Current Affairs One - Liner : 13th December 2024

The BBC 100 Women List 2024 was released on December 3, 2024. It features three Indian women: Aruna Roy (social activist), Vinesh Phogat (wrestler and politician), and Pooja Sharma (performing last rites for unclaimed bodies). They were recognized for their significant contributions and inspiring work.

On December 13, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Kumbh Sahayak chatbot for the Mahakumbh 2025. This AI-powered chatbot, developed by Krutrim AI, helps visitors with navigation, parking, accommodation, and more.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy unveiled the Green Steel Taxonomy for India on December 12, 2024, in New Delhi. This initiative defines and promotes green technologies in steel production, setting emission intensity thresholds and a star rating system to incentivize low-carbon steel production.
The 7th Smart India Hackathon (SIH) took place from December 11 to December 12, 2024, at 51 centers nationwide. Organized by the Ministry of Education and AICTE, it engaged over 86,000 teams in solving real-world problems across 17 themes, including healthcare, agriculture, and smart technologies.

Merriam-Webster named "polarization" as its 2024 Word of the Year. The term means division into two sharply distinct opposites. It saw a significant rise in lookups, reflecting societal divides.

On December 9, 2024, IDFC FIRST Bank launched India's first AI-powered holographic digital avatar of Amitabh Bachchan. This innovative initiative, using Holographic Extended Reality (HXR) technology, allows customers to interact with Bachchan's digital avatar for information on various banking products and services.

India's industrial output grew by 3.5% year-on-year in October 2024, as reported on December 11, 2024. This growth was driven by strong performances in the manufacturing (4.1%), electricity (2%), and mining (0.9%) sectors.
Retail inflation in India decreased from 6.2% in October 2024 to 5.48% in November 2024. This decline was mainly due to lower food prices, especially vegetables, following the arrival of fresh produce. The drop was reported on December 12, 2024.
India's industrial output grew by 3.5% in October 2024, and this increase was reported on December 12, 2024 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). This growth reflects a positive trend in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
In November 2024, Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) saw inflows surpass Rs 25,000 crore for the second consecutive month, reaching Rs 25,320 crore. This indicates strong and consistent investor confidence in the Indian mutual fund market.

On December 6, 2024, Iran successfully launched the Saman-1 orbital transfer block and the Fakhr-1 nanosatellite into orbit. The launch was conducted using the Simorgh rocket from the Imam Khomeini Space Launch Terminal near Semnan.

The 109th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 109) was held from December 2 to December 6, 2024, at the IMO Headquarters in London. It was chaired by Mrs. Mayte Medina (USA), with Capt. Theofilos Mozas (Greece) as Vice-Chair. The session aimed to address maritime safety and security issues, including regulatory frameworks for new technologies and measures to enhance maritime security.

"TIME Person of the Year 2024: How We Chose" was released by TIME magazine on December 12, 2024. The report details the selection process and rationale behind naming Donald Trump as Person of the Year, highlighting his political comeback and influence on American politics.
The report titled "73,151 Startups In India Now Have At Least One Woman Director: Centre" was released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on December 10, 2024. It highlights that 73,151 Indian startups now have at least one woman director, showcasing the significant role women play in driving innovation and economic growth in India.

The 9th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue was held in New Delhi on December 12, 2024. Organized by the Ministry of Defence, India, it was co-chaired by Shri Amitabh Prasad and General Tharapong Malakam. The theme was "Enhancing Bilateral Defence Cooperation", aiming to strengthen ties through joint industry collaboration and expert exchanges.
The Global Inclusive Finance Summit 2024 took place from December 11 to December 12, 2024, at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi. It was organized by ACCESS Development Services and chaired by Mr. Hitendra Dave of HSBC India. The theme was "Advancing Financial Inclusion", aiming to bring together global leaders to discuss and identify priorities for financial inclusion.

The Defence Ministry signed a deal worth Rs 13,500 crore with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on December 12, 2024, for 12 Su-30 MKI fighter jets. This deal includes associated equipment and aims to enhance the Indian Air Force's capabilities with 62.6% indigenous content.

The International Day of Neutrality is observed on December 12 each year. The theme for 2024 is "Promote peace and avoid violence: war is not the answer to any challenging situation." This theme emphasizes the importance of neutrality in fostering peaceful resolutions and preventing conflicts.

Bhavesh Jain has been appointed as the new MD & CEO of TransUnion CIBIL, effective December 12, 2024. He succeeds Rajesh Kumar and was previously the Chief Revenue Officer at TransUnion CIBIL. Jain has also held leadership positions at Thomson Reuters, Citi, and Kone.
Vaibhav Chaturvedi was appointed as an ex-officio member of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) on December 3, 2024. He is currently the Chief General Manager of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Rajeev Mehta was elected as the Secretary General of the Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA), marking the first time an Indian has held this position. The election took place on December 1, 2024, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
On December 8, 2024, Jayen Mehta's tenure as Managing Director of GCMMF, the marketer of AMUL dairy products, was extended by five years. His leadership will continue until 2029-2030, ensuring sustained growth and stability for the company.

The Indian film "The Kumbaya Story" won the Transforming Society Short Film category at the 13th tve Global Sustainability Film Awards on December 11, 2024, at BAFTA in London. It highlights the inspiring journey of resilient women transforming their lives through weaving.
On December 12, 2024, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army on Nepali Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. This honor recognizes his contributions to Nepal-India relations and military expertise.
Satin Creditcare Network Limited (SCNL) has won the Microfinance Organization of the Year Award at the Global Inclusive Finance Summit 2024, held from December 11 to December 12, 2024, at Hotel Ashok, New Delhi.

Dr. Dinesh Shahra unveiled his book "Dalai Lama’s Secret to Happiness" on December 12, 2024, at the prestigious Library of Tibetan Works & Archives in Dharamshala. The book delves into the core teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on inner peace, compassion, and universal values.

Questions:

1 Who is the author of the book Dalai Lama’s Secret to Happiness?

2 Who has been appointed as the new MD & CEO of TransUnion CIBIL effective December 12, 2024?