Current Affairs One - Liner : 19th & 20th January 2025

On January 16, 2025, C-DOT and IIT Bombay signed an agreement to develop an Optical Transceiver Chipset for High-Bandwidth 6G Wireless Links. This project, part of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF), aims to enhance 6G connectivity, particularly in rural and remote areas.

On January 13, 2025, the Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) inaugurated India's sixth and Eastern India's first astronomical observatory at Garpanchkot Hills in Purulia, West Bengal.
On January 17, 2025, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the toolkit for the 9th edition of Swachh Survekshan, the world's largest urban cleanliness survey. This edition introduces the Super Swachh League, a competition among the cleanest cities.
On January 15, 2025, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) added Hyderabad's Musi River Historic Buildings to its 2025 World Monuments Watch list. This recognition highlights the need for urgent conservation efforts to preserve these historic structures.
The 1st Foundation Day of the Lokpal of India was celebrated on January 16, 2025, at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. This day marks the establishment of the Lokpal under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, which came into effect on January 16, 2014.

On January 16, 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF) included CEAT and Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) in its Global Lighthouse Network. This recognition highlights their successful implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies at CEAT's Sriperumbudur and HUL's Tinsukia facilities, improving productivity, efficiency, and sustainability.

On January 16, 2025, BPCL signed a ₹31,802 crore loan agreement with an SBI-led consortium. The funds will support a petrochemical complex and refinery expansion at Bina, Madhya Pradesh. The consortium includes Punjab National Bank, Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of India, and Export-Import Bank of India.
India aims to achieve ₹1 lakh crore in export earnings from fish and fishery products. Union Minister George Kurian announced this goal on January 17, 2025. Last year, India earned ₹63,000 crore from fish exports, showcasing significant growth potential.
On January 16, 2025, the RBI announced it sold a record $20.2 billion in foreign exchange in November 2025 to control currency volatility. This intervention aims to stabilize the rupee.
On January 17, 2025, the RBI announced it gave HSBC India permission to open 20 new bank branches. These branches will enhance HSBC's wealth management services across key cities.
On January 16, 2025, PNB MetLife partnered with Saraswat Co-operative Bank to offer life insurance solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance financial inclusion and provide a range of insurance options to Saraswat Bank's customers.

On January 15, 2025, the Commerce Ministry announced that India's electronics exports rose 35.11% to USD 3.58 billion in December 2024. This growth is attributed to favorable government policies, rising global demand, and expanding domestic production capacities.

On January 17, 2025, in Dehradun, the Uttarakhand government signed an MoU with Iceland's Verkis Consulting Engineers for the exploration and development of geothermal energy. This initiative aims to harness geothermal energy from 40 identified sites across the state.

On January 16, 2025, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin successfully launched the New Glenn rocket on its first test flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The 320-foot rocket reached orbit successfully, despite the first-stage booster missing its landing.
On January 15, 2025, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched Blue Ghost by Firefly Aerospace and Resilience by ispace from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This historic dual mission aims to advance lunar exploration and research.
On January 17, 2025, China launched the PRSC-EO1 satellite for Pakistan from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using a Long March-2D carrier rocket. This satellite supports land mapping, disaster management, urban planning, and resource planning.

On January 16, 2025, the World Bank released the Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report. It projects India's economy to grow by 6.7% in both FY26 and FY27, significantly higher than the global growth rate of 2.7%. The growth is driven by a robust services sector, revitalized manufacturing, and transformative government policies.

Viktor Axelsen and An Se-young triumphed at the India Open 2025 badminton tournament. The event took place at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi, India, from January 14 to January 19, 2025. Axelsen won the men's singles title, and An Se-young clinched the women's singles title.
On January 18, 2025, Karnataka clinched the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the record 5th time by defeating Vidarbha at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. This victory is a significant achievement for Karnataka's cricket team.

On January 17, 2025, the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) launched the Internet Governance Internship and Capacity Building Scheme. Launched by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY and Chairman of NIXI, the scheme aims to build awareness and expertise in internet governance among Indian citizens.

On January 17, 2025, the Maharashtra government formed a 16-member committee to draft the state's first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy. Chaired by Shri Ganesh Patil, the Director of the Directorate of Information Technology, Mumbai, this initiative aims to align with the India AI Mission and boost the state's digital economy.

Kokborok Day 2025 is celebrated on January 19 in Tripura, honoring the Kokborok language and its cultural significance. The theme is "Embracing Language and Culture Through Inspiring Words". This day commemorates the official recognition of Kokborok as an official language in 1979.

On January 18, 2025, Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a 1991 batch IPS officer, was appointed as the new Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He will serve until November 30, 2027.
On January 13, 2025, Nawaf Abdallah Salim Salam was appointed as the 53rd Prime Minister of Lebanon by President Joseph Aoun. Salam is a seasoned diplomat and the current president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

On January 16, 2025, Professor Urbasi Sinha from the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru was awarded the prestigious Gates-Cambridge Impact Prize 2025 for her pioneering contributions to quantum computing and technology.

Pankaj Mishra's The World After Gaza was released on January 16, 2025. The book explores the socio-political and historical complexities of the Gaza conflict. It connects the violence to broader global trends, such as nationalism and the decline of liberalism.

Denis Law, the legendary Manchester United and Scotland footballer, passed away on January 17, 2025, at the age of 84. Diagnosed with dementia in 2021, Law was a key part of the "United Trinity" with Bobby Charlton and George Best, and remains the only Scottish player to win the Ballon d'Or.

Questions:

1. Who was awarded the prestigious Gates-Cambridge Impact Prize 2025 for contributions to quantum computing and technology?

2. Which organization's recognition added Hyderabad's Musi River Historic Buildings to the 2025 World Monuments Watch list?