Title Title Daily Current Affairs Capsule 22nd January 2021 - wifistudy

Daily CurrentTitle
              Affairs Capsule
             Title 2021
      22nd January

India sends 1 million doses of COVID vaccine to Nepal as gift under 'Vaccine Maitri' Initiative

India sent 1 million doses of a COVID vaccine to Nepal as a gift under the 'Vaccine Maitri' Initiative.

      Previously India had sent 150,000 doses of 'Covisheild' vaccines to Bhutan and 100,000 doses to the
       Maldives.
      In a major announcement, Indian Government said that it will send COVID-19 vaccines to Bhutan,
       Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles and supplies to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and
       Mauritius will commence after confirmation of necessary regulatory clearances.

ISRO to launch customised space-themed t-shirts, mugs, other merchandise

Along the lines of what American space agency NASA has done, the ISRO will come out with customised t-
shirts, posters, coffee mugs, key chains, and posters etc.

      The merchandise will revolve around several missions the Indian space agency has made possible from
       the time it was set up in 1969.

   ISRO, through these collectibles, hopes to create awareness and enkindle an interest, particularly among
       students, in space and technology.

Transport Ministry, DRDO ink pact for geo-hazard management

The DRDO and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) have joined hands to strengthen
collaboration in the field of technical exchange and cooperation on sustainable geo-hazard management.

      Both establishments will cooperate in the areas of mutual benefit, including conceptual planning of
       integrated avalanche and landslide protection schemes for all-weather connectivity in snowbound areas.
      The MoRTH and DRDO will be cooperating in different mutually beneficial areas that are related to
       geohazard management.
      This initiative aims at ensuring safety against the adverse effects of landslides as well as other natural
       calamities on the national highways of India.

Indian Railways Renames Howrah-Kalka Mail as Netaji Express

Indian Railways has renamed the Howrah-Kalka Mail as ‘Netaji Express’, in a tribute to freedom fighter Subhas
Chandra Bose who is also known as ‘Netaji’.

      The Howrah-Kalka Mail train has been in service for more than 150 years, after coming into operation in
       the year 1866.
      The Howrah-Kalka Mail runs between Howrah in West Bengal (Eastern Railway) and Kalka in
       Haryana(Northern Railway) via Delhi.

Five perish in fire at Serum Institute of India

The major fire that broke out at the Pune-based Serum Institute of India's building has led to the death of five
people.

      Four people were evacuated from the building but after the fire was brought under control, five bodies
       were found by the jawans.
      The five people who died were suspected to be workers at the under-construction building.
      The fire, which broke out at SEZ 3 building in the Serum Institute premises.
      The 'Covishield' vaccine storage is sited at a distance from the blaze and that it had not been harmed by
       the fire.
      Serum Institute is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. It is located in the city of Pune.

Axis Bank launches Aura Credit Card with health, wellness benefits

Private sector lender Axis Bank has unveiled a credit ‘AURA’ exclusively loaded with several health and wellness
benefits for its users at an affordable price.

   The curated and affordable health and wellness offering from Axis Bank has partners like IndusHealth
       Plus, a health check-up company and Practo, an online medical consultation platform.
      Cardholders will be eligible for a discount on annual medical check-up via IndushealthPlus.
      With Practo, the card will provide up to four free online video consultations per month, with 24*7 access
       to doctors across all 21 specialties and not just limited to general physicians.
      List of specialties range from the most common ones like dermatology and cardiology to alternative
       medicine practices like Ayurveda and homeopathy.

Sundaram Finance names Rajiv Lochan as MD

The board of Sundaram Finance has named Rajiv Lochan (director Strategy) as managing director with effect
from April 1.

      Sundaram Finance Ltd has made top-level changes as the current managing director T.T.
       Srinivasaraghavan will be retiring on March 31, 2020.
      While the current deputy managing director Harsha Viji will assume the office of executive vice-chairman,
       and take responsibility for the overall strategy and direction of Sundaram Finance Ltd., and other group
       companies in financial services.

Nihal Sarin wins Gazprom Brilliancy Prize

Indian chess prodigy Nihal Sarin has won the Gazprom Brilliancy Prize.

      The award is given to the best game from the FIDE Online World Cadets and Youth Championship played
       during December.
      Sarin had beaten Francesco Sonis 1.5-0.5 in the Open Under-18 section on the way to winning the gold
       medal at the event.
      The Brilliancy Prize is probably like the Golden Ball in a FIFA World Cup.

Malayalam actor Unnikrishnan Namboothiri passes away

Veteran Malayalam actor Unnikrishnan Namboothiri has passed away while contracting COVID-19.

      Unnikrishnan made his acting debut in 1996 with Desadanam.
      He became a household name among the Malayalam film audience for his performance as a witty
       grandfather in Kalyanaraman (2002).

   He is well known for movies like Kaikudunna Nilavu (1998), Kaliyattam (1997), Pammal K Sambandam
       (2002), Sadanandante Samayam (2003), Madhuranombarakattu (2000), Rappakal (2005), and Pokkiri
       Raja (2010).

Goa CM Pramod Sawant releases book ‘Manohar Parrikar – Off The Record’

The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recently released a book titled ‘Manohar Parrikar – Off the Record’, written
by senior journalist Shri Waman Subha Prabhu.

      Through this book, the author narrates the multi-faceted personality of late Parrikar, based on the
       collection of memories held by Waman Prabhu who happened to be with late Parrikar during the journey
       of his life.
      Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar was an Indian politician who served as Chief Minister of Goa
       from 14 March 2017 until his death.
      Previously, he was Chief Minister of Goa from 2000 to 2005 and from 2012 to 2014 and from 2017 to
       2019.
      He also served as the Minister of Defence from October 2014 to March 2017.