NATIONAL NEWS

Telangana Government Begins Disbursal Of Rythu Bharosa Benefits

The Rythu Bharosa scheme is one of the four welfare programmes launched on Republic Day, January 26, alongside the Indiramma Housing Scheme, Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa Scheme, and the issuance of new ration cards.

On the first day, 6,15,677 people across 563 villages benefited from these schemes.

Under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, the government disbursed Rs 569 crore to 4,41,911 farmers in 577 villages, covering 9,48,333 acres of cultivable land. Farmers receive Rs 6,000 per acre per season as crop investment support, and the scheme will continue disbursements until March 31.

Through the Indiramma Aatmeeya Bharosa Scheme, the government credited Rs 10.91 crore into the accounts of 18,180 landless agriculture labourers, providing Rs 6,000 per season as financial assistance.

The government issued 15,141 new ration cards in 531 villages, benefiting 51,912 families, and added 1.03 lakh members to existing ration cards. These beneficiaries will start receiving rations from February.

Under the Indiramma Housing Scheme, 72 houses were sanctioned.

Due to the large number of applications for ration cards and Indiramma houses, the government has extended the deadline until March, and officials are verifying applications to finalise the list of beneficiaries.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India to Participate at FITUR 2025

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, participated in FITUR 2025, one of the leading travel fairs held in Madrid, Spain, from January 22-26, 2025.

This global exhibition serves as a crucial platform for positioning India as a prime travel destination for Spain and Latin America, marking a key step in boosting inbound tourism from these regions.

Over 23 co-exhibitors participated, representing State Governments of Karnataka, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, among others.

The pavilion showcased India’s diverse tourism products and experiences, including cultural heritage, wildlife sanctuaries, spiritual destinations, and traditional dance forms.

The pavilion emphasized Prayagraj as a spiritual and cultural hub, spotlighting the significance of the Maha Kumbh

India’s rich cultural and natural heritage was prominently displayed, appealing to travelers seeking authentic and unique experiences.

The year 2026 will celebrate the 70th year of diplomatic relations between India and Spain, designated as the Dual Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence.

The Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘Chalo India Initiative’ to encourage the Indian diaspora to promote tourism.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO Successfully Launches GSLV F15

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone by successfully launching its 100th mission from its Spaceport -Satish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota (SHAR), Andhra Pradesh on 29 January 2025. The GSLV-F-15 rocket carrying the NVS-02 satellite was launched from the second launch pad of the SHAR.

In 1971 the first rocket- a sounding rocket RH -125 was launched from Sriharikota.

Recently the government of India has approved the construction of a 3rd launchpad in the SHAR to enable ISRO to launch heavier rockets to meet the ambitious target of the Indian Space programme during the Amrit Kaal.

The launch of the GSLV-F-15 from Sriharikota was the 17th launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) of ISRO. It was the 8th operational launch of GSLV with an indigenously developed cryogenic stage.

The GSLV is a 51.7 m long, three-stage rocket.

The NVS-02 satellite launched by the GSLV-F-15 rocket was the second satellite in the second-generation series of satellites for the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system.

Five second-generation satellites will be launched by ISRO. The first satellite of the second-generation NaviC, NVS-01, was launched in May 2023 with an Indigenous atomic clock

The second-generation satellite will augment the first-generation NaviC satellites and help in providing better services.

 

BANKING

SEBI Launches Dharohar

On January 26, 2025, during the 76th Republic Day celebrations, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) unveiled Dharohar - Milestones in the Indian Securities Market, a comprehensive digital knowledge repository.

This initiative chronicles the vibrant history of India’s securities market, spanning over 150 years of organized trading and highlighting its evolution into a diverse and dynamic ecosystem.

Dharohar is a state-of-the-art repository designed to serve a broad audience—students, investors, researchers, journalists, market participants, and the general public.

The platform provides an immersive and educational experience, offering valuable insights into the market’s diverse products, participants, and institutions.

Dharohar is not static; it is a living repository expected to grow continually with fresh content, ensuring users gain access to the latest and most relevant information about India’s securities market.

SEBI has expressed gratitude to the many contributors who made this initiative possible, including former chairpersons, whole-time members, scripophilists, market infrastructure institutions, and industry experts.

This initiative reflects SEBI's dedication to preserving the rich legacy of India’s securities market while fostering greater awareness and understanding among diverse stakeholders.

By documenting key milestones, Dharohar stands as a testament to the market’s growth and resilience, celebrating its contribution to the nation’s economic journey.

Dharohar is freely accessible online at Transform Your Investments with "Traditional Wisdom" Using "Modern Tools."

Ratnakar Bank Limited Partners with Piramal Finance

Ratnakar Bank Limited (RBL Bank), a private sector bank, and Piramal Capital and Housing Finance (Piramal Finance), a subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited, have announced a strategic co-lending partnership.

The collaboration focuses on providing loans to middle- and low-income borrowers in rural and semi-urban regions.

