister felicitates 25 Awardees of ‘Veer Gatha 2.0’ contest
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated the 25 winners of Veer Gatha 2.0 at an event organised
in New Delhi on 25 January 2023.
• Veer Gatha 2.0 was jointly initiated by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education as a part
of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The contest aimed to inspire school children, by making them aware with stories of war heroes
and brave hearts.
Six Indian Coast Guard personnel to be honoured with Tatrakshak Medals
• President Droupadi Murmu approves Tatrakshak Medals to six Indian Coast Guard personnel on
25 January 2023.
• These awards are given on the occasion of Republic Day and Independence Day every year, since
January 26, 1990.
• IG Anand Prakash Badola is given for Tatrakshak Medal (Gallantry)
• ComdtDurgesh Chandra Tiwari & Mohit Kumar Yadav are given Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious
Service)
Padma Awards 2023 Winners List Announced: I
• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the Padma Awards on 25 January 2023.
• Govt announced six names for Padma Vibhushan, nine for Padma Bhushan, and 91 for Padma
Shri Awards.
• Dilip Mahalanabis (Medicine), Samajwadi Party founder and former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav
(Public Affairs), and architect Balakrishna Doshi have been picked to be awarded Padma
Vibhushan posthumously.
Padma Awards 2023 Winners List Announced: II

2|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

• Among the nine people to be awarded Padma Bhushan are S L Bhyrappa in Literature; Kumar
Mangalam Birla in Trade & Industry; Deepak Dhar in Science & Engineering; Vani Jairam in Art;
Swami Chinna Jeeyar in Others – Spiritualism
• Ninety-one other people, who have selected for Padma Shri, are physician Ratan Chandra Kar
(Medicine), Hirabai Lobi (Social Work), Tula Ram Upreti (Agriculture) etc.
Suryakumar Yadav named ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022
• Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav has been selected as the ICC T20 Cricketer of the Year for the
year 2022 for his stellar performance.
• Suryakumar Yadav scored 1164 runs in 31 T20 matches played in 2022.
• India’s Renuka Singh become the recipient of ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year Award.
• Australia's Tahlia McGrath has been awarded 'ICC T20 Women's Cricketer of the Year award.'
Vizag Railway Station awarded 'Green Railway Station Certificate'
• Visakhapatnam Railway Station under East Coast Railway has been awarded, in January 2023,
the 'Green Railway Station Certificate' with the highest Platinum rating by the Indian Green
Building Council (IGBC) for adopting green concepts.
• The Green Railway Station Rating System has been developed by the Environment Directorate of
Indian Railways in collaboration with IGBC.
Indian documentary 'All That Breathes' nominated for Oscar
• Indian documentaries 'All That Breathes' and 'The Elephant Whisperers' have been nominated for
Oscars 2023.
• Indian climate change documentary 'All That Breathes' got an Oscar nomination in the Best
Documentary Feature Film segment.
• The Elephant Whisperers has also been nominated in the category of Best Documentary Short
Film.
• It is directed by Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga.
Goa Airport wins Best Sustainable Greenfield Airport Award
• Goa Manohar International Airport (MIA) has been awarded the prestigious "Best Sustainable
Greenfield Airport" award.
• It was awarded under Aviation Sustainability and Environment at the ASSOCHAM 14th
International Conference-cum-Awards for Civil Aviation 2023.
• It was given by Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
• It was given for "outstanding initiatives" taken by MIA.
President Droupadi Murmu confers Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
• President Droupadi Murmu conferred Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2023 at Vigyan
Bhawan in New Delhi on 23 January 2023.
• The awards have been conferred upon 11 children for their exceptional achievement in six
categories, which include Art, Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Social Service, and Sports.
• Each awardee has received a medal, a cash prize of one lakh rupees, and a certificate.

3|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

Govt announces Subhash Chandra Bose Disaster Management Award 2023

• The Centre has selected the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the
Lunglei Fire Station, Mizoram, for the Subhash Chandra Bose Disaster Management Award 2023
for their work in disaster management.
• OSDMA was established in 1999.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh in the case of an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a
certificate in the case of an individual.
Dr Prabha Atre conferred with Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Award
• Hindustani vocalist Dr Prabha Atre was conferred with the Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Lifetime
Achievement Award.
• Dr Atre was presented with a citation and Rs 1 lakh.
• She is an Indian classical vocalist from the Kirana Gharana.
• She has been awarded all three of the Padma Awards by the Government of India.
• She also won Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1991.
Indian films bag award for best script writer and best actress at DIFF
• Anik Dutta directed film Aparajito (The Undefeated) got the best scriptwriting award.
• Ketaki Narayan was declared the best actress for her role in Krishnendu Kalesh directed film
Prappeda (Hawk’s Muffin).
• The awards were given during Asian Film Competition section at the 21st Dhaka International
Film Festival (DIFF) held in Bangladesh.
• Ikkei Watanabe from Japan got the best actor award.
ESAF Finance Bank wins Inclusive Finance India Awards 2022
• ESAF Small Finance Bank won the prestigious Inclusive Finance India Awards 2022 in January
2023.
• It was awarded for its contributions to advancing the goal of financial inclusion and supporting
inclusive growth.
• Paul Thomas K, MD & CEO of ESAF Bank received the award from Anantha Nageshwaran, Chief
Economic Advisor at the 19th Inclusive Finance India Summit held in New Delhi.
R.V. Prassad awarded the most distinguished scientist of the year 2022
• R Vishnu Prassad was awarded “the most distinguished scientist of the year 2022” at the Indian
Achievers Award in Delhi on 20 January 2023.
• The award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions in various fields.
• Some of the other awardees were Param Vir Chakra Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar, Indian field
hockey player late Major Dhyan Chand, and more.
Nepalese ophthalmologist Dr Sanduk Ruit wins Bahrain's ISA Award
• Himalayan Cataract Project Co-Founder and noted Nepali ophthalmologist Dr Sanduk Ruit has
won the ISA Award 2021-22 for Service to Humanity in Jan 2023.

4|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

• He is fondly called "God of Sight" for saving the sight many people.
• He is a recipient of the Padma Shri award, the National Order of Merit of Bhutan and the Ramon
Magsaysay Award.
• In 2016, he was awarded the 'Asian Game Changer Award.'
Harish Damodaran wins Gaja Capital Business Book Prize 2022
• Journalist-author Harish Damodaran was announced as winner of Gaja Capital Business Book
Prize 2022.
• He received it for his book ‘Broke to Breakthrough: The Rise of India's Largest Private Dairy
Company’.
• Book is a detailed account of rise of Hatsun Agro and RG Chandramogan(Founder).
• From selling ice creams in pushcarts to growing to be a listed company generating over 6000Cr
in revenue.
ICC Men's Player of the Month for December 2022 revealed
• International Cricket Council (ICC) announced winners of Player of the Month awards.
• England’s Harry Brook wins ICC Men’s Player of the Month award following impressive
performances in ICC World Test Championship series in Pakistan.
• Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner claimed ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for her heroics in
T20I series v India in which she becomes top-ranked all-rounder.
'Naanera' bags 'Golden Kailasha' award in Ajanta-Ellora film festival
• Naanera, a Rajasthani film, has bagged the 'Golden Kailasha' award for the best movie at the
Ajanta-Ellora film festival.
• The movie was directed by Deepankar Prakash.
• It also bagged awards for best director, best screenplay, best editor.
• The festival, currently in its eighth edition, took place in Aurangabad from Jan 11-15, 2023.
• The award included a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
Writer K Venu receives Federal Bank Literary Award 2022
• Writer K Venu won first-ever Federal Bank Literary Award 2022 for his autobiography
‘Oranweshananthinte Katha’.
• This is the first-ever literary award constituted by the Federal Bank.
• By constituting the award, Federal Bank aims to celebrate the diversity of contemporary literature
and recognise writers for their cultural contributions.
Critics Choice Awards 2023: Winners List
• The awards were held on 15 Jan'23, in Los Angeles, US.
• S.S. Rajamouli-directed RRR won 2 awards, one as Best Foreign Language Film and another for
Best Song (Nattu Nattu).
• Best Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
• Best Actor: Brendan Fraser for “The Whale"
• Best Actress: Cate Blanchett for “Tár”

