22nd January 2026
Indian Skimmer Conservation, IIT Delhi Centre of Excellence, Sunita Williams Retirement, Tyler Prize 2026, Saina Nehwal Retirement, Ram Janmabhoomi Book, India Namibia Defence Cooperation, HDFC Bank Director Reappointment, Asia Manufacturing Index 2026
- BNHS and NMCG launch a conservation project to protect the Indian skimmer in the Ganga basin
- Union Minister Manohar Lal inaugurates a Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Affairs at IIT Delhi
- Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retires after 27 years of service
- Biologist Toby Kiers wins the 2026 Tyler Prize for research on underground fungal networks
- Padma awardee Saina Nehwal announces retirement from competitive badminton
- Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan releases the book Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi – Challenge and Response
- India and Namibia agree to deepen cooperation in defence and critical minerals
- RBI approves reappointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Whole-Time Director of HDFC Bank
- India ranks sixth in the Asia Manufacturing Index 2026
- Albinder Dhindsa set to take charge as CEO of Eternal Group, with Deepinder Goyal stepping down
Table of Content
National News
- Centre of excellence for power sector regulatory affairs launched at IIT Delhi
- What:
- A centre of excellence for regulatory affairs in the power sector was launched at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi through joint establishment by IIT Delhi, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, and Grid Controller of India Ltd.
- Tell me more:
- The centre will work as a national hub to study power rules, train officials, give expert advice, and share knowledge related to the electricity sector.
- The centre will help make better power rules as India shifts towards clean energy, fair electricity markets, and reforms focused on electricity consumers.
Source: TOI
- India–Namibia fifth Foreign Office Consultations held
- What:
- India and Namibia held the fifth round of Foreign Office Consultations and agreed to deepen cooperation in health, Digital Public Infrastructure, agriculture, defence, and critical minerals, strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation on regional and international issues.
- Tell me more:
- The meeting was co-chaired by officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations and Trade.
- The next round of consultations will be held in Windhoek, Namibia at a mutually convenient date.
- The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the consultations reaffirmed commitment to South-South Cooperation.
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - South-South Cooperation means cooperation between developing countries in the global south to help each other grow. - Countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America share knowledge, skills, technology, and resources with one another to support development without depending only on rich countries. |
Source: BS
State News
- BNHS launches Indian Skimmer conservation project under NMCG
- What:
- Bombay Natural History Society launched a conservation project under the National Mission for Clean Ganga at Dehradun.
- Why:
- To protect endangered Indian Skimmer nesting habitats in the Ganga Basin by focusing on river sandbars threatened by sand mining, altered river flows, and human disturbance.
- Tell me more:
- India hosts nearly 90% of the global Indian Skimmer population.
- The project covers the Chambal River, Upper Ganga near Bijnor and Narora, Ganga–Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj, and Lower Ganga near Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bihar.
- Other supported species include Black-bellied Tern, River Tern, River Lapwing, Great Thick-knee, Little Tern, and Little Pratincole.
- The project includes regular monitoring, habitat protection, and community participation across selected river stretches.
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - Local people will be trained as Nest Guardians and River Guardians for nest protection, bird monitoring, threat reduction, and data collection. - The approach expands successful conservation practices earlier used in the National Chambal Sanctuary. - The Indian Skimmer is an endangered river bird found along large rivers in India. |
Source: DTE
International News
- NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retires after 27 years of service
- What:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced the retirement of Sunita Williams after 27 years of service, marking the end of a career involving three missions to the International Space Station, record spacewalk achievements, and leadership roles in human spaceflight.
- Tell me more:
- She served as International Space Station commander during Expedition 33 and Expedition 72. Her final mission during 2024–2025 involved Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9 operations.
- Sunita Williams first flew to space in 2006 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - Sunita Williams flew three missions to the International Space Station, spending 608 days in space and completing nine spacewalks totalling over 62 hours, the highest by any woman astronaut. - She is a retired United States Navy Captain with over 4,000 flight hours. - Achievements: - First person to run a marathon in space - She is the second-highest NASA astronaut in total time spent in space. - First person to complete a triathlon in orbit - Received Padma Bhushan (India's third-highest civilian award) in 2008 |
Reports and Indices
- India ranks sixth in Asia Manufacturing Index 2026
- What:
- India ranked sixth among 11 Asian countries in the Asia Manufacturing Index 2026.
- Tell me more:
- China ranked first for the third consecutive year, while Malaysia rose to second position.
- India retained sixth position after ranking fourth in 2024 and sixth in 2025.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Published by | Dezan Shira & Associates |
| Edition | 3rd |
| Index name | Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026 |
| Total parameters | 8 pillars and 43 sub-parameters using a 100-point scoring scale |
| Parameters used | Economy, political risk, business environment, international trade, tax policy, infrastructure, workforce, innovation |
| Top Ranker | China |
| India’s overall position | 6th among 11 Asian countries |
| India’s score on each parameters |
Economy: 3rd Political risk: 9th Business environment: 6th International trade: 9th Tax policy: 9th Infrastructure: 4th Workforce: 1st Innovation: 5th |
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - India performs very well in workforce (1st) and economy (3rd), meaning it has a large, growing labour base and strong economic momentum. - India performs moderately in infrastructure (4th) and innovation (5th), showing progress but room for improvement. - India performs poorly in political risk, international trade, and tax policy (all 9th), indicating challenges in stability, trade integration, and tax-related competitiveness. - Overall, the data reflects a “unique duality”—strong fundamentals but clear policy and system weaknesses affecting manufacturing competitiveness. |
Source: BS
Awards
- Toby Kiers wins Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement
- What:
- American scientist Toby Kiers won the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for showing that underground fungal networks help plants share nutrients and remove about 13 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, making them very important for climate balance and nature protection.
- Tell me more:
- Mycorrhizal fungi live underground and connect with plant roots to exchange nutrients for carbon-based food.
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - Toby Kiers works as a University Research Chair at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. - She co-founded the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks to protect fungal biodiversity. - The Tyler Prize carries a cash award of $250,000. It is given by Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, an independent international environmental award body based in the United States. |
Source: TH
Sports
- Saina Nehwal retires from competitive badminton
- What:
- Saina Nehwal confirmed retirement from competitive badminton after nearly two years away due to chronic knee issues.
- Tell me more:
- Saina Nehwal last played a competitive match at the Singapore Open in 2023.
- She won a bronze medal in women’s singles at the London 2012 Olympics.
- She became world number one in women’s singles badminton rankings in 2015.
| Knowledge Nuggets |
|---|
| - Saina Nehwal became junior world champion in 2008. - She was the first Indian to win a Badminton World Federation Super Series title in 2009. - She is the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in badminton. - She received Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award. |
Source: HBL
Appointments
- RBI approves Kaizad Bharucha’s re-appointment as HDFC Bank whole-time director
- The Reserve Bank of India approved the re-appointment of Kaizad Bharucha as Whole-time Director and Deputy Managing Director on the board of HDFC Bank, strengthening leadership continuity in India’s banking sector.
- A Whole-time Director is involved in daily management and decision-making of a bank.
Source: ET
- Leadership change announced at Eternal
- Eternal announced that Deepinder Goyal will step down as Group CEO and MD, with Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa appointed as Group CEO from February 1, marking a leadership transition at the parent entity of Zomato and Blinkit.
Source: TOI
Miscellaneous
- Vice President releases book on Ram Janmabhoomi movement
- Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book Chalice of Ambrosia: Ram Janmabhoomi – Challenge and Response by Surendra Kumar Pachauri in New Delhi.
Source: PIB
About Anuj Jindal
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Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.
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