General Awareness Updates – January 2013(Descriptive)

• 01-JAN-2013

1. Rollout of Direct Benefits Transfers started on 1 January 2013
2. Muthunayagam and Saraswat to be awarded with Aryabhatta Award by the ASI
3. Suven Life Sciences won Patents on three Products for CNS Molecules
4. Scientist Venkatesh Mannar honoured with Order of Canada Award

• 02-JAN-2013

1. S. Ramakrishnan took over as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
2. UN Human Rights Chief Termed Rape as National Problem in India
3. India and Pakistan Exchanged Nuclear Units List as a Part of the Agreement
4. Syed Asif Ibrahim Took Over as the Director of Intelligence Bureau
5. Israel’s Jewish Population Passed Crucial 6 Million Mark: Central Bureau of Statistics
6. Godrej UK-Based Subsidiary Acquired Colgate-Palmolive Brand, Soft and Gentle in UK
7. Domestic Automobile Sales Decreased in December 2012 despite Heavy Discounts

• 03-JAN-2013

1. Oldest Fossil of the Earth from 3.5 Billion Years Ago Discovered in Australia
2. Manufacturing Sector Displayed Six-Month Highest Growth in December 2012: Survey
3. Chief Justice of India Inaugurated First Fast-Track Court in Delhi for Hearing Rape Cases
4. Union Government constituted the 14th Finance Commission under Former RBI Governor YV Reddy
5. Urjit Patel Was Appointed As the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
6. Foreign Tourists Not Allowed To Work as Journalists on Tourist Visa: MHA
7. Switzerland Best Place to be Born in the World, India Ranked 66th: Survey
8. Government of Odisha launched Public Service Delivery System
9. Justice Amitava Roy Sworn in as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court
10. Masaki Asano appointed Deputy Managing Director of India Yamaha Motor
11. US President Barack Obama signed Annual Defence Policy Bill
12. U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved New Tuberculosis Drug

• 04-JAN-2013

1. Violin Maestro M.S. Gopalakrishnan died at the age of 82
2. Nestle won its Trademark Battle over KitKat Bar from Cadbury
3. Mukesh Ambani Declared 18th Richest Man in the World; Retains Position as Richest Indian
4. First Earthquake-Proof Hindu Temple of the World Opened Near Hollywood
5. Two New-Born Giant Planets Observed Around the Star
6. Ireland’s prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 awarded to Malala

• 05-JAN-2013

1. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde launched Pilot Project of Crime and Criminal Tracking System
2. Researchers: Siachen Glacier Shrinking Due to Increasing Temperatures
3. India’s First Successful Intestinal Transplant Performed on a Software Engineer
4. US President Barack Obama re nominated Indian American Srikanth Srinivasan as Federal Judge

• 06-JAN-2013

1. National Aluminium Co Ltd (Nalco) Commissioned its First Wind Power Project
2. 18th National Level Meeting between Myanmar and India held in New Delhi

• 07-JAN-2013

1. Government of Madhya Pradesh identified and declared 17 Eco-Sensitive Zones in the State
2. Union Government Decided to disinvest Stakes in Oil India, NTPC

• 08-JAN-2013

1. Researchers Discovered Fossil of First Bird with Teeth in China
2. Indian Institute of Astrophysics to Make World’s Largest Solar Telescope

• 09-JAN-2013

1. Aadhaar card to be accepted as proof to get passport: Ministry of external Affairs
2. India Successfully test-fired manoeuvrable version of BrahMos Supersonic Missile

• 10-JAN-2013

1. Rajiv Takru appointed Secretary of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry
2. Cochin Shipyard launched Aadesh, the First Fast Patrol Vessel for Coast Guard
3. PR Fonroche inaugurated First Solar Plant under National Solar Mission Batch II

• 11-JAN-2013

1. 37-year old female was First Complete Body Donor AIIMS
2. Five years and more than 31,000 deaths in Punjab due to cancer
3. Renault Duster Awarded Car of the Year Award 2013
4. Close to Microsoft Windows Live Messenger service from March 15, 2013

• 12-JAN-2013

1. Commemorative Postage Stamp on Silk Letter Movement released by President
2. Simon Taufel to be the First Umpire to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture 2013

• 13-JAN-2013

1. Koto Okubo, world's oldest living female died at 115
2. Astronomers discovered Largest Cosmic Structure in the Universe

• 14-JAN-2013

1. 2013 Golden Globe Awards: Argo has won the best director and best Best Picture
2. Sri Lankan President Impeached First Woman Chief Justice of the Country over Graft

• 15-JAN-2013

1. To open mid-2013 First Space Weather Reading Centre India Scheduled
2. Halimah Yacob was first female President of the Singapore Parliament

• 16-JAN-2013

1. Scientists Discover Gene That Restricts Tumours
2. Kamal Nath Chosen as leader of the Indian Delegation to World Economic Forum 2013

• 17-JAN-2013

1. Gun control: Obama signs 23 executive actions
2. Patiala House Became First District Court to Use Complete E-Stamping Facility

• 18-JAN-2013

1. Chinese Author Zhao Jiang to launch her First Book in Tamil, China’s Travel Attractions
2. Black Holes growing faster than expected: astronomers

• 19-JAN-2013

1. Snapdeal.com tied with Mahindra for sale Two-Wheelers
2. Supreme Court of India Bans Construction of religious structures and statues on Public Land