5|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

• Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for Everything Everywhere All at Once
Jindal Steel & Power wins prestigious Golden Peacock CSR Award
• Leading steelmaker Jindal Steel & Power has been awarded the prestigious Golden Peacock
Award 2022 for its excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility activities in the Steel Sector, on
13 Jan 2023.
• The steelmaker was selected by the Award Jury headed by Former Chief Justice of India M.N.
Venkatachaliah.
• The company is now aligned with 16 out of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Indian peacekeepers honoured with UN Medal for exemplary service
• Over 1,000 Indian peacekeepers serving in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
were awarded, in Jan 2023, the prestigious United Nations Medal for their exceptional service.
• For the first time, a woman officer of the Indian Army, Major Jasmine Chatha, led the parade of
the Indian contingent.
• India is one of the largest troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions.
Thiru S. Nadesan awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2023
• Thiru Kumar Nadesan has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award for his
contribution towards community welfare in Jan 2023.
• He had initiated a fundraiser to assist stranded Indians in Sri Lanka during the Covid outbreak.
• He actively promotes business & cultural exchanges between India and Sri Lanka.
• He is the 2nd member of the Indian diaspora from Sri Lanka to receive the honor.
Aparna Sen receives 'Lifetime Award' at Jaipur Film Festival
• Aparna Sen was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 15th Edition of the Jaipur
International Film Festival on 11 January 2023.
• Aparna Sen debuted in Satyajit Ray’s Teen Kanya in 1961.
• She is a Director and actress who also works in Bengali cinema and has received nine National
Film Awards.
• The Indian government had honored Aparna Sen with Padma Shri in 1986.
Golden Globe Awards 2023 winners announced
• The 80th Golden Globe Awards were held in Los Angeles on Jan 11, 2023.
• Best Picture (Drama)- The Fabelmans
• Best Actor (Motion Picture-Drama)- Austin Butler for Elvis
• Best Actress (Motion Picture-Drama)- Cate Blanchett for Tár
• Best Director (Motion Picture)- Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans
• Best Picture (Non-English Language)- Argentina, 1985
• Best Drama Series- House of the Dragon
RRR wins Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu at Golden Globes

6|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

• SS Rajamouli's film RRR won Best Original Song for Naatu Naatu, one of the two categories it was
nominated in.
• It was also nominated in the Best Non-English Language Film which was won by 'Argentina 1985'.
• RRR has already won other international honours including Best Director for Rajamouli at the New
York Film Critics Circle awards.
Vivek Agnihotri's 'The Kashmir Files' nominated for Oscars 2023
• Vivek Agnihotri's film 'The Kashmir Files' has been shortlisted for Oscars 2023.
• Actors Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborthy, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi are also shortlisted
for the best actor category.
• Rishabh Shetty's 'Kantara', Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Gangubai Kathiawadi', Paan Nalin's 'The
Chello Show' and SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' have also been selected for the Oscars.
CJI DY Chandrachud to be conferred with “Award for Global Leadership”
• The Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession has decided to confer Chief Justice of
India DY Chandrachud with the ‘Center on the Legal Profession Award for Global Leadership’.
• CLP’s highest professional distinction will be presented to CJI Chandrachud on January 11, 2023.
• Justice Chadrachud, who became chief justice in November 2022, holds an LLM and an SJD from
Harvard Law School.
The Madras Sanskrit College presented 'Spirit of Mylapore' award
• The Madras Sanskrit College, an over century-old educational institution was selected for the
‘Spirit of Mylapore’ award.
• The award is given by non-banking finance company Sundaram Finance.
• The College commenced operations in 1906.
• The award was given during the 19th edition of Sundaram Finance-Mylapore Festival.
Adar Poonawalla gets Patangrao Kadam award
• Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India has received Patangrao
Kadam award for contribution in the fight against COVID-19.
• Poonawalla is the first one to be conferred with Dr Patangrao Kadam Memorial Award.
• Patangrao Kadam was an Indian politician from the state of Maharashtra and the award has
been set up in his memory.
SS Rajamouli wins Best Director at New York Film Critics Circle
• SS Rajamouli won the top prize - Best Director - at the New York Film Critics Circle for his film
RRR.
• SS Rajamouli's RRR is a fictional story based on the lives of Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri
Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem.
• The New York Film Critics Circle is an American film critic organization founded in 1935 by Wanda
Hale from the New York Daily News
e-NAM initiative of Agriculture Ministry wins Platinum award

7|Page
 Awards and Honours Current Affairs | January 2023

• e-NAM, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's initiative, has won the Platinum Award
in the Digital Empowerment of Citizens Category in Digital India Awards 2022.
• The President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred the Digital India Awards, 2022.
• e-NAM is a digital platform integrating 1260 mandis across 22 States and 3 UTs to facilitate online
trading of agricultural commodities.
President Murmu to give away Digital India Awards on 7 Jan 2023
• President Droupadi Murmu will give away the Digital India Awards (DIA) 2022 to the winners, here
on 7 January 2023.
• DIA 2022 aims to inspire and motivate government entities, start-ups and grassroots level digital
initiatives in fulfilling the Digital India vision.
• DIA are instituted under the aegis of National Portal of India.
• The awards are announced under seven categories.
Writer Ambikasuthan Mangad wins Odakkuzhal Award
• Writer Ambikasuthan Mangad has been selected for Odakkuzhal Award 2022 for his collection of
short stories titled Pranavayu.
• The award is being given for the best collection of short stories in Malayalam.
• The award will be presented on the occasion of the 45th death anniversary of Mahakavi G.
Sankara Kurup.
• Literary critic Dr. M. Leelavathi will present the award to Ambikasuthan Mangad.
Odisha wins World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission
• Odisha government’s slum improvement and land titling program, JAGA (Odisha Liveable Habitat
Mission) Mission has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards'23.
• This award is given by World Habitat, a United Kingdom-based organization, in partnership with
UN-Habitat every year.
• It aims to make Odisha the first state in India to be slum-free by the end of 23.
Govt names 27 overseas Indians for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards
• The 17th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held at Indore in Madhya
Pradesh during Jan 8-10, 2023.
• The awards will be conferred by the President.
• The recipients were chosen by a jury-cum-awards committee chaired by the vice-president.
• Guyana’s President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, DSB Group CEO Piyush Gupta are among 27 recipients
of the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.

8|Page
 Business Economy
Agreements &
Summits - Notes

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Copyright © 2014-2023 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

Economic Survey 2023-24 Highlights

India's economy to grow 6.5% in 2023-24, compared to 7% in 2022-23 and 8.7% in 2021-22
.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in nominal terms to be 11% in 2023-24.
Real GDP growth to be in the range of 6-6.8% in 2023-24.
Current account deficit may continue to widen as global commodity prices remain
elevated, economic growth momentum stays strong.

India has been called third largest economy in PPP (purchasing power parity) terms, and
fifth largest economy in terms of exchange rate.
India has sufficient forex reserves to finance its CAD and intervene in forex market,
especially when it comes to managing rupee.
RBI's projection of 6.8% inflation for 2023-24 has been considered to not be high enough
to deter private consumption.

