31st January 2025

1. Sony Names Hiroki Totoki as CEO for Entertainment Growth<li>
2. Greg Bell: A Legacy in Long Jump and Dentistry
3. Logo and Mascot Unveiled for 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025
4. Alibaba Unveils AI Model, Claims It Surpasses DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and Llama
5. Nagoba Jatara- A Big Tribal Festival in Keslapur
6. X’s Move to Become an ‘Everything App’ with Visa Digital Wallet
7. Maruti Suzuki Re-Appoints Hisashi Takeuchi as MD and CEO
8. Renowned Sculptor Latika Katt Passes Away at 76
9. Dinesh Karthik Becomes India’s Top Wicket-Keeper Run-Scorer in T20s
10. Steve Smith Joins Elite 10,000-Run Club in Test Cricket
11. Vedanta Resources Names Deshnee Naidoo as First CEO
12. RBI Takes Over AIHFL Board Amid Governance and Payment Defaults
13. BHIM Partners with Fintech Yatra to Promote Financial Inclusion, Digital Literacy
14. HDFC Securities Partners with KFin Technologies to Enhance NPS Access
15. Tata Steel Limited, India’s 1st company to Develop Hydrogen Transport Pipes
16. RDCL Receives RBI Approval to Transform India’s Mortgage-Backed Securitisation Market
17. Odisha Warriors win 1st ever Indian Unargal Women’s Hockey India League Title 2025
18. Indian Athlete Jyothi Yarraji Sets National Record in 60m Hurdles
19. World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2025 – January 30
20. Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day 2025 – January 30

State News

1. Nagoba Jatara Festival Begins in Telangana

• What:
  • The Nagoba Jatara festival commenced in Keslapur village, Indravelli mandal.
• Why:
  • The festival is a significant cultural event for the Meshram clan and other tribal communities, celebrating their traditions.
• Tell me more:
  • The festival will run until February 4, with the Darbar scheduled for January 31.
  • Members of the Meshram clan perform rituals using water from the Godavari river, and around 2,500 families participate in the celebrations.

Source: NIE

International News

1. Alibaba Launches New AI Model Qwen 2.5-Max

• What:
  • Alibaba released a new version of its Qwen 2.5 artificial intelligence model, named Qwen 2.5-Max, claiming it surpasses DeepSeek-V3.
• Why:
  • The release aims to respond to the competitive pressure from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which has rapidly gained attention in the AI sector.
• Tell me more:
  • Qwen 2.5-Max reportedly outperforms other models like GPT-4o and Llama-3.1-405B. DeepSeek’s recent releases have caused significant shifts in the AI market, prompting rivals to enhance their own models quickly.

Source: IN

Banking and Economy

1. X Collaborates with Visa for Real-Time Payments

• What:
  • X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, is partnering with Visa to launch a real-time payment system called “X Money Account.”
• Why:
  • This collaboration aims to advance Musk’s goal of transforming X into an “everything app” that integrates various services.
• Tell me more:
  • The X Money Account will allow users to create digital wallets and enable peer-to-peer payments linked to their debit cards. Initially, this service will be available to users in the US, but details on international expansion are unclear.

Source: BS

2. RBI Supersedes Aviom India Housing Finance Board

• What:
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has superseded the board of Aviom India Housing Finance due to governance concerns and payment defaults.
• Why:
  • The RBI aims to start a resolution process for the housing finance company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy rules.
• Tell me more:
  • Ram Kumar, a former chief general manager of Punjab National Bank, has been appointed as the administrator for Aviom India Housing Finance. The company focuses on providing loans to low-income households and women borrowers without formal income documentation.

Source: BS

3. BHIM Partners with FinTech Yatra for Financial Inclusion

• What:
  • BHIM has partnered with FinTech Yatra 2025 to promote financial inclusion and digital literacy in India.
• Why:
  • The partnership aims to train grassroots-level trainers to enhance digital payment awareness in underserved areas.
• Tell me more:
  • Over 200 individuals from selected NGOs will be trained through a “train-the-trainer” model to educate communities about secure digital payment practices, focusing on rural and remote regions.
  • The FinTech Yatra 2025 is a 10,000 km journey connecting fintech innovators with financial institutions and stakeholders.
  • The initiative emphasizes innovation and expanding the use of digital payments in India’s financial ecosystem.

Source: APAC

4. HDFC Securities Partners with KFin Technologies for NPS

• What:
  • HDFC Securities has partnered with KFin Technologies Ltd to enhance the accessibility and adoption of the National Pension System (NPS).
• Why:
  • The collaboration aims to provide an improved user experience for HDFC Securities’ subscribers and corporate clients by leveraging KFin Technologies’ advanced platform.
• Tell me more:
  • KFintech’s CRA platform offers features like real-time SMS notifications, flexible transaction statement downloads, and advanced security measures.
  • The partnership comes as the central government has increased tax benefits under corporate NPS from 10% to 14% of basic income.
  • Currently, there are only 18,700 corporations registered under Corporate NPS, indicating significant growth potential in this segment.

Source: BS

5. Tata Steel Develops India’s First Hydrogen Transportation Pipes

• What:
  • Tata Steel has become India’s first steel company to develop pipes for hydrogen transportation.
• Why:
  • This development supports India’s hydrogen mission and aims to enhance the infrastructure for hydrogen energy.
• Tell me more:
  • The pipes were processed at Tata Steel’s Khopoli plant using steel from its Kalinganagar plant.
  • They meet all critical properties required for transporting hydrogen and can handle high pressure (100 bar).
  • The new API X65 grade pipes are designed for 100% pure gaseous hydrogen. Tata Steel conducted hydrogen qualification tests in Italy.

