Current Affairs – 24 January 2023

National Girl Child Day

On 24 January every year, National Girl Child Day is celebrated to highlight the inequalities faced by a majority of the girls in India, the importance of education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care and safety of girl children, etc.

International Day of Education

It is observed on 24 January every year to support transformative actions for inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.

Himachal Pradesh targets to be first ‘green energy state’ by 2025

• The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced that the state government is planning to make the state as the first Green Energy State by the end of 2025.
• The state government would also invest in solar plants and will install 500 MW solar projects during the year 2023-24.

Indian Embassy organizes Intl seminar on knowledge sharing in Kathmandu

• The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and the Indian Embassy jointly have organized an International seminar on knowledge sharing on the conservation of natural and cultural heritage in
• The guest of honour of the event was Nepal’s Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati.

PM Modi named 21 islands of Andaman and Nicobar after Paramveer Chakra awardees

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi named 21 islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands after 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees on the auspicious occasion of Parakram Divas organized to mark the 126th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• The memorial will be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep in Port Blair. The memorial will consist of Netaji’s Museum, a Heritage trail, a ropeway connected to Port Blair and a children’s park.
• Modi has also unveiled the model of the National Memorial dedicated to Netaji to be built on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island.
• The largest unnamed island was named after the first Param Vir Chakra awardee, Major Somnath Sharma, who was martyred in action on November 3, 1947 while repulsing Pakistani infiltrators near Srinagar Airport.
• The 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, after whom the islands have been named are:

1. Major Somnath Sharma,
2. Subedar and Honorary Captain (then Lance Naik) Karam Singh
3. MM 2nd Lt. Rama Raghoba Rane
4. Naik Jadunath Singh
5. Havildar Major Piru Singh
6. Capt GS Salaria
7. Col. (then Major) Dhan Singh Thapa
8. Subedar Joginder Singh
9. Shaitan Singh
10. Abdul Hameed
11. Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Burjorji Tarapore
12. Lance Naik Albert Ekka
13. Major Hoshiar Singh
14. Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal
15. Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon
16. Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran
17. Naib Subedar Bana Singh
18. Captain Vikram Batra
19. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey
20. Subedar Major (then Rifleman) Sanjay Kumar
21. Subedar Major Retd Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav

Vikram Dev Dutt appointed as director general of DGCA

• The Centre has approved the appointment of IAS officer Vikram Dev Dutt as the next chief of the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• Dutt, a 1993 batch IAS officer, is currently serving as the CMD of Air India Assets Holding Ltd (AIAHL).
• He will take over as the head of the aviation regulator on February 28, upon the superannuation of incumbent DGCA chief Arun Kumar.

Justice AK Sikri appointed  Administrator of Shooting World Cup 2023

• Former Supreme Court Judge, A. K. Sikri has been appointed by the Delhi High Court as Administrator to manage the use of funds for the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup 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 the shooting.

Fifth Kalvari class submarine INS Vagir inducted into Indian Navy

• The fifth Kalvari class submarine INS Vagir has been inducted into Indian Navy.
• Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar was the Chief Guest at a ceremony held at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
• The submarine has been built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with M/s Naval Group, France.
• Four of the Kalvari class of submarines have already been commissioned into the Indian Navy.

A Seyoung won the women’s singles final at India Open Badminton

• In the India Open Badminton Championship, Korea’s An Seyoung won the Women’s Singles final at K D Jadhav Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
• In the finals, An Seyoung beat World No.1 Japanese Akane Yamaguchi 15-21, 21-16, 21-12.
• While Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn won Men’s Singles final defeating Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen.
• Men’s doubles – Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang (China)
• Women’s doubles – Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida (Japan)