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant inaugurates India’s first Model G-20 summit

India’s G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant on 30 January 2023, inaugurated India’s first Model G-
20 Summit.
It was organized by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini’s Indian Institute of Democratic
Leadership in Mumbai.
Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and
Vice Chairman of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini chaired the inaugural ceremony.

GRSE signs pact with Rolls Royce to Manufacture Marine Diesel Engines

Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd has signed an MoU with Rolls
Royce Solutions of Germany.
It was signed for manufacture of high-quality marine diesel engines at the GRSE's plant in
Ranchi.

It deals with transfer of technology related to engine assembly, painting, parts sourcing
and after-sales service for these engines that are to be assembled at GRSE's Plant.

India-Egypt MoU on cultural cooperation signed for five years

The MoU was signed by the Culture Minister of India, G. Kishan Reddy and the Foreign
Minister of Egypt, Shri Sameh Hassan Shoukry.
MoU has been signed for a period of five years.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 1 of 13

 Download Testbook App

Under the aegis of the MoU, both countries will host cultural activities in the fields of
music, dance, theatre, literature, organising festivals in the respective countries, research
and documentation etc.

Inaugural Yuvamanthan Model G20 Summit held in Goa

Inaugural Yuvamanthan Model G20 Summit held in Goa in January 2023.

It is a unique initiative for youth, who wish to ace the art of public speaking.
It aims to recruit motivated students from high schools, colleges, and universities and
designate them as "Campus Sherpas''.
The Campus Sherpas will be responsible for organizing Model G20 Programmes in their
schools, colleges, or universities.

India inks pact with South Africa to bring 12 Cheetahs in February

India has signed an agreement with South Africa to translocate 12 cheetahs to the Kuno
National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
Under the agreement, South Africa will send seven male and five female cheetahs by
February 15, 2023.
Cheetah was declared extinct in 1952.
Under the Cheetah reintroduction program, PM Modi released the first batch of eight
spotted felines from Namibia in Sept 2022.

UN cuts India’s Economic Growth Forecast by 20 bps to 5.8% for 2023

The forecast was made in United Nations's (UN) World Economic Situation and Prospects
2023 report.
The effect of tighter monetary policy and weak global demand has been cited as reason
behind this cut.
Growth in India is expected to remain strong at 5.8%, albeit slightly lower than the
estimated 6.4% in 2022, as higher interest rates and a global slowdown weigh on
investment and exports.

National Summit on Quality of Biologicals organised

The summit was organized by the National Institute of Biologicals (NIB) on 27 Jan'23 in
New Delhi.
The summit was inaugurated virtually by Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare,
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
The National Summit will act as platform to bring together various stakeholders for
interaction on various aspects of quality assurance of biologicals.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 2 of 13

 Download Testbook App

MoU signed between Prasar Bharati and Media Authority of Egypt

India and Egypt have signed an MoU to facilitate content exchange, capacity building, and
co-productions between public broadcasters.
It was signed between Prasar Bharati and National Media Authority of Egypt.
Both will exchange their programs of different genres.
It was signed by Minister of Information Anurag Thakur and Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Govt of Egypt Sameh Hassan Shoukry.

AU Bank launches credit card offering platform SwipeUp

AU Small Finance Bank, India’s largest Small Finance Bank, has launched SwipeUp
platform.
The platform will provide an opportunity to other bank credit cardholders to upgrade
their card to one of AU credit cards.
Bank has provided a platform to compare existing Credit Cards of customers within 2-3
seconds.
Thereafter, within minutes they can upgrade credit limit, cashback, reward point etc.

Delhi to host first-ever India Stack Developer Conference on 25 Jan

The first-ever India Stack Developer Conference will be held in New Delhi on 25 January 2023.

Delegates from G20 countries and G20 Secretariat have also been invited to the
conference.
India Stack is a multi-layer cluster of digital solutions such as Aadhaar, UPI, Digi Locker,
Co-Win, GeM, and GSTN, and has played a key role in India’s digital transformation.

Rajnath Singh chairs conference on 14th edition of 'Aero India'

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the Ambassadors' Roundtable conference for
'Aero India 2023' in New Delhi on 23 Jan 2023.
The event was organised by the dept of defence production, Ministry of Defence.
The five-day event, with the theme 'The runway to a billion opportunities', will be
organised at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka between February 13-17, 2023.

NABH and HSSC sign MoU for skilling initiative of medical professional

NABH and HSSC signed an MoU in January 2023, for the recognition and skilling initiatives
of healthcare professionals across the country.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 3 of 13

 Download Testbook App

It was signed to accredit HSSC certification for NABH accreditation and develop training
programs for essential skilling, and upskilling of healthcare professionals.
It will help in achieving the goal of enhancing the quality of healthcare in India.

Ayush Ministry signs MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation

The Ayush Ministry has signed an MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation
(ITDC), in January 2023.
They will work together for the promotion of medical value travel in Ayurveda and other
traditional systems of medicine.
According to the MoU, the Ministry of Ayush will provide training to the officials of ITDC
to sensitise them about Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine.

FIH signed an MoU with JSP Foundation for hockey development

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has partnered with JSP Foundation for Hockey
Development and Men’s World Cup in Jan 2023.
FIH will be working closely with JSP Foundation for some of its key initiatives for hockey
development.
The partnership will also see the JSP Foundation coming onboard the ongoing FIH Odisha
Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela as a global partner.

Kyndryl India, IIT Tirupati tie up to advance AI-enabled 3D Printing

IIT Tirupati has partnered with Kyndryl India to advance research and promote
innovation in AI-enabled 3D-printing technology.
The collaboration will focus on quickly developing cost-effective 3D prototypes for
complex products in manufacturing.
The two organizations have already begun joint research and will be launching a series of
thought leadership conclaves.

PM Modi to attend all India conference of DGPs, IGPs on 21-22 January

PM Narendra Modi will attend the All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector
Generals of Police 2022 in New Delhi on 21-22 January, 2023.
About 100 invitees including DGP of States/UTs and Heads of Central Armed Police Forces
and Central Police Organizations will attend the Conference.
It will discuss a wide range of issues including Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, etc.

Indian Ports Association ties up with RIS for Maritime Economy Centre

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 4 of 13

 Download Testbook App

A Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) was signed between the Indian Ports Association
(IPA) and Research & Information System for Developing Countries (RIS).
It has been signed for setting up a Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity in New
Delhi on 19 Jan'23.
It was signed in the presence of the Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush
Sarbananda Sonowal.

Parliament to hold P-20 Conference of Parliament Speakers

The Parliament of India will hold the P-20 Conference of the Parliament Speakers of the
G-20 nations in 2023.
India will try to effectively resolve global issues through this platform.
In 2022, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla attended the 8th G20 Parliamentary Speaker’s
Summit and the P-20 conference in Jakarta, Indonesia.
G-20 countries account for 80% of global GDP and 75% of global trade.

Tourism Ministry to organize 1st Global Tourism Investors Summit

Ministry of Tourism is organizing the 1st Global Tourism Investors Summit from 10 to
12 April'23 in New Delhi.
The aim is to bring together global business leaders and policymakers to understand and
explore Tourism Business opportunities in India.
In this regard, Ministry organized a Roadshow on 17 Jan'23 in Chandigarh.
It focused on promoting India as an investment destination for tourism.

Adani Enterprises signs agreement with Ashok Leyland

Adani Enterprises on 17 January 2023, signed an agreement to launch a pilot project to

develop a hydrogen fuel cell electric truck (FCET) for mining logistics and transportation,
with Ashok Leyland, India, and Ballard Power, Canada.
The agreement marks Asia’s first planned hydrogen-powered mining truck.
The mining truck will weigh 55 tons and will have a 200-km working range.