Source: ET

6. RMBS Development Company Receives RBI Registration

• What:
  • RMBS Development Company Limited (RDCL) has received its Certificate of Registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to commence operations on January 23, 2025.
• Why:
  • The company aims to facilitate the growth of the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securitisation (RMBS) market in India.
• Tell me more:
  • RDCL is set up by the National Housing Bank (NHB) and is supported by various investors, including banks and insurance companies.
  • The company will provide investment opportunities for long-term institutional investors in the RMBS market.
  • The paid-up capital of RDCL is ₹500 crore, and its registered office is in Mumbai.

Source: PIB

Awards

1. Dinesh Karthik Makes History in T20 Cricket

• What:
  • Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement from all forms of cricket after IPL 2024 but returned to play for Paarl Royals in SA20 2025.
• Why:
  • His return marks a significant milestone as he became the first Indian player to participate in a major T20 franchise league outside the IPL.
• Tell me more:
  • Karthik recently surpassed MS Dhoni’s record for most runs by an Indian wicketkeeper in T20s, scoring 21 runs in a match against the Durban Super Giants.
  • He now has a total of 7,451 runs in T20 cricket from 409 matches.
  • Before this match, Karthik needed 26 runs to surpass Dhoni’s tally of 7,432 runs. The Paarl Royals have qualified for the playoffs, winning 7 out of their 8 matches in the tournament.

Source: TN

Important Dates

1. World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day – January 30

• Theme: unite, act and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)

Source: WHO

2. Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day – January 30

• Martyrs’ Day is observed in India on January 30 to honour those who sacrificed their lives for the nation, including Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on this day in 1948.

Source: MoC

Sports

1. Logo and Mascot Unveiled for Para Athletics Championship

• What:
  • The official logo and mascot for the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025 were unveiled in Chennai.
• Tell me more:
  • The championship will take place from February 17 to 20.
  • The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) is supporting the championship and is also organizing the SDAT-Asia Triathlon Cup.

Source: ANI

2. Steve Smith Achieves 10,000 Test Runs Milestone

• What:
  • Steve Smith completed 10,000 Test runs during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
• Tell me more:
  • At 35, Smith became the second-fastest Australian to reach this milestone in just 115 Tests and 205 innings.
  • He is now the 15th player in Test history to surpass the 10,000-run mark and has scored 34 Test centuries.
  • Smith’s journey in Test cricket began in 2010, and he has transformed into one of Australia’s most reliable batters.

Source: IN

3. Jyothi Yarraji Sets National Record in Hurdles

• What:
  • Jyothi Yarraji won gold in the 60m hurdles at the Elite Indoor Meeting in Nantes, France, setting a new national record of 8.04 seconds.
• Why:
  • This achievement marks a significant milestone for Yarraji as she begins her season and showcases her talent in track and field.
• Tell me more:
  • Yarraji broke her own national record twice during the event, first clocking 8.07 seconds in the heats before improving to 8.04 seconds in the final.
  • Although her time is impressive, it is still short of the qualifying mark of 7.94 seconds for the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

Source: TH

Appointments

1. Sony Appoints Hiroki Totoki as CEO

• Sony Group Corp. has appointed Hiroki Totoki as the new chief executive officer, succeeding Kenichiro Yoshida.
• The management changes will take effect on April 1, with Hideaki Nishino leading the game and network services business and Hermen Hulst as CEO of the game studio business.

Source: BS

2. Hisashi Takeuchi Reappointed as Maruti Suzuki MD

• What:
  • Maruti Suzuki India has re-appointed Hisashi Takeuchi as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for three more years.
• Tell me more:
  • Takeuchi’s new term will run from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028. He initially took charge as MD and CEO on April 1, 2022, after Kenichi Ayukawa’s term ended.
  • Takeuchi started his career with Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1986 and has held various positions, including MD of Magyar Suzuki Corporation in Hungary.
  • Maruti Suzuki’s Board also recommended the reappointment of Maheswar Sahu as an Independent Director for five years starting May 14, 2025.

Source: IN

3. Deshnee Naidoo Appointed CEO of Vedanta Resources

• Vedanta Resources Ltd appointed Deshnee Naidoo as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective January 20, 2025.

Source: BS

Miscellaneous

1. Olympic Champion Greg Bell Passes Away at 94

• What:
  • Greg Bell, the 1956 Olympic long jump champion from America, passed away at the age of 94.
• Why:
  • World Athletics paid tribute to Bell as he was the oldest living Olympic gold medallist in athletics.
• Tell me more:
  • Bell was a prominent long jumper in the 1950s, achieving a personal best of 8.10 meters in 1957.
  • He won the gold medal at the 1956 Olympics with a jump of 7.83 meters and later secured a silver medal at the 1959 Pan American Games.
  • He also had a successful career in dentistry after retiring from athletics.
  • He was inducted into both the Indiana University Hall of Fame and the US National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1988.

Source: TOI

2. Renowned Sculptor Latika Katt Passes Away at 76

• What:
  • Sculptor Latika Katt passed away in Jaipur at the age of 76.
• Tell me more:
  • She was known for her larger-than-life sculptures and worked with various materials for over five decades.
  • Katt’s notable works include a 20-ft bronze sculpture of Jawaharlal Nehru and her award-winning piece ‘Makarsankranti Nahan’ at Dashaswamedh Ghat.
  • Katt studied at Banaras Hindu University and MS University, Baroda, and received a research scholarship from the Slade School of Art in London.

Source: IE

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