This is Piramal Finance’s third co-lending partnership, following similar collaborations with Axis Bank and the Central Bank of India.

The partnership combines RBL Bank’s financial expertise and a network of over 2,000 touchpoints with Piramal Finance’s advanced loan processing technology (‘High Tech + High Touch’) and 508 branches across 13,000 pin codes.

Together, they aim to address the credit gap for MSMEs, home loan borrowers, and underserved communities in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

The collaboration seeks to leverage Piramal Finance’s technology-driven credit assessment tools and RBL Bank’s rigorous underwriting practices to deliver competitive interest rates and tailored lending solutions.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Shri Hariman Sharma: The Apple Man of India Honored with Padma Shri

Shri Hariman Sharma, a pioneering farmer from Himachal Pradesh, has been awarded the prestigious Padma Shri (2025) for his revolutionary contributions to Indian agriculture.

Known as the Apple Man of India, Shri Sharma developed the HRMN-99 apple variety, transforming apple farming by enabling cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions.

He pursued education up to matriculation and developed a passion for farming and pomology.

He overcame numerous challenges to innovate and contribute significantly to agriculture.

Doordarshan Honored for Electoral Campaigns on Voter Awareness

Doordarshan, India’s national broadcaster, has been recognized with an award in the Electronic Media category for its exemplary Voter Awareness and Education Campaign during the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

The campaign, highlighted by the impactful series “Chunav Ka Parv Desh Ka Garv”, played a pivotal role in fostering an informed and active citizenry.

President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to Doordarshan’s Director-General Kanchan Prasad during the Republic Day 2025

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

President of Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko has been reelected president of Belarus, securing a 7th five-year term.

According to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission cited by the state news agency Belta, Lukashenko won 86.82% of the vote in the presidential election held on January 26, 2025.

His closest rival, Sergei Syrankov, received 3.21%, followed by Oleg Gaidukevich with 2.02%, Anna Kanopatskaya with 1.86%, and Alexander Khizhnyak with 1.74%.

Under Belarusian law, a candidate must secure over 50% of the vote to win the presidency.

Lukashenko has been in office since 1994, when he won Belarus's first presidential election.

Sridhar Vembu Steps Down As Chief Executive Officer Of Zoho Corporation

Sridhar Vembu, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zoho Corp, will step down from his role as CEO and take on a new position as Chief Scientist.

In this role, he will focus on deep R&D initiatives.

Shailesh Kumar Davey, another co-founder, will take over as the new Group CEO of Zoho Corp.

Vembu stated that the decision was driven by the rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and his desire to focus on R&D and his rural development mission.

Vembu believes the future of the company depends on how well it navigates the AI challenge.

Vembu acknowledged that AI is a huge opportunity and challenge for tech companies.

He emphasized the importance of reinventing the company to adapt to the AI era.

 

SPORTS

ICC Cricketer and Test Player of the Year Award

Indian men’s cricket Test team vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah has been honoured with the 2024 Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year Award and the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year Award.

Fellow Indian pace bowler Arshdeep Singh was selected for the ICC Men’s T20 International Cricketer of the Year Award and Smriti Mandhana was chosen for the ICC Women’s ODI (One Day International) Cricketer of the Year Award.

The annual ICC Awards was announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its headquarters in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

ICC awards honours 12 individuals for their performance in all three formats of Test, One Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 Internationals (T20I).

The performance of the men and women players and umpires during the 2024 cricketing season has been taken into account while selecting the players for the ICC Awards.

Jasprit Bumrah became the fifth Indian cricketer after Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016) and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018) to receive the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year Award.

Jasprit Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker in Test matches in 2024. He picked 71 wickets with an average of 14.92 in 13 test matches.

Women T20I Cricketer of the Year- Melie Kerr of New Zealand

Men T20I Cricketer of the Year- Arshdeep Singh of India

Emerging Women Cricketer of the Year Award - Annerie Dercksen (All- rounder)of South Africa

Emerging Men Cricketer of the Year Award- Kamindu Mendis (batsman) of Sri Lanaka

Women's Associate Cricketer of the Year- Esha Oza, Captain of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women’s team.

Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year- Gerhard Erasmus, Captain of Namibian men’s cricket team.

Umpire of the Year- Richard Illingworth of England

Narendra Modi Inaugurates 38th National Games in Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th Summer National Games at Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand is hosting the Summer National Games for the first time and it will be held from 28 January to 14 February 2025 across 12 cities of the state.

With the theme of ‘Green Games’, the 38th National Games uses recyclable materials, rainwater harvesting, eco-friendly transportation systems, etc.

It aims to inspire individuals and organizations to adopt eco-friendly and sustainable practices.

The opening ceremony was held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

The National Games torch covered a 4000 km journey across the 13 districts of Uttarakhand.

The Opening ceremony started with a classical dance ‘Tandav’, which is an ode to Lord Shiva.

2025 conches were blown to mark the opening of the Games.

The 38th Summer National Games is being organised by the Indian Olympic Association in association with the Uttarakhand government.

Mascot of the Game - Mauli