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) Interest Rate Hiked for January–March 2023

The KVP interest rate applicable in the first quarter of 2023 (January-March) was
announced on December 30, 2022.
The new interest rate is 7.2%.
The previous interest rate was 7%.
The Union Government revises the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) interest rate on a quarterly
basis.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 5 of 13

 Download Testbook App

At 7.2% interest, the amount invested in the KVP account will double in 10 years.

In a first, India among the top five ECM markets globally in 2022

India was among top 5 markets, globally, in terms of equity fundraising.

According to a report by Kotak Investment, funds to the tune of $16.4 bn were transacted
via equity capital market (ECM) activity in India in 2022.
Traditionally, India has rarely featured in top 10 in terms of ECM activity.
Interestingly, in 2022, India also broke into top-5 league in terms of market capitalisation.

PPBL gets RBI nod to operate as Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit

Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) has received final approval from the Reserve Bank of
India to operate as Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU).
A BBPOU is allowed to facilitate bill payment services of electricity, phone, DTH, water, gas
insurance, loan repayments, FASTag recharge etc.
With this, users can make convenient payments and benefit from automatic payment and
reminder services.

RBI proposes expected loss-based approach for provisioning by banks

Under this, banks will be required to classify financial assets (primarily loans) into one of
three categories – Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3, depending upon the assessed credit
losses on them.
It is to be done at the time of initial recognition as well as on each subsequent reporting
date.
Presently, banks are required to make loan loss provisions based on an ‘incurred loss’
approach.

India's exports decline by 12.2% to $34.48 billion in December 2022

India's merchandise exports decreased 12.2% from a year earlier to $34.5 billion in
December 2022.
In October 2022, exports of goods had decreased by 16.65% on a yearly basis.
India’s current account deficit (CAD) widened to $36.4 billion and 4.4 per cent of GDP, in
the September 2022.
While India's goods exports increased by 7.7 per cent in December 2022.

States’ gross fiscal deficit set to fall in 2022-23: RBI

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 6 of 13

 Download Testbook App

As per an RBI report, gross fiscal deficit of states is budgeted to narrow to 3.4% of gross
domestic product (GDP) in 2022-23 from 4.1% in 2020-21.
Reason behind this is broad-based economic recovery and higher revenue collections.
While states’ debt is budgeted to ease to 29.5% of GDP in 2022-23 as against 31.1% in
2020-21, it is still higher than 20% recommended by FRBM Review Committee.

Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA) signs MoU with SBI

WDRA signed an MoU with State Bank of India to help farmers in getting low interest rate
loans on Jan 16, 2023.
The MoU was signed with the intent of promoting awareness about the new loan
product called 'Produce Marketing Loan' to exclusively fund against e-NWRs (electronic
Negotiable Warehouse Receipt).
It will help in preventing distress sale and releasing better prices for the produce.

World Economic Forum 2023 Summit to begin on January 16

The 53rd edition of the annual World Economic Forum Summit would be held in Davos,
Switzerland from January 16 to 20, 2203.
A delegation of Indian Ministers Union ministers including Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh
Mandaviya, Smriti Irani, and RK Singh would be present during the event.
The theme of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2023 meeting is 'Cooperation in a
fragmented world.'

Alibaba sells Paytm stake worth $125 million via block deal

Alibaba Group company Ant Financial has sold 2 crore shares of Indian Digital Payment
and Financial Services Company Paytm at Rs 536.95 per share on 12 Jan 2023.
Block deal refers to a trade in which 5 lakh shares or shares of a particular company
listed on the exchange are traded for a value of more than Rs 5 crore.
Block deals can only be conducted during a particular trading window.

Retail inflation eases to 1-year low in December 2022

Retail inflation cooled to a one-year low in December 2022, remaining below the Reserve
Bank of India’s upper tolerance limit of 6% for the second straight month.
Primary reason behind this is lower vegetable prices.
Inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) eased to 5.72% in Dec from 5.8% in
November, data released by the ministry of statistics and programme
implementation showed.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 7 of 13

 Download Testbook App

13th Ministerial-level meeting of the India-US Trade Policy Forum held

13th Ministerial-level meeting of the India-United States Trade Policy Forum (TPF) was
held on Jan 10-11, 2023 in Washington, DC (USA).
TPF aims to lay the foundation for forging robust bilateral trade ties and enhancing the
bilateral economic relationship between both countries.​

India and US launched a new working group on “Resilient Trade” to deepen bilateral
dialogue.

Indian High Commission signed MoU with Sabaragamuwa University

Indian High Commission signed an MoU to establish a Hindi Chair at Sabaragamuwa

University of Sri Lanka.
High Commissioner Gopal Baglay and Vice Chancellor of University Udaya Rathnayake
signed the MoU.
The university was established as part of India’s cultural connect through the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations.
It will help in familiarizing students with Indian culture.

PayRup, India’s fastest payment app launched

India’s fastest payment app 'PayRup' was launched in Jan 2023.

PayRup is built with the cutting-edge technology of web 3.0.
It ensures the 5 dimensions of service quality and follows SERVQUAL standards to
provide the best service experience.
In Jan 2023, PayRup announced ticketing and booking services.
The launching event was hosted in Bangalore and was launched by Mahadevappa
Halagatti.

Axis Bank signs up with IISc to set up math and computing centre

Axis Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute
of Science (IISc), Bengaluru to establish a Centre for Mathematics and Computing at the
IISc Institute.
The centre spread over 1.6 lakh square feet will have labs and programmes benefitting
faculty and students.
It will also host the new IISc BTech programme in Mathematics and Computing.

BharatPe Gets Nod for ePayment Aggregator Licence

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 8 of 13

 Download Testbook App

Fintech unicorn BharatPe has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of
India to operate as a Payment Aggregator (PA).
PA are entities that facilitate e-commerce sites and merchants to accept various payment
instruments from customers.
They do not require merchants to create a separate payment integration system of their
own.
Previously Open, 1Pay, etc have received approval.

83rd All India Presiding Officers Conference begins in Jaipur

The 83rd All India Presiding Officers Conference is being held in Jaipur on 11-12 Jan 2023.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the conference.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is presiding over the conference.
Speakers and Deputy Speakers of various Legislative Assemblies were present at the
function.
This Conference is being held in Rajasthan after 11 years (last in 2011).

MP Tourism Board signs MoUs with chapters of 8 countries of GOPIO

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board signed MoUs with chapters of 8 countries of Global
Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention.
MoUs were signed with France Metropole Paris, Mauritius, Reunion Island, Martinique,
Sri Lanka, GOPIO International, Malaysia, and Mauritius.
The aim of MoUs is to boost cooperation in development of Tourism sector of the State.

India, Panama sign MoU to enhance cooperation in training of diplomats

India and Panama have signed a MoU to enhance cooperation in the training of
diplomats.
It was signed on the sidelines of 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Indore, in Jan 2023.
During the meet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, along with his Panama
counterpart Janaina Tewane Mencomo, also discussed the opportunities for economic,
health, finance and people to people linkages.

Indian Navy and Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd. signs agreement

Indian Navy has recently announced a collaboration with Sagar Defence Engineering
Private Limited for development of armed autonomous boat swarms.
The platform will be able to conduct a variety of navy and security tasks, including high-
speed interdiction, surveillance, constabulary operations, and intelligence, surveillance,
and reconnaissance.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 9 of 13

 Download Testbook App

The agreement is part of SPRINT initiative.

India to host Voice of Global South Summit

India will host a special virtual Summit on 12-13 Jan 2023 called 'Voice of Global South
Summit'.
Theme of the Summit is 'Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose.
The summit is India's attempt to provide a common platform to discuss concerns
affecting developing countries.
The initiative is inspired by PM Modi's vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas... and philosophy
of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

Microsoft and ISRO tie up to help Space-Tech Startups in India

Indian Space Research Organization and Microsoft signed an MoU to help Indian Space
tech start-ups in January 2023.
Microsoft will provide mentoring support to space tech entrepreneurs in areas ranging
from space engineering to cloud technologies and marketing.
Through this MoU, the space tech startups identified by ISRO will be onboarded onto the
Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub.

International Hockey Federation signs JSW as global World Cup partner

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has signed a partnership with the JSW Group
for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023.
The group supports and promotes Olympics in India and has created an Olympic Training
Institute in the Inspire Institute of Sport across the country.
The 15th edition of FIH’s event for men will be played from 13 January to 29 January in
Odisha, India.

General Atomics, Bharat Forge tie up to manufacture aerostructure

General Atomic Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) and Bharat Forge Limited have
announced a partnership in January 2023, to manufacture main landing gear
components, subassemblies, and assemblies of remotely piloted aircraft.
Bharat Forge is the largest repository of metallurgical know-how, design, engineering
expertise, and manufacturing prowess in India.

Anurag Thakur launches Y20 summit's - Theme, logo and website

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 10 of 13

 Download Testbook App

Union Minister Anurag Thakur launched the themes of the Y20 summit, logo, and website
in New Delhi on January 6, 2023, in the curtain raiser event of Y20 Summit India.
The Y20 is the official youth engagement group for the G20 (Group of 20), the forum for
the world’s largest and most advanced economies.
India is hosting the Y20 summit for the first time.

Indian Army inks pact with Assam govt for treatment of ex-servicemen

The Indian Army on 5 Jan 2023 signed an agreement with the Assam govt to offer Ex-
Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) at eight medical college and hospitals in
the state.
This will facilitate the cashless and capless treatment of 1.12 lakh beneficiaries.
The ECHS benefits will be offered in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Jorhat, Barpeta, Tezpur,
Diphu and North Lakhimpur.

Hindustan Copper signs MoU with IIT Dhanbad for technical support

Hindustan Copper (HCL) has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology
(Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad for a collaborative and sponsored research project.
It will address HCL’s need for technical assistance, guidance and consultancy works.
Hindustan Copper (HCL) is the only copper miner in India owning all the operating mining
leases of copper ore in the nation.

Ministries of Defence, Education, and Skill Development sign MoUs

Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, and all three Services have signed MoUs with various stakeholders.
They aim to facilitate the continued education of Agniveers while serving in the Armed
Forces.
Under these MoUs, suitable 12th Class certificates and Bachelor’s degrees will be
awarded to the Agniveers.

PM to chair second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi

PM Modi will chair the 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries on January 6 and 7,
2023 in Delhi.
The first conference was held in Dharamshala in June 2022.
The conference will focus on achieving rapid and sustained economic growth in
partnership with the states.
The best practices of the States/UTs will be presented so that the states can learn from
each other.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 11 of 13

 Download Testbook App

NGEL, HPCL sign an agreement to develop green energy projects

NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) signed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (HPCL) for the development of renewable energy-based power projects
for HPCL Refineries and other Business Units on 4 January 2022.
This MoU marks the first step for NGEL and HPCL to collaborate and cooperate in the
field of the development of Renewable Energy projects.

India's December services sector growth at highest level in 6 months

The Indian services sector growth touched a six-month high in December, supported by a
robust intake of new work and favourable market conditions.
The S&P Global India services purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 58.5 in
December from 56.4 in the previous month.
In PMI, a print above 50 means expansion while a score below 50 denotes contraction.

India-ADB sign $1.2 billion loan agreement for infrastructure projects

The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Jan 2, 2023 signed loan
agreements totalling $1.22 billion for developing infrastructure in various Indian states.
The agreements would cover projects for improving the power sector and highways in
Tripura and Assam, metro rail connectivity in Chennai, and improvement of key economic
areas in the state of Maharashtra.

UPI transactions rise over 7.82 billion in December 2022

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) closed the year 2022 on a high note as the number
of transactions reached a record 7.82 billion in December and totalled Rs 12.82 trillion,
also a record high.
The volume of UPI transactions in December increased by 7.12% when compared to
November, while the value of transactions increased by 7.73% during the same period.

GST collections in December grow 15% to Rs 1.49 lakh crore

Goods and Service Tax (GST) collections for the month of December stood at over Rs 1.49
lakh crore, 15% higher than the year-ago period.
In November, the collections were at nearly Rs 1.46 lakh crore, up 11 per cent from the
year-ago period.
The collections had touched a record high of nearly Rs 1.68 lakh crore in April. The
second-highest collection was Rs 1.52 lakh crore in October.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 12 of 13

 Download Testbook App

India and Austria ink pact on Migration and Mobility

India has signed a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement with
Austria.
It has similar agreements with France, UK, Germany, and Finland.
India aims to finalise these agreements with European countries as a stepping stone to
resolving issues over the long-pending India-European Union Free Trade
Agreement and facilitating Indian professionals working in these countries

Centre and IVBP sign pact for Lumpi­-ProVac cattle vaccine

Centre signed a pact with the Institute of Vete­rinary Biological Products (IVBP) for
commercial pro­duction of ‘Lumpi­-ProVac’, a vaccine for lumpy skin disease in cattle.
The vaccine was deve­loped by the National Centre for Veterinary Type Culture and ICAR­-
National Research Centre on Equines and ICAR­Indian Veterinary Research Institute.
Vaccines give protection for about one year.

SUBJECT | CURRENT AFFAIRS 13 of 13

 Defence Science &
Tech - Notes

Current Affairs

Copyright © 2014-2023 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

World’s first guidelines created to prevent heart problems in kids

The world’s first international clinical guidelines for preventing and treating heart
problems in cancer patients’ children have been developed.
The guidelines would be an indispensable tool for clinicians to significantly reduce the
harmful impact of cancer drugs on children’s hearts.
The guidelines was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

Two Indian Air Force fighter aircraft crashed in the Madhya Pradesh

Sukhoi-30 and Mirage 2000 aircraft of Indian Air Force have crashed in MP.
Sukhoi 30:
It is a twin-engine Fighter Jet manufactured by Sukhoi Aviation Corporation of Russia.
Range – 3000 Km
Maximum Speed – Mach 2
Mirage 2000:
Dassault Mirage 2000 is a French multirole, single-engine fourth-generation fighter jet
manufactured by Dassault Aviation.
Range – 1550 Km
Maximum Speed – Mach 2.2

India’s first mission to the Sun will be launched by June-July 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1
mission by June or July 2023.
Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.
In total it has seven payloads, which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line
Coronagraph (VELC), designed and fabricated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics,
Bengaluru

‘Green comet’ appearing close to Earth after 50,000 years

A green comet, termed C/2022 E3 (ZTF), is estimated to come closest to Earth after 50,000
years.
About Green Comet:
Orbits sun in 50,000 years.
It comes from the Oort cloud.
It gets its beautiful green glow from diatomic carbon that is present in the comet’s head.
When the ultraviolet rays of solar radiation fall on the comet, these molecules emit green
light.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 1 of 8

 Download Testbook App

Veer Guardian 2023- Joint exercise between India and Japan concludes

It was held between Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) as
the first bilateral air exercise at Hyakuri Air Base in Japan.
It was first time when an Indian Air Force woman fighter pilot was part of Indian
contingent for aerial wargames in a foreign land.
It was held from 12 to 26 Jan'23.
IAF contingent comprised four Su-30 MKI, two C-17 & one IL-78 aircraft.

India's 1st Nasal vaccine for COVID-19 launched

India launched first made in India nasal vaccine against Covid-19- iNCOVACC.
The vaccine has been made by Bharat Biotech.
iNCOVACC is a recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre-
fusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
It has been specifically formulated to allow intranasal delivery through nasal drops.

Norovirus cases detected in Kerala

Kerala Health Department confirmed 2 cases of norovirus.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhoea.
The virus is capable of surviving low temperatures, and outbreaks tend to be more
common during the winter and in colder countries — that is why it is sometimes referred
to as "winter vomiting disease".
Vaccines: Not Available
Prevention: Practice good hygiene.

Indian Navy held maritime exercise 'TROPEX 2023' in Indian Ocean

Indian Navy's flagship maritime exercise TROPEX 2023 is being held in the Indian Ocean.
TROPEX-2023 is being organized over a period of three months from January to March
2023.
The TROPEX exercise is held once every two years.
The first exercise of maritime surveillance was held in January 2019.
It is also called the biggest war game of the Indian Navy.

Border Security Force (BSF) starts ‘Ops alert’ exercise

The Border Security Force (BSF) has started a weeklong exercise "Ops Alert" all along the
Indo-Pak international border from Sir Creek to Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and Barmer
district of Rajasthan in order to tighten security ahead of the Republic Day.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 2 of 8

 Download Testbook App

India will celebrate its 74th Republic Day on January 26, 2023.
The exercise began on 21 January and will end on 27 January 2023.

Indian Navy conducts “AMPHEX 2023” mega exercise in Andhra Pradesh

The Indian Navy carried out a six-day-long mega military exercise along with the Army
and the IAF near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.
The largest biennial tri-services amphibious exercise AMPHEX 2023 was conducted from
17 to 22 Jan'23.
The exercise was conducted to review the preparedness of the Indian Navy and the Army
during the war, national calamities and coastal security enforcement.

Indian Air Force (IAF) to conduct ‘PRALAY’ exercise in Northeast

IAF is going to conduct exercise ‘PRALAY’ in Northeast India from 1-5 Feb'23.
The exercise will include a variety of platforms, such as C-130J ‘Super Hercules’ aircraft,
Chinook heavy-lift and Apache attack helicopters.
The exercise will be conducted in preparation for another Air Force exercise named
'Eastern Akash', an annual command-level exercise, to be held in first week of February.

1st Edition of Indo-Egypt Joint Training Exercise Cyclone – I begins

Indian and Egyptian Armies are to conduct the first-ever joint exercise Cyclone-I.
It is being held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan for 14 days, from 14 Jan'23.
The exercise is first of its kind as it brings special forces of countries to a common
platform.
30-40 special forces are participating in exercise.
The armies will engage and get trained in combat free fall, sniping, surveillance, etc.

India Navy to commission Kalvari class submarine Vagir on 23 Jan'23

The submarine has been built under the Project-75.

It is built in India by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai in collaboration with
M/s Naval Group, France.
It is capable of attacking underwater or on surface with torpedoes and tube-launched
anti-ship missiles.
Formerly Vagir was commissioned on 01 November 1973 and decommissioned on 07
January 2001 after three decades of service.

BharOS - India's Indigenous Mobile Operating System developed

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 3 of 8

 Download Testbook App

It was developed by IIT Madras incubated Firm- JandK Operations Private Limited
(JandKops).
This software can be installed on commercial off-the-shelf handsets.
It provides access to trusted apps from organisation-specific Private App Store Services
(PASS).
It comes with No Default Apps (NDA).
It offers 'Native Over The Air' (NOTA) updates that can help to keep the devices secure.

Squadrone flies India’s first autonomous drone in underground mines

Squadrone has become the first Indian firm to fly autonomous drones in underground
mines in India in January 2023.
Squadrone successfully completed a Proof of Concept at Hindustan Zinc
Ltd. underground mines in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
It has partnered with Emesent Australia to drive SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and
Mapping) based technology to implement Hovermap LiDAR technology.

MeitY launches new technology to monitor air quality

Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), has launched the
technology for Air Quality Monitoring System (AI-AQMS v1.0) on 17 January 2023.
It has been developed under the 'National Program on Electronics and ICT Applications in
Agriculture and Environment (AgriEnIcs)' with the collaboration of the Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Kolkata.

Indian Army organises cyber threat seminar 'Sainya Ranakshetram 2.0'

The Indian Army, under the HQ Army Training Command, organized the second edition of
Hackathon - “Sannya Rankshetram 2.0” from October 2022 to January 2023.
It was aimed to identify indigenous talent in the field and raise the level of training in the
areas of cyber deterrence, security software coding, Electromagnetic Spectrum
Operations (EMSO), and Artificial Intelligence.

NASA's James Webb telescope discovers its first Earth-sized exoplanet

NASA's Telescope has discovered a new exoplanet named LHS 475b.

It is roughly the same size as Earth, with a diameter of 99% that of Earth.
It is a rocky planet located approximately 41 light-years away from Earth in the
constellation Octane.
It differs from Earth in two respects, first that it completes one orbit in only two days and
second it is hundreds of degrees hotter than Earth.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 4 of 8

 Download Testbook App

In a first, Army clears over 30 women officers for command roles

The Indian Army, first time, cleared more than 30 women officers for command roles on
16 January 2023.
The Indian Army is holding promotion boards for Colonel rank for women officers
including batches from 1992 to 2005.
The women officers clearing the boards would be given command roles.
The first batch of over 100 women Agniveers will join their training center in Bengaluru in
March 2023.

India, Egypt to hold first-ever exercises between special forces

India and Egypt have announced to hold the first-ever military exercise “Cyclone 1”
involving the special forces in Udaipur in Jan'23.
It is being held to celebrate the 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two
countries.
Egypt has also been invited as a guest country at the G20 summit in 2023.
In April 2022, Egypt announced the inclusion of India in the list of accredited countries.

India, France joint naval exercise 'Varuna 2023' begin on 16 January

The 21st Edition of the Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France, 'Exercise
Varuna' commenced in the Indian Ocean on 16 Jan 2023.
The bilateral exercise between the two navies was initiated in 1993 and was
named ‘VARUNA’ in 2001.
The exercise will be conducted from 16 to 20 January 2023 and will witness advanced air
defense exercises, tactical maneuvers, and surface firings.

MIT Researchers develop AI tool to predict risk of lung Cancer

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed and successfully

tested an AI tool called “Sybil” that effectively predicts lung cancer risk.
Sybil can look at an image and predict the risk of a patient developing lung cancer within
6 yrs.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

​Startup firm IG Drones develops India's first 5G-enabled drone

Tech startup firm IG Drones has developed India's first 5G-enabled drone capable of
vertical take-off and landing on 11 Jan 2023.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 5 of 8

 Download Testbook App

This drone has been named Skyhawk and can be used in other areas apart from defense
and medicine.
It can fly for about five hours with a payload of 10 kg, which is also equipped with
capabilities like artificial intelligence and thermal imaging.

ICG ship ‘Kamla Devi’, last vessel of FPV series, commissioned

Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) Indian Coast Guard(ICG) ship 'Kamala Devi' was commissioned on
12 Jan, 2023 in Kolkata.
It is designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd.
​Kamala Devi is capable of a top speed of 34 knots and an endurance of over 1,500
nautical miles.
It will undertake anti-smuggling, anti-poaching and search and rescue operations when
required.

CMPDIL invents new Dust Control Technology

Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), Ranchi invented a “System
and Method for Controlling Generation and Movement of Fugitive Dust '' in January 2023.
This system can be used in mines, power plants, railway sidings, or other
mineral materials stored under the open sky.
Apart from reducing dust generation from open sources, it will also provide noise
attenuation.

Airtel-backed OneWeb launches 40 satellites with SpaceX

Airtel-backed OneWeb successfully launched 40 satellites onboard a SpaceX launcher on

January 9.
OneWeb initially sought to deploy a complete 648 satellites to allow its community of
satellite-based web connectivity all over the world.
OneWeb is a communications company that aims to build broadband satellite Internet
services.
OneWeb CEO: Neil Masterson
OneWeb Founder: Greg Wyler

Avani Chaturvedi becomes 1st IAF woman pilot to participate in wargame

First female fighter pilot, squadron commander Avani Chaturvedi, will participate in the
inaugural air exercise Veer Guardian 2023.
The exercise aims to improve air defence cooperation between Japan and India.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 6 of 8

 Download Testbook App

For the first time an Indian Air Force (IAF) female fighter pilot will participate in aerial war
games.
The exercise will be hosted by the Japan at the Hyakuri Air Base in Jan 2023.

India successfully carries out test launch of Prithvi-II missile

India on 10 January 2023 successfully carried out a test launch of the tactical ballistic
missile Prithvi-II.
The Prithvi-II missile has a range of around 350 kilometers.
The test was carried out from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of
Odisha.
Prithvi missiles are indigenously produced and are the first missile to be developed under
India’s prestigious IGMDP program.

DRDO develops UAV for operations in Himalayan frontier regions

The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has developed an

unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in January 2023 to carry out logistic operations in the
Himalayan frontier.
It is capable of flying in the Himalayan environment with 5kg of payload and even
dropping bombs in the areas required.
It can also travel in auto mode and release payload and return to the home location.

Lecanemab antibody get approval for Alzheimer’s Treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved lecanemab drug, developed by
Eisai and Biogen, for the treatment of Alzheimer’s.
It is 2nd drug to receive such approval.
Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid beta protein.
By binding to and neutralizing this protein, it aims to reduce the formation of amyloid
plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.

“SPRINT” initiative

SPRINT (Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence)

Initiative was launched by PM Modi in July 2022.
It aims to boost the usage of indigenous technology in the Indian Navy.
The Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) aims to induct 75 new
indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy through the SPRINT initiative.

'Virovore’: An organism that eats viruses discovered

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 7 of 8

 Download Testbook App

The first known “virovore”- an organism that eats viruses, has been found.
The breakthrough has been made by John DeLong and his team.
Scientists found that a species of Halteria - who are microscopic ciliates that populate
freshwater throughout the world.
It can eat huge numbers of infectious chloroviruses that share their aquatic habitat.

SpaceX Launched First 54 Starlink v2.0 satellites Into Space

It was launched by SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

Satellites were launched into low Earth Orbit.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 was launched on 28th December 2022.
It took place from the SLC-40 launch pad of the US Air Force Base at Cape Canaveral.
Starlink satellites aims to provide internet in various parts of the world.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 8 of 8

 Government Policies
& Schemes - Notes

Current Affairs

Copyright © 2014-2023 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

National Strategic Plan and Roadmap for Leprosy 2023-2027 launched

It was launched on National Anti Leprosy day on 29 Jan'23.

Aim of the Plan is to eradicate Leprosy in the country by 2027.
National Guidelines for Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance in Leprosy were also
launched.
India has nearly 52% of total cases of Leprosy worldwide.
Prevalence rate of Leprosy cases has come down from 0.69% per 10,000 population in
2014-15 to 0.45 in 2021-22.

Govt to hand over 1,000 sites to private sector under Monument Scheme

The government will hand 1,000 monuments to the private sector for their upkeep under
the Monument Mitra Scheme, announced by the Min of Culture in Jan 2023.
The Ministry of Tourism has transferred the scheme to the Ministry of Culture.
The government has set the target to hand over 500 sites under the revamped
Monument Mitra Scheme by the end of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on 15 August 2023.

Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued by MoMA

Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has discontinued the Padho Pardesh scheme.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 1 of 4

 Download Testbook App

The scheme provided interest subsidy on education loans for overseas studies for
students belonging to minority communities.
The objective was to provide opportunities for higher education at Master, M.Phil and
PhD levels abroad and enhance their employability.
It was being implemented through Canara Bank.

PM Narendra Modi announces ‘Aarogya Maitri’ for medical supplies

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project for developing
nations, on 13th January 2023.
Under this project, India will provide essential medical supplies to any of the developing
countries affected by natural disasters or humanitarian crises.
During the Covid pandemic, India's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative supplied vaccines made in
India to over 100 countries.

Centre approves ₹2,600 cr incentive scheme to promote digital payement

Cabinet has approved a ₹2,600-crore incentive scheme to promote Rupay debit card and
low-value BHIM-UPI transactions.
Under the scheme, banks would be provided financial incentives for promoting Point of
Sale (PoS) and e-commerce transactions using RuPay and UPI in the financial year 2023.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 2 of 4

 Download Testbook App

The scheme would also promote UPI Lite and UPI123PAY as economical and user-friendly
digital payments.

Centre named new Integrated Food Security Scheme as PMGAY

Centre has named the new Integrated Food Security Scheme as Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Ann Yojana, PMGKAY.
Cabinet had approved new integrated food security scheme for providing free
foodgrains to Antodaya Ann Yojna and Primary Household beneficiaries.
Implementation of new scheme has started from Jan 1, 2023.
It will benefit more than 80 crore poor and poorest of poor people.

Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme launched

The Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) scheme is worth over
₹2,500 cr.
It will focus on expanding and upgrading the infrastructure of Prasar Bharati, improving
digital content and distribution network.
The BIND scheme will increase the coverage of AIR FM transmitters in the country to 66%
by geographical area and 80% by population, up from 59% and 68%, respectively.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 3 of 4

 Download Testbook App

Centre rolls out new integrated Food Security Scheme from 1 Jan 2023

The new Scheme will provide free food grains to over 81 crore beneficiaries under
National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2023.
The Scheme will also ensure effective and uniform implementation of the Act.
Under the scheme, the Central Government will provide free foodgrains to all NFSA
beneficiaries including Antyodaya Ann Yojana households and Priority Household
persons.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 4 of 4

 Index & Reports
January 2023 - Notes

Current Affairs

Copyright © 2014-2023 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

IMF: India to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world

International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the January update of the World Economic Outlook
has said that India to remain the fastest-growing major economy in the world despite
global headwinds.
It said that India will grow at 6.1% in 2023 before picking up to 6.8% in 2024 fuelled by
resilient domestic demand.
Growth in emerging and developing Asia is expected to rise at 5.3% in 2023 and 5.2% in
2024.

NSE world's largest derivatives bourse 4th year in a row

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 1 of 17

 Download Testbook App

According to the Forward Industry Association, National Stock Exchange (NSE) has
emerged as the world's largest derivatives exchange in 2022 in terms of the number of
traded contracts.
NSE has secured the top position for 4th consecutive year.
NSE ranked third in terms of the number of deals (Electronic Order Book) in the equity
segment in 2022. Whereas in 2021 it was in fourth position.

All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021 released

It was released by the Ministry of Education.

Ministry is conducting it since 2011, covering all higher educational institutions located in
Indian Territory.
Total enrollment in higher education has increased to nearly 4.14 cr in 2020-21 from 3.85
cr in 2019-20.
Female enrolment has increased to 2.01 cr from 1.88 cr in 2019-20.
UP is the top State in terms of the number of students enrolled.

India among top 3 nations in expanding organic farming- IFOAM data

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 2 of 17

 Download Testbook App

India has emerged as one of the top 3 countries in the world where the area under
organic agriculture expanded the maximum in 2020.
Argentina was first and Uruguay was second.
Of the world’s total 74.9 mh under organic farming, Australia has the highest at 35.7 mh.
Whereas India has 2.8 mh.
In contrast, out of total 34 lakh organic producers in the world, 16 lakh farmers are in
India.

The 17th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for 2022, released

The 17th Annual Education Report (ASER), 2022 was released by NGO Pratham in January
2022.
It highlights the impact on education during the pandemic.
ASER has been conducted every year since 2005.
It is the largest citizen-led survey in India.
As per ASER 2022, the number of children enrolled in government schools is expected to
increase from 65.6% in 2018 to 72.9% in 2022.

Jio is India's strongest brand, ranked ninth globally: Report

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 3 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio is strongest brand in India and ranked 9th among the
world's strongest brands, according to a report published by Brand Finance.
This makes 'Jio' ahead of brands like EY, Coca Cola, and Porsche, and behind the likes of
Google, YouTube, and Instagram.
The report titled 'Global 500 - 2023' is published annually and ranks world's most valuable
and strongest brands.

Mukesh Ambani is No.1 among Indians on Brand Guardianship Index 2023

Mukesh Ambani has been ranked No.1 among Indians and second globally on the Brand
Guardianship Index 2023.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Reliance Industries Ltd's Mukesh Ambani are ranked first
and second respectively in the Index.
Microsoft's Satya Nadella, who topped in 2022, is at number three.
Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are ranked fourth and fifth.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 4 of 17

 Download Testbook App

India to become $26 trillion economy by 2047: EY report

The Indian economy will become $26 trillion economy by 2047, the 100th year of its
independence, according to an EY report released in Jan 2023.
As per report, the country's per capita income would cross $15,000, making it among the
top developed economies.
The report, India@100: Realizing the potential of a $26 trillion economy, was launched by
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 5 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Global Fire Power Index 2023: India ranked 4 in the rankings

Global Firepower Index is a rating of the military forces of all countries on the planet.
Index puts the US at the top, Russia at the second spot, China at No. 3, and India at No. 4.
A rating of 0.000 is the perfect score, which no country so far has attained.
The smaller the score value, the more powerful is the fighting capability.
The index does not take into account nuclear capabilities.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 6 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Shah Rukh Khan ranks third on the world’s richest actors list

As per a recent list released by the World of Statistics in January 2023, Shah Rukh Khan is
the third richest actor in the world with his net worth at $770 million.
The list is led by Seinfeld star Jerry Seinfeld and Tyler Perry with $1 billion.
They are followed by Dwayne Johnson, with $800 million.
Shah Rukh Khan is the only Indian on the list.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 7 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Net-worth of richest-1% double of rest of world: Oxfam

As per the annual inequality report released by Oxfam International, the richest 1% have
bagged nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world population put together
over the past two years.
As per the report, billionaire fortunes are increasing by USD 2.7 bn a day.
A tax of up to 5% on the rich could raise USD 1.7 trillion a year, enough to lift two billion
people out of poverty.
As per Oxfam, the richest 1% in India now own more than 40% of the country's total
wealth.
The bottom half of the population of India together share just 3% of the wealth.
Taxing India's 10-richest at 5% can fetch entire money to bring children back to school.
A one-off tax on unrealized gains from 2017–2021 on Gautam Adani would raise enough
to employ 5 million Indian primary school teachers for a year.

India's Wholesale Price Index-WPI inflation eases to 4.95% in December

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 8 of 17

 Download Testbook App

As per data from Commerce Ministry, India's WPI-based inflation eased to 4.95% in Dec
2022 from 5.85% in November on an annual basis.
The inflation rate has slipped below 5% for the first time since Feb 2021.
The decline in the rate of inflation in December 2022 is primarily contributed by the fall in
prices of food articles, mineral oils, crude petroleum, and natural gas, textiles and
chemicals.

WEF published 18th edition of Global Risks Report 2023

Global Risks Report 2023 is an annual report published by the World Economic Forum.
It tracks global risk perceptions among risk experts and world leaders in business,
government, and civil society.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 9 of 17

 Download Testbook App

2023's report has highlighted the cost of living crisis as the biggest short-term risk facing
the world right now,
Climate change has been termed as the biggest long-term threat.

World Bank predicts India's economic growth to slow to 6.9% in FY23

The World Bank in its January 2023 Global Economic Prospects Report, projected India’s
economy to grow 6.9 percent in FY23.
As per the report, India will be the fastest-growing economy among the seven largest
emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) in 2023.
The World Bank expects global growth to decelerate in 2023 to 1.7 percent from 3
percent.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 10 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Japan tops the world's strongest passport list in 2023

According to the 2023 Henley Passport Index, Japan has topped the list as the most
powerful passport in the world, which allows visa-free entry to 193 global destinations in
2023.
India, improved its position by two spots from 2022 and is ranked 85th on the index.
The second spot is shared by Singapore and South Korea and has visa-free access in 192
countries.

2022 was the 5th-warmest year for the planet since records began

A report by Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said that 2022 was the fifth-
warmest year for the planet since records began.

The report shows that the last 8 years have been the warmest on record.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 11 of 17

 Download Testbook App

The annual average temperature reached 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The reason behind this was a rise in the concentration of heat-trapping gases.

Delhi was India's most polluted city in 2022: Report

Delhi was the most polluted city in India in 2022 with PM 2.5 levels more than double the
safe limit and the third-highest average PM10 concentration, as per the report by NCAP
Tracker.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 12 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Among the most polluted cities with respect to PM2.5 levels, Haryana’s Faridabad
ranked second and UP’s Ghaziabad third.

In 2021, Ghaziabad was the most polluted with respect to PM 2.5 levels.

Bangalore and Delhi among the top-performing global airports of 2022

Cirium Aviation Analytics released the list of the top-performing global airports of 2022 in
which Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi
International Airport ranked second and seventh respectively.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 13 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan ranked first on the list.

Cirium analytics annually publishes its On-Time Performance rankings for airlines and
airports worldwide.

Power Grid ranked 1st in Services Sector in DPE Survey 2021-22

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has been ranked 1st in Services
Sectors across categories in January 2023.
The results were published in the Public Enterprises Survey 2021-2022 by the Department
of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
The Power Grid Corporation Ltd was incorporated on 23rd October 1989 under the
Companies Act 1956.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 14 of 17

 Download Testbook App

As per NSO report, India's GDP to grow at 7.0 percent in FY23

India’s economy is expected to grow 7.0% in the financial year 2023, according to the first
advance estimates by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in January 2023.
It had pegged India’s growth at 8.7% in the fiscal year 2022.
Earlier, the RBI had projected the real GDP growth for 2022-23 at 6.8 percent, with the
third quarter at 4.4 percent and the fourth at 4.2 percent.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 15 of 17

 Download Testbook App

India becomes 3rd largest auto market globally, surpassing Japan

As per Nikkei Asia report, India is now the world's third-largest auto market.
India has surpassed Japan, which is currently placed fourth.
China continued to lead the global auto market and the US remained second.
Vehicles powered by gasoline, including hybrid vehicles, accounted for most of the new
autos sold in India in 2022.

India’s unemployment rate reaches highest level in 16 months- CMIE

According to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s
unemployment rate reached 8.30% in December 2022, the highest level in 16 months.
This marks an increase from 8.00% recorded in Nov.

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 16 of 17

 Download Testbook App

Urban unemployment rate also saw a rise.

Rural unemployment rate saw a slight decrease.
Haryana recorded the highest unemployment rate at 37.4%, while Odisha had the lowest
at 0.9%

SUBJECT | Current Affairs 17 of 17